Due to the recent spate of violent attacks against Shugden practitioners, some lamas in Shar Gaden have been very concerned about the monastery’s safety and security. In the past year, the monastery has seen an attack on one of their elderly monks, and the takeover of one of the lama’s ladrangs. Thus the lamas contacted the American authorities in India, inviting them to witness for themselves the discrimination that is currently taking place in the Tibetan settlements as a result of the illegal ban on Dorje Shugden. It was because of this request that the US Vice Consul Mr Daniel Deming visited Shar Gaden Monastery. Despite denials by the Tibetan leadership that there is no discrimination against Dorje Shugden practitioners, it was very clear for Mr Deming to see the ban for himself. We thank Mr Deming for listening to the lama’s students and their concerns, and for taking the time out of his busy schedule to visit and see how he can protect the community. We hope that he is the first of a long line of distinguished visitors who will continue to visit the monasteries to witness the illegal ban for themselves. As more of the world’s leadership become aware about the discrimination, violence and threats against Dorje Shugden practitioners, it will only lead to an increased pressure on the Tibetan leadership to finally lift the ban.
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Jan Phelps
October 15, 2014
Thank you Shar Gaden monks, Lobsang Gendun, Lobsang Tenpa, as well as English teacher Thomas Ythan Jones for making this happen.
Freyr
October 15, 2014
This is good news! I’m glad everything worked out. I’m sponsoring a monk at Shar Gaden monastery who I spoke with a while ago. He told me that someone from the American government might be visiting the monastery. He told me that a group of older lay students currently residing in the US right now of a very prominent lama has made contacts within the government there and highlighted the situation at the moment. Things must have worked out, the American government sent the vice consul to see what’s really happening. These older students in the USA are very concerned about the ban and dangers to Shar Gaden Monastery incumbents.
Steve Lee
October 15, 2014
@Freyr
They sound really devoted. Hmmm… I wonder who are these ‘older lay students of a very prominent lama in the USA’ that you are talking about?
Freyr
October 15, 2014
Hey Steve. Well…these students aren’t going to make it public knowledge that they were the ones that initiated the contacts in the American government, that’s what I was told anyway. They don’t want anybody knowing who they are or how much they help Shar Gaden Monastery at the moment. They need to protect their lama, and themselves due to the precarious situation of the CTA always meting out violence. But I assure you that these students are very senior practitioners and are connected to the US govt officials.
Konchok Trashi
October 15, 2014
Dear Gen losbsang Gendun lah, Thuk chey sey. Cherung Shar Ganden gompa shabchi yakboo shoogadoo lah. Thaks for helping to meet US govt people in Shar Gaden Dratsang Monsety.
Joyce Gold
October 15, 2014
Freyr ~ Oh I am glad to hear this. I have just read this other article ‘An Appeal Against Violence’ http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/features/an-appeal-against-violence/ and frankly, I am just shocked at the extent of the blatant discrimination and violence perpetrated in the name of this ban on Shugden. I don’t understand how in this day and age, a group of people can even do this to one another. So, I kinda understand a little why some practitioners would choose to remain anonymous. But whatever it is, may the ban be released very quickly.
Eli
October 15, 2014
Happy to know of this fact, may Shar Gaden monastery host much more foreign officials in the future. People are starting to take this issue much more seriously as compared to previous times.
kris
October 15, 2014
There are indeed many proofs of discrimination within the Gaden, and they are everywhere! and yet CTA dares to deny such discrimination, by quoting that “Since the Dorje Shugden practitioners have travel document, they are not being discriminated”. Well, this is a blatant lie!!
This is indeed a discrimination and violation of basic human rights of religion freedom. We must let the world know about this discrimination.
Thank you US vice consul to come to the monastery to witness the real situation.
BlueUpali
October 15, 2014
I am delighted to see the U.S. vice-consul coming to see the discrimination for himself. This is really excellent, and we need to keep up our peaceful work to bring down the ban so governments of the world will understand what is going on. The U.S., I think, gives money to the D.L., which to me, as a U.S. citizen is problematic, sort of like giving money to anti-Semites would be for a Jew (or Jewish sympathizer–or simply someone with a conscience).
Harold
October 15, 2014
Please remember that Domo Geshe Rinpoche is also an American Citizen by birth.
The US government seriously views attacks on their citizens in a foreign country as an important matter.
The attacks on Domo Geshe Rinpoche’s monastery will be reviewed by the American Embassy in India.
Lets see the Dalai Lama’s spin multiple attacks on Domo Geshe’s monastery by the DL’s followers.
Will this very young Tulku help awaken the American Government on the evil Dalai Lama and the CTA.
