Panchen & Shugden

The China sanctioned Panchen Lama pictured with Dorje Shugden as his backdrop

The 11th Panchen Lama, Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu, one of the two most senior living Buddhas in Tibetan Buddhism, became a Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee member on Feb. 28. 2010, Earlier on Feb. 3, he was elected vice president of the Buddhist Association of China.

The China sanctioned Panchen Lama is 20 years old now. He is taking on his role of Tibet’s Highest Lama within Tibet/China more and more. Although the Chinese Government says that they are Socialist and do not believe in any religion, it is still backing up the highest ranking Lama within Tibet. The Panchen Lama is endorsed by the Central Government of Beijing and all his expenses are borne by them. He also has State ranking.

Whether we accept this as the authentic Panchen Lama or not is not the issue here. The Panchen Lama may have many emanations if we are to follow the scriptures. If he grows up to serve the proliferation of BuddhaDharma, then it will bring many people to Buddhism in China itself. China is supporting the practice and spread of Dorje Shugden’s lineage within China and Tibet itself. No one can stop that. Not the Dalai Lama, not his exile government, not the various scattered Dharma centers of the four schools of Buddhism throughout the world. Eventually their protests of Dorje Shugden will be tantamount to protesting against one of the policies of the Chinese Government. They will not take lightly to that.

Ironically, the more the Dalai Lama and Tibetan Government in exile suppresses Dorje Shugden, it increases the Chinese government’s promotion of the practice. The Dalai Lama and Tibetan government cannot override, overwhelm, outspeak, have more influence in the world or have more influence over the Chinese government ever. If the Dalai Lama can, Tibet would have been free already. He is already in his mid seventies and China is growing stronger. Whatever Nechung oracle has said through the Dalai Lama regarding independence has had zero effect. Zero results. NO INDEPENDENCE. NECHUNG HAS BEEN WRONG.

No matter how prestigious or well known the Dalai Lama is, he cannot court the world’s governments and people against China except for pockets of protests from time to time which are getting less and barely reported in the news. If the crackdown and brutality in Burma recently can be so easily forgotten, what is the Tibet issue in the eyes of the world? After all economics is the main concern.

So wouldn’t it be better that the Dalai Lama/Tibetan government does not speak against Dorje Shugden any more to further antagonize the Chinese government and their policies for the sake of the remaining 6 million Tibetans within Tibet? If he continues to speak, then with China’s backing, Dorje Shugden will first spread in China’s 1.2 billion population. The Chinese will 100% believe that Dorje Shugden is beneficial. After all, who will they choose to believe? Their own Government who is opening the doors to economic free trade and creating wealthy citizens or the Dalai Lama?

Then from China, Dorje Shugden’s practice will spread to the multitudes of Chinese speaking areas of Asia, then the world. Everyone respects China either for monetary, business or cultural reasons. It is after all one of the greatest cultures known to man past and present. It will be the number one culture in the world, as it has been in ancient times, in the near future due to economic growth. Everything Chinese will be respected and proliferated in the world. Just like now Mcdonalds is popular in China because the USA is powerful and influential therefore the Chinese, for now, are interested in American cultural identities. In the near future, the tide will turn towards the east and that is China. Everything Chinese will be sought after, praised and valued. Even today, many governments do not wish to offend the Chinese government in hopes of securing lucrative deals. After all, isn’t bringing prosperity one of the main functions of any government, whether Democratic or Socialist?

The Dalai Lama, in his own capacity, is making Dorje Shugden bigger, more well known, more heard of and very high profile. Does he not know or understand that he is doing that? Highly unlikely. He is indirectly making Dorje Shugden the most popularly known Buddhist deity next to Kuan Yin in China at this time. The practice will take off in China and all the small dharma centers around the world, whatever sect they are, will not be able to do a thing. Their protests will die with time and unfortunately with the death of Dalai Lama, the last protests against Dorje Shugden’s practice will also be laid to rest. Why? Because the Dalai Lama himself has said three main points regarding Shugden practice and why it should be banned that spurs the Chinese Government to promote it. The statements being true or false are BESIDES THE POINT.

1. Shugden harms Tibetan Independence Movement

2. Shugden harms the Dalai Lama’s well being

3. Shugden confers money easily as he is a ‘worldly’ spirit, jeopardizing spiritual goals.

Would not the above three points be the very political factors that China would promote Shugden?

China has taken Tibet and it is an inalienable part of China now. They will not tolerate any schism or splittist elements. So if Shugden harms this movement of Tibetan independence, Shugden would be ‘helpful’ to their cause.

