Or watch on server | download video (right click & save file)

Or watch on server | download video (right click & save file)

Or watch on server | download video (right click & save file)

A Summary

Dear friends who are concerned for the future of Tibet, It is from great care and concern that we are writing to you, because this is regarding the freedom of Tibet. First, before reading further, we humbly request that you watch the three videos above of a news report. We were very moved to watch this news report. They showed us a lot about the current struggle for Tibetan autonomy, but it also showed us some very important matters that we wish to bring to your attention: 1. This TV news report was created in June 2009 by France 24 news channel. The report talks about some prophecies that were given to the Dalai Lama about the future of Tibet: Sambhavi is the reincarnation of a Hindu ‘goddess’. She predicted that Tibet will be free in the year 2012.       Nechung, the state oracle of Tibet, predicted that the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan people will be going to China. You can see in the second video an explanation from Geshe Dorje, Nechung Monastery: “Dalai Lama going to China. The Dalai Lama going, then teaching, then people open minds, just like sunshine.” 2. So we want to ask: why have the prophecies not come true yet? The Tibetans left Tibet 53 years ago in 1959, but nothing has happened since that time. There is no progress. There is no sign that the Tibetans are getting closer to freedom. 3. If the prophecies are wrong, then why do the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and Kalon Tripa Lobsang Sangye still seek advice and depend on unenlightened deity oracles like the Hindu ‘goddess’ and Nechung? 4. As Buddhists, we must realize that the Hindu ‘goddess’ and Nechung are NOT enlightened Buddhas. This is NOT the Buddhist way to pray and ask advice from unenlightened beings. At the same time, the Dalai Lama has banned the practice of Dorje Shugden, who is a fully enlightened being. He is an emanation of Buddha Manjushri but the Dalai Lama and the CTA tell us that we should not pray to him. Why do the Dalai Lama and CTA promote unenlightened beings like Sambhavi and Nechung, but act so unkindly to Dorje Shugden devotees? It is not logical and not fair. 5. The Dalai Lama is Chenrezig. He is a Buddha. So why does he ask advice from gods and oracles who are NOT Buddhas? These unenlightened gods and oracles cannot be more powerful than the Dalai Lama. They are not Buddhas, they are not enlightened. 6. The Dalai Lama and CTA focus so much on religious matters, oracles and gods. They still depend on religion to solve their problems and they blame religion when the problems are not solved. You can see in the third video that the government representatives do not want to talk about the Nechung oracle and prophecies. It is obvious they are not comfortable to talk about it, they do not like it or agree with it. But they cannot speak up. They cannot question spiritual authority. Some of the leaders do not want to take responsibility for their own people; some of them are too afraid because they are not allowed to challenge the spiritual leadership. There is no modern government in the world that focuses so much on religion, until modern secular leadership cannot progress or grow. 7. Before, the Dalai Lama and CTA said that they cannot get freedom for Tibet because Dorje Shugden creates problems. Now, they are getting advice from other deities and gods. The whole future of Tibet is totally in the hands of the gods. The Tibetans do not take responsibility for their own welfare and future. Anyway, the Tibetans already gave up Dorje Shugden… and they still have no freedom. So is it really Dorje Shugden’s fault? 8. Everybody knows that Nechung has made many mistakes before, so why are the Tibetan leaders still asking him for advice? Nechung always says things that are wrong. The Dalai Lama and Tibetans depend on unenlightened protectors like Nechung. But they reject and ban enlightened Protectors like Dorje Shugden, who is an emanation of Buddha Manjushri and always gives accurate prophecies. This is not logical or fair. 9. If Nechung is unenlightened and has given so much wrong advice, this means that even his advice about Dorje Shugden can be wrong. Anyway, why do the Tibetans listen to advice from an unenlightened Protector regarding an Enlightened Protector like Dorje Shugden? It does not make sense. In conclusion, we must ask the important question: where is Tibet’s freedom or autonomy? After all the prophecies, why is Tibet still not free? Is the CTA doing something wrong? Why do they ban some deities and encourage others? There is no logic in their actions. Why is a modern government and modern leaders still laying the entire future their people and ‘country’ on the unstable words of unenlightened gods? We do not want to disrespect you but we are also very worried about the Tibetans’ future. We are sharing these thoughts with all of you because we hope it will help the Tibetan exile community to progress further so that eventually, they can gain true freedom. We send our best wishes to all of you.  

