Tibetans in Exile: A False Democracy
By: TK The last time the monks ‘protested’ peacefully in Gaden Monastery against the ban on Dorje Shugden in the 1990′s, they were severely attacked by the lay people with stones, curses, sticks and breaking of windows. Many had to be taken to the clinic. As scary as it sounds, monks were attacked by the…
The New Lamas of the Near Future
By: TK Highly attained Lamas like Kyabje Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche and Kyabje Zong Chocktrul Rinpoche are maturing before our very eyes. As H.H. the Dalai Lama slowly retires from the world, think of who will emerge to re-establish the Dharma and thus, of course, the practice of Dorje Shugden? It will be these young Lamas…
What the Dalai Lama has to say about Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen
By: TK Over the last two decades, the Dalai Lama has strongly maintained the stance that the Protector Dorje Shugden is an evil spirit who causes terrible damage to the individual practitioner, threatens the Dalai Lama’s life and creates obstacles to the cause for Tibet’s freedom. Practitioners are discouraged from praying to Dorje Shugden because…
The Knock-On Effects of the Ban on Dorje Shugden
By: TK Since the implementation of the ban on Dorje Shugden, there has been some discussion as to whether the protests held by groups like the Western Shugden Society were effective. The protests did have effects. It made the Tibetan Government-in-Exile (now known as the Central Tibetan Administration, CTA) more careful and wary, swallow some…
The Dorje Shugden World Peace Puja at Shar Ganden
The Torgya ritual is a Dorje Shugden puja usually performed just before the coming of the Tibetan New Year. Its function is not just limited to preventing negative energies and driving off energies of such a nature…
Dragpa Gyeltsan
Drakpa Gyeltsen was born in 1619 in Tolung Gekhasa (stod lung gad kha sa) into a noble family by the same name as the village. His family had previously produced the Twenty-fifth Ganden Tripa, Peljor Gyatso (dga’ ldan khri pa 25 dpal ‘byor rgya mtsho, 1526-1599). His mother was called La Agyel. He was a candidate for…
Why does the Dalai Lama Persecute Shugdens but not the Bon Religion
The Dalai Lama has declared the practice of Dorje Shugden as ‘non-Buddhist’ and took great pains to ostracise Dorje Shugden practitioners from the Tibetan community. This has included denying them of their basic human rights of medical treatment, access to shops that sell daily provisions, and denial of travel paperwork. He was responsible for expelling 900…
The Centrality of the Practice in the Geluk during the 20th Century
Particularly in the early days of exile, a number of claims were made about the centrality of the practice of Dorje Shugden in Geluk practice, in particular, that the deity was the main protector of the Geluk. This claim seems to be strongly linked to a doctrine connected with the 19th and 20th century charismatic…
Favorable Conditions
We learn – for example, at this year’s US Festival, where Gen-la Dekyong granted the empowerment of our Wisdom Dharma Protector, Dorje Shugden – that the function of our Dharma Protector is to dispel obstacles and provide favorable conditions for our spiritual practice. The last phrase is important, because the conditions may not at first…
Court Case against the Dalai Lama concludes: No Victory, No Defeat Either
Due to the on-going persecution of Buddhist adherents of the four centuries-old practice of the protective Buddha Dorje Shugden by Tenzin Gyatso, aka the 14th Dalai Lama, and his “Central Tibetan Administration” (CTA), following a ban of that religious practice, the Dorje Shugden Devotees’ Charitable and Religious Society took the brave step of filing a…
The Ban on Dorje Shugden: A Manifested Mistake?
H.E. Lama Zopa has put forward a shocking new voice in the Dorje Shugden debate in a new foreword he has written for a book of the Dalai Lama’s compiled teachings against this Protector Deity (see full foreword below). While Lama Zopa himself has openly chosen not to continue the practice within his organisation (FPMT),…
Controversial Buddhism
To our friends in the Dharma, “When teachers break the precepts, behaving in ways that are clearly damaging to themselves and others, students must face the situation, even though this can be challenging, criticize openly, that’s the only way.” – His Holiness the Dalai Lama We bring a topic of interest and great importance to…
The Questionable Policies of the FPMT
This article was written in reference to a policy published by FPMT regarding their organization’s stance on the Dorje Shugden issue. We at DorjeShugden.com felt it necessary to comment on the misinformation and inaccuracies contained within FPMT’s document which is available here on their website (in PDF format) or here on our server (in Word…
Has the Gelug lineage lost its effectiveness?
