Ra Lotsawa the Yamantaka hero
Ra Lotsawa the great translator and master of magic who brought the Yamantaka tantras to Tibet and disseminated this set of practices to have great far reaching effects. He is usually depicted as fierce. Ra Lotsawa is pictured here clothed in Shanak (black hat) wear. This is worn when special rituals are carried out to obliterate obstacles especially using wrathful means.
(By Tsem Rinpoche)
Dear friends,
Yamantaka or Vajrabhairava is practiced within the Nyingma, Sakya, Kagyu and Gelug schools. More prominently in Sakya and held as a supreme golden tantra within the Gelugs. Je Tsongkapa himself as well as the 7th Dalai Lama and many other scholars have written numerous commentaries on the rites, rituals, meditations, stages and paths and retreats on Yamantaka. Yamantaka’s meditational path was highly recommended by Je Tsongkapa himself. In fact the main yidam or meditational practice of Gaden Shartse Monastery for the last 600 years is Yamantaka. All students in Gaden Shartse Monastery are required to memorize the path and practice of Yamantaka from a young age as Yamantaka rites and rituals are carried out very often. The Gelugs hold Yamantaka as one of the heart practices that is very efficacious to purify the most heinous karmas during the degenerate age. Yamantaka is the wrathful form of Manjushri and therefore can confer superior intellectual comprehension of the most subtle points of knowledge leading to high realizations. Yamantaka is emptiness in deity form and therefore very powerful to alleviate obstacles internal and external. Yamantaka is a favorite practice to do for healing, extension of life and general well being. Many great masters, teachers, scholars and Geshes hold Yamantaka as their supreme and main practice since the time of Je Tsongkapa and rightly so that many have gained very high realizations from this practice brought from India to Tibet with great hardship by Ra Lotsawa the supreme tantric path.
For political and spiritual reasons depending, when Ra Lotsawa started teaching, initiating his students into the practice of Yamantaka, many of the contemporary lamas of his day were dead against him. Dead against Yamantaka. They claimed Yamantaka has no valid lineage from India and is obscure. No yidam would have a water buffaloe’s head. That Yamantaka’s practice is evil and will bring misguided people to the hells. Yes, by doing Yamantaka you will end up in hell! Imagine proclaiming that today? Who would listen? No one.
Not only did the famous and leading lamas of the day advise strongly against the Yamantaka practice, they were all against Ra Lotsawa himself condemning him and using magic as means to kill or defame Ra Lotsawa. Ra Lotsawa was called to be in magic duels always. Many attempts were made on his life. Some of the lamas genuinely felt Yamantaka is a demonic practice that will lead others to the three lower realms. While others were jealous their system of practice would be outshined by this new practice. Some of the Yamantaka haters were well known lamas and had influence in their day therefore much damage was done to the reputation of Ra Lotsawa and Yamantaka’s tantra. This system of practice did not altogether disappear but in fact showed many miraculous signs of it’s superiority and swiftness in granting siddhis/realizations and attainments therefore Ra Lotsawa never backed down, relented or stop his practice of Yamantaka. Ra Lotsawa stubbornly hung on to this practice and taught the path to his personal students. Ra Lotsawa never gave up in his faith in Yamantaka and the master who conferred this practice to him no matter how much the public reviled him for this. Ra Lotsawa suffered very much and was scorned, belittled and spat upon. He was the butt of many jokes and nasty rumours to defame him because he held on to Yamantaka’s path. No religious freedom is right.
It was much later in fact a few hundred years later when the Dharma King Tsongkapa found the Yamantaka practice, investigated deeper into it, read the existing commentaries, did the retreats and practices and received many auspicious signs that he reconfirmed Yamantaka as a valid and pure practice that can grant practitioners enlightenment in one lifetime to the zealous. Tsongkapa engaged in Yamantaka practice and received many good omens and therefore disseminated this practice among his own students and Gaden Monastery. From there it spread like wildfire. With a lama of Tsongkapa’s caliber and reputation endorsing Yamantaka’s validity, it spread far and wide and strong up till today. Since then Yamantaka has become one of the main tantric practices of the Gelugpa School of Buddhism along with Cakrasamvara and Guhyasamaja tantric paths. All three are studied in Gyuto and Gyume Tantric colleges. They are called the Three Kingly tantras. All Gelugpa monks will have this initiation of either the 13 Deity Yamantaka or Solitary Yamantaka or both. The majority of Gelug monks will engage in the Yamantaka practice daily and retreats when they are free. It took time for Yamantaka to take root because the reputation was damaged at first by the more famous anti-Yamantaka lamas who spoke against.
What is interesting is similar to Yamantaka, Dorje Shugden is called a negative practice, a demon and will lead people to the hells. Sounds familiar. History repeating itself again? Although abused, threatened, spat upon many Gelug Lamas cling on strongly to the practice of Dorje Shugden. They do not give up nor disrespect the master who initiated them into Dorje Shugden’s practice. The Dorje Shugden lamas are ostracized and everyone has segregated them away, yet they never give up their practice. More famous lamas of today have anti Dorje Shugden talks and publications and discourage Dorje Shugden even criticizing heavily the lamas who teach this path just like what Ra Lotsawa had to endure. By logic, study, practice and meditation these countless great masters can see the enlightened nature of Dorje Shugden and therefore never give up the practice no matter how strong the opposition is. There are many who practice Dorje Shugden as a genuine spiritual path regardless of the reputation it brings them.
I guess if something is meant to be fantastically beneficial in the long run, then when the practice is about to take off, there will be much opposition and obstacles. This is brought on the karma of the beings in this age. But like Yamantaka, I am sure Dorje Shugden’s practice will become prevalent and mainstream in the near future. It will grow from strength to strength into currently and into future generations taking a stronger hold and become more firm. The key is that the lamas practicing are firm, unafraid and confident to continue initiating students into this path. I just thought it was a relevant comparison of how Yamantaka started out just like Dorje Shugden’s ban now.
