Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche (left) penned a Facebook post about Sogyal Rinpoche (right), his views of the sexual abuse allegedly perpetrated by Sogyal Rinpoche and his opinion that the students should have approached it from a Vajrayana practitioner’s perspective.
The opinion piece below was sent to dorjeshugden.com for publication. We accept submissions from the public, please send in your articles to [email protected].
By: Shashi Kei
Google the word “Rinpoche” and Sogyal Rinpoche’s name comes up prominently in the search results. Already well known in certain Tibetan Buddhist circles, in recent years Sogyal Rinpoche has gained worldwide infamy for the alleged sexual abuse of his students. Sogyal Rinpoche’s scandals were widely reported by global media and a formal investigation was commissioned to look into the multitude of charges against him. The 14th Dalai Lama eventually denounced him but not before the Dalai Lama himself was criticized for turning a blind eye to Sogyal Rinpoche’s abuses for years.
Since news of his alleged abuses came to light in July 2017, very few lamas have stood with Sogyal Rinpoche. However, a prominent Bhutanese lama, Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche published a statement in his personal Facebook page, which was later reproduced by a number of Buddhist media outlets such as Buddhist Door (see below). In the statement, he voiced his thoughts on how Sogyal Rinpoche’s students should have approached the issue from the perspective of Vajrayana, if indeed they regard themselves as Vajrayana practitioners.
In essence, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche’s reasoning was that those who have entered the Vajrayana path voluntarily, especially students who have received tantric empowerments from a Vajrayana teacher, are forbidden from viewing their teacher or their actions as wrong in any way, or regard them negatively. To do so and to condemn and criticize the teacher is to break samaya, or the holy spiritual bond between a student and his teacher. This breakage of samaya represents the collapse of the foundation of a practitioner’s spiritual path. Broken samaya with a Vajrayana teacher not only renders one’s practice impotent but also results in dire consequences.
The gist of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche’s point was that all dualistic views, for example to think that this is ‘right’ while that is ‘wrong’, or this is ‘good’ while that is ‘bad’, arise from “impure perceptions”. And since the Vajrayana practice aims to be rid of such impure views, the Vajrayana teacher
“…will use anything he can to challenge and go against each individual student’s ego, pride, self-cherishing and dualistic mind, and might well end up telling a voracious, horny man to become a monk.”
The underlying understanding is that everything the Vajrayana teacher does should be seen as ‘methods’ which can range from the benign to the shocking, to help his students abandon impure perceptions.
Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche warned that if the foundations of the guru-student relationship are correctly laid and both parties understand and accept the significance of entering into this relationship, then the students can no longer regard the Vajrayana teacher’s actions as that of an ordinary person. After this Vajrayana bond is created, then condemning or criticizing the teacher, or slandering them in whatever way will, according to tantric teachings, yield unimaginable consequences and create the causes for the student to land in Vajra Hell. Whilst the significance of Vajra Hell may be lost on casual readers, for those on the Vajrayana path, there is nothing worse than ending up there. Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche argued that in Vajrayana there is no way to circumvent this rule nor are there exceptions to the rule.
Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche’s writing skillfully navigates the fine line between blaming Sogyal and exonerating him altogether. While there is a hint that the sexual activities Sogyal Rinpoche allegedly forced some of his students into may well be a means for a Vajrayana guru to train his students to surrender their ego and projections, the point Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche makes is not so much about whether Sogyal is innocent or guilty.
Sogyal Rinpoche (left) and Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche (right) share a joke. While Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche addressed the issue of Sogyal Rinpoche’s alleged sexual abuse from a Vajrayana perspective, he stopped short of excusing or justifying Sogyal’s behavior.
To be fair, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche’s post should not be taken as necessarily excusing Sogyal Rinpoche’s behavior and exempting him from the law. In fact, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche was quite candid in his observation that he did not think Sogyal Rinpoche had paid enough attention in making sure Rigpa students understood the significance of having a Vajrayana relationship with him. In addition, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche was clear in explaining that having a spiritual bond with a Vajrayana teacher does not mean the student will be made to endure unsavory or abusive experiences such as that which Sogyal Rinpoche’s students allegedly experienced.
