THE MIRROR Newspaper of the International Community November/December 2005 • Issue No. 77

Schedule Chögyal 2006

2006 Jan. 27 - Feb. 5 Santi Maha Base Teaching and Practice Retreat Open Web Cast

Margarita Gonpa during Tregchod Retreat & Web cast N ZEITZ Feb. 17 - 26 Longsal Saltong Lung teaching and Practice Retreat Restricted Web Cast Chögyal Namkhai Norbu March 10 -19 From the fifth volume of Longsal Retreat of Dzogchen Semlung Namkhache: Teaching and Practice Namkhache. THE UPADESHA ON THE TREGCHÖD Open Web Cast OF PRIMORDIAL PURITY RETREAT April 14 – 23 ka dag khregs chod kyi man ngag Tibetan Moxabustion Teaching and Application retreat

May 5 -14 November 4 – 8 2005, Ati Lam-ngon Nasjyong A Retreat of Longsal teaching Preliminaries of the Path of Ati about Tashigar Norte, Margarita Island, Venezuela the Purification of the Six Lokas, Teaching and Practice. Open Web Cast by Agathe Steinhilber FRANCE e were about one hun- to sacrifice one’ s life, that life is Three Jewels, traditionally under- May 18 -22 dred-eighty nine stu- short and time is precious. stood as: 1. Taking in the Paris Retreat dents, gathered in the Rinpoche expressed his delight Buddha and the teacher, 2. Taking Wbeautiful, airy Gonpa at Tashigar about the web cast. Thanks to refuge in the , the teach- May 26-28 Norte, attending the Longsal new technology , many people ings, and 3. Taking refuge in the Karmaling Retreat Tregchöd Retreat with Chögyal who otherwise do not have the Sangha, the spiritual community Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche. The possibility to attend the teachings of the fellow traveler , that sup - ITALY Gonpa was bustling with activity. are now able to receive teachings ports the journey. The purpose of June 9 - 15 Fabio, Alexey and assistants were and transmission. taking refuge is to understand Merigar busy setting up the web cast and Rinpoche then focused on the why we practice. Refuge is relat- Teachings of Yeshes Zangthal Transmission, Nadzer and the Main the video cameras that would formal teachings. He reminded us ed to . We cultivate Points of the View Totally Beyond the Conceptual Mind. transmit Rinpoche’s teachings to that it was essential not to leave Bodhicitta with the intention and Restricted Web Cast all the Gars and centers around the out the preliminaries. application to benefit all sentient globe. Traditionally, the preliminaries beings, to benefit ourselves, to June 18th Rinpoche’s seat was flanked are indispensable in Dzogchen. purify obstacles, to accumulate 25th Anniversary Festival of Merigar by a colorful thigle to the right, With the preliminaries we prepare and to augment clarity. OM A HUM to the left, and to enter the knowledge. Such pre- Last but not least, another thigle, forming the back- liminaries are the four reminders: (Sems sde), or the introduction June 30 ground. On the ground to the left precious human birth, imperma- into ‘the nature of mind’ - the pri- and right, delicate pink and white nence and death, karma and sam- mordial state, pure and self-per- BANGKOK bougainvillea shoots in earthen sara. fected, the mind of every individ- August 4 - 6 flowerpots elegantly adorned the We are human beings, inter- ual. The introduction to the nature platform. ested in the possibility of realiza- of mind is accomplished through JAPAN After Rinpoche’s arrival each tion. Therefore we must be mind- oral transmission, and the prac- August 10 - 14 day it took about ten minutes for ful of the preciousness and the tice known as ‘the four contem- (Tentative Retreat) the web cast to be connected to all of our human plations’. the centers. The quiet and spa - birth. It is easy to lose. Any Rinpoche then spoke about TAWAIN cious ‘time gap’ in the presence moment is always related to the tregchöd ( khregs chod) , one of August 18 – 22 of the Master felt like a great mind. In distraction we create the highest forms of relaxation, (Tentative Retreat) blessing. R inpoche o pened t he negative karma. We must be the essence of Dzogchen teachings by saying how impor- awake and mindful with this Upadesha teachings. Treg means SINGAPORE tant it is to enjoy life, to go to the occasion. ‘something bound’ like an object. August 25 – September 3 beach (in Tashigar Norte), not just We then take refuge in the With our mind, we bind our dual Longsal Ati’i Gongpa Ngotrod Retreat continued on page 24 Restricted Web Cast AUSTRALIA CONTENTS Caloundra Teaching: Chögyal Namkhai Norbu pgs 12 & 13 September 27 – October 1 Chögyal Santi Maha Sangha Longsal Yeshes Zangthal Namkhai Teacher’s Training Special Upadesha on All-Penetrating Wisdom Norbu Introductory Talk pg 3 Feature: Restricted Web Cast Public Talk New in Kiev, Ukrania Winter Gar in Crimea NAMGYALGAR pg 2 October 9 - 15 continued on page 3 Chögyal Namkhai Norbu

ood evening everybody. I asks is what you did and what you bad actions as negative, which am happy to be with you ate. The doctor is researching the also manifest dif ferent kinds of this evening and also to cause of the illness. For that rea- emotions. We are conditioned by Ghave the occasion to talk about son, the knowledge of karma that emotion and we produce neg- Dzogchen. Tonight I will intro- exists. So, that is The Second ative karma. We renounce the duce Dzogchen and what it is for. Noble Truth. emotions that cause the produc- Dzogchen is a very ancient teach- Then Buddha said it is not suf fi- tion of negativities. ing, not a religion, tradition or cient only to know there is a The way to stop karma is called philosophy. In particular in , cause. If there is a negative cause The Third Noble Truth, The Truth Dzogchen has developed in all you must stop it and if there is a of Cessation. Cessation means to Buddhist and pre-Buddhist tradi- positive cause you can increase stop. The Noble Truth of tions. Dzogchen is knowledge and develop it. In that way , you Suffering is like having some and understanding, and that will not create negative actions. physical problem and we know understanding is very useful. When we are distracted we pro- we have a problem. We research Dzogchen is a teaching that helps duce the potentiality of negative the cause of our problem. Maybe one discover ones real condition. karma. Potentiality means, for we cannot discover or know our- I am a practitioner and student of example, that if you have the selves. We go to a doctor and the that teaching. I teach people when seeds of flowers and you do not doctor asks questions, checks our they ask me what Dzogchen is. put them in the earth or add water, pulse, urine, etc., in order to dis- That doesn’ t mean that I am a the potentiality of the seeds cover what the problem is. That is missionary converting people to always remains. When there are like The Noble Truth of the this teaching. That is not the prin- secondary causes, like earth, air , Cause. Now the doctor gives us ciple of the teaching, but I know it light etc., then the seeds grow . In medicine and advice about our is very useful and when people the same way, we have many neg- attitude. He says our diet must be are interested, with my good ative potentialities. In our circum- this way. Then he says we should intention, I try to help them stance, when there are secondary take this medicine. We must fol - understand. That is what I have Rinpoche after Teachings in Crimea causes, the negative potentialities low the doctor and take the medi- done from when I began to teach manifest. We need to have knowl- cine. If we do not take the medi- until today; I try to help people edge and understanding to stop cine and we only know the infor- understand Dzogchen. negative potentialities from man- mation the doctor gave, it doesn’t In the real sense Dzogchen means Chögyal Namkhai Norbu ifesting. Understanding means help. So that is The Third Noble our real condition. The Dzogchen that if I have a seed of a poison Truth of Cessation. teaching means how we develop Public Talk on the Essence of and I put it in the earth, it will Buddha also explained The or discover our real condition and grow and produce more poison. I Fourth Noble Truth of the Path. how we develop that knowledge. Dzogchen Teaching know that poison is negative and One universal path does not exist. For that reason, for centuries, this therefore I don’ t put the seeds in All sentient beings, particularly in very ancient teaching developed. Kiev, Ukrainia the earth; maybe I even destroy the human condition, have differ- There are also many ancient May 30th, 2005 the seeds. If I don’ t know the ent conditions, capacities, desires, books that explain Dzogchen potentiality of poison is negative etc. A doctor does not give only teaching. If people are interested and I plant it and the plant grows one kind of universal medicine. in the teaching they should try to and later I discover it is negative, There are so many different kinds follow, study and learn from these bly know what and famous Buddhist teaching. The there is still the possibility of of medicines because the condi- books. In the real sense, we learn mean and the dif ference between are considered modifying the result. I can stop tion of the individual is not the and study in order to discover our them. You know that Buddha the base of all Buddhist teaching. the plant from growing. For same. For that reason, there are real condition. In Tibetan, lived in ancient and taught a The Buddha taught this when he example, if I don’ t give it any many dif ferent kinds of paths. Dzogchen means our real condi- teaching called Buddhism. first began to teach. The First of more water , it will not grow . In The Path of Sutra is for ordinary tion. Buddha physically taught this the Four Noble Truths is The that way , we work with our people who have less capacity . The Dzogchen teaching devel- teaching to ordinary people. That Truth of Suf fering. It doesn’ t awareness. There are many meth- The teaching corresponds to the oped in a country called kind of teaching is called Sutra. mean that suf fering is noble. ods used to purify , change or condition of the individual. Our in ancient times, in the Ordinary people have the capaci- There are all kinds of suf fering modify our negative karma. condition is composed of three original language of that region. ty to see, hear , and have contact for all sentient beings, but that Some people think karma is reg- principles. The first thing we have Today that region is the northern with the senses in a normal way . knowledge and understanding is istered and we pay for it. is our physical body; with our part of Pakistan. You may have A ‘normal way’ means if you noble knowledge. For example, Someone who has heavy prob- physical body we can understand heard of a famous country called want to see something you must no one likes to have suffering, but lems and thinks it is their karma something related to the material . That is primarily open your eyes. All our organs of we don’t know how to overcome feels there is nothing they can do. level. That physical body also has where the teaching senses are indispensable; if you it. If someone asks what to do That is a wrong idea. There is different kinds of ener gy levels. developed. Shambhala was also close your eyes you can’t see any- with suffering, our ordinary mind always the possibility to modify In the teaching, that is called in northern Pakistan and today thing and if you close your ears says that we should struggle with and change karma. This is mainly ‘voice’. Voice means that when I that country is Afghanistan. Many you can’ t hear anything. This is it. Buddha explained that is not related to our mind, our mind that speak with my voice, you hear . Western professors who have our ordinary capacity and Buddha solution. You can struggle all judges, thinks, and justifies Voice also means sound. Voice is done research through archaeolo- taught Sutra to ordinary people. your life with suf fering, but you everything. Good or bad. We produced with the breath. gy and history have confirmed Sutra is a word in the never win. Suf fering is only an know there are always all possi- Breathing is the life of the indi- this. Today all these countries are language that means the conclu- effect. When there is an ef fect, bilities. It is suf ficient that we vidual. For example, you inhale, Islamic countries. Also in ancient sion of an event. For example, there is also a cause. The value of know how we produce the poten- exhale, inhale and exhale contin- times most of central Asia was one day the king of Benaras invit- effect is only to learn or discover tiality of negative karma. It does- uously. When you exhale and no Buddhist; particularly places like ed Buddha to teach; the king and that cause exists and how it func- n’t mean that everything we do longer inhale there is no more Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, once others received that teaching. tions. If you discover that cause wrong becomes the potentiality life. Breath is related to our vital called Truja. Not only Buddhism Sometimes people asked ques- exists and you work with that, of karma. To become the poten - energy. Voice is the origin of all developed there, but a special tions regarding a specific ar gu- there is a possibility to overcome tiality of karma we need three manifestations from emptiness. Tantric Buddhist teaching. In ment and some asked more gen- suffering. conditions. First of all, we need to In Buddhism we always speak of Tantric Buddhism, there are two eral questions. Buddha gave a The Buddha explained The have intention. Then we need to emptiness or shunyata. That is very dif ferent methods. One is teaching and at the end, all the Second Noble Truth of the Cause. enter directly or indirectly into considered our real condition. For called Anuttaratantra in Sanskrit, students, including the king, were The Buddha explained cause and action. At the end if we are satis- example, we say dharmadhatu. which means Superior Tantra. satisfied. That is the end of the effect; how they are related and fied, at that moment the potential- Dharmadhatu means the real con- These are all Tantric event of that day. Later some stu- what in Sanskrit is called karma. ity is produced. If we have no dition of all phenomena is empti- teachings that developed in Tibet. dents of Buddha wrote down this Many Westerners think that intention but accidentally do ness. There is also dharmata in In Tibet we have four main event, which is called the Request karma is an oriental concept or something bad, it can’ t be the Sanskrit. Dharmata means that in schools. Tantric teachings devel - of the King of Benaras. This philosophy and Westerners don’t potentiality of bad karma. Of all phenomena there are many oped in all these schools and are a became the name of a Sutra. know what karma is. That is not course it’ s not positive. It is sentient beings and all sentient special characteristic of Tibetan Therefore you can understand true. Westerners know what always something negative, like a beings have their condition, their Buddhism. There are also that Sutra means the conclusion karma is; they just don’ t call it negative obstacle. We always nature. My nature, my condition, and Sutric of an event. All of Buddha’ s life karma. For example, Tibetans need to purify these kinds of is different from another person’s. teachings in . he was invited to give dif ferent know about karma from follow- obstacles, otherwise we accumu- It doesn’t mean a different way of Vajrayana, the Tantric teaching, kinds of teachings. All these ing Buddhism, but we don’t call it late more and more and at the end being, but it is what we call the governs all teachings in Tibet. teachings are called Sutra teach- karma. We call it le. When we say this becomes heavy. How we can personal condition. For example, There is another characteristic ings. These teachings are related le, we don’t think we don’t under- stop this? Buddha explained this if we need to increase our intelli- teaching called Anuyoga, but the more to normal capacity. Normal stand what karma is. For exam- in the Sutra teaching for ordinary gence we do the practice of way of following and applying capacity means that Buddha ple, Westerners know very well people. Dif ferent kinds of vows because even enlight- this teaching is slightly dif ferent. taught with his mouth in the that if there is a negative cause it exist so common people can con- ened beings, enlightened Transformation is the characteris- Indian language and the people produces something negative. It trol the body , ener gy and mind. Buddhas, have various qualifica- tic of the path, particularly in listened with their ears and heard is sufficient when we see a film, We take a vow and apply it. In tions. If we want to increase com- Vajrayana. that teaching. for example, or when we go to a that way, we don’t commit nega - passion, then we do the practice In Sutra teaching, the path is The Four Noble Truths is a doctor. The first thing the doctor tive karma. This is called the path of Avalokiteshvara. If we want to renunciation. Most of you proba- of renunciation. We consider all have prosperity for a long time, continued on the next page 2 Teaching ChNN continued from previous page we should do the practice of nature of the gold is the same, but Buddha Amitayus. It seems that the aspect has changed. People all enlightened beings have dif- throw dirty things inside an ash- ferent relative qualifications. In a tray, they do not pay respect, offer real sense all enlightened beings incense or flowers. have the same qualifications, but gave this exam- how the situation relates to their ple of the essence of gold. wisdoms, their qualifications, are This example means that we have different. For example, when a nature, just like gold has its Manjushri was on a path and he value. We need not renounce. was a , his connection They renounce in Sutra teaching to sentient beings related to intel- because they do not know the ligence. Manjushri created many value of the nature. In Vajrayana, wisdom aspects of intelligence. they know nature has value and For that reason, now that he has they transform it with the method total realization, he provides of transformation. We transform more function of wisdom related the root of our three emotions: with circumstance. Even if all ignorance, attachment and anger . enlightened beings have the same Our three emotions are consid- condition, the same nature, they ered the three root emotions. do not always become the same Ignorance doesn’ t mean we are Yantra First Level teachers demonstrate for Rinpoche M SALVATORE manifestation. In that way we can uneducated b ut m eans w e a re Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche understand the Path of missing the clarity of discovering Renunciation. and knowing our real nature. We Tashigar del Norte Then the Path of Transformation transform these three emotions Santi Maha Sangha Teacher’s Training is related more with our voice or with Vajrayana style initiations, Yantra Yoga levels I & II Dance Levels I & II energy level because that is how practices, etc, related with these November 25-29, 2005 the teaching developed. For three kinds of transformations: Introductory Talk practitioners; they fight and create so many tensions example, the famous initiation of peaceful, joyful and wrathful. By November 25, 2005 and problems among themselves. How we can pro- the Kalachakra is Vajrayana, a using these methods the practi- ceed in that way? You must think that when we say, Tantric teaching. We c an l earn tioner can succeed in transform- his retreat is called Santi Maha Sangha “Santi Maha Sangha Teacher’s Training”, a about it in history. The Kalachakra ing all impure vision into pure Teacher’s Training. This is more than a title; “teacher,” means someone who teaches others. is related to Buddha Shakyamuni. vision. This transformation is Santi Maha Sangha is not only the title of a Before you teach, you must have correct behavior It doesn’ t mean that Buddha related to the ener gy level of the Tbook or a teaching. Santi Maha Sangha means the yourself. You cannot teach if you do not do things in Shakyamuni taught in an ordinary individual. Dzogchen Community and we participate in it to the correct way. Maybe it is not so easy, but we must way in India. Buddha There is also the mind level. The become dedicated Santi Maha Sangha Dzogchen understand this very well. Shakyamuni was a human being characteristic teaching for the Community people. Everyone can participate in the In the Dzogchen Community there are many and therefore existed on the mate- mind level is called Dzogchen. Dzogchen Community and follow the teaching. places called Gars and Lings. The Gakyil is the rial level. Kalachakra is that man- Many people think the Dzogchen There are two distinct situations - if you follow the group responsible for these places made for ifestation; the manifestation called teaching is a transformation prac- teaching only superficially or more deeply. If you are Dzogchen Community practitioners. All these peo- Sambhogakaya. Sambhogakaya tice like Tantrism. The main really interested, then must you understand the func- ple should try to be correct; they should communi- means the dimension of the teaching of Dzogchen is not tion of the Dzogchen Community. This is particularly cate and collaborate with others in the correct way . wealth of all qualifications. That transformation. In Dzogchen we important to the people who participate in the Santi We must remember that all the teachings and trans- is something like the essence of don’t consider pure vision and Maha Sangha training. There are many people who mission received in the Dzogchen Community are all elements; the five colors. We impure vision and transform have done Santi Maha Sangha training but do not do received from me; there is a very strong connection can only see the material level so impure vision into pure vision. things according to the principles of the Community. between my students and myself. If there is a con- when there is this kind of mani- When we are in that knowledge, The benefit of continuing with Santi Maha crete connection, people must respect the teacher . festation of lights, ordinary peo- we are not in Dzogchen knowl- Sangha is a very simple thing. I say at each retreat, Respect is not only getting up when the teacher ple can’ t see it. When someone edge. So for that reason this char- “If you receive teaching, it is related with transmis- arrives. When we do something in the Community dissolves in their real nature, like acteristic path is called the path of sion.” That is why I take care of the Dzogchen related to the principle or the reason for the light, for us they disappear . Of self-liberation. Community. I not only have the responsibility of giv- Dzogchen Community, we must do so in the correct course, beings that develop more What does self-liberation mean ing the teaching, but also of taking care of that trans- way. capacity or increase their clarity and how we can self-liberate? We mission. I cannot leave the transmission in the street. Particularly this year in Kunsangar , the Gar of can have contact with these need an example called the sym- We do not know what will happen in the future; for Russia, there was a problem. I want to talk about this beings. Buddha manifested the bol transmission. In Dzogchen we that reason we also need a Dzogchen Community because there are many Russians here [in Margarita]. Kalachakra and transmitted that often use the symbol of the mir- and Sangha that work and collaborate to take care of There is no longer a possibility to do big retreat in knowledge. Since the Kalachakra ror. You don’t need a special mir- this transmission. Otherwise there is no way I can do Kunsangar. The two retreats held in that region late - is yab and yum, male and female ror or something in a particular it all myself. ly were in the Crimea. Before the second Crimean union, Buddha couldn’ t manifest form. You know very well how a We needed some kind of coordination after some retreat, I asked that we try to hold the retreat in that aspect because he was a mirror looks; in your house there years of teaching and many people became involved Moscow. I was told this was not possible, the author- monk. It is impossible physically, may be many mirrors. Even in the in the Dzogchen Community. We started by forming ities would not give permission, and so it is better we but the manifestation is another toilet you have mirrors. The mir- a Gakyil. The Gakyil is the reason that we have a do this retreat in Crimea. You know very well how aspect. The Buddha introduced ror is a very good example. When Dzogchen Community today . Where there is a the situation is. It is not suf ficient that because you the knowledge called the Path of you look in a mirror you see Dzogchen Community there is a Gakyil. Maybe are Russian the Gar must be in Russia. Some people Transformation with this mani- reflections. You know the reflec - everyone in the Dzogchen Community is not aware say that I don’t like to go to Kunsangar but I would festation. T ransformation means tion is not something real. It is an of Santi Maha Sangha, but the responsible people in like to continue in Kunsangar . This is a ridiculous the essence does not change, but example of what is unreal. This the Gakyil must do things in the correct way . It discussion. We know the problem very well. the aspect does. knowledge or understanding that seems that not many people are manifesting that Everything in Russia is getting worse and worse. If There is an example given by the reflection is unreal i s just an quality. Sometimes I really feel very tired. I think there is really any possibility , in two or three years Guru Padmasambhava, a very intellectual understanding, because what can I do, I have already given so many teach- things could develop. We should work with circum - famous and important teacher a mirror can never have a r eflec- ings, but there is no possibility to really take care. I stances and try to be aware. from Oddiyana who later arrived tion if there is nothing in front of always tell people, “When you receive the transmis- When we finished the retreat in the Crimea I in Tibet. Guru Padmasambhava it to reflect. The object or person sion, there is also something related to it called asked Igor Berkin to inform the Gakyil that we started to teach all the teachings in front of the mirror and the samaya commitments. Samaya is not only the com- should sell Kunsangar and try to buy something in of V ajrayana, including reflection are interdependent. We mitment between teacher and student, but also the Crimea. I asked Igor because he is a translator; Dzogchen teaching. From the consider that the reflection is between student and student. When you receive the after Igor informed the Gakyil they said the idea to beginning, Guru Padmasambhava unreal but what is real in our con- teaching together , you are connected by the Vajra sell Kunsangar was his idea. I said that it is better taught two kinds of Tantrism and dition is reflected in a mirror. For relationship.” I have repeated this thousands of that we try to sell Kunsangar before we have even he gave a very important example that reason it has no value. But times, but people don’ t care. They pretend to be more problems. At the same time, if there is some to help people understand what that is not the case for discovery transformation means. He said in the Path of Self-Liberation. continued on page 18 ChNN’s schedule continued from page 1 that if there is a small piece of Buddha explained in a Sutra gold, we all know that gold has teaching: “All phenomena are Jnana Dhakkini Teaching Retreat of Longsal November 24 – 26 value, and this gold is made into a just like reflections in a mirror .” Gomadevi Teaching in Sydney statue of Buddha, everybody sees The mirror can manifest as very (To be announced) a golden Buddha. People who fol- clear, pure, and limpid, but it is SANTI MAHA SANGHA low teaching of Buddha pay always interdependent with an October 24 -26 respect to this golden Buddha, to object. For that reason we enter Santi Maha Sangha 1st Level Exam ARGENTINA the statue, and of fer incense, into accepting, rejecting, likes October 27 - 31 December 8 – 19 flowers, etc. Later someone trans- and dislikes. How we can use that Santi Maha Sangha 2nd Level Training Buenos Aires Retreat forms this statue of Buddha, like as an example for self-liberation? (To be announced) during the Cultural Revolution, We must understand that the mir- November 10 – 17 and make a very nice golden ash- ror is a very good example of our- Nadjyang of Tawa Retreat December 26 – January 1 tray that is elegant that they can selves. The Main Points of the View Totally Beyond the Ati’i Gongpa Ngotrod use when there are very important We say that Dzogchen means our Conceptual Mind. Upadesha of the Introduction to the State of Ati meetings. They make an ashtray real condition. Dzogchen means Restricted Web Cast Restricted Web Cast and the gold has not changed, the the totally perfected state. That continued on page 4

