Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation. Copyright Buddha Weekly.

Leonardo da Vinci is credited as saying, “While I thought that I was learning how to live, I have been learning how to die.” This may be a discouraging thought for some, but Buddhists view end-of-life meditation as an uplifting and powerful practice.

“Analysis of death is not for the sake of becoming fearful but to appreciate this precious lifetime.” — Dalai Lama [2]

Recently, at Gaden Choling Toronto, in a broad-ranging interview on many topics [1], I asked the most Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche “Why do Buddhists meditate on death?” This led to a spirited and helpful teaching, especially as I had recently experienced the passing of several family members in one year — long, lingering and painful passings.

• During Zasep Rinpoche’s July 2019 Toronto visit, one of his teaching topics is “Meditating on Death and Dying” July 18, 2019. Details below, or on the Gaden Choling Toronto website>>

Zasep Rinpoche’s answer encouraged me to research what other eminent teachers have to say about death meditation. I’ve brought together some teachings from the Buddha, the Dalai Lama, Stephen and Ondrea Levine, Thich Nhat Hanh, Ribur Rinpoche, and also some helpful guidelines from the Journal of Palliative Care.

[For helpful suggestions for Palliative end-of-life caregivers specific to Buddhsits, see the last half of this article.]

Zasep Tulku Rinpoche: “Death can happen at any time… meditating on death is very helpful.”

“Meditating on death and dying is very important,” Zasep Rinpoche said. “Meditating on death and dying helps motivate Dharma practice. Life is too short. Death can happen at any time, you don’t know.”

“I’ve got maybe ten years, fifteen years, maybe twenty years. So, the time goes fast, but death’s going to happen sooner or later. So, meditating on death is very helpful to motivate Dharma practice.”

Event in Toronto July 19, 2019: Meditating on Death and Dying and why it’s important with H.E. Zasep Rinpoche. Event details on Gaden Choling Toronto website>>

Rinpoche added that “meditating on death and dying is helpful for other people. For instance, you know someone is dying, like family members — or, maybe you work around people who are dying, like a palliative nurse or doctor — so it’s good to know more about how to be helpful in these times.” [The full transcript of the 2 hour interview with Zasep Rinpoche is featured here>>]

This brought to mind, the memorable words of Chagdud Rinpoche, a Tibetan lama:

“When you have to go to the bathroom, it’s too late to build a latrine.” [6]

Preparing to die, it could be said, is a key meditation and concept in Buddhism.

Stephen Levine: “We are all going to die… live as if the present year was our last”

Stephen and Ondrea Levine became well known for their book, A Year to Live, [3] “which explores the practice of living the present year as if it were our last.” Stephen famously wrote,

“Death is just a change of lifestyles.”

Stephen passed away January 17, but so profound was his message, that he inspired many people to meditate and practice as if they had one year to live. In an interview in Tricycle Magazine [4] — in answer to the question ” Why is it important for us to think about dying?” — he replied:

Stephen and Ondrea Levine taught extensively on the importance of meditation on dying. They wrote a book titled A Year to Live. Recently, Stephen Levine passed away.

“Because we are all going to die. If we could bring that reality into our heart, that would be a practice unto itself. The last time Ondrea and I spoke with the Dalai Lama, he asked us what were working on. I told him we were writing a book called A Year To Live, which explores the practice of living as if the present year were our last. He wondered whether people who started this practice would run amok. In other words, if they imagined the end was coming, wouldn’t they just grab a lady or a guy and a bottle of tequila and head for the beach? And that’s what we thought as well. But the truth is, when people know they are going to die, that last year is often the most loving, most conscious, and most caring — even under conditions of poor concentration, the side effects of medication, and so on. So don’t wait to die until you die. Start practicing now.”

The Dalai Lama often teaches the topic of meditation on death and wrote books on the topic.

Dalai Lama: “Facing Death and Dying Well”

As with everything, the Dalai Lama teaches out of an abundance of compassion. He also manages to sneak in a laugh, even on a talk about death. “Many people just want to forget about death, and then try to seek protection in alcohol.” (See Video “His Holiness the Dalai Lama talks about “Facing Death in a peaceful manner” Meridian Trust, embedded below.)

“There are two ways to deal with suffering and problems. The one, is simply to avoid the problem. That’s one way… The other way is, they look directly at the problem and analyze. And make it familiar to oneself.”

He explained that sickness and dying “are just a part of nature ­— a fact of life… There’s birth. So, logically, there’s death. So, that is part of our life, whether we like it or not.”

His Holiness explained that “sometimes through difficult experiences, sometimes life becomes more meaningful…” Facing and accepting death is one of these difficult experiences. “I notice that the elder generations, those people who lived through the second world war, that these people, their mental attitude becomes much stronger.” He described some suffering as “good lessons.”

“I think of my own experience. In one way, I lost my own country… and there is a lot of unhappiness and a lot of suffering… But through that I had an opportunity to meet different people… so, I think that experience enriched… those tragic experiences, also had good affect.”

Dalai Lama: “Be Mindful of Death”

In his book Advice on Dying, the Dalai Lama wrote: “It is crucial to be mindful of death — to contemplate that you will not remain long in this life. If you are not aware of death, you will fail to take advantage of this special human life that you have already attained. It is meaningful since, based on it, important effects can be accomplished.

“Analysis of death is not for the sake of becoming fearful but to appreciate this precious lifetime during which you can perform many important practices. Rather than being frightened, you need to reflect that when death comes, you will lose this good opportunity for practice. In this way contemplation of death will bring more energy to your practice.” [2]

Zasep Rinpoche told the story of a distracted driver to illustrate how meditation on impermanence, on death, can help us reset our priorities.

Zasep Tulku Rinpoche: “Think about what is more important… more worthwhile”

An important practice in Tibetan Buddhism is Chod, often performed, at least by accomplished masters, in graveyards. It is primarily a Metta and Karuna and Bodhichitta practice, the giving of the self to all sentient beings, but it is also a striking reinforcement of the doctrine of impermanence. Here, Venerable Zasep Rinpoche performs Chod in a graveyard.

The purpose, then, of death meditation is to inspire an “energy to practice” — even if just for ten minutes a day. In our interview with Zasep Rinpoche, he helpfully suggested: “So, think about what is more important for you. What is more worthwhile? Making another ten-minute phone call, or sending text messages, or meditating? Just schedule ten minutes in the morning, ten minutes in the evening, or fit in some mindfulness meditation during the day. Or, you can do walking meditation, standing meditation. Yes, there are some things you have to do. You have to talk on the phone and do text messages. But, you don’t have to be so busy that you can’t find time to meditate for ten minutes.

“Just last week I was on the street car and I saw this man, in his car, sending text messages, and smoking a cigarette, and also sipping on coffee. He was doing four things at the same time, driving, texting, smoking and drinking coffee. I thought to myself, Why? Isn’t that a bit stressful, trying to do four things at once? (laughs) I could see he was stressed out, that’s why he was smoking. Tired, that’s why he was drinking coffee.” Meditation on impermanence, on death, can help us reset our priorities.

The most Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh.

Thich Nhat Hanh: “The notion of death cannot be applied to reality.”

The great teacher Thich Nhat Hanh presents a somewhat more optimistic take on analyzing death:

“When you look a cloud… and then later the cloud is not there. But, if you look deeply, you can see the cloud in the rain, and that is why it’s impossible for a cloud to die. A cloud can become rain, or snow, or ice, but a cloud cannot become nothing. And that is why the notion of death cannot be applied to reality. There is a transformation, there is a continuation, but you cannot say that there is death. Because in your mind, to die, means you suddenly become nothing. From someone, you suddenly become no one… When you can remove these notions, you are free and you have no fear.” [Source video embedded below.]

The Venerable monk also said, “The Buddha did not die. The Buddha only continued. By His Sangha, by His Dharma, you can touch Buddha in the here and the now.”

Einstein: “Past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion.”

Einstein had a similar concept of “transformation” rather than “extinction.” After the death of a close friend, he wrote, in 1955:

“Now he has departed from this strange world a little ahead of me. That means nothing. People like us, who believe in physics, know that the distinction between past, present, and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion.”

He later elaborated on this notion. ““Space and time are not conditions in which we live, they are modes in which we think.”

Albert Einstein.

Einstein famously wrote, in The World As I See It (1933): “Enough for me the mystery of the eternity of life, and the inkling of the marvelous structure of reality, together with the single-hearted endeavor to comprehend a portion, be it ever so tiny, of the reason that manifests itself in nature.”

All carbon based life is made up of recycled material. Every atom in the universe is recycled. Nothing is every destroyed. Energy becomes matter becomes energy in an endless cycle. Of course that’s not the same as saying our “consciousness” continues after death, but it’s one reason scientists such as Einstein were supportive of many Buddhist concepts — and not fearful of their own deaths. The analysis of death, as suggested by the Dalai Lama, removes that fear.

VIDEO: Einstein “How I See the World”

Venerable Ribur Rinpoche: “people in the west don’t want to hear about impermanence and death “

One reason many Buddhist live fearlessly is a firm belief in the logical doctrine of rebirth, as partially described by Thich Nhat Hanh in his cloud analogy. Ribur Rinpoche — who, himself, lived day-by-day under threat of death under oppression in his Tibetan homeland for 23 years — explained why he thinks Westerners tend to fear death:

“In general people in the west don’t want to hear about impermanence and death… This is wrong. This is very wrong. At the time of death we don’t want to be sad… It is now, while we are alive, that we have to think about it. In this way, we have to think about it correctly, and to make the right preparation…”

[“Death and Rebirth” embedded video below]

Ribur Rinpoche teching.

He explained the importance of this understanding. “If you don’t understand impermanence, you won’t be practicing anyway. You’ll think, oh yes, I have to practice Dharma, but I can do it tomorrow. Or day after tomorrow. Or next year. As Lama Tsongkhapa said ‘In this way, I say I can do it later, I can do it later, and then your whole life goes by.’ You won’t achieve anything. Therefore, you won’t be able to abandon the fantasies related to this life… Your mind will be trapped within the eight worldly dharmas.”

“There are no methods that will prevent me from dying. Definitely, I’m going to die. That is certain…” He explained that without an understanding of impermanence, karma and rebirth, there is no encouragement to practice morality.

Ondrea Levine: “I think our fear on dying is a loss of control… Those thoughts are your conditioning.”

In their book, A Year to Live Stephen and Ondrea Levine wrote extensively about the key benefit of meditating on death from a palliative point-of-view. Stephen himself recently passed, and Ondrea has cancer, so they speak with authority.

“There’s a great deal of fear of death,” Ondrea said in a LevineTalks Video (embedded below). “People think they can get rid of it… Of course there’s fear of death. I’m not really afraid of death and what comes after. Because of my practice, I know this body will die… but, I do have fear around the process of dying.”

“No one wants to be in pain. No one wants to lose control. I think our fear on dying is a loss of control. This is natural. This is a normal fear… because death is the unknown.” She spoke about how we can rely on our teachers, such as the Buddha, and gain comfort, but that ultimately we have to experience, in our own practice, something “larger than our own little minds. So, whatever your practice is, you have to practice to work on your fears.” She illustrated with mindfulness practice.

She emphasized that those fears, “those thoughts are not you. Those thoughts are your conditioning.” She suggested mindfulness as a helpful method. “Become mindful of the situation. Become mindful.” She illustrated with a trip to her own doctor for test results. “I just examine my body. I try to slow my breath down. I’m sitting in the waiting room, instead of distracting myself by reading magazines… Slow the breath down. In slowing it down, it calms the whole body.” Analyzing your own body and your own fears is “a skillful means of being open to the unpleasant.”

Deathbed Wishes: “I wish I had played… more.”

In an interview in Trycicle Magazine, Ondrea Levine said, “I think the greatest benefit of the year-to-live practice is the opportunity it provides to reassess our priorities. When we worked with people on their deathbed, we would often hear the following three complaints: I wish I had gotten divorced earlier; I wish I had taken a job for love of the work, not money; I wish I had played and enjoyed myself more. So the beauty of the practice is that we can evaluate our lives even before we are on our deathbed. If we are not living the life we wish to live, how can we change that now, while there is still time?

“I can say this, because I have cancer. And I know that once you get that diagnosis, no matter how much you already know, something happens, everything becomes much more real. Ironically, it brings greater permission to be fully alive. I find it very exciting.”

Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing: Caring for End-of-Life Buddhists

“Tibetan Buddhism is one of the fastest growing religions in the United States,” wrote Marilyn Smith-Stoner, PhD, RN in her helpful article on Palliative care for Buddhists in the Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing. She adds: “The care they request at the end of life is different in many aspects from traditional end-of-life care.”

A very simple shrine can be temporarily or permanently set up on a table or shelf for a sick or palliative patient. The Journal for Hospice and Palliative Nursing advises it be in line-of-site for the patient. 

This helpful guide, specifically written for Palliative caregivers, gave helpful insights for non-Buddhists who might be caring for a Buddhist: “In all Buddhist traditions, four fundamental contemplations compose the foundation of understanding and meditation: first, that a human rebirth is extremely precious and should be used to its highest spiritual potential; second, that all compounded phenomena are impermanent, and whoever is born is bound to die; third, that beings experience relative reality as compared to ultimate nature that arises interdependently with their own actions; fourth, that all beings suffer, and human beings suffer particularly from birth, sickness, old age, and death.”

Kisa Gotami repaired to the Buddha and cried: “Lord and Master, give me the medicine that will cure my boy.”

Buddha: The Story of Krisha Gotami and the Mustard Seeds

In this helpful guide for Palliative caregivers, the author uses the commonly cited story of the Mustard Seeds:

“In all Buddhist traditions, four fundamental contemplations compose the foundation of understanding and meditation:[2] first, that a human rebirth is extremely precious and should be used to its highest spiritual potential; second, that all compounded phenomena are impermanent, and whoever is born is bound to die; third, that beings experience relative reality as compared to ultimate nature that arises interdependently with their own actions; fourth, that all beings suffer, and human beings suffer particularly from birth, sickness, old age, and death.”

From the Sacred Text “The Mustard Seed”:

Kisa Gotami repaired to the Buddha and cried: “Lord and Master, give me the medicine that will cure my boy.” The Buddha answered: “I want a handful of mustard-seed.” And when the girl in her joy promised to procure it, the Buddha added: “The mustard-seed must be taken from a house where no one has lost a child, husband, parent, or friend.” Poor Kisa Gotami now went from house to house, and the people pitied her and said: “Here is mustard-seed; take it!” But when she asked Did a son or daughter, a father or mother, die in your family?” They answered her: “Alas the living are few, but the dead are many. Do not remind us of our deepest grief.” And there was no house but some beloved one had died in it.

Kisa Gotami became weary and hopeless, and sat down at the wayside, watching the lights of the city, as they flickered up and were extinguished again. At last the darkness of the night reigned everywhere. And she considered the fate of men, that their lives flicker up and are extinguished. And she thought to herself: “How selfish am I in my grief! Death is common to all; yet in this valley of desolation there is a path that leads him to immortality who has surrendered all selfishness.” [10]

Pages from the Bardo Thodol, sometimes translated as the Tibetan Book of the Dead. The text is often read to the dying, or over the recently deceased in the first few days when the consciousness is thought to “linger” with the body after death.

Tibetan Book of the Dead: “Describes the dying process in detail”

The Journal article cites the importance of palliative workers being familiar with the Tibetan Book of the Dead, and then goes on to summarize high-level understandings that might be comforting to the Buddhist facing end-of-life. Important, especially, is the definition of death, which in various traditions of Buddhism is quite different from the medical definition. Robert Thurman, the respected Tibetan Buddhist teacher, said the Tibetan Book of the Dead “organizes the experiences of the between—(Tibetan, bar-do) usually referring to the state between death and rebirth.” [11]

Leonard Cohen Narrates a Film on The Tibetan Book of the Dead (video):

The author instructs care-professionals from a Tibetan Buddhist point of view, “it is believed that the nexus of consciousness—at its most subtle level of cognizance and movement—can remain in the body for up to 3 days or longer, depending on the circumstances of death. If the body dies by accident or violence, if the body is undisturbed, or if certain rituals are performed to liberate it from the body, the consciousness may exit immediately. In these cases, the body is merely a corpse and nothing unusual needs to be considered. But, after a peaceful death, Tibetan Buddhists are exceptionally concerned about what happens to the body in the moments and days after death, and they try to ensure that the consciousness exits from the crown of the head.”

Helpfully, the article instructs care-givers to inquire who the patient’s teacher may be and cautions the teacher may live far away. The guide also mentions the practice of P’howa, which means “transference of consciousness” as part of the ongoing spiritual training. P’howa prayers may be recited for years prior to the actual time of death.”

Zasep Tulku Rinpoche: “You can do non-traditional Powa … for other people.”

In our extensive interview with Venerable Zasep Rinpoche we did have an opportunity to ask about Powa or P’howa. I asked, “Is Powa practice helpful for the dying (Transferring the Consciousness)?”

Zasep Rinpoche replied, helpfully: “Powa is a Tibetan word, it means “transferring the consciousness.” I usually say, not everybody should practice this. I don’t want to give people the wrong idea. We do Powa practice as a training. When you know you have some illness or you are dying, if you think death come soon, then it’s a good time to practice. But Powa requires instructions. In traditional Powa practice you have visualize chakras and channels and so on.”

Power Meditation guided by H.E. Zasep Rinpoche:

For caregivers, however, Rinpoche had some special advice: “But, you can do a non-traditional Powa—mild Powa, a simple kind of Powa—for other people. Sort of guiding. I call it Powa for the West. For instance if you’re a family member, or in palliative care, and you talk to the patient, you might say as they are dying: ‘You know you are dying now. Let it go. You should go peacefully. As you go, imagine you are going to the Pure Land, or going into the Light, or into Eternal Bliss or Nirvana.’ You could call this kind of help, Powa for the West. It’s not traditional Powa.”

The Zen Master and the Cake

Rinpoche told a story—  illustrating the importance of a peaceful death — during the interview:

“I’ll tell you a story of a Zen Master. He was dying. And he told his attendant ‘Bring me my favorite cake!’ Rice cake. While he was munching the rice cake, his consciousness slipped away. He slipped away while enjoying his rice cake. In a way, this was a kind of Powa. He enjoyed his rice cake peacefully, and no sign of struggling, fear, worry, just passing the consciousness peacefully, happily.”

Venerable Thanissaro Bhikku.

Venerable Thanissaro Bhikkhu: When dying, “meditation is the one thing that won’t abandon you”

Dying is the one thing we all will face. Buddhists are usually taught to spend their practice hours in one form or another of meditation: mindfulness, analytical mediation (such as on Death), and visualization.

When the time comes to die, explains Venerable Thanissaro Bhikku, meditation is the one thing that will not abandon you:

“What all this boils down to is that, as long as you are able to survive, meditation will improve the quality of your life, so that you can view pain and illness with equanimity and learn from them. When the time comes to go, when the doctors have to throw up their hands in helplessness, the skill you have been developing in your meditation is the one thing that won’t abandon you. It will enable you to handle your death with finesse. Even though we don’t like to think about it, death is going to come no matter what, so we should learn how to stare it down. Remember that a death well handled is one of the surest signs of a life well lived.” [9]

On a more optimistic note, the Venerable teacher told the story of how meditation help keep a woman with cancer alive:

“You should be very clear on one point: The purpose of meditation is to find happiness and well-being within the mind, independent of the body or other things going on outside. Your aim is to find something solid within that you can depend on no matter what happens to the body. If it so happens that through your meditation you are able to effect a physical cure, that’s all fine and good, and there have been many cases where meditation can have a remarkable effect on the body. My teacher had a student – a woman in her fifties – who was diagnosed with cancer more than 15 years ago. The doctors at the time gave her only a few months to live, and yet through her practice of meditation she is still alive today. She focused her practice on the theme that, ‘although her body may be sick, her mind doesn’t have to be.’ A few years ago I visited her in the hospital the day after she had had a kidney removed. She was sitting up in bed, bright and aware, as if nothing happened at all. I asked her if there was any pain, and she said yes, 24 hours a day, but that she didn’t let it make inroads on her mind.”

The humble actions of a monk at a train station in China captivated the world. The monk bows to the deceased in respect. He holds his hand to comfort him (feature picture top).

The Five Powers: Thought Transformation for a Happy Successful Death

Of course no one wants to die. Without question, we will die. In Buddhism, dying without fear, with peace, with a sense of “happiness” is a key teaching. To that end, the teaching on the Five Powers —similar to the Four Powers widely used in Purification practice — can be helpful. These are:

• The Power of Purification
• The Power of Intention
• The Power of Remorse
• The Power of Prayer
• The Power of Familiarity.

For Tibetan Buddhists, this will immediately resonate. Vajrasattva purification practice encompasses similar steps. In fact, daily Vajrasattva practice, keeps the practicing Vajaryana Buddhist ready for a fearless death (even a sudden, accidental or traumatic death.)

1. The First Power, the Power of Purificaiton is basically purification practice (whether focused on Vajrasattva or not.) These are “the 4 powers of regret, reliance, remedy and resolution; give up attachment to your possessions and make offerings of them; meditate upon refuge in the 3 Jewels, give rise to positive thoughts such as Bodhicitta; reaffirm your commitment to whatever spiritual goals and values you cultivated during your life.” [7]
2. The Second Power, The Power of Intention This power is mirrored in the Palliative Care Suggestions from the Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing article. The key is developing a strong resolution not to let your mind come under the sway of disturbing emotions, even in the face of pain and suffering, and remaining focused on altruism and Bodhichitta.
3. The Third Power: The Power or Remorse By meditating on these disturbing emotions, as with all focused meditation, we can make ourselves ready for them to “protect yourself from being overwhelmed by them.”
4. The Fourth Power: the Power of Prayer Making strong aspirations and reaffirming commitments not to become separated from the Dharma, Bodhichitta and the prayer to obtain fortunate rebirth in a situation suitable to continue practicing the Dharma.
5. The Fifth Power: the Power of Familiarity P’howa practice is one method to become “familiar” and practice for the time of death. “Taking and Giving” practice is also powerful, where we visualize and meditate on “taking on the suffering of other beings” and “giving our blessings” to other beings. For those not trained by a teacher in these methods, meditation on samsara, compassion, impermanence, and Emptiness.

Buddha: Palliative Care as Taught by the Buddha

“He who attends on the sick attends on me,” said the Blessed One, the Buddha. [8]

The Buddha taught extensively on nursing and caring for the sick and dying. On many occasions, Buddha personally cleaned and tended to dying people, personally washing out their puss and wounds, and staying with them, speaking the Dharma, as they passed.

“The Buddha has enumerated the qualities that should be present in a good nurse. He should be competent to administer the medicine, he should know what is agreeable to the patient and what is not. He should keep away what is disagreeable and give only what is agreeable to the patient. He should be benevolent and kind-hearted, he should perform his duties out of a sense of service and not just for the sake of remuneration (mettacitto gilanam upatthati no amisantaro). He should not feel repulsion towards saliva, phlegm, urine, stools, sores, etc. He should be capable of exhorting and stimulating the patient with noble ideas, with Dhamma talk (A.iii,144).” [8] 

For Care-Givers: Palliative Care Suggestions for Buddhist at End of Life

In the helpful care-givers article from the Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing, several useful suggestions are made. [Please see the full article, cited in our notes, for full details.]

In informing caregivers about the importance of a “peaceful” passing, suggestions included:

• Allow for uninterrupted periods for religious practice, and consider playing meditative audio recordings that are reassuring to the patient, such as mantra or sutra recitation where appropriate.
• Provide an altar with religious photos and relics and keep it in the line of vision of the patient.
• “Specifying who the patient would like to be present at the time of death. The preference may be for no one to be present, especially if family and friends are very emotional or unsupportive of the religious practices.”
• Importance of the attitude of caregivers and visitors: peaceful visits, turn phones off, be relaxed and peaceful.

The article emphasizes the importance of a peaceful environment several times and notes that managing disruptive or upset visitors might be important. During the dying process, the article suggests:

• Do not disturb the patient
• For Tibetan Buddhists especially, leave the body undisturbed for as long as practically possible after death. “Buddhists believe the dying process continues for 3–4 days after what is usually accepted as “dead.” Although many laws do not allow for the body to remain in a natural state for 3–4 days, remain mindful of this to be supportive as the family is approached about the death.”
• “You may want to help the patient sit up in order to practice, or to lie on the right side, which was the position of the Buddha at his death deceased has sometimes been reported as 100 days; however, in the Vajrayana.”

Of special note the author wrote: “the period for special rituals and prayers for the tradition, the period is generally 49 days. Although this may seem like a subtle difference, it is highly relevant in the provision of individualized bereavement services in hospice.”

Event in Toronto July 19, 2019: Meditating on Death and Dying and why it’s important with H.E. Zasep Rinpoche.

NOTES

[1] Two hour interview with Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche at Gaden Choling, fall teaching session 2015, full interview to be published in Buddha Weekly.

[2] Advice on Dying: And Living a Better Life, Dalai Lama

[3] A Year to Live: How to Live This Year as If It Were Your Last, Publisher: Harmony; 1st edition (April 14 1998), ISBN-10: 0609801945, ISBN-13: 978-0609801949

[4] Tricycle Magazine: Interview with Stephen Levine

[5] Levine Talks website.

[6] Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing article: “End-of-Life Needs of Patients Who Practice Tibetan Buddhism”

[7] “A Buddhist Guide to Death, Dying and Suffering” — Urban Dharma.

[8] “Ministering to the Sick and Terminally Ill” by Lily de Silva, Urban Dharma

[9] “Using Meditation to Deal with Pain, Illness and Death” Venerable Thanissaro Bhikku, Urban Dharma.

[10] Sacred Text “The Mustard Seed”

[11] Open Culture “Leonard Cohen Narrates Film on The Tibetan Book of the Dead“

The post “Learning how to die” and “Why Meditating on Death May Bring Joy to Life”: What the Buddhist Teachers Say About End of Life, Dying, and Palliative Care appeared first on Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation.

Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation. Copyright Buddha Weekly.

The great master Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche passed away at 3:35pm today (Oct 7, 2019, born April 3, 1924) at 95 years of age (96 years in the Tibetan method of calculating.)

“Notice is that Khenpo Rinpoche has gone to dance with the dakinis as of 3:35 today,” wrote Amrita Nadi. “May they know the great treasure they have in his company. May we all follow his example of not taking anything too seriously at the same time offering dharma wisdom and compassion as often as possible.Truly we have lost a great treasure, but he will remain always within our hearts.”

Khanpo Karma Tharchin Rinpoche was a senior lama of the Karma Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, and abbot of Karma Triyana Dharmachakra Monastery in Woodstock, New York.

“Masters of this stature are becoming rarer than a star in the midday summer sky.” –Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche

He was well loved and respected as a Mahamudra and Dzogchen teacher, who wrote several books on meditation and philosophy.

“The price of living a long life in this world of ours is our duty to be able to offer some contribution to everyone’s welfare. Based on the intentions of the previous Gyalwang Karmapa, Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche has for many years engaged in extraordinary efforts to spread Buddhism throughout many countries in the East and West. Since by doing so he has truly caused the present and future happiness of many beings, he is worthy of praise.”
–Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje on December 26th, 2008, in the Buddhist Year 2552 from the Foreword to the biography of Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche

Khenpo Rinpoche was born in Kham, Tibet, although he was not a tulku. He achieved his realizations in his current lifetime, who entered Thrangu Monastery at twelve years of age. He was ordained from the 11th Tai Situ Rinpoche in Palpung Monastery.

Rinpoche undertook many retreats including a three-year retreat. After five years of advanced studies, he was granted the Khenpo degree and began to teach widely.

He escaped the Chinese Communist destruction of Thrangu Monastery in 1958 only through an ordeal of months of travel. Finally arriving at Tsurphu Monastery, he was sent to Bhutan. After eight years in Bhutan, he moved to the Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim India.

It was in 1976, that Khenpo Rinpoche was sent to North America by the Gyalwa Karmapa to establish the seat for the Karmapas. He established the Karma Triyana Dharmachakra (KTD) Monastery in Woodstock, New York. His activities are legendary, helping establish 28 teaching centres in the USA, three in Canada and four in South America.

Khenpo Rinpoche was active all the years of his extraordinary life.

For more about the life of Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche, read Amrita of Eloquence: A Biography of Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche — a beautifully written traditional biography — written by Lama Karma Drodhul (Rinpoche’s nephew and disciple), and elegantly translated by Lama Yeshe Gyamtso, with a foreword by the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, and prefaces by the Ninth Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche and the Ninth Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche

The post Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche “has gone to dance with the Dakinis”; a teacher “rarer than a star in the midday summer sky” has passed appeared first on Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation.

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Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche has taught in the West for 40 years and is spiritual head of Gaden Choling for the West centres in Canada, U.S. and Australia.

Is it possible to achieve longevity? And what about karma?

H.E. Zasep Rinpoche answers these questions and gives a short video teaching on White Tara, known and loved for her long-life activities and healing energy. Rinpoche teaches the benefits, then — in great detail — how to visualize White Tara and the healing and protective energy. As he says at the end of the video: “It’s wonderful. Wonderful protection, wonderful for longevity, good health. And I wish you have longevity and much more happiness.”

NOTE: Special Event Notice: For those in the Ontario Canada area, Rinpoche will be in town for 2 weeks for an extensive round of teachings: Medicine Buddha weekend retreat, Vajrasattva initiation, Chittamani Tara Initiation, Yamantaka weekend retreat (for those with previous initiation). Information here>>

This video, new from the Buddha Weekly Guided Meditation Series, plays here [Full transcript below video] :

Note: If you have initiation, you would visualize as Rinpoche outlines in detail. If you do not have initiation, you can still do the practice and mantra by visualizing White Tara in front of you, facing you, with healing light coming into you — rather than yourself as Tara.

Full transcript of teaching

H.E. Zasep Rinpoche: I would like to give some instructions and explanation on how to practice White Tara longevity. There are different Tara practices. White Tara practice is for longevity and good health.

Question: Is it possible to achieve longevity? And what about karma? Some people ask the question. Maybe it’s already predetermined, how long one could live once a lifespan. Yes, of course. Everything is karma, but that doesn’t mean we cannot practice long-life practice, and it does not mean that long-life practice does not have effect on us.

Because when you practice long-life sadhana, long-life mantras like White Tara or Amitayus Buddha, and so forth, you are also creating good karma, or long life, this very moment. So, there’s many different karmas; karmas of the past life, karmas of the present life, karmas of now, and future karma, and so forth.

White Tara is very popular. Although she is Tara, in this aspect she helps us develop long-life siddhi.

So, I will explain how does it work for practicing long-life mantras and sadhanas. Okay, so when you practice long-life sadhana, such as White Tara, and recite the mantras, it purifies unwholesome karmas of your past life, that you may have unwholesome karma that you’ve created in the past life that makes your life shorter. You may have a number of unwholesome karmas, or maybe one big one, or maybe one little one. You don’t know. We don’t know. But we assume so, because from the reincarnation point of view, that we have no beginning. We do know people have a short lifespan. And we also know, ourselves, that somehow genetically we may not live very long when you look through your experiences about your grandparents and ancestors and they died from a short life. And so forth. And, today is very difficult time, and there are so many causes for shortening life. Disease and all kinds of things, as you know, I don’t need to explain to you. So, this is why we practice long-life Buddhas, so it purify the past life karmas.

Meditation and visualization, and especially practices like White Tara, help us work out negative karmas, here symbolized by storm clouds.

Good karma and merit

And also, I’m not only talking about negative karmas of the past life. We have, also, positive karmas. We have virtues and many, many, many lifetimes we have created good karma and virtues and merit. Some of you might think, how do we know that we have created good karma in the past life? Well, we don’t know everything, of course. Human beings don’t know everything, and this is why we call the Buddhas our ‘All-Knowers’ and ‘Omniscient’. So, we don’t know.

But when you look at this life, you have a good life, a fairly wholesome life, and especially you have opportunity to practice dharma. You are already practicing dharma. This means that you have created wonderful, good karma in the past life. So then, you may have many, many good karmas and also good karmas of long life. So when you practice long-life sadhanas, such as White Tara and mantras, it brings those karmic seeds that you created in the past life, bringing those karmic seeds, bringing the previous life, long-life karmic seeds out, ripening in this life — to ripen in this life. Because it will be very helpful at this moment, at this life, we have the opportunity to practice dharma. So, why not you make the life longer? In other words, extend your life. It’s like you’re getting extension Visa to extend your life. So, this is why we practice long life, White Tara sadhanas and mantras, and other long-life Buddha practices, such as Amitayus. This is why we do it.

White Tara. If you have initiation, in this practice you will visualize yourself arising (generating) as White Tara. If you do not have initiation, usually you visualize Tara in front of you instead of yourself as Tara.

How to: White Tara visualization

Okay, now, how do we do long-life White Tara practice? Traditionally, you have to receive the initiation of White Tara from a qualified master, qualified guru. And if you don’t have the initiation, you can also ask mantra transmission to the Lama. And we call Lung, a Tibetan word. Lung means transition, and you can get that from Lama. And if you don’t have the lung, you can still practice and say the mantra, there’s no problem because with good intention, with the devotion, you can say the mantra anytime and any place.

So, now, let’s say those of you who have received White Tara initiation, then you visualize yourself as White Tara. And you’re sitting on the lotus and moon cushion. So, you say the Sanskrit mantra

OM SVABHAVA SHUDDHA SARVA DHARMA SVABHAVA SHUDDHO HAM.

Everything becomes empty in inherent existence, and from the state of emptiness, I arise myself as the White Tara. I generate myself, visualize myself as a venerable, holy White Tara. So, when you say OM SVABHAVA SHUDDHA SARVA DHARMA SVABHAVA SHUDDHO HAM, imagine your ordinary body and ordinary perceptions and ordinary mind dissolve into śūnyatā, emptiness.

Visualize a White Tam arising out of emptiness (or oneness). This is the Tibetan Tam. If you can’t visualize this, you can visualize a white TAM in English characters.

And from the state of voidness [emptiness], you appear yourself as the White Tara. First you visualize a lotus moon cushion, and then little of the moon cushion you visualize white TAM syllable. T-A-M, TAM syllable, in English. If you don’t know the Tibetan syllable, then you visualize the English syllable, white TAM. And if you know the Tibetan one, syllable, then you visualize Tibetan syllable, TAM. That will be good. And you can also learn, and you can learn the Tibetan letter alphabet.

