Author Topic: A Sakya Tale: DORJE SHUGDEN AMONG THE SAKYAS  (Read 14028 times)

beggar

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A Sakya Tale: DORJE SHUGDEN AMONG THE SAKYAS
« on: August 09, 2010, 06:08:57 PM »
Below extracted from:

http://truthaboutshugden.wordpress.com/ posted here by TK
__________________________________________________________________________________________


A Sakya Tale - The Mahasiddha’s Prophesy


Part 1

February 26, 2010 by truthaboutshugden

Imagine, if you will…

The year is 1849, and the Sakya temple known as Mugchug resounds with the sonorous tones of a great assembly of high Sakya lamas engaged in a special ritual practice. The Sakya Throneholder Tashi Rinchen, head of the entire Sakya tradition, is in attendance. In fact, the entire ritual practice has been requested by this Sakya Tri (Throneholder).
 
In the Sakya tradtion, the position of Throneholder passes from father to son. There are two main houses or “phodrang” from which a Sakya Tri may arise, Dolma phodrang and Phuntsog phodrang. These houses alternate such that when a Throneholder passes away and his sons are still in their minority,  a child of the previous Tri will take the throne, allowing the young potential-throneholders to mature and receive the training appropriate to a leader of the Sakya tradition. In this way, the Sakyas ensure the continuity of their tradition’s leadership.

As of this evening in 1849, however, Dolma Phodrang Thegchen Tashi Rinchen, Lord of the Sakyas, Thirty-Fifth Throneholder and supreme leader of the tradition, has no son.

 
Mahasiddha Pema Dudul

As the Dolma house line carries the most precious and esoteric teachings in the Sakya tradition (1), the situation is considered extremely grave.

Tashi Rinchen himself has requested Mahasiddha Padma Dudul, a very great Sakya master and incidentally both a retired Throneholder himself and also Tashi Rinchen’s father, to perform a ritual to ensure the swift birth of a male child. This is why the high lamas and tulkus have gathered this night. (2)

During a break in the ritual, eager to discover  any results, Tashi Rinchen turns to Mahasiddha Pema Dudul and asks him, “Who will come to take rebirth as my son?”

With joy, the great Mahasiddha replies….

“These days times are so degenerate no-one else is coming, but now Grandpa Shugden himself will definitely come as your son!”

___________________

Notes:

1 Drogmi.org, Biography of the Present Sakya Trizin. I assume this refers mainly to the Lamdre tradition, the heart of the Tantric transmission of the Sakyas, which has been passed down through the masters of the Dolma phodrang.

2 Khri chen Drag shul ‘Phrin las rin chen. Rdo rje ‘chang drag shul ‘phrin las rin chen gyi rtogs brjod (The Autobiography of Khri-chen Drag-shul-phrin-las-rin-chen of Sakya). Dehra Dun: Sakya Centre: 1974, pp. 29-31.


 

 Part 2

 

Mahasiddha Pema Dudul’s grandfather was Sachen Kunga Lodro, a great leader of the  Sakya tradition and the 31st Sakya Throneholder, who was believed to have been an incarnation of Dorje Shugden. Kunga Lodro wrote a wrathful torma offering to Dorje Shugden’s five lineages called Swirl of Perfect Sense Offerings and carried on the tradition of his own father, the 30th Throneholder Dagchen Sonam Rinchen, praising Dorje Shugden as an enlightened protector.

From this we can understand that when Mahasiddha Pema Dudul says, “These days times are so degenerate no-one else is coming, but now Grandpa Shugden himself will definitely come as your son!” he is indicating that his grandfather, the great Kunga Lodro, an emanation of Dorje Shugden, will take rebirth as the son of Throneholder Tashi Rinchen to uphold the Sakya tradition for the benefit of living beings.


Hearing that Kunga Lodro had agreed to be reborn as his son, Tashi Rinchen was extremely pleased, repeating it over and over. To commemorate the kindness of Kunga Lodro/Dorje Shugden coming from the pure lands to uphold the lineage, he established a tradition at Sakya of burning many butter lamps and “proclaiming a vast offering cloud of melodies” with horns and trumpets from the roof of the temple.

