THE MIRROR

Newspaper of the International Dzogchen Community May/June 1999-Issue No. 49

Schedule of CHÖGYAL NAMKHAI NORBU for 1999-2000 KALIYUGA,

1999 2000 WAR AND PRACTICE

EUROPE Jan 14-16 Brisbane Retreat by Slavica Yoglar July 7-11 Merigar Retreat, Italy Jan 21 -23 Cairns Retreat July 21-25 Kunsangar Retreat, Russia Feb 4-6 Adelaide Retreat Feb 11-13 Melbourne Retreat arly in the morning, I take a look at the On the bus I do the purification of the five USA + MEXICO watch, eight o'clock, what kind of day is elements. Pollution is much above the normal, July 30 - Aug 1 New York City Retreat SANTI MAHA SANGHA IN E ahead of us? Three days already without oil refineries are often hit, all day I watch Aug 4-8 Tsegyalgar Retreat, Conway, NAMGYALGAR, AUSTRALIA water, and mostly without electricity. I spent black smoke from my terrace. Some of the Massachusetts Mar 3-5 SMS Base level exam the whole day yesterday with friends in their animals in the Zoo have eaten their babies, the Aug 13-15 Chicago Retreat Mar 6-9 1 st level training garden, barbecuing, trying to use up the food owl, the tiger ate two. but they saved the third. Aug 20-22 Houston, Texas Marl7-19 SMS 1st level exam from our freezers fast. The director of the Zoo is begging for dona­ Aug 27-29 Santa Fe, New Mexico Mar 20-24 SMS 1st level training Sharing it. Still, the day was ugly and tions, because nobody visits the Zoo any Sept 9-12 Tara Mandala, Colorado Mar 25-26 SMS level II exam rainy; luckily my friends have a nice veran­ more, and there is not enough food for the ani­ Mar 27-31 SMS level III training Sept 17-19 Mexico dah. Manly talks about the disappearance of mals. Sept 23 San Franciso, California the just, knightly fight, face to face. We are The Danube is the most polluted river Sept 24-28 Lake Tahoe, California April 19-23 Easter Retreat, Namgyalgar being attacked treacherously, from the sky, because the factories have thrown chemicals October 8-10 Portland, Oregon feeling completely helpless. One doesn't into it to avoid releasing them in the air, which Oct 15-17 Malibu, California SINGAPORE & JAPAN know when, where it will hit. Listening to would endanger the lives of all the people in Oct 27-31 Hawaii Apr 28-30 Singapore Retreat their stories, I have understood that Kaliyuga Belgrade. I read in the newspapers that pluto­ May 6-7 Taipei Retreat is already quite present. It is pointless to think nium or uranium stays in the earth for the next NEW ZEALAND & AUSTRALIA May 13-14 Kaoshiung Retreat about the past and future time, without 5000 years. It may be true, but I don't trust Dec 3-5 New Zealand May 19-21 Tokyo Retreat thought, I will relax, try to find myself in the any information any more. Dec 10-12 Sydney, Australia state of contemplation, A. I understand why Dzogchen is about Dec 26-Jan 2 Namgyalgar Retreat Further Information see pages 3,10-14 I must go and buy food. I go with my dog becoming more present - when we are to a shop, we have 348 stairs ahead of us, I bombed with different information, it is nec­ li ve on 23rd floor. I think, if the war continues, essary to go beyond the dualistic mind. There MERIGAR HOSTS I will look like Cindy Crawford. In front of the is no truth, no lie, nothing to know. shop, there is a line of some thirty people, The bus passes through the center of town, waiting for bread and milk. I spot a neighbor, which looks unreal, like the scenery for a war VESAK CELEBRATIONS talking over the mobile phone, the image is movie. The building for the TV station has unreal, on the threshold of the 21st century. been hit; Ivana, a practitioner who met Rin- The neighbor starts to explain to me which poche in Belgrade used to work in this build­ by Liz Granger buildings were destroyed in the night, how ing. Luckily she was fired in time. Now she many dead, etc. has another problem. I talked with her on the I wait for half an hour, and as soon as I phone, she has no work, no money, her wash­ ver the last weekend in decide to give up, the bread arrives. They give ing machineand boiler are not working, and OMay, the Merigar only two loaves each, and I go to another store her mother called her, crying over the phone Dzogchen Community was to get water and minced meat; the cash box because she has no money to buy bread. She the venue for the Vesak cele­ doesn't work and everything is calculated on decided to ask for financial help from some brations held on the anniver­ paper. I buy newspapers, and see a big title, friends abroad. sary of the Buddha's birth, "Patients endangered in hospitals, machines The bus continues. I reach a square where awakening and parinirvana. for dialysis out of work." What is it like to all four buildings have been destroyed. One of The event was organized in watch the machine which gives you life, but the buildings was hit 15 minutes after the oth­ collaboration with the Ital­ doesn't work? Compassion, contemplation. ers. A man lost both legs trying to help the ian Buddhist Union and par­ A. I climb up to my flat, passing by old people wounded immediately after the bomb, when ticipants included both who rest between the floors. My dog is the next one exploded. I practice exchanging monks and nuns, as well as exhausted, he is old, he looks up to me asking, myself with him, compassion, contemplation lay people from the "What is happening?" How long are we going A. I reach the square where I should meet a Vajrayana, Zen, Theravada to do it? It is too complex to explain the col­ friend to give her the text for correction, and I and Chan traditions. The Meeting at the Merigar Gonpa L. GRANGER lective karma to him. I often talk with my dog. continued on page 9 theme of the meeting was My daughter is expecting me, she is happy to entitled, "Monks, nuns and lay people on the Buddhist Path". see the warm bread. There was no bread yes­ The Italian Buddhist Union (U.B.I.), founded in 1985 by Buddhist centers belonging to dif­ terday. CONTENTS ferent traditions was officially recognized as a religious organization in 1991. Associated with I decide to go downtown to do something the European Buddhist Union, it includes thirty two Dharma centers from various Buddhist spir­ about the book I am writing. It is about divina­ itual traditions such as Theravada, Zen, Chan and Vajrayana. Each year the U.B.I, organizes the tion using 41 symbolic pebbles; I have been 2 Teaching Vesak celebration as an opportunity for its members to meet. working on it for years, and the main point is Chögyal Namkhai Norbu During the warm sunny May weekend The Temple of Great Liberation or the Great Flower in the chapter which explains a possibility to was host to more than three hundred-fifty Buddhists, both lay people and monks from all parts of see the state of death and the state of mind, the 3 Retreat Schedule Italy, the various traditions identified by their colored robes - the Theravada monks swathed in path of thoughts in that moment. Apart from Summer-Autumn with ochre, the Zen monks and nuns in stiff gray and black, the Vajrayana monks in the more familiar my children, I consider this book an important Chögyal Namkhai Norbu maroon and yellow. After a welcome on behalf of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu and the President of personal act. You probably wonder whether I the U.B.I., Elsa Bianco, on Friday afternoon, activities got under way with a roundtable discus­ was able to predict war? Well, I did see it 4 Asia Report sion on the theme of the meeting. In the evening the film, "Kailash, the Sacred Mountain" was clearly two days before it happened. I was Daniela Tarizzo shown: a documentary of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu's pilgrimage to the sacred mountain in 1988 very upset, but at the same time I understood accompanied by a large group of his students. that the information couldn't be shared with 6 Dreams On Saturday morning four sessions of teachings were given consecutively at the Gonpa by anybody, because people simply wouldn't and Tibetan Medicine Maurizio Missimi, Prof. Corrado Pensa, Master Eugako Taino and Chögyal Namkhai Norbu. take me seriously. Now I ask people around Dr. Nyida Chenagtsang During the afternoon, a series of guided meditation sessions were held by practitioners of the me, whether they thought that it might really various traditions at the Gonpa while the spiritual heads of the different centers had an official happen. Almost 99% answer, no. 7 The Mirror and its Future public meeting with the Prefect and the Mayor of Arcidosso in Arcidosso. This was a session On the way to the bus, I hear sirens for which was open to the local public and a moment of interaction between Merigar in the person danger, which means we should go into the 8 Shang Shung Edizioni of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu along with his guests and the local authorities. After the official shelter, taking water and food with us. Our speeches, there was a lively question and answer session. shelter is not functional, so we act as if we did­ 10-17 Community News On Sunday morning while the guided meditation sessions continued at the Hall of the Man­ n't have one; also, in shelters, people may dala, there was an explanation given in the Gonpa of the various figures painted on the surround­ panic; the dogs are not allowed, and we have 18-19 Reflections ing panels. At midday, the closing ceremony was held in which each spiritual tradition held decided not to leave him alone. Should I go to prayers, in Pali, in Tibetan and in Japanese. The final dedication of the weekend in Italian was a town or should I stay? I decide to go anyway, 20 The Yak On The End wish for peace throughout the world and the universe. this is the second month of war, and somehow Of Your Own Nose Everyone who attended the Vesak celebration really appreciated the way in which the event I cannot sit and wait for it to end. I don't have John Shane was organized and would like to express their gratitude and thanks to all the people who collabo­ much more money, everything is more and rated to make this event a success. more expensive, black market stronger.

THE MIRROR MAY/JUNE 1 999 1 Chögyal Namlchai Norbu

TRAVELING ACROSS THE OCEAN

hen we follow the teaching we become responsible for OF SAMSARA Wthe teaching and transmission. Going to the teaching is not like going to the theater. If we are going to the theater we see and enjoy, and then maybe later we say how much we enjoyed and that is all. We don't have much responsibility. Teaching by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu The teacher is transmitting knowledge with the teaching, which we should apply. We call the people who are follow­ Easter Retreat, Tashigar, Argentina 1999 ing the teachings the 'sangha'. In general in Buddhist teach­ ings there is the Buddha, 'dharma' and 'sangha'. What does 'sangha' mean ? Sangha means people who are following the teachings of the Buddha and those teachings are the 'dhar­ together with other practitioners. It's not sufficient do just do ma'. The teaching comes from Buddha, so we recognize a collective practice of the A and then go away. That is not Buddha, 'dharma' and 'sangha' and we apply and go ahead. very comfortable for everybody. Of course the main practice To go ahead means to try to liberate from samsara. So, in any is Guruyoga and being in the state of white A forever. But if case, the 'sangha' is something like a boat. In a boat there are we are always doing that when we meet together and have many people who are traveling somewhere; in a boat we more time to dedicate, and we only say A, then we don't feel travel across a lake or an ocean and arrive somewhere. So, in well. general, we say the ocean of samsara. In the ocean there are For example, in Tibet most everyone eats tsampa. Tsam- many boats crossing and trying to travel. The boat in which pa is the national food. In Italy most people eat spaghetti and we travel is the 'sangha' of the 'dharma' and the Buddha. all kinds of pasta. In India and China they eat rice. That is good for our health and attitude. But if you eat only rice or When we arrive across the ocean depends on which spaghetti, morning spaghetti, afternoon, spaghetti, evening method we use and what we are applying. Also the spaghetti, tomorrow spaghetti, day after tomorrow spaghetti, Dzogchen teaching is a kind of a boat. When I started to this week spaghetti, next month spaghetti, then you don't teach, a new boat was created. I was not going to a theater or like spaghetti anymore. You know spaghetti is the main food, public hall to give a kind of lecture, but to transmit Dzogchen it is important. But you must alternate with other foods and teachings. So, from the firstda y in 1966 when I began teach­ then you can still enjoy spaghetti. The same way also, morn­ ing, from that moment until today I am continually teaching ing A, mid day A, evening A, tomorrow, A, day after tomor­ people who are entering this boat and trying to cross this row A, when we are meeting A, when we have time to do ocean of samsara. That is called Santi Maha Sangha. practice only A, then we become suffocated. In general when we speak of Santi Maha Sangha, people think it is a training program and Namkhai Norbu prepared Our circumstances are different and the situation always some books and we study and do some practice and take changes; our humor, our feeling.everything changes. For that examinations and we proceed through the levels of Santi reason we need also different kinds of practice for strength­ Maha Sangha. Santi Maha Sangha is really a preparation for ening the practice of white A and Guruyoga. When you meet people who are traveling in the boat to become more respon­ together instead of only saying A, you can do a Tun for sible for the travel and so they can collaborate with people, example. A Short, Medium, or Longer Tun. Also it's very etc. Santi Maha Sangha is really that. In that boat there are so important in general to practice according to the periods of many kinds of beings. For example, in a boat there can be increasing and decreasing moons; then it is good to combine with those times. In the practices of Sutra,Tantra and professors, engineers, very expert people, people who are Chögyal Namkhai Norbu in Venezuela P. BARKY doing business, and there also can be some dogs and small Dzogchen the practices we have in general in two main you can immediately break that condition. If you get out and cats. If there are cats and dogs, they don't understand the points. One is for increasing and one is for eliminating. What try to fly a little, immediately a hawk or cat will try to eat you responsibility in getting across that ocean. But all the people do we need to eliminate? All negative karma and potentiality. because you have no capacity to defend yourself or to fly. have an idea because they entered that boat for crossing. That is called purification. When we say increasing what do You do not have that experience. We must accept and respect Everyone does not have the same capacity and knowl­ we increase? First we increase virtue and good actions. That how the social conditions are. edge. So you see that is what Santi Maha Sangha means; means we are accumulating merit. That means we are Even if we are a small group of people meeting to do people who are preparing. Also Santi Maha Sangha training increasing relativelyprosperit y and long life, all these things- something in our society, we must legalize things or we have doesn't mean if you don't do Santi Maha Sangha you can't It seems increasing long life is something more relative, but problems. I remember once when we were in San Francisco be in this boat. It is sufficient you are in the boat and you if we have no long life and prosperity we couldn't practice and we had finished the teachings we went outside on the don't create problems. Then the people who have more and realize. road. The people were not leaving immediately and were knowledge take more responsibility, help and go ahead. Sometimes people have so many problems and even if talking and a little crowd formed on the road. There was no If you create some problems then it becomes problems they want to practice they have no time. So these two main problem; they were just asking where the other lived, when for all people because we are in the same boat. That is an points in the teachings we call bsags and sbyang. Tsa means they would leave, etc. Immediately two policemen arrived example of what Santi Maha Sangha means. Santi Maha accumulating and increasing. And sbyang means purifying. and when they arrived they asked, "What is the problem?" means Dzogchen; Dzogchen and Atiyoga are just the same. So we combine bsags and sbyang in the increasing moon and We answered, "There is no problem". And they observed us There is no difference; meaning our real nature and poten­ the contrary period, because everything is relativean d when and went away. That is an example of the real condition in tiality. How we discover that potentiality is the Dzogchen we combine we can have more affect. For that reasoni n the our society. teaching. The teacher introduces that to the student, the stu­ practice of the Tun we do the long life practice of Pad- If you are going in any country you must be aware and dent enters in that knowledge, which means that the student masambhava during the increasing moon, and the manifesta­ respect what the mie of that country is. If you do something enters in that boat. That means 'sangha'- people who are fol­ tions of Vajrapani, Gum Dragpur, and Gum Dragpo. All this contrary, you may not return to your own country but may go lowing the teachings correctly or incorrectly - are all in the we called thab (methods) during increasing moon. And then to prison. In this kind of condition and limitation exists same boat. with the decreasing moon we are doing practices like the something concrete, but that is not the realcondition ; it is the Dakini Simhamukha, because the Dakini representsenerg y Since the beginning when I started to teach, thousands of relative condition. We must be aware of this relative condi­ and energy is not something of the material level. We also people have heard the teachings. I don't even remember each tion and be respectful. have many practices of purification, like Vajrasattva and person. It doesn't mean all the people are perfect or good For that reason, in society, if we do collective practice Shitro. practitioners of Dzogchen. There are many people who are and do something together in this boat of Santi Maha Sang­ like cats and dogs. Maybe they follow for a few months, for ha, then we do things legally and within the social condi­ example, and later they go away. They are thinking ,"Oh I tions. These are provisional things and not given too much have no connection with this teacher or teaching, I don't importance; that is not the main point of the Dzogchen Com­ care." But when you create a relationship with this teaching munity. Even if it is not the main point, it is indispensable. and you receive the transmission, you can't cancel that. If CONNECTING Otherwise we can't do anything. you have an idea to cancel it and go away it means you are WITH THE TRANSMISSION The real sense of the Dzogchen Community means the becoming like cats and dogs on a ship. Of course, if you go teaching, the transmission and how we relate with all the away and are not in the Dzogchen Community, you can't cre­ LIGHTING THE LAMP people in the world who are interested. That is the reason I ate many problems. Also cats and dogs on a ship try and get am always praying that everyone collaborates with each oth­ Teaching by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu something to eat and they sleep and that's all. The Dzogchen er. Collaboration is most important for the knowledge and Community means the people who are on that ship. This is understanding. When we are in the same boat and don't the Dzogchen Community. know something we learn from someone else. She or he Tashigar Easter Retreat In general, when we think of the Dzogchen Community doesn't know something and I know, so I inform them and Easter Day, April 1999, Argentina we think of an organization. In the Dzogchen Community we collaborate and get in that knowledge. For that reason we there is the Gakyil, the responsibles of the Gakyil and many also have meetings of practitioners together and do collec­ people who are not a part of the Dzogchen Community. This tive practice. e already know what is most important in our practice is a social point of view. We have a social condition but the Some people have the idea that they received the teach­ Wsince I've already told you. We start with A, develop social condition does not correspond to the real condition- ings from the teacher and they don't like to do collective Om A Hum and then we develop everything. When we are Still we must accept and follow the social condition because practice with many people; they like more personal practice. doing the visualization of the white A with the thigle of five we live in society. If we are small bird and are in a cage and Many people have this idea and sometimes you can practice colors, that represents our potentiality. When we are being in one day we become aware that we are a bird and we have two in this way. In history, for example, Milarepa went alone on our potentiality in Dzogchen that means being in the state of wings for flying freely in space - not for living in a small cage the mountain and realized. But being like Milarepa is very contemplation. Maybe you are thinking "What is contempla­ - that is called knowledge and understanding. A small bird difficult. We are in society, with businesses and many things tion?" Contemplation doesn't mean you are thinking or cre­ discovers how the situation doesn't correspond to the real to do and in this case it is very important to collaborate ating anything, it means you are being in your real nature. So condition. But it doesn't mean that when you discover that that is the main practice. For doing this practice, of course,

continued on page 3

2 continued from page 2 you need to receive transmission and know the method and then ing in a state of dualistic vision. But we also have presence - can be in that state. Transmission is not sufficient if you read a that is one of our most important practices. If we have ten­ book and it says there is a letter A and thigle like this, and you Working With sions, we must discover we have tensions. So after noticing think of this at your heart and you are remaining in the state and that we have tensions, if we keep these tensions or develop that is Guruyoga. You can read and understand, but that is not them, that means we are breaking samaya. transmission. So if we have tensions and we give importance to these ten­ Transmission means that the teacher is transmitting first Samaya sions, it means we have not really integrated knowledge. In orally, then with the symbol and then with direct transmission. this case what should we do? We purify. We eliminate those Then you are receiving that transmission. We have our three tensions. Tensions are in relationships, tensions are between existences of body and speech and mind and the transmission two people or three people, not only one. When you have ten­ goes along with these three aspects. Symbolic transmission is Chögyal Namkhai Norbu sions with someone and you are not talking, not communicat­ related more to our physical level, oral transmission with our ing, then that person also develops tensions. Day after day the energy level, and direct transmission with our mind. So you are tensions continue to develop. It is important that we know the working with the teacher and the teacher is working with you way to resolve things and that we communicate with each oth­ and they transmit and that means now you are connected with At the end of a session of teachings on 5th February, 1999,er, an d pay respect to each other. You see, when we finish our the transmission. If you are not connected with the transmission at Tashigar, Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche talked aboutSant i Maha Sangha examination then I speak about the and even if you know everything, you read and have many the Santi Maha Sangha Program, and people's attitudes samaya commitments. You must not think, "Oh I passed the ideas, you are still not connected with the transmission. If you towards the transmisión and teaching. This excerpt is the finalexaminatio n and now it's OK." This is related to our chodpa; want to light a lamp what do you do? You connect with the cur­ section of that teaching. our attitude and behavior. It's very, very important that you rent. If you are not connected with the current there is no light. It apply this and that you are present in that, not only for SMS, is the same way with the transmission; it exists from the begin­ 6 tit's important that we understand the situation and work but for you, your life, for your speech, your path, everything. ning with Samantabhadra, Vajrasattva, the five Dhyani Bud­ with that situation. Particularly with regard to our attitude So you should learn many things about how you should be in dhas, and Garab Dorje until today connected the transmission. and behavior (chodpa,) one of the most important aspects is the training of SMS. People who are on the boat of SMS must The transmission is not invented by the teacher. The teacher is our samaya. I find this is one of the more complicated and dif­ be aware, and must know and put everything into practice very following that transmission, the teacher is connected to that ficult things for people, for example between student and stu­ clearly. transmission, so then the teacher is connecting to you. This is dent, practitioner and practitioner. They create tensions OK. This is all." called transmission. between themselves and many times develop and keep these Transcript by Lynne Geary, Transcribed & edited by Naomi Zeitz tensions continually. We can have tensions, because we are liv­ edited by Elise Stutchbury

