Dalai Lama WILL STOP condemning Dorje Shugden

[beggar]

Just in on the website! Breaking, unbelievable and fantastic news about what the Dalai Lama has recently said about the Dorje Shugden practice / ban. Looks like there's a silver lining in the clouds and lots more hope ahead for Dorje Shugden practitioners.

Thing is, will he keep his word? And will the CTA also follow suit to stop the witch hunts and discrimination??

Dalai Lama Will Stop Condemning Dorje Shugden
http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/features/dalai-lama-will-stop-condemning-dorje-shugden/

DorjeShugden.com has just received groundbreaking news from the monasteries that H.H. the Dalai Lama will stop openly condemning the practice of Dorje Shugden.

From 30 November – 13 December 2012, H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama gave 14 days of Lamrim teachings at Gaden and Drepung Monasteries in south India. Commentaries included Atisha’s Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment (Jangchup Lamdron), Tsongkhapa’s Great, Middle and Concise Treatises on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (Lamrim Chenmo, Lamrim Dringpo and Lamrim Dudon) and 14 other classic texts.

During his time at the monasteries, the Dalai Lama held a private closed-door meeting with all the abbots of the main monasteries, including those of Gaden Shartse, Gaden Jangtse, Drepung Loseling, Drepung Gomang, Sera Jey and Sera Mey. Here, he told them that after this Lamrim teaching, he would stop saying negative things about Dorje Shugden openly.

The Dalai Lama explained that he had said this because people are listening to him now and so, there is no need to talk more on the subject. Actually, there are tens of thousands of practitioners who are still maintaining their practice of Dorje Shugden; the continued growth of their monasteries such as Shar Gaden and Serpom is evidence of this.

This change of tone can also be seen when His Holiness spoke almost jovially on religious harmony and Dorje Shugden during these same Lamrim teachings at Drepung Loseling Monastery on December 9, 2012.
(see the other article on this here: http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-controversy/true-harmony-or-a-change-of-tune/)

We rejoice that the Dalai Lama has decided to stop condemning Dorje Shugden. This seems to be very, very good news that suggests that the Dalai Lama is now thinking deeper of a much bigger picture. This is a beacon of light for all who respect and cherish religious freedom, and especially poignant for Dorje Shugden practitioners who have kept up their practice, and maintained their faith silently and peacefully all these years.

It is a sign that human dignity, freedom and basic personal rights to religious freedom are beginning to prevail in this world. The Dorje Shugden practitioners, as in any other religious faith, have the right to practice their personal beliefs without criticism and discrimination from any secular or religious leader.

[vajratruth]

Wonderful news indeed but I wonder how the CTA will react to this. In the past the CTA has blamed the Dorje Shugden practice for the Tibetan failure to recover their country and even went to the extent of claiming that the practice harms the Dalai Lama's life. What has changed? Dorje Shugden is still the same enlightened Buddha he has been for over 350 years and the ban did nothing to change that. The only thing that is different now is that Tibetans and people around the world are beginning to realize that the CTA never did have sound justification to deny Shugdenpas their right to practice their belief.

If previously the Dalai Lama's condemnation of Dorje Shugden translated into a state-enforced ban, shouldn’t His Holiness’s decision to cease the condemnation lead to a reversal of the ban, especially now that the “reasons” for the ban have been proven to be without sound reason and logic. In fact it is a great opportunity for the CTA to regain the respect of many, correct an ill-judged mistake of the previous parliament, mend fences with important lamas who can be instrumental in the Tibetan struggle..and all this without going against the wishes of the Dalai Lama.

Still, it is welcome news. I wonder if the Dalai Lama’s motive in conveying this new message to the abbots of the various monasteries is to indicate to them that they too should relax their stance on the ban and slowly and quietly allow the practice to be conducted within their monasteries again. Why else would the Dalai Lama raise an old and I presume taboo subject matter if not to affect certain changes. I for one, never believed that the emanation of Chenrezig would do anything to cause harm to Shugden practitioners but did what he did to attain a far bigger objective.

