H.H. KYABJE PABONGKA RINPOCHE (1878–1941)
Pabongka Rinpoche Dechen Nyingpo Jampa Tenzin Trinlay Gyatso was one of the greatest masters of the 20th century and one of the most influential teachers in Tibet. He had acquired the teachings from the Sakya, from the Nyingma, from the lineage of Ganden Tendzin** and Ngulchu Dharmabhadra, and collected other valuable teachings from various venerated sources during his lifetime.
When there was some civil unrest and many Tibetans departed Tibet, Pabongka knew that he would not be able to leave. Therefore, he carefully transmitted all these important teachings to a single heart disciple, Trijang Rinpoche, who became the Tutor of the 14th Dalai Lama. In this way, all the transmissions could then be securely passed on to His Holiness, as well as, the other high Lamas of Gelugpa. This becomes the living foundation that is the Gelugpa Lineage we have today.
** Extracted from page 35 of Vajra Yogini Teachings by Kyabje Gelek Rinpoche (Publisher: Jewel Heart). This refers to Ganden Tenzin Namnyi and Ganden Dhargyey, who were master and disciple, and who took the teachings from the Sakya tradition and gave it to Ngulchu Dharmabhadra. The two Gandens are not so well known but Ngulchu Dharmabhadra is very well known and very famous.
AUSPICIOUS BIRTH
Pabongka was born north of Lhasa at a town called, Tsawa Li in the Yeru Shang district of the state of Tsang in 1878. His family was part of the nobility and had owned a modest estate called, Chappel Gershi. It is said that on the night when he was born, a light shone in the room and people outside the house had a vision of a protector on the roof.
As a child, he has already exhibited unusual qualities and thus, was taken before Sharpa Rinpoche Chuje Lobsang Dargye, one of the leading religious figures of the day. Later on, he was found to be a reincarnation of the Changkya line, which included the well-known scholar Changkya Rolpay Dorje (1717-1786). The Lamas of this line had done much teaching in the regions of Mongolia and China, including in the court of the Chinese Emperor himself, and to be the Royal Tutor to the Emperors, that Lama must have been highly attained. This regal position has enabled him to accomplish a great deal for Tibetan Buddhist institutions in China, Mongolia, and Tibet. Changkya Rolpay Dorje was also the student of the Seventh Dalai Lama and a teacher of the Eighth. He was an important lineage holder in several adept traditions of both Father and Mother Tantras.
Changkya Rolpai Dorje
However, the name “Changkya” had strong Chinese connotations. As the Tibetan government and people were already sensitive to the pressures put on them from China, the name “Changkya” was ruled out and the boy was declared to be “Pabongka” instead.
There was a small monastery atop the rock named Pabong. Hence, he was eventually recognized and enthroned as the late abbot of that monastery. For this reason, Rinpoche is documented as the second Pabongka and was sometimes referred to as, “Pabongka Kentrul”. It is commonly believed that he was also the reincarnation of Tsako Ngawang Drakpa, one of the main disciples of Lama Tsongkhapa and founder of Dhe-Tsang Monastery.
It was Sharpa Chuje Lobsang who foretold that if the young boy was to be placed in the Gyalrong House of Sera Mey College, something wonderful would happen with him in the future.
A LIVING HERUKA
Pabongka Rinpoche’s full name was Kyabje Pabongka Jetsun Jampa Tenzin Trinley Gyatso Pel Sangpo, which means the “Lord Protector, the one from Pabongka, the venerable and glorious master whose name is the Loving One, Keeper of the Buddha’s Teachings, Ocean of the Mighty Deeds of the Buddha”. He was also affectionately known as “Dechen Nyingpo”, which translates into “Essence of Great Bliss” or “The King of Bliss from the Palace of Bliss”, meaning a highly attained being who is already one with Heruka.
He was an extraordinary master for the Heruka Body Mandala and the Vajrayogini practice, and he had a special responsibility for the Mother Tantra.
There is a famous story of how Heruka actually appeared to Pabongka when he visited Cimburi in Tibet, where there is an image of Heruka. This is where the Blood drinker’s mountains are and this name refers to Heruka – Drinker of Blood. Apparently, Pabongka went to this place three times during his lifetime.
When he first went there, this image spoke to him, opened its mouth and a tremendous amount of nectar came out. Pabongka collected the nectar from the mouth of Heruka while in the presence of sixty or seventy people. This nectar was then made into nectar pills. The Gelugpa’s current nectar pills originate from there.
It is also stated that this very same cave in Cimburi where Pabongka received the nectar from the Heruka image was the place where Heruka promised him the following:-
“From now on, for the next seven generations, whoever practices my teaching, I will protect and help.”
This is why Pabongka is also considered to be a living Heruka. Many people received the Heruka Body Mandala and every teaching on it from him. And if you happened to fall within that seven generation category, you are indeed very much blessed.
A LINEAGE IS BORN
At the tender age of seven, Pabongka Rinpoche entered Gyalrong House of Sera-Mey Monastery. He underwent the usual studies of a monk, earned his Geshe degree and spent two years studying at the Gyuto Tantric College.
In the monastery, Pabongka did not show much scholarship, as though he was slightly on the dull side. The Geshes would often insult him and at times, they would even use him as an example to illustrate ‘lesser intelligence’. He under-studied more than 38 Masters and one of them was Gondro Kendro Ngulchu.
Although Pabongka Rinpoche’s academic career at Sera Mey College was not outstanding, he did complete his Geshe degree. However, he only reached the “Lingse” rank, meaning he was just examined within his own monastery and did not go on for the exhausting series of public examinations and debates that is required to attain the coveted “Lharampa” level. These would have been conducted at different monasteries, culminating in a session before the Dalai Lama and his teachers at the Norbulingka summer palace.
A young Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche
After having passed his Geshe exams, Pabongka began to receive teachings from a very important Master, Dagpo Jampel Lundrup. Dagpo Rinpoche was just a normal monk, and not even an incarnate Lama. However, under this Master, Pabongka started to develop by leaps and bounds. He studied the Lamrim, and everything began to flourish within him from then on. Dagpo Lama Rinpoche became his Root Guru.
Pabongka would visit Dagpo Lama Rinpoche in his cave and was sent into a Lamrim retreat nearby. According to Ribur Rinpoche:
“Dagpo Lama Rinpoche would teach him a Lamrim topic and then Pabongka Rinpoche would go away and meditate on it. Later he would return to explain what he’d understood: if he had gained some realization, Dagpo Rinpoche would teach him some more and Pabongka Rinpoche would go back and meditate on that.”
Dagpo Gompa
It went on like this for ten years before Pabongka received any Tantra teachings from his Guru. Gradually, with consistent dedication, Pabongka became a Master of everything, outstanding in every single thing – to the point that even learned Geshes ended up going to Pabongka and consulting him.
Even though in the beginning, Pabongka was not a big lama at all in Tibet, he became an exceptional Master in forty years. He truly became the Master of Tibet in the 1920s through the 1930s, especially of the Gelugpa Tradition.
If we look at today’s Gelugpa Lineage, tracing from H.H. Trijang Rinpoche, H.H. Ling Rinpoche to H.H. Zong Rinpoche, there is not a lama who is not a disciple of Pabongka Rinpoche, directly or indirectly. In one way or another, every lineage came through Pabongka.
FROM POVERTY TO GREATNESS
As stated earlier, Pabongka Rinpoche was not high ranking at all and was even considered as a low ranking person when he first started but he became extremely popular. At that time, he did not have any ladrang at all.
Pabongka Rinpoche himself often shared how poor he was when he was young. He said,
“When I was young, I had nothing, no wealth at all and on top of that, no food to eat. Everybody had at least a little bag with barley-flour. For several days, I couldn’t get any food. I ran from Sera Monastery down to the sand, filled my bag with sand, and put a little barley on top to smell and taste a bit. I lived on that for several days. This is what I did and look what I am today.”
It was only much later when he became very popular that he was offered a little retreat-area by the Ngakpa College of Sera Mey Monastery. They offered him a large retreat complex on the hillside above Pabongka. The name of this hermitage was Tashi Chuling, or “Auspicious Spiritual Isle”. Pabongka built a small meditation cell around the mouth of a cave located near his residence. When he was not busy on the road for his extensive teaching tours, he would retreat for long periods of time to do his private practice and meditations.
As a keen meditator, Pabongka Rinpoche emphasized Lamrim, Lojong and Mahamudra. He had his own unique way of learning and teaching that yielded the most impactful of results.
Pabongka had two main spiritual qualities – from the tantric point of view, his realization and ability to present all tantric teachings, and from the sutric point of view, his ability to teach Lamrim, or the entire graduated path to enlightenment.
He was unique in his ability to bring the complex ancient teachings to the monks as well as to the laypeople’s level of comprehension. Hence, it is through him that a great number of lay people were able to learn and benefit from the Dharma. For this reason, he was known as the teacher for the common man and the monks. Similar to Buddha Shakyamuni who taught an enormous variety of people about 2,500 years ago, Pabongka Rinpoche did not teach from some predetermined syllabus. Instead, he taught according to the spiritual needs of the listeners. His influential teachings, coupled with his powerful way of conveying the Dharma made him a respected spiritual figure of his day.
A GREAT MASTER RISES
It is said that Pabongka’s teachings are so famous that thousands of people would come from far and wide to attend, especially when he gave initiations or conducted special prayers during festivals. Pabongka is well known for using his humour to elucidate the teachings. As some teachings could go on for ten hours, he would intersperse his teachings with jokes and amusing stories laced with moral values to keep his audience ‘awake’.
One of Pabongka’s great accomplishments was his ability to devise a way to attract and lead his listeners to every level of the Buddha’s complex and highly technical teachings. On many occasions, he would address an audience that numbered up to several thousands of people, and yet everyone could hear him clearly. Back in those days, there were no such things as microphones or speakers. His voice was that powerful!
Pabongka’s talks and teachings were known to have always left a profound and immediate effect on the listeners. A story that is worth highlighting is that of Dapon Tsago. He was a member of the nobility and had held a powerful position in the government that is equivalent to the Minister of Defence.
One day, this great general Dapon marched into the hall where Pabongka Rinpoche was giving a teaching, all decked out in his finest silks and with his long hair flowing in carefully tailored locks. At that time, this was considered the highest of fashion in Tibet. He had hung a great ceremonial sword from his belt and whenever he walked, it would make a loud clanging noise of importance, as if to announce his arrival. However, by the end of the first section of Pabongka’s teachings, he was seen leaving the hall quietly, deep in thought. He had even wrapped up his weapon of war in a cloth to hide it, and was taking it home. Later, it was seen that he had actually trimmed off his warrior’s locks. Finally, one day, he threw himself before Pabongka Rinpoche and requested for the special lifetime religious vows for laymen. From then on, he was seen to follow Pabongka around to every public teaching that he gave.
Pabongka was well known to be a realized and complete practitioner of Gelug. Although he did not say anything bad about other traditions nor discourage them, he always showed the extraordinary qualities of Tsongkhapa’s teachings.
H.H. Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche
When Pabongka went to the Eastern Tibet, in an area called Kham, there were many Bonpos who attacked Pabongka. All the Bons in Kham gathered together and continuously, day and night, directed black magic against him. There were many incidences and they kept happening numerous times.
Once, Pabongka was crossing over a high pass and it was all covered in snow. Suddenly a huge storm appeared and everybody was carried up and down by it. There was quite a lot of damage – although there was no harm done to human life, there was much material damage. When they finally made it to the other side of the mountain, Pabongka told everyone not to enter his tent.
He sat in there for a while and when the thunder came, together with lightning, Pabongka would collect the lightning in his pocket, and kept it there for some time. Finally, he called out to someone and told him, “Take this here and throw it outside, that way.” And when they threw it out, they could see a sort of red-coloured light and liquid inside the lightning. This burnt the grass and everything. Yet Pabongka collected it just like that.
THE GURU OF ALL MEN
It is a well-known fact that people from Lhasa came to see Pabongka Rinpoche every day. They even had to queue up. Pabongka’s popularity was such that even the Thirteenth Dalai Lama noticed. At that time, the Thirteenth Dalai Lama was very powerful, holding all political, economic, military and spiritual power in his reign. However, Pabongka had thousands and thousands of disciples all over Tibet – from the three great monasteries of Sera, Drepung and Gaden, to the Government Officials, members of the Court and to the several thousands of lay people as well. Almost everybody was Pabongka’s disciple. Hence, the Thirteenth Dalai Lama often observed Pabongka Rinpoche closely, but found no faults.
There was one incident in which Pabongka was summoned by His Holiness to prove that his Southern Lamrim Tradition called, Shargyu, was genuine. Somehow this tradition was not popular in Tibet at that time, and very little was known about it. Therefore, one could not find much proof of its source. It was not written anywhere in the regular texts studied in the monasteries. There were even talks amongst learned scholars of Pabongka introducing a strange system of a Southern tradition that he learnt from an old monk in some village in a corner of Tibet. Hence, people were trying to refute the authenticity of this Southern style Lamrim. In this respect, His Holiness had to do something to intervene and asked Pabongka to provide solid evidence.
The Southern Lamrim tradition was what Pabongka has studied under Dagpo Rinpoche. Being fiercely devoted to his Root Guru, Pabongka would not tolerate anyone disparaging his Guru’s name or even remotely implying that his Guru was wrong in any way. So, Pabongka had to send a letter in reply to the Thirteenth Dalai Lama’s questions.
At first, Pabongka did not think it was so serious. However, upon hearing that without concrete proof, he would have to declare that his newly introduced Southern Lamrim tradition to be a fraud and no one would be allowed to practice it, he was unwilling to risk any injury to his Guru’s name. So, Pabongka thought for a while and then said to the Manager of his labrang, “Under these circumstances, I shall reply. I shall dictate and you go ahead and take notes”.
Then Pabongka quoted, “The Buddha said in this sutra and that sutra and in the collected works of the Buddha in volume such and such this is written and right at this moment Your Holiness is sitting in your room and if you look at your back in the third shelf, open that book and read on page 146 at the back side the 6th line, there it says this, this and then, if you look at your left side, on the second shelf, the second volume number, this and this, pull that book out and there it says this, this, this….”
Pabongka continued, “This is the proof from the Kanjur and if you read this book by Asanga which is available in Your Holiness’s room on such and such a shelf in the outer volume whose colour is this, and the inner book is this, and then, if you look at line this, line that, page number this and this, you will find it. And from the Tibetan tradition, look in the works of your late Master, Purchog Jampa Rinpoche, in volume number four of his collected works, which is in Your Holiness’s bedroom on such and such a shelf and the colour of the cloth is this and the page number is that.”
Pabongka Rinpoche was so precise and confident in pointing out the details for His Holiness to find every piece of evidence to support his Southern Lamrim tradition. This letter was then given to His Holiness’s Chamberlain to be delivered into the hands of His Holiness.
When the Thirteenth Dalai Lama read it, he asked his Chamberlain to take out the exact books and volumes as described by Pabongka in the letter. Everything was proved right. Then His Holiness asked his Chamberlain, “Did you know and tell him I would be in this room?” The Chamberlain answered, “No.” His Holiness did not comment any further.
(This is the photo of Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche framed and kept in Kyabje Zong Rinpoche’s audience room in Zong Ladrang, Gaden Shartse Monastery when I arrived.)
In another incident, while Pabongka Rinpoche was giving a big teaching, he received an order from the Thirteenth Dalai Lama to make rain immediately. So, Rinpoche said to his disciples gathered there at that time that they should say the Lama Chopa. During the recitation of Migstema in the Lama Chopa, Pabongka directed his students in their visualization to create a cloud, and this cloud would in turn shower rain wherever that it was needed. True enough, rain started to fall where it was needed. Then after a while as the rain continued to fall, Pabongka made the rain stop as magically as he made it appear. It was said that on that very day, they got quite a good amount of rain.
Pabongka’s unusual ability to teach was not an integral part of Tibetan culture. It is rather at the heart of the living transmission of the teachings of the historical Buddha from one great master to the next. It is, first and foremost, an oral transmission: the master teaches his gifted disciple continuously until the transmitted knowledge becomes the student’s second nature.
Due to Pabongka’s skill as a Gelugpa master, the Thirteenth Dalai Lama requested Kyabje Pabongka to give the yearly Lamrim teachings in 1925, instead of asking the Gaden throneholder (Gaden Tripa) as was customary. Usually the teachings lasted seven days, but these lasted for eleven days.
These were some of Pabongka Rinpoche’s many amazing qualities.
EPITOME OF GURU DEVOTION
Pabongka Rinpoche was also a perfect example of guru devotion. If anyone has read Pabongka’s collected works, poems and so forth, one would know that he had always talked about his Guru, Dagpo Lama Rinpoche. In every teaching from Pabongka – be it Yamantaka, Vajrayogini, Heruka or Hevajra, Lamrim, logic or Prajnaparamita, he would always speak of his Guru.
It is common knowledge that whenever Pabongka visited his lama’s monastery, he would dismount as soon as it appeared in view and would prostrate all the way to the door. This was no easy feat, because of Pabongka’s large build. Yet he would do this religiously. And whenever he left his Guru’s monastery, Pabongka would walk backwards until the monastery was out of sight. Only then would he turn around and get back onto his horse to proceed with his journey. Even when he was unwell while visiting his Guru’s monastery, he would still dismount from his horse and make, at the very least, one prostration before continuing his journey towards his Guru’s monastery.
