KECHARA

FEATURES • DORJE SHUGDEN
43
THE RISE OF
DORJE SHUGDEN
THE BEGINNING –
DULZIN DRAKPA GYELTSEN
The plan for the ‘birth’ of Dorje
Shugden began during the
time of Dulzin Drakpa Gyeltsen.
He was the great disciple of
Lama Tsongkhapa and was
reputed to be a very pure and
steadfast holder of the Vinaya.
Nechung, a worldly spirit, was
subdued by Guru Rinpoche,
the 8th century Indian master.
He was oath-bound to be the
general Dharma Protector to
protect the Buddhadharma. It
was Nechung who requested
Dulzin Drakpa Gyeltsen to
promise to protect Nagarjuna’s
priceless Middle View, as taught
by Lama Tsongkhapa.
At one of Lama Tsongkhapa’s
teachings, Nechung emanated
as a white dove and flew
continuously around the teaching
hall. After the teachings ended,
Dulzin stayed behind, as he could
see through the dove’s ‘disguise’.
He requested Nechung to reveal
himself and asked him what he
wanted. Nechung transformed
into a young boy dressed in
white and told Dulzin that Lama
Tsongkhapa’s precious teachings
on Nagarjuna’s Middle View
required special protection.
Then Nechung asked Dulzin to
become the Chief Protector of
these teachings. Dulzin promised
that he would, and Nechung said
that when the right time came,
he would remind him of this
promise. After Dulzin completed
building Gaden Monastery, he
went into retreat in a cave and
passed away there.
Several lifetimes later, Dulzin
reincarnated as Tulku Drakpa
Gyeltsen. During an audience
with Nechung, who spoke
through an oracle, Tulku Drakpa
Gyeltsen was reminded of his
promise. At first, Tulku Drakpa
Gyeltsen could not recall such a
promise so Nechung gave him
some blessed rice to eat. Upon
eating the rice, Tulku Drakpa
Gyeltsen instantly remembered
his promise to spread and grow
Lama Tsongkhapa’s teachings,
and agreed to fulfil it.
However, Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen
was very gentle and did not
have any anger at all in his
mindstream to manifest as a
wrathful Dharma Protector.
Understanding this, Nechung
told Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen that
he would orchestrate a situation
for the wrath to arise within him.
Only then would Tulku Drakpa
Gyeltsen be able to arise as the
Dharma Protector.
THE DEATH –
TULKU DRAKPA GYELTSEN
Tulku Drakpa Gyeltsen lived
during the reign of the 5th Dalai
Lama, a time of great political
and religious conflicts. To unite
the country, the Dalai Lama was
placed on the throne, given the
title ‘Religious-King and Holder
of the Buddhist Faith’ and
granted supreme political and
religious authority over Tibet.
Tremendous effort was put into
establishing the position of the
Dalai Lama during these times of
uncertainty, and into eliminating
opposition and potential threats.
TULKU DRAKPA
GYELTSEN
WAS PERCEIVED
AS A THREAT BY
SOME OF THE
5TH DALAI LAMA’S
SUPPORTERS
BECAUSE:
• He was also nominated as a
potential reincarnation of the
4th Dalai Lama.
• He was later confirmed as the
incarnation of Panchen Sonam
Drakpa, who had been the tutor
to the 3rd Dalai Lama.
• He held equal status as the
5th Dalai Lama, and they were
both students of the
4th Panchen Lama, Lobsang
Chokyi Gyeltsen.
• His Dharma knowledge and
pure spiritual practice was often
regarded as equal to that of the
Dalai Lama.
• He was more popular, had
more students and received
more offerings than the 5th
Dalai Lama.