I asked Nechung: ‘if indeed it is the case [that propitiation of Gyalchen has more harm than benefit], then, Kyabje Phabongkha Rinpoche who was no doubt a good practitioner with spiritual attainments and a reliable master, had accepted Gyalchen as a genuine protector. Also, the lineage of the life-entrusting initiation associated with Gyalchen is supposedly something connected with the pure vision of Takphu Dorje Chang who they say had a vision of Dulzin Dakpa Gyaltsen and thus it is considered to have started. How true is that?’
Referring to Phabongkha Rinpoche as a great Tantric practitioner, Nechung replied very decisively:
‘This great Tantric practitioner made a terrible mistake in the latter part of his life. For that reason, I, the king of ‘Pehar’ was very much provoked. Things will come to light if you find out what kind of tragedies befell this great Tantric master in the last years of his life. If you find out what kind of bad omens accompanied the death of his reincarnation in India, you will come to realise my point. Not only that, but his successive reincarnations will not be able to succeed in their activities’.
Many are aware of the kind of tragedies that Kyabje Phabongkha had faced. As Phabongkha Rinpoche had made commendable contributions towards the teachings of Tsongkhapa, many feel that he had fallen under the spell of Nyingma practitioners; thus blames are put on the Nyingmapas although in reality it seems that those were punishments from the two ‘Red and Black’ protectors.
When asked about the issue of the pure vision [attributed to Takphu Dorje Chang] acclaimed as the source of the life-entrusting initiation of Gyalchen, Nechung replied thus:
“As far as pure vision is concerned, it can be of two kinds, one that comes from the blessing of the deities of the three roots, and another that arises as a result of the ripening of negative obstacles. Is this pure vision not due to obstacle?”
This new disclosure was not only critical but highly sensitive, almost unspeakable!
