H.H. Trijang Choktrul Rinpoche gave Dorje Shugden initiation during his recent visit to Mongolia in September, 2014

Sogtae literally means ‘life entrustment” in Tibetan, referring to the life entrustment initiation or permissory rites of a Dharma Protector. Apart from Dorje Shugden, there are many other Dharma Protectors with life entrustment initiation rituals, for instance Setrab and even Nechung, just to name a few.

During the main part of the life entrustment initiation, the lama seals the spiritual bond between the initiate and the Dharma Protector. In the case of a Dorje Shugden Sogtae, the protector is sworn to protect the initiate and the initiate swears to take Dorje Shugden as Protector, both until the achievement of Bodhichitta.

Dorje Shugden is compelled by his compassion and the commitments made during the sogtae to guide and protect the initiate until the realization of Bodhichitta, after which the initiate no longer needs such assistance and becomes a ‘protector’ for others instead. Regardless of whether the achievement of Bodhichitta takes place in this lifetime or future lifetimes, Dorje Shugden is sworn to guide and protect the initiate until it fruitions.

A Dorje Shugden lineage thangka of Tagphu Pemavajra and Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche

Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche wrote a number of rituals concerning Dorje Shugden but the fulfillment prayer entitled ‘Melodious Drum Victorious in All Directions‘ has become the most commonly used Dorje Shugden fulfillment ritual. The introduction to this text states that life entrustment is not a prerequisite to engage in Dorje Shugden’s practice. However, in order to receive sogtae, one is required to have received the Vajrabhairava initiation and kept up the general and specific commitments.

Before the advent of Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche’s composition, there seems to be an older life entrustment text composed by Rinchen Wangyal (1741-1812) of Sera Monastery, as mentioned in the introduction to a Dorje Shugden fulfillment text written by Serkong Dorje Chang. As a prerequisite, the text states that one must have obtained the initiation of a yidam. It also mentions that it would be excellent to have received the life entrustment initiation of Dorje Shugden according to the writings of Rinchen Wangyal, although it is not a prerequisite for one to perform the fulfillment ritual.

During Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche’s time, the life entrustment text of Rinchen Wangyal appears to have been lost. Therefore, Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche was requested by Dorje Shugden through an oracle to compose another text to replace it. The following is an account of what happened and how he validated it with Tagphu Dorje Chang (Tagphu Pemavajra)’s pure visions when he astral travelled to Tushita. This account is further elaborated in ‘Descended From Tushita’.

I have written this at the request of Shugden, because in the past there was a tradition of Sogtae (srog gtad) to Shugden but later neither the tradition nor the text could be found — they have become like flowers in the sky —so Shugden has asked me two times to write a new initiation text.

I have passed on the practice of initiation (dbang) to some disciples in accordance with my own experience, and (a text) has been written as a seed for (a detailed text). But only that would be not reliable and something like an illegitimate son. Therefore, I explained it in detail to my master Tagphu Dorje Chang and presented this draft to him…

He took that draft and wrote his text down, combining this seed text with his own vision. Tagphu commented about the five types of Shugden, the respective colors etc., the offerings to be arranged, thus at the time of initiation the large Lamrim text should be there on the altar, a cakra representing one’s life, ḍamaru, dorje etc. The practitioner has to utter the life generating words of Vajrabhairava and to make torma offerings…

The initiation can be given to somebody who has received initiation into Vajrabhairava and keeps the commitments connected with it…
~ Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche

Dorje Shugden ‘heart’ crystals (lado) like this are consecrated and given to those who have received initiation

By tradition, the life entrustment of Dorje Shugden can only be given to three people at a time, so public life entrustment initiations would entail a massive line of initiates in threes! Besides that, Dorje Shugden ‘heart’ crystals (lado) and cakras (stringed amulets) are consecrated during the life entrustment and given to initiates as a blessing and reminder of their commitment to Dorje Shugden.

The life entrustment initiation also requires one to perform a Dorje Shugden puja (typically, the fulfillment text of Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche) once a month thereafter. If, for whatever reason, one is unable to perform the puja, one can perform it ahead of time or request monks to perform it on one’s behalf.

On top of that, the initiate must make a commitment to the Gelug lineage, and put effort towards learning and practicing the teachings of the lineage. As Kyabje Zong Rinpoche says:

If you have to or if you wish to do some kind of Dharmic activities with other sects of Buddhism, that is okay to do some kind of activities but your main practice or the principle practice, you have to make the commitment with this lineage of Lama Tsongkhapa.

(A more extensive explanation by Kyabje Zong Rinpoche is available here).

These are the main commitments that one makes in the presence of Dorje Shugden and one’s lama during the life entrustment initiation, to be kept for the rest of one’s life. And, as Lama Tsongkapa has emphasized, the keeping of commitments is so important to our practice that they should be kept even at the cost of our lives.

