2016 Two-Year Nyingma Studies Program
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Pilgrimage to India
Winter 2010 Gaden Khachoe Shing Tibetan Buddhist Monastery Page 1 Dagom Gaden Tensung Ling Tibetan Buddhist Monastery Gaden Samdrup Ling Tibetan Buddhist Monastery Winter 2010 Pilgrimage to India We went to India to celebrate the dedication of the new Shar Gaden temple and along the way had an opportunity to walk in the footsteps of thousands of Buddhists who went before us. This journey began on Oct. 23 with three monks and 16 lay students heading to Mumbai, India. Our first visit was to the Kanheri Caves in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. These caves were carved out of cliffs as a place for monks to study and practice Buddhism. They date from 1st century BCE to 9th century CE. They were commissioned by royal families, merchants and others to support the monks in their efforts to practice countryside few foreigners get to see. Fields younger monks sitting near us were very the dharma. of sugar cane, rice and corn next to tree-lined busy watching us most of the time. In the center of some of the caves are roads took us through the town of Mundgod What followed were an official ribbon large stupas. Thousands of intricate carvings and to a warm welcome by the Shar Gaden cutting ceremony, a meeting of the Dorje of Buddhas, bodhisattvas and other Buddhist monks. Shugden Religious and Charitable Society images cover the walls. As in other cultures, After we arrived and enjoyed tea, we and an evening performance by the monks much of the ancient art in India is based settled into our rooms. -
VT Module6 Lineage Text Major Schools of Tibetan Buddhism
THE MAJOR SCHOOLS OF TIBETAN BUDDHISM By Pema Khandro A BIRD’S EYE VIEW 1. NYINGMA LINEAGE a. Pema Khandro’s lineage. Literally means: ancient school or old school. Nyingmapas rely on the old tantras or the original interpretation of Tantra as it was given from Padmasambhava. b. Founded in 8th century by Padmasambhava, an Indian Yogi who synthesized the teachings of the Indian MahaSiddhas, the Buddhist Tantras, and Dzogchen. He gave this teaching (known as Vajrayana) in Tibet. c. Systemizes Buddhist philosophy and practice into 9 Yanas. The Inner Tantras (what Pema Khandro Rinpoche teaches primarily) are the last three. d. It is not a centralized hierarchy like the Sarma (new translation schools), which have a figure head similar to the Pope. Instead, the Nyingma tradition is de-centralized, with every Lama is the head of their own sangha. There are many different lineages within the Nyingma. e. A major characteristic of the Nyingma tradition is the emphasis in the Tibetan Yogi tradition – the Ngakpa tradition. However, once the Sarma translations set the tone for monasticism in Tibet, the Nyingmas also developed a monastic and institutionalized segment of the tradition. But many Nyingmas are Ngakpas or non-monastic practitioners. f. A major characteristic of the Nyingma tradition is that it is characterized by treasure revelations (gterma). These are visionary revelations of updated communications of the Vajrayana teachings. Ultimately treasure revelations are the same dharma principles but spoken in new ways, at new times and new places to new people. Because of these each treasure tradition is unique, this is the major reason behind the diversity within the Nyingma. -
Shitro Empowerment and Bardo Teachings March 14Th – 17Th
Shitro Empowerment and Bardo Teachings March 14 th – 17 th Drikung Kyobpa Choling Monastery 1600 Sheridan Place Escondido CA 92027 Phone: 760-738-0089 or 909-625-5955 100 PEACEFUL AD WRATHFUL DEITIES This empowerment introduces the practitioner to experiences described in the Tibetan Book of the Dead (Bardo Thodol) and helps prepare one to recognize the true nature of mind encountered in the bardo (intermediate state) between death and rebirth. • This is a rare empowerment that will further develop the companion practice of Phowa. • Liberation can follow a single moment’s recognition at the time of death or in the bardo between lives. • This complete transmission includes teachings on the True Nature of Mind. This teaching of the Peaceful and Wrathful Deities is the supreme method for the practitioners who are entering into the practices of the Creation Stage, the Completion Stage, and the Great Perfection. It is the supreme method for them to amend all of their impairments of samaya that have become fragmented. It is the supreme method for them to purify the obscurations of conceptuality, and it is the supreme method for them to help all sentient beings, by pulling them up from the lower realms of samsara and establishing them in the karmic fortune of obtaining the supreme siddhi [enlightenment]. It is also said that merely hearing this teaching prevents birth in the lower realms; merely understanding it causes one to travel the path of great bliss; and bringing its meaning to mind causes one to accomplish the irreversible state of the spontaneously arisen awareness holder. -
