Sang means "completely purified," that is, purified of all obscurations,
including
the sleep of igno- rance.
Jamgon-Kongtrul-Cloudless-Sky
Due to his pure samaya with His Holiness, he was able to cover the entire statue with gold.
Once he had consecrated the statue, Jam- goo Rinpoche told his attendants, "Now I have fulfilled the wishes of His Holiness.
''
In brief, toJamgon Rinpoche one can say as in this quote:
I pray to you, source of all qualities, the one rich in faith, discipline, learning, generosity, intelligence, modesty, and humility.
From childhood, he naturally had all the qualities of a noble being. His faith and pure vision of his teachers was unpar- alleled, and especially, his devotion to his root lama, Vajra- dhara Gyalwang Karmapa, was fully equal to that of all the previous lineage holders of the Kagyii tradition. From the time His Holiness became ill, until he dissolved his mind into the dharmadhatu, Jamgon Kongtriil Rinpoche was not separate from him for even one moment. He was never tired
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? ? ? ? A BriefBiography ? ? ?
nor careless for a moment in attending to the physical needs or following the commands and wishes of his lama. With great respect he served His Holiness even to the point of cleaning His Holiness' personal bathroom and sweeping his floors when it was necessary. His life is a teaching to people like us who tend to treat the dharma and the lamas like water by the roadside, which we take when we need it, but do not respect or give devotion from our heart.
Jamgon Rinpoche studied numerous sutras, tantras, their commentaries and oral instructions, from traditions in par- ticular and in general. As a sign of having genuinely realized these teachings, he displayed the qualities of faith, pure vi- sion, loving-kindness, and genuine concern for the well-be- ing of others, qualities that were so much a part of him that they became inseparable from his name. He constantly ful- filled the wishes of others through giving away all that was offered him to build monasteries, to establish centers of learning and practice, to create representations of the Bud- dha's body, speech, and mind, and to support the sangha and the poor and needy.
With clear wisdom of the world and of dharma, he soothed the mental sufferings of others, cut through the net of their doubts, and guided them onto the right path through direct and indirect means. To his attendants and all those, high or low, with whom he related, Jamgon Rinpoche alwaysshowedthequalitiesofconstantfriendship, modesty, humility, and gratitude; he perfected all these qualities that are esteemed in the world. We, his disciples, should always remember this perfect life story of our supreme guide and seek to emulate it with faith, respect, and pure vision.
At the age of thirty-nine (by the Tibetan calendar), Jam- gon Kongtri. il Rinpoche suddenly passed away, due to the obstacles for Buddhism and people in general, and in par-
. 113.
? ? ? ? APPENDIX? ? ?
ticular for the Kagyii tradition. Considering his age~ learn- ing, qualities, aspirations, and activities, his passing has been an unbearably sorrowful event for his disciples and all who knew him. Yet, as ordinary people with limited under- standing and realization of how things truly are, we are un- able to know the profound methods for benefitting sentient beings in the right time and place. We should, therefore, always look at his life with pure vision, great faith, and de- votion, and try to attain in our lifetime the supreme achieve- ment of mahamudra through receiving in our mindstream
the blessing of his body, speech, and mind. We should al- ways turn our minds toward praying that his perfect incar- nation will swiftly return, and that his life and activities will be brought to perfection following the aspirations he has made of the Dharma and sentient beings.
From now until enlightenment, supreme lama,
May we always serve and rely on you.
May we persevere in practice and complete the path,. Giving up what is negative and perfecting the positi'\i"e.
Following the request of Jamgon Rinpoche's attendants, Tenzin Dorjee and Sonam Chophel, this was written at Rumtek Retreat Center, Yiwang Samten Chokhor Ling, on the 5th of May, 1992, by Bokar Tiillm, Karma . }'Jgedon Chokyi Lodro, whose devotion is inspired by the life fOfJam- gon Lama. Sarva Mangalam. This translation was IDtade by Ringu Tiilku and Michele Martin in May of 1992, in Sikkim.
? 114.
? 2
Supplication to the Kagyu Gurus
NAMO GURAVE
You who bind the secret joy, Sri Heruka, I supplicate you.
In the charnel ground of the play of joy and light, Wisdom <;lakin! consort, I supplicate you.
In the secret bhaga of the land of U<;l<;liyat)a, Glorious Buddha Tilopa, I supplicate you.