So visualize white TAM syllable, standing on the moondisc. When you visualize the syllable, imagine there are a nature, the syllable is in the nature of light and transparent, and beautiful white TAM syllable. Then, white light shining. White light shining, white light goes out all in directions, ten directions. And especially white light goes to Buddha realms, pure lands of the Buddhas. And this white light bringing the blessings of all the Buddhas. Also, specially, blessings of White Tara in the form of white lights descending. Lots of white lights descending from all directions, dissolve into the white TAM syllable.

Tam at the heart of myself as White Tara. If you do not have initiation, usually you visualize Tara in front of you instead of yourself as Tara.

After that, the white TAM syllable getting bigger and bigger, and slowly bigger. And then slowly merging myself into White Tara. So, I, myself becomes White Tara. And imagine I am sitting on the lotus and moon cushion, I’ve got white color, and white color is color of peace, color of purity. So I have one face, two hands. At this time I am sitting cross-legged Vajra Asana. White Tara sit cross-legged. Different than Green Tara posture. I’m wearing beautiful silk dresses and jewel ornaments, earrings, necklace, and bracelets and so forth. Crown ornaments. I have a ushnisha above my head. I have long hair with top-knot, and the rest of the hair loose and hanging behind my body. I am holding a blue uptala flower in my left hand. And sometimes you visualize lotus flower, so either way is fine. Uptala flower or lotus flower, is an alternative, or optional.

So, my left hand is in the mudra of representing Buddhas of the three times; Buddhas of the past, present, and future. That means I, myself, as White Tara, am the embodiment of the Buddhas of the past, present, and future.

Right hand is in the mudra of giving blessing, giving realizations, or helping you to have spiritual realizations. Also, White Tara has seven eyes. One eye on the forehead, wisdom eye, so that makes three eyes, then one eye in each palm of hand, and then also eyes at the bottom of her feet. So altogether, seven eyes.

So now, I visualize myself as White Tara. Once you visualize yourself as White Tara, then you visualize moondisc at your heart, horizontal. Then at the top of the moondisc, in the middle of the moondisc, you visualize white TAM syllable, seed syllable. And this time the seed syllable is surrounded by mantra of White Tara.

Surrounding the TAM is the White Tara mantra.

So, White Tara mantra is different than Green Tara mantra. You visualize Om Tare Tuttare Ture Mama Ayu Punye Jnana Pushtim Kuru Soha. That’s the mantra. So, longer. Extra mantra. You say Mama Ayu Punye Jnana Pushtim Kuru Soha.

Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha mean liberating myself from this world and from suffering and disease and so forth. Om Tare Tuttare is liberating from the cause of suffering; karma and delusions. And Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha means liberating myself completely from this life, cycle of lives, from Samsara, to reach enlightenment; Om Tare Tuttare Ture.

Then you say Mama Ayu Punye Jnana Pushtim Kuru Soha. So that increasing wisdom, virtues. Mama Ayu is increasing long life. Punye is virtues. Jnana is wisdom. Punye Jnana Pushtim Kuru Soha. Punye karma, and good karma and virtues. So, increase your long life, virtues, and wisdom. Punye Jnana Pushtim Kuru Soha. To achieve long life siddhi So, visualize White Tara mantra at your heart, then light shining from your heart. And then you say White Tara mantra, repeat White Tara mantra.

White Tara mantra in English with the glowing light body of White Tam.

While you’re repeating white Tara mantra, imagine white light shining from your heart, from those syllables. And light goes inside your body through the top of your head to the bottom of your feet. Entire body is filled with white light. Also your mind, your consciousness, is filled with light of longevity and good health. Your senses filled with white light of longevity. Your sense consciousness filled with white light of longevity. Your sense consciousness, primary mind, sixth sense consciousness, they are what we call primary mind. Eye consciousness, ear consciousness, nose consciousness, tongue consciousness, body consciousness, and tactile consciousness, and the main consciousness. All of them, purified.

Within this consciousness and the body, if there are any kind of stains, or suffering, or pain, or trauma, or defilement, and subtle disease, subtle defilement, cause of disease, whatever, karmic imprints, all of them are purified. Completely purified. No more. And you achieve long life siddhi. Sanskrit word siddhi means realizations, and powerful realizations. Siddhi.

Now, I will explain a little bit more visualization this time. Protection. Protection for your life force. So, we have life. We are alive right now. And because our consciousness is based in your heart chakra, from the tantric Buddhist point of view, the heart chakra. Your consciousness is supported by prana called life-sustaining prana. So, this prana is important prana. It’s very, very, very subtle prana. And this is the most subtlest prana, and it’s called indestructible prana. Life-sustaining prana depends on your karma in this life. So when your karma is exhausting and diminishing, then your life-sustaining prana becomes weak. When the prana of life-sustaining becomes weak, then your consciousness becomes weak. Of course, your body becomes weak, everything becomes weak. Then, gradually, life force is diminishing. Then it makes the life getting shorter, shorter, shrinking, shrinking the life force. This is why people have short life.

For protection, you visualize white light going out from the TAM at your heart and forming a barrier, a “tent” around you. You imagine no negativity can enter.

So, when you do the long-life Tara mantra and breathing meditation, visualization, it purifies unwholesome karmas; it creates virtuous karma. Then your life-sustaining prana becomes stronger, powerful. So it’s like in the oriental philosophy, they talk about chi, inner chi. Same thing. So, your prana becomes stronger and then your consciousness can remain on this life-sustaining prana comfortably and happily. You feel that you want to stay, you are optimistic, and this is how you achieve long life siddhi. Siddhi. And also, you get inspiration in your mind. Positive mind. You get positive imprint. That’s very important. Uplifting, healing. Then you feel, I have purpose, reason to live. I’m not just sitting here waiting, an old man or old lady. I have a purpose to live. So this is why people can live long, and not only live long, but with good health and with good energy.

One of my spiritual mentors, he was Mongolian lama, he lived 100 [years] and one month. I’m told the last day of his life, his mind is absolutely sure, clear. And he’d did so much spiritual work, healing, and community service, and rebuilding Buddhism in Mongolia. His name was Guru Dewa Rinpoche. Everybody knows Guru Dewa Rinpoche, and many Tibetan people in India know him very well. So, I believe that he had a long-life siddhi.

So, now, I’m going to give you a short explanation on how to do the protection. So then, you focus your meditation at your heart at the white TAM syllable. Now, imagine your white light shining from your heart — it goes outside your body: this time it goes all the way around like a tent. Like a yurt. So, these are white lights, totally, completely solid. The white light symbolizes peace, siddhi of peace. So then you imagine your body-mind is all protected. And you say Om Tare Tuttare Ture Mama Ayu Punye Jnana Pushtim Kuru Soha. Then, outside that white light you visualize another light. This time, yellow light. Again, yellow light emanating from your heart, from the TAM syllable, goes outside the white light. Another layer of yellow light, like a tent outside a tent. White light is the symbol of peace. Yellow light is a symbol of longevity and prosperity. These lights are very solid. Strong. Nothing can enter, no negative forces.

After the initial practice, you visualize protecting your life force with barriers of solid light, first white, then yellow, then red, blue, green.

Now, between … Okay, I’ll explain that later. Then, after the yellow light, again, red light shining from your heart, from the TAM syllable, goes out in a layer of red light like a tent. And the red light is a symbol of power. You have long life; power. And then, you visualize blue light. Blue light shines from your heart from the TAM syllable, goes out and outside the red light. Very strong, round, solid, and give you power.

Then, last one, you imagine green light shining from the TAM syllable, goes straight outside the blue light. So, the green light is what we call the light of action.

So, five colors of light: white, yellow, red, blue, and green. These all symbolize peace, knowledge, prosperity, power, and blue is energy (symbolizes energy and healing), and the green one symbolizes action, activity — like a green color is action and like a green grass, green forest, when spring comes and the leaves are changed, the color becomes green. Like that, action color. So you have five kinds of what we call siddhi, in Sanskrit, peaceful siddhi. Siddhi of knowledge and wisdom, siddhi of power, siddhi of energy, siddhi of action (karma). Sanskrit word is Sita, Ratna, Padma, Vajra, and action [Karma]. White color represents Sita, siddhi of peace. The yellow color symbolizes Ratna siddhi. The red color symbolizes Padma siddhi. The blue color symbolizes Vajra siddhi. And green light symbolizes Karma siddhi. I studied Sanskrit, myself, in Sanskrit University; Sanskrit in India, so I know a little bit about Sanskrit. It is very helpful to know Sanskrit.

Between the barriers of protective light you can visualize a layer of purple lotus petals.

So, you imagine now you have all the siddhis around and you are protected. On top of that, one last thing, between these layers of lights you visualize purple color, lotus petals. Purple color of lotus petals filled between all the layers of colors. Then you say the mantra Om Tare Tuttare Ture Mama Ayu Punye Jnana Pushtim Kuru Soha. It’s wonderful. Wonderful protection, wonderful for longevity, good health. And I wish you have longevity and much more happiness. Thank you very much.

About H.E. Zasep Rinpoche

Venerable Acharya Zasep Tulku Rinpoche is Spiritual Director of Gaden for the West, with meditation centers in Canada, Australia and the United States. Rinpoche is popularly known for his approachable teaching style, strong humor and teachings based on a long lineage of great lamas. His own gurus included the most celebrated of Gelug teachers: His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, His Holiness Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, Venerable Geshe Thupten Wanggyel, His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, Venerable Lati Rinpoche, Venerable Tara Tulku Rinpoche and Venerable Khalkha Jetsun Dampa Rinpoche. Rinpoche is spiritual director of many temples, meditation centres and retreat centres in Australia, the United States and Canada. He was first invited to teach in Australia by Lama Thubten Yeshe in 1976.

NOTE: Special Event Notice: For those in the Ontario Canada area, Rinpoche will be in town for 2 weeks for an extensive round of teachings: Medicine Buddha weekend retreat, Vajrasattva initiation, Chittamani Tara Initiation, Yamantaka weekend retreat (for those with previous initiation). Information here>>

The post White Tara long life practice video with guided visualization from H.E. Zasep Rinpoche, with mantra and beautiful Tara visualizations appeared first on Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation.

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Venerable Zasep Rinpoche teaching at a Tara weekend using the commentary book, Tara in the Palm of Your Hand, as a reference.

Green Tara is almost certainly one of the most popular Englightened Buddhas in Vajrayana Buddhism. Tara’s mantra is chanted daily by many Buddhists around the world. Tara — the Liberator, the saviour, the healer — is the “Mother of all Buddhas. Please enjoy and benefit from this guided meditation video on Green Tara practice for both uninitiated and initiated practitioners, with animated visualizations of the Tam syllable, green light and Green Tara, by H.E. Zasep Rinpoche, author of Tara in the palm of your hand — the authoritative English commentary on Surya Gupta 21 Taras>>

Relax, sit straight, half close your eyes, and listen to H.E. Venerable Zasep Rinpoche guide you through visualizing Tara and chanting her mantra. Then, chant along with Yoko Dharma’s amazing voice at the end of the meditation — with yet more beautiful meditational images.

[Full transcript of the teaching below the video.] Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche has taught in the West for 40 years and is spiritual head of Gaden for the West centres in Canada, U.S. and Australia.

Full 25 minute guided visualization and mantra chanting, with animated visualizations and images:

 

 

View more teaching videos (and please subscribe) on our YouTube Channel>>

Transcript of teaching

Today I’m speaking about Tara practice visualization, healing practice, and recitation of the mantra of Tara. Tara is the liberator. Tara means, Tibetan word is Drolma. So there’s a different ways of practicing Tara Sadhana.

Those of you have not received Tara initiation, you can visualize Tara in front of you, and then visualize Seed syllables, mantras, and lights, and you recite the mantra of Tara for the purpose of receiving blessings, and inspirations, and healing, and then, at the end, Tara dissolving into you.

Those of you have received Tara initiations, then you can visualize yourselves as a Tara.

I will explain Tara visualization and practice for those of you have not received Tara initiations.

So you first sit on a meditation cushion comfortably, relax your body, and try to have a calm abiding mind. If your mind is not very calm, and if your mind is not settled, then you could do mindfulness of breathing meditation for five minutes. Breathe in and breathe out, breathe in slowly for long one, breath out slowly, a long one. This way it will relax your body and mind.

Then, you visualize Tara in front of you, not too high, not too low, about the same level as your forehead, about five feet in front of you, and imagine a beautiful blue sky. In this sky you imagine, instantly, a green Tam syllable appeared. T-A-M, English letter, T-A-M you visualize. If you know how to visualize Tibetan syllable Tam, green one, that would be good, otherwise the English letter is fine. Visualize Tam syllable, green one, and a very beautiful Tam syllable with a nature of light and energy.

And then, after you visualize this tam syllable, and then imagine beautiful green light emanating from the Tam syllable. Then gradually, the Tam syllable transform into Green Tara.

So now you have a Green Tara appeared, and she is sitting on the lotus and moon cushion, a beautiful lotus cushion. In other words, the cushion is made with lotus petals. Pink and white petals. And on the top of this lotus cushion, you visualize white moon disc horizontal. Then on top of this moon disc, visualize a green Tam letter again. A beautiful green Tam letter appeared spontaneously, you visualize.

And then light emanating from that green Tam syllable, more light emanating, and then instantly Tara herself appeared. And she had a beautiful green color like the color of emerald, precious stone. And she has one face, two hands, she’s sitting on the lotus and moon cushion. Her right foot is stretched, and left foot is bent, and in her hands she’s holding blue utpala flowers. Right hand is on the top of the right knee holding blue utpala flower with the petals open, and she’s holding the trunk of the utpala flower. Left hand she’s holding also the trunk of the utpala flower, and the petals open on your left side of the shoulder. And her fingers in the mudra representing the left hand is in the mudra of representing Buddhas of the three times. What that means is that Tara herself, embodiment of the Buddhas of the past, present, and future. So here’s three fingers up, that symbolizes she herself representing the three Buddhas of the three times.

And then her thumb is meeting with the ring finger. This is symbol of meeting … How should you say … Meeting or merging of the two truths. Ultimate truth — and conventional truth. And also this symbolize love and compassion, and so forth. So there’s different ways of interpreting these mudras. They’re not always fixed, there different ways you can explain.

Her right hand is in a mudra of giving blessings, and giving realizations. She’s wearing beautiful silk dresses, upper garments and lower garments. She’s wearing her beautiful jewel ornaments, crown ornament, earrings, and necklaces, and bracelets, and so forth. She has long hair with a top knot, rest of hair hanging loose behind her body.

And also when you visualize, you imagine the deities divine body is always pure, always perfect, and transparent. A nature of clear light and bliss, and not solid material body.

So now you visualize Tara in front of you. Then you visualize a small moon disc at Tara’s heart. In the middle of the moon disc you visualize Tam syllable standing upright at her heart. Now when I say her heart, means actually right in the middle of her chest between the two breasts. In middle, small moon disc.

Then visualize green Tam syllable standing upright. And this green tam syllable is surrounded by ten syllable Tara mantra, Om Tā re Tu ttā re Tu re Svā hā, ten syllables. These ten syllables standing clockwise, not counter clockwise. Some people think well it should be counterclockwise because it’s mother tantra, so forth. No, according to Tara teaching, it said that it should be clockwise.

The mantra is also green. And there also nature of light and energy, and also each syllable’s producing the sound of each syllable or the sound of the mantra producing self-sounding, Om Tā re Tu ttā re Tu re Svā hā. Self-sounding. Maybe you can hear the sound. This is a Holy sound, and divine sound of Tara mantra.

So now, it’s lot for some people who are new with Tibetan Buddhism and visualization, maybe a little bit complicated, but you have to try. We have to try, and we have to practice patience and perseverance. And then slowly, slowly it will happen. Nothing is easy, nothing is fast or instant, it isn’t how it work. You need to put great deal of effort and patience.

And now, when you start reciting the mantra, Om Tā re Tu ttā re Tu re Svā hā, you recite the mantra. When you reciting the mantra, you can also use beads, the mala, and you can use any kind of mala you like. And so you usually hold the mala in the left hand in case of mother tantra, or you can hold in right hand no problem.

So if you have mala, if you like to use mala, then it is good. And holding mala is good, it feels good, and it helps to connect yourself, your heart, to the mantra. And at this point if you don’t have mala, that’s okay.

You recite the mantra, you say Om Tā re Tu ttā re Tu re Svā hā, and when you recite the mantra, you don’t recite too fast because you might miss one or two syllables. And when you recite too fast, you can’t pronounce the syllables. If you recite too slow, then your mind may start wandering. You may not be able to focus your mind onto the mantra, or onto the deity. That’s why you don’t say too slow or too fast, not too loud and not too quiet. Just quiet enough that you can hear Om Tā re Tu ttā re Tu re Svā hā.

So now, I like to explain a little a brief meaning of the mantra. Most mantras always begin with om syllable, AUM (OM). And the mantra ends with syllable Soha [sk. Svaha] or PET (pronounced Pay) and so on. Now here AUM, AUM is one syllable constructed three letters together. Au, oo, and ma. Au, oo, ma. Three. Put together you say AUM (OM). Instead of saying slowly, au, oo, ma, saying OM.

Au represents the divine body of all the Buddhas, and oo represents the speech of all the Buddhas, and ma represents the like mind of all the Buddhas. So in this case when you say Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha,  Om is representing the divine body, speech, and mind of Tara. So you’re invoking the divine blessings of the body, speech, and mind of Tara. Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha.

First when you say Om Tare, it’s liberating our temporary sufferings, physical sufferings, mental suffering, pain, aches, so on and so forth. And mental stress, anxiety, fear, and so forth. Liberating, freeing, Om Tare.

Okay, second one, Tuttare. Tuttare mean to purify the causes of suffering. There are many causes, right. External causes like chemicals, all kinds of problems in the world, in our environmental problems and so on, social problems, all kinds of external problems right. And also internal problems such as stress and disease, and cause of suffering. So Tuttare, to remove and to release, and liberate from those temporary causes. Om Tare Tuttare.

Ture Soha, the last part, is liberating ourselves completely from cause of suffering, cause of samsara, cycling existence, liberating, freeing ourselves from mental defilement such as ignorance, anger, attachment, and all the different kinds of delusions, and also freeing ourselves from karma, and then to obey enlightenment of Tara.

So this brief meaning of Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha. But also on top of that, as I said before, in your invoking and blessing, bringing the blessings of Tara’s divine body, speech and mind. OM Tare Tuttare Ture Soha. Soha means to establish these realizations and blessings within my own body, speech, and mind.

Okay, this is the brief explanation on how to visualization Tara in front of you, those who don’t have initiation.

Now I’m going to explain a little bit how to visualize Tara for those of you who have received initiation before. So now, first you do is meditate on emptiness. You say the Sanskrit term, Om Svabhava Shuddha Sarva Dharma Svabhava Shuddho Ham. [This means we ] do not have inherent nature, and never had in the past. Everything is empty of inherent existence. And that means including my own consciousness, my own being as a person, everything is inherently void.

So this point, you imagine your ordinary body form, feeling, perceptions, mental condition, and consciousness, are all dissolved into voidness, into Sunyata. This ordinary body dissolves.

Now instead of this body, you imagine first a syllable Pam appeares [Pam is syllable for Padma, which is lotus). Pam transforms into lotus cushion. On top of this Pam syllable then white letter Ah. Ah transforms into moon cushion. Then on top of the moon cushion, you imagine green Tam syllable appear [Tara’s seed syllable]. And imagine this green Tam syllable is your essence of your own consciousness. Then green light emanating from this Tam syllable, much light emanating, and then gradually you yourself appear as a Green Tara.

So now I will not explain all the details because I already explained earlier when you visualized Tara in front of you. So you visualize yourself as the Tara. Then you try to generate strong appearance of Tara, all the details if possible. And this generation, try to see yourself as a Tara clearly, is called self-generation, and divine physical appearance. And then you also generate divine pride of yourself. And you say to yourself, “I am Tara. I am a Buddha. I am a female Buddha. I am a mother of all the Buddhas.”

Okay, so this is called divine pride, and it is not ordinary pride, and driven by ego, like ordinary term, “I’m this, I’m that”, not that kind of I, because there is no I, because it already dissolved into sunyata. Wher is this ‘I’ anyway, when you look at I, you never find I. This is emptiness. [Empty of independent inherent existence./

So what you have here is Tara, you are Tara. You are enlightened one. You are here for the sake of all sentient beings. You are doing healing practice, visualization of Tara for the benefit of all sentient being.

So now, again, if you are a beginner, it’s a little bit difficult to visualize all these details I’m explaining, but what do when you don’t see all these images of yourself, my guru said to me, “If you can’t see yourself as a Tara, that’s okay. You just say to yourself, ‘I am a Tara. There’s a Tara in me. In my heart also I am Tara,’ and you have to trust yourself, you have to say to yourself, ‘I am Tara,’ then you can have it, because everything is your mind. Everything is mind. Everything is mental projection.

So, visualize yourself as your Tara. Then again, visualize moon disc at your heart, and then visualize tam syllable in the middle, then visualize the mantra around the tam at your heart.

So this time now, self-healing. What you do is, you imagine light shining from the Tam syllable from your heart, and light goes up to your crown, down to the bottom of your feet, all over your body, everywhere. Your entire body filled with green light, the divine light, the blessing of Tara. Imagine your entire body is purified, and healed, and transformed again yourself as a Tara. More like confirming yourself as a Tara.

This is how you visualize yourself a Tara, and do the healing of yourself, then you say the mantra again. So you say the mantra minimum 21 times each time, because 21 reciting the mantra represents the 21 Taras.

Okay, 21 is three times seven right. So seven is a magic number, and auspicious number, you say three time, it is more powerful. You say the mantra.

Now what about healing for other people? Yes, there’s endless healings. We have so many healing modalities, and I can speak about healing of Tara for weeks and weeks, different modalities, different level of Tara practice, like Green Tara, White Tara, Red Tara, Yellow Tara, and the Chittimani Tara, one of the highest Taras, and so forth. But we have to go step-by-step.

So here’s the simple, healing practice for others. So you visualize Tam syllable at your heart, and the ten syllable mantra at your heart, and emanate green light from your heart. Light goes out to all sentient beings, especially someone that you know that he or she is suffering and going through lots of difficult times, physically and mentally. Then you imagine that person the way that person is, you send a light from your heart, from the Tam syllable, the green light. And the light goes to that person, reaching that person, this light gives peace, gives comfort, gives support, gives encouragement, and imagine that person feels very calm and peaceful, very nourishing spiritually in his or her heart. Feel very grateful. And you keep sending the light and say the mantra. This will be very helpful, beneficial.

I think that’s all for now. Thank you very much.

[Filmed at Gaden Choling Toronto during H.E. Zasep Rinpoche’s December 2017 visit.]

About H.E. Zasep Rinpoche

Venerable Acharya Zasep Tulku Rinpoche is Spiritual Director of Gaden for the West, with meditation centers in Canada, Australia and the United States. Rinpoche is popularly known for his approachable teaching style, strong humor and teachings based on a long lineage of great lamas. His own gurus included the most celebrated of Gelug teachers: His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, His Holiness Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, Venerable Geshe Thupten Wanggyel, His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, Venerable Lati Rinpoche, Venerable Tara Tulku Rinpoche and Venerable Khalkha Jetsun Dampa Rinpoche. Rinpoche is spiritual director of many temples, meditation centres and retreat centres in Australia, the United States and Canada. He was first invited to teach in Australia by Lama Thubten Yeshe in 1976.

H.E. Zasep Tulku Rinpoche with a line from his “long life prayer” which was composed by his teacher HH Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche.

The post Green Tara guided meditation video, guided by H.E. Zasep Rinpoche with beautiful Tara images and animations; finishing with magnificent Tara mantra chanted by Yoko Dharma appeared first on Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation.

Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation. Copyright Buddha Weekly.

The Vajrayana Wheel of Buddhist Dharma that Guru Rinpoche brought to Tibet was more than simply another lineage of Buddhist philosophy. Vajrayana teachings, and especially Guru Rinpoche’s teachings and manifestations, framed a view of reality, of the Universe, more akin to Quantum Physics than religion.

Guru Rinpoche, the Lotus-Born — Padmasambhava or Pema Jungné —  is honored as the second living Buddha of our age, who turned the final wheel of Dharma, Vajrayana, and brought Buddha Dharma to Tibet.

“Guru Rinpoche’s teaching is the science of the mind,” said Tulku Pasang Rinpoche.

“Padmasambhava was in touch with Quantum reality, ” explained Professor of Quantum Physics Dana Zou. “He lived the Quantum reality. He manifested the Quantum reality.” [13]

His miraculous birth was prophesied in texts by the first Buddha, Shakyamuni, the original Quantum pioneer. Padmasambhava’s teachings remain vitally relevant today, especially as the world spins from one crisis to another.

“In degenerate times, it is very important to practice Guru Rinpoche.” — The Gyalwang Karmapa, December 2010, Bodhgaya [1]

A recent, wonderfully-produced documentary even proposes that the “eight manifestations” of Guru Rinpoche are none other than the “Eight Manifestations of Quantum Energy.” The entire film, produced by Shambhala Film Studios, (part 1 in full embedded below) sets out to prove this extraordinary, yet not far-fetched, theme.

Guru Rinpoche, the Quantum Physics Explorer

In what way does an ancient living Buddha manifest quantum energy? Padmasambhava formalized and popularized meditation methods to help us understand the true nature of reality — the ultimate nature underlying the illusory “physical world.” Shunyata (Emptiness or Oneness of all phenomenon) is very much a theme in Quantum Physics. [For a feature on Shunyata and Quantum Physics, see>>]

Guru Rinpoche, the Great Lotus Born, was none other than the original Quantum Physics explorer. He didn’t just theorize — he experienced. He also taught us how we could likewise peel away the trap of “ordinary appearances” and experience for ourselves.

Guru Rinpoche, the Quantum Buddha. Padmasambhava’s eight emanations represent eight Quantum energies. Collage: Buddha Weekly.

In the intriguing film Guru Padmasambhava — Searching for the Lotus-Born Master by Shambala Film Studios (embedded below) the narrator says:

“He lived in the eighth century and travelled across many regions of the Himalayas, where he appeared as different manifestations… Images of these eight manifestations are often depicted in murals, Thangkas, statues and dances across the Himalayas… Each manifestation represents a different stage in his journey to Enlightenment and spreading Tibetan Buddhism across the Himilayas.

“Is it possible that behind each manifestation there may be a coded language revealing the laws of quantum physics?”

The film (part 1 below) sets out to show how the manifestations, activities and symbols are Padmasambhava illustrate advanced Quantum theories — over a thousand years ago.

Guru Padmasambhava – Searching for Lotus born Master – Part I:

Dancing in Emptiness

In the preface to Quantum Emptiness: Dancing in Emptiness[15] by Graham Smetham, cites Buddhist scholar Mu Seong:

“In the paradigm of quantum physics there is ceaseless change at the core of the universe; in the paradigm of Mahayana wisdom too there is ceaseless change at the core of consciousness and the universe.”

Outdoor statue of Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava in Nepal at sunset.

Later, he quotes Professor Vlatko Vedral, a Professor of Quantum Information Theory (Decoding Reality):

“Quantum physics is indeed very much in agreement with Budhistic Emptiness.”

Although these concepts are Mahayana, introduced by Shakyamuni Buddha, they were exemplified in the Vajrayana teachings of Padmasambhava. The Second Buddha was the “explorer” and revealer of Quantum mysteries. His methods remain relevant and powerful today.

Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava Buddha Statue in Kathmandu Nepal (Photo Raimond Kavins.)

The Buddha for modern, dangerous times

Guru Rinpoche remains very “relatable” in our century. He remains a living Buddha to Tibetan Buddhists. Even amongst non-Buddhists, his reputation is well known. He is described as a “badass 8th century mystic” on one travelogue website. Non-Buddhist Westerners often describe him as a all-powerful wizard.

At Changri Monastery in Thamphu, Butan, there is a sign designed to discourage curious “tourists” who follow the footsteps of the great Master Padmasambhava as fans of his wizardly reputation as “mystic-missionary-magician” [Johnathan Mingle, note 7], rather than as devoted practitioners:

“Demon Subjugated Monastery. Foreigners without permission letter from the special commission and Bhutanese without national dresses are kindly requested not to enter the monastery.”

Padmasambhava cave where Guru Rinpoche practiced in Rewalsar India. (Photo Kiwisoul.)

Supernatural hero reputation aside, one of the key reasons so many of us rely on the Precious teacher Padmasambhava is that Tantra is perfectly suited to hectic modern times. Many people lack the time and the discipline to undertake months of solitude in silent contemplation. Typically, we also lack the patience. The dangers of today’s world — pandemics, strife, environmental devastation — makes it difficult to concentrate on Sutra teachings sufficiently to attain realizations.

Tantra is an active practice, incorporating guided visualizations, imagination, concentrated chanting, inner body completion practices and other “dynamic” methods suited to a world of billions of suffering beings. It was Guru Rinpoche who introduced and taught Tantra — Vajrayana Buddhism — in Tibet, later to spread around the world. His teachings remain Perfect and relevant in modern times.

Magnetic Family: Amitabha, Hayagriva, Chenrezig, Padmasambhava

As the second Buddha, “all of samsara beneath your control” Padmasambhava demonstrated with his teachings and life the Magnetizing Power of Vajrayana. As Padma Gyalpo (Pema Gyalpo) he is described in the Wangdu prayer honoring the Padma Buddha family:

པདྨ་རྒྱལ་པོས་འཁོར་འདས་མངའ་དབང་བསྒྱུར། །

pema gyalpö khordé ngawang gyur

Padma Gyalpo, all of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa beneath your control [10]

A Wangdu Prayer Thangka with the nine Magnetizing Yidams: Amitabha (top centre), Hayagriva (left of Amitabha, right of viewer), Red Chenrezig Padmapani (right of Amitabha, left of viewer), Vajradharma (immediately below Amitabha), Pema Gyalpo (central deity, one of the eight manifestations of Padmasambhava), Vajravarahi Vajrayogini Dakini (left of Pema Gyalpo, under Hayagriva), Guhyajnana Dakini (left of Pema Gyalpo), Kurukulla (bottom right of Pema Gyalpo), Dope Gyalpo (bottom left.)

• For a feature on the Wandu “Magnetizing” Padma family and prayer, see>>

In fact Guru Rinpoche was a physical manifestation of Amitabha and Chenrezig (Avalokiteshvara). It is to the Lotus Buddha Family —  and especially Guru Rinpoche — that we turn in degeneration times.  Magnetizing acitivity — and the Discriminating Wisdom of the Padma Amitabha Buddha family — is the most relevant in difficult times.

For example Padmasambhava’s own core Yidam (Heart Deity) practice was Hayagriva, the wrathful emanation of Amitabha (seen in the Wandu Thanka above top right.) Lady Tsogyal recorded:

Guru Rinpoche “arose in the form of Padma Heruka, ferocious and strong, the heruka of the secret sign.” [9]

The terrifyingly beautiful visualization of the most “Powerful of Herukas” Hayagriva. This stunning image is from a Rubin Museum canvas dated between 1800 and 1899. Hayagriva was a main Yidam of Padmasambhava. For a feature on Hayagriva, see>>

Padma Heruka is Hayagriva, the wrathful emanation of Amitabha and the Pdama (Lotus) family. [For a feature on Hayagriva, see>>]

In addition to practicing Padmasmbhava, many modern teachers highly recommend Hayagriva in difficult, modern times. Lama Jigme Rinpoche taught:

“In today’s age, it is a degenerate time where the five poisons and negative emotions are very strong. So we need a deity like Hayagriva to empower ourselves. Also negative influences today are so strong as well, like the coronavirus.” [8]

Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava statue.

Guru Rinpoche’s appearance

Guru Rinpoche manifested in many forms, but his “main” appearance is iconic and well-known. From the Himalayan Art art description:

“With a steady gaze looking on all beings, one face adorned with a moustache and small goatee, the right hand holds to the heart an upright gold vajra. The left hand placed in the lap holds a white skullcup filled with nectar. The ornate katvanga staff of a Vajrayana mendicant rests against the left shoulder. Adorned with gold earrings and various ornaments, the head is covered with a lotus hat, a gift of the King of Zahor, with silk brocade topped with a half-vajra and vulture feather. Attired in various robes of different colours reflecting the disciplines of the Vinaya, Bodhisattva and Mantra Vehicles, in a relaxed posture with the right foot extended resting on a lotus cushion, he is seated on a sun and moon disc above a pink lotus.”

Guru Rinpoche’s main manifestations

His other main manifestations are, as described on Himalayan Art are [11]:

1. Padmakara
2. Shantarakshita
3. Dorje Dragpo Tsal
4. Shakya Sengge
5. Loden Chogse
6. Padma Totreng Tsal
7. Padma Raja
8. Powerful Garuda Youth
9. (Padmavajra, Saraha, Virupa, Dombhi Heruka, Kalacharya)
10. Nyima Ozer
11. Sengge Dradog
12. (King Ngonshe Chen, Yogi Tobden, Tapihritsa – Mongolia, China, Zhangzhung)
– In Tibet: bound the twelve Tenma, thirteen Gurlha and twenty-one Genyen
13.Dorje Drollo (at the 13 Tiger’s Nests)- taught the Twenty-five disciples, intermediate twenty-five disciples, later seventeen and twenty-one disciples. Eighty students achieved rainbow body at Yerpa, one hundred and eight meditators at Chuori, thirty tantriks at Yangdzong, fifty-five realized ones at Sheldrag, twenty-five dakini students and seven yoginis.
14. Drowa Kundrol (emanation at the time of Maitreya)

The Eight major manifestations of Guru Rinpoche.

Relatable manifestations for modern times

Psychologist Preece clarifies wrathful practice with an amusing Western ‘Hell’s Angels’ example, comparing peaceful meditations (as the metaphorical pinstripe-suited man) and wrathful practices (Schwarzenegger):

“If we think of a gang of Hell’s Angels that has become totally wild and anarchic, how might their energy be brought under control? If a man dressed in a pinstriped suit with good intentions said to them, ‘Now look, you fellows, this just won’t do,’ we can imagine how predictably derisory their response would be. On the other hand, if they were addressed as a Schwarzenegger-like figure, who looked powerful and tough, dressed like a wild man, dishevelled and scarred, carrying chains, knives and other weapons, the response would be different. They might develop respect or interest and be drawn into some kind of relationship, even to the point where becoming their leader, he could change the direction of their behaviour… and their aggression would be gradually channelled.” [10]

It was the great second Buddha Padmasambhava who channeled this powerful energy, popularizing and teaching Tantric Buddhism with practices still psychologically and spiritually valid today. (Perhaps more so.) [For a full feature on the importance and power of Wrathful Deities in Vajrayana Buddhism, see>>]

Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava.

