What Lama Zopa Teaches About the Dorje Shugden Ban
Venerable Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche is the current spiritual advisor to the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT)
Tibetan Buddhism has spread far and wide since 1959, when preeminent masters together with His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama left Tibet and entered exile in India. From India and other countries, these masters were able to propagate the Buddhadharma to the benefit of countless millions all over the world.
An organisation which played a significant role in the spread of Buddhism, especially to the West, was founded by the great Lama Thubten Yeshe, who called his group the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT). With centres in major countries, it is well-known that they once used to practise the Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden. This practice was introduced to FPMT by their founder Lama Yeshe, who received it from his own root Guru, His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, the same great master who bestowed the practice to His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche.
Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche (right) with his Guru, Lama Thubten Yeshe (left)
FPMT centres today however, no longer rely on Dorje Shugden, on the advice of their current spiritual advisor and spiritual heir of Lama Yeshe, Venerable Lama Zopa. The new FPMT policy to no longer follow the practice of Dorje Shugden is in contrast with Lama Yeshe who was extremely devoted to Dorje Shugden and relied on him until the day he passed. This is something that Lama Zopa himself has previously acknowledged; despite halting the practice at FPMT centres, Lama Zopa said in the past that:
Kopan Monastery had been performing the Dorje Shugden practice from the beginning, as this was Lama Yeshe’s main protector, on whom he relied whenever he needed help for anything.~Lama Zopa
That Lama Yeshe relied on Dorje Shugden with such faith and conviction, while Lama Zopa stopped the practice at FPMT centres, presented somewhat of a dilemma for FPMT students. As a result, many of them posed questions to Lama Zopa seeking clarification, which Lama Zopa replied to in the form of teachings. For those in a Guru-disciple relationship, these teachings are rather meaningful and speak of the importance of this sacred relationship.
Below are extracts from Advice on Dorje Shugden from LamaYeshe.com. Do take your time to read, analyse and comprehend what Lama Zopa has taught. It is very beneficial, especially to those who take an interest in or are affected by the ban on the practice of Dorje Shugden. Below each extract are points that come to mind while reading Lama Zopa’s advice.
The Dalai Lama and Dorje Shugden
Kopan Monastery had been performing the Dorje Shugden practice from the beginning, as this was Lama Yeshe’s main protector, on whom he relied whenever he needed help for anything. But since His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the one who holds, preserves, and spreads the entire Buddhist Dharma — both the lesser vehicle and the Mahayana, Paramitayana, and Secret Mantra Vajrayana — without the existence of His Holiness, not only Tibetan Mahayana Buddhism but Buddhism in general would suffer in the world. It would be similar to when children are left behind when their parents die. It would be like that.
Therefore, support for His Holiness becomes very important. Another thing is that His Holiness is the main source of world peace. In this aspect, His Holiness gives so much peace and happiness to so many millions and millions of people in this world. This aspect of His Holiness is the greatest inspiration, bringing many millions of people’s hearts toward Buddhism. Even though we have many high lamas, not everyone is able to manifest this particular aspect, even though from my side the virtuous friends are of the same essence.
Therefore, it becomes very important to support His Holiness and to fulfil His Holiness’ wishes. For that reason, Kopan Monastery stopped doing this practice. This was done for His Holiness.~Lama Zopa
Source: https://www.lamayeshe.com/advice/dorje-shugden
Dorje Shugden. Click to enlarge or click here for more high resolution Buddha images.
Lama Zopa said that there are many students who received initiations from their gurus and took commitments to engage in the Dorje Shugden practice before His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama told them to stop. Some students decided to follow the Dalai Lama’s advice to give up their Protector practice, but were concerned about the impact on their relationship with the gurus who had given them the initiations and commitments to engage in the practice.
Lama Zopa said stopping the practice in support for His Holiness the Dalai Lama is important as “His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the one who holds, preserves, and spreads the entire Buddhist Dharma both the lesser vehicle and the Mahayana, Paramitayana, and Secret Mantra Vajrayana.” Therefore, according to Lama Zopa, it becomes important to support His Holiness and to fulfil His Holiness’s wishes. For that reason, Kopan Monastery (FPMT’s mother monastery) stopped the practice. This statement from Lama Zopa, however, raises a number of questions. According to the codes of conduct that both His Holiness and Lama Zopa teach, especially those in relations to Guru Devotion, the highest spiritual authority for practitioners is not His Holiness, but one’s own Guru. Therefore if one’s Guru assigns you the practice of Dorje Shugden, His Holiness does not have the spiritual authority to override the instructions of one’s Guru, regardless of his rank, fame and status. In the case where someone has received a practice from His Holiness, if he then gives an instruction to stop, according to the codes of Guru Devotion, one should obey. Only the Guru who has given you a particular teaching or practice has the spiritual authority to tell you to stop the same practice according to Buddhist practice.
