Drashi Lhamo’s Past

Drashi Lhamo’s story has been kept as a Han Chinese-Tibetan legend, predating the modern age where facts are well kept. For example, it is unclear what her birth name was and when she was born, however there are enough sources that fit together to give a reasonable picture. We will begin by looking at the main characters in her life so that we can piece together a timeline.

The Reign of Emperor Qianlong

Emperor Qianlong was born in 1711. In 1735 he took the throne, becoming the fourth ever to rule all of China. His reign would continue till 1796 when he abdicated as a gesture of respect for his grandfather who held the record as longest serving ruler at 61 years.

Emperor Qianlong still remained one of the longest term rulers in the world and his time was considered the peak of the Qing Dynasty. In China’s long history, this time is considered second only perhaps to the Tang Dynasty, and was a great time for China and Chinese culture. In fact it is considered such an auspicious time that coins from it are still sought after by Feng Shui masters who believe the luck from the time still radiates from them.

Emperor Qianlong did a lot to flourish the three great wisdom traditions of China – Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. He personally took to Vajrayana Buddhism and appointed the Dalai Lama as the ruler of Tibet.

At the same time he maintained many traditions such as having a large hareem of concubines. Drashi Lhamo was originally one of these, a young girl selected from ordinary people for her good looks and auspicious features according the divination arts like Mian Xiang and Bazi destiny analysis.

It would be typical for such a girl to be aged around 16 when beginning her court duties, something that was considered an honour for her family. Based upon his enthronement, it could be guessed that she entered service around 1735, although possibly a little sooner or later – there’s no records easily found to tell.

The Lelung Rinpoches

To help us get a better idea of the timing, we need to look at the other notable people in her story. Although she was of common birth, many of those that would come into contact with her were far from ordinary.

The Gelug or Yellow Hat sect of Tibetan Buddhism has the Ganden Tripa as its supreme spiritual leader. These are followed by the Dalai and Panchen Lamas, who dealt with much of the political matters of Tibet, in addition to being senior masters.

Ranking fourth in seniority are the Lelung Rinpoches. Perhaps most famous for having created an encyclopedia type text that catalogued the heavens and their various inhabitants, they were well known for their willingness to communicate with worldly deities in addition to buddhas.

There is a record in the chronicles of Sera Monastery that the 5th Lelung Rinpoche received an empowerment for Drashi Lhamo. He died in 1740.

His subsequent incarnation, the 6th Lelung Rinpoche, is said to have written several prayers to her in which he refers to her as Mam Sogyal Buchi (in Chinese: Mamo Suojibuzhi), an emanation of Palden Lhamo.

During the Communist takeover of Tibet, it is not known if it was looted, burned or hidden, but much of the written works of the Lelung Rinpoches were lost including their great encyclopedia. The current Lelung Rinpoche has stated his big wish for this incarnation is to find his lost works.

Lama Jampa Monlam

Lama Jampa Monlam (sometimes transliterated in Chinese as Minling and Minlang) was considered a high master of Lhasa’s Sera Monastery. This is one of top three Gelug monasteries (Drepung and Ganden being the others). Sera itself is internally divided into Sera Mey and Sera Jey sections. For a time, Lama Jampa Monlam was the 17th abbott of Sera Jey.

During the reign of Emperor Qianlong, the Gelug sect gained the favour of the Imperial Court and there was constant interchange between Lhasa and the Forbidden City. With the Dalai Lama being appointed the head of Tibet by Emperor Qianlong, who himself was a Vajrayana Buddhist, Gelug monks and masters would receive a warm welcome in China, which had also become famous in Tibet for its holy sites. The Tibetans even referred to the emperor as Emperor Manjusri on account of his exceptional wisdom.

Mount Wutai is considered the bodhimanda of Manjusri, his sacred holy site. Lama Jampa Monlam took the opportunity to visit for a retreat, but whilst there was summoned to Beijing by the emperor on account of the palace becoming haunted – Drashi Lhamo had been murdered.

Putting The Facts Together

Putting together what we’ve discussed earlier, and making the assumption that it was Lama Jampa Monlam who gave Drashi Lhamo’s empowerment to the 5th Lelung Rinpoche, we can suggest that her death is no later than 1740, the year Lelung died. More likely it was towards the start of Qianlong’s reign in 1735.

This suggests that she was born sometime around 1720 so as to have been at the choice age for entering the Imperial hareem following his coronation.

