Of particular interest to me is episode 5, where Japanese play-on-words were applied to quotes from literature, maths formulae (eg. finding square and cubic roots) and the periodic table. I remember making up a poem to help me remember the first thirty or so elements of the periodic table:

清害李皮彭谭，旦养芙乃娜美，吕归林留虑亚假，丐抗泰凡各，蒙铁古涅同心，佳者深悉秀客

氢氦锂铍硼碳，氮氧氟氖钠镁，铝硅磷硫氯氩钾，钙钪钛钒铬，锰铁钴镍铜锌，镓锗砷硒溴氪

Even to this day, play-on-words, acronyms and so on still prove useful in all sorts of studying. For now, Ten Zulus Beat My Cat is the key.

Anyway, back to Taiyo, I really hope Hachi does not commit suicide in episode 8 tomorrow. I like this character, and the actor himself (Gakkun was really good in Proposal Daisakusen as well).

On a different note, having been a fan of Japanese dramas for a few years, I think I could perhaps check out a few American drama series as well, starting with House Season I.

I think I’ve found the name for the condition that my grandma suffered and then “passed on” to her daughter.  It is apparently a PD more commonly seen in men than women, and does seem to have a hereditary element to it. But it is more or less to do with the environment in which OCPDers were brought up in.

This article gives a very indepth description of OCPD – I wish I had come across it earlier. I’m still trying to come to term with this, and learn how to deal with the OCPDers in my family.

I started this blog to keep track of my own thoughts on the various political, religious, cultural and academic issues, and to keep a collection of articles or extracts which I find interesting or thought-provoking. Nevertheless, it is a pleasure to see that there are people out there taking interest in some of the topics I have posed, particularly in regards to Dalai Lama.

Admittedly, I knew hardly anything about him before this year. The riots in Lhasa earlier this year certainly aroused my attention to the entire Tibet issue and his role in it.

I am not a religious person although I do have great interest in learning about the major religions of the world.  My Chinese heritage certainly plays an important part in my perception and interpretation of the world today, but I do like to think that I have the ‘free mind’ to draw my conclusions based on evidence presented.

I must say that I find much inconsistency in what Dalai Lama preaches and does.  I find him more or less a politician than a pure religious figure.   But I will talk about my thoughts on him another day.

Now back to my random thoughts.

From Jin Yong to Religion

I have been a fan of Mr Jin Yong’s novels since the age of ten.  The first time I came across his work (indirectly) was when the Taiwanese version of Yi Tian Tu Long Ji was shown on TV in the early 1990s.  That was the time when Taiwanese entertainment industry first made its mark in mainland China.  Wuxia (Kungfu) TV series and period dramas (dramas set in ancient times) proved extremely popular. The only non-Wuxia related popular dramas were in fact all romantic love stories by Qiong Yao, another famous novelist from Taiwan. Most of her stories were set in the early 20th century, when the Revolution led by Sun Yat Sen overthrew the Qing Dynasty.

Anyway, although I (in fact, many other students my age) was very much a big fan of all the Wuxia TV series, to the extent that I’d be singing the theme songs during lunch breaks, I did not know of Mr Jin, not did I know of his other works aside from Yi Tian Tu Long Ji.

A few years later, when I left my hometown, I found myself in a foreign place not knowing any English apart from a few simple greeting words. My family was in a very poor status, and we didn’t even have a TV.  Luckily there was a library near our home with a small Chinese section.

It was then that I came across Jin Yong’s other works, starting with Tian Long Ba Bu (which at first I thought to be a Buddhist manuscript). Thanks to that small Chinese section, I managed to maintain the little Chinese that I had learnt in the years before.

For the next few years, I was fortunate enough to finish reading all of Jin Yong’s works, as well as the works of Liang Yu Sheng, Gu Long and, at a later stage, Qiong Yao.  My favourites were none other than Jin Yong’s famous Trilogy, She Diao Ying XIong Zhuan, Shen Diao Xia Lu and Yi Tian Tu Long Ji. It was only then that Yi Tian Tu Long Ji was in fact a part of a series.  Although I have read each of the three books separately, but I never read them together in one go. And in the past week, I finally managed to do so.

In the process of reading, I had a few ideas come to me that I want to write down for future reference.  The first of which is the reference to Persia and certain historical figures from ancient Persia. The Old Man of the Mountain (Shaykh al Jabal) was mentioned briefly in Yi Tian Tu Long Ji . The story of this assassin organisation interested me greatly and I was curious to learn more.

I found a brief introduction to Shaykh al Jabal on wikipedia, but by then, my attention suddenly turned elsewhere.

My interest vary greatly and cover a broad range of topics and I often become distracted by other topics when searching for something. This time, as soon as I saw the name Shaykh al Jabal, my mind clicked, and I thought of the Arabic alphabet that I had been learning for a while earlier this year.

My interest in languages began with my study in French and Japanese at school. I excelled at both but I took a particular liking to Japanese because of its resemblance to the Chinese language which I very much liked.  But in recent years, I began to take interest in many other languages, amongst which are French, Korean and Arabic.  In fact, I find that I am very attracted to all sorts of linguistic issues.

Anyway, I became distracted from the Shaykh and went on to finish learning all the Arabic alphabets. As of now, I can recognise most of them in printed form, although I have trouble pronounciating some.

And when one talks about Arabic, Islam naturally comes to mind. I know very little about Islam, apart from the rhetorics that media often like to use in their portrayal of the “evil Muslims”. In all honesty, sometimes I do find myself agreeing with Richard Dawkin’s ideas with regard to religion, but I do not think the mainstream view of what Islam is about is necessary the truth. To this end, I’d like to find out more about the Islam religion, the Qu’ran, and the different branches of Islam.

In my investigation of Arabic, I also tumbled across Sanskrit, the equivalent of Latin in the East. I know nothing about Sanskrit apart from the fact that it is related to Buddhism. From there, I went into an investigation regarding the two different branches of Buddhism, Mahayana and Theravada. I knew that the majority of buddhists from Southeast Asian countries study Theravada sutras and most buddhists in East Asian countries like China and Japan study Mahayana sutras. Throughout ancient times, there had been conflicts between the two different branches of Buddhism in China, and I’d imagine, in the rest of the world as well. But I think this conflict is no where near as intense as the conflict between Shi’a and Sunni branches of Islam. Anyhow, I always thought that Tibet Buddhism classifies under the Theravada branch, but apparently it is not. But of course, even within these two major classifications, there exist many sub-branches. Take Tibet Buddhism for example, it comprises four major schools.  Dalai Lama comes from one of the four schools but he likes to pose as the speaker on behalf of all Tibetans, and that is part of the reason why I consider him more of a politician than a religious leader.

I always wonder how eminent scientists resolve their religious beliefs with their work practices. I personally know of several accomplished scientists who are devoted Christians or Jews, and they all very much seem at peace. But I don’t think I will be joining their ranks any time soon, if ever.

Tit-for-Tat

I think I will have to keep this section short, as I had forgotten many of the ideas I had the day before.  But I remember the inspiration came from Jin Yong’s Trilogy. The stories were very much to do with heroism, the “good” and the “evil”, and human nature.  But the point that I was taking an interest in is to do with survival.

In the stories, there were characters who would never seek revenge or who believed in goodness in everyone, such as the Shaolin monk Kongjian in Yi Tian Tu Long Ji, who offered to take thirteen of Xie Xun‘s lethal blows with no defence in attempt to persuade him to give up seeking revenge from Xie Xun’s master, who attempted to rape his wife and murdered his entire family. At the end of the day, Kongjian died.

There were also characters who would do anything to seek revenge, such as Zhao Min, the Mongolian princess in Yi Tian Tu Long Ji, who openly claimed that if anyone harmed her family in anyway, she’d kill that person and his or her family without a second thought.

In the secular world, some people believe in “an eye for an eye”, but some promote benevolence to all, including the enemy. So in the grand scale of things, which of these two groups would out-live the other?

This reminded me of game theory which I had studied a little bit before. The strategy that came to my mind was Tit-for-Tat (“Equivalent Retaliation”), a highly effective strategy used for the iterated Prisoner’s dilemma. An individual using this strategy will initially cooperate, and then makes decisions based on the opponent’s actions. For example, if the opponent exhibited a history of cooperation, the individual will cooperate; if not, then the individual will not cooperate.  This is said to be similar to reciprocal altruism in biology.

Of course, the Tit-for-Tat strategy is governed by certain conditions, but essentially one treats others with kindness, and only retaliate when betrayed. The individual is also quick to forgive. To me, this appears to be a combination of the “benevolence to all” and “an eye for an eye” approaches that I mentioned before. And in fact, the application of Tit-for-Tat to human society and politics has been discussed in Robert Axelrod’s The Evolution of Cooperation.

From game theory point of view, the all forgiving and non-retaliation approach may not be the way to go if a group or species wish to survive in nature.

Spiked Online

There has been much news regarding China-bashing issue, and I came across this online magazine just yesterday and was surprise to see that it was one of very few organizations in the Western World to take a firm stand against China-bashing organisations and individuls. I also read some of its articles regarding the Russia-Georgia issue, and find myself agreeing with many of the viewpoints.

My guess is many readers of this online magazine will not take a liking to its stance as it is by no means mainstream, but I quite enjoy reading its articles they go to the trouble to substantiate their argument with solid evidence, not like many of the hand-wavy journalism plaguing the american-euro-centric world.

Translation

While investigating Sanskrit, I came across some interesting points on Chinese translations, in particular 欧化中文 (Chinese heavily influenced by European languages). The Chinese language, like most other languages around the world, has its intake of foreign vocabulary. 巧克力 (chiao-ke-lee) for chocolage, 巴士 (ba-shi) for bus, and even borrowed words from Sanskrit, such as 刹那. However, in recent years, the Chinese grammar has also been heavily impacted by foreign languages. To quote a few examples from Wikipedia:

The decline in his income has led to a change in his lifestyle

is translated to 他的收入的减少改变了他的生活方式, when it is in fact more natural to say 他收入减少……。

A translated phrase such as 听众对访问教授作出了十分热烈的反应 could’ve been better written as 听众对访问教授反应十分热烈. And 他是好人 sounds much better than 他是一个好人.

I think when I find time, I’d like to have a read of Mr Si Guo’s （思果） Research on Translation （《翻译研究》）.

作者：缺

谭望嵩，蜀地成都人，共和三十六年生，少有大志，尝观蹴鞠，见西人汹汹，国足溃溃，乃怒，击股曰：“朝廷若用我为将，必封狼居胥矣！”乡人皆以为能，不敢侧目，及年长，身高七尺，削肩嬴腹，状清瘦，久习技击，颇精进，喜走江湖，遇辽东人士名郑智者，情意相投，结为兄弟。

智亦习技击，尝与望嵩讲手，望嵩擅腿法，曰“七十二路探裆腿”，智擅搏击，曰“三十六路破面拳”，二人酣战半日，力竭方止。智曰：“贤弟好本事，何 不去疆场搏个功名？”望嵩曰：“早有此意，怎奈没个相识，侯门似海。”智曰：“吾幼习蹴鞠，识得京师教头谢亚龙，贤弟若不弃，兄当引荐。”望嵩拜谢曰： “若恁的，不胜惶恐，有劳兄台！”言罢摆酒款待，二人把盏言欢，不胜快意。

他日，智与望嵩备得厚礼，访亚龙于府上， 亚龙见望嵩瘦削，笑曰：“汝有何能？”望嵩怒，只一腿，踢得亚龙昏沉，左右急救，良久方苏，竟不怒反笑，曰：“吾苦无悍将，今日方得矣！”智见望嵩得宠， 心下恨恨，暗道：“若不露两手，倒显得有他无我！”便也不搭话，反身一肘，正中亚龙下颌，登时闭气，左右慌忙再救，徐徐睁目，问：“何人又伤我？”答 曰：“郑智。” 亚龙曰：“善，刚得猛虎，又来蛟龙，吾并收之！”

自此，望嵩与智皆为亚龙麾下矣。
亚龙有蹴鞠部曲一支，曰“山寨军”，军中有谚：风林火山，战时满场乱舞，却不知绣球何在，此曰“疾如风”；人虽众，却传球不中，跑动乏力，木戳戳不知所 谓，此曰“徐如林”；对方稍一犯边，即前锋惶惶，后卫乱阵，此曰“乱如火”；敌军单刀而入，我军巍然，视球入网而不动，此曰“稳如山”，自望嵩、智入得军 中，三军大振，以望嵩为后军校尉，智为前军校尉。

共和五十九年，国际有奥林匹亚盛会组织者至京师，邀万国竞技，亚龙 奉朝廷令率军赴前敌讨战，耀武扬威，自夸英勇，万国中有欧罗巴洲曰比利时者，颇为不忿，出兵应战，但见兵势弥天，“山寨军”狼狼大败，球门两番失守，势不 能敌，亚龙哭曰：“天乎？天乎？”望嵩曰：“主公休得惊慌，待俺破敌！”言罢蹂身而上，奋击之，怎奈本学技击，不谙蹴鞠，虽舍身大战，却球毛未碰，不由得 大怒，两股岔气忿忿直冲顶梁，施展“七十二路探裆腿”，一招“鸳鸯撞裆”，只一下，一番将捂裆倒地，二目一翻，三魂渺渺，七魄荡荡，不知生死，场上裁者大 怒，探一支赤色令箭，令望嵩出局，望嵩曰：“吾自幼习武，目中无球，但有人尔，如何怪我？”怀恨而下。

亚龙见望嵩 退，大急曰：“望嵩退军，今番罢了！”郑智曰：“尚有我在，何必惊慌？”话音未落人已飞出，正逢球来，智探腿便踢，怎奈腿功荒疏，三绕两转，不知颠倒，智 恼羞成怒，偏一番将靠其身边，智扬手一记“武老二反臂肘”，正中腋下，登时颓倒，裁者大惊，出赤色令箭一枚，罚智下场，俄顷，“山寨军”败，全军覆没，望 嵩、智谓亚龙曰：“此乃天意，非人力所能挽回也，吾等尽其所能，然不能回天，气数也。”亚龙怅然曰：“尔等已尽力，明知不可为而为之，吾甚感动！”三人抱 头痛哭。

使臣曰：十三亿泱泱，国脉荡荡，竟不敌远洋小国，何也？飞脚拽拳，揪发扯辫，蹴鞠发祥之地，竟以暴力示人， 亦何也？吾有一树，盼其开花结果二十余年矣，施肥莫不勤勉，浇水莫不用心，土质莫不膏腴，日光莫不充裕，然二十年仅开花一次，果实半个也无，而今一看，竟 成腐木，此亦何也？

Olympics: Defending champion Liu Xiang pulls out of 110m hurdles

· Injury forces Chinese favourite out before his first-round heat
· Cuba’s Dayron Robles now favourite for gold

• Andy Bull in Beijing
• guardian.co.uk,
• Monday August 18 2008 05:23 BST
• Article history

This morning China’s Olympic Games lost its biggest star when Liu Xiang, the Olympic 110m hurdle champion and a Chinese national icon, pulled up injured before he had even reached the first hurdle of the opening round of his title defence.

His withdrawal shocked the 90,000 strong crowd into silence. The Bird’s Nest Stadium was filled to capacity in anticipation of Xiang’s race, and across China his many fans are struggling to process the news.

Xiang had suffered a hamstring injury in May, causing him to withdraw from the New York grand prix. It was a new injury that troubled him today though, a combination of damage to the achilles tendon of his right leg and a bone spur on his ankle. Xiang’s right foot is his take-off foot, meaning the ankle joint comes under enormous pressure.

His coach, Sun Haiping, said that the tendon problems had plagued Xiang for “six or seven years, even before he won gold at Athens 2004″. The problem flared up again in training last Saturday, and despite the best efforts of the team and their extensive medical support staff, it could not be cured in time for today’s race.

“When he was in the warm-up area for the race the problem suddenly intensified again, but despite the pain he still exercised fully,” commented the head coach of China’s athletics team, Feng Shuyong, “After more treatment he decided to enter the first round.”

Xiang’s heat was the final race of the morning session. After the gun went, the hurdlers were recalled for a false start. Xiang had already pulled up and, instead of returning to his blocks, he limped off the track.

“We have had three doctors working on Liu’s injury,” Haiping said shortly before he broke down in tears at his press conference, “but no matter what they did nothing could help.”

With the Chinese population certain to be furious in their frustration, Shuyong was keen to emphasise just how much pain Xiang was in. “Liu would never withdraw from a race unless the pain was intolerable, unless he had no other way out. He came into the event with the strongest possible will, and was determined to compete.

“It is a very hard moment for all of us. I have just spoken to Liu outside and he is very depressed. I watched as he was being given a massage on the damaged area last weekend, and he was shivering due to the great pain.”

Asked why he had not made the news of Xiang’s injury public knowledge, Shuyong insisted that the story had appeared in several Sunday newspapers. He added that “after the treatment we didn’t realise how serious the injury was, so we didn’t want to tell people he couldn’t compete.” That defence seemed to contradict his earlier observations about the extent of Xiang’s agony.

It seems likely that it was a combination of Xiang’s own determination and pressure from those around him that led him to appear on the start line at all. When he won the 110m hurdles in Athens he became China’s first ever male gold medallist on the track, and since then he has become a national hero. His face appears on billboards across China, and the public expectation for him to win again was huge.

“Of course the pressure on him was huge,” Shuyong stated, “he doesn’t go out often but when he does he sees his face everywhere. But he has always said that you do not compete against everyone else, you only compete against yourself. He has unique mental strength.”

Today Xiang’s body did get better of him. Shuyong stated that he does not believe Xiang will run again this season, but fully expects him to appear again next year. That will be small consolation for the distraught Chinese public. Xiang’s confrontation with Cuban world record holder Dayron Robles was due to be one of the gala events of the entire Games, but with Xiang out of the competition interest in the athletic contests is likely to wane significantly.

The above report is from The Guardian. It is interesting to note that the author failed to recognise that Chinese names put surname first and first names last. I think the author’s intention was to refer to Liu Xiang and the head coach by their surnames, but ended up calling them respectively Xiang and Shuyong, sounding as though he knew them well in person. This is like referring to Ronaldo as Luis and Phelps as Michael.

It is a sad day for Liu Xiang and Chinese people all over the world, but I can’t help pointing out the strange way of addressing Chinese athletes eminent in this report that seems to make fun of Liu’s early exit, yet exhibits such warmth in addressing him by his single character first name, Xiang (which I’m sure only his family, friends, future girlfriend and wife would use, if they ever choose to).

I can’t help feeling disappointed when I learnt of Liu Xiang’s early exit. I feel very sorry for this great athlete and appreciate very much what he has achieved. But I think it is a great misjudgement to not reveal news of his injury earlier, as media propaganda has led most people to believe that Liu Xiang has a good chance in the 100m hurdles finals. Many people bought scalped tickets costing up to 80,000 RMB to watch him in the finals. Hardly anyone had the faintest clue that he might not even make through the heats. Or if people did have some ideas about the extent of his injury, their knowledge was not made public. I think most of the loathing that has blossomed on the web ever since the news broke out results from the huge difference between the high level of expectation pre-game and such an unexpected outcome.  The general feeling appears to be that, if Liu Xiang’s injury prevents him from having any chance of hurdling properly at all, he should have either withdrawn beforehand, or persist to the end if he does choose to continue with the competition.

My country did not send me to Mexico City to start the race. They sent me here to finish.

This famous quote by Tanzania’s Akhwari,  last place finisher in the marathon at the 1968 Games in Mexico City, is frequently quoted by Chinese netizens in their frustration towards Liu’s pullout. Akhwari finished one hour later than the winner of the race, bandaged and bloody from injury when he crossed the finish line.

Perhaps Liu’s injury was serious enough that he probabaly struggled to walk, and perhaps he felt that he has disappointed his nation and could no longer face the crowd.  He is not Akhwari, and Akhwari can never be him. And Akhwari certainly had not the pressure that’s been plaguing Liu for the past four years, nor the grief that he new suffers on his home ground. Liu’s shock exit today contrasted to all that positive media chanting before the Games would perhaps subject him to controversy and loathe for a long time to come. But finally, people are waking up to the fact that Liu Xiang is not God, he is as human as every single one of us.

Gold = 3 points

Silver = 2 points

Bronze = 1 point

And the result based on the medal tally as of 11:21am on August 18th (Beijing local time) is as the following (total points obtained followed by country name):

144 China
124 US
57 Russia
55 Australia
53 Britain
47 Korea
45 Germany
42 France
41 Japan
36 Italy
27 Ukraine
18 Netherlands
17 Romania
14 Spain
13 Poland
13 Cuba
13 Kazakhstan
13 Belarus
12 Czech Republic
12 Canada
11 Slovakia
11 DPR Korea
10 Jamaica
10 New Zealand
9 Switzerland
9 Zimbabwe
9 Azerbaijan
9 Hungary
8 Ethiopia
8 Norway
8 Indonesia
7 Georgia
7 Slovenia
7 Brazil
6 Bulgaria
6 Finland
6 Denmark
6 Sweden
5 Mongolia
5 Kenya
5 Turkey
5 Armenia
4 Austria
4 Greece
3 Cameroon
3 India
3 Thailand
3 Tunisia
3 Algeria
3 Colombia
3 Croatia
3 Kyrgyzstan
3 Serbia
3 Uzbekistan
2 Chile
2 Ecuador
2 Estonia
2 Malaysia
2 Singapore
2 Trinidad/Tobago
2 Vietnam
2 Chinese Taipei
1 ARgentina
1 Egypt
1 Lithuania
1 Mexico
1 Tajikistan
1 Togo

As I am from the land down under, I’d like to hail this ranking system as the REAL thing.

