SHAR GANDEN & SERPOM MONASTERIES ARE HEADING THE WRONG WAY!

[Tenzin Gyatso]

Shar Ganden belongs to Ganden Shartze Monastery. They should never have seperated. If they were correct, then all of Ganden monks should have become Shar Ganden incumbents. How come only part of the monks left, because the majority realized Shugden is wrong. If you say the monks are afraid of HHDL, then take a look at Shar Gaden now. Is anyone harming them? Not HHDL or any of the CTA. They only harm themselves by being traitorous to their secular leader HHDL.

Shar Ganden Monastery is a bad example for Tibet's movement of gaining autonmomy from China. They show a disunited front. What is more important, the practice of Shugden (which there is an alternative-Kalarupa) or the freedom of the 6 million Tibetan nation (there is no alternative)?

All Tibetans should unite to gain the Tibetan nation back or die trying. Shugden should be abandoned for the sake of national unity and work together to get autonomy back before HHDL passes away. He is the only hope for the 6 million. Why would anyone not want their land back? The land of their ancestors should be more of a priority than the worship of Shugden.

To pick Shugden is to go against HHDL who is trying to gain autonomy for Tibet which is more than the Shar Ganden monks are doing. Shar Ganden monks are doing nothing for Tibet and the Tibetan people. They should realize their position in India is unsure and unstable without HHDL in the future.  Therefore to pick Shugden is to pick China over Tibet's autonomy and the welfare of the 6 million. Why would you NOT pick the welfare of 6 million by not practicing Shugden. Shugden is for yourself (if he benefits at all) and Tibet is for everyone. Buddhism teaches us to pick the majority over the oneself such as tonglen practices.

Shar Ganden shows a bad example. The monks are wrong. The sponsors who assist Shar Ganden are wrong. The guests who visit or stay in Shar Ganden Monastery are all wrong. Shar Ganden and Serpom Monasteries' existence is tantamount to saying Tibet is a part of China and you don't want autonomy. Autonomy of Tibet is more important than Shugden worship.

Shar Ganden should apologize to HHDL and sangha of Ganden Shartze Monastery and return. Reunite. Reunite and become one and strong again. It is not too late.

Everything I said about Shar Ganden applies exactly the same to Serpom Monastery. They should return to Sera Mhey Monastery immediately.

Shar Ganden Monastery and Serpom Monastery are heading the wrong way. Wrong message spiritually and wrong direction for the nation of Tibet and Tibetans. Shar Ganden and Serpom should really cease their wrong stance immediately. Wrong way can become the right way again. 

[Barzin]

I don't think the Shugden issue is about the freedom of Tibet, again we shouldn't even talk about politic mixing with spiritual.  This is where it goes wrong, mixing religious matters with politic.  Firstly, Tibetans can fight for their freedom and the land of their ancestors; but not to forget Shugden is a part of their ancestors too as we all know that Buddha dharma has all played an important part for the Tibetans too.

If you ask me, both are equally important.  So shouldn't Shugden practitioners have the equal right too?  But if you look at another angle of things, even though Tibet so called has lost their freedom but how Buddhadharma is spread to the world is amazing.  Wouldn't the Tibetans who are so proud of their spiritual leaders, masters, and Buddadharma happy for the world?  So why should they discourage themselves and go against their own will?

Talking about Shar Gaden/Serpom, i agreed with what Tenzin Gyatso mentioned; even after they seperated from Ganden and Sera Mhey Monstaery; HHDL or CTA did not harm them.  EXACTLY!  I don't think His Holiness did anything to them!  Does it mean anything?  I thought Shugden is bad and will shorten His Holiness's life?  So none of these actually matter, and what I mean is the Shugden issue has nothing to do with Tibetan freedom.  It is unfair to push the blame to the Shugden practitioners.  If they are really so bad, I am sure His Holiness and CTA would have done something already.

[Zach]

This is a ridiculous argument nothing new from one of HHDL's followers though. They are specialists in ridiculous arguments. One point I did agree with though is that Shar Gaden should never have separated from Gaden Shartse there should never have been a need to.

