Previous Panchen Lama fell sick for forsaking Dorje Shugden

[Namdrol]

This is a story told by a Rinpoche in Thubten Dargye Ling Monastery in Chakzamka, Riwoche, Tibet Kham Area (http://www.dorjeshugden.com/videos/monasteries-locations/dorje-shugden-monastery-in-chakzamka-riwoche-tibet-kham-area-2/)

Many years ago, during the previous Pabongkha Rinpoche Dechen Nyingpo's time, Pabongkha Rinpoche visited that Thubten Dargye Ling Monastery, but only stayed for 2 days because the 9th Panchen Lama was sick in Xining (Qinghai Province's capital), because one of the previous Panchen Lama abandoned the practice of Dorje Shugden and burnt a Dorje Shugden thangka, so the 9th Panchen Lama requested Pabongkha Rinpoche to make the oracle to take trance of Dorje Shugden so that he could repent in front of Dorje Shugden.

[Ensapa]

I have extracted these relevant passages from the Yellow Book regarding the incidents that involve the previous Panchen Lamas, with regards to Dorje Shugden and what happened when he disrespected Dorje Shugden:

THE PANCHEN LAMAS
All knowing Losang Palden Choekyi Dakpa was the lord of the Doctrine
and from a very young age proved himself as an eminent scholar. He thus
had great potential to serve the Dharma and sentient beings. But he did not
make the flawless and well established teachings of the Dharma Raja Lama
Tsongkhapa as his principal practice. But instead he studied many treasure
texts of Nyingma order and did meditation on those teachings. These were
mentioned in his autobiography. Dorjee Shugden repeatedly asked him not
to do that. He got annoyed with the deity and performed a wrathful and
despicable ritual to burn it. Along with other ingredients he put a thanka of
deity in the fire. But the fire could not consume the thanka. Then he took
out the thanka and put it under the steps of his door in Tashi Lhunpo.
Because of those actions, the Panchen Rinpoche became ill and eventually
passed away in the water-sheep year of the 15th rapjung when he was
only thirty years of age. In this way the Panchen Rinpoche was
unsuccessful in his Dharma propagation deeds.

His successor, Panchen losang Thubten Choekyi Nyima Gelek Namgyal too
faced a great deal of problems (as a consequence). Because of
misunderstanding between his monastery and the Tibetan Government, he
had to escape to Mongolia. Later he wished to come back to U- Tsang, but
there were unsurmountable hurdles and he could not succeed. At the age of
fifty five, in the year fire-ox, he passed away in Kyigudo. A year before he
passed away, Je Phaphongkha Rinpoche Dechen Nyingpo came to pay his
respects. During that meeting, the Panchen Rinpoche told Phaphongkha
Rinpoche that since Phaphongkha Rinpoche was the incarnation of Lodo
Balpa, the Tashi Lhunpo monastery naturally had respect and faith in him
The Panchen Rinpoche asked him to give teachings and also asked him to
take out the thanka of Shugden deity which was buried by the previous
Panchen Rinpoche. In accordance with the instructions of the Panchen
Rinpoche, Je phaphongkha went to Tashi Lhunpo monastery in the year of
iron-dragon of the 16th rapjung. There he gave many religious sermons
including the lamrim teachings. He also took out the thanka of the
Shugden deity and put it in a shrine in the Tashi Lhunpo and worshipped
it. Phaphongkha Rinpoche composed a text which was a kind of agreement
and understanding between the monastery and the deity.