May you be blessed by Ra Lotsawa the indelible master and the King of Secrets, Yamantaka Himself!
Tsem Rinpoche
Ra Lotsawa Dorje Drakpa. Click on image to enlarge. Image credit: himalayanart.org
Ra Lotsawa Dorje Drak
རྭ་ལོ་ཙཱ་བ་རྡོ་རྗེ་གྲགས་པ།
b.1016 – d.1128?
Tradition: Ra Luk རྭ་ལུགས།
Geography: Nyang
Historical Period: 11th Century ༡༡ དུས་རབས།
Institution: Samye བསམ་ཡས།; Nalanda ནཱ་ལེནྡྲ།
Vocations: Translators ལོ་ཙཱ་བ།
Name Variants: Dorje Drak རྡོ་རྗེ་གྲགས།; Ralo Dorje Drakpa རྭ་ལོ་རྡོ་རྗེ་གྲགས་པ།
Ra Lotsāwa Dorje Drak (rwa lo tsA ba rdo rje grags) was born in 1016, in Nyenam, in a place called Nangyul (snye nam / gnya’ nang snang yul), on one of the most important Nepali-Tibetan trade routes. His father was Raton Konchok Dorje (rwa ston dkon mchog rdo rje) and his mother was Dorje Peldzom (rdo rje dpal ‘dzom). His father was a lineage holder of the Nyingma tradition Yangdak Heruka and Vajrakīla, and he passed these on to his son. According to tradition, soon after birth the goddess Remati took him into her robe and traveled across Tibet for two months.
At the age of fourteen Ralo made his first trip to Kathmandu, arriving in Patan during a period of some political social instability, but great cultural fluorescence. Despite the considerable details of his sojourn there given in the (probably) thirteenth-century hagiography, recent scholarship has shown that little of the information given can be trusted, from the name of the monastery in which he resided to the circumstances of his ordination, where he was given the name Dorje Drak.
Ra Lotsāwa attended the Fire Dragon Religious Conference (me ‘brug chos ‘khor) that convened in 1076 under the sponsorship of King Tsede (mnga ‘ bdad rtse lde, d.u.), the nephew of the famous King Jangchub O (byang chub ‘od, d.u.) of the Guge (gu ge) kingdom in western Tibet. This meeting of many of the the most important teachers or the era, both Tibetan and Indian, was dedicated to encouraging new and more accurate translation work. Following the meeting he went to Kashmir, accompanied by five other young Tibetans, including Ngok Lotsāwa Loden Sherab (rngog blo tsA ba blo ldan shes rab, 1059-1109). Another young man who went with him to India was Nyen Lotsāwa Darma Drak (gnyan lo tsA ba dar ma grags).
Ralo is said to have trained under a master named Bharo, a title given to newly influential members of the merchant class. The Blue Annals gives the teachers name as Bharo Chakdum (bha ro phyag rdum). Bharo was a specialist in the Vajravārahī and Vajrabhairava ritual systems, the transmission of which Ralo received during this first visit. According to the hagiography, during this first trip he already displayed his penchant for magical combat, engaging with a Shaivite teacher whose doctrine he insulted, driving the Shaivite to suicide. In addition he trained with a Mahakaruna, a master in Naropa’s lineage of disciples. From him he received a number of tantric initiations, including the Cakrasaṃvara and the Namasamgiti.
Returning to Tibet, Ralo quickly became enmeshed in clan feuds over property and marriage arrangements, and he used his new magical abilities to do battle with his enemies. Many of his enemies were translators and lamas propagating in competing tantric systems, and Ralo infamously engaged them in combat. Khon Shakya Lodro (‘khon shakya blo gros, d.u.), a member of the Khon family that would later initiate the Sakya tradition and a holder of the same Yangdak Heruka and Vajrakila lineages, saw in Ralo a serious rival to his influence and survival as a sought-after teacher. He accused Ralo of propagating a non-Buddhist teaching, one that would lead all Tibetans to Hell. According to the hagiography Ralo slew Shakya Lodro with the killing rite of Vajrabhairava, and witnesses saw Vajrabharava in the sky carrying the 58-deity maṇḍala of Yandak Heruka as a sign of the Vajrabhairava’s superiority. Shakya Lodro’s disciples and feudal subjects then became disciples of Ralo.
Later a similar contest arose between him and Langlab Jangchub Dorje (lang lab byang chub rdo rje, d.u.), another important Vajrakila master. Ralo had gone to pay his respects to the venerable teacher, but Langlab, like Shakya Lodro, dismissed Ralo as a purveyor of non-Buddhist magic. In the ensuing contest, however, Ralo was defeated, his disciples slain by Langlab’s superior magic. According to the hagiography Ralo then experienced a vision of Tara, who sent him to Nepal for further instructions from Bharo and other Nepali masters. Upon his return to Tibet he once again engaged Langlap, this time emerging victorious and slaying the Nyingma lama.
It was during the second trip south than Ralo is said to have gone to India and ordained at Nalanda.
Ralo claimed to have murdered thirteen lamas. Among them were translator Gyu Monlam Drakpa (rgyus smon lam grags pa, d.u.), the translator of the Cakrasaṃvara Samvarodaya Tantra, Go Lotsāwa Khukpa Letse (‘gos lo tsA ba khug pa lhas brtses, d.u.), the translator of the Guhyasamāja, and Marpa Chokyi Lodro’s (mar pa chos kyi blo ‘gros) son Darma Dode (dar ma mdo sde).
