How Tibetan leadership treats a sponsor (jindak)
There’s a topic most people find a little awkward to talk about, and that’s sponsorship in the Dharma. People find it awkward because they think money is not a very spiritual thing to discuss. Yet it is an unavoidable subject because it’s a simple fact of life in samsara – monasteries and Dharma institutions would never be able to survive without the kindness of sponsors, and if they did not have the funds. In fact, the topic of sponsorship was even addressed during the time of the Buddha himself. Through the example of his disciples like Magadha Sangmo and her father Suddatta, we have lessons on the correct attitude of a sponsor and we learn how sponsorship can become a spiritual practice. There is also sponsorship from the perspective of the recipient, which is what I am addressing here in the context of how Dharamsala and the Tibetan leadership treats their sponsors so poorly.
So for those who are studying Buddhism, at one point or another, they will have to deal with the topic of sponsorship. Hence sponsorship is something that I have been acutely aware of since the age of 11, when my connection with Dharma started through my family. Since that time, for the last 19 years, we have been sponsors for both Kechara and the monasteries in India.
I remember that throughout my childhood and teenage years, countless dinners and events were held to raise funds for the monasteries in India. Even at a time when all of us had very little due to the financial crash of 1997, we never stopped sponsoring the monasteries. I remember SMS blasts being sent out, with requests for us to help this or that monk with his medication, or to sponsor books or robes. I remember requests for sponsorship for buffaloes and cows, or building materials, and drives held to raise funds for medical equipment. I remember many, many opportunities to make offerings of statues as well as offering painting and jewellery for statues in the monastery.
Most of all, I remember frequent updates from Rinpoche and the monastery, telling us just how our sponsorship was being used. This is the cow your funds sponsored, this is the room that has been repainted thanks to money you donated, these are the robes being offered to the monks, these are the statues being made and these are the statues now being painted. This is the old flooring of Gaden lachi (the main prayer hall) being dug up, this is the new flooring being selected and these are contractors appointed to do the work. And here is the new flooring being delivered…so on and so forth.
Over the years, I can safely say that together with Rinpoche, we have sponsored millions in rupees to the Tibetan Buddhist monasteries of India. So you must be thinking, why am I writing about this now after so many years? Because as a jindak, I wanted to express just how my lama, family and I have been treated by the anti-Shugden faction, led by Dharamsala, during this whole Dorje Shugden controversy.
You see, in the last 19 years, my family and I have been a jindak for the Tibetan monasteries. We did this both individually and through Rinpoche, supporting whatever fundraising efforts were initiated through the Kechara organisation. We did it because we believed that the monasteries really needed it, and because we had been taught that making offerings to any one of the Three Jewels is an incredibly meritorious act (and we still believe in this).
On a personal capacity, I have been a jindak not only with funds but with time and effort too. It would actually be inaccurate to say that I am unfamiliar with the Tibetan community. Honestly speaking, India was never a place I had any desire to travel to. Having attended a private British international school, I grew up with a pretty Eurocentric outlook. But in 2004, Rinpoche asked me to travel to India for the first time and that trip, along with subsequent ones, changed my entire world.
The last time I was in India was in early 2005, three years before the ban really picked up steam. During this time, Gaden Shartse Monastery was still whole and had not yet split in half. Because there was still relative calm, I was able to visit Sera Mey Monastery, Zongkar Choede Monastery and Gyumed Tantric College. All of these places are now out of bounds to me because I practise Dorje Shugden.
But this 2005 pilgrimage, among the many others I was able to take, really deepened my personal connection with the Buddhist faith. Visiting monastery after monastery on pilgrimage, something in my mind shifted and I realised it was among this sea of maroon that I felt most familiar and comfortable. Thus it was on this trip that I requested to become a nun.
And though I may lack an understanding of many nuances of Tibetan culture, I have always been passionate about Tibet as a whole. So although I don’t talk about it much these days, people who are close to me will be aware that for many years, while I lived in England, I campaigned for the Tibetan cause. Even after I was counselled against going, I would still sneak off to join protests because I felt that as a Tibetan Buddhist, it was my duty to speak up for the Tibetan people.
Nowadays, one of the reasons why I don’t talk about my time as a campaigner is because it’s painful. On the one hand, I feel strongly about injustices that I perceive have been committed against the Tibetan people. On the other hand, as a Dorje Shugden practitioner, I’m treated like trash by the anti-Shugden Tibetan community, to put it very bluntly.
I am insulted and harassed online for my faith, to the extent ‘friends’ from within the Tibetan community have told me that they are going to dissociate from me because of my faith. I have been told my lama is cheating me, that he’s a conman out to fool me. Images of me have been Photoshopped to imply there is some kind of impropriety between me and my teacher. There have been attempts to humiliate me, call me names and insult my opinions as b*****t. On WeChat, when I post things, I’m met with images of faeces, copulation, guns, daggers and such to imply that my lama and what I believe in belong at that level.
It disturbs me to think that this may actually be the true nature of the Tibetan community I spoke up for. Did I spend years fighting for the rights of a community that’s capable of backstabbing their own supporters? But then again, why should I be surprised that as a foreigner, this could happen to me when anti-Shugden Tibetans are capable of attacking their own people on the basis of their faith?
And do my years speaking up for them now mean nothing? Do the millions of rupees that I helped to raise for the Tibetan monasteries now mean nothing to them? Is this how the Tibetan leadership encourages their people to treat a jindak? And since I am a dirty Dorje Shugden practitioner who would not be welcomed in the monastery I helped to raise funds for, will the funds be reverted to me and my loved ones? Surely if I am ‘evil’, my money is ‘evil’ too. After all, why would the money be clean when the donor is not? My experience is not just limited to me by the way. Movingly, Geshe Sopa-la told me once that because of his faith, he’s not even allowed to step into the monastery that he helped to build and his words have never left me.
In fact, Geshe Sopa is not the only one treated badly although he has given his life to the monasteries. Countless other lamas and Shugden practitioners have donated hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of rupees to the monasteries they are not allowed to connect with. Gangchen Rinpoche, for example, was one of Sera Mey Monastery’s biggest benefactors until the Dorje Shugden ban came along. Tsangpa Khangtsen’s buildings, prayer hall and monk rooms were built through funds he raised. After the ban, Gangchen Rinpoche was systematically humiliated by the Tibetan leadership who used to have a page devoted to denouncing him.
Another Shugden lama, Kensur Lobsang Tharchin, established a massively successful food fund for the monks of Sera Mey. This fund provided a permanent solution to the challenge of providing food for their monks, and continues to benefit the monastery until today. Were Kensur Rinpoche alive today, one can’t help but wonder if the Tibetan leadership would treat him in the same humiliating, discriminatory way since he never gave his Dorje Shugden practice before he entered clear light.
I see now that my decision to give up supporting the Tibetan leadership was perhaps a justified one, because of the way my family and I have been treated despite our nearly two decades of support for the Tibetan community. It doesn’t matter how much or how often you have given; the second you have outlived your financial usefulness for the Tibetan leadership, you are no longer relevant to the powers that be in Dharamsala. At least, that’s what we have been led to think because of the treatment we as jindaks have received whereby we are rejected but our sponsorship is welcomed.
