THE MIRROR The International Newspaper of the Dzog-chen Community Issue 20 SPACE IN THE EYE OF THE STORM IN THIS ISSUE Dzog-chen: the Path by Des Barry The long anticipated retreat of of Self-Liberation the beginning of Spring, with the Chögyal crocuses blooming, the sap of the page 2 maple trees dripping gently into the gatherers' buckets, and the vajra songs of the students gathered with Retreat reports from their Maestro, floating over the balmy air of the grounds of Venezuela Stone le igh Burnham School, turned pages 4& S out to be something rather different. The Maestro and those travelling with him, arrived bundled in down UK community buys vests, woollen scarves, and long underwear, to face an extremely farm in Wales persistentNew winter. The page* snow still lay deep in the fields; and the sides of the roads were piled high after many a storms' plowing. Merigar news Still, we began on time, with page7 community people from Japan, Rus­ sia, California, New Mexico, Colorado, Mexico, Venezuela and We who live under Argentina, all gathering with the East coast locals for a retreat of the shadow... Long De. Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche Merigar participates in began immediately with a beautiful against the windows of the room. Conway, and surrounding, sank the Dzog-chen Long De. Then, local conference discourse on the lineage of Long As Rinpoche laid the foundation under a heavy blanket, as white as together we practised, in order to John Shane De, interspersed with tales of his of understanding, from the basis of wonderbread, the houses wrapped participate in the empowerment own experience, to inspire the su tra, tantra and Dzog-chen, to the in the growing drifts. Outside, and necessary for the transmission of page 10 creative imagination of the students warm and comfortable participants, throughout the night, the ploughs Long De, from Master to Students. towards a desire to practice; and to the storm gained in intensity, and shouldered aside the snow to keep In the afternoon, Rinpoche gave whet the appetite for the teachings snow began to drift across he the roads clear, and the morning a detailed overview of the three Dzongsar Khyentse to come. roadways of Stoneleigh Burnham dawned on our driveways, buried a series of teachings, and drew Rinpoche School. News came that all roads foot, cars barely visible, and the parallels between the four Naljyor Ominous portents, however, speaks with PaoloBrunatto filled the airwaves, as the media were being closed, including the promise of certain steady shovelling of the Sem De series on the mind, warned of a gigantic storm, sweeping main Interstate Highway, so the to make oursevles mobile again to and the Mahamudra system page 11 up from the south, which would retreat participants dispersed from reach the morning teaching. particular to Gampopa. He touched reach us by noon of the next day. our gathering to their respective The effort wasn't without its good briefly onLongDe, which he was to A spiritual adventure Prudence demanded that we prepare, hotels to wait out the storm. result. Rinpoche explained the develop in the following days, and but the next morning's teachings The wind howled, and the ever origin of certain transmissions of then explained the four Cho ja of the in Outer Mongolia Manngag De. began, without losing any time, persistent powder sifted down from Tonpa Nonzog Gyalpo, and how Rena Kühn while the first snow wraiths swirled the heavy clouds. The hills of these tantras were connected with continued on page 5 page 12

On Emptiness and Compassion Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche Book review page 13 A transcription of part of a TEACHING TOUR CONTINUES panel discussion at the 1992 Conference of the European Since the beginning of 1993, Namkhai Norbu Reflections Buddhist Union in Berlin Readers' views and between well-known Rinpoche has been travelling and teaching extensively teachers from different through South America from the Argentinian gar, impressions Buddhist schools including Tashigar through Peru and then Venezuela where he page 14 the Ven. , taught in Menda and Caracas. founder of the Friends of the In the United States Rinpoche gave teachings at Western Buddhist Order, H.H. the Dalai Lama the Ven. , Tsegyalgar in Massachusetts followed by seminars in teaching venues scholar and teacher of New York City. , the On his return to Europe he will hold a 10 day retreat page 16 Ven. , a at Merigar, Italy over the Easter period and after a Vietnamese master and brief pause, will travel on to teach in Austria and then Practices for special the Ven. , a Dzog-chen master and for the first time in Israel and Thailand. Later in the days calendar summer, Rinpoche will give a 10 day retreat in Japan. found er of the Rigpa centres. page 16 pages 8 & 9 page 3

ISSUE 20 2 Dzog-chen: the Path of Self-Liberation "When we discover our real nature, we discover everything"

A transcription edited from the Looking in the mirror is only an teachings of Namkhai Norbu example because of course you Rinpoche given at the Pagoda, Bois cannot discover all your limitations de Vincennes in Paris, France on and problems in the mirror. July 23rd, 1992. Observing your limitations, your existence, your attitude and your Now I want to explain what the intention you can discover many of characteristics of the Dzog-chen the sources of your problems. So teaching are. You have learned a this is one of the most important little about the and tant ra functions of the mirror. The mirror teachings whose characteristic makes you understand that you must methods are called the Path of observe yourself instead of judging Renunciation and the Path of others. Transformation. The characteristic method of the Dzog-chen teaching Potentiality is the Path of Self-Liberation. But Another very important function you must understand thatDzog-chen of the mirror is for discovering what is not only the title of a teaching. It is meant by our potentiality. All is very important that you notice sentient beings have infinite that potentiality, not only human beings. In general people always use But if we are human beings we can different titles of teachings such as observe and discover that we have the "upadesa series". You consider great potentiality. How can we it something special but you don't discover this potentiality and its really discover what Dzog-chen is. nature? First of all we must observe To know or discover the real sense ourselves and then we know that we of the Dzog-chen teaching you don't have this potentiality. Then through need the title of a book or teaching the example of the mirror we can or some particular type of study understand what being in our real because when you read or follow a nature means. Knowing or being in book, you are constructing our real nature means beyond intellectual knowledge. You will judging and doing analyses. Then never really discover your state of we leam with the example of the Dzog-chen that way. You can mirror. discover it if you listen well and try For example, if there is a mirror to understand the meaning of the in front of you, you look in the teaching and then use methods. mirror and see different kinds of Method means you work concretely reflections. They may be nice or with your experience; that is the ugly things, big or small, different only way you can discover the real Rainbow Vajra Mandala (

ISSUE 20 3 Dzog-chen: the Path of Self-Liberation NAMKHAI NORBU RINPOCHE continued from page 2 teacher teaches you methods that your ideas. mirror has the capacity to manifest you can apply for discovering that. This problem will continue until infinite reflections. This is its When you say "I am practising or you have discovered your state. This Teaching Programme qualificatioa following Dzog-chen teachings" it is the weak point of intellectual The other reason is that when there doesn't mean that you are doing study. is an object and the mirror has the some type of prayers or reciting a Austria capacity to manifest, that is normal, or doing some visualization. Discovering but the mirror has no idea of checking It means that following a teacher So when we say "discover", it or accepting this object for reflecting. and using methods you discover that means that you have a precise June 4 - 6 in Gutenstein The mirror doesn't need any state. When you have discovered experience. Particularly when you Contact Isabella Ernst, Brunnengasse 34/12, Vienna. programme for that. This is what is that state, then you still need many are following Dzog-chen teaching Tel. 222 408 3016 called its qualification or infinite kinds of methods for realizing it. you must discover your real nature potentiality. Discovering this state of your real directly with method. When you In the same way we have infinite nature and realizing it are completely discover your nature you discover potentiality but we are ignorant of different things. the value of transmission at the same Israel that When we are ignorant of our Many people have the idea that time. In this case you also discover real nature then we always have the when they have had some experience the principle and function of the consideration that "I am here" and or discovery that they are already teaching. Discovering the principle June 23 - 26 in Jerusalem "the object is there", "I am looking enlightened. But this doesn't mean of the teaching does not mean that at "Mishkenot Shananin", "Place of the very quiet people" and seeing an object", etc. We never enlightened. you accept or decide something. Fisher Hall. discover that we are like a mirror. The state of enlightenment means In the same way you discover the And if we never discover this then you have direct knowledge of what value- of the teacher through June 27 of course there is no way that we can the state of rigpa is and not only experience not by deciding that he become the mirror. But when we learning through intellectual study. must be your root master. In general at the University of Tel Aviv: discover that, then there is a When you follow teaching in an many people choose a root master Day lecture on the Culture and History of Tibetfeaturing possibility that we will be the mirror. intellectual way first y ou have m any perhaps because he is very famous Prof. Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche When you are the mirror then ideas - thinking, judging and making or people consider him to be very you have no problems with analyses. You can accept and follow important. And then if you don't For further information on the retreat and the conference reflections; they can be big, small, these ideas but if you have many discover your real nature you always nice, ugly, any kind; the say, "Oh, this is my root and hotel bookings contact: reflections are only a master" and then you go to Noa Blass, Biltmore Street 15.62194 Tel Aviv. manifestation of your someone else to try to Tel. 97 2 3457543, • qualification. When you discover it. This is an have no problems of intellectual way of deciding reflections then that means who your root master is. self-liberation You are not Thailand changing or transforming Nothing to decide something, you are only There is nothing to decide being in your real nature. for path, for teaching, for July 2 - 6 You remember "the same master; you don't need to For information contact Pierre Wittmann, P. O. Box 37, flavour" in Mahamudra decide or accept anything at Mua Hin, 77110, Thailand. teaching and the Dzog-chen all. Particularly if you meet a Semde. You can understand serious Dzog-chen teacher - this if you are really being you never accept a teaching, the mirror. Whether there is or teacher or transmission a nice or ugly reflection there The teacher only asks you to Japan is no difference for you. d iscover, gives you m ethods, When you are in your real and working together with August 20 - 30, 1993 nature there is no change at these methods you try to all. That is the real meaning discoverthat. Whenyouhave The retreat will take place at the ancient temple of Kouyasan, of self-liberation. discovered one, you have the main seat of the Japanese mantrayana or "Shingon" discovered all. This is the Direct introduction base of the Dzog-chen For information contact Tsugiko Kiyohashi, 4-11-21-30 When a teacher gives a teaching. If you only open Shimomeguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan direct transmission it means one eye you can see Tel. 03 371 67248 that the teacher uses methods everything. You don't need so that you can have an to open your eyes one at a experience. With such time in order to see. This is experience you discover or have an problems, it means it is not real an example we use in the Dzog- introduction to your primordial sta­ knowledge but rather like following chen teaching. When we discover te or we can say knowledge or something blindly because you our real nature, we discover Coordination understanding or state oí rigpa. You haven't had any direct experience. everything. For example, many Dzog-chen masters never studied or can use different names but it does So when we say direct learned in an intellectual way. When of Seminars and Retreats not change it at all. introduction and experience for they received a precise transmission When we are speaking about discovering our real nature, it means with Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche they practised and used methods practice we say contemplation. we have direct experience through and then woke up and became Contemplation really means that you our senses. And with these learned and scholarly. That is an have that knowledge and that you experiences then we discover. example. There really is that kind of Anyone wishing to invite Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche to give are really being in that knowledge, For example, if I show you an function. teachings should first send a written invitation personally to like themirror. Then we can say that object you look at it and you have we are in a state of contemplation. knowledge of its form and colour. The principle is that we try to him. In a country where there is a Gakyil, this should be done Until you have that experience of Now if I ask you to forget about it, discover our real nature. To do this through the Blue Gakyil. If Rinpoche accepts the invitation, knowledge, until you discover that you can't If I ask you to change firstly we must open our eyes, look the organization of his journey and the retreat should be state, you can speak about your idea, you can't. Why, because at our situation, condition and arranged and co-ordinated by those who are making the contemplation but it is only a name. it is your direct experience. So limitations, and learn in a precise invitation in collaboration with the Blue Gakyil of Merigar, Contemplation is not only an idea discovering your real nature means way. You remember the Buddha's but something we discover with something like that teaching on cause and effect When which has been appointed by Rinpoche himself for this task. experience. So that is the famous When you are studying in an you discover there is cause then you As soon as the dates and place, name, address, fax and Dzog-chen - the state of rigpa. Until intellectual way you are following discover that there is also effect. If telephone number of the contact person in charge of we discover that state, Dzog-chen is someone or someone's ideas. For you open y our eyes without lim king organization and information about the event has been only a word. (yourself) then you can discover example you can believe someone's established, this information should be communicated ideas today, but if you discover your everything - particularly how you Direct experience state maybe it wiH not be true use teaching, transmission and immediately to the Merigar Blue Gakyil, who will pass on the In the Dzog-chen teachings, a tomorrow. You can always change methods. information to "The Mirror".

