Mindfulness and Compassion: A Meditation on Bodhicitta in Everyday Life

The following is an excerpt from a teaching by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo called “Your Treasure is Heart”

There are many different ways that one can actually engage and begin to train the mind as a Bodhisattva.  Actually, as a Bodhisattva the goal is to make every aspect of one’s life a vehicle for the benefit for others.  So, what would that look like?  Well, what about the ordinary things that you do?  Westerners have all these different elements in their lives, divided into sections, pigeon holes.  There’s the holy part, and there’s the ordinary part. There’s your regular personality and the way you are to your husband, wife,  kids, in-laws, and all those people that know you better than anybody.  There’s another part of your life where you’re out on the street, and people get to see you with your street-face on.  And then there’s the personal part.  You go to the bathroom and all those kinds of things. There’s the intellectual part,  the part that goes to the movies, and the part that exercises.  There are all these different parts, and because we’re so deluded, none of them seems to have much relationship to each other.  It’s like we’re juggling cats all the time.

One of the things that you have to do as a Bodhisattva is to make your entire life a basket, a vehicle for this compassion.  But how do you do that?  Well, there are these walking mindfulness meditations that you can do that are extremely beneficial.  If you find yourself moving into a depression or some sort of negative mood, if you really try to practice some sort of absorption with them, they’ll pull you right out of it, It’s very simple.  You don’t have to sit down and do the “holy” thing.  You don’t even have to put on your dharma clothes, pick up your pretty beads, or wear your particular medallions showing that you’re cool. You don’t have to do any of that.  All you have to do is, oh, I don’t know, let’s say, eat lunch.  As you’re eating lunch, you would pick up a spoonful of the food and you would say a quiet, loving prayer, a heart-felt wish, “As I take this nourishment into my body, may all sentient beings be nourished by the light and power of Bodhichitta.  As I take this drink into my body, may all sentient beings be watered and nurtured by the nectar of dharma.”  As you walk through the door, “May the suffering of all sentient beings be ended by the virtue of my walking through this door. May they be led through the door of liberation.”  It’s a constant mindfulness meditation.  As I walk down the street, “May all sentient beings walk down the path to liberation.”  In the car while looking at a map trying to find these crazy Washington streets and where they go, “By the virtue of this activity, may all sentient beings receive the proper guidance and direction by which they can accomplish dharma and be free.”

So you have a choice with everything that you engage in.  You can be looking at the map and cussing like a trooper, hating the way D.C. is laid out with those weird tunnels, or you can be utilizing the opportunity. You’re going to be looking at the map and finding your street anyway.  So instead of getting into a bad mood, perhaps you could use that as an opportunity to understand that all sentient beings are directionless and hungry for direction.  A small prayer at that moment that all sentient beings be guided on the path to liberation is appropriate and beneficial. It organizes your mind and thought. Mindfulness becomes so profound and so clarified that almost anything that you’re doing at that time is better, happier.  It takes on more meaning.  The mind is more clear, less filled with the kinds of hyper-emotions that make us crazy and confused.

Turn everything into that kind of meditation, that kind of consideration for the well-being of others.  Everything. “As I ascend the staircase, may all sentient beings ascend into the true meaning of dharma.”  You’re free to make up your own prayer concerning the welfare of sentient beings.  It doesn’t have to be my prayer.  Make up your own.  If you constantly walk around like that, you’ll find that you are changing in some subtle way that you can’t understand. You have less bad moods, less depression, less frequent overwhelming concern with your ego to the point where you are busy doing nothing but manipulating everything and everybody around you in order that they will get it right for you, which is pretty much how we live.  That kind of thing begins to change and you’re less concerned with manipulating everything and everyone around you in order to get what you want. You spend less time accomplishing the great mantra of “gimme gimme gimme iwant iwant iwant hung phat!” And you are more concerned with the welfare of others.  Something inside of you begins to change.  Remember, our habitual tendency is so strongly biased toward ego cherishing that we really have to spend a lot of time putting something in the pile of concern for others in order to bring the mind back into some kind of balance.  This kind of meditation really brings about that kind of balance, and your habit begins to change.

Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo.  All rights reserved

Losar

The Tibetan Buddhist New Year celebration called LOSAR is a day of joyfully welcoming in the New Year.

The celebration begins two days prior with GUTOR, a day where one reflects back on the past year and any mistakes that have been made.  Practice is done to avert the negativity of the past year.

On the eve of the New Year, time is spent cleaning the home and Temple.  This represents joyfully sweeping away the past negative karma and preparing for the many blessings that the New Year will bring.

LOSAR is a time of happiness, joyful effort and celebration.  The first month of the New Year is regarded as very auspicious and is referred to as “the month of display of Enlightened Activities” or miracles of the Buddha.  In particular, on the first 15 days Lord Buddha Shakyamuni performed a miracle each day to increase the merit and devotion of future disciples.  Below is an account of one such miracle as described by the Venerable Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche:

At one time the Buddha was invited to share in a festival.  It was then traditional (as it still is in India) for people to brush their teeth with a piece of twig.  This was considered very healthy for your gums and teeth.  So the Buddha was brushing his teeth with a twig.  It was the custom to keep it in your mouth a long time and then to brush with it.  When the Buddha took the twig out of his mouth, he put it into the ground like planting a tree, and with that action, some 500 miles were covered by fruit trees in an instant.  Those who had no food could partake of some.  The Buddha was making connections through this act.  A number of people who were overwhelmed by the power of ego fixation, pride and arrogance could not appreciate the teachings.  They were very critical, so when the teachings were being presented (just as they are being presented now), all they could offer were a lot criticisms.  They said that the Buddha could not stand being a king, so he went wandering, and that as a meditator he could not keep up with that, so he came back into the world.  They said he knew how to say all of these things because he was prince, a king.  And on and on they criticized.  These people could not hear or appreciate the teachings; therefore, the Buddha had another style in which the teachings could manifest: the planting of this twig and the miracle that resulted.  This got their attention.

On each of the fifteen days the virtue or non-virtuous activity is multiplied by 100,000 times with the exception of the 15th day, Chotrul Duchen, on which it multiplies by 10 Million times.

This year Losar took place on March 5th.

