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By: Kay Beswick
During a trip to Ladakh, India in 2012, His Holiness the Dalai Lama was filmed making fun of various lineages, most notably the Kagyu lineage. Around the world, the Dalai Lama is known as the paragon of love, kindness and acceptance. People go to him seeking his advice on how to deal with difficult situations, and how to develop compassion and tolerance for others’ differences. It would therefore be reasonable to assume that His Holiness the Dalai Lama practices what he teaches everyone. Hence, when videos like these emerge, some are shocked to discovered that His Holiness can speak in this manner.
Translation
All of you doing sectarianism in religion, I think it’s not good. Among the monks, there is no one who said like this but among the lay people, I found some people who said this.
In the past, in Ladakh – if said in English, ‘sectarian’ – there was no sectarianism before but recently, I heard that sectarianism in religion is strongly increasing.
For this, do a gathering once a year and debate on religion or talk, then you all will know about each other and later you will not say, “I am Gelug, I am Kagyu, I am Nyingma…” And in Kagyu also, “I am Drukpa Kagyu, I am Kamsang Kagyu, I am Taklung Kagyu…” Is there Taklung Kagyu?
[Monk off-camera says, “There is Baram Kagyu.”]
I think I should bring Taklung Kagyu later. There is Baram Kagyu, isn’t it? Right?
[Joking] Actually, I want to bring all the religions together then it’s good that you all can fight with each other. [Dalai Lama laughs]
“We are Drukpa Kagyu”. Over there, there was a small banner that says what? “Young Drukpa Kagyu Association”. Drukpa, I thought it means Dragon from Bhutan country. This is useless! It’s not useful. I don’t see it is good. And they have made a flag also. Before, the Karmapa’s house had a flag. On the flag, there is a symbol of a wave. I didn’t find any meaning in that. Kamsang Kagyu also made a flag. Does this make sense?
[Dalai Lama points to a lama] Drigung Rinpoche’s Ladrang has a Buddhist flag and on the corner of the flag, there is a sun and moon and a HUNG.
[Dalai Lama addresses a lama] How is your Drukpa Kagyu flag?
[Monk replies there is a dragon on the flag]
[Joking] Okay okay, that’s good. The dragon is China’s god so better you all go to China. It’s not useful. Why are you following animals? It’s not useful. There is no meaning. HUNG is better! It’s not useful.
[A monk off-camera says something to the Dalai Lama]
Don’t talk about your visions (གཟིགས་སྣང་།), it’s better not to talk about this. Now we have to use our common sense.
Oh! This is someone’s pure vision (དག་སྣང་།), this is someone’s vision, this is someone’s prophecy. I don’t believe in all these things, do you understand? Stop it. In reality, I don’t think it’s good.
[Dalai Lama says to a Gelug monk] Do the Gelugpas have a flag?
[Monk says no] Now you have to make a Gelug flag. What’s the symbol? What about the yak’s head to hit everyone? [Dalai Lama laughs]
Some people might excuse this video as the Dalai Lama’s typical playful manner but the fact is, this was not a passing joke. It was a nearly three-minute long commentary about the decisions and traditions of the Kagyu lineage, about something relatively insignificant as a flag. For those unfamiliar with Tibetan society, they should understand that within the Tibetan communities, the Dalai Lama’s word is law. He does not have to make direct statements about something in order for people to react. Rather, the Dalai Lama only needs to make a passing comment about something not being to his liking for everyone to react negatively against it. For example, when the Dalai Lama did not like Taiwan and made remarks against them, no one was allowed to visit. Those who had connections like Serkong Tritul were accused of being spies, publicly arrested and humiliated.
That is what His Holiness did with the Dorje Shugden practice 20 years ago. In the case of the Dorje Shugden practice however, it was more than a passing remark. His Holiness has dedicated hours over the last 20 years speaking against Dorje Shugden; in one example, a 27-minute speech that he gave resulted in an attack against an elderly monk of Trijang Ladrang. It has been 20 years of systematic and institutionalised discrimination, marginalisation and suppression. Resolutions have been passed against Dorje Shugden practitioners, hit lists of practitioners have been published to direct violence against them, and signs and notices have been circulated warning against association with Dorje Shugden practitioners.
So the fact is, the Dalai Lama’s words carry a lot of weight within the Tibetan community, and in the Tibetan Buddhist community at large. His stature is such that he is able to speak with relative impunity; no one else would tolerate similar jokes if it were made by anyone else. How would the world react if Obama were to start commenting and making fun of the Islamic, Jewish, Baha’i, Hindu and pagan faiths? It would not be unreasonable for leaders and adherents of those religions to become upset; as a secular leader, Obama is expected to remain impartial and fair to all faiths and religions, and to interact with them objectively, without prejudice and free from personal opinion or bias. Hence, as a secular leader of all Tibetans, it was unbecoming of the Dalai Lama to poke fun at another faith when he is supposed to be fair to all.
Furthermore, as a Gelug leader, one has to examine how appropriate it was for the Dalai Lama, a Gelug lama, to make such remarks about other lineages other than the Gelug faith. What other leader within the Tibetan community would be able to make the same type of comments without raising the ire of other lineages, and without being accused of sectarianism? Would the Karmapa, for example, be able to make comments about Gelug activities without being criticised for it? He would immediately face accusations of sectarianism.
So in fact, videos like these are not very surprising, especially for Dorje Shugden practitioners. They simply tell us what we as Shugden practitioners have always already known – be careful when the Tibetan leadership is not happy with you. Now the real question is, what else and who else is safe from the Dalai Lama’s remarks and how long more will they be safe for? If the Dalai Lama can disparage the great Kagyu lineage, with its thousands of centres worldwide, when will it be someone else’s turn to experience the repercussions of the Dalai Lama’s displeasure? When living in such uncertain times which are dependent on the opinions of one individual alone, the Tibetan leadership in Dharamsala therefore cannot be said to be a democracy in any sense of the word.
Addendum: A Critical Meme
This is not the first time His Holiness the Dalai Lama has been shown to be critical of other faiths. On WeChat, an extremely popular instant messaging program used by Tibetans all over the world, this meme below has been circulating highlighting the Dalai Lama’s criticisms of the Kagyu lineage while simultaneously promoting the merits of the Gelug lineage.
Translation
Monasteries teaching about Milarepa is not widespread or well-known. Mahasiddhas like Milarepa hardly benefited the Dharma. Kagyus following the religious instruction of mahasiddhas, this does not have beneficial purposes for the Dharma. It is [only beneficial] for individual people. If you want to experience pure Dharma, there is nothing greater than the lineage and teachings of Je Tsongkhapa. Je Tsongkhapa’s lineage is constituted of [teachings from] the lineage and teachings of great Indian mahasiddhas.
Would such remarks be tolerated if they had been made by leaders of other Tibetan Buddhist traditions? Dorje Shugden practitioners are often accused of sectarianism by virtue of our choice to keep our practice. Yet, even as His Holiness continues to criticise other lineages, he is never labelled as sectarian. We are not asking for the Dalai Lama to be criticized, nor do we rejoice in the fact his criticisms of others are being highlighted. All we are asking is for the same standards of religious freedoms and even judgements to be applied to all. If we wish to equate sectarianism with being critical of other lineages, then whenever anyone is critical of other lineages, they should be considered sectarian too, regardless of their rank, stature, reputation or office. In reality however, it oftentimes seems like only Gelug practitioners bear the brunt of this false accusation of sectarianism, and have become hypervigilant against such accusations.
