A Gift from Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche | 格西格桑嘉措仁波切的礼物
（译文请往下阅读）
In the 70’s, when I came across Buddhism, there were books and there were items that were translated and some of them were quite good. But there was not a lot. And, if you want to study what the monastic system study, it was very difficult to find translations. And if you did find translations, they were very technical and dry and if I may say quite boring.
Decades ago, I came across some books by His Eminence Geshe Kelsang Gyatso and I read through them. I found the books systematic, easy to understand, orderly, based on scriptures, translated in the highest caliber into the English language, yet understandable, and very accurate to the translation of the original scriptures that they came from. And I was totally amazed, overwhelmed and over taken by such beautifully packaged books with wonderful illustrations, good accurate information, excellent translation; that I can actually trust and believe, and know that they are accurate from the original source.
In Buddhism, it’s very important that we practice from an original source with a lineage. A lineage meaning it came from a qualified teacher, from another qualified teachers, that traces back to one of the great Indian pandits, Mahasiddhas, masters, Tsongkhapa or even the Buddha himself. So, within the Buddhist tradition, especially within the tradition of Lama Tsongkhapa; having visions and writing down the teachings is possible, finding ‘termas’ or hidden treasures in the landscape is possible… but it is not highly encouraged. Why is that? We do have visionaries, and psychic people and powerful people and attained people, who can receive teachings from supernatural beings such as Manjushri directly. We do have people who have visions of teachings, special practices buried under the earth or water, in rocks and trees and have appeared at the right time. We do have people who can find teachings that were stored away for a future time. Definitely there are people like that with exceptional powers, developed from single pointed meditation. Definitely.
But from an ordinary point of view, such as myself, being an ordinary person, I can’t tell if that person is highly attained or if that person is not highly attained. So if they both came to me and say, “ Well, I receive these teachings from the nagas, I received these teachings from Manjushri, I receive teachings from a vision”… I don’t know if what they saw or what they thought they saw was real or not. Therefore, I kind of have doubt whether their teachings are going to be accurate for lack of a better word.
His Eminence the very learned Master, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche 学识渊博的大师——尊贵的格西格桑嘉措仁波切
Therefore, there are definitely highly attained masters who do have visions, who can see ethereal beings, and supernatural beings and receive teachings, receive lineages, receive practices; such as the great master from India, Guru Rinpoche or otherwise known as Padmasambhava, who had many visions, and who planted and discovered secret teachings… Who proliferated many, many different practices he has received from ethereal or supernatural beings. Similarly, you have the same in Atisha, you have the same in Lama Tsongkhapa, and you have the same in many great masters of the past and present day such as His Holiness Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche, His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche and so on.
But, if everyone was to rely on teachings that specifically came from a source that’s untraceable except to the author, then sometimes charlatans may arise. And when charlatans arise, that is when the degeneration of the teachings set in. When the teachings degenerate, they are not able to produce attained states of mind in our mind-stream. So therefore receiving a teaching, practice, transmission, initiation or permission from a living master, who has received it from source quoted to you (from another living master and so on), then the blessings and the teachings, and the potency of the teachings are alive in your mind-stream. Therefore when you practice, you can gain powerful transformation and attainments.
Therefore, lineage is very important in that sense as it must be genuine, and must be stated. Within the Lama Tsongkhapa tradition – the Gelugpa, when teachers give a teaching, they quote the source, where it comes from and when they got it. Because the teacher can’t simply say to you, “Well, I received this from Manjushri, and guess what? You’re just going to believe me.” Well, there are teachers of that caliber who can say, “I received it from Manjushri” and I think a lot of us will believe it. But there are people out there that if they say they received it from Manjushri, we will say, “Oh, okay. Good for you.” Because I’m an ordinary being, I can’t judge who is attained and who is not attained, and I presume not to judge. Therefore, I rather hear that they have a source, they have a lineage, they have a practice, where they got it from… Then it’s much more reliable.
For example, if you’re going to go to a doctor and he is going to give you a special diet. And he says it comes from this lab, research was done here, this is the amount of nutrition you need, this is the amount of vitamins you need, this is the amount of minerals you need, the studies have proven this and we’ve done it over this amount of years, and here’s the certified authenticated results. Then, you’ll have more confidence about what he is prescribing to you. But if the doctor says, “Well, my daughter kind of met this healing nature god and he gave it to her, and she gave it to me, and here it’s going to work for you.” Well I’m going to be a little doubtful. Maybe she did, maybe she didn’t. But I’m not sure.
So for me, I’m not into supernatural and I’m not really into magic and mystery and all that although it exists, because I don’t have powers. But, if the teacher says to me, the source is here, it came from here, I received it from here, I practiced this, and these are the results. I’ll go, “Oh, thank you.” It’s kind of like the doctor telling you, they got this nutritional path for us to be healthier from this lab, from these studies. So it’s just safer. Having said that, if my root teacher whom I’ve connected with introduces me to something I will trust.
Now having said that, when I came across Geshe Kelsang Gyatso’s books, I was just totally amazed at their accuracy, clarity, incredible consistency and especially its progression, meaning from steps A to Z. When you read these books, nothing of Geshe’s personal interpretation is in there, it’s pretty much according to the scriptures if you can read Tibetan. There are some exceptions when he puts in examples here and there to help elucidate what’s there, but the actual body of the text and the meat and the bones, are very accurate. And I was amazed because I had problems learning Tibetan, reading Tibetan and I actually do not prefer to study in Tibetan. I prefer to study in English for whatever karmic reason there is in that. So when I read Geshela’s books and commentaries, they really illuminated my world, they really gave me a lot of knowledge, they really opened me up to so much more in Dharma.
And I remember 20 years back when I was giving teachings to people, I would actually use some of Geshela’s books as the basis of my teachings. People said that it was helpful and beneficial… In fact, it was helpful for me! So therefore I have always admired the knowledge this great master has and the knowledge that he passed to his students, to be able to translate these and make these teachings available to the world. I have always been in great admiration for Geshela’s scholarship, his knowledge, and erudite preciseness in training his students to produce these types of books and teachings that have been so beneficial for so many people around the world.
My admiration grew for Geshela from these books. In the past I have personally purchased hundreds of these book, hundreds and hundreds, if not thousands, and passed it to people, offered it to people and giving it to people as guidelines of certain practices. They have been very beneficial. For example, Geshela’s tantric text on Heruka and Vajrayogini are absolutely priceless. One of my favourite books is ‘Understanding Your Mind‘ by Geshela… that’s really one of my favourites. And I think one book that really changed my mind to develop and gear myself more towards the development of compassion was Geshela’s translation of Shantideva’s text ‘The Bodhisattva-charya-avatara‘ or Meaningful to Behold. That really affected me quite a lot when I read it, and it moved me very very much.
I have never had the honor or the privilege to meet Geshela or to have a conversation with him. But, I know from his books that he is a great master. And I don’t really care nor does it bother me whether he has the title of Geshe or not. Some people like to get into this kind of mini debate on whether he is a real Geshe or not a real Geshe. But having come from Gaden Monastery, I’ve met many monks that are older, who don’t have a Geshe title, who ran away before they finished the Geshe title, or not interested in Geshe title… They study, they learn, they absorb, and guess what… They are very knowledgeable and have a lot to transmit. So, whether they have a Geshe title or not, has never ever affected me and my trust in their knowledge. Because when you observe their actions for example, Geshela is a pure monk and holds his Vinaya vows, you know that renunciation has sunk into Geshela’s mind because he holds his monks vows purely. You just know that Geshela has spent his life teaching the Dharma and it has manifested in his centres, in his books, in his students, and in hundreds of centres around the world, as a sign of his great compassion, or the 2nd of the 3 principles of the path, Boddhicitta.
Geshela works tirelessly for others… from what I have read, seen and observed; is to be a benefit to others, to be of help to others, to bring people onto the path, especially Lama Tsongkhapa’s path. He has spent his whole life doing that from a very young age of learning, contemplation study and then later, teaching and being the living embodiment of the teachings, a living example. So therefore, by seeing him living his life in Dharma and not attracted to the ” delights” of Samsara, you can see that Geshela has achieved some sort of Emptiness if I may respectfully say so. So for any practice especially a prelude to tantra or for tantra, we need to have actualized the Three Principal Paths, which is Renunciation, Boddhicitta and Emptiness. And therefore when you have observed Geshela’s life, his works, his focus and his results; you can see he has achieved the Three Principal Paths, which is a prelude or a prerequisite or necessity for tantric practice. So, to me, it doesn’t matter if this person has a Geshe’s name or not. I have met many many teachers in Gaden, Sera and Drepung Monasteries who do not have the Geshe name, title or certificate, yet many people went to them for teachings, many people went to them for advise, many people went to them for divination and many went to them for clarification of the scriptures because they have knowledge. Milarepa was never a Geshe, he was a layperson, with long hair, wearing white robes, committed a lot of negativities, received some dharma from his teacher, went to meditate and become an enlightened Buddha. The line of Karmapas are not Geshes. Then you have many types of masters, who are not Geshes but have great knowledge.
This is not to say Geshela is not a Geshe, this is to say titles do not bother me at all. So therefore, from Geshela’s works, and from Geshela’s results, and lifetime of dedicating himself to learning, study, contemplation, practice and therefore turning the wheel of Dharma and teaching… he has the results. His centres are flourishing, he has brought thousands onto the path of Dharma, he holds his vows clearly according to the Vinaya and his books are a resource for hundreds and thousands people around the world as it has been for me. So for many years I have been a long distance admirer of H.E Geshe Kelsang Gyatso because of all the qualities that I have mentioned. I do not know if in this life I will have the fortune to meet him and to receive his blessings or to speak with him, but I hope I do one day because he is an inspiration to me.
What Geshela’s personal views are on his practice, his Dharma protector, his lineage, and even perhaps some of his secular views, are not my concern. Geshela does many activities that I do not understand or fully fathom but I am not here to judge. So therefore there are people who criticize and say good things and bad things about Geshela, but it doesn’t affect me, because I have my own eyes and my own ears and my own comprehension to understand Geshela. I’m not presuming I do understand him, I’m just saying that from an outward view, he shows signs of a qualified spiritual master of the highest caliber. He has spent his whole life as a pure monk, he has followed his guru with great devotion as you can see his books he always mentions his Guru, H.H. Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso has done nothing wrong because he is loyal to his teacher and the practices his teachers have entrusted to him. We all have to be loyal to our teachers. Being loyal to one teacher does not mean we need to damage another teacher. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso teaches the Dharma tirelessly, he and his students open many centres with so much efforts, they do retreats, they do practices, he has trained them up to give initiations, oral transmissions and commentaries. He spent his life in practicing, teaching the Dharma, and contemplating the Dharma. His only so called ” fault ” imputed by others is his view on his Dharma protector and his unwillingness to not release the practice of his Dharma protector because of his commitment to his root guru. I don’t see any fault in that, and I think that if Geshela does nine excellent things and one thing we don’t agree with, perhaps we don’t make an enemy of him, label him an enemy or label him something negative just because of that one facet that we don’t agree with. There are many other facets that we can look at. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso does not need to be degraded or shunned just because he chooses to be loyal to his teacher, lineage, practice and so on. If we make him out to be some sort of negative being, that is our problem.
Recently, I was very honoured to receive a letter from Geshe Kelsang Gyatso and accompanied by a gift of Green Tara. I was very surprised, privileged, moved and touched. I wanted to blog about it and I didn’t have time till now. What I wanted to say to Geshela was to thank him, for his blessings to a junior monk, from a senior monk. I wanted to thank him for such a precious gift which I will treasure and I have already encased it and placed it on the altar in my centre so that everybody may get a blessing from this Tara image that Geshela has so kindly given to me.
In the Buddhist tradition, older monk with or without titles matter not. They can be called Rinpoche, Dorje Chang, Mahasiddha, Geshela or just Bikkshu (meaning old monk), it doesn’t matter what their title is. The fact that they are holding their Vinaya vows and they have held it for decades upon decades purely, the secret here is “purely”, that they are filled with blessings, they are the pure sangha, they are filled with inspiration, they are filled with the results of practicing a whole life time of Lord Buddha’s teachings. So therefore, such a being who holds the Vinaya well, practices the teachings and embodies what the Buddha has taught us by deed, action, and results… he is someone very blessed and very holy. If they were to touch an object and give it to you, it is a blessed object. If they were to blow on some water and give it to you, it’s a blessed water to drink that heals and if they were to give you a gift such as I received a Tara from Geshela, it’s considered extra blessings, extra special. I’m not attached to Tara as an object, I’m not attached to the object that we have labeled Tara… What I am in awe of, is a senior monk passing the blessings to a younger monk, myself, that I may aspire to be someone who practices the Three Principal Paths, mind training, master the sutras and tantras and be able to turn the wheel of Dharma for the many others. So here I enclosed a picture of the beautiful Tara that Geshela has granted me, and also a letter from himself, which I appreciate very much. I realised perhaps by blogging this about Geshela, and expressing my admiration, I may create some consternation in certain peoples’ minds, I do not wish to create any consternation or any unhappiness but I think I have the right to admire who I want, and I think on this blog which is my space, which is visited by people who are okay with my views, I have the right to blog and write about who I want.
A precious Green Tara from Geshe Kelsang Gyatso presented to myself. Thank you so much. This statue was produced by Geshe Kelsang’s Dharma Organisation, the New Kadampa Tradition. I am amazed by it’s beauty and perfect workmanship. 格西格桑嘉措送给我的珍贵度母像。我由衷感谢。这尊度母像由格西格桑嘉措的佛教组织，新噶当巴传承所制作。我对佛像的精美和完美的手工深感赞叹。
A letter from His Eminence Geshe Kelsang Gyatso to me! (Click on image to enlarge) 尊贵的格西格桑嘉措写给我的信函 (点击放大图片)
For those of you who do not think as highly of Geshela as I do, then may I kindly and respectfully ask that you not read this blog, not to read this post, and to read something else. But for some people who come to my blog every single day and pick out things here and there, and then find things to criticize, I think there are a couple million other blogs out there that you can find more to your liking and therefore you can talk about, communicate about, express about and debate about, that might be a better usage of time. This is my blog, I put my energy into it, my students help me to put their time and their hard work into it, and this is my space. Anything I write on my blog are my opinions, my thoughts, my likes and dislikes, and if you are not happy with it, no one is forcing you to come on the blog, if you have nothing better to do than to come on the blog every single day and to find fault with it, may I gently suggest to you to bring peace to your mind and not come here? OM MANI PADME HUNG.