21 Homages to Tara

The Twenty‐One Homages to Tara
OM JETSÜMA PHAGMA DROLMA LA CHAG TSAL LO
OM To Jetsunma Arya Tara, I bow down.
CHAG TSAL DROLMA NYUR MA PAL MO
CHEN NI KE CHIG LOG DANG DRA MA
JIG TEN SUM GÖN CHU KYE SHAL GYI
GE SER JE WA LEI NI JUNG MA
Homage, Tara, quick and brave, with eyes that flash like lightning, born from the open corolla of
the lotus face of the protector of the three worlds.
CHAG TSAL TÖN KI DA WA KÜN TU
GANG WA GYA NEI TSEG PAI SHAL MA
KAR MA TONG TRAG TSOG PA NAM KYI
RAB TU CHE WAI ÖD RAB BAR MA
Homage, the lady whose face is filled with a hundred autumn full moons, blazing with the free
light of thousands of stars
CHAG TSAL SER NGO CHU NEI KYE KYI
PEDME CHAG NI NAM PAR GYEN MA
JIN PA TSÖN DRÜ KA THUB SHI WA
SÖD PA SAM TEN CHÖD YUL NYID MA
Homage, Lady whose hand is adorned with a golden‐blue, water‐born lotus whose realms of
practice is generosity, effort, austerity, peace, patience and meditation.
CHAG TSAL DE SHIN SHEG PAI TSUG TOR
THA WEI NAM PAR GYAL WAR CHÖD MA
MA LÜ PHA ROL CHIN PA THOB PAI
GYAL WAI SEI KYI SHIN TU TEN MA
Homage, Lady with Tathagata crown, enjoying infinite victory, attained all perfections, served by
the sons of the Buddha.
CHAG TSAL TUTARA HUNG YI GE
DÖD DANG CHOG DANG NAM KHA GANG MA
JIG TEN DÜN PO SHAB KYI NEN TE
LÜ PA MED PAR GUG PAR NÜ MA
Homage, Lady filling the desire realm, the directions and space with TUTTARE and HUM,
trampling the seven worlds with her feet, able to summon all
CHAG TSAL GYA JIN ME LHA TSANG PA
LUNG LHA NA TSOG WANG CHUG CHÖD MA
JUNG PO RO LANG DRI ZA NAM DANG
NÖD JIN TSOG KYI DÜN NEI TÖD MA
Homage,Lady worshiped by Indra, Agni, Brahma, Pavana and Vishveshvara, praised by hosts of
spirits, ghosts, gandharvas and yakshas.
CHAG TSAL TRAG CHE JA DANG PHET KYI
PHO ROL TRUL KHOR RAB TU JOM MA
WEI KUM YÖN KYANG SHAB KYI NEN TE
ME BAR TRUG PA SHIN TU BAR MA
Homage, Lady who destroys others’ magic devices with TRAD and PHAT, trampling with left
foot up and right extended, blazing with a mass of blazing fire.
CHAT TSAL TU RE JIG PA CHEN PÖ
DÜD KYI PA WO NAM PAR JOM MA
CHU KYEI SHAL NI TRO NYER DEN DZED
DRA WO THAM CHED MA LÜ SÖD MA
Homage, Lady who destroys the heroes of Mara with fearful TURE, with the angry lotus face,
slayer of all enemies
CHAG TSAL KÖN CHOG SUM TSÖN CHAG GYAI
SOR MÖ THUG KAR NAM PAR GYEN MA
MA LÜ CHOG KYI KHOR LÖ GYEN PAI
RANG GI ÖD KYI TSOG NAM TRUG MA
Homage, Lady adorned with fingers over the heat in the mudra inducating the three Jewels,
adorned with the universal wheel, swirling with masses of its light.
CHAT TSAL RAB TU GA WA JID PAI
U GYEN ÖD KYI TRENG WA PEL MA
SHED PA RAB SHED TUTTARA YI
DÜD DANG JIG TEN WANG TU DZED MA
Homage, Lady diffusing garlands of light from her joyous, shining crown, subjugating the world
with laughing, mocking TUTTARE.
CHAG TSAL SA SHI KYONG WAI TSOG NAM
THAM CHED GUG PAR NÜ PA NYID MA
TRO NYER WO WAI YI GE HUNG GI
PHONG PA THAM CHED NAM PAR DROL MA
Homage, Lady able to summon all the hosts of the earthʹs protectors, saving from all poverty by
the movement of her angry brows and the letter HUM.
CHAG TRAL DA WAI DUM BUI U GYEN
GYEN PA THAM CHED SHIN TU BAR MA
RAL PAI TRÖD NEI ÖD PAG MED LEI
TAG PAR SHIN TU ÖD RAB DZED MA
Homage, Lady blazing with all jewels, head ornament a crescent moon, continually blazing with
light from Amitabha on her mass of piled hair.
CHAG TSAL KAL PA THA MAI ME TAR
BAR WAI TRENG WAI Ü NA NEI MA
YE KYANG YÖN KUM KÜN NEI KOR GAI
DRA YI PUNG NI NAM PAR JONG MA
Homage, Lady located in the center of a blazing garland like the fire at the end of the aeon, in a
joyous posture, right leg extended, left up, conquering the army of the enemy.
CHAG TSAL SA SHI Ö LA CHAG GI
THIL GYI LÜN CHING SHAB KYI DUNG MA
TRO NYER CHEN DZED YI GE HUNG GI
RIM PA DÜN PO NAM NI GEM MA
Homage, Lady touching the earth with her palm, pounding it with her feet, frowning angrily, the
letter HUM subduing the seven stages
CHAG TSAL DE MA GE MA SHI MA
NYANG NGEN DEI SHI CHÖ YUL NYID MA
SO HA OM DANG YANG DAG DEN MEI
DIG PA CHEN PO JOM PA NYID MA
Homage, Lady blissful, virtuous, peaceful, whose realms of practice is peaceful Nirvana, with
