There is clear evidence that the ban on Dorje Shugden’s practice, which was decreed by the Dalai Lama, has created dissension and division within the Tibetan exile communities in India and abroad. Dorje Shugden practitioners are alternately labeled as spirit worshippers who are destroying Tibetan Buddhism from within, Chinese spies who are paid to create discontent within the Tibetan population, or samaya-breakers who are endangering the Dalai Lama’s life. The followers of the Dalai Lama ostracize Shugden practitioners as a direct result of these pronouncements.

Consequently, the ban has driven a deep wedge into the heart of Tibetan society, resulting in families broken, marriages estranged, and friendships lost. Nowhere is the effect of the ban felt and seen more clearly than in the Tibetan Buddhist monasteries of the Gelugpa lineage where, not only are spiritual friendships rent asunder but worst of all, the sacred bond between teacher and student is severed in the name of the ban. This has culminated in the great expulsion of Shugden-practicing monks from their mother monasteries, and in the formation of Shar Ganden and Serpom monasteries, which are home to well over 1,000 Shugden monks today.

For over 20 years, the Dalai Lama has taken an unyielding stance against Shugden Buddhists, openly and repeatedly condemning the practice, while his administration has passed parliamentary resolutions criminalizing the followers of this enlightened Buddhist deity. Yet, in spite of all the abuse and false accusations hurled against Dorje Shugden and his practitioners, the honest truth is that the Dalai Lama owes his fame, success, and even his life to Dorje Shugden and the attained masters that uphold this practice.

Here are just a few examples of why the Dalai Lama is indebted to the great Dorje Shugden Lamas, both past and present.

The Two Tutors

An official portrait of the Dalai Lama (center) and his two tutors, H.H. Kyabje Ling Rinpoche (left) and H.H. Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche (right)

When the 14th Dalai Lama came of age in Tibet, two imperial tutors or Yongzins were appointed for him. The imperial tutors are responsible for the Dalai Lama’s formal education in grammar, arithmetic, dialectics, philosophy, lamrim, and innumerable tantric initiations and oral transmissions. Given their great responsibility, it is to be expected that the Dalai Lama’s tutors would be carefully selected from among the most erudite masters of the time. Thus, it was no surprise that Kyabje Ling Rinpoche was chosen to be the Dalai Lama’s Senior Tutor and Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, the Junior Tutor.

The relationship between the Dalai Lama and his two extraordinary Gurus was very close and spanned over 30 years. So close was their relationship that Ling Rinpoche was likened to be the Dalai Lama’s father while Trijang Rinpoche was the mother. Ling Rinpoche was primarily occupied with giving teachings on Buddhist philosophy, while Trijang Rinpoche taught the Lamrim and the tantras. In fact, most of the Dalai Lama’s tantric initiations were received from Trijang Rinpoche.

Just like a mother nurtures her child, Trijang Rinpoche also taught the Dalai Lama everything else he needed to know for someone of his position. As the Dalai Lama’s birth father died young and his mother came from a peasant background, his parents could not teach him the proper behavior befitting such a high lama. So it was ultimately Trijang Rinpoche who taught the Dalai Lama “how to be a Dalai Lama” – how to speak, how to receive guests, noble manners, grooming, etc.

It is important to note that both tutors were very close students of Kyabje Pabongkha Rinpoche and received a great number of lineages, teachings and transmissions from him, including the practice of Dorje Shugden. Therefore, most of what the Dalai Lama teaches in his stadium-packed events today is largely due to the kindness of these brilliant masters: Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche AND Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche.

Yet, the Dalai Lama dishonors the kindness of his tutors and the lineage masters with every negative statement he makes against Dorje Shugden. Not only were Ling Rinpoche and Trijang Rinpoche staunch Dorje Shugden practitioners, they also proliferated Dorje Shugden’s practice. Kyabje Ling Rinpoche composed a fulfillment text propitiating Dorje Shugden, while Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche composed ‘Music Delighting An Ocean of Protectors‘, a commentary of Dagpo Rinpoche’s praise to Dorje Shugden called ‘Infinite Aeons’ and one of the most definitive and complete documents on Vajradhara Dorje Shugden, his nature, function and history.

During a 1997 teaching in Dharamsala, the Dalai Lama did acknowledge how much he owes Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, saying:

I received immeasurable kindness from him even when I was very small. It may seem a little boastful if I give you this example of my strong faith in Trijang Rinpoche. I often dream of my lamas, and in one clear dream Kyabje Rinpoche was urinating and I was lapping it up. So, I do have single pointed faith in him.

