dorjeshugden.com
About Dorje Shugden => General Discussion => Topic started by: WisdomBeing on February 12, 2013, 10:06:14 AM
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Something delightful for everyone! A friend shared this photo with me of Kyabje Zemey Rinpoche's personal Dorje Shugden statue, which is in Kyabje Zemey Rinpoche's meditation room at Shar Gaden monastery, India.
Read more about Kyabje Zemey Rinpoche here: http://www.dorjeshugden.com/videos/lamas-teachings/kyabje-zemey-rinpoche/ (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/videos/lamas-teachings/kyabje-zemey-rinpoche/) and http://www.dorjeshugden.com/great-masters/recent-masters/kyabje-zemey-dorje-chang/ (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/great-masters/recent-masters/kyabje-zemey-dorje-chang/)
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This beautiful image of Dorje Shugden is so beautiful and sacred. I noticed that the masters of old would always make offerings of clothes onto their statues and this one of those statues which is just so serene to look at even though the protector is depicted as being wrathful here. There's always a sense of peace and a presence when you see pictures of protector statues belonging to high Lamas such as this one.
This reaffirms my faith in the protector that he will always abide in the state of compassion while appearing wrathful to tame those who are hard to tame.
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Such a regal statue of Dorje Shugden. Thanks for sharing with us. May everyone who gazed at this holy image be blessed by the great protector. It is so good to know that this holy statue was taken good care and placed in Kyabje Zemey Rinpoche's meditation room at Shar Gaden Monastery. Now that the reincarnation of this high lama is back here again amongst us, shows us that DS practitioners are not spirit worshipers as accused. May the current Zemey Rinpoche have a smooth education journey and continue with the work from his previous lives.
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It is said in many Lam Rim texts that a place is 'holy land' if it is a place where Masters have attained realizations. Zemey Labrang is most definitely holy land.
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It is said in many Lam Rim texts that a place is 'holy land' if it is a place where Masters have attained realizations. Zemey Labrang is most definitely holy land.
Yes, the Bodhimanda of Zemey Rinpoche. I do admire this great master's ability to forgive and let go. Zemey Rinpoche sure went through a lot as a result that the Yellow book got leaked out. This became a sort of reason for the Dalai Lama to institute the ban and as a result, the relationship between the Dalai Lama and himself became strained and it never recovered after that.
Zemey Rinpoche was ostracized after that and he remained low key for the rest of his life and I heard that he never spoke again. One of this main students of Thupten Jinpa and was instructed by Kyabje Zemey Rinpoche to serve the Dalai Lama and this was in spite of receiving the heat because of the Yellow book. Incredible sacrifice and perhaps, his sacrifice was not in vain because it created the cause for Dorje Shugden to explode into the world. This view is of course an interpretation of the ban.
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Thank you for this powerful and blessed photo. You can see the statue almost come alive in the photo!
A question: I am guessing that Zemey Rinpoche's ladrang would now officially be a part of Shar Gaden? (and not Gaden Shartse?)
And the incarnation of Zemey Rinpoche is back, of course! It's so wonderful to know too that these great incarnations are coming back AND continuing right where they have left off in their previous lives. You might like to see this article about the young Zemey Rinpoche already receiving DS initiation at a very young age, from the erudite Lama jampa Ngodrup: http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/news/zemey-rinpoches-incarnation-receives-ds-initiation-2/ (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/news/zemey-rinpoches-incarnation-receives-ds-initiation-2/)
There's a beautiful video here of his enthronement too: http://www.dorjeshugden.com/videos/lamas-teachings/kyabje-zemey-rinpoche/ (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/videos/lamas-teachings/kyabje-zemey-rinpoche/)
Always so lovely to read about the lives of these lamas, which I find really so fascinating. To think that they are so attained to be able to have total control over their rebirths and to choose the work they will come back to do! Again, if their practice of Dorje Shugden, a supposed spirit, was so harmful and destroyed the basis of their vows, then why would are their unmistaken, perfect incarnations back and recognised by many of the highest lamas of our lineage? It seems at odds that someone could engage in such wrong and harmful practices, but still maintain the same perfect attainments of someone who has maintained a perfect practice. And if they were attained enough to have such complete control of their rebirths, then surely they would know if a practice was truly harmful or not, or at least be able to tell if the deity was a enlightened or a mere spirit!
I believe it's helpful to read about these lamas always and think about their qualities. Then faith arises in them and in our practices and lineage, so that whatever people say against Dorje Shugden and Gelugpa practices, we know the true nature of where they arise from.
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A big thank you to Wisdom Being for sharing this fascinating and rare picture. I am sure it was not easy to obtain , you friend is indeed blessed to enter into the meditation room of such a respectable lama.