Thankfully however, this saga has also given me and other practitioners like me something else to channel our passion and funds towards, and that is the lineage, growth and spread of the Dorje Shugden practice. That is not to say we would be adverse to sponsoring the non-Shugden monasteries; in fact, we would be happy to do so, if only the leadership stopped encouraging their people to treat their jindaks so poorly. Why would I support, raise money for and speak up on behalf of a community that does its utmost best to reject me, harass me and put me down? Why support a community that rejects my friends from hotels, and refuses to sell pearls to them even though they have raised millions for the monasteries too? Why support a community where the leadership condones the branding of non-Shugden practitioners, to identify them as separate from ‘dirty’ Shugden practitioners?
The irony is that I am only practising the faith that has been taught to me by masters of the Tibetan community. It is a practice that has been handed down from generation to generation over the last 400 years. But the fact is I am not Tibetan and I don’t need to put up with this type of treatment and as far as I am concerned, I will keep my faith and take my money and efforts elsewhere since the Tibetan leadership, the same one I used to protest for, continues to treat me in this way.
At the end of the day, thanks to my lama, I am not disillusioned enough to ignore the fact there are still some incredibly holy places and practitioners in the monasteries in India and luckily, I have not lost faith in them. But while there may be holy people and places there, it cannot be denied that the leadership they are beholden to has been encouraging some very unholy activities over the last 20 years and this really, REALLY needs to stop.
For more interesting information:
- Magadha Sangmo (须摩提女)
- Attitude When Receiving Offerings
- Growing Up With Rinpoche
- 52 Years of Generosity
- Will the Dalai Lama agree with this?
- My First Guru in New Jersey
- They said NO!
- Badge of Shame
- Advice at a Funeral
Please support us so that we can continue to bring you more Dharma:
If you are in the United States, please note that your offerings and contributions are tax deductible. ~ the tsemrinpoche.com blog team
It is heart breaking, reading this article again, what Pastor Jean Ai had gone through and experience. Yet with strong determination all those abuses and attack by people whom she do not know, she did continue with her practice. Could not imagine how ungrateful the Tibetan Leadership treated the sponsor. Without the funds, sponsorship, monasteries and Dharma institutions would not able to survive for sure. Kechara organisation, and many others kind sponsors had sponsored millions to the Tibetan Buddhist monasteries of India. Not only that sponsoring of monk robes, books , statues , painting and jewelleries to name a few. Even changing the flooring of the monastery as well. Can imagine those sponsors go all the way to send them all those stuffs. And have raised so much sponsorship for them and had donated yearly in fact or when they asked for. And now none of them are allowed to go to the monasteries any more . All because they had practised Dorje Shugden’s practice. Countless other lamas and Shugden practitioners had raised funds for the monasteries too and they too were not allowed to have connection with. Sad ….there is no religious freedom at all. By now after decades , I do hope the Tibetan Leadership will lift the ban on Dorje Shugden for a better peaceful communities. May more read this post for a better understanding of what happening in the Tibetan Leadership and those in exile living in India.
Thank you Pastor Jean Ai for speaking up for the Tibetan people and for those Dorje Shugden practitioners .
It is nice to see this post again after so many years. Was reading my comments I left back in 2017. Although I do not feel as strongly as I felt last time about getting back the statues and donations we and our Guru made, I still feel being human, we should treat everyone with respect, and if there are differences in opinions, to discuss and talk through and make sense to one another, rather than hurling abusive languages.
It is sad reading such terrible comments by people on even high Lamas . I pity their petty minds and hearts.
I will definitely keep the donations strong to support our cause.
Thank you.
Pastor Elena Khong Jean Ai,
You said very well and truth about all these. And I am not surprised they saying how to be good and bad. They are the one who always makes problems and always divided even in their own family. They should have to thanks to sponsors instead they always make problems to sponsors and they taking about compassion. If they have even little bit compassion they should have to stop make cry their own people first. Everyone knows what is Dharma and what is Karma. So instead of saying to others, they have to know better if do bad Karma always come back no matter whoever.
Thank you for this massage and article.???
Mantras are sacred verbalized words that invoke the protection and blessings of the deity to whom the mantra is ascribed. Mantras are also the manifestations of Buddhas in the form of ‘sounds’, hence the various mantras of Dorje Shugden contain the essence of the Protector.
Dorje Shugden’s main mantra 多杰雄登主要咒语
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA SOHA
Dorje Shugden’s mantra for peace 平和咒语
For gaining attainments through the energy of Peaceful Shugden, peace of environment and mind, harmony in one’s abode and dwelling area, and calming of disasters
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA SHANTI SIDDHI HUNG
Dorje Shugden’s mantra for health 福寿安康咒语
For long life, increasing life, healing of disease and protection from diseases
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA AYU SIDDHI HUNG
Dorje Shugden’s mantra for increase 增长咒语
For gaining great merits and increase of all necessary needs, both material and spiritual
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA PUNYE SIDDHI HUNG
Dorje Shugden’s mantra for control 控制咒语
Of worldly deities, negative people and nagas and for influencing friends towards the positive
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA WASHAM KURU HO
Dorje Shugden’s mantra to grant protection 庇护咒语
Visualize that you are in the Protector’s mandala, fully protected from outside interferences. Recite when in danger or for dangerous situations, for protection while travelling or when residing in dangerous/hostile places
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA RAKYA RAKYA HUNG
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videouploads/comment-1544345059.mp4
Dear friends,
Tibet has produced many powerful meditations, rituals and guidelines to help us gain spiritual protection, gain wisdom and higher states of consciousness. In general Tibet has produced many powerful methods for the growth of our spiritual evolution. Dorje Shugden is an angel, a saint, a powerful spiritual protector-warrior who originated 350 years ago when a highly awakened Tibetan Lama fulfilled his vows to become a special being to grant protection, wisdom, material needs, safety when travelling (normal and astral travel) and spiritual awakening. Both the Great 5th Dalai Lama and the current His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama composed short yet effective prayers to invoke upon the power and blessings of this special saint and protector. One can recite either one of the prayers that you feel suits you, anytime or even daily. When you feel a special need for help, you can recite either prayer anytime. When you are feeling down, afraid or just need a blessing, you can recite them. After reciting either invocation, it is good to chant the mantra of Dorje Shugden: Om Benza Wiki Bitana Soha.
You do not have to be a Buddhist or practitioner of any religion to invoke upon the blessings and protection of this special enlightened and awakened angel Dorje Shugden. He helps all without discrimination or bias as he is filled with compassion and love. Divinity has no boundaries, they help all who call upon them.
Enclosed are the prayers in English, Chinese and Tibetan.
May you be safe, protected and blessed.