Geshela to me is a Dharma master of the highest calibre, and I do realise he has his own opinions about certain Dharma teachers in Tibet, for example H.H. Dalai Lama and other teachers. But that is Geshe Kelsang Gyatso’s opinion, that is his thinking, that is his thought. What Geshela thinks, what his thoughts are doesn’t necessarily reflect or match my own. He has his opinions, he has every right to it and I have my opinions and I have my rights to it. My point is this, I admire the purity of his monkhood, I admire the clarity, scholastic and erudite information behind his books. I greatly appreciate the amount of benefit I have received from the books for over thirty years now. From the depths of my heart, I pray that great Dharma masters such as Geshela, H.H. the Dalai Lama, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche and all these masters, irregardless of what you may feel about them, may they live long, continue to turn the wheel of Dharma and benefit others. Maybe some people in Geshela’s group may not be ardent admirers of the Dalai Lama, but that’s their opinion. However, I still admire the Dalai Lama and I am entitled to my opinion. There may be people who are ardent admirers of the Dalai Lama and who are not admirers of Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, they also have a right to their opinion and what they wish to think. But I am an ardent admirer of both Geshe Kelsang Gyatso and the Dalai Lama because I like the middle way. I have taken teachings from His Holiness the Dalai Lama so I have to respect him. I’ve taken teachings from Lamas that His Holiness the Dalai Lama manifest not being pleased with and I still have to respect them even so. I cannot take Dalai Lama’s ‘displeasure’ at a lama and abandon him because I have taken him as a guru. Nor can I abandon the Dalai Lama. I and thousands like me are in a precarious situation. It is good for the mind training and at the same time it can be hard at times. Both sides wonder what side I am on. Well I am on the side of my gurus that has touched my heart the most. Others may protest against Dalai Lama or Geshe Kelsang or whomever but I may not. My spiritual development and responsibility to achieve enlightenment is at the forefront of my mind and showing disrespect to any of my lamas is a big no for me.
True spirituality is not hatred or an aversion for one or for the other. Whenever we have this aversion, we have to find a middle way… A middle way or equilibrium. Without equilibrium and to hate one side and profess spirituality , do our mantras, meditations and practices and all of that, is kind of contradictory. Because the whole purpose of meditation, mantras, practices and studies in dharma is to expel all traces of ‘likes’ and ‘dislikes’. Because if you like, you will dislike and if you dislike, you will like. And if you like or dislike, the roots of samara arises from likes and dislikes because it shows that there is Aversion and Attachment. So therefore to like one lama at the cost of hating another is actually a heavy price to pay on our so-called spiritual practice which we will gain no progress in whatsoever.
So the key here is not to like or dislike a certain lama or lineage or practice or what not… but to find a middle way. Everybody has their own karma, everybody has their own journey, everybody has their own path and no matter how much we criticize another person’s path if they don’t have the karma to understand it, they’re not going to understand it and your criticism will only fall on deaf ears that harden their hearts and make the situation more difficult and also makes them start to have anger and hatred. So what’s most important is to forgive and to respect.
People may find it difficult to respect both the Dalai Lama and Geshe Kelsang Gyatso because it seems like they are on opposite sides. Whatever they have between them or they don’t have between them doesn’t concern me so much because what is important is how I view this. And how I view this is the middle way, which is not to discredit, dislike one or the other, or to defend one by criticizing the other. We can go on endlessly on social media and criticize another lama over and over again, its not going to change the lama, its not going to change the situation, it doesn’t make us a better person, nor does it make me a better spiritual person. And to recite Om Mani Padme Hung on one breath and then another breath to criticize another lama seems contradictory and not complimentary. So therefore what’s important is that if we believe in the Dalai Lama, we should represent the Dalai Lama well by being tolerant, compassionate, kind and extremely forgiving and also giving people chances. If we represent Geshe Kelsang Gyatso we should do exactly the same. Whoever our lama is, whoever our teacher is we must represent them well, in our wisdom, in our compassion and especially in our understanding of others. By putting others down, criticizing them, and having hate campaigns against them and doing it because they do it, or having hate campaigns because they have it, doesn’t make us any better than who we are criticizing.
I have decided to put this post up not to make any political statements, not to come out about something and not to change your mind about anything. I came out with this because there are people who know nothing about Geshela and Dalai Lama and all the things that go on in the Tibetan and related worlds. They know nothing and they just want the Dharma. I highly recommend them to get books by Geshela to read, to study, to understand and improve – it has helped me. So in this blog post, what I wanted to say was Geshela’s works have helped me and I appreciate it and I thank him. Whatever his secular views are about other things in life, or other lamas, or even the Dalai Lama doesn’t affect me and doesn’t reflect me.
I have my own views about the Dalai Lama, my own views about Geshela, and I will express it on my blog in my way and in my space. May I respectfully ask everyone else to do the same. And may I repeat again, if you don’t agree with my opinions, there is no problem. There is also no reason for you to criticize me because of my opinions. I am just another struggling samsara being trying to reach enlightenment.
Tsem Rinpoche
To Your Eminence Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche,
Please live long, please continue to turn the wheel of dharma. Thank you for all your works as they are indeed vast and great. Thank you for your lifetime of contribution to the growth of Buddha’s teachings and in particular Lord Tsongkhapa’s tradition. Thank you for your stalwart and steadfast devotion to your root lama which has been a great inspiration for me and many others. The way you practice regardless of any obstacles is just like the great Kadampa Geshes of the past.
Thank you very much for doing the best you can to spread dharma the way you can and you have been immensely successful. I appreciate everything you have done, and I would like to thank you so much for the beautiful letter and holy Tara statue you have given me. I will treasure these till the end of my days and as I said earlier, I will place the statue in my dharma centre, on Kechara’s shrine for everyone to view, be blessed by Tara and be blessed Her powerful energies. I sincerely hope to one day have the honor to make offerings to you directly as I have admired you for decades. For now, please actualize the power of your meditations and extend your life to be a continued source of blessings for many whom are karmically connected to you.
My humblest and deepest respects,
Tsem Rinpoche
PS: Years and years ago while I was in Gaden, before all the…may I say the ‘controversies’ made up by others, when I was in Ganden Monastery reading one of Geshela’s incredibly erudite and clear books, I folded my hands and I prayed, “May I absorb all the knowledge that is in this book”. And that book was ‘Path To Bliss, a commentary of Vajrayogini’. I was so inspired at that time that I wrote a letter to Geshela and to tell him how much I admired his books and what I thought about it, and also in the second part of the letter (which I can’t find right now) I requested him to translate other teachings such as Yamantaka, such as Guhyasamaja, such as the Six-armed Mahakala, Kangsol – Palden Lhamo Kangsol, the Kalarupa prayers and a set of other teachings I requested to Geshela to also translate.
Years ago I also read a book, Buddhism in the Tibetan Tradition by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, I really thought it was very clear and very nice and I used to give a lot of those books out. And I particularly like the fact that His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama wrote a Foreword for that book and I thought, ‘Wow! Geshela who is such a renowned master, being Foreworded by another great renowned master of Tibet‘. I thought what a powerful joining of forces – the Dalai Lama writing a Foreword for Geshe Kelsang. And then later on, things kind of change, different secular views arose, and some obstacles and some thinking and I guess its kind of a teaching on Impermanence.
So I include part of my letter here that I wrote to him many years ago – you can see the date and the year also here.
This was my letter to Geshe Kelsang in 1994, it was published in the New Kadampa Tradition’s magazine called Full Moon (click image to enlarge). 这是我在1994年寄给格西格桑嘉措的信。此信刊登在新噶当巴传承的一本称为《Full Moon》的杂志上。 (点击放大图片)
