Dorje Shugden

Forced signature and ID card campaign

 

Documents for the recent ID card (Yellow Card) campaign. Taken from the website of the Dorje Shugden Devotees Religious and Charitable Society.

 

Outcast Society Emerging among Tibetans

 

Tibetan Buddhism knows several hundred protecting deities. In the 1970-ies the 14th Dalai Lama abandoned his faith in one of these protectors, the deity Dorje Shugden. In the years to follow, the Dalai Lama increasingly aimed his preachings at moving others to also abandon their faith in Lord Shugden. Not satisfied with the amount of converts by preaching alone, the Dalai Lama started in 1996 to gear the leverage of his exile administration at imposing social obstacles to those not willing to follow the Dalai Lamas' own change of faith. As a result, access to various jobs, positions, schools, and monasteries in Tibetan exile became impossible without publicly renouncing Lord Shugden.

 

Ambitious aspirants on the contrary, showing their support for the new measures, were duly rewarded with key positions and visits of the Dalai Lama to their establishments. An estimated one third of the Tibetan population and hundreds of the most renowned masters of Tibetan history used to rely on Lord Shugden in the past. The Dalai Lamas' measures effectively reduced this number to a minority. Still not satisfied with these results, the Dalai Lama instigated public swearings in the monastic universities in South India in January 2008, aimed at making social life impossible for anyone not converting to the new line of faith.

Here a few documents used in these swearings:

 

 

I swear on the name of the Dalai Lama and glorious Maxor Gyalmo (Protectress Palden Lhamo) to never venerate and worship Dorje Shugden and to never have any relation on material and other levels with those who worship Dorje Shugden. (scanned in version)

 

 

I, who is called ...(name)...., vow that from now on, forever, at any time, that I will never venerate and worship Dorje Shugden. And regarding the type of people who venerate and worship Dorje Shugden, I vow never to share or experience any religious or material goods with them. (scanned in version)

 

 

Identity card for those who have sworn and submitted their vow (scanned in version)

ID No:
Name:
College:
Department:
House No:
Date of Issue: 16-02-2008

 

"Not to have any relation with those venerating Lord Shugden" is now being implemented in these monasteries as a complete social segregation. Those who remained non-convertable besides such drastic measures are now declared as 'unclean', 'traitors to the Tibetan cause', 'enemies of the Dalai Lama', and receive the treatment of an outcast society. Without the identity card for example, it is now impossible in Sera monastery to attend common prayers or to buy goods in the monastery shop. The 'unclean' ones have effectively been singled out, are now ostracized in every-day life, and religious Apartheid finally seems to be reality.

Such words, such swearings, and such proceedings are unprecedented in Tibetan history. They do in no way correspond to a Buddhist way of life. As Tibetans, we are ashamed to see this happening in the name of our most cherished people, beloved country, and precious history.