Drepung Shugden Dramas

[LosangKhyentse]

Drepung has not been quiet during the whole Shugden fiasco. Please check the old posts. But for now, I include a few:

1. The current abbot of Drepung Loseling is Drayab Thobthen Rinpoche is a powerful Shugden practitioner of many lives. He has gone underground with his practice. Another young Tulku named Gongkar Rinpoche in his 30's does alot of work to teach on behalf of Drepung Loseling also is a great practitioner of Dorje Shugden and also has close ties to Trijang Rinpoche. Gongkar's previous life saved Trijang Rinpoche's previous life from a assassination attempt. Whenever Trijang Rinpoche visits Drepung, he will stay at Gongkar Rinpoche's Ladrang (residence). They are very close. Even the ban has not 'soured' their relations. Drepung Loseling keeps silent on this.

2. Denma Locho Rinpoche a high lama of Drepung Loseling went to visit Serkong Tritul in Taiwan and recieved tremendous offerings. He gave many teachings to Serkong Tritul and Jamseng Rinpoche while in Taiwan at their centre.  Denma Locho offered the money to Loseling to pay off their debts for their new prayer hall. When Loseing found out the origins of the money, they made a big song and dance about the origins of the money but never not returned the money to Rinpoche. They posted letters all over the Monastery saying Denma Locho Rinpoche is recieving sponsorshop money from a well known Dorje Shugden practitioner (Serkong Tritul). All of Drepung Loseling recieved teachings from Denma Locho yet they treated him this way due to the pressure from the ex Tibet Govt now CTA.

Denma Locho is in the late 70's and has been the abbot of Namgyal Monastery, direct disciple of Ling Rinpoche and a great esteemed lama, yet they accuse him. He is a scholar of the highest calibre and a very prolific gentle monk. Because of the ban, letters were posted all over Drepung against this saintly Rinpoche.


3. Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Denpa of Gomang from Shungpa khamtsen who is also the current Drepung Tripa and sits on the throne in Drepung Lachi complains quietly he wishes the Shugden ban is off. As he is a great practitioner. He complains he cannot speak about Shugden his lifelong practice openly because of the current political climate due to CTA.

4. Drepung Gomang Ngari khamtsen which has over two hundred monks currently for the past hundreds of years had Shugden as their principal protector of their khamtsen. By tradition each khamtsen in the Monastery will have their own protector sometimes differing from the protector of the main Monastery.  They have been silenced. Ngari Khamtsen was forced to change their protector Shugden which has been with them for hundreds of years. The CTA made them change their protector by force or face expulsion. In Drepung, Shugden was very strong many monks now still practice secretly. Dalai Lama complained last year during his visit, there are still many monks practicing Shugden secretly in Drepung (which is very true). And he warned them to becareful. He warned them to not pretend they are not practicing when they are. 

5. A very high lama named Jampa Rinpoche in his 70's and in Drepung Loseling has recently been found out by the Dalai Lama still practicing Shugden. Dalai Lama during a talk in Drepung last year hinted at Jampa Rinpoche.  Shar Gaden monks come to Jampa Rinpoche even today to recieve teachings. He compassionately answers their questions and gives teachings to the Shar Gaden monks when requested. The CTA is not happy about this. They want Jampa Rinpoche to have no contact with Shugden Monastery Shar Gaden. Jampa Rinpoche is a great tantric master and is attained and treats all who seek teachings from him equally with no bias. He is the student of Kyabje Trijang and Ling Rinpoche. He is very accurate in dice (mo) divinations. Hundreds seek him for divinations. He often still makes donations to Shar Gaden Monastery openly till today.

6. Ten years back, Drepung Loseling was printing anti-Shugden material. They have their own printing press in the Monastery itself. They were all excited about this. Then one day while the abbot was in his room (upstairs on top of the prayer hall), there was lightning and it struck the cement victory banner (see pic below). This one single victory banner toppled down and hit right near the abbot's room. It had a loud crash. It damaged the flooring (roof of the Monastery). No one was hurt. It was late at night and many monks ran to see what happened and saw the fallen victory banner after hearing a loud crash and lightning.

