Dalai Lama Condemns Assam Violence

[harrynephew]

Hi All,

this was released yesterday and it seems that HHDL's condeming violence is consistent, as long as it's outside the Shugden issue of course! But what I wanna point out here is that HHDL is also consistent about speaking up for people from different faiths and at times mediating for them in order to create Harmony and peace among them.

My question to HHDL: "When will it be the time that Your Holiness will speak to your own countrymen on the Shugden issue to release them from their pain, agony and confusion???!!!"

I hope that time comes soon.


From Youtube:

http://youtu.be/_N9kYuu7OTU
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The Dalai Lama condemned the ethnic violence that has risen in Assam, expressing sadness over the riots in the northeastern Indian state.

Assam has been affected by violence since July 20, when unidentified men targeted youth in the district of Kokrajhar. Bodos retaliated against Muslims, suspecting them of being behind the initial attacks.

Dozens have died in clashes since.

[Dalai Lama, Tibetan Spiritual Leader]:
""It is very sad. Almost my whole life has been dedicated to promotion of harmony. India, overall, thousand years, you have culture of 'Ahimsa' (non-violence) and also, culture of harmony among different religious believers. Of course, some pockets, some problems here and there, that is understandable. But, overall wonderful. "

The Dalai Lama urged people to practice religious harmony.

[Dalai Lama, Tibetan Spiritual Leader]:
" I think we should realise the thousand year old India's traditional Ahimsa and traditional religious harmony, this must be retained."

Kokrajhar was once a predominantly Bodo-tribal area, but there has been a large influx of Muslims since the 90s. The two have had disputes over land control.

The Dalai Lama also welcomed a recent anti-corruption movement, led by activists Anna Hazare and yoga guru Baba Ramdev.

[Dalai Lama, Tibetan Spiritual Leader]:
"Corruption is truly doing very negative karma. So, people should avoid and I think like this kind of movement, this is kind of helpful to remind people and also leaders, something should be done."


From Yahoo News
http://in.news.yahoo.com/dalai-lama-condemns-ethnic-violence-assam-says-corruption-135511502.html

Jammu, Aug.13 (ANI): The Dalai Lama has condemned the ethnic violence in Assam, adding that people in India must practice religious harmony and tread the path of non-violence.

Addressing media on Monday, the Dalai Lama said: "It is very sad. Almost my whole life has been dedicated to promotion of harmony. India, overall, thousand years, you have culture of 'Ahimsa' (non-violence), and also, a culture of harmony among different religious believers. Of course, some pockets, some problems here and there, that is understandable. But overall wonderful. So, every Indian, irrespective of what religious follower and even non- believers, I think we should realize the thousand-year-old India's traditional Ahimsa and traditional religious harmony, this must be retained."

Commenting on the several agitations against corruption led by anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare and yoga guru, Baba Ramdev, the Dalai Lama said: "As far as this question is concerned, I always make clear, corruption is one kind of violence, exploiting on other's right in money field, so it is indeed very sad. India, basically religious-minded nation, people always talk about karma (deed). Corruption is truly doing very negative karma. So, people should avoid and I think like this kind of movement, this is kind of helpful to remind people and also leaders, something should be done."

Graft has long been part of daily life in India and can affect everything from getting an electricity connection to signing business deals. But the latest scandals-that have seen ministers jailed and business billionaires questioned-are unprecedented.

The central government has faced severe criticism because of its alleged involvement in various scams. (ANI)

[Ensapa]

What is interesting here are two things that I find: Firstly, the Dalai Lama ignores completely the plight of the Dorje Shugden worshippers who have been suppressed and subjected to death threats and violent beatings and having their property destroyed. Why would he allow that to happen while he comments and cares about the well being of someone so far away, when there is violence happening at home? Could it be that  his aides have hidden information from him regarding the violence happening in Dharamsala against the Dorje Shugden practitioners? Why is he quiet about it when it is literally happening in his own backyard while he cares about what is happening in some rural part of india?

the other part is, i do not understand why does he not speak up about the case of myanmar, when the buddhist monks there appear to support the genocide of muslims in that country. I know it is of a different lineage, but if the Dalai Lama has a say in other lineages in the Tibetan tradition, would it not be the same for Buddhism in general? No other Buddhist monk in the world has his influence and power over people the way the Dalai Lama does and so his statements could make a little impact to the myanmar people, or at least let people know not all buddhist monks are like that, although I do realize how ironic it is for the Dalai Lama to say that Buddhist monks should not be involved with politics, but this is just plain racism and hate and the Dalai lama should speak up against it...but he did not.

