What does it mean to be a follower of Dorje Shugden?
Does it mean we do a puja once a day and then Dorje Shugden does the rest? Who is it who creates adverse & conducive conditions for Dharma practice?
My own understanding is that Dorje Shugden is not one person. Dorje Shugden is a person who has attained Buddhahood & works to protect the tradition of Je Tsongkhapa. Therefore many people can be protecting the tradition just as many people can be damaging it. The people around us are the retinue of Dulzin. Some have a deep understanding of the four types of action, how to be skilled and a deep passion for the tradition & teachings. For others it is more intellectual and a struggle but they too work with great devotion. Attaining the state of a Dharma Protector is a gradual process. You slowly become more & more like Dorje Shugden until one day you are him. How do you do this? By developing a wish to protect the tradition and then working to create favourable conditions.
As we are working we might create conditions that are not so good. Is Dorje Shugden at this moment going to jump out of the sky & say hey you over there? No he isnt. What will happen is various people will express in various ways that they are uncomfortable & its not working for them. How are we ever going to become Dorje Shugden if our ears are closed and we think others words & experiences have no value.
We might think this is not a big deal but we need to realise that for 1000s of years countless people have worked to bringing these teachings to us. If a few modifications of a few admin techniques will ensure that the Dharma is a success why on earth are we willing to risk the failure of the Dharma communities and their closure in order to hold on to a few opinions stubbornly? What is more important? The viewpoint of an admin who might even have given up Dharma & be leading a worldly life in 10 years time? Or protecting the reputation of the centres as caring compassionate and the reputation of the Sangha? How can the view of 2 or 3 human beings lead to 100 people passing through a centre & all having the same frustration that the centre isn't run well. Why not just listen to feedback & run it well??
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