Wrathful, magnetizing, active energy

Hayagriva as Yidam, and Padmasambhava as Buddha are especially powerful for removing obstacles — the most important practice for modern Buddhists. [See the Barché Lamsel—The Prayer that Removes All Obstacles from the Path at the end of this feature for a helpful practice.] [For an entire library of wonderful Padmasambhava practices in PDF form, visit Lotsawa House>>  ]

Guru Rinpoche taught a complete path, but is especially famous for his active and irresistibly wrathful methods — much like his Yidam Hayagriva. It is for this reason Padmasambhava and his many emanations remain valid and desirable in difficult, modern times.

Wrathful does not mean mean or angry. It connotes activity. What Tibet needed in the 8th century — and what many of us need in difficult, modern times — was, and is, powerful, active practices.

Guru Rinpoche’s life embodied miracles

Padmasambhava’s life was a living embodiment of the miraculous. Nothing is impossible to the fully Enlightened and marvelous Guru Rinpoche — and everything about his amazing life is a wonder. Just as Shakyamuni Buddha, the first Buddha of our age, demonstrated extraordinary phenomena, Padmasambhava personified them. Why does an Enlightened Buddha display magical feats? As “Upaya” or skillful means, or upaya-kaushalya meaning “skill in means.” In simplest terms, upaya is any activity that helps others realize enlightenment.

History Channel documentary on the “miracles” of Padmasambhava:  

Who was Guru Rinpoche?

Namdrol Rinpoche explains Guru Rinpoche, and his importance in modern times, in this teaching video:

The Lotus Born

Historically, Guru Rinpoche turned the final wheel of Dharma, popularizing the powerful methods of Buddhist Tantra. Traditionally, he is “Lotus Born” in Oddiyana, by tradition “consciously incarnated as an eight-year-old child appearing in a lotus blossom floating in Lake Dhanakosha, in the kingdom of Oddiyana.” He is the Lotus Born — born fully Enlightened.

“Scholars agree that Guru Rinpoche was a real person, that he came from Uddiyana, a kingdom possibly located around present-day Swat in Pakistan, and that he arrived in Tibet some time around 760.” [7]

There is no contradiction in describing Padmasambhava’s historical versus legendary birth stories. As explained by Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche:

“There are many stories explaining how Guru Padmasambhava was born. Some say that he instantly appeared on the peak of Meteorite Mountain, in Sri Lanka. Others teach that he came through his mother’s womb, but most accounts refer to a miraculous birth, explaining that he spontaneously appeared in the center of a lotus. These stories are not contradictory because highly realized beings abide in the expanse of great equanimity with perfect understanding and can do anything. Everything is flexible, anything is possible. Enlightened beings can appear in any way they want or need to.” [2]

Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava, the Lotus Born.

Buddha Shakyamuni predicted Padmasambhava’s coming and activities in 19 Sutras and Tantras, stating he would be an emanation of Amitaba and Avaloketishvara.

“Buddha Shakyamuni actually predicted Guru Padmasambhava’s appearance in several different sutras and tantras contain clear predictions of his coming and activities.In the Mahaparinirvana Sutra, Buddha Shakyamuni announced his parinirvana to the students who were with him at the time. Many of them, particularly Ananda, the Buddha’s cousin and personal attendant, were quite upset upon hearing this. So Buddha turned to Ananda and told him not to worry. “…After my parinirvana, a remarkable being with the name Padmasambhava will appear in the center of a lotus and reveal the highest teaching concerning the ultimate state of the true nature, bringing great benefit to all sentient beings.’” [5]

The Eight Manifestations of Guru Rinpoche with English annotations.

Eight Manifestations of Guru Rinpoche

Padmasambhava’s best known manifestation is probably Padma Gyalpo (Peme Gyalpo), the Lotus King, as described in the Wangdu prayer as the Lotus Lord having “all of samsara and nirvana beneath your control.” [4] However, even his life and manifestations provided lessons in Quantum Mechanics and the “illusory nature” of our relative reality. In the film Guru Padmasambhava – Searching for Lotus born Master – Part I, the filmmaker explores a fascinating concept: that each of the eight key manifestations of Guru Rinpoche represent different energies in Quantum Physics.

The Lotus Born’s life can be viewed as a perfect exemplar of Quantum Mechanics, or as a life of miracles. He displayed countless miracles and powers, including eight important manifestations at different stages of his wondrous life:

1. Guru Tsokyé Dorje, ‘Lake-born Vajra’ (birth)
2. Guru Shakya Sengé, ‘Lion of the Shakyas’ (ordination)
3. Guru Nyima Özer, ‘Rays of the Sun’ (subjugating demonic spirits)
4. Guru Padmasambhava, ‘Lotus-born’ (establishing Buddhism in Tibet); Guru Pema Jungné (Wyl. gu ru pad+ma ‘byung gnas)
5. Guru Loden Choksé ‘Wise Seeker of the Sublime’ (mastery of the teachings)
6. Guru Pema Gyalpo ‘The Lotus King’ (kingship)
7. Guru Sengé Dradrok ‘The Lion’s Roar’ (subjugation of non-buddhists)
8. Guru Dorje Drolö ‘Wild Wrathful Vajra’ (concealing terma, binding spirits under oath)

These are not separate Buddhas. Padmasambhava, a fully Enlightened Buddha, could manifest any characteristics suitable to the needs of the world and his followers.

The great Guru Padmasambhava.

12-Syllable Mantra of Guru Rinpoche

Guru Rinpoche’s mantra is a supreme and profound meditation. It’s benefits are vast, benefiting all beings.

The twelve syllable mantra of Guru Padmasambhava: (in Sanskrit):

oṃ āḥ hūṃ vajra guru padma siddhi hūṃ

Tibetan pronunciation:

 om ah hung benza guru péma siddhi hung

Video with 1000 repetitions of mantra chanted with screen visualization images (over 1.5 hours of meditative mantras):

Chanting in melody versus for numbers

In a precious teaching, H.E. Garchen Rinpoche explained that most mantras have melodies. In a teaching on the Guru Rinpoche mantra (embedded below), he explained:

“Guru Rinpoche taught about the benefits of chanting the mantra in melody. It is more beneficial to chant the mantra slowly in melody than to recite many mantras quickly. Reciting mantras purely makes a hundred-fold difference. Reciting them in melody makes a hundred-thousand-fold difference. Thus, chanting it in melody multiples the power of mantra.

“And why is its power multiplied? It is because to the extent that you focus on the meaning of each word in the mantra that much greater will be the blessing that enters your mind stream.

“Some people think about the numbers of mantras accumulated and of course, there is benefit from accumulating a number of mantras, but it is said ‘The recitation should be neither too fast nor too slow, neither too strong nor too soft.’ The elements of each syllable should be pronounced without deterioration. Most important for mantra or any other recitation is that the elements of each syllable are pronounced without deterioration.

“This is important. Pronouncing without deterioration has an outer, inner and secret qualities.”

Statue of Guru Padmasambhava in Rewalsar India. (Photo Saiko3p.)

The meaning of the mantra

Guru Rinpoche himself explained his essence mantra to Yeshe Tsogyal [6]:

“O daughter of good family, the Vajra Guru mantra is not just my single essence mantra, it is the very essence or life force of all the deities of the four classes of tantra, of all the nine yanas, and all of the 84,000 collections of dharma teachings. The essence of all of the buddhas of the three times, all of the gurus, yidams, dakas and dakinis, dharma protectors etc., the essence of all of these is contained and is complete within this mantra. How, you may ask, does this work? What is the reason for all these being complete with this mantra? Listen well and hold this in mind. Read it again and again. Write it out for the benefit of sentient beings, and teach it or demonstrate it to beings in the future.”

 

Garchen Rinpoche’s excellent 34 minute teaching on the Guru Rinpoche mantra:

The essence mantras multiple aspects

The tightest synopsis of the mantra essence meaning as it relates to the five Buddha Families, taken from a teaching by Lama Tarchin Rinpoche: [6]

• OM AH HUM (or HUNG) are the sublime essence of the principles of enlightened body, speech, and mind
• VAJRA or BENZA is the sublime essence of the indestructible family
• GURU is the sublime essence of the jewel family
• PADMA or PEMA is the sublime essence of the lotus family
• SIDDHI is the sublime essence of the activity family
• HUM or HUNG is the sublime essence of the transcendent family.

From the point of view of the aspects or bodies of a Buddha manifestation

• OM is the perfect splendor and richness of sambhoghakaya, the manifest body of splendor
• AH is the total unchanging perfection of dharmakaya, the manifest body of absolute reality
• HUNG perfects the presence of Guru Padmasambhava as the nirmanakaya, the manifest body of emanation
• VAJRA perfects all the heruka deities of the mandalas
• GURU refers to the root and transmission gurus and the holders of intrinsic awareness
• PEMA perfects the assembly of dakas and dakinis
• SIDDHI is the life force of all the wealth deities and the guardians of the treasure teachings
• HUNG is the life force of the dharmapalas, the protective deities.

From the point of view of the three classes of tantra

• OM AH HUNG are the life force of the three classes of tantra
• VAJRA is the life force of monastic discipline and the sutra class of teachings
• GURU is the life force of abhidharma and kriya (action) yoga, the first level of tantra
• PEMA is the life force of the charya (conduct) tantra, the second class of tantra, and yoga (joining) tantra, the third class of tantra
• SIDDHI is the life force of the mahayoga and anuyoga classes of teachings
• HUNG is the life force of the ati yoga, the Natural Great Perfection (Dzogchen)

From the point of view of obscuration’s and poison remedies

• OM AH HUNG purify obscurations arising from the three mental poisons — desire-attachment, aversion, and ignorance
• VAJRA purifies obscurations which stem from anger
• GURU purifies obscurations which stem from pride
• PEMA purifies obscurations which stem from desire and attachment
• SIDDHI purifies obscurations which stem from envy and jealousy
• HUNG in a general way purifies obscurat ions which stem from all emotional afflictions

From the point of view of realizations

• Through OM AH HUNG one attains the three kayas
• Through VAJRA one realizes mirror -like pristine awareness
• Through GURU one realizes the pristine awareness of equalness
• Through PEMA one realizes the pristine awareness of discernment
• Through SIDDHI one realizes the all-accomplishing pristine awareness
• Through HUNG one realizes the pristine awareness of basic space
• Through OM AH HUNG gods, demons and humans are subdued
• Through VAJRA one gains power over the malevolent forces of certain gods and demons
• Through GURU one gains control over the malevolent forces of the Lord of Death and the cannibal demons
• Through PEMA one gains control over the malevolent influences of the water and wind elements Through SIDDHI one gains control over the malevolent influences of non-human forces and spirits bringing harm and exerting negative control over one‘s life
• Through HUNG one gains control of the malevolent influences of planetary configurations and earth spirits

From the point of view of the activities and accomplishments

• OM AH HUNG accomplishes the six spiritual virtues
• VAJRA accomplishes pacifying activity
• GURU accomplishes enriching activity
• PEMA accomplishes magnetizing activity
• SIDDHI accomplishes enlightened activity in general
• HUNG accomplishes wrathful enlightened activity

How to recite according to Guru Rinpoche

“One recitation of the Vajra Guru mantra will grant a physical body and entry into this world. Any sentient being who sees, hears, or thinks of the mantra will definitely be established among the ranks of the male and female Awareness Holders. The infallible Vajra Guru mantra is the word of truth; if what you wish for does not happen as I have promised, I, Padma, have deceived sentient beings—absurd! I have not deceived you—it will happen just as I’ve promised.

“If you are unable to recite the mantra, use it to adorn the tops of victory banners and prayer flags; there is no doubt that sentient beings touched by the same wind will be liberated. Otherwise, carve it on hillsides, trees, and stones; after they are consecrated, anyone who merely passes by and sees them will be purified of illness, spirit possession, and obscurations. Spirits and demons dwelling in the area will offer wealth and riches. Write it in gold on pieces of indigo paper and hang them up; demons, obstacle-makers, and evil spirits will be unable to harm you. If you place the mantra upon a corpse immediately upon death and do not remove it, during cremation rainbow colors will flash out and the consciousness will definitely be transferred to the Blissful Realm of Amitābha. The benefits of writing, reading and reciting the Vajra Guru mantra are immeasurable. For the benefit of sentient beings in the future, write this down and conceal it. May it meet with those of fortune and merit. Samaya Gya Gya Gya” [6]

Prayer flags with mantras at a temple to Padmasambhava in Tawang district.

Commentary on Mantra from Dr. Negi

According to an excellent commentary from Dr Wangchuck Dorjee Negi, the concise meaning of the mantra could be interpreted as:

“The syllable Om is the essence of the Buddha’s three bodies. The body is manifestation body, the speech is the enjoyment body and the mind is the truth body. The purpose of adding Om āḥhūṃ to the mantra of Guru Padmasambhava is that Guru Rinpoche is the representation of the body, speech and mind of all the Buddhas.

The meaning of Vajra—having obtained the correct knowledge of the reality of all phenomena which is of the non-conceptual nature and luminous, there will be the inseparable knowledge of all cause-conditional conventional truth. Padmasambhava is the inseparable form of the knowledge of the reality and the knowledge of convention. This is the meaning of Vajra. Another meaning of Vajra is that Padmasambhava’s body is similar to a diamond because it is the vajra wisdom body that has no suffering at all. His speech is like a diamond because it is true and irrefutable. His mind is free from both obscurations of afflictions and omniscience. Therefore, his mind is called diamond. Thus, Padmasambhava is of the nature of three diamonds. His body is adorned with thirty-two great marks and eighty sub-marks of a great man.

Guru Rinpoche statue.

Guru generally is used in the sense of heavy. But here it is used with certain implications. In Tibetan, it is translated as “la-ma”. La means great. Guru (great) is the one who is endowed with all the good features in terms of wisdom and in terms of expedience, endowed with compassion, etc. According to the scriptures, the meaning of guru means to possess the self-prosperity (dharmakaya for one’s own purpose) and the other-prosperity (rupakaya and nirmanakaya for the purpose of others). Thus, one who possesses such three bodies is called a ‘guru’.

Padma is the symbol of activities. Just as the lotus born from mud is not smeared by it, similarly, Guru Padmasambhava, though they took the birth in the world, and he benefits the sentient beings and he himself remains untouched with the worldly defilement. In other ways, he is the manifested body of the Buddha Amitabha. In the five families, Buddha Amitabha is related to the lotus family. This is what Padma or lotus signifies. The Padma also signifies his activities. According to sutras, the Thus-gone One Buddha appeared in the disguise of a monk, performed twelve deeds and benefited the beings with his teachings. According to tantra, presenting three miracles, Padmasambhava took birth on a lotus flower. He became the prince of Uddiyana. He did austere dharma practice in the eight great cremation grounds, and being blessed with the knowledge of dakinis, he subdued the worldly dakas and dakinis, put them in the dispensation of the Buddha and he achieved the immortal Vidyadhara stage. With his tantric power, he defeated many non-Buddhists in Uddiyana, Zahor and Bodhgaya. He achieved Mahamudra in Yang Le Shod (Parphing), Nepal. He subdued many yakshas and yakshinis and entrusted them the responsibility to protect Buddhism. He obtained the illusory body and he benefited the world without being defiled by worldly defilements.

Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava.

Siddhi is desired prayer. Siddhi is the achievement of well-cherished good qualities in our mind. There are two types of qualities—general and special. Seven qualities of heaven, eight common successes, an authority on four actions: pacification, prosperity, subjugation and wrathful actions are the general qualities. Seven qualities of heaven are longevity, cessation, beauty, luck, good clan, prosperity and knowledge. Eight common Siddhis are the ability to go quickly, medicinal tablet, disappearing, knowledge of the hidden treasure under the ground, mercury, sword and the ability to engage yakshas in work. The special quality is the achievement of omniscience or liberation. Thus, it is a prayer to Guru Padmasambhava who is able to bestow both the general and special siddhis and accomplishments.

Hūm is the mantra that inspires the mind. Hūm is the seed mantra. Thus, Hūm is known as the mantra that inspires and provokes the mind. It means ‘may Guru Padmasambhava bless me and may he consider me’.”

“This mantra means – May Guru Padmasambhava, the one who possess all those above-mentioned qualities and is able to bestow worldly and transcendental qualities upon sentient beings, give a boon to me. I pray to you. Considering me, benefit me.” [5]

Statue of Guru Rinpoche.

The Seven-Line Prayer to Guru Rinpoche

The simplest way to honour the magnificence that is Guru Rinpoche, is to chant the seven-line prayer daily:

HUNG ORGYEN YUL GYI NUBJANG TSAM

At the northwest border of the land of Uddiyana,

PEMA GESAR DONGPO LA

in the pollen heart of the lotus,

YATSEN CHOK GI NGÖDRUP NYÉ

you achieved amazing supreme siddhi.

PEMA JUNGNÉ ZHÉ SU DRAK

You are widely known as Padmakara, the Lotus Born.

KHOR DU KHANDRO MANGPÖ KOR

You are surrounded by a retinue of many dakinis.

KHYÉ KYI JESU DAK DRUP KYI

I follow your example in accomplishment.

JINGYI LAP CHIR SHEK SU SOL GURU

I pray that you come here to grant your blessing.

PEMA SIDDHI HUNG

Video of Seven Line Prayer To Guru Rinpoche – Chanted by the 17th Karmapa:

Why do we call the Precious Master the Second Buddha?

As an Enlightened Being, Padmasambhava is a Buddha, yet why do we call him the second Buddha when there are many Buddhas and manifestations of Buddhas? At the ultimate level, all Buddhas can be considered One, yet they manifest in relative terms in countless forms to assist suffering beings. Most Buddhas who manifest have worked to alleviate our suffering for many ages. The affectionate term, “Second Buddha,” refers to a living person, in our age, who becomes Enlightened.

Guru Rinpoche surrounded by Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Dakinis and Wrathful Deities.

“Guru Rinpoche, the ‘Precious Master’, is the founder of Tibetan Buddhism and the Buddha of our time. While Buddha Shakyamuni exemplifies the Buddha principle, the most important element in the sutrayana path, Padmasambhava personifies the Guru principle, the heart of Vajrayana Buddhism, and he is therefore known as the ‘second Buddha’.” [3]

Yeshe Tsogyal.

Yeshe Tsogyal — Guru Rinpoche’s famous Dakini consort

Guru Rinpoche’s main wisdom consort was Yeshe Tsogyal.

“Yeshe Tsogyal …appear[ed] in treasure literature as the consort of Padmasambhava and the recorder of the treasures, assuming the title of ḍākinī, khandro (mkha’ ‘gro) in Tibetan.” [13]

Many of the teachings of Guru Rinpoche come to us from his main consort Yeshe Tsogyal. Yeshe Tsogyal is venerated by Tibetan Buddhists as the embodiment of wisdom.

To see some of the teachings of Padmasambhava as recorded by Yeshe Tosgyal, see our previous features:

• Padmasambhava, the Lotus Born: “giving up idling and laziness” the importance of practicing incessantly and the path to self-discipline ; as recorded by Lady Tsogyal
• The tens of Padmasambhava: ten foundations of secret mantra; ten faults of being unsuccessful in Dharma practice; ten key points for practicing. Guru Rinpoche teaches Lady Tsogyal
• Padmasambhava Guru Rinpoche’s condensed “all teachings into one — which is concise and easy to practice”at the time of death: as requested by Lady Tsogyal
• Padmasambhava: The Eight Great Qualities of Taking Refuge; Taking Refuge in the Three Precious Jewels, the Defining Practice of Buddhism, and How it Can Rescue Us From All Dangers.

Twice a month, many Tibetan Buddhists — and all practitioners with Higher Tantric commitments — make Tsog offerings. Usually this is a gathering of the sangha (although remote practitioners might practice alone, and visualize the gathering). In turn, the Tsog offerings are offering to the root and lineage gurus, the yidams, the Three Jewels, the ocean of Dakinis and oath-bound protectors, and all beings of the six realms.

Guru Rinpoche Tsok (Tsog) Days

“The 10th day of the lunar calendar is connected with Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) who is revered as the Second Buddha.” [1]

In addition, we celebrate the important annual celebration on the anniversary of Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava. In 2021, this will be celebrated on June 20 (which is also a monthly Tsog day — doubly auspicious!)

Merit for practices on these days is multiplied auspiciously. The converted dates in the 2021 western calendar are:

• January 23, 2021
• February 22, 2021
• March 23, 2021
• April 22, 2021
• May 21, 2021
• June 20, 2021
• July 19, 2021
• August 17, 2021
• September 16, 2021
• October 15, 2021
• November 29, 2021
• December 29, 2021
• For other lunar Dharma practice dates in 2021, see>>
• For a feature on Tsog, see>>

Twenty-five Disciples of Padmasambhava

1. Trison Detsen (mnga’ bdag rgyal po khri srong lde’u btsan)
2. Yeshe Tsogyal (mkha’ ‘gro ye shes mtsho rgyal)
3. Pagor Lochen Vairotsana (lo chen be+e ro tsa na)
4. Nub Sanggye Yeshe (gnubs sangs rgyas ye shes)
5. Gyalwa Chogyang (ngan lam rgyal ba mchog dbyangs)
6. Namkhai Nyingpo (dge slong nam mkha’i snying po)
7. Ngag Yeshe Zhonnu (gnyags lo ye shes gzhon nu)
8. Drog Palgyi Yeshe (‘brog mi dpal gyi ye shes)
9. Lang Palgyi Sengge (rlangs dpal gyi seng ge)
10. Dorje Dudjom (rdo rje bdud ‘joms)
11. Yeshe Yang (slob dpon ye shes dbyangs)
12. Sogpo Lhapal (grub chen sog po lha dpal)
13. Nanam Yeshe De (sna nam ye shes rdo rje)
14. Karchen Palgyi Wangchug (mkhar chen dpal gyi dbang phyug)
15. Danma Tsemang (ldan ma rtse mang)
16. Lochen Kawa Paltseg (lo chen ka ba dpal brtsegs)
17. Shudbu Palgyi Sengge (shud bu dpal gyi seng ge)
18. Gyalway Lodro (‘bre rgyal ba’i blo gros)
19. Khye’u Shung Lotsawa (grub chen khye’u chung lo tswa ba)
20. Dranpa Namkha (dran pa nam mkha’)
21. Odran Palgyi Wangchug (‘o bran dpal gyi dbang phyug)
22. Ma Rinchen Chog (rma rin chen mchog)
23. Lhalung Palgyi Dorje (lha lung dpal gyi rdo rje)
24. Konchog Jungne (lang gro dkon mchog ‘byung gnas)
25. Gyalwa Changchub (la gsum rgyal ba byang chub) [12]

Barché Lamsel—The Prayer that Removes All Obstacles from the Path

revealed by Orgyen Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྃ་བཛྲ་གུ་རུ་པདྨ་སིདྡྷི་ཧཱུྃ༔

om ah hung benza guru pema siddhi hung

oṃ āh hūṃ vajra guru padma siddhi hūṃ

ཆོས་སྐུ་སྣང་བ་མཐའ་ཡས་ལ་གསོལ་བ་འདེབས༔

chöku nangwa tayé la solwa deb

To the dharmakāya Amitābha we pray!

ལོངས་སྐུ་ཐུགས་རྗེ་ཆེན་པོ་ལ་གསོལ་བ་འདེབས༔

longku tukjé chenpo la solwa deb

To the saṃbhogakāya—the Great Compassionate One—we pray!

སྤྲུལ་སྐུ་པདྨ་འབྱུང་གནས་ལ་གསོལ་བ་འདེབས༔

tulku pema jungné la solwa deb

To the nirmāṇakāya Padmākara we pray!

བདག་གི་བླ་མ་ངོ་མཚར་སྤྲུལ་པའི་སྐུ༔

dak gi lama ngotsar trulpé ku

Wondrous emanation, master of mine,

རྒྱ་གར་ཡུལ་དུ་སྐུ་འཁྲུངས་ཐོས་བསམ་མཛད༔

gyagar yul du kutrung tö sam dzé

In India, you were born, you studied and you contemplated;

བོད་ཡུལ་དབུས་སུ་ཞལ་བྱོན་དྲེགས་པ་བཏུལ༔

böyul ü su shyal jön drekpa tul

To the heart of Tibet you came, to subjugate its arrogant demons,

ཨོ་རྒྱན་ཡུལ་དུ་སྐུ་བཞུགས་འགྲོ་དོན་མཛད༔

orgyen yul du kushyuk dro dön dzé

In Orgyen you dwell, accomplishing the benefit of beings:

ཐུགས་རྗེས་བདག་ལ་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས༔

tukjé dak la jingyi lob

With your compassion, inspire us with your blessing!

བརྩེ་བས་བདག་སོགས་ལམ་སྣ་དྲོངས༔

tsewé dak sok lam na drong

With your love, guide us and others along the path!

དགོངས་པས་བདག་ལ་དངོས་གྲུབ་སྩོལ༔

gongpé dak la ngödrub tsol

With your realization, grant us attainments!

ནུས་པས་བདག་སོགས་བར་ཆད་སོལ༔

nüpé dak sok barché sol

With your power, dispel the obstacles facing us all!

ཕྱི་ཡི་བར་ཆད་ཕྱི་རུ་སོལ༔

chi yi barché chi ru sol

Outer obstacles—dispel them externally,

ནང་གི་བར་ཆད་ནང་དུ་སོལ༔

nang gi barché nang du sol

Inner obstacles—dispel them internally,

གསང་བའི་བར་ཆད་དབྱིངས་སུ་སོལ༔

sangwé barché ying su sol

Secret obstacles—dispel them into space!

གུས་པས་ཕྱག་འཚལ་སྐྱབས་སུ་མཆི༔

güpé chaktsal kyab su chi

In devotion, I pay homage and take refuge in you!

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྃ་བཛྲ་གུ་རུ་པདྨ་སིདྡྷི་ཧཱུྃ༔

om ah hung benza guru pema siddhi hung

oṃ āh hūṃ vajra guru padma siddhi hūṃ

རྒྱལ་བའི་གདུང་འཛིན།

Gyalwé Dungdzin¹

སྐུ་ཡི་ངོ་མཚར་མཐོང་བའི་ཚེ༔

ku yi ngotsar tongwé tsé

When we gaze on the wonder of your perfect form,

གཡས་པས་རལ་གྲིའི་ཕྱག་རྒྱ་མཛད༔

yepé raldri chakgya dzé

Your right hand forms the mudrā of the sword,

གཡོན་པས་འགུགས་པའི་ཕྱག་རྒྱ་མཛད༔

yönpé gukpé chakgya dzé

Your left in the mudrā of summoning.

ཞལ་བགྲད་མཆེ་གཙིགས་གྱེན་ལ་གཟིགས༔

shyal dré chetsik gyen la zik

Your mouth held open, with teeth bared, you gaze up into the sky.

རྒྱལ་བའི་གདུང་འཛིན་འགྲོ་བའི་མགོན༔

gyalwé dungdzin drowé gön

O Gyalwé Dungdzin, Protector of Beings:

ཐུགས་རྗེས་བདག་ལ་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས༔

tukjé dak la jingyi lob

With your compassion, inspire us with your blessing!

བརྩེ་བས་བདག་སོགས་ལམ་སྣ་དྲོངས༔

tsewé dak sok lam na drong

With your love, guide us and others along the path!

དགོངས་པས་བདག་ལ་དངོས་གྲུབ་སྩོལ༔

gongpé dak la ngödrub tsol

With your realization, grant us attainments!

ནུས་པས་བདག་སོགས་བར་ཆད་སོལ༔

nüpé dak sok barché sol

With your power, dispel the obstacles facing us all!

ཕྱི་ཡི་བར་ཆད་ཕྱི་རུ་སོལ༔

chi yi barché chi ru sol

Outer obstacles—dispel them externally,

ནང་གི་བར་ཆད་ནང་དུ་སོལ༔

nang gi barché nang du sol

Inner obstacles—dispel them internally,

གསང་བའི་བར་ཆད་དབྱིངས་སུ་སོལ༔

sangwé barché ying su sol

Secret obstacles—dispel them into space!

གུས་པས་ཕྱག་འཚལ་སྐྱབས་སུ་མཆི༔

güpé chaktsal kyab su chi

In devotion, I pay homage and take refuge in you!

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྃ་བཛྲ་གུ་རུ་པདྨ་སིདྡྷི་ཧཱུྃ༔

om ah hung benza guru pema siddhi hung

oṃ āh hūṃ vajra guru padma siddhi hūṃ

སྨྲ་བའི་སེང་གེ

Mawé Sengé

དམ་ཆོས་རིན་ཆེན་གསན་པའི་ཚེ༔

damchö rinchen senpé tsé

When hearing the priceless teachings of Dharma,

སྐུ་གསལ་འོད་ཟེར་མདངས་དང་ལྡན༔

ku sal özer dang dangden

Your body shines with a dazzling radiance of light,

ཕྱག་གཡས་སྡེ་སྣོད་གླེགས་བམ་བསྣམས༔

chak yé denö lekbam nam

In your right hand, volumes of the tripiṭaka,

གཡོན་པས་ཕུར་པའི་པུསྟི་བསྣམས༔

yönpé purpé puti nam

In your left, the texts of Kīlaya.

ཟབ་མོའི་ཆོས་རྣམས་ཐུགས་སུ་ཆུད༔

zabmö chö nam tuk su chü

All these profound teachings have infused your mind,

ཡང་ལེ་ཤོད་ཀྱི་པཎྜི་ཏ༔

yangleshö kyi pandita

O Paṇḍita of Yangleshö:

ཐུགས་རྗེས་བདག་ལ་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས༔

tukjé dak la jingyi lob

With your compassion, inspire us with your blessing!

བརྩེ་བས་བདག་སོགས་ལམ་སྣ་དྲོངས༔

tsewé dak sok lam na drong

With your love, guide us and others along the path!

དགོངས་པས་བདག་ལ་དངོས་གྲུབ་སྩོལ༔

gongpé dak la ngödrub tsol

With your realization, grant us attainments!

ནུས་པས་བདག་སོགས་བར་ཆད་སོལ༔

nüpé dak sok barché sol

With your power, dispel the obstacles facing us all!

ཕྱི་ཡི་བར་ཆད་ཕྱི་རུ་སོལ༔

chi yi barché chi ru sol

Outer obstacles—dispel them externally,

ནང་གི་བར་ཆད་ནང་དུ་སོལ༔

nang gi barché nang du sol

Inner obstacles—dispel them internally,

གསང་བའི་བར་ཆད་དབྱིངས་སུ་སོལ༔

sangwé barché ying su sol

Secret obstacles—dispel them into space!

གུས་པས་ཕྱག་འཚལ་སྐྱབས་སུ་མཆི༔

güpé chaktsal kyab su chi

In devotion, I pay homage and take refuge in you!

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྃ་བཛྲ་གུ་རུ་པདྨ་སིདྡྷི་ཧཱུྃ༔

om ah hung benza guru pema siddhi hung

oṃ āh hūṃ vajra guru padma siddhi hūṃ

སྐྱེས་མཆོག་ཚུལ་བཟང་།

Kyéchok Tsul Zang

དམ་ཅན་དམ་ལ་བཏགས་པའི་ཚེ༔

damchen dam la takpé tsé

When placing under oath the protectors who abide by their vows

དྲི་མེད་གནས་མཆོག་ཉམས་རེ་དགའ༔

drimé né chok nyam ré ga

In that supreme place of power, immaculate and enchanting,

རྒྱ་གར་བལ་ཡུལ་ས་མཚམས་སུ༔

gyagar béyul satsam su

On the very border of India and Nepal,

བྱིན་གྱིས་བརླབས་ནས་བྱོན་པའི་ཚེ༔

jingyi lab né jönpé tsé

You grant your blessing, and as soon as you arrive

དྲི་བསུང་སྤོས་ངད་ལྡན་པའི་རི༔

drisung pö ngé denpé ri

The mountain becomes fragrant, a sweet scent wafting through the air,

མེ་ཏོག་པདྨ་དགུན་ཡང་སྐྱེ༔

metok pema gün yang kyé

Even in winter lotus flowers bloom,

ཆུ་མིག་བྱང་ཆུབ་བདུད་རྩིའི་ཆུ༔

chumik changchub dütsi chu

And there flows a spring called ‘Nectar of Enlightenment’.

བདེ་ལྡན་དེ་ཡི་གནས་མཆོག་ཏུ༔

deden dé yi né chok tu

In this supreme and sacred place, inundated with bliss,

སྐྱེས་མཆོག་ཚུལ་བཟང་ཆོས་གོས་གསོལ༔

kyechok tsul zang chögö sol

O Kyéchok Tsul Zang, clad in Dharma robes,

ཕྱག་གཡས་རྡོ་རྗེ་རྩེ་དགུ་བསྣམས༔

chak yé dorjé tsé gu nam

Your right hand wielding a nine-spoked vajra,

གཡོན་པས་རིན་ཆེན་ཟ་མ་ཏོག༔

yönpé rinchen zama tok

Your left holding a jewelled casket

རཀྟ་བདུད་རྩིས་ནང་དུ་གཏམས༔

rakta dütsi nang du tam

Brimful of the elixir of rakta.

མཁའ་འགྲོ་དམ་ཅན་དམ་ལ་བཏགས༔

khandro damchen dam la tak

You bind under oath the ḍākinīs and guardians who keep their pledges,

ཡི་དམ་ཞལ་གཟིགས་དངོས་གྲུབ་བརྙེས༔

yidam shyalzik ngödrub nyé

And you attain the siddhi of beholding the yidam deity face to face:

ཐུགས་རྗེས་བདག་ལ་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས༔

tukjé dak la jingyi lob

With your compassion, inspire us with your blessing!

བརྩེ་བས་བདག་སོགས་ལམ་སྣ་དྲོངས༔

tsewé dak sok lam na drong

With your love, guide us and others along the path!

དགོངས་པས་བདག་ལ་དངོས་གྲུབ་སྩོལ༔

gongpé dak la ngödrub tsol

With your realization, grant us attainments!

ནུས་པས་བདག་སོགས་བར་ཆད་སོལ༔

nüpé dak sok barché sol

With your power, dispel the obstacles facing us all!

ཕྱི་ཡི་བར་ཆད་ཕྱི་རུ་སོལ༔

chi yi barché chi ru sol

Outer obstacles—dispel them externally,

ནང་གི་བར་ཆད་ནང་དུ་སོལ༔

nang gi barché nang du sol

Inner obstacles—dispel them internally,

གསང་བའི་བར་ཆད་དབྱིངས་སུ་སོལ༔

sangwé barché ying su sol

Secret obstacles—dispel them into space!