I only have one conclusion towards HHDL's stance and actions: that he wants to secure his position in India and by doing so, secure the Tibetan colony in India as well. His past actions towards india have all been patronizing, so to speak, and he has also said that he sees himself as a son of India. We need to remember that Dharamsala is only leased to the Tibetans for 99 years, and after that, India will take back the land. Since China isnt gonna free Tibet anytime soon, the Tibetans in Dharamsala will not leave india and their future survival will depend on how good they ca get along with the indian govt. But CTA is not making inroads with them, so HHDL has to.

[thor]

[Dalai Lama, Tibetan Spiritual Leader]:
" I think we should realise the thousand year old India's traditional Ahimsa and traditional religious harmony, this must be retained."

I agree. The tradition of religious harmony must be retained. How can this be done? By allowing equal rights to all religions. And by allowing all religions to be practiced. But my dear Dalai Lama, you are not doing this. You are stepping on the practice of Dorje Shugden with your holy foot. You are causing suffering to millions of people. By what you have done, you have indirectly caused beatings, murders, violence and fear to millions of homes. You are the cause of discrimination, apartheid, and a denial of service that was the first step to the Holocaust. Why do you destroy the religious freedom in Tibetan Buddhism?

[Dalai Lama, Tibetan Spiritual Leader]:
""It is very sad. Almost my whole life has been dedicated to promotion of harmony. India, overall, thousand years, you have culture of 'Ahimsa' (non-violence) and also, culture of harmony among different religious believers. Of course, some pockets, some problems here and there, that is understandable. But, overall wonderful. "

Unfortunately, what the Dalai Lama says is true. Although harmony normally prevails among believers of different faiths, there are pockets of problems existing, usually caused by misunderstanding and acting upon certain religious tenets, or by spiritual leaders who intentionally or unintentionally cause a division among their flock due to controversial religious decisions, sometimes with ulterior motives.

My Dear Dalai Lama - your ban of the Shugden practice has caused these pockets of problems among your own flock. Your decision, as the political leader of Tibet, has caused estrangement among the leaders of Tibetan Buddhism. Your ban is politically motivated, seeking to bring the different sects of Tibetan Buddhism closer, and along the way, sacrificing the beliefs of the sect you already hold. Your ban seeks to absolve the Tibetan Government of responsiblity with regards to your absolute failure to regain independence for your country. Your ban leverages on the superstitious and uneducated nature of your peoples, to lead them to blame a Buddha for the failure of humans. And you say this is overall wonderful?

[Dalai Lama, Tibetan Spiritual Leader]:
"Corruption is truly doing very negative karma. So, people should avoid and I think like this kind of movement, this is kind of helpful to remind people and also leaders, something should be done."

Oh yes, there are actions that are very helpful to remind leaders that something should be done. Unfortunately, the peaceful protests in New York (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/controversy/videos-controversy/western-shugden-society-protests-in-new-york-city/), UK (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/controversy/videos-controversy/protests-from-bethlehem-to-nottingham/),  Germany and (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/controversy/videos-controversy/tibetans-protest-for-shugden-freedom/), and elsewhere around the world (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/controversy/videos-controversy/dalai-lama-protests-around-the-world/) have done little to change your decision.

Even taking you to the Indian High Court for religious discrimination has not succeeded in changing your mind, to alleviate the sufferings experienced by the millions who are affected by your discriminatory ban. How can you say one thing and do another? How can you condemn the ethnic violence in Assam, when you are guilty on a much bigger scale?

Dalai Lama, this is my appeal to you to revoke the ban on Dorje Shugden's practice. You are Chenrezig, You are Avalokiteshvara. You are all knowing, omniscient. Your skillful actions have fulfilled their purpose. Dorje Shugden is now world-famous. Is it not time already, to overturn the ban, and for Dorje Shugden's practice to flood the world?

