THE MIRROR Newspaper of the International Dzogchen Community October/November 1997 • Issue No. 42

poche journeyed to Dang-che to obtain the necessary agreements for The Tibetan the future organization of the school. In the official stipulations made with the heads of the County of Gui-de, Elementary School the school is to remain the property of the Tibetan Village of Dang-che and the cost of salaries for the teach­ of Dang-che ers, sports equipment and textbooks will be provided by the government A brief history of the project of the County and the District. The children's families are to provide food for the cafeteria and the cover by Giacomella Orofino the cost of coal for heating. The inhabitants of Dang-che, further­ The Tibetan village of Dang-che, Local statistics show that about five more, requested the County Govern­ in the County of Gui-de, is situated hundred Tibetan children a year ment to nominate Prof. Namkhai two hundred miles fromXining , the study towards their elementary the County Government of Gui-de large cafeteria (500 sq.m.) and bath­ Norbu as president of the school. headquarters of Qinghai Region. diplomas. Many Tibetan families signed a cooperation agreement and rooms (250 sq.m.) The firstphas e of They also wished to form a Com­ Surrounded by rocky mountains, however refuse to send their chil­ thus the Italian NGO began a fund- work began in 1994 and successive mittee made up of three separate Dang-che lies in a fertile valley dren to the nearest school where raising campaign for the construc­ phases led to the completion of the entities to oversee and direct the where wheat and barley are cultivat­ they would not be given lessons in tion of the biggest Tibetan school in entire project by June 1997. The school, the three entities to be: ed. It belongs to the ancient Tibetan Tibetan language and culture and Qinghai Province. The generous work was entrusted to local compa­ territory of Amdo. Six thousand where the children would receive response of many private individu­ nies and to Tibetan artisans who 1. The County Department of Edu­ Tibetan families live in this valley their education mainly in Chinese. als was immediately encouraging. used traditional woodworking tech­ cation. supporting themselves mainly For many years the Tibetan The following year a further agree­ niques. The local villagers orga­ 2. The Dang-che Village Develop­ through agriculture. Their houses inhabitants of Dang-che had the idea ment was signed with the local gov­ nized a Tibetan Development ment Association. are still constructed in classic of building a Tibetan language ernment for the provision of water Association for the Village of Dang- 3. ASIA Tibetan style and have wooden school for their children so that they mains and electricity and to acquire che supported by ASIA. They began These requests were accepted verandas inlaid with traditional would not see the complete destruc­ all the necessary equipment for the the construction of the perimeter and noted in a legal document. A dis­ motifs The houses lie within high tion of their cultural heritage by the classrooms, the kitchen, workshops wall in packed earth and they lev­ cussion ensued concerning the walls made of pressed earth which is next generation. The difficulty of etc. The village people would sup­ eled and landscaped the campus and development of health and educa­ the same color as the surrounding raising money for such a school ply the land for the construction of planted different kinds of trees. tion in the Dang-che valley. The principal projects outlined at the mountains and valleys. This type of seemed insurmountable. In 1992 the the buildings and would also con­ Altogether the entire project cost moment that require a further urgent earthen enclosure is very ancient Non Government Organization struct the perimeter wall and main around $200,000.00 U.S. donated commitment from ASIA are: and is found all over Central Asia ASIA came to know of the needs of gate of the school. An Australian by the Italian NGO, while and Mongolia and along the caravan the Tibetan people of Dang-che architect, Tony Laurent, provided 300,000.00 Yuan were provided by 1. To send a native-speaking English routes of the Silk Road. •<>—•"••• -«•••• thanks to Professor Tsering Thar, a the plans for the campus with build­ the government of Gui-de County, Teacher to teach a four month course Dang-che is in a place of extra­ researcher at the Tibetan Science ings to be constructed with long and this doesn't include the donation to the schoolteachers and the estab­ ordinary natural beauty where life is Institute of Beijing, who came to classical Tibetan design lines. The of the land, the perimeter wall, lishment of an English language still simple and moves to the slow Europe on a study scholarship. buildings included a large two-story courtyards, and gardens provided by course from the third to the fifth ele­ rhythms of the earth. A number of Immediately upon hearing of Dang- structure for the classrooms (about the Local Villagers' Association. mentary grade. nomad families, all of whom have che's needs, ASIA decided to initiate 1300 square meters), one building During the month of June 1997, 2. To acquire four computers and many children, still live in yak-skin a project which envisioned the con­ for the teachers' quarters (500 sq.m), before the official inauguration of to send a computer science expert tents on the mountains around struction of a school for at least 500 another for student dorms (600 the school, the president of ASIA, to give the schoolteachers a Dang-che. They live off their flocks. Tibetan children. In 1992, ASIA and sq.m.), kitchens, storerooms and a Professor Namkhai Norbu Rin- course on computer use and soft- continued on page 12

We had been driving on this our own Hongkong Picnic, by hik­ bumpy and muddy road known as ing on the mountains surrounding CONTENTS the Sichuan-Tibet "Highway", and Environmental Riwoche. We were taking it easy 105km to the Northwest of Cham- uphill, both of us still had to get used do, for four days. Cloudy skies con­ Projects in Riwoche to the altitude, so we were enjoying Dzogchen Longde, Tantra of Space cealed the peaks of freshly snow the flowers, small blue Iris, bright Part III capped mountains. Regularly the crimson Incarvillea and purple and Choegyal Namkhai Norbu 2 by Daniel Winkler monsoon clouds released their white Rhododendron shrubs. Ontul Rinpoche in Tsegyalgar heavy load, causing the bad roads to Two sites that we should visit as and Merigar 4 disintegrate even more. Frequently future project sites had been select­ Interview with Tashi Dolma 5 the old Beijing-Jeep provided by ed. One was Yiri, the other was Riwoche's Forest Police broke Chamoling, about 60km to the NW Master biography down, once it got stuck in the mid­ of Riwoche. Chamoling (Tramol- Jim Valby 6 dle of a flooded creek. The water ing), which is already mentioned in Book Reviews 6 flushed out the muddy inside floors. the Gesar epos, was declared a Luckily a nearby truck pulled us out Nature Preserve in 1976 to protect A Preliminary Archaeological within an hour (not without exact­ its wildlife, especially the popula­ Survey of gNam mtsho and ing a small fortune from our tion of Red Deer (Cervus elaphus Dang ra g.yu mtsho by John Bellezza 8 predicament). On our fourth day we macneilli), which due to the efforts finally entered Riwoche County, of the local people and administra­ August Moon Reflections our destination. Crossing the Dzekri tion has survived. In many areas in by Des Barry 9 La we were greeted by a mountain Tibet deer populations went extinct made of beaming white marble in the 60's and 70's. In addition the Community News 10 under a deep blue sky. The slopes area is supposed to contain popula­ Special Practice Calendar 12 were clad with dense dark spruce tions of Snow Leopard, Wolf. forests interspersed with lush pas­ International Dzogchen Contacts... 13 Yiri district D. WINKLER Tibetan Brown Bear, White-lipped tures. It truly seemed like paradise. gigantic spruce trunks. Some the projects in 1998. Once we Deer. Musk Deer. Goral. Blue Relatively Speaking Very appropriately Takzham Gom- decades ago the county seat has arrived in Riwoche we were Sheep. Eared Pheasant. Brahminy by Cheh Goh 14 pa, the first monastery entering Shelduck, and Crane to name a few been moved from Riwoche to Ratsa- received warmly by the heads of the Reflections: Riwoche is built in Zangdok Pelri rarer species. The forest department ka, which is located on the Sichuan- forest department. Yet to our dismay One Drop Too Much by Glen Eddy style, representing Padmasambha- has hired one wildlife guard to Tibet "Highway", and 105km to the the weekend was ahead and every­ Life in America by Gendun Sakyal va's own divine abode. NW of Chamdo. Now Ratsaka is body was out having 'Hongkong ensure wildlife protection in an area How I Met the Teachings Riwoche is famous throughout generally referred to as Riwoche Picnics'. We were left with the rec­ of 637 km, which is located between by Costantino Pucci 18 Tibet for the impressive Tsuk- town. Our plan was to visit Riwoche ommendation to rest. Finally we had 3850m and 5274 m a.s.l.. The land­ lakhang temple founded in 1276, and conduct a feasibility study tour reached our destination, we surely scape is dominated by grassland Naked in New York which is the main seat of the Tak- to understand the local situation and did not feel like resting! Instead mountains used for grazing. The b\ John Shane 20 lung Kagyu school in Kham. The gather information. The result will Pema Gyatso, my translator origi­ forests, besides a few patches, have prayer hall is build as an atrium, its be two project proposals, for which nally from Amdo, and I adapted already disappeared a long time ago open roof rests on huge pillars of we need to find funding to launch quickly to local customs and staged continued on page 15

THE MIRROR OCTOBER/NOVE MBER 1997 1 Dzogchen Longde Tantra of Space Partili Teaching in Namgyalgar, Australia April, 1997

Chögyal Namkhai Norbu

there is a small piece of ice and you parts I didn't know well or didn't even today; not only in ancient put the ice in the sunshine - the ice remember, I also received some times. slowly, slowly is becoming smaller teachings. When I was seven years In Dzogchen Longde many and smaller, because it's melting. In old I received my first Dzogchen teachers after that period manifest­ the same way, our physical, material teachings from my uncle. He gave ed rainbow body. Then later, body is melting in its nature of ele­ me Dzogchen Upadesha teachings, Dzogchen practitioners were almost ments. The nature of elements is longchen nying tig; all this series I always doing practice of Dzogchen always maintained and that form received from him. Also, he mani­ Upadesha and Semde; Longde remains. So it is necessary to first fested the rainbow body in the time remained only like a transmission. manifest death and then sometimes of the cultural revolution. He was For example, when I received a it takes a week, sometimes less, to living in the house of a very famous transmission of Dzogchen Semde manifest the rainbow body. noble family of Derge, at Yerlung, and Longde, in that period, there The teacher of my teacher where he lived at the end of his life. was only this kind of lineage of Changchub Dorje and Ayu Khandro, In this family there was a man who hearing the transmission, but no Nyagla Pema Dundul, told his stu­ was a Dzogchen practitioner, who more of doing practice of Longde or dents "Now I am dying. At the end became very important in the Chi­ Dzogchen Semde. It had disap­ of this month I die, so you come and nese office. So my uncle was living peared. Everybody became we spend it together." The students on the roof of their very big palace engaged with Dzogchen Upadesha. went there and did many days Gana- always doing a retreat, because this Dzogchen Upadesha also devel­ hen Vairocana was invit­ symbol of the rainbow body. puja for purifying relationships man was his student and he was oped much more later, more than ed from Gyalmo If we say for example that the between teacher and student, doing service for my uncle, so my before. In ancient times, Nyang WTsawarong in East Tibet body has disappeared, something between student and student; if they uncle lived there for many years. Tingdzin Zangpo, a student of -close to China-back to Central that exists also in Sutra realization had created some problem of During the revolution he was there. Vimalamitra, manifested rainbow Tibet, on the road along the way he but particularly in the Dzogchen samaya they purified with Ganapu- Then the revolutionaries took him. body. Vimalamitra manifested the met an old monk. The old monk was teachings through doing practice of ja. He gave much advice and in his Then some Tibetans who had faith great transference. There had been eighty-five years old. The old monk trechöd, not particularly integration; book the Song of Nyagla Pema in my uncle and were functionaries some problems in the transmission, was very interested to follow or we if apply emptiness and the Dundul there is a record of the of the Chinese office, they guaran­ we don't know very precisely, in Dzogchen teachings; he had heard practice of integration in a state of advice he gave in that period to dif­ teed and let him free. Even though any case, so the realization of rain­ Dzogchen teachings that existed as emptiness, or some Tannic practice, ferent students. Then at the end he he was free he didn't know where bow body was stopped for four or taught by Vimalamitra and Vairo­ then there is a realization where the said he wanted to go to the mountain to go, where to live, and that func­ five generations. There was no cana. He had never met them, but body disappears. That is called lu where he had discovered many ter- tionary said he would find him a more manifestation of ¡ rainbow had met a student of Vairocana dultren in Tibetan; lu means physi­ ma teachings. It's a sacred moun­ place. He found him a nomad house body. Then there was a teacher called Yudra Nyingpo. Yudra cal body, dultren means atom, very tain. He wanted to go there for where the nomads stay in the win­ called Jetsun Senge Wangchuk who Nyingpo had given some transmis­ tiny atom, ting means entering in the dying. Many students said, "Oh, ter, a small house, and my uncle was a great terton who discovered sions and had told the old monk he atom, so it all means slowly, slowly please don't die. You remain, we lived there and that functionary Dzogchen Upadesha terma teach­ needed to meet his teacher Vairo­ disappearing into emptiness. That is need you." He said, "This is my went every weekend to my uncle; ing. He met Vimalamitra in the rain­ cana. When Vairocana returned, the not the rainbow body. The rainbow time, when it is the time everyone brought him a little food, and visit­ bow body and spent three months old monk went to see Vairocana and body means that our physical body should go, so I should go. More ed and checked up on him He went with him. Vimalamitra transmitted was very interested in the teachings. disappears because it's entering into important is that you collaborate many times. One day he and anoth­ all Dzogchen Upadesha transmis­ The monk also felt very upset. He its real nature of five elements. with me and follow the teaching." er Chinese functionary knocked on sions, and particularly Dzogchen said, "Now I am eighty five years, I Those five elements are five colors, So they went to the mountain and he the door and it didn't open. They Upadesha Tantras. Then people am old, I met you too late, I am sor­ so even if the physical body is dis­ asked them to put up his small tent, thought maybe he had escaped. considered that Jetsun Singye ry, I can't follow, but can you do appearing, the form and shape and the practitioners of chöd have them, They knocked down the door and Wangchuk had some special trans­ some blessing for the next life that I everything are maintained in five and he asked them to sew him inside saw his dress on the bed, but he is missions; and people really will meet this teaching?" He asked colors. People have represented the this tent because otherwise on the not there. They looked inside the believed because he manifested the in that way. Vairocana said "The idea of rainbow body by painting mountain animals could enter. Then dress and they found a small body rainbow body. After this the lineage Dzogchen teachings and knowledge thangkas of Guru Padmasamvhava he asked them to go back to the Gar, inside and they knew Ogyen was restored and many teachers • do not depend on age, education, in rainbow colors. That is not accu­ called Kasum, and do practice, Guru Tendzin is no longer alive, but has manifested the rainbow body in the etc." The monk asked "Even though rate. With the rainbow body all the Yoga, etc. So they went back and become small body and they shut Dzogchen Upadesha lineage. So this I am old I can follow?" and Vairo­ form remains, the nose, eyes, etc., they did practice for seven days. the door and went away. We didn't is the reason why later all Dzogchen cana said "Of course!" Then Vairo­ only normal people cannot see it Then they saw many rainbows and know what happened after my practitioners are doing Dzogchen cana gave him a short teaching, very, because everything disappears into other interesting signs on the moun­ uncle died until 1978. Then we Upadesha, and Dzogchen Semde very condensed, in the Dzogchen the elements. We cannot see because tain. They went on the mountain and received news from Derge that lat­ and Longde remained a little out­ way, of this teaching of Longde. He we don't have the capacity to see the opened the tent and the only thing er they made a report to Derge that side. But the transmission has never also gave him a meditation belt for nature of elements. If we are devel­ remaining was hair and nails. Then after two or three days, some Chi­ been interrupted. The transmission sitting in a position, a meditation oped a little and have a little more hundreds and hundreds of people nese functionaries had reported that is still alive. stick for controlling the body, and clarity or such realization, then we came to see and Nyalga Pema Dun­ Togden died and left hair and nails. Transcribed and edited something called tsulshing (a medi­ can see the rainbow body. It is visi­ dul became very famous. Then So the rainbow body still exists by Naomi Zeitz tation stick with a bowl-shaped ble, if there is clarity. In this case, the everyone claimed to be his student. upper part to put the chin). We don't sign of rainbow body is that the hair When he was alive there were only a use these in general; we use only and nails remain because nails and few students. NAMKHAI NORBU RINPOCHE'S SCHEDULE when we do dark retreat. All this hair are impure aspects of the physi­ Also, one of my uncles Ogyen helped the monk to do the positions cal body. The physical body entered Tendzin who was a very good prac­ for Longde, the tsulshing, medita­ in a pure dimension but what titioner of Dzogchen and student of tion stick and belt, so he could hold remained is that impure aspect. Nov. 7-9 Weekend Teaching in Dec. 22 Leaves for Adzam Drugpa, and also practiced New Delhi organized Namgyalgar positions for a long time. Also for There is also the great transfer called Yantra Yoga and contemplation and by Tibet House Dec.26-Jan. 1 : Namgyalgar remembering the principle of the phowa chenpo. That is another way, integration very much, realized the E-mail: Retreat Longde practice Vairocana wrote not the ordinary rainbow body. rainbow body. When I was very Internet.tibet- some verses, essential things of the According to some historical small I spent some months in a [email protected] 1998 Longde. He wrote the verses on this accounts Garab Dorje manifested retreat place, and I remember he Nov. 10 Leaves for Goa or April 27 Arrives from Rome tsulshing, on the inside and outside. the rainbow body in that way and was always sitting and doing medi­ Kerala for resting to Moscow So, that old man did this practice and some say he manifested the ordinary tation, and I didn't have much idea Dec. 4 Leaves for New May 3-5 SMS Base Level he realized in a short time. He lived rainbow body. Particularly in the because I was very small, and I Delhi Exam a longer time, and never had a bad biographies we say that Vimalamitra would try and get him to play with Please note: the Singapore Boat May 6-10 SMS Level I old age and later he manifested the and Guru Padmasambhava mani­ me and I was bored, and sometimes Retreat is cancelled. Training rainbow body publicly. He had only fested the great transference. That he was sitting naked in the cave and Dec. 8 Leaves for Singapore May 15-19 Moscow Retreat a few students. He was not a very means not even manifesting death. I would beat him and then escape. Dec. 12-14 Weekend Teaching in May 22-25 SMS Level I Exam great or famous teacher, but he In the normal rainbow body firstly Later, before I left Tibet, I went and Singapore May 26-30 SMS Level II became famous after he manifest the they manifest death; they are dying spent some weeks with him partic­ Dec. 15 Leaves for Sydney Training rainbow body. The only remains and after death they are dissolving ularly to learn Yantra Yoga well. I Dec. 19-21 Weekend Teaching in june i Leaves for Poland were his nails and hair. That is the the physical body. For example, asked him many questions, many Sydney

2 Narnkhai Norbu Rinpoche HELP WANTED The Shang Shung Institute in Conway is looking for a Program Direc­ tor to work part time, at least initially, in conjunction with the board of in Nepal directors to establish our programs and organize lectures and courses, among other duties. We would prefer a student of Namkhai Norbu Rin­ poche. Experience necessary with fund-raising and organizational work. by Liz Granger Modest salary. Must have working papers in US. Call 1 -413-369-4928, or fax 1-413-369-4165 for more information. uesday, September 9th, Namkhai Norbu Rin­ Dzogchen, he went on to say, is that of being responsible poche and his wife, Rosa, arrived at Tribhuvan for ourselves. T International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal from During the afternoon session of the second day, Dzogchen Community of Australia Lhasa. At the airport, Rinpoche was enthusiastically wel­ Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche gave an explanation of the 1997 NAMGYALGAR PROGRA M comed by a small group of students. Before his arrival in transformation practice in the Short Tun and listed the Nepal, Rinpoche had expressed his wish to meet the beings of the eight classes, mentioning, as he has on sev­ On the occasion of Choegyal Namkhai Norbu's visit to Namgyalgar at the end of the year, there will be an extended summer retreat period of one month well-known Dzogchen Master, Chatrai Rinpoche, who eral occasions in the past, the importance of heeding the with activities beginning on December 20th and continuing through until lives a short distance from Kathmandu. On an earlier vis­ advice of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in refraining from January 20th. The schedule will be as follows: it to Nepal, Chatral Rinpoche had been away but this the practice of the Gyalpo. time he was present at his residence. After a brief stop­ During the final morning session, Rinpoche talked DEC. 20 - 24 COMBINED PRACTICE & KARMAYOGA RETREAT over at the hotel to deposit his luggage and shower, about how to apply the teaching in daily life during the DEC. 25 CHRISTMAS DAY LUNCH Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche, escorted by a troupe of stu­ four moments of sitting, walking, eating and sleeping. DEC. 26 - JAN. 1 RETREAT WITH RINPOCHE dents left, for an appointment with Chatral Rinpoche at The aim of the teaching he said is to get into our real JAN. 1 NEW YEAR CELEBRATION his retreatcente r in Godavari. While the group of taxis nature and this comes about through being aware. After was on its way, Chatral Rinpoche had left for his a short break during which many people greeted Rin­ JAN. 3-7 YANTRA YOGA with Fabio Andrico (afternoons) Dance with Adriana dal Borgo (mornings) (possibly Dance of the Six Spaces which monastery in Pharping and so the cavalcade followed in poche with traditional Tibetan kaias (scarf), there was a may be extended to 9th Jan.) his steps until they found the Master and were received Ganapuja to bring to a close the three days of teachings by him. At this momentous meeting, Chatral Rinpoche so kindly given by the Master. Throughout the retreat, JAN 8-20 Group practice retreats of Tun & collective practices following invited Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche to visit him for a few Rinpoche taught in English which was translated into on from Rinpoche's retreat: practice workshops: Yantra Yoga & Vajra Dance practice, SMS Study Periods, and Personal Retreats. days after the three-day retreat in Kathmandu. Nepali, Italian, Japanese and Russian. YANTRA YOGA AND VAJRA DANCE Introductory Yantra Yoga will be After an overnight stay in the capital, Namkhai Nor­ As one of the many people who traveled a long dis­ taught by Catherine Simmonds during Rinpoche's retreat while more tance to attend the teachings, I would like to thank the bu Rinpoche left to spend a few restful days in the beau­ advanced yoga will be taught by Fabio Andrico during the afternoons of the 5 tiful mountain resort of Pokhara which is situated 200 retreat organizers on behalf of all those who participated, day course that follows. Courses in Yantra Yoga with Fabio will also be held kms west of Kathmandu. Pokhara Valley is set beside a for their excellent and smooth organization and great in Melbourne, Sydney and Cairns in late January and early February. still mountain lake (Phewa Tal in Nepal) amidst a back­ kindness and consideration towards us all. Adriana Dal Borgo will teach the introductory Om A Hum Dance during ground of stark snowy Himalayan peaks, Machapuchare In the evening of the same day, 135 people came to Rinpoche's retreat and the Dance of the Six Spaces (to be confirmed) during in particular, otherwise known as Fishtail Mountain. the Malla Hotel for a buffet dinner which was attended the course that follows. Several of his students followed him to this tranquil spot by Rinpoche and to watch a dance performance given by It is preferable that people register and pay a deposit in advance for the courses. where they were able to dine, stroll, swim and go boating a group of young artists who call themselves Nasaa Sye- ACCOMODATION on the lake with the Master. na Kuthi. Traditional Buddhist dances and classical folk CAMPING There is no sheltered accommodation at the Gar but people are On his return to Kathmandu, Rinpoche gave three music were presented at this time much to the delight of welcome to bring tents, or camp-a-van, and stay on the land. There are a num­ days of teachings fromSeptembe r 19th - 21 st at the Mal­ the audience. The dancers were dressed in traditional and ber of comfortable bush style toilets and showers, suitable for use by even the la Hotel located in the center of town. About 250 people very colorful and beautiful costumes, headgear and jew­ most inexperienced campers. Hot water is available. Laundry facilities are attended, many of whom were local, while others had elry and performed on the platform and in front of a non existent; possible to do a little washing in buckets. No washing in creeks. come froma s far away as Japan, Australia, Greece, Italy, thangka of Guru Padmasambhava and white A which Only environmentally friendly soaps are to be used. Laundromats located in nearby towns. Water is drinkable. Poland, Russia and Germany. Dressed in a dark maroon had been left from the teachings held earlier. COOKING FACILITIES During the retreat from Dec. 26th - Jan. 1st food silk robe, Tibetan style, Rinpoche geared the teachings The following day, Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche and his will be on sale, cooking in the bush kitchen will not be possible. However, towards those who were newcomers, giving a clear and wife Rosa together with a group of students had lunch people camping at the land before or after the retreat without their own cook­ concise explanation of the principle of Dzogchen and and met with Lopon Tenzin Namdak at his Monastery, ing equipment are welcome to share the use of the bush kitchen's gas fridge, speaking at length on Guru Yoga and its essence as prac­ Tritan Norbutse which means "The Highest Seat of the gas burners, pots, etc. People with cars generally offer help with transport to ticed in the Short Tun. He stressed that the principle of Jewel" and is located at the base of Nagarjuna, near buy food from local shops. There is some gas and solar lighting but no main the teaching is not praying or ritual but understanding Swayambhu, west of Kathmandu. In the afternoon, we electricity at the land as yet. Bring a flashlight or gas lantern with you. and that transmission from the teacher awakens the stu­ were happy to see the monks debating (Sutra, Tantra and RENTED ACCOMMODATION Various types near Namgyalgar. Contact dents to this. In the Dzogchen teaching, the Guru is the Dzogchen) on the roof top which had been especially the office to receive the Accommodation Information sheet which includes knowledge of our real nature with which we unite arranged for our benefit. phone/fax no's, of establishments and Real Estate Agents to contact. Book well in advance as the South Coast is a very popular destination during peak through Guru Yoga. Two days later, Rinpoche left to spend a few days holiday periods. Please make your reservation as soon as possible. Many On the first and second day, Namkhai Norbu Rin­ with Chatral Rinpoche at his Monastery near Pharping. places are already heavily booked. poche gave a full and detailed explanation of the short On Sunday, September 28th, Rinpoche, Rosa, SHARE CABINS For retreat (not courses) 4 share cabins at Hubara near Guru Yoga as practiced in the Dzogchen community. Catharine and Fabio will leave for Varanasi on the first Wallaga Lake, 20 mins drive from the Gar, have been reserved by the During the morning session of the second day, he spoke leg of their trip to India where they will be visiting many Dzogchen Community. Cabins sleep 1 couple & 2 singles or 4 singles. about tawa, gonpa and chopa (point of view, meditation, holy places. Available from Dec. 25th to Jan. 2nd* (8 nights) @ $140 per person. Deposit behavior), saying that "Looking in a mirror, you can see The Dzogchen Community in Kathmandu would like $40. (non-refundable after October) required by each person by end of yourself," referring to the Dzogchen tawa. He explained to take this opportunity to express their heartfelt thanks October and full payment by Nov. 30th. Make payment to the Dzogchen that there are many methods of meditation related to to Rinpoche for the time he spent in Nepal and hope it Community, sent to Vicki Forscun, PO Box 14 , Central Tilba, NSW, 2546. body, voice and mind but they are simply different ways won't be too long before he comes again to this part of * If you wish to stay in a cabin earlier than Dec. 25th Vicki must know by to have experiences and that everything we come into the world. end of Sept./early October to arrange this. (See Transport for travel to the retreat from the cabins.) More info, is available from the Namgyalgar office. contact with can be used as meditation. The attitude of MEALS - catered meals & snacks will be on sale 3 times per day at the Skydance Cafe during Rinpoche's retreat (Dec. 26- Jan. 1). There will be no Food Co-op at this time. Adults and childsize, vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals will be available. Bowls of soup and eats at very cheap prices will be on RETREAT ON DZOGCHEN MEDITATION sale. Owing to high fire danger self-catering (at your tent site with your own equipment) can only be done on gas cookers. There can be no open fires!! NEW DELHI, INDIA CHILDCARE will be available during Rinpoche's retreat. To assist us with planning could people please advise us in advance if children are coming . As NOVEMBER 7-9, 1997 we are legally responsible for the safety of children whilst on the land they with Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche must be in childcare or at their parents' side during Teachings. TRANSPORT - Contact the office for information on bus travel to Organized by Tibet House Cultural Center of His Holiness the Dalai Lama Namgyalgar from Sydney and Melbourne. Be aware that being the Christmas holiday period, buses need to be booked well in advance (by end of The three day retreat will be held at ACCOMMODATION AND MEALS November). During the retreat with Rinpoche a mini bus will transport people Jamia Hamdard University, Participants from outside Delhi are expected to book without cars to the Teachings from specified locations (Wallaga Lake/Hubara Hamdard Nagar, New Delhi. their rooms in advance through Tibet House. The Cabins and Tilba). The bus will also make some trips to shops, banks etc., THE DAILY SCHEDULE room charges for a night are Rs.500 (S13.83US) for from the land during the retreat. WORK EXCHANGE - Limited number of jobs available. Expect to work at 10:00- 11:30 Discourse a double room and Rs.250 ($7.47US) for a single least 5 hours per day. prior to & during the retreat. Register at office. Fulfillment 11:30-12:00 Coffee Break room. They are also required to pay Rs.270 of positions depend upon particular circumstances and skills/experience. 12:00 - 01:00 Meditation Session (S7.47US) per day for three vegetarian meals and OVERSEAS VISITORS Contact office if you require information. Vicki will 01:00 - 03:00 Lunch and Rest refreshments. Non - Veg. meals and mineral water book buses to Namgyalgar (from Sydney & Melbourne) for overseas visitors. 03:00 - 05:30 Individual Consultation / can be arranged on advance order and extra pay­ Payment required to confinn ticket. Vicki requires creditcard details - your name, number and expiry date. Or ask your travel agent to book the bus. ment. The local participants are required to pay Yantra Yoga (Optional) Note: it is important to ask the bus to stop at the BERMAGUI TURNOFF on REGISTRATION FEE Rs.125 (S3.46US) per day for lunch and refresh­ the Princes Highway and not at the town of Bennagui itself. ments. ($ amounts are aprrox.) For any further infor­ Those who wish to take part in the entire discourse SYDNEY TEACHINGS Rinpoche w ill give general Dzogchen Teachings in mation, please contact the following address: Sydney the 19th, 20th and 21st of December at the Buddhist Library. 90 should register themselves at the Tibet House before Program Coordinator Church Street, Camperdown. October 15th, 1997. There will be a registration fee Tibet House For further information or to register please contact Barry Gazzard in Sydney: of Rs.750 (S20.75US). In addition to that, donations 02)9560 5674 or email: B.GAZZARD @ UWS.EDU.AU towards expenses for organizing the retreat would be 1, Institutional Area, Lodhi Road NAMGYALGAR OFFICE To register for the Namgyalgar Retreats/ Courses helpful to meet expenses, at least partially. We New Delhi 110 003, India or for any information contact Vicki Forscutt. The Secretray. P.O. Box 14. Central Tilba, NSW, 2546, Australia. PHONE / FAX: (02) 4476 3446 or encourage participants to attend the entire discourse. Phone: 91-11- 461 - 1515 Fax: 91 - 11 - 462 - 5536 Email:tibet-house@ tibet.net email: [email protected] All retreat info can be easily faxed or emailed.

