The Yellow Book

Kyabje Zemey Rinpoche is the author of Yellow Book

Those who mix or pollute the Ganden teachings,
Whether great beings, ordinary beings, or powerful lords,
You grind into particles of dust, O Deity,
Protector of the Yellow Hat Teachings, praise to you!

The controversial Yellow Book, published in 1973, was named after the yellow cover of a Tibetan book called the Thunder of the Stirring Black Cloud: The Oral Transmission of the Intelligent Father. According to the introduction, Kyabje Zemey Rinpoche authored this book in 1970 based on teachings given by Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, the junior tutor to the 14th Dalai Lama.

The Yellow Book is a collection of cautionary tales told by Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche of Lama-regents, incarnate Tulkus, highly attained scholars, influential officials and rich and powerful people who had corrupted the Gelug lineage with the mixing of Nyingma practices and encountered the ‘wrath’ of Dorje Shugden. The original intention of this book was to be complementary material to Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche’s book, Music Delighting An Ocean of Protectors.

The stories in the Yellow Book were actually narrated as a commentary to a single stanza taken from the Praise of Dorje Shugden by Kyabje Dagpo Rinpoche featured at the beginning of this article. This compilation of tales mentions a broad range of notable people including the likes of the Panchen Lamas, Tehor Zig-gyab Rinpoche, Phagpa Lha, Reting Rinpoche, Khardo Tulku, Tatsak Rinpoche, Je Pabongka Rinpoche, Surkhang Pema Wangchen, Lhalu Jigme Wangyal, Tsepon Lungshar and Kalon Trimon Norbu Wangyal.

Although seemingly violent, such cautionary tales were in fact nothing new or sensational as they were already lightly discussed in a commentary on the same stanza in Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche’s aforementioned text, Music Delighting An Ocean of Protectors (page 111-113). Therefore, it is interesting that the Yellow Book provoked such uproar when Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche’s text containing similar material was printed in 1967, seven years prior to the publication of the Yellow Book.

An extract from Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche’s Music Delighting an Ocean of Protectors featuring the same cautionary tales as contained in the Yellow Book. Click to view the image in full.

An extract from Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche’s Music Delighting an Ocean of Protectors featuring the same cautionary tales as contained in the Yellow Book. Click to view the image in full.

An extract from Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche’s Music Delighting an Ocean of Protectors featuring the same cautionary tales as contained in the Yellow Book. Click to view the image in full.

In fact, the Yellow Book, being Kyabje Zemey Rinpoche’s personal notes, was not originally meant for publication but somehow the manuscript leaked out and was eventually published in 1973 by Chophel Legden, a publisher based in New Delhi. The publication eventually led to the Dalai Lama expressing the very first signs of disapproval concerning Dorje Shugden’s practice during the Tibetan New Year celebrations of 1976. Unfortunately, the event was poorly documented but Georges Dreyfus and other Tibetologists attribute the start of the Dalai Lama’s ‘displeasure’ of Dorje Shugden to this period.

For instance, Georges Dreyfus remarks that,

The sectarian elements of the Yellow Book were not unusual and do not justify or explain the Dalai Lama’s strong reaction.

While David N. Kay states that,

The Dalai Lama opposes the Yellow Book and Dorje Shugden propitiation because they defy his attempts to restore the ritual foundations of the Tibetan state and because they disrupt the basis of his leadership, designating him as an ‘enemy of Buddhism’ and potential target of the deities retribution.

And,

When traditions come into conflict, religious and philosophical differences are often markers of disputes that are primarily economic, material and political in nature.

The wrathful aspect of Dorje Shugden is known as Trakze

After the Dalai Lama read the Yellow Book, he started speaking against the practice of Dorje Shugden and gave up his own personal practice of this protector. Practitioners from other sects also began to react adversely. Some of the Nyingmas especially became very upset with the Gelugpas. Incited by some of the high lamas of their sect, Nyingma practitioners began creating chakras and writing texts against Dorje Shugden; they also modified images of their Protector Dorje Drolo to be depicted stepping upon Dorje Shugden, an iconographical detail which never existed before.

Sadly, Zemey Rinpoche never had the opportunity to convey the true meaning of the teachings he received and the manuscript he composed, i.e. the protection of the Gelug lineage from potential damage by practitioners from within the Gelug school.

It is interesting to note that the Dalai Lama technically should have received the same set of teachings from Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, his own junior tutor, as Kyabje Zemey Rinpoche did on the contents of the Yellow Book. Even after the publication of the Yellow Book, the Dalai Lama waited three years before he started expressing his displeasure of Dorje Shugden based on the contents of this book.

Why did it take the Dalai Lama so long to act on the book’s supposedly offensive contents? Perhaps, the Dalai Lama had already received the same teachings from Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche but only later decided to use the Yellow Book as the catalyst for what would become an all-out ban on Dorje Shugden’s practice.