Everything within Buddhism points to tolerance, compassion and harmony. Others do not see the bigger picture behind your actions. To them, your actions are false and your speech hypocritical because you are doing what you condemn others for. Is it not time to lift Shugden's ban?

Can something be done? Have we not suffered enough? Can you please do something?

[kris]

@Thor, I really like what you wrote here!!!

Yes, HH Dalai Lama has always been the icon of peace, but when it comes to His own backyard, things he said and did are very contradictory.

I think the issue of this matter is that the contradictions are not make known to the world. That's why it is important all the injustices and inequalities towards the Dorje Shugden practitioners must be make known to the world.

To all the people who knows about this website, we should share all the difficulties faced by Dorje Shugden practitioners to the world and let ALL know about this matter!!

[dsiluvu]

Sure His Holiness the Dalai Lama can do something. It is so easy and simple... all he needs to do is say the Dorje Shugden ban is lifted... there is no BAN and "every man, mother, son, daughter and child" are EQUAL and they deserve the same kind of education, welfare, and care like any other Tibetan refuges living in exile in India. They too have lost their family, country, gone through hardships when they lost Tibet and on top of that wound they now have to deal with an even bigger "betrayal". That their own Dharma brothers and sisters, their own community, their own family and once was friends stabs them in the back, turn their backs on them, condemns them, some even physically abuse them and burn down their homes.

Now where in all this is the religious "harmony" retained??? With all due respect... we are not blind, uneducated, sheltered any more.. we have the internet now and news, truths, lies, bullshit and all travels fast and sorry to say more and more people will read this and will find out the contradiction of it all. And while Your Holiness retires, those that will experience the cause of this BAN and this Contradiction are your very own people and your new government that will be even less impactful the moment Your Holiness leaves this planet.

The CTA will suffer the humiliation and their voices will not be heard cos they have not had any track record of being successful without His Holiness. So I guess CTA better start planning your excuses now that you will bullshit the world that will not buy, sorry... as you explain illogically... "WHY is there religious discrimination within your own people while you request for such a Freedom from others?"
Doesn't make sense!

[hope rainbow]

it seems that HHDL's condemning violence is consistent, as long as it's outside the Shugden issue of course!

This topic is very interesting, thank you to all that have posted here, especially to Thor.

I wish to highlight though what HN has already said: "that HHDL's condeming violence is consistent, as long as it's outside the Shugden issue", and HN very aptly adds: "of course".
And I think we should really remember this, that His Holiness is the consistency itself "of course", and indeed He is, and He has been and still is a wonderful amazing inspiring monk for the world, except when it comes to the Dorje Shugden's ban, of course...

SO WHY IS IT THAT HIS HOLINESS SHOWS SUCH COURAGE, RESILIENCE, CONSISTENCY AND WISDOM FOR EVERY POSSIBLE THING EXCEPT FOR THE MATTERS RELATED TO DORJE SHUGDEN?
Unless there is something there for us to understand....
Unless there is purpose to this behavior...
Unless there is benefit for us all...

[Tammy]

SO WHY IS IT THAT HIS HOLINESS SHOWS SUCH COURAGE, RESILIENCE, CONSISTENCY AND WISDOM FOR EVERY POSSIBLE THING EXCEPT FOR THE MATTERS RELATED TO DORJE SHUGDEN?
Unless there is something there for us to understand....
Unless there is purpose to this behavior...
Unless there is benefit for us all...

Thanks Hope Rainbow,

I totally agree with you on this point!

We all know that attained high lamas (in this case HHDL!!!!!) are consistent in their speech and their actions. They are also very steady, never change in their stance on all issues.

Damai Lama is a symbol of love, kindness and harmony to everyone who have read or heard about him. He promotes interfaith harmony, teaches people how to be happy etc etc.. And yet he is allowing the mistreatment of Shugden practitioners right under his own eyes!!! This does not sense at all...