The important point in the article is that there is a vital Vajrayana rule that must not be broken – that is, those who have entered the Vajrayana path, and especially those who have been initiated by their teachers, are forbidden from viewing or criticizing their teacher as wrong in any way. Once this rule is broken, the Vajrayana student will have committed a heinous spiritual crime. This rule that Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche articulated in his article may, for most people, be difficult to comprehend and accept. It may even come across as foolishness for a Vajrayana student to forfeit the right to complain, criticize and bring criminal charges against the teacher when there is depravity and criminality in his actions. However, from a Vajrayana perspective Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche’s reasoning is flawless.
But if we say that Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche is right about this non-negotiable Vajrayana rule, then this rule must apply to all teacher-student relationships in Vajrayana. If that is the case, then the interesting question that arises is this – if students must, by the Vajrayana rule, see their teacher with pure perception even if he is sexually abusive towards them, then should students not also view their teachers with the same pure view if the teacher happens to be a practitioner of Dorje Shugden, which the Tibetan leadership has unconstitutionally outlawed?
If a Vajrayana student is considered to be Vajra Hell-bound when they accuse and condemn an abusive teacher, then is it not only logical that Vajrayana students will similarly land in Vajra Hell if they criticize or abandon a teacher merely because the teacher practices one particular Dharma Protector along with countless other Buddhas and deities? It would be ridiculous to suggest that one should view a sexually abusive teacher with pure perception but should not view a Dorje Shugden teacher with the same pure view, even if that teacher is compassionate, wise and attained. Surely a Vajrayana teacher who practices Dorje Shugden to uphold a vow he made to his own teacher, cannot be considered bad and false and therefore worthy of condemnation whereas a sexually abusive teacher deserves to be seen with a pure view simply because he does not practice Dorje Shugden. Dzongsar Khyentse himself said that there are no exceptions to the Vajrayana rule if one wishes to practice the Vajrayana tradition. To manipulate the rule to suit a purpose is to corrupt the tradition itself.
Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche also wrote,
“If an impure perception – such as criticism of one’s guru – is made deliberately and consciously, and it then goes on to become a well-organized, choreographed public discussion with no room for amendments or correction, it constitutes a total breakage of samaya.”
Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche’s statement fits the Dorje Shugden debacle extremely well. Based on his definition, every single lama, monk and lay practitioner who has received the Dharma from a teacher who worships Dorje Shugden, but now participates in the CTA’s persecution of Dorje Shugden practitioners, has without doubt, committed a breakage of samaya. The bulk of the responsibility for this broken samaya lies with the Tibetan leadership who not only orchestrated the spread of this impure view but also coerced many Vajrayana practitioners into condemning their teachers on account of the teacher’s worship of Dorje Shugden.
The Dalai Lama has been recorded publicly saying that his teachers who practiced Dorje Shugden were “wrong”. Of the Dalai Lama’s two tutors, His Holiness Trijang Rinpoche was well known to have trusted Dorje Shugden throughout his life and wrote the seminal Dorje Shugden text Music Delighting the Ocean of Protectors, describing Dorje Shugden as an enlightened being. His Holiness Ling Rinpoche too, wrote a Fulfilment, Confession, Request for Activity and Serkym text for a number of Dharma Protectors including Dorje Shugden. Thus in encouraging discrimination against Shugden practitioners which include his own teachers, the logical but discomforting conclusion is that the Dalai Lama too has damaged his samaya with his own Vajrayana masters, according to Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche’s definition.
His Holiness Ling Rinpoche (left) and His Holiness Trijang Rinpoche (right), the two tutors of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, both of whom relied strongly on Dorje Shugden. According to Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, criticizing our masters after we have received initiation from them, will lead to a breakage in the guru-disciple relationship.