THE MIRROR OCTOBER/NOVE MBER 1997 3 Ontul Rinpoche in Tsegyalgar Visit of a Bonpo Lama

by Jim Smith by Paul Bail and Sara Handley

eachings on The Two Truths: TRelative and Absolute were giv­ en by Ontul Rinpoche at Tsegyalgar in Conway, Massachusetts from August 26th to September 2nd. Ontul Rinpoche is a Drikung Kagyu tulku whose monastery is next to the sacred lake Tsol Pema in India. Rinpoche commented on a text concerning the Two Truths composed by Patrul Rin­ poche, the great Nyingma Rime teacher. He also taught on the quali­ ties of the spiritual master, the attitude with which to approach the dharma, and other key topics particularly rele­ Onta! Riiipoche in Tsegyalgar vant to the base level Santi Maha n August 8th-10th, His Holiness start a school in Massori, India. He Sangha. Rinpoche illustrated the key points with vivid unsure of the correct English term to use, leading to OLungtok Tenpei Nyima, the 33rd remained as the head of that school for Abbot of Menri, came to Tsegyalgar to three years. images drawn from traditional metaphors. humorous three-way Tibetan-English interchanges conduct a workshop on Healing In 1968, while His Holiness Lungtok between Rinpoche, his wife, and Dawa, trying to find the On Sunday Rinpoche gave the empowerment for Practices of the Bonpo sponsored by Tenpai Nyima was teaching at the Hodser Janma, the Goddess Rays of Light, which he best term to use. This itself was a wonderful teaching on the Shang Shung Institute of University of Oslo in Norway, he explained was an emanation of Tara and Vajrayogini. how to collaborate together with grace and good humor Tsegyalgar. received a telegram requesting that he The visualization of Hodser Janma has the relative ben­ to produce the best result. His Holiness is the world-wide spiri­ return to India to assume his position as efit of acting as a protection from harm during one's trav­ At the end of the retreat we took a trip to the sacred tual leader of the Bon religion of Tibet. the new Abbot of Yung Drung Ling. els, and is one of the practices recommended by land in Buckland. We showed Rinpoche and Tashi Dol­ He was bom in Amdo, in the far eastern Slowly he began to build a new Menri Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche. ma the Dance Mandala at the top of the land and sang region of Tibet in 1927, and became a monastery in Dolanji and a Bon Dialectic School, from which thirty- On Sunday night Rinpoche and his wifeTashi Dolma the Song of the Vajra. Then we sat down for a small monk at the age of eight at the Kyong Tsang monastery near to the place of seven Geshe degrees have been award­ stayed for an informal party in the gonpa where some of picnic, shaded by trees and cooled by a slight breeze. Tashi Dolma and Dawa sang a lovely Tibetan song and his birth. ed. He also created an orphanage for those present demonstrated their talents: guitar strum­ Bon children called the Bon Children's Louise Levi sang songs of India.We laughed in the His Holiness the Dalai Lama asked ming, dancing, singing, and poetry reading. His Holiness Lungtok Tenpei Nyima to Welfare Center. The translator for the retreat, Dawa, was a young afternoon sun. On the way down to the pond Rinpoche Tibetan woman who spent several years at an Institute blessed the site for the Stupa and stopped at the for Sutric Studies in Northern India where she studied the Guardian cabin to view the progress made by our dili­ Kanjur and learned Sanskrit. Having arrived in the Unit­ gent Joe Zurylo. We took some parting group shots and ed States only a few months ago, she occasionally was talked of their next visit here. An Appeal for the Drikung August Retreat with Ontul Rinpoche Kagyu Monastic School in Merigar Project Rewalsar (Tso Pema), North India. The Wogmin Tupten Shedrup by Marcella Testa Ling Monastery at Rewalsar has been founded by Ven. D. Ontul Rin­ poche in order to preserve the spiritual knowledge of Tibet and the liv­ rom thel 1th to the 18th of without exception, the ing tradition of a thousand years. F August, Merigar hosted a attitude of compassion, The original monastery was founded in 1179 AD when Kyoba Jigten teaching retreat with Ven. and the desire that all be Gonpo, the foremost disciple of Drogon Phagmo Drupa (an embodi­ Ontul Rinpoche, a Master exempt from suffering. In ment of the great Buddhist Siddha and scholar Nagarjuna) built a belonging to the Drikung Tantra too, the Bodhicitta Monastery in Drikung (Central Tibet). Another branch of the tradition Kagyu tradition. It was the motivation is the founda­ was started in Kham Nanchen (Eastern Tibet) by Nuden Dorje, an third retreat held in Merigar by tion of all knowledge. The embodiment of Tibet's greatest yogi Milarepa. The present Lho Rinpoche in the last few years. Tantra practitioners, who Drongtrul Rinpoche is the 8th reincarnation of Nuden Dorje. This In August two years ago, use also the secret means, monastery is called Wogmin Thubten Shedrup Ling or Lho Lungkar Ontul Rinpoche gave teach­ have the distinction— Gonpa. The Chinese government has given permission for reconstruc­ ings on the stages of genera­ Rinpoche said—of tion. Three young Rinpoches and monks are trying their best to build the tion and completion and on absence of confusion Monastery in Kham Nangchen. They are badly in need of help for the Mahamudra, and also gave a with respect to the mind, constructions. Milarepa initiation. This sum­ of a multiplicity of tech­ The Drikung Monastic School in Tso Pema (India) has been partial­ mer his teachings focused niques at their disposal, ly completed through donations of the people of Ladakh, Kinaur Valley instead on the Bodhicitta vow and of the capacity to reach and Tibetans in exile. The temple overlooks the holy lake in the pil­ grimage village of Tso Pema (Rewalsar). The great yogi Padmasambha- and in the end he gave an initiation of Avalokiteshvara. the fruit of realization without ascetic practices and va, who brought Buddhism to Tibet, meditated in caves and performed Assisted by Elio Guarisco and his impeccable trans­ without special difficulties. miracles with his consort Mandarava. She was the daughter of the King lation from Tibetan, Ontul Rinpoche explained a All dharmas—explained Ontul Rinpoche—are of Mandi (Himachel Pradesh). renowned text on the meaning of the three vows only conditions, as all depends really on our aspiration. The Monastery provides a school for about thirty children and food (Hinayana, Mahayana and Vajrayana) written by a So, when we listen to the teachings, we have to observe and shelter for a number of older people. Some of these monks are Nyingmapa Master, Ngari Panchen Pema Wangyal, with ourselves, to discover if we have the pure motivation to orphans, semi-orphans and others are from poor families. The youngest a commentary by a lama of the Kagyupa tradition known lead all beings to liberation. If we find out that this is monk is six years old and the oldest is seventy-four years old. Due to by the name of Karma Nunpo, who was a disciple of the not the case, then we have to work on our intention and lack of facilities some of them are sick. first Ontul. make it pure. The young monks are learning English, Hindi, Tibetan language, The text, under the title of "The determination of the Day after day Ontul Rinpoche explained how, apply­ Buddhist rituals and philosophy. Their living conditions and food need Three Vows as an auxiliary method of Dzogchen", ing the methods of listening and reasoning and the Six to be improved. If you can make an offering or donation to improve this speaks of the Intention of Buddha and subsequently of Paramitas, we can keep our vows and purify our inten­ situation of need of individual boys or for the construction projects, how­ the Three Vows and the Three Disciplines: Hinayana, tions and our transgressions. Getting down to details he ever small it may be, you would assist in the preservation of a noble spir­ Mahayana and Tantra. The Three Vows represent the explained the eighteen root-vows of Bodhicitta and its itual lineage and provide education, health and a home to a delightful three levels, external, internal and secret. Corresponding eleven levels of realization, and the root, secondary and young Tibetan boy. Each boy will need a minimum of about $25US per to the external level we have the Pratimoksha system, to auxiliary vows of Tantra. month for living and education expenses. Apart from being deeply grate­ the internal the Bodhisattva vow and, corresponding to ' In the afternoon of the 15th of August, crowning the ful for any donation, the monastery will welcome you if you choose to the secret level, the Samaya vow. teachings on Bodhicitta, Rinpoche gave the initiation of visit. As usual with treatises on Bodhicitta, the text begins Avalokiteshwara in his aspect of Sadaskari-Lokeshwara Our construction projects are as follows: with an analysis of the interrelation among all sentient (represented with one head and four arms, seated in the 1. A kitchen, dining-room and store-room will cost about $12,000US beings: all beings, from infinite past to our present karmic lotus positions), that is to say the aspect in which he man­ 2. A living quarter for monks will cost about $12,000US condition, have been our parents. In the Mahayana sys­ ifests his real nature of Lord of the Six Syllables (sad- 3. A class-room which will cost about $4,000US tem the meditation on this point is the first step of the askara) composing the mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum". 4. Restoration of the Monastery will cost about $8,000US training on the Bodhisattva path. From here begins the The last morning, the 18th of August, Rinpoche 5. A water tank and filter will cost about $3,500US development of Bodhicitta and the conceptual training on gave us the final recommendations on the importance One could finance one of these projects either individually or with Emptiness. "All conditioned existence" said Ontul Rin­ of the Bodhicitta intention; then just as he was saying another person. Each project will be named in the honor of a loved one, poche " is synthesized in Six Realms, three lower ones— "Now we have come the end of these teachings", thun­ if you would like. We are dedicating all the projects to the benefit of all hell beings, hungry ghosts and animals—and three higher der and lightning erupted from the sky and rain poured beings. We greatly appreciate your participation. ones—human beings, demigods and gods. Each kind of down giving relief to the earth and plants after so many being experiences its peculiar kind of suffering, and that days of relentless sunshine. A few moments before All correspondence related to these projects should be addressed to: of the human beings is made up mainly of four problems: earth also had made her presence felt with a very soft Ven. D. Ontul Rinpoche, DK Monastic school, PO Box Rewalsar birth, disease, old age and death". earthquake. Another soft vibration was felt a little lat­ 175023, District Mandi, (HP) India Through purification and engaging on the path lead­ er, during the Ganapuja, as we were beginning to chant ing to awakening we have to develop towards all beings, the Naggon.

4 BC: But this is what we really want to know about! (More laugh­ CHRISTMAS RETREAT Interview with ter) BC: Well, how old were you WITH Ven. Tsok Nyi Rinpoche when you got married? DECEMBER 27, 1997-JANUARY 5,1998, MERIGAR,ITALY Tashi Dolma TD: When I was 25 or 26. BC. How long did you know Ven.Tsok Nyi Rinpoche will hold a retreat of Dzogchen teachings. Rinpoche before you got married? Ven.Tsok Nyi Rinpoche, a son of Tulku Urgyen - the great master of Interviewers: Barbara Clavan (BC); Margaret Bradford (MB) TD: Actually I didn't know Rin­ Dzogchen and Mahamudra who passed away recently - is the third rein­ poche very much myself, personal­ carnation of Drubwang Tsok Nyi, a great Drukpa Kargyu yogi and master ly. But my parents knew him quite who founded the the largest yogini retreat center in Tibet.Tsok Nyi Rin­ well. They had been saying, "Oh, poche usually lives in Nepal and holds many official positions among this Rinpoche from this monastery which is the overseeing of his own monastery and a nunnery in Nepal and there, with five brothers..." They serving as abbot of Gechak Gonpa, a retreat center which accommodates had been talking about this and thousands of yoginis situated in central Tibet. telling me things. And sometimes The retreat will consist mainly of sessions of sitting and walking my father used to ask Rinpoche to meditations combined with instructions, teachings and individual con­ do predictions. But I had been to versations. school and was teaching, so I didn't The retreat begins on Saturday. December 27th, at 16.00 (4:00 pm ) and know him very well. ends around midday on January 5th. BC: Did you have a ceremony? There will be a free child-minding service for which one should book TD: No. Nothing. in advance. BC: Where was the first place you lived with Rinpoche? tant that they get some good educa­ women different from Tibetan TD: Before I was living with tion. I hope very much that, being women? Rinpoche, 1 did all my ngöndro. I the son of a Rinpoche. if my older TD: 1 think they have a lot of went to Rewalsar and my sister son becomes a good practitioner he freedom. Sometimes I meet Western helped me with cooking. Rinpoche can help some other beings. I very people and they say. "We are equal, taught me how to do [the ngöndro]. much hope and pray he can be of the men and women." But my BC: Before you got married? some help to others. Who knows? daughter feels the same. She says. TD: Yes. Actually, 'married' is But you hope and pray. "Why can't girls do [the same]? I am [not the right word]. Rinpoche was BC: What supports you the most so happy to be a girl!" But for me. I living in the monastery. I just rent­ in your personal practice? think "Oh. my daughter." (puts her ed a room in Tso Pema and did TD: I think I learn very much hand to her heart). I feel for her real­ ngöndro. from Rinpoche. He is very much ly. Because women have to have the ashi Dolma is the wife of Ven. ava cave. This I remember. She died BC: Had you done any Dharma patient and he is so good, he is so children, and then if they don"t get a rD. Ontul Rinpoche, who is a about five years ago. practice before that? wonderful. Sometimes it's very dif­ good education or something, then Drikung Kagyu lama and the most BC: What is your strongest TD: Before that I did quite a lot ficult, but I really learn very much their husband looks down on them. recent of the Ontul tulkus. The firstmemor y from Tibet? of practice. My sister and I lived from Rinpoche. Everything in daily Sometimes it happens. Ontul, bom in the 19th century, was TD: I remember that often my together and taught in Dharamsala life. MB: It happens here, too. recognized as an emanation of Grob parents would take me to the and we did Tara, and some other BC: Do you mean applying the TD: Yes. I feel I want to protect Ban Khiu Chung Lotsawa, one of monastery nearby to do nyung-ne. I practices together. teachings in daily life? my daughter more than the sons. I the twenty-five main disciples of remember this very well. Many peo­ BC: How old were you when TD: You know, like wherever I think, boys, okay. But girls I feel for Guru Padmasambhava. Tashi Dol­ple gathering. It was very nice to be you had your first child? go, whatever I do, is a teaching for really. But she says, "Why? We are ma lives with Rinpoche at the together and pray. TD: My daughter, Wangchug me. But I'm not really good enough equal. I don't want to depend on my Drikung Kagyu Monastic School at BC: How long did you live in Lhamo, was bom in 1978. Karma for [this practice]. Rinpoche is real­ husband. I want to work." I just the holy lake ofTso Pema, in Rewal-Tibet? Rama was bom in 1980. And the lit­ ly very kind-hearted, and very nice laugh. Very funny. sar, India. The monastery and TD; When we came to India in tle boy was bom in 1988. His name as a person. Actually I'm a really MB: Even if we don't have the school, founded by Rinpoche, is 1959 I was about eight years old. I is Kunchog Aka. spoiled child. I'm the youngest. I time to do mantras and formal prac­ home to monks ranging from age six joined school in Dharamsala about BC: What makes being the wife was very much spoiled by my par­ tice, we can still focus on loving to age seventy-four, supported and 1961. From there we were sent to of a Rinpoche different from being ents and my brothers and sisters. kindness and practice that. educated entirely through dona­ Simla, and then to Musoorie, where the wife of an ordinary person? Now I'm 46 or 47, and I think, it's TD: Yes, that is really good. tions. Tashi Dolma teaches youngI finished my 11th class. Then we TD: I think maybe if I were the very nice, now, this age, you know? Whatever help you can give. I monks at the school. She was inter­ went to St. Bede's college in Simla. wife of some other person I would I don't feel so old. I think it's always do like that at Tso Pema. viewed in Berkeley, California. It's a convent, a very good college. not have so much time to get teach­ because I was the youngest child. Whoever comes to me, I help. Like BC: Where were you born? At St. Bede's I did the first year of ings and to practice and also to meet Maybe. I don't know. writing letters, or if they have a What was life like for you as a teacher's training. Then I did a many people, like many Western MB: Do the children practice problem, they call me and I go and child? teacher's training course for two Dharma practitioners. So I think this with Rinpoche? How old were they help. I like to help. TD: I was born in Kham, in years while I was teaching in may be different. when they started? BC: What would you like to do Eastern Tibet. I had three brothers Dharamsala. Actually, my college BC: Do you think it's different TD: They don't have much in the future? and four sisters. My family, Luthog education is equal to a B.Ed., a B.A. for the children also? Do they time to spend with Rinpoche. Only TD: For the future, as I'm Tsang, were farmers, and nomads, plus teachers training. I like to teach, have more opportunity to practice during vacations when they come growing older, I would like to too. They had lots of land. Actually especially the lower classes. I taught Dharma? [to Tso Pema]. They do their own spend more time in practice. I my whole family, all the ancestors, up to class five, English, Tibetan, TD: I don't know. I think the things, by themselves a little, not would like to do that. Yes. I'm were very holy. My mother and social, math, general science, in children feel good, feeling, "Oh, my always with Rinpoche. I don't always thinking that now Rinpoche grandfather said that sometimes Tibetan Children's Village in father is a Rinpoche." They feel very force them. From living around the looks after the monastery, but we they chanted the mantra of Aval- Dharamsala. good. Also, my older son is now a monasteries, and all, the atmos­ have some young Rinpoches who okitesvara so much that they had BC: What goals did you have at monk. He does quite a lot of study­ phere, they like to go to the monas­ will take over the monastery when new teeth coming out. Our family's school? ing and practice. He was studying at teries and burn butter lamps and they grow up. Then Rinpoche will house was very big, with many big TD: At that time, it wasn't our Changchubling, but now he is at things like that. It's just natural. I be older and maybe we will have rooms full of texts and statues. We vision. Schools for Tibetan children Dzongsar Shedra in Bir, where he try to advise them a little bit. Not some time to do some more prac­ also had very big stupas and prayer were run by the Indian government. will learn only Buddhist philosophy. so much. tice together. I wish Rinpoche's wheels. My father went far away to Our parents had nothing to do with And Aka is really good. He is still BC: Do you have any advice for previous reincarnation was almost trade, to China I think, and he our education. Someone just came young, but he likes to do practice. Western Dharma practitioners? always in retreat. Rinpoche would brought back a lot of texts and made He is in the Tibetan Children's Vil­ to collect the children to go to TD: (Laughs) I am not a good like to do longer retreat, but he has prayer wheels. Usually families lage. My daughter lives with my sis­ school. practitioner. How can I offer no time. For Rinpoches. though. I don't have so many, but my ances­ ter, who is also very good. Actually BC: Was it difficult to be sepa­ advice? I do my own practice con­ think it's almost the same. It's just tors and mother and father were she is really my cousin's sister, but I rated from your parents? Did you tinually, I don't stop. I can always from our side. We feel very good very holy and very much interested call her sister because we lived miss them? practice some place, when I'm trav­ when they stay [in one place] and in Dharma. They liked to do lots of together at school and convent, and TD: I don't remember. I must eling or wherever. But you West­ do something. But maybe for them practice. Also, every year we invited taught together. She was also a wife have missed them. erners don't have that much time. it's the same. I feel it's also very many monks from different tradi­ of a Rinpoche, a Karma Kagyu BC: Did you have some expec­ We have to go according to our dai­ important that Rinpoche travels. He tions to perform rituals, pujas. There lama. But Rinpoche died. So my tations of the kind of person you ly life. We are not in a cave or in a always wishes that even one word were Kagyu, Nyingma and Sakya. daughter goes to school and stays would marry, and your family life? monastery always praying or some­ of the teachings will be helpful for They stayed many days, sometimes with my cousin's sister. She knows How did you meet Rinpoche? thing. So I think it is most impor­ beings. He wishes and he prays. So even a month. Two or three were quite a lot of prayers. MB: Very romantic! tant to be kind and to help each when he can travel I think it is also always chanting. TD: (Laughs) Romantic. I don't BC: Do you miss your daughter other. I cannot advise. very good for spreading Dharma. I I never went back to Tibet. But know. and sons? Do you wish they were MB: What about Western don't plan very much. I just think my brothers did. They say about BC: When growing up, did you living closer to you? women? We have a lot of freedom okay, we have some projects now. thirty families are living in our old have any idea that you would be TD: I would like to live with here, but there's still a lot of control and after we finish these projects, house now. marrying a Rinpoche? them. But I think it's important that by men. maybe our young Rinpoches can BC: Was anyone in your family TD: (More laughter) I think not. they should go to school and learn TD: In Tibet much more. look after things. Then Rinpoche a Dharma teacher? BC: How did that happen? something. It's no use if they stay Women are put down a lot. They can and I can just have some rest and do TD: I don't remember. But some When did you meet Rinpoche? with me. Of course I would be very practice. Practice is not like that. But some practice together. Maybe that were very good practitioners. Like Were you introduced by family? happy with them. We would have a in family life, sometimes. It would be good. But not much plan­ one aunt, who lived with me in Tso TD: (Pause) What other ques­ good time, be very happy. But for depends, from family to family, per­ ning. (Laughs) Pema. She was three days in samad- tions do you have? (Everyone the future, it's not good at all. There­ son to person. BC & MB: Thank you very hi. She lived many years in Mandar- laughs) fore, I thought it's okay. It's impor- BC: Do you find Western much.