In the sphere of activity of the wisdom <;lakini consort, The mahapat)gita, great siddha Naropa, I supplicate you.
Surrounded by the assembly of Nairatmya Devi, Lord Lhotrakpa, father and son, I supplicate you.
Sporting with the queen in the celestial realm, Lord repas, greater and lesser, I supplicate you.
Holder of the ultimate lineage, the sacred teaching of mahamudra,
Lord physician, uncle and nephews, I supplicate you.
Revealing the miracles of luminosity, Lord Tiisum Khyenpa, I supplicate you.
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? ? ? ? APPENDIX ? ? ?
Possessing the buddha activity which subjugates those difficult to tame,
Lord Sanggye Rechen, I supplicate you.
Possessing the mastery which overpowers the phenomenal world,
Lord great Pomtrakpa, I supplicate you.
In the east at Karppo Kangra, holder of the Practice Lineage,
Lord Karmapa, I supplicate you.
You, the lord of mudra messengers, Lord Mahasiddha, I supplicate you.
Expanding the stream of blissful wisdom, Lord Rangjung Dorje, I supplicate you.
In the clear palace of the luminous vajra, Victorious Yungton Shikpo, I supplicate you.
Samaya holder of the unified maQ. <;lala of the devas, Lord Rolpe Dorje, I supplicate you.
The poet who sings songs of great blazing passion, Lord Khacho Wangpo, I supplicate you.
You who wear the crown of glorious, invincible yoga, Lord Teshin Shekpa, I supplicate you.
Enjoying the great taste of mind, bliss, and praQ. a, Lord Chopal Yeshe, I supplicate you.
Spreading the hindu of the great wrathful one, Lord Ratnabhadra, I supplicate you.
You whose roar of bliss pervades the sky, Lord Thongwa Tonden, I supplicate you.
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? ? ? ? Supplication ? ? . Greatly intoxicated by the joy of Mafijusri,
Lord Pengar Kiinkhyen, I supplicate you.
You who promote profound brilliant realization, Great Lord Goshri, I supplicate you.
You who achieved the siddhi of taste with the gaze of simplicity,
Lord Chotrak Gyatso, I supplicate you.
You whose mind has perfected the aspects of supreme union,
Lord Sanggye Nyenpa, I supplicate you.
You who fully reveal yourself to your son-disciples, Lord Mikyo Dorje, I supplicate you.
Bestowing bliss on sentient beings pervading space, Glorious Konchok Yenlak, I supplicate you.
You, the nirmaQ. akaya endowed with a compassionate heart,
Lord Wangchuk Dorje, I supplicate you.
From the palace of praQ. a purified in the avadhiiti, Lord Chokyi Wangchuk, I supplicate you.
On the u~Q. I~aof the brahmarandhra, Lord Choying Dorje, I supplicate you.
In the profound, brilliant, divine palace, Lord Trakpa Chokyang, I supplicate you.
In the palace of space and wisdom, Glorious Yeshe Nyingpo, I supplicate you.
In the divine dome of Potala,
Lord Yeshe Dorje, I supplicate you.
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Marvelous with profound and brilliant knowledge, Lord Chokyi Tontrup, I supplicate you.
Supreme, fearless, accomplishing the benefit of all, Lord Changchup Dorje, I supplicate you.
Spreading the sunlight of the teachings of the two knowledges,
Lord ChokyiJungne, I supplicate you.
Perpetually enjoying the gaQ. acakra of great bliss, Lord Diidiil Dorje, I supplicate you.
You who know the illusory character of the whole phenomenal world,
Lord Chotrup Gyatso, I supplicate you.
From the palace of the dharmakaya of unchanging truth, Lord Padma Nyinche, I supplicate you.
You can establish whoever encounters you in nonreturning,
Lord Thekchok Dorje, I supplicate you.
illusory musician of supreme bliss and emptiness, Lord Lodro Thaye, I supplicate you.
Whoever hears your name is led to the path ofliberation, Lord Khakhyap Dorje, I supplicate you.
Glorious conqueror of the hordes of the four maras, Lord Padma Wangchok, I supplicate you.
You who liberate those poisoned with the ignorance of dualistic fixation,
Lord Jamgon Guru, I supplicate you. ? 118.
? ? ? ? Supplication ? ? ?