[WisdomBeing]

What amazing news to receive today! This is the first glimmer of hope for all those who are suffering under the ban on Dorje Shugden. A lot of people have asked me why am i so upset over this issue when I am not affected in the UK. The answer is that I may not be directly affected like those Tibetans who have no choice but to live in the Tibetan settlements in India who have been ostracised by their own families and the communities. I may not be a monk who has had to leave their monastery and their sangha community because of devotion to Dorje Shugden.

I may not have death threats physically but do you know that on my facebook, i constantly receive insults and condemnation for my practice. It is not anybody's business what I practice, yet people happily hurl profanities at me. Of course i just delete them but it indicates just a smidgeon of what Tibetans have to go through. Thank goodness Sainsburys or Marks and Sparks don't have a sign saying "No Shugden practitioners allowed"!!!!

Dorje Shugden practitioners are my dharma brothers and and sisters and it is for them that i rejoice in this news today. Of course, once the Dorje Shugden ban is lifted, the Dorje Shugden lamas will be able to benefit even more people everywhere by being able to publicly share Dharma and this wonderful practice with others, without criticism from those who are supporting the Dalai Lama.

I know the supporters of the Dalai Lama criticise Dorje Shugden out of devotion to the Dalai Lama and think that they are doing so out of a good motivation but if they see the attitude of most of the people on this forum, they would see that we SHARE the same devotion to HH the Dalai Lama. We just do not share the same view towards Dorje Shugden because of reasons repeated many times over on this forum and website.

In any case, I am thrilled to hear this news - thank you dorjeshugden.com (when i said a couple of days ago, please keep the good news coming, i didn't know it would come so fast!!! ) and I do hope that the lifting of the ban is near. May all the Dorje Shugden lamas live long with stable health and continue to turn the wheel of Dharma!

[Big Uncle]

This is fantastic news! It is amazing how the news just keeps coming to us in succession. I think that we are living in phenomenal times and I keep feeling that we are on the threshold of something big that is going to explode onto the world. Anyway, with the ban coming down, Dorje Shugden is sure to explode onto the world like the explosive Trakze riding on his Garuda mount - wrathful manifestation of Dorje Shugden.

Anyway, it sure is exciting but I will be even more excited when the Dalai Lama decides to renounce the ban completely. I am sure this whole ban was planned way ahead by the Dalai Lama for the effects that we are currently witnessing. It is all part of a grand design for this practice to grow big in the world. I am pretty sure but I have no exact proof of course. I think Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche must have foreseen it way back to the time when he was composing Music Delighting The Ocean of Protectors. That's why he advised followers of the Dalai Lama and Dorje Shugden not to have wrong views about either side. Exact quote is as follows:-

Page 125 of Music Delighting The Ocean of Protectors
But some who are narrow minded, not understanding this point, consider this Dharmapala to be like an ordinary worldly being and, with supposed faith in the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama, disparage him; or else they indeed admire this great Dharmapala but criticize the Dalai Lama or Panchen Lama. Using either one as a reason not to admire the other and speaking badly about either in any way is the conduct of an ordinary being who, under the influence of attachment and hatred, just tries to help friends and hurt enemies; it obscures the increase of these great holy Aryas' deeds and creates the karmic cause to experience unbearable suffering in the future.

This was written before the ban and is clearly in reference to this ban. Here's the colophon part of the text and it clearly states the year in which it was composed...

Page 136 of Music Delighting The Ocean of Protectors,
Having received the life entrustment of this great Dharmapala from he who is, in nature, all refuges of the three times, my kind root Guru Dorje Chang Pabongkapa Dechen Nyingpo Sri Bhadra, the glorious and excellent, and having received the transmissions and instructions on the practice from him as well, I, Yongzin Ganden Trijang Rinpoche Lozang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso, who strives with heartfelt awe and devotion in the excellent system of Manjusri Lama Je Tsongkhapa, in the great Land of the Aryas, India, Himachal Pradesh, at Kangri Tzong, Dharamsala, Naroji Koti, in 1967, the Tibetan year 2994, in the sixteenth sixty year cycle, year of the fire sheep, wrote this by hand.