　　金庸小说多妖女，黄蓉一露面便让郭靖的师父骂称“小妖女”；殷素素是“妖
女”。任盈盈是“魔教妖女”，何铁手、蓝凤凰之流自然更是妖女，连蒙古郡主赵
敏，也被人叫做“小妖女”。

　　金庸小说多妖女，无非是因为金庸小说多美女。美得惊人而又“来路不正”的
女子，活色生香，不肯像淑女那样守本分，太令正人君子抵抗不了，卫道之士就不
能不骂以“妖女”了。从这个角度看，黄蓉当然是“小妖女”。

　　许多人不喜欢黄蓉，特别是《神雕侠侣》中的中年黄蓉，嫌她聪明得过分厉害
，有点近乎阴沉。我却十分欣赏黄蓉，认为是金庸写得最好的女角。特别欣赏他处
理黄蓉从《射雕英雄传》的青春少女到《神雕侠侣》的中年妇人的个性发展。其他
女角大多是形象化的人物，但黄蓉却是活生生的、有优点、有缺点。会长大。会变
。会衰老的真人，音容体态历历在目，思想个性贯彻分明，熟读这两套小说，觉得
了解黄蓉的一生，这是在金庸成功的角色中也不可多得的。

　　写黄蓉的笔触之准确，不像创造一个角色，倒像描述一个作者很熟悉很喜爱的
人。

　　其实，黄蓉没有什么“厉害”；除了特别聪明美丽之外，她只不过是一个寻常
女子。少女时爱玩，遇到了喜欢的少年郎，但愿与他日夜相从、一生厮守，一心要
嫁给他做妻子。

　　结婚之后，又一心助他事业成功，为他养儿育女。她可没有什么胸怀大志，不
过事事以丈夫为重。为儿女操心。

　　即使论聪明才智，黄蓉的聪明才智也只限于心思敏捷。记性特别好而已。诗词
歌赋。对联谜语她过目不忘，武功算术一点即通，但她没有超凡的智慧，一灯大师
的禅机她便茫然不知所对。她不够耐性。缺乏恒心，也不见得特别有同情心，南琴
的凄凉、穆念慈为情所困，她只觉好奇好玩。（金庸说，聪明的人未免缺少同情心
。）直至与郭靖无奈分离，才开始了解愁滋味，是失意苦难强迫黄蓉长大的。

　　但黄蓉就是娱乐性强。特别喜欢她在岳王庙拆穿欧阳锋和杨康在桃花岛杀江南
六怪那段情节，由她在柯镇恶手掌心写：“告我父何人杀我”开始，到逼欧阳锋让
终于明白了内情的柯镇恶走，分析推理，步步洞悉先机，紧张刺激，像看最曲折奇
情的侦探小说。但这段己开始见黄蓉以机智面对凶险。不复只轻松斗智，渐渐踏人
后来《神雕侠侣》的“智者虑”的苦涩境地。

　　精灵娇美的黄蓉，为什么乐意嫁与既笨拙而又不见得长得多俊的郭靖？一个解
释是“萝卜白菜，各有所爱”。这个解释，等于说情之为物没有什么可解释的。有
一个新派解释是，黄蓉就是看中了郭靖笨，容易控制，不怕他闹花样，这又未免太
理性了。

　　黄蓉初识郭靖，不过盈盈十五，刁蛮任性，父亲又大有来头，她才不怕被什么
人欺负。而且她不但任性，更是痴情，真的是一往情深。发现郭靖原来已是“金刀
附马”时，她对父亲说，他另娶别人，我也要另嫁别个；他心中只有我，我心中也
只有他，我是你的女儿，别人不高兴也拿我没法，但是他这样对我，我也活不到多
久。黄药师见女儿眼神是缠绵万状，难舍难分，知道情根深种，根本无可挽回，只
能陪她伤心。

　　不是的，黄蓉是真心爱慕依恋郭靖，若要解释，那也毫无难处。一般男以色爱
女，女子爱男子，却是基于道德或本领上的崇拜，郭靖觉得蓉儿“说不出的可爱”
，但黄蓉爱郭靖，是因为“世间上不可能有比他更好的人了”，是因为他是好人，
是君子，是个有清楚原则而严格遵守这些原则的人。

　　甩一点现代心理学的术语说，郭靖是黄蓉的道德范畴，他给黄蓉的，是她一向
匮乏的精神上的安全感，换句话说，郭靖是衔蓉心底渴望的“父亲人物”。黄药师
与女儿的关系，素来是好友的关系多于父女的关系，尤其是妻子早死，女儿便在精
神上代替了妻子的地位；他教她学问武功，与她谈诗论文，但从不以父亲地位管教
她。正因为关系是这样，他才对郭靖诸多不满，其中有许多是喝醋成分，到后来郭
靖黄蓉结婚生子，他更看不入眼，不但与他们疏远，跟杨过谈起黄蓉，还是十分酸
溜溜的。

　　但是黄蓉不是“小东邪”，个性上她只是个寻常女子，跟郭靖过着“正常”的
家庭生活，接受他的道德伦理价值，同时得到社会接受，她十分满足乐意，她要人
间的快乐，不要孤标傲世，黄药师对她失望，那也没有法子。

　　黄蓉为什么跟郭靖好。即使看《射雕英雄传》不明白，看《神雕侠侣》也会明
白。杨过是黄蓉的翻版，这个金庸已多次暗示过，黄蓉自己也再三说了出来，一般
的刁钻古怪，聪明伶俐，痴情任性，一个是娇美无倚，一个是清秀俊俏，所不同的
，是两人的身世。

　　黄蓉初识郭靖时扮成个肮脏褴褛的小叫化，杨过根本就与小叫化差不多。黄蓉
后来约郭靖到湖边相见时，恢复她本来面目，郭靖只觉她宛若仙子下凡，黄蓉说，
她穿这样的衣服，人人都会同她好，但她扮作小叫化的时候他待她好，那才见得是
真心。

　　杨过的小叫化可不是扮的，无怪人人都待他不好，黄蓉与杨过的分别基本是这
样。

　　黄蓉与杨过这样相似的人，为什么一直关系十分差？金庸说成是中央隔了个杨
康的阴影，其实不是的，真正的原因是爱的基础在于信任，而两个心比比干多一窍
的人要互相信任，真是难乎其难。聪明人可以看到一百个怀疑的理由，而信任往往
不是建立在理性的考虑之上。黄蓉与杨过在桃花岛有过一次真情流露的交流，是黄
蓉不知为了什么缘故，对杨过坦白诚恳他说，她知道他有许多事瞒着她，不过她很
了解，因为自己小时也是一般怪僻。杨过大是感动，在她怀里哭了起来。这就是以
爱报信任的自然反应。可惜，信任没支持多久，杨过一见傻姑，逼问出杨康死因，
马上认定黄蓉是杀父仇人，而对他种种好处，都是别有用心。傻姑断续不全的话又
怎信得过？杨过是个聪明人，纵然偏激，也必能问得明白，但是由于一早便对聪明
的黄蓉不信任，所以一想到她存心作假，便坚信已找到答案。

　　聪明人太聪明时，就会草木皆兵，没有人可信任，因此，也没有人可以爱，但
偏是黄蓉杨过都是极需要爱的人，因此碰上一个全心全意爱自己的率直的人、笨人
，因其笨而可信任，便如获救星，一心相爱，到死相随。郭靖是笨人，小龙女是笨
人，杨过爱小龙女而黄蓉爱郭靖，黄蓉与杨过始终不能相亲相爱，就是性格的关系
。

　　数年前看过倪匡先生批评黄蓉，他说，少女时代的黄蓉那么可爱，一到中年就
非常不可爱了。我很不同意，纳闷了几年，老是想翻案，一直想到现在，忽然明白
，原来中年黄蓉果然不可爱。

　　一灯大师赞美中年黄蓉大智大勇，怎样叫做“智”，似乎不必解释了，但是“
勇”是有多种的。不知畏惧的“当头勇”，被萧伯纳在《兵器与军人》之中挖苦得
不成样子，比较值得敬佩的是感到恐惧仍不退缩的勇。郭靖听见都史拉豹子去找拖
雷，要去叫拖雷逃，韩小莹问他怕不怕连他也吃掉，他说：“我怕。”韩小莹问：
“那你去不去？”郭靖答：“我去。”就是这种勇。这种勇气，是感情鼓励之下的
勇气。第三种勇，是经过理性分析策划而后采取行动的勇。

　　黄蓉为了取得仅存的情花解毒丹去救杨过性命，说服裘千尺打她三枚枣核钉，
若然她不闪不避不格接了，裘千尺便把丹药给她。这枣核钉十分厉害，黄蓉虽是策
定计谋，但仍须冒性命之险进行。一灯大师赞她大智大勇，就是指这种勇。

　　另一次是她潜下绝情谷底的寒潭去寻杨过。虽说黄蓉水性最好，但其时她已年
近五十，而潭底有什么凶险，谁也不知，她再三尽力潜至可潜到的最深处，以致上
来时头发也结了薄冰，不可谓不勇敢。

　　这种沉着的勇，并不逊于第一，二种勇，刚相反，把危险看得清清楚楚而全力
以赴，需要的勇气更大。然而，需要最大勇气的勇，也是最没有人感激欣赏的勇。
黄蓉两番舍命救杨过，他何尝感动？又有多少读者感动？倒是傻里傻气的乱打一通
，无端一齐送命，大家都感到敬仰无比。快意无比。

　　说破了。原因也很简单，人心底最害怕的是自己太过渺小无力，居然有人不顾
后果拼命为自己做一件事，那就证明自己重要，有左右别人行动的力量。令人放弃
理智的力量，常常使自己有这种胜利感的人自然十分可爱，黄蓉连面对生死都由理
性控制，当然极“不可爱”了。


一直以来都不喜欢《神雕侠侣》里的黄蓉，所以从来没有连着把《射雕》和《神雕》看完
但事隔数年重温《射雕》后，对黄蓉多了层了解
可是开始没有看出她的“勇“。
这道理真的是很简单，可是一直以来都忽略了。
把危险看得清清楚楚却依旧全力以赴，这才是真正的“勇”。
在这一方面，黄蓉一点都不逊于她的夫君。

WWII involving the Japanese Imperial Army is one of the topics that I frequently find myself reading about, perhaps because this is a part of history that I have been most exposed to since childhood, and personally feels most strongly about, seeing that many of the problems looming between East Asian nations originated from historical debates surrounding this topic.

As a child, couldn’t believe what there could be people as cruel as the Japanese Imperial soldiers when I read about the war and saw related documentary on TV. I was used to hearing about my maternal grandmother’s sister who lost her life during the bombing of Shanghai by the Japanese army.  The adults in the family told me of how she was so badly hurt that her intestines fell out of her gut. I was horrified.

But even that disgust and hatred did not stop me (and my contemporaries) from becoming a dedicated fan of Ultraman and Seiya, two very popular Japanese shows in China, probably because I was too young to understand the full scale of things that I was exposed to. I recall laughing out heart out when watching a very funny Japanese drama with my mother when I was about 8 or so. It was such a contradition. On one hand, lack of development in mainland Chinese entertainment industry meant that my generation (the so-called post 80s) was exposed to war dramas depicting the fight between courageous Chinese soldiers and ruthless Japanese invaders on a weekly if not daily basis. When we managed to see a movie in cinema once in a millenium, the popular choice was of course “Shining Little Red Star” (the story of a courageous little boy in his fight against Japanese invaders). On the other hand, we, well, at least, I was glued to our TV set every Wednesday for a glimpse of Ultraman. It was such a joy to watch the show and singing along with the theme song (even though the Japanese lyrics at the time made no sense to us Chinese kids) was so much fun. I was so addicted to the show that when I had to leave China for Australia at the age of nine, I burst into tears upon realising that I probably won’t ever get to see the show again.

Little did I know about the complex problems between Japan and China, in fact Japan and rest of Asia.

By chance, I came to master Japanese and became a great fan of modern Japanese culture.  I probabaly invest more of my time in investigating the latest trends in Japan than anything else, be it Chinese or Australian. But one thing has always disturbed me deeply, that is, anything to do with the war seems like something that most Japanese people would prefer not to talk about, or if they do talk about it, it is as though Japan was justified in its actions during wartime. The more time I spent browsing blogs, mixi and 2ch, the more disturbed I became. It is not just that “Japan was forced into submission by the allies but didn’t actually do anything wrong” attitude, but also the deeply rooted rascism, in particularly towards Koreans and Chinese. I can’t say that anti-Japan sentiments do not exist in Korea and China, but such feelings are understandable since the people of both these countries remember (obviously) the atrocities they suffered in WWII (really not that long ago). But the prevailing ideology and sentiments in modern Japanese society, especially amongst the younger generation, suggests that any form of resolution between the  major East Asian countries are unlikely in the near future.

Anyway, back to the point that triggered me to write this entry: Minnie Vautrin’s Diary.

I came across a title on google books called 南京大虐殺と日本人の精神構造 (Nanjing Massacre and Mental Structure of Japanese) by 津田道夫 (Michio Tusda) that explores the psychology of ordinary Japanese nationals during the war period and discusses some of the possible reasons why normally gentle people would turn into worst of the devils when they go onto the field. The version I came across on google books was a Chinese translation of this book, but I think I will try to find an original copy to have a read as I like to read originals whenever I can to avoid missing out on things lost through translation.

I had a look on the web to see if any more information is available (preferably Japanese) on this book or the author of this book, but failed to find much except that his father was a teacher during the war era and he drew upon many of his father’s diary entries when making his discussion points. I suppose this is not a result unexpected, as literature that leans towards the validation of  Nanjing Massacre or encourages admittance of such atrocities are generally waved aside in Japan, either because people are not interested or because patriotic Japanese nationalists deem such work as lies and anti-Japan, and they promote it as such to the general public.

In any case, during my research online, I came across the translated version of Minnie Vautrin’s Diary on the Japanese Amazon site. I was surprised to see that it had a five star rating as this is something rare for books to do with Nanking. I scrolled down the page to take a look at the comments, and I found the following:

By	Hiromi (ロンドン、ＵＫ) – レビューをすべて見る

南京安全区国際委員会の報告書や同委員長ジョン・ラーベの日記などから明らかなように、1937年12月13日の南京陥落前後から、中立のはずの安全区には市民服を着、武器を隠し持った中国軍敗残兵や便衣兵が数万人規模で潜んで敵対・反日宣伝行為に従事していた。
ヴォー トリンはこの点について故意にかどうか、全く触れていないが、当時安全区内に潜んでいた中国将校自身の「夜悪事を働いているのは中国兵」との証言や、女史 や国際委員会も認める日本軍の転進による駐屯兵士数の減少、「安全区外には兵士も難民も殆どいない」状況からしても、女史の言うところの「略奪・放火・強 姦（殺人は滅多に起こっていない）をしている兵士」とは中国兵である可能性が非常に高い。
女史が一番心配して解決に奔走していた「拉致された男達」の問題についても、中国軍の『拉夫』（戦場近辺で市民を誘拐し銃をいきなり持たせて兵士に仕立て上げる）の伝統を知っていれば犯人が誰かは自ずと明らかであろう。
実のところ、実際に女史や他の西洋人達が出会った日本兵や憲兵は、皆揃って「感じの良い」「友好的な」まじめそうな者ばかりであって、悪さをしているところは誰も実際には見ていない。
ヴォートリンや他の西洋人が「見た」という「事件」は、全てが「中国人に連れられて行ってみるとそこに『被害者』がいた」というヤラセの類であった。
また本書には、多くの中国人庶民（老百姓）による（日本兵に）略奪品を売る商売が繁盛していること、日本兵が探していたのは素人の女性でなく「花枯娘（娼婦）」であったこと、などなど、むしろ日本軍側の言い分を傍証する記述が多く見られる。
「客観的」であるが故に「決定的証拠」とされた南京の西洋人達の「目撃証拠」が実は『南京虐殺』の『反証』であるという（『否定派』の研究者がずっと主張してきた）事実を、本書は改めて世に晒した。

By	ヘブン – レビューをすべて見る

南京事件に関する虐殺派、否定派。
それぞれの根拠はあるにせよ。
ここに現場にいた、そして南京の避難民に直接関わり、奔走した人間の克明な日記がある。

これを読んで、南京では日本軍は虐殺しなかった。強姦は最小限にとどめられた。という見解に依然なるなら、もはや何を読んでもどんな証言を聞いても、その人は虐殺否定の先入観でしか見れないのだと思う。

もし一歩外で殺人と強姦のあれすさぶ危険で制限された環境の中にいて、あなたが克明な詳細な事件の真相を証拠立てることができるか？できないだろう。全部見たのか？見てないだろうと言われたらどう答えるだろう？

たしかにそのとうりかもしれない。

けれどもその時、南京では普通ではない何かが起こっていたのだ。・・・そういうことがこの日記にはしっかり書かれてある。

そしてそのような極限の環境の中で人権と安全のために身を尽くして活動した人々。

一読の価値アリです。

By	pseudo-swicther – レビューをすべて見る

1937年12月から38年にかけての南京事件当時、南京市に踏みとどまって国際難民区の運営に携わったアメリカ人ミニー・ヴォートリンの日記は単なる史 料的価値のみならず大きな現代的意義をもっている。南京攻略戦は大都市への空爆が本格的に行なわれた最も初期の戦闘の一つであり、それゆえこの日記は「空 爆に耐える都市住民」の最も古い証言の一つだということになる。都市への空爆があたりまえとなり非戦闘員の犠牲が常態となった戦争の原型がここで描かれて いる。

また、ヴォートリンを含む第三国人たちが、限られたリソースを総動員して南京市民を守るために奔走する様子には感嘆を禁じえない（残念ながら、 その努力は完全に実を結ぶことはなかったのだが）。本書に日記が収録されている約4ヶ月間、平穏な日はほとんどなかったのである。彼女は中国人による不正 行為も率直に記録しており、他方友好的な日本人の訪問があった際にはきちんとその旨書き残していて、これが日記全体の記述の公平性を物語っている。「いま 南京で起こっていることを、日本の良識ある人びとに知ってもらえさえしたらよいのだが」（60頁）といった趣旨のことばが繰り返し記されている。約70年 遅れではあるが、彼女の願いが成就することを祈りたい。

These guys all appear to conclude that many of the atrocities that occurred in Nanjing were at the hands of Chinese soldiers and emphasised on the kindness of Japanese people present in Nanjing at the time.  They concluded that all the evidences presented by Vautrin proved that there was no Nanjing Massacre.

It is true that even in wartime, there were Japanese nationals who felt that what the Japanese army did was wrong and did what they can to help others. It is also true that the word “massacre” must first of be clearly defined before it is used to describe any single event, and that now forms the basis for many counter-arguments against “Nanking Massacre”.

However, putting these two issues aside, I am just puzzled as to why is it that the conclusions drawn by these Japanese readers from the Japanese version of Vautrin’s Diary appear so different to the conclusions drawn by Chinese nationals and the English-speaking world based on the same diary, except in, respectively, Chinese and English?

A web search of “Minnie Vautrin” in English would return numerous accounts of how this courageous woman did all she could to save the Chinese girls from Japanese atrocities, her witness accounts of the horrendous fate suffered by many of her students and Chinese acquaintances. I am yet to read in detail any of her actual diary entries, but to have two such vastly different reactions to the same set of witness evidences is just bizzarre.

If there has been selective exclusion of parts of her diary or mistranslations of her diary in any of the versions, that the motive by the particular translator is questionable. If this variation stems from cultural background and historical understanding issues that that is also something that should be addressed. But essentially, Vautrin’s diary entries should evoke the same sort of reaction from her readership regardless of what language version they are reading. The fact that this is not the case as of now indicates that something has gone very wrong.

Source：http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/17/dalai-lama-fans-clash-with-pro-china-protesters/?scp=2&sq=dalai%20lama&s

July 17, 2008,  7:32 pm

Dalai Lama Fans Clash With Protesters

By The New York Times

Updated, 11:30 p.m. | As thousands of people, mostly of Tibetan and Nepalese ancestry, streamed out of Radio City Music Hall on Thursday afternoon, where they had gone to hear the Dalai Lama give a lecture on the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism, they found themselves in a chaotic scene on the Avenue of the Americas.

About 200 members of a Buddhist sect, the Western Shugden Society, were outside the hall protesting the Dalai Lama, who they said had persecuted monks who supported the sect. Some among the thousands coming out of the lecture began shouting at the protesters. The crowd began to swell, and eventually thousands were shouting “Long Live Dalai Lama” and waving dollar bills at the protesters, asserting that they had been paid by the Chinese government.

Police officers on horseback, and dozens on the ground, began scrambling to set up barriers and push the crowds off of the streets, but the avenue was closed for about 20 minutes around 5 p.m. Office workers stood at windows along Rockefeller Center’s office buildings, gazing down at the crowds, which grew louder and larger.

Some of the Dalai Lama supporters began approaching the protesters and were shoved away by police.

After his lecture to a sold-out house at Radio City, where some supporters paid as much as $1,000 a ticket, the Dalai Lama took questions that audience members had submitted in advance. The second question was whether he had anything to say about the protesters outside, who had begun setting up long before the Dalai Lama’s lecture began at 2 p.m.

The Dalai Lama said he used to follow their practice, known as Dorje Shugden, from about 1951 until the early 1970s, but that he had given it up because it was intolerant of other Buddhist teachings.

“This is just spirit worship,” he said. “After I read more about it, I realized my mistake and dropped my practice.”

He added: “I think 99 percent of Tibetans follow my practice. Some small portion worship this spirit. I am committed to freedom of speech, freedom of talk. So I say to them, enjoy freedom of talk.”

He also argued that two past Dalai Lamas had restricted the practice, and that he was following tradition.

The Western Shudgen Society asserts that the Dalai Lama has more than a decade “been fostering a campaign of intimidation, humiliation, and ostracism” against practitioners of Dorje Shugden.

Kelsang Pema, a spokeswoman for the Western Shugden Society, said she had flown from England to engage in the protest. More than half of the protesters appeared to be Westerners, although Ms. Pema said 100 Tibetan monks also took part in the protest.

Although the crowd who attended the lecture at Radio City contained a sprinkling of Westerners, most were of Himalayan ancestry and they were the ones shouting at the protesters from across the Avenue of the Americas and from the north side of 50th Street.

The protesters were on the southwest corner of 50th and Sixth, behind police barricades. There did not appear to be any arrests. Ms. Pema said of the Dalai Lama, “He’s a Hollywood monk. If you ask him something serious, he smiles and laughs and pretends he doesn’t know English.” (The Dalai Lama answered the question in English, with some help with words and phrases from a translator seated near him on the stage.)

Ms. Pema said people had come from 18 countries to participate in the protest. She denied that her group had been paid by the Chinese government. “We get no money from the Chinese. They can check our organization. We’re clean.” The protesters handed out literature explaining their position.

143 comments so far…

• 1.
  July 17th,
  2008
  8:52 pm

  If he’s willing to answer the question during his public talk, why is HH unwilling to meet with fellow Buddhists who feel he’s persecuting them?

  — Posted by Gary

• 2.
  July 17th,
  2008
  9:22 pm

  More than half of the followers of Dorje Shugden are confused Westerners who know nothing of Tibetan Buddhism or culture; they just want to follow a cultish leader out of England who has told them propitiating Dorje Shugden will bring them good fortune. It’s akin to confused followers of Jim Jones, except that these followers are bringing harm to the noble cause of the six million Tibetans who are suffering terrible repression by China. Pity the poor Tibetans, now being told by know-nothing Westerners which deities are the proper (or improper) ones to worship!

  — Posted by Steven M.