Will Domo Geshe Rinpoche help to ban the Dalai Lama from American for his criminal actions against Domo Geshe.
Pray to Dorje Shugden.
BlueUpali
October 16, 2014
Harold,
Thank you, I actually didn’t know that Domo Geshe Rinpoche (current incarnation) was born in the U.S. Oh, thank you for being born over here; this should be helpful then:) because as you say that makes him a citizen of the U.S…. the U.S. yeah, they probably aren’t as jazzed with the Dalai fanatics then, plus as I say this means that the U.S. vice-consul gets to imprint on Shugden lamas:).
Sandra
October 16, 2014
This is really a very positive action that can make known to public that actually the ban did bring a lot of bad negative effects to the Shudgen practitioners. Denial can not cover up the truth. We need to broadcast all the unfair incident whether by mouth or social media. I am sure this can attract more people’s concern. The ban can be lifted when the time come whereby the public start to against the ban for the reason of human rights. I urge more people should personally visit the monastery to find out more about the effects of the ban.
Padma Dondrup
October 16, 2014
According to http://tibet.net/about-cta/constitution/ Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) adopts a Charter that is based on the spirit of the United Nation Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This charter guarantees to all Tibetans equality before the law and enjoyment of rights and freedom without discrimination on the basis of sex, religion, race, language and social origin.
In reality CTA had blatantly and continue to breach this charter if we look at how CTA had mistreated the Tibetan Dorje Shugden practitioners since the ban on Dorje Shugden was implemented. It is hoped that US Vice Counsel Mr. Daniel Deming will report his findings on the discrimination and human rights abuses to the relevant authorities for immediate actions to be taken. Mr Daniel Deming could see for himself with his own eyes that the ban and the sufferings of the Tibetan Dorje Shugden practitioners are real! The ban had caused tremendous amount of harm and must be lifted immediately!
D. Bear
October 16, 2014
I hope something comes out of Mr. Deming’s visit to Shar Ganden, where he was able to see first hand the discrimination that has taken place for so long. On paper, the CTA can distort the truth and use tricky semantics to avoid culpability but at the end of the day one can only ignore the elephant in the room for so long.
Mr. Deming’s presence in a Shugden monastery is a triumph in itself because (i) it was an official visit and (ii) one more person of influence now knows that the CTA has been deceiving the world. If we are to recollect all the ban-related events in the last 2 years – more and more international media picking up the Shugden story, the protests against the ban getting louder, more people witnessing the Dalai Lama/CTA’s deception, we will see that the trend is going against the CTA and at a time when the Dalai Lama’s international popularity is at and all-time low.
Only theTibetan people are refusing to see what the whole world is realizing by the day.
bambi
October 18, 2014
A BIG thank you to the students in the USA that brought this up to the relevant authorities and the visit by US Vice Consul Mr Daniel Deming!
These are the things that authorities have to look at themselves.
The ones that are not bias looking at the situation from their point of view.
Look at the plaques that they proudly put in front of their place. Forbidding Lord Dorje Shugden’s practitioners from entering. And they say no discrimination. What a bunch of blatant lies!
Show the world out there what is really happening, create more awareness and lets all do something about it!
Pema
October 18, 2014
So happy that it becomes more and more known what happens to the practitioners of Dorje Shugden.
May the ban be lifted soon.
May this injustice be stopped as soon as possible.
Joo Won
October 18, 2014
Happy to know the discrimination of the BAN is reaching the outside world to non Buddhist and the world…more and more know about the discrimination, violence and threats against Dorje Shugden practitioners; and more and more willing to find the fact and truth by personally going to the monastery and DS practisioners to see and check by their own eyes and ears.
Hold on people, we will see the sunlight in the end of the tunnel soon!
shugden massive
October 18, 2014
don’t think he is vice consul , but works at embassy , think you may have this wrong
samayakeeper
October 20, 2014
Rejoicing news indeed! May this visit by the US Vice Consul Mr Daniel Deming herald more visits by more peace loving heads of states like from the United Nations. Too many innocent people have suffered for too long. The world has observed too much for too long. It is time the world speak out against this discrimination that led to untold suffering. It is time to end the ban. Let there be peace. Let everyone heal. Peace.
Ronykhan
October 20, 2014
The discrimination against DS practitioners in Shar Gaden has been very blatant. I doubt if there is any way to hide the truth from the rest of the world. One only needs to make a personal visit to see for yourselves. How can the culprits claim themselves to be Buddhist practitioners if they do not practice equanimity and instead commit heinous crimes upon another fellow practitioner ! No matter what, the Ban needs to come down to stop all these negativities being deployed into the world !