Go Lotsāwa had questioned the legitimacy of Ralo’s teachers, and is said to have engaged in black magic against Ralo, rites drawn from the Guhyasamāja. The conflict drew in hundreds of villages, and some when residents marched against Ralo and accused him of harming them, he conquered them with his magic, leaving them vomiting blood, and Go Lotsāwa lost his life.
In addition to challenging rivals to competing tantric systems, Ralo spent his wealth renovating temples in southern Tsang and Lhato, including Samye (bsam yas), Tibet’s first monastery, which had been damaged by fire in 986. He also sponsored translations, the copying and recitations of scripture, and the installation of statues.
Teachers
- dI paM kA ra raksi ta དཱི་པཾ་ཀཱ་ར་རཀསི་ཏ།
- b+ha ro phyag rdum བྷ་རོ་ཕྱག་རྡུམ།
Students
- chos rab ཆོས་རབ།
Bibliography
- Davidson, Ronald. 2005. Tibetan Renaissance. New York: Columbia University Press, pp. 129-141.
- Decleer, Hubert. 1992. “The Melodious Drumsound All-Pervading: Sacred Biography of Rwa Lotsāwa: about early Lotsāwa rNam thar and Chos ”Byung”. In Tibetan Studies: Proceedings of the 5th Seminar of the International Association for Tibetan Studies, Narita 1989, edited by Ihara Shoren and Yamaguchi Zuiho. Narita: Naritasan Shinshoji, pp. 13-28.
- Decleer, Hubert. 1994-5. “Bajracharya Transmission in XIth Century Chobar: Bharo ”Maimhand”s main disciple Vajrakirti, the translator from Rwa.” Buddhist Himalaya: Journal of Nāgārjuna Institute of Exact Methods, vol. 6, no. 1&2, pp. 1-17.
- Dudjom Rinpoche. 2002. The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism. Gyurme Dorje and Matthew Kapstein, trans. Boston: Wisdom, pp. 713-714.
- Grags pa ‘byung gnas and Rgyal ba blo bzang mkhas grub. 1992. Gangs can mkhas grub rim byon ming mdzod. Lanzhou: Kan su’u mi rigs dpe skrun khang, pp. 1645-1647.
- Ra Yeshé Sengé. The All-Pervading Melodious Drumbeat: The Life of Ra Lotsawa. Translated with an introduction and notes by Bryan J. Cuevas. New York: Penguin Classics, 2015.
- Roerich, George, trans. 1996. The Blue Annals. 2nd ed. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidas, pp. 374-380.
- Ye shes seng ge. 1974. Rwa lo dang thar pa’i rgyal mtshan gyi rnam thar. New Delhi: N. G. Demo.
Source: Alexander Gardner, “Ra Lotsāwa Dorje Drakpa,” Treasury of Lives, accessed July 26, 2018, https://treasuryoflives.org/biographies/view/Ra-Lotsawa-Dorje-Drakpa.
Alexander Gardner is Director and Chief Editor of the Treasury of Lives. He completed his PhD in Buddhist Studies at the University of Michigan in 2007.
Published December 2009
Disclaimer: All rights are reserved by the author. The article is reproduced here for educational purposes only.
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Source: https://treasuryoflives.org/biographies/view/Ra-Lotsawa-Dorje-Drakpa. Click to enlarge.
One can visit this clear and concise website for more information and good reads. I highly recommended this site. The information here on Ra Lotsawa was extracted from this website for non-profit purposes and strictly to disseminate knowledge.
Ra Lotsawa is always depicted in a wrathful stare and body position. He had much opposition to the practices he brought to Tibet. As a result many tried to use supernatural devices to destroy him, which he had to defend himself against. His wrathful demeanour shows his tantric abilities to use wrathful enlightened energies to overcome hexes and obstacles hurled at him.
Solitary Yamantaka or Vajrabhairava
Yamantaka or Vajrabhairava was the special system of Tantra brought and proliferated in Tibet by Ra Lotsawa. Many of the leading Sakya and Nyingma lamas of the days proclaimed that Yamantaka is a demon and should not be worshipped and that Ra Lotsawa was bringing many to the hot hells. They had many magical spells against Ra Lotsawa to stop the proliferation of Yamantaka or they simply wanted to kill him. Some of these lamas were jealous he would attract attention, fame and sponsorship and some were genuinely concerned he was proliferating a demon. Some said no Buddha can have a Buffalo head and there is no valid system of practice of this deity coming from India.
13 Deity Yamantaka
Ra Lotsawa’s personal sacred image of Yamantaka Vajrabhairava. Said to be housed in Samye Monastery in Tibet.
After Thoughts
By Tsem Rinpoche
When Ra Lotsawa taught the Yamantaka series of tantra to people of his time, the famous and established leading lamas of the time, especially leading teachers from Sakya and Nyingma schools of Buddhism, heavily rejected this practice. They discouraged others from attending the initiations and teachings of Yamanataka by Ra Lotsawa. Khon Shakya Lodro, a member of the Khon family and a famous lama was vehemently against Ra Lotsawa and Yamantaka. These famous and powerful established teachers especially Khon Shakya Lodro and Nyingma lama Langlab Jangchub Dorje claimed among many reasons that Yamantaka had no authentic lineage stemming from India or an Indian teacher, therefore it was a false practice, and that Ra Lotsawa practised black magic, that Yamantaka was a demonic practice leading Tibetans to the hells, that Ra Lotsawa was a false teacher leading many astray with this Yamantaka deity.