SUMMER - AUTUMN 1999

with CHÖGYAL NAMKHAI NORBU

ITALY August 20-22 Houston, Texas September 24-28 July 7-11 Dawn Mountain Temple Lake Tahoe, California MERIGAR Tel: 713-222-2331 Tel: 510-559-9753 UPADESH A TEACHINGS Email: [email protected] Fax:510-524-0933 further information and contact Website: www.dawnmountain.org Email :garuda@ ix .Tietcom.com see Merigar Program, page 10 Cost: August 27-29 $ 375.00US Santa Fe, New Mexico including meals and lodging RUSSIA Tel: 505-466-4280, 505-473-7176 when a non-refundable deposit of $125.00US July 21-25 is received by July 28th, KUNSANGAR and the balance by August 21st. LONGDE TEACHINGS Cost after July 28th will be further information and contact $ 425.00US. see Kunsangar Program, page 12 Sustaining members only pay room and board ($225 for Lake Tahoe all days) and normal members pay 30% USA of the total retreat cost or of the total for the days they are staying. August 4-8 Checks should be made out TSEGYALGAR to the Dzogchen Community West Coast, Inc. TEACHINGS ON THE PRINCIPLES OF DZOGCHEN October 8-10 further information and contact Portland, Oregon see Tsegyalgar Program, page 13 World Forestry Center Tel: 503-284-1448 August 13-15 Email: [email protected] [email protected] Chicago, Illinois TEACHINGS September 9-12 October 15-17 ON GENERAL AWARENESS Pagosa Springs, Colorado Malibu, California AND DREAM PRACTICES Tara Mandala Cottontail Ranch at the C. G. Jung Institute in Evanston September 9: DEDICATION OF STUPA West Coast Dzogchen Community (conveniently located just north of Chicago) September 10-12: TEACHINGS Contact:.Stephanie Denyer Suggested donation: $150 Tel: 970-264-6177 Tel: 310-397-6605 Pre-registration by July 15: $130 Email:[email protected] Email:[email protected] Dzogchen Community Basic Members: $105 Website:www.taramandala.com Sustaining Members: no charge October 27-31 For a registration form and more information September 23 Hawaii (how to get there, accommodations, etc.) San Francisco, California TEACHINGS ON GENERAL AWARENESS please visit our website listed below Public Talk AND DREAM PRACTICES Voicemail: 847-475-4948 & Fax: 847-853-1667 Location and time: To Be Announced Tel: 808-328-2216 Email: [email protected] Tel: 510-599-9753 Email: [email protected] Website: www.tashi.org/chicago Fax:510-524-0933 Website to register: Emailxarol. [email protected] www.hyperpress.com/cnn-tour99/hawaii

THE MIRROR MAY/JUNE 1 999 3 NOT ONLY KNOWING ABOUT IT, COMPUTERS

FOR A visit among the Tibetan exiles in India ASIA

by Daniela Tarizzo, Project Executive Secretariat Dear friends,

s many of you know A.S.I.A. 's person­ ny cooperative activity relies first of all on a professional, personal Anel is about to return to Eastern Tibet, to Aand ideological commitment, but also on a reliable method which the village of Dangche, for a second round of enables the regular collection of data and information for the future Computer and English courses to follow up enhancement and reorganization of the work. Periodic visits surveying on last fall's firststep . the places where underway projects are implemented are an essential We are all very excited to have the oppor­ part of such activity. tunity to continue our work there, because it After a few years of successfully running A.S.I. A.'s Long-Distance is proving very beneficial for the local popu­ Adoptions Project, this winter we felt it necessary to make a detailed lation. survey of the sites in India where regular sponsors donate quite an During the past few months we have amount of money yearly (we have at present more than 500 sponsor­ been working on a list of computer equip­ ships all over India, Nepal and Tibet). ment that will allow us to lessen some of the The survey was intended both to verify the exact destination of the difficulties encountered during the fall '98 donations we send, and to register the possibility of starting new pro­ courses, difficulties primarily connected to jects with other institutions or funding other activities being carried out the high number of students (about 30) and by our counterparts. It was very important to see exactly how things the low number of computers available (2). had changed with the passing years in order to give a more adequate In addition, our plans call for teaching the rudiments of Internet, as knowledge of it is address to our activity. Newcomers from Tibet, Mussoorie, North India I went to visit the institutions of the Government in Exile in an increasingly important skill in today's McLeod Ganj and in Delhi, as well as all the Tibetan Children's Vil­ many day and boarding schools for society, in China as elsewhere. lages where we have sponsorships (i.e. Bylakuppe, Upper and Lower Tibetans, even though this often creates a delicate situation of pre­ Unfortunately we find ourselves with Dharamsala, Gopalpur, Pathlikuhl and Suja), the Tibetan Institute of carious balance in power sharing. For the rest, they need to rely on for­ severe budget limitations, and we would like Performing Arts in Dharamsala, and in Bir, the Tibetan Khampa Indus­ eign help. to extend a call for help to any community trial Society, the Sherab Ling Monks Committee and the Tashi Jong The results of this survey evidently ended up in an increased member who wishes to support A.S.I.A.'s Monastery. During the trip new contacts were established with the amount of work, especially for the starting of new projects, such as the efforts in Tibet. Tibetan Homes Foundation in Mussoorie, with some state schools for "Adopt a Gran" sponsorship program, aimed at maintaining medical At the moment, we are in need of addi­ Tibetans funded by the Indian government, with a home for elderly care for the elderly people in the homes of the Bylakuppe and Mus­ tional US$ 5,000.00 to be able to meet our soorie Tibetan settlements, or the Central School for Tibetans in goal of purchasing four additional computers Chauntra, near Bir, where more than eighty children were transferred and to enable us to have an Internet course last March from a frontier settlement in Arunachal Pradesh, where during the month of August (which would there are constant problems at the borders with China. These small require to keep at least three computers on­ children don't even speak Tibetan, but only the dialect spoken in their line for two hours per day throughout the family, and sometimes cannot understand each other. month, with significant phone and ISP Among the most urgent needs in the settlements were the follow­ expenditures). ing projects, for which we are now already about to start various fund- If you wish to help, you can contribute raising initiatives: either on-line or off line: - rebuilding the primary school in Bir: the complex is really decaying, On Line Contributions: the walls are precarious and there are no more gas cookers; when it http://www.melong.com/asia/p-activities. rains the classrooms become a swimming pool (I witnessed it), and cgi#qinghail during the March prayers all the lessons are suspended for the space to be used by the community Off Line Contributions: - providing a small bus service in the southern settlement of A.S.I.A. Bylakuppe for the children to attend school each day, and for the elder­ ASSOCIATION FOR INTERNATIONAL ly people to go to the doctor at the hospital nearby SOLIDARITY IN ASIA Elderly peoples' homes, Byalakuppe, South India - rebuilding the gas kitchens of the Central School for Tibetans in VIAS. ERASMO 12 Bylakuppe, whose roof collapsed during a storm 00184 ROMA people in Bylakuppe, and with the English charity ApTibet, which has - providing books for the school library in Mussoorie Tel: 06/77200880; Fax: 06/77205944 been dealing with development projects supporting Tibetan refugees - building a community hall for public meetings in the southern settle­ since 1985. ment of Bylakuppe Italian Lire Donations: Practically all the people I met had quite a clear idea of how much - providing both hardware and software material for the computer BANK: MONTE DEI work and devotion it implies to raise funds in the West for such a differ­ classes in Gopalpur PASCHI DI SIENA ent and distant reality as theirs, and they gave a lot of evidence of both - building the new school for the lessons of traditional thangka paint­ Account #3893.50 their appreciation and the results of our help. But I also noticed some ing by Master Tsering Wangchuk in Tashi Jong Arcidosso, 58031 Grosseto, Italy kind of dullness, a sort of numb feeling of taking for granted that we - financing the new courses to train traditional Khampa dancers in the can, we understand, we make no efforts, we have to care, we have infi­ Majnu Ka Tilla school (Delhi) US Dollars Donations: nite resources, we will forever. I never missed an occasion to make Anyone who wants more details or desires to give a contribution, BANK: MONTE DEI clear as much as possible how many people who support the Tibetan can either contact A.S.I.A. in Rome -1 took plenty of pictures, and we PASCHI DI SIENA cause really - even if happily - sacrifice something in their lives to do it. have lots of slides, maps, videos, materials... also tape recordings! - or Account #25789 And moreover how many official rules limit our work, especially when use the same, usual bank account, specifying the purpose of the dona­ Agenzia 12, Via S. we deal with government funds, where law and fiscal regulations rule tion: Giovanni in Laterano 9 rather than ethics or faithfulness, as in relationships with people. Bank: Monte dei Paschi di Siena, Arcidosso branch, (Grosseto Roma, Italy Most of the children are surprisingly good at studying, and deeply province) account 3893.50 eager to learn; more than ninety percent of the newcomers (those Mail: account 78687001 (only from Italy) Thanks for any support you can give to this recently arrived from Tibet, who generally have none or very little pre­ A.S.I.A. project, we are doing our best to make the vious schooling) catch up with the educational level of their age within ViaS. Eramo 12 most of our limited resources and appreciate just one transit school year. But they rarely can go on studying without 00184 Rome, Italy very much any help! economic support from outside: the Government in Exile provides for Tel: 0677200880. the minimum studying expenditure (the TCV network is auto-financed Fax: 0677205944 Daniele Colajacomo by international means), and the Indian Government partially finances E-mail: [email protected] A.S.I.A.

THE MIRROR - CORRECTIONS • In Austria - Tsaparang Editions is now Shang Shung Editions • Tregchod and Thodgal: Sorry! On page 2 of the last issue #48, on the bottom left of the first column of Rinpoche's Teaching, in the 4th and 5th lines after "Consuming our karmic • In Italy-Azamgar is now called Azamling body", it should read "tregchod is related to the nature of emptiness and thödgal means more • In Serbia - Slavica Voglar's address is related with our potentiality of manifestation." They are inverted. Rudo 1, Sp.23 st.232,11000 Beograd, Yugoslavia, e-mail: [email protected] • Their was an incorrect email address in the article on page 8 regarding the Sacred Music There are some Australian contact telephone numbers which are incorrect Festival. The correct email address is: in the international contacts page. Here are the corrections: FSWFSM Attn. Louwrien Wijers e-mail: [email protected], fax: (+31 20) 623 9969, tel : (+31 20) 622 4393 • Namgyalgar Dzogchen Community of Australia Vicki Forscutt - Secretary, Tel. and Fax: 61(0)2 4476 3446 • Kunsangar Gakyil: Leonid Korolev moved to the Moscow Gakyil. Yulya Philimonova Gar (on the land), Gekos, Federica M., Tel: 61 (0)2 4473 7770 resigned form the Red Gakyil • Pamela Oldmeadow, 12 Fox Place, Lyneham ACT 2602, Australia Tel: 61 (0)2 6257 1177, Fax: 61 (0)2 62480335 Please note these corrections on your International Contacts page: • Amare Pearl, Tel & Fax: 61 (0)2 6684 5570 • The fax number for the Danish Community was incorrect in the International contacts list. It is: 4533 113243 • Laurence Mills, Tel: 61 (0)7 4039 0470

4 BOOK REVIEWS

CAREFREE DIGNITY chapters are transcripts of actual talks which Rinpoche compares the focused Rinpoche warns of the danger of by Tsoknyi Rinpoche were very lightly edited, if at all. They cap­ approach of shamatha to a concrete pillar developing inflated attitudes, thinking one is RanjungYeshe Publications, 1998 ture the authentic flavor and style of Tsoknyi reinforced with iron. Though it appears stur­ a "high" practitioner and straying into wrong Rinpoche's oral teachings, and several of the dy a bomb can easily destroy it. In contrast view. A person with "a good heart," whether chapters are further enlivened by transcripts rigpa, is "like unformed space, not made out Buddhist or not, is much better situated than a of question and answer exchanges between of anything whatsoever," so however many "so-called Dzogchen practitioner," since the Rinpoche and his students. Although Tsoknyi bombs explode in it, the space of rigpa will one with a good-heart will "at least not harm is able to speak English, these particular not be ruined or changed in any way. others" (p. 164). teachings were given in Tibetan and rendered Rinpoche points out the danger of Referring to the rash of contempo­ into English by Eric Pema Kunsang and his becoming attached to the concept of empti­ rary spiritual teachers who have proclaimed wife Marcia Schmidt, who are known for ness due to a one-sided understanding. If we themselves to be "enlightened," Rinpoche their fresh and vibrant translations. The book think that everything is pointless and nothing comments: "Their understanding of enlight­ is more topical, than systematic in its organi­ really matters to us, then we won't care about enment is of something very tiny" and it does zation, so it is not absolutely necessary to what happens to others either. We then not coincide with traditional Buddhist under­ begin with the first chapter and read them become "very ego-oriented" and selfish standing of enlightenment. The Tibetan term through in linear order. Rinpoche covers sev­ ""PVrubwang Tsoknyi Rinpoche belongs to thinking, "I'll just sit here and meditate for enlightenment is sangye which means eral topics such as the view of shamatha and .L/that generation of Tibetan lamas who because then I'm happy. I don't care about "totally purified from all obscurations" (p. Dzogchen, the method of meditation, grew up in exile, whose ranks include such the children, my husband, or anything else" 228). Until a meditator has authentically Vajrasattva practice, the relationship of dedicated teachers as his brother Chokyi Nyi- (p. 152). reached the point where all action is a sponta­ yidam practice to Dzogchen, and the impor­ ma, Khandro Rinpoche, and Tulku Jigme Although the true, non-conceptual neous manifestation of bodhicitta, he or she tance of compassion. Tromge. Tsoknyi Rinpoche is one of the four emptiness can be directly reached through must make a deliberate effort to practice vir­ sons of the late Tulku Urgyen, a revered Rinpoche emphasizes that the the simplest of methods, many people need tuous action, including the first five Parami- Dzogchen master who had strong connec­ Dzogchen teachings are about becoming complex practices with elaborate details due tas. When meditators begin justifying ques­ tions to both the Kagyu and Nyingma tradi­ "totally free" not just "a little bit free." To do to the complexity of their minds: "it's only by tionable actions with the concept that they tions. Tulku Urgyen was noted for his open- this, the teachings must be applied at all going through more "elaborations that they "transcended" the practice of relative virtue, handed transmission of Dzogchen to Western times. In particular, one must continually become more and more simple" (p. 220). there is a simple test: if you "no longer bum students. This style of teaching has been con­ "recognize mind essence." This recognition From this perspective Tsoknyi recommends your finger when you put it in a flame" (p. tinued by Tulku Urgyen's sons, beginning of mind essence, or rigpa, is not something the tantric preliminaries and yidam practice. 236) then you can say you have gone beyond with the eldest, Chokyi Nyima (who visited one achieves, but "is realized by a sense of He frequently stresses that we should not the need to practice conventional virtue. Tsegyalgar in 1998, see The Minor # 46) and letting go." To develop this point Rinpoche become dependent upon one single method The instructions in this delightful later with Tsoknyi. carefully distinguishes between the for entering into rigpa, but should cultivate book are not a substitute for direct experien­ In 1991 Tsoknyi traveled to the United shamatha method, which involves a "medi­ many different methods. Yet even while culti­ tial introduction to rigpa by a qualified mas­ States with Nyoshul Khen, and soon after­ tator" concentrating on an "object" (such as vating elaborated practices, there is a need to ter. Those who have not yet received pointing wards started returning to the United States the breath) and the Dzogchen method, which train in the instant recognition of rigpa, out instructions from a master may be annually to lead Dzogchen retreats—first in involves no reference point. Because it with­ because when the emotions suddenly flareu p inspired to do so by reading this book. And California, and now also in Connecticut for out reference point, the practice of Dzogchen in everyday life there is no time to do some those who already have been fortunate the past two years. cuts through the subject-object distinction: kind of invocation. The practitioner must be enough to receive authentic transmission will "When the mind recognizes itself there's no able to penetrate to the core of the emotion in • Carefree Dignity is a collection of experience refreshment and recognition in the thing to see there. It's just wide open. All of a the immediate moment, before delusion can Dharma teachings by Tsoknyi Rinpoche in contemplation of these teachings. sudden, it's wide open" (p. 148). take root. which he approaches the Dzogchen teach­ by Paul Bail ings from a variety of interrelated angles. The

Mahayana Buddhism The Mahayana tradition (which provides 'Mahayana' is not simply a late development of Tathagatagarbha (Buddha essence/Bud­ The Doctrinal Foundations a foundation for the Vajrayana) is a larger of Buddhist thought. It represents a particular dha nature) and its place in the development by Paul Williams vessel than this, and appears to me to be a set of approaches to the Buddha Shakyamu- of the Mahayana precedes a chapter on the Routledge, 1996 more complete approach to the Buddha's ni's teachings, and some of these were Avatamsaka (Flower Garland) sutra, and ear­ 317pp, $17.95 teaching. In this tradition, compassionate already present in early Buddhism, previous ly Chinese Mahayana. action for the sake of bringing all beings to to or along side of Hinayana, before The second section of the book ("Com­ enlightenment is considered essential to the Mahayana became identified as a separate passion") begins by presenting the Lotus practice of Dharma. The Mahayana teachings tradition. sutra, which had taken shape by the 2nd cen­ are as simple as the Hinayana teachings, but The rest of the book is divided into two tury, and which was the'first clear statement they are also very complex, because the Bud­ sections: Wisdom and Compassion. of the Buddha's continuing presence in the dhas' and the Bodhisattvas' skillful means The first section begins by discussing the world, his skillful means, the One Vehicle have called into being an exuberant variety of nature of Sutra texts, then goes on to analyze and the eventual enlightenment of all beings, methods and presentations suited to different the Prajnaparamita literature. Williams com­ and the importance of faith. The later devel­ times and circumstances. The variety is won­ ments that these sutras are important to the opment of Tendai and Nichirenism in East derful, but it can be confusing at first. development of the Mahayana because their Asia are also described. Williams' book is not a book of teachings, "ontological message is an extension of the Chapter 8 discusses Madhyamika and but it's very useful for anyone who wants to Buddhist teaching of no-self to equal no Yogacara ideas about the bodies of the Bud­ e're bom into a tempest, and the wind understand something about the development essence, and therefore no inherent existence, dha (Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya. Nir- Wand the rain grow wilder and more of Mahayana philosophy, and about the as applied to all things without exception." manakaya), and chapter 9, after touching on savage as our days pass by. We spend our philosophical foundations of Mahayana, These sutras therefore disagree with the earli­ the introduction of Mahayana to Tibet and lives running from the storm, fleeingtoward s Vajrayana and Dzogchen methods and prac­ er Abhidharma Buddhist philosophy's claim the development of the Vajrayana. describes wherever the sky looks as if it might be blue. tice. The book is clear, learned, well orga­ to have found some things which really, ulti­ the path of the Bodhisattva. Williams looks Sometimes we meet another person in the nized and good natured. I've read some mately exist; i.e. dharmas (that is, the 82 con­ in detail at the practices relating to midst of the storm, and we grasp hands scholarly surveys of Buddhist philosophy stituent building blocks of our existence). bodhicitta, and at the Bodhisattva stages as together for a moment; but the wind flings that were like a crawl through a desert of arid A long chapter on Madhyamika philoso­ they're conceived of in Kamalasila's Bha- that other away, and we're alone again. We learning, in which the only landmarks were phy describes its origins, the development of vanakrama and the Gelugpa tradition. build ourselves a shelter, and crawl into it, vastly unpronounceable Sanskrit terms. This the Svatantrika and Prasangika schools, and The author then examines the develop­ but the storm scatters it to the four winds. book is wonderfully different. the nature of their disagreement. There are ment of traditions about the various Bod­ There's no end to the storm. The author states his intention in the pref­ examples of Madhyamika method, as applied hisattvas, Buddhas and Buddha Fields, in the Or so it seems. The Buddha Shakyamuni ace: "This book is intended as an introduction to causation, to the self and to nirvana. While context of a discussion of the nature of faith. suggested that there is, in fact, a way out of to the ideas of Mahayana Buddhism, and also discussing the question of emptiness and He ends by tracing the development of East the storm of samsara, and that the way begins some of the recent scholarly work in the field. inherent existence, Williams quotes the 8th Asian schools (like Pure Land) that are based on the spot where we stop running, and It presupposes that the reader already has an Karmapa's identification of the two false primarily on faith. instead begin to investigate carefully just idea who the Buddha was, and what his basic views of emptiness: nihilism, the view that There's only one brief mention of who it is that is running. teachings were. In writing, I have in mind nothing exists at all on any level; and the Dzogchen—in a chapter 9 discussion of the The Hinayana tradition interpreted Bud­ university undergraduates...but I very much view that emptiness is some sort of really 8th century Tibetan debate between dha Shakyamuni's nirvana and death to mean hope that others will be able to benefit from existing ultimate reality or essence, like Kamalasila and the Chinese monk that he'd passed beyond this world, and no what I have written." Brahman or the Christian Godhead. Mahayana, and of Mahayana's views as pre­ longer had any concern for it, or for the His method is to trace the development There's a very,useful discussion of the served in the Tun Huang texts—but. well, the beings in it. All that remained here is his and interrelationship of the various strands of three aspects (trisvabhava) in the chapter on book doesn't claim to be a book about teaching. There's nothing to be done, there­ Mahayana philosophy in their cultural con­ Cittamatta/Yogacara, and also of mind in this Dzogchen. It does provide a lot of informa­ fore, but for separate practitioners to turn text—but this is no dry examination of tradition. I get the impression that Williams tion that could be helpful in understanding away, each one to herself, and to try to also abstract ideas. The vigor and excitement of isn't quite clear about the implications of the and perhaps applying the Dzogchen teach­ pass beyond, using the tool of Abhidharma the Mahayana attempt to understand and two different meanings given to the term ings. insight into the emptiness of the individual. communicate the nature of what is, in order 'mind' in Yogacara, but overall, this is a very The trees hold out their branches this And so a fleet of tiny vessels sets sail for a to free all beings from suffering, is very evi­ good concise explanation of Yogacara in rela­ Spring morning, with a gesture, like Tara's. distant shore, their lone occupants deaf to the dent in the book. tion to Mahayana philosophy as a whole, and that symbolizes the three jewels, with a ges­ cries of all the other beings shipwrecked in Williams begins with the question of ori­ may be useful to Dzogchen practitioners. ture that is ;omplete and perfect in itself. samsara. gins, and he makes it clear that the An examination of the essential doctrine May all beings come to an end of suffering. by Jay Callahan

THE MIRROR M AY IJ U N E 1 9 99 5. downward direction. When the energies move in the four Dreams and Tibetan Medicine directions, we move in the corresponding direction in our dreams.