An Excursus on the Subtle Body in Tantric Buddhism. Notes
THE JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BUDDHIST STUDIES EDITOR-IN-CHIEF A. K. Narain University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA EDITORS L. M.Joshi Ernst Steinkellner Punjabi University University of Vienna Patiala, India Wien, Austria Alexander W. Macdonald Jikido Takasaki Universite de Paris X University of Tokyo Nanterre, France Tokyo, fapan Bardwell Smith Robert Thurman Carleton College Amherst College Northfield, Minnesota, USA Amherst, Massachusetts, USA ASSISTANT EDITOR Roger Jackson FJRN->' Volume 6 1983 Number 2 CONTENTS I. ARTICLES A reconstruction of the Madhyamakdvatdra's Analysis of the Person, by Peter G. Fenner. 7 Cittaprakrti and Ayonisomanaskdra in the Ratnagolravi- bhdga: Precedent for the Hsin-Nien Distinction of The Awakening of Faith, by William Grosnick 35 An Excursus on the Subtle Body in Tantric Buddhism (Notes Contextualizing the Kalacakra)1, by Geshe Lhundup Sopa 48 Socio-Cultural Aspects of Theravada Buddhism in Ne pal, by Ramesh Chandra Tewari 67 The Yuktisas(ikakdrikd of Nagarjuna, by Fernando Tola and Carmen Dragonetti 94 The "Suicide" Problem in the Pali Canon, by Martin G. Wiltshire \ 24 II. BOOK REVIEWS 1. Buddhist and Western Philosophy, edited by Nathan Katz 141 2. A Meditators Diary, by Jane Hamilton-Merritt 144 3. The Roof Tile ofTempyo, by Yasushi Inoue 146 4. Les royaumes de I'Himalaya, histoire et civilisation: le La- dakh, le Bhoutan, le Sikkirn, le Nepal, under the direc tion of Alexander W. Macdonald 147 5. Wings of the White Crane: Poems of Tskangs dbyangs rgya mtsho (1683-1706), translated by G.W. Houston The Rain of Wisdom, translated by the Nalanda Transla tion Committee under the Direction of Chogyam Trungpa Songs of Spiritual Change, by the Seventh Dalai Lama, Gyalwa Kalzang Gyatso 149 III. -
Pilgrimage to Drakar Dreldzong
Pilgrimage to Drakar Dreldzong The Written Tradition and Contemporary Practices among Amdo Tibetans ,#-7--a};-1 Zhuoma ( |) Thesis Submitted for the Degree of M. Phil in Tibetan Studies Department of Culture Studies and Oriental Languages University of Oslo Spring 2008 1 Summary This thesis focuses on pilgrimage (gnas skor) to Drakar Dreldzong, a Buddhist holy mountain (gnas ri) in a remote area of Amdo, Tibet, in the present day Qinghai Province in the western part of China. The mountain had long been a solitude hermitage and still is a popular pilgrimage site for Tibetan lamas and nearby laymen. Pilgrimage to holy mountains was, and still is, significant for the religious, cultural and literary life of Tibet, and even for today’s economic climate in Tibet. This thesis presents the traditional perceptions of the site reflected both in written texts, namely pilgrimage guides (gnas bshad), and in the contemporary practices of pilgrimage to Drakar Dreldzong. It specifically talks about an early pilgrimage guide (Guide A) written by a tantric practitioner in the early 17th century, and newly developed guides (Guides B, C and D), based on the 17th century one, edited and composed by contemporary Tibetan lay intellectuals and monks from Dreldzong Monastery. This monastery, which follows the Gelukba tradition, was established in 1923 at the foot of the mountain. The section about the early guide mainly introduces the historical framework of pilgrimage guides and provides an impression of the situation of the mountain in from the 17th to the 21st century. In particular, it translates the text and gives comments and analysis on the content. -
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. -
And Daemonic Buddhism in India and Tibet
Florida State University Libraries Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School 2012 The Raven and the Serpent: "The Great All- Pervading R#hula" Daemonic Buddhism in India and Tibet Cameron Bailey Follow this and additional works at the FSU Digital Library. For more information, please contact [email protected] THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES THE RAVEN AND THE SERPENT: “THE GREAT ALL-PERVADING RHULA” AND DMONIC BUDDHISM IN INDIA AND TIBET By CAMERON BAILEY A Thesis submitted to the Department of Religion in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Religion Degree Awarded: Spring Semester, 2012 Cameron Bailey defended this thesis on April 2, 2012. The members of the supervisory committee were: Bryan Cuevas Professor Directing Thesis Jimmy Yu Committee Member Kathleen Erndl Committee Member The Graduate School has