More than three months have passed since the catastrophic earthquake hit Nepal, killing more than 9,000 people, and causing tremendous suffering and pain. While the international community galvanized help and support within hours of the first earthquake, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), who claims to have lofty ideals of governing 6 million Tibetans, did next to nothing for their own in Nepal at such dire time.

The CTA offered words of sympathy and a paltry sum of 20 lakh (approx. USD 32,000), a clear indication of their capabilities as a ‘government’. At the same time, many other more sincere and caring Tibetan individuals and private groups took matters into their own hands to extend help and support to the victims of Nepal’s worst earthquake in history.

As one of the poorest countries in the world, it comes as no surprise that many Nepalese have lost their homes, which were poorly constructed without any proper architectural or engineering advice. With so many people suffering, the Lama Gangchen Help in Action, a charitable organization founded by H.E. Lama Gangchen Rinpoche, sprung into action, collecting relief funds and dispatching much-needed help.

By May 2015, Lama Gangchen Help in Action raised a total of 93,000 euros (approximately USD 101,000) as relief funds for Nepal

The financial aid collected was properly disbursed to provide food and clean water for the victims, as well as tents and zinc sheets to create temporary shelters. Many people from the rural areas of Nepal suffered greatly and it was difficult for relief supplies to be transported to these remote places due to poor road and travel conditions. However, Lama Gangchen Help in Action along with the monks and administrators of Serpom Monastery braved the difficult journey to ensure that relief supplies reached these victims.

These compassionate monks did not stop at just providing supplies, but understanding the importance of education for the younger generation of Nepalese, they also built temporary classrooms and even provided books and stationery so that the children could continue their studies.

We at DorjeShugden.com would like to thank H.E. Lama Gangchen Rinpoche for His ever compassionate foresight, actions and deeds that heal the world both physically and spiritually. We are glad to share this news with the world and we rejoice at the charitable works done by so many Dorje Shugden practitioners during this critical moment for Nepal.

May the sufferings of the people of Nepal come to an end, and may their country heal swiftly.

[Note: For more news, updates and information about Lama Gangchen Help In Action, visit https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lama-Gangchen-Help-in-Action/138101242923797?fref=ts]

Help Lama Gangchen Help in Action Non-Profit Organization by donating, or sharing with others about their good work.

Donations can be made at this website: http://www.helpinaction.net/en/emergency-fund-for-the-earthquake-in-nepal%E2%80%A8/ (credit card and PayPal accepted). Please spread the news!

Pictures of Lama Gangchen Help in Action and Serpom Monastery Aiding the Nepal Earthquake Victims

Many building structures suffered great damage

Getting to the remote areas of Nepal to send supplies was no easy task as most of the already bad infrastructure was made worst after the earthquake. Finding rocks to temporarily patch up the road for the lorry or jeep to drive pass occurs on almost every road these monks have to travel.

Arriving to the remote villages with relief items.

Handing out supplies to the earthquake victims.

Kind and compassionate monks make the long and risky journey to the outskirts of Nepal even when aftershocks of the earthquake was still felt in the country.

Receiving zinc sheets to make temporary shelters.

Many victims of Nepal’s earthquake receive help from Lama Gangchen Help in Action and Serpom Monastery

Monks from Serpom Monastery travelled to Nepal to lend a helping hand

Temporary classrooms were constructed for the children to continue their studies

Young children receiving books and stationary to continue their studies.

Food supplies for the rural areas

Much needed zinc sheets are donated to the victims. Most will have to live in makeshift shelters as their homes have either collapsed or are unsafe.

Venerable Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende, the Abbot Emeritus of Shar Ganden Monastery

Outwardly the Dharma Protector King, Dorje Shugden, displays a very wrathful disposition and yet, Geshe Rabten once remarked that,

…if one were sincere about the Dharma, then this emanation of Manjushri, and the most powerful of all Dharma Protectors would even give you his heart.

To give another your heart is a language of transcendent love and it is not the image one immediately associates with a wrathful and fierce looking protector. But at the very heart of Dorje Shugden’s being is a deep love for all sentient beings and a profound wish for all to be liberated from their sufferings through the study, understanding and application of the Dharma. In fact, this is why Dorje Shugden decided to emanate in a worldly form.

Dorje Shugden’s affection is unmistakably apparent towards those who hold true to their oath made to their gurus and whose lives epitomize the Dharma even under tremendously difficult circumstances. Honoring one’s word and the keeping of one’s promises, especially those made to the Guru – also known as Guru Devotion – is after all central to the practice and development of good qualities.

It is important to keep promises to one’s Guru because it is by adhering strictly to the Guru’s instructions that the pure teachings can bear fruit in the practitioner, and it is by the same that the precious teachings can be preserved and passed on. Ultimately, Guru devotion is the key to attaining the highest levels in practice.

As the Mahasiddha Tilopa said to his disciple, Naropa (who was one of the previous lives of Dorje Shugden) in the Twenty Eight Verses, the great results, blessings and inspiration a disciple gets from having fervent respect for his guru is due to the guru’s high attainments and qualities. And so, have great respect for the guru.

The great Jetsun Milarepa also voiced similar opinions about the importance of the Guru:

Your guru who produces merit, the embodiment of all the Buddhas, is the Dharmakaya in itself.

And in the Foundation Of All Good Qualities, Je Tsongkapa also taught in no uncertain terms, that the foundation of all good qualities is the kind and venerable Guru, and that the correct devotion to the Guru is the root of the path.

Keeping one’s promises to the Guru is synonymous with keeping one’s practice on the right track and in a degenerate age, uncompromising devotion to the Guru is crucial to ensure that the lineage teachings remain free of corruption as it is practiced and passed on. Therefore it should come as no surprise that Dorje Shugden should show deep affection towards all who regard the promises made to the Guru as sacred, never to be compromised. It is an indication that one holds the Guru, who is the embodiment of the Three Jewels, in higher regard than oneself.

One monk who exemplifies this perfectly is the Abbot Emeritus of Shar Ganden, the Ven. Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende. In the face of incredible hardships experienced by all Shugden monks and laity as a result of the ban on Dorje Shugden’s practice, Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende stands out as the quintessence of all that Dorje Shugden requires of a good practitioner. At a time when the pure Dharma that Dorje Shugden protects was coming under threat, the singularity of focus of Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende’s devotion to his Gurus translated into actions and sacrifices which ultimately provided a shield for the practice and practitioners alike to survive.

Therefore it was only to be expected that during the opening of Shar Ganden Monastery in 2008, the oracle of Dorje Shugden was seen holding Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende (then Khen Rinpoche) warmly. This was a remarkable gesture because the Protector does not show such affection readily, and usually only when he is very pleased with the practitioner for upholding the lineage tradition without compromise. In fact, Dorje Shugden has shown outright displeasure in cases where an individual has not followed the lineage practice loyally. One such situation was observed when a certain lama who had not followed Dorje Shugden’s advice sought an audience with the Protector via an oracle. Dorje Shugden even refused the offering of tea that is immediately presented to the Protector once the oracle takes trance of the deity, and left without saying anything.

The opening of Shar Ganden was not an isolated occasion of Dorje Shugden showing how happy he was with Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende. When Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende attended the opening of Serpom Monastery as a guest, the Protector was again seen holding Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende’s shoulders gently and shaking him heartily as a father who is proud and pleased with this child would.

Dorje Shugden rejoices with dance during the Shar Ganden Monastery opening, as he holds on to Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende whose head remains bowed in humility.

Dorje Shugden displays tremendous closeness with Kensur Lobsang Phende again during the opening of Serpom Monastery.