Now that the reincarnation of this high lama is back here again amongst us only goes to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that DS practitioners are not spirit worshipers as accused. Not that we needed that validation LOL ! Thanks again , please do post more pictures , i am compiling them.
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(http://www.dorjeshugden.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/ZemeyRinpoche7.jpg)
Zemey Rinpoche (red robes) on the entourage to visit Beijing
with HH Dalai Lama and tutors.
Zemey Rinpoche definitely was no ordinary monk or Rinpoche...among the thousands he was the one chosen to be the entourage for the Dalai Lama when the group went to visit China. This shows you how much the Dalai Lama trust and was so close to Zemey Rinpoche at one point. It is only after the "yellow" book that Zemey Rinpoche wrote about a few monks that was dealt with by Dorje Shugden who were polluting the Gelugpa lineage. This then got leaked out and landed on to His Holiness's hands and without much warning Zemey Rinpoche was not invited or be able to attend any of the Dalai Lam's teachings and manifested anger towards Zemey Rinpoche. But Zemey Rinpoche never once retaliated or was he angry. Instead at every single teaching His Holiness gave, Zemey Rinpoche would be outside doing full length prostration while his own students was inside receiving teachings from the Dalai Lama. Imagine the humiliation for an ordinary person.
This clearly shows Zemey Rinpoche's sincerity and many also said that HHDL manifested in such a way and Zemey Rinpoche went along to show ultimate "Guru devotion". Ever since Zemey Rinpoche was banned, He also stop giving teachings and went in to retreats where he pass in to clear light without ever gotten the chance to explain to His Holiness his writings which I believe was not about sectarianism but rather something to do with preserving one's own pure lineage and practices well before learning on other lineages and practices. Why go after another practice when your very own you have not mastered?
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Just to clarify:
The 'Yellow Book' was written in 1970 and published in a very limited way in 1976.
The Dalai Lama first started to speak out against Dorje Shugden in 1978. He did not mention the Yellow Book in any of his first talks against Dorje Shugden.
According to the text 'Selected Writings of Zemey Rinpoche:
In 1974 Zemey Rinpoche retired from public life and entered a period of semi-retreat in the Tibetan settlement of Bylakuppe, Mysore, South India. Four years later, in 1978, he re-entered public life and moved his permanent residence to Ganden monastery in Mundgod, Karnataka. From the late 70's onward, he taught extensively at Gaden Monastery and also wrote prolifically. Rinpoche also began to travel widely during this time, fulfilling requests for him to teach in the various Tibetan communities if India and Nepal. In 1984, while on tour in North India, Rinpoche suffered a stroke. Though no longer able to speak, Rinpoche supervised the compilation and editing of his entire six volumes of his collected works. Since his stroke until his death in 1996, Zemey Rinpoche led a retired life at his residence, Tashi Gephel House, at Gaden monastery, south India.
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Just to clarify:
The 'Yellow Book' was written in 1970 and published in a very limited way in 1976.
The Dalai Lama first started to speak out against Dorje Shugden in 1978. He did not mention the Yellow Book in any of his first talks against Dorje Shugden.
According to the text 'Selected Writings of Zemey Rinpoche:
In 1974 Zemey Rinpoche retired from public life and entered a period of semi-retreat in the Tibetan settlement of Bylakuppe, Mysore, South India. Four years later, in 1978, he re-entered public life and moved his permanent residence to Ganden monastery in Mundgod, Karnataka. From the late 70's onward, he taught extensively at Gaden Monastery and also wrote prolifically. Rinpoche also began to travel widely during this time, fulfilling requests for him to teach in the various Tibetan communities if India and Nepal. In 1984, while on tour in North India, Rinpoche suffered a stroke. Though no longer able to speak, Rinpoche supervised the compilation and editing of his entire six volumes of his collected works. Since his stroke until his death in 1996, Zemey Rinpoche led a retired life at his residence, Tashi Gephel House, at Gaden monastery, south India.
I am thinking...since Lamas can control their winds and channels, could it be that the stroke that the previous Zemey Rinpoche manifested is a result of the yellow book being misinterpreted and being used as an excuse to press down on Dorje Shugden and make people think that Dorje Shugden is sectarian? Prior to people misinterpreting the yellow book, there was nothing about Dorje Shugden being sectarian because he is practiced in Nyingma and Sakya as well. Perhaps, the person who published the book worded it in such a way that it creates misunderstandings in the minds of people, and due to that, Zemey Rinpoche manifested silence.
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Just to clarify:
The 'Yellow Book' was written in 1970 and published in a very limited way in 1976.
The Dalai Lama first started to speak out against Dorje Shugden in 1978. He did not mention the Yellow Book in any of his first talks against Dorje Shugden.
