Tsem Rinpoche and China | 詹杜固仁波切与中国
(译文请往下阅读)
Dear friends around the world,
I thought I would share some thoughts about the ‘association’ with China people make with people of my faith. My interest in China is not borne out of political motivations or objectives. Long before the Sino-Tibetan conflict, and even before China arose as a global super-power, from a very young age I had already liked and admired China for her tremendous contributions to the world in the sciences, arts, culture, philosophies, religion, astronomy and for her rich cultural history. My admiration of Chinese culture is no different to some other people’s fondness for the Greek or Aztec culture which is to say, it is a matter of intellectual interest and it has never been a political move.
Actually, my family hails from regions that are now parts of China and to this day, I still have relatives there, particularly in Xinjiang and also Tibet. And my connection with the Chinese people has also grown because it is the Malaysian people of Chinese descent who have been assisting me all this time, in building a Dharma centre to spread the Buddha’s teachings. These are historical facts and truths that cannot simply be brushed aside simply because in 1996 the Tibetan leadership made an issue out any relationships with China.
So, today it is common for Dorje Shugden people to be accused of being Chinese agents or political sympathisers of China against His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The truth is, there is no historical fact to support this wrong accusation and in fact, it defies simple common sense. The Shugden practice began in the 17th century, long before any kind of geopolitical conflicts and since that time, there has not been any connection between this Protector practice and Chinese politics. In fact, there was no so-called connection until the Tibetan leadership started talking about it almost 400 years after the practice began!
In some quarters in the West, this false accusation has found some support among those who are ambivalent about China’s rise that threatens the status quo, and among those who favour these Western powers. For this reason, and also people’s general lack of awareness for Chinese culture, the accusation against Dorje Shugden has been able to prevail. But if you consider the situation objectively, free from any kind of bias for one side or another, it is just not logical to say that all Shugden people are bad, and all Chinese people are bad. To make such a sweeping statement is irresponsible and illogical, because it manipulates the emotions of the Tibetan people who feel very strongly about their political troubles. But these sweeping statements are not supported at all by evidence or facts. Logically speaking, there are good and undesirable people in China. There are also good and undesirable people in the West, and in the Tibetan government and even within the ranks of Dorje Shugden practitioners. I am not unreasonable and unrealistic to ignore this. But, and I repeat myself, to accuse all Shugden practitioners of having a connection to China simply because of their faith is a mass generalisation that has no basis, evidence, proof or facts.
I do have connections with China. I will continue to have connections with China. These connections are my relatives in China (Tibet/Xinjiang), my friends, monasteries associated with my Buddhist lineage and also my heritage that comes from China. My heritage is my father who comes from Tibet and is ethnically Tibetan, and my mother who comes from Xinjiang and is ethnically Mongol. I will continue to contact my relatives and friends, and visit them also and there is nothing political about that. I am connected to China also because of my race and my admiration of their immensely rich culture since four decades. There is nothing wrong with being connected to China. I am doing nothing wrong with these connections. No one has the right to criticise my connections to China as it’s my personal affair. I have no connections politically to China or the government of this powerful country and if I did, there is nothing wrong and it’s no one’s business. I do not engage in politics. At the same time, I am a Dorje Shugden practitioner now and will always be till the end of my life for strictly spiritual reasons. People may degrade me for it, but that does not deter me one bit because in life whatever you do, there will be criticism in one way or another. It’s part and parcel of life.
I believe all human beings have the right to choose the religion of their choice. No political or spiritual leader may criticise and override this basic human right. All civilised countries allow their citizens to practise the path of their choice. No spiritual or political leader of these civilised countries would condemn and enforce or ‘gently’ advise against any spiritual path. It is undemocratic and archaic, and would not reflect well on the leader. No leader of these countries would goad their citizens to admonish, segregate or condemn any religion or their followers because it is against human rights. No spiritual leader should ever advise against anyone’s spiritual practice for any reasons as this is the freedom enshrined for every citizen. Whether my religious choice of practice, gods, God and path will bring me to heaven or hell is not anyone’s business. Some people say spiritual leaders can advise or direct us from wrong to correct paths. But where do we draw the line? It is my choice. So if a spiritual leader’s speech in ‘advising’ against a practice as in this case Dorje Shugden, brings segregation, attacks, disharmony and hatred, he or she should not advise and desist. I hope to have greater connections to China for spiritual reasons and for reasons of my relatives and friends. I will connect with any country, be friends with anyone and practise what religion I like and I will share my religion with those interested and that is my choice. I respect China greatly as I do my homeland Tibet and Xinjiang. I wish the people there happiness, prosperity and peace.
So to say that Dorje Shugden practitioners have a Chinese connection that is politically motivated, and therefore they are bad, and to repeat this over and over again without any facts is actually racism because it is implying that to be Chinese or connected to the Chinese, is somehow bad. Hence we see in the Dorje Shugden debacle how a good religion has been smeared with politics by the intent of the Tibetan leadership. And this mix has never been good or beneficial.
Tsem Rinpoche
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/PoliticsRacism.mp4
Transcript
When I was younger, growing up in New Jersey, I experienced heavy racism in school from the Caucasian kids that were there, and it was almost a daily affair for some time. It wasn’t throughout my school years but it was around the 7th and early 8th grade, more the 7th grade. They would have a lot of racist names like ‘chink’ and they’d make fun of your eyes and your name, and they would do it almost every day and sometimes it would become violent. To the people there who are quite ignorant, everybody who is Asian is just Chinese. It’s like saying that everybody who is Caucasian is just English. Due to their ignorance, they would just call everybody and anybody who is Asian a ‘chink’, and it was very demoralising and demeaning. So after a while, I kind of connected with Asians, I connected with other Asians and Asian people because well, they’re not going to say things like that to you, are they?
So as we grew older, I’ve always wanted to live in the East, and since a very young age, you know, coincidentally I’ve always been interested in Chinese culture, Chinese royalty, Chinese archaeology and architecture, and generally the country. I used to think that China was a very old and ancient, sophisticated culture. When I was growing up, China was quite poverty-stricken or not doing very well, but these days China has risen to the top, and so in a way when China rises to the top, to some people in the West who are ignorant, they think that everybody’s Chinese, and it kind of raises the status quo of Asians in those ignorant people’s eyes, not that that matters at all, because all people are equal no matter what. So, I personally don’t have any connection to China, or anything in China. I would love to have a connection to China because I admire the culture, just like some people admire Greek culture, some people admire Aztec culture, Egyptian culture. I admire Chinese culture and I don’t think there is anything wrong. For most of my adult life, I’ve had the fortune to live in Malaysia where part of the population is Chinese. They don’t have anything to do with China because they are Malaysian Chinese, and they’ve been very kind in assisting me in helping to build, to learn Dharma, to propagate the Dharma, and do all kinds of activities: fundraise, study, meditate and do practices, so I am quite indebted to the Chinese people of Malaysia who don’t have anything to do with China, but in general I’m very enamoured with Chinese culture and I relate to it. Well, my relatives, my father’s side relatives live in Tibet, which is now a part of China. Whether people like it or not, that’s just how it is now. I’m not saying I agree or don’t agree, but that’s just a fact. My mother’s side of the family are in Xinjiang, which is a part of China too. So all of my relatives, mother and father’s sides are all in China, and I would love to connect with them and visit China to visit my blood relatives there.
Now, when I received the Dorje Shugden initiation and practice 30 years ago, there was no talk about China, there was no talk about being connected with China, or that being connected with China was bad, or was politically sensitive or negative; China’s just China, I am who I am. But since 1996, the Tibetan leadership has made a consistent effort to categorise people who practise Dorje Shugden as people related to China, or working for China or receiving China’s funds, which I find very silly and illogical because there are tens of thousands of Dorje Shugden practitioners now, and before the 1996 ban created by the Tibetan leadership. And also for the last 400 years, people have been practising Dorje Shugden since the time of the His Holiness the 5th Dalai Lama and well, they had nothing to do with China, they’re just practising it for their own spiritual reasons as given to them by their Guru. That’s what I am doing, I practise Dorje Shugden because it was given to me by my Guru, and it has nothing to do with China. So when the Tibetan leadership likes to label people that everyone and anyone who practises Dorje Shugden, EVERYONE and ANYONE who practises Dorje Shugden is a paid agent of China is ridiculous. It’s like saying all Tibetans follow the Middle Way, and they’re not into independence or Rangzen, which is not true. There are factions of Tibetans who are pro-Rangzen and Tibetan independence from China, and there are factions of Tibetans who are Middle Way, and just because you are Tibetan, it doesn’t mean you follow the Middle Way.
Similarly, just because you practise Dorje Shugden, it doesn’t mean you have connections with China. And if you do have connections with China, it doesn’t mean you are paid by China or you are part of the Chinese system of whatever people perceive them to be doing to Tibet. Therefore, Tibetans who practise Dorje Shugden are immediately categorised as agents of the Chinese, which is ridiculous because there’s so many of us, and there have been tens of thousands of us, and it’s been for 400 years and we couldn’t have been agents. The reason we were categorised as agents of the Chinese is that it appeals to the West who have ambivalent feelings about China’s rise to power, wealth and prosperity. Not all, but some people in the West are ambivalent because some of the Western countries along with Japan have been #1, #2, #3. And now, when China’s kind of taking over, some people can be ambivalent or perhaps little uncomfortable with it, and some people are comfortable. So by Tibetan leadership saying that Dorje Shugden practitioners are practising Dorje Shugden and they are siding with China, it kind of wins over the Western ambivalence towards China and it kind of matches their scheme of things to suppress Dorje Shugden practitioners and have them treated unfairly.
So therefore throughout history, politics has always been mixed with religion, and religion has been mixed with politics, and that’s not very good. When religion is mixed with politics, religion becomes impure and politics become something that can be used to harm. Throughout history, there’s always some sort of labelling that leaders are divine, infallible, and that they are ordained by God, or incarnations of a god or whatever, and then people go along with that. So what happens is this is, my point is that Dorje Shugden practitioners…maybe there are some, one or two or three who are pro-China, maybe there are Dorje Shugden practitioners who are not pro-China. For me, I like China, I’ve liked China, I’ve respected and admired China since I was a child and that’s been going on 40 years. I admire them as a race, and I admire them as an ancient, sophisticated, intelligent and very powerful race of people who have contributed greatly to world development, just like many other races on this planet. My admiration of China has nothing to do with politics because I’ve never ever been involved in politics and I never will be. So therefore my practice of Dorje Shugden has nothing to do with China, it never had anything to do with China, and it will never have anything to do with China. China and Dorje Shugden are different. China is a country that I admire – just like some people admire Greece, Brazil, the Aztecs, some people admire the USA, whatever it is – and my spiritual practice is Dorje Shugden and these are completely two different things. And the reason why the Tibetan leadership likes to do that is perhaps for the last 50 plus years they have not done very well in securing the independence of Tibet and negotiating with China for the Middle Way and autonomy, they have not succeeded. It’s very, very typical of the Tibetan leadership for hundreds of years to blame it on the gods, to blame it on the lamas, to blame it on the protectors, and to generally find a scapegoat. So Dorje Shugden is an easy scapegoat to say – and they used to say this – that we won’t get independence for Tibet because Dorje Shugden is disrupting it. Nuns and monks disrobe because of Dorje Shugden’s evil blessings. Lamas won’t live long because of Dorje Shugden’s wrath.