Yet, in an interview with Swiss Public Television in 1998, the Dalai Lama vehemently said that his Gurus were wrong about the nature of Dorje Shugden (watch the interview here). Once again, the Dalai Lama contradicts himself. If the Dalai Lama really means what he says about his faith in Trijang Rinpoche, why doesn’t he uphold ALL of the teachings and lineages that were bestowed upon him, including the practice of Dorje Shugden, as a sign of his devotion to his lamas?

The Western Buddhist Pioneers

Dalai Lama (centre), Geshe Rabten (left) and Gonsar Rinpoche (right) with members of Tashi Rabten during the Dalai Lama’s visit

Europe

The late Geshe Rabten was an erudite scholar, unexcelled debater and a fearless lama who first introduced the complete and complex teachings of Buddhism in the West. Appointed as the philosophical assistant to the Dalai Lama in 1964, Geshe Rabten moved to Switzerland in 1974 to serve as the Abbot of Rikon Monastery in Tosstal, at the Dalai Lama’s request. Combining his understanding of the Western mind and ideas with his ability to explain Buddhism and Buddhist philosophy with powerful clarity, Geshe Rabten quickly gained a following of Western students and became the pioneer in spreading Tibetan Buddhism in Western Europe.

Unknown to most, it was Geshe Rabten who arranged the Dalai Lama’s very first visit to Europe in 1973, inviting him for a tour that included Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Germany, and UK. During this trip, the Dalai Lama gave a discourse on adaptating to Western civilization at Rikon Monastery, Switzerland, on 6 October 1973.

It was also Geshe Rabten who arranged the Dalai Lama’s very first public teaching in the West. Geshe-la invited the Dalai Lama to visit Tharpa Choeling in Mt Pelerin, Switzerland in the summer of 1979, and 900 members of the public attended these historical teachings.

Thus, it is partly due to the kindness of Geshe Rabten that the Dalai Lama has mastered all the Buddhist philosophy and dialectical lessons needed to become the great scholar, debater and master of Buddhism that he is today. And it is entirely due to the kindness of Geshe Rabten that many doors in the West were open to the Dalai Lama, resulting in his eventual fame as the figurehead of Tibetan Buddhism.

The Dalai Lama gave a discourse on adaptating to Western civilization at Rikon Monastery, Switzerland, 6 October 1973

1979: His Holiness the Dalai Lama gives his first public teaching in the West in Tharpa Choeling, with B. Alan Wallace and Helmut Gassner translating

America

A rare portrait of Domo Geshe Rinpoche Ngawang Jigme

In 1971, Kyabje Domo Geshe Rinpoche Ngawang Jigme established the Dungkar Gompa Society in the United States. A property was found in the Catskill Mountains of New York State and was named Gangjong Namgyal, the All Victorious Snow Land.

Then in the summer of 1981, Domo Geshe Rinpoche invited the Dalai Lama to visit the United States, hosting his stay at Gangjong Namgyal. After that initial visit, the fame and influence of the Dalai Lama grew exponentially and resulted in innumerable other trips to America. Thus, it was partly due to the kindness and foresight of Domo Geshe Rinpoche that the way was paved for the Dalai Lama’s eventual popularity in the USA.

Domo Geshe Rinpoche is yet another Dorje Shugden lama who was renowned for creating the Dungkar Oracle that took trance of Dorje Shugden, and for pacifying and installing Namkar Barzin within the entourage of Dorje Shugden.

Today, the Dalai Lama misuses his fame and reputation as a Tibetan Buddhist leader to mislead audiences worldwide into believing that Dorje Shugden is an evil spirit and that his practice is harmful. Yet, Geshe Rabten, his heart disciple Gonsar Rinpoche and Domo Geshe Rinpoche are all renowned Dorje Shugden practitioners. Thus, when the Dalai Lama renounces Dorje Shugden’s practice, he is ‘biting the hands that fed him’ and that put him on the world stage.

The Dalai Lama’s fame, stature and success today is due to the kindness of Dorje Shugden lamas, past and present

The Life Savers

The 6th Panglung Kuten, Oracle to the Protector Dorje Shugden

The Dalai Lama also appears to have forgotten how Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche and Dorje Shugden saved his life during the tumultuous period of Chinese military presence in Tibet. It was through Trijang Rinpoche’s counsel that special arrangements were made to seek the advice of Dorje Shugden via the Panglung oracle. And it was Dorje Shugden via this oracle who instructed the Dalai Lama to leave Tibet and revealed the escape route for the fleeing party.

