No. 96 January, February 2009 Upcoming Retreats with Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Photo: M. Farmer 2009 Australia Caloundra March 16–21 Teaching Retreat Rinpoche teaching in the Gonpa at Tashigar South. Photo: N. Zeitz Melbourne April 3–5 Weekend Teaching Retreat Namgyalgar “Don’t go too much after April 10–15 Retreat April 17–22 titles of teachings” Retreat Singapore Dzogchen Tregchöd Retreat with Chögyal Namkhai Norbu May 1–3 Tashigar South, Argentina, December 26, 2008 to January 1, 2009 Weekend Teaching Retreat Japan Paul Sablich May 8–10 Weekend Teaching Retreat have arrived to the conclusion that the in the Presence (its name in the Upade- knowledge. This is the main practice, like Russian Federation best way to end a year and start a new sha series). Maybe trying to explain what drinking water: an activity made more Moscow I one happens in a teaching retreat with Tregchöd is in a clear and precise way, as to enjoy rather than to live. Naturally, May 15–19 our precious Master. The end of 2008 was Rinpoche does, would be too daring. Nev- Rinpoche is absolutely conscious of our Retreat crowned again with his limitless wisdom ertheless, I would like to comment some still limited condition, which is why he and compassion, in this opportunity, from passages and events of this wonderful re- presents us with a range of practices that Germany Tashigar South in Cordoba, Argentina. An treat which caught my attention. we can apply to overcome our different May 27–31 inclement and warm sun greeted us, while limitations and recognize our true con- Teaching Retreat intense and prolonged summer rains At the beginning of the retreat, Chögyal dition. One of them is known as Yeshe Romania greeted others. Christmas festivities were Namkhai Norbu said, “…having dualism Zangthal and was transmitted to us during Merigar East on, a nice excuse to share time together vision is not main problem. The problem the second day of the retreat: through ex- June 12–21 and enjoy a show with some improvised is we do not know how our real nature is, periences of emptiness, clarity and joy we Teaching Retreat but joyful dancers. It is thus that this time and we are not in that condition. Then all can discover Instant Presence. At the same of the year becomes not only an opportuni- our karmic, ordinary vision becomes very time, that calendar day was New Moon, June 2–28 ty to be physically closer to Rinpoche and concrete for us.” Then, problems and suf- auspicious date to perform Ganapuja. SMS Base Exam our Vajra brothers and sisters, but also, fering become “real”. Nevertheless, the Our patient Master explained once more June 29–July 6 above all, to receive instructions on what Teachings become an incomparable tool to the simple version of it, so all could take SMS I Level Training the Master said is the main teaching in discover or enter Dzogchen knowledge and part in this banquet of limitless offerings Italy Dzogchen: Tregchöd or Total Relaxation dwell permanently in such non-intellectual and strengthen our Samaya. Later, the day Merigar West >> continued on page 6 August 7–17 Rinpoche’s Personal Retreat Teaching Teaching News August 10–16 Retreat Sept. 4–14 Chögyal Namkhai Yeshi Silvano Namgyalgar Vacation in Sardegna Norbu Namkhai and Dzogchen and Dharma as Tashigar Sur Oct. 2–10 Direct Transmission Experience Retreat >> continued on page 9 » Page 2 » Page 3 » Pages 14–15 THE MIRROR · No. 96 · January, February 2009 2 zogchen Teachings are related to transmission. We do not learn Dzogchen only through intellectual Dunderstanding. In this case, transmission becomes important. What is transmission in Vajrayana teaching? In Vajrayana you need to receive initiations with any kind of practice and teaching. If you don’t receive initiations at least you need to receive the transmission of the lungs of all man- tras. It doesn’t mean when you receive a lung all is perfect. A lung is a kind of permission. You can recite mantras and pro- duce the recitation of mantras. To make the recitation com- plete you need initiation, transmission of lung and instruc- tion – all these three. Then you learn how to do the practice as well. This is generally done in Vajrayana teaching. Dzogchen teaching is part of Vajrayana. Vajrayana, for the most part, is the path of transformation. That is the reason for the initiations. For example, if you are follow- ing sutra teaching, you don’t need any initiation. You only need to do something like refuge and, in the Mahayana system, cultivating bodhicitta. You can study and learn everything related to the teachings in a more intellectual way. So you can see the difference. We can have initiations related to the Anuyoga tradi- tion in the Dzogchen teaching, but