It was also famous that Pabongka Rinpoche would not stand for anyone speaking ill of his Guru in any way or form. His face would immediately turn black. **
** Extracted from Guru Devotion – How to Integrate the Primordial Enlightened Mind –A Commentary on the Lama Chopa by Gelek Rinpoche (Publisher: Jewel Heart), whereby he was describing how Pabongka must reply the 13th Dalai Lama’s questions on his Southern Lamrim Tradition. If Pabongka could not prove it, then he must admit that his Guru was wrong. Actual extract from the book: Pabongka’s face turned completely black.
Pabongka’s devotion was such that he even purposely chose to visit the Province of Dagpo where his Guru had lived, when he was about to pass on. He chose to pass away in the place where his Master had lived, at the age of sixty-three. That was the kind of Guru Devotion that Pabongka embodied.
(I saw this picture of Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche in a book. It was captioned “Pabongka, A high lama of Lhasa” I did not know much else. But upon seeing this picture over two and half decades ago, tremendous faith instantly arose in me. I was in Los Angeles. I didn’t know why or didn’t know much of Kyabje Pabongka at that time, but I photocopied this picture, laminated, framed it and kept it on my shrine in Los Angeles. I always felt great respect, faith and tremendous devotion to Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche. It is beyond me to know why. It was a natural stable faith that arose from deep within me naturally.
Same for Trijang Rinpoche and Zong Rinpoche. Just a natural faith very strong arose. The first time I saw Trijang Rinpoche’s photo, I cried. I was maybe 12. The first time I saw Zong Rinpoche photos and was told he is Heruka, I developed instant and tremendous devotion that is strong in me now just as ever from that first moment. How fortunate I am to be in their lineage..)
There is a story of how Serkong Dorjechang of Gaden Jangtze, the “Holder” of the mystical Manjushri Wisdom book wanted to pass this “sacred responsibility” over to Pabongka Rinpoche, but Pabongka had been delaying it. So, in order to get Pabongka to come to him as soon as possible, Serkong Dorjechang started scolding Pabongka’s Guru, Dagpo Rinpoche during a big teaching that he was conducting in front of a few thousand people. Serkong Dorjechang knew that if he insulted Pabongka’s lack of respect through Dagpo’s inability to teach his own student well, that act alone would be enough to make Pabongka Rinpoche go to Serkong Dorjechang immediately and receive teachings from him.
The day that Serkong Dorjechang died, Pabongka had a dream. He dreamt that he was going to see Serkong Dorjechang. A number of people had lined up and he had to do the same. Pabongka had a small bell and vajra to offer Serkong Dorjechang. When he finally approached the front of the line, Serkong Dorjechang was sitting on a throne and Pabongka had to look up. Serkong Dorjechang handed over to Pabongka Rinpoche the vajra and bell he was holding, and said, “Gold made, please take it.” He gave it to Pabongka and took the small one Pabongka had. That was how the mystical Manjushri Wisdom book and teachings were transferred to Pabongka. That was how the transition was done.
Another interesting story revolves around the Manager of Pabongka’s labrang. As this Manager was also a disciple of Pabongka, they shared a strong Guru-Disciple relationship. Unfortunately, this Manager was considered to be very wild. During Pabongka’s teachings, he would not hesitate to give a slap to anyone who was not behaving properly in the audience. He would even pick up someone’s shoes from the back and hit anybody. However, no one would dare raise a complaint because of Pabongka.
This Manager’s previous incarnation was a Gyuto tantric college abbot. When people were supposed to look for his reincarnation, they decided not to go ahead with it at all. Finally, it was Pabongka who insisted that they should and must. Due to the unpleasant reputation of this particular incarnation, everyone was very reluctant as they feared he would turn out to be another wild one. They were most unwilling to bear the burden and shame of his non-virtuous actions, including the squandering of wealth. Yet Pabongka maintained firmly that they must, and when excuses were given, Pabongka rebuked them. He said, “There is so much wealth accumulated around here now, and even though the ‘son’ is throwing some here and there, there is still a lot available. You have only excuses. That is not right. They are not correct reasons. You have to look for the reincarnation.”
In the end, they all had to obey and comply.
Apparently, this ‘son’ was the very same person who dissuaded Pabongka from accepting Reting Rinpoche’s offer to become regent of Tibet in 1938. He stated that, “…if you become regent, all the good work you have done will be damaged. You will have to deal with political matters and then everything will be finished. Every commitment of the master-disciple relationship will be broken. There will be nothing, so please don’t accept!”
That was what he requested and Pabongka was actually very happy about that. He rejected the offer and Talungdra became regent. In fact, Pabongka himself was famous for maintaining that a monk should never touch politics.
THE PATH OF VAJRAYOGINI
Pabongka was asked by Heruka and Vajrayogini to combine the Sakya Vajrayogini teachings with the techniques that Tsongkhapa had given for the Heruka practice. These can be found in Tsongkhapa’s written works on the “Secret Precepts of Heruka”, the “Elucidation of All Hidden Meanings”. This is why Pabongka said that it would be good if he got a piece of cloth from a Sakya Lama and one from the Gelugpa Lama and weaved them together in order to create the great fabric of Gelugpa practice.** This is one of many magnificent contributions that Pabongka Rinpoche has made.
He asserted that we have to carry the lineage of the Sakya tradition, because Tsongkhapa only came in 1357 and the Buddha came some 2,500 years ago. There is a gap of one and a half thousand years. That is where the unbroken lineage becomes crucial, and in this case, it stems from the Sakya Tradition.
Pabongka wrote the long Vajrayogini sadhana called Dechen Nyur Lam, Short Path to Great Bliss. It encompasses all of Vajrayogini’s practices. One really does not need any more detailed teaching than this. Pabongka said that from that book, there is not only the short lineage from Vajrayogini to him, but also the long lineage and the combined teaching techniques.
Pabongka Rinpoche in Heruka tantric dress
Many highly established scholars know that Vajrayogini has been Tsongkhapa’s secret practice and that he kept it as his hidden heart treasure. However, it was Pabongka who made it very clear that Tsongkhapa had so many practices and had combined all of them together. He also added the Ganden Nyengyu which means not only oral, but it is a sort of teaching that is not given in public. It is more likened to a valuable family heirloom that is passed from relation to relation. Pabongka combined all these techniques and made it possible for lazy people like us to obtain Vajrayoginihood within the shortest time-span with very little effort. And this was how the Vajrayogini lineage had come through.
One of the most significant benefits of Vajrayogini Practice is that she represents the swiftest path to Enlightenment and one would gain control over their death and birth. At the point of death, one does not lose control over the entire process, but will gain control instead. Due to this, we do not have to go into uncontrolled ordinary bardo and ordinary rebirth either.
** Extracted from page 237 of Vajra Yogini Teachings by Kyabje Gelek Rinpoche (Publisher: Jewel Heart). .
EMPOWERING LIBERATION INTO ALL BEINGS
In 1921 at Chuzang Hermitage near Lhasa, Pabongka Rinpoche gave a twenty-four-day historic exposition on the Lam Rim. This was attended by some seven hundred people, including lay people. Many monks came from the three major monasteries in Lhasa, and many more travelled weeks from the Central Province, from Tsang, and from as far away as Amdo and Kham. These teachings were eventually translated into English and published as “Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand” (Tib. rNam grol lag bcangs) in 1991 by one of Rinpoche’s disciples who had attended the 24-day Discourse. This disciple was the famed Trijang Rinpoche and the book became the foundation of most Gelug teachers’ Lamrim presentations, including those of the great Gelug Masters all over the world who are still alive and practicing today. The book conveyed a strong sense of what it was like to have been there with this remarkable Master.
Many listeners would maintain that they were always stunned by the power of Pabongka Rinpoche’s teachings. Although most of the scholar monks may have heard some of the teachings before, the way in which Pabongka Rinpoche taught was very unique. Many students, monks and laypeople alike, felt like they were receiving more than a teaching. They felt they were also receiving a tremendous blessing.
Due to Pabongka’s knowledge and practice, tens of thousands of people became his disciples, including numerous eminent lamas, powerful generals and even Chinese government officials and monks, who came all the way from Beijing and Shanghai to Lhasa in order to receive his teachings. Ribur Rinpoche recounted that Pabongka Rinpoche spent a lot of time contemplating on the practical meaning of the teachings and came to inner realizations of them. Pabongka Rinpoche also practiced and accomplished everything he had learnt, right up to the completion stage. It was widely regarded that Rinpoche did not just spout words, but tried things out for himself. He was always known to be very gentle and never got angry. There were many instances whereby long lines of people would be waiting to see Rinpoche and to receive blessings. Rinpoche would patiently ask each one individually how they were and tap them on the head. These were some of the things that made Rinpoche well respected and adored by many.
Pabongka Rinpoche had written a total of about a hundred different treatises covering a wide range of topics from both the open and secret teachings of the Buddha. It is said that he wrote extensively on every aspect of Buddhist thought and practice. These collected works cover about 15 volumes. However, it is really his students who played the most pivotal role in preserving his teachings. Many of the major works that we have today are actually records of his oral discourses compiled by his closest students.
THE GURU OF GURUS
Pabongka Rinpoche was also the teacher of most of the other Gelug Lamas who have been bringing the Dharma to the West since they fled Tibet in 1959.
Rinpoche’s four main disciples were not just any disciples. They became great Gurus in their own right. They are Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, Khangsar Rinpoche and Tathag Rinpoche. Tathag Rinpoche was the main teacher of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama when he was a child and gave him his novice ordination. Trijang Rinpoche and Ling Rinpoche were later appointed as the junior and senior tutors to His Holiness, and Ling Rinpoche was elected to be the 97th throne holder of the Gelugpa lineage (Gaden Tripa). Khangsar Rinpoche’s Chinese disciple, Master Nan Hai, started a Buddhist movement in China which has survived to this present day, with tens of thousands of spiritual descendants and over a hundred monasteries and nunneries throughout China.
Sermey Geshe Lobsang Tharchin, another disciple of Pabongka Rinpoche, was a great Guru to many and the ex-abbot of Sera Mey Monastery. When Geshe Lobsang Tharchin met Pabongka, he was a wild teenager and was not considered a model student. However, all that changed when he met Pabongka at the Tashi Chuling Hermitage.
It was known that in private company or conversation, Pabongka was in the habit of constantly including the words, “Quite right! Quite right!” to everything he said. Geshe Lobsang Tharchin clearly remembered that on the day he met Pabongka Rinpoche, Pabongka had put his hand on his head. And Pabongka said, “Quite right! Quite right! Now this one looks like a bright boy!”
From that day forward, Geshe Lobsang Tharchin felt as though he had received Pabongka’s blessing, and some special power to pursue his studies.
He shared this much:
“I can say it was here that my life turned around, for three reasons: Pabongka Rinpoche had put some renunciation and other good motivation in my heart. I had given up wealth and position to pursue spiritual studies.”
If he had not met Pabongka, he would not even have studied so devotedly and became a Geshe. Many did not believe that he could master what he studied to become a Geshe. All because Pabongka Rinpoche inspired him so much.
Geshe Helmut Gassner explains:
“The great master Pabongka was, in the first half of the twentieth century, the pivotal or key lineage holder of the Oral Gaden Tradition. It was Pabongka Rinpoche’s particular merit to locate and find all these partial transmissions, to learn and realize them, and bring them together once again to pass them on through a single person. In his lifetime there was hardly a significant figure of the Gaden tradition who had not been Pabongka Rinpoche’s disciple. Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche was the one capable of receiving and passing on the entirety of the Oral Gaden Tradition once again. The cycle of learning and teaching continues. In this way, the Dharma remains eternal.”
Pabongka Rinpoche would always urge all his students, “Practice whatever you can so that my teachings will not have been in vain. But above all, make Bodhicitta your main practice. You must pursue any of the other meditation subjects in the knowledge that they will assist your Bodhicitta.”
Pabongka Rinpoche passed away in 1941. His holy body was cremated and his relics preserved in one of his monasteries, Tashi Choling in Lhasa, until it was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution.
CONCLUSION
Over many centuries, Tibet has produced a repertoire of extraordinary Buddhist saints and scholars, but it is rare for a lama’s teachings to become classics within his own lifetime, such as the works of Pabongka Rinpoche.
Without Rinpoche holding all the important lineages of sutra and tantra and passing them on to most of the important Gelug lamas of the next two generations, many students may not even have the benefit of learning the Dharma that we have today. To highlight an important fact, the “Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand’ is the culmination of the Lamrim tradition in Tibet, tracing all the way from Tsongkhapa to Atisha, and to all the many illustrious great scholars and Masters throughout history within the lineage’s Guru Tree.
As with all great Masters, most of their disciples would maintain that nothing is as significant to them – not their fame, riches or authority – only their Guru holds supreme in their hearts and minds. This is exactly what Ribur Rinpoche proclaimed,
“The only thing that matters to me is that I was a disciple of Pabongka Rinpoche.”
In a way we are all disciples of Pabongka Rinpoche, because all our Gurus or our Gurus’ Guru in the Gelugpa Lineage were all taught by Pabongka Rinpoche. He was truly the Guru of Gurus – the Grand Master.
A statue of Pabongka Rinpoche
WHAT OTHER GREAT LAMAS SAY ABOUT PABONGKA RINPOCHE
Pabongka’s foremost disciple, H.H. Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, praised his teacher highly in Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand, as such:
“Our childish minds were unfit vessels for so vast an ocean of teachings, so precious a source of qualities. How sad if these teachings were forgotten.”
H.H. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche explains:
“Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche and Kyabje Ling Rinpoche were tutors to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. They taught His Holiness everything from basic teachings to advanced levels. Kyabje Pabongka passed all of his lineages to Kyabje Trijang Dorje Chang. He often said this in discourses. The purpose of this detailed exposition is to affirm the power of the lineage. If we lose faith in the lineage, we are lost.”
In Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey’s commentary to the Wheel of Sharp Weapons, he says:
“Likewise, Lama Trijang Dorje Chang, Junior Tutor to His Holiness the present Dalai Lama, folds his hands upon the crown of his head whenever he mentions Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche. He was such a great lama, unsurpassed by any, that hardly any lamas or geshes of the Three Pillars (the monasteries of Gaden, Sera and Drepung) had not been his disciples.”
Lama Zopa commented:
“Pabongka Dechen Nyingpo wrote incredible teachings on sutra and tantra; on Heruka, Tara Cittamani and many other topics. All these amazing teachings were written purely from his experience.”
Rilbur Rinpoche, for example, was held and tortured during the Cultural Revolution for two decades and famously said:
“If I told you what happened on a regular basis, you would find it hard to believe.” By all accounts he emerged from his trials with a heart full of love and forgiveness and, when asked how, he replied that it was due to the blessings and teachings of his root Lama Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche.
According to Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, a highly regarded Lharampa Geshe, Je Pabongka was considered an emanation of the Highest Yoga Tantra Deity, Buddha Heruka. He explains how 32 reincarnate Lamas, including his own teacher Dagpo Dorje Chang, attended his Lamrim teachings in Lhasa:
“Dagpo Dorje Chang could hear statues of Avalokiteshvara and Tara speak, and saw visions of multi-armed Yidams (Deities). Once Kyabje Pabongka invoked the wisdom beings of Heruka’s mandala to enter into a statue of Heruka Chakrasamvara. Heruka then offered nectar to Kyabje Pabongka, and prophesied that seven generations of his disciples would be protected by the body mandala of Heruka. Kyabje Trijang Dorje Chang is cared for by Heruka Chakrasamvara, as are his disciples.”
Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey gives an account of Pabongka’s mastery of the practice in his commentary to Wheel of Sharp Weapons:
Once, in the cave-under-water, he experienced a manifestation of Yamantaka for nine days, while he himself was essentially Heruka Chakrasamvara. Further, he experienced a manifestation of Vajrayogini who told him of the benefits to be derived from merging the Vajrayogini teachings of the Sakya and Gelug traditions into one meditational practice. When he once made a great (tsog) offering beside a Heruka statue in Lhasa, the wisdom body actually entered into the statue. The statue danced and told him that whoever received Heruka initiation from him up to the seventh generator would be taken to the dakini realms.
This incarnation of Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche was after Dechen Nyingpo (the famous one in Tibet) and before the current one. This particular incarnation passed into clear light around 30 years old.
ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS FROM MYSELF:
I had the great privilege and blessings to live with Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen of Gaden Shartse Monastery, when he had his own centre in Thubten Dargye Ling in Los Angeles, USA. I stayed there for about eight years with Geshe-la and he would give wonderful Lamrim teachings almost every Sunday. During those teachings, he told us that Kyabje Pabongka was very, very famous and very well-known in Tibet. His fame was all over in China too.
When Kyabje Pabongka gave teachings or initiations, there are certain parts of the initiation where he would invite the actual deities and their entourage to enter into each of our bodies, in other words, requesting the wisdom beings to dissolve into us, to bless us. When Pabongka did that, it was seen in the audience that many people would physically shake because Pabongka’s power to bring forth these deities was real, and people would actually shake and feel them entering them and blessing them.
Geshe-la also mentioned that while Kyabje Pabongka was conducting the teachings, it was a very well-known fact that many people in the audience saw the third eye appear in the middle of Pabongka’s forehead. Especially during Heruka teachings, a third eye would open up and people would see him with three eyes. It was very, very obvious.
