Question asked by Eric
Hello Pastor Niral
Is Shangmo still a member of the Sakya "Bamo Sum"?
We now have two stories that she either fled or escaped from Sakya Monastery.
When she escaped she fled to the protection of H.E. Domo Geshe Rinpoche.
Here is a link to one of those stories of her escape.
www.dorjeshugden.com/forum/index.php?topic=1589.msg21216#msg21216
It was written by WisdomBeing on January 13, 2012 at dorjeshugen.com
The topic is titled "Gaden Tharpa Choling Monastery".
This monastery is owned by Domo Geshe Rinpoche and is located in Sikkim, India.
" 5. Shrine for Shangmo Dorje Bhuti
It is said that Shangomo was once a demon who disguised as a nomad woman…..Around 1902, Shangmo ESCAPED from Skaya Monastery and followed Domo Geshe Rinpoche to Dungkar Monastery, as Rinpoche was a native of the same place "Shang". There at Dungkar Gonpa she was bound under solemn oath to protect the Monastery….Now her abode has shifted to Mani Lhagang (Tharpa Choling Monastery) with her SPECIAL SHRINE."
So it appears that Shangmo may no longer residence with the "Bamo Sum" at Sakya Monastery.
Her act of fleeing and seeking protection with Domo Geshe Rinpoche is unheard of in the annuals of Dhamapalas.
A Dharmapala who escapes where she is bound and flees another Monastery to seek protection there.
Domo Geshe Rinpoche took Shangmo into his protection and now she resides at Ganden Tharpa Choling Monastery.
Domo Geshe Rinpoche built her a "Protector Chapel" and the monks and lay people go there to seek her protection as their Dharmapala.
I think that the Sakya were wrong in describing her as some kind of fearful monster for all of us to be afraid of.
Her actions once she escapes shows that she did not go on a murderous rampage but sought out the enlightened master Domo Geshe Rinpoche.
Can we now still see her as a monster or a victim of abuse who flee her captors?
Dear Eric,
Thank you again for your questions. As far as I am aware Shangmo Dorje Putri is still indeed part of the Sakya Bamo Sum. Even though in the story you recounted it states that she ‘escaped’ or ‘fled’ I am unsure as to how correct the translation of this could be from the Tibetan. For that you would need to check the texts written about her and her practice from Ganden Tharpa Choling Monastery, where she was bound by the eminent Domo Geshe Rinpoche to protect the monastery.
However, just because she was bound twice does not mean that she broke her first oath to Gongma Rinpoche of the Sakya school. In fact, as we stated in the article, she is still under the control of the various Sakya lamas. Domo Geshe Rinpoche bound her again, with the specific intention of protecting the monastery.
As a very powerful unenlightened being, still bound under oaths to great and enlightened lamas, she is not what I would call a monster. But her energies and abilities are still very ferocious. On the other hand, neither do I think of her as a victim of abuse who fled her captors. If she was not bound by Sakya Gongma Rinpoche she would still being inflicting a lot of harm on various people and beings, but once she came under oath she instead helps beings. This is not something that I would personally view as abuse, otherwise we would also have say that Nechung or the Tenma are suffering abuse because they were bound by Guru Rinpoche. This is all just my personal opinion. Thank you.