Dagor Rinpoche’s Monastery in Markham, Tibet
On 16 December 2014, a new Dorje Shugden monastery opened its doors to the public in Markham, Tibet. Home to some 200 Buddhist monks who were expelled from a larger monastery in Markham due to the ban on Dorje Shugden’s practice, this new monastery, Ganden Dhamcholing, was built and offered to H.E. Dagor Rinpoche through the kindness of loyal Shugden supporters and sponsors.
More than 10,000 Shugden practitioners from Markham and various parts of Tibet attended the grand opening of Ganden Dhamcholing Monastery, complete with auspicious pujas and public performances to celebrate the great fortune of the people of Markham. Below are some pictures of this joyous occasion submitted by our friends in Tibet, which are a source of inspiration for all Shugden practitioners across the world during these difficult times.
We at DorjeShugden.com rejoice and pray that the monks of Markham Gaden Dhamcholing Monastery will continue to uphold the pure lineage of Je Tsongkapa and for H.E. Dagor Rinpoche to fulfil the prayers of his previous lives and arise as an erudite master once again.
H.E. Dagor Rinpoche
More than 10,000 people gathered at Dagor Rinpoche’s Monastery to celebrate the grand opening ceremony
The lay people dressed in their best clothes to celebrate such a joyous occasion
English
Indonesia
Tibetan
Doreen Park
January 3, 2015
How wonderful that yet another Dorje Shugden monastery opens its doors! It’s grand opening was attended by more than 10000 monks.
Loyal supporters and sponsors had built this monastery and offered it to HE Dagor Rinpoche. The young Rinpoche is yet another testimony to the fact that Shugden is a Buddha and enlightened Protector. Otherwise, how can the incarnation of a Shugden lineage Master reincarnate to continue to spread the Dharma of Je Tsongkhapa?
There are about 200 monks ,who had been excommunicated from their monastery in Markham because they practiced Shugden. How cruel and unfair that monks who keep pure samaya with their Guru by not giving up Shugden practice in the face of such pressure on them, have been excommunicated.. They had preferred to leave their monastery than break their samya with their guru. They kept their Shugden practice. In their hands, may Dharma flourish far and wide.
Tara
January 3, 2015
Loving this news of the grand opening. Dorje Shugden practice is preserved and upheld despite the odds and it is practised by millions despite the claim by CTA it is a minority practice. CTA ought to open their eyes and see for themselves.
Chris Denham
January 4, 2015
A beautiful and joyous occasion for Dorje Shugden practitioners in Markham Tibet when the new Markham Gaden Dhamcholing Monastery opens it’s doors to the public recently. May the dedicated 200 monks continue and preserve to uphold the tradition of Lama Tsongkapa,and many more Dorje Shugden monasteries manifest around the world.
Thank you DorjeShugden.com for sharing this wonderful news.
Eli Buchen
January 17, 2015
You know that feeling feels like bursting that you achieved all you wanted. Reading this article has that feeling to it. May more sentient beings be protected under Dorje Shudgen’s mandala.
Rinchen
February 16, 2015
This is just such great news!!! Dorje Shugden practices still carry on strong. More and more people are practising the holy protector’s practices now.
Although it would be a little rude to say this but, in your face CTA!!! The Shugden community is still strong and we will get stronger as days go pass. CTA would not be able to hide the truth anymore.
There is a ban, there is unfairness!
Thank you DS.com for constantly being the voice of the unheard. Thank you for always sharing with us all these knowledge and wonderful news.
Doreen Park
April 2, 2015
Such rejoicing news that when a new Shugden monastery, Ganden Dhamcholing Monastery, opens its doors, 10000 Shugden practitioners joined in the celebrations and the prayers! Who says Shugden is a minority practice? The 200 Shugden monks, who had been expelled from their previous larger monastery, must feel heartened at the sight of so many Shugden practitioners coming to welcome the young Dagor Rinpoche who had been offered this monastery.
Lukas Leibowitz
May 25, 2016
The irony that there is more religious freedom in China compared to Dharamsala. India should be ashamed of harbouring a group of cowards who dare call themselves democratic leaders.
SabrinaS
June 5, 2016
What an impressive and beautiful monastery Ganden Dhamcholing is! Definitely a testament of the strength of belief in Protector Dorje Shugden by the sponsors and donors. And what more, the Grand Opening ceremony of the monastery was attended by more that 10,000 Shugden practitioners.
This is a joyous news that should be shared around the world to prove that Dorje Shugden is still very much practiced today. The illogical ban by the Dalai Lama and CTA will not detract pure practitioners who are wise to keep their samaya clean with their Gurus, who so compassionately taught and guided them.
May many more Dorje Shugden monasteries or chapels open to preserve the pure lineage of Lama Tsongkapa. May the ineffective ban be swiftly lifted to stop more negative karma generation.
Sierra
June 24, 2016
It’s so good to see this. It shows that there are people who are for the preservation of the pure lineage and for the propagation of the Dharma without the politics.
The fact that so many lay people show up in the best clothes for the opening shows that there are non-sectarian practitioners abounding in the region. To them, the Dharma is greater than any other issue.
