The Unsurpassable 10th Panchen Lama
His Holiness the 10th Panchen Lama (Main figure)
Click on image to enlarge
(Top to bottom): His Holiness the 10th Panchen Lama and Dorje Shugden
Deity: His Holiness the 10th Panchen Lama Choekyi Gyaltsen (Tibetan)
The Panchen Lama line of incarnations are believed to be emanations of Amitabha, the Buddha of Boundless Light. In 1938, the 10th Panchen Lama was born in what is today’s Qinghai province. He was enthroned and given the name Choekyi Gyaltsen at Kumbum Monastery in 1949. The Panchen Lama grew up to be a veritable scholar, sharp debator and a very powerful lineage holder of the Tantric tradition. He was well known as a master of Tantra and specialised in the Kalachakra practice, which the Panchen Lama lineage are famed for. The Panchen Lamas are considered the emanations of the kings of Shambhala and therefore have a close connection with the Kalachakra Tantra. In Tibet, people would vie to receive the initiation of Kalachakra from the Panchen Lamas.
The Panchen Lama was also a very staunch propagator of Tibetan art and Tibetan monastic learning. He tirelessly travelled the breadth and length of Tibet to give discourses, teachings, initiations, and practices to thousands of scholars, geshes and monks across the country. He single-handedly revitalised Tibetan Buddhism and passed on many rare and secret lineages that could have been lost during the cultural revolution. In addition, the Panchen Lama manifested many miracles that are spoken about among the elders of Tibet who had the fortune to see him.
At the behest of the government at the time, he gave his monk’s robes back and took a consort. Their union produced a daughter, who is considered of extremely high rank in Tibet. Until today many people go to her for blessings and the naming of their babies and transmissions, because they believe that any person born of the Panchen Lama cannot be ordinary.
Prematurely, due to the lack of merits amongst the Tibetans, His Holiness the Panchen Lama manifested death at the age of 51 suddenly. The country and people were thrown into turmoil because it was a great and immeasurable loss. His line of incarnations are well known to teach the vast Dharma and to be the greatest scholars and pandits of the highest order.
Dorje Shugden is closely associated with the Panchen Lamas by virtue of his previous life as Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen, the heart disciple of His Holiness the 4th Panchen Lama. There is a large chapel dedicated to Dorje Shugden in Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, the seat of the Panchen Lama, and this chapel still stands today. It was consecrated by Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche at the request of His Holiness the 9th Panchen Lama. Within the collected works of the 10th Panchen Lama, there is an extensive liturgy propitiating Dorje Shugden. The 10th Panchen Lama’s writings, therefore, bear testament to the fact the Panchen Lama worshipped Dorje Shugden and found his practice to be beneficial and efficacious.
Deity: Dorje Shugden (Tibetan)
Alternative name: Vajra Rudra (Sanskrit)
Dorje Shugden is an emanation of the Buddha of Wisdom, Manjushri. He took the form of a Dharma Protector in order to safeguard the Buddha’s teachings, especially the important teachings on the Middle Way View. Reminiscent of Manjushri’s form, Dorje Shugden carries a meandering sword and rides a snowlion that represents the fearlessness of a fully enlightened Buddha. Thus, he has great strength to overcome obstacles of the body, speech and mind, and create suitable conditions for our spiritual practice to flourish. Furthermore, he carries a jewel-spitting mongoose and a vajra hook to symbolise that he has the tremendous ability to bestow wealth and resources.
Click here for more beautiful thangkas.
Please support us so that we can continue to bring you more Dharma:
If you are in the United States, please note that your offerings and contributions are tax deductible. ~ the tsemrinpoche.com blog team
Beautiful …….art thangka of His Holiness the 10th Panchen Lama and Dorje Shugden. The 10th Panchen Lama is an extraordinarily fearless , courageous Tibetan who fought for religious freedom, improving education and acceptance of Tibetan as the official language during the Chinese rule. He well remembered by the Tibetan people as one of Tibet’s greatest martyrs.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing of a great lama.