Phabongkhapa Dechen Nyingpo (18781941)
On pages 471-2 front and back of the Tibetan text of the
biography of Phabongkhapa Dechen Nyingpo (1878-1941) composed by his student
Denma Losang Dorje and published by the Nyimo Publisher Palden, the following
account is found:
"(Here
is) an appeal from me, Phabongkhapa, holding the name of an incarnate, in
accordance with an instruction that I have received from you through Tse
Khendron Chenmo. (I am glad that) you have received my application of 22nd of
the 12th month last year, and I am grateful that you have kindly clarified each
and every point therein. It was entirely my mistake and I have absolutely
nothing to say (to defend it). It will be my endeavour in the future to take
the meaning of your instructions earnestly to heart and I ask your forgiveness
for whatever mistakes I have made in my appeal."
Phabongkhapa
quotes the Dalai Lama's letter: "With regard to the three points mentioned
here, there is still much ground for debate, both in logical and scriptural
terms, but this is enough for the time being. With regard to your reference to
making endeavour in the practice of taking refuge, first of all you are
propitiating Shugden (Dholgyal) as a protector. Since they received Lamrim
teachings from you at the Drepung Monastic Religious Centre last year and so made
a connection with you, propitiation of Shugden among students there has greatly
increased. The Great Nechung Choegyal who from the very beginning was commanded
and entrusted to protect and guard this monastery, expressed his displeasure to
the Drepung Lachi several times, saying that (due to propitiating Dholgyal) the
degeneration of the Buddha dharma had been speeded up. This is the source of
his displeasure. I feel that your seeking the support of a wrathful worldly
spirit (to secure benefits in) this life specifically contradicts the precepts
of taking refuge. Therefore, your statement, I want to say from the depths of
my heart that it is only due to my being confused by ignorance and not that I
have knowingly entered an unwholesome path and led others onto the same path.
is contradictory."
Phabongkhapa
answers: "You have therefore instructed me to give you an answer. I have
propitiated Shugden until now because my old mother told me that Shugden is the
deity of my maternal lineage. I wish to inform you that henceforth, with
intense regret (for what is past) and (with the intention of) restraining my
faults (in the future), I will never again propitiate (Shugden) or make daily
offerings and supporting prayers and that I will wholeheartedly keep this
commitment in the core of my heart. Whatever mistakes I have committed until
now, such as having become a cause for the mental displeasure of the Great
Nechung Choegyal, contradicting the precepts of taking refuge and so forth, I
request you, the supreme protector, who is especially compassionate to the
lowly, to regard me with love and great compassion and patiently to forgive me.
With
great respect I here offer one silk scarf as a medium of request and five
silver coins (to contribute to the) mandala offering.