Tulku Orgyen Tobgyal in an undated file photo. Photographer unknown
By Lobsang Wangyal
ON THE WEB, 28 May 2020
Setting off a major controversy, Tulku Orgyen Tobgyal, a Tibetan Buddhist lama residing in Bir, criticised the Dalai Lama for giving teachings and empowerments through the Internet.
Tobgyal, in a message circulated on the Internet on Monday 25 May, has said that giving such teachings and empowerments via Internet is degenerating the Dharma, and that such a practice is no less than destroying the Dharma.
He argued that empowerments cannot be received through long distance transmissions such as through Internet or television, but rather both the teacher and student should be physically together.
Tulku Orgyen Tobgyal, 69, had been a member of the Tibetan Parliament-in-exile twice between 1994 and 2006.
The Dalai Lama has given teachings online earlier this month, and has planned to give an empowerment at the end of this month.
Enraged Tibetans from around the world have condemned Tobgyal for the criticism, and demanded that he offer an apology to the Dalai Lama.
The Lobsang-Sangay-led Tibetan cabinet-in-exile denounced Tobgyal for making such callous remarks.
In an announcement, the Cabinet has accused Tobgyal of being mistaken, and explained that online teachings and empowerments are the only options during the current pandemic situation.
The Minister of Religion and Culture Yuthok Karma Gelek has been embroiled in controversy too for issuing a letter pursuant to the views of Tobgyal, that virtual empowerments cannot be conferred, although the blessings could be received.
Many online comments have since asked for Gelek’s resignation.
Some Tibetan NGOs have condemned Orgyen Tobgyal’s views. The Executive Committee of U-Tsang province has issued a letter of protest against him. A similar letter has been issued by the Tibetan Community of Toronto, Canada.
For the believers HHDL is Avalokiteshwara. He knows what would work and what wouldn’t.
For the non-believers, the Dalai Lama began his Buddhist studies at the age of 3-4, and by the time of his teens became Geshe Lharampa, Bhumrampa etc. Then throughout his life he did years and years of retreat, contemplation, and meditation. There are very few Rimpoches, Geshes, etc, who are more realised than he is.
Therefore, before making any remarks about his activities one should first ask oneself:
– How many years of studies and what qualifications one has achieved.
– How many years of retreat and meditation did one do.
– How attached is one to one’s wife and children.
– In which scripture did Buddha say “You are not allowed to use modern technology”.
This is a non-issue.
Tulku Rinpoche said something in conversation.
He didn’t write a letter or statement.
People supporting either the Dalai Lama or the tulku or both are mainly reasonable.
Those on either side saying this is a fight are wrong.
Close friends of the Tulku like the sons of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche teach online for years.
His other close friend Dzongzar Khyentse Rinpoche teaches online for years.
Some of his own teachers have taught online.
He disagrees with empowerment and also teachings online.
That’s fine as an opinion. We don’t have to agree with everything we read.
But zealots on either side saying this is a fight are wrong.
I think also this is not news and such articles should be taken down. He just said something in conversation.
He didn’t issue a statement.
He is a very nice gentle man and a good lama.
He supports the Dalai Lama fully.
Let’s stop this as being news. It’s not news.
There is no fight here.
Also he should be left in peace.
The Dalai Lama likes him very much and they shared teachers like Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, and many common friends.
This should not be exploited by political factions or common enemies of Tibetans as I said before.
The Tulku said something many disagree with. That’s his right.
He should be respected and left in peace.
He also loves the Dalai Lama and the Dalai Lama loves him.
These are truths. These are honestly the truth.
There is no problem here.
This is a non-issue.
Let this finish here now.
In democracies, you have disagreement people. In dictatorship, you are not allowed to express your views.
Ugyen Topgyal expressed a view that doesn’t chime with Dalai Lama’s views. Ugyen felt Dalai Lama is going on a route to degeneration of Dharma by claiming to give empowerment through internet. Dalai Lama devotees felt Ugyen was insulting Dalai Lama by expressing a contradictory view.
When you feel someone is doing something wrong, you are allowed to speak. When Ugen topgyal’s friend Sogyal Rinpoche was in trouble, Dalai Lama criticized him. Do you think Sogyal Rinpoche’s devotees – and those with samaya vows to him – are happy that their guru was publicly criticized? Think about it.
I have received empowerment from Tulku Orgyen Topgyal Rinpoche. My loyalty is to him. Even if I have to risk my life, I will stick by his side. Friend in need is friend in deed.