At least those monks of Shar Gaden and Serpom are not spiritual flip floppers they follow their Root Guru's teachings as instructed regardless of having to face great difficulties to do so.

[yontenjamyang]

BECAUSE I PICK 1.006 BILLION CHINESE + TIBETANS??!! INSTEAD OF JUST 6 MILLION TIBETANS. SIMPLE LOGIC.
Shugden stand for all. You are standing for just 6 million? Please rethink.

[michaela]

Dear Tenzin Gyatso

Though I understand where you coming from, I believe we all have the common goal in wanting schism and fractions in the monasteries to end.  I do believe that Dorje Shugden truly benefits a lot of beings including the Tibetans, even the Dalai Lama himself.  There are plenty of evidence of this as stated in the biography of Trijang Rinpoche, Illusory Play.  It is stated there that Dalai Lama was a DS practitioner and DS helped him to escaped Tibet to India.  Because of DS, we still have Dalai Lama today with us, and He has benefited so many people since his escape from Tibet.  I believe you agree with this statement.  So, there is no question in my mind that DS do benefit us and the teachings greatly. 

I believe the only way to end the division of monasteries is by pleading to HHDL to lift the ban.  So that we can all unite to uphold the teachings of Lama Tsongkhapa.

 

[Ensapa]

Shar Ganden and Ganden Monastery was separated because of the ban. they were basically kicked off from the monastery against their will. Imagine kicking out old monks who can barely walk out into the streets because they dont align with His Holiness's view? What sort of action is that?!! Where is the compassion in this? Even elephants do not abandon their aged members, and these are monks!

These are real practitioners who dont choose the easy path just because they want everything to be easy for them. None of the many saints found in Tibetan Buddhism ever abandoned their teacher for whatever reason, irregardless of who said it. Nor are there any high practitioners recorded in history abandon their teacher for whatever reasons. These people are following that example directly.

Unless Trijang Rinpoche tells his old students that they can give up on Dorje Shugden or that the ban is lifted, there will always be a separation. You dont need to be Buddhist to see that kicking out and isolating people who do not align to your views or your way of thinking is negative, no matter what the justification is. I dont believe at all that there is someone that can override the Guru's instructions.

I really respect the people in Shar Ganden and Serpom for standing by their beliefs and their Guru's instructions rather than abandoning it in favor of comfort and support. That is directly applying the teachings to abandon the 8 worldly concerns and going for the Dharma 100%. This is why I have tremendous respect for them when they can just easily declare that they will abandon the practice and give up on their real spiritual salvation for survival.

[shugdenpromoter]

Dearest Mr Tenzin Gyatso,

I do not think at all Shar Gaden or Serpom are going the wrong way. In fact I think they are going the right way. I think these 2 monasteries will actually preserve the Gelugpa traditions for the next few generation.

Why?

1. First of all, the monks were left NO CHOICE but to form their own institution. The system made them choose instead of finding the middle way to come with solutions.

2. With them separating, they are able to do more and connect with the other BIGGER institution which practices Shugden like the NKT group and etc. With their support and help, they will be bigger in the future. Which Geshe Kelsang Gyatso did support the these 2 monasteries when they started.

3. The enrollment in the monasteries such as Gaden/Drepung & Sera has dropped tremendously for the last 10 years of so. The course of Buddhism is evolving. The public use to go to the teachers in the monasteries for teachings but now the teachers has to come out of Tibet/India to teach. The methods are also different now. Thus when you look at the successful teachers of the Gelugpa lineage, they are all out from Tibet/India. A good example is NKT again.

4. There is no way Tibetans with the current CTA official will gain autonmomy from China. Look, China is so powerful now and look at our CTA. WHAT HAVE CTA ACHIEVED SO FAR? Only ignorant people like the CTA officials will deny that.

Majority of the countries are afraid of China as most of them relies on them for economic purposes. The only ASSET which CTA has currently is HH which will be just a matter of time that HH will not be with us anymore. Then WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO CTA then? There is no succession plan!