Not Dreaming Part 1 Some people say that they never have dreams. Maybe they dream but they don't remember.Ther e is a possibility that they don't really dream but this is rare because in order not to dream A transcripti on from a course given atMerigar in February 1999 the energy moves into the heart chakra and the central channel and remains there without entering the left or right channels. Sometimes when this energy enters the side channels, it is not very strong and then our dreams will be too light to remember as the energy is not sufficient enough to manifest dreams that by Dr. Nida Chenagtsang we can remember. Sometimes we cannot remember our dreams but we have certain feelings when we wake up. For example when I wake he study of dreams in Tibetan culture is a very ancient sci­ When we fall asleep, these energies are in the heart chakra, up I may feel good, or sad, or I have a different feeling from the Tence. There are many different ways to analyze dreams in and while they remain there, we do not dream. When the ener­ night before but I don't remember my dreams. If I have this Tibet. The two main methods are religiousanalysi s and med­ gy enters the heart chakra and there are no dreams this is simi­ kind of feeling, it means I had a dream but I don't remember it. ical analysis. During this course, we are going to talk about lar to our fainting. Slowly this energy enters the central channel Dreams that make us happy or sad are our own energies work­ dreams from the medical perspective. (dBu ma) and while it is there we are in a very deep sleep. As ing. If someone really doesn't have dreams and their energy The study of dreams in Tibetan medicine is about three this 'rlung' energy is very light and always moving, it then stays in their central channel in the heart chakra, this is very thousand years old. The oldest extant Tibetan medical text starts to enter the left (Ro ma) and right channels (rKhang ma) good for the health because if the energy stays like this, it called the Bum Shi, or the "Four Sections of Medicine" dates moving up through the channels to enter the throat chakra. means you are really relaxed. When a person doesn't have from this time. Much of this material dates from earlier times When the energy enters the throat chakra, we begin to dream. dreams and the energy doesn't move from the central channel, but the written material has not been found. The Bum Shi was their mind will be very clear and they will be very content and written by a very famous Tibetan doctor, Pyad bu Khri shes. Starting to dream wake up with a lot of energy and courage. But this is relatively There are many extant religious texts that discuss dreams This particular 'srog dzin rlung' which enters the throat rare. which predate this text, but this is the first medical text in chakra is the principal part of the subtle 'rlung' energy If someone takes medicines to sleep it will make their which dream analysis appears. Since this time many Tibetan although there are other types of subtle 'rlung' energy. When dreams very light and they will not usually remember them. Of doctors have done extensive study and research with dreams the 'srog dzin rlung' enters the central channel it doesn't mean course medicines can affect our dreams. It is better for us if we and dream analysis. that all the subtle energy comes together there, but only a part, have the dreams and balance our energies in a natural way as By the twelfth century, Tibetans had a well-developed because when all the energy unites in one point we lose all the opposed to taking medicine because it is very difficult to attain understanding of the relationship between the consciousness, other functions of the body. a dreamless state in a healthy way. the subtle 'rlung' energy, the chakras. the channels and dreams. When the energy enters the throat chakra, we start to The three main areas of researchan d theory center on how dream. This energy moves from the throat chakra through Color in dreams dreams manifest, the analysis of dreams and the meaning of small channels into the organs of the senses and the strength of Some people think that we dream in black and white, with­ different symbols in the dreams. There is also a theory about our dreams will depend on the strength of this energy in each of out color. This is not true. Dreams can have all of the colors we nightmares and techniques have been developed to prevent the sense organs. For example, if the strength of the energy is see when we are awake. The main colors are white, yellow, red, nightmares, insomnia and other problems associated with situated in the eyes, our dreams will be very clear visually, or if green and blue. We have this type of energy which is linked to sleep and dreams. it is in the ears, the sounds we hear in our dreams will be very the elements, the energy of the prana, and all these types of strong or loud because it is through these senses that we experi­ energies have their natural colors. We have these energies and The 'rlung' energy and consciousness ence our dreams. their natural colors in our channels and for this reason we The first thing we must understand in order to interpret In the dream we can have experiences of seeing, hearing, dream in color. dreams is the function of and relationship between the 'rlung* tasting, touching etc. all linked to the six senses through this Mixtures of colors - pink etc., - come from these five main energy, the consciousness and the chakras and channels. energy linked to the organs of the senses. elemental colors. The color black linked to these energies is According to Tibetan medicine the consciousness and the While we are dreaming, most of this energy stays in the very rare. In the heart chakra there is one part that is a bit black 'rlung' energy enter the mother's ovum at the moment of con­ throat chakra, but some of it moves up and down through the in color. In general when we have a dream with the color black, ception and as the fetus develops the consciousness slowly subtle channels until it reaches the organs of the senses. or in the dream it gets dark, or we see black animals, in general becomes aware and the chakras and the channels develop. we believe this is a negative dream because black is a very The three main aspects of consciousness are the strong color and can destroy other colors. When we "rlung". bile and phlegm energies which are respectively have the color black in our dreams it means that there is linked to the three emotions of desire, anger and igno­ something black in our energy which usually means rance. Of the three energies in the human body, the there is a problem. But if the black color is not predomi­ 'rlung" energy is the most important for the manifesta­ nant in the dream or there is something in the dream tion of dreams. which is normally black, it does not indicate a problem. There are two main divisions of 'rlung' energy - the For instance, if I dream of a Tibetan person with black subtle and the gross 'rlung' energy. The subtle 'rlung' hair, this is normal. energy is always present with the consciousness and the When we fall asleep and dream we must wake up again. consciousness cannot experience anything without the We cannot sleep forever. As we wake up the energy re­ movement of the 'rlung'. We could say that the ' rlung' is enters the heart chakra and then moves down. When this a horse and the consciousness the rider. In Tibetan medi­ energy enters the navel chakra, we wake up. If this ener­ cine it is possible for the doctor to use the movement of gy moves slowly, it is very difficult to wake up while if it his subtle 'rlung' energy to cure illness. moves swiftly, we wake up quickly. Sometimes people The gross 'rlung' energy is subdivided into five still feel sleepy after they get up which means the energy types, each residing in a different part of the body. Each has not come down completely. Washing with cold of these 'rlung' energies has a specific color and the dis­ water will help this situation. turbances of these energies are associated with different illnesses. The main 'rlung', 'sron 'zin rlung' is present in Positive and negative dreams the head and causes the consciousness and the six sense There are three main divisions of dreams in Tibetan organs to function and can be compared to the activity of medicine: the dreams of healthy people, dreams related the nervous system. The 'gyen gyu rlung' resides in the to illness and secret dreams. Secret dreams can be of chest and its function is the breath, swallowing, speak­ different types: prophetic dreams to know about the ing etc. The 'me nyam rlung' is present in the stomach future, dreams after which material objects actually and its function is digestion and absorption. The 'kyab manifest through the power of the subtle 'rlung' in the byad rlung' is found in the heart and its function is walk­ dream and dreams of poetry or art which is perfectly ing, the rotation of the joints and movement in general. recalled on waking from the dream. The 'tur sel rlung' resides in the lower part of the torso Within the division of the dreams of healthy people, and its function is elimination of all types of body fluids, there are three categories: positive, negative and neutral. e.g. urination etc. The first way to decide whether a dream is positive or negative is this. If during the dream you are happy, this Falling asleep can be considered a good dream while if you feel bad, it Dreams manifest through the consciousness, the is a negative dream. But it is also important to know how 'rlung' or the 'subtle' energy and the chakras and the you feel with regard to the dream when you wake up. If a channels. Before we consider how dreams manifest, we person has a good feeling upon waking, this means it is a need to understand the process of falling asleep because positive dream. But if we feel bad during our dream and if there is no sleep there are no dreams. we also feel bad when we wake up, then this is a nega­ When we go to sleep, as we relax, the subtle energy tive dream. The feeling we have when we wake up is (the 'rlung') moves into the heart chakra. When most of the In this diagram we can see that the six directions, up, down, more important than the feeling during the dream. Even if we energy has entered the heart chakra, we start to sleep. Some North, South, East and West start from the heart chakra. The have a bad experience or feeling during the dream, if we feel people fall asleep very slowly which means that this energy texts explain that the consciousness moves up and down, or in good when we wake up this means it is a good dream. moves very slowly in these people. Other people fall asleep the different directions, but actually the consciousness doesn't For example, during a dream we may feel very bad and quickly which means this 'rlung' energy is moving quickly. go in these directions. In reality, this energy moves up, down have a bad experience. This means our energies or elements Some people have problems falling asleep because they and in the four directions within the body and this movement have a problem. But through the process of dreaming, these think a lot. The subtle 'rlung' is always united with the con­ affects the movement in our dreams. When the energy moves energies are re balanced and when we wake up we feel good. sciousness so when the thoughts are projected externally, so is up, we dream that we are moving in an upward direction, such Tliis means that the dream has re balanced the energies. the subtle 'rlung' with the result that it doesn't enter into the as climbing a mountain, flying in a plane or climbing stairs. To say whether a dream is positive or negative, first you heart chakra making it difficult for the person to sleep. When this energy moves down, in our dreams we move in a must know how the person feels when they wake up. If the per- continued on page 7

6 continued from page 6 son feels good, we don't always need to ana­ Message For that reason the IG would like to start be the most pressing. At the moment we try to lyze the dream because we already know the assisting Rinpoche now with the daily admin­ work out, how matters that are of interest for result of the dream which is the most impor­ istrative problems. By providing and support­ the whole international community (like tant thing. If a person has a good dream and from the ing communication, with joint efforts, we can expenses of The Mirror, the sponsoring of wakes up feeling bad, then we should analyze find solutions for these problems within our important community E-mail addresses, mat­ this dream to find the problem. Neutral Community ourselves. While Rinpoche is ters related to organizing general retreats, dreams are dreams we don't remember, or we INTERNATIONAL GAKYIL present to guide us, we must check continu­ Yantra Yoga and Vajra Dance retreats etc.) can have a very general dream but we don't feel ously if our decisions are coherent with his be discussed by all the gars, so that expenses particularly different during or after the vision. can be shared according to their possibilities. dream. It was Rinpoche's vision for our Commu­ We learned about the importance of com­ In the dreams of sick people different ener­ ith this message the International nity that decisions are being made using the munications with other parts of the world gy problems and different sicknesses create WGakyil (IG) wishes to explain what it system of the Gars and Gakyils, during Gakyil first, instead of taking important financial different kinds of dreams. has done so far. We would like to communi­ meetings in a dynamic interaction between decisions alone and asking others for help Secret dreams (gSang wai rmi lam) cate the problems that have arisen in the the three colors, blue, red and yellow. This only when problems arise. We also think, that One type of secret dream is the prophetic process and try to develop a program for the system is not bureaucratic nor authoritarian. It financial transparency in our Community is dream. Anyone can have this kind of secret continuation of our work. involves the active cooperation and responsi­ extremely important, in order to deal with our dream. Also there are secret dreams that are The Dzogchen Community is rapidly bility of every individual. In that sense the problems in an appropriate way. the result of practice and medicine and growing. We now have five Gars and the International Gakyil is also a Gakyil but with As for the activities of the Red IG, with the through this people make prophesies. number of people interested in the Dzogchen a more global, international character. In the help of Rosa Namkhai, Anna Eid and the While dreaming we all have the capacity teachings will be increasing. Because of this, same way, the IG has the authority to take Merigar Gakyil, the three IG members togeth­ to have prophetic dreams because the chakras, the need to improve global coordination of the decisions for the benefit of our Community as er wrote a paper containing standard operat­ 'rlung' energy and consciousness have this activities of our Community is manifesting. a whole, on matters that are beyond the span ing procedures. This is a check list for people capacity naturally. For example sometimes To improve the efficiency in our communica­ of control of the Gars. The Gars and Gakyils who organize a retreat for the first time: how animals can feel an earthquake coming tion and to try to positively use time, money should be autonomous and independent for to set it up and how to provide our Master because they have this capacity. In the same and talent, Rinpoche founded the IG in their decisions on their field of action for their with the best circumstances. It will be sent to way, all humans have the capacity to know the August, 1998. region. Yet general decisions for the global the places who receive Rinpoche for the first future. According to Tibetan medicine if there In the period that followed the IG was fre­ Community as a whole is the responsibility of time or the first time after several years and are no problems with the chakras, channels quently asked to help finding answers to sev­ Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche together with the we want to provide assistance with any prob­ and 'rlung' energy and we are calm, then we eral questions concerning administration and IG. And common decisions that are made in lem arising. have this secret capacity to know the future. coordination between the different parts of the IG should be communicated to and fol­ The publishing of Dzogchen Community lowed by all Gars and Gakyils. Why don't we know about the future while our big community. Most of these problems related issues on the Internet and the provid­ we are awake? Because we always use the were related in some way to money. We Rinpoche made us aware that through the ing of guidelines for this will be an issue of the organs of our six senses. We look, we taste, believe that some of these matters can be IG we could be working more efficiently. For Blue IG. we hear, we touch. Working with the six sens­ solved by ourselves, by improving the com­ this we need to create structures and plat­ We also would like to assist with the train­ es means our subtle 'rlung' energy is working munication and developing a sense of respon­ forms, advisory boards and working groups ing of people who are willing to accept everywhere. For example, when I listen to sibility towards our Community. The IG and we need people willing to involve in this responsibility within our Community, by music then a part of my consciousness and wants to be the platform where this process process. working out protocols to guide people with 'rlung' energy are concentrated on listening so can develop. We think that this can only suc­ important administrative and other tasks. We the 'rlung' is not gathered together in one ceed if the practitioners of our Community, What happened so far are also starting some projects designed to place in the body. During sleep we have the accept the IG as a useful means and take an The IG tries to encourage more people to create some funds for the working of the IG opportunity for all of the energies to come active part in the development of its purpose. become active members and to keep renewing and which hopefully in the future could be together. If there are no disturbances, we have Our vision on function and responsibilities of their memberships. We help to reorganize and used where and when needed for the different the possibility to dream of the future. the IG coordinate the existing system trying to make projects of the Community. Our subtle energies are like a big lake of The time we spend while Rinpoche is pre­ it more efficient and fair for people in differ­ The IG will at all times appreciate and water. If there are many streams and riverso f sent in our midst is very precious. This means ent parts of the world. This could help to pro­ welcome any suggestions you might have. We water going out of the lake then the movement that we have to be economic in our communi­ vide each of the Gars with a stronger financial also invite you to communicate to us any is flowing outward. But if there is no egress, cation with Rinpoche and make the best use of base for their activities and help to sustain problems you might face in your work for the then the power of the lake is united in one this presence. Rinpoche founded the them throughout each year, thus creating the community, since we only can help if we are place. Dzogchen Community and personally made it base for the continuation of the teachings. being informed, preferably through the con­ into what it is now. We must prepare ourselves The Yellow IG has already established an tact persons that are appointed by the Gakyil Part 2 in Mirror #50 for a (remote!) future in which we should be advisory board and a communication plat­ of your Gar. Transcription and editing able to function independent of Rinpoche's form for the Gars to discuss their financial Fabio Andrico, Christiane Fiorito by A. McGhee & L. Granger support. issues, since the financial problems seem to and LoekJehee, April 1999

"Zeljka Jovanovic" The Mirror was my only window, (other then THE MIRROR AND ITS FUTURE [The Mirror] is the only place where non-jour­ Norbunet, and a few books), prior to meeting nalists from the Vajra Family (like me), can our Master in this life. It inspired me further exchange simple poems and occasional arti­ to do whatever possible to attend a retreat Comments from Norbunet cles. We reallyshoul d write more. with him. And, if somebody really wishes to subscribe for 100 copies for The Mirror, I am sure there Nikos Liberopoulos [email protected] In the last month there was a very active dis­not just to benefit the Mirror - it is to benefit us are some of us who cannot afford even one There is no problem with the contexts of the cussion by Norbunet subscribers in reactionin practice. If anybody wants different articles subscription. Mirror as they are now. The paper's style of to a letter posted on Norbunet written by they might want to get out their pen and write typography makes it hard to fully communi­ Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche regarding the some. Ann Pickering cate this with the public. Though I personally financial situation of The Mirror. Below are <[email protected]> like its classic lay-out, I must admit that it is some excerpts from some of the comments. WeJame s Tan Improvement: the quality of the paper the neither practical nor easy to read. It requires a appreciate all input, discussion and sugges­Advertisement Revenue - This is the life- Mirror is printed on and the type size, my great amount of effort to read fonds smaller tions regarding the publication of The Mirror blood of most publications and through spon­ middle aged eyes find the print small, pale than 9 -1 Opt on a yellowish paper. The layout and continue to do our best to provide a publi­sorship, many on-line magazines sites survive and smudgy. The tabloid format also perhaps makes the Mirror look a bit too academic, cation responsive to the Community- in this period of high cost. The conversion of does not help. A more spacious layout. rigid and stiff. If the paper wishes to survive The Editors the Mirror as a free-to-download magazine on its own capacities, it shall also make a min­ may not be too bad an idea. Daniele Colajacomo imum effort to become a little bit more "user- Cheh Goh 1 - The Mirror should be a little less "inbred"'. friendly". - A publication can amuse, provoke, teach, Mark.Farrington 2 - There's currently a stringent review of all inform, gossip ,to entertain. I think to a large articles., .there should plenty of windows there Bodhi degree the Mirror does inform, but does it do I can not believe that every Dzogchen Com­ for individuals/writers more "independent" Editorial: It is clear from many experiences the rest well? munity member in the world is not a sub­ points of view. that Rinpoche requires that the Mirror content - How can a publication compete with all oth­ scriber to The Mirror. Not only is it a well 3 - The Mirror could benefit from a true web reflect Dzogchen principles. er magazines if the readers want more ? written and constructed community paper, but site. Right now the web site is up. running, but 1. Buddhism and Dzogchen are not main­ - How often do people think that the Mirror it is obviously the thread that weaves all of the not very good. Hopefully that will change dra­ stream practices so there is not a wide base of does these things? Do people think that it is International Community together. matically in the next few months. support. So. activities of the Dzogchen Com­ important to have such things? It should be obvious to everyone how impor­ muni') are almost entirely financed by sup­ tant a common news and informational source "Michael Sullivan" 2. When all of the communieaootts, editorial world. I have an idea about increasing subscriptions.! publishing, and mailing costs are cotmfeed. the The reason The Mirror fails to attract sub­ Subscription to The Mirror should be as high would recommend adding value to the sub­ N1 irror has nev er been supported completely scriptions is because it is often very dull, self- a priority in the Community as membership, scription by putting ALL the back issues by subscriptions. righteous and lacks a eoheivnt editorial poli­ because, in fact, it is a forni of membership. online, and make them all available to current 3. Mirror costs are significantly reducedb y cy. The Mirror is competing in an evolved subscribers. volunteer workers, bulk mailings, etc. The marketplace. The Mirror needs sections and [email protected] cost of Mirror paxlucuon is kept very k»w. comment and opinion. It [The Mirror] does inform well enough, and Elad Ophir ochshav^yahoo.con^ 4. Distributiing photocopies of the Mirror, it also does some limited teaching. U is bereft The cardinal value The Mirror can have is for without reganit o these realities, relieso n Diane Campbell" of any real dialogue or substantial essays by those less fortunate amongst us. who live in continued subsidies by others. Rinpoche says I see the issue of the Mirror as quite simple: anyone other than Rinpoche on essential or somewhat distant countries (in my case. if subscription support does not manifest after Namkai Norbu Rinpoche is our Master. He controversial concerns relevantt o practice or Israel, until a few months ago) , with no so many y^ears. the subsidies must stop. The has asked us to subscribe to the Minw. I*h¡s is the teachings. Dzogchen Community there yet to speak of. Mirror stops. The r>hotocopies stop.

