DOCSLIB.ORG

Mipam on Buddha-Nature : the Ground of the Nyingma Tradition / Douglas S

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Mipam on Buddha-Nature : the Ground of the Nyingma Tradition / Douglas S Mipam on Buddha-Nature The Ground of the Nyingma Tradition D O U G L A S S. D U C K W O R T H MIPAM ON BUDDHA-NATURE MIPAM ON BUDDHA-NATURE The Ground of the Nyingma Tradition Douglas S. Duckworth STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK PRESS Published by State University of New York Press, Albany © 2008 State University of New York All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher. For information, contact State University of New York Press, Albany, NY www.sunypress.edu Production by Ryan Morris Marketing by Michael Campochiaro Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Duckworth, Douglas S., 1971– Mipam on Buddha-nature : the ground of the Nyingma tradition / Douglas S. Duckworth. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-7914-7521-8 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Mi-pham-rgya-mtsho, ’Jam-mgon ’Ju, 1846-1912. 2. Rñin-ma-pa (Sect)—Doctrines. 3. Madhyamika (Buddhism) 4. Bud- dhahood. I. Title. BQ972.I457D83 2008 294.3'420423—dc22 2007037662 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 CONTENTS Preface ix Introduction xi Presence and Absence xii Historical Survey xvii Monastic Education and the Nonsectarian Movement xx Life and Works of Mipam xxiii Summary of Contents xxviii The End of the Beginning xxxii Chapter 1. Buddha-Nature and the Unity of the Two Truths 1 Introduction 1 Mipam’s Synthesis 4 Two Truths 6 Buddha-Nature as the Unity of Appearance and Emptiness 13 Buddha-Nature as the Definitive Meaning 20 Conclusion 26 Chapter 2. Middle Way of Prāsan˙gika and Yogācāra 27 Introduction 27 Svātantrika-Prāsan˙gika 28 v vi CONTENTS Dialectical Ascent 39 Foundations of Yogācāra 45 Prāsan˙gika versus Yogācāra 51 Conclusion 53 Chapter 3. The Present Absence 55 Introduction 55 Other-Emptiness in the Jonang 57 Other-Emptiness and the Nyingma: Lochen Dharmaśrī 66 Another Emptiness? Emptiness of Self/Other 71 Phenomena and Suchness 73 De/limiting Emptiness 81 Emptiness as the Unity of Appearance and Emptiness 85 Conclusion 91 Chapter 4. Buddha-Nature and the Ground of the Great Perfection 93 Introduction 93 Distinguishing the Views on Buddha-Nature 94 Buddha-Nature as Heritage, Buddha-Nature as the Ground 99 Appearance and Reality 107 Conclusion 114 Chapter 5. The Indivisible Ground and Fruition 117 Introduction 117 Establishing Buddha-Nature: The Immanent Buddha 118 Establishing Appearances as Divine 124 Buddha-Nature and a Difference Between Sūtra and Mantra 131 Conclusion 139 Conclusion 141 Contents vii Translations of Primary Texts 145 Appendix 1. Lion’s Roar: Exposition of Buddha-Nature 147 Stating Other Traditions 149 Presenting Our Authentic Tradition 153 The Meaning of the First Verse “Because the body of the perfect Buddha is radiant” 153 The Meaning of the Second Verse “Because thusness is indivisible” 159 The Meaning of the Third Verse “Because of possessing heritage” 162 Refuting the View that [the Basic Element] Is Truly Established and Not Empty 167 Refuting the View that [the Basic Element] Is a Void Emptiness 168 Refuting the Apprehension of [the Basic Element] as Impermanent and Conditioned 170 Appendix 2. Notes on the Essential Points of [Mipam’s] Exposition [of Buddha-Nature] 181 Notes 191 Bibliography 265 Index 281 PREFACE I have gathered here Mipam’s writings on Buddha-nature from a variety of sources to show the central role of Buddha-nature in his works. In doing so, I do not stray far from his texts and include many excerpted translations. In the notes and text, I use the Wylie system to transliterate Tibetan into Eng- lish. Also, I have adopted the THDL system of phonetic transcription devel- oped by David Germano and Nicolas Tournadre to render Tibetan into English (hence, “Mipam” not “Mipham”). When relevant, I include Sanskrit technical terms parenthetically with the Tibetan. As with all things, this book is the result of many causes and conditions. I would like to first express my deepest gratitude to Chökyi Nyima Rin- poché, and his late father, Tulku Urgyen, without whom I would not have had the inspiration to take on such a study as this. This book evolved out of my Ph.D. dissertation, entitled “Buddha-Nature and a Dialectic of Presence and Absence in the Works of Mi-pham” (University of Virginia, 2005); it would not have been possible without my peerless advisor, Professor Jeffrey Hopkins. I also owe