Apprehension of breach of peace in Dharamshala
The Central Tibetan Administration of the Tibetan government in exile located here is highly upset over the arrival of seventeen Shugden followers from Tibet to Dharamshala. The Shugden followers’ are anti Dalai Lama and anti Central Tibetan administration and their presence leads to danger of peace communal disharmony in Dharamshala and other parts of India and abroad where Tibetans live.
The CTA today gave options to the newly arrived seventeen youths known as Shugden followers from Tibet either to join schools or monasteries in India . Those who opt to join monasteries are issued monastic referral letters by the Tibetan Reception Centre, according to a spokesman of the Tibetan government in exile at Dharamshla today.
He said that sensing danger of peace and harmony in the area, the Central Tibetan Administration informed the local authorities on the danger of peace and harmony. The local police have given notice to the youths to leave Himachal Pradesh within a week from 27 September 2007.
The Tibetans officials that in order to undermine the peace and harmony within the Tibetan people, China provided political and financial support to Shugden worshippers in Tibet , India and Nepal in particular, and in general, across the globe, the spokesman further added.
The Delhi-based Shugden organization called Dorje Shugden Devotees’ Charitable and Religious Society has been spearheading a strong campaign against the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration. The followers of this organization have been involved in murders, beatings and arson in the Tibetan community since its inception in 1996. They have even threatened the life of the Dalai Lama.
In 2006, the Gelug Monastic Institutions adopted their Charter, which states that “All new entrants must stop propitiation of Dholgyal or Shugden.” In accordance with the Charter, the Kashag has directed the Tibetan Reception Centre in Dharamsala not to issue referral letters to those Tibetans coming from Tibet who continue to propitiate Shugden to the monasteries.
The spokesman said that seventeen Tibetan youths who follow Shugden arrived in Katmandu on 22 May 2007 to join monasteries in India. They were explained in details the Charter of the Monastic Discipline of the Gelugpa Sect on the monastic enrollment of the new entrants and of the Kashag’s directive. However the youths were adamant to continue to worship shugden and insist on getting monastic referral letters from the Reception Centre in Kathmandu. The youths and Shugden representatives also threatened the officials with personal consequences, if the new arrivals were not issued the required monastic referral letter.
They came to Dharamsala on July 15th and continued to insist to get the monastic referral letter from the Reception Centre. The youths and the representatives of the Shugden worshippers even approached Kashag on this issue. The Kashag informed them of the Charter of the Monastic Discipline of the Gelugpa Sect which categorically forfeit the enrollment of the monks who continue to propitiate Shugden in all Gelupga monasteries and Kashag’s directive in support of the Charter.
However, Kashag’s directive does not involve those who wish to join schools in exile community. On this basis, one youth joined a school recently. Despite repeated explanation and advice, they continue to stay at the Reception Centre in Dharamsala. Their stay at the Reception Centre and insistence to continue to propitiate Shugden has created concerns among the Tibetans in Dharamsala.
It is worth mentioning here that in 1996, the Dalai Lama advised the Tibetan people against the practice of propitiating a spirit, known as Dorjee Shugden or Dholgyal. He said that these practices foster religious intolerance and leads to the degeneration of Buddhism into a cult of spirit worship. The Dalai Lama also made it clear that those who propitiate Shugden should stay away from his teachings and audience.