T HE M IRROR N OV/DEC 2005 3 Teaching ChNN continued from page 3 IMPRESSIONS FROM THE GURU DRAGPHUR RETREAT is a box, a small box. Now I ask you to forget that. How can you WITH CHÖGYAL NAMKHAI NORBU means it has all potentiality . It forget that? You can’ t for get it IN SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL doesn’t mean there is everything, because you have a direct experi- that is impossible, but if there is October 15 - 19, 2005 ence. Experience through our dif- the potentiality of all when there ferent kinds of experiences is a by Jair Rodini Engracia are secondary causes everything method of teaching. The teacher can manifest. This is called introduces to the students, the stu- inpoche arrived on October 10 2005, in São his talks, in a certain moment, Rinpoche emphatical- Dzogchen. That is very similar to dents work together with the Paulo, Brazil. It was the first time I met him, ly defended His Holiness the Dalai [see article the mirror. The mirror has infinite teacher and then the students dis- so I was a little euphoric and anxious. The by Raimondo Bultrini on page ] against the attacks potentiality of manifesting differ- cover their real nature. When you Rthirty-minute wait seemed to be an eternity, but then and criticism that he has received from diver gent ent kinds of reflections. In order have discovered your real nature, he finally arrived — impassive but humble, majestic groups that, inside Tibetan Buddhism, promote sec- for the mirror to reflect, you don’t there is the possibility that you and imposing, and smiling sweetly upon meeting us. tarianism and the Gyalpo cult. Since one of these need to put any kind of program have this experience again and Rinpoche and Fabio seemed to love the beautiful groups has a strong presence in Brazil, his declara- inside. You know , for example, again. You try to be in that expe- plate with tropical fruits prepared by Heloísa and tions caused considerable impact. that for things to appear in a com- rience and that is called the prac- Monica for Rinpoche’s hotel room. I felt immensely Rinpoche also transmitted the marvelous puter, we first need to put in a tice of Dzogchen. privileged and became quiet and reverent, enjoying Upadesha, Yeshe Zangthal, from his Longsal cycle. program. The mirror already has All your existences: body , voice, the magical moment of helping Rinpoche settle in. Many people could meet the master and receive that potentiality. For example, if and mind, everything — all these October 12th is a holiday in Brazil, the day of Our transmission for the first time. Everyone could see you go in front of the mirror , at are related to our mind; at the Lady “Aparecida”. To avoid the over -crowded that the older students were also amazed with the the moment you stand in front of mind level. Everything at the restaurants, we had lunch at Otavio’ s home. depth and clarity of his instructions. the mirror , your figure appears level of mind is just like the Rinpoche asked us about and listened attentively to On the third day of the retreat, I had a fantastic perfectly. It is your color , your reflection in a mirror. It has value the history of the “Brazilian Madonna”. He then personal experience. Just after the morning talk, I size, y our f orm - e verything. or use for discovering the nature explained about the Real Madonna, the ancestral was taken by Catherine Braud, from ASIA, to talk Instantly everything is appears. of the potentiality of mirror . Of , much more ancient than Maria or the icono- with Rinpoche a little. I noticed that in that moment This figure is not developing course, it is not the real nature of graphic Tibetan Tara, biographed as a princess. The he was dif ferent; there was a subtle sublimation in slowly and then becoming com- the mirror . The mind and the real Tara is Prajna-Paramita, the Mother of the his gestures, in his smile and in his words. It seemed plete. Everybody has that kind of nature of mind or your primordial Buddhas, he said. to me that he was overflowing with compassion. I potentiality called primordial potentiality are different. You say October 14th was the day of the Public Talk that had to take the subway soon after the meeting. Inside potentiality. It is not something there is no relationship between would open the retreat in São Paulo. There were two the subway wagon, among an intense flux of people, developed by people who follow these two things, they are totally hundred-fifty places, and all were taken. As soon as I suddenly felt an enormous love for all the suffering the teaching and do practice; it is different, but that is dif ficult to Rinpoche was seated, I shot several pictures hoping people, and I thought that these are my people and not that way . We all have that say. For that reason, when you for a tigle to appear in one of them, as in the picture why had I never before felt that way about them? potentiality in our real nature practice, all your existences of shown on Norbunet that had been taken in Hungary Only a few hours later I understood that, although from the beginning. body, voice, mind, everything, in May. only for some brief instant, I had tasted the trans- In Dzogchen the teacher intro- integrates in your real nature. You There were Brazilians from all the regions of the forming power of the Master. duces you and with the oral trans- increase that capacity day after country among the participants, besides a surprising The last day of the retreat was October 19th. mission makes you understand. day. That is called Dzogchen variety of practitioners from other countries: Italians, That day was my birthday – sixty-three years. I had The teacher explains what your practice. This is more or less what Argentines, French, Hungarian and even a young received transmission for the first time only three potentiality means and how your self-liberation is. The knowledge Ukrainian couple. As special guests, there were years before, lovingly guided by Muriella. Now , at potentiality looks by using the of self-liberation is very impor- Lama Samten, Nyingmapa; Lama Rinchen, the end of the retreat, I didn’ t feel as a newcomer example of the mirror . Through tant. It is important to become a Sakyapa; Nun Tenzin, Kagyupa, besides several anymore. I felt accepted by Rinpoche and I also felt this introduction you can have an practitioner or follower of a kind other writers and Dharma teachers. that my heart had opened and that I had completely idea, but to have only an idea is of teaching. We all live in this The theme of the retreat was Guru Dragphur. In accepted the Master. not suf ficient. In the Dzogchen dualistic condition in samsara and way you must discover that. The have so many problems. We have principle in Dzogchen is not that problems because we have dual- you have blind faith. Some peo- istic vision and we are always ple say, “Oh, I only believe my charging. We are thinking that teacher, my teacher said that is so, this and that are important - this is so it must be.” You can believe in how life is. So day after day we RAINING THE DHARMA While Rinpoche was teaching, ground and cultural heritage of that way, but if you remain that increase our tensions. We have THE LONGSAL the sky apparently decided to fol- the area when a sudden power - way, later you may discover that more attachment, more fear , and JNANADHAKKINI low his example of generosity; failure left us all in the dark, but is not real. Until you discover for more problems when we develop RETREAT for almost the entire length of the didn’t seem to bother the amplifi- yourself, you can always create and become richer and richer in AT TASHIGAR NORTE, retreat it opened all its gates and cation equipment, to the great and change. For that reason in the the accumulation of tensions. For MARGARITA let liquid blessings pour down delight of Igor, who joyously con- Dzogchen teaching, it is most that reason it is important that we DECEMBER 2 – 8, 2005 that were joyfully received by all tinued his explanations. Rinpoche important for us to discover . Of really understand how our condi- the plants and probably a little said this was an auspicious sign course, we can’ t discover easily , tion is. We try to be present. We by Jan Boehm less by all those who had chosen that the project will eventually be that’s why we need the Dzogchen try to not to always be distracted, to stay at the Gar ’s campsite or successful despite all odds. teaching, transmission, and a because if we are not distracted bout two-hundred fifty had hoped to spend some sunny As usual, the last day of the teacher. The teacher informs you then there is the possibility to be fortunate individuals hours at the beach. (I didn’ t hear retreat arrived surprisingly soon of what you should do and how in our real nature. That is a very found their way from over anyone complain though, afte r with Rinpoche giving transmis- you can get in that knowledge. important practice. Atwenty dif ferent countries all all, the light that was transmitted sion of lung and advice on how to You collaborate with the teacher In t he M ahayana t eaching w e around the globe to participate in to us was hopefully absorbed in a integrate the practice in daily life. and then there is the possibility concentrate on compassion. the Longsal Jnanadhakkini more profound way than ordinary Rinpoche repe atedly stated the you can discover. Compassion is considered very Retreat at Tashigar Norte, Mar - sunlight and had a more gratify- priority of Guruyoga as the Buddha taught the state of shuny- important in Mahayana, but still garita, and receive the teaching ing effect than a nice tan.) “number one most important ata, which represents the Great more important is that we observe and practice of Gomadevi that our As the retreat continued, practice” and also spoke about the Mother, in a Sutra teaching. How our intention. There is a teaching precious Master Chogyal Rinpoche repeatedly stressed the importance of the practice of the we can understand the Great that says if we have good inten- Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche was importance of cooperation among night as a way of preparing one- Mother? No one can explain that tion, then our realization and generously willing to give from the members of our Community self for the moment of death and in language, so a description does everything is good. Of course, if December 2 - 8, 2005. as a means of keeping samaya gave a dvice o n h ow t o d o a not exist. It is also the same in our intention is the contrary , then Since the retreat was attended and addressed the great number Nyingthig retreat in order to Tantrism when we try and everything is bad. If we are not almost exclusively by people who of Russian speaking Vajra broth- deepen this particular practice. explain our real nature. If there is distracted, then we discover . had already received transmis- ers and sisters, using the opportu- The end of the retreat auspi- no possibility to explain, what do When we discover that we have a sion, Rinpoche decided to begin nity to explain the situation in ciously coincided with our we do? Why do we follow the bad intention, we change. In the with a Guruyoga and then contin- Russia as an example of how the Master’s birthday and after the teaching? It doesn’t mean there is place of bad intention we culti- ue with a summary of the origins Community should try to work teaching session finished, Sonam, no possibility to get in the knowl- vate good intention. This is the of the dif ferent series of with circumstances. [see page12] a Tibetan singer and songwriter , edge. That possibility always real essence of cultivating Dzogchen teachings (Semde, On the penultimate day of the presented a beautiful song she exists. That possibility is related Bodhicitta. Otherwise, if we are Longde, Mennagde) and retreat, after the Ganapuja, Igor had composed especially for the to our ordinary condition. For distracted with bad intention we explained the context of the Berkin presented the project for occasion. The celebration was example, how did we learn so enter directly or indirectly into an Longsal Cycle as mainly related the new Gar in Crimea [see page continued in the afternoon when many things in our lives? We action and we commit negative to the teachings he has received 12], which according to many dif ferent members of the basically know very well that we karma. So you see, this is also a through his dreams. Rinpoche’s vision, could serve Community expressed their joy learn everything through experi- very simple practice. Everybody One hundred and fifty of us both as an alternative to and gratitude through song and ence. Sometimes people say: can do this practice. It helps were especially delighted to be Kunsangar and a Winter Gar for dance as well as through the “Oh, this is this, and that is that”. everybody. able to receive the root initiation Merigar. Rinpoche pointed out of gifts. The day ended We receive a lot of information. In any case, two things are very of Longsal, which took place on that both Merigar and the pro- with everybody eating and drink- Until we have a personal experi- important: one is not to be dis- the 2nd and 3rd day of the retreat posed site in the Crimea are situ- ing together with Rinpoche and ence, we do not really believe. tracted and to try to be aware in in groups of seventy-five (the first ated exactly on the same latitude. Rosa at the Gar ’s “comedor” and When we have a personal experi- our lifetime. It is much better if of which was entirely Russian Igor described the land and its despite the multitude of lan- ence, we discover. When we dis- you do not practice that you are speaking) while the remaining surroundings that was found in guages being spoken, it was easy cover, there is nothing to change. not distracted in worldly situa- part of the Community had the the most colorful words, not hesi- to understand the heartfelt wish of Even if we want to cancel, elimi- tions; with your presence you dis- opportunity to learn and do the tating to praise its qualities. He everyone present: “May the lotus nate, or change our experience, cover tensions. In that moment practice of Gomadevi, led skill- went to give a most enjoyable feet of our master remain firmly we can’ t do it. For example, I you relax. Sometimes people say: fully by Adriano Clemente. account of the historical back- on the earth!” show you this box. You see, this “Yes, I know , relaxation is very continued on next page 4 Teaching continued from previous page tions, I can answer them. important. But I have so many A Talk by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu problems, I can’ t relax.” That is Can you please ‘show’Dzogchen? After Awarding the Teacher’s Training Diplomas true. But why can’t you relax and How can I ‘show’ Dzogchen November 29, 2005 – afternoon why do you think you have so when even Buddha couldn’t? many problems? It means you give too much importance to What spiritual person is consid- “The Dzogchen Community is your for- you should learn this one small book well that I pre- everything. In this case, you ered the most impor tant in your tune, my fortune and our fortune.” pared for each level of Santi Maha Sangha training, should remember the teaching of teaching? starting with the Base, First and Second Levels. If Buddha. Buddha taught that Historically speaking, the he Dzogchen Community must not disappear you learn this very well, then you can also understand everything is unreal and he taught Dzogchen teaching is a very from this world. As long as I am alive the Com- why I have asked the first question. this also in Sutra. Nothing exists ancient teaching. Early in dif fer- munity will continue, but I hope it does not dis- I am very sorry not to accept all of the eight people that is real. Everything is just like ent epochs, before Buddha Tappear when I do. There has been progress and not who presented themselves. I have the very serious a dream. You can have good Shakyamuni, there were twelve everything in the Community is negative. There are responsibility of maintaining the knowledge of the dream but you can also have a teachers who taught Dzogchen many good things; I cannot say everything is either teaching and therefore participants must present bad dream. At the moment you teachings. After many thousands themselves seriously. That are dreaming you feel it is real and thousands of years, the situa- means participants should and important. For example, you tion changed; it did not always be very well prepared and have a very good dream. You remain that way . What remained feel it is important, then you dream you won the lottery . You were some oral teachings. Oral can present yourselves. I discover that you won and you teaching means there were no would like to ask, particular- think, where is my ticket? You books, only a few words that ly for the future, that anyone find the ticket. Then you think, became a key to this knowledge. who wants to present this now I am going to collect the Oral teachings were the only Teacher Training, the Base, money. You go to the place to col- teachings that remained in the First or Second Level, pre- lect the money, but when you get time of Buddha Shakyamuni. pares well. If you are not closer, you wake up. Then you Dzogchen books did not exist. prepared well, or are not feel sad. You think that was only Buddha Shakyamuni gave advice sure of yourself, please a dream! That means you know for the future saying there will be don’t present. It is very sad the dream is unreal. That is why a teacher who teaches beyond for me and for you. I am not you are unhappy. Sometimes it is cause and effect. Some traditions happy when someone pre- the contrary. You have a very bad like Hinayana, Sutra teaching, sents and does not pass. If dream and someone is killing you consider the teaching of Buddha someone doesn’ t present and already killed many of your only what Buddha physically him or herself, there is no friends. There is no possibility to taught. In Vajrayana there are Vajra Dance SMS Teachers M SALVATORE problem, but if someone escape. Now that person is killing many different explanations. The negative or positive. That is the nature of the world does present him or herself and is not prepared, it you and you wake up! You dis- teaching of Buddha is not only and our human condition. explained that may appear that I am very severe. cover it was a dream. Then you what Buddha taught physically . where there is tashima, good fortune, there is also na- are happy. That was just a dream. In Tibetan what Buddha taught nagma, a black nose or bad fortune. Where there is [Rinpoche gives the diplomas to the thr ee of eight You see, when we are dreaming, with his mouth is called [zhal nas fortune, there is also misfortune. participants one by one.] in that moment we feel it is real. gsungs pa’i bka’ ] shal ne sung In the Dzogchen teaching we try to When we wake up, we discover pai ka . The teaching [rjes su be aware and do our best. This is we were dreaming. gnang ba’i bka’] jes su nang wa’i what we apply , but not only Buddha said, “Life is big dream”. ka exists and means that Buddha through words. It must be some- It is not a big dream like dreams gave his permission and it thing concrete. For that reason I in the night; with dreams in the became the teaching of Buddha. am not satisfied with the answers night after some hours we wake That is the famous Sutra we have of the first questions [In the Santi up and we discover we were in Mahayana. It is called the Maha Sangha First Level Teacher dreaming. A big dream means we Prajnaparamitahridaya, the Training, the first question was sleep many times, we wake up essence of . In the related to the Dzogchen many times, and continue this film, “Little Buddha”, someone is Community.] It seems only the way all of our confused lives. In chanting: “There are no eyes, second question [related to the the end, we die. there are no ears, there is no nose, Santi Maha Sangha text] was con- When we die we are in the state there is no path, there is no wis- sidered important. The answer to of the . Some people don’ t dom.” This is the essence of the second question is explained immediately discover that they Sutra. Of course the very precisely in the First Level Prajnaparamitahridaya is consid- are in the Bardo. They don’t dis- book and you can find the answers Santi Maha SanghaTeachers from left to right: Elio Guarisco, Jim Valby and M SALVATORE cover it because they have very ered to be the words of Buddha. to all the questions there. Igor Berkhin strong attachments. Later , day In a real sense, there is not one Most of the participants did not reply to what was after day, that attachment dimin- single word of Buddha taught by asked and did not touch upon the ar gument. It seems This is the fruit of our Santi Maha Sangha Teacher’s ishes. In Tibet, for example, when the mouth of Buddha in this there was a lot of invention and comparison of ar gu- Training. We should try to do our best for the future. someone has died, we do a puja Sutra. Buddha is present and in ments, for example, the comparison of Dzogchen to I consider Santi Maha Sangha Teacher’s Training and purification for seven weeks. front of him there is Sutra or Tantra. I did not ask that and therefore I am something serious and important. You know that We consider that each week there Avalokiteshvara and Shariputra, not satisfied. For example, when I asked what the there are many Dzogchen Community places and is a process of dying. That means his two students. Shariputra asks point of view is, I did not ask what the method of people in this world; these places are not only related that after one, two, or three Avalokiteshvara and to the principle of or ganiza- weeks, attachment diminishes, Avalokiteshvara replies. Another tion, but to the principle of the and after some weeks we discov- kind of teaching of Buddha called teaching and knowledge. It is er that we are in the Bardo. [byin gyis brlabs pa’i bka’] chin very important. We are getting Finally we discover that our long gyi lab pai ka means that Buddha older everyday and even after lives were a big dream. Until then empowers something and from one day it seems we are we did not have that knowledge. the empowered object comes the already a little older . Time We need to have a little confi- teaching of Buddha. For example, goes ahead. We are very fortu- dence with the teaching and then Buddha empowers a big drum, nate that we are practitioners we wouldn’t have so many prob- and when the big drum sounds, a and as we get older we have a lems or confusions because we teaching comes out. This is a path. We have the special path could free all our tensions. It is Sutra. There are many kinds of of Dzogchen; we have knowl- very important to know that prin- these . The objects are edge, we receive transmission, ciple. Some people say , “I can’ t empowered, Buddha is not teach- so we know how to apply and relax, what do I do?” You remem- ing. Another way is that Buddha integrate with it. We are not ber what Buddha said and gain a gives a prophecy and says for the too worried about getting old. little confidence. You can discov- future there will be someone giv- In this world there are many er, not necessarily that you are in ing teaching. In that way, Buddha people getting old who only the Bardo, but you can discover prophesized a teacher called Yantra Yoga SMS Teachers M SALVATORE wait for death. That is not nice. the effect in this life. You can feel Garab Dorje around three hun- One of the most important lighter, that you have fewer prob- dred years after Buddha meditation is. If I ask the point of view and its appli- aspects for Dzogchen Community people is the lems, and nothing is very impor- Shakyamuni. Garab Dorje taught cation, then you should explain that. You do not need Dzogchen Community. The Dzogchen Community is tant. That is very useful in our all the Dzogchen teachings we to explain how we do practice in Dzogchen. your fortune, my fortune and our fortune. We know lifetime. now have. In this moment in the is Mahayoga. Anuyoga is Anuyoga. that, we take care of it and we do our best. You can So t his i s m ore o r l ess w hat human condition, Garab Dorje is It is another question if you are only doing Santi reflect a little on how important the Dzogchen Dzogchen means and how useful more important. Maha Sangha training to develop and have more Community is for the continuation of the teaching it is for sentient beings. If you are knowledge and more background of the teaching. and particularly for future generations. We do our interested you should follow the When you say Shambala do you That is a dif ferent circumstance. Here you are pre- best and proceed in that way. Dzogchen teaching and learn the mean such country as Russia, senting “Teacher’s Training.” That means you want methods. It is not suf ficient to Ukraine, Tibet or is it something to be teacher. You should think about that a little. If Transcribed by Anastasia McGhee and Carisa O’Kelly only hear an introduction to different in some spiritual dimen - you want to be a teacher , you must be prepared. You Edited by Naomi Zeitz understand the principle of sion? don’t have to study many volumes of texts like in Dzogchen. This is what I want to Physically Shambala is Tibet and go deeply into the knowledge, but at least say. Now if you have some ques- continued on page 7