Since the Dorje Shugden ban in 1996 till now, Dorje Shugden hasn’t punished, hurt, damaged or killed any lamas, any monks or any geshes. There are quite a few monks, lamas and geshes who have criticised Dorje Shugden and have campaigned against him, but you don’t see them harmed or hurt in any way, which proves to you over time that Dorje Shugden harms nobody, as Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche has already said, that he is Manjushri. Therefore, he is basically a scapegoat, and there are many other people and situations in Tibetan society that the West will not know about that are made into scapegoats. But we Tibetans on the inside, who speak Tibetan, will hear about these scapegoats, will hear about these intrigues, problems and difficulties. So the point of my talking and saying all these is not to defame the Tibetan government because there are people in the Tibetan government who are good – there are – and there are people who are not and who use their positions for personal gain and money. There are good people in China who really want prosperity and wealth for the country to grow and to do better, just like any citizen of their country. There are people in the West who are very good, and there are people in the West who are ambivalent or perhaps even uncomfortable with the rise of China in the world global power table. There are Dorje Shugden practitioners who are very good, and there are Dorje Shugden practitioners who are perhaps not doing their best. There are non-Dorje Shugden practitioners who are not very good, and there are non-Dorje Shugden practitioners who are very good, so we don’t generalise people because of their race, their colour, or their religion or their background, that’s very, very wrong. So I practise Dorje Shugden because my Guru gave him to me, and I will never contradict the advice of my Guru. It doesn’t matter to me what other lamas and other high-ranking teachers or famous teachers say. For me, my teacher is my teacher and I will only follow his advice and my mind will never stir from my personal teacher’s advice because he gave me the advice from his heart, for his love for me, and for him observing what I need in this life to practice.
So if other people want to label me a Chinese spy, a Chinese agent, a Chinese employee and put me down, well the simple thing is this – prove it! Prove that I am with paperwork, with documents, with bank statements. If you cannot prove it and you simply say it over and over and over, it may make me look bad and many other Dorje Shugden practitioners look bad at the beginning, but over time, the accusers themselves will look silly, illogical, hateful and maybe just following some sort of propaganda that, over time, they will abandon because it makes them look ridiculous. I practice Dorje Shugden because my Guru, Kyabje Zong Rinpoche gave it to me, and no one on this planet in the ten directions, in the three planes of existence can ever deter my willpower to follow my Guru’s instructions. No one may override that in my mind. No one. I will never abandon my Guru, I will never think negative thoughts about my Guru, I will never abandon any practice my Guru has given me. I will never defy my Guru, or show disrespect to my Guru, or show wrong body actions, or show wrong attitude to my Guru. I will never do that. My enlightenment and my attainment of higher realisations depend on the blessings of my Guru.
Number two, I admire and I always look up to China, and I am happy with their rise and prosperity of their country. Any country that does better, I rejoice. My admiration of Chinese culture, language, history, background, court etiquette, their royalty, their dance, their music, their cuisines, their inventions, their incredible amount of resilience and entrepreneurship is an example to the world, and has nothing to do with any political views. I am grateful to the Chinese people in Malaysia, to Malaysia and all of Malaysia for having to host me and my “success”, whatever that is in people’s views and my life. I just wanted to kind of say this because I had a thought that growing up, I had to experience heavy racism and being called a ‘chink’, and now as an adult, because of my religion, I am called racist remarks that I support China and I’m against the Tibetan Dalai Lama and all that, and that’s not true. I am not against the Dalai Lama, I love the Dalai Lama; I respect him. So, remarks like these don’t move me or move any Dorje Shugden practitioner or anyone, but they serve to contribute to prejudice, hatred, anger and segregation of people. Whatever religion and colour we are, underneath we are all the same. We should promote harmony, we should promote love, we should promote care; we should promote equality among all people regardless of religion, regardless. This is very important.
致世界各地的朋友们:
关于跟我拥有同一信仰(多杰雄登)的人与中国有所“勾结”一事,我想在这里分享一下我的见解。我对中国的兴趣,不出自政治意图或目的。早在汉藏矛盾,甚至是早在中国崛起成为世界强国之前,自幼我就已经喜欢并且欣赏中国对世界文明——在科学、艺术、文化、哲学、宗教、天文学上——的巨大贡献,以及其丰富的文化历史。我对中华文化的钦佩,打个比方,跟其他人对希腊或阿兹台克文化怀有的亲切感无异,它是知识层面的兴趣,从来不是政治举动。
事实上,我的家族来自如今是中国一部分的地区。时至今日,特别是在新疆及西藏,那里还有我的亲人。同时我跟华人的关系也变得密切,因为这些年来,马来西亚华裔一直协助我创立佛教道场、弘扬法教。这些都是史实和事实,它们不会轻易地就被流亡藏人领导于1996年挑起争端、断绝跟中国的任何关系的举动而被抹杀。
今日,多杰雄登信众被诬蔑成中国的间谍或政治支持者及反达赖尊者一派,这是常有的事。事实是,根本没有任何史实能为这个不实的指控背书,它甚至有悖于简单的常识。多杰雄登的信仰始于17世纪,早在任何一起地缘政治冲突事件发生前就已存在,而且自那时起,这个护法神的信仰和中国政治从未有过任何关联。这个信仰存在的近400年来,两者并无所谓的勾结,直到流亡藏人领导开始这种说法!
在西方世界的一些地方,这个不实的指控,在那些以忧喜参半心态看待中国崛起将威胁现况的人,以及支持西方势力的人之中引起共鸣。基于这个理由,加上人们普遍上对中华文化的认识不足,于是针对多杰雄登的指控才会传遍开来。然而,如果你客观地、不偏颇任何一方地审视整个情况,说所有信仰多杰雄登的人和华人都是坏人是不合乎逻辑的。说出如此一竹竿打翻整船人的言论不但不负责任,还不合乎逻辑,因为它操弄藏人深陷政治困境的强烈情绪,此等言论没有丝毫的证据或事实证明。按照逻辑,中国有好人和坏人,西方世界也是如此,在流亡藏人领导层乃至于信仰多杰雄登的人之中也是如此。我不是不讲理,也不是不切实际地忽略这个事实。但是,我再重复一遍,单纯出于人们的信仰而指控所有多杰雄登信众都与中国有勾结,是既没有证据,又没有事实根据的以偏概全之举。
我跟中国是有关系,我会继续跟中国维持关系。什么样的关系?我跟身在中国(西藏和新疆)的亲戚的关系、我跟朋友们的关系、我跟传承寺院的关系,以及我跟我血统的渊源之地中国的关系。我的父亲来自西藏,是个藏人;我的母亲来自新疆,是个蒙古人。我会继续跟亲友联系,拜访他们,这无关政治。我跟中国有关系也是因为我的种族,以及40年我来对中国丰富文化的景仰。跟中国有关系没有不对,我有这些关系没有不妥之处。没有人有权批评我跟中国的关系,因为那是我的私事。我跟中国及这个世界强国的政府没有政治上的关系,但即使有,这也没有什么不妥,更不关任何人的事。我不涉身政治,同时,出于单纯的宗教修行缘由,我是多杰雄登修持者,现在是,未来乃至于我生命的最后一刻,我都依然是多杰雄登的修持者。人们或会因此而贬低我,但这不足以使我有一丝的踌躇,因为人的一生不管你做什么,总会有来自各方面的批评,这是人生避免不了的一部分。
我相信每一个人都有选择自己宗教信仰的权利。任何政治或精神的领袖都不应批评和推翻这个基本人权。每一个文明的国家都会允许自己的公民按照自己的意愿实践他们的信仰。这些文明国家的精神或政治领袖从不会谴责及发出“温和”的劝告反对任何信仰,因为这么做既不民主又腐朽,对领袖而言也不光彩。这些文明国家的领袖不会煽动公民去责备、排挤或声讨任何一个宗教信仰及其信众,因为这有违人权。任何精神领袖都不应基于任何理由而劝诫人们反对任何人的宗教,因为每个公民皆能自由信奉任何宗教。不管我选择的修持、神明、上帝及道路引导我走向天堂或地狱,这亦与旁人无关。有些人说精神领袖可以给予劝告或带我们从歧途回返正途 ,但他们给劝告的界限在哪里呢?这是我的选择。因此,如果一个精神领袖的演讲中出现反对某种修持的“劝告”,如反对多杰雄登之修持而引起排挤、攻击、冲突及憎恨,那么他或她就不该如此劝告并且应该停止这么做。我希望基于修行和亲友的原因跟中国建立更深厚的关系。我会跟任何国家建立关系,跟任何人来往及实践我所信奉的信仰。我也会向有缘人分享我的信仰,这也是我的选择。我对中国怀有敬意,对我的故乡——西藏及新疆也是如此。我衷心祈愿那里的人们喜乐、安康。
一而再,再而三口说无凭地指控多杰雄登修持者基于政治意图而与中国勾结,所以他们是坏人,这样的举动带有种族歧视的色彩,因为这样的指控暗示着身为一位华人或与华人有关系,莫名其妙地那必然是件坏事。因此我们从多杰雄登的残局中看到一个导人向善的信仰如何被流亡藏人领导有意图地利用政治妖魔化之。如此的政教合一从古至今未并无好结局,也没有助益。
詹杜固仁波切
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/PoliticsRacism.mp4
文本
年幼在新泽西成长的我在校园经历过来自白人小孩的严重种族歧视。有的时候,我天天都得面对种族歧视。我所面对的种族歧视并非发生在整段求学生涯,而是发生在七年级及八年级初时,七年级时比较多。他们给你取很多具歧视意味的名字如“中国佬”(chink),还会取笑你的眼睛和名字。这样的事近乎天天都会发生,有的时候还会演变成暴力行为。对那些相当无知的人来说,每一个亚洲人都是华人。这就好像说每一个白种人都是英国人一样。因为他们的无知,他们把每个亚洲人都叫成“中国佬”,这种行为实在贬低他人。久而久之,我也因此而跟其他亚洲人建立了关系,为什么呢?因为他们总不会对你口出这种恶言啊,不是吗?
