[1] This is a revised version of an essay published earlier in the (Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies) (Vol., 21, no. 2 [1998]: 227-270) and reprinted here with the permission of the editors of the above-mentioned journal. I would like to thank them. I would also like to acknowledge all the people who have helped me in this project. Due to the sensitive nature of the topic, however, I feel that I should not mention any name and just thank them collectively.

[2] Tri-jang Rin-bo-che, (The Music that Rejoices the Ocean of Pledge Bound, Being an Account of the Amazing Three Secrets [of Body, Speech and Mind] of Great Magical Dharma Spirit Endowed with the Adamantine Force, The Supreme Manifested Deity Protecting the Ge-den Tradition (dge ldan bstan bsrung ba'i lha mchog sprul pa'i chos rgyal chen po rdo rje shugs ldan rtsal gyi gsang gsum rmad du byung ba'i rtogs pa brjod pa'i gtam du bya ba dam can can rgya mtsho dgyes pa'i rol mo,) Collected Works, Delhi: Guru Deva, 1978), V.5-159, 8.

[3] Drak-ba Gyel-tsen's lineage is said to go back to Dul Dzin Drak-ba Gyel-tsen, a direct disciple of Dzong-ka-ba. This lineage is, however, a kind of spiritual lineage and quite different from the recognized lineage of a lama. See Pa-bong-ka, (Supplement to the Explanation of the Preliminaries of the Life Entrusting [Ritual]) (rgyal chen srog gtad gyi sngon 'gro bshad pa'i mtshams sbyor kha bskong),) Collected Works, New Delhi: Chopel Legdan, 1973), VII.517-532, 520.

[4] Sang-gye Gya-tso (sangs rgyas rgya mtsho), explains that after Ngak-wang Ge-lek (ngag dbang dge legs) had died, the second reincarnation of Pen-chen So-nam-drak-ba was found in the Ge-kha-sa (gad kha sa) family. He adds: "Although he had hopes for being the reincarnation of the All-knowing Yon-ten Gya-tso, he was made the reincarnation of Ngak-wang Ge-lek" (thams cad mkhyen pa yon tan rgya mtsho'i sprul sku yong du re yang ngag dbang dge legs kyi sprul sku byas pas). Sangs-rgyas-rgya-mtsho, (Vairya-ser-po) (Delhi: International Academy of Indian Culture, 1960), 72.

[5] Dol rgyal zhib 'jug tshogs chung, (Dol rgyal lam shugs ldan byung rim la dpyad pa) (Dharamsala, 1998), 25-35.

[6] Tri-jang, (Music,) 101-109.

[7] R. Nebesky-Wojkowitz, (Oracles and Demons of Tibet). (The Hague: Mouton, 1956).

[8] In this essay I will treat deities as "real persons" since they are experienced as such by Tibetans.

[9] Such a spirit is also called (tsan) (often but not always the spirit of a monk who has either fallen from his monastic commitment or has been killed), who lives in rocks and must be pacified with special red offerings. Tibetans speak of eight classes of gods and spirits (lha srin sde brgyad). See: Samuel, (Civilized Shaman) (Washington: Smithsonian, 1993), 161-163.

[10] Pa-bong-ka, (Supplement,) 521.

[11] Pa-bong-ka, (Supplement,) 523 and Tri-jang, (Music,) 105.

[12] The Tri-ba seems at first to have been elected, which would have strengthened his position. Later he was selected by the Dalai Lama. When did this change occur? Only further research will provide an answer which will greatly help us in understanding the history of the Ge-luk tradition.

[13] E.G. Smith, "Introduction," (Kongtrul's Encyclopedia of Indo-Tibetan Culture) (New Delhi: International Academy of Indian Culture, 1970), 17.

[14] L. Petech, Introduction to Sangs-rgyas-rgya-mtsho, (Vaidrya-ser-po), xi-xii.  

