Beijing Supports The Shugden Activists
(China's Tibet | January 1996)
Just as his predecessors, the 14th Dalai Lama, who now lives in exile in India, once worshiped Gyaiqen Xudian. In fact, a tangka painting of the Buddhist guardian once hung prominently on a wall in the residence of the Dalai Lama.
In 1978, however, the Dalai Lama ordered that the tangka painting of the Buddhist guardian be removed. Thereafter, he vowed that he would no longer worship the Buddhist guardian, and that "no Tibetan was allowed to do so," the Dalai Lama ordered. Anyone who dares to worship Gyaiqen Xudian will no longer be considered my disciple.
RETRIBUTION. In recent years, the Dalai Lama, a self-styled believer in religious freedom, who allegedly stands in firm opposition to any suppression of religion, sought retribution against the innocent guardian of Tibetan Buddhist doctrine. His staunch disavowal has, in fact, recently gained momentum.
Following years of silence, the Dalai Lama declared a virtual war against a holy spirit of the Gelug Sect in 1994. The Dalai Lama and his followers have repeatedly declared that Gyaiqen Xudian is a 'Han Ghost' who lacks favor with Nequn, the main guardian of Buddhist doctrine.
In March 1996, the Dalai Lama forcefully disallowed the guardian of Tibetan Buddhist doctrine during lectures. The Dalai Lama issued a ridiculous accusation that the guardian of Tibetan Buddhism was in some way adversely affecting his government in exile.
Proceeding on the basis of the accusation, he instructed all monasteries and all Living Buddhas of Tibetan Buddhism to cease worship of the guardian of Tibetan Buddhist doctrine.
The Dalai Lama stressed that anyone worshipping the guardian would be acting against the 'common cause of Tibet', and would quite simply be yearning for his own early demise.
The audience attending his lecture on Buddhism was astonished at the remarks. The hysterical Dalai Lama yelled that anyone unwilling to obey his will should leave. Members of the Dalai's government in exile, a group at the beck and call of the Dalai, are forcibly prohibited from worshipping Gyaiqen Xudian, the Gelug Sect guardian of Buddhist doctrine.
Various related departments adopted resolutions and issued statements banning the worship of Gyaiqen. The resolutions and statements, as well as the speeches of the Dalai, were compiled into books and audio-video products for widespread circulation. The guardian of Buddhist doctrine has since been the target of attacks from the Dalai Lama and his followers.
The Dalai's cronies rushed to areas in India and Nepal inhabited by Tibetans. They forced Tibetans to obey the Dalai's order to abandon the worship of Gyaiqen Xudain, a figure worshipped by generations of their families. The Dalai's men proceeded to visit monasteries and private houses destroying statues of the guardian of Buddhist doctrine.
Tibetans held differing views on the ban on the generations-old worship of the guardian-of-Buddhist doctrine. Mounting opposition invited suppression from the Dalai and his men who proceeded to cancel support for opposing students and going so far as to dismiss government officials who refused to obey.
Faced with rising discontentment amongst Tibetans, the government in exile recently issued a statement to the effect that only "Government departments" were prohibited from worshipping the guardian of Buddhist doctrine, and that individuals were free to make their own decision.
The government in exile dared not admit the fact that various students who refused to obey had been ordered to leave monastery schools. The iron-clad fact is that over a dozen Tibetan lamas were driven from Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in southern India. OPPOSITION. The Dalai Lama's move has sparked widespread boycott and opposition in Tibetan-inhabited areas both in and outside Tibet. Many highly respected Living Buddhas and indeed common people have refused to affix their signature to documents the Dalai Lama and his men have drafted, documents which demand they abandon worship of the guardian of Buddhist doctrine. They produced various posters and audio products for distribution in areas where there are Tibetans, describing suffering the Dalai and his men have inflicted on people continuing to worship the guardian of Buddhist doctrine.
Tibetans living in various areas have been forced to hide their statues of the guardian of Buddhist doctrine.
Tibetan compatriots living in India and Nepal joined in a collective protest opposing the Dalai's decision and banded together to protect monasteries, lamas and nuns from continual hounding by the Dalai and his men. The protestors also issued statements pointing out the Dalai's move to violate human rights.
BACKGROUND. The Dalai Lama has been leading a life in exile for the past 37 years. He has yearned for the day when the Communist Party of China would step down, and has worked hard to turn the tide in China. He predicted that 1990 would be a period ripe for Tibet to "win independence" and that the "Chinese Communist regime" would be toppled between 1995 and 1996. He travelled far and wide seeking support for the independence of Tibet, with his effort supported by funds raised from Tibetans residing overseas. The group providing his funds, however, is becoming increasingly disappointed to see that the Dalai Lama has been reduced to a mouthpiece of international anti-China forces, and that his predictions are share nonsense.
China is in fact gaining ever great international prestige, and Tibetans are leading a better life. Tibetan compatriots residing abroad express amazement at the freedom of religious belief enjoyed by their counterparts. Discontent for the Dalai Lama continues to grow, and people have lost confidence in the call for "Tibetans independence".
Given the situation of spreading discontentment amongst Tibetans residing abroad, the Dalai Lama resorted to what is referred to as "killing a chicken as a warning to monkeys". This is precisely the reason he flies into a rage when dealing with the guardian of Buddhist doctrine.
The Dalai, who turned 60 in 1995, predicted: "According to all signs I have gathered from dreams and elsewhere, I will live to an age between 100 to 120 years." The Dalai instigated a war against the spiritual image in the minds of Tibetans out of the fear that Gyaiqen Xudian, the guardian of Buddhist doctrine, would somehow disrupt his yearning for longevity.
Friends of Tibet (INDIA),
PO Box 16674, Bombay 400050
www.friendsoftibet.org