[Tenzin Malgyur]

Hope rainbow, I like what you said about there being a purpose for His Holiness's behavior towards matters related to Dorje Shugden. As I have the highest respect for HH, i still can't conclude why HH is not speaking to the many people who are abusing Shugden practitioners. Why is HH not mediating these two sides of practitioners whom are on the same faith as he is? Because HH started it? Your Holiness, please do something about this Dorje Shugden issue before it amass into more violence. How about some religious harmony within the Gelugpa for a start?

[hope rainbow]

Hope rainbow, I like what you said about there being a purpose for His Holiness's behavior towards matters related to Dorje Shugden.

As I have the highest respect for HH, I still can't conclude why HH is not speaking to the many people who are abusing Shugden practitioners.

Why is HH not mediating these two sides of practitioners whom are on the same faith as he is?

Because HH started it?

Your Holiness, please do something about this Dorje Shugden issue before it amass into more violence. How about some religious harmony within the Gelugpa for a start?

Tenzin Malgyur,

Why indeed does the Dalai Lama not say anything?
And I'll take the question further: can we actually expect at this point that the Dalai Lama will say anything that clearly removes the ban?

I actually do not think so. But we could imagine that The Dalai Lama, in a typical very intelligent and thought provoking move, leaves instructions that upon his passing away and for further matters related to Dorje Shugden, everyone should rely upon Trijang Rinpoche...
That would be a way to remove the ban without appearing flippant and it would make everyone wonder...

Just my imagination...

[Ensapa]

Tenzin Malgyur,

Why indeed does the Dalai Lama not say anything?
And I'll take the question further: can we actually expect at this point that the Dalai Lama will say anything that clearly removes the ban?

I actually do not think so. But we could imagine that The Dalai Lama, in a typical very intelligent and thought provoking move, leaves instructions that upon his passing away and for further matters related to Dorje Shugden, everyone should rely upon Trijang Rinpoche...
That would be a way to remove the ban without appearing flippant and it would make everyone wonder...

Just my imagination...

The Dalai Lama's silence on the whole issue means that he dosent have a concrete reason to enforce the ban and he is only doing it to achieve something. It wont be long before the ban has to be lifted as more and more people discover the truth at the end of the day. The ban can easily be removed when the Dalai Lama says that he has been wrong about the Dorje Shugden issue all along due to a mistaken view blabla, it's not that hard for him to say that. He would only say that at the right time, perhaps.

[prodorjeshugden]

The Dalai Lama can condemn violence as long as it is not relating Dorje Shugden...
For some reasons the Dalai Lama can condemn any form of violence, all except Dorje Shugden the So called demon. The violence that happens due to the Dorje Shugden ban is equivalent if not greater than the violence in  Assam. Yet the Dalai Lama can look down on the Assam violence as if he never did any thing that caused violence equivalent to that.

I really hope that the Dalai Lama will implement changes to stop violence regarding people practicing Dorje  Shugden.

[pgdharma]

"It is very sad. Almost my whole life has been dedicated to promotion of harmony. India, overall, thousand years, you have culture of 'Ahimsa' (non-violence) and also, culture of harmony among different religious believers. Of course, some pockets, some problems here and there, that is understandable. But, overall wonderful. "

The Dalai Lama mentioned that almost his whole life has been dedicated to promotion of harmony. Well, yes indeed he did promote harmony and world peace wherever he goes. But why is he not promoting harmony amongst his own people? The discrimination and segregation on Dorje Shugden practitioners is still on going even though the Dalai Lama recently said that Dorje Shugden cannot harm him. If Dalai Lama truly cares for his own people and practices what he preaches than he should ensure that his own people live in harmony and non-violence.

[grandmapele]

@pgdharma, yes, why is the Dalai Lama only promoting peace and harmony all over the world except among Tibetan and Tibetan Buddhist? He's divided the Karma Kagyus with 2 number of 17th Karmapa, 2 number of Panchen Lama and the ban on Dorje Shugden. Why even bring back the Jonang as a separate school of Tibetan Buddhism when they were assimilated in the late 17th century at the hands of the 5th Dalai Lama, who forcibly annexed the Jonang monasteries to his Gelug school, declaring them heretical? Why divide at all? Is it a mundane move as in military move of 'divide and conquer'? Will the Tibetans themselves realize that 'together we stand, divided we fall'?

Why is the Dalai Lama seemingly contradicting himself?