[15] bod de'i rgyal po ni gzim khang gong ma sprul sku grags rgyan zer ba ni chag(s) sdang gi gtam kho nar zad do/ des na bsod nams chos 'phel ni lo 'dir 'das nas khong dge lugs la thugs zhen ches pas chos bsrung ba'i tshul bzung nas dge lugs pa skyong zhes grags pa bden nam snyam mo/. (Rehu mig or chronological tables) in Sum pa mkhan po, (dPag bsam ljon bzang) (Delhi: International Academy of Indian Culture, 1959), 70-1.

[16]This opposition had come to the fore when the prime minister tried to entice the Lo-sel-ling college of Dre-bung monastery to adopt the fifth Dalai Lama's works as its textbooks in place of Pen-chen So-nam-drak-ba's works. After the college's refusal, Sang-gye Gya-tso asked Jam-yang-shay-ba to refute Pen-chen So-nam-drak-ba.This was an attempt at strengthening the government's control over the monasteries as well as a way of removing Drak-ba Gyel-tsen's posthumous influence, two goals with which Jam-yang-shay-ba had little sympathy. Hence, the latter refused to oblige.

[17] (de'i rjes su gad kha sa pa'i nang so gro (grod?) lhug thog mar thams cad mkhyen pa yon tan rgya mtsho'i sprul sku yong du re yang ngag dbang bsod nams dge legs kyi sprul sku byas pas mthar skye gnas mi bzang bar gyur to/) Sangs rgyas rgya mtsho, (Vai∂rya-ser-po) (Delhi: International Academy of Indian Culture, 1960), 71-2.

[18] gad kha sa lags a rgyal gyi 'phrul la brten ngag dbang bsod nams dge legs dpal bzang gyi sku skye rdzus ma lam du song ba smon lam log pa'i dam srid gyur te/.Fifth Dalai Lama, (Collected Works,) vol. Ha, 423-4. A similar scenario is presented in the Fifth's autobiography. Both passages were quoted by the present Dalai Lama in a talk given in Los Angeles, June 1997.

[19] Some stories present the Nga-ri Rin-bo-che as the reincarnation of Drak-ba Gyel-tsen but they are hard to trace and are probably significantly posterior to the facts here discussed.

[20] In reference to the year 1655 (Wood Sheep), Sum-pa-mkhan-po notes: "[Birth of] the Kangshi emperor renowned as the reincarnation of Tul-ku Drak-ba Gyel-tsen (sprul sku grags rgyan skye bar grags pa'i khang zhi bde skyid rgyal po) (Rehu mig,) 70.  

[21] in his autobiography, the Fifth Dalai Lama mentions the existence of a harmful spirit around the pond of Dol. See (Du ku La'i gos bzang,) II. Ý157.a-.b.

[22] Pa-bong-ka gives the following gloss of Shuk-den's name: "[This] great protector, who holds the adamantine force which is all pervading regarding the destruction of the army of the devil, [this] spirit who is a war god, the protector of the Ge-den tradition, who assumes the pretense of being a worldly boastful god though he is beyond the world, is well known "Great Magical Spirit Endowed with the Adamantine Force" (de ltar 'jig rten las 'das kyang dregs pa'i zol 'chang dge ldan bstan srung dgra lha'i rgyal po/ bdud kyi sde 'joms pa la thogs pa med pa'i rdo rje'i shugs 'chang ba bstan srung chen po rgyal chen dor je shugs ldan rtsal zhes yongs su grags pa.(Supplement,) 528.

[23] shing cha rnams chu la bskyur ba dol chu mig dkar mor chags pas der gnas pas re zhig bar du dol rgyal zhes grags. Pa-bong-ka, (Supplement,) 521.  