THE M I it KOK M AT Uva E Í999 BOOKLET SHANG SHUNG EDIZIONI BOOKLIST

Most of these books contain practices and teachings that aresions . 2. Practice books not intended for circulation outside of the Community. Guru Dragpur Tun book Books marked with an asterisk (*) are for public use. L. 8.000 US$5.50 L. 8.000 US$5.50 Method and mantra for two Gum Dragpur practices with Short, Medium and Long Tun, Chöd and Ganapuja WORKS OF CHÖGYAL NAMKHAI NORBU introduction. Collective practices The Practice of Sinhamukha Lire 10.000 US$6.50 SERIES OF TEACHINGS AND PRACTICES L. 8.000 US$5.50 New revised edition of the six collective practices for special Transcription of the teaching transmitted by Rinpoche at days. 1. Transcripts from oral teachings Merigarin 1991. The Practice of Narag Tongtrug Commentary on Ngndro Green Tara Translated fromTibeta n and edited by A. Clemente L. 15.000 US$ 10 L. 8.000 US$5.50 Lire 10.000 US$6.50 Commentary to Stairway to Liberation with explanations on In 1991 Chögyal Namkhai Norbu taught a practice of Arya Instructions based on the original text of the Narag Tongtrug Lojongs, Guruyoga and Korde Rushen. Tara which included the mantra of Green Tara and White practice according to Anuyoga system compiled by Chögyal The Four Awarenesses (*) Tara as well as invocations of important masters such as Namkhai Norbu. L. 5.000 US$3.50 Chogyur Lingpa (Mchog-gyur Gling-pa), Atisha and Chö­ The Book of Mudras gyal Namkhai Norbu himself. The book contains a detailed Edited by Paola Minelli The Three Sacred Principles explanation of the practice and its finality. L. 8.000 US$5.50 L. 25.000 US$17 Refuge and Bodhicitta, the contemplation and the dedica­ Ödzer Chenma All the mudras used in the practices of the Dzogchen Com­ tion of merits are the three fundamental aspects of the teach­ L. 5.000 US$3.50 munity are drawn in detailed sequence. Almost two hundred ing. Maritse or Ödzer Chenma ('Od ter can ma: She who has drawings are accompanied by mantras and captions illustrat­ rays of light), a particular manifestation of Tara, is associat­ ing hand movements. Bodhicitta (*) ed with the light of the sun. This teaching also includes an How to play the damaru in the Chöd practice L. 8.000 US$5.50 invocation written by Rinpoche's paternal grandmother, Edited by A. Clemente Chögyal Namkhai Norbu gives a detailed explanation of the Lhundrub Tso (1864-1945), who was a direct disciple of L. 8.000 US$5.50 real meaning of Bodhicitta and how to apply it in practice. Adzam Drugpa, and a short sadhana. This system of notation on how to play the damaru is The Seventh Lojong Thos Grol. The Practice of the Twenty-five Thigles according to the instructions transmitted by Chögyal Edited by A. Clemente L. 15.000 US$ 10 Namkhai Norbu. L. 8.000 US$5.50 This book contains the Thödrol teaching given by Chögyal The Seven Mind Trainings belong to the Dzogchen Upadesa Namkhai Norbu at Namgyalgar, Australia, in December 3. Yantra Yoga tradition and are included in the Santi Maha Sangha Base 1995 and Merigar, Italy, September 1995. Rinpoche Level. The Seventh Training includes three methods to bring Teachings on Yantra Yoga received this teaching from his root master, Changchub Dor­ the practitioner to recognition of the state of contemplation Edited by Laura Evangelisti je. through three specific experiences. To this new revised edi­ L. 15.000 US$ 10 tion was added a very clear and extended explanation on The Four Chogshag. The practice of Tregchod "....This teaching of Yantra Yoga which was transmitted by Parlung. Edited by A. Clemente Gum Padmasambhava to Vairochana is a method linked to Lire 8.000 US$5.50 the practice of Ngöndzog Gyalpo: "ngö ndzog" means per­ The practice of Rushen A clear explanation of the fundamental practice of fection, "gyalpo" means supreme. This is a practice of non- L. 8.000 US$5.50 Dzogchen Upadesha. gradual transformation in which certain practices of Yantra Rushen practice is for entering into knowledge of the real connected with prana, channels, chakras etc. are used...". condition through different kinds of experiences related to Puja for the Nagas body, speech and mind. One of the practices for the Santi L. 8.000 US$5.50 Yantra Yoga Manual Maha Sangha Base Level training. The Nagas, which comprise one of the Eight Classes, while L. 13.000 US$9 dominating the water element are also associated with the An easy to consult booklet for those who already follow and The External Rushen and the Practice of the Purifica­ earth and the underground environment. practice Yantra. It includes preparatory exercises, prelimi­ tion of the Six Lokas (Internal Rushen) naries and the firsttw o groups of asanas based on the text of Lungta L. 8.000 US$5.50 Vairochana up-dated according to the teachings given by L. 5.000 US$3.50 An essential explanation on the way of doing the External Chögyal Namkhai Norbu. The booklet contains an introduc­ Lungta is the protective force of the individual and is sym­ and Internal Rushen, two important practices included in the tion by the Master plus a series of drawings illustrating dif­ bolized by a horse carrying a jewel. This image together Base Level of Santi Maha Sangha. Transcription of teach­ ferent positions. with various mantras are represented on five colored prayer ings given in 1981-82. flags which are put up outside in the wind where their vital The 25 Basic Yantras, the 7 Lotuses and the Vajra Wave The Practice of the Seven Semdzins energy is developed and reinforced. L. 10.000 US$6.50 L. 8.000 US$5.50 This booklet, an extract from the translation by Adriano Avalokitesh vara Korwa Tongtrug The explanation of the seven Semdzins in this book is essen­ Clemente of the original Tibetan text by Chögyal Namkhai L. 8.000 US$5.50 tially based on a text by Adzam Drugpa. The Semdzins are Norbu, is restricted to those who have received instructions This practice is a terma discovered by the master Adzam highly effective methods for distinguishing the pure pres­ on Yantra Yoga from a qualified and authorized teacher. Drugpa belonging to the cycle The secret treasure of the ence of rigpa from the dualistic mind, and for removing vajra of clear light. The lineage of this practice goes back to The Eight Movements of Yantra Yoga doubts which arise during practice. Vairochana, Yeshe Tsogyal and Gum Padmasambhava and Lire 10.000 US$6.50 Teachings on Semde by Sodogpa Lodrö Gyaltsen was transmitted to Chögyal Namkhai Norbu by his uncle, Instructions on Nine Purification Breathings and on the L. 16.000 US$11 Toden Ogyen Tenzin, a great practitioner and master of Eight Movements: an essential preliminary practice of In 1991 Chögyal Namkhai Norbu commented on a text by Dzogchen who manifested the body of light in the 1960s. Yantra Yoga to strengthen and harmonize our vital energy. the master Sodogpa Lodr Gyaltsen entitled Instructions on The Dakinis the Dzogchen Semde according to the Nyang system. Kumar Kumari Yantra Yoga for Children L. 5.000 US$3.50 Besides providing methods to discover the state of contem­ Edited by Cristiana De Falco A short explanation on Dakinis and on their prominence in plation, Sodogpa's text contains interesting references to the L. 15.000 US $ 10 the Dzogchen teaching. meditative experience of Mahamudra according to masters Yantra Yoga for children, illustrated by Rinpoche himself of the Drupa Kagydpa tradition. The Guardians of the Teaching with hundreds of stylized figures. Children require a particu­ L. 5.000 US$3.50 lar form of Yantra Yoga because their physical constitution, The Four Contemplations of Dzogchen Semde Rinpoche outlines the origin of the Guardians and the way in their breathing and their condition are different from those Edited by A. Clemente which their images developed in the Buddhist tradition; the of adults. L. 8.000 US$5.50 differences between various types of Guardians; a descrip­ New revised edition of the four yogas or contemplations tion of the principal classes of Guardians; the importance of 4. Vajra Dance (nepa, miyowa, nyamnyid, Ihundrub) briefly explained one the ritual of the Guardians and the Dzogchen view regarding by one. Steps of the Vajra Dance them. L. 10.000 US$6.50 Mi Lam, the Dream Practice Buddhism and Psychology (*) This booklet is a collection of original drawings of the steps Edited by Adriano Clemente L. 5.000 US$3.50 of the Dance of the Vajra drawn up by Chögyal Namkhai L. 8.000 US$5.50 This book is, rather than a comparison between Buddhist Norbu. It is presented separately from the original text for This practice from the Upadesha series of Dzogchen allows philosophy and psychological theory, a frank talk about see­ easy consultation. the practitioner to recognize the state of the dream and to use ing oneself, conditioning, Western minds and Eastern it for practice thus developing clarity of the state of contem­ Arm Movements and Mudras of the Vajra Dances minds, and the possible place of psychology in the life of a plation. / Edited by Prima Mai practitioner. L. 10.000 US$6.50 Ganapuja / Articles (*) New revised edition of the manual which mainly describes Lire 15.000 US$ 10 L. 6.000 US$4 the arm movements and the mudras of the three Dances of A long and general explanation of the real meaning of the This booklet is a collection of articles by Chögyal Namkhai the Vajra. This book is intended for those who have received Ganapuja followed by the ritual formalities and behavior published in The Mirror, the newspaper of the Dzogchen instruction on the Dance of the Vajra from a qualified and by the updated way of doing the practice. Community and contains advice on various themes such as teacher. Long-life Practice and Chiidlen of Nyagla Pema Diindul daily practice, the relationship between "old" and "new" L. 8.000 US$5.50 students, educating children and includes a talk explaining J. Santi Maha Sangha Texts Teachings on the terma of Nyagla Pema Diindul, master of why the Dzogchen Community in different countries has Santi Maha Sangha Chanchub Dorje and Ayu Khandro. Contains the long-life been buying land and buildings in recent years. practice Tsedrub Gongd and the Chiidlen of the three dimen­ Translated from Tibetan and edited by Giacomella Orofino L. 15.000 US$10

8 BOOKLIST SHANG SHUNG EDIZIONI BOOKLIST

The original root-text of the Santi Maha Sangha Training. The Little Hidden Harvest (*) to various classes of sgra bla. Although the gZi brjid only Translated and edited by Enrico Dell'Angelo dates back to the fourteenth century, it is considered charac­ Santi Maha Sangha Preliminary Practices of the Base L. 8.000 US$5.50 teristic of the pre-Buddhist Tibetan culture. Translated from Tibetan and edited by Adriano Clemente The Little Hidden Harvest is a version of the text sBas pa i L. 8.000 US$5.50 Mo rgum chung that was used by the great master Nubchen This booklet contains the verses of the Four Awarenesses, Edited by F. Andrico Sangye Yeshe as support to his views on Dzogchen Refuge, Bodhicitta and the Four Immeasurables to be used L. 5.000 US$3.50 expounded in the text entitled bSam-gtan mig-sgron. This for the Base of the Santi Maha Sangha. work establishes the distinction between Ch'an Buddhism A concise manual on a Tibetan divination method with a mala (phreng-mo) taught by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu in the Santi Maha Sangha Training for Boys and Girls - from China, the transformation of Mahayoga and the way of '70s. Base Level Dzogchen. Translated from Tibetan and edited by Adriano Clemente Namch Minjyur Dorje TIBETAN ASTROLOGY L. 10.000 US$6.50 The Interpretation of Dreams in a 17th Century Tibetan Text (*) Chögyal Namkhai Norbu TRANSLATIONS FROM TIBETAN Translated and edited by Enrico Dell'Angelo Key for Consulting the Tibetan Calendar (*) L. 8.000 US$5.50 Edited by M.R. Leti Chögyal Namkhai Norbu This short text belongs to a series of thirteen volumes trans­ L. 15.000 US$10 From the Depth of my Heart to my Mother (*) mitted by the tertön Master Minjyur Dorje called Namch, Much information on Tibetan astrology and on its applica­ Translated and edited by A. demente "The Teaching of the Sky". This brief text is not sufficient as tion to daily life. A practical and complete manual, indis­ L. 25.000 US$17 an exhaustive study on dreams, but does provide a wide per­ pensable for the consultation of the annual astrological cal­ Written in Lhasa at the age of 19 for his mother, this text is a spective enabling the reader to have a general idea of a way endar. clear and essential introduction to the fundamental practice of interpreting dreams. of Dzogchen. Contains a photo of the Master with his family Calendar-agenda for the Earth Hare Year in the late 50s. Shense Lhaje (1999-2000) (*) Visionary Encounters Lire 15.000 US$ 10 Chögyal Namkhai Norbu with Knowledge-Holders and Dakinis ( * ) Pocket agenda containing concise indications of the prac­ Three Songs for Disciples of Chang Chub Dorje (*) Translated and edited by A. demente tices recommended by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu for special Translated and edited by Adriano Clemente 8.000 US$5.50 days, positive and negative days for the Nagas Practice, L. 8.000 5.50 US $ The Golden Advice of Dran pa is a collection of Dzogchen astrological data of the Tibetan Calendar and the individual The three songs which have been translated in this collection teachings in the form of aphorisms, revealed by the tertön aspects for those bom between 1912 and 1999. Indispens­ were written by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu in the summer of Shense Lhaje, a Bönpo living in the 13th century. able for finding out favorable and unfavorable days for daily 1988 during a visit to Khamdo Gar in east Tibet, one time activities and to rememberspecia l practice days. residence of Changchub Dorje, his principal Dzogchen mas­ LhundrupTso ter. On the day of his departure, some of the older disciples A Brief Biography of Adzam Drugpa ( *) of Changchub Dorje asked Chögyal Namkhai Norbu for Translated and edited by Adriano Clemente TEACHINGS OF OTHER MASTERS advice on practice. Their requests gave rise to these three L. 8.000 US$5.50 spontaneous songs which contain the essence of Dzogchen. This is a brief biography of Adzam Drugpa written in the Dugu Chögyal Rinpoche form of an invocation by his disciple, Lhundrub Tso, pater­ The Layers of the Onion (*) Nyagla Pema Diindul nal grandmother of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu. It may be the L. 8.000 US$5.50 The Song of Energy (*) only biography in existence or at least the only one found up Presented in Dugu Chögyal Rinpoche's usual informal style, Translated and edited by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu with the to now. these teachings combine a freshness of spontaneity with the collaboration of Enrico Dell ' Angelo directness and depth arising from his vast experience of L. 8.000 US$5.50 TIBETAN CULTURE practice. The Song of Energy of the Nature of the Mind is a spiritual song, written as advice for two of the Author's disciples. It is Chögyal Namkhai Norbu particularly meaningful in order to have a direct understand­ In co-production with Station Hill Openings The origins of Tibetan Thought and Culture (*) ing of Dzogchen. L. 8.000 US$5.50 Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Nyagla Pema Diindul "The origins of Tibetan history and culture are important not The Mirror. Advice on the Presence of Awareness (*) Songs of experience (*) only from a strictly historical standpoint, but also to deepen Translated from Tibetan into Italian and edited by Adriano Translated and edited by Adriano Gemente our understanding of the Tibetan teachings and traditions..." Clemente L. 8.000 US$5.50 Translated from Italian into English by Andy Lukianowicz. Adriano Clemente This brief collection aims to give a "taste" of the sponta­ L.15.000 US$ 10 The Sgra Bla, Gods of the Ancestors of Gshen-Rab Mi- neous wisdom of Nyagla Pema Diindul, master of Adzam The Mirror aims to precisely explain the principle of pres­ Bo (*) Drugpa, Ayu Khandro, Changchub Dorje and other impor­ ence and awareness whose continuous practice is the only L. 8.000 US$5.50 tant Dzogchen masters. real alternative to the mies and limitations characteristic of A brief analysis of the fifth chapter of the gZi brjid, the biog­ most religious traditions. Buddhagupta raphy of gShen-rab mi-bo containing a sang rite dedicated

All the prices are in Italian Lire and US dollars. Postage and packaging: in Europe add Lire 4.000 per order, outside Europe 3US $ every three books To order please send the list of books you require by letter or fax. Send an International Postal Money Order, Eurocheque in Italian Lire (from Europe) or a check (not less than 30 $ or equivalent) to:

SHANG SHUNG EDIZIONI Comunità Dzogchen 58031 Arcidosso, GR, Italy. Tel. & fax 0564 966039, e-mail: [email protected]

peaceful demonstrations which lasted for three months. A few Everything is calm again. KALIYUGA, WAR AND PRACTICE days ago I marched against the bombing; I am left with a hope I remember Norbu Rinpoche's look when he was in Bel­ that people will choose peace. I cannot have negative emotions grade. He was singing the Song of Vajra, and I clearly saw that against the killers, they do it due to deep ignorance, compas­ he had seen something indescribably terrifying, but he was sion, contemplation A. incredibly calm, and I realized that fear passes through him and continued from page I On the way back, I drop by my sister's. She may have cannot harm him. That moment was direct teaching forme. water! I can have a bath! There is water, great, it takes so little I fall asleep again, not managing to do dream practice. I realize that she is not coming because everybody is avoiding to be happy. I take a shower by candlelight, the pressure is very wake up, hearing a kind of thunder, the building starts to shake, crossing the bridge. The bridge is one of the targets. weak. Everybody is playing cards (all the games are popular I panic. I wake my husband, "Come on, let's run away, these There is a concert at the square, entitled "The Song has ones, cards, gambling, monopoly). I join them. are some bombs." He gets up, the building still rocks. He Supported Us". In the afternoon, a hundred meters from here After a while I hear happy screams, shouts, from the foot­ answers, "It's only an earthquake, it's all right, don't worry." I there are theater shows in the open air. I sit down and drink a ball field in front of the house. First thought, "What is this? Is start to shake, my heart beats. Thoughts run wild, is it possible? coffee. I listen to a conversation next to my table. "Why have the war over?" Unfortunately, only the electricity has returned, Whatever else is going to happen to me here? I need only a they chosen us? There are other countries with similar prob­ and the children are happy. We hear the sirens, for the end of typhoon, and I can say I have experienced it all. lems, for example the Turks and Kurds." The other person danger. I go home. Streets are dark, and people are walking by I returnt o bed, my mind is agitated, thoughts follow. I don't answers: "We are the ideal people for fighting, the warriors. torch light. I finish the necessary things in my flat, wash the want to die suddenly. I want to die slowly, but if it happens any­ Every hundred years or so we have had a war or two. We have dishes, laundry. Finally, I make new reserves of water. way, I will think of the Master and h? will guide me. spent 500 years under the Turks, and won them after that." I get ready to go to sleep, are we going to have a peaceful As you can see. life in war circumstances is unreal, every­ I think, " Where have I been bom?" My father is Serb, night? I do Guru Yoga, I hear the sirens, signaling danger. I thing is uncertain, impermanence is present everywhere. ar ' mother Macedonian, and I have two children with a Slovenian hear airplanes, explosion, the earth trembles, alarms go off in the only thing that remains is to rely on the teaching anr-' man. I am flooded by memories: two years ago I marched the the cars, the sky is full of fireworks. Fear manifests, excitement realizations you may have had. In every moment. ther-" streets against the political regime of Yugoslavia during the rises, adrenaline spreads through the body, contemplation A. the possibility to practice.

THE MIRROR M AY IJ U N E 1999 INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY NEWS

ambient. A small but relevant part concerns A Treasure Tibetan medicine and astrology. Currently over 150 audio cassettes containing the MERIGAR tobe teachings of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu during the 1970's have been transferred onto CDs. PROGRAM SUMMER 1999 Work on cataloguing each cassette has started Preserved and a complete inventory of the recordings is DZOGCHEN COMMUNITY OF ITALY already available.

