Deity Discrimination

March 4th, 2007
Tsundue (21) takes shelter in the Tibetan Refugee Reception Centre in Nepal. He was born in Chating province of Tibet. On the ground that he is a Dorje Shugden practitioner he is denied a recommendation letter which he needs to join the monastery of his choice.

March 10th, 2007
The Kashag’s Statement on the 48th Tibetan National Uprising Day, March 10th:

‘Within the Tibetan community in and outside Tibet, quite a number of people were Shugden propitiators without having proper understanding and knowledge. However, as a result of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s spiritual advice, the number has significantly come down to a negligible one. Nevertheless, for the past several years, some personnel of the People’s Republic of China, out of their own political motives, forced Tibetans to propitiate Shugden deity. These Shugden propitiators are bought with cash and kind, and are being employed to carry out various activities, which they still pursue to hamper the long-term interest of the Tibetan people. There seems to be a plan for increasing the use of Shugden propitiators in campaigns to oppose and vilify His Holiness the Dalai Lama in different places in Tibet and China in the near future. Hence, this issue has been transformed from a case of mere blind faith into a malicious political exercise. We Tibetans must not be careless about this and be always alert to challenge the situation when needed.’

March 19th, 2007
The Dorje Shugden Society submits a petition to the Indian government to the effect that the Department of Religion and Culture of Tibetan government in exile does not provide a recommendation letter to Shugden practitioners who want to join Tibetan monasteries. It requests the Indian government to stop all those illegal and unethical actions against Shugden practitioners.

April 6th, 2007
According to his testimony, Tsundue, aged 21 from Chating, Tibet, is denied the recommendation letter to join the monastery. He is the first refugee to have been discriminated against in this way.

April 10th, 2007
The Society represents Tsundue’s grievance to the Hon. Prime Minister of India.

June 1st, 2007
A petition is submitted to His Excellency Pranab Mukherjee, Minister for External Affairs. It is pointed out that the application for Identity Card, the travelling document for Tibetans, is denied unless a declaration is signed saying that you are not a practitioner of Shugden. The Ministry is requested to kindly inquire into this odd directive and to take the required procedural action to discourage and restrain it.

Dorje Shugden Undeniably Banned

January 12th, 2007
At a public speech at Sera-Mey monastery, the Dalai Lama accuses the Dorje Shugden Society and Shugden devotees as ‘murderers and beaters’, and say ‘they receive money from China’.

February 2nd, 2007
In the morning puja of Ganden Jangtse Monastery, the abbot Lobsang Choepal declares that the monks who have no identity card must make a decision within two weeks. To get an ID, every monk must give a signature that he will give up the worship of Shugden. As monks of Serkong house worship the deity, they do not get the ID from the monastery.

February 5th, 2007
The Dorje Shugden Society sends petitions to the Prime Minister, Home Minister and Foreign Minister of India, requesting them to stop the religious repression by the abbot of Ganden Jangtse Monastery in South India, and allow Dorje Shugden worshippers to enjoy religious freedom as granted by the Indian Constitution.

February 15th, 2007
Delegates from the Tibetan Women’s Association and Youth Congress seek permission from the abbot to conduct ‘peaceful’ demonstration in the monastery (Ganden Jangtse) against Shugden practitioners.

February 23rd, 2007
Tsering Dondup, General Secretary of Department of Religion & Culture (Tibetan Government in Exile) sends a letters to the abbots and staff of every Gelug monasteries. It reads:

‘Even at the Head Reception Center they are explaining why H.H. the Dalai Lama has banned the worshipping of Dholgyal (Dorje Shugden) to our brothers who newly arrived from Tibet. However, we give the same recommendation, without discrimination, for schools and monasteries to explain the same to the few newcomers who take rigid stand to worship Dholgyal.

‘However, in the Gelug Code of Conduct resolved on the gathering of Gaden Tripa, Shartse Choje and Jangtse Choje, abbots and representatives, in article 4, 7 of section 12, about ‘do’s and don’ts’, it says that those who will join a monastery must give up the worship of Dholgyal (Dorje Shugden). The Head Reception Center must explain as before why H.H. the Dalai Lama has imposed a ban on worshipping Dholgyal. If they don’t listen and take a strong stand despite your explanations, there is no way to let them go to any of the Gelug monasteries, including Sera, Drepung and Ganden, as it has been happening until today. Therefore, from the day you receive this decree, you must implement the policy of not providing recommendation (to those who continue to practise Dorje Shugden) to go to any monastery registered in the Tibetan Exile’s Department of Religion and Culture.’