The next Panchen Rinpoche, Panchen Losang Thinley Lhundup Choekyi
Gyaltsen was born in Amdo. He displayed various remarkable deeds which
were clear signals of his greatness. When he came to U-Tsang, certain
impediments delayed his enthronement. Soon after his arrival to Tashi Lhunpo, he composed a prayer to Dorjee Shugden which helped creating
harmony between the deity and the Panchen Rinpoche. However, later
things changed. There was a statue of Shugden in a shrine in the palace.
When it was seen by the spiritual tutor of the Panchen Rinpoche, Yongzin
Kachen Ang Nyima, he told one of the attendants to take out the devil's
statue from there. When it was referred to the Panchen Rinpoche, he told
the attendant to keep it where the teacher could not see. The tutor disliked
Shugden and often told the Panchen Rinpoche that they practice pure
kadampa tradition and that if he sought many deities, it could ruin him.
The tutor banned the usual practice of propitiating Gyalchen Shugden at
Tashi Lhunpo and the oracle karma, too, was banned from invoking the
deity. The special invocation during the new year was also banned. Since
then many bad omen occurred one after the other. A battle broke between
the Shikatse soldiers and the Tashi Lhunpo subjects. The Tutor Ang Nyima
himself fell from his horse two times. Several ominous incidents happened
during the opening ceremony of the new palace, Dechen Phodrang.
Because of these, they had to restore the practice of worshipping Gyalchen
Shugden. On the invitation of China, the Panchen Rinpoche left for China
in the wood-horse year. Soon after the Panchen Rinpoche had departed
from Tsang, unprecedented flood rushed from Gyaltse. The flooding totally
washed away Kunkyobling, the main residential complex for many
Panchen Lamas. Yongzin Ang Nyima could not return home and finally
succumbed to an insect bite. Because the Panchen Rinpoche did not
practice a pure philosophical tenet, unending disasters followed one after
the other.

before anyone says that it was Dorje Shugden's punishment, let me make it clear that these are the negative effects of disrespecting a holy object and Panchen Lama's breaking of samaya to uphold Dorje Shugden.

[DharmaSpace]

It is impossible for us negative things to happen to us if we had not created the causes. Which goes against the laws of Karma. No matter how powerful a spirit they can never overcome monks who hold their vows let alone Panchen Lama who is Amitabha himself.

Look at Lama Zopa he broke samaya with his gurus and Dorje Shugden hence he can experience serious health problems to his life. Saying that the Dalai Lama or high Lamas can be harmed by Dorje Shugden is parallel to if we say that Buddha Shakyamuni can be harmed by Mara. Does not make sense at all. We can be harmed if have broken our samaya.

[Big Uncle]

It is impossible for us negative things to happen to us if we had not created the causes. Which goes against the laws of Karma. No matter how powerful a spirit they can never overcome monks who hold their vows let alone Panchen Lama who is Amitabha himself.

Look at Lama Zopa he broke samaya with his gurus and Dorje Shugden hence he can experience serious health problems to his life. Saying that the Dalai Lama or high Lamas can be harmed by Dorje Shugden is parallel to if we say that Buddha Shakyamuni can be harmed by Mara. Does not make sense at all. We can be harmed if have broken our samaya.

I beg to differ. Dorje Shugden shouldn't be compared to Mara. How can you bring a Bodhisattva like Manjushri down to the level of a demon? On the other hand, I believe the Panchen Lamas deliberately displayed wrath on Dorje Shugden and 'allow' Dorje Shugden to affect his health as part of a divine play. What's the divine play? Panchen Lama is deliberately highlighting the strength and power of Dorje Shugden.

Perhaps, it was necessary at his time to show how wrathful Dorje Shugden is, so as to quell the unruly minds of the practitioners of his time. It could be any or all of the reasons mentioned. We can never really fully understand the full extent of the intention and resolution of these great beings.

[Ensapa]

I beg to differ. Dorje Shugden shouldn't be compared to Mara. How can you bring a Bodhisattva like Manjushri down to the level of a demon? On the other hand, I believe the Panchen Lamas deliberately displayed wrath on Dorje Shugden and 'allow' Dorje Shugden to affect his health as part of a divine play. What's the divine play? Panchen Lama is deliberately highlighting the strength and power of Dorje Shugden.
I dont think Dorje Shugden 'affected' his health, it was more or less the manifestation of the Panchen Lama's negative  karma for showing disrespect to a Buddha's image. How can Dorje Shugden affect anyone's health, logically? The Panchen Lama is doing this to show everyone what will happen if they do what he did to Dorje Shugden as a demonstration.