The Alternative View
This does not mean that Pabongka Dechen Nyingpo, His Holiness Trijang Rinpoche, and His Holiness Zong Rinpoche have made mistakes. It does not mean they are wrong. Nor does one have to look at the protector as evil. For us ordinary people it is difficult to judge because we cannot see these lamas’ minds.~Lama Zopa
Source: https://www.lamayeshe.com/advice/dorje-shugden
His Holiness Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche, who proliferated the practice of Dorje Shugden
Interestingly, Lama Zopa then goes on to make an allowance for others to engage in the practice by presenting an alternative view. He points out that even if the Dalai Lama tells us we should not practise Dorje Shugden, it does not mean that other great lamas such as Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche and Kyabje Zong Rinpoche made mistakes in their own practice. It does not mean that these lamas are wrong and one does not have to look at the Dharma Protector as being evil. Needless to say, this is in contrast to His Holiness the Dalai Lama who has openly stated his belief that these lamas were wrong to rely on Dorje Shugden. And here is the crunch – Lama Zopa states: “For us ordinary people it is difficult to judge because we cannot see these lamas’ minds.” Since we cannot see these lamas’ minds, does that not mean all of us should not judge the lamas’ decisions to practise Dorje Shugden? Or anyone’s decision, for that matter, whether or not they are a lama? If we examine what Lama Zopa said in this sentence, the message is clear – it is entirely your choice. If you want to give it up, that is your choice but let people who want to rely on Dorje Shugden do so free from judgement and criticism, and stop attacking them and the object of their beliefs.
Enlightened Beings Make Mistakes?
In addition, if one has received teachings, initiations, and so forth from Geshe Kelsang Gyatso*, including the practice of Dorje Shugden, there is a way of practicing lam-rim in relation to this situation. In the lam-rim, it says that the Buddhas — for example, Buddha Vajradhara, Guru Shakyamuni Buddha, and so forth — manifest in ordinary form and guide us to enlightenment. That means they manifest in an ordinary aspect that shows mistakes, such as having delusions, performing mistaken actions, and so on. One can also think in this way about the situation, according to the lam-rim. In reality, there is no mistake here, but the guru is showing the aspect of making mistakes, like a movie actor.~Lama Zopa
Source: https://www.lamayeshe.com/advice/dorje-shugden
Lama Zopa also states that Bodhisattvas manifest ordinary aspects that show mistakes, such as having delusions, performing erroneous actions and so on. In reality, there is no mistake – the Guru is merely showing the aspect of making mistakes, like a movie actor. Bodhisattvas always act in a manner that demonstrates or teaches practitioners correct methods which, if you follow, will lead to progress on the spiritual journey. In this way, he makes reference to Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, the spiritual advisor to the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT), who broke away from FPMT to start his own organisation and has been a vocal proponent of Dorje Shugden’s practice ever since: “although in reality there is no mistake on the Guru’s part, nevertheless we see Geshe Kelsang Gyatso’s mistakes according to our karma.” Many people consider Geshe Kelsang Gyatso to be a renegade lama but here Lama Zopa is stating otherwise. He is in fact saying that Geshe Kelsang Gyatso starting the NKT was not a mistake, but only appears like a mistake to those with karma that blocks them from seeing the truth. If Geshe Kelsang Gyatso did not make a mistake and is correct in his practice, then logically speaking Lama Zopa is indirectly asserting that the practice of Dorje Shugden is not wrong either.
Dorje Shugden is Manjushri
Another side of the teaching is that it is mentioned that the protector is an Arya Bodhisattva, a manifestation of Manjushri. So, then, there is also the risk of our creating very heavy karma in that context.~Lama Zopa
Source: https://www.lamayeshe.com/advice/dorje-shugden
Manjushri together with his consort Saraswati and the Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden. Click to enlarge or click here for more high resolution Buddha images.
Lama Zopa attests to the fact that “it is mentioned that the protector is an Arya Bodhisattva, a manifestation of Manjushri. So then, there is also the risk of creating very heavy karma in that context.” Here, Lama Zopa explains that Dorje Shugden is in fact an emanation of Manjushri, as many eminent masters such as Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche have explained. If Dorje Shugden is Manjushri then according to Lama Zopa, deriding his practice can create karma because you have negative thoughts about a practice which is actually beneficial. Although Lama Zopa stopped the practice in FPMT, he is warning people, including his students who gave up the practice, that they should not deride the protector even if they have chosen to follow the Dalai Lama’s instruction not to rely on Dorje Shugden.
The Tantric Perspective
It is said in the tantric teachings, “If one thinks one’s own guru is bad-tempered, one will be reborn in the hell realms for 60 eons.” If one does not cultivate devotion after one has made a Dharma connection — which means having received teachings with the recognition of guru and disciple — then it is said in the teachings that one will be reborn as a dog one hundred times, and then be reborn in a lower caste — or, as His Holiness Zong Rinpoche mentioned, as a scorpion. This applies even if there are no negative thoughts arising toward the guru, such as heresy or anger, but one still does not develop devotion and follow the teacher after listening to even just one stanza, even if one no longer regards that teacher as one’s guru or forgets one ‘s guru-disciple relation.~Lama Zopa
Source: https://www.lamayeshe.com/advice/dorje-shugden
From a tantric perspective, Lama Zopa teaches that “if one thinks one’s own guru is bad-tempered, one will be reborn in the hell realms for sixty eons. If one does not cultivate devotion after one has made a Dharma connection which means having received teachings with the recognition of Guru and disciple, then it is said in the teachings that one will be reborn as a dog one hundred times, and then be reborn in a lower caste, or as His Holiness Zong Rinpoche mentioned, as a scorpion.”