I have also heard that when Pabongka did the blessing of his inner offering, there’s a part where the Lama says, “…all faults, colours, smell, potentiality are gone and then it increases and boils.” When Pabongka said those words, the inner offering in his cup would boil in front of him. Many people had witnessed this, and there was no fire there.
These are just some of the many incredible things that Geshe-la told us during his talks. Geshe-la, being who he is, remains without fault and is also perfect in speech. So, everything Geshe-la said, did and shared is absolutely true.
I have also read in the commentaries that, Vajrayogini specifically appeared to Pabongka in a vision. Not once or twice, but several times. In one of those visions, Pabongka was granted direct initiation by Vajrayogini. She promised him that those who received Vajrayogini from him, and inclusive of the following four generations, would be taken to Kechara Paradise within seven lifetimes. The usual timing for Vajrayogini’s practice is that when you receive Vajrayogini’s initiation, she promises you during the initiation, via the Lama, that you will ascend to Kechara Paradise within 14 lifetimes. That is a promise Vajrayogini gives the recipient of the initiation.
If you have received Pabongka’s lineage of Vajrayogini within the four generations, you will achieve Kechara Paradise within seven lifetimes instead of the usual 14 lifetimes. So, basically, it’s cut in half.
For example, Pabongka gives the teachings and practice to Trijang Rinpoche and so, that counts as the first. Trijang Rinpoche then gives it to Zong Rinpoche, which counts as the second and perhaps Zong Rinpoche gives it to me, which makes me the third generation. This means that I can ascend to Kechara Paradise within seven lifetimes. If my contemporaries and I practise well, and whoever I, or the people in my contemporary peers can receive it and give it to their students, then their students will be the last. So that would be the 4th generation and those students will be ascending to Kechara Paradise within seven lifetimes.
Now, if my students or my contemporaries, and their students give it to their students, then it goes back to 14 lifetimes. This is not a bad deal either. However, when you’ve been in samsara this long, the seven and 14 does make a huge difference.
I have read in the biographies that Kyabje Pabongka’s lineage of Vajrayogini is very, very sensitive. In this context, the word “sensitive” means that this deity’s practice confers her blessings very quickly because she is very close to him. This is not surprising as she is his consort and he is her’s; they’re one in nature. This is why Pabongka promoted Vajrayogini’s practice during his lifetime.
There were “sang-de-jig-sum”, Guhyasamaja, Yamantaka, and Heruka, and Pabongka promoted Kalachakra and these great yidams of Lama Tsongkhapa. But for the common man, for the normal guy and for everybody during this time, he strongly promoted Vajrayogini because it suits us.
Pabongka was not a known scholar, but all scholars were under him. He was not labeled a great knowledge holder, but he became very knowledgeable. He is the type that didn’t really debate or show off his knowledge, so he looked dull. However, when it came to teachings, the way that he taught and the power of his teachings clearly showed that he was very learned and that he was not ordinary.
Hence, I recalled that even in Kyabje Zong Rinpoche’s private audience room, there would be a big picture of Pabongka right behind his throne, framed on the wall. I saw it myself. When my lama, Zong Rinpoche, believes in Pabongka and keeps a picture of him, Pabongka must be a Buddha because Zong Rinpoche is a real direct, very tough Lama and he won’t accept anything easily. If Zong Rinpoche accepts Pabongka, then Pabongka is definitely something special. Pabongka’s lineage of Vajrayogini that he recommended to all of us, is one that we should strive to achieve, we should strive to get and that we should strive to practice.
My personal statue of Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche
A few years back, a contemporary lama who is a very accomplished lama and also a Tulku, was visiting Gaden and I went to pay my respects to him. He’s from Sera and at that time, the current Pabongka Rinpoche had a Ladrang in Sera Mey monastery. Pabongka Ladrang is situated along the circumambulation circuit of Sera. The circumambulation path goes around all of Sera Jey and Sera Mey and that path is still there now. I have been there and I used to circumambulate too when I visited Sera, it’s beautiful. And if you circumambulate around Sera, you will walk past Pabongka Ladrang and from the circumambulation circuit of Sera, sometimes you can even get a glimpse of Kyabje Pabongka Choktrul Rinpoche on the verandah, walking around or at his window.
This elite senior Lama told me personally that every night, after a full day of giving Dharma talks and philosophical classes, he would go for circumambulation around Sera. And one day when he was circumambulating, he looked at Pabongka Ladrang and he saw the young Kyabje Pabongka Choktrul Rinpoche at the window. Pabongka Rinpoche was just looking out of his window and so this Lama folded his hands to Pabongka Rinpoche and then walked onwards for a few seconds.
Then he turned around and looked again at Pabongka Ladrang and in Pabongka Rinpoche’s place, instead of a young tulku, he saw a lady, red in colour with dark hair. He couldn’t believe his eyes – he stopped walking, rubbed his eyes and looked again, and he saw Pabongka Rinpoche once more.
Now, this master who told me this story is a great teacher, very renowned, a senior monk, and he is not prone to hallucinations due to his meditations. He told me that it was amazing, and I asked him, “What do you think?” And he said, “Maybe I have the fortune to see Pabongka’s real nature, which is Vajrayogini”. And I repeat, he said “Perhaps I have the fortune to see Pabongka’s real nature, which is Vajrayogini”. And I thought “Wow!” I’ve see all these great Lamas and all I see is who they are, as they are, unfortunately for me.
But I really believe in this Lama’s story and what he told me. I know who he is and his reputation therefore it is totally believable. What is mean is, the Lama and the Yidam are really one, especially accomplished Lamas like Pabongka Rinpoche. So I thought I would share that with everyone and I thought it would be very nice.
On another post, I’ve already written some things on Vajrayogini that I would like everybody to read up on and follow, see and contemplate. In the lineages of Guhyasamaja, Yamantaka, Kalachakra, Heruka and Vajrayogini, when you do their sadhana everyday, you have to go through the prayers of the lineage Lamas. Every single one of those sadhanas has their lineage lamas’ supplication prayers and within that, Pabongka’s name is included because he is our lineage lama. Therefore he is very, very important.
Tsem Tulku
P.S.
Sermey Jetsun Khen Rinpoche Losang Tharchin on Pabonka Rinpoche
Khen Rinpoche, Geshe Lharampa, ex-Abbot Sera Monastery says:
KYABJE PABONGKA RINPOCHE DECHEN NYINGPO and his classmate, Gyelrong Sharpa Choje—known as Jangsem Choje Lobsang Nyima—went together very often to debate when they were at their monastery. Indeed, both of them became Geshes. Later Jangsem Choje Lobsang Nyima entered Gyu Me Tantric College and became a great scholar. He proceeded to become gi-go, an administrator, as I did, then Lama Umdze, then Abbot, and finally almost reached the position of Ganden Tripa.
Pabongka Rinpoche Kyabje Dechen Nyingpo’s life proceeded in another direction such that he was later to become a very famous teacher of Sutra and Tantra, especially of the Lam Rim (Stages of the Path to Enlightenment) tradition. Whenever he taught, many people came from miles and miles around to attend his teachings. Everybody said he was an unbelievable expert on all subjects.
Later, when Lobsang Nyima had learned that Kyabje Dechen Nyingpo was going to be in nearby Chusang Ritro, his curiousity piqued from having heard so much relating to Kyabje Pabongka’s fame coming from all quarters, he decided to visit him and so he brought along a pot of excellent yogurt as a gift for Rinpoche. During that visit they met for a long time discussing many points on numerous topics. Since Kyabje Pabongka had answered every one of his questions so thoroughly, Lobsang Nyima couldn’t argue with him at all on any of the points.
Upon his return, when others asked about the visit he remarked: “When we were on the debate ground at Sera Mey, Kyabje Dechen Nyingpo wasn’t an expert at debate by any means. At the time I didn’t think he had learned very much. But now I understand that his way of studying and mine went in different directions. For instance, when we debated, I for my part, would apply reasons and quotations to back up my arguments, all the time focusing on the other debater. But Kyabje Pabongka, for his part, when studying, asking questions, giving answers, reciting quotations, giving reasons, everything, would focus all of these on himself, applying them to his own mind. Therefore, by using such a method, there is no way to argue with him on any of the points since he has mastered them all.”
Sacred Name mantra of His Holiness Kyabje Pabongka Dorje Chang Dechen Nyingpo:
Om Ah Guru Benza-Dhara Metri Shasana Dhara Karma Sarwa Siddhi Hung Hung
Terima Kasih Rinpoche!
I find this recount of Pabongkha Rinpoche’s life most inspiring. From beginning to end, it is a wonderful spiritual path.
I especially like the accounts of Pabongkha Rinpoche not being perceived as particularly bright during his early studies and even being “bullied” by some. Then, he studied the lamrim in great depths and thanks to the combination of deep and long meditations on the headings and the skills of his teacher Dagpo Lama Rinpoche, he became fluent and later on was able to draw rather large crowds whenever he was to teach the lamrim, making it understandable to many, including lay people.
Perhaps, when one learns something having to conquer many obstacles, then one gains more benefit from it and becomes more skilful at teaching to those who have similar types of obstacles still to be vanquished.
I have read Tsem Rinpoche’s article very carefully and I’m very grateful to Rinpoche for compiling so much important information of our lineage guru, his background, his qualities and his teachings. His early experiences reminded me of Tsem Rinpoche’s own experiences. The qualities and achievements of Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche that make the most impression on me are:(1) he rejected the offer to become the Regent of Tibet because he believed that “a monk should never touch politics”, (2)he combined Sakya and Gelugpa practices and by including the Sakya tradition he bridged the gap between Buddha Shakyamuni and Tsongkhapa (1500 years) so that the teachings could come down in an unbroken line, (3)he studied the Lamrim for 10 years, engaged in Lamrim retreats and passed down the Southern Lamrim tradition which we are studying today,(4)he passed down many tantric practices, including the Vajrayogini lineage, (5) he demonstrated the powers of Buddha’s body, speech and mind.
Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche was indeed “a teacher of the common man and the monks”. Reading his biography has increased my faith in my own root guru. In many ways, Tsem Rinpoche is like this great master. Rinpoche has strong connections to Pabongka Rinpoche.
Dear Rinpoche,
thank you so much for sharing Kyabje Pabongkha Rinpoche Dorjechang’s biography with us. It is very awe inspiring to read about such a great teacher, how lucky are we to receive teachings from his lineage!
i feel a greater appreciation of Liberation in the Palm of my hand after reading this amazing and complete biography and that i should start doing something to spur my Dharma practice back up again.
Once again, it is due to Rinpoche’s profound kindness that ignorant and deluded people like me get to read about such profound and authentic Dharma in this lifetime and i am in great gratitude.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you for the very clear and condensed biography of the great Pabongkha Rinpoche.
Pabongkha Rinpoche was not an outstanding student in his younger days but when he met his root guru, his wisdom flourished. This shows us how important it is to meet our root guru , some one that has profound impact on our spiritual growth. Once we meet our root guru, we must be 100% dedicated to the guru and his instructions for our own benefits.
In many ways Rinpoche is like the great Pabongkha Rinpoche : his unconventional ways of imparting the dharma to the people, always thinking of different ways and means to bring dharma to people ( in Kechara there are 12 departments catering to different people with different inclinations), Rinpoche always cracks jokes to liven up his teachings and take care of everyone’s physical well being throughout his teaching sessions.
I do not have the merits to meet the great Pabongkha Rinpoche but I rejoice in my good fortune to have met Tsem Rinpoche. The posting on Pabonkha Rinpoche reinforces that I as the student must do my part in order not to let my precious chance go to waste.
May my Guru live long to spread the lineage
May KWPC http://www.kechara.com/peace-centre/ manifest soon to benefit countless people in the region
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you for the very clear and condensed biography of the great Pabongkha Rinpoche.
Pabongkha Rinpoche was not an outstanding student in his younger days but when he met his root guru, his wisdom flourished. This shows us how important it is to meet our root guru , some one that has profound impact on our spiritual growth. Once we meet our root guru, we must be 100% dedicated to the guru and his instructions for our own benefits.
In many ways Rinpoche is like the great Pabongkha Rinpoche : his unconventional ways of imparting the dharma to the people, always thinking of different ways and means to bring dharma to people ( in Kechara there are 12 departments catering to different people with different inclinations), Rinpoche always cracks jokes to liven up his teachings and take care of everyone’s physical well being throughout his teaching sessions.
I do not have the merits to meet the great Pabongkha Rinpoche but I rejoice in my good fortune to have met Tsem Rinpoche. The posting on Pabonkha Rinpoche reinforces that I as the student must do my part in order not to let my precious chance go to waste.
May my Guru live long to spread the lineage
May KWPC http://www.kechara.com/peace-centre/ manifest soon to benefit countless people in the region
Pabongka Rinpoche is indeed Guru of Gurus! He taught us, by example, what is Guru Devotion! I am specially moved by the fact that he spent 10 years studying Lamrim under the guidence of his root guru Dagpo Rinpoche (a ‘normal monk’) after he had obtained the Geshe degree. We should learn from Pabongka Rinpoche that one should be humble and respect anyone who is willing to share his knowledge and teach us, regardless of that person’s social status.
Pobangka Rinpoche started teaching only after he mastered every thing in Lamrim; and many people benifited from his teachings.
For those who aspire to spread Buddha’s teaching should follow is example!
Kechara House is one of few buddhist centres in Malaysia that emphasize structured dharma teachings, this is one of the main reasons why I had decided to develop my spiritual path in Kechara House. The regular Munjushri Classes provides adults an opprtunity to learn and share and Kids Munjushri Class brings chidren to dharma at early stage of their lives. check out this site for details on classes available http://www.kechara.com/kechara-house/education/
Dear Rinpoche ,
Thank you for giving us this knowledge about the GREAT PABONGKA RINPOCHE. It simply inspiring and we are very fortunate to have been able to learn His teachings transmitted by Him to all the others Gelug Lamas such as yourself to us.
Pabongka Rinpoche truly indeed one of the very few Greatest Super Human , a Living Buddha of our time.
Thank you Rinpoche for the information on Pabongka Rinpoche (1878-1941). At that time of the 19th and 20th century, this history of the founder of our lineage is truly recorded history when all facts had been written and not just oral legendary.
This is evidence that our lineage is pure and true. What I realized is that although Pabongka is not a great scholar, he knew all scriptures and text so well that it can only be recollections of all his knowledge from previous lives. In this respect, I have always wondered how Rinpoche could and can teach us so much without having text with Rinpoche while doing so and I conclude that like Pabongka Rinpoche, Rinpoche has accumulated all this knowledge from many many previous lives of living in the Dharma.
In this context, we at Kechara are so very fortunate to learn the great Dharma through the illustrious work of the great Masters, starting with Pabongka Rinpoche, who combined the work of Sakyamuni to Tsongkapa, Trijang Rinpoche, Ling Rinpoche to Zong Rinpoche, the root guru of our Guru, Tsem Tulku Rinpoche.
I have always wondered why there are so many stories of people seeing and haunted by ghosts, and not anyone, except high Lamas can see Buddhas, now I realized that we in Samsara do not have the merits to do so. Whereas Pabongka Rinpoche can as he is one in nature with the Buddhas. This also made me realize that honouring and respecting the Sangha is to our benefit.
The promise of our Lineage is so wonderful that if we practiced well and do what Rinpoche asks of us, and do our tasks well, we can receive Vajrayogini practice and be in control of our current life and future lives so that we do not waste time in rebirths that will not give us the opportunity to study and practice the Dharma. This realization is very empowering for me to practise the Dharma and live my days holding onto unbroken samaya with my Guru, Tsem Rinpoche.
Holding onto good samaya with our Guru will not be as easy as that Pabongka Rinpoche and Tsem Rinpoche can but as Rinpoche taught us, we will break our promises to our Guru but it is the awareness not to do so everyday will bring us closer to our chance to be taught Vayrayogini Practice and control over our future lives.
This promise of our lineage is a great incentive for me to practise Guru devotion and compassion and kindness to all.
Thank you once again, Rinpoche.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you for the inspirational read on the great qualities of one of our supreme Lineage Lama’s. My faith has increased even more for Gaden and our connection through you to these great masters!
I find myself inspired to be even more firm in my practice to become the best vessel I can to receive dharma in the future.
Through:
1) Practice and firm in my Saddhana commitments.
2) Dedication to preliminary practices slowly, diligently and happily.
3) Lam Rim study.
It is funny that spiritual practice in real life has a habit of returning full circle…Revisiting the recommended texts in the vajrayogini blog…has been very helpful for this low level modern day practitioner.
If we love our lama love the dharma and have faith in the three jewels please carry out these very helpful instructions! Liberation is definitley in the palm of each of our hands.
Definitely a nice friend and habit to have and easier with experince and continuous practice.
Thank you Rinpoche for another lovely blog!
Thank you Rinpoche for this clear and concise biography of H.H. Pabongkha Dorje Chang. I can still remember when we went on a pilgrimage to Nepal, we were so fortunate to have the merits and good samaya to be able to meet this great being/master who wrote and taught the Lamrim!!!
I felt so fortunate that we met a real life Buddha! He definitely is one. Just by looking at his image you can sense that he is a powerful being. What more when we get to see him in real life.
He was so humble and we were so awed. Like in his previous lives, there was not a single hint of his ability and knowledge. He humbled all of us with his simple humility, and that I felt was a great teaching in itself. He also advised us to have Guru Devotion. It felt like we went up to meet Heruka in person and descended back to samsara to spread the Dharma.