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Geshe Kelsang Gyatso’s books are highly praised by many Lamas, one of them being His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama who wrote a foreword in one of Geshe Kelsang’s earlier publications. Click on the image to enlarge. When the foreword was written, Geshe Kelsang was doing the same practice, devoted to the same lama and was the same person. Nothing has changed at least in my views. 格西格桑嘉措的著作备受许多高僧大德的高度赞赏，其中一位还是至尊第十四世嘉瓦仁波切，法王甚至为格西拉的其中一本早期著作写序。点击放大图片。法王为此书写序时，格西拉跟现在的格西拉还是同一个人，而他所修持的法门，所依止的上师，也都跟现在没有两样。至少在我的看法中，一切都没有改变。
格西格桑嘉措仁波切的礼物
20世纪70年代，当我开始接触佛法时，有些书籍已被翻译，其中有些书的翻译水平还是相当高的，但为数并不多。然而，如果你真要根据寺院系统来学习，则很难找到相关的翻译。即使你找到了译本，也都是一些十分技术性和枯燥难啃的文字，说得白些，就是相当闷。
几十年前，我无意中看到了尊贵的格西格桑嘉措的著作。阅读之后，我觉得这些书籍在编辑上显得系统清晰、简单易懂、条理分明，且根据佛典翻译成高水平的英文著作。这些译作不只深入浅出，还十分精确地忠于原著。除了包装精致，插画精美、信息正确之外，其精确、忠于原著、让人信赖的优秀翻译，更让我惊讶、惊愕，且喜出望外。
在佛教里，根据可追本溯源的传承教诲来修持十分重要。传承指一位合格上师将某种教法传授给另一位合格的上师，其源头可追溯至伟大的印度班智达、大成就者、大师、宗喀巴大师，甚至是佛陀本身。因此，在佛教传统，尤其是宗喀巴大师的传统中，亲见佛菩萨，并将教诲写下来是有可能的，在山峦河川中找到“伏藏”也有可能……但这些却不是被高度推崇的。为什么呢？能够见到佛菩萨、具有他心通和修行成就高的人的确存在，他们能从超自然的存在，如文殊菩萨那儿直接取得教诲。有些人确实能够亲见菩萨并得到教诲，有些特别的教诲的确埋藏在地底、水中、岩石或树下，机缘成熟时才出现。有些人的确能找到那些专为未来而准备，深藏在某处的经典。毫无疑问，肯定有些人能透过深入禅定而拥有这种特别的能力。那是肯定的。
然而，从一般人的角度看来，作为一个如我这般的凡人，毕竟无法分辨哪一些人是否拥有高证量。如果有两个人同时来到我跟前，对我说“我从龙众那儿接受了这个教诲，我从文殊菩萨那儿接受了那个教诲，我亲见教诲示现在眼前……”我无从得知他们所看到的，或他们认为自己看到的是否是真的。因此，（请恕我找不到更好的字眼）我不禁有些怀疑这些教诲是否准确可信。
可以肯定，拥有高证量，能够看见天界众生、超自然存在体，并从他们那儿接受教诲、传承、修持法的大师是存在的。比如说，印度伟大的莲花生大士就拥有这种“看见”的能力，他不仅埋藏，也发掘出秘密教诲。此外，他也将从超自然存在体那儿所接受的许多教诲弘扬开来。同样的，阿底峡尊者、宗喀巴大师也拥有同样的能力。过去和现在的许多大师如至尊帕绷喀仁波切、至尊赤江仁波切、至尊宋仁波切等也都拥有这种能力。
然而，如果每个人都依靠那些除了作者外，其具体来源无从追溯的教法，后果将是让骗子有机会鱼目混珠。这种情况一旦出现，佛陀教法就会开始衰败，而衰败的教法则使我们无法在心识上取得任何修行成就。由此可见，若我们从一位上师处接受的教诲、修持、口传或灌顶，都拥有可靠的来源（从一位上师传到另一位上师，以此类推），那么这些加持和教法，就能有效地留存在我们的心识中。而修持这些教法，也能使我们得到转化和成就。
可见，在这件事情上，纯净的传承十分重要。它不仅必须拥有纯正的来源，还要能够说明出处。根据宗喀巴大师传承，即格鲁派，当上师授予教诲的时候，他们必须说明来源、出处，以及他们在何时接受这项教诲。上师不能随意告诉你“我从文殊菩萨那儿接受这项修持，你尽管相信我就是了。”当然，有些上师的确拥有这种成就，他也有资格说“我从文殊菩萨那里接受这项教诲”，而我也相信我们当中有许多人也愿意相信他的说法。然而，换作是另一些人，若他们也说自己从文殊菩萨处接受教诲，我们则会说“哦，好吧！恭喜你！”既然我只不过是个凡人，无法分辨他人的修为程度，我最好还是选择不去分辨，而宁可听从那些能说明来源、传承、修持和出处的教诲……那毕竟是比较可靠的。
譬如说，当你的医生说他将给你开一道特别的膳食方时，若他能说明这方子来自哪一个实验室，曾做过什么研究，也能告诉你具体所需的营养、维生素和矿物质是什么，又能列出哪一些学术研究证明其有效性，共经过多少年临床验证，又有哪一些证书能证明研究结果的可靠性等，那么你自然就会对他即将给你开的方子感到比较有信心。倘若医生说“这方子是我女儿从一个专司自然疗愈的神明那儿得来的，她把它交了给我，我也认为它对你有效。”对这样的说法，我会有所保留。也许她说的是事实，也许不是。但我不敢确定。
由于我没有法力去证实其可靠性，我并不热衷于超自然现象、魔法或神秘现象，虽然这些东西都存在。然而，如果某位老师能指出某项法门的源头和出处，并说明他从何处接受这项教法，或告诉我他修持过后的成果，我则会说“哦，谢谢您。”这有点像医生若能说明他们的营养方取自哪个实验室或曾经过哪一些研究，你就会相信这配方是比较安全的。话虽如此，若向我介绍某项教诲的是我的根本上师，我也是会相信的。
当我阅读格西格桑嘉措的著作时，书中内容的准确度、清晰度、难以置信的一致性，尤其是从A到Z的进程等，都令我十分惊讶。你不会在书中看到格西拉的个人解读，若你会阅读藏文，你就会知道书中的内容几乎都取自经典。虽然他在某些部分引用一些例子来加以阐述，但其主要内容和架构却是十分精准的。这令我惊喜，因为我在学习、阅读藏文上有些障碍。事实上，我并不偏爱以藏文学习。且不管那是什么因果业力的作用，我就是偏爱用英文来学习。所以，阅读格西拉的书籍和释义真的照亮了我的世界，不但让我增添许多知识，还大大开启我对佛法的认识。
我记得约二十年前，当我给人们开示时，我会以格西拉的书籍作为我主要的教学参考。人们告诉我说这些教诲带给他们帮助，且很有益处……事实上，这些书籍对我而言的确很有帮助！因此，我时常敬仰这位大师的知识，以及他传授给弟子们的知识，让他们能将其教诲翻译出来，惠及全世界。我向来都十分仰慕格西拉的学术造诣、知识，以及他训练弟子们出版如此精确书籍的能力。这些书籍对全球许多人都大有裨益。
由于这些书籍，我敬仰格西拉。过去，我曾亲自购买好几百本他的著作，并将它们送给他人以作为某些修持的引导书籍。这些书的益处很大。譬如说，格西拉所著的胜乐金刚和金刚瑜伽母密续绝对是无价的。其中一本我最喜欢的著作是《Understanding Your Mind》（理解心识），它是我的最爱之一，而格西拉讲述寂天菩萨《入菩萨行论》的译作《Meaningful to Behold》（菩萨心行），更是一本改变我的心灵，让我致力培养更多慈悲心的书籍。阅读这些书籍，不仅对我造成很大的影响，还深深触动我心。
我至今尚未有幸与格西拉见面或交谈。然而，透过阅读他的著作，我知道他是一位大师。我并不真的在乎他是否拥有格西头衔或学位。有些人爱针对他是否是个真格西进行一些小辩论。然而，甘丹寺出生的我曾经遇见许多年老的僧人，他们不拥有格西头衔，有者在完成格西学位之前就离开寺院，或对格西头衔完全不感兴趣……他们阅读、学习、吸收，这使他们掌握许多能够传授给他人的知识。因此，无论他们是否拥有格西头衔，都不影响我对他们学识的信任，因为若你仔细观察他们的行为，就足以知道他们的修为。以格西拉为例，他是一位纯净的僧人，紧守戒律，从这一点你就知道他出离心已经渗透他的心识，因为他守着纯净的戒律。你也知道格西拉一辈子都在教授佛法，这些努力的成果呈现在他的佛法中心、著作、弟子和全球几百个佛法中心上。这是他拥有大悲心，即三主要道的第二项“菩提心”的表现。
从我阅读和观察所得到的结论是格西拉不辞劳苦地为他人付出，目的是利惠他人，帮助他人，把人们引领到佛法，尤其是宗喀巴大师教诲的道路上。他一辈子都这么做。自年轻时候开始，他就积极学习、冥想，后来投入教学，更成为教诲的化现和实践教诲的活例。因此，单凭观察他将一生奉献给佛法，且不受娑婆“愉悦”所吸引这一点上，请允许我尊重地说，我们大可假设格西拉已经在某种程度上证得空性正见。在我们投入任何修持，尤其是密续的前行修持的时候，我们必须实践《三主要道》，即出离心、菩提心和空性正见。若你观察格西拉的生活、工作、专注点和成果，你将发现他已经修得投入密续修持所必须具备的《三主要道》。因此，对我而言，一个人是否拥有格西头衔并不重要。我在甘丹、色拉和哲蚌寺看过很多僧人，尽管没有格西头衔或证书，许多人一样前来听他们说法，一样征求他们的忠告，请求他们占卜，有些人甚至还请教他们关于经典上的问题，因为他们拥有丰富的知识。密勒日巴从不曾是格西，他只是一名凡夫，留着一头长发，穿着白袍，曾干下很多恶行，后来从上师那儿接受一些佛法，跑去禅修，然后就取得证悟。历任噶玛巴也不是格西。此外，还有许多大师，虽然不是格西，却拥有渊博的知识。
我这么说并不意味着格西拉不是格西，而是指名衔对我而言根本不重要。从格西拉的佛法事业、成就和他将一生投入在学习、冥想、修持，继而转法轮这件事上看来……他的成绩是有目共睹的。他的佛法中心蓬勃发展，把数以万计的人引上学佛的道路；他遵守毗奈耶，严格守戒，而他的著作更是全球成千上万人的资源，我就是其中之一。许多年来，尊贵的格西格桑嘉措的上述特质，使他一直都是我远远地敬仰的对象。我不确定今世有没有机会亲自见他一面，得到他的加持，或跟他说话，但我希望有一天这会发生，因为他的确给我带来很多启发。
格西拉对于其个人修持、护法、传承所持有的看法，甚至是他的某些世俗看法，都不是我的关注点。我虽然不明白，也无法揣摩格西拉的许多事业和活动，但我的目的并不是批评。因此，人们对格西拉的褒或贬，都不会对我造成影响，因为我会以自己的双眼、双耳和个人判断来了解格西拉。我并不假定自己了解他，我只是说从外表看来，他突显了一名极有才能的具格精神导师的特征。他一辈子都是纯净的僧人，还显示出强大的上师依止心，因为他常在书中提起自己的上师至尊赤江金刚持。就格西拉忠诚看待上师和上师托付给他的修持这点上，他并没有错。我们都必须对上师忠诚。对自己的上师忠诚不意味着我们需要去伤害另一名上师。格西格桑嘉措孜孜不倦地弘法，还跟弟子们一起开设了许多佛法中心，举办闭关，投入修持，甚至训练弟子们授予灌顶、口传和传授佛法教义。他将一生都用在修持、教授佛法和禅修上。他唯一被他人加诸在身上的所谓“过错”，来自他对其护法所持的立场，以及他为了履行对根本上师的承诺而不愿放弃其护法修持的做法。我并不认为那当中有什么错。如果格西拉做了九件好事和另一件我们不赞同的事，我们也许不该为了我们唯一不赞同的事而与他为敌，把他挂上敌人或其他负面的标签。我们可以用许多层面来看待事情。格西拉没必要因为忠于上师、传承和修持而遭贬低或排挤。如果我们真要把他当成一个恶人，那只能说是我们自己有问题。
最近，我很荣幸收到格西格桑嘉措的一封信和随信附上的礼物——绿度母像。我感到很惊讶、荣幸和感动。我想写一篇博文感谢他，却一直没时间，直到现在才有机会动笔。我想对格西拉说，我感谢他以一个资深僧人的身份给予一个资浅僧人殊胜的加持，也想感谢他给了我一份那么珍贵的礼物。我已经把格西拉送我的这尊度母像框起来，供奉在我的佛法中心，好让每一个人都能得到祂的加持。
根据佛教传统，一名老僧人是否拥有头衔并不重要。他们可以被称为仁波切、金刚持、大成就者、格西拉或只是比丘（意即老僧人），具体是什么头衔并不重要。事实上，只要他们几十年来都清净守着毗奈耶戒，重点是“清净”，那他们就已经得到满满的加持，因为他们是纯净的僧人，能给人们带来启发，也拥有一辈子修持佛法教诲的成果。因此，这么一位清净守毗奈耶戒，切身实践佛陀以事业、行动和成就所传授的教诲的人，是十分神圣且充满加持力的。他们所触碰的物体，是被加持过的物体。他们在水中吹一口气，水就成了被加持过的水，拥有疗愈的力量。若他们送你礼物，就像格西拉送我度母像一样，那更是充满加持力，十分特别。我并不执着于度母这个对象本身，我不执着于这个被我们标榜为度母的对象……让我由衷尊敬的是一位资深僧人给予较年轻僧人（即我）的加持，它让我立志想要成为实践三主要道、心识训练，并掌握显、密教法，能为许多人转法轮的一个人。在这里，我附上格西拉送给我的这尊美丽庄严度母像的照片，以及我十分珍惜的，来自格西拉的一封信。我意识到，写一篇关于格西拉的博文，表示我对他的敬仰，也许会使某些人感到无所适从。我并不想让人感到无所适从或造成任何不快，但我想我有欣赏任何人的权利，也有权利在属于我个人空间的个人博客上书写关于任何人的事，况且常浏览这博客的读者大多都认同我的看法。
至于那些不像我一样欣赏格西拉的人，我诚挚地请求你别阅读这博客和博文，也建议你不妨去阅读一些其他人的文章。而对于那些每天阅读我的博客，专挑问题和话题来批评的人，我想你可以从数以百万计的博客中找到一些适合你的文章，可供你讨论、沟通、表达看法和辩论，我想那会是比较善用时间的做法。这是我的博客，不仅我投入了许多心血，我的学生们也都投入时间和努力来协助我经营它，而且这是属于我的个人空间。我在博客上表达的都是个人意见、看法，我喜欢和不喜欢的东西，如果你不喜欢，没有人逼你到这里来。如果你除了每天浏览我的博客并从中挑问题之外，没有其他更好的事情可以做，我可以由衷地请求你让自己的内心更平静，别再到这里来了，好吗？嗡嘛呢叭咩吽。
于我而言，格西拉是一位修为极高的佛法大师，我也意识到他对某些西藏的佛法老师，如至尊嘉瓦仁波切和其他老师持有个人看法。然而，那是格西格桑嘉措本身的意见、看法和想法。格西拉的想法和看法未必代表我的看法。他有权拥有自己的想法，我也有属于自己的看法和权利。我想表达的重点是，我欣赏他作为一名纯净的出家人，也欣赏他著作中所带出的清晰、充满学术性和渊博的资讯。我十分珍惜过去三十年来从他的著作中所得到的好处。无论你对他们持有什么看法，我发自内心地希望所有伟大的上师们如格西拉、至尊嘉瓦仁波切、赤江金刚持和其他大师们都能长寿、常转法轮以利惠大众。也许某些格西拉的支持者不是嘉瓦仁波切的忠实拥护者，但这是他们的看法。我依然欣赏嘉瓦仁波切，而我也有权拥有本身的看法。嘉瓦仁波切的忠诚拥护者当中，也许也有人不欣赏格西格桑嘉措，但他们一样有权去持有自己的看法和想法。然而，我既是格西格桑嘉措的忠诚拥护者，也是嘉瓦仁波切的忠诚拥护者，因为我喜欢中道。我曾经从嘉瓦仁波切那儿接受教诲，所以我必须尊敬他。我也曾经从至尊嘉瓦仁波切示现出他不欣赏的上师们那儿接受教诲，所以我同样也必须尊敬他们。我不能因为嘉瓦仁波切“不喜欢”某位上师而放弃他，因为他也是我的上师。与此同时，我也不能放弃嘉瓦仁波切。成千上万跟我一样的人都陷入左右为难的情况。这尽管是很好的心识训练，但有时也让人很为难。两方都好奇我属于哪一方。我只能说，我跟那些最能触动我内心的上师们站在同一方。有些人也许会向嘉瓦仁波切或格西格桑嘉措或其他人进行示威，但我不会那么做。我最在乎的。是我在修行上的成长和取得证悟的责任。至于对任何上师不敬，却是我绝对不会做的事。
真正的修行并不是对某一个人心生嗔恨或厌恶。每当我们心中升起厌恶感时，我们必须找寻中道……中道或平等心。没有平等心和厌恶某一方，却声称自己在修行，且继续持咒、禅修和修持，其实是相当矛盾的行为，因为禅修、持咒、修持和学习佛法的目的，就是要去除“喜欢”或“不喜欢”。有喜欢，就会有不喜欢，有不喜欢，也会有喜欢。而当你开始喜欢或不喜欢的时候，娑婆的因就随之生起，因为这显示了你还存有厌恶和执着。由此可见，由于厌恶一位上师而去喜欢另一位上师，将导致你在所谓的灵性成长上必须付出沉重的代价，因为我们将不会在修行上取得任何进展。
有鉴于此，这当中的关键在于不去“喜欢”或“不喜欢”某位上师、传承、修持或其他的……而是找寻一个中道。每个人都有属于自己的业力，每个人都有自己的旅程和道路。无论我们如何去批评另一个人的道路，若他们不具有了解这些事的业力，他们终究不会明白。你的批评只会是对牛弹琴，导致他们变得更冷漠，令情况变得更恶劣，甚至让他们开始产生嗔怒之心。所以，最重要的是原谅和尊重。
人们也许很难同时去尊敬嘉瓦仁波切和格西格桑嘉措，因为他们看起来属于对立的两方。他们之间有什么或没有什么，对我不会造成太大的影响，因为最重要的是我如何去看待这件事。我的看法是选择中道，即是不怀疑，不讨厌某一方，或不为了维护任何一方而去批评另一方。我们可以不停地在社交媒体上批评某位上师，但这不会改变他，也不会改变整个局势；既不会使我们变成一个更好的人，也不会使我们成为更精进的修行人。一面念诵六字大明咒，一面却批评另一位上师，这种做法不但不互补，且是相互冲突的。所以，若我们相信嘉瓦仁波切，我们应该很好地代表他，应该更宽容、慈悲、善良、宽宏大量和给他人机会。若我们代表格西格桑嘉措，我们也应该如此做。无论我们的上师是谁，我们都必须以智慧、慈悲，尤其是谅解他人的行为来代表他。贬低他人，批评他人，发起厌恶运动或以牙还牙的做法，并不会令我们看起来比那些我们所批评的人显得更高尚。
我决定发表这篇博文的目的，并不是要宣布任何政治立场，也不是要揭示什么或改变你对任何东西的看法。我这么做是因为有些人对格西拉、嘉瓦仁波切，对西藏和相关的世界一无所知。他们什么都不知道，一心只想学习佛法。我极力推荐他们阅读、学习、明白格西拉的著作，并从中取得进步，这些书的确给我带来帮助。所以，我写这篇博文的目的是告诉大家，格西拉的书曾经帮过我。我很珍惜，并对他心存感谢。他对生命中其他事物、其他上师，甚至是对嘉瓦仁波切的的世俗看法并不对我造成影响，也不反映我的立场。
我对嘉瓦仁波切和格西拉都拥有自己的看法，我也会根据自己的方式和步伐在自己的博客上发表我的看法。我请求大家都这么做。且让我重申，如果你不认同我的看法，那并没有问题。然而，你也没有理由针对我的看法来对我加以批评。毕竟，我不过是另一个在娑婆世界挣扎，努力寻求证悟的人。
詹杜固仁波切
我祈求格西拉长寿、常转法轮。感谢您浩瀚的法业。感谢您一辈子致力于推广佛法，尤其是宗喀巴大师的传承教法。感谢您对根本上师显示出坚稳、毫不动摇的依止心，这对我和许多人而言都是很大的启发。您排除万难修持佛法的精神，就如同过去伟大的噶当巴格西们一样。
感谢您尽己所能，根据自己所能够采取的方式来弘扬佛法，而您的成就是有目共睹的。我感激你所做的一切，也想借此感谢您送给我的美丽信函和度母像。我毕生都会珍惜它们，而就像我适才所说的，我会将这尊佛像安奉在我的佛教中心，克切拉的佛坛上供大家景仰，并接受度母的殊胜加持。我由衷地希望将来有此荣幸能亲自给您献上供养，因为我仰慕您已有几十年之久。请示现您伟大的禅修力量，延长您的寿命，好让许多与您有业缘的人有机会继续接受您的加持。
献上我谦卑和无上的敬意，
詹杜固仁波切
注：许多年前，当我还在甘丹寺时，在这一切发生之前……在这些人为的“争议”发生之前，我在甘丹寺阅读格西拉其中一本伟大清晰的著作后，双手合十祈愿“愿我能吸收书中的一切知识”。这本书的书名为《Path To Bliss, a commentary of Vajrayogini》。这本书给了我极大的启发，我当时还写了一封信给格西拉，告诉他我对这本书的欣赏和看法。在信的第二部分（我目前无法找到），我请求他翻译其他如大威德金刚、密集金刚、六臂大黑天的书籍，以及吉祥天母酬供和阎摩法王的祈愿文等。此外，我也请求他翻译另一套教诲。
几年前，我阅读了格西格桑嘉措所著的《Buddhism in the Tibetan Tradition》之后，认为这是一本十分清晰、出色的书籍。我曾经把这本书送给许多人。我尤其喜欢至尊嘉瓦仁波切为该书写序文这件事。当时我心想“哗，格西拉是一位著名的大师，而另一位西藏著名大师则为他写序文”。我想那是多么强大的组合——嘉瓦仁波切为格西格桑嘉措写序。后来，局势开始改变，另一种世俗看法和某些障碍和想法开始出现，我猜想，这也许是一个关于无常的教诲。
在此，我附上我多年前寄给格西拉的信函的其中一部分。信上还注明了日期和年份。
For more related articles of interest and importance: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/category/dorje-shugden
Long Life Prayers for Geshe Kelsang Gyatso 格西格桑嘉措的长寿祈愿文
This is the Choyang Duldzin Kuten (Oracle) in trance of Duldzin Dorje Shugden at Madhayamaka Centre in England. Dorje Shugden can take trance in both peaceful and wrathful forms, and in this form he took peaceful trance of the oracle of Gaden Monastery. During one such trance session at Madhayamaka Centre, the long life prayer to Geshe Kelsang Gyatso was composed. 此乃秋阳杜津神谕在英国的 Madhayamaka Centre降神持律主多杰雄登。多杰雄登能以寂静相及忿怒相降神。此为多杰雄登寂静相降神于甘丹寺神谕。在Madhayamaka Centre另一个这样的降神仪式中，持律主多杰雄登写下格西格桑嘉措的长寿祈愿文。
For all of Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche’s students and supporters all around the world, these are some beautiful prayers to recite for the long life of this great master.
