Practitioner

Dear Muzsh,

Thank you for your question. Generally speaking both Gaden Tradition and Gaden Doctrine can be used interchangeably. Both refer to the teachings and practices as taught within the Gelugpa tradition stemming from Gaden monastery, which is the mother monastery of the lineage, as it was Lama Tsongkhapa’s own monastery, built and offered to him by his student Duldzin Drakpa Gyeltsen (who was a previous incarnation of Dorje Shugden). You can read more about the previous lives of Dorje Shugden here: http://www.dorjeshugden.org/overview/the-previous-existences-of-dorje-shugden. However, depending on the context, there could be a slightly different meaning. The Gaden Tradition can refer to the Gelugpa tradition as a whole, as it was founded in Gaden, whereas the Gaden Doctrine, can specifically refer to the teachings and practices of Gaden monastery or the Gelugpa tradition. I hope this short explanation helps. Thank you.