We are definitely very fortunate to have met you Tsem Rinpoche, for without Rinpoche, we would be oblivious to all this and going in circles in samsara activities. And since Rinpoche is the 3rd generation in line with Pabongka’s lineage of Vajrayogini, it means we are the 4th, and also given the added privilege to achieve Kechara Paradise within seven lifetimes instead of the usual 14 lifetimes, IF we receive Vajrayogini from Rinpoche. So, this is really something special and not any other Lama has that line of lineage to receive this ultimate practice. Amazing!!!
I hope that we may one day be able to invite the great Pabongka Dorje Chang in KWPC!
Rinpoche, thank you for sharing this incredible biography of Pabongkha Rinpoche which, like the earlier biography posted on Trijang Rinpoche inspires much faith in comparative fledgings like us. What is most clear in this account is that these Lamas didn’t get to where they were just by the sake of their name or being reborn on a lotus bed with brocades, but it was by their life-long devotion to their Dharma practice, their incredible effort, perseverance, great, great study and deep concern for others, throughout their whole lives.
I was struck also by how much this account mirrors our own kind Lama, Tsem Rinpoche – we are so fortunate not just to receive this lineage of teachings through such a close and unbroken lineage of elite masters but also a lineage and blessings of compassion, the 6 perfections and the profoundly altruistic mind.
Even the very way in which Pabongkha used jokes to keep his students awake so he could impart the teachings, the way he would relate tantric teachings in a sutric way so that his students could understand better, the wonderful personal connection he would create by spending time with each of the hundreds of people who lined up for blessings: these are all methods that Tsem Rinpoche also engages to reach the people of today. Whether it was in Pabongkha Rinpoche’s time or today in 2010, the Lamas continuously show us the many countless way they manifest to connect with us. We are not just receiving the teaching of words and text and books, but a lineage of teaching that manifests in their very actions, kindness and love for every being they meet.
Pabongkha Rinpoche’s exemplary Guru Devotion too is a precious lesson for us to learn. I realise by reading this account that the whole foundation upon which this sacred lineage has been preserved stems from the singular practice of Guru Devotion: first from Pabongkha Rinpoche to his Lama Dagpo Rinpoche, and subsequently from his disciples to him, and so forth, until our own kind lama Tsem Rinpoche to his Gurus. The lineage is most strongly and closely passed down by the bond and samaya we create ourselves as students. It is by Rinpoche’s incredible guru Devotion to lamas such as Zong Rinpoche and Geshe Lobsang Tharchin, decades of his hard work carrying out their instructions and keeping to his commitments that we now have the great, great fortune of receiving these teachings. The only hope we have to preserve these teachings henceforth is if we too step up to preserve these practices of Guru devotion, kindness, care and bodhicitta.
Reading this article, and learning first that Pabongkha was never known for being scholarly when he first started his studies in Sera, I have realised more strongly than ever that this “lineage” we always talk about is NOT just about the actual information, fact and figures that are passed down to us. That is easily recorded and written down. It is the very essence of these teachings, practising it, realising it, and having superior faith in our teachers’ instructions for practice that make the lineage real and bring it alive.
What an exemplary figure was Pabongkha Rinpoche, and all the Lamas who have come after him who have worked so hard to practise and live the teachings so that we now have them too. May we be able to achieve that same exalted state of practise, lest the teachings be lost. It is a great responsibility for us as students of this lineage, but also the rarest and greatest privilege and honour.
Thank you Rinpoche for keeping us connected.
With folded hands,
Paris
It was through the current incarnation of Kyabe Pabongka Choktrul Rinpoche that I had my first glimpse of Langri Thangpa ‘Eight Verses of Thought Transformation’ in practice. The practice of humility. We were on our first trip to Katmandu and Rinpoche was on the phone to Pabongka Ladrang. When Pabongka Rinpoche came on the line, Tsem Rinpoche immediately stood up and bowed his body. He was in that position during the course of that call. We had the great merits to meet this great Buddhist master and received teachings from him and all this is due to the kindness of our Guru, Tsem Rinpoche.
THANK YOU Rinpoche for this in-depth biography of H. H. Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche. It would have taken me forever to learn if I had to get the materials myself. I am truly grateful that with Rinpoche’s teaching my limitations will not lead to my downfall.
I cannot help but experience the immensely strong similarities between Tsem Tulku Rinpoche and Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche. When I read about the manner and style Pabongka Rinpoche taught his disciples, it was like “live” experience for me as I recall how Tsem Tulku Rinpoche teaches. Both great teachers teach in accordance to what the listeners are ready to learn. This is especially necessary today when the “new” people do not listen and pay attention, thinking they so “smart”. Tsem Tulku’s style is so apt for today, as I always say> “Rinpoche is truly the Guru for Today.” This sentiment of mine is probably what was said of Pabongka Rinpoche at his time.
From reading this article it has become so clear to me the impact and tremendous values of Pabongka Rinpoche’s teachings to what we are learning until today. From Lamrin, to Heruka, to Vajrayogini, to lineage preservation, to Guru Devotion, etc…
The word “contemplate” to me had merely meant “think”. Oh dear, how shallow I have been. Contemplate means so much deeper. It is not merely to think but to think intensely until the teaching we contemplate resonates in our entire being and soul, and we can practice it profoundly and benefit many many people. Even great masters like Pabongka Rinpoche would retreat and contemplate whenever he received teachings. This is a great learning for me to take my instruction to contemplate teachings very seriously from now on. In doing so I will prevent my Guru’s teachings from falling onto deaf ears. If all students will embody the true sense of contemplation we will definitely be able to preserve our Guru’s teachings through the times into the future.
On a lighter note, I am glad that JP is not as wild as Pabongka’s Ladrang Manager. We would all be whalloped real bad by JP, I know I would have more than shoes thrown at me! Perhaps in hindsight, JP should be as wild, then perhaps we will pay attention and conduct ourselves with respect and honour.
I rejoice that we as students of Tsem Tulku Rinpoche have the good fortune to fall within the four generations of Pabongka’s teachings. This gives us hope as the difference between 7 and 14 lifetimes is indeed very long. So, we must commit and learn, preserve and practice earnestly and whole-heartedly.
I realized how very little I know about my own Guru’s lineage and his Gurus when I read Pabongka Rinpoche’s story. I did not even know of the significance of past Masters, how they all contributed to preserving the Gelugpa Lineage to this day, and how all of this relates to us today. I cannot imagine what will happen if we did not have a Pabongka Rinpoche who did so much to ensure that all the teachings will not be lost, eventhough he knew that he was unable to leave Tibet. I cannot imagine what will happen if there was no Trijang Rinpoche could be the perfect vessel to uphold these teachings and proceed to teach others from then on. Now, I can truly understand why the Guru-Disciple relationship is so crucial. When the teacher-student relationship is kept well and good, at the very least, the students will transform with amazing results. At the very best level, the students themselves will become the holders of the lineage and will bear the responsibility in propagating them. In this way, the lineage will never die. It will continue to benefit many generations more. I am extremely humbled by this whole article and it has opened my eyes and mind to realising that I need to become a vessel worthy of my Guru’s teachings, hardships, history and dreams. I need to become a true student of the Dharma. Thank you, Rinpoche for sharing this important story of Pabongka Rinpoche. I am sure many students beyond Kechara will also benefit from reading this article. It relates to everyone who is a follower of Gelugpa. I can be here because of the kindness of Rinpoche. Without our Gurus, we cannot come to be. As Zong Rinpoche said, we cannot lose faith in the lineage or else we will be lost.
So much exhaustive work, care, love and the wish to benefit all were put into this detailed Gelug lineage master’s bio, H.H. Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche. Thank you, Rinpoche.
We, the members of Kechara House and students of H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, are so fortunate to receive such profound dharma teaching from Rinpoche directly. And in clear and perfect English, the language that most of us are familiar with.
Rinpoche’s guru devotion is impeccably perfect as that of Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche, Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, Kyabje Zong Rinpoche….. I will strive for that as well, so I may receive the blessings from all the great Gelug masters of the past, to gain attainments to end my pain and suffering.
Please live long Rinpoche and continue to teach and spread dharma
Thank you so much Rinpoche for these precious teachings on Lama Pabongka. Reading these is very inspiring and deepens my sense of connection to the lineage.
from a student of Gehlek Rimpoche
Many points struck me while reading this post. To list a few:
1. “To be worthy of receiving teachings/transmissions to carry on the lineage”
Can you imagine if the students of Pabongka were not ready and Pabongka had no one to pass the teachings to before the exile? We would not have the teachings today! We have the same responsibility today. Do we take advantage of enjoying the moment during teachings and retain nothing? If that is so, then we will loose out as we will not remember enough to practice. Worst still, the lineage teachings will dissapear eventually…and we would have played a part in this disaster that many will not have these teachings.
2. “From now on, for the next seven generations, whoever practices my teaching, I will protect and help.”
Guess what! Geshe Lobsang Tharchin was a direct disciple of Pabongka. AND one of Tsem Rinpoche’s guru is Geshe Lobsang Tharchin. This is our lineage and how fortunate we are to have Tsem Rinpoche as our Guru. Tsem Rinpoche has used his entire life to receive these teachings to pass to us. How kind! We must not miss out and let this opportunity slip by us.
3. What opportunity?! To gain control over death and my next rebirth..this is the reason to practice all that have been taught. To be ready to receive Vajrayogini practice. May I be fortunate to receive her and to gain the results.
Rinpoche please live long and continue to turn the wheel of dharma.
At first, it was all very alien to me with all the Buddhism terms, Guru names and all…(not that I am any better now) but the more I read, the more beautiful i find the teachings is and how wonderful these teachings are still preserved and made available to us to this very day. I am extremely touched and respectful towards all these noble gurus like Pabongka Rinpoche, Trijang Rinpoche, Zong Rinpoche and Tsem Rinpoche spend their lives preserving the lineage and teachings. Without them, we are still spend our time circling in the samsara world…
I am very proud to be a student of Tsem Rinpoche to have the honour to learn the teachings in a language that we all can easily understand with all the hard work of highly respect gurus eg Pabongka Rinpoche preserved…
I think there is no better gifts then seeing ourselves transform, be committed, respect our guru and do what he says and listen and learn.
Please guide us along the way, Rinpoche. Good health, long life and continue to turn the wheel of dharma.
Wow! Thank you Rinpoche for such an amazingly extensive and comprehensive article on Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche. The many personal accounts of Pabongka Rinpoche quoted within reveal what an accomplished Lama that he is.
I have learned so much and I particularly find most amazing is his ability to enthrall his audience for hours on end with wit, humour and also the amazingly skillful way he imparts the Dharma to his students. Pabongka Rinpoche is also fiercely loyal to his Guru and there were pretty amazing stories of how his Lama taught him the Southern tradition of Lamrim line-by-line until he gained realisation. These are the practical parts of Pabongka Rinpoche’s story that I really find inspiring.
On the other hand, I found the account where Pabongka Rinpoche in his letter to defend his Guru’s Lamrim tradition mystically was able to quote scriptures and direct the assistants of the Dalai Lama to the relevent books was simply amazing! It was a rare opportunity that we get a glimpse of his clairvoyance.
There were a lot more qualities and accounts mentioned but I found the ones that I mentioned most note-worthy because they revealed his spiritual qualities as a sublime master of Buddhism.
By reading the in depth biography of H.H.Kjabje Pabongka Rinpoche,
I am so grateful to learn to know this great great master.What i learned from Pabongka Rinpoche biography are:
Pabongka considered a living Heruka, whoever practices his teaching, will be protected and helped. How fortunate that our guru is directly from Pabongka lineage
tracing from H.H. Trijang Rinpoche, H.H. Ling Rinpoche to H.H. Zong Rinpoche, there is not a lama who is not a disciple of Pabongka Rinpoche, directly or indirectly. In one way or another, every lineage came through Pabongka. Just like Rinpoche said, we are indeed very much blessed.
Pabongka spiritual qualities very similar to our Guru Tsem Tulku Rinpoche ,
Tsem Tulku Rinpoche teachings also with jokes and amusing stories laced to keep us ‘awake’.
Thank you Rinpoche
It is amazing of how strong Pabongka Rinpoche’s Incarnation is, previous life is a well known scholar who teaches in the regions of Mongolia and China. Although Pabongka Rinpoche’s life was not very outstanding, but he did not give up, until he met his root guru, Dagpo Jampel Lundrup, even though Dagpo Rinpoche is also not very outstanding, but under Dagpo Rinpoche’s Teaching, he transformed and everything flourish within him. Studied the Lamrim Text, then meditate on it, study the text again and meditate on it again, he repeated it for ten years, then only he reaches the level of becoming outstanding in everything. With all the hard work Pabongka Rinpoche put in, it built him great respect from everyone until anyone from anywhere will come for his teaching and for further action, taking refuge from Pabongka Rinpoche. No doubt the higher lever he was in his spiritual practice, the more obstacles he is facing and he overcome all obstacle he faces without giving up.
Pabongka Rinpoche’s growth was so great until it surpasses his Root Guru, but he never forget about him or being proud that he is greater, he showed humble, his appreciation that what he learned from Dagpo Rinpoche, this really shows a very good example to everyone that how much he respect his guru, he never taking it easy onto his guru devotion, he fulfill every vows until to his last drop of his life, he still goes back to his guru.
Even a Highly incarnated Rinpoche had to put in so much hard work in order for him to master everything, not only study the text but memorize every single detail, he never take his spiritual practice easily, he showed us great example of, he spread dharma teachings bright and wide, but most importantly, he not only teaches, he put all this teachings into action.
For Lay person like us, it is very fortunate for us to be so close with Rinpoche, as when I read about Pabongka Rinpoche’s biography, it kept reminded me about Tsem Rinpoche, and both this great guru is showing same devotion and passion. Not able to understand how important spiritual practice is, it is because we have created karma for us to jell into the samsaric world with all the attachment, selfishness, laziness, etc; all about focusing in me and myself, and with this attitude, it truely shows very obvious that how little we’ve accomplished in our life.
Thank you Rinpoche for the sharing. Heartful thank with hand folded
H.H. Pabongkha Rinpoche no words can describe the depth of knowledge, and a story of both, humbleness and courage. I really like the fact that this is fresh history we’re talking about. Its not like the Jesus story which happened soo long ago, this is just before WW2 ended.
While the world was struggling with themselves, Pabongkha Rinpoche was helping those struggling with their minds, and through his teachings, there has been many High Lamas after him and after the students there is still more. What this says is the teachings Pabongkha taught are real and people are gaining results.
This is such good news for us, who constantly program ourselves to think we cannot, and hence we operate from that foundation.
What a lovely biography of the incomparable master HH Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche! Learning about our lineage Lamas is crucial for our practice because we need to know that the source of our teachings is authentic and unbroken. The fact that Pabongka Rinpoche taught almost all the Gelugpa lamas in his lifetime, including HH Trijang Dorjechange and HH Ling Dorjechang, who both became tutors to HH the 14th Dalai Lama, shows his qualities and high attainments.
This biography is presented so well with colourful anecdotes which bring Pabongka Rinpoche to life – i especially liked the story about how Pabongka Rinpoche answered the 13th Dalai Lama’s questions on the Southern Lamrim tradition.
Aspects of Pabongka Rinpoche’s life and his qualities also remind me very much of what Tsem Rinpoche has experienced as well as his qualities, such as:
1) not having anything, not even food to eat when he was young
2) the ability to bring Buddhist teachings from monks to laypeople at a level where we can understand
3) the ability to teach according to the needs of the audience as opposed to a predetermined syllabus
4) using humour in teachings
5) strong Guru devotion
6) not wanting to be involved with politics
Thank you Rinpoche for taking the time to share these spectacular biographies with us so that we can learn about the enlightened qualities of high lamas and aspire to be like them.
I will practise keeping my vows well so that I can create the karma to receive Pabongka Rinpoche’s lineage of Vajrayogini from Tsem Rinpoche in future.
with folded hands,
Sharon
Such a big teaching thank you <3 I had his book three times, you know the Liberation one, but I keep having to buy a new one. The last one I bought was from TDL in LA.
Rinpoche, you write that Vajrayogini is more suitable for ordinary people than other anuttarayoga tantra pracrices. Why is that?
I first heard the name of Pabongka in connection with the Dorje Shugden controversy. Without wishing to get into all that, it does bring up a more general problem–namely, under what conditions one may abandon vows that one has taken (as the Dalai Lama has done), and to what extend having a certain guru in one’s lineage obligates one to obey what he has taught.
You mention Ven. Thubten Zopa of the FPMT, one of your gurus. It so happens that his “Maitreya Project”–a giant Buddha statue to be built in Kushinagar, on peasant farmland whose sale would in some cases have to be forced by the Indian government–has provoked something of a spiritual crisis in me (quite opposite from the effect that the statue was intended to have!). It frustrates me that Tibetan Buddhism insists so often on the infallibility, or at least authority, of its various leaders, past and present. (They don’t call it “lamaism” for nothing.)
You are by no means a slave to convention, yet you not only participate in this authoritarian political structure, but positively glorify it. Why? I don’t mean to embarrass you, but if you have an answer to this, I would honestly appreciate knowing.
(As an aside, I have similar feelings regarding your praise for the King of Thailand who, let us say, has been a strong supporter of democracy at least 50 percent of the time.)