Bir Shichak was established by Ugyen Topgyal Rinpoche’s father Neten Choling and Jagoe Namgyal in 1960s by legally purchasing land. It was not given by Indian government, nor by CTA. The senior lamas of Kham have congregated in Bir area, and together they have built this settlement. They have faced incredible obstacles from a faction led by Gyalo Dhundup who tried to sabotage the project. But they overcame all obstacles and now we have Bir Shichak, the result of sweat and blood and money of Ugyen Topgyal’s father. He is the Sikyong of Bir-land. That’s a fact.
I bow to you, Ugyen Topgyal, and pledge to you my eternal loyalty for 100,000 years. And I will defend you, even if I have to self-immolate.
1. You began by referencing to Democracy though I don’t know which particular Democracy you are talking about since it is clear that Tibetan-elected Sikyong in Gangkyi do not represent you (as you said Ugyen Topgyal is your Sikyong) and the larger Bir-land that you are part of.
2. This Bir-land utopia that Ugyen Topgyal and his fathers built sounds less of a democracy and more of a dictatorial/theocratic regime headed by your charlatan lama Ugyen Top with his mistresses (or you call dakini or khandroma, haha).
3. If Dalai Lama did wrong by giving online empowerment then so did Sakya Gongma and Dilgo Khyentse that your Ugyen Top considers as his root gurus. Why didn’t he blew the whistle then if he is so much worried about the Dharma.
4. As always I am sorry to see that you cannot see anything beyond your Bir-land Utopia aka breeding ground of khampa tribal mentality where you are blindfolded and brainwashed to see one and only one narrow thing called khampa identity; and nothing else about Tibet or the Kundun. And clearly, I can see you operate solely on your medieval mentality like loyalty, samaya vows, theocracy—I have a new name for the residents of Bir-land: serfs of Tulku Utop. Time to embrace new world buddy; the old tribal world of ki-hi-hi is gone!
Contemporaneous to the Dalai Lama’s video evangelism on compassion to a Chinese majority audience, his Tibetan supporters in the same town were taunting and threatening violence against Tulku Orgyen Topgyal, who lives in the neighboring valley some 50 kilometeres away. His crime you ask? He dared to have a dissenting view to the Dalai Lama. The irony does not stop there. The leader of the CTA unleashed this frenzy by denouncing Orgyen Tobgyal in a knee-jerk reaction, violating norms of democratic governance and giving this administration a major black eye — a significant setback to this nascent attempt at democracy.
That is a lie & propaganda technique of Chinese regime.
Also you have a fake logic, why?
1) Generalization:
You claim anyone disagreeing is a mob.
This is a big lie by you
2) Apply to yourself:
Because it can be applied to you too.
So you are also a violent enemy of the Dalai Lama, according to your own generalization.
Not true
3) Not Answering Debate Points:
The tulku is a nice man, I’ve studied his teachings myself in the past.
But we disagree with him.
We state the reasons why.
But you don’t answer the points
4) Ad hominem name calling:
Instead you engage in Maoist style accusations.
You say everyone who disagrees with him is the same angry mob.
You make personal attacks & do not answer logical points of debate
5) Enemies of Tibetans:
Many types of people on both sides, including your side.
Some are good friends disagreeing with us.
Some are undecided or confused, etc etc. Many types.
Some are known charlatans.
Some are Enemies of Tibetans abusing this issue & don’t care about the issue or the points.
They’re just helping the Beijing regime by attacking the Dalai Lama.
This has become another banner for them to go under because of personal motivations
6) Silencing Tibetans:
You’re Silencing anyone who supports the Dalai Lama with your accusations & fake line of reasoning which is sophistry.
Not Democratic.
Not the ancient tradition of Tibetan debate
7) Mistake:
Tulku has made mistakes in generalizing all empowerment cases, categories & types & levels & yanas & deities, Wangs, lungs, jenang etc as just one type
He also attacks TEACHING ONLINE TOO not just empowerments
8) All Schools:
Sakya Trizin gave a recent empowerment. Karmapa gives lungs & teachings. Leaders of Nyingma too.
All these leaders are not…
His Holiness, the light of the world, the Dalai Lama, is correct.
What about large audience empowerments with many many thousands as they themselves do in Nepal and India? Most sit outside the small temples and only hear electric loudspeakers. They don’t even see the lama.
People can hear and see our Dalai Lama.
