Sevenoak Design Journal

Ok, so I don’t normally go in for religious politics, or politics in general. But this is something I feel really strongly about and, in fact, isn’t about religious politics at all; it’s more about religious freedom.

You may or may not be aware that the HH Dalai Lama of Tibet is on a sort of tour of Europe at the moment; he was in Germany recently and is due in the UK soon. He’s also been to the USA recently. In all of these places, he has been met with demonstrations. Yes, demonstrations; and by Buddhists, too.

So why are Buddhists demonstrating against the Dalai Lama? Because, over the past decade, the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government in exile have been spearheading a drive to persuade Tibetans, and the wider Tibetan Buddhist community, to stop their involvement in the practice of a particular Buddhist deity called Dorje Shugden.

Now, the word ‘deity’ in Buddhism means the same as ‘buddha’; Dorje Shugden has historically been viewed as an enlightened being, on the same level as the buddha who taught in ancient India. Many high Lamas in Tibet praised the practice of Dorje Shudgen; these Lamas included someone called Trijang Rinpoche, one of the current Dalai Lama’s tutors (now deceased). It’s safe to say that until recently, the practice has been revered and respected by generations of Buddhists, and has done no harm to anyone.

Despite all this though, the Dalai Lama is encouraging Tibetans to abandon the practice on the grounds that it harms the cause of Tibetan freedom, and is ’spirit worship’. He has not revealed evidence for these claims, despite repeated requests from Buddhist practitioners who are concerned about the mounting persecution and violence that’s happening as a result of the Dalai Lama’s efforts to destroy the practice. This persecution includes the refusal to grant ID cards to Tibetans who will not give up the practice, refusal to admit the children of Dorje Shugden practitioners to schools in the exiled Tibetan community, and death threats against those who continue with the practice.

It sounds unreal, doesn’t it? Buddhists persecuting Buddhists, protests, criticisms of the Dalai Lama (respected peacemaker and all-round world celebrity). You may well be thinking that it’s nonsense, but there’s plenty of evidence for what I’ve just said (I wish it were nonsense). I know that there are Tibetan teachers in America who haven’t spoken to their families in India for decades — their families are forbidden to contact them because they will not give up the Dorje Shugden practice.

This is not right. Buddhist or not, no one should be persecuted for adhering to a peaceful practice that has been quietly handed down from generation to generation. One Tibetan, interviewed for Swiss TV, said (I’m paraphrasing slightly):

In some ways, this is worse than what China did to Tibet. When the Chinese invaded, they harmed us outwardly, but this ban on the Dorje Shugden practice is far worse because it harms out spiritual practice, it harms our hearts.

You can see part of the interview on YouTube - it’s towards the end of the clip (update: see the video here).

To date, there is no evidence to support the Dalai Lama’s claims that the Dorje Shugden practice harms the cause of Tibetan freedom, or for the claim that it provokes threats to the Dalai Lama’s own life. If you believe that this should stop, please read the information, make your own mind up, and consider signing the petition asking the Dalai Lama to give religious freedom to Dorje Shugden practitioners. We’re lucky enough to have the freedom to sign petitions and do what we like with our time; let’s help others to enjoy the same freedom. Thanks.

Update: please make your comments concise, thanks.