This is such amazing precious information. Thank you so much!
In the early days of HH Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche he was looked upon as a common monk with not much accomplishment.
Without his guru devotion, time, effort, loyalty, trust, belief and perhaps created the causes to meet with his root guru, HH Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche would not have become such a accomplished Teacher and Spiritual Guide of all times till today. We are very fortunate to be able to read translation of the Lamrin in English in this present time.
HE Tsem Rinpoche has been kind to share HH Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche’s biography with us on this blog for us to understand how:-
a. Spiritual Masters are like us, human and common people. They can also achieve enlightenment with guru devotion, effort, studies and contemplation to deeper thoughts
b. Spiritual Masters can become one with their yidam and to encompass their qualities through sincere practice and holding on to vows
c. Spiritual Masters can accomplish more if they belief what they are doing is the right way or the right path
Dear Dawei,
I found your questions intriguing and hope my little answers do help. Vajrayogini’s practice is most suitable of all the higher anuttarayoga practices because her commitments is less, the sadhana is shorter and the meditations are less complicated but she possesses the maximum efficacy of other higher anuttarayoga practices.
Hence, high Lamas promote her practice because ordinary people don’t have much time to devote to spiritual practice with their jobs, attachments and lovers. On top of that, her meditations directly counter desire, which is the most powerful and potent delusion of our time. As materialism and sex become stronger and stronger in our pop culture, media and public consciousness, Vajrayogini’s efficacy will become stronger as well.
As for the other question, I think devoting to a Guru or Lama is not a blind faith or makes the Lama infallible. It requires one to check the Lama out beforehand. Therefore, when we have ascertained the Lama’s real intentions through his works, students and teachings, one can already tell what the Lama really wants.
Certain Lamas like the Dalai Lama has already established himself through countless incarnations and the Dalai Lama in this life alone has single-handedly raised the status of Buddhism that even other traditions of Buddhism would respect him as a Buddhist leader and that he has come to represent world peace, compassion and enlightenment.
Otherwise Tibetan Buddhism would be considered just a cult.
If a Lama is truly a Lama, his actions would benefit even when they appear political, wrong or disturbing in our eyes. What may appear unconventional or strange to you is actually benefiting someone else or has a long-term impact that will be most beneficial. There are too many Lamas in Tibetan history that has brought such tremendous benefit and the Dalai Lama is one of them. We don’t really have the wisdom to check but past record of the Dalai Lama shows this.
On top of that, much of the controversy surrounding high Lamas are actually created by their students. You see, a high Lama have many students that have all the delusions that you and I have. However, they work and represent their Lama but along the way, they can sometimes create problems for others. Hence, the Lamas are very kind because they would take on the blame although it is actually the student’s fault. They are very and this reflect’s their level of compassion.
Lama Zopa is not my Lama and I don’t really know much of the controversy except what I read on the websites but I do believe the controversy is mainly due to his students or those in charge of the project. I have heard so much that Lama Zopa has done, why harp on one problem when he brings so much benefit to others across the world. I don’t deny that it is real but what I am saying is, we don’t know the full picture on both sides and so, we shouldn’t be so quick to judge. I hope this helps.
Thank you Rinpoche for this concise biography on this Grand Lama, however concise it may be it covers all the important aspects of life story of Pabongka Dorjechang. One of the points that stood out was that Kyabjye Pabongka Rinpoche when he learnt the Lam Rim from Dagpo Lama he meditated on it and when he gained realization he went back for more teachings, this meant that Pabongka Rinpoche had gained realizations to all aspects and topics of the Lam Rim.
In most Buddhist traditions, teachings are rarely taught to the lay people, however Pabongka Rinpoche was reknown to teach many monastic and lay people simultaneously and that he paid attention to the people who lined up to receive the teachings. Pabongka Rinpoche taught to benefit the people who were going to listen to him. The fact that the 13th Dalai Lama requested Pabongka Rinpoche to teach the Lam Rim instead of Gaden Tripa is also a testament to Pabongka Rinpoche power and ability to teach the glorious Lam Rim.
People who have lamas or teachers who are students of Pabongka Rinpoche or his direct students, do not lose the chance to obtain Vajrayogini from them, as it is promised if we get Vajrayogini from them ( up to 4 generations from Pabongka Rinpoche Dechen Nyingpo Jampa Tenzin Trinlay Gyatso ) then in 7 lifetimes we will ascend Kechara. That is a promise!
Dearest Rinpoche,
Thank you for your comprehensive and inspiring biography of HH KyabjePabongkha Rinpoche and the explanation of lineage. We are indeed fortunate to be taught by a livng Buddha with the capacity to transmit the empowerment of Vajroyogini. His life story mirrors that or Tsem Rinpoche and his style of teaching and we cannot ever repay you for your kindness. I was fascinated by the early life of Pabongkha Rinpoche, realisations, the Yidam master fusion, the lesson in Guru devotion and the blossoming of one’s Bodhimind on on connecting with the Root Guru. Thank you once again for your compassion in sharing this.
Thanks Rinpoche for providing the details history of Pabongka Rinpoche.
Pabongka Rinpoche has such a strong faith in His Guru and Dharma, and made Him to achieve great attainments in Tibetan Buddhism. His huge knowledge must have benefitted a lot of people from last time until now.
Although I haven’t finish reading Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand, I did for some chapters, they made me bow down and respect to Pabongka Rinpoche so much for coming out with text that full of wisdom. The chapter about Death is especially amazed me for having such details in describing death.
We are so fortunate to know Pabongka Rinpoche from Rinpoche, and moreover we are in the lineage.
Sometimes I think the Dharma works that I am working now, the knowledge that I learn now, is only a very small tiny percentage compared to the whole picture. I wish I will have more merits to learn more Dharma knowledge by working harder!!
H.H. KYABJE PABONGKA RINPOCHE is such a great being as he is the root teacher of H.H Trijang Rinpoche, and H.H. Trijang Rinpoche himself is the senior tutors to H.H. the Fourteenth Dalai Lama.
I like the mystical part where H.H. Pabongka Rinpoche can make rains and stop the rain when requested by the Thirteen Dalai Lama.
I remember one of the teachings given by H.E. tsem Tulku Rinpoche at Kechara House some time ago, Rinpoche mentioned that if we hold our vows and do our practice right, when we recite migtsema, we can control the weather too. This is because the land deities will respect us and follow our instructions and control the weather for us. By reciting Migtsema regularly, we can please the land deities, avoid calamities, make our surrounding area and whatever business we are doing become stable and have growth.
Paul
Additions to what I remembered, I also noticed that whenever Kechara House has any outdoor even, the weather will somehow turn favourable for the activities, and many occasions, there were rainbows that appeared right on top of the outdoor activities itself.
Like the last Wesak day we have celebrated on May 2010, double rainbows appeared on the skies, many people from near and far have noticed this too.
It says that the local deities are extremely happy and show signs of auspiciousness.
The main practise of Kechara House is Lama Tsongkhapa’s doctrine, taught by H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, and Migtsema is the heart mantra of Lama Tsongkhapa, which is recited often during Kechara House prayers session.
I can somehow see the relations between the miracles and powers of H.H. Pabongka Rinpoche mentioned in this article with what has been taught by H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche. Even miraculous signs do have a rhyme and reason.
Paul
Wonderful sharing Rinpoche! I rejoice !
* I somehow decided to take time to read this post, which i was lazy earlier as this is such a long write up.
Dear Rinpoche,
Your indepth and fascinating post on Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche, as is evident by the numerous comments, provides so many ways in which we can learn from this great teacher.
For me, the life of Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche shows us that you do not need to be born great in order to go on to achieve so much in life through spiritual development, and encouraging and inspiring so many others to work towards strongly developing virtuous qualities within themselves that they may use those qualities to benefit people.
Also, there is such a misconception that you need to be naturally very intelligent in order to do well in our spiritual practice, but ultimately the wonderful example Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche shows us that, through commitment to our practice, devotion to our guru and our dedication to knowing the Dharma, we can grow exponentially in our spirituality, resulting in the benefit of many others as well as ourselves.
Thank you for sharing this with us, Rinpoche.
Kindest regards,
Sandy
Thank you for replying, David Lai.
On the idea that we should carefully investigate a potential lama beforehand, I feel this to be insufficient safeguard. Typically, lamas are chosen on the basis of fame or charisma, or else because of their connection to a group. Even if one gets to know them personally, and chooses carefully (but based on what criteria?), there is simply no way to know what a lama may do (or may have already done, unbeknownst to ourselves). Even if they manage to avoid major scandal, mistakes will be made. To assume that these are really just manifestations of upaya (skill in means) which we who lack omniscience cannot yet understand, or to blame them on erring disciples, seems to be dishonest.
Moreover, it ignores the very real consequences of these mistakes. It is all very well for us to say, for example, that T. Zopa knows what he is doing, or that his virtues outweigh his shortcomings, but what about the Kushinagari farmers whose land is threatened by expropriation? (For all we know, it is THEY who are acting from enlightened motivation.) Thanks to guru devotion, it is next to impossible to get any of Zopa’s deputies to rethink this project.
I suspect the problem lies not so much with particular gurus, but with the entire institution of guru devotion, and Tibetan Buddhist culture generally.
It is really inspiring to read about the greatness and importance of Pabongkha Rinpoche and where all our lineage and transmissions directly and indirectly comes from. I cannot express how grateful and fortunate to be able to receive teachings indirectly from Pabongkha Rinpoche. I cannot wait to receive recieve the Vajrayogini initiation from my Lama who is 3rd in line to the Vajrayogini lineage holder. To receive this initiation from Most Tsem Rinpoche will be so powerful. It will enable us to swiftly be in Kechara Paradise within 7 life times. It is absotulely marvellous! Thank you Rinpoche for your love to all of us.
You don’t know how fortunate you are, you are so close to Vajrayogini in TTDI. If you are searching for the right Lama with this qualification, visit http://www.tsemtulku to connect with him for your spiritual goals and attainments.
Dear Rinpoche,
From now on I shall hold the Lamrim text – Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand – with great awe and reverence.
How wonderful it is that our most compassionate Lama has so painstakingly and with such loving kindness, unfolded to us such a clear and inspiring account of Pabongkha Rinpoche, the great Lama of lamas who had mastered the Lamrim with such thoroughness(I’ll forever hold in my memory the account of how he studied the Lamrin under his great teacher,Dagpo Lama Rinpoche – having to go and meditate on each topic taught,to return afterwards to his teacher and explain what he had meditated on and to assure his teacher he had gained realisation of the topic,before he was taught the next topic)and of how he then passed it on to his root disciple Trijang Rinpoche,the most capable vessel for transmitting the Lamrim teaching on so that the 21st century would have these sacred teachings in all its strength and power and authenticity.
Likewise, has our Rinpoche shown great foresight in painstakingly giving us a clear account of how Pabongkha Rinpoche wove the Sakya Vajrayogini teachings and Tsongkhapa’s Heruka practice together to create the great Gelugpa Vajrayogini practice, thereby giving us the firm conviciton of an unbroken lineage all the way from Buddha Shakyamuni!.
And now must we be more determined than ever not to lose this precious opportunity of getting ourselves ready to receive the Vajrayogini practice from our precious Lama, by holding our vows and commitments strongly.
Last but not least, thank you Rinpoche for so clearly elucidating how great a lineage that we ,your students, have received from you. Indeed, through the vivid biographies of Trijang Rinpoche and Pabongkha Rinpoche, you have made the precious lineage come to life in our minds!
You had ,by your fine example, shown us how to plumb the depths and scale the heights of Guru Devotion. Now, through your excellent accounts of the unexcelled Guru Devotion shown by such great Dharma masters as Pabongkha Rinpoche and Trijang Rinpoche, you’re showing us once again how Guru Devotion is so much the essence of the Path to Liberation and Enlightenment.
Lim Han Nee
Whoooooaaa! Words escape me and this is rare! I can often explain away or try to explain away. In this instant I am humbled and silenced! In a good way I must add…
I NEVER knew how incredibly important H.H. KYABJE PABONGKA RINPOCHE is until now. I will be the first one to admit that a lot of the names above escapes me as there is just sooooo much information in what Tsem Rinpoche has so kindly shared with us. However what I get from the above is
1. How important guru devotion is
2. A real “person”, Pabongka Rinpoche lived among us not so long ago and is not a person thousands of years back with whom some of us might find harder to relate to. I do!
3. How pure motivation can and should be
4. There is no one lesser then another in that Pabongka Rinpoche too was considered “slow” in his initial years. I dare not compare myself to Pabongka Rinpoche but it gives me some hope in reading the above as I feel I am not alone in this struggle to come to terms with the wealth of information that is out there. I act out of gut feeling and my heart and am not one that intellectualizes much. I hope to improve on that as I want to be able to have more conviction and be able to “defend” my guru as Pabongka Rinpoche did throughout his life.
Which makes me come to this point: How very fortunate we all are to have Tsem Rinpoche in our presence. How incredibly blessed we are that your Eminence chose to come back and be in our humble presence. Tears welled in my eyes just thinking of this fact. And how we still “throw” this chance away and not perceive it as a precious jewel above all our samsaric pleasures!
I feel there is so much out there to learn and to absorb and my one wish is to be able to accumulate as much merits in this lifetime for me to be able to come back at least in human form to continue and not be in the lower realms or animal realms where the chances to benefit are absolutely none!
I feel I have wasted the last 30 years of my life and the only years that mattered are the 8.5 years I have shared with Thierry which out of those, 8 months of truly wonderful months of having this incredible opportunity to be in Kechara House and to take refuge with your Eminence.
In this short life of mine, may I, as I mentioned above, able to accumulate enough merits to return as your humble student again (and i wish Thierry will be by my side again holding my hand as always) in order for me to eventually benefit more sentient beings.
I would also like to add that how uncanny Pabongka Rinpoche’s methods mmirror those of Tsem Rinpoche in that you both taught according to the spiritual needs of the listeners. How blessed we are!
I remain with folded hands and much love
Bei Dawei,
May I offer some thoughts on this subject of Guru Devotion: the very process of even taking someone as their Guru is a highly precise one and something we are encouraged to spend YEARS to investigate, question and contemplate for ourselves.
The scriptures (which by the way are not Tibetan but originate from the Indian Pandits, such as Asvagosha) even clearly outline the qualities (the “criteria” you were asking about) that we should look for in a teacher before we even accept him – these qualities find their foundation in compassion, the teachers’ acts of CONSISTENT kindness, complete knowledge of the teachings, humility and their genuine concern to teach and benefit. If he makes mistakes, he will own up to it and apply the effort to right it; if his students are in need, he will find the ways to help them; even if his students forsake and abandon him, he never gives up on trying to help them. These are just some examples of the qualities we are to look for – and aren’t they qualities that we would all like to see in our teachers? It is actually very logical and there is a logical process to all this.
We are advised to observe these teachers for up to 12 years, to look at their students, the effects of their works, how people are (or are not) being benefited by their teachings, works and actions. If still we feel that this teacher cannot benefit us, then we do not take this person as our teacher.
We may however, reach a point, after a period of investigation and observation that we are confident that this teacher does indeed have the higher wisdom and ability to guide us to higher spiritual attainments. We have identified and understand that all that this person does is for the benefit of others and that he does not carry in him any wish to harm others. Then we take refuge in him and have the trust that his advice and teachings to us is for our benefit, for us to learn/achieve something that will help us to transform, improve and grow.
Actually, we are already doing this, throughout our lives. We hand our kids over to teachers (total strangers!) with the trust that they will be able to educate our children; we submit to our doctors for very dangerous surgeries and treatments, one wrong tablet or one wrong move could mean the end of our life! we submit ourselves to our partners, lovers, friends; we take vows of complete devotion to our spouses; we are completed devoted to money, with the mistaken belief that the more we have, the “happier” we will be, and we will do anything for it. For something as high as Enlightenment, surely we would need a teacher too, that we can begin to trust?
If we think that all the Lamas are fallible, prone to making mistakes, egoistical, and constantly doubt that they are able to help/guide us, then we are assuming that we know better than all of them, all the time. Then we do not need teachers; then, we can get to enlightenment on our own. We haven’t gotten there yet, so evidently our method is not working! This is what I have come to realise – what I have been doing all these years in my life is not working. I am still unhappy, still suffering problems, still finding it difficult to overcome difficulties; my way of doing things has obviously not been working!
I spent many years checking out my teacher, spending time with him and his students, finding out how the students have benefited by his teachings and seeing how he has acted, guided, counselled and loved every single one of his students. I saw how he would make mistakes but then apologise to everyone, publically, and immediately find a way to make amends. I saw how he wouldn’t sleep for days because he was so concerned for students going through difficulties. I saw how he would give all of whatever small funds he had to others, so they could be relieved even slightly of their problems. Let’s not even talk about enlightenment yet – let’s just talk about being able to attain that single quality of unwavering, consistent, passionate kindness and concern for others, every single moment of every single day. I saw that in my teacher and that alone was a quality I wished to learn from him. I began to trust that if nothing else, this person does know a better, higher more beneficial way than me.
Guru devotion isn’t just about blind faith, though I understand how it can be misconstrued as that. There is a very precise way of checking things out, using your logic, internal debate and contemplation and seeing if the teachings make sense to YOU and can benefit you. You don’t just jump into it.