a debt of gratitude to Professor David Germano, who has helped me over the years in many significant ways. Professors Hopkins and Germano have both consistently challenged me to deepen my under- standing of texts and traditions in critical and creative ways. Professors Karen Lang and Robert Hueckstedt also gave me invaluable feedback in the early stages of this project. My studies were made possible due to many learned Tibetan scholars, who I list in the order that I met them: the late Nyoshül Khenpo, Khenpo Orgyen Trinlé, the late Khenpo Jadrel, the late Khenpo Petsé, Khenpo Chöying Lhündrup, Khenpo Tupten Yeshé, Khenpo Yeshé ix x PREFACE Trinlé, Khenpo Sherap Özer, Khenpo Nyima Töndrup, Khenpo Namdröl, Khenpo Tsültrim Dargyé, Aku Rapgyé, the late Khenpo Yönten Zangpo, Khenpo Jampa Lodrö, Khenpo Sherap Zangpo, Khenpo Sherap Dorjé, Khenpo Pema Sherap, Khenpo Kātyāyana, Khenpo Wangchuk Sönam, Khenpo Apé, Trülku Nyima Gyeltsen, Khenpo Tsülnam, and last but not least, Khenpo Tsültrim Lodrö. All these teachers, and others not mentioned, shared their wisdom with great kindness. My interest in the academic study of Buddha-nature was sparked by my undergraduate professor, Sallie King, whom I would like to thank as a teacher, friend, and mentor. I am also grateful to Fulbright-Hays for provid- ing me with a fellowship to do research in Nepal and India. Also, a summer stipend from the National Endowment for the Humanities helped me to bring this project to completion. I owe a special thanks to Professor John Dunne, who tutored me in Tibetan when I was first traveling in India after college. I would also like to thank Nawang Thokmey, a South Asian librar- ian at the University of Virginia, for helping me locate Tibetan texts, and Gene Smith, who introduced me to Jonang teachers and texts. I wish to express my gratitude to all my other teachers, colleagues, friends, and family who have given me guidance over the years. In particular, communications with Thomas Doctor, Adam Pearcy, and Karma Phuntsho have helped my understanding of Mipam. Also, Cortland Dahl, David Duckworth, James Gentry, Charlie Orzech, Jimmy Pittard, Amanda Porter- field, and Jann Ronis have given me valuable feedback on this work. This book is dedicated to my family, and to anyone whose hair stands on end upon hearing about emptiness. INTRODUCTION This book addresses the relationship between presence and absence (empti- ness) in Buddhist thought. It focuses on the Nyingma (rnying ma) tradition of Tibet as articulated in the works of Mipam (’ju mi pham rgya mtsho, 1846–1912), a great synthesizer of Buddhist doctrine and Nyingma philoso- phy. Mipam incorporates an extraordinarily wide range of discourses into his grand, systematic interpretation of Buddhist doctrine. I draw widely from his writings on the Middle Way (dbu ma, madhyamaka), epistemology (tshad ma, pramān.a), and tantra to discuss the significance of an ontological “ground” (gzhi), or Buddha-nature, as the central theme in his overall inter- pretative scheme. I present Mipam’s view across a range of topics to under- score Buddha-nature and a dialectic of presence and absence as a central thread that runs through his interpretative system. The presence of Buddha-nature as intrinsic within the ground of exis- tence is a predominant feature of the discourses of tantra in the Nyingma tradition of Tibet, and in particular, the Great Perfection (rdzogs chen). The Great Perfection is a textual and meditative tradition that affirms the nature of mind as the Buddha, and offers a radically direct approach to actualizing this reality. The view of the Great Perfection consistently evades systematic analysis and in a fundamental way is antithetical to abstract conceptual determination. While Mipam did not write extensively on the Great Perfection as an isolated topic, he elucidates the view of the Great Perfection in his exoteric writings by creatively formulating the esoteric discourses that have defined the Nyingma tradition—namely, the Great Perfection—in terms of central exoteric discourses of monastic Buddhism: Buddha-nature, the Middle Way, and Buddhist epistemological systems. xi xii MIPAM ON BUDDHA-NATURE He skillfully incorporates esoteric discourses of Mantra (sngags) character- istic of his Nyingma predecessors into his commentaries on Indian śāstras. Buddhist epistemology, a system that delineates the authentic means of knowing reality, plays an important role in Mipam’s exegesis across both domains of esoteric and exoteric doctrines. Mipam integrates aspects of the Buddhist epistemological