A statue of the prolific translator and esteemed lama Loden Sherab

The word ‘Lotsawa’ literally means ‘translator’ in the Tibetan language. It is a formal title that was given to the esteemed lama named Loden Sherab for his contribution to the early dissemination of Buddhism in Tibet. He is considered one of the most renowned translators in the Tibetan literary tradition and regarded as one of the ‘Ten Pillars of Tibetan Buddhism’, a group of translators foundational for Buddhism’s spread in Tibet. He is sometimes known as Ngok Lotsawa Loden Sherab or by his pen name, Matiprajna, in certain texts; he is also known for being one of the previous incarnations of Dorje Shugden. It was in this lifetime that he created a powerful bond with the Dharma Protector Setrap Chen, by introducing his practice to Tibet.

Loden Sherab was born into the Ngok clan in 1059 CE to Ngok Chokyab, his father, and Pelmo, his mother. He was the nephew of the Kadampa master, Ngok Lekpai Sherab (1018-1115 CE), who was one of the three foremost disciples of the great Indian master, Dipamkara Srijnana Atisha.

Sangpu Neutog Monastery, one of the most important monastic seats of that period

Loden Sherab’s education for the first 17 years of his life was handled by his uncle and in 1073 CE, his uncle founded one of the most important monastic seats of that period, Sangpu Neutog Monastery. The monastery was founded in fulfilment of a prophecy spoken by Atisha himself to safeguard the Kadampa lineage. Later, his uncle, acting as the abbot of the monastery, ordained him and gave him his ordination name – Loden Sherab. It was under his uncle that Loden Sherab studied and mastered the Madhyamaka (Middle Way View), valid cognition, and the Five Treatises of Maitreya and its commentarial corpus.

Journey to India

Not long after receiving ordination, Loden Sherab was invited to the great Fire Dragon Conference, known as Medruk Chokhor in Tibetan, which was a large gathering of the most important Buddhist scholars, masters and thinkers of that era. It was held in 1076 CE under the patronage of King Tsede, the nephew of the famous King Jangchub O of the Guge Kingdom in Western Tibet, and was attended by not just Tibetan translators and teachers but also Indian and Kashmiri pandits as well. The conference was meant to facilitate and encourage new and even more accurate translation works, amongst other aims. One of the initiatives to achieve this aim was to send bright young prospective Tibetans to India to study the Sanskrit language. Loden Sherab was amongst those handpicked to be sent on a long and arduous journey to Kashmir, India.

Ra Lotsawa Dorje Drakpa (top left) who, along with Loden Sherab and four other Tibetans, was handpicked to travel to Kashmir, India. Ra Lotsawa is also considered to be one of Dorje Shugden’s previous incarnations (bottom right). Click on the image for more free downloads.

Loden Sherab set out on the journey with five other Tibetan companions, including Nyen Lotsawa Dharma Drak, another famous translator. In fact, all five of them went on to become very famous in their respective regions and luminaries in the teachings they proliferated, but it was Ra Lotsawa Dorje Drakpa (1016-1128 CE) who eventually become the most famous amongst them. Ra Lotsawa is also considered to be one of Dorje Shugden’s previous incarnations.

They first arrived in Kashmir and spent some time in the great city of Anupama, famed for its incomparable beauty. The city is known today as Srinagar. While at the city’s monastic institution, Loden Sherab began his translation work with several Kashmiri pandits including Bhavyaraja (known as Kalden Gyalpo in Tibetan) who also attended the Fire Dragon Conference in Tibet but was not Buddhist. They worked mainly on the translation of treatises on logic, as it was the tradition of the day for the study of logic to be an ecumenical interest of all spiritual traditions in India. In fact, scholars critiqued each other’s treatises on logic, regardless of religion. Aside from this master, Loden Sherab also worked with others including the famous Parahitabhadra and Sajjana.

It was while studying in Kashmir that Loden Sherab was able to fulfil his dream. He undertook the long journey to go on pilgrimage to the central Gangetic Plains of India, where Bodhgaya is located, in order to pay homage at the Vajrasana Shrine, the seat of Buddha Shakyamuni’s enlightenment.

His time soon came to an end in India and he returned to Tibet. As he left, Loden Sherab extended an invitation to several great pandits to return with him to Tibet in order to continue working on more translations.

Taking the Practice of Setrap to Tibet

The Dharma Protector Setrap, whose practice Loden Sherab introduced to Tibet

According to the original fulfilment liturgy (known as a ‘kangsol’ in Tibetan) dedicated to Setrap, the practice originally arose in India and was brought to Tibet by Ngok Lotsawa Loden Sherab. Just before returning to Tibet, the abbot of a monastery in Bodhgaya entrusted Setrap to Loden Sherab. The abbot clairvoyantly knew that an extraordinary protector was needed to safeguard the teachings as they were being transmitted into Tibet. It is said that he entered the protector chapel of his monastery and made requests for a protector who would journey with Loden Sherab. Only Setrap manifested an answer and was thus chosen to escort Loden Sherab.

