Supporters of Dalai Lama clash with Buddhist sect

Dharam Shourie
New York, Jul 18 (PTI) Thousands of supporters of the
Dalai Lama shouted and "spit" on a group of demonstrators
belonging to a Buddhist sect which alleges that the Tibetan
spiritual leader is persecuting its members, forcing the
police to intervene to prevent clashes between them.
The incident occurred outside Radio City hall in
Manhattan Thursday evening as thousands people, mostly
Tibetans and Nepalese-American, were coming out after
listening a sold out lecture from the Dalai Lama on the Four
Nobel Truths about Buddhism.
Some of those who attended the lecture had paid as
much as U.S.D. 1000.
As they came out, they were confronted by the
demonstrators. Some among them started shouting at the
protesters and waving currency notes to make the point that
the demonstrators were paid Chinese agents, a charge which
spokespersons of the protesters vehemently denied.
More and more supporters of the Tibetan spiritual
leaders joined them and at one stage thousands were
participating in a wordly duel.
Police on horseback and ground set up barricades to
separate them and physically pushed back some of the
supporters of the Dalai Lama as tried to advance towards the
demonstrators to prevent a possible clash.
Asked during a question and answer session about the
demonstration which had begun much before the Dalai Lama began
his address, he described their faith as "just spirit
worship."
Conceding that he had followed the practice from 1951
until 1970s, the Dalai Lama said he had given it up after he
realised that it was a mistake. By giving it up, he was able
to explore other teachings of Buddhism.
"I think 99 percent of Tibetans follow my practice.
Some small portion worship this spirit," he said but asserted
it is "perverted or wrong in terms of their function if their
spirit is to harm other sentiments beings or the Dharma."
He also asserted that the sect did not allow religious
freedom and discouraged any other Buddhist teachings.
Refuting the charge of demonstrators that he was
suppressing their sect, the Dalai Lama said on the contrary,
he is encouraging religious freedom.
Alleging "hidden and intensive persecution" of
thousands of Tibetans who offer prayers to Buddhist Deity
Dorje Shugden by the Dalai Lama, the Western Shugden Society
(W.S.S.), which spearheaded the protest, demanded that he lift
the ban as it causing "spiritual, emotional and physical harm"
to them.
The supporters of the W.S.S., umbrella organisation of
Shugden practitioners, have been protesting at every venue
where the Dalai Lama speaks for last one week but this was the
most visible protest held so far.
It says through his power as head of the Tibet
government, the Dalai Lama has "imposed an aggressive, forced"
ban on this practice, claiming these prayer "harm his personal
health and the cause of Tibet."
Spokesperson of W.S.S. nun Kelsang Pema said since
this "enforced ban" by the Dalai Lama is causing so much
spiritual, emotional and physical harm to practitioners both
in India and the West, they have no choice but to hold
demonstrations.
For years, she said, he has refused to engage in
dialogue on the issue.
The W.S.S. said some 100 Buddhist Tibetan monks, some
from India, had taken part in the demonstration.