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Bodong Research and Publication Centre

Initial Thought on the Revival of the Bodong Tradition
In 1998 when Geshe Pema Dorjee visited Europe he went to see the late Tsering Damchoe in Switzerland and stayed at his house for some days. Their talk mostly fo¬cussed on the Bodong tradition. With tears in his eyes, Tsering Damchoe implored “Geshe-la, you must take the responsibility for reviving the Bodong tradition”. Geshe-la replied, “So far I have studied a little bit ac¬cording to the Geluk tradition, but I have no idea about the Bodong tradition, other then having heard about it. So what should I do to revive the Bodong tradition?” In reply, Tsering Damchoe insistently urged, “Please do not talk like that. You know what to do regarding the revival of the Bodong tradition.” Therefore being unable to de¬cline the request Geshe-la agreed to work with him on this venture.

At that time Tsering Damchoe had a complete set of the Collected Works of Bodong Chokley Namgyal pub¬lished by Tibet House, New Delhi. So Geshe-la had the opportunity to go through the first fourteen volumes of the works. Due to some past karmic connection he was able to see most of the commentaries of the Five Major Buddhist texts. He was also able to make a catalogue of these commentaries.

So from his careful research he found out that the main cause for the decline of the Bodong tradition was the lack of thorough scholarship of Bodong Chokley Namgyal’s treatises – the essence of his teachings – by his followers in general, and particularly those who bore the title of “religious practitioners” within the Bodong tradition. Therefore he thought that the main factor in the revival of this tradition should be the study and prac¬tice of Bodong Chokley Namgyal’s teachings outlined in his works. Consequently in 1999 Marlies Kornfeld and Geshe-la wrote a petition to His Holiness the Dalai Lama regarding this matter.



Sponsor Marlies Kornfeld and Geshe Pema Dorjee In 2001 with regard to this matter Marlies Kornfeld, Geshe Pema Dorjee, Venerable Tsering Dorjee (the rep¬resentative of Pelmo Choeding monastery, Kathmandu), Bhu Ngodup (the representative of the Porong commu¬nity, Kathmandu) and Chok Tenzin Monlam (our re¬searcher) had an audience with His Holiness. Geshe-la presented to His Holiness his thoughts about the selec-tion, research and publication of the required exegeses of Bodong Chokley Namgyal and formulating them into the curricula for the Bodong tradition in the future. His Holiness was very pleased and gave his advice and guid¬ance.

Bearing this in mind Geshe-la, Venerable Gedun Sonam and Chok Tenzin Monlam formed a research committee at Sarah and began the research work. (At that time, Geshe-la was the principal of the College for Higher Tibetan Studies (CHTS), Sarah, Dharamsala.)

Later Geshe-la resigned from his post at Sarah. Then on 29th October 2003 he formally founded the Bodong Research and Publication Centre near Thekchen Choe¬ling Temple, Mcleod Ganj.

Reasons for Restoring the Bodong Tradition
It is the vision of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to revive all the traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. He said during the audience:

We are trying to keep Tibetan Buddhism alive as a whole, which means that each tradition must also be kept alive. When five fingers are healthy, the hand is also healthy. Without the five fingers, there is no hand, isn’t that so? We can talk about the preservation of Tibetan spirituality in a similar way. This is our responsibility.

The work of Bodong Panchen consists of more than one hundred and thirty-five volumes. These cover all as¬pects of Buddhism, and contain beautiful and systematic explanations for the education of a person from his child¬hood until attaining enlightenment. However, many of his works are missing, even those that are available are unexplored, his lineages of teachings are undiscovered, and the many liturgies of his tradition are still missing. In a nutshell, everything about his tradition is scattered and disunited at present.

There are many monasteries and nunneries of the Bodong tradition in Tibet, and thousands of families who have followed the Bodong tradition for many gen¬erations. Its revival is very important to them.