They claimed that there was no such yidam (meditational deity) with a buffalo’s head and those were non-Buddhist teachings that would lead people to negative states of rebirth. They even teased Ra Lotsawa, asking him if Yamantaka resembles other buffaloes bathing in the muddy waters as buffaloes do, and wiggling its rear end. Being an extremely famous Sakya teacher, Khon Shakya Lodro was very wealthy and established, had great impact on other teachers and spiritual aspirants, and he was very damaging to Ra Lotsawa’s reputation.
Nevertheless, Ra Lotsawa never conceded and persistently proved Yamantaka’s tantra is Buddhist, powerful, worthwhile, authentic and had the generation and completion stages of advanced tantra practices to bring people to the pinnacle of liberation. The famous Sakya teacher Khon Shakya Lodro even challenged Ra Lotsawa to a magic contest to see whose tantric path was superior. It was said Khon Shakya Lodro lost, thus establishing the superiority of the Yamantaka lineage. Ra Lotsawa never backed down from the heavy criticisms leveled at him from famous teachers. In the end Ra Lotsawa proved Yamantaka’s authenticity and that Yamantaka is the very emanation of Manjushri. As the saying goes, the proof is in the pudding where over time when people investigated, studied and practised Yamantaka’s tantra, they can see the powerful results.
Today, Yamantaka’s practice is widespread and without doubt of its authenticity and power. It is one of the main practices of the Gelugpa school of Buddhism recommended by Lord Tsongkapa himself, and it is also practised in Sakya and Kagyu schools. This is very reminiscent of what is happening to the Dorje Shugden practice today, and as time passes many people can see that He is no other than Manjushri and the practice confers great benefits.
Ra Lotsawa Dorje Drakpa. Click on image to enlarge or click here for more beautiful thangkas.
For more interesting information:
- 13-Deity Yamantaka by H.H. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche
- Advice to a YAMANTAKA Initiate
- Ra Lotsāwa Dorje Drakpa
- Langlab Jangchub Dorje
- The Sacred Vajrayogini of Ratsag Monastery
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Ra Lotsawa said to be an emanation of Manjushri was a great tantric master who had used wrathful means to subjugate his opponents. He was declared to be a saint and a fully enlightened Buddha. Many viewed as a murderous villain with magical powers and by some as a liberator of human suffering. Ra Lotsawa used his power and magical abilities to defeat his enemies rather rivals to accumulate wealth. He received many Empowerments and practices, which came into conflict with other lamas. His life offers a rare view into the often overlooked roles of magic and sorcery in the Buddhist tradition. In the book The All-Pervading Melodious Drumbeat tells the story of Ra Lotsawa Dorjé Drak . It was written by Ra Yeshe Sengye, and translated for the first time into English. Despite this obsessed legacy, his fame also rests on an illustrious career as a translator of Buddhist scriptures. Ra Lotsawa was so revered in Tibetan Buddhism even though he was so evil where nobody can denied. Interesting read an classic account of one of the most colourful and memorable figures in Tibetan Buddhist history.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.
Hi everyone,
How are things lately?
I was thinking with the reasoning tsem is using comparing yamantaka with ds how yamantaka was once not accepted and ds could be could the same apply to the devil as how his worship was once not allowed and could that be as well?
Let me know if it’s okay to practice yamantaka then it’s okay to practice ds then if it’s also okay to worship the devil as that once was not acceptable either probably so.
Then of course if it makes sense that the devil can be worshipped as no one is outlawing him when he was once looked down upon then also the same would apply to yamantaka and dorje shugden
Ra lotsawa is known as one of the most powerful psychic power Master in the history of Tibetan Buddhism. It was Ra Lotsawa who brought the Yamantaka tantras practice to Tibet. Viewed by some practitioners as a murderous villain and by others as a liberator of human suffering . He used his magical abilities to defeat his rivals. Despite this known legacy, as a translator of Buddhist scriptures, he has helped spark a renaissance of Buddhism in Tibet within the Nyingma, Sakya, Kagyu and Gelug schools. Many Highly Lamas such as Je Tsongkapa and the 7th Dalai Lama and so forth have even written numerous commentaries on the practice on Yamantaka. Je Tsongkapa highly recommended s meditational path and been practiced in Gaden Shartse Monastery for the past 600 years. Yamantaka is the emanation of Manjushri in wrathful has proven to be a very beneficial practice.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing.
Tashi Delek Rinpoche, Kechara Pastors and Friends! Thank you for posting, having just begun ‘The All Pervading Melodious Drumbeat’ Written by Ra Yeshe Sengye, the nephew of Ra Lotsawa Dorje Drak, this is an excellent introduction to read prior to starting the translation by Bryan Cuevas; Penguin Random House 2015.
In reading this blog concerning the life of Ra Lotsawa-The Yamantaka Hero, we discover the parallels and relative commonality surrounding the present issue of the practice of Dorje Shugden. Comparing the similarities between the persecution of those who would propitiate and practice the forms of Yamantaka in the past, and that of the current prejudice towards those who choose veneration and reliance upon Dorje Shugden, one is enlightened as to the future course of events that shall surely see Dorje Shugden rise above speculation, misunderstanding, hatred, ignorance and desires. May history repeat itself in this regard and may this world know peace.
The Library of Tibetan Works and Archives is in Dharamsala, which is broken into two parts. Upper Dharamsala is where the Dalai Lama’s palace is located with his audience room and main prayer hall. It is also the location of the Dialectics School, Gaden Shartse’s guesthouse, restaurants, tourist hotels and main tourist areas.
A short ride down takes you to the lower part of Dharamsala where the Tibetan government is located. It is the location of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile, Nechung monastery, the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, the Tibetan arts centre…it’s all in one area. And the reason why it’s split into upper and lower Dharamsala is because the area is mountainous.
