A tenshug is a special ritual offered to high lamas to create the necessary merits and conditions for them to extend their lives. When a teacher is manifesting illness or uncertainty in living, students should arrange a tenshug offering done in all it’s completeness.

When the teacher lives long, the Buddha Dharma will grow and benefit many. The Buddha Dharma’s growth is dependent on teachers. The importance of the teacher cannot be overly stressed.

Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche is the current abbot of Serpom Monastery in Bylakuppe. He is a high incarnate Tulku. He is making his historic first visit to Shar Gaden Monastery in Mundgod. The occasion was to grant the novice ordination on Kyabje Domo Geshe Rinpoche who in this video is seven years old.

At the same time Shar Gaden Monastery took this precious opportunity to offer tenshug to both Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche and Kyabje Domo Geshe Rinpoche. These two incarnate tulkus are highly precious to the lineage of Lord Tsongkapa’s virtuous way the Gelugpas.

In this video, you may watch the actual tenshug ceremony led by the abbot of Shar Gaden Monastery Geshe Lobsang Pende who makes offerings on behalf of all sentient beings to Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche and Kyabje Domo Geshe to live a long and stable life turning the wheel of Dharma continuously.

Tenshugs generate powerful energy, merits and blessings that create causes for teachers to live. Not only live but turn the wheel of Dharma. The ceremony is beautiful as well as authentically traditional. May these great masters live 1,000 years and more.

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THIS IS A RARE AND UNSEEN BEFORE VIDEO

This video was taken sometime in 2008-2009, which showed monks in Gaden Shartse monastery in some kind of swearing ceremony, but this was no normal ceremony, it was a ceremony to swear against the pracrtice of Dorje Shugden.

The monks were first lectured by some lay Tibetan government-in-exile officials (how dare they) about the negativities of practising Dorje Shugden, and after that, the whole Sangha community, from young novice monks to old senior Geshes, one by one lined up at the front under the thangka of Setrap to read out loud the swearing statement from a board/paper, swearing against the practice Dorje Shugden, and right after every reading, there was an applause.

The monks were made to swear against Dorje Shugden in front of a huge Setrap thangka (time 06:56), which is ironical because Setrap is very close to Dorje Shugden and Setrap appears in Dorje Shugden’s mandala, so the person who made this arrangement was either subtly and wittily protesting against the whole thing, or was purely ignorant.

You can see in the video even some very senior monks were made to swear: a very old monk in walking stick (time 09:40), an old monk whose hands were shaking while reading the swearing statement (time 10:40), and another monk who was seemingly disgusted and didn’t bother to read out loud (time 11:04).

Which leader/government in the world would make their people/monks do this kind of act of swearing against the practice of a certain deity? This video is a clear evidence of the appalling things that the then Tibetan government-in-exile made its own people to do.

These were the darkest hours in the history of Gaden Shartse Monastery. This forced swearing in against one’s religious practice (Dorje Shugden) was carried out in all the Monasteries and all Tibetan settlements throughout India and Nepal. Monks who had practices Dorje Shugden for over 60 years were forced to swear against this practice given to them by their eminent teachers.

The swearing in against Shugden was witnessed by a lay ‘official’ representing Dalai Lama. If you did not swear, then you were excommunicated and not allowed to interact with those who have sworn in. Everyone i carefully watched and recorded and reported to Dalai Lama. Those who have sworn in may not interact with those who continue Dorje Shugden’s practice. Families, friends and teachers/disciples have been torn apart.

There are many cases where some monks did not swear in but their families did. Because of this they did not meet their families again. How can Dalai Lama and CTA ask all to swear in against Dorje Shugden’s practice. How can someone take away your religious freedom. Dalai Lama and CTA says you have the freedom to practice, but if you do you are excommunicated from the Monastery or community.

You cannot go to any stores owned by Tibetans, hospitals, community meetings, or any talks given by Dalai Lama. What kind of freedom is that? Even now, those who do not swear in are hounded or investigated by the CTA and Dalai Lama’s people to force you to swear or be excommunicated. For some this may be shocking, but do further investigations to see how true all of this is. The Tibet you see romanticized to the world and how it really is are different.

Below are some related postings made during those period.

As everyone may know, over 500 monks was forced to leave their beloved home GADEN SHARTSE MONASTERY in South India. HH Dalai Lama and Tibetan govt in exile forced all the Monasteries to swear an oath to abandon all practices of Dorje Shugden. If they do not, they must leave the monastery for good. So these 500 monks decided to remain true to their spiritual convictions and left Gaden Shartse Monastery in Mundgod South India.

Nearby, they re-established Shar Gaden Monastery as a place to have freedom of worship. Help, support, donations and care has been pouring in from all parts of the world. They have a grand prayer hall, monk quarters, pujas, active Geshe Study program. Many monks and Tulkus from other Monasteries who refuse to abandon Dorje Shugden has also joined Shar Gaden Monastery. Shar Gaden have been working very hard in preparing huge lineage lama statues for their prayer hall, cleaning, painting, extending buildings, etc.