It was also Dorje Shugden practitioners, in the form of the Chushi Gangdruk, who successfully escorted the Dalai Lama out of Tibet in 1959, at the cost of their lives. The Chushi Gangdruk was a society of Khampa warriors, formed at the advice of Dorje Shugden a few years prior. Through his omniscience, Dorje Shugden already knew in 1956 that the Dalai Lama would have to leave Tibet in 1959, and thus insisted the Chushi Gangdruk be formed to escort the Dalai Lama to safety.

Chushi Gangdruk Self Defence Forces, Lhokha, U-Tsang Province, 1958.

And on yet another occasion in December 1999, the Dalai Lama was on the road from Gaya in Bihar to Sarnath on the outskirts of Varanasi when he met with a car accident. The car that was carrying him exploded and would have killed the Dalai Lama had it not been for a bodyguard who pulled the dazed Dalai Lama out of the wreckage just in the nick of time. That bodyguard was in fact a student of Domo Geshe Rinpoche and a staunch Dorje Shugden practitioner.

Thus, on more than one occasion, the Dalai Lama owes his life to Dorje Shugden and his practitioners. Why then does the Dalai Lama say that Dorje Shugden’s practice endangers his life, since the reverse is clearly the case?

The Right Hand Man

Samdhong Rinpoche (right) followed Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche’s instructions to assist the Dalai Lama

The 5th Samdhong Rinpoche Lobsang Tenzin was elected into power as the Kalon Tripa or Prime Minister of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) in 2001. He played an instrumental role in implementing many of the Dalai Lama’s policies. However, before his appointment into office, Samdhong Rinpoche was another staunch Dorje Shugden practitioner, a direct student of Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche who was known to take Dorje Shugden pujas very seriously.

Originally, Trijang Rinpoche was grooming Samdhong Rinpoche as a teaching lama who would give initiations, oral transmissions, teachings and blessings. However, when Samdhong Rinpoche entered the political arena, his root teacher Trijang Rinpoche told him to go all the way and follow the Dalai Lama’s advice. During one of his last speeches in office, Samdhong Rinpoche revealed that he did not really care about Tibetan politics and only did his job because it was one of his Guru’s last instructions to him.

The Ingratitude?

It is apparent from these examples that the Dalai Lama has received tremendous benefits from Dorje Shugden and his practitioners. Almost everything the Dalai Lama has – his lineage, teachings, initiations, fame, success, popularity, manners, grooming, even his life – was received from or obtained through the efforts of Dorje Shugden practitioners. Unfortunately, the ban on Dorje Shugden has alienated and outcast the very same people who have brought so much benefit to the Dalai Lama and his works.

From a logical perspective, these examples illustrate how the Dalai Lama’s reasons for the Dorje Shugden ban are weak and hollow.

From a spiritual perspective, it is clear that Dorje Shugden’s practice only brings benefit to everyone that it touches.

And at the most basic level, it is clear that the Dalai Lama’s actions have the result of making him appear ungrateful. This is completely unbefitting of a world-renowned Buddhist master. After all, the virtue of gratitude should be inherent in such an illustrious master, spiritual leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner. It would, therefore, very much behoove the Dalai Lama to address the Dorje Shugden issue to reconcile the differences between the pro- and anti-Shugden parties – if not for the sake of correcting a mistake, then at the very least, in remembrance of the kindness of these great Shugden High Lamas to whom the Dalai Lama is indebted.

In this book “Arrested Histories: Tibet, the CIA, and Memories of a Forgotten War” by Carole McGranahan, Duke University Press Books (October 1, 2010), it clearly recorded the incident where Chushi Gangdrug members consulted Dorje Shugden oracle during Chinese invasion in the 50s, and in 2008, they were made to swear against Dorje Shugden!!

Shame on CTA, their evil plot of twisting the history is exposed!

Panglung Kuten was a lay oracle and had a consort wife who served and took care of everything before, during and after the trance, and prepared his meals, which were especially made to ensure his body was pure. She was his attendant, student and consort. He was clearly a great being because he was a lay master and still able to take such clear trances to benefit others.

Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche was very affectionate with this oracle and would often consult him. Panglung Kuten’s seat was in Panglung Ritroe (Retreat) near Sera Monastery. Panglung Ritroe was the residence of Panglung Rinpoche, Panglung Kuten, Consort and 10 fully ordained monks.

At one time, the Panglung Kuten traveled to Gyetong (Chong Den), Kham and took trance in order to benefit the monastery there. At this monastery, Panglung Kuten’s trances were haughty, fierce and at times violent. This was unprecedented because while in Lhasa, he took mainly peaceful trances of Kache Marpo.