One was composed by the junior tutor of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, the previous Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche. The other prayer was composed by the King Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden in trance of the Choyang Duldzin Oracle.
Since all realisations depend on the blessing and guidance of our teachers, long life practices dedicated to our teacher are very precious. They purify the relationship between teacher and disciple, and create the causes and conditions needed for our teachers to live long.
I really encourage his students to recite these prayers to generate the merit for Geshela to live long. And by praying for the guru’s long life, one will also create the causes to be blessed with longevity. May Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche have a long life and good health, and continuously turn the wheel of Dharma with his erudite scholarship and practice for the benefit of all sentient beings.
Within the Gelug school of Buddhism, high level oracles of various protectors are often used. The deities (Dorje Shugden, Setrap, Tsangpa, Dorje Yudroma, Chodar, Nechung, Gadong, Shinjachen, Tseringma, etc.) take trance of specially trained people and speak. They often give predictions of the future and past that are highly accurate.
Very high lamas such as Pabongka Rinpoche, Trijang Rinpoche, Domo Geshe Rinpoche, Khalkha Jetsun Dampa Rinpoche of Mongolia and many others are well known to train up these oracles to take trance. They are watched under strict supervision and when the training is complete, these high lamas will then authorise their authenticity. Choyang Duldzin Kuten of Gaden Monastery was personally trained by Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche. The current Panglung Kuten of Sera was trained by both Domo Geshe Rinpoche and Trijang Rinpoche. It took Trijang Rinpoche five years of personal supervision to prepare this now famous and very powerful oracle. Tseringma in Dharamsala was trained by Khalkha Jetsun Dampa Rinpoche, the highest lama of Mongolia. And Gen Nyima of Gaden Jangtse Monastery was also renown for his ability to train oracles.
The very attained and high lamas not only teach but have many other mystical qualities such as divination, clairvoyance and other special abilities attained through tantra, such as those enshrined in the Six Yogas of Naropa. They can train oracles and perceive special formless beings such as the protectors and have them speak through specially trained oracles.
致全球各地格西格桑嘉措的弟子和追随者们：
以下为几篇祈求这位大师长寿的祈愿文。
其中一篇祈愿文由至尊第十四世达赖尊者之副经师，即前世的嘉杰赤江仁波切撰写。另一篇祈愿文则为多杰雄登大护法降神秋阳杜津神谕时所撰。
既然所有的觉悟都源自我们上师的加持和引导，于是祈请上师长久住世的修持法是何其珍贵。这些修持法能在上师与弟子间的关系起除障之效，并且创造我们上师长久住世的善因及所需的条件。
我真心鼓励大师的弟子们能念诵这些祈愿文，为上师能够长久住世累积福德资粮。在祈愿上师长寿的同时，弟子们也为自己种下长寿的善因。祈愿格西格桑嘉措长寿健康，并且以其渊博的学识和清净的修行长转法轮，利益一切有情众生。
西藏佛教格鲁派常聘用可降多位护法且德高望重的神谕。这些护法（多杰雄登、金甲衣、白梵天、金刚玉灯女、措达、乃穹、噶东、信嘉芊、次仁玛等等）透过已接受特殊训练的神谕而说话。他们经常给予的预言和忠告都是非常准确的。
帕绷喀仁波切、赤江仁波切、托摩格西仁波切、蒙古呼图克图喀尔喀杰逊丹巴，以及许多德高望重的高僧都以训练神谕而闻名。这些神谕皆受到严谨的监督，而且当训练完成后，这些高僧就会认可他们的正确性。
甘丹寺的秋阳杜津固登乃由嘉杰赤江仁波切亲自调教；色拉寺的现任庞隆固登由绰摩格西仁波切和赤江仁波切指导，而赤江仁波切更用了长达五年的时间亲自指导，并为今日这位著名及极具威力的神谕做准备；达兰萨拉的次仁玛则由蒙古最具威望的大师喀尔喀杰逊丹巴亲自栽培。甘丹绛孜寺的根尼玛也因擅于栽培神谕而著称。
具高成就的高僧大德不仅能授法，更拥有许多不可思议的能力如占卜、神通及其他透过密续修持而得的特殊能力，如被记载在那洛六法中的大师们。他们能栽培神谕，还可以感应特殊的无形众生如护法神，然后借经过训练的神谕之口请护法神说话。
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Namo Gurubah!
I go for refuge The Great Ocean of compassionate action, Guru Sumarti Buddha Heruka.
Namastasyai Namsatasyai Namastasyai, Namo Namaha!
Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen had tremendous faith in Trijang Rinpoche. Kyabje Lati Rinpoche was innovative, dedicated and very much focused on bringing dharma to many. He had tremendous faith in Dorje Shugden as I had the honour to meet him many times.
Tara from what I know helps to remove obstacles from dharma work, in fact mother Tara was assisting the erudite Je Atisha to spread buddha dharma in Tibet.Thank you for the good article.
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso is a student of Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche and a very learned and highly qualified teacher. He is one of the pioneers who went to the west to spread Tibetan Buddhism and he has established thousands of Dharma centers all around the world. Tsem Rinpoche admires Geshe Kelsang Gyatso a lot for the great works Geshe-la has done in spreading the Dharma.
A great teacher like Geshe-la is also criticised by students who have left the centre. Many students go to a Dharma centre with a certain expectation, they want to be treated in a certain way. When they don’t get what they expect, they get upset and angry. As a result, they take revenge by spreading rumours about the teacher.
Therefore, it is not easy to be a teacher because a teacher can be misunderstood and will attract many unnecessary criticisms for wanting to help the students. A qualified and genuine teacher will use various methods to help a student to transform and get rid of their wrong views even if the method might his/her reputation at risk. This is how compassionate a genuine teacher is. When we have met a highly qualified teacher, we should be appreciative and grateful because our lives will definitely become better after if we follow the instructions of our teacher.
Mantras are sacred verbalized words that invoke the protection and blessings of the deity to whom the mantra is ascribed. Mantras are also the manifestations of Buddhas in the form of ‘sounds’, hence the various mantras of Dorje Shugden contain the essence of the Protector.
Dorje Shugden’s main mantra 多杰雄登主要咒语
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA SOHA
Dorje Shugden’s mantra for peace 平和咒语
For gaining attainments through the energy of Peaceful Shugden, peace of environment and mind, harmony in one’s abode and dwelling area, and calming of disasters
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA SHANTI SIDDHI HUNG
Dorje Shugden’s mantra for health 福寿安康咒语
For long life, increasing life, healing of disease and protection from diseases
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA AYU SIDDHI HUNG
Dorje Shugden’s mantra for increase 增长咒语
For gaining great merits and increase of all necessary needs, both material and spiritual
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA PUNYE SIDDHI HUNG
Dorje Shugden’s mantra for control 控制咒语
Of worldly deities, negative people and nagas and for influencing friends towards the positive
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA WASHAM KURU HO
Dorje Shugden’s mantra to grant protection 庇护咒语
Visualize that you are in the Protector’s mandala, fully protected from outside interferences. Recite when in danger or for dangerous situations, for protection while travelling or when residing in dangerous/hostile places
OM BENZA WIKI BITANA RAKYA RAKYA HUNG
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videouploads/comment-1544345059.mp4
Dear friends,
Tibet has produced many powerful meditations, rituals and guidelines to help us gain spiritual protection, gain wisdom and higher states of consciousness. In general Tibet has produced many powerful methods for the growth of our spiritual evolution. Dorje Shugden is an angel, a saint, a powerful spiritual protector-warrior who originated 350 years ago when a highly awakened Tibetan Lama fulfilled his vows to become a special being to grant protection, wisdom, material needs, safety when travelling (normal and astral travel) and spiritual awakening. Both the Great 5th Dalai Lama and the current His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama composed short yet effective prayers to invoke upon the power and blessings of this special saint and protector. One can recite either one of the prayers that you feel suits you, anytime or even daily. When you feel a special need for help, you can recite either prayer anytime. When you are feeling down, afraid or just need a blessing, you can recite them. After reciting either invocation, it is good to chant the mantra of Dorje Shugden: Om Benza Wiki Bitana Soha.
You do not have to be a Buddhist or practitioner of any religion to invoke upon the blessings and protection of this special enlightened and awakened angel Dorje Shugden. He helps all without discrimination or bias as he is filled with compassion and love. Divinity has no boundaries, they help all who call upon them.
Enclosed are the prayers in English, Chinese and Tibetan.
May you be safe, protected and blessed.
Tsem Rinpoche
More on the Great 5th Dalai Lama and Dorje Shugden – https://bit.ly/2w7KHv6
More on H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama and Dorje Shugden – https://bit.ly/2QdaL4n
Chapel (Trode Khangsar) built by the Great 5th Dalai Lama dedicated to Dorje Shugden in Lhasa – https://bit.ly/2zBTd8M
—
亲爱的朋友们，
西藏产生了许多有助于我们得到精神庇佑、取得智慧和更高层次之觉悟的强大禅修法、仪式和教诲。总括来说，西藏产生了许多有助于我们在修行上取得提升的强有力方法。多杰雄登是一个天使，一位圣人和一名护法战士。他的崛起始于350年前，当一位高度觉悟的西藏高僧履行本身的承诺，化身为特别的护法，赐予我们守护、智慧、物质需要、出入平安（平日外游和神游时）和灵修上的觉醒。任何人都可以随时随地在任何时候念诵适合自己的祈愿文。当你需要特别的帮助时，你可以随时念诵任何一篇祈愿文。当你感到沮丧、恐惧或仅是需要加持时，你也可以持诵这些祈愿文。在念诵任何祈请文后，你应该接着念诵多杰雄登的心咒：嗡 班杂 维格 毗札那 娑哈 Om Benza Wiki Bitana Soha。
要祈请多杰雄登这位特殊、觉悟和觉醒的天使赐予加持和庇佑，你无需是佛教徒或任何宗教的修行者。他总是没有分别或偏见，充满慈悲和慈爱地帮助一切众生。神圣是没有界限的，圣者会帮助有求于他的任何人。
以下附上英文、中文和藏文的祈愿文。
愿你平安，常受庇护和加持。
尊贵的詹杜固仁波切
更多关于第五世达赖尊者和多杰雄登护法的内容 — https://bit.ly/2zsC3tG
更多关于第十四世达赖尊者和多杰雄登护法的内容 — https://bit.ly/2r4aaDN
第五世达赖尊者为多杰雄登护法在拉萨建造的护法殿（布旦康萨）— https://bit.ly/2zBTd8M
Divination (‘mo’) Text by Dorje Shugden
This is an important divination (‘mo’) text composed by Dorje Shugden himself. Dorje Shugden took trance of the Choyang Dulzin oracle lama, the senior oracle of Gaden Shartse Monastery, and instantly on the spot composed this text within two hours.
The divination text contains information on how to use dice to do divination for the future and is known to be highly accurate. When practitioners use this text, they will be in direct contact with Dorje Shugden to get answers to questions about the future. It is for those who have good samaya with Dorje Shugden and are free of the eight worldly dharmas to be of benefit to others in divining the future.
Tsem Rinpoche
DS-MO-choyang.pdf
Be blessed with these rare videos featuring explanation and advice about Dorje Shugden practice by His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche in his own voice. The teaching was requested by Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen, one of the earliest masters who taught Tibetan Buddhism in the West.
Video 1: H.H. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche Explains Dorje Shugden Initiation and Benefits (With English Subtitles)
Kyabje Zong Rinpoche was an erudite scholar, ritual master and practitioner of the highest degree from Tibet. At the request of Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen, one of the pioneers who taught Tibetan Buddhism in America, Kyabje Zong Rinpoche gives clear explanation and advice about the life-entrustment initiation of Dorje Shugden and how to go about the practice and get the maximum benefits in this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzFMvlxAqtc&feature=youtu.be
Video 2: H.H. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche speaks on the History and Lineage of Dorje Shugden (With English Subtitles)
In this video, an erudite scholar, ritual master and practitioner of the highest degree from Tibet, Kyabje Zong Rinpoche talks about the incarnation lineage of Dorje Shugden and how the practice arose, with examples of Dorje Shugden’s previous lives that reveal his powerful spiritual attainments and contributions. This very rare teaching was given at the request of Kyabje Zong Rinpoche’s student, Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen, one of the pioneers who taught Buddhism in the West to many disciples since the 1970s.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIzKSJgK618&feature=youtu.be
For more information: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/great-lamas-masters/kyabje-zong-rinpoches-advice-on-dorje-shugdens-practice.html
His Holiness the 10th Panchen Lama
Tibetans commonly refer to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and His Holiness 10th Panchen Lama as the “sun and moon” of Tibetan Buddhism. They are the center of Tibetan Buddhist civilization, which draws to its sphere of influence millions of non-Tibetan practitioners. The Panchen Lama’s incarnation line began with the 16th abbot of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, Lobsang Chokyi Gyeltsen (1570 – 1662). He was bestowed the title of Panchen Lama by His Holiness the 5th Dalai Lama after being declared as an emanation of Amitabha.