5. By separating, I see HIGHER chances of Gelugpa teaching flourishing in CHINA more cause there is NO association with HH and CTA. And we should not deprieve the Chinese in China Dharma.

Whatever methods, Mr Tenzin Gyatso we have to evolve. The older methods do not work anymore in the current time. It is not about what protector we practice but HOW WE BENEFIT OTHERS. SOME CALLED IT THE BIGGER PICTURE  .

[Ensapa]

I think i have forgotten to mention that in the great exodus of Dorje Shugden practitioners from the monastery, in which many of them are actually very high and elite lamas whom Ganden monastery expunged due to the ban. This means that Shar Ganden and Serpom now have all of the great masters that originally escaped from Tibet and these masters will be able to train up the next generation of monks, free of political influence.

That is by far more important than being politically correct: having gratitude towards the lineage lamas who passed down all the teachings since Shakyamuni's time and not abandoning them no matter what happens. That is real Guru devotion and that is the only way and attitude that will cause Dharma to grow and spread far and wide. Abandoning the teacher brings nothing but negative consequences...

what is interesting is that Shar Ganden and Serpom has reported that there are always new intakes to their monastery in every batch, whereas Ganden and Sera do not have such reports probably because the numbers are so low that they are embarrassed to even announce it. Also, since the older batch of Lamas has defected to Shar Ganden and Serpom, I have yet to hear of any new and upcoming Lamas from Ganden, Sera and Drepung.

This is more than enough proof for me that Shar Ganden and Serpom are heading the right way. Devoid of their lineage Gurus, I wonder how is Ganden, Sera and Drepung going to survive. They are not growing, but Serpom and Shar Ganden grows from strength to strength and they become bigger at a faster rate when compared to Ganden, Sera and Drepung. Now that is what I call results.

[Tenzin Gyatso]

Some people are missing the whole point. We shouldn't mix religion and politics. But that is very utopian and idealistic. Where there is people, everything will be mixed up and it can't be helped. So we have to be realistic. The reality is Shugden practitioners are involved with politics and so is everyone else. The very fact people want Tibet back is politics already. If we are going to practice dharma, then we have no country, name, identity, projections. We just settle down anywhere and do our meditations. Kinda of enlightenment or bust what Buddha did under the bodhi tree. 

Six million people obtaining independence/autonomy of Tibet is much more important than worshipping a Shugden spirit that creates division. Maybe Shugden himself doesn't create the division, but his worship alienates those from the mainstream. It's the very people who worship him choose to be alienated that become the division. It's better to choose Dalai Lama over Shugden and become united. With every leader there are policies we like and don't like, but we have to look at the bigger agenda and outcome which is Tibetan independence/autonomy. This division does not create a united front. It is important to get Tibet back. It is not important to worship Shugden and break up the Tibetan people. It is better to be united even if it takes abandoning Shugden in order to get Tibet back. Getting Tibet back to the people who are the rightful owners is much more important than Shugden.

Just follow the wisdom filled visionary instructions of HHDL to get Tibet back. 

[Carpenter]

I think there is a little bit mix up here, isn’t spiritual and secular should not pull together? For people who practice Dorje Shugden does that mean they can’t follow HHDL for secular? Erm… does this sound logic?

Dorje Shugden practitioner did not chose to betray ‘6 million Tibetan’, they are still part of the 6 million Tibetan if the others respect their own spiritual practice. I am Dorje Shugden praatitioner and I am a Tibetan, so what conflict is that? In fact, I felt that the people that trying to split DS practitioner and the others Tibetan apart are the traitors, don’t you think so?

[dsiluvu]

BECAUSE I PICK 1.006 BILLION CHINESE + TIBETANS??!! INSTEAD OF JUST 6 MILLION TIBETANS. SIMPLE LOGIC.
Shugden stand for all. You are standing for just 6 million? Please rethink.

This is so TRUE. And the statement about Shar Ganden belongs to Ganden Shartze Monastery is ridiculous! Please do not make it sound like as though they were given a free standing choice and not being condemned along the way. And why were they ask to leave in the first place? Just because they choose to do practices their root Guru gave them and because they choose to not break their vows and commitments? How is it that political agendas is mixed in to religion... seems like the black days Spanich Inquisition and the Holacaust? 

