My reply to the Tibetan Scholar Thubten Jinpa

The Dalai Lama and Thubten Jinpa

I read some statements made by Thubten Jinpa on dorjeshugden.com about his late Guru's practices. Unfortunately, I was told by monks the truth and that could only mean that Thubten Jinpa had lied. Why would such a reputable scholar lie?

Here's the link to the original article called 'Thubten Jinpa Prostrates to His Guru's Throne' and the link is http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/features/thubten-jinpa-prostrates-to-his-gurus-throne/ In it, you can also read Thubten Jinpa's comments and mine. I am posting my comments here for easy reading:-

Thubten Jinpa wrote quite a long reply refuting a few crucial points stated in the article that referred to a recent incident of him prostrating and making offerings to his Guru’s throne. I was taken aback and was confused by his reply so I consulted a monk friend of mine. He just laughed when I asked him and this led me to ask his opinion on this matter. What he told me blew my mind away because I realized that what Thubten Jinpa said was not true at all!

Contrary to what Thubten Jinpa wrote, he does practice Dorje Shugden. He may have gone underground with his practice but in the monastery, many senior monks know of Thubten Jinpa and that he sponsors Dorje Shugden pujas at Gaden Shartse Tenkhang as thanksgiving for a safe journey after every trip that he goes to translate for His Holiness the Dalai Lama. On top of that, Zemey Ladrang is in Shar Gaden and that means all the monks, students and patrons of the ladrang are practicing Dorje Shugden.

Then, my monk friend paused and he told me that he recalls vividly that an old friend had told him of how Thubten Jinpa first entered the monastery.  Apparently, Zemey Rinpoche first encountered Thubten Jinpa in Bylakuppe. It was during this time that Zemey Rinpoche consulted a Dorje Shugden oracle about the boy and Dorje Shugden in trance told Zemey Rinpoche to take care of this boy because he will one day become very famous. In fact, there were many people who had witnessed this.

So, this got me to the point of Zemey Rinpoche and I asked if this High Lama had practiced Dorje Shugden or not. According to Thubten Jinpa, Zemey Rinpoche did not practice Dorje Shugden because he is a worldly protector. When I told him that, he just snorted. He said everybody in the monastery knew Zemey Rinpoche practices Dorje Shugden because the monks at Zemey ladrang would prepare tormas and rituals for a Dorje Shugden puja every month.  It is obvious that if everyone in the ladrang is practicing Dorje Shugden, Zemey Rinpoche must have taught them to practice.

In fact, he said he knew of a few older monks and Geshes in Gaden Shartse who would fold their hands with tears in their eyes and talk about witnessing Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche and Kyabje Zemey Rinpoche performing Dorje Shugden pujas together in the old days. He also said that he knew the attendant of the late Choyang Duldzin Kuten and that in the old days; he was told that it is quite normal for Kyabje Zemey Rinpoche to consult Dorje Shugden via the oracle because he trusted Dorje Shugden’s counsel very much especially on important matters. On many occasions, when the oracle took trance of Shugden, Zemey Rinpoche would pose questions and follow through the answers. On top of that, Zemey Rinpoche’s monastery called Yangting Dechen Ling Monastery in Kham, Tibet, continues to practice Dorje Shugden to this day.

Then I asked the monk what he thought of Thubten Jinpa’s statement of Dorje Shugden as a worldly deity. The monk shook his head and said sadly that he doesn’t know why such a brilliant Geshe and student of Zemey Rinpoche would say such things. Zemey Rinpoche is a great student of Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche and everybody in the monastery knows that Trijang Rinpoche is one of the highest lamas of the land and the tutor of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. In Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche’s Sumbum or collected works, especially on the volume of Dorje Shugden, Trijang Rinpoche clearly states that Dorje Shugden is a super-mundane protector or a protector that is enlightened. All of us know that Zemey Rinpoche was a fierce and loyal student of Trijang Rinpoche. So, he must have propagated the same belief in Dorje Shugden’s nature. In fact, if you ask any Geshe in the monastery to debate on the nature of Dorje Shugden, Thubten Jinpa’s views would easily be refuted.

After telling me all that, the monk pondered and he said that he felt that the point of the Thubten Jinpa’s article on the website was actually about Kyabje Zemey Rinpoche being a Dorje Shugden practitioner and so is Thubten Jinpa. With that in mind, much of what Thubten Jinpa wrote in his reply about the Dalai Lama forgiving Kyabje Zemey Rinpoche and seeing him again seemed irrelevant to the original intent of the article. The monk thought that perhaps, it was just a distraction or a smokescreen to cover the fact that he too may have practiced Dorje Shugden.

