Pabongka Rinpoche Sectarian!

[DharmaSpace]

Pabongka Rinpoche Dechen Nyingpo Jampa Tenzin Trinlay Gyatso was one of the greatest masters of the 20th century and one of the most influential teachers in Tibet. He had acquired the teachings from the Sakya, from the Nyingma, from the lineage of Ganden Tendzin** and Ngulchu Dharmabhadra, and collected other valuable teachings from various venerated sources during his lifetime.

This was extracted from the text "Vajra Yogini Teachings by Kyabje Gelek Rinpoche". This is really in one's face how can anyone think Pabongka Rinpoche is sectarian which was why he promoted Dorje Shugden. I dont think Pabongka Rinpoche is a small minded lama, his previous incarnation was spreading the dharma to the Chinese Emperors and elite ( Check out Yong He Gong in Beijing all the evidence is all there, the great Emperors like Qianlong was influenced by the Gelug Tradition ). For Pabongka Rinpoche a lot of what he does is preserving our Ganden lineage for future generation by saying one should not mix teachings especially if one's dharma foundation is not firm.

Lama Tsongkhapa's teachings are perfect and complete for us to be enlightened we do not need to subtract or add from other influences.

[beggar]

This is very good, thank you Dharma Space for finding this. Always good to find gems like these!
 
There are similar stories about Trijang Rinpoche also. Both these lamas were very famous throughout the lands of Tibet and their teachings highly sought after even by people of other lineages. From what I understand from reading these old biographies, there was evidence of a lot of harmony between the sects.
 
Recent allegations of Gelugpas being sectarian comes from a very baffling and strange place. How can the fathers of our lineage act in such harmonious and peaceful ways with all other sects, but now their spiritual children are being accused of being sectarian? How can the single practice of a Dharmapala be sectarian? It is illogical.
 
What DharmaSpace said is very logical and true, that many are advised not to seek teachings of other sects if our foundation in Dharma is not yet stable. It is for the benefit of the student, that they don't become confused or pulled in too many different directions. This is something that is advised and practiced in all the sects. I am sure Sakyas also choose to remain focused and study their own sakya teachings and gain a firm foundation first before taking teachings from other sects; the same too for Kagyus and Nyingmas. This is something similar even in a secular world. People focus on studying any particular discipline with only one or two main teachers / masters and not go to several different places to learn at the same time! It is very much common sense. Saying the gelugpas are sectarian because they don't incorporate other sects' teachings is very illogical and just plain incorrect. In that case, all students of other sects who focus only on their teachers and teachings are also sectarian? It cannot be.
 
Sectarianism is only when you strive to make your own sect grow AT THE EXPENSE of another sect; or when you put down another sect, destroy another school, defame or slander any other traditions / sects. As far as I know, no Gelugpa school, centre or teacher does that. They may choose to focus only on their teachings, but this is a far cry from doing anything remotely damaging to any other school or practice. 

[dondrup]

If promoting a certain practice (e.g. Dorje Shugden) or school is considered sectarian, then we are saying all the Lamas and Buddhist practitioners (Nyingma, Sakya, Kagyu, Gelug, Pure Land, Zen, Theravada etc.) are sectarian!  This is because all of them practise their own school or tradition.   

Why don’t we just remove the labeling of the different traditions and practices?  Are these all valid teachings that are proven and passed down from Lord Buddha?  Are we saying Lord Buddha is wrong because it was Him who transmitted the 84,000 teachings?

If one still have the minds of discrimination, enlightenment will be impossible to achieve.  Discrimination is a deluded mental factor among the many that we need to eradicate.

[diamond girl]

It is unbelievable that people are still running their thoughts and communicating that these Great Lamas are sectarian. Thank you DharmaSpace for the post. Is it not enough said to prove otherwise?? I think that these people making sectarian accusations are the ones themselves who are sectarian causing divide and disharmony.

Excuse my frustration, but I wish that these people will just shut up or go with the flow of things and be constructive and positive. They should spend more time on this website and get educated...

I whole heartedly prostrate to HH Pabongka Rinpoche! May HH live long!

[triesa]

As long as we are here in samara,  I think there will always be people either criticising, bashing  lamas of other centers or sects  or accusing them of  being sectarian in this case. Such is the world we are in and we cannot avoid it.

The ONLY way to counter this is like by proofs and facts.  Like what Dharmaspace has done here, posting facts will clear doubts in people's mind, and discussing it constructively among ourselves based on the findings will enhance understanding. 

Just a word of advice for those who may think Pabongka Rinpoche is sectrian, better read up Pabongka Rinpoche's biography and do some research first before  simply opening one's mouth and start condemning.

[shugdenpromoter]

I, myself have heard many rumors and allegation against the recent Pabongka Rinpoche for the past 2 years.  I'm baffled as how can anyone talk about such highly attained lama in that manner.  It is like ignoring the Lamrin that Rinpoche has taught to preserve Buddha's teachings in this era to benefit so many.

Likewise, when TGIE goes against Dorje Shugden it is sending a statement out to everyone that Pabongka Rinpoche and Trijang Rinpoche are wrong and everything they did previously were a mistake.....does not make sense.

 
 

[Zach]

If Je Pabonkha is wrong, Then Kyabje Trijang is wrong and so is everyone else they transmitted Dharma to including the Dalai lama, because if in fact ones refuge is degenerate as the other side suggests it taints everything one does. In fact if one takes teachings or empowerments from the Dalai lama especially if they came from our lineage or as shown In serkong trituls letter even from other lineages then it is certainly degenerate. HH Dalai lama shoots himself in the foot by declaring such nonsense.
It is good to watch out I think for the future HHDL seems to be spear heading this eclectic rime movement far from its original purpose his own monastry was made to adopt other sects practises and rituals, How long before major gelug institutions are made to abandon their long held practises in favour of HHDL'S rime tradition ?

What place do you think there will be for the ensapa tradition within the new proto nyingmpa dzogchen mixture ? Plus with ones Sakya and Kagyu lineage practises as more and more lamas fall into line with HHDL the lines become blurred between tradition untill there is naught of the original left as much as their is left of the old Kadampa tradition today !

I dont disrespect HH however if his actions dont change I fear the Gelug tradition under his authority will die a painful death. But as the pendulum swings one way HHDL will harden the resistence of Gelug purists and hopefully do away with this self defeatist dogma...I hope.

[Ensapa]

I remember reading something about Kagyupas in an area accusing Trijang Rinpoche to be sectarian when he mentioned the greatness of Gelugpa. Such are the minds of deluded people...creating the causes for the downfall of their own traditions. the Karmapa has split into 3 incarnations and the heads of Nyigma are slowly "resigning"....i really  hope they would just focus on their own practice!

There is also an unbased rumor found in the biography of a certain famous kagyu lama that says Pabongkha Rinpoche forcibly converting Nyigma monasteries into Gelug and throwing out statues of Guru Rinpoche! How ridiculous!!!

Somehow or rather this has influenced a number of western practitioners and they drink it all up without investigations...seeing it as the truth. And that is the worst part. Isnt it logical that these idiots should investigate rather than quoting something and touting it as the truth?


I sincerely hope that for the sake of their own lineages, they would stop slandering other more successful lineages.