Kyabje Zemey Rinpoche's personal Dorje Shugden statue

[WisdomBeing]

Something delightful for everyone! A friend shared this photo with me of Kyabje Zemey Rinpoche's personal Dorje Shugden statue, which is in Kyabje Zemey Rinpoche's meditation room at Shar Gaden monastery, India.

Read more about Kyabje Zemey Rinpoche here: http://www.dorjeshugden.com/videos/lamas-teachings/kyabje-zemey-rinpoche/ and http://www.dorjeshugden.com/great-masters/recent-masters/kyabje-zemey-dorje-chang/

[harrynephew]

This beautiful image of Dorje Shugden is so beautiful and sacred. I noticed that the masters of old would always make offerings of clothes onto their statues and this one of those statues which is just so serene to look at even though the protector is depicted as being wrathful here. There's always a sense of peace and a presence when you see pictures of protector statues belonging to high Lamas such as this one.

This reaffirms my faith in the protector that he will always abide in the state of compassion while appearing wrathful to tame those who are hard to tame.

[Tenzin Malgyur]

Such a regal statue of Dorje Shugden. Thanks for sharing with us. May everyone who gazed at this holy image be blessed by the great protector. It is so good to know that this holy statue was taken good care and placed in Kyabje Zemey Rinpoche's meditation room at Shar Gaden Monastery. Now that the reincarnation of this high lama is back here again amongst us, shows us that DS practitioners are not spirit worshipers as accused. May the current Zemey Rinpoche have a smooth education journey and continue with the work from his previous lives.

[Losang_Tenpa]

It is said in many Lam Rim texts that a place is 'holy land' if it is a place where Masters have attained realizations. Zemey Labrang is most definitely holy land.

[Big Uncle]

It is said in many Lam Rim texts that a place is 'holy land' if it is a place where Masters have attained realizations. Zemey Labrang is most definitely holy land.

Yes, the Bodhimanda of Zemey Rinpoche. I do admire this great master's ability to forgive and let go. Zemey Rinpoche sure went through a lot as a result that the Yellow book got leaked out. This became a sort of reason for the Dalai Lama to institute the ban and as a result, the relationship between the Dalai Lama and himself became strained and it never recovered after that.

Zemey Rinpoche was ostracized after that and he remained low key for the rest of his life and I heard that he never spoke again. One of this main students of Thupten Jinpa and was instructed by Kyabje Zemey Rinpoche to serve the Dalai Lama and this was in spite of receiving the heat because of the Yellow book. Incredible sacrifice and perhaps, his sacrifice was not in vain because it created the cause for Dorje Shugden to explode into the world. This view is of course an interpretation of the ban.

[honeydakini]

Thank you for this powerful and blessed photo. You can see the statue almost come alive in the photo!

A question: I am guessing that Zemey Rinpoche's ladrang would now officially be a part of Shar Gaden? (and not Gaden Shartse?)

And the incarnation of Zemey Rinpoche is back, of course! It's so wonderful to know too that these great incarnations are coming back AND continuing right where they have left off in their previous lives. You might like to see this article about the young Zemey Rinpoche already receiving DS initiation at a very young age, from the erudite Lama jampa Ngodrup: http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/news/zemey-rinpoches-incarnation-receives-ds-initiation-2/

There's a beautiful video here of his enthronement too: http://www.dorjeshugden.com/videos/lamas-teachings/kyabje-zemey-rinpoche/

Always so lovely to read about the lives of these lamas, which I find really so fascinating. To think that they are so attained to be able to have total control over their rebirths and to choose the work they will come back to do! Again, if their practice of Dorje Shugden, a supposed spirit, was so harmful and destroyed the basis of their vows, then why would are their unmistaken, perfect incarnations back and recognised by many of the highest lamas of our lineage? It seems at odds that someone could engage in such wrong and harmful practices, but still maintain the same perfect attainments of someone who has maintained a perfect practice. And if they were attained enough to have such complete control of their rebirths, then surely they would know if a practice was truly harmful or not, or at least be able to tell if the deity was a enlightened or a mere spirit!