Or will the Tibetan leadership decree that the Vajrayana rule applies to everyone except them? There is no tradition in Tibetan Buddhism that states that the Dalai Lama or CTA can override one’s samaya with his teacher and yet this is what has been happening.
Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche’s writing may be in relation to Sogyal Rinpoche’s scandals but the Vajrayana rule that he referred to must surely apply to all situations involving a Vajrayana teacher and his students who are on the Vajrayana path. There cannot be one Vajrayana rule for Dorje Shugden practitioners and another one for others. Those who agree with what Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche wrote, and acknowledge that a proper Vajrayana student must not see the teacher with impure perception, should also understand why Vajrayana students who have received the Dorje Shugden practice from their teacher cannot abandon the practice or criticize their teacher without breaking samaya and creating the cause to end up in Vajra Hell.
On the other hand, those who disagree with Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche and insist that the Vajrayana rule should not be used as an escape clause when a lama like Sogyal Rinpoche has perpetrated an illegal act, thereafter cannot use the same Vajrayana rule to justify the Dalai Lama’s banning of Dorje Shugden practice, which not only constitutes a breach of Shugden Buddhists’ human rights but is also unlawful, unconstitutional, not to mention an outright corruption of the very important guru-student relationship.
It means that if readers disagree that the Vajrayana rule mentioned by Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche is all-encompassing and without exception, and students should NOT therefore blindly go along when the teacher is wrong (as in Sogyal Rinpoche’s case), then students who regard the Dalai Lama as a teacher should not blindly obey his Dorje Shugden ban when it is clearly immoral and against the law.
So which one is it, to follow the rule or not? It cannot be one or the other, applied as and when it suits the Tibetan leadership’s devices at the time. Practicing the Buddhadharma is not a matter of convenience, or something that can or should be treated whimsically. If the CTA is the Buddhist administration they claim themselves to be, then it is time for them to decide once and for all. The Buddhist world is waiting.
Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche Issues
Public Statement on Recent Criticism
of Sogyal Rinpoche
Download the PDF here
Cropped for brevity. Click to enlarge and read the full post (Source: https://www.buddhistdoor.net/news/dzongsar-khyentse-rinpoche-issues-public-statement-on-recent-criticism-of-sogyal-rinpoche)
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Tibetan
Dzongsar Kyentse Rinpoche is not a fan of Dalai Lama
February 2, 2019
We all know that Dzongsar Kyentse is not a big fan of the Dalai Lama and his Tibetan exile govt regime in Dharamsala. You rarely or hardly ever see Dzongsar Kyentse attend events, teachings, Kalacakra, long life pujas by or for the Dalai Lama. He really stays away from events by or for the Dalai Lama. 😒
CTA will lose
February 2, 2019
☹️👎💔😒
Tenzin Paljor
February 2, 2019
Dalai Lama fully supported Sogyal Rinpoche for years. The Dalai Lama visited his centre and received large donations from Sogyal Rinpoche. When Sogyal Rinpoche was exposed to have abused so many female students, the Dalai Lama kept silent till he was forced to denounce Sogyal publicly. Very sad. 💔👎
H M
February 2, 2019
So is the Dalai Lama heading for hell next and therefore there will not be a reincarnation on earth? This seems plausible given all the karma created and of course he wouldn’t “mind” it, being the all compassionate Bodhisattva that he is.
Jigme
February 3, 2019
I dunno about the Dalai Lama. Some people say his action is crazy wisdom that cause the Dorjee Shukden lineage to spread. So maybe he cannot go to vajra hell but the many people who blindly follow the ban and accuse Dorjee Shukden because they want to side with the CTA to get favors will go to vajra hell for sure.
This Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche likes publicity but sad that in all his publicity stunts he never warn people that the Shukden ban is evil and will drive people to break samaya. But now maybe because he is connected to Rigpa, he write about Guru and student bond in vajrayana.😅
Pem
February 3, 2019
As far as I understand Sogyal Rinpoche is a monk so there is no discussion about the vows he took and he should hold his vows and not abuse anyone sexually.
