Author Topic: The Origins of Sakya - an abode of Dorje Shugden.  (Read 8892 times)

Big Uncle

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The Origins of Sakya - an abode of Dorje Shugden.
« on: June 30, 2012, 05:33:49 PM »
You know when we recite the invocation prayer to Dorje Shugden, one of the sites that we call upon Dorje Shugden is the Sakya temple at Mug Chung. So, I have found a very interesting article of the origins of this great monastery. Do take note of the 2 points I have highlighted here. They are about Sakya Pandita and Virupa (also known as Birwapa or Biwawa), both of whom are the earlier incarnations of Dorje Shugden and probably the reason why Dorje Shugden resides there and was first enthroned as a Protector.



A Brief History of Sakya Monastery

Alexander Berzin, 1991, expanded September 2003
Original version published in
"Sakya Monasteries." Chö-Yang, Year of Tibet Edition (Dharamsala, India), (1991).


In the Manjushri Root Tantra (‘Jam-dpal rtsa-rgyud), Buddha had prophesied that a Sakya Monastery would cause his teachings to flourish in the Land of Snows. The site of this monastery was also prophesied by Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava (Gur-ru Rin-po-che Pad-ma ‘byung-gnas). Several stupas had already been built at the monastery’s future location, when Atisha (Jo-bo-rje dPal-ldan A-ti-sha) (982-1053) stopped there in 1040. He saw on the mountainside a syllable "Hrih," seven "Dhih," and one "Hung," and prophesied that an incarnation of Avalokiteshvara, seven of Manjushri, and one of Vajrapani would grace this site.

In 1073, Konchog-gyelpo (dKon-mchog rgyal-po) (1034-1102) of the Kon (‘Khon) family established the Pelden Sakya Monastery (dPal-ldan Sa-skya dGon-pa) in Tsang (gTsang) province of Central Tibet. The monastery, and subsequently the tradition he founded, derived its name from the color of the soil of its location. "Sakya" means literally "gray earth."

After Kon Konchog-gyelpo had completed his studies with such masters as the translator Drogmi Lotsawa (‘Brog-mi Lo-tsa-ba), he developed the strong wish to establish a monastery. He chose the present site and inquired of its owners if he could offer them some of his family’s possessions as payment for the land upon which to build the monastery. The owners declined any payment and presented him the land as an offering.

The succession of Sakya Abbots passed from Kon Konchog-gyelpo to Bari Lotsawa (Ba-ri Lo-tsa-ba Rin-chen grags), and from him through the line of the Five Sakya Masters (Sa-skya gong-ma lnga), namely the Three White and Two Red Masters of Sakya (Sa-skya dkar-po rnam-gsum dmar-po rnam-gnyis). The Three White Masters were all laymen: Sachen Kunga-nyingpo (Sa-chen Kun-dga’ snying-po) (1092-1158), Sonam-tsemo (bSod-nams rtse-mo) (1142-1182), and Dragpa-gyeltsen (Grags-pa rgyal-mtshan) (1147-1216). The Two Red Masters were monks: Sakya Pandita Kunga-gyeltsen (Sa-pan Kun-dga’ rgyal-mtshan) (1182-1251) and Chogyel Pagpa (Chos-rgyal ‘Phags-pa) (1235-1280). Sakya Pandita brought Tibetan Buddhism to Mongolia at the request of Godan Khan. Previously, Chinggis Khan (Genghis Khan) had wished to invite Sakya Pandita, but wrote that the time was not yet right since his work was not finished. Chogyel Pagpa was the Imperial Tutor of Kublai Khan (Se-chen rGyal-po, Khublai Khan, Qublai Khan). Kublai, grandson of Chinggis, was the founder of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty of China (1280-1367).

As an offering for having been conferred the Hevajra (Kyai-rdo) empowerment, Kublai Khan presented Chogyel Pagpa the rule of the thirteen districts (khri-skor bcu-gsum) of Tibet. From 1265 to 1358, Tibet was administered by a Ponchen (dPon-chen) Grand Minister at Sakya Monastery, under whom served thirteen Tripon (Khri-dpon) District Ministers, one for each district. The First Ponchen was Shakya-zangpo (Sha-kya bzang-po). After 1358, the rule of Tibet passed to the Pagmodrupa clan (Phag-mo gru-pa), associated with the Kagyu lineage, and Sakya Monastery returned to its simply spiritual role.

The course of sutra study at Sakya Monastery began with the memorization of texts. If monks passed the memorization examination, they received the degree Kachupa (dKa’-bcu-pa) and were permitted to study to become a Geshe (dGe-bshes). This study was of six topics, involving eighteen major Indian texts, and was done through the medium of debate. Upon mastery of these subjects, monks were awarded the Geshe Rabjampa (dGe-bshes rab-‘byams-pa) degree. They could then enter Dechenling Tantric College (bDe-chen gling) to study mostly the Hevajra Tantra (Kyai-rdo-rje). The degree granted was Lama Bentsangpa (Bla-ma ‘Ben-tshang-pa).

The tantra tradition studied and practiced in Sakya Monastery derives from Drogmi Lotsawa’s Indian teachers, Naropa and Gayadhara. From the latter, Drogmi Lotsawa received the transmission of the "lamdray" (lam-‘bras; path and its results) teachings concerning the Hevajra Tantra that derived from Virupa.