Anti-Dorje Shugden ‘Charter’

June 16th, 2006
The Dorje Shugden Society sends a letter to the abbots and administrators of Gelug monasteries regarding a new 18-page anti-Dorje Shugden ‘charter’ for all Gelug religious establishments. The letters point out that no individual can modify the code of conduct of the monks, and also that it is improper for laypeople and politicians to interfere in this case. This so-called charter incites the ‘winning of victory for ourselves and the defeat of others’, and the generation of a schism within Gelug monks. These letters require profound deliberation for the sake of Buddhism.

June 23rd, 2006
Petitions are submitted to Indian government regarding the so-called charter against Shugden Devotees

July 19th, 2006
Lhasa, Tibet: The house of a family of well-known Dorje Shugden practitioners is attacked by four Tibetans wearing masks and claiming to be the Dalai Lama’s messengers. The only person in the house at that time is their 20 year old son, who is tortured by having his fingers cut off. He is threatened that next time they will cut his hands off and then they will cut his head off if his family doesn’t listen to the Dalai Lama.

December 9th, 2006
The Dorje Shugden Society organizes a Grand Puja in Delhi. Many senior Lamas, Geshes, and monks are invited from various monasteries including Sera and Ganden.

December 20th-21st, 2006
The 10th Anniversary of founding of Dorje Shugden Society and 5th International Dorje Shugden Summit was held at the India International Center, New Delhi. The summit was attended by dignitaries, scholars and delegates from fourteen different countries.

Dorje Shugden Statue Forcefully Destroyed

January 5th-20th, 2005
The names and photographs of seven people are sent to the police station and media. Their photographs are posted and they are reported to be a serious threat to the Dalai Lama’s life. Three are Geshes who have lived in the monastery for 20 years. As worshippers of Shugden, they are accused that they might try to attempt to assassinate the Dalai Lama during his Kalachakra ritual.

A police official says, ‘The Tibetan authorities inform us that these persons might attempt to assassinate him (the Dalai Lama) during his stay in Amravati.’ Police confirm they have received reports from Tibetan intelligence officials about a serious threat to the Dalai Lama’s life. The report says that ‘he faces threats from seven people in Tibet and China. The names and photographs of the seven, said to be former followers, have been sent to Guntur police.’ In this way, many innocent Buddhist lamas are affected by such false accusations.

February 14th, 2006
Lhasa, Tibet: A statue of Dorje Shugden is forcefully removed and destroyed along with a statue of Setrab by a few monks in the Nyakri-department of Ganden Monastery. Some pilgrims report this to people in Lhasa, and a few hundred Tibetans from the Kham region, particularly from Dagyab, for whom both these deities are very important, are shocked and alarmed and go to Ganden Monastery to question those responsible for this outrage. However, one man from Dagyab, who is working as a driver foreseeing dire consequences of a meeting between these people and the monks, informs his boss. The Chinese police reach the monastery before hundreds of people arrived from Lhasa, and thus prevent direct clashes. Those responsible for this destruction are then interrogated. Dozens of monks who had participated in the destruction were released, but the two main instigators have to face legal consequences.

Unrest occurs inside Tibet due to strong denouncements by the Dalai Lama at Kalachakra initiations, and because of sending people to Tibet with the particular mission to spread allegations such as ‘the deity Dorje Shugden is harming the Tibetan freedom and is a danger for the life of His Holiness.’

Dorje Shugden Ban

June 30th, 2002

The following letter is issued by the so-called Examination candidates ‘who have no wish to study or hold any religious exercise with apostates’:

‘Some perverted worshippers of Dholgyal (Shugden) have been engaged in slander against His Holiness the Dalai Lama. They have been engaged in various activities, which are detrimental to the cause of Tibetan polity. The reason why this is so is the fact that until now none of you have taught them (Shugden worshippers) a strong lesson. You have left them free. When you offered long life prayers to him (Dalai Lama) at Pang-pe this year, he (Dalai Lama) shouted out of exasperation: “Am I the only person who should challenge the Dholgyal Society?”