Perhaps, it was necessary at his time to show how wrathful Dorje Shugden is, so as to quell the unruly minds of the practitioners of his time. It could be any or all of the reasons mentioned. We can never really fully understand the full extent of the intention and resolution of these great beings.
It was more of a warning of sorts. I dont think Dorje Shugden is to blame, he gave the warnings, but there is no proof that he executed the 'punishments'. The yellow book only has a mere assumption of what happened, either due to the fault of the transcriber or translator or it was only meant to be read by certain people. It was more or less a strong hint to people on which path to choose.

I would like to disagree with the statement that Dorje Shugden is the one who caused all of these. Dorje Shugden is a Buddha. How can a Buddha harm practitioners? Practitioners can only be harmed by their own negative Karma. In that aspect, the Yellow Book has been taken out of context to make Dorje Shugden look bad, but we should all remember the fact that no Buddha in the world can punish anybody, only their own karma can.

[brian]

A Buddha will not harm anyone, this is for sure. We do not need to even doubt this. But to brand Lord Shugden as a Mara is too much. First of all, Dorje Shugden is a Buddha. Please look at the many articles that mentioned Dorje Shugden and it's history behind dating back to Lama Tsongkhapa's time. So it is not good to compare Lord Shugden to a Mara.

In this case, i have to say it is due to the negative karma of Panchen Lama and not because of Dorje Shugden wanting to hurt anyone (in this case, Panchen Lama), how can a Buddha be harming others?

[yontenjamyang]

The point is not about comparing Dorje Shugden to Mara. Certainly that is not correct and I believe Dharmaspace do not mean that. He is just using logic about what is illogical. Hence, Dorje Shugden is a Buddha.

First of all, the source of this article is the "Yellow Book". Whether we want to regard it as a reliable source is by itself a debate. But lets just for argument sake take these incidents as true, then we can make a few deductive conclusions:

1) The Panchen Lamas who died young because the karma of beings at that time. It is well known that many lamas will chose take another rebirth if he feels it is better to do that; for various reasons too many to discuss here all but I will give a few examples. By doing that these lamas have the intention to teach a final lesson to the beings/disciples he left behind and to those who life he chose to be reborn into. If could be in a different place with totally different people around him. In the case of the Panchen Lama; since he has to be reborn as the next Panchen Lama, the environment and people surrounding him most likely will be similar, the the conclusion would most likely that he was purifying the karma of beings of that time.
2) Since the Panchen Lama is Amitabha, he can never be hurt. So by manifesting sickness and others obscurations; it is part of a great play that is yet to fully played out; I feel. To me even the spiritual tutor of the Panchen Rinpoche at that time, Yongzin Kachen Ang Nyima is part of that play.
3) The karma of beings in this degenerate age is so ...well degenerate that it needs the Buddhas skillful means, over a few hundred years in a great play on the stage of samsara to benefit the the optimum numbers of beings via the practice of the protector of this degenerate age, the Lord, King of Dharma Dorje Shugden, who the 4 great Drakpas himself, who is none other then Lord Tsonkhapa and Buddha Majushri. This is unmistaken.

It is all because of our karma. All the play of the ban and everything. This is why the Buddhas call this the degenerate age. For those fortunate enough, Dorje Shugden practice is at our doorstep.

[fruven]

I was surprised that Panchen Lama who is an emanation of Amitabha got hurt from disrespecting holy objects and giving up the practice. However it is explained these are divine play among the enlightened beings to show us the effects of disrespecting holy objects and not upholding practice and commitments.

Am I right to conclude that emanation can be physically hurt, the body aspect, because it is within the law of cause and effect, however the mind cannot effected because emanation has an enlightened mind. Only the enlightened beings can perceive the law of cause and effect, and can still have control over rebirth without going to lower realms. For us normal layperson these actions will create so much negative karma it will cause us to reborn in lower realms. Also for enlightened beings whichever realms they are reborn they will benefit the sentient beings there as I understood there is no limit to emanations.