They should realize their position in India is unsure and unstable without HHDL in the future.

If there is anyone who should realize, it should be the CTA and those that rely so much on HHDL to be their hero spokesperson to the UN and super-powers. And as HHDL said, there will not be a 15th Dalai Lama, so what will become of those who has been depending on him. Shar Gaden and Serpom and those who are now standing on their own feet without having to rely on HHDL and the silly CTA are doing much better on their own and creating their own connections.

It is not about Tibetan independence, it is about Dharma, Religious Freedom and the basic Human Right to be able to do so. How can that be taken away from your own very people and yet the very right you take away you request your "enemy" which is China to give you? It purely illogical and the karmic consequences of the suffering you create for your own people through this BAN will be the results you will get back unfortunately. You wish for UNITY yet you create DISUNITY and SEPERATE THEM WITH A WALL!

Therefore to pick Shugden is to pick China over Tibet's autonomy and the welfare of the 6 million. Why would you NOT pick the welfare of 6 million by not practicing Shugden. Shugden is for yourself (if he benefits at all) and Tibet is for everyone. Buddhism teaches us to pick the majority over the oneself such as tonglen practices.

This statement clearly shows how little Dharma Tibetans have... they cannot even think logically but yet ignorant to claim it is. How can a country's political agenda supersedes Buddha Dharma which beyond all this. Lord Buddha taught us to not grasp on to anything of this life as every thing is impermanent. So what if Tibet is now under China... it is the karma of Tibetans and it happened not because of Dorje Shugden but the karma of the Tibetans who were barbaric before they had Buddhism. LAY people condemn monks and nuns... how barbaric is that?

What is more important, a country or the Dharma and benefiting all sentient beings (not just Tibetans)?  Looking at the situation because of the BAN, now Dorje Shugden practice and Dharma can spread even bigger - Thanks!

Again I echo yontenjamyang's quote and added:

BECAUSE I PICK 1.006 BILLION CHINESE + TIBETANS + OTHERS ALL AROUND THE WORLD??!! INSTEAD OF JUST 6 MILLION TIBETANS. SIMPLE LOGIC.
Shugden stand for all. You are standing for just 6 million? Please rethink.

[Galen]

How could you blame Shar Ganden and Serpom Monasteries for being the cause of Tibet no getting back their independence? The fact that they practice different protector practices does not make them the cause for not getting independence or hindering the fight for independence. If you go and ask the monks in Shar Ganden and Serpom whether they want Tibet to be independent, I'm sure the answer is YES! Why not join hands together and fight for independence instead of blaming.

Do you think the monasteries wanted to split in the first place and cause all the heartaches to their own monks and their families? They have no choice.

Now that the Dalai Lama is no longer the head of the CTA, Mr. Lobsang Sangey should be fighting for this cause without discriminating anyone. Is he doing this?

If he wants to unite the people, then do something about it or rather undo what has been done to the Tibetans.

[Aurore]

I am sure all the monks in Gaden Shartze Monastery were not very happy to let go of DS practice which has been kindly passed on to them by their teachers. I am sure there were more who will be more than willing to move to Shar Gaden, but that will leave Gaden Shartze empty wouldn't it? Sometimes, some sacrifices has to be made to preserve Lama Tsongkhapa's teachings. When one is obstracized, it would be difficult to do so as some has to protect the minds of many people who believes in HHDL.

You are talking about abandoning your guru's instructions or HHDL's ban. It is a tough choice. Some who remained may still be practicing in secret out of obligation and responsibilities. While some decide they will continue to spread the practice of Dorje Shugden. Both has got different roles to play until the ban is lifted and they will merge again.

A good example is HH the 101st Ganden Tripa Jetsun Lungrik Namgyal who left Gaden Monastery in January 2010 after completing his terms as Gaden Tripa to join the monks of Shar Gaden. His Holiness is considered an emanation of Tsongkhapa on earth. After his duties in Gaden Shartze, he has moved on to Shar Gaden to pursue his obligations which is guard the teachings of Lama Tsongkhapa. This just proves that many high lamas are secretly practicing DS regardless the separation of the 2 monasteries.