གུས་པས་ཕྱག་འཚལ་སྐྱབས་སུ་མཆི༔

güpé chaktsal kyab su chi

In devotion, I pay homage and take refuge in you!

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྃ་བཛྲ་གུ་རུ་པདྨ་སིདྡྷི་ཧཱུྃ༔

om ah hung benza guru pema siddhi hung

oṃ āh hūṃ vajra guru padma siddhi hūṃ

བདུད་ཀྱི་གཤེད་ཆེན།

Dükyi Shéchen

རྒྱལ་བའི་བསྟན་པ་བཙུགས་པའི་ཚེ༔

gyalwé tenpa tsukpé tsé

When you establish the teaching of the buddhas,

གཡའ་རིའི་ནགས་ལ་སྒྲུབ་པ་མཛད༔

yari nak la drubpa dzé

And practise in the Slate Mountain forest,

བསྙེན་ཕུར་ནམ་མཁའི་དབྱིངས་སུ་འཕར༔

nyenpur namkhé ying su par

Your ‘kīla of approach’ soars into the wide open sky.

རྡོ་རྗེའི་ཕྱག་རྒྱས་བླངས་ཤིང་བསྒྲིལ༔

dorjé chakgyé lang shing dril

You catch it with the vajra mudrā, roll it

བསྒྲིལ་ཞིང་ཙནྡན་ནགས་སུ་འཕང་༔

dril shying tsenden nak su pang

Between your hands and hurl it into the Sandalwood Forest,

མེ་འབར་འཁྲུགས་ཤིང་མཚོ་ཡང་སྐེམ༔

mebar truk shing tso yang kem

Which bursts into flames, evaporating its lake.

སྲིབ་ཀྱི་མུ་སྟེགས་ས་གང་བསྲེགས༔

sib kyi mutek sa gang sek

In an instant, you burn the land of the tīrthikas to ashes,

ཡཀྴ་ནག་པོ་རྡུལ་དུ་བརླག༔

yaksha nakpo dul du lak

And crush their dark yakṣa lords into dust.

འགྲན་གྱི་དོ་མེད་བདུད་ཀྱི་གཤེད༔

dren gyi domé dü kyi shé

O peerless Dükyi Shéchen:

ཐུགས་རྗེས་བདག་ལ་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས༔

tukjé dak la jingyi lob

With your compassion, inspire us with your blessing!

བརྩེ་བས་བདག་སོགས་ལམ་སྣ་དྲོངས༔

tsewé dak sok lam na drong

With your love, guide us and others along the path!

དགོངས་པས་བདག་ལ་དངོས་གྲུབ་སྩོལ༔

gongpé dak la ngödrub tsol

With your realization, grant us attainments!

ནུས་པས་བདག་སོགས་བར་ཆད་སོལ༔

nüpé dak sok barché sol

With your power, dispel the obstacles facing us all!

ཕྱི་ཡི་བར་ཆད་ཕྱི་རུ་སོལ༔

chi yi barché chi ru sol

Outer obstacles—dispel them externally,

ནང་གི་བར་ཆད་ནང་དུ་སོལ༔

nang gi barché nang du sol

Inner obstacles—dispel them internally,

གསང་བའི་བར་ཆད་དབྱིངས་སུ་སོལ༔

sangwé barché ying su sol

Secret obstacles—dispel them into space!

གུས་པས་ཕྱག་འཚལ་སྐྱབས་སུ་མཆི༔

güpé chaktsal kyab su chi

In devotion, I pay homage and take refuge in you!

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྃ་བཛྲ་གུ་རུ་པདྨ་སིདྡྷི་ཧཱུྃ༔

om ah hung benza guru pema siddhi hung

oṃ āh hūṃ vajra guru padma siddhi hūṃ

འཛམ་གླིང་རྒྱན་མཆོག

Dzam Ling Gyen Chok

སྲིན་པོའི་ཁ་གནོན་མཛད་པའི་ཚེ༔

sinpö khanön dzepé tsé

When overpowering the rākṣasas,

ཁྱེའུ་ཆུང་སྤྲུལ་སྐུའི་ཆ་ལུགས་ཅན༔

khyé’u chung tulkü chaluk chen

You appear as a youth in nirmāṇakāya garb,

ཡ་མཚན་གཟུགས་བཟང་ཁ་དོག་ལེགས༔

yatsen zuk zang khadok lek

Your amazing, beautiful form, with its lovely hue,

ཚེམས་འགྲིགས་དབུ་སྐྲ་སེར་ལ་མཛེས༔

tsem drik utra ser la dzé

Perfect teeth and golden hair, gorgeous

དགུང་ལོ་བཅུ་དྲུག་ལོན་པའི་ཚུལ༔

gunglo chudruk lönpé tsul

Like a youth of sixteen years,

རིན་ཆེན་རྒྱན་ཆ་སྣ་ཚོགས་གསོལ༔

rinchen gyencha natsok sol

Wearing all the jewel ornaments.

ཕྱག་གཡས་འཁར་བའི་ཕུར་པ་བསྣམས༔

chak yé kharwé purpa nam

Your right hand grips a kīla of bronze,

བདུད་དང་སྲིན་པོའི་ཁ་གནོན་མཛད༔

dü dang sinpö khanön dzé

Subjugating māras and rākṣasas.

གཡོན་པས་སེང་ལྡེང་ཕུར་པ་བསྣམས༔

yönpé sengdeng purpa nam

Your left hand holds a kīla of teak,

མོས་པའི་བུ་ལ་སྲུང་སྐྱོབ་མཛད༔

möpé bu la sung kyob dzé

Granting protection to your devoted sons and daughters,

མགུལ་ན་ལྕགས་ཀྱི་ཕུར་པ་བསྣམས༔

gul na chak kyi purpa nam

Around your neck you wear a kīla of iron—

ཡི་དམ་ལྷ་དང་གཉིས་སུ་མེད༔

yidam lha dang nyisumé

You and the yidam deity are inseparable,

གཉིས་མེད་སྤྲུལ་སྐུ་འཛམ་གླིང་རྒྱན༔

nyimé tulku dzamling gyen

O Dzam Ling Gyen Chok, manifestation of non-duality:

ཐུགས་རྗེས་བདག་ལ་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས༔

tukjé dak la jingyi lob

With your compassion, inspire us with your blessing!

བརྩེ་བས་བདག་སོགས་ལམ་སྣ་དྲོངས༔

tsewé dak sok lam na drong

With your love, guide us and others along the path!

དགོངས་པས་བདག་ལ་དངོས་གྲུབ་སྩོལ༔

gongpé dak la ngödrub tsol

With your realization, grant us attainments!

ནུས་པས་བདག་སོགས་བར་ཆད་སོལ༔

nüpé dak sok barché sol

With your power, dispel the obstacles facing us all!

ཕྱི་ཡི་བར་ཆད་ཕྱི་རུ་སོལ༔

chi yi barché chi ru sol

Outer obstacles—dispel them externally,

ནང་གི་བར་ཆད་ནང་དུ་སོལ༔

nang gi barché nang du sol

Inner obstacles—dispel them internally,

གསང་བའི་བར་ཆད་དབྱིངས་སུ་སོལ༔

sangwé barché ying su sol

Secret obstacles—dispel them into space!

གུས་པས་ཕྱག་འཚལ་སྐྱབས་སུ་མཆི༔

güpé chaktsal kyab su chi

In devotion, I pay homage and take refuge in you!

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྃ་བཛྲ་གུ་རུ་པདྨ་སིདྡྷི་ཧཱུྃ༔

om ah hung benza guru pema siddhi hung

oṃ āh hūṃ vajra guru padma siddhi hūṃ

པདྨ་འབྱུང་གནས།

Pemajungné

འདྲེ་ཡི་ཡུལ་དུ་དགོངས་པའི་ཚེ༔

dré yi yul du gongpé tsé

When you choose to go to the ‘Land of Phantoms’,

མེ་དཔུང་ཤོད་ཀྱི་ས་གཞི་ལ༔

mepung shö kyi sashyi la

The ground on which the blazing pyre is lit

མདའ་རྒྱང་གང་གི་མཚོ་ནང་དུ༔

da gyang gang gi tso nang du

Turns into a lake, the width of an arrow shot,

པདྨའི་སྟེང་དུ་བསིལ་བསིལ་འདྲ༔

pemé tengdu sil sil dra

Where, on a lotus blossom, you appear, cool and sparkling.

པདྨའི་ནང་ན་དགོངས་པ་མཛད༔

pemé nang na gongpa dzé

Within the lotus, you display your realization

མཚན་ཡང་པདྨ་འབྱུང་གནས་ཞེས༔

tsen yang pema jungné shyé

And win the name of Pemajungné, ‘Lotus-born’.

རྫོགས་པའི་སངས་རྒྱས་དངོས་སུ་བྱོན༔

dzokpé sangye ngö su jön

You come in person as a completely realized buddha—

དེ་འདྲའི་སྤྲུལ་སྐུ་ཡ་མཚན་ཅན༔

dendré tulku yatsen chen

O wondrous nirmāṇakāya, such as you:

ཐུགས་རྗེས་བདག་ལ་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས༔

tukjé dak la jingyi lob

With your compassion, inspire us with your blessing!

བརྩེ་བས་བདག་སོགས་ལམ་སྣ་དྲོངས༔

tsewé dak sok lam na drong

With your love, guide us and others along the path!

དགོངས་པས་བདག་ལ་དངོས་གྲུབ་སྩོལ༔

gongpé dak la ngödrub tsol

With your realization, grant us attainments!

ནུས་པས་བདག་སོགས་བར་ཆད་སོལ༔

nüpé dak sok barché sol

With your power, dispel the obstacles facing us all!

ཕྱི་ཡི་བར་ཆད་ཕྱི་རུ་སོལ༔

chi yi barché chi ru sol

Outer obstacles—dispel them externally,

ནང་གི་བར་ཆད་ནང་དུ་སོལ༔

nang gi barché nang du sol

Inner obstacles—dispel them internally,

གསང་བའི་བར་ཆད་དབྱིངས་སུ་སོལ༔

sangwé barché ying su sol

Secret obstacles—dispel them into space!

གུས་པས་ཕྱག་འཚལ་སྐྱབས་སུ་མཆི༔

güpé chaktsal kyab su chi

In devotion, I pay homage and take refuge in you!

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྃ་བཛྲ་གུ་རུ་པདྨ་སིདྡྷི་ཧཱུྃ༔

om ah hung benza guru pema siddhi hung

oṃ āh hūṃ vajra guru padma siddhi hūṃ

ཁྱད་པར་འཕགས་པའི་རིག་འཛིན།

Khyépar Pakpé Rigdzin

བོད་ཀྱི་ཉི་མ་མཛད་པའི་ཚེ༔

bö kyi nyima dzepé tsé

When you shine as the sun over Tibet,

དད་ལྡན་འགྲོ་བ་འདྲེན་པའི་དཔལ༔

deden drowa drenpé pal

An awe-inspiring guide for any with devotion in their hearts,

གང་ལ་གང་འདུལ་སྐུར་བསྟན་ནས༔

gang la gang dul kur ten né

You display whatever forms each being needs to be tamed.

གཙང་ཁ་ལ་ཡི་ལ་ཐོག་ཏུ༔

tsang khala yi la tok tu

High up on the Khala mountain pass in Tsang,

དགྲ་ལྷའི་དགེ་བསྙེན་དམ་ལ་བཏགས༔

dralhé genyen dam la tak

You place the genyen of the dralas under oath.

ཡུལ་ནི་ཚ་བའི་ཚ་ཤོད་དུ༔

yul ni tsawé tsashö du

Down in the valley of Tsawarong,

ལྷ་ཡི་དགེ་བསྙེན་དྲེགས་པ་ཅན༔

lha yi genyen drekpachen

It was the arrogant genyen of the gods,

ཉི་ཤུ་རྩ་གཅིག་དམ་ལ་བཏགས༔

nyishu tsachik dam la tak

Twenty-one of them, you make swear fealty.

མང་ཡུལ་དེ་ཡི་བྱམས་སྤྲིན་དུ༔

mangyul dé yi jamtrin du

In Mangyul, at the temple ‘Cloud of Love’,

དགེ་སློང་བཞི་ལ་དངོས་གྲུབ་གནང་༔

gelong shyi la ngödrub nang

You grant attainments to the four bhikṣus.

ཁྱད་པར་འཕགས་པའི་རིག་འཛིན་མཆོག༔

khyepar pakpé rigdzin chok

O supreme Khyépar Pakpé Rigdzin:

ཐུགས་རྗེས་བདག་ལ་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས༔

tukjé dak la jingyi lob

With your compassion, inspire us with your blessing!

བརྩེ་བས་བདག་སོགས་ལམ་སྣ་དྲོངས༔

tsewé dak sok lam na drong

With your love, guide us and others along the path!

དགོངས་པས་བདག་ལ་དངོས་གྲུབ་སྩོལ༔

gongpé dak la ngödrub tsol

With your realization, grant us attainments!

ནུས་པས་བདག་སོགས་བར་ཆད་སོལ༔

nüpé dak sok barché sol

With your power, dispel the obstacles facing us all!

ཕྱི་ཡི་བར་ཆད་ཕྱི་རུ་སོལ༔

chi yi barché chi ru sol

Outer obstacles—dispel them externally,

ནང་གི་བར་ཆད་ནང་དུ་སོལ༔

nang gi barché nang du sol

Inner obstacles—dispel them internally,

གསང་བའི་བར་ཆད་དབྱིངས་སུ་སོལ༔

sangwé barché ying su sol

Secret obstacles—dispel them into space!

གུས་པས་ཕྱག་འཚལ་སྐྱབས་སུ་མཆི༔

güpé chaktsal kyab su chi

In devotion, I pay homage and take refuge in you!

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྃ་བཛྲ་གུ་རུ་པདྨ་སིདྡྷི་ཧཱུྃ༔

om ah hung benza guru pema siddhi hung

oṃ āh hūṃ vajra guru padma siddhi hūṃ

རྫུ་འཕྲུལ་མཐུ་ཆེན།

Dzütrul Thuchen

དཔལ་མོ་ཐང་གི་དཔལ་ཐང་དུ༔

palmo tang gi pal tang du

On Palmotang’s plain of glory

བརྟན་མ་བཅུ་གཉིས་དམ་ལ་བཏགས༔

tenma chunyi dam la tak

You give the twelve tenma goddesses their binding oath.

བོད་ཡུལ་ཁ་ལའི་ལ་ཐོག་ཏུ༔

böyul khalé la tok tu

Up on the Khala pass of Central Tibet,

གངས་དཀར་ཤ་མེད་དམ་ལ་བཏགས༔

gangkar shamé dam la tak

You bind the white snow goddess Gangkar Shamé under oath.

འདམ་ཤོད་ལྷ་བུའི་སྙིང་དྲུང་དུ༔

damshö lhabü nying drung du

In the marshlands of Damshö before Mount Lhabüi Nying,

ཐང་ལྷ་ཡར་ཞུད་དམ་ལ་བཏགས༔

tanglha yarshyü dam la tak

You swear Thangla Yarshu to a solemn vow.

ཧས་པོ་རི་ཡི་ཡང་གོང་དུ༔

hepori yi yang gong du

High up, on the peak of Mount Hépori,

ལྷ་སྲིན་ཐམས་ཅད་དམ་ལ་བཏགས༔

lhasin tamché dam la tak

You place all the devas and rākṣasas under oath:

ཆེ་བའི་ལྷ་འདྲེ་ཐམས་ཅད་ཀྱིས༔

chewé lha dré tamché kyi

And out of all these great gods and demons,

ལ་ལས་སྲོག་གི་སྙིང་པོ་ཕུལ༔

lalé sok gi nyingpo pul

Some offer up the very essence of their life force,

ལ་ལས་བསྟན་པ་བསྲུང་བར་བྱས༔

lalé tenpa sungwar jé

Some are turned into guardians of the teachings,

ལ་ལས་བྲན་དུ་ཁས་བླངས་བྱས༔

lalé dren du khelang jé

Others take the pledge to act as your servants.

མཐུ་དང་རྫུ་འཕྲུལ་སྟོབས་པོ་ཆེ༔

tu dang dzutrul tobpo ché

O mighty Dzutrul Thuchen:

ཐུགས་རྗེས་བདག་ལ་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས༔

tukjé dak la jingyi lob

With your compassion, inspire us with your blessing!

བརྩེ་བས་བདག་སོགས་ལམ་སྣ་དྲོངས༔

tsewé dak sok lam na drong

With your love, guide us and others along the path!

དགོངས་པས་བདག་ལ་དངོས་གྲུབ་སྩོལ༔

gongpé dak la ngödrub tsol

With your realization, grant us attainments!

ནུས་པས་བདག་སོགས་བར་ཆད་སོལ༔

nüpé dak sok barché sol

With your power, dispel the obstacles facing us all!

ཕྱི་ཡི་བར་ཆད་ཕྱི་རུ་སོལ༔

chi yi barché chi ru sol

Outer obstacles—dispel them externally,

ནང་གི་བར་ཆད་ནང་དུ་སོལ༔

nang gi barché nang du sol

Inner obstacles—dispel them internally,

གསང་བའི་བར་ཆད་དབྱིངས་སུ་སོལ༔

sangwé barché ying su sol

Secret obstacles—dispel them into space!

གུས་པས་ཕྱག་འཚལ་སྐྱབས་སུ་མཆི༔

güpé chaktsal kyab su chi

In devotion, I pay homage and take refuge in you!

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྃ་བཛྲ་གུ་རུ་པདྨ་སིདྡྷི་ཧཱུྃ༔

om ah hung benza guru pema siddhi hung

oṃ āh hūṃ vajra guru padma siddhi hūṃ

རྡོ་རྗེ་དྲག་པོ་རྩལ།

Dorjé Drakpo Tsal

དམ་པ་ཆོས་ཀྱི་བསྟན་པ་ནི༔

dampa chö kyi tenpa ni

When you plant the teachings of the sublime Dharma,

རྒྱལ་མཚན་ལྟ་བུར་བཙུགས་པའི་ཚེ༔

gyaltsen tabur tsukpé tsé

As if hoisting a victory banner,

བསམ་ཡས་མ་བཞེངས་ལྷུན་གྱིས་གྲུབ༔

samyé mashyeng lhün gyi drub

Samyé is completed spontaneously, with no need to be built,

རྒྱལ་པོའི་དགོངས་པ་མཐར་ཕྱིན་མཛད༔

gyalpö gongpa tarchin dzé

And the entire vision of the king is fulfilled.

སྐྱེས་མཆོག་གསུམ་གྱི་མཚན་ཡང་གསོལ༔

kyechok sum gyi tsen yang sol

Then, you bore the names of three supreme beings—

གཅིག་ནི་པདྨ་འབྱུང་གནས་ཞེས༔

chik ni pema jungné shyé

One was Padmākara, ‘Lotus-born’,

གཅིག་ནི་པདྨ་སམྦྷ་ཝ༔

chik ni pema sambhava

One was Padmasambhava,

གཅིག་ནི་མཚོ་སྐྱེས་རྡོ་རྗེ་ཞེས༔

chik ni tsokyé dorjé shyé

And one was Tsokyé Dorjé, ‘the Lake-born Vajra’.

གསང་མཚན་རྡོ་རྗེ་དྲག་པོ་རྩལ༔

sang tsen dorjé drakpo tsal

O Dorjé Drakpo Tsal, now we invoke you by your secret name:

ཐུགས་རྗེས་བདག་ལ་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས༔

tukjé dak la jingyi lob

With your compassion, inspire us with your blessing!

བརྩེ་བས་བདག་སོགས་ལམ་སྣ་དྲོངས༔

tsewé dak sok lam na drong

With your love, guide us and others along the path!

དགོངས་པས་བདག་ལ་དངོས་གྲུབ་སྩོལ༔

gongpé dak la ngödrub tsol

With your realization, grant us attainments!

ནུས་པས་བདག་སོགས་བར་ཆད་སོལ༔

nüpé dak sok barché sol

With your power, dispel the obstacles facing us all!

ཕྱི་ཡི་བར་ཆད་ཕྱི་རུ་སོལ༔

chi yi barché chi ru sol

Outer obstacles—dispel them externally,

ནང་གི་བར་ཆད་ནང་དུ་སོལ༔

nang gi barché nang du sol

Inner obstacles—dispel them internally,

གསང་བའི་བར་ཆད་དབྱིངས་སུ་སོལ༔

sangwé barché ying su sol

Secret obstacles—dispel them into space!

གུས་པས་ཕྱག་འཚལ་སྐྱབས་སུ་མཆི༔

güpé chaktsal kyab su chi

In devotion, I pay homage and take refuge in you!

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྃ་བཛྲ་གུ་རུ་པདྨ་སིདྡྷི་ཧཱུྃ༔

om ah hung benza guru pema siddhi hung

oṃ āh hūṃ vajra guru padma siddhi hūṃ

སྐལ་ལྡན་འདྲེན་མཛད།

Kalden Drendzé

བསམ་ཡས་མཆིམས་ཕུར་སྒྲུབ་པ་མཛད༔

samyé chimpur drubpa dzé

When you practise at Samyé Chimphu,

རྐྱེན་ངན་ཟློག་ཅིང་དངོས་གྲུབ་གནང་༔

kyen ngen dok ching ngödrub nang

You ward off harmful circumstances, and grant attainments.

རྗེ་བློན་ཐར་པའི་ལམ་ལ་བཀོད༔

jelön tarpé lam la kö

You set the king and ministers on the path to liberation,

གདོན་གཟུགས་བོན་གྱི་བསྟན་པ་བསྣུབས༔

dön zuk bön gyi tenpa nub

Destroying those teachings of the Bönpos that conjure evil spirits,

ཆོས་སྐུ་དྲི་མེད་རིན་ཆེན་བསྟན༔

chöku drimé rinchen ten

And showing the dharmakāya, precious and immaculate.

སྐལ་ལྡན་སངས་རྒྱས་ས་ལ་བཀོད༔

kalden sangye sa la kö

O Kalden Drendzé, you lead us fortunate ones to buddhahood:

ཐུགས་རྗེས་བདག་ལ་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས༔

tukjé dak la jingyi lob

With your compassion, inspire us with your blessing!

བརྩེ་བས་བདག་སོགས་ལམ་སྣ་དྲོངས༔

tsewé dak sok lam na drong

With your love, guide us and others along the path!

དགོངས་པས་བདག་ལ་དངོས་གྲུབ་སྩོལ༔

gongpé dak la ngödrub tsol

With your realization, grant us attainments!

ནུས་པས་བདག་སོགས་བར་ཆད་སོལ༔

nüpé dak sok barché sol

With your power, dispel the obstacles facing us all!

ཕྱི་ཡི་བར་ཆད་ཕྱི་རུ་སོལ༔

chi yi barché chi ru sol

Outer obstacles—dispel them externally,

ནང་གི་བར་ཆད་ནང་དུ་སོལ༔

nang gi barché nang du sol

Inner obstacles—dispel them internally,

གསང་བའི་བར་ཆད་དབྱིངས་སུ་སོལ༔

sangwé barché ying su sol

Secret obstacles—dispel them into space!

གུས་པས་ཕྱག་འཚལ་སྐྱབས་སུ་མཆི༔

güpé chaktsal kyab su chi

In devotion, I pay homage and take refuge in you!

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྃ་བཛྲ་གུ་རུ་པདྨ་སིདྡྷི་ཧཱུྃ༔

om ah hung benza guru pema siddhi hung

oṃ āh hūṃ vajra guru padma siddhi hūṃ

རཀྴ་ཐོད་ཕྲེང་།

Rakṣa Tötreng

དེ་ནས་ཨོ་རྒྱན་ཡུལ་དུ་བྱོན༔

dené orgyen yul du jön

Then you leave, and for the land of Orgyen,

ད་ལྟ་སྲིན་པོའི་ཁ་གནོན་མཛད༔

danta sinpö khanön dzé

Where now you subjugate the rākṣasa demons;

མི་ལས་ལྷག་གྱུར་ཡ་མཚན་ཆེ༔

mi lé lhak gyur yatsen ché

Great wonder—surpassing any human being,

སྤྱོད་པ་རྨད་བྱུང་ངོ་མཚར་ཆེ༔

chöpa mejung ngotsar ché

Great marvel—in your phenomenal enlightened actions,

མཐུ་དང་རྫུ་འཕྲུལ་སྟོབས་པོ་ཆེ༔

tu dang dzutrul tobpo ché

Great might—with all your miraculous powers:

ཐུགས་རྗེས་བདག་ལ་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས༔

tukjé dak la jingyi lob

With your compassion, inspire us with your blessing!

བརྩེ་བས་བདག་སོགས་ལམ་སྣ་དྲོངས༔

tsewé dak sok lam na drong

With your love, guide us and others along the path!

དགོངས་པས་བདག་ལ་དངོས་གྲུབ་སྩོལ༔

gongpé dak la ngödrub tsol

With your realization, grant us attainments!

ནུས་པས་བདག་སོགས་བར་ཆད་སོལ༔

nüpé dak sok barché sol

With your power, dispel the obstacles facing us all!

ཕྱི་ཡི་བར་ཆད་ཕྱི་རུ་སོལ༔

chi yi barché chi ru sol

Outer obstacles—dispel them externally,

ནང་གི་བར་ཆད་ནང་དུ་སོལ༔

nang gi barché nang du sol

Inner obstacles—dispel them internally,

གསང་བའི་བར་ཆད་དབྱིངས་སུ་སོལ༔

sangwé barché ying su sol

Secret obstacles—dispel them into space!

གུས་པས་ཕྱག་འཚལ་སྐྱབས་སུ་མཆི༔

güpé chaktsal kyab su chi

In devotion, I pay homage and take refuge in you!

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྃ་བཛྲ་གུ་རུ་པདྨ་སིདྡྷི་ཧཱུྃ༔

om ah hung benza guru pema siddhi hung

oṃ āh hūṃ vajra guru padma siddhi hūṃ

བདེ་ཆེན་རྒྱལ་པོ།

Guru Dechen Gyalpo

སྐུ་གསུང་ཐུགས་ལྡན་འགྲོ་བ་འདྲེན་པའི་དཔལ༔

ku sung tukden drowa drenpé pal

Endowed with wisdom body, speech and mind, you are our glorious guide;

སྒྲིབ་པ་ཀུན་སྤངས་ཁམས་གསུམ་ས་ལེར་མཁྱེན༔

dribpa kün pang kham sum saler khyen

You have freed yourself of obscurations, and so know the three realms with vivid clarity;

དངོས་གྲུབ་མཆོག་བརྙེས་བདེ་ཆེན་མཆོག་གི་སྐུ༔

ngödrub chok nyé dechen chok gi ku

You have attained the supreme siddhi, and so possess the supreme body of great bliss;

བྱང་ཆུབ་སྒྲུབ་པའི་བར་ཆད་ངེས་པར་སེལ༔

changchub drubpé barché ngepar sel

All the obstacles to our enlightenment—eliminate them for good!

ཐུགས་རྗེས་བདག་ལ་བྱིན་གྱིས་རློབས༔

tukjé dak la jingyi lob

With your compassion, inspire us with your blessing!

བརྩེ་བས་བདག་སོགས་ལམ་སྣ་དྲོངས༔

tsewé dak sok lam na drong

With your love, guide us and others along the path!

དགོངས་པས་བདག་ལ་དངོས་གྲུབ་རྩོལ༔

gongpé dak la ngödrub tsol

With your realization, grant us attainments!

ནུས་པས་བདག་སོགས་བར་ཆད་སོལ༔

nüpé dak sok barché sol

With your power, dispel the obstacles facing us all!

ཕྱི་ཡི་བར་ཆད་ཕྱི་རུ་སོལ༔

chi yi barché chi ru sol

Outer obstacles—dispel them externally,

ནང་གི་བར་ཆད་ནང་དུ་སོལ༔

nang gi barché nang du sol

Inner obstacles—dispel them internally,

གསང་བའི་བར་ཆད་དབྱིངས་སུ་སོལ༔

sangwé barché ying su sol

Secret obstacles—dispel them into space!

གུས་པས་ཕྱག་འཚལ་སྐྱབས་སུ་མཆི༔

güpé chaktsal kyab su chi

In devotion, I pay homage and take refuge in you!

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྃ་བཛྲ་གུ་རུ་པདྨ་སིདྡྷི་ཧཱུྃ༔

om ah hung benza guru pema siddhi hung

oṃ āh hūṃ vajra guru padma siddhi hūṃ

ཨོཾ་ཨཱཿཧཱུྃ་བཛྲ་གུ་རུ་པདྨ་ཐོད་ཕྲེང་རྩལ་བཛྲ་ས་མ་ཡ་ཛཿསིདྡྷི་ཕ་ལ་ཧཱུྃ་ཨཱ༔

om ah hung benza guru pema tötreng tsal benza samaya dza siddhi pala hung a

oṃ āh hūṃ vajra guru padma tötreng tsal vajra samaya jaḥ siddhi phala hūṃ āḥ

ཞེས་པའང་རྩོད་བྲལ་དུས་བབས་ཀྱི་སྤྲུལ་པའི་གཏེར་སྟོན་ཆེན་པོ་ཨོ་རྒྱན་མཆོག་གྱུར་བདེ་ཆེན་གླིང་པས་ཟླ་ཉིན་ཁ་ལ་རོང་སྒོའི་དཔལ་ཆེན་པོའི་ཞབས་འོག་ནས་སྤྱན་དྲངས་པའི་བླ་མའི་ཐུགས་སྒྲུབ་བར་ཆད་ཀུན་སེལ་གྱི་ཞལ་གདམས་སྙིང་བྱང་ཡིད་བཞིན་ནོར་བུ་ལས། ཕྱི་གསོལ་འདེབས་ཀྱི་སྒྲུབ་པ་ཁོལ་དུ་ཕྱུངས་པ་སྟེ།

Without any question, the great treasure revealer Orgyen Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa manifested specifically for this time. From below the foot of the Great Awesome One at the door of Danyin Khala Rong, he revealed the ‘Quintessential Manual of Oral Instructions: the Wish-fulfilling Jewel’ from ‘The Guru’s Heart Practice: Dispelling All Obstacles’—Lamé Tukdrup Barché Kunsel. This prayer forms the outer practice of this revelation.

འདིས་ཀྱང་བསྟན་འགྲོའི་བར་ཆད་དང་རྒུད་པ་ཐམས་ཅད་ཉེ་བར་ཞི་ཞིང་དགེ་ལེགས་ཀྱི་དོན་ཐམས་ཅད་ཡོངས་སུ་གྲུབ་པའི་རྒྱུར་གྱུར་ཅིག། །།

May this prayer become the cause for pacifying completely all the obstacles and degeneration for both the teachings and beings, and accomplishing all the aims of virtue and goodness! Maṅgalaṃ!

| Rigpa Translations, 2013. Revised 2016, 2017 & 2020. With many thanks to Hubert Decleer for his clarifications concerning place names, and to Erik Pema Kunsang for his pioneering translation of this text.

NOTES

[1] Karma Triyana Dharmachakra website>> https://kagyu.org/resources-guru-rinpoche/

[2] “Padmasambhava” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Padmasambhāva

[3] “Deepening your connection with Guru Rinpoche” https://treasuryofwisdom.rigpa.org/deepening-your-connection-with-guru-rinpoche

[4] Wandu Prayer

[5] Guru Padmasambhava: His Miraculous Life Story and the Meaning of His Sadhana, Dr Wangchuck Dorjee Negi https://www.sahapedia.org/guru-padmasambhava-his-miraculous-life-story-and-meaning-his-sadhana

[6] Teaching by Lama Tarchin Rinpoche on Lotsawahouse.org https://www.lotsawahouse.org/tibetan-masters/karma-lingpa/benefits-vajra-guru-mantra

[7] Encounters with a Badass 8th Century Buddhist Mystic https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/on-the-trail-of-himalaya-s-badass-8th-century-buddhist-mystic

[8] Hayagriva teachings by Lama Jigme Rinpoche https://padmarigdzinling.org/2020/05/17/a-brief-explanation-on-hayagriva/

[9] Lady of the Lotus Born: The Life and Enlightenment of Yeshe Tsogyal, Changchub, Gyalwa. Lady of the Lotus-Born: The Life and Enlightenment of Yeshe Tsogyal (Kindle Location 1243). Shambhala. Kindle Edition.

[10] The Psychology of Buddhist Tantra, Rob Preece, Snow Lion, ISBN-13 978-15559392631.

[11] Himalayan Art: Forms of Padmasambhava https://www.himalayanart.org/search/set.cfm?setID=2608

[12] Himalayan Art https://www.himalayanart.org/search/set.cfm?setID=2442

[13] Himilayan Art bio of Yeshe Tosgyal https://www.himalayanart.org/search/set.cfm?setID=5619

[14] Guru Padmasambhava documentary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imsNlk446NU&t=171s

[15] Quantum Buddhism: Dancing in Emptiness, Graham Smetham from Shunyata Press ISBN 978-1-4452-9430-8

The post The Quantum Buddha Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava: the Second Buddha who turned the Vajrayana Wheel of Dharma appeared first on Buddha Weekly: Buddhist Practices, Mindfulness, Meditation.

” The eightfold path is often represented as a wheel with eight spokes. Pick a wheel with just one or two and it won’t take you very far.” — Mark Vernon [13]

“Some traditional Buddhist teachers tend to serve “Dharma-Lite” like “Coca-Cola Lite,” rather than “the Real Thing” Dharma,” said Alexander Berzin in June 2000 talk. [1] He was referring to “lite” motivations in modern, westernized Buddhism, where teachers avoid the topic of rebirth or other core beliefs— to make teachings more suitable to the western psyche.

For the purposes of this feature, I’m going to call it “Designer Dharma” — picking and choosing which core beliefs to subscribe to—based on personal belief, culture, “laziness” or preference. A separate issue is more systemized cultural “modern revisionism”.

Often cited in support of this notion of “pick and choose” and “revisionism” is the Kalama Sutta, sometimes referred to as “the Buddha’s charter of free inquiry”—an regularly mistranslated and poorly interpreted sutta. [11] (See more on Kalama Sutta below). Since I, myself, often pick and choose, and have difficulty with some doctrines such as rebirth, I thought I’d research “What the teachers say.”

Zasep Tulku Rinpoche: “You can be a Buddhist without believing in reincarnation.”