随着年纪的增长,我自小向往住在东方国家的愿望始终如一,很巧地,我一直都对中国文化,中国古代皇帝,中国的考古和建筑,乃至于整个国家有浓厚的兴趣。过去我曾认为中国是一个老旧的古国,且文化深奥、复杂。在我长大的那个时候,中国还处于贫穷、不富强的状态,但如今中国已经崛起,而在这个崛起的过程中,一些无知的西方人却以为由于所有东方人都是华人,于是中国的崛起将提升亚洲人现有的地位。然而这根本不是重点,因为不管如何,人人生而平等。我个人跟中国没有任何关系,我想跟中国建立关系,因为我欣赏中国的文化,就像有的人欣赏希腊文化,有的人欣赏阿茲特克文化、埃及文化。我欣赏中国文化,我不认为这有什么不妥。我成年后的大部分时间,很庆幸地都在有华人存在的马来西亚度过了。他们跟中国没有关系,因为他们是马来西亚华人。这些年来,他们非常好心协助我建立道场,学习佛法并且帮助我弘扬佛法,还筹款,学习,禅修和修法。马来西亚华人,这些跟中国没有关系的人,他们对我有恩。不管怎样,基本上我对中国文化情有独钟,中国文化引起我的共鸣。除此,我的亲人,我父亲那里的亲人就住在西藏,西藏正是中国的一部分。不管人们喜欢与否,这个就是当下的情况。我并不是说我赞同或不赞同,但这就是一个事实。我母亲那里的亲人住在新疆,也是中国的另一部分。因此我父母亲双方的亲人都住在中国,我想联系他们,并且到中国拜访这些跟我有血缘关系的亲人。
我在30年前获得多杰雄登的灌顶和修持,当时没有关于中国或“跟中国勾结”的任何说法,也没有“跟中国有联系就是坏事”的说法,更没有什么敏感或负面的政治氛围,中国就是中国,我就是我。然而自 1996 年起,流亡藏人领导不断地将信仰多杰雄登的人们归纳成跟中国勾结的人,或是收中国钱财办事的人、接受中国资助的人。这些指控对我来说是无稽之谈,也毫无逻辑可言,因为不管是现在或是流亡藏人领导在 1996 年实施多杰雄登禁令之前,多杰雄登信众人数高达百万人。再者,过去的 400 年来,人们自五世达赖时期就开始修多杰雄登的法门。这些人也跟中国没有关系,他们的修持是出于修行理由,是基于该修持是他们上师所赐予的。如今我就在这么做着,我修多杰雄登,因为这个修持是我的上师赐予我的,跟中国无关。因此,流亡藏人领导将每一个信仰多杰雄登的人都标签成受雇的中国间谍的举动无疑是荒谬至极。这种以偏概全的谬论好比说所有藏人都是“中间道路”的拥护者,所有藏人都对“藏独”(rangzen)不感兴趣,这分明就是错误的。藏人里有分成争取藏独的一派,另一派则是拥护“中间道路”,因此,不是因为你是藏人,就必然拥护“中间道路”。
同样的,你修多杰雄登,并不表示你跟中国有任何关系。即便你跟中国有关系,也不表示你必然就受雇于中国,或是参与(人们认为的)中国对西藏之行动的其中一分子。因此,修多杰雄登法门的藏人立即被归纳成中国间谍是荒谬的,因为信仰多杰雄登的人如此之多,是成千上万人那么多,而且也已经信仰了 400 年之久,我们都是间谍,这有可能吗?我们被归纳成中国间谍的原因很简单,因为这样的刻画深得那些对中国在国际地位和经济上崛起有着矛盾情绪的西方人的心。不是所有西方人都是如此,但一部分西方人对此感到矛盾,因为一直以来,作为世界龙头老大的是西方国家和日本,但如今中国占了一席位,有的人自然感到矛盾或者可能有少许的不安,有的人则是以平常心看待这件事。流亡藏人领导指责修多杰雄登的信众靠拢中国的举动,多多少少都会赢得那些对中国崛起怀有矛盾情绪的西方人的认同,然后多多少少也促成流亡藏人领导达到一心想要打压多杰雄登信众的目的。
在历史的长河中,政教合一的现象从未缺席,这不是件好事。宗教若掺和了政治,它就会遭受染污,而政治会成为具伤害性的工具。我们也在人类历史中频频看到领导人物被冠上神圣、绝对无误,乃至于是天子或神的转世等此类标签,人们也跟着随之起舞。我要说的是,在多杰雄登信众当中,或许有一两个是亲中国的,可能也有不亲中国的。对我个人来说,我喜欢中国,过去也喜欢中国,我自小景仰中国,直到现在已有40年。我欣赏中国的民族,我欣赏古老且精深,聪慧且顽强的中华民族。这个民族跟世界其他民族一样,都为世界文明带来巨大的贡献。我对中国的景仰跟政治毫无关系,因为我从不曾涉身其中,也永不会涉身其中。因此,我的多杰雄登信仰跟中国没有关系,也从来没有任何关系,将来也不会有任何关系。中国和多杰雄登是截然不同的两个东西。中国是我景仰的国家,如同一些人景仰希腊、巴西、阿茲特克,有的人景仰美国,不管是什么,我的修持是多杰雄登,这跟我景仰哪个国家是全然不同的两码事。流亡藏人领导之所以喜欢诬赖多杰雄登信众的原因,或许是因为过去 50 多年来他们一直没有达成西藏独立的目标,也没有很好地为“中间道路”及西藏自治的目标与中国进行谈判,他们都没有做到。上百年来,藏人领导的典型做法就是把问题归咎于神明,归咎于上师们,归咎于护法神,总的来说他们就是一贯地找代罪羔羊。而多杰雄登就是一个现成的代罪羔羊,以至于他们会说西藏无法获得独立是因为多杰雄登从中作梗。僧尼和僧人们还俗是因为多杰雄登邪恶的“加持”,高僧大德们无法长寿是因为多杰雄登的暴戾。
多杰雄登禁令自 1996 年开始实施至今,多杰雄登从未惩罚、伤害、损害或杀害任何一位上师、僧人或格西。有好一些僧人、上师和格西批评多杰雄登,并发起运动反对多杰雄登,但他们都没有遭遇任何伤害。这一点随着时间的推移就证明了多杰雄登并不会伤害任何人,正如嘉杰赤江仁波切说过的那样,其体性为文殊菩萨。因此,多杰雄登着实是代罪羔羊。西方世界所不知道的是在藏人社会中,有许多的人和情景都被设计成代罪羔羊。然而作为置身其中的藏人,母语为藏语的我们,我们会听闻关于这些代罪羔羊,会听闻关于这些阴谋、问题和争论。我说这一切的用意并不是为了诋毁流亡藏人领袖,因为在流亡藏人领导层中也有好人,当然也有不好、利用权位谋取个人利益和金钱的人。中国里头也有真心希望国富民强,希望国家越来越进步的人,就像任何一个国家的人民一样。西方世界有很好的人,也有对中国在国际上崛起而感到矛盾或可能甚至感到不舒服的人。同样地,在多杰雄登信众之中有很好的人,也有或许没有尽力做好自己的人。在非多杰雄登信众之中有不那么好的人,也有很好的人,所以我们不应基于人们的种族、肤色、信仰或背景去概括人们,这是非常不正确的做法。我修持多杰雄登的法门,因为我的上师将之赐予我,我永远都不会违背我上师的教导。其他上师及其他地位超然的上师或享负盛名的上师说什么,与我而言都不是要紧的。对我来说,我的上师就是我的上师,我只会听从他的教导。我对我上师的教导的信念不会有所动摇,因为他由衷地给我这个教导,他出于对我的关爱,出于他对我此生需要哪些修持的观察而给我这个教导。
因此,如果有人要说我是中国间谍、中国特务,受雇于中国,要借此贬低我,那么最容易让你达到目的的方式就是证明我就如你所说的那样。请用白纸黑字、文件、银行收据来做佐证。如果你没办法提出证据却一而再再而三地空口说白话,起初确实会让我和其他许多多杰雄登信众难堪,但时间久了,口说无凭的人会显得愚蠢、蛮不讲理、充满怨恨,且或许只是鹦鹉学语般盲从某些宣传策略。时间久了,口说无凭的人会放弃,因为这么做让他们看起来非常荒唐。我修持多杰雄登的法门,是因为我的上师嘉杰宋仁波切将之赐予我。在这个地球的十方中,在三界里,没有任何一个人可以阻挡我听从我上师所教的决心,亦没有人能在我心中推翻我上师的教导。没有人。我永远都不会放弃我的上师,我永远都不会对上师起邪见的念头,我永远不会弃上师所赐的任何修持于不顾。我不会无视自己的上师,或对他不敬,或展示出错误的肢体动作,或展示错误的态度。我永远不会这么做。我的证悟和成就,以及更高的了悟,都取决于我上师的加持。
第二,我一直欣赏也景仰中国,我为中国的崛起感到开心。任何一个国家取得进步,我都会随喜。中华民族的文化、语文、历史、背景、宫廷礼仪、皇室、舞蹈、音乐、烹饪、发明,以及其民族巨大的韧性和创业精神都是我所欣赏的,都是世界的榜样。我的景仰跟任何一种政见都没有关系。我感激马来西亚华人,我感激马来西亚,感激马来西亚的所有。感谢马来西亚对我的招待,感谢马来西亚见证我的“成功”,以及人们眼中的不管是什么和我人生中的一切。我想说这一切,因为我想起自己在成长的岁月中必须经历严重的种族歧视、被称作“中国佬”;长大成人后,基于我的宗教信仰,我被充满种族歧视的言语对待,说我支持中国而反达赖尊者和西藏此等话语,这些都不是真的。我并没有反达赖尊者,我爱达赖尊者,我尊重他。于是那些话并不会动摇我,或动摇任何一个信仰多杰雄登的人或任何人,反之那些话只会增加偏见、憎恨、愤怒及人与人的隔阂。不管我们信仰哪个宗教,我们的肤色是什么颜色,在这些标签底下,我们都是一样的。我们应该提倡和谐,提倡爱,提倡关怀。我们应该提倡人人平等,不管人们信仰哪个宗教。这是非常重要的。
For more interesting information:
- The Dorje Shugden category on my blog
- What you must know about China
- The Importance of Tibet Befriending China
- Reuters Investigation on Dorje Shugden Inaccurate?
- China officially supports Dorje Shugden
- China’s official stance on Dorje Shugden
- Malaysia and China friendship
- Panchen Lama meets Chinese President
- Stephon Marbury embraces China
- Why is Buddha Amitabha So Prevalent in China?
- Vajravarahi Caves in China
- China’s HUGE Buddha Statues!!!!
- Dalai Lama, China & Dorje Shugden
- All About Manjushri / 关于文殊菩萨
Please support us so that we can continue to bring you more Dharma:
If you are in the United States, please note that your offerings and contributions are tax deductible. ~ the tsemrinpoche.com blog team
Religion and politics are two of the hardest things to talk about. Living in a country , we should be given religious freedom to choose what we want to pray. But it not mean we are spy of that country. Disappointed the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) accuses Dorje Shugden practitioners as Chinese agents just because they practice Dorje Shugden. Rinpoche has been accused by the CTA . They said that said Rinpoche was a spy and an agent paid by China. All these were definite not true at all. Rinpoche had received the Dorje Shugden’s practice 30 years ago, been passed down from Rinpoche’s Guru. Many high lamas have been practising Dorje Shugden for the last 400 years, it is ridiculous to say they were Chinese spies too. All major religious traditions carry basically the same message, that is love, compassion and forgiveness. But sad the CTA ,having a fuss over it , and has created disharmony among Buddhist practitioners. It’s a matter of choice we choose to pray nothing political related to China. Just because we are Chinese , we are paid by the China , we are Chinese spies, that’s does not made sense at all. Regardless of our race or religion, we all want and need harmony. Hatred and conflict are often rooted in differences between people of different races and religions. We all need to respect people of different races as well as people of different faiths and religions.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing
Mantras are sacred verbalized words that invoke the protection and blessings of the deity to whom the mantra is ascribed. Mantras are also the manifestations of Buddhas in the form of ‘sounds’, hence the various mantras of Dorje Shugden contain the essence of the Protector.
Dorje Shugden’s main mantra 多杰雄登主要咒语
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA SOHA
Dorje Shugden’s mantra for peace 平和咒语
For gaining attainments through the energy of Peaceful Shugden, peace of environment and mind, harmony in one’s abode and dwelling area, and calming of disasters
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA SHANTI SIDDHI HUNG
Dorje Shugden’s mantra for health 福寿安康咒语
For long life, increasing life, healing of disease and protection from diseases
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA AYU SIDDHI HUNG
Dorje Shugden’s mantra for increase 增长咒语
For gaining great merits and increase of all necessary needs, both material and spiritual
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA PUNYE SIDDHI HUNG
Dorje Shugden’s mantra for control 控制咒语
Of worldly deities, negative people and nagas and for influencing friends towards the positive
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA WASHAM KURU HO
Dorje Shugden’s mantra to grant protection 庇护咒语
Visualize that you are in the Protector’s mandala, fully protected from outside interferences. Recite when in danger or for dangerous situations, for protection while travelling or when residing in dangerous/hostile places
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA RAKYA RAKYA HUNG
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videouploads/comment-1544345059.mp4
Dear friends,
Tibet has produced many powerful meditations, rituals and guidelines to help us gain spiritual protection, gain wisdom and higher states of consciousness. In general Tibet has produced many powerful methods for the growth of our spiritual evolution. Dorje Shugden is an angel, a saint, a powerful spiritual protector-warrior who originated 350 years ago when a highly awakened Tibetan Lama fulfilled his vows to become a special being to grant protection, wisdom, material needs, safety when travelling (normal and astral travel) and spiritual awakening. Both the Great 5th Dalai Lama and the current His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama composed short yet effective prayers to invoke upon the power and blessings of this special saint and protector. One can recite either one of the prayers that you feel suits you, anytime or even daily. When you feel a special need for help, you can recite either prayer anytime. When you are feeling down, afraid or just need a blessing, you can recite them. After reciting either invocation, it is good to chant the mantra of Dorje Shugden: Om Benza Wiki Bitana Soha.