What is important is receiving it at the same time. Not from a recording. This is what the Dalai Lama does correctly too.
Also there are many categories of empowerment: lung, jenang etc. Some need personal physical presence, others not. Again for this empowerment the Dalai Lama is correct. Sakya Trizin also gave a recent empowerment online. He is also the tulku of the son of Dudjom Lingpa.
When Dudjom Rinpoche, first head of Nyingma, had consorts and children, he did not dress like a monk or claim to be a monk. He wore white, brown, yellow, etc., and did not shave his hair. Guru Rinpoche had monks and ngakpas on either side of his empowerment. They’re both needed, but not dressing as each other or projecting such image of the other instead of what one is.
Also Sogyal Rinpoche never would dream of criticizing his beloved Dalai Lama.
The true degeneration of dharma is that the Chinese regime is destroying Tibetan culture and people. The Beijing regime who are not even communists but thieving billionaire families enslaving Chinese, Tibetans, Uyghurs, etc. Looting billions of dollars for each of their families into offshore Western secret back accounts.
Soon there will be no Tibetan culture in Tibet. There is only one Force against the destruction of Tibetan identity, culture, language, people and country of Tibet: the Dalai Lama symbolizing the Tibetan nation.
At this most crucial time in the history of Tibet, attacking the Dalai Lama is the greatest…
Just as you can be stripped of your nationality, Tibetans should strip these sectarians of their credentials for being a so-called Tulku or Lama. Or rename him Trump Tulku, that would be befitting.
Lo and behold, now there is a death threat from some thugs in India, saying Orgyen Tobgyal should be killed, even if that means going to prison. Times are really scary. These people are dragging down the good name HH Dalai Lama has created for us peace-loving Tibetans.
If you don’t believe me, watch it here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWU1JwYwH8A
Such narrow-minded views expressed by this Lama. How can you spread the precious Dharma if you restrict it. As HH correctly mentions, we need to be 21st-century Buddhists. We are only at most 10 million Tibetan Buddhists and if we restrict teachings like what this Lama says in person 1-to-1, it will shrink even more. Did you look at the projected growth in religious adherents, that in a few decades Muslim has the fastest growth and Buddhist the least.
I wonder if this guy qualifies as a monk let alone lama and Tulku. Shame that he should find somebody like the Dalai Lama to criticize for doing the right thing when he could have spoken out against China if there is any weight to his opinion. And I wonder why his trash is even reported and condemned by the Kashag. He don’t deserve this kind of attention at all. Let the sick man be sick, and all the wise people should ignore him.
Tulku Orgyen Tobgyal follows the tradition of Nyigmapa Dzogchen tradition. According to the “Dakini Teaching” text he is accurate. In ancient India, Great Pandits were proponents of different philosophical schools and views. Tulku Orgyen la knowledgeable Master let him express his view based on what he learned and practiced over his Tulku life since he is reincarnated being. We all calmly keep our view on giving tantric teaching via the Internet. Thank you.
I agree with Tulku Orgyen topgyal’s view. He is a highly realized nyingma master. I am shocked people are talking about him in such cheap, disrespectful manner.
Yes he has spoken disrespectfully to Dalai Lama. But that doesn’t mean Dalai Lama supporters should speak disrespectfully to him in return. The circle of mudslinging will never end if we act in this puerile, tit for tat manner.
Grow up guys. Get a life. Something was said. Some didn’t like it. Now move on. There are bigger issues such as human rights violations in Tibet and extra-judicial killings. And they matter more than the ego of one public religious figure.
It is absolutely disgusting that CTA got itself involved in this purely religious matter. It is up to the religious community to fiddle with, not our secular govt.
Moreover, Dalai Lama himself is not above making unpalatable remarks on other sects. In ladakh 2014, his holiness was rumoured to have said about kagyu sect “what’s that wierdstuff called kagyu flag. I heard 16th karmapa made it. I find such flags really stupid.” On Bon religion, HH has said “Bon religion has no depth or substance. If they haven’t stolen from Buddhists, their phisophies are shallow and unworthy. “On drukpa kagyu sect, HH said “what’s that strange stuff called Young Drukpa Association. Dragon is Chinese god. It is fitting if they go to China.”
HH has also poked ridicule at ceremonial Black Hat of Karmapa in 2013 . HH said “you all guys have strange hats. It was well-known Khyentse chokyi Lodoe has a box full of hats because he practised rime philosophy.”
