Timing is everything

[DharmaDefender]

I was reading this link (http://dorjeshugden.com/wp/?p=136) and one line stood out to me:

The southern gate is held closed in accordance with an old tradition that the chokyong Dorje Shugden is waiting at this entrance for the day to come on which he will be allowed to enter the monastery, to succeed Pehar as the chief dharmapala of Tibet…

Next to the knowledge that most Gelugpas were Dorje Shugden practitioners before the Dalai Lama left Tibet, perhaps this is another instance of skilful methods. The ban could be viewed as a delay tactic because it isn't the right time right yet for Dorje Shugden to become fully known in the world. After all, everything abides by the law of karma - that results in impermanence - and what practices we have access to depends on our merit. Just because Tibetans in old Tibet had the merit to practise Dorje Shugden then, doesn't mean they (or the rest of the world) have the merit now, since times change.

I open the floor

[WisdomBeing]

Dear DharmaDefender,

Hmmm... you pose an interesting suggestion but i don't think i agree. If there needed to be a time delay, the Dalai Lama could have just kept quiet and nobody except those who are practising Dorje Shugden would have blinked. I still think that the reason for the ban was to raise awareness of Dorje Shugden all over the world.

Saying that, I am excited by the time factor as I think the time is coming soon. I hope and pray that I will live to see Dorje Shugden being openly practised by anyone anywhere.

More serkym offerings needed, methinks!

[DSFriend]

Timing is precisely one of the factors which makes a deity especially appropriate/efficacious...not because the deity is any less powerful, but our karma, affinity and the time/era we are living in will make that difference.

Dorje Shugden manifested 350 years ago and this is considered a very short span of time if we were to compare to the pantheon of deities who have manifested so much longer. Thus, "old Tibet" hasn't engaged in this practice that long ago. I look at it quite the opposite...Many more now and into the future will be practicing Dorje Shugden compared to the Tibetans in old Tibet due to the factors mentioned above.

[Big Uncle]

I think the timing with regards to Dorje Shugden is to do with what the Dalai Lama is affecting in China. There are massive amounts of people interested in Dorje Shugden's practice there and since it is banned by the Dalai Lama, the government is totally happy about it. The timing happens with China becoming a massive superpower and it will soon eclipse America as the world's leading superpower in terms of political clout, economic strength, cultural and religious 'export' for a lack of a better word. One day, the world will worship China's interests the same way we worship the pop culture of America today. Somehow, China's interests would include Buddhism and Dorje Shugden. This is the karma of our times.

[Helena]

The line that states:

The southern gate is held closed in accordance with an old tradition that the chokyong Dorje Shugden is waiting at this entrance for the day to come on which he will be allowed to enter the monastery, to succeed Pehar as the chief dharmapala of Tibet…

The fact that Dorje Shugden is waiting says it all.

But in this case, it is because of us that Dorje Shugden has to wait - we may not be as ready, some of the Dharma Seeds in us all may not have ripened just yet, the environment may not be as ready, the community as a whole, etc.

Karma needs the "right" conditions to ripen at the "right" time. Hence, it manifests.

There is no way that Dorje Shugden needs to wait and to be allowed - but unfortunately, in order to benefit us, we need to be ready in body, speech and mind. And I think it is more of the mental state, in order for us to be more receptive.

Hence, is it any wonder that High Lamas are playing their roles to bring about more awareness of Dorje Shugden to the world - promoting this Supreme Protector in a variety of ways, even out right banning HIM in order to propel him into the "center stage".

All these lead to creating the causes...and when the time is ripe, everything will be just as it should be.

Then Dorje Shugden WILL assume the role as Universal Dharma Protector of Buddhism.

The Time is ripening NOW.

[Vajraprotector]

I think the timing with regards to Dorje Shugden is to do with what the Dalai Lama is affecting in China. There are massive amounts of people interested in Dorje Shugden's practice there and since it is banned by the Dalai Lama, the government is totally happy about it. The timing happens with China becoming a massive superpower and it will soon eclipse America as the world's leading superpower in terms of political clout, economic strength, cultural and religious 'export' for a lack of a better word. One day, the world will worship China's interests the same way we worship the pop culture of America today. Somehow, China's interests would include Buddhism and Dorje Shugden. This is the karma of our times.

I agree with Big Uncle's idea. It is true that what is definite to become big (and already is) is China, so anything that is related to it will become big too.

Also, from my point of view, it is also the growth of many Shugden lamas all over the world, planting seeds everywhere that might manifest in time to come, to have a big community of Shugden practitioners. We currently have:
a) established masters -  the NKT group, Gangchen Rinpoche in Italy, Trijang Choktrul Rinpoche and more
b) many returning incarnations of Shugden masters eg Domo Geshe Rinpoche, Dagom Rinpoche and many more.