T HE M IRROR N OV/DEC 2005 5 ASIA NEWS LONG DISTANCE SPONSORSHIP PROJECTS Sponsor Regulations Duration terparts, usually the education director of the visa. The guideline of fered by A.S.I.A. in In general the assistance ends with the com- institute or monastery or nunnery, who indi- assistance policy does not encourage bring - cate the cases in need of help on the basis of ing to Europe or the U.S. persons (especial- What is Long-Distance Sponsorship? pletion of the supported activity , for exam- ple at the end of the distant adopted child’ s general criteria provided for by the project ly if very young) whose totally different cul- Long-distance Sponsorship or simply education. To this end A.S.I.A. asks the and of their knowledge of the local situation; ture could conflict with the western lifestyle Sponsorship is a conventional term used to sponsors for a commitment of at least three furthermore they conduct the correspon- and cause problems of various kinds. indicate a kind of solidarity , very wide- years and of six month’ s notice before ter- dence between sponsor and sponsored and spread nowadays, whose aim is to help the mination of the sponsorship. undertake the management and distribution How to start a long distance sponsorship most needy children, families, schools, vil- of the economic assistance according to To start a long-distance sponsorship it is suf- lages and communities to overcome Termination agreements made and the aims of the pro- ficient to make payment of the annual or bi- moments of dif ficulty and to acquire abili - ject. Money is rarely if ever paid directly to annual (every 6 months) amount by bank ties and means for self-development. Other A sponsor wishing to terminate the sponsor- the child or family , as it would prove dif fi- transfer or check, clearly indicating the terms are also used for this kind of solidari- ship should give A.S.I.A. six months’notice, cult to monitor its actual use. The referent name and addr ess of you, the sponsor and ty: adoption at a distance, distant solidarity , that is at the time of the last payment they agent then sends the account report of the specifying in the reason for payment Long distant support, distant moral adoption, intend to make, to enable the Association to management of the funds to A.S.I.A., which Distance Sponsorship Project. It is also nec- entrustment, ‘godparents’, grant, etc. find another person to continue the sponsor- constantly corroborates operations also by essary to complete and return to A.S.I.A. the However it is called, its characteristic fea- ship. In the case that no notice is given means of annual monitoring missions. Registration Form. ture is that assistance is taken to the country A.S.I.A. continues to regularly send the of the person being helped without their contribution to the assisted parties in order In the U.S: having to leave their family or social and to avoid that the children should under go cultural surroundings, thereby sustaining the the setback of having their studies inter- BY POST: Make checks out to development of the local community where rupted. However this weighs heavily on “ASIA-USA” – Memo: they live. A.SI.A.’s budget and we wish to avoid Adoption At a Distance Project It does not consist only of financial assis- this situation as much as possible. – P.O. Box 124, Conway , MA tance but also requires active and responsi- 01341-0124, USA ble engagement on the part of the sponsor . Economic commitment BANK TRANSFER: direct That is why a moral rather than a legal com- The annual contribution requested deposit in the name of “ASIA- mitment is asked for , meaning that the amounts to a total of US$360 per year , USA” – Memo: Adoption At a choice of solidarity is stronger and more that is US$30 per month, to sponsor a pri- Distance Project – Bank of binding than any contract. mary school-aged child (US$470 per year Western Massachusetts, 45 to sponsor a student in higher education, Federal Street, Greenfield, MA Long-distance Sponsorship Pr ojects by and US$250 per year to sponsor a monk 01301, USA, Account A.S.I.A in Galenteng or Simda Gonpas). #1236141502, Routing #011802488. A.S.I.A.’s commitment to the preservation of the traditional In Europe: cultures of ethnic minorities is actualized not only through BY POST: C/c postale n. various development projects 78687001 made out to “A.S.I.A. in education and in the conser- Onlus” Sponsorship Project – vation of the Tibetan cultural Via S. Martino della Battaglia 31, 00185 Roma (Italy). heritage but also through long- PHOTOS BY ROMAIN PIRO distance sponsorships of the BANK TRANSFER: Monte dei poorest T ibetan childr en and Correspondence Paschi di Siena S.p.a. Filiale di Arcidosso refugees in T ibet, India and In long-distance sponsorships (GR) Italy. CAB 72160 ABI 01030 Conto . there is an exchange of letters and n. 5622.72 made out to “A.S.I.A. Onlus” photographs between the spon- Sponsorship Project – Via S. Martino della Why Tibet? sored person and the sponsor that Battaglia 31, 00185 Roma (Italy). After receipt of funds have been confirmed Currently the development often leads to a deep and gratify- by A.S.I.A, we’ll send you formal notifica- level of Tibet is extremely low: ing personal relationship. The let- tion of the sponsorship, assign a the United Nation’ s Human ters, written in English, should be Sponsorship Code, send the sponsor the per- Development Index ranks sent to the local agent, whose sonal form of the adopted person, receipt for Tibet as the 153rd out of a total details are provided at the start of the payment and all relative material, and number of 160 nations, the sponsorship. It is always nec- finally, communicate to the local agent the between Chad and Djibouti. essary to clearly specify one’ s What we do with your contribution details of the sponsor and of the start of the The per-capita income in 1990 was US$80 name and Sponsor Code as well as the name long-distance sponsorship. and the average life expectancy was 40 The annual Long-Distance Sponsorship and Roll Number of the adopted person, years (the lowest index in the world). payment is thus divided: which are also provided by A.S.I.A. at the Adjustments Since the Chinese occupation in 1950 about 80% are sent to the local counterparts to start of the long-distance sponsorship. The 135,000 Tibetans have been forced into cover education fees, the children’ s board frequency o f t he c orrespondence v aries Long-distance sponsorship can start at any exile in India, Nepal and Bhutan. Still today and lodging at school or monks’ and nuns’ according to the type of the project, local time of the year , however for reasons of many Tibetans are fleeing their country , lodging at the monastery or nunnery , med- social conditions and the workload of the administrative clarity and precision it has between 300 and 350 each month according ical assistance expenses or residence of the local agent often working without adequate been decided to unify the deadline dates of to the assessment of the Tibetan Central elderly at an old peoples’ home; 10% for technical means. There are also various dif - all the sponsorships. Thus whoever is start - Administration, undertaking a crippling two partial coverage of management costs such ficulties to overcome, due mostly to lan- ing sponsorship at a time dif ferent from the month journey on foot across the as postal, fax, telephone, email, stationery , guage, cultural, social and economic dif fer- months established for payment (June and . Some families entrust their chil- personal and of fice rental expenses, etc; ences, as well as to distance and at times to December) has two choices: 1.) to pay the dren to those seeking exile, and in fact over 10% for a Common Fund to feed a caution the inefficiency of the local postal service. sum needed to cover the whole semester or 50% of the refugees are under 25 years old. fund set up to contribute to the covering of 2.) to level the adjustment for the year , that unpaid payments until an alternative spon- is for the number of months remaining until Goals sor is found. Gifts the set deadline. For example, someone starting a sponsorship in March who has In the Tibetan settlements in India and Nepal It is advised to restrict the sending of gifts The Common Fund decided to make 2 six-month installments long-distance sponsorships aim at the main- and to select the kinds of gifts sent, for will have to level the months of April, May tenance of children and young monks and As well as covering unpaid payments the example by choosing group games, so as not and June: US$30 x 4 months = US$120, and nuns at their studies, in general from pre- Common Fund is also utilized to contribute to create situations of inequality among the from June will be able to pay regularly school age to post-university, as well as the to the costs incurred by the annual missions distant adopted persons or to create exces- according to the deadlines. Should they assistance of old people who are alone. In to monitor progress of the ventures in the sive expectations with regard to a distant instead decide to pay annually then they the schools and monasteries of the most countries where the sponsorship projects are unknown ‘godparent’ or ‘benefactor’ whose should level the months remaining until remote regions of Tibet, support aims to under way. The Common Fund can also be standard of living is very different from that December: US$30 x 10 months = US$300. guarantee access for all children, in particu- fed by remittances sponsors may choose to of the adopted person. In general it is advis- lar the children of nomads, to competent make by means of specific payments or by able to send presents and gift packs, also basic education, and to preserve the ancient supplementing their contributions. At the when these are specifically requested, in Subsequent payments Tibetan culture through supporting monks end of the year any residual funds in the agreement with the local agent, and also to and nuns studying at the monasteries and Common Fund will be aggregated in the evaluate the possibility of assigning to the In subsequent payments it is necessary to nunneries. The preservation of the culture, balance sheet as donations to A.S.I.A. and agent the purchase of gifts locally. indicate the Sponsor Code, especially if the language and traditions of Tibet is, in fact, utilized for the partial financing of one of the person making the payment is not the spon the key to maintaining the cultural and micro-projects in the Tibetan settlements in Journeys sor. national identity of the people and to guar- India and Nepal or in one of the education Obviously travel to India or Nepal to meet antee the prospect of economic and social development projects realized in Tibet. the distant adopted persons is welcome, and Method of payments development that could emancipate them A.S.I.A. is available to offer pertinent advice Payments should be made with fixed dead- from conditions of extreme poverty and illit- Local Project Management and suggestions. It is more difficult, howev- lines on the basis of two choices: eracy. For management in loco A.S.I.A. relies on er, to invite the adopted person to one’s own Two six-month payments of US$180 to be local institutions and makes use of the col- home country, and this is not only due to the made by 30 June and 31 December; One laboration of referent agents or local coun- difficulty of obtaining a passport and exit single annual payment of US$360 to be continued on page 23 6 ChNN teaching from page 5 know what the condition is. If we KA-TER TRANSLATION PROJECT What is the differ ence between know how the condition is, we A Message from Oliver Leick Afghanistan. After Islam con- Dzogchen and ? can do our best. It is not necessary quered Shambala, all the Zen is a Sutra teaching. that we wait for something to Buddhist practitioners were killed Dzogchen is self-liberation. happen. In any case, always being HOW TO HELP AND HAVE THE POSSIBILITY TO OWN ONE and eliminated. For centuries no present is very important! OF THREE BEAUTIFUL STATUES, GREEN TARA, GARAB one knew the history of What do you think about astral DORJE or DORJE LEGPA Shambala, but Shambala is the traveling? How are you going to manifest in source of very important teach- Astral traveling? I enjoy that. the next lifetime? Hello everybody, GARAB DORJE STATUE ings. This place is related to the (applause) There are words of Buddha in a For a donation of minimum of transmission and teaching. For Sutra: What you did in your past I want to thank all donors who 1000 Euro, you will get an that reason, for practitioners, What is the r elationship of life you can see in your present have supported to activities of the incredible statue of Garab Dorje. Shambhala still exists in a pure Dzogchen teaching to the sense of body. To know how you will be in Ka-ter Translation Project up to It is fully gold plated, is 13 inches dimension and that pure dimen- humor? the future, you examine your pre- now. Without this help, we would or 33 cm high and 9 inches or sion is more related with a per- You mean why do some sent actions. You concentrate on it not be able to go ahead with our 23,5 cm wide. There is only one sonal condition, not geographi- laugh, for example? There is no a little and you will understand. work on the translations of statue available, so the first one cally. That is the same for particular relationship. It is a way Dzogchen and on the will get this statue. Please have a Oddiyana and Truja. of manifesting your feelings. You How many people in the world Training for Translators from look at the statue at our website: have a physical body , why practice Dzogchen and how many Tibetan. Elio Guarisco, Adriano http://www.ssi-austria.at/ssi- What is common to and the differ- shouldn’t expressions manifest? of them got enlightened in the last Clemente and Jim Valby are con- engl/shop-engl-garabdorje.htm ence between the of fifty years? tinuing their translation work on Dzogchen that you ar e teaching Are you going to realize the body I have no any idea how many the Dzogchen Tantras in DORJE LEGPA STATUE and what the teach- of light in this lifetime? people are practicing Dzogchen December 2005 and also in We also have a wonderful statue es? I do not have any kind of hope. I or how many people got enlight- February/March 2006 in of Dorje Legpa. It is 14,5 inch or I don’t know the dif ference. The am just trying to be in that knowl- ened. That is not my interest. My Margarita. Due to their effort and 35,5 cm high and 1 1 inch or 27 Dzogchen that I teach is related to edge. interest is that when I see people dedication to translate sacred cm wide. It is excellently carved my transmission and my under- are interested, I do my best. I Tibetan texts into English, we and has a gold plated face. If you standing. Is it really possible to give dir ect already told you that I am not will soon have the possibility to donate a minimum of 750 Euro introduction into Dzogchen by interested in converting anyone. read these Tantras in our own lan- for the Ka-ter Translation Project, What is the enlightened mind? video, does such a transmission guages. you will receive this statue of Enlightened mind is our primor- really exist? Which difficulties can a person Dorje Legpa. We only have one dial potentiality. You can’t receive direct introduc- have who didn’ t r eceive dir ect If you would like to support this of these excellent statues. Please tion of any kind by video. I pre- introduction fr om a teacher , but important work, we have three have a look at the statue at our What is the practice of your pared these video transmissions only studied Dzogchen fr om very special offers for you: website: teaching? for people who are interested to books? http://www.ssi-austria.at/ssi- My teaching practice is that first receive transmission because If you had a very high level of GREEN TARA STATUE engl/shop-engl-dorjelegpa.htm of all you try to understand that people who are interested cannot experience of the Dzogchen If you send us a donation of a everything is unreal, you don’ t always come to me and I am not teaching in a past life and you minimum of 555 Euro, you will In case you appreciate our work give very much importance to able to go everywhere. So three read books about it, maybe you receive a fantastic statue of Green but you don’t want to get a statue, things, and you try to be aware. times a year on three days, like can wake up, but that is very dif- Tara. We only have three statues you can also make an online Practicing Dzogchen means that the anniversary of Garab Dorje, ficult. It is something like win- in stock, so the first three people donation with your credit card. you try to be in the real knowl- we use two videos. The first video ning the lottery. That is why you who want to donate at least 555 Please visit our web safe site: edge and through that you know explains how you should follow . always need transmission, teach- Euro will get a statue of Green https://ssl13.inode.at/ssi-aus- how to get in that state and in When the time arrives, the very ers, etc. Tara. The statue is 8,5 inch or 21 tria.at/creditcardoffering.htm order to do that you need the precise moment, you can use this cm high and 6,5 inch or 16 cm teaching and a teacher. video and receive the transmis- What ar e the main qualities of wide. It is fully gold plated and Thank you for your attention. sion. You do not receive it only by manifestation of Dzogchen? weights about 1,5 kilo. Please Very best wishes, Is your teaching mor e ancient video, but at the same moment I Being aware. That is the best have a look at the statue at our than the teaching of Bön? give the transmission wherever I manifestation. website: Oliver F. Leick Dzogchen is much more ancient. am. http://www.ssi-austria.at/ssi- Shang-Shung Institute Austria Which type of Western mind does engl/shop-engl-tara.htm www.ssi-austria.at When a human dies, can he be When we sleep, wher e does our Dzogchen attract? reborn only as a human or also as awareness go? I don’ t think that the Western book review some other being? If you are a good practitioner mind or Eastern mind is different. In general, we say there are six your awareness may also contin- More important is that you know Ian Baker . The Heart of the highest waterfall in Asia — the lokas in samsara. There are six ue when you sleep. Otherwise, what the dif ference is between World: A Journey to the Last “Hidden Falls of the different dimensions because we when you sleep so does your mind and its real nature. Secret Place. New York: Penguin Brahmaputra,” behind which is have that cause and we have six awareness. Press, 2004 (511 pages). the door to Yangsang, the hidden kinds of emotions. The dif ferent Do you eat meat? land of immortality, which can be lokas are the result of dif ferent art travel narrative, part A man would like to receive initi- Of course, I like meat. reached only by those whose emotions. Of course a human can philosophical reflection, ation into practice. hearts have been purified. Baker become cat, a cat can become a and weighing in at a hefty If someone is interested they are How can one over come spiritual consulted with His Holiness the human, if th ere is cause and Pfive hundred pages, this is an free. They can follow . I do not laziness? Dalai Lama and with Chatral effect. Many people say: “How is enjoyable book, but requires a limit or invite anyone. It depends. First you must under- Rinpoche, who both encouraged it possible that we are human and certain amount of leisure time to stand what laziness is. Sometimes him on this deeper journey of we become a cat?” Maybe until fully enjoy. The author is an intre- I perceive this world as a dr eam, you think you are lazy , but it can exploration, which involved deep you die you feel you are more pid trekker and explorer , as well dreaming in the night and dream- also be due to some secondary meditation and study, and not just advanced than your cat, but when as a devoted student of the teach- ing in the day , and sometimes I causes that you do not to succeed. traversing physical terrain. you are in the Bardo you and your ings of Tantrism and Dzogchen. am afraid that when I wake up, In any case, in Dzogchen strug- In 1924 the British explorer cat can be more or less the same. The author , Ian Baker , where will I wake up? gling with laziness is not a good Frank Kingdon Ward penetrated (applause) becomes intrigued with the You will wake up in a Bardo. way. It is more important that you into Pemako, but was unable to Tibetan tradition of “beyuls”— relax and are continually present; find a way into the five-mile area What is the reason for the spread- secret or “hidden” lands What is your attitude towar ds then you can discover why you where the fabled waterfall was ing of the Dzogchen teaching in described in ancient Buddhist Jesus Christ? are lazy. located. Ukraine, an Orthodox Christian texts. The Western notion of I don’t know what my attitude is, This was the goal of five country? Shangri-La, which was popular- but I consider him an enlightened Are ther e any secr ets in the expeditions that Baker participat- I already said that I did not come ized in twentieth century fiction, being. Dzogchen teaching? ed in from 1993, when the here to spread the Dzogchen is inspired by the idea of these Yes, we have many secrets. Chinese first lifted it’s ban on for- teaching. I am not a missionary. I hidden treasure-lands. When you are giving this talk, are eign visitors, to 1998, when he don’t do that. That is negative in The particular beyul that you distracted or not? Okay, this is the end of our ques- and his companions successfully my teaching. If people are inter- intrigues Baker is Pemako. One I cannot confess to you that I am tions, now I want to say goodbye reached the waterfall and docu- ested, I try to help them under- of Guru Rinpoche’s termas states, always present or I am distracted. to everybody and thank you for mented it on film for the National stand what Dzogchen is. It seems “In [Pemako’ s] secret , a your attention and for listening Geographic, Channel: Secrets of you are interested to know what is place blessed by the wisdom What happens with the mind of a with interest. the Tsang Po. Dzogchen, and so I explain it to . . .bloom pink colored person who commits suicide? In the course of the journey , you. flowers. The sweet scent of these How does this action affect future Baker and his companions must flowers can induce bliss. . .Eating lives? Transcribed by Andrei Besedin confront m any o bstacles, i nner Are ther e any explanations of them one can survive for years (p. Our future life is related with Edited by Naomi Zeitz and outer. The external obstacles heaven and hell in your teaching? 121). action. Suicide is a very heavy include u ncooperative C hinese As long as we have good and bad, Pemako is reputed to be negative action. Of course, the officials, unreliable porters, sheer the d ualistic c ondition a lways found in Tsangpo, a gorge deeper consequences are not good. There cliffs, torrential rains, and tor - exists. Sometimes we can explain than the Grand Canyon, located at may be a very heavy conse- ment by leeches and hordes of it in a very rich way , but in the the intersection of Tibet, Bhutan, quence. insects. teaching that is very relative. The and India, through which flows Baker is as obsessed with idea of heaven and hell, cause and the mighty Tsangpo River. At one What should we do in a serious reaching his destination as effect, are dualistic. What I am point the river becomes lost from situation? Is it enough to r emain Captain Ahab was with the White trying to understand and make sight, flanked by steep, sheer present and awar e or we should Whale. For Baker it is not about you understand is a teaching cliffs. Tibetan legend states that wait till the situation solves itself? the ego-rush of being the first beyond cause and effect. in this inaccessible spot is the If we are present it means that we continued on page 11

T HE M IRROR N OV/DEC 2005 7 Dzogchen Community Reorganization Project

Yeshi Namkhai’s Presentation Let’s say at this moment that we administrative experience. company and it seems a bit use- everything, not just the results. Merigar, August 19, 2005 have only one or ganization, and less to go into what every person Unless we really know what went that’s the Dzogchen Community. Principle of Transparency needs to do detail by detail. into that result - the feelings, the We are here this morning for a Obviously in order to make organization, every aspect of meeting of the Gars and Gakyils. Dzogchen Community ‘Brand’ everything work this will require Organized what went into it - we cannot real- I would like to know which Gars This is the new graphic image a radical change that will be built We have created a set of ‘roles’ ly assimilate that result as knowl- and Gakyils are here - Spain, edge. Those emotions that we feel Germany, Switzerland, France, are important, but to archive Argentina, Austria, Britain, those emotions is difficult. So we Mexico, the Czech Republic, are going to try to reach this type Holland, the USA. We do not of objective because it’s very easy have anyone from Australia. to archive the result. We’ll talk about what has been done and what the goal of our Re-engineering the T eaching reorganization project is. The first archive part (of the presentation) will be In order to do this we are going to about what is happening right use the technology that is avail- now. The second part will be that represents the Dzogchen on the principle of transparency. I and ‘methods’. For those who able today [re-engineering of about what we have to do and Community [see graphic at top of think that everybody has had have dif ficulty in digesting this teaching archive] and there is also why we are here. this article] that you can see on some experience of the recent type of language, the ‘role’ refers technology that we can use in your membership cards. We have changes that have taken place in to the type of behavior I expect order to improve preservation of What’s going on? chosen this graphic image to rep- Europe. Almost all countries that from a person, not what that per- the teaching. We are not the best The Reasons resent the need to know what the make up the European Union son does but what I expect people in the world and we are There are three reasons why we relationship is between the vari- have had to change their attitude him/her to do. There’s a margin of going to try to enter into relation- are here today – the first is to sus- ous entities and how they are towards their own citizens. You freedom in this. The ‘method’ is ships with similar or ganizations. tain the growth of the Community legally connected. Obviously have all received a lot of informa- no more than what is written We’ll learn about ourselves but because there is not only a growth there are some entities that have tion from your governments in down about how these things we’ll also learn about what other in the number of people, there is different aims in what they are which they state that the center of should be done. Why do we write people do, because it’ s crazy to also expansion in more parts of trying to do. For example, the the country is the citizen. So the this down? So that it doesn’t have think that we are the best. There is the world. If it’s just a question of Shang-Shung Institute has a dif- citizen is entrusted with the max- to be reinvented each time. So in always some better who or ga- people just increasing in one ferent objective to the Dzogchen imum amount of information pos- order to make things better for nizes things in a better way. place, you can make room for Community, just as A.S.I.A. has a sible. This is what is called trans - each continent and each city , it One of the things we can do is to them, but if they increase in dif- different objective - it is more parency – it means that the citi- isn’t enough to define what each re-engineer the teaching archive ferent places, it is more complex. pointed towards activities that are know what the government place has to do. Each place has to so we preserve it for the future This is why we use the word ‘dif- actually in Tibet while the SSI is doing so that when you vote, communicate and collaborate in a using modern technology. This is fusion’ in the sense that it is a operates more in the cultural sec- you know what you are voting better way and in order to do that something we are really interest- geographical expansion as well as tor, more on the preservation and for. For us, we are not particular - we need to use new technologies ed in. in numbers. Rinpoche goes to dif- diffusion of culture. But when it ly interested in the democratic and new ways of working. The ferent places and in each place he comes down to the final point, it process of voting, but because we final goal of this type of work is What has been done? The goes, dif ferent things happen. is always the dif fusion of the want different continents to work so that the Gars, the Lings and Organizational Model New motivations and new inter- Dzogchen Teaching and Tibetan together, everything has to be each member can participate We’ve drawn up a new or ganiza- ests arise and people take part in culture. The idea is to show all open to the light of the sun. more intensely in the life of the tional model of how people the life of the Community , so we these entities to the public as a In one of the books that Rinpoche Community. should relate to each other and a need to sustain this growth in “brand”, a single entity that is has written there’ s a phrase that basic re-or ganizational structure, some way. represented by the Dzogchen says that the principal duties of Learning which has been done in a The second reason is to ensure the Community, and whenever this the Gakyil is to guarantee that What has been discovered in the Buddhist style. We have identi- financial stability of the entity undertakes an activity, it is Community activities are carried business world in the last few fied two areas: the area of rela- Community that, up until a short identified with this “brand”. This out legally. So the concepts in that years is that the dif ference tions and the area of activities, time ago, was based on is the basic idea. It is not some book have actually been made between one or ganization and because we have said that the Rinpoche’s journeys and retreats. kind of fantasy. It is the way big concrete. It has been interpreted another – we’re not talking about results are only relatively interest- Since we’ve been around for organizations in the world work in a way that brings it into a mod- any kind of organization but non- ing for us. It is in relationship that about thirty years, it’ s time to at the moment. That’s the way the ern context, profit or ganizations in particular we discover the emotional side. modernize, to pass from being an government works, even in a – is knowledge management, or Remember that this isn’t just par- old organization to being a more small country. What’s going on? The reasons. knowing how to learn. Larning ticular to the Community . It is modern one. The Dzogchen Community needs how to use and communicate this also done in businesses; it is Every Gar Specializes to grow, to be diffused, and has to knowledge makes a huge dif fer- something normal, not something The Choice: to Cut orto Grow? We have all these Gars that are be financially stable and modern. ence. I don’ t believe that anyone we’ve invented for this one pro- At this point, we can see that the connected with the Community Why do we have to become mod- is in the Community unless they ject because in an organization, if Community is not really poor and but which, in actual fact, act as ern? Certainly it’s more comfort- are willing to learn something. an employee is happy , he works has economic resources, howev- separate entities at the moment able, it’ s much easier with the Our final objective is realization, better. er, over the years these resources because they are far away from help of technology, and obviously so we’re here to learn something, The job description was intro- have gradually been consumed so each other - geographically they if we have communications all right? We’ve also been taught that duced although it is not really there was a choice either to make are on dif ferent continents. In over the world, how are we going everyday life is important and indispensable, because we real- a reduction in costs, to sell the order to collaborate in a better to become modern without tech- that the Sangha is of maximum ized right away that there is a lot land, equipment and assets that way, we decided that each Gar nology? People in Australia can’t importance. So in order to better of confusion between the activi- we have, or , the alternative was, should s pecialize i n s omething call me at 3 o’clock in the morn- integrate with this, we’ve adopted ties that are carried out in karma to improve the or ganization and because even if you think that one ing to ask me certain things. So the ways most corporations cur- yoga and the activities that need its activities and become bigger . person is similar to another , they we have to change our methods rently use. I think that this daily to be done in order for the Gar to Obviously Rinpoche’s choice was have different habits that are root- and use technology for things we life in the outside world shouldn’t go ahead. I’ll repeat it for the to become bigger . Obviously he ed in their cultures. Even if we used to do by telephone and fax. be so dif ferent from what we do umpteenth time, is a chose the more dif ficult of the write a beautiful book that I don’ t know how many of you within the Community . Why not practice. The Gar has to go ahead two choices. explains everything, certainly an work for businesses, but technol- use the best of that world. anyway. If Karma Yoga fits in Italian, an American or a ogy is expensive. It actually costs Up to now we have worked on with the job description, fine! If All together Japanese person would see it in more than land, so it’s much easi- the results. In fact the Community not, we can do some other kind of We started to create a plan to completely dif ferent ways, so if er to buy land for a Gar than tech- valorizes what we do through the Karma Yoga. In other words, it define what was necessary for you are asked to organize a Gar, a nology because it’ s not enough results that we get. If a retreat may be better to go and cut grass this growth. What are the indis - structure, or to interpret the rules, just to buy a computer . You need goes very well everybody is real- instead of doing the accounts. So pensable things? The first thing everyone will do it in a dif ferent a lot of things in order for it to ly satisfied and says how well it we have to balance the needs of was not to have a lot of dif ferent way: an Italian won’ t follow the function. This kind of customiza- was or ganized. The problem is the Gar with the needs of the per- organizations but only a single rules, while a Japanese might fol- tion usually costs a lot of money. that nobody has actually thought son because we are not machines. one because it is easier to run a low the rules to the letter without From the point of view of the about the ‘style’ or the ‘form’, We have emotions; so let’ s single entity rather than several. even thinking about the reason organization, we need to write which are very important. improve the way that we work We have to modify things and that they were created. So every these things down. In Rinpoche’s Nothing of what is done concern- with these emotions. This is a lit- change them a little bit. If I have time we have to reinvent what is document the re are indicatio ns ing the Teaching is valued on its tle example. a lot of objects on the table, it is actually there. At this point we that we should use our intelli- results only. If we had to judge on much more dif ficult to change decided that each Gar should spe- gence and work with circum- results only , as practitioners we Business Model – Shor t and them one by one. It is easier to cialize and should have a particu- stances in order that things func- should be worried. There is also a long term initiatives unify them into one object and lar activity. Obviously the choice tion in the best possible way . style, a form, and an interest In the document that we have just to change that. This means of this specialization depends on Therefore we have created a towards a certain kind of culture. prepared, the Gakyil is responsi- that e verything s hould b e t he the entity’ s experience over a structure with the same logic For example, we chose today (for ble for short and long term pro- same for everybody. All the orga- period of time and this explains without going into every little this meeting) because it’s a really jects, the co- of the nizations founded by Rinpoche why we started with Merigar , detail about what each person good day according to the Tibetan Project Managers, administration are one entity because he is the because we had to start with the should do. Let’ s hope we don’ t calendar. This is called ‘style’. of resources, communication on head of all the or ganizations. oldest center where there is more need to because we aren’ t a big In order to learn we have to have continued on next page