The 450 monks of Dokhang Khangtsen has officially seperated from Gaden Shartse Monastery. Gaden Shartse had meetings and the property of the Shartse had to be divided. Dokhang Khangtsen was given their share of the collective monastic property. From Gaden Shartse Monastery, Dokhang khangtsen has received:

1. 400 crore Indian Lakhs (1 lakh is Indian rupees 100,000)( 1 crore is 1 lakh x 100)
2. 15 Female buffaloes that produce milk
3.  Shartse has a guest house in Delhi, that has been handed over to Dokhang.
4. Shartse has a newly built guest house in Gaden, that has been handed over.
5. Much ritual silverware and ritual objects of the monastery.
6. Hospital Car
7. Carpets and Many thangkas
8. One lorry and two tractors
9. 20 acres of agricultural land

They have remained where they are in the Monastery but seperated from the main Gaden Shartse Monastery completely. They have no involvement with any activities with eachother. They have kept their khangtsen prayer hall and monk rooms. With this, they have formed their own Monastery and now it is offically called: SHAR DOKHANG DRATSTANG.

The newly elected Abbot is: Geshe Lobsang Pende.

The incredible part is that The exile Govt of Tibet very much encouraged all monks and organizations to seperate from Dorje Shugden practitioners. They advised strongly not to share anything with Dorje Shugden practitioners. That any cost incurred in this THEY WILL HAPPILY COVER AND REIMBURSE. So far the expenses as mentioned in the 9 points mentioned above incurred by Gaden Shartse Monastery has not been reimbursed by the Tibetan Government. Gaden Shartse has to bear the ‘lossess.’ Tibetan Government is absolutely silent on this issue of reimbursement. They talk alot and demand, but when it comes to footing the bills, they are silent.

Dokhang Khangtsen has been an inalienable part of Gaden Shartse Monastery for the past 600 years. Dokhang has produced so many great Masters of the highest calibre. Now because they wish to continue worshipping Gyelchen Dorje Shugden, the Tibetan Govt insists that ANY MONKS WORSHIPPING DORE SHUGDEN may not remain in the monastery. The Tibetan Govt has put incredible unfair pressure on the abbot of Gaden shartse during this period. This policy will return to ‘haunt’ the Tibetan Govt in exile. Dokhang Khangtsen in Shartse is not fully gone, as around 30 monks stayed and did not move with their compatriots to Shar Dhokhang Dratsang.

Shar Dokhang Dratsang has had no conflicts with Gaden Shartse Monastery. Such a seperation/division within the sangha is unheard of . The Tibetan Govt is responsible for such an heinous act. The monks of Dokhang khangtsen has never had anything ill against HH the Dalai Lama, or were ever unpatriotic. Their worship of Gyelchen Dorje Shugden was granted to them by HH Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche. Their district in Tibet (Chatreng) where many of the monks from Dokhang hail from have kept Dorje Shugden as their heart protector for hundreds of years now and many generations. Their forefathers have worshipped Dorje Shugden for so many generations. Each home in Chatreng will have a shrine to Dorje Shugden.

Because they wish to adhere to the religious commitments of their guru (Kyabje Trijang Dorje Chang) by worshipping Dorje Shugden, they are not allowed to remain in Gaden Shartse Monastery. That is their so called ‘crime.’ Much pain, anguish and loss has been inflicted upon both the monks remaining in Gaden Shartse and those who have left to Shar Dokhang Dratsang. May their practice, study, lineage, traditions prevail. Their courage, adherence to their guru samaya, and steadfast faith opens a new door for all Dorje Shugden practitoners. A VERY POWERFUL EXAMPLE TO FOLLOW. TO REMAIN TRUE TO YOUR COMMITMENTS AND WORDS OF HONOUR TAKEN BEFORE ONE’S VAJRADHARA LIKE GURUS.

Dokhang khangtsen are in need of financial aid to provide food/tea to the monks on a daily basis. It would be good to contact them to help.

Website of Shar Gaden Monastery: http://www.shargadenpa.org

On 23rd, September 2011, Venerable Abbot Jetsun Lobsang Phende conferred the Manjushri Jenang, also known as the Permitting Empowerment, to the Shar Gaden students at the request of the teachers’ association.

The spiritual event was conducted for the students to improve their learning skills in their daily educational activities. Manjushri is also known as the Buddha of Wisdom and his practice is supreme for learning.

This beautiful historical video showcases what the life of monks was like during the early days in Gaden Shartse Monastery, circa 1985. The video features Khensur Jampa Yeshe Rinpoche, as well as footage of monks studying and senior monks making tormas in Zong Labrang.

It was from Gaden Shartse that Shar Gaden Monastery later arose on 23rd, February 2008, primarily from the members of Dokhang Khamtsen. Shar Gaden continues to grow day by day under the leadership of the Abbot Ven. Geshe Lobsang Phende, and with more than 750 monks living in-house, working, studying and upholding the lineage of Dorje Shugden.