June - August 2012
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Rs. 200
THE GREAT ILLUMINATor
The eye of new awareness
Buddhism in Russia
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An Interview with Gesar Mukpo
Issue 5
International Buddhist Academy
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Tribute to Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche
Vol I
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Š Ven. Matthieu Ricard
Editorial
W
e are humans. We live on one planet. We share life with others. We love. It’s imperative we co-exist with respect and dignity for others.
Many have become desensitized through haphazard technology. They live in a narrow ego world of material things. What strikes me is this: technology — television, cinema, and media in general exposes us to brutality of ourselves. We lose our sensitivity to it. We become aliens and lonely and lost. The media buys people. We lose our sensitivity in a random and unpredictable way. More directly we give up our individual and collective freedoms. We absorb the NEGATIVE media violence, hysteria and suffering as if it were real. What is real? Images distort human’s innate ability for love, compassion and kindness. One can say of course that this is only “the way of the world.” But does it have to be?
Publisher & Editor in Chief Pasang Sherpa Editor Timothy M. Leonard Contributing Writers - Ven Matthieu Ricard - Natalia L. Zhukovskaya - Varda Rizvi - Osho (Dhammapada) - Laura Zan Cover photo Laxmi Prasad Ngakhushi Advertisements & Contact vairochana.boudha@gmail.com Mobile No: 9721307751 w w w. v a i ro c h a n a . c o m design
To listen to the news is enough to make you think you are living in a lunatic asylum. But, wait...we all know the news is presented to us for maximum NEGATIVE effect. Bad news SELLS. Negative world events are more effective in arousing our emotional response than good news. People are willing victims to be dumbed down by bad news day after day. Our minds accept attitudes of foreboding and depression. It is my belief that the individual sets the tone and provides the real development in a society. Individuals change societies, give birth to ideas, standing out against tides of opinion, repression and injustice. Peace begins with me. That’s a positive thought. Namo Ratna Trayaya!
Acknowledgement My sincere heartfelt appreciations to Stan la for your Compassion and Bodhichitta motivation for sponsoring this 5th issue.
DAO Ktm Regd. 207 – 068 / 069
I consider you a Bodhisattva for your altruistic aspiration to help others and admire your dedication to Most Ven. Khenchen Appey Rinpoche.
Vairochana: will be published quarterly from hence. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopy without written permission. Vairochana is not responsible for statements expressed in signed articles or advertising claims.
Your compassion from the depths of your heart has overwhelmed me beyond words. My sincere heartfelt gratitude to Ven. Jhampa Losal la for everything. I salute your humility and modesty.
Unless otherwise stated, the opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the writers or the sources mentioned, and do not reflect the opinions of, nor are they endorsed by the publisher or the editor. Your financial support is needed for Vairochana continuity. Support from private individuals or company would be greatly appreciated. You can also help us by subscribing or by becoming a sponsor of Vairochana future issues. Please send us your contact details at vairochana.boudha@gmail.com
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May your kind virtue and meritorious deed accumulate 1000 fold in the Buddhafield. I rejoice in your Buddhanature and positive karma.
Homage to the Triple Gem!
Pasang Sherpa
Contents
4 Editorial 6 Tribute to Kyabje Trulshik 12 The Symbolic Meaning of Stupas 20 International Buddhist Academy 34 Varanasi
20 45
34 68
44
Am I Reincarnated ?
54
A Geography of Smile?
58
Buddhism in Russia
68
The Living Kumaris of Kathmandu Valley
84
Mugum
90
The Dhammapada
96
Book Reviews
98
Dedication
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Tribute to Kyabjé Trulshik
Rinpoche
K
yabjé Trulshik Rinpoche was born at Yardrok
outstanding Tibetan masters who were key figures in either
Taklung in Central Tibet on the tenth day of
the introduction, growth and development of Buddhism in
the ninth month in the year of the Wood Rat
the Land of Snows.
(1923). He studied in Mindroling, the major Nyingma monastery in central Tibet. He was
Over the last 20 years he became a leading hierarch of
the last abbot of Dza-Rong-Phu monastery
the Ancient Translation School. Trulshik Rinpoche is the
(founded in 1902 by Dza tul, Ngawang Tenzing Norbu,
principle depositary of H.H.Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche’ “mind
1866-1940) in Southern Tibet located just on the northern
treasures”. He is also the main bestower of monastic
side of Mt. Everest. This charismatic lama was instrumental,
vows in the Nyingma lineages and has ordained several
among others, building monasteries in the Sherpa area
thousand monks.
establishing Sherpa Buddhism awareness. Kyabjé Trulshik Rinpoche’s sacred body relic (kudung) In 1959 Trulshik Rinpoche participated in the great exodus
traveled from Sitapaila monastery to Thupten Choling
due to the Chinese invasion of Tibet. He escaped across
monastery in Solukhumbu, NE Nepal.
Nangpa La into Solukhumbu, the homeland of the Sherpas, in the company of his entire monastic community of
His kudung was welcomed in his old monastery on May
monks and nuns.
1, 2012. The assembled clerics performed a special puja in honor of Kyabjé Trulshik Rinpoche for 3 days (May1st
On his way through Solukhumbu he stayed first at Thame,
-3rd). The kudung was transported to Solu by helicopter and
in Tengboche and finally in Chiwong monastery. Thanks
accompanied by Tulku Pema Wangyal, one of the dignitaries
to a generous grant of land from the Salaka community of
of the Ancient Translation School. H.H.Dudjom Yangsi
Mopung village who also offered labour, the construction
Rinpoche and H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche and
work began in the year 1962 and a solemn consecration
their respective retinue also traveled to Solu.
ceremony was held in 1968. The puja was connected with an aspiration prayer for As is characteristic of grand religious structures in the
Trulshik Rinpoche’s swift rebirth. The puja on the third day
cultural realm of Tibetan Buddhism the specialized
celebrated with a long-life blessing drawing many Sherpa
carpentry work, sculptures, and the painting of murals
clerics and lay people. He was the most highly venerated
were all executed by accomplished Tibetan and Sherpa
lama by the Sherpa community and hierarchs of the
sacred artists. It is here that Kyabjé Trulshik Rinpoche rose
Nyingma School.
to eminence within the Nyingma School. Trulshik Rinpoche lineage of incarnation goes directly back to Ananda, the
The kudung will not be kept at his old monastery. It will
Buddha Sakyamuni’s greatest disciple and his cousin. Five
return to Sitapaila, Trulshik Rinpoche’s new monastery in the
Indian Buddhist masters of different era lineage includes
KTM Valley, located SW of Swayambhu.
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Š Ven. Matthieu Ricard
KyabjÊ Trulshik Rinpoche’s sacred body relic (kudung) traveled from Sitapaila monastery to Thupten Choling monastery in Solukhumbu, NE Nepal. Images & text by Eberhard Berg
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Stupas The Symbolic Meaning of
Teachings and Instructions by
Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche
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I
n consecration instructions
from the Kayawakchittasupratishtanama, the great
pandit Atisha says, Blessings For
• Speaking in a quiet and gentle ways
• Speaking sensibly and
meaningfully
the chorten’s foundations, the dharmadhatu is the base upon
Mind
which the lion throne as the four
• Practicing contentment
fearlessnesses rests. The terrace
• Being altruistic
steps proceed in stages from the ten
• Having faith in right views
virtues: the first, the four foundations
(which are the foundation for
of mindfulness; the second , the four
liberation)
genuine restraints; the third, the four bases of supernormal powers; and the fourth, the five spiritual faculties. The base of the vase is the five strengths; the vase is the seven limbs of enlightenment; and the foundation and the support of the harmika are
2. The three steps above symbolize the three refuges one holds on to:
• Buddha
• Dharma
• Sangha
3. The lion throne symbolizes
the eightfold noble path. All these
superiority over the whole
relate to the cause of realizations.
universe and, in particular, the four
What remains relates to the result:
fearlessnesses, which are a result
The heartwood (sog shing) is the ten
of the four know ledges:
knowledges; the harmika is the four
• Knowledge that all factors of existence are understood
enlightened wisdoms and the four deliveraneces; the thirteen wheels
• Knowledge that the obstacles
are the ten stages of the bodhisttva
are correctly known and the way
path and the three applications of
to stop them can be taught to
mindfulness. The parasol is the
others
protection of compassion, and the
all the virtuous qualities are
In more detail, the various
obtained, has in fact been
components of a stupa represent:
accomplished
mind.
• Knowledge that all corruption has been brought to an end
the earth” symbolizes the ten virtues of body, speech, and
• Knowledge that the path of renunciation, through which
top is the pristine dharmadhatu.
1. The basic platform that “holds
4. The treasure vase symbolizes the eight precious royal objects (eight noble riches).
Body
• Protecting life
• Practicing generosity
symbolize the six transcendental
• Keeping pure morality
virtues (six perfections):
Speech
• Telling the truth
• Reconciling others
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5. The small and the big lotuses
• Generosity
• Morality (ethics)
• Patience
• Energy (enthusiastic perseverance)
• Meditation
• Wisdom
6. The four corners of the throne symbolize the four immeasurable:
• Immeasurable love
• Immeasurable compassion
• Immeasurable joy
• Immeasurable equanimity
7.
The first step symbolizes the four mindfulnesses:
• Mindfulness of the body
• Mindfulness of feelings
• Mindfulness of the nonsubstantiality of thoughts
• Mindfunlness of the condition of existence (dharmas)
8. The second step symbolizes the four perfect efforts (sammapadhana):
• Striving to preserve existing favorable conditions
• Striving to produce such
conditions not yet existing
• The force of taith
• Perfect view
• Striving to ward off existing
• The force of energy
• Perfect understanding
unfavorable conditions
• The force of attention
• Perfect speech
• The force of concentration
• Perfect action
• The force of knowledge
• Perfect living
• Perfect effort
• Perfect attention
• Perfect concentration
• Striving to make it impossible for such conditions to arise
9. The third step symbolizes the four
12. The vase in its particularities
miraculous feats (riddhipada):
symbolizes the seven branches of
• Intention
awakening (bodhyanga):
• Thought
• Total memory (of past lives)
• Perseverance
• Perfect knowledge of all
• Analysis
10. The fourth step symbolizes the five powers (indriya):
• The faculty of faith
• The faculty of energy
• The faculty of attention
• The faculty of concentration
• The faculty of knowledge
11. The unchanging base symbolizes
14. The tree of life (sog shing) symbolizes the ten knowledge of
dharmas
phenomena:
• Diligence
• Mind (the thoughts of others)
• Ecstasy
• Interdependent links
• Perfect mastery of all disciplines
• Empirical knowledge
• Concentration
• Suffering
• Equanimity
13. The tre (“harmika” above the vase) and its reverse symbolize the noble eightfold path:
the five forces (bala):
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• The origin of suffering
• The cessation of suffering
that he has neither attachment
• The path leading to the
nor hatred for those who listen
cessation of suffering
• Things that lead to despair
• The non-production of things
15. The thirteen rings symbolize:
• The ten powers (or alternatively, the ten bodhisattva bhumis)
• The three essential remembrances
• The mindfulness of the Buddha
to him with mixed feelings 16. The umbrella and its support symbolize the state of a Victorious One. 17. The canopy symbolizes the ornaments of all the supreme qualities. 18. The moon symbolizes the
According to the Tengyur, the ten powers are:
• Knowledge of places suitable to preaching
• Knowledge of the ripening of different kinds of karma
• Knowledge of all the superior and inferior faculties
• Knowledge of all the different inclinations of other beings
• Knowledge of the different spheres of existences
• Knowledge of the ways that lead to the achievement of aims
• Knowledge and recollection of
• Knowledge of time of death and
former existences rebirth
• Knowledge of the destruction of evil forces
The three remembrances are:
• The mindfulness of the Buddha that he has no attachment for those who listen to him respectfully
• The mindfulness of the Buddha that he has no aversion for those who do not listen to him respectfully
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19. The sun symbolizes the radiating thousand lights of compassion. 20. The jewel at the top symbolizes the fulfillment of all wishes.
• Knowledge of all of the states of meditations with higher spheres
elimination of all sufferings.
I prostrate with great devotion and faith before such a wonderful stupa, the embodiment of all the qualities of the victorious ones so that only seeing it brings liberation to all who respect it. For he/she who will establish a connection with such a stupa, the life will carry its full meaning.
The Shape of a Stupa The stupa’s form represents the structure of the path to enlightenment, the interplay of the five elements, and many other aspects of the knowledge deeloped in the Buddhist tradition. Tibetan masters, basing their works on the teachings of Nagarjuna, have identified three essential shapes that act as receptacles of the dharmakaya: as inverted alsms bowl, a small house-type edifice, and a victory banner. Dragpa Gyaltsan (1147-1216) explains that each shape has specific symbolic significance. The inverted alms bowl, which is placed on a lotus and moon disc, symbolizes the
The Twenty-Four Elements of a Stupa
pristine nature of the dharmakaya
1. Sa dzin (sa ‘dzin)
foundation
unadorned with any attribute
2. Them ka (them skas)
stairs
whatsoever. The small house, square
3. Dong chen (gdong chen)
face
and beautiful, single or multi-storied, conveys the perfect completion of
4. Ba chung (bad chung)
small lotuses (small border)
5. Ba gam (bad gam)
large lotuses (balcony)
7. Ge chu (dge bcu)
the ten virtues
8. Bang rim (bang rim)
steps
9. Bum dan (‘bum gdan)
seat of the vase
10. Go khyim (sgo khim)
door of the vase
symbolizes the actions that over-
11. Bum pa (‘bum pa)
vase
come illusion, evoke the aspiration
12. Dre man (bre rman)
foundation of the harmika
for enlightenment, and support
13. Dre ten (bre rten)
support of the harmika
the fulfillment of that aspiration.
14. Dre (bre)
harmika
The inverted alms bowl, which is
15. Dug deg padma
dharmakaya qualities. The victory banner, represented by the chorten (which is the most commonly built),
exemplified by the Ashokan stupa, is a hemisphere rising from a three stepped base and is topped by a harmika and a stafflike pinnacle.
(gdugs’ degs padma)
lotus parasol
16. Chho khor chu sum
(chos ‘ khor bcu gsum)
17. Mo khor (mo ‘ khor)
thirteen charmacakras mother chkra
(space in between) 18. Pho khor (pho ‘khor)
father chakra
19. Zar tshag (zar tshag)
canopy
20. Thugs je do zung
(thugs rje mdo gzungs)
symbol of compassion
21. Char kheb (char khebs)
rain cover
22. Dawa
moon
23. Nyima
sun
24. Tog
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The Path to Enlightenment
T
he foundation is the very basis upon which the stupa will be built; it should be a very harmonious and pure place free of the ten non-virtuous actions. Above that level comes, the throne where the actual stupa will be placed. There should be eight or four lions supporting the throne. The lion is the king of animals and symbolizes living without fear in the wild. Upon the basis of the ethical discipline of not committing the ten non-virtuous actions on can travel the path of the practices. The first four layers, or steps, of the stupa are the paths in which on engages to attain realizations. The first step represents the four mindfulnesses. The next is called the four perfect abandonments. The next represents the four miraculous feats. The four mindfulnesses, the four miraculous feats, and so on are attained by practicing the path. These are increasingly superior realizations; as one goes step by step through the practices, on obtains these powers or attainments. On top of the throne is the circle of the lotus flower, which is the highest realization of the previous set of attainments: the five powers. The dome-like round part symbolizes the vase where the actual Buddha is situated and represents the celestial mansion of enlightened beings.
