Shamatha and Vipashyana in the Dzogchen Tradition
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Pravin K. Shah Jaina Education Committee Jain Agam Literature Background Lord Mahavir's Preaching Was Orally Compiled Into Many
Pravin K. Shah Jaina Education Committee Jain Agam Literature Background Lord Mahavir's preaching was orally compiled into many texts (Sutras) by his disciples. Collectively these texts are called Jain canonical or Agam literature. The Agam Sutras show great reverence for all forms of life and strict codes of vegetarianism, asceticism, nonviolence, and opposition to war. Traditionally these sutras were orally pass on from teachers (acharyas or gurus) to the disciples for several centuries. Also, during the course of time many learned acharyas (elder monks) compiled commentaries on the various subjects of the Agam literature. In olden times, the books were hand-written and rare. Also the religious books and scriptures were considered possessions and attachments for ascetics. Therefore Agam sutras were rarely documented and not widely distributed for or by ascetics. During the course of time, it became extremely difficult to keep memorizing the entire Jain literature (Agam sutras and Commentary literature) compiled by the many Ächäryas. Also there occurred a twelve years of famine around 350 BC. It was extremely difficult for the Jain ascetics to survive during this time. Under such circumstances they could not preserve the entire canonical literature. In fact, a significant number of Agam sutras were already forgotten and lost after the famine. Later, when the Jain congregation relaxed the vow of non-possession with regards to religious scriptures for ascetics, they had already forgotten much of the oldest canonical literature such as twelfth Ang-agam known as Drastiwad, which included fourteen Purvas. The rest of agams were polluted with some modifications and errors. -
Conversion to Tibetan Buddhism: Some Reflections Bei Dawei
4 Conversion to Tibetan Buddhism: Some Reflections Bei Dawei Abstract Tibetan Buddhism, it is often said, discourages conversion. The Dalai Lama is one of many Buddhist leaders who have urged spiritual seekers not to convert to Tibetan Buddhism, but to remain with their own religions. And yet, despite such admonitions, conversions somehow occur—Tibetan dharma centers throughout the Americas, Europe, Oceania, and East/Southeast Asia are filled with people raised as Jews, Christians, or followers of the Chinese folk religion. It is appropriate to ask what these new converts have gained, or lost; and what Tibetan Buddhism and other religions might do to better adapt. One paradox that emerges is that Western liberals, who recoil before the fundamentalists of their original religions, have embraced similarly authoritarian, literalist values in foreign garb. This is not simply an issue of superficial cultural differences, or of misbehavior by a few individuals, but a systematic clash of ideals. As the experiences of Stephen Batchelor, June Campbell, and Tara Carreon illustrate, it does not seem possible for a viable “Reform” version of Tibetan Buddhism (along the lines of Reform Judaism, or Unitarian Universalism) ever to arise—such an egalitarian, democratic, critical ethos would tend to undermine the institution of Lamaism, without which Tibetan Buddhism would lose its raison d’être. The contrast with the Chinese folk religion is less obvious, since Tibetan Buddhism appeals to many of the same superstitious compulsions, and there is little direct disagreement. Perhaps the key difference is that Tibetan Buddhism (in common with certain institutionalized forms of Chinese Buddhism) expands through predation upon weaker forms of religious identity and praxis. -
Sikkim: the Hidden Land and Its Sacred Lakes
