The Importance of Sponsoring Monasteries and Dharma Centres

By Brunhild Hekate

The Dalai Lama has taken his opposition to a popular and ancient Buddhist practice of the enlightened Deity Dorje Shugden, an emanation of Buddha Manjushri. The controversy of Dorje Shugden began in 1996 when the Dalai Lama instituted a complete ban on Dorje Shugden’s practice. These were the reasons cited by the Dalai Lama for the ban:

1. Dorje Shugden is a worldly spirit and a ghost from the lower realm,
2. Practising Dorje Shugden will cause the demise of Dalai Lama,
3. Practising Dorje Shugden will affect Tibet’s independence,
4. Dorje Shugden is sectarianism,
5. Dorje Shugden practitioners are traitors funded by the Chinese government

The Dalai Lama has incited the Tibetan people to rise up against sincere Shugden practitioners. Millions of people are suffering in agony and pain at the hands of the Dalai Lama’s followers. The Dalai Lama said that all connections with Shugden practitioners should be destroyed and his followers blindly obeyed his words. There was chaos and fighting in the Tibetan communities; lay people were instigated to attack Shugden monks; and within the sangha communities, even monks were attacking Shugden monks. Even lay Shugden practitioners were not spared.

The ban has brought about alot of animosity and hostility. Shugden practitioners are ostracized and have received death threats; they are living in exile within exile. Innocent people are experiencing public humiliation, persecution, and a denial of basic human rights. They are not allowed basic amenities like healthcare, education nor even access to convenience stores. They have to study, debate and dine separately. Contact with Shugden practitioners is forbidden. And all this is purely because of their religion and beliefs.

Adar Tsering, prominent advocate against the Dorje Shugden ban, frequently receives death threats, such as this gravestone with his picture on it.

In the monasteries, Sangha are prohibited from propitiating Dorje Shugden, whose lineage and practice they received at the feet of eminent lineage Masters such as Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche and Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche. They were forced to sign declarations and take oaths that they have stopped practising Dorje Shugden, and would not have any contact whatsoever whether spiritual or material with those who rely on Dorje Shugden. If they refused, they faced expulsion. Sangha who are expelled are not issued an identity card, without which they cannot obtain food, travel documents, access to public services, etc.

The prosecution of Shugden practitioners is acute and extreme, implemented effectively by the Dalai Lama’s supporters in Ganden, Drepung, Sera and other Gelukpa monasteries. Schism was created within the sangha community, and many who remained true to their teachers and lineage were expelled, and formed the new Dorje Shugden monasteries of Serpom and Shar Gaden in southern India. Dharma centres around the world who remained true to Dorje Shugden’s lineage are also affected by the Dalai Lama’s ban through the loss of sponsorship and memberships. There is therefore a pressing need for Dorje Shugden practitioners worldwide to support the monasteries and dharma centres that continue to uphold Dorje Shugden’s practice.

A message from the Shugden sangha community appealing for your support

For a bird to fly in the sky it requires two wings. In the same way, establishing a monastery with a Sangha community also depends on two indispensable elements; the education and the material resources. With regards to education, with full confidence, we can say that we are in no way in any shortage of any kind. Moreover, it is very encouraging, that in all the members of our Sangha, older and younger, the fire of enthusiasm is burning strongly to establish a monastic community which is free of all kinds of mixtures, under whatever circumstances, easy or difficult.

The greatest difficulty we encounter now are the material resources. For example, in order to newly produce schools, libraries, and dining halls, and likewise to provide the monastic Sangha of several hundred monks daily with their sustenance of living, such as daily tea and meals, we are faced with an anxiety like a patient who is deprived of funds to pay his medical bill. Therefore, we would like to place our request to everybody, with folded hands, for the sake of the teachings of the Gaden tradition in general, and in particular for the faultless tradition of our former great masters, such as the precious spiritual father, His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Dorje Chang, and his sons.

This situation is like a butterlamp which is just about to extinguish due to lack of oil. At this very difficult period of our life, we have decided to face any difficulties, even to place our own life, if necessary, as a target, to safeguard the precious lineage of teaching and practice of the Dharma. In order to fulfill this great responsibility, and for us to overcome the difficulties of the present time, we ask for your support, your help and assistance, by all means.

I appeal to all readers of dorjeshugden.com to lend them your support and generosity to ensure the practice of Dorje Shugden, The King Protector, powerful and swift specifically for this time; He who protects the precious teaching of Je Tsongkhapa does not become diluted or disappear from planet Earth but flourish forever more for its great benefit to many.

Admin Note: To make a donation to Shar Gaden or Serpom monasteries, or to make a donation to dorjeshugden.com, please click here. Proceeds from our online store shop.dorjeshugden.com also go towards supporting the sangha, and for the on-going running and maintenance of this website.

More reading on The Benefits of Shugden Practice: http://www.dorjeshugden.com/introduction/benefits/the-benefits-of-dorje-shugdens-practice-2/