Importance of the Guru
In Lama Tsongkhapa’s Lam-rim Chen-mo [The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment], it says, “Even simply generating non-devotional thought, to think of the guru as an ordinary person, is an obstacle. “So, you can imagine what it is like if you generate heresy and anger toward your gurus and criticize them with a negative mind. This is creating the heaviest obstacle to realizations on the path to enlightenment, and the heaviest obstacle even to this life’s happiness, as well as to future lives’ happiness. There is no need to mention liberation or enlightenment.~Lama Zopa
Source: https://www.lamayeshe.com/advice/dorje-shugden
He goes on to quote Lama Tsongkhapa’s Lam Rim Chenmo (The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment) which says that even simply generating non-devotional thought, to think of the Guru as an ordinary person, is an obstacle. So, “you can imagine what it is like if you generate heresy and anger towards your Gurus and criticise them with a negative mind. This is creating the heaviest obstacle to realisations on the path to enlightenment, and the heaviest obstacle even to this life’s happiness, as well as to future lives’ happiness.” When viewed in relations to the ban on the practice of Dorje Shugden, Lama Zopa’s teaching is very revealing. Due to the nature of the ban, many people who gave up the practice have heavily criticised their own Gurus whom they received teachings from. Lama Zopa’s advice however, is that even if you have given up the practice yourself, never criticise a teacher, especially if you have a Guru-disciple relationship with them. Lama Zopa gives this advice from two levels – an advanced tantric perspective and based on the Lamrim.
The other way is to think that bodhisattvas work for sentient beings. Their only concern is other sentient beings, without exception, no matter how evil they are. The more evil they are, then the more the bodhisattvas cherish them, and the more concern the bodhisattvas have for them. Their attitude is like this, and their action is only to work for sentient beings. That includes you. Even a very new bodhisattva who became a bodhisattva today thinks like this. Therefore, there is no question about Buddha, who completed the path, with both method and wisdom, who has omniscience, perfect power, and complete compassion for all sentient beings, including you. The Buddha will not work for himself, even for one second, but only for all sentient beings, continuously, according to the level of their minds. Buddha works by manifesting in various forms and revealing different methods, not only by giving teachings, initiations, vows, and so forth, but also guiding beings in many different ways, giving advice and leading you in so many ways from happiness to happiness, up until enlightenment.~Lama Zopa
Source: https://www.lamayeshe.com/advice/dorje-shugden
Lastly, Lama Zopa reminds us that “Buddha works by manifesting in various forms and revealing different methods, not only by giving teachings and initiations, vows, and so forth, but also guiding beings in many different ways, giving advice and leading you in so many ways from happiness to happiness, up until enlightenment.” He also says, “Now, there is not just one Buddha. There are numerous Buddhas guiding you and other sentient beings. Who else are those Buddhas than your Gurus? Who gives you teachings, vows, initiations, oral transmissions, and advice? Who definitely brings you to enlightenment with these methods? There is no question.” At this point, Lama Zopa is reminding practitioners that on the Buddhist path, it is the Guru who is of the utmost importance in our spiritual practice. Without the Guru, we cannot receive the teachings in an unbroken lineage, we cannot receive the blessings of the teachings, and we cannot learn how to actually put the teachings into practice in our current modern-day environments. Since the Guru is paramount then, according to Lama Zopa’s advice, people should not criticise Gurus who gave them the Dharma, advice, teachings, etc. even if they gave up the Dorje Shugden practice their teachers transmitted to them. Similarly, people should not criticise other teachers simply because they choose to uphold their Dorje Shugden commitments.
His Eminence the 25th Tsem Rinpoche with Lama Zopa
Lama Zopa concludes by stating, “Once you have made a Dharma connection with a virtuous friend, your Guru, you cannot give up this relationship unless the Guru himself or herself says, ‘Don’t come, or don’t regard me as your Guru’.” At the same time, he also gently admonishes one of the questioners, who had forsaken one of his Gurus,
“By giving up Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, you have created heavy negative karma in this life.”~Lama Zopa
That is, regardless of whether a lama practises Dorje Shugden or not, the ultimate rule that applies to everyone is the practice of Guru Devotion and so forsaking our gurus – regardless of their practice – creates heavy negative karma for us.
As can clearly be seen, there are many angles and spiritual implications to the controversy surrounding Dorje Shugden. If one takes the ban instigated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama literally but does not logically analyse the many other facets that come with it, as Lama Zopa has clearly taught and explained, one misses one of the most important teachings of the Tibetan Buddhist spiritual path – Guru Devotion.