There isn’t a Tibetan Buddhist in the world who hasn’t heard of the recent controversies surrounding the practice of the Protector Deity Dorje Shugden. Since the Dalai Lama banned the practice, it has been the most talked about issue within the Buddhist world. The Dalai Lama and his supporters claim that Dorje Shugden is an…
Lama Zopa admitted to being recognized by Dorje Shugden
After Yeshe Sangye’s stunning article on the fact Lama Zopa was recognized by Dorje Shugden as a Rinpoche, the news spread like wildfire. Lama Zopa tried to issue a clarification but it only served to confirm by Lama Zopa himself that he was indeed recognized by Dorje Shugden. Lama Zopa’s “clarification” is included below. Notice…
Recognized by Dorje Shugden, but Speaks Against Dorje Shugden
Recently Lama Zopa, who was unmistakably recognized by Dorje Shugden (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/?p=20), wrote a foreword for a book speaking against Dorje Shugden, this is taken from the FPMT website: https://fpmt.org/media/newsletters/archives/fpmt-international-office-news-august-2012/ Further Advice Regarding Shugden Rinpoche recently wrote this foreword in English and Tibetan for a book being published only in Tibetan and Mongolian about Shugden…
The Dalai Lama’s Secrets: CIA and the Dalai Lama
It is an open secret that America’s CIA had financed the activities of the Dalai Lama for years. We know this because America has a law that requires official government documents to be declassified after a certain period of time. In 1998, a series of documents came to light that revealed the CIA’s involvement in…
The Dalai Lama’s Secrets: The Other Side of the Dalai Lama
The Dalai Lama seems to possess two faces. For many supporters and believers, the Dalai Lama is popularly seen with a warm smile, a kindly demeanour, deep wisdom, pacifist views and great tolerance for having lost his entire country. However, the Dalai Lama is also increasingly seen as a deposed ruler with an agenda devoted…
The Dalai Lama’s Secrets: The Baffling Stance of the Dalai Lama
Over the last 5 decades that Tibetans have been exiled from their homeland, the Dalai Lama has wavered between fighting for both autonomy within the China he loves and complete independence from the China he despises. His constant flippant and contradictory statements – though viewed as ‘skillful means’ by some – are now being questioned…
The Dalai Lama’s Secrets: Long Live Secular Democracy
For centuries, the Dalai Lama has held the unchallenged role as both secular and religious leader of Tibet. It was not until very recently that the Dalai Lama stepped down from the secular sphere and passed these responsibilities to the government in exile, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA). However, despite this apparent separation of secular…
The Dalai Lama’s Secrets: Is the Dalai Lama There for His People?
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama is the most famous Tibetan lama in the world, well known for his boundless compassion which has touched the hearts of millions around the world. While the Dalai Lama is the bringer of peace, hope and happiness to most of the world, he is also the bringer of disharmony,…
The Dalai Lama’s Secrets: France, Human Rights and False Support of the Dalai Lama
Reporters Without Borders (RWB), one of the most reputable NGOs which receives a budget of nearly 3.8 billion Euros claims to defend journalists and press freedom around the globe. Present in all five continents with its headquarters based in Paris, RWB is headed by Robert Menard. RWB receives enormous support from the European Union, United…
The Dalai Lama’s Secrets: A Precarious Relationship with China
Tibet has not been a sovereign state for over 50 years now. However, not many people know that the first 10 years of Chinese Communist rule in Tibet was actually characterized by peaceful co-existence with the 14th Dalai Lama. During that period, the 14th Dalai Lama had an important post in the Chinese Communist Party….
Dalai Lama: Whatever “fierce spirit” you choose is up to you
In this latest talk by Dalai Lama, he mentioned that “whatever fierce spirit you choose is up to you”, therefore that includes Nechung (a type of Pehar spirit, see below description from Wikipedia), but why is it that it is OK for the Tibetan Government-in-exile (now downgraded to Central Tibetan Administration, CTA) to pray to Nechung…
An Open Letter to Robert Thurman
Robert Thurman is promoted globally as a learned scholar and author of Tibetan Buddhism. He is also famous for being “personal friends” with the Dalai Lama. Which is more important then? The fact that he could be a strong authority of Buddhism in the West, bringing the many sacred, ancient teachings to millions in “the…
Robert Thurman: American Monk or Tibetan Puppet?
