Thanks to CTA, famed physician closes clinic without successor

[Ringo Starr]

 
 
This is sad news.

For all the time, money and effort the CTA has spent splitting the Tibetans in India and elsewhere through indefensible policies and activities such as calling Dorje Shugden a wandering ghost, and following up by expelling monks from monasteries and preventing practitioners' children their basic rights to education and healthcare, promoting violence and hate (to this day, anti-Dorje Shugden material is still on the front page of its official website);

fighting Karma Kagyupas by meddling in the affairs of recognizing the reincarnation of the 16th Karmapa only to find out now that both Karmapas are reincarnations according to the Dalai Lama;

shunning and egging the Chinese government because they had recognized through traditional means, an 11th Panchen Lama and hence wasted many chances of getting a win-win deal with China with regards to the preservation of religion and culture in Tibet and the return of the Dalai Lama to his home, only to find out from the Dalai Lama that the Panchen Erdeni is very possibly the reincarnation of the 10th and is the rightful throneholder;

the CTA could have utilized all its resources in really preserving and spreading the Tibetan culture, tradition and the Dharma.

Look what has happened? This is an example of how the CTA has squandered all the money it has received and is delinquent in carrying out its real duties.

Because of the CTA and all it has done and not done, there is no successor to this great Physician Yeshi Dhonden who has grown old just like the Dalai Lama. Very sad.

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Renowned Buddhist Monk and Physician Yeshi Dhonden Closes Clinic in Dharamsala
By Craig Lewis Buddhistdoor Global | 2019-04-15 |

Buddhist monk, traditional medicine practitioner, and former personal physician to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Yeshi Dhonden has closed his medical practice and retired due to old age. Renowned for treating cancer patients at his small clinic in McLeod Ganj, near the Dalai Lama’s official residence in Dharamsala, northern India, Yeshi Dhonden, now 92, stopped seeing patients on 1 April.

The Phayul.com news website reported that Yeshi Dhonden had chosen to retire as his weakening memory was becoming detrimental to his medical practice. His clinic is now only filling prescriptions for existing patients.

A practitioner of traditional Tibetan medicine, Yeshi Dhonden was born on 15 May 1927 in the village of Namro in central Tibet’s in Lhoga District. He entered monastic life when he was six years old and, from the age of 11, studied at Chagpori Tibetan Medical Institute in Lhasa under Khyenrab Norbu, passing his exams with distinction at 20. In 1959, he accompanied the Dalai Lama when he fled Tibet for India, where he was instrumental in the founding of the Tibetan Medical and Astro-science Institute (Men-Tsee Khang) in Dharamsala. He continued to practice in Dharamsala from a private clinic he established in 1969.*

From 1963 to 1980, Yeshi Dhonden served as personal physician to the Dalai Lama, and also held office as both director and principal of Men-Tsee Khang. In January 2018, Yeshi Dhonden was presented with the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award, by Indian president Ram Nath Kovind for his contributions to the field of medicine through traditional Tibetan medicine.

Also known as Sowa-Rigpa, Traditional Tibetan medicine employs a complex approach to diagnosis that incorporates techniques such as pulse analysis and urinalysis, and treats ailments through the application of behavioral and dietary modification, naturally sourced medicines composed of herbs and minerals, and physical therapies such as acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, and blood-letting. It also emphasizes Buddhist spiritual practices, including meditation and prayer.

During his years as a physician, Dhonden relied primarily on his own senses to ascertain the health of vital organs and diagnose his patients’ ailments. “I don’t go for tests like X-ray and all. I trust myself. I just test the pulse and the urine,” he said, explaining that the color, bubble formations, sediment, and smell of urine samples were all taken into account when making a diagnosis. (France 24)

Although few scientific studies have been carried out to corroborate the efficacy of Dhonden’s traditional treatments, this ancient Tibetan science is growing into a popular form of alternative medicine. In April 2017, both China and India submitted rival applications for Tibetan traditional medicine to be included on a UNESCO list for intangible cultural heritage, and in 2010, the Indian government officially recognized Tibetan medicine as a “science of healing” and included it within the country’s healthcare system.

Yeshi Dhonden’s retirement brings an end to the common sight outside of his small clinic of long queues of patients with worried family members during the early morning hours waiting to secure an appointment chit for a consultation. It commonly took anywhere from days to a month to secure an appointment. Yeshi Dhonden typically saw as many as 50 patients per day at his clinic, with Saturdays off, with people coming from within India’s Tibetan diaspora and all over the world to seek treatment.