In essence, however, Lama Zopa’s conclusion is simple. Once you have made a Guru-disciple relationship with your teacher, do what your teacher tells you as it will only benefit you in the long run. At the same time, do not deride or speak or act negatively against Dorje Shugden or other Gurus no matter their stance, and do not force your view on others. Just let them be.
Choong
Extracts from
“Advice on Dorje Shugden”
Student’s Question:
A student asked Rinpoche questions about the practice of the protector Dorje Shugden. His Holiness the Dalai Lama had asked his students to stop performing this practice. Many students had received initiations from their gurus and taken commitments to perform the practice before His Holiness made this request. Despite not having any commitments to do the practice himself, the student was concerned about maintaining pure view of his other teachers who have done the practice. On May 16, 1997, Rinpoche commented as follows.
Lama Zopa’s Answer:
With regard to your question about the protector and your concern about not generating negative thoughts and losing faith toward other lamas, the decision that you have taken is correct.
Kopan Monastery had been performing the Dorje Shugden practice from the beginning, as this was Lama Yeshe’s main protector, on whom he relied whenever he needed help for anything. But since His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the one who holds, preserves, and spreads the entire Buddhist Dharma — both the lesser vehicle and the Mahayana, Paramitayana, and Secret Mantra Vajrayana — without the existence of His Holiness, not only Tibetan Mahayana Buddhism but Buddhism in general would suffer in the world. It would be similar to when children are left behind when their parents die. It would be like that.
Therefore, support for His Holiness becomes very important. Another thing is that His Holiness is the main source of world peace. In this aspect, His Holiness gives so much peace and happiness to so many millions and millions of people in this world. This aspect of His Holiness is the greatest inspiration, bringing many millions of people’s hearts toward Buddhism. Even though we have many high lamas, not everyone is able to manifest this particular aspect, even though from my side the virtuous friends are of the same essence.
Therefore, it becomes very important to support His Holiness and to fulfill His Holiness’ wishes. For that reason, Kopan Monastery stopped doing this practice. This was done for His Holiness. This does not mean that Pabongka Dechen Nyingpo, His Holiness Trijang Rinpoche, and His Holiness Zong Rinpoche have made mistakes. It does not mean they are wrong. Nor does one have to look at the protector as evil. For us ordinary people it is difficult to judge, because we cannot see these lamas’ minds.
Kopan Monastery in Nepal was founded by Lama Zopa and his Guru, Lama Yeshe, who was a strong proponent of Dorje Shugden’s practice
Another side of the teaching is that it is mentioned that the protector is an Arya Bodhisattva, a manifestation of Manjushri. So, then, there is also the risk of our creating very heavy karma in that context.
In addition, if one has received teachings, initiations, and so forth from Geshe Kelsang Gyatso*, including the practice of Dorje Shugden, there is a way of practicing lam-rim in relation to this situation. In the lam-rim, it says that the Buddhas — for example, Buddha Vajradhara, Guru Shakyamuni Buddha, and so forth — manifest in ordinary form and guide us to enlightenment. That means they manifest in an ordinary aspect that shows mistakes, such as having delusions, performing mistaken actions, and so on. One can also think in this way about the situation, according to the lam-rim. In reality, there is no mistake here, but the guru is showing the aspect of making mistakes, like a movie actor.
Thinking in this way and relating the situation to that part of the lam-rim helps keep one from losing faith, from losing guru devotion. It only inspires one. Why? Because without the ordinary aspect that shows mistakes, we have no other way to be guided. There is no other method for the Buddhas to guide us to enlightenment.
Another way to look at this situation is that although in reality there is no mistake on the guru’s part, nevertheless we see mistakes according to our karma. The guru shows mistakes because we only have the karma to see this manifestation at this moment, and nothing else.
In this matter, that aspect becomes most precious and important for us, for our minds. As it is mentioned by Gyalwa Ensapa, “Until one becomes separated from evil karmic obscurations, even if all the Buddhas without exception directly descend in front of one, one will not have the fortune to see the supreme holy body, adorned with the holy signs and exemplifications, but rather only the present appearance (the ordinary view). ”
Even if a guru kills another guru or kills many millions of people, as Hitler or Mao did, since one has made a connection with him or her, one should never lose faith from one’s own side. Unless from his or her side the virtuous friend tells you, “Now I am no longer your guru. You should not follow me anymore,” unless he gives this permission, one must not give up one’s faith in that teacher.
One time, after I had listened for three days to one person’s teachings, that person told me not to follow him. The bodhisattva Khunu Lama later explained to me that it was acceptable not to follow that person, but important not to criticize, to keep the mind in equanimity regarding him.
It is said in the tantric teachings, “If one thinks one’s own guru is bad-tempered, one will be reborn in the hell realms for 60 eons.” If one does not cultivate devotion after one has made a Dharma connection — which means having received teachings with the recognition of guru and disciple — then it is said in the teachings that one will be reborn as a dog one hundred times, and then be reborn in a lower caste — or, as His Holiness Zong Rinpoche mentioned, as a scorpion. This applies even if there are no negative thoughts arising toward the guru, such as heresy or anger, but one still does not develop devotion and follow the teacher after listening to even just one stanza, even if one no longer regards that teacher as one’s guru or forgets one ‘s guru-disciple relation.