SOHA and OM conquering great negative actions.
CHAG TSAL KÜN NEI KOR RAB GA WAI
DRA YI LÜ NI RAB TU GEM MA
YI GE CHU PAI NGA NI KÖD PAI
RIG PA HUNG LEI DROL MA NYID MA
Homage, Lady by total joy destroying the bodies of enemies, saviouress arisen from HUM in the
mantra composed of ten letters.
CHAG TSAL TU REI SHAB NEI DAB PEI
HUNG GI NAM PAI SA BÖN NYID MA
RI RAB MEN TA RA DANG BIG JED
JIG TEN SUM NAM YO WA NYID MA
Homage, Lady, the seed of the form of HUM, striking with feet of TURE, shaking Mountain
Meru, Mandara, Kailasha and the three worlds.
CHAG TSAL LHA YI TSO YI NAM PAI
RI DAG TAG CHEN CHAG NA NAM MA
TA RA NYI JÖD PHET KYI YI GEI
DUG NAM MA LÜ PAR NI SEL MA
Homage, Lady holding the ʺdeer‐markedʺ, in the form of a sea of gods, with twice spoken TARA
and the letter PHAT cleansing all poisons.
CHAG TSAL LHA YI TSOG NAM GYAL PO
LHA DANG MI‐AM CHI YI TEN MA
KÜN NEI GO CHA GA WAI JID KYI
TSÖD DANG MI LAM NGEN PA SEL MA
Homage, Lady served by the king of the hosts of gods, by gods and spirits with the brilliance of
her joyous total armour dispelling disputes and bad dreams.
CHAG TSAL NYI MA DA WA GYEI PAI
CHEN NYI PO LA ÖD RAB SAL MA
HA RA NYI JÖD TUTTARA YI
SHIN TU DRAG POI RIM NED SEL MA
Homage, Lady shining with the light of two eyes, the sun and full moon, with twice spoken
HARA, and TUTTARE, curing terrible fevers and illnesses.
CHAG TSAL DE NYID SUM NAM KÖD PEI
SHI WAI THU DANG YANG DAG DEN MA
DÖN DANG RO LANG NÖD JIN TSOG NAM
JOM PA TU RE RAB CHOG NYID MA
Homage, Lady truly possessing the strength of peace by the array of the three essences,
conquering the hosts of demons, ghosts and yakshas, supreme Lady TURE.
TSA WAI NGAG KYI TÖD PA DI DANG
CHAG TSAL WA NI NYI SHU TSA CHIG
This is the praise of the root mantra, and the Twenty‐one Homages.
Benefit Verses
LHA MO LA GÜ YANG DAG DEN PAI
LO DEN GANG GI RAB DANG JÖD TE
Recited by an intelligent man, with true devotion to the goddess,
SÖD DANG THO RANG LANG PAR JE NEI
DREN PEI MI JIG THAM CHED RAB TER
Arising at evening or dawn and remembering them, they grant all fearlessnesses,
DIG PA THAM CHED RAB TU SHI WA
NGEN DRO THAM CHED JOM PA NYID DO
Pacify all negative actions and conquer all evil existences.
GYAL WA JE WA TRAG DÜN NAM KYI
NYUR DU W ANG NI KUR WAR GYUR LA
Quickly being initiated by seventy million Buddhas, thereby achieving greatness,
DI LEI CHE WA NYID NI THOB CHING
SANG GYE GO PHANG THAR THUG DER DRO
He will pass to the ultimate of Buddhahood.
DE YI DUG NI DRAG PO CHEN PO
TEN NEI PA‐AM SHEN YANG DRO WA
Even if he has eaten or drunk terrible poison, either inanimate or animate,
ZÖ PA DANG NI THUNG PA NYID KYANG
DREN PEI RAB TU SEL WA NYID THOB
By remembering them one will obtain purification.
DÖN DANG RIM DANG DUG GI ZIR WAI
DUG NGAL TSOG NI NAM PAR PANG TE
All the sufferings of demons, fevers and poisons are gone.
SEM CHEN SHEN PA NAM LA YANG NGO
NYI SUM DÜN DU NGÖN PAR JÖD NA
Even for other beings, if they are clearly recited two,
three and seven times,
BU DÖD PEI NI BU THOB GYUR SHING
NOR DÖD PEI NI NOR NAM NYID THOB
If one wishes a son, one will obtain a son. If one wishes wealth, one will obtain wealth.
DÖD PA THAM CHED THOB PAR GYUR LA
GEG NAM MED CHING SO SOR JOM GYUR CHIG
All wishes will be obtained, without hindrance, all will be conquered.
OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SO HA
GYAL YUM DROLMA KYED KU CHI DRA DANG
KHOR DANG KU TSE TSED DANG SHING KHAM DANG
Oh, Dolma, Mother of all the Buddhas, all forms are yours, all containers contained, and all realms are
yours. May their duration and ling life endure,
KYED KYI TSEN CHOG ZANG PO CHI DRA WA
DE DRA KHO NAR DAG SOG GYUR WAR SHOG
And in the excellence of all your goodness and sacred marks,
may we become identical with you in every way.
KYED LA TÖD CHING SOL WA TAB PEI THÜ
DAG SOG GANG NA NEI PAI SA CHOG SU
By the power of this prayer and hymn of praise,
may I and all others, wherever they may be, in every direction,
NED DÖN WUL PHONG THAB TSÖ SHI WA DANG
CHÖ DANG DRA SHI PHEL WAR DZE DU SOL
Have all our poverty, illnesses, obsessions and wars pacified.
Any may the hold Dharma and good fortune increase without end.

