THE MIRROR Newspaper of the International Dzogchen Community May/June 1997 • Issue No. 40 The Vajra Family Gathers at Namgyalgar Easter Retreat, April 1997 by Eleanor Loudon View of Senghe Namdrak A. DELL"ANGELO ASIA: Sponsorship Project Sang offering at Namgyalgar P. VALENCICH by the ASIA Working Commuée of the projects in harmony with the he lights are on. Someone is outskirts, going through the move­ The ASIA Activities Report, flexible and effective both for the rules of the monastery. Lopón home. Walking the track ments. Around the Gonpa people which began in The Mirror issue one who gives and the one who Tenzin Namdak let us know that he between eucalypti and would mill and gather anticipating #39, documents the development receives. Sponsorship from a dis­ T project. We continue here. tance means entering a real relation­ has given orders to build guest makeshift tent dwellings, a warm the mornings teachings. rooms which will be ready in a short glow spreads from the house above, Throughout. the retreat ship, simple and intimate with a time. All the sponsors will be able to tucked into the bush. Rinpoche taught on the practice of PONSORSHIP PROJECT There child who thanks to us will become The Easter retreat at Namgyalgar Vajrapani and the Longde Series. It have been two ASIA mis­ a representative of that culture use these rooms and Lopòn Tenzin begins. The family gathers. On the had been a year since he had last Ssions to the Tibetan which we love so much. Our hope Namdak will be very happy to mountainside Rinpoche, • Rosa, taught at Namgyalgar and even the Children's Village of Dharamsala, for the future is that the stable and receive them personally. ASIA is Yuchen and Yeshe move into the glorified memory in my hazy mind one at the end of August and anoth­ solid nucleus on which to build up trying to raise funds to buy some did him little justice. As soon as he er at the end of October. In August sponsorship from a distance of house and spontaneously the house continued on page 15 becomes home. Across the saddle began to speak, a floodgate we brought a show called "Go Go Tibetan child refugees in India and and through the forest Vajra kin released and a feeling of relief and the statue in the land of the Nepal and of those resident in Tibet SPECIAL FEATURE: arrive from near and far. Many rec­ swept through me, and I sat besot­ future" which was offered both to will be composed of the Dzogchen ognized faces, many new with wide- ted. In the mornings he gave trans­ the children of the TCV in Community. Only in this way can Easter Retreat in eyed curiosity. All settling in. All mission and explanation of the Dharamsala and those of the TCV sponsorship from a distance become Merigar with becoming familiar. A sense of open­ practice. Rinpoche explained in of Bir-Suja. This story was about a real cultural initiative, whose Lopön Tenzin Namdak ing and the happy sound of friendly detail the history of these practices three characters (a clown, a statue potentialities can be fully developed Rinpoche conversation pervades. tracing them from the origins of the and the narrator) who in various instead of being limited to an indi­ by Jakob Winkler During the teachings of the first lineage and then bringing us up to stages and overcoming many hard­ vidual act of generosity. The PAGE 5 night Rinpoche reminds us that the very moment as we sat receiv­ ships reach the land of the future in expense is minimal and the contri­ although this would be a relatively ing the transmission now. He spoke which only children live busy bution very big. ASIA takes care of CONTENTS long retreat of nine days, tomorrow of the benefits of the practice, giv­ studying and chanting. Nobody had all the technical and administrative we would gave done two sessions, ing us detailed instruction on the ever brought them a show and the work in order to give to the sponsor Dzogchen Longde, Tantra of Space and before we knew it, the time will various aspects of Vajrapani and spectators were more than 3000; the possibility of a free and rich rela­ Teaching in Namyalgar 2 Chógyal Namkhai Norbu have come to a close. Needless to then the Longde practices. In the 600 at the first show, all between 3 tionship with their child. We believe say, he was right afternoon, he kindly returned to and 6 years of age. that everyone should know this and Interview with I hope that everyone will want to The retreat which was to follow lead us through these practices. In the month of October there Lopon Tenzin Namdak 3 was uncanny in its timeless nature Rarely was it mentioned that we were festivities in the village for the know more