ISSUE 20 4 Teachings in Caracas Memoirs of a Gyalpo spirit

by Fabto Andrico the new building made out of wood palms, banana trees and beautiful This is my home, my dimension, and straw. flowers, a small river and a house. so different, varied and This was pretty much the way Our work is really becoming tough unpredictable: mountains second things went during the retreat, up - if it weren't for the satisfaction to in might only to the Himalayas, until the day of the outing to Los be had from the social tensions, with with crystal glaciers, pointing Terrores, an ancient place of power. the urban riots (in Cumana for down to the spires of the tropical There at last the rain let fly with all example) over the election of rain forest with its immense its might, taking by surprise the governors, we would be at rather a resources of plants of great power, Master and some disciples without loose end. and its uncountable rare and shelter. And while they were At first we went to Merida: precious life forms. The sea cold chanting, happy to be purifying mountains and forests, where apart and grey, or warm and crystalline themselves, I looked on as their from one or two problems with the w ith pure shades of green and blue. clothes got soaked and their bones cars (which broke down with Deserts and prairies, immense turned cold and numb. pleasing reularity) everything went expanses of rock, great cities, In the meantime, some North well at the retreat for the eighty or so prodigious rivers and the infinite Americans who had come to build people there. Even the food was beings of sea, sky and land. the little dark retreat cabin, didn't very good and healthy. The This is my kingdom and that of want to pause at all, not even with surroundings were beautiful with the other members of my tribe - my the rain. We did, however, manage flowersofall colours and deliciously people who have reigned over this to slow their work down just a little. perfumed fruits. Just a little land and the beings who have After a few days there was the disturbance for the Dance on the populated it since time departure for Buenos Aires, and a part of the mosquitoes, but I'm afraid immemorial: we are the Gyalpo, minor masterpiece, an entranciing to say these were pretty calm days. lords of this dimension Then on to Caracas with which humans call South more or less the same by Pablo Lau Rivera America. • number of people and a On February 15, Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche together with Fabio Andrico It is our nature to similarly well organised and Prima Mai arrived in Caracas after an air trip from Meri a. Although the provoke, and we love to place. What was worse, at trip is short, about 45 minutes, it is always breath taking because while fill the life of human one point, everyone started leaving and entering the Mérida airport, the plane skims over snowy peaks beings with obstacles, making Namkhas to and the nearby houses of the city, maneuvering onto a narrow and tilted challenges and harmonise their energies. runway, which made Fabio exclaim: "It is the most anguishing airport in the insecurity. Living with us Doing our job isn't at all world". Nevertheless, there have been no accidents there because of all the is not easy, nor is it easy easy - sometimes you really care taken due to this reason. to flatter and make do have to work hard. The retreat at Mérida was a momentous event with the beautiful sights and friends with us: we don't Finally, however, the quietness and surroundings at the Menda National Park. like it. We are tense and towards the end of the trip, In Caracas it took us time to organize the following retreat A few hours moody in character. One The sa bdag rGyal po'i nor bsrung se by i ( according we managed to get our share before the beginning of the retreat, a very upset manager of the location where day we give, but the next to a drawing in the Vaidurya dkar po) of personal satisfaction at the retreat was to take place called to inform us that the main pipe supplying we ask, demanding a lot. And then little blizzard over the airport which Cumana, where the Master went for water to all the area had cracked and that the technicians of the National if we don't get what we want, we forced the aircraft to turn back a rest. Institute of Sanitary Works in charge to repair the damage had said that it become very, very nervous, just towards Cordoba ...hee, hee ... and A few days relaxation by the sea, would take them two or three months to fix it. It was impossible, under such like the men and women who are to risk ... ha, ha ... running out of and then, just as everything seemed under our influence, almost all of conditions, to lodge 50 people plus a few others that would come sporadically. fuel! All very entertaining, quite a nice and calm... sea urchin stings on whom ignore our existence. The search for and allocation of another place became very difficult and success. the hands and feet of the Master, the futile. Almost all. Towards the end of Then, after a public speech and foot of the teacher of the Dance, and Then we decided to appeal to the Mayor's Office, the Central University, December, for two and a half more rain, there was the departure on the back of the Yantra Yoga the Chairman's Office and the Army, who sent water trucks every day during months a human being who knows for Peru - one of my favourite lands, instructor. Three days in bed without the retreat, making the problem urmoticeable. how to recognise us, and is able to where the earthlings have managed hardly being able to walk. Every day we assembled in the same room where Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche communicate with us, arrived and to create a fantastic state of tension Small satisfactions, but gratifying gave the teaching and practised Yantra Yoga under the merry, experienced travelled around South America. and terror for many years. none the less... guidance of Fabio. Following the morning teachings and after lunch Prima So I got interested and decided to Unfortunately, the Master decided Mai guided us through the Om A Hum Dance, followed later by the Dance follow him on his trip round our to reduce the length of his stay, and In Tibetan, "gyalpo" means of the Vajra, which people had begun to learn in Mérida. The Dance on the land. He had already come here so we had less time at our disposal. "king". The "gyalpo" are a class of Mandala continued in the night time for those who wanted to practise more. once before, but this time our Just enough though to help one of beings whose original name was The Mandala had been made a few days before the arrival of Prima Mai contact was clearer and more d irect the people travelling with him toge t "tsa ti". They are one of the eight by a group of members of the Community using the plans that Prima Mai had The first month was in Argentina, lost in the immense city of Lima, principal classes of beings who can sent from Argentina. We made it on sailcloth cut into five strips 8 meters long above all in a place called Tashigar with the risk of not being able to influence the condition of existence. by 1.6 meters and joined by "Magic Zippers", thus making it very simple to where this Tibetan master meets return home, of missing the plane There are different types of "gyalpo" with his disciples to give teachings carry. After the retreat, Prima taught us the Dance of the Six Lokas for four etc. etc.... all quite appetising of greater and lesser importance. and build a Community together days. consequences. Sad to say, home was Some of the most important are also with them. During the retreat Adriana Dal Borgo instructed us on how to make a found in the end. Tough luck! considered guardians of the Namkha and more than 30 people began to construct them. But despite My friends and I set to work as This was the first time that the teaching or places such as Gyalpo working until late hours, most people were not able to complete their usual: lots of rain and wind, a touch Master had visited this country, and Pehar, the Guardian of the ancient Namkhas. of cold and nervousness. To tell so, while speaking to the sixty or monastery ofSamye. One night, Oly de Soto offered dinner to our Master and the retreat the truth, we had begun our job seventy people at the seminar, he In places where the "gyalpo" participants in her beautiful and strange house. The dinner ended in a drum beforehand, and we really did gave a nice little explanation about are dominant, they can create feast Barlovento style (a Black area of the country famous for its drum manage to put together one or two us, the Eight Classes of Beings, our struggle and conflicts, nervousness, celebrations) mixed with calypso and ant il lean rhythms. tasty little problems. history and characters. tensions, many problems, sickness As the retreat ended, Rinpoche went to visit some land which had been However, during the period of We like a lot this dry place with and can strongly influence the presented by Chuo Ortoll. It was situated in a forested area, surrounded by the retreat try as we might we its cold sea, where the people of the mental state. It is not easy or a river and near the sea. It seemed very much to the taste of Rinpoche. On weren't able to express ourselves Andes eat the same sorts of food as advantagous to create contact with March 8, before leaving Venezuela, Rinpoche, Fabio and Prima Mai visited to our best advantage, because the Tibetans: toasted flour and raw these beings because even if one Cum ana to take a few days off to rest Cum ana, a city on the coast is where these people know about us, and fish (like the Japanese). receives temporary benefits, with Paola Civile is organizing a group to receive the teaching of the Master. also know how to lim it our range Last leg of our journey: the passage of time, they create a lot When Rinpoche came back to Caracas to fly to New York, he announced of action. Venezuela. A land of jungles, of negativity and sometimes one can the creation of a new Gar here in Venezuela near Caracas. It is the land he Thus, we only slightly disturbed beautiful seas and sculpted go crazy or lose his reason. visited with Chuo Ortoll and Rinpoche considered that it has everything: the Vajra Dance with the rain. And mountains, where in the past our One can control the "gyalpo" beautiful foresta river, a mountain, and located near the sea. again by means of rain and wind, work in this Community had given through the Protectors of the Everyone was very surprised and quickly began to make different projects we made the stay rather more good results: fine tensions and much teaching who have given their strict and develop plans. interesting for those living in tents nervousness, now unfortunately, promise to a Master such as Padma The name of the Gar is Lundrupgar which means a place with everything. in the wood and for the hundred or considerably reduced. Sambhava. There is no purpose in Now we have many things to do. And we are very glad because it means the more people who were following They have even given the Master trying to create a direct relationship Master is coming more frequently to Venezuela. the teachings under the cover of a nice piece of land with coconut with them.

ISSUE 20 Second retreat in Mènda Future of French retreat house by May da Hocevar The second retreat with Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche in Menda, Venezuela began the afternoon of February 6th, 1993. It took place in a National Park at an altitude of2,000 metres, in the heart of the Venezuelan Andes, amidst tropical rain forests of pine. Attendance ranged between 60 and 40 people (on weekends and working days, respectively), during which, for the first time in Venezuela, there were quite a few Vajra brothers and sisters from the different Dzog-chen Communities around the world. We thank them for attending. Rinoche devoted the retreat to the explanation of the basis of Santi Maha Sangha, which he then explained in greater detail at the Caracas retreat Once more, Rinpoche insisted on the importance of understanding the meaning of the Dzog- chen teaching and of nakedly discovering our own potentiality, To this purpose, among other skillful means, the Master gave a Dzog-chen empowerment, providing us with an opportunity to discover our own instant presence in direct introduction. He explained once more the practice of rushen, which allows us to distinguish through our own experience mind (which judges, believes, fears, etc.) and the nature of m ind (our own potentiality, the basis of both samsara and nirvana, which is discovered in the state of rigpa or instant presence). Rinoche also taught the importance of understanding the relationship between sutra, tan tra and Dzog-chen, and how the practice of the first two can be integrated into that of the third. The Teacher explained that the "Le Chant du Coucou", the the maintenance work required to possibili tyofsellingtheretreathouse different forms adopted by the teachings are responses to the different newsletter of the Dzog-chen keep it from deterioration to M erigar, in which case it would circumstances and conditions in which we limited people are trapped, as Community in France, in a special During the past year, the retreat have to be dismantled and well as to our different capacities and propensities. number published in March 1993 house has been heavily affected by transported to Italy. Rinpoche reminded us that is is most important to develop a pure intention reported that there are still many damp which has contributed greatly There is a proposal that the retreat to attain liberation from the delusion which causes us to ceaselessly repeat unsolved problems concerning the to its present state of deterioration. house be managed by a society or our dramas and fully realize the value of the teaching and the teacher, as future of the yantig retreat house at Apart from the general maintenance, association of Community members well as of the opportunity, which is limited by time, which we have for Plouray. Plans to sell the house to a number of projects need to be who would be responsible for the practising the dharma and exhausting samsara. the nearby Drukpa-Kagyupa centre completed which include: servicing functioning of the house and retreats Prima Mai had kindly come to Mènda a few weeks in advance in order to fell through when Drukchen the electric system, installingheafing made there. Other suggestions teach us the Vajra Dance, the practice for integrating movement with Rinpoche, during a trip to France, in five of the seven rooms and consider either maintaining the contemplation, which we kept practising under her guidance throughout informed the French Community urgently repairing and treating the house, transforming it or dismantling the retreat Then we all went to Caracas in order to attend the retreat there. that he would not follow up plans to external tiles for humidity. The im­ it and keeping in storage for a period Afterwards, Bodhi Krause returned with us to Menda in order to teach the buy it. mediate cost of these projects is of time. last steps of the Vajra Dance as well as the whole of the Dance of the Six At the moment the house poses a calculated to be around 15.000.000 The French Dzog-chen Lokas. As a result, we are now regularly practising all three dances: the major commitment financially and Italian Lire. Community ask people to send the ir Vajra Dance, the Dance of the Six Lokas and the Dance of the Om A Hum. in the terms of work power for the Several suggestions on resolving suggestions for resolving the We are infinitely grateful to Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche, Fabio Andrico Community.Moreover the departure this problem have already been made question of the yantig retreat house (who taught y antra yoga at the retreats), Prima Mai and Bodhi Krause for from Plouray of the "Bretons", by different people in the to: Y arm Leguen, 12D, Chemin travelling so far and dedicating so much energy and time to teach us. Martine, Roger and Laurent, has Community. Maisonneuve, CH 1219, Chatelaine, Long live the Master, the Teachings and the Community! left the house in isolation and lacking One of these investigates the Switzerland. Tel. 41227973721.

Space in the Eye of the Storm

continued from page 1 snow ploughed the roads, and kept large building in Conway, which Over the next two days Rinpoche the walkways safe; and the business has the potential for satisfying a: taught extensively from Vairocana 's manager helped everything to run least some of our needs. Secret Instructions on the Four Signs. very smoothly, so that our people Many people from the retreat In the sumptuous surroundings had every comfort in order to con­ went to see this building, and me of the Stoneleigh Burnham school, centrate on the teachings. enthusiasm generated by seeing we were protected from the w ildness Each retreat brings with it the something concrete led many people of the raging elements, and gradually promise for renewed energy in the to commit themselves tc raising me spread our activities throughout the future of the Community. Rinpoche resources necessary for the buildings. A huge gymnasium once more stressed the importance realisation of the project At this housed two mándalas, which were of the Tsegy algar land, in Buckland, place - or somewhere similar, if in constant use, either for teaching as a place that has - and will conti­ necessary - we hope to devele? s or practising the Vajra Dances. nue to have - great historical place for winter retreats, a mandala There was morning meditation and significance for the Community. for the Vajra dances, and offk es for Yantra Yoga; a discussion group f or Being the place of origin of the branches of the Shang Shur.g new people to understand the Vajra Dance, Rinpoche emphasised Institute and A.S.LA. mechanics of the various Tun that it is a place we will always keep Naturally, Otis will require a maj cr practices and the Ayu Sadhana of while the Dzog-chen Community is commitment from all Dzog-chen Mand arava. in existence. Community practitioners. Many A large Arts Centre held a gallery Last time Rinpoche was here, he made a financial commitment of tankas brought by members of suggested that we try to find immediately, and a group wis the New York Gakyil. additional facilities where the formed to study how such a pisce Under the gaze of seven foot gi­ Community can hold gatherings in could be funded and developed. Th*;s raffe sculptures, and giant bikini the winter months, when it is new project has infinite pctenckl tc clad papier mache women in multi impossible to reach the Buckland benefit the conservation of the colours, a workshop was set up for land. For some months, the teachings; for the study of Sane the manufacture of Long De sticks. Tsegyalgar community has been Maha Sangha; for the preservarioc The kitchen staff did an excellent looking for such a place, and a of Tibetan culture.; and provides s job in helping our practitioners to number of possibilities have clear focus fot the Dzog-eben gain weight, by providing their presented themselves. Ccmmunity in America r, bo-* *.o irresistible food. The grounds staff Gar ab Dor je (dOa' rab rDo rje) One of these possibilities is a move effective!* mío aie futur*. 6 New German Gakyil UK Community buys Welsh property

smuggling with great dark coves is The German Dzog-chen Community has received the official status of a by Judy Allan miles from Fisguard railway station only 10 minutes walk away. In the non-profit making organization according to law in Berlin. Therefore its The main news in the U. K. is and 8 miles from St Davids on the field behind the cabin live a badger official registered seat remains there. The office for all German and twofold - first our dark/light retreat wonderful Pembrokeshire coast. set and often at night, I heard noisy international affairs is being transferred to Frankfurt at the following cabin at Moylegrove in Wales has What we have bought is a set of movement address: Freundeskreis Zur Forderung Der Dzog-Chen Lelsrc E. V., 6000 been completed; it had heating farm buildings on 1.5 acres of land Frankfurt 70, Gartenstrasse 70. Tel. 069 618721. installed in February which was just A pair of robin redbreasts became with tremendous potential, for the extremely interested in the ritual main building is an L shaped stone At a meeting at the end of February in Frankfurt, the new Gakyil was as well as both Loi Kane and I did spoons of rice and ganapuja left on barn, with the main part 90 feet long elected. retreats then and it snowed several a log outside and would make quite and 20 wide, and the L section 22 Yellow: Stephanie Wagner (international contact address), Marie Krupp, times, as well as there being hail! a noise if they thought that they had feet long and 18 wide. This will Helmut Reile All I can say is my week there been forgotten. readily convert into a teaching hall Red: Rolf Portak, Jürgen Lindt, Helmut Smrcek (Vice-Director) was quite marvellous. It's a very The two horses in the field in with kitchens, toilets and sleeping Blue: Wolfgang Krebs, Elke Glander, Gerd Manusch (Director) simple two roomed cabin with a loo front also showed great interest in areas in the main part, and to retreat Mirror: Marion Lindlar in between (for use in dark retreats). Ididii'tdo dark retre at as the shutters any dropping off of food or candles rooms in the L sectioa There are still needed minor work done on and merrily chewed through eight also two other barns on the site, one them to make it completely dark. It oranges and pears Claire had sweetly of which may well need to be YANTRA YOGA COURSES reminded me a lot of being in retreat left me! demolished, but the other offering WITH FABIO ANDRICO in in that one went to the loo It was a blissful time, in a simple scope for further expansion in the outside; water had to becarried from and totally adequate wooden cabin. future; of course all these plans are a nearby spring and as my stove For this we have mainly to thank subject to planning consent but we didn't work (because the tempera­ John Sharkey, who did most of the are hard at work to move this project ture was freezing) I had to cook work with a local chap and William forward. outside. Struggling with matches who has allowed us the use of the We bought the farm for £28,000, when my fingers were too cold to land. which required personal loans from even take matches out of the box, I Anyone wishing to do a retreat members of nearly £10,000 to com­ realised that the resemblance to In­ should contact Claire Sharkey on plete the deal. Our next stage is to dia ended with the weather! And of 023 986 610. repay those who so kindly helped course the luxury was having The other major piece of news out of their own pockets and to raise heating, which was necessary as it which is even more significant on a finance for developing die buildings. was so cold. long term basis, is that we have Everyone who has seen the The cabin was extremely quiet, finally purchased a property which property feels very enthusiastic and being situated at the top of a field is also in Wales and also within positive about it and we believe it and hidden from the road. It looks sight of the sea. It is about half an will provide a unifying focus for the out towards the sea and cliffs; a hour from where the retreat cabin is, community in this country, spread harbour which was used for near the village of St. Nicholas, 5 as far as Cornwall to Scotland.