Also, I’d like to add that this relationship with a teacher is not specific to Tibetan Buddhism – this is a part of the Dharma path that can be seen in every tradition of Buddhism – zen, theravadan, Mahayana… every great monastic Buddhist institution in the world finds it roots in the teachers who preserve and give the teachings, guide students and nurture new teachers. They don’t arise out of nowhere.
When you treasure the teacher, it is not about following some cult figure; this is where most people are mistaken. It is about following the teachings that he so kindly imparts to improve our lives. Ultimately, the outer guru that we follow is to guide us to discover an inner guru, where we gain the higher wisdom to be able to guide ourselves. Much like all the teachers we have ever had in any subject in school, university, sport etc.
I wish to write some more which I will do soon, especially with regards to this specific post re: Pabongkha Rinpoche. In the meantime, may I also recommend that you check out the book Gurus for Hire, Enlightenment for Sale, which addresses precisely this subject of what Guru Devotion means, presented in the context of modern spiritual practitioners and practice. I believe it will provide a much clearer explanation and understanding, and in more detail.
http://www.kechara.com/publications/publications/tsem-tulku-series/gurus-for-hire-enlightenment-for-sale/
love, paris x
I find the account of this biography of Pabongka Rinpoche has much resemblance of our very own Tsem Rinpoche.
1)Both demonstrated Strong guru devotion, Pabongka Rinpoche to his root guru Dalpo Rinpoche, Tsem Rinpoche to Zong Rinpoche.
2) Both masters elucidate the Dharma to their students with very skillful means, using jokes to relate the teachings so that the students will stay aware.Using relevant examples that the students can relate to easily .
3)The humility that both Pabongka Rinpoche and Tsem Rinpoche demonstrated, the essence of the Gelupa tradition.
4) Both lamas demonstrated miraculous powers. I have not seen Pabongka Rinpoche’s, but I have witnessed our own Tsem Rinpoche’s.
5) Pabongka Rinpoche was known to be a teacher of the common man and monks, Tsem Rinpoche is well know as a neon lama for 21st century lay people like us.
Rinpoche explained very well that he is the 3rd in line in the vajrayogini lineage. And the promise Vajrayogini gave to Pabongka Rinpoche that whoever receive the Vajrayogini initiation within the 4 generations in line, it is promised that they would accend to Kechara Paradis within 7 life times. I realised how FORTUNATE we are as students of Tsem Rinpoche. Who would want to let this rare and precious opportunity slip away? Right here, right now at Kechara House, we could practice the holy Dharma and collect enough merits to receive the highest initiation one could ever imagine.
To know that our lineage is pure and unmistaken, coming down from an unbroken line of lineage which went back to Buddha Shakyamuni and Tsongkhapa, to Pabongka Rinpoche , Trijang Rinpoche, Zong Rinpoche and to Tsem Rinpoche.
Thank you Rinpoche for providing us with such valuable information on our lineage. I may not have the merits to be the disciple of Pabongka Rinpoche, but I rejoice that I have the good fortune to meet Tsem Rinpoche.
May Tsem Rinpoche live long and continuously turn the wheel of dharma in this degenerated age.
What strikes me is :
1. All the saints, prophets and holy beings that ever walked this planet share a lot in common – their altruistic nature and unyielding effort to fulfil their purpose which enables them to overcome all odds and difficulties.
2.Pabongkapa’s devotion to his root guru Dagpo Rinpoche parallels all the great Tibetan lineage masters such as Trijang Rinpoche, Zong Rinpoche and Tsem Tulku Rinpoche.
Pabongka chose to pass away in the place where his guru had lived, always dismounting from his horse to prostrate all the way as he enters his guru’s monastery and walking backwards as he leaves, says it all.
3.Pabongka’s powers, methods and teaching skills are reflected in Tsem Rinpoche.
Hiya,
I’d like to offer some thoughts on your questions:
“under what conditions one may abandon vows that one has taken (as the Dalai Lama has done)…”
Generally, as is taught in the scriptures, there are no conditions that really “allow” us to abandon our vows. If it were so simple as just making that decision to abandon them, then why take them at all in the first place? Ultimately, sure, we *COULD* just give them up, break them or walk away from them but the karma is all ours and the demerit of breaking a commitment towards something so high (the three jewels and the mind of Enlightenment) comes back to us.
Vows are there to protect us from repeating all the negativities that get us into trouble and suffering again and again and again. They’re not meant to be something that chains or imprisons us. They are guidelines that help us to align our motivation for living well, fully, beneficially and to get closer to our natural being of clarity, compassion and wisdom. So if we decide to forsake this, we just shoot ourselves in the foot – we lose out, nobody else does. We just go back to repeating all the unpleasant things that create more negative situations for ourselves, again and again and again… at the end of the day, who suffers? We do.
I’m sorry, I cannot comment on what the Dalai Lama has done; I am only very vaguely aware of certain politics at the moment and don’t really know enough about the situation to be able to say anything further. I do believe that the Dalai Lama is a highly attained being and I do have very strong faith in him and his teachings.
“and to what extend having a certain guru in one’s lineage obligates one to obey what he has taught.”
Are you referring to a specific Guru that you have already chosen to be your teacher? Or more generally to all Gurus in your lineage? If it is the first question, please refer to my other post below (following your second posting). If it is the second question: if we meet or come across another Guru, even if he is in the same lineage as us, we are not obligated to take him as a teacher or follow his teachings. We do not have to follow a teacher just because he is in our lineage – the process of taking someone as our teacher is very intricate and precise as I have already written out in the post below. Please refer to that.
However, having said that, even if we have not chosen to follow someone as our Guru, and that person still offers us some advice or instruction, we shouldn’t also just necessarily brush it off immediately. Usually, Gurus will want to benefit us and perhaps the advice/teaching he is giving us will be of some help to us and our spiritual path. Even if we decide not to take the advice in the end (for whatever good reasons we may have), we should still be respectful and act in a good manner in front of him. After all, this is still a Guru and someone who is teaching/sharing the Dharma with many other students, even if it is not someone we have affinity with. This is common sense and this is how we always act with other persons of authority anyway – teachers, work colleagues/supervisors, doctors etc.
“You are by no means a slave to convention, yet you not only participate in this authoritarian political structure, but positively glorify it. Why? I don’t mean to embarrass you, but if you have an answer to this, I would honestly appreciate knowing.”
By no means do I have as much wisdom as Rinpoche but having studied with him for a few years and received many, many teachings from him, I hope I answer this question on his behalf with my own thoughts and understanding as a student and liaison.
Firstly, I vouch strongly for the fact that Tsem Rinpoche does not in any way participate in any politics within the spiritual sphere. In fact, he comes down very hard on his students if they try to play politics in any way, take sides or demonstrate any attempts in trying to secure some sort of political power, both within the dharma centre or between other centres/lamas. (he explains clearly WHY we shouldn’t get into spiritual politics in the book “Gurus for Hire, Enlightenment for Sale”). All he ever speaks of is Dharma – encouraging us towards the mind transformation teachings (lojong), our practice and spiritual commitments (be it certain work, volunteering, pujas, tantric initiations, daily sadhanas etc).
When Rinpoche shares biographies of great masters such as Pabongkha Rinpoche, Trijang Rinpoche, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and all his own Gurus such as Lati Rinpoche, Zong Rinpoche, Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen etc it is never about “glorifying an authoritarian political structure”. To be honest, I don’t even know what you mean by that. I have never seen anything like this in Rinpoche’s teachings.
If you notice what Rinpoche talks of most in his accounts of these teachers, it is always about their contribution to the Dharma, their teachings, practice and commitment to the path, how the upheld their vows purely as monks, and their spiritual attainments. This is meant to inspire students like us towards more ardent, committed practice, and to realise that we can achieve such exalted states of mind, practice and benefit too if only we put the effort and hard work into the path, just as these lamas have their whole lives. I cannot see how this is political in any way and I know, from all the teachings I have received from Tsem Rinpoche, that it is definitely not so.
I hope my sharings will be of some help, in some way. If I’ve said anything to offend you, it has not been my intention and I apologise. Guru Devotion is a topic that is close to my heart as it is something I am trying to adopt every day as a strong and stable practice… so I would be happy to share more discussion. I spent some time editing Rinpoche’s book “Gurus for Hire, Enlightenment for Sale”, the teachings of which I have found to be exceptionally clear and comprehensive, and am very keen to share them with more people. Do also feel free to email me directly: jamie.khoo@kechara.com
Love,
Paris x
Dear Bei Dawei,
How are you today?
I received teaching from kyabje Zopa Rinpoche many years ago. I know he is a very kind teacher, making full use of his time to benefit as many peoples and students he can, he is a never sleep person, even his health condition not good, he don’t rest to help others. Unlike me, i love to sleep, don’t push myself to keep awake to study or do more. Why do I write in to says good things of Zopa Rinpoche? Because he is kind and is benefiting many peoples with his body, he deserve to be respect and loved.
I am making a guess you have read and research some articles or books related to the problems with Tibetan Buddhist Culture and guru devotion issue. Unfortunate things does happen, so does it mean I have to give up my believe in Buddha/Dharma/Sangha because of something bad happened? We don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater, will you? Please take some time to reason out within yourself. I believe you will eventually. What matter seem so important to you now, may not be important to you the next day or next moment, why? you know the answer, nothing is permanent, even Buddha’s Dharma will disappear from this world eventually, we are in degeneration era, which you know this pretty well, right? So, some teachers doing their best to prolong it and at the same time bring peace and harmony to that area or that country and eventually the world by many ways, one is building huge stupa, huge Buddha statues, which you may know the benefit of huge statue. Where do you think the big Buddha in Hong Kong is facing? It does not just bring peace and prosperous to the area itself, so as to the neighbor country that the big buddha is facing. In China, LeShan Buddha also benefit many people staying in the area. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7DczsOQdz4
what am i trying to says about big statue project like Maitreya is, we have to reason out that the intention of Maitreya project is to benefit a greater numbers of people, the entire country not just a small group of people.
We may feel that Maitreya project is bringing harm to the people in the area, how do you know that “peoples” are not the manifestation of Mara to prevent the project from success? Agree?
The committee members in the Maitreya project must have reason out the benefit of the project will bring, they know and are facing a lot difficulties now, but when they think of the greater benefit the project will bring, should they complete it or give up? When you finally reason out the benefit it brings, it is not just Zopa Rinpoche’s one person project, it is everyone project who believe in it.
It is not easy to build a huge statue in any places, please give your support, make prayer for it to success, let the Buddha’s Dharma stays a bit longer in this world, let other sentient beings have chance to meet Buddha’s teaching and be liberated.
May your day and night be auspicious for Dharma.
Take care.
sorry for my broken English. hope it helps, if doesn’t, never mind.
Best Regards
Roland Yap.
hello,
thank you so much for writing such a comprehensive and condensed biography of H.H. Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche.
i’ve read the comments that people have written above and truly agree with their points, so i feel that i should not just repeat what others have written again as it wastes space.
i have a question though, if anyone can help me out, that would be really helpful. from reading the bio i understand that he combined the Sakya and Gelupa practices which bridged a gap btwn Buddha Shakyamuni and Tsongkhapa into one unbroken line of teachings (where Vajrayogini manifested and said that there would be benefits from the merge). he studied under the southern tradition of lamrim thanks to his gurus’ kindness, so what practice does the southern tradition follow and does that mean that the lamrim that he wrote ‘liberation in the palm of your hands’ is the fruit of that combination?
Albert explained that the word lamrim means ‘bible in buddhism’, which is honestly how i describe the book to others whenever they ask. different lamas have written different lamrims so, were all existing lamrims previous to Pabongkha Rinpoche’s time (1st one,1878-1941) very focused on either traditions only?
i think that the part in Pabongka’s Rinpoche biography which explains his growth in his knowledge of Dharma teachings really displays how important having a good foundation is.
how “Dagpo Lama Rinpoche would teach him a Lamrim topic and then Pabongka Rinpoche would go away and meditate on it” (for TEN YEARS) is how, I feel, we should practice. for a lot of us, when we find Dharma so interesting, we jump right into the pool of knowledge eager to soak everything up as quickly as possible but with little understand on the true meaning and with little actually remembered. I believe that it not only causes a risk of us “burning out” from feeling overwhelmed by the sudden influx of knowledge but it causes us to not be able to even remember the most simple things, or to answer the most simple questions.
Perhaps the lamrim puja (which for others not currently in Kechara, was a puja held for anyone to join), where we had to read outloud the same chapter repeatedly (although as Tsem Rinpoche told us, it was for us to plant the seeds), it was a reflection on how Pabongkha learned.
I feel that most of us try to attain for higher and “better” things before we even master and learn the basic ones.
Along with true guru devotion, Pabongka Rinpoche really took in a steady stride when it came to learning. And the results of it all paid off.
Dear Rinpoche, thank you for posting the biography of H.H. Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche. We now have a clear understanding of the Gelug lineage. H.H. Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche is really the Grand Master & a living Buddha who ensured that the Lamrin is passed on to his main diciples Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, Khangsar Rinpoche and Tathag Rinpoche. Now i can relate to where our practice originated. H.H. Pabongka Rinpoche is really one with Vajrayogini and practices with extreme Guru devotion. From the description of his teaching style, i can imagine it is very similar to Tsem Rinpoche’s way of teaching the Dharma to us..always using unconventional methods to bring people into dharma and uses skillful methods to keep us spoilt brats awake during talk by cracking jokes and often shower us with gifts to motivate us to start our dharma practice. Shame on us as it should be us making offerings to our lama and not the lama giving us gifts. Tsem Rinpoche also shows tremendous Guru Devotion to his root Guru, Zong Rinpoche which is also a trait that all the great lamas has towards their Gurus.
Thru Rinpoche’s writeup, i now understand that i’m within the 4 generations under Pabongka Rinpoche’s advice and if i have the merits to receive the vajrayogini practice and hold it well, enlightenment can be achieve in 7 lifetimes. How lucky we are to be a student of Rinpoche but only if we realize how fortunate we are and start practising to grab this opportunity. I remembered in one of Rinpoche’s talks that he mentioned he will take 500 of his students along with him to Kechara Paradise which is Vajrayogini’s heaven if they practice well and hold on to their samayas & develop bodhichita. As Rinpoche always remind us, dont waste our life away by engaging in worldly activities and engage in meaningful activities else we will miss the boat. I personally have been Rinpoche’s student since 2004. I’m not sure what i have done in my previous life to have such merits to meet him in this life. His teaching has helped transform me to be a better person – to be less selfish, less self-centred, to cut down lazniness and to bring happiness to others. I want to be one of the 500 students that ascends to Kechara Paradise with my Guru.
There was this incident when my son was 3 years old and i showed his a picture of Tsem Rinpoche and ask him if he knew who that was. He pointed to the picture and answered ” he’s Lama Tsongkhapa”. Kids at that young age have subtle mind and they can see things that we adults usually dont perceive, perhaps an imprint. And i truly agree with him that Tsem Rinpoche is indeed a Living Buddha and i respect him very much and i pray he will continue to live long to turn the wheel of dharma to benefit many.
Firstly, I would like to express deep appreciation for such a comprehensive compilation on Pabongka Rinpoche. It is certainly beneficial to learn about this Great Master whose teachings form the foundation of our Dharma education at Kechara House.
I realize how blessed we are to have such a substantial Guru within our lineage in recent history. From my understanding, Pabongka Rinpoche played a similar role as Je Tsongkapa: returning 500 hundred years after Lama Tsongkapa to “clean up” and reinforce the teachings of Lord Buddha for the next centuries to benefit sentient beings.
Through the example of Pabongka Rinpoche, I learn that the purpose of Dharma is in putting it to practice to create joyful results on our lives and those around us. Learning the concepts of Dharma well is great but it does not mean that we will make significant progress in our spiritual growth because Dharma is about living it, not merely understanding it.
[Pabongka Rinpoche would always urge all his students, "Practice whatever you can so that my teachings will not have been in vain. But above all, make Bodhicitta your main practice. You must pursue any of the other meditation subjects in the knowledge that they will assist your Bodhicitta."]
In Tsem Rinpoche’s reinforces this is Rinpoche’s book “If not now, When?” published by Kechara Media & Publication (KMP): Rinpoche taught that Dharma is not about how “holy” we are during the 1 hour we spend on our meditation cushion but how consistent and committed we spend the remaining 23 hours putting into action the teachings of Lord Buddha.
The strongest impression I received from this posting besides the magnificence of Pabongka Rinpoche is the power of Guru Devotion. Guru Devotion seems to be the common characteristic of all the great attained masters. Therefore, for us to even begin working to have a sesame-seed of an attainment, we really need to figure out and fully practice Guru Devotion. Guru devotion is just 2 little words formed by 12 alphabets but its significance it unfathomable. Guru Devotion is the key to gaining merits to have spiritual growth, attainments, controlled rebirth and, ultimately, enlightenment**! Attractive huh? We all want this, huh? Well…Guru devotion is easier said than done with our strong imprint of selfishness lifetime after lifetime. However, as it is the prerequisite for our journey towards liberation and enlightenment, we need to find ways to kick-start the effort to re-habituate our minds. One way I look at this is with logic: we chose our Guru with the knowledge that the Guru is of pivotal importance in Tibetan Buddhism (more important than the Buddha) because they come to our level to impart Dharma upon us. Therefore, logically, we should choose very carefully. Once the Guru is chosen, it is 100% moving forward. In our samsaric ways, we always back out of our choices and promises, no point of developing our spirituality if we are going to make it samsaric, right? Similarly, if we question and doubt our Guru, we are actually belittling our own intelligence and betraying our journey to the ultimate destination of enlightenment. So, for the sake of self-respect, trust the Guru…when results arise, Guru devotion will become easier. Try it out, nothing to loose.