In fact, the Dalai Lama was not the first detractor. Sakya Lama Dongthog Rinpoche composed what was possibly the first published refutation of the Yellow Book, The Timely Shower, a Genuine Statement in 1974, which attracted some attention before the Dalai Lama even mentioned it. Later in 1978, Nyingma Lama Sangye Dorje Rinpoche published the Rain of Adamant Fire, another refutation of the Yellow Book. One can only wonder if the reaction of other sects had any bearing on the Dalai Lama’s view of the Yellow Book and by extension, Dorje Shugden.

Now, let us examine the contents of the Yellow Book. The personages who encountered Dorje Shugden’s wrath as mentioned in the book are not just “normal” people. Apart from some errant scholars and powerful government officials, highly attained lamas are also listed, including the likes of Reting Rinpoche, Panchen Lama and even Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche himself. There must be a rhyme and reason for this punitive and unreasonable image of Dorje Shugden that is in sharp contrast to how the High Lamas and practitioners of today regard and worship him.

Just as Shakyamuni ascended to Tushita to turn the wheel of Dharma for his mother, Tagphu Pemavajra travelled mystically to Tushita to receive the practice of Dorje Shugden from the Protector himself

In order to explore the underlying meaning of the Yellow Book stories, we must first understand the period in which these stories took place. Through the personalities mentioned in the book, it is clear that the events took place during the turn of the 20th Century – a period when Dorje Shugden’s practice had started to take root within the Gelugpa tradition due to the kindness of Tagphu Pemavajra who acquired the practice mystically from Tushita and Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche who propagated the practice to the masses.

During this period, it was common for many Gelug Lamas, along with their disciples, to receive teachings from Nyingma Lamas – Nyingma being the predominant school of Tibetan Buddhism at that time – although they had been practicing the Gelug lineage for many lifetimes. Therefore, it was clear that the Gelug lineage was running the risk of being watered down by the Nyingma tradition.

According to lineage traditions, purity of practice is necessary in the Gelug school because it contains the powerful blessings of Lama Tsongkapa’s special view of emptiness and other potent lineages. Therefore, these Lamas, influential scholars and high ranking officials were in a position to inadvertently influence a great many practitioners away from practicing Lama Tsongkapa’s pure teachings.

Hence, according to the Yellow Book, Dorje Shugden reacted swiftly by sending these lamas warnings initially, either through an oracle or through good advice from other High Lamas. Some lamas heeded the warning and made amends while others did not and were met with Dorje Shugden’s retribution.

For instance, Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche received numerous signs of Dorje Shugden’s displeasure with his activities of acquiring and propagating the Nyingma teachings. Realizing his mistake of forsaking the Gelug lineage, he stopped his Nyingma practices, confessed and asked to be forgiven. From then on, he kept to his promise and only taught pure Gelug teachings. The negative omens he was experiencing stopped and, in addition his teachings spread far and wide.

The current Kundeling Rinpoche (as pictured here) remains a staunch practitioner of Dorje Shugden

On the other hand, Kundeling Tatsak Rinpoche was a highly attained Gelug Lama that received Nyingma teachings and practiced them. He experienced severe chest pains and after consulting with many oracles and lamas, he discovered that Dorje Shugden had caused them due to his actions of mixing Nyingma and Gelug teachings. He requested assistance from Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche who arranged a Dorje Shugden oracle to take trance. Kundeling Rinpoche confessed his misdeeds to Dorje Shugden and he soon recovered. However, he did not keep up his promises and he soon fell ill and passed away. However, his current incarnation is healthy and remains a staunch practitioner of Dorje Shugden.

So, why would highly attained lamas act in a manner contrary to Dorje Shugden’s advice? Could they be like the awakened Mahasiddhas of ancient India and Tibet who acted in ways that seemed contradictory to the Dharma but were actually displaying their attainments in an unconventional manner to benefit practitioners? At present, we may not understand why these great beings acted in this manner but time will show the benefits of their actions.

Consider the facts. Great teachers like the Panchen Lamas, Taksak Rinpoche (Kundeling Rinpoche) and Pabongka Rinpoche are known to be highly attained masters, having shown miraculous signs and accomplished great works in their previous lives. Ultimately, these highly attained masters cannot be harmed due to their yogic abilities that allow them to have full control over death and rebirth.

Therefore, these lamas manifested the appearance of receiving harm from Dorje Shugden, perhaps as part of a ‘divine play’ to set a powerful example for future practitioners, thus ensuring they would go all the way with the Gelug lineage and gain its immense benefits. It was not meant to sideline Nyingma teachings but to safeguard the integrity of the Gelug lineage, which is Dorje Shugden’s sworn purpose.

(Note: In the Nyanang region of Tibet, certain Nyingma monasteries practiced Dorje Shugden, a practice given by the Great Fifth Dalai Lama. Over time, the practice proliferated amongst the Nyingmapa lay practitioners surrounding the monastery as well. These practitioners were faithful to their lineage (in this case the Nyingma lineage) and did not mix practices from other lineages; hence they were protected by Dorje Shugden and did not receive any harm. An enlightened being, Dorje Shugden is nonsectarian and should never be accused as such.)