In that same event, Dalai Lama looked at orgyen topgyal and said “you guys can slander me as much as you want out of envy. But you can never change the fact that I am…
Very detailed with proper backup source. Impressive!
Dear Nyingma boy:
First of all no one here is claiming to be a Gelukpa, Sakyapa, or a Kagyupa, except you. The fact that you call yourself a ‘Nyingma boy’ and came to the rescue of your thuggish lama shows your true color and the tribal mentality that is so prevalent in settlement like BIR.
Secondly you want everyone else to “grow up” and “move on” and the “disgusting” CTA to stay neutral/secular, yet you are more than happy to wear your sectarian dog-tag and accuse HH of saying all those “unpalatable” things based on just “rumours”. How is that for someone lecturing others to refrain from silly tit-for-tats? Exactly what your Tulku is doing. Married with multiple mistresses, yet holding a sermon on the purity and sanctity of dharma. #Hypocrisy
Thirdly if you are staying in a place like BIR shichak, chances are high that you live on a piece of land that was given to your family through the CTA. And judging by your English, you studied at a Bhoeshung lopta (CTA-administered school); yet your loyalty seems to lie somewhere else? Either you belong to BIR’s Nangchen division (Tulku’s phayul chikpa) and your parents have indoctrinated you from childhood (without much logic like many Tibetan parents do) or the Tulku has some financial schemes that your family has benefited from.
Also you talk about bigger issues like ‘human rights violation’ but I have never seen or heard of any incident when your Tulkus or your boys coming out en-masse to protest against such issues. Only ruckus I have seen you boys create is at TCV playground when your soccer team lost and you boys couldn’t handle the loss. Grow up Nyingma boy. And why are you even calling yourself a ‘boy’. Grow up and become a Man and come out of your Abba’s shadow please. We are not in the 1990s anymore.
I take issue with the person who has made baseless allegations about HH on his alleged remarks about “Kagyu flag” “Bon” “Black hat”. HH The 14th Dalai Lama identifies himself more as a Rime རིས་མེད་ (non-sectarian) follower and has received teachings from many Lamas of other traditions like Nyingma, Sakya apart from Geluk. He went so far as censuring the practice of Shugden whose followers claim that only the Geluk School is the purist form of Tibetan Buddhism. He said this was a sectarian ideology which was not good for the unity of the religious traditions of Tibet and consequently not helpful for the unity of the Tibetan people as a whole.
This has brought much grief to many Geluk masters and some of them even rebelled against HH and have continued to oppose him and protest wherever HH travelled in the West. One of his main missions is unity of religions both among Tibetans and the different religions in the world. So your criticisms about the alleged remarks are your own misinterpretation and not anything against the Kagyud by a long shot.
He is in a jovial mood in Ladkh and talks to a senior monk. He is against creating banners as a symbols of division and in no way saying “unpalatable” to anybody or any school. The boxes of hat is also a compliment to the Rime Lama as a tribute and not derogatory. When your mind is biased, then you obviously distort the facts and mislead other people. Not a good idea.
The Dalai Lama taught Longchen Rabjampa’s སེམས་ཉིད་ངལ་གསོ་ Patrul Rinpoche;s ཀུ་བཟང་བླ་མའི་ཞལ་ལུང་ and Mila Repa’s མགུར་འབུམ་ in Dharamshala for an audience of mostly Geluk monks, but also monks and senior Lamas from Kagyud and Nyingma schools. These are not rumours but facts.
Your comment is the most reasonable i could find amidst all these comments. Tibetan people should know that there are four sects and the practices vary among each other. We should stop being so narrow-minded and extremist.
If he is a reincarnated being and knowledgable etc etc, then it is not the way to express his feeling in this caustic vitriolic manner. He may have his strong belief about this issue but the way he did it is very disrespectful and caused a lot of distress to many people.
The planet is already dying.
The Buddhadharma is needed at this very critical stage.
How long more do you want to wait?
The Buddha’s teaching is for everyone.
A lama is a teacher and teachers should not be selfish. This Rinpoche has much to reconsider about his words and his actions. There are millions of Tibetans who never had a chance to receive empowerments from His Holiness. Have been they forgotten? Not by His Holiness. The great Dalai Lama remembers all of them.
Long Live His Holiness.
Dear Youthok, please resign. Let them win. People like us have to be compassionate and let it go. Let’s not stoop down to their level.