tradition with a view of Mantra, and associates the view of the Great Perfection with Prāsan˙gika-Madhyamaka. The Great Per- fection is the Nyingma tradition’s highest esoteric teaching and Prāsan˙gika- Madhyamaka is the philosophy commonly accepted in Tibet as the highest exoteric view. By integrating the esoteric teachings of Nyingma tantra with Buddhist epistemology and Prāsan˙gika-Madhyamaka, Mipam affirms the Nyingma as not only a tradition of tantric exegesis and ritual practice, but also as grounded within the rigorous intellectual traditions of Buddhist exo- teric philosophy. While discussing Mipam’s treatment of Buddha-nature, or the ground, across a number of issues in his works, we will address in detail his represen- tation of affirmation and negation.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Cross-Currents 31 | 1 Introduction
    UC Berkeley Cross-Currents: East Asian History and Culture Review Title Introduction to "Buddhist Art of Mongolia: Cross-Cultural Connections, Discoveries, and Interpretations" Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5kj9c57m Journal Cross-Currents: East Asian History and Culture Review, 1(31) ISSN 2158-9674 Author Tsultemin, Uranchimeg Publication Date 2019-06-01 eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California Introduction to “Buddhist Art of Mongolia: Cross-Cultural Connections, Discoveries, and Interpretations” Uranchimeg Tsultemin, Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) Uranchimeg, Tsultemin. 2019. “Introduction to ‘Buddhist Art of Mongolia: Cross-Cultural Connections, Discoveries, and Interpretations.’” Cross-Currents: East Asian History and Culture Review (e-journal) 31: 1– 6. https://cross-currents.berkeley.edu/e-journal/issue-31/introduction. A comparative and analytical discussion of Mongolian Buddhist art is a long overdue project. In the 1970s and 1980s, Nyam-Osoryn Tsultem’s lavishly illustrated publications broke ground for the study of Mongolian Buddhist art.1 His five-volume work was organized by genre (painting, sculpture, architecture, decorative arts) and included a monograph on a single artist, Zanabazar (Tsultem 1982a, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989). Tsultem’s books introduced readers to the major Buddhist art centers and sites, artists and their works, techniques, media, and styles. He developed and wrote extensively about his concepts of “schools”—including the school of Zanabazar and the school of Ikh Khüree—inspired by Mongolian ger- (yurt-) based education, the artists’ teacher- disciple or preceptor-apprentice relationships, and monastic workshops for rituals and production of art. The very concept of “schools” and its underpinning methodology itself derives from the Medieval European practice of workshops and, for example, the model of scuola (school) evidenced in Italy.
    [Show full text]
  • Location: Tibet Lies at the Centre of Asia, with an Area of 2.5 Million Square Kilometers. the Earth's Highest Mountains, a Vast
    Location: Tibet lies at the centre of Asia, with an area of 2.5 million square kilometers. The earth's highest mountains, a vast arid plateau and great river valleys make up the physical homeland of 6 million Tibetans. It has an average altitude of 13,000 feet above sea level. Capital: Lhasa Population: 6 million Tibetans and an estimated 7.5 million Chinese, most of whom are in Kham and Amdo. Language: Tibetan (of the Tibeto-Burmese language family). The official language is Chinese. Tibet is comprised of the three provinces of Amdo (now split by China into the provinces of Qinghai, Gansu & Sichuan), Kham (largely incorporated into the Chinese provinces of Sichuan, Yunnan and Qinghai), and U-Tsang (which, together with western Kham, is today referred to by China as the Tibet Autonomous Region). The Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) comprises less than half of historic Tibet and was created by China in 1965 for administrative reasons. It is important to note that when Chinese officials and publications use the term "Tibet" they mean only the TAR. Tibetans use the term Tibet to mean the three provinces described above, i.e., the area traditionally known as Tibet before the 1949-50 invasion. Today Tibetans are outnumbered by Han Chinese population in their own homeland, there are est. 6 million Tibetans and an estimated 7.5 million Chinese, most of whom are in Kham and Amdo. The official language is Chinese. But those Tibetans living in exile still speak, read and write in Tibetan (of the Tibeto-Burmese language family).