** Guru Devotion trains up our ability to keep our vows => Keeping vows lead to collection of merits that fuels our spiritual growth => With spiritual growth, we develop mastery of the sutra and tantra within ourselves through the kind guidance and teaching of our Guru => This leads to the achievement of rebirth control so we will return to continue our Dharma work and journey towards enlightenment.
My last point on Guru Devotion is related to a video from KMP titled “Making a Difference” (compilation of interviews with attained practitioners in Ganden Monastery). Guru devotion creates the cause to i) have our Guru stay longer with us this lifetime to spread the Dharma as well as ii) have our Guru return to us in future lifetimes to continue turning the wheel of Dharma.
The attainment and enlightenment of these Great Masters are a result of their constant devotion, perseverance and commitment lifetime after lifetime. They are so much more advanced than we are that it is even shameful to even make such a comparison. However, I believe that many centuries ago, we all started at the same starting point. Only difference is: they did not waste their time with samsaric pleasures and studied hard while we partied away. So, there is hope that if we make a choice now to change our ways slowly, we may gain the merits to receive higher practices like Vajrayogini and, through consistent practice go to Kechara in 7 to 14 lifetimes. 14 lifetimes sound so long but at least we stand a chance of getting out of this hell hole!
In conclusion, Pabongka Rinpoche had the courage to combine the Sakya and Gelugpa lineage because Pabongka Rinpoche believed that it would be most beneficial for Dharma students in centuries to come. Today, we have Tsem Tulku Rinpoche who is continuing the spirit of Pabongka Rinpoche in Rinpoche’s tireless effort to impart the complete and pure Dharma knowledge to us. Tsem Rinpoche is formulating a sustainable way to do this through KWPC. Through KWPC, Tsem Rinpoche will spread the complete teachings of Pabongka Rinpoche, which is the “review and update” of Lord Buddha Shakyamuni and Je Tsongkapa’s works, to the whole world. For humanity, we must find out more about this project and do what we can to ensure the manifestation of this project.
Thank you, Rinpoche – for the very interesting historical account of one of the greatest Gelug lamas of the modern era. Through this post, it has made me realize the need to learn more in order to understand the Gelugpa lineage which I keep hearing and reading about.
When I came to the part where it stated that; Pabongka Rinpoche used jokes to keep his students awake so he could impart the teachings, the way he would relate trantric teachings in a sutric way so that his students could understand better, the personal connection created with those who would wait in queue to seek his blessing… I cannot help but think of our own Tsem Tulku Rinpoche. Rinpoche’s style of teaching and spreading of the Dharma is a lot like that of Pabongkha Rinpoche; applying humour and unconventional methods to reach out to more people.
Thank you for all the information on His Holiness Pabongka Rinpoche. Before I read this, I could only think of Pabongka Rinpoche as a monk who just taught the Lamrim. He is actually more than that. I think it is cool that in one of his past lives, as Changkya Rolpay Dorje, he learned from the 7th Dalai Lama then taught the 8th Dalai Lama, first he was the student then he became the teacher.I also think that it is quite cool that Pabongka Rinpoche’s past lives also included being Tsako Ngawang Drakpa, one of the main disciples of Lama Tsongkhapa and founder of Dhe-Tsang Monastery. I read in books somewhere that he studied Heruka, so thank you Rinpoche for providing more information that is summarized. I think it is quite neat how the image of Heruka produced the nectar. What are the nectar pills used in general for? The picture of the young Pabongka rinpoche looks very nice! Also, the picture of the Dagpo Gompa made it look so blended in with nature. I hope Kechara World Peace center will become like that. Pabongka Rinpoche, like Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, also had to endure hunger, hunger is not something fun, that is why Kechara Soup Kitchen is benefiting so many people on the streets currently. I think that H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche and Pabongka Rinpoche have a lot in common. Pabongka Rinpoche likes to tell jokes and stories to make the students “awake”, same with Tsem Rinpoche! Wow, Pabongka Rinpoche show a strong foundation for his guru devotion, willing to do anything to prevent his guru from getting a bad name. Pabongka Rinpoche also does everything he can for the Dalai Lama, even making rain! The picture of Pabongka in the tantric dress looked very cool. Who are the people surrounding him? I also liked the thangka, I thought it was Lama Tsongkhapa at a first glance. The statue looks cool too. Is he holding a staff like Padmasambhava? I think it is great that if I follow Pabongka Rinpoche’s lineage of Vajrayogini within the four generations, I will achieve Kechara Paradise within seven lifetimes instead of the usual 14 lifetimes. It is basically cut in half! Thank you again for all lovely information!
Speaking of guru devotion, H.H. Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche has such strong faith to his Guru, always mentioning his guru’s good quality to his students whenever he can.
H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche has many-revered master who gives him teachings when he was younger. One of the teachers H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche often spoke about is his second Guru, Geshe Tsultim Gyeltsen, which resides in Thubten Dhargye Ling (TDL) at Lost Angeles.
You can click on the following webpage to read more on this. http://www.kechara.com/rinpoche/biography/11-thubten-dargye-ling/
Tsem Rinpoche always mentioned that it was the happiest time in his life, because he is able to move in and stay in the dharma center, and serve his Guru personally.
Rinpoche has to work three jobs in the day and in between, he will help and serve Geshe Tsultim Gyeltsen. This is also where Tsem Rinpoche received many teachings and initiations at TDL including Yamantaka’s initiation, which would prove very important as a foundation for him to receive many other practices later.
Paul
Beside Geshe Tsultim Gyeltsen , another great master that H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche always spoke about is H.H. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, and it was also at TDL that H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche met H.H. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche. This high master, since then has alter the course H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche’s life.
It was H.H. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche who first recognized H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche as a reincarnated lama, and gave him instruction to go study at Gaden monastery and become a monk.
H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche often said the Zong Rinpoche is a highly attained master and he is the one with Heruka. Whatever Zong Rinpoche said and teaches, everything is out of compassions and for the benefits for his student only.
Tsem Rinpoche has demonstrated pure Guru devotion and served Zong Rinpoche to the fullest while he visited and taught at TDL for 6 months.
I found a really nice picture of Tsem Rinpoche and Zong Rinpoche together, check it out!
http://www.kechara.com/rinpoche/biography/14-meeting-zong-rinpoche/
Paul
Wow…Pabongka Rinpoche is really a great being. Thanks Rinpoche for sharing Pabongka Rinpoce historical information.
Starting from his young age, he had no wealth & no food and he’s not outshine as a scholar and even being illustrate as “lesser intelligence”. He never gave up. Until he met his root Guru Dagpo Lama Rinpoche he began to flourish from then on.
After 10 years of mastering Lamrim and receiving Tantra teaching, Pabongka became a Great Master. Pabongka way of teaching to me is just so similar to Tsem Rinpoche where it has the ability to bring the complex teaching to any laypeople and insert humor to elucidate the teaching (to suit our mind at this time). And one more common quality I noticed is the strong guru devotion. Pabongka always mentioned his guru good qualities and never compromise for anyone speak ill of his Guru. I believe this is very very important quality as we have an authentic lineage and our lineage has a lot of great Grand Master that have benefited & inspired so many people.
Rinpoche I’m so bless to be in this lineage under Rinpoche’s teaching, care & guidance. We should continue to spread the teaching of the lineage and work towards the manifestation of KWPC.
DEAR EVERYONE,
ANY ISSUES YOU WISH TO DISCUSS WITH EACHOTHER THAT BECOMES A LONG DISCUSSION BACK AND FORTH, PLEASE POST YOUR EMAILS AND EMAIL EACHOTHER PRIVATELY. THIS IS NOT A FORUM FOR THE MOMENT. IT IS MY PERSONAL SPACE THAT I SHARE WITH THE WORLD TO GIVE KNOWLEDGE, SHARE WHO I AM, MY LIKES AND MY PERSONAL LINEAGE.
SOME OF YOU MAY AGREE WITH MY OPINIONS AND WHAT I LIKE AND SOME DON’T. THAT IS OK WITH ME. I HAVE MY JOB AND I WILL DO IT. IF YOU LIKE WHAT I DO-GREAT, IF YOU DON’T-GREAT.
I HAVE GIVEN MY LIFE, YOUTH, TIME AND ENERGY TO THE DHARMA ALL THE WAY FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS AND I WILL GO ALL THE WAY FOR THE NEXT 30 YEARS IF I AM NOT DEAD. PLEASE REJOICE WHETHER YOU LIKE MY OPINIONS OR NOT. I THANK YOU AHEAD OF TIME. PLEASE GIVE ALL YOUR TIME TO THE DHARMA ALL THE WAY.
FOLDED HANDS,
TSEM TULKU RINPOCHE
GADEN SHARTSE MONASTERY
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you very much for sharing information about Pabongka Rinpoche. It is indeed an eye opener. Even though Pabongka Rinpoche was perceived as slightly on the dull side an example to illustrate ‘lesser intelligence’ in his early age and later become one of the greatest master in Tibet. What I’ve learned from here clearly shows that we should never judge it’s book by it’s cover and a humble man with good motivation does not need to show off his abilities and knowledge to be acknowledge. Pabongka Rinpoche out of compassion and Guru Devotion shared his teachings unconventionally and touched many many people just like Tsem Tulku Rinpoche did, is the greatest gift of all.
Thank you again Rinpoche.
With Folded Hands,
Jeffrey Gan
“10 years of Lamrim retreat” … Wow.. I’m ashamed to say that I only attend the bi-weekly Lamrim classes ..but at the same time, I rejoice that I have the fortune to even come across the Lamrim. I think maybe, learning Lamrim is not just about attending the classes and finishing the topics/chapters. It’s about patiently knowing each page, each word in the lamrim.
If the Lamrim a piece of chocolate cake, I just took a bite and swallowed it. I didin’t know it, i didin’t taste it and certainly didin’t enjoy it. I should remember to feel it’s texture, taste it and certainly enjoy it.
We all have the karma to meet one spiritual path or another which demands sober understanding. For me, I would follow the path that inspires me most through checking and understanding of where the Master/Teacher is from, his background and lineage which is important as it depicts the entire stream of blessings of his master’s wisdom mind had been transmitted to him, and he had reached the highest stage of realization. Here, in this blog, all Gurus and their Gurus are clearly mentioned and identified together with their historical track records. This asserts assurance that the “Teachings” are genuine and trusted as many elite scholars emerged under their wings.
Once we have identified and have chosen our teacher. We must create the karma; find an insight and skill to learn through experiences in ways to tame our own mind through patience, endurance, courage, humility to follow a guru to the end. This is an important factor as this Teacher will guide us to recognize the innumerable confusions of ignorance for what they are as we are often pushed off the path fogged by our own ignorance and ego. “Teachers/Masters” teach us to receive, without any obscuration of any kind and to bring us to the next level in realizing the continual presence of this ultimate teacher within us. This outer “Teacher” acts as a spokesman of our inner teacher and also a transmitter of all blessings from enlightened beings to illumine our mind and heart to be awakened and possibly be enlightened too.
First and foremost, THANK YOU Rinpoche for sharing this awe inspiring and incredible yet comprehensive biography of H.H. Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche.
Having read this article twice, I realized that even all great masters must have the patience, perseverance, faith, dedication, devotion and humility before they can achieve greatness. It took Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche many years of hardship, training and learning to master everything, what of lesser beings like me.
It is indeed with great humility to know that because of our relationship and connection with Rinpoche that we are connected to the lineage of such illustrious great Gurus such as H.H. Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche, H.H. Trijang Rinpoche, H.H. Ling Rinpoche to H.H. Zong Rinpoche.
It is with deep gratitude in my heart that I am born in this period that I am privileged and blessed to be able to receive direct teachings from the Guru of all men and the Guru of Gurus through our Guru H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, who took great pains to make the teachings easily available, accessible and a joy to learn and practise. Also making sure that it is within our capacity to understand.
Do we want to let this rare and precious opportunity to slip?? Count it a GREAT BLESSING that we have Rinpoche so close here with us. What more now than to be more determined to hold our vows and commitment strongly and to prepare ourselves for the sacred Vajrayogini practice from our Rinpoche. And more so to be a worthy part of this great lineage. H.H. Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche’s guru devotion is legendary and awakened me to how important guru devotion is to keep this great lineage intact.
Dear Rinpoche , Thank you so much for this blog on Pabongka Rinpoche. This shall be the 2nd time i am posting on this blog. May i offer my comment again as a person with not much knowledge in compare with other comments posted here by your other students. My view could be very raw due to my lack of understandings in Dharma. I felt i need to post again as my earlier short posting do not justify at all the amount of knowledge you expounded on a living buddha called PABONGKA RINPOCHE.
To me after reading about Pabongka i felt whatever mankind has achieve up to this stage becomes such a penny matters in compares to what Pabongka Rinpoche done for spreading and learning the true Dharma. We as layman are always stuck in the rat race , we always find excuses to do “good things” , we are always being sneaky , full of ego and unable to accept criticism. We always wants to win. In Pabongka Rinpoche we learn how a person can dispels all sorts of negativity completely.
Pabongka Rinpoche determination , hardwork , commitments and love for the Dharma seriously embodies everything that a persons want to do in order to achieve enlightenment. All the qualities exhibits by Pabongka Rinpoche i can see it , feel it and truly has experienced it in Tsem Tulku Rinpoche. My devotions and love for Rinpoche grew as days goes by , more and more i felt that i have knows Rinpoche for a long long time. Its like seeing a long lost loved ones.
I think i can say also because of Pabongka Rinpoche one of the few GRAND GRAND MASTERS thats has ever “produce” by Tibet. Kecharians has Tsem Tulku Rinpoche.
After reading through this article, i can relate that Tsem Rinpoche actually uses the same method as Pabongka Rinpoche’s to teach the the people here in Malaysia. Rinpoche uses humour to keep us awake and chosed topics that suits the mind of the people here.
Pabongka Rinpoche’s wisdom and power can be illustrated here that even the Minister of Defence General Dapon of Tibet was subdued after listening to Pabongka Rinpoche’s teachings and not only that, Pabongka Rinpoche has special powers but was very humble. Being very popular after the years, Pabongka Rinpoche still has a very strong Guru Devotion towards his Root Guru, Dagpo Rinpoche despite his status. I can relate this again to Tsem Rinpoche where Rinpoche always speaks highly of his root guru H.H. Kyabje Zong Rinpcohe and are very well known for his guru devotion. Rinpoche would often cry whenever he speaks about Kyabje Zong Rinpoche.
Pabongka Rinpoche also has the ability to inspire students to become great masters and most of Pabongka Rinpoche’s students were Great Elite Masters of today. Pabongka Rinpoche has benefitted so many students of today by holding all the important lineages of sutra and tantra and passing them on to the most important Gelug lamas of the next two generations. Without Pabongka Rinpoche’s compassion, we would not have reaped any of the benefits today.
Thank you Rinpoche for taking the time to explain this to us!
Rinpoche,
Thank you so so much for taking the time to share the lives & giving clarity for the lineage of our great grand gurus. I’ve always thought that beings with such alturism only exist in myths & legends. How limited my view was until I meet with Tsem Rinpoche & now read this story of H.H. Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche. Thank you for sharing your personal story with Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen of Gaden Shartse Monastery which we could not find from any source.
Similarity Tsem Rinpoche & Pabongka Rincpoche
1)both have the unique ability to bring the complex ancient teachings to our level of understanding & keep us alert.
2)Never give up dharma despite difficulties & obstacles.
I’m feeling truly blessed by knowing I’m on the right path with the right guru. I’ll commit to practice whatever I can so that your teachings will not have been in vain.
Thank you once again with folded hands.
Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche is a very special Lama. And he really is our Lineage Guru also. From my reading of the blog regarding Pabongka Rinpoche , I feel we are very lucky to be in Kechara House. I also understand Pabongka Rinpoche is also Vajrayogini. And Kechara House main yidam is Vajrayogini. And Trijang Rinpoche is Pabongka Rinpoche’s student , then Zong Rinpoche is student of Trijang Rinpoche. Then our Tsem Rinpoche is student of Zong Rinpoche. That confirms the Lineage of Gelupa Gurus of Tsem Rinpoche. The reason why he is special is , he has performed many miracles also e.g. making his inner offering boil by saying some words relating to boiling. Since Pabongka Rinpoche is our lineage Guru. We are very safe that we can go to Vajrayogini Paradise within at least 14 lifetimes. And if you receive Vajrayogini’s initiation from Tsem Rinpoche you can be assured to go to Kechara Paradise within 7 lifetimes because Tsem Rinpoche is in the 4th generation.
Dear Rinpoche,I thank you for Rinpoche’s painstaking effort in putting up this great comprehensive bio of H.H.Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche for everyone’s benefit.After studying Lamrim all this while,sad to say only now I know what a truly great treasure I actually been having,so close to me yet not fully grasping it’s true value,the Lamrim book is a culmination of everything this great saint represent,the 10 years of meditation,practises,hardships,joy,sorrows,hunger,humility,knowledge,wisdom,devotion,determinations….the same in which Kechara House is also a culmination of everything you represent,the 30 years of joy and sorrow….Reading this bio has also help increase my ever so lacking of faith in this spiritual path,for this great being really does exist and thru him many other great beings exist including Rinpoche yourself.Made me realise how grateful I should be to have come to know this great lineage thru Rinpoche,otherwise I guess I am one of those people Rinpoche would longed to ‘khata’.