The Library of Tibetan Works and Archives was established by the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government to preserve all the ancient texts – both secular and spiritual – of Tibet and in the process, translate them into various languages like English. This book, Overview of Buddhist Tantra, by Panchen Sonam Drakpa was one of the books translated into English. What’s very interesting is that the book very clearly says that Panchen Sonam Drakpa’s previous life is Duldzin Drakpa Gyaltsen, one of the five main disciples of Lama Tsongkhapa. It also says that after that, he was Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen.
So the book is basically saying that Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen, Panchen Sonam Drakpa and Duldzin Drakpa Gyaltsen – the three Drakpas – are of the same mindstream.
Now that’s very peculiar because if Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen’s previous life is Panchen Sonam Drakpa, the renowned composer of 45 volumes of Dharma texts, the abbot of three monasteries AND the 15th Gaden Tripa, the holder of Lama Tsongkhapa’s throne…if that’s the case, how can Panchen Sonam Drakpa take rebirth as Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen and become an evil spirit and have a negative mind?
Prior to Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen, he was Panchen Sonam Drakpa and before that, he was Duldzin Drakpa Gyaltsen, a heart disciple of Lama Tsongkhapa. How can a heart disciple of Lama Tsongkhapa reincarnate as the erudite master Panchen Sonam Drakpa, and then die and reincarnate as Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen…and then Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen, due to a bad and negative prayer, become the evil spirit Dorje Shugden? How is that possible? Logically, it’s not.
What’s incredible is that all of this was printed by the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives under the Dalai Lama’s guidance. They contradict themselves because on one hand, the Tibetan leaders say Dorje Shugden is an evil spirit. On the other hand they’re printing a book saying that Panchen Sonam Drakpa, whose later incarnation became Dorje Shugden, is of this illustrious mindstream.
So how can the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, which is under the auspices of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government, print the translation of a book composed by the previous incarnation of a so-called evil spirit? How can they then say in the book that Panchen Sonam Drakpa’s previous life is Duldzin Drakpa Gyaltsen, & his next life was Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen?
Prior to the Dorje Shugden ban and controversy, everyone in Tibet knew that Dorje Shugden is Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen, that Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen is Panchen Sonam Drakpa, and that Panchen Sonam Drakpa is Duldzin Drakpa Gyaltsen. The three Drakpas, they are one mindstream emanating again and again to benefit other beings.
And as we all know, Tulku Drakpa Gyaltsen became Dorje Shugden so it totally doesn’t make sense to call him an evil spirit, then highlight all of his previous lives as erudite masters, and publish all of this information under their own library. So you can see the contradictions. You can read all of this for yourself in Overview of Buddhist Tantra, which was printed by the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives.
—–
OVERVIEW OF BUDDHIST TANTRA
GENERAL PRESENTATION OF THE CLASSES OF TANTRA,
CAPTIVATING THE MINDS OF THE FORTUNATE ONES
rgyud sde spyi’i rnam par bzhag pa
skal bzang gi yid ‘phrog ces bya ba bzhugs so
BY
PANCHEN SONAM DRAGPA
(Pan-chen bSod-nams grags-pa, 1478-1554)
O Choje Sonam Dragpa Pel! (Chos-rje bSod-nams grags-pa-dpal!)
In the vast expanse of Your bodhi-mind,
The mind that the Buddhas have lauded for as many as
one hundred times,
You have developed “merit” shining like the sun.
Through Your skill in learning, debate and writing,
As illuminating as one hundred thousand sun rays,
You have developed in You a complete knowledge of
the entire sutras and tantras,
Resembling a garden of flowers in full bloom.
The power of Your speech is like the sun;
The fame of your name has reached the three realms of
this world.
O Sonam Dragpa, the teacher of teachers!
I bow down at your feet.
In the vast garden of Your great teachings,
The intelligent young people gather for
The ‘six ultimates’ and the ‘four modes of transmission,’
Just as they are attracted to
The one hundred thousand types of nectar
Dripping from a flower of one hundred petals.
May I be able to experience
The taste of the secret tantra!
Panchen Choje Sonam Dragpa Pel (Panchen Chos-rje bSod-nams grags-pa-dpal), the holder of sutra and Vajrayana teachings, was a master whose outstanding learning and spiritual accomplishments are well known by all the learned ones in Tibet. His first incarnation came in the form of one of the five prestigious disciples of Lord Tsongkhapa (Tsong-kha-pa) and became known as Vinaya Holder (Dulzin) Dragpa Gyaltsen (Gragspa rgyal-mtshan). Then came Panchen Sonam Dragpa Pel (Panchen bSod-nams grags-pa-dpal), the author of the present text. The next was Nagri Tulku Dragpa Gyaltsen (mNga’-ris sPrul-sku Grags-pa rgyal-mtshan). In this way, a line of his incarnations, each with the Dragpa (gragspa) surname, followed successively.
Panchen Sonam Dragpa Pel (Panchen bSod-nams grags-pa-dpal) was born in the 14th century in Tsetang (rTsed-thang) in the Lhoka (Lho-kha) region of Central Tibet. He entered the great seat of learning, Sera Thekchenling (Se-ra theg-chen-gling) monastic university, where he became the personal disciple of spiritual master Donyo Dangden (Dhon-yod dang-ldan) and His Holiness the Second Dalai Lama Gedun Gyatso (dGe-‘dun rgya-mtsho). Under them, he studied the entire teachings of sutra, tantra and their commentaries, and became known for his outstanding learning. He also received from them the empowerments, reading transmissions, guides and instructions of the entire body of spiritual training. On becoming the fully blessed one, the Dalai Lama appointed him the abbot of the Loseling (Blo-gsalgling) college, one of the four colleges of Drepung (‘Bras-dpung)- the most prestigious monastic university in Tibet before 1959, with over 10,000 monks on its register. He continued to be the abbot of this college for the next six years; and after him the tenure for each of his successors in this position was fixed for a period of six years, a rule that is followed even today.
