Tenzin Peljor on a recent Tricycle editors’ blog, refers to Geshe Kelsang: “In NKT there is an autocrat and he uses his power in an autocrat way.” Elsewhere, the NKT has been accused of calling Geshe Kelsang the “third Buddha” and seeking veneration from his students.
The truth is that Geshe Kelsang has never used any self-aggrandizing terms in relation to himself — he is very humble and self-deprecating, attributing any success or good qualities that he may possess to Je Tsongkhapa and his Spiritual Guide, Trijang Dorjechang.
For example, in a teaching before a Je Tsongkhapa empowerment in 1995 he said:
“We can think, how is it possible that a foolish man like myself can write fifteen Dharma books? These are very different from other books. The NKT Dharma books that we are using as our subject of study and practice are not just a collection of lectures. They are complete with root text, commentary and outlines, made perfectly like Dharma scripture. How can a foolish man write these books? I can say that because Je Tsongkhapa’s teachings are so profound, precious and clear, it gives Geshe Kelsang the opportunity to write these books. All the explanations of NKT Dharma books come from Je Tsongkhapa’s teachings. Because these teachings are so special, even a humble practitioner and foolish man like me has the opportunity to present such beautiful books. Through this alone we can understand the pre-eminent qualities of Je Tsongkhapa.”
Moreover, gradually throughout his teachings and books over many years, Geshe Kelsang has been clearly teaching how not to rely inappropriately or in a cult-like way on a Spiritual Guide. Buddha’s traditional instructions on Guru devotion need to be understood and practiced carefully within our modern Western context. They must be applied in a very different way to how they were (and still are) sometimes applied in Tibetan society, and especially they must not be mixed with political control.
For example, in Paris in 2008, Geshe Kelsang said:
“Generally, of course, relying upon the Spiritual Guide is the root of Dharma realizations, as Buddha Vajradhara said in the Highest Yoga Tantra teachings and Buddha Shakyamuni said in the Sutra teachings. This teaching is everywhere — from Buddha Shakyamuni up to our present teacher, every teacher has unanimously taught this. We cannot change this. But because society, times and other conditions are different, we need to be careful. What we say and what we want should always remain in the middle way, never extreme.”
Geshe Kelsang explains that although it is a traditional and vital Buddhist teaching to view your Spiritual Guide as a Buddha in order to gain realizations of the stages of the path to enlightenment, this view must be kept inside the heart and not verbalized; and the teachers and students must also not claim to be holy beings (whether they are or not).
He explains: “Je Tsongkhapa strongly rejected revealing clairvoyance and miracle powers, or giving physical or verbal indications that we are a holy, pure or enlightened being.”
This is a “middle way” followed in the New Kadampa Tradition, which enables both teachers and students to avoid strange, “extreme” behavior, and to act normally around each other. It is in keeping with the practice of Je Tsongkhapa’s disciples in their monasteries in Tibet. For example, if a monk made a display of his miracle powers or clairvoyance, he would be asked to leave.
More on this subject coming later. Please feel free to make comments or ask questions.
January 14, 2009 at 1:31 am
I find this interesting, because I see less of this in NKT than in other Buddhist traditions I’ve been to. It seems ironical that it is used to further the Dalai Lama’s criticism of Geshe Kelsang when the strongest example of putting someone up as a Buddha has to be with regard to him whom everyone touts as the ‘God King’ and reincarnation of Buddha Avalokiteshvara.
Guru devotion is a private decision. If students hold this view of Geshe Kelsang (or of the Dalai Lama), it can benefit them in their practice but I’ve never heard it come from the side of Geshe Kelsang himself. He simply explains what past lineage gurus have taught regarding choosing and relying on a Spiritual Guide. But neither should he forbid/discourage such personal views, because this would contradict the teachings on Guru Devotion that are key to the long lineage of Mahayana Buddhism.
January 16, 2009 at 10:47 pm
These are degenerate times and it’s easy for people to misunderstand the teachings on reliance on the Spiritual Guide. For example, they might think “this Teacher is telling me this because they want me to see them as a Buddha” and then they assume the Teacher has delusions of grandeur and their ego is running amok!
The teachings were on reliance on the Spiritual Guide are given so the student can benefit. If they view their Teacher as a Buddha, they get the benefits of that pure view in terms of blessings, and the teachings they receive will have a more powerful effect on their mind. It’s not so the Teacher can get off on everyone calling them a Buddha and prostrating to them! I suppose it is possible that the teachings can be abused in this way, though, but there’s no way that Geshe Kelsang’s doing that.