The Video Archive The Documentation Center of the This archive contains probably one of the June 7-28 Istituto Shang Shung in Merigar largest collections of videos on various Mandarava Practice Retreat with Chiidlen aspects of the culture and history of Tibet. It Two Tuns of practice a day at 7 am and 7 pm. holds about 1,400 documents, more than he Documentation Center of the Istituto 4,000 hours of viewing, which can be subdi­ June 27 - July 5 TShang Shung (DCISS) is located in Meri­ vided into: the teachings of Chögyal Dance of the Vajra Course gar, the Italian Gar of the Dzogchen Commu­ Namkhai Norbu (for the most part), confer­ with Adriana Dal Borgo nity. The aim of the DCISS is to collect, pre­ ences on various aspects of Tibetan culture; serve and make available documentation original videos and copies of documentaries The course is for those who already know the Dance and wish to perfect the movements regarding Tibetan culture in general, and in from around the world filmed from 1926 up particular all the documentation available on to today; interviews with personalities in the June 27 - July 5 the Dzogchen teaching. A certain number of field of Tibetan politics, religion and culture; Yantra Yoga Course for Advanced Students documents also refer to those areas which are and films. The digital masterising of all the with Fabio Andrico culturally and geographically "near" to Tibet teachings on video will be started by the end The course is meant for those who wish to deepen their knowledge and practice of kumb- (India, Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan, Mongolia of the year and a complete inventory is haka. This course will take place the same dates as the Vajra Dance course but the sessions and China). The four sections of the Center - already available. will be organized in such a way that those who wish to participate in both courses will be the Library, the Audio, the Video and the Pho­ able to do so. tographic Archives - contain over 20,000 The Photo Archive July 7-11 documents, many of which are unique. This is a collection of a vast number of UPADESHA TEACHINGS The DCISS was bom from the vast num­ photographs both recent and historical which Retreat with Chögyal Namkhai Norbu ber of ancient manuscripts and xylographs document the international Dzogchen Com­ collected by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu over munity, Tibet and Tibetan culture. The July 12-17 more than thirty years. Among these are an archive holds about 10,000 documents, pho­ Conferences on Buddhism important collection of Dzogchen texts, the tos and slides. Of special interest is the collec­ (see announcement Istituto Shang Shung) only one of their kind, as well as other rare tion of 109 photographs belonging to the and hard to find collections. To this nucleus archive of Fosco Maraini who accompanied July 16-21 of texts many others have been added over Prof. Tucci on some of his missions to Tibet. Thanka Painting Course the years, mainly thanks to individual dona­ The inventory and cataloguing of the pho­ (see announcement Istituto Shang Shung) tions, as well as texts in Western languages tographs is in progress. and documentation in audio, video and pho­ The Documentation Center in Merigar, July 23-25 tographic form. Thus the Center has become especially its audio and video sections, is the an Oriental multimedia archive which is main archive source for a lot of practitioners Dance of the Vajra Retreat unique. The DCISS was officially" inaugurat­ all over the world who want to study or deep­ ed in 1990 by H. H. Dalai Lama as part of the en their knowledge of the teachings of Chö­ July 15-29 Istituto Shang Shung. gyal Namkhai Norbu. For this reason several Tibetan Medicine Course projects of re-editing of video and audio (see announcement Istituto Shang Shung) The Library materials are also being made at Merigar, as August 4 - 5 The Library contains more than 9,000 well as the usual copying service of audio and Course on Dreams and Tibetan Medicine documents including texts and magazines in videotapes. (see announcement Istituto Shang Shung) Western languages, Tibetan texts (manu­ scripts, xylographs and printed matter) and The Digital Archive Project August 7-15 texts and magazines in other Oriental lan­ At present the DCISS is involved in a vast Practice Retreat and Yantra Yoga Course guages (Sanskrit, Mongolian, Chinese) program, the Digital Archive Project, to safe­ The retreat will consist of morning sessions of videos of teaching by Chögyal Namkhai which cover subjects ranging frommedicin e guard and utilize the precious patrimony in its Norbu, in the afternoons Tuns of practice as well as sessions of Yantra Yoga and Vajra to philosophy, art to religion, astrology to archives. The project which began in 1995 Dance. The retreat theme will probably be the 25 thigle. ancient history. Especially notable is the rare has made use of both private sponsors and Fabio Andrico will hold the Yantra Yoga course for the firstfou r days. collection of texts on the Dzogchen teaching public resources, in particular from the which is one of the most complete in the Regione Toscana and the Provincia di Gros­ August 16-22 world. The collections to be found there have seto. Great support has been given so far by Thanka Painting Course made the Library a reference point among several members of the Dzogchen Communi­ (see announcement for Istituto Shang Shung) Tibetologists and institutions which work on ty, both in terms of funding (Dzogchen Com­ the international level for the preservation of munity Holland) and technical equipment September 10-12 the written heritage of Tibet. and advice (German Community, individual Course of Dance of the Liberation of the Six I .ok as The Tibetan section of the Library has collaboration by some members of the inter­ with Margit Martinu more that 4,300 texts and magazines in national Community). Experts in computer Tibetan dealing with various aspects of technology and Tibetologists are involved in Yantra Yoga Course for Beginners Tibetan culture among which a unique col­ this project at the international level, to carry with Laura Evangelisti lection of manuscripts and xylographs on on different activities. The course is divided over four weekends. Dzogchen, the complete Buddhist (about 300 The Digital Archive Project has three fun­ October 16 -17 Preliminary practices (9 breathings, cigjon, lunsan ) volumes) and Bön canons, both in two edi­ damental objectives: November 13 -14 Preliminary practices (lunsan, tzadul) tions, as well as other important collections 1 - to preserve the documentary patrimony of December 11 -12 First series of Yantra on Tibetan religion. Almost half of the the DCISS by digitalizing documents at risk January 15 -16 Second series of Yantra Tibetan texts have been catalogued and and climatizing the area where they are almost 5,000 pages of manuscripts and rare housed; texts had been scanned on CD-ROM. 2- to improve access to that patrimony by MERIGAR The Western section contains more than creation of a multimedia bibliographic soft­ Associazione Culturale Comunità Dzogchen 4,700 volumes of books and magazines on ware that will permit setting up an integrated 1-58031 Arcidosso (GR) Italy Oriental culture, particularly Tibetan as well data base and by cataloguing the documents Tel: 39 564 966837, Fax: 968110 as Western literature about the East and a in each section: Email: [email protected] number of bilingual dictionaries. The section 3 - to create new services by creating an has already been inventoried but still has to electronic digital catalogue and setting up a be catalogued. web site. Although funds are short, the Project to On July there will be the renewal of the Gekoes position at Merigar. Whoever is interest­ date has scanned and put on CD-ROM almost The Audio Archive ed can send his/her name and data to the Merigar secretary. A couple with their own car 5,000 pages of Tibetan manuscripts and more This contains about 4,000 audio record­ will be welcome. The Merigar Gakyil ings made from 1976 up to the present, most than 1,000 photos; more than 200 hours of the of which are the teachings of Chögyal teachings of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu are on Namkhai Norbu given all over the world, but CD-audio; more than 2,000 Tibetan texts languages and in Chinese can be consulted in Future objectives there are also interviews, conferences, cours­ have been catalogued and can be consulted the bibliographical database as well as all - Creation of a multimedia consultation es and seminars held by different personali­ by means of a bibliographic database; main video and audio cassettes. room for the public: ties in the Tibetan cultural and religious bibliographical data of all the texts in Western In 2000 work will begin on restructuring a continued on page 16

10 INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY NEWS

ISTITUTO SHANG SHUNG

SUMMERCOURSES 1999

MERIGAR, ITALY

Sacred Art of Tibet September - November 1999 The Traditional Tibetan Thanka Painting Second Year Course by Dr. Thubten Phuntsog SHANG SHUNG INSTITUTE OF ITALY and History of Tibetan Art The dates are still to be announced. would like to invite you to a series of Graded training course in the theory and practice of Bom in Amdo, Tibet in 1971, Dr. Nida Chenatsang studied conferences: Traditional Tibetan Art medicine at Lhasa Tibetan Medical College and then practiced in Lhasa and in Tsetang. He worked as a doctor for a Non-gov­ MEETING BUDDHIST With the collboration of specialist scholars and artists ernmental Organization in Tibet. He has had a private medical ART AND SPIRITUALITY Shang Shung Institute offers a series of courses practice for four years and teaches Tibetan massage and herbal OF TIBET providing graded training in the different artistic disciplines medicine. of drawing, painting, sculpture and history of art and aesthetics. Dr. Thubten Phuntsog was bom in 1955 in Dege County in that will take place in the The first three courses programmed for this summer will be Eastern Tibet. He studied traditional Tibetan medicine with TOWN HALL OF ARCIDOSSO held at Merigar. Yonten Phuntsog, who was the personal doctor to the second from the 12th to the 16th of July 1999 July 14-16 Kongtrul. From 1975 to 1982 he practiced Tibetan medicine in Introduction to the spiritual, historical and cultural Pelpung hospital. From 1982 to 1986 he deepened his knowl­ MONDAY, JULY 12TH aspects. edge at the Dege Institute of Tibetan Studies (currently situated 10.00 in Darzendo). From 1986 until the present he has taught litera­ "The Noble Truths of the Buddha. Introduction to Prof. Heather Stoddard, Gyurmed Rabgyey ture, philosophy, medicine, poetry and astrology at the Tibetan the History of Buddhism in India and Asia' July 17-21 Department of the Central University of Nationalities in Beijing Giacomella Orofmo - associate professor of Tibetan and is a professor at the medical department of the Institute of Drawing the Peaceful Buddha. Preparation of the background language and literature at the Oriental Institute of Tibetan Studies in Sichuan province. Dr. Thubten is the author of the painting. Iconography, iconometry, preparation of the the University of Naples of various publications in Tibetan. canvas and the frame. 11.30 Gyurmed Rabgyey, Paula Minelli. 'Love and Compassion in Mahayana Buddhism' August 16 - 22 Courses on Dreams and Medicine lacobella Gaetani - scholar of Tibetan religious lit­ Painting of the Peaceful Buddha. Using measurements and col- erature and translator of various Tibetan works OTS.Gyurmed Rabgyey, Paula Minelli June 12-13 Rome 16.00 August 4-5 Merigar 'The Secret Biography of the Sixth Dalai Lama, an Gyurmed Rabgyey' studio will be open every day during the by Dr. Nida Chenagtsang 18th century Tibetan Master' summer for students who want to practice their skill. - How dreams manifest in relation to the chakras and the chan­ Enrica Rispoli - orientalist and scholar of Chinese Provided there is enough interest, the painting course could also nels. and Tibetan literature: be held in July immediately following the drawing course. If - The value and the meaning of dreams during the different 17.30 you are interested please contact us as soon as possible. stages of the night. 'The Path of Great Perfection Prof. Heather Stoddard has been the head of the Tibeta-n Th e connection of dreams to different illnesses according to the Ancient Wisdom of Tibet' Department at the Institute of Oriental Languages and Civiliza­ - Meaning of different symbolism in dreams Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche - Dzogchen Master, tions since 1978. She has been a student of Tibetan art since her Costs: Milan Lire 130.000 founder of the Dzogchen Community of Merigar, apprenticeship under Champa, painter to H.H. the Dalai Lama, Rome Lire 150.000 formerly professor of Tibetan language and litera­ in Dharamsala in 1966, and Sherab Palden in Samyeling in Merigar Lire 120.000 ture at the Oriental Institute of the University of 1967.She is engaged in ongoing research on the history and Institute membership included Naples chronology of Tibetan art. She is the author of " Early Sino- Tibetan Art" (Aris and Philips 1975) and is preparing a book on A Week of Health & Wellbeeing TUESDAY, JULY 13TH the history of early Tibetan painting (9th-15th c.)She is the pres­ With the ancient techniques of Tibetan Medicine 10.00 ident of the Shaloo Association (founded 1994) for the Tibetan 'Buddhist Medicine: Yesterday, Today and Tomor­ Cultural Heritage. September 25 - October 2 row' Gyurmed Rabgyey was bom on July 14th, 1969 in Lhoka, nearTh e Istituto Shang Shung is organizing a week's stay at the Nida Chenagtsang - Tibetan doctor Lhasa. His master, one of the most famous painters of Tibet, Hotel of the Terme of Bagni San Filippo under the guidance of 11.30 holds the sMan lugs lineage. The painter- monk is a guest of the Dr. Nida Chenagtsang. The week will be dedicated to purifying 'The Way of Self-liberation according to Tibetan Shang Shung Institute and currently resides in Merigar. and toning the body and re-balancing the energy and will give Medicine' Paula Minelli, bom 1963 in Turin, graduated from the participants the possibility to learn simple therapeutic methods Luigi Vitiello - doctor and psychotherapist Acadamia de Belle Arti di Torino and specializes in the iconog­ which can be used at home when the course is over. 16.00 raphy of traditional Tibetan Buddhism. She is a student of Gega The program will include daily sessions of Yantra Yoga, use of 'Protective Spirits in Tibetan Esoteric Traditions' Lama, Dugu Choegyal Rinpoche and Shedrub Namgyal, all the thermal swimming pool, massages, talks on the more practi­ Raimondo Bul trini - writer and journalist masters in the art of traditional Tibetan painting. cal aspects and the meaning of Tibetan medicine as well as pri­ 17.30 vate consultations. 'The Transformation of the Passions into Wisdom Costs: 14-16 July free For the first three days of the program, participants will take a according to Tannic Buddhism' 17-21 July Lire 330.000 Giacomella Orofino 16-21 August Lire 460.000 food supplement according to Tibetan medicine to purify the Most of the painting materials and Institute membership digestive system and increase digestive heat, a prerequisite for WEDNESDAY, JULY 14TH included. Limited places are available in the dormitory (accom­ good health. The doctor will draw up a diet which will vary 10.30 modation and full board) for Lire 35.000 a day. from day to day as the program progresses. 'The Meaning and Function of Tibetan Art' The Hotel has recently been renovated and accommodation will Heather Stoddard - professor and head of the be in single or double rooms with bathroom and TV. The Hotel Conferences Tibetan department of the Institute of Oriental Lan­ offers participants a room for yoga and massage, a conference on Buddhism and Tibetan Art guages and Civilizations in Paris room, a large park for walking and a thermal swimming pool. 16.00 Registration for the program will be limited to 25 - 28 partici­ July 12-17 Arcidosso "The Pantheon of Vajrayana' pants. A series of conferences on Buddhism and an introduction to the H eather Stoddard spiritual, historical and cultural aspects of Tibetan art (see Cost: Lire 1.200.000 THURSDAY, JULY 15TH announcement at the right side). Registration no later than August 25th. Further information from the secretary. 10.30 'History of Tibetan Painting - Origins and Develop­ ment from the 9th to the 14th Century ' Tibetan Medicine Tibetan Language Heather Stoddard 3 Year Course on Tibetan Medicine Intensive Course 16.00 'History of Tibetan Painting - Diffusion of Tibetan July 15-29 August 17-30 Painting Schools in More Recent Times' First Year Course by Dr. Nida Chenagtsang Dr. Nida Chenagtsang, Dr. Jacobella Gaetani H eather Stoddard Min. 72 hours of lessons. For a detailed program and further The level of the course will depend on the level of the students' information contact the secretary of the Institute. knowledge of Tibetan. FRIDAY, JULY 16TH Costs: Lire 800.000 Costs: Lire 220.000 for one week 17.00 Institute membership included Lire 420.000 for two weeks 'Origins and Development of the Sacred Art of Institute membership included Tibet' Gyurmed Rabgyey - monk and Tibetan artist

In the evenings rare and unedited videos will be ISTITUTO SHANG SHUNG shown about the people of Tibet Merigar, 58031 Arcidosso (GR), Italy

Tel.: 0564-966941 FREE ENTRANCE Email: ssinst@amiata. net

THE MIRROR MAY/JUNE 1 999 11 INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

We hope everybody knows how we won the auction to buy The Life in this boy-scout camp which is now Kunsangar. It was last autumn when Fabio was in Moscow that it happened. He sug­ KUNSANGAR gested to do the rite of Dorje Legpa, which was performed for twenty four, or maybe more, hours. There were people who didn't want to begin this project of the Gar. There were, and by Oksana Ilina and Anna Rudneva. still are, some criminals who wanted to buy the camp as well, but everything was overcome. The boy-scout camp in the pine forest became ours! Every­ e would like to tell you how we live and work one was excited. For the firstkarm a yoga activity almost sixty Win Kunsangar as if we were having a talk with people came. Before the auction those criminals had hired close friends. We noticed that our communication local boys to break the windows of all buildings. We had to from the Gakyils in The Mirror, particularly in Rus­ clean buildings and territory from broken glass and put new sia, is a bit too formal. What we have liked about the glass into windows. international Dzogchen Community newspaper in The first Gekoes of the new Russian Gar, Sergey Vshtouny, the past was the very warm and friendly tone and we was chosen rightafte r the auction. In the beginning, he was the are trying to maintain this tradition from Kunsangar. only person who went from Moscow to the Gar every day (it's Jim Valby and SMS practitioners at Kunsangar 70km from the edge of Moscow), before some men appeared to live and work there constantly. There were five men who lived in very hard conditions. There wasn't any water and it KUNSANGAR was brought from somewhere else. There wasn't any heating system. They were fixing it. Don't forget in November we had PROGRAM SUMMER 1999 frost 20 degrees below 0 C. When Anna Rudneva came to stay she found them staying in one room with one heater, and the DZOGCHEN COMMUNITY OF RUSSIA smell was quite heavy (there wasn't any shower as well). There were also some tensions between people. There wasn't enough female energy. The water was and still is very bad because of too much iron in it. July 21-25 CHILD CARE Slowly, slowly everything began to change. Sergey and Available during the main retreat, during teaching hours. Sveta Runovs gave their kitchen furniture so we could make a DZOGCHEN LONGDE RETREAT kitchen to cook and have food in nicer conditions. The heating WITH CHÖGYAL NAMKHAI NORBU HOW TO GETTO KUNSANGAR system was fixed and people who were working in the Gar You will arrive to Sheremetyevo-2 International Airport, could stay in separate rooms and have a little bit of privacy. Chögyal Namkhai Norbu will give teachings in English located outside Moscow. Don't take the taxi, because it is Later we had the possibility to take a shower. Some women with Russian translation. Translation into other languages rather expensive and not safe. From there take the bus going came to stay. Every Saturday, when it was warm, there was will be arranged if needed. to Moscow to subway (metro) station "Rechnoi Vokzal", karma yoga. Before the New Year we had nice rooms to (0.5 USD). Get to "Kurskaya" metrostation. At Kurskiy receive the twelve to fifteen people who came, because the Retreat fees: 50 US dollars railway terminal take the train to Pavlovskiy Posad town Gakyil of Kunsangar which was chosen at the end of October (for Community members) (approximately one hour to one hour and a half ride, decided to begin short retreats with karma yoga. 80 US dollars (non-members) 0.5USD). At the Pavlovskiy Posad local railway station take Sustaining members: free the car (appr. 1 - 2 USD) and ask to give you a ridet o the pio­ The first collective event was celebration of New Year, Discounts: neer camp Sosnoviy Bor at Bolshiye Dvory village (pro­ 1999. We were twenty five people all together. We had a great 50% - for students, retired people, handicapped people nounced " pionerskiy lager sa-sno-viy bore v posyolke bal- Ganapuja with very rich offerings just before midnight. Then 30% - for the second family member shiye dvory"). Please don't use the name of Kunsangar, as it we went outside to meet the New Year with champagne around For people with low income Kunsangar Gakyil will consid­ is still not known to local people. Very few people speak the fire, which was prepared earlier. It was a lot of fun when we er additional discounts. For this discount one should apply English. continued on page 17 to Kunsangar Gakyil during registration and should have a recommendation of his or her local Gakyil verifying that Alternatively, we can make a reservation of a car for 50 this person is eligible for this discount. USD to giveyou a ride from the airport to Kunsangar direct­ The amount of discount for people with low income should ly, if you let us know your arriving time and flight No. TO NOT INTERFERE not exceed 50%. If someone is unable to pay even this fee, For more detailed info with timetables etc. contact Kun­ he or she should notify the Gekoes well in advance to get WITH ONE'S OWN sangar secretary. some jobs in Kunsangar. REALIZATION Yantra Yoga and Vajra Dance VISA During and after the main retreat there will be courses on There was a posting on Norbunet on how to get Russian Yantra Yoga and Vajra Dance led by local instructors under visa. If you don't have it, browse: by Roman Sukhostavskiy the guidance of Fabio Andrico and Adriana dal Borgo. http://www.dzogchen.art.ra, http://www.melong.com, Tn Kunsangar the firsthal f of May was quite hot for Dzogchen ACCOMODATION or ask G ri sha Mokhin : [email protected] JLvolunteers. They were preparing for the retreat with Jim Val­ Kunsangar Dormitory. to send it to you. by. We were finishing the renovation of the residential building For members only Very few places, contact the Gekoes well and organizing the enormous dining room. On May 15th the in advance. SURROUNDINGS AND USEFULHINTS first Vajra brothers and sisters arrived from Ulan-Ude, St.- Double room 10 -12 US Dollars per day Kunsangar is located in a beautiful pine-tree forest at the Petersburg, and Kharkov. They at once began to work scraping Six person room 4 - 6 US Dollars per day bank of Klyazma river. Weather in July is usually very a paint and washing floors. It was interesting to observe very warm with little rain, and day temperatures range from 22 to well known "lotzsawas" and "yantra-yogins" occupied by such Lodging house: 30 Centigrade. It will be quite possible to swim in the river, business. Most of the Vajra relatives attending were from in a pine forest at the bank of a lake. It will be bring bathing suits. The Russian currency is called "ruble", Latvia, Ukraine, Byelorussia and other Russian regions.Alto ­ possible to swim and to hire a boat. 15 minutes drive from 26 rubles being equivalent to 1 US dollar for now (April gether ninety people arrived the next day. After breakfast Kunsangar. Buses will be hired to take people to the teach­ 99). Check the actual rate when you leave. everywhere was audible: "Jim has arrived! Jim has arrived! ing and back. Best option for most people. Where is he? Over there!" Cost: approx. 8 -10 US dollars per day CONTACTS: Everyone went to greet Jim Valby- an examiner of Santi 3 times meals and bus commuting included. Kunsangar: Maha Sangha. In 1998 on retreat in Moscow I managed to pho­ Camping : Anna Rudneva and Sergei Vshtouni, tograph him in two characteristic emotional states - very joyful E-mail: [email protected] and little bit sad. Now Jim was not as cheerful, but radiated not allowed by local authorities. Phone (243)-21156 (sometimes not easy to get through) kindness, understanding that he was very much awaited and Moscow: everyone appreciated the possibility to communicate and to FOOD Moscow Dzogchen Community Office practice together in Kunsangar. In the evening after the first It's not included in the cost of the retreat. Catering will be Phone (095)-9282587 practice he had told us that recently he had had an operation and his energy wasn't completely restored yet. provided during the main retreat, Yantra Yoga and Vajra Luda Kislichenko, Phone/Fax (095)-3251378 Dance courses. Grisha Mokhin With gratitude we have evaluated gift of the instructions on Cost: 3 US Dol lars per day Phone/Fax (095)-2673484 (business hours only) the Teaching Jim gave us. For the ten days he spoke about the Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, vegetarian and non vegetarian Kunjed Gyalpo tantras and Do Chu and conducted sessions of options. There are no facilities to cook your own meals. It practices. At last it became clear what a stupid Dzogchen prac­ will be possible to buy some snacks at Kunsangar. titioner I am. I deceive myself and invent some understanding. Also it is not at all a pejorative sight, but the real situation. "We interfere with our own realization", summarized some of my Vajra brothers and sisters. All of us were very lucky to be at this retreat and thanks to Jim, we have touched the sense of the KUNSANGAR Teaching. DZOGCHEN COMMUNITY OF RUSSIA The end of the retreat - Ganapuja. In the last days Jim told Phone: (095)243-21156 us about his life and how he met Rinpoche. We began to better E-mail: [email protected] understand one another. And now it was especially sad to part with the close people; to see how the Gar gets empty. The cold, crude spring was replaced by the hot summer. See you in Kunsangar! Tashi Deleg!