    [Show full text]
  • Tibet Under Chinese Communist Rule
    TIBET UNDER CHINESE COMMUNIST RULE A COMPILATION OF REFUGEE STATEMENTS 1958-1975 A SERIES OF “EXPERT ON TIBET” PROGRAMS ON RADIO FREE ASIA TIBETAN SERVICE BY WARREN W. SMITH 1 TIBET UNDER CHINESE COMMUNIST RULE A Compilation of Refugee Statements 1958-1975 Tibet Under Chinese Communist Rule is a collection of twenty-seven Tibetan refugee statements published by the Information and Publicity Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1976. At that time Tibet was closed to the outside world and Chinese propaganda was mostly unchallenged in portraying Tibet as having abolished the former system of feudal serfdom and having achieved democratic reforms and socialist transformation as well as self-rule within the Tibet Autonomous Region. Tibetans were portrayed as happy with the results of their liberation by the Chinese Communist Party and satisfied with their lives under Chinese rule. The contrary accounts of the few Tibetan refugees who managed to escape at that time were generally dismissed as most likely exaggerated due to an assumed bias and their extreme contrast with the version of reality presented by the Chinese and their Tibetan spokespersons. The publication of these very credible Tibetan refugee statements challenged the Chinese version of reality within Tibet and began the shift in international opinion away from the claims of Chinese propaganda and toward the facts as revealed by Tibetan eyewitnesses. As such, the publication of this collection of refugee accounts was an important event in the history of Tibetan exile politics and the international perception of the Tibet issue. The following is a short synopsis of the accounts.
    [Show full text]
  • VT Module6 Lineage Text Major Schools of Tibetan Buddhism
    THE MAJOR SCHOOLS OF TIBETAN BUDDHISM By Pema Khandro A BIRD’S EYE VIEW 1. NYINGMA LINEAGE a. Pema Khandro’s lineage. Literally means: ancient school or old school. Nyingmapas rely on the old tantras or the original interpretation of Tantra as it was given from Padmasambhava. b. Founded in 8th century by Padmasambhava, an Indian Yogi who synthesized the teachings of the Indian MahaSiddhas, the Buddhist Tantras, and Dzogchen. He gave this teaching (known as Vajrayana) in Tibet. c. Systemizes Buddhist philosophy and practice into 9 Yanas. The Inner Tantras (what Pema Khandro Rinpoche teaches primarily) are the last three. d. It is not a centralized hierarchy like the Sarma (new translation schools), which have a figure head similar to the Pope. Instead, the Nyingma tradition is de-centralized, with every Lama is the head of their own sangha. There are many different lineages within the Nyingma. e. A major characteristic of the Nyingma tradition is the emphasis in the Tibetan Yogi tradition – the Ngakpa tradition. However, once the Sarma translations set the tone for monasticism in Tibet, the Nyingmas also developed a monastic and institutionalized segment of the tradition. But many Nyingmas are Ngakpas or non-monastic practitioners. f. A major characteristic of the Nyingma tradition is that it is characterized by treasure revelations (gterma). These are visionary revelations of updated communications of the Vajrayana teachings. Ultimately treasure revelations are the same dharma principles but spoken in new ways, at new times and new places to new people. Because of these each treasure tradition is unique, this is the major reason behind the diversity within the Nyingma.