• 3.
  July 17th,
  2008
  9:28 pm

  I happened to be walking along 51st Street around the time that people were walking out of the Dalai Lama talk and I think this article is quite understated. The demonstrators were inside a fence, chanting, but happy and orderly. The many people of “Himalayan decent” as the author above calls them were spitting on the protesters, throwing bottles, ripping up the flyers and throwing paper over them, and I heard that one person was even sprayed with some kind of aerosol in her eyes. I have to say that I am quite shocked that these people come out of a Dharma talk and behave in such a hostile manner. Buddhas teachings do not include any of these actions. It appears to me that there is something more going on here than meets the eye.

  — Posted by Lee White

• 4.
  July 17th,
  2008
  10:22 pm

  For a detailed explanation of the Dalai Lama’s views, you can visit his official site: http://www.dalailama.com/page.132.htm

  If anyone is trying to get to the bottom of what the Western Shugden Society is, it is a front for the New Kadampa Tradition. The NKT is explained here: http://info-buddhismus.de/Western_Shugden_Society_unloc ked.html

  Many posts will appear below with links to sites that may appear neutral, but if they validate the Shugden Society’s claims, they are surely created by NKT in order to advance their agenda. Clearly they must benefit from the publicity or else they wouldn’t continue to push their misinformation campaign.

  — Posted by ML

• 5.
  July 17th,
  2008
  10:48 pm

  Actually the protesters were on the southwest corner of 50th St. and 6th Ave., diagonally across the intersection from Radio City Music Hall. I work in the building on the northwest corner and looked down on them this afternoon.

  — Posted by Gregory Severance

• 6.
  July 17th,
  2008
  11:11 pm

  The protesters are speaking out about atrocities being committed in the exiled Tibetan communities and in Tibetan communities right here in our own country. Everyone should take a much closer look with an open mind, so that the truth can come out.
  Peace be with all.

  — Posted by karen

• 7.
  July 17th,
  2008
  11:21 pm

  For more information about what they were protesting about, please visit www.WisdomBuddhaDorjeShugden.org. For a full chronicle of the persecution undergone by Dorje Shugden practitioners, such as the forced signature campaign and segregation of monks and the lay community, please see www.WesternShugdenSociety.org
  This is a big problem in the Tibetan exile community. The Dalai Lama is free to abandon the practice as he wishes, but he is using his political power to restrict the religious rights of others. All the Western Shugden practitioners are requesting in these protests is the freedom to practice their tradition without being ostracized and denied their human rights. The protest today was peaceful and the Tibetan followers of the Dalai Lama were aggressive, spitting on the protestors, throwing water bottles and coins, making many abusive gestures, and even threatening violence at times. This gives an indication of what the Dorje Shugden practitioners in India are having to put up with because they disagree with the Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama says in this blog that they have the freedom to practice their religion, but in reality they do not. Surely he should be speaking out and asking his followers to respect the rights of those who disagree with him and who are requesting religious freedom.

  — Posted by Lyara Atkins

• 8.
  July 17th,
  2008
  11:28 pm

  The profits from today’s teachings, about $158,500, will go to benefit the broader NYC Himalayan community. 40% will go to fund a Sherpa Cultural Center. 30% will go to fund a Tibetan Cultural and Language School. The remaining 30% will go to the Himalayan Buddhist Community Buddha Jayanti Celebration Fund.

  So keep in mind that this was a fund raiser for the Himalayan Buddhist Community’s benefit. They put it all together and invited the Dalai Lama (who taught for free, of course) and took the risk. The teachings in October at this same venue, in keeping with the Buddhist tradition, and not a fund raising endeavor, were operated at a small loss. This time, as with in October, there were contributors who made significant contributions to make the teachings successful, whether for fund raising or for “break even”. I was happy that my $100 ticket went to benefit the Himilayan community here in my home town of New York.

  I was at today’s teachings and the Dalai Lama was quite clear: That there is freedom of religion to practice “spirit worship, if that is what one chooses to do, but that he does not encourage it. It is up to the individual.

  He admitted that he practiced this kind of “spirit worship” from 1951 to the early 70s. But then he had some serious concerns and doubts about the beneficial nature of that practice and he educated himself further through studies of the 5th Dalai Lama’s biography, the 13th Dalai Lama’s teachings, and many Buddhist masters – all of whom elucidated that this “spirit worship” was not in the best interest of his own practice or in the best interest of those many Buddhists who look to him for wisdom.

  It is in the traditional teachings, going back to the Pali records of the Buddha’s own teachings, that we can see that spirit worship was not included. Real spiritual progress in the Buddhist tradition is through one’s own effort, not through blessings or miracles, or benevolent or malevolent spirits’ influences, or such magical thinking. That kind of practice or religious belief is unrealistic and thus is not in keeping with the Buddha’s teachings about the nature of reality, and not in keeping with many later masters such as Nagarjuna, Shantideva, etc. Progress is made through realistic study, analytical meditation, and development of clear, enlightened mind.

  The Dalai Lama said it is his moral responsibility to make it clear that he does not support or encourage “spirit worship”. He mentioned that one of his own teachers taught him to “be cautious” about this kind of worship while he was involved with it. He now follows and promotes non-harmful, nonsectarian, non-spirit-worship teachings which are in accord with his predecessors in the 5th and 13th Dalai Lamas, as well as the foremost teachers in many historical lineages going back to India, the home of the Buddha and the origin of the Buddhist tradition.

  — Posted by Pooka Jeff

• 9.
  July 18th,
  2008
  12:09 am

  In response to the Dalai Lama’s reasons Pooka Jeff quotes from his talk, the Western Shugden Society would reply that the practice of Dorje Shugden is not spirit worship because Dorje Shugden is viewed as the embodiment of Manjushri, the Buddha of Wisdom and because Dorje Shugden practitioners practice the complete Dharma of Buddha Shakyamuni. Moreover, if the Dalai Lama’s reason were true, it would meant that the teachings he is giving himself are non-Buddhist as many of these come from his teachers who were faithful Dorje Shugden practitioners.

  There is also no evidence to support the claim that Shugden practitioners are promoting sectarianism. All they are requesting is the freedom to practice the tradition without being ostracized. For example, Muslims, Catholics and even actual spirit worshippers are permitted to attend the “formal religious teachings” of the Dalai Lama, but Buddhist Dorje Shugden practitioners are excluded.

  If another political leader were to say someone’s spiritual practice was affecting the government headed by that leader and so should be stopped, this would be considered dictatorial and unacceptable. In the same way, it is not correct to say that those who pray to Dorje Shugden for the protection of their Dharma realizations is in any way detrimental to the government headed by the Dalai Lama.

  — Posted by Lyara Atkins

• 10.
  July 18th,
  2008
  12:17 am

  The Dalai Lama promotes religious freedom but yet his followers does not seem to do the same thing. Where does Buddhism teach that one should respond to challenges with force and anger? Shameful!

  — Posted by SC

• 11.
  July 18th,
  2008
  12:43 am

  Your blog on the protests against the Dalai Lama (Dalai Lama Fans Clash with Protesters) was remarkably one-sided. You presented the Dalai Lama’s perspective on the protests, but nothing of substance from the protesters. In fact, convincing evidence documents recent vigorous efforts by the Tibetan government-in-exile to lead Tibetan Buddhists to formally denounce and deny spiritual and material resources to those whose religious ideas do not conform with the views of the Dalai Lama. It’s not a simple story, but a responsible journalistic investigation could easily document this shocking case of government-sanctioned religious intolerance in the name of “religious freedom.” Given that you included the Dalai Lama’s claims without evidence, at the least you should have included claims from the other side.

  S. Holly Stocking
  Associate Professor of Journalism
  Indiana University

  — Posted by S. H. Stocking

• 12.
  July 18th,
  2008
  1:00 am

  From the City Room

  Dr. Stocking,

  Thanks for your comment.

  City Room is a news blog that focuses on New York City. This online article was prepared by Times journalists working on a tight deadline after a heated confrontation suddenly and unexpectedly broke out in Midtown Manhattan, around the afternoon rush. The dispute caused significant traffic disruptions and appeared to take even the police by surprise.

  We briefly described opinions voiced on both sides, for readers who wanted to find out what all the commotion was about. But as you can see from the comments on this article, there are clearly complex dimensions of this dispute that this article could not explore, given the constraints of time and space.

  Thank you for reading.

  — Posted by City Room

• 13.
  July 18th,
  2008
  1:08 am

  Please read

  himalmag.com/96sep/dorje.htm
  www.stephenbatchelor.org/daylight.html

  For neutral background information on the dispute.

  — Posted by Mike

• 14.
  July 18th,
  2008
  1:09 am

  Spirit worshiping is not the essence of Buddhism. Instead of protesting,why not these protesters engage in something positive activities for other sentient beings. If Tibetan why not thinking about the suffering of Tibetans in Tibet under the Chinese oppression, if non-Tibetans why you are creating more pain and suffering for us Tibetans, who have already lost our homeland. HH discourage the worshiping of this spirit not for his personal gains, it’s for the cause of Tibet.
  For god sake, please don’t bring more pain and suffering to us Tibetans who are already homeless.

  — Posted by Lhundup

• 15.
  July 18th,
  2008
  1:31 am

  Believe not what certain people are writing as comments to this article. ” Lee White” says completely falsified information about what really transpired today outside of Radio City Music Hall today. After being one of the first to exit the teachings of the Dalai Lama outside of the Music Hall I was immediately confronted with protesters across the street. Unlike what Lee White describes as deviant behavior on part of the attending Radio City buddhists, I would completely paint a different picture. I will say that I was proud of the New york/NorthEast Buddhist community for maintaining composure in times of severe confrontation. As a Caucasian who is a self-ascribed Christian, i must admit that the people leaving the theatre merely met the chanting protesters with their own loud chants and flag waving. Honestly, the saddest thing I have witnessed in a long time is this protest, which was against a global leader/teacher in peace and tolerance.

  One very INTERESTING thing, and QUITE curious I might add, is that the majority of the protesting crowd was Caucasian. I just didn’t understand what was the point of this hateful demonstration – and after reading further into it, I still don’t understand. But then again, I also don’t understand why CHINESE-AMERICANS are generally also against a “Free Tibet.” Although I find it odd that this protesting group could have been Chinese-sponsored, I just cannot fathom what brought these group of Caucasians together with their message of hate. Celebrate religions diversity.

  David Krikorian

  — Posted by David Krikorian

• 16.
  July 18th,
  2008
  2:03 am

  The 1998 Swiss TV documentary on this matter might help shed some light on why these protests are taking place:

  http://youtube.com/watch?v=n5sOm-uQH9Y&feature=related

  — Posted by KN

• 17.
  July 18th,
  2008
  2:10 am

  He is Hollywood. I find this all distasteful. It cost $1000 a pop to see him. I think the Dalai Lama is now only a pet of the west and guru for new agers.

  — Posted by Mrs. Boyle

• 18.
  July 18th,
  2008
  2:10 am

  Dalai Lama knows he is the supreme leader of Tibetan Buddhism and his followers are blindly behind him. When he tells his followers that Dorje Shugden is spirit worship, his followers answer his call and persecute Dorje Shugden practitioners. Similarly, when Dalai Lama praises the “brave” Tibetans for uprising against the Chinese, his followers resort to violence. Is Dalai Lama a reckless contributor to the riots in Tibet in March which resulted in the innocent civilian deaths? Or he purposely encouraged the riots? Follow the 13th Dalai Lama’s traditions? No wonder people in China do not trust him and people have all the reasons to fear that his return to Tibet will bring back the old system in which lamas ruled the serfs.

  — Posted by John

• 19.
  July 18th,
  2008
  2:21 am

  Those protesters were paid by the Chinese government? This is a good way to defend the living god, Dalai Lama. Whenever the Chinese voiced their opinions that are different from Dalai Lama’s followers, the Chinese were labeled as “brain washed” by the communist government. Do they sound familiar? The Dalai Lama’s followers strategy can be very effective: Discredit the messangers so you do not have to care about the message.

  — Posted by John

• 20.
  July 18th,
  2008
  2:28 am

  I don’t know if the Shudgen supporters receive funding from China or not but ask yourself who gains most from these highly publicized demonstrations against the Dalai Lama. If Beijing is not supporting them financially they are certainly must be cheering them on from the sidelines.

  This attempt to damage the Dalai’s reputation also damages the image of Tibetan Buddhism in the west and by default the Tibetan cause itself and the irony is that a lot of the most vocal support for Shudgen comes from the NKT a splinter sect of ultra orthodox Gelug’s of slightly dubious reputation whose membership mainly consists of Westerners.

  — Posted by Mike

• 21.
  July 18th,
  2008
  3:08 am

  It is typical of the Tibetans of the Upper Classes of the Old Tibet to moan and groan as the layers of objective observations about the Dalia lama are peeled away by the rational thinking free westerners. People who understand the Principles Our Founding Fathers established with our ‘Bill Of Rights” and Our American Constitution’ that allows for the free flow of thought and Freedom of Religious Beliefs. Whereas the Tibetans we see here were the top 5% of Tibetan Society and enjoyed all the comforts and idyllic life styles we have come to delude ourselves were the common fare for all Tibetans. However, we might simply remember the cause of the French Revolution to reflect that the other 95% of Tibetans lived as slaves_serfs_ to this aristocracy where mutilations were the common Justice and disease, ignorance and death were the fate of the people for over 350 years under the authoritarian, dictatorial,Theocratic Potentate of the Dalia lama regime. In truth the Dalia lama 5th incarnation was the cause of his main rival Dragpa Gylatsen. Whom was considered a Wisdom Buddha across all of Asia. After killing Tulku Dragpa Gyaltsen, the Fifth recanted and proclaimed that he had made a mistake by murdering the lama and declared that Dragpa Gyaltsens would forever be known as Shri Dorje Shugen” The King Protector of the Dharma.This is how and why the original words of Lord Buddha come down to us as spoken at the time of his life as they were written down at the very moment he spoke from his mouth.
  This Dalia now has been cast from his secure idyllic Kingdom into the wider world and used as pawn by the CIA until 1974 and initially was paid $180,000.00 per year to be thorn in the side of the Chinese.
  So now he tries to omit the crime that he committed to seize control of Tibet by murdering the young Tulku. He immediately brought in the Mongolian Cavalry to slaughter any of the opposition of all the monasteries. Slaughter the Tibetans and then the Mongols affixed the title Dalia to the lama and we have the Dalia lama.
  He is fearful to wreck his image as a Buddha. If he admitted to this murder and the facts that he seized power and ran his country like any other Dictator. He had no compunction in the 13th Dalia lama, who flayed Shugden Monks alive over several days for putting a piece of paper in his shoe. That was back in only 1928 or 1932. He does not appreciate our system of democracy and there has never been a Free Tibet. It has more or less always been a dismal medieval repressive kingdom along the backwaters of the Chinese Empire.
  So help the Dalia lama to admit his sin and forgive him for lying to us. He is afraid that we will not forgive him for murdering a Wisdom Buddha 350 years ago. Tell him we love him anyway and now he should not try to harm the Shugden People any more. He is a little dizzy from to much Admiration and needs to find his sense of being a monk again. Tell him not to interfere or harm the people inside the Tibetan Colonies of India anymore. The Tibetans inside of Tibet will be happier if he stops tormenting them and making them feel like slaves. They are no longer slaves, only mentally it will take these Tibetans to get over their slave mentality. He is not a Buddha anymore than anyone else is.
  If he cannot even talk to those who believe differently than he does,how can he expect to deal with others outside of Mahayana Buddhism?
  He still thinks like a dictator and is surprised when free thinking people challenge his authority. He violates our constitution and the Indian Constitution and is summoned before the High Courts Of New Delhi this September to answer charges of violating Constitution rights of others to practice their own beliefs without fear or threat of from others. He is lying and the people should look more closely at this man. He is not as he appears and has less than honest activities to achieve his agenda towards controlling the religious convictions of others through subtle threat towards others . Thomas Jefferson spelled out clearly that religion and politics do not mix.
  As Americans we all need to review this Hollywood fixation to present this person as a demigod and paragon of virtue. He has more blood on his hands than one can imagine.
  Just look a little closer this is not the Mickey Mouse Fan Club. This is a breakaway cult from Buddhism with one leader and confused followers. His evil motivation neutralize the benefits of his teachings.
  Thomas Canada
  Utah

  — Posted by Thomas David Canada

• 22.
  July 18th,
  2008
  4:03 am

  I find it shocking that people who go to a Dharma talk can act like a pack of wild dogs. What kind of example is that for a Buddhist practitioner? Everyone has a right to freedom of speech, except if you’re Tibetan because you have to do what the Dalai Lama says. It was a good job that the police where there, otherwise the Dalai Lama’s followers would have got violent. Scary! Not a good image.

  — Posted by Kevin

• 23.
  July 18th,
  2008
  4:07 am

  I think China can do all the possibilities including the recent Lhasa riots, people in Lhasa knows that Chinese militaries played a leading role while people protesting in the streets, burning shops and cars too. Then after 1 day the local officials told the Chinese medias that the riots were leaded by Dalai clique, even they had not any evidence. On the spirit evil problems, the Dalai Lama already clearified many times and the Shugdhan believers should check those matiarious, and they are also free to practise in their own country not necessary to protest while Dalai Lama coming to overseas countries.

  — Posted by Langtuan

• 24.
  July 18th,
  2008
  4:27 am

  For those unfamiliar with the Buddhist tenets and Tibetan politics, this whole controversy can seem to be inpenatrably complex. A very simplified version can be understood through an analogy. In Judaism, Christ is considered to be just another prophet, by nature a worldly being. In Christianity, Christ is considered to be the Son of God, by nature a transcendental, or divine being. Virtually all of the historical disputes between Christians and Jews, especially in the early days of Christianity, revolve around this one central question. In a very similar way, many Tibetan Buddhists who follow the Dalai Lama consider Dorje Shugden to be by nature a worldly being. Others consider Dorje Shugden to be by nature an enlightened being. Just as early Christians were declared heretics and accused of worshipping false gods, so too Dorje Shugden practitioners are being accused of similar things. Both sides have their authoritative lamas (spiritual teachers) supporting their positions, with historical evidence and logic to support their claims.

  So who is right? People often think one side must be right and the other wrong. But the short answer is both are right and both are wrong. What Dorje Shugden practitioners say (that Dorje Shugden is a wisdom Buddha) is right for them and wrong for practitioners who follow the Dalai Lama. What followers of the Dalai Lama say (that Dorje Shugden is a worldly spirit) is right for them and wrong for Dorje Shugden practitioners. So in the end, who is right? The answer is it actually doesn’t matter.

  The final resolution of this crisis is simple: religious freedom. We have our spiritual bread, you have yours, so let’s all respect one another’s choices. If everyone did that, then we could all co-exist peacefully, in harmony, and we could all be focused on what matters: becoming better people.

  — Posted by DSPAK

• 25.
  July 18th,
  2008
  4:34 am

  The Dalai Lama keeps asserting that Dorje Shugden is a ’spirit’. All that he does rests upon this one fundamental assumption. If this assumption is wrong, then everything he says and is doing is wrong.

  There are many valid reasons Dorje Shugden practitioners use to establish that Dorje Shugden is a Buddha. Thus, regardless of what somebody else might think looking at them, in their mind they are not engaging in spirit workshop.

  The valid reasons establishing he is a Buddha can be understood as follows:
  1. The previous incarnations of Dorje Shugden are universally recognized as Buddhas and Buddhahood cannot degenerate. The previous incarnations of Tulku Dragpa Gyaltsen (who after his death became Dorje Shugden) are universally recognized as enlightened beings (e.g., Manjushri, Mahasiddha Biwawa, Sakya Pandita, Butön Rinchen Drub, Duldzin Dragpa Gyaltsän, Panchen Sönam Dragpa, and many others). Since a Buddha cannot later become a worldly spirit, then Dorje Shugden, as the reincarnation of Tulku Dragpa Gyaltsen, must also be a Buddha.

  2. Beings recognized as Buddhas have said that he is a Buddha. Both Trijang Rinpoche and Je Phabongkhapa were recognized as emanations of Buddha Vajradhara (hence the epitah Dorje Chang often used when referring to them). Enlightened beings have completely unmistaken minds and it is impossible for a Buddha to tell a lie. Since both Trijang Rinpoche and Je Pabongkhapa said that Dorje Shugden is a Buddha, we can conclude that he is a Buddha.

  3. Since all the parts of Dorje Shugden are enlightened, the being imputed on those parts must necessarily be enlightened. The deities of Dorje Shugden’s mandala are the same as the deities of the body mandala of Guyasamaja (a Highest Yoga Tantra deity). Dorje Shugden is the being imputed upon his mandala. If all of his parts are enlightened, then he too must be enlightened. A collection of enlightened parts cannot become an unenlightened being.

  4. His external aspect indicates that he is a Buddha. Dorje Shugden’s external form reveals he is a Buddha. He rides a snow lion, which only Buddhas do since the snow lion symbolizes a Buddha’s fearlessness. He has a round golden hat, indicating his direct realization of emptiness. He holds Manjushri’s wisdom sword indicating he is by nature Manjushri, etc. Only Buddhas can display their enlightened minds as form. All of the above indicate that by nature Dorje Shugden is an enlightened being.

  5. He is seen to be a Buddha by the mind of the practitioner relying upon him. When a practitioner relies upon Dorje Shugden, they see him as a wrathful form of the Wisdom Buddha Manjushri. One of the special qualities of a Buddha is wherever you imagine a Buddha, a Buddha actually goes. Thus through the power of this faith and imagination within the mind of the practitioner, we can be certain that the Wisdom Buddha Manjushri enters into the visualized form. On this basis, we can have certainty that the being relied upon by Dorje Shugden practitioners is indeed Manjushri, a Buddha!

  — Posted by RSE

• 26.
  July 18th,
  2008
  4:58 am

  I was a follower for more than six years of Lamas propagating Shugden worship. The results were devastating. I am happy that HH the Dalai Lama speaks openly about the dangers of Shugden worship, for me it saved my spiritual lifes.

  That the debate is so heated is very sad. As far as I can see HHDL tries to relax it by acknowledging the right of the protesters to speak. However, it can be argued that the protesters are using deliberately abusive language. If someone holds a certain view (’Shugden is a spirit.’) this can be considered as wrong but it can not be portrayed as being a lie.

  As I know first hand about the misinformation many Shugden followers and especially the New Kadampa Tradition spreads, I have set up a website with different articles related to these topics: http://info-buddhism.com

  For journalists the article by investigative journalist Raimondo Bultrini may be of interest:
  http://info-buddhism.com/Spirit_of_the_XVII_century_by_ Raimondo_Bultrini.html

  The website offers also a neutral academical research of religious scientist Prof. Dr. Michael von Brück. I hope this can help to balance the information. Tenzin Peljor, Bhikshu

  — Posted by Tenzin Peljor

• 27.
  July 18th,
  2008
  5:12 am

  The western shugden society are a front organsation of the new kadampa tradition, the website ‘western shugden society ‘has been hidden behind a website server called ‘domains by proxy ‘ which hides the id of the people who own the website, domains by proxy is mostly used by scammers and spam groups.The new kadampa tadition has been described as a new religious movement and a cult . This organisation is currently being investigated by inform ,an organisation that passes on information about cult organisations to the uk govermnent.