THE MIRROR OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 19 97 5 The moment it touched his hand, Srisimha became filled with direct Lives of the Great Masters understanding like an overflowing Book Reviews flask. Unobstructed by excessive verbiage, he made no mistake about the subject matter. PASSIONATE ENLIGHTENMENT: After Manjushrimitra had passed Women in Tantric Buddhism away, Srisimha took the condensed by Miranda Shaw Princeton University Press, 1994 essence of the Secret Mantra teach­ Winner of the American Historical Association's 1994 James Henry Breasted Prize ings out from under Budhgaya. and 1994 Tricycle Prize for Buddhist Scholarship Then he set out for and arrived in the place where Buddhahood arises— Seeing a delightful woman the Chinese Bodhitree. In the living An enlightenment spontaneously appearing room above the temple's shrine, he in embodied form assembled the actual letters which A Buddha gazes with passion and playful­ give riset o the teaching. ness and He divided the Dzogchen Thigle Desire for pleasure and bliss arises. Instructions into four cycles: outer, Sahajayoginichinta inner, secret and unsurpassably secret cycles. He placed the first I'd advise all dharma practitioners who three cycles belonging to the exten­ are reading this article to immediately drop sive subject matter inside a copper everything and go to your local bookstore to box and hid it within the fourth pil­ order a copy of Miranda Shaw's brilliant, lar holding up the shrine's eaves. He instructive, erudite, in the most delicate fash­ concealed these teachings for the ion, Passionate Enlightenment: Women in benefit of later generations. After Tantric Buddhism. If you are not a practition­ sealing the books with the marks of er the injunction is the same with the added reservation that some of the ter­ the Dakinis and a Dharma Master, minology, references and practices involved in this highly original he made them disappear until the elucidation of the theme may be somewhat foreign. appropriate time. This is a book which, in the mind of the reviewer, culminates and opens up The especially profound essen­ once again, but at a higher octave, the preoccupations of the last twenty years tials of the completely unsurpass­ (in America at least) with the 'redemption' of the female on social, political, able Dzogchen cycle he constantly sexual and here at last, spiritual and poetic (sic.) levels. Miranda Shaw's poet­ carried on his person, just as the ic rendition and direct translations from the original texts are flawless in their heart and the body are never separat­ precision, musicality, dexterity and linguistic clarity. Srisimha ed. The Guru Srisimha preserved One can only image her arduous research, in forgotten Himalayan monas­ this mystical experience and his teries, and refuges, her long conversations with her mentors and with the liv­ bodily practices somewhere in a sky ing exponents of the Tantric tradition, as it survives in the Himalayan area. by Jim Valby realm. Then his mother came to him One assumes her brilliance in both Sanskrit and Tibetan, for without a thor­ in a dream. A beautifully adorned ough knowledge of the grammatical constructions and Tantric vocabularies This hagiography of Srisimha (sometimes spelled Shrisingha, Shrisimha, woman said: involved in these beautiful translations, which transmit both the linguistic Sengha, or Shrisengha) is adapted from Longchenpa's account in his "rdzogs "Hey, I am your mother. If you form and content of the medieval texts, it would not have been possible. chen snying Mg gi lo igyiis chen mo rin po che". If the timeline details ohidf e the condensed essence of the Ms. Shaw proves that a scholar can be a poet and practitioner (Miranda Longchenpa's account are correct and if Buddha Shakyamuni's Parinirvana very secret Innermost Essential Shaw is an Assistant Professor of Religion at the University of Richmond, was 488 BC, then Srisimha was born in 289 AD. Teachings in the middle of the shrine Virginia, USA) and that the walls of the Academy are translucent for one who At that time in the Chinese town Soshailing, the householder Dewa Den- room of the Tashitrigo Temple, you has understood the essence of this material. In her book, we are given a wide pa and his wife Nangwa Selwa Rabtu Kyenpa had a son Srisimha. He had an will realize Buddhahood yourself. view of the Pala era in North Western India, 8th-12th century AD, and a amazing capacity for learning. He grew up in the town Shoangjom Nagpo. At Later generations will benefit from microscopic inspection of certain original figures, such as the yogini and guru age fifteenunde r the Chinese Bodhitree with the Chinese teacher Hatibhala, the teachings." Sahajayoginichinta, who determined the cultural and spiritual level of Odd- for 3 years he studied all five branches of learning-grammar, astrology, liter­ Exhorted by the Dakini Nampar iyana, hub of the Tantric whorl at the time. ature, logic, and Dharma—and became undisputedly accomplished. Rolpaigyen, Srisimha, 3 days later, There are practical instructions as well. Here, the Tantric practitioner will Deciding to journey to Serling west of the Chinese Bodhitree, he rode a hid this 4th cycle in a crevice of the realize that literal descriptions do not replace the living lineage and the bless­ large and powerful black female camel. While gazing into the horizon along pillar in the shrine room of the Chi­ ing of an oral transmission. Such practices are not likely to take root without the way in this barbarous region, the very compassionate Great Being Aval- nese Temple Tashitrigo. He sealed it the latter, but it is very helpful to know about them and to seek the lineage okitesvara appeared with his smiling countenance in the sky, and exhorted in succession with the marks of the blessing which would activate their complete potentiality. Srisimha with assuring gestures saying: Dakinis and a Dharma Master and Miranda Shaw shows the female presence behind the scene ("cherchez la "Oh you fortunate son of a good family! If you really desire the goal, trav­ made it disappear until the appropri­ femme") at crucial moments of Tantric development. She gives us the poetic el to the Chinese town Sosoling. So go there, son of a good family." ate time. Furthermore he entrusted it statements of many of the actual practitioners, such as the Arrow-Making Quite satisfied, Srisimha thought to himself: to the female Mantra Guardian Eka- consort and teacher of Saraha " The Buddha's meaning can be known through "Since I am still quite young, I can easily make a thorough study of the jati and offered the prayer that it be symbols and actions, not through words and books." (translation by H. Guen- Mantrayana goal. So for seven years I will familiarize myself with the vari­ found by a fortunate son of his heart. ther, Shaw, pp.131), as well as utterances and songs by other female practi­ ous outer and inner aspects of the Mantrayana." Then he made it disappear. tioners, and in some cases, their consorts and pupils. From the eleventh century Niguma, "legendary founder of the Shangs-pa lineage", So he journeyed to Riwotsenga in eastern China and studied various After learning innumerable "In the state of cosmic equilibrium Tantras, commentaries, oral instructions, and ritual practices on the outer and charms for unfortunate circum­ There is nothing to abandon or practice inner aspects of Mantrayana under the low caste teacher Bilekiti for seven stances including the great charm- No meditation or post meditation period" years. producing seal, the magically and from 'Tree-Leaf Woman', this Dakini song or symbol (Dakini-Nimitta) Then he sat for 72 years in a meaningless void. After that he became a transforming syllables, and the syl­ "sung at a feast held by the Dakinis at the Attahasa Cremation Ground", monk named Yartha and observed the vows for 30 years in China. Once in the lables for intellectual inquiry and "Who speaks the sound of an echo morning, while bathing peacefully and quietly in a pond east of Riwotsenga, robbery, he fastened them together Who paints the image in a mirror Srisimha suddenly became agitated and lost consciousness. When Srisimha and concealed them in the Where are the spectacles in a dream, came to his senses, he was exhorted by the Great Compassionate One him­ Trawatawa Shrine .at the side of the Nowhere at all, self radiating from a halo of light in the sky. Chinese mountain Riwotsenga. That's the nature of the mind." Srisimha thought to himself: Then he made them disappear. As a woman of the late 20th century, Ms. Shaw has made an invaluable "From now on I will travel in China, but since there are so many hin­ Srisimha settled in the Chinese contribution to studies of the female- and to cross cultural transformation drances along the way, I must attain some magic power before setting out." cemetery Siljed which was sur­ which are now a rule of thumb in every area of the globe. She has done this So Srisimha delayed his journey for 10 more years through diversions and rounded by numerous trees of par­ through skillful means and not through aggression, which would fail on its procrastination. After that he made some progress in his meditation for 3 adise. The paths within these were journey toward re-education and stimulation. This book is written carefully, years. In particular he achieved the Rigzin ability to control life span. After lined with oleander flower trees. with exquisite sentence structure and unique and beautifully fashioned vocab­ this he spent 19 years in a place where Rigzin meet. Between these there were groves of ulary of inner, outer and secret experience. After these 19 years he made use of his magical powers and traveled to bamboo and sugarcane. In the Contrasting secular and sacred traditions of 'pleasure', androcentric and Sosaling carried along by the wind without any steps on the ground. Meeting midst of these was an innumerable her own highly original and liberating view, Ms. Shaw brings the Pala with Manjushrimitra, he prostrated, circumambulated, offered a mandala, and mass of hearts from fresh and dynasty to life and its most articulate, extreme personages into our modern imitated the Guru. Srisimha said: decayed corpses. Dakinis made world, as a challenge to those who cling to traditional male-oriented scholar­ "Kindly agree to this. Accept me as a disciple." many weird sounds and beings flit­ ship (which in her view vastly underestimates the role of women in Tantric Then for 25 years he requested instructions and meditated. ted around eating flesh, drinking development and the nature of the women practitioners) or to the secular When 830 years had elapsed since the Buddha's Parinirvana, at the tip blood, and gnawing on piles of interpretation of, in fact, sacred and highly useful information. of the Stupa in the middle of the cemetery, Manjushrimitra made his body bones. There were different types disappear. Lights and sounds arose in the sky, and the earth rumbled. As of human-like forms and different This book teaches by refinement, research and the enlightenment of its Manjushrimitra demonstrated the method of passing beyond misery, types of human-like colors, as well exponents. Although the theme is gender oriented it is not limited to gender Srisimha fainted and fell to the ground. When he regained consciousness as various resounding noises like orientation, but uses the twinning vales of these potentials to instruct the read­ and looked up, he saw that Noble Being sitting in a circle of radiant ener­ trumpets blowing, and so on. er and to help the Tantric practitioners of the 20th century to ingest ever more gy. He wept bitterly: At the top of a multi-storied deeply the recipe of methods which has arrived to our plates. It will, also, of "Oh, alas! If the teacher—the Vajra light—goes out, who will remove the house of skulls there was a blazing course, open the portal of this vast tradition to those who are not practitioners darkness of the world?" fire with smoke rising. Fog hung of these methods and allow scholars to review and renew traditional scholar­ Manjushrimitra stretched out his right hand and placed a jeweled basket about the middle section and Naga ship in the field. with his last testament entitled Six Meditation Experiences into the palm of girls bathed at the base. Inside, in "Human pleasure, with its identifiable characteristics Srisimha's hand. Srisimha opened the basket and saw letters written with ink his world of knowledge, Srisimha Is the very thing that made from one hundred one jewels on paper made of five different jewels. sat in lotus position together with When its characteristics are removed, continued on nextpage Tunis into spiritual ecstasy. continued on next page 6 exhorted him: "There is a book about these. continued from previous page Masters "Oh you fortunate one! If you You will be given it when the time Book Reviews continued front previous page should desire the supreme ultimate is ripe." teaching, it will arise within you in With the teachings deep within Free from conceptual thought, Vishnu's naked daughter on a Tashitrigo." his heart, Jnanasutra decided to The very essence is self arising-wisdom." throne supported by elephants. At So Jnanasutra journeyed to this make a request. He had been think­ Sahajayoginichinta that time, Gods, demi-gods, and greatest of towns in the middle of ing of returning to India, but subse­ "Saraha heads the transmission lineage of the Chakrasambava Tantra and others served and bowed before China. Tashitrigo had 2005 gates in quently realized that returning to is identified by Taranatha as the founder of the Anuttara-yoga Tantra" him with parasols, standards, each of the east, south, west, and that country might make the Bud­ Shaw, pp. 131 ensigns, silk tassels, and so on. north directions. One shrine amidst dha's teaching meaningless. Experi­ Louise Landes-Levi At that time there were 1009 10,000 was multi-storied and had encing this within himself, he towns, and in the western Indian 10,000 monks of the Buddhist com­ decided to attend to his Guru and THE HOUSE LAMPS HAVE BEEN LIT town Langpoytsal, the householder munity within it. There were 10,000 made his request: BUT... Deden Korlo and his wife Dagnid horses, elephants, and other animals. "I wish to really experience it." By Louise Landes Levi Selma gave birth to a son, Birds and musical instruments were The Guru replied: Published by Supernova. Venice 1997 Vimalamitra. also present. "You must fully possess the And in the eastern Indian town But Jnanasutra did not meet with empowerments to really experience Louise Landes Levi's latest collection of Kamalashila, the low caste man the Guru and grew very despondent it. This is a step-by-step process." poetry has been published in a bilingual edition Shantilagpa and his wife Gewai thinking: So in a place devoid of towns, by Supernova, a prestigious Italian publisher of Semma gave birth to a son, Jnana- "I lack the good fortune of suffi­ Srisimha completely bestowed the world avant-garde poetry. Among others. sutra. cient merit." non-extensive empowerment. Then Supernova has published Kathy Acker and Later they lived together amidst While thinking about his not on the peak of the great mountain Robert Creeley from America, Tom Raworth 500 Buddhist scholars in Budhgaya finding the Guru, on the shrine's Kosali, Jnanasutra practiced the sep­ from Britain and Wole Soyinka from Nigeria. in India. From among them, these northeast roof projection, a lion's aration of samsara and nirvana for a The present volume was translated and edited two were the most intelligent and body with a peacock's neck, an ugly period of one year. by Rita Degli Esposti. The title of the present collection is taken from The properly used their minds. In a pre­ face, the body decorated with spots, After Srisimha had completely Royal Songs of Saraha, an eighth century Indian Mahahsiddha and the full vious lifetime they had taken birth as and holding in its hand a staff with bestowed the very non-extensive quote is "The house lamps have been lit but the ignorant continues to live in children of the Brahmin Srata. three skulls on top of each other, empowerment, Jnanasutra experi­ the dark." The collection opens with a number of epigraphs that point to the Because of karmic connections in addressed him, saying: enced an extraordinary realization. areas the poet is about to explore: karma and what is beyond karma, the grief of alienation, and the fragmentary nature of poetry and by extension con­ that previous life, the two now lived "Hey you lucky one! Right now And after thoroughly practicing the sciousness where we live in our broken-down world when separate from the in great harmony. the Guru is walking through the super non-extensive empowerment knowledge that Saraha indicates is always present and of which we remain in Once, in the heat of the day, Danti territory. You are extremely for one month, he had control over ignorance. Finally, the quote from Rene Daumal whose work the poet has walking within hearing distance of fortunate, because he'll be in the Sil- his own mind. translated and published is a declaration of the poet's search for integrity and Budhgaya through Dambuitsal jed Cemetery due north of here. The So for a period of 16 years, reality and a steadfast refusal to compromise her art. adorned with sweet-smelling flow­ Dakinis are loving and concerned Jnanasutra experienced these things ers, they grew tired. Proceeding on with those who have work to do. and saw the practices performed by In previous collections such as Extinctions and 77-e Highway Queen. the beaten path, they heard a voice in You should go there. In all good his Gum. On one occasion Srisimha Louise Landes Levi has constructed her poems with a use of space much like the sky. Simultaneously looking time you'll receive the Secret performed the exercise of retaining the Concrete Poets of earlier decades of the century. This conveys the sense upward, they saw Glorious Mantra Teachings." his breath and on another he of space and silence that surround the words—an aesthetic reminiscent of the Vajrasattva sitting there like a radi­ Thus Jnanasutra was encouraged behaved like a tiger and a buffalo poet/composer John Cage, who is equally uncompromising in his search to ant rainbow. He exhorted them: by the Dakini Jodma. with his naked body anointed with communicate mystery and chance. Louise Landes Levi continues this use of the Concrete form in the current collection and at times further fragments the "Hey you two sons of noble Arriving there, he met Srisimha, blood and grease. He stuck feathers poems by a heavier use of punctuation—the nails and hangers of language— birth! Even though you've had the offered a mandala of jewels, pros­ in the very long hair on his head and than in previous works of hers. The structures play into the musicality of the bodies of pandits for your last 500 trated, circumambulated, and carried a sword in his right hand and words, words that swoop down the page or make pyramids or hieroglyphs of births and have practiced the noble requested: a blood-filled skull in his left. Drink­ themselves. teachings, still you have not realized "I pray to be accepted." ing the blood, he wandered about the the goal of the Secret Mantras. If Srisimha rose from his throne cemetery. The book opens with two love poems and we have the sense that like the you desire to achieve the goal of as naked Brahma, emerged from Once he covered his body with a Indian mystic Mira Bai. the lover, even when love is unrequited, finds a rev­ Buddhahood and not have the con­ his room of piled-up skulls, and tiger's skin and rode a bull. And he elation of Saraha's dimension beyond karma. Throughout the poems refer­ ditioned aggregates continue to arise kept silent. Raising 3 fingers of would wear the hat of ordinary peo­ ences are made to the Kama Sutra—the lost Kama Sutra recorded by Nandin. in this life, go to the Chinese Bod- his hand upward, he gazed into ple with a skull-drum beating in his the servant cow of Siva. In the poet's opinion, the version of the Kama Surra hitree shrine. the sky. At that time Jnanasutra hand. He performed various prac­ that remains to us is, "a Brahmanic appropriation of material otherwise con­ Greatly enthused by this exhor­ thought that he was accepted for 3 tices while roaming about cemeter­ served in the Sankti and Tantric traditions." tation, Vimalamitra immediately years. When Srisimha intuited ies. Sometimes he practiced with the Memories of lovers, chance meetings with elderly suitors in Italian bars, returned to his house in town, this, he scratched his head 3 many interdependent relations of unknown old ladies on the streets of Arcidosso. a fearful attack upon her in picked up his alms bowl, and set times. Then for 3 years, Jnanasu­ earth, water, wind, and fire for the the streets of New York, the appearance of a hunter on a mountainside where off. Arriving at the Chinese Bod- tra sat imitating whatever the benefit of sentient beings. she meditates, fragments of dreams take us through a poetic landscape that hitree shrine, he met with the Guru did like offering a mandala, Invited one time by the is haunted, angry, grief-stricken, comedie and always ready to embrace the learned Srisimha. The Holy Master rubbing his skin, ringing his bell, Khotanese King Paljin, Srisimha unexpected with an air of love and wonder. The collection ends with a poem was extremely delighted and for 20 or positioning his hands. After the lived in a silk house for the six- called "Long Term" where the poet unleashes her voice in a rhythmic, fast- years gave him the Oral Instruc­ 3 years had elapsed, Jnanasutra armed lion-headed Karmo god­ paced chant that after the hesitancy suggested by the collection's title and the tions and the teachings of the outer, prostrated before and circumam­ dess. When he entered the three fragmentary nature of the shorter poems ends on a note of dramatic and inner, and secret Tantras. He did bulated Srisimha, offered him 38 silk parasols on the second story, ecstatic affirmation. Des Barrx not give him the actual texts. Then measures of gold dust and six powerful sons of the Nodjin with a satisfied heart, Vimala requested: demons stamped their feet and returned to India. "Gum, please accept me." ran away. Meeting with the learned Jnana- But for a period of 9 years, Seven days after returning sutra on the outskirts of the Indian Srisimha did not give the Oral from there, a great noise resound­ town Gajedgitsal, Vimala related his Instructions. ed. Jnanasutra looked upward and FREE experiences. Jnanasutra asked: At that time Jnanasutra had an saw the Holy Man sitting within a Your choice of a hand painted "Where is this authentic mani­ idea. Thinking there must exist circle of radiant energy in the sky. decorative box or crewel festation of the Tathagata living?" some texts providing access to these Fainting, Jnanasutra collapsed to embroidered tote bag Vimala replied saying where he teachings, he again made his the ground. As he recovered from ($10.95 to $17.95 value) lived. request. Srisimha granted the his fainting spell, the circle of Thinking to himself "I have request by showing him the books radiant energy in the sky became With Any Purchase From Eastern Elegance little energy", Jnanasutra set out under the Bodhitree Shrine. For 11 even more brilliant. Noises rum­ Specializing In - for the country of China and trav­ years he explained the Explanatory bled from everywhere in the eled the nine-month journey in Teachings. Then when Jnanasutra bright sky and resounded with ®OM Jewelry & Malas ® Prayer Wheels, Bell & Dorjes just one day through his magic had a satisfied heart and seemed immeasurable strength. On top of linai Thangkas - Fine Detailed Mándalas, Life of powers. Walking around the Chi­ quite happy, Srisimha asked: the trembling, agitated, rocking Buddha, Others nese Bodhitree, Jnanasutra "Are you reallysatisfied? " earth, Jnanasutra saw immeasur­ became quite disappointed Jnanasutra replied: "I am really able quantities of gold, silver, ® Copper & Bronze Deity Statues & Masks because the Guru was not living satisfied." flowers, and cymbals. Thinking there. He looked all around, but The Guru said: "There's nothing "These events indicate the passing ® Decorative Boxes - Handmade Walnut, Brass, Silver & Srisimha was not sitting any­ to it." beyond misery of my Guru", Papier-Mache where. He remembered what Jnanasutra had the idea that there Jnanasutra wept bitterly saying: Vimalamitra had said, but ® Tibetan Wool Rugs - 3' x 3' Truly Beautiful Dragon and must exist some very profound "Oh, oh, alas! If the teacher— Border Designs Srisimha just wasn't there. instruction showing the path of these the flame of the lamp—goes out, A very tall black woman, look­ teachings, so he again made a who will remove the darkness of We take orders for any size rug. Available in many designs ing directly at Srisimha's former res­ request. The Gum said: the world?" & colors, 60 to 100 knots per square inch. idence, was carrying a load of water "One must have initiations for Srisimha himself passed down on her back. She was blessed with these." his last testament entitled "Seven Created by Newari craftsmen, Tibetan weavers & artists of snow-white teeth and wore a So within the Tashitrigo Temple, Nails" into the palm of Jnanasu­ the Kathmandu Valley turquoise which did not cover her Srisimha completely bestowed the tra's hand saying: FREE COLOR CATALOG eyebrows. The wrinkles in the mid­ ordinary extensive empowerment. "The books on the Innermost Eastern Elegance Phone (716) 795-3012 dle of her forehead carved out a And for a period of 3 years he gave Essentials are in a pillar in Dept. R Fax (716) 795-9938 crossed Vajra. She had a beautiful the unsurpassably secret instruc­ Tashitrigo's Samle Shrine. Go live 1934 Johnson Creek Rd. complexion and held a parrot in her tions. The Gum said: in the Bhasing Cemetery." • Barker, NY 14012 e-mail [email protected] hand. This Dakini Gonsem Jampa