8 continued from previous page Community. that we presented before. It is learning and growth. When you In a few words, to understand easy to talk about the costs of Reply: The most important thing move a piece of this, you have to what will happen in the future? membership and general costs, we sell is membership. Is the con- rebalance everything; otherwise the activities carried out and safe- Rinpoche will define where we but it is dif ficult to say how the cept clear? It is a difficult work. nothing works in the mechanism. guarding the principles of the need to arrive. The higher levels costs are covered and what the In order for this membership card This structure has to work for all teaching. Furthermore, this isn’ t will translate that vision into pro- organization should do. to have value, all the or ganiza- the Gars. It’s not something sim- the principal thing but a support, jects and going down slowly to tions that we have mentioned will ple in which we just introduce the Gakyil has the responsibility lower levels the concrete things We’ve prepared an eighty-five- be identified through this mem- membership and don’ t have any for the management of the Gar - will be realized. This is the same page document to deal with this. bership card. If I have this mem- more problems; otherwise we today this seems to be one of the thing that is written in the blue This has been signed and bership card, I finance all of the would have done that a long time most important things - and book for the Gakyils. The only approved by Rinpoche. It goes activities of this entity of which I ago. We’ve tried that simple way responsible for the coordination thing that is completely new is into much more detail of what we am a part and there will certainly of doing it in the past and if it had of voluntary work, for example, that it is not useful to evaluate have been talking about up to be something of interest to me. worked we wouldn’ t be in the Karma Yoga. position in which we are today . The chain of command is like What we did in the past was that this: the Gakyil defers to the we introduced a membership card International Gakyil, which but we actually lost a number of defers to the President. This is a members. There are lots of people classic or ganizational chart. who come to retreats but who We’ve started from the President aren’t part of the Community . At – in any or ganization there is a that point my question is, “Why President. Clearly that’ s the do you come here to participate in Master. Then there is the retreats but never become a part International Gakyil, which only a single project. In order to now. We’ve started with these For example, if I want to give of the Community? It’ s your should give guidelines. It is not understand the Community , we elements and this is how we are money to help the victims of the problem, not mine.” This project that the International Gakyil gives have to evaluate all those pro- going concretely into action. tsunami, I may not be interested takes this problem on. Maybe information; it is an executive jects. That’s why we need tech- in the Teachings, but through my people are used to the illusory group and has to interpret the will nology - to see if we are actually Business Model – Yellow, Red, membership I know that I will be world of TV; advertising. Perhaps of the President. Then there are achieving what we set out to Blue Gakyil supporting A.S.I.A. that is a sup- this little window on reality lots of Gakyils and Gars. achieve. For the yellow , the resolution of port agency. becomes necessary, because his- In the Red Gakyil section, the You have to have a minimum financial problems. torically the Community has been areas we have identified are level of skill in order to under- The valuable advantage of mem- Brand Recognition a little “wild” and not everybody maintenance and supply . In the stand this. Merigar is here for bership. The positive effect of the or gani- likes this. And it’s got nothing to Yellow section there is manage- that. One of the most important How to lower costs with the same zation is that the Community and do with the principle of the ment, accounting, membership, specializations of Merigar is to results. the Teachings will go ahead so Teaching. But obviously if I give and in the Blue section there is distribute this style of working. For the red we need more mem- having more brands means a responsibility to someone who is teaching and knowledge. The I’m thinking of a farm, years ago bers, volunteers and consultants. more complete of fering; that’ s used to living in a tree – it could Gakyil may change every year - the father would go out and So we can also have people from why we have these other or gani- be a really nice person – he would but there needs to be some people plough the fields, the mother outside to do the work because zations within the Dzogchen put the Gar up in the trees and lot who remain and work as points of looked after the children, the we don’t always have the neces- Community. There will also be of people wouldn’t accept that. reference. eldest sons went out to help in the sary people. partners, not just those entities fields or care for the animals, and More satisfaction. founded by Rinpoche. It is a sim- Organizational Model – every day there was something to Better or ganization and work- plification of market logic. At the Tools and Technology Activities do. Let’s think of the Community flow. moment we have not arrived What are the tools that we have We have already said that one like a farm. Merigar takes care of The blue needs to have more there, but ultimately membership already created? We have started type of Gar will be involved in these activities: management and capabilities and knowledge. will give access for everything. improvement in the network and one type of activity while another training; this is one of its special- More projects, events, cultural connectivity through the Internet. Gar will be involved in a different izations. activities. We are working on this through one. Up to now we’ve been talk- Knowledge and culture retention. Some of these or ganizations are fibre optics. We have introduced a ing about relations – people, emo- Organizational Model – This means that we are going to already on the market for exam- logical s ystem o f m anagement tions etc. But as far as what we Workflows and Procedures define long and short-term initia- ple ASIA, which, in the Italian and we have worked out software actually have to do, we’ll do it At this point we have actually tives over a number of years. market, is up in second or third that we can use for one Gar or using the logic of the project. written down what has to be done To have specialized Gars: place. It’s quite high in its partic - many Gars. While we are going It’s not that just any kind of thing – this is called workflow , how Merigar: will take care knowl- ular market. If I want to choose through the process of integra- is done at the Gar . For example, things are done; the basis on edge and management somewhere to donate my money , tion, by pressing one button, we say I have to clean the Gonpa. which they are done. If you are Kunsangar: supplies ASIA is number two or three in can give to Rinpoche one piece of The project is not that I have to cooking something, it is the Tashigar North: retreats and Italy out of a list of or ganizations paper letting him know how clean the Gonpa. The project is a recipe. Procedure and workflow events of its kind. much we have and how much we structure. For example, the last really mean the same thing. Tashigar South: This is a little You see, all these or ganizations have spent. This is the kind of summer retreats at Merigar were We have found some areas in more dif ficult - Marketing and are founded by the same person, a information that normally we accomplished using this type of which there are really big dif fi- sales person who, wherever he moves have to do loads of dif ferent tele- logic. If a person comes from culties. A typical area is the job of Tsegyalgar: Retails, sales force. is known without any need for phone calls and finally a few another Gar and asks me what the the secretary , which is very America is usually a very flour- publicity, his name is recognized, months something arrives. It’ s budget was for this retreat, we expensive for a Gar . Or the ishing market. not the names of the or ganiza- ridiculous when people come to have it. If someone asks: whom administration, the accountancy . Namgyalgar: we haven’ t identi - tions. Let’s try to do things in a Rinpoche and say that they need a do we need to or ganize the We have identified the workflow fied the field yet. way that the names of the organi- roof for their center and ask him retreat, how many people do we situation, we’ve development the Then there will be another Gar in zations will become recognized to give them a hand. His job is to need, are they from outside, from equipment, or we’ve bought a Asia and one in Africa. so we can separate what is sacred give Teachings, not to run the inside, what do they have to do, machine that will do it or a tool from what is profane. administration. He doesn’ t feel what errors did we make, what that we can use in order to deal Question from the audience: I do Many of these or ganizations very happy doing this kind of results did we have; all this infor- with this work. Or we have eval- know the meaning of the word work only because Rinpoche’ s thing. Let’s get people who know mation has been archived. uated that we need a dif ferent ‘supply’ and ‘retail’ but only in a name is there and that’ s it, not how to do this type of work to do After that, because the retreats kind of skill. So that’s how you do business sense. What are what because they are really strong in it. have just finished, we analyse the the training. and we supplying are we selling the market place. There are many We’ve got a rough outline here feedback. We need a kind of retail? organizations that are much for collaboration on the Internet, a cyclic process going on that Business model - Membership stronger than ours because they form of technology that let’ s us begins with a strategy and ends Now we get to the part that’s con- Reply: There are two areas of have a market viewpoint, rather all be in the same place at the with the evaluation of the result nected with money and the defin- supply: raw materials like audio than just Rinpoche’ s name same time. The web casts have so we can correct and improve ition of the new membership as a tapes and paper for publications, attached. We absolutely don’ t now become a routine activity from what we have learned, primary income source. It is the those things which we can trans- care about doing some business. and next year there will be some- which is more or less what is hap- key to accessing or to participat- form, and then the sale of goods All we are interested in is the field thing new along these lines every pening now. Now we are missing ing in Community life and is also just like a shop. We’ll make one of culture. We’ve got no interest month, something will be trans- all these little pieces: define strat- a key to accessing the services. shop for the whole of the whatsoever in making war on the mitted through that means. That egy – communicate objectives – Now we are working on web Community organized just like a Chinese. This is the guideline of way we can also reduce the bur- analyse – propose – evaluate – casts and we are trying unify typical supermarket. Rinpoche and this is how we are den of traveling on Rinpoche. activities plan and resources – things in a way that membership As far as retail is concerned, they going ahead. But if we don’t have This is a chart of what we have realize and give feedback – per- connects to all the other things – develop what we sell, in terms of a structure and a method similar actually done. This is a hardware formance and results evaluation. publications, training, etc. – all of the object, how it is packaged, to these business models in order computer system that we have For example, how do you analyse which are based on being a mem- and how it is distributed etc. to go ahead, we risk not being already set up. There are sites for or evaluate a proposal or do a cost ber of the Community. When you get to the retail stage competitive. That’s the problem. collaboration and there’s the soft- benefit analysis? You do it by Everything that I have spoken you’ve got all the stuf f, you have ware in order to manage it. Here defining what we have to do about up to this point has been a catalogue, and you distribute Prospective for development there are a whole of list of things before we actually do it and analysed and approved by and sell it. So this group will do Just to give you an idea of the from the accounting to supplying, understand what resources are Rinpoche. So this membership the cataloguing. Do you see the level of complexity , from that sales, buying, etc. We’ve done it necessary to do it. Then at this will become something very difference? Is it clear? simple sc heme t hat y ou h ave in such a way that we can have a point we have to realize these important. It will be the result of already seen, we have made a vision of the Community as a things and give feedback on all this work. And if this is going Question: So when we talk about scheme for development. There is whole. It’s not that we are calling them. You must evaluate the pro - to work, it has to work in harmo- selling, these objects are books the financial side and the mem- up somebody in another place ject in the general sense for the ny with the or ganizational model and tapes. bership side, internal processes, continued on page 11