The conclusion is that both ways of looking at the situation with the guru are correct, because there is a purpose to both: that is, to benefit others. These ways of thinking are what protect our mind from the heaviest karma.
Student’s Question:
A student who had very heavy obstacles in his life, and felt like he was being attacked by spirits, had taken it upon himself to force lamas who were performing the protector practice, Dorje Shugden, to stop. Rinpoche sent him the following advice, on April 11, 2002.
Lama Zopa’s Answer:
My very dear Jimmy,
Thank you very much your kind letter. I appreciate you following His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s wishes. That helps Tibet, and also helps your growth — not physical growth, but spiritual growth. You made a wise decision. That is very important: thinking big for the future of the teachings of Buddha and for sentient beings.
If those other lamas are your gurus — that means, if you have received initiations or teachings from them, with the recognition that you had a guru-disciple relationship and that person is the guru and you are the disciple — then if you get angry or generate heretical thoughts toward that person, it is not good.
In Lama Tsongkhapa’s Lam-rim Chen-mo [The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment], it says, “Even simply generating non-devotional thought, to think of the guru as an ordinary person, is an obstacle. “So, you can imagine what it is like if you generate heresy and anger toward your gurus and criticize them with a negative mind. This is creating the heaviest obstacle to realizations on the path to enlightenment, and the heaviest obstacle even to this life’s happiness, as well as to future lives’ happiness. There is no need to mention liberation or enlightenment.
The other thing is that in this life, by generating heretical thoughts or anger toward the guru, one experiences heavy sufferings, especially sickness, and many catastrophes, one after the other. Also, when you die, it is in such a terrible way. It is very terrifying, not peaceful, and there is the most unbearable suffering in the hell realms. Not only that, but it lasts for such a length of time, for eons.
Please read the section on guru devotion in Pabongka Dechen Nyingpo’s Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand. Also, read the section on guru devotion in Lama Tsongkhapa’s Lam-rim Chen-mo. Please study other Dharma books, at least these two texts and the sections that I have mentioned.
In the teaching Commentary on the Difficult Points of the “Black Enemy of Yama,” [Tib: Dra-nag-ka-drel] [see Steps on the Path to Enlightenment, Volume 1, page 157] it is said that after having made a Dharma connection, receiving teachings (even four words), with a recognition of a guru-disciple relationship (the other person is your guru and you are his or her disciple), if you forget to devote yourself to that person as a guru, or if you don’t regard them as your guru, you will be born as a dog for one hundred lifetimes, and then you will be born into a lower rank. His Holiness Zong Rinpoche says one is born as a scorpion instead of in a lower rank.
Lama Yeshe (right) and Lama Zopa (second from right) engaged in a Dorje Shugden (depicted on the thangka hanging from the tree) Puja
If you did create negative karma with your teachers, please confess whatever heresy, anger, or criticism you have committed against them. Confess as quickly as possible.
If death comes before your confession, your future lives will be so difficult. Not only will you be unable to meet the guru, but you will also be unable to meet the Dharma. Not only that, but you will experience unimaginable suffering for an incredible amount of time.
The Fifth Dalai Lama advised how to practice guru devotion in this kind of situation. When you have difficulty with gurus, seeing mistakes in their actions, then think that this is the view of your own hallucinated mind. All these appearances are your own mistakes manifested as the guru’s holy actions. Recognize it as your own mistake and abandon it, like a poison.
What is to be abandoned is one’s own thoughts of seeing mistakes in the gurus, which are ordinary concepts. You can abandon this by thinking in the way His Holiness the Fifth Dalai Lama explained.
Gyalwa Ensapa said,
In short, whatever great or small realization one generates is due to having meditated with little or great devotion. To the qualified valid gurus, may I be able to complete the commitment without obstacles, and look at the gurus’ qualities with no mistakes.
The other way is to think that bodhisattvas work for sentient beings. Their only concern is other sentient beings, without exception, no matter how evil they are. The more evil they are, then the more the bodhisattvas cherish them, and the more concern the bodhisattvas have for them. Their attitude is like this, and their action is only to work for sentient beings. That includes you. Even a very new bodhisattva who became a bodhisattva today thinks like this. Therefore, there is no question about Buddha, who completed the path, with both method and wisdom, who has omniscience, perfect power, and complete compassion for all sentient beings, including you. The Buddha will not work for himself, even for one second, but only for all sentient beings, continuously, according to the level of their minds. Buddha works by manifesting in various forms and revealing different methods, not only by giving teachings, initiations, vows, and so forth, but also guiding beings in many different ways, giving advice and leading you in so many ways from happiness to happiness, up until enlightenment.