Tsem Rinpoche
More on the Great 5th Dalai Lama and Dorje Shugden – https://bit.ly/2w7KHv6
More on H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama and Dorje Shugden – https://bit.ly/2QdaL4n
Chapel (Trode Khangsar) built by the Great 5th Dalai Lama dedicated to Dorje Shugden in Lhasa – https://bit.ly/2zBTd8M
—
亲爱的朋友们,
西藏产生了许多有助于我们得到精神庇佑、取得智慧和更高层次之觉悟的强大禅修法、仪式和教诲。总括来说,西藏产生了许多有助于我们在修行上取得提升的强有力方法。多杰雄登是一个天使,一位圣人和一名护法战士。他的崛起始于350年前,当一位高度觉悟的西藏高僧履行本身的承诺,化身为特别的护法,赐予我们守护、智慧、物质需要、出入平安(平日外游和神游时)和灵修上的觉醒。任何人都可以随时随地在任何时候念诵适合自己的祈愿文。当你需要特别的帮助时,你可以随时念诵任何一篇祈愿文。当你感到沮丧、恐惧或仅是需要加持时,你也可以持诵这些祈愿文。在念诵任何祈请文后,你应该接着念诵多杰雄登的心咒:嗡 班杂 维格 毗札那 娑哈 Om Benza Wiki Bitana Soha。
要祈请多杰雄登这位特殊、觉悟和觉醒的天使赐予加持和庇佑,你无需是佛教徒或任何宗教的修行者。他总是没有分别或偏见,充满慈悲和慈爱地帮助一切众生。神圣是没有界限的,圣者会帮助有求于他的任何人。
以下附上英文、中文和藏文的祈愿文。
愿你平安,常受庇护和加持。
尊贵的詹杜固仁波切
更多关于第五世达赖尊者和多杰雄登护法的内容 — https://bit.ly/2zsC3tG
更多关于第十四世达赖尊者和多杰雄登护法的内容 — https://bit.ly/2r4aaDN
第五世达赖尊者为多杰雄登护法在拉萨建造的护法殿(布旦康萨)— https://bit.ly/2zBTd8M
Divination (‘mo’) Text by Dorje Shugden
This is an important divination (‘mo’) text composed by Dorje Shugden himself. Dorje Shugden took trance of the Choyang Dulzin oracle lama, the senior oracle of Gaden Shartse Monastery, and instantly on the spot composed this text within two hours.
The divination text contains information on how to use dice to do divination for the future and is known to be highly accurate. When practitioners use this text, they will be in direct contact with Dorje Shugden to get answers to questions about the future. It is for those who have good samaya with Dorje Shugden and are free of the eight worldly dharmas to be of benefit to others in divining the future.
Tsem Rinpoche
DS-MO-choyang.pdf
Be blessed with these rare videos featuring explanation and advice about Dorje Shugden practice by His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche in his own voice. The teaching was requested by Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen, one of the earliest masters who taught Tibetan Buddhism in the West.
Video 1: H.H. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche Explains Dorje Shugden Initiation and Benefits (With English Subtitles)
Kyabje Zong Rinpoche was an erudite scholar, ritual master and practitioner of the highest degree from Tibet. At the request of Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen, one of the pioneers who taught Tibetan Buddhism in America, Kyabje Zong Rinpoche gives clear explanation and advice about the life-entrustment initiation of Dorje Shugden and how to go about the practice and get the maximum benefits in this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzFMvlxAqtc&feature=youtu.be
Video 2: H.H. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche speaks on the History and Lineage of Dorje Shugden (With English Subtitles)
In this video, an erudite scholar, ritual master and practitioner of the highest degree from Tibet, Kyabje Zong Rinpoche talks about the incarnation lineage of Dorje Shugden and how the practice arose, with examples of Dorje Shugden’s previous lives that reveal his powerful spiritual attainments and contributions. This very rare teaching was given at the request of Kyabje Zong Rinpoche’s student, Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen, one of the pioneers who taught Buddhism in the West to many disciples since the 1970s.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIzKSJgK618&feature=youtu.be
For more information: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/great-lamas-masters/kyabje-zong-rinpoches-advice-on-dorje-shugdens-practice.html
His Holiness the 10th Panchen Lama
Tibetans commonly refer to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and His Holiness 10th Panchen Lama as the “sun and moon” of Tibetan Buddhism. They are the center of Tibetan Buddhist civilization, which draws to its sphere of influence millions of non-Tibetan practitioners. The Panchen Lama’s incarnation line began with the 16th abbot of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, Lobsang Chokyi Gyeltsen (1570 – 1662). He was bestowed the title of Panchen Lama by His Holiness the 5th Dalai Lama after being declared as an emanation of Amitabha.
After being given the title, his three previous incarnations were posthumously also bestowed the title, making Lobsang Chokyi Gyeltsen the 4th Panchen Lama. He became a teacher to many Tibetans, Bhutanese and Mongolian religious figures, including His Holiness the 4th and 5th Dalai Lamas, and the 1st Jetsun Dampa of Mongolia. A prolific author, Chokyi Gyeltsen is credited with over a hundred compositions, including a number of commentaries and ritual texts that remain central in the Gelukpa tradition today. Along with his role as a teacher of the Dharma, the Panchen Lamas are usually responsible for the recognition of the rebirths of the Dalai Lamas, and vice versa.
The 10th Panchen Lama, Lobsang Trinley Lhundrub Chokyi Gyeltsen (19 February 1938 – 28 January 1989) continued both the spiritual and political roles of his predecessors. His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, his contemporary, was even heard to say and echo the Panchen Lama’s own words that the Dalai Lama would safeguard Tibet from the outside while the Panchen Lama would safeguard Tibet from the inside, as he never left Tibet after the political troubles of 1959. He was truly loved by the Tibetans, all the way until his passing. When he taught, thousands of people would attend, not only from his own Gelug lineage, but masters and practitioners from all traditions of Tibetan Buddhism.
At his sprawling monastery of Tashi Lhunpo, he has a special chapel specifically dedicated to Dorje Shugden, where prayers and rituals are performed on a daily basis. In his great omniscience the Panchen Lama held Dorje Shugden as the principal Dharma protector of the monastery. He also personally propitiated Dorje Shugden among other Dharma protectors, and even wrote extensive prayers and rituals to Dorje Shugden. These rituals and prayers are contained within his ‘sung bum’ or collected works, which are provided here. As such a great lama, with an erudite and clear understanding of the Buddhist scriptures, a teacher to millions in both Tibet and China, from an established incarnation line and an emanation of the Buddha Amitabha, he could not be mistaken about his practice of Dorje Shugden.
His Holiness 10th Panchen Lama is known for his composition of commentaries and practice texts that are still in use by contemporary Buddhist practitioners both in Tibet and across the world. One of these is a powerful ritual composition propitiating the compassionate Dorje Shugden.
Upon the request by Acharya Lobsang Jangchub to compose a shorter version of the prayer (sadhana) for the exhortation of activities of Dorje Shugden, Panchen Lama immediately composed an abbreviate form of Dorje Shugden’s Kangsol. This text is entitled “Manjunatha’s (Tsongkapa) Lineage protector Dorje Shugden and five forms wrathful propitiations and confessional prayers and fulfilment of activities rites” or “Melodious sound of Accomplishment of the Four Activities” for short. Once the prayers were completed, he had signs and strong feelings that Dorje Shugden has been working hard to protect the Buddhadharma in general and the lineage of Lama Tsongkhapa specifically.
Mirroring the abilities of one of his earlier incarnations, Khedrub Je, a disciple of Lama Tsongkhapa and master of both sutra and tantra, the Panchen Lama used his compositional skill and poetic prowess to create a masterful sadhana. Worthy of note is a praise in which the first letter of each verse is a Tibetan vowel. Such compositions are rarely seen, and have historically only been used when propitiating senior Dharma protectors such as Palden Lhamo and Kalarupa.