Less than a year later, the great Sakya Kunga Nyingpo was born. He was believed to be the rebirth of  the thirty-first Sakya Trizin Kunga Lodro and an emanation of Avalokiteshvara and Dorje Shugden.

Kunga Nyingpo went on to ascend the Sakya Throne in 1883 and become the 37th Sakya Trizin.

 
Part 3

March 8, 2010 by truthaboutshugden.com

 
Sakya Lineage


In 1871 Kunga Nyingpo had his own son, Dragshul Trinley Rinchen. Dragshul Trinley Rinchen grew up to become the 39th Holder of the Sakya Throne.

In his autobiography, this lama explained that his father Kunga Nyingpo was Avalokiteshvara. In order to prove this, he recounted the story about Mahasiddha Pema Dudul and Trinley Rinchen detailed above and then wrote

The Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden Tsel definitively is Avalokiteshvara. The Nyingma Tantra Rinchen Nadun says “The one known as Dolgyal is not mistaken on the path to liberation, he is by nature the Great Compassionate One,” which establishes this by scripture.


The Great Je Sakyapa Kunga Nyingpo is well-known as an incarnation of the Arya Lotus in Hand (Avalokiteshvara). The Arya Lotus in Hand definitively is none other than the Lord of Mandalas, but provisionally by assuming the manner of a tenth level bodhisattva he simultaneously sports billions of superior, middling and inferior emanations to accomplish immeasurable benefit for beings, such as setting them on paths to the higher realms and liberation. (2)


Thus in order to show that his father was Avalokiteshvara, he set out to show that his father was well-known to have been an emanation of Dorje Shugden, and then demonstrated with a quotation from Nyingma tantra that Dorje Shugden and Avalokiteshvara are the same person.


As further demonstrated in his Autobiography, Dragshul Trinley Rinchen was a practitioner of Dorje Shugden as well, and was considered to be “a very great Sakya master, one of the most outstanding masters in our recent time.” (1)


So when we consider the relationship of the Sakya Tradition to the Practice of Dorje Shugden we see that, contrary to the claims of some present-day Sakya Lamas, for more than three hundred years Dorje Shugden has been viewed in Sakya as an Enlightened protector. Not among the provincial practitioners or those without education, but by the Throneholders of the lineage, and the holders of the Sakya’s most precious Tantric transmissions, Lamdre Lineage holders like Morchen Dorjechang who wrote praises to Dorje Shugden as an enlightened being.


When the leader of an entire Buddhist tradition says “Dorje Shugden is definitively Avolkiteshvara,” it seems to me to be difficult to make the claim, as some have tried to do in the debates over this issue, that the great Sakya masters never viewed Dorje Shugden as anything other than a spirit. In fact it seems that there has been an unbroken tradition of the practice of Dorje Shugden as an enlightened protector from the early 1700?s right through modern times.


It is easy to understand that most lamas don’t write about their Dharma protector practices, which have traditionally been in the nature of secrecy. It isn’t unreasonable, therefore, to assume that there were many masters other than the ones enumerated here that held Dorje Shugden as their protector and as a fully enlightened being.


Since this material is so readily available, it seems odd that the Dalai Lama, who has attempted to ban this practice as “spirit worship,” doesn’t seem to be aware of it. He doesn’t list the views of these great masters when recounting the results of his research, at any rate.


What could the reason for this oversight possibly be?


A list of the supreme heads of the Sakya Lineage who can be shown to have viewed Dorje Shugden as an enlightened being:

30th Sakya Throneholder Sonam Rinchen (1705-1741)
31st Throneholder Sachen Kunga Lodro (1729-1783)
33rd Throneholder Padma Dudul Wangchug (1792-1853)
35th Throneholder Tashi Rinchen (1824-1865)
37th Throneholder Kunga Nyingpo (1850-1899)
39th Throneholder Dragshul Thinley Rinchen (1871-1936)

__________________________________________________________________

Notes

1. Gonsar Rinpoche, 1996, Public Talk

2. Khri chen Drag shul ‘Phrin las rin chen. Rdo rje ‘chang drag shul ‘phrin las rin chen gyi rtogs brjod (The Autobiography of Khri-chen Drag-shul-phrin-las-rin-chen of Sakya). Dehra Dun: Sakya Centre: 1974, pp. 29-31.


beggar

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Re: A Sakya Tale: DORJE SHUGDEN AMONG THE SAKYAS
« Reply #1 on: August 09, 2010, 06:14:12 PM »
Hey everyone,
I've been noticing quite a few new posters on the forum and I think it would be really helpful if we started up threads like a book club discussion. a whole book might be too big for us for now, so let's start with bite-sized pieces and work our way up! What a good chance to learn more about the history of our sacred protector and all these great masters who have worshipped him in history.

