Good news - the life story of a great master

Togden Shakya Shri - The Life and Liberation of a Tibetan Yogin

This Namthar, or traditional Tibetan biography, welcomes the reader to the extraordinary dimension of a realized yogin. Its pages recount the inspiring milestones in the life of the revered Togden of Drugu (1853-1919), a portrayal which is also precious as the mirroring of a vanished world. The chronicle glows with inspiring facts and miraculous happenings, as well as insights provided by numerous letters between the Togden and some of the greatest masters of that era.

The passing of Kungo Kalsang Choten

Kungo Kalsang Choten, the half-brother of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, just passed away in Nepal.

More details at the Pundarika website.

Before escaping Tibet with H.H. the 14^th Dalai Lama in 1959, Kungo-la served as a high-ranking minister in Old Tibet’s parliament. His teacher after 1959 was Kungo Tak Lama, the Dalai Lama’s main advisor at that time. He went with His Holiness to Dharamsala to help establish Tibetans in exile and to work in His Holiness’ office. Progressive changes were made in the exiled government’s structure to include a younger generation of ministers. Kungo-la gave exceptional service to every community and monastery in which he resided, as well as caring for small Tibetan children through establishing a daycare school.

In approximately 1980, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche began building Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling, a monastery in Boudhanath. Tulku Urgyen asked Kungo-la to come to Nepal to help establish the monastery, and he became the monastery manager, as well as the main teacher for young monks for 13 years. He assisted Tulku Urgyen in giving many empowerments. He then completed two 3-year retreats, the first at Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling, the second near Swayambhunath, during which time he came to be regarded as a great practitioner.

Short biography of Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche

Khen Rinpoche's biography on Rigpa News.
Nyoshul Khenpo was such a consummate master of Dzogpachenpo, and such an authority on the teachings of Longchenpa, that his disciples regarded him as Longchenpa in person. He was the teacher of many of the younger generation of lamas, as well as a number of western Buddhist teachers.

Mingyur Rinpoche interviewed by Buddhist geeks

Yongey (pronounced Yon-gay) Mingyur Rinpoche is a highly venerated teacher and master of the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. He was born in Nepal in 1975, and was recognized as a tulku by both H.H. the 16th Karmapa and H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. Don't let his youthful appearance or his young age fool you. Rinpoche has one-pointedly devoted his entire life to the study, practice and teaching of the Buddha-dharma and he has accomplished tremendous benefit for beings in this lifetime.

Here he is interviewed by Buddhist geeks online magazine.

Flower and Bones

Sherab Dorje's memoirs are now available, and endorsed by none other than our own Erik Pema Kunsang: "An entertaining and original work of literature by a well-known western Lama in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, hailed as 'deeply moving and...remarkably well written.'"

Here's a touching excerpt involving a meeting with Tulku Urgyen:
One day, I came out of a meditation session just as the sun was setting over the valley. The sunset was prolonged, spectacular and beautiful, stealing my breath away. Just then, the pattern of light and cloud, shade and shadow, color and movement, shifted entirely, and the sunset seemed to start all over again. I was dumbfounded.
Then there was another complete shift; and another. It was as if the animating engines of the world had been tuned to play its entire greatest hits package of once-in-a-lifetime sunsets in the span of a single evening. Now, I had flown under rainbow arches over the Caribbean at sunset, and seen a lot of beautiful desert, ocean and mountain sunsets in my travels. None remotely compared to this.
After hours seemingly had passed, with one sunset transitioning into another, and just when I thought that no sight could ever be more sublime, I happened to glance up toward Tulku Urgyen’s balcony outside his room on the floor above the temple hall. There he stood, beaming from ear to ear, meeting my gaze, laughing and laughing, as if to say, this display of phenomena is quite a bit of fun when you have total mastery over it, isn’t it? He turned and went back inside, and suddenly the show was over.
Tulku Urgyen had a way of turning anything into a reminder to observe the nature of mind. I asked him for instruction on the meditation practice of Vajrasattva, the second of the four extraordinary preliminary meditations. This practice involves a detailed visualization of purifying all of one’s physical, verbal and mental impurities. Tulku Urgyen’s approach was to perform even this practice without complexity, simply by remaining within the state of recognition of the essence of mind while visualizing and reciting. How amazing!