It is really exciting times! 

[WisdomBeing]

I think the timing with regards to Dorje Shugden is to do with what the Dalai Lama is affecting in China. There are massive amounts of people interested in Dorje Shugden's practice there and since it is banned by the Dalai Lama, the government is totally happy about it. The timing happens with China becoming a massive superpower and it will soon eclipse America as the world's leading superpower in terms of political clout, economic strength, cultural and religious 'export' for a lack of a better word. One day, the world will worship China's interests the same way we worship the pop culture of America today. Somehow, China's interests would include Buddhism and Dorje Shugden. This is the karma of our times.

I agree with Big Uncle's idea. It is true that what is definite to become big (and already is) is China, so anything that is related to it will become big too.

Also, from my point of view, it is also the growth of many Shugden lamas all over the world, planting seeds everywhere that might manifest in time to come, to have a big community of Shugden practitioners. We currently have:
a) established masters -  the NKT group, Gangchen Rinpoche in Italy, Trijang Choktrul Rinpoche and more
b) many returning incarnations of Shugden masters eg Domo Geshe Rinpoche, Dagom Rinpoche and many more.

It is really exciting times! 

To add on to what you have said, perhaps it is also waiting for the time for the young incarnate Lamas like Pabongka Rinpoche, Trijang Rinpoche, Dagom Rinpoche etc to come into their own. They will be the next leaders as the older monks pass into clear light.

Because Shugden is banned in Tibetan communities in India, it is definitely spreading out all over the world by the travelling Lamas, like Gangchen Rinpoche, Trijang Rinpoche recently in Mongolia etc. NKT is also the world's largest Buddhist organisation, and I'm sure they got there by Dorje Shugden's help.

We do live in interesting times. Sometimes i feel that we are living on a huge chess board but we are one of the pieces, be it a pawn, a bishop or a knight, and there's a massive power behind who knows the strategy while we take one step forward at a time.

[triesa]

Thank you Dharma Defender for posting this. I have read this also.

I think all of you have made very good and logical points.

My opinions are :

1) Dalai Lama started this ban on DS practice is mainly relating to the current political situation of Tibet in relationship with China. What better time is to promote a deity when the Chinese government will do and promote anything that is contrary to what the Dalai Lama said? Especially when Dalai Lama has said that continuous worship to DS will endanger his life. In terms of marketing strategies, Dalai Lama hit at the right button with minimum resources, 1.3 billion potential people in China may be engaging in DS practice!

2) The economical power and influence of China to become the World's next super power is ripening. Like what has been mentioned by Big Uncle, the world has been following U.S. footsteps and be influenced in many ways for the past 20 years, when China flips over and take the lead, the culture and religion that follows with other economical aspects will certainly have a great impact in the world to be.

3) The current ban on DS practice have a postivie effect in spreading DS all over the world as high lamas and reincarnated lamas of renounced DS practitioner fled everywhere. It is like the prediction that Tibetan buddhism will spread to the west like wild fire due to the invasion of China into Tibet in 1959. Same logic behind.

4) I also believe the "COLLECTIVE" karma of today's world play a part in the timing of the Dharma King to take his full presence. In fact Dorje Shugden was manifested to propogate and to protect the teachings of Lama Tsongkhapa as a result of our karma in this degenerated world. So before the King comes, preparations and purifications are required. Like what Helena said, our body, speech and mind must be ready to take full benefits of Dorje Shugden's blessing.

Afterall, we are indeed living and witnessing an interesting handover of power here.

Triesa

[beggar]

The ban could be viewed as a delay tactic because it isn't the right time right yet for Dorje Shugden to become fully known in the world.

It seems that today, the synapses in my brain are experiencing a delay! What do you mean by this sentence? I would have thought that if anything the ban proves that the time is more right than ever for Dorje Shugden to become fully known in the world - he is more well known now than ever before, surely. If the time wasn't right yet, wouldn't it have made more sense to just keep quiet, as WisdomBeing had already said. Please, do explain,

yours, though a little confused, beggar

[DharmaDefender]

The ban could be viewed as a delay tactic because it isn't the right time right yet for Dorje Shugden to become fully known in the world.

It seems that today, the synapses in my brain are experiencing a delay! What do you mean by this sentence? I would have thought that if anything the ban proves that the time is more right than ever for Dorje Shugden to become fully known in the world - he is more well known now than ever before, surely. If the time wasn't right yet, wouldn't it have made more sense to just keep quiet, as WisdomBeing had already said. Please, do explain,

yours, though a little confused, beggar

He is more well known, yes but is his practice as strong as it was before? Because I see supposed Dorje Shugden practitioners creating schism; just because more people have access to his practice, does not mean they are keeping it.