... let's start with this here fantastic article about how Dorje Shugden was so highly regarded as an enlightened being within the sakya lineage.

New people - I hope to see you all on here more! Ask questions, ask questions, ask questions and learn learn learn! (and you can bypass the politics a little if you're not too interested in all that)

LosangKhyentse

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Re: A Sakya Tale: DORJE SHUGDEN AMONG THE SAKYAS
« Reply #2 on: August 09, 2010, 06:56:12 PM »
Dear beggar,

Glad to see this. I love to discuss dharma and just dharma as it adds to my knowledge. This is a great idea and I will read this article and take a think. Then ask or share.

Very good idea. I like book clubs. Was in one in school where we had to read a book a week and discuss then write report. I enjoyed it very much.

Thanks for steering us in a direction of learning, sharing and investigation of so much good stuff on this website that exists already and not utilized.

tk

harrynephew

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Re: A Sakya Tale: DORJE SHUGDEN AMONG THE SAKYAS
« Reply #3 on: August 09, 2010, 08:22:12 PM »
Hey Beggar,

Love your return to this sacred e-mandala of Dorje Shugden. Somehow we have a positive and brighter direction in ushering the reign of our King here. What more better than to study and understand every aspect of his well being. From his previous incarnations, emanations, prayers and so forth. The Administrators have done a wonderful job by compiling the starter kit for this purpose.

To deepen our knowledge on Dorje Shugden, we should definitely have online book clubs thru this forum to enrich ourselves with knowledge on Dorje Shugden! Let's start with this thread!

When we get this online book club going steady, maybe we can write into the admins to have a column on the main page to inidcate that there's a book club going on in the forum and they can put in their inputs after reading? Would be a good way to promote the website too.

cheers
H1N1
Harry Nephew

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WisdomBeing

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Re: A Sakya Tale: DORJE SHUGDEN AMONG THE SAKYAS
« Reply #4 on: August 09, 2010, 10:16:14 PM »
Thank you Beggar - what a lovely idea.

Re the Sakya Tale, it's really an example of how Dorje Shugden is NOT a sectarian practice.

Dorje Shugden's previous incarnation is even said to be that of the great scholar, Sakya Pandita (1182–1251), who was the 6th Sakya Trizin - the spiritual head of the Sakya tradition. That Dorje Shugden manifested again at the 31st Sakya Trizin, Sachen Kunga Lodro is no surprise.

What i am curious about though is why the Sakya school stopped propitiating Dorje Shugden. I've only heard that it is because of politics with the Dalai Lama that they bowed to pressure to stop practising.

Can anyone share more about this?

Kate Walker - a wannabe wisdom Being

WisdomBeing

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Re: A Sakya Tale: DORJE SHUGDEN AMONG THE SAKYAS
« Reply #5 on: August 09, 2010, 10:19:32 PM »
Oh - i also wanted to comment on this:

Quote
The Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden Tsel definitively is Avalokiteshvara. The Nyingma Tantra Rinchen Nadun says “The one known as Dolgyal is not mistaken on the path to liberation, he is by nature the Great Compassionate One,” which establishes this by scripture. 

So it is not only the Sakya school who honoured Shugden but also the Nyingmas?

And from the 16th Karmapa's tacit approval of Shugden - there seems to be overwhelming evidence that, contrary to popular opinion, Shugden is not a sectarian practice.
Kate Walker - a wannabe wisdom Being

harrynephew

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Re: A Sakya Tale: DORJE SHUGDEN AMONG THE SAKYAS
« Reply #6 on: August 09, 2010, 11:00:22 PM »
Oh - i also wanted to comment on this:

Quote
The Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden Tsel definitively is Avalokiteshvara. The Nyingma Tantra Rinchen Nadun says “The one known as Dolgyal is not mistaken on the path to liberation, he is by nature the Great Compassionate One,” which establishes this by scripture. 