***

In all my life, I have never entertained a moment of doubt that Tulku Urgyen is Guru Rinpoche, the wellspring of Tibetan Buddhism, in person—so precious were the gifts of his presence, and pointing out instructions introducing the nature of mind. I can think of only one, fleeting moment of tension between us.
One day, years later, when he had moved up to a small room that stood alone on the roof of the temple, I sat outside Tulku Urgyen’s room all afternoon waiting for an opportunity to enter and seek clarification of a practice point.
He was very busy; somehow Tulku Urgyen could stay in retreat, and yet serve a seemingly endless stream of visitors, high and low of social station and spiritual pedigree, without wavering from his practice. He was always consulted regarding the affairs of Ka Nying monastery, the retreat center in Parping, and who knows what else.
I was finally allowed to enter, and there was a quick exchange. Acting slightly annoyed with my willfulness, Tulku Urgyen said, “Why don’t you go down to Boudhanath and take teachings from a truly great master, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. He really knows a lot about the dharma and can answer any question.”
I looked him right in the eye and glibly replied, “I don’t want to, and I won’t go down to see His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse, or anyone else, because I have already found a perfect teacher right here, and have neither need nor interest to look elsewhere.” That really cracked him up.

pp.32-33

Copies can be purchased online at Blazing Wisdom Institute

Great Yogini

Buddhist photographer James Gritz has a marvelous blog which i highly recommend. It is also well worth checking out his photo gallery too as it contains some great photos from Nangchen including Dechen Ling, the nuns at Gebchak, the late Adeu Rinpoche and even Tsoknyi Rinpoche. Here is a taste:

We crowded into the small dark room and sat shoulder to shoulder. The ceiling was covered with years of soot so thick that black stalactites had formed. My eyes teared from the fumes of incense and the yak dung smoke leaking from a crude wood stove. In the dark corner, light spilled from the doorway illuminating an ancient face, deeply etched from the harsh Tibetan life at 14,000 feet. There, leaning back in her meditation box was Sherab Zangmo spinning her prayer wheel.

When Sherab Zangmo was a young nun, during a dark retreat (a Dzogchen practice of staying in total darkness for 49 days and nights), she had a vision of Yeshe Sogyal, Padmasambhava’s principle consort.

“Three times she offered me mudras (hand gestures) and then she became Tsang Yang Gyamtso (the student of the first Tsoknyi Rinpoche who started Getchak Nunnery). He came to rest on top of my head and then he dissolved into my body, speech and mind. We became one. I cried and cried. That moment I had a direct experience of the nature of my mind. I have had many experiences, good and bad, but my mind has remained stable, neither good nor bad.”

read on...

A Tribute to Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö

Thanks to Adam and the folks over at Remembering the Masters for this marvelous video commemorating Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö.

Buddhism In The West by Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche

Buddhism In The West

by Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche

My thoughts on Buddhism in the West have actually changed over the years. At this point I feel very positive and optimistic; not that I was skeptical or doubtful in the past, but one becomes more sure over time. There seems to be greater possibility for the roots of buddhism to be established in the West. I have become much more certain of this from personal experience—certain to a certain degree. ...

Read more of this article on the Dharmadhrishti Journal website.

Dzongsar Khyentse, Chokyi Nyima and Sangye Nyenpa, Rinpoches, at Nagi, 1978

This photo was taken at Nagi Gompa in 1978 during a break when Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse conferred the empowerments for the Three Sections of the Great Perfection and Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche gave the One Hundred Cho empowerments.
It is easy to recognize Dzongsar Khyentse, Chokyi Nyima and Sangye Nyenpa, Rinpoches.

Brilliant Moon: The Autobiography of Dilgo Khyentse

The biography of one of the most important Buddhist masters to leave Tibet in the 1950s. Highly recommended.

Through lively anecdotes and stories this highly revered Buddhist meditation master and scholar tells about his life of study, retreat, and teaching. The formative events of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche’s life, and those insights and experiences that caused him to mature into the warm, brilliant, and highly realized meditation master and teacher he was, are deeply inspiring. The details of his early life and spiritual training reveal an authentic and human view of Tibetan culture, as well as the hardships endured by the Tibetans who fled their country and reestablished their tradition in exile.