According to the text 'Selected Writings of Zemey Rinpoche:
In 1974 Zemey Rinpoche retired from public life and entered a period of semi-retreat in the Tibetan settlement of Bylakuppe, Mysore, South India. Four years later, in 1978, he re-entered public life and moved his permanent residence to Ganden monastery in Mundgod, Karnataka. From the late 70's onward, he taught extensively at Gaden Monastery and also wrote prolifically. Rinpoche also began to travel widely during this time, fulfilling requests for him to teach in the various Tibetan communities if India and Nepal. In 1984, while on tour in North India, Rinpoche suffered a stroke. Though no longer able to speak, Rinpoche supervised the compilation and editing of his entire six volumes of his collected works. Since his stroke until his death in 1996, Zemey Rinpoche led a retired life at his residence, Tashi Gephel House, at Gaden monastery, south India.
This is interesting, Losang Tenpa. So do you know when did the Dalai Lama start using the yellow book as fodder for the anti-Dorje Shugden campaign? Especially as it's a good two years since the book came out.
In the selected writings you mentioned, who reported on Zemey Rinpoche's activities? It was reported so it must have been written by someone else aside from Zemey Rinpoche.
I'd appreciate any further light you can share on this. I also understand you're staying in Zemey ladrang now? This is a presumption on one of the facebook postings you made. What is the understanding of the Zemey ladrang monks on the Dorje Shugden ban? Perhaps you can share.
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I don't know the exact date when the Dalai Lama first mentioned the Yellow Book. I will do some checking.
The text I quoted was edited by Thubten Jinpa, and it was he who wrote the forward that I posted a segment from. When I have time, I will type out more of the forward. Pretty interesting.
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I don't know the exact date when the Dalai Lama first mentioned the Yellow Book. I will do some checking.
The text I quoted was edited by Thubten Jinpa, and it was he who wrote the forward that I posted a segment from. When I have time, I will type out more of the forward. Pretty interesting.
Forgot to mention:
The text, Selected Writings of Kyabje Zemey Rinpoche, was published by Zemey Labrang in 1997.
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Here is what Thubten Jinpa had to say in 1997 in the forward about the Yellow Book:
...Also included in this volume is the controversial work which later became known as "The Yellow Book". Written as a somewhat stylized literary piece, this work is a faithful recording of events relating to what could be perhaps described as the "oral history" of a particular period of Tibet.
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Interesting, Losang Tenpa. Do share more of the foreword when you can.
thanks
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Here is what Thubten Jinpa had to say in 1997 in the forward about the Yellow Book:
...Also included in this volume is the controversial work which later became known as "The Yellow Book". Written as a somewhat stylized literary piece, this work is a faithful recording of events relating to what could be perhaps described as the "oral history" of a particular period of Tibet.
Geshe Thupten Jinpa is the Dalai Lama's personal translator and to be that one has to be a master of the Dharma himself, not to mention, be highly trusted by the Dalai Lama. Wherever the Dalai Lama is, Thupten Jinpa is always close by. It is interesting that even as the Dalai Lama banned Zemey Rinpoche from His Holiness's close circle and literally treated him as persona non grata, it was Thupten Jinpa, the very close disciple of Zemey Rinpoche whom the Dalai Lama kept by his side all the time.
Some thought that perhaps Thupten Jinpa "changed sides" but this is not so because recently he was spotted visiting and make prostrations to the throne of his Guru, the great Zemey Rinpoche. Surprisingly, this must have been known by the Dalai Lama and yet there was no rebuke from His Holiness. Thupten Jinpa remained loyal and devoted to Zemey Rinpoche all these years and witnessed his Guru being ousted and disparaged by the Dalai Lama and yet under instructions from Zemey Rinpoche, he served the Dalai Lama with true loyalty. A lot of things do not make sense to the untrained eye.
Similarly, we see the Dalai Lama banning the practice of Dorje Shugden that was given to His Holiness by his Guru, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche. Even as the Dalai Lama seemed to have turned against his Guru (as Thupten Jinpa appeared to as well) and even to the point of saying that his Guru was "wrong", Trijang Rinpoche from the start had advised all to keep trusting and supporting the Dalai Lama.
The Buddhas certainly work in mysterious ways.
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Here is what Thubten Jinpa had to say in 1997 in the forward about the Yellow Book:
...Also included in this volume is the controversial work which later became known as "The Yellow Book". Written as a somewhat stylized literary piece, this work is a faithful recording of events relating to what could be perhaps described as the "oral history" of a particular period of Tibet.
Geshe Thupten Jinpa is the Dalai Lama's personal translator and to be that one has to be a master of the Dharma himself, not to mention, be highly trusted by the Dalai Lama. Wherever the Dalai Lama is, Thupten Jinpa is always close by. It is interesting that even as the Dalai Lama banned Zemey Rinpoche from His Holiness's close circle and literally treated him as persona non grata, it was Thupten Jinpa, the very close disciple of Zemey Rinpoche whom the Dalai Lama kept by his side all the time.
