r* T . W43- SnowSnawLion Lion Publications PO Box 6483, Ithaca, NY 14851 607-273-8519 ISSN 1059-3691 SUMMER 1998 NEWSLETTER Volume 13, Number 3 & CATALOG SUPPLEMENT Wisdom and THE TIBETAN YOGAS Reconciliation OF DREAM AND SLEEP Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche H.H. the Dalai Lama talks about his new book in New York teaches A Tibetan Bon lama, Tenzin "In the Spirit ofManjushri" Wangyal Rinpoche was born in Amritsar, India, after his parents fled the Chinese invasion of Tibet. He re- ceived training from both Buddhist by Victoria Huckenpalder dia to China before traveling to Tibet, and devotion, it would not be as firm and Bon masters, attaining the degree In a historic event co-sponsored by he considered the Chinese as senior as when grounded in an understand- of geshe, the highest academic degree Tibet House and the Dharma Drum Dharma brothers and sisters. ing of emptiness. Here he likened the of Tibet. Rinpoche has been in the Mountain Buddhist Association, H.H. In succeeding days, His Holiness highest form of bodhicitta to what he United States since 1991 and has the Dalai Lama offered a three-day gave extensive commentary on the termed "cowherder's mentality," in taught widely here and in Europe and teaching (May 1-3) before a predomi- Tibetan Wisdom tradition, drawing on which like a herder who follows be- Mexico. He is the director and nantly Chinese audience on the Tra- the Fifth Dalai Lama's Lam Rim text, hind a flock, only after leading others founder of The Ligmincha Institute in dition of Transcendent Wisdom, con- and on Tsong Khapa's Three Pri.nci,- to enlightenment does one wish it for Charlottesville, Virginia, which is cluding with a dialogue between him- pal Elements of the Path which de- oneself. "Don't confuse compassion dedicated to the_ preservation of the self and Ven. Master Sheng-yen, a re- scribes the practices of renunciation, with pity," he warned. "There should teachings, transmissions and culture nowned scholar, author, and teacher bodhicitta, and insight into empti- be no sense of superiority. Authentic of Bon. ers, Lopon Sangye Tenzin and Lopon of Chinese Zen Buddhism. ness. Elaborating on each category, compassion means viewing its object Rinpoche is the only Bon master From the moment that the Master H.H. stated that renunciation can only as supreme. There should be a sense Tenzin Namdak. I have been practic- living in the United States; he is also ing more closely for the past 10 years. led His Holiness out by the hand onto be developed once one has a convic- of connectedness which cannot exist the author of Wonders of the Natural the stage of the Roseland Ballroom, tion that mental afflictions can be re- in the normal state in which we dis- C: Why should someone practice Mind. Rinpoche spoke about his new dream yoga? Why is it. important? while the ordained Chinese sangha moved. Further, to realize that libera- criminate and fluctuate. Be universal book, The Tibetan Yogas of Dream, Rinpoche: Every practitioner is try- lormaily chanted an invitation accom- tion is possible we must recognize and unbiased." In words which are par- and Sleep with his student, Cindy ing to develop his or herself— to grow panied by delicate ringing bells and that the sense of self, which appears ticularly poignant given his own trials, Loew, on June 24, 1998. wafting incense, divine courtesy pre- so separate from body and mind as His Holiness went on to describe the more spiritually and finally to achieve vailed. Throughout the teachings, to be, in His Holiness's words "our correct posture to adopt toward en- Cindy: Why did you write this book? Buddhahood. One of the main diffi- Master Sheng-yen, tall, spare, and boss," is in fact illusory because even emies: "See enemies as critical to your Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche: Since I culties people face in the West is find- with robes elegantly draped around at the level of subtlest particles we well-being because without somebody was a little boy I have always been ing the time to practice. But no one him, gazed on the Dalai Lama with are in a continuous state of flux. "We provoking us we have no opportunity interested in dream and when I was ever says, I am too busy, I have ap- affectionate respect, took notes, and can't just ask ignorance to leave or to practice. For example, people who growing up I often heard my mother pointments, therefore I am not going in his concluding remarks called His pray that it goes away," he said. have had an easy childhood have little and my teachers talk about their to go to sleep tonight! Every human Holiness "my Dharma brother." The "Rather, we must cultivate an insight resilience. They are soft and unchal- dreams, the way they