Bodong Panchen held women in high esteem, both as symbols of divinity and as spiritual practitioners. He was critical of misogynist attitudes, which considered women as a mere source of lust and spiritual contamina¬tion. This is quite unique to the Bodong tradition, and it is very important to continue this practice. The positive attitude towards women is reflected by the relevance of the female representatives of the Bodong tradition. For example, Choekyi Dronme, a princess of the king of Gungthang, Lhawang Gyaltsen (1404-1463), was a leading disciple of Bodong Panchen. She founded Sam¬ding monastery in AD 1440 and followed the Bodong tradition. She was the first Samding Dorjee Phagmo. Samding is the only monastery, not a nunnery, in Tibet, which is headed by a female reincarnation. Even today, the 12th Samding Dorjee Phagmo, Dechen Choedon, is heading of the Samding monastery.

The Bodong tradition includes a number of unique healing practices, the revival of which would be of great benefit to sentient beings.

Growing Into a Research Centre
The research centre was the outcome of a special au¬dience that its director, Geshe Pema Dorjee, and other delegates had with His Holiness the Dalai Lama on 5th October 2001. During the audience Geshe-la presented his vision of reviving the Bodong tradition, a tradition that was on the verge of extinction. His Holiness was delighted to learn about its revival and gave his own far-reaching vision.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama said during the audi¬ence:
When we try to preserve Tibetan Buddhism as a whole, it means that each tradition within it must be preserved. One of our topmost priorities and concerns is the preservation of the Tibetan Bud¬dhist tradition. The Buddhist tradition is very rich and very profound. At present the Taklung tradi¬tion is weak. The Bodong tradition is even weaker. Probably the Buton (Bu-lugs or Zha-lu) tradition comes last. Anyway, the Bodong tradition is a very important tradition. But in the past, in Central Ti¬bet, this master’s teachings were not available and were not studied much. So now, fortunately there are some people who are very keen to preserve and cherish this tradition. It is a very important task. And from my side also, of course, since the First Dalai Lama had a special connection with Bodong Chokley Namgyal, naturally I also have responsi¬bilities to help them.

Upon receiving the guidance from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Geshe-la immediately employed Ven. Ge¬dun Sonam and asked our research scholar, Chok Ten¬zin Monlam, while at Sarah, to locate all the available treatises of Bodong Panchen on the Five Major Bud¬dhist texts from his collected works, published by Tibet House, Delhi. They were able to locate all of them in November 2001.

Mr. Chok inputted three of the Bodong Panchen’s ex¬egeses on Middle Way Philosophy into computer within a month. Then they proofread them, comparing them to the original sources. In February 2002, they travelled to Tibet House in New Delhi to compare them to the origi¬nal hand-written copies of Bodong Panchen’s works. Then, Ven. Gedun Sonam agreed to do thorough research on these three exegeses. Geshe-la also requested certain individuals to input several volumes of his exegeses into the computer. It was a fast and auspicious beginning.

Due to the urgency of the revival of the Bodong tra¬dition, Porong community and many of his friends has been requesting Geshe-la to resign from his post at CHTS Finally, when His Holiness accepted his resignation in May 2003, Geshe-la shifted to Mcleod Ganj.

Within a few months, with the help of kind support from Geshe-la’s friends in Switzerland, Belgium, United Kingdom, Sweden, Finland and Israel, he commenced the research centre near the Dalai Lama’s main temple and named it the Bodong Research and Publication Centre.



Office of the Bodong Research and Publication Centre, Dharamsala On 29th October 2003, under the auspices of the Pel¬mo Choeding monastery, a formal inauguration ceremo¬ny took place at the research centre with all the Tibetan media in Dharamsala present. The private secretary of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Mr. Lobsang Jinpa, chaired the ceremony. This day was also when new monastery foundation stone was laid.

Reasons for Basing the Research Centre in Dharamsala
Although the monastery is in Nepal, the research centre is based in Dharamsala. The main reasons for this are:

1. It is imperative to have easy access to all kinds of resources for researchers. In exile, the Library of Ti¬betan Works and Archives, based in Dharamsala, has the richest resource in terms of Tibetan literary works.
2. Almost all the researchers whom the research cen¬tre totally depends are based in Dharamsala.
3. In terms of other resources, raising awareness of the Bodong tradition, correspondence, safety and so forth, Dharamsala is the best place for the research cen¬tre.