In a recent interview with Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche, I mentioned the difficulty some westerners have with some Buddhist doctrines such as reincarnation. Rinpoche replied,

“You can be a Buddhist without believing in reincarnation. Don’t worry about the past. The future is a dream. Stay in the now. The most important thing is to watch your body, speech and mind, and if you cultivate merit, and practice loving kindness, then you are a good Buddhist.”

[10 Interview at Gaden Choling, Fall 2015]

However, it’s important to note that Rinpoche was not advocating “Designer Dharma” but rather, reassuring those who might have difficulty with a specific belief not to be discouraged but to continue practicing.

The most common advice from teachers of western students is best summarized in this quote from Thanissaro Bhikko: “You don’t have to believe in rebirth, you just have to take it as a working hypothesis.” [9]

Rebirth as a belief causes some difficulty for students new to Buddhism and Agnostic Buddhists.

Designer Dharma: pick-and-choose Buddhism

Many westernized Buddhists, myself included, tend to pick and choose Buddhist teachings, particularly with relation to difficult topics such as rebirth or reincarnation that might not to resonate with western culture and rational scientific minds. Many of my Buddhist friends merrily avoid these topics, rather than confront them. If pushed, some will say, “I’m a Buddhist, but I don’t believe in X.” The biggest “X” tends to be “rebirth” I’ve found.

Core beliefs in Buddhism—which might, or might not become part of a Buddhist’s “Designer Dharma”—almost invariably include:

• the Four Noble Truths
• Dependent Origination
• the Eightfold Path
• the Three Characteristics of Existence
• the Three Jewels
• Five Precepts
• Karma
• Rebirth
• Nirvana

Some of my Buddhist friends definitely “subscribe” to the Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path, but can’t bring themselves to accept rebirth. Others, like myself, accept the core beliefs, but need constant reinforcement on rebirth and karma.

Dependent Origination is a key belief in Buddhism.

Agnostic Buddhism: “Teachers… use the idea of rebirth metaphorically”

“Many contemporary forms of Buddhism in the West—especially Zen and vipassana—seem to pay little attention to the doctrine of rebirth,” writes teacher Stephen Batchelor. [8] “Teachers in these traditions often use the idea of rebirth metaphorically to describe the moment-to-moment process of “dying” and being “reborn.” However appealing, psychologically astute, and didactically skillful such interpretations may be, they can give rise to the misleading impression that in traditional Zen or Theravadan cultures the doctrine of rebirth is likewise not taken literally.”

“Rebirth has always been a central teaching in the Buddhist tradition,” writes Thanissaro Bhikkhu of Metta Forest Monastery. “The earliest records in the Pali Canon indicate that the Buddha, prior to his awakening, searched for a happiness not subject to the vagaries of repeated birth… On the night of his awakening, two of the three knowledges leading to his release from suffering focused on the topic of rebirth.” [7]

Thanissaro Bhikku

Even some westernized Tibetan Buddhists tend to practice “Dharma-Lite” when it comes to rebirth—this despite the fact that His Holiness the Dalai Lama is accepted by them to be the 14th incarnation. Certainly, in Mahayana Buddhism, the belief in bodhisattvas who continue “taking birth as long as there are living beings in the world that need to be saved from suffering,” makes rebirth an unavoidable core belief. [8]

Mark Vernon: “Half-baked” western cultural Buddhism?

In a very interesting feature on “Buddhism and the dangers of pick’n’mix religion”, Mark Vernon makes several key swipes at what he calls pick’n’mix religion. Understandably, he writes at length about the notable efforts of Stephen Batchelor, known for his somewhat controversial Buddhism Without Beliefs [14]—himself an ex-monk “heavily engaged in bringing Buddhism into the west.” He points out that Batchelor is “courting trouble along the way” because “he knows that if Buddhism is truly to address the human condition as manifest with modernity, it must resist the temptations of the quick sell.”

“When Buddhism appeared in Japan, it took three centuries for its Zen manifestation to emerge. Buddhism has been a part of western culture for about half that time, since philosophers like Schopenhauer first encountered it; which perhaps explains why it can appear a little half-baked.” [13]

Rebirth is a central concept in Buddhism.

Dalai Lama Teaches on Reincarnation: “…accept the existence of past and future lives”

“In order to accept reincarnation or the reality of the Tulkus, we need to accept the existence of past and future lives,” wrote the Dalai Lama from Dharamsala in September, 2011. [6] “Sentient beings come to this present life from their previous lives and take rebirth again after death. This kind of continuous rebirth is accepted by all the ancient Indian spiritual traditions and schools of philosophy, except the Charvakas, who were a materialist movement. Some modern thinkers deny past and future lives on the premise that we cannot see them. Others do not draw such clear cut conclusions on this basis.”

The Dalai Lama explains the arguments for rebirth: “There are many different logical arguments given in the words of the Buddha and subsequent commentaries to prove the existence of past and future lives. In brief, they come down to four points: the logic that things are preceded by things of a similar type, the logic that things are preceded by a substantial cause, the logic that the mind has gained familiarity with things in the past, and the logic of having gained experience of things in the past.” He adds that there are many people “who can remember their immediate past life.”

The Dalai Lama is himself the 14th incarnation.

Science: Anecdotal evidence, but no verifiable corroboration

Never-the-less, logic aside, such teachings require faith, as there’s no verifiable corroboration from science — even if many scientists are willing to remain open to the concept due to some anecdotal evidence. [3] Most commonly cited is extensive anecdotal evidence from Dr. Ian Stevenson, who collected data from 4500 people who spontaneously recalled past lives. There are dozens of other anecdotal studies supporting “past lives” with credibility, but not carrying the weight of proven science.

Well-documented near-death studies, together with research conducted on patients who undergo cardiac arrest, lead to a growing acceptance that the mind continues after the brain function ends. When combined with credible studies of people with spontaneous recall or previous lives, there is sufficient anecdotal evidence to not dismiss it, at least as a working hypothesis to be proven or disproven in future.

Often tossed about are pseudo-scientific theories that attempt to “prove” rebirth is possible, drawing heavily on quantum physics and Einstein. Or, using the often cited example of the “five-year body”—based on the biological fact that all cells in the body are replaced fully every five years (See Thich Nhat Hanh below). These are reinforcing inferences rather than evidence.

Nevertheless, the majority of western Buddhists—myself included—tend to bypass our discomfort with the notion of rebirth, by practicing as if we believed in it. Western teachers often coach their students just to practice, and that wisdom will come eventually. In other words, we don’t “pick and choose” but rather give the “benefit of the doubt” because we trust the wisdom of our teachers, and the ultimate wisdom of the Buddha.

The Venerable Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh

Thich Nhat Hanh: “Nothing Remains the same in two consecutive moments.”

Many Zen Buddhists avoid the topic, and when they discuss it, rebirth is often presented in terms which would be palatable to westerners.

The illustrious teacher Thich Nhat Hanh, whose books are inevitable bestsellers, describes rebirth in very western terms: “When you grow very old, you are no longer the same as when you were five. When you are five, or you are ten, you are neither the same, nor a different person.” He cautions against the views of Eternalism (where a soul survives forever, returning life after life) and Nihilism (where there is nothing). “Everything is impermanence. Nothing can remain exactly the same in two consecutive moments… Birth and death are like waves, and you are riding on the waves…” (from video “Rebirth in Zen Buddhism” (see video below).

Alexander Berzin: “Rebirth… central to Buddhism.”

Alexander Berzin cautioned: “rebirth [is] a topic that is central to Buddhism. I think it’s very important to acknowledge that.” Certainly, in Mahayana Buddhism it’s central. In the lam-rim “the graduated path to enlightenment… it speaks about the pathway minds of three levels of motivation. The first level motivation is to aim for fortunate rebirth.” To be motivated by rebirth, of course, we have to believe in it. “The second level is to aim for liberation. Liberation from what? Liberation from uncontrollably recurring rebirth, which is what samsara is referring to.”

Alexander Berzin greets the Dalai Lama.

He continues by describing how important belief in rebirth is to other key Buddhist teachings on karma, compassion, the nature of our minds. Rebirth contextualizes the teachings on karma and compassion.

Four Noble Truths and Eightfold path.

The four noble truths, taught by the Buddha, were designed to free us from the cycle of samsara. He taught the path as the “eight fold path” as the remedy for “Dukkha” or suffering. Buddha clearly taught in the context of belief in multiple lives. Rebirth was commonly accepted in Buddha’s lifetime. Buddha spoke of having many previously lives.

In the west, we tend to accept concepts such as karma more as a “moral imperative” rather than a metaphysical concept, since often westerners have trouble with the concept of karmic seeds. Thus, stories such as the Jataka Tales: The Previous Lives of the Buddha—believed to be “pearls of wisdom” from the mouth of the Buddha himself [5]—tend to be soft-pedaled as “children’s fables” to illustrate morality, rather than literal stories of Buddha’s previous lives. Whether the stories were meant to be fables or literal stories is irrelevant; what’s clear is that the Buddha Himself clearly believed in rebirth.

The Four Noble Truths

For the modern Buddhist, we often side-step rebirth and rationalize Dhukka as “suffering in this life.” Yet, however much we wish to avoid or rationalize, rebirth is not an avoidable issue that can be side-stepped, given sutra and traditional lineage teachings.

Can We Pick and Choose What to Believe?

Teachings on reincarnation, hell realms and karma are recurrent and prominent in both sutra and tantric teachings—in Pali cannon as much as Mahayana sutra. Yet, they tend to be actively avoided in western teachings. I’ll admit I’m amongst those who has difficultly with seriously contemplating such notions, especially such things as hell realms. There might be some rational foundation for rebirth, but hell realms? (Of course, hell realms, in the west, are often described as psychological hells, rather than “actual” hells.)

The question, then, is can we “pick and choose?” Of course, in the modern world, we are free to believe anything we wish, and we’re certainly free to pick and choose. But, does picking and choosing create obstacles to our progress on the path to ultimate Enlightenment? And, did Buddha encourage or discourage the practice of “Designer Dharma”?

Everyone has Buddha Nature says Zasep Tulku Rinpoche in a video teaching. Buddha Nature, however, is not a belief you can simply “choose” to believe or not believe. Buddha Nature is a critical concept that gets to the heart of the difference between ego and soul and “potentiality to become Enlightened” as taught by Buddha. For core teachings such as Dependent-Aristing, Buddha Nature and the Four Noble Truths it is inappropriate to “pick and choose” the Dharma you “like.”

Kalama Sutta: “carte blanche for following one’s own sense of right and wrong”

In The Kalama Sutta, most often cited in relation to the concept of “picking an choosing”, translator Thanissari Bhikkhu is quick to point out: “Although this discourse is often cited as the Buddha’s carte blanche ford following one’s own sense of right and wrong, it actually says something much more rigorous than that. Traditions are not to be followed simply because they are traditions. Reports (such as historical accounts or news) are not to be followed simply because the source seems reliable. One’s own preferences are not to be followed simply because they seem logical or resonate with one’s feelings.”

Online, there are numerous “interpreted quotes” and “false” quotes from this popular sutta. A lively debate on “fake quotes” from Kalama Sutta on the “Fake Buddha Quotes” website more or less debunks the most common online versions of this teaching. [15]

From the Kalama Sutta, Buddha says: “When there are reasons for doubt, uncertainty is born. So in this case, Kalamas, don’t go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, ‘This contemplative is our teacher.’ When you know for yourselves that, ‘These qualities are unskillful; these qualities are blameworthy; these qualities are criticized by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to harm & to suffering’ — then you should abandon them.” [12]

Rebirth, No Rebirth? Was it a Critical Doctrine?

On the surface, the answer is “probably” since “the theme of rebirth is woven inextricably throughout the Buddha’s teachings. And freedom from rebirth has been a central feature of the Buddhist goal from the very beginning of the tradition.” [7]

Venerable Thich Nguyen Tang, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, teaches: “To Buddhists, however, death is not the end of life, it is merely the end of the body we inhabit in this life, but our spirit will still remain and seek out through the need of attachment, attachment to a new body and new life. Where they will be born is a result of the past and the accumulation of positive and negative action, and the resultant karma (cause and effect) is a result of ones past actions.” [2]

Traditional Tibetan Tangkha illustrating the cycle of samsara and rebirth.

In most paths of Buddhism, our teachers advise us to meditate on impermanence and death. In part, this is to give a sense of urgency to our practice, or to encourage compassion, or simply to help us focus on the very nature of impermanence. But underpinning these meditations, particularly in lineage-inspired guided meditations, is the cycle of rebirth across endless lives. Vajrayana meditations often focus on the bardo experience — which is the experience between lives. There can be no bardo, without rebirth.

Thanissaro Bhikku: “Annihalationism… those who denied rebirth”

In an interesting article in Tricycle, Thai forest monk Thanissaro Bhikku made the point that “scholars—who should know better—keep repeating the idea that the Buddha lived in a time when everyone took for granted two principles: (1) that rebirth happened and (2) that karma had an effect on how rebirth happened.” He explained that the Pali Canon gives “clear evidence to the contrary.” His key point was that Buddha didn’t believe in rebirth because of cultural/religious norms—the Buddha argued for it. If the Buddha argued for rebirth, it follows that it’s important.

Death is a part of the cycle of suffering. Ultimately, Buddha’s teachings teach us how to escape from suffering, in the teachings of the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. When we fail to achieve enlightenment, to escape suffering, we are doomed to be reborn endlessly. The quality of those lives is determined, in Buddhist belief, by our actions in current and past lifetimes — the concept of “Karma.” However, denying one aspect of the teaching — such as rebirth — while embracing another is not the path to Enlightenment.

“The Buddha frequently referred to the two extremes of wrong view that blocked progress on the path: externalism and annihilationism. ‘Annihalationism’ is the term he used to describe those who denied rebirth.” He gave a compelling argument for the issue of whether karma and rebirth were mainstream in Buddha’s time. Buddha taught, however, that “if you assume that karma has results, you will act skillfully. And when you act skillfully you gain four assurances in the here and now.” [9]

Modern Revisionism: “Wow… I’m concerned others will actually think that’s Buddha’s view”

In response to an idea making the rounds on the internet, that “reincarnation is a non-Buddhist idea grafted on to Buddhism later,” a Dogen scholar associated with the San Francisco Zen Centre argued: ” I appreciate what you say about how we can’t know what happens after death, and therefore Zen doesn’t emphasize that teaching. However you also say that Dogen was very adamant that there is no reincarnation, that the idea of reincarnation is a non-Buddhist idea that was grafted onto Buddhism later on and isn’t originally part of Buddhism.’ Wow. I am concerned that others will actually think that is Dogen’s and Buddha’s view. As you probably know, there are many, many early Pali Suttas in which the Buddha talks about rebirth.” [10]

To which, a clever commenter posted, “I haven’t believed in rebirth for several lifetimes now.”

Lama Surya Das

Lama Surya Das: “All traditional Buddhist teachers believe in rebirth.”

In his book, Awakening the Buddha Within, Lama Surya Das makes the strong claim, “The more classical Tibetan texts and teachers stress that to be considered a Buddhist you must: take refuge in the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha); seek liberation from suffering (samsara); and believe in karma and rebirth. They say it is meaningless to seek liberation if you don’t accept karma and its implication of continuity.”

However, he continues, in the very next sentence with: “Many current Western teachers including myself agree that traditional belief in rebirth is not necessary to be a genuine Buddhist, and that an agnostic position on rebirth teachings is fine until one discovers certainty within oneself. I personally feel the most important criteria or characteristic of Buddhist spirituality is a sincere commitment to the possibility of spiritual awakening and enlightenment, combined with an open heart, an inquiring mind, and daily awareness practice based on ethics, meditation and wisdom.”

Designer Dharma: “Four Kinds of Rebirth”

In his book “Awakening the Buddha Within”, Lama Surya Das, describes four ways you can interpret rebirth, leaving it broad enough for even the most agnostic Buddhist to accept one of them:

1. “Life to life … I die, I am reborn
2. Intentional rebirth in linear time (…reincarnate lamas like the Dalai Lama vow intentionally to keep coming back… to liberate all beings til the end of samsara…)
3. Spiritual rebirth (Total renewal and personal transformation in this very life.)
4. Moment-to-moment rebirth in the timeless present… Every moment there is a new you… science tells us that almost every cell in your body changes every seven years… You are not the same person you were yesterday…”

Final Word: “The Truth of Rebirth and Why it Matters for Buddhist Practice”

There is no question that Buddha taught the cycle or rebirth. His teachings were based in his own Enlightened experience as described in various sutras such as   Majjhima Nikaya (Pali Buddhist text). We can take rebirth as a “working hypothesis” rather than a doctrinal fact, as western teachers often advise to “doubtful” western students. To this, perhaps it’s best to let Thanissaro Bhikku have the last word:

“So we’re faced with a choice. If we’re sincere about wanting to end suffering and to give the Buddha’s teachings a fair test, then — instead of assuming that he was a prisoner of his own time and place, unable to question his cultural assumptions — we have to examine the extent to which, in adhering to our own cultural assumptions, we’re imprisoning ourselves. If we don’t want to drop our self-imposed restrictions, we can still benefit from any of the Buddha’s teachings that fit within those limitations, but we’ll have to accept the consequences: that the results we’ll get will be limited as well. Only if we’re willing to submit to the test of appropriate attention, abandoning the presuppositions that distort our thinking about issues like karma and rebirth, will we be able to make full use of the Canon’s tools for gaining total release.” [7]

NOTES

[1] “The Buddhist Explanation of Rebirth“, Alexander Berzin in Morelia Mexico, June 2000. 

[2] “Buddhist View on Death and Rebirth“, Venerable Thich Nguyen Tang 

[3] For a broader discussion of the evidence supporting rebirth, see our previous two features in Buddha Weekly: “Rebirth, Part 1: Is There Evidence of Rebirth or Reincarnation?”   

[4] Coward, Harold (ed.), 1997, Life after Death in World Religions, Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books.

[5] “The Jatakas: Stories of Buddha’s Previous Births.” 

[6] “Reincarnation” Dalai Lama 

[7] “The Truth of Rebirth: And Why it Matters for Buddhist Practice”, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Access to Insight (Legacy Edition), 30 November 2013, 

[8] “Rebirth: A Case for Buddhist Agnosticism” Stephen Batchelor 

[9] “The Buddha didn’t just believe in rebirth, he argued for it.” Thanissaro Bhikku guest feature in Tricycle, Sept 2011 

[10] “What Should We Think About Death“, Brad, Hardcore Zen 

[11] “A Look at the Kalama Sutta“, Bhikkhu Bodhi 

[12] “Kalama Sutta: To the Kalamas“, translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikku

[13] “Buddhism and the dangers of pick’n’mix relgion.” the guardian, Mark Vernon 

[14] Buddhism Without Beliefs, Stephen Batchelor, Riverhead Books, ISBN-10: 1573226564, ISBN-13: 978-1573226561   

[15] “Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it” Fake Buddhist Quotes website.

“If You Don’t Feel Anything, It Can Be a Problem”

“Feelings are part of us,” said Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche, during a mini-retreat on Mahamudra and “mindfulness of feelings” in Owen Sound. “It’s part of our life. Because we are sentient beings. We have a life. We have a body. We have mind — consciousness. And we feel things. Feelings are good. If you don’t feel anything, it can be a problem… without feelings, we are not able to move forward. Feelings are a natural thing.”

Happy/ Unhappy?

To simplify the teaching, Rinpoche demonstrated with happy-unhappy. “When, for example, we have happy feelings, we get, maybe, kind of excited. When we have unhappy feelings we feel sad” — sometimes triggering other emotions and issues and “mental defilements.” He cautioned that strong and negative emotions tend to create “a chain reaction, creating more and more unhappiness, more complicated, more entangled.” This is because with unhappiness we tend to “react, and go through different stages of suffering.”

“Instead of trying to look at right and wrong, good and bad, with Mindfulness of Feeling we just simply meditate on feelings with… observation.” To do this meditation, “we’re not targeting or looking for particular feelings. Or, to bring up feelings. Or to find out what happened… first we start with resting the mind in the natural state, then observe as feelings naturally come out.”

Discriminating Alertness

This form of discriminating alertness, samprajanya or shezhin, or dranshe in Tibetan, has a life of its own. Shantideva’s fifth chaper of The Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life, focuses on discriminating alertness or mindfulness. By observing and monitoring, we stay in the present, no longer caught in the past or worrying about the future. We can observe feelings as they arise naturally in the present. Detached, non-analytical observation tends to help these emotions resolve naturally. Rinpoche cautioned us not to “judge” and not to “wish away” feelings.

Zasep Tulku Rinpoche teaching Mindfulness of Feelings meditation during a Mahamudra retreat in Owen Sound.

Rinpoche explained that when we try this meditation, we may already have some strong feelings from earlier in the day which will arise naturally. Otherwise, if we rest the mind, the feelings will rise anyway.

“The feelings come out when we meditate. Whatever you experience, you just observe. Just observe your sadness. Don’t judge, don’t ‘wish away’, don’t suppress, don’t pretend it doesn’t exist. Observe and acknowledge. ‘I have this feeling. This feeling is in me.’ First recognize, observe. That’s the first step. Then, when you observe, secondary feelings will come up… don’t be afraid of it.”

If You Observe Negative Feelings, They Subside Naturally

“When you are the ‘observer’ you have more strength and awareness. This is the observer. When you are aware, and you realize ‘this feeling is here’, but you realize it is a natural thing. When you have awareness, mindfulness, of the feeling, reaction subsides. If you observe long enough it will subside… our defilements, emotions and negative feelings, if you have the awareness, mindfulness, it will evaporate. It will subside. It will purify. It will dissolve. Then, we can let it go. It will go away itself. Then, we can say ‘goodbye!’ We don’t hold it anymore. We don’t panic. We don’t have to run away from this… you can just let it go. Let it pass”

There are three steps to the meditation on feelings.

“First, acknowledge and recognize. Second, experience. Third, let go.”

Rinpoche guided the attendees through a Mindfulness of Feelings session.

Video teaching on Vipashyana Meditation

The Main Purpose: Examine Our Minds

In Mahamudra, the main purpose of mindfulness of feelings is not to help us deal with negative emotions and issues—although it’s a wonderful side-benefit. The goal of Mahamudra is nothing less than to examine our own minds.

What differentiates Mahamudra mindfulness meditations from what is typically thought of as ordinary mindfulness, is the subject: what do we observe? In typical mindfulness meditation, you might watch the breath, or just watch the thoughts that arise naturally in your mind. In Mahamudra, once we have mastered the foundation practices, we then focus on observation of “awareness” itself, rather than just observing an “object” of the moment, such as breath.

Mindfulness of awareness — rather than object — is an important distinction. This advanced level of mindfulness practice is made possible through first training the five foundations, which begin with mindfulness of “object”, such as breath or feelings. In previous sessions in this teaching (links below), Rinpoche covered “mindfulness of breath”, as the first foundation, then “mindfulness of body” through “body scanning” in session two. In session three, he asked meditators to focus on “mindfulness of feelings.” All of these are preliminary meditation practices where we observe, mindfully, an object.

About Zasep Tulku Rinpoche

Aside from teaching style and personality, what defines the credibility of a great teacher—at least for me—is: experience, compassion and care, and deep and profound teachings rooted in irrefutable lineage.One added dimension, in the case of Zasep Tulku Rinpoche, is a passion for languages. His ability to master languages—six languages fluently—allowed him to communicate teachings to a wide variety of students.

Zasep Tulku at one of the meditation centres. Rinpoche is the spiritual director of several centres in Canada, US, and Australia. He also travels to Mongolia each year to deliver teachings in remote villages.

Zasep Tulku is the spiritual head of a number of Buddhist Centers, including Gaden Tashi Choling Retreat Centre in Nelson, BC, Canada, Vancouver, BC, Calgary, Alberta, Toronto, ON, Ottawa, ON, Thunder Bay, ON, Seattle, WA, Moscow, ID, Kalamazoo, MI, and Tasmania, Australia.

Full Biography of Zasep Tulku Rinpoche here>>

About Host Theodore Tsaousidis

One of the hosts of the event is Theodore Tsaousidis, a student of Zasep Tulku Rinpoche who is authorized to teach. Born in a rural community in Greece surrounded by mountains and valleys, he was profoundly shaped by nature and the ancient tradition of village elders and healers. His connection to nature and the spirit world is an integral part of who he is – as is his dedication to the Zen training he has followed for 30 years. He is also blessed by the guidance of the Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche. His healing and shamanic sharing stem from, his cultural roots, personal experience. and Tibetan and Buddhist traditions. Theodore sees shamanism and meditation as a great alchemy for the healing of self and other.

For coverage of Session 1 of Mahamudra Teachings>>

For coverage of Session 2 of Mahamudra Teachings>>

The great teacher, Bodhisattva and scholar, Thich Nhat Hanh — who shook the world with his message of peace — has passed away at 95, “at his home in the Tu Hieu Temple in Hue, Vietnam”, announced by Plum Village.

“The International Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism announces that our beloved teacher Thich Nhat Hanh passed away peacefully at Từ Hiếu Temple in Huế, Vietnam, at 00:00hrs on 22nd January, 2022, at the age of 95.”

Always ready with a smile and a kind word, the great Zen master wrote numerous best-selling books.

Thich Nhat Hanh teaching.

Thich Nhat Han: Beloved around the World

Beloved by many around the world, the great man of peace will live on in our hearts, a genuine Bodhisattva who brought love and compassion to our world.

“Prolific author, poet, teacher and peace activist,” writes the New York Times.[1]

Thich Nhat Hanh with Martin Luther King Jr. 50 years after Martin Luther King won the Pacem in Terris Peace and Freedom Award, Thich Nhat Hanh became a recipient. Martin Luther King Jr. nominated Thay for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1967.

He famously encouraged what he called “engaged Buddhism” — the activities of peace and a Bodhisattva in daily living.

Examples of his “engaged Buddhist” living in real life practice — from the Plum Village website:

“In recent years Thich Nhat Hanh led events for members of US Congress and for parliamentarians in the UK, Ireland, India, and Thailand. He has addressed the World Parliament of Religions in Melbourne and UNESCO in Paris, calling for specific steps to reverse the cycle of violence, war and global warming. On his visit to the US in 2013 he led high-profile mindfulness events at Google, The World Bank, and the Harvard School of Medicine.”

Thich Nhat Hanh.

Previous features in Buddha Weekly on the great teacher:

• The Emptiness of Prayer—Who Do We Pray To? “You and the Buddha are not separate realities.” — Thich Nhat Hanh
• Pali Sutta for Our Age: Old Path White Clouds: Walking in the Footsteps of the Buddha by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Book Review of a Classic
• Thich Nhat Hanh’s Translation: The Sutra on the Eight Realizations of the Great Beings “Torches That Help Light My Path”
• Movie: Walk With Me — Thich Nhat Hanh and Plum Village on the Big Screen: “Mindfulness is to always arrive in the here and now.”
• “You and the Buddha are not separate realities. You are in the Buddha and the Buddha is in you.” Thich Nhat Hanh
• Thich Nhat Hanh, the Great Buddhist Peacemaker, Honoured with Catholic Peace Award, recipient of the 2015 Pacem in Terris Peace and Freedom Award.
• “We offer Thich our powerful collective energy”: People Around the World Hope for Fast Recovery for Renowned Buddhist Teacher Thich Nhat Hanh

The Life Story of Thich Nhat Hanh

To read a wonderful life story of the great teacher, see his biography on the Plum Village website:

“Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh is a global spiritual leader, poet, and peace activist, renowned for his powerful teachings and bestselling writings on mindfulness and peace. A gentle, humble monk, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. called him “an Apostle of peace and nonviolence” when nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize. Exiled from his native Vietnam for almost four decades, Thich Nhat Hanh has been a pioneer bringing Buddhism and mindfulness to the West, and establishing an engaged Buddhist community for the 21st Century….”

• Read the full feature on the Plum Village site>>

Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh leads walking meditation at the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya India.

From the biography: “Under Thich Nhat Hanh’s spiritual leadership Plum Village has grown from a small rural farmstead to what is now the West’s largest and most active Buddhist monastery, with over 200 resident monastics and over 10,000 visitors every year, who come from around the world to learn “the art of mindful living.”

Plum Village welcomes people of all ages, backgrounds and faiths at retreats where they can learn practices such as walking meditation, sitting meditation, eating meditation, total relaxation, working meditation and stopping, smiling, and breathing mindfully. These are all ancient Buddhist practices, the essence of which Thich Nhat Hanh has distilled and developed to be easily and powerfully applied to the challenges and difficulties of our times.

In the last twenty years over 100,000 people have made a commitment to follow Thich Nhat Hanh’s modernized code of universal global ethics in their daily life, known as “The Five Mindfulness Trainings.”

Great Buddhist Teacher and Author

I have personally read almost all of Thich Nhat Hanh’s amazing books. Every single one of them deserves a space on the Buddhist’s library shelf (or Kindle library). He not only had a brilliant way with words, he conveyed a serene sense of love and compassion in every paragraph. His translations of Sutras are among the best anywhere. His books are also hands-on practical, not just spiritual wisdom.

Some of my favorites — including my absolute favorite “Awakening of the Heart” include (these are Amazon links):

• Awakening of the Heart: Essential Buddhist Sutras and Commentaries>> (a MUST read for any Buddhist)

• Another must-read: The Other Shore: A New Translation of the Heart Sutra with Commentaries>>

• Your True Home: The Everyday Wisdom of Thich Nhat Hanh: 365 days of practical, powerful teachings from the beloved Zen teacher>>
• The World We Have: A Buddhist Approach to Peace and Ecology>>
• Anger: Wisdom for Cooling the Flames>>
• Transformation & Healing: Sutra on the Four Establishments of Mindfulness >>
• No Mud, No Lotus: The Art of Transforming Suffering>>
• Fear: Essential Wisdom for Getting Through the Storm>>

Note: The above is from my personal reading list and are affiliate links (you don’t pay more, but BW may have a small commission). You can also lookup his entire library of publications (vastly larger than this list) at his author page on Amazon>>

Walk With Me: Movie

A wonderful tribute to Thich Nhat Hanh’s great life was a recent film “Walk With Me”:

View the trailer:

Produced by West End Films, and filmed over three years on location at Plum Village in France, and other locations, Walk with me, the movie, promises to give glimpses into life with teacher Thich Nhat Hanh, one of the most respected spiritual leaders in the world today. Once nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, Thay, as he is affectionally called by his followers and friends, is famous for clarity of thought. The Zen monk’s many books are popular in the west, among the best teachings in Mindfulness and spirituality. His descriptions and lessons in Emptiness and Oneness are widely quoted — considered among the best illustrations of the difficult concept.

The movie appears to also follow the lives of monks and nuns in Plum Village, with rare glimpses into teaching sessions and meditation sessions.

Transcript of Trailer

Narrator: I knew early on that finding truth is not the same as finding happiness. You aspire to see the truth, but once you have see it you cannot avoid [suffering], otherwise you have seen nothing at all.

Text: Zen Buddhist Master Thich Nhat Hanh

Thich Nhat Hanh: “The Past is no longer there.” From the movie “Walk with Me.”

Thich Nhat Hanh: There is a song we like to sing. “I have arrived. I am home.”

Text: Nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize

Thich Nhat Hanh: Mindfulness is to always arrive in the here and the now.You have been running a lot, but you have not arrived.

Text: Followed by millions

A monk: We have taken a vow to not have any personal possessions. So, we don’t have money. We don’t have personal possessions. We don’t have a bank account.

Another voice: We are all raised in chaos…

Text: “One of the most influential spiritual leaders of our times.” — Oprah Winfrey

Thich Nhat Hanh: So, the practice of mindfulness helps us to live our lives deeply. That way, we will not waste our life.

Thich Nhat Hanh speaking in the movie Walk With Me: “That way we will not waste our lives.”

Text: “A moving and wonderful film — a great work full of love.” — Alejandro G. Inarritu

Voice: Is your life controlled by someone else?

Monk: You know Yoda in Star Wars? (Cuts to image of Thich Nhat Hanh contemplating, smiling.) A little bit like that.

Thich Nhat Hanh contemplating. From the movie “Walk with me”, released in 2017.

Child’s voice: I have a doggie. The doggie died… I feel so sad. (We see the child standing by Thich Nhat Hanh, who answers her…)

Thich Nhat Hanh: You look into the sky and you see a beautiful cloud. The cloud has become the rain. And when you drink your tea, you can see your cloud in your tea.

“You look into the sky and you see a beautiful cloud.” Thich Nhat Hanh in the movie “Walk With Me” releasing in 2017

(The girl smiles, understanding the metaphor of Oneness.)

Text: “Mindfulness has gone mainstream.” — New York Time

Thich Nhat Hanh: The past is no longer there. The future is not yet there. There’s only the present moment.

“There is only the present moment.” A nun depicted in the movie “Walk with Me” released 2017.

Text: Narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch.

NOTES

[1] Thich Nhat Hanh, Zen Master and Political Reformer, Dies at 95, By Seth Mydans

What do big moons, lazy nihilists and rabbit holes have to do with Shunyata? Yesterday I read a feature on Space.com which became the inspiration of this feature: “The ‘Big Moon’ Illusion May All Be in Your Head,” by Joe Rao. This led to rabbit holes and lazy nihilism. Bear with me, I come back to the big moon at the end, and I want to start with snakes.

Nagarjuna: “Wrong End of the Snake”

Famously, the great Nagarjuna is credited with saying: “Emptiness wrongly grasped is like picking up a poisonous snake by the wrong end.”

However perilous, serious Buddhists students have to try to pick up that snake. No one wants to be bitten. Recently, one of my good friends went back to her birth religion, after years as a Buddhist, because she couldn’t get past thinking she was practicing nihilism. She had picked up “the wrong end” of the snake. For most of the rest of us — who aspire to Buddhist realizations — it can be the most difficult of topics.

The great teacher Narajuna taught extensively on emptiness.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama teaches that Emptiness is “the knowledge of ultimate reality of all objects, material and phenomenon.” [3]

Einstein and “bullshit”: Substantialism versus Nihilism

The venerable teacher Gelek Rinpoche points to Einstein’s theory of relativity for a concise explanation of emptiness: “The theory of relativity gives you Buddha’s idea of emptiness. The essence of emptiness is the interdependent nature or dependent arising of things. The essence of Emptiness is not empty.” [7]

Einstein’s theory of relativity.

