His Holiness the Dalai Lama's Advice Concerning Dolgyal (Shugden)
Following long and careful investigations, His Holiness the Dalai
Lama strongly discourages Tibetan Buddhists from propitiating the
fierce spirit known as Dolgyal (Shugden). Although he once practised
Dolgyal propitiation himself, His Holiness renounced the practice in
1975 after discovering the profound historical, social and religious
problems associated with it. He did so with the full knowledge and
support of his junior tutor, the late Kyabje Trichang Rinpoche through
whom His Holiness first became associated with the practice. Even
within the Geluk and Sakya schools - the Tibetan Buddhist traditions to
which majority of Dolgyal practitioners belong - the propitiation of
this spirit has been controversial throughout its history. Historical
investigation reveals that Dolgyal practice, which has strong sectarian
overtones, has a history of contributing to a climate of sectarian
disharmony in various parts of Tibet, and between various Tibetan
communities. Therefore, from 1975 onwards, His Holiness has regularly
made public his view that this practice is inadvisable, based on the
following three reasons:
1. The danger of Tibetan Buddhism degenerating into a form of
spirit worship: Tibetan Buddhism originally evolved from the authentic
and ancient tradition upheld at the great Indian monastic university of
Nalanda, a tradition that His Holiness often describes as a complete
form of Buddhism. It embodies the original teaching of the Buddha as
developed through the rich philosophical, psychological and spiritual
insights of such great Buddhist masters as Nagarjuna, Asanga,
Vasubandhu, Dignaga and Dharamakirti. Since the great philosopher and
logician Shantarakshita was instrumental in establishing Buddhism in
Tibet in its earliest stages in the 8th century, philosophical enquiry
and critical analysis have always been important hallmarks of Tibetan
Buddhism. The problem with Dolgyal practice is that it presents the
spirit Dolgyal (Shugden) as a Dharma protector and what's more tends to
promote the spirit as more important than the Buddha himself. If this
trend goes unchecked, and innocent people become seduced by cult-like
practices of this kind, the danger is that the rich tradition of
Tibetan Buddhism may degenerate into the mere propitiation of spirits.
2. Obstacles to the emergence of genuine non-sectarianism: His
Holiness has often stated that one of his most important commitments is
the promotion of inter-religious understanding and harmony. As part of
this endeavour, His Holiness is committed to encouraging
non-sectarianism in all schools of Tibetan Buddhism. In this His
Holiness is following the example set by his predecessors, especially
the Fifth Dalai Lama and the Thirteenth Dalai Lama. Not only is a
non-sectarian approach mutually enriching for all Tibetan Buddhist
schools, but it is also the best safeguard against a rise of
sectarianism that could have damaging consequences for the Tibetan
tradition as a whole. Given the acknowledged link between Dolgyal
worship and sectarianism, this particular practice remains a
fundamental obstacle to fostering a genuine non-sectarian spirit within
the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.
3. Especially inappropriate in relation to the well-being of
Tibetan society: Propitiating Dolgyal is particularly troublesome,
given the Tibetan people's present difficult circumstances. Textual and
historical research demonstrates that the spirit Dolgyal arose out of
hostility to the great Fifth Dalai Lama and his government. The Fifth
Dalai Lama, who assumed both the spiritual and temporal leadership of
Tibet in the 17th century, personally denounced Dolgyal as a malevolent
spirit that arose out of misguided intentions and is detrimental to the
welfare of beings in general and the Tibetan government headed by the
Dalai Lamas in particular. The Thirteenth Dalai Lama and other
respected Tibetan spiritual masters have also spoken out strongly
against this practice. Therefore, in the current Tibetan context, in
which unity among the Tibetan people is vitally important, engaging in
this controversial and divisive propitiatory practice is inappropriate.
His Holiness has strongly urged his followers to consider carefully
the problems of Dolgyal practice on the basis of these three reasons
and to act accordingly. He has stated that, as a Buddhist leader with a
special concern for the Tibetan people, it is his responsibility to
speak out against the damaging consequences of this kind of spirit
worship. Whether or not his advice is heeded, His Holiness has made
clear, is a matter for the individual. However, since he personally
feels strongly about how negative this practice is, he has requested
those who continue to propitiate Dolgyal not to attend his formal
religious teachings, which traditionally require the establishment of a
teacher-disciple relationship.
