Large thangka of Guru Rinpoche hung outside Sera Jey monastery
By Jagger Ko
Originally derived from the Kadam school of Lama Atisha, the Lamrim tradition was popularized by Jamgon Lama Tsongkapa in the 1400s, who through his celebrated Lamrim Chenmo revived the study and practice of Buddhism that was in danger of degeneration. In preserving this holy lineage and tradition, His Eminence the 7th Ling Rinpoche and Ganden Shartse Monastery requested H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama to give a series of 18 teachings on the Jangchub Lamrim from 25 December 2013 to 3 January 2014.
Huge Guru Rinpoche thangka hung in Sera Je
Unfortunately, the recent Jangchub Lamrim teachings saw a tremendous break with tradition. Instead of the traditional Lama Tsongkapa or Gelug refuge tree thangka, Sera Jey monastery decided to display a huge applique thangka of Guru Rinpoche, hung from the top of the 4-storey monastery building, to welcome the Dalai Lama. As the Dalai Lama was escorted into the monastery, he was asked to perform a blessing ceremony on this thangka. It was impossible for any bystander not to notice this seemingly politically-motivated break with tradition.
Sera Jey monastery has been advocating the Rimé movement along with the Dalai Lama for many years. (Rimé is literally translated as non-sectarian in Tibetan and refers to a movement started in the 1900s within the Nyingma, Sakya and Kagyu systems of Tibetan Buddhism). In order to look politically correct, there have been instances whereby non-Gelug teachings and practices were adopted into the monastery’s curriculum. For example, the most secret Hayagriva (Tamdring Yangsang) was never part of the Gelugpa system until the time of the 5th Dalai Lama, who introduced this practice to the monastery with the intent of pacifying the Nyingmapas, in order for the Dalai Lama to be able to arise as the secular and spiritual head of the nation.
More recently after exile into India, the 14th incarnation of the Dalai Lamas has once again been mixing lineages in line with the Rimé movement, with the intent to preserve Tibetan Buddhism in general. But what the Dalai Lama and Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) need to understand is that the Nyingma, Sakya and Kagyu sects do not need/want to adopt the Rimé movement because they are doing very well, with their own sponsors and establishments. However, as the Dalai Lama comes from the Gelug tradition, many Gelugpa followers want only please the Dalai Lama and avoid invoking his wrath.
Many within the Gelugpa school have been affected by this pollution of the lineage. First in line are the Ganden Tripas, or throne holders of Jamgon Tsongkapa’s lineage, who are overshadowed by the Dalai Lama. As a result, those unfamiliar with the history and structure of Tibetan Buddhism assume that the Dalai Lama is the head of the Gelugpas. In addition, there is widespread confusion concerning the authenticity of the current range of Gelug practices, especially since deity practices from other lineages have been incorporated into the Gelugpa school. But on whose authority?
Why does Sera Jey monastery hang a thangka of Guru Rinpoche during the Jangchub Lamrim teachings? What is the association between Guru Rinpoche and the Lamrim teachings? Is this an attempt to be politically correct? No Nyingma, Sakya or Kagyu monasteries would display a thangka of Lama Tsongkapa outside their monastery or on the altar, for lineal and traditional reasons. So why doesn’t Sera Jey monastery similarly stick to the blessings of tradition?
Another incident that raises eyebrows is what the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition, or FPMT for short, has been doing in the online sphere. For the past year, the social media channels of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Ven Roger Kunsang have featured constant updates on the making of this thangka. Their website states that the thangka was being made for the Lawudo Retreat Centre and they would like to request the Dalai Lama to bless it, prior to being sent to Lawudo. So, how odd that all news of the thangka was removed from their social media portals as the Jangchub Lamrim event approached. Even stranger, the Jangchub Lamrim website made no mention of the supposed purpose of the thangka.
This post of Lama Zopa inspecting the thangka was removed from his timeline
We all know that His Eminence Lama Zopa Rinpoche is a Gelug Lama yet is a strong advocate of the Rimé movement. Although wearing the yellow hat, we cannot help but notice that he propitiates and promotes Guru Rinpoche’s practices. There have been many Lamrim teachings at FPMT centers but unfortunately, not many practitioners gaining realizations because the focus on the Lamrim is not there. When we mix and pollute the pure teachings, the results can be nothing but polluted. Just by observing FPMT’s social media thread, one can only conclude that FPMT is trying to win the Dalai Lama’s favour for their works.
The Lawudo Gompa Project shares the same picture.
Another example of the Rimé influence is the current 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, who was politically “rescued” and overshadowed by the Dalai Lama. There have been rumors of complaints within the Karma Kagyus, saying that the Karmapa is conveniently staying in Gyuto Tantric College instead of his traditional residence due to the influence of the Dalai Lama. Why would the head of the Kagyu lineage be staying and studying in a Gelug tantric college?
I would like to bring everyone’s attention to the creeping influence of the Rimé movement because with the CTA’s meddling in the spiritual affairs of the Gelug tradition, we have seen a great decline in the practice and preservation of the lineage within the Gelug monasteries. If we allow the Rimé movement to continue, the decline of the entire Gelug lineage will not only continue to worsen, but other lineages will eventually be affected. What then happens to the rich tradition, attainments and pure practices held in trust by the other Tibetan Buddhist schools?
Similarly, the current ban on Dorje Shugden based the excuse that Dorje Shugden protects only the Gelugpas and is the main cause for sectarianism does not make sense because the destruction and decline of the teachings clearly arose from the meddling of the CTA. The CTA’s fallacious claims about Dorje Shugden will begin to lose ground as people become more aware of the facts. So if we’re engaged in Dharma practice, is political mileage at the expense of our identity and lineage that important?
