Snow Lion Publications wLionPO Box 6483, Ithaca, NY 14851 607-273-8519 Orders: 800-950-0313 Volume 16, Number 1 WINTER 2001 NEWSLETTER ISSN 1059-3691 BN:86605 3697 & CATALOG SUPPLEMENT SPINNING THE MAGICAL WHEEL Where is the Panchen Lama now? by ALEJANDRO CHAOUL-REICH Introduction—Tibetan Yogas by ROBIN GARTHWATT control the Tibetan people by direct- There is a growing interest in Tibetan The sun sets, the moon begins its ing the selection and upbringing of physical yogas in the West. Yoga arc across the sky and a young boy the leadership. Journal has published two articles spends another day in no man's land. Historically, the Panchen Lama on Tibetan yoga in the last year Isolated from his people, his teach- has been instrumental in helping con- alone; one on the types of Tibetan ers, his birthright, Gedhun Choekyi firm the reincarnation of the Dalai yogas that have come to the United Nyima, the 11th Panchen Lama is Lama and vice-versa Thus, by con- States, and another on a book, The still trapped in a political game of cat trolling the Panchen Lama, the Chi- Dalai Lama's Secret Temple, which and mouse. nese government believes they have describes the paintings of the secret And although the Chinese gov- power over the selection of the next temple of the Dalai Lama in Lhasa, ernment would like the issue of Dalai Lama. The current Dalai Lama behind the famous Potala Palace. the Panchen Lama to go away, this categorically denies that assump- Many of these paintings are poses particularly nasty situation, like the tion. of Tibetan physical yogas, or trul plight of millions of Tibetans, refuses While there is little news about the khor, which translates as "magical to be swept under the carpet. health, whereabouts or living condi- wheel." The 10th Panchen Lama died in tions of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and Until recently, Westerners were Shigatse, Tibet in 1989. Immediately his family, due to China denying any much more focused on receiving following his death a search com- international access to him, there is Tibetan teachings that developed the mittee was formed to find his rein- much to be said about his steadfast mind, and most of the physical yogas carnation. After a brief period of supporters. The array of symbolic, that were taught in the West came accommodation, the search com- grassroots and political expressions from the Hindu traditions. I believe mittee became politicized when Bei- of support on behalf of this soon to be that this bias stemmed from the belief A trul khor exercise: "bob and weave" jing changed tack refusing the Dalai 12-year-old boy is significant. A group of Western practitioners of Tibetan Lama any participation in the pro- of French parachutists leapt out of Buddhism (including Bon) that the ever the case may be, trul khor prac- ing structure of any experience is a cess. So, utilizing traditional Tibetan planes to protest his imprisonment. mind practices were more important. tices are now being taught in the precise combination of various con- methods of identification and forced Numerous walkers and bikers spent Thus, if a lama came s/he was asked West, and in addition, different train- ditions and causes. If we are able to rely on information secretly smug- months trekking across nations rais- for mind-related teachings. Many of ing courses are being offered, and to recognize its mental, physical, gled out of Tibet, the Dalai Lama ing awareness about the Panchen the Tibetan lamas supported this translations of the original texts will and energetic dynamics, then we began the process of confirming the Lama There have been mandalas, can reproduce those experiences or view and were either not trained in be available in the near future. identity of the next Panchen Lama. dance-a-thons and Jewish Seders in alter them. This allows us to gener- On May 14th 1995 the Dalai Lama did his honor. Hundreds of houses of trul khor or felt that it could lead ate experiences that support spiri- to problems for the practitioners if The three doors: body, just that. He named a 6-year-old boy, worship have dedicated services to tual practice and avoid those that Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, as the 11th his well-being. Hundreds of thou- not well supervised. This resulted in speech, and mind 1 are detrimental." Panchen Lama. Within days of this sands of postcards and letters have a lack of information about trul khor, "All experience, waking and dream- combined with an air of secrecy and Our physical body, speech or announcement the Chinese govern- been mailed. Films, books, websites, ing, has an energetic basis. This vital ment removed the boy and his par- news & magazine articles have pro- mysticism around it, as the Yoga Jour- energy is called lung in Tibetan, but energy, and mind are said to be ents from their