THE MIRROR OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1997 7 of a rock outcropping which exceeds 180 meters in length. A Preliminary There are no fewer than three dozen dilapidated structures many Archaeological Survey of which were multi-roomed and probably of more than one story in height. These structures are pri­ of gNam mtsho and marily built in stone with a small percentage of them constructed of Dang ra g.yu mtsho mud bricks. Most of the walls are built in a square fashion but some also exhibit rounded comers, a by John Bellezza fairly unusual building technique Part III of a series about the lost city of Zhang Zhung in Tibet, (cf. Tucci 1973: 75, 76). Along the southern base of the Kurgan-like stone ring at Lug do. (gNam, mtsho) JOHN BELLEZZA outcropping is an edifice of four R TA MCHOG DGON PA barrows (bang so).15 mKha' 'gro'i bro ra is oval worth noting that in the neighbor­ or five rooms with two of the In the middles of the northern Also at Lug do are several stone shaped, about 14 meters long and ing China an unbroken astronomi­ rooms still intact, complete with shoreline of gNam mtsho is circles. The smallest of these may eight meters wide. Its semi-circu­ cal tradition goes back to at least roofs. These remarkably well-pre­ another long headland called be old tent rings (nang ra), long lar-shaped entrance faces north on 1450B.C. according to oracle served rooms afford a fascinating Ngang pa do, where rTa mchog since disused. Disused nang ra of to the lake. The walls of the cave records (Sivan: 56), and that the window into ancient construction (Superior Horse) dgon pa is situ­ varying ages dot the Byang thang are for the most part sheer expans­ first system of calculating the techniques and ecology of space. ated. The most distinctive and and are often constructed with a es of rock, four meters to seven ephemerdes was developed in Passing by a large boulder, which sacred features of this promonto­ circular ground plan. Below the meters tall. The roof of the cave is 104 B.C. (Sivin: 57). These sci­ acts as a gateway, one of the ry are two pyramidal rock forma­ largest cave on the site is a stone open to the sky; however, the entific innovations in China ruined rooms is entered. tions which resemble horses' ears ring seven meters in diameter north wall tapers inward towards might have influenced the devel­ Immediately adjacent to it are the and give the site its alternative with a crescent-shaped arrangu- the top, creating a partially- opment of astronomy in Tibet, two rooms with roofs. Each of name of rTa chog. In the reddish ment of stones in the center which enclosed space below. The cave is although how this could have them is small—about seven formation closest to the base of might have a funerary function, situated at the western end of one been effected is unknown. square meters in size. One of the headland is a narrow fissure, of the two sections of the bKra these rooms has two small win­ based on its similarity to Eurasian BRA GU RTA RA shis do headland called bKra shis inside which is a stone staircase graves of the nomadic cultures. Bra gu rta ra (the Horse Corral of dows called khra ma by the native do chen. It receives sunlight from leading to the apex of the horse's The largest of the circles is 17 Bra gu ngom ngan) is associated pastoralists. The other room is its open roof, not from its ear. Unfortunately, recently the meters in diameter, built of stones with the legendary progenitor of windowless. The interior and entrance. After several earlier vis­ staircase has become so damaged embedded in the ground and lying the A po hor pastoralists of gNam exterior walls are made of unplas- its, during the summer solstice in as to preclude its use. On the on the surface circumscribing the mtsho, who is probably the most tered, raw stone blocks. In the 1995, an occasion that can only be ground a short distance away periphery. In the center of this important mtshun lha (ancestral room with the windows there is a described as serendipitous, the from the formation, stone walls ring is a circular nucleus of stones deity) in the gNam ru province of one-meter-tall fireplace made of possible ancient utility of mKha' on its summit are plainly visible. nearly three meters in diameter. the Byang thang. His corral, adobe with a sophisticated venti­ 'gro'i bro ra became known. Given the size of the summit they This structure, like the other ones located between sNying do and lation system built against the On the summer solstice at midday cannot be more than a few square at Lug do, is apparently of great Ngang pa do according to the oral outer wall. The 'brog pa pre­ and to a lesser degree on days bor­ meters in area, but size alone says antiquity, attested to by the man­ history of the region, is ascribed dictably call it a thab kha. The dering it, the sun pours in from the very little about its ancient utility. ner in which it has been reab­ to the prehistoric period. It is a rooms each have a smoke hole in open ceiling and illuminates the Local 'Brog pa affirm that in pre- sorbed into the rocky ground. It huge stone wall enclosure much the ceiling called a skar khung. entire rdo mchöd cairn. This is the Buddhist times rTa mchog was an requires centuries generally for a more massive than any that have The most unique architectural fea­ only time of the year that the rdo exceptionally sacred place and structure to attain this degree of been built in the contemporary ture of the rooms is the all-stone mchöd is fully bathed in sunrays. that the ruins here represent the integration in the poorly devel­ period. 'Brog pa say that they roof. The slabs of stone compos­ The shadows that fall on the rdo vestiges of a Bon monastery. oped soil horizons of the Byang lack the skill and manpower to ing the roof are supported by mchöd at other times lengthen and Undoubtedly something was thang. This largest stone ring build something this large, which stone braces resting on the wall change shape throughout the year. located at rTa mchog, but whether especially resembles the adds to its mystique. plate, two or three per wall. These 'This is because the aspect of or not it was a pre-Buddhist reli­ Mongolian and Altaic kurgans.^ The walls of Bra gu rta ra are 2 to stone braces act as the structural mKha' 'gro'i bro ra and its steep gious monument remains to be In the 1940s Professor Tucci doc­ 2.5 meters tall and over one meter template for the radial arrange­ walls prevent complete illumina­ proven. Other not necessarily umented round structures which in thickness. It is rectangular in ment of roof slabs that lie on top tion of the rdo mchöd, except mutually exclusive possibilities he opined were tombs belonging shape, approximately 55 meters of them. In the room with the 7 when he sun is at its maximum include a fortress and astronomi­ to a megalithic culture.- Modem long from east to west and 30 windows two of these stone elevation in the sky. The most reli­ cal observatory. This is suggested Chinese archaeologists working in meters wide from north to south braces span the entire length of able informants explained that the by the limited access to the site Tibet have verified that certain and covers the top of a ridge that the ceiling and thus function as cairn in the mKha' gro'i bro ra was and its commanding position. A circular arrays of stones are funer­ bisects the valley of Ma ra ri des. rafters. A parallel to this style of originally erected in ancient times. rTa mchog or Ta mchog dgon pa ary in nature. In one recent classi­ It suffered severe damage during construction is found in the vil­ Due to these observations it is, is also found at the headwaters of fication of archaeological sites on the Cultural Revolution but was lages of Gangs lung and 'Om bu very plausible that in deep antiq­ the Brahmaputra river in Western the Plateau, round graves are rehabilitated during the further to the north, where the uity mKha' 'gro'i bro ra was used Tibet which likewise is said to recorded as on the five major Communist collectivization peri­ roofs of the homes are also built in ritual astronomico-astrological belong to the ancient Bon period types of monuments found. Not od and used as a holding pen for of stone slabs, the difference calculations, with the rdo mchöd according to local authorities all stone circles on the Byang sheep and goats. Bra gu rta ra has being that they rest on wooden acting as a register of solar cycles. (Bellezza 1993: 41-44). thang are necessarily tombs, now reverted to a ritual function beams rather than stone ones. Further archaeo-astronomical according to the local 'Brog pa as a shrine to the 'brog pa According to the resident 'Brog LUG DO investigations are required to con­ informants. One legend attributes genealogical gods. Against the pa these rooms functioned as Still further west around the firm the calendrical functions of them to being the places where southern wall in the middle of the gzim khang (sleeping quarters) for expansive gNam mtsho is Lug do mKha' 'gro'i bro ra and to expli­ giant tents belonging to potentates enclosure are ruins of an the old fort. (Sheep Headland) and more ruins cate the exact mechanisms were erected in ancient times, and unknown function. Also, against which the native pastoralists casu­ involved in its usage. Other calen­ Despite enquiring from many it calls them tshor shul. The the southern wall, to the east of ally call Bon po. In front of a drical parameters connected to within the most knowledgable largest stone ring at Lug do has a the ruins, is a lha tho more than series of caves, on a rocky terrace sidereal, lunar and solar cycles people in the region, nothing con­ particular role in the sacred geog­ two meters tall consisting of overlooking the lake, are traces of may be implicated. Unfortunately, crete could be learned about raphy of the Divine Dyad and is heaped up stones with prayer foundation walls of formidable none of the lamas nor sngags pa Phyug'tsho grog po. The most called Thang lha ï 'bon zhon (the flags strung across them. This is dimensions and the remains of who frequent bKra shis do could informed opinions assert that the Measuring Tray of gNyan chen the ritual heart of the site. To the other kinds of structures. The verify the possible archaeo-astro­ fort was founded in Zhang Zhung thang lha) by pilgrims. This name east of the compound is a two- diversity of structural forms at nomical value of the site. times but that it remained viable refers to a vessel the size of meter-tall boulder called Thang Lug do make it most appealing in In the contemporary period virtu­ until the time of the Fifth Dalai which fulfills the appetite of the lha'i rtaphur (gNyan chen thang reference to its archaeological ally every 'Brog pa encampment Lama when it was destroyed by holy mountain Thang lha. lha's horse stake), an important value, because a seemingly rich uses natural landmarks such as his governer, the Mongolian dGa' Although it is plausible that the shrine where the veneration of heritage is enshrined here. rock faces, gorges, clefts, large Idan tshe dbang, during his mili­ stone rings at Lug do are tombs, horses is conducted. At this junc­ 20 It was not possible to estimate boulders and mountain tops to tary campaign in Nag tshang . they may also have cosmological ture the archaeological value of the size of the structures that keep track of time. Sidereal, lunar The historical validity of this and astronomical significance of bra gu rta ra is unknown; howev­ once stood at Lug do because and solar cycles are marked in claim could not be verified, but ritual importance. er, it is a very important sacred most of the foundations are this way and are used to order the tall precariously perched cultural site. walls of the ruined edifices do obscured by ground cover. In MKHA' GAO'; BRO RA patterns of migration and other indicate that at least certain por­ some places, however, the walls At bKra shis do, one of the most periodic events in the pastoral DANG RA G.YU MTSHO SITES tions are not more than a few are exposed slightly above the important of the sacred sites at economy.'9 There is every reason PHYUG 'TSHO GROG PO centuries old, because more level of the earth, thus permitting gNam mtshho, is an unusual cave to believe that such a tradition has Less than eight kilometers from ancient structures would have a rough assessment. These walls called mKha' 'gro'i bro ra (the its antecedents in the distant past. the agricultural village of Phyug been leveled by now. If it was are about one meter thick and Dancing Concourse of the daki­ According to Bon history, at the 'tsho is a spectacular site of three older, more disintegration of the very skillfully built. Near these nis). In the sacred geographic con­ time of King gNya' khri btsan po major arrays of ruins. The largest structures should have occurred, foundation walls are three hemi­ ceptions of this important head­ there were 12 Bon sages (Bon group of ruins is known as Phyug especially the mud brick variety. spherical mounds two meters, land, it is believed that dakinis shes pa can bcu gnyis). One of 'tsho grog po rdzong. At its zenith Also at Phyug 'tsho grog po is a three meters and five meters descend from the sky to dance these, named sKor rtsis mkhan, is it must have been as large, or large complex of dark colored respectively in diameter. These around a pyramidal cairn in the attributed with describing the four larger, than Lha rtse chos Ide stone chortens called either tumuli may be composed of rub­ middle of the cave floor.Thi s seasons on the basis of the move­ rdzong of the old fort at Phun mchöd rten smug rang brown stu­ ble or waste product middens but cairn is called rdo mchöd locally, ments of the sun, stars and moon tshogs gling in gTsang province. pas) or Brum bu nag dpal, which it is more probable that they are corresponding to what is common­ (Dunkar Rinpoche: 57). It is also It covers the summit and the sides continued on next page ly referred to in Tibet as lha tho.

H continued from previous page fell into a state of disrepair an August Moon Pilgrimage untold number of centuries ago. his October, Norbu there to steal the statues Among the most curious sets of TRinpoche and prob­ and treasures from the ruins at Phyug 'tsho grog po are ably some members of Reflections small building close to the ones situated on a mount the Dzogchen Commu­ the site. "They tried to above the fort commonly called nity will undertake the by Des Barry kill the guard," he Zhang Zhung dgon pa by the classic Buddhist pil­ smiled, "but they local 'brog pa. The ruins extend grimage to the sacred failed. We are much for about 2,000 square meters in a places associated with better at killing than dense agglomeration, an index of Buddha Sakyamuni's they are. We're trained their erstwhile size and impor­ life: Lumbini, where how to do it." tance. The buildings were orient­ the Buddha was born; We stayed for ed to the compass points and were Kushinagar, where he another day of practice built primarily of stones. When died; Varanasi where he and for the night of the they were built and who built first taught; Bodhgaya, Full Moon. Hundreds them are unknown. where he awoke to his of Tibetans arrive for a 15 Bang so are funerary Enlightened Nature; teaching by Choje The Vulture Peak mounds found throughout Tibet Trichen Rinpoche, a Mountain near Rajgir, chronologically spanning the Sakyapa master. That where he first taught evening, an old Tibetan Bronze Age to the Imperial peri­ Mahayana; and Nalan- woman, her lined faced od, and have been the subject of da, the University framed by braids, eyes research and speculation since the where Buddhist philos­ behind broad thick early part of the 20th century. ophy flowered. Four glasses, sets out hun­ They are treated in a wide range years ago, my wife dreds of butter lamps of Tibetological works. Good Paula and I undertook on the stepped founda­ sources of data on the bang so the same pilgrimage on tions of the Mayadevi include.Haarh 1969,; Chayet Namkhai Norbu Rin­ temple. The full moon 1994; Hu XuTru 1993. poche's suggestion. As is reflected in the 16 Kurgans are burial struc­ a Westerner who has adopted an Eastern religion, my own pilgrimage to bathing pool. The ten geese enter the water and little ripples across the tures found in Mongolia, the Altai the major sites of significant action in the Buddha's life was certainly pond. From the roof of the monastery, horns and shawms fill the night air inspirational and the journey also raised and answered a number of ques­ as we lay down to sleep. region of Siberia and Turkestan tions about how a Westerner follows a spiritual path that originated histor­ The following morning we take the bus into Bharava. As we get off, we and consist of earth and stone ically in the East with Buddha Sakyamuni's enlightenment. I can't pretend are surrounded by rickshaw wallahs like mechanical vultures riding in heaped over ancient graves of the to answer the questions raised for anyone other than myself but the front of us, bells ringing, calling out. We hustle past them and get to the cist type. It was George Roerich description of the circumstances that Paula and I encountered on our pil­ stop where the bus arrives to take us to the border crossing. No one stops who first appreciated in the 1920s grimage might provide a kind of travel guide that won't be found in a us at customs and our passports are duly stamped by a gray-bearded Sikh the parallels which exist between bookstore for those making their own way. immigration official after he has checked our names against his ledger of the kuragns amd barrows on the We left Kathmandu bus station on our way to Bhairava, also called Sid- undesirables. Sunauli is a wide swath of yellow-brown dust flanked by Byang thang. Kurgan is a generic darthanagar, a main border station between India and Nepal on our way to stores selling motor oil and engine parts. Buses wait and rev their engines term referring to burial structures the birthplace of the Buddha. The journey is spectacular and uncomfort­ threatening to leave at any second, which they don't. We choose a bus for over a wide range of Central and able. In the distance the fishtail peak of Macchupuchare rises snow-capped Gorakphur. After a long journey through wheat fields and mustard fields, North Asia and inclusive of many above the green hills. The journey to the Terai, the Nepalese lowland takes we reach a village and the driver announces that he is going no further. In cultures. This diversity is also ten hours on a crowded bus that broke down twice as it wound through the the small riot that ensues, I grab back some of our money and we set off steep, scrub-covered Nepalese foothills with great drops down into the for the main road to see how we can get to Gorakphur. I imagine we are borne out chronologically, with Trishuli gorge below, squeezing by the Tatar trucks that belch poisonous about sixty miles away. Paula is upset and a small crowd gathers. "Why is kurgans striding a time span from exhaust into the valley air. We get off the bus on a crossroads close to the she weeping, sir?" someone asks. 1 explain the situation. "No problem, sir. the Afanasyevskayá culture dated Hotel Yeti in Bhairava. The hotel is clean but every bus that passes through Another bus will come." While an increasing number of passers-by argue to the end of the third millennia or originates in this town revs its engines outside the hotel to attract pas­ as to the best location to find another bus, a jeep pulls up and the driver B.C. to Hunic times in the early sengers from about five in the morning to midnight. yells, "Gorakphur, Gorakphur." Ah beautiful unpredictable India. The jeep centuries of the Christain Era. For a After breakfast, we walk fifty yards down the main road and search out is soon crowded with half the population of the previous bus and someone description of kurgans see, for a jeep to drive us to Lumbini. Two young boys run the jeep, a battered has saved Paula a prime seat close to the tailgate. I sit on the tailgate. We example, Paulinskaya: 30-32; green affair with a plastic tarp over the top. The road goes out of town arrived in Gorakphur just in time for the evening rush hour and the driver lets Lubo-Lesnichenko: 47,48; through rice paddies. This early in the morning fog lies in a blanket across us all out in a bazaar of chai shops, fruit stands, and stalls with bright orange Vainshtein: 57; Gryaznov 1969: 46, the flat land. Out of the fog appear tired homed heads that swing in front pakoras piled next to mounds of triangular sarnosas. We take a rickshaw to 52,89-91,93,102; Roerich: 19,20. of bony humps, yoked bullocks drag a cart piled high with straw, firewood the railway station to make reservations for a train to Varanasi, two days and grain sacks. It takes about an hour or so to reach Lumbini. Monaster­ hence—essential for the pilgrim to do when traveling in India—and then we 17 Professor Tucci discovered ies representative of the Buddhist countries of Asia rise above the flat take a rickshawt o the Hotel Ganges situated in a quieter part of town between what he thought were either fields. We haul our backpacks to the 'restaurant,' a thatched roof beneath two dueling muezzins. graves or ritual sites, consisting of which the Nepalese owner cooks snacks. The restaurant owner also is in Our next pilgrimage place is Kushinagar where the Buddha passed into circular areas enclosed by boul­ charge of the dharamsala, a two-story building with rooms for rent if you parinirvana. In the morning, the hotel owner gets us a rickshawan d tells the ders piled on top of one another are lucky enough to find one vacant. A major Kagyudpa teaching has just rider to take us to the bus station. The bus journey takes a couple of hours. with one or more monoliths in the ended and so many pilgrims have left. He promises us a room that evening Kushinagar is very different from Lumbini. Everything seems more orga­ center. These included monu­ and lets us leave our bags with him for safekeeping. We also give him an nized. The gardens and archaeological sites are well tended. In the Parinir­ ments at Seng ge rdzong and Dop advance order for an evening meal. vana temple, there is a huge fifth century statue of the Dying Buddha. It is tra rdong (Tucci 1980: 225, 244, We walk through the remains of temples and Stupas and monastic such a contrast to Christian symbology. The Buddha passed away in peace, 245). Tucci distinguished between cells that were all destroyed during the Muslim invasions of this area. A Christ in terrible agony. Perhaps a reflection of the many ways we can meet our end but with transcendent knowledge always the victor over death. the circular stone sites with or small building houses ancient statues of Mayadevi, who clutched the branch of a pipai tree as she gave birth to the Buddha. This symbol is as We walk out to the cremation Stupa about 1.5 km. away and it is sur­ without a central stele. An exam­ old as humankind. It resounds through unconscious channels Western or rounded by a beautiful garden. There is a strong "sense of Presence." Three ple of the latter is found near Rwa Eastern. Paula, being a midwife, is particularly moved by this place of Indian gardeners watch us as we walk around the Stupa. We sit under a tree sgreng (Tucci 1973: 51, 56). primal birth. A place that celebrates the mother as well as the child. The and settle down to do some practice. It begins to rain. Immediately, we are 18 A summary of the five kinds temple of Mayadevi is swathed in tarpaulins because the Archaeological joined by three Indian gardeners who want to use the same tree among very of archaelogical finds in Tibet Commission of Nepal is restoring it. One of the archaeologists ushers us many to "shelter from the rain." Westerners immediately attract attention in would include rock art, megaliths, inside to see their work. I have mixed feelings about what they are doing. India. Sometimes one feels as if in a zoo. Doubtless, Indian people experi­ round graves, slabstone graves and They are using new brick, it seems, to rebuild parts of the structure and enced the same sensation in Britain and America when they were fewer in Xin duo spur ruins, according to I wonder if it wouldn't be better to leave things as they are. We come out number and probably still do in areas away from major cities. At a pilgrim­ Hu Xu Tru 1993: 224-226. into the sunlight again. age site one hopes to be left alone and one's practice respected but as one's otherness as a Westerner makes one stand out one is not accepted simply as 19 This corroborated by sLob Ahead of us is a huge pipai tree that grows next to a bathing pool on the site of which Mayadevi gave birth to the Buddha. The tree is full of rau­ another ordinary pilgrim. dpon btsan 'dzin mam dag, who cous green parrots, black crows, white-winged finches. In the nooks of the Because we are to leave for Varanasi on the following day, we decide to spent over four years at Byu ru roots, pilgrims have left images of Mayadevi and the Buddha. This early go back to Gorakhpur for the night. This is a little disappointing after our mtsho near gNam mtsho between in the morning there are few other pilgrims so it is possible to sit and prac­ experience at Lumbini where we stayed long enough to let our minds relax 1945 and 1950 with his master, tice completely undisturbed. Across the empty gardens is a gazebo to more deeply into meditation and appreciation of where we were. In Gorak­ sGangs ru tshul khrims rgyal which we make our way and where we can sing the Song of the Vajra. We phur, the hotel owner tells us we don't need to check out until we are ready to mtshan. During his many interac­ pass the day in practice, conscious that we are on the site where Buddha catch our ten p.m.train. tions with the 'Brog pa he Shakyamuni began a journey that affected the lives of millions throughout We have a firstclas s compartment to ourselves for the journey to the city observed the system of using nat­ the following three thousand years. known as Kashi, the City of Light, Varanasi, Benares. With the clack and rat­ ural features to tell time. At sunset, while eating at the restaurant, a Nepalese Theravadin monk tle of steel wheels over rail and the carriage laterally rocking, the train lurch­ 20 The invasion, subjugation harangues us, trying to convert us to his style of Buddhism and disparag­ es out of Gorkphur station and we sleep fitfully until we arrive at our ing Tibetan masters. There is, even here at this sacred site, no escape from destination at four thirty in the morning. It is still dark. We take a motor rick­ and consolidation of Nag tshang sectarianism. Late in the evening—the moon is bright, one night away shaw to the Hotel Temple. The driver has a companion. Both men are during the reign of the 5th Dalai from full—we walk through the excavated ruins where a ground mist wrapped in shawls and hunch up front over the steering bar. We crash and Lama is mentioned in a history of swirls. The moon and the pipai tree reflect in the waters of Mayadevi's bang through deserted back streets, these men taking us who knows where. the province (cf. La stod 'jam bathing pool. Ten white geese sit on the pool's terrace. As we leave the Finally we arrive on the banks of the Ganges and the Hotel Temple. Consid­ dpal 1989 [?]:pp. 259). • archaeological site, the policeman guarding it strikes up a conversation ering it is now five thirty in the morning, the owner, a pandit, cheerfully tells with us. He tells us how, one month previously, four Indian dacoits came us that someone has checked out fifteen continued on page ¡6

THE MIRROR OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1997 9 INTERNATIONAL

COMMUNIXY NEWS

NORBUNET THE STUPA PROJECT OF TSEGYALGAR Norbunet is an internet mailing list for students of Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche developed to expedíate Ontul Rinpoche's Dedication A Stupa Dedicated to Health and Long Life and enhance intercommunity com­ for the New Stupa of Tsegyalgar of Choegyal Namkhai Norbu munication. By using Norbunet you can receive the most current Community bulletins, announce­ by Jim Smith ments and schedules; as well as The following was have access to creative, topical and written on Septem­ The construction of the stupa for the health and long life of Choegyal often lively discussions of interest ber 3rd, 1997 in Namkhai Norbu is open to participation from all Gars and practitioners of to practitioners. Norbunet is admin­ Tsegyalgar by Dzogchen. The location is in Western Massachusetts, but the purpose of the istered by Loek Jehee, Amsterdam, Drikung Pontrul stupa goes beyond location and borders. The Netherlands (Email: loekje- he@xs4 all.nl). (Ontul Rinpoche) as We are building the stupa solely on the strength and support of the stu­ a dedication for the dents and spiritual friends of Choegyal Namkhai Norbu. The stupa will stand Norbunet is not an open mailing long life stupa of on the site specifically selected by Rinpoche himself on the land of Tsegyal­ list. The mailing list is meant for students of Namkhai Norbu Tsegyalgar being gar, and it is on that very same land that future retreat cabins will be built. The Rinpoche and those clearly related constructed for the presence of the structure and its intention will greatly support and benefit the long life of Choegyal to his teachings. After your request practice of the retreatantsno w and also through future generations. for a subscription is submitted, a Namkhai Norbu. This land is also the same place where Choegyal Namkhai Norbu received verification by the administrator of the transmission of the Vajra Dance, so it is the same place from which this the list will take place and you will ÒEven if there are sacred Dance originated. be asked certain questions to obtain many kinds of stupas, The necessary permissions from the local government have been validation as a member of the list. they can all be summa­ received. We hope to set the foundation for the stupa before the winter clos­ After approval of your subscription rized in the 'Bght es off the land. to Norbunet, you can publish mes­ Stupas of the Mind of We are asking for help in two areas. Before we can begin construction we sages to the entire subscriber's list (at the Sugata'. They need financial support. We need to purchase materials. Of course money is of the moment the number is around belong to the stupas 200) by sending them to a specified concern but we shall make any effort to work with what will be contributed which were built in dif­ listing. Norbunet is not an "open" by students and friends. We shall continue to work at the rhythm dictated by ferent places by lay mailing list but is moderated by the the moneys offered for the purchase of materials. patrons to commemo­ administrator to prevent useless or Secondly we hope for the physical participation of those interested—we harmful messages from appearing. rate special actions of the Buddha when he was alive. The glorious Nagarjuna, need many hands to complete this vision. We shall organize times for collec­ in fact, praised and explained the nature of these famous Hght Stupas, one of To subscribe to Norbunet you need tive work on the construction of the stupa. to send an email message to major- which, for example, being built in Vaishali when the Buddha empowered his The size of the stupa will be 12 feet square diameter and 21 feet high. It [email protected] with the "Subject:" long life, is known as the Stupa of Complete Victory- will stand on this land for all the generations to come. Imagine it being a pres­ - line empty and in the body of the Today, especially to make the life span of Choegyal Namkhai Norbu ence on this land for a thousand years or even many more. message: subscribe Norbunet Rinpoche lasting and stable so he can complete his sacred activities, and also We have the good fortune to have a living Master like Rinpoche, whose (your email address). in a more general way, to pacify all unfavorable conditions and to increase health and long life is imperative in the continuation of this invaluable lineage There is the possbility of receiving favorable conditions and general well-being, the Dzogchen Community of of the Dzogchen teachings and the completion of his precious Santi Maha Norbunet in a digest format which means after a certain time period you Tsegyalgar is planning to build a stupa on the Tseg\algar land Rejoicing with Sangha program It is for Rinpoche's health and long life that we are con­ receive a consolidation of a number respect, I am sure that all those who will have a positive connection to this structing this stupa—it symbolizes in some small way his students' participa­ of messages that were received with­ special 'support' for accumulating merits will definitely accumulate merits tion in his vision. in that time period, so more mes­ and have good results. We have the land and skilled professional members of the Community sages are sent less frequently. If you who can see this project through to completion. There have been a number of would like to receive Norbunet in This is dedicated with confidence in the reality of the infallible interde­ Lamas who have visited the Gar recently and are wholeheartedly supporting this way you must replace the word pendence of cause and effecLÔ the project. norbunet in the message box with In order to construct the stupa we need the heartfelt support, financially norbunet-digest. Norbunet is valuable tool of com­ Written on September 3, 1997 in Tsegyalgar by Drikung Pontrul. and otherwise, from all the members of the Dzogchen Community, support­ Translated from the Tibetan by Jim Valby and Adriano Clemente ers and spiritual friends. munication for Community mem­ bers and can keep you up to date, informed and entertained.