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The relationship between Dorje Shugden and Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende began even before Shar Ganden Monastery existed, at a time when the founding monks were still residents of Dokhang Khangtsen, an integral part of Ganden Shartse Monastery. Prior to the Shugden ban, the oracle would frequently take trance of Dorje Shugden in Ganden Shartse’s Protector House (Tenkhang), and it was Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende who would take notes and interpret the message of the Protector who spoke in a language that only those initiatied would know. However, the Protector’s bond with Kensur Rinpoche became an open display of divine intimacy after the Dorje Shugden ban, when it became clear that Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende held his devotion to his Gurus as a gem more precious than his regard for his own well-being.

Before holding the seat as the Abbot of Shar Ganden Monastery, Geshe Lobsang Phende, as he was known then, was an ordinary monk albeit one recognized as an accomplished scholar who rose to the rank of Chant Master of the prestigious Ganden Shartse Monastery. Still, it was not the Geshe’s achievements nor his many skills that endeared him to Dorje Shugden, but his unshakeable piety towards his Gurus, Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, Kyabje Zemey Rinpoche and Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, and his immovable faith in the lineage of Lama Tsongkapa that earned him the love of the Protector.

Dorje Shugden has in the past shown significant respect for other high lamas as well, such as H.E. Gangchen Rinpoche, but in Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende’s case, he earned the love of the Protector as an ordinary monk without any high honorifics but as one who is totally committed to the untainted practice of Guru Yoga, Lamrim, Vedic philosophy, Moral Discipline, the Vinaya and the Pratimoksha, all of which are perfectly encapsulated when one practices pure Guru devotion.

When the Dorje Shugden ban was illegally imposed in 2008, Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende was holding a position of high regard in Ganden Shartse Monastery and yet he, together with most of Dokhang Khangtsen (except for 30 monks) agreed to split away from their mother monastery. This drastic move came about simply because they wished to keep their promise to their Gurus and continue in their commitments to Dorje Shugden above anything else.

Overnight, although Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende has always maintained his veneration of the Dalai Lama, he became seen as the embodiment of anti-Dalai Lama sentiments. And by holding the seat as the Abbot of Shar Ganden, many in the monastic and lay community viewed him with considerable hostility and took him to be an enemy. Like many monks and lay practitioners, it would have caused Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende much grief to be estranged from the Dalai Lama and it would have been a much easier path to renounce the Protector and keep favor with the Tibetan establishment. But it is not by taking the easier path that one realizes the practice of high Dharma. The chronicles of all the greatest of Mahasiddhas can testify to that.

This humble monk of considerable erudition was willing to give up everything except for his commitments and undertakings of honor made before his Gurus. This made it even more difficult for the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and the anti-Shugden camp to justify the ban. Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende became a target for persecutions and yet he would not allow anything to become an obstacle for him to preserve the true Gelugpa lineage as had been handed down to him by his Gurus, and that the future lineage holders would inherit.

Still, as a Shugden practitioner and doubly so as the Abbot of Shar Ganden, an institution that became the symbol of defiance to the Dalai Lama and CTA, Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende endured significant difficulties and hardships both physically and psychologically. Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende was shunned by many people who were previously friends and brothers in Dharma, and risked physical injury as many Shugden practitioners received death threats and faced condemnation from both the monastic community and the Tibetan people in general. And at the same time, he had to be a source of strength and motivation for his monks and other Dorje Shugden practitioners.

If the entire Tibetan community and the CTA were against Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende, then his honest devotion to his Gurus and Protector secured him the affection and support of the Buddha, Dorje Shugden. During the opening ceremony of Shar Ganden Monastery, Dorje Shugden via the oracle pledged his support with the following message that was read out to Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende and the entire community of Shar Ganden Monastery:

“Hri! The Iksvaku, Saviors Nagajurna and Asanga, Dvipamkara – Lobsang Drakpa, their emanation: to rekindle the essence of his teachings from the base, there is now Ganden of Shar. If this is proper and purposeful, from the Vinayadhara to new ones, the seniors’ guidance and the juniors’ compliance of Pratimoksha precepts – the basis for training: this foundation must be there. The five great systems, the two stages of generation and completion – salient instructions in this is a lamp flickering in the wind. Listen, contemplate and practice in these domains, with steadfastness, fully and without delaying. If that happens, I shall be pleased to extend help, as vowed to Manjunath and in accordance with it”.

And with the reading of that message, Dorje Shugden clasped his hands together twice (indicating that he was pleased that Shar Ganden, under the guidance of Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende, had arisen to continue the pure tradition of Manjunatha Je Tsongkhapa) and knocked on his breastplate, indicating that he, Dorje Shugden, will pledge his assistance.

Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende and Shar Ganden Monastery thus became a symbol of living hope – a flickering lamp that refused to be snuffed out by the winds of deceit and disloyalty, a sanctuary for those seeking to practice the pure lineage of Je Tsongkapa. At a time when the Protector practice was under siege, Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende and Shar Ganden became torch bearers, holding the fort until the young incarnations of the lineage Gurus such as Trijang Choktrul Rinpoche came of age.

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The initial years of Shar Ganden were extremely tough although the situation is only slightly better today. When Dokhang Khangtsen split away from Ganden Shartse to become its own monastery, they had very little resources and assistance. It was difficult to raise sponsorship and secure support as the ban literally made Shugden practitioners the enemies of the Tibetan people. Even those who may not have believed in the accusations against the Protector were wary of being associated with the new monastery. To even be friendly to Shugden practitioners was (and still is) seen as a crime.

And yet, since its formation in 2008, Shar Ganden has grown and the number of monks within its walls today exceed 800, which is almost twice the number of monks when Shar Ganden started. Against the most difficult odds, social pressure and institutionalized persecutions, Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende successfully provided a viable alternative monastic university to the established ones that Shugden monks were no longer welcome in. This speaks volumes of the Abbot and further explains Dorje Shugden’s affection towards him.

Going by Dorje Shugden’s message during the opening of Shar Ganden, one can surmise that Shar Ganden has kept itself true to the monastic codes established by Je Tsongkapa himself, for Dorje Shugden’s promise to help was premised on the monastery doing what is “proper and purposeful” by the Dharma.

If Dorje Shugden was firm in his resolve to protect Tsongkapa’s teachings, then Shar Ganden arose because Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende too was steadfast in his promise to his Gurus to safeguard the lineage teachings from corruption. At a critical time, an ancient tradition long held by Manjushri’s line of incarnations found a stalwart in Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende, whose virtues made the difference in the survival of the lineage, for it was through his attainments that the powerful assistance of Dorje Shugden was unlocked.

For practitioners such as Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende, Dorje Shugden keeps a special place in his heart. As Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche wrote in his prayer to Dorje Shugden, the Nyirtoe, the relationship between the Protector and one who abides by his commitments to the Guru, who is in fact the Buddha Vajradhara, is beyond that of a Protector and a disciple. It is much closer:

…Affectionate when cultivated,
You treat the commitment-abiding like a son (or daughter)…

A great start to kick off the new year: Our fellow Shugdenpas in the East were fortunate to receive initiations and teachings from one of the greatest Lamas of our time, His Eminence Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche, who spent the best part of January 2015 in Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Yongyal Rinpoche’s dharma mastery and attainments are well documented in his biography, proof of his pure dedication towards the Dharma since he was enthroned at the age of 6. A student of many illustrious masters including H.H. Kyabje Trijang Dorje Chang, Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche is the Abbot of Serpom Monastery in India and the founder of the Lamrim International Dharma Centre in Los Angeles.

Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche willingly took on the responsibilities and challenges of guiding the monks of Sera Mey’s Pomra Khamtsen when they had no choice but to leave Sera Mey Monastery and form Serpom Monastery, in order to keep their commitments and practice of Dorje Shugden. It is a reflection of Yongyal Rinpoche’s sincerity, devotion and limitless compassion that he tirelessly shouldered the burden of ensuring all 600 monks of Serpom Monastery were adequately provided for, both in terms of their basic needs as well as their spiritual education, in addition to guiding his own Dharma centre in Los Angeles.

This precious erudite son of the Gelug lineage has traveled widely, like his predecessors, to spread the Buddhadharma and Lama Tsongkapa’s tradition far and wide. In January 2015 alone, Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche gave the initiations and commentaries of Yamantaka, Guhyasamaja and Vajrayogini to lay and ordained practitioners at Thoesam Norling Buddhist Centre in Taipei, Taiwan, followed by a Medicine Buddha initiation in Taipei’s Tsongkapa Centre.

A few weeks later while in Hong Kong, Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche then gave teachings on the ten preliminaries and the initiation and commentary of Cittamani Tara.

Like all illustrious reincarnations, Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche is spearheading the growth of the Buddhadharma and bringing it to greater heights. With his tireless dedication to preserve the lineage and benefit all sentient beings, it is no wonder that Yongyal Rinpoche is highly revered in the Buddhist world, and to receive initiations or teachings from such a compassionate lama is truly a precious encounter.

Below are some wonderful pictures of Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche’s enlightened activities. We extend our gratitude to all our contributors for sending in pictures and news – may we bring the activities of great Lamas such as Yongyal Rinpoche to many others throughout the world.

Admin

TAIWAN: Three Days of Initiations in Thoesam Norling Buddhist Centre, Taipei

On 4 January 2015, Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche gave the initiations and commentaries of Yamantaka, Guhyasamaja and Vajrayogini to ordained and lay practitioners in Thoesam Norling Buddhist Centre in Taipei, Taiwan. It was a joyous three day event and an auspicious way to start the new year.

Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche and his students liberating animals before starting the pujas and initiations

Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche (centre), Achok Rinpoche (left) and Sharpei Rinpoche (right)

A group photo with Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche’s Taiwanese students

Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche and his loyal and dedicated assistant, Achok Rinpoche

Abundant offerings set up for the initiations

Offering body, speech and mind to Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche

Many Taiwanese students flocked to the centre to receive initiations from Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche

From left to right: Ven Achok Rinpoche, Ven. Serkong Tritul Rinpoche, Ven. Dromtug Rinpoche

TAIWAN: Medicine Buddha Initiation in Tsongkapa Centre

On 10 January 2015, Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche also gave a Medicine Buddha initiation in Taipei’s Tsongkapa Centre, a much needed practice in today’s world which is divided by war, suffering and abuse.

Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche arrives in Taipei’s Tsongkhapa Centre

Warmly welcomed by the members of the centre

Wearing a traditional lama’s coat

The Ven. Panglung Kuten makes offerings of body, speech and mind to Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche

Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche remained in Taiwan for many days giving teachings and initiations to the sangha and laity present

Dorje Shugden lamas continue to teach and uphold the pure lineage of Je Tsongkapa, regardless of the obstacles presented by the ban

HONG KONG: The Ten Preliminaries and Cittamani Tara Initiation

On 25 January 2015, Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche gave teachings on the ten preliminaries and the initiation and commentary of Cittamani Tara. Yongyal Rinpoche also gave regular teachings while staying in Ven. Geshe Tenzin Palchok’s dharma centre in Hong Kong.

Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche gave teachings on the ten preliminaries and Cittamani Tara initiation

Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche (left) and Ven. Geshe Tenzin Palchok (far right)

Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche also gave private teachings to a small group of students at Ven. Geshe Tenzin Palchok’s dharma center

Ven. Achok Rinpoche (right) arrived in Hong Kong from India, after giving a set of initiations and teachings to the monks and lay people in Serpom Monastery.

22 January 2015 was a landmark day for all Dorje Shugden practitioners around the world. For the first time in history, learned monks from Shar Ganden Monastery and Serpom Monastery were presented with their Geshe Lharampa certificates from the Gelugpa Buddhist University.

This Geshe Lharampa ceremony, which took place in Serpom Monastery, is significant because it’s the first of its kind for Dorje Shugden practitioners ever since the monasteries of Shar Ganden and Serpom separated from Ganden Shartse and Sera Mey respectively, due to the ban on Dorje Shugden’s practice.

Ever since the Dorje Shugden ban was enforced in 2008, Shugden monks were unable to receive the Geshe Lharampa degree (the equivalent of a PhD. in Buddhist philosophy) regardless of how qualified they might be, just because the existing Gelugpa University refused to issue such a degree to Shugden monks solely due to their religious beliefs.

Fortunately, through the compassion, effort and diligence of dedicated high lamas and monks from the Dorje Shugden tradition, this void has since been filled with the founding of the Gelugpa Buddhist University in Mysore, India. And it is the Gelugpa Buddhist University who, understanding the importance of producing esteemed teachers for the growth and continuation of the pure lineage of Lama Tsongkapa’s tradition, issued certificates for all qualified Geshe Lharampas of Serpom and Shar Ganden Monasteries.

The certificate-presentation ceremony was presided over by none other than H.E. Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende, the Abbot Emeritus of Shar Ganden Monastery, and H.E. Achok Rinpoche, close student and trusted assistant of Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche, the Abbot of Serpom Monastery.

As the proceedings unfolded, the relief and joy of the monks was almost palpable as many Geshes have waited more than 5 years for this special day. All stalwart Dorje Shugden practitioners should rejoice at this wonderful news and extend deep appreciation to all who made this event possible.

May many more great geshes and scholars continue arising from the Dorje Shugden strongholds of Shar Ganden and Serpom, a testament to their great faith and dedication in preserving the precious lineage of Je Rinpoche. And may a tantric university for Dorje Shugden practitioners arise very soon, so that those denied entry into Gyuto and Gyumed Tantric Universities may have a place to further their studies of Buddhist tantra.

The new Geshe Lharampa certificate for Dorje Shugden practitioners received after 4 years of intensive studies

Certificate for Dorje Shugden practitioners after 2 years of studies

H.E. Gyara Rinpoche receives his Geshe Lharampa certificate from Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende

Shar Ganden chantmaster, Geshe Lobsang Jinpa, receives his certificate

On 17 January 2015, Serpom Monastery was scheduled to host a series of initiations for both monks and lay devotees. The initiations were originally planned to be conducted by Serpom Monastery’s Abbot, Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche, who would be travelling to India from USA via Taiwan for the teachings.

Unfortunately, following the recent turn of events on 15 January 2015, when Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche was denied entry into India despite being in possession of a valid 10-year visa, the administrators of Serpom Monastery, who had been preparing months ahead for the event were left in a tight spot, and the hundreds of devotees that had flown to India specifically to receive the teachings were deeply disappointed.

However, Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche’s unsurpassed compassion and wisdom in disseminating the Dharma for many years ensured that the initiations continued as planned, through his close student and trusted assistant, H.E. Achok Rinpoche. Achok Rinpoche, despite his youth, is an extremely qualified Lama who has received a multitude of teachings, initiations and empowerments from many eminent masters.