Aims and Objectives of the Research Centre
During the audience with His Holiness, in the pres¬ence of Marlies Kornfeld, delegates of the Porong com¬munity and the monks of the monastery, Geshe-la pre¬sented his vision to His Holiness about the selection, research and publication of the required exegeses of Bodong Panchen and formulating them as the curricu¬lums for the Bodong tradition in the future. His Holiness was very pleased and further advised:

The preservation, revival and growth of the Bodong tradition in the future depend on those who have the basic knowledge in Buddhism. It is not accomplished merely by having the initiations, oral transmissions and quintessential instructions of Bodong tradition. If Bodong Panchen’s exegeses on the Five Major Buddhist texts are selectively published from his works, then they will not only benefit the practitioners of the Bodong tradition, but they should be kept in the libraries of the other monastic universities as well.

The existing works of Bodong Panchen are numer¬ous, extensive and profound. Most of his works are handwritten, hence have not been used and studied for many centuries. The amanuenses of Bodong Panchen made numerous spelling and syntax mistakes in his ex¬egeses resulting in bizarre renderings. Hence it is indis¬pensable to do thorough research on them. The research centre is taking this huge responsibility.

Bodong Panchen’s encyclopedic works are arranged systematically from the theories of conception to the highest esoteric teachings of Kalachakra. However, many of his works remain undiscovered. Hence, the research centre is undertaking the responsibility of se¬lecting the required texts, especially those on the Five Major Buddhist texts, from his encyclopedic works and formulating them as the curriculums for monks and nuns of the Bodong tradition.

The research centre also embraces the responsibilities of locating, editing, compiling and publishing all kinds of manuscripts composed by Bodong Panchen which are not available in the Collected Works of Bodong Panchen. We regard this project as another important contribution to the revival of the Bodong tradition. Our goal is also to find, research and publish the works of his disciples in the coming years.

Tracing authentic initiations, oral transmissions and quintessential instructions of the Bodong tradition that are still alive, and locating the unique spiritual practices of the Bodong tradition, such as spiritual dances, chants and mandala making, are some of the other responsibili¬ties of the research centre.

The rites and rituals are part and parcel of Bodong tradition. So, collecting the prayer scriptures from pri¬vate homes and monasteries in exile and in Tibet, edit¬ing, compiling and publishing them are the responsibili¬ties of the research centre. The research centre hopes that the quality of monastic practices will be refined through its research works.

Management of the Research Centre
To accomplish the aims and objectives of the research centre, both substantial staffing and huge financial sup¬port are required.

1. Financial Resources
In 2001, Marlies Korfeld contributed some money to start the initial research project whilst Geshe-la was still the principal of CHTS. She also met the costs of Chok’s Ph.D. research in 2000. Geshe Pema Dorjee, the direc¬tor, has taken exclusive responsibility for generating the financial and other resources necessary for this huge project. Geshe-la’s friends in Switzerland, Belgium, United Kingdom, Sweden and Finland have invited him for two months each year. (When he was the principal of CHTS, he was the sole fund-raiser for the college.) Dur¬ing his trips abroad he teaches Buddhism and Tibetan culture. He raises the funds through his teachings and public talks.

For the publication of the researched texts of this tra¬dition, His Holiness the Dalai Lama donated five hun¬dred thousand rupees (US$ 12,000) in 2004. Some of the Porong people such as late Yakpa Dorjee and late Dolchung, Mr. Chagpae Jigmey Tenzin and his family, and Mrs. Tseten also donated some money for the pub¬lication.

Marlies promised to give financial support to the re¬search centre for three years after the successful comple¬tion of the new Bodong monastery in Kathmandu. As promised she started her generous financial support in November 2005.

2. Resource Persons
At present, the research centre employs nine senior researchers, four junior researchers, one office manag¬er cum accountant, one secretary cum cashier and one cook. The senior researchers are those scholars who are capable of doing research on the major Buddhist philo¬sophical exegeses and junior researchers are those who are capable of doing research on the exegeses of the oth¬er traditional fields of knowledge. Six senior researchers and one junior researcher are independent contract-based researchers. There are nine daily working staff members at the research centre. Geshe Pema Dorjee, the director, takes all the responsibilities for the research centre from selecting resource persons to fund-raising.

