In the Gelug Monasteries debate is an integral part of learning, retaining and understanding the Buddha’s teachings. So I laid out three possible debate scenarios for you. Therefore whatever is in the questions and in the answers is not definite but it is just thoughts I had. I would like all of you to read through it carefully and not be offended by what I say because no matter what I say, I still have the deepest respect for the Dalai Lama and my faith is unwavering in him, my teachers, my practice and my protector.

http://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/dorje-shugden/can-tibetan-lamas-make-mistakes.html

你不享受宗教自由吗？你喜欢因为你的信仰被另一些人标签为恶劣的而被禁止上学、被迫与你的朋友和亲人隔开、不被允许经商吗？我们可以争吵至湿婆、梵天和毗湿奴毁坏、重建再保留宇宙几百次，即使是这样，我们也不会争出个胜负、对错来。事实是：我们每一个人都有权接受平等的对待，没有人应该面对基于自己的宗教信仰而被某些条例和规则所束缚的不公。无论我们的信仰是否被接受，或是否被视为正统的，说到底我们还是凡人一个。我们都需要食物、关爱、慈悲的对待，更值得拥有不可剥夺、与生俱来的权利，好比说选择的自由。不管是世俗或是宗教的领袖都不应从我们身上剥夺此权利。

http://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/inspiration-worthy-words/%E6%88%91%E5%BF%A0%E4%BA%8E%E6%88%91%E7%9A%84%E4%BF%AE%E6%8C%81.html

当雄登修持者靠近佛陀、莲花生大士或宗喀巴大师的时候，这些证悟者会将他们赶走，并说他们破坏了三昧耶，所以是不合格，也不纯净的人吗？

http://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/%E9%9B%84%E7%99%BB%E4%BA%BA.html

“纯净的传承十分重要。它不仅必须拥有纯正的来源，还要能够说明出处。根据宗喀巴大师传承，即格鲁派，当上师授予教诲的时候，他们必须说明来源、出处，以及他们在何时接受这项教诲。上师不能随意告诉你“我从文殊菩萨那儿接受这项修持……”

http://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/great-lamas-masters/a-gift-from-geshe-kelsang-gyatso.html

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