dreamed and being needs sleep. The time is free previous evening, His Holiness had into the selflessness of persons and lenged, whereas someone who has the way in which they related to their and it is a very good time to do prac- set the tone for the teachings when, phenomena. If there were no possi- met with challenge since childhood dreams. This fascinated me. When I tice. Also, we sleep one third of our at the Light of Truth Award, he re- bility of ending suffering, we might as develops a much stronger personality. came to the West, I realized that lifetime— that is twenty years for marked on the importance of the well indulge in drugs, wine, and ex- There is a big difference between the dream was also considered very im- someone who lives to be 60. It is very Dharma for the Chinese people, cessive sleep!" way the two types meet difficulties. I portant here, particularly dream important for a practitioner to under- stressing that it is for this reason in Commenting on the bodhicitta sec- respect the Kadampa masters who analysis. I knew that the Tibetan way stand what is going on during those part that it is unwise to isolate them. tion of the Fifth Dalai Lama's Lam value hardships. Tsong Khapa said in of looking at dream, understanding twenty years. Dream is important At Roseland he graciously said that Rim, His Holiness stressed that while a prayer: 'May I feel especially close dream, practicing dream was quite because it is one of the best ways to since Buddhism had spread from In- one could attain bodhicitta out of faith different and I thought it was impor- understand the deepest aspects of (Continued on page 4) tant that my Western friends—psy- ourselves. It is also one of the most chologists, therapists and my stu- important ways to heal. dents—learn these differences. So C: How is dream important in terms phy for her photographs of child la- that was really my reason for writing of healing? THE SPIRIT OF TIBET bor in Asia. Since then, she has lived this book. Rinpoche: Every dream is somehow PORTRAIT OF A CULTURE IN EXILE with exiled Tibetans in Nepal and In- C: Has this material been covered healing within itself as long as the dia for over a decade, recording their before? practitioner is not being distracted by culture and the challenges of exile. Rinpoche: There are a few books, but the appearance of the dream and its On the basis of this work, Alison I think this is probably the most de- images and the story of the dream. If returned to Berkeley University tailed book regarding Tibetan dream one is having a lucid dream, that is, a Photographs and text by where she created her own masters and sleep yoga. dream in which one is aware that one Alison Wright program in Visual Anthropology, and C: From whom did you learn dream is dreaming, one is naturally healing. helped instigate the opening of a vi- yoga and how long have you been C: Why? Foreword by H.H. the Dalai sual anthropology wing in the Phoebe practicing? Rinpoche: Because you are releas- Lama. 200 pages, 180 color Rinpoche: I learned from my teach- photos, 9.5" high x 10" wide (Continued on page 8) (Continued on page 2) $34.95 Snow Lion Publications Snow Lion Publications PO Box 6483 BULK RATE Ithaca, NY 14851 U.S. POSTAGE PAID The stunning color photographs in people as they struggle to preserve PERMIT NO. 100 this book display the spirit of the their unique culture on foreign soil. Address Correction Requested RIPON, WI Tibetan people living in exile in the Alison Wright, a San Francisco North Indian hill town of Dharamsala. based freelance photojournalism spe- Home to the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan cializes in documenting the traditions settlement there has grown up and changes of endangered cultures around the newly established Tibetan and people in remote areas around government in exile and the many the world. Based in Nepal for four cultural institutions that have been years while documenting the plight of created since the Dalai Lama was children for UNICEF and various forced to leave Tibet. Alison Wright's other aid organizations, Alison be- outstanding portraits capture the in- came the 1993 recipient of the domitable resiliency of the Tibetan Dorothea Lange Award in photogra- TENZIN WANGYAL RINPOCHE TALKS ABOUT HIS NEW BOOK as a dream. You say to yourself, "This something positive that everyone can Continued from page 1 is a dream." In this way a new ten- incorporate into daily life. In the book dency is created in the mind, to look I go into more detail about particular C: What are some of the most impor- at experience as insubstantial, tran- meditations one can do right before tant aspects of dream yoga for some- sient, and ultimately related to the going to sleep.