After being given the title, his three previous incarnations were posthumously also bestowed the title, making Lobsang Chokyi Gyeltsen the 4th Panchen Lama. He became a teacher to many Tibetans, Bhutanese and Mongolian religious figures, including His Holiness the 4th and 5th Dalai Lamas, and the 1st Jetsun Dampa of Mongolia. A prolific author, Chokyi Gyeltsen is credited with over a hundred compositions, including a number of commentaries and ritual texts that remain central in the Gelukpa tradition today. Along with his role as a teacher of the Dharma, the Panchen Lamas are usually responsible for the recognition of the rebirths of the Dalai Lamas, and vice versa.
The 10th Panchen Lama, Lobsang Trinley Lhundrub Chokyi Gyeltsen (19 February 1938 – 28 January 1989) continued both the spiritual and political roles of his predecessors. His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, his contemporary, was even heard to say and echo the Panchen Lama’s own words that the Dalai Lama would safeguard Tibet from the outside while the Panchen Lama would safeguard Tibet from the inside, as he never left Tibet after the political troubles of 1959. He was truly loved by the Tibetans, all the way until his passing. When he taught, thousands of people would attend, not only from his own Gelug lineage, but masters and practitioners from all traditions of Tibetan Buddhism.
At his sprawling monastery of Tashi Lhunpo, he has a special chapel specifically dedicated to Dorje Shugden, where prayers and rituals are performed on a daily basis. In his great omniscience the Panchen Lama held Dorje Shugden as the principal Dharma protector of the monastery. He also personally propitiated Dorje Shugden among other Dharma protectors, and even wrote extensive prayers and rituals to Dorje Shugden. These rituals and prayers are contained within his ‘sung bum’ or collected works, which are provided here. As such a great lama, with an erudite and clear understanding of the Buddhist scriptures, a teacher to millions in both Tibet and China, from an established incarnation line and an emanation of the Buddha Amitabha, he could not be mistaken about his practice of Dorje Shugden.
His Holiness 10th Panchen Lama is known for his composition of commentaries and practice texts that are still in use by contemporary Buddhist practitioners both in Tibet and across the world. One of these is a powerful ritual composition propitiating the compassionate Dorje Shugden.
Upon the request by Acharya Lobsang Jangchub to compose a shorter version of the prayer (sadhana) for the exhortation of activities of Dorje Shugden, Panchen Lama immediately composed an abbreviate form of Dorje Shugden’s Kangsol. This text is entitled “Manjunatha’s (Tsongkapa) Lineage protector Dorje Shugden and five forms wrathful propitiations and confessional prayers and fulfilment of activities rites” or “Melodious sound of Accomplishment of the Four Activities” for short. Once the prayers were completed, he had signs and strong feelings that Dorje Shugden has been working hard to protect the Buddhadharma in general and the lineage of Lama Tsongkhapa specifically.
Mirroring the abilities of one of his earlier incarnations, Khedrub Je, a disciple of Lama Tsongkhapa and master of both sutra and tantra, the Panchen Lama used his compositional skill and poetic prowess to create a masterful sadhana. Worthy of note is a praise in which the first letter of each verse is a Tibetan vowel. Such compositions are rarely seen, and have historically only been used when propitiating senior Dharma protectors such as Palden Lhamo and Kalarupa.
The Panchen Lama also stated that while composing the Dorje Shugden sadhana (prayers) he was filled with a sense of happiness and bliss. He ends the composition with not only his official title but his ordination name, Tenzin Trinley Jigme Choje Wangchuk, endorsing the validity of his work. He composed the sadhana in his own Tashi Lhunpo monastery while in the Hall of Clear Light and Bliss.
See the Panchen Lama’s writings and download: https://bit.ly/2KIfeXb
For the first time available, Dorje Shugden and his entourage of 32 asssistants of his mandala.
Dorje Shugden is a powerful protector deity who is also an emanation of Manjushri, a wisdom bestowing Buddha. Therefore, he has great ability to help us to progress further on the spiritual path. He does this by helping us to overcome obstacles and problems for the modern individual.
Due to his enlightened nature, Dorje Shugden is able to manifest 32 deities and within the same abode resides Setrap and Kache Marpo:-
1. 5 Dorje Shugden families or emanations. They consists of the following:-
– Dulzin Dorje Shugden, which performs activities to eliminate inner and outer obstacles.
– Shize, which performs activities to pacify all illnesses and disease.
– Gyenze, which performs activities to increase all desirable material and spiritual wealth.
– Wangze, which performs activities to control difficult people and circumstances.
– Trakze, which performs activities to wrathfully eliminate all insurmountable obstacles and life-threatening situations.
2. 9 Mothers. They represent protection of the five senses and developing control of the four elements. These are all attributes that signify their ability to assist tantric practitioners with their higher meditations.
3. 8 Guiding Monks. They represent the Eight Great Bodhisattvas (Avalokitesvara, Manjushri, Vajrapani, Samantabhadra, Maitreya, Kshitigarbha, Akashagarbha, Sarva-nivarana-viskambini) and they bring about the growth of the Dharma, through the Sangha, Dharma practitioners and Dharma establishments.
4. 10 Youthful & Wrathful Attendants. They represent the ten wrathful attendants to avert inner and outer obstacles. They are beings who are from Mongolia, China, Kashmir, India, Bengali, etc.
5. Setrap. He is a senior Dharma Protector from India and an emanation of Amitabha Buddha. He had enthroned Dorje Shugden as an authentic Dharma Protector. Therefore, he also resides within the same mandala of Dorje Shugden.
6. Kache Marpo. He is not an emanation of Dorje Shugden but he is still an enlightened Dharma Protector in his own right. He was originally known as Tsiu Marpo of Samye Monastery. However, he has placed himself under the service of Dorje Shugden as his chief minister, performing many activities in order to protect and benefit practitioners. Therefore, he stands guard at the main entrance of Dorje Shugden’s mandala. He often takes trance of qualified mediums to speak.
7. Namkar Barzin. He is the reincarnation of an old Mongolian monk and when he passed away in Phari area of Tibet, his spirit was placed as a powerful assistant of Dorje Shugden. He guards and protects buildings and great institutions especially those that benefit others. He rides on a mythical Gyaling animal that resembles a goat but with scales.
These sacred images are available on *Vajrasecrets. They are made of high quality alloy and are one of a kind. They are based on the lineage of His Holiness Panchen Rinpoche’s monastery, Tashilhunpo in Shigatse, Tibet. In fact, the iconography of these statues are based on detailed photographs taken by H. E. Tsem Rinpoche during a trip to Tashilhunpo’s protector chapel. These are based exactly as the 10th Panchen Lama’s personal collection.
Dorje Shugden mandala: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=131570
Dorje Shugden’s benefit and practice: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=62422
Dorje Shugden’s origins: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=106424
Dorje Shugden chapel in His Holiness Panchen Rinpoche’s Tashilhunpo Monastery in Tibet: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=68698
*Stand not included
Amazing post!!!!!
Dear friends, For months we have been working on this BEAUTIFUL and meaningful mural in Kathmandu, Nepal. Please click here to enjoy the many stunning pictures of this mural: https://bit.ly/2LgOj8J
Tsem Rinpoche
Sakya tradition’s thangka of Dorje Shugden sitting on a throne within his palace with his four emanations and high Sakya Lamas nearby. Tsem Rinpoche
Antique Pelden Lhamo thangka with sacred Dorje Shugden at the bottom right. Can see Tsongkapa and Guru Rinpoche on the top also. Beautiful and holy.
Great message every Tibetan especially must read!
This is a powerful picture of Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen, Kensur Kyabje Lati Rinpoche and the current incarnation of Trijang Rinpoche meeting together in the year 2000 when Trijang Rinpoche was 18. All three lamas are Dorje Shugden practitioners. In fact Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen was the one that first encouraged my practice of Dorje Shugden when I was 16 years old when I joined his beautiful Thubten Dhargye Ling centre in Los Angeles. I lived with Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen for 8 years before proceeding to Gaden Monastery in South India. Later Kyabje Zong Rinpoche came to our Los Angeles centre and granted sogtae (permission ceremony) to practice Dorje Shugden for life as requested by Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen. Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen had tremendous faith in Trijang Rinpoche. Kyabje Lati Rinpoche was innovative, dedicated and very much focused on bringing dharma to many. He had tremendous faith in Dorje Shugden as I had the honour to meet him many times. He would seek advice from Dorje Shugden many times via the oracle of Gaden Monastery. Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen and Kensur Kyabje Lati Rinpoche have since passed away while the current Trijang Rinpoche is a perfect lineage holder and practitioner of Dharma while he keeps Dorje Shugden as his personal protector as he has done so for many lifetimes. This is a powerful and beautiful picture of three great lamas of Buddha’s lineage and also of Gaden Monastery.
~Tsem Rinpoche
Finally, logic prevails. People who can think beyond gross prejudice are beginning to see the goodness of Dorje Shugden. I came across this comment by Suzy on Rinpoche’s YouTube chanel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vl-4lIwxph4&t=11s) and it is such a welcome change from the usual abuse hurled at Shugden people by those do not understand the issue.
Dear Rinpoche,
With deep humility and reverence, your sharing here of Geshela is so, so wonderful. What I have picked up from your teachings here?
1) Guru devotion is the root of attainment. Geshela is an excellent example of Guru devotion through his secret Protector practice
2) Putting others above self – he has tirelessly taught and still is intensively teaching the Dharma (Je Tsongkhapa) to everyone who has the karmic connection
3) Living example of cherishing others – Geshela has again demonstrated the he cherishes all living beings (as mentioned in his book “Transform Your Life”) through continuous and endless teachings on the Middle Way.
I have entered Kechara’s door since July 2013 and I have been totally amazed at your teachings, your endless giving and untiringly giving Dharma to all, regardless of whatever circumstances.
May Your Eminence and His Eminence Geshe Kelsang Gyatso live long, stable health and turn the Dharma Wheel.
Deepest humility,
Lum Kok Luen
Beautiful and precious gift from Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche for our Guru Rinpoche.Rejoice for receiving such a meaningful gift.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing your views, opinions, thoughts,and why Rinpoche respects Geshe Kelsang Gyatso .In Buddhism, it’s very important that we practice from an original source with a lineage from a qualified teacher, We are fortunate to have Rinpoche At KFR and to receive teachings from Rinpoche who received teachings from great masters. Thank you again Rinpoche for generosity in sharing the teachings.
“His only so called ” fault ” imputed by others is his view on his Dharma protector and his unwillingness to not release the practice of his Dharma protector because of his commitment to his root guru. I don’t see any fault in that, and I think that if Geshela does nine excellent things and one thing we don’t agree with, perhaps we don’t make an enemy of him”
I agree very much with the above statement. I feel this applies deeply with Tsem Rinpoche too. Just because Rinpoche is holding onto the practice given to HE’s root guru, he get all sorts of abuse and jeers online. Most were vulgar and this really shocks me to see how unkind some humans can be to someone who have benefitted them in every other way. Instead of being respected for their Guru Devotion, they are being accused of being spies or allies for Chinese Government which is nonsense for me.
It is a lovely gesture on Geshe Kelsang Gyatso’s part to present Tsem Rinpoche with this beautiful Green Tara.
Here Rinpoche gives us very clear reasons why he respects Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. For one thing, it’s results that count. Geshe Kelsang’s students have helped him to spread the Dharma everywhere and they now have centres everywhere.Geshela has taught thousands of students!
For me, as it is with Tsem Rinpoche, I have been drawn to Geshe Kelsang Gyatso’s books since I came across the first book many years ago. Yes, there is a clarity and an ability on Geshela’s part to make profound Dharma relatively easy to understand. Having observed Tsem Rinpoche, I think the most important thing is to see a monk hold his Vinaya vows purely. So all great Masters, including the Dalai lama, Tsem Rinpoche and Geshe kelsang Gyatso ,have my great respect for this quality in them. All great masters including Geshe Kelsang Gyatso are embodiments of the consistent practice of the Three Principals of the path -Renunciation, Bodhicitta and Emptiness.
Hence one can respect all of them -the Dalai Lama, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso and Tsem Rinpoche – at one and the same time. There is no conflict in the mind, whether one of them is practicing Shugden and the other is not. Guru Devotion is the hallmark. The great Shugden Masters practice Shugden because the practice was passed down to them by their Root Gurus. So it’s all about the practice of Guru Devotion.All these great masters reflect their Guru Devotion in their practice of Wisdom, Compassion and kindness. These are qualities of their Gurus.
Trode Khangsar Chapel in Lhasa, TibetOver 400 years ago a great and learned lama Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen was famed in Mongolia, Tibet, Nepal and China for being very saintly and compassionate. He resided in his residence (Zimkhang Gongma Ladrang) in Drepung Monastery. His root guru was H.H. the Omniscient 4th Panchen Lama and his close dharma brother was the 5th Dalai Lama.
The 5th Dalai Lama and Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen had a very close and dharmic relationship and often went to receive teachings together from the 4th Panchen Lama. They were close in age. They both became very learned and well known. During this time, the Dalai Lama was enthroned as a Dharma King of Tibet. But more people went to see Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen for teachings, initiations and divinations. This made the attendants of the 5th Dalai Lama feel threatened that Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen’s fame might usurp the power of the 5th Dalai Lama. So they had a khata forced down his throat. At that moment, Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen dissolved his psychic winds and generated the wish to be a great guardian of Buddha and Tsongkapa’s teachings. As his consciousness dissolved, he entered ‘bardo’ as a dharma protector of the highest order (jikten depey sungma). Many signs were seen throughout Lhasa at this time and the earth was said to have shaken in Lhasa. This event was already predicted to Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen’s previous incarnation when he was one of the 8 main disciples of Lord Tsongkapa the Supreme Master and he served Tsongkapa directly by building Gaden Monastery.
When the 5th Dalai Lama heard what his scheming and power-hungry attendants had done, he was very distressed. He was very sorry Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen was murdered and dishonored as he was a great dharma master. The 5th Dalai Lama composed an apology to Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen. In Lhasa, tens of thousands gathered for the cremation of Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen’s holy body. During the cremation, the 5th Dalai Lama’s apology was read out at which flames spontaneously arose from the body of Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen commencing the cremation. From the body, during cremation, a powerful whirlwind of smoke tunneled into the sky for all to see as this was an indication Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen’s consciousness has arisen as the Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden. The Dharma Protector Setrap immediately recognized this new protector Dorje Shugden and ‘enthroned’ him as a powerful Dharma Protector in the realm of the Buddhas. From this, Setrap and Dorje Shugden are closely connected and very close working hand in hand always. After the cremation, the great 5th Dalai Lama built a Dorje Shugden chapel on the spot the cremation took place and named it Trode Khangsar. The 5th Dalai Lama commissioned the statue of Dorje Shugden in this chapel and had monks installed in the chapel to do continuous propitiations to Dorje Shugden. Trode Khangsar Chapel was a commemoration to Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen who was wronged and also a celebration of his consciousness arising as the World Peace Peace Protector Dorje Shugden.