  — Posted by MR WHITE

• 28.
  July 18th,
  2008
  5:13 am

  Hi Mike,

  Shugden supporters are not receiving any funding from China. The issues are different – Tibetans are campaigning for an autonomous Tibet, WSS is campaigning for religious freedom for Shugden practitioners. It is on this issue that the Dalai Lama has lied, for example claiming that there is no ban against Shugden practice in Tibetan society and also claiming that Shugden practice harms his life and the cause of Tibetan independence, both of which are wrong.

  — Posted by Kevin

• 29.
  July 18th,
  2008
  5:21 am

  Kelsang Pema seems to be spending a lot of time on aircraft, flying all over the world protesting at all venues where the Dalai Lama teaches. This must be an expensive business for a ‘nun’. I put inverted commas because of course she is a member of the NKT whose ordained people do not actually take vows to follow the buddhist vinaya as true buddhist monastics do, but rather a more selective set of vows. They also claim to be a non tibetan order and you therefore wonder why they spend so much time dabbling in Tibetan politics. The Dalai Lama has given his reasons many times for the advice he gives, which is not to propitiate this spirit. Much as I’m sure most christian leaders would advise against the propitiation of any spirit. This does not constitute a ban, it is merely heart felt advice. What can the agenda of these people be?

  — Posted by G Caemawr

• 30.
  July 18th,
  2008
  5:23 am

  The image of Tibetan Buddhism we westerners have is not correct. The Dalai Lama has interfered with every aspect of religious life causing disharmony and problems wherever he goes. Why? Because he hangs on to political power. He is taking every opportunity to tighten his grip in Tibetan society but presents to western people as a beacon of liberal values. He is a very accomplished manipulator – like many political figures. What does he have to say, for example, about the segregation wall built within Ganden Monastery to separate monks from each other? This religious apartheid is all resulting from his own words and actions. It is correct to name him a hypocrite for his actions and words do not match. He talks constantly about religious freedom but has banned thousands from practising freely. Even a small amount of research will prove this. Please look on the websites. Thank you.

  — Posted by Russell

• 31.
  July 18th,
  2008
  5:39 am

  I am a Buddhist practitioner who recently became a member of the Western Shugden Society because of the harm the Dalai Lama is causing in the Tibetan exile community in India. His position to not practise the prayer of Dorje Shugden is his personal choice but the fact that he has imposed a ban is the problem. The ban is having widespread effects throughout the Buddhist community, people are being persecuted for engaging in this beautiful practise. Unfortunately we have no choice but to protest and be heard so that the Dalai Lama’s harmful actions are investigated. People who are defending the Dalai Lama and his position on this issue are doing so blindly. Please investigate for yourself.

  — Posted by Tashi Lunpo

• 32.
  July 18th,
  2008
  6:25 am

  How sad that people attending the Dalai Lama’s teachings had such anger and hatred in their hearts towards protestors. This mirrors the anger and hatred shown towards Buddhists in the Tibetan exiled community in India who engage in an ancient Buddhist prayer banned by the Dalai Lama. Protesters from the Western Shugden Society, an umbrella organisation representing individual Buddhists, united to take place in a peaceful protest. The above article cites that the WSS is a sect, as purported by the Dalai Lama. The protesters have faith in a mainstream Buddhist tradition, it is the Dalai Lama who has splintered off from his tradition. Buddhist Nun, Kelsang Pema is correct to comment that the Dalai Lama is a celebrity monk and anyone who has watched him being interviewed will know his interview style to be true to that of a politician, inconsistent and deflecting. Because of these protests the Dalai Lama is now being forced to answer some serious questions – it’s time people saw past his charm.

  — Posted by Natasha Mitchell

• 33.
  July 18th,
  2008
  6:43 am

  Regarding the Swiss TV Documentation, hosted now at youtube: The documentary was broadcast Sunday morning 10 a.m. as breakfast TV. As far as I know, the TV station received so many complaints about the one-sided documentary that they were forced to make different more documentations to balance their first contribution. Sadly these following documentaries are not published at youtube… Later the TGIE published an own documentary film which corrected some of the wrong claims raised up there: http://dalailama.com/page.157.htm

  I was an active member and organizer of the NKT campaign from 1996-1998. After distancing myself I found out how manipulated these protests and the information they passed to us an the public were. Repeated watching of the SWISS TV docu was one of the means to influence us and we were actively discouraged from taking or using information offered from ‘the other side’. We were right, they (HHDL) were wrong. It reminded me very much on the propaganda and the communist dictatorship in East Germany (GDR) were I raised up and my army time there, where we had to fight the enemy (the ‘evil capitalists’) and were under a continued influence of one-sided propaganda.

  — Posted by Tenzin Peljor

• 34.
  July 18th,
  2008
  7:38 am

  Where, pray tell us, is Richard Gere during all this ado about the Dalai Lama appearance at Radio City?
  Was he spotted by anyone anywhere in the audience…afterall, wouldn’t it be easier for this kinda kooky guy to pay homage to his HH on American soil, rather than being granted a private audience half way around the world?
  Curious minds need to know?

  — Posted by Warren Howie Hughes

• 35.
  July 18th,
  2008
  7:46 am

  i was waiting for someone near a parking garage in midtown, and saw a rickety out-of-state minivan, packed with perhaps a dozen people of himalayan descent and attire, pulling into the garage.

  i think they’re going to get a HUGE sticker shock when they try to retrieve their car. $25 per HALF an hour + tax, baby! may as well just ditch the minivan and walk home… did i say they’re out-of-state?

  — Posted by ClarksonForPresident

• 36.
  July 18th,
  2008
  8:09 am

  Several years ago, I studied at two Shugden Centers in the United States. They operate like a cult. Never was I told that they were against the Dalai Lama. I found that out later. In one of the centers, the teacher began a romantic/sexual relationship with me while concealing the fact that he had a long-term girlfriend. I was devastated emotionally. I informed the main Center in England of what had happened and they ignored my correspondence. He is still teaching and still with his girlfriend. The most upsetting thing was that he used the teachings to instill trust in me. These are hardly people who should be calling anyone liars, particularly the Dalai Lama.

  On another note, they also churn out teachers to create more centers. The teachers are alarmingly unqualified. Once, when the main teacher in the New York center was on vacation all summer, he had a new “teacher” try to explain the Buddhist concept of emptiness to the class. He was so unprepared to do so that people were getting up and leaving.

  These mostly Western people whom are out there protesting the Dalai Lama seem very disingenuous to me. It’s more like they have “daddy issues” they are projecting onto His Holiness.

  — Posted by Anonymous

• 37.
  July 18th,
  2008
  8:32 am

  The Shugden Supporters ARE the “New Kadampa Tradition” …being a former member of this cult, I know. More than a splinter group, they ruin lives and suck into their fold typical fodder for cults… the young and troubled. Currently, due to internal sexual and political scandles, NKT have created this Western Shugden Society and a number of smear sites on the Internet to discredit the Dalai Lama and take the heat off themselves.

  Here are some of their tactics I have personally observed that should raise red flags:

  [1] The Buddha said “If the teacher asks for money, run.” Well, NKT initially only asks for an $8 to $10 donation for a meditation session, but soon enough, you’ll be “gently” pressured to attend one of many frequent special teachings, which can range from $25 to $75 for a half or full day session. Next, you’ll be “gently” pressured to attend NKT Festivals, which seem to occur monthly. This will involve traveling to the big national centers where the teachings can cost as much as $165 per day, per person, plus $60 per day, per person for accommodations. Furthermore, to get intermediate or advanced Dharma teachings at your local center, it will cost $50 or $100 per month, respectively. After one year with NKT, I realized it had cost me in excess of $2,000.

  [2] They will tell you otherwise if you ask (especially if you’re new), however, the official NKT position on H.H. Dalai Lama is that he is merely a “political” figure. The Dalai Lama is no mere political figure and I hope anyone reading this right now would never consider buying into that. NKT follows the Dalai Lama around the world with these unseemly demonstrations and even asks for money on their web sites to fund these activities. How un-Buddhist-like of them.

  [3] Kelsang Gyatso has point-blank stated that “Buddhism is dead in Tibet” …which is music to Chinese ears. Google this too. Buddhism is not dead in Tibet, but was forced to go underground because of the repressive government. Turning his back on those unfortunate people is not very compassionate. There are no Tibetans other than Kelsang Gyatso in NKT. NKT has the largest number of ordained compared to any other Buddhist sect, but not one Tibetan (unless they pay some to demonstrate with them).

  [4] Reading any other author on the subject of Buddhism is discouraged. If you ask an NKT teacher about one, you will be told, “Why read that when you have everything you need in Kelsang Gyatso’s books?” With a subject as deep and profound as Dharma, how can only one author suffice? Buddhism has been around for 2,500 years while Kelsang Gyatso started his cult about quarter century ago. His writings trump all that has gone before him? Red flag!

  [5] What NKT is really about is the cult of personality; in this case, Kelsang Gyatso. He is not a “humble monk” as the Dalai Lama calls himself, but rather the head of a worldwide organization that is spreading quickly with a high number of very young, and admittedly well-intentioned monks and nuns, raising lots and lots of money to build the NKT “business” around the world. This includes, but is not limited to, non-Buddhist entities such as hotels, World Peace Cafes, etc. He is also alternately referred to as an emanation of Manjushri or Je Tsongkhapa. Based on what?

  But don’t take my word for all of the above… Google “KADAMPA” or “NKT” and “CULT” and check out some of the 5-digits worth of hits you’ll get.

  — Posted by Charles Miller

• 38.
  July 18th,
  2008
  8:40 am

  Mike, we are not attempting to damage the Dalai Lama’s reputation. He is damaging it himself by suppressing human rights and religious freedom when he is supposedly the champion of both — your posting is a case of shooting the messenger. Why would so many Tibetans and Western practitioners take all this time and expense to travel to demonstrate against one of the world’s most famous religious leaders if there were not some very urgent and compelling reason for doing so? We were there and will follow the Dalai Lama everywhere because there is a major problem in Tibetan exile society and it is just going to get worse if we do not have the courage to point it out. You personally may not like our tradition and somewhat patronizingly call it a “splinter sect” etc, as you have done in many other blogs as well; but in America we say “I may not like what you are saying, but I’ll die to defend your right to say it.”

  — Posted by Lyara Atkins

• 39.
  July 18th,
  2008
  8:46 am

  Yesterday the Tibetan followers of the Dalai Lama held up dollar bills and threw coins and jeered that we were being paid by the Chinese. Yet for 30 years, Lamas and practitioners have tried to communicate with the Dalai Lama on this subject, and for 30 years he has either ignored or insulted us. To say we were there demonstrating because we are being paid by the Chinese is a lazy and laughable excuse — firstly because there is not a shred of evidence for this because it is not remotely true and secondly because why would employed, educated and free citizens need Chinese money to make their voices heard?

  If these demonstrations are playing into Chinese hands, then the Dalai Lama has only himself to blame for acting autocratically and inspiring this genuine opposition from within his own ranks. The Tibetans demonstrating have just as much love for their country as the Tibetan followers of the Dalai Lama and were waving their Tibetan flags proudly. It takes many people and views to make a nation. They have just as deep a desire for a “free” Tibet as did the Tibetans on all the streets surrounding them.

  — Posted by Lyara Atkins

• 40.
  July 18th,
  2008
  8:57 am

  I was in Philadelphia outside Kimmel where the Dalai Lama spoke, on Wednesday, and then in New York on Thursday. In Philly a few members of The Shugden Society set up a protest and the rest arrived late on a charter or private bus that said Ellenville (N.Y.) to join them. I observed that these “Shugden monks” (?)were caucasian wearing old faded robes. Perhaps 200 with a few Tibetans included were among their group. They were very organized with pamphlets and banners and were shouting the Dalai Lama is a liar (or lying) over and over sometimes on a bull horn. There were taunts and creepy smiles being directed at the people arriving to see the Dalai Lama, (mostly Tibetans and Mongolians). After an hour or more of this constant shouting the Dalai Lama is a liar, some of the Tibetans began to shout back ( a handful) and when I suggested they ignore the protesters they said I can watch the others but to see my own people (Tibetans) shouting is too much to not say anything to them. The woman was crying. I was told these people have followed the Dalai Lama to various venues. We were in the city of Brotherly Love and Free Speech, I tried to view their protest with compassion. In New York,, maybe the heat, or the fact that these protesters are a ploy to embarrass, distress the Dalai Lama and his followers,.. the protesters angry tactics worked, they got what they must hope to see, people reacting to them with anger,, cause and effect,, confusion, hate,… from the Four Noble Truths of Buddha, “True sufferings and true causes are the effect and cause on the side of things that we do not want; true cessation and true paths are the effect and cause on the side of things that we desire.”

  — Posted by Lynn

• 41.
  July 18th,
  2008
  9:04 am

  The protesters were members of the New Kadampa Tradition, an English Buddhist based cult led by the self-styled Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. The NKT have had a few problems lately, with their supposed omniscient leader appointing two English men to the role of deputy only to have them sexually abusing and exploiting his female followers. Feeling a bit of pressure, Kelsang has decided to hold these protests to distract his followers from events closer to home.

  The more tension they feel about their enlightened Guru making horrendous mistakes, the more bile they will pour onto the Dalai Lama or anyone else. Shame really, but these protests are therapy more than anything else.

  — Posted by Ken

• 42.
  July 18th,
  2008
  9:26 am

  I interviewed several Swiss (non-Tibetan) followers of Dorje Shugden in the mid-1990s in Zurich. They were a rather pathetic lot, lost souls searching desperately for some sort of meaning in this world. I concluded this was simply a cult in the classic sense after traveling to England to assess the New Kadampa Tradition’s methods of indoctrinating new follower, who are required to donate large sums of money. Little wonder that western adepts they are discouraged from having contact with real Tibetans; they would quickly learn their practice barely resembles Tibetan Buddhism.

  — Posted by D.F.

• 43.
  July 18th,
  2008
  9:29 am

  I had the great honor of being in the Radio City audience yesterday and seeing His Holiness the Dalai Lama. I was also then in the middle of the protest (obviously on his side). This society is nothing more than a Cult and I firmly stand behind His Holiness.

  — Posted by Ilona

• 44.
  July 18th,
  2008
  9:47 am

  His Holiness the Dalai Lama is recognised as one of the most loved human beings in the planet. He is the recipient of the world reknowned Nobel Peace Prize and so many other awards for his selfless humanitarian works all his life.This is wat the general people of the world feel for him.
  Some years back, in the tibetan settlement of Delhi, the members of the shugden party and thier conspiring partners wanted the world to declare this man of peace, the asian terrorist of the year (sic!). Such is the view of the remaining few.

  When I was a child I used to wonder how come there were people who wud oppose and try to kill the Buddha himself. I can now get a much more clearer understanding. I am now feeling so much sad for these foolish and ignorant people. These people carry the same mind who crucified lord Jesus and justified it. Such people will keep coming up until the good overcomes the bad…it will not be surprising… but wat is sad is that in the process some ill informed innocent people will also fall into thier evil design and will tend to act like them under thier influence. Jealousy, greed, selfishness, and ignorance will only breed more acts against the well-being of all human beings. Since we all will have to die one day its really sad to note that these people who spew so much hatred and oppose such a wonderful human being, whose existence is so rare, will only have to content with the fact that they devoted their precious lives creating chaos,hatred, more suffering to fellow humans, and caused obstruction in the path of the people who are working so hard for the betterment of all human beings. I pray for these foolish people who do not know wat they are doing.

  I will not be surprised to face any criticism by the shugden spirit worshippers. When even the likes of Buddha, Jesus, Dalai Lama, etc is not spared, i am nothing in comparison to thier status.

  Peace, compassion, and wisdom to all !

  — Posted by Tenzin

• 45.
  July 18th,
  2008
  9:49 am

  The Exile government recieved message from well positioned Tibetans working for the Chinese government inside Tibet one year ago, that Chinese government plan to step up their use of this british based western sect against Dalai Lama and the Tibetan peoples freedom struggle.

  — Posted by Tenzin

• 46.
  July 18th,
  2008
  9:58 am

  I participated in the demonstrations as a member of the Western Shugden Society, and can confirm that there were numerous people there who were also members of the New Kadampa Tradition, such as myself. But I can also say that they only comprised a fraction of the overall group. There were a great number of Tibetans and people from other Buddhist groups who rely upon Dorje Shugden who were present.
  I’m sorry that the demonstrations have disturbed peoples’ minds, but it’s important that people understand that these demonstrations are simply a reflection of the intense suffering and persecution that Shugden followers – Tibetan and otherwise – have experienced over the last decade or two. The mob of (mostly) Tibetans that gathered around the demonstrators threw bottles, and made continual obscene gestures and comments. Some threatened to kill or harm the people engaging in the demonstrations – especially the Tibetans who were involved.
  As one of the Tibetans commented to me as we were being evacuated, “now you see what Tibetans are like. In India it is so much worse: there are more people, they are angrier, and the police protection is weaker”. All of us were extremely grateful for the kind and courageous work of the police who provided protection as we tried to bring to public awareness the Dalai Lama’s horrendous actions towards Shugden practitioners. The whole situation has given me a huge appreciation for the good fortune we enjoy as Americans with freedom of speech. May the Tibetan people in India and Tibet all come to enjoy the same good fortune.

  — Posted by K. Atisha

• 47.
  July 18th,
  2008
  10:03 am

  The Dalai Lama has stated that he welcomes a third party investigation of this group’s claims. The real group behind this is NKT: http://info-buddhismus.de/Western_Shugden_Society_unloc ked.html

  This isssue is not new. It has been around for over three centuries, and the Dalai Lama first advised against the practice way back in the 70’s. The only reason that the protests are intensifying now is because of what Ken says in comment #41 above, and no doubt because the Olympics and tensions in Tibet (makes for more publicity). Protesting a leader who is known world-wide for peace and tolerance is a sensational news story; hence the protests. It takes the focus off of NKT’s internal scandals, and it gives them lots of publicity as being oppressed. So, sadly, they continue to misinform their own members and to harm the public image of the Dalai Lama, who has spent his life doing good works.

  These people say the Dalai Lama is suppressing the practitioners of Shugden, but this is baseless. There is no credible third party confirmation of these claims. All sites and you Tube videos that make these claims are clearly created by NKT.

  If anyone wants to do the Shugden practice, they can. The Dalai Lama is merely expressing his opinion, what he thinks is right. A group like this has every right to disagree with him, but they have no right to force him to change his stance; and if he doesn’t agree with them then he’s suppressing them? That’s absurd. Don’t believe the hype.

  — Posted by ML

• 48.
  July 18th,
  2008
  10:16 am

  The Dalai Lama has been simply violating the rights of many people by enforcing his personal decision not to rely upon and not to do the practice of Dorje Shugden anymore.

  It is very sad to hear that he keeps justifying his discrimination by confirming his particular odious offence to Dorje Shugden practitioners, tagging them as sectarians and spirit worshippers.

  And more sad is to learn that he is doing that merely out of political interests related to his succession – using Dorje Shugden practitioners as scapegoats – and as part of his aim to become the sole leader of all the Tibetan Schools of Buddhism.

  Lets remember that “… discrimination between human beings on the grounds of religion or belief constitutes an affront to human dignity” “Discrimination between human beings on the grounds of religion or belief constitutes an affront to human dignity” (http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/d_intole.htm)

  Moreover, the Dalia Lama keeps saying that Dorje Shugden practitioners are a minority. This is just the result of his widespread or systematic religious persecution over the years and evidence of his serious attack to human dignity. But his influence makes him a ruler unconstrained by any law.

  These are facts, another uncomfortable truth. Check them yourself.

  The Dalai Lama keeps making a fool of all Westerners by playing with the “universal human rights” declarations in their face. He even pretends to acknowledge that Dorje Shugden practitioners have freedom of speech… in America, of course, but not in his Tibetan communities.

  The Dalai Lama is another charismatic leader mixing politics and religion slipping away from the human rights watch. Did we have enough of this type of personalities or do we want more?

  — Posted by Zangpo

• 49.
  July 18th,
  2008
  10:32 am

  For all his smiles and charm, the Dalai Lama is harming Dorje Shugden practitioners in India. This ‘man of peace’ is denying them food, shelter, education and travel visas for worshipping a Buddha traditionally revered by millions for four hundred years. His own Teachers practised it too, but he says they are “wrong”. So much for the love, compassion and religious tolerance he preaches everywhere!

  http://www.wisdombuddhadorjeshugden.org/

  Western media, please investigate!

  — Posted by LH

• 50.
  July 18th,
  2008
  10:46 am

  Tenzin Peljor (aka KT66; aka Tashi; aka Michael Jackel), is an East German monk living at the FPMT Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa in Pomaia, Italy. He is currently studying on the FPMT’s Geshe Program for senior students.

  He was originally ordained as a monk (Kelsang Tashi) by Geshe Kelsang. His main allegiance was not to Geshe Kelsang but to a self-styled Lama called Dechen/Carola in Germany (who broke away from Geshe Kelsang and the NKT and started a personality cult). He was her right-hand man, who helped her remove the center and its assets (a castle) in Berlin from the NKT. A lengthy legal case followed and was found by a German court in favor of the NKT. However, the decision was unenforceable in German charity law so Carola’s organization kept the castle for a while. Finally, due to them going bankrupt, the castle is now back with the NKT and running as a Dharma Center.

  A few years later Tashi got disillusioned and left Carola and re-ordained as Tenzin Peljor with the Dalai Lama, whom he reveres. There seems little doubt that he feels justified in his obsessive campaign against the NKT due to his devotion to the Dalai Lama and disorientating personal history with Carola.

  As for his activities, until recently he was very active on the New Kadampa Survivors’ site under his new name Tenzin Peljor, where he could be seen clearly to manipulate people to cause them to lose their faith, and siding with David Cutshaw (see below) to encourage worse and worse verbal attacks on the NKT. He helps to moderate E-Sangha and has a long history of posts against the NKT. He runs his own defamatory website against the NKT and Dorje Shugden practitioners. He has also recently started a blog and Flickr account (Flickr shut him down for going against their terms of service by storing defamatory material).