Source

1. http://www.dorjeshugdenhistory.org/
2. http://dorjeshugdentruth.wordpress.com/

This video shows various images of Buddha Dorje Shugden from around the world. In the background, a prayer to Dorje Shugden is recited. The extract of this prayer is below:

I make heartfelt prayers to the Holy Dharma Protector,
Buddha Dorje Shugden.
May you continuously bestow your compassionate
blessings upon all your faithful practitioners,
And cause the Holy Dharma to flourish throughout the world,
And through your skillful guidance and great wisdom,
May you continue to rain down an ocean
of favourable conditions,
So that all living beings become free from
the seven types of suffering.
May all living beings find everlasting peace and happiness…

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Part 3

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An incredible teaching by the late Geshe Tsultim Gyeltsen about renunciation and describes the six realms of existence that was given in 2008.

(17:35) “IF YOU GO FOR REFUGE IN THE DHARMA, YOU HAVE TO RESPECT EVERY SINGLE LETTER OF IT…”

Lama Jampa Ngodup Rinpoche speaks out against people who disparage the teachings and texts of the Gelug great masters like Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche and Dagom Rinpoche, especially texts related to the Dharmapala Dorje Shugden.

We cannot even disparage or put down even one letter of the Dharma, which is consistent with the Lamrim and our refuge vows. If we do, we would have broken our refuge vows. He mentions that if there is any dispute about what is correct conduct, always check back with the Buddhadharma.

A Dharma Protector is an emanation of a Buddha or a Bodhisattva whose main functions are to avert the inner and outer obstacles that prevent practitioners from achieving spiritual realizations, and to arrange all the necessary conditions for their practice.

In Tibet every monastery had its own Dharma Protector, but the tradition did not begin in Tibet; the Mahayanists of ancient India also relied upon Dharma Protectors to eliminate hindrances and to fulfil their spiritual wishes.

Though there are some worldly deities who are friendly towards Buddhism and who try to help practitioners, they are not real Dharma Protectors. Such worldly deities are able to increase the external wealth of practitioners and help them to succeed in their worldly activities, but they do not have the wisdom or the power to protect the development of Dharma within a practitioner’s mind.

It is this inner Dharma the experiences of great compassion, bodhichitta, the wisdom realizing emptiness, and so forth that is most important and that needs to be protected; outer conditions are of secondary importance.

Although their motivation is good, worldly deities lack wisdom and so sometimes the external help that they give actually interferes with the attainment of authentic Dharma realizations. If they have no Dharma realizations themselves, how can they be Dharma Protectors? It is clear therefore that all actual Dharma Protectors must be emanations of Buddhas or Bodhisattvas.

These Protectors have great power to protect Buddhadharma and its practitioners, but the extent to which we receive help from them depends upon our faith and conviction in them. To receive their full protection we must rely upon them with continuous, unwavering devotion.

Buddhas have manifested in the form of various Dharma Protectors, such as Mahakala, Kalarupa, Kalindewi, and Dorje Shugdän. From the time of Je Tsongkhapa until the first Panchen Lama, Losang Chökyi Gyaltsän, the principal Dharma Protector of Je Tsongkhapa’s lineage was Kalarupa. Later however it was felt by many high Lamas that Dorje Shugdän had become the principal Dharma Protector of this tradition.

There is no difference in the compassion, wisdom, or power of the various Dharma Protectors but, because of the karma of sentient beings, one particular Dharma Protector will have a greater opportunity to help Dharma practitioners at any one particular time. We can understand how this is so by considering the example of Buddha Shakyamuni.

Previously the beings of this world had the karma to see Buddha Shakyamuni’s Supreme Emanation Body and to receive teachings directly from him. These days, however, we do not have such karma, and so Buddha appears to us in the form of our Spiritual Guide and helps us by giving teachings and leading us on spiritual paths. Thus the form that Buddha’s help takes varies according to our changing karma, but its essential nature remains the same.

Among all the Dharma Protectors, four-faced Mahakala, Kalarupa, and Dorje Shugdän in particular have the same nature because they are all emanations of Manjushri. However, the beings of this present time have a stronger karmic link with Dorje Shugdän than with the other Dharma Protectors.

It was for this reason that Morchen Dorjechang Kunga Lhundrup, a very highly realized Master of the Sakya Tradition, told his disciples, `Now is the time to rely upon Dorje Shugdän.’ He said this on many occasions to encourage his disciples to develop faith in the practice of Dorje Shugdän.

We too should heed his advice and take it to heart. He did not say that this is the time to rely upon other Dharma Protectors, but clearly stated that now is the time to rely upon Dorje Shugdän. Many high Lamas of the Sakya tradition and many Sakya monasteries have relied sincerely upon Dorje Shugdän.