It is a crime what Sogyal Rinpoche did but it is not a crime to practice the religion we wish to practice. Everyone has the right to practice Dorje Shugden except if you listen to the Central Tibetan Administration.
I hope that the ban and harassment against Dorje Shugden practitioners will be stopped as no one should be punished for their religious choice!
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February 6, 2019
😂😆
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February 26, 2019
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February 6, 2019
😂😆
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SabrinaS
February 8, 2019
I am not surprised that Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche avoids the Dalai Lama. After all, the Dalai Lama himself publically denounced his Guru, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche as being wrong in the practice of Dorje Shugden. Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche held this protector practice very close and had relied on Dorje Shugden for everything, especially for the miraculous escape of the Dalai Lama from Tibet to India. The very foundation of the Vajrayana practice of attainments is Guru Devotion. The only grouch I have is why did Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche step up for his friend Sogyal embroiled in sexual offenses but not step up for the Dorje Shugden practitioners who faced prosecutions for holding true to their Guru Devotion in keeping the protector practice given to them by their Gurus? Just because it did not affect him? Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche is always so vocal in many issues but not the rights of other Buddhist practitioners? Isn’t compassion applicable to everyone regardless of what sect they are under? Anyway, for those who believe in his statements on Guru Devotion, should understand the rights of Dorje Shugden practitioners in holding true to this practice as their form of Guru Devotion.
Anonymous
March 20, 2019
It was sad to go through this page.i do read each and every comments, post but nothings is there then to pull the dharma…many are there who don’t know what so call dharma but have commented blindly..
I strongly support DJKR and his statement on “shouldn’t criticize the guru once we get all blessings and teachings”
The one who accused sogyel rinpoche. Did sogyel rinpoche forced them to follow him and get teaching form him? Thats the main reason why DJKR speak out public at takila in 2016 Feb before he started rinchen torzed empowerment that “i was happy to see all follower yet I have a question hope all came here to get blessings with self committment not by force, because once you get such long blessings from me, you can’t criticize me anyways, it’s sinful and breaks the rule of samaya”
So this clearly shows the it’s an awareness for public not to follow him just to get blessings and then criticize later on like the follower of sogyel rimpoche.DJKR was clear cut by that time self not when he heard the accused of sogyel rinpoche by his students…
If one cannot follow what teacher taught or made to follow what is the reason behind to learn and be part of dharma for a sake when there is mood and good relations..
So I strongly believe to the point of DJKR ‘s statement here …
Santosh gurung
February 9, 2019
😀😘
Anonymous
February 9, 2019
Karma Kagyu School Does Not Need Dalai Lama
February 10, 2019
Karmapa Thaye Dorje Ignores the Dalai Lama
(1) Decades ago, the Shamarpa asked the Dalai Lama to endorse Thaye Dorje as the Karmapa. Shamarpa proved to the Dalai Lama that Thaye Dorje was the Karmapa. The Dalai Lama still refused as it will make the Dalai Lama look bad for endorsing Ogyen Trinley. ~ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJJXYAz3Bz0
It is known that Tai Situ Rinpoche recognized Ogyen Trinley by stealth. Tai Situ Rinpoche used the Dalai Lama’s fame to promote his Ogyen Trinley candidate in order to secure the Karmapa wealth of many generations.
(2) Even though the Dalai Lama endorsed Ogyen Trinley as Karmapa, Thaye Dorje could not be restrained and continues to grow immensely in popularity all over the world. Even without the Dalai Lama’s endorsement, the Karmapa Thaye Dorje is growing in importance. Tai Situ Rinpoche thought that without the Dalai Lama’s endorsement, the Karmapa Thaye Dorje would fall and become nothing. He was wrong.