On top of the vase is a square shape. This represents the eight superior paths, which means the practitioner has gained the higher realizations. The practitioner has now realized selflessness directly. Certain stupas (such as the Swayambhunath Stupa
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in Kathmandu, Nepal) have eight eyes on this square that represents the five wisdoms of the buddhas or, alternatively, the wisdom eye of the Buddha On top of that square stands the life channel of the stupa, which has thirteen layers. Speaking generally of Buddhist practices, there are three main types: the foundation or basis, the path, and the final stage, or result. The stupa shows all three. The basis is the foundation – on such an ethical foundation on practices. From that level to the square on top of the dome is the path, where on trains. The next thirteen rings are levels that represent the result of the practices that on attains. The thirteen rings represent the ten powers or attainments and the three close mindfulnesses5 of the Buddha. On the very top is an umbrella, which represents the great compassion of the Buddha- that through his great compassion he helps all sentient beings. Above even the umbrella are the moon and the sun, and these two represent bodhichittathe altruistic intention to bring all beings out of suffering and into the bliss of enlightenment. There are two types of bodhichitta, conventional and ultimate. The moon symbolizes conventional bodhichitta and the sun ultimate bodhichitta. On top of both the sun and the moon is a jewel- the final result, which is enlightenment or buddhahood. So on the basis of such a foundation, free of the ten non-virtues, one trains in the path and
the finally attains enlightenment, the resultant state of huddhahood. This is a brief explanation of what the stupa represents. To summarize, the actual stupa has the entire representation of how Buddha, from the very basis or beginning, trained on the path and finally perfected himself. So it reveals the entire path traveled and the results of the practices engaged in by Lord Buddha Shakyamuni. The stupa is a very holy and precious object. If one builds a stupa that has all the qualities, that have been described, then in that particular placed where the stupa is built, all the beings that live in that area will receive numerous benefits. They will have a peaceful atmosphere, much harmony and happiness, and good livelihood. In the same way, by making offerings to the stupa- contributions, donations, and so on-one will also receive great benefits from such generosity. One will develop the practices in the same way that Buddha perfected himself. By making offerings and giving donations to a stupa, one receives a huge amount of virtue or merit that will help on to train in the path and will become a cause for the quick attainment of enlightenment. The entire stupa represents the ultimate qualities of the Buddha’s mind and is therefore a very precious and holy object. By making prostrations and offerings to it and circumambulations around it, one receives huge virtue.
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International Buddhist Academy
O
ur non-profit institution is an established
scholars wish to come to Nepal to make use of our resident
international school and research centre,
monastic scholars’ knowledge, our Khenpos’ guidance and
whose faculty of Khenpos are uniquely qualified
our Tibetan text resources, in their research.
Buddhist philosophy professors, translators and scholars experienced in teaching the Dharma to students of many
The great Sakya scholar, tutor of His Holiness Sakya
backgrounds and cultures. We’ve been registered with
Trizin and other Sakya masters, the late Most Venerable
the Nepal Government as a research centre and institute
Khenchen Appey Rinpoche established the International
of higher Buddhist education for over 10 years. IBA has
Buddhist Academy (IBA) to propagate the Buddha’s
attracted many “host-institution” affiliation requests from
teachings worldwide, through instruction, translation,
Fulbright scholarship recipients and similarly-funded
scholarly research and the training of monastic and lay
scholars at Harvard, Oxford, Emory, U. Chicago and
practitioners as Dharma teachers and leaders. Buddhist
other major universities. An increasing number of western
practitioners from around the world are drawn to Nepal
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Obeisance to your holy feet The Most Ven. Khenchen Appey Rinpoche
both to visit the holy pilgrimage site of the Buddha’s birth,
- several IBA translators are part of the Sakya Pandita
in Lumbini, and to attend IBA’s summer Dharma courses,
Translation Group, eight of whose recent sutra
taught in English.
translations appear in “84,000” organization’s on-line “Reading Room”
IBA PROGRAMS: Translation
Monastic Leaders’ Program (MLP)
- IBA’s own translation group, Chodung Karmo, is
- practical focus for Tibetan speaking, monastic college
translating very important Sakya texts into English, Chinese, and other languages, including Russian, Spanish and French - sponsors are encouraged to participate by helping raise funds to cover translation costs
philosophy grads - language instruction in English and Chinese, intercultural awareness - computer use, administration, organizational and communication skills
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H.E. Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche in a group photo at the completion of the Ten Day Retreat, 2009.
Holy Funeral Stupa of Ven. Khenchen Appey Rinpoche
- academic and research skills development, introduction to western science
Rinpoches and Khenpos attending the Holy Funeral Ceremony of Ven. Khenchen Appey Rinpoche
Sengye Rinpoche, Ven. Dhammadipa and Dr. Khenpo Ngawang Jorden
- public speaking, teaching experiences, translation training
Summer Dharma Courses and 10 Day Retreat - taught in English, sometimes with simultaneous translation (Mandarin, Spanish etc.) - in-depth courses, practice-oriented or higher Buddhist philosophy, during 3 ½ months - students coming from over 56 countries have attended during the last 10 summers - retreat masters, since 2007, have included Khenchen Appey Rinpoche, Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche, Lama Choedak Rinpoche, Khenpo Lungrik
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School of Translation Intensive Program (SOTIP) - IBA’s 2 yr. intensive for translator trainees, guides highly motivated international students in colloquial and classical language skills in Tibetan, for use in text translation • CONTACT Ven. Kunga Dondrup <kunga.dondrup@ gmail.com> monastic sponsorship, donations, details of summer courses and specific translation projects needing funding support • CONTACT Christian Bernert <cbernert@sakyaiba. edu.np> intensive translator training info
Summer Courses 2012 In the Summer of 2012 we will offer three individual month-long courses in Buddhist meditation and philosophy, and a 10 Days Retreat in early September. Visit our site or contact us for more information. Registration is still open.
July 3-31 “Entering Reality” Candrakirti’s Introduction to the Middle Way Candrakirti was a Buddhist master famous for his exposition of the Madhyamaka (‘Middle Way’) philosophy, generally regarded in Tibet as the pinnacle of Buddhist thought. More than just an introduction to this philosophy, his Introduction to the Middle Way is an extensive and profound treatise studied by all traditions of Tibetan Buddhism up to the present day, aimed at revealing the view of ultimate reality.
August 6 — 31 “The Alchemy of Suffering” A Stream of Nectar: Pith Instructions for the Cultivation of the two Bodhicittas According to the Mahayana, it is said that the entire Buddhist path is contained in one thing only: the practice of bodhicitta, the mind of enlightenment. Ga Rabjamba Kunga Yeshe’s text on Mind Training (lojong) teaches methods which are easy to apply in everyday life and have the power to produce a profound inner transformation.
International Buddhist Academy www.sakyaiba.edu.np, email: webcontact4iba@gmail.com Contact: Ven. Kunga Dondrup @ 9818408793
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Q. What is the significance of Khenchen Appey
activities in Nepal, not to mention what he did on his own
Rinpoche’s work in Nepal?
~ his own private practices. I think that the results of
Among so many things, the establishing of IBA was very important, because this academy will remain for a long time, as a place where people can study the Buddhadharma. For this reason, I think it is very significant.
Rinpoche’s intensive meditational practices were shown clearly to us when he passed away, through all the great signs of his being a realized Bodhisattva. This is yet another activity of significance, but you know, a great many people cannot relate to that.
Even more significant, I believe, is that Rinpoche generously gave so many teachings to many devotees,
Q. Many devoted practitioners did not have an
including a number of great masters. Since these masters
opportunity to meet Khenchen Appey Rinpoche
will teach others, the Buddhadharma will continue. This
during his lifetime. Can you comment on how they
was the most significant of his activities in Nepal, because
can become inspired by his activities?
even though there might be great infrastructure, and many shelves full of books, if there are no teachers, it would be
Those who have not met Khenchen Appey Rinopoche in
the same as having just an empty building, decorated with
person and want to have some connection with his legacy
books. To uphold the Buddhadharma and to continue the
may join with IBA to help fulfill his vision. Not only that, he
Buddhadharma, you need teachers and you need scholars,
has left a great legacy in the form of the many teachings
which Khenchen Appey Rinpoche produced, here in Nepal
he gave, over the years. We are in the process of making
~ many of them!
his teachings available in Tibetan and also in various other languages, in the form of CDs and books. If people follow
I think this was the most significant of Khen Rinpoche’s
his teachings, it can be similar to actually studying with
An interview with
Dr. Khenpo Ngawang Jorden The highlight of the Most Venerable Khenchen Appey Rinpoche’s contribution is (and I want to emphasize this) having skillfully produced great scholars and great masters like His Holiness the Sakya Trizin, and His Eminence Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche.
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him in person. Also, as I mentioned earlier, even
things that I remember and that I have heard from other
though he himself is not here, his lineage is still here,
people. When he was young, it was known to people
and his lineage continues. Therefore, receiving the
generally, and not just because of a bias towards him on
Buddhadharma from those great teachers who were his
the part of those close to him, that this exceptionally bright
own students, is the same as receiving the teachings
young monk was really a brilliant, great master and that
directly from him.
Rinpoche would become be a scholar of great renown in the future.
Q. What do you think are Khenchen Appey Rinpoche greatest lifetime contributions, including his
By the time he had begun to mature,Rinpoche had already assumed
activities in Tibet, India
many positions of responsibility, in
and Nepal?
Tibet. First, he became the Abbot of the monastic college of Serjong
There is a saying that, if you
monastery, his home monastery in
really want to put into words
Kham. From there he went to Central
what are the greatest activities and contributions of a great Bodhisattva, it is immeasurable, and unfathomable for ordinary people like myself to comprehend. However, I can just mention a few
Tibet, where he became the Abbot of Ngor monastic college, at the main seat of the Ngorpa subsect of Sakya. Even though the conditions there were very minimal and poor, he
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endured all these hardships, while only thinking about the Dharma and how to safeguard the continuation of the Buddhadharma. He realized that the best thing he could do to accomplish that purpose was to transmit teachings to many monks of the next generation so that the Dharma could continue. Then, because of the changes in Tibet, he traveled to Sikkim. One reason why he went to Sikkim, in particular, was that one of his Root Gurus was in Sikkim at that time, the 2nd Dzongsar Khyentse, Chokyi Lodroe. Khenchen Appey Rinpoche was stationed there for some time, during which he also worked for what is now known as, the Sikkim Research Institute. While he was working there, His Holiness the Sakya Trizin, who was in Darjeeling, requested Khenchen Appey Rinpoche to be his tutor. Accordingly, Rinpoche moved to Darjeeling and from then onwards, he followed His Holiness, the Sakya Trizin to Mussoorie becoming his main tutor. So at all these different points of time and in these different places, as you can see, he was doing mainly one thing ~ and that is, teaching the Buddhadharma ~ whether it was to ordinary interested young monks and laypeople or great masters like His Holiness, the Sakya Trizin. From there he went to Bir, to look after a Sakya monastery, improving it by establishing a college and retreat centre. This institute eventually developed into the 3rd Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche’s monastery, which is now known as Deer Park Institute.
Dr. Khenpo Ngawang Jorden is the Director and Principal of the International Buddhist Academy, in Tinchuli, Boudha. His wide range of educational experiences include the comprehensive study of monastic ritual arts, (Ngor Monastery, Sikkim) post-graduate monastic college philosophical studies, (Sakya College) as well as an M.T.S. and a Ph.D (Harvard). Dr. Khenpo Jorden has taught at universities around the world, and received his current post from His Holiness the Sakya Trizin and the late Most Venerable Khenchen Appey Rinpoche, Khenpo Jorden’s revered teacher.
Khenchen Appey Rinpoche was then requested to be Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche’s main tutor. Because of his strong link with the former Dzongsar Khyentse, Khen Rinpoche accepted this request. He also decided to accomplish this responsibility in the most productive and beneficial way, not limiting himself to tutoring Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, alone. In consultation with His Holiness Sakya Trizin and the Dsongsar Khyentse labrang (estate guardians) Khenchen Appey Rinpoche decided to establish Sakya College as the institution where Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche would come to study, together some other young monks. That’s how Sakya College was founded.
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At Sakya College, Rinpoche’s roles were all-encompassing:
Khenchen Appey Rinpoche would give teachings for a
teacher, administrator, fund-raiser and caregiver. He was
week or ten days. The year-round program IBA has now
everything for us, like the father of a family, and he did all
was nonexistent, then. Rinpoche considered this and
of it with very limited resources. At first, Sakya College’s
had discussions with His Holiness Sakya Trizin about his
activities were conducted in a dilapidated house, beginning
concern that the IBA’s infrastructure would be wasted if it
with just six or seven students. It gradually grew, and
were not used appropriately.
eventually Rinpoche had to look for an appropriate location to build Sakya College. Rinpoche finally purchased four or
Khenchen Appey Rinpoche then summoned me from
five acres in Upper Rajpur on the road to Mussoorie,
the United States to look after the IBA and its future
at a place called called Kutal Gate, and built Sakya
programs. One of our shared ideas was to begin a new
College there.
program for monks ~ the Monastic Leaders’ Program and side-by-side with that, we also decided to provide basic
Khenchen Appey Rinpoche was in Sakya College, taking
translator training ~ the SOTIP program, for non - Tibetan
care of everything, for an entire ten years. By then, he had
speaking people.
produced a good many students who could shoulder the responsibility for Sakya College’s future. At this point he
These are Khenchen Appey Rinpoche’s major
was able to undertake some private retreats there while
contributions from the beginning of his days in Tibet
some of the senior students took care of Sakya College.
until coming to Nepal.
Rinpoche relocated to Nepal to be able to do more private
His disciples and students were not just limited to
retreats, at first in Pharping, for a couple of years. Not many
those of the Sakya lineage, but included Kagyupas,
people knew where he was. After a while, people came
Nyingmapas and Gelugpas. Since the time when Rinpoche
to know that he was in Nepal, and many of them invited
had become a mature young monk, until the time when
Rinpoche to teach in Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan and
he passed away, a year and a half ago, he had one
Hong Kong.
thing ~ and only one thing ~ in his mind, which was the Buddhadharma. His practice of the Dharma and his
As a result of these Asian teaching tours, Khenchen
teaching of the Dharma made an enormous contribution
Appey Rinpoche accumulated the “seed money” to finally
to society ~ not just a mundane contribution, but a
establish the IBA, which had been an important project
contribution that will have a long-lasting effect on
in his mind for years, because so many people had
his students’ attainment of Buddhahood in the future.
requested that Rinpoche provide them with the precious
That’s what he did, and that’s how he spent his life. And
opportunity to study a monastic college level Dharma
as a great Bodhisattva, he will continue to do this again,
program, in English.
in the future.
When IBA opened, in 2001, conditions were not ideal,
Although I have mentioned many things already, I
because there was a great deal of political unrest in Nepal,
want to say that the highlight of the Most Venerable
such that IBA could only function for three months every
Khenchen Appey Rinpoche’s contributions is still, (and
summer. Besides hosting the summer program, IBA’ s
I want to emphasize this) producing great scholars and
big infrastructure was not being utilized much. During the
great masters: His Holiness the Sakya Trizin, and His
rest of the year, Khenchen Appey Rinpoche arranged for
Eminence Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche. If
the input of many very rare Buddhist texts that he had
you now look at many Sakya institutes and monasteries,
acquired, which had not been availabe up to that time.
most of their khenpos of the recent past as well as their
Many of these were entered into computers, digitized and
khenpos, directors and administrators of the present are
published in book form.
Khenchen Appey Rinpoche’s students. The profound impact of Khenchen Appey Rinpoche’s example on these
Besides this publishing work, occasionally there were
Sakya leaders has become Rinpoche’s most significant
groups of people coming from Asia or the West, to whom
contribution.
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An interview with
Ven. Jhampa Losal My experience as student of Khenchen Appey Rinpoche, I found that he not only had qualities that any perfect teacher should have, but in addition, he was a kind caregiver, an able administrator, a proficient guardian and a benevolent parent for me and for all his students at Sakya College.
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H.E. Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche during the Ten Day Retreat, 2009.