You do not have to be a Buddhist or practitioner of any religion to invoke upon the blessings and protection of this special enlightened and awakened angel Dorje Shugden. He helps all without discrimination or bias as he is filled with compassion and love. Divinity has no boundaries, they help all who call upon them.
Enclosed are the prayers in English, Chinese and Tibetan.
May you be safe, protected and blessed.
Tsem Rinpoche
More on the Great 5th Dalai Lama and Dorje Shugden – https://bit.ly/2w7KHv6
More on H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama and Dorje Shugden – https://bit.ly/2QdaL4n
Chapel (Trode Khangsar) built by the Great 5th Dalai Lama dedicated to Dorje Shugden in Lhasa – https://bit.ly/2zBTd8M
—
亲爱的朋友们,
西藏产生了许多有助于我们得到精神庇佑、取得智慧和更高层次之觉悟的强大禅修法、仪式和教诲。总括来说,西藏产生了许多有助于我们在修行上取得提升的强有力方法。多杰雄登是一个天使,一位圣人和一名护法战士。他的崛起始于350年前,当一位高度觉悟的西藏高僧履行本身的承诺,化身为特别的护法,赐予我们守护、智慧、物质需要、出入平安(平日外游和神游时)和灵修上的觉醒。任何人都可以随时随地在任何时候念诵适合自己的祈愿文。当你需要特别的帮助时,你可以随时念诵任何一篇祈愿文。当你感到沮丧、恐惧或仅是需要加持时,你也可以持诵这些祈愿文。在念诵任何祈请文后,你应该接着念诵多杰雄登的心咒:嗡 班杂 维格 毗札那 娑哈 Om Benza Wiki Bitana Soha。
要祈请多杰雄登这位特殊、觉悟和觉醒的天使赐予加持和庇佑,你无需是佛教徒或任何宗教的修行者。他总是没有分别或偏见,充满慈悲和慈爱地帮助一切众生。神圣是没有界限的,圣者会帮助有求于他的任何人。
以下附上英文、中文和藏文的祈愿文。
愿你平安,常受庇护和加持。
尊贵的詹杜固仁波切
更多关于第五世达赖尊者和多杰雄登护法的内容 — https://bit.ly/2zsC3tG
更多关于第十四世达赖尊者和多杰雄登护法的内容 — https://bit.ly/2r4aaDN
第五世达赖尊者为多杰雄登护法在拉萨建造的护法殿(布旦康萨)— https://bit.ly/2zBTd8M
Divination (‘mo’) Text by Dorje Shugden
This is an important divination (‘mo’) text composed by Dorje Shugden himself. Dorje Shugden took trance of the Choyang Dulzin oracle lama, the senior oracle of Gaden Shartse Monastery, and instantly on the spot composed this text within two hours.
The divination text contains information on how to use dice to do divination for the future and is known to be highly accurate. When practitioners use this text, they will be in direct contact with Dorje Shugden to get answers to questions about the future. It is for those who have good samaya with Dorje Shugden and are free of the eight worldly dharmas to be of benefit to others in divining the future.
Tsem Rinpoche
DS-MO-choyang.pdf
Be blessed with these rare videos featuring explanation and advice about Dorje Shugden practice by His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche in his own voice. The teaching was requested by Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen, one of the earliest masters who taught Tibetan Buddhism in the West.
Video 1: H.H. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche Explains Dorje Shugden Initiation and Benefits (With English Subtitles)
Kyabje Zong Rinpoche was an erudite scholar, ritual master and practitioner of the highest degree from Tibet. At the request of Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen, one of the pioneers who taught Tibetan Buddhism in America, Kyabje Zong Rinpoche gives clear explanation and advice about the life-entrustment initiation of Dorje Shugden and how to go about the practice and get the maximum benefits in this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzFMvlxAqtc&feature=youtu.be
Video 2: H.H. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche speaks on the History and Lineage of Dorje Shugden (With English Subtitles)
In this video, an erudite scholar, ritual master and practitioner of the highest degree from Tibet, Kyabje Zong Rinpoche talks about the incarnation lineage of Dorje Shugden and how the practice arose, with examples of Dorje Shugden’s previous lives that reveal his powerful spiritual attainments and contributions. This very rare teaching was given at the request of Kyabje Zong Rinpoche’s student, Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen, one of the pioneers who taught Buddhism in the West to many disciples since the 1970s.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIzKSJgK618&feature=youtu.be
For more information: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/great-lamas-masters/kyabje-zong-rinpoches-advice-on-dorje-shugdens-practice.html
His Holiness the 10th Panchen Lama
Tibetans commonly refer to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and His Holiness 10th Panchen Lama as the “sun and moon” of Tibetan Buddhism. They are the center of Tibetan Buddhist civilization, which draws to its sphere of influence millions of non-Tibetan practitioners. The Panchen Lama’s incarnation line began with the 16th abbot of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, Lobsang Chokyi Gyeltsen (1570 – 1662). He was bestowed the title of Panchen Lama by His Holiness the 5th Dalai Lama after being declared as an emanation of Amitabha.
After being given the title, his three previous incarnations were posthumously also bestowed the title, making Lobsang Chokyi Gyeltsen the 4th Panchen Lama. He became a teacher to many Tibetans, Bhutanese and Mongolian religious figures, including His Holiness the 4th and 5th Dalai Lamas, and the 1st Jetsun Dampa of Mongolia. A prolific author, Chokyi Gyeltsen is credited with over a hundred compositions, including a number of commentaries and ritual texts that remain central in the Gelukpa tradition today. Along with his role as a teacher of the Dharma, the Panchen Lamas are usually responsible for the recognition of the rebirths of the Dalai Lamas, and vice versa.
The 10th Panchen Lama, Lobsang Trinley Lhundrub Chokyi Gyeltsen (19 February 1938 – 28 January 1989) continued both the spiritual and political roles of his predecessors. His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, his contemporary, was even heard to say and echo the Panchen Lama’s own words that the Dalai Lama would safeguard Tibet from the outside while the Panchen Lama would safeguard Tibet from the inside, as he never left Tibet after the political troubles of 1959. He was truly loved by the Tibetans, all the way until his passing. When he taught, thousands of people would attend, not only from his own Gelug lineage, but masters and practitioners from all traditions of Tibetan Buddhism.
At his sprawling monastery of Tashi Lhunpo, he has a special chapel specifically dedicated to Dorje Shugden, where prayers and rituals are performed on a daily basis. In his great omniscience the Panchen Lama held Dorje Shugden as the principal Dharma protector of the monastery. He also personally propitiated Dorje Shugden among other Dharma protectors, and even wrote extensive prayers and rituals to Dorje Shugden. These rituals and prayers are contained within his ‘sung bum’ or collected works, which are provided here. As such a great lama, with an erudite and clear understanding of the Buddhist scriptures, a teacher to millions in both Tibet and China, from an established incarnation line and an emanation of the Buddha Amitabha, he could not be mistaken about his practice of Dorje Shugden.
His Holiness 10th Panchen Lama is known for his composition of commentaries and practice texts that are still in use by contemporary Buddhist practitioners both in Tibet and across the world. One of these is a powerful ritual composition propitiating the compassionate Dorje Shugden.
Upon the request by Acharya Lobsang Jangchub to compose a shorter version of the prayer (sadhana) for the exhortation of activities of Dorje Shugden, Panchen Lama immediately composed an abbreviate form of Dorje Shugden’s Kangsol. This text is entitled “Manjunatha’s (Tsongkapa) Lineage protector Dorje Shugden and five forms wrathful propitiations and confessional prayers and fulfilment of activities rites” or “Melodious sound of Accomplishment of the Four Activities” for short. Once the prayers were completed, he had signs and strong feelings that Dorje Shugden has been working hard to protect the Buddhadharma in general and the lineage of Lama Tsongkhapa specifically.
Mirroring the abilities of one of his earlier incarnations, Khedrub Je, a disciple of Lama Tsongkhapa and master of both sutra and tantra, the Panchen Lama used his compositional skill and poetic prowess to create a masterful sadhana. Worthy of note is a praise in which the first letter of each verse is a Tibetan vowel. Such compositions are rarely seen, and have historically only been used when propitiating senior Dharma protectors such as Palden Lhamo and Kalarupa.
The Panchen Lama also stated that while composing the Dorje Shugden sadhana (prayers) he was filled with a sense of happiness and bliss. He ends the composition with not only his official title but his ordination name, Tenzin Trinley Jigme Choje Wangchuk, endorsing the validity of his work. He composed the sadhana in his own Tashi Lhunpo monastery while in the Hall of Clear Light and Bliss.
See the Panchen Lama’s writings and download: https://bit.ly/2KIfeXb
For the first time available, Dorje Shugden and his entourage of 32 assistants of his mandala.
Dorje Shugden is a powerful protector deity who is also an emanation of Manjushri, a wisdom bestowing Buddha. Therefore, he has great ability to help us to progress further on the spiritual path. He does this by helping us to overcome obstacles and problems for the modern individual.
Due to his enlightened nature, Dorje Shugden is able to manifest 32 deities and within the same abode resides Setrap and Kache Marpo:-
1. 5 Dorje Shugden families or emanations. They consists of the following:-
– Dulzin Dorje Shugden, which performs activities to eliminate inner and outer obstacles.
– Shize, which performs activities to pacify all illnesses and disease.
– Gyenze, which performs activities to increase all desirable material and spiritual wealth.
– Wangze, which performs activities to control difficult people and circumstances.
– Trakze, which performs activities to wrathfully eliminate all insurmountable obstacles and life-threatening situations.
2. 9 Mothers. They represent protection of the five senses and developing control of the four elements. These are all attributes that signify their ability to assist tantric practitioners with their higher meditations.
3. 8 Guiding Monks. They represent the Eight Great Bodhisattvas (Avalokitesvara, Manjushri, Vajrapani, Samantabhadra, Maitreya, Kshitigarbha, Akashagarbha, Sarva-nivarana-viskambini) and they bring about the growth of the Dharma, through the Sangha, Dharma practitioners and Dharma establishments.
4. 10 Youthful & Wrathful Attendants. They represent the ten wrathful attendants to avert inner and outer obstacles. They are beings who are from Mongolia, China, Kashmir, India, Bengali, etc.
5. Setrap. He is a senior Dharma Protector from India and an emanation of Amitabha Buddha. He had enthroned Dorje Shugden as an authentic Dharma Protector. Therefore, he also resides within the same mandala of Dorje Shugden.
6. Kache Marpo. He is not an emanation of Dorje Shugden but he is still an enlightened Dharma Protector in his own right. He was originally known as Tsiu Marpo of Samye Monastery. However, he has placed himself under the service of Dorje Shugden as his chief minister, performing many activities in order to protect and benefit practitioners. Therefore, he stands guard at the main entrance of Dorje Shugden’s mandala. He often takes trance of qualified mediums to speak.
7. Namkar Barzin. He is the reincarnation of an old Mongolian monk and when he passed away in Phari area of Tibet, his spirit was placed as a powerful assistant of Dorje Shugden. He guards and protects buildings and great institutions especially those that benefit others. He rides on a mythical Gyaling animal that resembles a goat but with scales.
These sacred images are available on *Vajrasecrets. They are made of high quality alloy and are one of a kind. They are based on the lineage of His Holiness Panchen Rinpoche’s monastery, Tashilhunpo in Shigatse, Tibet. In fact, the iconography of these statues are based on detailed photographs taken by H. E. Tsem Rinpoche during a trip to Tashilhunpo’s protector chapel. These are based exactly as the 10th Panchen Lama’s personal collection.
Dorje Shugden mandala: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=131570
Dorje Shugden’s benefit and practice: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=62422
Dorje Shugden’s origins: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=106424
Dorje Shugden chapel in His Holiness Panchen Rinpoche’s Tashilhunpo Monastery in Tibet: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=68698
*Stand not included
Sakya tradition’s thangka of Dorje Shugden sitting on a throne within his palace with his four emanations and high Sakya Lamas nearby. Tsem Rinpoche
Antique Pelden Lhamo thangka with sacred Dorje Shugden at the bottom right. Can see Tsongkapa and Guru Rinpoche on the top also. Beautiful and holy.
