NEW ARTICLE! Dorje Shugden in Tricycle

[DharmaDefender]

I think this is one of the more infamous pieces on Dorje Shugden. Tricycle did pretty good coverage on the issue a fair few years ago, which presented both sides of the topic and was relatively balanced (well, even if you dont agree at the very least you can agree that they couldve been far more vitriolic). As far as I know, theyve not covered Dorje Shugden since...until now! Of course there are a few inaccuracies - how can there not be - so the websites set out to correct them...

Check it out here! http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/features/dorje-shugden-in-tricycle/ If you click on the first image, it takes you to the original Tricycle article published

[Ensapa]

I see this article as a very beautiful and wonderful development as tricycle was very anti Dorje Shugden in the past, although the article does attempt to paint Dorje Shugden as a sectarian deity without clarification on why does Dorje Shugden/Gelug emphasizes on being dedicated to one lineage. This idea is not exclusive to Dorje Shugden or Gelugpa, but nobody focuses on those but when Gelugpa/Dorje Shudgen does it, suddenly its very sectarian and unbuddhist. I wonder why is it that people paint this impression on others.

[Rinchen]

I think this article is a good article to give people a brief summary of who is DS, the main practitioners of DS, and what the story is about.

It is good in a way that they are making the effort to accept DS slowly. Although it is not a brief article on DS, but it definitely picked out the most important point that DS is not a worldly spirit.

[Ensapa]

I think this article is a good article to give people a brief summary of who is DS, the main practitioners of DS, and what the story is about.

It is good in a way that they are making the effort to accept DS slowly. Although it is not a brief article on DS, but it definitely picked out the most important point that DS is not a worldly spirit.

But on the other hand, it also gives people the wrong impression of what sectarianism is and make it sound like a bad thing. Being sectarian, in the social context, is to promote one's own tradition and doing it at the cost of other traditions and downplaying and putting down all the other traditions. This is obviously not the case with Dorje Shudgen, and I am very glad that DS.com took the initiative to explain and clarify this important point which will cause a lot of confusion to people.

[WisdomBeing]

it is definitely a step in the right direction when Tricycle prints a relatively objective article. Yes of course there were some inaccuracies as can be expected, but compared to other media coverage on this issue, Tricycle's recent article by Alexander Gardner can be already considered in a positive direction.

Dorjeshugden.com says that "The facts in this article are mostly accurate and so, it paints a rather promising picture of acceptance of Dorje Shugden as an enlightened Protector in the near future."

I do hope this is heralding a new direction towards a change of perception of Dorje Shugden for the better. It is really about time.

[Rihanna]

I think this is a good step forward for Dorje Shugden practitioners in terms of the public awareness. As though it has not been confusing enough, more or less this recent article will help cure a lot of people’s (especially readers of popular tricycle.com) bad impression they have had on Dorje Shugden. This article is the most unbiased written about Dorje Shugden that I have ever read albeit some inaccuracies.

In time of the lifting of the ban of Dorje Shugden’s practice, this Buddha Protector emanation from Manjushri will be worshipped by people all over the world.

 

 

[Ensapa]

it is definitely a step in the right direction when Tricycle prints a relatively objective article. Yes of course there were some inaccuracies as can be expected, but compared to other media coverage on this issue, Tricycle's recent article by Alexander Gardner can be already considered in a positive direction.

Dorjeshugden.com says that "The facts in this article are mostly accurate and so, it paints a rather promising picture of acceptance of Dorje Shugden as an enlightened Protector in the near future."

I do hope this is heralding a new direction towards a change of perception of Dorje Shugden for the better. It is really about time.

Yeah although the article is slightly misleading, but perhaps I was expecting too much, but it is still a great article and it is a step in the right direction, compared to all the nasty articles against Dorje Shudgen that they have published in the past. More people should know about the truth behind the whole thing and this article has helped shed light on it even though it isnt 100% accurate, but it is something good to know that people are not just blindly believing research papers anymore and are actually doing their own homework.

[samayakeeper]

Well done, editor, in providing accurate information to this already informative account on Dorje Shugden and some history leading to His rise. I am hoping and looking forward to reading more articles from Tricycle.

[dsiluvu]

Thank you Admin and DD for sharing this.. I do hope they make those inaccuracies... especially when some points just shows the lack of homework done by the author and well kinda sound illogical like the below!

Some say that Drakpa Gyeltsen was at that point a fully realized buddha, and that he immediately returned as an embodiment of Manjushri named Dorje Shugden. Others claim that his spirit, which was subjugated as a protector deity named Dorje Shugden, perpetrated a series of calamities—diseases, deaths, and crop failures—following his death. (Ed: A spirit could not have created those calamities without being subjugated by the Dalai Lama or any other highly attained masters of that time. High Lamas who are enlightened beings such as the Dalai Lama would be able to subjugate any spirit. In addition, there are many great Dharma masters who possessed a wide range of rituals to subjugate spirits and pacify negative interferences, yet they were unable to subdue him. Hence, a mere spirit could not have caused the calamities. In fact, their inability to subdue the ‘spirit’ indicated to the Great 5th Dalai Lama that Dorje Shugden was NOT a spirit. Traditional account states that the collective negative karma of murdering a highly attained being created those calamities.)

So basically what he's saying is that a spirit can be more powerful than the Buddhas? Well all these great masters and His Holiness are literally living Buddhas no? If a mere "spirit" can do this and there is no way of stopping him then boy have we got something to worry about!