- SIKKIM- The Hidden Holy Land And Its Sacred Lakes Dr. Chowang Acharya & Acharya Sonaro Gyatso Dokharn Various religious textual sources ascertain the fact that Sikkim is one of the sacrosanct hidden Buddhist zones recognized by Guru Padmasambhava, the fountainhead of Tantrayana Buddhism. Denjong Nye-Yig (The Pilgrim's Guide to the Hidden Land of Sikkim), by Lhatsun Jigmed Pawo, based on Lama Gongdu Cycle revealed by Terton Sangay Lingpa (1340-1396) has the following description of Sikkim: "~:n'4~rs~ 'a;~~1 ~~'~o,j'~~ 'ffi~ 'Q,S~'5f~4~~'~~'$'~1 ~s~~'~' qr.;'~~'~~'l:.Jl ~~o.J·UJ~'~~'~f.:1o,j'~'d;f~~l ~~~~'~~~'~'f~q'o,j'~~' ~'~1 ~r~:~5f[lJ~·~~'o,j·~ry~·l:.Jl f~~'~~l~~~'~'~'o,j'~ry~l ~q. il~·~·~~'~~'~'o,j'~ry~'l:.Jl S~'~~~'o.Jg.ii~'~~~'o,j'~ry~l ~~'l:.J~.~, S~'4~ ·o.J~~·~·~~'~'o,j'~ry~'l:.Jl o.J~Q, 'f~~'f~~'Q,~~ 'a:)~ 'o,j'~ry~ 'l:.Jl f~f.:1~'UJ~'l Q,~~'~~'C:iT-Q,S~'~~'UJ~'~'~Q,'Q,S~'5Jj UJ~~'4~'ffi'~~' ~4~~1 ~ 'W~ '~~'~o,j'Q,S~'5f~4~~'~~':n~~1 " "The auspicious Hidden Land ofSikkim, having a square topographical ap pearance, is situated in the southwest ofSamye Monastery, Lhasa, TIbet, and is 10 SIKKIM- THE HIDDEN HOLY LAND close to the southwest flce ofMt. Kyin-thing. Its eastern border touches Mt. Sidhi of India; the western border touches the mountain of Zar district of u- Tsang, Tibet, and the Northern border touches Lake Tsomo Dri-Chu': "The upper range ofthe country, the northeastern side, reaches up to Gangchen Zod-nga and the lower southwesterly range touches Banga (India). -
The Nine Yanas
The Nine Yanas By Cortland Dahl In the Nyingma school, the spiritual journey is framed as a progression through nine spiritual approaches, which are typically referred to as "vehicles" or "yanas." The first three yanas include the Buddha’s more accessible teachings, those of the Sutrayana, or Sutra Vehicle. The latter six vehicles contain the teachings of Buddhist tantra and are referred to as the Vajrayana, or Vajra Vehicle. Students of the Nyingma teachings practice these various approaches as a unity. Lower vehicles are not dispensed with in favor of supposedly “higher” teachings, but rather integrated into a more refined and holistic approach to spiritual development. Thus, core teachings like renunciation and compassion are equally important in all nine vehicles, though they may be expressed in more subtle ways. In the Foundational Vehicle, for instance, renunciation involves leaving behind “worldly” activities and taking up the life of a celibate monk or nun, while in the Great Perfection, renunciation means to leave behind all dualistic perception and contrived spiritual effort. Each vehicle contains three distinct components: view, meditation, and conduct. The view refers to a set of philosophical tenets espoused by a particular approach. On a more experiential level, the view prescribes how practitioners of a given vehicle should “see” reality and its relative manifestations. Meditation consists of the practical techniques that allow practitioners to integrate Buddhist principles with their own lives, thus providing a bridge between theory and experience, while conduct spells out the ethical guidelines of each system. The following sections outline the features of each approach. Keep in mind, however, that each vehicle is a world unto itself, with its own unique philosophical views, meditations, and ethical systems. -
Secularism and the Buddhist Monastery of Pema Yangtse in Sikkim'
MELANIE V ANDENHELSKEN 55 SECULARISM AND THE BUDDHIST MONASTERY OF PEMA YANGTSE IN SIKKIM' MELANIE V ANDENHELSKEN Montpellier Thutob Namgyal and Yeshe Dolma's2 account of the founding of the kingdom of Sikkim, shows us a politico-religious system in line with the concept of separate spiritual and temporal domains such as encountered in Tibet.3 However, this concept is very distinct from the Indian notion of secularism, which can be formulated as a privatisation of the religious sphere.4 Indeed, the absolute separation of the lay and religious domains appears to be equally problematic in both Sikkim and Tibet.5 The functioning of the royal monastery of Pemayangtse in Sikkim clearly demonstrates that there can be many interpenetrations of these two domains (that we can also refer to as conjugation), and which are not at variance with certain Buddhist concepts. The relationship that existed between Pemayangtse monastery and the kingdom of Sikkim represents one of the forms of this interpenetration in the Tibetan cultural area. When considering the functioning of Pemayangtse today and in the past, I will examine the relationship between the monastery and the I This paper is adapted from my doctoral thesis entitled: Le monastere bouddhique de Pemayangtse au Siklam (Himalaya oriental, Inde) : un monastere dans le monde. This thesis is the result of two years of fieldwork in India (1996-1997 and 1998- 1999), financed by an Indo-French grant from the French Department of Foreign Affairs and the ICCR, Delhi. My long stay in Sikkim was made possible thanks to the Home Ministry of Sikkim and the Institute of Higher Nyingma Studies, Gangtok. -