On top of every Monastery you have Victory banners representing victory over mara (negative mind). When this topples down, it is a very inauspicious sign. These victory banners have been up for years and are a permanent fixture, and no such thing has every happened. It was a very bad omen.

The disciplinarian (Gekul) of Drepung Loseling ordered the monks not to speak about this. If they do, it will be expulsion. The Drepung Monastery was very embarrassed about this incident hence the Gekul's issued this warning. They hushed it up. But many Drepung monks quietly spoke about it and it leaked out into the Tibetan communities.

A few weeks later, Setrab took trance in Delhi through the Kameng Kuten and said Dulzin (Dorje Shugden) is very patient but I am not. I struck the victory banner down to let them know they are doing the wrong actions. I am displeased.

Remember Setrab and Shugden abide within the same mandala. Or same divine palace.

8. Drepung Gomang had thrown rocks at Dagom Ladrang, forcing Dagom Rinpoche to leave and reside in Nepal until his passsing.  The lay people threw rocks at Guru Deva Ladrang because of his Shugden practice forcing Guru Deva to leave for Nepal also. Guru Deva was a high lama and main sponsor of Drepung Gomang. He was an emanation of Shugden Gyenze.
The incarnation of Kundeling Tulku now residing near Mysore was expelled from Gomang for Shugden also.

So this and many other events have happened in Drepung. Interesting and very sad.

TK

To see photos of Drepung Tripa, Jampa Rinpoche, Serkong Tritul, Kundeling Rinpoche, Denma Locho Rinpoche, Drayab Thobthen Rinpoche, Guru Deva Rinpoche please go here: http://dorjeshugden.com/wp/?page_id=37

Pictures attached:

Victory banner above Tibetan Monasteries

[michaela]

I read this post with mixed feeling.  The situation is very sad.  Perhaps if the monks and high Lamas in the monasteries start practicing Shugden openly together at the same time, instead of secretly, it will be beneficial in the effort of lifting the ban?  But the monks and high lamas should come up together and not one by one.  It will be a statement for CTA.

I am speaking as an outsider looking from the outside 

[Zach]

Intersting to hear about the victory banner, You dont want to piss of Setrap its a big mistake. More drastic action maybe taken in future if they continue to create heavy negative karma for theirselves.

[shugdenpromoter]

Drepung has not been quiet during the whole Shugden fiasco. Please check the old posts. But for now, I include a few:

8. Drepung Gomang had thrown rocks at Dagom Ladrang, forcing Dagom Rinpoche to leave and reside in Nepal until his passsing.  The lay people threw rocks at Guru Deva Ladrang because of his Shugden practice forcing Guru Deva to leave for Nepal also. Guru Deva was a high lama and main sponsor of Drepung Gomang. He was an emanation of Shugden Gyenze.
The incarnation of Kundeling Tulku now residing near Mysore was expelled from Gomang for Shugden also.

So this and many other events have happened in Drepung. Interesting and very sad.

I have heard also how they took over Gangchen Ladrang in Sera Mey which his ladrang people built. They even had the cheek to removed Gangchen Rinpoche Ladrang name from the building. Incredible how CTA can just take action in such manner. In other part of the world, they would have been brought to court. In China, they would have been beaten up by the Chinese.

It does not matter to the WORLD what CTA say or do as they are extremely small but it is still incredibly sad what they do to the monks. Very bad. In fact it has the opposite effect as Dorje Shugden practice is increasing. The statues are getting bigger especially in CHINA and practitioners (young and old) are also increasing in volume. I have friends who visit China frequently and they have reported that there are more Dorje Shugden monasteries being supported by the Chinese government and they are making them into tourist attraction.

What does not kill us, will make us stronger. What CTA does to the monks will fuel a lot of practitioners drive to do more to PROMOTE this protector. I am one of them.

[Dondrup Shugden]

When High Lamas continue to practise Dorje Shugden and face consequences adverse to them and their lives, proves that the compassion they possess to keep the PRACTICE alive for the appropriate time to benefit all sentient beings.

I strongly believe that while the sangha continues to uphold the worship and historical knowledge of Dorje Shugden
to benefit us lay practitioners, and we continue to be steadfast in our faith to Dorje Shugden, the time will come for this great protector to manifest in our daily lives and daily practise throughout the world.