Thank you for Rinpoche ‘s sharing. It quite sad as per Rinpoche mention today it is common for Dorje Shugden people to be accused of being Chinese agents or political sympathisers of China against His Holiness the Dalai Lama. And as per Rinpoche explained, the truth is, there is no historical fact to support this wrong accusation and in fact, it defies simple common sense. The Shugden practice began in the 17th century, long before any kind of geopolitical conflicts and since that time, there has not been any connection between this Protector practice and Chinese politics. In fact, there was no so-called connection until the Tibetan leadership started talking about it almost 400 years after the practice began!
Most of time they unable show valid proof to support their accusation, a religious should not used as political techtic.
May Dorje Shugden practice ban can be lifted up as soon as possible
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this information about Dorje Shugden. Is very frustrating to know that in this age of time religion freedom is a very common practice among all the people in the world but how could be possible it happen among the Dorje Shugden practitioner and because of this ban it create so many suffering and discrimination among the Tibetan community is really illogical to impose this ban, may the ban be lifted as soon as possible so everyone in the world live in peace and harmony.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing your rightful thoughts and views about the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) accuses Dorje Shugden practitioners as Chinese agents or political sympathizers of China against His Holiness the Dalai Lama. This is my first time to learn that a government in exile (CTA) relates a spiritual practice into a political topic in order to demean the image of a powerful country as well as Dorje Shugden practitioners in this situation. Religion practices are very personal to individuals and no one can dictate another person of which spiritual practice to follow or not to follow since all of us have our freedom to choose any spiritual practices that can help us in many aspects of our life, be it spiritual or secular affair.
Ever since many of Gelug high masters have left Tibet and stay in other countries such as USA, European countries, Asian countries, Malaysia and many more, there are different races of people started to learn and practise Dorje Shugden for blessing, protection and most importantly requesting Dorje Shugden to provide condusive conditions to practise the Buddhadharma and clear the obstacles ahead in pursuing the Buddhadharma teachings. For Tibetan leaders that label Dorje Shugden practitioners as paid agents of China is totally an unfair statement and baseless accusation as the history of Dorje Shugden practice was started from 400 years ago within Tibet itself. Dorje Shugden practice has nothing to do with China at all. I personally pray and hope that more and more medias will step in and voice out this issue with fair comments and opinions in order to educate more people with the truth and facts, rather than continue to be misled with unfair statements and baseless accusations.
May the ban of Dorje Shugden will be lifted soonest possible to end the suffering and pain endured by many Dorje Shugden practitioners. May the relationship between Tibet and China will be improved with harmony, peace and mutual respects in order to foster spiritual and economic growth for the benefits of all Tibetans and China citizens.
Humbly with folded hands,
kin hoe
Great message every Tibetan especially must read!
I still love and miss His Holiness the Dalai Lama. I am hoping he will unite all of us no matter what our religion is. I know he will. His Holiness has done so much good in the world. I’ve admired him since I was a very young boy and when I met him for the first time in 1979. He came to Howell, New Jersey where I grew up. It was magical to see him. I pray one day he will accept all Dorje Shugden practitioners as was his root guru was a Dorje Shugden practitioner and invite us into his presence again with love and acceptance. I pray for his long life and continued presence in this world. I never lost hope in His Holiness the Dalai Lama to accept all of us regardless of race, religion, sect and background once again.
I place my unworthy head to his feet, Humbly, Tsem Rinpoche https://www.tsemrinpoche.com
多杰雄登的信仰始于17世纪,早在任何一起地缘政治冲突事件发生前就已存在,那时候开始,这个护法神的信仰和中国政治从未有过任何关联。多杰雄登的信仰存在近400年来,两者并无所谓的勾结,直到流亡藏人领导开始这种说法。2.信仰多杰雄登护法的人超过百万,被污蔑都是中国的间谍,这个是无逻辑可言。
Due to Rinpoche’s persistence in following his teacher’s advice to practice Dorje Shugden, Rinpoche has often been accused as a Chinese agent or collaborator. Prior to 1996, there was no mention that Dorje Shugden practice is associated with China. Therefore just because the Dalai Lama suddenly changed his mind and advised against the practice (His Holiness himself was a Dorje Shugden practitioner who received this practice from his teacher, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche), it does not mean that the practice is suddenly associated with China and its practitioners automatically became a Chinese agent. In addition, the accusation that Rinpoche is a Chinese agent is NOT true, and therefore, none of his detractor was able to produce any evidence that this is the case.
Although the Dalai The more I think of it, the more it is obvious that by associating Dorje Shugden practice with China, the issue has been heavily politicised to cover some mismanagement within Tibetan community in exile and the lack of ability to gain independence or even autonomy from China. They have not even gone near the negotiation table in the recent years. I feel that Dorje Shugden matter has been used a scapegoat by certain parties to cover their failures.
Tsem Rinpoche was born in Taiwan, grew up in USA, and went to India and became a monk. As Rinpoche has mentioned that he has a very strong connection with China, I can see the reasons behind it. One of the main reasons is because most of Rinpoche’s relatives are still staying in Xinjiang and Tibet.
China has a population of more than 1 billion, its important for a rising country with lots of wealth reviving their long lost religion, so that the people are guided with a religion and good moral conduct, Buddhism was once the dominance religion in China.
Lately, the King Salman of Saudi Arabia has officially visited China on 15 March 2017 and has signed a USD 65 Billion deals with China’s President Xijinping. Everyone is eyeing for the wealth and resources available in China. Why would anyone want to goes against this? It’s better to be friends then enemy.
Panchen Lama, who is a Dorje Shugden practitioner, has a very high profile in China. In 2016, Panchen Lama is giving Kalachakra initiation to hundred of thousands of Tibetan openly, this is the 1st time Chinese government ever allow any Buddhist monks to give teachings openly in Tibet. This is indeed very good news to the 1 billion people in China, thru a Shugden Lama, Chinese Government has trusted him and allow hundred of thousand Tibetans to gather openly, this is very beneficial to the growth of Buddhism in China.
(http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/news/the-11th-panchen-lamas-kalacakra-initiation-the-beginning-of-the-end-for-the-cta/)
There is lots of hard work to do to bring Buddhism back to China, I think any Lama and religious people will think the same and agree to this. If Tsem Rinpoche has a direct connection to China, I would say this is very beneficial to the 1 Billion people out there, I rather listening to the dharma talk given by Rinpoche then reading the entire negative comments by anonymous blog writers who just bored with their life bitching how others is never good enough for them.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing and clarifying to the anti-Shugden people Tibet that Rinpoche has NO whatever links with China. For me, I also like to watch about China cultures and their people on TV. Does that makes me also have links with China? Of course NO. It doesn’t make sense. China is currently rising a the top most advance and successful country. There may be people who are jealous of China’s growth and so they bad things to people who have links with China to bring them down. This is so bad. They should rejoice on other people’s success and they too should work hard if they want the same success too. It is always very wrong to mix politics with religion. They are both separate things. Politics is for the country while religion is on individual basis and preference. We should never disturb or interfere with other peopl’s religion and faith. They have their own rights to choose what they want to follow.
With folded palms,
Vivian
Rinpoche compassionately explaining things against a baseless allegation created by Tibetan Government. I like the article simple and logical to understand, for Rinpoche to explain and prof why he connected to China is its simple because this is too much everyday Rinpoche has been accused by saying Rinpoche is spay and an agent paid by China because Rinpoche practice Dorje Shugden, people should investigate and find out going on, to say all Dorje Shugden practitioners have Chinese connection that is politically motivated that is not good. Tibetan Government violating basic human rights, all human beings have the right to choose their religion of choice and what they like. The truth is Tibetan Government misleading people to different issue by using Dorje Shugden actually they not been able to contribute towards Tibet regaining independence so they spread Propaganda. Rinpoche connections with China are his relatives and friends and Rinpoche admire Chinese culture and i don’t think there is anything wrong. Rinpoche received Dorje Shugden practice 30 years ago, there was no talk about China, there was no talk about being connected with China how come now suddenly anyone who practice Dorje Shugden you are Chinese spy… doesn’t make sense to me…
While reading this article, one thing that come into my mind is: Many people hated China, but China still succeed anyways.
Chinese people are around the world, and one thing good about them is they don’t give up, or give in to the nonsense of who like them who don’t like them, they still work their way up and be successful, and they also contributed a lot to the society, just look at the Chinese in Malaysia, how much they have contributed to the country, so are all these Chinese bad? no. There are corruption within Chinese, so are all Chinese bad? no. There are thief, robbers, rapers, etc, etc within Chinese, so are all Chinese bad? no. Why no? Because every country is the same like China, there are bad people, there are also good people, if just because someone did something wrong and we put a statement saying the people from that Nationality are all bad people, that sound very stupid, because even to that person who is putting this statement, they belong to a Nationality and I’m very sure there are also bad people from their Nationality, so are they bad people too? Unless they come from Mars.
The Tibetan Leadership are making things very hilarious, they don’t like Dorje Shugden, hence, they call all Dorje Shugden people are Chinese spy, well, there are Dorje Shugden in Malaysia, in Singapore, Thailand, Australia, UK, USA, Italy, Nepal, India, and the list goes on.. OH MY GOD, CHINA HAS PLOTTED SO MANY SPIES IN ALL THE COUNTRIES, ARE THEY PLANNING FOR SOMETHING BIG??? …… (speechless)
A country’s leader is suppose to take care the welfare of their citizen, they should focus on developing their country so that their next generation and their next, next, next, next and all the future generations has a good place to live in, and not spending so much unnecessary time, money, effort to hire people to attack Dorje Shugden people online, to put them down, what do they achieve out of it? Let’s say, if every single person in this universe, including those from Mars, Venus, Jupiter, etc, all beings from all planets give up Dorje Shugden practice, will Tibetan Leadership get back their country? Will they become super rich? or will they gained super power? No, they still live a normal life, they still gotto work, play, eat, sleep, their daily life is no different, so why is Dorje Shugden practitioners bothers them so much? Why are they spending their time, money and effort in something like this instead of spending it to their citizen?
I love China too, I love to read or watch their history and how China today is formed, I love their rich culture, their attitude, their thinking big, the scenery, the buildings, etc. I love so much about China, but please don’t call me ‘spy’, because I’m not connected at all with China, I don’t know anyone there and most of all… I’M A DORJE SHUGDEN PRACTITIONER & I’M PROUD OF IT… (so scary, you know)
I am one of H.E. the 25th Tsem Tulku Rinpoche’s students, Malaysian born Chinese. Is there a problem for being born as Chinese? Is there a bigger problem being a Chinese and I practice Dorje Shugden? But there is a big issue id you are a Tibetan and at the same time you practices Dorje Shugden because The Tibetan Leadership immediately link to China. Not just that, you are automatically guilty as a paid spy for China. How easy for Tibetan leadership to use this CHINA PAID SPY to push everything and all the responsibilities for NOT BEING ABLE TO FREE TIBET to Doje Shugden practitioners. I know politics are dirty but Tibetan leadership has come to a very bad idea of using religion to do that. they created very heavy karma karma to themselves and to their own Tibetans by breaking all the refuge vows. With a burden of such a heavy karma, nothing good will turn out for them. I do hope their realise this and turn them around to re collect their merits and create good causes to make things work again.
Dorje Shugden was a main practice before the Tibetan Government came up with a bon on this holy Dharma Protector. Many high lamas did practice Dorje Shugden exactly as did their guru before them. H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche received the practice from his guru and this can not be overridden by anyone else.
Why does the CTA condemn Dorje Shugden? Well, it seems that even after so many years there is not much result in finding a solution with China. The CTA is depending on others even after 60 years. So, they need to find a scapegoat to hide that they did not accomplish much for their own people.