This Trode Khangsar Chapel still exists now in Lhasa where many make pilgrimages there. It is in good condition and was recently renovated. It is over 400 years old and a testimony to the respect the Great 5th Dalai Lama had to Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen who arose as Dorje Shugden.
I have visited this holy chapel in Lhasa years back. I’ve never heard of it till I was in Lhasa and by chance, I was told about it which I was happy to visit. I could not find the place but strangely a bunch of pilgrims from Amdo told me they would show me how to get there in Lhasa.
This short video is a short clip of this holy Trode Khangsar Chapel in Lhasa today commemorating Dorje Shugden, built by the great 5th Dalai Lama. The great 5th Dalai Lama even composed a prayer to Dorje Shugden which is still available today and we can recite to invoke the blessings, protection, and assistance of World Peace Protector Dorje Shugden.
Tsem Rinpoche
Read more: Trode Khangsar – A 400-year-old Dorje Shugden Chapel in Lhasa
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/dorje-shugden/trode-khangsar-%E2%80%93-a-400-year-old-dorje-shugden-chapel-in-lhasa.html
Short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTybDwTeLAM
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The 5th Dalai Lama’s Prayer to Dorje ShugdenHUM
Though unmoving from the sphere of primordial spontaneity,
With wrathful turbulent power, swifter than lightning,
Endowed with heroic courage to judge good and bad,
I invite you with faith, please come to this place!
Robes of a monk, crown adorned with rhinoceros leather hat,
Right hand holds ornate club, left holds a human heart,
Riding various mounts such as nagas and garudas,
Who subdues the mamos of the charnel grounds, praise to you!
Samaya substances, offerings and torma, outer, inner and secret,
Favourite visual offerings and various objects are arranged.
Although, previously, my wishes were a bit dense,
Do not stop your powerful apparitions, I reveal and confess!
Now respectfully praising with body, speech, and mind,
For us, the masters, disciples, benefactors and entourages,
Provide the good and avert the bad!
Bring increase like the waxing moon in spiritual and temporal realms!
Moreover, swiftly accomplishing all wishes,
According to our prayers, bestow the supreme effortlessly!
And like the jewel that bestows all wishes,
Always protect us with the Three Jewels!
From: http://www.dorjeshugden.org/practice/the-5th-dalai-lamas-prayer-to-dorje-shugden
Tibetan prayer from: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/dorje-shugden/the-14th-dalai-lamas-prayer-to-dorje-shugden.html
We have to ensure that the teachings are from an authentic and pure lineage, as charlatans may take advantage and create their won teachings. Or, even worse, demons and spirits can give visions or take trance to give false teachings. If the pure lineage can be traced back to the Buddha Shakyamuni, then we can rest assured that the teachings that we received from a qualified lama is the real deal.
This is for our own practice. But, unfortunately,as Rinpoche has written here, there are many who will invade your space to hurl abuse at you for not conforming to their views. The Dalai Lama, a Nobel Peace Prize winner would surely not condone such animosity and vulgarity directed at anyone of any other faith?
May this ban on the practice of Dorje Shugden be lifted so that lay people will stop verbally abusing a monk and stop collecting negative karma from doing so. These people must stop collecting negative karma from the various negative acts that they are doing to people who have made a different choice.
Thank you, Rinpoche for making us aware of what is happening.
May Rinpoche’s wishes manifest smoothly and swiftly.
Dear Rinpoche.. Green Tara statue is so beautiful. Rejoice How blessed your are to receive highly blessed Tara Statue from higher Lama. Thank you Rinpoche for sharing with us . _/\_ _/\_ _/\_
An important teaching stood out to me from this blogpost. “In Buddhism, it’s very important that we practice from an original source with a lineage. A lineage meaning it came from a qualified teacher, from another qualified teachers, that traces back to one of the great Indian pandits, Mahasiddhas, masters, Tsongkhapa or even the Buddha himself.” Practicing teachings from pure lineage means we can trace the source of the teachings therefore the teachings are genuine.
We are very fortunate to have the opportunity to receive teachings from His Eminence the 25th Tsem Rinpoche who received teachings from great masters of pure lineage. Thank you Rinpoche for the loving kindness and generosity in sharing the teachings with us online so that many of us benefit from it regardless of time and space.
Humbly, bowing down,
Stella Cheang
I hope Tibetan leadership will stop contradicting itself and discriminating based on faith, for the benefit of Tibetan people.
What a beautiful gift. Even though I am not familiar with Green Tara as compared to other emanations of Buddha, the statue itself looks incredible. The detail and colouring is so refined.
The short story of Tsem Rinpoche in the 70’s are really a good example of how aspirations can be inspired and made into reality. I’m sure many other people who wanted to study the Dharma in Western societies would have come across the same troubles as Rinpoche. Today KMP does an excellent job of publishing Dharma teachings from Rinpoche in a modern, stylish and with high quality to entice readers rather than push them away from Dharma texts. I feel that story definitely emphasises the importance of ‘fun’ Dharma texts
I have the good fortune to come into possession some of Geshe Kelsang Gyatso’s books for me they are magnificent, precise and concise perfect for modern minds. Tara from what I know helps to remove obstacles from dharma work, in fact mother Tara was assisting the erudite Je Atisha to spread buddha dharma in Tibet. The Tara most breathtakingly beautiful.
What a beautiful blog post. I am so drawn to the clarity and kindness of your mind, which appears in your words. Thank you for blogging about your personal feelings and for being such a good example.
I have very little context to the discussion you posted, but reading it is helping me realize the amount of anger I internalized daily. As I continue to read your words, I pray for all anger in beings to be replaced by love, compassion, and acceptance.
In the dharma,
Jon
INTERESTING DEVELOPEMENT:
We have been informed by our friends in Dharamsala that the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA; the de facto head of Tibetans in Exile in India) that they have seen the vulgarities said in the name of being on the Dalai Lama’s defense. Many who can read English in Dharamsala have been horrified that their campaign against Shugden is leading to such vulgarities and attacks on Shugden followers personal lives. CTA had hoped to intimidate Shugden people to give up through fear and violence in the past, but it has worked against them as they represent Dalai Lama a Nobel peace prize winner. People are asking why Dalai Lama does not speak up against the hatred towards Shugden people? CTA in the past have kept quiet about the attacks on Shugden people both physical and verbal but now IT’S DIRECTLY BEING CONNECTED TO THEM which is bad PR. The more Dalai Lama supporters hurl abuses on line and it’s recorded, the more it will work against CTA.
The CTA visit this blog often to keep a watch. They are embarrassed by people who write such negatives and vulgarities now and engage in name-calling in the name of Buddhism and the Dalai Lama. It reflects terribly on them. They have been getting more negative response from people around the world and more queries. The press has been picking up on these types of verbal abuses hurled at Shugden people and find it justified and alerted to the fact something is seriously wrong. They are starting to question the CTA more which is embarrassing.
We will keep posting these vulgarities hurled at Shugden people online. This is what Shugden people have to tolerate daily. But you will see NO SUCH COMMENTS from Shugden people. I have friends who informed me they will also send this article’s link to press around the world and proper authorities to keep them alert. As violent vulgarities can escalate into violence against innocent Shugden practitioners.
You see the bottom line is all this name hurling and violent words can stop overnight if His Holiness Dalai Lama speaks up to stop it. Dalai Lama should send people to engage in dialogue to settle this matter once and for all. It would benefit everyone all around. This ban and advice against peaceful Shugden practitioners was started by Tibetan leadership. They should do something to stop it as they are responsible for every person they affect with this ban. The Tibetan leadership is responsible for every harm perpetrated or planned against Shugden practitioners both verbal, psychological and physical.
Do see the pictures here of the abuse but be ready for how unpleasant it could be: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=58841
It’s amazing, sometimes when you make a spiritual choice, some people can criticize and segregate you for it. As if your choice must be approved by them. If they don’t approve they have some mandate to tell you that you are wrong and also can be rude for your choice of faith. If you don’t pray to what they pray to, then your ‘god’ is a demon or something. How archaic. LOL. I find that amazing. LOL again. How can you come to my space, face and life and tell me my religion is wrong? I didn’t hurt anyone with my faith and I don’t intend to. Whatever others of my same faith are or are not doing is not me. So don’t bundle me up into the same package. I am me and they are them. Besides, I am more than my religion. There are many aspects of who I am. So don’t just look at my spiritual choice and summarize me. You don’t know me. And you don’t have to know me. Also I owe nothing to you. I don’t need your approval for my spirituality. I would love to be your friend but let’s not let our spiritual choice ever get in the way. Be modern, be today and accept who I am as I don’t hurt anyone. 🙂 So look at all parts of who I am but the bottom line is my spirituality is my choice, do not ever presume to comment, disparage, judge or even think anything about it. I eat what I want. I dress as I like. Live where I want. Befriend who I wish. Write what I like on my social media space and pray to whatever I feel is working for me. Full stop! 🙂 Thanks for letting me live my life as your opinion of it is not needed, requested or solicited and I say this with deepest respects to you.. Humbly, Tsem Rinpoche
how lucky are we? how lucky please teach us ?
我个人非常喜欢，来自詹杜固仁波切的一段话：
站在我的角度，我从嘉瓦仁波切那里接受教诲，我对他仍然有敬意，也将他视为我的上师之一。对一些没有从嘉瓦仁波切那里接受教诲的人而言，情况或许不是如此。无论如何我的做法还是必须对他有持敬意的。即使我没有从嘉瓦仁波切那里接受教诲，我仍然会采取对他保持敬意的做法。嘉瓦仁波切抨击多杰雄登护法修持的劝告伤害了很多人，事实上是伤害了千万人。这样的抨击引起了纷乱、隔离及痛苦。嘉瓦仁波切所教授的一切都关乎慈悲、容忍及和谐，雄登修持者值得这些美好。因此我恭敬地向至尊嘉瓦仁波切跪拜，请求他派遣他的大臣们会见雄登团体的领袖以解决此事。我以最虔敬地心说出这一切。作为藏人的一份子，我也希望并祝愿嘉瓦仁波切安好。祈愿嘉瓦仁波切长寿健康。詹杜固仁波切敬上。
NOTABLE COMMENT FROM TSEM RINPOCHE
For me, I have received teachings from H.H. the Dalai Lama and I still have to respect him as one of my lamas. It might be different for some of you who have not. But my approach must be respectful. Even if I didn’t have teachings from H.H. the Dalai Lama, would still approach him in a respectful manner. The advice against Dorje Shugden practice by His Holiness is hurting many people in fact millions. It’s creating discord, segregation and pain. Everything the Dalai Lama teaches is about compassion, tolerance and reconciliation and the Shugden practitioners deserve that too. I therefore, respectfully prostrating to the ground would ask H.H. the Dalai Lama to please send his ministers to talk to the leaders of the Shugden group and resolve this issue. I say all this with deepest respects. As a part Tibetan, I also wish His Holiness the best. Long live the Dalai lama. Humbly, Tsem Rinpoche
Dear everyone, His Holiness Dalai Lama says to kick out monks from the monasteries who do not listen. I was so surprised at this short speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BS6hq5HJNik
guru would you like made by nepalis budda and tara more itam i made by nepalplease mail me
Dorje Shugden followers in the millions will not abandon their practice. So it would be good if leaders of the Dorje Shugden practicing community met with the Tibetan leadership to work out something that will be a win-win situation for both sides. His Holiness Dalai Lama wants to meet the Chinese current leaders to resolve the Tibet issue. Why not meet the Shugden followers to resolve this issue too? Why forgive one ‘enemy’ and ignore another?~Tsem Rinpoche (Please read more here: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=57431)
Dear friend, thanks for sharing your heartfelt view about Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. Your view deeply touch my heart and seeing the qualities of my own spiritual guide through your wisdom eye only increase my faith and confidence in holding pure intention and actions to use my life to help and benefit each and every living beings as Geshe-la is doing. with sincere respect and inspiration. Kelsang Chögyan
Rejoice for H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche has received such the meaningful gift from H.E.Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. I truly admire both high lama sharing their Dharma knowledge to many people and guiding them to Buddhism at Eastern and western country. Without your working tirelessly turn the wheel of Buddha Dharma, many people will suffer at the samsara.
May i wish both of Lama have long life and continue turning Dharma wheel and we are able follow your enlightenment method toward to Buddha hood.
I am glad you wrote this. I am from the midwest, and it’s very difficult to meet Dharma in the midwest. When I was younger, I travelled all over and met all kinds of Dharma people from different lineages and traditions, and I loved them all very much. Once I actually went to Chicago to go to a Dharma teaching from one of Geshela’s students. I was so young and naive and I didn’t know about the controversy at all. I just wanted to hear Dharma! When I came back home I was chatting with someone online about the experience I had in Chicago with Geshela’s kind students. The person I was chatting with suddenly started going off on me because I had gone to the NKT temple. It was so scary, and he told everyone about it and it was suddenly like I had a scarlet letter on my forehead. I was scared someone was going to say something nasty to me when I went to teachings. Since then I have tried to stick with what I know. But it was very confusing. So I am glad you posted this. When we seek Dharma far and wide sometimes we find good things and not so good things, but I feel like it is most important to seek the Dharma out so our lives have meaning.
Love
Terri
Dear Rinpoche,
The Tara is beautiful.
Rinpoche has Rinpoche’s views and I respect that a lot. Rinpoche also displays strong Guru devotion to Rinpoche’s Gurus, and this is what has been taught. Regardless of any controversies or political reasons, I follow Rinpoche because of Rinpoche’s character, charisma and importantly, the knowledge of Dharma. Being with Rinpoche so many years, Rinpoche never says anything bad about other Lamas or religions, and I feel this is the greatest lesson I learnt from Rinpoche — Respect. Being different does not mean it is bad.
Thank you Rinpoche.
Tq Rinpoche ‘ s sharing . The Green Tara really beautiful and alive , the blue lotus just like started blooming .It make me felt peace when saw this Tara.
After learning Guru Yoga from Tsem Rinpoche’s blog, I wanted to find more on Tsongkhapa’s Guru yoga. My search was led to “Heart Jewel” by Kelsang Gyatso. I did my preliminary scan of the book and came across the part of the text which included a section devoted to Dorje Shugden.
Now, I wasn’t ignorant about the controversy on Dorje Shugden. I knew why people didn’t accept this practice or allow it, and it did affect me on whether or not I was going to read the book. I didn’t want my “practice” to be tainted with “spirit worship” or whatever.