  On Wikipedia he was the main editor for years, hiding almost entirely behind one heavily biased “academic” book by David Kay (who had his own disgruntled history with the NKT when he briefly attended meditation classes in Lancaster). As kt66, Tenzin Peljor was responsible for the strong bias there was against the NKT on the articles: NKT, Kelsang Gyatso, and Dorje Shugden. Due to the introduction of many new sources and points of view, those articles are now more neutral, but they spread a lot of disinformation and pain while he was still the main editor. Many people have said they lost faith and many more have not attended NKT meditation classes in the first place as a result of reading Wikipedia and believing that, because it is an encyclopedia, it must be neutral (an impression and result that Tenzin Peljor of course is orchestrating).

  He has written hostile book reviews on Amazon. He focuses not on the book (for it is hard even for him to find fault with the Buddhism taught in Geshe Kelsang’s 21 books, and also he clearly has not read many of them) but on the NKT as being a cult.

  He wrote repeatedly to the BBC website and encouraged others to do so too, bombarding them with old articles (e.g. the Guardian article from 1996, long-since discredited as an unworthy piece of tabloid journalism from which no mud stuck) to tell them to include the word “cult” on their website. Eventually in one place they did add it even though there is no explanation of how or why the NKT is a cult and the rest of their description is fair and would seem to suggest the opposite, that the NKT is a time-honored Mahayana Buddhism tradition.

  He posts almost daily under his different names (including just Mike or Michael) on different blogs and news outlets.

  He boasts about how INFORM (an organization in Britain that tracks New Religious Movements) was writing a “neutral” report against the NKT thanks to him getting people writing to them with their stories. He says he plans on posting this report all over the Internet. Luckily INFORM are in communication with the NKT to get a more balanced viewpoint.

  — Posted by Cheyenne

• 51.
  July 18th,
  2008
  10:59 am

  The little crowd outside the Radio City Hall yesterday using all abusive, baseless, distasteful words against His Holiness, who always stands firm for the cause of peace of the world, and greatly admired and cheered around the world by almost all nobles. I Tenzin Choedak with no hatred and rivalry against them would like to tell those innocent people. Don’t be so ignorant. Go to the cause to learn the impact, you will never be wrong. Don’t be carried away by some effective speech given by those who makes good bread out of selling ‘Fake Buddhism” Buddhism cost no money; all it take is a heartfelt effort and devotion to the god. If u have a deep pocket yes u can donate for the improvement or whatever, but we don’t charge any mandatory fees. Please be real and be true if not to the world outside, at least with yourself. Don’t let ur coming generation walk onto a path that gets nowhere. Come back home, we don’t hate you guys. We know u r ignorant.. It is never too late for a son to return home due to a morning argument. Please stop urself from running away from the fact.
  Hope to see you all back home.
  Tenzin Choedak
  NYC
  tenzi_21@yahoo.com

  — Posted by Tenzin Choedak

• 52.
  July 18th,
  2008
  11:00 am

  Please don’t keep repeating the same tired accusation that the NKT is the WSS. The fact that they are different is documented all over the internet and it seems to be brought out in defence of the Dalai Lama’s ban on Dorje Shugden only when no other reasonable arguments for this ban are forthcoming — a ploy to deflect attention from the real issue at hand. There is a real abuse of human rights taking place and Tibetans and Westerners are getting together to point it out. Why not look at the actual issue, human rights abuses and segregation, rather than mud-sling? There is now a wall at Ganden monastery standing nine feet tall, to divide Shugden monks from non-Shugden monks, a visible testament to the Buddhist apartheid taking place in Tibetan society. See www.WisdomBuddhaDorjeShugden.org and the Western Shugden Society’s own website for a constant update on abuse in Tibetan society in India. There is a daily growing chronicle of problems that need to be resolved or Tibetan society might end up fractured beyond repair.

  — Posted by lyara atkins

• 53.
  July 18th,
  2008
  11:13 am

  AS mentioned before, just google New Kadampa,or read some of their literature/books ..enough said!!these ugly,and aggressive protests against HHDL are so sad and pathetic and these people pretending to be Buddhists monks and nuns scary.??

  — Posted by donaldinho

• 54.
  July 18th,
  2008
  11:16 am

  I forget to add a P.S.
  It looks like these Shugden practioners don’t need meditation but certainly do need medication!!

  — Posted by donaldinho

• 55.
  July 18th,
  2008
  11:19 am

  Anyone who has any real experience in the New Kadampa Tradition knows that we are taught to practice equanimity, love, and compassion and our main practice is refuge in the Three Precious Jewels.

  Anyone who has practiced the prayer of Dorje Shugden knows that we pray for the welfare of all sentient beings.

  Anyone who was part of the WSS knows that the people who engaged in the demo’s were of mixed traditions and not just the NKT.

  Anyone who was part of the WSS demos knows we have no affiliation with the Chinese.

  So where is all the false information coming from?

  The best thing for the Dali Lama to do, to cause anger in the Tibetans and to stomp the protests, is to say we are affiliated with the Chinese Government. This should be easy to see.

  The Problem is that it causes harm to the Tibetan People. The truth is that it is the Dali Lama’s accusations that cause all the anger in the Tibetan people. If the WSS are accused as pro-Chinese they are immediately going against Tibetan freedom. This is a classic political move and is directly harming the Dali Lama’s own people.

  So please check out the real problem. It is not the demonstrations. It is all the misleading information that is said about Shugden practitioners and the WSS.

  So instead of listening to just the Dali Lama and instead of listening to the heated followers who oppose anything that goes against his word do some investigation for yourself. If your investigation does not lead to allowing others to practice freely then you need to put Buddha’s teachings into practice.

  Based on the potential riot situation that occurred last night at the NYC demo (we would have been killed without the NYPD)we now have a closer look at the real situation in India and Tibet. If you go against the Dali Lama your life is in danger.

  So we will say again and again. ‘Dali Lama Give…Religious Freedom.’ We will say this, again and again, until he complies to a modern democratic society that values religious tolerance, protection and freedom.

  We got many thumbs-up as we were evacuated from NYC ad mist violent crowds. See you soon

  May you all be filled with love peace and happiness.
  -KJ

  — Posted by paul

• 56.
  July 18th,
  2008
  11:40 am

  I am very suprised at the irony of Tibetan behaviour.

  They protest against Chinese atrocities and when they do so- they believe its their right to do so and that by protesting – they are a peaceful people.

  However- when other Buddhists protest against them for what they believe is atrocity being performing against them- the same Tibetans turn violent- spit, call names.. and things like that.

  I believe that Tibetans have a right to protest against the illegal occupation of their country – but they should also give the other people the freedom and the right to voice their opinion. If they want dialogue with China- they should begin to have a dialogue within their own community first. If they want the sympathy and the right to self determination for themselves- they should give that to all minorities in their community first.