With the blessings of the lineage masters, Achok Rinpoche sat confidently but humbly on the throne in Serpom Monastery, and conferred the Yamantaka empowerment and commentary from 17-18 January 2015, which he had received from Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche and Geshe Yeshe Wangchuk. This was followed by White Manjushri and Medicine Buddha initiations on 19 January 2015. Achok Rinpoche also took the opportunity to visit Serpom School and Serpom Library, two important departments of the monastery.

We at DorjeShugden.com pray that all obstacles to the growth of our lineage will be pacified, and for unjust circumstances, such as the denial of entry and deportation of Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche from India, to cease. We appeal to all Shugden practitioners to lend your strength to lift the ban on Dorje Shugden’s practice.

A nice group photo of H.E. Achok Rinpoche and the new initiates

Photos: Achok Rinpoche arrives in Serpom Monastery

A grand welcome greeted the arrival of H.E. Achok Rinpoche in Serpom Monastery.

H.E. Achok Rinpoche arrives in Serpom Monastery

Many monks and lay people waited in anticipation to greet H.E. Achok Rinpoche

Photos: The Initiations

H.E. Achok Rinpoche gave three days of initiations and empowerments in Serpom Monastery’s prayer hall.

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Photos: Visiting Serpom school and Library

On 20 January 2015, H.E. Achok Rinpoche and Geshe Tenzin Palchok visited Serpom school and library, two important departments within Serpom Monastery.

H.E. Achok Rinpoche is greeted by monks and lay devotees

The heat is on. While the International Shugden Community’s ongoing protests for the Dalai Lama to lift the Dorje Shugden ban is getting the most attention from the media, public, the Tibetan administration and certainly the Dalai Lama himself, there are four other powerful, unstoppable rivers that are flowing into the walls of the ban, slowly but surely bringing it down.

#1: Trijang Rinpoche and Up-and-Coming Young Lamas

Firstly, there is Trijang Rinpoche and capable young lamas like him, for example Domo Geshe Rinpoche, Geshe Tendar and Denma Gonsar Rinpoche) who are growing up, maturing, teaching, and deservedly gaining full respect for their teachings and achievements, past and present.

Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche (left) and Rabgya Rinpoche. The future of Dorje Shugden’s lineage rests in the hands of these great masters.

Trijang Rinpoche, who is now thirty-one going on thirty-two, is one of the biggest names in Tibetan Buddhism, equal to the Karmapa, and was teacher to numerous illustrious lamas including the Dalai Lama in his previous life. His incarnation has reached maturity, and is a powerful force for the growth of Dharma.

Trijang Rinpoche is now teaching, travelling, doing dharma work and does not oblige the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) in any way. They have tried to bribe him, tried to offer him prestigious positions, tried to lure him back into their fold. When that didn’t work they threatened him, tried to kill him, they beat up his assistants and his Ladrang people, but Trijang Rinpoche will not budge and he is very firm on his Dorje Shugden practice.

There is no doubt that that this is the genuine Trijang Rinpoche because of his achievements, and because this Trijang Rinpoche was recognized (finally) by none other than the Dalai Lama himself as well as Dorje Shugden. Indeed, Trijang Rinpoche’s increasing power and stature will be one of the main causes to bring the Dorje Shugden ban down.

Remember that it was the Dalai Lama who made an exception and allowed Trijang Rinpoche to practice Dorje Shugden. Yet, the irony is that Trijang Rinpoche, whose previous life was the Dalai Lama’s Guru, is not allowed to attend the Dalai Lama’s teachings on account of his Shugden practice. If Dorje Shugden is so bad, why didn’t Trijang Rinpoche go to the three lower realms? Why is Trijang Rinpoche doing so well?

This year, Trijang Rinpoche is travelling to Australia, New Zealand and Mongolia, and will be going to Indiana soon to officiate the opening of the American oracle’s new center. Trijang Rinpoche’s activities aren’t getting smaller; they are getting bigger and bigger. And he will be a huge thorn in the CTA’s side.

#2: Established Dorje Shugden Lamas and Monasteries

The second cause to bring down the ban is the likes of established high lamas such as Lama Jampa Ngodup and Lama Thubten Phurpu in Tibet, Gangchen Rinpoche and Gonsar Rinpoche in Europe, and many other lamas who are teaching the Dharma and spreading the lineage of Dorje Shugden tirelessly.

Two great Dorje Shugden Lamas of today; Lama Jampa Ngodup (right) escorting Gangchen Rinpoche (middle)

Indeed, such is the popularity of Lama Jampa Ngodup and Lama Thubten Phurpu that both have been sponsored by the Chinese government to go abroad to teach. Each year the Chinese government sends a Dorje Shugden lama abroad – last year it was Lama Jampa Ngodup and this year it is Lama Thubten Phurpu.

Both these illustrious lamas command thousands of people at their teachings and are making Dorje Shugden’s practice grow tremendously. A look through photos and videos of Lama Jampa Ngodup and Lama Thubten Phurpu in Tibet will reveal how their teachings are attended by thousands of people, members of the sangha as well as lay students.

Both lamas are also very outspoken about Dorje Shugden. Not only does Lama Jampa Ngodup speak freely about Dorje Shugden, he criticises the CTA very openly too during his teachings and thousands listen and follow his lead.

One does not hear of lamas of other lineages who can command such massive crowds in Tibet, except for the great Gelugpa lamas. Furthermore, Tibet is full of Dorje Shugden monasteries, strongholds of Dorje Shugden’s lineage including Chatreng Sampheling Monastery, Denma Gonsar Rinpoche’s monastery in Kham, Lama Jampa Ngodup’s monastery and Lithang Monastery, just to name a few. Dorje Shugden’s practice is definitely growing in Tibet.

Thus, the many Dorje Shugden lamas in Tibet combined with the many Dorje Shugden monasteries which number tens of thousands of monks is another thorn in the CTA’s side. These are the teachers of today, the teachers of tomorrow, and they’re growing and getting bigger by the day.

#3: Shar Gaden and Serpom Monasteries

The third cause against the Dorje Shugden ban is the existence of Shar Gaden and Serpom monasteries, established for the sole purpose of preserving and upholding Dorje Shugden’s lineage and practices. Both monasteries are open and thriving, and their activities encompass the full range of monastic programs including Geshe degrees, initiations and oral transmissions, international tours, Buddhist festivals and celebrations.

Serpom Monastery

Shar Gaden Monastery

These two eminent monasteries are and will continue to be an educational base for high Lamas such as Domo Geshe Rinpoche and other future lamas to come. They are learning centers, hubs from which Dorje Shugden’s lineage is practiced and transmitted, and where Guru Devotion is strong and powerful.

With approximately 600 monks in Serpom Monastery, 800 monks in Shar Gaden Monastery and with these numbers increasing over the years, the very existence of these monasteries is a thorn in the side of Ganden, Sera and Drepung monasteries because they are right next door! More importantly, they are out of the CTA’s reach. The CTA cannot touch them, cannot close them down, cannot harass them, cannot do anything to them because they are legal entities licensed and protected by the Indian government.

And although their numbers are fewer than those in non-Dorje Shugden monasteries, each master, scholar and monk in Serpom, Shar Gaden and many other thriving Dorje Shugden monasteries is akin to a piece of solid gold – much better than having thousands of steel or silver pieces. They are definitely the third thorn in the CTA’s side, particular Serpom and Shar Gaden who produce many qualified Dorje Shugden geshes and scholars every year.

#4: The New Kadampa Tradition

The fourth cause to bring down the ban is the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT), the largest Tibetan Buddhist-based organisation in the world. No other Tibetan dharma organization in the world can compare, not the FPMT (Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition) nor any center from the other Tibetan Buddhist lineages.