Santi Maha Sangha Update WEST COAST DZOGCHEN CLASSIFIEDS

COMMUNITY Astrology During last September, 1997, in Pokhara, Nepal, Choegyal Namkhai Norbu Jhampa was one of the first western worked with Adriano Clemente primarily on the new version of the base and third by Margaret Bradford and Barbara Claven monks in the Tibetan 'tradition. Since levels of Santi Maha Sangha. The base level book should be ready in the New Year. 1970 he lived in India learning the Interested students are expected to read this book and check the new list of required Tibetan language and in 1980 entered practices, because there have been more changes. Also the questions have changed, August 20, 1997 the traditional 3 year retreat. Your and for the next exam the new questions will be used. The translation of the third We sat in a circle on the soft carpet of Jodi's suburban family room in Brent­ astrology chart is interpreted from a level book should follow soon after. Also, the first and the second levels have to be wood, California, trying to understand immeasurable loving-kindness and all Buddhist perspective. It will draw on revised and will be done as soon as possible. For the moment, the translation of the of its ramifications. We were sharing personal experiences and insights after the wisdom of the East to help you gain tantric practices of the first level are available, which were not included in the previ­ reading about this Mahayana antidote to the disturbing emotions from, the insights into yourself and your life's ous edition. We are trying to set up a network of communication among responsib.es Santi Maha Sangha texts. Wonderful smells from the kitchen let us know that direction. Services for children and in each Gar or nation, so that all doubts about practice or teachings can be resolved we would soon be enjoying another of Reid's gourmet meals. Later that night relationships are available. and news disseminated in a timely manner. we tested our loving-kindnesskindness with a loud, competitive card game Call: 1-800-819-2288 for information; or Daka's, 5840 Wilson Ave., Duncan, called Hearts. Interestingly, those of us who were the least attached to win­ B.C., V9L 1K4 Canada ning and who cooperated as a team won the game. Webpage: Http://www.mala.bc.ca/ It was the first practice weekend of the year for the West Coast Dzogchen -shanemanj/wwwhome.htm Passages Community, and similar scenes would occur monthly in homes scattered among the four directions of the Bay Area as we continued practicing our way He was a Vajra dancer and one of through the base requirements of the Santi Maha Sangha together. Gathering A Beautiful Country House the toughest karmayogins; there's places included Lynn's rustic home, with its big, homey kitchen, overlooking Close to Merigar nothing in Merigar that has not Sonoma and the North Bay, Paul's apartment on the top floor of a vintage Beautiful property for sale near Merigar consisting of two buildings: the benefitted from his hands. This farm house at an old dairy farm in Point Reyes, and Helen's redwood house, main house and a separate cottage next year he finished a very nice, big built by herself and her teenage sons, overlooking the ocean in Big Sur. All to it, a total of twelve rooms and three cupboard for Rinpoche and Rosa's the locations in which we gather add their ambiance to our practice. bathrooms. Both buildings have been home in Merigar. Intensive in nature, these retreats usually begin on Friday night with a fully restored with great respect for the medium Tun. We're up at 7:30 the next morning for the first of three or environment and are surrounded by Died: Sergei Uspensky of Riga, Died: Paolo Pagni died at home in four Tuns that day, and after dinner we often do the Chöd. Sunday, we over three hectares of land (approx. 7.5 Latvia died on the 15th of August, acres). The property is situated close to Siena, Italy peacefully on October usually complete two Tuns and then finish the weekend with a Ganapuja 1997. Sergei was a student of Bud­ a wildlife reserve and has a large open 4th, 1997. He was 33 years old. in the afternoon. dhism sirice 1989 and became inter­ space at the front as well as chestnut Paolo was assisted well by the Sometimes we need help in keeping ourselves from becoming too intel­ ested in Dzogchen in 1990. He met lectual or idealistic about our practice. Last year, some of the kids lent a hand and pine woods , fruitrees and potable Community. People from Merigar spring water. Norbu Rinpoche in Riga, Latvia in by throwing practitioners in Helen's swimming pool in Big Sur, and wrestling went to his home in Siena during Further information is available from 1992, and took Santi Maha Sangha or beating us at a game of Magic at my house in Pleasand Hill. Many people the last few weeks and sat by his the secretary at Merigar. Associazione training in Moscow in June, 1996. bed, helped his mother, chanted the from the Los Angeles community have participated in the weekends, and Culturale Comunità Dzogchen, Merigar. Sergei was cremated on the 27th of Vajra song and practiced for him. Melinda and her daughter Maile from Hawaii were here for one of our Vajra 58031 Arcidosso GR. Italy. August in Riga. Paolo was loved by everybody. Dance retreats. Tel.: 0564 966837 Fax: 0564 968110. continued on next page E-mail: [email protected]

10 On the Brink of Becoming the t is Spring. The situation, set the CHÖD RETREAT Victorious Gar records straight, Ibrilliant yellow IN THE ADELAIDE HILLS, AUSTRALIA wattles are in bloom, A Personal View of Namgyalgar submit tax returns and the parrots are and take care of our with Tsultrim All ione searching for tree hol­ legal responsibili­ Tsultrim Allione will give transmission and teachings on the Chöd practice Elise Stutchbury (President: Blue; Namgyalgar Gakyil) ties at many differ­ low nests. The laugh­ from January 9th- 14th. 1998 in Crafers, South Australia. The five day practice ter of the kookaburra ent levels. We retreat will be held at Gyuto House, with indoor sleeping or outdoor camping sought inspiration fills the air. Namgyal­ to Italy, to hold the first retreat at available, and meals will be catered optionally. in Rinpoche's vision for Namgyal­ gar is awakening from winter slum­ Namgyalgar at the end of 1995, a gar: Vajra Hall here, retreat cabins For further information about registration and prices PH (08) 8 3734537; ber. A small group of practitioners few individuals stepped in and here, a Gonpa with walls and a fax +61 8 3592656; email: [email protected] have gathered for a week's Longde pushed ahead with preparations, floor, Gekos house, car parks and practice retreat. Some have traveled despite seemingly insurmountable roads, a large pond or dam and about eight hundred miles or so, obstacles. The shed, with bush pole facilities for dining, washing ...so from Adelaide and Brisbane to par­ supports and corrugated iron roof, much to be done and no time to ticipate. For others the distance is was enclosed with canvas tarpau­ loose. There's no guarantee that our Shang Shung Institute not so great. At the Easter retreat lins. With old pieces of carpet on the earlier this year, Choegyal Namkhai Master will be with us in the future, earthen floor, some prayer flags, red PHOTOGRAPHS OF TIBET so we had better meet his vision Norbu taught us this series of teach­ cloth over trellises, a teaching throne soon. We also began to change the ings in detail, and we are now study­ and a few thangkas, the structure Conway, Massachusetts energy of the Community's opera­ ing these teachings in greater depth was transformed into the Gonpa. A tion, the fragmentation resulting and putting them into practice to small bush kitchen, primitive bucket from pushing ahead by some and remove doubt. showers and drop toilets were quick­ Tibetans and Tibet: then the reaction of others in the Preparations are well under way ly built. Work was begun on Rin­ Photographs by Dr. Mary Gendler face of decisions apparently made for our summer teaching retreat poche's house, a project on a scale of her 1995 trip to Tibet and India without consultation. We began to between Xmas and the New Year, too great to be completed in the few develop methods in our Gakyil when we shall once again bask in short months we had to prepare. A Shang Shung Institute meetings for decision making our Master's presence, as well as in very wild piece of Australian bush Conway, Massachusetts which allowed us to plan ahead, the strong sun, cooling off in the happily and generously accommo­ October through November. rather than always be in crisis con­ ever rising and falling ocean waves dated all the practitioners who came Hours: 10am-5pm daily. trol, and to trace through time our of the nearby coast. It will be two from near and far, and somehow, Call 1 -413-369-4928, or 4153 for driving instructions. decisions and our actions following years since the first joyous retreat at despite serious lapses in preparation, these decisions, or the lack of them. Namgyalgar. Before Rinpoche left coordination and cooperation, a joy­ We began to encourage and include with Rosa for his travels in Tibet, ous and blessed atmosphere pre­ more people in the processes of the and India, he compassionately asked vailed. Many people entered into the Community, through developing issue 8 includes: us to look at how we are moving moment to moment arisings and our communication, hearing ideas, ahead, to examine our behavior. simply did what was necessary, and planning and revising plans, work­ This 'Wake Up Call' was for some, so the energy spun. The influx of The Path is ing with our circumstances. a shock, particularly if one's focus is practitioners from across the globe under your Feet on material results, rather than on certainly helped, and many Aus­ At a more essential level we as a David Schneider, process and practice. It has also pro-' tralians who have not traveled to community have not made the tran­ Director of Shambhala vided a great opportunity to cut other Gars, experienced their first sition from several small and isolat­ Europe through obstacles, and to consoli­ taste of the international flavor of ed practice groups, mainly date as a Sangha with the great the Dzogchen Community. Mar­ associated with the cities, and sepa­ Emotional Intelligence responsibility to our transmission velous! rated by great distances, to a cohe­ Daniel Goleman and our Master of creating a Gar, a sive community, centered and A new Gakyil was formed in place for practice, not only for our­ grounded in the teachings and trans­ Rinpoche's presence and we began Tea-time reflections selves, but for all those who follow mission, focused on the presence of in earnest to develop the focus for Dzongsar Khyentse the Dzogchen teachings, and for our Master, and situated, the materi­ the activities of the Dzogchen com­ Rinpoche future generations. al manifestation of this piece of land, munity in Australia around the Gar. the buildings and so on were not This is not a light endeavor, nor with another teaching retreat three effortlessly and spontaneously aris­ Special Feature on is it one which will flourish if we months later, at Easter, exactly two ing as a display and an adornment, the 'Death, Dying bring our habitual and limited ways years after the retreat with Rin­ the mandala of Namgyalgar. Rather and Living' of behaving with us. In a very short poche when we had decided to they have been forged and pushed Conference period of time it seemed that we had move ahead and purchase the land into being by a small number of pio accomplished a great deal at the on the slopes of Gulaga mountain. Subscription for 4 issues neers, strong and independent indi­ material level under difficult cir­ Namgyalgar no longer hovered on UK £12, viduals exerting much effort and Europe £16, cumstances. Namgyalgar was pur­ the brink of becoming, or so it bringing the considerable mundane World Wide £18. chased just two months before seemed. Members of the Gakyil Rinpoche became ill in 1994. For skills of their ordinary political Dharmakosha grappled with many aspects of 31/39 Redchurch Street, workaday existence to bear on the some, great uncertainty and stasis organization and confusion, partic­ London E2 7DJ, UK. situation. In many ways formidable, prevailed. For some, a much deeper ularly around our financial situa­ Tel: +44 171 739 8533 but certainly not the embodiment of appreciation of their transmission tion. Dedicated individuals Fax: +44 171 739 8695 enlightened activity! and the preciousness of their Master continued to push ahead, but the arose. Namgyalgar hovered on the old and familiar habits of working And so it is that we still hover brink of becoming. We simply did independently, often with little or on the brink of becoming a Gar, in not know... no consultation with others contin­ the real sense. Rinpoche advised us Now Available! When Rinpoche announced his ued to dominate the modus operan­ to practice together, to enter into intention, after his triumphant return di. Slowly we began to clarify our the very basis of the teachings, and THE RANGJUNG YESHE gave very precise instructions. Small groups of practitioners have TIBETAN-ENGEISH WEST COAST COMMUNITY continued from previous page gathered at Namgyalgar since his departure. Over a long weekend in DICTIONARY June in the middle of winter about So many events and practices have been at my house this year that the OF BUDDHIST TEACHING & PRACTICE Sangha sometimes feels like a large extended family. Friends sleep in differ­ twenty practitioners came from ent rooms on the floor, set up tents in the yard, coming and going, sometimes near and far for a group retreat More than 90,000 entries in an electronic version focusing on the Six Parami tas, and staying weeks at a time to do practice on the Dance mandala that is the focal on PC/MAC disks. Compatible wittialHmown word- point of this suburban back yard. Anastasia and others come almost every then for a wonderful, wintry week week to dance for a number of hours, and Vajra Dance has been a regular part in June a small group came togeth­ processors and data-base programs. er for another group retreat on the of other gatherings as well, including community pot lucks and Gakyil meet­ * Extensive compilation of terminology used by ings. Also, four times a month Sangha members come to celebrate and make Four Immeasurables. Now in this offerings at the Ganapujas. We usually begin at 7:00 in the evening, and some week of warmer spring weather a present day translators. * Selected definitions and people come a couple hours earlier to dance. group practices Longde. The hand­ clarifications from classical literary works. * Details of We were also blessed by a visit from Wangdor Rinpoche at this house in ful of locals meet in regular prac­ places, people, and titles of scriptures. * Verified August, when he stayed two days and nights to give Man-ngag-sde teachings tices on special days, and for Santi on the "Three Words" of Garab Dorje, using a commentary by Pattuì Rin­ Mafia Sangha study groups. Simi­ entries from existing dictionaries, word-lists and poche. We were able to share meals, conversations and insights, generating a larly, the regional groups continue glossaries. * Special Introductory offer: US $50 peaceful, cooperative and loving atmosphere despite the heavy, 106 degree across the continent, providing a (includes shipping and handling). heat. Being close to Wangdor Rinpoche embodying the profound Dzogchen regular basis for practitioners to teachings touched everyone deeply. meet together. In some of these groups there seems to be an Rangjung Yeshe Dictionary, We are now beginning to develop plans for the upcoming year, having increased understanding, individu­ attn. J. Wagner, elected our new Gakyil in August. First, we will host Ontrul Rinpoche in als and groups feeling their way P.O. Box 4796, San Francisco this September. After that, we will explore various ideas on into relationship with each other, Boulder, CO 80302, USA enhancing our practice, cooperating with other Sanghas with whom we and with the place which may yet Email::[email protected] have a connection, contributing to the long life of the Master and the become Namgyalgar Gar—the teachings, and strengthening the already deep spirit of collaboration with­ Victorious Gar. • Make check or International Money Order payable to Mr. E. Schmidt in our own Community. •

THE MIRROR OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 1997 11 The Tibetan FIRE Ox YEAR 2124 Elementary School ofDang-che SPECIAL PRACTICE continued from page 1

ware packages. CALENDAR 3. Plans for a junior high school for Dang-che. 4. The establishment of a small hos­ pital of traditional medicine to guar­ antee basic medical assistance to the population of Dang-che. There is no hospital in the entire valley and the nearest is the County Hospital. Many lives are lost due to the lack of emergency medical attention. ASIA in conjunction with the hospital of the district council of Zho-lho has already sent three backs of their sons and grandsons, columns at the center of the great Tibetan doctors to Dang-che. nobody wanted to miss out. The courtyard. They began with songs Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche and sun was powerful and sweltering and then marched in a parade, each the Governor of Qinghai Province but everyone stayed in their places child raising great paper flowers, "...IT IS BEST TO DO THESE practices collectively with yoursigne d a general cooperation agree­ hour after hour so that they would each group with its distinctive col­ not miss anything of the ceremony. or. The choreography was simple Vajra Brothers and Sisters (at the recommended times),men butt for the development of the economy, education and health of Some people managed to defend but effective for those traditional if this is not possible you can do them personally wheneverthe province . The main points of the themselves from the brutal heat dances in which the children were you have free time. The important thing is to try to commu­agreement are: under umbrellas whose colors all well-versed. Truth to tell, the lit­ 1. The twinning of the Province of added grace and beauty to that fan­ tlest ones with their bright red nicate with all practitioners linked with the same transmis­Qinghai and that of Grosseto. tastic sight, women wore straw cheeks, who were all about three or sion. In this way you develop the potentiality of your 2. The establishment of a junior high hats decorated, as is traditional in four years old, were not that sure of school for Dang-che. Amdo, by flowers of different col­ their steps and some of them went transmission and your understanding and capacity to inte­3. The establishment of a school for ors. There were people every­ in the opposite direction to their grate your daily life into practice ..." machinists at Yu-shu. where: in the courtyards of the groups to the laughter of the tight­ 4. Study scholarships for eight school, in the gardens, in the ly-packed audience. Choegyal Namkhai Norbu young Tibetans to learn Italian and entrance halls, on the balconies, on Then came the various official to take a course for machinists at the the roofs, on the branches of trees, speeches of the inauguration. The he most important thing we can day. This is the anniversary of the professional school of Roccastrada. on the fences, just everywhere. A speakers included: the head of the do to help maintain the good 16th Gy al wan g Karmapa and also stage had been built for the author­ T The Day of the Inauguration County, the head of the Province, health of our precious master, Choe­ the anniversary of Terton Tsogyal, ities and for the friends of ASIA. the teachers' representatives, the The day of the official inaugu­ gyal Namkhai Norbu, is to keep our a previous reincarnation of Sogyal There were a number of Western­ village representatives, Namkhai ration of the Dang-che elementary samaya as pure as possible and to Rinpoche and discoverer of many ers who came for the occasion and Norbu Rinpoche and Andrea del­ school finally arrived, June 23, correct all errors by performing Termas. It is therefore a good day the Tibetans were amazed, many of l'Angelo (ANDERato to every­ 1997. For days, hundreds upon Ganapuja with our Vajra Brothers to do the Long-life practice of Guru them had never seen so many white one). All of the authorities had hundreds of Tibetans dressed in and Sisters. Padmasambhava "Universal Wis­ people together at the same time. words of gratitude for ASIA and their traditional costumes gathered dom Union", which is included in hope for the future. It was impres­ from all the surrounding valleys to Finally, Namkhai Norbu Rin­ 8th Month, 25th day Sat. 25th the Medium or Long Tun. You can sive to see how Namkhai Norbu camp close to the campus for the poche took his place on the stage Oct. 1997 This is a Dakini day, do this in the usual way or, if you Rinpoche's speech on the funda­ major event where everyone came and everyone ran up to him wanti­ and also the anniversary of two have the possibility, you can do a i mental importance of not forget­ to affirm the importance of Tibetan ng to see the great Teacher of great Dzogchen masters, Rigzin Ganapuja. ' ting and the preservation of Culture and the necessity of pass­ whom they had heard so much Kumaraja, who transmitted the Tibetan culture was received with 9th Month, 15th day Fri. 14th ing it on to future generations. recently but who had never yet Dzogchen teachings to such enthusiasm by everyone Nov. 1997 FULL MOON. This is Everyone seemed to be aware of been in that area. The local people Longchenpa and to the third including the high government a good day to do the Long-life this and showed it by wearing their knew that he was a great lama, a Karmapa, and of Rigzin Tsewang officials. It is a topic of essential practice of Amitayus, "Union of best costumes and traditional jew­ great Dzogchen Master and.also a Norbu (1698-1755), a great importance and the newly con­ Primordial Essences", either col­ elry. There were so many children great scholar who had written Dzogchen master of the structed Tibetan school and those lectively or personally according all dressed up in bright colors. It many books on the ancient culture Nyingmapa school. It is therefore children all lined up on the to your possibilités, early in the was their school and finally their of Tibet. The school where they an excellent day to do Agar square ready to begin their stud­ morning and in the evening a party. The authorities, the band, the were gathered and all the others Lama'i Naljyor, the Guruyoga ies bore witness to crucial value Ganapuja. leaders of the village, the County, under construction in various with the White A. If you can do it of this work. 9th Month, 22nd day Fri. 21st the District Council, the committee regions of Tibet had been con­ in the morning, that is best. Then, Nov. 1997 This day is the impor­ of the Village Development Asso­ ceived by him. They knew that he Then the real party began with if you have the time, you can do tant celebration of Buddha ciation and all those who had been had lived for nearly forty years in banquets and dances to lighten up a Medium or Long Tun later in Shakyamuni's descent to earth actively involved in the project and the west where he had taught at such an important day that had the day, with an intense practice from the realms of the Divinities. in the last few months guarded the "the University" in Italy and had gone on so long. By the end we of Simhamuka, or a Ganapuja, if It is called "Lha bab dus chen", school grounds day and night so brought many Westerners close to were all exhausted and had the you have the possibility. the Great Time of the Descent of that nobody could enter before Tibet, but it seemed as if he had clear perception that this was only This month the 27th day is dou­ the Divinities. It is an ideal day to time and ruin anything. never moved from his current the beginning of the work. It was a home. Now, dressed in a tradition­ bled. 8th Month, 27th day Mon. do a Ganapuja with your Vajra Slowly everyone began to gath­ marvelous beginning with the best al gown of brown silk and with an 27th Oct and Tues. 28th Oct brothers and sisters. If there are er: the teachers with their pleasant- possible auspices for the future. It air of both great presence and joy, 1997 This is an important day for none nearby, you can do a Short or natured and intelligent director, the was however just the beginning of Rinpoche was seated on the stage the practice of Ekajati, so try to do Medium Tun on your own. many children, future scholars and a road that everyone knows would a Long or Medium Tun in the usu­ in front of them. be very difficult. The day's cele­ 9th Month, 25th day Mon. 24th everyone else. Just everybody al way, reciting the heart mantra of The ceremony began. The chil­ bration and those children present Nov. 1997 This is a Dakini day came, babies at the breasts of Ekajati as many times as possible. dren (more than a thousand of confirmed that it was a road really and the anniversary of the very proud, strong and beautiful them) were lined up in different worth trying to travel. • 8th Month, 30th day Fri important Dzogchen master women, old people carried on the 31stOct. 1997 DARK MOON. Adzam Drugpa (1842-1924). He This day is excellent for practising was a disciple Of Jamyang the "Purification of the Six Kyentse Wangpo and a master of jati as many times as possible. Lokas". Otherwise you can do the some of Namkhai Norbu Rin­ The best time for this practice is Medium or Long Tun. ­poche's masters, including around eight o'clock in the 9th Month, 3rd day Mon. 3rd Changchub Dorje and Ayu Kadro. evening. The Crystal and the Way of Light Nov. 1997 This is the anniversary He was also a previous incarnation 10th Month, 10th day Tue. 9th Sutra, Tantra and Dzogchen of Rigzin Jigmed Lingpa (1729- of Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche. It is Dec. 1997 This is a special day of 1798), a great Dzogchen master therefore a very important day to Guru Padmasambhava, therefore The Teachings of Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche who was the author of many practise Agar Lama'i Naljyor, the do a Ganapuja with the Guruyoga books, among which is the Guruyoga with the White A, and the Long-life practice of Gum Longchen Nyingthig, which he according to your possibilities. Padmasambhava "Universal Wis­ wrote after having contact with 9th Month, 30th day Sat 29th dom Union" collectively. Other­ Longchenpa through visions. Nov. 1997 DARK MOON. This wise you can do a Medium Tun on Therefore, on this important day, is a good day to do "Namchos your own. you should try to do Agar Lama'i Shitroi Naljyor", the Yoga of the 10th Month 11th day Wed. 10th Naljyor, the Guruyoga with the Peaceful and Wrathful Manifesta­ Dec. 1997 This is an important White A. tions, in the morning. It is also an day for the practice of Ekajati, so 9th Month, 9th day Sun. 9th Nov. important day for the practice of try to do a Long or Medium Tun Compiled and edited by John Shane 1997 There is no 10th day in this Ekajati, so try to do a Long or in the usual way, reciting the heart month so we celebrate the day of Medium Tun in the usual way, mantra of Ekajati as many times has been re-released by Penguin Ar kan a Guru Padmasambhava on the 9th reciting the heart mantra of Eka- as possible. and is available at local bookstores.

