A great start to kick off the new year: Our fellow Shugdenpas in the East were fortunate to receive initiations and teachings from one of the greatest Lamas of our time, His Eminence Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche, who spent the best part of January 2015 in Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Yongyal Rinpoche’s dharma mastery and attainments are well documented in his biography, proof of his pure dedication towards the Dharma since he was enthroned at the age of 6. A student of many illustrious masters including H.H. Kyabje Trijang Dorje Chang, Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche is the Abbot of Serpom Monastery in India and the founder of the Lamrim International Dharma Centre in Los Angeles.
Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche willingly took on the responsibilities and challenges of guiding the monks of Sera Mey’s Pomra Khamtsen when they had no choice but to leave Sera Mey Monastery and form Serpom Monastery, in order to keep their commitments and practice of Dorje Shugden. It is a reflection of Yongyal Rinpoche’s sincerity, devotion and limitless compassion that he tirelessly shouldered the burden of ensuring all 600 monks of Serpom Monastery were adequately provided for, both in terms of their basic needs as well as their spiritual education, in addition to guiding his own Dharma centre in Los Angeles.
This precious erudite son of the Gelug lineage has traveled widely, like his predecessors, to spread the Buddhadharma and Lama Tsongkapa’s tradition far and wide. In January 2015 alone, Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche gave the initiations and commentaries of Yamantaka, Guhyasamaja and Vajrayogini to lay and ordained practitioners at Thoesam Norling Buddhist Centre in Taipei, Taiwan, followed by a Medicine Buddha initiation in Taipei’s Tsongkapa Centre.
A few weeks later while in Hong Kong, Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche then gave teachings on the ten preliminaries and the initiation and commentary of Cittamani Tara.
Like all illustrious reincarnations, Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche is spearheading the growth of the Buddhadharma and bringing it to greater heights. With his tireless dedication to preserve the lineage and benefit all sentient beings, it is no wonder that Yongyal Rinpoche is highly revered in the Buddhist world, and to receive initiations or teachings from such a compassionate lama is truly a precious encounter.
Below are some wonderful pictures of Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche’s enlightened activities. We extend our gratitude to all our contributors for sending in pictures and news – may we bring the activities of great Lamas such as Yongyal Rinpoche to many others throughout the world.
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TAIWAN: Three Days of Initiations in Thoesam Norling Buddhist Centre, Taipei
On 4 January 2015, Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche gave the initiations and commentaries of Yamantaka, Guhyasamaja and Vajrayogini to ordained and lay practitioners in Thoesam Norling Buddhist Centre in Taipei, Taiwan. It was a joyous three day event and an auspicious way to start the new year.
Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche and his students liberating animals before starting the pujas and initiations
Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche (centre), Achok Rinpoche (left) and Sharpei Rinpoche (right)
A group photo with Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche’s Taiwanese students
Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche and his loyal and dedicated assistant, Achok Rinpoche
Abundant offerings set up for the initiations
Offering body, speech and mind to Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche
Many Taiwanese students flocked to the centre to receive initiations from Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche
From left to right: Ven Achok Rinpoche, Ven. Serkong Tritul Rinpoche, Ven. Dromtug Rinpoche
TAIWAN: Medicine Buddha Initiation in Tsongkapa Centre
On 10 January 2015, Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche also gave a Medicine Buddha initiation in Taipei’s Tsongkapa Centre, a much needed practice in today’s world which is divided by war, suffering and abuse.
Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche arrives in Taipei’s Tsongkhapa Centre
Warmly welcomed by the members of the centre
Wearing a traditional lama’s coat
The Ven. Panglung Kuten makes offerings of body, speech and mind to Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche
Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche remained in Taiwan for many days giving teachings and initiations to the sangha and laity present
Dorje Shugden lamas continue to teach and uphold the pure lineage of Je Tsongkapa, regardless of the obstacles presented by the ban
HONG KONG: The Ten Preliminaries and Cittamani Tara Initiation
On 25 January 2015, Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche gave teachings on the ten preliminaries and the initiation and commentary of Cittamani Tara. Yongyal Rinpoche also gave regular teachings while staying in Ven. Geshe Tenzin Palchok’s dharma centre in Hong Kong.
Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche gave teachings on the ten preliminaries and Cittamani Tara initiation
Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche (left) and Ven. Geshe Tenzin Palchok (far right)
Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche also gave private teachings to a small group of students at Ven. Geshe Tenzin Palchok’s dharma center
Ven. Achok Rinpoche (right) arrived in Hong Kong from India, after giving a set of initiations and teachings to the monks and lay people in Serpom Monastery.
