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THE MIRROR The International Newspaper of the Dzog-chen Community Issue 12, November 1991 USA The Future of the Dzog-chen Community The Dalai Lama expresses intention to visit Tibet Our Community is based on the during talk in New York teaching and the spirit of the page 4 teaching, it's not just an ordinary organisation. This Community exists within a society which is New York hosts the always moving ahead and changing. Kalachakra Initiation The teaching tells us how to work page 6 with circumstances and that is why we always try to improve and to integrate as much as possible in Tsegyalgar appeals society. revoked building permits I've heard many people say that the page7 Community is getting too oganised, it's not like it used to be once. Certainly you may feel that it was USSR more simple and natural but you The city of Ulan Ude in have to understand that we are going Buryatia welcomes the ahead in society, we are not going backwards. Going back to the Dalai Lama beginning means cancelling page 5 everything. If one person thinks only about themselves and refuses to accept France society, I'm not saying that couldn't A tribute to the great be a solution. But I can say for sure master Dilgo Khyenlse that this is not a solution for society Rinpoche who passed away or for the maj ority of people. Rather recently we have to consider what the condition of society is and how to page 5 integrate the teaching in society. That's why we've organised the Community and we are trying to Australia organise it better to function in Intensive practice retreat at society. That's true integration. the Wat That's why we need at least a page 6 minimum of organisation, not to The symbol of the Dzog-chen Community, original design by Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche (graphics Renata Nani) remain behind everyone. Up till now I've always committed request for people's opinions. About that the time is not yet ripe for it. I want to decide everything by Venezuela myself like the father of a family. twenty percent of the people who Our Community is not yet mature so myself. The people interested have But it's not sufficient to think that I replied said they thought mese ideas it's useless to carry out my ideas for to decide and take responsibility. Merida elects new Gakyil commit myself and no-one else were very interesting, but about the international Community. But I want very precise ideas on how we page? needs to bother. There are things thirty percent replied with criticism. Merigar, Tsegyalgar and Tashigar should continue the Community. that have to be done, things that Most people kept quiet and I don't are all concretely in existence. With Today I'm just giving information involve a commitment. If the know whether or not they are in all of our sacrifices wehave acquired to communicate that during the Spain Community is to continue everyone agreement with my ideas or are just land, houses and things to maintain. Christmas retreat we want to have a Experiences of the retreat must be responsible. too shy to say anything. The principle of this is always for meeting to decide how we can at Babia Last year I wrote a letter informing Anyway my original idea was to the maintainance of the teaching. continue. page 10 people of my ideas on how the form a kind of commission to Therefore, I haven't the least So now you have time to think and Community could continue, to ask examine all these ideas but when I intention of renouncing all of this. to communicate this to all those people what they think about them. saw these kinds of criticism I thought Certainly we will have to find a who are interested. Lithuania I've received a few replies to my better of it because I'm convinced solution of how to do iL It's not that pages 8 and 9 A letter from the Dorjeling Book reviews Feeding the Demon M (Best Wishes andLonß Life Community in Vilnius to Ü^amf^ai 9frrßu Rinpoche page 16 My Tibet - a text by the Dalai More and more scientific and Lama, photographs by Galen medical research is proving the on Mis 'Birthday Rowell concrete effects of negative thought December 8th Poland On a Spaceship with Beelzebub patterns on our health. We all have Increasing interest in by a Grandson of Gurdjieff - our personal demons who undermine From the (Dzog-chen Community David Kherdian Buddhism our positive efforts and wreak havoc page 6 page 12 in our lives. The varieties are infinite and right at this very moment as you Retreat at Merigar Tape Archive are reading this and as I am writing with Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche Italy Safeguarding the teachings for the it several demons are present around future: information on the Audio us, waiting for the secondary causes December 23 to January 5 Reports on the practice Cassette Archive at Merigar which will allow them to eat. weekends at Merigar page 7 page 13 information page 3 pages 3 and 9 2 The Teaching is Beyond Cultural Limitations Babia, Spain, September 28th 1991 much in happiness. When we are Human beings in general are very happy, we enjoy it and feel it is very limited. The knowledge of real. But if you know that happiness enlightened teachers such as Buddha is unreal and is in time and related to and Christ is beyond limitations, but circumstances, when you have they transmit knowledge to people problems you are never too upset who have limitations and who because you know what the situation therefore limit everything. So their of Samsara is like. So for that reason understanding doesn't correspond we must understand our real to the real meaning of the teaching. condition. That is the source of all the different The teaching is only for discovering traditions, schools and religions. our real condition. It is transmitted If we exist in the real meaning of the and applied with many different teachings we know that the purpose methods, reUtedtodifferentcultures and goal of all teachings is to and attitudes, but you shouldn't be discover our real condition. Teachers too linked to cultural behaviour or transmit in many different ways attitudes. because they have to transmit Culture is useful for knowledge, but according to the culture in which the culture of an individual is more they are teaching. Every country important than a culture presented has its own culture and knowledge officially. I'll give you an example: and everyone has their own if you go to aTibetanmonastery you characteristic point of view and will see Tibetans walking around ideas. So to transmit knowledge a chortens, using prayer wheels and teacher must understand the situation doing prostrations. They do these of those to whom he is transmitting. things because they consider them For example Buddha Sakyamuni as ways of accumulating merit. transmitted knowledge through Some people interested in the Indian culture. Understanding this teaching who visit Tibet think that Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche (photo Liano Graf) we can understand many things such that is the main point and they try to as the Yogatantra style of teachings. are still using those images today if a teacher is giving a deep teaching with a teacher and do a learn to do all the things Tibetan For example, Vajrasattva or but you shouldn't think that they are explanation of the Nature of the research to discover our condition. people do, and when they come back Avalokitesvara or Tara are said to the principle; they are symbols, they Mind most people are unable to The teacher is an expert in this and to the West they continue to do be Sambhogakaya manifestations. are secondary. understand and are not interested. has experience of the knowledge of those things and claim they are Sambhogakaya means the If you go to a Western restaurant A few people think they have very the teaching. So the teacher does an following Tibetan teaching. Butthat "dimension of qualification". That you will find knives and forks on the high knowledge. They think "my analysis to discover the cause. Then is only a secondary thing related to means they are manifestations table, whereas if you go to a Chinese school is like this; I don't need that just as a doctor gives medicine which Tibetan behaviour. Following a through the essence of the elements. restaurant there will be chopsticks. or I cannot accept that". They close we take and advice that we follow, Tibetan teaching doesn't mean you But a manifestation must have a If you only had chopsticks in a themselves and remain blind. They when we follow a teaching we must become a Tibetan, that you throw form, because if there is no form we Western restaurant it would be very are unable to see that anything else apply the advice of our teacher. The away your own culture and accept have no idea. Look at how inconvenient. You need a knife and exists. They always have a kind of teaching is a kind of medicine for another. Culture is like a language. Dharmakaya is represented in the fork to eat a big beefsteak whereas rigidity and hold onto their idea that overcoming our dualistic vision and I communicate knowledge of teaching. Dharmakaya means the you don't need a knife at all in a they cannot accept anything else.
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