Checked out TOT – not the Sinicised Tibet Star – and his main point seems:
Secret Mantra Vajrayana of which guru devotional yoga is the greatest path to enlightenment, realizing emptiness, Buddha nature of bliss and rainbow body and Siddhi powers.
Without in-person commitment and bonding with the guru then all the above cannot be achieved and will result in degeneration of Dharma.
Okay if that were his opinion then there is no controversy. But he used school-yard bully tactic of calling HHDL the Yeshu Lama rather than the traditional name or title of the object of his criticism. He did not show respect for the person or the philosophy that he objects to. But as the leader of the remnants of Sogyal Tulku’s followers this is not surprising.
The best winning argument is show the alleged Siddhi powers and rainbow body — not in secret anecdotes but to Rigpa students.
Never heard of this tulku but I am reminded of the story of a Karmapa and a Tibetan nomad:
The high lama did not personally bless the ordinary people in the audience but said, “Visualize getting the empowerment.”
The simple nomad stood up and saying “Visualize receiving this bag of butter and jerky,” took his offerings home.
The point is the Teaching — if the teaching made the listener a kinder, gentler, and wiser person then the empowerment has been conferred.
I have always left a teaching when the lama conferring empowerment started saying along the lines of you must offer all your body speech and belongings to me the lama and henceforth you owe total obedience and loyalty to me. I always regarded this an evil corruption of the Dharma.
Tradition is important, but the human voice could reach a few dozens in the old days but now can reach millions: strange lamas are attacking the Mahayana bedrock of employing skillful means.
I am so sad people are cracking down on Youthok Karma Gelek. I feel we live in a society of fear and terror. I have nothing to say about this issue. I was disappointed. If someone tries to kill me, American police will investigate my case. When I look at comments on Facebook and YouTube, I feel Tibetan refugee society is based on fear and terror. I am an American. My concern is about Tibetans in Tibet.
I saw some comments on Facebook where some people said “Orgyen Tobgyal must be killed” or “his supporters must be murdered.” Do you think Orgyen Tobgyal is scared? No. Do you think his supporters like me are scared? No. We have FBI of USA and Donald Trump behind us.
To the Columbia Political Science Graduate who claims you be born in the USA. You are totally lying through your teeth. I have found several inconsistencies in your English, which lend itself to revealing that your actual birthplace is India. You are most likely one of those Indian Tibetans that came to the US at an early age, and now identify themselves alongside the Tibetans born in America. One thing is for certain, you are giggling at the fact I know for certain, based on your English, that you are not born in the USA as you claim.
Tulku Orgyen topgyal (and his lama friends like Ringo Tulku, Situ Rinpoche, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, Neten Choling, etc, from Bir) have sent loads and loads of Tibetans abroad to USA, Canada, Belgium, France and England in early 2000s for asylum by lending 6-7 lakh Indian rupees. These people owe loyalty to these lamas. I heard majority of them didn’t return the money back. But they definitely owe their loyalty to these lamas for their family and children, just as in the movie Godfather (1973). I think we are heading into a war that will last for generations. Once a video was uploaded into Facebook or YouTube, it could never ever be deleted. Children of parents who support orgyen topgyal will see them and act accordingly. Please think who stands to benefit from this war.
I analyzed from Facebook that those who support orgyen topgyal are Tibetans who hates ex speaker Penpa Tsering more than the Chinese govt and see him as their enemy number 1. People who defend orgyen topgyal are those who have supported lukar jam and Lobsang Sangay.
If we don’t stop this, we are heading into a ceaseless internecine battle where both sides wouldn’t surrender because both sides want to win and crush the other group into mince meat. Both sides know that fighting china is impossible. So they will fight the enemy in front of their eyes where victory is possible, where social status matters more than national interests.
There are rumours that khampas and amdos and newly arrived refugees are enforced into a lower social status by more established first wave refugees (so-called shichak) according to a book by a European author titled “Dharamsala nights, Dharamsala days”. Haters can easily exploit such cracks in our society to create chaos and divide us into militant…
Orgyen Tobgyal has created a problem during his membership of Parliament. Now instead of supporting His Holiness the Dalai Lama, he criticizes HH. It is very shameful of him wearing Red robe and calling himself a Tulku.
We only Tibetans felt disturbed by his views. We all Tibetans inside and outside always follow our Leader HH the Dalai Lama. Through Internet HH can reach more audience and help many people in this universe. Our Cabinet Minister should be a little stronger especially Chotun Minister. Shame Orgyen Tobgyal! LONG LIVE HH THE DALAI LAMA!