Augsburg, Germany: May 21-24 Working together: a message from Merigar

Information from Elke Glander, Graf-Arbo-Str. 14, As has happened in the past and practices of the teachings whichhave work. 8082 Grafrath. Germany, tel. 08144 1510 continues to happen, some people been given at the same time be The situation at Merigar which of the international Dzog-chen distributed to members in return for corresponds not only with the Community commit themselves, reimbursement of expenses. activities of the "Associazione Cul­ Poland: May 28 - June 1 often with the best intention, to Regarding translations, turale" but also with those of Shang- producing objects, images or artistic publications and transcriptions of Shung Edizioni, the Shang-Shung Information from Aleksander Skwara, works of various kinds, with the teachings, in order to avoid Institute, A.S.IA. , Coabit and the Grunwaldzka 40, 91 - 337 Lodz, tel. 48 42 516080. intention to commercialize them duplicating a work that is already tape library involve a large number above all during retreats at Merigar underway or has already been done, of people and a considerable amount in order to give a part of profit to the one should communicate with of organization in order to function. Community. However, the present Shang-Shung Edizioni to see what Where there is an organization there Longde transcription situation of the Associazione Cultu­ the situation is and to inform them are, naturally, procedures and rale Comunità Dzog-chen with its of your intention. There are requirements that must be seat at Merigar is such that at the copyrights to respect and some considered in order to have results. Anyone involved in doing transcriptions of any of the teachings and retreatso f moment it is not able to undertake publications have been revised and It is important to remember that Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche should note that a transcription of the Longde teachings commercial activities legally. corrected so that translations of the what is done as a Community shou Id given by Rinpoche during the March '93 retreat at Tsegyalgar is being done by Gina unrevised version is no longer valid Perini. This notice is to avoid that the transcription work is duplicated. Any queries However, the Merigar Gakyil is, at be done together, communicating and cannot be published. There are can be made to the Tsegyalgar Dzog-chen Community, PO Box 277, Conway, MA the moment, working on this matter and collaborating all the way. In this many small details to find out about 01341 USA, tel. 413 6259820, fax 413 6651142. arid studying additional structures way the results will be positive and Transcription work on Longde teachings, if they are given, during the Easier '93 to this end. Only occasionally may and to coord inate with a group which the path to arrive there will have retreat at Merigar will also be undertaken by Gina. objects strictly relating to the is already busily involved in this been that of working together.

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ISSUE 20 7 Springtime at Merigar MERIGAR CALENDAR WATER BIRD YEAR 2120 SPRING 1993

Merigar has been taking The Dance of the Vajra is practised almost every afternoon place according to a A continuous course of Yantra Yoga is held every project which wil 1 move Monday and Thursday evening at 18.00 the greater part of the Kumar Kumari Yantra Yoga for children Saturday and Sunday 17.00 working activities, Times of practices may be changed according to circumstances mainly secretarial, to the ground floor and will Fri. 9th April 15.00 Retreat begins reserve the upper floor for private space for the RETREAT OF TEACHINGS Gekos, guests and above NAMKHAI NORBU RINPOCHE all for the work and Sun. 18th April Retreat ends meetings, both private Tue. 20th April 1830 Practice of Naggon and official, of Wed. 21st April 18.30 Guruyoga with White A Rinpoche. There has Sat 1st May 18.30 Long-life practice of Padmasambhava been a complete with Ganapuja renovation of the central Tue. 4th May 18.30 Amitayus Long-life practice kitchen and dining room, Wed. 5th May 1830 Amitayus Long-life practice the bathrooms and the Thu. 6th May 19.00 Amitayus Long-life practice dormitory to bring them up to a higher level of Vantra Yoga Coarse The stupa at Merigar (photo Liane Graf) hygiene and hospitality. Fri. 14th May 18.00 by Mario Maglietti contributed to a considerable A brand new central heating system SaL 15th May 10.00 and 16.00 In the last few days, the sunny increase in the mass of has been installed and the electrical Sun. 16th May 10.00 and 16.00 breezes seem to be bringing the early organizational work and the and plumbing systems have been renewed. Sun. 16th May 1830 Practice of Ekajati bloom of spring to these mountains establishment of new com­ Thu. 20th May 19.00 Naggon and the people working here in munication and collaboration links. The "all-purpose" space which Fri. 21st May 1830 Purification Six Lokas Merigar find themselves as if in an Often in the past Rinpoche has has, in the past been used for small Sat 22nd May Karma Yoga everlasting spring that never fully clarified that the position of Merigar retreats, sessions of y antra yoga etc., 1830 Practice of Tara matures in later seasons. as one of the principal gars along has been transformed into office Sun. 23rd May 10.00 Practice of Tara At the moment the Gakyil at with Tsegyalgar and Tashigar does space and wi 11 house up-to-date com­ Karma Yoga puter equipment. Merigar and those who are working not involve a position of control or Sat. 29th May 10.00 Dance of the Vajra in close collaboration find power over local Gakyils or A very large high-tech "tent" with 15.00 Dance of the Vajra themselves at a crucial point in their community groups. Its present a steel structure has been bought to 19.00 Long Tun with intensive practice of work. Last October, when Namkhai function is that of activating and serve as a multi-purpose extra space Ekajati. Norbu Rinpoche left the group with organizing in the best possible way for immediate use during the Easter Sun. 30th May 10.00 Dance of the Vajra retreat and for similar events in the a clear responsibility to renew and a number of centralized activities 15.00 Dance of the Vajra future. clarify their functions which was and services also through related 19.00 Ganapuja the focal point of a more general bodies such as Shang-Shung Edi­ It can also house a portable man­ Wed. 2nd June 19.00 Mandhanva Long-life poetice renewal of the way in which the zioni and The Mirror, the Shang- dala for the Vajra dance (such as Thu. 3rd June 19.00 Mandharava Long-life practice Community operates, the Gakyil Shung Institute, A.S.I.A., COABIT that constructed in Como where they Fri. 4th June 930 Mandharava Lcr^-Iiis prscnx* found that it had to confront a series 1830 Ganapuja of Mandharava of problems. Sat 12th June 19.00 Avaloküesvm First of all, the brevity of the term MERIGAR CONNECTION Sun. 13th June 10.00 Purification of the Six Lokas of office of the members of the Mon. 14th June 1830 Guruyoga with White A Gakyil which will expire in April, SaL 19th June 1830 Naggon and the combined need of renewing The office of Merigar is being improved and re­ their system of working in a short organised. From now on it will be open from Monday time while maintaining the to Saturday 9.30-13.00 and 14.00-17.00 (Italian time). necessary continuity with the past, Please telephone during the office hours for any kind of The Merigar Libran- produced theoretical reflections and information or contact with the Gakyil and Merigar. discussions at the beginning which slowed down entering directly into 7h; Scm^z-S'cx^i.'J renati action. Please note new fax number izs >'.'_LT.iC re ::i."-ij:>rii; za The secretarial work has been the cri«OL *±rsr.- t.: Msr..pr 7as first to undergo reorganization to at Merigar 564 968110 lÈrsn cernís acr: "*"»• &'.0' make it more precise and efficient -.C.-.-í:> ..DC. i 7.r':.xr even though it is still in the The telephone number •aarascrmfts sufi urandì experimental stage. In this phase the cqpanrings and taste im wesasrr Gakyil and the secretarial office have remains unchanged 564 966837 rx-«s cere .-¿Jarí..ciisur« also dealt with the impact of the ríücpcc ari: msecim; er" ~irtt reorganization of the membership The fax number for THE MIRROR amiti otänar uaiüaiiüfl nuwMftr»«Bfc card system and of the new official Come. ;> :ttr.it nuce ve: ere remains the same 564 966608 f r, > l llll s:to position of Merigar as the principal ]P Ptft |p fl^HffllVWlltPW' P ^^^ Gar in Europe. mwM smetto a« aite Hiitefiam The new situation in East Europe IDeçTirrii'srr; «ff Ute liftrany äff with the formation of new centres of etc. to which end a Coordination are also preparing a second one for Cor:c~^> ir »aäruncici? a:u Cíe the Community in these countries Committee has been set up at the Rome community).Despite the Lfcrary of Tibetan Works aari Areämvas iimlDfcMrami^^tmtttnttlimgiy after the long teaching trip of Merigar. icy winds and changing weather, im Ii mif mi In innati laaml» il infT in flii'H ini linifl rTniiin^ ìì~ ìiii Tfrirr 'iiriffkitttïr Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche last For the last six weeks, the the garden around the Gonpa has irternatKVsad system of yalalngamg lltejdbirfga^agni^^tNamgWCT spring and summer, has also restructuration of the main house at grown and much work has been to Mum Nascati, an OrìeiÉai^ wftia w done to ptort hundreds of trees and bushes following a precise design. The off cataloguing the TSsd^ All these works of improvement F!wxv£^W»npao^NtaDnk^ CORRECTION and the expenses involved are being who has roceofifyarrive d in Italy. In order toeaair y feraaadthewss^ tte Stoç^unçlliaaitteifttïrjuhç In the last issue (No.19) of The Mirror, there was an omisión in the undertaken mainly to improve die to fwatxet^sfta^ crante article, "Christmas retreat at Tashigar, Argentina" on page 4. The quality of me fieÜhtiesofMerigar as required 1er 1995 amssmte toliL paragraph "In the evening of the second day we saw a video of host to international retreats, ftjQQQm H. H. the Dalai Lama's visit to Argentina. The film maker had conferences and exerts such as the Tho» interest iinodíaJ^^ incorporated some Dzog-chen symbols in parts of the fita».", should mternatíonal Seminar on Tibetan taetnatsaiyQfitelBätEteafc have continued, "Because of this, the next day, Namkhai Norbu language last year Vìa degn Qtai 1, Arcà&ssô, ©R, OBI&IBJI. msmm Rinpoche gave a teaching on how to protect the Diog-ehen teachings". And thus the springtime or send ateaisifcä^toa»«^!»^ continues». ewnoim 8 ON EMPTINESS A