For a PDF download: https://www.tibetanbuddhistaltar.org/2010/06/21-homages-to-tara-pdf-download/

A Toolkit for the New Buddhist Practitioner

The following is a collection of resources for all those who are new to Buddhist practice

The Basics

Back to Basics

Why I Chose Buddhism

To Be a Practitioner

I WON!  A Precious Human Rebirth!

Buddha in the Palm of Your Hand

Faults of Cyclic Existence

The Six Realms of Cyclic Existence

The Origin of Suffering

Turning Away from Samsara

The Four Thoughts and The Four Thoughts

The Eightfold Path

Give Rise to Bodhicitta

Aspirational Bodhicitta

The Four Immeasurables

Step by Step in Vajrayana

The Key to Happiness is Merit

Ten Virtuous Activities

The Importance of a Teacher in Buddhism

Why Lineage is Important

Lineage and Transmission

The Importance of Following an Accomplished Teacher

Evaluate Your Spiritual Teacher

The Nature of the Teacher

Who is Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo?

A True Dakini

The Student Teacher Relationship

Guru – Condensed Essence of the Path

Prayers and Practices

Seven Line Prayer

The Seven Line Prayer:  A Commentary

Refuge and Bodhisattva Vows

Refuge and Bodhisattva Vows by Jetsunma

The Bodhisattva Vow:  A Commentary

Twenty-one Homages to Tara

Chenrezig and the Six Realms

Compassion Retreat

Generating the Deity

How to Pray by Being

How to Meditate

Meditation Instruction by Khenpo Norgay

Supports for Your Dharma Practice

About Altars

How to Make an Altar

How to Make Offerings

Pure Offerings

How to Use a Mala

Introduction to Mantra Recitation

Other Resources

Karma:  It’s the Law

What is Enlightenment?

What is Dewachen?

Spiritual Technology

Why We Die?

A Few Words on Reincarnation

Advice for the Courageous Practitioner

Introduction to Buddhism – A Reading List

Online Support for Dharma Practice

Turning Away from Samsara

From a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:

Whoever believes that one’s actions do not create specific cause and result, has an atheistic, nihilistic view.  At death rebirth will be taken in the lowest hell realm.