(3) Shamarpa Rinpoche had asked the Dalai Lama to at least ordain Thaye Dorje as a monk when he was very young and the Dalai Lama refused. This refusal hurt Shamarpa and the Karmapa Thaye Dorje very much. The Dalai Lama sidelined Shamarpa Rinpoche and Thaye Dorje. It was a grievous insult and detrimental interference. In the Karma Kagyu tradition it is the Shamarpa who is the first and foremost to recognize the Karmapas and only in his absence do other regents recognize the Karmapas. Not only did the Dalai Lama interfere in Karma Kagyu affairs but the Dalai Lama took sides. That caused so much fighting and disharmony within the Karma Kagyu school of Buddhism. Tai Situ Rinpoche was wrong not to consult with Shamarpa Rinpoche in all of this.
(4) The Dalai Lama had no business interfering in Karma Kagyu traditions by recognizing a Karmapa. In the history of the Karma Kagyu school, there has not been one Karmapa recognized by a Dalai Lama nor did they ever need the Dalai Lama’s endorsement. This interference by the Dalai Lama has caused the Karma Kagyu school to take two sides and broke them up and created much disharmony. The disharmony, fighting and mud-slinging as to which one is the real Karmapa has continued to this day in 2019.
(5) Shamarpa Rinpoche passed away in 2014 and it is up to the Karmapa to recognize his incarnation without the endorsement or interference of the Dalai Lama.
(6) Now the Karmapa Thaye Dorje recognizes his son born in 2018 as Shamarpa Rinpoche’s incarnation and he does not ask the Dalai Lama to endorse this incarnation. He does not need it. The Dalai Lama has done enough damage. This will shift the dynamics of the Karma Kagyu school again in favor of the Shamarpa Rinpoche’s side. Unfortunately, it will make Ogyen Trinley look strange and left out in the cold. Within the Kagyu school, the Shamarpa is the next highest incarnation after the Karmapa. The Karmapas always recognized Shamarpas and vice versa. It shows that the Karmapa Thaye Dorje has the full authority to recognize the next highest incarnation within their school on his own. This Shamarpa will be spiritually trained by the Karmapa Thaye Dorje himself without the influence of the aged Dalai Lama and his government-in-exile which most Karma Kagyus consider a regime.
(7) During the Kagyu Monlam prayers in Bodhgaya on January 2019, Thaye Dorje was there leading the Monlam (New Year’s prayers) and so was the Dalai Lama in Bodhgaya, giving teachings in another location nearby. The Dalai Lama, while in Bodhgaya, wanted to meet Thaye Dorje but Thaye Dorje refused. Thaye Dorje avoided the Dalai Lama. It was an insult to the Dalai Lama that he had to accept for all the damage he had done in their Karmapa affair and Karma Kagyu school.
The Dalai Lama had sidelined Shamarpa and Thaye Dorje when asked to endorse Thaye Dorje decades ago. Now that the Karmapa Ogyen Trinley has run away to the USA, the Dalai Lama wants to be friendly with Thaye Dorje so that he can get on the Karma Kagyu school’s good side. Without the Dalai Lama’s permission, the two Karmapas met in France and decided to mend the rift. This will make the Dalai Lama look bad. Even the Dalai Lama did not think in such a big way or a middle way to help mend the rift. Too bad and too late for the Dalai Lama to make friends with the Karma Kagyu school of Buddhism.
So much damage has been done. But the Karmapa Thaye Dorje is on the way to mending all this.
Karma Tsogyal
Anonymous
February 14, 2019
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ShaanooZ
February 19, 2019
I am very confused now. If according to Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, we need to be 100% trusting our guru, does it mean that all the gurus must always be right, whatever they do must have been based on altruistic motivation, no one can have doubt in their action and even raise it up? Therefore, according to his theory, there’s nothing wrong in Sogyal Rinpoche’s action, on the contrary, it’s the victims (his students ) who spoke up against him are to be blamed. So the formula would be, gurus are always right, the end. If this is the principal of Vajrayana buddhism, it’s fine but it must be fair. I think the Dalai Lama must stick to this principal too. The Dalai Lama’s root gurus ie Trijang Rinpoche and Ling Rinpoche were all Dorje Shugden practitioners, therefore the decision of banning Dorje Shugden is against his gurus’ will, hence it’s wrong. Since it’s so wrong according to Vajrayana Buddhism, why Tibetans are following him? Tibetans had been Vajrayana buddhists for centuries, I do not blame lay people but monks should know very well. They have gurus, and always follow Guru’s instruction is the first thing they learn. How can they allow the ban to happen which is totally against the basic Vajrayana’s principal?