Kache Marpo takes a demeanor according to what his audience needed. He manifested peace because the people were sincere and would keep their promises and samayas. In places where the people were wild and un-Dharmic, he manifested arrogance, ferocity and he sometimes slapped and beat the monks. Some of these monks broke their vows and lived in robes to cheat sponsors. Hence, the stories of a violent and fierce oracle grew in that area. Some monks would soil their robes even today when they hear the oracle who takes trance of Kache Marpo is coming.

In 1956, three years before the exodus of Dalai Lama from Tibet, Dorje Shugden in a trance told a few Khampa warriors to band together and form a society of warriors at a lake in the shape of Vajrayogini’s ritual chopper – Driguk. Shugden insisted through the Panglung Kuten to have this done. However, they were few, disorganized, lazy and were unable to find the lake. So, Dorje Shugden in a trance manifested anger and scolded the Khampa warriors. The protector fiercely told them to unite despite the fact that there were only a few of them. If they did not form into a group, then they were not to consult him again Shugden told them.

The Khampa warriors eventually got together and discovered the lake, and as predicted by Dorje Shugden, the dug out a sword near the lake, and together with another sword which Dorje Shugden gave them, it formed the emblem of Chushi Gangdruk, which was a crossed double swords. So they became the famous Chushi Gangdruk – four rivers and six mountains. Chushi Gangdruk successfully escorted the Dalai Lama out of Tibet in 1959. Shugden knew already in 1956 Dalai Lama would have to leave Tibet in 1959 and insisted Chushi Gangdruk be formed to escort the Dalai Lama safely out.

Unfortunately, many members of today’s new and current Chushi Gangdruk no longer remember how Shugden asked them to form and guided them, all due to politics. Dorje Shugden is so compassionate that he even prepared the warriors so they would be able to assist the Dalai Lama at the most crucial time. The Dalai Lama wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for Dorje Shugden’s assistance. Everyday, Chushi Gangdruk in Tibet do serkym and sangsol rituals to Shugden in the early morning to ask for blessings. It was Shugden’s promise and instructions to them in 1959 to escort Dalai Lama out of Tibet.

During the crucial moment, the Dalai Lama requested Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche to ask the Panglung oracle whether he should escape from Tibet in 1959. Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche was very famous and wanted to avoid unwanted attention, so he sent Sera Mey Kensur Ngawang Drakpa and a *changzo Losang Yeshe. So, they went to the Panglung Oracle and he took trance.

Kache Marpo in a trance told the Dalai Lama to go and gave specific instructions. Then he gave a sword and instructed that the sword be held up in front of the Dalai Lama’s party especially during dangerous moments while leaving Tibet to India. Besides Chushi Gangdruk, 33 Sera monks including the Abbot of Sera Monastery himself accompanied the Dalai Lama’s escape party. Some of these monks are still alive and attest to this. Therefore, it is a hard fact that Dorje Shugden saved the Dalai Lama.

Panglung Kuten wanted to travel to India before the fall of Tibet also. However, Dorje Shugden in a trance asked him not to go, because he was needed to take trance to tell the Dalai Lama and other high lamas clearly what Dorje Shugden’s instructions were in order to escape from Tibet to India during the Chinese invasion in the late 50s. He was only allowed to leave Tibet after the Dalai Lama and all the great High Lamas escaped. Shugden kept Panglung Kuten in Tibet until the very last moment to be is mouthpiece to ensure the safety of Dalai Lama and high lamas to escape.

Panglung Kuten and his consort escaped to India and resided in Kalimpong. He passed away at the age of 60, when his son was 13 years old. Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche trained his son to be his successor and today the son has become a famous Oracle as good as his father.

Today, the Panglung Kuten’s son is the new Panglung Kuten. The current Panglung Kuten is a monk and lived in Sera Monastery in South India until the ban. Because of the ban on Dorje Shugden, Panglung Kuten resides in Taiwan permanently. Hundreds of requests per year are submitted to Panglung Kuten to take trance of Shugden and Kache Marpo for answers in Taiwan. Panglung Kuten continues to serve thousands around the world in his capacity to take clear and unmistaken trance of Shugden and Kache Marpo.

Admin

See video of *Changzo Losang Yeshe who went to Panglung Kuten to recieve advice from Shugden that Dalai Lama should leave Tibet:

Changzo Losang Yeshe is one of the few remaining monks who witnessed Shugden asking Dalai Lama to leave Tibet and Shugden himself will personally guard and guarantee the safety of Dalai Lama in 1959. Also Changzo Losang Yeshe is one of the few surviving monks who physically escorted the Dalai Lama to safety in the 1959 exodus. Here in this video, this old monk recounts what has happened as he was there.