[24] Another informant has suggested that Shuk-den became at some point a monastic deity in charge of eliminating rogue monks who had broken their vows but still pretended to be pure. This hypothesis would account for the monastic appearance of Shuk-den's main form (for a description of Shuk-den's five forms, see Kelzang Gyatso, (Heart Jewel,) 77) and provide a precedent for Shuk-den's opposition to Ge-luk practitioners who have adopted Nying-ma teachings.From punishing rogue monks, it is quite easy to imagine how Dol-gyel could have been transformed into a deity punishing "rogue Ge-luk-bas"! I have not found, however, any source confirming this hypothesis. That such a type of deity exists among Tibetans is well established (Nebesky-Wojkowitz, (Oracles,) 207), but the connection with Dol-gyel or Shuk-den remains unfounded.  

[25] phyi'i nang du nged rang phyir ldog cing/ sku tshab drung du phyin nas smon lam rnam par dag pas mtshams sbyar nas/ dur khrod du zhag gcig bsdad pas tshar slong gi mtha' rdzogs pa byung/ de nas theg cing btsan thang g.yu yi lha khang du zhag gcig bsdad/ rim bzhin gtsang chu'i srib ngos nas/ byams pa gling dang o rgyan smin grol gling/ thub bstan rdor brag sogs la mchod mjal zhus/ lcags la'i sras mkhan rin po che dang mjal zhing thugs yid gcig 'dres su gyur/ grwa thang du rgyal po shugs ldan nas cho 'phrul sna tshogs byung yang nye zho ma nus.Bde bar lcags zam chu bo rir slebs.Autobiography of Mdo Mkhyen brtse Ye shes rdo rje. Gangtok:Namgyal Institutue of Tibetology, 1974), 148.  

[26] The practice of propitiating Dol-gyel seems to have been absent in the Ngor-ba or Tshar-ba branches of the Sa-gya tradition. It disappeared from the tradition of Sa-gya, perhpas due to the realization of its sectarian implications.

[27] Pl 480/ IASWR microfilms 08.043. ‚Dpal bsam yas lhun gyis grub pa'i gtsugs lag khang gi srung ma phrin las kiy mgon pa kun khyab rdo rje drag po rtsal gyi spyan 'dren bskang pa phrin bcol, 12.b-16.a.It is by no means sure, however, that the present version is identical to the text written by So-nam-rin-chen.The colophon mentions the fact that the text was revised (bcos) by Ngak-wang Kun-ga Lo-dro (ngag dbang kun dga' blo gros).The text is found among a collections of ritual texts of Anye Zhab (amyes zhabs ngag dbang kun dga',) 1597-1659).

[28] rgyal gsol log 'dren tshar gcod.

[29] One of the main sources in this essay is the present Dalai Lama, who has done a great deal of excellent research concerning Shuk-den, tracing several mentions of this deity in the early stages of the Ge-luk tradition.Here I am borrowing from his talk given on the 8th of May 1996.  

[30] S. Mumford, 'Himalayan Dialogue (Madison: Wisconsin University Press, 1989), 264.  

[31] Collected works of Thu-bkwan Blo-bzang-chos-kyi-nyi-ma (Delhi :Ngawang Gelek Demo, 1969-1971), I.5-831, 221.b. Quoted by the Dalai Lama in his talk of the 8th of may 1996.

[32] Nebesky-Wojkowitz, (Oracles ,) 210.

[33] Lob-zang Dor-je, (Biography of Pha bong kha ( pha bong kha pa bde chen snying po dpal bzang po'i rnam par thar pa), 471.a-.b.   

[34] Ta bu Pe-ma Baz-ra and Dak-po Kel-zang Kay-drub are often mentioned as sources of the Shuk-den teachings.   

[35]Pa-bong-ka, Collected Works, VIII.498, 533.  

[36] Tri-jang,(Music,) 5.

[37] Nebesky-Wojkowitz, (Oracles,) 5.

[38] Lob-zang Dor-je, (Biography of Pha bong kha,) 471.b.