May I be liberated from the sophistries of the two truths of dharma.
In the nakedness of true ordinary mind,
Which is the penetrating path of abandoning hope and
fear,
May I realize buddha in the palm of my hand.
? 119?
? Glossary
abhisheka (wang) An empowerment ceremony in which the teacher introduces the student to the mandala of a given yidam and empowers him to meditate on that yidam. Besides the abhisheka, a reading transmission (lung), and an oral ex- planation (thri), are also necessary to effectively practice the vajrayana.
alaya-vijiiana (kiinzhi namper shepa) The consciousness that is the ground of everything. The aspect of mind that constitutes the basis for confusedly identifying with a self and dualistic thinking.
Atisha (982-1054) Also known as Dipamkara Shri }fiana. A meditation master and scholar at the Buddhist University Vi- kramashila in India. After being repeatedly invited to teach in Tibet, he accepted and contributed greatly to establishing the Buddhist teachings there. His student Dromtonpa is the founder of the Kadampa school.
bardo (lit. "in-between state") In general usage refers to the state between death and rebirth. In actual fact, there are six bardos: the bardo of life, sleep, meditation, death, dharmata, and becoming.
bhumi (sa) One of the ten stages on the path of a bodhisattva. bindu See prana, nadi, hindu.
bodhichitta (changchup-kyi sem) A mental attitude orientl'd
toward attaining enlightenment in order to benefit all ! wings ? 121.
? ? ? ? GLOSSARY? ? ?
Bodhichitta is divided into two aspects: relative and ultimate. Relative bodhichitta is both the aspiration to attain enlighten- ment for the benefit of others and the practical application of this aspiration through the practice of liberating behavior in the form of the paramitas. Ultimate bodhichitta involves real- izing the inseparability of emptiness and compassion.
bodhisattva (changechup sempa) A person who works tire- lessly to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings, without ever feeling discouraged. In the narrow sense, the term refers to someone who has realized emptiness and developed compassion. In the broad sense, it includes anyone who has taken the bodhisattva vow, a ceremony in which one promises to achieve buddhahood for the benefit of others.
BOn A shamanistic religion that was practiced in Tibet before the spread of Buddhism.
Bonpo PractitionerofBOn.
cloudy mind (kleshamanas; nyonmongpe yid) The seventh con- sciousness, an aspect of mind that rests on the alaya-vijfiana, that experiences confusion, and that has the concept of a self.
dakini (khandroma, lit. "sky-walker") Dakinis represent inspi- rational impulses of awareness that help the practitioner in his quest for wisdom. They appear in friendly, semi-wrathful, and wrathful forms. Some dakinis are yidams, while others are types of energy that protect the teachings and the practitioner. There are also some who do not benefit beings.
dependent origination (pratityasamutpada; tenching drelwar jungwa) The pattern of cause and effect in one's experience of life situations, with phenomena arising interdependendy, based on a variety of causes and conditions.
dharma (cho) In this book the term should be taken to mean Buddhist teachings, except in the expression "eight worldly dharmas. ''
dharmadhatu (choying) The space of phenomena; ultimate re- ality.
. 122.
? ? ? ? GLOSSARY ? ? ?
dharmakaya See kaya.
dharmapala (chokyong) See three roots.
dharma robes The three robes of a monk or nun.
eight transmission lineages (eight lines of transmis- sion) Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyii, Sakya, Shangpa, Shije, Orgyenpa, and Jonangpa. A distinction is made between the "old" and "new" traditions. The old tradition is the Nyingma, that arose during the first spread of Buddhism in Tibet in the eighth century, as opposed to the new traditions, that came to Tibet during the second wave of translations of Indian Bud- dhist texts. This phase begins with the translator Rinchen Sangpo (958-1051).
eight worldly dharmas Four pairs of opposites that rule our lives as long as we struggle to achieve the first set and reject the second. These are gain and loss, joy and pain, fame and obscu- rity, praise and blame.
enlightenment Buddhahood. The Tibetan word for Buddha, sanggye, is made up of two syllables that illustrate the two as- pects ofbuddhahood.