Q. As a close student of Khenchen Appey Rinpoche, what was your personal experience with Rinpoche like, when you first came under his guidance? In order to give an answer for this question, I have to start at the very beginning, from when I saw Khenchen Appey Rinpoche for the first time. That was in 1978, when I went to join Sakya College, through the help of a student of Sakya College whom I knew from Varanasi. We had studied together at the Central University for Higher Tibetan Studies before he had gone to join Sakya College, two years previously. Khenchen Appey Rinpoche was in Mussoorie, where Sakya College was at that time, in a rented bungalow. This friend of mine brought me to see Khenchen Appey Rinpoche in his simple room. I was very nervous. As we
entered his room, I saw him as a majestic figure with an imposing stature. I had the same impressive feeling as if I was before the Buddha image in Bodhgaya temple, and I was so inspired and happy to be there in his presence. The first words that I heard from him, in his booming voice, were words of concern for my journey there, “Didn’t you have any trouble on the way”? Then Rinpoche instructed the student who went with me to guide me to my room and to make sure that everything was OK. I clearly remember that Khenchen Rinpoche also instructed the monk that I should be equipped with all the necessities, including the books and commentary texts, which I was to study from the next day, onwards. In my experience as student of Khenchen Appey Rinpoche, I found that he not only had qualities that any perfect teacher should have, but in addition, he was a kind caregiver, an able administrator, a proficient guardian and a benevolent parent for me and for all his students at Sakya College. One unique quality that we rarely find in other masters is that, if he were to
come near or pass by our rooms, he would let us know that he was coming. This he would do by coughing, even if he didn’t have to cough. He would never embrace anyone or make them feel shy. He wouldn’t step into anyone’s room but instead he would have them come out, to listen to his guidance. If he really had important things for which his stepping into someone’s room was a must, he would let them know this, one or two days in advance. It is not that he didn’t want to step into a shaggy or untidy room, but he didn’t want anyone to feel shy and uncomfortable because of his finding their room messy. Just a few hours before his entering into Nirvana, he was displaying how vigilant and considerate a Buddhist teacher can be for the convenience of others. Some of his close disciples, like Lama Lekshed, Lama Logya, Gedun, Thupten Choedhar, Gin and myself were in his room where he was preparing for the pre-death practice. He was concerned about our sleep and guided us in very detail way: ‘you should sit here in rotation, first two in early part of night, then other two in the middle part of the night and third two in the last part of the night. In this way, he was guiding us on each and every
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step: we ought to take on that night as if he knew what was in offing and that everything was under his own control. Sometimes, he would even ask about the well being of our families back at home. He showed all these qualities, to the extent that we, including some of his western students, consider him as a man of perfection, common sense and understanding. He didn’t have to make a stern face or scold to persuade his students. Merely his presence, a physical gesture or symbolic remarks were sufficient to change our minds or put us into a mood of self-discipline. For instance, during the normal times when classes were held throughout the year, his students would comply with the rules and regulations out of their own free will. Feelings of fear and respect towards him were spontaneously forthcoming. As soon as he declared the beginning of the much talked about seven-day picnic, our attitude towards him would suddenly relax without apparent reason. During these seven days, we would have the feeling that he was one of us, or that he was nothing more than a playmate for us. But the moment that the seven-day picnic was over, our attitude towards him would change again. We started having fearful respect towards him when we came into contact with him. It was as though he transmitted rays which triggered our spontaneous change of attitude towards him. This also illustrated
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to us that he was a Bodhisattva in human form. I have reason to claim this, because it is also found in the Sutras that the mere presence and the symbolic remarks of a Bodhisattva can change the entire atmosphere and environment, affecting one’s own way of thinking and attitudes towards that Bodhisattva. In those days, when Sakya College was in a rented bungalow in Mussoorie, Khenchen Appey Rinpoche’s health condition wasn’t very good. He had a problem with asthma. We knew this because of a whistling sound in his breathing that we could hear even from a distance. Despite being in this condition, however, he never missed teaching the class for the morning sessions. As soon as the morning class was over, since he was also looking for land where he could build Sakya College, he would leave at once with one of the attendants (usually Thupten Choedhar) to try to find a proper place where he could establish Sakya College. In those days, even making a simple journey in a local bus was expensive ~ let alone to hire a taxi, which was considered quite a luxury. He would walk all around Mussoorie, Rajpur and Dehradun and he would come back when it was already quite late. The walk down to Rajpur alone took almost two hours . Some students like me, who were not very serious about their studies would
think, “Ah, how nice it is, there won’t be class tomorrow because Khenchen Rinpoche returned very late last night.” We thought he must be very tired and he wouldn’t be in a position to give classes. But no matter how late he returned, regardless of his health condition, he would make sure that there were classes the next day, before setting out again, looking for land. He repeated this for several months, if not the entire year, until he found some very appropriate land at Kothal Gate, near Rajpur, on the way to Mussoorie from Dehradun, where the present Sakya College now stands. No matter what, he would make sure that the syllabus that he was committed to teach was transmitted completely to his students, without fail, because he did not favor wasting the time and opportunity of his students. Q. As someone who not only worked very closely with Rinpoche at IBA, but who also accompanied him many times to Asia, with his attendant Gendun la, what stands out in your mind about the teachings Khenchen Appey Rinpoche gave there as well as the advice he frequently gave to his devoted students? Yes, Gedun la and myself had the honor to be very close to him for a long time. I had more free time than anyone else to follow Khenchen Rinpoche during his foreign Dharma tours, as
his close students like Khenpo Jorden, Khenpo Jamyang Tenzin and others were already committed to their own respective fields of service. Since they were not available, I had the opportunity to follow Khenchen Appey Rinpoche to Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, South Korea and Hong Kong several times in my capacity as his translator. Whenever Rinpoche went to those countries, his main objective was, of course, to spread the authentic teachings of the Buddha. Devotees in Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan of Chinese origin are mostly interested in empowerments, oral transmissions and esoteric teachings on the higher tantra. This reflects their hope that they might gain more power to remove their obstacles, gain more wealth and lead happier lives in this mundane world, so they usually asked for these kind of teachings and initiations. However, Khenchen Appey Rinpoche always declined to give empowerments and higher Tantric teachings. He always said that such empowerments and higher tantric teachings can only be given to those who are ready for it. “Only when they are ripened, can they request empowerments and higher tantric teachings. Until and unless someone has built a strong foundation, they are not supposed to receive these empowerments.” Rinpoche emphasized that sincere Buddhist practitioners should “start from scratch.” He would also advise his disciples to undertake the study and practice of Compassion, Bodhicitta, the Seven-Limb practice and the Six Perfections in that order. Before doing these practices, he said, one shouldn’t even think about receiving the higher teachings of the Mahayana and the Vajrayana. This is why Rinpoche always emphasized that one should first learn basic Buddhism from the Theravada school, like the techniques of Shamatha
Born to Tibetan parents, and having completed his higher secondary education from Uttarganga Madhyamic Viddhyalay in Burtibang VDC of the Baglung District, Ven. Jhampa Losal la went to Benares in 1975 to join the Institute of Higher Buddhist Studies, affiliated with Sampurna Ananda University, Varanasi. Following completion of the Shastri (equivalent to BA) degree, on subjects including Hindi, Tibetan, Sanskrit, Buddhist Philosophy and Asian History there, he went to Sakya College in Dehra Dun, for further studies in Buddhist Philosophy. Ven. Jhampa Losal la presently serves the International Buddhist Academy as Vice Director and is a member of the Nepal Buddhist Federation, since its inception in 2007.
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and Vipassana meditation. These tools are very important to train the student’s wild mind because, after all, Buddhist teachings are meant to bring the mind under control, to guide it to a better path. Through using these techniques, one will do better practices. In consequence, one will eventually be led to the state of enlightenment. Only then, will one be wise and powerful enough to be able to help all sentient beings. Therefore, Khenchen Appey Rinpoche always emphasized that one should first learn about Shamatha and Vipassana. Only after that, one should go to the Mahayana teachers to learn more about the mind training teachings, such as the 7 Point Mind Training teaching of Atisha, the Parting From the Four Attachments of Sachen Kunga Nyingpo, the Holy Words of the Noble Guru, Paltrul Rinpoche, the Ornament of Liberation of Gampopa and the 3 Principal Paths of Tsong Khapa. After having received all these teachings, putting those into practice and becoming familiarized with them, only then is one ready to receive empowerments.
This is the kind of regular advice that came from Khenchen Appey Rinpoche, to his disciples and devotees. Q. Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers? Yes, for those readers who have not met Khenchen Appey Rinpoche I will take this opportunity to reiterate. From His Holiness Sakya Trizin, the Sakya Khenpos, to Rinpoche’s students ~ all spoke very highly of him. Many people knew how learned he was and how highly realized he was in his practice. So, these things already became universally recognized. One thing I would like to share is that, throughout his life, Rinpoche tried to present himself as a role model, as a very perfect example for the future Buddhist teachers who must uphold the responsibilities of teaching Buddha Dharma. Whatever Khenchen Appey Rinpoche did, he did it all so perfectly. For instance, if he was requested to give a teaching, he wouldn’t accept the request right away. He would think it over, whether he should give the teaching to that particular person or not. He might even ask them to wait for one or two days, so he would have more time to think on it. During the
The monk students of Monastic Training School performing Mahakala Puja on 29th of Lunar Calendar
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time, he would ask about the history of that person and whether he or she was really committed and sincere in receiving the teaching. If Rinpoche found that the student was very sincere and enthusiastic in practicing, then he would lose no time in giving the teaching requested. Otherwise, he would say, ‘OK, right now I am in a retreat, and it is good for you to go to some other Lama for the teaching that you are aspiring to receive.” As another example, while in Malaysia, Singapore and South East Asian countries, sometimes people would come to him and offer him some help, and say, “Khenchen Appey Rinpoche, if you have this project or that project, I will give you this much money.” He wouldn’t display great happiness about this or become very excited. He would say, “OK, I will think it over.” Then, he would ask other people about the
in English and many other popularly spoken languages. That’s how they reached to a meeting point. And knowing that they had a common goal, Madame Goh said right away, “Oh, Khen Rinpoche, if you really have this in mind and if your obstacle is money, I have the money and I will take great pleasure in making available what you need!” In this way she offered to help Khenchen Appey Rinpoche to purchase the land for building IBA. But this time also, he didn’t give his answer right away ~ it took him at least three or four months. During this long period of time he was contemplating upon whether he could make proper use of the money she was generously willing to contribute to the project.
person who offered him help: what their family background was, if they had enough money to make the offering, or if they were sincere about their promises. In this way he would check the person’s motivation concerning their proposed offering. He did this because sometimes it is natural that when people see a great teacher like Khenchen Appey Rinpoche, they become very excited and tend to make promises that they might not be able to carry out. When Khenchen Appey Rinpoche made ready to give a teaching, even for a simple teaching, he would go through the commentaries and the Sutras before giving the teaching. This was definitely not because he had to make such preparations. It was because he was giving us an example, through his careful behaviour, that we should pay great respect to the teachings and
should be very careful not to make any mistakes in transmitting the sacred teachings of the Buddha. One day in 1993, Rinpoche was sitting with Madame Doreen Goh, in Singapore. It was at this time that the idea of building IBA began to come to life. She was the one who started it, by saying, ‘Rinpoche, how wonderful it would be if I could start a Buddhist TV so that we can air teachings of the Buddhist Masters, for the benefit of many people. And how wonderful it would be if I could establish a hospital in some remote area where there are no hospitals!”. Those were the kinds of noble ideas she was sharing with Khenchen Appey Rinpoche. In his turn, Rinpoche said to her. “I appreciate your wonderful ideas. I also have some similar thing in my mind. That is, to establish an international school where people could study Buddhism
In this way, whatever he did ~ transmitting the teachings, constructing shrines or making any decision, he did it in a very perfect way. It is said that Bodhisattvas purposely take on their manifestations, some in the form of a teacher, some in the form of physician, and others in the form of inanimate objects like trees, rivers, bridges, flowers or mountains. So, looking at his way of performing things it would appear that he purposely took birth, in this degenerated time, in order to continue the authentic teachings of the Buddha. It also could be said that the congregation of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas decided to send him into this world to preserve and promote the teachings which originated with the Buddha, were collected by Bodhisattvas, translated by highly realized translators, taught by authentic scholars, and were kept alive by genuine adepts. In brief, Khenchen Appey Rinpoche was unequalled in authentically explaining the Buddha Dharma in general and the extraordinary tradition of Five Supreme Masters along with the leading Sakya luminaries who are the great owner of the entire teaching of the Buddha.
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Varanasi A Pilgrimage to Banaras Images & text by Varda Rizvi
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V
aranasi, often referred to as
It was there when Jerusalem, Beijing
considered to be the ‘city of light’ or
Benares, is one of the oldest
and Athens rose and it has watched
spiritual luminance).
living cities in the world.
great cities like Nineveh and Babylon
According to Mark Twain, “Benaras is
be swallowed by the sand. It is one
It became an independent kingdom,
older than history, older than tradition,
of the oldest living cities in the world.
with Ramnagar as its capital, when the
older even than legend and looks twice
Located on the banks of the holy
British declared it a new Indian state
as old as all of them put together”.
Ganges, Varanasi has its origin in
in 1910. After India’s independence
the two tributaries of the Ganges -
in 1947, Varanasi became part of the
Varuna and Asi.
state of Uttar Pradesh. Varanasi’s
Living with the great questions of birth and death, Varanasi has never
prominence in Hindu mythology is
bothered to record its history. Its
Varanasi has also been known as
unrivalled. Hindus believe dying in the
beginning are lost in the mists of time,
Kashi (Kashi, the mythological name
city means instant salvation. Varanasi is
no one cares to remember when this
vis derived from the word ‘Kasha’,
a city of mystics and mystique. Spend
city began.
meaning shine or bright, as it was
time on the ghats (steps leading down
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People believe bathing in the river Ganga washes away their sins. It is also called Avimukta, the city that is never forsaken by Lord Shiva, its ruling deity.
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to the river) along the river Ganges offering tranquility and a visual treat of a spectacular sunrise. The ancient feel of the city will captivate you. People believe bathing in the river Ganga washes away their sins. It is also called Avimukta, the city that is never forsaken by Lord Shiva, its ruling deity. It is Shiva’s favourite city, his Anandavana, Garden of Bliss. It is also the Mahashmashana, the great cremation ground. Hindus and non-Hindus from around the world visit Varanasi for different reasons. For centuries, Varanasi’s master craftsmen create beautiful Sarees, handicrafts, textiles, toys, ornaments, metal work, clay and woodwork and other crafts. Varanasi presents a complete museum of Indian art and culture. At Varanasi one feels the changing patterns and movements in history. Varanasi is popularly called the city of Shiva and Ganga. It is the city of temples, the city of ‘ghats’, the city of music, and the center for moksha or nirvana.
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www.buddhaair.com
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Festivalsâ&#x20AC;¨â&#x20AC;¨ Buddha Poornima, on the full moon night in April-May, celebrating the birth of the Buddha, is the biggest festival at Sarnath. There are prayers, processions and pageantry, with pilgrims coming from all over the world. During the first full moon in November an assembly of monks and scholars celebrate the anniversary of the foundation of the Mulgandhakuti Vihara. 40 | w w w . v a i r o c h a n a . c o m
S
Sarnath
arnath is 10 kms from Varanasi. After the frenetic
companions as his first disciples. Here in the Deer Park,
volatility of Varanasi, also called Benares and Kashi,
he delivered his first sermon, or in religious language, set in
Sarnath welcomes you with a serene smile. After
motion the Wheel of Law (Maha-Dharmachakra Pravartan).
Enlightenment under the Bodhi tree on the banks of the Nairanjana river, the Buddha walked for 250 kms from Bodh Gaya, crossing the Ganga by ferry to reach the ghats of Kashi. He was searching for the five companions who had abandoned him at Rajgir. The five ascetics deserted him when Gautama forsook the path of self-mortification because they felt that spiritual salvation was not possible through any other means. At Sarnath the Buddha founded the Sangha with his five old
Sarnath gained eminence during the reign of Emperor Ashoka (c 304 - 232 BC) who spread the Buddhaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s message of love and compassion throughout his vast empire. Ashoka visited Sarnath around 234 BC and erected a stupa here. Several Buddhist structures were raised at Sarnath between the 3rd century BC and the 11th century AD. The Ashoka pillar and its famous lion capital were discovered in 1904. Later Saka and Kushan monarchs also patronised Buddhist monks and promoted Buddhist art in Sarnath.