So, I did my own research (which many people fail to do because they choose to follow radical fanaticism rather than to learn). And yes, Shugden’s origin was definitely mired in confusion. But what I learned, is Shugden is a part of a triad similar to The Four Guardian Kings. Shugden, Setrap and Marpo all defend Tibet and the dharma.
So I put it in the most simplistic form I can understand. Why would Setrap and Shugden be fighting each other when their end goal is the same? I realized that we “human beings” are making these “brothers” fight each other. We are the ones causing controversy and not them.
So using my judgement, I read the book and it’s a really good resource for those wanting to learn more about Tsongkhapa’s Guru Yoga.
I still follow my Setrap practice (poorly), and know I understand Shugden and have a better knowledge on the benefits of Tsongkhapa’s Guru Yoga.
Even better, Kelsang’s book and Rinpoche’s teaching on the Guru Yoga are IN PERFECT SYNC with each other! So obviously these two great beings have received Tsongkhapa’s Guru Yoga from a same source that is very reliable.
My only qualm at the moment is how one can incorporate Setrap in the Vajrayogini sadhanas, but as I have not even mastered the lower paths, the tantras are not for me to question at this moment.
One things stands out very clearly for me in this teaching is that, the highly attained masters like Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche and Tsem Tulku Rinpoche exudes HUMILITY and HUMBLENESS. Virtues which are rare and precious.Core foundation for all practitioners. Despite differences in the execution of certain aspects of the Dharma, they still sincerely respect each other and praise and encourage the other to live long to continue to spread the Dharma.The GOAL is the same. The WISDOM is so high level that most practitioners see it as a CONFLICT and their consciousness moves into taking sides, one or the other, bad an good. But there is NO BAD NOR GOOD. There are just circumstances and the Dharma has to be applied to understand them.That is why all the Buddhas and scriptures stresses GUru Devotion to be the core foundation of all attainments. If we start picking sides and picking fights we loose track of the teachings and the practice and that certainly would not help us to gain any realizations or attainments. It would just deter us into feeding into our attachments and anger.
Thank you to all these GREAT MASTERS and GURUS who have made so much sacrifices to bring the Dharma into our lives and souls. May all of you please live very long to continue to turn the wheel of Dharma to benefit all sentient beings !
Such an exquisite gift! Very beautiful Tara. But the real gift is the teaching on respect and true spirituality. One of the things I respect about Rinpoche very much is his respect for all Lamas irregardless of the differences. Thank you with folded hands for yet another Dharma gem.
Thank you Rinpoche for showing us here that Lineage matters. We see here why Geshe Kelsang Gyatso’s books that contain the pure lineage teachings of Gelug and Lama Tsongkhapa, are so great and enduring. They are teachings that are pure, authentic and 100% reliable, because of Geshe Kelsang Gyatso faithfully following the Lineage teachings and practices:
“When you read these books, nothing of Geshe’s personal interpretation is in there, it’s pretty much according to the scriptures…. the actual body of the text and the meat and the bones, are very accurate”.
Geshe Kelsang Gyasto’s strong and unwavering Guru Devotion is the reason why he follows the lineage faithfully and purely. Guru Devotion is a basic tenet of Tibetan Buddhism. If we hope to practise tantra, then Guru Devotion, will determine whether one succeeds or not in walking one’s spiritual path.
Geshe-la is a fine example( for his students and all of us) of a monk who keeps his vows purely.
Hence, he is unquestionably a powerful and influential Gelug Lineage master, who has many devoted students following him. He has carried out his role of spreading Je Tsongkapa’s teachings tirelessly and selflessly. He rightly deserves our total respect, in the same way as we respect other great Teachers.
In any seemingly controversial scene, Tsem Rinpoche has so wisely advised us here to walk the middle way, by practicing equanimity.
Thank you Rinpoche for showing us why we should respect such great Lamas as Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, and also for showing us the way of peace, wisdom and compassion – the hallmarks of Buddhist practice.
Thank you Rinpoche from my heart for charing this importent clear views. I was moved, feelt blessed, full of joy and my faith grow! May your dharmawork be blessed and my many follow your exampel! <3
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you for your sharing on H.E. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.
We should be very fortunate to receive such spiritual sharing from our Guru on Tibetian Buddhism lineage and teachings on Devotion to the Guru.
I wish you good health and continue turning the Dharma wheel to benefit more sentient beings.
With folded hands
Judy Chen
Thank you Rinpoche sharing with us this stunning Gree Tara statue from His Eminence Geshe Kelsang Gyatso and precious teaching to us. I feel very warmed and blessed to see this Gree Tara statue.
His Eminence Geshe Kelsang Gyatso is a great and very learned master. His Eminence spend his whole life in translate great Buddha teaching into book, practices, holding his vows purely, dedicating his whole life to spreading Lama Tsongkhapa teaching to benefit many peoples. It is very blessed to have a great Geshe-la like His Eminence Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.
All those Dharma books are very beneficial to many peoples all around the world and this definitely help peoples changes their life by learning great Buddha teaching.
We should respect every Guru, practice and should not criticize any Guru if we are a Buddhist it is because we represent our Guru and the teaching that our Guru teaches. We should not judge anyone especially those who have made a difference in this world.
I wish Rinpoche, Geshe-la and all the Lineage Lama has good health and long life to continue to spread the Teaching of Lama Tsongkhapa to many sentient being.
_()_Om Mani Padme Hum Tsem.
Thank you Rinpoche for your precious sharing.The statue of Tara that was presented to you by H.E Geshe Kelsang Gyatso looks beautiful and life like.We are very fortunate and blessed even to have a glimpse of the holy statue.
As was mention ,everyone has their own right to their own thoughts and their beliefs.To be able to meet up with a guru with an authentic lineage is rare .For us to to be able to receive the holy Dharma from them requires a lot of merits. We should not change our respect for them just because of others opinion.
If we seek the true essence of the dharma and practice it sincerely .We would be able to overcome the feeling of malice towards this highly attained masters merely by relying on hearsay by others without bases.
We should applaud all those highly attained masters whose only purpose in life is to spread the holy dharma with compassion and selflessly.
Personally, I strongly believe that it is very important that spiritual practice comes from a lineage that is traceable. When our practice comes from an unbroken & authentic lineage such as that of Lama Tsongkhapa & all the way back to Buddha Shakyamuni, it is without a doubt that we will receive blessing & gain results because the masters & gurus before us had also gained realisation & attainment following the same methods & teachings.
One such example is the highly attained master His Eminence Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, who has uphold his pure lineage practices by holding his vows purely, dedicating his whole life to spreading the dharma to benefits others & following his guru instructions & practices with unstained guru devotion. This kind of devotion, dedication & steafastness in the dharma deserve our highest form of reverence but not to criticise or take side when the lama manifest certain actions that create ‘conflict’ in our view. Such views of ours are result of our negative karma & it cause us not being able to see the long term benefit & higher purpose of such “conflict”. If karma is at work here why do we blame others? Because all karma, positive or negative are the caused of our own actions not others. If we are spiritual then stop blaming & criticising because it benefits no one. I believe spirituality is not about wanting to be right & judging others, it is about transforming ourselves to a better person having more patient, kindness, caring, tolerance, acceptance & be compassionate to others.
Thank you again Rinpoche for such powerful & precious teaching.
Dear Rinpoche, thank you for this blog post on Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, and the offering of Beautiful Tara statue to Rinpoche. It is true that for Dharma practitioner it is important that we study under Guru who has lineage and the source of the teaching originates from, because the teaching is proven and has results as it is practice by the lineage Lama who had gain attainments through it, and Rinpoche example on the authenticity is so profound and direct.
Like what Rinpoche mention, being a spiritual practitioner and who had taken refuge with our Guru, beside’s having Guru Devotion, and clean samaya with our Guru which is the essence that propels us in our spiritual path that will lead us to enlightenment or even being conferred higher Tantric practice. What is more important is we must represent our Guru and the teaching that our Guru teaches, if we say we are a Buddhist, then we should not even criticize and takes side to criticize another Guru and what they practice although it does not fit our view, we should just focus on what our Guru has given and put effort in it, to transform our mind which is most important, and practice compassion and kindness to benefit more sentient beings. Every Guru has their own method in bringing Dharma to suits the different people, there is no one method that suits the 84,000 deluded mind.
I wish Rinpoche, Geshe-la and all the Lineage Lama has good health and long life to continue to spread the Teaching of Lama Tsongkhapa to many sentient being.
Thank you Rinpoche for this post. It reminds me of a short story i read about the 2 bad bricks. In short: it was a wall in the monastery and the monk who built that wall made a mistake with 2 bricks, which he called the 2 bad bricks. Every time he walked past the wall, he didn’t want to look at it because of the 2 bad bricks. One day, someone asked him: what about the 98 good bricks?
Sometimes we get so focused on the weakness and mistakes and disagreements on a person that we become blind to the good sides. One of the first Dharma books I received from Rinpoche was by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. I really enjoyed the book as it was easy to understand and the content was rich and comprehensive.
I think until we actually benefit sentient beings and impact the lives of the people around us, we should not judge or criticize anyone especially those who have made a difference in this world. It is always easier to accuse others. If we are sincere about our criticism, then we should not just cause trouble by trying to put others down. Instead, put energy into improving and being constructive.
This is a wonderful article, a powerful view; adopting a middle way to practise when there is a conflicting view to controversies. It has so much wisdom and is illuminating where there has been darkness.
Thank you Rinpoche for the sharing. The Tara statue is so beautiful and gorgeous. After reading the article, I have so much respect to Rinpoche, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche and all the attained Lamas. May all sentient being practice middle way so that we can continue to learn and practice Dharma as taught by our lineage masters.
Dear Rinpoche
Thank you Rinpoche on this blog post.
Through this blog post, i understand that we can always have a middle way to follow no matter how extreme is our surrounding.
I respect all dharma teacher and would not criticize them, as i am just an ordinary being.
Thank you
Thank you very much for this post.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you very much for all your teachings and for this one in particular. The light of your wisdom not only helps me a lot to bright my ignorant mind concerning this difficult ‘controversie’ issue among Buddhists, but it also deepened my respect toward of all spiritual paths and there representatives.
I’m especially very thankful to you that by this way you help me remove the very heavy karma I planted by acting lightly in this matter, may I never repeat such mistakes.
I’m very pleased to have the chance to have ‘met you’ here, via internet, as I see you as one of the rare that truly incarnate the holy Dharma you teach. This is very inspiring to me and as such it brings my mind more and more toward Dharma so that I may become more and like You.
I wish that you may live long so that your dharma activities may flourish and increase in order to reach more and more lost people like me.
May one day I be able to meet directly with you and may I become able to always repay your kindness.
With much love Didier
The preservation of an authentic lineage that comes from genuine source of dharma teachings and commentaries holds true in this day and age. Out there in the world now, there is no way of verifying something being authentic or not unless we have connections to the top with the right resource.
Tsem Rinpoche’s admiration of Geshe Kelsang Gyatso’s works in all his published dharma books holds true for many who read them. The teachings of Lama Tsongkhapa holds the middle view and the middle way is suitable for Buddhists practitioners. It doesn’t matter who Geshela’s personal protector or belief are and we shouldn’t label it as being right or wrong. We can choose to trust the teachings of Lama Tsongkhapa to spread the dharma for many to gain attainments whether the authentic teachings came from either His Holiness the Dalai Lama or Geshela or both at the same time. We can admire them both.
The Tara statue gifted by Geshela to Tsem Rinpoche is truly a blessing and we in Kechara, is most blessed to be able to lay our eyes on this holy image.
21 wignall rd
sandyford
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you for this wonderful post on Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, an erudite Buddhist master who has helped many people in the world overcome their unhappiness and to understand the causes of their sufferings. Similarly like Rinpoche (and I am sure there are many like-minded people out there who share the same view), the middle path of equilibrium is excellent as it produces peace and harmony. Why be embroiled in further conflicts when there is so much of unrest in the world already? As Rinpoche taught, the focus is on the practice, the purity of the Dharma and our mind transformation. Truly, as Rinpoche also emphasized following a lineage all the way ensures a fruitful harvest such as training in a particular Yoga school brings about perfection of the asana / postures. But this takes years of hard work, perseverance and dedication, which is very clear that Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche has invested sincerely into Dharma. If we get sidetracked by the gossips, politics and controversies, then, we deprive ourselves of the actual learning whether in Buddhism, yoga, music, art or science. It is the same everywhere. 🙂
Thank you for the merit of candour in this posting.
With folded hands,
Wendy
His Eminence Kelsang Gyatso has devoted his whole life to the spread of the precious Dharma and Lama Tsongkhapa’s tradition. As H.E. Tsem Rinpoche says, Geshela’s works are indeed vast and great and they are written in a language that is clear and easy to understand. I myself have benefited a lot from reading them over the years. Some of these books are gifts from Rinpoche himself and I’m very grateful for these gifts of Dharma. May Geshela live long and continue to turn the Wheel of Dharma.
Dear Rinpoche thank you for sharing this post. I think is very true who ever the lama is no really matter is the work he do and his lineage we do not need to criticise and comment even gossip about it is a very bad karma for us, very true we come to this world is to practice our mind so that we can bring a mind that is more compassion more tolerance to others and the most important thing be able to have a mind that will help others. I will continue to follow my guru advice and teaching because Rinpoche is the one who impart me the most Dharma no one ever in my life have give me teaching like this I appreciate all these precious teaching from Rinpoche once again thank you Rinpoche for all your teaching.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thanks for sharing this beautiful Tara. She is so beautiful.
From this article, i learned that middle way is the best. Yes, who are we to criticize the lama whom have contributed so much to world of Buddhism.
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche , not only have over 100 centers all over the world. H.E students are very devoted and independent in spreading the Dharma to many people. Some people might not agreed with H.E because of the bias to H.H Dalai Lama likes. But, this do not stopped Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche from benefits more people.
We can have many people who goes against over wish. But as a Buddhist, we are practicing peace and practice dharma without 8 world concerned. Thus, If we trying to bully whoever not fulfilled our wish, I think this is not what the Buddha’s wanted
Thank you Rinpoche for teaching us the middle way. Not to be too bias or aversion.
With folded hand,
Freon
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you for sharing the beautiful image of Tara statue and also your thought with us. I admired Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, H.H Dalai Lama, H.E Tsem Rinpoche and all the attained Lama in the past as I am very fortunate to be able to came across their teachings and learn about these great masters. May I always be near these great Lamas and their teachings lifetime after lifetime.
Wishing Rinpoche have a long life and always in a good health.
With folded hands _/|\_
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us; I especially appreciated your comments regarding the Middle Way, and respect for all Gurus. It is all to easy to fall into that trap of losing one’s balanced attitude and let “dislike” creep in. A very good reminder to everyone!