Some thought that perhaps Thupten Jinpa "changed sides" but this is not so because recently he was spotted visiting and make prostrations to the throne of his Guru, the great Zemey Rinpoche. Surprisingly, this must have been known by the Dalai Lama and yet there was no rebuke from His Holiness. Thupten Jinpa remained loyal and devoted to Zemey Rinpoche all these years and witnessed his Guru being ousted and disparaged by the Dalai Lama and yet under instructions from Zemey Rinpoche, he served the Dalai Lama with true loyalty. A lot of things do not make sense to the untrained eye.
Similarly, we see the Dalai Lama banning the practice of Dorje Shugden that was given to His Holiness by his Guru, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche. Even as the Dalai Lama seemed to have turned against his Guru (as Thupten Jinpa appeared to as well) and even to the point of saying that his Guru was "wrong", Trijang Rinpoche from the start had advised all to keep trusting and supporting the Dalai Lama.
The Buddhas certainly work in mysterious ways.
I beg to differ. The Yellow Book was translated/recorded in a way that would plant misunderstandings in the minds of people who are not familiar with the Dharma. If I did not know any better, after reading the Yellow Book I would have thought that Dorje Shugden is indeed sectarian and he is indeed a very stern and fearsome Dharma protector and if I practice him I cannot even have interest in other traditions at all or else my life would be in danger but after explanations, study, understanding and having a Guru to guide me, i realize that either that this book was not meant to be published outside of Zemey Rinpoche's circle of disciples because many things written in the book expects the reader to understand the basics of Gelug or that it was written in a way to plant misunderstandings in the minds of others. Either one of the two.
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One point I think is important to keep in mind.
'Oral literature' and 'oral histories' are genres that often is misunderstood.
Kyabje Zemey Rinpoche was very famous for writing 'oral literature', even though that genre was very rare to be included in the collected works of a high lama. One half of volume 6 of Rinpoche's collected works contains 4 anthologies of 'oral literature'.
I think one of the keys to understanding The Yellow Book is to understand the place of 'oral literature' and 'oral history' within the context of the tradition.
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One point I think is important to keep in mind.
'Oral literature' and 'oral histories' are genres that often is misunderstood.
Kyabje Zemey Rinpoche was very famous for writing 'oral literature', even though that genre was very rare to be included in the collected works of a high lama. One half of volume 6 of Rinpoche's collected works contains 4 anthologies of 'oral literature'.
I think one of the keys to understanding The Yellow Book is to understand the place of 'oral literature' and 'oral history' within the context of the tradition.
I do agree with this as well. But why is it that only the Yellow Book was widely published, and not only that, it was within access of people who was not supposed to read it. How and why did this happen is beyond me, but one thing that I do know is that the Dalai Lama got a copy of it and a few others did, and not long after a copy was circulating on the internet and many people soon misunderstood this text and think that Dorje Shugden is dangerous or sectarian. We had several threads here discussing about the Yellow Book before, but within context and tradition and it sounds fine and not sectarian at all.
But I can imagine a newbie reading it and getting terrified. That is very possible, so the responsibility of people being misled by the Yellow Book falls on the shoulders of the people who made it widely available when it is not meant for a wide audience.
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The fact that the Dalai Lama didn't pick on the Yellow Book immediately shows that the Dalai Lama actually understood why it was written like that. Surely he would, otherwise he would not be Chenrezig!! If little old me can understand it, how can the Buddha himself be misguided. Like Losang Tenpa said earlier, distribution was meant to be limited and i presume that one of the reasons was that it was not meant to be for public domain precisely so people do not misunderstand.
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The fact that the Dalai Lama didn't pick on the Yellow Book immediately shows that the Dalai Lama actually understood why it was written like that. Surely he would, otherwise he would not be Chenrezig!! If little old me can understand it, how can the Buddha himself be misguided. Like Losang Tenpa said earlier, distribution was meant to be limited and i presume that one of the reasons was that it was not meant to be for public domain precisely so people do not misunderstand.
He only picked on it after the book's distribution went public and when people of other traditions who chanced on the book became terrified and misunderstandings started to happen. So perhaps the ban was to pacify the other 3 traditions so that they will not misunderstand and they will not make a big deal out of it or feel insecure because after all during the 5th Dalai Lama's time, the Karma Kagyu and Jonang tradition was suppressed and many of its followers massacred and monasteries forcibly converted into Gelug so it is fair that these traditions feel insecure with their own establishments, lest the Dalai Lama swallow their tradition whole again like what has been done during the 5th Dalai Lama's time. But in banning Dorje Shugden, a lot of causalities also happened along the way...