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Dhamekh Stupa The Dhamekh Stupa is the most remarkable and massive structure at Sarnath, built around 500AD. The base of the Stupa is made of stone with the upper areas of brick work which once had a carved stone fencing. It was built at the site of many earlier constructions as excavations reveal brickwork from earlier periods. Dhamekh Stupa is a solid cylindrical tower, 43 meters in height. Dhamekh Stupa has a particular significance at Sarnath as it signifies the place where the Buddha delivered his first sermon. The present name Dhamekh has some connection with Buddhaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dharma. According to archaeologists, the Dhameka may have been the Stupa built by Ashoka marking the spot where Lord Buddha preached the Dharmachakrapravartana (set in motion the Wheel of Law) for the first time to his five disciples. â&#x20AC;¨
Dharmarajika Stupa Dharmarajika Stupa marks the site where the Buddha gave his first sermon. It was broken down in the 18th century by an officer of the Maharaja of Benares looking for building materials to construct a bazaar. Alexander Cunningham found a marble casket beneath the
42 | w w w . v a i r o c h a n a . c o m
stupa during excavations in the late
crowned with the magnificent Lion
Excavations have unearthed a statue of
19th century.
Capital, now in the Sarnath Museum.
a Bodhisattva from the 1st century AD,
The four roaring lions face the four
and a tablet on which the name of the
Behind the Dharmarajika Stupa are the
cardinal directions symbolizing the
shrine was carved. In 1922, Anagarika
remains of the massive Ashoka Pillar,
spread of the Buddha’s teachings.
Dharmapala laid the foundation of a
one of the many that Emperor Ashoka
temple named Mulgandhakuti Vihara
set up at Buddhist sites. It is at the
Mulgandhakuti Vihara
at the site. It enshrines relics of the
spot where the Buddha gave his first
Mulgandhakuti Vihara marks the site
Buddha which were discovered at
sermon and established the Sangha.
where the Buddha meditated during
Taxila. The interior has frescoes painted
The monolithic Ashoka Pillar was once
his monsoon retreats at Sarnath.
by a Japanese artist in 1932-35.
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Am I Reincarnated? Gesar Mukpo 44 Š | wBreton w w . v a iHoagland rochana.com
Learning in life is our own responsibility and we all have our own path to travel on.
G
esar Mukpo is the third son of Vidyadhara, the Venerable Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, recognized as the 11th
incarnation of the renowned Trungpa lineage of Buddhist teachers of the Surmang monasteries in Tibet. Raised and trained in the rigorous Tibetan monastic tradition, Trungpa Rinpoche went to the West in the 1960’s and shattered their preconceived notions about how “enlightened teachers” should behave. Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche abandoned his robes and monastic vows, openly smoked, drank, and had intimate relations with students – yet had “crazy wisdom” and a vision of an “Enlightened Society”. V: Gesar la, what was it like growing up with an unconventional dad in a house fashioned into a court or cultural center thronged by poets, artists, educators, businessmen, medical professionals and all sorts of characters from a diverse community? G.M: It was very busy and very fascinating. There was always a sense of something important going on constantly and as a child I wasn’t exactly sure what was going on but I knew that my father was important to lot of people. It was fun to travel around with him and everywhere he went he was received with lot of fanfare and open hearts. He traveled a lot so I did not get to spend a lot of time with him, which was something I wish I had been able to [do]. More than few times there would be some kind of big formal house party or dinner party…I always wanted to get involved with what was going on to some degree and my father accommodated that a lot. It’s definitely an experience that has stayed with me and shaped who I am. On the downside, there was not much closeness between my father and me a lot of
Ven. Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche
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use them. He was like, “You are from Tibet—you need to know [how to use] these chopsticks.” I refused and I kept using this fork. He took the fork away from me and bent the fork in half with one hand, then we left the restaurant and he said to me, “You are the most arrogant person I’ve ever met.” He kept that fork on his shrine for years and years and years. But in general my father was just always accepting. Even if I did anything bad, he dealt with things in a very calm way. That was a good lesson: you just make a mistake, which doesn’t make you a worse person, which was, I think the way he treated me constantly. He wanted me to learn and evolve which was something that he had done obviously throughout his life. Another memory of my father was when I was a young boy. He was sitting in a room alone very quietly. I think he actually sent someone to send me there. Sometimes my father would sit around an empty room and you walk in and nothing was happening at all. So I walked in and he’s sitting in there. He looked at me and said, “Sweetie, I’m dying.” I said, “No you are not dying.” “Yes, I’m dying right now. You are dying, too. We are all dying. Everyday. And the time because he was busy with
extended time with my father and I
someday I’m going to die and will be
other stuff. We had our moments but it
always remember my father treated me
gone and you won’t have me anymore.”
was interesting as my mother says…
with a lot of respect and didn’t really
I was a little kid and I was really upset
to share my father with a lot of other
push me too hard. He would constantly
because I felt like it was an immediate
people. In retrospect, the impact he
tell me stories or mention things
thing but it was an important lesson for
had and how many people who had
about Shechen Kongtrul Rinpoche.
me to realize that in some regards he
a deep love for him was totally worth
I remember that, just the happiness
came to this world to do something very
it and is an experience that I’m still
in his face. [His] eyes would light up.
specific and when he was done doing
learning from.
I always felt like he really valued my
that he left and that I should not look
presence in some way, which as a child
at it from a sense of loss and [should]
is something you really desire.
realize just the impermanence of life.
and what you thought of him as a
I only ever had an argument with my
We realize impermanence more and
person, as a father, and as
father twice. One of those times was in
more as it becomes more obvious
a teacher?
this restaurant when I was a young kid.
and they say it’s one of the greatest
He wanted me to use chopsticks and
reminders but I think my father really
I couldn’t use them and didn’t want to
wanted to have a special relationship
V: Would you like to share any childhood memories of your father
G.M: I had a few times to spend
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with me. The feeling I got as a child
same thing, which is, everyone has a
which made me feel sort of a sense
was that he wanted me to learn. He
kind of expectation to live up to and
of guilt or there is an expectation I
was constantly challenging me to
it’s a source of guilt for lot of people
could not live up to and the realization
want to learn. He never pushed me to
or a source of a lot of difficulty…no
I have had in my own life in my own
meditate or practice. He asked people
matter what your background, no matter
experience that nothing is worthwhile
to help me to do that but he was never
what your challenges, none of it is
unless it comes from my self.
unsatisfied with me. He was constantly
worthwhile unless it comes from your
trying to open my eyes.
own heart.
It’s this realization that our culture isn’t a burden but an opportunity to
V: You directed the documentary film
You see lot of older Tibetan people
understand who we are more fully.
“Tulku” (2009) about incarnate lamas
running around prayer wheels but
The central theme of Tulku is that path
/ tulkus who were born in the West.
you don’t see any Tibetan teenagers
of self-discovery. Now my situation
You, yourself at the age of three were
running around the prayer wheels.
was a little more unusual so there are
recognized by H.H. Dilgo Khyentse
There’s almost like there’s a cliff where
some more unusual aspects to it but
Rinpoche and H.H. the 16th Karmapa
we are just losing all these ancient
I think people sort of identified with
as the rebirth of your father’s root-
cultures. Thousands of languages will
that message because I didn’t make
You see lot of older Tibetan people running around prayer wheels but you don’t see any Tibetan teenagers running around the prayer wheels. There’s almost like there’s a cliff where we are just losing all these ancient cultures. guru, Jamgon Kongtrul of Shechen.
be lost in the next twenty years of our
a film that was only made for people
Was there a message you were
lives. We have to pick and choose
that were die-hard Buddhists. I did
trying to convey to the audience
what makes sense to us and in reality
want to make a movie that didn’t push
through this documentary?
there is no way you can preserve a
any spiritual agenda, that did not try to
tradition unless you choose to preserve
convince anyone of anything, that did
G.M: I think I was trying to convey a
certain elements of it and abandon
not try to stand up for some belief that
lot of different things with ‘Tulku’ but
other elements.
I had. Just that this is the situation—
there are some basic concepts behind
examine it. The film I think exists on a
it. The central theme is that learning
The most basic examples as far as
few different levels of what a general
in life is our own responsibility and we
Buddhism is that the students in the
person can see.
all have our own path to travel on. Sort
West aren’t all going to be monks and
of from the scope of the tradition that
nuns so we are looking at a sort of
Then for me the big thing was having
we were chosen to preserve and just
different tradition. For me personally,
grown up in my father’s community
from the expectations our parents put
I had all this responsibility put on me
and all these people had all these
on us. Everyone is dealing with that
and felt all this loaded expectation and
expectations of me to the point where
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I got scolded constantly for not having
other tulkus, other Western tulkus
done what they think I should’ve been
I should say. Although my film was
doing. At first I sort of argued with
about Western tulkus, it’s more sort
people…now people do that and I
of tulkus challenged by the modern
just sit there and smile and let them
world because nowadays things are
say their thing. I think what happens
so different. Monks are running around
is when you are outside of something
on motorcycles with cell phones and
and you look at what bothers you and
have bank accounts. It’s not like it used
you don’t take into account the actual
to be. A lot of these tulkus are growing
journey that someone is going on.
up, have real desire to wear western
That’s a big mistake and really based
clothes, hang out with Westerners,
on arrogance. I wanted to present to
drive a car and they want to do those
these people that were my father’s
things and they don’t have to do it in
community the actual experience that
shame and secret. A lot of young tulkus
I’m going through which has nothing to
watched my movie and got in touch
do with politics or power or lineage.
with me. I get emails from people who think they are tulkus. I’m more in touch
It’s much like the way people sort of
with Western tulkus and Westernized
deify my father. He was an ordinary
tulkus than anyone out there. I’d like to
person. He had ordinary struggles but
call myself a tulku fairy.
he was just a brilliant human being who didn’t give up and so within my movie
I saw Kalu Rinpoche was on Facebook
what I wanted to show people is that
and so I sent him a friend request. It
this is just my human experience. That
was a hilarious moment you know,
challenge I’m living with and that any
because I knew the previous Kalu
of these things you think I’m an idiot
Rinpoche and my previous incarnation
situation could take heart from. There’s
for doing is I have a really good reason
knew him and here we are: Kalu
Tibetan culture, there’s Buddhism and
that I’m living my life the way I do. I
Rinpoche accepted your friend request.
there’s the human condition and the
could say I am proud of the fact I’m not
We meet once again but I talk with him
most important thing is the human
doing anything out of panic of
a lot and my movie. He really took it to
condition. So I want to preserve Tibetan
what other people think I should be
heart and was really thankful he got
culture someway. I want to preserve
doing. You have to have a base and
in touch with me. I think there’s been
Buddhist wisdom but most of all I
my base is understanding and my
more than few tulkus that have seen
want to contribute towards the human
experience is my own and I want to
this movie.
condition and that was the lesson I
present that to people. I also should say I had tremendous
learned from my teachers. Beneath the form is much more important. It’s about
We are all presented with tremendous
good fortune meeting amazing
challenges and if people just look at the
teachers, and spending a fair amount
challenges and how we handle them
of time with H.H. Dilgo Khyentse
in a critical way without understanding,
Rinpoche. It’s something that will
we’ll never be able to have a genuine
always be a part of my life in a very
understanding of who someone is.
strong way and I think if there’s any
V: How does it feel to be the chosen
So I wanted to present who I am and
approach they had that speaks clearly,
one for rebirth by a great Buddhist
have people know that. Just open up
it’s because I was able to be around
master? Do you feel trapped or
and say, look, this is not about any of
teachers like that.
caught in the middle…trying to fill
these big ideas you had—this is about
My approach was threefold: tell my
someone’s shoes while trying to live
someone on a journey, just like you are
story from personal point of view,
your own, ordinary life?
on a journey.
approach the challenges that everyone
heart and who you are. Something I wanted to at least put out was what I’ve taken out of my experience. How can you fault someone for that?
who’s trying to preserve the culture
G.M: Well the bad news is lot of
The other aspect that has been very
is dealing with, and to make a movie
people would like to try to control
interesting is the secret audience of
that people who might be in a similar
your situation. The good news is that
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path I should be on which is the path
Shechen Kongtrul Rinpoche
I want to live my life in the unordinariness that it is. Challenge is just an opportunity to grow and I’ve had a lot of pain through my situation and lot of anger through my situation but in the end I always come back with this realization that I have to work with my mind.
of self-discovery which is constant, undying, and I share with everybody. I’d rather be on the path that I share with everyone than on my own path, which is a path of privilege and isolation. The Dharma is in fact truly just a human experience that has nothing to do with Tibet. It has nothing to do with religion. The Buddha shared wisdom that is universal and it’s completely arrogant to think that that experience belongs to anybody. You look at any of the great teachers like Matthieu Ricard making books with scientists. There are cross-faith conferences—this is the direction we should be moving in. You may think you are not putting up a wall but we are building walls that separate us and define us because we have no self-identity otherwise. It’s not that we can stop doing that completely but it’s time to recognize that and really take a look at the direction the world is
you are in control of your situation…
can do is give us the tools to work
headed in and really question ourselves
anything good or positive you can do
with ourselves. That doesn’t change. I
of how can we be of benefit to that. I
comes from yourself so I don’t feel any
wouldn’t feel good if I was doing things
think we can be of benefit and make
pressure from anyone else because
not because of my own motivation and
a difference only through being open
I realize if I have to do anything good
I think my own motivations are very
and not through isolation and creating
with myself I have to get off my ass and
clear to me. I want to live my life in the
boundaries.
actually do it. It’s not like I can ring a
unordinariness that it is. Challenge is
bell and wait for something to fall from
just an opportunity to grow and I’ve
That’s a tremendous challenge
the sky and I’ll be fulfilled completely.
had a lot of pain through my situation
and it’s ongoing and if you realize
What is an ordinary life? There’s no
and lot of anger through my situation
people sharing in that experience
such thing.
but in the end I always come back
with you, that motivation, there’s no
with this realization that I have to work
way you can fault anyone no matter
Do I regret not having an ordinary life?
with my mind. I have to work with my
what their tradition, no matter what
My only regret I have is how much time
situation and it’s exactly the same as
their background. Everyone has his
I spend talking with people that want to
anyone else. No, I have an ordinary life
completely different path. I was reading
tell me what I should be doing. That’s
presented with ridiculous challenges
your magazine and there’s this doctor
the one time maybe I get a little rude.
of living in the world today just like
who does the eye surgery on all these
My patience is pretty thin as far as that
everybody else. I’m happy for that
people. He’s helping so many people
and my sort of reply to people who say
because it’s an experience we all have
and he is not doing it out of a faith
you should be doing this, you should be
to go through.
to anything in particular. He’s doing
doing that. If you want those things to
it because he wants to help people
happen, why are you not doing it? It’s
My father would say that when your
and he’s actually making a difference
your responsibility.
religion leads towards you building
because he decided to do that. I have
up your own ego, it’s pointless. I have
incredible admiration for people like
We look to the lamas and the teachers
complete confidence and complete
that because they are not pushing their
for guidance but in reality all they
faith that the path that I’m on is the
own agenda; they are using the abilities
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they have to make a difference.
did. For me, being the reincarnation
this karmic link. There’s continuity
of Shechen Kongtul, I’ve been made
and there’s continuation of the action
V: As a born-again Bodhisattva, what
aware of whom he is. I’ve been put into
he created. So get rid of this notion
is your take on the link between
situations where people are treating me
whether it’s real or not. Every person
karma and rebirth? Would you share
as him. I’ve gone to his house in Tibet
recognized as a tulku is instantly
your views on the Buddha-nature?
and studied all the stories about him.
connected with his tradition and then
There’s a karmic link being created so
it comes down to what you make of it.