I believe it's helpful to read about these lamas always and think about their qualities. Then faith arises in them and in our practices and lineage, so that whatever people say against Dorje Shugden and Gelugpa practices, we know the true nature of where they arise from.

[Benny]

A big thank you to Wisdom Being for sharing this fascinating and rare picture. I am sure it was not easy to obtain , you friend is indeed blessed to enter into the meditation room of such a respectable lama.
Now that the reincarnation of this high lama is back here again amongst us only goes to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that DS practitioners are not spirit worshipers as accused. Not that we needed that validation LOL ! Thanks again , please do post more pictures , i am compiling them.

[dsiluvu]

Zemey Rinpoche (red robes) on the entourage to visit Beijing
with HH Dalai Lama and tutors.

Zemey Rinpoche definitely was no ordinary monk or Rinpoche...among the thousands he was the one chosen to be the entourage for the Dalai Lama when the group went to visit China. This shows you how much the Dalai Lama trust and was so close to Zemey Rinpoche at one point. It is only after the "yellow" book that Zemey Rinpoche wrote about a few monks that was dealt with by Dorje Shugden who were polluting the Gelugpa lineage. This then  got leaked out and landed on to His Holiness's hands and without much warning Zemey Rinpoche was not invited or be able to attend any of the  Dalai Lam's teachings and  manifested anger towards Zemey Rinpoche. But Zemey Rinpoche never once retaliated or was he angry. Instead at every single teaching His Holiness gave, Zemey Rinpoche would be outside doing full length prostration while his own students was inside receiving teachings from the Dalai Lama. Imagine the humiliation for an ordinary person.

This clearly shows Zemey Rinpoche's sincerity and many also said that HHDL manifested in such a way and Zemey Rinpoche went along to show ultimate "Guru devotion". Ever since Zemey Rinpoche was banned, He also stop giving teachings and went in to retreats where he pass in to clear light without ever gotten the chance to explain to His Holiness his writings which I believe was not about sectarianism but rather something to do with preserving one's own pure lineage and practices well before learning on other lineages and practices. Why go after another practice when your very own you have not mastered?

[Losang_Tenpa]

Just to clarify:
The 'Yellow Book' was written in 1970 and published in a very limited way in 1976.
The Dalai Lama first started to speak out against Dorje Shugden in 1978. He did not mention the Yellow Book in any of his first talks against Dorje Shugden.

According to the text 'Selected Writings of Zemey Rinpoche:

In 1974 Zemey Rinpoche retired from public life and entered a period of semi-retreat in the Tibetan settlement of Bylakuppe, Mysore, South India. Four years later, in 1978, he re-entered public life and moved his permanent residence to Ganden monastery in Mundgod, Karnataka. From the late 70's onward, he taught extensively at Gaden Monastery and also wrote prolifically. Rinpoche also began to travel widely during this time, fulfilling requests for him to teach in the various Tibetan communities if India and Nepal. In 1984, while on tour in North India, Rinpoche suffered a stroke. Though no longer able to speak, Rinpoche supervised the compilation and editing of his entire six volumes of his collected works. Since his stroke until his death in 1996, Zemey Rinpoche led a retired life at his residence, Tashi Gephel House, at Gaden monastery, south India.

[Ensapa]

Just to clarify:
The 'Yellow Book' was written in 1970 and published in a very limited way in 1976.
The Dalai Lama first started to speak out against Dorje Shugden in 1978. He did not mention the Yellow Book in any of his first talks against Dorje Shugden.