In separate teaching on Yamantaka — in his eloquent, direct teaching style — Gelek Rinpoche warned against nihilism: “So if some people say ‘Everything is only the result of mind. In the end, it is all zero, so it doesn’t matter, it’s all the same, it’s all bullshit’ … that is the emptiness approach from the empty point of view and that gets you on the wrong track.” [9]

The great Tibetan Yogini Machig explained emptiness as “the source and inseparable essence of all phenomena, it represents the totality of all that is and all that will come to be. For without emptiness, there would be no space for existence.”[8] This is the opposite of nihilism, and could be better described as “inclusivism” of “substantialism.” [11]

Thich Nhat Hanh: “Inter-Be”

The great Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh describes Emptiness as: “empty of separate self. That means none of the five [aggregates] can exist by itself alone. Each of the five [aggregates] has to be made up of the other four. It has to coexist; it has to inter-be with all others.” The term “Inter-Be” has become something of the modern-day equivalent to the Sanskrit term “Shunyata” with some Zen teachers. [12]

Thich Nhat Hanh, the great zen teacher.

Lama Tsongkhapa, in his Three Principles, writes: “Interdependent appearance — infallible Emptiness… As long as these two seem separate, Buddha’s insight is not understood.”

The problem with the extreme of substantialism arises when “things appear to exist from their own side so solidly that even when we recognize that they are empty in nature … they still appear to exist from their own side,” writes Rob Preece, in Preparing for Tantra: Creating the Psychological Ground for Practice. [10]

The problem with nihilism — substantialism’s opposite — is Nagarjuna’s venomous snake. Buddha taught “the middle way” which implies avoiding extreme views, such as substantialism and nihilism. Both concepts run contrary to the notion of emptiness.

IABS: “Transcend a lazy nihilism”

It is easy for people to make incorrect assumptions from the terms “Emptiness” and “Voidness” — incomplete, even possibly misleading translations of the Sanskrit word Shunyata. The International Association of Buddhist Studies (IABS), in their Journal, warns practitioners to “transcend a lazy nihilism” — one of the perceptions that arise from the terms Emptiness and Voidness. [2]

Zasep Tulku Rinpoche frequently cautions against nihilism in his formal teachings. Rinpoche meditates by the river in Mongolia.

Quite the contrary, as Terry Clifford explains in Tibetan Buddhist Medicine and Buddhism, if emptiness was nihilistic, compassion would be pointless. “The absolute compassion of Mahayana arises spontaneously with the realization of emptiness. Since we all share the nature of emptiness, how can we bear the suffering of others…” [6]

Friend: “Aren’t You a Nihilist?”

The entire concept of Emptiness and Shunyata is perhaps the most misunderstood aspect of Buddhism. My non-Buddhist friends often ask me, “Aren’t you a nihilist?” or “Why would you want to destroy ego? Isn’t that what makes us sentient beings?”

Sure, I could jump in and say, “You can’t destroy ego, because ego really doesn’t inherently exist,” but I don’t feel qualified to enter into a back-and-forth debate on dependent arising, labeling, and ego. I have answered, in the past, with direct quotes from the Buddha. Other times, I’ve used quotes from neurologists and psychologists, who tend to concur, for the most part, with the Buddha.

The greatest of teachers, Shakyamuni.

So, to help me answer (for myself) this recurring question from my friends of the non-Buddhist persuasion, I decided to research what the teachers of different traditions have to say about Emptiness. To spice it up, I’ve also searched out what physicists, psychiatrists and neurologists have to say about ego and self. I’ve brought some of these quotes together in this little feature with some helpful links to more details in the notes.

Milarepa: “Appearances are … superficial”

The great yogi Milarepa, in one of his One Hundred Thousand Songs sang: “Mind is insubstantial, void awareness, body a bubble of flesh and blood. If the two are indivisibly one, why would a corpse be left behind at the time of death when the consciousness leaves? And if they are totally separate why would the mind experience pain when harm happens to the body? Thus, illusory appearances are the result of belief in the reality of the superficial.” [1]

The great yogi Milarepa expounded on emptiness with concise clarity in his 100,000 songs.

In Milarepa’s time (born 1052 in Tibet), songs were used to enchant and teach, even on topics as difficult and profound as Emptiness. Today, we’d be as likely to cite or quote popular movies.

The Matrix: “How Deep the Rabbit Hole Goes”

For example, in the popular movie The Matrix, the character Morpheus (played by Laurence Fishburne) explains to Neo (played by Keanu Reaves) that the world is not as it seems. What Neo sees, he explains, is not the true nature of reality. (Note: he does not say the world does “not” exist.) He offers Neo, the hero of the story, a choice between a red pill or a blue pill:

“This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill—the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill—you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes. Remember: all I’m offering is the truth. Nothing more.”

“This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill—the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill—you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.”

The “waking up” language Morpheus used, is often used in Buddhism. We try to “wake up” to the true nature of reality in order to end suffering. In Buddhism — so it seems — at some point, we also have to choose the red pill or the blue pill. The sleeping metaphor is also often used by Buddhist teachers. Like Neo, many of us are tempted just to go back to sleep and “believe whatever” we want to believe.

Sure, it’s more complicated than a choice of two pills, but The Matrix movie offers, perhaps, one of the easiest ways to introduce the notion of Emptiness in Buddhism to the modern non-Buddhist — in much the same way as Milarepa used enchanting songs. So, borrowing from Morpheus, I set out to research what the great Buddhist teachers have to say about Emptiness, that most difficult of subjects — in pursuit of “the truth, nothing more” and “how deep the rabbit hole goes.”

Buddha: “Empty of Self”

In the Pali canon, Sunna Sutta, Ananada asks Buddha about emptiness:

“It is said that the world is empty, lord. In what respect is it said that the world is empty?” The Buddha replied, “Insofar as it is empty of a self or of anything pertaining to a self: Thus it is said, Ānanda, that the world is empty.””

This deceptively simple answer seems to satisfy my curious non-Buddhist friends when they ask about emptiness, but for the practicing Buddhist, it’s often just the beginning of understanding.

Shakyamuni Buddha, the current Buddha of our time.

Albert Einstein: “Reality is merely an illusion”

For those of more “scientific” orientation, Albert Einstein — who was not a Buddhist, despite being credited with saying: ” If there is any religion that would cope with modern scientific needs it would be Buddhism” — had this to say on the nature of reality:

“A human being is part of a whole, called by us the ‘universe’, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separate from the rest — a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affectation for a few people near us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.” [6]

Gelek Rinpoche of Jewel Heart.

The venerable teacher Gelek Rinpoche, in his 7-day teachings on Vajrayogini, linked Einstien’s theory of relativity to Buddha’s teachings on Emptiness: “I begin to appreciate Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity, based on points of reference. If you don’t have points of reference, you are gone. If there is no point of reference, there is no existence. Everything exists relatively, collectively, because of points of reference.” [7]

Quoting the Teachers: Just What is Emptiness?

If Emptiness is not nihilism, then what exactly is it? It can be challenging to try to understand such a vast (and yet not vast) topic such as Emptiness, especially from teacher snippets. Such extracts necessarily sound enigmatic and almost riddle-like. Teachers often deliberately challenge our mind with difficult propositions. Ultimately, it is for us to develop our own realizations. Here are some famous quotes on “Emptiness” from the great teachers of Buddhism:

“The four categories of existence, non-existence, both existence and non-existence, and neither existence nor non-existence, are spider webs among spider webs which can never take hold of the enormous bird of reality” — The Buddha (563 – 483 BC)

“After 48 years, I have said nothing.” — The Buddha

“Whatever depends on conditions is explained to be empty…” — Sutra Requested by Madropa, translated by Ari Goldfield

“We live in illusion and the appearance of things. There is a reality. We are that reality. When we understand this, we see that we are nothing. And being nothing, we are everything. That is all.” — Kalu Rinpoche [4]

“Once you know the nature of anger and joy is empty and you let them go, you free yourself from karma.” — Bodhidharma (c 440-528 AD) [5]

Bodhidharma, the great chan sage.

“The past is only an unreliable memory held in the present. The future is only a projection of our present conceptions. The present itself vanishes as soon as we try to grasp it. So why bother with attempting to establish an illusion of solid ground?” — Dilgo Kyentse

“What is Reality? An icicle forming in fire.” — Dogen Zenji (c 1200-1253 AD)

“Men are afraid to forget their minds, fearing to fall through the Void with nothing to stay their fall. They do not know that the Void is not really void, but the realm of the real Dharma.” — Huang-po (Tang Dynasty Zen Teacher)

Answering the Nihilist Challenge: Is Emptiness Nothingness or Voidness?

Even if the words of great teachers challenge us to our own understandings of Emptiness, there is always the risk of “lazy nihilism.” If we can’t understand such a profound concept, we often “lazily” associate Emptiness with Nihilism. [2]

The problem begins with the English translation of the original Sanskrit term Shunyata. This profound and complex concept is often translated into English as “voidness.” Voidness sounds a lot like “nothingness” and, in my many years of attending teachings, I’ve often heard teachers interchange the word Emptiness, Voidness and Nothingness, so this can be confusing from the get-go. In the same discussion, some teachers will warn against nihilism, but never-the-less use the word “nothingness.”

“There is really no adequate word in English for Shunyata, as both ‘voidness’ and ’emptiness’ have negative connotations, whereas, shunyata is a positive sort of emptiness transcending the duality of positive-negative,” writes Terry Clifford in Tibetan Buddhist Medicine and Psychiatry. [6] He adds: “The doctrine of void was propounded in the Madhyamika dialectic philosophy of Nagarjuna, the second-century Buddhist philosopher-saint. Nagarjuna said of shunyata, ‘It cannot be called void or not void, or both or neither, but in order to indicate it, it is called the Void.”

In Sanskrit, the word Shunyata has a very layered meaning, not easily translated into other languages. Translations of the Sanskrit noun Shunyata might be part of the issue. The Sanskrit noun Shunyata literally translates as “zero” or “nothing” — but like most Sanskrit words, a single-word translation is misleading. The Sanskrit adjective is actually Sunya, which means “empty” — according to translators who insist on single-word equivalents. In Buddhist concept, Shunyata is decidedly not nihilistic in tone — sometimes, it is translated as openess, oneness and spaciousness. No single-word translation is really helpful in describing the true essence of Shunyata.

How Different Traditions Describe Emptiness

Are there differences in how Shunyata is interpreted in the major schools of Buddhist thought? Most teachers will say Shunyata is Shunyata, and schools or philosophies just offer different ways of illustrating the concept. Here I’ll be overly simplistic (almost to the point of disservice).

The elder schools, Theravadan Buddhism, often translate sunnata or shunyata is as “non self” or “not self” in the context of the five aggregates of experience.

In Mahayana Buddhism, notably Prajna-Paramita Sutra, which means “Perfection of Wisdom”, the notion of Shunyata is equated to Wisdom. Mahayana teachers often stress that Enlightenment is only possible with realizations in Wisdom of Emptiness and Compassion—both are essential. In this Mahayana view, emptiness is beautifully expressed in the famous Heart sutra in these profound — if enigmatic — words:

Form is emptiness, emptiness is form.

Emptiness is not separate from form,

Form is not separate from emptiness.

Whatever is form is emptiness,

Whatever is emptiness is form.

We Are An Imputed Label

Mahayana teachers often focus more on the notion of “imputed labels” as an introduction to the very difficult subject of Emptiness. Imputing is a frequently repeated word in the teachings on Emptiness.

In teachings on Mahamudra in Ontario last spring, Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche gave this example of labeling: “A good example is your car. If you take that car apart, and everything is just parts, there is no car. Just car parts. You put it back together, and then label it Hyundai, you have a Hyundai. But if you switch the labels [to Honda] is it now a Honda? It’s all labels. There is no independent existence. That’s only one way to look at emptiness.”

“A good example is your car. If you take that car apart, and everything is just parts, there is no car. Just car parts. You put it back together, and then label it Hyundai, you have a Hyundai.”

During a “scanning meditation” guided practice in the same teaching session at Gaden Choling, Zasep Rinpoche asked students to find their body: “what is my body? … do a scanning meditation and try to find your body. “When you scan your skin, you ask, is that my body? No, it’s skin, not body. Then you look at your bones, and likewise every part of your body… To be body, it has to be the ‘whole’ body, all the parts. If you really look, you can’t find one thing that is your body. What we call body is just a ‘label’. A name. Imputing a label.”

Labeling implies that we are more than our label, rather than less. It conveys a sense of expansiveness, oneness and fullness.

Geshe Tashi Tsering.

Four Different Views on Emptiness: Geshe Tashi Tsering

“Each of the four Buddhist philosophical schools presents emptiness differently,” writes Geshe Tsering in his powerful book, Tantra: The Foundation of Buddhist Thought. [4] Presenting differently, however, does not mean they disagree on the essence of Emptiness.

“There is the emptiness or selflessness asserted by the schools below Svatantrika -Madhyamaka, where the Hinayana schools — Vaibhashika and Sautrantika — assert emptiness is being empty of substantial existence, and the Chittamatra school explains emptiness as the absence of duality of appearance of subject and object. Svatantrika-Madhyamaka school explains it as being empty of existing from its own side without depending on the mind. Finally, there is the emptiness asserted in Prasangika-Madhyamaka, which is being empty of existing inherently.”

The earth also looks deceptively large rising above the horizon of the moon.

Big Moons: Where This Story Began

I was inspired to write this story from a feature on Space.com. It was a light-hearted story titled, “The ‘Big Moon’ Illusion May All Be in Your Head.” For decades, scientists and thinkers have pondered over the phenomenon of the giant moon, when viewed at the horizon. Aristotle theorized it was the magnifying effect of the image of the moon enlarged through the atmosphere (pretty smart, that Aristotle guy.) I actually thought that was the case.

“Carl Friedrich Gauss (1777-1865), an astronomer who was considered to be a master mathematician, proposed that the answer lay in the difference between the image perceived when the rising moon was viewed over a horizon, in which case nearby objects provided a sense of scale for the eye, and the image perceived when the eyes were raised to view the same object overhead.” The author of the piece, Joe Rao, went on to describe a “simple experiment…. Get hold of a cardboard tube… Now close one eye and with the other look at the seemingly enlarged moon near the horizon through the tube and immediately the moon will appear to contract to its normal proportions.”

So, how did this inspire my little feature on Emptiness and dependent arising? The first thing I thought of when I read Joe Rao’s story was, “dependent arising…” and how we perceive things through their relationship to each other. I know, it’s a stretch, but that was my inspiration.

NOTES

[1] Drinking the Mountain Stream: Songs of Tibet’s Beloved Saint Milarepa, translated by Lama Kunga Rinpoche and Brian Cutillo.

[2] “The Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies, Volumes 11-12, page 108. IABS website: https://iabsinfo.net

[3] Buddhism Teacher: Emptiness https://buddhismteacher.com/emptiness.php

• [4] Tantra: The Foundation of Buddhist Thought, Volume 6 by Geshe Tashi Tsering
• Paperback: 240 pages; Publisher: Wisdom Publications (July 3 2012), ISBN-10: 1614290113; ISBN-13: 978-1614290117
• [5] Joseph Goldstein Interview https://www.dharma.org/ims/joseph_goldstein_interview1.html
• [5] “The Zen Teaching of Bodhidharma: A Bilingual Edition.”
• [6] The Responsive Universe, John C. Bader, Wisdom Moon Publishing, ISBN-10: 1938459288, ISBN-13: 978-1938459283
• [7] “Vajrayogini”, PDF transcript, 490 pages, Jewel Heart (requires initiation from a qualified teacher to download). https://www.jewelheart.org/digital-dharma/vajrayogini/
• [8] Machik’s Complete Explanation: Clarifying the Meaning of Chod (Expanded Edition), Snow Lion, ASIN: B00DMC5HAQ
• [9] “Solitary Yamantaka Teachings”, PDF, 460 pages, Jewel Heart (requires initiation from a qualified teacher to download).
• [10] Preparing for Tantra: Creating the Psychological Ground for Practice, Rob Preece, Snow Lion, ASIN: B00FWX9AX8
• [11] Source of term substantialism: ” Some philosophers of physics take the argument to raise a problem for manifold substantialism, a doctrine that the manifold of events in spacetime is a “substance” which exists independently of the matter within it.”
• [12] The Heart of Understanding: Comentaries on the Prajnaparamita Heart Sutra, Thich Nhat Hanh, Parallax Press, ASIN: B005EFWU0E

Among the most loved of the sages from the land of Tibet was the great Shabkar. His Holiness the Dalai Lama explained Shabkar’s unique appeal in the forward to the book the Life of Shabkar:

“Regarded by many as the greatest yogi after Milarepa to gain enlightenment in one lifetime, he also lived the life of a wandering mendicant teaching by means of spiritual songs. Shabkar is particularly celebrated for the absolute purity of his approach to his lama and his personal practice, which freed him from the snare of sectarianism. He is also affectionately remembered for the kindness of his gently teasing humor.”

The great yogi Shabkar. zhabs dkar tshogs drug rang ‘grol (1781-1851).

Shabkar and emanation of Milarepa

Shabkar, considered an emanation of  Milarepa, also taught in songs and much of his life in solitude in the mountains. He is immediately relatable, as he received teachings and initiations from gurus of all schools of Buddhism, although his principal root guru was Chogyal Ngakgi Wangpo — who was not only a Mongolian king, but also the prized disciple of the First Doprupchen. One of his main Yidams was Hayagriva, a practice given by his root guru. [For a story on great Hayagriva, see>>]

Shabkar tries to leave his disciples

One of the most exquisite exchanges between Enlightened teacher and his disciples is recorded in Shabkar’s wonderful biography, The Life of Shabkar: Autobiography of a Tibetan Yogin.

This is a long and poignant and profound book, a teaching, and equally beautiful in English translation. Like Milarepa, Shabkar was famous for his songs. Many great accomplished masters in Tibet taught in verse and song, but none more beautifully than Shabkar.

One striking scene in this lovely — and highly recommended — book, is when he was trying t leave his students — to move on after three years to teach others. The exchange between students — unable to part with their guru — and the master, who was anxious to move on is incredibly beautiful here. It evokes the sense of angst we modern students have whenever our guru moves on to teach others. We selfishly cling. Instead, the great Shabkar explains:

“In the past, holy beings never stayed in one place for more than one or two years. This was not because they were unable to remain, it was for the exalted purpose of benefiting themselves and others. I have been in this excellent place three years now. I have taught you whatever I know, without keeping anything back.”

Zhabs dkar tshogs drug rang ‘grol (1781-1851) with the rigs gsum mgon po above and his various former incarnations around. Photo credit in notes footer.

But they continued to cling, Shabkar gave them his final advice:

I answered, “Sons, have you thought well about birth and death, about the defects of samsara? Have you given up attachment to this life? If you strongly aspire to the state of liberation and complete omniscience and decide to practice Dharma genuinely, this what you should do:

“Leave your mind to the Dharma; leave your Dharma to a beggar’s life; live your beggar’s life until death; leave your death to a cave. These are ‘four ultimate aims’
“Cast yourself out from your place among men and take your place among dogs, and you shall find a place among celestial beings. These three are known as ‘casting oneself out, taking, and finding’.
“Start with the vajra of unswerving determination, end with the vajra of indifference to what others may think of you, and, at all times, keep with you the vajra of wisdom. These are the three ‘diamond-hard resolutions’.
“Altogether, these ten are known as the ‘ten cardinal treasures of the past saints’.
“Faith, generosity, discipline, learning, modesty, sense of shame, and insight: these are the ‘seven riches of the noble ones’.

“Simple food, simple clothing, simple dwelling place, simple possessions: these are the ‘four preferences of the noble ones’.
“Not returning anger for anger, insult for insult, slander for slander, blow for blow: these are the ‘four Dharmas of training in virtue’.
“If you follow these, wherever you may go, you will succeed in the Dharma. Furthermore, to sever all ties and attachments, when you are wandering without preference through different countries you should do this:
When you wander from place to place,
Traveling at will throughout many regions,
Visualize your root guru on the crown of your head
And, in sadness or happiness, pray to him.
When you’ve found food and clothes and Dharma—
Establishing your well-being,
That is the compassion of the guru.
When you face hardships,
It is your residual karma That has made you needy.
Even if you are lacking food and clothing,
Don’t behave in evil, shameless ways.
When you beg for alms and people give you nothing,
Don’t say harsh, angry things.
Wherever you are happy, make that place your homeland.
Rely on whoever is kind to you as if he or she were your parent.
Even if you have nothing material to offer,
When you see symbols of the enlightened body, speech, and mind,
Offer prostrations and circumambulations.
When you meet a good lama,
Even if you have no present to offer,
Ask him to give you a blessing with his hand.
Beware of bandits, thieves, and dogs:
They may harm your body and life.
Avoid meat, wine, women, garlic, and onions;
These are poison for practitioners.
To stay in towns or monasteries is very comfortable,
But if you linger there, attachment and hatred will increase.
A Dharma practitioner’s place is a mountain hermitage;
Always remain in the wilderness.
When you see suffering and poverty,
Be compassionate; try to help.
When you perceive faults in others,
Think, “This is my own fault,”
And train in pure perception.
Life is short; Death constantly confronts us:
Don’t bother wondering if you’ll have enough food
To eat tomorrow or the day after.
If you don’t die, and if you seek it out,
You’ll find the illusory wealth for what is needed—
But even if you did not find what you sought,
And you were to die of hunger,
Your next rebirth would be excellent,
Since your death had come to pass
From having sought to practice the Dharma.
Always be even-minded about death:
To die practicing Dharma is the best way to die.
In conclusion, don’t think too much;
Practice according to your master’s instructions;
Don’t be lazy or indifferent: Have enthusiastic diligence.

…

After more than two years had passed in this great sacred place, I often talked to my disciples about leaving, and one day I sang this song:

In a small willow grove
The cuckoo flies happily here and there.
But once he gets entangled in a net,
He regrets his carelessness.
Now he severs his ties to the willow grove
And, freed, flies back into the heavens.
The cuckoo makes his way through the blue sky—
The place where the white vulture soars.
In the cool shallow waters,
The fish swims happily here and there.
But once he is caught on a steel-blue hook,
He regrets his carelessness.
Now he breaks out from shallow water,
And swims comfortably in the pure depths.
The fish makes his way to the ocean—
The playground of the great whales.
In the quiet mountain retreat,
The yogin lives happily amid his disciples,
But once he is caught by the Lord of Death
He will regret his heedlessness.
Now, breaking the ties to this life,
Traveling here and there to pleasant regions
He will make his way to other solitudes
Where past sages once stayed.

Realizing that I was thinking of leaving, Rabgye and other disciples presented many reasons why I should stay one or two more years to help them, and offered this song:

You are the fire-crystal, the sun,
Born in the land beyond the ocean.
Because you dispel the darkness of the four continents,
The beings here are happy;
The wild flowers of this meadow
Will sadden without you.
Please remain in the azure heights,
Continuing to illuminate us.
You are the white snow lioness of the glaciers,
Born in the high snow ranges.
Because you rule over the savage beasts,
All other animals are joyful;
The place where snow lions toss their turquoise manes.
Roaming at random from place to place,
The yogin longed for the solitude of the wild mountains.
Forsaking his wanderings,
He made his way to this sublime sacred place—
The place where yogins practice meditation.

Pleased with this, the disciples made offerings and held a fine ganachakra feast.
At the end of it they sang this joyful song:

The fragrant lotus flower
Gives off a most delicious scent,
Even seeming content to do so;
It unfolds itself petal by petal.
Striped like small tigers,
Humming our contentment,
We bees fly easily through space In joyful celebration of the lotus flower.
The dark and cool southern cloud Lets fall a gentle rain,
Even seeming content to do so,
It unfolds its varied transformations.
Fanning out ocellated iridescent feathers,
We peacocks arrange ourselves on the solid earth;
In joyful celebration of the thunder dragon
We dance in our contentment.
The authentic root guru,
Has given profound instructions,
And even seems to enjoy doing so.
His mind replete with the Dharma.
We, his fortunate disciples,
Prepare an excellent mansion
To hold a feast with song and dance
In joyful celebration of these teachings.

Jigme Gyaltsen and a few other disciples said: “Today we are indeed fortunate. Precious lama, to benefit our minds, please sing a song of spiritual advice, and a short song in praise of this sacred mountain and the two lakes.”

I sang this song:

Here is Manasarovar, the great turquoise lake,
The fountainhead of the four great rivers.
Here dwells the naga king,
The Lord who bestows upon this land
Prosperity and auspiciousness.
Here is the Vulture Peak, Kailash, T
he center of the world,
Where people of four human races come and go.
Here dwells the Buddha himself,
The lord who turns the Wheel of Dharma
For the sake of sentient beings.
The wish-granting jewel
Comes from a distant ocean.
To free all beings from poverty.
It is now set at the pinnacle of the victory banner
And rains down all our needs: Whoever has a wish, come and fulfill it!
The renunciate Tsogdruk Rangdrol,
Was born in Domey,
Yet to benefit the Dharma and sentient beings,
From the slopes of the Snow Mountain
He now showers whatever Dharma one might wish for:
Whoever has an interest, come and listen.
The fragrant, exquisite lotus flower,
Will one day be spoiled by frost,
Its stalk will be wilted, its petals left behind.
Now, while it is still splendid and vivid,
Fortunate bees, gather up the sweet nectar!
This human body, complete with its freedoms and endowments,
Will one day be vanquished by death;
Its flesh and bone will decompose.
Now, fortunate disciples, while you are young,
Meditate according to the vast and profound instructions!
Although the fire-crystal sun itself is burning hot,
When that very sun comes up, Its coming is a boon to the waterfowl.
When they go to swim upon the lotus lake,
Calling out sweetly, they are perfectly content.
Look at them, playful, almost dancing In the fresh lotus-leaf groves.
Hard circumstances may well occur,
Yet they can come as boons for practitioners.
When practitioners meditate on Bodhicitta,
And traverse the paths and stages,
They are perfectly content.
Look at them, in mountain solitudes,
Seeking to tame their minds!
Palace of Chakrasamvara
Abode of five hundred arhats,
Celestial land of dakas and dakinis,
Seat of the siddhas of the past,
Center of this Jambudvipa world—
Here is Kailash, the White Mountain!
Completing a single circumambulation
Of this great sacred place
Will purify the evil actions of one’s entire life.
Palace of the eight great nagas,
Playground of mamos and dakinis,
Gathering place of the gods who take delight in virtue,
Growing place of the Rose-apple Tree,
Source of the four great rivers—
Here is the turquoise lake, Manasarovar!
Just bathing here or drinking the water
Will purify negative actions and the obscuring emotions.
Make offerings here, do prostrations;
Circumambulate this glacial lake, faithful ones!
It will purify your bad karma, unwholesome deeds, and obscurations,
And you will reap blessings and accomplishments.

After I sang this, they prostrated themselves with fervent devotion, offered many words of gratitude, and returned to their hermitages. Almost three years had passed since I had come. I said to all my disciples

“In the past, holy beings never stayed in one place for more than one or two years. This was not because they were unable to remain, it was for the exalted purpose of benefiting themselves and others. I have been in this excellent place three years now. I have taught you whatever I know, without keeping anything back. If you practice, you will be able to accomplish your aims.

“Owing to your kindness, disciples and patrons, in these three years, I, too, was able to complete my retreat, thus benefiting myself. Benefit for both self and others having been accomplished, it would be best if we parted now in such excellent circumstances and mutual satisfaction. Now, it is time to go: there is no point in trying to delay my departure.” I explained to them at length why there was no reason to try to dissuade me from leaving, and at the end I sang this song:

Once the proper number of days has passed
No one can keep the moon From moving on to other continents.
Powerful mantradharas, now it is your task
To guard the garden of white lotuses
From the threat of hail! Once the cold winds and rains have come,
No one can keep the bees
From moving down into the jungles.
Warm southern clouds, now it is your task
To guard the flowers, the meadow’s ornaments,
From the threat of frost!
Once the time to leave has come,
No one can keep the yogin
From moving on to another place.
Powerful dharmapalas, now it is your task
To guard the assembly of fortunate disciples,
From the threat of disease and evil spirits!

SOURCE

Shabkar Tsogdruk Rangdrol. The Life of Shabkar: Autobiography of a Tibetan Yogin . Shambhala. Kindle Edition.

Image: By Matthieu Ricard – It comes from the photographer/author., CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=95121139

Only a true visionary Yogi could distill a path that fills lifetimes and books into a single song. Such a Yogi is the great Shabkar Tsokdruk Rangdrol, an emanation of the great Milarepa. Both were famous for their songs of wisdom. After a tribute to the Guru and Buddhas, he explains well the urgency of practice:

Leisure and fortune are hard to find, and death strikes quickly,
Actions and their effects do not deceive, and there’s no happiness in saṃsāra.

I take refuge in the Three Jewels, the sources of protection,
And generate love, compassion, and the mind of bodhicitta.

In this particular song, the Song of Practice, the great Shabkar explains the entire Vajrayana path, from beginning to the end: Refuge to offerings, to praise of the lineage Guru, to keeping the Buddha always in mind, to Emptiness, to generation of the deity and the profound true nature of deity, to completion practice and meditation on the channels, to conduct in life, to dedication of merit.

Nothing, not one single element of Vajrayana practice is missed. Reading these words, is like sitting at the feet of the great master Shakbar.

A Short Song of Practice

by Shabkar Tsokdruk Rangdrol

Namo Guru Mañjughoṣaya!

Dharmakāya Samantabhadra, sambhogakāya Vajradhara,
Supreme nirmāṇakāya, Lord of Sages, and the rest—
Along with those who turn the Dharma-wheel for all,
My teachers, direct and indirect—before you all, I prostrate.

Although I have nothing new to say, which hasn’t been said before
By the victorious buddhas and their spiritual offspring,
The learned and accomplished masters of India and Tibet,
I shall sing a little on what they have taught, so listen well!

Leisure and fortune are hard to find, and death strikes quickly,
Actions and their effects do not deceive, and there’s no happiness in saṃsāra.

I take refuge in the Three Jewels, the sources of protection,
And generate love, compassion, and the mind of bodhicitta.

Nectar cascades from Vajrasattva, seated upon my crown,
To purify my illnesses, demons, harmful influences, and obscurations.

I offer my body, my estate, and whatever virtues I have amassed to the deities:
Kindly accept them and bestow your blessings and accomplishment.

Root Guru, who is the embodiment of all sources of refuge,
I supplicate you: bless me, I pray!

Imagine and continually recall the Buddha,
Appearing very clearly in the space in front of you.

The nature of mind is like space, primordially empty;
Rest in this empty cognizance without the slightest grasping.

All that appears within the sky of mind is like a rainbow;
Understand the unity of appearance and emptiness to be illusory.

Meditate upon your physical body as the form of the deity—appearing yet empty;
And your speech as the mantra to be recited—audible yet empty.

Clearly visualize A and HAṂ within the three channels and the chakras,
And increase the blissful warmth by holding the vase-breath.

From time to time, be diligent in purifying the different realms,

To conclude, seal your practice with prayers of dedication and aspiration.

If you are able to give up life’s distraction and practice in isolation
The leisure and fortune you have won will be made truly meaningful.

May this merit cause all my fortunate disciples
To practise the Dharma wholeheartedly.

The parinirvana of the great sage of the Land of Snows, Lama Je Tsong Khapa, is celebrated on December 18, 2022, this year. (Lama Tsongkhapa Day is celebrated on the 25th day of the Tibetan lunar calendar each year, which this year falls on December 18.)

On the actual day, December 18 — which is TSOG day! doubly auspicious! — celebrate the Enlightened Lama Tsongkhapa with his Guru Yoga, Lama Chopa,  or simply celebrate by chanting his mantra (video and text below.)

The Glorious One of the Three Worlds

Buddha Weekly YouTube Documentary with guided visualization and mantras for Lama Tsongkhapa:

Beautiful Migtsema

One of the best ways to honor the great Buddha of the Land of Snows is with the recitation of The Glorious One of the Three Worlds (below), or to chant the Migtsema (in the video chanted by the amazing Yoko Dharma!)

Benefits of chanting: healing, compassion, metta, wisdom.

MIG.ME TZE.WAI TER.CHEN CHEN.RE.ZIG

DRI.ME KYEN.PAI WANG.PO JAM.PEL.YANG

DÜ.PUNG MA.LÜ JOM.DZE SANG.WAI DAG

GANG.CHEN KAY.PAI TZUG.GYAN TSONG.KHAPA

LO.ZANG DRAG.PAI ZHAB.LA SOL.WA DEB.

Which translates as:

You are Avalokitesvara, great treasure of unimaginable compassion,

And Manjushri, master of flawless wisdom,

And Vajrapani, Lord of the Secret and destroyer of hordes of maras without exception.

Tsong Khapa, crown jewel of the sages of the land of snows,

Lozang Dragpa, I make requests at your lotus feet.

Mantra of Lama Tsongkhapa

OM AH GURU VAJRADHARA SUMATI KIRTI SIDDHI HUM

The Glorious One of the Three Worlds

By Khedrub Geleg Pelzangpo

Translated by Joona Repo (FPMT — download link below)

In the presence of the victorious ones, you adopted the bodhisattvas’ conduct;

In Tuṣita, you are renowned as “Jampel Nyingpo”;

And in the Land of Snows, you are known as “Glorious Lozang Dragpa.”

Principal son of the victorious ones, to you I pray.

Through the force of being endowed with the ripening of your vast merit,

You were able to read scriptures and understand the principles of Sanskrit

Without having studied the science of grammar.

To you who accomplished all good qualities without effort, I pray.

From the time that your sun-like body emerged from your mother’s womb,

You forever abandoned association with the frivolous enjoyments

Of the lightning bolt that strongly craves for the wonders of existence.

To you I pray.

Since your youth, you were properly restrained by the most noble and supreme ethics

Of all the Victorious One’s modes of disciplined behavior.

You are endowed with the force of habit

Of being completely conscientious in all lives—to you I pray.

Through the analysis that engages unhindered

With the words and meanings of all the Victorious One’s teachings,

You always made great effort to seek out eloquent instructions.

Vast treasury of knowledge, to you I pray.

Never satisfied with lines of hollow words,

Through detailed and very subtle flawless reasoning,

You understood all dharmas without exception,

Including points that are difficult for tens of millions of supreme scholars to fathom—to you I pray.

Lord, even if all the debaters trained in logic

Were to investigate your teachings hundreds of times,

Even the smallest portion will withstand the analysis of others.

To you endowed with a pure mind, I pray.

Who else, apart from you, sees the true intention

Of the scriptures expounded by the great charioteers of the Land of Āryas?

And to just you alone did all teachings appear as supreme instructions.To you I pray.

Because of this, the dust on the earth under the prints of your lotus feet—

Always resting on the crowns of all supreme scholars—

Is an object of offering for living beings

To you I pray.