Anonymous
February 19, 2019
Anonymous
February 20, 2019
Anonymous
February 20, 2019
བླ་མ་རྣམས་སྐུ་ཚེ་རིང་བར་ཤོག།
Anonymous
February 20, 2019
Anonymous
February 21, 2019
Vivek
February 22, 2019
Contemplate this:
Indian journalists sound desperate when they talk about terrorist attacks on India. As this article correctly states, there is little that India can do to address terrorism as they seem to operate from Pakistan. To deal with the terrorists, Indians will have to literally attack Pakistan which it cannot do.
Well, there is something India can do which is to stop Dharamsala’s terrorist activities against China being executed from Indian soil. The Tibetans have been attacking China for decades, yet they say they wish to return to Tibet. How do you return to a place you constantly criticize? The Dalai Lama is literally begging China to allow him to visit the Five Peaks of Manjushri pilgrimage site in China and also his birthplace in Amdo, Tibet. But if the Dalai Lama keeps criticizing China, why would they sit at the bargaining table with him? India allows for all of this to happen on Indian soil, so that would irritate China.
Yet India wants concessions from China on the terrorist issue. Meanwhile, Beijing equates Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) leader Hafiz Saeed to India supporting the Dalai Lama against China for five decades now. Furthermore, India wants China to speak up against Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) Masood Azhar. But India does not speak up against Dalai Lama. Whether the world thinks the Dalai Lama is the good guy or not, he is a thorn in China’s side so anyone that supports him is not supporting China. Similar to the situation, LeT’s Hafiz Saeed and JeM’s Masood Azhar are a thorn in India’s side but they do not bother China and her allies, so why should China do anything about them? If India does something on the Dalai Lama, then it would be fair to ask China to do something about their support of Lashkar-e-Taiba leader Hafiz Saeed and Jaish-e-Mohammed’s Masood Azhar. Simple equation.
These reports are really bare-faced hypocrisy . It implies one nation is helpless against terrorists because the terrorists camp out in another country. But that did not stop the US from heavily bombing Iraq on the basis that it was harboring terrorists. The US did not hesitate to overthrow the government and murder its leader Saddam Hussein.
It is also very hypocritical that the same journalists who are outraged at China’s annexation of Tibet are quiet about Israel’s annexation of Palestine.
It is interesting to note that most terrorist attacks are aimed at the US and her allies. Everyone conveniently forgets that the US has been throwing their weight around for decades and can even determine which leader they want in other countries.
Back to India – if China can convince North Korea to have détente with the US, China can similarly help India with the JeM. India simply has to give up the Tibet card. The article is also a one-sided opinion piece because India faces as many terrorist threats from Bangladesh, with just as many terrorist camps, but because Bangladesh is not China, their involvement is not mentioned.
India is a great country. China and India as friends will be able to influence the globe literally economically and, eventually, militarily. But India has to play fair. By supporting the Dalai Lama, India will get nothing and furthermore, it will be a stumbling block to China’s 1.4 billion people becoming friends with India’s 1.3 billion people.
The Dalai Lama has to be compassionate and stop speaking against China because he has to consider the difficulty he places India in as his host. Each time he criticizes and allows his refugees to protest against China and ask for western support, it makes China look bad. So if the Dalai Lama wants China and India to become closer and benefit each other economically then he has to be silent on this already.
The Diplomat’s Prarthana Basu sums it up very well by saying in the article below that “Now with another terrorist attack infuriating India’s populace, the mystery behind this Chinese silence remains unsolved. While most attribute China’s apparent silence as a favor to Pakistan, as both continue to maintain their “all-weather friendship,” others argue that China holds India responsible for granting political asylum to the Tibetan leader Dalai Lama, whom Beijing equates to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) leader Hafiz Saeed.”