Such a view is destructive towards oneself and is harmful to others.  It is never the case that the result of karma is less than exacting.  Karma will produce the exact result of whatever was causal.  This is interdependent origination.  Cause and result are created at the same time.

There are ten activities that create a great storehouse of merit; composition, offering, generosity, attentiveness; recitation of Dharma, memorization and teaching Dharma, as well as praying, contemplation and meditation.  These are virtuous and produce an auspicious rebirth.

When deeply committed and accomplished in Dharma, one is like a traveler who has their storehouse stocked and fully prepared for anything.  If for the three jewels one offers a flower, incense, or a simple butter lamp/candle consistently rebirth is taken in perfect Samadhi.

When I see the suffering, the faults of cyclic existence, I feel deep sorrow.  I have long ago abandoned the jail of the realms of samsara.  I abandon non- virtue, and persist always in the effort to teach and help to liberate beings!  This is the promise, life after life!

© Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

The Freedom to Practice Dharma

I hope you all will forgive me if I am not on top of my game.  Recently I have had a lot of hate and lies thrown at me. I am hurting, which should make them happy and gleeful, drunk with it.  My old nemesis is now making the balls and his new friend ryderjaphy is throwing them.  That is an old Italian saying BTW. :).

Evidently there are many who wish to do away with Tulkus entirely. (Yet they follow them) I cannot see the logic here. I cannot understand the addiction to war. War is THE ENEMY of humankind. It never solves problems, just causes pain and inflames the mind, so it gets more and more sick. Then the body fails. Can’t we see that? The sender and the receiver both suffer according to their awareness of the 3 doors.

Some delight in war and hate and feel puffed up by it.  War and hate are killers.  Lies are the messenger.  I have great pity for those who hate; I know the truth of cause and effect.  I have done so many Pho’was and see the bardo experience if the various different types.  Samaya breakers and haters of Dharma as it is handed teacher to student is the most hideous bardo of all.  As is claiming enlightenment where there is none.

These days everyone thinks they are as enlightened as Guru Padmasambava, or Lord Buddha. So they just change the laws and supports to suit their own taste. This is heinous, as we are taught. Only the truly realized write Dharma and make judgment calls from the wisdom mind. Like HH Dalai Lama, Kyabje HHPenor Rinpoche, Kyabje HH Dudjom Rinpoche, Kyabje HH Karmapa.

The ordinary jamoke with little accomplishment is free to think and have different opinions, but are NOT qualified to make crazy proclamations.

Just as Guru Padmasambava brought Dharma to Tibet, then Milarepa, and Tsonkapa added their wisdom- that IS Vajrayana – if changed you are making up your own religion. Fine by me – but there will be no result.

In any case those who wish to practice as tradition suggests, with Guru Yoga should not be molested as they do.  We are Americans and we are a Democracy.  Do your thing if it doesn’t cause suffering.  For the ones who wish to practice purely, exactly as taught, step by step and humble- LEAVE US ALONE.  We follow our Gurus and keep samaya; we dig out our poisons.

This is our pure and precious Path of Dharma. We want what our Lamas suffered bled and died for, walked over the Himilayas for. The METHOD to AWAKEN!

It is our right.  It is our remedy, we dedicate our lives to its preservation and are willing to die trying.  So demons do your worst.

WE ARE DHARMA IN THE WEST AND WE ARE HERE TO STAY! EH MA HO!

Faults of Cyclic Existence

It is gorgeous today! Breezy, cool in shade, mostly sunny. A day to be in love with! Our neighbor came up and told us weird news.

Two of their beef calves were killed in the field last night. They were nearly 300lbs each. What could have done that? Bear? Big Cat?

I wonder about mountain Lion or something. I’ve sent someone over to see carcass. Looks like some flank torn, leg pulled back and up.

OM MANI PEDME HUNG for the poor things, will offer my practice for them. 🙁 But you know what? They said the next stop was the feedlot.

It is hard to imagine the suffering these calves go through in a feed lot. They live in pens, have a fetid environment, and they live to be to be killed, to be delicious. They live with their feet hurting always, not allowed to move. Just marble up, KIDS! Stand and eat!