1967 is definitely way before the Dorje Shugden ban. Therefore, I think perhaps, the Dalai Lama is slowing down because certain other objectives of the ban that was unspoken of had been met and he is releasing the ban slowly. Whatever it is, let's just be happy and brace ourselves for the eventual time when the ban will come down completely!

[Ensapa]

This is very good news. It seems taht the Dalai Lama has already entered into a stage where he will stop condemning Dorje Shugden. Perhaps it is true that the ban will be lifted soon and that this is one of the many indications that he will lift the ban soon. I cannot wait for the day where he announces that there is no reason not to practice Dorje Shugden. That day seems to be coming near. We need to intensify even further our campaign to lift the ban and to spread information about Dorje Shugden so that more and more people will know the truth and they will practice Dorje Shugden on the basis that they know the benefits of his practice.

[Karla]

You are all quite ridiculous.

If you were really so passionate and sincere about your practice, then what does it matter what the Dalai Lama says or what anyone says? You all just debate and talk back and forth among yourselves. This is a forum about your lineage and practice, so you say. So why do you need to justify your practice back and forth to each other?

Who cares what the Dalai Lama, or any lama has to say? And why do you all just keep bringing it up here over and over again? Just keep quiet and do your own practice. You all keep saying how sad and unfortunate it is that there is so much politics in religion now, but don't you realize that you are all feeding into it yourselves?

Don't you think that talking incessantly about the CTA and their policies and analysing the Dalai Lama's words to death IS ALSO POLITICS?

Just do your practice.

[samayakeeper]

You are all quite ridiculous.

If you were really so passionate and sincere about your practice, then what does it matter what the Dalai Lama says or what anyone says? You all just debate and talk back and forth among yourselves. This is a forum about your lineage and practice, so you say. So why do you need to justify your practice back and forth to each other?

Who cares what the Dalai Lama, or any lama has to say? And why do you all just keep bringing it up here over and over again? Just keep quiet and do your own practice. You all keep saying how sad and unfortunate it is that there is so much politics in religion now, but don't you realize that you are all feeding into it yourselves?

Don't you think that talking incessantly about the CTA and their policies and analysing the Dalai Lama's words to death IS ALSO POLITICS?

Just do your practice.

THE POT CALLING THE KETTLE BLACK.

[vajratruth]

Dear Karia,

Thank you for your contribution and welcome to the "ridiculous" club.

To begin with, you will not find any Shugden practitioner who feels a need to justify the practice. The fact that our respective Gurus gave us the practice is all the justification we need, never mind what others say. The fact that so many have personally experienced Dorje Shugden's goodness means we want to share, not justify.

However, personally I feel there is a need to keep speaking about this subject matter because so much lies have been said about Dorje Shugden and so much facts distorted. Shugden practitioners did not politicize the Dorje Shugden but that doesn't mean that everyone will stand idly by to see the Dharma being corrupted. If those who do know the truth do not correct this error then who will? Would you allow lies be said about the Buddha or the Dharma or would you share the truth and correct mistakes so that people can come to know and benefit from the truth?

If you know of an imminent danger that could directly affect your family and your inner circle of friends, would you not want to warn them? Or do you take that view that you should just keep quiet because it doesn't affect you and quietly do your practice? For me, telling the truth about Dorje Shugden IS part of my practice and bringing down the ban is also part of my practice. Why? Why wouldn't I want as many people as possible to come to know Dorje Shugden whom we all need in these difficult times. And why would I want bad karma to be created by those who have taken a wrong view of an emanation of Manjushri because they were misled?

