More Important Than The Buddha himself?

[Lineageholder]

Dear friends,

From the TGIE recent statement on Dholgyal:

....philosophical enquiry and critical analysis have always been important hallmarks of Tibetan Buddhism. The problem with Dolgyal practice is that it promotes a tendency to consider spirits like Dolgyal (Shugden) as Dharma protectors and moreover to take them as more important than the Buddha himself.

There seems to be a more subtle line of attack developing now in HHDL's camp that we hold Dorje Shugden to be more important than Buddha and that Buddha is no longer our primary source of Refuge.  This is a dangerous heresy that must be addressed.  As HHDL well knows, all Buddhas are the same nature.  For example, in the practice of Lama Chopa we visualise Lama Losang Tubwang Dorjechang as our principal Field for Accumulating Merit.  This Deity is our Root Guru appearing as Je Tsongkhapa with Buddha Shakyamuni at his heart, and Conqueror Vajradhara at his heart, indicating that all these Deities are the same person, just with different aspects.

Because we hold Dorje Shugden to be an emanation of Lama Tsongkhapa, The five lineages of Dorje Shugden are the five aggregates of Lama Losang Tubwang Dorjechang, so of course Dorje Shugden is also our Root Guru, Je Tsongkhapa, Buddha Shakyamuni and Conqueror Vajradhara.  Therefore it is not US that is holding Dorje Shugden to be different from Buddha Shakyamuni - we have one object of refuge that is the synthesis of all Buddhas.  All these beings are manifestations of enlightened wisdom.

Lineageholder

[cheyenne]

Dear Lineageholder,

We need to read this, and repeat it, over and over again,

This is the basis of the actual refutation of the DL's lies.

Cheyenne

[beggar]

In brief, we enthrone you, O Deity, as the supreme
Collected nature of all Gurus and Protective Deities!
From densely gathered clouds of the four activities
Pour down a cool rain of the two siddhis!

... here the last verse from the 14th Dalai Lama's prayer to Vajradhara Dorje Shugden. It is common to end propitiation of enlightened protectors with such an Enthronement Verse - enthronement meaning in this case reiterating that Dorje Shugden is the same in nature as Lama and Yidam.

other examples showing that he is of one nature with all Buddhas:

Glory of the wisdom, compassion and power of infinite Buddhas
Miraculously powerful protector of Manjusri Tsongkhapa’s Teachings
Arisen as a lord of all wrathful worldly hosts
Come from the abodes of Tushita, Kechara, and so forth!

Prostrating with devotion of body, speech, and mind...

from the same prayer by the Dalai Lama

or

Though unmoving from the sphere of primordial spontaneity,
With wrathful turbulent power, swifter than lightning,
Endowed with heroic courage to judge good and bad,
I invite you with faith...

from the 5th Dalai Lama's prayer to Dorje Shugden, where the 1st line clearly says he is Vajradhara, the primordial Buddha inseparable from the Dharmakaya (>sphere of primordial spontaneity).

All these say that Dorje Shugden is a Buddha.
None of these say he is more important than 'the Buddha', which would be absurd because a Buddha is a Buddha and can by definition not be 'better' or 'more important' than another - enlightened is enlightened: all Buddhas are the same in nature and take on various forms and 'specifications' to suit the needs of practitioners. That's all.

I have never ever heard or read that Buddha Dorje Shugden is more important than Buddha Shakyamuni, Buddha Tsongkhapa, Buddha Guru Rinpoche etc.

Does anyone know where this bizarre notion originated? It seems very much another anti-propaganda claim, unless it refers to people who prefer protector practice to yidam practice because they're hoping for worldly gains, and of course these people exist everywhere, in all traditions.
They might get disappointed though as an enlightened protector protects the Dharma and not one's purse and might just make one's green bundles disappear like smoke if they distract from the spiritual path.

Plus, if one were to check how many people pray to Tara for attainments and how many for good business... same problem everywhere.
So i wonder what this is about...

[Lineageholder]

Dear friends,

Wow, I'm overwhelmed by the lion's roar of your unmistaken Vajra speech!  Such beautiful refutations of the Dalai Lama's wrong views!  I rejoice in your scholarship and depth of Dharma wisdom. 

The Dalai Lama's empty repetition of false ideas will certainly be blown away like a single, small dead leaf when it meets with the hurricane of such eloquent reasoning.

May the essence of Venerable Losang Dragpa's doctrine shine forever!

With deep appreciation and respect,

Lineageholder

[Dondrup Shugden]

Buddhist teaches us to practise the middle path.  If that is the case, we believe that a Buddha is a Buddha and there is not distinction to the level of Buddhahood.

Do Shugdenpas holds Dorje Shgden more important than the Buddha himself?  Not possible because Dorje Shugden is a Buddha.

It is the wrong view by HH Dalai Lama's group who thinks otherwise that such a question arises.  There is no necessity to create further confusion.  The current segregation and sufferings is enough!!!!!!

[Blueupali]

Buddhist teaches us to practise the middle path.  If that is the case, we believe that a Buddha is a Buddha and there is not distinction to the level of Buddhahood.

Do Shugdenpas holds Dorje Shgden more important than the Buddha himself?  Not possible because Dorje Shugden is a Buddha.

It is the wrong view by HH Dalai Lama's group who thinks otherwise that such a question arises.  There is no necessity to create further confusion.  The current segregation and sufferings is enough!!!!!!

That is a really lovely answer.  Yes Dorje Shugden is a Buddha and all Buddhas are of course equal