First if physical is required for any teaching or initiation, then how come we are still reading texts on Buddhism written a long time back. Then these texts surely have no meritorious benefits, as Lord Buddha or any of our tantric gurus of the past are not physically present in front of us.
Even during mass teachings, many get to receive their teachings through visual aids though they are physically present at the place of teachings.
People around the world yearn to hear the teachings of His Holiness. With His growing age, it will become more and more difficult for the people around the world to see or hear him from close. So why not use modern technology to impart teachings and initiations if it means bringing peace of mind to millions around the world.
I like what you have said. People should be practical. Dharma cannot be dogmatic. Holy teachers, particularly at this time, have to find ways and means to reach people. Moreover, what’s the alternative available?
As an agnostic born in USA, and a graduate in political science from Columbia university, I find Orgyen Tobgyal’s criticism of the Dalai Lama nothing more than petty bickering that routinely occurs amongst priests of all faiths across the religions. Pope John and imams of Islam are not immune from criticisms, and back and forth happens.
Why is an average priest criticising the High Priest a big deal worthy of shaking society? I don’t get it.
Maybe Tibetan refugees are getting over sensitive and over-reacting.
Do you really know who Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche is? He is connected to the SP police of Baijnath and I know that he plies endless bottles of whiskey to police department of the district. He and his lama friends in Bir have friends in high places in the BJP government of Modi. Remember in India money talks!
I am pleading with you guys to stop this drama. This could become an all-out war. When Orgyen Tobgyal said this, he must have imagined the sequence of events that would roll out including protests, and he similarly must have planned his next steps. Guys, you don’t know the deep scary politics of lamas. They are powerful and have secret supporters.
Do you know anything about the Modi-Dalai Lama meeting in the middle of night in April 2017, where His Holiness was questioned like a criminal around the “Thank you India” event? Please think. Tibetan lamas give money to highest Indian and Chinese politicians and secure backing in return. People like you and me are like frogs in the well, so better keep quiet. I am saying this with tears in my eyes, please stop this. You guys really don’t know how power and politics work in the real world.
Big people like Dalai Lama and Orgyen Tobgyal have been around for a long time since 1960s, and…
@ Tsering, from New York, says:on 28 May 2020 at 8:42 pm. Could you please say more about the “deep politics” of Lamas please ? Or could we share about that somewhere else ? (emails ? gaston at riseup.net) Thank you.
This is also to the Columbia Poly Sci graduate. I am 110% sure that you are not Ari born; look at your pathetic English; this really makes me want to look at your academic transcript which I am sure is full of letter grades like Cs and Ds and maybe Fs.
One thing I am certain is that critical thinking and quality writing is something I can’t expect from Ivy league graduates like you.
Well leave out the critical thinking and quality writing, because, honestly, that is something I can’t expect you to master in a few fall/spring semesters at Columbia. But, apparently, you haven’t learned anything about your major political science. You sounded dead scared of this charlatan lama Ugyen Top and his connections that go deep among Indian politicians. As a result, your suggestion was to kowtow to these thugs of Bir and zip our mouth. Is that what you learned at Columbia — zzzip your mouth and brain?
One person in here wrote “he has a right to jot down his own opinion in a democratic society.” In every democratic countries, there are many rights. But rights comes with responsibilities. You cannot just say random thing as a way of using your right of expressing opinion. You also have a responsibility of not hurting others in a democratic society. This is not a question of freedom of expression. This Tulku tried to criticize HH The Dalai Lama to hurt all Tibetans.
I am a Tibetan who has very deep respect to HH The Dalai Lama. I am very grateful to HH The Dalai Lama for all the things he has done to all Tibetans. I am what I am today because of HH The Dalai Lama. I strongly condemn this Tulku for hurling insults to HH The Dalai Lama.
What is this Kukpa Cabinet Minister of Religion saying “Tulku Orgyen Topgyal is usually an outspoken personality who speaks his mind and that he believes Tulku’s remarks are without any other intent or background.” You don’t need a religious background to understand what this Tulku is saying. The Tulku’s intention is very clear when you listen to the video clip. The Tulku is very critical of HH The Dalai Lama and his intent is to hurt Tibetans. Why is this Kukpa Cabinet Minister of Religion trying to hide this derogatory remark under the rug. I don’t care how long he has served in Tibetan Govt. I strongly demand him to resign from Cabinet post. We don’t need a Cabinet Minister whose view of HH The Dalia Lama is totally different from the rest of Tibetans.