Wow! I love the Tara statue and what it represents. The 2nd Dharma book I have ever purchased was Understanding the Mind by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. It took me many years to actually complete this great treatise on the various types of mind. But I loved the depth of it and I think it was fantastic Dharma teaching that would continue to help me on my own spiritual journey.
Rinpoche has always been respectful of senior monks and has never pulled rank over any ordinary senior monk no matter what tradition or sect they belong to. Rinpoche always look upon everyone through the Dharma. That’s whats lovely about Rinpoche and how the Dharma is not something he just preaches but it is also what he lives and breathes as well.
Although this is a testament to this great erudite master, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso but I see it as a testament to Rinpoche’s practice as well.
Dear Rinpoche. Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing on H.E. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. From this blog it is very clear that when we have chosen our Spiritual Guide or our Guru we must be loyal till the end. And it is because we have check out our Guru’s lineage and his great Masters and the teachings. I have benefitted a lot from my Guru – Rinpoche, through his teachings, compassion and kindness.
Rinpoche has once wrote to me during my early days in Kechara and this was where I was first introduce to Tibetan Buddhism that to take Kechara as my Spiritual Home. And it has been since then.
Rinpoche has taught us that we should represent our teacher/Lama by being tolerant, compassionate, kind and extremely forgiving and also giving people chances.
This I will take to heart always.
Once again, thank you Rinpoche for the wonderful sharing above.
Thank you for writing the article Rinpoche. Beautiful, clear and inspiring words from one great master to another.
With much admiration
Maximo
Dear Maximo,
I am so happy this article was pleasing to you. I believe in rejoicing in the good deeds of others. I believe in supporting other great dharma teachers. There are so many sentient beings who need dharma and not one teacher can handle all with one technique.
The more teachers the better. I rejoice deeply in the dharma efforts of all teachers. H.E. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso is just one of many great masters I admire, respect and rejoice in. We are lucky we have them. Because he/they are so learned. So complete in their mastery of Sutra and tantra, it’s amazing. They are like the 8 great disciples of Lord Tsongkapa.
I wish to be as great and learned as H.E. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, or H.H. Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche or H.H. Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche, but I can only keep wishing. I can NEVER equal their learning and mastery in this life and therefore I rejoice in their deeds and humbly fold my hands to them always. Tsem Rinpoche
Thank you very much for your reply Rinpoche. The purity of your faith in these teachers is clearly reflected on your teachings I see online.
Much love from Argentina.
I have had good enough fortune to read one of his books, Great Treasury of Merit -A commentary to the practice of Offering to the Spiritual Guide. It is a must read book, and he really is clear and precise what he talks about from A-Z. Irregardless of any controversies associated with him, I choose to remain out of them, as they are nothing more than the heavy mental delusions various people posses. Given an opportunity people will say almost anything, it’s like reading the tabloids, or a gossip magazine, all a bunch of nonsense. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche clearly has results from his practices, and from what I have read, His mind is on a level well above me and everyone I know. His knowledge, and advice should be cherished and put into practice. He really has skillful methods. He has taught extensively on all aspects of Buddha’s Sutras and Tantras in light of the teachings and tradition of Je Tsongkhapa. He is also a prolific writer and translator. His books, present various key aspects of Buddhism as taught by the Gelug scholastic tradition. Several have been well regarded and recommended by senior Gelug Lamas. I greatly admire and respect him. 🙂 How fortunate we are to have the merit to learn about this great master. What an extremely rare opportunity. Thank you Rinpoche for sharing!!!
Dear Bradley Kassian, I loved what you said:
“Irregardless of any controversies associated with him, I choose to remain out of them, as they are nothing more than the heavy mental delusions various people posses. Given an opportunity people will say almost anything, it’s like reading the tabloids, or a gossip magazine, all a bunch of nonsense.”
I fully agree with you. We should just practice the teachings and stop criticizing this or that teacher. We like the teacher, go and learn. We don’t like, let them be because there are others karmically ready to benefit from them. We don’t need any spiritual police from any individual or organization. No one has the right to demand anything from anyone.
Thank you for being level headed and just focusing on the teachings and that is it. Life is too short for anything else. Let’s rush to gain attainments and not more negative karma. 🙂
Tsem Rinpoche
Your essay, Tsem Rinpoche, is profound, balanced, and deeply moving. I appreciate it more than I can express. Thank You.
Dear Kelsang Dechog, I meant what I said because I have admired Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche for over two decades. I felt I should express it on my personal blog. I have written to him many years back as I was amazed as his books. May he live very long and continue to bless the world with his light, wisdom and courage to practice in the face of samsara’s strongest maras sent to him. Yet Geshe Kelsang is unaffected by all of samsara’s maras. Tsem Rinpoche
Dear Rinpoche
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this lovely blog. You have written such a touching article and sharing your views in such a frank and thoughtful way. I am studying Guide to Dakini Land just now, and it is very special and fortunate. I am inspired by what you say about taking this book everywhere with you. From what I have been taught, and what I read here, I can see that I have chanced upon someone very special to help me reach the ultimate goal of human life. This is something which we all need in this world today, I hope it continues. To actualise Buddhas teachings, and to share with as many as possible is very special. I knew from the first time I read one of Geshe-las books, that I was reading something extraordinary, not having initially come from a Buddhist background. The practices are easy and the effects are astounding. We have a very special opportunity to take these into our heart now. The thing that touched me most was what you said about the rarity of qualified masters, and the preciousness of Guru devotion. This is something we are taught in Lamrim. This is a timely reminder to strengthen this experience. Your Tara statue is very beautiful, and Geshe-la must appreciate you very much. Your gratitude and appreciation of the blessings having received this gift, is touching. I hope you achieve your wishes to benefit others and that harmony is achieved amongst all Buddhists and all beings, just being able to accept the differences of others with equanimity is truly a gift. You are a very strong and beautiful person.
Dear Kelsang Gakyi,
1. I have a copy of Guide to Dakini Land always with me for over 2o years now. I have several of this book and keep it everywhere. Our Kechara outlets (https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/?p=6677) carry this and other Geshe Kelsang books for the public. We have beautiful dharma stores throughout our Kuala Lumpur city. I want the public to access the books. I have other commentaries also on the same subject, but I refer to this one always. It is so clear and rich and erudite. You can see it was written NOT FROM ONLY A SCHOLAR but someone who is rich and blessed with guru devotion and has THE RESULTS OF PRACTICE. A scholar can write and it would be accurate, but it wouldn’t touch us much. Geshe Kelsang’s books TOUCHES ME DEEPLY AND MAKES ME WANT TO PRACTICE. That is the key, it makes me want to practice because his teachings are moist with realizations.
H.H. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche said years ago in Los Angeles, if we practice and have our guru samaya intact, then whatever we teach will benefit others more and touch their hearts deeply. It would move them to practice. His Eminence Geshe Kelsang moves me deeply and also to practice. He has what Zong Rinpoche says a teacher should have.
Let me let you in on a little secret: I was assigned by Kyabje Lati Rinpoche (Abbot Emeritus of Gaden)to go to Malaysia and teach. I earnestly refused many times, but he insisted and I couldn’t say no as he is one of my teachers. If I was not assigned this, I would have just gone to the mountains of North India or stayed in a rural area near Gaden to practice intense meditational retreats. My teacher(s) ordered me to teach and remain in Malaysia. Hence I am here. I never wanted to teach or be a teacher and I still don’t. I don’t like limelight and attention. I am nothing to be a teacher. Also if I never went to Gaden and joined in (no regrets) and become a member and was enthroned, I would not have minded to just join NKT years ago to study, practice and be in the background or go to the mountains. I just wanted to practice and I still do.
2. If you have someone like Geshe Kelsang Gyatso as a teacher, you don’t need anyone else. When you have learned everything he knows and you need more, then you can ask his permission to further study with another teacher he recommends, but that will never happen. How can we ever learn as much as Geshe Kelsang did in one life. We started late. LOL. So you stick with Geshe Kelsang. You follow what he advises and his course of studies and you request him to bless you daily and you need nothing else. Invite the whole Gelug Merit Field and dissolve into Geshe Kelsang and let this be your object of refuge. I dissolve the merit field daily into H.H. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche and Zong Rinpoche is dissolved into me for blessings daily for the last 25 years. I have not missed one day. He is my root and main guru and it is enough for me. You do the same with your holy Geshe Kelsang. Others may say as they like, but you know what? There were people who don’t like Buddha, Tsongkapa, Trijang Rinpoche and Pabongka Rinpoche. So what. That is their karma and you have your’s. Geshe Kelsang is your root guru and that is all you need until the end. This is not fanatical but what we are suppose to do in tantra. Remember how you were before you met Geshe Kelsang’s teachings? Remember how he changed your life and the lives of thousands. He is very kind to you and all that matters. And sometimes when negative thoughts come as it will, just let it flow by and do Vajrasattva. That’s it. No guilt trips necessary. We are not perfect and that is why we are in dharma.
3. Geshe Kelsang is a pure monk and any gift from a pure monk should be highly prized by a junior monk like myself or anyone. Anything used, touched or blessed by a pure sangha (monk or nun) is a blessed object. Namo Guru Bey, Namo Buddhaya, Namo Dharmaya and NAMO SANGHAYA. We take refuge in the sangha. Our Guru’s are all the refuge in one. Anything from our objects of refuge is blessed and sacred.
I rejoice for you and all students of Geshe Kelsang. He is brave and courageous. He is one of the rare ones to dare speak up and speak out and do something when something is not right. Not many old lamas like him think like that. Not many old lamas have the powerful resources to do this and he does. Obviously he has worked so hard to acquire so much to be massive benefit to others. Everything he has acquired is for his students and those karmically connected to him. He is rare that he is courageous and stands up in the face of so much. HOW INSPIRATIONAL.
May His Eminence Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche live 1,000 years and never dissolve his material rupakaya form. He carries on the undefiled lineage of Lord Tsongkapa, Lord Pabongka Rinpoche, Lord Trijang Rinpoche and Lord Zong Rinpoche. He is pure in Vinaya, learned in Sutra and Tantra and disseminates the Dharma. What else do you want a learned old erudite monk to do? Why wouldn’t we rejoice and be happy with this great being? I rejoice and will continue to. My praise may be flowery or long, but I gain nothing from it on a secular level as it’s from my heart. But, I hope my words will further encourage others to study with this great master and may I gain merits from praising great beings to achieve high attainments like them. I only say what I feel. Tsem Rinpoche
“When you have learned everything he knows and you need more, then you can ask his permission to further study with another teacher he recommends, but that will never happen. How can we ever learn as much as Geshe Kelsang did in one life. We started late. LOL.” Right? I couldn’t agree more!
I am a student/disciple of Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rimpoche and I want to thank you for your purity of heart to rejoice in him and to encourage us. I listened to your “View on the Dorje Shugden Controversy” and I heard “the voice of reason” loud and clear. Your courage and strength have permeated my mind, in ways I don’t yet understand. Thank you. Thank you. May the work of your hands and heart flourish forever. We are cut from the same cloth. Many blessings and love to you and all your disciples.
Dear Rinpoche, thank you for this beautiful and inspiring article. The good qualities of Lama Tsongkhapa’s lineage and its pure Teachers such as a Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche are a great source of inspiration for me, so thank you for illuminating these. I wish you good health and a long life and much success in your work for Je Tsongkhapa’s tradition.
Dear Kelsang Pagpa,
Thank you for your comments. I’ve always admired Geshe Kelsang and many other great masters but under certain religious ‘restrictions’ while being a part of Gaden we are ‘advised’ against associating with them. Being a Tibetan I had to ‘abide’ by these rules or many negative repercussions would befall me and my monk associates (even my teacher) that you cannot even begin to imagine. My elderly teachers would get calls from our ‘higher authorities’ always questioning “what is Tsem Rinpoche doing”, “who is he associating with and so forth”. It put a lot of pressure on my teachers. These teachers have recently entered clear light. They were people I respected from the core of my being and have served for years and deeply love. I had to act, speak and behave in ways to ‘protect’ them that many in the ‘outside’ world cannot even begin to understand. My loyalties are complete to my teachers, lineage and practice. At the same time respect all lineages and masters.
These days I am more open because I am not doing anything wrong and received permission from the ‘highest authority’ to share with the world more about myself, my practice, my beliefs and my spirituality. My teachers also have entered clear light so harassment towards them is impossible now. I am not important and nobody, but if my sharing can help others even in a small way, why not?
Thank you for your comments, I appreciate them. Being a Tibetan we are pulled by one view/force from the West, another ‘force’ from the Monastery, protecting our teachers reputation and from ‘leaders’ within our community. It is different for a Tibetan and especially a Tibetan monk (whether living abroad or in Tibetan controlled regions) to be open and practice our lineage. There are physical dangers. It’s different for a Non-Tibetan such as Japanese, Hong Kong citizens,Australians, Americans, Europeans, etc. The Tibetan dare not and would not do anything to them. But it’s vastly different to their own Tibetan people. See the CTA list ‘wanted people’. No non-Tibetans are there. I received many correspondences from both sides of the ‘fence’ questioning me on this protector issue. They don’t understand what we as Tibetan lamas have to go through nearly daily. It has been like walking on glass for two decades now. I’m sweeping the glass away and started to walk firm, straight and without trepidation of being cut anymore. We are near and far from our goals, but nevertheless, we are achieving them.
We are not doing anything wrong and will continue with what our precious teachers have given to us even in the face of severe criticism, hate, segregation and even potential harm to our physical body.
Tsem Rinpoche
I’m so sorry that you are caught in this horrible double-bind and that people throw accusations at you and complain, please continue to help sentient beings and grant us all your blessing and fearless wisdom.
I truly admire Tsem Rinpoche, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, and all the learned and attained lamas for their true Guru Devotion. They are the Rocks of Gibraltar that do not waver in the eye of the storm. May all lamas live long to continue teaching and proliferating the Buddha Dharma.
With folded hands.
Thank you Rinpoche for the direct, frank, clear views and a very nice n sincere introduction to Geshela. I embrace the middle way and its beautiful.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thanks for blogging about H.E Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. I am awed by your wisdom and view on both Geshela and HH Dalai Lama. Like you I admire and regard both as attained beings mainly from their works and especially their books and I have read a few from both. These books have given me a good understanding of the Dharma especially Lama Tsongkhapa’s teachings.
Your view on taking the middle way is profound as Buddhism itself is the middle way too. Hence, even in manifested conflict Rinpoche is able to expound the truth of the Dharma. I rejoice.
May I have the merit to be Rinpoche lifetime after lifetime until enlightenment. May Rinpoche live long and continue to benefit others with your enlightened means and methods.
Your humble student,
KH Ng.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this! What you penned down are exactly my thoughts and feel about the ‘controversies’.