G.M: In the process of making my film I
whether or not I’m the reincarnation
Some teachers become great teachers,
had to constantly reeducate myself and
of this person, I still am sharing in his
some become unknown and never
reevaluate my point of view. It’s worth
activity so it’s an interesting thing.
do anything but there’s no need to try
stating here…that the question of if
I think it’s actually an incredibly clever
to prove anything. It’s a self-fulfilling
reincarnation is real or tulkus are real
technique to preserve a tradition so
prophecy and a very clever technique
sort of fades into irrelevance once you
that you create an emotional bond in
and…it sort of gets rid of the problem
realize that the process of recognizing
someone that forces him to examine
of whether it’s real or not and it takes
someone as a tulku creates a karmic
the work of certain person. It’s about
you to realm of reality which is I’m
bond between the person who has
preservation of lineage and for me I
connected by this recognition.
been recognized and the teacher they
feel like I’ve come to understand the
are recognized as. Whether or not
heart of Shechen Kongtrul a little bit
V: The world as it is, the world of
you are truly a reincarnation, you are
and it compels me and motivates me
superficiality, mass consumerism,
sharing in the stream of what they
so there’s a bond between us. There’s
in relating to the material culture of Buddhism, can we get Buddhism in a box, like an instant coffee? Are we merely window-shopping in the spiritual supermarket? Are we veering off-course here? G.M: The spiritual supermarket has become an online shopping resource. It’s even easier now… you can click your way to enlightenment. Can I backtrack to this idea of Buddha nature? I just wanted to say something about that which I’ve been thinking about a lot. Just briefly, my father talked about use of the word basic goodness, that we all have basic goodness, which is Buddha nature. There’re a lot of other words you can use for it but the idea of basic goodness is very simple and for me, what keeps me a Buddhist in any way at all is this idea of honoring the potential within everyone. I think that’s very important. That was one of my father’s messages which is very important to me and I think everyone in the world could benefit from it because there’s this concept you know (I hate to say, of original sin that’s gotten the Western mind in a rut, in a feeling of
50 | w w w . v a i r o c h a n a . c o m
guilt and self-judgment) and this idea
I think my advice to people…who are
of basic goodness in my life—that’s the
just being around teachers constantly
one thing I’d like to see put out there,
is really take a look at how you are
this idea of honoring everyone realizing
effecting the people that are entering
their potential… to make a fundamental
into it for the first time and [if] what
switch from the idea that we are by
you are presenting is something that
nature bad to switch to we are by
makes it more challenging for them,
nature good.
you should stop and take a look. Maybe your motivation is destructive in some
And as far as a spiritual supermarket,
way. I’m guilty of this too. It’s just not
it’s interesting because I think you
enough to be around the teacher.
can have really good intentions
It’s really not enough. I’m guilty of
and be a genuine, heart-felt student
thinking it’s enough, too. You need to
and still be completely shopping and
take something with you. Dzongsar
collecting. There’re a lot of people who
Khyentse Rinpoche used to say after I
say they love to see teachers and
studied and lived with him “Don’t lose
they think it’s great and what they do
it.” Don’t lose it too quickly. That is in
is they just fly around different places
truth the experience of Buddhism.
to see different teachers and smile
You have hits of an understanding
and feel really good and tell people
or realization and a moment of good
how happy they are and go and do it
meditation and then it fades and pulls
again and take photographs and put
back and you are back in the normal
it on Facebook and that’s their life.
situation again.
It’s a nice thing but it’s also complete self-glorification in some way and it’s
So what happens after that pulls back?
happening on every level, even those
For some people it’s like a rechargeable
people who have good intentions. It
battery and people are recharging
becomes a question of “What are you
themselves constantly. That works but
doing?” Are you a student? Well then,
you need a source to be recharging
“Are you practicing?”
yourself from and what you are doing is you are draining these lamas’ energy.
My father talked about use of the word basic goodness, that we all have basic goodness, which is Buddha nature. Buddhist in any way at all is this idea of honoring the potential within everyone.
The spiritual shopping is constantly
You are plugging into them and you
going on in some way no matter how
are draining their energy out. You know
pure-minded you are. I think the lowest
from a Buddhist point of view [that
level of people will just look down at
they are] ever giving constantly but
other people who can’t do the same
these are real people with real time
I’m caught up in between the two of
thing as them but there are some
schedules, you know. You need to really
those: I want to understand myself
people who don’t have the resources
take a look at if you are using their time
better but I also feel like it’s maybe not
to be able to follow around the teacher
in the best way because actually if you
the best attitude to say I’m not going
all the time and do this. When I started
are just kind of doing it for yourself and
to do anything for anyone else until I
seeing Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche,
if you just want to see the teacher you
completely realize things for myself so
he had me going all over the place
can do that, but don’t confuse that with
that’s the struggle that we are all in.
constantly. Let’s just say I don’t have
being your path completely.
Maybe I’m being critical of people here.
following my teacher around so we
You’ve got a lot more to offer to other
I tend to feel nowadays [that] the most
need to present something that is
people than just enriching your own
important thing that you can do as a
more realistic than this idea of just
experience. For me, it’s a big question.
Dharma student is take a look at the
Rinpoche-hopping. I’m not sure, but
It’s a big battle because you need to
people that are entering into it and
we need to present something that is
work on yourself but you also need
really examine their experience and
worthwhile to everybody.
to offer something to other people.
see how you can benefit those people.
the resources to do that constantly,
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I see the essence of Buddhism being change because I have a lot of hope in the young teachers in the world today.
That’s probably more important than
this idea of getting somewhere.
constantly changing. The Dharma
going to see your lama… we can
I’m not completely skeptical about
slips in really nicely with that because
constantly chase after these lamas,
studying. It’s totally worth studying
it is by nature a lesson of change and
we can constantly go to programs and
but it’s really important to constantly
the constant evolution…I guess it is
do those kinds of things that are good.
looking towards what’s coming next.
not for me to say what the essence of
But there’s something probably more
Any great teacher—their approach
Buddhism is but for me the essence of
important which is how we become the
is building something for the next
Buddhism is recognizing the constant
holders of the tradition and through the
generation, right?
change within the tradition of self:
decisions we make we effect those who come to the tradition.
its adaptability, its changeability, its I am just leading my human experience
malleability to any situation like water
surrounded by this world and the thing
fills through the cracks and changes.
I think there’s lot of things been
that makes me the happiest, honestly
Water doesn’t have a shape except
happening in this day and age
is when I see someone has come
what it is contained by.
where teachers are trying to provide
and found meditation and have life
scholarships from grounds like the
problems and it made a difference for
I see the essence of Buddhism being
KaNying Shedra. They’ve created a
them and it’s not any high and lofty
change because I have a lot of hope in
ground for people to learn. They’ve
thing. It’s just the idea of acknowledging
the young teachers in the world today.
created a situation as the fundamental
yourself, honoring yourself, respecting
They are presented with the situation
learning situation, right? It gives a
yourself as human being, seeing your
where they have to embrace the
chance for people entering in to have
dignity. Do you feel happier when you
tradition and also move forward into the
a place. I think the really important
see your lama’s smiling face or when
changing world with different needs and
role for Buddhism right now is what
you see someone turning towards the
the tradition will become completely lost
it is presenting to the people that
Dharma in a way that is beneficial for
if we don’t adapt. I think the essence of
are interested and it starts out with
him or her?
Buddhism is a willingness to constantly
having good attitude and not being condescending in any way.
change and I don’t mean just change V: So the last question, Gesar la
teachers.
just to wrap it up: What is the I’ve tried to transition into that myself
essence of Buddhism?
V: Gesar la, thuchhe Che la. I really felt Blessed and fortunate to have
as well. It brings up lot of questions when you start to look at things that
G.M: Change. You can’t escape it. You
you for the upcoming 5th issue.
way. What is really worthwhile? I think
can’t change change. It has no real
Thank you.
in my experience the things you think
self. Buddhism is constantly evolving
are worthwhile are a lot of just things
and human beings constantly need
G.M: Good luck with the magazine and
we are trying to repair, things [that]
something different. We know more
I hope to read the thousandth issue.
happened when we were young or
about science than we have ever
made our lives difficult. I think as a
known. We are learning all these
Buddhist we need to lighten up on
kinds of things the way we think is
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V: Thank you so much for the Blessing.
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A Geography of Smile? - Ven. Matthieu Ricard
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S
ome researchers have spoken of a “geography of the smile.” By examining photographs found on 2000 pages of social networks in Europe, they found that,
on these photographs, 55% of the British smiled, against only 25% of Poles and Hungarians. These figures do not necessarily mean that the people of Eastern Europe are less open to their peers. According to P. Svarota, the author of this study, Polish society values highly unaffectedness and believe that it is inappropriate to disguise one’s feelings behind contrived facial expressions. Moreover, the idea that it is desirable to harbor a constant smile, whether sincere or not, quickly lead to offer nothing more than “Pan Am” smiles, thus named after the advertising of the defunct airline on which models, men and women, use to wear a rigid smile, expressed only by the lips and not the entire face. The idea that we must smile at all costs is very Western. In the West, people tend to smile automatically in front of a camera and it seems desirable to always give the impression of being happy. In Asia (Tibetans, Indians, Nepalese, Sinhalese, etc..), most often when people are photographed, they take a very serious pose. Tibetans, for example, smile and laugh a lot, perhaps more than any other people that I had the opportunity to befriend. But if you take a picture of a Tibetan, usually he will instantly freeze in a grave expression, which seems to him to be more suitable to be fixed for posterity. It is not very difficult, however, to melt away their seriousness and turn it into a big smile. Usually, when doing a portrait, the first photograph looks very serious. Then, as soon as I lowered the camera, the person gives me a big smile. I quickly take another image, hoping to capture that smile, but the subject has again become serious in a split second. But if you keep on doing so, until the whole thing becomes a game, I am always rewarded by an image with a beautiful smile.
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- Ven. Matthieu Ricard from the recent photosbook 108 Sourires
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w w w. v a i ro c h a n a . c o m
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A Short Outline of History of
Buddhism in Russia (17th to early 21th century) by Natalia L. Zhukovskaya
Participants of Buddhist Service East Siberia. Buryats. Late 19th â&#x20AC;&#x201C; early 20th century Russian Museum of Ethnography
T
he history of Buddhism in
the first to appear in the territory of the
annexed by the Russian Empire in
Russia is more than 400 years
Russian Empire. Today it is the territory
the 1640-1660s. This territory is the
long. Before the late 20th
of the Kalmykia Republic. Officially,
Buryatia Republic today. The active
century only three ethnic groups out
they adopted Buddhism in the late
spread of Buddhism among Buryats
of 150 peoples residing in Russia
16th century, although they had been
started only in the first third of the
were officially regarded as Buddhists,
familiar with it for three centuries, so
18th century.
these were Buryats, Kalmyks, Tuvans.
they were Buddhists when they arrived
Kalmyks, the descendants of Oirats
in Russia.
who moved to the steppes of the Lower
And Tuva (the Tuva Republic today) joined Russia (the USSR then) only
Volga region from West Mongolia in
Buryats were the second Buddhist
in 1944. Before that, from 1921 to
the first third of the 17th century, were
nation. Their land was gradually
1943, it was an independent republic,
58 | w w w . v a i r o c h a n a . c o m
and the vassal of China before that.
established homage practice, and a
Tuva) and Kalmykia it had to deal
The ancestors of Tuvans were familiar
system of priest training.
with a nomadic culture, its ideology
with Buddhism as far back as in the
and practice in the form of Tengriism,
early Middle Ages, their land was a
Buddhism as a moral, a philosophy and
shamanism, and even individual cults
part of the Uygur Khaganate (8th –
a historical and cultural phenomenon
of nature.
10th centuries A. D.) then, but Tuvans
emerged in India in the 6th century B.
themselves adopted Buddhism only in
C., and its spread over the countries
One should emphasize that the true
the 2nd half of the 18th century. By the
and continents continues today. A
Buddhism never saw earlier beliefs of
early 20th century they already had
characteristic trait of Buddhism that
Asian nations as its rivals or enemies,
all institutionalized forms of religion,
promoted its expansion over the Asian
they were just a part of the cultural
including a monastic hierarchy, an
countries, at least, was its tolerance
tradition that cannot be destroyed
and the ability to peacefully coexist with
without doing harm, without driving
any cults, religions and social systems
away new adepts from following the
which existed before its arrival and
“Buddha’s path”.
The history of Buddhism in Russia is more than 400 years long. Before the late 20th century only three ethnic groups out of 150 peoples residing in Russia were officially regarded as Buddhists, these were Buryats, Kalmyks, Tuvans.
during its spread in these countries. In the countries with centuries-old cultural
Buddhism in Buryatia
traditions it faced such ideological
By 1701 Buryatia already had 11 felt
systems as Shintoism in Japan,
dugan temples. In 1712 150 Mongolian
Confucianism and Taoism in China,
and Tibetan lamas came here to
and it settled peacefully side by side
strengthen the promotion of Buddhism
with them. But in Central Asia (Tibet,
in the region. It was only in mid
Mongolia), South Siberia (Buryatia,
18th century when the Tsongolsky
w w w. v a i ro c h a n a . c o m
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Choidjan in Aginskiy Datsan. Buryats. 1923
Crown Prince Nikolay Aleksandrovich with the elected Buryats of the Aginsky Dept., June 17, 1891
Tuvinian lama. Tuvinians. V. P. Yermolayev. 1916
A table for burkhahs in the yurt of a wealthy soyot. Soyotia, Uryankhai Territory. Tuvinians. F. Ya. Kon. 1934
60 | w w w . v a i r o c h a n a . c o m
Khori, Buryats in festive clothes. Buryats. Early 20lh century.
Datsan, the first stationary Buddhist
Despite administrative restrictions, the
many other artisans worked. Thus,
monastery in Transbaikalia, was built.
number of datsans and lamas grew. By
Buddhist monasteries have actually
In 1741 Empress Yelizaveta Petrovna
the early 20th century Buryatia already
become main spiritual and cultural
signed the Decree on the Official
had 47 monasteries and more than
centers of the traditional Buryat
Recognition of Buddhism as the
10,000 lamas.
society. It was their activities that
Religion of Buryats.
provided contemporary science with The St. Petersburg Gunzechoinei
fundamental sources on the theory and
In 1764 the head lama of the
Datsan was the last Buddhist temple
practice of popular Buddhism. Teaching
Tsongolsky Datsan was officially
to be built in the early 20th century
activities of monasteries promoted
recognized as the supreme lama of
before the 1917 revolution in Russia.
the development of education and the
the Transbaikalian Buryats, receiving
In 1930 it was closed as a temple, but,
emergence of Buryat intellectuals.
the title of Pandito Khambo Lama (â&#x20AC;&#x153;the
fortunately, it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t destroyed, and it
Scholarly First Priestâ&#x20AC;?). Developing
has been functioning again since 1991.
under the supervision of the local
An ethnic school of Buddhist architecture, painting, sculpture
Russian administration, the Buryat
Buddhism had tremendous influence
appeared. Following the Indo-Tibetan
Buddhism always faced the opposition
on the development of national
canons, Buryat masters were able
of the Russian Orthodox Church,
culture. Philosophy, logic, medicine,
to create outstanding works in each
the official church of the Russian
Tantras, etc. were taught at datsans,
of these three kinds of art informing
Empire. It pursued an active policy
religions, scientific and popular
them with the spirit and style of
of Christianizing Buryats, creating its
didactics literature was printed there;
ethnic traditions. The complex of
missions and monasteries in
they had workshops where painters,
the Tamchinsky Datsan temples are
this region.
wood carvers, sculptors, scribes, and
regarded as the best examples of the
w w w. v a i ro c h a n a . c o m
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Pandito Khambo Lama XII Dasha Darja Itigilov (1911-1917).