Now, there is not just one Buddha. There are numerous buddhas guiding you and other sentient beings. Who else are those buddhas than your gurus? Who gives you teachings, vows, initiations, oral transmissions, and advice? Who definitely brings you to enlightenment with these methods? There is no question. If they are not manifestations of the buddhas, or Buddha doesn’t manifest through them and guide you, then that means there is no Buddha guiding you. That means either you don’t accept that there are countless buddhas, or you don’t accept that there is even one Buddha, or you think that there is a Buddha, but he is not omniscient. Or you think that Buddha doesn’t have compassion toward you, or Buddha doesn’t have perfect power to guide you or to reveal methods to you.
If you think like this, it means there is no Buddha and nobody can become a buddha. All these mistakes arise, and many Buddhist teachings become falsified.
Because you trust in His Holiness the Dalai Lama, you have no doubt that His Holiness has limitless compassion. You have no doubt that His Holiness and particularly what he teaches is Chenrezig manifested. He is not telling lies. So, you have no doubt that Shakyamuni Buddha does exist, and that his path has no mistakes, and there is no doubt that there are countless buddhas. Then, think that the conclusion is: for all those from whom you have received teachings with a recognition of a guru-disciple relationship, from your side, you must have a new mind, a different mind, 24 hours every day, and think differently. Think of them as Buddha. Each and every one of them is Buddha guiding you. This is the most important thing. This devotional thought is the most precious one in your life, more precious than billions of dollars, gold, diamonds, or wish-fulfilling jewels. From this thought, you can achieve all happiness up until enlightenment, and you can bring about complete happiness for all sentient beings. You can fulfill all the wishes of all sentient beings.
Thank you very much. Sorry, you have written many times, but I wasn’t able to reply quickly. Please keep my reply. It might be helpful to read it from time to time. You can also show it to others who have similar problems.
With much love and prayers…
Student’s Question:
A student wrote to Rinpoche saying that he had forsaken one of his gurus, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso*. The student said that he was not keeping his vows and was aware of the negative karma that could result from these actions. Rinpoche answered as follows, on April 4, 1998.
Lama Zopa’s Answer:
Once you have made a Dharma connection with the virtuous friend, your guru, you cannot give up this relationship unless the guru himself or herself says, “Don’t come,” or “Don’t regard me as your guru.”
By giving up Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, you have created heavy negative karma in this life. Since you haven’t given me up, I suggest that you confess to Geshe Kelsang Gyatso about what happened, and devote yourself again to this virtuous friend.
According to guru devotion practice, no matter how many gurus you have, you should look at all of them as one being, one mind, and that is Dharmakaya. That view must come from the disciple’s side. You look at them as one mind in different bodies, acting in different ways, according to the karma of sentient beings and their ordinary mistaken minds.
This is what one should practice, if one wants profit and not loss. So, change your attitude and apologize to Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. Confess to him and follow him again, unless he says, “No”. This will help lighten your heaviest negative karma.
Lama Zopa recommends students to heal their bonds with Gurus like Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, if they have broken their Guru-disciple relationship in the past
In this world, people are so afraid of getting cancer or AIDS, but they don’t think about eons of suffering in the hell realms. There is such great suffering in the lower realms that cancer and AIDS or whatever suffering one can encounter in the human realm seems a great comfort and pleasure by comparison.
Causing heresy and anger and giving up the virtuous friend is much worse than killing and waging wars. This is because the object is very powerful. One’s guru is the most powerful among all powerful objects, such as buddhas.
The karma from forsaking one’s guru is worse than the karma generated by Hitler and Mao Tse Tung. Mao Tse Tung caused harm to many holy beings, but they were not his gurus. In the world, someone who kills many millions of people can still achieve enlightenment in that same lifetime. But generating heresy toward the virtuous friend and giving up one’s devotion to the virtuous friend makes it difficult to achieve enlightenment, even if one practices tantra with much hardship. It will be like taking a rebirth in hell.
Therefore, what I am saying is this: In the world, actions such as killing and waging war have very bad repercussions and are terrible, but the karma from these actions is mild compared to heresy and giving up one’s guru.
You can see in the outline in the lam-rim, even if one commits the five heinous crimes—killing one’s father, killing one’s mother, drawing blood from a Buddha, causing schism in the Sangha, and killing an Arhant — one can still achieve enlightenment, but not based on mistaken devotion to the virtuous friend. If you read Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand, or The Essential Nectar, particularly the lam-rim outline on guru devotion, you will understand.
I advise you to make your negative karma smaller by apologizing with regret. Practicing Buddhism is basically your choice. If you want to be free from suffering and its causes, delusion and karma, this is what you need to do: practice the Buddhist path and the Four Noble Truths. If you don’t want to be free from suffering and its causes, then there is no need to practice Buddhism. If you don’t want happiness, then don’t practice virtue.
*Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, a teacher in the UK, who continues to engage in and encourage the Dorje Shugden Protector practice.
