Expert: Laurie McLauglin - 3/18/2010

Question
Hi Laurie
I've recently been going to classes in the NKT, they charge £5 a class for about an hour & a half of meditation & answer any questions anyone might have about Buddhism, I looked on the Internet about the NKT to learn more about them, though i enjoyed the classes & think i benefited from them, I'm not sure I'll be going back, they seem some what controversial, Is that fair? whats your opinion about the NKT? I know you can't believe all you read on the Internet. I'm undecided which tradition to follow, i suppose the only way to find the right one for me is to read as much as i can on the different traditions, have you got any other suggestions? maybe you could point me in the direction of a good book or books to read, thank you very much for your time
take care.
            KLW

Answer
Sorry it took me so long to answer -

Thank you for letting me answer your question.

I, myself began my Buddhist studies as an NKT practitioner. Here is what I have learned. NOTE - This is strictly my view - it does not officially represent the view of the FPMT or NKT.

In the 5 years of my practice with the NKT, I can attest to the fact that the Dharma I received was as clear and correct as the Dharma I have received as a practitioner in the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT).  All during that time, I had friends in the FPMT and knew I was going to switch to the FPMT at some point so I refrained out of respect for His Holiness’ wishes from practicing the Dorje Shugden Practice. Although, from my side, I did not see that practicing it was harming the people who were practicing it.

However, just as it is often stated that if one finds that most of what the Buddha teaches rings true, then if one encounters a part they are unsure about, such as reincarnation, that out of faith in the fact that everything else the Buddha teaches has rung true, then one can in good faith believe in reincarnation.

The same can be said for His Holiness.  No one can deny the benefit that His Holiness has brought to the world through his actions and words. Therefore, if His Holiness says that the Dorje Shugden practice is not beneficial, should one not have faith that His Holiness would not be saying that without a good reason.

Although Geshe Gyatso, the head of the NKT is a wonderful teacher and has done many beneficial things, not the least of which is bringing so many westerners to the Dharma, still perhaps, His Holiness outranks him in his ability to see the whole picture.

It is often said that the farther along the path one is in their Buddhist studies, the more clairvoyance one has – Perhaps His Holiness can see just a bit farther than Geshe Gyatso.

Recently when His Holiness was in Wisconsin and the NKT was protesting outside saying that His Holiness was restricting their right to freedom of religion, someone asked about that and his Holiness said that actually, it is the practice of Dorje Shugden that restricts the practice of His Holiness so he had to divorce himself from the practice.

According to one of the sangha that was there, here is what His Holiness said; His Holiness said that back in the 1960's he wanted to learn more about the Nyingma tradition and His Holinesses teacher said that it was unwise because of the actions of the Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden whose job it is to keep any Gelugpa practitioners from changing sides and going to another tradition and that harm sometimes came to those Gelugpa practitioners who became interested in the teachings of another tradition.

According to an NKT practitioner in Europe, “One of Je Tsongkhapa’s foremost and enlightened disciples called Duldzin Dragpa Gyaltsen promised to protect his tradition in the future – from being mixed with other traditions or disappearing altogether. Duldzin Dragpa Gyaltsen I believe to have been a Wisdom Buddha - it is this person who I regard as appearing later in the aspect of Dorje Shugden to fulfill this function.”  

So, His Holiness did not study it - at least for a while - but he eventually decided that he really wanted to learn more about the other traditions - so His Holiness had to decide whether to not do it or do it and risk the wrath of Dorje Shugen - He decided to risk it and study the Nyingma traditions and others as well.  Before he made his decision, he did more research on Dorje Shugen and realized that Dorje Shugden was not a Buddha nor a Bodhisattva nor Arya Sangha but he was instead probably either an a demi-god or a very powerful spirit – And therefore since he was still in Samara, Dorje Shugden could not be completely trusted  - He reasoned that Dorje Shugden although acclaimed as a dharma protector must be still in Samsara because he is capable of causing harm to those who go against what he believes (i.e. those who embrace any other path than the Gelugpa)  - If Dorje Shugden was a Arya Sangha or higher, his motivations would be pure and he would be unable to cause harm to anyone even if they left the tradition - therefore, His Holiness from that time on requested that no one practice the Dorje Shugden practices because for one thing Dorje Shugden was still a samsaric being and his motivations could be turned to doing negative things and harming people instead of being pure and motivated by compassion.

Up until the 1960's (and perhaps even later) all Gelugpa practitioners were free to do the Dorje Shugden practice. But once His Holiness deemed that practicing Dorje Shugden could cause harm (and apparently Dorje Shugden did try to harm His Holiness) he has asked all associated with him not to practice it.

So, although the teachings from the NKT are fundamentally sound and the NKT has helped many people including myself, it is the insistence that the NKT has in deciding to practice Dorje Shugden (which is in direct opposition of the request of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama) that causes the division.

You yourself have to answer the question in your own heart whether to follow His Holiness and his teachings or to follow Geshe Gyatso and his teachings.

If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask.  I wish you much success along your path.

Namaste - Laurie