Sangharakshita: Many years ago is what we should realise in order ... it must be about fifty years ago, I Continuing to explore the theme of Namkhai Norbut o really understand these two encountered a book called The Rinpoche s teaching on 'Understanding the differencepeople . The Buddha said, "This is Essence of Buddhism by Dr. D.T. between Sutra and Tantra included in the last edition likofe this, that is why that is like that" He is like that because we Suzuki. And in that book, he made a 'The Mirror , we have pleasure in presenting here part of statement that impressed me very are like this: we are responsible for a transcript of a very stimulating panel discussion on much. He said that wisdom or the way he is. When the husband is emptiness and compassion are the emptiness and compassion that took place at the 1992not present, the wife is somehow twin pillars of the . I would Conference of the European Buddhist Union between someresponsible . Maybe the root of the unpleasantness in the husband is go further than that to say that they of the teachers from different Buddhist schools who had in the wife. So I myself am are the twin pillars of Buddhism given talks earlier in the Conference. itself - of all forms and all schools of responsible for President Bush, I Buddhism. Admittedly, some The panel members were (in the order that they speakam here) responsibl e for President schools may appear to emphasise the Ven. Sangharakshita, founder of the Friends of theSadda m Hussein, I am responsible wisdom a little more than Western Buddhist Order and author of numerous booksfor th e Khmer Rouge, I am responsible for the youngsters in compassion, and some to emphasise including 'A Survey of Buddhism', the Ven. RewataDhamma, compassion a little more than Germany, gangsters in Germany a prominent scholar and teacher of Theravada Buddhism, wisdom : but all schools of Buddhism who destroy the homes of refugees: are founded on these two greatpillars the Ven. Thich NhatHanh, a Vietnamese , nowIhav e to understand why they have of wisdom and compassion. resident in France, author among many other titles ofcom 'Thee to be like that. I have to see . the true nature of emptiness in What we usually understand by Miracle of Mindfulness' and 'Being Peace , and the Ven. them in order to understand them. these terms is very, very different Sogyal Rinpoche, a Dzogchen master and founder of theAn d if I can look deeply into them from the real thing. I remember Rigpa centres, author of 'The Tibetan Book of Living andand see the deep causes that have another book ... a novel called Dying and 'Dzogchen and Padmasambhava . made them like that then I can Beware of Pity by Stefan Zweig. understand, and the moment I And this novel made very clear the understand I begin to stop hating distinction between compassion on important in our life. We are also comes a tremendous natural them and blaming them. That is the one hand and mere pity on the used to practising metta for our own compassion, just as when the sky is the practice of emptiness. And the other. I have to be very brief, but we families and friends, but this is not clear of clouds - let's compare the moment I can stop hating him, may say that pity is ego-based, the real metta: It is just transferring sky to the nature of mind - then the hating them, I feel that I need to compassion is not Compassion is our merits, our pure qualities to compassion that is our inherent na­ come to help him, help them to coordinate with wisdom, pity is co­ others, family and friends. If you ture, , begins to shine forth. understand. If understanding is not ordinate with mere intellectual practise the real metta meditation, So I feel really that for deeper in him, in them, then they will understanding. We have these* two you have to develop the aspiration compassion not based on duality, on continue to do as they have done. levels. So we may think we are that with your love all beings without this or that, in a sense all limitations That is why emptiness here is experiencing compassion when we any discrimination may be happy. are broken down once we realise the action, and compassion here is also are only experiencing pity. And So metta meditation is very popular wisdom of Shunyata or emptiness. action. Talking by itself does not similarly, we may think we are in all Buddhist countries. In So that, I think, is one of the reasons help very much. Thank you. experiencing wisdom when we are Theravada Buddhism, we don't why in the Tibetan teachings, simply experiencing an intellectual usually speak of 'emptiness' but of compassion is spoken of as skillful understanding. So there are these anatta, 'no self. It is because of this means - upaya - and wisdom as Chairperson: Now we have heard two levels, not so much of wisdom illusory sense of a substantial 'self emptiness. how each of these four speakers and compassion themselves, but of that we continually suffer. The first see the relationship and the thing we have to do is to eliminate the real wisdom and compassion Thkh Nhat Han h: I think that first importance of the empty cup and this concept of self in our own and their imitations. of all, compassion is the capacity not the full cup, of emptiness and experience so that we can give our to hate any other person, not to get compassion. Would one of you infinite love to all beings angry at him or her. And only after like to ask one of your fellow includes is an analysis of the so- Rewata Dhamma: Emptiness and everywhere. compassion are not very familiar in that can you do anything to bring speakers to elaborate on something, called 'Self and I'm sure the Theravada Buddhism because we some joy or happiness to him or her or to add? Venerable on my right has studied speak of anatta (Sk. anatman ), 'no- Sogyal Rinpoche: It is often said in or that group of people. But in order and may be able to tell you into how self , and metta (Sk.. maitri), 'loving the Tibetan teachings that the union not to hate that " som eone", you need Sangharakshita: I would like to many elements the kindness'. According to the of compassion and emptiness is the to understand, and understanding is add to what Ven. Rewata Dhamma analyses the so-called self - it is Theravada tradition, every child has basis of the Buddha dhanna in the agent of liberation that helps you has said. I would add it not as a roughly 180; and a lot of Theravada to practise loving kindness, and general, and particularly of the not to hate someone. And the practice Theravadin or as a Mahayanist but meditation consists in reviewing therefore we have to train in this Mahayana. From my little of Shunyata - emptiness - helps, as one who has studied and tried to these elements to which the so-called kind of practice while very young. understanding, I feel that pity is because "empty" always means appreciate both. As far as I have self is reduced in the light of clear Also, when we speak of loving based on fear, whereas compassion empty of something. (May I borrow understood, the Mahayana approach insight, and in this way reducing kindness, this loving kindness is based on love. So what I want to your cup?) This cup is not empty of to the whole question of emptiness, attachment to the self. This is just cannot be practised properly if we say is that however good our water. I pour out all the water - I it is more metaphysical; while as far one aspect of the Abhidharma. Sol hold a concept of self, ego - if I compassion is, if we do not have the borrow your cup. Now the cup is as I have understood the Theravada think it's sometimes a mistake for believe that this is T, this is 'me', realisation of the vast vision of empty. But in order for the cup to be approach to the whole question of the ordinary B uddhist in the West to then I cannot give proper love, or Shunyata, or emptiness, then our empty, the cup must be there. So emptiness, it is more psychological, plunge straight away into the compassion to others. Therefore, in compassion is limited. As Thich "emptiness" does not mean the which is why Ven. Rewata has metaphysics of the Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism, 'emptiness' Nhat Hann mentioned yesterday absence of the cup. This is something explained, very great importance is to Mahayanistic teaching about means empty of the self, unlike in when he spoke about the Buddha important. But the next question is attached in the Theravada to the Shunyata. I think we would be on Mahayana Buddhism where the Avalokiteshvara - or Chenresig in equally important: empty of what? emptiness of self. But we must not much safer ground if we did at least explanation of emptiness, Shunyata, Tibetan - the B uddha of compassion You cannot say that this cup is empty forget that a very large part of the a little study of the Abhidharma first is very vast InTheravada Buddhism - his hand is the loving compassion, of air. It is full of air. It is only empty Theravadin tradition is made up of and then progressed to the Mahayana we try to understand in a very simple and the eye shown on his hand is the of water, empty of water but full of the Abliidharma. I won't even say metaphysics because quite a number way. A lot of people think that understanding. If there is no air. So the other person, who m ay be that the Abhidharma is one of the of the Mahayana teachings as Dr. Theravada Buddhists mainly understanding, no wisdom, then the called Hitler, or Khmer Rouge, or great neglected Buddhist traditions Conze has pointed out, are only practise awareness meditation, compassion is limited. That is why Saddam Hussein, or Bush, the other in the West People like to study intelligible with reference to, and in mindfulness meditation. But this is in Mahayana in particular, in order person is empty of a separate self. Zen - that's fine, they like to study the light of, the Abhidharma not the most common practice: the to realise true compassion, one must Because as the Venerable Rewata , they might perhaps like teachings. first realise absolute Bodhicitta, Dhamma said, to be empty here to study the Dharma , but who most common practice is metta So, yes, the Mahayana approaches which is the realisation of Shunyata. means to be empty of self, of a studies the Abhidharma? - Very few meditation, because practising met­ emptiness and wisdom more So, for example, in my tradition it is separate existence. President Bush people. But I think the Abhidharma ta means pure love, boundless love, metaphysically, and perhaps said that the meditation in many is made only of 'non-Bush' elements. is a very necessary study for all infinite love. So if our love is based Theravada more, as it were, ways is the union of wisdom and And the same thing is true of serious Buddhists. So what is the on selfishness or attachment, then it psychologically; and both compassion. Out of the wisdom President Saddam Hussein. And that Abhidharma? One of the things it is not metta. Therefore this is very approaches are necessary.

ISSUE 20 9 ND COMPASSION

- or you can say even compassion. everyone and everything else. practical and we should not indulge Chairperson: Would you like to For example, when we practice ourselves in metaphysical add something on that ? meditation and realise that through Rewa ta Dhamma: Rinpoche was speculations, they would go against the Shamatha practice we bring speaking about ideas of this the Buddha's intention. We should Sogyal Rinpoche: I think Ven. our mind to the state of peace, and emptiness-wisdom but as I make emptiness into our practice, Thich Nhat Hanh has done that through Vipassana we clear the understand about Mahay ana The insight of emptiness will bring beautifully, brought everything mind of obscuration, thus bringing Buddhism and our traditional about compassion, tolerance and together in a very apt way and I the insight. Then from out of this tradition, emptiness and therefore to look deeply into one's think he has this wonderful skill of comes the experience of Shunyata. wisdom are the same things, they self and to look deeply into the other explaining. I think I just want to When you are in that state, a are not different because when we person, into the cosmos and find out resonate with you in that I feel that tremendous natural compassion practice meditation we can't the nature of impermanence, the when we dissolve our thoughts and arises. So you can see that the understand through our experience nature of non-self is to realise our concepts we become limitless, emptiness spoken of is not just the Shunyata - which is what they emptiness and when emptiness is non-dual. That is an experience of emptiness in the sense of call wisdom, and wisdom is the there, you are free. You are free emptiness. From out of that comes nothingness. The emptiness isvery emptiness, we cannot explain from fear, free from birth, free from a true understanding of things as much the union or indivisibility of emptiness through mere words. It is death, free from discrimination. I they are. A kind of very appropriate wisdom and compassion I think beyond our language, beyond think in the case of Germany I would compassion that comes. I think mis that's what I wanted to say at the intellectual qualification. Anyone like to say like this. The former East is really the key. That's why I beginning and I think also the who has tried meditation, and who Germany is empty of self. If the sometimes mention that someone in relationship I find from my own has experienced emptiness, that thinking, the behaviour, the meditation, the highest meditation experience. It's interesting, if you experience is called wisdom, exasperation, the anger, of the people is the union of wisdom and really look into life and see that Therefore some people say of the former East Germany are the compassion. We begin, as Ven. everything is impermanent. But emptiness is the'suchness'ofreality; way they are, it is because there are Rewata Dhamma mentioned, by then you ask, "But how do things but this is iKJtjustnothingness, there extensive roots for the situation to examining ourselves first In the appear?" It's because of a certain is something further to it that we be that way; there are elements from Tibetan tradition we sometimes call interdependency. Now when these it the compassion of non-harming. two are put together, you come to Because often if we do not work realise that if everything is with ourselves first we cannot work impermanent then everything is with others. The problems we have what we cal I' empty ', which means with others are the problems we lacking in any lasting, stable or have also with ourselves. So that is inherent existence, and all things why we begin with ourselves. It's when seen and understood in their very interesting in the Tibetan true nature are not independent but tradition mat the Theravada tradition interdependent with each other. So is known as the ' fundamental y ana ', contemplation therefore on the the basis, because without that there dream-like quality of reality need is no Mahayana, and without that not in any way make us cold or there is no Vajrayana - it's really the helpless or embittered. On the basis. So for that reason we first contrary it opens us up to a warm begin with the self, examining it, humour, a strong compassion we coming to realise that the ego has no hardly knew we possessed, and so independent existence but that on more and more generosity in all the contrary everything is things and beings. The great interdependent, and then on this Mil arepa said "Seeing emptiness basis turning our attention outwards have compassion" and when Rewata Dhamma, Sangharakshita, Thich Nhat Hanh, Sogyal Rinpoche to deal with what we had previously through contemplation we have (photo Alenka de Bonn«) mistakenly considered to be 'other' Sogyal Rinpoche: I want to share really seen the emptiness and the than our 'self. So that is the full something now to give you a little interdependence of all things in cannot express in words. I am beyond just that one place involved. realisation of emptiness: background first, then I will speak ourselves, the world is revealed in a speaking here of the understanding If we look into it we can see all the experiencing the emptiness of'self more specifically. I think emptiness brighter, fresher, more sparkling of this in the tradition of Mahayana elements as causes and when the and the emptiness of 'other'. And is very difficult to understand, in light, and infinitely reflected. So as Buddhism. people of the former West Germany from out of these two one becomes fact I sometimes think emptiness is onemaster said, "Always recognise look into it, they can find and see the free of what is known as duality - the rather a bad word, particularly when the dream-like quality of life and Thich Nhat Hanh: I also think that true nature of emptiness in iL That grasping and the grasped. When you approach Christians and if you reduce attachment and aversion. the word emptiness suggests kind of understanding will give them these two are freed then one becom es say first of all, you don't believe in Practice good-heartedness towards nothingness, that is why a number a lot of wisdom and compassion and free of concepts. The non-ccncepTiial God, secondly, you say we believe all beings. Be loving and of people are reluctant to use it. will tell them how to handle their state of the true seeing is emptiness, in emptiness. So that's why I feel in compassionate nomatterwhat others Nagarjuna said something neighbouring friends in the bestway. which is itself the state of wisdom. the Western language that word do to you. What they will do will not wonderful about emptiness, he said, So that understanding, acceptance, Then it's like when the sky is dear, emptiness has rather a negative matter so much when you see it as a "Thanks to emptiness everything is will be there. And for the people of the sun naturally shines; we don't connotation: it implies being empty dream." Ard the trick is to have possible". I just say that when former East Germany the same even need to think of compassion. of something, emptiness in a sense positive intention during the dream, everything is empty of self, that practice should be adopted. They Compassion is just naturally there of nothingness - and that is a com­ and this is the essential point, this I means also that everything is full of should look into their friends and in the same way as the sun naturally plete misunderstanding of this term. find is true spirituality. And along everything else. Like a sheet of see why they are like this today and emits light, and this compassion is In fact I feel more satisfied with the with this comes the awareness that paper - a sheet of paper does not looking deeply like that they discover not limited, it is boundless. The word 'openness', or perhaps if we are interdependent with have its own separate existence but the causes, the reasons, the elements, pure natural state of the mind 'limitlessness'. For example in the everything and everyone else, even if you look deeply into the paper you that have made the former West revealed through the realisation of Tibetan tradition the term Shunyata our smallest, least significant see the whole cosmos. Thesunshine, Germany, and a kind of insight will emptiness has as its mherent :»c_r? is explained as the open aspect of thought, word and action, has the the forest, the air, and the rain and help them understand and will help qualities of equanimity, of the dimension of the nature of mind most astonishing consequences the earth. Everything is in the sheet them understand the anger and the compassion, of losing kindness, and -just like the sky. However it is said throughout the universe. Throw a of paper. So emptiness means the discrimination. The hatred would of joy, that manifest spootaneoush/ that our nature of mind is like the pebble into a pond and it will send absence of separate existence but disappear and then if understanding when the mind is freed from the sky but yet the nature of mind is not shivers across the water. Ripples the presence of the whole cosmos of this develops on both sides, the negative emotions that limit us. the sky, bee ausemindhassom ething merge one with another and create within any individual phenomena, kind of brotherhood and real true That's why I think the realisation of that sky does not have, which is the new ones so everything is and to me emptiness is just another unification will be realised. So we emptiness is really the heart of cognisance of awareness. Now this inextricably inter-related and we name for impermanence. should understand the Buddhist compassion: without that awareness or cognisance, which is come to realise that we are Impermanence means exactly the concepts of emptiness and compassion is rather limited. sometimes known as the Clear Light, responsible for everything we do, or same thing. Non-self means exactly compassion right in the problems of is known as Shunyata. So the say, or think. the same thing and the word "inter- our daily life. We should not take­

off so high in the air, but keep our r Shunyata is the indivisibility of being" also means the same thing. I i Tar-i Transcribe J by A! V r Bev.'n emptiness or openness and clear light think the Buddhist teaching is very feet touching the earth. Responsible in fact for ourselves,