Nor can any other lama compete with Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, the founder of NKT. He is 80 years old, hale and healthy, has authored many books and established hundreds of centres all over the world. Not forgetting the peaceful protests organized by the NKT and later the International Shugden Community (ISC). The protests are a huge thorn in the CTA’s side because wherever the Dalai Lama or CTA go, there is a protest.

These protests are embarrassing – they are making it into the international news and getting attention all over the world. While it may be “normal” to see Chinese nationals demonstrating against the Dalai Lama, it is shocking to see Westerners and Tibetans protesting against the supposed icon of world peace. People are noticing the protests, researching it, asking questions about it.

Even young Tibetans are beginning to question it, a clear sign of progress in the on-going efforts to bring down the ban. Prime Minister Sikyong Lobsang Sangay recently visited Upper TCV school in Dharamsala and during a Q&A session, teenage students asked the Sikyong earnest questions about the Dorje Shugden ban which he could not answer satisfactorily, nor could he hide his anger at being questioned (Read more).

In an attempt to mitigate the damage done by the students’ questions and the Sikyong failing to answer them directly and sufficiently, the Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament, Penpa Tsering, stepped forward to speak and began criticising both the previous and current incarnations of Trijang Rinpoche. He also criticised Pabongka Rinpoche harshly and upset a great many Tibetans as a result, opening their eyes to see how the CTA is negative, critical and divisive in their actions (Read more).

Clearly, the CTA are beginning to crack at the seams and the protests, the 4th cause to bring down the ban, are having the desired effect.

#5: DorjeShugden.com

Last but not least is DorjeShugden.com and the Dorje Shugden Fanpage on Facebook. Without access to the protests, monasteries or Tibetans, the majority of people get their information from the Internet, and whenever someone searches for “Dorje Shugden”, DorjeShugden.com will appear on top.

The Dorje Shugden fanpage has also reached over 100,000 fans, meaning that every time an article is posted, more than 100,000 people are reading it. The numbers have grown on their own without advertising or campaigning, and it continues to increase daily.

Therefore, through their network of contributors and supporters, DorjeShugden.com and its associated online assets are the premier source of information about all things Dorje Shugden. The website in particular is a treasure trove, a Kangyur and Tengyur, and a massive encyclopaedia of knowledge, wisdom, history, practice, multimedia, events, and even a thriving community forum. Everybody quotes from it – the media, bloggers, other websites and even the CTA themselves. This is the final factor that will bring down the Dorje Shugden ban.

In summary, the five factors that will bring down the ban are:

1. The emergence of Trijang Rinpoche and other young Dorje Shugden lamas

2. Established high lamas in Tibet and elsewhere spreading Dorje Shugden far and wide

3. The unstoppable growth of Serpom and Shar Gaden monasteries

4. The protests and the New Kadampa Tradition

5. DorjeShugden.com and the Dorje Shugden Facebook fanpage

These factors are in no particular order. They are interconnected and inter-related. These five rivers are flowing and there is nothing that can stop them from bursting the dam holding of Dorje Shugden’s precious practice.

By Mar Nee

For a summary of the points presented in this article, please see the video “Oracles: Enlightened or Not?“

Sera Monastery is regarded as one of the three great seats of learning in the Gelugpa tradition, which adheres strictly to the sacred principles established by the great sage Je Tsongkapa. It was founded by Jamchen Choeje Shakya Yeshi (1359-1435), a direct disciple of Lama Tsongkapa, who by his devotion to Tsongkapa vested much of his guru’s mission and purpose into the institution.

Sera Monastery, both the original in Tibet and the one re-established in Bylakuppe, India, boasts a rich tradition of monastic debates to establish the truth by way of vigorous examinations and logical challenges. Such training is intended to develop a mind sharpened by acute reasoning, capable of exceptional analytical ability. No doubt, the training at Sera yielded many great lamas over time, nineteen Ganden Tripas amongst them. The great Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche himself hailed from Sera.

And yet, by the year 2007, the hallowed grounds of this great institution was host to one of the most heinous and illogical hate-speeches made against a significant portion of the Tibetan Buddhist sangha; the same speech also represented an unrestrained attack against the rights of Tibetans to practice their beliefs as free people.

Surprisingly, it was made by a peace Nobelist who was honored for his supposed fight for human rights and freedom, the Dalai Lama. But instead of a message of love and tolerance, the Dalai Lama accused worshippers of the Buddhist deity, Dorje Shugden, to be ‘murderers and beaters’. The message was received without challenge and accusations that Dorje Shugden, long propitiated in Sera Mey as an emanation of Buddha Manjushri, was nothing more than a common spirit and an evil one at that, was received wholesale and acted upon.

And with that, the once-great monastic university Sera Mey betrayed its core principle of upholding the truth, and began to expel its own monks whom it could not coerce into being disloyal to their gurus and Dharma protector. Whatever values its founder bestowed onto this great university was expensed that day to secure a convenient but immoral place on the politically correct side of the Dalai Lama.

However many pieces of silver Sera Mey was promised to join the obnoxious chorus to hunt down those who worshipped Dorje Shugden and force from them a confession and disavowal of their core religious beliefs, it instantly lost its integrity and credibility as an institution of higher learning that upholds and practices the truth. How can Sera Mey, a monastery that claimed prominence in producing great spiritual thinkers and that had worshipped Dorje Shugden as a fully enlightened Buddha, now proclaim the same deity to be a demon without any spiritual basis?

If there is any logic to Sera Mey’s new stance on Dorje Shugden, then the entire basis of the Buddha’s teachings about enlightenment being free of samsara is wrong. This is the predicament that Sera Mey and other once-great universities such as Ganden Shartse face in defending the ban on the Dorje Shugden practice.

By Sera Mey’s account today and those who oppose Dorje Shugden, the protector is merely:

• A minor worldly deity whose practice was not at all prevalent amongst the Gelugpas or indeed any other sect;
• [And at other times] a gyalpo spirit who is not enlightened and therefore should not be propitiated as a Buddha;
• An unenlightened spirit who opposes the Dharma.

And yet, as we shall see, Sera Mey’s history of Shugden worship irreconcilably places it at odds with its new attitude towards the deity. This is clearly witnessed in a 2002 video produced by Sera Mey’s Pomra Khamtsen, which once accounted for the majority of Sera Mey monks before the ban.

#1: Who’s in the Audience?

The video begins with scenes from the opening of Pomra Khamtsen in Sera Mey, showing the King Protector Dorje Shugden taking trance as the highlight of the event.

The clearly grand affair was attended by key Gelugpa lamas such as the highly learned Geshe Yeshe Wangchuk who possessed tremendous grasp and mastery over extremely difficult texts such as the Commentary On Valid Perception and Light On The Path by Gyalsab Je. Other high lamas include H.E. Gangchen Rinpoche, H.H. Pabongka Chocktrul Dorje Chang and many other names known in Tibetan Buddhist circles to be synonymous with sharp acumen, undisputable intelligence and vast reservoirs of scriptural knowledge.

This immediately challenges the lie that the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and all who oppose Dorje Shugden propagate – that the worship of this protector was never a mainstream practice. Dorje Shugden was in fact regarded as an extremely important deity in the Gelugpa lineage before he was politicized and demonized.

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#2: Seating is Everything

If Sera Mey today refers to Dorje Shugden as a minor and unenlightened spirit, then it has to explain why the monastery has a history of Dorje Shugden worship that is manifestly inconsistent with its new claim of the deity.