  Frank
  New York

  — Posted by Frank

• 57.
  July 18th,
  2008
  11:45 am

  ~~~~~
  Hello Dalai returns to New York City.

  — Posted by Reviews are mixed.

• 58.
  July 18th,
  2008
  12:22 pm

  The interesting question here is: Why has no news agency taken the initiative to investigate thoroughly the claims of religious discrimination? Sound bite articles, such as this one, appear after each demonstration … city after city, country after country, with no fact-finding follow-up … seemingly with no quest for the truth.

  Are the news agencies satisfied with basic sensationalism? Or is there a glass ceiling, above which they will not ask questions when it concerns a “religious” person who is popular with the masses? It would appear what is really happening is the continual pandering to the publicity/power machine that runs journalism worldwide. This is the saddest part of all.

  Leaving aside the religious, which is understandably difficult for non-Buddhists to decipher, investigative reporting is very possible on actions that are not in dispute.

  1. The Dalai Lama has been sued in the Supreme Court of India for his actions of religious discrimination and persecution. This suit documents indisputable actions witnessed by thousands in monasteries and in the villages in India. This is never mentioned in news articles.

  2. The Identity Card that is being withheld from Shugden practitioners is available to be viewed on many internet sites. Interviews are available with Tibetans-in-exile that document the discrimination that occurs if you do not have this card (denial of entry to food markets, restuarants, shops, schools and access to visas). This is never mentioned by news agencies.

  3. The wall at Sera Monastery. This concrete apartheid is undeniable. Yet to see this reported.

  On these few issues alone, a fact-finding investigation is warranted by the New York Times. I challenge America’s most influential newspaper to dare to closely look at the actions of this political leader – in the same way as all political leaders’ actions are open to public scrutiny. No person’s religious beliefs are a defense against persecution, discrimination and apartheid. If the Dalai Lama has not engaged in these actions, then he should welcome a news investigation, giving complete access to reporters and film crews.

  The question must be asked – why is no news agency looking and would they have the courage to publish what they would find?

  I hope that the New York Times will do the right thing and introduce a fact-based report to follow up this sensationalistic article that used no fact-based information and insulted the readers who count on the Times to give the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

  Thank you for providing this forum.

  — Posted by JustTheTruth

• 59.
  July 18th,
  2008
  12:42 pm

  The NKT used the same tactic back in the ’90s, saying that the Shugden Supporters Coalition wasn’t them. Then their cult leader said,

  “In October 1998 we decided to completely stop being involved in this Shugden issue because we realized that in reality this is a Tibetan political problem and not the problem of Buddhism in general or the NKT. We made our decision public at this time—everyone knows the NKT and myself completely stopped being involved in this Shugden issue at all levels. I can guarantee that the NKT and myself have never performed inappropriate actions and will never do so in the future.”

  After this the protests stopped. All of them. It wasn’t that they carried on with less people, they all stopped because Kelsang Gyatso told them to stop.

  So, even if the NKT doesn’t make up all of the WSS, if their leader told them to stop they all would.

  — Posted by Ken

• 60.
  July 18th,
  2008
  1:02 pm

  I went to the dorjeeshugden website. Boardmembers? I mean why do I believe in what they say when they do not have any highly regarded masters to claim otherwise. Some of the monks who were protesting had tattoes. I called the society, but no one was picking it up. Do they have seminars? Do they have an office? Is there a visible structure? How are they banned? I know people who are friends besides their differences in their religious beliefs. The Tibetan people in general should respect their right to demonstrate. I know majority of the Tibetans do not worship this “spirit” and majority of those who protest were foreigners…

  — Posted by tk

• 61.
  July 18th,
  2008
  2:07 pm

  I agree with the idea of beginning a dialogue. Has His Holiness asked the Shugden worshippers or a representative from the group to have a meeting with him?

  In ancient Tibetan traditions, matters of this nature were sorted out in a public debate between opposing parties- we should have the same here and have these Shugden people and the ones that oppose them – debate it out- and then make our minds on who is correct and who is not.

  I feel that a lot of this tension can be avoided if matters of this sort are debated and discussed- meetings and debates held and ideas thrashed out- while it may not resolve the issue at hand of determining whether or not the followers of shugden are a cult or not- it could lead to reducing the tensions between His Holiness and this group- and beginning a constructive way of getting back this lost group of Tibetans and Buddhists back.

  — Posted by Tenzin Nyima

• 62.
  July 18th,
  2008
  2:38 pm

  Whether or not the Shugen supporters are receiving direct funding from the Chinese or not it can’t be denied that this campaign is damaging the image of Tibetan Buddhism nor can it be denied that the Chinese government owes the masterminds of this conflict a debt of thanks as they have done more to damage the reputation of the Dalai than all the hysterical diatribes issued from Beijing.

  As to the ‘deity’ in question, a figure who does not exist anywhere in the Buddhist world outside the context of late Tibetan religiosity, and from the accounts I’ve read it would seem that the Dalai’s claim that Shugden is inherently sectarian is quite justified.

  It’s clear that this whole affair has been badly handled by the Tibetan government in Dharamsala and there is obviously an issue that need addressing but if I didn’t know better I’d suspect that the Shugden controversy has been hijacked by people with a bigger agenda in mind, and that this is really a challenge to the Dalai Lama as the main representative of Tibetan Buddhism and the Tibetan community in exile. A challenge from who I’ve no idea but I suspect someone in the NKT might.

  — Posted by Mike

• 63.
  July 18th,
  2008
  2:40 pm

  WSS = NKT.

  The Western Shugden Society IS the New Kadampa Tradition, the end, amen. NKT’s latest American Festival theme was “Relying on Dorje Shugden” (just a coincidence, right?) and the WSS’s own web site has a slide show populated by NKT members, to include the “nun” who is the head of the U.S. branch. (Interesting how the first demonstration against His Holiness on April 22nd came within a week of this so-called spiritual festival.)

  How do I know? I was a member of this cult once, remember(?), and I recognize this so-called separate entity for what it really is. Anyone can go the WSS site and see this for themselves. Their fists are clenched, their faces are angry (and they are virtually all recognizable NKT members)… the very antithesis of Buddhism. To pretend otherwise is hypocritical and dishonest.

  You can lie all you want to the public at large about who you are, but with just a little Google research, it’s pretty easy for anyone to connect the dots.

  WSS and NKT (one in the same) are an embarrassment to true Buddhists. But hey… keep up the “good” work! I heard attendance at the latest U.K. Festival was 700 less than last year.

  Question, WSS/NKT members: What will you do when your Third Buddha (Kelsang Gyatso) passes away? As with all cults that feature “living gods” (i.e.: Jim Jones, David Koresch, etc.), trying to usurp “power” from generally recognized MAINSTREAM religious leaders, will you put him up on the pedestal that you have Dorje Shugden on or will you just move on to another NEW AGE cult?

  Nice timing too. The Tibetans are being persecuted by the Chinese and when they need him (the Dalai Lama) the most, here you are, doing the bidding of the Chinese, trying to discredit him. How compassionate!

  — Posted by Charles Miller

• 64.
  July 18th,
  2008
  3:35 pm

  I agree that dialog and debate with the Dalai Lama would be fantastic. It is so hard to believe that the Dalai Lama, who constantly talks about the need to respect all different religious traditions and to dialog our way out of problems, has steadfastly refused, even once, to enter into dialog with any Shugden practitioner. This refusal to engage with us in any meaningful fashion has been going on at least since 1996.

  — Posted by lyara atkins

• 65.
  July 18th,
  2008
  3:39 pm

  I being a practicing Buddhist was a little bothered or confused about how HH spoke of sticking to your own religious traditions unless your Tibetan or American Tibetan which I am neither. This statement reminded me that he is merely a human as myself and everything he says isn’t Gold. I couldn’t understand until meeting a monk after the show that told me that by simply being there I proves that you can convert or you can use many paths to the one Truth. My sense of revelation yesterday came from a Monk, not the Dalia Lama which makes me feel that I’ve passed some sort of test and to continue my practice, which I’ll be enternally grateful for.

  — Posted by Michelle D.

• 66.
  July 18th,
  2008
  3:49 pm

  As I understand it, the Dalai Lama HAS met with some individuals (or at least he SAID he had during a Q&A in England recently). What I’d like to see is a public debate between him and some of the living masters who continue to do this practice despite persecution. I’d like to see, in other words, a debate among those highly qualified to engage in Tibetan debate. That has been requested many times, and always refused.

  Dharmagirl

  — Posted by dharmagirl

• 67.
  July 18th,
  2008
  3:59 pm

  Hi,

  I am a buddhist nun and a Dorje Shugden practitioner. I go for refuge only to the three jewels, not to spirits. I can only say from my own experience that I am worshipping a Buddha. With a pure intention I can only benefit from practicing this deity.

  These questions I pose to HH the Dalai Lama.

  “As an emanation of Chenrezig, how is it possible for an apparent “Spirit” to harm you? Free from the realms of Samsara having broken these bonds and abiding in the unaltering state of bliss and emptiness how can you experience any suffering.

  And for your people, if they are to be harmed by an apparent “spirit” is this not due to karma previously created? If so then would it not be wise to advise them to purify rather than try to change their external circumstances?

  Do pure beings experience impurity? Would a Buddha experience Dorje Shugden as an impure being?

  May wisdom flourish in this world and may we all become free from the bonds of Samsara.

  — Posted by Sukha

• 68.
  July 18th,
  2008
  4:13 pm

  Okay, let me be a little fairer, then, to the Times, which does do GREAT investigative reporting on other issues….Apologies if in my haste I was unfair to an often great newspaper. — shs

  Dear JustTheTruth…

  Many in the news media, unfortunately, are celebrity-besotted, like their audiences. But believe me when I say there remain courageous, independent-minded journalists interested in pursuing truth and justice in their reporting. (Some even work for the New York Times!?!) It is one of these journalists who will give a fair-minded look at the claims on all sides, searching for credible evidence on behalf of their viewers or readers. Please send your plea to the NYTimes ombudsman. Send it too, to the IRE (Investigative Reporters and Editors), to the New Yorker, and to Frontline. If only one journalistic truth-seeker digs behind the celebrity hype to the evidence, we will have taken a step toward the kind of openness and independent thinking that much of the West is known, loved, and (sadly) hated for.

  — Posted by S. Holly Stocking

• 69.
  July 18th,
  2008
  5:53 pm

  Question: The practitioner of Dorjee Shugden, will they be permitted to the Kalachakra? Answer: Now here, you need lot of explanation. Basically, for the last more than 300 years, this controversy remained. And then particularly in the last 60 years, lot of controversial things happened. Here controversy means, lot of sectarian, unhappy things occurred in eastern Tibet, Central Tibet, and Southern Tibet. In any way, in my own case, due to my ignorance, I practice this spirit. I practiced worship of this spirit. Eventually I realised that this is not the right way, this is a mistake. Then I carried further investigation. I found, the fifth Dalai Lama actually considered this spirit to be a malevolent force which may have been born as a result of misguided aspirations.

  And then many Tibetan masters, particularly among the Geluk tradition, yellow hat tradition, like Purchok Ngawang Jampa, one great master, very famous; and then the teacher of the seventh Dalai Lama, Trichen Ngawang Chokdhen, very famous. Then another Tibetan lama, of course, well known, Kyangja Rolpai Dorjee, and then the teacher of the eighth Dalai Lama, Yongzin Yeshi Gyaltsen. All these and other masters considered this an evil force. So then things became clear. And also, as mentioned before, for the last 300 years, particularly in the last 60 years, if you investigate and meet more people from all major four Buddhist traditions of Tibet, then you will get the clearer picture, what really happened in the last few centuries and particularly in the last few decades. So the basic thing is firstly, I mean there are three points. Number One, Since the fifth Dalai Lama considered this an evil force, evil spirit, and he once tried to destroy that. So therefore, me as the Dalai Lama, the 14th incarnation of the Dalai Lama, I am among the lineage of the Dalai Lama, so I have to follow. It is logical. It is better to follow the fifth Dalai Lama and also the 13th Dalai Lama. The 13th Dalai Lama also placed restrictions on this evil spirit. So then I realised my mistake and then I stopped completely worshipping this.

  Number Two. As you know I always try to promote non-sectarian spirit, not only among Tibetan Buddhist traditions, but also among other religious traditions, as many people by now know. Particularly among the four Tibetan Buddhist tradition, I myself receive teachings from Nyingma tradition, Sakya tradition and Kagyud tradition. So this is my approach. So this spirit, you can see from some books in order to praise this spirit, it is made very clear that if one follower of the yellow hat sect, if that even touch the scripture of the Nyingma tradition, this spirit will destroy you. In fact the ninth, no the eighth Panchen Lama, because he practised the Nyingma tradition, follower, I mean worshipper of this spirit believe that this spirit destroyed the eighth Panchen Lama because he practised the Nyingma tradition.

  So you see in my effort in promotion of non-sectarianism this becomes a great obstacle. So this is Number 2 reason.

  Then Number 3, unfortunately among Tibetans, our Tibetan Buddhist tradition is actually very rich and very authentic. However, there is a sign of danger of degeneration of this rich Buddhist tradition into spirit worship. It is a great pity. And then that spirit is also not reliable, very controversial and many great lamas considered this an evil force. So, therefore, I put restrictions. Then some people who practice this distorted my standpoint. Since I carry this attitude with sincere motivation and sufficient reason, so I want to continue with the stand. Therefore, now in religious tradition, in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition there is a concept known as the importance of the sacred bond between the teacher and the disciples. So in order to be safer for the students side, if you worship this spirit then please don’t come to listen to my teaching because it is for their own sake. So this is no change. My position is still like that. Same.

  — Posted by Sonam Dolma

• 70.
  July 18th,
  2008
  6:07 pm

  Sukha, I’d like to address your points if I may.

  Firstly, if you take refuge in a being thinking that it is a Buddha when in fact it is a spirit, you are still taking refuge in a spirit. Whatever you think it is is of no consequence. If this were not the case, you could ‘enlighten’ someone just by believing them to be a Buddha. It doesn’t work like that. If you call a spirit to you, you will get a spirit. Simple as.

  The Dalai Lama will be harmed if his students break samaya with him. That’s why he always requests worshippers of this spirit to not attend his teachings. It is not that this spirit will harm him, but bad samaya connections harm both teacher and student.

  People die from disease because of previous karma. Are we to advise people to avoid doctors and just pray? (Okay, Gen-la Samden did that for his now dead assistant, but for the rest of us it is not wise.)

  According to tradition, to Buddhas there are no beings, but they must still strive to liberate beings. The Dalai Lama’s advise comes from this aspiration.

  — Posted by Ken

• 71.
  July 18th,
  2008
  6:36 pm

  Hi Ken,

  So are you saying spirits exist from their own side?

  Of course we go to the doctor if we are sick but that will not purify the true cause of our sickness only purification will achieve this, otherwise our sickness will be neverending. We must stop looking at our world from an ignorant point of view blaming others for our own misfortune, this is not helpful.

  We should all have the right to religious freedom. I will not allow the Dalai Lama to stop me practicing Dorje Shugden. He can say I’m not a Buddhist but so what, he is not my root guru!

  — Posted by Sukha

• 72.
  July 18th,
  2008
  6:45 pm

  Here is a link to His Holiness’ recent response to the Shugden Practitioners protesting at Lehigh University last monday July 14th, 2008

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZfGaPrOOP0

  — Posted by Ben Chace

• 73.
  July 18th,
  2008
  7:38 pm

  Hey Sukha,

  Spirits exist in the same way that any beings exist. They function according to causes and conditions. Buddhas are able to benefit beings because of the aspirations made during their training. Spirits also harm beings based on their aspirations and qualities.

  Murderers and rapists do not exist ‘from their own side’, but it doesn’t stop them murdering and raping.

  The Dalai Lama has never asked you or any other NKT cult member to stop doing whatever it is you do. Does he exist from his own side?

  “We must stop looking at our world from an ignorant point of view blaming others for our own misfortune, this is not helpful.”

  — Posted by Ken

• 74.
  July 18th,
  2008
  11:19 pm

  In response to Post #69, which is written as if it came from the Dalai Lama himself:

  No. 1: The preponderance of the evidence presented here is the authority of great masters and prior incarnations. But why these particular authorities? Why not others who believed differently, that Dorje Shugden was not a malevolent spirit, but rather enlightened Manjushuri? Fame is mentioned multiple times, but fame is not the best criterion for believing someone on these matters, for the most humble dishwasher in the Mall of America can be a great spiritual master. Logic, at least as I have been trained in my Western schooling to understand it, requires consideration of the substantive reasons for following one set of authorities over another set. And I have yet to see reasons that I find convincing.

  No. 2: The Dalai Lama’s non-sectarian views are well known, and they are views I also value, deeply, but it is confounding to see the Dalai Lama embrace heavy-handed sectarian methods in order to achieve his goal of “religious freedom.” There is an old saying: That which we resist, we become. I have yet to see the Dalai Lama defend as NON-sectarian methods that he and his government have lately used to lead ordinary Tibetans to denounce as “evil” practices he disapproves of; these methods effectively deny critical spiritual and material resources to those who are not in agreement with his views. I invite anyone to look up the meanings of sectarianism. My American Heritage Dictionary defines it as “bigoted adherence to a factional viewpoint.” Well, to my mind, bigoted adherence is bigoted adherence, regardless of the object, whether it’s to a narrow path that leads to the vast perspective that is Enlightenment or to an ecumenical path that can lead to Enlightenment for those whose minds are ready.

  No. 2. The emphasis on Dorje Shugden as a worldy spirit distracts attention from the oppressive actions taken against Shugden followers, actions that appear to undermine what all protectors in Tibetan Buddhism seek to preserve and protect — the values of love and compassion for all beings without exception. THAT is what will degenerate if this conflict continues much longer, not the Buddhism of Tibet, but the very heart of dharma. No matter what side of this conflict we are on, aren’t love and compassion what we all seek to preserve and protect? To my mind, tolerance for others’ religious views – not intolerance — is the best way to preserve and protect this essence. Surely the Dalai Lama can see this! If he cannot, I fear he has fallen victim to the isolation and bad advice that come to many in positions of unbridled power or celebrity. If this is the case, then I fear the Dalai Lama’s biggest “mistake” was NOT in worshipping Dorje Shugden, as he imagines, but in becoming so attached to his own “modern” views in this case that his heart — which to many is the very heart of dharma and Tibet – simply closed. Such actions have deprived many of us of his considerable abilities to inspire people. It has deprived many in India, Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, and Mongolia, of their beloved teacher. It has deprived the world of someone who could show – not just in words but in deeds – how to create and keep the peace with those we disagree with. To me that is one of the saddest parts of this whole sorry mess!

  — Posted by S. Holly Stocking

• 75.
  July 18th,
  2008
  11:48 pm

  His Holiness has right to express his view on this practice, but as soon his view is enforce through tibetan exile goverment and NGOs it become repression. Dalai lama give lots of advice everyday, non of these are being enforce like not drinking, smoking etc. But why this one? Because of this ban by Dalai lama, I had lost my relationship with my family, friends so on. It cause so much suffering and division within Tibetan community. We don’t need this in this time. Dalai lama should tell in Tibetan in exile as his says in English in west. He should take on stand and one face weather it is east or west. Don’t lie!

  — Posted by Tenzin Dradul

• 76.
  July 19th,
  2008
  2:38 am

  I am a westerner and not a buddhist, though I am deeply involved with the Tibetan community.

  I might be mistaken, but I always believed Buddhism was about understanding your deepest connection to all other human beings and about inner search for truths and peace. What I saw from the (westerner) protesters was idolatry, hatred, spite and disrespect for the humanity and struggles of 6 million Tibetans and attempts at humiliating the main representative of the Tibetan people alive today. The person who also happens to be a great teacher who any who listen to him with an open heart and without agendas?

  Is that what the followers of Dorje Shugden are learning from their practice? No wonder this practice is considered evil.

  How disconnected must those westerners be not to listen to the cries for nothing but common human respect from those protesting the Dalai Lama with harsh, offensive words?

  Allow those who only have rare chances to listen to him to be able to have their spiritual practices without having to deal with the Dorje Shugden’s followers personal agendas and messages of hatred. Compassion and love… doesn’t seem to be one of your practices. Too bad… Maybe you should listen to Dalai Lama talk sometimes, and learn a few things.

  — Posted by Tatyt

• 77.
  July 19th,
  2008
  4:32 am

  As a two-year practitioner of the New Kadampa Tradition, I would like to address statements to the effect of NKT being an avaricious cult. As the Bible says, “Ye shall know them by their fruits.” Well, from my view, here they are.

  First, the $75/month I pay for my course of study in Los Angeles is really quite nominal – slightly more than my YMCA membership, which I never use. If the NKT is, as has been accused, pushing dharma for cash, it needs a better business plan. No one is turned away from classes for inability to pay.

  If the NKT is a cult, it’s got a truly strange modus operandi. From the top on down, our teachers are emphatic that we do NOT preach or prosyletize to the public in general or visitors in particular. In fact, it was exactly this complete absence of pressure that allowed me to relax and listen to the teachings when I first began attending them.

  Martin

  In regard to a much earlier posting that suggests the NKT will disintegrate upon our founder’s eventual departure from this world: Venerable Kelsang Gyatso has already appointed a highly qualified successor to care for our tradition’s pure teachings. This is not exactly the pattern followed by cult leaders.

  — Posted by Martin

• 78.
  July 19th,
  2008
  5:29 am

  It looks after reading few of the comments here that in India a merciless persecution is taking place, houses burning,and there is so much of chaos in the Tibetan community in the lawless, undemocratic land of India.What a dark negative picture they conspire to paint with such blatant lies. Judging by such adamant malicious intent I wonder what further damage they will cause to the true teachings of the Buddha and well-being of the humanity of the world.

  We must note that in reality unlike the general Tibetan refugees, the few,whoever the Tibetan shugden spirit worshippers may be, actually need not stay in India as refugees as they are so well received and encouraged by the Chinese authorities.

  As for Tenzin Dradul(75) before u accuse His Holiness and label him a liar I think u merely need to take one good look at yourself first.

  I only wish the leaders of the shugden spirit worshippers with this very energy had contributed in the peaceful settlement of the Tibet problem with the Chinese authorities.

  I would to like bid bye to this blog knowing well that some of you will never stop as creating disharmony and diverting the real issue of Tibet as this is their sole interested aim and rather than beating one’s head to a wall i would be happier to indulge in more fruitful activities…

  I pray more for all u people. Please find a better means of livelihood. Please be positive and be constructive and please dont do any harm to the peaceful precious teachings of the Buddha.

  — Posted by Tenzin

• 79.
  July 19th,
  2008
  7:52 am

  Buddhism began with Shakyamuni, Buddha never claimed to be deity but rather a “way- shower.” However, seven hundred years later, followers of Buddha began to worship him as deity. It is clear that Gautama, the founder of Buddhism, did not claim to be divine. He claimed to be the one to point the way to Nirvana, but it was up to each individual to find his own way there.

  In this world nothing happens to a person that he does not for some reason or other deserve. Usually, men of ordinary intellect cannot comprehend the actual reason or reasons. The definite invisible cause or causes of the visible effect is not necessarily confined to the present life, they may be traced to a proximate or remote past birth.

  According to Buddhism, this inequality is due not only to heredity, environment, “nature and nurture”, but also to Karma. In other words, it is the result of our own past actions and our own present doings. We ourselves are responsible for our own happiness and misery. We create our own Heaven. We create our own Hell. We are the architects of our own fate.

  — Posted by Lynn

• 80.
  July 19th,
  2008
  10:21 am

  Proof that Geshe Kelsang, leader of the NKT, is a major force behind the protests:

  My Dear Students,

  I need help from you to solve the Dorje Shugden problem created by the Dalai Lama. Right now the Dalai Lama is removing the Tibetan Shugden worshipers from the Buddhist community saying that Shugden worshipers are not Buddhist because they worship an evil spirit – Shugden. At the same time he is preparing to remove western Shugden worshipers from the Buddhist community with the same reasons. His aim is to destroy the pure lineage of Je Tsongkhapa´s doctrine. To stop this evil action, as the representative of the Western Shugden Society, I personally will organise demonstrations against the Dalai Lama directly. I requested Kelsang Pema and Kelsang Thubchen to do this job for me and they have accepted.

  Please help Pema and Thubchen with whatever they need.

  With much love and prayers

  Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

  NKT Office
  Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre

  When Lucy James, a student of Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, didn’t send her devotees to the protests, she was removed from her position. This “unpolitical religious leader” sent her and and all her students a copy of this missive:

  Dear Lucy,

  With regard the demonstrations, I myself and my students have not done anything wrong. We have no political aim and we are not involved in any political issue but are simply trying to prevent the pure lineage of Je Tsongkhapa’s doctrine from being destroyed by the Dalai Lama and we are trying to prevent future problems and dangers for Shugden practitioners throughout the world.

  You know that not one single student of NKT Dharma Centres in Florida joined the demonstration in Hamilton, NY, and this week the Admin Director of KMC Florida has resigned saying:

  Since the beginning of our involvement with the NKT we have been repeatedly told that the NKT was not involved in politics. Now that the NKT has opened up with its political position and begun demonstrating I can no longer be a part of the organization. This complete lack of honesty about the NKT’s involvement in Tibetan politics is the reason for my departure.

  This clearly shows that the students have seriously misunderstood the demonstrations through receiving wrong information from you – their Resident Teacher.

  You directly told me that the NKT was involving in political activities and that this was against the NKT and Dharma Centre constitutions; this is completely untrue.

  Previously I wrote two letters to the Resident Teachers and Admin Directors of NKT Dharma Centre’s (which are pasted below) in which I clearly explained that the NKT was not organising the demonstrations, the NKT was not involved in political activity and there was no basis for either the NKT or Dharma Centre constitutions to be broken.

  I am very sorry that you have not trusted me. Because you do not trust me I cannot work with you therefore my conclusion is that you should resign from being an NKT Resident Teacher. From 1st May 2008 you will no longer be an NKT Resident Teacher. I will prepare a new Resident Teacher for KMC Florida and Parbawatiya Center.

  With much love and prayers,

  Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

  Please read and see for yourself the truth behind these demonstrations. An attempt by a faltering leader to discredit the man he feels is responsible for his organization’s unpopularity, HH the Dalai Lama.

  — Posted by Khedrup

• 81.
  July 19th,
  2008
  11:21 am

  Shugden followers, those Tibetans and non-Tibetans, please divert your attention on helping Tibetan people. We’ve been brutally oppressed and still are, creating no base chaos will not help out Tibetan people, our People. Not to mention China loves this.
  Non-Tibetan, please understand this.

  — Posted by Lobsang

• 82.
  July 19th,
  2008
  11:26 am

  Doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the people being hurt by this in India are not present at US demos and that we are speaking out on their behalf. Without the identity card denouncing Shugden and all Shugden practitioners, (anyone remember the holocaust?!?!) they have no access to travel visas never mind the resources that would give them the opportunity to travel. Why mostly western people are at the demonstrations is a no-brainer – but then, so are the claims of religous persecution – if anyone would bother to look.
  It is hard to imagine coming out of a dharma teaching with the level of hate, rage and intolerance that was demonstrated yesterday. What on earth was he teaching in there?

  — Posted by vajrayoga

• 83.
  July 19th,
  2008
  11:47 am

  Majority of the protesters were westerners(converts) from the WesternDorjeeShugden Society accusing the Dalai Lama of “banning” the religious practice without clearly knowing the historical and complex nature of the whole situation. There are clear evidences of relationship between Shugden societies to the PRC. When majority of the Tibetans are following the advice of His Holiness The Dalai Lama, the Chenresig, why do some of the western converts with countable number of Tibetans majority of whom seem to have grown up in Tibet have to bring this issue during a critical stage of Tibetan struggle? They have the right demonstrate. But their goal seems more like to discredit the Dalai Lama than educating people of the cause root of the concern the Dalai Lama has shown in practicing this “spirit”. Converts of Buddhism criticizing the Dalai Lama.

