My Stop at Phelgyeling Monastery Where Gelong Tamdrin Helped Me
Gelong Tamdrin looking at one of our Chinese books, produced by our publishing house called Kechara Media & Publications
Whenever I go to Nepal, I will always make sure to visit a few places. Of course Boudha Stupa is one of them. I also recommend my friends go to the Bijyaswari Temple to pay homage to the very sacred and holy Vajra Yogini there, and the incredible Self-Arising Vajra Yogini in Sankhu. Nepal really is a wonderful country with so many power places. So for many years already, I have been going to these types of pilgrimage places which my monk friends introduced me to over the years.
My first trip to Nepal was many, many years ago when I stayed there for a while to finalise some works. At that time I was staying in Sampheling Monastery which is located in the vicinity of the Boudha Stupa. Being fresh from the USA, it was extremely exciting because I could step outside the monastery doors and immediately in front of me was the incredible Stupa. I could do my prayers, prostrations, circumambulations and all of that there. It would always be crowded because there were thousands of people circumambulating, doing their shopping, making offerings and it was just so, so nice to be there. Being in that type of environment is exactly what I had dreamed of for so many years in America and finally I was there.
Magnificent Swayambhunath Stupa. By the time I left that day, it was too late to get a taxi and very dark. That is why I had to ask for help from a monastery, which later turned out to be Phelgyeling.
Anyway one afternoon, I decided to make a trip to Swayambhunath Stupa which is around 30 minutes drive from the Boudha area or two hours if you walk. I went there to circumambulate around the holy stupa and to offer butterlamps and do my sadhana there. Before I knew it, it was already very late. It was around 7 to 8pm which doesn’t sound so bad but you have to remember, this was 30 years ago. Back then, there were no street lamps in the area and due to the time of day, there were no cars on the road, no shops open at that time. When the stupa closed, pretty much everything in the area closed too.
The possible routes from Swayambhunath to Boudha, where I was staying in Sampheling Monastery. Because it was so late at night, there were no taxis available to take me back to Sampheling. I could have walked but I did not know the way plus it was extremely dark.
So there I was standing in the dark and thinking what to do. I had very, very little money so staying in a hotel was out of the question and anyway, I didn’t know if there was a hotel nearby. There was no one around that I could ask for help from and there were no taxis at all. I started to get a little worried because it was already so late and being winter, it was also very cold. It was extremely dark and I had no idea how to walk back to the Boudha area where I was staying. Even if I knew how to walk back, the journey was something like 2 to 3 hours by foot. Which wasn’t so bad because I was young and could walk fast but I didn’t know how to get back there.
While I was contemplating my options, I was walking around the base of the Swayambhunath Hill and came across a set of large monastery gates. So I knocked on the gate and a short while later, an old monk came to open the gate.
He didn’t speak any English and I didn’t speak much Tibetan at the time, but somehow I managed to convey to him that I needed help. Without saying anything, the old monk let me in and brought me directly to his room. Then he cooked something for me to eat, gave me some blankets and I fell asleep. In the morning, when I woke up the old monk was not in the room. A little later, he came back and gave me some breakfast which was hot tea and bread. I was so thankful to receive it because I was hungry, tired and it really did warm me up. After that, the old monk showed me where to get a taxi so that I could make my way back to Sampheling where I was supposed to be staying.
My students had the opportunity to have an audience with Gelong Tamdrin when they were in Kathmandu, Nepal in 2018. On my behalf, they made many offerings to Gelong Tamdrin.
And that was it. During our entire interaction, I never once learned his name. He never asked me for mine either and he didn’t ask for anything in return for staying in his room. He was just a genuinely kind, sincere old monk who wanted to help a younger monk who was lost. I was so touched by his openness and generosity because I could see that he didn’t have very much yet it didn’t stop him from giving so freely.
It wasn’t until later that I learned the name of that monastery, which was Phelgyeling Monastery and again, it wasn’t until later that I learned the monastery has a very strong connection with Dorje Shugden. In Nepal, Phelgyeling is one of the two main monasteries that strongly engage in this practice, the other monastery being Segyud. Phelgyeling Monastery, in fact, has the original statue of Dorje Shugden which was handmade by His Holiness the 5th Dalai Lama. So Phelgyeling has a very, very long history of engaging in the practice.
