KECHARA

FEATURES • DORJE SHUGDEN
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scriptures from Sanskrit into
Tibetan and wrote 26 volumes
of commentaries. News of the
destruction of Buddhism in India
reached him and he decided
to compile the Kangyur and
the Tangyur collection of texts.
Kangyur contain texts that record
the spoken words of the Buddha
and Tangyur contain commentary
texts of the Buddha’s teachings.
Buton Rinchen Drub and
Sakya Pandita both showed
practitioners how to meditate
correctly and practise effectively
to develop great wisdom and
concentration.
DULZIN DRAKPA GYELTSEN
Buton Rinchen Drub was later
reborn in Central Tibet as Dulzin
Drakpa Gyeltsen, who became
one of Lama Tsongkhapa’s
principal disciples. Dulzin Drakpa
Gyeltsen’s main activity was to
promote the teachings of Lama
Tsongkhapa. He oversaw the full
building of the Gaden Monastery,
the first and most prominent
monastery of the Gelug school
of Buddhism. He was especially
famed for his pure morality and
for upholding his vows very
purely. His very name, Dulzin,
means ‘Holder of the Vinaya’.
Lama Tsongkhapa’s disciples
believed that Dulzin Drakpa
Gyeltsen and Lama Tsongkhapa
were equal in terms of their
realisations, abilities and
wisdom. The position of Gaden
Tripa – representing Tsongkhapa
on earth, after his passing – was
offered first to Dulzin. However,
Dulzin declined the honour
and offered it to Gyaltsab Je,
choosing instead to devote his
life to protecting and spreading
Lama Tsongkhapa’s teachings.
It was with this commitment and
devotion to the Dharma that
Dulzin first made a promise to
Nechung that he would arise
as a Dharma Protector specially
to protect the Middle View of
Nagarjuna, as taught by Lama
Tsongkhapa.
PANCHEN SONAM DRAKPA
Dulzin Drakpa Gyeltsen was
later reborn in Central Tibet as
Panchen Sonam Drakpa. Like
Dulzin, he devoted his whole life
to making Lama Tsongkhapa’s
lineage and teachings flourish.
This Lama is unique in that he
is the only person who has ever
become the Abbot of all three
main Gelug monasteries –
Gaden, Sera and Drepung.
He was also the Abbot of Gyuto
Tantric College and became
the 15th Gaden Tripa as well.
Panchen Sonam Drakpa wrote
many commentaries to both
Sutra and Tantra. To this day at
Drepung Loseling, the largest
Gelug monastery, as well as at
Gaden Shartse, monks qualify for
their Geshe degrees by relying
principally upon the texts that
were composed by this great
teacher.
TULKU DRAKPA GYELTSEN
Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen lived in
the Drepung Monastery during
the time of the 5th Dalai Lama.
They were both disciples of
the 4th Panchen Lama, Losang
Chokyi Gyeltsen. Their affinity
goes back to the time when Tulku
Drakpa Gyeltsen, in his previous
incarnation as Panchen Sonam
Drakpa, was the Spiritual Guide
to the 3rd Dalai Lama and the
student of the 2nd Dalai Lama.
Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen was so
highly attained that royals and
nobles from Tibet, Mongolia and
China would travel vast distances
just to make offerings and
request teachings from him. His
attainments were often likened
to those of the Dalai Lama
himself. It was in this lifetime that
Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen fulfilled
his promise to become a Dharma
Protector and arose as Dorje
Shugden.