Who is Jowo Chingar

[hope rainbow]

I am watching the videos of Serpom monastery here: http://dorjeshugden.com/wp/?p=10965 and I notice that the oracle is taking trance of Dorje Shugden, Lord Setrap, Jowo Chingar and Kache Marpo.

Jowo Chingar has a tall hat adorned with red strings.

I have not found any information on the internet regarding Jowo Chingar, would anyone know about this Protector on this forum?

[hope rainbow]

I also found this painting of Jowo Chingar taken in the new Serpom Monastery.
It indicates that Jowo Chingar is Atisha's Protector.

[valeriecheung]

I heard friend told me that Jowo Chingar is one of the Lama Tsongkhapa protector. Is she is a female protector?

[nagaseeker]

did not found any information on the net too , spell correctly ? wrathful form protector ?

[Big Uncle]

I heard friend told me that Jowo Chingar is one of the Lama Tsongkhapa protector. Is she is a female protector?

Dear Valerie,
That protector you mentioned is Shibtab Gyenney (sorry I don't know how to spell his name). The Protector is unenlightened and a native of Amdo province of Tibet. Perceiving Lama Tsongkhapa's greatness, he followed the great Lama as he made his travels to Central Tibet in his youth. He followed and guarded Lama Tsongkhapa fiercely throughout his life. He is propitiated until today.

I am not sure if he is worshipped in Sera Monastery though. I do know that Sera Je's Protector is Jamsing and Sera Mey's Protector is Teu (he looks like Dorje Shugden, with his round yellow hat). That means Jowo Chingar is not another name for Teu. So, I don't really know who Jowo Chingar is.

[valeriecheung]

Thanks for your reply biguncle ! Look like not much people kmow about jowo chimgar.

[daka]

If Jowo Chingar the protector of Lama Tsongkhapa, does it mean that he/she (some people did tell me that Jowo Chingar is a female but I'm not sure) can be found anywhere as long as there is Lama Tsongkhapa lineage? Does he/she being accepted in all Gaden, Sera and Drepung Monastery? If he/she followed Lama Tsongkhapa all the way from Amdo to Tibet and to India, then his/her devotion to Lama Tsongkhapa must be very strong. I think we all should respect this protector and learn more about him/her.

I heard that every morning the monks in the monastery (forgot which monastery) will do a special ritual to invite this protector to come and they will send him/her back in the evening. He/she is not allowed to stay overnight in the monastery as he/she is not an enlightened protector. It shows that how strict the monastic rules are, they respect this protector so much yet they still can't let him/her in.

By the way, the story of Jowo Chingar makes me think about Dorje Shugden. If the monastic rules really are so strict, and if Dorje Shugden is a spirit, how can so many high reincarnated lamas eg. Pabongkha Rinpoche, Trijang Rinpoche, Zong Rinpoche etc still propitiate Dorje Shugden?

A well respected unenlightened protector is not allowed to stay in the monastery, yet an evil spirit is being propitiated by many high reincarnated lamas for over 300 years. How funny the logic is!

[Vajraprotector]

The hat worn during the trance is the Amdo nomad's hat. I read before that this deity, Jowo Chingkarwa or called Genyen, is said to be a demon of the Amne-Machen range in Amdo. I am not sure whether it's the same protector as Tsongkhapa's personal protector.

However, Jowo Chingkarwa is one of the protectors of Tharpa Choling Monastery in Kalimpong India. Jowo Chingkarwa's chapel is the white one at the back with the letter ‘Kye’ on it. The monastery was founded by Domo Geshe Rinpoche Ngawang Kalsang in 1912.

[beggar]

A well respected unenlightened protector is not allowed to stay in the monastery, yet an evil spirit is being propitiated by many high reincarnated lamas for over 300 years. How funny the logic is!

Observant,... and yes, quite funny! Great, sharp way of thinking daka. Thanks for the perspective.

It's a very valid point though. Many people have also often wondered why it is that it's "okay" to propitiate an unenlightened protector like Nechung for years and years, but an enlightened protector is now suddenly recognised instead as a spirit.... this enlightened protector Dorje Shugden was recognised by the 14th Dalai Lama himself as an enlightened being. He even wrote praises and prayers to him in his earlier years. Can it be that the Dalai Lama, an emanation of Chenrezig Buddha, is so fickle, silly, mistaken, flippant? Can it be that his knowledge of Dharma and his attainments are so low and unstable? Now, instead, he propipiates and relies on the advice given by Nechung, an unenlightened protector. Here, literally, they are praying to a spirit (as this is what Nechung was before being subdued by Guru Rinpoche and bound as a protector)... and spitting on the image of a real enlightened Buddha. All very contradictory.

There's an interesting video on this perspective here: http://dorjeshugden.com/wp/?p=3938
Worth a watch - there's a lot to think about.

