2001-2007 : THE DROMO GESHE RINPOCHE AFFAIR :
Dromo Geshe Rinpoche, Ngawang Gyaltsen Jigme Choekyi Wangchuk, (Sikkim,23.01.1937- New York, 10.09.2001), following his release from prison in Lhasa (1961) because of his being Indian rather than Tibetan (Hindustan Standard, Aug.10th 1960), served as the Director of Tibet House in New Delhi. A close disciple of Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche (1900-1980, the younger Tutor of the Dalai Lama), he was thus a devotee of Dorje Shugden, as was his Great Predecessor.
August 25th 1999 : In a ‘most peaceful and cordial manner’, at a meeting of the Ghum Dun Gon Samten Choaling Association in Darjeeling (an Association gathering together Domo Geshe Rinpoche’s Monasteries in Kurseong, Kalimpong, Pedong and Sikkim), ‘It was unanimously decided that the members of our Association will continue to worship the Deity of Dorje Shugden’ even if they have to face any eventuality.
September 10th, 2001 Domo Geshe Rinpoche passes away in New York, U.S.A.
October 4th 2001 :Though he had not received any Teachings from the Dalai Lama in his life, out of complete faith his monasteries in Kalimpong and Darjeeling areas approach the Private Office of the Dalai Lama requesting that His Holiness may kindly compose a prayer for the swift return of Domo Geshe Rinpoche’s reincarnation. Claiming that the late Master had ignored his injunctions concerning Shugden worship, the Dalai Lama declined this request. As a result of this refusal on the part of the Dalai Lama, on June 23rd 2002 a Public Notice is published in Bengal and Sikkim ‘The Statesman’, stating that ‘there being no other option…..a Search Committee (for his Reincarnation) consisting of representatives from all His Monasteries, His Labrang, His Ancestral Home, His Relations and His Devotees and Benefactors from Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Bhutan and Sikkim is constituted…..The Committee also has the tacit support of His Devotees and establishment in the United States of America and other countries.’
November 9th 2002 : After consulting H.H. Trijang Rinpoche, the Ghum Dun Gon Samten Choeling Association presents the reply before the members (together with delegates from Domo Geshe Rinpoche’s Centre in U.S.A.), in which he informs them that the reincarnation of Domo Geshe Rinpoche has already taken place to the North West of Samten Choling Monastery, but that this should be kept secret and that there should be no hurry in searching for him. They should do prayers and await further instructions. The members unanimously agree.
March 2005 : Tharpa Choeling Monastery forms the ‘Ganden House and Tharpa Choeling Monastery Management Trust’ to take care of the interests and assets of Domo Geshe Rinpoche until they are handed over to the reincarnate Domo Geshe Rinpoche.
July 2005 : Sera Je Drati Khangtsen, in the person of Geshe Lobsang Sherab, takes it upon themselves to search for the new incarnation and (despite his previous refusal to compose a Prayer for his swift return) requests the Dalai Lama to select the Domo Geshe Rinpoche’s incarnation. (It must be remembered here that Sera Je Monastic College has unanimously thrown its weight in behind the Dalai Lama and his ban on the worship of Dorje Shugden). The Dalai Lama assures Geshe Lobsang Sherab that it is his own responsibility and that he will decide who will be the reincarnation! In view of the unprecedented step of Drati Khangtsen, on August 26th 2005, Ghum Dun Gon Samten Choaling Association once again urgently appeals to Trijang Rinpoche to consult the Oracle for the search of their beloved Guru Domo Geshe Rinpoche. On October 28th 2005 the Dalai Lama selects a boy from Camp 4 Tibetan Refugee Colony in Bylakuppe, as the reincarnation. Samten Choeling urgently requests from them on November 20th further information about ‘under whose authority’ Sera Je Drati Khangtsen has acted, to take all the initiatives in the search for the incarnation. The reply from Sera Je Drati Khangtsen on November 26th is insufficiently brief, stating that ‘the previous Rinpoche is a Lama of the Drati Khangtsen. Hence Drati Khangtsen took up the responsibility’. The recognition seal on the incarnation of his choice is given by the Dalai Lama on December 10th 2005. Four days later, Sera Je Drati Khangtsen tries to justify its untoward actions, informing Samten Choeling that ‘Domo Geshe Rinpoche happens to be one of the registered incarnate members of the College and in the case of him admitting himself into the Great Seats, except for the affiliation to this College, there are no other Colleges that he belongs to. Therefore, there should be no misunderstanding as to where his affiliation may lie in the future’. Samten Choeling refuses this justification on December 14th , stating that, quite simply, Domo Geshe Rinpoche was known as ‘Domo Rinpoche’ and not ‘Drati Rinpoche’ and repeating once more that the Dalai Lama had refused to write a Swift Return Prayer and therefore it was logical to refer to H.H. Trijang Rinpoche, rather than him. On December 18th Samten Choeling appeals to the Member of Parliament for Darjeeling and Kalimpong, Shri Dawa Narbula (who forwards it to the National Govrnment Home Minister), and to the Police Inspector in Charge, to bring the facts to the notice of all authorities concerned, since they foresee ‘untoward incidence, confusion and clash amongst the monks’. December 27th 2005 : The Oracle of Dorje Shugden declares Domo Geshe Rinpoche to be reborn in Sikkim. He advises that this information should be kept quiet for now. There will be obstacles at the beginning, but ‘Do not lose heart!’