The systems of Tibetan medicine combine traditional Tibetan knowledge and treatments, Indian Ayurvedic treatments, and traditional Chinese medicine, and are founded on the belief that the causes of all illnesses are ultimately rooted in the three poisons: ignorance, attachment, and aversion. Based on four key root texts, believed to date to the 12th century, the system classifies thousands of diseases into separate categories that are treated with unique compounds of herbs and minerals mostly sourced in the Himalaya.

https://www.buddhistdoor.net/news/renowned-buddhist-monk-and-physician-yeshi-dhonden-closes-clinic-in-dharamsala

[Drolma]

This is such a pity that the most renowned traditional Tibetan medicine practitioner has closed his clinic due to old age. Knowing Yeshi Dhonden is a very good Tibetan medicine practitioner, the CTA should help him to train a successor. However, the CTA has not done anything and they have just lost a very precious jewel.

This is how the CTA operates, they care only about their own interest, they don't treasure their valuable culture or resources. For example, Tibetan Buddhism is very precious, they should make sure they preserve all traditions within Tibetan Buddhism. However, what they do is to split the lineage apart and create a bad reputation for Tibetan Buddhism.

The Dorje Shugden controversy and the two Karmapas issues have put many people off from learning Tibetan Buddhism. Many people don't like it when religion mixes with politics. As a result, they learn from other lineages and they lose their faith in Tibetan Buddhism. This is how the CTA destroys the precious Tibetan culture.

[Alex]

Tibetan medicine is known to be effective even in treating diseases such as cancer. It is such an unfortunate event where this Tibetan medicine practitioner is retiring without any successor. All the knowledge and experience of Yeshi Dhonden will be lost; it is such a waste. The Tibetan government should have taken more effort to help him to find a successor to preserve valuable knowledge.

From what I understand, there are not many Tibetan medicine practitioners that are as knowledgeable as him. He is the personal Tibetan medicine physician of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Need to say more? The Tibetan government should have put in more effort to preserve this vital part of Tibetan culture and heritage.

Now Yeshi Dhonden is in his 90's, and his memory has started to fade. It will be difficult for him to pass on his knowledge to the next generation. A vast mountain amount of knowledge will disappear with him, and it is such a waste.

[Rowntree]

You are right! I am pretty sure that no system was set up for Yeshi Dhonden to pass his sacred and valuable knowledge to the next generation to ensure this Tibetan heritage is well preserved. The CTA never set up anything for anyone. They have no system set up for the search of the next Dalai Lama even, not to mention Yeshi Dhonden.

The CTA was supposed to invest in the Men-Tsee Khang, an important department to preserve the ancient formula and effective means, especially the treatment for cancer patients, and etc. so it will fulfil a small part of their efforts supposedly in preserving the Tibetan culture. Clearly, this is not done and it is too late now for the 92-year-old to do anything.

I believe this is just the tip of the ice-berg. More will be revealed as time passes. The corrupted CTA will not be able to hold fire longer with paper.

 
This is sad news.

For all the time, money and effort the CTA has spent splitting the Tibetans in India and elsewhere through indefensible policies and activities such as calling Dorje Shugden a wandering ghost, and following up by expelling monks from monasteries and preventing practitioners' children their basic rights to education and healthcare, promoting violence and hate (to this day, anti-Dorje Shugden material is still on the front page of its official website);

fighting Karma Kagyupas by meddling in the affairs of recognizing the reincarnation of the 16th Karmapa only to find out now that both Karmapas are reincarnations according to the Dalai Lama;

shunning and egging the Chinese government because they had recognized through traditional means, an 11th Panchen Lama and hence wasted many chances of getting a win-win deal with China with regards to the preservation of religion and culture in Tibet and the return of the Dalai Lama to his home, only to find out from the Dalai Lama that the Panchen Erdeni is very possibly the reincarnation of the 10th and is the rightful throneholder;

the CTA could have utilized all its resources in really preserving and spreading the Tibetan culture, tradition and the Dharma.

Look what has happened? This is an example of how the CTA has squandered all the money it has received and is delinquent in carrying out its real duties.

Because of the CTA and all it has done and not done, there is no successor to this great Physician Yeshi Dhonden who has grown old just like the Dalai Lama. Very sad.

[mountains]

He is not a good doctor at all. He has made many wrong diagnosis. He has had many scandals that are hushed up as he has molested many international patients both male and female as well as Tibetans. One Japanese female tourist victim spoke up but was convinced to keep it quiet. I've spoken to a person from USA that this Dhonden attempted to molest. 