There is an account that says the Drashi temple in Lhasa was originally constructed in the mid 18th century at the request of the Tibetan regent, Pholane Sonam Tobgye (1689-1747), who restored and extended all the major Gelug monasteries including Sera to which Drashi Gon temple is a part of. Since he died in 1747, it again suggests that her legend begins in the 1730s, especially since he was a close friend of the 5th Lelung Rinpoche who died in 1740. It may well have been on Lelung’s advice that he acted.

This is an important additional fact since it indicates that Drashi Lhamo’s story is entirely composed of characters of the highest social ranks in politics and religion of the time. She dies in the Imperial Court of China, is calmed in the afterlife by the former abbot of Sera, who brings her to Lhasa, where she comes into contact with the high ranked Lelung Rinpoche. She receives official support for her temple from his friend, Pholane Sonam Tobgye, although the temple is in Lama Jampa Monlam’s ownership. Possibly this is because placing it next to the site of the Han consulate of the time strengthens the relationship between Tibet and China by reminding the Chinese, “We are keeping your wrathful demoness here – do not forget!”

What Happens Next To Drashi Lhamo?

Following the establishment of her Drashi Gon temple outside of Sera’s complex, and later being added to the Sera Barkor Gonkang, a protector’s shrine on Barkor, the main road in Lhasa, Drashi Lhamo becomes recognised as an emanation of Sridevi (also known as Mahasri). From Sridevi there are numerous emanations such as Palden Lhamo, the goddess who guards Tibet, and Laxshmi, the goddess from whom money constantly streams to devotees in India.

Although it is unclear who first spotted the connection, Drashi Lhamo in Lhasa has a seed syllable Bhyo (Jo) on her chest which supports this connection. This is saying that on Earth she had incarnated as a human but her origin was the great Sridevi. Another view stated by some is that she is a wrathful form of Saraswati.

The temple remains a minor wealth temple. Because there was a Han consulate and garrison nearby at the time and many travellers going to and from Beijing to Lhasa pass by, travellers, mainly merchants, would make prayers when passing. As many found they suddenly became wealthy, her name started to spread as a deity that protects travellers and grants sudden floods of wealth. One can get rich quickly through Drashi Lhamo!

Whilst the Lelung Rinpoches were the early adopters of her practices, the number of testimonials from devotees has seen interest in her grow outside of Lhasa as the merchants returned home from Lhasa.

Where Did Lama Jampa Monlam Go?

Having had his retreat at Mount Wutai interupted by the commotion in the Imperial Court, and then found his return home occupied by the needs of his new disciple, Drashi Lhamo, Lama Jampa Monlam wanted to continue to deepen his spiritual practice. Although he had brought a great wealth attracting goddess to Lhasa, he himself had no interest in politics or wealth accumulation. He decided to go back into the mountains to seek the ultimate truth for the benefit of all sentient beings…

Around Lhasa there are a number of sites where the great Lama Tsongkhapa, founder of the Gelug sect, had practiced and meditated. Many are small caves high in the mountains overlooking Lhasa, and it was to one of these he retreated.

Keutsang means a cave or grotto and the one Tsongkhapa chose was in a rather precarious position. A local name for it means “cave carved out with a horn.” Legend has it that Tsongkhapa, to escape the envoys sent by the Ming Dynasty Emperor Yongle to invite him to China, secluded himself in the western cliffs of this place. The local guardian deity used his horn to carve an entrance into the cave. Later, a landslide caused the cave to be inaccessible.

Lama Jampa Monlam first restored the cave but later created a hermitage here. His students from Sera would come to seek him out and so a small institution developed over time, and he became awarded the title of the 1st Keutsang incarnation. That became his title in Tibetan going forwards.

What Happened To The Keutsangs?

The Keutsang lineage continued with the second incarnation being recognised as from a wealthy family. He built many hermitages.

No details are known of the third, but the fourth Keutsang Lama, Darhen Keutsang Yeshe Monlan Pel Sangpo, was a close friend of the 13th Dalai Lama. After his passing, he became an important figure in identifying the 14th Dalai Lama.

The fifth Keutsang Lama, Keutsang Trulku Jampel Yeshe, was recognised in 1946 aged two. During the Chinese takeover of Tibet, he was imprisoned as an enemy, primarily because of his past incarnation’s closeness to the Dalai Lamas. His memoirs of how he coped with the prison system whilst trying to remain true to his faith are recorded in his book, Memoirs of Keutsang Lama – Life In Tibet After The Chinese Liberation.

It is common that high masters have multiple reincarnations. For example, the 18th century great master, Jigme Lingpa, had Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, Do Khyentse and Patrul Rinpoche as his reincarnations, representing his body, mind and speech emanations respectively. Therefore in addition to the direct Keutsang incarnations, there are others who came from Lama Jampa Monlam, and there is no contradiction in this.