May that day be soon.

[Mana]

Useful write up. We will incorporate this in our permanent articles section.

Drepung is one of the greatest universities of the Gelug School producing thousands of great masters in the past. It was founded by a direct disciple of Je Tsongkapa.  It is not surprising Dorje Shugden's presence is very strong there and continues to be.

Thank you for this information.

Mana

[pgdharma]

It is so sad to know that high lamas are threatened, abused and accused and that they have to go underground with their practice. If only the high lamas and the monks combined forces and practice openly to create the cause for the lifting of the ban as what Michaela suggested.

However, in such adverse difficulties, they still uphold this sacred practice with strong faith and determination. As Dorje Shugden practice increases, with bigger statues and monasteries built and with a website like this to impart the truth, the day will come when the ban will be lifted and their sufferings will end soon.

[hope rainbow]

4. Drepung Gomang Ngari khamtsen which has over two hundred monks currently for the past hundreds of years had Shugden as their principal protector of their khamtsen.
By tradition each khamtsen in the Monastery will have their own protector sometimes differing from the protector of the main Monastery. 
They have been silenced.
Ngari Khamtsen was forced to change their protector Shugden which has been with them for hundreds of years.
The CTA made them change their protector by force or face expulsion.
In Drepung, Shugden was very strong many monks now still practice secretly.
Dalai Lama complained last year during his visit, there are still many monks practicing Shugden secretly in Drepung (which is very true).
And he warned them to becareful.
He warned them to not pretend they are not practicing when they are. 

Shar Gaden and Serpom monasteries were created out of the Khamtsen of Gaden and Sera that had Dorje Shugden as their specific protector, why then did Ngari Khamtsen of Serpom not also created a parralel monastery and instead did allow the CTA to force them to change protector? I am certainly not here to judge, I am just trying to understand. Could it be because they were only 200 monks? Lack of funds? Or did they strategize differently as to how to cross the (ban's) bridge?
For the CTA to force a Khamtsen to change protector, this sounds simply innapropriate... Who are they, the Central Tibetan administration or the self-proclaimed Dalai Lama's police? They know what's going on with the ban, I don't believe they don't get it. Or was it all only a show and Ngari Khamtsen still practice Dorje Shugden but no more officially nor openly?

[dsiluvu]

It is sad to know that spiritual practices and monasteries are being controlled and ruled by politics. It is even sadder when we hear lay people are the ones implementing and threatening, abusing their power and forcing holy monks and high lamas out of their practice and home. It is very shameful and even more shameful to know that they pressure and encourage other monks who would follow and resort to violent actions such as throwing rocks at a high Lama. Their actions are no different from the PRC their own enemy... infact worst because they do it to their own people yet they speak of Compassion, Patience and Tolenrance???

No wonder Setrab struck lightning on to the victory banner! It is far too too much... how can anyone feel proud of throwing their teachers, sponsors and friends, brothers out from their very own home so violently? Extremely disgusting!

I guess the only thing good is that Drepung's current abbot and Gongkar Rinpoche despite the awful ban is still close with Trijang Rinpoche. Perhaps the best out of the rest of how they have been treating other high lamas.

Drepung Loseling should really return all the sponsored items, funds etc back to Denmo Locho and other Lamas whom their condemn and kick out.  Don't they break their vows when taking gifts and money from a bad source? Since they consider them impure, then the gifts and help they receive from is also impure, no??  This clearly shows how they themselves are not pure monks but polluted...

[samayakeeper]

I eagerly await the day when Dorje Shugden will be practiced openly without all the politics. I think CTA should concentrate on how to help Tibetans instead of focusing on the ban of Dorje Shudgen, an Enlightened Protector who had saved so many in the past and who will benefit many more currently and in the future. Or maybe they know they do not have the brains and resources to? No wonder they lost their country.

[WisdomBeing]

Thank you for sharing this information about Drepung. Didn't Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen and the Fifth Dalai Lama reside in Drepung also? That would be a particularly historical link to Dorje Shugden and Drepung.

