The Dalai Lama Denies the Truth About his Teachers

Kyabje Ling Rinpoche sitting on the right of a young Dalai Lama in an old photo from Tibet

The Dalai Lama was seen to have recently made statements on 22 February 2014 in San Francisco denying the truth about his very own teachers. His statements were recorded in the video below.

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At 0:37, the Dalai Lama said that Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, his senior tutor, has no connection with Dorje Shugden.

At 1:17, the Dalai Lama then said Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, his junior tutor who is also a strong advocate of Dorje Shugden’s practice, considered this protector to be as something very low.

Clearly, the Dalai Lama was not telling the truth.

The Truth about Kyabje Ling Rinpoche

We know that Kyabje Ling Rinpoche had composed prayers to Dorje Shugden, which surely constitutes a very important connection with Dorje Shugden. No High Lama as erudite as Kyabje Ling Rinpoche would compose prayers to a harmful spirit. Kyabje Ling Rinpoche must have had tremendous faith in Dorje Shugden and composed these prayers, knowing that propitiating Dorje Shugden would be very beneficial.

Kyabje Ling Rinpoche’s composition is no casual mention of Dorje Shugden, but a substantial Confessional Prayer, a prayer to Request for Activities and a Serkyem liturgy. Also of note is the fact that Dorje Shugden’s prayers were placed alongside other established Dharma Protectors like Mahakala, Palden Lhamo, Kalarupa and Vaishravana, showing that Kyabje Ling Rinpoche regarded Dorje Shugden to be the equal of other enlightened Dharma Protectors. Kyabje Ling Rinpoche was also known to recommend Dorje Shugden practice whenever it was deemed necessary. Now, this is a far cry from what the Dalai Lama had claimed about Kyabje Ling Rinpoche.

The Truth about Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche

A closer look at Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche’s commentary, Music Delighting an Ocean of Protectors, clearly shows the high regard in which Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche held Dorje Shugden, propitiating him as an emanation of Manjushri. On page 5 of this text, he wrote,

A protector who exhibits a worldly aspect yet is in fact indivisible from Manjusri Yamantaka is this very Dharma Protector, Mighty Gyalchen Dorje Shugden.

Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche goes on to make numerous such assertions throughout the text. Contrary to what the Dalai Lama said about Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche’s view of Dorje Shugden, it is clear that Trijang Rinpoche saw Dorje Shugden as one with Manjushri and Yamantaka, both fully enlightened beings.

An excerpt from Music Delighting An Ocean of Protectors reveals Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche’s perception of Dorje Shugden, contrary to what the Dalai Lama claimed

In this text, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche also lists Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen, Panchen Sonam Drakpa and Duldzin Drakpa Gyaltsen as the previous lives of Dorje Shugden. This line of incarnations is one of the most important for their prolific contributions to the development of the Gelug School. On page 33, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche also wrote that,

He (Duldzin Drakpa Gyaltsen) became a close heart disciple of the great Je Tsongkhapa, revered by the disciples like the Master himself, receiving the kindness of his instructions.

Therefore, Duldzin Drakpa Gyaltsen (Dorje Shugden’s previous life) was considered by Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche to be equal in status and attainments, to Je Tsongkhapa himself.

As for Panchen Sonam Drakpa, Trijang Rinpoche wrote on page 40,

He became tutor of the Third Dalai Lama, Sonam Gyatso, who accepted him as his crown ornament.

This is statement is incredibly significant because it means a previous life of Dorje Shugden was once the spiritual guide to one of the earlier incarnations of the Dalai Lama. In other words, the Dalai Lama is not only making false claims about his junior tutor in this life; he is also implying that the spiritual guide of his previous incarnation (the 3rd Dalai Lama), who was also the Abbot of Ganden, Sera and Drepung, had reincarnated as a spirit!

Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche presents facts about Dorje Shugden’s previous lives that reveals his true nature

Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche also wrote on page 94,

Yet his wish to arise as a protector of Je Tsongkhapa’s teachings and the opportunity of the circumstances that would converge between the Great Fifth Dalai Lama and Tulku Dragpa Gyaltsen, who were two great beings like the sun and the moon, seemed remote at the time.

Yet again, Trijang Rinpoche’s writings prove beyond doubt that he considered the previous life of Dorje Shugden to be equal to the Dalai Lama. The above are just a few examples; reading through “Music Delighting” will yield much more evidence that Trijang Rinpoche perceived Dorje Shugden to be an enlightened being with a long line of highly respected reincarnations as attained yogis and lamas.

The incomparable Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, junior tutor of the Dalai Lama

It is clear that the Dalai Lama, being such an erudite scholar and master, must have known these facts but has unfortunately chosen to misrepresent them in order to justify the Dorje Shugden ban that he initiated. It is hoped that readers of this article begin to see through the Dalai Lama’s rhetoric (on the ban) instead of blindly embracing the Dalai Lama’s half-truths and sometimes outright lies.