My assistant Beng Kooi updates Gelong Tamdrin on our activities here in Kechara in Malaysia. When a senior pure monk like Gelong Tamdrin rejoices in our collective Dharma works, it generates a tremendous amount of merit for the success of future projects.
But can you imagine? There are many monasteries in the vicinity of Swayambhunath. I could easily have ended up at any one of them. But the monastery I came across, with such a kind and gentle monk who helped me, happens to practise Dorje Shugden. I don’t know how else to explain that, other than it must come from previous lives’ imprints that in this life, the connection to Dorje Shugden is so strong and whenever I need help, someone or something will come along that is connected to Dorje Shugden.
The main prayer hall of Phelgyeling Monastery. When I first came across Phelgyeling Monastery, it was entirely by accident and Gelong Tamdrin opened the gate when I knocked to ask for help. I had no idea about the monastery’s connection with the Dorje Shugden practice until much later.
Anyway, I never forgot this monk’s kindness to me. So in 2018, my students went to Kathmandu, Nepal to attend the 2018 International Dorje Shugden Conference. After the conference was over, they went to Phelgyeling to make offerings and do some works. While they were there, I requested them to enquire if anyone knew which monk I was talking about and if possible to get me the monk’s name. Honestly a part of me was so afraid that I was too late and perhaps he had passed, because when I first met him he looked to be in his early to mid-60s.
I was told by my team that the Phelgyeling monks were very helpful and asked around to everyone, and sure enough they got the name! As it turns out, the old monk was still alive and he remembered our encounter very well. And after all of these years, I finally got a name: Gelong Tamdrin. A gelong is someone who is a fully ordained monk (as opposed to a novice monk) and holds the full set of monk’s vows. ‘Tamdrin’ is the Tibetan word for the Buddha Hayagriva. You can also call him Gen Tamdrin, as ‘Gen’ means ’teacher’ in Tibetan.
Also listening to Beng Kooi’s presentation is Gen Palden, the acting abbot of Phelgyeling Monastery.
So I was told that Gelong Tamdrin was very happy to meet my students and granted them an audience during which I was able to make offerings to him. When we come across senior practitioners such as Gelong Tamdrin, it is a tremendous blessing to make offerings to them. This blessing is on the basis of how long they have held their vows purely. IT IS FROM THE POWER OF THEIR VOWS. Just like the power of Medicine Buddha’s healing comes from the vows he made before he became enlightened. So someone like Gelong Tamdrin who was in his 80s by the time my students met him, he has held his monk vows purely for over 70 years. It is the power of holding the vows for so long, that generates an energy that blesses everybody.
In July 2019, Gelong Tamdrin passed away. The monastery said it was unexpected because aside from a minor illness, he was otherwise healthy. I am grateful that before he passed, we had an opportunity to reconnect and I had the opportunity to make offerings to him. I never forgot his kindness to me and I always wanted to repay it. He was just a genuine and real practitioner of the Dharma, that was all. It was so uncomplicated in those times.
Anyway, this is the short story of how I met Gelong Tamdrin. Thank you.
Tsem Rinpoche
- Read about my students’ trip to the International Dorje Shugden Conference in Kathmandu, Nepal: tsemrinpoche.com/?p=153140
- Why do we go on holy pilgrimages? I gave a teaching about that previously, which you can read here: tsemrinpoche.com/?p=36596
Gelong Tamdrin in his younger days
My students were fortunate to have an audience with Gelong Tamdrin who blessed them
For more interesting information:
- Beginner’s Introduction to Dorje Shugden
- Why I share Dorje Shugden with others
- Various prayers to Dorje Shugden composed by His Holiness the Omniscient 10th Panchen Lama (PDF)
- Never Seen Before Footage of Dorje Shugden Oracles
- The 14th Dalai Lama’s prayer to Dorje Shugden
- Dorje Shugden Taking Trance in Peaceful Form | 多杰雄登护法寂静尊降神
- H.E. the 25th Tsem Tulku Rinpoche’s Biography
- What He Can Do For Us?