The Panchen Lama also stated that while composing the Dorje Shugden sadhana (prayers) he was filled with a sense of happiness and bliss. He ends the composition with not only his official title but his ordination name, Tenzin Trinley Jigme Choje Wangchuk, endorsing the validity of his work. He composed the sadhana in his own Tashi Lhunpo monastery while in the Hall of Clear Light and Bliss.
See the Panchen Lama’s writings and download: https://bit.ly/2KIfeXb
For the first time available, Dorje Shugden and his entourage of 32 assistants of his mandala.
Dorje Shugden is a powerful protector deity who is also an emanation of Manjushri, a wisdom bestowing Buddha. Therefore, he has great ability to help us to progress further on the spiritual path. He does this by helping us to overcome obstacles and problems for the modern individual.
Due to his enlightened nature, Dorje Shugden is able to manifest 32 deities and within the same abode resides Setrap and Kache Marpo:-
1. 5 Dorje Shugden families or emanations. They consists of the following:-
– Dulzin Dorje Shugden, which performs activities to eliminate inner and outer obstacles.
– Shize, which performs activities to pacify all illnesses and disease.
– Gyenze, which performs activities to increase all desirable material and spiritual wealth.
– Wangze, which performs activities to control difficult people and circumstances.
– Trakze, which performs activities to wrathfully eliminate all insurmountable obstacles and life-threatening situations.
2. 9 Mothers. They represent protection of the five senses and developing control of the four elements. These are all attributes that signify their ability to assist tantric practitioners with their higher meditations.
3. 8 Guiding Monks. They represent the Eight Great Bodhisattvas (Avalokitesvara, Manjushri, Vajrapani, Samantabhadra, Maitreya, Kshitigarbha, Akashagarbha, Sarva-nivarana-viskambini) and they bring about the growth of the Dharma, through the Sangha, Dharma practitioners and Dharma establishments.
4. 10 Youthful & Wrathful Attendants. They represent the ten wrathful attendants to avert inner and outer obstacles. They are beings who are from Mongolia, China, Kashmir, India, Bengali, etc.
5. Setrap. He is a senior Dharma Protector from India and an emanation of Amitabha Buddha. He had enthroned Dorje Shugden as an authentic Dharma Protector. Therefore, he also resides within the same mandala of Dorje Shugden.
6. Kache Marpo. He is not an emanation of Dorje Shugden but he is still an enlightened Dharma Protector in his own right. He was originally known as Tsiu Marpo of Samye Monastery. However, he has placed himself under the service of Dorje Shugden as his chief minister, performing many activities in order to protect and benefit practitioners. Therefore, he stands guard at the main entrance of Dorje Shugden’s mandala. He often takes trance of qualified mediums to speak.
7. Namkar Barzin. He is the reincarnation of an old Mongolian monk and when he passed away in Phari area of Tibet, his spirit was placed as a powerful assistant of Dorje Shugden. He guards and protects buildings and great institutions especially those that benefit others. He rides on a mythical Gyaling animal that resembles a goat but with scales.
These sacred images are available on *Vajrasecrets. They are made of high quality alloy and are one of a kind. They are based on the lineage of His Holiness Panchen Rinpoche’s monastery, Tashilhunpo in Shigatse, Tibet. In fact, the iconography of these statues are based on detailed photographs taken by H. E. Tsem Rinpoche during a trip to Tashilhunpo’s protector chapel. These are based exactly as the 10th Panchen Lama’s personal collection.
Dorje Shugden mandala: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=131570
Dorje Shugden’s benefit and practice: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=62422
Dorje Shugden’s origins: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=106424
Dorje Shugden chapel in His Holiness Panchen Rinpoche’s Tashilhunpo Monastery in Tibet: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=68698
*Stand not included
Amazing post!!!!!
Dear friends, For months we have been working on this BEAUTIFUL and meaningful mural in Kathmandu, Nepal. Please click here to enjoy the many stunning pictures of this mural: https://bit.ly/2LgOj8J
Tsem Rinpoche
Sakya tradition’s thangka of Dorje Shugden sitting on a throne within his palace with his four emanations and high Sakya Lamas nearby. Tsem Rinpoche
Antique Pelden Lhamo thangka with sacred Dorje Shugden at the bottom right. Can see Tsongkapa and Guru Rinpoche on the top also. Beautiful and holy.
Great message every Tibetan especially must read!
A powerful and logical article, to question something so fundamental in institutions that rely on sponsorships and donations. It is simply amazing, that on one hand, anti shugden groups/institutions can accept sponsorship from all kinds, but on the other hand, disparage the very people that have supported and contributed to the growth/building/development/maintenance of the organisation/monastery.
It’s bewildering how this can happen, and also somewhat embarrassing for the anti-dorje-shugden factions to have to be questioned to this extent due to the segregations and discrimination they have caused.
I also heard a story, that in the Tibetan Settlement in Mundgod, there are 2 very holy stupas, one of H.H. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche and one of H.H. Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche. They are side by side. Although both non-DS and Dorje Shugden practitioners had both raised funds for its refurbishment, the DS practitioners of the area, are not allowed to visit and pay homage to the stupas. WHY?
The ban has resulted in some very ridiculous fragmentation and discrimination of practising Buddhists, especially in Tibetan communities. To the TIbetan Leadership who can make a difference, why and for how long, do we have to continue like this?
Occurrence such as Tibetans taking sponsors money, and then later ostracizing Dorje Shugden practitioners and lamas, is common place and has happened.
If Shugden people who did Shugden practice are demon worshippers, then so is their resources, money tainted by the worst corruption ever, so why does any pure dharma lineage, institution or monasteries would want to associate with such negative resources.
Anti Shugde people have called us with the worst names, killers, butchers, arms dealers etc, so in Dharma we are not supposed to accept funds that are from unwholesome. So why not return all such corrupted resources?
Talking about one’s sponsorships toward anything, would not be easy, especially when those sponsorships were given freely, sincerely and without any expectation of returns. However, when not speaking up would perpetuate more harm, it would not be right to stay silent. Imagine having given unstintingly of your time and your energy to fundraise and sponsor only to be discriminated, harassed, put down and even abused. Yet it was endured and but for the situation getting worse each day, even to the extent of those who have benefitted, belting out disrespect, abuse and vulgarities towards erudite Tibetan Lamas, Pastor Jean Ai would not be compelled to bring to light such grave injustice and blatant exploitation of the kindness of people masterminded by the Tibetan leadership. After all, it is only fair that the real situation and full picture be made known to sponsors and potential donors alike.
Thank you Rinpoche and Pastor Jean Ai for bringing to light this loaded issue and raising awareness in hopes of bringing about the cessation of the discrimination and the distasteful exploitation.
Pastor Jean Ai, It’s good of you to write about this, not to embarrass the Tibetan people but as a means to stop this bullying that the Tibetan leadership in exile (whose example is followed by the Tibetan people) has become known for.
Everywhere you go it’s common to see sign centres that appeal for funds for the Tibetan struggle and the people of the world have compiled generously. It is also ironic that on the one hand the Tibetan people depend solely on kind sponsors (regardless of race, nationality and religion) but once they have taken the money they regard the same sponsors badly on the basis of skin colour (calling Caucasian people by all kinds of names), nationality (everyone of Chinese ancestry is an enemy and a pig notwithstanding the fact that 50 million Chinese people are not citizens of China) and religion (regarding Buddhist who propitiate the ancient dharma Protector Dorje Shugden as demons and traitors).