May H.E. Dagor Rinpoche have stable health and long life to continue spreading the Dharma.
May the people of the region continue their path of Dharma and may the monastery flourish to bring Dharma to more people.
Tracy
July 31, 2018
Thank you for sharing this wonderful news. It is sad to see the Dalai Lama has also created separation in China even though he is in-exile. He alone has created so much problems, causing monks being expelled from the monasteries.
It is no wonder China is so strict with foreign visitors to Tibet, they don’t want foreigners to bring negative influence to the people and harmony is very important for a country as big as China.
CTA claims Dorje Shugden is a minor practice, just look at how many people attended the opening ceremony! CTA stop lying!
Dalai Lama should set things right
August 13, 2018
Dear Dalai Lama,
Since you started the cruel ban against the 350 year Dorje Shugden practice, how has it benefit your Tibetan society and Buddhism in the world? Things have become worse and most educated Tibetans can see this. They don’t speak out not because they don’t see your ban as wrong, but you instill fear in them and not respect. It is like fear of a dictator. I am sorry to say so. Everyone is divided. There is no harmony. Before your ban there was more harmony and unity.
By enacting the ban, you split the monasteries, split so many families, split regions in Tibet apart, split your disciples from you, split your own gurus from you, split Tibetan Buddhism apart. You have created so much disharmony.
It is not democratic what you have done to ban a religion within your community. You always talk of tolerance and acceptance and democracy and yet you do not accept and tolerate something different from your beliefs. When people practice Dorje Shugden you ostracize them, ban them from seeing you, ban them from using Tibetan facilities. You know you have done that. There are videos that capture your speech and prove this point. You even had people expelled from monasteries just because they practice Dorje Shugden. Some of the monks you expelled have been in the monastery for over 40 years. Many older monks shed tears because of this.
Many young educated Tibetans lost confidence in you as they saw the damage the Dorje Shugden ban created and they lose hope. Many have become free thinkers. They reject what you have done. So many people in the west left Buddhism because of the confusion you created with this ban against Dorje Shugden which is immoral.
You could of had millions of people who practice Dorje Shugden to support, love and follow you, but you scared them away. They are hurt and very disappointed. They loved you and respected you deeply before the ban. It has been 60 years and you have failed to get Tibet back. Your biggest failure is not getting Tibet back after 57 years in exile. Now you are begging China to allow you to return to Tibet to the disappointment of thousands of people who fought for a free Tibet believing in you. So many self-immolated for a free Tibet and now you want Tibet to be a part of China with no referendum from Tibetans. Just like a dictator, you decide on your own. It was your government and you that lost Tibet in the first place. Your policies and style of doing things do not benefit Tibet and Buddhism. You have been the sole ruler of Tibet your whole life and you still have not gotten our country of Tibet back for us. Our families and us are separated. Yet you create more pain by creating a ban to further divide people. Please have compassion.
No other Buddhist leader has banned or condemned any religion except for you. It looks very bad. You are a Nobel laureate and this is not fitting of a laureate. You should unite people and not separate them by religious differences.
You said Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi did not do right to the Rohingya people in Myanmar due to religious differences, but you are doing the same thing to the Shugden Buddhists within your own society. There is a parallel in this. You separate the Shugden Buddhists from the others in Tibetan society.
You have lost so many people who would have loved and supported you. You have lost so much support around the world. The Shugden Buddhists who love you number in the millions. When you are fast losing support from governments and private people, it will not do you well to lose more.
After you are passed away in the future, the rift you created between the Dorje Shugden and non-Dorje Shugden people will remain for a while and that will be your legacy. Disharmony. You will be remembered for this. Not as a hero but a disharmony creator.
Dorje Shugden will spread and further grow, but you will be no more as you are a human. No one wishes you bad and in fact we hope you have a long and healthy life, but we have lost so much hope and have so much despair because of you. All the hundreds of Dorje Shugden lamas, tulkus and geshes are maturing and there are hundreds of Dorje Shugden monasteries in Tibet who will not give up Dorje Shugden. You have made a mistake. These hundreds of teachers and teachers to be will spread Dorje Shugden further in the future.
The gurus that gave us Dorje Shugden as a spiritual practice and you have called these holy gurus wrong and they are mistaken in giving us Dorje Shugden. How can you insult our gurus whom we respect so much? If they can be wrong, then you can be wrong. Then all gurus can be wrong. So no one needs to listen to any guru? You have created this trend. It is not healthy. Your own gurus practiced Dorje Shugden their whole lives. Your own gurus were exemplary and highly learned.
Dalai Lama you have created so much pain with this ban against so many people due to religion. You are ageing fast. Are you going to do anything about it or stay stubborn, hard and un-moving. You show a smile and preach peace and harmony wherever you go. But will you do the same to your own people? Please rectify the wrong you have done. Please before it is too late. You can create harmony again or you can pass away in the future with this legacy of peace. May you live long and think carefully and admit what was a mistake in having this unethical ban against Dorje Shugden religion.