T HE M IRROR N OV/DEC 2005 9 A SPIRIT OF THE XVII SECOLO

by Raimondo Bultrini events and subsequently his enment), Rabten, Lama in our days, in open antagonism Trijang’s lama disciples contin- father and a brother died in Yeshe and Lama Zopa. Except for against the other Tibetan ued to spread the cult of this so- hen clouds, with thun- prison). , who died long Buddhist schools. called Gelugpa ‘protector ’ the der, wind and hail sud - Those who know history ago, they all subsequently gave The main reason why the followers of all the other schools, denly disturbed the know that in that situation at the up this practice at the Dalai Dalai Lama decided to disclose in who equally poor and ailing due WMaster’s teaching on the morning Potala, with the support of the Lama’s request. public his reservations regarding to the dif ferent climate and other of the last day of the August state oracles, in particular the Lama Yeshe in particular can this cult, which he himself had hardships, were living in commu- Retreat at Merigar , a number of oracle, the decision was be deemed a posthumous victim practiced for many years lies in nal hovels piled one on top of the people immediately connected taken to bring forward the official of the indirect consequences of the publication of a booklet called other; there were no longer as in the fury of the elements with the investiture and assign temporal this cult, because after his death the Yellow Book of Shugden the Tibet of old, great distances wrath of the gyalpos because of power to the Dalai Lama, even the center he founded in England, penned by a geshe called Zemey between monasteries to hamper Rinpoche’s direct and precise though the seventeen-year -old one of the first and most impor- Rinpoche, under the inspiration contacts between lamas and allusions to their evil nature. Tenzin Gyatso did not feel ready tant of the Gelugpa schools in the of Trijang Rinpoche, with anec- monks of dif ferent traditions. “Strange, the weather forecast for such responsibility . In due West, was literally expropriated dotes and stories about Gelugpa And above all, there no longer said nothing about this…” course events necessitated the by an ambitious Geshe (the broth- personages, also important ones, existed the power that the Rinpoche quipped. And Gelugpa school, founded by since those who follow the Tsongkhapa in the fifteenth Dzogchen teachings do Pabongka, who used to be summoned by Dalai Lama XIII to places suffering century, had been accruing not take refuge in strange over time, starting from the beings but instead in the from drought, was in fact the main pr opagator in the modern era of the cult of Great Fifth Dalai Lama who true teachings of the Gyalpo (or Dorje) Shugden. in 1647 obtained from the Dharma, symbolically all Mongols temporal power over of us participating in the all Tibet from Lhasa to Qinhai retreat were forced to seek refuge flight and subsequent escape of er of the Shugden spirit medium) of the last century , including the and from Mount Kailash to the inside the Gonpa – the ship of the Dalai Lama and a consider- called Kelsang Gyatso, who former regent Reting Rinpoche, border with Sichuan and Yunnan. samsara – while an electrician able retinue to the Indian border turned it into his own personal who discovered the present Dalai It is perhaps no accident that sorted out the problems with the (this occurred some years before fiefdom, and thanks to the powers Lama, and who according to the this conflict started at that time, sound system. his eventual exile in 1959). In of this spirit that temporarily author were the victims of when according to the autobiog- So, the gyalpos. An ordinary Yatung monastery (as narrated by grants worldly riches and power , Shugden’s wrath for having raphy of Dalai Lama V another reader, who knows nothing about His Holiness himself in his long it became one of the monasteries engaged in practices of other prelate (Dragpa Gyaltsen, 1622- such things, picking up the account of his experiences with most highly attended by schools, in particular Nyingmapa c.1651) who was challenging his Mirror, would certainly be sur - Gyalpo Shugden recounted at the Westerners with branches in the and Dzogchen. authority and had ‘broken the prised to read about spirits, mys- end of the 70’s at Dharamsala) on United States and other parts of The book circulated as an samaya’ that linked them as terious entities who control or can the advice of his junior Tutor the world. Kelsang Gyatso can open secret, and provoked the Dharma practitioners and as control even climatic conditions. Trijang Rinpoche and with the also be considered a kind of actual desertion by many monks teacher and disciple, died in mys- In ancient Tibet, and still today (I help of the abbot of the local leader of the world cult of and nuns of an important offering terious circumstances in his personally attended a rite at a monks, the young Dalai Lama Shugden, in open and at times ceremony to Guru Rinpoche Drepung residence. He may have Nyingmapa monastery in started c onsulting t he S hugden rowdy opposition to the Dalai (Padmasambhava, founder of the been strangled with a white Dharamsala which was followed medium because, he explained, Lama (he organized a protest sit- Nyingmapa school and a khatag (as the Shugden followers by a shower) it is common prac- the Nechung and Gadong oracles in during His Holiness’ visit to Dzogchen practitioner) that the today maintain) or he may have tice in several Gonpas to invoke had remained in Lhasa. London in 1996). Since the end of Dalai Lama wanted to hold for died due to an infectious disease; rain. And just to connect this The answers he obtained the 70’ s, His Holiness has been the first time, in public at in any case according to the Great anecdote with a case and a per- from the divinations seemed rea- asking the most important Dharamsala, for the Tibetan New Fifth he was the victim ‘of a sonage that might directly relate sonable, or at least that is how Gelugpa lamas and abbots to stop Year. Also the placing of a statue demon’ that ‘had total dominion to the story I am about to recount, they were presented to him, and this practice, and after long of Padmasambhava in the main over him’ and which the Dalai one of the Lamas celebrated for slowly His Holiness started to reflection, in the 90’ s, extended temple at Namgyal some years Lama himself had been unable to their ability to ‘evoke rain’ was trust this spirit, who since his his request to all followers of after the forced exile, provoked vanquish in spite of his attempts Pabongka Rinpoche, a prelate of childhood had been presented to Tibetan Buddhism. hostility and threatening letters, to save his rival. the Gelugpa school who lived at him as an enlightened being and His Holiness cited a long as His Holiness informed me per- Whatever t he t ruth o f t he the start of the last century . special protector of the Gelugpa series of reasons based on his sonally during an interview at story, it is certainly dif ficult to Pabongka, who used to be sum- school. Unaware of the spirit’ s own personal experience, factors Dharamsala. reconstruct its inner dynamics so moned by Dalai Lama XIII to this secret history in which, by tradi- of a fundamentally mystical I think these elements are just many centuries after the fact, and end, to places suf fering from tion, he was an enemy of the lin- nature such as dreams, signs and enough to enable readers to in the absence of impartial docu- drought, was in fact the main eage of the Dalai Lamas, His divinations, but also bitter reflec- understand the gravity and the mentation (T rijang Rinpoche propagator in the modern era of Holiness started to invoke him in tions on the concrete conse- nature of the conflict created by wrote that he was killed by the the cult of Gyalpo (or Dorje) his daily practice, and a number quences on his role as spiritual the cult of this being whose fol- Regent of Dalai Lama V who was Shugden. of political decisions – although leader in exile and on his relations lowers, including a lama living in jealous of the growing popularity When the Dalai Lama XIII this has never been explicitly stat- with the other schools of Tibetan Milan whom Chögyal Namkhai of Dragpa Gyaltsen and of sent him a formal letter asking ed by the Dalai Lama – in those Buddhism engendered by his Norbu named directly during his Drepung with the Mongols). The why he repeatedly disobeyed his years may have been influenced connection with the ‘harmful teaching at Merigar , consider a spirit of this high lama with order not to give the transmission by the divinations of the Shugden spirit’. compassionate Buddha to whom strong psychic powers was proba- of the initiation of the spirit of this medium. As this is a matter that still to make offerings and in whom to bly transformed, as happens to gyalpo (see Rinpoche’s teachings The relationship between the today is the cause of personal suf- take refuge. But above all, worthy those who die in anger , as concerning this class of beings), Dalai Lama and the gyalpo fering for His Holiness, this arti- of consideration is the fact that, Rinpoche himself has stated, into Pabongka answered that he had (which however never reached cle is certainly not suf ficient to unlike the followers of this a wandering harmful gyalpo. But received the transmission for the the stage of ‘life entrustment’ or clarify all the aspects of a com- gyalpo, no Dzogchenpa or non- on account of his powers as a for- worship of this being from his taking refuge) lasted many more plex issue whose origin may hark sectarian Gelugpa has ever mer Tantric practitioner, not even mother’s family. Nevertheless, at years and the followers of this back to the time of Dalai Lama V thought of using Ekajati or Palden the many pujas performed by least formally he apologized to spirit still maintain that the choice (my book on this subject will be Lhamo as an antagonist of other Dalai Lama V himself and by the the Dalai Lama and of fered the to flee taken in March 1959, tra- published shortly). However , I faiths or beliefs. greatest Nyingmapa and traditional white khatag with ditionally attributed to the coun- believe it is necessary for readers It is necessary also to reflect Dzogchen masters of the time (of some precious coins. sel of the State Oracle, was in fact to have some general knowledge on what the development of such whom Dalai Lama V was a disci- The importance of Pabongka due to Shugden. In any case, it of the reasons why, for some time a sectarian cult has meant and ple) were able to pacify and elim- in the story we are discussing is was still many years before His Chögyal Namkhai Norbu has continues to mean for the Dalai inate his negative influence. tied mainly, but not only , to the Holiness freed himself of the con- been insisting on the importance Lama and for all the Tibetans in According to the dif ferent fact that it was he who transmit- ditioning by this spirit imposed of failing to appreciate the danger exile (and also for the Tibetans in versions of Tibetan mystical his- ted the practice of Gyalpo by the constant presence at his inherent in such cults. occupied Tibet, for whom the tory, Dragpa Gyaltsen’ s la trans- Shugden to his young student side of Trijang Rinpoche (his As already mentioned, repercussions of this matter are formed into Gyalpo Shugden was Trijang Rinpoche, who in the senior tutor was Shugden is traditionally deemed a many and of more than secondary first received into the monastery 1950’s in his turn transmitted it to never particularly tied to this cult kind of guardian or protector of import). of a Sakyapa lama who made it the present Dalai Lama XIV , which nonetheless involved the Gelugpa school, and at this Over the years, after his flight into a secondary ‘protector ’ whose junior Tutor he was. dozens of high lamas of the stage one could raise the objec- from Tibet, His Holiness has (nowadays His Holiness At that time His Holiness was Gelugpa school). tion that Dzogchen too has more found himself in the situation of Trizin maintains that among the little more than a child, and all Trijang was a religious figure than one protector , led by the having to represent, far from his practitioners of his school there around he could feel the anxiety of great worldly prestige and Ekajati. But apart from the country and his people, the spirit are no followers of this cult) and of the high Lamas, government practically all the lamas of the different consideration regarding of unity of a people suf fering in then in subsequent centuries officials and dignitaries on Gelugpa school of his time had the nature of these beings (Ekajati its struggle against an over- came to be venerated as a realized receiving the dramatic news from received teachings, and obviously being a manifestation of the whelming powerful nation which, and Dharma guardian by the Eastern front, in particular also the Shugden initiation, from Enlightened Sambhogakaya at least during the most fanatical some Gelugpa lamas. from Derge, where the advancing him. The main ones among these beings while Shugden is a world- phase of the Cultural Revolution, However, it was at the time of Chinese army was carrying out lamas were Zong Rinpoche ly spirit of uncertain origin and ruined monasteries and temples, Pabongka (and to a lesser extent ferocious massacres of the civil- (when this lama came to Italy motivation for acting) this murdering lamas and devout fol- his teacher Thapu Rinpoche) that ian population (Chögyal many years ago the advertise- Gyalpo has traditionally been lowers of the Dharma. During his the cult erupted among the higher Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche’s own ments said that seeing his photo invoked by orthodox Gelugpas in exile in Dharamsala but also ear- Gelugpa hierarchs against the family suf fered through these was enough for attaining enlight- the past and the fundamentalists lier, while in the refugee camps, wish – as we have seen – of Dalai continued on next page 10 continued from previous page The investigations of Kangra international link between mem- Reorganization, continued from page is part of internal culture. 11 District Superintendent Rajiv bers of the cult. And while the Otherwise we have to make these Lama XIII, who died prophesy- Singh concluded that a few days Dalai Lama has only asked disci- rules because we are losing this ing the impending tragedy for the who has an Excel spreadsheet. before the murder , the killers of ples not to attend his teachings internal culture. The transmission Tibetan cler gy and people. Both Geshe Lobsang and of the two and initiations if they practice the of knowledge from one Gakyil to before and after the Chinese inva- Time Schedule monks had attempted to follow gyalpo, the slogans and literature another is really lacking. This is sion throughout Tibet, and espe- The ideal time for this (to come his car on his return from Hong I was handed asked the Dalai not lacking because there is inca- cially in east Tibet, where the into operation) is three years. In a Kong as he journeyed to Lama to ‘respect the religious pacity in transmitting, but it’ s Nyingmapa presence was still normal context where there’ s an Dharamsala. During the pursuit rights’ of the Shugden practition- because people who have been in predominant, numerous statues of active collaboration, a project of their taxi broke down and from an ers under the aegis of a newly the Gakyil are totally stressed out Padmasambhava were destroyed this type would take three years. STD phone booth (where every constituted ‘ because they have to do a job that and lamas and monks of other tra- Up to now , working just here at call is recorded) in Ambala city, International Coalition’. The they don’ t know how to do. It’ s ditions humiliated and attacked Merigar, it has gone ahead within the assassins telephoned the per- booklets of the Coalition list sev - not enough just to have good will by hordes of Gelugpa fundamen- this time frame so the budget sonal number of the geshe who at eral lamas and from all in order to do this job for two or talists instigated by the teachings must have been right. Because the time was General Secretary of over t he wo rld, i ncluding on e three years. It would be much of Pabongka and his lama disci- what happens is that prices get the pro-Shugden Association in famous teacher who however had easier if there were a document ples. In this way they intended to pushed up when a project is not Delhi. However, even though wit- his name erased once he was that outlined everything that they assert the dominion of the so- working on schedule. The longer nesses and a great amount of doc- informed about the or ganization. need to do. You have a contact; called ‘pure tradition’ of lama it takes in time, the more the costs umented evidence were presented Obviously the list included mem- there is someone who already Tsongkhapa, which according to are. We forget what we are actual- (the taxi driver , a hotelier who bers of the association in Delhi does something all the time. It’ s them had been neglected and ly doing and we have to begin all recognized photos of the accused who were under investigation for more normal to arrive at collabo- abandoned in favor of of fensive over again. So please let’s try and and the rucksack pulled by the the triple murder , which led the ration as much as possible. Tantric practices, and especially make this work within the time lama from the hands of his mur- Indian police to bring Interpol Sometimes we feel a bit on the for the ‘termas’ or hidden trea- frame with the other Gars that are derers who had to leave it behind into play in relation to any even- outside. It’s not that we just have sures that many Gelugpas, along- going to be integrated into this at the scene of the crime) the tual international connections to live in the Community, because side the Nyingmapa and project. Indian judiciary caved in before a including Italy and England. what happens is that somebody Dzogchen practitioners, made plethora of Delhi lawyers hired When I went to meet the lead- who is part of the management of great use of. Worldwide Membership with fees that were certainly far in ers of the Shugden Charitable and the Community is more involved With hindsight, his predeces- Now let’ s move on to actual excess of the apparent means of Religious Society organization at in the Community than they are sor as well as other Dalai Lamas membership. We have to do it in a Buddhist monks in exile in the their headquarters in Majinu outside it. So let’ s also try and of the past could censure the cur- way that it becomes worldwide. poor Majinu Katilla quarter of Katilla, they spoke to me at live outside. In order to do that, rent Tibetan spiritual leader over We’ll go ahead with the project, Delhi. length about their relations with we have to have something of his lack of clarity with regard to a from copyright to the protection As a reporter I was deeply the other cult practitioners value that we can offer. cult whose dangers had been well of Rinpoche’s image. The preser- struck by events of which I knew throughout the world. Alongside I’ll make a really banal example. known, and His Holiness has vation of the Teaching – we’ll go no historical or political prece- a division Rinpoche is a very famous pro- often humbly acknowl- ahead with this with things such within the fessor, not just because he teach - edged this. But practi- as the archiv es. Each member British com- es, but also because he has writ- tioners of T ibetan As a reporter I was deeply struck by events will have access to these services. munity itself, ten a lot of books and not just Buddhism are well aware My vision is that you put in your of which I knew no historical or political geshe about the Teachings. What every- of the relationship password on the site for the Kelsang one needs to examine in his or her between master and dis- archives and you get exactly what precedents of such consequence. Gyatso, who conscience is the fact is that we ciple and of the nature of you want; so your membership lives in a lav- all have to live outside the the samaya pledge, the card gives you access to all these ish castle in Community to be appreciated in promise to act in common for the services. It won’ t be that each dents of such consequence. Yorkshire, has decided also to our field; otherwise what kind of benefit of beings in samsara. The thing has its cost, its own ser- Nevertheless, at least certain spir- send a letter breaking with all the integration is this with the outside young Dalai Lama had neither the vices, its own administration, and itual aspects had already been other devotees of the spirit who world? experience, nor the knowledge, its own people who have to learn made clear by our Master as long still maintain relations of formal necessary to challenge his teacher about it. It may seem strange but ago as 1989 (see the transcript of respect towards the Dalai Lama. Integration among the Various Trijang over the value of a cult sometimes there aren’ t enough a teaching on the guardians given However, without doubt, the Community Bodies: which has subsequently revealed people to do these things. We’ll in Wales in 1989). And more most remarkable episode con- What does integration mean? itself as not only of scant benefit try to do things in a way that is recently he sought with dif ficulty cerns the decision by the young Integration means to share the for the Gelugpa school itself (it more concentrated. to alert the Italian Buddhist com- reincarnation of Trijang Rinpoche same or ganizational model, the certainly did not save them from Our internal culture also - we lose munity that was divided over the to leave the center in Switzerland same business model, the same their historical defeat and subse- it all the time. This doesn’ t just problem of accepting the mem- where he had remained for years tools, the same technology and to quent suffering) but also harmful mean the Teachings. It also bership of gyalpo lamas and prac- under the ‘protection’of his lama- share the same vision. for the many beings instigated by includes the way we gather titioners in Italy. tutor. In a dramatic letter and in such a sectarian view to perpe- together, the relationships I wrote some articles for an interview on the Tibetan radio trate actual physical violence. between us, the way we talk to newspapers, which elicited a cer- station in Dharamsala, he Transcribed by Liz Granger Many people know about the each other , what we actually do tain amount of response that announced his abandonment of Edited by Liz Granger and triple murder committed at when we are here. When we have spurred me to continuer my his monastic robes in order to Maurizio Mingotti Dharamsala on February 4, 1997. somebody who has been on the research in greater depth. I spoke become ‘an ordinary person’. A learned scholar , very close to Gakyil for four years, and you about it with His Holiness in per- Shocked by a series of still murky His Holiness, the Venerable need somebody to take over who son when he visited Italy in 1997, events, the gravest of which was Lobsang Gyatso, Director of the doesn’t have the experience, this when he invited me to the attempted murder of his for- Dialectics School of Dharamsala Dharamsala to collect the docu- mer personal assistant by mem- (who attended the Conference on mentation I needed. Chögyal bers of the cult, the young Trijang Tibetan Language at Merigar Namkhai Norbu himself coun- explained he had no intention of organized by the Shang-Shung seled me and helped me with becoming a banner or symbol of Institute) was stabbed to death some invaluable advice and infor- the pro-Shugden movement together with two young monks mation on many spiritual and his- (albeit continuing to do its prac- who were his students and trans- torical features. tice) against the Dalai Lama, who lators in a small flat a stone’ s However, as a journalist with was his disciple in his previous Book Review continued from page 7 throw from His Holiness’ resi- thirty years experience I thought incarnation. dence in exile at Dharamsala. it best not to limit myself to the A comment I deem worthy “explorer” to “discover” the spot. Rather, he is drawn to the mysterious The brutality of the crime reflections of two personages, for concluding these notes, writ- and mythic nature of this sacred place. generated great shock and alarm even as eminent as His Holiness ten with the hope of making a lit- By coincidence, an of ficial Chinese expedition is also en route to among the Tibetan community in and Rinpoche, who might be tle clearer an issue about which the same location. Baker ’s team succeeds in getting there first, but the exile; they already were burdened deemed as partial as they are both our Master has for some time author is disappointed that National Geographic focuses on this coup. by divisions, continuous tension perfectly in accord on this issue. asked us to reflect. The dark days For him, this is missing the point, reducing the mythic to something pro- and threats since the appeal by the Therefore, I went to interview the world is currently traversing saic. As a further example of this, the Chinese “erected a concrete and Dalai Lama not to practice the numerous exponents of the cult, due to religious fundamentalism bronze memorial to their expedition in the fall of 1998, displacing a row cult of the gyalpo spirit in public, including Lama Ganchen in seem in fact to find a dramatical- of prayer flags that had once traced the movement of the winds” (p. and for its practitioners to limit Milan (deemed by Norbu ly congruent echo in Tibetan 440). such practice to their own private Rinpoche as the ‘number two’ in Buddhism, whose professed aim There was talk by the Chinese government of converting the area sphere. the world, evidently after Kelsang is the development of compassion into an “ecotourism hotspot.” But nature, or perhaps the guardians of Police documents I saw dur- Gyatso) and a certain ‘His and bodhicitta for the benefit of the land, had dif ferent plans. In June 2000 a “cataclysmic” flood ing my long journalistic investi- Holiness Lama Kundeling’ (as he all beings. But if there were no unleashed landslides and washed away bridges, entirely cutting of f gation of this case, show that on was introduced to me by an evil there would be no need for access to the region. diverse occasions, and in particu- English disciple) living in Asia, good, and as our Master says the In the end, the author decides, “W e feed on mystery , whether the lar one, the leaders of the Dorje whom I met in Ganchen’ s center best thing is to know how to pro- enticements of unknown lands or a masked dancer . . .Hidden-lands Shugden Charitable Society of in Milan on his return from the tect and preserve the good against open everywhere; they are as much modes of perception as actual New York instigated not only United States, where he had taken the rising wave of fanaticism, in places (p. 440-441). divisions within the Tibetan com- part in, and in his own words pro- whatever philosophy or creed it munity, but also between Tibetans moted, some protest demonstra- presents itself. and Indians in Dharamsala culmi- tions during the visit of the Dalai by Paul Bail nating in another murder of Lama. which a young Tibetan was The very fact of the meeting accused (but who then was found between the two lamas at the innocent). Milan center was proof of an

T HE M IRROR N OV/DEC 2005 11 The LOTTERY OF THE GOLDEN RING OF CHÖGYAL NAMKHAI NORBU NEW WINTER GAR OF MERIGAR To help purchase Merigar East, the new Winter Gar in Crimea

To participate in the lottery, you can choose an element (fire, water , earth, air or space) and communi- cate to Anna Eid at [email protected] how many numbers you would like. Payment should be CRIMEA made to the following account: MONTE DEI PASCHI DI SIENA, filiale di Arcidosso, GR Italy A WONDERFUL IBAN:IT01030 72160 3120 29 BIC/swift:PASCITMMGRO Rinpoche Speaks about the New Crimea W And add: For “THE LOTTERY OF THE GOLDEN RING OF ChNN” Margarita, Dec 6, 2005

1st prize, A Wonderful, Gold Ring with 5 Dakini Jewels worn by Rinpoche 2nd prize, Beautiful and well made thanka of Amitayus “I would like to ask the entire Dzogchen Community for participation 3rd prize, Painting of Goma Devi by Glen Eddy and help.” 4th prize, Statue of Goma Devi Chögyal Namkhai Norbu 5th prize, Crytsal and more…………….. ome people say I do not like Kunsangar . That is not tr ue. I like Kunsangar very much, but there are many problems in Russia. These problems will not only exist for Anna will choose the numbers and hold them for 10 days until communication is received from Merigar a short time. The pr oblems associated with Russia and Kunsangar ar e long term that the money has been paid. People can also pay cash at Tashigar Norte or Merigar. Sand getting worse. Russia is no longer moving in the same direction as Europe. It is better that all the Russian-speaking people fr om the Dzogchen Community ar e aware of this One number of the lottery costs: and we understand the situation. That is important. You must be aware that with the pre- sent situation you will not be able to continue to receive teachings from me in a concrete $15 USD or 13 EURO or 40.000 Bs way. For this reason, after the last r etreat in Crimea, I asked my translator Igor Berkhin to Thank you for your participation! inform the Kunsangar Gakyil that we should try and sell Kunsangar befor e it becomes Anna Eid too complicated. Since that time, many people have cr eated many problems and do not want to sell it. I don’t know if we will be able to sell Kunsangar, but we have now formed a group to see if it is possible. Unfortunately ther e is more confusion in Russia, as well as with the Dzogchen Community there. I told Igor Berkhin that we should try and sell Kunsangar and get some place in Crimea. Ukrania is going in the same dir ection as the rest of Europe and maybe in the futur e it will become more democratic. Ukrania is a Russian-speaking countr y. I don’t know if Russian people will be able to travel freely there or it will become more complicated in the future. In any case, if they can manage to come at least they will have a place

The Possibility of approved the place we should look at and Merigar-East advised in which direction we should go Winter Gar in Crimea and which place is best for our purposes. A Report by Igor Berkhin The Place: December 7, 2005 The place we found is a kind of summer Margarita Island, Venezuela hotel, but not a fancy hotel. It is some- where between an inexpensive hotel and hank you Rinpoche for this possibil- camping. The land of this place is about 2 ity to talk about our project in hectares. It is made up of different kinds of Crimea. First of all, as Rinpoche buildings and the area covered by build- Tsaid the other day, in June Rinpoche asked ings alone is 3000 square meters; there are us to find a place in Crimea we could 3000 square meters of buildings on 2 develop for Russian-speaking countries. hectares. In Soviet times, it was a kind of We had two very successful and big boy scout camp or Pioneer Youth Camp. retreats in Crimea, the first in 2002 and the The constructions are very simple, mostly second in 2005, and people from many dif- light constructions, but there are also th ferent countries attended them. At the final buildings from the beginning of the 20 Ganapuja of the last retreat in 2005 there century and they are still in more or less were approximately 2000 people. normal condition. The facilities of this This past summer we started to look for place are: the new Gar by collecting information from dif ferent sources and studying the 150 sleeping places in heated houses situation of t he r eal e state m arket. I n 100 + in summer houses September or October we started to look More or less this place can hold 250 peo - concretely for different places. We visited ple. several places and had contact with many local people. The area we covered on the It has a big dining hall for eating and also Southern coast of Crimea was about 200 for practice for 200 to 300 people. We can kilometers. It is not so easy to find a good have retreats inside and not only in the place i n C rimea a t t his t ime b ecause open air, but open air is an option because Crimea is for Russians what Mar garita is there are two big grounds. One is a sport- for Venezuelaens. It is the most popular ing ground, like a basketball court, and has tourist place that we have. The place we benches to one side. This place can be found is in the warmest spot in Crimea, expanded by putting a tent and can be a with very nice weather and a nice sea. We place for several hundred people. The tried to find a place that would correspond other is a very big square, 30 x 30 meters to the general description Rinpoche gave and maybe even a little bigger , so maybe us, so basically the place is not for big we can put the big there. retreats; for the big retreats we can find This place is functioning as a summer other venues and this way we won’ t need camp. It is not in very good condition, but to maintain a very big place. In Russian- in terms of good business in the Ukraine, speaking countries we have many people it is not considered good business because involved in Santi Maha Sangha so at least what we consider good business in the we need a place to develop that. Ukraine is fantastic business for the West. One of the important points that Rinpoche This may be one of reasons why it is being mentioned is that this place should have a sold. view of the sea. We had some information There is a possibility to expand the area and did many practices dedicated to find- and to have 4 hectares. The owners already ing and creating this place. We had Santi started this process, but since they are sell- Maha Sangha and Yantra Yoga retreats in ing it they have stopped the process. We October in Crimea at the same place we are not going to buy the place itself, but we held the retreat with Rinpoche in June. For will buy the company that owns the place twelve days fifty people actively partici- and therefore all legal procedures started pated and all our merits were dedicated to by this company can be developed and this purpose. The next day we found two there will no need to start from the begin- beautiful places. The place Rinpoche ning. approved of was the first place we saw. We So these are more or less the technical presented the information we had collect- characteristics of the place. ed to Rinpoche and finally Rinpoche

12 GAR OF MERIGAR IMEA FUL IDEA!!! New Crimea Winter Gar Project , Dec 6, 2005

to come to. We are trying to get a place in or der to create a base for Russian-speaking people. The Russian Dzogchen Community people should r eflect well and tr y to collaborate to create this place. We do not need a Gar only in Russia. In Russia you need not only one Kunsangar, but also two or three. When there are positive circumstances, we can create many Kunsangars. At this time there are no positive circumstances and it is negative if you go in another direction; you must understand that. We are searching for land for that reason and there are some indications regarding this land. We know that to buy land or houses costs money, but if many people collaborate, anything is possible! I have a very wonderful idea. For example, for many years we have been sear ching for a second Merigar , a W inter Gar for Eur ope. Crimea is on the pr ecise parallel with Merigar. Crimea has very good weather and we can cr eate the Winter Gar of Merigar there. Merigar can participate and help make some money for the pr oject. There are many people connected to Merigar who can help and the people who have more money can help sponsor this new Gar. I would like to ask the entir e Dzogchen Community for participation and help.

Transcribed and edited by Naomi Zeitz

Location: can enter the Ukraine and stay for three It is on the most Southern part of the months. There is freedom of traveling. Crimean peninsula. The Crimean peninsu- This is very important because we until la is dividing the Black Sea and the Asov recently we had a problem of visas that Sea. In the real sense, it is very relative remained f rom Soviet times. N ow we calling it a peninsula because the piece of don’t have that situation. land connecting this peninsula with the continent is more or less one or two hun- By Air: dred meters wide and is more like an Kiev has direct flights to most European island in the Black Sea. On the Southern cities, not only capitals but also big cities coast there is a chain of mountains with and there are regular flights to cities in the the highest point being 2000 kilometers. United States and Canada. Also the inter- These mountains are very ancient and this national airport and domestic airport are chain is exactly on the Southern seacoast adjacent and very near . There are three and divides the sea and the rest of the flights a day to Crimea and the flight is 1 peninsula. For this reason, the climate is hour and 15 minutes from Kiev and there very good from the Southern side of these are also regular flights from Moscow . mountains. It is more or less on the same There are two companies, Turkish and latitude as Merigar, but it is protected from Israeli, that fly to the capital of Crimea, the cold North winds and is open on the Sinferopol, and it is possible to go from Southern side, so most of the year this Europe directly with a transfer in Tel Aviv place is very warm. For example, this year or Istanbul. until October 16, we were swimming in the sea and the temperature was around 20 Local Transportation: to 22 degrees Celsius until the middle of The place is 2.5 hours by car from the October. This is not an exceptional year . international airport via a very beautiful This place is warm because it is more to road through mountains and grape fields, the South and in general the climate is and the rest goes along the seaside, so it is very healthy and the air is very good. a very beautiful way . There is a lot of Crimea has been traditionally a healing transportation in that area. place. People with asthma and tuberculo- sis, for example, from all of Russia, go Project Development: there because the air has a lot of healing A Gar for the Dzogchen Community properties and the water is very salty . The Commercial Purposes: There is a possi- water of the Black Sea has antiseptic prop- bility to use a part for commercial purpos- erties so wounds heal very quickly . es for the Community and also for a pri- Wounds get better, not worse. This region vate summer hotel. also has many trees: Pine, Cypress, A Center for Tibetan Medicine . This Eucalyptus, Tuja, Juniper , and all the may be the best solution, to use a part of Southern coast is full of these kinds of this place as a center for Tibetan Medicine plants and their perfume permeates the air. because Crimea is known in Russia and There are huge lavender fields and the best Ukraine as related to healing. French cosmetic companies use it. There Private Homes for Practitioners: There are many roses there also. This place is is also the possibility to expand this place famous for its grapes and wine and there is and have an additional 2 hectares of the a lot of wine there. [Laughter] Maybe I main territory and 2 hectares or maybe should stop here because maybe people more beyond that, and we are thinking of will start changing their tickets and leave using this land for building private homes Margarita for Crimea and this we don’ t for practitioners like here in Margarita. We want, just now. [Voice from the audience] are thinking very much in this direction. Someone is asking me to say there are many beautiful women. [“What about Cost: men?” yelled from the audience]. I have more or less explained everything, and now I must say how much this beauty Transportation: costs. It is quite expensive. Real estate is Visas: very expensive in Crimea. The factors are From this year citizens of or the European good for us and make this place relatively Union, Switzerland, the United States, and cheap but still we need $700,000US. We at Canada no longer need visas to travel to least need offerings and donations, but we the Ukraine. Anyone from these countries also need credit under some good condi- continued on page 18

T HE M IRROR N OV/DEC 2005 13 INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY NEWS e u r o p e m e r i g a r Dzogchen Community in Italy Santi Maha Sangha Base Level Retreat Arcidosso 58031 with Jakob Winkler GR Italy January 27 – February 5, 2006 Tel: 39 0564 968 837 Höfen, Germany Email: [email protected] Web site: www.dzogchen.it Together we will listen to the web cast fromTashigar Norte and will learn the practices together . Jakob will explain and lead the prac - tices.

Merigar Calendar of Events The course starts on Friday January 27 at 8 pm and ends Sunday February 5 at 5pm. January - June 2006 For more information contact: Helga Betz January Lindemannstr. 12 D-40237 Düsseldorf Fri Jan 27th– Sun Feb 5th Tel+fax 49 (0)211 682657 Email: [email protected] Open Web cast Audio and Video of the SMS Base Teaching retreat, Tashigar Web site: www.dzogchen.de North, Margarita For lodging and meals please contact: Hans J. Vogel, Höfen 12, 91460 Baudenbach, February Tel.09166-995311, Fax 09166-005313, Email: HansV ogel@t- online.de Sat. Feb. 4th – Sun 5th

Practice Retreat of the Vajra Dance of the Three Vajra. Everyday from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm NEW AUSTRIAN GAKYILS Fri Feb. 17th – Sun 26th The new Austrian Gakyils for 2006 were elected and confirmed by our Web cast Audio and Video Longsal Saltong Lung Teaching and Practice Retreat, Tashigar North precious Master Chögyal Namkhai Norbu: Margarita (restricted to members who have already received transmission) The new Gakyil of Vienna is: Sat. Feb. 25th - Tue 28th Blue: Elisha Koppensteiner, [email protected] Red: Sabine Böhm, [email protected] Yantra Yoga Course for Advanced Practitioners Yellow: Winnie Scheiblbrandner, [email protected]

Cost 80Û, with discounts for members. The new Gakyil of the Austria Regions is: Everyday from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm Blue: Monica Wittib, [email protected] Red: Bernhard Schweizer, [email protected] Mon. Feb. 27th Yellow: Oliver Leick, [email protected]

5:00 pm Practice of the Purification of the Six Lokas 7:00 pm Ganapuja ADVANCED VAJRA DANCE-COURSE with PRIMA MAI Tue. Feb. 28th February 3rd - 7th in München, Germany

Losar: 6:00 am Practice of the Long Life of Guru Amitayus This course begins on Friday, February 3 at 17.00pm at the Waldorf- 1:00 pm Ganapuja with the authentication of Lungta and Namkha school (Leopoldstr. 19) and ends on Tuesday, February 7 at 16.00 in the Studio Freitänzer (Euckenstr . 15). You should have transmission for this course and know both the Pawo or Pamo parts of the Song March of the Vajra.