However much the wisdom of the victorious ones investigates your mind,

It cannot find even a fragment of subtle faults

Arising from carelessly following the ethics of the thoroughly pure trainings.

To you I pray.

Like an ocean, a source of jewels,

Such is the depth of your mind of compassion—

Beyond even that of all those possessing the eyes of wisdom.

To you, venerable treasury of compassion, I pray.

For the benefit and happiness of embodied beings,

There is no burden that you do not carry

In the vehicle of your superior intention.

Magnificent brave one who completed all great deeds, to you I pray.

Since even just your breath, Lord,

Is medicine for all living beings,

What need is there to mention your other actions related to the two accumulations?

Friend of the beings of the three grounds, to you I pray.

Every day Mañjuśrī directly and uninterruptedly taught you

A nectar stream of eloquent instructions—

The condensed essence of the minds of the victorious ones of the three times.

To you I pray.

In the lotus garden of the Muni’s teachings, and in this world,

You are like the sun of the victorious ones.

Ajitanātha,in person, praised you as the supreme refuge.

To you I pray.

You perceived the victory banner-like forms of countless victorious ones.

You were blessed directly by many mahāsiddhas—

Saraha, Luipa, and others.

To you, the completely pure supreme being, I pray.

When you were blessed by

Nāgārjuna, Āryadeva, Buddhapālita, and Candrapāda,

At that very moment you abandoned the stains of errors regarding the profound ultimate reality.

To you I pray.

Through meditating excellently on the ultimate reality that is like the center of space

With the concentration of meditative equipoise,

In post-meditation, your illusion-like mind never wavered for even an instant.

To you I pray.

Accomplisher of all the Muni’s eloquent instructions,

You reveal the very essence of the ocean of all classes of tantra.

Supreme guru—indivisible with the powerful All-Pervading Victorious One Vajradhara—

To you I pray.

Having understood the profound points of the two stages—

The final part of the path not experienced by others in this land—just as intended,

And having ascertained their meaning, you engaged in the essential practices.

To you I pray.

Having removed the conceptualizations of the appearance of and adherence to ordinariness

Through the completion of the gross and subtle deity yogas,

Your mind is never distracted from seeing whatever appears as the manifold display of the maṇḍala wheel.

To you I pray.

You dissolved the current of the winds of conceptualizations into your central channel

And you saw the suchness of the all-empty clear light.

Whatever appeared arose as the manifold display of supreme great bliss.

To you possessing the vajra mind, I pray.

Through being endowed with the power of infinite prayers and through skillful means,

You lead infinite assemblies of trainees effortlessly and spontaneously

On the path that pleases the victorious ones.

To you, the refuge of all worlds, I pray.

Through your virtuous training in various aspects of the explanation and practice of all the teachings,

You shine light on all the holy Dharmas of the victorious ones

—the three trainings of scripture and realization—

At a time when the teachings of the Muni remain only in name.

To you I pray.

When you practiced during the time that your physical manifestation in this land was intentionally passing away,

The sky was inconceivably filled with

Deity assemblies of heroes and ḍākinīs making offerings.

To you I pray.

When you actualized the clear light dharmakāya,

Your body transformed into a mass of light.

To you who attained the supreme siddhi of the illusory body

Of the bardo’s complete saṃbhogakāya, I pray.

From now on, in all my lives,

Please bless me to respectfully make offerings at your lotus feet,

Listen to your teachings,

And practice, through the actions of my three doors, only that which pleases you.

Having abandoned the mind of peace and happiness for oneself

And striving for wealth and honor—the splendors of this life—

Please bless me never to be separated from supreme bodhicitta,

The mind striving for the benefit of living beings.

Having understood the meaning of all the logical teachings

Of the Victorious One without exception

With a subtle and wise exacting intelligence,

Please bless me to dispel confusion’s great darkness from living beings.

After I have gained certainty regarding the meanings of the manifold classes of tantra,

Please bless me to practice the profound meaning

Of the final two stages of the excellent path, one pointedly,

Unmoved by outer and inner adverse conditions.

In short, having precisely grasped the Victorious One’s intention

With regard to all of his holy Dharma

And the unexcelled Vajrayāna in particular,

Please bless me that I may be a guide for living beings.

Through this virtue, in all my lives,

May I never be separated from you, the guru, the supreme guide;

Be nourished, protector, by the overflowing essence of your mind;

And taste of the nectar of your eloquent instructions.

Furthermore, may all good actions I have done or am currently doing,

Whatever they may be,

Become causes for you to joyfully care for me

And for me to practice only in accordance with your instructions.

Whatever your form, Glorious Guru;

Whatever your entourage, lifespan, or pure land;

Whatever your supreme excellent name;

May I and all living beings attain only these.

Through the force of exalting and making prayers to you,

Please pacify sickness, spirits, poverty, and fighting

And increase Dharma and auspiciousness

Wherever I and all living beings dwell on this earth.

Through the force of the Victorious One, Tsongkhapa,

Acting as my direct Supreme Vehicle virtuous friend in all my lives,

May I never turn away for even an instant

From the excellent path praised by the victorious ones.

This praise was composed by Khedrub Geleg Pelzangpo.

Publisher’s Colophon:Translated by Joona Repo, 2020, for FPMT Education Services from Khedrub Geleg Pelzangpo (mkhas grub dge legs dpal bzang po), dpal ldan sag sum ma in dpal ‘og min byang chub chos gling grwa tshang gi zhal ‘don thub bstan dga’ tshal, Kathmandu: Kopan Library, 2012, pp. 87–92. Edited with the assistance of Geshe Tenzin Namdak and Ven. Steve Carlier, 2020.

• To download from FPMT>>

Resources

• A short Lama Tsongkhapa practice (sadhana) on Buddha Weekly>>
• FPMT has prepared an expensive resources page and recommended practices page for Lama Tsongkhapa day, as recommended by Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Visit it here>>
• Our Buddha Weekly special section on Lama Tsongkhapa>>

One of the most wonderful teachings of Padmasambhava, the Lotus Born, Guru Rinpoche was written down by the Lady Tsogyal — from a request she made just as the master was about to leave — and she, herself, was worried about death. Although she was a accomplished Dakini, she requested:

“This old woman has no confidence about the time of death. So I beseech you to kindly give me an instruction condensing all teachings into one, which is concise and easy to practice.”

Out of his bountiful kindness and love, Guru Rinpoche taught her, delivering one of the most wonderful and concise oral teaching, now known as:

The Refined Essence of Oral Instructions

Although this teaching is a concise teaching focused on “the time of death” and therefore clearly for advanced students — particularly with its focus on the true nature of reality, of emptiness, of the disolution and death process and completion — the teaching itself is resoundingly inspirational. We can imagine Lady Tosgyal, about to be separated from her beloved teacher — having been with her master since the age of eight — having doubts, and then, the serene Guru emphasizing the essence of practice.

Lady Tsogyal’s Plea

This  oral teaching, and the Lady’s hearfelt plea, resonates with both beginning and senior Tibetan Buddhist students: if the great Lady can have doubts — despite years of accomplishments — then we need not feel embarrrassed to ask questions of our teachers at all stages of our learning. We need not feel bad about going back to our notes and videos of past retreats; we should not worry if our question seems too basic.

The Lotus Born, kindly instructing even the most accomplished Lady in the basics, is an example for us all. In Tibetan Buddhism, teachers always invite questions.

When the great master was about to leave Tibet, the Lady implored:

“Oh, Great Master! You are leaving to tame the rakshas. I am left behind here in Tibet. Although I have served you for a long time, master, this old woman has no confidence about the time of death. So I beseech you to kindly give me an instruction condensing all teachings into one, which is concise and easy to practice.”

Although every teaching of Padmasambhava, the second Buddha, the Lotus Born is precious, this concise teaching is a wonderful “refresher” for all devoted practitioners.

Guru Rinpoche’s Concise Instructions

The great master replied: “Devoted one with a faithful and virtuous mind, listen to me. Although there are many profound key points of body, rest free and relaxed as you feel comfortable. Everything is included in simply that.

Although there are many key points of speech such as breath control and mantra recitation, stop speaking and rest like a mute. Everything is included in simply that. Although there are many key points of mind such as concentrating, relaxing, projecting, dissolving, and focusing inward, everything is included in simply letting it rest in its natural state, free and easy, without fabrication.

The mind doesn’t remain quietly in that state. If one wonders, Is it nothing?, like haze in the heat of the sun, it still shimmers and flashes forth. But if one wonders, Is it something? it has no color or shape to identify it but is utterly empty and completely awake—that is the nature of your mind.

Having recognized it as such, to become certain about it, that is the view. To remain undistracted in the state of stillness, without fabrication or fixation, that is the meditation. In that state, to be free from clinging or attachment, accepting or rejecting, hope or fear, toward any of the experiences of the six senses, that is the action.

Whatever doubt or hesitation occurs, supplicate your master. Don’t remain in places of ordinary people; practice in seclusion. Give up your clinging to whatever you are most attached to as well as to whomever you have the strongest bond with in this life, and practice. Like that, although your body remains in human form, your mind is equal to the buddhas’.

At the time of dying, you should practice as follows. By earth dissolving in water, the body becomes heavy and cannot support itself. By water dissolving in fire, the mouth and nose dry up. By fire dissolving in wind, body heat disappears. By wind dissolving in consciousness, one cannot but exhale with a rattle and inhale with a gasp.

At that time, the feelings of being pressed down by a huge mountain, being trapped within darkness, or being dropped into the expanse of space occur. All these experiences are accompanied by thunderous and ringing sounds. The whole sky will be vividly bright like an unfurled brocade.

Moreover, the natural forms of your mind, the peaceful, wrathful, semiwrathful deities, and the ones with various heads fill the sky, within a dome of rainbow lights. Brandishing weapons, they will utter “Beat! beat!” “Kill! kill!” “Hung! Hung!” “Phat! phat!” and other fierce sounds. In addition, there will be light like a hundred thousand suns shining at once.

At this time, your innate deity will remind you of awareness, saying, Don’t be distracted! Don’t be distracted! Your innate demon will disturb all your experiences, make them collapse, and utter sharp and fierce sounds and confuse you.

At this point, know this: The feeling of being pressed down is not that of being pressed by a mountain. It is your own elements dissolving. Don’t be afraid of that! The feeling of being trapped within darkness is not a darkness. It is your five sense faculties dissolving. The feeling of being dropped into the expanse of space is not being dropped. It is your mind without support because your body and mind have separated and your breathing has stopped.

All experiences of rainbow lights are the natural manifestations of your mind. All the peaceful and wrathful forms are the natural forms of your mind. All sounds are your own sounds. All lights are your own lights. Have no doubt about that. If you do feel doubt, you will be thrown into samsara. Having resolved this to be self-display, if you rest wide awake in luminous emptiness, then simply in that you will attain the three kayas and become enlightened. Even if you are cast into samsara, you won’t go there.

The innate deity is your present taking hold of your mind with undistracted mindfulness. From this moment, it is very important to be without any hope and fear, clinging and fixation, toward the objects of your six sense faculties as well as toward fascination, happiness, and sorrow. From now on, if you attain stability, you will be able to assume your natural state in the bardo and become enlightened. Therefore, the most vital point is to sustain your practice undistractedly from this very moment.

The innate demon is your present tendency for ignorance, your doubt and hesitation. At that time, whatever fearful phenomena appear such as sounds, colors, and lights, don’t be fascinated, don’t doubt, and don’t be afraid. If you fall into doubt for even a moment, you will wander in samsara, so gain complete stability.

At this point, the womb entrances appear as celestial palaces. Don’t be attracted to them. Be certain of that! Be free from hope and fear! I swear there is no doubt that you will then become enlightened without taking further rebirths.

At that time, it is not that one is helped by a buddha. Your own awareness is primordially enlightened. It is not that one is harmed by the hells. Fixation being naturally purified, fear of samsara and hope for nirvana are cut from the root.

Becoming enlightened can be compared to water cleared of sediments, gold cleansed of impurities, or the sky cleared of clouds.

Having attained spacelike dharmakaya for the benefit of oneself, you will accomplish the benefit of sentient beings as far as space pervades. Having attained sambhogakaya and nirmanakaya for the welfare of others, you will benefit sentient beings as far as your mind pervades phenomena.

If this instruction is given three times to even a great sinner such as one who has killed his own father and mother, he will not fall into samsara even if thrown there. There is no doubt about becoming enlightened.

Even if you have many other profound teachings, without an instruction like this, you remain far away. Since you don’t know where you may wander next, practice this with perseverance.

You should give this oral instruction to recipients who have great faith, strong diligence, and are intelligent, who always remember their teacher, who have confidence in the oral instructions, who exert themselves in the practice, who are stable-minded and able to give up concerns for this world. Give them this with the master’s seal of entrustment, the yidam’s seal of secrecy, and the dakini’s seal of entrustment.

Although I, Padmakara, have followed many masters for three thousand six hundred years, have requested instructions, received teachings, studied and taught, meditated and practiced, I have not found any teaching more profound than this.

I am going to tame the rakshas. You should practice like this. Mother, you will become enlightened in the celestial realm. Therefore persevere in this instruction.”

Having spoken, Guru Rinpoche mounted the rays of the sun and departed for the land of the rakshas. Following that, Lady Tsogyal attained liberation. She committed this teaching to writing and concealed it as a profound treasure. She made this aspiration: In the future, may it be given to Guru Dorje Lingpa. May it then benefit many beings. This completes the Sacred Refined Essence Instruction, the reply to questions on self-liberation at the moment of death and in the bardo.

SAMAYA. SEAL, SEAL, SEAL.

Other features on Guru Rinpoche

• Special Feature: The Quantum Buddha Guru Rinpoche: the Second Buddha who turned the Vajrayana Wheel of Dharma: extensive commentary on mantras and practice
• Padmasambhava, the Lotus Born: “giving up idling and laziness” the importance of practicing incessantly and the path to self-discipline ; as recorded by Lady Tsogyal
• The tens of Padmasambhava: ten foundations of secret mantra; ten faults of being unsuccessful in Dharma practice; ten key points for practicing. Guru Rinpoche teaches Lady Tsogyal
• Padmasambhava: The Eight Great Qualities of Taking Refuge; Taking Refuge in the Three Precious Jewels, the Defining Practice of Buddhism, and How it Can Rescue Us From All Dangers.

NOTES

[1]  From Dakini Teachings by Padmasambhava Guru Rinpoche.  (p. 153). Rangjung Yeshe Publications. Kindle Edition.

“We must rely on a wisdom teacher because, although we have Buddha nature, ultimate wisdom does not exist in our dualistic minds. Samsaric ego always tries to protect itself, and will trick us into thinking that we have gone beyond dualistic mind when we have not. Although we intrinsically have Buddha nature, without a teacher, it is like churning water to get butter – it won’t happen.”

— Lama Tharchin Rinpoche, Vajrayana Foundation Sangha [1]

The first time I walked into a Vajrayana Dharma center—long before I accepted a Guru—I witnessed and participated in “lack of respect” for the Guru. I was, until then, a “practicing” Mahayana Buddhist, although by practicing I really mean “searching.”

I was at the Dharma center for a visit from His Holiness the Shakya Trizin, and I was as stiff and unaccepting as most of the other people seemed to be. Tibetans in the large crowd fell to their knees and did full prostrations the moment His Holiness entered. Westerners, like myself, either slightly bowed our heads, or did nothing to honor his entrance.

Culturally, perhaps, we’re not equipped for the concept of the honoring the guru—and in particular, prostrations—in the west. In fact, horror stories of various cults, have made us collectively wary of the word Guru. Democracy and the freedoms we take for granted, make many of us allergic to the entire very idea of Guru, which implies submission.

Submission is a loaded word, and more correctly, in Buddhism, we don’t think of submission, but rather surrender. Sallie Jiko Tisdale, in an interview in the Spring 2014 Buddhadharma [6] described it this way. “I have learned over the years that there is a big difference between submission and surrender.” Surrender of ego, and giving up of cravings, clinging and other causes of suffering are important in most Buddhist practices. If we surrender to our teacher’s guidance, we’re not being submissive. We’re opening ourselves to the teaching process.

Video of full prostration by Venerable Thubten Chodron:

The Concept of Guru

Not only is it difficult to find a qualified Vajrayana teacher in North America and Europe, Westerners tend to have difficulty with the entire concept of a Guru. It’s not a matter of respect, or even affection. Most Buddhists, of any stream, respect—even adore—their teachers. We respect their knowledge, experience, teaching ability, compassion and kindness. But that respect isn’t unconditional. In the Vajrayana tradition, where the Guru is paramount, this attitude generally isn’t enough.

According to Bo-Do-Wa’s Method of Explaining: “…the excellent teacher is the source of all temporary happiness and certain goodness… For attaining freedom there is nothing more important than the Guru…” [5]

“The whole principle of the guru is directly connected with the realization that the Buddha is everywhere,” wrote Frank Berliner in Falling in Love with a Buddha (All My Relations, 2012). “The Guru keeps pointing us toward our own enlightened potential by effortlessly reflecting back to us both our own confusion and our wisdom with every encounter.” [6]

Perhaps for this reason, especially in Vajrayana, students are expected to see our Guru as the living representation of Enlightenment, as the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha all in one. This level of devotion is easier to accept in some eastern cultures—influenced by centuries of Buddhist, Hindu, Daoist and even Confucian beliefs. The bow to an elder, senior or teacher is very normal. In the west, it is often rejected out of hand as submissive. Our collective struggle for democracy and equality makes the entire concept of a Guru awkward and uncomfortable for many—and the full prostration unthinkable to many students.

Lama Tharchin Rinpoche, in an open letter to his Sangha, explained: “While it is true that the appearance of Buddhism naturally changes from country to country, its essence should not change. It is this essence which is so important to transmit by wisdom teachers who are not acting from confusion mind. It seems that people in this country are so eager to dispense with what they view as Asian culture and develop their own form of Buddhism that they do not recognize that they are holding strongly to their own culture. Reliance on a spiritual teacher is not cultural. It is essential.”

Vajrayana incorporates many levels of practice including tantric. The revered Lama Yeshe wrote:

“The need for such an experienced guide is crucial when it comes to following tantra because tantra is a very technical, internally technical, system of development. We have to be shown how everything fits together until we actually feel it for ourselves. Without the proper guidance we would be as confused as someone who instead of getting a Rolls Royce gets only a pile of unassembled parts and an instruction book. Unless the person were already a highly skilled mechanic, he or she would be completely lost.” [4]

If “Master” is Acceptable in Martial Arts…

Guru is difficult enough. It really implies a revered teacher. In earlier times, we might have called our Guru “master”—which, in the west would be an even bigger obstacle to acceptance. Why it’s acceptable in a martial arts dojo, where the teacher is often addressed as Sifu (master), but not for a teacher of lineage in Buddhism is another discussion? Do we respect the black belt more than the enlightened Guru?

Prostrations Difficult to Accept?

The idea of accepting—and honoring—a Guru can be difficult for students to accept. Even once we accept this, we feel very awkward as we fall to our knees to show our full respect. The full prostration, where the entire body is prone, is nearly unimaginable to many people.

Yet, we bow to the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. The teacher is representative of the Sangha’s highest ideal, and teaches the Dharma, helping lead us to our own Enlightenment. Surely, that’s worthy of more than just a bow? The full prostration also symbolizes submission or obedience, a hard concept to love, although we tend to couch it in terms such as “respect” rather than submission. Still, we are taking vows and submitting to the teachings, and honoring the lineage of our teacher, which in Vajrayana always stretches back to Shakyamuni Buddha.

This level of respect means we must be very careful to pick the right Guru. Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche explains: ” Some people have the fortunate Karma to recognize a good Dharma teacher immediately upon meeting one, but others are full of indecision and doubt, and cannot make up their minds to commit to a particular teacher. They may spend their whole life shopping for the perfect teacher and yet never find him or her.”

Another demonstration of the full prostration: 

What’s The Big Deal?

In Buddhism refuge is a critical early step. We are taught to take daily refuge in the three jewels: the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha. The Sangha can be broadly interpreted to include the Sangha of monks, teachers and lamas. Sangha also collectively includes those of us who support each other in the practice as a community, although in this respect, Lama Tharchin Rinpoche, of the Vajrayana Foundation Sangha, cautioned: “…the idea of relying on the ‘collective wisdom of the Sangha’ is dangerous because while Sangha members are on the path, purifying their own minds, they are still rooted in dualistic thinking and confusion. So this Western idea of democracy – which relies on collective consensus from partial, worldly knowledge and opinion – is not the same as the wisdom mind of a teacher holding lineage and realization.”[1]

Why We Need a Guru

The great Lama Tsongkhapa wrote, in The Great Treatise: “Sages do not wash away sins with water, they do not clear away beings’ suffering with their hands, they do not transfer their own knowledge to others; they liberate by teaching the truth of reality.” [5]

According to the website, A View on Buddhism:

“The Buddha compared his teachings to medicine, and the teacher to the doctor who can accurately prescribe the correct medicine for the disciple/patient.” [3]

With Vajrayana in particular, the “lightning path” or swift path to enlightenment, we rely on the teacher to take us quickly in the right direction. We don’t just rely on our current teachers, but on an entire lineage. Knowledge passed down through great Mahasiddhas, Bodhisattvas, enlightened teachers—a sure path to understanding the Dharma. Lineage becomes a key element of this. The teachings, and teachers, must be pure. Lineage assures us of this.

Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche explains[2]:

“In the Tibetan Buddhist view, the spiritual teacher is the root of all spiritual realizations and attainments. According to Mahayana and Vajrayana teaching, we should consider our teacher as a Buddha for our own spiritual benefit.” This concept is at the heart of Guru Yoga, which is as problematic with some western students as the simple prostration.

In North America and most of Europe, years of history and culture have ingrained in us a severe individualism—which runs counter to the entire concept of following a Guru. A bow implies subservience in most western cultures. In Buddhism, it implies much more. It symbolizes our refuge in Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. It honors the teachers and teachings. It’s a remedy for pride.

Lama Tharchin Rinpoche explained: “We can see that this worldly approach never leads to unchanging consensus and happiness. Collecting the opinions of confused beings only leads to a larger pile of confusion. For example, Buddhas manifest throughout the six realms according to the needs of beings. We cannot vote for the Buddha who will follow our agenda.”

He added a very compelling example. Milarépa, one of Tibet’s most famous yogis, was often thought of as crazy. “We often say that from samsara’s point of view, Milarépa is crazy, and from Milarépa’s point of view, samsara is crazy. If people had been allowed to vote on whether or not Milarépa should be allowed to teach, the answer would probably have been no.”

“If you are only studying Dharma for the sake of study, and the development of your understanding of Dharma, if you are only studying Dharma intellectually, just intellectually on intellectual level, then I don’t think you need a guru-disciple relationship,” explains Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche [3].

“And also you can study with all kinds of teachers. It’s like going to university. You study with different teachers or professors, and you go on, you move on. But if you wish to commit yourself to the path, then [the Guru] is necessary, because one needs to know how to accomplish the realization, how to practice the Dharma.”

The great Chan Patriarch Bodhidharma, put it this way: “To find a Buddha, all you have to do is see your nature. Your nature is the Buddha. And the Buddha is the person who’s free: free of plans, free of cares. If you don’t see your nature and run around all day looking somewhere else, you’ll never find a Buddha. The truth is, there’s nothing to find. But to reach such an understanding you need a teacher and you need to struggle to make yourself understand…”[3]

Before Accepting a Guru

This discussion is somewhat academic if you can’t find a qualified teacher. Just simply accepting the first teacher you can find—just because it is difficult—as a Guru, is probably risky.

The revered Lama Yeshe wrote: ” For the teachings of enlightened beings to reach us and for their insights to make an impression on our mind, there should be an unbroken lineage of successive gurus and disciples carrying these living insights down to the present day.” [4]

Lama Tharchin Rinpoche advises:

“Before judging, we must know the appropriate qualities of a teacher and examine our own motivation as students. It is critical that the teacher holds pure, unbroken lineage, and has realization of wisdom and compassion for all beings impartially.”

The practice of only accepting Dharma from teachers with a lineage is one of the reasons Vajrayana Buddhists feel comfortable relying on their Guru. We can receive teachings from Enlightened Beings and sages such as Lama Tsonghkhapa, Padmasambhava, and Atisha, by virtue of this unbroken lineage to the Great Conqueror Shakyamuni Buddha.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama has this advice: ” You must investigate before accepting a lama or teacher to see whether that person is really qualified or not.”

In all practice the teacher is important, but in tantric practice a root guru is essential. Lineage is a must in any tantric practice.

Qualifications of a Teacher

The Ornament for the Mahayana Sutras (Mahayana-sutralamkara) describes the ten qualities of an ideal Mahayna teacher: “Rely on a Mahayana teacher who is disciplined, serene, thoroughly pacified; has good qualities surpassing those of the students; is energetic; has a wealth of scriptural knowledge; possesses loving concern; has thorough knowledge of reality and skill in instructing disciples; and has abandoned dispiritedness.” [5]

These qualities of an excellent Guru are, in fact, the very qualities we should seek for ourselves, according to the great Lama Tsongkhapa in his Great Treatise: “These six qualities—being disciplined, serene, and thoroughly pacified, having good qualities…, a wealth of knowledge from studying many scriptures, and thorough knowledge of reality—are the good qualities obtained for oneself. The remaining qualities—being energetic, having skill in instruction, possessing loving concern, and abandoning dispiritedness—are good qualities for looking after others.” [5]

Other things to look for, might include:

1. Lineage back to the Buddha

2. Proper ethical behavior

3. Should have higher realizations than the student

4. Knowledge of the Dharma

5. Compassion

6. Understands and has realized emptiness

7. Skilled means: a skilled speaker able to deliver the Dharma appropriately to students.

What to Avoid

Finding a Guru can take a lifetime. There are dangers. As with anything, there will always be so-called teachers who can mislead students. This is why lineage is important. It’s reliable and verifiable. As with any tradition, there are people who take advantage of religion and authority. It’s best to treat finding a Guru as a life’s mission and take all the time you need.

Once You Find a Teacher

For me it took eleven years of active searching to find my Guru. For some it’s less of an ordeal. For others, they never find their Guru in this lifetime, due to their Karma.

By the time you find such a precious teacher, honoring him or her with full prostrations, service, obedience and enthusiasm seems obvious and automatic.

NOTES

[1] June 1999:A letter from Lama Tharchin Rinpoche to the Vajrayana Foundation Sangha in response to reaction to an interview with Dungse Thinley Norbue Rinpoche in Tricycle Magazine.

[2]  Revised Guidelines for the Dharma Students  of the Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche Canada, 2013

[3] View on Buddhism, “What is a Spiritual Teacher” 

[4] “The Importance of the Guru” by Lama Yeshe 

[5] Quoted from The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment by Lama Tsongkhapa.

[6] “Your Teacher and You” Buddhadharama: The Practitioner’s Quarterly, Spring 2014

When you first meet Venerable Archarya Zasep Tulku Rinpoche, the first thing you’ll likely notice is the beaming smile. Rinpoche is remembered for his approachability—born of a combination of easy humor—and a booming laugh—together with wonderful anecdotes, inspired by a eventful life and lineage. His teachings, delivered in excellent English are easily understood and fully engaging. Layered under those impressions will be a firm conviction in the authority of the teachings and lineage, and the knowledge of a highly realized, internationally respected teacher of Gelugpa Buddhism.

Rinpoche’s Eventful Life

Rinpoche’s life has been eventful: teachings from a long line of illustrious of teachers, exile from Tibet on foot, and then travels as teacher to many countries around the world. Reborn and recognized as the thirteeth incarnation of Zasep Tulku, Rinpoche’s great teaching abilities were refined over decades of adventures and teachings.

“I have been teaching the Buddhadharma in the west for the past 37 years,” wrote Rinpoche in his Guidelines for Students. “In 1976, the Venerable Geshe Thubten Loden and I were the very first Tibetan Lamas to become resident teachers in Australia. Today, Buddhism is the fastest growing spiritual tradition in Australia. In 1981, I arrived in North America to teach. Since those early years, I have seen the Buddhadharma take root and flourish in the West; I am hopeful that it will continue to grow.”

I first met Rinpoche at Gaden Choling for a teaching. I had patiently searched for a teacher for three decades; by then, I was in my late forties. I had received teachings from many teachers over the years, each teaching rewarding and special. However, that first weekend teaching with Zasep Rinpoche was different. It was like a homecoming after thirty years of roaming in the wild. Each teaching has fully engaged me, and my practice—in the last few years since I became Rinpoche’s student. My personal practice has evolved far more in these last few years with Rinpoche, than in the previous nearly half a century.

Recognized as the 13th Incarnation of Zasep Tulku

Zasep Tullku was born in the year of the Earth Ox-with-Golden-Nose-Ring (July 1st, 1948) and is recognized as the thirteenth incarnation of Zasep Tulku. At the age of five he was installed at Zuru monastary, escorted by a long procession, with great ceremony by thousands who came to receive blessings.

The young Zasep Tulku took the eight precepts and robes from Gelug Lama Chonjor Gyaltso. His main gurus are some of the legendary lamas of Tibet. He received many teachings and initiations from these great lamas, legendary teachers such as: Yongzin Trijang Rinpoche, His Holiness Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, Venerable Geshe Thupten Wanggyel, Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, Venerable Lati Rinpoche, Venerable Tara Tulku Rinpoche and Venerable Khalkha Jetsun Dampa Rinpoche.

Speaking on the importance of the teacher, Rinpoche writes this in his Guidelines for Students: “In the Tibetan Buddhist view, the spiritual teacher is the root of all spiritual realizations and attainments… A Dharma teacher is a spiritual guide who can show us how to meditate correctly so that we can make progress on our spiritual path and gain Dharma realizations.”

Escape from Tibet

Rinpoche escaped the Chinese invasion by walking at night across the mountains between Lhasa and Penpo. Zasep Tulku continued his studies and received many initiations over the following years, reinforced by numerous extensive retreats. In 1961, he again met is kind and holy teacher, His Holiness Yongzin Trijang Dorje Chang.

Notably, he received holy initiations in Guhyasamaja Akshobhya Vajra, Heruka Tilbu Lhanga, Thirteen Deities of Yamantaka, and Kunrig Yoga Tantra from the great Yongzin Trijang Dorje Chang, one of the tutors of the 14th Dalai Lama. Trijang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso was also the root lama of many other famous gurus, including Zong Rinpoche and Lama Yeshe.

A Great Lineage of Teachers

What makes a great teacher is compassion and profound wisdom. But, what shapes a guru’s teaching style is his own teachers. In the case of Zasep Tulku, many of the greatest Gelug lamas guided, shaped and taught him.

Trijing Rinpoche asked Zasep Tulku to go to Dalhousie in the Himilayas to study with Geshe Thubten Wanggyel, a learned teacher who lived an austere life. Geshe gave Zasep Tulku extensive teachings and initiations. Every winter Zasep Tulku did a four month retreat in the mountains with his teacher, including retreats in Chenrezig, Tara, Vajra Yogini, Yamantaka and many others.

“I personally have been very fortunate when it comes to retreats,” writes Rinpoche in his Guidelines. “I did my first retreat when I was fifteen, a Vajra Bhairava Yamantaka retreat with my teachers Geshe Thubten Wangyal and Jhampa Kelsang Rinpoche. We did the retreat at Kailash Kuti house, named after holy Mt. Kailash in Tibet. It is located in the mountains above the hill station town of Dalhousie in the foothills of the Himalayas. I have two ways of looking back at this retreat. On the one hand, it was very powerful, amazing actually. On the other hand, it was mentally and physically exhausting, difficult beyond words.”

Describing his experiences with Geshe, Rinpoche writes: “My teacher Geshe Thupten Wangyal was very strict and highly disciplined; we would start our first session at 4:30 A.M.; we practised four sessions a day, with our last session ending around 9:00 P.M.”

Over the next few years, as an ordained monk, he received initiations in the complete Guhyamsamaja (and transmission of the Guhyasaaajamahatantraraja), Six-Armed Mahakala, Kalachakra, and the complete Lama Chopa and Mahamudra root text. He received countless teachings in Lam Rim, Bodhichitta Thought Training, Eight-verse Training of the Mind, the Thirty-Seven Practices of the Bodhisattvas. In following years he received the complete Heruka five deities and body mandala, Vajra Yogini, Twenty-one Taras, White Tara, Haryagriva, King Garuda and Vajrapani Amitayas and White Heruka for Long Life. He also received teachings on the uncommon inconceivable yoga practices of Vajrayogini, a very special practice given to only three students at a time.

Rare Teachings Requested

Five lamas made the request for a rare teaching titled “The Combination Practice of Peaceful and Wrathful Manjushri”. After three years of waiting, these five great lamas received this special teaching: Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche, H.H. Ling Rinpoche, Venerable Geshe Thupten Wanggyel, Venerable Sha Ko Ken Rinpoche, Venerable Jhampa Kelsang Rinpoche and Venerable Ja Moon Rinpoche. The text is oral transmission only, and is not written down.

“In truth, I think it is hard to choose a Dharma teacher wisely,” writes Rinpoche, in discussing finding a teacher. “Some people use logic and reason to select a teacher, others intuition and faith but really, a lot of it comes down to personality… the most important thing is that you find a teacher who is compassionate and wise, has impeccable integrity, and is well-respected as a teacher. He or she should not be prejudiced, biased or hypocritical, and his or her conduct should not contradict the very teachings he or she is giving.”

Zasep Tulku Rinpoche also received these initiations from his teachers:

• From HH Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, he received initiations and commentaries on the Chakrasamvara Five Deities and Body Mandala, Vajrayogini, Chittimani Tara, and Chod.
• From Tara Rinpoche he received initiations for Haryagirva Sangdrup, Guhyasamaya, Vajrasattva, White Manjusri and Six-Armed Mahakala.
• From Lati Rinpoche he received Orange Manjusri, Medicine Buddha, White Heruka, Goddess Svarasvati and Dharmapala Sher Tab Chen.
• From Venerable Khalkha Jetsun Dampa Rinpoche he received Chod according to Gaden Ear Whispered Lineage and Dakini Ear Whispered Lineage, together with Chod according to Kagyu lineage. He also received Kurukula initiation.

After the passing of his teacher Geshe Wanggyel, Zasep Tulku remained at Varanasi and earned his Acharya (Master’s) degree.