[Blueupali]

I appreciated this article as it was more helpful than the blind faith in Dalai Lama versions of things; I think it showed what both sides thought fairly well; some people think Dorje Shugden was enlightened while others thought he was causing terrible things to happen after his death; since the article does point out that the 4th Panchen Lama recognized him as a tulku, then it would seem logical that people who understand that tulkus are enlightened, assuming that they trust the Panchen lama would understand that Dorje Shugden is enlightened.
 

[Manjushri]

It is nice to read the article in Tricycle on Dorje Shugden because it shows that an international and well respected portal for buddhism related news is not afraid to publish about Dorje Shugden, and in a manner as they have. Although not entirely accurate, and the clarification made by the editor gave vital points which allows the reader to contemplate on, it does allow the reader to leave the article feeling more positive than not about Dorje Shugden.

I like how the article highlights the importance of Trijang Rinpoche and Pabongkha Rinpoche towards the modern day Geluk practitioners. Since so many revere them as such well respected, attained and great masters, why then do they overlook the fact that these lamas propitiate and practise Dorje Shugden. If Dorje Shugden was really an evil spirit, why would these lamas who make up the foundation to modern day's Geluk teachings, practise it? Why would they then take rebirth and be recognized as who they are today and continue doing what their previous lives did?

[kris]

This post is a bit "old", but it is still interesting read I hope more people can see this forum posting and go this url to find out more: http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/features/dorje-shugden-in-tricycle/

I like this article published in Tricycle, but I even like the responded version by the owner of this website. It is like a mini online debate, with logic and reasoning.

I wish more well known website, magazines, etc will cover articles on Dorje Shugden, be it Dorje Shugden's history, the ban, the discrimination, etc...

[lotus1]

Thanks for bring up this article for reading.
In this article, it mentioned about a few high lamas who practiced Dorje Shugden, such as HH Pabongka Rinpoche, Takpo Rinpoche as well as HH Trijang Rinpoche. It is clearly that these lamas would not be wrong.
Besides, it is also mentioned that

the 4th Panchen Lama, Lobzang Chokyi Gyeltsen (1570–1662), identified him as the rebirth of 15th Ganden Tripa, Pa?chen Sonam Drakpa (1478–1554), himself a reincarnation of Duldzin Drakpa Gyeltsen (1374–1434), a close disciple of Tsongkhapa (1357–1419).

If the Panchen Lama has recognized Drakpa Gyeltsen as a the above reincarnation as close as Tsongkhapa’s disciple, would he turn evil? I am sure it is impossible.
Therefore, Dorje Shugden is definitely not an evil spirits but a highly enlightened beings.

[vajrastorm]

This article presents both the view of Dorje Shugden as  a Buddha or Enlightened Being, as well as a spirit. So it is  a balanced presentation.  The view that he is enlightened is further elaborated on, to include his being an embodiment of Manjushri.

Furthermore  Dorje Shugden, arose from Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen, whom the fourth Panchen Lama, Lobzang Chokyi Gyeltsen ,had identified as the reincarnation of the 15th Gaden Tripa - Panchen Sonam Drakpa., who was himself a reincarnation of Duldzin Drakpa Gyeltsen, a close student of Lama Tsongkhapa. So with such 'credentials', how could Dorje Shugden be other than an Enlightened Protector?

Furthermore this website supports this article saying " The facts of this article are mostly accurate and so it paints a rather promising picture of acceptance of Dorje Shugden as an enlightened Protector, in the near future.

Thus Dorje Shugden could never have been a spirit, for if he were, how is it that the then 5th Dalai Lama, an emanation of Chenrezig, was not able to capture and destroy him?

Last but not least, if he were a spirit it is most unlikely that the two most influential Lamas of this age - Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche and Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche - would work so vigorously and tirelessly to promote him and his practice for the benefit of all beings?

 
 

[dsiluvu]

This article presents both the view of Dorje Shugden as  a Buddha or Enlightened Being, as well as a spirit. So it is  a balanced presentation.  The view that he is enlightened is further elaborated on, to include his being an embodiment of Manjushri.

Furthermore  Dorje Shugden, arose from Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen, whom the fourth Panchen Lama, Lobzang Chokyi Gyeltsen ,had identified as the reincarnation of the 15th Gaden Tripa - Panchen Sonam Drakpa., who was himself a reincarnation of Duldzin Drakpa Gyeltsen, a close student of Lama Tsongkhapa. So with such 'credentials', how could Dorje Shugden be other than an Enlightened Protector?

Furthermore this website supports this article saying " The facts of this article are mostly accurate and so it paints a rather promising picture of acceptance of Dorje Shugden as an enlightened Protector, in the near future.

Thus Dorje Shugden could never have been a spirit, for if he were, how is it that the then 5th Dalai Lama, an emanation of Chenrezig, was not able to capture and destroy him?

Last but not least, if he were a spirit it is most unlikely that the two most influential Lamas of this age - Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche and Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche - would work so vigorously and tirelessly to promote him and his practice for the benefit of all beings?

Yeah a lot of the things reported in this old article by Tricycle sure tells us or points to us that DOrje Shugden is indeed an Enlightened protector. I think we ought to request them to publish the latest incidences about the violence that being caused to Trijang Rinpoche's assistant. This is totally Un-Buddhist and it should be every Buddhist practitioners' concern.

Bacause if the CTA is allowed to get away with this by turning a blind eye and not even bothered to investigate, what does it tells us about the type of Govt that is representing Tibetans in exile? What does it say about this so called "Buddhist" society? It is a great deception in deed to the Buddhas as well as other Buddhist and people all around the world. It is a disgrace to Buddhism.

In a nutshell, you could say that CTA is actually destroying the Vajrayana practice and dragging the name of Buddhism down in to the mud with them. We must do something to stop them!