In his youth, he traveled to Tibet, enrolled into Tashi Lhumpo monastery and began his monastic curriculum. In 1660, The Great Fifth Dalai Lama bestowed the title ‘Jaya Pandita’ upon the young monk on the auspicious occasion of his ordination. He practiced Yamantaka, White Umbrella and Guhyasamaja as his yidams and delved into the studies of the great treatises while studying the medical treatises. He had some of the greatest Tibetan masters of his time as his spiritual mentors, including of course the most illustrious Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen.

He would later return to Mongolia and spend the rest of his life translating a great number of important Tibetan texts into Mongolian. Jaya Pandita himself was a great linguist and being exposed to the technical sophistication of the Tibetan written language inspired him to revise the Mongol alphabet. He made the Mongol written language phonetically more accurate and this would become the genesis of an independent literary tradition.

Due to political reasons, the written records of Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen was tempered or wiped out in Tibet. However, one of the few surviving documents that details the life and writings of Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen were preserved amongst the written works of Jaya Pandita. During Jaya Pandita’s lifetime, much of the profound teachings of the Gelug order were being transmitted into Mongolia. Hence, the story of Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen’s transformation into Dorje Shugden, the Protector of the Gaden tradition fired the popular imagination of the Mongol scholars.

Part of the collection of Jaya Pandita’s works includes the popular genre of biographies of Tulku Dragpa Gyeltsen and his previous incarnations. Thus, these biographies link Dorje Shugden closely to his illustrious previous lives. Also, these texts explored the most secret, mystical side of Tulku Dragpa Gyeltsen, revealing for example some of the visions that this teacher had even when he was still very young.

Later, Lobsang Tamdin analysed the meaning of a prophecy that Tulku Dragpa Gyeltsen had received from Panchen Lobsang Chokyi Gyeltsen – that as soon as Tulku Dragpa Gyeltsen passed away, the Chinese emperor came into the world. This became a clear indication that the Emperor Kang Xi of the Qing dynasty was none other than the incarnation of Tulku Dragpa Gyeltsen. He also became famously known as an emanation of Manjushri, with specifically close connections to Wu Tai Shan in China, the abode of Manjushri.

By these writings, the initial diffusion of Dorje Shugden’s practice in Mongolia is inextricably linked to the popularity of these texts. Unfortunately, this tradition of recognizing Dorje Shugden on the basis of his previous lives came to an end in the 19th century.

More unfortunately, many scholars today fail to reference these early sources in their contemporary discussions of Dorje Shugden, often leaning more towards the recent discussions of him as a spirit than relying on the texts of old which had earlier pointed clearly to his enlightened nature.

The legacy that Jaya Pandita left behind after his demise was not restricted to the literary tradition alone. In fact, he also founded an important monastery in Mongolia and four other monastic colleges.

At a young age, he was enrolled into the monastery and was ordained by one of the most influential Gelug masters of his time, Yongzin Yeshe Gyaltsen. It was then that he was given the name, Yeshe Zangpo. Therefore, he studied devotedly under Yongzin Yeshe Gyaltsen and his student Lama Yeshe Tenzin, accomplishing a sound understanding of the Sutras and Tantra, including the three highly revered practices of Guhyasamaja, Heruka and Yamantaka Tantras.

After his studies, Yeshe Zangpo went into a cave and entered into intense meditational retreats and austerities in the same manner as the great yogis and Mahasiddhas of old. However, he was called back to the monastery at the request of his Lama to serve as the Abbot of the monastery. During his tenure, he became famous for giving extensive annual teachings on the Lamrim.

Yeshe Zanpo also left a wealth of written works based upon his wisdom and practice. His collected works is divided into two volumes and is based upon traditional subjects like the Lamrim, Mind-Training and Mahamudra. He became one of the main lineage masters that upheld the torch of the Gelug tradition when many luminaries like Yongzin Yeshe Gyaltsen, Purchog Ngawang Jampa and Longdol Lama were passing away.

Of his many contributions to the cannon of texts in the Tibetan Buddhist traditions, one of his most important writings was a long ritual text written to the Protector Dorje Shugden. In this text, Yeshe Zangpo describes the mandala of Dorje Shugden and its inhabitants in graphic detail.