Tibet’s Freedom is Near: The Full Story

Indeed, where IS Tibet’s freedom? It’s been 53 years since the Dalai Lama fled Tibet, along with hundreds of monks, nuns and laypeople to try to find a new life in the neighbouring countries of India, Nepal and Bhutan. There has been no progress in the fight for freedom throughout the 53 years and it does not look like the Tibetans are any closer to getting freedom or autonomy. This video report by France 24, created in 2009 brings another perspective. It reveals the prophecies given by an Indian Hindu ‘goddess’ and a Buddhist oracle about the future of the Tibetan people. The first is called Sambhavi, the reincarnation of a Hindu goddess in the form of a little girl, who states that the Tibetans will return in 2012. The second, the state oracle of Tibet, named Nechung, reveals that the Dalai Lama will go to China, teach there and everyone will be happy. (By stating that he will go to China, this indicates that Tibet is free and the Dalai Lama is allowed to return to what is currently Chinese soil). (1) It has been 3 years since the video was made and the Tibetans are no closer to getting their country back or returning to their homeland. Why is this happening? Why isn’t the Dalai Lama any closer to returning to Tibet? Are all the prophecies wrong? If the prophecies really are wrong and not coming true, then we are forced to ask the question: Why does the Dalai Lama and his government, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) continue to rely on such inaccurate oracles and Hindu ‘goddesses’ for guidance and counsel? (2) It is very important to note that these two beings featured in the news report are NOT enlightened beings. In a Buddhist sense, it is safe only to rely completely on fully enlightened beings – i.e. Buddhas – for the most accurate prophecies and guidance as they have full omniscience, wisdom and compassion. Any lesser beings who are not enlightened have only limited wisdom and clairvoyance and therefore are often unable to give the most accurate advice. Nechung is commonly known for not being an enlightened being but a spirit who was tamed and subdued; Sambhavi, the Hindu ’goddess’, is also not enlightened (we do not mean any disrespect in saying this, but it is the truth). There are huge contradictions in the way the Dalai Lama and his government conduct such matters. They will seek the guidance of unenlightened deity oracles, but at the same time ban the practice of enlightened deities such as the Buddha Dorje Shugden. They encourage and openly publicize Sambhavi and Nechung, but persecute, attack and discriminate against Dorje Shugden devotees, claiming that Dorje Shugden is not a correct practice. If relying on Dorje Shugden, a fully enlightened Buddha, is not correct, then what is? And why is it more acceptable and correct to rely on unenlightened beings?This goes against the most basic principles and teachings of Buddhism.

Lobsang Sangay, the Prime Minster (Kalon Tripa) of the Tibetan community in exile in India.