Having come to this point, I asked the monk what he thought was the reason behind Thunten Jinpa’s anti-Shugden views. He shrugged his shoulders and just said that Thubten Jinpa is well-known to be a hard-line supporter of the Dorje Shugden ban. He wouldn’t say more after that.

Politics in the Office!

Every office and working environment have this one evil person everybody loves to hate. I am sorry for sounding sexist here but its usually and unmarried woman who's always sticking by the rules and using it to get her enemies back. This is the classic devil-wears-prada woman. Well, I wear Prada too but I ain't no woman and I ain't no devil...well, unless you provoke me.

I guess I just want to vent my frustration for having some annoying b*tch in the office play games with me. She pulled rank with me and won the CEO's favor. She may have won the battle this time but I will fight her tooth and nail that she doesn't touch my projects. Wish I could slap her silly. I went to play darts just now at the nearby bar. I am sorry but I could only see her face on the dart board. I know what kind of Buddhist am I? I should be practicing compassion and be a walking Bodhisattva with rainbows coming out of my ass. Sorry, don't mind me French.

Anyway, I have no real intentions to reciprocate her actions. It's more fun imagining all the nasty things one can do with one's enemies. However, when its back to the office tomorrow, it will be all smiles of course and putting up a convincing act. I should be awareded an Academy Award I tell you. Anyway, thanks for hearing me out. 

How a man/lama becomes a God...

Mahasiddha Birwapa

I have been reading up on the comic and although I have read this story many times over but it has never ceases to amaze me. I am just amaze how a a Lama ascends to become a God. I know! I know that in Buddhism, a Godly existence is hardly the most ideal mode of existence according to Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche, Trijang Rinpoche and so forth in their teachings on the Lamrim. Well, what I was talking about is how a man/lama ascends to become a Dharma Protector.Anyway, Dorje Shugden is no worldly God but a fully enlightened Dharma Protector. Dorje Shugden has emanated from Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom. 

Sakya Pandita

Dorje Shugden's incarnation lineage stems from the Bodhisattva Manjushri on a successive line of highly enlightened lamas, each leaving a incredible contribution to the propagation of the teachings. It's amazing how a promise made in one of his incarnations created the cause for the lama to eventually assume the form of a Dharma Protector. Unlike other powerful and harmful beings of the past, Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen was not bound by oath but willing made a promise that became the cause for this transformation. 

Panchen Sonam Drakpa

However, Dorje Shugden is unlike other Dharma Protectors because he is totally suitable for one to take refuge in him. In fact, Dorje Shugden has a tradition of taking possession of oracles to give predictions and personal advice. There had been a tradition of Dorje Shugden taking possession in a peaceful form, that of a lama - of Lord Duldzin. In this form, Dorje Shugden gives accurate predictions and advice. In fact, Dorje Shugden is able to give scripturally-sound teachings and advice. He is also able to give oral transmission and initiations. He had been requested to give initiation but Dorje Shugden would humbly decline in difference to the senior Tulkus, Geshes and great masters. 

Dorje Shugden

Dorje Shugden is not the ordinary emanated protector. He is special in his swiftness and power to deliver us from our obstacles and problems. According to Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche, Trijang Rinpoche and other great masters continue to reassert the suitability of Dorje Shugden for our times. Even the Chinese Daoguang of the Qing Dynasty had sent emisseries to test Dorje Shugden's prophetic abilities out. Dorje Shugden's prophecy turned out to be highly accurate and delighted the emperor and Dorje Shugden was duly enthroned in a lavish ceremony by the Regent of Tibet, the 7th Dalai Lama and the Emperor of China. 

Bar Stories

Went with some friends to Haji Street and came to Bar Stories, one of the most interesting bar establishments in Singapore. This is apparently very popular these days after Anthony Bordain had paid a visit. 

They had no drinks menu and we have to do is tell the bartender/mixologist what kinda flavors we would like and they would recreate that in the drink. I must say it was delicious but they say don't go on a Saturday nights as it would be packed. Drinks were ridiculously expensive at $25 per cocktail. 

I love the experience but it sure burned a hole in my pocket with the a couple of drinks setting me for over a $100 dollars. Nonetheless, the novelty did make it a worthwhile expeirece. 