[WisdomBeing]

Jowo Chingar is also known as Jowo Chin-Karwa or Jowo Ching Karwa. As vajraprotector says, he (or she - i don't know the gender and haven't been able to find out more information) is the protector of Domo Geshe Rinpoche's monastery, Gaden Tharpa Choling Monastery, which is in Kalimpong. In the description of the Protector temples, i wonder whether the previous Shugden chapel was demolished or they just replaced the deity with someone else.

Anyway, you can read more about it on this thread:

http://www.dorjeshugden.com/forum/index.php?topic=1589.0

2. Lha-Ten is the temple of the protector deity of the monastery. It is situated behind the main hall on the left and comprises three structures, two in front and a white one at the back side. The front Lhaten with ‘Tri’ letter is the temple of Nechung Choegyal and the second with the letter ‘Kyee’ is the temple of Tashi Woebar while the white temple at the back with the letter ‘Kyee’ is the temple of Jowo Ching Karwa. Nechung Choegyal who is the main protector deity of Tibet while Tashi Woebar and Jowo Ching Karwa are the main deities of Tharpa Choling Monastery.

Jowo Chin-Karwa is mentioned in this thread also:

http://www.dorjeshugden.com/forum/index.php?topic=1133.0

He [Domo Geshe Rinpoche] went to Upper Tromo and meditated in a remote cave among crystalline mountains and dense forests in an area called Chagling. Here the wild animals and yeti (mi gö) came to serve him. They helped bring firewood and water. It is said that Domo Geshe Rinpoche controlled the frightful yeti with a finger snap. Jowo Chin-karwa and Kang-dzenpa offered their vow to protect Rinpoche's life.

[Vajraprotector]

I came to know that the principal protector of Reteng, Reteng Jowo, is also called Chingkarwa, and is said to have beem brought to Tibet by Jowo Atisha from Nalanda. I know that Jowo Chingkarwa has close connection to Atisha, but I am not sure if Jowo Chingkarwa is also Reteng Jowo.

Reting Monastery is an historically important Buddhist monastery in Lhünzhub County in the Lhasa Prefecture of central Tibet. It is also commonly spelled "Radreng".

Reting Monastery was founded by Atisha's chief disciple Dromtönpa in 1056 in the Reting Tsampo Valley north of Lhasa as the seat of the Kadampa lineage. He brought some of Atisha's relics with him.

[whitelion]

Just some sharing from what I heard from a old monk from Dromo Gompa.

Jowo Chingare is manifestation of Chenrezig in unenlightened form. Although Jowo Chingare is in a unenlightened form but he/she having the quality of an enlightened Buddha. The old monk also told me, Jowo Chingare is the protector of Atisha, Tsongkhapa and Amdo (Je Rinpoche's birth place). He's white in color and he only drink milk when he taking trance.

Just some sharing

[beggar]

Although Jowo Chingare is in a unenlightened form but he/she having the quality of an enlightened Buddha.

Thanks for the information. Wow, pretty amazing to know that Chenrezig also manifests as a protector.

Just some clarification for any new friends that may be here: when it is said that an enlightened being manifests in the form of an unenlightened protector (also sometimes referred to as a worldly protector), it does not mean that this protector is not enlightened. It just means that he manifests in a worldly form that is seemingly physically / karmically "closer" to us so that he can help us more easily on our level.

It is like, for example, a highly qualified and specialised doctor "coming down to the level" of just a father to his children. The "qualifications" of a father are not as highly recognised as that of a professional doctor, for example, but it is the most effective way he can connect to his children at that time, to give them what they need, help and guide them at that time.

This is also the way in which Dorje Shugden manifests to us, in a worldly form. But we must always rest assured that his mind never moves from the state of pure and complete enlightenment. 

[shugdenprotect]

Thank you Beggar for the explanation. It is very helpful to know that enlightened beings can manifest in unenlightened forms to reduce the "enlightenment gap" with us. This once again reflect on the kindness of the great Buddhas as well as Dharma masters who adapt themselves to our ignorance and ego so that we can have the chance to receive the blessings of the dharma.

BTW, I read that one should only take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. So, is it safe to assume that it is OK to take refuge in Protector Jowo Chingare as she is the manifestation of Buddha Chenrezig?

[beggar]

BTW, I read that one should only take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. So, is it safe to assume that it is OK to take refuge in Protector Jowo Chingare as she is the manifestation of Buddha Chenrezig?

Generally, it is safe to take refuge in anyone who is an enlightened being, so yes, it would be okay, as it means you are taking refuge in Chenrezig. It is same for Dorje Shugden / Kalarupa (Manjushri) and Setrap (Amitabha) for example.

In the special case of Dorje Shugden, he sometimes also takes trance through oracles in the form of a teacher lama, as Duldzin (his previous incarnation). In this form, he gives teachings, initiations etc which we can safely and totally rely on fully as safe, accurate, within the linage; and a tremendous blessing for our practice.