Now I understand, spirituality is NEVER about how great my practice, my Guru, my lineage are. Spirituality is NOT a competition of I am better than you or I am the best, spirituality is NEVER about right or wrong, higher or lower, bad or good. All these are what make us bitter and unhappy, and are the reasons why we came to seek spirituality because we know deep down inside we should be someone with a more opened heart that accepts and tolerates. Why putting ourselves back to the bitter situation again when we are in spiritual?

Then what is spirituality? From Tsem Rinpoche’s actions and teachings, I know loyalty IS spirituality. Humble, tolerance, respect, understanding, keeping promises and being kind are spirituality no matter what you practice, no matter what is your religion/belief. All the qualities above have nothing to do with what your religion/belief are, but how you act, speak and think determine if you are a spiritual person.

Those who don’t like Dorje Shugden, why keep condemning people over and over? Why speaks against it over and over? If you think you going to stop people from getting ‘harm’ because Dorje Shugden is bad, your intention is to stop harm, but why end up you actually CREATING HARM everytime you speak against Dorje Shugden and put those who practice it down??? If your intention is pure and kind, then the results should be pure and kind too, but obviously you are hurting people’s belief and emotions, and you show no respect to people.

Buddhism is about following the true lineage passed down from Buddha Shakyamuni to his disciples and i personally find that Buddhist teachings are very logical hence i continue to learn and practice it by following my Guru, Tsem Tulku Rinpoche. If Dorje Shugden is an enlightened protector practices by high lamas such as Trijang Rinpoche, Zong Rinpoche and passed down to Tsem Rinpoche, how can they be doing the wrong practice? After all, Dorje Shugden is an “Enlightened Protector” and not just any normal worldly protector. Enlightened protector are suppose to help excel our Dharma practice and help us clear away our Dharma obstacles in this degenerate age. Logically speaking, then how can an enlightened protector bring harm to us or even help us to harm others? Also how can an enlightened being harm another enlightened being? That is illogical.Each of us bring with us imprints from previous lives and for some of us, we do have strong affinity with Dorje Shugden due to our practices from previous lives. I personally feel that i have a very strong affinity with Dorje Shugden protector and if it’s good enough for my Lama and his root Gurus and other high lamas to practice it, i think i can safely practice it without any doubt and at the same time still respect H.H. Dalai Lama. Thank you Rinpoche for speaking up.

Tsem Rinpoche: I hadn’t spoken up about the Dorje Shugden ‘conflict’ for 15 years. Let me explain why: http://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=57431.

When we find kind people, We appreciate them, When we find difficult people, We find ways to forgive them, When we find sad people, We find ways to uplift them, When we find people without hope, We find a way to give them light, By doing this tirelessly, We find our true selves. ~ Tsem Tulku Rinpoche

Steve Tobias can think beyond the box and yes he is right. I am only doing what my guru has instructed me to do over 26 years ago. No politics, leaders or other masters will change my practice or change what I have promised my guru to do. Guru devotion is everything to me and it always will be. Tsem Rinpoche

http://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/dorje-shugden-people.html

Steve Tobias can think beyond the box and yes he is right. I am only doing what my guru has instructed me to do over 26 years ago. No politics, leaders or other masters will change my practice or change what I have promised my guru to do. Guru devotion is everything to me and it always will be. Tsem Rinpoche

http://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/dorje-shugden-people.html

A comment left on the post: DORJE SHUGDEN PEOPLE http://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/dorje-shugden-people.html

Submitted on 2015/01/27 at 8:04 am
I know that Rinpoche’s actions are making me think more deeply about my practice. I haven’t had a reason to really think about Dorje Shugden before, or what I would do if Rinpoche or Kechara practiced it. It is very taboo, and so it requires contemplation. If it wasn’t taboo, we wouldn’t be thinking deeply about it. If we appreciate Rinpoche’s kindness and think about all he has done, it is impossible run away at the simple mentioning of a dharma protector. Therefore we are forced to confront the topic of Dorje Shugden and come to a conclusion.

In other words, is it really truthful to ignore every single one of Rinpoche’s blogs, videos, teachings, how he has helped the homeless and animals, how he has spread dharma, because of one thing? That one thing may be big depending on one’s commitments, but if you look Rinpoche has written in detail about the subject to help guide our minds. If it was just a random negative action with no instructions, it would be different.

I personally may initially feel shock at the announcement, or have opinions, and those opinions change, and I may feel uncomfortable, but comfort is an obstacle to dharma practice. Rinpoche is keeping his commitments with his gurus, and we are supposed to do the same. I don’t need to practice Dorje Shugden, and I’m sure not all Kecharians will either. And during the times that Rinpoche gave me advice, he mentioned many Buddhas and even graciously sent me Buddhas, but not once told me to do this or that dharma protector practice, ever. He genuinely cares about his students. I feel that his real life students feel the same way, which is why many of them do not need to second-guess the choice of the new dharma protector. I thank Rinpoche for allowing me to get out of my routine for a few days to give serious thought about the issue. Whether I have moments of agreeing, disagreeing, re-agreeing, it doesn’t change that when I sit down to do my sadhana I’m not going to change the guru who I visualize as Buddha.

Between Rinpoche’s two posts on this subject there is a repost from a few years ago when Rinpoche gave offerings to Theravada monks with his students. We would like to think that Dorje Shugden discriminates against Nyingma teachings, and so we are clean if we don’t practice it. If we look right in the tantra vows it says not to spend more than 7 nights in the house of a Hinayana. Does that mean we all discriminate? Or maybe we should investigate the truth further? Here Rinpoche is giving Hinayana monks offerings with his students with nothing but words of admiration. Are we going to pretend that it never happened?

From Steve Tobias

May those who practice Dorje Shugden in India be no longer segregate.
May they be able to live in peace and practice their deity freely.
May there be peace among all buddhist brothers and sisters, specially in India.

Thank you so much, Tsem Tulku Rinpoche for speaking out your truth!
Much love here for you and may there be peace and harmony for all.

I have been practicing Dorje Shugden for years in the USA. And although I live in a free country and do not feel the limitations and humiliations caused by the Dalai Lama ban upon this practice I have always felt a certain discomfort (almost like shame) to say in public that I am a Shugden practitioner (so, I have to recognize the ban had a psychological impact on my me). Tsem Tulku Rinpoche decision to clarify his position openly on this matter helped me to feel perfectly fine for being a Shugden follower. No I am no longer a shame to speak out: YES, I am s Shugden practicioner!

I have been practicing DS for a while and I’ve got nothing but the increase of my compassion and wisdom from practicing the teachings. The New Kadampa Tradition transformed my self and helped me to purify my mind. I apply the teachings and now I’m much a more peaceful, patient and loving person. However, because of all this controversy and propaganda against the New Kadampa Tradition there were times, specially in the beginning of my association with them, in which I felt doubt and discouragement (because I was used to believe the DL was such an authority…) … I was even almost giving up the dharma because of all this polemic, but then I decided to check for my self and follow my own inner guidance. I am so happy I did so. These teachings (The New Kadampa Tradition) are based on the teachings of Je Tsongkhapa,the King of the Dharma.
Much love,
Paloma

Dear Rinpoche,

Thank you so much for taking the stand.
Much love,
Paloma, a DS practitioner.