If not for this post, I would not have known that there are so many high lamas and monks in conflict about the Dorje Shugden issue at Drepung currently. As Hope Rainbow mentioned though, I wonder why Ngari Khangtsen did not split from Drepung and form another DS monastery like Serpon and Shar Gaden. Then each of the three great monasteries of Gaden, Sera and Drepung would have separate DS monasteries. Perhaps they did not have enough support or sponsors. I hope they will do so in future so that there will be yet another DS monastery.

[Ensapa]

6. Ten years back, Drepung Loseling was printing anti-Shugden material. They have their own printing press in the Monastery itself. They were all excited about this. Then one day while the abbot was in his room (upstairs on top of the prayer hall), there was lightning and it struck the cement victory banner (see pic below). This one single victory banner toppled down and hit right near the abbot's room. It had a loud crash. It damaged the flooring (roof of the Monastery). No one was hurt. It was late at night and many monks ran to see what happened and saw the fallen victory banner after hearing a loud crash and lightning.

On top of every Monastery you have Victory banners representing victory over mara (negative mind). When this topples down, it is a very inauspicious sign. These victory banners have been up for years and are a permanent fixture, and no such thing has every happened. It was a very bad omen.

The disciplinarian (Gekul) of Drepung Loseling ordered the monks not to speak about this. If they do, it will be expulsion. The Drepung Monastery was very embarrassed about this incident hence the Gekul's issued this warning. They hushed it up. But many Drepung monks quietly spoke about it and it leaked out into the Tibetan communities.

A few weeks later, Setrab took trance in Delhi through the Kameng Kuten and said Dulzin (Dorje Shugden) is very patient but I am not. I struck the victory banner down to let them know they are doing the wrong actions. I am displeased.

Remember Setrab and Shugden abide within the same mandala. Or same divine palace.

If Setrab has opened his mouth, why are the monks still doing what is obviously wrong? Are they not afraid of displeasing their Dharma protector? I do understand that sometimes, people get caught up and are more excited about being part of a crusade and putting down something that is supposedly evil, because that is just how people work but for monks to get caught up in such activities? this is exactly what causes Dharma to degenerate. Also why does the monastery needs to keep quiet about this? shameful? why be ashamed of admitting to the consequences of your actions when you are not ashamed of doing them in the first place? Didint the Buddha encourage transparency rather than keeping everything hush-hush?

If they believe that what they are doing is right they wouldnt need to hide in this way. If they know what they are doing is wrong then why do they still do it? Why are monks acting worse than ordinary laypeople, but display the actions of laypeople who has done wrong? this is shameful indeed.

What is sad is they expel all the erudite masters from their own monastery, causing their own monastery to eventually stop growing, while Serpom will grow and grow and will produce lots and lots of Dharmarajas...

[beggar]

Thank you for sharing this information about Drepung. Didn't Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen and the Fifth Dalai Lama reside in Drepung also? That would be a particularly historical link to Dorje Shugden and Drepung.

If not for this post, I would not have known that there are so many high lamas and monks in conflict about the Dorje Shugden issue at Drepung currently. As Hope Rainbow mentioned though, I wonder why Ngari Khangtsen did not split from Drepung and form another DS monastery like Serpon and Shar Gaden. Then each of the three great monasteries of Gaden, Sera and Drepung would have separate DS monasteries. Perhaps they did not have enough support or sponsors. I hope they will do so in future so that there will be yet another DS monastery.

One might imagine that the situation would therefore be even more difficult for the monks of Drepung as now, there is not even the possibility for them to "break away" to create their own institution as Shar Gaden and Serpom did. I echo Hope Rainbow in what he questioned, as to why this khangtsen did not break away but had to submit to the forced conversion. It is incredible that a government can have this much control over an institution that they would have to change a practice that they have been doing collectively for hundreds of years. Perhaps, as WB has mentioned, they did not have enough support of finances to be able to do this. Sadly, for many of the individual monks and monastic communities, they are held back by the lack of finances. Being but off from what is already an exiled community would leave them with literally nothing - no money, no welfare and frighteningly, no status (as even their visas / passes would be revoked and no longer recognised).