Orgyen Tobgyal is a married man with several mistresses in BIR (common local knowledge), and yet he continues to wear monk’s robes and teach and benefit from it. How about that for destroying the Dharma.
Truth is Orgyen is just looking for ways to get back at His Holiness ever since H.H. called out his friend Sogyal Lakar in public. His ‘disgraced’ friend Sogyal (according to the letter written by his own students) “engaged in physical, emotional, psychological and sexual abuse of his own students, and led a lavish, gluttonous, and sybaritic lifestyle”, yet not a word of condemnation or censure from any lamas or so called “rinpoches” from their gang….wow! Talk about hypocrisy, sycophancy and double-standard.
Honestly it’s all a joke now; how they keep it all in their family by marriage or by birth. One rinpoche giving birth to 4 to 5 other rinpoches in the same family…haha. It’s just like those corrupt political dynasties in India. Keep it in the family. Same old feudal system/mindset from Old Tibet and they are taking us all for a ride and laughing all the way to the bank in their massive SUV’s.
No wonder different factions are fiercely fighting and pushing their own candidates to be seated on the golden throne. After all it’s mucho mucho dinero friends!
He is also Gyari Tulku’s in law. Since Gyari Tulku was condemned with the embezzling of one million dollars. This is weighing heavily on their minds. I don’t think it is just this only reason he is so angrily lashing out.
If you are true Buddhist, now is the time to practise forgiveness. Read “art of forgiveness” by Dalai Lama to calm down. This is the time to practise compassion of precious Nalenda Teachings.
If we are easily angered by little words, then we are no different from the communist Chinese who always respond with violence and threats.
When lord Buddha was deliberately provoked by a wayward demon called Du Lajin, Buddha just smiled – nothing more. And that is the sharpest response one could think of, and was perfectly in keeping with the philosophy of equanimity. If Buddha or his disciples had reacted or acted out, hurled aggressive words in return, then it just proves the demon’s point. Do you get my logic?
Let’s be classy like Buddha, not some street thugs filled with anger and deluded pride.
I only trust or Believe HH the Dalai Lama. I will follow him. Long Live HH the Dalai Lama.
Frankly speaking, Tulku Ugyen Topgyal is a Tibetan citizen in exile and has right to jot down his own opinion in a democratic society. Generally, Buddhism is based on Buddha’s teachings starting with Buddha’s first teaching, four noble truths and eight fold paths that explained all our questions. Dalai Lama has specialized in Tsongkhapa’s teachings. He may some knowledge on Nyingmapa, Kagyupa or Sakyapa but not specialized. We the common Tibetans are indoctrinated by Lamaism which is comingled with Hinduism, Bon and Buddhism. Lamas are ordinary human beings and all Torma is made out of ordinary dough. We have created our own oppressors and fight like a foolish among ourselves. Look at Burmese and Thai Buddhist monks. These monks have Buddha’s principle and never oppress common citizens at all.
hey hey hey, Otop didn’t say online teachings, he said ‘trantric empowerment.’ Diamond Vehicle, or tantric initiation, is highly secretive, and physical closeness is an absolute prerequisite.
anyway, we are lay people, we don’t [have] any power or ‘togpa’. so we better keep out of the debate of learned masters. Leave it to the professionals.
If we budge into this rarefied debate, it is just like a carpenter disagreeing with a neuro-surgeons on the best way of carrying out lobotomy procedure.
Anyway, don’t get carried away by highly divisive, tribalistic individuals in our society like Mila Rangzen and Thupten Thokmey. These people thrive on looking for seeds of trouble, harvesting them, and making them bigger and bigger, and they enjoy the society drama that unfolds.
Remember what they say in our parliament when there is a problem: ‘First make the big problem small, and then make that small problem disappear.’ (Kanyel Chenpo de chung-chung soe, chung-chung de meypa soe).
If we make this problem big, who will benefit? This will only help impress China, and perhaps help the miscreant get easier visa to Tibet.
Many of our teachers have usually taught that empowerment must be given in the presence of a master, so that we can receive the substances and blessings. But these are no ordinary times and of course Gyalwa Rinpoche is no ordinary being. If His Holiness, who is Chenrezig himself, wants to give empowerment online, of course he has that power. Long life to Gyalwa Rinpoche.