Buddhist Monks Protest Ban on Shugden Religion

Philadelphia-- Approximately two hundred protesters marched down the Avenue of the Arts and around City Hall after the Dalai Lama's speech on July 15th. The protesters were demonstrating against the Dalai Lama's policies regarding the Shugden religion. They called for religious tolerance and an end to the ostracizing of Shugden worshippers.

The Western Shugden Society, who organized the march, is opposed to the Dalai Lama's ban on the practice of Dorje Shugden Buddhism in Tibet. The decree to ban this particular division of Buddhism was proposed by the Dalai Lama on March 30th, 1996. The Dalai Lama has since said that he does not plan to change the status of the ban.

Reasons for the ban are unclear.

In an interview with the Tibetan Minister for the Department of Security, the Western Shugden Society stated that "[they] do not have any intention to undermine the well-being of his holiness; at the same time [they] cannot compromise [their] religious principles for the sake of political expediency."

The ban is enforced by issuing ID cards to those who take a vow not to practice Shugden Buddhism. It is then difficult for Shugden worshippers who do not have the ID to find work and join organizations. Kelsang Pema, the Western Shugden Society Press Officer, compared the ID system to the star used to mark Jews during the Holocaust.

According to the Western Shugden Society, the Dalai Llama has destroyed all Shugden Temples and shrines and has expelled all Shugden practitioners from the Tibetan community.

Despite its shortness, the march was energized, with protestors shouting, "Dalai Llama, stop lying!" throughout its duration. The march began after the Dalai Lama's speech at the Kimmel Center on the Avenue of the Arts. The marchers stayed in one unified group the entire time and were bordered by police officers and large Philadelphia Police SUV's.

Shugden Buddhism's principles are "to develop virtuous minds of love, compassion, wisdom, and spiritual protection."

The march will be happening again in Times Square, New York City.