Hi, sorry for the lack of posts lately. I have been really snowed under with a lot of work.
Upon returning to the Forum, I got very confused when reading this thread. But after I did my own further reading on this topic, I finally understood what Lightning meant with the words, "...another Wang appeared, don't hide anymore."
This very same topic raised by Lone Hermit really sounds so similar to a past discussion raised by forum member named Wang back in April 2009.
Even then, the answers were already clearly given by other forum members - but still, Wang was not satisfied and may be just did not want to accept. History repeats itself.
I really liked what Mountains and TK replied to Wang's insistence on asking the same rather irrelevant questions. I used the word, 'irrelevant' here because out of everything that Serkong Tritul Rinpoche has achieved - i.e.
1) Being recognised in Gaden Jangtze Monastery before being expelled because Rinpoche refused to give up his Dorje Shugden practice
2) Building a huge monastery with Dorje Shugden that can house 1000 monks or more in Kathmandu, Nepal
3) Sponsoring monks in Shar Gaden
and the list goes on -
Out of everything this Rinpoche has done, Wang can only choose to speculate on the subject matter of a scandal. This really puzzles me, because I do ask myself - how does this really help any of us here and educate us further?
Most of all, how does this contribute to this website or Forum?
I shall post the replies made by others in April 2009 because their words resonate with my thoughts. I think enough has been said and written. And it is clear when some people are just not interested in real education, information but are more focussed on 'speculating rumours and gossips'.
This was posted by someone named Mountains -
Reply #2 on: April 21, 2009, 06:04:01 AM »
Dear Dharmapal,
Over ten years back, Serkong Tritul Rinpoche took his disciple Jamsing Rinpoche to Gaden Jangtze Monastery to be enthroned. So they were both Tulkus (Rinpoches) of Gaden Jangtze Monastery. Because of the Dorje Shugden ban, Tritul and Jamsing refuse to give up the practice making them the 'enemy' and target of the Tibetan exile govt. Especially more so, because Tritul's organization have very powerful and wealthy financial patrons allowing them to engage in tremendous building projects attracting the jealousy of the Tibetan Govt in exile branding them as traitors by accusing them of taking money from the Chinese Govt. Well they are not the only very wealthy Tibetan Buddhist Organization in the world. And just because you have good patrons, doesn't mean you take money from the Chinese Govt. Hence the Tibetan Govt in exile tries to blacklist them by accusing them of money from China. They want the Tibetan people against them by branding them as traitors.
Recently around 3 weeks ago, Jamsing Rinpoche (sanctioned by Serkong Tritul Rinpoche) went to Shar Gaden Monastery in South India to do the enthronement ceremony with much offerings. Jamsing Rinpoche also offered enough money for breakfast, lunch and dinner for all the Shar Gaden Monks for the next ten years.
If their organization has 'pulled' out from the Gelug lineage and stopped their Dorje Shugden practices, they would never 'patronize' Shar Gaden Monastery. Or even have a enthronement ceremony done there.
So perhaps Serkong Tritul Rinpoche said he stopped practicing to throw people off track so when he establishes centres, temples, get licenses, permits, etc, he would have 'less' obstacles.
Many Gelug Lamas claim they have stopped the practices, but in actuality they have not and are doing in secrecy. Even their close students do not know.
Another small point is that if you look at the painting on the wall of Serkong Tritul's monastery in Nepal, on this thread, he is having the 5 visions of Lama Tsongkapa painted. If he had given up on Gelug, he would not have Tsongkapa painted and so prominently.
His centre in New Zealand (home page of this site), the central image/statue is lama Tsongkapa also. Not Atisha. Not that there is anything wrong with having Atisha as their central image as Tsongkapa is an incarnation of Atisha with the same mindstream. But the 'signs' of them not being Gelugpa anymore are not strongly there.
These are my thoughts, and what I have heard from very reliable sources. Thank you very much.
This is a well written reply posted by TK on the same thread in 2009.
« Reply #5 on: April 27, 2009, 04:48:06 AM »
Dear Wang,
I hope you have joined this wonderful forum for a good motivation.
We are here to learn more, not to create more schisms. I am not against the Dalai lama. I am not against China. I am not into Gelug or other sect's politics. I wish to have a support platform for the practice of HOLY DORJE SHUGDEN. This is why we are here.
I wish to express my voice that all religious practice should have no repression including Dorje Shugden's.
1. Your link doesnt help. I am not Serkong Tritul's student.
2. Serkong Tritul may or may not have cohabitated with a woman. But it does not faze me even if he did.
3. He is still doing great works, doing great building works and sponsoring the Dorje Shugden movement tremendously. He is a great force in the Buddhist world and has many sponsors that support his work. The sponsors/patrons have examined him and greatly believe in him. His work is growing faster and bigger. No one can bring him down now although many have tried.
4. He does 100 great works and maybe 1 or 2 are not permissable in our subjective eyes, but we should focus on the other works. Why always focus on the negative which is samsara's nature.
5. Which of us has not sinned. Serkong Tritul has done more for the growth of Dorje Shugden's lineage more than me and you. So we should rejoice or at least just pray. We can never do as much as he does. So instead of putting energy into bad-mouthing him, we should put more energy into practice and bringing dharma to others.
6. I don't enjoy these types of posts. It explains nothing and it just throws sex in for controversy and attention. I do not appreciate it at all. I do not mean offense to you, but please think.
7. If you are involved in the other forums, I would advise you not to slander Serkong Tritul there also. It is bad karma. You achieve nothing. You get nowhere and you also bring new comers’ faith down. Why destroy other ppl's faith.