Why accept the help and then bite the hand that provides the help? What does it say about the people? Perhaps not all Tibetan people are like that but most standby and watch as their compatriots dig Tibetan credibility into a hole.
And now we see that even the monastic institution synonymous with the holy name of Lama Tsongkhapa the Second Buddha defames itself by its practice of bigotry and discrimination. Such actions fly on the face of what Ganden is supposed to symbolise and represent.
The bottom line is this – all are toeing the official line of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) who is now infamous for its religious persecutions even as it accuses China of same. This is a clear case of poor leadership that’s leading the Tibetan people down the road into infamy and insignificance.
Reading all the Tibetan comments and replies is really appalling and you will never have thought or expect this from society that is Buddhist, that teaches and supposedly practices loving compassion? It sure shows us their true colours and that they really do not practice anything. In fact they sound like they are no different from the Chinese dogs they curse us to be so much. They are exactly if not worst than their enemies because they claim to be “Buddhist”. How can a Buddhist and a Dalai Lama representative speak in such horrific manner.
What’s more disgusting is their vulgarities towards their own Tibetan Lamas… really really disgusting and low. Have they no shame and do they not hold anything sacred? Not even their tradition and customs? This is certainly NOT advice from the Tibetan Leadership, this has been encouraged, cheered on, and probably even taught on how they should treat Dorje Shugden people. And to think Pastor Jean Ai and family helped and donated so much, this is really too much. Too much coming from a society that is suppose to be teaching us loving compassion.
It just proves to the world that perhaps Tibetan Buddhism sold to the west and the world by the Central Tibetan Administration is just another ticket to fatten up their own pockets. They have made Tibetan Buddhism a commercial campaign to milk money from the world without having to much for themselves. When you think about it what have the Tibetan Leadership done for India after being in India land for so long. How have they improve India in anyway? Have they helped them economically, built anything for India, any infrastructure, any invention… what have they given to India? They only gave India what India gave them… Buddhism and yet now they are trashing it to the mud with their disgusting behaviour and representation. The Buddha predicted that Buddhism will be destroyed not from the outside but from the inside…I take that to mean from withing its own people who do not practice it but just wear the label = Buddhist or Dalai Lama supporter. How very sad indeed, how very tragic.
This post has so much evidences that there is a huge discrimination, abuse and ban on Shugden practitioners worldwide and this really has got to stop. Tibetan Leaders and the west who are ignorant should stop deceiving the world and lying about how good or how in desperate need they are for help, aid. Why should anyone waste another cent for such ungratefulness. This is definitely not how you treat people and definitely not people who sponsored and helped you/your monasteries/your people/your community. This horrible attitude of the Tibetans that keep taking and never giving back, some more curse you must stop. Thank you Pastor Jean Ai for sharing such details and to show the world the cruel injustice you and many Shugdenpas experienced on a daily basis.
It is indeed very sad to see this is happening. It is never good to mix politics with religion. Many would have thought that Buddhism taught us to be kind & forgiving, but this is the ugly truth when people in power want to use religion to control over others.
Buddhism is about encompassing. It is never about segregation and discrimination. But CTA has conveniently use religion to manipulate their people to hate each other. This is totally against Buddhism, and against basic human rights. There are already so much negativity about religions and Buddhism. Why create more and divert people from becoming spiritual?
I pray this ban and segregation will come to an end very soon.
Dear Pastor Jean Ai,
I applaud your courage to speak up on this matter. It saddens me to read that after all that you have done, the very people you were trying your best to support and help have not only turned their backs on you but have maliciously attacked you online, slandering you, your lama and your religious practice. Their very jaundiced view of Dorje Shugden practice has probably stunted the proliferation of Dharma and their own country’s independence as these anti-Shugdenpas have used their precious resources to incite hatred and spread wrong views, instead of focusing what’s important such as their own spiritual development, the spread of Buddhism and regaining their own country.
I pray that this Shugden controversy will end immediately and allow the divide to unite.
Thank you for this honest write-up, Pastor Jean Ai.
Dear Pastor Jean Ai,
I read a lot of nostalgia, faith and tinge with sadness in your posts about the past and about the past and especially about the current times. Its with heavy heart to imagine how Tibetans can justify their vulgarities in the name of the ban or the Dalai Lama. I was especially appalled by how some of them would say about the lineage lamas like that.
It’s incredible putdown and shocking to see how they justify that this is correct in the name of the ban. It’s incredible even as a non-Tibetan Ani, you are subject to so much abuse. It was enlightening and poignant article and thank you Ani-la Jean Ai for giving us insight into the situation as a sponsor. On the other hand, I rejoice to see how you basically grew up in the Dharma and have been one way or another involved in the Dharma since childhood. Its fruitioning of good karma from previous lives.
Dear Pastor Jean Ai,
Reading through this article, it is very sad and angry to see how the CTA could do this to their sponsors. To me, it they are so good, raise fund themselves and benefits the monasteries. Some of the facilities in the monastery was raised by Dorje Shugden’s people, since they ban the Dorje Shugden people, why not they don’t use the facilities that was built by Dorje Shugden people? Have courage to leave or return the facilities to Dorje Shugden people than.
I am sorry to see how people “bullied” you in social media whenever you posted about Dorje Shugden, and, it is sad to see even some friend have leave you because of the ignorance of this ban. I salute you for your courage to stand up and talk to bring the truth to people and to protect our Lama.
This ban has causes so many harm to people. Not even influence on Tibetan but people who wanted to be in Tibetan Buddhism, will get more confuse by this ban.
On the other hand, i notice on how Rinpoche say update the sponsors. It reminded me on we need to treat our sponsors well and update them. Not take for granted their money, by updating them about their sponsor, it will pull them to dharma too.
Thank you for the write up
Best regards
Freon
Dear Pastor Jean Ai,
Thank you for sharing all these really enriching experience. Before reading this article, I didn’t know that you and your family went through so much “abuse” just because we practice DS.
It goes to show that despite all the teachings, refuge vows that so many have taken in front of the Three Jewels, they have not really transformed their minds and this is expressed through their actions and words. Really, really sad and disgusting.
Budddhism teaches us to be kind and compassionate to ALL beings. But here it clearly demonstrates that humans have a long, long, long journey to go.
Do not be disheartened. This, to me, motivates us more in that it gives us more wisdom and broadens our mind that even the very people close to us will turn around one day and become an “enemy”.
Fret not, as we have our ever loving and compassionate Protector with us and He will be with us until Enlightenment.
Thank you Pastor Jean Ai.
Lum Kok Luen
Tsem Rinpoche and his Malaysian students (including Pastor Jean Ai and her family) have sponsored millions of rupees to help support the Indian Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in one way or another over the last 19 years. Being Buddhists, the sponsors believed that the monasteries really needed the funds and it is taught that making offerings to any one of the Three Jewels is tremendously meritorious.
But events took an ugly turn against Shugden sponsors . When the ban on Shugden practice was strictly enforced by the Tibetan leadership from around 2008, all Shugden practitioners were barred from visiting all these monasteries. This meant that all these monasteries that had been enjoying the benefits of the funds raised painstakingly and with much great effort and given to them by sponsors which included Shugden practitioners, now suddenly shut their doors on their Shugden benefactors!
