An 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 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 was also common knowledge that whenever Pabongka visited his Lama’s monastery, he would dismount as soon as the monastery appeared in view and prostrate all the way to the door. This was no easy feat, because of Pabongka’s large build but he would do this religiously. Then, 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.

Pabongka Rinpoche was also very famous for not tolerating anyone speaking ill of his Guru in any way. His face would immediately turn 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 63. That was the kind of Guru Devotion that Pabongka embodied.

There is a story of how Serkong Dorjechang of Gaden Jangtse, 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 gave 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 the ritual implements to Pabongka and took the small one Pabongka had. That was how the mystical Manjushri Wisdom book and teachings were transferred to Pabongka.

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 against him 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 and it was finally 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.

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 to receive this advice. He rejected the offer and Talungdra became the 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 to create the great fabric of Gelugpa practice. This is one of many magnificent contributions that Pabongka Rinpoche has made.

He asserted the importance of carrying the lineage of the Sakya tradition. He explained that Tsongkhapa had only come in 1357 while the Buddha had been present and taught some 2,500 years ago, and that there was a gap of one and a half thousand years. This is where the unbroken lineage becomes crucial and which, in this case, stems from the Sakya tradition.

Pabongka wrote the long Vajrayogini sadhana called Dechen Nyur Lam, Short Path to Great Bliss, which 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 that was passed from Vajrayogini to him, but also the long lineage and the combined teaching techniques.

Many highly established scholars know that Vajrayogini had been Tsongkhapa’s secret practice and that he had kept it as his hidden heart treasure.  However, it was Pabongka who made it very clear that Tsongkhapa had many practices and had combined them all together. He also added the Ganden Nyengyu which is a sort of teaching that is not given in public. It is more likened to a valuable family heirloom, passed from relation to relation. Pabongka combined all these techniques and made it possible for lazy people of modern times to obtain Vajrayogini-hood within the shortest time-span and with very little effort.

One of the most significant benefits of Vajrayogini’s practice is that she represents the swiftest path to Enlightenment and by doing her practice, one gains control over their death and birth. At the point of death, one does not lose control over the entire process, but gains control instead. Due to this, we do not have to go into uncontrolled ordinary bardo or take an ordinary.

Empowering liberation into all beings

In 1921 at Chuzang Hermitage near Lhasa, Pabongka Rinpoche gave a historic 24-day exposition on the Lamrim. This was attended by some 700 people, including laypeople. 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 the definitive text Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand in 1991 by one of Rinpoche’s disciples who had attended the 24-day Discourse. This disciple was the famed Trijang Rinpoche and this book became the foundation of most Gelug teachers’ Lamrim presentations, including those of the FPMT and of Geshe Kelsang Gyatso’s acclaimed Lamrim text, Joyful Path of Good Fortune.

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 to receive his teachings. Ribur Rinpoche recounted that Pabongka Rinpoche spent a lot of time contemplating 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 where long lines of people would wait 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 Pabongka Rinpoche well respected and adored by many.

Pabongka Rinpoche was also famed for spreading the Dorje Shugden practice. He wrote many books including texts with explanations on sadhanas, chanting, how to make tormas and myriad other subjects. Among these texts is a Dorje Shugden practice which includes the empowerment that is still in use to this day.

Pabongka Rinpoche wrote 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 and these collected works span 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 prominent Gelug Lamas who have been bringing the Dharma to countries in both the East and the West since the Tibetans fled Tibet in 1959.

Rinpoche’s four main disciples were not just any disciples. They became great Gurus in their own right. They were 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. Ling Rinpoche was elected to be the 97th throne holder of the Gelugpa lineage (Ganden 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 not considered a model student. Everything 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 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 blessings and some special power to pursue his studies. He shared, “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 may not have studied so devotedly and become a Geshe. Many did not believe that he could master what he studied to become a Geshe but he did because Pabongka Rinpoche inspired him so much.

Geshe Helmut Gassner explains:  “The great master Pabongka was, in the first half of the 20th Century, the pivotal or key lineage holder of the Oral Ganden 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 Ganden 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 Ganden 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.