Yangting Dechen Ling Monastery, Kham, Tibet
Yangting Dechen Ling Monastery in Kham, Tibet has successfully completed the construction of the new main prayer hall recently after long hard-work and dedications. The original monastery was founded by Yogi Je Lodö Namgyal who was one of the foremost disciples of Je Tsongkhapa in 1421, a couple of years after…
Interview de Dagpo Rinpoche
In this video Venerable Dagpo Rinpoche was asked how should one help a person who has a terminal illness. Dagpo Rinpoche replied that it should depend on the particular faith of the person. During a person last moments we must not create conflicts in their mind.
Dorje Shugden in 3,211 words or less
Should the worship of Dorje Shugden – by devotees who consider the practice a sacred commitment – be banned by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama? I chose this topic of research for a variety of reasons, not all of which may eventually become clear to the reader, but I do want to explain how…
The Tradition of Oracles
In ancient times and throughout history, an oracle is a person or agency considered to be a source of wise counsel or prophetic opinion. It may also be a revealed prediction or precognition of the future from deities, that is spoken through another object or life-form (e.g.: augury and auspice). In the ancient world, many…
Trashi Chöling Hermitage
Location and Layout Trashi Chöling – literally “The Place of Auspicious Dharma” – is located about three kilometers from Sera in the mountains northwest of the monastery. It takes about one hour to walk from Sera to Trashi Chöling. The hermitage also lies approximately halfway between two other important hermitages – Pabongka, which…
Introduction to Tantra – Lama Yeshe Part 1 Chapter 1
*For more information, please visit www.LamaYeshe.com – Introduction to Tantra: In 1980, in California, Lama Yeshe gave a commentary to the Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig) yoga method. This video is Lama Yeshe’s introduction to this series and constitutes a wonderful explanation of the fundamentals of tantric practice.
Discovering Buddhism: Ribur Rinpoche on Five Forces
This is an extract of Venerable Ribur Rinpoche’s teaching on the five forces. It has been extracted from the Discovering Buddhism DVD for Module 8, ‘Establishing a daily practice‘.
Tibetan government-in-exile fears Chinese infiltrations
While Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama’s security remains the centre of concern, the Tibetan government-in-exile fears the “infiltration” of Chinese undercover agents in the hill-town that has been the nerve centre of the Tibetan movement. Fearing China could unleash its band of army-trained undercover agents in the town, the security wing of the…
Kangxi Emperor
The Kangxi Emperor was the third emperor of the Manchu-led Qing Dynasty and the second Qing emperor to rule over China proper, from 1661 to 1722. His reign of 61 years makes him the longest-reigning Chinese emperor in history (although his grandson Qianlong had the longest period of de facto power) and one of the…
Cultivation of Rice Fields
From 29th of May 2010, Shar Gaden has started cultivating 20 acres of rice fields which were allotted to us during controversial partition in March 2008. In 1960s, Indian government allocated lands properties to every individual of Buzar monks one acre per a monk purposely for farming, so Gaden Shartse had nearly 90 members at…
Nechung : The State Oracle of Tibet
Like many ancient civilizations of the world, the phenomenon of oracles remains an important part of the Tibetan way of life. Tibetans rely on oracles for various reasons. The purpose of the oracles is not just to foretell the future. They are called upon as protectors and sometimes used as healers. However, their primary function…
The History and Significance of the Dharmapalas
‘Dharmapala’ – hoary Sanskrit from India, terra firma giving birth to the Vedas;’ The End of All Knowledge’, innumerable deities, home of the Ganges river and Buddha The Awakened One – means “…guardian of the teachings” Variously, the term is also used to mean defenders or protectors of the law of the ‘Diamond Vehicle’….
Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden
Introduction to the Dharma Protector A Dharma Protector is an emanation of a Buddha or a Bodhisattva whose main functions are to avert the inner and outer obstacles that prevent practitioners from achieving spiritual realizations, and to arrange all the necessary conditions for their practice. In Tibet every monastery had its own Dharma Protector, but…
A Teaching on Nyingma Protector Shenpa
By His Eminence Shenpen Dawa Rinpoche Los Angeles, California | September 1988 Secret: Only Initiated Practitioners The first protector I will speak about is Shenpa. Shenpa is very important for His Holiness’ swift rebirth, because he is the main protector of the Nyingma lineage. Shenpa is the main guardian for all of our practices: Troma,…
A Teaching on Dharmapalas, from a Kagyu Perspective
by Choje Lama Namse Rinpoche Dharmapalas, Chos-skyong – “Protectors Lama Namse Rinpoche was born in Tsurphu, Tibet in 1930 and became a monk at the age of fifteen. He studied the Tibetan religious language, etymology, grammar, poetry, all major Hinayana and Mahayana texts and commentaries, as well as the philosophy of the various Buddhist schools…
Nagarjuna’s Life, Legend and Works
Precious little is known about the actual life of the historical Nagarjuna. The two most extensive biographies of Nagarjuna, one in Chinese and the other in Tibetan, were written many centuries after his life and incorporate much lively but historically unreliable material which sometimes reaches mythic proportions. However, from the sketches of historical detail and…
Arguments For and Against
The Dalai Lama has said that: Shugden is a worldly spirit. Shugden practice has the potential to promote sectarianism. Shugden practice harms the health of the Dalai Lama and is contrary to the interests of Tibet and the Tibetan people. The Nechung State Oracle (bound by Padmasambhava) stated that it is harmful. Tibetan people using…
Chronology of Key Events – Recent Events
2008-2009 Monks in Ganden Shartse undergo a forced swearing ceremony to reinstate their promise to stop Dorje Shugden practice December 2011 Serpom Monastery was officially established to house and allow Shugden monks to continue their practice in peace after being sidelined for many years within Sera Monastery May, 2012 The Dalai Lama continues…
Chronology of Key Events: 2008
January 6, 2008 The Dalai Lama presides over the opening ceremony of the Ganden Shartse debate courtyard. He states that he will not give teachings at Shartse because there are many Shugden devotees there. January 7, 2008 During the opening ceremony of Drepung Loseling monastery in Mundgod, Karnataka State, the Dalai Lama says: …
Chronology of Key Events: 1999 – 2007
January 13, 1999 H.H. the Dalai Lama pays a visit to Trijang Labrang, the residence of His Holiness Trijang Rinpoche (1900-1981), his tutor. At a gathering of the Labrangs, H.H. the Dalai Lama says: …during my visit to Switzerland, Lobsang said, the current Choktrul Rinpoche be allowed to worship Dorje Shugden like his predecessor,…
Chronology of Key Events: 1998
January 2, 1998 During the inauguration of the debating courtyard of Sera-Mey monastery by H.H. the Dalai Lama, the monks of Pomra Khangtsen, who constitute about 75% of Sera-Mey monastery, and all of whom rely on Dorje Shugden, are prohibited from attending the ceremony. They are prevented from leaving their rooms and kept under virtual…
Chronology of Key Events: 1997
1997 Tibetan newspapers such as She-Ja and Bokyi Dhubab publish advertisements stating that those who resist H.H. the Dalai Lama must be treated ruthlessly by all means, including violence. Tashi Wangdu, president of the Tibetan Regional Council and the person responsible for the advertisements, states that his actions are in accordance with the wishes of…
Chronology of Key Events: 1996
March 10, 1996 During an annual teaching at Thekchen Choeling Temple in Dharamsala, the Dalai Lama for the first time imposes an outright ban on the practice of Dorje Shugden. Whether outside of Tibet or within Tibet, this Deity is [in] discord with [government Deities]… this is serious in the context of the common…
Proof of Discrimination
A never-seen-before compilation of official letters, documents, threats, and other forms of evidence that (despite the best efforts of the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration to deny its existence) proves that the ban on Dorje Shugden’s practice does exist, was enforced, and that Dorje Shugden practitioners are discriminated against and segregated as a…
In The Media
A collection of press clippings and other entries from diverse media from 1996 to date, presenting an unbiased look at the illegal ban on Dorje Shugden’s practice within the Tibetan communities, India and elsewhere.
