What made you start Dorje Shugden practice?

[dsiluvu]

Why do I continue to practice Dorje Shugden? Well....

1. Definitely it is because it is a practice given by my Guru.
I mean if you do not trust one's Guru then why even bother taking refuge with that Guru? Isn't a Guru suppose to be someone you have chosen because you believe that this person can bring you to "enlightenment" so what ever the Guru has prescribed like a good doctor, we as the so called "patient" should nicely take of "medication". You can have 2nd opinions but that should be checked before you made your decision on which good doctor you will follow. So just like deciding of refuge with a Guru, you should be checking at the beginning not after you take refuge.

2. I continue my practice with Dorje Shugden because I have experienced and received so much benefit directly and indirectly which I have never experienced before I received Dorje Shugden practice. It cannot all be just coincidences that today you do your serkym and make your prayers and tomorrow miraculously your prayers have been answered. But the most significant one would be how Dorje Shugden has been protecting for years since I practice from what would have cost my life. And really I am not one to just believe so easily and definitely not one to be superstitious.

There was once I had so much difficulty in finding a job that would be suitable for me to earn enough for my basic welfare and at the same time allow me freedom to practice Dharma... so I did my serkym offering practice and requested Dorje Shugden to please show me or give me a sign to get a job that is most suitable. The very next day I get a call for a job interview which is now the greatest job I have and at the same time I have more freedom due to the flexible hours of my job, which gives me the opportunity to still do my Dharma practice and attend whatever Dharma teachings whenever it arises without much obstacles.
There are many many more experiences which I can vouch for that Dorje Shugden is definitely the protector that helped me... in some amazing way things always seem to turn out okay and become not much of an issue or difficulty to deal with. And when you fully trust and surrender, you will realise everything becomes easier and easier and understanding the Dharma becomes more and more effortless.

[lotus1]

I started the practice of Dorje Shugden after my husband introducing me to Dorje Shugden practice. I read through the controversy at Dorjeshugden.com and I find that the ban is just not logical at all. When I read about HH Trijang Rinpoche and all the high lamas are also Dorje Shugden’s practitioners, I have more faith and started with the practice.
After the practice, I find that I have more conducive conditions and more resources to practice Dharma. I met with my Guru and is able to serve him. Therefore, I strongly believe and convince that he is a true Dharma Protector who supports me in my spiritual journey.

[Ensapa]

To me, after reading so many articles on this website (and they are all juicy with information), it would be hard for anyone to not start and explore Dorje Shugden's practice and his history. All the reasons against Dorje Shugden's practice is easily countered by this website and the information provided here. If someone wants to decide to follow the Dalai Lama, they could at least find out more about Dorje Shugden and at the very least, keep quiet about Dorje Shugden (like what Pema Chodron did) instead of launching a holy war of sorts against Dorje Shugden. It would be easy for anyone who decide to practice Dorje Shugden after reading this site. Reading the articles here actually affirmed my faith and it made me know that what I chose is the right path.

[AnneQ]

For me it all started when I got interested in the Dalai Lama. I came from a Christian background and I was not finding Christianity spiritually fulfilling. The Dalai Lama was getting very famous globally with many celebrity followers. So I started to "follow" HHDL too and researching about him and Buddhism on the internet, reading whatever literature about Tibetan Buddhism I can get my hands on and I became very interested in DS because HHDL banned it and claimed it to be a demon spirit and how by practicing it could shorten his life etc etc. And for many years I believed HHDL and avoided DS like a plague. But then as I got more knowledgable about Tibet and Tibetans in exile, and saw how the CTA treated and discriminated their own fellow Tibetans, I started questioning and having doubts about the ban and how wrong it was. When I had my doubts I started to do more reserch on DS and discovered so many enlightened Gurus and Lamas had practiced in the past and still do today. So now I am a complete convert and though I still respect HHDL and all that he stands for, I believe the ban is wrong. Thanks to websites like these spreading the truth about DS.

[Ensapa]

For me it all started when I got interested in the Dalai Lama. I came from a Christian background and I was not finding Christianity spiritually fulfilling. The Dalai Lama was getting very famous globally with many celebrity followers. So I started to "follow" HHDL too and researching about him and Buddhism on the internet, reading whatever literature about Tibetan Buddhism I can get my hands on and I became very interested in DS because HHDL banned it and claimed it to be a demon spirit and how by practicing it could shorten his life etc etc. And for many years I believed HHDL and avoided DS like a plague. But then as I got more knowledgable about Tibet and Tibetans in exile, and saw how the CTA treated and discriminated their own fellow Tibetans, I started questioning and having doubts about the ban and how wrong it was. When I had my doubts I started to do more reserch on DS and discovered so many enlightened Gurus and Lamas had practiced in the past and still do today. So now I am a complete convert and though I still respect HHDL and all that he stands for, I believe the ban is wrong. Thanks to websites like these spreading the truth about DS.

Yup. It is very important that we do not hate the Dalai Lama, but we do not agree to the ban as it is not ethical. Dharma practice should never be mixed together with politics or anything Samsaric like that and it should always be free of political influences, especially of this nature. This website provide a lot of info for people to think about and more importantly, to make their own decision on that matter. The Ban was never right in the first place and no matter how much the Dalai Lama's acolytes insist that it is a spiritual matter, it is not, especially in the way that it is being implemented. The way that it is being implemented is more or less the way how communities are being prosecuted for their beliefs, much like the early Christians who were impaled on the cross for not denouncing their faith.

[samayakeeper]

I was very fortunate to have received Dorje Shugden practice from my illustrious Lama some 15 years ago after I attended several dharma teachings from Him. The dharma teachings opened up my mind and answered many questions I had then why I was going though so much difficulties.
All my obstacles were cleared after offering serkym to Dorje Shugden and asking for His assistance. Until today I rely on Dorje Shugden for worldly assistance and to my Lama for my spiritual practice. I will never abandon nor give up the practice unless my Lama says so, which will not happen.

