I feel it is sheer ignorance and stupidity that those who are against Dorje Shugden do not even know who is Dorje Shugden. Out of blind faith, they just follow what the Dalai Lama tells them. They don't even take the initiative to learn and read up on Dorje Shugden. Thus they do not know the connection between Panchen Sonam Drakpa and Dorje Shugden.
Lama Zopa never say any thing bad or suppressed Dorje Shugden practitioners. He was supporting HHDL's
wishes and had many times given advise to his students not to do so, yet FPMT centers continue to bad mouth and bash at Dorje Shugden practitioners. It is such a shame that his students do not practice Guru Devotion and go against him by refusing to listen to his advise. It is not a surprise that FPMT centers are going down.
Its not really out of ignorance per se, but just plain laziness and the crusader complex because it is always more fun to assault and attack others whom we perceive to be wrong rather than to confront our own faults and and shortcomings, and then doing something about them.There is so much resources everywhere about Dorje Shugden but yet they choose to turn a blind eye on them...hmm?
The best way to honor HHDL is to practice his teachings and not add in additional lines to his words and instructions, and not to only practice what we like. It is to practice everything without exception and follow the exact words rather than assume that by putting down Dorje Shugden practitioners we will be more correct and HHDL will love us more....incorrect thinking.
We have the internet now. Even if not, many, many older students of Lama Yeshe would have been able to provide reliable sources on the true nature of Dorje Shugden and quietly follow Lama Zopa and HHDL's advice without making a big song and dance about everything as if it would actually increase their bodhisattva levels by 5 every time they expose or discredit a DS friendly center.
It is rather shameful to see FPMT to have degenerated to such a stage where they need to bad mouth other centers who are way more successful than them in order to be the dominant Vajrayana buddhist authority in the country that they reside in. Dharma practice is not about being authority or being the ultimate center that teaches others....they're places for people to practice Dharma. I just wish that the administrators remember this.
Your view is true, Ensapa, that this is not just pure ignorance but rather people's laziness in wanting to find out and learn about the truth on this issue.
If Dorje Shugden is considered as an evil spirit and His practice can harm HHDL's life, does this mean all His previous incarnations are considered as 'evil spirit' as well?
If yes, why was His previous incarnation, Panchen Sonam Dragpa, appointed as the fifteenth Ganden Tripa or throneholder of Ganden Monastery and His texts form the core curriculum for most Gelugpa monasteries? Why was He taught by the second Dalai Lama, and in turn later became the teacher of the third Dalai Lama?
Why was Panchen Sonam Dragpa the one and only Lama that has served as abbot of the three main Gelug monasteries – Ganden, Sera and Drepung?
(
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panchen_Sonam_Dragpa)
Also, why is Panchen Sonam Dragpa's statue placed in the monasteries?
So, if one wants to criticize some one or something, please get all the facts clear. If not, they are just behaving like the ostrich who bury their head in the ground thinking that if they don't see things around them, then these things doesn't exist! How ironic!