home. They have liferated around the world. He is nal article (May/June 2000) reflected is better known in the West by its the three doors through which one the focus of numerous campaigns by in its title, "Into the Mystic." What- Sanskrit name prana. The underly- can practice and eventually realize not been seen since. Beijing went enlightenment. The energetic body, on to choose and enthrone another international human rights organiza- represented by the prana or vital Tibetan boy, and continues to pro- tions and Tibet Support Groups. Gov- breath, can be said to be the link mote him as Tibet's legitimate Pan- ernments have asked and asked and between the mind and physical body. chen Lama. asked about his health and where- Trul khor involves a coordination of The reasons behind Gedhun abouts. All the while, these efforts physical movement that guides the Choekyi Nyima's detention are are met with deafening silence from vital breath, which in turn carries numerous. High lamas have enor- the boy's keepers in China. the mind. The Sanskrit word for trul mous influence in Tibet. It appears In the Fall of 2000, the first glim- that Beijing's long term goals are to (Continued on page 2) (Continued on page 15) Stages of Meditation THE DALAI LAMA M ^K ' *■*■'?■ translated by Ven. Geshe Lobsang of mind, how to develop compas- Jordhen, Losang Choephel sion and loving-kindness, calm abid- if Ganchenpa, and Jeremy Russell ing, wisdom; and how to establish i • 216 pp., Tibetan text included, ISBN a union of calm abiding and special 1-55939-069-7 $22.95 cloth #STME insight. Stages of The following is an excerpt from MEDITATION the book's introduction. In Stages of Meditation, the Dalai In the words of the Superior THE DALAI LAMA Lama explains the principles of med- Nagarjuna, itation in a practice-oriented format If you wish to attain the especially suited to Westerners. unsurpassed enlightenment Based upon the middle section of For yourself and the world, the Bhavanakrama by Kamalasila, a The root is generation of an translation of which is included, this is altruistic thought the most extensive commentary given That is stable and firm like a by the Dalai Lama on this concise but mountain, the perfect view are the fundamen- An all-embracing compassion, tals and lifeblood of the path to high- important meditation handbook. It is And a transcendent wisdom free est enlightenment. At this juncture, a favorite text of the Dalai Lama and of duality. he often takes the opportunity to give we have faith in the doctrine of Lord teachings on it to audiences through- Those of us who desire happiness Buddha and have access to his teach- out the world. In his words, "This text for others and ourselves temporarily ings. We are free from the major can be like a key that opens the door to and in the long term should be moti- obstacles and have met the con- all other major Buddhist scriptures." vated to attain the omniscient state. tributory factors such that we can Topics included are: the nature Compassion, altruistic thought, and (Continued on page 12) ' ' - ^ • >,t,\ MVM/V. /»« NEWS SPINNING THE MAGICAL be taken into everyday life. In other WHEEL words, one is to use them when the Continued from page 1 meditation in the natural state of mind is unclear, unstable or weak- khor is yantm yoga, which is also ened in someway. They are some- the name by which the trul khor that times prescribed as an aid for the comes from the famous eighth cen- Dzogchen practitioner to 'get back', tury scholar and translator, Vairo- stabilize, or clarify his/her meditation chana, and taught by Namkhai Norbu in the natural state of mind. In this Rinpoche in the West, is known. Both way, one follows the body instruc- terms, trul khor and yantra, have the tions of the exercise, and while the meanings of 'magical,' 'machine,' breath is naturally held, the mind and 'movement'; while yoga (or is held in its state of meditation neljor in Tibetan) can mean 'union,' together with the breath. Then, with 'practice' or, in its deepest sense, the exhalation and the sounds of Ha 'primordial knowledge' or 'under- and Phat, one can break through any standing,' According to Namkhai concepts and obstacles that persist Norbu Rinpoche, "nal means 'orig- and can remain steadily in the natu- inal' or 'authentic,' 'never changing ral state of mind. or modified,' 'the original condition' [and] jor means 'having' or 'discover- My involvement ing this knowledge' or 'understand- I first became acquainted with trul ing.' So the real meaning of yoga is 2 khor almost ten years ago in Tritan that we discover our real conditioa" Norbutse monastery in Kathmandu, In this way, the body is like a under the supervision of Nyima Wang- machine or a tool that is available yal (then khenpo or Abbot of the for the practitioner in order to under- monastery).