I wish very much that the CTA stops to hurt their own people, the Dorje Shugden practitioners and gives religious freedom to all of their people. This is what any democratic country would do. It seems like the CTA does not understand that a democratic government needs to help and assist ALL of their people.
May this nightmare of ban stop as soon as possible. Many people have heavy daily repercussions, in work, in health, in traveling, in school, in daily activities like buying food and social like having friends and family!
This has to stop! CTA you are not a government for your people! Shame on you!
“The Shugden practice began in the 17th century, long before any kind of geopolitical conflicts and since that time, there has not been any connection between this Protector practice and Chinese politics. In fact, there was no so-called connection until the Tibetan leadership started talking about it almost 400 years after the practice began!”
and suddenly Dorje Shugden’s practitioners become a piece of puzzle in the politic which said to have connection with Chinese politics.
People around the world have been practicing this Great Dharma Protector, Dorje Shugden’s practice, by practicing it they gain attainments, people have been benefited, their mind have been transformed into a positive ones, people lives have been saved and out of a sudden “Hey, we’re now the SON of DEMON and they say we should stop practicing Dorje Shugden”
How true is this? Should Dorje Shugden’s practitioners follow what the others say, and forget about the root of source that make us a better person and start following the other parties to put down Dorje Shugden’s practitioners by using DIY baseless and senseless reasons?
I SAY NO! Everyone has a choice, but think TWICE.
I will never forgot who i was as Chinese in Malaysia. We love our culture and choose our religion practice. Malaysia is muslim country yet the government respect all the races and we are able do what we believe. Since 20 year ago I met H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, He has so kind and care for us giving us Dorje Shugden practice. It sad to see Tibetan Government has put up the ban, again all the Dorje Shugden practitioner around the world. Tibetan leadership should not use religion stop people practice what they believe. Descriminate Dorje Shugden practitioner. No giving harm to people and bring peace for people has hurt from Dorje Shugden. That is what my stand as Malsysian Chinese. My statement here are clear, don’t critizime my guru who love and treasure his root where is come form. That is whst i see in my guru loyalty toward his root guru and treasure his practice. No people can put down our believe.
The use of religion in politic is while implementing a state’s law, it must be put into consideration that the particular law doesn’t clash with the religious belief of that country. But the government should not use religion as a tool to stop religious freedom or to influence his people on religious beliefs. The worst is political parties are playing with the emotions of public using the name of religion such like Tibetan Leadership.
If so many Chinese Dorje Shugden practitioners paid by China, you should very easy to get the prove, but where is the prove? So, dear Tibetan Leaders, your accuse on Chinese Dorje Shugden practitioners as being paid by China really does not make sense. And please, don’t change your “politic channel” to Dorje Shudgen, your channel is still on free Tibet, please face it that you failed for the last 50 plus years in securing the independence of Tibet and negotiating with China.
The Tibetan leaderships are a joke. Anybody seen in the company of or had their photo taken with any Chinese government officer is branded a spy. No other proof except that of photos. There are millions of Chinese outside of China – will some of them be labelled spies too if seen or photographed? It’s preposterous! Instead of barking like a rabid dog and wrongly accusing Dorje Shugden of being the bane of winning back their lost cause, the CTA should use the resources spent, in putting down Dorje Shugden and making him the scapegoat, for their people’s welfare.
That’s the Guru we are looking for – i am highlighted it what touched my heart deeply
From Guru audio teaching :
I practice Dorje Shugden because my Guru, Kyabje Zong Rinpoche gave it to me, and no one on this planet in the ten directions, in the three planes of existence can ever deter my willpower to follow my Guru’s instructions. No one may override that in my mind. No one. I will never abandon my Guru, I will never think negative thoughts about my Guru, I will never abandon any practice my Guru has given me. I will never defy my Guru, or show disrespect to my Guru, or show wrong body actions, or show wrong attitude to my Guru. I will never do that. My enlightenment and my attainment of higher realisations depend on the blessings of my Guru.
Thank You Rinpoche for always reminding us the important of Guru Samaya.
_/\_
It’s ridiculous to say all Chinese Shugden practitioners are Chinese spies and politically related to China. This really challenge the common sense of an individual as a whole. How can one rather baselessly putting blame due to one family historical lineage.
I totally agree that spiritual should not be mix with politic. Spiritual is not an object for any political reason but is a practice for our well being. It can be a supporting mechanism to achieve peace, harmony, unity but not for any negative reason. Using spiritual to touch the sentiment of the people is totally a manipulation.
It’s illogical for the Tibetan leadership to use this excuses as a scape goat to cover their failure for Tibetan freedom. There are so many people or countries that has relationship with China, why they are not being names or accuse? As a leader of a nation how could spiritual practice be the reason of it’s fall? If they can’t even unite the diversity of multi religious obviously they can hold the country and I have no doubt why they fail for so long.
Every individual have their right of choice for the spiritual practice. In one nation there are so many races, ethnics and etc. A good leader in a country would find ways to unite their people to make a strong country. By saying so to give religious freedom, human rights, respect is the key to achieve harmony.
Allegation, accusation on Dorje Shugden’s practitioners should come to the end. There are completely no prove Rinpoche have link with being China spy or agent.Now we are living in the modern democratic century where evidence is the most secure defence.Then why there are these people calling themselves “leaders” create stories of DS people are bad, evil?Is this the value of a leadership?
Let me clarify this. I am of Chinese descendant, born and raised in Malaysia and I am not from China. My ancestors were. I practice Dorje Shugden because our Holy Guru gave us this practice. We were not paid to do the practice.
Since the Tibetan Leadership said that Dorje Shugden practitioners get paid to practice, maybe China’s government should consider it as a marketing tool! Then there would be MORE DS practitioners and they can outshine the Tibetan Leadership and its little group. Haha…
To always blame Chinese Dorje Shugden practitioners as being paid by China really does not make sense. First of all, where is the prove? If there are so many DS practitioners being paid by China, why can’t they even get some prove to show it? All these baseless accusations by the irresponsible Tibetan Leadership is utter nonsense! And to make innocent people believe in that lie, make them even more irresponsible. Instead of spreading lies and confusing people, why don’t they create harmony and work together in their so called bho rangzen. Why separate people and then hope to get back Tibet and then what? Look at how China is growing. There is no denying in that.
Everyone has the freedom to choose their religion. No government in the world have the right to criticise their decision. What happen to our rights? I truly agree with what Rinpoche wrote above. What i choose to practice doesn’t concern anyone. It is my choice. Whatever anyone say, it will not deter me.
Just because the people of one race hurts others, it does not mean all of them can be branded evil or is deemed to be so. All races have evil and good people, to think that just because some are evil it is alright to think bad of the entire race is not logical at all. Each race that has lived on this earth has people who act out negative actions. There is no race that only has all good people.
The allegations that Dorje Shugden practitioners are Chinese agents and spies, and contribute towards Tibet not being able to regain independence is truly baseless. If that is the case, there are tibetans who do not practice Dorje Shugden, and who are of other lineage/sects – why have they not been able to contribute towards Tibet regaining independence then? IF Dorje Shugden was spirit worship, why hasn’t the lamas, monks, practitioners who do not practice Dorje Shugden but who are practising Buddhists been able to ‘counter’ the ‘results’ of Dorje Shugden’s contribution towards Tibet not being able to gain their independence? It clearly shows that Dorje Shugden practice does no harm to anyone, or Tibet’s cause, because he is Manjushri.
How can 2million plus over practitioners ALL be Chinese spies/agents, if that is what the Tibetan leadership claims? It’s totally such an insane accusation. Before Rinpoche came public with his Dorje Shugden practice, NO ONE called Rinpoche a Chinese spy/agent/dog, but when Rinpoche teaches about Dorje Shugden, he is ALL OF A SUDDEN accused of being a Chinese spy/agent..doesn’t make sense.
Thank you Rinpoche for this very logical article to explain to us the relationship between Dorje Shugden and China. It does not make sense to say all Dorje Shugden followers are agents of China, it is like saying people who eat rice are Chinese. Very clearly people are using Dorje Shugden as a scapegoat for their political interest.
I am of Chinese ethnicity in Malaysia but I am no way connected with China apart from my cultural and heritage background. I am also a Dorje Shugden followers but I was never taught by my teacher (Tsem Rinpoche) anything about politic. Rinpoche teaches us to be kind, compassionate and loving, he passes down Buddha’s teachings to us. We are taught who Dorje Shugden is and his role in our spiritual practice, nothing about politic at all.
Chinese government supports authentic Dharma practice and teachings, this is the very reason why Chinese government supports Dorje Shugden followers and monasteries.
What Tibetan leadership is doing is very damaging to Buddha Dharma. By imposing the ban, they are creating obstacles to the spreading of Dharma. They contribute to the degeneration of authentic lineage. I hope the ban, accusations and discrimination to Dorje Shugden followers will come to an end very soon.
For many years since I have been following Rinpoche, I have known Rinpoche to talk about Chinese culture, Chinese behaviour, the imperial courts of China, Chinese creations/invention and etc. Rinpoche once has said to his close students that the reasons Rinpoche knew so much was because he read a lot. Also because when Rinpoche was sent by his teachers back in the monastery abroad, he needed to know about this culture to enable Rinpoche to help us more.
I am a Chinese origin. I am a close student to Rinpoche as many of my dharma brothers and sisters. Therefore when I read remarks about names people calls Rinpoche , it does annoy a living daylight of me. However, on the other hand it shows also the shallowness of the people.
Malaysia and many other countries in the world has strong trade ties with China, why are these “accusers” not calling these leaders names. Why so selective? Unless these “accusers” have other agendas.
The accusations of Dorje Shugden practitioners as spy, Chinese agents, Chinese dogs etc ugly names are patently absurd. It makes no sense at all. It’s always easy to blame your failure on 3rd party and find a scapegoat to prove you’re right shows you’re totally insecure, incapable and irresponsible. A leadership should not encourage its people to segregate, involve in physical attack, bully on social media and spread hate among own people, it’s not surprise why after 50 years Tibet is still not united under such leadership.
It’s so obvious that CTA wants to join force with whoever is against China, especially the Western countries like US. The rise of China is so unexpected to the westerners and hence the suppression, accusations and blame games.
Put aside political issues, Tibet is such a beautiful country, so spiritual and so many High Lamas came from Tibet who has been tirelessly spreading the Buddha Dharma to the people around the world, benefitting millions of people.
I was born a Chinese and my grandparents were all from China. I was educated in Chinese schools since young and my mother tongue is Mandarin. I love Chinese cultures, China and am a Dorje Shugden practitioner.
感谢仁波切你的教诲与分享,
“宗教”应该只是单单的一种信仰,一种教育(方法)让我们能够学习生活与获得离开痛苦(离苦的乐)的功课,而今天无论您是信仰那一个宗教,那一个派系,拜在那一位伟大上师的门下,我们大部份人在选择自己的宗教信仰时,在进行一些仪轨或供养时,都是希望“佛”“菩萨”“耶稣”“仙道”等等,去除我们的障碍,并且得到心中的一份慰籍与宁静。
而从何时开始,宗教却变成了政治与攻击他人的“工具”,并且可以随意地让人挂上了种种与“利益”“国家”等等的名号挂钩,那岂不是与我们寻找宗教信仰最初的发心有所违背吗?在这一篇教诲中启发着我们一些想法,是不是因为某些人因为自己的私欲,而把宗教沦为了政治的工具,而大部分的人,总是只喜欢听,并且在没有想要搞清楚事件的原委与理解下,带着自己“想法”,也刚好得到一个渲泄自己心中的不满情绪(与宗教无关的压抑)的理由,就直接与间接的参与在这政治与利益的漩涡当中,比如就觉得修持多杰雄登护法的上师与学生就是与中国肯定有着匪浅的关系,并且得到中国政府的支助来继续雄登修持的佛法事业,也许不排除真的有着这样的事情发生,但是是否,也是可以有可能存在着很多有修持多杰雄登护法的上师与学生却与中国政府完全没有任何关系的呢?
