His Holiness Penor Rinpoche – The Guru Above the Crown of My Head

The following is from a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo while on retreat at the Palyul Retreat Center in upstate New York:

Tulkus are precious jewels in our tradition. They are the realized and awakened, like Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche and the inheritor His Holiness Karma Kuchen, both have given many incarnations for the sake of Dharma and all sentient beings. His Holiness Penor Rinpoche and  His Holiness Karma Kuchen are the “kings,” one from the other. The rest, we are to serve them.

No pride here. Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche is the Tsawei Lama who came to USA to find me, thus bringing Palyul here after building Namdroling. This is history. Beyond Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche and His spiritual heir, where is our treasure? His Holiness Penor Rinpoche is the rock, the treasure. He is my treasure, Without Him we have nothing.

May I always have strength to follow Tsawei Lama! May I always have knees to kneel voice to sing for Him, and carry on for him, the Guru above the crown of my head! Gathering all virtue I have accumulated in the three times, Guru, precious beyond all measure, return! I beg for the sake of sentient beings! May all blessings be dedicated to the liberation and salvation of all sentient beings!

Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo.  All rights reserved

Miraculous Display of Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche’s Power

From a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:

This is a picture from Hong Kong of Puja offered at anniversary of Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche’s Parinirvana.

Note how butter lamps have spontaneously formed starburst and floral patterns. This is naturally occurring.

This is a close up of one such pattern, a starburst. This is considered a miraculous sign of Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche’s power.

Here we see that every butter lamp is so adorned. Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche is peerless in every way! EH MA HO!

I request one and all, especially my students to “tweet” and share this evidence of a fully awakened Master, and a true Buddha!

OM AH HUNG BENZAR GURU PEDMA SIDDHI HUNG!

The following comments were tweeted to one of Jetsunma’s students, Ani Sangye, in response to this story:

We have no history in western culture of long term Lineage, we see things short term because our culture is so young. Tibetans have much experience and history to rely on. Westerners think it’s been 2000 years since last one. 🙂 All awakened beings have signs of some sort.

Even our precious little Venerable Ani Palchen! 🙂 Maybe I’ll light a butter lamp for her and see if she comes out to play!!

Anniversary of the Parinirvana of His Holiness Penor Rinpoche

From Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo on the Parinirvana of His Holiness Penor Rinpoche:

It has been two years since His Holiness Kyabje Penor Rinpoche’s Parinirvana, and we will be remembering Him while praying for His return. Most Palyul centers worldwide will be gathering at the same times for Puja, Ceremony, etc. His Holiness Penor Rinpoche is so widely, deeply revered and cherished.

It would be my great joy and wish that every accomplishment in Palyul brought by His Holiness Penor Rinpoche be left exactly as it is, waiting for His return. Sadly, that may not come to pass. Even though every blessing we all enjoy came from His Holiness Penor Rinpoche’s own vision, heart and precious hands. Many things are being changed around. It will not be the same if it is not as His Holiness Penor Rinpoche envisioned. But Palyul is ancient, strong and powerful. The sacred visions of the peerless Master Tulkus of Palyul will re-assert itself. Like a river too mighty to be thwarted it will remain.

I have learned well since the Parinirvana the strength and consummate skill of my Root Guru, what He had to deal with. I am awed by Him. I remember so many times hearing “if you follow His Holiness Penor Rinpoche’s instructions perfectly all will be perfect”. In my mind that has not changed. Therefore with sadness and joy I await His Incarnation, when all I have and have worked for for over 20 years I will place in His beloved hands. May I always be reborn in His entourage, life after life, for the sake of all sentient beings. May all be Liberated by this great Buddha!