The daily working hours of the staff members and their terms and conditions of employment are the same as those for the Central Tibetan Administration,Dharamsala.

3. Guidelines for the Research Works

Step 1. To compare and match thoroughly the print¬out to the original text (the spelling mistakes are not amended at this stage).
Step 2. To mark those spelling mistakes or spellings in doubt. It is advised to correct those that have a scrip¬tural source or rational basis, otherwise, the corrected spellings are inserted in brackets.
Step 3. To study whether every verse of the root text is elucidated or not in his exegesis. If not, a decision is taken whether to annotate them from other notable ex¬egeses after a thorough discussion with eminent scholars after consulting the appropriate bibliographical details. Step 4. To study whether his existing elucidation on those root verses is feasible or not (with respect to his thought). If not, the decision to annotate them from other notable exegeses is taken after a thorough discussions with eminent scholars.
Step 5. To study whether his elucidation on the root verses has any significant uncertainties, different ways of elucidating or specific viewpoints that differ from other scholars. The researcher is advised to annotate them for future reference.
Step 6. The researcher is advised to annotate the dif¬ferent ways of elucidating the root verses of Bodong Panchen and other notable scholars.
Step 7. To correct and supplement the unclear, in¬authentic or doubtful explanations or those that need supplement in the exegesis through comparing them with other notable exegeses. It should be finalised after a thorough discussion with the director of the research centre.
Step 8. The scholar is advised to write a critical syn¬opsis on the exegesis after the research work has been completed and suggest whether the exegesis could be useful as a monastic textbook (yig-cha) for comprehen¬sion of root text for the monks and nuns of the Bodong tradition in future.

4. Guidelines for the Remuneration of the Contract- Based Researchers
Before signing any contract between the research centre and a scholar, the latter must go through the spec¬ified text for some days to see if s/he wants to do the work as per the Guidelines for the Research Works. If the scholar agrees to do the research then s/he should follow the Guidelines for the Remuneration of the Con¬tract-based Researchers established by the research cen¬tre is as follows:

1. The researcher would be paid the 20% of the to¬tal payment for the work s/he is commissioned and s/he must sign the contract.
2. When the researcher has finished half of the work s/he should report that to the research centre upon which the research centre would pay the second installment of 20% of the total payment.
3. Upon receiving the report of the competition of three-quarters of the research work s/he would be paid the third installment of 20% of the total payment.
4. When the research is completed as per the Guide¬lines for the Research Works the researcher and the re¬search centre would thoroughly review the whole work together. Following that the research centre would pay the remaining 40% of the total payment.

Accomplishments of the Research Centre



Researchers working in the Centre 1. Computer Input

The following are the exegeses of Bodong Panchen and related manuscripts that have been inputted into computer before and after the inaugural ceremony of the research centre:

1. Commentary to Nagarjuna’s Fundamental Treatise on Middleway (Mulamadhyamakakarika; dBu-ma rtsa-ba shes-rab)
2. Commentary to Chandrakirti’s Entering the Mid¬dle Way (Madhyamakavatara; dBu-ma ‘jug-pa)
3. Essential Exposition of Middleway (dBu-ma stong-thun chen-mo)
4. Commentary to Maitreya’s Ornament for Clear Realization (Abhisamayalankara; mNgon-rtogs rgyan)
5. Commentary to Asanga’s Compendium of Knowl¬edge (Abhidharmasamuccaya; mNgon-pa kun-btus)
6. Commentary to Vasubandhu’s Treasury of Knowl¬edge (Abhidharmakosha; mNgon-pa mdzod)
7. Commentary to Dharmakirti’s Drop of Reasoning (Nyayabindu; Rigs-thigs)
8. Illumination of reasoning: A general presentation on epistemology
9. A volume on General Presentation of Monastic Discipline
10. A voluminous text on the manuals of conferring Pratimoksha vows
11. Commentary to Maitreya’s Sublime Continuum (Uttaratantra; rGyud bla-ma)
12. Commentary to Shantideva’s Engaging in the Bodhisattva Deeds (Bodhicharyavatara; sPyod-‘jug)
13. Two volumes on the Garland of Life Stories (Jatakamala; sKyes-rabs)
14. Praise to Buddha Shakyamuni on His Twelve Deeds
15. Two volumes on General Presentation of Bud¬dhist History
16. Commentary to Dandi’s Kavyadarsha: the root text of poetics
17. Several other poetic pieces
18. All the contents in the ninth volume of the Col¬lected Works of Bodong Panchen
19. Seven volumes of prayer texts found in Bodong E monastery
20. About hundred small prayer texts found in other Bodong monasteries
21. A biography of Bodong Panchen: mNgo-mtshar-gyi dga’-ston (Ocean of Marvels) composed by Mikyoe Dorjee
22. A thick volume on the Stages of the Path to En¬lightenment (Lam rim)
23. Three teachings of the Bodong tradition found in Compendium of Practice Manuals (sGrub-thabs kun-btus) compiled and edited by Jamyang Khyentse Wang¬po and Jamyang Loter Wangpo
24. A text on synonymy based on Amarakosha (‘Chi-med mdzod)