It is however, heartening to hear that high Lamas are still doing the practices quietly (even if grumbling every now and then about the ban!). There is hope then, that their students are perhaps also continuing the practices quietly. Drepung, outwardly is one of the most successful Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in India now. If and when the ban does blow over (we hope soon), and these great lamas are still there, they would be able to do very much to bring DS out into the world, with the might of Drepung behind them. Let's hope that they live to see the day the ban lifts.

[Big Uncle]

4. Drepung Gomang Ngari khamtsen which has over two hundred monks currently for the past hundreds of years had Shugden as their principal protector of their khamtsen.
By tradition each khamtsen in the Monastery will have their own protector sometimes differing from the protector of the main Monastery. 
They have been silenced.
Ngari Khamtsen was forced to change their protector Shugden which has been with them for hundreds of years.
The CTA made them change their protector by force or face expulsion.
In Drepung, Shugden was very strong many monks now still practice secretly.
Dalai Lama complained last year during his visit, there are still many monks practicing Shugden secretly in Drepung (which is very true).
And he warned them to becareful.
He warned them to not pretend they are not practicing when they are. 

Shar Gaden and Serpom monasteries were created out of the Khamtsen of Gaden and Sera that had Dorje Shugden as their specific protector, why then did Ngari Khamtsen of Serpom not also created a parralel monastery and instead did allow the CTA to force them to change protector? I am certainly not here to judge, I am just trying to understand. Could it be because they were only 200 monks? Lack of funds? Or did they strategize differently as to how to cross the (ban's) bridge?
For the CTA to force a Khamtsen to change protector, this sounds simply innapropriate... Who are they, the Central Tibetan administration or the self-proclaimed Dalai Lama's police? They know what's going on with the ban, I don't believe they don't get it. Or was it all only a show and Ngari Khamtsen still practice Dorje Shugden but no more officially nor openly?

Good question. Unless you know an insider within the monastic system, you may never know for sure. There's many factors at play here including finances and as you mentioned the khamtsen is pretty small. It may not have the resources to stand on its own, ostracized by the surrounding community. Perhaps, the head of the Khamtsen is not capable of withstanding the pressure and had caved in due to all the mentioned issues. It is very sad to hear how the monks are being bullied by the aggressive CTA just based on a few mere words from the Dalai Lama.

[hope rainbow]

Thank you for sharing this information about Drepung. Didn't Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen and the Fifth Dalai Lama reside in Drepung also? That would be a particularly historical link to Dorje Shugden and Drepung.

If not for this post, I would not have known that there are so many high lamas and monks in conflict about the Dorje Shugden issue at Drepung currently. As Hope Rainbow mentioned though, I wonder why Ngari Khangtsen did not split from Drepung and form another DS monastery like Serpon and Shar Gaden. Then each of the three great monasteries of Gaden, Sera and Drepung would have separate DS monasteries. Perhaps they did not have enough support or sponsors. I hope they will do so in future so that there will be yet another DS monastery.

One might imagine that the situation would therefore be even more difficult for the monks of Drepung as now, there is not even the possibility for them to "break away" to create their own institution as Shar Gaden and Serpom did. I echo Hope Rainbow in what he questioned, as to why this khangtsen did not break away but had to submit to the forced conversion. It is incredible that a government can have this much control over an institution that they would have to change a practice that they have been doing collectively for hundreds of years. Perhaps, as WB has mentioned, they did not have enough support of finances to be able to do this. Sadly, for many of the individual monks and monastic communities, they are held back by the lack of finances. Being but off from what is already an exiled community would leave them with literally nothing - no money, no welfare and frighteningly, no status (as even their visas / passes would be revoked and no longer recognised).

It is however, heartening to hear that high Lamas are still doing the practices quietly (even if grumbling every now and then about the ban!). There is hope then, that their students are perhaps also continuing the practices quietly. Drepung, outwardly is one of the most successful Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in India now.
If and when the ban does blow over (we hope soon), and these great lamas are still there, they would be able to do very much to bring DS out into the world, with the might of Drepung behind them. Let's hope that they live to see the day the ban lifts.

WOW!
There is urgency on this matter!
It is so obvious, the longer it takes, the more difficult it will be for the old lamas to pass on the oral transmissions openly and to many and to assist Dorje Shugden into the world as a whole.