The Gaden Tripas are not just any high lamas or monks. They hold supreme authorities over the Gelug School of Buddhism for the last six hundred years. Their practice, teachings, lineage and authenticity is beyond questioning.
BTW, it was the Dalai Lama himself who appointed His Holiness as the abbot of Gyuto Tantric University and abbot of Gaden Shartze Monastery.

I have also heard that Gaden Shartze and Shar Gaden's monks are still good friends despite the wall that comes in between them!

[Klein]

Dear Tenzin Gyatso,

Your points will only be valid if HHDL has an open dialogue to debate of his claims of how Dorje Shugden's practice is all of a sudden evil. This practice has been around for 300 over years and is practised by most of the high lamas of the Gelug tradition.

Why would HH Trijang Rinpoche, HHDL's guru, aggressively promote Dorje Shugden's practice if it's evil? HHDL said that only Trijang Rinpoche is allowed to practice because he is powerful enough to handle Dorje Shugden. If this is true, then why would Trijang Rinpoche promote this practice to everyone? Is HHDL undermining the wisdom of his guru? If Trijang Rinpoche is wrong, then why are we still using other texts composed by him? Most high lamas of the Gelug lineage were taught by Trijang Rinpoche. Does this mean that the entire Gelug lineage is wrong?

There are so many contradictions that require clarifications from HHDL. If HHDL wins the debate on these matters, then your claims are valid. Otherwise, your claims do not hold any water.

[tsangpakarpo]

Some people are missing the whole point. We shouldn't mix religion and politics. But that is very utopian and idealistic. Where there is people, everything will be mixed up and it can't be helped. So we have to be realistic. The reality is Shugden practitioners are involved with politics and so is everyone else. The very fact people want Tibet back is politics already. If we are going to practice dharma, then we have no country, name, identity, projections. We just settle down anywhere and do our meditations. Kinda of enlightenment or bust what Buddha did under the bodhi tree. 

Six million people obtaining independence/autonomy of Tibet is much more important than worshipping a Shugden spirit that creates division. Maybe Shugden himself doesn't create the division, but his worship alienates those from the mainstream. It's the very people who worship him choose to be alienated that become the division. It's better to choose Dalai Lama over Shugden and become united. With every leader there are policies we like and don't like, but we have to look at the bigger agenda and outcome which is Tibetan independence/autonomy. This division does not create a united front. It is important to get Tibet back. It is not important to worship Shugden and break up the Tibetan people. It is better to be united even if it takes abandoning Shugden in order to get Tibet back. Getting Tibet back to the people who are the rightful owners is much more important than Shugden.

Just follow the wisdom filled visionary instructions of HHDL to get Tibet back. 

I think you're missing the point here! Like you said we shouldn't mix religion with politics..regaining Tibet is politics while practicing Dorje Shugden is spiritual/religion. These are MONKS you are talking about. I would suppose they chose Spiritual over politics hence they stayed with their practice. How is that wrong in any way? Is there no freedom of religious practice now?

Also, I suppose you're not very well verse with Buddhism. The monks who practice Dorje Shugden do so because it was passed down by their Gurus. They are merely performing their duties as students. They have utmost Guru Devotion for following their Gurus instructions regardless of how they've been treated by everyone opposing them. This act alone is very admirable. In Vajrayana, it is very important we show respect to our Gurus at all times. Disobeying our Gurus instructions or lineage is a big NO NO! Have you read the 50 Stanzas of Guru Devotion?

If we are true Dharma practitioners, we can practice any where, without name and recognition. And you know what, you are right about one thing. One day, Shartze and Shar Gaden will reunite for sure, same for Serpom and Sera May! That is when the ban of Dorje Shugden is lifted or no longer have its effects. =) All the monks are awaiting this day too! Regardless of their practice, I am pretty sure they are all still friends.