中国有着这样的一句话“一竹竿打沉一船人”A bamboo pole knocked over the whole people on boat,也许刚好可以运用在这里,并不是每一个修持雄登护法的人就是中国间谍,也并不是没有修持多杰雄登护法,或西藏流亡政府本身,或只要是“人类”就不可能没有或有着与中国,你也许也不知道的关系,所以不要只是听了一些片面之词就可以武断的以为你可以了解了事件的全部,并且可以随意的就认同与参与散播莫一些谣言… …
宗教不应该沦为伤害他人的工具,如果我们选择宗教信仰最初的发心是寻找自己内心的那一份宁静与慰籍,那么我们就不要把悲伤,痛苦,无实的指控与攻击加载在他人的身上吧。
谢谢
Jerry 司徒
Very clear article as stated by Rinpoche. Baseless accusations and defamation have been said to our Previous Guru…….linking Rinpoche with China just because of practicing Dorje Shugden. and was called China spy. Religion are not supposed to mix with politics, when mixed it become impure and politics become harmful.
Rinpoche admiration of Chinese culture, language, history, background and so forth since young has nothing to do with China political views.
Tibetan leadership failed to gain independence of Tibet from China for many years. Rinpoche is not against the Dalai Lama, in fact love and respect the Dalai Lama.
May the ban on Dorje Shugden be lifted soon.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYzr5FKSYsg&feature=youtu.be
Here is a speech presented at Harvard University by Kishore Mahbubani, a Singaporean former diplomat and now a professor at the NUS. I find this really interesting. He advises that the US should stop aggressive naval patrol near to China’s coast. The US has always acted for it’s own interest often at the expense of global interest. Also, China is fast become world no.1 and the US relegated to no.2. It’s the sign of the times that countries that were strong US allies are now shifting their allegiance away. It is a fair observation that Americans are so cut-off from the world that they don’t know what’s going on outside of their country. Here, we call it “katak dibawah tempurung”. He observes “The era of western domination of world history was a 200 year aberration and it’s coming to an end.” An aberration (lol)! Unlike the US, the Chinese do not believe in proselytize their beliefs, they would rather people respect them for their deeds than their words.
Mixed into the chaos of China-Tibetan issue is the deteriorating China-US relationship, the sentiment stemming from the western ignorance of eastern thinking and their having lost their ranking to China. More so now, if you do something the Tibetan government frowns upon, then you must be pro-China which is supposed to be a bad thing. Since when does political beliefs have to be fused with religious beliefs? Or is it a convenient distraction and scapegoat?
I am a Dorje Shugden practitioner only because my Guru recommended that practice full stop. I have no ties with China other than a couple of friends and colleagues and my ancestors having originated from China, but that was several generations ago, I don’t even have an idea where from. What do some of these strangers know about me so well to be able to insinuate that China must be lining my pockets for the sole reason that I practice Dorje Shugden?
This is so ridiculous that I marvel at how some people can be so easily brainwashed by a group of people who fan the flames only for their own interest in mind.
Hi Echeah,
Thank you for sharing the video. I found Kishore Mahbubani speech very interesting and logical. He spoke with much finesse and presented his points with logic and great examples. After listening to his speech you tend to appreciate how China coming into power as the no.1 world superpower nation becomes a much needed power in today’s global economy and wealth. I like what he said that unlike the US, the Chinese do not believe in proselytising their beliefs, they do not belief that you have to copy or emulate them to succeed and that they also belief that it is better for people to admire and respect them for their deeds rather than to pay attention to their words.
So this is very big difference from America because what we have now is the world’s no.1 power in the world is no longer a missionary power in the world. I guess this makes it more appealing for people to want to work with China because they do not dabble into your culture, traditions and beliefs and do not try to change your value but focus more on productivity and prosperity for everyone.
Now that is something we see lack of coming from the West with their high-horse of judgemental perception of others, and especially even more glaring now. China will without a doubt be quickly a favourite amongst many of the poorer countries which the US has never helped, and you will see China spread its wings in this way globally while America remain isolated and probably more chaotic than they already are right now.
I feel this is a long overdue statement from Rinpoche. There have been so many baseless accusations and defamation (mainly from peole who wants Tibet freedom) on internet saying that Rinpoche is paid by China etc. but there is absolutely no proofs. Rinpoche’s liking of China is since young and has nothing to do Dorje Shugden or anything like that.
In any case, Buddha taught us to be compassionate and kind to sentient being. The people who accused Rinpoche is contradicting Buddha’s teaching by spreading hatred towards another race/nation. Like Rinpoche said, there are good people in China, and there are bad people in China. We can’t just generalise all China people are bad, as claimed by these FreeTibet people.
Another thing is these people don’t study and accuse Rinpoche as paid by China is Rinpoche is always seen to be around Chinese. However, the fact is that most of the tie Rinpoche are around Malaysian, who happened to be Malaysian Chinese. For example I am a Malaysian but I am Chinese descendant. I am holding Malaysia passport, NOT China passport. But these haters accuse me as “Chinese spy who works towards the downfall of Tibet”.
I hope they can really study and read up the geographical and political scenarios before they start to comment, because it looks really bad for other people who are fighting for FreeTibet cause.
It beggars belief how people can be so unreasonable and just because of differences in spiritual practices, would ledge on to anything to discredit you including this linkage to China… Really pathetic way to conduct oneself and the sad thing is if one is truly spiritual, one should conduct oneself with a compassionate view of events…and being devisive and schismatic are definitely not on…
Like our Guru, Tsem Rinpoche said, “We are Dorje Shugden practitioners now, and shall always be, strictly for spiritual reason. We are not against His Holiness, The Dalai Lama, we love the Dalai Lama. The spreading of untrue and undesirable remarks, which serve to create and increase hatred, anger and segregation do not move us anymore. Whatever religion, race and colour we are, there’s no difference, because underneath we are all the same! The seed of compassion and peace will follow, and will flourish forever-more! Therefore, for the sake of Harmony, peace and happiness, we should promote love, care, unity and compassion amongst all humanity, irrespective of race, colour or creed. It is up to each of us as individual, to make use of our time to make an all-out effort to help create a happier and more peaceful world for everybody to live in! As said, that for the Dorje Shugden issue, “For the last 50 years, the Tibetan Leadership have not done very well in securing Independence of Tibet and negotiating with China for the middle way and Autonomy, which have not been successful. As an excuse, Dorje Shugden was said to have being made an easy scapegoat for being blamed for the failures of all disruptive issues of the “FAILINGS”, even to the point that some Lamas won’t live long because of Dorje Shugden’s wrath! But as said, since Dorje Shugden’s Ban in 1996 till now, Dorje Shugden hasn’t punished, hurt, damaged or killed any Lamas, monks or any Geshes, which can be verified and ascertained! Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche has already said that he is Manjushri!” Whatsoever, as a highly realised being, His Holiness, The Dalai Lama can easily see through anyone, including Dorje Shugden as a high diety of Superiority. As such His Holiness ability is not mutable, and the Dalai Lama should be awared. May His Holiness, The Dalai Lama who works so hard for the welfare of others, have great health, inexhaustible energy, longer life and continue to turn the wheel of Dharma for all beings. Om Mani Padme Hung,
Rinpoche had shared his view very clearly in this article on how some people perceive him. This is about not labelling people having connection with China as bad people, and not calling all Dorje Shugden practitioners as Chinese spies or agents. There are many people who live outside of mainland China with ancestors originated from China, like Rinpoche and many Malaysian Chinese. Therefore, it’s definitely unfair to discriminate Chinese or Dorje Shugden practitioners just because of their ancestral relationship with China and their faith.
Hopefully through this sharing, all this generalization that segregate people will be further minimized as underneath the different colour and religion, we are all the same. Why spend time on all the labeling, accusation and discrimination as these are unnecessary and only contribute more hatred and separation. Instead, we should promote harmony, love, peace and equality in this world regardless of different races and religion we have.
For the first time in my life I heard people called me “Chinese dog”, “Chinese spy” because I practiice Dorje Shugden and follow my Guru. And the persons who calling names are completely strangers, we never meet each other; and some of them do not have complete profile/face on their Facebook or Twitter.
This is demeaning and degrading, just because of my choice of religion. Even if I practice this religion I will go to hell like many tell me on social media, this finding shouldn’t make me a dog or a spy for certain country. It’s completely no connection between my practice and becoming a dog or spy.
To be a Dorje Shugden practitioner in this sense, you are worse than a criminal who kill people, burn down people’s house. But I did none of the above.
The only reasoning one can think of as revealed by Rinpoche is, to accuse someone as a spy or agent of China by a completely strangers is making Dorje Shugden practitioners as the scapegoat to hurt the feeling of Tibetans, and they are the one who fail the Tibetan cause, and making Tibetans to suffer. Thus, diverting the attention thatTibetan leadership after so many decades still fail in improving Tibetans in exile’s welfare, and show any concrete result in Tibetan cause. If that is not the case, why after defaming and accusing over and over again, there’s still not a single evidence to show H.E. Tsem Rinpoche has any political connection with China as a Chinese agent?
For the first time in my life I have people called me “Chinese dog”, “Chinese spy” because I practiice Dorje Shugden and follow my Guru. And the persons who calling names are completely strangers, we never meet each other; and some of them do not have complete profile/face on their Facebook or Twitter.
This is demeaning and degrading, just because of my choice of religion. Even if I practice this religion I will go to hell like many tell me on social media, this finding shouldn’t make me a dog or a spy for certain country. It’s completely no connection between my practice and becoming a dog or spy.
To be a Dorje Shugden practitioner in this sense, you are worse than a criminal who kill people, burn down people’s house (杀人放火). But I did none of the above.
The reasoning one can think of is as mentioned by Rinpoche, to accuse someone as a spy or agent of China, is an act to defame Dorje Shugden practitioners, to make them as scapegoat to hurt the feeling of Tibetans. Thus, Tibetans influenced by this accusation would focus their energy to “fight” Dorje Shugden lamas and practitioners. Tibetan leadership who failed after many decade on the Tibetan cause and improving the welfare of the hundred and thousands of Tibetan in exile will be divided. If not, why after defaming and accusing over and over again, there’s still not a single evidence to show H.E. Tsem Rinpoche has any political connection with China as a Chinese agent?
May ban on Dorje Shugden be lifted, may the sufferings be stopped.
Thank you, Rinpoche for this compassionate sharing, which calmly explain things against a baseless allegation created by haters and spread by irresponsible parties with ulterior motives. It pains me to see my Guru having to put up this post to give clarification. This allegation of all Dorje Shugden’s practitioners and my Guru are paid agent of the Chinese Government simply because of a protector practice is utterly illogical borderline bigotry. It is as good as saying that if one wears blue, therefore he is stupid. No? This allegation is not true simply because (1) there are better ways for the Chinese government to “get back” at their arch enemy the Dalai Lama, instead of paying all Dorje Shugden’s practitioners for practicing Dorje Shugden practice and spreading Buddha’s teaching, who also happened to suffered greatly under the leadership of Dalai Lama. If these group of people received money from the Chinese government for the last 20 years, there must be proof by now. (2) Won’t the Chinese Government, be smart enough to pay the people closest or closer to Dalai Lama. I am sure the Chinese Government had heard of the word “infiltration,” instead of paying a huge group of Dorje Shugden people who, from the look of things, sit at the bottom of the hierarchy (since they cannot hold office) and have no social status whatsoever as they are being loathed at by the community largely. The strategy to use Dorje Shugden’s practice as an anti-China mechanism will backfire because it incites schism, hatred, fear and broken Samaya with Guru among the Tibetans in exile. These are all adverse actions that generate negative karma, and someone will have to face it someone, one day. Dalai Lama, please restore unity and harmony, please lift the ban on Dorje Shugden and instruct the leadership to make peace with Dorje Shugden people.