12 INTERNATIONAL DZOGCHEN CONTACTS

ARGENTINA Saphran Weiss Tel: 60 3 9847167 98 Thomson Green Lynn Sutherland Tashigar* 19 Rue de Bagnolet MEXICO Singapore 574965 423 W. Webster C.C. No.1-5155 75020 Paris Lennart Aastrup Tel & Fax: 4530387 Chicago, IL 60614 Tanti Tel: 33 1 43710203 Nino Artillero 33 Tel: 773 477-7280 Pcia. de Cordoba Fax:33 1 43710203 Tepozüan, Mótelos Keng Leck Tan Fax: 773 728-9556 Tel:œ54-70384036 Jocelyn Carasso Tel: 52 73950192 110 E. Arthur Rd. Email: [email protected] Fax: 54 541 98300 Route De Pemin 74160 Fax: 52 73951059 Singapore 1543 Dzogchen Community West Coast Les Mouilles Neydens Tel: 65 447 25% Carol Fields Marissa Alonso - Gakyil President Tel: 1 33 50351142 NEPAL Fax: 65 532 6349 755 Euclid Ave. Berkeley, CA Montevideo 1255 Angelo Fontana EmaihINTERNET: 94708 5000 Cordoba Tel: 54 51 234669 GERMANY GPO Box 4102 [email protected] Tel: 510 559 9753 Dzogchen Gemeinscaft Kathmandu Fax: 510 524 0933 Nelida Saporiti-Secretary Helga Betz Fax: 97 1 225184 SLOVENIA ErnaihINTERNET: Virrey Loreto 3616-1 "A" Lindemannstr. 12 40237 Email:INTERNET Changchub Ling [email protected] Dusseldorf [email protected] PO Box 19 SL-62250 Poetovio 1427 Cap. Fed. BA Dzogchen Community of New Telephone & Fax: 49 211 682657 Tel: 386 62 222523 INTERNET: Mexico NEW ZEALAND Fax: 386 62 29874 nsaporiti @ interlink.com. ar c/o Lidian King Gerhard Manusch Rosemary Friend SOUTH AFRICA 25 B Big Tesuque Canyon Oberwohnstr. 8 84034 7 Radnor Street, North East Valley AUSTRALIA Darryl Van Blerk Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 Landschut Dunedin S. Island Pamela Oldmeadow 82 New Church St Tel: 505 988 5995 Tel: 64 3 4730886 3/12 Fox Place Tel: 49 871 670521 Tamboerskloof 8001 Email: INTERNET: Fax: 64 3 4779463 Lyneham ACT 2602 Fax: 49 871 670599 Capetown, Tel: 27 21 221265 [email protected] Tel: 61 6 2571177 Fax: 61 28 661185 GREAT BRITAIN Alastair Gager SPAIN 8 Riki Rd., PL England, Auckland Tara Mandala ChehGoh David Ruiz Loredan P.O. Box 3040 Namgyalgar Dzogchen Community 28 West Park ÜEsponceda 30-C*- DC HA Pagosa Springs, CO 81147 of Australia* Bristol BS8 2LT NORWAY 28033 Madrid Tel: 970 564 6177 Vicki Forscutt - Secretary Tel: 44 117 9737622 (evenings) Gordon Cranmer Tel. 34 1 4422325 Fax: 970 264 6169 PO Box 14 Central Tilba, Off: 44 117 9228777 4157 Utstein Kloster Mosteroy Email :[email protected] Tel: 47 4 514705 NSW 2546 Email: SWITZERLAND New York Dzogchen Community Tel. and Fax: (02) 4476 3446 Christina Von Geispitzheim PO Box 734 FjnaU:INTERNET: l>riERNET:[email protected] PERU Haus Fontana 12 Peter Stuyvesant Station [email protected] Comunidad Dzogchen de Lima 3920 Zermatt New York, NY 10009 GREECE Juan B ustamente Tel: 41 27 967 38 26 Tel: 212 560 7209 Email: Amare Pearl PanayorJs Stambolis Calle E. Palacios Fax:41 27 967 01 85 INTERNET:[email protected] 55 Burringbar Street Marinou Antypa 38 1125 -C. EmaihINTERNET: Mullumbimby NSW 2482 14121 N.Iraküo, Athens Milaflores, Lima 18 [email protected] Susan Indich Tel: 51 14 791274 129 Kaelepulu Dr. Kailua Tel & Fax: 61 66 845570 Tel: 30 1 2713765 Hawaii 96734 Fax: 51 14472984 Emaü:INTERNET: Fax: 13411856 THAILAND Tel: 808 261 3469 [email protected] HOLLAND EmaU:INTERNET: Pierre Wittman Fax: 808 524 4342 Dzogchen Community [email protected] P.O. Box 37 Laurence Mills Holland De Kempemaerst 62 Hua-Hin 77110, Tel & Fax: 66 32 515511 VENEZUELA Bodhi Citta Buddhist Centre 1051 CR POLAND Pablo Lau Rivera PO Box 8177 Cairns, QLD 4870 Cezary Wozniak Uiundrubgar Pba. Res. Pedermales Av. Tel: 070 568253 ISRAEL 31-510 Krakow UKRAINE Valéry Botsula Paez Montalban II Email: Noa Blass Ul. Rakowicka 21/3, Poland 1021 Caracas INTFJlNET:[email protected] Biltmore Street 15 Tel: 48 12 21 7835 Komandarma Korka St.42-59 Tel: 58 2 4421434 •^ijiCi ¡-.i! I'J vj(i«rn.ij¡.ii iv.ii.ii 62194 Tel Aviv Kharkov Fax: 58 2 340643 EniaU-JKTERNET: 310186 AUSTRIA Tel & Fax: 972 3 457543 [email protected] Irmgard Pemwieser Kriemhildplatz Elias Capriles 1/17 1150 Vienna ITALY USA Apartado Postal 483 RUSSIAN FEDERATION Tsegyalgar* Tel/Fax 43 1 9857367 Merigar* Comunità Dzogchen Sara Handley - Secretary Merida 5101 Arcidosso, 58031 GR, Italy Helena Antonova Tel & Fax: 58 2 74447550 Dzogchen Community P.O. Box 277 Edition Tsaparang: Tel: 39 564 966837 Conway, Mass. 01341 Oliver Leick Fax: 39 564968110 Komeychuka Str. h. 44, f.17 Tel: 413 369 4153 Dzogchen Community Gschaier 139 Secretary- Rita Reni 127543 Moscow Fax: 413 369 4165 Apartado Postal 483 Email: 8265 Gross-Steinbach Email: Tel: 95 405 46 64 Merida 5101 74404.1141 @compuserve.com Tel & Fax:03386-571 Fax: 95 9546040 Fax: 58 2 74 447 550 EniaihlNTERNET: LNTERNET:[email protected] Buryatian Community [email protected] "Kiindrolling" Azamgar c/o Maria Fedetova 50 years of We would like to keep the International Community Contacts as current BELGIUM Giuhano Casiraghi Via Sempione October prs. 44-26 as possible. Please check your listing and update it so we can maintain a Katja Lytridon 14-B 24125 Ulan-Ude 670034, Buryatìa functional list for everyone. Thank you ! 16, me Paul Goedert L. Bergamo BG The Mirror 3330 Crauthem Luxembourg Tel: 39 35 225159 Olga Tsvetkova JAPAN Kostromskoi Prospect 58/31 BRAZIL Tsugiko Kiyohashi St Petersburg 194214 Muriella and Washington Malaga 5-11-23 Shimomeguro Meguro-Ku Tel: 7 812 5538121 Rua Raul Vicente 19 Tokyo Fax: 7 812 1307070 Tibetan Buddhist fundos tremembe Tel: (office) 81 3 3712 7507 02370-010 Sao Paulo S.P. Fax: 81 3 3716 7248 Denisova, Tatyana Tel: 011-69523919 2-Y Microraion-14 apt_3 EmaihINTERNET: Tetsu Nagasawa Elista, Kalmikiya 358000 •over 500 hand-painted thangkas in stock wmalaga @ uol.com.br 7-17-14 Higashi Oizumi Nerimaku •Hundreds of statues Tel/Fax 81 3 39248965 Vladivostok Dzogchen Community •Dharma ritual items including: BYELORUSSIA Kuleshova Nataha Rousland Malakhouski JohnMunroe Tobolskay 12, KV.20 incense, malas, and mandala sets Ul. Odinstova 29-35 Minsk Email: INTERNET:djmuriroe Vladivostok, 690066 bells, dones, and covers @maü.chabashira.co.jp Email:INTERNET: damarus and chöd drums with cases CANADA [email protected] Peter Dimitrov LATVIA and much more... 305- 11806 88th St. Padmaling Russian Email addresses: Delta, BC V4C 3C5 Gahna Kuznecova, Riga Maskavas Vladimir Karpinsky: • 287-36, LV-1060 INTERNET:[email protected] Wholesale ano Retail DENMARK Fax: 7 4698828040 Vladimir Maikov: Jom Strufe INTERNET:maikov @ glas.apc .org Continuing the tradition of quality items at low prices Norrebrogade 64/4 2200 LITHUANIA (Business and inventory formerly Charles O'Hara of SERBIA/EX YUGOSLAVIA Kobenhaven N Antanas Danielius Susquehanna, PA) Tel: 45 31392530 Str. Baltupiyo, 47-69 Zoran and Jelena Zagorcic Vilnius, 2057 Koste Jovanovica 9 ESTONIA Tel: 37 2 776824 Fax: 37 2 221618 llOOOBeograd Visit our Showroom Gallery by appointment! Maret Kark Dorjeling Tel: 11-467437 SadeT9,EE2400 PO Box 1183, Vilnius Voglar Slavica and Nereo Mamssig Conveniently located close to 1-95,1-81,1-70, Tartu. Tel: 372 7/479 454 Danice Markovich 4 11000 1-270, andMD-15 MALAYSIA Beograde FINLAND Tham Wye Min Kaisa-Liisa Puonti 8669C Klebang Kechil 75200 Edition Ari: K-F Visantie 19 Melaka Zeljka Jovanovich, Zelerà Venac P.O. Box 1971 05400 Jokela Tel: 60 3 56162 11000 Beograde Frederick, MD Tel.+358 9 4172818 Tel & Fax: 38 111 687123 Fax: +358 9 140321 Kwok Kee Chang EmaifINTERNET: 21702 Email: 11-AJalanJujor, 1/5 [email protected] (301) 631-5663 INTERNET:[email protected] Taman, Bakti Ampang SINGAPORE FRANCE Selangor, W. Malaysia Ian Gan

THE MIRROR O C T O B E R / N O V E M B E R 1997 13 Introduction compelling rea­ Relatively Speaking the responsibility our project, we reflect and share the Living in the relative world invari­ sons that we want when they are vision, get on with the task, and we ably means that we have to organize to do a project, the Some basic principles of project managementcommitted , must review our progress. What has ourselves to achieve something. initiating person which happens gone well, and what has gone Even a basic task of taking care of must be able to by Cheh Goh only when they wrong? How to improve the positive our hunger is not trivial: we need to share her vision feel they are part and how to correct the negative? acquire food, cook it and eat it, or go with others in the of the commit­ With or without the help of out­ to a restaurant. Before that we need team. While purpose and direction everything is impermanent, and we ment. While it is not the same as the siders, try to abandon any impor­ to make enough money in order to appeals to the reasoning mind, all change. It is like rowing a raft commitment of a Bodhisattva who tance we give to our ego, honestly do these things. This is, of course, a vision appears to the emotion. Often cross a river: the leader must keep is motivated by compassion, it is check the team's work and make simple example because we know it is the leader who has to convey the crew focused on the shore oppo­ still very good training to recognize adjustments where necessary. precisely what we want, and we both to the team. Why is the emo­ site by gently bringing them back that having made a promise one Repeat this regularly until project often know how to achieve it. How­ tional commitment of people in the from the distraction of a nice sandy must be responsible for it. Sharing completion and there is a good ever, a large project which involves form of a shared vision so impor­ island in the middle of the river. responsibility also means that one is chance the project will achieve its many people, and relies on contribu- tant? This is because we have the The Practice willing to take on the difficulties of intended purpose. Jion of different skills need similar full qualification of our passions. Now that everybody in a project is fellow workers in the project. If we Recognition and setting example focus. I will show below how the Emotional energy is that which cre­ fired up to carry out the task in hand are able to help each other out in a The Buddha's behavior and life is teachings actually reflect the princi­ ates the determination to succeed. to achieve the vision, it is similar to project, then there is a better chance an example for all Buddhists to ples of project management. Human beings can both reason and the situation when a Bodhisattva that in the sea of samsara we can learn from and to emulate. Any pos­ THE VIEW: PURPOSE AND VISION be passionate, so we need to become having generated the good inten­ work with fellow practitioners to itive outcome of a project should The Principle of Archery: identify committed in both ways. It is vital tions and is ready to do the altruistic reach liberation. similarly be duly recognized, and be the target that the vision is truly shared. The training for real. For that, watch out Help others succeed cited as example so that we can The best way of making a project As have been mentioned several project manager should lead a group for the following: learn from it. Recognition also succeed is to encourage people in the times already in my previous arti­ to create a common vision. This cre­ Develop a shared plan encourages the continuation of team to help each other succeed. It is cles, "shooting an arrow without ation is a very powerful way of This has to do with the awareness of effort and will lead to even better well known that selfishness and indi­ knowing where the target is" is a bonding, which goes a long way in the situation in which the project is outcome. Judicious celebration of vidualism, some aspects of which waste of time. Yet it is often amazing making sure that everybody feels being developed. Rushing into a job the completion of significant stages disguise themselves extremely sub­ to see ourselves unclear about the her contribution and participation. without much consideration can eas­ of a project is also vital, because it tly and well hidden, are the common purpose and direction of a project Nobody should feel that she is just ily cause problems. We have noticed helps to relax the tension that source of obstacle to success. As when we embark upon it. If we want an anonymous and neglected pawn how the many construction projects inevitably builds up. practitioners in the community, it is to start a land project for the com­ in a huge battle field. Creation of in the community have been preced­ The Behavior shared vision is what the project vital that we use our awareness to munity, what will the property be ed by preparations in the form of There is no secret in good project manager can do to ensure involve­ catch these unhelpful characteristics used for? If we want to embark on a offerings to the local guardians, management that is not already well ment from the beginning. In the in ourselves, and practice the relative series of workshops with invited establishment of good relationship known in the Mahayana principles. process of sharing vision, it is also path of generosity and diligence. In speakers, what do we aim to with the local officials, workmen The paramitas of generosity, vital to share the value. What is the the same way as running an organi­ achieve? These questions are not and traders, and drawing up of com­ patience, diligence and persever­ common denominator for the peo­ zation, it is important to provide the always easy to answer, especially if plete plans. When people take part ance combined with acute aware­ ple? Does everybody feel that the right tools and training to help peo­ we are sincere with ourselves, and in the same project, it is essential to ness invariably play an important teaching takes top priority over all ple do a good job. Exactly the same are willing to probe deeply. Without inform everybody so that all can part. Maintaining the spirit of con­ other activities? Can people agree to consideration applies here. Team having a good answer that generates share the knowledge, and become tinuous learning like that of a Bod­ showing up in project meetings member must be treated with a sense of confidence and convic­ aware individually. It is foolish to hisattva will improve the prospect sober and on time? Will people com­ respect, given the right things to use, tion, the leader or manager of the feel "important" by withholding of success further. It is all a matter mit to the date of completion regard­ and trained according to the need of project can easily fumble half way information from others: it is none of applying what we have learned! less of personal circumstances? their role in the project. Kindness through the project when the goings other that one's ego at play. Also, Summary and discipline must work together to get tough and members of the pro­ Both spiritual and relative consider­ common awareness is key because make things happen. I have borrowed the three-fold divi­ ject become doubtful, insecure, and ations need to be shared. It may not plans can never be rigid: circum­ Review progress sion of view, practice and behavior low in spirit. While the emotion be as significant as samaya we know stances change and adjustments are toillustrate what is needed for a pro­ associated with "wouldn't it be a about, but unless people can fulfil often necessary in order to progress. Giving and receiving feedback is a ject to be run smoothly to a success­ great idea to..." can be exciting at the little promises, it is rather ludicrous It is, therefore, really important to topic that has been discussed previ­ ful conclusion. As already men­ beginning, if it is ill thought through, to think that the same people can communicate well the plans, so that ously and has great importance here. tioned, apply the many Mahayana we should be very careful about meet the Bodhisattva commitment everybody in the same boat can We know that in the teachings, we principles, use the training of Bod­ starting the project. for the good of all beings. With this make a concerted, rather than scat­ are advised to listen, reflect, and hisattva, and sharpen our aware­ The Principle of River Crossing: sort of "buy-in", the manager of the tered, effort towards the shore. practise, before going back to the ness without going lazy; in this share the vision. project can now proceed with the Develop shared responsibility teacher to report on our experience way, our many project will be tasks. She must, however, frequent­ This follows directly from the shar­ Having decided that there is great in order to ensure correct progress. accomplished and many benefits ly revisit and realign the shared val­ ing of vision and plan. People feel benefits to be had or that there are ues and the shared vision, because Similarly we identify the purpose of will be wide spread. •

The process of death described in the respond to each ing up in the distracted by what is happening in your body; Tantras involves a gradual dissolution or serial other at the time The Process of Death luminosity prin­ the nature of your mind remains as always, collapse of energy wind currents that support of their own and ciple. You need sky-like, radiant, limitless and unchanging various consciousnesses. others' death. by David Sharp to rdate this trust in the nature of your mind, trust it There are said to be 72,000 channels that These were luminosity with deeply and relax completely.there is nothing act as pathways for the wind currents. During only preliminary questions that came to mind the basic ground of the solidness of the person. more to do....just allow your practice to blos­ the death process winds that serve as the foun­ in the course of writing to him in Singapore. I Your friends know you are going to die, but som inside you and open at greater and dation for consciousness dissolve into the had suggested that a great deal of benefit might they are not frightened by it, there is nothinggreater depths. winds of the right and left channels and with be had if a practical handbook were produced suspicious going on behind your back. Anne Clarkson, Mirror, #40.19. the deflation of these, movement of wind with­ especially for those Buddhists who like myself Because uncertainty has developed betweenQ : When should the Vajra Song be sung? in the central channel takes place. At the center live at such a distance from Lamas who might body and mind it is important to provide someA : If there is a group of practitioners then they of the heart is the indestructible drop, called so otherwise act as guides and mentors. solid ground. Being fully present just relatingca n sing this during the dissolution. This because it sustains life and remains until death. Q: How important is it to be free of all posses­ with nowness is extremely powerful. enables the dying person to integrate all expe­ It is into this pea sized entity (colored sions and the distraction of family members Q: Should the Tibetan Book of the Dead be riences in the sound of the song. whiteVed; semen\blood) that consciousness leading up to and at the time of Death? read in English? Q: Is the primary support for the dying person entered in the mothers womb at the beginning NNR: It is a question of attachment. But if we A: Yes. Its benefit lies in recollecting the to rest simply in the natural state (gnyug mayl of life. It is the same place that the final winds feel free with our capacity of contemplation processes of death. A: Yes. It's natural state is just the state of A. gather at death and from which consciousness then it doesn't make any difference. We should Trungpa Rinpoche explains that one shouldQ : Ideally how long should the body be departs. act appropriately to protect the level of practice. make a meaningful conversational style. left a minimum of three days? It is from this moment that the clear light of It is generally said to be important to av#d cre­ Although deteriorating at one level the dying A: If the practitioner remains in the state of death dawns following on from white, red and ating experiences of desire and hatred around person is at the same time developing a highercontemplatio n continuously, being in position black appearances (a state of unconscious). the dying person. Instead the goal should be to consciousness of feeling. It is therefore very(thugs dam) then it is better to keep until the Whereas outer breath is no longer detectable create a positive environment resulting in a important to provide a basic warmth and con­head falls to the right or left and drops of with the dissolution of the 4th element (of sense that the practitioner is passing from fidence that you are telling him/her the truth. semen come from the nose...or at least three wind) actual death occurs only with the darkness into light free from anxiety and Relating with the person is very important: Wedays . appearance of clear light. imbued with pleasant experiences. know that you are dying. You know that you areQ: What value, if any, is there to have Lamas This luminosity remains up to three days or Q: Is familiarity with the gradual dissolution dying. We are really meeting at this point. of other lineages do ritual? until the expulsion of pus or blood from ori­ of elements important? This direct approach is said to be the best A: If the body has remained in position it is fices. This indicates the final departure of con­ A: This is very useful if you remain present demonstration of friendship and communica­best to make no disturbance. But if someone sciousness. Prior to this time consciousness during the dissolution and are able to recog­ tion creating a rich inspiration for the dying wishes to do so ritual can be done. With a less­ remains within the body which should be han­ nize the real condition. It can be used as expe­ person. er practitioner it is good to use more ritual with dled delicately to avoid disturbance. rience, as a basis for insight into the Q: When should A be remembered? Lamas and practitioners. A reverse process of augmenting the ele­ continuous state of contemplation. Without A: You should try to be in the presence of A Q: What is the best or most auspicious time to ments now begins which is the commence­ presence it is not useful and can more likely at all times during the dissolution and then place the btags grol ? ment of the Bardo. cause tearfulness. with the last breath the sound of A will come A: It should always be with the person. Cer­ In May 1997, I asked Choegyal Namkhai Trungpa Rinpoche says in the Tibetan Book ofnaturally . tainly it should be placed when the body is Norbu Rinpoche a number of questions regard­ the Dead. It is valuable to give some kind ofRelax into the white A....relax as deeply as pos­moved (placed facing outwards for practition­ ing the way in which practitioners could simple explanation (of the process) finally end­sible resting in the nature of mind....don't beers ; inwards for ordinary people). •

14 Environmental of much higher value to herders grazing. ASIA hopes to be able to than forests. Of course at a certain help stop the degradation and Projects in Riwoche point in history when the forests reverse the process. It is crucial that start to disappear, people realize any changes actually benefit the continued from page 1 their preciousness, but then the local people. need for fuel and timber perpetu­ Daniel Winkler (M.S.) is a geo­ as they did in many other areas of ates forest reduction until total grapher who is specialized in the Riwoche. Valley grounds of the elimination. In addition the ecology of Eastern Tibet's forest middle reaches of the Ke Chu are Tibetan way of life is very well region. He is a longtime member wide, but already too high up for adapted to a treeless environment of ASIA for which he is coordinat­ agriculture. The higher peaks are and planting trees is not part of the ing Riwoche's environmental pro­ barren and rocky. Yak husbandry is traditional lifestyle of common jects on sustainable ecosystem the main means of local sustenance people. management. of the Khampas. Their houses are In Riwoche forests are still cov­ Contacts: not two - storied as in more fertile ering about a fifth of the area, but D. Winkler, 7840 126th Ave. NE, areas of Kham, but very low, one - they are clearly declining. The sum­ Kirkland, WA 98033 USA storied flat roofed houses. Before mer pastures - many of them below phone/fax: (425) 822 5080 1976, a herd of 60 Red deers was the tree line - are forest free, nowa­ ASIA headquarters: captured and is kept in captivity, days yaks transport fire wood up to ViaS. Erasnjo 12,00184 now counting 120 deer. Yet herd forests, which still cover about a springs. ASIA'S intention in Ri­ the summer camps. The slopes are Rome, Italy growth is stagnating for many years third of the area, are used as grazing woche is to help establish sustain­ losing more and more of their forest phone: 39-6-77200880 due to fodder shortage in winter and grounds and thus undergrowth is able forestry with a strong nature cover due to timber extraction and fax: 77205944 the limited space allotted. The clearly reduced, not allowing the conservation component, based on antlers of the deer are used as Chi­ impression of true primary forests. ecological and economical princi­ nese medicine and thus make keep­ Spruce trees (Picea balfouriana) ples. The project's long term inten­ ing the herd a profitable business. reach 25 to 30m in height with a cir­ tion is to benefit the local The forest department, which cumference of 2m at an age of 300 population, empower them to man­ also is in charge of wildlife, asked years. Besides spruce there are age their local resources in a sustain­ ASIA to assist in finding a deer junipers (Juniperus tibetica, J.wal- able way ensuring the survival of farm expert to train local people in lichiana; 8-15m height), which their chosen way of life, as well as NOTE ON THE MIRROR order to improve deer keeping and dominate dry sites or especially their resources. As a first step we breeding as well as antler produc­ degraded southern facing slopes. need to evaluate the ecological and tion. In addition a better fodder Otherwise they form the secondary economical potential more precisely base is required, a well needs to be canopy in less disturbed southern and involve the local people as Even in a burning house without exit dug within the compound, and the slopes. In several sites forest fires much as possible in shaping the pro­ there is a cool spring. compound itself needs to be had fragmented the forest cover, ject. We need to classify the forest enlarged. Future plans include some of these sites now boast young area into categories: such as inten­ The waters of forgotten wells lie ready looking into the possibility of pro­ stands, others have been converted sive use (timber production), exten­ to receive and encourage us into pastures. Remote areas of Yiri sive use (ie. grazing) and protection, cessing the antlers into medicine to bear the unreasonable suffering of self and other. within Riwoche. In regard of the should contain undisturbed forests, to produce a land use map for the predestined for conservation. district. ASIA will help training wider preserve we intend to carry But we must allow pride and fear to relax out a scientific study on the status Forests below 4000m are hounded local people to establish a tree nurs­ and dip. naked and shivering, into the dark pool of wildlife in the Chamoling pre­ by bands of Macaques monkeys and ery and start reforestation of select­ serve and we want to map out the Leopards. Otherwise a similar range ed sites with bought saplings. To that waits beyond blame and regret. area to ensure good protection of of wildlife might be encountered as guarantee economical sustainability the most important wildlife habi­ in Chamoling. So far Yiri, which has the project should partially be It is not so hard to find. tats. The core issue, besides poach­ a school since last year, has not been financed out of timber sales, thus ing, seems to be the intensive use of used as a source for commercial tim­ creating a model for other areas, Go now. slip into yourself! the area by pasturalists. The ber due to the bad transport condi­ which might not have the fortune of Along the whole length of futile recriminations, tions, but the neighboring Sankar foreign assistance. wildlife might be marginalized by Past the numbness of arrogance and self-pity. district was started to be exploited, domestic livestock, but at least they Having had the experience of Through hidden hypocrisies and self-deceptions of all kinds thus it is only a question of time, as have coexisted for centuries. crossing the whole of northern To the fount of wakefulness. I was very much looking for­ to whether or not the forest industry Central Tibet and Kham from ward going to Yiri. Yiri is not only will reach Yiri. Lhasa via Nagchu. Chamdo, Derge Touch with the tenderness of your own breath the broken- known for its beautiful scenery of So far Riwoche"s forest depart­ and Kandze to Chengdu, my for­ open heart densely forested valleys and steep ment prefers designating more easi­ mer assumption was verified, that mountains, but also famous for its ly accessible areas for fulfilling the extensive areas of Tibet had been And pray like mad hot springs. I was asked to evaluate cutting quota issued annually ( 1997: deforested in historical times. That your heart will never be sealed again. the touristic potential of the springs^ 5000m3) by the prefectural forest Wide,wide areas of Tibet are in Word had spread that I am working department in Chamdo. The felling actuality a cultural landscape Ken Bradford. August. 1996 on a guide book to the hot springs of is carried out by local people, orga­ shaped by pasturalism through Tibet. The 95km drive to Yiri district nized by the county's sawmill, millennia. In addition nowadays (Xiang, ca. 3200m to 5100m) took which also manages timber trans­ serious overgrazing has taken its us a whole day. Driving time alone port and marketing; 60% go to toll in many areas. For example the was over six hours, in many loca­ Nagchu's timber market supplying hill sides of the Kyichu valley tions the road deserves its name only the forest-free areas of TAR, 40% to around Lhasa presently nearly due to the fact that a jeep is not Chengdu accessing China's timber resemble the barren hill sides of blocked from progressing. In these market. The sawmill's profits go to Ladakh. Yet going up the valley at places walking is surely more com­ the county. Since the forestry indus­ first grasslands and a little further DHARMAWARE fortable and probably faster. Lunch try was introduced in the 60's, the up shrub vegetation reappear. Gallery of Sacred Arts was served to us in a black tent by forest department relies mostly on Around Truldar village before Dri- OUR very hospitable nomads, consisting natural regeneration, by retaining gung Monastery there are last 20TH of salty butter tea, tsampa, yogurt some trees in felling sites as a seed stands of northern slope birch i YEAR and a dried hind leg of Yak, from source. But natural regeneration is a forests and even one stand of STATU ECS which we were invited to slice off very slow process, which does not junipers. Otherwise all forests are HANDCRAFTED BY THE FINEST our favorite chunk. Once in Yiri guarantee regrowth of dense forests, gone. The last three days of the dri­ TIBETAN QC M E WAR (3800m) we were housed in the especially when livestock is present ve from Lhasa to Riwoche I was ARTISANS newly built hot spring guest house as everywhere. Only in the last year scanning valley after valley along located below the springs. The 43 C saplings have been imported from the road for traces of forests. In hot water wells up on both sides of a Payul (near Derge) and planted. most valleys all I spotted was a lost creek, which at this point undercuts Also a tiny nursery was started in single tree here or there on steep a 200m cliff of vertical limestone. Riwoche in 1996. Upon inquiring cliffs or a small stand of juniper The only drawback to enjoying the the local forest administration had high above the valley ground. springs was that I was permanently no idea about the amount of stand­ These relics were testifying to the stared at by dozens of friendly peo­ ing timber in Riwoche and its annu­ former presence of forests in areas ple. Hundreds had been ordered to al increment, two figures, which are which are today nearly completely Yiri to work on the road. Being the an absolute prerequisite for any sus­ free of forests. In Eastern Kham first foreigner they have ever seen, tainable forestry. the situation was a little better regarding historical deforestation, Dharma Practice Supplies clearly incited their curiosity. Many The headman of Yiri district www.dharmaware.com houses in Yiri are two storied and asked ASIA to help develop Yiri's yet there modern timber extraction our internet address people engage in farming, growing timber resource. He suggested has speeded up the process of [email protected] barley, rape seed and vegetables. improving the road, building a deforestation enormously. Histori­ e-mail & orders But the backbone of the local econ­ hydro-electric plant to supply power cal deforestation impacted espe­ D H FR AVW-K FR E omy is keeping livestock. Human for a future local sawmill. The forest cially the areas around settlements, 54C TINKER STREET WOODSTOCK NY 13498 OFFICE 914 679 4900 FAX 914 679 4995 settlement does not seem to date department also expressed interest the southern facing slopes and the SEND $2 FOR COLOR CATALOG back as long as in other areas, the in supporting nature and wildlife high altitude summer grazing spruce forests in the valleys and protection, besides developing a grounds. They have been intensely LARGE SELECTION OF THANGKAS NOW IN STOCK cleared everywhere. They all had around the villages were in relative­ local tourist industry, based on the CUSTOM ORDER FROM OUR THANGKA STUDIO IN NEPAL ly good condition. Most of Yiri's beautiful environment and the hot to give way to pastures, which are