Some Tibetans in Dharamsala like to keep this hush-hush.

[Alex]

He is not a good doctor at all. He has made many wrong diagnosis. He has had many scandals that are hushed up as he has molested many international patients both male and female as well as Tibetans. One Japanese female tourist victim spoke up but was convinced to keep it quiet. I've spoken to a person from USA that this Dhonden attempted to molest. 

Some Tibetans in Dharamsala like to keep this hush-hush.

It is shocking to know that even His Holiness's personal Tibetan medicine physician is involved with sexual abuse too. There are also many people around His Holiness that is misbehaving, and the most famous one will be Sogyal. This doctor can join the long list of sexual abusers that is close to the Tibetan government such as Sogyal and Sakyong Mipham.

He molested so many patients, and I guess the only reason why he is still able to run his clinic for so long and not being persecuted is that he has the Tibetan government as his back up. Everyone close to His Holiness the Dalai Lama abuses His Holiness's fame and influence to wriggle their way out of the consequences of their actions. This doctor is not the first one.

What makes it worst is the fact that he is a monk. He has broken his vows for sure for doing all those dirty deeds. Nowadays, it seems like anyone who is associated closely with the Tibetan government is either misbehaving or fighting with each other for over the smallest issue in the world.

[Tracy]

He is not a good doctor at all. He has made many wrong diagnosis. He has had many scandals that are hushed up as he has molested many international patients both male and female as well as Tibetans. One Japanese female tourist victim spoke up but was convinced to keep it quiet. I've spoken to a person from USA that this Dhonden attempted to molest. 

Some Tibetans in Dharamsala like to keep this hush-hush.

Wow, this is really shocking! The CTA claims he is a very good traditional Tibetan medicine practitioner but in fact, he is not. I am not surprised why the CTA covered the scandals because he was the Dalai Lama's personal doctor before. Anyone who has a close relationship with the Dalai Lama will get away from the crimes they have committed.

Look at the lamas who are involved in the sex scandals, they were not persecuted in the Tibetan community. They still got to enjoy the privileges of taking photos and being close to the Dalai Lama. The crimes they have committed were totally ignored by the CTA. Remember a Tibetan leader in Australia was brought to court due to fighting in public? He had the nerve to say he knew the Dalai Lama, therefore, he should be spared from any punishment.

This is how distorted the CTA is, they will cover up who they think are their friends or people who can bring benefit to them. They don't care about the safety of the public. Money, power and their face are more important. And if you ask why the Free Tibet movement has not been a success, this is the reason why.

[daka]

Some Tibetans in Dharamsala like to keep this hush-hush. [/quote]

Wow, this is really shocking! The CTA claims he is a very good traditional Tibetan medicine practitioner but in fact, he is not. I am not surprised why the CTA covered the scandals because he was the Dalai Lama's personal doctor before. Anyone who has a close relationship with the Dalai Lama will get away from the crimes they have committed.

[/quote]

There are 2 different issues here.

1. If the CTA really sees Yeshi Dhonden as a precious and knowledgeable doctor, what did they do to keep the knowledge passing down to the next generation? From the result today, we are sure they did nothing.

2. If Yeshi Dhonden was not a good doctor and he really did molest patients, the person that makes him so trustable to the public is non-others but the Dalai Lama himself. I am sure His Holiness can see through that, but why the whole things are being covered up and let it happens again and again?

Either way, the CTA and the Dalai Lama's government can't escape the blame. They must bear full responsibility for it.

[Drolma]

This shows how incapable the CTA is, the most knowledgeable Tibetan medicine doctor has retired and there is no successor. Slowly, this precious heritage of Tibet will disappear. The CTA always claims they safeguard the precious Tibetan cultures but how come they do nothing to preserve Tibetan medicine?

As for China, they really do what they say. They want to preserve and promote traditional cultures such as Buddhism and traditional Chinese medicine and they really do what they say. They allocated a huge amount of money to restore monasteries and historical Buddhist sites. They even invested money to restore Potala Palace even though it is the home to the Dalai Lama, who they have been calling him as a separatist.

The CTA is run by a group of people who are greedy, who has no vision and who don't care about the welfare of the normal Tibetans. Their concern is how to get more money for themselves but not how to give a brighter future to the Tibetans. It looks like the Tibetan in exile will not survive for long as more Tibetans are leaving India and lesser Tibetans are arriving in India.