The above example of a ‘divine play’ is in relations to highly attained beings but what about the seemingly ordinary scholars and officials mentioned in the Yellow Book? Some of these personalities are quite obscure and one cannot ascertain their state of spiritual awakening. Therefore, one can conclude that they must have been ordinary Gelug practitioners.

We can however determine that they were practicing Nyingma teachings in combination with Gelug teachings and by nature of their lofty positions, were in the position to influence many other ordinary practitioners. Therefore, when they failed to heed Dorje Shugden’s repeated warnings, Dorje Shugden – in order to fulfill his promise to be the uncommon protector of Lama Tsongkapa’s teachings – had little choice but to prevent them from creating further damage to the lineage and further accumulation of negative karma by ending their lives and sending them to their next rebirth to continue their practice.

This brings us to the topic of killing in Buddhism. Why would Dorje Shugden, an emanation of Manjushri, be associated with such a deeply negative action? As mentioned earlier, Dorje Shugden had no choice but to perform wrathful activity to safeguard the Gelug lineage. This would mean that all other avenues had been exhausted and this was the only way left to curb the degeneration that was happening within the Gelug lineage. Thus, Dorje Shugden performed the act of killing with the benefit of hundreds of thousands of future practitioners in mind who would stand the chance to receive the special blessings of Lama Tsongkapa.

The Buddha in a previous life was a captain of a ship who killed to save 500 merchants onboard his ship

Dorje Shugden is not unique for killing in the name of compassion. The Buddha told a story of his previous life as a Bodhisattva who killed in order to save others in the Skill In Means Sutra (Upaya-Kausalya Sutra). In that lifetime, he was a ship’s captain who was known as Captain Great Compassionate and he was ferrying 500 merchants on board his ship. Mid-voyage, he discovered the murderous plot of one of the merchants who was planning to kill and rob all the other merchants. Captain Great Compassionate did not alert the rest of the merchants onboard his ship, as they would have killed the assassin in a fit of rage. Therefore, the captain took it upon himself to kill the murderer before he committed the crime, thereby saving the merchants and preventing them from accruing the karma of killing as well.

Another example of compassionate killing lies in Tibetan history books. Buddhism was firmly entrenched in ancient Tibetan culture due to the efforts of the earlier Buddhist Kings of the Yarlung dynasty. However, everything changed during the reign of the last king, Langdharma. He persecuted Buddhists, desecrated monasteries, burned sacred scriptures and forcibly disrobed monks. A monk by the name of Lhalung Pelgyi Dorje, considered a Bodhisattva, decided to take it upon himself to save Buddhism. He masqueraded as one of the dancers in an elaborate black hat dance that was performed before the king. While acting, he took a bow and shot a lethal arrow at the king. The king died and with his death came the collapse of the Yarlung dynasty and the re-emergence of Buddhism in Tibet.

In yet another instance, when the question of Dorje Shugden harming Nyingma practitioners was brought up, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso said, “This is completely wrong. We never believe this. Impossible. Besides Dorje Shugden, there are many Tibetan stories of other Dharmapalas killing people. There is even a lama called Ra Lotsawa who killed thirteen tantric masters including Tarma Dode, Marpa’s son. This is not just superstition. Many monasteries, maybe including Namgyal Dratsang (His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s private monastery), engage in the practice of Yamantaka that comes from Ra Lotsawa’s instructions. So shouldn’t they stop this practice because Ra Lotsawa was a murderer? This would be meaningless.”

Ra Lotsawa Dorje Drag (12th century), one of the greatest Tibetan translators of Buddhist works written from Sanskrit

In Ra Lotsawa’s case, it is believed that it was a divine play between great masters to protect and highlight the power and efficacy of the Yamantaka Tantras. Ra Lotsawa, in fact one of Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche’s previous incarnations, acted at need to defend the Yamantaka Tantras from the seemingly hostile Tantric masters, who were all highly attained as well.

These examples are given not to condone the act of killing but to lay down examples that killing is an option taken by some Bodhisattvas in extreme situations to protect the lineage and to saves the lives of many. Likewise, Dorje Shugden’s action of dispatching lamas, scholars and officials is really a ‘divine play’ and skillful action of a Bodhisattva.

In conclusion, the stories in the Yellow Book are to be regarded as cautionary tales – fact not fable – that are meant to set an example to discourage the mixing of lineages. This is especially important for ordinary practitioners who can get confused easily when receiving teachings from different sources and lineages. Confusion leads to disillusionment and abandonment of practice or the Dharma. Dorje Shugden would want nothing of that sort for any practitioner, and works skillfully and swift to protect the Dharma at all costs.

Recommended reading:

• Yellow Book (in PDF format)
• Yellow Book (in Word format)