Dalai Lama News
History of the Ban
In the late 1970s, the Dalai Lama started criticising the practice of Dorje Shugden - one of the heart practices of his Root Guru, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche. This was a great surprise to those following Je Tsongkhapa's tradition, but the Dalai Lama's strange behaviour was mostly ignored. Practitioners were happy to maintain their reliance on their great masters despite the Dalai Lama's unusual behaviour.
The Dalai Lama's stance against Shugden practice became increasingly forceful as the years went by. Even though his behaviour was an embarrassment to the senior Lamas of the tradition it was brushed under the carpet. The Dalai Lama's position was too high to say anything, and in any case sincere practitioners could simply carry on their practice.
In March 1996, in an aggressive and threatening manner, the Dalai Lama stated that there would be a forceful implementation of the ban against those who persisted in the practice of Dorje Shugden. The Dalai Lama’s words shocked and wounded millions of Dorje Shugden practitioners around the world, and sent waves of confusion, resentment and fear sweeping through the Tibetan communities. In the months following the Dalai Lama’s ban, a transformation took place within the Tibetan community. The relative peace, joy and internal harmony normally enjoyed within the Tibetan settlements were destroyed by threats and acts of terrorism against a steadily marginalised and isolated minority of Dorje Shugden practitioners.
Unable to accept this illegal and inhumane ban on the practide of Dorje Shugden, a brave group of practitioners demonstrated, while others - incredulous at the Dalai Lama's outrageous action simply hoped that common sense would prevail. The demonstrations drew the media spotlight onto Dharmasala's criminal activities, and for a while the extreme persecution calmed down a little. In the hope that harmony could now be restored, the Shugden practtioners stopped all demonstrations.
In 2008, the Dalai Lama demanded the explusion of Shugden monks from the monasteries and the complete ostracism of all Shugden practitioners from Tibetan Society. Even those Shugden practitioners that had vainly hoped for compassion and reason from the Dalai Lama realised their situation was now hopeless. Worldwide protests began to highlight this terrible injustice.