Download PDFs of the following:

Extensive Prayer for the Swift Rebirth of His Holiness Drubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche

Concise Prayer for the Swift Rebirth of His Holiness Drubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche

The Eleventh Throne Holder

The Third Drubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche,
Thubten Leshed Chokyi Drayang, also known as
Do-Ngag Shedrub Tenzin Chog-Lei Namgyal
(1932 – 2009)

The third Drubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche was born in the year of the Water Monkey (1932) in the Powo region of Kham, in South-Eastern Tibet. Details of his birth were exactly as described in the prophecy of Thubten Chokyi, the fifth Dzogchen Rinpoche. The incarnation of the second Drubwang Pema Norbu was recognized by Khenpo Ngaga Rinpoche. At the age of four, the small child was enthroned by Thubten Chökyi Dawa and Karma Thekchok Nyingpo at the Palyul Monastery. There he began his study in sutra and tantra from a full range of Nyingma lineages and received all the transmissions and empowerments from Khenpo Ngaga Rinpoche, the second Chogtrul Rinpoche, the fourth Karma Kuchen Rinpoche, Khenpo Legshed Jordan, Khenpo Lodrö, Pema Jigmed, and other eminent Masters at the time.

The third Drubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche applied himself diligently in dharma practice. It took a mere seventeen days for him to complete one hundred thousand accumulations of prostrations in the Ngondro preliminary practices of Nam Chö Dzogchen’s Liberation in the Palm of the Hand. Under the guidance of his root guru, he went into a four-year retreat and attained accomplishment in all the stages of the practices he received. By the time they came out of the retreat, Chogtrul Rinpoche proclaimed that the third Drubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche was the only lama at the time who held the entire lineage of Terton Migyur Dorje’s Nam Chö and Ratna Lingpa’s revelations.

During the 1950s, the third Drubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche made numerous pilgrimages across Tibet to all the major holy sites to which he made generous offerings. He continued to propagate Buddha Doctrine far and wide through the sponsoring and supporting of a diversified range of compassionate activities. In 1959, the third Drubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche decided to relocate to India for the sake of preserving Buddha Doctrine for the sake of all sentient beings. Accompanied by a small group of monks, he settled in the region of Bylakuppe in Mysore, South India.

In the year of the Water Rabbit (1963), under the personal supervision of the third Drubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche, the Thekchog Namdrol Shedrub Dargye Ling (Namdroling monastery) commenced its first phase of construction. Since its beginning as a small bamboo temple with a handful of monks in 1963, the main seat of the third Drubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche in India now includes numerous temples, Stupas, primary schools, dratsang, shedras, a retreat center, nunnery, guest house, old people’s home and hospital. It has evolved to become the largest Tibetan monastery in India with an ordained sangha of over six thousand monks and over one thousand nuns. Apart from propagating Buddha Doctrine in India and in Tibet, to where he has made return visits since 1982, the third Drubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche established many dharma centers around the world, including the USA, Canada, Mexico, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Nepal, Bhutan, United Kingdom, Greece, Germany, Switzerland, Australia, and Portugal.

On the evening of 27th March 2009 (the first day of the second Tibetan month), the third Drubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche departed from this world and entered the meditative state of thugdam. After spending six and a half days in the meditative state of luminosity, on the morning of Friday 3rd April 2009, he released his body from meditation and entered Parinirvana. His body is currently enshrined in the Zangdokpelri Temple at Namdroling Monastery.

References:  Pathgate Institute of Buddhist Studies

A Garland of Wish-Fulfilling Trees by Ven. Tsering Lama Jampal Zangpo

Extraordinary Blessings – What Is a “Tulku?”

From a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:

I am frequently asked about my status as a tulku, and throneholder for the Palyul lineage. It means, for one thing, that I have been reborn into my lineage many times. Even to the point that my predecessor Ahkon Lhamo first helped found this lineage. This is one reason I defend my lineage, Palyul, as though it were my mother and my child. It is both. So many lifetimes I have practiced and prayed with Palyul, and been part of its growth.

Further back, my rebirths can be traced to Lhacham Mandarava, the spiritual consort of Guru Padmasambhava, and supported His life and strength as is the duty of a consort. Now in this life I am a tulku and throneholder for Palyul, which I will never abandon at the cost of my very life.