Sera Mey had always provided a throne for the protector, positioned prominently in front of the main altar where the images of the Buddhas are placed. That particular position indicates that the deity to whom the throne belongs is himself an enlightened being equal to the Buddhas on the altar behind the throne, and definitely not a worldly god let alone an evil spirit.

In no other instance in the monastic history of Tibetan Buddhism has an alleged minor evil spirit received such reverence from a prime monastery. It just does not add up.

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If indeed Dorje Shugden was as he is accused to be today, then Sera Mey should never have extended such veneration according to monastic protocols and kingly treatment befitting a Buddha towards him, which it did until it was forbidden to be associated with the protector.

#3: VIP Treatment

An even more interesting comparison is between the honorifics given to the Dorje Shugden oracle and the treatment customarily given to the state oracles of Tibet – the Nechung and Gadong oracles as well as an oracle much favored by the Dalai Lama, Tseringma. The Nechung Oracle, Gadong Oracle and Tseringma take trance of Pehar (and his minister, Dorje Drakden), Shinjachen and the Tenma Goddess respectively, who together are the triumvirate of earthly deities very close to the Dalai Lama and by virtue of that, regarded as superior in Tibetan Buddhism.

And yet as we will see in the following video of the three oracles taking trance before the Dalai Lama, not even the primary state oracle, Nechung, is given the same treatment as Dorje Shugden. The Nechung oracle is provided a chair (except in his own home, Nechung Monastery, where there is a throne) as is the Gadong Oracle and Tseringma. It is quite apparent that Dorje Shugden has always been treated a class apart even from the ‘highest’ unenlightened deities of Tibetan Buddhism.

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#4: Not A Coincidence

Prior to the unholy and illegal ban on his practice, Dorje Shugden was always regarded as an enlightened Dharma Protector and worshipped as an emanation of Manjushri, and therefore a Buddha in his own right. This was the case even in Ganden Monastery.

We see in the following picture the Choyang kuten (oracle) taking trance of Duldzin (Dorje Shugden in peaceful form), again seated on a throne, placed in front of the altar at the main prayer hall of Ganden Shartse.

The Choyang Kuten taking trance of Duldzin on his throne at Ganden Shartse

The same Ganden monastery that revered the protector as a Buddha now says he is a malevolent spirit. And yet it is this “spirit” who had the sagacity to find many high incarnations of enlightened beings, tulkus, and high lamas including the incarnation of the present Pabongka Rinpoche, Trijang Rinpoche and Zong Rinpoche, all of whom were confirmed as genuine incarnations of their predecessors by the Dalai Lama himself.

Yet another example of Dorje Shugden being accorded the status of an enlightened being and provided with a throne in front of the main altar is seen in various Mongolian monasteries as we witness in the following video of another Shugden oracle taking trance of Duldzin:

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#5: Rank and Respect

However there is more than just the presence and position of the throne of the Dorje Shugden oracle. It is the custom in Tibetan Buddhism that the rank or status of an oracle-lama is determined by the deity he takes trance of.

In the Sera Mey video, we see the Panglung kuten of Dorje Shugden being escorted into the prayer hall in time-honored tradition – with the accompaniment of incense and traditional musical instruments reserved for the highest lamas such as the Dalai Lama himself. A minor deity does not receive such a welcome.

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#6: Compassion and Wisdom

Another indication of Dorje Shugden’s enlightened status is the oracle, while in trance of Dorje Shugden, receiving the tsog offering with the bell and vajra – important symbols of compassion and wisdom. The vajra and bell held together mean that Dorje Shugden has attained the wisdom (bell) and method (vajra) of a fully enlightened Buddha.

The Nechung oracle on the other hand, cuts the tsog offering with his ceremonial sword as a means of acknowledging and receiving it.

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#7: We Come Bearing Gifts

But there are even more telltale signs to indicate that Sera Mey worshipped Dorje Shugden as a fully enlightened being and is now deceitfully masking that fact.

The first video (included again below) shows how the highest of lamas and dignitaries present, and even representatives of the Central Tibetan Administration, respectfully approach the throne of Dorje Shugden to make traditional offerings to him. If Dorje Shugden is truly a minor spirit as Sera Mey claims, he should have approached the lamas to make offerings to them instead.

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If the disparaging description of Dorje Shugden as a gyalpo has any basis, it would mean that no one in Sera Mey had any omniscience to see through a demon’s mimicry – not the enlightened minds of the tulkus the Dalai Lama himself confirmed, nor the Geshes, Abbots and in fact, not even the Dalai Lama. And instead, it would mean that all these great masters from the great Sera Mey monastery were, for decades, beguiled into worshipping a demon.

If indeed it were true that Dorje Shugden is such a malevolent force, then the fact that so many great masters, returning Bodhisattvas and Mahasiddhas were fooled would mean that the Dharma is powerless and all the attainments of these masters are imagined. But I doubt if Sera Mey or any other monastery or lama would concede this, as it is an even more serious charge than Dorje Shugden being a gyalpo.

#8: A Clean Vessel

Finally, we see the same Panglung kuten who previously took trance of Dorje Shugden now in trance of an undisputed enlightened protector, Dharmapala Setrab, long recognized as the Dharma protector of Ganden Shartse Monastery and also an emanation of Amitabha Buddha.

If it is true that Dorje Shugden is a lowly spirit, then how can the same oracular vessel who moments ago took trance of a malevolent spirit now take trance of a Buddha as we witness in the video? The only sound explanation is that both Dorje Shugden and Dharmapala Setrab belong to the same class of enlightened protectors and emanations of Buddhas.

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In less than 30 minutes of footage, the Sera Mey video calls into question the validity of claims made against Dorje Shugden. What is witnessed in the first 30 minutes of footage is completely inconsistent with present accusations of Dorje Shugden as a gyalpo or a lowly worldly god as he is accused interchangeably.

Comparisons with Other Oracles

But how does the treatment of Dorje Shugden compare with the other protectors of Tibetan Buddhism? Would a clearer picture of his status emerge, if examined from a perspective that broadens his treatment to encompass a wider view of Tibetan Buddhist cosmology?

The following video captures the protocol accorded to Gyalchen Karma Trinley, an unenlightened protector propitiated in the Nyingma lineage. From the very beginning, we see the oracle in trance of the unenlightened Gyalchen Karma Trinley prostrating to and then approaching Thegtse Rinpoche, an incarnate Lama from the Mindrolling lineage of the Nyingma tradition.

This is in stark contrast with the respect accorded to Dorje Shugden, clearly illustrating that while the unenlightened Gyalchen Karma Trinley pays homage to lamas, Dorje Shugden, however, is paid homage BY lamas.

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In the following video of Sera Jey monastery, Gyalchen Karma Trinley is again accorded only a simple chair outside the main hall for the oracle to take trance of the spirit, after which he is then permitted to enter the building.

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In another video of Gyalchen Karma Trinley, we see that the seat upon which the oracle sits – a couch with a simple cover – is outside the monastic building. This difference in treatment again leads us to believe that unenlightened protectors are not given the same accord as an enlightened protector in trance.

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The next video shows the previous Nechung oracle in full trance making his way into the temple on foot. This is vastly different to Dorje Shugden who sits on his throne inside the main temple and then takes trance.

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How does the interaction between a lama and protector in trance further prove that Dorje Shugden is enlightened? In the following video, Thegtse Rinpoche is given the seat of honor, and Gyalchen Karma Trinley repeatedly runs up to the lama to give advice or answer questions put forth by assistants.

Compare this with Dorje Shugden, who is seated on the central throne while lamas approach him for blessings and advice. Given the stark differences of protocol, it is strikingly clear that Dorje Shugden is a fully enlightened being.