Sang means "completely purified," that is, purified of all obscurations, including the sleep of igno- rance. Gye means "completely developed" and refers to the development of all qualities and wisdom. Enlightenment or buddhahood is a state of complete purity and wisdom.
five paths A description of spiritual development in the mahay- ana outlined by: path of accumulation, path of union, path of meditation, path ofinsight, and path ofno more learning. With the path of insight, one achieves the first of the ten bodhisattva bhumis. Within the bhumis, a distinction is made between the so-called "impure" bhumis, the first seven, and "pure" bhumis, the eighth, ninth, and tenth. The eleventh bhumi is the realization of complete enlightenment, corresponding to the path of no more learning.
formless realm (zukme kham) See three realms of samsara. form kayas (zuk ku) See kaya.
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? ? ? ? GLOSSARY ? ? ?
/our dharmas ofGampopa A short text by Gampopa:
May my mind be one with the dharma, May my practice progress along the path, May the path clarify confusion,
May confusion dawn as wisdom.
four extremes Existence, nonexistence, both existence and nonexistence, neither existence nor nonexistence. These are four false notions that may arise when one reflects on reality, and that are countered by madhyamaka.
four great and eight lesser lineages (schools) See Kagyii.
four ordinary and four spedal preliminaries See ngondro.
/our noble truths (denpa zhi) The first teachings of Buddha Shakyamuni: suffering, the cause of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path leading to the cessation of suffering.
/our yogas Four stages of the path of mahamudra: one-point- edness, one taste, simplicity, and nonmeditation. Each of these four is divided into three levels of realization.
Gampopa (1079-1153) Main student of Milarepa and teacher of the first Karmapa, Tiisum Khyenpa. Gampopa blended to- gether two traditions: the Kadampa lineage of Atisha and the mahamudra lineage transmitted to him by Milarepa. At Taklha Gampo he founded the first Kagyii monastery in Tibet. Gam- popa is the source of the four great and eight lesser lineages (schools) of the Kagyii lineage. He is also known as Takpo Lharje, the physician from Takpo.
garuda (khyung) An ancient Indian mythological bird that hatches full-grown from the egg and thus symbolizes the awak- ened state of mind.
ghanta See vajra.
giving and taking (tong len) A form of meditation derived orig-
inally from the Kadampa tradition, aimed at developing bo-
dhichitta and training the mind. guru (lama) See three roots.
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? ? ? ? GLOSSARY ? ? ?
guruyoga (lame naljor) A form of meditation through which one realizes that one's own mind is inseparable from the mind of the teacher and from ultimate reality, that is, enlightenment.
Hevajra (Kye Dorje) One of the five main yidams of the Kagyii school. Hevajra was one of Marpa's yidams.
incarnation(triilku) Someone who through spiritual realization has attained the ability to manifest deliberately in the world for the benefit of other beings.
Jewel Ornament ofLiberation (Takpo Thargyen) One ofGam- papa's most important texts. It is one of the texts most used by Kagyii teachers to present the gradual path of the mahayana.
K. adampa Name of a tradition that was transmitted by Atisha's students. Although it has not survived as a separate school, it was absorbed into and transmitted by the other lineages of Ti- betan Buddhism.
Kagyii One of the four main lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, the other three being the Nyingma, Sakya, and Gelukpa. After Gampopa, the Kagyii lineage was also called Takpo Kagyii. The Kagyii lineage is divided into the so-called four great and eight lesser lineages. The four great lineages date back to Gampopa's main students:
1. theKarmaKagyii(orKamtsangKagyii)school,foundedby the first Karmapa, Tiisum Khyenpa
2. thePhakdruKagyii,foundedbyPhakmoDrupa
3. the Tsalpa Kagyii, founded by Ongom Tsiiltrim Nyingpo
and his student Zhang Darma Drak
4. theBaromKagyii,foundedbyBaromDarmaWangchuk
The eight lesser lineages can be traced back to the eight main
students of Phakmo Drupa. They are the Drikung, Taklung, Yamtseng, Thropu, Shuksep, Yelpa, Martsang, and Drukpa. The only surviving schools are the Karma Kagyii among the four great lineages and the Drukpa, Drikung, and Taklung among the eight lesser.
kalpa An inconceivably long span of time; an eon. ? 125.
? ? ? ? GLOSSARY ? ? ?
karma (le) The inevitability of cause and effect that conditions the different types of existential experience. Mental impres- sions left by actions, words, or thoughts leading to the experi- ence of sUffering are called negative karma, whereas those which lead to the experience of happiness are called positive karma.