2. What Has Been Researched

1. The exegesis of Mulamadhyamakakarika was re¬searched by Ven. Gedun Sonam. He also compared and inserted the root text of Mulamadhyamakakarika. It was then finalised by Geshe Dorjee Damdul and Geshe Pema Dorjee. It is now ready for publication.
2. The spellings and grammatical mistakes of the ex¬egesis of Madhyamakavatara, Uma Tongthun Chenmo (a general commentary to Middle Way philosophy) and two volumes of exegeses on Vinaya have been researched by Ven. Gedun Sonam. They are not finalised yet.
3. Thirty-eight different prayer texts have been re¬searched by Ven. Khenrab Sonam (Chanting Master of Pelmo Choeding monastery) and Mr. Tsering, a junior researcher. It has been finalised by Geshe Pema Dorjee. Seven different prayer books have been published al¬ready and others are ready to be published.
4. Mr. Tsering proofread both the exegeses on the Bodhicharyavatara found in the collected works of Bodong Panchen. He also compared both the exegeses and checked the spellings and grammatical mistakes. He also proofread and corrected the spellings and grammat¬ical mistakes in these exegeses: Nyayabindu, Illumina¬tion of Reasoning, and two volumes on Abhisamayalam-kara, Bodong Lamrim and most of the contents found in the ninth volume of the Collected Works of Bodong Panchen and three different types of teachings found in the Compendium of Practice Manuals.

3. What Is Being Researched

1. The exegesis on Kavyadarsha is being searched by Mr. Amdo Ngawa Loden. He commenced it in May 2004.
2. Mr. Tsering compares and matches thoroughly the printout to the original texts and corrects the grammati¬cal and spellings mistakes of the exegeses. He started his work in October 2004.
3. The exegesis called General Presentation of Mo¬nastic Discipline is being researched by Geshe Jampel Gyatso. He started it in December 2004.
4 The exegesis of Abhidharmakosha is being re¬searched by Geshe Tenzin Sangpo. He started working on it in March 2005.
5. The exegesis on Madhyamakavatara is being re¬searched by Geshe Thupten Loden. He started the re¬search in July 2005.
6. Acharya Jampa Rabgyal is reading the collected works of the scholars of other Tibetan Buddhist tradi¬tions. He is tracing the initiations, teaching transmis¬sions and quintessential instructions of the Bodong tra¬dition in these works. He started it in March 2005.
7. In August 2005, Chok Tenzin Monlam formally joined the research centre after completing his research work at the university.
8. The exegeses on pramana are being researched by Geshe Thupten Monlam. He started it in September 2005.
9. The exegesis on Abhisamayalamkara is being re¬searched by Rimae Lopon Tenzin Delek. It was begun in September 2005.
10. Rimae Lopon Tsamring Lobsang Kalsang is do¬ing research on Uttaratantra. He started it in October 2005.
11. Geshe Ngawang Sangye is doing research on Ab¬hidharmasamuccaya. He started it in March 2006.
12. Tashi Damchoe is doing research on the rite and ritual texts of the Bodong tradition. He started the re¬search in May 2006.
13. Geshe Dakpa Jampa rereads the exegesis of Mu¬lamadhyamakakarika and accepted to do research on the General Presentation of Buddhist History. He will start it in September 2006.