So it is not only the Sakya school who honoured Shugden but also the Nyingmas?

And from the 16th Karmapa's tacit approval of Shugden - there seems to be overwhelming evidence that, contrary to popular opinion, Shugden is not a sectarian practice.

Based on the above, Dorje Shugden's blessings and protection covers all four sects of Buddhism and as such, it gives him full basis to be a protector for WORLD PEACE!

I can already imagine one day when the ban is lifted, majority of the human population make direct offerings to his statues and images and have indirect connection with him, will plant the causes to receive teachings from Maitreya in the future. Not to mention the happiness and relief from their problems faced!

Hail the Protector of our Time!

H1N1
Harry Nephew

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Re: A Sakya Tale: DORJE SHUGDEN AMONG THE SAKYAS
« Reply #7 on: August 10, 2010, 12:40:53 AM »
Oh - i also wanted to comment on this:

Quote
The Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden Tsel definitively is Avalokiteshvara. The Nyingma Tantra Rinchen Nadun says “The one known as Dolgyal is not mistaken on the path to liberation, he is by nature the Great Compassionate One,” which establishes this by scripture. 


So it is not only the Sakya school who honoured Shugden but also the Nyingmas?

And from the 16th Karmapa's tacit approval of Shugden - there seems to be overwhelming evidence that, contrary to popular opinion, Shugden is not a sectarian practice.



I would like to ask if anyone knows whether the current Karmapa(s) have made any statement about the Dalai Lama & Dorje Shugden controversy?

I have read this from a speech by by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama to the Second Gelug Conference (Dharamsala, 6 December 2000):

Now I would like to say something about Trijang Rinpoche. He and Karmapa Rinpoche were very close. He himself related one incident that occurred after we had moved here. He said that on the previous day he had received a bit of a shock.

Karmapa Rinpoche had turned up out of the blue just as he was doing Dolgyal propitiation.  When he heard that Karmapa Rinpoche had arrived, he said that he had to hurriedly clear away all of the offerings in order to conceal them. The reason was that Karmapa Rinpoche was not at all keen on Dolgyal. Think about this. What sort of a tutelary protector for the Gelug is it that one has to conceal when a Kagyu Lama arrives?

The Gelug tradition has the Six-Armed Mahakala as a tutelary deity. It also has Damchen Chogyel (Kalarupa). If it had been Mahakala there in full view, Karmapa Rinpoche would have been quite happy. He would probably have offered a symbolic libation to him. I do not know whether the same is true for Damchen Chogyel (Kalarupa)

Source: http://www.dalailama.com/messages/dolgyal-shugden/speeches-by-his-holiness/gelug-conference




1. It is said that " Karmapa Rinpoche was not at all keen on Dolgyal" .
- I think that Karmapa himself & his lineage does not practice Dorje Shugden & hence he was not keen may be? It doesn't necessarily mean Karmapa was against this practice. What do you guys think?

2. HH the Dalai Lama used this as an example that highlights sectarianism, by drawing example of Trijang Rinpoche clearing away the offering to conceal the practice from Karmapa.
- Why would Karmapa be offended if a Gelug lama is propitiating his own lineage protector? I think there are other lineage-specific protector beside Dorje Shugden.


3. Dalai Lama said that: "I do not know whether the same is true for Damchen Chogyel (Kalarupa)".
- For me, it meant that Dalai Lama was not sure what was the outcome, whether HH Karmapa would have offered a symbolic libation if it were Kalarupa.
- My question is why would Karmapa NOT offer tea to Kalarupa, who is Manjushri in protector form? Just because Kalarupa is not propitiated in Kagyu doesn't mean Kalarupa is not a Buddha?[/font]

beggar

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Re: A Sakya Tale: DORJE SHUGDEN AMONG THE SAKYAS
« Reply #8 on: August 11, 2010, 02:43:20 PM »

1. It is said that " Karmapa Rinpoche was not at all keen on Dolgyal" .
- I think that Karmapa himself & his lineage does not practice Dorje Shugden & hence he was not keen may be? It doesn't necessarily mean Karmapa was against this practice. What do you guys think?