Fri. Mar. 10th – Sun.19th Fee: Ordinary members 250 Euro, Sustaining members free, Reduced members 140 Euro Open Web cast Audio and Video Dzogchen Semlung Namkhache Teaching and Practice Retreat Tashigar North, Margarita Please send payment to the account of: Dzogchengemeinschaft Deutschland e.V., Stadtsparkasse Düsseldorf Fri. Mar. 10th – Mon.13th Knt.-Nr.: 11047891, BLZ: 30050110, IBAN DE 40 3005 01 10 0011 047891, SWIFT/BIC DUSSDEDDXXX Meditation and Contemplation workshop with Constantino Albini The course begins on Friday the 10th at 5:00 pm For registration & info please contact: Cost 80 Û, with discounts for members. Regine Zettler , Email: [email protected], Tel: 0049-(0)89- 7429824 Mon. Mar.13th PASSAGES 5:00 pm Explanation of the Practice of the Garab Dorje Guru Yoga for the Worldwide Transmission BORN: Tue. Mar.14th Monday, Dec. 12th, 2005 On the afternoon of a bright, clear and sunny day here in Austria, our 4:00 am Web cast of the Worldwide Transmission of the Guruyoga of Garab Dorje lovely little Tobias filled the air with his strong voice for the first time. Everything went quite fine and all the three of us are healthy, tired and very happy! April Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year to each and all of you! Thu Apr.13th – Tue 18th Bernhard, Manuela & Tobias Schweizer Easter Practice Retreat of Green Tara with Yuchen Namkhai Cost 240Û, with discounts for members.

May

Fri May 5th – Sun 14th

Open Web cast Audio and Video Ati Lam-ngnon Nasjyong. A Teaching and Practice Retreat of Longsal Teaching

14 INTERNATIONAL SECRETARY WANTED AT TSEGYALGAR COMMUNITY NEWS CONWAY, MASSACHUSETTS, USA

The Tsegyalgar Gakyil is looking to develop its office administration. Advanced Course of the Dance of the Song of the Vajra We are looking for an independent, self-motivated practitioner com- with Prima Mai mitted to a strong future for Tsegyalgar. Geneva, Switzerland We plan to open a part-time position at the Gar . Pay will be $12.50 February 22 - 26, 2006 per hour for 20-25 hours per week. Applicants must provide their own lodging and be able to work legally in the United States. This is a special opportunity for advanced Vajra Dance practitioners to deepen their knowledge of the Dance of the Song of the Vajra. This course is open to practitioners who have learned part 1 and 2, either The position will include the following tasks: male or female. • Public Relations (phones and emails) CONTACT for inquiries and registration: • Use of Quick Books for basic accounting Jocelyne Carasso • Sound, video, multi-media set-up Email: [email protected] • Activity Scheduling for the Gar Tel: ++33 450 35 11 42 • Collecting and sorting mail Postal address: 8, rue de Fribourg, CH - 1201 Geneve • Working with Gakyil to Coordinate Basic Advertising for Fax: ++41 27 323 23 93. retreats and web casts • Acting as a liaison between the Gakyil and the Community We will be glad to assist with any information and look forward to hearing from you! • Compiling and editing the Community Newsletter • Maintaining databases

Applicants should be: • Calm, helpful, and welcoming • Eager to serve the Community Mandarava Retreat in Lithuania • Familiar with office organization with Nina Robinson • Able to multi-task April 9 - 17, 2006 • Good communicators • Attendant to details The Lithuanian Dzogchen Community is happy to announce Mandarava Chudlen • Familiar with basic PC operation (email, Microsoft Office appli- retreat in Lithuania with Nina Robinson, April 9-17th, 2006 (Easter). cations, etc.) • Familiar with the Dzogchen Community and its practices This is only preliminary announcement and we cannot provide • Self directed and able to follow through with projects details yet. We will be doing 3-4 Thuns • Able to work well with others per day, probably with one Vajra Dance Thun available. To apply please send your resume and cover letter to Patricia Shahen, Regarding lodging it will be either small resort town by the river or Yellow Gakyil, at patriciashahen@starpower .net or fax to 413-369- rented house in countryside, lodging costs 5-10 euros per day . 4473 by February 1, 2006. In your cover letter please refer to the number of hours per week you would be available, date of availabil- We can make invitation letters if needed. ity, and your pertinent skills.

If you are interested please email: [email protected]. Please feel free to contact the Tsegyalgar Of fice at: [email protected] or 413-369-4153 with any questions. Web site: www.dzogcenas.lt

Yantra Yoga at Tsegyalgar Jan 29 – Feb 5, 2006 t s e g y a l g a r e a s t & w e s t with Paula Barry

Tsegyalgar, Dzogchen Community The Tsegyalgar Gakyil is pleases to announce a course in Yantra in America, Yoga during Chögyal Namkhai Norbu’ s Teachings on the Base Level of Santi Maha Sangha. PO Box 277 Conway, MA 01341 Beginner’s Level Tel: 413-369-4153 | Fax: 413-369- Tsegyalgar West Jan 29 (Sun) 11-12:30am 4473 Baja Mexico Jan 30 (Mon) 4 – 5:30pm\ Email: [email protected] Dzogchen Community Jan 31 (Tues) 6 – 7:30pm Web site: www.tsegyalgar.org West Coast Feb 1 (Wed) 6 – 7:30 pm 755 Euclid Ave. Intermediate Level Berkeley, CA 94708 Feb 2 (Thurs) 6 – 7:30 pm USA Feb 3 (Fri) 6 – 7:30 pm Email: [email protected] Feb 4 (Sat) 11 – 12:30 am [email protected] Feb 5 (Sun) 11 – 12:30 am For mroe information: Tel: 413 369 4153, Email: [email protected]

The Tsegyalgar Gakyil is very pleased to announce: PASSAGES with Fabio Andrico DIED:

Anne Segal passed away on November 23, 2005 in New York At Tsegyalgar, Conway, Mass. City. Anne was a New York socialite who survived breast cancer April 1 – April 5, 2006 and became one of the major benefactors of Sloane Kettering Memorial Hospital and the American Cancer Society. The Dzogchen Community owes her a great deal. Anne made sure Prerequisites: Transmission from Chögyal Namkhai Norbu and experience in that Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche received special attention Yantra Yoga. from the directors of Sloane Kettering Hospital and the American Cancer Society when he fell ill in 1994. She didn’ t just make one Cost: $150US before Feb 15, $175US after call, but she continued to check on Rinpoche’s progress through- out his treatment and made sure things were being paid attention For more information: to. Dzogchen Community in America Her husband Herb continues to support cancer treatment and Tsegyalgar research in her name. It would be very nice if we could all do PO Box 277 Shitro for her. She said to me once, “I think all these doctors think Conway, MA 01341 I have a Guru now, and that your friend Norbu is it.” USA If people would like to make a donation in her name they can do Tel: 413 369 4153 so to: The American Cancer Society and/or Sloane Kettering Fax: 413 369 4473 Memorial Hospital. Email: [email protected] Johanna Bennett

T HE M IRROR N OV/DEC 2006 15 INTERNATIONAL DO YOU HAVE A DREAM? COMMUNITY NEWS ARE OTHER DZOGCHEN PRACTITIONERS AND BLUE WHALES IN IT? Tsegyalgar Summer Program For the Community-minded, we and cooling system. on the Sacred Land of Khandroling are offering a 4-month opportuni- The following program is offered ty (December 1, 2005 - April 1, to those wishing to stay at the ONLY EARLY SUBSCRIBERS Tired of those Winter Blues? 2006) to secure a fabulously inex- Baja Gar in a fully furnished and will qualify for this inexpensive Plan a beautiful summer retreat on the powerful & pensive casita rental rate for a completed casita, each with its casita rental fee—all others will sacred land of Khandroling! period of 15 years at Jardin de los own shower, toilet, deck and col- have regular rates of a minimum Naranjos, the Dzogchen orful and functional furnishings: of $350/week. Each Early August: Santi Maha Sangha Level 1 with Jim Valby Community Gar in Baja Subscriber membership is limited Vajra Dance and Yantra Yoga California Sur, Mexico - a 3,000- The CASIT A EARLY SUB- to one subscriber, though they can Family Camp acre Gar which features 600-yr . SCRIBERS, practitioners from host up to four people per stay as old white fig trees and exquisite the Dzogchen Community , who long as they are present. Early Personal Retreat Cabins available. arroyo pools. wish to contribute to the comple- Subscribers have priority for tion of the Baja Gar ’s casitas for times they wish to be at the Gar. Further details will be posted on You may view pictures of the Gar the benefit of everyone as well as www.tsegyalgar.org at www.bajasangha.org. themselves, have the unique and All EARL Y SUBSCRIBERS (http://bajasangha.org/photos/) limited opportunity to contribute may request 3 weeks any given Tel: 413 369 4153 an early subscriber fee of $1,500 year (more if available) and will Email: [email protected] Subscribers to the casitas have between the dates of December 1, be assigned dates on a priority time assignment priority and very 2005 and April 1, 2006. This fee first-come, first-serve basis with inexpensive rental rates for use applies to an individual sub- other early subscribers. Early each year - for the purposes of scriber, a married couple, or an Subscribers MUST accompany Beginning Course of Yantra Yoga personal retreat, attending work- individual site of the Dzogchen guests that they bring to the with Naomi Zeitz shops, vacationing, or attending Community. It guarantees 3 rental casitas. ONLY early subscribers Supervised by Fabio Andrico Dzogchen Community retreats. weeks at the reduced rate, plus qualify for the rental rate of March 23 – 29, 2006 additional weeks depending on $200/week. Others who wish to New York City Jardin de los Naranjos exists as a availability. rent the casitas will be assigned special ret reat within the their dates after early subscribers Week nights for people with and without transmission mandala of the Dzogchen If two people (not a couple) wish have been accommodated. Atyp- Weekend only for people with transmission from Community. It was discovered to share a subscription, the fee is ical rental season in Baja, avoid- Chögyal Namkhai Norbu through the superior insight of $2,500 for the subscription. A ing both hot and rainy seasons is Chögyal Namkhai Norbu, our shared subscription entitles the Oct. 15 – June 1st. Cost: $100 blessed Teacher, who encouraged subscribers to a maximum of 4 us despite all odds and doubts to weeks of use total annually at the Those renting casitas may request Mar 23 & 24 evenings “continue looking.” reduced rate (additional weeks if that meals be prepared for them at Mar 25 & 26 weekend/days & evenings there is availability). an additional cost at the Gar; or Mar 27 – 29 evenings This is a completely private and they may shop and prepare their wild mountain eco-property, with This contribution enables us to own meals in the communal Kundrolling - New York City incomparable white granite rocks completely refurbish and furnish kitchen; and they can obtain 151 W. 30th St., #403, NYC and river pools. You can kayak in the casitas. The subscribers are information and secure arrange- Tel: 212-564 1024 the Sea of Cortez nearby to visit then entitled to a uniquely low ments for a variety of recreational 21 species of whales in the richest rental fee of $200 per week for a and eco-exploration activities in marine biosphere on earth, or casita (up to 4-person occupancy) Baja Sur during their stay. If they make a short drive to the over the next 15 years (after are doing personal retreat, they Dear Friends in the Community, International Airport and Los which the rental fee will be can arrange to obtain support ser- Cabos, one of Mexico’ s main reassessed). vices from the Gar staf f during For several months I have been collaborating with the New York tourist areas. their retreat. City Gaykil to develop pages on our website. Recently Sites of the Dzogchen I asked Rinpoche for his permission to also solicit and post lucid CASITA EARLY SUBSCRIBER Community, which would like to If you are interested in this oppor- dreams and dreams of clarity from the dream yoga retreat partici- PROGRAM: reserve casita time at the Gar for tunity, please write to the follow- pants and the Community at lar ge. The purpose of posting these their members, may contribute ing: dreams will be to inspire us to develop the practices of the night. We have 19 unfinished one-room $1,500 f or a g uaranteed o ne- [email protected]. We begin this project by posting one of Rinpoche’s dreams original- casitas, each with its own archi- month of $200/week annual ly published in “Dream Yoga and the Practice of Natural Light”. tect-designed special view and rental (4 people maximum occu- Your subscription will be deposit- Please feel free to visit the website below. deck. One casita has been com- pancy) plus one month of free ed at the Dzogchen Community pletely refurbished for Rinpoche camping at two improved Gar West Coast Winter Gar bank Please also submit your dreams in English fully edited in the (pictures available), who stayed campsites (with showers and toi- account in California, and you Microsoft Word or Open Of fice format to me at there during the last retreat. lets) nearby (4-people maximum will be assigned a specific contact . Appropriate dreams will be posted with Another is a secure office. per campsite). person, email and telephone num- initials only. ber for making your rental We wish to make the remaining Casitas will feature solar electric- arrangements. We expect casita Thank you, casitas available as soon as possi- ity and hot water heating; purified rentals to commence in March of ble for all who wish to spend spring water; compost toilets and 2007, possibly earlier. Your initial Michael Katz quality, relaxed time on the Gar— grey water irrigation; shaded fee is tax-deductible in the U.S. near the kitchen, trails, fig and deck with hammock, table and http://www.nydzogchen.com/dream.html mango groves, the teaching site, chairs; screens, windows and Welcoming you, and a number of planned other doors; outdoor path lighting; dec- The Baja Gakyil (gar@bajasang- amenities (body-work rooms, hot orative and functional Mexican ha.org) tub, swimming pool . . .). furnishings; as well as a heating desde el sur

fine OPPORTUNITIES AT TSEGYALGAR WEST - BAJA, MEXICO jewelry and In addition to the Early Subscriber program mentioned in The Mirror, the Baja Gakyil invites each of the Gars around the world to sponsor the completion of a casita.The suggested amount is $20,000. vajra dance In this way each casita sponsored will be named: shoes “THE REFURBISHMENT OF THIS CASITA IS SPONSORED BY NAME OF GAR, 2006”

Interested Gakyils please contact: Baja Gakyil at [email protected] as soon as possible. Mark you message: “Casita Sponsorship Program, Attention Carol Fields.” Tel: 0054 351 4880994 In any case, do come and join us soon in that wonderful place. See the announcements for our two Email: retreats in January 2006. On your way, visit www.bajasangha.org [email protected] We are looking for ward to seeing everyone soon! Cordoba, Argentina The Baja Gakyil Adriana Battisti

16 INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY NEWS s o u t h a m e r i c a

Tashigar North Finca Tashigar Prolongación de la Calle Bolivar Valle de Pedro González. Isla de Margarita Tel: 00 58 295 415 5800 Email: [email protected] Web site: www.dzogchenvenezuela.org

Yantra Yoga 2nd level Advanced and teacher Training, Margarita November 2005 A. DE FERMOR

Tashigar South Comunidad Dzogchen Tashigar Calle pública S/N Tanti 5155 Pcia. de Córdoba Argentina

Tel & Fax: 0054- 3541-498 356 Email: [email protected]

Program of Vajra Dance at Tashigar Norte, Margarita Island February – March 2006

We are very happy to announce that international instruc- tor Adriana dal Borgo will hold the following courses of The Dance of Vajra at Tashigar Norte, Margarita Island.

Dance of Song of Vajra Yantra Yoga 1st level Advanced and teacher Training, Margarita November 2005 K. CULLEN February 7 - 13, second part (For beginners) Cost: 400.000 Bolívares (with discounts) n a m g y a l g a r & p a c i f i c r i m

Dance of Six Space of and Dance of Three for advanced practitioners: Namgyalgar Dzogchen Community in Australia March 6 - 10 PO Box 14 Central Tilba, (This course is for those who know the basics steps of these NSW 2546 two Dances.) Tel/Fax: 61 02 4473 7668 Cost: 400.000 Bolivares (with discounts) Email: [email protected] All the courses will be done only if there will be enough par- Web site: www.dzogchen.org.au ticipants, so please confirm your participation by sending an email to Alexey Polionov at [email protected] g as A Thank-you letter from Rabgyi Lama completed fifteen years of study at soon as possible. Thupten Rabgyi Traling and Palyul Tharthang Monastery in Golok Tibet under the His Holiness The Thir d Palyul Thank you, Australia Lhatrul Ogyen Garwang Nyima Rinpoche. His train- Gakyil of Tashigar Norte ing has been as a monk in the lineage. I would like to say many thanksto Chögyal Namkhai Email: [email protected] During this time he had thr ee years experience as Norbu Rinpoche for giving me the opportunity to Geköes looking after 500 monks. come to Australia and stay with the Dzogchen Rabgyi Lama left Tibet to further his studies in India Community. I would also like to thank Mark walking out of T ibet into Nepal escaping over high Farrington and Jean Mackintosh for their continuing passes. In India and Nepal he studied in Nyingma support and friendship. I feel very happy and much monasteries in Dharamsala and Nepal. He studied more relaxed than before. I really appreciate all of under Chatrul Rinpoche and he completed a thr ee- my friends and I would like to thank everyone year retreat. TASHIGAR SUR - SUMMER 2006 deeply from my heart. My life has totally changed In Namgyalgar he works in different tasks at the Gar and I have a special new home. Rinpoche, all of this as his English improves. He teaches Buddhist scrip - January 19 -21 has happened from your wonderful grace. I hope ture to primary school students in Bermagui School Yantra Yoga Course for Beginners everyone is happy and enjoys throughout the whole and he teaches a T ibetan language class to local 9 Purification Breathings, 5 Tsigjong and 8 Lungsang life. interested people. Instructor Marisa Alonso Thank you and Tashi Delegs to everyone! We are very happy to have Thupten Rabgyi Lama Thupten Rabgyi January 22-25 with us at Namgyalgar and wish him well for the future! Yantra Yoga Course for Advanced Practitioners Rabgyi Lama was invited by Chögyal Namkhai 5 Tsandul and its Norbu to take part in the Santi Maha Sangha Jean Mackintosh for The Mirror 1st and 2nd Series of Yantras and their - Vajra Wave Program of study at Namgyalgar . In April 1993 at Instructor Marisa Alonso Namgyalgar, he met with Rinpoche and r eceived lungs and teachings for about thr ee weeks befor e February 6 - 12 Rinpoche left Australia. Rabgyi Lama stayed at Course of the Dance of the Song of the Vajra Namgyalgar learning English and r eading Second Part Dzogchen teachings during the next year . Rabgyi Instructor Nélida Saporiti Lama returned to T ibet in 1994 to visit his mother and other family members. Namgyalgar has applied Registration and information: [email protected] for and gained a permanent visa to Australia for Rabgyi and this means that he can apply for citizen- Welcome to the South! ship and an Australian passport in two to thr ee Tashigar Sur Community years.