  — Posted by Kunphel

• 84.
  July 19th,
  2008
  12:33 pm

  Actually the Times is the only media outlet that got the story even close to right. They, and other responsible journalists, need to do a proper, researched expose of this issue. These protestors are members of and directly linked to the NKT which is a buddhist-based cult, not unlike Aum Shinrikyo, et. al., and currently employing Scientology tactics.

  These protests were staged ten years ago, and when Newsweek, et. al., published articles giving the NKT and its cult leader, Kelsang Gyatso bad press, he stopped the protests, and declared his is not a political organization and Shugden is a political issue. Now these protests started again, under a front organization (WSS), to avoid direct bad press for the NKT. They started exactly at the time when sexual misconduct scandals rocked the NKT and it started loosing members, concurrent with the same time China began its recent bloodbath in Tibet. China has supposedly even published a photo of its fake Panchen Lama with a Shugden statue. There are many recognized academics, like Thurman, who can lend credibility to what is happening here. This needs to be investigated. These connections must be investigated in the press.

  I was at Lehigh for six days and saw the protestors when they were there. There were around 200 as the Times reports, not vastly more as others report. They and their gear came in on five buses (

  — Posted by Mark

• 85.
  July 19th,
  2008
  12:33 pm

  i’m reposting this link on here so that it is not overlooked. if you are curious of the dalai lamas direct response to protesters here it is:

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZfGaPrOOP0

  the dalai lama is not hiding from these people – he is answering to them in front of a forum of thousands where ever he has been speaking. what is truly sad is not just the hateful protesters and ridiculous arguments of this sect, but their comments flood this comment board. they are bias – misinformed – and ignorant. honestly, i’m not saying the chinese are sponsoring them, but where are they getting all this money to protest and hold up their factory-made signs? very curious.

  people – don’t believe everything you read, especially mindless commentary.

  — Posted by dave kriko

• 86.
  July 19th,
  2008
  2:10 pm

  Cult leaders appoint successors, why not? It shows the other members who is in favour and who isn’t.

  Gen-la Khyenrab isn’t the first successor is he? What about Gen-la Thubten or Gen-la Samden. They were both apparently ‘highly qualified’ until they were found to be sexually abusing their students.

  Not prosyletize? Gen-la Thubten wrote a recruitment manual that stated

  “Be very careful not to give the impression it is a recruitment drive…We need to come over as really quite ordinary and quite matter-of-fact at the beginning…We should no worry about converting people at the beginning…To start with we need to agree with people, to show that we understand where they are at, not to resist them or argue with them. If we have a wild horse, the best way to tame it is to mount it, to go with it.”

  This was reported by Madeleine Bunting, a rsepected UK journalist. After this the NKT tried to smear Ms Bunting, claiming she was a follower of the Dalai Lama, despite being a Catholic. The NKT have turned to increasingly vicious attacks on their critics. A tactic seen in other cults. Check out their new website:
  http://www.newkadampatruth.org/fpmt.php

  — Posted by Ken

• 87.
  July 19th,
  2008
  2:27 pm

  This piece on youtube, written by Shugden supporters, cheers that His Holiness’ ban is making Shugden popular in China. They rejoice that Dorje Shugden temples and monks are being funded by the People’s Republic of China’s government:
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvZlkSYiwjo
  In their own words, we can see that they are rejoicing in the dictatorship’s support of their “cause”.

  In this page here we can see the Chinese selected Panchen Lama with Shugden as his backdrop:
  http://dharmadhatu.web-log.nl/dharmadhatu/2008/03/think -about-the.html

  Clearly, Shugden supporters are willing to work with the Chinese government, even at the expense of Tibet, as long as it furthers their cult.

  — Posted by Khedrup

• 88.
  July 19th,
  2008
  2:49 pm

  What the problem of working with the Chinese to completely depose a herectical renegade who leads his followers to disaster and deceives the world. We as Americans do not need to look up for some celestial accreditation but forward, in the endless journey to resist authoritarian restriction- that is our civil religion. The Constitution provides that we do not need any other that the Bill Of Rights to protect ourselves from the chameleons and charlatans of Potentates who try to enforce their will in politics and religion. Do not mix, as water to oil. Shrug off this usurper from Tibet, this shallow and false prophet who despises freedom and democracy. He is what is he and he in not a man of free thinking. He thinks as a dictator.

  — Posted by Thomas Canada

• 89.
  July 19th,
  2008
  3:33 pm

  pay no attention to opinions, check out the facts about the oppression of Tibetans in India here:

  http://www.wisdombuddhadorjeshugden.org

  — Posted by WisdomTruth

• 90.
  July 19th,
  2008
  4:09 pm

  Shugden is ghost, when i was in Tibet, I don’t know what is Shugden, because Shugden follower are only same people in Gelug tradition.we don’t know what is about that. but out side Tibet some people like gongchen agree Chinese Peking’s Panchen Lama. open gos china and making good relationship with Chinese government. As you can see they only care them self, 6 million Tibetan waiting for Dalai Lama to free Tibet, Shugden group didn’t help solve Dalai Lama and Tibet issue. They don’t care.

  Dalai Lama didn’t say you can’t follow Shugden because this is individual freedom. Dalai Lama follow 5th Dalai Lama 13th and all Nyingma Sakay Kagyul leader ’s agreement that if you are Shugden follower some time you can’t be my student. because pure(clean) linage is very important for all Buddhism. hope you know that

  — Posted by manpa

• 91.
  July 19th,
  2008
  4:15 pm

  Check out the visual proof of the quality of the Dalai Lama’s teachings in action among his followers at: http://wisdombuddhadorjeshugden.blogspot.com/

  Filmed 2 days ago in NYC. It is 7 minutes with a telling statement by the police at the end….

  You will see peaceful Tibetans and westerners protesting against the Dictator Leader (aka Dalai Lama) being spat at, threatened with death, have coins thrown at them etc etc. 50 NYPD police, some mounted on horseback, had to evacuate the peaceful Shugden people excercising their democratic right to freedom of speech.

  If you can bear to look – this is the awful truth of the modern Hollywood monk some paid $1000 a seat to listen to.

  Yes please investigate. There is a transcript circulating of “off-the-record” briefings to Western media in London given by the Dalai Lama in the late 1990’s on this whole issue of Dorje Shugden just as the last demonstrations were held. He decided to give the media the “inside story” on why he was forcibly banning the practice.

  Want to know the “evidence” on which all this persecution and hate is based? It is the Dalai Lama’s bad dreams of yaks, people with sores on their bodies, bearded monks and, of course, to cap it all, the conclusive “proof” of throwing balls of dough in the air and seeing how and where they land. It’s called divination.

  Yes, folks, this is the Dalai Lama’s “scientific method” for launching his sectarian religious discrimination on a worldwide scale.

  Now, all this wouldn’t be so bad seeing that Tibetans are notoriously superstitious – like the Chinese. What is truly goggling is that the hard-nosed Western media all simply swallowed this hocus-pocus as fact – just like babbling babes. (But of course, as it’s “off-the-record” it can’t be quoted – as they would be betraying their sources etc etc.).

  It is this kind of mass hypnotism that the DL has performed on gullible Westerners wherever he has been for the last 20 yrs. But those times are drawing to a close now….it will not be very long before “Hollywood Monk” will be disgraced in everyone’s eyes. Unless of course he can follow the example of his illustrious predecessor the Great Fifth?

  The 14th Dalai Lama and his followers perfectly fit the description of “cult” and “sectarian”. An unelected and self-appointed leader who allows no freedom of debate and demonises as devil-worshippers (remember witches?) and enemy-sympathisers anyone who objects to his views. That’s the modern Tibetan Situation Today. When will the respectable media investigate the truth? It is a huge story of worldwide Human Rights abuses and illegal activity……

  — Posted by Russell

• 92.
  July 19th,
  2008
  4:27 pm

  Say what you will and as long as you like. The fact remains the this Dalia lama is a Liar.
  Any day he has the guts to stop hobbling around in his robe and sit down and talk to the Opposition as a human being and not as some fake demigod. Will be the day that this fear of his losing control of his power will recede and people can go on about their daily lives.
  He is anti democracy and is a legal Chinese Citizen.
  He himself says he is Chinese. Perhaps he might act like one and show a little courage in the face of meeting himself as he really is rather than this act he put on of being something other than he is, which is a dictator and moving to traitor to the Democratic Principles of the United States Of America.
  I could only hope that the Chinese would fund this effort to squash this little Dictator, who delights in causing simple monks quietly practicing their Dharma suffering and isolation from their brethern.
  Defenders of our system of government as in Lee Hamilton and Barack Obama will soon lead an investigation into his unAmerican activities.
  His days are numbered with our citizens defending our Bill Of Rights against this usurper.
  The High Court of New Delhi will determine this fall that he in fact is violating Indian Laws as well as his own constitution of these Tibetans. The ruse they use to appear to be a democratic governing body is a big a joke as Rush Limbaugh talking without narcotics to fuel his insanity.
  Wake up to this Deceiver, my fellow American. Use your common sense. We have nothing in common with this Dalia lama who only copy cats and pollutes the Teaching Of Lord Buddha. None of this is his own thinking or his own words. He is as Dummy sitting on the lap of someone more powerful than he. Maybe he is just a dummy for his Hollywood friends. Why does he love the actors so much? Maybe because he like to learn how to act better in order to sound more convining when he lies, Which these days, is most of the time.
  Watch and see if he could sustain a rational objective debate with any of the Lamas of Dorje Shugden and you would witness Dorthy of Oz and the Wicked Witch melting into the floor, crying out,”Help me!I’m melting! I’m melting! Oh Dear! Oh Dear! What a world.oooooooooo
  He has no rational reply to give in a debate. Not a one. Watch and see if he does not show fear that he is the Emperor New Robes are invisible. He has nothing that would hold up for longer than say 10 seconds. The Pride Of Tibet afraid to debate or even send in the second string with old Taliban Bob[bob thurman]. Bob would just get mad and try to hit me when he became exasperated .
  What a world! What a liar they all turned out to be, just to save their Book Royalties. They betray their beliefs.
  Any time Any Where! Name it and I’ll be there. Even me! I could win this hands down and I’m far from a scholar. I paid attention in 8th grade government class.
  He knows not even this much about democracy.
  “Don’t Tread On Me”
  Thomas Canada

  — Posted by Thomas David Canada

• 93.
  July 19th,
  2008
  4:31 pm

  I too am going to stop writing on this forum. Too many of these these contributions have begun to feel hateful to me.

  If we cannot write our own contributions — or read others’ — with love and compassion in our hearts, perhaps it is time to step away until we can find them again. That is what I will be doing. I hope others will do the same.

  S. Holly Stocking

  — Posted by S. Holly Stocking

• 94.
  July 19th,
  2008
  5:08 pm

  Heartfelt request from monks in Mundgod

  “At this very difficult period of our life, we have decided to face any difficulties, even to place our own life, if necessary, as a target, to safeguard the precious lineage of teaching and practice of the Dharma [Buddhism].”

  Declaration and Request by Dokhang Kamtsen//Hostel, 14th February 2008

  To the attention of all the most venerable Rinpoches, the venerable Geshes, the monastic community as well as lay community, who are endowed with faith based on understanding of the quality of the teaching of master Je Tsongkhapa, the King of Dharma, emanation of Lord Manjushri.

  This is our appeal to all those with ever rising strength of courage and sincerity.

  The following is a request coming from the depth of our heart. A situation which has occurred and which is beyond possibility to imagine is the following:

  As it says, “In this world of existence, things which seem impossible to exist come into existence”. Due to politics entering inside the belly of religion, and due to the difference in power between the mouth of an ordinary person and that of a sovereign, although there is not even the slightest fault for a humble person to respect and worship ones own lama and deity on which one has relied for generations, one is now identified in the exile Tibetan society as the enemy number one, who has committed the heaviest crime.

  A forced order has been given that every monk of any monastic university must pledge through swearing and giving signatures not have any contact of any kind, spiritual or material, with those who rely on the deity Dorje Shugden. If one does not comply with this, one must be expelled from the monasteries. In fact, this order has been carried out effectively in the three monastic universities and other Gelug monasteries openly, this has become evident to all.

  We, a department belonging to Gaden Shartse monastic college with the name Palden Dokhang Kamtsen, consist of venerable Tulkus and Geshes and a monastic Sangha. Those actually present at the monastery reach the number of over 500 persons, and there are still more than 300 persons living abroad. The Tulkus, Geshes, and ordinary monks of our department, joined by other departments like Pukhang, Nyagre, Thebo, and Lhopa, have united to face the same challenge with the firm decision not to participate in that miserable swearing procedure which has taken place on February 9th 2008 in the Gaden Shartse Monastic College in the name of the college’s protector deity Setrab.

  From that moment on we lost all our hope and aspiration to participate in our monastic college at the prayer assembly, the debate sessions, and even to have meals together. Now we have no other choice than to establish our own kitchen in our own department.

  However, for a bird to fly in the sky it requires two wings. In the same way, establishing a monastery with a Sangha community also depends on two indispensable elements: the education and the material resources. With regards to education, with full confidence, we can say that we are in no way in any shortage of any kind. Moreover, it is very encouraging, that in all the members of our Sangha, older and younger, the fire of enthusiasm is burning strongly to establish a monastic community which is free of all kinds of mixtures, under whatever circumstances, easy or difficult.

  The greatest difficulty we encounter now are the material resources. For example, in order to newly produce schools, libraries, and dining halls, and likewise to provide the monastic Sangha of several hundred monks daily with their sustenance of living, such as daily tea and meals, we are faced with an anxiety like a patient who is deprived of funds to pay his medical bill. Therefore, we would like place our request to everybody, with folded hands, for the sake of the teachings of the Geden tradition in general, and in particular for the faultless tradition of our former great masters, such as the precious spiritual father, His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Dorje Chang, and his sons.

  This situation is like a butterlamp which is just about to extinguish due to lack of oil. At this very difficult period of our life, we have decided to face any difficulties, even to place our own life, if necessary, as a target, to safeguard the precious lineage of teaching and practice of the Dharma. In order to fulfil this great responsibility, and for us to overcome the difficulties of the present time, we ask for your support, your help and assistance, by all means.

  Dokhang department of Ganden Monastery
  on the 14th of February 2008 from Mundgod in India

  — Posted by Cheyenne

• 95.
  July 19th,
  2008
  5:47 pm

  See the truth of the Shugden Controversery in this Swiss documentary from January 5th 1998

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5sOm-uQH9Y

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aboblx-0zAs&feature=rela ted

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1dILwsmwCQ&feature=rela ted

  — Posted by the lone ranger

• 96.
  July 19th,
  2008
  7:07 pm

  Pay no attention to opinions?! These are not opinions that are posted, but rather facts. The majority of the posts on this blog are from NKT members. It is part of their recent anti-HHDL campaign wherein the clog this other boards with their hatred (disguised as “religious freedom” protests) towards the Dalai Lama.

  I read so much about the persecution that the Shugden worshippers (a.k.a.: the New Kadampa Tradition) are suffering, but no where is evident other than on their various web sites.

  Again, I was a former member of this cult and have seen the pain and suffering of those who were members and left and of those who stayed behind. Much like the “Stepford” Buddhists that they’ve become, like bats of hell,

  — Posted by Charles Miller

• 97.
  July 19th,
  2008
  7:11 pm

  …they have no experience with the persecution of which they speak. They are guided by their “living god” Kelsang Gyatso, head of the New Kadampa Tradition to wage this “holy war” against His Holiness. They claim to be a non-political, non-controversial entity, but apparently, they are now thriving on exactly that. If it weren’t true, this article would not have even been written.

  So again… pay no attention to opinions? No need to. Google “NKT” or “Kadampa” and “cult” and see what you get… 5-digits worth of hits that were NOT written by WSS (a.k.a.: NKT) members.

  — Posted by Charles Miller

• 98.
  July 19th,
  2008
  8:52 pm

  posted by Wisdom Truth ?? …”pay no attention to opinions, check out the facts about the oppression of Tibetans in India” … your facts? Your opinions,, ?

  What kind of Wisdom is this diatribe of hate and slander. Are you Buddhist or are you a hate monger ? Why would you want to disrupt Buddhist teachings, and gatherings all over the world ? If you are truly a Buddhist then use your Wisdom. All you are doing is creating more problems for yourselves, more problems and bad images for Tibetans suffering in and out of Tibet, dividing a population of people who are already divided and suffering. You are vicious and what ever is happening to you will continue, you won’t win anyone over with these tactics. At this point the names of all these Lamas being referenced for either side is making you all look bad. It’s a pity, truly a heart breaking situation to see monks, teachers and students in battle. You should all go back to your cushions and stop this.. say prayers to whomever you believe in to help you through this. Would any higher power, sage, want you to pursue this disagreement in this way ? “Buddhist philosophy have often been the subject of disputes between different schools of Buddhism”… this is clearly not the way to deal with these issues.

  — Posted by Calendula

• 99.
  July 20th,
  2008
  12:46 am

  Every rational animal in this planet are somehow against of each other. And just like in tibetan society, the western shungden society is aniti tibetan commnunity.
  But the point that I am trying to make is that it doesn’t matter which sides you are going for, what matters the most is know the history behind curtain before you make fool of yourself.

  based upon lies and hatreds towards the true tibetan society. And to the people out there who follows western shungden society, I

  — Posted by Peace and Harmony

• 100.
  July 20th,
  2008
  1:16 am

  This is old Tibetan politic, when you guys will learn. Anyone who doesn’t agree and share same view with Dalai lama and his exile government is always branded as Chinese spy and recieve money from China. Through the history of 40 years in India, you been doing this same. Stop this lie and look into fact sometime, who is spreading this false information. You must have heard from Tibetan official and dalai lama himself. This is way they exploit Tibetan emotions. Think independent and use your brain sometime. This is issue of religious freedom within Buddhist community. No to do with China. Same about Geshe kalsang Gyatso. Don’t lie about him. He has more 1000 dharma centers around the world and 10 thousands of students. All of them are not stupid and dumb. Think!

  — Posted by Truth speaker

• 101.
  July 20th,
  2008
  3:16 am

  http://www.wisdombuddhadorjeshugden.org

  Is the propaganda of the Shudgen side of the dispute so can hardly be neutral

  try www.himalmag.com/96sep/dorje.htm

  — Posted by Mike

• 102.
  July 20th,
  2008
  7:38 am

  The holy man speaketh with forked tongue.

  Buddhism degenerating into spirit worship – by following Shugden. Isn’t Nechung – the “official” oracle of the Dalai Lama’s government?

  If he was very concerned of “spirit worship”- he should begin first by doing away the worship of Nechung- or its consultation in the way he runs his personal life and the Tibetan government and thus the life of the entire Tibetan government.

  Stop the worship of Nechung first! and then clamp the worship of other “lesser” and “smaller” spirits.

  — Posted by Frank

• 103.
  July 20th,
  2008
  10:00 am

  So, you can see why the Tibetans were upset. Right in the above comment, a Western Shugden follower states there is nothing wrong with working with the Chinese to depose the Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama, who won the Nobel Peace Prize and brought the plight of Tibet to international attention.
  The WSS, if we include the demonstrations that took place in the mid-1990s has been following the Dalai Lama around at over 10 teaching events. The Tibetans have shown restraint at every single one. Though there was some inappropriate behaviour THIS ONE TIME, those who tossed bottles etc. were in the small minority of Tibetans speaking out. The majority, though spirited, remained behind the barricade and simply yelled (as did the WSS) their opinion.
  My friend who attended the Dalai Lama’s teachings in the UK told me that the protest of the WSS was so loud people had problems hearing the dharma talk. So, really, the WSS has been trying to shut down the teachings.
  The Tibetans are understandably emotional. In their country, they are not permitted to hear the Dalai Lama’s talks, and are forced to step on his picture in front of Chinese authorities. They come to the West to try and start a new life, seperated from what is familiar. In what for many may be their first reunion with their Spiritual Leader in years, his teachings are interrupted by the shouting of Westerners and a handful of Tibetans. People who, from the statement above, and the websites I gave, see no problem in working with the Chinese.

  As for the allegations of the WSS about Shugden practitioners. I, while posting under Lobsang Jangchub (simply because this is before I received my ordination name of Khedrup, and my yahoo account was under that name, lest I be accused of duplicity), gave a first hand account of what went down at the Sera Monastery inn India. You can find that account, in italics, about halfway down this webpage:
  http://info-buddhism.com/Western_Shugden_Society_unlock ed.html

  When I first arrived at Sera, I spoke with several Shugden practitioners, and though I didn’t feel their practice was correct from Buddhist perspective, they managed to convince me that they were being mistreated.

  However, as my Tibetan improved (I am Canadian), I began to speak to more people and get the real story. I also witnessed in my own Khangtsen (house), prayers of Dorje Shugden being aggressively handed out, and new statues of Shugden being commissioned against the will of the majority of my housemates. The Shugden monks even tied up a representative of the Dharamsala Tibetan Exile government to a chair! I heard this story from both sides.

  The abbot wanted to leave the Shugden monks alone, but due to their repeated agitation and insistence on recitation of the prayer (if we didn’t attend these sessions the House prayer leader, a Shugden supporter, would fine us 50 rupees, a hefty sum for poor refugeee monks), the abbot instituted the oath as the only way to return peace to the monastery.

  Since Sera, Drepung and Ganden all decided to follow the Dalai Lama as their spiritual leader, they should follow his advice about what practices to abandon. The Shugden monks at first were free to practice in their own shrine rooms, but kept pushing the issue aggressively. It is due to their own agitation that disturbed the harmony of the monastery that this all took place.

  I left Sera in 2003 and studied in Thailand and Canada due to Indian visa problems. I plan on returning to India this November and will visit Sera and ask more questions.

  This is a Westerners perspective. The other side has only hearsay and the words of Kelsang Pema, who has spoken to only those who agree with her opinions.

  Because of speaking Tibetan and living at Sera for two years, I think my observations at least deserve a hearing. If people feel that I can make my email public without being the target of endless NKT harassment emails saying the same thing over and over, I would be happy to provide it here.

  As for the NKT, before I met my Lama I attended the centre for 6 months back in the early 90s. The experience was not positive, as I felt I was forced to agree with their opinion at every turn. Even though 6 months compared to my 14 years of other Buddhist practice isn’t much, it is enough to allow me to say the connection between the WSS and NKT is undeniable, and the protests have the flavour and appearance of a well-run (I must concede) NKT effort.

  Don’t be fooled, and look behind the images to the very real Tibetan situation (where China has been cracking down and using Shugden as a tool), and the historical events behind the rise of Shugden worship.

  In dharma,

  Khedrup

  — Posted by Khedrup

• 104.
  July 20th,
  2008
  11:42 am

  If you can look at the DL and say “I would rather see a cute lovable monk that spew’s lies than help the persecuted
  helpless by informing myself on the true nature of this conflict.Then go ahead and listen to the DL and his crew of uninformed liar’s. or see for yourself, the proof is easy to see.

  — Posted by Tink

• 105.
  July 20th,
  2008
  12:44 pm

  Dear Holly,

  Agreed. The issue is being lost here with baseless personality attacks.

  — Posted by Khedrup

• 106.
  July 20th,
  2008
  2:22 pm

  Shame that these people have to ruin Times Sqaure with their battles. Kill each other off somewhere else. No one cares other than you, so why do you have to put your problems in front of everyone else – who are no part of them? People go to the city to to see the sights, not a bunch of enraged fanatical buddhists fighting each other.

  — Posted by Jjay

• 107.
  July 20th,
  2008
  3:01 pm

  It is a shame that this issue is being submerged below personal attacks. However, it does show what we are all up against on both sides — just as the Tibetans spitting at us on July 17th showed what an emotional issue this is. To my mind, it is the Dalai Lama who has started this problem and it is he who could end it, simply by lifting the ban on Dorje Shugden. Meanwhile, it’d be great if we could follow the example of the monks who were taking part in the demonstrations, who were all models of restraint and patience in the face of quite some provocation! One monk at the protest had spittle all over his robes. I saw him being spat at, and he continued to smile kindly at the people spitting on him. I asked him later “What did you feel when everyone was spitting on you?” He replied in his broken English, “It no problem. I practice zopa.” “Zopa” is patience in Tibetan.

  — Posted by Lyara Atkins

• 108.
  July 20th,
  2008
  3:41 pm

  Lyara Atkins, don’t you think the lineage lamas that propagated this protector practice, like Phabongkhapa, Trijang Rinpoche and Zong Rinpoche share some of the responsibility for this current mess.

  After all, they are the ones that encouraged sectarianism on the part of their followers, which eventually led to murder, burning of other sects’ scriptures and statues and the forced conversion of other sects’ monasteries. I wouldn’t say that those lamas are blameless in this.

  The violent sectarianism linked to this protector is the real cause of this dispute, surely?

  — Posted by Ken

• 109.
  July 20th,
  2008
  4:27 pm

  Hello Ken

  Slandering the Gelugpa lineage gurus like this shows clearly that you are an agent of the Dalai Lama who is seeking to destroy Je Tsongkhapa’s pure doctrine carried by these precious teachers into modern times.

  You have not one tiny piece of evidence to support what you say but as we know from the time of dictators like Hitler and Mao that if a lie is repeated often enough people begin to take it as the truth. That is where you have gone wrong.

  One thing though, the Dalai Lama is not even a qualified Buddhist teacher. Why not? Because he broke his devotion to his spiritual guide. Every Buddhist tradition recognises that to be qualified a student must never abandon his teacher – otherwise he breaks the lineage.

  One atrocity of modern Tibet is the systematic destruction by the 14th Dalai Lama of Je Tsongkhapa’s tradition. Now why would he do that? Because he wants to be boss of all Tibetan Buddhism – look for example, how he pushed himself to the top of the FPMT lineage teachers list – see their website. The 14th Dalai Lama is not the pope of Buddhism. Each Tibetan tradition has its own spiritual leader but the DL has disempowered these people and put himself at the top…such vanity.

  People like yourself have been duped by the media machine of this politician dressed like a monk.

  “Dalai Lama stop lying and give religious freedom”

  — Posted by Russell

• 110.
  July 20th,
  2008
  4:50 pm

  This is what I found on western dorjee shugden society’s website.
  “The Western Shugden Society is only the community or confederation of Wisdom Buddha Dorje Shugden practitioners — it has no leader nor registered office.”
  They are not credible. They do not know what they are talking about. They dress in monks robe and get paid by the Chinese Government who has in the recent years promoted the practice of dorjee shugden in Tibet.
  And why do they carry Tibetan flags during the demosntrations. It is an insult to the Tibetan struggle.

  — Posted by TK

• 111.
  July 20th,
  2008
  4:52 pm

  Dear Dr. Stocking, thank you very much for pursuing a neutral, unbiased and fair press investigation. Such an aim has my full support. What ever there is in this issue and its background, it should be investigated thoroughly. I would be happy if you can use your contacts to NYT journalists to encourage them to do a good job. I am very sorry for the heated discussion here. Thanks a lot for your efforts and compassion. Tenzin Peljor Bhikshu.

  — Posted by Tenzin Peljor

• 112.
  July 20th,
  2008
  5:13 pm

  I did not say there was funding from the Chinese. I said, What wrong with enlisting help from the Chinese. Just like we enlisted the help of the French during the Revolutionary War.
  I’ve personally known the Dalia lama since 1968 and co founded the Tibetan Mongolian Cultural Center and the Daom Geden Tensung Ling Monastery in Bloomington,Indiana. I was invited, but declined, an invitation to the Nobel Peace Prize. I’ve received blessing and gifts from the Dalia and his lamas. I can tell you this. He is not the same simple monk that I met in Dharmasala. His power base is threatened by persistent resurgence of Dorje Shugden to keep the Words Of Lord Buddha exactly as they were spoken by Lord Buddha at the time. No Monkey Business means do not change the Teachings and direction of Lord Buddha.
  This Lama needs to apologize for his mistakes and get on with the real business at hand and that is making the world safe for us to be able to even breathe. let alone uttter prayers in a chocked world of Pollution.
  The response by this 2nd generation of slaves and serfs who made it to America is typical of the slave_ serf mentality that the Dalia dynasty forged over 350 years by harsh and cruel punishment for those who did not bow low enough before the Dalia regime.