Furthermore, in a bewildering twist of events,followig the Tibetan leadership’s enforcement of the ban, the recipients of these benefits from these monasteries began attacking their Shugden benefactors and sponsors even online, levying all kinds of insults against them and defaming them, as can be seen from this article.
What a way to return kindness!
Just think how compassionate Shugden Lamas, like Gangchen Rinpoche and Tsem Rinpoche, who had made huge contributions to the monasteries in the form of building Ladrangs, prayer halls and monks ‘ quarters and the like, are now being ostracised and persecuted, insulted and defamed online by the recipients of this sponsorship , just for holding steadfastly to their practice of Shugden, given to them by their root gurus!
How can the Tibetan leadership and these recipients hold on to these benefits on the one hand, and at the same time, insult, discriminate and persecute the benefactors , on the other hand!
Thank you P Jean Ai for sharing your experiences as a sponsor in this article.
Thank you Pastor Jean Ai for sharing your sad and unfortunate experiences with your family about how you were badly treated by those anti shugden people. It’s very unfair and prejudice for the Tibetan leadership to only want sponsorship and then reject people who are Dorje Shugden practitioners. This is really hypocritical.
I’m sorry to say that similar things are happening with my closest dharma friends. Many of these friends are not willing to acknowledge this ban and try to lift their finger to do social media to help lift the ban. I’m not being bias or self praise just because i’m doing the social media for the ban. These people are very committed and devouted to the Dorje Shugden statue on their altar at home, and overlooked the facts that Rinpoche needs the students/members for support. And the many good things that comes along with mind transformation and sincere guru devotion._/\_
Thank you Pastor Jean Ai for sharing the truth on how you being treated by the anti-shugden people and the Tibetan leadership. I feel really disgusting reading those rude messages that they sent to you. You are doing the right thing Pastor Jean Ai for speaking up. Those who are receiving the fund is always easier than those you has gone out there to raise the fund. H.E. Tsem Rinpoche constantly gave talk and he offered up the offerings (cash) back to his mother monastery. Putting in so much of effort, not that wanted any recognition but at least do not put people down until this level. The worse thing is Pastor Jean Ai and her family are not allowed to enter these monasteries.
CTA claimed that we pray to GHOST, How can those prayed to the “ghost” behaved more kind, sincere and nice than those who are anti- Dorje Shugden. The Tibetan leadership and the anti-shugden people claimed that they are nice and holy. But they constantly made up stories, said disgusting things to put down the Dorje Shugden Lamas like H.H. Trijang Rinpoche, H.H. Zong Rinpoche, H.H. Ganchen Rinpoche, H.E. Tsem Rinpoche and any more. So much kindness that H.H. Trijang Rinpoche has been given to H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama. He nurtured and given H.H. the education, initiations, love and care, but now he’s being treated this way.
The Dorje Shugden ban is a disaster to Tibet, to dharma and to humanity. The CTA is shutting the door for themselves. They chase the Dharma away. As those who are holding the lineage, these are the pure lamas that will continue to practice Dorje Shugden and grow.
感恩仁波切和邝仁爱讲法师的分享 !
看完这篇文章后, 我的心情很沉重和心痛, 多杰雄登修持者在这20年以来开始就被歧视, 不友善对待, 伤害,破坏家园。在文章里, 讲法师被朋友在网上绝交(只因为讲法师是雄登修持者),被丑化, 被脏言怒骂等等, 只因是” 多杰雄登修持者 ” 。那是多么的无辜和无奈和心痛 !
在邝仁爱讲法师提到的, 赞助大德一直以来供养了庞大的资源如金钱, 修理佛堂, 建医疗中心,供养佛像等等, 让寺院里的僧人拥有舒适的地方和足够的资源修行, 但是为何只有了多杰雄登的争论课题, 西藏中央政府要严厉的把 “修持雄登者” 和” 无修持雄登者”严重的隔离呢?
一直以来, 所有修持多杰雄登法门的高僧大德如帕绷卡仁波切, 赤江仁波切, 宋仁波切, 刚坚仁波切, 詹杜固仁波切等等都是无私的不断弘扬佛法, 把宗喀巴大师的传承与佛法传播到世界每一个角落, 利益众生 !而且, 很多修持雄登的高僧还一直转世回来继续祂们的宏愿呢 !
修持多杰雄登法门保护我们和帮助减轻或去除我们的障碍,让我们在灵修的路上更加快速的达到成就 !
希望尊贵的达赖尊者,西藏中央政府和有关当局可以尽早把”多杰雄登争论课题”解决, 因为还没出现这课题之前, 大家都是一样的和谐共处,一起辩论佛法,一起参加法会, 一起开心的生活。
愿尊贵的达赖尊者与尊贵的上师詹仁波切健康长寿,吉祥如意, 愿雄登课题可以尽早解决, 世界和平 !
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA SOHA
感恩合十
YEO KWAI GIN
Thank you Pastor Jean Ai for speaking up for so many other mistreated sponsors. What you have wrote are very logical. For the past 2 decades, CTA has never stop to pollute the young and innocent mind of their own people with hate campaigns, books publishing, social media trolls and etc. What good does it serve for the CTA to continue to carry on all these negativities? Imagine they diverted all the energy, effort, money and talents on building up their country?
Instead of using the public platform to promote harmony, CTA forced dharma centres around the world to participate in their discrimination, separation, schism, and policy of marginalisation of dorje shugden practitioners.
I read about Panglung Rinpoche and Gangchen Rinpoche has also kindly sponsored the hospital and one of the khamtsen in Sera Mey. However after the ban, both Rinpoche are not welcomed to use them. There’s not even a signage erected to thank the sponsor for building such facilities for the monks just because the sponsor is dorje shugden practitioner. It’s really illogical, unethical and ungrateful of these Sanghas (i’m sorry) to treat their sponsors like that. There’s a Chinese saying “过河拆桥” meaning after you get something from someone and you just dump that person because he/she is no longer useful.
Many of the conditions in Monasteries especially in India are quite bad, due to lack of funding, problems like monks suffer from malnutrition, medical problems, lack of facilities, education not in place etc would arise and all these factors contributed to the downfall of a monastery and it would directly affect the upholding of the lineage.
CTA please stop being in denial and lift the Dorje Shugden ban!