THE MIRROR OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 199 7 15 an sub-continent. It is also testa­ thronged. Once again, but on a Autumn Moon ment to the law of impermanence much bigger scale than at Lumbini, Tibet Awareness Day Pilgrimage as this empire has long since disin­ the terraces around the temple are tegrated and the Muslim armies being covered with brass lamps Amherst, Massachusetts continued from page 9 that swarmed across Northern and young Tibetan monks are fill­ India destroyed every image and ing them with ghi. As the sun sets, building they found that was Bud­ tapers are lit and pilgrims light the by Verena Smith dhist or Hindu. It echoes in the pre­ wicks of the lamps. The air is filled minutes previously and so he has a sent where temples and mosques with light and heat and smoke that room free. After a few hours sleep, are destroyed by fanatics of vari­ stings the eyes and assaults the The Second Annual Tibet Awareness Day, organized by the local Tibetan we walk along the riverfrontghats . ous persuasions. As Lopon Nam- lungs. The entire grounds glitter community and the Shang Shung Institute, took place on a sparkling bright Varanasi is a city that was in dak told us in Kathmandu, with flames. day on the main common in the town of Amherst, Massachusetts. existence at least since the time of "Religion can be the greatest med­ Over the next few days we sit The morning began with Tibetan vendors setting up tables to sell their Babylon. The Buddha came here to icine or the greatest poison." and practice among pujas and goods. All was done in "Tibetan time", as also the Tibetans themselves refer bathe in the sacred waters of the Sitting here in Deer Park, with an ngondro practitioners who do pros­ to their more relaxed sense of schedule and timing. Ganges before he set off for Sar- audience of curious Indian youths trations on strange boards that The event opened with the Tibetans who are part of the Tibetan resettle­ nath where he first taught or. as it is who stare at us as we sit in the place bounce them back up to a standing ment project talking about their own history in these last few years in the US. said, first turned the Wheel of the where Buddha walked, talked and position after they have flung They spoke of their homeland, about what they had to leave behind and what Dharma. Here people come to die. meditated, we have a sense of the themselves prone. they are hoping for. Since they are the Tibetans living in exile in the United To guarantee salvation. Varanasi peace that a spiritual path can bring The final journey on our pil­ States, their presentation is much more eloquent and moving in the relating of has to be seen. Of all cities, the despite the ravages of the past and grimage is to Nalanda, the site of their firsthan d accounts of life in Diaspora. experience is intensely visual. Its the insanities of the present. Here the largest Buddhist University in With this second Awareness Day, a new format was explored that seemed buildings break all ancient times and to work very well. Seven different local bands were invited to alternate with sense of plane and to Rajgir where the Tibetan musicians to celebrate the four hour afternoon concert. symmetry: broken the Buddha taught The highlight of the day was a big circle dance where we were patiently domes, carved the Mahayana in taught Tibetan folk dances. There was plenty of laughter. Much to everyone's pilasters, curved what is known as delight, the Tibetans had cooked a seemingly endless stream of momos. flights of stone the Second Turn­ There was a small photographic exhibit of Tibet in a local restaurant. stairs that disap­ ing of the Wheel The Amherst Library featured an exhibit of Tibetan travel books and pear under sculpt­ on Vulture Peak antique religious items for the month preceding the event. On the town ed arches. Herds of Mountain. We hire common there was a display of Tibetan medicine with a local Tibetan doc­ buffalo splatter the a van and a driver. tor answering questions. We had a Dzogchen community table with books stone with flat pats Our first stop is for sale and we informed those interested of the Shang Shung Institute. of dung that are Nalanda. Once Many people showed strong support and deep interest. The winner of the scooped up and more, we see a site raffle walked away with a lovely thangka of green Tara and the general plastered on the of immense feeling was of a very successful event. walls to dry for destruction but fuel. Heavy skiffs also have a sense bob at the water's of the immense miles away from this monastic and edge under the learning and prac­ Tantric university and was brought eyes of boatmen tice and flowering by Padasambhava walking all the eager to row you of Buddhist civi­ way through Nepal and into Tibet. down the river. lization. For the From Nalanda we drive down Piled high against first time in our to Rajgir, where Japanese Bud­ dhists have built a chair lift that the square cut The author at retreat cave p. BARRY pilgrimage, we rises almost all the way to the top THE MIRROR stone, logs, stripp­ see images of NEWSPAPER OF THE ed branches and split kindling stand yogis and yoginis in various pos­ of Vulture Peak mountain. No- INTERNATIONAL 'reality' is like a dream, a filmy one can watch you or hear you as ready for the dead. Greasy smoke veneer over vastness. tures on the surviving stone sculpt­ DZOGCHEN rises from the smoldering pyres. ed friezes and images of Tantric you sing the Song of the Vajra COMMUNITY It's too bad that our rickshaw while soaring through space in Orange flame flickers among the deities preserved on the artifacts in founded by Chôgyal driver seems all too real as we mechanical flight. The chair lift thick logs where straw catches light the museum. Namkhai Norbu leave the park but he does succeed leaves you off at a huge Stupa beneath the unwrapped bodies. in getting us back to our hotel. I understand concretely the also built by the Nam Mhyo Main Office: Dead faces lie flat to the sky. For After a week in Varanasi, we set connection now between the phys­ Renge Khyo sect; but the place PO Box 277 two thousand years they say, the ical place of the man, Buddha off by train for Bodhgaya. This where Buddha taught is on the Conway, Massachussetts same fire has burned on the crema­ Shakyamuni, in history, and the time we travel second class sleeper mountain adjacent and was total­ 01341 U.S.A. tion ghat, and the flow of bodies survival of Buddhism in Tibet. The in a carriage crowded with men tot­ ly deserted when we climbed it. Tel 413-369-4208 and never stops. The piles of black Buddha entered into the full real­ FAX 413-369-4165 ing bundles of clothes and We investigate the small caves wood throw heavy shadows on the ization of primordial wisdom at a E-Mail address: chromed pots for their morning that are dotted all over the slopes mourners who squat on the stone place just south of here at Gaya. 102121.130® ablutions. We travel through the and the small shrine at the top of steps. And he began to teach and his compuserve.com night again, arrive in Gaya just the mountain. The Heart Sutra words were recorded in the sutras. On the following day we go out after dawn and take a bus down to was the first Sutra I ever heard European Office: What he taught was put into prac­ to Sarnath in a motor rickshaw.Th e Bodhgaya, the place of the Bud­ read and here I stand with Paula The Mirror Merigar, 58031 tice and the experiences of the rickshaw driver is dressed in black dha's enlightenment. We find a in the place where Sariputra and Arcidosso GR Italy masters of meditation were like­ Tel and Fax 0564-966608 silk from turban to kurta to lungi. hotel and walk back to the main Ananda and the great bod- wise recorded in the texts and in E-mail: 100530.527@ The engine of his infernal machine temple that has been built on the hisattvas sat at the Buddha's feet the forms of Tantric art. The texts compuserve.com stalls out at every major crossing site of the Bodhi tree beneath and heard it themselves for the which the Buddha sat and experi­ that existed in Nalanda were and there are many of them on the first time. It is a perfect final stop. EDITORS enced total realization. The temple copied and taken to Tibet and when way out of town. A travel tip: go by It brings me back to the beginning Naomi Zeitz, Tsegyalgar the Muslims finally destroyed this car, far more expensive but worth is a tall tower alive with images of my own search. There are cer­ Liz Granger, Merigar Buddhist seat of learning hundreds every rupee. from the life of the Buddha. Bud­ tainly moments in my life when of texts were safe in Tibet and so LITERARY EDITOR After the exasperating journey dhists of all nationalities walk unfamiliar iconography, tradi­ survived to the present day. To John Shane we arrive at Sarnath's Deer Park around the building: Tibetans, Sri tional parables and textual lan­ stand on the grounds of Nalanda and immediately, there is a sense of Lankans, Burmese, Thai, Japanese, guage seem difficult to Europeans, Americans. It is said was to experience a link in the ADVISORS peace. Beautifully kept lawns sur­ comprehend, but here on Vulture Anna Eid that the original Bodhi tree was chain from Buddha Shakyamuni to round the excavations of monaster­ Peak Mountain we taste how East Des Barry the present time. To feel the sur­ ies and temples. The great mass of destroyed but a cutting of it had and West merge without conflict Barbara Paparazzo vival of a tradition that began a few the main Stupa dominates the been planted in Sri Lanka. From in direct and open experience. • Jim Valby entire park. We sit in the shade of a this offshoot of the original a cut­ Adriano Clemente pipai tree and look directly at the ting was made and brought back to Bodhgaya so that the tree there DESIGN AND PRODUCTION monument that marks the place K. Dobbs where Buddha Shakyamuni gave now is a direct descendant of the his first discourse on the Four original. ILLUSTRATION Noble Truths. Here I sense the We approach the temple and Glen Eddy humanity of the Buddha: an ascetic walk around it to the Bodhi tree. who wandered around and found The sensation is of walking into the PRINTERS places to sit in meditation and so vortex of an immensely powerful Turley Publishers Palmer, MA realized himself. A way of utmost explosion of Enlightened energy simplicity. A man who looked into that may have happened three DISTRIBUTION the depths of his own mind and dis­ thousand years ago but whose Tsegyalgar at covered the nature of being. All effect rolled out through time and Conway, Massachusetts these buildings now in ruin came space and dimensions unseen and after the Buddha himself who sim­ continues to reverberate in the pre­ SUBSCRIPTION RATE/6 ISSUES ply sat in the park and spoke. The sent and on into the future. Such a $35 available through Tsegyalgar 55.000 It. lire through Merigar Stupa itself was built in the time of statement is one of faith perhaps Ashoka and added to by the Gupta but direct experience nevertheless. All material ©1997 by The Mirror. kings. It is testament to the influ­ A sense of grace received. Reprint by permission only. ence of Buddhism on an empire We are in the peak of pilgrim­ We reserve the right to edit that stretched right across the Indi­ age time. The temple grounds are all submissions.

16 The Seven Stanza Tara Prayer ime brought ripening. The culmination of a four Much activity was humming in the background dur­ Ma kye wa may pay cho ying na Tyear cycle manifested as a maturation, a celebra­ ing this time. Precariously perched on the Dragon's In the Dharma Expanse of the unborn mother tion of the potency of Tara Mandala as a center for Back, Tsultrim's retreat cabin is now complete, stucco, Yum jetsun lhamo drolma shuk practice, wisdom and activity. Rain came and the outhouse and rainwater tank all in place. Already She, the holy goddess Tara, resides drought broke.The land basked in a pool of water, empowered by many a retreat, the cabin aglow, is now a De sein can kun la de ter ma face turned gloriously upward to a cloud spangled self- contained and largely self sufficient little world. A Bestowing happiness to all; Dak jik pa kun lay kyap tu sol I Invoke her protection from all fear! Tara Mandala's Rang cho ku yin par ma shay nay My mind is Dharmakaya, but I don't know it Summer Ripening Sem nyon mong wang du gyur pa yi So it gets into trouble; Ma khor war chain pay sein can la by Elle Loudon For the sake of my mother and sentient beings in samsara's trap Yum Lha mo chodkyi kyap tu sol. sight has been cleared for the next hut, with vast views sky. Sage and Yarrow born with the melting snow, Oh Mother, Goddess, I invoke your protection! seeded at knee height. Strewn by nature's deft hand, east, south and to Chimney Rock in the West. wildflowers of sky rockets, daisies, sunflowers, Mex­ Mary Thunder came by on her way to the Lakota Clio nying nay gyud la ma kyay par ican Hats, bee balm, wild mint, gum weed and biscuit Sun dance which would see her husband, Horse, made Dharma, heartfelt, isn't in me roof became a mosaic to wade through. Chipmunks chief. The day she arrived, the hand carved snow lions Tha nyay tsik gi jay trang nay played, turkeys wandered and coyotes yipped into the had been carefully set in place on the Stupa. The cer­ So common wordy systems night. This truly is how it was on the land this sum­ emony to celebrate and dedicate this momentous Crup ta ngan pay lu pa la mer. Lush and very beautiful. The abundance provid­ occasion was spontaneously and appropriately led by And noxious philosophies deceive me ed by our natural environment reflected like a mirror Thunder, offering blessing and prayer to the four Yum yang tak gi lha may kyap to sol. the cornucopia of dedicated teachers present during directions and passing the sacred pipe. We hope to Oh Mother, Righteous Goddess, I invoke your protection! the summer period. complete the throne of the Nyala Padma Duddul Stu­ Tok par ga wa rang gi sein The Ute Indian people of this area are strongly con­ pa by early October. It's hard to know my mind; nected with the mountains and meadows which have An amphitheater with seating for about five hun­ Tong nay gom par mi jed pa become Tara Mandala. As our connection with this dred people has been fashioned out of an area of high When glimpsed, but not deepened environment grows, the Ute elders, Bertha Grove and erosion, thus minimalising the erosion and providing Ja wa ngan pay yeng wa la her husband Vincent, foster this connection, like their space for theater and music although it is primarily for I get swept up by bad things own family. the practice of the Vajra Dance and Yantra Yoga. It has Yum tren pay lha moy kyap tu sol Heralded by those who attended as "Much-need­ a view through the valley to the mountains, to the yurt Oh Mother, Mindful Goddess. I invoke your protection! ed" and "Ground-Breaking", the family retreat offered and the Prayer flags but is hidden from view of the spirituality to each member. Held by council circle road. It is as though the land showed us where to place Sem rang jung nyi may ye shay la and led by their spirits, parents, children and teens this special piece. When you dance it is as though the Self-arisen mind is non-dual wisdom explore the place of ritual marking transition within potential for the Dance has always been held there and Nyisu dzin pay pak chay kyi the family. Younger kids tied themselves in knots with by dancing you gain access to it. Everything just clicks Yet habits of seizing onto duality yoga, made prayer flags from rubbing of leaves, and right in and even if you are fumbling your way through Ji tar jay kyang ching pa yi talked about their own ideas of spirituality. Parents the moves, it still feels really amazing. Cause entrapment in whatever occurs shared and compared ideas and obstacles within the Many retreatants and precious guests passed Thuk nyi may kyi lah moy kyap tit sol framework of teachings on Bodhichitta. The through the entrance to Tara Mandala this abundant Oh Goddess of Undivided Heart, I invoke your protection! teenagers, led by Sparky Shooting Star and White summer, twice the forecast number. Many came eyes Horse Hubbell, dedicated much time to prayer wide with curiosity, searching minds eager and left Yang tak gi don la nay jay kyang wrapped bundles. They then moved through a tear one short retreat later, satisfied, filled with practical I've been in the actual state, but drenched, heart wrenched cord cutting ceremony, information and experience to mull over and integrate Gyu dray kyi ten drei ma shay pay Didn't get the link between cause and effect their cord cut, taken by a warrior from the womb-like in the coming weeks, months ahead. The staff were an yurt into the realm of Vision Quest, alone on the hill inspiration. Practitioners all, dedication strong and Shay jay don la mong pa yi for 24 hours and return into young adulthood. motivation pure, their sincerity and honesty with each So I'm confused about the meaning of things Drawing the season to a close, Tara Mandala other created a subtle but firm undercurrent, a trans­ Yum kun khyen lha moy kyap tu sol hosted Tsok Nyi Rinpoche, followed by Wangdor parent mattress upon which the energy of each retreat Oh Mother, All-knowing Goddess. I invoke your protection! Rinpoche. Both retreats complimented each other could rest. Tu dral nam khai tsen nyi chan perfectly, held magically by the seclusion and expan­ The summer is now memories, fading as dreams do The thought-free state is like the sky sive views offered by this powerful yet nurturing into the hazy past. The imprint remains. Residual traces Tain chay day tang yer may ching land. Tsok Nyi Rinpoche led us clearly and precisely leave impressions in each and every being who was for­ All are inseparable from it into Dzogchen mind and experience. Wangdor Rin­ tunate enough to experience some aspect of the trans­ Ta dung lop may kang sak la poche masterfully guided us through the Khorde forming energy which was at play here in this bountiful So now and forever, for the sake of disciples. Rushen, answering questions and pushing us with time. Yum dzok sang gyay kyi kyap tu sol expert sensitivity. During the final three days of this Ontul Rinpoche and his wife Tashila stopped by for a Oh Mother, I invoke the protection of your complete realization! summers schedule, Wangdor Rinpoche taught on brief visit and passed on this special prayer which should Nyala Chang Chub Dorje's Maha Ati, the three be shared. It comes from Drigung Kyoppa Jigten Sum- These seven stanzas, which carry a protective blessing, were bestowed words of Garab Dorje and the Trechog from the gon upon beholding Tara's presence. Through practice by Tara the Protectoress, in the E Chung Cave, to -the Dri Kun Master Yeshe Lama. A perfect ending to an amazing season we will aim to incorporate it into the mandala which is Jikten Sum Gon, when he directly beheld her presence. of teachings. Tara Mandala. Translated into English, at the request of Ontul Rinpoche and Tsultrim Allione, by Steven Goodman at Tara Mandala, Summer 1997

A SHANG SHUNG INSTITUTE SCHEDULE ANSWERS NOVEMBER 1997

Dream MERIGAR I threw my mala into the river today the riverclos e by Book 8 - 9 November 10.00 -15.00 that I often cross without notice Massage Course by Andino "Qhaqoy" the river I sat with questions unanswered Please send in your 100's of times and counting dreams of Chögy a I listening but hearing only noise 14 November 17.00 Namkhai Norbu to include Introductory Conference on Traditional Tibetan Astrology by Dr. Jampa Kalsang My mala went over the wall in a book to benefit like a small intestine The Mirror. a digestive part of so much prayer 15 - 16 November 10.00 and 15.00 Course on Tibetan Astrology of the Elements (b Yung-rTsis) gutted from so much prayer The dreams will be printed by Dr. Jampa Kalsang to meet the waters below anonymously. Please send them a ragged lightning knowing no obstacles by email: that swept it over around and between [email protected] 17 - 20 November Astrological Consultations dwarfed by all the rocks by disk by Dr. Jampa Kalsang rocks that I used my mala to crush for Macintosh or Dos saved in without success text format, over the years or as a last resort, 29 - 30 November 10.00 and 15.00 typewritten to: Course on Physical Harmony Gene Balicek The Mirror, by Prof. H. Huarache Mamani PO Box 277, Conway, MA, 01341 USA.

THE MIRROR O C T O B E R / N O V E M B E R 1997 .17 REFLECTIONS

'm a sober person and I don't take know that I wasn't there. I was dis­ I drugs, nor do I smoke . I try to honest and self centered. I do know take care of myself. However, I was­ that there are normal people who n't always like this, it's been a long ONE DROP TOO MUCH drink and might on occasion drink battle. I was a drug addict and an too much, and it does not control alcoholic. I started drinking when I their life. I'm not talking about nor­ by Glen Eddy was twelve years old, often I went to mal people. However if you do have school with a hangover, sometimes problems and you want to clean up, so sick that the teachers would tell until their health is not be enough, we'd and change your life, and be free, me to go home. Early in my life, I ruined. I think we have have to have two, besides all of the other reasons, like showed signs of being out of control. to somehow try to help and so on. If you are for your family or for your children, When I was a little boy I would steal even if it means loos­ a person like this, the best reason would be for your­ money from my mothers purse and ing a friendship. This then It is better that self. Give yourself the opportunity run to the store and buy candy. And is where honesty you don't even take to feel well and develop your capac­ that would be the pattern of my comes in and being one drop!" I felt that ity to understand the teachings. behavior for the next forty years. able to look at the situ­ he was talking My life has changed complete­ Later I would steal whatever you had ation clearly. I still lie directly to me, he ly since cleaning up. When I first and sell it and run to the connection sometimes, it just hap­ was even looking at met Choegyal Namkhai Norbu, he and buy heroin. I'm not embarrassed pens, it's kind of me as he said these was giving a teaching in my house to say these things, because I'm a dif­ shocking when it does. things. I had been in Berkeley in 1983, and as a favor ferent person now. I've tried in most Sometimes I lie for a worried all day about to some old friends I agreed to cases to open the way for putting joke but I think that this, and when I saw allow a short retreat in part of the right the wrongs I have done. Of I've lost my ability to the offering table house . I was addicted to heroin course alcoholism and drug addic­ be a productive liar. I with so many bottles and could not participate, the only tion are symptoms of deep seated think that I'm honest enough to see seven years old. I'm now fifty sev­ of wine, I wondered how I was thing I wanted was more drugs. problems. I knew that in order to get my own problems and honest en, it's been ten years. At my first going deal with the situation. So How sad I was to be in this circum­ at the problems, I had to stop drink­ enough to confront you if your prob­ Dzogchen community retreat I had when Rinpoche said, "For some, stance, with this wonderful master ing and taking drugs and I had to get lems are taking you out of control. been without drugs and alcohol for one drop is too much". I knew for right there in my house, and unable honest. With me, I had to stop taking I was like a lot of children grow­ thirty days. I was feeling very vul­ myself, that this was true. Even still to participate. drugs to get clear enough to even ing up in an alcoholic family, never nerable and raw and a little appre­ today I don't take one drop. I know Naomi asked me to write some­ consider that honesty was important. knowing what to expect, I learned to hensive, as there were people there for myself that if I loose my sobriety, thing about my experiences with I remember being kicked out of an lie early on. I learned to always be who knew me quite well. When our I loose the teachings. Being clean drugs and drinking in relationship to addiction treatment facility for not OK and to hide my feelings. master began teaching every word and sober is very precious to me. the teachings. It is not easy to do. being honest. Funny thing, I had just I wanted to be a good person. was like medicine. People were Our Community has changed a Not because I am embarrassed about spent my whole life being dishonest, This was my mother's influence, she looking at me because I was so lot, I don't see the drunkenness that having been a drug addict, but now in a few short months I was sup­ always told me that I was a good excited I kept saying, "Do you hear I witnessed at my first few retreats. because the idea is to help someone posed to be a model of honesty. Hon­ person, she never gave up. Later in what he's saying?" I could scarcely We've become a little more serious, and that's the hard part. What to say esty came but it took years. I think life when I entered art school and the believe my ears. Rinpoche was giv­ and have lost a few of the diehard to someone who may have problems maybe most people are honest, but whole world seemed to open up and ing Dzogchen teachings in such a drinkers. I feel sad about this like this. Nothing worked for me we don't generally think about hon­ I started taking drugs on a regular clear and precise manner, he pro­ because, underneath they were good until I wanted to stop. Wanting to esty as a spiritual principle. If we basis, I actually considered myself ceeded through the whole three people. I hope, like me, they'll be stop and knowing that if I didn't I can't be honest, how can we be hon­ to be on a spiritual journey. We all series. I was completely excited, one back. I feel that it is important for me was going to die, having lived a use­ est when we observe ourselves? Or make decisions in our life about minute laughing, the next almost to say something about this problem less wasted life. when one of our brothers or sisters is which way to go. I didn't become a crying. Finally everything began to in our Community, because I have I realize my good fortune, few in the grip of drunkenness or stoned heroin addict by accident. And I did­ come together in my heart. This was experienced it myself, and I know people as deep in the trenches of and they're life is becoming opposed n't stop taking it by accident. It took a real turning point in my life. Since what despair someone with these everyday heroin addiction as I was, to dharma, should we just play like it a great desire to have a different life. that first retreat our community has problems goes through. All of the ever get out. These days I'm happy, isn't happening, or should we con­ Once I made the decision to change, changed a lot. Then there was a lot years that I was involved in taking and it's easy to forget this dimension front the situation? For most addicts it took a few years to really get out of of drinking. At the end of the retreat, teachings from various masters, of human suffering. So writing this and alcoholics, drinking and taking the life style. And I didn't stop tak­ just before the puja, Rinpoche gave since I was 29 years old, my life was is a safeguard against complacency. drugs is a life threatening situation. ing drugs by myself, other drug a little talk about drinking. He said, in turmoil, and I must say that none Knowing that few ever escape the Sometimes we just don't know what addicts who had stopped, and " We must know our capacity, and of it did me much good. They were grips of active addiction, I hope to do. Of course if someone was changed their lives, helped me. And for some of us one drop might be too all kind, and loving toward me, but I these words serve as a cause for a going to jump off a building we'd try since then I've helped others. I did­ much, for then we'd want another really couldn't be reached, I just moment of clarity. • to stop them. But we let people drink n't completely stop until I was forty and another. Then one bottle would wasn't there. Of course, I didn't