The Sakya Monastery was little damaged during the Chinese Cultural Revolution and its enormous library is one of the rare few that survived the destruction. The course of study and practice at the monastery, however, has been severely curtailed. In India, the traditions of Sakya Monastery have been continued at the Sakya College in Rajpur, Himachal Pradesh. This was founded by the present, Forty-first Abbot of Sakya Monastery and Holder of the Sakya Throne, Sakya Tridzin, Ngawang-kunga-tegchen-pelbar-trinley-sampel-wanggi-gyelpo (Sa-skya Khri-‘dzin Ngag-dbang kun-dga’ theg-chen dpal-‘bar ‘phrin-las bsam-phel dbang-gi rgyal-po) (b. 1945).

Vajraprotector

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Re: The Origins of Sakya - an abode of Dorje Shugden.
« Reply #1 on: July 01, 2012, 03:22:55 PM »
The Sakya, specifically the Khon family, played an important role in the early development of the Shugden practise. The worldly spirit (in Tibetan 'gyalpo' meaning king, a type of ghost) having one face and two hands mounted on a black horse was grouped with the senior worldly protectors of the town of Sakya namely Tsi'u Marpo and Dorje Setrap. This trio is called the 'Gyalpo Sum' - the Three King Spirits.

In the town of Sakya there is a small temple called the Mug chung Gong khang where the offering service of Shugden was carried out by a monk appointee. This small structure was just north of the Zhi tog Pho drang (Sakya Government Building).

Sakya Trizin Sachen Ngawang Kunga Lodro (1729-1790) composed an new offering service for Shugden based on the 'torma throwing' ritual of the 'Three Kings.' Later, Sakya Trizin Trakshu Thinley Rinchen (1871-1936) in his personal diaries written on scraps of paper starting from the age of 8 years records all his thoughts, dreams and miscellaneous experiences. After his passing these were collected and added to his biography.

In these diaries, amongst many other topics, he muses over the nature of Shugden and the relationship between Shugden, his father (S.T. Kunga Nyingpo) and his grand-father (S.T. Tashi Rinchen) of whom Trakshu Thinley Rinchen was the incarnation.

Related topics/ threads I found on this website:

- Sakya Masters in the Lineage of Dorje Shugden
http://www.dorjeshugden.com/forum/index.php?topic=1029.0

- Dorje Shugden of Sakya Lineage
http://www.dorjeshugden.com/forum/index.php?topic=1755.0

 

DharmaSpace

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Re: The Origins of Sakya - an abode of Dorje Shugden.
« Reply #2 on: October 06, 2014, 03:03:40 PM »
A very interesting revisit on the Sakya monastery, Mug Chung posting.

Virupa or Birwapa was the inspiration behind the Sakya tradition, he was the source of the system of Lamdré (lam 'bras) or "Path and its Fruit". And Sakya Pandita being one of the three manifestation of Manjushri in Tibet were all incarnations of the Dorje Shugden incarnation lineage.

So it is no wonder Dorje Shugden was first enthroned in a Sakya Monasteries, as the Sakya practitioners were the ones who could appreciate who Dorje Suhdgen was given that the Sakya tradition was heavily influenced by Virupa and Sakya Pandita.
 


Blueupali

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Re: The Origins of Sakya - an abode of Dorje Shugden.
« Reply #3 on: October 06, 2014, 04:38:33 PM »
I don't know why the Sakya would really put Dorje Shugden in as a Gyalpo historically though--- I know Trijang Rinpoche said Shugden is a manifestation of Buddha Manjushri.

eyesoftara

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Re: The Origins of Sakya - an abode of Dorje Shugden.
« Reply #4 on: October 07, 2014, 08:05:43 AM »
It is well known that Sakya Pandita was a previous incarnations of Tulku Drakpa Gyaeltsen and it is nor surprising that the Protector Dorje Shugden choose reside there when He fist manifested and that the Sakya's accepted Him and propitiated Him until today.
However, when the time is ripe the Protector manifested to the degenerate ages beings via Pabongka Rinpoche's lineage to the whole world and from this we can see how the enlightened the activities and the method of the Buddhas and Boddhisattva are.
I rejoice for the Sakya's and for that matter all the other Great Schools of Buddhism especially the Gelug schools in this big oceans of samsara for the Buddha Dharma to benefits beings with the propensities.

psylotripitaka

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Re: The Origins of Sakya - an abode of Dorje Shugden.
« Reply #5 on: April 19, 2015, 10:56:33 AM »
The Sakya, specifically the Khon family, played an important role in the early development of the Shugden practise. The worldly spirit (in Tibetan 'gyalpo' meaning king, a type of ghost) having one face and two hands mounted on a black horse was grouped with the senior worldly protectors of the town of Sakya namely Tsi'u Marpo and Dorje Setrap. This trio is called the 'Gyalpo Sum' - the Three King Spirits.

So what is Vajraprotector saying here then, that Dorje Shugden is a "King spirit" according to the Sakyapas?

Tenzin Malgyur

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Re: The Origins of Sakya - an abode of Dorje Shugden.
« Reply #6 on: April 19, 2015, 02:35:19 PM »
Thank you Big Uncle for sharing this article touching on the brief history of the Sakya Monastery. It is also interesting to note that Sakya Pandita is the first incarnation of Dorje Shugden to be incarnated in Tibet.
This facts are well worth to know, for the next time I recite the invocation prayer to Dorje Shugden during my prayers, it will be more meaningful knowing the lineage of Dorje Shugden instead of just reading out the prayer text mindlessly.

Dondrup Shugden

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Re: The Origins of Sakya - an abode of Dorje Shugden.
« Reply #7 on: April 20, 2015, 05:22:02 PM »
It is clearly mentioned the temple of Mug Chung in our prayers of Dorje Shugden and now as mentioned by Tenzin Malgur, we understand the significance of mention and the prayers will have more meaning and not mindless reciting.

Information is sure knowledge that enhances our faith.