Danbi Zhalsan Zhamsaranov, the abbot of the Aginsky Datsan. East Siberia. Buryats. S. I. Rudenko. 1923
Two women wearing fur hats. East Siberia. Aginsky Aimak. S. 1. Rudenko. 1923
Buryat school in architecture.
between Buddhism and European
Buryat-Mongol Autonomous Soviet
In the second half of the 19th –
science, shifting Buddhism from
Socialist Republic of December 17,
early 20th centuries the ideas of
the position of a religion to the
1925 which implemented the resolution
Buddhism were widely popular among
phenomenon of national culture
of Soviet authorities on the division of
the Russian philosophers, writers,
with the rejection of Lamaism as a
the church from the state.
poets, artists. Their fascination with
term. This movement was doomed
Buddhism did not come directly from
to failure as it was impossible to
Since the early 1930s datsans
the East or from Buryats and Kalmyks,
solve the problem of the Buryat self-
were gradually closed, monks were
it came from the countries of West
determination through religious reform
dispersed, and many of them were
Europe having numerous philosophic,
and the revival of national culture
arrested and sent into exile or to
theosophical and spiritualist societies
both before the revolution, and, surely,
prison. By the end of the 1930s all
focusing on Buddhist philosophy and
after it. The attempt of reformers to
datsans were closed, their property
occult practices of oriental religions.
declare that the ideas of Marxism
was partially destroyed, and partially
and early Buddhism are identical,
gathered in museums – The Museum
At the turn of the 19th – 20th centuries
including thus Buddhism into the list
of the History of Religion and Atheism
a renewal movement emerged among
of progressive revolutionary teachings,
(the Cathedral of the Kazan Icon of
the Buddhist laity and clerics.
was unsuccessful.
the Mother of God in St. Petersburg), The Museum of Anthropology and
This renewal movement was
The legal status of Buddhism was
Ethnography named after Peter the
characterized with the desire to restore
determined by the Resolution of the
Great (Kunstkamera), The Russian
the initial philosophy of the Buddha’s
Central Executive Committee and the
Ethnography Museum, The Museum
teachings, to find the crossing points
Council of Peoples Commissars of the
of the History of Buryatia named after
62 | w w w . v a i r o c h a n a . c o m
M. N. Khangalov, and many others where it faced different fates. Some things remained in boxes for more than half a century, and some objects were sold abroad. The Buddhist culture of Buryatia disappeared since the end of 1930s. It doesn’t mean that its disappearance was total, it rather went “underground”, but the access to underground culture was also limited.
The palace of the XII Pandido Khambo Lama Itigelov. Ivolginsky Datsan. Buryatia. 2010 Nikolay Nikolayevich Dudko, Member of the Artists Union, Member of the Photographers Union of Russia
There were no Buddhist monasteries in the regions around Lake Baikal
Oppressions involved not only lamas,
served 18 years in Soviet penitentiary
from 1941 to 1946. Yet, in 1946 two
but also intellectuals, creative figures,
camps, and who gathered a group
datsans opened simultaneously:
scholars suspected in sympathizing
of followers around himself which
the Ivolginsky Datsan was the first
with Buddhism. In the early 1970s
combined the study of Buddhist texts
to open, followed by the Aginsky
Buryat authorities waged the last major
with their practical implementation. This
Datsan. The Provision on the
anti-Buddhist campaign which is known
group and its leader were the objects
Buddhists Clerics in the USSR was
in the history of Russian Buddhism as
of criminal persecution. Dandaron
adopted in 1946 and it regulated the
the “Dandaron case”. Bidia Dandaron
himself was sentenced to 5 years of
activities of the Buddhist church until
was a tantric lama, a spiritual guru
incarceration at the penitentiary camp
the start of the perestroika period.
and scholar residing in Ulan-Ude, who
where he died in 1974 under obscure
w w w. v a i ro c h a n a . c o m
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Dmitry Medvedev, the President of the Russian Federation, visits the Ivolginsky Datsan, the residence of the XXIV Pandido Khambo Lama Ayusheyev, the head of the Traditional Buddhist Sangha of Russia. Ivolginsky Datsan. 2009 Pandido Khambo Lama Itigelov Institute.
circumstances. His disciples were
In 1995 the Buddhist Congress
Khukhe-Zurkhen area of the Ivolginsky
dismissed from their work, some of
of the leaders of the newly
District. This was seen as a miracle
them were sent to mental clinics, and
created communities and abbots
and as a result of the supreme spiritual
they were persecuted in every
of monasteries elected Damba
perfection achieved by Itigilov in his life.
possible way.
Ayusheyev, a Buryat, as Pandito
Today this imperishable body is stored
Khambo Lama. Reforms that started
at the temple built for it at the Ivolginsky
The revival of Buddhism in Russia
in Buryat Buddhism are associated
Datsan, and eight times a year, at
started with the registration of those
with his name. The search for archives
Buddhist festivals, it is displayed to
few Buddhist communities which
of monasteries that were destroyed in
believers. Today it is the most holy relic
existed in a number of regions and
the past has been organized, histories
of the Buryat Buddhism.
functioned under the auspices of the
of monasteries and biographies
Central Spiritual Administration of
of outstanding Buryat lamas are
Buddhism in Kalmykia
Buddhists in 1988. At the same time
published, memorial stupas are erected
The development of Buddhism among
Buddhist communities emerged in
at the places of their birth or residence
Kalmyks is closely associated with
Kalmykia, Tuva, Moscow, Leningrad
on his initiative.
their political history as they joined
(St. Petersburg), and other cities of
Russia. Soon after their arrival at the
Russia with astounding speed, and
September 10, 2002 formed a new
steppe of the Lower Volga Region
quite a lot of them did not follow
reference point in the development of
in the 1660s a Kalmyk Khanate was
the traditional for Russia (Buryatia,
Buryat Buddhism. On this day the grave
established, uniting all the tribal groups
Kalmykia, Tuva) Gelug tradition, many
of the 12th Pandito Khambo Lama
under the authority of one khan. The
communities were affiliated to various
Dashi-Dorzho Itigilov who died in 1927
Kalmyk Buddhists were under the
schools of Mahāyāna, Hīnayāna,
was opened, and his imperishable
direct authority of Dalai Lama and
Tibetan Tantrism.
body was discovered on this day in the
were Tibet oriented in their activities
64 | w w w . v a i r o c h a n a . c o m
in general. They still retain these
developed cult of the White Old
themed films are shown, where there
specifics. The supreme head of all
Man (Tsagan aav) who was initially
are a library, an Internet center, where
Kalmyk monasteries was called Lama,
worshiped in Central Asia as a
doctors practicing Tibetan medicine
and he was the only one who could
character from the shamanic pantheon,
receive patients, and one floor is the
have this title. Abbots of monasteries
the “master of the masters” of land,
residence of Dalai Lama 14th.
were called bagsh (teacher, tutor),
the patron of fertility, of everything
The process of Buddhist revival in
while others were called khuvarak. And
alive. In Kalmyks’ eyes the Old Man
Kalmykia that started in the late
their Buddhism got a second name,
grew in importance to become the
1980s was not simple. There was
shara-ulan-shaazhin (yellow-red belief),
patron of all nation, he was included
no funding for the construction of
emphasizing thus that the “red hat
in the national Buddhist pantheon,
temples, they were opened in villages,
Buddhism” of the Nyingma tradition
and his image has a well-developed
in the premises of vacant children
was not alien to them.
iconography; there were even plans
kindergartens and shops, and they
to dedicated the largest hurul built in
often stayed empty as Kalmyks retained
Several Provisions on the
the 21st century, The Golden Abode of
few cult objects as private property or
Administration of Kalmyk People were
Buddha Shakyamuni opened in Elista
museum items after the destruction
adopted (in 1825, 1834, 1847) which
in December 2005, to the White Old
of Buddhist culture during the Soviet
strived to limit the number of new
Man. Today it is the largest Buddhist
period. Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, the first
monasteries and Buddhist clerics in
temple in Europe, and a Buddhist
President of Kalmykia, contributed a lot
every way.
cultural center, as a matter of fact.
to the revival of Buddhism, providing
Besides premises for prayers (hurals),
financial backing. Kalmyks did not
One peculiarity that makes Kalmyk
it also houses an educational center
have trained priests, they were to be
Buddhism different from the Buddhism
where scholars and foreign spiritual
trained hastily in India (at the Drepung
of Buryats and Tuvans is an amazingly
teachers deliver lectures, Buddhism
Gomang and Namgyal monasteries), in
Stupas of Atsagatsky Datsan. Zaigrayevsky District, Buryatia. 2007 w w w. v a i ro c h a n a . c o m
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Mongolia and Buryatia where Buddhist
provide ritual services to the population
three initially Buddhist regions, such
academies were already functioning,
secretly. Such a drastic weakening
as Buryatia, Kalmykia, Tuva, have
and to invite Tibetan lamas residing
of Buddhism triggered the spread of
some common characteristics. Being
in emigration outside Tibet borders.
shamanism which had always been
independent subjects of the Russian
Local painters started to revive the
well-developed in this area, a worthy
Federation, each of these regions is
national school of Buddhist painting,
rival of Buddhism in respect to the ritual
an ethnic republic that has its own
cult objects were brought from India
services for the population.
head (a president until recently) and
and Nepal. Communities following
a government. The community of
various Buddhist traditions emerged,
It was only during the post-Soviet
Buddhists in each of these republics
they open their own prayer houses and
period when the first Buddhist
also functions independently and has
small temples, erect stupas and publish
community of Altyn Bogda was
its own leader and name. In Buryatia
translations of Buddhist texts into the
registered, the first Buddhist temple
there is Buddhist Traditional Sangha
Russian and Kalmyk languages.
was built in 1990, Erege, a periodical
of Russia headed by Pandito Khambo
issue of the Buddhist community,
Lama, this position is held by Damba
Buddhism in Tuva
appeared in 1991. In 1992 the Dalai
Ayusheyev since 1995, he is the 24th
In the late 1920s, when the present
Lama made his first official visit to Tuva
Pandito Khambo Lama since the time
Tuva was the Tuvan Peoples Republic,
accompanied with the delegation of
when this position was established. In
37 large and small monasteries (hure
the representatives from the Tibetan
Kalmykia it is the Union of Kalmykian
in the Tuvan language) functioned in its
government in exile, and this visit
Buddhists headed by Shajin Lama.
territory, and they had more than 4,000
triggered the Buddhist revival process.
Now this position is held by Erdni
lamas. By the late 1930s all hure were
Ombadykov, an American Kalmyk who
destroyed, lamas were sent home, and
Buddhism in Russia Today
was recognized by Dalai Lama 14th
only several dozen of them continued to
The revival of Buddhism in all the
as the reincarnation of Tilopa, a great
66 | w w w . v a i r o c h a n a . c o m
Indian mahasiddha, his spiritual title
the common notion of Vajrayﾄ］a (The
About 50 communities have joined
is Telo Tulku Rinpoche. He has been
Diamond Vehicle), and various national
the Union of Dzogchen Namkaya
holding his position since 1992. And
forms of Buddhism arriving from the
Norbu Rinpoche Communities. They
Tuva has its Centralized Organization
countries of the East and South-East
hold their practices, meditations,
of Buddhists since 1997, its leader has
Asia (Vietnam, Japan, China, Thailand,
dedications in Russia and abroad,
the title of Kamba Lama, and since
Korea, Cambodia). Their ethnic
considerably expanding the limits of
2010 this position has been held by
composition is absolutely diverse. While
Russian Buddhism as a notion.
Tenzin Tsultim (his secular name is
in the past one could easily answer
Nikolai Kuular).
the question of who follows Buddhism in Russia, saying: Buryats, Kalmyks
All the three organizations unite their
and Tuvans, today this is no longer
followers of the Gelug tradition. Just
true as Russians form the majority of
as in the previous centuries, they
Buddhists now.
celebrate main Buddhist festivals. The official number of Buddhist After the disintegration of the USSR all
organizations in Russia is close
the territory of Russia, from its western
to 300. Many of them have joined
borders to the Far East, witnessed the
various associations and unions.
emergence of Buddhist organizations
Thus, the Russian Association of
uniting the followers both of the early
Karma Kagyu Buddhists, for instance,
medieval traditions of the Tibetan
includes communities from 72 cities
Buddhism (Nyingma, Dzogchen,
of Russia, from Kaliningrad in the
Sakya, Kagyu, and others) united by
west to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in the east.
Professor Natalia Zhukovskaya is Doctor of Science, and Chair of the Department of Asian Studies, Russia Academy of Sciences, Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology in Russia, Moscow. She studies Buddhism, Shamanism, and nomadic cultures of the Eurasian Steppes. She has published nine books and more than 250 articles and papers. She has spent 50 field seasons in various countries of Asia and regions of the Russian Federation. She has participated in 40 scientific congresses, conferences, symposia.
w w w. v a i ro c h a n a . c o m
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The Living
Kumaris of
Kathmandu Valley
Magic, Myth and Mystery...
I
t was late at night, and the old brick palace in the centre of Kathmandu with its many courtyards, its many fine carved wooden windows and its pagoda towers, was dark. The courtiers, the retainers and the king’s wives had gone to bed, and only the sleepy guards still patrolled. In one room, however, there was a dim light, and two figures could be seen huddling over a board and throwing dice.
more lovely but frightening faces had appeared, one above the first, the other two on either side. Both the king and queen drew back in awe, while the retainers dropped their weapons, dumbstruck. “That you would think such a thing of me! I’ll not put up with such human frailties as jealousy. You have seen the last of me.”
One was an unusually beautiful young woman, yet even the most casual of observers would notice that she was not only far too beautiful to be an ordinary mortal, but that she had an intense and penetrating third eye in the centre of her forehead. That she also had ten arms was less obvious, since she had a way of hiding 8 of them when they were not in use. She wore large golden earrings and golden tiara, and an aura glowed faintly around her head.
“You cannot. Your reign will be short, and the end of your dynasty is near at hand.” And with that, the goddess—for the queen in her jealousy had failed to recognise the goddess Taleju herself, wrathful aspect of Durga and patroness to the kings of Nepal—disappeared.
The other figure was that of the king. One might have expected him to be dressed informally at this time of night, but in fact he was in full royal regalia with his crown, peacock feather and jewels.
“How was I to know ?”
As they threw the dice, they spoke in undertones, and though the king’s manner was respectful, there was between them the easy familiarity of a couple of long acquaintance. “What to do about these restless six Pradhans of Lalitpur? And that Ghorkha Raja who threatens to swallow up every kingdom in his path?” asked the king, looking hopefully at the young woman for an answer. “As to the first,” she paused to throw the dice, and looked pleased with the result, “they pose little enough threat, and they should be handled with compassion so as not to alienate the people. But as to the latter ...” There was no chance for her to finish, for at that point there was a disturbance, and the queen in night dress, followed by several armed attendants, bustled her way into the room. “So this is how I find you. Discussing matters of state indeed! And with such a beautiful young woman!” “But, my dear ...” the king began hopelessly.
“But how can I govern my kingdom without you?” pleaded the king.
“Now look what you have done with your snooping and your jealousy!” said the king.
“You could have simply minded your own business and let me mind mine!” So dependant had the king grown on the advice of the goddess that he despaired of being able to govern his kingdom without her, so all through the next day he made offerings and kept the Brahmins busy at the huge, three-storied pagoda where only he and the goddess’s priests were allowed. Eventually his prayers were answered, or at least partially, for that night the goddess appeared to him again in a dream. “If you wish to see me again, choose a young virgin girl of the Shakya caste, beautiful and unblemished, with the 32 signs of perfection. Worship her as you would worship me. In her I will appear to you. But never will I forget the insult I have suffered.” And so, after consulting his priests, the king did her bidding. A four year-old girl of the Newar Shakya caste was found who met all the criteria. She was taken to the Taleju temple and installed as the living embodiment of the goddess. She was worshipped by the king and adored by the populace at festivals. A little later a small but ornate palace and temple where she could live was built for her just across from the palace. Once a year, during the great Indra Jatra festival, the king went to her temple to receive her blessings in the form of a tika, a red mark on his forehead.