The first part of this volume includes Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche’s early life story, told in his own words. The second half of the book comprises recollections by Khyentse Rinpoche’s wife; his grandson and spiritual heir, Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche; Tenga Rinpoche; Tsikey Chokling Rinpoche; Orgyen Topgyal Rinpoche; Kenpo Pema Sherab; the Queen Mother of Bhutan; Trulshik Rinpche; and Pewar Tulku.

Brilliant Moon: The Autobiography of Dilgo Khyentse
Ani Jinba Palmo, translator and compiler
Michael Tweed, editor
Shambhala Publications, Inc.

Buddhist meditation SummerCamp in Denmark

News from Gomde Denmark, a retreat center established by the oldest son of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche:

We are happy to announce that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche will be sharing five sets of teachings at his retreat center in Denmark.

You may have friends who you would love to meet Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and be inspired through his wonderful teachings.

You can forward this email with the link to a small brochure card as widely as possible. You can also print it out, in color at best, and post it on an appropriate notice board. That will insure that many other people can receive the benefits of Rinpoche's deep instructions.

The sets of teachings are given in at progressively deeper levels, so if you come to Buddhist teachings for the first time, we suggest that you attend the first sets.


http://www.gomdedk.dk/Resources/GomdeSC2009infocard.tif 2mb


You can find more details on http://gomdedk.dk/Eng/SummerCamp2009program_eng.htm

Warm wishes,

Your hosts for SummerCamp 2009,
Rangjung Yeshe Gomde
http://www.gomde.dk

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche's advice to teenagers

Excerpts from the audio file at Chronicles of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche

On growing up too fast

So, today I have something to tell you, that is especially for the teenagers, especially. I don't know whether you realize this, this is really important. It's ... important is not the right word. I don't know what to say. I'm trying to fish for a word.

There is something so incredible about being young. I made a mistake by trying to grow up fast, and I'm sure there are a lot of other people who have made the same mistake. Please for your own sake, do not grow up fast, because you can never rewind and play back. Once you play, that's it!

But this is easier said than done, no? ... a whole society, books, television, movies ... all trying to make you grow up. And you yourself, as a human being ... human nature is competing: "Who will grow up fastest?" I'm sure you even tell yourselves sometimes, "Grow up! C'mon!" ... not the right thing to do.

On discipline and depression

OK. One last word. Now, I hate to use the word discipline. The trouble is this is the one thing that you don't want to hear, discipline ... But even to make a cappuccino, you need a discipline ... you need a discipline, of course. Skateboarding, all these things, they all need discipline. In our modern society, one of the biggest problems is depression, really really feeling down and depressed, and people turning to drugs and alcohol and all of that. If you really look into the root of the depression, it is because of lack of discipline.

Discipline is so important ... And when I say discipline I'm talking about something so simple, huh? I'm not talking about like getting up in the morning, 5 o'clock ... you know, like things like that ... You make your own discipline, such as, I don't know ... something like, "I will not go to Starbucks on Wednesdays." Really, if you took that kind of vow, something as simple as this, in the future, the ratio of visits to your shrink will be definitely reduced. Even as simple as not going to Starbucks on Wednesday. I'm serious. I'm serious ... If you can manage ... if you do that one year, good! Very good. You have learned the art of controlling yourself.

If you want to be brave (you know, maybe you think, not going to Starbucks on Wednesdays would be too simple for you) then take a vow: Next six months, whoever it is, you will not yell at them. That's a difficult one, huh? That's a difficult one ... But it will give you amazing, amazing power. Because ... you all want to be indestructible, don't you? Well, if you want to be indestructible, why volunteer yourself, to become an easy target? So, you can become very brave and take that kind of vow also.

On failure

Question: If we were take a vow, for six months never to yell at somebody, how would you be ... you know, sort of approach a possible inevitable failure, or how should you approach this ...

Khyentse Rinpoche: Ah, failure is good. Failure is good. You have to fail many times. Take a vow again. Take a vow again ... To shape the human character a lot of things have to go wrong, you know. You shouldn't be afraid [of failure].