感谢讲法师您的分享,
我们接触佛法,就是选择了踏上一条能够引领我们获得证悟与脱离娑婆世界的道路,我们开始学习忏悔与累积功德,寻找内心的一份安定来看清六道轮回之苦。佛法在任何的情况下永远都不应该成为是伤害他人的“工具”。
感到非常的无奈是,许多的佛法功德主,慷慨的布施,维修伟大的佛法寺院,供养僧侣,并没有要求回报,却反之受到来自与所帮助的对象对功德主咆哮,威胁与出言攻击等等,我想这是大大地违背了佛陀的教诲与教义。
我的想法是,如果抛开了“多杰雄登”护法的议题,今天有一个人对你好,或是刚好在你很需要帮忙的时候,有一个人雪中送碳地给予了无私的帮助,那么明天,后天,将来… 即使这一个人无论他选择了自己的人生道路该往那一个方向走,或是他选择信仰任何的宗教等等,当你再遇见他的时候,我们都的记得与感恩当初他的那一份恩惠,因为懂得感恩是人类最基本的礼仪,今天也许因为某些状况,政治因素,宗教等等,产生彼此意见不合,也并不代表你可以忘记了当初的那一份恩惠,你当然可以选择安静,或是你当然拥有发言的自由权,但是要用一种善巧与友善的方式来沟通与讨论彼此的意见不合,但是倘若就这样出恶言攻击,威胁等等,这未免有点忘恩负义与太没有道理了吧。
谢谢
Jerry
This is just one of the many cases where Dorje Shugden practitioners are isolated, discriminated and insulted. It is amazing how people don’t value the quality of a person but pass judgement based on one’s belief. For Pastor Jean Ai she has been a great supporter to Free Tibet cause and a sponsor to the monastery. As soon as she revealed her Dorje Shugden practice, some of her Tibetan friends do not want to have anything to do with her anymore, she is made fun of on social media platform, she is not welcomed to the monastery anymore. Didn’t Buddha teach us to be compassionate and be tolerant to differences? Didn’t Buddha teach to be polite and gentle? These so-called Buddhists used vulgar words on Dorje Shugden practitioners, create separation and conflict among the Buddhists.
If you go to a Dorje Shugden monastery, you will realise what they teach in the monastery is no different to those non-Dorje Shugden monastery because both are teaching Buddha’s doctrine. If the teachings are the same, how can Dorje Shugden be a cult or a spirit worshopping religion? Bear mind, all lamas who are practising Dorje Shugden are students of renowned masters like Pabongkha Rinpoche, Trijang Rinpoche, Zong Rinpoche, etc. Many of them are lineage holders and have received authentic Buddha’s teachings from great masters.
The ban not only affect existing Dorje Shugden practitioners, it affects the future of potential Dharma practitioners too. Some people would rather not pursuing Dharma practice because they are greatly confused by the ban and find the controversy rather disturbing, they don’t know what is real what is not real.
It is normal everyone has their preferences, they should be encouraged to stick with their belief as long as their belief is one that bring peace to themselves and others. Tibetan leadership should examine how much damage the ban has caused to their community and do something about it. Without unity among the Tibetan people, their cause will not be successful.
As the saying goes” Don’t bite the hands that feed you”, the CTA is definitely an ungrateful group who does not treat their sponsors well. Even if we have opposing views on our spiritual beliefs, they should at least be civilised. They will never return the sponsorship to those sponsors who are DS practitioners. I wonder whether they do acknowledge these sponsors who sponsored the floors in Jangtse and the hospital?
All have been brain washed by the CTA to just blindly follow. Where is the proof that DS practitioners are sponsored by China? They just accuse without any facts and to stir up reaction. The CTA has reduced their fight for an independent Tibet to an autonomous region within China from 1959 and always place the blame on Dorje Shugden. It is just an excuse to deviate from their inefficient government.
Thank you Pastor Jean AI for voicing out. You voice means a lot.
谢谢邝仁爱讲法师的分享。
首先我想要随喜仁波切、邝仁爱讲法师及家人在过去二十年来对佛法的捐助和贡献。 通过仁波切的捐助寺院得以继续传授及弘扬佛法。
不过非常讽刺的是在多杰雄登禁令开始后, 仁波切、邝仁爱讲法师、及很多修持多杰雄登的高僧和僧侣都不被允许回到原本属于的寺院。 原因无别—就是多杰雄登禁令。
多杰雄登的影响层面非常广, 不只是选择修持或不修持而已。 选择继续修习多杰雄登法门, 那你就得准备被排挤、不可以参加一些寺院的法会、不可以在一些商店买东西、不可以在医院接受治疗、不可以和不修习多杰雄登的家人见面、 最严重的就是受到死亡威胁。
仁波切和邝仁爱讲法师在禁令之前曾经捐助过很多寺院, 甚至在遭受亚洲金融风暴, 大家都在财务上受到严重影响的时候还是继续捐助寺院。 为的就只是为弘扬佛法献出一份绵力。 不过在多杰雄登禁令过后, 仁波切再也不准回到自己的寺院。 而且过去对于寺院所做出的贡献和捐助都被遗忘了。
很多宗教, 包括佛教都教我们学习感恩。 不过在多杰雄登禁令中, 感恩这个字是可以完完全全被忽略, 如果你是多杰雄登修持者, 任何情面都没得讲。 这就是多杰雄登禁令所带来的深远影响。
愿达赖尊可以在这个禁令中发声, 为所有多杰雄登修持者给予一个很好的交代。 也愿这个无理的禁令可以快点被解除。 停止这些多杰雄登禁令所带来的乱象。
谢谢
Cannot imagine that the Tibetan leadership does not appreciate and show gratitude to those sponsor (jindak).Feeling sad disappointed as its Kecharas that have sponsored them 3000 sets of robes and statues to all of the monks of Gaden Monastery to name a few.Yet the jindaks were treated so badly denied services to hotel and are not allowed to revisit the monasteries that the jindaks sponsored.The Jindaks were also verbally abused in social media.All these happened just because of the practicing of Dorje Shugden as their choice.
Thank you Rinpoche,Pastor Elena Khong Jean Ai for sharing.
Hope more people will be aware of this discrimination against Dorje Shugden practitioners world wide.
One thing I think I understand about the anti-shugden people, is that they are filled with ignorance, they are weak minded, they are not thinking by themselfs, they are not listening to the words of The Buddha…one thing I learned from the words of The Buddha himself was – “Do not blindly believe what I say, experience it for yourself” – The Buddha, himself, told to not blindly believe what he said… THE BUDDHA!! is there anyone above The Buddha in this earth? … no, there isn’t, so they should follow the example of The Buddha himself, by not blindly believing what someone else said about Dorje Shugden practitioners, they should think for themselfs, they should look at what Dorje Shugden practitioners do, speak, act, etc. If Dorje Shugden practitioners do practice the precepts, do spread love and kindness, do spread peace and compassion, are helping people in need, respect others independently of their religious beliefs, faith, status,etc, than they are helping people!! Helping, respecting, spreading love and kindness… Anti-Shugden’s Wake Up!!!
I can’t even imagine (I mean I can imagine, just by seeing what the anti-shugden’s do and say about those who are very directly connected to them, helped them in times of need, and who follow, as themselfs, the path laid by The Buddha), what these anti-shugden people would say or do to hindus for example, who have thousands if not millions of gods!! would these anti-shugden first inform themselfs about each and every one god before talking to an hindu person…. I guess not…
If that’s the way you anti-shugden wanna teach the worldly beings how to be and act… guess what… they already know, because, hatred is everywhere in this planet, and guess what… many people in this world are masters of hate, you would have a long way to get to their level of hate, but guess what else… you are already doing it… and yet, you have time to stop that hate and start love! spread love, peace, kindness, compassion and respect… and one day the world might change 🙂
hate creates hate, love creates love, only with love can hate be dissipated, so let the love seed inside you grow and flourish, spread that love, and one day there might be a huge beautiful garden! 🙂
And guess what anti-shugden’s, before taking false conclusions, you know what my religion is? – is love and compassion… you know what I practice? – I practice love, peace, kindness and compassion.