Anonymous
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samayakeeper
April 23, 2019
I totally agree with the writer here that vajrayana teachers and practitioners who do not voice out about Sogyal Rinpoche’s actions but they did condemn Dorje Shugden. Why the selectiveness? How come the Dalai Lama waited until so long to take action against Sogyal Rinpoche, only after it became a worldwide issue? But the Dalai Lama enforced the ban on Dorje Shugden when the practice did not harm the practitioners? And in doing so, he said that his teacher was wrong. Then the Dalai Lama has broken his samaya by disparaging his teacher. No?
Anonymous
April 23, 2019
Anonymous
April 24, 2019
What is interesting to note is that although Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche did not say whether the conduct of Sogyal Rinpoche is right or wrong, he puts out the impression that the students’ complaints about him is questionable.
Although it is an accepted essence of Vajrayana practice for students to highly regard their Guru and to create a unfailing samaya with their Guru, what then can Vajrayana students think when the Highest Lama, the 14th Dalai Lama said that His teachers were wrong in the practice of Dorje Shugden.
I agree that in this instance of comparison of samaya being broken due to the Dorje Shugden issue and that with the conduct of Sogyal Rinpoche, the level of hypocrisy is high.
Do breaking of samaya with one’s Guru be dependant on who you are and not a universal unacceptable conduct?
Senmo
May 1, 2019
Even though I n
Dondrup Shugden
April 24, 2019
What is interesting to note is that although Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche did not say whether the conduct of Sogyal Rinpoche is right or wrong, he puts out the impression that the students’ complaints about him is questionable.
Although it is an accepted essence of Vajrayana practice for students to highly regard their Guru and to create a unfailing samaya with their Guru, what then can Vajrayana students think when the Highest Lama, the 14th Dalai Lama said that His teachers were wrong in the practice of Dorje Shugden.
I agree that in this instance of comparison of samaya being broken due to the Dorje Shugden issue and that with the conduct of Sogyal Rinpoche, the level of hypocrisy is high.
Do breaking of samaya with one’s Guru be dependant on who you are and not a universal unacceptable conduct?
tenzin
April 24, 2019
Make so much sense!! Hypocrisy at its best. Even DL cannot brush these strong reasons. Why do cta choose to be hypocrites. Why can’t they be a good govt and really help TIE.
No…. they have to stir chaos among the people especially DS practitioners. They don’t educate nor give proper explanation about the ban. Only illogical reasons and forcing ppl to stop doing what they say or think is wrong. They are amazingly incompetent. Cta should lift the ban and restore harmony among all DS and non DS practitioners.
Chidook
April 24, 2019
Either a lay or lay not a person, committing any sexual activities, harassment or adultery is already a crime. The funny thing was why Dalai Lama didn’t take any action when the first accusation highlighted? What other people will think of this high attained monk who supposedly a spiritual teacher but was a wolf behind robes.
Brian
April 24, 2019
With all these controversies, it has led to an era where the people are confused and no longer believe in the fracas of events dating to those days. It’s very obvious CTA is trying to protect those they like and banish those where their interest will be affected. Classic example will be the demonized Dorje Shugden.
Belinda Mae
April 24, 2019
I do agree with what Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche said. How come Sogyal Rinpoche’s sexual abuse cases are treated lightly while Dorje Shugden practitioners have heavier punishment? By right, no one can question our Guru samaya with our Guru. Who are they to break our Guru samaya using political ways? Everyone has their own rights for their spiritual beliefs.
Richard Tamlak
April 24, 2019
Well done Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche! It is absolutely correct that if Sogyal Rinpoche’s sexual abuse cases is ignored by Dalai Lama, why Dorje Shugden issue, a pure practice that passed down generation by generation in the same lineage, students who practice Dorje Shugden hold strong Guru samaya, because the practice is passed down by their Gurus, but yet is viewed as evil practice and banned? So, holding strong Guru samaya is wrong, but to follow what The Dalai Lama said, “all his Guru practicing Dorje Shugden were wrong”, is correct?