Well, I wouldn't know how true this incident is considering it is on the Dalai Lama's official homepage and they are all out on a witch hunt!

I have heard for a fact that back in the 70s or 80s (I think... though i'm a little rusty with dates) the Karmapa went to an opening of a Nyingma monastery in Nepal. There, they had a statue of Dorje Drolod which had been modified and shown to be stepping on Dorje Shugden. Karmapa was very angry when he saw this. He said, “Who made this? Where did this lineage come from? Show me the monk who did this.” He left the monastery very unhappy.

More than that, the Karmapa predicted then to the Nyingmas at the monastery, “You will have no choice in the future but to practice this protector; there will come a time when you need him" referring of course to Dorje Shugden.

This incident has been written and recorded down by Dagom Rinpoche himself.

So this is very interesting and shows clearly the Karmapa not being against Dorje Shugden and not encouraging it when people defame the practice. He also gives us a strong example of inter-lineage and inter-faith respect and being very clearly against any hint of sectarianism. This is how we should all be, after all!!

harrynephew

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Re: A Sakya Tale: DORJE SHUGDEN AMONG THE SAKYAS
« Reply #9 on: August 11, 2010, 05:14:59 PM »

1. It is said that " Karmapa Rinpoche was not at all keen on Dolgyal" .
- I think that Karmapa himself & his lineage does not practice Dorje Shugden & hence he was not keen may be? It doesn't necessarily mean Karmapa was against this practice. What do you guys think?


Well, I wouldn't know how true this incident is considering it is on the Dalai Lama's official homepage and they are all out on a witch hunt!

I have heard for a fact that back in the 70s or 80s (I think... though i'm a little rusty with dates) the Karmapa went to an opening of a Nyingma monastery in Nepal. There, they had a statue of Dorje Drolod which had been modified and shown to be stepping on Dorje Shugden. Karmapa was very angry when he saw this. He said, “Who made this? Where did this lineage come from? Show me the monk who did this.” He left the monastery very unhappy.

More than that, the Karmapa predicted then to the Nyingmas at the monastery, “You will have no choice in the future but to practice this protector; there will come a time when you need him" referring of course to Dorje Shugden.

This incident has been written and recorded down by Dagom Rinpoche himself.

So this is very interesting and shows clearly the Karmapa not being against Dorje Shugden and not encouraging it when people defame the practice. He also gives us a strong example of inter-lineage and inter-faith respect and being very clearly against any hint of sectarianism. This is how we should all be, after all!!

I think this was posted in some Buddhist/Nepali press during that time. I remember reading it somewhere. There's no doubt that it was recorded(beggar, I don't blame u, it probably not only void from our memories but also it's probably no longer recorded in print:P) But I do remember.

HH Karmapa's stance is like the stance of all high Lamas of Tibetan Buddhism, they are not against nor are they pro  Shugden in respect for their practice. When I read this article sometime back I thought to myself that HH Karmapa, who is Chenresig, is clearly aware of Dorje Shugden's nature and would of course be upset to see the statue of him made in that manner.

The fact that HH Karmapa left abruptly at such an auspicious occasion would render inauspiciousness to the organizers but on a long term basis sends out a message loud and clear to people of who exactly Dorje Shugden is.

H1N1
Harry Nephew

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Re: A Sakya Tale: DORJE SHUGDEN AMONG THE SAKYAS
« Reply #10 on: August 11, 2010, 05:37:54 PM »
If I remember correctly, the Karmapa did not leave, but asked them to remove the statue immediately (and they had to remove it there and then!).

Yes beggar, I think the actual account was from Dagom Rinpoche's sources as you have mentioned.


This is the account of the event (NOT the incident!)

Upon completion of the monastery in 1976, His Majesty King Birendra of Nepal performed the official inauguration, the first time he had performed such a ceremony for a Buddhist monastery. Immediately thereafter, His Holiness the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa appointed 24-year old Tulku Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche abbot of the new monastery. Karmapa then carried out the elaborate consecration ceremonies for the monastery while several thousand monks, nuns, and lay people, both native and foreign, offered ceremonial white scarves as a symbol of auspicious connection. Later that same day, the local Nepalese celebrated the opening with a medley of colorful folk dances and songs.