This brings to mind Buddha’s teachings about the sufferings of all beings. Animals suffer from fear and stupidity. Farm animals can easily overpower their keepers. Elephants in the Circus and other animals can take trainers down. But they are fearful and ignorant and unaware they can be in charge.

OM TARE TU TARE TURE SOHA may mother Buddha Tara bless and care for suffering beings. May all suffering in all forms end! Humans suffer from old age, sickness and death. Most never think about that. They think about distraction with which to hide the inevitable.

Buddhists plan, practice and work for a noble death and a good, high rebirth. I do. May ALL beings awaken!

We should awaken in recognition of the clear, undefiled emptiness of the Primordial wisdom state. This is the very ground of being.

It is our very NATURE, as it IS. We must apply method diligently in order to awaken to the true state of recognition- Buddhahood!

And then return, life after life awakened and able to bring much benefit. This is the path of every Bodhisattva! The way of Buddhahood.

From a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

The Nyingma Lineage

The following is a brief synopsis of the Nyingma lineage and some key terms:

“Nyingma” means “Ancient Ones” and is sometimes referred to as the Ancient Translation School.  It is the oldest of the four remaining Buddhist lineages in Tibet, the others being Kagyu, Sakya and Gelugpa.  There are different lineages because of different historical transmissions of the Dharma from India to Tibet.  The Nyingma transmissions of the 8th and 9th c. came primarily through Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche), Vimalamitra, and Shantarakshita (Khenpo Bodhisattva).  Two characteristics distinguish the Nyingma from the other lineages:  dividing the path into nine vehicles (the highest vehicle, Dzogchen, or the Great Perfection, is also unique to Nyingma), and the revelatory teachings of terma.

Terms to Know

Hinayana: The “lesser vehicle” compromising the overt teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha on ethics, concentration and meditation which produce the result of an Arhat or “enemy destroyer” (one who has overcome the enemies of hatred, greed, and ignorance)

Mahayana: The “greater vehicle,” or path of the bodhisattvas.  This path comprises teachings both given by Shakyamuni Buddha both overtly and in more secret ways, which were later revealed by Nagarjuna and Asaga.  Motivated by the compassionate intention to lead all sentient beings out of samsara, the bodhisattva follows a more profound set of ethics, concentration, and meditation according to the teachings on the six perfections:  generosity, ethics, patience, perseverance, concentration, and meditation.  This path leads ultimately to liberation as a fully enlightened Buddha.

Vajrayana: The “indestructible vehicle.”  Sometimes called the path of secret mantra or the tantrayana.  This is a path of meditation and yogic techniques designed to radically accelerate the time it takes to purify the mind of obscurations and karmic defilements.  Those who accomplish this path are called siddhas – it also leads swiftly to the state of Buddhahood.

Tantra: Essentially the same as Vajrayana, but listed separately to remove some confusion.  In the Western spiritual marketplace, tantra is sold as a method for achieving spiritual bliss through sexual union.  Though such teachings exist in the anuyoga canon of the Nyingma, they are very rarely practiced, and require a yogi and yogini who have completely transcended ordinary desire, received the permission and proper transmissions from a qualified lama, and are for the purpose of subtle purification, not ordinary blissful feelings.  Anything else is a corruption, and spiritually pointless.

The word tantra means “continuity” and refers to the continuous uninterrupted perfection inherent in all phenomena.  It therefore refers to those teachings that take such a view as the basis for practice.  Tantra is also used as a word for the actual text in which such teachings are written.

Kama: The orally transmitted teachings of sutra and tantra translated at the time of Padmasambhava and Vimalamitra.

Terma: Literally means “treasure.”  It refers to the teachings and sacred objects hidden by Guru Rinpoche and his consort Yeshe Tsogyal to be discovered at the appropriate time for their beneficial use.  They include both physical and non-physical treasures (“sa-ter,” or earth treasures, and “gong-ter,” or mind treasures).