  I asked him to stop and reconsider his death march to infamy and disgrace. Once Americans truly understand his motivation and the truth of all his 14 reincarnations and his distain for our democratic principles and Bill of Rights that the Constitution provide us protection from any who attempt to wear the mantle of politics and religion are doomed to fail.
  Thomas Canada

  — Posted by Thomas David Canada

• 113.
  July 20th,
  2008
  5:23 pm

  [Comment removed. No name-calling, please.]

  — Posted by NYT Moderators

• 114.
  July 20th,
  2008
  7:18 pm

  Hello Russell,

  Thanks for assuming that I “have not one tiny piece of evidence.”

  Like many assumptions, yours is also incorrect. There are a number of accounts of the violent sectarianism spread by this protector practice, from accounts of those on the receiving end, to the very words of these lineage masters you claim I am slandering. Trijang Rinpoche, for example, is quoted praising this spirit for destroying high lamas and government officials that are thought to ‘polute’ the Gelugpa sect with the teachings of other traditions. In another text he praises this spirit for giving such people heart attacks.

  If these western followers of this malicious spirit knew even half of what they were getting themselves involved with they would be standing in the street thanking the Dalai Lama for pointing out the danger they are walking into with their eyes closed shut.

  — Posted by Ken

• 115.
  July 20th,
  2008
  10:37 pm

  After having read some of the comments from supporters of the Dalai Lama it might be best if they took to heart the humourous pseudo-Confucian Analect that it is better to shut one’s mouth and appear ignorant, than open it and remove all doubt.

  I might suggest that people read some of the earlier articles and writings related to the Dalai Lama… some of his distractors refer to him as “a wolf in sheep’s clothing”, but a different picture might come to mind after some research… “Jekyll and Hyde” might be a better description of the Living God-King.

  — Posted by Ven. J.M. Dharmakara Boda

• 116.
  July 20th,
  2008
  11:18 pm

  The unfortunate timing of these demonstrations has nothing to do with China and everything to do with stepped up descrimination and abuse that is happening right now in India. (perhaps THAT timing has something to do with the world’s sympathy being exceptionally strong for the DL right now) Forget about the clash of personalities presenting the arguments. Simply investigate the facts. Take every personality out of the equation. The simple and ugly truth is not hidden. Only problem is that no one is bothering to look.

  — Posted by DG

• 117.
  July 21st,
  2008
  1:38 am

  I concur with the Professor. Sadly, I’ll be joining the others who’ve decided to withdraw from this discussion. Sad because this subject is worthy of being examined objectively. Even more sad that people– ordained included are so wrapped up in their views that that they resort to harmful speech.

  I wish those with strong views on boths sides of the issue peaceful and wise minds.

  — Posted by Gary

• 118.
  July 21st,
  2008
  3:43 am

  The timing of these demonstrations has more to do with Gen-la Samden writing to his ex-students earlier this year, accusing the current NKT leadership of subverting and misdirecting the tradition and abusing their authority.

  To distract his followers from these concerns, Kelsang Gyatso gave them a big inherently existing outer enemy to get their teeth into.

  When Kelsang Gyatso’s authority is threatened, all the mind training teachings go out of the window.

  — Posted by Ken

• 119.
  July 21st,
  2008
  8:16 am

  To Jjay – post # 106
  Maybe you need to go to a different city to “view the sights”. Fortunately people do care about others’ suffering and not just a visit to the empire state building. Try Disneyland.

  — Posted by DG_NYC

• 120.
  July 21st,
  2008
  8:55 am

  Just to confirm my honesty:
  http://www.meditationinflorida.org/meditation-teachers. php From this we can see Lucy was removed as resident teacher, as well as by the letter from Geshe Kelsang. Being at the protests does not indicate she was not censured, it merely indicates the intimidation worked. If she is still a teacher, she’d be on the website.

  previous letter from Ven. Dharmakara:

  In light of the information disclosed by Britain’s GCHQ about China’s involvement in instigating the violent riots in Tibet, as well as my own words in regard to them, I believe that it is more than appropriate to not only apologize to the readers of the Buddhist Channel, but also suffer the consequences of those words.

  There are no excuses that can be offered, but maybe these events demonstrate the importance of why members of the Sangha should not be involved in politics, even in commenting about them as I have, because it is just too easy to get duped and be played as if one is a pawn.

  http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=22,6157,0,0, 1,0

  I did say I would not engage, but I must protect the good standing of my vows if being accused of dishonesty. I feel “duped” as well, and wish to stay away from this debate. But people’s faith in the primary exponent of Budddhism in the world is being damaged.

  — Posted by Khedrup

• 121.
  July 21st,
  2008
  9:16 am

  Hi Ken

  That is your “evidence”? Do you think it would stand up in a court of law? Of course not. People can write anything they like but it does not make it the truth.

  All Tibetan lamas talk about their protectors having such wrathful actions on others – not only Gelugpas.. Why? Their intention is to help people keep faith in their own tradition. There are 100’s of protectors in Tibetan Buddhism. Why are you in a most biased way singling out a few lamas? You can only have an intention to destroy their reputation following the evil wishes of the Dalai Lama.

  These stories are only taken seriously by the Dalai Lama and his followers wishing to demonize Shugden people out of political motive. Holy beings like Je Phabongkhapa, Trijang Rinpoche,etc.took refuge in the 3 Jewels and worked their entire lives to spread pure Dharma -it is impossible they would rejoice in harm coming to any living being. Totally impossible.

  As we all know very well if the Dalai Lama had simply ignored these stories (as would befit a man of education) but allowed free speech in his society there would be no problem at all. Instead, true to his political nature, he used these stories to justify oppression.

  Apart from these stories I repeat you have not one tiny peice of evidence.

  — Posted by Russell

• 122.
  July 21st,
  2008
  10:00 am

  I take as evidence the words of Trijang Rinpoche himself who said,

  “[This protector of the doctrine] is extremely important for holding Dzong-ka-ba’s tradition without mixing and corrupting [it] with confusions due to the great violence and the speed of the force of his actions, which fall like lightning to punish violently all those beings who have wronged the Yellow Hat Tradition, whether they are high or low.[This protector is also particularly significant with respect to the fact that] many from our own side, monks or lay people, high or low, are not content with Dzong-ka-ba’s tradition, which is like pure gold, [and] have mixed and corrupted [this tradition with ] the mistaken views and practices from other schools, which are tenet systems that are reputed to be incredibly profound and amazingly fast but are [in reality] mistakes among mistakes, faulty, dangerous and misleading paths. In regard to this situation, this protector of the doctrine, this witness, manifests his own form or a variety of unbearable manifestations of terrifying and frightening wrathful and fierce appearances. Due to that, a variety of events, some of them having happened or happening, some of which have been heard or seen, seem to have taken place: some people become unhinged and mad, some have a heart attack and suddenly die, some [see] through a variety of inauspicious signs [their] wealth, accumulated possessions and descendants disappear without leaving any trace, like a pond whose feeding river has ceased, whereas some [find it] difficult to achieve anything in successive lifetimes.”

  He repeated this view and had his close student, Dzemey Tulku, publish a book elaborating on this theme, using many examples of horrible deaths thought to be caused by this spirit.

  Whether these stories are to be believed or not, it is clear they were used by high Gelugpa lamas to intimidate others from following a non-sectarian approach to Dharma.

  The very idea that this spirit is praised for killing is certainly at odds with the message presented by the NKT that this ‘prayer’ is just to help develop compassion. That this praise came from its lineage masters is damning.

  The view that these stories of people being killed wouldn’t have been a problem unless the Dalai Lama believed them says more about you and the NKT than about the Dalai Lama. What about these people that were killed. Where is your compassion for them? What about the other traditions denigrated in these ‘teachings’?

  Your argument that these lamas were so good, they couldn’t possibly have been bad is puerile and naive.

  — Posted by Ken

• 123.
  July 21st,
  2008
  10:58 am

  Isn’t it true that the Dalai Lama relied completely on the protector Dorje Shugden to get him safely out of Tibet?
  What does the DL say about that now that it doesn’t jibe with his political intentions.
  Is this how he repays such kindness?
  And what does the DL say about the identification cards – this, to me is the BIG LIE. He says people are free to choose to follow his view or not. How can he say they are free when without adhering to his view they are denied basic human freedoms? That one is a blatant and easily proven lie.
  How do “liberal” western DL supporters explain that one away? By not seeing? Not looking?
  It is not an opinion but a fact. Take a look.
  As a Jew it makes my hair stand on end. It brings a heavy sadness to my heart. Were the DL not the ringleader, these “liberals” would be demonstrating against such inhumane treatment.

  — Posted by DG_NYC

• 124.
  July 21st,
  2008
  11:00 am

  Big thanks to the WSS for taking on the unpleasant task of exposing this ugly carbuncle on the face of Tibetan Buddhism. I must say I was shocked to discover that such a venerated spiritual leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner could be involved in perpetrating such blatent human rights abuses and religious persecution within the exiled Tibetan community; havn’t they already had enough unbelievable hardship and suffering at the hands of the Chinese. So now we are getting a fuller picture of what the Dalai Lama is up to.

  Surprisingly little has been said in this discussion about the impact of the Dorje Shugden ban on the survival of the Gelugpa tradition in general and on the lineage of Je Tsong Khapa’s teachings in particular. This ban is an indirect means of destroying these lineages so that the Dalai Lama can create an ecumenical tradition of his own, encompassing all 4 major traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. This is like cutting down a rainforest and losing the rich diversity of species to replace it with grass for grazing cattle. This is a call for a ‘One size fits all’ approach. The ecumenical approach actually undermines religious freedom yet anyone not supporting this view these days is regarded as sectarian. This is sad, we should be able to have the freedom to follow the religion or tradition of our choosing.
  Anyone who tries to deny this basic freedom in order to enforce a particular tradition is indeed sectarian.

  — Posted by Rodders

• 125.
  July 21st,
  2008
  11:00 am

  “Your argument that these lamas were so good, they couldn’t possibly have been bad is puerile and naive.”

  as is yours, ken, that the DL can do no wrong.
  and he’d better go back to school since all of his teachers and their teachings were wrong according to him.

  — Posted by DG_NYC

• 126.
  July 21st,
  2008
  1:44 pm

  Can’t say I follow all of this (I feel kind of like a non-Christian eavesdropping on the First Council of Nicaea), but it sure does make me want to reread “The Naropa Poetry Wars”.

  Tibetan history is complex, and the DL’s role as both spiritual and political leader means – by definition – that there’s not a clear bright line between the two domains. In any event, Tibet was never Shangri-La, and the DL (who has my sympathies, if not my hearfelt support – I’m not particularly fond of theocratic regimes) is not a luminously simple icon, but a complicated human being hanging off a cliff with a tiger above and another below. I do hope that he enjoys the strawberries!

  — Posted by Curious Bystander

• 127.
  July 21st,
  2008
  6:05 pm

  I attended the talk by the Dalai Lama on July 17th. I was really SHOCKED to find so many Himalayan and Tibetan people on the street after the talk giving the protesters “the finger” and “spitting” and throwing various objects at the other group. These people really wasted their money seeing His Holiness and are not worthy followers. The Dalai Lama called for a “culture of compassion”….these so-called devotees of His Holiness should be ashamed with regard to their abhorant behavior. None of the protestors behaved in such a revolting manner.

  — Posted by Frank

• 128.
  July 21st,
  2008
  7:07 pm

  DG_NY,
  I didn’t say that the Dalai Lama is always right. It is also incorrect to say that all the Dalai Lama’s teachers taught this practice. Only one did, his junior tutor. Some of his other teachers were against this protector practice.

  Also, there was a lot more to Trijang Rinpoche’s teachings than just this protector practice. Some lamas disagree with their lamas on certain points. Tsongkhapa didn’t accept everything all of his teachers taught him. There is nothing wrong with this approach.

  The Dalai Lama asserts that it is possible to disagree with some aspects of a lama’s advice whilst still retaining faith for a lama. That the NKT don’t see this as possible may say something about how the NKT is run.

  — Posted by Ken

• 129.
  July 21st,
  2008
  10:55 pm

  I will be contacting my senator to create a policy to deny the Dalai Lama entry to the US for inciting a riot. This is clearly a security risk, can someone investigate what he told his Tibetan speaking audience at these events?

  — Posted by RB

• 130.
  July 22nd,
  2008
  5:14 pm

  This last comment shows how ridiculous the NKT/WSS people will stoop and how they will twist their arguments. Rather than the Dalai Lama, it is the non-US citizens of the WSS & NKT who have been following the Dalai Lama around the world, trying to incite a riot. I was at Lehigh and saw their actions. Those there for dharma lessons will be forgiving, but it is only a matter of time until these protestors encounter a secular, nationalist group, as in NYC, who will be far less forgiving. Rather than the Dalai Lama, it should be the likes of Kelsang Pema, et. al. who are denied visas to enter the US for the purpose of protests which may incite a riot. That is the logical conclusion.

  — Posted by Mark

• 131.
  July 22nd,
  2008
  5:48 pm

  Many of the Western Shugden Society protesters are with just few years of immersion in Buddhism while Dalai Lama has studied Buddhism over 6 decades.

  So these neophyte westerners giving lecture to Dalai Lama about Buddhism and specially about intricacies of deities is laughable.

  Shugden sect is like Taliban of Tibetan Buddhism – who do not tolerate other sects. Their sects followers are violent – they killed 3 monks and beaten many others including a official and his wife.

  They also burned the grain warehouse of monastery. Dalai Lama discouraged the worship because of it extreme sectarian nature of this deity.

  — Posted by pema

• 132.
  July 22nd,
  2008
  6:06 pm

  The Australian Sangha Association is a member of the Federation of Australian Buddhist councils, made up of properly ordained monks and nuns, selected by their peers to represent their respective traditions.

  The mission statement of ASA:

  ASA aims to: Represent ordained Buddhists in Australia · Promote harmony among Buddhist traditions · Educate and inform for the healthy growth of Buddhism.

  — Posted by Khedrup

• 133.
  July 22nd,
  2008
  9:18 pm

  It is very sad to see that in the name of religion disharmony is being created within a loving Tibetan society, whether done intentionally or unintentionally.

  HHDL is a proponent of harmony among different religions and compassion is His religion. Infact HHDL cites this has His Number Two committent.

  Please show some compassion and understanding for the Dorje Shugden practitioners. They want to follow this 400 year old religious tradition.This practise brings peace and tranquility to the practitionares. HHDL has always been tolerant to all other world religion and He should include the Dorje Shugden Practitioners in the same light. Dorje Shudgen Practitioners are forbiddent to attend HHDL’s teachings. But Christians, Muslims, Hindus, etc have no restriction to attend His Teachings. This is hard to comprehend for Buddhist Dorje Shugden Practitioner. Please show us Compassion and end this suffering for all.

  Prayers for peace and harmony among sentient beings.

  — Posted by Ken Ten

• 134.
  July 22nd,
  2008
  10:12 pm

  Well I’m still perplexed at the recent events at a talk by HH Dalai Lama in New York. I was first surprised to see demonstrations against the Dalai Lama and then I was shocked to see the reaction of the Tibetans. I have to admit they showed very bad form, not just for Buddhists but as human beings. I saw a Youtube video from a talk by the Dalai Lama that said he used to do this practice that he is now banning. Surely he can understand the plight of these protesters. Does anyone have the right to ask people to abandon their faith? It’s so sad on both sides.

  — Posted by Paula Wilson

• 135.
  July 23rd,
  2008
  3:39 am

  Ken Ten
  The Shugden protector practice in its current form is not 400 years old. It is hardly a hundred years old. It started with Phawongkhapa and Thagpu early last century. It has always been associated with sectarianism. Its followers were well known for attacking and oppressing members of other Tibetan Buddhist sects. When not oppressing other sects, calling them degenerate, they were busy attacking all open-minded Gelugpa practitioners that didn’t share their extremist views.

  How can the Dalai Lama tolerate the intolerant? What would happen if he allowed them to flourish?

  — Posted by Ken

• 136.
  July 23rd,
  2008
  10:58 am

  I have studied Buddhism for 15 years and have always admired the Gelug teachers and tradition. I find it hard to believe that a great Buddhist Master like Trijang Rinpoche would be encouraging his disciples to engage in anything “evil” or intolerant. He was afterall the Dalai Lamas teacher as well. Thousands of monks in the Gelug monastaries have engaged in many compassionate practices given to them by Trijang Rinpoche, this is only one practice. If you tell them this one practice is evil and mistaken it’s the same as telling them all of their teacher’s practices are evil and mistaken. I think any Buddhist scholar can understand this. No one has the right to force people to abandon their faith. From what I understand, most of the Gelugpas still do this practice in secret just to stay safe and pacify the angst of other Tibetans. You can’t pull someone’s faith out of their heart. Such a shame.

  — Posted by Paula Wilson

• 137.
  July 23rd,
  2008
  2:19 pm

  Ken is only Ten,
  Grow up Ken. Dalia has no right to tell anyone that they may or may not do anything. You have no insight is actual information to share with anyone. Please sit down and be quiet Ken Is Ten, until you are all grown up and then speak as an adult. One whom can act without being told what to do or think or say.
  We’re all big people and can act and think as we please.

  — Posted by Thomas David Canada

• 138.
  July 23rd,
  2008
  4:38 pm

  The Dalai Lama probably broke the law in the US last week by telling people their religion is spirit worship and inciting violence on the people following their democratic rights. How come he gets away with this?

  In the UK what he did is against the law but still he gets away with it…why?

  — Posted by Russell

• 139.
  July 23rd,
  2008
  8:57 pm

  I will try posting this statement again from the Australian Sangha Association, whose board is made up of 10 Monastics from all three Buddhist traditions and represents the Buddha-Sangha in Australia. Hopefully it will be posted this time:

  Australian Sangha Association statement regarding protests at the teachings of HH the Dalai Lama

  The ASA wishes to express its dismay at the conduct of robed members of the New Kadampa Tradition, Western Shugden Society and associated organizations during the teachings given by HH the Dalai Lama on 11-15 June 2008 at Olympic Stadium, Sydney, Australia.

  The Dalai Lama’s teachings were attended by over 6000 people who came to be inspired by the peaceful and harmonious message of Buddhism. Instead they were met by a large, organized group of protesters dressed in monastic robes shouting slogans. Noisy public demonstrations such as these are not appropriate behaviour for monks or nuns and have brought Buddhism in this country into disrepute.

  The ASA recognizes there is a difference of opinion with the Dalai Lama on various issues. It is the right of NKT and WSS members to disagree with the Dalai Lama’s opinions but their disagreement should be expressed in a peaceful, respectful and reasonable manner.

  Therefore, in the spirit of Dharma and in accordance with Buddhist principles the ASA would encourage the NKT and WSS protesters to request forgiveness from the Dalai Lama for their behaviour and in future to conduct themselves with humility and restraint…

  The opinion of the ASA is that for NKT members to represent themselves to the public as authentic Buddhist monks and nuns is wrong and misleading.

  http://asaweb1.googlepages.com/home

  — Posted by Khedrup

• 140.
  July 23rd,
  2008
  10:49 pm

  Christ was crucified by the High Priest because He said He was the son of God. The High Priest were threatened by another higher power. So by labelling Christ as a evil doer they were able to convince the crowd to crucify him. The priest had to find a fault so that they could carry out the non virtuous deed. Today within Tibetan Buddhism Dorje Shudgen Practitioner are labelled worshipping evil spirit. Is history repeating itself? Or is that when good conscious men do non- virtuous deed they need to first demonize the other as enemy or evil? This allows them to execute their own delusions and justify it.

  The only evil spirit is the afflicted emotions within our own mind – such as anger, hatred, desire, jealousy, pride and ignorance. We practise buddhism to free ourselves from these afflictions. Out of these five, pride and jeaolousy are the hardest to overcome.

  Give peace and harmony a chance and do not think that ends justify the means. It is causing too many suffering and pain with the Tibetan Community.

  — Posted by Tim

• 141.
  July 23rd,
  2008
  11:28 pm

  russell DG_NY and others,

  i’m an nkt dorje shugden practitioner and am all for standing up for religious freedom. however, i think that slandering the dalai lama and the people who are posting against the nkt and the wss isn’t very helpful. i agree we should point out bad press and exagerations, but pointing fingers and arguing only deepens the schisms that already exist between traditions. this is a chance to practice patience and to try to understand the other persons position. i’d be pretty upset if i was a disciple of the dalai lama and people were trying to discredit him. a lot of these people may feel we are bringing buddhism into disrepute, even though we believe that it is the dalai lama’s actions that are causing disharmony, and that if he lifts the ban then the problem will be solved. i don’t mean to be preachy, i’m saying this cause i’ve just had a heated discussion with someone hellbent on convincing everyone that the nkt is evil. this guy really tested me and a few times i lashed back at him, but in the end i realised that no good was coming from trying to reason with him. on one hand he had no intention to listen and on the other hand i was getting angry. we are all human and we are all attached to our own views. when someone repeatedly challenges them, our attachment gives rise to anger towards the attacker. arguing seems to deepen our attachment to our views and our anger towards anyone who will contradict them.

  anyway bla bla bla… just wanted to say lets all try and be more respectful of each other.

  best

  — Posted by harry

• 142.
  July 23rd,
  2008
  11:49 pm

  Dear Tim (post #140). If this is true what you say then it is also true in other cases. Do you agree?

  The main target of the WSS websites and public statements is the Dalai Lama. The reason WSS offers is that he would “inflict terrible human rights abuses on his own people and interfering with the religious freedom of thousands and thousands of people around the world.”

  HHDL is portrayed by WSS as “The Saffron Robed Muslim” who has “cheated people throughout the world. In summary, it is clear that your real nature is cruel and very evil.”

  see: http://www.anti-cnn.com/forum/en/viewthread.php?tid=130 1

  By continuously blaming the Dalai Lama while neglecting the complex historical and cultural setting of the Shugden Controversy, I think, it is the WSS who is inflicting a witch hunt against the Dalai Lama.

  That there are restrictions on Shugden worship can be criticized, if there is injustice this has to be made public, if HHDL abuses his power this should be investigated and revealed; but to simplify the issue can not solve the problems. There are many reasons why the monastic community, the majority of Tibetan Buddhist masters from all schools, and the Dalai Lama are against Shugden worship, and why they portray it as being harmful.

  According to researcher Mills: “in defence of the deity’s efficacy as a protector, [the Yellow Book by Zemey Rinpoche] named 23 government officials and high lamas that had been assassinated using the deity’s powers.” and according to researcher Mumford, Dorje Shugden is “extremely popular, but held in awe and feared among Tibetans because he is highly punitive.”

  Moreover at the peak of the conflict in exile, in February 1997, three Tibetan Buddhist monks, opponents of the Shugden practice, including the Dalai Lama’s close friend and confidant, seventy-year-old Lobsang Gyatso (the principal of the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics), were brutally murdered in Dharamsala, India, the Tibetan capital in exile. The murdered monks were repeatedly stabbed and cut up in a manner resembling a ritual exorcism. The Indian police believe the murders were carried out by monks loyal to Shugden, and that the perpetrators are now under the protection of the Chinese government. The Indian police have accused Lobsang Chodak, 36, and Tenzin Chozin, 40, of stabbing Lobsang Gyatso and two of his students. In 2007 Interpol has issued wanted notices for Lobsang Chodak and Tenzin Chozin. According to a disciple of Geshe Lobsang Gyatso, before he was killed, Lobsang Gyatso had to face many death threats, but refused any personal security.

  see http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/articl e1968987.ece and http://info-buddhism.com/dorje_shugden_controversy.html

  Best Wishes.

  — Posted by Tenzin Peljor

• 143.
  July 24th,
  2008
  12:07 am

  What would Bob Marley say to the Dalai Lama?

  “Let them all pass all their dirty remarks, one love!
  There is one question I’d really love to ask, one heart!
  Is there a place for the hopeless sinner,
  Who has hurt all mankind just to save his own beliefs?”

  — Posted by RB

http://www.newsweek.com/id/150460

China Shouldn’t Be Inscrutable

To say that this new China is the same as the old is to be utterly ignorant or ideological—perhaps both.

Published Aug 2, 2008

From the magazine issue dated Aug 11, 2008

With the Beijing Olympics starting at the end of this week, you might think this would be an occasion for serious analysis and reflection about China—how to understand the country and its changing society, how to handle the regime. Instead, we’ve mostly heard a familiar recitation of clichés. Conservatives rail against a “rising autocracy” and exaggerate China’s military strength. Republican Sen. Sam Brownback went to Beijing and discovered—surprise!—that the Chinese government engaged in espionage. He fumed to CNN that the authorities could “listen to anybody and everybody and their communications and their recordings.” One month earlier the senator had enthusiastically voted for the FISA Amendments Act, which allows the U.S. government to do pretty much the same thing.

China bashing is not just a right-wing phenomenon. The New Republic, mostly left of center, ran a cover story last month with the headline, MEET THE NEW CHINA (SAME AS THE OLD). Inside, the magazine thundered that “our ultimate solidarity” should lie not with the “odious government” in Beijing but “the billion long-suffering men and women of the world’s largest dictatorship.”

Except that Chinese people (who, by the way, number 1.3 billion, not 1 billion) seem to disagree. About the same time as The New Republic hit the stands, the Pew Research Center released the findings of its 2008 Global Attitudes Survey. Of the 24 countries surveyed, the Chinese people expressed the highest level of support for the direction in which their country was heading, 86 percent. Nearly two out of three said that the Beijing government was doing a good job on issues that mattered to them. The survey questioned more than 3,212 Chinese, face to face, in 16 dialects across the country. And while Chinese might not always speak freely to pollsters, several indications suggest that these numbers express something real. Such polls have been done for years and the numbers approving of the Chinese government have risen as the economy has grown (which should be expected). Those polled did complain about corruption, environmental degradation and inflation. And these attitudes—general approval of the country’s direction coupled with many specific criticisms—are also the ones reported by most scholars and journalists who have traveled in China.

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China is a complicated country. It has a closed political system but an open economy and an increasingly vibrant society. It is building up weapons systems at a fast clip, yet is not directly competing against American military power. It has been helpful in the negotiations with North Korea but callous in shielding Robert Mugabe and the Sudanese regime. Capturing these realities is difficult, but still we have to try. To say that this new China is the same as the old (meaning Mao’s totalitarian state) is to be ignorant or ideological, or both. It is not an accident that many ferocious China bashers have rarely visited the country.

This ignorance of today’s China has serious policy consequences. We don’t understand how the country works. We don’t know what to make of the views of the Chinese people (“our true allies” The New Republic tells us), who are more aggressive than their government on many issues, including Taiwan and Tibet, and who often seem more anti-American. A recent essay in The New Yorker by Evan Osnos brilliantly captures the complexity of the rise of nationalism in China—simultaneously Western and anti-Western—through the eyes of one intellectual, an expert in Western philosophy, who is also the creator of a wildly popular nationalist Web video.

The collapse of the Dohatrade round—the first breakdown of global trade talks since the 1930s—is vivid evidence that we have not found a way to partner with newly rising powers like China and India. If this pattern of misunderstandings, disunity and stalemate continues, there will be little progress on all kinds of urgent global issues—energy, food, environment, human rights, security.

There is enough blame to go around for the collapse of Doha. The Indians, Chinese and Americans were too obstinate in protecting their farmers. But the United States and Europe have not adjusted to the new balance of power. The last set of trade talks, in Cancún, was derailed by Brazil. These were blocked largely by India. (Dealing with these democracies has often proved as complex as with the Chinese dictatorship.) Our impulse is to criticize these countries for all their shortcomings, but in fact our goal should be the opposite. We should be making them feel empowered so they see themselves as rule makers, not free riders on the global system.

The greatest failure of Western foreign policy since the cold war ended has been a sin of omission. We have not pursued a foreign policy toward the world’s newly rising powers that aims to create new and enduring relations with them, integrate them into existing structures of power and lay out new rules of the road to secure peace and prosperity. If the emerging countries grow strong outside the old order, they will freelance and be unwilling to help build a new one. The new world might well be the same as the old—the 19th-century world, that is, marked by economic globalization, political nationalism and war.