vssvv :•: 10 Notes on a small interaction between the Dzogchen Community at Merigar and the local community of the Monte Amiata region by John Shane to conform to the letter of the law, Just before Christmas I was asked but that in one's own heart and by the Gakyil ofMerigar to represent conscience one had to be free from the Dzogchen Community at a evil such as harbouring ill will to conference on racial and religious others, which is what racism tolerance that was to be held in the fundamentally involves. town hall of Castel del Piano, one of Then it was finally my turn to the small towns near Merigar, and to speak. give a brief talk there on the subject I began by explaining a little about of 'Knowledge of oneself and the the Dzogchen Community and acceptance of others in Buddhism'. Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche. Then I The other speakers would be a introduced myself: I told the Catholic Monsignor, a Protestant audience that I had always been priest, the head of the Jewish interested in poetry, and that when I community of Siena, and the was a teenagerthesameage ofmany granddaughter of Davide Lazzaretti, of my listeners, I had stumbled upon a local historical figure of some and grown to love Japanese Zen importance who at the turn of the poetry, and particularly Haiku, the century founded a breakaway short poems which in a very small Christian/socialist religious number of words convey a movement in the Amiata region, powerfully immediate expression of and who predicted that another just one moment in time, the present spiritual teacher would later moment being all that we can ever establish a community in the same really know, although we are area. The bulk of the audience at the continually distracted from it by conference was to be the teenage The tower of Davide Lazzaretti on Monte Labro opposite Merigar thoughts of the future and the past. I students from the local high school. explained that I had become There had been an alarming rise of hand went to stand close up in front promised she was very disappointed formal condemnation of racism interested in the philosophy behind racist incidents in Italy as in many of the seated rows of students, saying and angry. When he did finally could ever do. With her honesty she the poems that so delighted me with other countries in Europe, and the she wanted to be as near as possible arrive two days late, she opened the showed the antidote to the poison of their simplicity, and so I had started most recent such event, the placing to what she called ' my youngsters'. door to him, and seeing him standing racism - self-knowledge and to study Buddhism from books, of stickers with yellow stars and She began by telling us that she had there on the doorstep her anger got acceptance leading to tolerance, and before meeting my first Tibetan antisemitic slogans on all the shops been brought up by her aunt who the better of her. "So you arc one of with a simple story she brought Buddhist teacher a few years later, with Jewish owners in the center of was the youngest daughter of Davi­ those Jews after all!", she snapped home, to the students own doorsteps, which eventually led me to meeting Rome, had so shocked the school de Lazzaretti and also the daughter at him, as if his lateness had what might have seemed an abstract Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche. authorities that they felt they should closest to him. She said that she thus somehow transformed the boy she and distant problem. She did not "Buddha means awake," I said, do something: the nazi-skinhead knew a great deal about what her had liked so much into one of the point her finger at others, but "And a Buddha is an awakened one. movement seemed to be gaining grandfather and his followers caricatured creatures she had seen exposed the root of the problem as Buddhism in essence is as much a adherents among young people in believed although she personally in the propaganda posters that had she had herself experienced it in her science of themind as it is a religion, all the big cities, and they were was an ordinary Christian, and not subtly conditioned her mind despite a means to enable one to become concerned it might even spread in own life, and the direct way in which formally a follower of her her aunt's teaching and example. fully conscious. I explained that we the provinces. she had told the story led those who grandfather's teaching. She added Then, in her confusion and listened to confront the same believe ourselves to be awake in this Despite my instinctive solidarity that she didn't intend to make a embarrassment at the words that situation in themselves. moment, but we are really so with the aims of the conference, I speech but just wanted to tell a story had escaped from her mouth, she As she finished speaking, the lea­ conditioned by external factors that was at first unwilling to accept the from her own life, a story of had taken the comics and slammed der of the Jewish Community of our minds are not free at all, we are responsibility of representing the something that had happened right the door in the boy's face. Her aunt Siena arrived, a dignified middle- unconscious in much of what we do, Community at this meeting because, there in the local area during the rushed to open the door again, but aged man in a grey suit, the only and act out of compulsion and war, something of her own apart from questioning my own the boy had run away. She explained unusual thing about him being that conditioning rather than out of truly experience from which the worthiness as an example of a to her little niece that she must he put on the trad itional small prayer conscious volition. When we are 'youngsters' should decide whether Buddhist practitioner (do I really understand that the boy was not free hat before he spoke. He apologised unconscious we are not aware, I there was anything to learn or not. know myself, and can I really say to come and go as he pleased, and for being late, and explained very continued, and then we tend to that I am able to accept others?), I In a quiet but firm voice she began that he must have m ade a great effort briefly the history ofhis Community project onto others everything we felt that someone whose native by explaining to us that during the tobe allowed to get the comic books in Siena. He made no polemic in cannot accept about ourselves. This language was Italian would be more war a group of Jewish prisoners had back to them, even if it was days defense of his people; it was clear is the basic attitude behind suitable. But eventually I was been brought to the Amiala area by later than he had promised. She that in his position he wanted above intolerance and racism. So we must persuaded that I should accept. the Austrian soldiers who were insisted that that same afternoon all to be non-controversial. The begin by examining ourselves, and On the morning of the conference, occupying the region; they had been they would go to the house where local Carabinieri (one branch of the meditation is a way to get to know the beautiful hall with its stone shut up in a house that was covered the prisoners were held, and that her Italian police force) had in fact just ourselves. On the basis of that vaulted ceil ing was packed, and there in antisemitic posters depicting Jews niece must apologise to him. But a few minutes before arrived to knowledge of oneself one discovers was a good deal of excitement in the as demonic semi-humans. She when they arrived there later that complain to the organisers that they the common ground between all air, albeit a sober excitement the herself was quite young at the time day, they found that all the prisoners had not been notified that this individuals, and is then able to act seriousness of the subject was clear and accompanied her aunt, had been taken away to a genti em an wou Id be present, as they responsibly in the world. 'If you to everyone. I was introduced to the Lazzaretti's daughter, to visit this concentration camp in Austria. She felt it their duty to be there to protect want to discover your own other speakers: the Monsignore was house every day, because she never had a chance to apologise or him, which gives some indication of unconscious side, observe carefully dressed in his blackrobe, a pleasant, insisted on bringing food and milk to say goodbye. They later learned, the prevailing atmosphere in Italy at whoever it is in your school that you stout earnest man with glasses; the to the prisoners who were being from the only one of them to escape that moment. really can't stand, really can't put up Protestant preacher was thin, also very badly fed. Her aunt told her that camp by hiding under a mass of The Protestant preacher read a with," I suggested, pointing out that wore glasses, and was dressed in a that they were human beings just dead bodies, that they had all been prepared speech explaining a little it's easy enough to feel superior to grey suit and tie, while Davide like any others and should be treated killed there. about Protestantism in Italy, very intolerance in others without as such, and while her aunt made Lazzaretti's granddaughter was a As she finished her story, many much a minority in this country, and noticing one's owa friends with some of the older dignified older lady in a colourful members of the audience were in quoted Dr. Martin Luther King, who I told the audience that when I prisoners, she befriended some of dress. The leader of the Jewish tears. It was clear that the remorse was a Baptist minister, on the rights was young I had been active in the Jewish children. She lent them Community of Siena had not yet that she felt for this one small of minorities. And then the Catholic campaigning against nuclear a few of her com ic books, which one arrived, as he had the furthest to unthinking act, committed long ago, Monsignore spoke, also reading a weapons, often rjarticipating inpeace of the boys promised to bring back travel and there was fog on the road. had remained with her throughout prepared speech in which he quoted marches, and that I had been very to her, fixing an appointment to do So Davide Lazzaretti's grand­ her life, and that she still felt great parts of the Italian State's moved by a poem that I read in the daughter spoke first, and what she so in a few days time. regret for it Constitution that guarantee freedom sixties which was written between had to say was a real surprise to Her voice became charged with The courage with which she of religion and racial equality, adding the two world wars by the English everyone. emotion as she then told us that openly confessed her own albeit liberal comments from a number of poet Stephen Spender, and which She picked the microphone up when the boy did not appear to return minor error in this way spoke far biblical sources, pointing out that began (as I remembered it): off the table, and holding it in her the comics on the day that he had more eloquently than any pious but for a Christian it was not enough just continued on page 15

ISSUE 20 11 A conversation with Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche by Paolo Brunatto

As mentioned in an article in the last Dzongsar Khyentse and the Khyentse Lineage issue of "The Mirror" on Bernardo Bertolucci's film "Little Buddha", Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche has by Andy Lukianowicz been the spiritual consultant of the Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche was born in in 1960. Italian film director during Grandson of Dudjom Rinpoche and son of Trinley Norbu Rinpoche, he has preparations for shooting the film. received teachings from many accomplished masters including R H. the Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, son Dalai Lama, Dudjom Rinpoche, Sakya Trizin, theXVI Karmapa and Dilgo of Trinley Norbu Rinpoche and Khyentse Rinpoche. He directs the Dzongsar Institute and monastery in Bir, grandson of Dudjom Rinpoche, is Himachal Pradesh, India, as well as centres in Australia and South East considered the reincarnation of the Asia. He also has numerous disciples and followers in England, France and famous Rimé master, Jamyang the USA. Dzongsar Khyentse has been recognised as the activity emanation Khyentse Chokyi Lodro. of Jamyang Khyentse Chokyi Lodro (1896 - 1959), in his tum the activity reincarnation of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo (1820 - 1892) who, in the Brunatto: In Italy in 1992, you told nineteenth century together with Jamgon Kongtrul and Chogyur Lingpa me that making a film like "Little founded the eclectic non-sectarian 'Rimé' movement that, starting in the Buddha" was more important than eastern province of Kham led to the spiritual and cultural renaissance of building 100 monasteries. Do you Buddhism in Tibet. still hold the same opinion today? In his book, "The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying", Sogyal Rinpoche Dzongsar Khyentse: Yes, I still recounts many anecdotes concerning Jamyang Khyentse who was his root have the same opinion. First of all, master. For example, before leaving Dzongsar monastery on a pilgrimage in Buddhism motivation is much to India he had prom ised his monks that he would return once before he died. more important than action. Of Although he never returned physically, six months before his demise in course every action depends on he appeared to his followers in a vision in the sky, and the temple motivation but I cannot say that caretaker saw him sitting in the lap of the Buddha Maitreya stame. Sogyal building amonastery is always based Rinpoche also recalls that after Khyentse's death in Sikkim, in order for his onapositivemotivation.Thesedays many devotees to come and pay their resepcts his disciples kept his corpse dharma is used for a living when for six months through a hot Indian summer, yet it did not start to smell or instead one should live for the show signs of decay. dharma. So, often building a Jamyang Khyentse Chokyi Lodro was the spiritual head of the famous monastery is not necessarily based Sakya Dzongsar monastery in Kham, and has been generally acknowledged on a good reason while making a as the most outstanding Tibetanmaster of this century. He was an emanation film is not necessarily for a bad of Manjushri, the Buddha of Wisdom, the incarnation of Vimalamitra and motivation like sex, violence or the thirteenth incarnation of the dharma king and disciple ofPadmasambhava, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche (photo Laura Salvinoli) money. It doesn't have to be like Trisong Detsen. An authority on all traditions (the Library ofTibetan Works that If you make a film with positive you find Buddhist books in the New intelligence. And you have to have and Archives' publication of his booklet outlining the history of Buddhism compassionate motivation, I think Age section. This is a little sad wisdom, then you have strength. in India and Tibet and the history and teachings of the different Tibetan in many ways it is much better than because Buddhism is not only a You see, Buddhism has to be Buddhist schools called "The Opening of the Dharma" is now in its third building 100 monasteries because a method, it is not only a healing approached through wisdom. printing) and holder of all lineages, he gave teachings and initiations to film reaches many different people therapy, it is much more than that It Buddhism is a philosophy that is masters and lineage-holders of all the schools who revered him as their root and different levels of people is a complete and sophisticated wisdom oriented. It is not a religion master. In facthe taughtmany of the T ibetan m asters who have helped bring throughout the world. While, unless system that has been practised by that is emotionally oriented. the dharma to the West, including Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche, Dilgo you go (to ) to see them, you kings, warriors, saints, scholars and Khyentse Rinpoche, Sogyal Rinpoche, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and will not have the experience of the many others. poets for centuries. The philosophy Brunatto: Do you think that monasteries. of Buddhism is a system to balance westerners need simple basic your life, to look at your life. It is not Buddhist teachings or those more Brunatto: What do you consider just a simple method. That is my elevated and essential? You know what you need. What you Brunatto: What is meditation? the future of the dharma to be in the only worry. To prevent that kind of Dzongsar Khyentse: That is very want is, maybe, different. I want to Dzongsar Khyentse: Meditation is west? problem, I think an academic, total difficult to answer because different practise Vajrayana, but maybe I need transcendental common sense. Dzongsar Khyentse: I think there study of Buddhism is very important beings need different medicines, Hinayana. Many westerners want Meditation is actually doingnommg, in the west, especially academic, are many good signs. The only different methods. People like Vajrayana because it sounds doing really nothing, but doing because people are very attached to trouble is that I find in general in the myself, even though I am inspired exciting, it sounds exotic, it sounds nothing is very difficult, because the emotional aspects of Buddhism, west and especially in America that by the method of Ati Yoga, very mystical, it sounds very bl iss ful. we always finish by doing like meditation, blessings and things Buddhism is used as a worldly Vajrayana, of the highest methods But maybe what they need is something... like that, which is good but it is more therapy or healing method. When of Buddhism, looking at my attitude Hinayana - narrow and strict important if you have to use your you go into a bookshop these days, and my behaviour, I need Hinayana. discipline. So it depends... Seattle, 12 February, 1993

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;ÑSVV :•: 12 A spiritual adventure in Outer Mongolia by Rena Kuhn (Penta Khandro)

