The Persian God – Nechung
Dorje Dragden (Main figure)
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(Top to bottom): Guru Rinpoche, Lama Tsongkhapa, Dorje Dragden and Dorje Shugden.
Deity: Dorje Dragden (Tibetan)
Dorje Dragden is the main emanation and minister of Nechung Pehar Gyalpo, a worldly deity (unenlightened spirit) sworn to protect Buddhism. According to legend, Nechung was originally from Persia and was subjugated by Guru Rinpoche and sworn to protect Buddhism in the 8th Century.
The official Nechung Monastery is located not far from Drepung Monastery, west of Lhasa in Tibet. Nechung’s name literally means ‘small space’ and its origins can be traced to an old story from a long time ago. At that time, Nechung was bound into a small casket by a high lama for causing a fire to a monastery and was subsequently thrown into a river. The casket eventually washed ashore by a riverbank. It is said that the abbot of Drepung Monastery sent his attendants to retrieve the casket as he clairvoyantly knew that the contents would be significant. Out of curiosity, the attendant opened the casket and thus released Nechung, who flew away in the form of a raven. The raven flew to a nearby tree and disappeared. A monastery was built around the tree and the site where the casket was discovered and became known as Nechung.
At Nechung Monastery, a tradition of consulting oracles arose. During the time of the Great Fifth Dalai Lama Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso (1617-1682), the Nechung Oracle was appointed the State Oracle of Tibet. Since that time, Nechung regularly gives prophetic pronouncements for the Gaden Phodrang (Tibetan) government and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Nechung has five emanations known as Pehar Gyalpo Ku Nga and Dorje Dragden is the main minister that takes possession of the oracle to give pronouncements.
Deity: Guru Padmasambhava (Sanskrit)
Alternative name: Guru Rinpoche (Tibetan)
Guru Rinpoche, also known as Guru Padmasambhava, was an 8th Century Indian Buddhist master who travelled to Tibet in order to spread the Buddha’s teachings. Guru Rinpoche is highly revered within all schools of Tibetan Buddhism. He was invited to Tibet to subdue powerful obstructive beings who opposed the spread of Buddha’s teachings. He waged supernatural war with these deities and won due to his high spiritual attainments.
Instead of vanquishing these obstructive beings, he chose to follow the Buddha’s teachings on compassion and bound them to oath never to harm sentient beings again. They promised to protect and provide for practitioners on the Buddhist path. One such being was Nechung, also known as Pehar Gyalpo. Once a powerful spirit from Persia, Nechung came to reside in Tibet and after battling with Guru Rinpoche, he was subdued. Guru Rinpoche also had him promise to aid the “Holder of the White Lotus”, meaning an emanation of Chenrezig. When the powerful line of the Dalai Lamas arose, Nechung came to their aid for temporal matters, as the Dalai Lamas are considered to be the emanations of Chenrezig, the Buddha of Compassion. Since that time, Nechung has come to be regarded as one of the State Dharma Protectors of Tibet.
Deity: Lama Tsongkhapa (Tibetan)
Alternative name: Lobsang Drakpa (Tibetan); Sumati Kirti (Sanskrit)
Lama Tsongkhapa was a 15th Century scholar-yogi who established the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. After spending years studying and meditating, he established monastic institutions of learning and practice, producing limitless masters, tantrikas, yogis, scholars and teachers of the Buddhist path.
Lama Tsongkhapa was known for his incredible memory of the broad range of Buddhist treatises, sharp debate skills and incredibly penetrative writing. He saw the benefit in the comprehensive nature of Lama Atisha’s Lamrim text known as Bodhipathapradipa, and composed an expanded version known as the Lamrim Chenmo. Naturally, it contained the entire graduated path to enlightenment, from chapters on death and impermanence to higher topics such as concentration meditation and wisdom. He also composed the Ngarim Chenmo, which is the graduated path for the teachings on Tantra.
Contrary to popular belief that Lama Tsongkhapa was merely a scholar, he actually wrote more on Tantra practice than on Sutra. He is also known for his many pure visions of Manjushri and various other Buddhas. It was through his sacred communion with Manjushri that a special lineage of teachings arose, known as the Gaden Emanation Scripture. These teachings contain special instructions for the Gaden Mahamudra practice, Lama Chopa (or Offerings to the Spiritual Guide), the Gaden Lhagyama (or Hundreds of Deities of the Joyful Land), the Migtsema mantra, and six sadhanas focusing on the practice of Manjushri.
The special instructions contained within this scripture were passed down only by word of mouth from teacher to disciple, and so the lineage became known as the ‘Uncommon Whispered Lineage of the Virtuous Tradition’ or the ‘Ensa Whispered Lineage’. Later, His Holiness the 4th Panchen Lobsang Chokyi Gyeltsen (1569-1662) was the first to pen down the Lama Chopa and so forth.
Deity: Dorje Shugden (Tibetan)
Alternative name: Vajra Rudra (Sanskrit)
Dorje Shugden is an emanation of the Buddha of Wisdom, Manjushri. He took the form of a Dharma Protector in order to safeguard the Buddha’s teachings, especially the important teachings on the Middle Way View. Reminiscent of Manjushri’s form, Dorje Shugden carries a meandering sword and rides a snowlion that represents the fearlessness of a fully enlightened Buddha. Thus, he has great strength to overcome obstacles of the body, speech and mind, and create suitable conditions for our spiritual practice to flourish. Furthermore, he carries a jewel-spitting mongoose and a vajra hook to symbolise that he has the tremendous ability to bestow wealth and resources.
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