Samdong Rinpoche is a great politician

[richard]

Friends,
Did you think Samdong Rinpoche is doing very good for stoping this Shugden conflict near in future?

[hope rainbow]

How interesting to reply to this topic some 4 years after it was posted.
Today Samdong Rinpoche is no more the head of the TGIE, and with a distance it is interesting to look at it.

We know that Samdong Rinpoche took the role of PM at the request of The Dalai lama, and we know that Rinpoche did it out of his guru devotion for his root guru Trijang Rinpoche. Contradictions?
There are other posts on this forum that go in great details about this.

But I would like to share this on the forum.

IMPRINTS:
Whether someone prostrate to a statue of Dorje Dhugden, or one tears off a picture of Dorje Shugden, the imprint has been planted to flourish later on, if at least by being able to attend to Maitreya's teachings.
For now, gossiping and war-like beings we are, the "conflict" is reaching out much more people than a "non-conflict" would, and seeds of imprints are planted for the fortunates (us).
Who would know of Dorje Shugden without the conflict?
Or should I say: how many less people would know?

CONFLICT:
What conflict? Where do we see a conflict?

My answer is:
Samdong Rinpoche is spreading the Dharma, and for those that are resisting and more interested in conflicts, here we go: Dharma in an apparent conflict. That is: using people's delusions to bring them to Dharma.
Eventually, when the conflict would have become something of an older generation, the new kids on the block will be less interested and the "conflict" will cease to be efficacious, for it is not going to attract so many people any more. Then it is time for many to get on with the practice of Dorje Shugden openly and repair the "damages".

[WisdomBeing]

i love the slew of old threads which are being resurrected in the forum... what an interesting question you found, Hope

In response to Richard's question, i think that Samdhong Rinpoche has done a good job to play a part in the lifting of the ban. Why? Because he followed his teacher, HH Trijang Rinpoche's instruction. Since HH Trijang Rinpoche was a lineage holder of Dorje Shugden, i trust that he knew what he was doing when he instructed Samdhong Rinpoche to follow the Dalai Lama's instructions. This demonised Samdhong Rinpoche in Shugdenpa's eyes during his tenure as Kalon Tripa but now in hindsight, we see that there is method in madness.

[hope rainbow]

Thank you Wisdom Being,

I'll add this:
Samdong Rinpoche's Guru devotion is remarkable, for he placed it as more important than his reputation among Dorje Shugden's practitioners whom, for a lot of them, dare I say "cursed" him for what they perceived as his supportive work on the ban.
Rare and inspiring Guru devotion.
Bravo!

[Galen]

And since he has been the Kalon Tripa before, he would have a lot of influence on people especially he has preformed well during his tenure and carried on instructions from HHDL.

Now that he says that his service to HHDL is from the instructions of his guru, Tirjang Rinpoche, it showed us how strong his guru devotion is. He now has support from both camps. How brilliant!! Thumbs up to both Trijang Rinpoche and Samdhong Rinpoche.

[triesa]

It is quite amazing that this question was asked some 4 years ago if Samdong Rinpoche will be a great politicican in lifting the ban in the future.

I dont think he is a great politician but he is definitely a great example of what pure guru devotion is.

Everyone knows that during the tenure when Samdong Rinpoche served his term as Kalon Tripa (Prime Minister of the Tibetan Government in Exile), almost every one thinks he is evil and instrumental in carrying out the ban against the DS practitioners.

I must confess that I too had negative sentiments of him. Only until beginning of this year when Samdong Rinpoche was coming to the end of his term as Kalon Tripa, he  made a surprise speech that made me lift my eyebrows.....

Samdong Rinpoche said he worked for the Tibetan Govt, for HHDL, and for the Tibetan people in order to FULFILL THE COMMAND OF HIS ROOT GURU H.H. KYABJE TRIJANG RINPOCHE, he did not do the work for himself nor for anyone else, subtlely referring to HHDL, but solely and only for his root guru, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche!!!

And if you dont find this amazing, do you know Samdong Rinpoche was recognised as a incarnate of Dorje Shugden?
 