I was born into a not very religious • ;; In1552. the Mongolian prince German Protestant family. My and military leader, Altan Khan, school years in West Berlin passed liadreunitedmostofMongoliaafter without much excitement For me, the war w ithChina. Inhisremaining the interesting subjects in school 11 years of life, he raided Tibet were languages and history. Early extensively, but in turn was on, I had a great fascination with the converted to Buddhism by the history of Asia and in particular the Tibetans. adventures of the Mongolian, In X5^8,; he conferred the Genghis Khan and his descendents. Mongolian title "Dalai Lama" In 1976 Outer Mongolia opened its ("Great Ocean" Lama) on his long-closed doors to tourism and teacher Sonant Gyatso, who the opportunity presented itself for subsequently became knownas the me to join one of the first groups of Third Dalai Lama; foreigners allowed to enter the . In 1586, the first lamaist country in 1977. I was especially monastery was established in Mon­ excited to be able to follow in the golia and Lamaism becamse the footsteps of Genghis Khan and to state religioa By the beginning of visit his B lack Camp on the Orkhon the 20th century, Outer Mongolia River, which was the capital of the had 583 monasteries and temple Mongol Empire before his son complexes. Although officially Kublai Khan moved the court to independent, Outer Mongolia was Peking. Alas, little remains of the from 1921 until last year a great city, except for a solitary stone protectorate of Soviet Russia. tortoise. It is said that the stones of During those seventy years the Karakorum were taken to build the the monk takes my hand and quickly ways (Hentry lived in Montana), I decide to attend some teachings at practice of was nearby lamaist monastery of Erdeni puts a small heavy object into it. We havetotally forgotten about my little the center. Sadly, however, it takes brutally suppressed. Under Stahnas Dzu. My story will really begin at figure that he wants some money, so figure till Henry puts something cold me many more years to become a orders as many as 100,000 monks this monastery. Henry tries to slip money into the and heavy into my right hand when serious dharma practitioner. were executed and all but two of We arrive in the Gobi Desert in monk's hands. He refuses to accept he is saying goodbye to me. While I I am lucky to have had the the hundreds of monasteries Outer Mongolia on a hair-raising the money, and I think that it is not am looking at the little statue in my oppportunity to study with many of destroyed. Yet in 1990, in the wave flight from Ulan Bator, the capital. enough. So we try to give a bigger hand, this unusual feeling of warmth the greatest lamas from all traditions. of anti-communism that swept The pilot stops the plane directly in donation/The monk keeps refusing spreads all over my body. It is a very I am mainly a Dzog-chenpractitioner across Russia and Eastern Europe, front of our yurts (Mongolian tents). the money, continuing to hold my new sensation that I have never now and non-sectarian. Mongolia started on its way to I feel like I have been in a military hand. I feel like I really want to experienced before and cannot really Miraculously, His Holiness the democracy and the people were bomber. The takeoff and landing spend some time and talk with him define at this time. Dalai Lama, became my root guru. once again free to practise were so fast that I could hardly blink but the people are calling us Upon my return to Los Angeles, Because of that and the Tsongkapa Buddhism. Within one short year, and my feet were above my head impatiently from the bus. I take the little religious figure to statue, which guided me onto the about 120 monasteries have been during the ascent. As I exit the Unfortunately, we have to leave in a several Asian art dealers. Most of Buddhist path, I have a special opened and the number of monks airplane, I go to congratulate" the hurry. In those days, I did not know them confirm that is it hundreds of connection with the Gelugpa has increased to about 2,000. pilot upon this exhilarating flight the difference between a monk and years old indeed, and that it is a tradition and its founder, Lama According to a recent dharma experience and find, to my surprise, a lama. I also did not know very religious stame. However, nobody Tsongkapa. During my first trip to newspaper, two women's that a very overweight Russian much about Tibetan Buddhism. can tell me exactly what kind of Tibet in 1990,1 made a special point associations have also been created. woman climbs out of the pilot's Thinking back to this very special religious figure it represesents. of visiting Ganden monastery near One of them called ConneyTsogpa, seat. During our little chat, she moment I believe the monk may Because I love it so much, I have a Lhasa and also the meditation caves has 21 women between the ages of mentions that most commercial have been a lama. gold prong made to hold the statue of Lama Tsongkapa on the same 14 and 65 and is located near airline pilots are trained in the without dam aging it and I wear it on Now back on the bus, rambling mountain. Ganden Monastery. The other Russian Air Force, so my feeling a heavy chain around my neck. through the hilly terrain, I finally Ioftenwearmy little Buddha and association, Naro Knacho, with 17 about being inside of a bomber is examine the little object which has Six years later in 1983, a girlfriend remember fondly how he guided me young women between 5 and 21, is not so far off. been given to me. It is a tiny religious of mine invites me to go to a public into the wonderful life I have now. located some distance away. Both The Gobi Desert is an immense statue made out of bronze, about celebration of the birthday of His My only regret is that I did not associations are advised by senior land of scrub, salt flats, and sand one-and-a-half inches in height, and Holiness, the Dalai Lama in the City discover the dharma teachings Mongolian teachers. magnificently detailed. It looks Park of Santa Monica. I remember dunes. Like the Mongolians, we stay earlier. But maybe, just maybe, the May the Dharma flourish in antique. The fact that it is very old only vague sketchy details about his in the traditional round white tents dharma teachings chose to discover Outer Mongolia. which are called yurts. From here, frightens me. Upon our entering fleeing from the country of Tibet me when I was ready for them. we make marry excursions. One of Russia, we were instructed several and the plight of the Tibetan people. them is to Karakorum, the site of tim es not to buy any antiques. Under However, I do have a faint Genghis Khan's Black Camp. no circumstances were we allowed ^knowledge of what the Dalali Lama "Monasteries in Tibet" Fund On this trip to Outer Mongolia, I to take anything m ore than 100 y ears represents. a chaperoned by a family friend old out of these countries. We were Upon our arrival at the park, we We have received a letter from Rena Kuhn telling us about the named Henry. Henry is already 72 also told that the American Embassy are greeted by a large number of commitment she has undertaken to help Tibetan people in Tibet years old but he can outhike and would not be able to help us in the dharma students from the Tibetan after her recent trip there (see The Mirror issue 19, "Glimpses of outclimb me any time. This frustrates event we were imprisoned for not Buddhist center Thubten Dhargye Tibet" p.10). In particular she feels that much assistance is me terribly because the age of 72 adhering to these strict regulations. Ling in Los Angeles. One of the needed to i mprove the general condition of the monks and for the seems really ancient tome However, I now tell Henry that Ido not want to students immediately points to my safe reconstruction of the monasteries in Tibet. Funds would also I am very fond of him, he is like the carry the miniature statue with me, little statue that I am wearing around go to the projects of reconstruction in Tibet that have been uncle of our family. Among other but he says I shouldn't worry. With my neck and says: "Where did you organized by Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche. things, Henry is a very accomplished these words, he stuffs it into his get this Tsongkapa?". I am so excited To help raise these funds which will be distributed among all photographer, and some of his pants pocket. to finally hear a name put to my schools of Tibetan Buddhism, Rena Kuhn has set up a charity photos have been published in I had many more wonderful mystery talisman that I take this raffle with many beautiful prizes some of which have been several well-known magazines. experiences in Outer Mongolia. I person aside and force him into donated by important Tibetan spiritual masters. The tickets will Because Henry spends a lot of time liked the country very much and telling me the whole history of Lama be sold at $50 US each and will be mailed as soon as payment is taking pictures, the two of us are was especially fond of the Tsongkapa, who of course is the received. Tickets can also be bought on an installment plan basis always the last to get back to the Mongolian people. But there is not much revered founder of the or by a group. Donations from outside the US should be sent in waiting bus. So when we visited enough time in this story to go into Gelugpa tradition of Tibetan the form of dollar travellers cheques sent by registered mail. Erdeni Dzu monastery at detail about the Mongolian people Buddhism. The student then Payment can be sent to: Karakorum, as usual, we are the last and their amazing resemblance to introduces me to the resident lama ones to leave the place. As we are the Tibetans, which I discovered of Thubten Dhargye Ling, Ven. Rena Kuhn (M.I. T. Fund), 256 S. Robertson Blvd., Suite 9379, walking out, someone who seems to many years later. Geshe Gyeltsea I take an immedia­ Beverly Hills, CA 90211, U.S.A. be a very old monk, comes running te liking to Geshela (which the By the time Henry and I arrive "We must all help to preserve the original power places of Tibet. to earth up with us. When we stop, students affectionately call him) and back at New York airport to part Your donation will accumulate much merit for yourself."

ISSUE 20 13 BOOK REVIEW

WORLDS IN HARMONY or vacation instead* you may feel as the ego appropriates to itself all Tibetan Buddhism, and receives a Dialogues on Compassionate Action. some short term relief, but the the means intended to undermine detailed reply concluding that problem will remain. So instead of our self-centredness. Then again, fundamentally, from the point of doing that, if you penetrate into the these problems must also be kept in view of the teachings, men and H.H. The Dalai Lama suffering or the tragedy and see its perspective: an obsessive women are equal. "The most with Daniel Goleman, , Jean Shinoda Bolen, nature with some perspective, your concentration on them is obviously important thing is no discrimination. Daniel Brown, Jack Engler, Margaret Brenman-Gibson, and mental attitude will improve, and counterproductive to generating The ultimate aim is the same for Joanna Macy. you will have a real chance of positive mental states, and an men and women In the capacity to resolving the problem." atmosphere of optimism and trust is achieve Nirvana or Parallax Press, Berkeley, California The book is so full of gem s that it a fragile and precious element of there are no differences. ...There is a 139 pages, $12.99. is difficult to select just a few topics any association of individuals. true feminist movement in for the purposes of a brief review In 'Worlds in Harmony' Jack Buddhism that relates to the goddess without being left with the feeling Engler, training therapist at Harvard Tara. Following her cultivation of of not having done justice to iL One Medical School, recounts that "in bodhicitta, the Bodhisattva's particular quality of the encounters Boston, where I practice, almost motivation, she looked upon the it records was the frankness and every month the newspaper has situation of those striving towards honesty of all participants. This headlines of another therapist who full awakening and she felt that there means that controversial issues were has been accused of misusing his or were too few people who had not avoided for the sake of protecting her power by abusing his or her attained Buddhahood as a woman. orprojecting an image, and a number clients, usually men abusing women. So she vowed, "I have developed of 'hot potato' topics were We have also heard many examples bodhicitta as a woman For all my confronted directly. in the Buddhist sanghas of teachers lifetimes along the path I vow to be In the chapter on 'Buddhism in who have abused positions of power born as a woman, and in my final the West', for example, the problems and trust" He comments that trai­ lifetime when I attain Buddhahood, revolving around the 'shadow* ning is provided to help therapists then too, I will be a woman."This is aspect of the teacher-student avoid these pitfalls, but that when true feminism." His Holiness was relationship thathave arisen inmany the problem does occur there are asked if he remembered any past spiritual groups of all denom inations professional disciplinary bodies to lives as a woman, and said that he were freely discussed. It is of course take the matter in hand. He asks if sometimes had difficulty doubly sad when spiritual such a system exists with regard to remembering what he had done the communities go wrong: the very Buddhist teachers, and His Holiness, same day, never mind fh past lives, concedes that an official body to but that he was certain he had The range of activities and interests the psychologist and journalist means by which individuals have regulate the appointment (and previously been born as a woman. of His Holiness the Dalai Lama are Daniel Goleman outlined in his tried to resolve their own problems possible dismissal) of Buddhist Asked if he could imagine being a continuing source of wonder and foreword, in which he comments and those of society have then teachers would be a beneficial reincarnated as a woman Dalai inspiration. that "the generation now alive is the become problematic. These innovation. Lama, he replied that of course it In October 1989 in Newport problems have been given much first in human history to glimpse the was possible, and that there were Beach, California, a three day prominence in the last few years in His Holiness comments: "In possibility of the end of nature, the many female reincarnated lamas. conference was held in response to end of the world. We live in a planet publications such as the innovative cultivating a relationship with a the previously expressed wish of that can die." American quarterly 'Tricycle: The spiritual teacher it is important not The chapter on 'Dealing with Buddhist Review', the US magazine His Holiness that an encounter be The book continues to explore to be too quickto consider that person Anger' contains a very stimulating 'Common Boundary' that organised to enable him to the theme of the interrelation of the to be your spiritual teacher, because discussion of the difference between concentrates on the area between participate in discussions that would ecology of the psyche with that of it is a very powerful relationship. Buddhist and psychotherapeutic spirituality and psychology (the permit him to learn more about the the planet and the societies on it in For however long it may take - two approaches to working with negati­ May/June issue of 1990 contains Western mind and the relationship six chapters containing transcripts years, fiveyears, ten years, or longer, ve emotions, with a thorough inquiry two articles of this kind: between Buddhism and Western of His Holiness' discussions with you simply regard this other person by His Holiness into the way 'Encountering the Shadow in psychology. The book 'Worlds in the panel, on 'The Nature of as a spiritual friend, and in the therapists view the problems that Buddhist America', and 'Why Harmony' contains a written record Suffering', 'Working with Those meantime you observe closely that are created by the repression of these Spiritual Groups Go Awry'), and of some of the dialogues between Who Suffer','Dealing with Anger', person's behaviour, attitudes and emotions. Stephen Levine, a particularly in the American His Holiness and the panel of ' Love and Compassion','Buddhism way of life, until you are very meditation teacherrenowned for his newspaper 'Dharma Gate' that has distinguished psychotherapists and in the West', and 'Making a confident of his or her integrity. work with the dying, comments that practically made the topic an helping professionals listed above Difference through Compassionate "I normally recommend to "a lot of us are trying to discover a ongoing 'cause celebre', as well as as co-authors of the book Their Action'. Buddhist practitioners not to see middle way between the expression meeting and conversations took in a number of books, and it was The panelists all have experience every action of their spiritual teacher of anger and non-injury. We know place in front of an audience which very interesting to read the Dalai of the Buddhist teachings as well as divine and noble. In all of the that we cannot let go of anything met in small groups with Lama's clear guidance on certain their particular Western discipline Buddhist teachings, there are that we don't accept, so we need to experienced facilitators throughout aspects of the subject. and the way they interacted with the specific, very demanding qualities make room in our heart for even the conference to discuss the topics Dalai Lama produced valuable The panel concludes that difficult that are required ofa spiritual mentor. anger and those states of mind that on the panelists' agenda, and the insights on many topics of great topicsneed to faced by being brought If one has a teacher who is engaging are so hidden that not much members of the audience were also importance to the future of our planet into the collective awareness of any in unsuitable behaviour, it is awareness reaches them. ...We are able to put questions to the panel. In in an environmental sense as well as group, which is not easy because of appropriate for the students to trying to discover how to allow this this way all those attending the a spiritual and psychological one. the heavy level of psychological criticise that behaviour. It says very quality of anger not to be suppressed conference were active participants His Holiness' respectful interest in investment many members have explicitly in the Sutras, in the or repressed, but to come fully into in the proceedings, and the the Western methods used to deal made in committing themselves to a Buddha's own teachings, that in our awareness so that it can be met conference itself had a with mental illness, the problems of particular teaching environment, those aspects where the teacher's and investigated, and seen as empty transformative function at a perso­ US veterans of the Vietnam war, which they cannot bear to behaviour is wholesome, you should and changing. It seems that if we nal level for those attending it. environmental issues and so on, was acknowledge as anything less than follow in that teacher's footsteps, don't allow it to come up, we cannot investigate it." The book opens with an matched by the profound answers perfect, while still feeling acute but where it is unwholesome, you introduction by The Dalai Lama he gave to questions directed to him. discomfort themselves at some of should not. So when it is "But as it comes into the mind, incompatible with the wholesome, entitled 'Cultivating Altruism', Joanna Macy, noted the aspects of the situation they are should it also come out of the with the Buddhist teachings, then which begins with him reminding environmentalist and Buddhist participating in and are thus helping mouth?", His Holiness inquiries, to you don't follow in the guru's us that "compassion, love, and scholar remarks that when people to create. Unable to face, let alone which Stephen Levine replies: "If it footsteps. You don't simply say, "It altruism are not just religious face up to the problems confronting integrate their shadow side, many comes into the mind wholeheartedly is good behaviour because it is the qualities. As human beings, and even the world, it can be depressing for groups develop negative patterns of there is no compulsion to act on it," guru's." as animals, we need compassion them. His Holiness comments: "In complete denial of the and Daniel Brown, Director of a and affection to develop, sustain Buddhism we do not deny or avoid inconsistencies they have come to In the chapter on 'Making a Boston area clinic for the treatment ourselves, and survive." This, as suffering. Instead we concentrate include in the bones of their structure. Difference ', the Jungian analyst Jean of people traumatised by political those who have had the privilege of on it, using a kind of analytical But the problems are not resolved Shineda Bolen noting that women oppression and torture. Assistant hearing the Dalai Lama speak in meditation. Analysing the situation by being ignored. All the good have consistently been oppressed in Professor of Psychology at Harvard public will know, is His Holiness' in this way is called 'penetrating it'. qualities we bring to the teachings many parts of the world, asks His Medical School and' a translator of suggested remedy for the critical If you want to deny or avoid such as devotion, and commitment Holiness whether men are texts from Tibetan and Sanskrit, political and ecological situation that something and have a kind of picnic can so easily polluted by attachment. considered superior to women in continued on page 15