Addendum

Zasep Tulku Rinpoche’s autobiography ‘A Tulku’s Journey from Tibet to Canada’, published in 2016, provides historical evidence and irrefutable proof that the Central Tibetan Administration is falsifying the facts when it comes to the practice of the Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden.

The autobiography of Zasep Tulku Rinpoche, a high lama of the Gelug lineage, provides accurate historical accounts of the Dorje Shugden practice. Click to enlarge.

The back cover of the book, click to enlarge.

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Historical accounts show that prior to the politicization of the Dorje Shugden practice by the Central Tibetan Administration, this popular deity was relied upon by Dharma practitioners to help in their spiritual practice. Contrary to detractors’ claims about Dorje Shugden being ‘anti-Dharma’, this Dharma Protector practice was traditionally deemed to be suitable to be practiced alongside the Highest Yoga Tantras.

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Zasep Rinpoche and his family were able to escape to safety prior to the events of 1959 through the clairvoyance and prophetic advice of Dorje Shugden through one of his oracles, Lama Gelong Chojor Gyamtso.

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Oracles of the Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden were known for the accuracy of their prophecies due to Dorje Shugden being a fully enlightened deity with perfect clairvoyance. As stated clearly by Zasep Rinpoche in his autobiography ‘A Tulku’s Journey from Tibet to Canada’, Dorje Shugden warned the Tibetans of the impending loss of their homeland but his advice was mostly ignored by the Tibetan government.

The Tibetan government chose to consult the worldly state protector Nechung, and Nechung advised that the Dalai Lama should remain in Tibet where he would be safe. This was mistaken advice, as historical events would later show. Fortunately for Tibetan Buddhists all around the world, Kyabje Trijang Dorje Chang had great faith in Dorje Shugden and consulted the protector for advice on the Dalai Lama’s safety. Dorje Shugden via the Panglung Oracle urgently adviced the Dalai Lama to leave for India immediately and gave the exact escape route. In saving the Dalai Lama from certain harm, Dorje Shugden prevented the destruction of Tibetan Buddhism and preserved the future of the Tibetan culture and people.

Zasep Rinpoche’s account of events concur with monastic records that it was indeed Dorje Shugden who saved the Dalai Lama instead of Nechung, contrary to the claims of the Tibetan leadership.

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Dorje Shugden’s practice was first established within the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism. The Sakya Throneholders regarded this Dharma Protector as an enlightened being and Dorje Shugden, together with Dorje Setrab and Tsiu Marpo formed the triune of Sakya Protectors known as Gyalpo Sum. Today, Sakya practitioners claim that Dorje Shugden was never widely practiced by their lineage but history proves otherwise. The undeniable fact is that before the CTA’s religious ban, Dorje Shugden was practiced first by the Sakyas and was later transmitted to the Gelug school where it was practiced by the majority of the Gelugpas.

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Contrary to the CTA’s claims that Dorje Shugden’s practice is sectarian, Zasep Rinpoche’s autobiography shows how practitioners of all four schools of Tibetan Buddhism lived and practiced together in harmony, especially during the early years of exile in India. It was only when the CTA launched a virulent smear campaign against Dorje Shugden that the general public began to label Dorje Shugden a sectarian practice. In truth, Dorje Shugden’s practice is no more sectarian than the practices of other Dharma Protectors such as Mahakala Bernagchen, Achi Chokyi Drolma or Dorje Legpa, who protect the Karma Kagyu, Drikung Kagyu and Nyingma schools respectively.

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By the 1980s, the Tibetan government had failed to fulfil multiple promises to return the Tibetan people to their homeland. A scapegoat was needed and they made one out of an ancient Buddhist practice, pinning the loss of Tibet and the failure of the Tibetan cause on Dorje Shugden. In his autobiography, Zasep Rinpoche is of the same opinion, stating that “…the [Dorje Shugden] controversy was orchestrated by the Tibetan Central Administration…”

The Tibetan leadership effectively sanctioned witch-hunts on Dorje Shugden practitioners and persecuted them using government instruments, declaring that simply by being a Shugden worshipper, one was effectively an enemy of the Tibetan nation.

As a result of the hatred against Dorje Shugden practitioners instigated by the Tibetan leadership, virtually all Shugden Buddhists had to fear for their lives, or at least for their safety.

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Dorje Shugden’s beneficial practice has continued to thrive due to the courage and commitment of high lamas such as Zasep Tulku Rinpoche.

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For centuries, Dorje Shugden has been practiced alongside the highest practices of the Gelug and Sakya lineages. Zasep Tulku Rinpoche’s list of transmission is an indication that the highest scholars viewed the Protector as an enlightened being compatible with their yidam practices.