introduction is most Photo: A. Chlimper important in the Dzogchen teaching. Introduction does not mean that the teacher explains, and then you listen and understand something. When we speak of transmission Dzogchen and Direct Transmission we speak of three kinds, and these three kinds are related to how this teaching originally arose. We say gong da nyen Day 2 – The Dzogchen Tregchöd Teaching of Jigmed Lingpa gyü (dgongs brda snyan brgyud) in Tibetan. Gong means direct from the Instruction of Yeshe Lama transmission, so that means when we are in a state of dhar- makaya we directly receive that understanding and knowl- Tashigar South, Argentina, December 27, 2008 edge. For example, when we say Vajradhara or Samantab- hadra, and how the teaching was transmitted historically, some words of the root principle of the teachings called if there is a small mirror, when you look in the mirror you we understand that all sambogakaya manifestations re- nyengyü (snyan brgyud), these are still oral teachings. For can see the refl ection of a gigantic mountain. It is impos- ceived that transmission directly. Direct transmission example, when Garab Dorje started Dzogchen teaching sible to put that gigantic mountain in a small mirror. But means beyond words, beyond explanations, beyond visu- generally it is said that there was no Dzogchen teaching, it can manifest. That is why we say infi nite potentiality. So alizations like mandalas, deities, and pure dimensions. and that is why he started to teach Dzogchen. But what it refl ections are like our mind level. At the mind level we are That is the principle when we say masam jöme (ma bsam really means that there were no tantras and lungs and orig- judging, thinking and creating so many things. That is the brjod med). Masam jöme means we cannot explain because inal books of Dzogchen teachings, like today. It does not example of different kinds of refl ections, good or bad. it is beyond words; sometimes it means we cannot even mean there were no nyengyü or oral teachings and some Now you think a little, what is the relation between think that. If we are generating a mandala and deities, we important words, etc. Nyengyü teachings existed at the that refl ection and the mirror? Mirror means the poten- are doing that with our mind. That is not beyond mind. time of Buddha Shakyamuni and even before that. There tiality of mirror, you cannot say there is no relationship So masam jöme means it is beyond all this; it is the trans- were twelve or thirteen very famous teachers of Dzogchen between the refl ection and the mirror, and then you can mission from the dharmakaya and that is the origin; but in ancient times. All the teachings we have today, and most understand how that corresponds to the relationship of then that transmission is received by sambhogakaya, and Dzogchen tantras, were not originally taught by Garab our mind to the nature of mind. It is just like that. You see sambhogakaya transmitted it to nirmanakaya. Sambhoga- Dorje, but by many of these twelve teachers who transmit- how symbols function and help us to understand many kaya means all manifestations through the essence of ele- ted and taught in different epochs. things. Symbol and oral transmission are mainly for the ments. So there are forms, different kinds of manifesta- But of course, the condition of our world and human direct transmission. We say there are three transmissions tions, and we say that the pure vision or sambhoga kaya beings in the human condition is always within time and that are not independent, but they can be independent for is transmitted to the nirmanakaya and from the nirmana- time changes with circumstances. There have been many some people. If someone did a lot of practice in a previous kaya to our condition. dark periods and also of periods of different kinds of life and has knowledge of teaching, it is not necessary in Many mahasiddhas, for example, even if they live in the teachings, and when the dark periods start then all teach- this life that something like direct transmission is done. It human condition their capacity is not limited like an ordi- ings disappear. A few nyengyü-like things remain, because can be that the teacher only explains orally that knowledge nary human being. They have the capacity to go and be be- nyengyü does not require books or representation on the and that person wakes up. So in this case, it can be that yond time, and for that reason they can have contact with material level. Nyengyü remain in the mind of some prac- oral transmission is independent. It can be the same way sambhogakaya manifestations. Some people in our con- titioners or realized beings. Realized beings exist in any also for symbol transmission.