Buddhism, Dorje Shugden Controversy
by tenpel

The Call of the Dalai Lama to settle the Shugden controversy by majority vote

The following video from 2008 shows how China uses the Shugden issue to create schism and how China covers and destroys Padmasambhava statues and how these and other developments in India led the Dalai Lama to suggest to solve the Shugden controversy based on the Vinaya (the monastic rules for monks and nuns as laid down by the Buddha) via majority vote. The Dalai Lama states:

Up to now, I have only given advice about the disadvantages of such a practice, based on my own experience and words of past great masters, as it is my duty to point out faults of such practice. But, it is up to the individual whether they want to heed my advice or not. Never ever I told anyone that you cannot propitiate Doegyal. Right from the beginning I have always quoted a stanza from Khache Bhalu’s advice, that “I Khache Bhalu have given you my sincere advice, now it is up to you if you listen or not.” … But, now time has come, where we no longer can continue … [and HH the Dalai Lama asks for a coloured stick vote, a referendum] … Now the time has come to ask the majority! …

  1. Whether you want to propitiate Doegyal or not? Those who want to propitiate Doegyal should sign: “Yes, I want to propitiate.” Those who don’t want to propitiate Doegyal should sign: “No, I don’t want to propitiate Doegyal.” …
  2. Those who want to share religious and mundane activities with Doegyal propitiators, should sign: “Yes, I want to share!”. Then, those who don’t want to share religious as well as mundane activities with Doegyal propitiators, should sign: “No!”.

Then see what happens. Let’s do the voting, nobody is forcing. If the final result of voting shows more than 60% want to propitiate Doegyal, then from this day onward I shall never utter even a single word about Doegyal.

His Holiness Dalai Lama Talk on Dolgyal (English Subs) Drepung Monastery, Mundgod. 7th Jan, 2008.

See also