Sermey Jetsun Khen Rinpoche Losang Tharchin on Pabonka Rinpoche
Khen Rinpoche, Geshe Lharampa, ex-Abbot Sera Monastery
Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche Dechen Nyingpo and his classmate, Gyelrong Sharpa Choje—known as Jangsem Choje Lobsang Nyima—went together very often to debate when they were at their monastery. Indeed, both of them became Geshes.
Later Jangsem Choje Lobsang Nyima entered Gyu Me Tantric College and became a great scholar. He proceeded to become gi-go, an administrator, as I did, then Lama Umdze, then Abbot, and finally almost reached the position of Ganden Tripa.
Pabongka Rinpoche Kyabje Dechen Nyingpo’s life proceeded in another direction such that he was later to become a very famous teacher of Sutra and Tantra, especially of the Lam Rim (Stages of the Path to Enlightenment) tradition. Whenever he taught, many people came from miles and miles around to attend his teachings. Everybody said he was an unbelievable expert on all subjects.
Later, when Lobsang Nyima had learned that Kyabje Dechen Nyingpo was going to be in nearby Chusang Ritro, his curiousity piqued from having heard so much relating to Kyabje Pabongka’s fame coming from all quarters, he decided to visit him and so he brought along a pot of excellent yogurt as a gift for Rinpoche.
During that visit they met for a long time discussing many points on numerous topics. Since Kyabje Pabongka had answered every one of his questions so thoroughly, Lobsang Nyima couldn’t argue with him at all on any of the points.
Upon his return, when others asked about the visit he remarked:
“When we were on the debate ground at Sera Mey, Kyabje Dechen Nyingpo wasn’t an expert at debate by any means. At the time I didn’t think he had learned very much. But now I understand that his way of studying and mine went in different directions.
For instance, when we debated, I for my part, would apply reasons and quotations to back up my arguments, all the time focusing on the other debater. But Kyabje Pabongka, for his part, when studying, asking questions, giving answers, reciting quotations, giving reasons, everything, would focus all of these on himself, applying them to his own mind.
Therefore, by using such a method, there is no way to argue with him on any of the points since he has mastered them all.”
January 9, 2010 by truthaboutshugden (extracted from http://truthaboutshugden.wordpress.com)
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vajrastorm
January 11, 2011
So we now know that Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche became “an unbelievable expert on all subjects” of Dharma because of the ‘tenacious’ way he would hold on to a question or a quotation or a topic of study, focus it on himself and apply it to his mind. His was a true practitioner’s way of realizing every aspect of Dharma in his mind-stream.
Thus it was that he became a great master and unequalled teacher exerting tremendous influence beyond Tibet and all over the world, even until today, because of his transmission of the precious Ganden lineage teachings through his students, who were themselves great masters and through their students, who are equally great masters of today.