So the question I am asked is, “What is a tulku?” And “what is unique about them, and their blessing?” I’ve been taught that a tulku is accomplished for many lifetimes. But the bottom line is a tulku in considered a Nirmanakaya form of the Buddhas. They are awake and in a state of pure recognition of the primordial wisdom ground of being. There are other levels of the Buddhas such as Sambogakaya and Dharmakaya.

At the time of Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche’s parinirvana there were so many signs of his accomplishment! It was undeniable. Buddhas appeared in the sky, rainbows. His body remained supple, luminous and scented. It was known that he clearly was then Dharmakaya Lama. Here in USA and other western countries this is not well understood. In fact, westerners disparage tulkus, not seeing that their very appearance depends on the student’s view and karma! Many want to do away with tulkus entirely, and would prefer the scholars lead. Not necessary, we have many scholarly intellectual types. What we need are the accomplished with the signs and legitimacy of Lineage and accomplishment. If westerners try to do away with their tulkus, (and some “out there” Buddhists even deny Buddha’s supremacy and method) then the Vajrayana from Padmasambhava and Tibet would be finished.

What was whole and afire with wisdom and compassion would then be an empty sack filled with air. Ordinary, just a bag. We would have students with some knowledge and no wisdom would be teaching those with neither. How sad! The lineage of puffed up egos would be what is passed forward. Lineage would be meaningless, and the last stage of kaliyuga would be here. Where the awakened Buddhas would no longer be found, and if they were, would not be seen or understood. That would be the dark time, waiting for the next Buddha, a mighty “Lion of Dharma” to appear. After so long wandering in a state of non-recognition, due to the blessing of this king of Buddhas would surely awaken; under his mighty tutelage the next turning of the wheel of Dharma will occur. EMAHO!

Yet we still must be mindful and cherish the treasure of Dharma, of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas (with real Bodhicitta) that we have now. They are the spiritual treasure of the world. Our heritage! We should protect and treasure what we have. And respect what it took to bring this sacred gift to the world, to the “relative cosmos” we share. Learn to see what is your greatest jewel in this life. Never abandon the blessing and purity of Dharma! Homage to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas! Homage to Palyul!

Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo.  All rights reserved

Tibetan Schools and Palyul

Tibetan Buddhism has four main traditions:

Nyingma “the Ancient Ones” This is the oldest, the original order founded by Padmasambhava andSantaraksita.  Whereas other schools categorize their teachings into the three vehiclesThe Foundation VehicleMahayana and Vajrayana, the Nyingma tradition classifies them into nine vehicles, among the highest of which is known as Atiyoga or Dzogchen “Great Perfection”.  Hidden treasures (terma) are of particular significance to this tradition.

Kagyu “Lineage of the (Buddha’s) Word” This is an oral tradition, which is very much concerned with the experiential dimension of meditation. Its most famous exponent was Milarepa, an 11th century mystic. It contains one major and one minor subsect. The first, the Dagpo Kagyu, encompasses those Kagyu schools that trace back to the Indian master Naropa via MarpaMilarepa and Gampopa, and consists of four major sub-sects: the Karma Kagyu, headed by a Karmapa, the Tsalpa Kagyu, the Barom Kagyu, and Pagtru Kagyu. There are a further eight minor sub-sects, all of which trace their root to Pagtru Kagyu and the most notable of which are the Drikung Kagyu and the Drukpa Kagyu. The once-obscure Shangpa Kagyu, which was famously represented by the 20th century teacher Kalu Rinpoche, traces its history back to the Indian master Naropa via Niguma, Sukhasiddhi and Kyungpo Neljor.

Sakya “Grey Earth” This school very much represents the scholarly tradition. Headed by the Sakya Trizin, this tradition was founded by Khon Konchog Gyalpo, a disciple of the great translator Drokmi Lotsawa and traces its lineage to the Indian master Virupa. A renowned exponent, Sakya Pandita 1182–1251CE was the great grandson of Khon Konchog Gyalpo.