You may be well versed in the Dharma and I like your resolve to practice regardless of the rumors but many people are not like you. They just follow blindly and therefore what the Dalai Lama says has significance to the thoughts they form in their mind. And if the Dalai Lamas has decided not to condemn Dorje shugden it is something to rejoice in over and over again because with this, the tyranny of the persecutions should be done away sooner. Isn't that a good thing?

[dondrup]

Dear Karla,

What His Holiness Dalai Lama had said is important!  HH Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of the Tibetans.  What he said has a great impact on the Tibetans and non-Tibetan practitioners who had chosen to abandon Dorje Shugden practice.  These practitioners only listen to HH Dalai Lama.  They would need someone like HH Dalai Lama to turn them around should HH Dalai Lama decide to lift the ban! 

As long as there are people who are ignorant about Dorje Shugden and the ban, there is a need to continue to talk about CTA, HH Dalai Lama and the ban.  Talking here does not mean to idle chat but it means to discuss with the correct motivation to reveal the truth about Dorje Shugden and the ban. We must continue our effort to educate the World the powerful and beneficial practice of Dorje Shugden.

Without speaking out, who will know about the sufferings of all the Dorje Shugden practitioners? Without speaking out, who will know that the Tibetans are ostracised by CTA and other Tibetans just because they had decided to practise Dorje Shugden?  Without speaking out, we are creating the cause for Dorje Shugden lineage to disappear!  Without speaking out, we are just as bad as those who had abandoned Dorje Shugden practices because we had only cared for ourselves! 

Supporting the cause to lift the ban of Dorje Shugden (e.g. through contributing to this forum) is REALLY doing the Dorje Shugden practice.  No point practising Dorje Shugden sadhana if we don’t show our care for fellow Dorje Shugden practitioners who are still suffering out there because of the ban!

[lotus1]

Great news to welcome the new year of Losar on 11-Feb-2013!  Rejoice to hear that HHDL has decided to stop condemning Dorje Shugden. It is double happiness to hear the news of HH Trijang Rinpoche did a full Dorje Shugden puja and gave an oral transmission of the practice whilst he was in Rabten Choeling, Switzerland in 2012 (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/forum/index.php?topic=3063.0).

This seems to me like it is plotting towards lifting the ban and introducing Dorje Shugden to more people! ?

[Ensapa]

To me, this piece of news only proves to us that the theory that the Dalai Lama is banning Dorje Shugden for a higher purpose is true. I mean, it has been over 30 years that the Dalai Lama has been harping on Dorje Shugden but on the recent years he has gone soft on Dorje Shugden and now he is saying he will not condemn Dorje Shugden anymore. Perhaps, the conditions and time for Dorje Shugden to arise as the Dharma protector of Tibetan Buddhism has arrived and the Dalai Lama was merely spreading awareness  via reverse psychology to get everyone prepared to receive the king of Dharma protectors.

[michaela]

I am very happy to hear the news.  I got the news in the car while driving yesterday, and I needed some time for the news to sink in into my mindstream.  It is a great news for our cause and what my Lama said over and over again is true. 

May this news be the cause for DS practitioners activities to fluorished and may this be one of the critical steps for the ban to be lifted.

[Karla]

As long as there are people who are ignorant about Dorje Shugden and the ban, there is a need to continue to talk about CTA, HH Dalai Lama and the ban.  Talking here does not mean to idle chat but it means to discuss with the correct motivation to reveal the truth about Dorje Shugden and the ban. We must continue our effort to educate the World the powerful and beneficial practice of Dorje Shugden.

There are many ways to continue to promote your practice without talking about the politics.

Just do your practice. that is the best way to show people how effective and real the practice is.

When you talk like this, people will come to your website and the first thing they will think is that Buddhists are more interested in talking about politics than in their practice. There are a lot of people out there who need help and they are looking everywhere for answers. When they look at the Dalai Lama's side, the people there are talking against this practice and talking all about politics. When they look at your side, they also see you talking politics. It's politics everywhere.