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Proof that Dorje Shugden is Unfairly Singled Out?

Followers of the CTA and enforcers of the ban would undoubtedly brush all of the above aside in favor of their own agenda. So let’s turn to another blatantly obvious flaw in their logic. Claims are made that Dorje Shugden is a worldly protector or gyalpo and his practice should be stopped on that basis. But there is unsurmountable evidence that propitiation of worldly protectors continues to this day.

This video portrays a local medium taking trance of a visibly unenlightened being. In this case, the oracle isn’t even given a chair but kneels in front of a prayer table. The tradition of local oracles traces back many centuries within Tibetan culture and more often than not, oracles take trance of local protective deities or spirits for purposes of healing and oracular advice.

Known throughout Tibetan culture to be unenlightened, propitiation of these protectors remains intact, and the CTA and their enforcers are strangely silent on this issue.

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Next, we see what is most likely a local festival, in which two unenlightened beings take trance and join the festivities. Again, there is no throne or even a seat, just the mediums who are seen dancing and running around during the festival.

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Strange then that the CTA and its enforcers claim the ban on Dorje Shugden is due to his unenlightened nature, yet they say nothing in regards to the practice of other unenlightened protectors who are still welcome in Tibetan culture. Suffice to say, banning Dorje Shugden on the grounds of his supposed unenlightened mind has no basis, if a ban on ALL unenlightened beings is not implemented or enforced.

Conclusion

So, how is it that such great monastic universities as Sera Mey and Ganden Shartse can arrive at conclusions so vastly differently from the path they set out on, decades ago, with regard to the same deity? Consider the options below:

1. Dorje Shugden was an enlightened protector in 2002 when he was worshipped as such by Sera Mey monks, but “became” unenlightened by 2008 when the ban on his practice was instituted. This is an impossible postulation because if that were to be true, then it completely undermines what the Buddha himself taught about the state of enlightenment (Buddhahood) being an immutable and unassailable position, unlike samsara;
2. Dorje Shugden was a gyalpo all along but through his guile, tricked the entire Gelugpa sect, including all the high lamas and masters of Sera Mey into worshipping him as a Buddha, not sparing even Kyabje Pabongka Dorje Chang who is one with Heruka. And now, by the Dalai Lama’s sole omniscience, the demon has been caught out. Again, this is an improbable proposition because if it were true, then the entire sanctity of the Gelugpa lineage is flawed. How can a flawed lineage with gravely erroneous beliefs and training produce an omniscient and omnipotent Dalai Lama?
3. Dorje Shugden has always been an enlightened protector, a true emanation of Manjushri who arose to protect Je Tsongkapa’s precious teachings on the Madyamika as Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, and countless masters have attested to. But for reasons political in nature, the CTA with the support of the Dalai Lama’s office have imposed a ban on his practice and forced its will on the people and monasteries. In other words, claims made in support of the Dorje Shugden ban are but baseless lies that once-great monasteries like Sera Mey are forced to validate, which they did to their own detriment and in the process damaging the Buddhadharma that they took oath to preserve.

If thought about in clear and logical manner given the belief systems inherent within Tibetan Buddhist cosmology – that a fully enlightened being cannot regress back into an unenlightened state; that omniscience can and has been achieved by many great masters and not just the Dalai Lama; and that the training and belief systems are not erroneous; then the obvious conclusion for these contradictions is obviously the last of the three mentioned above.

Thus, there is only one possible truth, Dorje Shugden is indeed fully enlightened, and the so called ‘truths’ touted by the Central Tibetan Administration and the actions of Sera Mey itself are in fact nothing but lies.

For a summary of the points presented in this article, please see the video “Oracles: Enlightened or Not?“

The role of great Dharma masters to protect and uphold the pure Dharma has been particularly significant through the turmoil of the past decades, where we witnessed the exile of Tibetan communities from their homeland as well as the internal disharmony surrounding Dorje Shugden’s practice. Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche is one such great master who has dedicated his entire existence to turning the Wheel of Dharma consistently and sincerely.

Biography

Venerable Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche was born in Eastern Tibet in 1948. H.H. Kyabje Trijang Dorje Chang recognized the young boy as the 4th reincarnation of his lineage, leading to his enthronement at the age of 6 in Sera Monastic University.

Yongyal Rinpoche studied and mastered the five major topics of Buddhist philosophy for more than 20 years and subsequently was awarded the highly respected Geshe Lharampa degree, the equivalent of a doctorate degree of the highest honor, when he was 32 years old.

Yongyal Rinpoche then completed his tantric studies at the prestigious Gyüme Tantric University, and received key oral transmissions and initiations from some of the most illustrious lamas including Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, Kyabje Zong Rinpoche and H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama.

Staying true to Lama Tsongkapa’s unsurpassed lineage, Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche is thus a living treasure vase of Dharma wisdom and the primary holder of the precious Ganden Oral Tradition. All things manifest for a reason and as history unfolds, we have witnessed how Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche played a vital role in protecting, upholding and spreading Buddha’s teachings over the past few tumultous decades, as chaos hit Tibetan Buddhist communities around the world with the events of 1959 and the implementation of the Dorje Shugden ban.

As Tibetan Buddhism struggled to regroup and rebuild after the fall of Tibet, Yongyal Rinpoche was a beacon of hope and strength in the monastic community, tirelessly teaching at Sera Monastery in India for 14 years. After accepting many requests from his home monastery, Yongyal Rinpoche went to Eastern Tibet in 1993 where he taught and gave initiations to countless spiritual aspirants for two years. Rinpoche has also given teachings tours in other parts of the world, including Australia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and America.

Thus it came as no surprise that Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche was elected as the first Abbot of Serpom Monastery in 2008, when the monks of Pomra Khangtsen separated from Sera Mey Monastery so that they could continue with their practice of Dorje Shugden in safety and peace, keeping pure samaya with their Gurus.

Under Yongyal Rinpoche’s leadership, Serpom Monastery has grown in leaps and bounds since its difficult beginnings, and have since established many key initiatives that contribute towards the preservation of Tibetan Buddhism. Amongst these are the Serpom Buddhist Education Development Department established in 2008, which is responsible for monastic education and examinations. The Serpom Health Point was also set up in the same year to provide free medical care for the monks who are often denied such services from the surrounding community. The Serpom Thoesam Norling School was established in 2009 to equip young monks with modern education such as Tibetan culture, Literature, English, Mathematics and Science, amongst others.

Over the years, Yongyal Rinpoche has quietly and steadily contributed towards the works and lives of many other great masters, for instance:

• In 2004, Yongyal Rinpoche officiated at the cremation ceremony of Sermey Khensur Lobsang Tharchin Rinpoche. It was also Yongyal Rinpoche who inspected the Dung Srek Kang (burning house) and witnessed the sindura powder that formed.
• In 2008, Yongyal Rinpoche along with Kyabje Trijang Choktrul Rinpoche officiated the hair-cutting and final enthronement ceremony of the young incarnation of Domo Geshe Rinpoche
• In 2011, Yongyal Rinpoche was to give novice monk vows to the current incarnation of Zemey Rinpoche in Chengdu, China but respectfully requested Gaden Trisur Lungrik Namgyal who was present to give the vows instead.
• In 2012, Yongyal Rinpoche conferred novice monk vows on the current incarnation of Domo Geshe Rinpoche in Shar Gaden Monastery, India.
• At the request of Kyabje Trijang Choktrul Rinpoche, Yongyal Rinpoche ordained the former Resident Director Rae Barkley (Ani Tsering Lhamo) of Trijang Buddhist Institute.