Terton: Means “treasure revealer,” or one who discovers terma.  All tertons are the prophesied incarnations of one of Guru Rinpoche’s 25 heart disciples.  Tertons have been revealing terma from the 10th c. to the present day.

Mahayoga: The “generation stage” of practice.  This is the first level of inner tantra corresponding to the seventh of the nine Nyingma vehicles.

Anuyoga: The “completion stage” of practice.  This is the second level of inner tantra, corresponding to the eighth of the nine Nyingma vehicles.

Atiyoga: The “great perfection stage” of practice, also known as Dzogchen (a contraction of dzogpa chenpo).  This is the ninth of the nine Nyingma vehicles, which itself has three divisions.  The third is called “mengagde,” or esoteric instructions.  This is divided into two practice methods:  trekchod and togyal.

Important Names

Padmasambhava: This means “the lotus-born.”  He is also known as Guru Rinpoche.  He was the emanation of Shakyamuni Buddha appearing for the purpose of propagating the Vajrayana teachings.  Dwelling in India for 1,000 years, he went to Tibet at the invitation of King Trisong Deutsen, tamed all the negative non-physical forces, established the first monastery (Samye Ling), extensively taught a select few disciples, and left hidden spiritual teachings and objects (terma) for the benefit of future generations.

Trisong Deutsen: King of Tibet in the 8th and 9th c. who had unified the country.  Wishing to establish the Dharma in Tibet, he invited many great masters from India, chief among them being Padmasambhava, Vimalamitra, and Shantarakshita.  He sponsored the translation of the entire Buddhist canon from Sanskrit to Tibetan, thus ensuring its safety.

Vimalamitra: Invited by Trisong Deutsen specifically to bring the inner tantra teachings, in particular Dzogchen.  This body of teachings is known as the Vima Nyingthig, or “heart essence of Vimalamitra.”

Shantarakshita: Abbot of Nalanda, the greatest Buddhist University in India, invited by King Trisong Deutsen to establish Tibet’s first monastery.  When he could not accomplish this, he was the one who recommended inviting Padmashambhava.  He established the hinayana and Mahayana teachings, giving profound guidance to the first Tibetan monks, as well as the general lay population.

Yeshe Tsogyal: Daughter of Trisong Deutsen, a wisdom Dakini who was given to Padmasambhava by the king.  She became Padmasambhava’s chief consort and closest disciple.  Having perfect recall, she recorded all his teachings and helped conceal them as terma for future generations.

For more information about Buddhism, visit tara.org.

Recommended Reading:

  1. The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism, His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche
  2. Lineage of Diamond Light, Crystal Mirror 5, Dharma Publishing
  3. Masters of the Nyingma Lineage, Crystal Mirror 11, Dharma Publishing
  4. The Lotus-Born, Yeshe Tsogyal
  5. Guru Rinpoche:  His Life and Times, Ngawang Zangpo
  6. Masters of Meditation and Miracles, Tulku Thondup
  7. Crazy Wisdom, Chogyam Trungpa
  8. Sky Dancer, Keith Dowman
  9. Buddhist Masters of Enchantment, Keith Dowman
  10. Dakini Teachings, Yeshe Tsogyal
  11. Advice from the Lotus Born, Padmasambhava
  12. The Lives and Liberation of Princess Mandarava, Sangye Khandro

Pure Offerings

That which arises from the Body, Speech and Mind of the Buddhas cannot be treated like ordinary possessions. They are extraordinary.

That which we ourselves have set aside to honor the Body, Speech, and Mind of the Buddhas cannot be used in ordinary ways.

That which has been honorably, nobly offered to the Buddhas cannot be taken back, including sacred vows and blessing offerings.

That which is honorably and properly consecrated according to one’s Lineage may not be un-consecrated at will. Not done properly? No problem.

We must finally discriminate between the ordinary and the sublime! When a gift is given to Tsawei Lama it must remain so to avoid lower realms

All I have accumulated, every drop of merit, commitment, property, land, all extraordinary and pleasing belongs to Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche!

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