During the following weeks, His Holiness Karmapa remained at the monastery and, seated on the highest throne in its large main shrine-hall, offered to the public the complete transmission of the Kagyu Ngak-dzo cycle of teachings and practices. Since that time, Tulku Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche has served as abbot of the monastery while Chokling Rinpoche has functioned as the dorje lobpon, or Vajra Master.

http://www.rangjung.com/gl/Ka-Nying_Shedrub_Ling.htm

Helena

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Re: A Sakya Tale: DORJE SHUGDEN AMONG THE SAKYAS
« Reply #11 on: August 11, 2010, 05:41:02 PM »
Oh wow, Beggar - you have already started a book club like discussion in here! That is truly lovely.

I am sorry that I did not read this much earlier. Otherwise, I would not have posted so many requests suggesting something similar.

Thank you so much.

This is wonderful. I shall take time to read and get back here to discuss later.

THANK YOU!
Helena

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Re: A Sakya Tale: DORJE SHUGDEN AMONG THE SAKYAS
« Reply #12 on: February 07, 2013, 05:45:30 AM »
Below extracted from:

http://truthaboutshugden.wordpress.com/ posted here by TK
__________________________________________________________________________________________


A Sakya Tale - The Mahasiddha’s Prophesy


Part 1

February 26, 2010 by truthaboutshugden

Imagine, if you will…

The year is 1849, and the Sakya temple known as Mugchug resounds with the sonorous tones of a great assembly of high Sakya lamas engaged in a special ritual practice. The Sakya Throneholder Tashi Rinchen, head of the entire Sakya tradition, is in attendance. In fact, the entire ritual practice has been requested by this Sakya Tri (Throneholder).
 
In the Sakya tradtion, the position of Throneholder passes from father to son. There are two main houses or “phodrang” from which a Sakya Tri may arise, Dolma phodrang and Phuntsog phodrang. These houses alternate such that when a Throneholder passes away and his sons are still in their minority,  a child of the previous Tri will take the throne, allowing the young potential-throneholders to mature and receive the training appropriate to a leader of the Sakya tradition. In this way, the Sakyas ensure the continuity of their tradition’s leadership.

As of this evening in 1849, however, Dolma Phodrang Thegchen Tashi Rinchen, Lord of the Sakyas, Thirty-Fifth Throneholder and supreme leader of the tradition, has no son.

 
Mahasiddha Pema Dudul

As the Dolma house line carries the most precious and esoteric teachings in the Sakya tradition (1), the situation is considered extremely grave.

Tashi Rinchen himself has requested Mahasiddha Padma Dudul, a very great Sakya master and incidentally both a retired Throneholder himself and also Tashi Rinchen’s father, to perform a ritual to ensure the swift birth of a male child. This is why the high lamas and tulkus have gathered this night. (2)

During a break in the ritual, eager to discover  any results, Tashi Rinchen turns to Mahasiddha Pema Dudul and asks him, “Who will come to take rebirth as my son?”

With joy, the great Mahasiddha replies….

“These days times are so degenerate no-one else is coming, but now Grandpa Shugden himself will definitely come as your son!”

___________________

Notes:

1 Drogmi.org, Biography of the Present Sakya Trizin. I assume this refers mainly to the Lamdre tradition, the heart of the Tantric transmission of the Sakyas, which has been passed down through the masters of the Dolma phodrang.

2 Khri chen Drag shul ‘Phrin las rin chen. Rdo rje ‘chang drag shul ‘phrin las rin chen gyi rtogs brjod (The Autobiography of Khri-chen Drag-shul-phrin-las-rin-chen of Sakya). Dehra Dun: Sakya Centre: 1974, pp. 29-31.


 

 Part 2

 

Mahasiddha Pema Dudul’s grandfather was Sachen Kunga Lodro, a great leader of the  Sakya tradition and the 31st Sakya Throneholder, who was believed to have been an incarnation of Dorje Shugden. Kunga Lodro wrote a wrathful torma offering to Dorje Shugden’s five lineages called Swirl of Perfect Sense Offerings and carried on the tradition of his own father, the 30th Throneholder Dagchen Sonam Rinchen, praising Dorje Shugden as an enlightened protector.