In 2010, Yongyal Rinpoche founded the Lamrim International Dharma Center in California. Rinpoche is currently based in the USA and is listed as a teacher for many established American Buddhist centers including Dagom Gaden Tensung Ling Buddhist Monastery in Indiana and Gadenpa Buddhist Center in New York. Yongyal Rinpoche is also the guru of many up-and-coming lamas such as Venerable Achok Rinpoche, who recently gave a series of teachings and oral transmission of Lama Tsongkapa and his two disciples at Serpom Monastery in conjunction with the month of Saga Dawa. Imparting the Dharma to future generations of Dharma teachers is the most fundamental and effective method to ensure that the Dharma remains whole and unbroken and Yongyal Rinpoche is doing exactly that.

Yongyal Rinpoche continues to uphold his practice of the precious Protector, Dorje Shugden despite the difficulties and dangers during the present time.

All of us at DorjeShugden.com make this virtual offering of a butterlamp to the incomparable master, His Eminence Yongyal Rinpoche, requesting him to remain for another 1,000 years to continue turning the wheel of Dharma and benefiting countless beings.

More about Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche

• His Eminence Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche of Sera Mey Monastery
• Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche’s First Visit to Shar Gaden
• Long Life to Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche & Domo Geshe Rinpoche
• H.H. Gaden Trisur & Yongyal Rinpoche visiting in Chengdu, China

Yongyal Rinpoche with Zemey Rinpoche, another great master who was dedicated to Dorje Shugden to the end of his lifetime

Yongyal Rinpoche at the enthronement ceremony of Geshe Domo Rinpoche

Yongyal Rinpoche with Zawa Rinpoche, to whom Rinpoche gave strong support for the growth of Dharma

Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche with Achok Rinpoche and entourage

2nd from left: Zemey Rinpoche, center: Yongyal Rinpoche, 2nd from right: Geshe Wangchuk

Saga Dawa, the holiest time of the Tibetan year, is celebrated throughout the entire fourth month of the Tibetan lunar calendar. Tibetan lunar month begins and ends with a new moon, and the full moon day that falls in the middle of the 4th month is known as Saga Dawa Duchen. “Dawa” means month or moon in Tibetan; “Saga” is the name of a star prominent in the sky during the fourth Tibetan lunar month; and “Duchen” means “great occasion.

The Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and parinirvana are jointly observed on the 15th day of Saga Dawa, which was celebrated this year on 13 June 2014. For Tibetan Buddhists, the month of Saga Dawa is the most auspicious time for meritorious actions, and the merits of worthy acts are said to be multiplied 100,000 times.

Saga Dawa is also a popular time for pilgrimages to holy sites such as Mount Kailash. 2014 is the Year of the Horse according to the Tibetan lunar calendar, and it is said that circumambulating Mount Kailash once during the Year of the Horse is karmically equivalent to completing 12 circumambulations.

Saga Dawa is extensively celebrated in Shar Gaden Monastery ever since the inception of the monastery in 2008. The celebrations commence at 4am with Thekchen Sojong, the Mahayana One Day Vow Taking Ceremony. All the monks in the monastery i.e more than 750 monks take this vow with the Bodhicitta motivation of benefitting others.

The Eight Mahayana Precepts are:

1. Avoid killing, directly or indirectly.
2. Avoid stealing and taking things without the permission of their owner.
3. Avoid sexual contact.
4. Avoid lying and deceiving others.
5. Avoid intoxicants: alcohol, tobacco and recreational drugs.
6. Avoid eating more than one meal that day. Avoid eating meat, chicken, fish, eggs, onions, garlic and radishes.
7. Avoid sitting on a high, expensive bed or seat with pride. Also avoid sitting on animal skins.
8. Avoid wearing jewelry, perfume, and make-up. Avoid singing, dancing or playing music with attachment

 
The Eight Mahayana Precepts are observed for twenty-four hours. Observing these precepts for even a short time has tremendous benefits:

• One accumulates a great amount of positive potential (merit) in a short time.
• One will receive upper rebirths and eventually will attain enlightenment.
• One is protected from harm;
• The place where one lives becomes peaceful and prosperous.
• One’s mind is peaceful and calm;
• One gains control over one’s bad habits;
• There are fewer distractions when meditating;
• One gets along better with others.
• One will meet the Buddha’s teachings in the future and can be born as a disciple of Maitreya Buddha.

 
It is especially good to take the Eight Mahayana Precepts on full and new moon days and on other Buddhist festival days.

After the Theckchen Sojong rituals were concluded in Shar Gaden, a full-day Bumtsog puja was conducted, broken up into 3 sessions. A total of 100,000 tsog offerings were done followed by Lama Chopa prayers. Tsog is a special ritual that involves making offerings on a tantric level to the Three Jewels, while Lama Chopa is also known as Guru Puja.

The pictures below were taken during the Saga Dawa celebrations in Shar Gaden Monastery on 13 June 2014. Clearly, Shar Gaden is very much keeping the lineage and practices alive despite the difficulties they have been facing. It is wonderful to see the monastery growing and its future generations flourishing!

More photos of the Saga Dawa celebrations in Shar Gaden

Saga Dawa Celebrations in Serpom Monastery

While Shar Gaden Monastery celebrated Saga Dawa with traditional prayers and rituals, Serpom Monastery celebrated Saga Dawa with a series of teachings by Ven. Achok Rinpoche.

Below are some pictures of Serpom Monastery’s Saga Dawa celebrations:

DorjeShugden.com is pleased to share these pictures of Achok Rinpoche giving teachings and oral transmission of Lama Tsongkapa and his two disciples at Serpom Monastery in India, in conjunction with the month of Saga Dawa.

Celebrated throughout the fourth month of the Tibetan lunar calendar, Saga Dawa is the threefold festival that celebrates the birth, death and nirvana of Lord Buddha and is considered the most important time of the year for Buddhist practice.

It is said that the month of Saga Dawa is so sacred that any merit accumulated through the performance of a good deed or religious practice is doubled during this time. The middle of the month, the full moon day, is the most important and on this day, merit from worthy acts is said to increase by 100,000 times.

Such worthy acts may include going on pilgrimage to sacred places, making offerings, circumambulating and prostrating around Buddhist monuments, or engaging in retreat. In the monasteries, the monks engage in the reading of sutras, Cham dance rituals and other auspicious practices. Saga Dawa is also a particularly auspicious time for the giving and receiving of teachings, such as in the case of Achok Rinpoche.

Born in eastern India in 1976, Ven. Achok Rinpoche was recognized as the 4th reincarnation of Achok Rinpoche of Lithang in Tibet. Until 10, he focused on the memorization of basic ritual texts. From the age of 11, he began his formal education in Buddhist philosophical studies including Madhyamic, Abhidharma, Paramana and Vinaya all based on the works of Lama Tsongkapa and his disciples, under the personal guidance of his Spiritual Guide, Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche. In 1998, at the age of 22, Achok Rinpoche sat for the examinations of the Gelugpa Cultural Society and obtained the Geshe Lharampa degree with the highest honor, making him the youngest monk to obtain such a high honor outside of Tibet.

An erudite young lama of the Gelugpa tradition, Achok Rinpoche currently lives in the USA and gives regular teachings at the Gadenpa Buddhist Center in New York. We at DorjeShugden.com rejoice that Achok Rinpoche is turning the Wheel of Dharma in Serpom Monastery, and pray for the growth of Rinpoche’s dharma activities and the flourishing of Je Tsongkapa’s lineage.