Gelug “Way of Virtue” Originally a reformist movement, this tradition is particularly known for its emphasis on logic and debate. Its spiritual head is the Ganden Tripa and its temporal one the Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama is regarded as the embodiment of the Bodhisattva of Compassion. Successive Dalai Lamas ruled Tibet from the mid-17th to mid-20th centuries. The order was founded in the 14th to 15th century byJe Tsongkhapa, renowned for both his scholasticism and his virtue.

Within these, Kunzang Palyul Choling is Nyingma

There are six “Mother” Nyingma Monasteries:

  1. Katok Monastery, in east Tibet, was founded during the twelfth century, and expanded in 1656.
  2. Dorje Drak Monastery was founded in central Tibet, in 1659.
  3. Mindroling Monastery, in central Tibet, was established in 1676.
  4. Palyul Monastery, founded in east Tibet in 1665.
  5. Dzogchen Monastery, in east Tibet, established in 1685.
  6. Shechen Monastery founded in east Tibet, in 1735.

Within these monastic traditions, Kunzang Palyul Choling is Palyul.

Palyul Monastery — one of the Six “Mother” Nyingma Monasteries. It was founded in either 1632 or 1665 by Rigdzin Kunzang Sherab, a disciple of Terton Migyur Dorje, and Karma Chagmed. The monastery specializes in kama practices, the termas of Ratna Lingpa and Tulku Migyur Dorje (1645-67). The current head of Palyul Monastery is the Fifth Karma Kuchen.

The inspired masters who contributed to the teachings practiced within Palyul

To date, Palyul has had 12 throne-holders in its history.  According to His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, while Nyingma is generally practiced as a Ngagpa tradition, within Palyul it has never been true. The Lineage Holders of Palyul have always been fully-ordained.

Important “elder statesmen” of Palyul, contemporaries and close senior students of His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, are:

It is because of these pure Lineage teachers that we continue to have a pure unbroken stream of wisdom to guide us today to reveal our own enlightenment.

Sources include Wikipedia, Rigpa Wiki, and most of all Pathgate.org, who gave us permission to use their thangka images and biographies

Accomplishment on the Path

How long does it take to practice and attain the fruit of the path of Dharma? It takes as long as it takes. You cannot measure in time. Some say “oh, I’ve practiced 10 years” great! Keep going. 20 years? Great! Go on wit cha bad self!!! Keep going! 30 years? Super-dooper. A large chunk of life! Keep going!!! It is so easy to delude oneself into thinking that a number is the goal. Actually one should consider their own inner qualities as the watermark. To do this one must have self-honesty. Without honesty there is no way to judge progress. So we must learn to ob serve our own minds and stop relying on the approval of one’s peers. The need for approval is a sickness, not compatible with awakening. It is a deluded and neurotic display depending on separating, dualistic concepts. The desire to give and receive love is different.

Some find a lot of thrill from displaying many words and concepts to insure how well informed they are. This is not what I want. Not for me. I would rather display my efforts on the path as actual accomplishment that is of benefit; like Stupas. They’ll be there after I’m dead. So this result is of great benefit, as many healings and miracles happen, particularly at the great Migure Dorje Stupa in Maryland and the Amitabha Stupa in Arizona.

And here we have as well a monastery founded by me but solely offered to Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche. It will last until the day his Yangse Rinpoche is educated. Then it goes to him, Tsawei Lama. The property in Arizona and Maryland both will be his to put to use. It is for him. Only him! My Guru!

Since He is a Palyul Throneholder, that will keep it in our lineage after I’m gone, but under his command and none other. This is one of the greatest goals in my life. I want to be sure Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche is the beneficiary of it all. Lama Khyenno! Only he knows best.

He is my Guru, and his blessing gave rise to all of this by his wish. Once He told me I would find a big white house with columns in front. He said we should buy it, and that the money would come. We did and it did, exactly as he said. What a Lama he was! There was/is no space between us.