Then, he gives further clear and vivid descriptions of the environment from which the mandala arises. This is very important for the purposes of visualization for practitioners engaged in the practices. This text is especially significant for it offers evidence that significant texts to the Protector were being composed quite some time before Pabongka Rinpoche. It is evidence too that Pabongka’s writings drew from previous existing texts such as this one.

In the invocation portion of the fulfillment ritual text, Yeshe Zangpo mentions the various holy places from which Dorje Shugden is invoked. These places include Gandhav-yuha paradise, the pond from which the earthly remains of Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen is believed to have gathered, a Sakya Temple at Mug Chung, Ngor Monastery that has a Dorje Shugden shrine, the Gelug Riwo Choling Monastery in Yarlung that manages Trode Khangsar in Lhasa, ‘On Valley in Yarlung valley, a monastery near Gaden, the famous Trode Khangsar, which was founded by the Great Fifth Dalai Lama and the ruins of the hermitage of a Sakya Lama at Khau Drakdzong. This list reflects the holy pilgrimage sites that were popular in the 19^th century, many of which had shrines to Dorje Shugden.

In the colophon of this fulfillment text, Yeshe Zangpo wrote that he was requested to compose this text by the Abbot of Tashi Choling monastery in Lhodrag along with the monks of the monastery and various other practitioners of the protector. This means that Dorje Shugden practice had already become deeply entrenched in Southern Tibet and its peripheral regions. This text became widely distributed and found its way to Mongolia where it eventually entered into Lobsang Tamdin’s Bepum collection of Dorje Shugden texts. This is significant because that means that the text was already in wide circulation at that time.

When this text is examined, a new terminology, description of the mandala, epithets and longer Dorje Shugden mantra seemed to have been developed by Yeshe Zangpo. These elements seemed to have been incorporated into later fulfillment texts by Serkong Dorje Chang and Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche.

It seemed from the newer terminology and epithets used, Dorje Shugden had moved up in prominence within the lineage and practices. Serkong Dorje Chang and Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche would later use the titles and epithets developed by Yeshe Zangpo as they wrote about and promote the practice of Shugden. Examples include “Dharma Protector of the Conqueror Tsongkhapa”, “Lord of All Kings of the Powerful War Gods”, “Life Force Owner of All Beings of the Three Worlds” and “The Emanated Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden”.  

An important title, “Five Families of Dorje Shugden” – which is now very much used to describe the arrangement of the four emanations surrounding the principal – is also found throughout Yeshe Zangpo’s text. Later, highly attained Lamas like Rongchen Kirti Lobsang Trinley and Serkong Dorje Chang further endorsed these titles and references to Dorje Shugden when they used it in their own writings.

These use of such epithets revealed the great change that was happening at the time, where Dorje Shugden was beginning to figure more prominently as the main Dharma Protector of the Gelug sect. The very existence of this text shows that this change was taking effect during Yeshe Zangpo’s time – quite some time before Pabongka Rinpoche who people commonly (perhaps mistakenly) believe to be the starting point of the practice.

Certain scholars believed that Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche made up the titles and epithets used on Dorje Shugden. However, in studying the texts composed by Yeshe Zanpo, it becomes clearer that it was actually Yeshe Zangpo’s writings that ushered in a new era of Dorje Shugden as being the Protector of the Gaden tradition.

Later, through the guidance of his guru Tagphu Pemevajra, Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche further emphasized the importance of this newly elevated status of Dorje Shugden, giving it further prominence by writing a most central text, Melodious Drum Victorious in All Directions. The practice then spread like wildfire throughout Central Tibet, Amdo, Kham and Mongolia.

In his writings, Yeshe Zangpo also makes reference to a time when he was said to have witnessed Dorje Shugden taking possession of the oracle at Trode Khangsar. During the trance, he was told by Dorje Shugden to compile a torma offering ritual text in the same style as the wrathful enlightened Dharma Protector Kalarupa and a fulfillment text on the five emanations. It seemed that for Dorje Shugden to be elevated as the main Protector of Lama Tsongkhapa’s teachings, such a system of practice was essential.