verified and approved the above-named committee members, and certifies that the thesis has been approved in accordance with university requirements. ii For my parents iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank, first and foremost, my adviser Dr. Bryan Cuevas who has guided me through the process of writing this thesis, and introduced me to most of the sources used in it. My growth as a scholar is almost entirely due to his influence. I would also like to thank Dr. Jimmy Yu, Dr. Kathleen Erndl, and Dr. Joseph Hellweg. If there is anything worthwhile in this work, it is undoubtedly due to their instruction. I also wish to thank my former undergraduate advisor at Indiana University, Dr. Richard Nance, who inspired me to become a scholar of Buddhism. -
On Bardo Practice Venerable Gyatrul Rinpoche June 13, 2014
On Bardo Practice Venerable Gyatrul Rinpoche June 13, 2014 We are all in the bardos all the time. We are in the bardo of this life, we visit the bardo of dreaming every night, the bardo of death can be upon us at any second--we have lots of bardos to experience. Therefore bardo practice is so important! Everything is our bardo, and it is through these bardos that we perpetuate our delusion; likewise it is through these bardos that finally we will become liberated. If we know how to navigate the bardos, then we will have some hope for liberation rather than confusion. If you have never been to America, but you have a very good map and you have studied it well, then it will not be so difficult when you arrive. We are in the bardo of this life right now, each second; when it's time for us to go at death we will go to another bardo. Right now we can't recognize the terrain of the bardo, we have no map, and that is why for most people at death there is only terror. The more confused you are, the more difficult it is. Now you have the chance to do bardo practice, which means you can get a map and learn not only the streets but where the restaurants are, the bus station, airport, train station, and hotels. If you know all of this, then you have some hope. Each person has their own car, which means they have the ability to go where they like, but they need gas and they need to know the road. -
THE RIMAY TRADITION by Lama Surya Das The
THE RIMAY TRADITION by Lama Surya Das The nonsectarian Rimay movement of Tibet is an ecumenical tradition started-- or more, accurately, revived--one hundred and forty years ago by the great Manjusri (wisdom) lamas of eastern Tibet renowned as the First Khyentse and First Kongtrul. It arose in order to preserve and help disseminate the many different lineages and practices of all the extant schools of Tibetan Buddhism, many of which were in danger of being lost. These extraordinarily learned and accomplished nonsectarian masters studied under hundreds of teachers and internalized the precious and profound Three Yana teachings, then taught and also compiled the bulk of them into voluminous compendiums, vast scriptural compilations such as the Rinchen Terdzod (Treasury of Visionary Revelations) and the Shayja Dzod (Treasury of Knowledge). Rimay means unbounded, all-embracing, unlimited, and also unbiased and impartial. The Karmapas, the Dalai Lamas, Sakya lineage heads, and major Nyingma and other lineage holders and founders (such as Je Tsongkhapa and Gyalwa Longchenpa) all took teachings and empowerments from various schools and lineages, and later practiced and authentically transmitted those traditions. The two enlightened nineteenth century renaissance-type masters, Khyentse and Kongtrul, were aided and abetted in this ambitious endeavor by the visionary Chogyur Lingpa as well as the younger and indomitable master Mipham, most of whom exchanged teachings and practices with each other in an unusually humble and collegial way. Other notable Tibetan Lamas widely renowned for their non-sectarian approach were Patrul Rinpoche and Lama Shabkar, Dudjom Lingpa and the Fifteenth Karmapa Khakyab Dorje. The present Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet himself embodies and promotes this important tradition; he always mentions the importance of this inclusive, tolerant and open-minded Rimay spirit, wherever he goes, in his teachings and talks today. -
Brief History of Dzogchen