8. I heard that many of the Administrators of the gelu.org/bbs are students of Kejok Rinpoche. Rinpoche resides primarily in Australia. Kejok Rinpoche practises Dorje Shugden up till this very day.
Even his students not close to him will not know. His residence in Australia has his private chambers/bedroom that no one is allowed in except Rinpoche himself. That room contains Dorje Shugden image that is worshipped by Kejok Rinpoche. Kejok Rinpoche keeps in contact with other high rinpoches who practise Dorje Shugden till today but very discreetly. Kejok Rinpoche’s household (labrang) and Gangchen Rinpoche’s labrang are very close, friendly, and on excellent terms. And they call each other to do Dorje Shugden pujas from time to time in Nepal.
Kejok Rinpoche also has a house in Nepal near the Sanku pilgrimage site of Vajra Yogini deity in kathmandu and there is a geshe student staying there. That geshe student is very open to saying yes, kejok Rinpoche and their close members HAVE NOT GIVEN UP DORJE SHUGDEN AND CONTINUE THE PRACTICE. This geshe affirms the holy image of Dorje Shugden in Kejok Rinpoche's private residence in Australia.
But to the outside world, the non-inner circle students of Kejok Rinpoche fiercely say, Kejok Rinpoche has given up and does not practice. And they even criticize other Rinpoches/Geshes who practice and point fingers. I guess pointing fingers is a way of self protection.
The Tibetan Govt in exile has created this type of schism. So if you want to make an issue or something scandalous, then KEJOK RINPOCHE IS STILL PRACTICING DORJE SHUGDEN IN SECRET. That would be a bigger scandal in today's Tibetan Buddhist World than Serkong Tritul sleeping with a woman.
9. So I think Serkong Tritul knows what he is doing. I think we should leave him alone. I think we should just talk about dharma and practice in this website and the website you have posted in Chinese. Wouldn't you like to be a real dharma student promoting dharma instead of negative talk? I would.
10. The Tibetan Govt is very short sighted. Instead of ostracizing their own powerful lamas that can help the tibetan cause, they should rope them in and make friends..
Just think, the Tibetan govt in exile should become friends and rope in for their cause the below just to name a few:
Serkong Tritul Rinpoche
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
Yongyal Rinpoche
Gonsar Rinpoche
Pabongka Rinpoche
Dagom Ladrang
Gangchen Tulku Rinpoche
Denma Gonsa Ladrang
Jamsing Ladrang
Kundeling Rinpoche
Rabten Rinpoche
Tsawa Rinpoche
Zasep Rinpoche
Zimey Ladrang
Shar Gaden
Serpom Monastery
Jampa Ling Monastery
Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche
Zong Rinpoche
Domo Geshe Rinpoche
kejok Rinpoche
Geshe Tsultrim of Jangtze Monastery
Tashi Lunpo in Tibet
Gaden Dorje Shugden Oracle in USA
Sera Mey Dorje Shugden Oracle in Taiwan
HH Panchen Rinpoche
Sogpu Guru Deva Ladrang
Geshe Konchok
etc etc etc
It would be better to rope in the above ppl to spread dharma, talk about tibetan cultural identity in order to preserve it, create learning centers, art, temples, sponsor the tibetan cause even to help the tibetan govt make better connections with the Chinese govt.
FOR EXAMPLE: The tibetan govt in exile always accuse Gangchen Rinpoche of collaborating with the Chinese Govt against Tibetans. Untrue but that is what they say. They have many hate campaigns specifically against this great lama. You can see on their official websites.
They say Gangchen Rinpoche has very close ties with the Chinese Govt. Well that SHOULD BE THERE CUE TO MAKE FRIENDS WITH GANGCHEN RINPOCHE AND THRU GANGCHEN RINPOCHE MAKE BETTER RELATIONS WITH THE CHINESE GOVT FOR THE SAKE OF THE SIX MILLION REMAINING TIBETANS IN TIBET. Wouldn't that make more sense???
Gangchen Rinpoche should be made into the Tibetan Govt in exile's AMBASSADOR TO CHINA. When the Tibetans have so little ppl as it is and so little qualified ppl as it is, they should rope in these qualified persons. Why does dorje shugen's practice have to be paid by Chinese govt to practice? This practice was going on for 350 years before 1959.
I myself practice Dorje Shugden and he is my only protector and the foundation of my faith. But the Chinese govt doesn't pay me any money to practice.
I wish you the best Wang.
Tk
Personally, I enjoy reading posts which promote better understanding, that helps us by giving us educated information and that enriches our personal practice.
I am seriously not interested in gossips and speculating rumours which may or may not be true. Because it adds no value to this sacred space or any space for that matter.
All in all, I prefer to rejoice in the fact that Serkong Rinpoche has done a lot of good and just the sponsoring of Shar Gaden monastery alone is something wonderful for me. I am sure it had not been easy at all for Serkong Rinpoche to stand firm with his Dorje Shugden practice and suffer the fate of being expelled from Gaden Jangtze because of it.
Some people have really taken the time, effort and even used their own resources to create this sacred space for all of us to enjoy, be educated and learn - from the creators to the owners to the site, to the members of this forum who have repeatedly posted very useful and valuable information. Various people have all taken the time and trouble to answer plenty. And I sincerely do appreciate that.
This is a sacred space for real learning and understanding.
Like what TK wrote above - what is one's motivation when he or she joins this site? Well, to me, it is quite clear sometimes with how and what they write or post.
Thank you for those who have really taken the time to educate us and contribute to this space. Thank you for enriching our understanding and appreciation of our tradition and above all, our Protector Dorje Shugden.
Have a great weekend, everyone.