    [Show full text]
  • Buddhist Archeology in Mongolia: Zanabazar and the Géluk Diaspora Beyond Tibet
    Buddhist Archeology in Mongolia: Zanabazar and the Géluk Diaspora beyond Tibet Uranchimeg Tsultemin, Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) Uranchimeg, Tsultemin. 2019. “Buddhist Archeology in Mongolia: Zanabazar and the Géluk Dias- pora beyond Tibet.” Cross-Currents: East Asian History and Culture Review (e-journal) 31: 7–32. https://cross-currents.berkeley.edu/e-journal/issue-31/uranchimeg. Abstract This article discusses a Khalkha reincarnate ruler, the First Jebtsundampa Zanabazar, who is commonly believed to be a Géluk protagonist whose alliance with the Dalai and Panchen Lamas was crucial to the dissemination of Buddhism in Khalkha Mongolia. Za- nabazar’s Géluk affiliation, however, is a later Qing-Géluk construct to divert the initial Khalkha vision of him as a reincarnation of the Jonang historian Tāranātha (1575–1634). Whereas several scholars have discussed the political significance of Zanabazar’s rein- carnation based only on textual sources, this article takes an interdisciplinary approach to discuss, in addition to textual sources, visual records that include Zanabazar’s por- traits and current findings from an ongoing excavation of Zanabazar’s Saridag Monas- tery. Clay sculptures and Zanabazar’s own writings, heretofore little studied, suggest that Zanabazar’s open approach to sectarian affiliations and his vision, akin to Tsongkhapa’s, were inclusive of several traditions rather than being limited to a single one. Keywords: Zanabazar, Géluk school, Fifth Dalai Lama, Jebtsundampa, Khalkha, Mongo- lia, Dzungar Galdan Boshogtu, Saridag Monastery, archeology, excavation The First Jebtsundampa Zanabazar (1635–1723) was the most important protagonist in the later dissemination of Buddhism in Mongolia. Unlike the Mongol imperial period, when the sectarian alliance with the Sakya (Tib.
    [Show full text]
  • The Nine Yanas
    The Nine Yanas By Cortland Dahl In the Nyingma school, the spiritual journey is framed as a progression through nine spiritual approaches, which are typically referred to as "vehicles" or "yanas." The first three yanas include the Buddha’s more accessible teachings, those of the Sutrayana, or Sutra Vehicle. The latter six vehicles contain the teachings of Buddhist tantra and are referred to as the Vajrayana, or Vajra Vehicle. Students of the Nyingma teachings practice these various approaches as a unity. Lower vehicles are not dispensed with in favor of supposedly “higher” teachings, but rather integrated into a more refined and holistic approach to spiritual development. Thus, core teachings like renunciation and compassion are equally important in all nine vehicles, though they may be expressed in more subtle ways. In the Foundational Vehicle, for instance, renunciation involves leaving behind “worldly” activities and taking up the life of a celibate monk or nun, while in the Great Perfection, renunciation means to leave behind all dualistic perception and contrived spiritual effort. Each vehicle contains three distinct components: view, meditation, and conduct. The view refers to a set of philosophical tenets espoused by a particular approach. On a more experiential level, the view prescribes how practitioners of a given vehicle should “see” reality and its relative manifestations. Meditation consists of the practical techniques that allow practitioners to integrate Buddhist principles with their own lives, thus providing a bridge between theory and experience, while conduct spells out the ethical guidelines of each system. The following sections outline the features of each approach. Keep in mind, however, that each vehicle is a world unto itself, with its own unique philosophical views, meditations, and ethical systems.
    [Show full text]
  • The Fundamentals of Meditation Practice
    TheThe FundamentalsFundamentals ofof MeditationMeditation PracticePractice by Ting Chen Translated by Dharma Master Lok To HAN DD ET U 'S B B O RY eOK LIBRA E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.buddhanet.net Buddha Dharma Education Association Inc. The Fundamentals of Meditation Practice by Ting Chen Translated by Dharma Master Lok To Edited by Sam Landberg & Dr. Frank G. French 2 Transfer-of-Merit Vow (Parinamana) For All Donors May all the merit and grace gained from adorning Buddha’s Pure Land, from loving our parents, from serving our country and from respecting all sen- tient beings be transformed and transferred for the benefit and salvation of all suffering sentient be- ings on the three evil paths. Furthermore, may we who read and hear this Buddhadharma and, there- after, generate our Bodhi Minds be reborn, at the end of our lives, in the Pure Land. Sutra Translation Committee of the United States and Canada, 1999 — website: http://www.ymba.org/freebooks_main.html Acknowledgments We respectfully acknowledge the assistance, support and cooperation of the following advisors, without whom this book could not have been produced: Dayi Shi; Chuanbai Shi; Dr. John Chen; Amado Li; Cherry Li; Hoi-Sang Yu; Tsai Ping Chiang; Vera Man; Way Zen; Jack Lin; Tony Aromando; and Ling Wang. They are all to be thanked for editing and clarifying the text, sharpening the translation and preparing the manuscript for publication. Their devotion to and concentration on the completion of this project, on a voluntary basis, are highly appreciated. 3 Contents • Translator’s Introduction...................... 5 • The Foundation of Meditation Practice.