Dorje Shugden practitioners, Kechara house, buddhists, non-buddhists, all who have love and kindness, please don’t stop and don’t be afraid of being true to yourselfs.
Thank you Ani Lobsang Pema – Pastor Elena Khong Jean Ai and Tsem Rinponche for putting this article up.
Thank you, and may love, peace, kindness and compassion be with you at all times.
The messages against Rinpoche, Dorje Shugden High Lamas and DS practitioners are appalling !!! It is heart breaking to see the amount of degeneration in the minds of the human race; can’t even isolate it to just Tibetan Buddhism. All done in the name of “protecting” people from an “evil deity” ?? It is so bizarre !
Thank you Pastor Jean Ai for sharing your journey. Thank you for not being put off by all the bad experiences you have had to go through. Thank you for having the tenacity to continue with your practice despite all the obstacles and benefiting many . Your sharing may have raised some disgusting emotions towards the anti-Shugden, but the truth though painful to digest ought to be told.
Everyone has a right to choose which side they prefer to be in – to practice Dorje Shugden or not to practice, there is no need to discriminate those who choose to practice.
Thank you Rinpoche for showing and emphasising the path of the Middle Way; we practice Dorje Shugden and we still respect His Holiness the Dalai Lama, but we persistently and humbly ask for the ban to come down. Thank you Rinpoche for your Wisdom and Compassion . With folded hands.
It’s fine for everyone to have our own faith, beliefs, freedom of speech. Everyone can give suggestions on everything but WHY does ot need to be accompany with vulgar words, baseless descriptions and FAKE & edited images / memes from the original ones for a negative purpose which is to defame another person.
If anyone really has evidences about the negative effects of practising the Dharma Protector,Dorje Shugden. Kindly share it out, if it’s true, it can benefit a lot of people. But if there’re ain’t, please behave, have some respect for the others and save some dignities for oneself.
Be a real Buddhist, practice well and has wisdom. Stop funding hate but create love and invest in peace.
Thank you, Pastor Jean Ai for sharing your personal experiences.
These are very sad incidents where Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, Pastor Jean Ai, her family members and many Kechara members had sponsored much of their funds, energies, efforts and time to help and support the monasteries in India for the past 19 years and yet, they are currently being treated by Tibetan leaders and community as No. 1 enemies because of practising Dorje Shugden. Our humans’ long revolution history has proven that everyone has the rights to be protected by legislative laws and regulations in every country and up to now, we do not see the discrimination against one’s religion practice is legalized in any of the rules and regulations set by any country. Yet, we are seeing a backward direction from Tibetan leaders and community where discrimination, hatred, vulgarity, humiliation and other forms of negative comments can be applied to those who are practising Dorje shugden. This should not happen in the Buddhists’ community in the first place as it goes against the Buddha’s teachings fundamentally and further more, instead of repaying the sponsors with kindness and appreciation, the sponsors are badly treated by Tibetan community in return.
I sincerely pray that H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama and Tibetan leaders will end the sufferings and discrimination endured by many Shugden’s practitioners by lifting the ban of Dorje Shugden soonest possible. May all Buddhists united as one big Dharma family and spread the Buddhadharma to the 10 directions for the benefits of all sentient beings in this life and many future lifetimes.
Thank you Rinpoche for posting the article and thank you Pastor Jean Ai for sharing the real happenings in order to bring the awareness of the current fate faced by many Shugden’s practitioners.
With folded hands,
kin hoe
It is really disheartening that some thugs of Tibetan’s does so in order to humiliate the sponsorship. How dare they Post a Rinpoche being a gay partner to another Rinpochoe. Shame on them!! Buddhist religion teach us to show compassion and love towards others. I am a Buddhist and in my country, we respect and pay homage to the sponsorship’s. Don’t be dishearten in what they are doing, instead have a heart to forgive and give your donation to other monasteries around the world
Respect should be given as well as should be earned. From my point you earned your respect. Great Lama will never preach others to do a wrong thing, they simply want a peace and joy to all sentient beings. Keep on doing your job no matter what others say as I appreciate your job and am proud to say that as a nun you have a tolerance to bear and still does a good deeds. Kencho sum Thugje ziig to anim!!
What Pastor Jean Ai wrote I can attest to, having the great fortune to be one of Tsem Rinpoche’s students and the merit to have visited the monasteries with the many jindak from Kechara. The monks in the monasteries are not at fault for the segregation because of the ban on the practice of Dorje Shugden. The Tibetan leaderships, CTA, are the culprits. It is very true that now they label Tsem Rinpoche and Kechara as so called ‘devil’ worshipper. Since that being their accusation, CTA should order the monasteries to return all the sponsored money, religious items and materials. Better still, CTA should give the sponsored money to the monasteries and order them to return to Tsem Rinpoche and Kechara. And CTA should reimburse the monasteries for their ‘loss.’ But no, the CTA representatives sit in their office and do nothing to help the monasteries. Instead they spend time and money plotting to separate Tibetans who refuse to give up on Dorje Shugden. And they can spend money to produce a recent video against Dorje Shugden. They use Dorje Shugden as a scapegoat to distract Tibetans from their (CTA) failure as a government who promised their people the return of their motherland. So sad, more so for those Tibetans who have wool pulled over their eyes by CTA.
If people just treating you as terrorist just you leave..because it shows their real heart of practitioners of their part…. From my point you are really doing great to help Tibet but they are tooly taking their sense in all negative..in other way you are came to be god n God have sent you to help other in a way of Buddhist..
Dear Pastor Jean Ai,
It is really saddening to see the anti-Shugden protests going on, humiliation to Dorje Shugden practitioners, hate mails, hate comments etc… while at the same time, still receiving sponsorships from the very same people these haters “abused”.
I tend to agree with you, if they feel so strongly about our so-called “evilness”.. why don’t they return all the donations made? Why don’t they reflect what they are “fighting” for is just? Why don’t they separate whatever was sponsored and created from the donations and return them to Shuden practitioners?
Importantly, they hate HE Tsem Rinpoche, what about the many Lord Tsongkapa or Vajrayogini statues His Eminence donated to the monasteries? Why accept them on their altar only to abuse and hurt our Guru?
It is really time for them to wake up, and leave the faith of our choice to us. time will tell and prove to them.
Thank you for the article. I truly hope the Tibetan Leadership will read, digest and understand.
Why focus on hate? Pls enlighten.
Hi Sharon,
Thanks for your comment! I believe your question would be better directed at the Tibetan leadership in Dharamsala 🙂
I don’t hate them and in fact, I feel sad about this whole thing. It shouldn’t have to be this way, but they really hate us Dorje Shugden practitioners and our religious beliefs. As a result of this, the Tibetan leadership has actively discriminated against us for the last 20 years…but during that time, they were also okay to take our money!
So this is being posted to highlight their double standards in accepting our funds yet treating their sponsors in such a negative and shameful manner, and to raise awareness of this ongoing discrimination against us.
Thank you!
This is disgusting. When will this stop?
This the reason we are posting about this in order to create awareness so it will stop. We wish H.H. the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan people no ill-will but we are requesting them to please stop all the negative ‘advises’ and condemnation against our Dorje Shugden religious choice. No religious or secular leader should make any negative comments against any religion or spiritual path in this day and age. We must learn from the past already.