ISSUE 20 14 Reflections Reflections Reflections

A Dzogchenpa in The Misery of Philosophy

A rather unlikely place to practise Dzogchen? Certainly one will not find This is not an article expkining so as a result of the conceptual distinguishing between "mind" or too many fellow practitioners on this island. 'Practice' among Buddhists Marx's arguments against working of their own intel lects rather "sem" (sems), which is the core of here has rather a different meaning. This is a country to judge from the Proudhon's ideas, but a Dharma than as a result of realization samsara, and "Knowledge" or physical manifestations, where religion ishighly valued. There are Buddhist article denouncing two different (evidently, no realized individual "rigpa"(r/f -pa), which corresponds monasteries, churches, mosques and Hindu temples in abundance. The area errors: the error of using philosophy would commit such error). to the Enlightened state. In spite of in which I am staying is strongly Buddhist for Kandy was the last stronghold for building up one's own ego; and Therefore, their statement that the fact that this "distinguishing" of the Kings of Sri Lanka who were the guardians of the famousTooth-relic, the error of denying that intellectual philosophy and conceptual must be the result of direct the left eye tooth of Shakyamuni, now enshrined magnificently in its temple understanding and philosophy are understanding must be shunned experimentation in practices such complex. necessary tools at a certain stage on implies that this very statement, as the rushen and the semdzin, the My impermanent abode is about two miles from this temple, an area still the path to realization and thus being a product of intellectual, Teachings put great emphasis on rather rural and fairly quiet. I am fortunate in that I have room and board in despising and disparaging the conceptual understanding, has no the many explanations that contrast a place destined to become a small meditation centre. The people who are intellect and its functioning. value whatsoever. the state of mind or "sem" with the in charge of this place know that last time I stayed in Sri Lanka (1975 -1976) All Tibetan Buddhist Schools Claiming that conceptual state of Knowledge or "rigpa". I was in robes and many of them have read the books written by me, most have their own "tawa" (lta-ba) or understanding and "philosophy" are Moreover, Namkhai Norbu of them published in this country. There is a good deal of puzzlement as to "point of view": the philosophical ills that must be shunned by all true Rinpoche's repeated explanation of why I am no longer a monk and why I have taken up with 'a Tibetan form understanding of reality the difference between of Buddhism*. (The word 'Dzogchen' is mostly unknown here). Generally that according to each "the state of the Mirror" I try to avoid any discussion in which sectarian feelings and ideas could be particular school, is the and "the state of the one generated, at the same time making an effort to explain some of the factors necessary basis for the reflected in the Mirror" that induced me to change ray-lifestyle. practice of Dharma. is a means for making people understand the Traditional Buddhism is composed of many of the same elements in all Although the Dzog­ intellectual point of Buddhist countries though of course it may appear very different superficially. chen Teachings have view of the Dzog-chen For example, the Tibetan and Sri Lankan forms of Buddhism apparently do been transmitted Teachings and, in not resemble each other. mainly within the particular, to com­ But the basic ingredients of festivals, ceremonies - for protection, for Nyingmapa (rNying- prehend intellectually making merit, at the time of death, etc. - building monasteries and supporting ma-pa) or "Ancient" the distinction between the monks in them, as well as the construction of Buddha-images and tradition of Tibetan the state of mind or stupas, are actually very similar. Those who are more interested go on to Buddhism, these "sem" and the state of learn the Dharma and practise it. In this country learning is highly regarded Teachings themselves Knowledge or "rigpa". and being able to quote freely from the Suttas (Sutras) in , much are not a School of esteemed. Scholars of Dharma can be found amongst both monks and lay Tibetan Buddhism. When students of people though it is said that our present fast-moving times do not produce Similarly, what the Namkhai Norbu them in the quality found in the past. Dzog-chen Teachings Rinpoche disparage call "tawa" is not a Practice of Dharma here suffered grievously from the pressures of the intellectual com­ particular philoso­ three Colonial powers who for 400 years ruled parts or all of Sri Lanka: the prehension, conceiving phical interpretation of Portuguese, Dutch and British. During the upheavals induced by Colonial it as "the misery of the reality, but the state of occupation, knowledge of Buddhist practice - especially meditative practice Dharma", they fail to non-dualistic, non- - dropped to almost nothing. Though it has been revived by contact with pay due respect to the conceptual other Buddhist countries, notably Burma, it does not appear that any great activities of our Teacher "Knowledge" (of) the masters of practice and realization now reside here, a contrast with both as well as to those of the true nature of both Thailand and Burma. Dzog-chen Masters of reality in general and Of course, there are quite a lot of monks but they are often caught up in all times and places. the individual in the traditional round of ceremonies, with only a few scholars among them, If intellectual un­ particular. In fact, the and fewer still who lead an austere meditative life in the forst. Among the derstanding had no "tawa" of Dzog-chen laity there are quite a number of people who try to practise meditation but value whatsoever, corresponds to the how hard it must be when the lineage has been broken to arrive at would so many Masters direct, non-conceptual, non-dual realization. Meditation centres certainly proliferate but who will teach in practitioners of Dzog-chen is a crass of different times and places have realization of the Base of both them. written so many pages about the samsara and nirvana. Then, error. The Dzog-chen Teachings do intellectual point of view of Dzog­ People here generally practise a great deal of generosity and many try to "gompa" (sgom-pa) or not give the name "tawa" to an chen? And would Rinpoche dedi­ keep the five basic precepts. On Full and New Moon days many go to the "Contemplation" consists in intellectual "point of view" because cate so many hours to the explanation temples and stay there for the day undertaking the eight precepts. But along "remaining in the tawa", and they assume that anyone of the point of view in question in with these manifestations of Buddhist piety there are also intermittent "chopa" (spyod-pa) - "Action" or approaching the practice of Dzog­ the many retreats that he constantly outbreaks of violence. Economic problems and emotional frustration are "Conduct" - consists in maintaining chen must already have a good grasp leads around the world? connected with this, so it seems'proper to ask the question: how can Dharma the Contemplation in daily life and of the dynamics of samsara and influence people's social behaviour? Theoretically, if everyone practised in everyday actions. nirvana as well as of the nature of Is Rinpoche wrong when he does Dharma, tendencies to violence should be transformed. But/hen reality. not limit himself to the description transformation of negative energies is only experienced by the more Moreover, while most Tibetan Nonetheless, the Teachings in of the practices but, instead, enthusiastic Dharma practitioners, then what happens to a society which Schools insist that one has to have a question dedicate many pages to the dedicates many hours to the has too few of them? good grasp of the intellectual "tawa" explanation of the way in which explanation of the point of view of On the whole Buddhist teachings here are markedly dualistic with sharp of one's own School before engaging samsara and nirvana arise from the Dzog-chen as well as of the Sutras lines being drawn between monks/laity, arhats (realized saints)/ordinary in the practice of any of the Base or "zhi" (gzhi), the explanation and the Tantras? people, and nirvana/samsara. traditional methods that lead to of the fact that all that we perceive is Philosophy in itself is not misery. This (narrow street choked with traffic, people and pollution) is samsara spiritual realization, the Dzog-chen in truth the B ase, and the explanation Yet there is a misery of philosophy, so what can one expect apart from lots of trouble - duhkha is a rather Teachings insist that the true "tawa" of the differences between samsara which consists of dedicating oneself neglected topic. As our experience is stressed as basically duhkha, and this is to be obtained through self- and nirvana. As a matter of fact, completely to dry and useless is all samsara, so nirvana is pictured as an ideal state associated with the observation rather than through according to the Dzog-chen speculations and discussions about realization of such exalted saints as arhats. In other words it is some other intellectual study and the Teachings, a practitioner of Dzog­ the nature of reality, withoutmaking time, other place, other persons. There are even Sri Lankan legends that memorization of arguments. chen must supplement the "tawas" the necessary efforts to attain to the deny the possibility of full realization in the present time - the age of arhats The above has led many people of the Sutras and the Tantras with State of Knowledge and to maintain has passed - it is said. Those who teach meditation here are unlikely to agree to conclude that conceptual the more sophisticated explanation this state in everyday life. with such views. understanding and "philosophy" are of the nature of reality that Most of us, students or teachers Perhaps these few lines penned in Sri Lanka may be of some interest to ills that must be shunned by all true corresponds to the Dzog-chen of philosophy, take our ideas to be other readers of 'The Mirror*. Good wishes to y ou from ' this bit of paradise ' practitioners of Dzog-chen. Teachings and practice. the true nature of reality, becoming (as the advertisements say ignoring the darker side) and good practice However, those who claim that According to these Teachings, deadly serious about our intellectual wherever you are. conceptual understanding and the individual of "superior games - which we are unable to Laurence Mills "philosophy" must be shunned do capacities" attains realization by continued on page 15