Since I first met him he has been the main guide of my life. Even now, as I meditate he is there, Pure Dharmakaya. No one moves me as does he. So I am waiting, hoping, praying for His Holiness Kyabje Penor Rinpoche to return. When he is able to take what I offer his Yangsi Rinpoche will be wealthy and set up to Teach and Empower here in America. This is my dream. When His Holiness returns and is ready, my life goal will be finished.

In my view this is the best way to keep Palyul safe and ongoing. Every blessing came from Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche. And all should return to him.

Longing For His Holiness Penor Rinpoche

Everyone knows Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche was a living Buddha; the signs at his Parinirvana, his huge body of accomplishment, His great Kindness in establishing Palyul in India and the west. His determination to nurture Palyul, the extensive adornment of all capacity! He was a father to so many, ordained so many… Still stunned by His life… Still reeling from his passing. One never gets over that. Like the sun leaving the sky with only fireflies to guide our way.
I remember being told stories by the monks of how when Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche went to Tibet his people would follow behind Him, eat the dirt His footprints were on, for the blessing. These simple folk would do anything. Their faith in Him was powerful! And He gave every last drop every time.
When I would go for advice He was always ready to give the most profound. When I asked about our activities (KPC) He always said do what you think is best. You know. These students are yours and you know. The confidence He showed me was over the top!
I’ve been contemplating Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche’s teachings from New York. I have all, I believe. He was so profound. Deep like an ocean! Lama Kyen no!
I miss Him like the desert longs for rain… Like flowers long for sun… Like a mother longs for her child, like a child seeks her Father’s embrace. Kyabje Rinpoche was and is my North Star guiding me! Precious nectar that nourishes me! He lives, sitting a diamond throne within my heart!
He is every face, flower, all that is wholesome. He is the trees, the beauty of nature – my world! He is pure Dharmakaya, as I meditate, pray, if only I am still, silent, unperturbed, He is there. All phenomena, every display is Him! As uncontrived luminosity He is my prayer, my mind, my heart; Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, while keeping all vows purely, was and is my love, my purpose, my Tsawei Lama. HE is the great and only love of my life.
Stumbling in sorrow I patiently await His return. Guru, grant me the blessing of looking in your eyes before long! I wait like a butter lamp in the window of a chapel. Calling and weeping for the sound of His steps, ready to wash your feet, Beloved! Return to me, for their sake, for my children.
OM AH HUNG BENZAR GUR PEDMA SIDDHI HUNG!

©Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo

A video of the Compassionate Activities of His Holiness Pema Norbu Rinpoche with permission from Pathgate Institute of Buddhist Studies, and special thanks to Lama Dondrup Dorje

Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo and Empowerment

In late October of 2010, after repeated requests by many devoted students, Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo agreed to begin formal training in offering empowerments, or wangs.  In so doing, Jetsunma is offering an incalculable blessing to Western students. She has said in her teachings that she was born in Brooklyn, as a woman, for a particular purpose – to display to Western students, especially female students, that enlightenment is possible for all, that it transcends culture and gender, that it is not the exclusive product of some exotic foreign culture.

Jetsunma, born Alyce Zeoli, was the first Western Woman to be recognized as a Tulku, or incarnate Lama, and formally enthroned. His Holiness Pedma Norbu Rinpoche, the 11th Throneholder of Palyul, and at that time the Supreme Head of all Nyingmapa, His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, and Dzongnang Rinpoche all agreed that Alyce Zeoli was indeed the reincarnation of Genyenma Akhon Lhamo, the sister of Rigdzin Kunzang Sherab, the First Throneholder of the Palyul lineage. In 1988, during the first bestowal of the Rinchen Terzod in the West, she was enthroned as a Lineage Holder of  Palyul by His Holiness Pema Norbu Rinpoche.