“Can’t trust you out of my sight for a moment!” “Enough of this!” said the young woman, her voice full of authority, and indeed quite frightening as she drew herself up and spread her ten arms like wings. Eight of her ten hands held one of the attributes of her power. From her hips hung a belt of severed male heads, and she was now surrounded by an aura of flame. Three 68 | w w w . v a i r o c h a n a . c o m
Known as Kumari, the virgin goddess, or as Dyah Meiju to her own Newari people, as soon as she began to approach the age of womanhood she was replaced by a similar girl in order to assure that she would always be pure and unblemished and would never grow old. And so it continued throughout a change of dynasty, several centuries and many kings.
Photo Feature
Kumari The Royal
Images by: LAXMI PRASAD NGAKHUSI w w w. v a i ro c h a n a . c o m
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Royal Kumari The majority of her Newar devotees, even though they do not dispute the belief that Kumari is a virginal form of Taleju, she is nevertheless for them more importantly identified with Vajradevi, the chief female divinity of Vajrayana Buddhism. During her period in office the royal Kumari is continuously regarded and treated as a goddess. She must leave her family home and take up residence in Kumari Che(n) immediately opposite the old Malla palace in Basantapur. It is a threestoried building with the shrine of the deity located on the south side. On the ground floor is a bahahtype shrine containing the five tathagatas, together with storage area: on the second floor is the usual aga(n) shrine room containing the Tantric couple Vajradevi and Cakrasamvara, flanked on each side by the private quarters of the caretaker, the Kumarima, and her family; while on the third floor the Kumari has here own private quarters together with three separate worshipping areas, one used exclusively for royal and state Kumari pujas, another for ordinary daily worship of the Kumari, and the third for special pujas requested by private clients. The Royal Kumari only comes out of her beautiful temple abode thirteen times during the year.
70 | w w w . v a i r o c h a n a . c o m
Kumari, or Kumari Devi, is the tradition of worshiping young prepubescent girls as manifestations of the divine female energy or devi in Hindu religious traditions. The word Kumari, derived from Sanskrit Kaumarya meaning “virgin”, means young unmarried girls in Nepali. Though Kumari is, without any ambiguity at all, a classic Hindu deity, the girls themselves are all members of orthodox Buddhist Newar castes selected from the two highest ranking Buddhist castes, the Gubhaju and the Sakya clan of the Nepalese Newari community. The Gubhaju are the Buddhist priests, while the Sakya, who are mostly metal workers and temple custodians, claim direct descent from the ancient Sakya clan that gave birth to Sakyamuni Buddha over 2,600 years ago. The history of Kumari worship in Nepal is as yet shrouded in a great deal of legend and mystery. From various indirect sources it seems possible that the worship of young girls as living forms of the goddess may have begun in Nepal in the form of small local and sporadic cults, possibly similar to those still found in the north-east Punjab, shortly after the introduction of Vajrayana Buddhism during the eleventh century. According to many of the vamsavalis it was Jayaprakasha, the last of the Malla kings of Kathmandu, who instituted the royal worship of Kumari. Though some element of doubt must remain as to whether some of his predecessors may also have worshipped her, it is certain that it was Jayaprakasa who built her an official residence [Kumari che(n)] near the palace in Basantapur and also began the annual chariot festival. The Kumari is revered and worshiped by some of the country’s Hindus as well as the Newars of Kathmandu Valley of the Vajrayana religion.
Some have compared the selection process to the process used in Tibetan Buddhism to find the reincarnations of Tulkus of the great masters. The selection process is conducted by five senior Buddhist Vajracharya priests, the Panch Buddha, the Bada Guruju or Chief Royal Priest, Achajau the priest of Taleju and the royal astrologer. The criteria for a potential Kumari are she must be in excellent health, never have shed blood or been afflicted by any diseases, be without blemish and must not have yet lost any teeth. Girls who pass these basic eligibility requirements are examined for the battis lakshanas, or ‘thirty-two perfections’ of a goddess. Once the Kumari is chosen, she must be purified so that she can be an unblemished vessel for Taleju. She is taken by the priests to undergo a number of secret Tantric rituals to cleanse her body and spirit of her past experiences. Once these rituals are completed, Taleju enters her and she is presented as the new Kumari. She is dressed and made up as a Kumari and then leaves the Taleju temple and walks across the square on a white cloth to the Kumari Ghar that will be her home for the duration of her divinity.
w w w. v a i ro c h a n a . c o m
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Kumari The Patan
72 | w w w . v a i r o c h a n a . c o m
T
he Patan
Kumari, who was
once the tutelary deity of the Malla kings of Patan, is still
of considerable importance, in her own city. The Patan Kumari is chosen from amongst the daughters of the Vajracharya (Dhusah) men. The Patan Kumari, unlike her royal counterpart in Kathmandu, lives at home with her family. Her family must set aside three rooms in their home â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a small private one in which she sleeps and eats, another small one which contains her throne and is used for daily and other small-scale pujas, and a larger one which is used for post-worship feasts, large-scale pujas and formal receptions. A member of her family, most commonly her father, acts as pujari and he must perform nitya puja each morning. About 8 am she enters the puja room and sits on her throne while her pujari worships her for about half-an-hour with incense, burning wicks, flowers, grain, boiled eggs, meat and rice wine. As a minimum requirement she should wear red clothes, have on her forehead her third eye and her hair done-up in the Kumari style. Members of the public may come to worship her also at nitya puja. w w w. v a i ro c h a n a . c o m
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Kumari The Bhaktapur
W
hile the Patan and Kathmandu Kumaris lead a confined existence and are subject to rigorous religious rules the
Bhaktapur Kumari is only an acting Kumari for 15 days during
the annual Dashain festival. Though she lives at home with her parents she has an official residence [Kumari che(n)], a large but simple and undecorated building in the courtyard of Dipankara Bahah in north-east Bhaktapur. The building is permanently occupied by a family that has for some generations held a hereditary right to act as caretaker of the building and its contents.
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Kumari The Bungamati
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T
he Bungamati
Kumari is chosen
from a single patrilineage (kawa) of Gubhaju caste whose members are
known as Panju and who share in the important ritual duties associated with Bungamatiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s famous god Matsyendranatha. Bungamati Kumari is closely associated with Matsyendranatha. She is said to have first come to Nepal as one of the many deities who accompanied Matsyendranatha, an illustrious deity whose worship in the valley dates back at least to the 14th and possibly as early as the 12th century AD. The main day on which the Bungamati Kumari appears for public worship is the first of Mangsir
Hayagriva is said to be the leader of Patanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s four Bhairavas. In formal Buddhist terms he is a tutelary god of the Amitabha pantheon.
or Marga (mid-Nov), the supposed anniversary
Daily puja is performed by the girlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s father or some
of the death of Matsyendranatha. She is dressed
other member of her family and consists of just a
in red clothes and jewellery, has her hair done in
simple offering of rice, flowers and red tika mark.
the Kumari style and the third eye and red tika on
She should be shown respect by all members of
her forehead and then spends the day sitting on
her family and must eat first. The great majority of
her throne on a raised though open area beside
Bungmati residents of all castes as well as Brahman,
the entrance to the Bhairava (Hayagiva) temple.
come to make offerings to the Kumari.
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Mugum Eight-century-old mountain village Images by Himgyap (Tashi) Lama
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L
ying at the foothills of the Himalayas at 3,356 meters above sea level in the northwest corner of Nepal is the eight-century-old mountain village of Mugum. Mugum is closer to Tibet in both culture and geography than it is to Kathmandu and rests in one of the most remote and isolated communities in the world. It is a three-day walk from Lake Rara, Nepalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest lake and hidden from the eyes of the foreigner and the capitolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s influences. Mugum is flanked to the east by the Dolpa district and to the west by the Humla and Lime districts. Its lack of roads, airports, and any other transportation infrastructure keeps it away from most tourist-traveled routes in Nepal. Because of these factors, Mugum remains true to a millennial culture and to a lifestyle with cultures and traditions from another era. Because the high, rugged land makes the exploitation of the terrain very difficult, the main agricultural activity in Mugum is centered around small crops of potato, millet and nawal, a variety of barley used to make tsampa, a highly nutritious flour that is a staple food of the Himalayan people. There are around 150 houses in Mugum, a fifth of which are ruined or abandoned. The houses are built in the Tibetan style, flat-roofed, three-story houses with all levels connected by a wooden ladder, usually a tree log with steps carved into it. The ground floor is used to house livestock, the first store for storing grain and salt, and the topmost used as a living room and kitchen where the scenes from everyday life take place. A tiny window lights up the small living room, which offers little space for privacy to the members of the family. The roof serves as a workspace and social area for celebrations and family gatherings. During the colder months, the lower floors are outfitted as living rooms while the roof is used to store firewood to act as a protection against the wind. No more than 20 people stay in the village in the winter as villagers migrate to warmer locations to escape extreme winter conditions. After the last potato harvest at the end of autumn, Mugali families go down into the valley with their cattle in search of milder temperatures, firewood and pastures for their herds where they set up shelters and huts between the months of October and March.
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History The first inhabitants of Mugum settled during the expansion of the ZhangZhung civilization that consisted of several kingdoms centered around the Manishawa Lake at the foot of the sacred mount Kalash and extended west to present day Baltistan and Pakistan and Ladakh in India, east to include central Tibet, north across the vast Chang Tang plateau, and the Taklamakan desert and south to the kingdoms of Mustang and Mugum in present day Nepal. The origins of Zhang-Zhung are traced to the Iron Age. It was conquered during the reign of Tibetan king Tsong Tsan Gampo who annexed the Zhang-Zhung territory to Tibet at the beginning of the seventh century. Zhang-Zhung culture is associated with the Bon religion, an animist cult that has influenced the philosophies and practices of [Tibetan] Buddhism. Research carried out in other regions reveals that there were two large migrations of ethnic groups of TibetoBurman speakers (Tamang and Gurung) who crossed the Himalayan range more than 2000 years ago, long before Buddhism arrived in the area. Before the dawn of the Buddhist era, the bon cult was widely practiced in Mugum, a blend of animist beliefs, purification and exorcism rituals, and the worship of spirits and natural forces, aiming at a true knowledge of manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nature and dignity. Although the first manuscripts date back from the 10th century, the origins of Bon are much older, related to the shamanism practices of the inhabitants of central Asia in prehistory. All these popular beliefs are still identifiable and
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Research carried out in other regions reveals that there were two large migrations of ethnic groups of Tibeto-Burman speakers (Tamang and Gurung) who crossed the Himalayan range more than 2000 years ago...
somehow mark the daily life
Mugum. The present day Mugum
in remote Himalayan regions
settlement was known as Chojey
like Mugum. The Tibetan
Konchok Gonpo or Jampa Gonpo.
Tantric Buddhism assimilated most of these ceremonies and
Coinciding with Konchok Gonpo’s
instrumental music and voice are
arrival to Mum, numerous practicing
given special prominence on the
Buddhists came from Tibet and
path to enlightenment.
settled in the area, contributing to the establishment of the new religion.
With the arrival of Buddhism,
Today, three of the four major
some ethnic groups, like the
schools of Tibetan Buddhism (Kagyu,
Dolpo and other eastern Tibetan
Sakyapa, and Nyimapa) co-exist
monks, settled in the area
in Mugum. Each one follows the
between Mugum and Mustang,
teachings of its master founder and
building monasteries. The arrival
has its own lineage of enlightened
of Buddhism to Mugum in the
gurus and rinpoches. All of them
13th century is attributed to
share the essence of Buddhism and
Konchok Gonpo, a disciple of the
the same main principles.
Drikung Kagyud sect. Konchok
Today, religion is present in
Gonpo must have enjoyed a great
every aspect of Mugum society.
reputation both among monks and the countrymen because he
More than half a dozen monasteries,
is often considered as Mugum’s
countless religious structures and
founder and root teacher of the
symbols like stupas and chortens,
fifth Yatse king although a village
carved stones, prayer wheels and
known as Mum pre-existed
flags shout out “Om mani padme
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humâ&#x20AC;? from the hills, the six syllable
of the main sources of income for this
income of trade with neighboring Tibet
mantra that contains the essence of
village. During the spring and autumn
after the Chinese invasion, and given
Buddhist teachings.
months, Tibetan nomads bringing salt
their physical location well beyond
and pashmina wool from the other
the reach of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s regular
Trading
side of the Himalayas and Nepali
tourist industry, the people of Mugum
Before 1959, Mugum was a
merchants transporting rice and grain
village now subsist on agriculture.
prosperous transit pass for the
from Jumla and Sukhet to southern
Living conditions, education, the
caravans of yaks on the ancient trade
hills met in Mugum.
median lifespan and the population in
routes. Trading was traditionally one
Having been denied their traditional
general are in decline. The people lack
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provision of resources to meet basic
teacher three months a year, offering
A physician serves the village of
human needs and social services.
limited and insufficient education to
Mugum only in the summer months,
The elderly in the village of Mugum
the young. Otherwise, the neglected,
so community health declines. Without
never received formal education and
inadequately funded and poorly
proper education, healthcare and social
are no longer able to work the land
staffed school is closed. As a result,
service there is little hope for economic
or engage in trade. Villagers lack
Mugumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s children are not getting a
change or development. Without these
basic healthcare and basic social
proper education, and the alternative,
things, the 800 year-old village, the last
nets. The decades-old government
education in faraway towns and cities,
witness of a unique way of traditional
school is very poor, staffed by a
is unattainable for most.
Tibetan life, faces a dismal future.
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Dhammapada T he
by OSHO
We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts we make the world. Speak or act with an impure mind And trouble will follow you As the wheel follows the ox that draws the cart. We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts we make the world. Speak or act with a pure mind And happiness will follow you As your shadow, unshakable. “Look how he abused me and beat me, How he threw me down and robbed me.” Live with such thoughts and you live in hate. “Look how he abused me and beat me, How he threw me down and robbed me.” Abandon such thoughts, and live in love. In this world Hate never yet dispelled hate. Only love dispels hate. This is the law, Ancient and inexhaustible. You too shall pass away. Knowing this, how can you quarrel? How easily the wind overturns a frail tree. Seek happiness in the senses, Indulge in food and sleep, And you too will be uprooted. The wind cannot overturn a mountain. Temptation cannot touch the man Who is awake, strong and humble, Who masters himself and minds the law. If a man’s thoughts are muddy, If he is reckless and full of deceit, How can he wear the yellow robe? Whoever is master of his own nature, Bright, clear and true, He may indeed wear the yellow robe.
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You are bodhisattvas because of your longing to be conscious, to be alert, because of your quest for the truth. The truth is not far away, but there are very few fortunate ones in the world who long for it. It is not far away but it is arduous, it is hard to achieve. It is hard to achieve, not because of its nature, but because of our investment in lies.