12 INTiKNATIONAL COMMUNITY NEWS

AN INVITATION TSEGYALGAR TO DZOGCHEN COMMUNITIES IN NORTH AMERICA PROGRAM SUMMER 1999 by John LaFrance (Blue Gakyil of Tsegyalgar) DZOGCHEN COMMUNITY OF NORTH AMERICA

segyalgar's Gakyil wants to go further in ways to inform the larger community about Ta process of establishing collaboration Rinpoche's teachings, to attract newcomers, with other Dzogchen Communities in North to reinvigorate the participation of existing August 4 - 8 America. practitioners, to share resources and to gener­ TEACHINGS ON THE PRINCIPLES OF DZOGCHEN We are asking all the Dzogchen Commu­ ally find ways to continue and maintain the Retreat with Chögyal Namkhai Norbu nities in North America including New York, Dzogchen Ati teachings in North America. In West Coast, Santa Fe, Tara Mandala, Hawaii, thinking about the future we might also con­ August 9 -15 and other Communities such as Ohio, Chica­ sider such issues as improving communica­ Advanced Yantra Yoga training go, Portland who may not have created a tions, methods for developing additional wit/i Laura Evangelisti. Gakyil as yet, to send representatives to Con­ Dzogchen Communities, and ways to coordi­ Yantra Yoga is an integral part of the Dzogchen Tradition that uses movement and way during the time of Rinpoche's retreat, nate resources to assist Rinpoche's projects in breathing and visualization to coordinate body, energy and mind. This will be a contin­ August 4 - 8,1999. During the retreat, a series Tibet and elsewhere. uation of the beginning Yantra Yoga course that will be held during the main Retreat. of meetings will be held to examine the func­ Tsegyalgar is hoping for participation tioning of the Gar in North America and to from as many individual Communities as August 9 -15 propose suggestions for the future. This is possible. Hence, if resources or finances are A Retreat of the Base practices of based on the underlying assumption that the an impediment to participation, Tsegyalgar Santi Maha Sangha Gar is not Conway, the Gar is North America. will try to be of assistance. If you would like Santi Maha Sangha is a study and practice program taught by chögyal Namkhai Norbu The discussions will be in the context of to comment, propose issues or participate, to guide the practitioner to a thorough understanding of all facets of Buddhist teaching Rinpoche's "Fundamental Principles of the please contact John LaFrance. and a deep knowledge of the state of Dzogchen. Dzogchen Community". Our hope is to revi­ email There will be a daily talk by Adriano Clemente followed by several sessions of prac­ talize energy in the entire Gar, to find new telephone 609-854-1412 tice throughout the day. This will run concurrently with the Yantra Yoga retreat.

August 28 - September 5 Vajra Dance Retreat SHANG SHUNG INSTITUTE taught by Adriana Dal Borgo The Vajra Dance is a Terma Teaching discovered by Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche. The PROGRAM 1999 purpose of the three integrated dances performed on a Mandala is to integrate the State of Contemplation with movement. CONWAY, MASSACHUSETTS

further program in USA see page 3, Summer - Autumn 1999 with Chögyal Namkhai Norbu July-August Tsegyalgar Bookstore: Summer Program for Tibetan Children new email address: [email protected] of the Pioneer Valley at Shang Shung Institute, 18 Schoolhouse Rd., Conway. Eight weeks of classes in Tibetan language and culture for children of the local Tibetan Community taught by a volunteer staff of Tibetan educators. ...

TSEGYALGAR August 8 Open House & Fundraising Dinner PO Box 277, Conway, MA 01341, USA Shang Shung Institute, Conway Tel 413 369 4153, Fax 413 369 4165 Email [email protected] October 8-9 5th Annual Tibet Awareness Day and Benefit Concert Amherst, MA The SacredBucklandLand Sponsored by Shang Shung Institute The Story Retold SHANG SHUNG INSTITUTE Tsegyalgar, P.O. Box 277, Conway MA 01341, USA by Paula Barry with Des Barry, Jennifer Fox, Tel.: 431-369-4928, Fax: 413-369-4165 John Foster, Vern Harrington, Jim Smith and Joe Zurylo E-mail: [email protected]

ver ten years have passed since the Dzogchen Community of OTsegyalgar purchased a one hundred sixty eight acres of land on Karma Yoga at Tsegyalgar Mary Lyons Road in the nearby town of Buckland. Many auspicious Help prepare for the Retreat of and synchronous events occurred around the discovery and purchase Chögyal Namkhai Norbu of that land, and it has occurred to us that there are many practitioners August 4-8,1999 who have met the teachings more recently who need to have the story retold in order to understand the tremendous importance of this land, In anticipation of the summer so that they too can feel a sense of connection and concern and pur­ retreat with Rinpoche, August 4-8, pose for the plans for its development. We retell the story in order to and the teachings that will occur in renew the vision of the Sacred Buckland Land, to make it alive so that the following weeks, Tsegyalgar is this and the next generations of practitioners can experience the pro­ inviting people to come one or two found bodhicitta of Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche's vision. weeks early to participate in various On entering the land for the first time Rinpoche commented on work projects. Projects will involve the glittering stones scattered about the ground, "These rocks are all work on Rinpoche's retreat cabin on medicine" he said. We viewed the pond and what is now the hill with the sacred land at Buckland and other the Dance Mandala and the upper juniper grove. Rinpoche was very projects at the Conway school and direct. He said, "This land we must have." We had a picnic and per­ Gonpa. formed a fire puja the next day. The money was raised, and we knew Original Dance Mandala, Buckland Land, 1990 P. BARRY the land would be ours. The following year we held the first of three the Dakini Mandharava and of Vajrapani in the newly finished cabin. If you're interested, please con­ outdoor, under-tent retreats in the middle field. These were magical During that retreat the extraordinary Guardians of the land protected tact Glen Eddy, gekoes, by email at: retreats with the great feelings of freedom and expanse and some dis­ our Master and allowed him to receive, through dream, a large part of 74404.1141@compuserve .com comfort as well that living in nature provides. All who were there felt the terma of the Vajra Dance. A terma he had already begun to receive, or by telephone at 413-369-4153. the powerful aura of the land. the year before, as he slept and dreamed in his tent on the teaching hill. Glen will fill you in with details and After the second retreat, Rinpoche asked that we build a retreat cab­ In the first dreams, he dreamed that pure beings were dancing the accomodation possibilities, including in for him with a view of the pond. We worked hard felling trees, using Dance of the Vajra, in that place, on top of that very hill. During his the possibility of staying in the retreat one sturdy trunk for the ridge pole of the roof. Because of our permit retreat we received requests for a compass and cans of paint of the five cabin on the land. problems it needed to be a rustic cabin, but with a very elegant wooden colors. Without knowing the purpose of the paint he was brought five bridge that follows the terrain up to the simple door. small cans, which were quickly consumed and replaced with larger In the late summer of 1992, Rinpoche began a six week retreat of ones. The first Dance Mandala was painted, the original measurements continued on page 14

THE MIRROR MAY/JUNE 1999 13 IHTE.IISATIOSAL COMMUNITY NEWS

NAMGYALGAR PROGRAM SPRING 2000 Visit the Dzogchen Community website DZOGCHEN COMMUNITY OF AUSTRALIA at www.tashi.org CHÖGYAL NAMKHAI NORBU TEACHINGS Cost: $4 per night per person. $2 for children. see page 1, Schedule of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Bookings: direct to Michael or Lyn Mott 02 6943 4253, and tell for 1999-2000 them you are with the Dzogchen Community. There are also other camping grounds in the area where you can April 8-18 Amazon Books make your own private bookings. Note that camping grounds are Yantra Yoga Teacher Training Course close to the beaches and national parks which can be enjoyed in helps (Applications for this course are now being requested.) summer. The Mirror! January 5 -11 Rented Accomodation Now you can order Vajra Dance Course If you plan to rent accommodation you should book as soon as pos­ a wide selection of books first half of the Dance of the Song of the Vajra sible. The area near Namgyalgar is a popular place for summer holi­ through Amazon Books days and the added excitement of the millennium has meant heavy on The Mirror website at: Dates for the Teacher Training Course and the second half of the bookings already. Various types of rental accommodation are avail­ www.melong.com Song of the Vajra are yet to be confirmed. able - caravans, cabins, bed & breakfast, hotel / motel, houses, etc. and help support The Mirror! Peak holiday prices apply during summer and at Easter. If you REGISTRATIONS would like to receive an ACCOMMODATION INFOSHEET which Registration for the Summer Retreat will commence on JUNE lists most of the accommodation available please contact the Nam­ 30TH. Brochures and information on the retreat, inlcuding pricing, gyalgar Office ( see below). Please note that it is not possible for the will be circulated in the near future. Please indicate your interest in Secretary to assist everyone with securing accommodation and that the Yantra Yoga and Dance Teacher Training courses as soon as pos­ Tara Mandala people are expected to make their own arrangements. sible. Registration for SMS Exams is not urgent and may be made at Retreats, Summer 1999 any time before March 2000. Cabin Accomodation: We have reserved two cabins at Hubara (to accommodate 8) for the ACCOMMODATION Dec/Jan retreat. Priority will be given to aged people and people June 30 - July 4 FOR NAMGYALGAR RETREATS IN 2000 with poor health. The Immortal Dakini Mandarava Bookings can be made from June 30th. Contact the Secretary (see Practice period with Tsultrim Allione Camping on the land of Namgyalgar: below) At Namgyalgar there will be a limit of 55 campsites. July 7-12 Bookings for these will be on a first-come, first-servebasis . TRANSPORT Teen Vision Quest So that everyone has an equal chance to reserve a campsite, book­ There is no public transport in the vicinity of Namgyalgar. There (for returning questers only) ings will not begin until June 30th, 1999. will be a small bus available during Rinpoche's retreats to take peo­ with Horse Hubbel. Bookings - to reserve a campsite you will need to register and pay a ple on shopping / banking / laundry trips into nearby towns but it is For information: Dr. Hennie Fitzpatrick $50 deposit towards the cost of the Retreat. worth considering renting a car, perhaps as a group. Please inquire (H) 505-438-6568 Cost: During retreats/courses : $5 per day. $35 per week. with your travel agent about hire cars available from the nearest (W) 505-989-0491 At other times : $ 3 per day. $ 20 per week cities to Namgyalgar - Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra. (Pager) 505-670-0947. Children under 16 free To register contact Tara Mandala. Camping at a nearby camping ground: REGISTRATIONS FOR RETREATS AND RESERVATIONS OF REGATTA POINT HOLIDAY PARK CAMPSITES IN NAMGYALGAR WILL BEGIN JUNE 30TH. July 8 -14 We have reserved a large camping area at this nearby park - approx. For further information on any aspects of the program please Yoga of the Peaceful 15 mins. from Namgyalgar. The park has excellent facilities includ­ contact the Secretary at Namgyalgar & Wrathful Manifestations (Shitro) ing phone and a small shop. We will be running a bus service to and (Please phone between 10.30am -1.30pm / 4 - 8pm Practice period with Tsultrim Allione. from the park. and send Faxes between 8am -10 pm Australian time) July 22-26 Gum Yoga of the White AH Practice period NAMGYALGAR PO Box 14, Central Tilba, NSW 2546 led by an experienced practitioner phone/fax: 61.2.4476 3446 e-mail: [email protected] July 30-August 8 Simhamukha, the Lion-headed Dakini Practice period led by an experienced practitioner August 21-26 Chöd The Sacred Buckland Land - The Story Retold Practice period with Tsultrim Allione.

August 31-Sept 7 continued from page 13 Vajra Dance Course with authorized teacher being in units the size of a human foot. Stupa, and later a sangkhang (an oven for right to build the cabins. We have waited and September 9 During that time Rinpoche also set out to burning and creating the smoke of purifying been very patient, realizing that time is not an Stupa Consecration explore the land. He asked for a machete and cypress and juniper). enemy but part of a process. We feel that soon with Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche was brought what looked like something from At the end of his retreat, those of us in the our way will be clear to begin to realize this the jungles of Vietnam. Machete in hand, he area were invited up to practice with Rin­ vision. September 11 -12 cleared the undergrowth in order to explore poche. He taught for the first time the initial This land is a sacred place; sacred in the Teachings with the hidden lay of the land. With five colored steps sense of the transmission and the termas that Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche string, he marked a place for a gate beyond of the Vajra Dance, and showed us the were discovered there and perhaps are yet to which would be an area for retreat with places visions he had for our land. We were moved be discovered, and in the sensation that one October 14-31 for six cabins. A little way inside the gate was beyond words that this unique being had dis­ feels there when trying to connect with the Bhutan Pilgrimage planned a cabin for Long Life Practice, and a covered something so profound in this place, State of Dzogchen. We hope to protect and with Gangteng Tulku cabin for Guardian practice, where one would and were thrilled with plans for implementing develop it so that all Dzogchen pratitioners of and Tsultrim Allione prepare for a retreat by making offerings to them. Since that time we have been able to this world can have the opportunity.develop Contact: 1-800-688-9851 the Guardians, asking their protection for the begin construction on the Guardian cabin. their practice here. This is not just forTsegyal- Dianeah Wanicek at Insight Travel spiritual journey ahead. On the highest hill, a There is a Mandala at precisely the indicated gar. It is for keeping alive the pure transmis­ place covered with fragrant juniper bushes, he spot. (At the very center under the earth were sion of the lineage of the Dzogchen teachings. June 1-August 31 marked sites clustered fairly near each other found, lying together, two immense boulders Not just for ourselves, but for all practitioners Personal Retreats in tents for three cabins to be designed for the practice in astonishing male and female shapes which now and those of the future as well. Retreat cabin available of thödgal. The first site was marked with a now, honor the entrance to the Mandala). A We have found that through trying to Meals not included. triangle of five colored string tied around sangkhang was built, whose purifying smoke understand the meaning of transmission and three trees. And the second and third as well. scents the air. And we are currently working bodhicitta the work of creating material things A ways to the south he indicated a spot for a on a chorten, dedicated to the long life of such as gates, chortens, mándalas and cabins; For more information: cabin specifically for yidam practice. A small Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche. Not for the pro­ that those physical actions of planning, dig­ Tel: 970-264-6177 cairn of stones was placed near the center of longation of life per se, but, truly, for the ging, and working together, themselves Fax: 970-264-6169 the teaching hill, marking precisely the spot extended life of the transmission, for those become both the path and the goal in the Great [email protected] for the center of a medium sized Dance Man­ practitioners who exist in a future time. Space of the Primordial State. We hope that http :// www.taramandala.com dala. And, at the juncture of the three paths; During the years that have elapsed, we by retelling the story that you will be inspired from the pond, to the Mandala hill, and up to have encountered some obstacles, and have and encouraged to come and help these the juniper grove, he indicated a place for a had to take our case to court in order to win the dreams to manifest.

14 INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY NEWS

NEW GAKYIL OF TASHIGAR

Blue: Sergio Oliva Stella Maris Rodriguez Patricia Feldman Red: Beatriz Rossi Montes de Oca Sergio Rosemblat Ricardo Talone Yellow: Luisa Duri Laura Yoffe Ana Garcia President: Sergio Oliva Treasurer: Luisa Duri Beautiful trees-pines and blue ciders- were plant­ said to all of us that the Stupa was Stupa ed in the area where, in the next year, Dugu Cho- not a monument only for Tandil or Administrative Secretary from June 20th: egygal Rinpoche would give blessings to the site Argentina, but was meant to be a Adriana Bigi in Argentina to consecrate it. The Stupa was then built focus for the spreading of Buddhist between 1993 and 1997. blessings to all Latin America. GAKYIL OF BUENOS AIRES: Numerous practitioners from Tandil, as well We hope you will be able to as from the Dongulying Center, worked together come someday and visit us. Tandil Blue: Marta Trillo with practitioners of the Dzogchen Community is only four hours from Buenos by Daniel Simonelli and Hugo Palacios Red: Mariquita.Rovira of Buenos Aires in the preparation of tsa tsas. Aires and it is very easy to access. Yellow: Daniel Lange During these months people met at Ambrosia We will be very pleased to receive Tn Villa del Parque, five minutes from the center Reyes' house, and while eating and drinking tea you and take you to visit the Stupa; .Lof Tandil, (a city that lays 340km from Buenos in cold winter days, put their efforts to finish and will be very glad to practice Aires), the first Stupa of Argentina was built with everything before Dugu Choegygal Rinpoche together. You are all welcome! funds collected by "Dongyuling", the Drugpa would arrive on his third visit to Argentina. Kagyud Center of Tibetan Buddhism in Argenti­ Finally, in June 1997, the Stupa was conse­ na. crated by the President of "Tara Gar" Monastery The building of the Stupa was promoted by of Katmandu - Dugu Choegygal Rinpoche, in the Hugo Palacios and his family at the end of 1992. presence of Kempo Losal Zangpo- Khempo of Their intention was to have a Buddhist monu­ the Drugpa Kagyud Monastery of "Tashi Jong" ment in memorial of his daughter Soledad, who in India- and Gerardo Abboud, the Director of " died in a car accident on October 5,1991. Dongyuling ", the Drugpa Kagyud Center of It was in November of the year 1992, when Buenos Aires. Dugu Choegygal Rinpoche, from the Drugpa Seventy practitioners came from different Kagyud Monastery of Tashi Jong, first came to parts of Argentina: Buenos Aires, Mar del Plata, THE MIRROR Argentina and visited the place, doing propitiato­ Bariloche, Cordoba to such an important event. ry rites based on the teachings of the Konchog After traveling in cars and buses to Tandil, in the NEWSPAPER OF THE Chindu. middle of a cold and rainy weather, on the day of INTERNATIONAL DZOGCHEN A year later, several people from Tandil began the consecration of the Stupa the sky appeared COMMUNITY immensely blue and the sun shined during the preparing the site for the building of the Stupa. founded by whole ceremony. Dugu Choegygal Rinpoche Chögyal Namkhai Norbu

Main Office: THE WARMTH OF PO Box 277 Conway, Massachussetts 01341 MARGARITA ISLAND U.S.A. Tel 413-369-4208 Fax 413-369-4165 The Summer Gar For Tashigar .Tashigar Del Norte EMail address: 102121.130@ compuserve.com European Office: by Gilberto Parrella The Mirror Merigar. 58031 Arcidosso GR Italy Tel and Fax 0564-966608 hortly after Rinpoche gave his wonderful teachings and we received his day before Rinpoche and Rosa left Margarita, a marvelous land surfaced as a EMail address:105113.1133@ Sdirect transmission into the state instant presence at the retreat in Cara­ real paradise and Rinpoche saw it as a perfect place to settle down right by compuserve.com cas, Venezuela, Rinpoche mentioned how much he would like to have a the sea. Tashigar Del Norte was bom at Playa El Cardon (Cardon Beach) place by the sea in Venezuela. So, a whole group of practitioners went with along the coastal line of the town of El Tirano. This is the place on Margarita EDITORS Rinpoche and Rosa to Margarita Island, known as the "Pearl of the Island that they chose. All of us went to see the land, bathed altogether in its Naomi Zeitz, Tsegyalgar Caribbean" after the retreat ended. cool waters, and had a tasteful Margarita fish feast We played the Liberation Liz Granger, Merigar We all know how much Rinpoche and Rosa love the warm breezes and Game with Rinpoche in the ocean by holding hands and going under each LITERARY EDITOR the cooling waters of the sea. It is a perfect place for them to swim, walk, others' arms, twisting into forms until each of us was free and could contem­ John Shane relax and just enjoy....and of course the people who were fortunate enough to plate the beautiful paradise surrounding us. In front of us on this stretch of go along with them. We did this; we enjoyed without any guilt or shame of relatively unpopulated beach, 5 kilometers away, is the Guayamuri moun­ ADVISORS enjoying. It is very liberating to bear in mind the testament of Namkhai Nor­ tain where the ancient native aborigines lived and did their sacred rituals. Adriano Clemente bu Rinpoche "io godo, noi godiammo, etc "* , which he mentioned on And what does Margarita have to offer us common mortals? Margarita Anna Eid several occassions while at Margarita; and to observe him in the practice of offers the comfort of our modem times: good roads, good housing, air condi­ Des Barry such a testament. tioning for those lovers of artificial coolness in most public places and Barbara Paparazzo Jim Valby We had a wonderful, wonderful time with our beloved Maestro and homes, ( Margarita is tropical, on the Equador, so the temperatures are up Rosa. And then there was a miracle. The manifestation of his longing. The there) and an international airport with direct flights to Europe and North DESIGN AND PRODUCTION America, with all year round special airfares (and it's only 4 and 1/2 hours Maria Rauch from New York City!). The island is not crowded and there are immense opportunities to do all kinds of businesses, there are places to work, and min­ ILLUSTRATION imal language barriers as German, Italian and English are widely spoken. Drawing by Gyurme Rabgyas All of this makes the island easy to maneuver in and the cost of living can be as high or low as fits your budget. Also, if you maintain your instant pres­ PRINTERS ence, Margarita will be the paradise for us all, the union of samsara and nir­ Turley Publishers vana. Palmer. MA With such commentary, the Community of Venezuela would like to invite all of you to join in and particpate to help realize this dream of DISTRIBUTION Tashigar North as quickly as a beam of light. Time passes and we all know Tsegyalgar at Conway, Massachusetts the reality of impermanence. More details of this project will appear on Nor­ bunet when the time comes. In the meantime it is possible to contact: Gilber­ SUBSCRIPTION RATE/6 ISSUES to Parrella at: [email protected] S35 available through Tsegyalgar The teachings of our Master are great and free all of us from our suffer­ 55.000 It. lire through Merigar ings. Through this offering of the island paradise at Margarita, we wish for All material ©1998 by The Mirror. the long life of chögyal Namkhai Norbu and Rosa. Reprint by permission only. We reserve the right to edit all submissions. * "I enjoy, we enjoy..."