From this we can understand that when Mahasiddha Pema Dudul says, “These days times are so degenerate no-one else is coming, but now Grandpa Shugden himself will definitely come as your son!” he is indicating that his grandfather, the great Kunga Lodro, an emanation of Dorje Shugden, will take rebirth as the son of Throneholder Tashi Rinchen to uphold the Sakya tradition for the benefit of living beings.


Hearing that Kunga Lodro had agreed to be reborn as his son, Tashi Rinchen was extremely pleased, repeating it over and over. To commemorate the kindness of Kunga Lodro/Dorje Shugden coming from the pure lands to uphold the lineage, he established a tradition at Sakya of burning many butter lamps and “proclaiming a vast offering cloud of melodies” with horns and trumpets from the roof of the temple.

Less than a year later, the great Sakya Kunga Nyingpo was born. He was believed to be the rebirth of  the thirty-first Sakya Trizin Kunga Lodro and an emanation of Avalokiteshvara and Dorje Shugden.

Kunga Nyingpo went on to ascend the Sakya Throne in 1883 and become the 37th Sakya Trizin.

 
Part 3

March 8, 2010 by truthaboutshugden.com

 
Sakya Lineage


In 1871 Kunga Nyingpo had his own son, Dragshul Trinley Rinchen. Dragshul Trinley Rinchen grew up to become the 39th Holder of the Sakya Throne.

In his autobiography, this lama explained that his father Kunga Nyingpo was Avalokiteshvara. In order to prove this, he recounted the story about Mahasiddha Pema Dudul and Trinley Rinchen detailed above and then wrote

The Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden Tsel definitively is Avalokiteshvara. The Nyingma Tantra Rinchen Nadun says “The one known as Dolgyal is not mistaken on the path to liberation, he is by nature the Great Compassionate One,” which establishes this by scripture.


The Great Je Sakyapa Kunga Nyingpo is well-known as an incarnation of the Arya Lotus in Hand (Avalokiteshvara). The Arya Lotus in Hand definitively is none other than the Lord of Mandalas, but provisionally by assuming the manner of a tenth level bodhisattva he simultaneously sports billions of superior, middling and inferior emanations to accomplish immeasurable benefit for beings, such as setting them on paths to the higher realms and liberation. (2)


Thus in order to show that his father was Avalokiteshvara, he set out to show that his father was well-known to have been an emanation of Dorje Shugden, and then demonstrated with a quotation from Nyingma tantra that Dorje Shugden and Avalokiteshvara are the same person.


As further demonstrated in his Autobiography, Dragshul Trinley Rinchen was a practitioner of Dorje Shugden as well, and was considered to be “a very great Sakya master, one of the most outstanding masters in our recent time.” (1)


So when we consider the relationship of the Sakya Tradition to the Practice of Dorje Shugden we see that, contrary to the claims of some present-day Sakya Lamas, for more than three hundred years Dorje Shugden has been viewed in Sakya as an Enlightened protector. Not among the provincial practitioners or those without education, but by the Throneholders of the lineage, and the holders of the Sakya’s most precious Tantric transmissions, Lamdre Lineage holders like Morchen Dorjechang who wrote praises to Dorje Shugden as an enlightened being.


When the leader of an entire Buddhist tradition says “Dorje Shugden is definitively Avolkiteshvara,” it seems to me to be difficult to make the claim, as some have tried to do in the debates over this issue, that the great Sakya masters never viewed Dorje Shugden as anything other than a spirit. In fact it seems that there has been an unbroken tradition of the practice of Dorje Shugden as an enlightened protector from the early 1700?s right through modern times.


It is easy to understand that most lamas don’t write about their Dharma protector practices, which have traditionally been in the nature of secrecy. It isn’t unreasonable, therefore, to assume that there were many masters other than the ones enumerated here that held Dorje Shugden as their protector and as a fully enlightened being.


Since this material is so readily available, it seems odd that the Dalai Lama, who has attempted to ban this practice as “spirit worship,” doesn’t seem to be aware of it. He doesn’t list the views of these great masters when recounting the results of his research, at any rate.


What could the reason for this oversight possibly be?