However, this in no way means that the protectors of old – such as Kalarupa – were being replaced by Shugden. In fact, even Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche maintained Kalarupa propitiation even within the Vajrabhairava cycle of practice and Kalarupa remains a very important and central practice in Gelug institutions around the world.

Yeshe Zangpo’s writing and contributions towards elevating the role of Shugden in the Gelugpa school must be remembered for marking a turning point and important changes in the history of the lineage. They had set the groundwork, so to speak, setting forth practice texts and establishing powerful epithets that would begin to ground the people’s faith in this “newer” Protector. It was by these initial efforts of Lamas like Yeshe Zangpo that Pabongka was later able to easily introduce the practices and popularize it for modern day practitioners.

The Himalayan region is known for its deep spirituality and, aside from Tibet, is one of the most renowned Buddhist nations in the region is Bhutan. Bhutanese monks are predominantly of the Drukpa Kagyu lineage as the result of their founding lama Ngawang Namgyal acting on the advice of Mahakala, and fleeing Tibet following an unresolved dispute about the true candidate of his incarnation.

Ngawang Namgyal, also known as Shabdrung Rinpoche, settled in Western Bhutan and unified Bhutan as a nation state, fending off three attacks by the Tsang Empire in the process. Once the Tsang Empire had been defeated by the Mongols, and the Fifth Dalai Lama was installed to the throne in Tibet, Shabdrung Rinpoche continued to successfully defend Bhutan from the invading forces of Tibetans and Mongols.

Aside from his prowess as a secular leader, Shabdrung Rinpoche was also deeply devoted to the Dharma and under his patronage, many monasteries were established, such as Cheri Monastery. He also promoted non-sectarianism in his land, allowing monks of the ancient Nyingma sect to remain – to this day, Nyingmas comprise of 30% of Bhutanese monks.

During Shabdrun Rinpoche’s time, the Tibetan influence continued to expand over the Himalayan region and Bhutan was not spared. The Tibetan government established a list of approved incarnation lineages; one of those established for the Drukpa subsect of the Kagyu lineage was the Dreuley line of incarnations, present in both Tibet and Bhutan.

Drubwang Drukpa Kunley

The Dreuley line of incarnations began with Drubwang Drukpa Kunley, a mahasiddha and an accomplished poet from Dreuley Monastery. Known as The Divine Madman of the Dragon Lineage, Drubwang Drukpa Kunley was renowned for his crazy methods of enlightening other beings.

With mostly female disciples, he thus also earned the name The Saint of 5000 Women. He was known, for example for walking into prayer halls and emitting a beautiful smell as he walked by younger monks; then, as he walked towards the older monks, he would fart and emit a very bad smell of faeces. When the monks confronted him about this, he would tell them that the smell is a reflection of how well or badly the monks were holding their vows and morality.

He was also very famous for his teachings in desire, often using very unconventional ways to point out people’s attachments and desires to them. For example, he would lay down on a public street with his private parts exposed and his penis erect. Nuns would walk past him, showing at first how shocked they were. Then, they would walk closer to him to look at his private parts, point and talk.

When they asked him why he was doing this and causing so much trouble, he would merely tell them that he was not doing anything – it was them who were making it a big spectacle out of it. He would then give them profound teachings about desire.

Both of Drukpa Kunley’s succeeding reincarnations did not live particularly long lives. Whilst Drukpa Kunley entered clear light at the age of 74, his succeeding incarnation Drukpa Dragpa Gyeltsen was just 25 years old when he passed into clear light. The third incarnation of the Dreuley lineage lived for just 58 years.

Despite his short life however, it was this incarnation of the Dreuley lineage who began the lineage’s close connection with Dorje Shugden. Serkong Dorje Chang writes that one of the earliest and most significant Dorje Shugden rituals, Petition to Dorje Shugden Tsel: Granting all Desired Activities, is most likely co-composed by the third Dreuley incarnation, Drubwang Tenzin Zangpo and Morchen Kunga Lhundrub. So significant it was that Serkong Dorje Chang would also later incorporate this ritual into his own writings and it was included in the extensive catalogue of Shugden texts and lineages compiled by Lobsang Tamdin.