English
Indonesia
Tibetan
kelly
January 30, 2015
Rejoice for these practitioner who get Yongyal Rinpoche blessing and teaching is rear for us to meet the Dharma and with the perfect master. Thank you DS.com who update us very beautiful picture and nice altar set up.
paolorossi4444
January 30, 2015
I DEEPLY REJOICE IN THE GREAT DHARMA WORK OF H.H.YONGHIEL DORJE CHAN AND HIS PERFECT DISCIPLE ACHOK TULKU,MAY THEY CONTINUE TO SPREAD IN THE TEN DIRECTION THE PURE HOLY DHARMA OF LAMA TZONG KHAPA TILL THE END OF SAMSARA.
with faith and devotion claudio cipullo italy
Eli Buchen
February 1, 2015
Magnificent to see Kyabjye Yongyal Rinpoche spreading the buddha dharma to all over the world, also to see Achok Rinpoche and Ven. Geshe Tenzin Palchok together with Yongyal Rinpoche sharing the dharma.
Anonymous
June 13, 2018
Dalai Lama should set things right
August 13, 2018
Dear Dalai Lama,
Since you started the cruel ban against the 350 year Dorje Shugden practice, how has it benefit your Tibetan society and Buddhism in the world? Things have become worse and most educated Tibetans can see this. They don’t speak out not because they don’t see your ban as wrong, but you instill fear in them and not respect. It is like fear of a dictator. I am sorry to say so. Everyone is divided. There is no harmony. Before your ban there was more harmony and unity.
By enacting the ban, you split the monasteries, split so many families, split regions in Tibet apart, split your disciples from you, split your own gurus from you, split Tibetan Buddhism apart. You have created so much disharmony.
It is not democratic what you have done to ban a religion within your community. You always talk of tolerance and acceptance and democracy and yet you do not accept and tolerate something different from your beliefs. When people practice Dorje Shugden you ostracize them, ban them from seeing you, ban them from using Tibetan facilities. You know you have done that. There are videos that capture your speech and prove this point. You even had people expelled from monasteries just because they practice Dorje Shugden. Some of the monks you expelled have been in the monastery for over 40 years. Many older monks shed tears because of this.
Many young educated Tibetans lost confidence in you as they saw the damage the Dorje Shugden ban created and they lose hope. Many have become free thinkers. They reject what you have done. So many people in the west left Buddhism because of the confusion you created with this ban against Dorje Shugden which is immoral.
You could of had millions of people who practice Dorje Shugden to support, love and follow you, but you scared them away. They are hurt and very disappointed. They loved you and respected you deeply before the ban. It has been 60 years and you have failed to get Tibet back. Your biggest failure is not getting Tibet back after 57 years in exile. Now you are begging China to allow you to return to Tibet to the disappointment of thousands of people who fought for a free Tibet believing in you. So many self-immolated for a free Tibet and now you want Tibet to be a part of China with no referendum from Tibetans. Just like a dictator, you decide on your own. It was your government and you that lost Tibet in the first place. Your policies and style of doing things do not benefit Tibet and Buddhism. You have been the sole ruler of Tibet your whole life and you still have not gotten our country of Tibet back for us. Our families and us are separated. Yet you create more pain by creating a ban to further divide people. Please have compassion.
No other Buddhist leader has banned or condemned any religion except for you. It looks very bad. You are a Nobel laureate and this is not fitting of a laureate. You should unite people and not separate them by religious differences.
You said Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi did not do right to the Rohingya people in Myanmar due to religious differences, but you are doing the same thing to the Shugden Buddhists within your own society. There is a parallel in this. You separate the Shugden Buddhists from the others in Tibetan society.
You have lost so many people who would have loved and supported you. You have lost so much support around the world. The Shugden Buddhists who love you number in the millions. When you are fast losing support from governments and private people, it will not do you well to lose more.
After you are passed away in the future, the rift you created between the Dorje Shugden and non-Dorje Shugden people will remain for a while and that will be your legacy. Disharmony. You will be remembered for this. Not as a hero but a disharmony creator.
Dorje Shugden will spread and further grow, but you will be no more as you are a human. No one wishes you bad and in fact we hope you have a long and healthy life, but we have lost so much hope and have so much despair because of you. All the hundreds of Dorje Shugden lamas, tulkus and geshes are maturing and there are hundreds of Dorje Shugden monasteries in Tibet who will not give up Dorje Shugden. You have made a mistake. These hundreds of teachers and teachers to be will spread Dorje Shugden further in the future.
The gurus that gave us Dorje Shugden as a spiritual practice and you have called these holy gurus wrong and they are mistaken in giving us Dorje Shugden. How can you insult our gurus whom we respect so much? If they can be wrong, then you can be wrong. Then all gurus can be wrong. So no one needs to listen to any guru? You have created this trend. It is not healthy. Your own gurus practiced Dorje Shugden their whole lives. Your own gurus were exemplary and highly learned.
Dalai Lama you have created so much pain with this ban against so many people due to religion. You are ageing fast. Are you going to do anything about it or stay stubborn, hard and un-moving. You show a smile and preach peace and harmony wherever you go. But will you do the same to your own people? Please rectify the wrong you have done. Please before it is too late. You can create harmony again or you can pass away in the future with this legacy of peace. May you live long and think carefully and admit what was a mistake in having this unethical ban against Dorje Shugden religion.