The Dalai Lama’s picture at Shar Ganden

By: Stevie Lee

On the altar of Gen Tenzin (not his real name) sits beautiful statues of the Buddha and also traditional offerings, such as bowls of water to represent the Three Jewels, which are very much in accordance with Tibetan Buddhist culture. Prominently placed at the front-center of the altar, which is a position of supreme veneration, sits a picture of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, long regarded as the Divine Head of Tibetan Buddhism, as well as, the nation of Tibetan people. More than that, the Dalai Lama is literally regarded as Avalokiteshvara incarnate, the Buddha Of Compassion himself.

This altar scene itself is not uncommon but what makes this case noteworthy is that Tenzin is a Shar Ganden monk. Shar Ganden is the very monastery that was formed after 600 monks were unceremoniously expelled from Ganden for refusing to abandon or swear against a Dharma Protector named Dorje Shugden, whom the Gelugpa monks have worshiped for years.

Shar Ganden Monastery

At the order of the Dalai Lama, and without just cause or sound reasoning, Dorje Shugden, who is none other than the emanation of Manjushri recognized by the great Fifth Dalai Lama and many high lamas and erudite Dharma scholars since, was suddenly deemed to be an evil spirit. The propitiation of Dorje Shugden was immediately rendered illegal by the office of the Dalai Lama, and rambling not far behind, the Central Tibetan Administration. The de facto Tibetan government-in -exile supposedly with a democratic constitution, lent their support as enforcers.

Tenzin is one of the small community of monks and lay practitioners who were forced into isolation and segregation from the rest of the monastery, and the Tibetan community at large, simply because they would not comply with the Dalai Lama’s instructions to break their oath made to their root Gurus to continue the practice of Dorje Shugden. Those who remained loyal to their gurus and practice were regarded as demon worshippers wishing harm upon the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan fight for freedom. They were labeled as traitors of not only the Tibetan people but also the precious Dharma. The propaganda was that the practice of this Protector is tantamount to anti-Dharma. Dorje Shugden monks, nuns and practitioners had to give up their practice or hide for fear of their lives. The Dalai Lama whom they have regarded as a God-King had condemned them to be enemies, and excommunicated. Thus, for Tenzin to place the picture of the Dalai Lama on his altar is to venerate the very same person who has judged Tenzin to be an enemy.

So maligned were the likes of Tenzin by the establishment that many of these monks lost Dharma brothers, close friends, and even family members. Some of the highest lamas like the present incarnation of the Guru of virtually all Gelugpa gurus, Kyabje Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche, had even received death threats and live in grave concern of their lives to this day. Trijang Rinpoche was forced to choose between his loyalty to his practice, or his devotion to the Dalai Lama – a choice his wisdom and strong sense of ethics have not allowed him to make. Instead, Trijang Rinpoche chose to disrobe and went into self-exile to the United States.

H.H. Trijang Choktrul Rinpoche

Labeled by the Dalai Lama as traitors and Chinese spies, no Tibetan shopkeepers would supply Shar Ganden with their daily necessities, and often the monks had to travel as far as 54 kilometers to the nearest Indian town of Hubli to get even the most basic of provisions. For all intent and purposes, the Dalai Lama ought to have been the spiritual nemesis for monks like Tenzin. Yet in spite of all these, many monks of Shar Ganden continue to hold the Dalai Lama in the highest regard, and continue to show their devotion to His Holiness by placing his photograph on their personal altars.

Like all Vajrayana monks, they still begin their prayers with “Namo Guru-beh,” which is the taking refuge with all lineage lamas including His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Although they may not agree with his actions and probably do not even understand his reasons for the ban, as nobody has yet been able to arrive at any sound and logical conclusion, they continue placing the Dalai Lama’s image on their personal altars. This is indisputable proof that their veneration of the Dalai Lama has not diminished. In this respect, Tenzin, like many Shugden monks and practitioners, truly uphold the Buddha’s teachings, one of which is Lojong or mind training. This is the practice of not allowing negative afflictive thoughts such as fear, hatred and anger to override the calm abiding mind that sees all phenomena in their true nature. One of the key teachings of Dharma is to recognize afflictive emotions as not having any inherent and sound basis. Therefore, they are merely reflections of our own angry and ignorant mind. The training leads to the development of Compassion, one of the attainments without which we cannot reach enlightenment. This is the Dharma that Tenzin and Shugdenpas practice. To them, there is no enemy, just as the Buddha himself did not recognize any enemy other than our own mind.

In stark contrast, after the institution of the Dorje Shugden ban, zealous anti-Shugden monks and people went on a rampage tearing down Dorje Shugden statues and images everywhere. Some, like members of the Tibetan Youth Congress, even went on a door-to-door search, reminiscent of the Salem witch-hunts. No Dorje Shugden image is allowed in Ganden Shartse or any monastery under the Dalai Lama’s watch, nor are the names of Shugden lamas allowed to be uttered in their daily prayers. In light of this disparity, one would have to be forgiven for asking if these monks, who are filled with hatred and devoid of tolerance or compassion, are practicing the same Dharma as Tenzin and the Shugdenpas. Ironically, it is the Dorje Shugden practitioners who are accused of being anti-Dharma. However, the reality speaks a very different language.

Tenzin and all Dorje Shugden practitioners practice true Dharma and at the core of the practice is the recognition that the Gurus are the source of all good qualities. Hence, under no circumstances will a true Shugden monk disparage any Guru or lama. The supreme example of this is in the very difficult and yet supremely kind instruction given by H.H. Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche in Music Delighting An Ocean of Protectors which states on page 125:

But some who are narrow minded, not understanding this point, consider this Dharmapala[referring to Dorje Shugden] to be like an ordinary worldly being and, with supposed faith in the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama, disparage him; or else they indeed admire this great Dharmapala but criticize the Dalai Lama or Panchen Lama. Using either one as a reason not to admire the other and speaking badly about either in any way is the conduct of an ordinary being who, under the influence of attachment and hatred, just tries to help friends and hurt enemies.

Music Delighting An Ocean of Protectors was written in 1967, decades before there was an inkling of the tragedy of the ban that was to come. This shows the clairvoyance of H.H. Trijang Rinpoche in anticipating the heart wrenching consequences and challenges which would be faced by all – Shugden and non-Shugden monk alike – in the future

This premonition has now become our present reality. Seeing H.H. the Dalai Lama’s picture on Tenzin’s altar is a reason to rejoice for it unconditionally affirms that in spite of the waves of malevolent persecutions against them, those who practice Dorje Shugden remain true to the teachings of the Buddha in the Vajrayana tradition. And that is, to regard the lineage Gurus as more precious than their own lives. How could such nobility have risen out of the worship of an evil spirit?