[Ensapa]

This story actually reminds me of another teaching given by Lama Zopa in his foreword against Dorje Shugden:

But Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche and Kyabje Dechen Nyingpo are Buddha. Their practice of Dolgyal is the act of showing ordinary aspect for us. Showing ordinary aspect means showing mistakes. Otherwise there is no other meaning of showing ordinary aspect. Without showing this ordinary aspect for us, there is no method to guide us from samsara. Showing the aspect of having mistakes is what leads us to enlightenment. It is so extremely kind of the Guru to show this; it is like the Guru is giving us skies filled with wish-granting jewels.

Besides this example there are many ways the Guru shows the aspect of having mistakes. For example, showing the aspect of being sick so that we have to explain which foods harm and what not to eat. Another example is when there is no road or if there is a precipice and we have to explain to not go that way. There are many ways the Guru shows having mistakes. When the appearance of mistakes in the actions of the Gurus comes, it is extremely important to use that increase devotion, as this is the cause for oneself to achieve full enlightenment, or to support and increase the Guru devotion that one has generated in one’s own mind without degenerating.

In Panchen Lama's choice of giving up Dorje Shugden, it is very clear that he is manifesting his ordinary aspect. Why? Although his Dharma deeds were reduced significantly his subsequent incarnations still returned and the 10th Panchen Lama manifested in a huge way and regained his 'former' glory within a short while after he resumed his worship to Dorje Shugden. That to me is to tell everyone that going against Dorje Shugden is a huge mistake and perhaps, we should really heed that advice.

[harrynephew]

we have to understand that both HH Panchen Lama and Dorje Shugden are holy beings who with no doubt manifest in their respective forms in order to bring benefit to the people whom comes into contact with them. In this case they came into conflict in the eyes of the many. Which i do not really blame people for doing so.

From a practitioner's point of view, this incident happened in the past which enables us to analyse it in such a way becomes a Dharma lesson for oneself to learn and adapt. What is really this play of death and fame in reference to Buddhist views? Is going against Dorje Shugden that all bad that a high lama (second in power of Tibet) have to die a horrible death due to the actions of breaking his statues and destroying his temples?

We lack the understanding that with authority and power comes big responsibility and if high Lamas such as Panchen Lama does not drill this fact into the people he serves, he will not have much effect on the people he teaches. The death of the Panchen Lama I see it as a lesson to educate people of his time and more so in today's world. A grave deed such as destroying a receptacle or image of an enlightened being reaps horrible results at the potential to benefit would be so much greater when it was still intact.

I view this incident as a drama portrayed to be a lesson for many to follow. My view is not necessary correct but I find this to be an answer and inspiration for me to move on to believe in the Three Jewels of refuge who are embodied in these two mentioned enlightened Beings

[Ensapa]

I was surprised that Panchen Lama who is an emanation of Amitabha got hurt from disrespecting holy objects and giving up the practice. However it is explained these are divine play among the enlightened beings to show us the effects of disrespecting holy objects and not upholding practice and commitments.
I would not say that the Panchen Lama really got "hurt", as he still came back in his next life to do Dharma work (although unsuccessful). If what he did was really THAT bad, then he would not be able to come back at all in any way. So, its either him doing this as a warning of sorts to people and its all just an act, or that he really degenerated and it took a lot of effort for him to 'return' to the path.

Am I right to conclude that emanation can be physically hurt, the body aspect, because it is within the law of cause and effect, however the mind cannot effected because emanation has an enlightened mind. Only the enlightened beings can perceive the law of cause and effect, and can still have control over rebirth without going to lower realms. For us normal layperson these actions will create so much negative karma it will cause us to reborn in lower realms. Also for enlightened beings whichever realms they are reborn they will benefit the sentient beings there as I understood there is no limit to emanations.
An emanation may be enlightened but if they knowingly or unknowingly choose to ignore and transgress the law of cause and effect, they will have to suffer the consequences, although their minds will not waiver as a result of the sufferings. It is said in Liberation in the palm of your hand that even 3rd level Bodhisattvas have to go to hell if they transgress the laws of karma. I think it's pretty clear there.

Hope I answered your queries, fruven

[Dondrup Shugden]

As a Buddha, Dorje Shugden will never punish for any reason.  However due to negative karma, any action which is careless will create the cause of negative consequences. Such is what I believe can happen not punishment by Dorje Shugden.