A Japanese Manjushri

I saw this on dorjeshugden.com's forum. Someone posted this lovely image of Manjushri accompanied by 4 attendants. I love this statue! Just in case you didn't know, Manjushri means Gentle Brilliance and that is actually an epithet for the Buddha's Wisdom. Praying to Manjushri or any of his forms bestows great wisdom.What that means is good memory, critical thinking, creativity and the development of skillful means to overcome our negativity in order to become enlightened and benefit others.

That's of course my own rumination after reading lots on this beneficial Bodhisattva. Dorje Shugden is an emanation of Manjushri and both Manjushri and Dorje Shugden rides on a lion. The lion of course symbolizes fearlessness. The Chinese emperors were regarded by the Tibetans to be emanations of Manjushri. And Wu Tai Shan mountains in China is extremely famous to be the earthly abode of Manjushri. So, those mountains are also popular pilgrimage spot for many Mahayanists. I am making a mental not to travel there one day. 

Meanwhile, its Om Benza Wiki Bitana Soha and Om Ah Ra Pa Tsa Na Dhi for now. Those are sacred mantras of Dorje Shugden and Manjushri respectively. 

What's on my shopping list...

I am this hedonistic fella and I have been thinking of getting a Prada bag like this one for work. I really like this one with the army fatigues that was a few seasons back. Most Singaporean guys my age wouldn't appreciate it because it reminds them of national service but I don't care, its real cool. But anyway, its just too bad because they don't have this anymore. 

Laduree flew from Paris and set up shop in Ngee Ann City on orchard I heard. Those yummy macarons are now available at a crazy $3.80 per macaron. Well, the last time I strolled over to Ngee Ann was a long time ago but what the heck, I might try going there this weekend. I have a sweet tooth especially after a workout. Wish the packaging was not so girly though. 

After Yong He Gong in Beijing, I am really inspired to invite a Lama Tsongkhapa statue. I read on the net that Lama Tsongkhapa is particularly powerful blessing to ensure harmony of the family and stability of livelihood at home. Will take one of those strolls to Fu Lu Shou to check out the shops there. I heard they do have quite a good selection of Tibetan statues. 

I know I have a strange mix of hedonism and spirituality on my shopping list. That's just very much like me, a spiritual hedonist! A sort of paradox. ; P

Yong He Gong Lamasery

The grand imperial entrance to Yong He Gong Lamasery, a rather impressive Chinese Tibetan Buddhist monastery...

Over the weekend, I was in Beijing for a business meeting with a client there. I heard so much about Yong He Gong and I decided to go check it out while I was there. What I saw blew my mind away as I didn't anticipate so much Tibetan Buddhism is entrenched in Chinese history and culture in such a big way like this. 

Apparently, Yong he Hong was built during the reign of Emperor Kangxi known to the Tibetans as the incarnation of Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen or better known as Dorje Shugden, initially as a palace quarters for eunuchs and then as the residence of the Royal Prince, Prince Yong. When Prince Yong ascended the dragon throne as the Emperor Yongsheng, he converted his royal quarters into a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in honor of his parents. 

I had the honor to discover this in Beijing and was delighted to pay homage to the Chinese Lama Tsongkhapa image enshrined in the huge Falun Hall. I made prayers there for my parents and loved ones and took a stroll around the temple complex.

Lama Tsongkhapa just looks resplendent here and represents a very powerful link between the Chinese people and that of Buddhadharma. Perhaps one day, an image of Dorje Shugden would be constructed by the temple authorities when the ban comes down. 

This 18meters tall statue of Maitreya rendered in the Indo-Tibetan style is just spectacular. Apparently, it is carved out of a single trunk of a large Sandalwood tree. This is also the largest statue in this temple. I fortunate enough to be able to capture almost the entire statue within this picture. 

Halls with shrines to the Tantric deities and the great Dharma Protectors of India, Tibet and China. These living evidence of Tantra having been practiced by the great Sangha of Yong He Gong. 

The temple museum showcases some of Yong He Gong's most refined statues of the Yidams and Dharma Protectors. According to inscription, the statues were mostly the result of some of the finest Nepalese, Tibetan and Chinese craftsmen. The fusion of style has resulted in these fantastic devotional statues. 

Made good prayers here but I had to rush off as this was just a short trip but will plan future trips to a more lengthy prayer and sight-seeing around the temple complex. All in all, Yong He Gong came out to be a nice end to a hectic business trip to Beijing.