Source: https://www.lamayeshe.com/advice/dorje-shugden
For more interesting information:
- Renunciation by Lama Yeshe
- Lama Yeshe and More
- Lama Yeshe’s Brilliant Talk From 1975
- My Message to Lama Zopa
- The Buddhist Divide – An Unholy Campaign Against Religious Freedom
- Dorje Shugden Category
- The Collected Works of His Holiness Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche
- Music Delighting the Ocean of Protectors – A Definitive Guide to Dorje Shugden
- Complete Commentary on 50 Verses of Guru Devotion
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Reading this article on Lama Zopa’s view on Dorje Shugden practice gives us a clear understanding . Lama Zopa Rinpoche is a Tibetan Buddhist scholar and meditator . He is a Gelugpa lineage holder, having received teachings from many of the great Gelugpa masters. He gave a very good advice for students on Dorje Shugden practice. Guru devotion is the key to gaining spiritual attainments. Lama Zopa did mentioned that once we have made a Dharma connection with our Guru, we cannot simply give up this relationship unless the Guru told us to give up. Well regardless of whether a lama practises Dorje Shugden or not, we need to apply the rule, is the practice of Guru Devotion for sure. Letting whatever be nor matter what instance, we should not speak negatively against Dorje Shugden or about other Gurus. A good advice and profound teachings.
Thank you Rinpoche and Choong for this interesting sharing.
Thank you for sharing this article on Lama Zopa and his view on Dorje Shugden practice. Lama Zopa himself has given up Dorje Shugden practice but he did not say other Lamas who are still practising Dorje Shugden is wrong.
I think Lama Zopa is trying to tell everyone it is important to follow the instruction of one’s guru. When we view our guru as a Buddha, he cannot be wrong. Therefore, whatever practice he gives us cannot be wrong. From our side, we have to follow the instruction diligently.
In Vajrayana practice, guru devotion is very important if we want to gain attainment. We should be loyal to our guru not to think other monks who are more famous than our guru is any superior than our guru. In my opinion, Lama Zopa should follow his teacher, Lama Yeshe’s instruction and be loyal to Lama Yeshe even though Lama Yeshe had passed away a long time ago. He should have kept the Dorje Shugden practice.
Hello Tsem Tully and everyone,
I feel in this instance not chastising the guru who is for me shugden.
I became enlightened and only then after chasing after money and realizing I needed help did I find Dorje Shugden, realizing I had made a decision not to take my meds and spit them out instead…based on a vision I had in the hospital of a spirit which told me I might as well rather than sit and keep thinking what to do as I was feeling I had to due to the extreme torture.
Forced medication is considered torture by the u.n.
I have had nearly half my life taken away from me because of this…at times being locked away for years at a time ever since I was 18 and had decided to stay at them tulkus and mines first guru khen rinpoche geshe lobsang Tharchin’s temple in Howell new jersey to help the community after sprinkling his ashes.
The students did not know what to do so I had to pretend to be crazy to save them from their bad karma which worked cuz after I was basically tortured to death I came back and was enlightened and gave teaching and initiation to continue the lineage and benefited many people.
Of course this was not allowed since they had already tried to make everyone think I was crazy so even though i had proven the torture from the meds and gotten on social security I have spent the last 14 year’s or so in a drawn out legal battle with the state.
I have gotten very good though at keeping my calm and I am not kidding I have gone to court many dozens of time easily.
In the mental hospital they have their own kangaroo courts where they sentence you automatically you don’t have to be crazy.
So hence my point. I never was crazy.
Anyway….
So I got enlightened and I decided to go off the meds and chase the money then I realized I needed a protector and I met Dorje shugden.
He basically said to me unless I wanted to walk I would do everything he told me and I said yes because now my life was so screwed up after trying to get out of having to take the meds and chasing money instead.
So you could see how Dorje shugden could come in handy.
And basically I had even met Lana zopa at a teaching by the Dalai lame where he said I was higher than him.
Also I had been able to receive empowerment from garchen rinpoche to visualize wrathful manjushriye at this time…
So I have power to practice Dorje shugden and may be the only one honestly
Not to mention Lama Sonam had said I was enlightened so I thought this was good enough since now i had proof at least.
So at this point….
I still was being tortured even after they gave me a job they put me back in the hospital and I still told them the medications were bad which is what Dr. Dhonden had also confirmed to me after I had been poisoned to death the first time.
So I am like the living dorje shugden.
They don’t want you to know exists since someone with the power to cone back to life is second coming of Jesus Christ which I am or Buddha maitreya.
I could go on and on…interestingly enough after i got out of hospital after tortured to death they made me confess it was because I was depressed over khen rinpoches’passing but it was only a lie since I had no choice at that time having fulfilled my gurus wishes to leave the hospital.
After enlightenment, once again to emphasize the further auspuciouness which without a doubt proves Dorje shugdens blessing is that I was asked to go see trijang rinpoche at the same temple I was abducted from….at the time though I coyld not as I was still recovering from the first time.
It wasn’t until later that I found out he is a Dorje shugden practioner not to mention my mind is the same as his.
So I feel this is confirmation right here.
Well I could post more but it is late and I am tired.
I have been off the shot for over 2 years now since the last locked me up and I lived at the graveyard in a church…
I finally was redeemed and god spoke to me to let me know he was still with me after all these years even though I had chased money and practices Dorje shugden.