During her enthronement ceremony His Holiness made the following statement:

What is her responsibility at this point, as a tulku, is that she is responsible for propagating the Dharma and for being of benefit to sentient beings, and she has no other responsibility but that. See video of the Enthronement Ceremony here

By enthroning Jetsunma as a Lineage Holder, His Holiness Pedma Norbu Rinpoche was declaring that students could have total confidence in her qualifications. In the following excerpt from Great Perfection Buddha in the Palm of the Hand, Gyaltrul Rinpoche describes the significance of this title:

Otherwise, any lama whose name appears in any of Guru Rinpoche’s prophecies, who is a designated lineage or terma holder, or who is the owner of a dharma transmission, can be relied upon straight away. Such a lama is a supreme lama to receive dzogchen transmissions from. – Great Perfection Buddha in the Palm of the Hand, page 44, Yeshe Melong Publications, 1992

In 2005 His Holiness referred to his recognition of Jetsunma at his New York Retreat:

Jetsunma, a long time ago, I met with her, I examined her for a while, and found her to be the incarnation of Rigdzin Kunzang Sherab’s sister known as Ahkon Lhamo….Jetsunma is a good and perfect teacher. I don’t think that she is deceiving anybody. Among Jetsunma’s students there are a whole bunch of monks and nuns and all of them are disciplined by her. What other woman in America could do that? There is nobody else. She is good and special.   See video of His Holiness’s comments here.

 

At the time of her recognition and enthronement, Jetsunma had not received any formal training in Buddhism. She has, since that time, received extensive empowerments, lungs and teachings both in India and at her center, Kunzang Palyul Choling (KPC) in Maryland, from many Great Masters.

She also had an opportunity to receive the entire transmission for the Rinchen Terdzod directly from His Holiness, all of the empowerments, all of the pith essential pointing out instructions and commentaries that are found in that precious terma treasury, and she received it in a way that an elderly lama would receive it, an elderly Tibetan lama.  And so she had this opportunity to completely internalize all of those blessings, which is very extraordinary. His Holiness Jigme Phuntsok See video of this commentary here

Jetsunma has therefore gathered all the necessary requirements to offer empowerment, the wangs, the lungs, the pith instructions, she has accumulated millions of mantras and accomplished the practices, has been recognized and enthroned as a Lineage Holder and carries the blessings of her teachers.

Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo, born in a “barbarian” land (according to the Buddhist teachings a “barbarian land” is one where the Dharma does not exist,) as a woman, growing up without the supports of the tradition, without formal training, yet through the profound accomplishments of her past lives was able to give rise to the Dharma from her own mind, to the point where her teacher, His Holiness Pedma Norbu Rinpoche, traveled across oceans and continents to find her and establish the Palyul Lineage in that same, once barbarian land.

Having overcome the lack of formal training in the traditions of her Lineage through diligent practice and study, Jetsunma is now, in response to the devotion of her students, undertaking a new level of training.

Jetsunma had her students send a letter to the current Throneholder of Palyul, His Holiness Karma Kuchen Rinpoche informing him of their request for Jetsunma to begin offering wangs and her intention to begin training. Word was received today that His Holiness Karma Kuchen was surprised by this communication, replying it was “unusual for him to be told.”  He was surprised we felt the need to inform him. At enthronement the Tulku is given all the blessings of the Lineage, at that time the Tulku may upon training, immediately give empowerment.

When visiting KPC on his last visit to the US, His Holiness Karma Kuchen referred to His Holiness Pedma Norbu Rinpoche’s recognition in the following way:

As you all know how this center started, the late His Holiness Tulku Pedma Norbu Rinpoche, a Palyul Throneholder and Tulku, with the intention to spread the Buddha Dharma and especially the Secret Mantrayana Teaching, he recognized Jetsunma as the incarnation of Ahkon Lhamo, who was the sister of Rigzin Kunzang Sherab, the founder of the Palyul Lineage. See video of this commentary  here

Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo is continuing to fulfill the wishes of her root teacher by undertaking this new training. May those with faith in the profound Buddha Dharma rejoice!

May any merit or virtue generated by this account be devoted to the swift liberation of every suffering being, and to the long life, strong health and enduring happiness of Jetsunma Ahkon Norbu Lhamo.

I confess any faults or errors in this account are purely my own, through the limitations of my poor view and ordinary understanding.

Thubten Sonam Dolma

 

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