Understanding the Case Against Shukden

Leaders of the Dalai Lama’s tradition illuminate a divisive intrasectarian controversy.
Until recently, the figure of Shukden was an obscure one in the pantheon of Tibetan Buddhism’s many oracles and protectors. But after a small faction within the Geluk tradition began to promote and disseminate the practice of Shukden, the Dalai Lama decided to investigate the practice more deeply. The fruits of this research are presented here, as are the statements made by His Holiness about it over the past fifty years. Discover the historical context behind this contentious practice, which dates back to the Fifth Dalai Lama in the seventeenth century, and learn why the Dalai Lama has been so vocal in countering it.
Understanding the Case against Shukden is a clarion call for unity among the Tibetan people and a vision for a more harmonious Tibetan Buddhist community.