Gerry's narration of Tulku Urgyen's enthronement

http://gprindiville.blogspot.com/2009/03/enthronement-of-tulku-urgyen-yangsi.html

Samten Gyatso's transmission of the New Treasures

It had been the plan of the translators to include the more dense information on the transmission lineages, which didn't make it into the final version, some "other place". This blog seems to be the most appropriate place. So I and Michael will be begin to post some of the missing pieces here.
In this piece Tulku Urgyen tells about how Samten Gyatso, his main guru, passed on the New Treasures of Chokgyur Lingpa to various other masters.

It is thanks to Samten Gyatso that the Chokling Tersar was spread far and wide, because neither Tsikey Chokling nor Uncle Tersey ever transmitted it in full. Of that generation only Neten Chokling did so, but only once. That is why Tsewang Norbu pointed them out at Riwoche.

Basically, the transmission of the Chokling Tersar that all the great lamas of those days received came through Samten Gyatso. He gave the Chokling Tersar three times in Central Tibet. Many great lamas received the transmission then, including the omniscient 15th Karmapa, the great Drukchen, Taklung Tsetrul and the three masters with the title Jamgön who resided at Jang Taklung. Later on, he went back to Kham and at the request of Nangchen Tsoknyi, the guru of the king of Nangchen, Samten Gyatso offered the complete Chokling Tersar transmission at Nangchen Tsechu Monastery. At Namgyal Tse monastery in Surmang, at the sponsorship and request of Surmang Tentrul, many lamas received the Tersar transmission, including Tentrul himself, Surmang Garwang, Dzigar Kongtrul and others; all together there were eighteen major masters among the gathering of 300 lamas. After this, Samten Gyatso proceeded to Derge where he offered the great Situ parts of the Tersar, including the Tukdrub cycle. At another point, when the son of the 15th Karmapa, the reincarnation of the great Kongtrul, visited the seat of Chokgyur Lingpa, Samten Gyatso gave him several transmissions, most notably the empowerment for Tukdrub Barchey Kunsel. These were the major transmissions Samten Gyatso gave, but, of course, he bestowed empowerments upon an untold number of lesser known lamas and practitioners.

At one time, Samten Gyatso was invited to Palpung Monastery, one of the chief monasteries in the Derge kingdom, which was headed by Situ Wangchok Gyalpo, the predecessor of the present-day Situ Rinpoche. He transmitted part of the Chokling Tersar to Situ Wangchok Gyalpo and was therefore counted as one of Situ’s gurus.

Dzongsar Khyentse, the reincarnation of the great Khyentse, came to Samten Gyatso’s mountain top hermitage of Dzong-go Ling. There Dzongsar Khyentse requested the transmission of the sections of the Chokling Tersar composed by the 15th Karmapa, Khakyab Dorje, which he had not received.

Photo: Palpung monastery in Kham, 1998.

Dancing horses at the Gomde Denmark buddha-fields

Something very unusual just happened at Gomde retreat center in Denmark. Two of the free-roaming horses were seen in an hour long elaborate dance. "I couldn't believe my own eyes," exclaimed Vetenarian Hans Jorgensen, who owns the neighboring farm and is also a dance teacher. "It looked exactly like the steps in Argentinian tango, but with a few sexy refinements. And they didn't learn it from me. Perhaps there's something about that past-life you Buddhist ha've been talking about."

Chants for the Meditation Session

Often Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche would let people gather around him in the evening and begin the meditation session with a short set of traditional chants passed down from his own gurus. These chants have been continued by his four lama sons on their teaching tours around the world.

Here is a version by Sascha and Nanna, two Danish girls:
http://songs-from-sacred-islands.blogspot.com/2009/03/chants-for-meditation-session-saschas.html

Documentary about Tulku Urgyen and his enthronement

The Boeddhistische Omroep Stichting in Holland shows a very nice documentary with Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's four lama sons, the parents of the reincarnation, and some of his older Western students. Click here.

http://player.omroep.nl/?aflID=9159951

Photo by Olav Nyhus.