You risk turning people off from practice because all they see is political talk and not practice. You may have a good intention and I hear what you're all saying but once you start talking about the CTA, Free Tibet issues and a majority of the things that you are talking about here, you turn this space into a political one. People have their own politics to deal with in their country, in their offices and in their families. They don't need to learn all about politics in religious place also.

You may be speaking up for all the people who are suffering because of this ban, but at the same time, maybe you are putting off a whole lot of other people who could be introduced to the practice but are turned away because they don't like the politics they see. So you have to weigh it out - how many people are you really helping? how many people are you potentially cutting off from the dharma?

[dsiluvu]

Firstly I truly rejoice in hearing this change of tune and words coming out His Holiness mouth. I've always been told by my Lamas not to think negatively of His Holiness actions for it has His own reasons behind it and perhaps a much bigger scheme of things is happening between Dalai Lama, Trijang RInpoche and Dorje Shugden. These are enlightened beings and everything we discuss here is a sharing how how things are so illogical beyond our own normal understanding but could possibly lead to an eventual greater good.

Hence what His Holiness said is very powerful because this could mean that Shugden practitioners will have less issues, more peace and hopefully stop being targeted and discriminated and be allowed to do their practice peacefully. Hopefully the CTA will also start acting like a proper non-bias democratic Govt, be a kind example and be kind to all their people and look in to the welfare of Shugden practitioners. We're discussing here and requesting them out of humanitarian and ethical right of every human being as we are all equals. This could also be to the CTA's advantage if they are smart about it and can think of their future when there is no more Dalai Lama. Splitting your own people up is a time proven ingredient for failure... just look at the Spanish inquisition history and look at Europe now... karma does come back. I believe there is a very good article here you can read and widen your knowledge... Religious Persecution – how it makes and breaks nations http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-controversy/religious-persecution-how-it-makes-and-breaks-nations/

So in reference what Karla say... it is not like we're being political over here in this forum, we're just talking about the latest news that we get and using common sense and logic to discuss, think through it and come to sense of what is going on. We cannot just sit back and relax while we see and hear Dharma brothers and sisters suffering, to do so and just ignore what's going on out there and just"do one's own practice quietly" is actually quite a selfish attitude. Actually we all wanted and we were doing our practice "quietly and peacefully" until the BAN imposed became ugly and caused so many people to be hurt and monasteries, families and friends torn a part and when it got violent! And that when the line is crossed and so many times, thoise that created the trouble in the fist place get away scotch free and just sit back and laugh about it probably... like the CTA! How Can There be Violence in Paradise? http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-controversy/how-can-there-be-violence-in-paradise/

What's the point in saying or praying you wish to gain Bodhicitta and Wisdom and do nothing about it and when your very actions is self-centered... what Karla is saying forget about what is happening out there just do you practice... so it's all about the me me me and my peace is it? that is quite a wrong view, I think. 

Buddhist practice/Dharma is not just about sitting in your little room or just going to your own centre and doing a few chanting, offerings here and there, it is definitely more than that. It is your entire being, your body, speech and mind should reflect your practice of compassion and wisdom. And how do you do this if it is not expressed through actions?

So what Karla is saying is quite illogical and makes no sense, but rather a self-centered one. That is what I got from Karla's message and honestly if I was not Buddhist and I hear this, I would think very negative of this. If fact it sounded uncompassionate and cold though that may not have been the intention but the world and tone sounded so.

[DSFriend]

I had almost "given up" hoping to receive such a news...thinking that it doesn't matter anymore what HHDL says or not. But how compassionate HHDL is to speak such words as his words carries a great deal of weight.

There is no contradiction in HHDL if we believe he is Avalokiteshvara. Many were quick to follow his instructions previously issued to ban Dorje Shugden. Let's hope these followers will be quick to also follow this new direction to express their devotion to HHDL.