THE MJRROR MAY/JUNE 1999 15 INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY NEWS

A Treasure to be Preserved Passages

continued from page 10 Three weddings and a birth Three couples were married by Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche new room for consultation of the archives on the suggestion of not be what it is today - an important reference point for those on the last day of the retreat at Caracas, Venezuela Chögyal Namkhai Norbu. Situated next to the library the con­ who work or are interested either in the teaching or more gen­ on May 2nd, 1999 sultation room will allow the public to access texts, listen to erally in Tibetan culture. However a lot of work still needs to Hugo and Ariane de G roen in» audio cassettes and view films and CD-ROMs. The new mul­ be done. It is indispensable, then, that the flow of collaboration Gilberto Par relia and Monica Klietman timedia room will host the entire Western section including and the donations continue, since they are vital for the work of John Nott and Anamaria Franchesci magazines. Facilities there will include tables, a terminal for the DCISS, the only specialist multimedia library in Italy bibliographic research, a video recorder, an audio recorder and devoted to safeguarding the literary and documentary patri­ Born to Christiane and Salvatore Fiorito a PC. mony of Tibet and Tibetan culture. On April 5th, 1999. at 9:55am - Funding courses to keep the library personnel up to date For donations in terms of equipment, books, as well as for Alexander technical advice and information, write to: - Setting up a web site containing the complete catalogue was bom in Nelspruit, South Africa and inventory of the books, video and audio tapes, photos and weighing in at 3200 gr. Everything went very well. digital media (CD-ROM, audio CD, etc.) of the DCISS. Istituto Shang-Shung - Enlarging the existing documentary patrimony through Loc. Podere Nuovissimo donations and/or purchases. 58031 Arcidosso GR, Italy - Continuing the work of preserving and cataloguing docu­ Tel. 0564-966941. fax 0564-966846 Email: [email protected] ments. DZOGCHEN COMMUNITY TRAVEL For years the Istituto Shang Shung multimedia archive has Financial donations to: been working for the preservation of a documentary patrimo­ Monte dei Paschi di Siena The International Gakyil has been researching the possibility ny of unquestionable historical and cultural value. The results Arcidosso branch of a travel agency which handles travel arrangements (espe­ which it has obtained to date would not have been possible cc 5764.48 ABI 1030 CAB 72160 cially flights, but not only) for members of the Dzogchen Com­ without the support of the international Dzogchen Community please specify "for the Digital Archive Project" and institutions such as the Regione Toscana and the Provincia munity. Here is a proposition sent to Norbunet by Christina von di Grosseto. It should also be added that without the contribu­ Becoming a member of the Istituto Shang-Shung you also helpGeispitzheim of Switzerland. tion in terms of patrimony, equipment and funds on one hand to support the DCISS!!! and the work of so many volunteers in the field of Tibetology Ordinary members 1999 Lit. 20.000 CAP-C TRAVEL as well as computer technology on the other, the DCISS would Sustaining members 1999 Lit. 1.000.000 Mr. Christian Caprez me Saint Jean 92, P.O. Box 2461 CH-1211 Geneva 2 Phone0041 22901 1215,Fax 0041229098384 THE THREE SOUNDS OF A BELL A Visit to the Slovak Republic Mr. Caprez will handle inquiries by persons from the Dzogchen Community personally, so it is necessary to ask for The Retreat in Peru with Chögyal Namkhai Norbu rom Friday till Monday, March 26 - March him when inquiring by phone, or by fax or letter by stating.to F29,1999 we were pleased to welcome Oliver the attention of. (Right now Mr. Caprez is preparing an offer Leick from Austria, who is an older disciple of for Moscow and interested people should form small groups by Juan B ustamente Chögyal Namkhai Norbu and a Yantra Yoga and contact him.) instructor. According to Rinpoche's advice, Oliver SINGLE TRAVELERS t the oceanside, the bell of a chapel calls thrice. People hear it and -like explained Refuge and Bodhicitta from the Base Very probably for single travelers the advantage of booking waking up from a strange dream- come to hear some outlandish but fas­ A level of Santi Maha Sangha. About fifteenpeo ­ with CAP-C TRAVEL will be small, if any. Anyhow CAP-C cinating tale from afar. And at the same time so close to their hearts and lives ple had the opportunity to listen to these very TRAVEL will try to find the best buy for any flight. Payment that they start thinking they knew it from always. It is called the Great Per­ useful explanations. This was the first time that a can be made by credit card or by bank draft. fection.. Dzogchen student came to our country to give The man who tells the story is robust in body and mind, and gives a sen­ explanations and to lead a retreat. GROUPS FOR RETREATS sation of strange majesty, from inside, sometimes soft and tender and wrath­ The first day was a Gum Padmasambhava The contact with CAP-C TRAVEL is better for groups. Group ful at other times. Like a musician or a magician -it's almost the same now-, day, so it was a good sign for spreading the tariffs are lower than tariffs for single travelers. In this case one he starts to weave concepts and sensations in us, which make our beings Dzogchen teachings here. Along with the clear representative of the group contacts Mr. Caprez and books the more full and at the same time transparent, transported to a dimension of so and essential explanation and practice of the number of flights necessary. It is possible to form a group, even much ease that we are at peace with our own past and future. Song of the Vajra and Ganpuja, we practiced the if departure is from different cities or even countries (example: Eight Movements of Yantra Yoga. Munich-Zurich-Sydney, Madrid-Zurich-Sydney, Vienna- Practitioners also had the opportunity to Zurich-Sydney, etc.) Mr. Caprez will then see if he can form a speak with Oliver about both samsara [daily life group of, let's say, Germans, English, French, Italians, etc., all problems] and nirvana [teachings and practice] departing from their own country, and through his coordination which was also very useful, beneficial and obtain the advantageous group tariff for all. The return flight inspiring. can be booked with a certain degree of freedom, that is some Due to this retreat, new people started to persons of the group can fly back earlier or later. practice and older ones to take their practice more seriously - both to realize the state of If there are more questions on this topic please contact me and I Dzogpa Chenpo. We hope to meet again in shall be happy to give further information, future to go deeper and deeper into our under­ Christina von Geispitzheim standing. Tourist Office Zermatt Good luck and thank you. Email:[email protected]

D H ARM AWARE Retreat in Peru N. ZEITZ GALLERY OF SACRED ARTS He smiles like an old friend, and we feel warm and cozy, as if the hun­ dred around us wouldn't be there. And at the same time we feel a true broth­ DHARMA PRACTICE SUPPLIES erhood with them, for we are sharing the most precious jewel in our lives View our web-site for current with them. listing of Thangkas, Statues, Suddenly, three more sounds: long and deep, coming out from a glitter­ ing light resounding in our chests, and behold! All the space fills with rays Carpets and Ritual Objects and rainbows. We are transformed into beings of light offering light to www .dharmawiire.com beings of light. And lo! The light is the same! Comes from the same source, from the very beginning! This realization makes us to be "there", into a pres­ Visit our Woodstock Store ence of pure awareness, even beyond light asd shadow. Speechless, we chant a fairy song, in a language of flying beings, earthly and ethereal, aris­ Cassettes of Dharma Talks ing from our own minds, like thoughts of light. Recorded Live at the Kathmandu Cafe At the third day some even shed tears just from the beauty of all this. Handera ftc-cl Stati Lama Tharch.fr. Ttir^pof.l-ip Amazing! Everything is perfect, just as it is... I Thangkas Painted to Order | Prof. Robert Thurman Then all is over, and at the same time just starting. We are like athletes Send $3 for 36 page Color Catalog who having finishedthei r training are now bound to manifest their art of liv­ - Tsultrim. AJlitone 54E Tinker Street Woodstock NY 12498 ing in the middle of the most ordinary circumstances, and in the extraordi­ John Reynold*. Office 914 679 4900 Fax 914 679 4995 nary too. Trying to release their suffering and discovering that it was already j Q*ll for complete Hating free. e-mail:erik(®fiHatnrriaware.corri Please Call for Wholesale Price List USA Orders Call 1 888 679 4900

16 INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY NEWS

The Life in Kunsangar

His Holiness continuedfrom page 12 the Dalai Lama shot many fireworks at the same time. And then we were every hour. In the beginning it was very cold and it was dancing, singing and playing games. I think it the first real heroism to work there for twelve hours. When it was time the Moscow Dzogchen Community had such a nice fixed it worked for twenty four hours and then there was New York City time together. And it was beginning a tradition to spend time for sleeping and working in buildings. August 12-15,1999 time not only practicing, but having fun together. Life in Kunsangar got a little bit more comfortable. Right after the New Year there was first collective Some people gave a refrigerator, later a TV and video, and retreat in Kunsangar; a one week retreat of practice for the a microwave stove. We use filters to clean the water. Training the Mind first level of Santi Maha Sangha. Fifteen people came to Now when we are writing this narration we have just Opening the Heart find not very cozy rooms and to help make them more finished the retreat with Jim Valby. It's a mark of the work homey. It was very nice to do four tuns a day, two hours of we did. We almost fixed one of the four two-story build­ August 12-14 karma yoga and then have food, interesting conversations, ings. Maybe some little things are left unfinished, but peo­ 10:00am - 12:00pm/2:00pm - 4:00pm and dance. (We even made room for dancing, with fluo­ ple stayed Hiere and enjoyed it. We fixed all Hie walls, Please arrive by 8:00am rescent lights and luminescent strings which make our ceilings, floors and bathrooms. It was typical Soviet style; 2124 Broadway at 74th Street discotheque very bright and unreal, like a fairy-tale. ) very ugly and poor. By the efforts of Sergey Vshtouny, Sometimes it was too much, because people went to Anna Rudneva, Sergey Runov, Misha Cherepanov, Dima Ticket Information: bed at 2 am and in the mornings it was difficult to be wake Miusskiy, Luda Kislichenko, Slava Belov, Tolya Bylbas, Ticket Master: 212 307 7171 up for the first Tun. But at the same time it's easy to under­ Jenya Sergun, Sasha Gubin, Vadim VVS, and many kar­ Beacon Theatre Box Office: 212 496 7070 stand our Vajra sisters and brothers; Moscow is so big, ma yoga practitioners, it became much nicer, fresh, and General Admission $ 1000/ $75 ( per day) people are so busy, and they just don't have time to com­ with a different kind of energy. We bought new beds, municate deeply or to spend time together. Usually in the sheets, pillows, and mattresses. We cleaned Hie enormous A Public Talk: Moscow Community we come for practices and have dining room and kitchen and fixed the old kitchen equip­ ment. Everyone worked as it was their own home. All the free and open to all time only to say hello to each other and run away. In Hie Gar it's different. People leave their preoccupations at people who came for the retreat could appreciate the Sunday, August 15,11:00am home and can dedicate all their time to practice and relax­ work that had been done. Seating begins at 9:00am ing a little bit. They have time to know each other more, to The retreat with Jim Valby was a preparation for Hie East Meadow, 98th Street and 5th Avenue joke, have fun, and become closer Nobody wanted to go July Longde retreat with Chögyal Namkhai Norbu. All of home after that retreat. And almost all of them came for us think it was successful. Kunsangar is working! Kun­ For additional information the next retreat, which began in February; it was retreat of sangar is alive despite Hie problems. Before July we have call 212 7801999 Purification of Six Lokas. We then had another Santi to repair another two-floor building and house for Rin­ or visit www.thetibetcenter.org Maha Sangha 1st level practice retreat. poche, shower rooms and sauna, and to organize and Much work was done during Hie retreats; karma yoga make a place for the teaching. And we are sure we'll be helped a lot to clean and fix buildings. Particularly joyful done on time. after the message from Rinpoche about the Longde Have you heard that we have an uncompleted swim­ Milano, Italy Retreat in Kunsangar in July, we made a much bigger ming pool building? If someone could sponsor this pro­ effort to repair the houses and to organize the retreat. ject, it would be so great for Rinpoche and all of us. October 21-24,1999 Before we had two years for this work, and now only half We hope we gave you some idea what Kunsangar is. a year. More people came to work. The boiler had taken a We hope you like it, and will come to see if it is really like Teachings lot of energy to keep buildings warm enough, it's an old this. You are welcome! ! ! On The Path of Liberation kind which needs wood or coal, and our men had to fuel it October 21-23,1999 at the Palalido 9-ll:30am/2:30-5:00pm The Mirror and Its Future

Tantric initiation of Chenrezig October 24 -2:30 pm continued from page 7 Centro Rabten Ghe Pel Ling Suggestion: Do as many TUN of any practice as much as of those people who consider themselves Dzogchen prac­ possible. Each time one does any TUN, spend a moment titioners could find a way to become members, then it AH information from: while lost in distraction to think about how to contribute should be possible for all members to receive a subscrip­ Centro Rabten Ghe Pel Ling articles, or value, to Hie Mirror. Then after Hie TUN, put tion to Hie Mirror. Via Euclide 17,20128 Milan a dime (or equivalent) in ajar. At the end of the year, or 0039 022 7001121, fax 0039 022 7003449 when you have $35 in the jar, send Hie money in the jar to Editor's Reply on Norbunet: the Mirror. Do lots of TUN! [email protected] To the Community from The Mirror: We would like to thank you for all your ideas and input for Julia Anne Donoho the future of The Mirror. We have already taken some I am a member of Hie community and I do not subscribe to action regarding redistribution of mailing costs and low­ the Mirror, though I would love to receive it and I enjoy ering the cost of the layout and printing. We will continue reading it when I run across a copy. Asking people who to examine the possibilties of format changes and meth­ generally have made long-term commitments and large ods of printing and distributing as was discussed on Nor­ Issue 8 includes: contributions over many years and who pay dues each bunet. Asfar as The Mirror being only available on line, year to sustain Hie community to pay an extra fee for Hie this is not within the realm of possibility for our Commu­ The Path is Mirror seems petty to me. I like the ideas about how to nity as many people do not have access to receive it and under your Feet attract more subscribers to Hie Mirror, and pray to see an most people prefer to have the hard copy of the paper. David Schneider, end to the guilt-tripping types of arm-twisting tactics. One point The Mirror staff would like to make is that the Director of Shambhala primary function of The Mirror is and will continue to be Europe John B. LaFrance as an intra - Community newspaper. The Mirror is intend­ In the recent discussion about The Mirror a person said ed as a tool of communication for the Dzogchen Commu­ nity of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu and as a forum for the Emotional Intelligence she felt she should get a subscription as part of her annual Community members. This brings us to the topic of con­ Daniel Goleman membership fee. This brings into focus the larger issue of responsibility for maintaining the Dzogchen Community. tent which will always be reflective, as well, of the Com­ At Tsegyalgar, based on Rinpoche's "Fundamental Prin­ munity and its members. We are always open to consider­ Tea-time reflections ciples of the Dzogchen Community", we consider our ing a wide range of material, but there are some restric­ Dzongsar Khyentse mission to be the "maintenance and continuation of Hie tions based on certain criteria. This is called editorial Rinpoche Dzogchen Ati teachings". In general we try to consider policy and every publication works within those parame­ everything we do in light of this purpose. Supporting the ters. The Mirror is a service for the Community and what Special Feature on publication of The Mirror is one of the responsibilities of is printed is what we receive from you. the 'Death, Dying Tsegyalgar. So we hope you will continue to participate and if you would like to see other types of content, please send it to and Living' In 1998 Tsegyalgar's Mirror expenses exceeded the us. We are waiting. Conference income by more than $11,000. So, how were those expenses paid? Email: Naomi Zeitz, US Editor, Subscription for 4 issues UK £12, Tsegyalgar relies primarily on income from retreats, espe­ <102121.130@compuserve. com> Europe £16, cially from retreats with Rinpoche, from donations and Liz Granger, European Editor, World Wide £18. lastly from membership fees. In other words, the work of <105113.1133@compuserve .com> Dharmakosha our Master continues to be a prime means of our financial 31/39 Redchurch Street, survival. In 1998 only about 125 people in North America •Editor's note: Regarding the comments pertaining to Hie London E2 7DJ, UK. became members of the Dzogchen Community. poor paper quality of Hie newsprint paper. The Mirror is Tel: 4-44 171 739 8533 Fax: +44 171 739 8695 So, in answer to how The Mirror expenses were paid one recorded electronically and we have a dream to one day could say they were paid in part by subscribers, but also have CD archives of all the past issues. If there is anyone by the work of Rinpoche (retreat income), by generous who would like to participate in helping The Mirror with donors and by members. Certainly, if a larger percentage this electronic recording, please inform us!

THE MIRROR MAY/JUNE 1 999 17 REFLECTIONS —

we also get a sense of his lofty academic overview and his resistance to sim­ Young Man Dreaming plistic good-bad, right wrong, light- dark polarities. He tells us he is going to explode the myth of Shangri-La, he does it with an enviable lightness of touch and in straightforward language. By the end of the introduction we by Bob De Grande know that Prisoners is going to be a quirky book, but we already respect the author. So far so good. But then we plunge headlong into an expositionof the nce upon a time there was a young man dreaming. word Lamaism, a misnomer for Tibetan Buddhism coined by ill-informed He dreamed about running quickly in order to find O foreigners. This is familiar territory for me, but for Fred and Doris? I think the way of knowledge. But he found that it wasn't a they would be bemused, if not confused, because they would know very little quick road and he wasn't running. He tried to open his about Tibetan Buddhism and Prisoners does not help them along with a pre­ heart to the world but he wasn't able to. Each time he liminary explanation. And the language? just collected pieces of his broken ego. One day he met Try this: the words of the Catholic philosopher, Saint Augustine: "The recourse to genealogy attempts to establish not only a direct Fecisti nos ad te deum, et inquietum est cor nostrum historical relation, but also a hierarchy based on the chronological donee requiescat inte. * proximity of the influencing agent to the originary ancestor." * You create us like you, God, and our heart is restless Not easy and impenetrably obscure when lifted out of context.A reader until we rest in you. interested in Tibet, its culture and its religion would have little difficulty with He explored all the possibilities within the Catholic Prisoners, though patience is needed topick through the many references and Church. One day a Catholic Master said to him, detailed analyses of the roots and meanings of Tibetan words. A reader of "It is not your way." average intellectual capacity with no prior knowledge of the subject matter, After some years he discovered sculpture and he however, would need plenty of patience and determination to follow its the­ tried to find the answers in his heart in the shapes that he sis. The book is in fact, more like a collection of essays than a single narra­ discovered while carving wood. The Master was Light, tive. When Don Lopez relaxes into being a humorous American, Prisoners the Master was Nature, the Master was Feelings, and he becomes a page turner, but Fred and Doris would probably give up before this discovered how hard it was to transform intuition into happens. This is its weakness in terms of popular appeal, and its strength as something understandable for other people. work which gives authoritative insight into the myths and misinterpretations One day he had the good fortune was to find the Peaceful Warriors B. DE GRANDEo f Tibetan Buddhism. teachings of Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche. Slowly, slowly In many respects I have been influenced more by Prisoners than any other his life started to change. The sculpture became his life to wait in a clear light for a new vision about the academic work on Tibetan Buddhism, with the possible exception of Geof­ main job. He tried to represent the image of the deity of shape of life. But more importantly to look at the sensa­ frey Samuel's Civilised Shamans. The length of this book alone would deter the Tibetan teachings, by following his inspiration. One tions and perceptions, and the feelings that come to Fred and Doris; 619 densely packed pages but Geoffrey really has bridged day when he asked for advice Rinpoche said to him, mind and to visualize the energy of the deity in my prac­ the divide between scholarly integrity and the banalities of dumbing down. "You can continue in this natural way." tice. Glenn Mullin is good at this too, in bursts, and so too are Stephen Batchelor, Slowly, slowly this job became my dream. The way I But a dream is a dream and it is developing more and Keith Dowman and George Feuerstein. can impress my feeling into a shape in wood is my only more. So that now I am dreaming that someone wants to I am disappointed in members of my own sex though. Determined toget ambition. It is my huge passion, and I am like a mother call me all over the world to discover and to perceive to grips with feminine perspectives, I tried really hard to plough through who sees her little baby for the first time when finally how different people feel the deity. My journey will Miranda Shaw's Passionate Enlightenment and Rita Gross on Buddhism the work is accomplished. My dream is to dedicate my never stop. After Patriarchy. Here are a couple of examples of their hyper-intellectual prose first from passionate Miranda: "Tantric exegetes attempt not to settle upon a definitive meaning, Fred, Doris, Herbert, Don and Others found my own voice. They went into retiremento n one but rather to accumulate and juxtapose layers of interpretation that of my mental back burners, but thankfully, did not deepen and enrich an image until every encounter with it evokes a desert me. symphonic chord of philosophical, aesthetic, and mythic overtones that are dynamically called into play in the experiential context of religious by Mary Finnigan Although I am now writing in a literary format, I am also trying to present complex ideas, issues and events instruction " continued on page 20 in accessible language using a variety of sources which Scene: the bulletin desk at Independent Radio News include b«ks on Tibetan Buddhism and associated sub­ in London, early 1980s. Players the editor of the day jects written by scholars in the condensed, multi-syllab­ and me (new to the medium). ic idiom beloved by academia, but indigestible to the Editor: "Popular perception of Margaret Thatcher average reader. Here is an example from Kindly Bent to 50-0 31 5 rate into my work. During this process, I discovered that material. After thefirst few paragraphs it is clear that we OUT- I did not need to replace Fred and Doris, because I had are not going to be presented with a sterile analysis, but