The Dalai Lama has made himself into a splittist within China. So if Shugden ‘harms’ him, wouldn’t the Chinese Government find that convenient and a removal of a thorn in their side. After all, they didn’t say anything or make any policies regarding Shugden as Anti-Dalai Lama, but this came from the Dalai Lama himself. China knew nothing of Shugden prior to the Dalai Lama making Shugden so famous.

The Chinese Government probably would not believe in a deity such as Dorje Shugden anyhow on its own, but if the psychology of practicing him encourages the growth of economics within their individual citizens, then it would be welcomed. After all, Dorje Shugden is scorned as not protecting the dharma but is excellent in conferring material needs on his devotees according to the Dalai Lama. Whether he actually exists or confers material needs is irrelevant to the Chinese Government as psychological belief is strong to motivate people.

Do we actually wish to believe Dalai Lama is unknowingly self condemning or in another view PROMOTING THE PRACTICE OF GYELCHEN DORJE SHUGDEN TO CHINA AND THE WORLD. It will grow bigger and stronger with the wealthy backing of the Chinese Government now. After the unfortunate demise of the Dalai Lama, it will only grow bigger and eventually become mainstream. Because the momentum has already started.

The world who knows nothing of the Dorje Shugden controversy numbers MUCH MORE than the population who knows anything. It would most likely be less than 1% of the world population who are in the know if even that many. So the point is, the few hundreds of Dharma centres in the world who have next to nothing in political clout within their respective countries cannot compare to the political clout Dorje Shugden has in China and it is still growing.

In the future, denigrating the Gyelchen Dorje Shugden practice, its lamas, its centres and anything to do with them will be indirectly protesting or against the Chinese Government policy. NO Government in the world would want to offend them. So it will eventually become politically unsound to oppose the Dorje Shugden practice.

After all, it is in just the last 10 years that Dalai Lama has brought the Dorje Shugden name down in the eyes of many Tibetan Buddhists very strongly. That is just short term. But within ten years again, his name can go up, up and higher with the Chinese Government backing. After all, who will the world listen to in the end, the Dalai Lama (moral view) or the Chinese Government (economic benefits)? Again, if moral view was the mainstay of the people in power in this world, TIBET WOULD HAVE BEEN FREE LONG AGO.

This picture of the China backed Panchen Lama with the Dorje Shugden thangka hanging behind him speaks volumes on its own. On a quick glance the Tibetan Buddhists throughout the world will have a field day. Why?? The Shugdenites are supporting the false Panchen backed by the Chinese Government. Here is the definitive proof they have ‘found.’ Hence the Shugden followers will be further implicated that they are on the payroll of the Government of China and what the Dalai Lama is saying is true; that the Shugdenites are basically traitors to the Tibetan independence movement and hence automatically against the Dalai Lama.

Therefore worship of Shugden is tantamount to harming the Dalai Lama’s welfare and Tibetan Independence. Isn’t that the basic reasons the Dalai Lama has purported as a sound basis of banning the practice? Wouldn’t this piece of ‘evidence’ have the anti-Shugden elements confident they are in the right? For now perhaps, but in reality it would be the contrary. They are in fact promoting the Dorje Shugden practice to the population of 1.2 billion Chinese via their government. Dorje Shugden’s practice has penetrated into the halls of the Chinese Ruling Party and furthermore sanctioned by them.

Whether the Panchen Lama in this picture is the real or the false one, is really besides the point of this article. The issue is Dorje Shugden is growing and getting bigger and the Dalai Lama’s speeches against him are turning the fire into a blaze. Why does the Dalai Lama wish to do that? Unless he is knowingly doing it.

But if we look deeper, it is not the Shugdenites who promoted Dorje Shugden to the Chinese Government who is backing the practice now. It is the Dalai Lama and his government who did so and continuing. Painfully obvious, the big question is why does the Dalai Lama continue banning when the repercussions are clear.

Because of this, the Chinese are stepping up on the promotion of this deity. If the Dalai Lama could not win Tibet back from China, why can he win against China in the Dorje Shugden tug of war. Wouldn’t it benefit the Dalai Lama to stop speaking about Dorje Shugden immediately in order to cut off the fuel to China’s promotion of this practice? Instead of demonizing the many great tulkus, abbots, geshes, lamas and monks regarding their steadfast practice of Dorje Shugden, and accusing them of being on China’s payroll, if he would stop the ban, China would relent. The so-called payroll would cease. Then Dorje Shugden would not get even bigger on the global scale. All the ostracized clergy would again be on the ‘side’ of the Dalai Lama if they were even against him in the first place. Therefore creating at least religious peace and semblance of unity outside of Tibet under the Dalai Lama. After all, the clergy of Tibet cannot make Dorje Shugden mainstream, but the Chinese Government can.