He was then appointed the head of the Gelugpa (dGe-lugs-pa) order, the throne holder of Gaden (dGa’-ldan), thus becoming the 15th regent of Lord Tsongkhapa (Tsong-khapa), the second Buddha. In his eulogy to him, Khedrub Gelek Pelsang (mKhas-grub dGe-legs dpal- bzang) says:
O Lama, the second successor of the Unsubduable One,
The regent of the Lord of Dharma,
You are the one who made the virtuous qualities thrive;
You are the one who ascended to the golden throne uplifted
by the fearless lions.
May Your success thrive forever!
He continued to be the throne holder for the next seven years, during which time he promoted the spread of Lord Tsongkhapa’s (Tsong-kha-pa) precious teachings, the Gelug (dGe-lugs) tradition, across the land in all directions. He also paid special attention to the practice of monastic rules and the learning and meditation of Buddhism in the monasteries such as Sera (Se-ra), Drepung (‘Bras-spungs), Kyomolung (sKyo-mo-lung), Phagmo Chode (Phag-mo chos-sde), Nyeding (Nye-sdings), Ödna (’Od-sna) and Chöde Rinchen (Chos-sde rin-chen) etc. and improved them to a great extent. He taught the Third Dalai Lama Sonam Gyatso (bSod-nams rGya-mtsho) as the latter’s spiritual master. It was from him that the Dalai Lama received the name Sonam (bSod-nams).
His contributions in the literary field are enormous; and, indeed, they are the most valuable of all his contributions. Tsongkhapa (Tsong-kha-pa) has rightly said:
Of all one’s deeds,
The ‘deeds of speech’ are the most valuable.
Panchen Sonam Dragpa Pel (Panchen bSod-nams grags-pa-dpal) was a person with an extraordinary talent for teaching, debate and writing. In his colophon to Bu mey chi don zab don sel wey dron mey (dBu ma’i spyi don zab don gsal ba’i sgron me), he wrote:
In the field of teaching, I am [next to none!] Knowing that
I would outdo them in this field, Arya Asanga and his
brother transmigrated into another realm.
In the field of debate, I am [next to none!] Knowing that
I would find out the areas they had contradicted and
that I would examine them and put forth my arguments,
the logician Dignaga (Digh-naga) and Dharmakirti tactfully
bypassed me.
In the field of writing, I am [next to none!] [In my eyes,]
Arya-sura was just good at spreading the works, which
are like ‘disputes~ between an insect and a field.’
I am the learned man. Peerless in the field of teaching,
debate and writing!
For some this passage might sound utterly nonsensical, but the most learned master of our age, the talented teacher, logician and writer, the late tutor to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Yongdzin Trijang Dorjechang (Yongs-‘dzin Khri-byang rDorje-‘Chang), said: “Now, some people of our time, who consider themselves learned scholars, think that this is utter nonsense; but they are wrong.”
Panchen Sonam Dragpa Pel (Panchen bSod-nams grags-pa-dpal) wrote over 45 volumes of books dealing with many different subjects, such as the commentaries on the sutras and tantras, the saddhana manuals of the tutelary deities, history, religious history and so forth. Among these, one that is very important for all who wish to learn and meditate on the path-of the practical aspect of Buddhism in general and that of Vajrayana in particular is the Leg shey gyu de chi nam par shagpa kelsang gi yi trod (Legs bshad rgyud sde spyi’i rnam par bzhag pa skal bzang gi yid ‘phrod). In this book, he has explained precisely how the four tantras differ from one another. He has also fully described the stages of the two spontaneous path practices of the Vajrayana tradition, dealing with the ‘six ultimates’ and the ‘four modes of transmission’, thus interpreting without mistake the intention of Adhi-Buddha Vajradhara.
May the reprint of this text, which the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives is publishing herewith, bring peace and happiness in this world!
Prof. Nawang Jinpa
St. Joseph’s College
Darjeeling
January 24 1996
Here we see a Bhutanese woman confirming that His Holiness the 4th Zhabdrung Rinpoche wrote prayers to Dorje Shugden. At first people did not believe that Zhabdrung Rinpoche actually composed the prayers, but people went to check with their monastic authorities, and they confirmed that the prayers were real. Before this, she had vehemently said that there were no such prayers and that she would go to check and then prove that the prayers were false. She must have gone to check and ask about Zhabdrung Rinpoche’s prayers to Dorje Shugden. As we said, the prayers are real but she still cannot accept the fact, even with all the proof.
Some Bhutanese feel like they cannot openly acknowledge that the article on Zhabdrung Rinpoche’s composition of prayers to Dorje Shugden is true, because it would mean that the Je Khenpo and Bhutanese sold and betrayed their own lineage. So even though they now admit that they prayers are real, they keep saying that he is just a minor deity and in any case, the Je Khenpo banned the practice. But if Dorje Shugden was just a minor deity, why would both Zhabdrung Rinpoche and Drubwang Tenzin Zangpo have composed such extensive prayers to Dorje Shugden? If Bhutan’s founding fathers like Zhabdrung Rinpoche promoted the practice of Dorje Shugden, why is someone like the Je Khenpo, whose position was originally created by the 1st Zhabdrung Rinpoche, banning the practice? Why do they want to go against what Zhabdrung Rinpoche did? If they do that, why do not they ban the entire country of Bhutan, because he founded that too.
They also claim that thangkas of Zhabdrung Rinpoche with Dorje Shugden are fake. However, there is no such thing as a fake thangka, because when someone has faith, they commission it, place it on their shrine and accept it. How can a thangka be fake when it has been individually commissioned? There is no rule or guideline what someone can or cannot put on a thangka. It is up to a person’s personal choice. That means there is no such thing as a fake thangka.