Parinirvana of His Holiness Penor Rinpoche

A message from Dzogchen Khenpo Choga Rinpoche

Dear Precious Sangha,

We just heard the news that our lineage master, His Holiness Drubwang Pema Norbu (Penor) Rinpoche, has reached his parinirvana on March 27th, 2009 at 3:30 pm (Karnataka, South India Time) or 3:00 am Pacific Time USA.

H. H. Penor Rinpoche was born in 1932 and was recognized by Khenpo Ngawang Palzang and the Fifth Dzogchen Rinpoche as the Third Drubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche, the Eleventh Throneholder of Palyul Monastery and throughout his 77 years completed many vast and profound Dharma activities. From 1992 to 2003, H.H. Penor Rinpoche served as the Supreme Head of the Nyingma School. He is one of the great Dzogchen Lineage Masters for us.

This may come as sad news to some because it seems that he has left this world, but actually he is never separate from us. He always lives in the heart of our faith. According to Dzogchen Tantras, when a great enlightened teacher passes into parinirvana students have an extraordinary moment to receive blessings from this teacher by making supplications and offerings, as well as making profound personal commitments and aspirations. This is an especially powerful time to request teachings and blessings while praying that more emanations of this master manifest in this world to benefit all beings.

Therefore, I request all International Dzogchen Sanghas to gather their local communities together and do the following practices and ceremonies:

1. Offer Flowers, Lights, and Water: In front of a photo of H.H. Penor Rinpoche, offer beautiful flowers, luminous lights, and clear, clean water.

2. Offer Tsok Pujas (Feast Offerings): Specifically you can do the Rigdzin Dupa or Yumka Tsok, or simply recite the concise feast offering from The Buddha Path.

3. Recite Guru Padmasambhava Mantra: Recite the following mantra 100,000 times or as much as possible:

Om Ah Hung Badzra Guru Padma Siddhi Hung

4. Read and discuss H.H. Penor Rinpoche’s amazing Life Story.

5. Request teachings and blessings: Pray to H.H. Penor Rinpoche for your personal answers, blessings, and empowerment.

6. Make Profound and Sincere Commitments: Make a commitment to do positive things such as teach Dharma and practice, while committing not to do negative things. You can say, “Please Your Holiness Penor Rinpoche, bless me. For the true happiness of all beings, I hearby commit that I will do good things such as ...[your positive activities] and avoid doing bad things such as...[your negative activities]. Please holy enlightened master Penor Rinpoche, please bless me that I may accomplish my aspirations for the true happiness of all beings.”

Right after the parinirvana of great enlightened beings, whatever virtuous aspirations and commitments you make will swiftly be fulfilled.

7. Make Aspirations Pray:
“May I keep His Holiness Penor Rinpoche’s advice and teachings in the depth of my heart.
May I sincerely follow the Dzogchen path of His Holiness Penor Rinpoche.
May I fulfill the great aspirations of His Holiness Penor Rinpoche.
May I faithfully recognize that Penor Rinpoche is always in my heart.”

By the power of Penor Rinpoche’s aspirations, may the Dzogchen Lineage increase and may the world have peace and happiness forever.

This message is from Dzogchen Khenpo Choga Rinpoche’s longing faith and devotion.

Penor Rinpoche’s Biography and Other Links:

Biography: Here is a biography about Pema Norbu Rinpoche.

Gather friends and watch Movies and Videos about Penor Rinopoche: There are many videos available online that reveal his amazing activities. The Compassionate World is an hour-long documentary that wonderfully illustrates his amazing dharma activities.
It is found in full at: onlinedharmaclassics.org

There is also an official YouTube channel devoted to Penor Rinpoche:
http://www.youtube.com/palyul

Supplications for the Long Life of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche’s Reincarnation

Composed by Tsikey Chokling Rinpoche

Om soti, ngagla wangyur orgyen tendzin gyi
Jigdrel dorjei khamsu tenpa dang
Minub gyaltsen mishik dorje tar
Labchen dzetrin choktar gyegyur chig

om svasti
Sovereign of speech upholding Uddiyana’s teachings
May your life be firm as vajra nature’s fearlessness,
Invincible like diamond, fly your never-waning banner,
Filling all directions with your vast activity.

Photo by Olav Nyhus

Mingyur Rinpoche Gets Wired