During his journey to Tibet, Loden Sherab wanted to ascertain the nature of Setrap and if he was enlightened or not, so he used his meditative powers for this purpose. As they travelled, they came across a river which they needed to cross. Loden Sherab requested Setrap to ferry him across the lake, so Setrap picked him and began to cross to the other side. As he was being carried over, Loden Sherab arose as his yidam (meaning he entered the meditative absorption of his meditational Buddha-deity) and ‘pressed down’ on Setrap with his feet. Setrap was still able to lift him up and carry him to the far side of the shore. This meant that Setrap was enlightened as he was equal to Loden Sherab’s meditative powers. In fact, through his act, he showed that he has tremendous abilities to protect and provide for practitioners on the path to enlightenment. Unenlightened beings would not have had the strength to hold up Loden Sherab due to his meditative powers.

After the practice of Setrap arrived in Tibet, this wrathful emanation of Amitabha was enthroned as the Dharma Protector Sangpu Neutog Monastery, pictured here.

After arriving in Tibet, Loden Sherab enthroned Setrap as the protector of Sangpu Neutog Monastery, founded by his uncle, Ngok Lekpai Sherab. It is said that Setrap manifested certain signs of displeasure as the Tibetan landscape was not what he was used to since he came from India. Loden Sherab then pulled out some of his hair, recited sacred mantras and threw it to the ground. A large jungle manifested, replete with tropical animals such as elephants, tigers, peacocks and others. Such an environment is actually indigenous of India and was familiar to Setrap, which made him feel happy.

Loden Sherab (middle right) pictured here with his personal Dharma Protector Setrap (top left). In a future lifetime, he took rebirth as Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen and upon Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen’s murder, arose as Dorje Shugden (bottom left). Click on the image for more free downloads.

This offering was made not so much to appease Setrap but to create the merits necessary to establish his protective blessings for the Dharma to be proliferated into the future, especially those proliferated in this monastery. This special relationship between the lama and the protector became a recurring theme in Loden Sherab’s later incarnation as Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen, who arose as the Dharma Protector Dorje Shugden. This time, it was Setrap who was said to have enthroned Dorje Shugden amongst the great established Dharma Protectors like Mahakala, Palden Lhamo and so forth.

Loden Sherab went on to become foremost in the Mind Training teachings during his time and established Sangpu Neutog Monastery as one of the most prestigious monasteries in Tibet. In his biography it states that he translated over 137,000 verses and taught innumerable students the topics of philosophy, logic and tantric practice. Hearing of his works and deeds, so many students came to study with him that when he gave formal lectures, 20,000 people would attend. After such lectures, Loden Sherab enlisted up to 2,000 assistant teachers to give further explanations and teachings.

A woodblock print of Loden Sherab

Eventually Sangpu Neutog Monastery became affiliated with Gaden Monastery, when the Kadampa Lineage and its practices were absorbed into the Gelug Lineage. Later, a major fire broke out at Sangpu Neutog Monastery, which resulted in many of its monks transferring over to Gaden. These monks were housed in Shartse College of Gaden Monastery and they brought along with them the practice of propitiating Setrap. Over time and out of the many other Dharma Protectors, Setrap was chosen by the senior monks to be the Protector of Gaden Shartse Monastery.

Loden Sherab’s Legacy

Not only was Loden Sherab a prolific translator but he was also an author who composed many texts.

Loden Sherab was not only famous for his translation works but also for composing texts too, the most notable being the Stages of the Teaching, a Lam Rim text in the tradition of Lama Atisha, covering the entirety of the path to enlightenment.

Amongst Loden Sherab’s numerous students, Shang Tsepongwa Choky Lama and Drolungpa Lodro Jungne were the closest and they in turn became great masters themselves. His last instruction to them was of the impermanence of our current physical bodies. To us now, our bodies seem to be sturdy as a mountain but in fact, they are easily lost like a bubble bursting. He urged them to study the Three Baskets of the Buddha’s Words, the Tripitaka, which are Vinaya (discipline), Sutra (discourses of the Buddha), and Abdhidharma (further analytical doctrine).

Loden Sherab entered clear light in the year 1109, amidst the signs of the passing of a highly realised master.

Shang Tsepongwa went on to preside over Sangpu Neutog Monastery, while Drolungpa became a master of scripture. Drolungpa composed many texts including a long commentary on Lama Atisha’s Lam Rim text A Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment. Drolungpa named his text Great Treatise on the Stages of the Teaching. When the founder of the Gelug tradition, Lama Tsongkhapa, was composing his own Lam Rim text, he did so mostly in accord with this text by Drolungpa. Lama Tsongkhapa’s text known as the Lam Rim Chenmo, or Great Stages on the Path to Enlightenment went on to become the backbone of the entire Gelug tradition.

Ngok Lotsawa Loden Sherab entered clear light in 1109 CE at Mari, in the same district as the famed Samye Monastery, the first Buddhist monastery constructed in Tibet. According to his biography, there was a light earthquake at the moment of his passing, rainbows appeared with many strange lights and celestial music could be heard in the area, all signs of the passing of a great master.

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