Brief History of Dzogchen This is the printer-friendly version of: http: / / www.berzinarchives.com / web / en / archives / advanced / dzogchen / basic_points / brief_history_dzogchen.html Alexander Berzin November 10-12, 2000 Introduction Dzogchen (rdzogs-chen), the great completeness, is a Mahayana system of practice leading to enlightenment and involves a view of reality, way of meditating, and way of behaving (lta-sgom-spyod gsum). It is found earliest in the Nyingma and Bon (pre-Buddhist) traditions. Bon, according to its own description, was founded in Tazig (sTag-gzig), an Iranian cultural area of Central Asia, by Shenrab Miwo (gShen-rab mi-bo) and was brought to Zhang-zhung (Western Tibet) in the eleventh century BCE. There is no way to validate this scientifically. Buddha lived in the sixth century BCE in India. The Introduction of Pre-Nyingma Buddhism and Zhang-zhung Rites to Central Tibet Zhang-zhung was conquered by Yarlung (Central Tibet) in 645 CE. The Yarlung Emperor Songtsen-gampo (Srong-btsan sgam-po) had wives not only from the Chinese and Nepali royal families (both of whom brought a few Buddhist texts and statues), but also from the royal family of Zhang-zhung. The court adopted Zhang-zhung (Bon) burial rituals and animal sacrifice, although Bon says that animal sacrifice was native to Tibet, not a Bon custom. The Emperor built thirteen Buddhist temples around Tibet and Bhutan, but did not found any monasteries. This pre-Nyingma phase of Buddhism in Central Tibet did not have dzogchen teachings. In fact, it is difficult to ascertain what level of Buddhist teachings and practice were introduced. -
The Tulku System in Tibetan Buddhism: Its Reliability, Orthodoxy and Social Impacts
The Tulku System in Tibetan Buddhism: Its Reliability, Orthodoxy and Social Impacts By Ramin Etesami A thesis submitted to the graduate school in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts at the International Buddhist College, Thailand March, 20 Abstract The Tulku institution is a unique characteristic of Tibetan Buddhism with a central role in this tradition, to the extent that it is present in almost every aspect of Tibet’s culture and tradition. However, despite this central role and the scope and diversity of the socio-religious aspects of the institution, only a few studies have so far been conducted to shed light on it. On the other hand, an aura of sacredness; distorted pictures projected by the media and film industries;political propaganda and misinformation; and tendencies to follow a pattern of cult behavior; have made the Tulku institution a highly controversial topic for research; and consequently, an objective study of the institution based on a critical approach is difficult. The current research is an attempt to comprehensively examine different dimensions of the Tulku tradition with an emphasis on the issue of its orthodoxy with respect to the core doctrines of Buddhism and the social implications of the practice. In this research, extreme caution has been practiced to firstly, avoid any kind of bias rooted in faith and belief; and secondly, to follow a scientific methodology in reviewing evidence and scriptures related to the research topic. Through a comprehensive study of historical accounts, core Buddhist texts and hagiographic literature, this study has found that while the basic Buddhist doctrines allow the possibility for a Buddhist teacher or an advanced practitioner to “return back to accomplish his tasks, the lack of any historical precedence which can be viewed as a typical example of the practice in early Buddhism makes the issue of its orthodoxy equivocal and relative. -
Rime Jewel Fall 2017
Rime Buddhist Center 700 West Pennway Kansas City, MO 64108 www.rimecenter.org 816-471-7073 Fall 2017 Increase your knowledge, Season Changes at the check out the class Rime Center schedule! Kum Nye – Tibetan Yoga Workshop with Santosh Philip Lama Rod Owens: September 22 - 24, 2017 Ven. Phakyab We are delighted to welcome Radical Dharma November 10 – 12, 2017 to Kansas City and the Rime Rinpoche: The Healing We are extremely delighted to Center Santosh Philip, September Power of the Mind welcome to Kansas City and the 22nd through 24th. Santosh will October 13 – 15, 2017 Rime Center Lama Rod Owen, be leading us in a system of Mark your calendars as we November 10th & 12th. Lama Rod Tibetan yoga called Kum Nye. welcome the return to Kansas will be teaching from his book Based on a traditional healing City and the Rime Center the Radical Dharma. Igniting a long- system, Kum Nye Yoga helps acclaimed Tibetan Buddhist overdue dialogue about how the to relieve stress, transform lama and healer, Ven. Phakyab legacy of racial injustice and white negative patterns and promote Rinpoche, October 13th & 15th. supremacy plays out in society at balance and health. Developed Ven. Phakyab Rinpoche will be large and Buddhist communities by Tibetan Lama Tarthang Tulku, teaching from his book Meditation in particular, this urgent call to this presentation of Kum Nye Saved My Life: A Tibetan Lama action outlines a new dharma practices is thoroughly modern and the Healing Power of the that takes into account the and adapted specifically to suit Mind. ways that racism and privilege modern needs.