Tianni
April 24, 2019
We don’t have the wisdom to judge a guru. However Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche voiced his thoughts on how Sogyal Rinpoche’s students should have approached the issue from the perspective of Vajrayana, I am not agreed on this because who to tell us the guru is doing with a good motivation if we are a new students to the guru. More sexual abuse will be out there if we say trust your guru even you are new. A new student should observe the guru before you follow him and a good guru is always beneficial your mind, If we should approach form the perspective of Vajrayana, why Dalai Lama ban the practice of Dorje Shugden, why is he not trust his own guru?
Wangel
April 24, 2019
What Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentze Rinpoche has said abuat vajrayana rules i totally agree.As vajrayana practitioner we should not break our samaya with our guru. Hence Dorje Shugden practitioner who receive the initiation from the guru should not simply just give up the his practice go again their guru trust by lisening what CTA and tibetan leadership put out the rules to stop Dorje Shugden practice.This show clearly people is not understanging vajrayana vow for those who recept initiation.
Adam
May 1, 2019
Agree,😘 we as students should never criticize our guru regardless because at our level, we do not have enough wisdom to differentiate what is right and what is wrong. However, when come to real life, sometimes the decision is ver hard to make, yet we need to take action fast to prevent further damage. At this junction*, we really need help from those high lama who has the abilitiy to guide us. They should really say something and tell the truth. The last thing we want to hear is you should always trust your guru. This sound correct, but it provide no solution.
Vajra10
April 24, 2019
No logic at 10am for the BAN of the great dharma protector Dorje Shugden.
No one got hurt by practising Dorje Shugden. Crystal clear.
Jing Jing
April 26, 2019
It would be ridiculous to suggest that one should view a sexually abusive teacher with pure perception but should not view a Dorje Shugden teacher with the same pure view, even if that teacher is compassionate, wise and attained. Surely a Vajrayana teacher who practices Dorje Shugden to uphold a vow he made to his own teacher, cannot be considered bad and false and therefore worthy of condemnation whereas a sexually abusive teacher deserves to be seen with a pure view simply because he does not practice Dorje Shugden.
That’s double standard and the inconsistency of Tibetan Buddhism. This is also showed how degenerate the Dharma is now when it gotten involved into politics. The reason is simple, because it was Dalai Lama that set the ban hence no one dare to say anything about the vajrayana pure view or whatsoever. where by everybody should see the sexual abuse cases by Sogyal Rinpoche’s was perfectly pure view because Dalai Lama ignored it in other words allowed it.
Mountains
April 27, 2019
1st Time Dalai Lama Finally Admits His Illness Was Serious
In the past it is customary to cover up the Dalai Lama’s illnesses. It could be to not worry his flock. It could also be to not show the world he is just another vulnerable human being. Or it could be he does not want to disappoint people to show he is not a god? Whatever the reasons, the Dalai Lama and regime are well known for covering up his serious illnesses. In the past few years he had cancer of the prostate and that was covered up till the press dug it up. Now with this new video just out April 2019, Dalai Lama admits he was recently very ill. It was serious.
Unfortunately the Tibetan cause will die with the Dalai Lama when he passes. He did nothing to groom up a new leader as he is a dictator. A ruler for life. He has been in power for over 60 years. He will never groom up another person to replace him because he is touted as a god.
http://video.dorjeshugden.com/comment-videos/comment-1556343635.mp4
Ngawang Jigme
May 31, 2019
Unlike 5 years ago, Tibetan leader Lobsang Sangay is not invited to Prime Minister Modi’s swearing-in ceremony this time. It is clear that PM Modi of India snubs the Tibetan leadership once again in favour of deeper ties with China. The Tibetan leadership finds itself increasingly isolated as nobody wants to offend China by lending any support to the ungrateful Tibetans.