June 2006 : The Dorje Shugden Devotees Charitable and Religious Society of Delhi, protests the case of the Controversy over Domo Geshe Rinpoche’s incarnation, to the Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh. Meanwhile, on June 14th, in a letter to Trijang Rinpoche, the members of Tharpa Choling Monastery, led by the ‘Omze’ Lama Lawang, explain their change of position and their subsequent alignment with the Dalai Lama, stating that the Dalai Lama has already given his Seal to his choice and ‘since the case has now definitely been ascertained’, if it were to be rejected, then eventually ‘all the related Monasteries coming under the affiliation of Domo Dungkar will have to be segregated from the Dalai Lama. Hence, we desire the chosen reincarnation……’. Members of the Dungkar Gonpa Society in New York, disciples of Domo Geshe Rinpoche in U.S.A., are, however, active and adamant in their position. On June 13th they write to the Samten Choling Monastery, Tharpa Choling Monastery, Tashi Choling Monastery, Gaden Choling Gonpa, Gaden House and Enchey House, stating that their ‘highest responsibility as disciples of Kyabje Domo Geshe Rinpoche is to remain faithful to the Kadampa tradition and to the lineage of our Guru…..It is our belief that the only way to do this is to follow the leadership of Kyabje Trijang Choktrul Rinpoche’. They conclude with the wish to ‘remain united in following the course that we began together four years ago’. An even stronger appeal goes from them to the Samten Choling Association, requesting that it be read aloud at the meeting on June 22nd. Without mincing words, they write: ‘Please keep in mind that the Monasteries of the Samten Choling Association belong to Kyabje Domo Geshe Rinpoche. In the Gelug tradition our Rinpoche, as well as his predecessor Ngawang Kelsang, were identified with the King Protector Dorje Shugden. For a long time the Protector practice has been upheld in Rinpoche’s Monasteries. In today’s circumstances we firmly believe that although as individuals you have freedom of choice, as monasteries belonging to Domo Geshe Rinpoche you do not have the authority to change the practices He established. Therefore, we strongly request you to examine carefully the consequences of accepting an incarnation who would be separated from this tradition. We also ask ourselves why, after so many years of facing difficulties and pressures, you would change now when an incarnation has been recognized by the King Protector’. At the same time, they write directly to the Dalai Lama ‘to clarify any possible misunderstanding’, explaining the unanimous decision to request Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche to coordinate the search, after the refusal by the Dalai Lama to write the Swift Return prayer, and the unexpected and unwarranted ‘personal initiative’ of Sera Je’s Geshe Lobsang Sherab, ‘without properly consulting…..Domo Geshe Rinpoche’s Monasteries’. ‘Neither his actions nor his conduct represented the wishes or intentions of Kyabje Domo Geshe Rinpoche’s disciples’. On July 8th, Trijang Rinpoche confirms to the functionaries of Tharchoe Monastery and the Choeze of Domo Labrang, his original choice of the child indicated in 2002 as ‘the unmistakeable mind emanation’. Although tactfully stating that ‘it is also plausible that there may be other emanations of the Master’s body, speech, mind, attainment and enlightened activities’, he recommends that ‘you should decide after holding consultations with the monastic community of Samten Choeling and the reincarnation committee’. The matter becomes ever more heated and since ‘Lama Lawang and other monks are planning to take possession of the entire landed properties by illegal means and by enthroning their alleged boy (fake Rimpoche) from the Sera Monastery’, Ghoom Dun Samten Choling Association on August 10th writes requests again to the Member of Parliament Shri Dawa Narbula and to the Superintendent of Police, to ‘do the needful for the protection of the property’. On September 3rd Delhi’s Dorje Shugden Society appeals directly to Tharpa Choeling Monastery, reminding them of the past unity under the great Lineage Masters and of the commitments they had pledged themselves to, before ‘going ahead and accepting the choice of a very strange incarnation’. ‘The whole process of this so-called recognition has been dubious’, they say, and ‘there is nobody superior in recognising an unmistakeable reincarnation other than the Kind Refuge, the Vajradhara Trijang Rinpoche, the Master to the great Predecessor himself’.
Ghoom Samten Choling Monastery petitions the LD Executive Magistrate in Kalimpong to pass an order restraining the ‘opposing parties’ from installing their chosen reincarnation in Tharpa Choling Monastery.
December 28th : A sacred image of Dorje Shugden, commissioned by the famed Domo Geshe Rinpoche Ngawang Kelsang, made and consecrated getting on for a century ago by the Holy Lama, suddenly disappears from the hallowed shrine of the Tharpa Choeling Monastery, Kalimpong. This monastery itself was established by the Master. The sacred Implements of the Deity, that had been embedded in the wall above the entrance to the Monastery, are also found to be missing. The Choir Master of the Monastery, Umze Lhawang, and Thubten Rabyang (also nicknamed ‘Chonze-la’ on the staff of the Labrang in Kalimpong) who, according to eye witnesses had received occasional visits from the Heads of the Tibetan Youth and Women’s Organisations and other Tibetan fraternities, are immediately identified as the culprits behind the desecration and theft. It is learnt later that the two were coaxed with promises of the blessings of the Dalai Lama and other bounties, should they succeed in eradicating the practice of Shugden and in bringing all the other Monasteries and disciples of the late Master under subservience to the Dalai Lama’s spiritual guidelines.
You find this article on the sumatiarya.nl website page Kundeling R. and named 'Chronological events on Dorje Shugden from 1950 up till now'. It is written by HH.13th Kundeling Rimpoche, Mysore, India