Commentary by Khenpo Namdrol 1
COMMENTARY BY KHENPO NAMDROL 1 Introd U ction to the EX traordinary Inner Preliminary Practice S We have now reached the extraordinary inner preliminary practices. Patrul Rinpoche begins with paying homage to his guru Jigme Gyalwai Nyugu by explaining his superior qualities. After that he goes on to briefly explain the main practices themselves. Crowned with the Three Jewels, the outer refuge, He truly realized the Three Roots, the inner refuge; He made manifest the Three Kayas, the ultimate refuge. At the feet of my peerless guru, I bow down. The Three Jewels of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha comprise the outer refuge, and are the objects of refuge of all the vehicles of Buddhism. How do we take refuge in them? The Buddha is the one who shows us the path to liberation. The Dharma – the Buddha’s teaching – is the actual path itself. The practitioners of the Buddha’s teaching are called Sangha. They are our friends for the purpose of liberation. With tremendous faith and devotion we take refuge in these three outer refuges as the teacher, the path, and the companions. Just like Jigme Gyalwai Nyugu we should carry the Three Jewels like a crown upon our heads at all times and in all situations. The inner objects of refuge are the Three Roots: the lama, the yidam and the dakini. The guru is the root of blessings; the yidam is the root of accomplishment; and the dakini is the root of enlightened activities. These three should be accomplished with body, speech, and mind. This is how Jigme Gyalwai Nyugu took the inner refuge. -
Copper Mountain
A Free Article from The Shamanism Magazine You may share this article in any non-commercial way but reference to www.SacredHoop.org must be made if it is reprinted anywhere. (Please contact us via email - found on our website - if you wish to republish it in another publication) Sacred Hoop is an independent magazine about Shamanism and Animistic Spirituality. It is based in West Wales, and has been published four times a year since 1993. To get a very special low-cost subscription to Sacred Hoop - please visit : www.SacredHoop.org/offer.html We hope you enjoy reading the article. Nicholas Breeze Wood (editor) hether seen from a Buddhist or shamanic Wviewpoint, Padmasambhava is a being who is able to manipulate reality and the beings who dwell in it in a very magical way, and there is no doubt that the teachings left by him have great power. He is an extremely important figure in Tibetan Buddhism, being the tantric Buddha, and sometimes is reffered to as Padmakara or Guru Rinpoche. As the ‘First Shaman’ he provides a role model for practitioners and the many legends that surround him link back to the pre-historic shamanic world of the Himalayas. These legends were recorded by his Tibetan consort Yeshe Tsogyal after he came to Tibet in the 9th century, and his birth was predicted by the Buddha, who, before he died, said that one even greater than himself would be born in a lotus flower to teach the ways of tantra. PADMASAMBHAVA’S LIFE Guru Rinpoche’s story began at the ‘Ocean of Milk’ or Lake Danakosha in the Land of Odiyana on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, where according to legend, in the reign of king Indrabodhi, he appeared miraculously in a beautiful red lotus blossom, as an eight-year-old child holding a dorje (see picture) and a lotus. -
Jamgn Mipham's Seven Line Guruyoga
