COLLECTION OF ADVICE REGARDING SHUGDEN (Dholgyal)

His Holiness the Dalai Lama has advised those who practice Tibetan Buddhism to stop the practice of Shugden (also known as Dholgyal), and as FPMT follows His Holiness' advice and fully supports His Holiness, Lama Zopa Rinpoche asked FPMT International Office and the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive to put together a package of information about Shugden to help centers and students be fully informed about this issue.



CONTENTS:
From His Holiness the Dalai Lama:

• Three Main Reasons
• Advice given in Zurich, 2005
• Talk given at the Second International Gelugpa Conference

Link to Advice from other important lamas
FPMT Policy
Advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche:

• Excerpt from a letter to Lozang Jinpa, private secretary to His Holiness the Dalai Lama - April 2001
• Excerpt from A Talk Given At Aryatara Institute, Germany - 7 April 2001
• Personal Advice Given To Students Asking About This Issue

Books Available

FROM HIS HOLINESS THE DALAI LAMA

Three Main Reasons

The three main reasons why His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama has advised people against the propitiation of Dholgyal

Such practices degenerate the profound and vast teachings of Buddhism, wherein our ultimate refuge is the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. While the profound teachings of the Buddha are based on the two truths and the Four Noble Truths, the appeasing and propitiating of Dholgyal, to the extent it is done by those who do this practice, degenerate the Buddhist practice into a form of spirit worship.

It goes against His Holiness the Dalai Lama's non-sectarian approach especially within the Tibetan Buddhist traditions. His Holiness himself practices teachings from the other traditions such as Nyingma, Sakya and Kagyu simultaneously with the Geluk tradition and encourages others to do the same. However, the practice of Dholgyal is extremely sectarian.

The Dholgyal spirit has a long history of antagonistic attitude to the Dalai Lamas and the Tibetan Government they head since the time of the Fifth Dalai Lama. Throughout that period, it has also been very controversial in both the Geluk and Sakya traditions. In fact, the Great Fifth Dalai Lama and the Great Thirteenth Dalai Lama, as well as many other prominent Tibetan lamas have categorically stated the harmful effects of this practice and have advised against the practice and propitiation of Dholgyal.

"Some of you might know, some not, that in the Tibetan tradition there is a practice of a deity who is called Dorje Shugden, that some are following this practice, practising veneration of this deity, and that I am against this practice because it goes against my principles and those of the Dalai Lamas.

I am asking people who want to take initiation from me to let go of this practice and this deity.

The ones who want to keep their practice of Shugden should not attend any further events or ceremonies in which a teacher-disciple relationship is established with me. This is something each person has to decide for him/herself. Each person has to take care of this themselves. From my side, I don't want this relationship to be established if it is the case that the person is keeping up the Shugden practice. I myself would engage in contradiction to the commitments I have had towards the previous Dalai Lamas, especially toward the 5th Dalai Lama, and therefore I request that if any of you are practicing Shugden for you not to attend the initiations. I have explained the reasons why I am against the veneration of Shugden and given my sources in a very detailed manner. "
–His Holiness the Dalai Lama speaking in Zurich, August 12th 2005.
To read the full speech, click here

FPMT sponsored Geshe Sherab Gyatso to translate the talk given by His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the Second International Gelugpa Conference, Dharamsala, Dec 2000 - to read it click here (the translation also appears on www.dalailama.com)


To read other important lamas, such as the Ganden Tri Rinpoche (the head of the Gelug lineage) advising on this issue:
http://www.tibet.com/dholgyal/

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FPMT POLICY

As FPMT follows the advice of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, all those in service or teaching in FPMT centers and projects do not engage in the practice of Shugden.

From The FPMT Handbook:

All those who offer service or teach in FPMT centers are committed to follow the advice of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. As an example, His Holiness has prohibited the practice of the so-called protector, Do Gyel (Shugden), so teachers or others affiliated with the FPMT should not engage in this practice.

FROM LAMA ZOPA RINPOCHE, SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR OF THE FPMT

Excerpt from a letter to Lozang Jinpa, private secretary to His Holiness the Dalai Lama - April 2001:

"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."

Talk given at Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa, 22 October 2000.
Rinpoche reads from a letter He was writing to Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, explaining about the qualities of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and how we can trust His Holiness' advice not to practice Shugden. Also how to practice guru devotion, and how to give up the practice without criticizing the guru.

Excerpt From A Talk Given At Aryatara Institute, Germany - 7 April 2001
"..Then, I want to specify one extra point, on the basis of the usual examination that is explained in the teachings. I want to add that, if you are making a new Dharma connection with a teacher, you should examine to make sure that that teacher is not someone who is against His Holiness the Dalai Lama, particularly with respect to the practice of the being called Dholgyel or Shugden. These days, that's an extra analysis you should make. In that way, you'll avoid problems in the future..."

[Rinpoche goes on to describe how to practice guru devotion without criticizing the guru].

Personal Advice Given To Students Asking About This Issue
http://www.lamayeshe.com/lamazopa/advicebook/practice/shugden.shtml

BOOKS AVAILABLE

The Worship of Shugden - Documents Related to a Tibetan Controversy
Dept of Religion and Culture, Central Tibetan Administration, Dharamsala, India.

A Brief History of Opposition to Shugden
Edited and Compiled by The Dolgyal Research Committee, c/o Dept of Religion and Culture, Central Tibetan Administration, Dharamsala, India.

The Shuk-Den Affair - Origins of a Controversy
Georges Dreyfus, Williams College, Fall 1999.
Narthang Publications, Narthang Buildling, Gangchen Kyishong, Dharamsala, HP, India.
(The main essay is available to read at http://www.dalailama.com/page.149.htm)

NB: if any center would like a copy of these books, please write to Drolkar at Tushita Meditation Center - tushita1@vsnl.com

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