In recent years the person most responsible for propagating the practice of Dorje Shugdän was the late Trijang Dorjechang, the root Guru of many Gelugpa practitioners from humble novices to the highest Lamas. He encouraged all his disciples to rely upon Dorje Shugdän and gave Dorje Shugdän empowerments many times.

Even in his old age, so as to prevent the practice of Dorje Shugdän from degenerating, he wrote an extensive text entitled Symphony Delighting an Ocean of Conquerors, which is a commentary to Tagpo Kelsang Khädrub Rinpoche’s praise of Dorje Shugdän called Infinite Aeons.

Source : http://nepalartsgallery.blogspot.com/2007/02/tibetan-god-statue.html

The China sanctioned Panchen Lama pictured with Dorje Shugden as his backdrop is the direct result of H.H. the Dalai Lama’s ban and therefore fulfilling the prophecies that Dorje Shugden will become the overlord of all dharma protectors during this kaliyuga period. He will replace Nechung as the king of the emanated worldly protectors. While Nechung will ‘retire’ to a Buddha field due to his services. The Dalai Lama is creating the causes for all of this to manifest.

Relics Expo organizer “Gelugpa Buddhist Association Singapore” not recognized by HH Dalai Lama

Singapore — The office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama has expressed its concern about the so-named “The Buddha and His Principal Disciples’ Relics Grand Cultural World Exhibition”, from December 9 to 17, 2006 at the Singapore Expo, hosted by the “Gelugpa Buddhist Association Singapore”.

A statement from H.H.’s office also states that the organizing party of the expo – although branding itself as a Gelugpa centre, is not recognized as such by H.H. the Dalai Lama nor H.H. the Ganden Trisur Rinpoche (the Official Head Emeritus of the Gelugpa Tradition). Therefore, labelling itself as a “Gelugpa” centre is inaccurate and misleading.

The Dalai Lama’s office further clarifies that its position is clear and consistent with regard to the worship of “dolgyal-shugden” which it strongly considers as “worship of the unenlightened evil spirit”.

The statement further elaborates that students of the Dharma who continue to rely upon a worldly spirit such as dolgyal-shugden actually contradicts the Buddha’s own advice against taking refuge in samsaric spirits.

By participating in events related to the practice of this worldly spirit, one effectively “breaks” one’s Refuge Vows and will effectively become a Non-Buddhist, negating the source and root of all Dharmic practices, the statement continues.

In a separate announcement, the Charitable Assistance Society (CAS) of Thousand-Arm Chenrezig have, on behalf of the Tibetan Buddhist community in Singapore, urged all to adhere to the H.H. Dalai Lama’s office advisory.

The CAS statement further urged Tibetan Buddhist practitioners to ….inform all other unknowing Buddhists, that, according to the Buddha’s holy Teachings as preserved in every tradition and lineage as well as His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s advice, taking refuge in worldly-spirit, in this context, this programme’s uncompromising stand of practising and taking refuge in dolgyal-shugden, effectively contravenes one’s Refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.

The CAS also said the organizing party have failed to clarify or justify the authenticity of the source of their claimed “relics”, most of which were presented as plasticine-looking coloured balls. “The organization too claimed many of their “relics” as being originated from Lord Buddha’s blood, bones, saliva and other bodily parts,” the statement concluded.

The Dalai Lama is no Pope
by Visakha Kawasaki, Kandy, Sri Lanka, The Buddhist Channel, Dec 6, 2006

I write with regards to the article, “Dalai Lama’s office disapproves Singapore Expo on ‘Buddha Relics’”

Aside from the fact that the Dalai Lama seems to have some problems with discipline within his own sect, with the expo’s organizers claiming to be Gelugpa, it needs saying that the Dalai Lama is not in a position to declare that all Buddhists who revere relics of the Teacher or his chief Disciples are somehow worshipping “the unenlightened evil spirit!”

He is certainly mistaken too when he claims that by showing reverence for the relics of the Buddha and other Arhats, a Buddhist “effectively ‘breaks’ one’s Refuge Vows and will effectively become a Non-Buddhist, negating the source and root of all Dharmic practices.”

The Dalai Lama’s followers have been urged to ….inform all other unknowing Buddhists, that, according to the Buddha’s holy Teachings as preserved in every tradition and lineage as well as His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s advice, taking refuge in worldly (sic) -spirit, in this context, this programme’s uncompromising stand of practising and taking refuge in dulgyal-shugden, effectively contravenes one’s Refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.

Although the Dalai Lama may deserve respect as the head of his sect, he is not a Buddhist Pope, and might do well to educate himself about other Buddhist traditions, and avoid pronouncements of such a “catholic” nature.

Rare footage of the young HH Trijang Rinpoche in chuba at his centre in Vermont. Trijang Rinpoche has returned his monk’s vows to live as a layperson in order to avoid being embroiled in the Dorje Shugden controversy. May Trijang Rinpoche be able to show the world his true potential soon!