4. What Has Been Traced, Discovered and Collected



Visit by delegates of Provincial Government of West Flanders, Belgium at the Centre 1. Our research scholar, Mr. Chok Tenzin Monlam, has traced a number of authentic initiations, teaching transmissions and quintessential instructions of Bodong tradition that are extant and unbroken and practised in other Tibetan Buddhist traditions. He has listed all of them with bibliographic references. By virtue of his discoveries, the young Bodong Tulku and most of the monks of Pelmo Choeding monastery received the in¬structions of Bodong tradition found in Kongtrul Yonten Gyatso’s (1813-1894) Treasury of Spiritual Instructions (gDam-ngag mdzod) from Trulshik Rinpoche in De¬cember 2002.
2. Geshe Pema Dorjee and Mr. Chok traced the ex¬tant and unbroken teaching lineage found in the Com¬pendium of Practice Manuals (sGrub-thabs kun-btus), compiled and edited by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo (1820-1892) and Jamyang Loter Wangpo. Sakya Daktri Rinpoche transmitted these teachings at Pelmo Choed¬ing monastery, Kathmandu, on 21st and 22nd of August 2006.
3. Mr. Chok also traced several extant and unbroken teachings found in the Treasury of Precious Teachings (Rin-chen gter-mdzod) compiled by Kongtrul Yonten Gyatso and Oral transmission of Bodong Lamrim. Trul¬shik Rinpoche transmitted these teachings at Pelmo Choeding monastery, Kathmandu, from 11th to 24th of November 2006.

From a spiritual point of view, the unbroken trans¬mission of a teaching is indispensable prerequisite for the realization of insight within a practitioner. Hence it made history in the annals of Pelmo Choeding monas¬tery in exile.
4. Mr. Chok has also traced many works of Bodong Panchen found inside and outside Tibet which are not available in the collected works of Bodong Panchen printed in India. Further, he traced a biography of Bodong Panchen and several commentaries to Bodong Panchen’s treatises on Middleway Philosophy by one of his own disciples. Since many works of Bodong Pan¬chen are missing, his contribution is invaluable.
5. There are clear references that the name of the monastery is Pelmo Choeding (dPal-mo chos-sdings), and not Pema Choeding (Padma chos-lding) or Pema Choeling (Padma chos-gling) or Padmo Choeding (Pad¬mo chos-lding) which were previously used in the docu¬ments of the monastery in Kathmandu. Now the name of the monastery Pelmo Choeding (dPal-mo chos-sdings) is established in conformity with the old and authentic documents.


Original Bodong texts found by Bodong Research and Publication Centre 6. The research centre traced and collected many old prayer books with the help of Ven. Tsering Dorjee of Pelmo Choeding monastery in Nepal. The prayer manu¬scripts were collected from private homes in exile and monasteries in Tibet. Some of the manuscripts are rare and extremely precious. Even though they are in very poor condition, the research centre has collected over sixty different handwritten manuscripts so far.
7. Jill Sudbury, a PhD research scolar from Oxford University, who has visited Tibet several times, donated two CDs containing digital photographs of prayer text books mainly from Bodong E monastery. The research centre printed all in colour and bound them into sev¬en thick volumes. She also allowed us to make copies of twenty-four video recordings of religious ceremo¬nial dance (‘cham) performed in Choelhophuk, Pelmo Choeding, and Samding monasteries in Tibet. She also donated several CDs of digital photographs of wall paint¬ings, texts, thanka paintings, monasteries, landscapes, people, etc., related to the Bodong tradition.
8. In November and December 2005, Chok stud¬ied and analysed the catalogue of Drepung monastery of Tibet. He obtained more than three hundred differ¬ent works of Bodong Chokley Namgyal. Many of these texts are not available in the Collected Works of Bodong Panchen published by Tibet House.