The Tibetans like to keep accusing and condemning Rinpoche and all of us for taking money from China, and that is why we practice, promote and spread Dorje Shugden. Sometimes I wish that it was true so we can really spread the lineage and teachings even further! And so without any evidences or proof they just keep linking Shugden with China because of a “few” pictures they saw of Shugden lamas being friendly with Chinese officials. It is just so ridiculous to stereotype Shugden practitioners in this way, because if you can do that then you might as well say all the leaders around the world are also Shugden practitioners and taking CCP money (which some are really doing so to help them with their economy). So why don’t they say that? How ridiculous and illogical, they make themselves sound so narrow and archaic… really shows you the level of mind set we are dealing with.
Whether or not we make friends with China or not is really NOT the point here. The point is there is DISCRIMINATION on Shugden people, period. And why can’t Shugden practitioners be associated with China, why can’t I have friends in China, or make friends with people in China? So what if we are actually friends with China? Just because I have friends with China does not mean I am a communist spy or that I am against H.H. the Dalai Lama or that I don’t like Tibet. The whole world are doing business with China, does that mean they are all communist spy or against Tibetans. The Tibetan Leadership must think everyone does not know how to check, investigate and find out.
The Tibetan leadership actually paint a very ugly picture of Tibetans and what they represent, the more the tell lies, curse at us and twist thing around to blame us, the more they make themselves look fanatical, and even racist! So it makes no sense when they voice out against the human rights issues in China. It makes them look hypocritical and it’s like the pot calling the kettle black. There really is no point in what they say then because they themselves do not practice what they preach and what they dislike so how can people support them? Why would China listen to them? They really make themselves sound silly.
I was born a Chinese, my ancesters were all chinese from China, I went to chinese primary and secondary school, even furthered my tertiary education in China, yet no one ever once called me a china spy. However since I started practicing Dorje Shugden – a buddhist protector that arose in Tibet, I suddenly become a china spy. How ridiculous!
What happens to my guru, H.E. Tsem Rinpoche is even more ridiculous. He is not a Chinese, he never speaks chinese, never studied in China, never worked in China, never have any direct connection with China, yet just because he follows his guru’s advice to practice Dorje Shugden, he is called China spy. What is the logic behind the accusation?
The same accusation falls on all innocent Tibetan Dorje Shugden practitioners whom their whole life never had any connection with China, why they have to be called China spy and facing all types of discrimination just because they chose to be loyal to their Guru and protector? Their clean samaya with their Gurus which is a quality that supposed to be highly praised in Tibetan buddhism suddenly become something that is to be criticized. How can this contradiction happen? What is right turned into wrong just because of a ban. What is the real buddhist value then?
I really hope that Dorje Shugden Ban would end soon. No one should ever mix politics with religions, and even using religion as tool to achieve their own political agendas. All religions suppose to make the world a better world to live, not the opposite.
It is illogical but I do think that the connection of Dorje Shugden and being a Chinese agent is deliberately brought together despite the chasm in between. Although there is actually no connection whatsoever but it is to pin the connotation of being a spy. In Tibetan mentality, one cannot be more of a traitor than to work for the Chinese government.
At the end of the day, the dark dealings of the Tibetan leadership that instituted the ban and created this illusory bridge between being a Chinese spy and that of a Dorje Shugden practitioner. This shows deep ignorance within Tibetan society and it is rare to find such clear, insightful and powerful voice that sheds light on this deep seated misaligned misconception about Shugden practitioners as Chinese agents.
Tibet has been part of China for more than 50 years. It is an inseparable relationship now whether we like it or not. People should stop dwelling in the past and make full use of the opportunities available with the new leadership. This can only be done when one is opened to see the positivity and beauty of this relationship instead.
Dorje Shugden has been conveniently linked with China as a scapegoat to camouflage the real issue which is the lack of ability in leading and managing a country. Dorje Shugden is an easy target because a deity will not fight back or retaliate. He or she is a perfect point to channel one’s frustrations, anger and all negativities to in hope that things will get better while continuing feeding one’s selfish interest and delusion – self made enemy like China and etc.
As long as the real issue is not resolved, China will continue to be seen as the culprit and their positive efforts in developing Tibet will not be accepted.
This is such a wonderful change. People who take the time to research and think logically about the Dorje Shugden issue can easily see past the prejudice. I am seeing more and more of this shift away from blind hatred of something people do not comprehend. Very happy for Suzy.
Here’s the link to Suzy’s comment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vl-4lIwxph4&t=11s
This isn’t the first time I’ve seen this accusation of “being in the pay of China” launched at someone who is a Dorje Shugden practioner like H.E. Tsem Rinpoche. People, governments always what to find a scapegoat to blame their troubles and problems of their own making on someonelse instead of facing their own issues. Just because someone has admiration and respect for Chinese culture, history, and is ethnically chinese does not mean they are in the “pay of China.” Prove it with paperwork, reciepts, cheques etc. If you can’t show one shred of evidence it’s a baseless accusation and you must acquit. You should acquiesce to the truth. Shouting an accusation like this over and over will not make your false viewpoint truthful. If this were in a court system you’d need to show evidence, provide motivation, and make a compelling argument in front of a impartial jury. I for one respect and admire Chinese culture, food, invetntions and contributions they have made throughout history. Politics is politics, and a lot of Dorje Shugden practioners have nothing to do with political matters. They simply want to maintain their guru devotion and practice without fear of reprisals, and harassment.
Thank you Bradley for your comment… I cannot agree with you more especially on this point:
Politics is politics, and a lot of Dorje Shugden practioners have nothing to do with political matters. They simply want to maintain their guru devotion and practice without fear of reprisals, and harassment.
And to keep condemning China almost sound like these Tibetans are fanatical and even racist to a fault. So it make no sense when they voice out against the human rights issues in China. It’s like the pot calling the kettle black and there really is no point in what they say. It is very hypocritical. It is like calling someone a thief but you are also stealing, how are they any different? But I guess most of them do not realise and see this, because if they did they would not have lost Tibet in the first place. Sorry to say.
H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche’s connection with China is the same as I am connected to China..By Ancestry. Just because one admires or visits or writes about China, it does not mean that we are paid to do so. If I liked America and write about her, does that mean I am paid by America? What Rinpoche had always written about is factual and shared by most World Leaders. Tibet is a province of China now, a fact accepted by many such as US President, British Prime Minister, European Prime Ministers, etc. Rinpoche cares for the state of the Tibetans in Exile and wishes for them to be able to return home, especially since it is also the wish of the Dalai Lama. The longer CTA delays the dialogue, the slimmer the chances that any of their needs will be accepted…China as it is today need not really talk to them what more negotiate.
So with Rinpoche being caring, he is undeservingly attacked with vulgar lies and accusations. Shouldn’t CTA and their followers be fair and treat those Head of States who declared Tibet as part of China the same? After all they are the ones who actually gave up on Tibetans In Exile going home and only see use of them as pawns in their political game. CTA, please know your real friends or otherwise. Rinpoche is not, never was and never will be your enemy. Nor all the Shugden practitioners that you accused of being paid by China. They practice Guru Devotion and loyally continue their practice of the enlightened Protector given to them by their Gurus.
I agree and can totally relate with the article. When I first knew and experienced the impact of Dorje Shugden’s ban, I could not make sense of it. I grew up in a free country, and have friends and relatives in China although I have no political connection with the Chinese government. It was not an issue before.
But when it has became known that I am a Dorje Shugden practitioners, suddenly I became a Chinese dog to a group of people I have never met before. What I experienced is just a small fraction of what my teacher H.E. Tsem Rinpoche. He has experienced the discrimination in a much larger scale. But yet, Rinpoche has taught me and many others to stand up for our rights to worship the deity of our choice and at the same time still proud of our Chinese heritage. Rinpoche himself has been a living example of this principle.
Thank you Rinpoche for becoming an example on how to maintain our integrity and defend our rights to worship the deity of our choice.
Valentina
Thank you Rinpoche for this clarity about not mixing politics with religion and vice versa. This mixture benefits no one and creates disharmony and hate, which Rinpoche always make a stand against such unpleasant conduct.
Religious spirituality is very personal and individualistic, whereas politics is open and public. The former being an individual choice and the later answer to the well being of the nation and her citizenry.
It is abhorring that Rinpoche is constantly abused and slandered as being aligned with the Chinese Government as her spy, paid agent and many more unsavoury insults due to the ignorance of the cyberbullies.
It is very kind of Rinpoche to write such a lengthy point of view on this matter. Thank you, Rinpoche.
With folded hands, Datuk May
Despite there being no historical fact to support it, since 1996 the Tibetan leadership has been making an issue out of the relationship with China,of Shugden practitioners. Today it is commonplace for Shugden practitioners to be accused of being China’s agents or their political supporters/sympathisers , in the pay of China. The most surprising thing is that the Tibetan leadership are only talking about this 400 years after the practice of Dorje Shugden was started!
This unsubstantiated accusation has received some support from the West, probably because China’s growing strength and power threatens the Western political and economic dominance of the world which they have hitherto been enjoying. A second possible reason for this support from the West of this insubstantial accusation is their lack of awareness of Chinese culture and history. To make such sweeping statements that Shugden practitioners are spies and sympathisers of China is harmful because it “manipulates the emotions of the Tibetan people who feel very strongly about their political troubles” with China. Understandably, there may be some black sheep among Shugden practitioners and even non-Shugden practitioners . Nonetheless, it is most illogical and unfair and damaging to tar all Shugden practitioners with the same brush. It is grossly unjust and damaging to accuse ALL Shugden practitioners of having a political connection with China on the sole basis of their faith in Shugden.
Tsem Rinpoche’s connections with China are purely on the grounds of having relatives in China (Tibet/Xinjiang), also friends and monasteries associated with his Buddhist lineage , as well as his heritage that comes from China – his father hails from Tibet and his mother (who comes from Xinjiang) is Mongolian in ethnicity. Tsem Rinpoche is also connected to China by his 4-decade old admiration of China’s immensely rich culture. THere is absolutely nothing wrong with these connections , which do not have even a faint whiff of politics in them.
Tsem Rinpoche is a Dorje Shugden practitioner, a practice which he strongly holds because it was given to him by his Root Guru. Every man is entitled to the freedom to choose his faith/ religion . His practice of Shugden does not harm anyone. Instead, he has benefited countless beings as a most compassionate Shugden Lama. He has peacefully practised Shugden , never creating disharmony through advice or coercion. Similarly, his Malaysian Chinese students have devoted themselves purely to the spiritual task of helping to set up the Kechara Dharma centre for the spread of Dharma to benefit people.
Shugden Lamas and practitioners have been practising Shugden for the last 400 years. There was no “Chinese connection” of any political nature then. There is none now. There were no China spies then. THere isn’t any now. Hence, why should Shugden practitioners be categorised as Chinese spies without a shred of substantial evidence. It would appear that this is a mere ploy to win the support of people, with influence, to their side. Grossly unfair and uncalled for.
If people wish to call Tsem Rinpoche a paid Chinese spy, PROVE IT WITH DOCUMENTS OR BANK STATEMENTS AND THE LIKE. He will not break his commitment to his Root Guru – he will not give up his Shugden practice.
What Tsem Rinpoche is against is not critically thinking people but a wall of diehard prejudice, racism and hate, built by people who refuse to accept the fact that he loves and respects the Dalai Lama, but at the same time he will continue to practice Shugden with devotion too. He is all about compassion and wisdom, which moves him to work for peace and harmony all the way.
Hitler had his JEWS.
Dalai Lama has DORJE SHUGDEN and we his followers.
Dictators need their “INTERNAL ENEMIES” to rally their followers to hate.
This is a common thread throughout man’s history.
The 14th Dalai Lama the “Buddha of Compassion” teaches his followers to HATE US.