T
he Dhammapada (in its Theravada version) came to be written down in the first century BC. It is the most famous scripture in the Pali canon and is one of the fifteen books of the Khuddaka – Nikaya. It is made up of some 423 verses arranged by topic into 26 chapters. These verses are descriptions of the way to live, the life of meditation and the practice of reason and intelligence. There are many exhortations to cast off craving and orient yourself towards Enlightenment. It is not just a book of morality; it seeks to go further than that. The verses are easy to read and to memorize, and the many translations have given the Dhammapada worldwide popularity, representing for Buddhism what the Bhagavad Gita is for Hinduism and the Tao Te Ching is for Taoism. This is an excerpt from The Dhammapada: The Way of the Buddha - This Is the Path to the Ultimate Truth (Series 1) Future issues of Vairochana will present additional book excerpts. My beloved bodhisattvas.... Yes, that’s how I look at you. That’s how you have to start looking at yourselves. Bodhisattva means a buddha in essence, a buddha in seed, a buddha asleep, but with all the potential to be awake. In that sense everybody is a bodhisattva, but not everybody can be called a bodhisattva -- only those who have started groping for the light, who have started longing for the dawn, in
whose hearts the seed is no longer a seed but has become a sprout, has started growing. You are bodhisattvas because of your longing to be conscious, to be alert, because of your quest for the truth. The truth is not far away, but there are very few fortunate ones in the world who long for it. It is not far away but it is arduous, it is hard to achieve. It is hard to achieve, not because of its nature, but because of our investment in lies. We have invested for lives and lives in lies. Our investment is so much that the very idea of truth makes us frightened. We want to avoid it, we want to escape from the truth. Lies are beautiful escapes -- convenient, comfortable dreams. But dreams are dreams. They can enchant you for the moment, they can enslave you for the moment, but only for the moment. And each dream is followed by tremendous frustration, and each desire is followed by deep failure.
But we go on rushing into new lies; if old lies are known, we immediately invent new lies. Remember that only lies can be invented; truth cannot be invented. Truth already is! Truth has to be discovered, not invented. Lies cannot be discovered, they have to be invented. Mind feels very good with lies because the mind becomes the inventor, the doer. And as the mind becomes the doer, ego is created. With truth, you have nothing to do...and because you have nothing to do, mind ceases, and with the mind the ego disappears, evaporates. That’s the risk, the ultimate risk. You have moved towards that risk. You have taken a few steps -- staggering, stumbling, groping, haltingly, with many doubts, but still you have taken a few steps; hence I call you bodhisattvas. And THE DHAMMAPADA, the teaching of Gautama the Buddha, can only be
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taught to the bodhisattvas. It cannot be taught to the ordinary, mediocre humanity, because it cannot be understood by them. These words of Buddha come from eternal silence. They can reach you only if you receive them in silence. These words of Buddha come from immense purity. Unless you become a vehicle, a receptacle, humble, egoless, alert, aware, you will not be able to understand them. Intellectually you will understand them -- they are very simple words, the simplest possible. But their very simplicity is a problem, because you are not simple. To understand simplicity you need simplicity of the heart, because only the simple heart can understand the simple truth. Only the pure can understand that which has come out of purity.
has not existed at all. Yes, there have been a few enlightened masters with a few disciples -- half a dozen at the most -- and in small gatherings THE DHAMMAPADA has been taught. But those small gatherings cannot transform such a huge humanity. It is like throwing sugar in the ocean with spoons: it cannot make it sweet -- your sugar is simply wasted.
I have waited long...now the time is ripe, you are ready. The seeds can be sown. These tremendously important words can be uttered again. For twenty-five centuries, such a gathering
The time is ripe, the time has come for it. My whole work here consists in creating a buddhafield, an energy field where these eternal truths can be uttered again. It is a rare opportunity. Only once in a while, after centuries, does such an opportunity exist. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss it. Be very alert, mindful. Listen to these words not only with the head but with your heart, with every fiber of your being. Let your totality be stirred by them.
A great, unheard-of experiment has to be done, on such a large scale that at least the most substantial part of humanity is touched by it -- at least the soul of humanity, the center of humanity, can be awakened by it. On the periphery, the mediocre minds will go on sleeping -- let them sleep -- but at the center where intelligence exists a light can be kindled.
And after these ten days of silence, it is exactly the right moment to bring Buddha back, to make him alive again amongst you, to let him move amongst you, to let the winds of Buddha pass through you. Yes, he can be called back again, because nobody every disappears. Buddha is no longer an embodied person; certainly he does not exist as an individual anywhere -- but his essence, his soul, is part of the cosmic soul now. If many many people -- with deep longing, with immense longing,
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with prayerful hearts -- desire it, passionately desire it, then the soul that has disappeared into the cosmic soul can again become manifest in millions of ways. No true master ever dies, he cannot die. Death does not appear for the masters, does not exist for them. Hence they are masters. They have known the eternity of life. They have seen that the body disappears but that the body is not all: the body is only the periphery, the body is only the garments. The body is the house, the abode, but the guest never disappears. The guest only moves from one abode to another. One day, ultimately, the guest starts living under the sky, with no shelter...but the guest continues. Only bodies, houses, come and go, are born and then die. But there is an inner continuum, an inner continuity -- that is eternal, timeless, deathless. Whenever you can love a master -- a master like Jesus, Buddha, Zarathustra, Lao Tzu -- if your passion is total, immediately you are bridged. My talking on Buddha is not just a commentary: it is creating a bridge. Buddha is one of the most important masters who has ever existed on the earth -- incomparable, unique. And if you can have a taste of his being, you will be infinitely benefited, blessed. I am immensely glad, because after these ten days of silence I can say to you that many of you are now ready to commune with me in silence. That is the ultimate in communication. Words are inadequate; words say, but only partially. Silence communes totally. And to use words is a dangerous game too, because the meaning will remain with me, only the word will reach you; and you will give it your own meaning, your own color. It will not contain the same truth that it was meant to contain. It will contain something else, something far poorer. It will contain your
I am immensely glad, because after these ten days of silence I can say to you that many of you are now ready to commune with me in silence. That is the ultimate in communication. Words are inadequate; words say, but only partially. Silence communes totally. meaning, not my meaning. You can distort language -- in fact it is almost impossible to avoid distortion -- but you cannot distort silence. Either you understand or you don’t understand. And for these ten days there were only two categories of people here: those who understood and those who did not. But there was not a single person who misunderstood. You cannot misunderstand silence -- that’s the beauty of silence. The demarcation is absolute: either you understand or, simply, you don’t understand -- there is nothing to misunderstand. With words the case is just the opposite: it is very difficult to understand, it is very difficult to understand that you don’t understand; these two are almost impossibilities. And the third is the only possibility: misunderstanding. These ten days have been of strange beauty, and of a mysterious majesty too. I no longer really belong to this shore. My ship has been waiting for me for a long time -- I should have gone. It is a miracle that I am still in the body. The whole credit goes to you: to your love, to your prayers, to your longing.
You would like me to linger a little while longer on this shore, hence the impossible has become possible. These ten days, I was not feeling together with my body. I was feeling very uprooted, dislocated. It is strange to be in the body when you don’t feel that you are in the body. And it is also strange to go on living in a place which no longer belongs to you -- my home is on the other shore. And the call comes persistently. But because you need me, it is the compassion of the universe -you can call it God’s compassion -that is allowing me to be in the body a little more. It was strange, it was beautiful, it was mysterious, it was majestic, it was magical. And many of you have felt it. Many of you have felt it in different ways. A few have felt it as a very frightening phenomenon, as if death is knocking on the door. A few have felt it as a great confusion. A few have felt shocked, utterly shocked. But everybody has been touched in some way or other. Only the newcomers were a little at a loss -- they could not comprehend what was going on. But I feel thankful to them too. Although they could not
understand what was going on, they waited -- they were waiting for me to speak, they were waiting for me to say something, they were hoping. Many were afraid that I might not speak ever again...that was also a possibility. I was not certain myself. Words are becoming more and more difficult for me. They are becoming more and more of an effort. I have to say something so I go on saying something to you. But I would like you to get ready as soon as possible so that we can simply sit in silence...listening to the birds and their songs...or listening just to your own heartbeat...just being here, doing nothing.... Get ready as soon as possible, because I may stop speaking any day. And let the news be spread to all the nooks and corners of the world: those who want to understand me only through the words, they should come soon, because I may stop speaking any day. Unpredictably, any day, it may happen -- it may happen even in the middle of a sentence. Then I am not going to complete the sentence! Then it will hang forever and forever... incomplete. But this time you have pulled me back.
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book reviews
Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Choice
The Practice of Dzogchen in the Zhang-Zhung Tradition of Tibet Author: John Myrdhin Reynolds (translator) Practice of Dzogchen in the Zhang-Zhung Tradition of Tibet, containing translations from the Bonpo Dzogchen practice manual for the Zhang-zhung Nyan-gyud, known as the Gyalwa Chaktri of Druchen Yungdrung, and from the Odsal Dunkor, The Sevenfold Cycle of the Clear Light, being the Dark Retreat practice from the same tradition, translated with commentaries and notes by John Myrdhin Reynolds The translations presented here, made by a noted Tibetologist and scholar-practitioner, all relate to the actual practice of Dzogchen, the Great Perfection, according to the ancient Bonpo tradition of Tibet known as the Zhang-zhung Nyan-gyud, The Oral Transmission from Zhang-zhung. The country of Zhang-zhung was once a powerful kingdom that lay in what is now Western and Northern Tibet, centering around Gangchen Tise, the famous Mount Kailas. As a written tradition, these teachings and practices are said to go back to at least the 8th century of our era, coming from the enlightened Bonpo master Tapihritsa and transmitted to his disciple Gyerpung Nangzher Lodpo at the Darok lake in Northern Tibet. The master Tapihritsa gave his disciple permission to set down in writing these precepts of Dzogchen in the Zhangzhung language for the first time. Then in the 10th century, these same precepts were translated into the Tibetan language by Ponchen Tsanpo for the benefi t of his Tibetan disciples. In the late 11th century, these precepts were collected from various sources in Western Tibet and in Nepal and put into their present form by Orgom Kundul and Yangton Sherab Gyaltsan of Dolpo. Thus, never having been concealed due persecution, this transmission represents a continuous and uninterrupted lineage from there early times until the present. In the 13th century, the illustrious Bonpo master and abbot of Yeru Wensakha monastery in Tibet, Druchen Gyalwa Yungdrung (12421290), composed a practice manual for the this tradition. Book One deals with the preliminary practices of this Dzogchen system and the translation this text was published earlier. Included in the present volume are the translations from Book Two that principally deal with the practices of contemplation and vision, otherwise known as Trekchod and Thodgal, as well as translations from Book Three of the four supplementary texts dealing with the view, meditation, conduct, and fruit of Dzogchen. Also included in this volume is a translation of the instructions for making the forty nine day dark retreat according to the Zhang-zhung tradition, the text known as The Seven-fold Cycle of the Clear Light. These translations were done over a period of time under the guidance and instruction of Yongdzin Rinpoche, Lopon Tenzing Namdak, the greatest living master and native scholar of Dzogchen in the Bonpo tradition. While detailed explanations of the various practices must be had from a qualified Lama belonging to the tradition, this volume provides a useful overview of the practices on the path of Dzogchen for those who are sincerely interested in these matters.
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Vivid Awareness Author: Thrangu Rinpoche In the summer of 1957, the revered Buddhist teacher and scholar Khenpo Gangshar foresaw the difficulties that would soon fall upon Tibet and began teaching in a startling new way that enabled all those who heard him to use the coming difficulties as the path of Dharma practice. The teaching consisted of the essential points of Mahamudra and Dzogchen, both view and practice, presented in a way that made them easy for anyone to use, even in the most difficult of circumstances. Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche was one of the grateful recipients of these teachings, which he regards as among the most important he has ever been given. He transmits them here, for the benefit of all of us who strive to practice in challenging times. They include contemplations on the ephemeral nature of both joy and suffering, meditations for resting the mind, and guidance for cultivating equanimity in any situation
Tibetan Yogas of Body, Speech, and Mind Author: Tenzin Wangyal In his lively conversationally-toned presentation, Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche clearly shows us how, no matter where we are or what we are doing or how stuck we feel in our pain, our more positive qualities are always accessible to us through our body, speech, and mind. Rather than always searching for happiness outside ourselves, we are shown how to look from a wider perspective and see the constantly present opportunity for reflection and connection with the joyful formless truth that is our authentic nature, and that can lead to the joy and peace inherent in us all. Tenzin Wangyal draws on a vast system of knowledge to show the many ways that body, speech, and mind can be utilized as doorways to happiness, contentment, better health, and ultimately liberation. These three doors of body, speech, and mind are viewed as the pathways to enlightenment in all the major spiritual traditions of Tibet. In fact they are seen as the only tools that we have for progressing on our spiritual journeys. But first we need to learn how to work with them. Everybody is looking for happiness and the causes of happiness, and everybody wants relief from suffering and the causes of suffering. Yet we usually look for happiness and relief from suffering in all the wrong places and in all the wrong ways. This book helps to open the â&#x20AC;&#x153;doorsâ&#x20AC;? to our fullest potential
Into the Heart of Life Author: Jetsumna Palmo One of the most respected Western figures of contemporary Buddhism offers insights gleaned from more than forty years of Buddhist practice. With her vast perspective she presents a wellgrounded understanding of how the timeless Buddhist teachings apply to the demands and challenges of modern life. A wide range of topics are covered in this pragmatic presentation offering down-to-earth advice on how to enhance the quality of our lives.
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Dedication
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F
rom my close association to the Sakya Lamas
Buddha Dharma and also the views from different
during the past 26 years, in which I observed
schools of Tibetan Buddhism. And then my life began
and contemplated the Tibetan way of Buddhism:
to be more meaningful and purposeful. I began to be a
transmitting the Dharma teachings;
happier person, learning to deal with obstacles in this very
granting empowerments; performing rituals;
challenging life journey.
the emphasis on compassion for all sentient
beings, the deep contemplation of the teachings, and
Therefore, I am happy that Ms Pasang, the editor of
above all their perseverance in practicing the
Vairochana magazine in her fifth issue, is doing a focus on
Dharma and tolerance to life.
Khenchen Appey Rinpoche and his establishment of the International Buddhist Academy in Kathmandu.
I have found in them, in their unvested commitment to preserving and promoting the Buddha Dharma, an authentic way of dissemination the teachings transmitted accurately by the past lineage masters, as was conveyed by Lord Buddha himself. Among the many Sakya Lamas, the most venerable Khenchen Appey Rinpoche was one of my Root Gurus. When I first met Khenchen Appey Rinpoche, I thought he
Thus, I would like to dedicate this magazine to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, His Holiness Sakya Trizin, His Holiness Gyalwang Karmapa, His Holiness Gaden Tripa Rinpoche, His Holiness Tsetrul Rinpoche, His Holiness Dagchen Rinpoche, His Eminence Luding Khenchen Rinpoche and highly realized masters whose contribution to the successful dissemination of Buddha Dharma in this world of degeneration is unprecedented one.
was a very ordinary Lama, looking simple nothing special,
May the blessings of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, past
quiet, and always smiling. He looked more like a typical
Buddhist scholars and adepts like Six Ornaments and
Chinese Mahayana monk than a Tibetan Lama. Never
Two Excellences of India, the past Buddhist masters
emphasizing on performing pujas, or giving initiation to
such as the Five Supreme Masters of Sakya and noble
most lay people like us, but was always stressing the
spirits be with the Sakya Dunseys, especially to Dungsey
importance of studying the Buddha Dharma, and as such
Ananda Rinpoche so that he will find a conducive
gave many Dharma teachings.
environment to study Buddhism and follow the footsteps of his predecessors in the noble task of preserving and
I was at that time more interested in attending pujas,
promoting of Buddha Dharma.
and receiving initiations, with the hope of receiving more blessing and thus more luck, especially for a
May my mother Madam Doreen Gohâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s long-cherished
business person like myself. Attending Dharma teachings
unselfish motivation to introduce Buddhism in
at that time seemed rather dull. However, one day, I
every nook and corner of the world be
somehow picked one of two books that Khenchen Appey
materialized, and may she always be
Rinpoche had given me much earlier - Shantidevaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
endowed with the blessings
Bodhicaryvavatara. And then somehow the Buddha
of the Triple Gem.
Dharma seemed much more fascinating and intriguing. And there began my informal teaching and learning, by
- Stanley Teo
asking Khenchen Appey Rinpoche numerous questions whenever I had the opportunity. Slowly I realized how important it was to have a strong understanding of the Buddha Dharma and from continuous learning, one would have better practice of the initiations and how pujas could truly benefit oneself and others. And it was through this process of learning the Dharma from Khenchen Appey Rinpoche that I got to admire his vast knowledge of the
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