about this. The Late Ven. Lobsang Gyatso ...A and as is often the case with were presenüy in this most extraor­ 36th anniversary of its founding: Our projects in the field of spon­ retreat, it was a journey of myriad dinary situation, although every­ representatives from all the villages sorship from a distance are: The Interview with dimensions. thing was taking on a new light. met on the sports grounds where in Tibetan Children's Village of Lama Denys Tendrub 5 The days unfolded flawlessly in Eyes were gleaming, but it felt to the presence of the Prime Minister Dharamsala At the end of 1996 Master Biography. Mandarava 6 our temporary Namgyalgar home. articulate such a delicate experience of Himachel Pradesh there were ASIA initiated the sponsorship of The sky was our only TV and it would be like breaking a spell. processions, sports games, dances, 178 children. Book Review 7 never ceased to be captivating. In the afternoon, under the concerts and competitions in indi­ THE TRITAN NORBUTSE His Holiness the Dalai Lama From the coral tree, prayer flags watchful eye of Fabio, Jeannie vidual creativity. It was very moving MONASTERY In May we defined all in France 8 by Iacobella Gaetani waved good morning to the sun as courageously taught beginners to see in each of the boys and girls the procedures for an optimal man­ A Preliminary Archaelogical shyly she exposed her colorful Yantra Yoga followed later in the on the stage the deep awareness and agement of the project with the Survey 9 waking face. Streaks of gold and evening with a class of more experi­ pride for the experiment being made monastery directed by the Venerable by John Bellezza apricot heralded her arrival from enced students. Fabio helped us in these villages: from the time of Lopòn Tenzin Namdak. In July we Community News 10-15 behind a watery horizon, illuminat­ brush up on our drumming for the the exile and through all the traumas received confirmation about our ing the crescent moon on his way Chod and for the Ganapuja. and pain of separation there is request of sponsorship for 10 monks Tibet Amdowas Part Two 16 by Donatella Rossi behind the mountain. The sky Tsewang gave us much needed always the quest for a better world. and in December we began sponsor­ assumed a shade of deep blue to see instruction on correct pronunciation. It is very important to under­ ship of 9 monks. Notwithstanding Healing and Practice the day through. Elisse answered questions and gave stand that in the Tibetan Children's his numerous engagements abroad Part Two of Two Intervie ws 17 Inside the Gonpa the dancers detailed explanations of a number of Villages as well as in the school of and within the monastery, the master Reflections 18 began to dance out the Three Vajras practices to beginners. All of this Bir and in the monasteries of Sherab Lopòn Tenzin Namdak has decided with Prima Mai, arms spreading was interspersed with Santi Maha Ling and Kathmandu sponsorship to correspond with us personally Relatively Speaking 19 by Cheli Goh lights reminiscent of the earlier solar Sangha study groups, culminating in from a distance is the only way to about this. This is a decision which Stone Buddha 20 display. Mándalas were full and an intensive session by lamplight safeguard Tibetan culture. This sys­ honors us very much and allows us i>v John Shane people waited patiently around the continued on page 9 tem is a minimal instrument, very to make choices in the management Easter, April 1997. tioners. So some practitioners kept It was the same way also in the not so long. It's a short tantra, but and one of the most important pan­ Parti these concise teachings in memory time of Garab Dorje. There were considered one of the most impor­ dits of that time at Nalanda, T during circumstances when it was many of these nyengyuds. We use tant. Dorje sempa, you know, means Manjushrimitra, and one called -"Loday I would like to intro­ not so easy to speak the teachings or these nyengyuds still today, partic­ Vajrasattva, which means our pri­ Rajahasti, etc., a group of these pan­ duce Dzogchen Longde practice, give transmissions or explanations. ularly when we transmit Dzogchen mordial state, and vajra means our dits travelled together to Oddiyana , followed by empowerment and It couldn't be done. Some people Semde. The people who have done real condition. Nam mkha' che a long way from Nalanda and instruction. Today it is better that secretly knew something like a key. Santi Maha Sangha training know means total space. Total Space of arrived in Oddiyana to meet Garab we learn a little about what the char­ The nyengyud is some words like this already.