Swiss Resolution regarding the worshipping of Dholgyal
On August 16, 2008, in the local assembly of Tibetan people in Switzerland and Liechtenstein, their Deputies discussed thoroughly with great responsibility. After that, the Local Assembly’s Deputies extended their appreciation to the Resolution (1996) adopted by the majority regarding the worshipping of Dholgyal (Shugden). Due to necessity there is now no option but to add three new resolutions on top of the existing five resolutions. We request all Tibetans who are above 18 years old in Switzerland and Liechtenstein to fully follow the content of these resolutions.
A) The five resolutions passed unanimously by the Local Assembly’s Deputies on July 6, 1996 were:
- The Dholgyal worshipper must completely give up [the practice] henceforth.
- Those who do not worship Shugden must follow the instruction without falling into the trap of others.
- You all must invite only those who do not worship Dholgyal, when you need to perform puja for oneself or for the Dalai Lama’s well-being.
- Be it in private or a group, when you make offerings to the monasteries in Nepal, India, etc, you must do these offerings to those monasteries which do not worship Dholgyal.
- You must bear in mind the instructions of politics and religion and abide by them without any contradiction.
B) Three additional resolutions adopted on August 16, 2008 by the majority during the Second Session of Local Assembly were:
- Recently a few Dholgyal followers have engaged in baseless criticism against the Dalai Lama in public. This we recognize as a conspiracy to spread rumors through gossip.
- Those few Tibetans who criticize the Dalai Lama, we recognize them being in the category of Chinese government’s politics, directly, indirectly and thoroughly.
- We will collect signatures as a truth witness which represents the volunteer support to the above-mentioned points.
Appeal from Save Tibet Group
Excerpt 1: It is apparent that Dholgyal (Shugden) organization, whose face is as thick as elephant’ skin, is engaged in sinful actions of criticism and so on against His Holiness the Dalai Lama who is the eye and soul of Tibetan people when he travels to the western countries. On this crucial time, the organization keeps evil touch with Chinese government, the chief culprit of all Tibetans. And the Dalai Lama is our sole object and a leader, to whom we share our plight.
Excerpt 2: We appeal you to cut any ties of buying and selling foods in restaurants and shops with whoever has connection to this Dholgyal organization that choose enemy and forsake friend.
Save Tibet Group
July 7, 2008
Sera-May Library bans Shugden practitioners
Most important and persistent announcement
Only those who have already sworn and taken oath (of not sharing spiritual and material relationship with Shugden devotees) are welcomed in any department under this administration.
Sera-May Library
August 31, 2008
Gaden Jangtse Thoesam Norling Monastery Identity Card Form
Mundgod oath
All the people of Mundgod Tibetan Village No 5 never
practice Dogyal and have taken the oath.
My name___________________from now, from my side, never worship Dogyal, am taking this oath generally in front of the Three Jewels and especially Mahakali.
Wednesday afternoon 19 March 2008
At 3 o’clock
From the Institute of Buddhist Mahayana Sutra and Tantra
From the Institute of Buddhist Mahayana Sutra and Tantra:
I swear on the name of His Holiness and glorious Maxor Gyalmo (Protectress Palden Lhamo) to never venerate and worship Dolgyal and to never have any relation on material and other levels with those who worship Dolgyal.
• • • • •
I, who is called …(name)…., vow that from now on, forever, at any time, that I will never venerate and worship Dolgyal. And regarding the type of people who venerate and worship Dolgyal, I vow never to share or experience any religious or material goods with them. In the name of the three jewels I express the clean oath of promising to do that.
Forced signature and ID card campaign
Tibetan Buddhism knows several hundred Protecting Deities. In the 1970’s the Dalai Lama abandoned his faith in one of these protectors, the Deity Dorje Shugden. The practice of Dorje Shugden is an ancient prayer (with commentaries) that simply helps Buddhist practitioners to develop virtuous minds of love, compassion, wisdom and spiritual protection. In the years to follow, the Dalai Lama has increasingly aimed his teachings and public talks (both religious and political) at moving others to also abandon their faith in Dorje Shugden. In 1996 he utilised and endorsed the leverage of his exile Administration (Tibetan Government in Exile) to impose social obstacles to those not willing to follow his own change of faith. As a result, access to various jobs, positions, schools, and monasteries in the Tibetan community in exile became impossible without publicly renouncing Dorje Shugden. Ambitious aspirants on the contrary, showing their support for the new measures, were duly rewarded with key positions and visits of the Dalai Lama to their establishments.
An estimated one third of the Tibetan population and hundreds of the most renowned Masters of Tibetan history used to rely on Dorje Shugden in the past. The Dalai Lama’s measures effectively reduced this number to a minority. Still not satisfied with these results, as recently as January 9th 2008 he instigated public swearings in the monastic universities in South India – aimed at making social life impossible for anyone not converting to the new line of faith. Such swearings are now conducted outside of monasteries in Tibetan communities throughout the world, including Europe.
