Dalai Lama And The Shungun

[Mossfinn]

Protest

I have gathered it is regarding the banning of a 400 year old prayer and alleged persecution of the Shungun, but how has it all come about?

Thanks

Moss

[camerata]

Basically, the Dalai Lama doesn't want Tibetan Buddhists propitiating a "fierce spirit." That some Western Buddhists would protest against this as a "violation of their human rights" makes one wonder about their understanding of Buddhism.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama's Advice Concerning Dolgyal (Shugden)

TibetNet[saturday, May 31, 2008 11:12]

Dharamshala: Following a long and careful investigation, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has strongly discouraged Tibetan Buddhists from propitiating the fierce spirit known as Dolgyal (Shugden). Although he once practiced Dolgyal propitiation himself, His Holiness renounced the practice in 1975 after discovering the profound historical, social and religious problems associated with it. He did so with the full knowledge and support of his junior tutor, the late Kyabje Trichang Rinpoche through whom His Holiness first became associated with this practice. Even within the Geluk and Sakya schools - the Tibetan Buddhist traditions to which majority of Dolgyal practitioners belong - the propitiation of this spirit has been controversial throughout its history. Historical investigation reveals that Dolgyal practice, which has strong sectarian overtones, has a history of contributing towards a climate of sectarian disharmony in various parts of Tibet, and between various communties of Tibetans. Therefore, from 1975 onwards, His Holiness has regularly made public his views on the inadvisability of this practice and underlined the following three key reasons:

1. The danger of Tibetan Buddhism degenerating into a form of spirit worship: Tibetan Buddhism originally evolved from the authentic and ancient tradition upheld at the great Indian monastic university of Nalanda, a tradition that His Holiness often describes as a complete form of Buddhism. It embodies the original teaching of the Buddha as developed through the rich philosophical, psychological and spiritual insights of such great Buddhist masters as Nagarjuna, Asanga, Vasubandhu, Dignaga and Dharamakirti. Since the great philosopher and logician Shantarakshita was instrumental in the establishment of Buddhism in Tibet in its earliest stages in the 8th century, philosophical enquiry and critical analysis have always been important hallmarks of Tibetan Buddhism. The problem with Dolgyal practice is that it promotes a tendency to consider spirits like Dolgyal (Shugden) as Dharma protectors and moreover to take them as more important than the Buddha himself. If this trend goes unchecked, and innocent people become seduced by cult-like practices of this kind, the danger is that the rich tradition of Tibetan Buddhism may degenerate into the mere propitiation of spirits.

The rest of it is here.

[Mossfinn]

Thanks camerata,

I haven't time to digest the material yet, maybe later.

Thanks for taking the time,

Moss

[bankei]

I can't understand why someone calling themselves a Buddhist would be involved in spirit worship.