((Transcript))
As said by Kagyu Member of Parliament Tenpa Yarphel:
I have something to add relating to the previous question about the Department of Religion and Culture. Many people have voiced their opinions about the Nechung Oracle. Even in meetings, they always talk about Nechung and all that. So I would also like to share my opinion on this.
I know that our government is involved in both religion and politics. In the past, the Minister of Religion and Culture has said that our religion is based on following what Nechung says when he takes trance. Nechung says all types of things. Even today, the “supporters” make many statements to this effect. Buddha Shakyamuni gave 84,000 teachings but Nechung taking trance is never mentioned anywhere in them, nor by the Seventeen Great Panditas of Nalanda Monastery. So, this is not real Dharma. If you say that this is our religion, then it is wrong. Following Nechung in trance is a mistake.
Those who support the Middle Way pretend to have faith in the Dharma and the Dharma Protectors, and they say we have to offer them everything. But this does not make any sense to me. If you support the Middle Way, you don’t have to believe in Gods or Protectors, much less the Dharma. These type of people pretend to have faith in the Protectors. They act as though if they don’t exist, we cannot get food, we cannot get drinks, but they are actually the ones creating conflict in Tibetan society and the public must know about this.
We are quite involved in Dharma. I know quite well what is written in Dharma. You make gods and demons (referring to Nechung) take trance and after that you make decisions. But this is not real dharma and His Holiness the Dalai Lama has said this before.
Fortunately, the Minister of Religion and Culture said today that discussions on the topic of Nechung are happening again and again in parliament meetings. I don’t remember exactly what he said but if it is not necessary to do this, then we better not do it. He said something along the lines that if we do not consult Nechung and listen to him then it is good! It is totally unnecessary, it always creates conflict. Within our society, the issue of gods and demons still exists. What has happened in the Tibetan community within the past 50 years? Everything is upside down. People say this is a god, this is a demon… This conflict has destroyed our unity. If we can end this conflict, I truly rejoice.
The Minister of Religion and Culture has said that the public has been bombarding them with complaints and difficult questions and that they should not be doing this. But if we don’t ask them, who should we ask? The Department of Religion and Culture is the one who pays their salaries. They are the ones who increased their salaries. The Minister of Religion and Culture is saying that without this, it’s not okay. But there is nothing to be grateful about. What is there to be grateful for? We have to discuss this. Where is it written in the Buddha’s teachings that the Nechung Oracle must take trance?
When Nechung takes trance [[Tenpa Yarphel makes choking sounds]], he makes choking sounds (as though his neck is being strangled with rope). No one understands what Nechung is saying. Who can understand Nechung? How did the person who understands Nechung learn how to do so? Did he know from birth? By Nechung saying that a deity is a god, is a demon, or a spirit, he has segregated the Tibetans.
We are in the 21st Century but we are lagging behind the times. I want to make it clear that this is not pure Dharma. The Department of Religion and Culture is not doing what they should, and doing what they should not. That’s what I’d like to say.
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15 сен 2024