Then I got out of there through Dorje shugden possessing me which is the second time that happened and turning out in my favor what otherwise would be impossible.
Now I live downtown in my own beautiful city overlooking the park across from temple and I can go there anytime I like.
All my bills are paid for me and I receive enough money to do with as I please and eat.
Also a center within walking distance where now I am no longer looked on as crazy and wonderful angels around me now bringing to light the truth of my story and saying I’m not crazy.
Who work with me.
I don’t want to say too much but in a way my life has turned into Buddha paradise.
I still practice 4 starbucks steps through largest Buddhist organization in the world which i helped form…
And I don’t have to work.
I am able to receive offerings from the local food pantries and there are places that serve breakfast and dinner daily as well as lunch and I donate food to the center once a month there.
Also at my local church we are close to raising $1,000,000 and I have only offered $1.
Which is irrefutable proof since the first mansion I worked at cost $1 but was $1,000,000, originally it belonged to the founder of UNICEF.
So I hope this inspires you all and you should not have chastised me for my delerious ranting cuz if you were on elephant tranquilizers you would probably be equally brain damaged from them.
So oh yeah I’m sure if anyone is still interested the offervstill stands to fly you out to california to discuss the Dorje shugden situation with my guru.
Love and light.
Peace be into to you,
Lama Konchok Shenphen
Lama Zopa Rinpoche is a Tibetan Buddhist scholar and meditator master of the Gelugpa lineage. Lama Zopa Rinpoche gave a clear advices to his students explaining how to practice guru devotion, the teacher and student relationship that will benefit the student in long term. Lama Zopa Rinpoche is very skillful in addressing the Dorje Shugden ban to practitioners who are very concerned. It is clear that guru devotion is the key to gaining spiritual attainments. So stopping the practice of Dorje Shugden without the guru’s consent is not recommended at all regardless of HH the Dalai Lama’s advice. No one else can override our guru’s advice to us. if we read carefully what he wrote, he actually didn’t say anything against Dorje Shugden. In addition, he has been emphasizing a lot of guru devotion. If guru devotion is what Lama Zopa really concerns about, then it’s quite impossible for him to give up the Dorje Shugden practice which is given to him by his beloved Guru. Thank you Rinpoche and Choong for this interesting and enlightening article ????
Lama Zopa Rinpoche is very skillful in addressing the Dorje Shugden ban to practitioners who are very concerned. It is clear that guru devotion is the key to gaining spiritual attainments. So stopping the practice of Dorje Shugden without the guru’s consent is not recommended at all regardless of HH the Dalai Lama’s advice. No one else can override our guru’s advice to us. This message is very clear.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche is obviously choosing to thread on a fine line to appear supporting HH the Dalai Lama but at the same time to protect spiritual practitioners. If only people focus on the message and spend time to think deeper, there would not be so many people breaking their samaya with their guru.
Venerable Lama Zopa’s stance on Dorje Shugden is very ambiguous. We all know that FPMT is banning Dorje Shugden practice. However， if we read carefully what he wrote, he actually didn’t say anything against Dorje Shugden. In addition, he has been emphasizing a lot of guru devotion. If guru devotion is what Lama Zopa really concerns about, then it’s quite impossible for him to give up the Dorje Shugden practice which is given to him by his beloved Guru. If he already gave up Dorje Shugden practice, then whatever he said about Guru Devotion will become invalid and it made him look very hypocritics. If he emphasizes so much on Guru Devotion yet he himself doesn’t even follow that, then what kind of Guru-student relationship he wants to show to his students? If he broke the samaya with his guru, then how can he asks his student to have a clean samaya with him? Therefore, I would like to believe that Lama Zopa is still practicing Dorje Shugden as this is the only logical answer for him to still maintain a clean samaya with his guru.
It is quite obvious that Lama Zopa is treading a very fine line here, between being politically correct as well as not disparaging the lineage of Dorje Shugden practice. Instead of taking an absolute stand supporting HHDL, he tried to maintain a certain degree of “neutrality” by showing different perspectives rooted in doctrinal reasoning, and by so doing, has implied quite clearly that the lineage was essentially pure. CTA must have noticed this, hence FPMT was made to issue another notice to denounce DS more decisive, separating it from the practice of guru devotion (https://www.lamayeshe.com/advice/dorje-shugden).
Very thought-provoking. I think this helps to clear up the doubts of some practitioners. Thank you for this post!
Very precise teachings by Lama Zopa about the ban on Dorje Shugden. Lama Zopa Rinpoche is a Tibetan Buddhist scholar and meditator master of the Gelugpa lineage. It’s a clear for anyone to understand better reading it and comparing all the important points as explained . Lama Zopa Rinpoche gave a clear advices to his students explaining how to practice guru devotion, the teacher and student relationship that will benefits the student in long terms. This is a good example for us , follow our teacher advises, teachings nor matter what happen. We should not speak negatively against our teacher or other Gurus and Dorje Shugden no matter what comes around.
Thank you Rinpoche and Choong for this clear write up.
Is not time for us to ask the Panchen Lama to make Dorje Shugden a “YIDAM”.