Chronology of Key Events: The Early Years
Early 1950s The Dalai lama composed Melody of the Unceasing Vajra: A Propitiation of Mighty Gyalchen Dorje Shugden, Protector of Conqueror Manjusri Tsongkhapa’s Teachings. 1976 The Dalai Lama speaks publicly against the practice of Dorje Shugden July 18, 1980 H.H. the Dalai Lama said at Sera Monastery, Karnataka State: In summation of…
Dorje Shugden’s Lineage/History and Authenticity of the Practice
The belief in reincarnation is essential to all schools of Buddhism. In Tibetan Buddhism, it is believed that certain lamas of high spiritual attainment can direct their reincarnations consciously and return to the human fold for the sake of assisting other human beings to achieve liberation. A spiritually attained person capable of such a feat…
The Illegal Ban on an Authentic Buddhist Practice
By the time the 14th Dalai Lama left Tibet in 1959, Dorje Shugden had already been practiced for over three centuries and there was no doubt of it being a mainstream protector practice of the Gelugpas. The Dalai Lama himself had been a practitioner of the deity as had been his tutors, Kyabje Ling Rinpoche…
Centrality of Protector Practice in the Different Lineages of Tibetan Buddhism
A Dharma Protector is an integral component of Vajrayana Buddhism, also known as Tantrayana. At its most basic, the role of a Dharma Protector is to create conditions that are conducive for a practitioner to progress smoothly on his spiritual path and in addition, to avert obstacles that prevent spiritual practitioners from attaining realizations that…
Dorje Shugden Movie Project
Dorje Shugden: On The Trail Of A Buddhist Protector is a documentary film project. The general idea is to do documented research on the origin and practice of the Buddhist protector deity Dorje Shugden. It is important to show the practice as integrated part of a living Buddhist tradition without going into the recent controversy….
Radio Interview with Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche
H.H. Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche has already given a good indication of how he will manifest. By looking at his website you will see he is going to be (and already is) a great teacher: http://www.tbiusa.org And before leaving for America he gave a very interesting interview with the Tibetan Radio in which he also makes…
Shar Gaden’s New Centre in Taiwan
Ganden Dhokhang Buddhist Center 5th Floor, No. 11, 79 Lane, Taichung Harbor Road Sec. 1, West District Taichung Taiwan (ROC) Email: [email protected] 台中市 西區 中港路一段 79巷11號, 5FL
Shar Gaden Monastery – World Peace Tour
An update from Shar Gaden Monastery of the recent World Peace Tour Please click to enlarge
Offerings, Praises, Fulfillment and Requests to Dorje Shugden
by Kyabje Dragri Dorje Chang HUM Lobsang Dragpa, essence of the ocean of mandalas, Three precious yidams’ mandala attendants, Especially the principal of the potent dregs, Dorje Shugden and retinue consider me. Recklessly drunk from the three poisons, Accumulated downfalls by nature and transgression The limits of faultless precepts and commandments, With an ailing and…
Dorje Shugden and Saint George – Brothers in Arms
Some time ago I was attending teachings at a Dharma center. During a break I joined a group of visitors who were being shown round. One of them expressed surprise at the figure of a Tibetan Buddha who was holding a sword and riding a fierce looking Himalayan snow lion. She wanted to know why,…
Download: Kyabje Trijang Dorjechang’s Autobiography
Dear all, This website is happy to present for the first time the actual volume that Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche personally wrote on all aspects of the Dharmaphala Dorje Shugden. Rituals, prayers, short invocations, source, history, lineage, previous incarnations, kangsol, fire pujas etc. of Dorje Shugden are in this volume. Kyabje Rinpoche wrote it in the…
A Sakya Tale
The Mahasiddha’s Prophesy 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…
The Return of the King: Kyabje Drakpa Gyeltsen Rinpoche
This website team has the privilege to receive this incredible news very recently and has the permission to announce it to the world…We at this website wish His Holiness Kyabje Drakpa Gyeltsen Rinpoche long life, continuous Dharma activities and stable health. We know your incarnation is well and currently living among us although you remain…
His Holiness Pabongka Rinpoche Dorje Chang
Pabongka Rinpoche Dechen Nyingpo Jampa Tenzin Trinlay Gyatso was one of the greatest masters of the 20th century and one of the most influential teachers in Tibet. He had acquired the teachings from…
His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche (previous incarnation)
Trijang Rinpoche was considered an emanation of Vajra Yogini by the Tibetans and his first incarnation was the Chariot Driver Chandra of Shakyamuni Buddha himself. Chandra was the person that escorted Shakyamuni out of the palace for the last time and into the forest to start his spiritual path. Chandra exchanged his clothes with…
December 11, 2024
Dalai Lama Admits He Was Wrong About Dorje Shugden
November 8, 2024
Kensur Rinpoche Lobsang Phende to Give Chakrasamvara Initiation and Commentary in April 2023
October 16, 2024
At the Opening of Serpom Monastery
English
Indonesia
Tibetan