During the opening of Shar Gaden Monastery in South India in 2010, a senior monk Geshe Konchok Gyeltsen mentioned clearly that the previous Trijang Rinpoche had openly and decisively confirmed that Samdhong Rinpoche is an incarnation of Dorje Shugden. His Eminence Gangchen Rinpoche further confirmed this.

It makes sense. If Samdhong Rinpoche ‘was’ a great practitioner of Shugden and he gave up Shugden to work for the Dalai Lama, then he is ONLY following the instructions of his lama Trijang Rinpoche............. to give up everything and to serve HHDL well.

That is my reason for saying he is a GREAT EXAMPLE of PURE GURU DEVOTION!!!

And to get back to the original question rasied by Richard in the post, I do think Samdong Rinpoche by his own personal example of pure guru devotion as a DS practitioner , by telling the TRUTH to the world towards the end of his term, has done a great job in creating the causes to lift the ban......

[beggar]

Good question Richard. Samdhong Rinpoche's received a lot of mixed reviews, I think. You either love him or you hate him, as they say!

However, this might shed a different light - it may very well make all his haters like him too.

There is a previous thread that talks about Samdhong Rinpoche, and a surprising speech he gave early in 2011, which shows a very different perspective and possibility as to his relationship with Shugden practice and to all his current work to serve the Dalai Lama and the Dharma. Here it is: http://www.dorjeshugden.com/forum/index.php?topic=1302.0

Or see the talk and a brief commentary directly here: http://dorjeshugden.com/wp/?p=8656

In brief, he explains that he did all that he has done as in his service to the Dharma not because of any particular patriotism or love for the country / Tibetans, but because it was his guru's instructions. He gave up everything to fulfil his lama's wishes and instructions.... this has many big implications. It means that he not only served the Dalai Lama but also "gave up" Shugden practice BECAUSE he was actually fulfilling his lama's instructions. This says very much for a great practitioner of guru devotion and his steadfast loyalty to a Lama who is globally known for having spread and grown Shugden practice in the world - Trijang Rinpoche.

Please do watch the video and read the article - it will blow your mind! 

[beggar]

Oh, and something very important to note: Samdhong Rinpoche is a known emanation of Dorje Shugden! This has been shared by highly recognised and attained lamas, such as Gangchen Rinpoche, who cannot be wrong.

So the original question, as to whether Samdhong Rinpoche will work towards stopping this Shugden conflict in the future - I am quite sure he will, or that something good will come out of what looks bad temporarily for the moment

[hope rainbow]

Oh, and something very important to note: Samdhong Rinpoche is a known emanation of Dorje Shugden! This has been shared by highly recognised and attained lamas, such as Gangchen Rinpoche, who cannot be wrong.

So the original question, as to whether Samdhong Rinpoche will work towards stopping this Shugden conflict in the future - I am quite sure he will, or that something good will come out of what looks bad temporarily for the moment

I just had a thought... If Samdhong Rinpoche lives longer than the Dalai Lama, then His Eminence may have the possibility to do something very blunt such as joigning Shar Gaden for example?
That would confuse a lot of people for a while, but then also raise a few very good questions whose answers would help to re-instate Dorje Shugden for who he is!

[beggar]

I just had a thought... If Samdhong Rinpoche lives longer than the Dalai Lama, then His Eminence may have the possibility to do something very blunt such as joigning Shar Gaden for example?
That would confuse a lot of people for a while, but then also raise a few very good questions whose answers would help to re-instate Dorje Shugden for who he is!

Well, it wouldn't surprise me! That would be something wonderful to see and a great leap forward for Dorje Shugden practitioners.

It would not be possible. The previous Gaden Tripa (now referred to as the Gaden Trisur, since his retirement) made the very bold move to move from Gaden Monastery to Shar Gaden. This was a tremendous and very big move. This is the supreme head of the Gelugpas - his position represents a lifetime of study, practice and discipline. To be a Gaden Tripa, one would have had to achieve all the highest levels of monastic education, served as umze (lead chanter) and abbot of the tantric colleges etc. the Gaden Tripas are of the highest calibre and second ONLY to the Dalai Lama. In terms of all matters to do with the Gelugpa school of Buddhism, the Gaden Tripa reigns supreme.