(3) This also begs the question: why are the Tibetans placing so much emphasis and focus on the advice of oracles instead of assuming a level of responsibility and being answerable to their own failures? A few years ago, it was declared that the practice of the deity Dorje Shugden would harm the cause for the freedom of Tibet; that if people prayed to him, it would jeopardize their chances of returning to their homeland. Instead of assuming responsibility, they blamed their failure on a deity. History repeats itself now, as they pin all their hopes of freedom on the forecast of other deities. Why do they lay the entire future of their own people in religion, instead of doing something tangible on a secular level to improve the life of Tibetans right now? Moreover, the devoted Tibetans have ardently listened to the advice of the Dalai Lama and have abandoned the practice of Dorje Shugden for well over a decade… So where is Tibet’s freedom? They still seem no closer to obtaining freedom in any way. So is the failure to achieve freedom really Dorje Shugden’s fault? (4)As you will see in the third video, members of the Tibetan authority are very evasive when asked what they think about the Nechung oracle’s prophecies. They clearly do not wish to comment on the subject and those who do, speak quite reluctantly. This shows that even those in higher positions of secular authority are not eager to say that they agree with the oracles. Nor are they allowed to openly disagree with the oracles and what they say. While some are afraid to take responsibility for the actions of the secular government, others are simply not allowed to. To disagree with the Nechung oracle and his advice would be likened to a sort of betrayal against the Dalai Lama and the state. If we are to speak about freedom, it is obvious that even within the Tibetan exiled community, there is no freedom among themselves. The Tibetans are not given any room to truly speak up, to speak against these old religious traditions or to lobby for more progressive secular governing methods and initiatives.  Spiritual authority is not allowed to be questioned.

The Dalai Lama often consults many types of oracles, and they are not always enlightened ones.

(5) On a spiritual level, it also does not make sense for the Dalai Lama to be consulting unenlightened deity oracles like this. Buddhists believe him to be the emanation of the Buddha of Compassion, Chenrezig. As a fully enlightened being with full clairvoyance, why would he need to consult the advice and guidance of lesser beings, at a lower level of attainment? Furthermore, among the most basic commitments of any religious practitioner who has embraced the Buddhist path is not to rely or pray to unenlightened beings. Both Sambhavi and Nechung are very clearly unenlightened beings. (Please see here for further information about the true nature of Nechung). For the Dalai Lama and his people to rely on them in this way sends an incorrect message to all Buddhists as it obviously and directly contravenes the most basic promises we take as we enter the path.

Nechung oracle in trance, being consulted by the CTA. Geshe Dorje of Nechung Monastery is to the oracle’s immediate left.

(6) It is also widely known throughout history that Nechung, the state oracle, has made countless mistakes in his prophecies and advice. This has been clearly documented and some mistakes have been extremely serious, contributing to the loss of their country. Why then do the CTA, their Prime Minister Lobsang Sangay and the Dalai Lama continue to seek and heed the advice of this deity? At the same time, they reject the advice and practice of a highly accurate and enlightened Buddha like Dorje Shugden. This is not logical, nor fair to the devotees of Dorje Shugden, who are constantly berated, belittled and attacked for their belief and practice. The greater irony in all of this is that it was Nechung who had ‘advised’ the Dalai Lama and his government to stop praying to Dorje Shugden. It was Nechung who stated that the practice of Dorje Shugden would hurt the cause for Tibet’s independence and cause the Dalai Lama’s life to shorten. It seems almost farcical that an unenlightened being would be denigrating and giving advice against an enlightened being, and that the Dalai Lama would choose to follow this advice instead. Also, if he is so commonly known to have made many mistakes in his prophecies and advice, isn’t it therefore also possible that his advice about Dorje Shugden is also wrong? In other words, it is very likely that Tibet’s independence does not hinge in any way on Dorje Shugden; nor is it Dorje Shugden’s fault in any way if Tibet does not obtain its freedom. In this day and age, the sole reliance on the gods for the future of a secular society is not feasible; nor will it be taken seriously by the rest of the modern world. In particular, the further contradictions, inconsistencies and inaccuracies of these oracles make it even more difficult for a secular community to accept what they are saying. To depend so heavily on the advice of gods instead of assuming responsibility for their own people seems a highly unreliable and unstable way of governing a country. Furthermore, to use the gods against each other – where some are so strongly relied upon and others are grossly banned and disparaged – turns the leaders into even more of a farce. At the end of the day, after cutting through all the politics, prophecies and contradictions, the few burning questions still remain: Where is Tibet’s freedom or autonomy? And why haven’t any of the prophecies (see the videos above) come true? Why is a modern government and leadership still laying the entire future of their people and ‘country’ on the unstable words of unenlightened gods? Is this method really working?