ISSUE 20 15 We who live... community's understanding of the Dzogchen Community's presence The Misery... International Dzog-chen Contacts in their area, and that further continued from page 10 interaction of this kind would be 'We who live under the shadow of continued from page 14 ARGENTINA ITALY SLOVENIA beneficial. In the weeks following these wars recognize as mere games - and Comunidad Dzog-chen Merigar Changchub Santi Maha the conference I several times met Pasco Colon 1131 2°11 Comunità Dzog-chen Sangha what can we do that matters? ' using our understanding as a support students in the streets of the local 1063 Buenos Aires Arcidosso, 58031 GR PO Box 19 for our egos. towns who had been present and Tel 1 7821722 Tel 564 966837 SL-62250 Poetovio The poem expresses the Thisdeviation may cause us to think: had heard me speak Many of them Fax 1 3612746 Fax 564 968110 Fax 62 29874 frustration that many young people "I am the supreme thinker of the asked me to suggest books on feel when confronted by situations age"; "I am the best teacher at my Azamgar: Buddhism that they might read. Dzog-chen Communita SOUTH AFRICA in the world that they feel powerless University"; "My view is right while c/o Hugo Aníbal Palacio Giuliano Casiraghi Darryl Van Blerk to change. This frustration can lead the views of others are wrong"; "I Espagna 883, Via Pignolo 17 11 Upper Rose St. to cynicism or despair: the wars and am thesupreme intellectual athlete"; 7000 Tandil 24121 Bergamo BG Newlands, 7700 famines and ecological disasters that Worlds in Harmony "I am the most famous of 293 20034 Tel 35 225159 Capetown we see every day on the television philosophers" - and thus feel Tel 21 641908 JAPAN can somehow seem to rob our lives superior to everyone else and Tashigar Patricia Feldman Tsugiko Kiyohashi SPAIN of meaning. How can you plan on a confirm our sensation of being the continued from page 13 Mariano Moreno 382 4-11-21-30 Shimomeguro Estabanel Curro centre of the universe. future for your children when the comm ents a little later that "many of 5000 Cordoba Meguro-Ku Tokyo Ronda General Mitre world may be blown up tomorrow, the Buddhist writings on the practice This kind of attitude is so Tel & fax 51 226845 Tel 3 37167248 162-7E1A or be so polluted that it is of patience seem to assume that the ingrained in the nature of the ego 08006 Barcelona uninhabitable? "What can we do practitioner is aware of his anger that when we begin to study the AUSTRALIA LATVIA Tel 3 4173590 that matters?", when we are young and can then find a way of practising Dharma, we cannot avoid Herbert Jelinek Dzog-chen Community Fax 3 87904679 and have no power in the world? I with it. In Western psychotherapy, transferring it into our new field of 31/3 Plowman Street Tadajku Str. 8/1 N7 Riga LV-1004 Latvia suggested that we could try to many of the writings make a very interests and activities. There have Bondi, NSW 2026 SWITZERLAND Tel 304297 Tel 132 623259 Aline Winterberg become more fully human, more different assumption - that the people been numberless "Dharma" debates Fax 4698828040 Schwarzenburgstr. 6 fully awake, and while working on who come for treatment are not and controversies in which each side AUSTRIA 3007 Bern that process of developing self- is only interested in proving its own aware of their anger. In fact (many Isabella Ernst LITHUANIA Tel 31 460651 knowledge we could begin to engage people) have psychological defenses intellectual viewpoint to be supre­ Brunnengasse 34/12 Dor je ling with society in work for the benefit to keep it out of their awareness." me and absolutely true, and the 1160 Vienna 2001 P.O.Box 1183 TAIWAN ROC of others with some wisdom. The Dalai Lama notes that "this is viewpoint of the other part to be Tel 222 408 30 16 Vilnius, Lithuania Mr. CH. Yen After my talk there were many something we Buddhists need to inferior and mistaken By so doing, 4th Floor N° 333 interesting questions from the learn about .. this subconscious weexpectto prove beyond any doubt BUR Y ATTA MALAYSIA Lung Kiang Road Rangdrol Gar Tham Wye Min Taipei audience, including one from a anger," and later in response to a our assumed superiority. But what question from the audience he we actually prove is that we are c/o Farida Malikova 8669CKlebangKechU bright girl in leather jacket who noted 75200 Melaka explains the Buddhist method of using the Dharma as a way to build 26, Tayozhanaya St. USA that although various religious Novokizhinginsk Tel 6 356162 Tsegyalgar transforming the energy of anger, our egos, rather than a means to go groups were represented, there was Bury aria 671454 Dzog-chen Community adds a brief explanation of counting beyond them. no Nazi-skinhead present to puttheir Kwok Kee Chang PO Box 277 . point of view. To be really open to one'sbreath to diminish anger before In general, all of us "Dharma Alexander Viaznikovtsev 11 - A Jalan Jujor, 1/5 Conway, Mass. 01341 all the discussion should include one acts or speaks, but notes in people" who write books and Karl Marx Blvd. 9-26 Taman, Baku Ampang Tel 413 6259820 them, she said. One of the school conclusion that he agrees that as a articles, who do translations and/or Ulan-Ude Buryatia Selangor, W. Malaysia Fax 413 6651142 teachers replied that another time last resort it is "better to express (the who teach the Dharma, use our Tel. 30 122 30902 Tel 039847167 this might be possible. An older anger) than to hide it inside. A very activities to enhance our self-image, Dzog-chen Community man commented that the secular or negative, hateful feeling may remain build a more powerful ego and DENMARK NEPAL West Coast Community Dzog-chen Ian Baker 755 Euclid Ave. humanist point ofview had not been there for years. That is the worst. become as famous and respected as Compared to that it is better to say a c/o Jens Ras mus sen S.I.T. Box 1373 Berkeley, CA 94708 represented either, as all the principal possible. Kathmandu Tel 510 559 9753 few nasty words." It is very easy to Pilegard Alle 5 speakers represented various I do not mean all of us are wholly 2770 Kastrup Tel 1 413948 Fax 510 524 0933 make the mistake of wanting to religions. He then made a case for unaware of our own self-deceit; I 032 521840; present oneself as a good, calm and secularism, as a means of am only saying that all of us have the Fax 31 878609 NEW ZEALAND Lidian K Watson spiritual person by simply repressing overcoming the problems of tendency to use our intellectual and Rosemary Friend Rt4Box 16 M oneself and denying that one has intolerance he saw as implicit in other activities in order to build our FINLAND 32 Leckhampton Court Santa Fe, N.M. 87501 any problems, but that is clearly an strong religious belief, which for ego. This does not mean that we Kaisa Li i sa Puond Dunedin , S. Island Tel 505 9885995 obstacle to real spiritual him inevitably leads to divisions should give up our intellectual Visantìe 19 Tel 3 4556462 development Tsultrim Allione between groups of people, and activities, and in general whatever 05400 Jokela Tel 014 81828 Mario Franchini 227 Old Mill Rd. ultimately to fanaticism and may enhance our ego. Rather, it Repressed anger was identified 8/148 Howe St. Valley Cottage, persecution. I agreed with him that means that whoever engages in by the panel members as the root FRANCE F ree mans Bay, Auckland NY 10989 much of the history of Europe was a problem identified in many mental intellectual Dharma activities, Dominique Espaze Tel 9 765774 Tel 914 2683050 history of religious intolerance and illnesses, but also in individuals who teaches the Dharma, and the like, 3 rue des Nantîtes Fax 914 2684280 wars but suggested he consider the on the surface appear to be very well must keep up a constant awareness 75011 Paris NORWAY ancient Roman saying "Invited or balanced and capable, but who of all that arises in her or his own Tel & fax 1 43381895 Gordon Cranmer Susan Indien not, the gods will come," that the 4157 Utstein Kloster 129 Kaelepulu Drive nevertheless engage in work that is heart: we must constantly use the psychologist C.G.Jung had carved GERMANY Tel 4 514705 Kailua. Hawaii 96734 completely negative and destructive mirrorofrelativeawarenessto watch in Latin over the door to his house to Stephanie Wagner Tel 808 2613469 such as the military, the armaments ourselves and discover our own remind himself that whether or not attempts to build our egos with the Gartenstrasse 70 POLAND Fax 808 5244342 industry and other industries that 67000 Frankfurt Aleksandcr Skwara one is willing to accept it, the human feedback received from others, so produce terrible pollution. Peace of Tel 69 618721 Grunwaldzka 40 VENEZUELA psyche is peopled in its unconscious that the corresponding overvalued mind and peace on earth shown to 91-337 Lodz Pablo Lau Rivera aspect by powerful forces that be inextricably linked in this mental forms may spontaneously GREAT B RJTAIN Tel 48 42 516080 Pb. A. Res. Pedernales express themselves as mythical and valuable b >ok, which ends with an liberate themselves in the Mirror of Annie S tratton Av. Pacz MontalbanlJ. divine images, which do not goaway afterword by the Dalai Lama on Absolute Awareness. 11 Ridge Rd. Hornsey RUSSIA 1021 Caracas just because they are denied or N8 9LE Vladimir Maikov "Genuine Compassion", in which Philosophy is valuable only when Tel 24421434 ignored. Rather they tend to Tel 81 3417872 Sovietskaya 14-7 Fax 2 340643 he rem inds us once again that genu­ it is used as a means to go beyond manifest with more destructive Fax71 6018171 Zheleznodorzhny ine compassion can be extended the intellectual plane into the sphere consequences if not brought to Moscow region Dzog-chen Community even towards one's enemies, of Absolute Truth, and to lead others consciousness. Spiritual,as opposed GREECE Tel 95 5527052 Apartado Postal 483 "because the very basis for in the same direction. As the to superficially religious, practice, Dzog-chen Community Fax 95 9382077 Merida 5101 generating compassion is seeing the Buddhist sage Ashvagosha put it though often very difficult and Box 3240 Fax 74 447 550 suffering of other living creatures, we must use language in order to go demanding, should involve an 12210 Athens Anna Rudneva and that includes your enemies", beyond language. Td 12779112 15Line,b48f28 YUGOSLAVIA increase in consciousness, and the whereas "usual compassionand love St Petersburg 199178 Jovanovic Zelika development of greater awareness. If we do so, philosophy may help give rise to a very close feeling, but us go beyond the miseries of HOLLAND Zelerà Venae 1 Sbchtung Dzogchen Beograd it is essentially attachment." samsara. But if we use philosophy A good lunch with the other Johannes Verhulstraat 44" Ian G an Tel 11 687123 speakers in one of the local Hie publisher. Parallax Press, to reinforce our own intellectual t07l NE Amsterdam 585 North Bridge Road restaurants sparked further specialises in books on Buddhism viewpoints and to build our egos, Tel 2© 67186*7 apt. 15-04 Blanco Court exchanges of views, and concluded md social responsibility, and their the most respectable discipline of Singapore 0718 a rewarding morning's work. At the list includes many titles by the the intellect will have become the 2082-11; Fax JN344'2 end I feltthatmy participation in the \ iv-tii.-vnie.se Zen master Thich Nhat misery that sustains and reinforces conference had really made n the miseries of samsara. "CvMihKts" is a list of people who can be contacted m order to have information contribution to the local John Shane Elias Copales on the activities of the Dzog-chen Community in their particular country.

ISSUE 20 16 H. H. Dalai Lama in Europe PRACTICES FOR SPECIAL DAYS

Great Britain 2nd Month, 20th day Sun. 11 th April 1993 4th Month, 30th day Sun. 20th June 1992 The anniversary of the great Dzog-chen Master Do Gyaltsen NEW MOON. This day is the anniversary of Nyagla Padma Under the auspices of the Office of Tibet, and the Tibet Foundation Getza Yeshes Done (born 1800), disciple of the firstD o Drub Own Duddul (1816-1872). He was one of the Masters of Chang- Ltd., H. H. the 14th Dalai Lama will be visiting the in May Rinpoche, who was a master of Nyagla Padma Duddul. It is chub Dorje, the main Master of Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche. He therefore a good day to do "A Kar Lamai Naljyor", the discovered the Terma "Tsedrub Gongdus" which two of his 1993. During a four day event which will take place at Wembley Conference Guruyoga with the White A. disciples, Ayu Khadro and Changchub Dorje, transmitted to Centre in London from May 8th to 11th, His Holiness will deliver a Norbu Rinpoche. Therefore you should try to do this Long- comprehensive programme of lectures, a public talk and an inter-faith 2nd Month, 25th day Friday 16th April 1993 life practice, "Tsedrub Gongdus", "Union of Primordial address. At the same time there will be exhibits of religious paintings and This is a Dakini day so try to do a Ganapuja with your Vajra Essences". The time to do it is the early morning. Later in the traditional costumes as well asa performance of Tibetan music and song and Brothers and Sisters. day or in the evening you can do the Guruyoga of the White the creation of a sacred sand mandala. A, "A Kar Lamai Naljyor". In addition, on May 3rd, His Holiness will give a lecture at the Gandhi Peace 2nd Month, 30th day Wed. 21 st April 1993 Foundation in London, on May 4th he will addess a European conference NEW MOON. On this day, which is the birthday of the great 5th Month, 1 st day Mon. 21 st June 1993 of parliamentarians at the Palace of Westminster while on Wednesday May Terton Loter Wangpo, try to do the "A Kar Lamai Naljyor", This is the anniversary of mChog-gyur g ling-pa (1829-1870) 5th he will give a public talk at Union Society, Cambridge. He will speak Guruyoga of the White A a Nyingmapa Master of Dzogchen, one of the most important Rimed masters of the XIX Century. Try to do a practice of on on "Compassion and Universal Responsibility" on the 6th in Cardiff. 3rd Month, 10th day Sat. 1 st May 1993 Akar Lamai Naljyor. For further information contact: Tibet Foundation, 43 New Oxford St, This is a special day of Guru Padmasambhava so try to do London WC1A 1BR Tel. 071 379 0634, fax 071 379 0465 or the Long-life practice "Universal Wisdom Union" early in the 5th Month, 10th day Tue.29th June 1993 The Office of Tibet Linburn House, 342 Kilbum High Road, London NW6 morning or at sunset. According to the Master Jigmed Lingpa thisis the anniversary 2QJ. Tel. 071 328 8422, fax 071 372 5449. If you have the possibility it is beneficial to combine this with of thebirthof Padmasambhava. To celebrate this important a practice of Ganapuja collectively. anniversary we Dzog-chen practitioners all over the world communicate in the state of contemplation, practising 3rd month, 15th day Thürs. 6th May 1993 Guruyoga with the Tundrin, Tungyas or Ganapuja according FULL MOON. This is one of the best days for Long-life to our possibili ties. We do this practice when it is 8.00 in the practices, and in particular for the practice of the "Union of morning in Oddiyana. Primordial Essences". It is best to do it early in the morning if you can. SEE THE UNIVERSAL TIMETABLE (issue 19) This is also the anniversary of the day when Buddha first gave 5th Month, 15th day Sun. 4th July 1993 the teaching of Kalachakra so it is good to do a Ganapuja or FULL MOON. This is a special day for the Long-life practice long Tun in the evening. of Amitayus, so you can do the Long-life practice "Union of Primordial Essences" early in the morning. 3rd Month, 25th day Sun. 16th May 1993 If you cannot do it at that time, it is still good to do it later in This is a Dakini day as well as the anniversary of the fifth the day. Dalai Lama, a great Terton and practitioner of Dzog-chen, so it is a good day to practise Agar Lamai Naljor, Guru Yoga with 5th Month, 25th day Wed. 14th July 1993 While A. This is a Dakini day and an important day for the practice of Ekajati. Therefore try to do the long Tun collectively with 3rd Month, 30th day Fri. 21st May 1993 your Vajra brothers and sisters, or the medium Tun if you are Germany NEW MOON. This is a particularly good day for practising practising onyour own. Ineither case, repeat the heart mantra the Purification of the Six Lokas. of Ekajati as many times as you can. His Holiness will be participating in the German Protestant Church Day to As it is also the anniversary of the great Terton and Dzog-chen beheld in Munich, Germ any onJune 11th. In the afternoon, the Dalai Lama Master Sangyas Lingpa, try to do the "A Kar Lamai Naljyor". 5th Month, 30th day Mon. 19th July 1993 will give a lecture during an event on the theme "Justice, Peace and the NEW MOON. This is a day for purification practices. It is Preservation of World Religions". In the evening he will open a festival of 4th Month, 9th day Sun. 30th May 1993 best to do the Purification of the Six Lokas either collectively cultore entitled "World Solidarity against Violence and Racism". As there is no 10th day this month we can celebrate the day of or alone, preferably in the early morning. Otherwise you can Guru Pad masa mb ha va on the ninth day. If you can, try to do do a medium or short Tun. Information from Deutscher Evangelischer Kirchentag, Postfach 480, a Ganapuja, otherwise you can do the Long-life practice 6400 Fulda, Germany, tel. 06 61/601091. "Universal Wisdom Union". 6th Month, 4th day Fri. 23rd July 1993 This is the anniversary of the Dharmachakra (the first turning France 4th Month, 15th day Fri. 4th June 1993 of the Wheel of the Dharma): the first time that Buddha FULL MOON. This is the anniversary of the Paramrvana of Shakyamum gave the teaching of the Four Noble Truths to his The spring issue of the newsletter of the Institut Vajra Yogini in Marzens, Buddha Shakyamum, as well as an important day for the disciples at Samath, after his illumination. France reports that the Dalai Lama has accepted the invitation of the Long-life practice "Cycle of Life's Vajra". Therefore try to do To honour the Lord Buddha on this special day you can do a Tibetan Buddhist Federation in France to visit and teach in different French this practice early in the morning, and in the afternoon or Ganapuja with your Vajra brothers and sisters. evening do a Ganapuja. cities in November 1993. 6th Month, 10th day Wed. 28th July 1993 The dates are: October 29-30 Paris; October 31 Chambery; November 1- 4th Month, 25th day Mon. 14th June 1993 This is a special day of Padmasambhava so if you have the 2 Grenoble, November 5 Bordeaux, November 7 Toulouse, November 9 - Dakini day. This is the anniversary of Ngor Chen (a great possibility, it is beneficial to do a Ganapuja together withyour 14 Institut Vajra Yogini. Master of the Shakyapa tradition and initiator of die Ngor Vajra Brothers and Sisters, if not you can practise Guruyoga At the moment no further details are available but we hope to publish further lineage ), therefore it is a good day to do the Guruyoga "A Kar with Padmasambhava and the Long-life practice "Universal information on the tour of His Holiness in the next issue. Lamai Naljyor", collectively if possible or otherwise alone. Wisdom Union".

THE MIRROR Every picture tells a story The International Newspaper of the Dzog-chen Community founded by Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche

Here at The Mirror we are trying to improve our photo Published by the Associazione Culturale Comunità Dzog-chen. archive. The Mirror, Merigar, 58031 Arcidosso GR, Italy. To this end we invite readers to collaborate by sending us Tel. and fax 0564-966608 . copies of photographs of significant moments for the Direttore responsabile: Raimondo Bultrini Dzog-chen community such as retreats, meetings, Editorial advisors: Anna Eid, Giovanni Area activities, etc. It is particularly important that photos of Editorial collaboration: Liz Granger, Robin Cooke, John Shane, Nina recent activities are sent to The Mirror as soon as possible Robinson, Cristiana De Falco, Albert Benson for publication in the current issue. Graphic assistance: Renata Nani The Mirror, Merigar 58031 Arcidosso (GR) Layout: Shang-Shung Edizioni Printer: Tipografia 2A, Arcidosso Issue 20, April 1993 © 1993 Ass. Cult. Comunità Dzog-chen. Registrato presso il Tribunale di Grosseto al a 5/1990 del 26 Aprile 1990

ISSUE 20