His huge step to move to Shar Gaden makes a tremendous statement: if he is "wrong" for his practice of Dorje Shugden, then the entire Gelugpa school of Buddhism is also wrong for having endorsed and elected him for that most highly revered position as Gaden Tripa. This is a position that was also confirmed and endorsed by the Dalai Lama. So, is the Gaden Tripa "wrong" in his practices? Or is the Dalai Lama "wrong"? Which is it? Real conundrum!

His choice to move to Shar Gaden is more than anything a spiritual choice, because he chose to continue his practice of Dorje Shugden above all else. Unfortunately, a spiritual choice in this case also necessarily becomes political. It means he is on "this side" instead of "that side". An excellent politician??? I think so!

[hope rainbow]

[...]
His choice to move to Shar Gaden is more than anything a spiritual choice, because he chose to continue his practice of Dorje Shugden above all else.
Unfortunately, a spiritual choice in this case also necessarily becomes political.
It means he is on "this side" instead of "that side".
An excellent politician??? I think so!

Thank you very much Beggar for your post and the parallel with the previous Gaden Tripa.

Hehehe... I like your comment about what being "political" means to most of us: being on "this side" instead of "that side."
This is something so easy for me to relate to, an easy short-cut in the world of politic.
It reminds me of this political motto we heard recently from an American politician: "you are either with us or against us."

These lamas certainly know how to attract the attention of our deluded minds...

[DharmaDefender]

Anymore news on this? Anyone know if Samdhong Rinpoche has said anything, or made any announcements recently? Or does he refrain now that hes no longer the Kalon Tripa? I know Samdhong Rinpoche has previously said that Dorje Shugden is a political issue, not a religious one. I found that odd because the people who are suffering the most are monks, and its concerning a religious deity

Then again Samdhong Rinpoche also said in a 2010 speech (http://dalailama.com/news/post/578-tibetans-thank-dalai-lama-on-50th-democracy-day):

Addressing the gathering, the Tibetan Prime Minister Samdhong Rinpoche said, "Democracy will remain incomplete until the entire Tibetan people of Tibet get a genuine autonomy with freedom of conscience, speech, human dignity and where human rights are duly respected."

So thats what the previous Kalon Tripa says and of course what the Tibetan government believes. But now Samdhong Rinpoche is no longer the Prime Minister, I wonder if Lobsang Sangay also believes the same. Does "entire Tibetan people of Tibet" include Dorje Shugden practitioners too? Or are they excluded from the right to "freedom of conscience, speech and human dignity" because of what they believe in?

It reminds me of this political motto we heard recently from an American politician: "you are either with us or against us."

Not just American politicans mate, but Bible-toting Jehovah Witnesses too!

[Losang_Tenpa]

Interesting quote from Professor Samdhong Rinpoche on facebook today:

If you practise your Dharma very sincerely, then I'm sure you will not become a sectarian, and you will have equal respect for all sects and traditions. To become sectarian, thinking that 'my sect is superior and the others are inferior,' means that your mind is not touched by Dharma: You are involved in a kind of worldly institution, a group or a party and then Dharma is left somewhere and you are trapped — in the name of Dharma — in an organization or party. So whoever has this kind of mentality, for sure he or she is not a religious practitioner, but rather a party to some group.

[DharmaSpace]

@Losang_Tenpa I would just stick to my lineage and own practice because I have much to realise and practice the teachings. If we have not mastered the Lamrim , Lojong or gained realsiations in the practices what is the basis of seeking out side your own lineage?

Would the Samdhong Rinppoche consider studying from other traditions I doubt it. Sounded like a script he is reading from.

[Losang_Tenpa]

@Losang_Tenpa I would just stick to my lineage and own practice because I have much to realise and practice the teachings. If we have not mastered the Lamrim , Lojong or gained realsiations in the practices what is the basis of seeking out side your own lineage?

Would the Samdhong Rinppoche consider studying from other traditions I doubt it. Sounded like a script he is reading from.

Actually, my point was that is seems a little ironic that these words encouraging non-sectarianism come from someone who has enforced a sectarian agenda himself.