During these degenerate time, lay Buddhist practitioners have the tendency to blame even great masters instead of their own flawed practice when they don’t get the results. But by knowing the background of the HH Pabongkha Rinpoche and other great lineage masters such as Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche and Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, we know the teachings are authentic and that when we practice correctly, properly and diligently we will get the results as demonstrated by them.
HH Pabongka Rinpoche is definitely a great realised master and we are so fortunate to be part of this illustrious lineage. May I quickly accumulate the merits to become a suitable vessel to receive the Holy Vajrayogini practice from you, Rinpoche.
HH Pabongka Rinpoche is a true role model for us to practice guru devotion, great compassion,patience, modesty and selflessness with the supreme intention to help and benefit others.
We are deeply indebted to HH Pabongka Rinpoche for his invaluable discourses from the LAMRIM to the secret Vajrayogini to help us actualise the Path of Liberation from suffering through mind transformation. But how auspicious and fortunate we are to be able to receive these precious teachings and transmissions NOW though Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, one of Pabongka’s lineage holder’s disciple, who is living among us. Tsem Rinpoche’s style resembles Pabongka Rinpoche’s in many ways. He tells jokes. teases us to pieces. occasionally shows black face to wake us up and shake us out of our complacency. Attending his teachings is like being in the presence of Pabongka Rinpoche, filled with aweinspiring and wakeful energy.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing such a detailed and inspiring writeup. I pray that all Kechara House members will receive the precious Vajrayogini teachings and transmission from your Eminence to help them achieve a much fulfilled life.
Thank you for such a beautiful write up on HH Pabongkha Rinpoche. If it hadn’t been for this blog, I don’t think I would have gained such an insight into how important Pabongkha Rinpoche is to our lineage and how much of what we have in Kechara today has come from him. He is a truly inspiring Lama who’s qualities, we can all see in all the Lamas that continue the lineage teachings, and like our Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, who practiced, realised, actualized and lived the Dharma. The fact that he was labelled of “lesser intelligence” shows that we cannot judge someone by how they appear or how much they know, for even the Geshes at Sera Mey College did not think much of him, but for his Guru devotion, persistence, love for the Dharma, and hard work, he became one of the Greatest Masters.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this with us. Pabongkha Rinpoche is the real legend of our lineage . By reading about His teaching style, it reminds me about Rinpoche’s teaching style too. When I first heard Rinpoche’s teaching in 2007, Rinpoche was conducting a book club session in KH1. Rinpoche used a lot of humour to elucidate the teachings. This was what stright me the most and made me wanted to stay and learn from Rinpoche. As some teachings could go on for hours and hours like the liaisons meetings, Rinpoche would intersperse the teachings with jokes. Also by teasing all of us to keep us ‘awake’. How compassionate Rinpoche is. Exactly like Pabongka Rinpoche! All the laughter contains powerful dharma essense which i now valued it tremendously. What a powerful teachings from Rinpoche. I find myself very fortunate (that must be i had been doing not bad dharma work in my pass life and collected tons of merits..hehehe) if i had to be picked and teased to death by my guru. That’s because my guru wanted me to bare the humiliation to train my mind.
Ps. Being Rinpoche’s students, we are consider the 4th generation which will be ascending to Kechara Paradise within seven lifetimes if we have the merits to recieve Vajrayogini Practice from Rinpoche!wink!!!
Pabongka Rinpoche was very poor. He grew up from a pauper to someone very great and popular. Two main qualities of Pabongka Rinpoche is that he has the realization and abilities to present tantric teaching and also teach lamrim from sutric point of view. He was known as a teacher for the common man and monks. And he teaches according to the spiritual needs of people. He use humour as a support for his teaching so people wont be board and is also laced with moral value at the same time. He is able to address thousand of listeners and everyone can hear him clearly. Pabongka Rinpoche has transformed a very arrogant general who came for his teaching and later request with humility to take layman’s vows. He then later follow Pabongka Rinpoche around for all his teachings. My comment is that Tsem Rinpoche has also the same qualities, life and character of Pabongka Rinpoche.
Pabongka Rinpoche was asked by Heruka and Vajrayogini to combine Sakya varjayogini teaching with technique of Tsongkapa for Heruka practice. Pabongka Rinpoche suggest that a piece of cloth from Sakya Lama and one piece from the Gelupa Lama to create a fabric for Gelupa practice. Actually our Gelupa Lineage stems from the Sakya Lineage and Pabongka Rinpoche wrote the long vajrayogini sadhana, short path to great bliss, it encompass all vajrayogini practice. Vajrayogini has passed short Lineage sadhana , long Lineage sadhana combined Lineage to him. Vajrayogini is Tsongkapa’s secret practice. Tsongkapa has combined all his secret practice together. It is passing a family heirloom down from one generation to generation and also made it possible to obtain Vajrayoginihood with very little effort if they follow right way to practice.
The story of Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche brings to mind the Great Lama Tsongkhapa; the founder of the Gelug School of Tibetan Buddhism. Both undertook to reorganize and consolidate the teachings for their times; for the teachings to be propagated for future generations. In Lama Tsongkhapa’s case, the teachings were spread to China, and Mongolia, considered the richest and most advanced countries at that time. In Kyabje Pabongka’s case the teachings is being spread to the West and China via his many disciples and even to Malaysia and Singapore via H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche. All these are among the more fortunate countries in the world today.
“He is the type that didn’t really debate or show off his knowledge, so he looked dull.”
Well I have a gift for ‘sensing’ one’s true nature. I can clearly feel/sense/see his Guru Devotion was unsurpassed. If his Guru told him, with sincerity, to stop breathing, I’m sure he would have done it without questioning his Guru, Knowing that his Guru is superior in ability to benefit others. This beings energy reaches out to me and it says, “Let go of your attachment, and become like me. Guru devotion is superior to egotism, please, watch me closely and see this fact for yourself.”
I look at his face. I look at his body and ‘feel the energy’. It is the essence of selflessness/devotion to beings outside himself. That is all I can see. I do not want to argue with anyone, about anything after I view this person and spend just a minute to ‘sense’ his energy. I am sorry if this sounds ‘New-Age’, but that is the only way I can describe it!
The first time I read This Great Master’s name was a short while ago when my family and I volunteered in the Lamrin Recitation retreat held in KH . Though I was only reading one chapter out of the whole Lamrin book (over and over again) , I could understand why Pabongka Rinpoche was a great Buddhist master .One can sense it from the detailed texts he wrote which had such basic but very meaningful words for us to contemplate and practice .The Lamrin recitation retreat truly helped to plant seeds of awareness in my mind . Thank you to Rinpoche and all my dharma friends for organising the activities !
After further reading Tsem Tulku Rinpoche’s sharing on him, it confirms that this Great master has many many talents . Its hard to believe that he was living just over 70 yrs ago . His stories sound so enchanting and so “fairy-tale” like , almost like he existed centuries ago . But in reality , it was not so long ago . It gives me more confidence to believe that if we try really realy hard we will be able to learn all the great teachings , practice them and use them to benefit all sentient being ! Its assuring to know too that he will protect those who do this course of studies ! (“From now on, for the next seven generations, whoever practices my teaching, I will protect and help.”says Pabongka Rinpche)
Thanks Rinpoche for writing, compiling and posting this great article of H.H Pabongka Rinpoche. Rinpoche has made it so easy for us to know the life of H.H Pabongka Rinpoche by just reading this blog post without going through hundreds of pages of his biography.
I found it quite sad that his lineage name ”Changkya” was ruled out but this action did not stop this master to shine and continue benefiting others, it also shows strong his past life imprints are.
H.H Pabongka Rinpoche’s attainment is undeniable, he excels in both sutra and tantra and created so many scholar and master. I seldom heard the name of Dagpo Rinpoche, but if he can trained and nurtured a high lama like Pabongka Rinpoche who is also guru of many master, Dagpo Rinpoche must be very highly attained as well.
We are fortunate to have met Tsem Rinpoche and be the “great-grand-disciple” of Pabongka Rinpoche.
After reading this article, I could not help thinking how fortunate I am to have found Kechara House and Rinpoche’s teachings. And I am also ashamed to say that I have taken such a long time after all the encouragements and proddings to go online to read the blog and to post a comment. I realised that the blog does not need my comments, but in order to do a posting, I have to know what I have read. Our precious Guru is preparing us for Vajrayoginihood. It will be a real blessing if we are able to receive Vajrayogini’s practice and what more the period is cut in half ( 7 lifetimes) if we receive this lineage from our Guru. So I will always bear in mind what Pabongka Rinpoche had urged his students-”Practice whatever you can so that my teachings will not be in vain. But above all, make Bodhicitta your main practice.”
Without the Guru, we will not know which path to take. Instead of 14 generations, we can achieve Kechara Paradise in 7 generations if we have the merits to receive Vajrayogini practice from Rinpoche. Anila has used the phrase “family heirloom”. The Chinese have a saying family heirloom never lasts more than 3 generations. When we read about the rich and famous, how often we come across stories of wealth being squandered away. In Kechara, we have a “guarantee” of attaining spiritual bliss if we diligently follow Rinpoche’s instructions and teachings. We as students of Rinpoche are so so fortunate. Its because of Rinpoche’s Guru Devotion that he is now in Malaysia to spread Dharma to all of us.
After read the biography of high lama i felt that every day i just waist my life to doing nothing at the end the result is we achieve nothing.
H.H.Pabongka Rinpoche biography show very clear to us that the strong imprint of mind from life after life of high lama reflect in how he benefit other by his practice, study, meditation and teaching.
The lam rim book “The liberation in the palm of your hand” is our roadmap for enlightenment which taught by Pabongka Rinpoche, the great master of all gurus. We must read and understand it, then our thinking, acitons will be change, we will become more happy and selfless
Lineage guru is very importance as it show how the practice started and how the blessing go through. We are very fortunate to be Rinpoche’s student who have holded the lineage from Zong Rinpoche with clean samaya.
The high lama are very compassion and very skillful to make Dharma grow in different way.
Dear Rinpoche,
Reading this makes me realised how lucky we are in such a great lineage under the guidance of great high lamas. Here I really learn a lot of our lineage and feel so grateful to be part of this great legacy.
What can be learn here I really truly thinks that we must take actions and steps to change our mindset if we wish to have a better future. Great masters do come in many, but to be part of the teachings of great masters is not based on how much wealth we have so that we can have a pinch of the teachings. It is the karma in each of us and with the change of mind, we will change our karma path.
Learning about Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche, makes me feel the humility of the great master. We are really too lucky to be in whatever situation we are in. H.H went through great sufferings and yet H.H is all kind and patient and compassionate to others. We truly need to reflect ourselves and see deep in us, what had we done in our lives for others and not only for ourselves.
Pabongka Rinpoche is no doubt one of the greatest masters of his time. He taught and wrote incredible teachings on the sutra and tantra, the swiftest path to enlightenment for our generation. My faith in the authenticity of Pabongka Rinpoche’s teachings is without doubt. Not because of his credibility, but the faith I have in my guru. If Rinpoche says the teachings are authentic and pure, I’ll believe it.
The faith is in the lineage, Without the lineage, all is lost. The lineage perserverance of the lineage is dependent on a strong guru disciple relationship. This makes every sense as I come to understand more about the true meaning of Guru Devotion. In the text, Pabongka Rinpoche showed this example as well.
A normal intelligent monk through the precious guidance of an ordinary root guru and ended up with extraordinary achievement. I am lost of words. My highest respect and homage to Pobongka Rinpoche!
Anyone know the heart mantra of Pabongka Rinpoche?
dear rinpoche thank you so much for sharing about kyabje pabongka rinpoche.first when i come to kechara i didnt know what people talking about dharma.what is dharma? why we need spiritual gide?now i know what is dharma who is our guru.why he is come for.how kind of guru he is.my life first time i know him.just i can give him thank you.sory my english verry poor .but i m rich he can forgive me .and i (we)have bless from him so i(we)can do much more dharma work.i m very heppy to have rinpoche like him.thank you rinpoche.
I can’t put it any better than what Paris has expressed above.
From Pabongka Rinpoche to our own Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, these teachings have had to clear tremendous obstacles and hardships to FIND US. We certainly didn’t have to leave our country, go homeless and hungry to “earn” this chance.
Not only are we in the most ideal realm in this lifetime, but to have also encountered such jewels from a pure lineage, made so easily accessible to us by a compassionate Guru…i have to ask myself, what did i do to deserve this and if i were to squander this opportunity, when will i ever have it again. Never.
It is as if the words of Shantideva was written specifically for our generation:
“No self deception could be worse, after gaining such a chance…”
True Guru Devotion, as shown by Pabongka Rinpoche, and expressed even today by Tsem Tulku Rinpoche, was what powered the Teachings through the passage of time.
Today, often our own Rinpoche have to encourage, push, motivate, cajole and tolerate us, so that we may catch some of these precious jewels for our own benefit.
I pray i never take each post of this blog, each Dharma talk, each You Tube Video, each surprise visit for granted.
I pray we do not end up being the generation that messed up just because the teachings and practice was mde too easily accessible for us.
A truly great master. I am still reading ‘liberation in the palms of your hands’. Wonderful teachings.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you for posting a detailed biography of H.H. Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche. H.H. Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche has thought us that with persistent and relentless determination in one’s effort in learning and practicing dharma, coupled with strong guru devotion, it is possible for one to attain enlightenment, if not in this life, then in future lives, despite one’s shortcoming in terms of intellectual intelligence.
I find it very intriguing in the description by H.H. Lobsang Nyima on the method used by H.H. Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche in debate, that instead of using the opponent party’s understanding of the particular topic of debate as basis for argument, Rinpoche uses his own understanding of that particular topic of debate as basis for argument, as if he is challenging himself on how well he knows about that topic.
H.H. Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche would try out all the teachings and apply them to himself to validate the authenticity of the teachings and by doing so, H.H. Kyabje Rinpoche has better understanding of the teachings as the mind is incline to absorb and comprehend the knowledge/teachings better if the mind iself has proven the knowledge/teachings to be logical, truthful and correct.
We often find that many things that we force our mind to accept and memorise the knowledge (i.e. the lectures conducted in the unversity, hehe), would not last long in our mind (i.e. immediately return back to the lecturers upon graduation, hehe).
On the same basis, when we are studying Lamrin, we should use the same approach used by H.H. Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche in our studies of Lamrin – studying, asking questions, giving answers, reciting quotations, giving reasons, everything, would focus all of these on myself, applying them to my own mind. Challenging ourselves on the depthness of our true understanding by questioning ourselves from time to time to ensure that we have actually grasped all the knowledge and teachings inside the Lamrin.
Very nice, I’m so glad this was compiled and that Joey sent me the link. Perfect timing for me to learn about H.H. Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche! Thank you!
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Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche who is without a single fault, had visions of Heruka as clear as my watching a youtube (when the internet works) video. He is the master composer for so many of our practices and sadhanas. Simple example, the short Yamantaka sadhana is by Kyabje Pabongka. After HH Dalai Lama/Kyabej Zong Rinpoche/Kyabje Lati Rinpoche gives Yamantaka, we have to do the sadhana everyday, and the sadhana composed is by Kyabje Pabongka. The 6 session Guru Yoga recited by every monk of Gaden, Sera and Drepung is composed by Him also, etc etc. He is the Maha guru of all gurus… Kyabje Pabongka’s works and writings are in so many volumes still in use today. The first time I saw a picture of Kyabje Pabongka is a Tibet picture book in Los Angeles, I had to photocopy it and keep on my altar. I wasn’t sure who he was, but I was so attracted..I was so mesmerized. When I heard about his great deeds later, supreme tremendous and unshakeable faith arose in me. When I arrived in India for the first time in 1987, the first great lama I met was the incarnation of Pabongka Rinpoche who had just arrived and was staying next door to where I was!!! I grabbed vitamins I had brought from USA, khata and some money and went over to meet him to offer..and to be blessed and I was blessed by him.. I was bedazzled…the rest is history…
Dear Rinpoche, your above comment came in time!
I was thinking yesterday night about ordering on net Liberation in the palm of your hand but something held me back because I was thinking about the money. I will order it now.
I learnt about Pabongka Rinpoche from your blog some months ago and I felt very attracted when I saw his pictures, also experiencing a kind of affection as for a very close relative. I printed a photo.Thank you very much!
how fortunate we are because we are learning the Lamrin from a great Master which the lineage has never been broken. it is a blessing to many who are able to practice Dharma and learn the Tantra directly from Pabongka Rinpoche lineage, especially Vajrayogini practice. I rejoice in having to know that what i am practicing here at Kechara is directly from a lineage of a great Master-Pabongka Rinpoche. Thank You Rinpoche for sharing this post with us, and thank you for the dharma talk last night, which gave us the opportunity to understand clearly about the Lamrin and the origin or the Lamrin that we are studying.
Tashi Delek Dear Rinpoche,I cant found photo of the new inkarnation of Pabonka Rinpoche,he is in Nepal?Why I cant found him???
Greetings from Dharamsala good brother. Thank you for Je Pabonkha’s Name Mantra TTR. I include you in my prayer dedications, dedicate my Hayagriva practice to you.