According to the text 'Selected Writings of Zemey Rinpoche:

In 1974 Zemey Rinpoche retired from public life and entered a period of semi-retreat in the Tibetan settlement of Bylakuppe, Mysore, South India. Four years later, in 1978, he re-entered public life and moved his permanent residence to Ganden monastery in Mundgod, Karnataka. From the late 70's onward, he taught extensively at Gaden Monastery and also wrote prolifically. Rinpoche also began to travel widely during this time, fulfilling requests for him to teach in the various Tibetan communities if India and Nepal. In 1984, while on tour in North India, Rinpoche suffered a stroke. Though no longer able to speak, Rinpoche supervised the compilation and editing of his entire six volumes of his collected works. Since his stroke until his death in 1996, Zemey Rinpoche led a retired life at his residence, Tashi Gephel House, at Gaden monastery, south India.

I am thinking...since Lamas can control their winds and channels, could it  be that the stroke that the previous Zemey Rinpoche manifested is a result of the yellow book being misinterpreted and being used as an excuse to press down on Dorje Shugden and make people think that Dorje Shugden is sectarian? Prior to people misinterpreting the yellow book, there was nothing about Dorje Shugden being sectarian because he is practiced in Nyingma and Sakya as well. Perhaps, the person who published the book worded it in such a way that it creates misunderstandings in the minds of people, and due to that, Zemey Rinpoche manifested silence.

[WisdomBeing]

Just to clarify:
The 'Yellow Book' was written in 1970 and published in a very limited way in 1976.
The Dalai Lama first started to speak out against Dorje Shugden in 1978. He did not mention the Yellow Book in any of his first talks against Dorje Shugden.

According to the text 'Selected Writings of Zemey Rinpoche:

In 1974 Zemey Rinpoche retired from public life and entered a period of semi-retreat in the Tibetan settlement of Bylakuppe, Mysore, South India. Four years later, in 1978, he re-entered public life and moved his permanent residence to Ganden monastery in Mundgod, Karnataka. From the late 70's onward, he taught extensively at Gaden Monastery and also wrote prolifically. Rinpoche also began to travel widely during this time, fulfilling requests for him to teach in the various Tibetan communities if India and Nepal. In 1984, while on tour in North India, Rinpoche suffered a stroke. Though no longer able to speak, Rinpoche supervised the compilation and editing of his entire six volumes of his collected works. Since his stroke until his death in 1996, Zemey Rinpoche led a retired life at his residence, Tashi Gephel House, at Gaden monastery, south India.

This is interesting, Losang Tenpa. So do you know when did the Dalai Lama start using the yellow book as fodder for the anti-Dorje Shugden campaign? Especially as it's a good two years since the book came out.

In the selected writings you mentioned, who reported on Zemey Rinpoche's activities? It was reported so it must have been written by someone else aside from Zemey Rinpoche.

I'd appreciate any further light you can share on this. I also understand you're staying in Zemey ladrang now? This is a presumption on one of the facebook postings you made. What is the understanding of the Zemey ladrang monks on the Dorje Shugden ban? Perhaps you can share.

[Losang_Tenpa]

I don't know the exact date when the Dalai Lama first mentioned the Yellow Book. I will do some checking.

The text I quoted was edited by Thubten Jinpa, and it was he who wrote the forward that I posted a segment from. When I have time, I will type out more of the forward. Pretty interesting.

[Losang_Tenpa]

I don't know the exact date when the Dalai Lama first mentioned the Yellow Book. I will do some checking.

The text I quoted was edited by Thubten Jinpa, and it was he who wrote the forward that I posted a segment from. When I have time, I will type out more of the forward. Pretty interesting.

Forgot to mention:
The text, Selected Writings of Kyabje Zemey Rinpoche, was published by Zemey Labrang in 1997.

[Losang_Tenpa]

Here is what Thubten Jinpa had to say in 1997 in the forward about the Yellow Book:

...Also included in this volume is the controversial work which later became known as "The Yellow Book". Written as a somewhat stylized literary piece, this work is a faithful recording of events relating to what could be perhaps described as the "oral history" of a particular period of Tibet. 

[WisdomBeing]

Interesting, Losang Tenpa. Do share more of the foreword when you can.

thanks