3 Responses to TANTRA teachings by Tsem Rinpoche

1. 

   Tsem Rinpoche on Nov 20, 2018 at 2:31 pm

   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 & 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, and 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 24th, 1996

   

   

   

   

   

   Panchen-Sonam-Dragpa-Overview-of-Buddhist-Tantra-1.pdf

   Reply
2. 

   Jacinta Goh on Oct 15, 2017 at 6:48 pm

   Having and getting Initiations or empowerments are very powerful method to quickly realise Dharma and gaining realisations with the motivation to gain enlightenment and be of benefits to all. However, we must have firm and solid ground before we embark this journey through highway. Thanks Pastors for putting all these videos together here so that we can quickly glance what we needed to do.

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   • 

     Jacinta Goh on Sep 3, 2023 at 11:19 am

     I’m surprise and happy at the same time, reading back what I’ve written. Although I’m travelling far slower than many others but I’m glad I’ve persevered this far and hopefully continue till the end of this life. Thank you Rinpoche for being present in my life, always. Because of Your words that have been imprinted in my mind that have pushed me this far ( through listening to your teachings and really thanks Pastor Seng Piow for this article.)

     Since 2021, I’ve been attending classes, reading and trying to practice Lamrim and with that, I will try to preserve. Hopefully tantra is not far-fetched. By then, with fingers crossed, I can practice the best I can.

     Reply