“Not to have any relation with those venerating Lord Shugden” is now being implemented in society as well as in Monasteries creating a complete social segregation. Those who maintain their faith in Dorje Shugden are publicly denounced as being ‘unclean’, ‘traitors to the Tibetan cause’, ‘enemies of the Dalai Lama’ and receive the treatment of an outcast society. For example, without the Identity Card, it is now impossible to attend common Prayer Halls, to buy goods in shops, to obtain visa’s for travelling and families are being torn apart. The ‘unclean’ ones have effectively been singled out, are now ostracized in every-day life, and religious apartheid is becoming a reality amongst a population under the spiritual leadership of the Dalai Lama who teaches about religious freedom and tolerance to the West.
Such words, such swearings, and such proceedings are unprecedented in Tibetan Buddhist history and they are certainly unacceptable in most countries of this modern world. This forced segregation in no way corresponds to a Buddhist way of life or a democratic way of life.
Identity card for those who have sworn and submitted their vow (scanned in version)
ID No:
Name:
College:
Department:
House No:
Date of Issue: 16-02-2008
Shartse Norling College Oath
To the head of Tibetan settlement, Tibetan government in exile,
The name of the student……………………..
Freedom Book No………………………………….
Refugee Certificate No……………………………………
For the preliminary certificate which enable him to travel abroad, he has the Yellow Book and refugee certificate, and he has no connection with Dholgyal (Shugden). As such, we humbly request Regional Tibetan office, Kashag (Tibetan Cabinet) and Delhi bureau office to kindly issue the supporting letters in order to get the certificates relating to traveling abroad as soon as possible.
Gashar Norling Monastery
Month, Date, Year
With stamp on its letter head
Abbot of Gashar Norling monastery Oath
To the honorable aristocrat, the leader of the people,
Those who affiliated here have been voluntarily taking up the words and intention of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and they have no connection with Dholgyal (Dorje Shugden). As this is the fact, we appreciate if you could kindly extend support to felicitate his wishes.
The signature that he has no connection with Dholgyal………………….
The signature of Geshe Dakpa Samdup, the abbot of Gashar Norling monastery
Date Month, Year,
With the abbot’s signature and his letter head.
Loseling monastery (Drepung) – Important Notice
Important Notice
The devotees of Shugden and those who have contact with Shugden worshippers, whoever you are, please remember not to come here in Loseling dispensary.
The Administrative office of Loseling dispensary
(Drepung monastery has two monasteries: Loseling and Gomang. These monasteries are situated in Karnataka State, South India.)
English
Indonesia
Tibetan
Paol
January 1, 2010
Can see clearly here that the Tibetan Govt in Exile has forced all the monasteries and lay ppl to NOT GIVE equal rights to ppl who practice Dorje Shugden. You cannot get your identity card or even enter a library if you practice Dorje Shugden.
This is similar to what the Nazis did to the Jews. Or in the US before what was done to the Black ppl.
Incredible in this day and age this type of religious restrictions/bans are enforced or allowed to be enforced.100% discrimination through and through.
We can see cleary that the Tibetan govt in exile IS NOT DEMOCRATIC AND DOES NOT TREAT THEIR OWN PPL FAIRLY.
Yet they denounce others or speak of democracy. How great a country is measured by how they treat their minorities.
tk
January 1, 2010
I also learned of the plight of Tibetans in India that worship the Deity Dorje Shugden. It appears the Dalai Lama has called them Demon worshipers and has banned them from their worship and takes responsibility for their harsh treatment and the suppression of their human rights (see video below).
……The Dalai Lama praises the monasteries that have expelled thousands of Shugden practitioners and accepts full responsibility for the expulsions, whilst ordinary Tibetans explain the repercussions the Dalai Lama’s heartless ban has had on their lives. The video concludes with an interview with an MP from the Tibetan Government in Exile which leaves the viewer in no doubt that the responsibility for the persecution of Shugden practitioners lies entirely in the hands of the Dalai Lama….
….Vigilante mobs of fanatical followers of the Dalai Lama, acting in the spirit of his public pronouncements, stormed into temples and private homes, seizing and destroying pictures and statues of Dorje Shugden – even taking them from shrines. Mobs attacked Dorje Shugden practitioners and their homes with stones and petrol bombs, destroying their possessions and threatening their lives.
People lost their jobs, children were expelled from schools, and monks were expelled from monasteries; foreign travel permits and visas were denied; refugee aid, monastic stipends and allowances were cut off; and forced signature campaigns were undertaken. In these and many other ways that made Tibetans outcasts from their own already exiled community, the Dalai Lama, in the guise of his government, ministers and associated organisations, introduced a reign of terror against tens of thousands of his own people, making restrictions similar to those imposed on the Jewish people in Germany in the early years of Hitler’s rule……Source: Western Shugden Society
There has to be some accountability even among the religious (especially among the religious) and those made into Saints and Gods by the Corporate/Government/Media Complex. These people being persecuted are only guilty of worshiping in a different way then prescribed by the Dalai Lama. His ‘Holiness’ should take a look at The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
(extracted from Thomas David Canada. Very appropriate for what is shown here as direct discrimination and suppression to the expression of worship)