    [Show full text]
  • Learn Tibetan & Study Buddhism
    fpmt Mandala BLISSFUL RAYS OF THE MANDALA IN THE SERVICE OF OTHERS JULY - SEPTEMBER 2012 TEACHING A GOOD HEART: FPMT REGISTERED TEACHERS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE FOUNDATION FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE MAHAYANA TRADITION Wisdom Publications Delve into the heart of emptiness. INSIGHT INTO EMPTINESS Khensur Jampa Tegchok Edited by Thubten Chodron A former abbot of Sera Monastic University, Khensur Jampa Tegchok here unpacks with great erudi- tion Buddhism’s animating philosophical principle—the emptiness of all appearances. “Khensur Rinpoche Jampa Tegchok is renowned for his keen understanding of philosophy, and of Madhyamaka in particular. Here you will find vital points and reasoning for a clear understanding of emptiness.”—Lama Zopa Rinpoche, author of How to Be Happy 9781614290131 “This is one of the best introductions to the philosophy of emptiness 336 pages | $18.95 I have ever read.”—José Ignacio Cabezón, Dalai Lama Professor and eBook 9781614290223 Chair, Religious Studies Department, UC Santa Barbara Wisdom Essentials JOURNEY TO CERTAINTY The Quintessence of the Dzogchen View: An Exploration of Mipham’s Beacon of Certainty Anyen Rinpoche Translated and edited by Allison Choying Zangmo Approachable yet sophisticated, this book takes the reader on a gently guided tour of one of the most important texts Tibetan Buddhism has to offer. “Anyen Rinpoche flawlessly presents the reader with the unique perspective that belongs to a true scholar-yogi. A must-read for philosophers and practitioners.” —Erik Pema Kunsang, author of Wellsprings of the Great Perfection and 9781614290094 248 pages | $17.95 compiler of Blazing Splendor eBook 9781614290179 ESSENTIAL MIND TRAINING Thupten Jinpa “The clarity and raw power of these thousand-year-old teachings of the great Kadampa masters are astonishingly fresh.”—Buddhadharma “This volume can break new ground in bridging the ancient wisdom of Buddhism with the cutting-edge positive psychology of happiness.” —B.
    [Show full text]
  • Trials of a Tibetan Monk: the Case of Tenzin Delek
    Human Rights Watch February 2004, Vol. 16, No. 1 (C) Trials of a Tibetan Monk: The Case of Tenzin Delek Map 1: Provinces and Autonomous Regions of the People’s Republic of China..............................1 Map2: Sichuan Province and Surrounding Areas....................................................................................2 Map 3: Southeastern Section of Kardze/Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture............................3 I. Summary ....................................................................................................................................................5 Recommendations ...................................................................................................................................7 A Note on Methodology.........................................................................................................................8 II. Introduction...........................................................................................................................................10 Tenzin Delek ..........................................................................................................................................12 Lobsang Dondrup..................................................................................................................................14 Bombs......................................................................................................................................................15 III. Arrests...................................................................................................................................................17
    [Show full text]
  • Entering Into the Conduct of the Bodhisattva)
    Dharma Path BCA Ch1.doc Dzogchen Khenpo Choga Rinpocheʹs Oral Explanations of Khenpo Kunpal’s Commentary on Shantidevaʹs Bodhisattvacaryavatara (Entering into the Conduct of the Bodhisattva) Notes: ʺText sectionʺ‐s refer to Khenpo Kunpalʹs commentary on the BCA. ʺBCAʺ refers to the Bodhisattvacaryavatara, by Shantideva. The text sections relating directly to the individual stanzas of the BCA, which are the subject matter of Dharma Path classes, begin on ʺText section 158ʺ below. Dzogchen Khenpo Chogaʹs Oral Explanations, starting with ʺText section 37ʺ below are explanations both of the original BCA text, and also of Khenpo Kunpalʹs own commentary on this text. For more background on these teachings, see also Dzogchen Khenpo Chogaʹs ʺIntroduction to the Dharma Pathʺ available online at the Dzogchen Lineage website at: http://www.dzogchenlineage.org/bca.html#intro These materials are copyright Andreas Kretschmar, and are subject to the terms of the copyright provisions described on his website: http://www.kunpal.com/ ============================================================================== Text section 37: This word‐by‐word commentary on the Bodhisattva‐caryavatara was written by Khenpo Kunzang Palden, also known as Khenpo Kunpal, according to the teachings he received over a six‐month period from his root guru, Dza Paltrul Rinpoche, who is here referred to as the Manjugosha‐like teacher. These precious teachings are titled Drops of Nectar. The phrase personal statement connotes that Khenpo Kunpal received in person the oral instructions, which are themselves definitive statements, directly from Paltrul Rinpoche. 1 Dharma Path BCA Ch1.doc Text sections 38‐44: In his preface Khenpo Kunpal includes his declaration of respect, his pledge to compose the commentary, and a foreword.
