The Ambitious 69th “Bhutan Abbot” of Sakya Ngor Monastery

[dsnowlion]

It is sometimes hard to imagine that someone who is a learned monk, what more a lama, would be jealous and power hungry over another, especially towards the great Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche who was spreading the illustrious teachings of Lama Tsongkhapa. The jealousy was so strong that they would actually carry out their negative actions, creating schism within the sangha community, which caused much division and destruction. This is what the 69th abbot of Sakya Ngor Monastery, Ngawang Yontan Gyatso did and amazingly he was supported by the Dalai Lama's office... 

The Ambitious 69th “Bhutan Abbot” of Sakya Ngor Monastery
By: Toby Lee

More than 50 years ago, before the practice of the enlightened Dharma protector Dorje Shugden was banned by the Tibetan leadership in 1996, there existed an extremely ambitious and gifted, but stubborn and destructive monk who courted the support of the Bhutan palace. As the 69th abbot of Sakya Ngor Monastery, he distinguished himself by creating a strong dislike for Dorje Shugden and the teachings of Lama Tsongkhapa, leaving a trail of schism and division behind him.

This was at a time when Dorje Shugden and Lama Tsongkhapa were popularly represented by the Gelugpa stalwart H.H. Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche Dechen Nyingpo (1878–1941) who was not only highly respected by the monastic community but also the lay people of the Himalayas.

As a result of Ngawang Yontan Gyatso’s ambitious but sectarian actions, Dorje Shugden publications were destroyed and his practice halted at many Sakya and other monasteries that Ngawang Yontan Gyatso had control over or had underhandedly leaned on.

Ironically, his sectarian actions were justified by the Gaden Phodrang (Tibetan government) which had been established in the 17th Century by the 5th Dalai Lama, who had not only fought with the Sakyas but also banned the printing of Gorampa’s writings. Gorampa, as the 6th Abbot of Sakya Ngor Monastery, had been the fiercest critic of Lama Tsongkhapa in his time. Even the Mahasiddha and erudite master Je Tsongkhapa had his strong critics. With the passage of time, we can see that Tsongkhapa’s view and teachings really expanded globally, silencing his critics.


Family influence makes a stubborn boy the Abbot of Ngor

As a child, Ngawang Yontan Gyatso is described as being intelligent and witty but also distressingly stubborn and independent, almost notoriously so. For example, it is recorded that when they were studying with their teacher (Ngawang Yontan Gyatso’s uncle, Lama Gendun), his distant cousin Dezhung Rinpoche never got beatings over the head with his teacher’s slipper, but Ngawang Yontan Gyatso did.

Through the influence of his family who were relatively well-to-do and could count amongst them a number of respected lamas of rank, he was accepted as a candidate from Khangsar Labrang for the abbotship of Ngor Monastery. Subsequently, he became its 69th Abbot. Unlike some of the other Ngor abbots who ascended the throne due to their hard work, studies and personal achievements, Ngawang Yontan Gyatso ascended the Ngor Abbot’s throne due to wealth and family position which is usually a recipe for disaster.

Continue reading http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-ambitious-69th-bhutan-abbot-of-sakya-ngor-monastery/

[Drolma]

Pabongka Rinpoche was very famous and had many students, Ngawang Yontan Gyatso was jealous of it. Therefore, he started to spread rumours about Dorje Shugden so that Pabongka Rinpoche’s popularity would decrease as Pabongka Rinpoche was a Dorje Shugden practitioner.

Ngawang Yontan Gyatso claimed he died very young in his previous life because Dorje Shugden created obstacles for him and caused him to die at the age of 36. This didn’t make sense at all, if the law of karma applies, one dies because of one’s karma, not because of spirits. If a spirit can cause a lama to die, it is maybe because the lama is not attained to protect himself from a spirit or it is his karma catching up on him.

The schism created by Ngawang Yontan Gyatso had caused disharmony among different lineages, some people might have lost faith in Dorje Shugden and not practicing it anymore; some might spread the rumours to more people creating even more negative influence and it might cause a pure lineage to disappear. In the end, Ngawang Yontan Gyatso died in the prison with no sign of attainment. Greed and jealousy lead us to the wrong path regardless of who we are, we have to be careful of our motivation so we don’t end up in a bad place.

[Rowntree]

It looks like it is in the blood of some of the Sakya lineage master to criticize Dorje Shugden and be political. The 41st Sakya Trizin banned and talks badly about Dorje Shugden following the 'good' example of the 69th “Bhutan Abbot” of Sakya Ngor Monastery, Ngawang Yontan Gyatso, just half a century ago. Both of them similarly involved in religion for position, power, prestige and wealth in their different ways. See the below picture no one understands why it should be distributed at all, but it does show the 41st Sakya Trizin's wealth very much.

Before the ban of the Dorje Shugden practice, the 41st Sakya Trizin living in the Tibetan refugee community in Buxa, North-East India back in the 1970s, was often seen engaging in Dorje Shugden pujas. During that time, high lamas of different lineages always meet and share their lineages together. Senior Gelugpa monks and Sakya monks attest that Dorje Shugden was practiced in Sakya as well as by the 41st Sakya Trizin while in Buxa. They were all in Buxa for a few years before resettling in various parts of India as designated by the Indian government. Similarly, to this day, there remains a Dorje Shugden mural prominently painted on one of the walls of Sakya Monastery in Shigatse.

However, the 41st Sakya Trizin later denied Dorje Shugden for political correctness at the height of the ban against Shugden. What does it says about him?

[dsnowlion]

It looks like it is in the blood of some of the Sakya lineage master to criticize Dorje Shugden and be political. The 41st Sakya Trizin banned and talks badly about Dorje Shugden following the 'good' example of the 69th “Bhutan Abbot” of Sakya Ngor Monastery, Ngawang Yontan Gyatso, just half a century ago. Both of them similarly involved in religion for position, power, prestige and wealth in their different ways. See the below picture no one understands why it should be distributed at all, but it does show the 41st Sakya Trizin's wealth very much.

Before the ban of the Dorje Shugden practice, the 41st Sakya Trizin living in the Tibetan refugee community in Buxa, North-East India back in the 1970s, was often seen engaging in Dorje Shugden pujas. During that time, high lamas of different lineages always meet and share their lineages together. Senior Gelugpa monks and Sakya monks attest that Dorje Shugden was practised in Sakya as well as by the 41st Sakya Trizin while in Buxa. They were all in Buxa for a few years before resettling in various parts of India as designated by the Indian government. Similarly, to this day, there remains a Dorje Shugden mural prominently painted on one of the walls of Sakya Monastery in Shigatse.

However, the 41st Sakya Trizin later denied Dorje Shugden for political correctness at the height of the ban against Shugden. What does it says about him?

LOL  that is a very interesting picture! Don't let it get circulated. Made me lose respect for the Sakya tradition and doubtful towards to future Sakya throne holders. It is one thing to be politically "correct" and another to be seen as GREEDY and seen with $$$. Sure looks like he has another agenda in mind. And the funny thing is even if this picture was circulated, how come no one or the CTA or the Dalai Lama say anything about such horrible conduct? Imagine if it was us Shugdenpas, we'll be labelled as taking Chinese Money!