DHARAMSHALA: The abbot of Gaden Shartse Monastery has issued the following clarification in response to the baseless and misleading reports titled “Abbots Urgently Sent to the USA” and “UPDATE: Abbots Urgently Sent to the USA”, published on September 26 and November 2, 2013, respectively.
Shartse Khen Rinpoche’s clarification
Dear Melisa Sands and Kay Beswick,
I hope you are in great health. I send you wishes for prosperity and happiness.
Please note I am sending this clarification reply to you on your baseless reports published on September 26, 2013 Abbots Urgently Sent to the USA and November 2, 2013 UPDATE: Abbots Urgently Sent to the USA. I think this is right time to clear the misleading information to enlighten public.
Please don’t mislead public by writing baseless reports. At least try to spend little more time to find authentic information before reporting it to public.
Thanks for adding up final paragraph on November 2, 2013 report. I am happy to read that paragraph of your report on me as great blessings from you.
1. I and my colleagues at Gaden were concerned about the gap between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Trijang Chogtrul Rinpoche. That motivated us to take this initiative to bridge the gap but alas.
2. I was never ordered or appointed by Kuger Yigtsang or anyone to request Trijang Chogtrul Rinpoche to return to participate any program, anywhere. I personally and as an abbot of Gaden Monastery took initiatives to meet Trijang Chogtrul Rinpoche to talk to him. In great kindness Trijang Chogtrul Rinpoche gave me plenty of time to talk and be with him. Please note, Kuger Yigtsang never delegated or appointed me to reach Trijang Chogtrul Rinpoche.
3. On meeting Trijang Rinpoche I requested him to re-consider his stand on Shugden issue for various important reasons. Though he didn’t say yes or no to my request, but he didn’t told me “Gaden monastery has ‘forgotten’ about him”.
4. How and why some people left Gaden Monastery and Gaden Shartse in 2008 is well-known fact. No one can change the truth by twisting the story after five years. It is very simple. Some people chose to abandon the monastery for personal interest and benefit and the monastery failed to stop them from doing that.
5. Since, I travelled to meet Trijang Chogtrul Rinpoche to Vermont, USA on personal initiative and as abbot of Gaden with messages from Gaden Shartse Monastery and Gaden Lachi, why should I relay any reply to those messages to Kuger Yigtsang. This is just an insane comment from the reporter. I have no knowledge about what email Trijang Chogtrul Rinpoche want to send to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and CTA in Dharamsala.
6. What is curious about letter being written on the letterhead of Gaden Lachi and Gaden Shartse Monastery? As a senior abbot of Gaden, I represent Gaden Lachi and as abbot of Gaden Shartse Monastery I represent Gaden Shartse Monastery. Messages of these two organizations definitely comes on their letterhead. Why should it come on the stationary of the Kuger Yigtsang? His Holiness the Dalai Lama don’t need to request Trijang Chogtrul Rinpoche to return to some where. His Holiness has achieved unimaginably great achievements through his own efforts. If some one returns or not, won’t make any difference to him. Please don’t try to mislead people by writing baseless comments.
7. We felt it is really important to revive relationship between Kyabje Trijang Chogtrul Rinpoche and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The holy relationship between these two historic figures are buildup for many lifetimes and we believe it is not good to let it break now. Therefore, I and my colleagues felt it is good to try to have presence of Kyabje Trijang Chogtrul Rinpoche in upcoming teachings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Sera Monastery. Thus we planned it solely in our own initiative. To His Holiness the Dalai Lama, if Trijang Chogtrul Rinpoche attends these upcoming teachings in Sera or not won’t make any difference at all. Most important issue for me and my colleagues are to restore relationship between two holy man. But it is really a great disappointment to see some people doing everything possible to stop or topple our efforts.
Gaden Shartse Khenpo From Topanga Park, CA, United States.