This woman came back on social media and confessed that the prayers are real. Even though she was still shocked, angry and dismayed, she told the truth. She could have kept quiet but she did not. Through all her debates and denials, she still had the honesty to leave a comment and admit that the prayers were real. When people can accept something, even though it may make them uncomfortable or angry, it means that they are practicing the Dharma. Dorje Shugden was practiced by the 4th Zhabdrung, and even though it may be an uncomfortable thought to some, it is clear and proven to be the case.
The 4th Zhabdrung Rinpoche of Bhutan and Dorje Shugden
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/the-4th-zhabdrung-rinpoche-of-bhutan-and-dorje-shugden.html
不丹国第四世夏仲仁波切与多杰雄登
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/dorje-shugden/the-4th-zhabdrung-rinpoche-of-bhutan-and-dorje-shugden-chinese.html
འབྲུག་གི་ཞབས་དྲུང་བཞི་པ་རིན་པོ་ཆེ་དང་རྡོ་རྗེ་ཤུགས་ལྡན།
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/buddhas-dharma/the-4th-zhabdrung-rinpoche-of-bhutan-and-dorje-shugden-tibetan.html
sometimes good people do bad things, sometimes bad people do good things, hard to be objective, hard to judge.
I pay homage to Ra Lotsawa and Je Tsongkhapa
And Je Tsongkhapa’s ‘Jig byed ser po text is such a treasure!The Yellow Yamantaka text by Je Tsongkhapa !
Dear Tsem Rinpoche — please help spread Je Tsongkhapa’s ‘jigs byed ser po text and practice.The exact name of the text is : ‘jigs byed ser po la brten pa’i shin tu zab pa’i man ngag .
谢谢仁波切的分享。
原来大威德金刚来到西藏还有那么的一段典故。 最初大威德金刚也被当时的很多佛教大师认为是邪灵， 而与Ra Lotsawa 斗法等等。
这个情况就如同现在的多杰雄登课题一样。 多杰雄登也被一部分人或大师认为是邪灵。 不过真金不怕红炉火， 大威德金刚现在是数一数二的无上瑜伽密续， 在不同的传承中都有大威德金刚法门流传。
这些都是一些过程， Ra Lotsawa 当初因为广传大威德金刚法门而成为众矢之的， 不过他也没有因为如此而放弃这个无上的法门， 继续弘扬这个法门。 就因为他的坚持， 现在大威德金刚法门是如此的被人尊敬， 也利益了无数人。
在多杰雄登课题上也一样， 我们多杰雄登修持者不会因为禁令而放弃这个法门， 因为这个是可以利惠众生的法门。 想必在未来多杰雄登法门也会成为一个主流法门。
谢谢
Thank you for writing this article to let us know how Yamantaka practice was also once accused / misunderstood as an demonic practice. Very similar to Dorje Shugden indeed. For the article, I have learnt a few things:
1. Some famous Lamas due to their insecurity or jealousy would put down another practice so that there would be no ‘threat’ to their social status. I find it disturbing, as a practitioners, we should let go of 8 wordly concerns with the motivation of liberating ourselves and others through our practice. Lamas or monks can also be driven by their greed and insecurity.
2. Tara has made appearance to many hight attained masters, gave them advice and instructions to benefit all sentient beings. Ralo had vision of Tara, Atisha had vision of Tara, Takpu Pemavajra had visions of Tara.
3. Both Yamantaka and Dorje Shugden are the emanation of Manjushri in wrathful form. Yamantaka practice has proven its efficacy even though in the beginning it was not easy at all getting accused and suppressed by some famous lamas. I believe Dorje Shugden practice would be the same as Yamantaka practice, eventually it will become a main practice and will as effective as Yamantaka practice if not more.
4. Whatever the practitioners are going through now are due to our karmas, not because Buddha wants us to suffer.
Yamantaka practice was condemned by many people when Ra Lotasws started teaching the practices to his students. He faced many criticism by many highly revered masters but he continued on because of his strong faith and believe. No negative actions could shake him off his faith. It was much later when Je Tsongkhapa found the practice and started to dwell more in it aht he found Yamantake practice to be beneficial and he had received many good omens from the practice. From there, Je Tsongkhapa introduced the practice to his students and as they say, the rest was history. It has become a mainstream practice in the Gelug tradition.
This is the same as Dorje Shugden practice where currently it is facing many negative backlash because Dorje Shugden was labeled as a devil. This has caused the divide in the Tibetan community and Shugden practitioners are being discriminated and abused. But Dorje Shugden practice is being practiced by many high masters like Trijang Rinpoche who has gained benefits and have benefited many people. Let’s pray that history will repeat itself and free the Dorje Shugden practitioners being hated and bullied. The Dalai Lama has recently stated in one of his teachings in Europe that everyone is free to practice Dorje Shugden and that he does not forbid anyone from propitiating Dorje Shugden. He also states that the TIbetan cause is not affected by people practicing Dorje Shugden.
Here is the article: https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/current-affairs/dalai-lama-says-we-can-practise-dorje-shugden-finally.html
Let’s pray that it is the beginning of the end.
Sad but true that sometimes in our society or rather degerate era, people tends to be attracted to negative news or stories before they take interest in certain subject. This post of Yamantaka reminds me of how since the impose of Dorje Shugden ban has been creating a lot of havoc in the Buddhist world and many damages have been done. Thanks to many DS Lamas i.e Tsem Rinpoche, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche and Gangchen Rinpoche who tirelessly protecting and upholding this practice that we are still able to practice it today.