18 REFLECTIONS

the Ganapuja on the bus, with a hamburger I bought in CHINESE BOXES Novi Sad, already bombed, half way to the border, Ahorne Impermanence among the women and children who were anxious to Zeljkas within home leave. Through the deserted villages, through the sud­ within home denly lifeless fields, on the bus, my husband was the Songs Can Be Positive Too within another only man, and we were not sure whether he would be let home out of the country. He was, after a discussion, and the Looking for a Home Slowly pealing away next day I was safe in France, with my children. (Songs of a lonely Refugee) by Zeljka Jovanovic layers of Chinese boxes From here, every day I am in e-mail connection with always to discover the practitioners in Belgrade. None of them are involved HOMELESS, another one in any politics, and all of them are safe, so far. As we SWEET HOMELESS lurking within have mainly women in the Community, nobody as far as I know I know is forced to go and fight There is one practitioner He* said "Leaving home t is difficult to write about the Dzogchen Community home is in Novi Sad, a woman who has two sons who are almost beginning of in Belgrade, because the story involves politics, and I I big enough to join the army; she is afraid for them. practice" at the very center have never been strong in the field, never read newspa­ The form I crave so The practitioners don't meet regularly, as before, to pers, never watched TV. Now is the first time that I watch fiercely do group practices, because transport in Belgrade is not Since I've left TV news every evening, in a little town in France... is to be found an easy affair, also, everybody feels safer at home. They what used to be home I have been a member of the Community in Belgrade At the very end of the road are in telephone contact, though. A couple of them meet I've never stopped since the very beginning in 1988. (officially, it was regis­ once a week to practice Yantra Yoga, and the others do looking for it: where form dissolves tered in 1990, as The Association for the Preservation of occasional practice together. There is a Mandala for in wide plains into formless Tibetan Culture and Tradition). Last August, after seven Vajra Dance, and for a year before I left we used to dance by wild ocean And finally relaxing desire years of war in different parts of our country, when life every Saturday; now it is impossible to find a place to put in turbulent mountains I fall into the peaceful embrace had become too tedious, I decided to leave with my chil­ it and dance. Lots of Tara mantras are done, individually. of Karmaling of home dren; now we live in a small town in France. During the past years, in Beograd, we have developed a Ceaselessly running beyond walls During the past months, I have been in contact via e- "chain" system of doing practice together; it had started mad w. desire beyond limits mail with some members of the Dzogchen Community when Rinpoche was ill, when it was necessary to do for a roof of roof in Belgrade. Officially, we have twenty members, ten of Nagong as much as possible. We would chose a day, and a quiet comer doors whom are serious practitioners who have attended many decide to do for instance twelve hours of constant prac­ a hearth of fire & windows retreats in Belgrade, Italy, France, Greece and America, tice; then, everybody takes one hour and practices at Home Ahorne open to visitors and who have been meeting regularly to do group prac­ his/her home, and thus we form a chain of continuous nowhere to be found to myself & the other tices on special days. practice. It would probably be the only way to do practice For a while I dreamt receiving-giving Now, being far away from Belgrade, but also very far together in Belgrade now. of heaps of gold coins moving endlessly away from the other practitioners in France (it seems that in still circles During the years of war, we have kept good relations with which to buy the nearest is some 500 km away!), I appreciate the warm The home of a fish with the practitioners from Croatia (some of whom live ahorne contact, cooperation and serious practice we had together at home in Italy and Switzerland now), Slovenia, Bosnia, though I dreamt of the man over the years. but free as well** there were very few. The politics has influenced our rela­ with whom to build Two months ago, for the firsttim e after I have left my You cannot keep a fish tions only in terms of difficult communication on the Of plane tickets and a backpack country, a few days before the onset of the official war, in a box material level (Post Office, telephone, etc.). Luckily, Of Home by coincidence, I had landed at the Belgrade airport, to with Internet, there was always a possibility to continue nowhere to be found no matter how big spend in my hometown a week that turned out to be very normal communication with other practitioners even *** not even endless intense. I have arrived on my 44th birthday (March 19 ), though the borders have been developing all over ex- Running towards it and found three practitioners, who had been invited by Yugoslavia. I've ran away Better let it swim my husband to meet me after eight months. away It is very difficult to live there now. Life is becoming The only road I never remembered We have decided to do a Ganapuja on the 23rd, very expensive, the black market very strong. There are is to relax because somehow, by mistake, I thought that it was Pad- no jobs, no way to make money. People live on reserves, in the Nature of Mind masambhava's day. And it's good that I made the mis­ A REFUGEE SONG and not everybody has them. The air and water are very forget about Home take... On Tuesday, ten practitioners came to my flat, as polluted, due to the bombing and spillage of toxic sub­ and find it again My mother is dead* "ffieydid soòTtènlrver the years-one oFthem lives in Aus­ stances from the destroyed factories. Not only are the Just let me find Mother Earth tria, but somehow she happened to be visiting her moth­ fish and rare kinds of eagles disappearing, but the water let me run My father is dead* er, and joined us for the practice. Another who has been is also not good for the humans. It is practically impossi­ a bit longer let me find endless sky living in Greece, was also in Belgrade, hoping to get a ble to leave the country, as many embassies are closed, Let me exhaust My Home is no more visa to go to France, but he didn't come that evening, and and everybody just somehow hopes and prays that it all all desires let me find Refuge in I didn't see him. Although we found out that it was in fact stops. Before I drop down Mind beyond limits Ekajati day, we did ä Ganapuja anyway, with lots of Eka- the backpack of karma When Worldly Love is exhausted jati mantras. Normally, when we think of impermanence, it seems on my own doorstep let our Children become The evening was very warm, and after so many a bad thing; it is usually seen as an end of happy events. in the dream: the Message of Wisdom months of isolation from the Vajra Family, I felt at home. Looking at the pictures on TV, every evening at 8 PM, I A house near the forest When I have no more Country Slavica explained her plan to buy a bit of land for the see real Kaliyuga. I confess I didn't take it seriously a cool spring let me sing Community, she has even started to collect money, and twenty years ago, when we were all so young, back in breathe in a Refugee Song some people have made donations. I have described the India and Nepal, and the Lamas told us all about it; I and sleep by the road to town in which I live in France, and invited them to come thought they made it up, or exaggerated a bit, so we or Freedom of Awareness and visit - though, of course, at the moment it was would practice more. Now, it's here, developing amongst us, and there is nothing we can do about it. And, when I die extremely difficult to obtain visa and travel. (Now it is * The worldly prophet has said think of the impermanence of all things, I am almost hap­ completely impossible). We exchanged the news and sto­ *Dudjom Rinpoche "The time will come when the liv­ py, because even that situation will end, and let's hope it ries of our lives, and decided to meet on the real Pad- The Alchemy or Realization ing will envy the dead". masambhava day, Friday, March 26th. I was going to ends soon enough. leave next Sunday, to join my children in France. The next day we have heard the firstbombs . We spent hours listening to the radio, telephoning each other, try­ ing to figure out who is doing what, who is hiding Hawaiian Flowers and Lei where... One practitioner, who had a possibility to leave, took her small son, left a dog with another practitioner, Delivered FRESH and fled to Germany. anywhere in the USA So, the Ganapuja which was supposed to be in her flat was off. Some were hiding in the cellars whenever they heard the sirens. The others were discussing a possibility order on-line: to go to a Karma Kagyu center in Hungary; during the past three or four years we had good relations with the www.aloha-frcshflowcrs.com Lama there, and have organized his teaching retreats in coll toll free: 888-884-KONA Belgrade. There was a possibility to stay on the Commu­ nity land near Budapest, but I don't think anybody finally MARK 10% FOR ÙZ06CHEN COMMUNITY decided to do it. My flight was canceled, the airport closed, and I was left without money to buy a bus ticket, not sure whether there were buses, or whether it was safe to travel. Between my quick walks through the deserted city (dur­ DAKA'S BUDDHIST ASTROLOGY ing the first days, the shops were closed, people were Jhampa, a Buddhist Moni scared), in search of a safe way to get back to my chil­ 14 years in India, uses dren, I phoned my Vajra Family. Everything seemed 26 years of experience to unreal in the place where I was bom. I was happy and sad help you understand to walk the streets I know so well, to see the houses so yourself, relationships, mined, the poverty of people. The town was full of children & start new events. strange nervousness, which has somehow relaxed after From the Buddhist perspective the bombing has begun; as though everybody has been Carla al Margarita Island M. RAUCH we are interdependent with expecting it. the universe. We didn't see each other before I took a bus I thought Carla Rauch, 4 years old from Innsbruck, Austria: was thelast one to Paris, on Padmasambhava day. I did "I'm just an A with two legs." www.buddhist-astrology.com 1-800-81 9-2288

THE MI. ; MAY/JUNE 1 999 19 But I can also clearly see in myself that tendency to com­ The Yak on The End of Your Own Nose placency which is so dangerous to people who consider them­ selves to be on a spiritual path. All too easily we can come to think that we have 'settled everything' by subscribing to a par­ ticular system of belief, feeling, perhaps, relieved that we have at last been able to answer all our questions through our By John Shane comitment to a particular tradition. And then we don't bother to look closely at ourselves any more. couple of years ago I attended a conference in Boston, human nature is one of fundamental goodness. I think that is what Peter Mathiesson was trying to remind AMassachusetts that had the ambitious title of "The First These friends agreed that Peter's remarks seemed to con­ the participants at that Boston conference in his controversial Conference on American Buddhism'. tradict the spirit of His Holiness' presentation of Buddhist talk there. Among the speakers present there was Peter Mathiesson, teachings, and they concluded that from the point of view of The truth is, there is a snuggle in most of us - in me, and the anthropologist, who is the author of many books, the most those teachings, Peter's remarks weren't very Buddhist. probably in you, too - a struggle for freedom from the tyranny famous of which is probably "The Snow Leopard' - which But I am not convinced that what the Dalai Lama taught of our 'deluded passions', or conflicting emotions. gives an account of his travels in the Himalayas in search of and what Peter was trying to say are incompatible. And that struggle has the habit of escaping from our con­ the elusive, almost mythical mountain creature of his title. If one sees human nature as fundamentally brutal and cor­ scious control when we least expect it, and rewriting in blood He has also written a number of serious novels (one of rupt, then logically, the concentration camp and the hatred the history of nations, redefining, in the fierce convulsions it which has been made into a major Hollywood motion picture that creates such a place would be the most probable, if not the creates, the maps of countries and the boundaries of conti­ - 'At Play In The Fields Of The Lord'), as well as some books inevitable expression of human relationship. From that point nents. on the history and present day political situation of native of view one would also be likely to conclude that human soci­ How shall we relax it, this struggle, if we don't see it and Americans, and two journals that record his experience as a ety is inherently exploitative and that there is therefore not know it, and own it for what it is? How shall we grow out of it, practitioner of Zen Buddhism. much basis for bringing about any significant changes within if we are content to hide behind the learned quotations of tra­ At the time that I met him at the Boston conference he had that society to improve it - other than by imposing draconian dition and recite only words of wisdom belonging to others? recently been ordained as a Zen priest. laws and filling the prisons with all who break them. Where awareness is not present, there, in an instant, the Although he studied for many years under a Japanese mas­ But there can be no doubt that if one is genuinely con­ passions flare up, and where there is no insight into their real ter, his ordination and authorization to teach were received vinced that those who are violent or corrupt have a fundamen­ nature, there, in an instant the seed of war, the seed of geno­ from the American Zen master Roshi Bemie Glassman, and at tally positive nature which has only been obscured by nega­ cide is sown. the time of the conference he had just returned from a pilgrim­ tive conditioning, it not only becomes easier to maintain a The straggle is not 'over there', in Kosovo, in Belgrade, or age to Europe with Roshi Glassman during which, together positive attitude oneself - both in the face of personal adversi­ some other remote 'theater of war'. It is here, in you and me. with a group of people from many countries, they made a ten ty and when confronted with the continual stream of negative We cannot tum away - trying to make our peace in our lit­ day retreat at the site of the concentration camp at Auschwitz. news that floods into our homes every day - but it also tle worlds - saying: 'It does not touch me here, it is far away.. At the conference there were many workshops, lectures becomes easier to envisage society being improved for the Because it does touch us, it touches us intimately, right and seminars in various locations going on concurrently all better through kindness and persuasion - in short, through here in the midst of our lives: if we are truthful and examine day within the same grand but rather faded hotel, that were gentler forms of enforcement of the law, and through dialogue ourselves deeply, we know that until we ourselves are fully given by masters, teachers, scholars and practitioners of vari­ and reconciliation rather than through armed conflict. free - of ignorance, of prejudice, of anger, of hatred, of jeal­ ous Buddhist traditions. But each day there were two 'keynote This is clearly the basis of the Buddhist approach to evil: ousy, of the conditioning force of all the passions - we are not speeches' made in front of all the participants in the confer­ we speak about meeting hatred with love, and encountering innocent, no matter what good people we like to think we ence from a formal stage at one end of a huge ballroom that violence with compassion. We speak about maintaining equa­ might be. was filled with rows and rows of identical chairs. nimity in the face of conflicting emotions and in the face of We, too, are - if not actually - nevertheless potentially Perhaps because of his fame as a writer, perhaps for some both good fortune and adversity. And we attempt to see the complicit in this tragedy. other reason - I really don't know why - Peter Mathiesson best in everyone we meet, bringing out the inherent good "It's harder to see the Yak on the end of your own nose was asked to make the keynote speech that would open the qualities in ourselves and others. than the ant on the end of someone else's", as the words of the conference. And since his lyrical book "The Snow Leopard' is There is ample evidence that this is a practical point of Tibetan proverb go. his most famous work, most of the thousand or so people pre­ view - not just an idealistic one. Many of the stories of sur­ And it is easier to point the finger at someone else than to sent were expecting a mellow, poetic and intriguing talk that vivors of Auschwitz, for example, show clearly that not only look into the heart of the darkness in oneself. would lead them gently into the conference, leaving them, was being able to maintain a But we will not collectively be free of this darkness until perhaps, inspired that their interest and involvement with compassionate and even loving attitude in the face of the each one of us is free of it. Buddhism was 'a good thing'. utmost horror an enormous asset in enabling the camp But if that was our expectation we should perhaps have inmates to maintain some measure of human dignity, but it Fred, Doris, Herbert, Don and Others remembered Peter's rather more hard-hitting works that was also an immensely favorable factor for survival in the ter­ chronicle the deception and genocide carried out by the early rible conditions there. European settlers of the US against the original inhabitants of The fact remains, though, that evil is a powerful force the American continent, because his opening talk at the con­ which is very hard to resist with goodness, and it requires continued from page 18 ference was anything but comforting: it was challenging to enormous self-discipline to meet violence with non-violence. the point of being shocking to many of the conference partici­ It requires tremendous moral courage not to give in to despair This is not a particularly difficult paragraph to understand, pants. when confronted with brutal, unreasoning and overwhelming but theproblem with Miranda is that the entire book is written Peter didn't pull any punches. He is a tall, lanky man. in force. like this. There is no relaxation, no change of mood or tempo. his late fifties, with graying hair and a patrician demeanor, and I am not just raising these issues here for the purpose of The material isfascinating, but the manner of its presentation is as he stood on the stage in that huge hall filled to the roof with idle philosophical speculation. relentlessly severe. the public's expectation of a 'feel-good' opening talk, it was Tonight, as I write these words in the quiet of my home, Feminist Rita's style is even more demanding: deeply moving to hear him speak so honestly and openly of where my wife is putting our younger daughter Susannah to "As recent feminist hermeneutics have demonstrated, this the feelings that had come up in him at Auschwitz as he and a bed upstairs, the television is relentlessly pushing out images choice limits, but does not cripple the contemporary scholar, if group of other practitioners sat in silence day after day inside of war and genocide in Europe. si he wishes to do androgynous scholarship." the grim concentration camp, in freezing cold and sometimes Video clips are playing in heavy rotation on the 24 hour Passed through the Fred and Doris filter the sentence above snowy weather, watching their own minds in silent witness of news channels of bombs falling on homes where children will might emerge along these lines: all that arose in their thoughts and emotions in that terrible not - as mine will - sleep soundly in their beds tonight, and I " Modern feminist interpretations have shown that this place. admit that I have been struggling to explain these things to choice limits, but does not cripple contemporary scholars if But the provocative question that Peter left hanging in the myself in a language that is adequate both to the enormity of they want to do research combining the characteristics of both air at the end of his talk was this: 'After thousands of years of the horror that we are witnessing and to my understanding of sexes." practice of them, have all or any of the world's organized reli­ the spirit of the Buddha's teachings. Even a process designed to make current affairs accessible gions really made any practical difference to man's behavior I am fortunate in that I can say I have never personally to a popular audience fails when applied to Rita.I am not sug­ towards his fellow man - which remains, by and large, far experienced the terrors of war or of persecution. But I am pos­ gesting that scholars should take writing lessons from Jeffrey worse than the behavior of animals?' sessed of a vivid imagination, and I have no difficulty in visu­ Archer or Kitty Kelley, but I do think that the world view epito­ He concluded by saying that no animal would treat their alizing clearly what is happening now in the Balkans. mized by Fred and Doris would be enriched if the knowledge, own species in the way that humankind treats its own, and he And I find it deeply disturbing. experience and insight gained from academic endeavor was asked us to question our assumptions about ourselves and I had believed that we could at least say with safety that presented in a user-friendly format. And I am not saying that I 'our'Buddhism. 'the Old Continent' had learned its lessons and that in Europe, approve of dumbing down what I am getting at seems more In the final analysis, he asked, could we really say we were despite the constant frictions of so-called 'minor conflicts', like dumbing up...or in holistic terms, a mutually beneficial better human beings because of our involvement with Bud­ the attempt to murder whole peoples there was a thing of the two-way flow. dhism, or was it more true to say that had we all we had really past. But it is clear now that this is not so. done was to add a new layer of glamour and sophistication to And when I ask myself why this should be - if, as I believe Bibliography of authors tested via Fred and Doris our self-deception? it is, human nature is fundamentally good - I cannot, after Kindly Bent to Ease Us. Herbert Guenther. Dharma Publishing 1975 As I walked through the hotel after his speech ended I years of listening to Rinpoche's patient explanations of the Prisoners of Shangri-La, Donald S. Lopez Jr. University of Chicago Press. overheard many conversations about what Peter had said in various ways in which the mirror is used as a symbol in 1998 the corridors and on staircases leading from one floor of the Dzogchen, avoid turning my attention to an examination of Religions of Tibet in Practice. Donald S. Lopez Jr. 1997 hotel to another. my own situation. Civilised Shamans. Geoffrey Samuel. Smithsonian Institution Press 1993 'Did he have to begin the conference on such a downbeat Is my own nature one of brutality, violence and corrup­ Tsongkapas Six Yogas of Naropa. Glenn H. Mullin. Snow Lion 1996 note?' one intense dark-eyed young man standing by a water- tion? Or can I honestly say that I can see evidence of a funda­ Buddhism Without Beliefs. Stephen Batchelor. Bloomsbury 1998 cooler angrily asked a pretty blonde girl in a long blue woolen mental goodness in myself? The Awakening of the West. Stephen Batchelor. Aquarian. 1994 cape. But she just looked nervously past him down the corri­ And if I believe this goodness really is my fundamental Sky Dancer. Keith Dowman. Routledge & Kegan Paul. 1993 dor and into the distance, sipping water from a paper cup nature, is it actually manifest in how I live my life day by day? The Divine Madman. Keith Dowman. Rider 1980 without saying a word, her eyes flitting here and there, avoid­ Or are my actions incompatible with my belief? Holy Madness. George Feuerstein. Penguin. 1990 ing his. Of course, I like to think that I am a good man - or perhaps Tantra The Path of Ecstasy. George Feuerstein. Shambhala. 1998 Elsewhere I joined a group of friends discussing Peter's should I say, 'a good enough man'. I am clearly a work in Passionate Enlightenment. Miranda Shaw. Princeton University Press. comments in the light of teachings that they had received on progress, not a finished product, and I am engaged in the slow 1994 several previous occasions from H.H. the Dalai Lama in process of trying to bring to resolution the conflicts that I can Buddhism After Patriarchy. Rita M. Gross. State University of New York which His Holiness had explained that the basic quality of see exist within myself. Press 1993

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