My name is Gendun Sakyal and to be a monk. It mountains in and they almost killed me so I I am thirty-two years old. I was bom took me three the snow and fought back and got fired. I was in Kham, Southern Tibet in 1966. and one half LIFE IN AMERICA almost died relieved. It was a very hard job. Our life in Tibet was very difficult, months to get to there. I had very Then I was homeless and went there was not enough food and we Lhasa. I slept little clothing around. I met a monk who hired me were very poor. We were working under trees, in The Story of Gendun Sakyal on. Then I to make medicines. I stayed in a for the government. I was bom into caves, in boxes decided to go monastery and started to do decorat­ a nomadic family. I took care of one and sometimes down little by ing and wall painting. I stayed there hundred and twenty yaks from the people would give me food or little and saw a big truck and real­ some months. age of ten years old until I was thir­ sometimes I would be very hun­ ized it was a Nepali track and I In 1995 there was the teen. My family was my mother and gry. At this point I didn't think of had arrived in Nepal. It took me Kalachakra in Bodhgaya with His my younger brother who lived in the returning home because all I two days to go over the moun­ Holiness the Dalai Lama and every­ tent with me and my father who could see as my future was the tains. My life as a nomad was one was going and I also wanted to lived in the village taking care of the yaks. good training for this journey. be a monk. So I went to Byalakupe farm. Also I had two sisters who When I firstarrive d in Lhasa I In Nepal I couldn't speak with and harvested com and helped the each went to live with their hus­ went to the Potala. It was amaz­ anyone because I didn't know monks. I realized that I didn't want bands' families. Sometimes my ing! I walked around it three times Nepali. They would talk to me to be a monk, there were too many father would bring barley flour and and made three prostrations. Then and give me food. Finally I found rales, so I went to Dharamsala and milk, but still it was very difficult to I went to the Chokang. I was very some men who spoke Tibetan studied thangka painting for seven have enough to eat. happy to reach Lhasa and thought and I had some Chinese money years. We would wake up at two in the maybe I could make some money left so I took the bus to Kathman- Then I won the lottery when the morning and do the milking. We and return home. I slept with the du. I stayed for two days in the US government decided to allow in had seventy female yaks and around beggars on the street. Some peo­ street, it was much warmer there in India. I didn't really know that the one thousand Tibetans. I came to seventy male. My mother would ple started paying me to carve Om Dalai Lama was a real man when I but the mosquitoes almost killed Santa Fe, New Mexico in December make the butter and my little broth­ Mani Padme Hum in the stones. arrived in Lhasa. I thought he was me. I had never encountered them of 1992.1 now have a family, a wife er took care of the baby yaks who Everyday I would spend all the some kind of statue. Then I wanted before. Then finally someone spoke called Thinley Wangmo, and two drank all the milk so we couldn't money I made, but one night I to go to India to see him. I went to a to me in Tibetan and took me to the children - one girl three years old make enough butter to fill our quota couldn't because all the shops were travel agent in Lhasa and they said it Tibetan Refugee place and I stayed called Tenzin Sangmo and a baby for the government and they took closed and it was a worry for me. I would be impossible for me to go. with them for a week and had some boy seven months called Tenzin the butter in tax. Life was too hard. ate my meals in restaurants. I lived So, I started walking. Some­ food, sleep, a wash and some rest. Nangche. I have been working as a When I was thirteen years old I in a cave below the Potala for four times people gave me rides. I would I went to work washing sheep­ housekeeper and caretaker for two just quit and left. They told me I or five months. tell them I was going to Mount skins and making carpets for 35 years and sometimes still do thang­ could study when I was thirteen, but One day a man wanted to buy a Kailash. At the border between Chi­ rupees or 75 cents per day. I lived in ka painting. I couldn't stay anymore. In the mid­ stone from me and he told me I na and Nepal there was a big bridge a dormitory temporarily with other I wished to be a nomad no more dle of the night I left and started should go to India. He lived in and many guards. I went up into the refugees. Then I got into a bad fight and I sure got what I asked for! • walking to Lhasa. I thought maybe Nepal. He said the Dalai Lama was with some Nepali and Tibetan guys

1H The Mirror: Can you tell us about felt before. It's very deep. your life and what happened that M: When you did this Kundalini led you to the teachings? work before did you have any Costa: My whole life? Ho w I MET THE TEACHINGS excersises or ways of working with M: Maybe a point in your life or energy when you were working childhood that impacted you or the Interview with Costantino Pucci with the theater master? events that happened in your life Namgyalgar, Easter Retreat, April, 1997 C: Yes, we did meditation and that brought you here? chanting mantras but he never real­ C: One thing that changed my life ly explained. He used this part to was a car accident I had. I nearly make us ready for the second part, my own painting. Some­ before. At first I didn't died in this accident. It wasn't the theater work, which is why we times 1 had to compromise understand. I never heard until a few days after the accident called him to work. He said he had a lot and what I really want­ about this, but I had a feel­ that 1 realized that I could have learned this with effort and was ed was to do my own art ing, and I follow my feel­ died. Suddenly my life could end, using this to help us develop ener­ and get a contract at a ings. What my senses tell something I had never thought gy and a relationship with the gallery, .-. me I go after. I also try to about before. I thought that death body, working with the body and In 1992, by chance, I met a be careful because some­ wouldn't be something that hap­ intuition. But he didn't really gallery dealer from Los times in my life I have pened to me. explain to us what it was about. Angeles who thought I was found difficulties in this After I experienced this I appreci­ M: Did you ever have any conflict good- painter and gave me way. I didn't take care, or ated life more. 1 was focused less with your political life which was this chance to work and go slow into things. After on the security of life, like a house very important to you for a long live in Los Angeles paint­ this workshop I took from and a job. I began to develop a feel­ time, and this spiritual life that ing for his gallery. The this master I started to play ing about something else. I went on maybe carried a different view? Or gallery was a high quality as a clown. I also worked with my study of law and found a did you feel it was a natural evolu­ gallery and good opportu­ on something I didn't real­ job in an office in Rome. tionary process? Were others nity to make money with ly understand, but I felt a I saw the difference in the theory I involved in the Social Center com­ my paintings, so it was a very big sensation, and I was studying at the university and fortable with this energetic and good situation. I found I had a relationship with a the actual practice of law. I was Kundalini work? was judging the people mate in the company so in realizing the concept of rights; in who were buying my paint­ this context it was a very C: For me it is a matter of develop­ the theory it was very apparent but ings because the paintings complete landscape of ment, of evolution. I learned not in the practice. I had a hard went well with their furni­ emotion and sensation to enough about the solutions with time managing this difference. I ture. It wasn't why I paint­ work with. I had a very political means that is very useful didn't know what to do. My family ed. So, I didn't sign a quick development into and some other things I found wanted me to be a lawyer. But they contract and went back to this thing. I found it very meaningless. No effect. I even felt were stuck with me and my princi­ Italy. So I was working for familiar, something that my energies were going for noth­ ples, and I wanted to study about a decorator in Rome and wasn't difficult, it was nat­ ing. This is not only because of the rights.... ural to enter. I had a very politics. First I was thinking of rev­ was getting involved in a tice all around the world. There I M: So your intention in being a deep experience during the first olution in the society. Now I am Social Center. learned to live in a common place lawyer was to help people know tour we had. Maybe something stepping into personal revolution. M: What is a Social Center? with other people. Sharing an anar­ and preserve their rights? very strange, a feeling like you can That has to happen first. Otherwise C: It was a group of people who chist place where no one is telling C: Yes, of course, and to have a hear stones talking, a very strong even if I could reach the society to occupied an area, a squat mainly, a you what to do, you have to devel­ better world where rights are sensation and experience. I didn't make a revolution, 1 would still place of radical leftists. I lived and op an awareness of what to do, and respected. really know how to handle it, and have to reach the person within the worked there for six years. if you develop this awareness you Then it was very nice, the sensa­ got frightened a bit. I went along society. It's something that nobody M: What did you do there? will find less problems and if you tion then to be free and having to with the work of a clown because can do FOR you, everyone has to C: I got involved in several differ­ don't you will find lots and lots of choose another type of life and for another time in my life I felt do for themselves. This would ent levels, nearly all the levels that problems. It was a very good expe­ realizing I could do anything. I dis­ something more and more greater bring a real change in the society. I existed there. I started with what I rience for me living there. covered in myself a very big growing and I gave up the painting have only this for a short time and could do. I still was doing my dec­ M: Good training for the excitement from this realization. It and became a clown. maybe I still have to do it. It's orator work because I needed mon­ Dzogchen Community. Were the was very hard for my family to Somebody told me 'You are not something I see more clearly and is ey to live. Then I began to teach relationships there very difficult? share this excitement because they serious because you are always an important passage and is a step­ about drawing and as a part of C: Yes, in the beginning it was were worried for me and my changing your mind'. But I feel ping into another level. I will be drawing about creativity. Then I quite difficult. It was a very radical future. like I'm not only changing, I'm sorry for someone who would began to paint. place so the people were supposed M: How old were you then? developing. It's still me. It's one mind about my decision, it is a free M: Did you formally study paint­ to be aware of what they were C: I was nearly twenty-three years line going. I don't refuse my past. I decision, and I don't mind what ing? doing and I did not have any polit­ old. love my past. It brought me here. other people are doing. I really C: No. I wanted to study at the ical experience in this way so I They said they could accept that I And with the clowning and the oth­ respect what people are doing and Academy of Art in Rome but was made a lot of mistakes. In political didn't want to be a lawyer, but they er master and playing in the street, not to judge something that is per­ too late to enroll, so I applied at an and maybe religious experiences said 'What do you want to do the experience became stronger sonal for someone and is helping Academy outside of Rome. I when you are new stepping into then?' and I said T don't know. and the interaction with the people: ourselves and our energy. showed my work to get admitted to something you can't have the full There are so many things I could when you are clowning in the M: So this is the first time you've the Academy and the teacher told experience. So maybe something do'. They appreciated this and tried street, you have to stop your work met Norbu Rinpoche coming here me I shouldn't try to work before I you understand you can work with to support me to discover. This was and interact and handle this thing to Australia and the first time you finished the Academy. So, I real­ the circumstances, but with some­ a big challenge in my life; to face that's happening and play with the have done Dzogchen practices. ized maybe it was better not to thing you don't understand you are the world like it really is outside. I people. This is a very big teaching How does it feel to you? study in this way and face the diffi­ always asking why. Just reacting in maintained a relationship with my I learned very quickly, because if C: Yes. I don't feel some dramatic culties myself. I would find and this way. Maybe I experienced this family. you do something wrong the audi­ experience of change. I feel an discover how it worked and solu­ a bit attending the retreat. I didn't Six months after I left my study I ence will just disappear. You understanding of something that tions and how the masters worked, know any of the practices or had discovered I could draw. When I remain alone. That's a bad situa­ was already inside me. I feel confi­ etc. It took me about two years to never met a master of this kind was younger I always had prob­ tion for a clown. dent in some part and some part I become satisfied with my painting before. I never thought about it lems in school with the drawing don't understand. I feel good for and drawing. Then after I devel­ really. It was completely new for I traveled all over Europe and teacher, but when I was free of that, this and respect the Dzogchen. oped my skill I realized I was lack­ me. I felt alot, of course, even if it South America with the company. one day I took a pencil and paper What I like about what Rinpoche ing ideas, so I would go around and is a completely different from what It was basically the same company. and made a drawing. I was very says is that the practice is not for visit and discuss with people and I know, I find that the spirit of the It was a very great experience. surprised at what I saw in the end, the sake of the practice itself, but to discovered how to come up with research or exploring of the people I realized after a while I was work­ it was really what I was looking at. reach the state. I agree very much ideas. I was very happy with this is basically the same. It's a reaction ing with energy and I asked myself Then I chose to study painting. with this, and feel it's very impor­ and wanted to share these things to the injustices and suffering of what is this energy and. even for M: Were you still living in Rome? tant. I would like to practice more with other people. So then I started life. If you take action, political or example in the Social Center we C: No, I was living in England. I and study more and see. I didn't to make workshops on this. This whatever - noLjust to be stuck and were working with energy but we had traveled a bit around Europe feel like this before coming here was very good because when I was blindly following the rules of soci­ never spoke about it properly, we and ended up in England. After this and feel more clear about things, explaining my experience I would ety - maybe you will reach some­ talked about politics. I wanted to I worked as a street painter. I paint­ about energy and about my mis­ get benefit and had good responses where else. At least you are understand this energy more ed the streets to make my living. I sion in life. Even if I still don't from people. I did this for six years moving, you're alive. deeply. Going around I met people appreciated the good relationships know anything. I was more foggy and this is the first year I'm not M: So you never had any interest who talked about energy in a dif­ with the people. In the street you before. running this workshop. in any kind of spiritual life? ferent way and this made me care­ can meet anyone. There are many M: Do you still live at the Social C: Not really. But one year after I ful in my investigation. Then I met M: So will you continue to do your possibilities. You can meet a Center? arrived at the Social Center I had someone who told me about Rin­ clowning? policeman who just kicks you the chance to study theater work, poche and that he could be helpful. C: Yes. I also like teaching clown­ away and you can meet someone C: I live near there but it has now the clowning. Some comedians Like other times in my life I took ing as well. I would like to do both who would give you a job. I met been one year and a half that I am came for the Winter, to study there. the decision quickly and decided directions; for people who want to someone who offered me a job and traveling a lot with the theater and They called a master to study with yes and I came with this person be professionals and for people I took it and I learned to work with I just stop there in between. Maybe and he came there. They asked me here and met the Master. I never who don't. I like to relate to people it. This was very good. I developed something is changing in my rela­ to join the group. This master is a met a master like this before, I nev­ in this way. this and became a professional tionship with this place. I attribute professional actor and a clown. His er met a Rinpoche and didn't even M: So maybe one day you could decorator. I worked with many dif­ a lot of my development to this work was based in Kundalini yoga know what the word meant. It has come to Tsegyalgar in America and ferent styles of paintings in private place. I was judging the society and that's when I first started to been a very great experience. The teach us clowning? houses in different places and this when I arrived there. When I first hear anyone talking about energy practices and everything have been C: Yes! gave me enough money to develop arrived there I was a very reactive rebel against everybody, about jus- in another way I had never heard a different kind of feeling than I M: Thank you very much, Costa!

THE M I R Ro RO CTO B E R/N OV E M B ER 1997 19 all, thin, clad in black jeans I remembergivin g a copy of the Tand a black denim shirt, Rick's Naked in New York record to Rinpoche when I arrived gray hair is shoulder length, his in his apartment in Formia the face is pale, and his eyes are gleam­ summer that we began to work on ing out at me from behind the silver by John Shane his book 'The Crystal and The Way metal rims of his glasses. of Light'. And I remember how, "OK, let's roll 'em," he says when I told him i.t contained my with a sly grin, and turning to face songs, my music, he almost the console with its row on row of Sitting on the other swivel chair, said you wanted to do the remix at could see a large man with a pony grabbed the record from me. After knobs and faders, he hits a button. Rick flicks the faders back up and his studio; but you could do it here, tail of graying hair who we would quickly looking at it, he immedi­ Music swells into the control the music of the whole band swells long as you don't want to add any­ learn was Scott Knoll, the engineer. ately stuffed it away, hiding it in room: an intricate tracery of unac­ to put the emotional punctuation thing new to the tape." Sitting next to him was a tall young the bottom of his living-room shelf companied acoustic guitar, the around my voice again, dotting the "Thanks," I shout. "But I want guitar player who was running units. It seemed to me, as a Euro­ breathy sound of a melodica, the i's and crossing the t's of what I'm to make a few changes. So it's got through some changes while Scott pean, to be an odd gesture. But I swirl of a violin, then drums. Rick singing: a mysterious song, a song to be done at Akira's." tried out variations of the recorded guessed that in Tibetan culture turns back to me with a wide grin: of prophecy and revelation, a song Akira Satake is a Japanese guy I sound of the guitar. stashing a gift away like that was a "There you go!" he yells over of a spiritual quest that perhaps pre­ met when I was in New Orleans. In Akira said matter of factly: sign of how much the gift was val­ the music. "No problem! It's all figured things that later happened my piece in the last edition of The "This used to be John Lennon 's ued. I never got to listen to the there. No sweat! Nothing wrong in my life. Mirror, I wrote about my trip down private recording studio. All cus­ record with Rinpoche, but years with that!" How did I write such a tom design by George Martin. later his son Yeshe, who was eight I grin back at him, a sense of thing at the age of twenty? Neve equipment, very expen­ at that time, told me that, through­ surprise and relief replacing the Sitting in the studio in sive to maintain." out his childhood, whenever he felt tense anticipation of the preceding New York with Rick, a huge Matteo and I looked at down, he listened to my record, few hours. Then my voice comes wave of memories comes each other, grinning. John and it cheered him up. out of the big wall mounted speak­ sweeping down on me with Lennon's personal studio? Before I met Rinpoche I had ers, my voice from twenty years the music. I see myself—way We felt good about that. And already turned away from music, ago, singing a song I wrote almost back before I met Rinpoche, Neve, which Akira men­ from the whole idea of myself as a thirty years ago, one of the best before I got married, before I tioned, made some of the best singer songwriter, or even as a pro­ songs I ever wrote, recorded in had kids—recording the song mixing consoles, now consid­ fessional writer at all, considering 1976 and released on a record and singing it on a tour of the ered vintage and much covet­ anything like that to be a distrac­ album of songs with the title 'Cross UK—that's the time that I met ed by engineers. tion from my path as a 'meditator'. My Palm With Silver'—at present my wife Jo. But I also remem­ "Akira," I said. "What if I Then, when I met Rinpoche I no longer available. ber everything that went into came in here with some old decided to try to put such talent as Now I'm in New York, and I've the writing of the song—my analog 24 track tapes from the I had at his disposal, at the service brought the huge, heavy reels of the travels as a young man in early seventies? Could you of the teachings. My own work original 24 track studio tape to the England and Ireland meeting work on them, remix them, seemed too prone to the subversion city to see if there is anything still with gypsies, researching add to them, and so on?" of the ego. Rinpoche tried to dis­ on them after all this time. I had what was left of the oral gyp­ I had the idea there and suade me from this attitude, but I been warned that this type of tape sy culture. There are so many then on the spur of the didn't have the will to take the risks usually decays after 15 years, even layers of associations relating moment; I hadn't really involved in being engaged full-tilt if stored in perfect condition, and to the song for me that I won­ thought of it before. I knew I in the creative arts any more. my tapes had been treated rather der how it must sound to was going to Italy for the That was then, and this is now; casually, to say the least. So I had someone who has never heard it there. What I didn't say then was summer, and that I had the old mul- so how do I feel about all this so been more than concerned: I had before. that I went there to attend a music titrack tapes stored in our house many years later? been worried the tapes would be I tum and look at Rick, seated business convention—the annual there, near Merigar. So I would be It's not so easy for me to divide blank, and that I would not be able beside me in his studio chair. His meeting of the National Associa­ able to get the tapes and bring them the 'spiritual' from the 'secular' to recover the material on them. shoulders are hunched over the con­ tion of Independent Record Distrib­ back to New York in the Autumn. any more, or to separate what is Rick is a top mastering engi­ sole, his concentration is complete. utors and Companies (NAIRD), "No problem," Akira replied. 'contemplative' from what is neer, and I had to book his studio When the music stops, he flicks which at the convention changed its "Except we don't have analog 'artistic'. The practice of the arts weeks in advance to get to be able a switch and the tape reels cease name to The Association For Inde­ tape deck here. You must transfer has become, in fact, just one more to use the 24 track analog machines spinning on the old tape deck pendent Music. I was there at the tapes first to digital. Then we part of my life now—not so much he still has installed there. Most behind us. invitation of Matteo Silva, who is remix with you." of a big deal. studios don't use that kind of equip­ He turns to me with his sly grin the president and founder of Arma­ Which is how, after spending a 'What took you so long?', you ment any more. I wanted to find out again. ta Records. You may remember that glorious summer in Italy and tak­ might ask. 'Isn't that what Rin­ if there was anything left on my "That's you singing isn't it?" he he produced a CD of Chögyal ing the family back home to poche has always taught—not the tapes that could be transferred to asks. Namkhai Norbu practicing the resume school, I came to be in New path of Renunciation, but how to digital, firstly to preserve the songs, I hadn't told him that I was the Chöd, and perhaps also know that York in Rick's studio making the integrate everything on the Path of but also to remixth e music so that I artist. I had booked the studio as a he will be responsible for produc­ transfer to digital prior to going Self-Liberation?' That's true, I could put it onto a CD. Old analog producer. ing a new CD of the music of the back to Akira's. know. But the human heart is recordings don't sound right when "Yep," I say, and he nods, look­ Vajra Dance. But why am I returning to this always a mystery, and it takes its they are transferred to digital with­ ing me straight in the eye. Matteo and I were looking at the music after so long? own sweet time to open. • out being remixed. "Good song," he says emphati­ possibility of setting up a business As the song booms out into the cally. "Kinda touch of Leonard venture together.jjnd the NAIRD studio, Rick is staring at me. Cohen, touch of Dylan in there, but convention was a good place to I'm filled with intense emotion. it's your own thing all right, too. meet to discuss our project. Akira The music I wrote pours like a My kind of music. You know I used has another small independent storm over us, and I sit down in one to be Leonard Cohen's mixing record label, through which he of the two swivel chairs and roll it engineer? I mixed a whole lot of his already knew Matteo, and when we. FREE Newsletter on its little steel wheels towards the albums, and also mixed his live met in New Orleans he gave us his mixing console, until I can reach concert tours for him." card and invited us to look him up and Catalog! the faders. I reach out and push the I didn't know that, I tell him. in New York. sliding controls tentatively up and Standing in the lobby waiting for "I have a little studio on Broad­ down, getting the feel of them. The him to show up that morning—he way," he said. Snow Lion publishes a balance of the instruments changes was fashionably late—I had time to When we got to Manhattan, we free quarterly newsletter as I move the sliders, and I can take in the gold records he has decided to take him up on his offer, and catalog containing the emphasize different players. hanging there on the walls. But and after calling him, went to the latest news on Tibetan Rick reaches over, and pulls all none of them mentioned Leonard address he had given us. the faders down except one, leaving Cohen. The studio is right in the center Buddhist events as well as only my voice singing without any "Well," says Rick, in his New of town, in the CBS building, hundreds of books, cards, other instruments. How strange: York drawl. "These tapes are in behind the Ed Sullivan Theater. audio, music & video, tapes, now I can hear every nuance of good shape, as far as I can see. The location is very central, but thangkas, statues, jewelry, what I was thinking as I sang twen­ We'll have no trouble transferring there are thousands of little studios and dharma practice items! ty years ago—not the actual them to digital. How soon you need in New York City, and we didn't Call the number below to thoughts themselves—but the feel­ them?" expect much. receive your first issue. ings that I am experiencing behind But he doesn't wait for me to When the secretary in the recep­ the words of the song. My voice on answer. He hits the button that sets tion area called him, Akira came up the tape is higher in pitch than it is the tape machine spinning again and rescued us from the smoky cor­ now that I'm 50 years old. I'm not and the intro to the next song— ner couch where we were waiting Snow Lion is dedicated a particularly good singer, but on louder and faster this time—chimes next to a crowd of young musicians to the preservation of the tape, I'm really delivering the out, as his fingers leap to the faders hanging out between sessions. Tibetan culture. words of the song with power and to tweak and adjust this and that. "I give you tour right away," he precision. Listening, I'm caught "I really need them ready by said. "First we go Studio A." P.O. Box 6483 between wonder and embarrass­ tomorrow evening at the latest!" When we got there, he pushed Ithaca, NY 14851 ment. That's me, revealed all run­ I have to yell into the music, as the swing door open and we went Snow Lion 800-950-0313 ning off these huge heavy reels of if shouting into a strong breeze. into a medium sized studio. Look­ Publications 607-273-8519 Ampex tape spinning on the now Rick yells back: ing through the plate glass window vintage Studer tape deck. "Might be able to do it. Akira into the dimly lit control room we

20