[39] hung/ blo bzang bstan pa srung ba'i srog zhing gcig/ rnal 'byor 'dod pa'i re skong yid bzhin nor/ dam nyams dgra gegs srog la ha la'i dug/ khyod kyi gsang gsum dran pas bstod phyag tshal/ Pa-bong-ka, (Collection of [Rituals] concerning the Circle of Offerings, The Special Offering of Drinks, [and] the Exhortation to Action of the Powerful Protectors of Buddhismand [the propitiation of] Wealth Gods and Spirit (mthu ldan bstan srung khag gi 'phrin las bskul gser skyems tshogs mchod sogs dang/ gnod sbyin nor lha' skor 'ga' zhig phogs gcig tu bkod pa,) Collected Works, New Delhi: Chopel Legdan, 1973), VII.451-497), 467.   

[40] hung/ khro rgyal gshin rje gshed/ 'jam mgon bla ma tsong kha pa'i/ bstan dang bstan 'dzind dgra lha'i gtso/ shugs ldan drag po las la bskul/ ... khyad par blo bzang bstan pa'i dgra/ skad cig sgrol ba'i dus la bab/ sngon gyi dam tshig ma gyel bar/ chos skyong drag po'i las la bzhengs/ snying ring thugs dam ma lhod par/ dra po'i las la myur du chos/ bskul zhing 'phrin las bcol ba'i las/ bstang snyoms ma mdzad myur du sgrubs/ bdag la re sa gzhan med kyi/ bcol ba'i 'phrin las myur sgrubs. Pa-bong-ka, (Collection ,) 468-469.  

[41] zhwa gser gyi bstan pa la log par spyod pa'i 'gro ba mchog dman kun la drag po'i che pa thog ltar 'beb pa la 'phrin las kyi shugs shin tu myur zhing/ drag shul shin tu che bas na/ rang phyogs kyi ser skya mchog dman mang po zhig kyang rje'i ring lugs gser sbyangs btso ma lta bu 'di nyid kyis go ma chod par gzhan phyogs pa'i lta grub 'khrul pa las kyang nyid 'khrul mu 'byam du song ba'i lam log lam gol gyi grub mtha' myur myur mo dang/ zab zab mor grags pa mang po zhig bse bslad byas pa la brten nas bstan bsrung gnyan po 'dis rang gzugs dngos su bstan pa dang/ khrog gtum 'jigs shing rngams pa'i rnam 'gyur mi bzad pa'i cho 'phrul sna tshogs pas kha cig myo zhing 'bog pa dang/ la la khong khrag 'dren cing glo bur du tshe'i 'du byed pa/ 'ga' zhig mi 'dod pa'i ngan ltas ci rigs pas dpal 'byor 'du longs rigs rgyud dang bcas pa ltag chu chad pa'i rdzing bu ltar rim bzhin rjes shul med par btang ba dang/ skye ba'i phreng ba gzhan mar 'gar yang ci byas pa la lam du rgyu dka' ba sogs mngon sum du byung ba dang 'byung 'gyur mang po mthong thos kyi yul du 'gyur pa ltar lags pas blo bzang rgyal ba'i bstan pa grub mtha' chal chol gzhan gyis bse bslad med par 'dzin pa shin tu gal che zhing. Pa-bong-ka, (Supplement ,) 526-527.

[42] The ironical words (myur myur mo dang/ zab zab mo) are clear references to Dzok-chen, which characterizes itself as having the most profound view and the fastest path.

[43] kun gzigs lnga pa chen po grub mtha' gsar rnying thams cad 'dzing skyong spel bar mdzad pas/ chos skyong chen po 'dis sngon gyi thugs smon gyi dbang gis 'jam mgon bla ma'i ring lugs dri ma med par bsrung zhing skyong ba'i phyir/ rgyal dbang mchog la shin tu 'jigs su rung ba'i rnam 'gyur sna tshogs ston pa'i gzigs snang byung ba na/ Pa-bong-ka, (Supplement , )521. This text consists of notes taken by Pa-bong-ka's secretary Lob-zang Dor-je during one of Pa-bong-ka's Life Entrusting (srog gtad) ceremonies.