Everyone who knows the Dalai Lama is most likely to also know of Robert Thurman. Here is a man who has been inextricably linked to the Dalai Lama since the 1960s, when Tibetan Buddhism was just starting to grow in the world. Many well-known Buddhist texts today are attributed to Thurman, making him a leading…
The Two Faces of Robert Thurman
How a leading Dalai Lama supporter and Buddhist scholar begged for Dorje Shugden’s initiation. Anyone interested in the subjects of Tibetan Buddhism and the Dalai Lama will know of Robert Thurman, a self-professed “personal friend” of the Dalai Lama and prolific writer about the Dalai Lama and his teachings. In light of the Dorje Shugden…
Robert Thurman meets Kelsang Pema
The shocking way a world-renowned Buddhist scholar speaks towards an ordained nun and Shugden practitioners. Robert Thurman, world famous Buddhist scholar and professor, author on many Buddhist subjects and close “personal friend” of the Dalai Lama, might be expected to act in more courteous ways towards the Sangha. Imagine everyone’s surprise then, when he retorted…
Kopan Monks Asking for Dorje Shugden Puja for Lama Zopa
Dear respected friends, It is with great interest and happiness that we write to share this recent news with you. Globally, the world knows that there is currently a ban on the Buddhist Protector Deity Dorje Shugden. Many people have publicly denounced the practice and have become very harmful, even unkind, towards Shugden practitioners. Some…
A Critique of ‘Why the Dalai Lama Matters’ by Robert Thurman
Part One Extracted from from the Wisdom Buddha Dorje Shugden Blog Robert Thurman is the Je Tsongkhapa Professor of Buddhism at Columbia University, New York. He is also a close friend of the Dalai Lama and his chief advocate in the West. This year (2008) he has written a book: ‘Why the Dalai Lama Matters’….
Dakini Healed Lama Zopa?
Dear friends of the Dharma, We are most happy to share with you a most interesting story about two great beings: Lama Zopa Rinpoche and the female oracle, known respectfully as Khadro-la. Oracles are special people who are trained to take trance of higher beings or enlightened Dharma Protectors. They hold an especially esteemed role…
Zemey Rinpoche’s Incarnation Receives DS initiation
Kyabje Zemey Choktrul Rinpoche receives Dorje Shugden initiation (sogtae) with two other young Tulkus from Lama Jampa Ngodrup at Yangding (Shugden) Monastery in Daocheng County, Sichuan, China. Thousands that day received Dorje Shugden’s sacred initiation also after four days of sacred Lam Rim teachings by Lama Jampa Ngodrup. You can see the large crowds that…
The Lineage
Introduction As emanations of the Wisdom Buddha, every incarnation that arose before Dorje Shugden manifested was a fully Enlightened Being. Each incarnation contributed greatly towards the growth of Dharma throughout the Buddhist world. Dorje Shugden’s lineage of incarnations includes past great Mahasiddhas (highly attained practitioners), renowned Buddhist scholars, monastics of high moral discipline and outstanding…
Introduction to Dorje Shugden
Dorje Shugden is an Enlightened Being, an emanation of the Buddha of Wisdom, Manjushri. He arose as a Dharma Protector 350 years ago in order to best safeguard the precious teachings of the Second Buddha known as Lama Tsongkhapa, to benefit all sentient beings. During the degenerate times we live in and due to our…
Pilgrimage to India
We went to India to celebrate the dedication of the new Shar Gaden temple and along the way, we had an opportunity to walk in the footsteps of thousands of Buddhists who went before us. This journey began on Oct. 23 with three monks and 16 lay students heading to Mumbai, India. Our first visit…
Angry Spirit
By: TIM McGIRK Once a month, a joyful procession of Tibetan refugees – many of them disfigured by frostbite suffered while escaping their homeland over the Himalayas – files into the Dalai Lama’s exile palace at the Indian hill station of Dharamsala. For these visitors, His Holiness is an emanation of the Compassionate Buddha, and his…
Are Dalai Lama’s critics backed by China?
It has been 12 years since I first heard Dorje Shugden’s name. Under normal circumstances it’s best not to talk about protectors openly. This is because the sanctity and potency of the protectors would be compromised, and you don’t really want their assistance to wane. Best kept in silence, they serve as fuel on the…
The Deity Banned by Dalai Lama
I am a Dutch student of Kundeling Rinpoche, one of the Dalai Lama’s major critics in the Gelugpa tradition. I’ll try to give an explanation of the Dorje Shugden controversy that is both understandable for those who are not initiated in the Mahayana-Vajrayana Buddhist tradition and still explains the very crux of the problem. When…
Anti Shugden website apologized!
The anti Dorje Shugden website that used to be run by Dharamsala recently apologized for wronging Dorje Shugden! Check it out here: http://antishugden.com/
Religious Persecution – how it makes and breaks nations
Introduction Below is a letter composed and compiled by dorjeshugden.com which has been sent out to Tibetan representatives, CTA representatives and other significant personalities within the Tibetan Buddhist community. It is inspired by the many, many incidences throughout history and in our modern world of religious persecution imposed upon people of varying religions and faiths….
December 11, 2024
Dalai Lama Admits He Was Wrong About Dorje Shugden
November 8, 2024
Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende to Give Chakrasamvara Initiation and Commentary in April 2023
October 16, 2024
At the Opening of Serpom Monastery
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