[Ensapa]

I was very fortunate to have received Dorje Shugden practice from my illustrious Lama some 15 years ago after I attended several dharma teachings from Him. The dharma teachings opened up my mind and answered many questions I had then why I was going though so much difficulties.
All my obstacles were cleared after offering serkym to Dorje Shugden and asking for His assistance. Until today I rely on Dorje Shugden for worldly assistance and to my Lama for my spiritual practice. I will never abandon nor give up the practice unless my Lama says so, which will not happen.

Thank you so much for sharing. Yes, I realize it is a recurring theme in Dorje Shugden practitioners that obstacles for them spiritually and their material obstacles get cleared very quickly, or if they experience obstacles, the obstacles do not bring upon permanent damage and serve only as a lesson to teach the practitioner or to strengthen the practitioner's willpower. If one has received the kind help from Dorje Shugden, I doubt anyone would want to give him up or see him as evil, which makes the Dalai Lama's ban against him very strange and baffling indeed.

[hope rainbow]

My Guru,
My Guru,
My Guru,

Never would I have taken on a Protector's practice without my Guru kindly offering it to me... It could not be less true, I actually thought I was doing it as a "favor" to my Guru who is kindness itself, and so I did not realize how much of a gift it was to me at first, I was more in the mindset "ok I'll do it if it is required".
But my Guru does not need favors from me, I had seem to have forgotten that I am the one in need....
The result of the practice changed my mind and I realized that gratitude was the mindset to have, profound gratitude that is!

[Ensapa]

My Guru,
My Guru,
My Guru,

Never would I have taken on a Protector's practice without my Guru kindly offering it to me... It could not be less true, I actually thought I was doing it as a "favor" to my Guru who is kindness itself, and so I did not realize how much of a gift it was to me at first, I was more in the mindset "ok I'll do it if it is required".
But my Guru does not need favors from me, I had seem to have forgotten that I am the one in need....
The result of the practice changed my mind and I realized that gratitude was the mindset to have, profound gratitude that is!

Yes, it is never us doing the Guru a favor no matter how personal it seems of the tasks  he asks us to do. It is always about us when the Guru gives us a task. Gratitude to the kindness of the Guru who has shown us the Dharma and tirelessly reminds us to come out of Samsara as soon as possible and also who uses all kinds of methods and risk looking bad in front of us, as long as we can transform or accure merits so that we can ascend the path of Dharma faster. To be under the care of such a Guru is a treasure that cannot be found for a very long time, like how Zong Rinpoche puts it, the likelihood of finding a Guru like this is like the likelihood of a blind turtle that comes up once every 100 years from the deep ocean and poking his head through a floating lifesaver. Thanks for reminding us the kindness of our Gurus, hope rainbow

[Gabby Potter]

I was first introduced to Lord Dorje Shudgen by my guru through my parents, I came to know about Dorje Shugden when I was 7 or 8 years old, but I was too young to understand all these controversies, discrimination, the ban etc. Now that I've understood better, I find it very meaningless, in the sense that discriminating Dorje Shugden practitioners. One of the reasons why I started this holy practise was because I saw the difference in my parents,  they were so different before they came to know about Dorje Shugden and this sacred practise has changed their lives, our lives for the better. That's why I find it very absurd that people anti a practise that has been benefiting millions of lives. May the ban be lifted soon _/\_

[Tenzin Malgyur]

Ganden Follower, I would like to say that the poll does not have the exact reply on how I started with my Dorje Shugden practice. For me, the practice have been kindly bestowed to me by my precious guru. It is a protector practice given to my dharma siblings and myself to help us in our spiritual works and the many obstacles in our daily life.
I must say that we were very fortunate to have the freedom to practice Dorje Shugden and I pray that very soon, everyone would be able to do so when the ban on Dorje Shugden practice is lifted.

[tingtong]

Hie all,

I was a newbie in practising Dorje Shugden  practise. And the thing that inspire me to practise is that I seen the power and capable that Protector could come to help of any human being. I was being influence by my partner that practises Tibetan Buddhism. And the effectiveness of Dorje Shugden is near to immediate. And I really admire how much it is if it is to be able to be practise by all and being appreciated in a correct manner.

[christine V]

Even tho, the starting on the practice was introduce by my friend and my Guru. But i was really in love with Dorje Shugden. Simply because i like dharma, through dharma, many issues in life could be settle.

Dorje Shugden is an uncommon Dharma Protector whom arose from the Great Lineage master - Tulku Dragpa Gyeltsen, and, wanted to protect the most precious teaching of Lama Tsongkhapa. Thus, by practicing Dorje Shugden, I am practicing Dharma at the same time.

[grandmapele]

I started without much thought given to the ban as the dharma centre I went to practiced Dorje Shugden. If a high lama can give this practice and really teach the dharma, they cannot be wrong. Not only do they teach the dharma, they teach the pure dharma and brought me closer to Buddhism. It did not take me away from dharma to practice all kinds of non-virtuous practices nor taught me to be a lesser human being. For taht I continue with my practice.

[Jason Statham]

My parents have been practicing DS for the last 16 years. Only about 4 years ago, they introduced me to Dorje Shugden's practice. I am a Gelugpa throughout my whole life and my parents only decided to get me further into the Dharma. I love Dorje Shugden very much, as He has helped many of my friends, families and I. After my parents shared stories of Dorje Shugden (About how and why He became a Dharma Protector and His life before becoming a Dharma Protector), they showed me the praise of DS in a prayer book. It was really fascinating and interesting to learn about Him.