Similarly, Ra Lotsawa in order to protect and proliferate Yamantaka practice, he had to commit negativities like murdering high lamas through magic battles. The act of Ra Lotsawa for most of his life contributed to the continuation of Yamantaka practice i.e restoring monasteries could tell he is real Boddhisattva of the time. It seems like the powerful and beneficial yidams just tend to have such controversial way of spreading, to suit the level of our mind at this era.
Why do I see Ra Lotsawa’s personal sacred image of Yamantaka Vajrabhairava as BAM ?
Dear Rinpoche
Thank you for this amazing post. I was in awe reading it. It dawn upon me that DS issue is not the first divine play by the highly realised masters. Because Ra Lotsawa was very persistent in his Yamantaka practice against all oppositions, today Yamantaka is a well known practice and known to be very potent in bringing practitioners to gain realisation and eventually bring them to enlightenment. I have no doubt that DS is the same.
Valentina
Dear Rinpoche ,
This article reminds of me Dorje Shugden’s practice. Like Yamantaka practice in its early stages, he was said to be a demon and alot of famous lama are against it. It was until Lama Tsongkhapa practice it himself and gain attainment, people started to realise their mistake and accept it and it is practised widely.
Dorje Shugden is an enlightened buddha but he was said to be a spirit. Alot of Shugden practitioners have high attainments such as H.H Trijang Rinpoche and H.H Zong Rinpoche. Their new reincarnation has been identified and they are still actively turning the wheel of dharma. This shows that Dorje Shugden practice will not deviate us from dharma or sent us to hell.
Chris
Ra Lotsawa has been a pioneer and root teacher spreading Yamantaka teachings and lineage in Tibet. With great effort, compassion and strength, the obstacles was overcome. This historical recount is very similar to Dorje Shugden ban at this moment. There are lots of accusations, obstacles, criticism, physical attack to both Guru and students. H.E. the 25th Tsem Rinpoche has been persistent and compassionately spreading the lineage and teachings of Dorje Shugden benefitting the world, this protector would be just like Yamantaka, becomes the main practice and famous all over later on.
P/S, both Yamantaka and Dorje Shugden is the emanation of Manjushri, perhaps something that is great benefits like Manjushri, just before the teachings take off becomes main stream, most of the people’s karma needs to be purify?
I love this story on Ra Lotsawa and how He triumph over all those who wrongly accused Him, who shunned him, who challenged Him and rise above all the negativities. How the high Lamas perceived Yamantaka to be a demon and a demonic practice is EXACTLY what is happening and perceived with Dorje Shugden right now! I just cannot believe the similarities and how HISTORY is REPEATING itself AND that THEY ARE BOTH (Yamantaka & DOrje Shugden) are MANJUSHRI too! I mean what could be more obvious than tant.
Bottom line is TRUTH is TRUTH and no matter what no one can harm, hurt, kill, or stop an Enlightened beings simply because He/She is an Enlightened Buddha, period. Humans are truly sometimes so ignorant… I hope, pray and wish the day will come soon when all those who criticise Dorje Shugden will repent and I know Dorje Shugden will accept and love and help them just the same as He is a Boddhisattva.
Ra Lotsawa kind of reminds me of what Rinpoche and many other Dorje Shugden lamas like H.H. Pabongka Choktrul Rinpoche and H.H. Trijang Choktrul Rinpoche and H.E. Gangchen Rinpoche etc all have to go through because of the ridiculous, injustice, illogical ban on Dorje Shugden… just like how it was in the past they condemned Ra Lotsawa for teaching Yamantake… now look how we’re dying to receive Yamantaka and all the main big monasteries practice them!
Here is a new and excellent translation of Ra Lotsawa’s extensive biography
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0142422614/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1446304900&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=ra+lotsawa&dpPl=1&dpID=51L6UBUjaHL&ref=plSrch
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you for the teachings on Yamantaka, how it was brought to Tibet, how it was opposed by many lamas back then, how this practice was thought to be a non-Buddhist practice, the many obstacles Ra Lotsawa faced spreading this extremely beneficial practice. This is a very encouraging story and it gives DS practitioners hope.
Many might think DS is a spirit, a demon, but look at the achievements of the DS lamas, the good deeds they have done, the teachings these Lamas are giving, nothing about them is evil. On this basis, we must be firm with our practice and have faith in our teacher.
感谢仁波切的教诲
在这个帖子中，让我感到惊讶的是，原来现在我们所修持的密续大威德金刚修持法门，在当初的那一个年代，也曾受到攻击与毁谤，并被认为是邪灵。
这和多杰雄登护法的禁令有着非常相似的地方，被攻击与毁谤并被认为是邪灵，然而有一个非常有趣的点是（两者都是智慧文殊菩萨的化身），看来文殊菩萨的智慧是在为我们不同阶段与年代里所不同的业力关系的众生，安排着一幕幕让我们能够更加有力与善巧的方式让我们跟容易接触与修持佛法的戏码。
我感动的部分是，在热罗大师的故事里，仿佛我看见了仁波切一样的慈悲与坚定的地方，无论热罗大师当时背负着大威德金刚是邪灵的罪名，与现在詹杜固仁波切背负着多杰雄登是邪灵的情况是一样的，他们即使遭到攻击与伤害，但是为了利益众生与守着与自己上师的那一份承诺（在藏传佛教，上师依止心是修法的一切根本）与三昧耶戒律，他们慈悲的宁愿自己背负着这一切，也没有半点抱怨。谁又能够保证，在很快的若干时间过去，多杰雄登护法将会与大威德金刚的旅程一样，都被认证为是最纯正与强大的修持法门。（别忘了，他们都是文殊菩萨的化身；））
谢谢仁波切，祈愿您长住在世，长转法轮
Jerry Sito