Lama Thubten Yeshe’s Request

Aside from teaching style and personality, what defines the credibility of a great teacher—at least for me—is: experience, compassion and care, and deep and profound teachings rooted in irrefutable lineage. One added dimension, in the case of Zasep Tulku Rinpoche, is a passion for languages. His ability to master languages—six languages fluently—allowed him to communicate teachings to a wide variety of students. In early days, Zasep Tulku participated in countless teachings as a translator.

In 1976, Lama Thubten Yeshe requested Zasep Tulku move the Australia to act as translator for Geshe Thubten Loden at the Chenrezig Institute for Wisdom and Culture. Over the next three years, Zasep Rinpoche gave Lam Rim meditation courses in various cities of Australia. His students in Tasmania established a retreat centre with Zasep Rinpoche as spiritual director.

Zasep Rinpoche’s Move to Canada

Rinpoche was invited to Canada by his students, and arrived in 1980. He settled in picturesque Nelson, British Columbia.

The same year, His Holiness Ling Rinpoche appointed Zasep Rinpoche as resident teacher for a new Gelug center in Canada. Ling Rinpoche named the Toronto centre Gaden Choling Mahayana Buddhist Meditation Centre. While continuing as spiritual director forseveral centres in and around Australia including Hobart, Tasmania, Sydney, and Uralla, he now helped guide centres in Canada.

Rinpoche invited His Holiness Zong Rinpoche to come to Toronto to teach in 1981, launching decades of inspiring teachings from Zasep Rinpoche and illustrious guest teachers. Rinpoche taught eager students everything from Lam Rim to Highest Yoga Tantra practices. Through the years, the centre has seen initiations in Chittimani Tara, Medicine Buddha, White and Green Tara, Chenrezig, Manjushri, Vajrapani, Svarasvati, Mahakala, White Zambala, Vajrasattva, Heruka, Yamantaka, and Vajrayogini. Sessions in Buddhist logic are popular, along with seven-point thought transformation, Mahamudra teachings and Ngondro.

There are now four other centres in Canada, and two in the United States. A new retreat centre was recently built in Nelson, BC. Rinpoche continues to travel between the centres providing guidance, teachings, initiations and retreats.

Rinpoche Today: Selfless Actions and Endless Devotion to His Students

Actions (karma) speaks. Rinpoche spends countless hours on the road to deliver teachings to his appreciative students around the world, particularly in Australia, Canada and the United States where he is spiritual director of several centres. He is well-known in Tibet, Mongolia and India for his energetic relief work on behalf of Gaden Relief. Gaden Relief has helped people in Tibet since 1988, and has worked to deliver health care to the poor, care for seniors, support nunneries, and restore monasteries . In Mongolia, Gaden Relief helped provide shelter to homeless families and improved or helped rebuild monasteries. In India, where nuns have few sources of support, Gaden Relief delivered health relief, food, and clothing.

Rinpoche never seems to tire of offering teachings. During one retreat, he told the story of his early teachings: “In Australia, we delivered teachings every day, six days a week, 11 months of the year.” Today, not much has changed, as he travels from centre to centre around the world delivering teachings.

Sources: Some information distilled from ZasepTulku.com and the Golden Blue Lotus Tara site.

“Don’t recall, don’t imagine, don’t think, don’t examine, don’t control, rest,” Tilopa’s six word’s of advice to Naropa, could be said to be an important concept for understanding Mahamudra.[1]

By Lee Kane

Tilopa’s famous “six words of advice” was clearly a theme emphasized consistently throughout Zasep Tulku Rinpoche’s wonderful introductory Mahamudra teachings in Owen Sound. The very essence of mindfulness is captured in the longer explanation of the six words: “Let go of what has passed; let go of what may come; let go of what is happening now; don’t try to figure anything out; don’t try to make anything happen, relax right now and rest.” [2]

You could say that Rinpoche’s one-day retreat on Mahamudra, while much more than six words, in essence condenses down to Tilopa’s advice. The key difference, Rinpoche delivered powerful tips on how-to understand this seemingly simple, yet profound advice. Rinpoche brought the teachings to life with insights and anecdotes and advice, focusing on the key elements of

• one-pointedness (in Sanskrit ekagra, or in Tibetan rtse gcig)
• simplicity (in Sanskrit nishprapancha, or in Tibetan spos bral)
• one taste (in Sanskrit samarasa, or in Tibetan ro gcig)
• non-meditation (in Sanskrit abhavana, or in Tibetan sgom med) — to not be or hold either object of meditation nor the meditator.

In session 1 — see Session 1 of the introductory Mahamudra Teachings coverage — Rinpoche explained that Mahamudra basic practices fit into life just as it is. He instructed the full house on how to practice Anapanasati meditation, the “mindfulness of breathing.”

• Part 2 of introductory Mahamudra, teachings from Zasep Tulku Rinpoche
• For Part 1, “More Than Six Words” please visit>>
• For Part 3, “Mindfulness of Feelings” please visit>>

Rinpoche described Anapanasati as “wonderful. It doesn’t require religion, even though it was taught by the Buddha.” He encouraged us to refer to the Mahasatipatthana Sutta, “the great mindfulness Sutta,” which taught how to establish the mindfulness of body (Kaya), sensations (Vedana), mind (Citta) and mental contents (Dhamma).

Mindfulness of Body

“Shakyamuni Buddha taught the mindfulness of body first,” Rinpoche explained, at the beginning of session two. “Why body first? Because this is the object we see. We see body first.”

He brought chuckles from the audience as he illustrated with is own body: “Oh, I’ve got a goatee. I’ve got grey hair. I’m getting old. I’ve got some wrinkles. I can feel my knees and ankles, my stiffness.” He explained that because we see all of this first, our first perception, we should practice mindfulness of body first.

“When you practice mindfulness of body, you don’t judge. We don’t judge your body. You don’t compare your body with somebody else… The way you practice mindfulness of body is you observe your body just as it is.”

“There’s a meditation we call, in modern language, ‘body scanning.'” He compared it to an impartial review of body with ultrasound, except we do it mentally, our mind examining our body as it is now. The translation of the ancient term for this meditation translates as “sweeping meditation.”

He instructed us on sweeping or scanning meditation. “You sit, focus your mind on the crown, then on your face, then on your throat, chest, stomach, thighs, knees, ankles, toes and so on.” Just mindfully sweep the body as an observer, slowly. As you do this, the muscles and tension in the body tends to let go, releasing the tension from recent past experiences or future anticipated experiences. By staying mindful of the body now — as you observe the tension in shoulders, arms, knees, ankles — the muscles tend to slowly relax.

Body and Mind Come Together

“Your body will relax. And you are with the body, your mind and body together, here and now. Sometimes, it seems not so relaxing. You notice and feel aches and pains… you notice what is wrong with your body—you don’t want to see that! Fear and issues can come up. But it’s an important meditation. We have to know ourselves, feel ourselves.”

Rinpoche joked that “we don’t know our bodies. That’s why we’re always going to the doctor to do ultrasounds. Here, we become our own doctor, healer, therapist. Without judging, just observing.

“The point here is to bring mind and body together, cultivate mindfulness of body by observing the body now, and become one in body and mind.”

Rinpoche explained that the same obstacles will arise in body mindfulness as bothered us in the previous (session 1) breath mindfulness meditation: wandering mind, and torpid mind. The remedy is the same. Just observe you are wandering, and bring yourself back to the body part you were mindfully observing. Or observe you are drifting into sleepiness, and mindfully bring yourself back.

The group of participants were invited to ask questions, and then we performed our own mindfulness of body meditation under Rinpoche’s guidance.

Heart Sutra: Form is Emptiness and Emptiness is Form

One of the students asked Rinpoche to elaborate on relative truth (or conventional truth) and absolute truth. After thanking him for the question, Rinpoche began his answer with reference to the Heart Sutra.

“In this sutra, two of Buddha’s disciples had a dialogue. One of the disciples, Avalokitesvara speaks on emptiness:

‘In this case, Shariputra, form is emptiness and emptiness is itself form; emptiness is not different from form, and form is not different from emptiness; that which is form is emptiness, and that which is emptiness is form. So it is for perception, conception, volition and consciousness.”

Rinpoche explained that what we seem to see as our physical body, or a vase of flowers, or a glass of water are “form”— a conventional truth or relative truth. He explained, if we need a drink, we drink water. “We don’t deny the existence of conventional truth.”

Analytical Meditation: Two Truths

In explaining relative versus absolute truth, Rinpoche invited us to use analytical meditation. “I look at my body, and ask myself the question, what is my body? … You do a scanning meditation and try to find your body. When you scan your skin, you ask, is that my body? No, it’s skin, not body. Then you look at your bones, and likewise every part of your body.” If you scrutinize the body this way you’ll find body parts, but not body. Even those body parts have components if you scan those body parts. “To be body, it has to be the ‘whole’ body, all the parts. If you really look, you can’t find one thing that is your body. What we call body is just a ‘label’. A name. Imputing a label.” Therefore, “yes it’s a body” in relative truth, “but when you search for the absolute body, you can’t find it. We can call this the emptiness of our body.” It only exists by virtue of it’s label.

“A good example is your car. If you take that car apart, and everything is just parts, there is no car. Just car parts. You put it back together, and then label it Hyundai, you have a Hyundai. But if you switch the labels [to Honda] is it now a Honda? It’s all labels. There is no independent existence. That’s only one way to look at emptiness.”

“Emptiness and form co-exist,” he explained. The car relatively exists, but is, in absolute terms, only a label. It is made up of parts, and defined only by a relative label.

Anger: Does it Exist?

A student asked Rinpoche to apply the Two Truths to something like an emotion. Rinpoche answered, “Anger is a good example.” He dissected anger, to illustrate: “I’m angry. So, I try to observe my anger. What kind of anger is this? Just observing, looking at anger, observing, and soon I analyze why I’m angry. I say to myself, I’m angry with myself! I feel I’m angry with myself. I ate too much food, or I failed an exam, or I’m late for work. It’s not a big deal.” He explained that this is relative anger. “That’s a real thing, I’m really angry. But then, you keep looking at your anger,” analyzing it the same way as the car, you realize, “that anger concept is a label.”

For example, if we’re angry with self for eating too much—when we’re supposed to be on a diet—then you analyze that anger and you find multiple feelings: “I feel disappointment. I feel shame. I feel embarrassed. I feel I’m not doing the right thing. I shouldn’t do ‘this’, I shouldn’t do ‘that.’ That’s also my expectations. So, there are many layers and layers…so where is anger? There’s no real anger. Anger is just a concept, a label imputed on all these layers, thoughts, expectations.”

Knowing this you may realize, “I don’t have to be angry with myself. All I have to do is be more mindful. Be mindful of eating. Of not eating. Cultivate more mindfulness, and there’ll be no need to be angry.”

Healing Through Meditation

Another student asked about “healing your body with meditation. Instead of using conventional doctors, using their mind to heal, and being able to self heal through body scanning and mindful meditation?”

Rinpoche’s answer was cautious, probably due to the qualifier in her question, “instead of using conventional doctors” — which it soon became clear he did not agree with.

Rinpoche said, “Yes, I have seen, and I have heard of healers, and I know healers — I know lamas and yogis who do healing for themselves and other people. They do healing without taking medicine. They are very powerful and can heal through visualization, mantras, prayers and through meditation. BUT—” he said, his voice rising, “to do that, to reach that state, you have to have profound realizations, lots of experience, years of experience. It’s not so easy.

“It depends also on the nature of your illness. Some illnesses—you cannot. And some illnesses, you can. Depends on the illness. Not every illness can be cured by our mind.” Ultimately, “it all depends on you. You take responsibility.”

“For example, if someone has an illness, cancer, it may not be curable by [conventional] medicine. With meditation, it’s still not curable. But the power of healing meditation can help you to live with it, without so much agony, pain, anger, blame… Meditation helps you learn to live with it.”

“So, yes, meditation can help. Certain illnesses can be healed by the power of meditation, and prayer.” The clear subtext was — see your doctor.

A Funny Story: My Student the Smoker

Rinpoche, always one to pepper his answers with often-funny anecdotes, said, “I’ll tell you a story. I used to live in Australia back in the late seventies. In 1984, I went back there for a visit. I know one lady, she smoked a lot. Doctors said ‘you’ve got two years to live.’

“She was scared and came to me. I taught her meditation, visualization and Tara practice. And now, how many years is it? 32 years later, she’s still alive! She’s still running around smoking!” The audience erupted in laughter.

The last time he saw her, “I said to her, ‘how are your lungs?’ She said, ‘like a good chimney’,” he added, to more laughter. “She said, ‘I got thirty years, no complaints, now every day is a bonus.’ So, that’s the power of meditation, of healing, of Tara, I believe.”

(For more information on Tara and Tara practice refer to this feature>> or on White Tara here>>)

Mahamudra Meditation: Resting the Mind in Natural State

Rinpoche asked us to prepare for the next group meditation, resting the mind in the natural state. “As I said before, today our minds are so busy. Not only the body, but the mind is tired! Our mind gets cloudy. Agitated… This is not our natural state. Due to the environment, due to conditioning, expectations that you should be busy, doing this, doing that, obligations, responsibilities—so, the mind gets quite tired. Not only that — exhausted.”

Rinpoche explained this is why the meditation method “resting the mind in natural state” is important today.

In a gentle voice, he guided: “Sit comfortably on the cushion, relax your body, and keep your mind here, in this moment. Do not go to the past. Don’t think about past events. Don’t think about yesterday, last month, last year, ten years ago, do not go to the past. Do not go to the future. Tomorrow, next month, ‘I want to do this or that’ — don’t go to the future. Do not analyze anything. Do not investigate. Be here and now. In the present moment. Keep your mind like a mirror, an empty mirror. An empty mirror only reflects. Or, keep your mind like an empty sky. This way, you rest your mind in a natural way.” He cautioned us not to examine the question ‘what is mind’ — that session was planned for the afternoon — but simply to rest the mind in it’s natural state. Unlike mindfulness of breathing, from session one, here we were asked to simply rest the mind in the now.

Watch for Session 3 of Mahamudra Introduction.

Read the notes from Session 1 here>>

About Zasep Tulku Rinpoche

Rinpoche is the spiritual guide for Gaden for the West—with several meditation centres across Canada, Australia and the United States. He travels extensively, teaching several times each year in parts of Canada, Australia, the US and Mongolia. Rinpoche received many teachings and initiations from other great lamas, legendary teachers such as: Yongzin Trijang Rinpoche, His Holiness Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, Venerable Geshe Thupten Wanggyel, Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, Venerable Lati Rinpoche, Venerable Tara Tulku Rinpoche and Venerable Khalkha Jetsun Dampa Rinpoche. (More about Zasep Tulku Rinpoche>>)

About Host Theodore Tsaousidis

Theodore Tsaousidis has been conscious of his spiritual journey from an early age. Born in a rural community in Greece surrounded by mountains and valleys, he was profoundly shaped by nature and the ancient tradition of village elders and healers. His connection to nature and the spirit world is an integral part of who he is – as is his dedication to the Zen training he has followed for 30 years. He is also blessed by the guidance of the Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche. His healing and shamanic sharing stem from, his cultural roots, personal experience. and Tibetan and Buddhist traditions. Theodore sees shamanism and meditation as a great alchemy for the healing of self and other.

NOTES

[1] Translated from the Tibetan “mi mno, mi bsam, mi shes, mi dpyod, mi sgom, rang sar bzhag”

[2] UnfetteredMind.org https://www.unfetteredmind.org/six-words-of-advice/

Today, September 7, is the birthday of one of the eminent teachers in Tibetan Buddhism, His Holiness, Sakya Trizin. It’s always bittersweet when a great being reaches the age of seventy—we can be thankful for decades of teachings and care, but at the same time apprehensive about the future and, with attachment, desperately wish for many decades more.

Festivities are planned around the world in honor of this Bodhisattva: Tsog offerings, banquets, fireworks, songs and dances. In August, he celebrated his birthday early in his U.S. seat in New York.

The Sakya Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism is one of the four great religious traditions in Tibet. While it is not my main tradition, I’ve attended events and teachings.

A few years ago I had the honor to meet and receive teachings from His Holiness Sakya Trizin, during a Vajrakilaya initiation in Toronto, Canada. It was an event permanently etched into my memory, a cherished moment. At the time it was a little stressful, due to the vast popularity of this great man. I bought advance tickets, and even though I was early, I only managed to get tickets on the lower floor of Riwoche temple, where the event was held. https://www.riwoche.com

When I arrived, I understood the overwhelming popularity of His Holiness. There wasn’t a parking spot to be had within a half hour walk of the temple. By the time we got there, the lineup was fully one street block long. Even thought I thought we was two hours early, I now worried if we’d even get in. A quick inquiry of the patient people in line indicated that yes, they were advance ticket holders.

Respectfully—nearly an hour of shuffling in line later—we all crowded in, although we were in the lower level. As “latecomers” we were relegated to watching by “live feed” on a giant screen (with a full room of devotees). It was a powerful experience, even by big screen. I didn’t need to be in the main temple area to feel his searing presence, and to feel the warmth from his glowing smile. When the event ended, I was literally the last in line to meet His Holiness, winding step-by-step up the stairs. Even with such overwhelming numbers, His Holiness spent time with each attendee and offered blessings.

Biography of His Holiness the 41st Sakya Trizin

His Holiness was born September 7, 1945 with the Sanskrit name of Ayu Vajra, a lineage holder of the family Khon that dates back to 1073 A.D. According to tradition he received his actual name, Ngawang Kunga Thengchen Palbar Trinley Samphel Wangyi Gyalpo, with he received his first initiation. Many auspicious signs accompanied his birth.

He lost both his parents when he was young and was raised by his maternal aunt. He had two main tutors in his youth, who prepared him for his duties as head of the Sakya lineage. Amazingly, at the age of five his root teacher bestowed profound teachings, and at seven he passed an oral exam on the Hevajra root tantra. His first major retreat was at the age of eight.

His Holiness underwent extensive preparation for enthronement, including the lengthy Vajakilaya ritual. In 1959, the year the Chinese invaded Tibet, he was enthroned the 41st Sakya Trizin of the great Sakya lineage. As with other great teachers, including the Dalai Lama, he left Tibet, exiled from his homeland. His first act was to help Tibetans adjust to their new life in exile, and to ensure preservation of the authentic teachings. He established the Sakya Guru monastery in Darjeeling.

In 1962, only seventeen years of age, His Holiness gave his first Hevajra initation. In 1963, he established the main seat of the Sakya Order in Rajpur. Over the next few years, His Holiness began teaching tours of America, Asia and Europe.

To carry on the great lineage he married Dagmo Tashi Lhakee in 1974, and they celebrated the birth of their eldest son Ratna Vajra the next year. In 1979, his younger son Gyana Vajra was born.

His Holiness in known for his extensive world tours, not only to Sakya centres, but—as was the case when I attended an initiation—often invited to Buddhist centres of other traditions. His tireless journey has introduced Tibetan and Tantric Buddhism to many followers around the world. He also established the Sakya College in Rajpur and Sakya Institute in Puruwala.

Sakya Lineage

The Sakya Lineage is one of the four great traditions of Tibet, founded in the 11th century. At one time, during the 13th and 14th centuries, the Sakya lineage was, literally, the political power, ruling over Tibet. The great ancestor of the Sakya Trizin was Khon Konchok Gyalpo (1034-1102), the founder of the Sakyas. There were five great founders or patriarchs of the Sakya Tradition as well: Sachen Künga Nyingpo (1092-1158), Loppön Sonam Tsemo (1142-1182), Jetsün Drakpa Gyaltsen (1147-1216), Sakya Pandita (1182-1251), and Drogön Chogyal Phagpa (1235-1280).

In 1240, the granson of Genghis Khan, Prince Godan, invited Kunga Gyaltsen (1181-1251), the Sakya Pandita, to instruct him in Buddhism. It is these teachings that largely persuaded Prince Godan from drowning Chinese prisoners, as was their custom. The Sakya Pandita told Prince Godan it was against the teachings of the Buddha. The tradition of association with the Mongolians continued in 1253 with Kublai Khan, and in return the Khan continued support of the Sakya lineage’s political leadership of Tibet. Shortly after the passing of the Kublai Khan, the Sakya lamas removed themselves from politics, and focused solely on the teachings, having helped spread the Buddha’s word to Mongolia and tempering the violence of the conquering Khan.

Today, the Sakya lineage is treasured by followers around the world, with many noble projects under the direct guidance of His Holiness, including a Hospital, academies, religious centers, colleges, monasteries and a nunnery.

A schedule of events of His Holiness the Sakya Trizin can be found here>>

Long Life Prayer for His Holiness Sakya Trizin

From the Sakya Rinchen Choling Nunnery site>>

PRAYER FOR THE LONG LIFE OF HIS HOLINESS THE SAKYA TRIZIN,  NGAWANG KUNGA THEGCHEN PALBAR TRINLAY SAMPHEL WANGGI GYALPO

By Ngawang Lodrup

Chi Med Mi Shik Sung Wa’i Kur Khang Nang

Chi Med Tshay Jin Lha Mo Chen Dun Ma

Chi Med Tshay La Wang Wa’i Tshok Nam Kyi

Chi Med Tshay Yi Ngo Drup Tshal Tu Sol

Rik Sum Ped Ma’i Thuk Kyed Lha Lam Nay

Khyen Tsay Nu Thu’i Rang Zuk Nyin Mor Ched

Sa Ten Lung Tok Ped Tshal Gay Dzed Nay

Dul Cha Ling Zhi’i Gon Tu Tak Ten Sol

Nga Wang Gyu Trul Lha Rik Khon Gyi Dung

Dro Kun Ga Dzed Thek Chen Do Ngak Lam

Phen De’i Pal Tu Bar Wee Trin Lay Chen

Sam Phel Wang Gi Gyal Po Shab Ten Sol

Nam Tak Trim Den Ser Gyi Sa Zhi La

Tho Sam Gom Pa’i Rin Chen Dul Mang Tsek

Ched Tsod Tsom Tang Jay Ten Pang Rim Gay

Kyab Chok Ri Wang Lhun Por Ten Zhuk So

Gyal Wa Nyi Pa Jay Tsun Gong Ma Ngay

Gyal Ten Chik Du Nyen Gyud Tshed Ma Zhi

Gyal Wa’i Lam Zang Zab Mo Lob Shed Nam

Gyal Wa Ji Zhin Ton Dzed Zhab Ten Sol

Phun Tshok Gyal Sid Dun Gyi Ta Shi Pal

Pal Den Sa Kya’i Cho Sid Pal Bar Nay

Nay Chog Dzam Ling Jay Pa’i Gyen Tu Chon

Chon Zhin Sang Sum Dor Jay Tar Ten Sol

Lu Med La Ma Chok Sum Thuk Jay Tang

Yi Dam Ten Sung Gya Tsho’i Thu Tob Tang

Cho Nyid Zab Mo Gyur Med Den Pa’i Thu

Ji Tar Sol Wa’i Dod Ton Drub Gyur Chik

PRAYER FOR THE LONG LIFE OF HIS HOLINESS THE SAKYA TRIZIN, NGAWANG KUNGA THEGCHEN PALBAR TRINLAY SAMPHEL WANGGI GYALPO

In immortal life’s protective wheel,

Seven-eyed One granting deathlessness,

Great assemblage granting deathlessness,

Grant attainment of immortal life!

Path divine of Padmasambhava,

Wisdom, love and power’s radiant form,

Sakya’s blooms of insights and of words,

Master of the four worlds, long remain!

Ngawang Kunga, line of Khon, divine,

Granting benefits and joy to all,

Owner of the great and secret path,

Wish-fulfilling great King, please live long!

Meditating, thinking, listening,

Placed upon a moral golden base,

Teach, debate, compose, the Dharma’s words,

Royal sublime refuge, firm remain!

Second Buddha, Teacher of Lamdre,

Teachings of the five Sakya Founders,

Valid path of Buddha taught through speech,

You who teach like Buddha, please live long!

Having come, you who beautify this world,

Holding Sakya’s power temporal,

Radiating Sakya’s Dharma works,

Vajra like three secrets, long remain!

Triple Gem and Teacher, kind and true,

Yidam and protector, full of might,

Profound and unchanging sublime Truth,

By these powers, our hopes (will) be fulfilled!

(translated by Lama Jay Goldberg and Stephen Ang)

On Sept 11 at 1:30am, Kyabje Choden Rinpoche showed the aspect of passing away at Sera Jey Monastery.

“With great sadness, we must convey to you the news of His Eminence Choden Rinpoche’s passing into dharamadhatu,” writes Choden Lobrang in a letter to students and friends. (Sera Jey Monastery, South India, Sept 11, 2015).

Today, September 14, “At 11:05 this morning Rinpoche came out of clear light meditation (Thugdam). People can now come and pay respect to Rinpoche’s holy body between 2:00pm today and until tomorrow at 8:00am,” reports His Eminence’s Facebook page. “There has also been another evening of prayers and recitation here at the house. The self initiations continued with Cittimani Tara, and preparations for the Holy cremation. Last nights text recitations included the wonderful Essence of Nectar by Yeshe Tsöndru. Its like a very condensed Lam Rim and is highly recommended. This was then followed by Bodhisattva Charyavatara then Praise of Dependent Origination recited through till dawn.”

Remembering HE Choden Rinpoche: The Hidden Meditator

Choden Rinpoche of Sera Je Monastery was one of the highest Gelug lamas. He was the “hidden meditator” for 19 years. Famously, during the communist Chinese takeover of Tibet in 1959, Choden Rinpoche never left a tiny, dark room in Lhasa. From 1965 to 1985, he remained in solitary retreat, never leaving the room even to go to the bathroom. [1]

Choden Rinpoche recalled the day the Communist soldiers besieged the monastery in an article in Mandala Magazine. The soldiers “rounded up all the monks and put us in a courtyard. After this they ransacked the whole monastery. All the monks were circled by soldiers with their weapons. We’d heard that in eastern Tibet the soldiers had rounded up all the monks and shot them dead, so everyone was frightened that would happen. From dawn to sunset the monks were all standing in the courtyard.” [2] They were told they’d be taken to be killed, but ‘luckily’ they were imprisoned instead. After one month in prison, he became ill and was taken to a hospital. The next few years were very difficult for all the monks in Tibet, but after the Cultural Revolution in 1965 they became even more dangerous. Without texts, drum, bell or vajra, Rinpoche went into extensive retreat.

Rinpoche’s attendant at the time, Venerable Tseten Gelek, remembers that time: “He spent all his time on that bed, meditating… They had to change the bedding once a month because it got smelly from the sweat. He used a bedpan as a toilet… Until 1980 he didn’t talk to anybody, only the person who brought food to his room.”

His Eminence explained, “The main thing I wanted to do was practice Dharma sincerely, no matter what external factors were arising.” [2]

Early Life of His Eminence

Born in 1933, Choden Rinpoche was recognized at the age of three as a Tulku. At seven, His Holiness Pabongka Rinpoche gave ordination to Choden Rinpoche. H.E. Choden Rinpoche remembered that time fondly: “I was 6 when I met Pabongka. I really admired everything he did: the way he walked, the way he dressed, everything. I felt, ‘if only I could be like him.'”[2]

At the age of seventeen he enrolled in Sera Je Monastery. He became an prominent student of His Holiness Trijang Rinpoche. “His main gurus are Pabongka Rinpoche, Trijang Rinpoche and the Dalai Lama,” according to an extensive biography in Mandala Magazine. [2]

Teaching to the World

For decades, Rinpoche taught precious Buddhist canon to thousands of monks, and regularly toured monasteries and dharma centers around the world. He has taught and traveled in America, Europe, Mongolia and Asia. Many thousands have taken novice ordination from His Eminence.

Choden Labrang, on Sept 11, wrote: “As most of you know, last year in July, the glorious protector of the teachings and sentient beings, endowed with great understanding of the five sciences [medicine, craftmanship, logic, grammar, and the inner science of Buddhism], His Eminence Choden Rinpoche, the supreme Jetsun Losang Gyalten Jigdrel Wangchug, manifested the state of illness from the perspective ordinary disciples. However, through the fortunate convergence of the power of the blessing of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s compassion, the sincere requests of his disciples that Rinpoche may remain long and stable like a vajra, and meticulous medical care, the illness temporarily receded and Rinpoche was able to bestow vast, essential, hard to find teachings on profound sutra and tantra, especially the Manjushri Ja-myang Chokhor cycle, to fortunate disciples in the main temple of Sera Jey Monastery.”

Unfortunately, Rinpoche’s illness “reached a critical state, each day becoming more severe according to the doctor. Concerned by this condition, Rinpoche’s close disciples requested His Holiness the Dalai Lama for an observation. Observing ominous signs, His Holiness invited Rinpoche to meet him in Delhi. On August 29th, His Holiness held a relaxed meeting with Rinpoche in his hotel room in Delhi. The following day, Rinpoche comfortably arrived at his home in the great seat of Sera.

Shortly afterwards, on Sept 11, “Rinpoche entered a state of meditation. Remaining in that state, at 1:30 AM on September 11th, 2015, in his room in the Labrang, in order to inspire towards the Dharma disciples grasping at permanence, Rinpoche progressively actualized the three emptinesses and the clear light, finally showing the aspect of dissolving his mind into dharmadhatu.”

NOTES

[1] “The Life of a Hidden Meditator: Choden Rinpoche” by Choden Rinpoche and Venerable Tseten Gelek (August 2000)

[2] Mandala Magazine July-August 2000, page 63. Full article as PDF available here>>

Buddha Weekly begins its special series “Interviews with the Teachers” with an extensive hours-long interview with the most Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche. Rinpoche is spiritual director of many temples, meditation centres and retreat centres in Australia, the United States and Canada and teaches also in Mexico and Mongolia. He was first invited to teach in Australia by Lama Thubten Yeshe in 1976.

Do you have a teacher you’d like to recommend for a Buddha Weekly Interview? Please use our “Suggest a Teacher” Contact Form>>

In Part 1, now published here>>

Zasep Rinpoche discusses decades of teaching; mindfulness meditation; advice for beginner students; and funny stories of his teacher H.H. Zong Rinpoche.

Click here to read part 1>>

Click here to read part 2>>

Click here to read part 3>>

Excerpt:

Zasep Rinpoche on the importance of mindfulness meditation: “You make the choice. Why not put aside a little time for meditation? Meditation doesn’t make you even more busy. Actually, it makes you more calm, and it helps you. It improves the quality of your daily activity — your work. It also gives you energy. Meditation helps boost your immune system. Why? In part because meditation releases stress… So, think about what is more important for you. What is more worthwhile? Making another ten-minute phone call, or sending text messages, or meditating?”

Zasep Rinpoche on an auspicious event: “Gaden Choling is a very old centre. I can share a few interesting stories. I came here in the autumn of 1981. When I arrived here, there was an auspicious event, something that had not happened before. Three great lamas arrived in Toronto at the same year.

“H.H. the Dalai Lama came in October to Toronto for the first time. Then, H.H. the 16th Karmapa arrived in November. Then, my teacher, H.H. Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, he also arrived in November. All these things happened in the fall of 1981 in Toronto…” (continued in interview)

Zasep Rinpoche on his teacher H.H. Zong Rinpoche: “He had a great sense of humor. He likes sight-seeing. We went to Disney Land in Los Angeles, and we walked all day. At the end of the day, I said, “Are you tired?” and he laughed and said “No!”

I asked him, “What was the Disney Land experience like for you?”

He said, “It’s like going through the Bardo”. Because it’s between death and birth. You know, because it’s sort of not real. And he laughed. He thought that was very funny…” (continued in interview…)  Interview now published >>

NOW PUBLISHED in Part 2

Zasep Rinpoche discusses how Buddhism can help with today’s problems; on how we should think of hell realms and reincarnation; and how to practice when you have so little time.

Excerpt:

Zasep Rinpoche on western perspectives of hell realms: “You can have a hell realm right now in your mind. For example, if your mind is tormented all the time. Today, there is so much suffering and mental illness. If you are suffering now, then you are in already in the hell realm. If your mind is so agitated, angry, distracted and jealous — then, you already experiencing the demigod realm. If you are always greedy, never satisfied, or you feel you are deprived or poor, and you want more, more, more — if you are always grasping after money, then your mind is like the mind of a hungry ghost. If you always blissful, happy, calm, joyful — then your mind is like the god realm. All six realms can be experienced right here in this lifetime.”

Zasep Rinpoche on rebirth: “A lady came to me once and said, ‘I call myself a Buddhist, but I don’t believe in reincarnation.’ I said to her, ‘You can be a Buddhist without believing in reincarnation. You’re not saying that you disbelieve it, just that you don’t have proof. Buddha himself said, be in the present moment, be here now… Don’t worry about the past. It’s only memories. The future is a dream. Don’t worry about the future. Stay in the now. The most important thing is to watch your body, speech and mind, and if you cultivate virtues, and practice loving kindness, then you are a good Buddhist.” (continued in interview…) Interview publishes Monday, February 29 at 5pm ET.

In Part 3, published and NOW LIVE

Zasep Rinpoche discusses internet Dharma, the importance of meditation on death, about deity yoga; and gay marriage.

Excerpt:

Zasep Rinpoche on the rise of internet dharma: “Generally, it has a positive effect. It’s beneficial to have easy access to teachings on YouTube, and you can download material, pictures and sadhanas and you can find so much information. It’s generally useful and helpful… It all depends on the individual. Internet can be very impersonal, you know? It can also be addictive. Even some monks, now, instead of holding malas and doing mantras, they have their phones in hand, sending messages, text messages. In some ways it’s nice. The monks even use chat for spiritual debating. But in some ways it’s really bad. Instead of doing mantras and practices, they spend time online.”

Zasep Rinpoche on the importance of death meditation: “Generally, meditating on death and dying is very important. In Lamrim, it says, “Meditating on death and dying helps motivate Dharma practice.” Life is too short. Death can happen any time, you don’t know. As we get older, we know we don’t have much time left. I’ve got maybe ten years, fifteen years, maybe twenty years. So, the time goes fast, and death’s going to happen sooner or later.”

Zasep Rinpoche on initiations: “Don’t be a spiritual materialist. You need a good base in Sutra and Lamrim practice. Then, if you want to do Deity Yoga you don’t try to jump. Don’t rush. Practice Lower Tantra first.”

Zasep Rinpoche on finding a teacher: “That’s a difficult question. You have to decide what you want in a teacher. If you are new to Buddhism, and looking at a particular teacher, you should find out their background. You should go to their talks and teachings. Where did he or she study? How many years retreats has the teacher completed? What kind of study he or she did… You have to go around, listen to teachings, listen to different teachers, then decide.” (Continued in interview…)

Click here to read part 1>>

Click here to read part 2>>

Click here to read part 3>>