ÉÊ Ê7'0-0#ë,-0Ü-.0-bÜ-2Ý#-/¸¥,-v-07Ü-F:-7eë9-2ì#<-0&ë+-T,- */<-`Ü<-/{,-ý-,#-7ië<-/t#-&ë#-·¦-/!ë+-ý-/º¥#<-<ëÊ Ê JAMGÖN MIPHAM'S SEVEN LINE GURUYOGA FEAST OFFERING ADORNED WITH AN APPENDIX AND ARRANGED TO BE READ STRAIGHT THROUGH Compiled by HIS HOLINESS JIGDAL DAGCHEN SAKYA KYABJE DILGO KHYENTSÉ RINPOCHÉ KYABJE DUDJOM RINPOCHÉ KYABJE KHAMTRUL RINPOCHÉ and VENERABLE DHONGTHOG RINPOCHÉ SAKYA MONASTERY OF TIBETAN BUDDHISM SEATTLE WA Published by: Sakya Monastery of Tibetan Buddhism 108 N.W. 83rd Street Seattle, WA 98117 © 2015, 2019 Sakya Monastery of Tibetan Buddhism Translation: Jeffrey Schoening Transcription, Editing and Formatting: Ken Hockett Proofreading: Venerable Dhongthog Rinpoche Geshe Thuchey Wangchuk Thuba Gyatso (Lee Harris) Ani Kunga Palmo Eric Dulberg Dennis Oliver Stephanie Prince Jerry Fabrizio Stacey Koenig ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Instructions for Preparation .............................................................................................. iv Padmasambhava ................................................................................................................ vi Rain of Blessings: A Guruyoga Connected with the Seven Line Prayer ...................... 1 The Adamantine Seven Line Prayer ..................................................................... 1 Refuge ...................................................................................................................... 2 Producing the Thought of Enlightenment ............................................................ 3 The Seven Branch Practice -
2018 Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche in Delhi, India
ANNUAL REPORT 2018 Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche in Delhi, India. Photo by Alexvi. RINPOCHE’S REMARKS While it’s important for all human beings to bring reason to every avenue of their lives—social, political, and spiritual— academics particularly treasure, cherish, and nurture the critical, rational, and analytical faculties. In that regard, Buddhist studies have such sophisticated tools for sharpening our critical thinking that they even lead us to critique the critical mind itself. In this world and era of short attention spans, where we are so influenced by headlines, images, and sound bites and swayed by emotion, it’s ever more important to support and cultivate genuine traditions of critical thinking. That is also of paramount importance for followers of Shakyamuni Buddha who cherish his teachings. The traditional approach to the Buddhist path recognizes that a complete understanding and appreciation of the teachings cannot happen through academic and intellectual study alone, but requires us to practice the teachings and bring them into our lives. Prior to such practice, however, it has always been emphasized that hearing and contemplating the teachings is of the utmost importance. In short, study and critical analysis of the Buddhist teachings are as necessary for dedicated practitioners as they are valuable for scholars, leaders, and ordinary people the world over. —Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, in his remarks announcing the Khyentse Gendün Chöpel Professorship of Tibetan Buddhist Studies at the University of Michigan, June, 2018 3 MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Sharing Buddha’s Wisdom with Everyone Dear friends and supporters of Khyentse Foundation, As Khyentse Foundation enters its 18th year of operation, I wish to take In managing the activities of the foundation, we try to maintain both an the opportunity to share some thoughts on the basic questions of who open mind and a critical approach. -
1. Introduction
1. Introduction 1. INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................2 ORIGINS OF BUDDHISM .......................................................................................................................2 THE PRACTICE LINEAGES ....................................................................................................................3 The Kagyü Lineage........................................................................................................................3 The Nyingma Lineage.....................................................................................................................5 The Surmang Tradition..................................................................................................................5 