Significant to note is the prayers within this text allude to the enlightened nature of Dorje Shugden. He is described for example, as Lord of Death, an epiteth for Dorje Shugden – this is not to be read literally, but as a reference to a kind of omniscience that is able to distinguish right from wrong, a characteristic that is specific only to fully enlightened beings. He is also alluded to as Avalokiteshvara or as a “Dharma king”, and praised in connection with Tulku Dragpa Gyeltsen, known to be a most superior lama.

It is interesting to note how many of these Lamas of the past wrote so reverentially of Dorje Shugden, with clear allusions to his enlightened nature. This does not at all collude with the more recent claims that he is only a worldly and malevolent spirit, and that his practice was only made up by Pabongka Rinpoche later in the 19th century.

Such was the power and blessings of this text, that it was used in Trode Khangsar in Lhasa and Riwo Choling in Lhoka. Its practice also spread as far as Mongolia, via the Sangphu oracle who travelled there and, when invoked to take trance, gave this ritual to a monk.

Future incarnations of the Dreuley lineage would come to find themselves fostering diplomatic relations. After many years of separation between Bhutan and Tibet, it was not until the fourth incarnation of the Dreuley lineage that reconciliation took place. During the time of the first Phola prince Miwang Pholhane Sonam Tobgye, Drukpa Kagyu Sangha in Tibet and Bhutan were encouraged to foster relations with one another in the hopes that the effects of positive dialogue would soon filter into the political realm.

Lobsang Tamdin, a Mongolian scholar and master, was a lineage holder of many practices. He became especially known for collecting many important texts written by Mongolian and Tibetan masters throughout his life. He was also known for having composed rituals to Dorje Shudgen.

Lobsang Tamdin began his studies first in Gaden Monastery, Ulanbataar (Mongolia) where he mastered Sutra and Tantra. This was also where he received his ordination vows. While he was most famous for his academic contribution to Dharma and the many comprehensive texts he authored, Lobsang Tamdin is also remembered for certain miracles he performed in his lifetime, including the spontaneous manifestation of two stupas inscribed with mystical letters.

Most notably, Lobsang Tamdin is remembered for the many volumes he wrote. His work was compiled in to 12 volumes, many of which were important texts from other masters and historical accounts of the birth of various monasteries, Buddhism in India, Tibet and Mongolia, and rituals and prayers written to Dorje Shugden.

Among the many texts he authored, were:

1. Commentaries to Exalted Praise to Buddha Shakyamuni by Udbata Siddhasvamin.
2. Commentaries to Kaliyugaparikatha by Acharya Mati Chitra.
3. Writings on the Vinaya.
4. Je Tsongkhapa’s The Essence of the Vinaya Ocean.
5. Texts associated to Guru Yoga practices.
6. Puja texts for Medicine Buddha and Maitreya.
7. Texts on Kalachakra, Guyhasamaja and Heruka.
8. Dharmarakshita’s Wheel of Sharp Weapons and The Poison Destroying Peacock’s Mind.
9. Tulku Dragpa Gyeltsen’s biography and Dorje Shugden’s reincarnation lineage. In this account, Lobsang Tamdin stated that Tulku Dragpa Gyeltsen took rebirth as Kangxi Emperor of China who was widely believed to be the emanation of Red Manjushri.
10. The origins of the Western College of Khure Monastery founded by the 4th Jetsun Dhampa.
11. Various works related to Dorje Shugden, including a propitiation text and praise to Dorje Shugden.

On top of all that he personally authored, based upon the cannon of teachings and commentaries already existing at the time, Lobsang Tamdin made a remarkable contribution to the vast collection of Buddhist texts by documenting all the lineages of transmissions to practices which he received.

This is very important for it traced the ways in which practices had been passed down from one master to another, thus validating the authenticity of each practice and teaching. Validating the lineage of any practice is an especially important point in Buddhism so as to ensure that the practice received comes unbroken across the generations of teachers and can be traced back to its original, most authentic source.

One particularly noteworthy documentation was that of the Dorje Shugden bepum, for which Lobsang Tamdin located and noted the transmission for almost all texts within that collection. This document continued to be referred to and held in high esteem by many masters after him and has been a central reference text to all the most important Shugden texts.