T HE M IRROR N OV/DEC 2005 17 Crimea, New Winter Gar continued from page 13 ChNN’s SMS Introductory talk continued from page 3 tions so we can buy this place. place is a very international place. The situation for having this place It was a Greek colony and then a possibility we can create some- Gakyil system. practitioners working in the cor- at this moment is good, but if we Roman colony and the famous thing new in the Crimea. For two There is no hierarchy in the rect way, then they can contribute wait even as little as two months, poet Ovidius was sent in exile years we have done retreats there Gakyil system. The Gakyil of to the Dzogchen Community and the price of this place can there; Greeks, Romans, and and the political situation in the Merigar is not the leader of all many teachers can arise from increase. The cost will increase Goths have inhabited the region. Ukraine is not so bad. I live in Gakyils. All Gakyils are them. several times after parliament It has a very good connection Europe and I know the European autonomous, but the people with- It is not so easy to be a elections in March when the with Italy because one of the most political situation very well. I in them are following the teacher. Some people learn to political situation is more estab- famous tourist spots is a know what a democratic system Dzogchen Teaching and are con- teach because they can learn more lished. We do not have much Genovian fortress and there was a means and the Ukraine is trying nected with the principle of the when they teach. You can do that time. The committee organized is Genovian colony in the 1 1th or to go in that direction. Russia is transmission of teaching. For that as a kind of exercise, but teaching still in the process of completing 12th century AD. There are many going in another direction. People reason, we should work in the means you take on a responsibili- investigating this company; is it a caves, catacombs and marble said t his w as n ot t he i dea o f correct way. We try to do every - ty to communicate something to good company , did they pay caves; from ancient times these Namkhai Norbu, but of Igor thing in a simple and less compli- other people. In this case, what taxes, did they have debts, etc. caves were used by different reli- Berkin, and that he wants to cre- cated way. I ask this also for my you transmit should be is 100% The process is partially done and gions. They were used by primi- ate a Gar in the Ukraine. Please son, Yeshi. Yeshi has told me for correct. You shouldn’t invent any- we hope to finish it as soon as tive religions and as catacomb don’t accuse Igor Berkin; he is many years that I should not trav- thing because inventing some- possible. So far the situation churches of early Christians. totally innocent. People insist and el so much and if people are inter- thing worldly is not the teaching. looks very positive and we don’ t Many caved cities existed in go ahead in that way . I don’ t ested to receive the teaching we For that reason we need to learn, anticipate many problems, but we Crimea and not far from this know what they want to do. If can organize a web cast. All the for example, each time we do a must be very careful when enter- place. These mountains are made they only want to have a piece of different Dzogchen Community Santi Maha Sangha training. First ing into this kind of business. of material that creates caves. land or a house and are satisfied, Gars and Lings can collaborate. we learn the base of Santi Maha This is the situation and now the There are also many famous they can go ahead in that way . I Many years ago I presented a text Sangha and in that way we can main point is to accumulate caves. don’t consider that the Dzogchen called the “Fundamental have a little background so we money to purchase this place and There are many beautiful places Community. There is one more Principles of the Dzogchen learn more general knowledge, to create a new Gar. Of course we in general in this region. The res- notable problem manifesting. Community.” I thought it would like the final goal of Sutra and are very happy and surprised by idences of Russian kings were not People think that Igor Berkin con- help and inform all Dzogchen Tantra. We learn about Dzogchen the great gift Rinpoche made yes- far from this place, Gorbachov’ s ditions me. They don’t know very practitioners and Dzogchen Teaching and how we can get in terday by saying that this place residence is only 20 kilometers well that I am a Khampa and not Communities as to how we col- the sense of it. We also do prac- could be a kind of Winter Gar for away and also the residences of so easily conditioned by anyone. laborate. Many people in dif fer- tice to integrate that knowledge, Merigar, which means that we Turkish Kings were here. This My character is not that way. I am ent places in the Dzogchen not only to repeat like a parrot now have a good possibility to place was very much adored by a Dzogchen practitioner and Community did not agree. I You may be able to repeat many collaborate with the international many kinds of kings and we hope know how to work with circum- received a lot of criticism. People things, but this has not much ben- community and not be limited by this place could also be very good stances. said this did not correspond to the efit if you are not integrated. language and borders. We have for the Dharma King Chögyal. People are saying that they want teaching. They were teaching me For example, once a Lama more possibilities to integrate into [Big Applause.] to have a place for doing courses Dzogchen! I told them thank you doing a long retreat on a moun- the international Dzogchen As a conclusion, for those people of Yantra Yoga, Vajra Dance and very much, but I don’ t need your tain heard someone outside Community and from the begin- who are interested and who Santi Maha Sangha around teaching. I try to do my best based chanting “Om Mani Padme ning start things in a precise and understand how imp ortant this Moscow. We don’ t need a big on what I know. Hum”. He was interested in this, correct way so not much reor ga- place can be and that we don’t we place with many problems, like Some people want to receive but when he looked outside he nization will be necessary. It was really have much time, please Kunsangar. If people still want teaching without paying for it; saw only a parrot chanting “Om also good to hear from Rinpoche come and speak with the Crimean something around Moscow , it is one shouldn’t have to pay for the Mani Padme Hum” and eating that there are some indications for Committee. Unfortunately I am not necessary to buy a big place Dharma. It doesn’ t correspond. insects one by one. He chanted this place and this is very inspir- the only one who speaks English, far outside of town. There is To pay means the teaching has “” because ing for us. We are not just buying so probably you will have to already the Dzogchen some value and you say that you everyday when this lama went some land and buildings. More or come to me if you are interested Community of Moscow that offer body, speech and mind, but outside, he chanted “Om Mani less I explained what I wanted to and we can speak in more detail recently lost their place and is if you have the capacity to of fer Padme Hum, Om Mani Padme explain and hope I didn’ t for get and also in general if people looking for a new one. body, speech and mind, why can’t Hum”. The parrot repeated it. In anything essential. If you have would like more information. We There is no reason to create you offer some money? It doesn’t our Dzogchen Community there any questions please ask. will also develop a web site in two dif ferent groups; one is correspond. We live in a modern are people actin g like parrots; Russian and English where you enough. It is very important that society in the year 2005. We must they learn some words and Rinpoche: How is the ocean con- will be able to see photos and all Russian-speaking people par- understand how the situation and become a teacher . I heard there nected to this land? videos.(see below) ticipate in these projects. I have what our condition is: Who pays are many teachers manifesting in Igor: I for got this important done my best up till now and will if you invite a teacher? The North America and Spain. They point. This place is on the slope of Thank you for your attention do my best for the future. I went teacher needs a place to stay , say they are students of Namkhai a mountain, quite a steep slope, so everyone and thank you to Russia every year when we had light, food. Where does the Norbu, but some have never even it is more or less 400 meters Rinpoche for this precious oppor- Kunsangar because I was think- money to pay for these things met me. They have read some above sea level. There is a good tunity. ing of all the Russian practition- come from? Sometimes people transcripts of my retreats and road to the sea that is about 3 kilo- ers. You should know that and we are flying in the sky. repeat what I said. You can repeat meters long. In general it is a very Rinpoche: Very good. still have that possibility . Of For example, when I sent first anything, that is not so dif ficult, pleasant one-hour walk; it is a course, if you are not interested, sent Fabio to Russia and Estonia but it doesn’t have much value. good road and you can also go by Transcribed and edited by Naomi Zeitz there is nothing to do. In that to teach Yantra Yoga, they did not For that reason we need to car. case, you can at least try to or ga- give him suf ficient food. After a receive transmission. We inte- The Committee for Crimean nize the web cast. This, in any day he felt very hungry and asked grate that transmission in our- Rinpoche: What is the beach Project: case, is very important for many them for something to eat. They selves, we communicate that and like? Igor Berkhin different countries. said they thought he was a yogi there is benefit. Teachers must Igor: The beach is made of small Kunsangar is not the only and didn’t need food. It was sim- know how to communicate to stones or pebbles. There are dif - Viktoria Adamenko place with problems. Many ilar when I went to New Zealand people. They should not only ferent kinds of beaches there and Vladimir Shurkov places I go, I meet people on the many years ago. I sent them my think, “I am a recognized and it is possible to go to other beach- Gakyil who have done First Level program but they ignored it and authorized teacher, now I can do es. Some of the beaches are wild. Web site: and Second Level Santi Maha there was not only a retreat, but everything.” The first thing a http://merigar-east.dzogchen.ru Sangha Training who do not do also a public talk, and touring teacher should understand is how Rinpoche: Is there sun? http://merigar- what I ask. This is not correct. It around as well. There was not one the students are: their condition, Igor: It is the Southern slope of east.dzogchen.ru/description_en is better that you work in the cor- single free day. I asked them how capacity, knowledge, and experi- the mountain so it is warm. In the g.htm rect way. While I am still alive, I they thought I could manage this ence. You do not only explain winter it can be cold, maybe 5 or do my best. I take care of Santi program. I said I felt tired and what you know; you should enter 10 degrees below zero, but for a Merigar Gakyil has opened a spe- Maha Sangha in the correct way . wouldn’t be able to do the main into the dimension of the student very short period of time, maybe cial account for Merigar-East A few years ago when I discov- retreat later. They said they never and know what is more important for l one week or 10 days. Mostly project: ered I had cancer , I told you that thought I got tired because I am a and how to help them understand. the temperature is above 0 and Associazione Culturale Comunita my first concern was Santi Maha realized being. I still have a phys- there is sun most of the year. Dzogchen Sangha Training. It is not my ical body and live like a human Transcribed by Anastasia Conto Corrente n. 3120.29, (abi family, the Dzogchen being even if I have some realiza- McGhee and Carisa O’Kelley Rinpoche: What is it like behind 1030 cab 72160) Community people or or ganiza- tion. You see how much we drink this land? Monte dei Paschi di Siena, tion, but Santi Maha Sangha and eat only in one day. We must Edited by Naomi Zeitz Igor: Behind the land there are Filiale di Arcidosso (GR) Training. The reason is that Santi understand things in a more con- mountains and there are two ITALY Maha Sangha is very important crete way and not have too much beautiful rocky clif fs directly for the continuation of our knowl- fantasy. behind this place. There are steep Codice IBAN IT64N 01030 72160 edge. For years I taught, so the In the Dzogchen Community, rocks to the side that create a very 000000 3120 29 people who follow Santi Maha Santi Maha Sangha means beautiful view and these rocks Codice BIC/swift: P ASCITMM- Sangha and want to teach must Dzogchen Community. We learn protect the land from the North GRO understand what should be done. and train in Santi Maha Sangha; wind and are open to the South. It is very important to observe we become members of the yourselves and think a little. The Dzogchen Community, and try to Rinpoche: Are there some caves Please inform us by email of your Dzogchen Co mmunity a nd t he do so in a perfect way . I am not in the rock? kind donations. Gakyil are not ordinary organiza- saying that all members of the Igor: Yes there are caves in the tions. We collaborate with each Dzogchen Community are per- rocks. Maybe I should tell a little other. That is why we formed the fect. If there are a few perfect history about this place. This

18 APARTMENTS FOR SALE IN MONTALATERONE, ITALY 6 apartments in the historical center of Montelaterone, a medieval village about 8km from th The Mirror J. CROW’S ® Merigar. The apartments are part of an 19 century Newspaper of the Mulling Spice oil mill, 3 with lar ge private gardens and one with a International 25 sq.m panoramic terrace, all with a wonderful view Dzogchen Community of SpicedCider.Com ® over the Val d’Orcia. Renovation will be carried out Chögyal Namkhai Norbu according to the principles of bio-architecture and 1-800-878-1965 using traditional materials such as terra cotta tiles, chestnut beams, “peperino” stone, and plastering in Main Office: New Ipswich, NH 03071 lime. Each apartment has an independent entrance PO Box 277 and autonomous heating. Conway, MA01341 USA Projects for the dif ferent apartments can be seen on Tel: 413 369 4208 www.abitaresani.com . Fax: 413 369 4473 Email: More information from Rita Renzi at rita.renzi@ [email protected] tiscali.it or Mob. Phone 0039-3356065058.

European Office: The Mirror Merigar Arcidosso 58031 GR Italy Email: [email protected] Tel: 39 3298865292 Fax: 39 0564- 968 110

Editorial Staff: Pema Chödrön and Jack Kornfield: Naomi Zeitz, The Wondrous Path of Difficulties Y The Winter Tsegyalgar Conway, MAUSA issue of Buddhadharma: The Practitioner’s Quarterly features a

Liz Granger conversation with Pema Chödrön and Jack Kornfield on the Merigar Arcidosso, Italy everyday difficulties that provoke us, reveal our habitual patterns, and ultimately transform us. ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: A discussion of the Literary Editor: John Shane student-teacher relationship with Norman Fischer, Sharon Salzberg, and Ponlop Rinpoche. Marshall Glickman on the benefits of doing solo retreat. Reginald Ray on Advisors: Adriano Clemente the meaning of “lineage” and the question of authenticity. Anna Eid Barbara Paparazzo Des Barry Buddhadharma Jim Valby K?< GI8:K@K@FE

Layout & Design: is the in-depth, practice-oriented journal for N. Zeitz Buddhists of all traditions. Brought to you by the publishers of the Shambhala Sun, Buddhadharma Illustrations: takes you deeper into the practice, furthers your Fire Dog by Lauri Denyer, pg 22 understanding of the dharma, and connects you Cartoon by Jan Golden, pg 20 with fellow practitioners. Web Site Managers: Every issue gives you: Thomas Eifler Malcolm Smith • In-depth teachings from the full range of Buddhist traditions Printer: • Challenging perspectives on topics Turley Publications such as selecting one’s teacher, the law Palmer, MA of karma, and the meaning of “prayer” USA in a nontheistic tradition Distribution: • First-rate reporting on stories Tsegyalgar at of special interest to Buddhists Conway, • Reviews of all the latest Buddhist books MA, USA • Mahasangha News:

the most comprehensive PHOTO: CHRISTINE ALICINO Subscription Rate/6 Issues: coverage of Buddhist $35US available community news available Subscribe today through today. and receive four outstanding issues Tsegyalgar of Buddhadharma–starting with 35 Euro the upcoming Winter issue–for through Merigar only $19.95. Call toll-free Visa and Master card 1-877-786-1950 or visit welcome www.thebuddhadharma.com.

ON LINE MIRROR www.melong.com.melong.com

All material ©2006 by The Mirror Reprint by permission only Many Buddhists, one Buddhadharma We reserve the right to edit all subsmissions

T HE M IRROR N OV/DEC 2005 19 Hospital Chaplaincy to the image of Christ in front of Association of Professional left to study in Kenya, wher e he from the Buddhist her and then absorb his love and Chaplains (APC), www.profes- studied with a shaman out in the Spell warmth into her being and then sionalchaplains.org. desert. When he r eturned to the Perspective release. She started doing this Their requirements are: US, he still struggled with his Lion lady, practice and I left to visit other -A Masters of Divinity Degree or “calling” and wonder ed what to moon shaper, By Chaplain Tom Kilts patients in the ICU. Equivalent theological training do. He left to study in India, make me round, Later that day I stopped by and (look on their web site for Nepal and T ibet and while ther e model my skin, n the Intensive Care Unit, she still seemed scared but specifics of this equivalency) he met His Holiness the Dalai Madeline waited for her death, assured me that she was continu- -Endorsement and commission- Lama, His Holiness the inside the perfect ring since there was nothing left for ing the practice and that it was ing from your Religious (while His Holiness was still in Articulate the bones, Ithe medical staf f to do. As the helping. I told her I was going Community stating that you are Tibet) and was pr esent at the soft red pathways Chaplain assigned to that floor , I home for the night and for her to fit and empowered to function as Schechen during the enthr one- and pale nerves. was there to comfort her. She did- contact me if she needed any- a professional Interfaith Chaplain ment of the new Y angsi of Dilgo n’t have family support and had thing. That night I slept after a -Four Units of ACPE accredited Khyentse Rinpoche. While ther e, At the joints been in the hospital before. I hard day of work and woke up out Clinical Pastoral Education he also r ead ’ s and crossings remembered the last time we vis- of a sound sleep at 1:20AM in the (CPE) “Tibetan Book of Living and sow bulbs ited and I was impressed by her morning. I felt a great sense of -1 year of job experience after Dying” and decided that chap- of flowers. devout Catholic faith and how it peace come over me, wondered you have completed your four laincy was his path. T om went to sustained her through the tough quietly why I was woken up so units of CPE (note that most jobs graduate school at Nar opa When my strength ebbs times of her illness. This time I suddenly and then went back to hire when you have fulfilled your University and r eceived his sucked from inside, walked in the room, it was lowly sleep. four unit CPE requirement, and Master’s Degr ee in Buddhist pricked and stolen lit, and her breathing was labored. The next morning I went to the use the term “certification eligi- Studies. While ther e, he took by sympathetic reflex, She recognized me and said, “I ICU to see if Madeline made it ble,’ which means that you have Bodhisattva vows with the Rime know I am dying, and soon, what through the night. When I arrived fulfilled the first three require- teacher Ringu T ulku and did they’ll bear the strain, do I do?” This particular question at the Chaplain’s office, I was told ments above) intensive Madhyamika training. shriveling round the core can haunt any Interfaith Chaplain, by one of my colleagues that she -Meet with a Certification All this time, T om worked in a of manna that converts but that day it seemed especially had passed during the night. I felt Committee for Review hospital as a chaplain. When he pain into sight, haunting to this particular Chap- some relief for her . Without went back East to complete train- lain who happened to be a devout thinking about it, I looked at the Taking a one-year residency pro- ing and start CPE supervisor into growth, Tibetan Buddhist. I checked the “expired” list and her name and gram at an accredited CPE center training in a Catholic hospital, into merciful chart, called the priest, and every- time of death were printed there. can fulfill the four units of CPE Tom had the fortune to meet and and victorious flowers, thing on their end had been done; To probably no surprise to the requirement. These programs study with T ulku Thondup stars in my inner sky. now she was asking for some- Mirror readership, it was around usually of fer stipends and med- Rinpoche. T ulku Thondup thing else from me, but what? the same time I had been woken ical benefits while you are there. Rinpoche endorsed and commis- Lion lady, I kept my inner panic in check up in the middle of the night. This To find the nearest CPE center sioned Tom’s ministry work and secret sun shiner, and stayed engaged with her . I is just one of many stories of how and learn more about CPE, go to gave him good advice and guid- make me remembered in my IPR in my chaplaincy work, how I www.acpe.edu. On that web site ance. Towards the end of the three your shaman. (Interpersonal Relationships touch the lives of others and they you can download applications, years of working together , Group) group in my Clinical touch mine as well. look through the directories for Thondup Rinpoche told him it Rowena Hill Pastoral Education program, how This story took place many years the listing of centers and learn was time to join a lar ger I was struggling with how I could ago when I was in a residency more about the clinical method. Dzogchen or ganization. T om use my own “theology” in a clin- program doing my Clinical I have found that the career path went on retreats with many teach- ical environment that consisted of Pastoral Education (CPE) train- of Chaplaincy and Pastoral edu- ers, felt connected to the teach- mostly Christian denominations. ing. It has only been recently that cation have been important parts ings but not one practice or com- Up to this point in my ministry , I more Buddhists from various of my spiritual path. They have munity. He went on a retreat with relied only on my education in denominations are going through complimented each other , where Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche at this Norbunet various religious traditions and the process of becoming trained the transmission helps me to funny-named place, T segyalgar, kept my own faith close to my professional Chaplains in settings deepen my capacity to be with which he couldn’ t pr onounce. The Mailing List chest. I did this for good reasons, like hospitals, prisons, hospices, patients and students in their suf- While he was at T segyalgar, he of the because I wanted to be skillful etc. I went beyond my chaplain- fering, the work itself helps me to felt as if he was home and felt with others. However , Rabbi cy training to become a certified deepen my capacity to continual- connected to the images of International Zalman Schacter used to tell me ACPE (Association of Clinical ly receive the transmission. I call Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Dzogchen that the only way to do ef fective Pastoral Education) Associate upon all my fellow Vajra sisters Rinpoche. Tom knew that it was interfaith ministry was to be root- Supervisor. I now supervise CPE and brothers who are called to the place for him, but it was not Community ed in your own tradition and from units and train ministers from var- ministry and service, to consider until 2005 that Tom met Rinpoche there engage the “reality maps,” ious, religious, spiritual and cul- the path of professional chaplain- at the last T segyalgar Retr eat. Administrator: and “theologies” of others. tural backgrounds, on the ins and cy. When he finally met Rinpoche, it Loek Jehee During this time my CPE clinical outs of being a professional confirmed what he was feeling, [email protected] training experience was calling Interfaith Chaplain. I take my Tom Kilts met Chögyal Namkhai and now Tom feels as at home at me to integrate my Tibetan students through an intense for- Norbu Rinpoche at Tsegyalgar in last. Chögyal Namkhai Norbu To subscribe Buddhist faith with my ministry mation process that should be rec- 2005. He began to r ead about Rinpoche gave T om an endorse- send an email to: of Interfaith Chaplaincy. ognizable in our Dzogchen com- Taoism and meditation when he ment and commissioning to do norbunet- Madeline held my hand tightly munity, because its primary con- was eight years old. T om called the ministry of Chaplaincy and request@mail. and again asked me, “What am I cern is with the process of inte- himself a Buddhist by the time he Pastoral Education. dzogchen.ru supposed to do?” I pulled a chair gration. It is through the clinical was twelve and was very much Tom lives in W alnut Cr eek with the subject up and came closer to her ear . I method of growing into our inner interested in the local T ibetan California with his wife Sarah line: told her to visualize Christ sur- and outer authenticity that we are Buddhist monastery. He ran away and 3 and half year-old daughter rounded by healing and warm more capable to invite and com- from home when he was sixteen, Indra. subscribe light. She did so and tears began panion others in the depths of finished high school and lived on to well up in her eyes. I asked her their suffering and struggle. In a his own for a period of time. to call upon him with devotional sense, we can only go as deep During this time, T om contem- Chaplain Tom Kilts, Director prayers and she began to chant with another as we can with our- plated joining the monastery and Spiritual Care Department her rosary. I walked her through selves. So for those interested in becoming a monk, but that path John Muir Medical Center- a meditation where Christ was becoming professional chaplains didn’t seem right for r easons Concord Campus absorbed in her heart and she you have to go on an ongoing unknown to him at the time. T om 2540 East St. released light through the top of journey related to what Trungpa studied anthr opology and r eli- Concord, CA 94520-1906 her head, all the while surround- Rinpoche called the Tantric jour- gious studies at college and came (925) 674-2628 ing herself with the love of Christ. ney, where the “path is the goal.” under the tutelage of a pr ofessor Email: thomas.kilts@john I told her if she lost touch with the To get certified as a Chaplain, you who was a long-time practitioner muirhealth.com visualization to keep going back would need to go through the of T ibetan Buddhism. T om soon

Subscribe to The Mirror on line @ www.melong.com On line only $25 Paper only $35 Both $45 Upgrades too

20 EMERALD TREASURES totally overpower me but secretly I relate to your vision of wrathful. Spaceships, crystals, leopards and exotic flowers Tara, of Guru Padmasambhava, to your portraits of the signify the realm in which your visions dwell. A New Perspective on Tibetan Imagery Karmapa with yellow birds, of , of His When you are fifteen you make your first painting. You Holiness Dalai Lama - all of whom you have met, who don’t really know what Buddhism is. You’ve never met a MARIANNA RYDVALD have all been your teachers. Lama but you feel compelled to paint such a figure. Your Tibet House NYC Sept. 8-Nov.8 2005 painting of forty years ago looks like Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche today. I wonder at this strange connec- A review by Louise Landes -Levi tion and send him this portrait by email, done in the visionary space that seems to exist beyond time, place arianna, you are not a ‘normal ‘ person so how and lineage, at least a recognizable lineage. can I write a ’normal’ review of your show. You Buddhist practitioners have sent your cards around the are a gigantic person, descended from the Lap- globe. You paint in many styles but until a few weeks Mlanders; a shaman’s voice travels through you and informs ago, I only knew your Taras. your paintings. You seek in the Tibetan, Christian, Meso New York City suffers from the past and the fear of the American and Indian traditions, yet you return to your future. One enters Tibet House and feels the warmth of roots, the samye,* the mother goddess Ka Tara Sha who your display . I cannot say if these will visited you in the realm of your childhood and who later compel me to sit and recite the of Tara, but I can reappeared in your obsession with Tara: the Emerald For- say their warmth transcended the moment’s ambivalence est Tara, the Rain Forest Tara, and the Crystal Tara. From and lifted me into a spacious equanimity that was your where do these images emerge? gift. You tell me the deity itself reveals to you its and its The paintings of your son Sky in ‘Love From Sky’ and ambient. You paint a youthful Yeshe Tsögyal, She is sit- your daughter Ariana in ’Morning Raga’ were very mov- ting in flames; she is youthful but beyond youth and old ing. Your infant son sits with Vajra & Bell in hand. Your daughter is protected by a single HUM. Your Taras man- age, her brocade of grasses protects her visionary medita- Marianna and Alex Grey L LANDES-LEVI tion. I easily become Yeshe Tsögyal in this dream you ifest from Africa to . You want to paint a Tara in have. Other teachers are the birds and flowers of your environ- every major city in the world to save this planet. It is 1970. You are living in a converted military base in ment. Your are placed in our relative world. You You are sixty years old but will still climb huge scaf folds Denmark. ‘Christiana’ later becomes a national ‘treasure’. speak of the influences of El Greco, Goya, from early trav- and travel great distances to realize this plan. You adorned You paint an entire building with a mural representing the els in Spain and Diego Rivera and Freda Kahlo from a – in the 80’ s – the Monastery in Bodhgaya with unity of tradition. Guru Padmasambhava presides over all sojourn in Mexico. You study fresco painting in images of the Buddha’ s life. In the 90’ s you paint the the activities and images in your painting. A Lama comes Stockholm. You marvel at the visionary display of the Orchestral Hall in Detroit and the Taj Mahal of Atlanta, the to toss ceremonial rice on the facade. Russian painter Nicholas Roerich, an early interpreter of most renowned casino in the land. Marianna, you are a woman of this moment. I can’t fit you the East. You tower above me but you are inside of me. I am in a into any tradition. One afternoon we discussed the dif fer- You paint your deities in three-dimensional space. You truck, driving your paintings north from New York City to ence between the terton and the visionary. We understand break with tradition and honor the words of the 16th Woodstock without really understanding how I got into there is no tradition of terton in the Western world. You Gyalwa Karmapa who said, “Marianna, be true to your such a situation. ‘Karma’ you insist. speak of sky travel, the dreams of the sky travel of your own style and work on the transition for the old to the people or a people arriving to the planet. You wonder if is new.” *Samye-the r eindeer her ders or Laplanders of Northern this your people or your tribe? You have teeth like the You say that the Karmapa knows you must do this. He Sweden samye * who have teeth like no other people on earth. blesses your natural inclination. Your deities are rounded You belong to the lineage of liberation and wisdom. You and animated. Your teachers are uniformly kind, never

Southern Tuscany

CASA TOSCANA Town and country apartments, farmhouses, and villas for rent

See online catalog: www.casa-toscana-glang.com

T HE M IRROR N OV/DEC 2005 21 Special Practice Calendar Wood Bird and Fire Dog Years January to April 2006