VIDYADHARA, THE VENERABLE CHÖGYAM TRUNGPA, RINPOCHE .............................................................6 THE VAJRA REGENT ÖSEL TENDZIN......................................................................................................9 THE SAKYONG, JAMGÖN MIPHAM RINPOCHE .......................................................................................12 RELATED ORGANIZATIONS................................................................................................................14 Nalanda Foundation....................................................................................................................14 Naropa University.......................................................................................................................16 -
§¨ ¨ Úf' Ú 7 ºú9º Ú
Restricted text. Please do not distribute. §¨¨ÚFÚ7ºÚ9ºÚ º¬ Rangjung Peme Nyingtik His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche Restricted text. Please do not distribute. Introduction Ask anyone who ever met His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche about his qualities and you will probably get a similar description. He had a most unusual physical presence. His body was grand and stable like a mountain, yet a soft, yielding, and vibrant energy seemed to flow through him unobstructedly, like a river. Most striking was the unceasing quality of his teaching. There was no break in his speech: as he inhaled he taught and as he exhaled he taught. An unending stream of people came to see him each day, yet his compas- sionate activities and his longing to serve others never diminished. How does someone with so many people under his care generate such deep reservoirs of energy? For us to truly understand the wonder and mystery of his activity we will have to study and practice the Dharma. His Holiness, without a doubt, embodied all the great tradi- tions of the rime, or non-sectarian, movement and demonstrated this as a living experience, manifesting an example of enlightened activity for all to see. He has, with great kindness, passed many of these teachings on to us either directly or through our own teachers. Now is the time to put them to use. The prayers in this book have been compiled for the cenntenial celebrations of His Holiness’ birth in the United States. This year Rinpoche graciously returns to us as a promising young man of 17 years. -
The Mirror 77 November-December 2005
THE MIRROR Newspaper of the International Dzogchen Community November/December 2005 • Issue No. 77 Schedule Chögyal Namkhai Norbu 2006 2006 Jan. 27 - Feb. 5 Santi Maha Sangha Base Teaching and Practice Retreat Open Web Cast Margarita Gonpa during Tregchod Retreat & Web cast N ZEITZ Feb. 17 - 26 Longsal Saltong Lung teaching and Practice Retreat Restricted Web Cast Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche March 10 -19 From the fifth volume of Longsal Retreat of Dzogchen Semlung Namkhache: Teaching and Practice Namkhache. THE UPADESHA ON THE TREGCHÖD Open Web Cast OF PRIMORDIAL PURITY RETREAT April 14 – 23 ka dag khregs chod kyi man ngag Tibetan Moxabustion Teaching and Application retreat May 5 -14 November 4 – 8 2005, Ati Lam-ngon Nasjyong A Retreat of Longsal teaching Preliminaries of the Path of Ati about Tashigar Norte, Margarita Island, Venezuela the Purification of the Six Lokas, Teaching and Practice. Open Web Cast by Agathe Steinhilber FRANCE e were about one hun- to sacrifice one’ s life, that life is Three Jewels, traditionally under- May 18 -22 dred-eighty nine stu- short and time is precious. stood as: 1. Taking refuge in the Paris Retreat dents, gathered in the Rinpoche expressed his delight Buddha and the teacher, 2. Taking Wbeautiful, airy Gonpa at Tashigar about the web cast. Thanks to refuge in the Dharma, the teach- May 26-28 Norte, attending the Longsal new technology , many people ings, and 3. Taking refuge in the Karmaling Retreat Tregchöd Retreat with Chögyal who otherwise do not have the Sangha, the spiritual community Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche. The possibility to attend the teachings of the fellow traveler , that sup - ITALY Gonpa was bustling with activity.