- Dorje Shugden: My Side of the Story
- Dorje Shugden Gyenze to Increase Life, Merits and Wealth
- Shize: A Practice for Healing and Long Life
- Dorje Shugden Trakze to Dispel Black Magic & Spirits
- Dorje Shugden Wangze for Power and Influence
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Gelong Tamdrin did not introduced himself at first when he met Rinpoche, he was just being genuinely kind, someone who wanted to help a younger monk who was lost with a sincere heart. This touch me a lot. I’ve always believed our mind would never forgets the kindness that we experience. Kindness of Gelong Tamdrin has planted a seed on Rinpoche and has a huge impact to his life. Even we as a reader, we are fascinated by the story too. Kindness of Gelong Tamdrin is really encouraging and we shall practice kindness to our self and the others. Kindness carry an infinite energy that makes world become better, it’s a good feeling.
Rinpoche was luckily enough to connect with Gelong Tamdrin before Gelong Tamdrin entered to Nirvana! It’s like watching a movie, we crave for happy ending. Otherwise Gelong Tamdrin would not know how much his act of kindness has impact to someone so deeply. We want to show love and appreciation to our benefactor, i’m so happy to get to see the real person from Rinpoche’s story.
Rinpoche ‘s connection with Dorje Shugden was so strong and deep that it lead Rinpoche to the monastery that happens to practise Dorje Shugden. In Nepal, Phelgyeling is one of the two main monasteries that strongly engage in this practice, the other monastery being Segyud. Phelgyeling Monastery, in fact, has the original statue of Dorje Shugden which was handmade by His Holiness the 5th Dalai Lama. So Phelgyeling has a very, very long history of engaging in the practice. Rejoice to Kechara’s brothers, sisters and friends who had the opportunity to have an audience with Gelong Tamdrin when they were in Kathmandu, Nepal in 2018. Thank you very much Rinpoche and blog team for this wonderful sharing.🙏😘🌻🌈💜💛💚
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this heart-warming story . Well it is Dorje Shugden that showed Rinpoche to this Phelgyeling Monastery of all the monasteries at Kathmandu. Unplanned stop at the monastery led to meeting with an old kind monk. Rinpoche ‘s connection with Dorje Shugden was so strong and deep that it lead Rinpoche to the monastery that happens to practise Dorje Shugden. Wow… it must be from previous lives’ imprints that in this life, when Rinpoche needed help most at that odd hours, Dorje Shugden came calling. Rinpoche remembered that kind monk not knowing his name till in 2018 ,Rinpoche found out his name Gelong Tamdrin. Rinpoche’s student were at Kathmandu and were granted an audience with Gelong Tamdrin during which Rinpoche was able to reconnect and make offerings to him. Such a beautiful moments . Looking at those beautiful pictures tell all.
The connection of Dorje Shugden with Rinpoche was very strong and will continue to be so in many lives to come. Rinpoche was showing us that if we propitiated Dorje Shugden with the right motivation, He will always be there to assist, protect, support, guide, console or even inspiring us during our difficult times. This is especially so when one have received sogtae(life enthrustement) from their Lama.
The example above is a great evidence on how Dorje Shugden will assist us when least expected. Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this story with us.
Although by receiving sogtae, one is almost certainly being put under the care of Dorje Shugden as DS will be sworn to protect the initiate until they achieve Bodhicitta, however that’s not necessary. Anyone, anywhere who propitiated Him, He will take care of them and this is especially so for those who consistently and continuously pray to Him.
‘However the great scholar and Lama Rinchen Wangyal of Sera Monastery stated clearly in his writings that while it is excellent to receive the Life-Entrustment initiation, it is not absolutely necessary.’
And also in the text ‘Melodious Drum Victorious in All Directions’ composed by Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche (that has become the most commonly used text for Dorje Shugden’s fulfilment ritual (kangso) today) it is clearly stated that the life-entrustment ritual is not a pre-requisite to engage in Dorje Shugden’s practice.
One can propiate DS eventhough one has no connection with a Lama whatsoever, unlike any other protector practices.
How kind Rinpoche and DS!
The link is here https://www.dorjeshugden.org/blog/dorje-shugden-life-entrustment-initiation