11 & 12 Tibetan months of the Ganapuja, with the transforma- Namcho Shitroi Naljor, the prac- Wood Bird Year tion of the Dakini , This 1 Month, day 10 tice of the peaceful and wrathful and recite her heart mantra as Thu March 9 2006 manifestations, either collectively 1 & 2 Tibetan months of the many times as possible. or alone, as well as a collective Fire Dog Year Otherwise you can do a This is the day on which Ganapuja. There is a total solar Medium Thun either collec- Padmasambhava was eclipse today. Anniversary of Garab Dorje tively or personally. ordained by Ananta, or , First Tibetan month – 15 day according to Jigmed Celebration at 8 a.m. Oddiyana Lingpa (‘Jigs med gLing 2 Month, day 6 time. 11 Month, day 30 pa), the day on which he Tue. April 4 2006 Sun. Jan. 29 2006 left the kingdom of Monday March 13 2006 Oddiyana to go to the This is an important day for the DARK MOON. This cemetery at Maghadha practice of Ekajati, so try to do a 17:00 Hawaii is an excellent day to called Citavana. Long or Medium Thun in the 19:00 San Francisco, Los do purification prac- You can do a Ganapuja usual way , reciting the heart Angeles, Vancouver (US Pacific tice so try to do the in the usual way or if mantra of Ekajati as many times Time) Purification of the Six you do not have the as possible. 20:00 Denver (US Lokas and a Ganapuja possibility you can try to Mountain Time) in the evening. do the Long life practice 21:00 Chicago, Mexico linked to the Guruyoga of 2 Month, day 10 City, Belize (US Central Time) Guru Rinpoche (Universal Sat. April 8 2006 22:00 New York, Montreal, 12 Month, day 10 Wisdom Union) either col- Detroit, Havana Tue. Feb. 7 2006 lectively or alone. Otherwise This is a special day of Guru 23:00 Caracas you can do a Medium Thun Padmasambhava, the day on This day is the anniversary of (Thundrin) with an intense prac- which King Sahora tried to burn Tuesday March 14 2006 Guru Padmasambhava’ s corona- tice of the Guruyoga of him alive and when he trans- tion as Prince of Or gyen at the month Padmasambhava. formed the fire into a lake, so try 00:00 Buenos Aires, Sao invitation of King Idrabhodi. We there is no 30 th day so today is to perform a Ganapuja collective- Paolo, Santiago can perform a Ganapuja collec- the last day of the Wood Bird ly, but if that is not possible do the 03:00 GMT, London, tively or do the Long life practice, year. It is a special day for purifi - 1 Month, day 15 Long life practice Universal Dublin, Lisbon “Universal W isdom Union” cation practices so try to do Tue. March 14 2006 Wisdom Union. 04:00 Rome, Berlin, Oslo, either collectively or personally , “Purification of the Six Lokas” as Paris, Amsterdam, Stockholm according to circumstances. much as possible. You should FULL MOON. The anniversary 05:00 Helsinki, Athens, also try to do a Ganapuja with of the great Dzogchen Master 2 Month, day 12 Jerusalem your Vajra brothers and sisters. Garab Dorje as well as that of the Mon. April 10 2006 06:00 Moscow 12 Month, day 11 founder of Bön, the great Master 08:00 Oddiyana (Karachi- Wed. Feb. 8 2006 Shenrab Miwoche, falls on the This is the anniversary of Jetsun Pakistan) day of the first full moon of the Dragpa Gyaltsen (1 147-1216), 08:30 Delhi, Bombay This is a good day to do a TIBETAN NEWYEAR – FIRE Tibetan year. It is also a special one of the first great Masters of 08:45 Katmandu Medium or Long Thun with an DOG day of Buddha Shakyamuni when the Sakyapa tradition, so try to do 09:00 Dacca intensive practice of the mantra he manif ested several miracles the Akar Lamai Naljor , the 10:00 Bangkok, Jakarta of Ekajati. and the anniversary of the Master Guruyoga of the White A. 11:00 Singapore, Hong 1 Month, day 1 Marpa. Thus it is an especially 2 Month, day 15 Kong Tue Feb. 28 2006 important day for both Buddhist Thu. April 13 2006 12:00 Tokyo 12 Month, day 15 and Bönpo practitioners, in par- 14:00 Melbourne, Sydney Sun. Feb. 12 2006 : The Tibetan New Year ticular those who practice the FULL MOON. This is one of the starts today . It is good to do a Dzogchen teachings. best days for doing the Long life FULL MOON. This is in general Long life practice as early as pos- On this day, therefore, when it is practice of Guru Amitayus, with a a day for honoring the Lord sible in the morning and a 8am in Oddiyana, Chögyal Ganapuja if possible. Try to do it 11 Month, day 8 Sat. Jan. 7 2006 Buddha, and in particular an ideal Ganapuja during the day . Prayer Namkhai Norbu will give the collectively or, if that is not possi- day for the Long life practice of flags can be authenticated during transmission of Guruyoga with ble, alone. This is a special day for doing the Guru Amitayus, “Union of the Ganapuja. On the morning of the specific practice linked to the practice of Ekajati so try to do a Primordial Essences”. If possible the third day of the New Year you anniversary of Garab Dorje. In Long Thun, collectively or alone, try to do a collective Ganapuja can do the rite of the Sang and this way the transmission will be 2 Month, day 20 reciting the heart mantra as many with your Vajra brothers and sis - hang up the prayer flags. live because the transmission has Tue. April 18 2006 times as possible. ters in the evening. no distance. Rinpoche will trans- mit and throughout the world This is the anniversary of the 1 Month, day 4 people who do the practice at the great Dzogchen Master Do 11 Month, day 10 12 Month, day 18 Fri. March 3 2006 same moment will be in the trans- Gyaltsen Yeshe Dorje (born Mon. Jan. 9 2006 Thu. Feb.16 2006 mission and will thus receive the 1800), a disciple of the first The fourth day of the first month transmission. This practice Dodrubchen Rinpoche and a mas- This is a special day of Guru This is the anniversary of the is a special day for doing the should be done at the appointed ter of Nyagla Padma Dundul. It is Padmasambhava called Padma great Dzogchen master Longchen Long life practice of the Dakini time together with your Vajra therefore a good day to do Akar Gyalpo: it is the day on which he Rabjam (, 1306- Mandarava. It is also a very spe- brothers and sisters or , if that is Lamai Naljor, the Guruyoga with arrived in the capital of Oddiyana 1363). On this very important day cial day for doing the practice of not possible, alone. (In Italy , this the White A. and became prince to King try to do the Guruyoga Akar Ekajati so today try to do the practice will be done at 4 am.) Idrabhodi. Therefore it is an Lamai Naljor, Guruyoga with the Long life practice “Cycle of SEE GLOBAL TIMETABLE excellent day to do the Guruyoga White A, either collectively or Life’s Vajra” in the morning and There is also a penumbral lunar 2 Month, day 25 of Padmasambhava with a personally. the Long Thun in the evening. If eclipse on this day. Sun. April 23 2006 Ganapuja. you don’ t have this possibility , you can try to do the Long life This is a Dakini day so try to do a 12 Month, day 25 practice included in the Medium 1 Month, day 25 Ganapuja with your Vajra broth- 11 Month, day 15 Thu. Feb. 23 2006 or Long Thun, with the rite of Fri March. 24 2006 ers and sisters or if that is not pos- Sat. Jan. 14 2006 Ekajati, reciting the heart mantra sible, a Medium Thun, either col- Dakini Day. This is very positive of Ekajati as much as possible. This is the day of the Dakini and lectively or alone. FULL MOON. Today it is impor- day for reinforcing your ener gy in particular the anniversary of tant to try to do the Long life and creating a stronger contact the lady Master Ayu Khandro, so practice of Guru Amitayus, Union with the energy of the universe so 1 Month, day 8 it is good to do the Akar Lamai 2 Month, day 30 of Primordial Essences, in the try to do a collective Ganapuja Tue. March 7 2006 Naljor or a Ganapuja with trans- Thu. April 27 2006 usual way , and, if possible, a with your Vajra brothers and sis - formation into the Dakini Ganapuja. ters. If that is not possible, try to This is an important day for doing Simhamukha. DARK MOON. On this day , do a Medium Thun alone. In the practice of Ekajati, so try to which is the anniversary of the either case recite the heart mantra do the Long Thun either collec- great Terton Loter Wangpo, try to 11 Month, day 25 of Ekajati as many times as possi- tively or personally . If you don’ t 1 Month, day 30 do the Akar Lamai Naljor , Tue. Jan. 24 2006 ble. have that possibility then try to do Wed. March 29 2006 Guruyoga of the White A with the the Medium Thun and in either Master Garab Dorje either collec- This is a day of the Dakinis in case recite the heart mantra of DARK MOON. This day is suit- tively or alone, with a Ganapuja if general, so if you have the oppor- 12 Month, day 29 Ekajati as many times as possible. able for purification practice so possible. tunity practice a collective Mon. Feb. 27 2006 try to do purification with the

22 ASIA continued from page 6

made by 31 December. news between A.S.I.A. and the Journey in Tibet sponsors regarding the sponsored Deadlines persons, as well as meeting with A Travelogue from Romain Piro The deadlines of 30 June and 31 and overcoming problems and December can be postponed for a needs that arise, help us to maximum of one month. improve our operations. Excerpts of my diary: Western China. I am so moved by the idea of arriv- Payments always refer to the fol- ing for the first time in Lhasa; I have goose bumps lowing six months or year , to La Gabbianella October 1, 2005: and almost cry. implement the terms of transmis- A.S.I.A. is a founding member of sion of the funds collected, that La Gabbianella – Co-or dination There is not a single cloud in the sky looking out A.S.I.A. executes twice a year . for Long-distance sponsorships , from this big airplane full of Chinese celebrating the October 8, 2005: Thus it is essential that the pay- an Italian association whose aims first day of the annual week off (I would have loved ments be made regularly, continu- are the promotion, tutelage and for my travel agency to tell me that there will be 1 The first week in the holy city and all kind of feel- ously and within the time limits development of long-distance billion 300 thousand people traveling on this day), ings already experienced, from the best to the worst! agreed so as to avoid delays in the sponsorships however it may be singing, each with a red flag in each hand and some- The best is when I see an entire family of nomadic overall sending of the sums to the called and is structured as a nation- one video-recording. A strange, annoying and disap- people arriving from Amdo, Kham or anywhere else local counterparts. al co-coordinating or ganization of pointing scene! in this immense and vast place, with heavy bags of the associations working in this tsampa and butter . They are so Tax benefits sector. excited to be in Lhasa, to see the Potala for the first time, the ASIA-USA is a 501© 3 charitable , Ramoche; the three non-profit organization. All contri- main pilgrimage places of the butions and donations are tax town. They really look like they deductible according to the allowance of the law. A.S.I.A-USA come directly from the middle PO Box 124 ages; so beautiful, with colorful Conway, Massachusetts Your collaboration chubas, amazing hairstyles and 01341-0124 USA jewels. They invest their little Adhering to deadlines, communi- 413.369.4153 tel. money in offerings and do Koras cating any change of address, con- 413.369.4473 fax all day long. Far from any way tinuing to use the same sponsor [email protected] email of life I know and very impres- surname and Sponsor Code and www.asia-usa.org web site sive! giving due notice if one is unable Then the worst are the buildings, to continue the sponsorship are the thousands of cars, the build- fundamental for proper running of ings, the pollution, the noise, the the project. Also, the exchange of buildings, the square facing the Potala, Chinese being pho- tographed wearing fake yellow chubas, the fake plastic palm

Hopefully the real show was happening outside. I am above Tibet, looking at a huge valley, then another one and another even bigger! There are thousands of valleys, peaks, p asses, a n u nending desert of mountains below . It is certainly one of the most impressive scenes I have ever seen. Unforgettable. My feeling is paradoxical at this moment. I am excited like a child a few hours before Christmas to see all the pre- sents that await him. I am so happy to come back to this holy land to see its great peo- ple again. On the other hand, I also feel a strange kind of

trees in the streets, the buildings, etc. etc. Lhasa is not Tibet anymore except around the Jokhang. It is just another ugly Chinese town and it makes me so sad.

October 11, 2005:

How incredible!! And nice!! I went to visit the Terdrum nunnery where there are fantastic hot springs! They are as hot as Petriolo in Toscana. It is at 4500m (14,763 ft) and a daylong drive said. from Lhasa. Many people were “How nice!! I didn’t know. I must see those places”, I said. enjoying t he s pring a nd m any nuns living there of fered a much We continued to talk and as all Tibetans, he was very curious about for- better and cheaper accommoda- eigners and he asked more things about me. I told him that I spend a lot tion than the Chinese. I saw a girl, of time at a Tibetan center in Italy. shame. I think of Alexandra David-Neel who came a Westerner, she was American, and she told me she all the way from Yunnan on foot! She was without a had come here with some friends, four Tibetans and “Dove? [Where?]” He said loudly in Italian. I was so surprised to hear map, without a clock, without anything, just full of one American. Nice! It is not so common to meet a some Italian words here and now! “In Toscana, vicino Arcidosso! the energy of discovering this amazing country and Westerner traveling with Tibetans. I met one of her Perche?” [In Tuscany, near Arcidosso. Why?] “Non mi dire che tu sei di culture. Tibet. I feel shame to comfortably sit in this friends, a monk, with a funny moustache. Great, he Merigar!” [Don’t tell me you are from Merigar?] He said. At this time plane, imagining all the people down there that I was able to speak English! I start to talk with him I really thought I was dreaming and he started to say , “Oh, che fortuna would like to meet, those meetings always so inter- and he asked me: incontrare te, io sono stato la per piu de un anno, qualque anno fa!! [Oh esting, at least funny, with lovely Tibetans; the peo- how fortunate to meet you. I stayed there for more than one year some ple who are smiling like nowhere else. Now I am fly- “Oh, did you come to visit this Guru Rinpoche’ s years ago.] ing and missing so much. place? Sono un studente de Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche.” [I am a student of To see Lhasa is an old dream of mine and now I feel “What!” I said very surprised. “This is a Guru Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche.] that arriving there by plane is not the real way one Rinpoche place!” should go. I am with many tourists in the plane and “Of course, there is a famous foot-print near the I just couldn’t believe it was true! most of them do not have a single idea about where spring and one of his retreat caves above the village they are going, they just know they are going to visit and also a cave of his consort, !” he End of diary

T HE M IRROR N OV/DECL 2005 23 HOW I MET CHÖGYAL NAMKHAI NORBU

by Christina Svane ing. I went to see a woman who They complained to the adminis- the next. It didn’t feel like it mat- me into. I walked up the hill that practiced Chinese medicine. She tration and almost had me fired. I tered to me, I just wanted to stay day feeling walls inside me tum - n my life, the great blessing of took my pulses and said, “Oh my had to promise to become more connected to Rinpoche. bling down profoundly moved by meeting Chögyal Namkhai god, there is nothing holding you normal in my teaching, but I kept Immediately, this became the his capacity to see into me. I felt Norbu seemed to come together.” We spoke a bit, and working with the trees with a few most important thing in my life. I like he was extending his hand, to Ithrough the spirit of the trees. In she gave me some foul-tasting interested students. was baffled myself when I’d turn help me get over the barrier to all the events leading up to meet- herbs to make tea from, and this One morning a poster down invitations to parties, din- trusting a guru. I had grown up in ing him, trees are like pieces of assignment: “Go home and write appeared in the foyer of the ners, events, holding the practice San Francisco in the peak of the the puzzle. While I was in college, something that you will say upon school. It w as t he p hotograph nights sacred. Haight-Ashbury times, and had in 1976, I went to see a friend’ s rising every morning for the Then for Easter , 1987, seen so many people give up their new meditation cabin at Stinson rest of your life.” Martin Buchter said he identity to follow “”. I did- Beach, in California, where I I believe that what I was driving from n’t want to be one of those peo - lived. Standing alone on the roof, wrote prepared me to meet Amsterdam to Merigar , ple. As I walked up the hill to the gazing into the blue sky , my Rinpoche, which happened a and of fered space in his yellow house, I said to myself, awareness spontaneously relaxed few short months later. It was van. Louise Landes- “Oh no, I never wanted to be and I noticed that the trees were inspired by my experience Levi, a wonderful poet someone with a guru!” But it was looking back at me, as if I were dancing with the trees. and longtime student of too late. looking in a mirror, so to speak. I Because of my emotional Rinpoche’s, told me, I think it was at that retreat could see that they and I were the state, I had stopped teaching “You should go. Merigar that Rinpoche expl ained about same consciousness, but they had dance classes, or taking is a special place, where the relationship between Guru chosen to practice in tree form, them, or being part of a dance Rinpoche teaches in and disciple being for as many just as the birds were practicing in company. Instead, I would go Italy. It is near a beauti- lifetimes as it takes. Not like bird form. I felt awake for the first every morning to the park ful village called earthly marriage, which ends time in my life, and asked myself and ask a certain very tall Arcidosso. Y ou are when someone dies. I could feel how I got there, at which point, of sycamore tree to be my Rinpoche’s student now , this connection, and it felt I felt course, the discursive mind took teacher. I would stand and so you should feel like it like something inside me that had over again and the experience wait for the lesson to begin. is your home, your spiri- been falling for years finally ended as abruptly as a prison door One morning it was roots. tual home. You should came to rest. There was someone closing behind me. “ Someday I One morning it was the torso. feel like you are part of in my life now that I trusted will meet a teacher who can help One morning the rhythm of this family now, and you implicitly. me get back to that state,” was a the branches. One day I had have a right to be there.” One night, everyone went to a recurring thought until I met him, an experience of holding my Her words had a pro- party at the Faggio Rosso restau- ten years later. arms up mid air and hearing found effect on me, and I rant. I didn’t go because I had no Then in 1981, I was in despair the tree say , “Now stay that decided to go. I remem- money, and I was not in the after my lover died, while I was way for 200 years.” I held ber we left about 2 a.m., mood. I sat in the dark on a bench on a dance tour in Europe. I them up as long as I could, and Mark Morrel took of Rinpoche driving along the canals out of outside the yellow house and remember standing on the roof of just before I let them drop, I expe- looking out the window from the Amsterdam, taking turns driving thought about Rinpoche. How a building in Paris, thinking how rienced a rush of images pouring back of a car in Amsterdam. The all night and day , singing the strange that I felt shy with some- I could get enough sleeping pills through me: goddesses and arche- moment I saw it, I said, “That’ s Purification of the Elements, one to whom I am more deeply to leave Earth to go find him on types of the Divine Feminine, the man I’ve been looking for!” I and Song of Vajra, as bonded than a lover . It was up to the other side. In the midst of such as Mary with Jesus in her went to his announced public talk we headed south on our pilgrim- me, I realized, to allow myself to those dark thoughts, I looked out arms, Athena, Tara (though I did- at a wonderful old venue on the age. I also tried desperately to feel that bond, that love, in my into the branches of the chestnut n’t know her name then), and waterfront called The Kosmos. I memorize the Chöd on that trip. life. Under the stars, alone on that trees and saw a vision of a danc- nameless images of The Great was excitedly waiting for a robed I could not believe how beautiful bench, I tried, and I did. Rinpoche ing female figure with black hair Mother. It was like I had discov- figure of a Tibetan Master to it was, when we arrived at always speaks of a sweetness that and Asian features in brightly col- ered a doorway, a portal to anoth- appear, when a man in corduroy Merigar. The trees were bursting can’t be shared through talking, ored clothing. She was very pow- er dimension where this compas- pants came striding down the with white blossoms, sheep only through tasting. How do you erful, sensual and communicating sionate energy lived. I knew this aisle like he had just stepped of f grazed on the hillsides, and describe it? I know we all get to that I should not kill myself, but was my path. When I stopped, his horse. I assumed he must be Monte Labro towered across the this point in our stories, and have instead find the inspiration to two hobos who had been watch- the Master ’s bodyguard. The little valley, against the blue skies to surrender. All I can say is tast- keep living through developing ing me from the bushes where bodyguard’s radiant smile had an of Toscana. In those days, there ing it brought tears, of being over- my dancing. Today when I think they’d slept, came out and said, amazing ef fect on the room, were so few people, Rinpoche whelmed, of gratitude, joy , sor- of her , I wonder if perhaps she “We don’ t know what you was putting all of us at ease, and send- would sit on the big rock and give row and relief. More than any- was Gomadevi. Ever since I was doing, lady, but it was the purtiest ing out such warmth and joy that the retreat in the grove of trees thing, I wanted to see him, the a little girl, dancing had been my thing we ever seen.” The poem I I thought, “Wow, this bodyguard below where the Gonpa is today . way you ache when you want to way of connecting to my spirit wrote, and said every morning, is awesome!” I was confused to The only building at Merigar then see your true love. Suddenly I and to what I would later identify began: see him sit down in front of the was the yellow farmhouse, where heard feet crunching on the grav- as the ener gy of Tara. microphone, though. I kept look- Rinpoche lived upstairs, and the el. Out of the darkness Rinpoche Improvisation was my practice, “All-giving Mother of Life, ing over my shoulder for the Sangha ate and slept downstairs. appeared, with two others. He and I would often dance in nature, power and beauty unending, Master to arrive. The bodyguard, There was also a very small stopped in front of my bench, and tuning into the ener gies there. I am awake and at Your calling.” of course, was Rinpoche. Gonpa in the yellow house, where greeted me, seeing my condition. Spiritually, I felt connected to The next day I went to the the children played usually . One Instead of going in the house, he Buddhism, but didn’ t have the A few months later , by what retreat, and though I hardly morning, in the grove, in the mid- began to tell funny stories, acting discipline to do sitting practice. I seemed like a series of magical understood anything, I felt an dle of giving a teaching, them out under the stars. I won- was too restless, and always events, I had a wonderful job on immediate connection to Rinpoche looked straight at me dered then if I was dreaming. wanted to be moving. the faculty of the Dance depart- Rinpoche. I also felt instantly and said, “If you look at a tree and Now I know I am. Looking back, I would say I ment at the Theaterschool in accepted into his family of stu- see a goddess, and you are wor- was in a kind of underworld for Amsterdam. I wanted to share dents, and felt very happy , like I ried because you don’ t know Christina Svane lives in Hatfield, the next four years, living without with them my experience with the had come home. After the retreat, which is real, don’ t worry , they Massachusetts with her husband direction, swinging from reckless trees, and took them to the park, I went every Tuesday night to are both equally real.” Then he and two daughters, is the dir ec- impulse to thick shadows, in a asking each one to pick a tree to practice with the little Amsterdam simply returned to the topic he’d tor of the Tsegyalgar Gakyil and kind of jungle of where the flow- be their teacher , and see what Sangha, though I was too shy to been teaching. I couldn’ t believe runs workshops in Embodied ers of creativity struggled to reach came through them. They were ask them to explain to me what it. I had never spoken to him Awareness thr ough Movement, the light through a canopy of sor- completely bewildered. Why we were doing. We did Chöd about my dancing with the trees, Writing and Voice. rows, regrets, and alcohol. they should do such a strange every week then, and for a long how inspiring it was for me and Where is my path, I kept wonder- thing? Especially in the cold! time I didn’t know one part from how much trouble it was getting

Tregchöd continued from page 1

vision. Chöd means ‘to cut’; rather , we We relax in how it is with all our sense Instant presence is what we discover transmission for dif ferent practices. enter into action, we break the cord of our organs; not conditioned by our judgments, through direct transmission, that is Finally, Rinpoche reminded us that the aim dual vision. by the concepts of mind! This is how we Guruyoga. Through Guruyoga, we develop of following the teachings was to achieve discover and how wisdoms manifest. In our instant presence.e realization; not to create confusion in sam- “We are something like a bound object with daily lives, step-by-step, we are aware, Rinpoche stated that Dzogchen is just saric vision. Rinpoche ended the teachings our thr ee existences of body , speech and mindful and present; we get familiar . This the vehicle; it all depends on our capacity . by saying: “MY PRACTICE IS TO BE mind, bound up with all our tensions and is how we integrate presence: when driving The methods are relative to our own expe- PRESENT”. He very gently added: “DO filled with confusion. With this however, we a car, eating or working. While doing many rience. We discover through our own expe- YOUR BEST”! relax into our natur e and this is what we different things, we can develop continu - rience. This how we develop confidence. call Tregchöd. But to r elax does not mean ous, undistracted presence. When we start, Rinpoche further stated that continuing to References to let go without any pr esence. Relax it is not easy , yet it is the most important be in a state of confidence is Tredchö – Norbu, N. (2000). means the inner state of pr esence.” practice. To be present means knowing total relaxation! Lonchenpa’s Precious Ship. (Namkhai Norbu, 2000, p. 110) what the circumstances are. Time always On day five, our last day , Rinpoche Arcidosso:Shang Shung Edizioni goes ahead; we do our best. encouraged us to practice. He further gave

24