    [Show full text]
  • Tibet: Psychology of Happiness and Well-Being
    Psychology 410 Psychology of Well-Being and Happiness Syllabus: Psychology 410, Summer 2020 Psychology of Happiness and Well-Being Course Content: The goal of this course is to understand and experience teachings on happiness and well-being that come from psychological science and from Buddhism (particularly Tibetan Buddhism), through an intercultural learning experience in Tibet. Through being immersed in authentic Tibetan community and culture, students will be able to have an anchored learning experience of the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism and compare this with their studies about the psychological science of well-being and happiness. Belief in Buddhism or any other religion is not necessary for the course. The cultural experiences in Tibet and understanding the teachings of Buddhism give one assemblage point upon which to compare and contrast multiple views of happiness and well-being. Particular attention is given in this course to understanding the concept of anxiety management from a psychological science and Buddhist viewpoint, as the management of anxiety has a very strong effect on well- being. Textbook (Required Readings): The course uses open source readings and videos that can be accessed through the PSU Library proxies, and open source websites. Instructors and Program Support Course Instructors and Program Support: Christopher Allen, Ph.D. and Norzom Lala, MSW candidate. Christopher and Norzom are married partners. ChristopherPsyc is an adjunct faculty member and senior instructor in the department of psychology at PSU. He has won the John Eliot Alan award for outstanding teacher at PSU in 2015 and 2019. His area of expertise includes personality and well- being psychology, and a special interest in mindfulness practices.
    [Show full text]
  • Buddhist-Christian Dialogue As Theological Exchange an Orthodox Contribution to Comparative Eology
    199 West 8th Avenue, Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401 PICKWICK Publications Tel. (541) 344-1528 • Fax (541) 344-1506 An imprint of WIPF and STOCK Publishers Visit our Web site at www.wipfandstock.com Buddhist-Christian Dialogue as Theological Exchange An Orthodox Contribution to Comparative eology Ernest M. Valea is book is intended to encourage the use of comparative theology in contemporary Buddhist-Christian dialogue as a new approach that would truly respect each religious tradition’s uniqueness and make dialogue beneficial for all participants interested in a real theological exchange. As a result of the impasse reached by the current theologies of religions (exclusivism, inclusivism, and pluralism) in formulating a constructive approach in dialogue, this volume assesses the thought of the founding fathers of an academic Buddhist-Christian dialogue in search of clues that would encourage a comparativist approach. ese founding fathers are considered to be three important representatives of the Kyoto School—Kitaro Nishida, Keiji Nishitani, and Masao Abe—and John Cobb, an American process theologian. e guiding line for assessing their views of dialogue is the concept of human perfection, as it is expressed by the original traditions in Mahayana Buddhism and Orthodox Christianity. Following Abe’s methodology in dialogue, an Orthodox contribu- tion to comparative theology proposes a reciprocal enrichment of traditions, not by syncretistic means, but by providing a better understanding and even correction of one’s own tradition when considering it in the light of the other, while using internal resources for making the necessary corrections. ISBN: 978-1-4982-2119-1 | 262 pp.
    [Show full text]