A list of the supreme heads of the Sakya Lineage who can be shown to have viewed Dorje Shugden as an enlightened being:

30th Sakya Throneholder Sonam Rinchen (1705-1741)
31st Throneholder Sachen Kunga Lodro (1729-1783)
33rd Throneholder Padma Dudul Wangchug (1792-1853)
35th Throneholder Tashi Rinchen (1824-1865)
37th Throneholder Kunga Nyingpo (1850-1899)
39th Throneholder Dragshul Thinley Rinchen (1871-1936)

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Notes

1. Gonsar Rinpoche, 1996, Public Talk

2. Khri chen Drag shul ‘Phrin las rin chen. Rdo rje ‘chang drag shul ‘phrin las rin chen gyi rtogs brjod (The Autobiography of Khri-chen Drag-shul-phrin-las-rin-chen of Sakya). Dehra Dun: Sakya Centre: 1974, pp. 29-31.



Thanks so much for this article. It shows very clearly that Dorje Shugden is not an exclusively Gelug protector and that he can be found in the Sakya and Nyingma traditions as well, making him the perfect protector of Tibetan Buddhism. It is only due to the ban that caused his name to be brought down, but who can hold down such a powerful force for too long? Even if they can, it will be limited...or perhaps the Dalai Lama's ban is to generate the momentum so that even non Gelug schools would have to propitiate Dorje Shugden and this is just the prelude to what is going to happen in the near future.

psylotripitaka

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Re: A Sakya Tale: DORJE SHUGDEN AMONG THE SAKYAS
« Reply #13 on: February 12, 2013, 09:37:43 AM »
How strange that someone could read or hear about facts like this then say 'I just can't believe the Dalai Lama makes mistakes, surely he's researched the issue and knows what he's talking about'. Actually, our friend with the username Tenzin Gyatso said just that.

The information in this thread is a perfect example of something I've mentioned to non-Buddhist friends and they literally have said 'duh, that's a no-brainer, it's totally common sense...how can you confidently say the exact opposite of the facts and think you're right, that's so weird'.

Seriously, it's no different from telling someone that's using a computer that they're not using a computer. I suppose I do understand that we're all victims of not being able to see something that's plain as day to someone else. It's like that with mathematics for me. A friend can rattle off some super simple way of counting money without a calculator and it goes right over my head, but they keep trying to help me. So too should we keep trying to help.

I think of how the Guru has a patience that lasts aeons. During all that time they keep trying to nurture us, provide conditions for us to grow spiritually. Over and over and over and over, despite our confusion, the Guru's love and compassion keeps going.

Thanks for the tale. Excellent!

Ensapa

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Re: A Sakya Tale: DORJE SHUGDEN AMONG THE SAKYAS
« Reply #14 on: February 15, 2013, 03:08:41 AM »
How strange that someone could read or hear about facts like this then say 'I just can't believe the Dalai Lama makes mistakes, surely he's researched the issue and knows what he's talking about'. Actually, our friend with the username Tenzin Gyatso said just that.

The information in this thread is a perfect example of something I've mentioned to non-Buddhist friends and they literally have said 'duh, that's a no-brainer, it's totally common sense...how can you confidently say the exact opposite of the facts and think you're right, that's so weird'.

Seriously, it's no different from telling someone that's using a computer that they're not using a computer. I suppose I do understand that we're all victims of not being able to see something that's plain as day to someone else. It's like that with mathematics for me. A friend can rattle off some super simple way of counting money without a calculator and it goes right over my head, but they keep trying to help me. So too should we keep trying to help.

I think of how the Guru has a patience that lasts aeons. During all that time they keep trying to nurture us, provide conditions for us to grow spiritually. Over and over and over and over, despite our confusion, the Guru's love and compassion keeps going.

Thanks for the tale. Excellent!

And the Guru manifesting mistakes and irregularities just to provoke us to think deeper. It is funny how nonbuddhists tend to be able to see things objectively and not get fixed or biased in any way when it comes to facts and stuff. I still find it kind of funny that a lot of nonreligious people make better "Buddhists" in more ways than one when compared with the more supposedly "hardcore" Buddhists that go to the temples everyday (of course there are exceptions, there are always exceptions in these things) but in general, why cant Buddhists be more objective when it comes to viewing these matters? It is nice that there are actually some Buddhists who could view them objectively, but it does make you ponder why every time you encounter them. And even now, the Dalai Lama is still provoking them to think objectively which they still fail to do so.