Doreen Park
October 21, 2014
I want to rejoice if this is truly and genuinely a piece of good news. However, I am perturbed by the comment of Shugden Massive on October 18. Shugden Massive, you said -” don’t think he is vice consul, but works at embassy,. Think you have this wrong”. Can you perhaps elaborate on what you mean here, Shugden Massive?
Thanks.
Trinity
October 22, 2014
Awesome news, big thanks to the US Vice Consul Mr Daniel Deming visited Shar Gaden Monastery taking his time to help look into the Ban matter. Hence thanks to all the the lamas that contacted the American authorities in India, inviting them to witness for themselves the discrimination.
As seen in the pictures above, Mr Daniel Deming look and take pictures for all the sign that show the discrimination. Hopefully Mr Daniel Deming may help to acknowledge the team in charge and prevent CTA for no do this again. And i think the most proper is help to lifted the Illogical Ban.
lobsanggedun
October 22, 2014
thanks for the good comments,we were wait for many years to think our people has good knowledge and also peaceful mind ,but unfortunately in the biggest democratic country of India as most of people knows the CTA didn’t follow the rules. So I would like show for you all what’s happening in my monastery ,for the future we were not give up and invite many people to show them what the Dala and CTA ban to us.
Kelly
October 23, 2014
Thank you Mr Deming for this important visits , discrimination among the Tibethan community in India is very obvious but CTA still want to denies the fact it make the outsider like us very uneasy to look at all these unfairness treatment . Good news to know that the people is doing something to help this innocent DS practitioner .
bond
October 26, 2014
Thank you Mr. Deming for your visit to Shar Gaden. Your presence is a very important signal to the Tibetan leadership that the world’s leadership is aware, & is taking step to gather more about the discrimination against Dorje Shugden practitioners. By witnessing & recording the discrimination that is currently taking place in the Tibetan settlements, surely will deter the Tibetan leadership from continue on their violence & threats against Dorje Shugden practitioners.
Furthermore, your visit will encourage more like minded people around the world to support our continuous effort against the Tibetan leadership until the illegal ban on Dorje Shugden practices is finally lifted.
Thank you again Mr. Deming & admin for this wonderful update. Rejoice for all who had made this possible.
OMB
December 5, 2014
Thank you Mr. Deming for visiting Shar Gaden to prove to the world of the real situation faced by Dorje Shugden practitioners. May the ban be lifted quickly so that many more people will be benefited and able to openly introduce it to the world – the holy enlighten being.
Rinchen
February 15, 2015
I truly thank Mr Deming for going down to Shar Gaden to witness the situation by himself. Now more people would be able to know what is truly going on and not listen to what the CTA is brain washing them to listen.
Now, with the photos that Mr Deming has took, it acts as more powerful evidence that there is indeed a ban, and Shugden practitioners are not treated fairly.
SabrinaS
August 7, 2016
It was great to have the US Vice Consul Mr Daniel Deming visited Shar Gaden Monastery in 2014. He had witnessed and documented the discriminations towards Shugden practitioners and listened to abusive experiences of the Shugden monks. Yet it is August 2016 and US had not taken any remedial steps to have the Dalai Lama and CTA to lift the illegal ban on enlightened Dorje Shugden, which infringed on religious freedom and human rights laws. It is publicly known that CIA is the biggest sponsor of the Dalai Lama, CTA and Tibetans-In-Exile. The sponsorship never really reaching their people still in poverty in refugee camps, needless to say the Shugden practitioners get none of the sponsorship although they as Tibetans-In-Exile are entitled also. Today we still see the Dalai Lama and CTA defiant on not acknowledging the abuses, segregations, discriminations when there are many proofs in form of videos, pictures and eye-witness accounts.
it is really disappointing that the ‘Big Brother” US who usually champions the rights of humans, decided to side with the “Abusers” leaving the millions of Shugden practitioners facing abuse and sufferings everyday. All this just to have a thorn in their “arch enemy” China. Sad that political ego is more important than the lives of humans.
Dondrup Shugden
July 18, 2017
As SabrinaS mentioned it is quite a while now since the US Vice Consul, Mr. Daniel Deming had visited and witnessed the discrimination against Shar Gaden and all Dorje Shugden worshippers.
What has the US government done so far? USA has always championed democracy and human rights and even gone to wars to uphold this ideology. Why are they now unable to lift a finger for the human rights of Dorje Shugden practitioners.Could the reasons be as follows.
Is the US also under the dire situation of not admitting their “wrong” support for the Tibetan cause of freedom and embarrassed that their support after 57 years sees no results that never benefitted anyone.
Is the US in denial and rather let the sleeping dog lie then to be aware of the futility and abuse of their support morally and financially to an incompetent group called the CTA.
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.