‘… the need of the hour is to make a complete discrimination between those who worship and those who do not worship Shugden …

‘… the abbots and former abbots should establish a complete ban blocking the inclusion of any Dholgyal worshipper in the Gelug Board Examinations.

‘… we will institute a signature campaign, to the effect that henceforth we do not wish to conduct or sit at examinations alongside those who worship Dholgyal.

‘Copies of this signature and oath will be submitted to the (exile Tibetan) Cabinet and the Private Office of H.H. the Dalai Lama.’

July 8th, 2002
An official announcement is made by the (Administrative) House Teachers, with the seal of Sera-Jey monastery:

‘1 It has been resolved at the meeting of July 8, 2002 that oath will be taken from the entering of the monastic community that henceforth no one will worship Dholgyal (Shugden).

‘2 On that day, all the adjacent monks of respective houses will be stringently called together for this taking of oath. Whoever does not attend, will be treated as “voluntarily expelled” from the monastery’s communal auspices.

‘5 The monastery will not take cognizance of any posters for or against this decision, once the oath-admission is completed. House teachers will take stringent steps over their members on this point.’

July 30th, 2002
An anonymous notice posted in Lama Camp no 2, along with the concluding meeting of examinations, reads ‘… in the interest of the general policy of Tibet, and for the very sake of Gelug sect, we wish to pass a resolution and take signature to ban devotees of Dholgyal (Shugden) from appearing at this examination.’

More Doors Closed for Shugden Practitioners

March 20th-22nd, 2001The Human Rights and Religious Freedom Summit is held at India International Center, New Delhi, attended by members of Parliaments, MLS, Professors, Doctors, and delegates of Dorje Shugden across the world.

April 2001Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Spiritual Director of FPMT writes a letter to Lozang Jinpa, private secretary to the Dalai Lama. An excerpt reads: ‘The FPMT Board of Directors has just made a policy regarding the practice of Shugden. FPMT will not invite anyone who practices this as a resident teacher or a visiting teacher. Of course sometimes it is difficult to say if someone is hiding the practice. Can you please inform His Holiness of this.’

June 20th, 2002Sera-Je monastery sends a letter to the representative of the Dalai Lama at Lugsung Samdupling Tibetan settlement, Bylakupee, Karnataka State. It reads:

‘As the one person mentioned below requires an Identity Certificate for travelling abroad, he is not a worshipper of Dholgyal (Dorje Shugden). As such, we have no objection for his travelling abroad.’

June 28th, 2002
Sera-Jey Abbot Dhonyoe, Gyumey Khensur Lobsang Tenzin, Geshe Wangdhu and Jangtse Abbot use their full force and power to make the monks of their monasteries put their signature to forms saying that they have no connection with Dorje Shugden. At this time, seven monks are badly attacked.

Schism in Tibetan Community

First week of May, 1999
In an informal meeting of local Tibetan organizations in Darjeeling with the new representative officer of H.H. the Dalai Lama, these groups unofficially announce to the local Tibetans that henceforth no one is permitted to invite any member of the Samten Choeling Monastery (Est.1952), Tharpa Choeling Monastery (Est: 1922) and Kharshang Monastery (Est: 1919) to any Tibetan gatherings or Buddhist festivals. All are Gelug monasteries related to Dorje Shugden.

July 24th, 1999
An anonymous poster in Nepal reads:

‘The Mahayana Gelug Monastery in Kathmandu sent around 152 monks to Pomra of Sera-Mey and Dhokang of Gaden Shartse monasteries.’ They ask Nepali families not to send children to these monasteries, because these monasteries worship Dorje Shugden.

September 12th, 2000
3,000 Tibetans come to Dhokhang Monastery at Shartse Monastery. They attack the monastery and its monks with stones and bricks.

December 14th, 2000
The Delhi High Court directs the Delhi Police to look into the complaints of torture of Dorje Shugden devotees by the Dalai Lama. In a writ filed before the court, Geshe Konchog Gyaltsen said that he received telegrams signed by ‘S Killer’ in which he has been threatened to be killed in the same way as Geshe Lobsang Gyatso was murdered. A division bench of Justice Usha Mehra and Justice K. Ramamoorthy, after hearing the criminal writ filed by the Dorje Shugden Devotees’ Charitable & Religious Society, directs the Deputy of Commissioner of Police (North) to look into the complaint and take decision in accordance to law within six weeks.