The Chinese are pragmatic. They would not fund and promote this practice in their country if it has no economic and political value. China is not a democracy but socialist. They do not believe nor endorse in religious practice whatsoever. In fact, they believe religion is poison to the mind. So why are they contradicting themselves in the Panchen-Shugden issue by promoting what they themselves have called poison? Simple. Due to the kindness of H.H. the Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama IS PROMOTING DORJE SHUGDEN. EVERY TIME HE BANS, SPEAKS OUT AGAINST, OR CRITICIZES THE PRACTICE, IT FURTHER FUELS THE GROWTH OF THIS PRACTICE. The more he speaks, the more China will promote Dorje Shugden. Simple mathematics.

Before 1959, or more recently in the last ten year ban, Shugden practice and Tibetan Independence had zero relationship with each other. Why suddenly after 300 years of mainstream Shugden practice within Tibet, it is suddenly the main cause of danger to the Dalai Lama’s person and independence movement? The Shugden practice has pervaded to all parts of Tibet and especially permeated Sera, Drepung, Gaden Tashilunpo, Gyume, Gyuto, and thousand of smaller Gelug and Sakya monasteries.

The practice prior to 1959 was strictly religious and only for religious purposes. It had nothing to do with politics, the Tibetan Government and Tibetan Sovereignty. Why is Shugden suddenly the cause for Tibet not to gain its independence? And we must ban its practice for the Dalai Lama’s welfare and the non-existent Tibetan independence? Why is he the scapegoat? Why is Tibet’s independence in relations to any deities of the Buddhist pantheon?

On another note, it was not Shugden’s fault that Tibet was lost in the first place. After all, prior to 1959, all state and religious affairs of the Tibetan government was presented to the state oracle Nechung. As it is still done in exile. Wouldn’t it be the ‘responsibility’ of Nechung to have safeguarded the sovereignty of Tibet in the first place? So why was Nechung consulted to prevent the loss of Tibet prior to 1959 and now that the country is lost, it is ALL DORJE SHUGDEN’S FAULT???

He was never consulted before or after in regards to Tibetan sovereignty. There seems to be no logic, rhyme or reason, nor philosophical scriptural support of this according the laws of cause and effect. Why consult Nechung prior, then when Tibet was lost, Shugden is blamed. Think.

Is the Dalai Lama that mistaken to not see that point or he is promoting Dorje Shugden to global fame knowingly? Again think – why is the state oracle Nechung not responsible for the initial loss of Tibet? Is the state oracle not more powerful than Dorje Shugden? Can’t Dorje Shugden be subdued by both the Dalai Lama and Nechung since he is purported to be a wandering spirit? Why didn’t Nechung give correct accurate prophecies to have safeguarded Tibet’s sovereignty in the first place?

If Nechung was not reliable in the first place, why listen to his prophecies banning Shugden now? The Dalai Lama should just subdue Dorje Shugden and stop talking about him. After subjugation, whoever wishes to worship him, let them as he has been subdued. Solution is simple with the Dorje Shugden issue. The Dalai Lama, high lamas and Nechung should just outright perform rituals to subdue Dorje Shugden. Aren’t the Dalai Lama and other high ranking Lamas more powerful than Shugden?

So therefore the picture of Panchen Lama with Dorje Shugden behind him speaks voluminously. All we need to do is to think deeper and harder. Any pictures of Panchen Lama, what he is wearing, who he is with, what is hanging behind him or whatever surroundings he is in MUST BE SANCTIONED BY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. After all, his expenses are covered by the central Chinese Federal Government in Beijing as he is the highest ranking lama within Tibet and for many incarnations have had close relations with the Chinese people.

This is unlike the current Karmapa, whose expenses prior to his escape to India was taken care of by the Lhasa Municipal government. Tai Situpa tried his very best to get Karmapa the same ranking as Panchen Lama and therefore the financial backing of the Central Chinese Government but failed as Municipal sponsorship cannot match the rank of Central Government sponsorship. Hence the escape. Karmapa simply did not have the same rank/status and closeness the line of Panchen incarnations has had with both the people and Government of China to invite such support within Tibet.

Hence, the China sanctioned Panchen Lama pictured with Dorje Shugden as his backdrop is the direct result of H.H. the Dalai Lama’s ban and therefore fulfilling the prophecies that Dorje Shugden will become the overlord of all dharma protectors during this kaliyuga period. He will replace Nechung as the king of the emanated worldly protectors. While Nechung will ‘retire’ to a Buddha field due to his services. The Dalai Lama is creating the causes for all of this to manifest.

Dorje Shugden Administration
www.DorjeShugden.com

Disclaimer: This website is not endorsing the China backed Panchen Lama, but simply using the example to form the basis that the Dalai Lama is making Dorje Shugden global. Who is the real Panchen will be decided by the activities of the person who holds the name of Panchen Lama.