Karma Kagyu See Kagyii.
Karmapa As spiritual Head of the Kagyii lineage, the Karmapas
embody all buddha activity. This is expressed in the name itself, since karma means "activity. " The first Karmapa, Tiisum Khyenpa (1110-1193) was Gampopa's main disciple. Before his death, he left behind a letter explaining the precise circum- stances of his next rebirth. In accordance with his description, the second Karmapa, Karma Pakshi (1206-1283) was born de- liberately as an incarnation of the first. He was the first incar- nation to be recognized in Tibetan history. Since that time, the Kagyii lineage has been transmitted by the Karmapas, with each successive Karmapa leaving behind specific instructions concerning his next incarnation.
karuna (nyingje) The quality of the bodhisattva which involves extending kindness toward all sentient beings without distinc- tion.
kaya (ku) Enlightenment body. Dharmakaya (cho ku) is the state of buddhahood itself; it is the nature of mind, or empti- ness, and is meaningful for oneself. The two form kayas, the sambhogakaya (long ku) and nirmanakaya (trill ku) manifest out of compassion for the benefit of beings and are meaningful for others. Sambhogakaya buddhas such as Vajrasattva can only be experienced directly by realized bodhisattvas, whereas nirmanakayas such as Shakyamuni Buddha manifest as hu- mans and can be perceived by beings with no particular reali- zation. The unity of the three kayas is called the svabhavikakaya (ngowonyi-kyi ku).
lineage A succession of Buddhist teachers who transmit a par- ticular tradition.
? 126.
? ? ? ? GLOSSARY"?
lineage supplication A supplication to the Takpo Kagyii trans- mission lineage that describes mahamudra in concise form. Composed by Jampal Zangpo, disciple of the sixth Karmapa and teacher of the seventh.
lower realms The hell, hungry ghost, and animal realms. See three realms of samsara.
madhyamaka (uma) Philosophy taught by the Buddha with re- gard to the nature ofemptiness, the ultimate mode ofexistence of all things. These teachings of Buddha were later commented on by Indian teachers likeNagarjuna, Chandrakirti, and others and constitute the philosophical foundation for the vajrayana.
maha ati (dzokpa chenpo, dzokchen) The "great perfection. " Similar to the mahamudra of the Kagyii tradition, it is trans- mitted mainly by the Nyingma school. In their nature and pur- pose, mahamudra and maha ati are the same, although the methods and the path differ.
mahamudra (chakgya chenpo) The "great seal" or great symbol of reality. A distinction is made between ground, path, and fruition mahamudra. Ground mahamudra concerns the nature of mind and the proper view, path mahamudra the application of mahamudra meditation, and fruition mahamudra the reali- zation of the nature of mind.
Mahamudra Supplication A prayer by the third Karmapa, Rangjung Dorje, describing the nature of mind.
mahasiddha (drupchen) A practitioner of the vajrayana who has attained all the ordinary and extraordinary siddhis. See sid- dhi.
mahapandita An Indian title given to highly accomplished scholars.
mahayana See yana.
Maitripa (eleventh century) Also called Maitri. Indian mahas-
iddha from whom Marpa received the mahamudra transmis-
sion.
mandala (khyil khor) The term has several meanings: It refers:
(a) to the spiritual force-field of the buddhas; (b) to the utterly ? 127 ?
? ? ? ? GLOSSARY ? ? ?
beautiful universe full of previous objects that one visualizes mentally in order to offer it to the buddhas in the mandala offering; and (c) to the round disk on which this universe is constructed symbolically.
mantra (sang ngak) Words or syllables used in vajrayana medi- tations.
mantrayana Vajrayana. See yana.
Mara Difficulties and obstacles due to confusion, false views
about reality, and wrong behavior.
Marpa (1012-1097) The "Great Translator," considered an em- anation of Hevajra. Marpa traveled three times from Tibet to India in order to receive teachings from his main gurus Naropa and Maitripa. He was the first Tibetan lineage holder of the Kagyii school and Milarepa's guru.
merit (sonam) See two accumulations.
Milarepa (1040-1123) An important teacher of the Kagyii
school who attained complete enlightenment in one lifetime. He is also called the greatest of yogis. Milarepa was Gampopa's guru.
nadi See prana, nadi, hindu.
Naropa (1016-1100) Also called Naro. An Indian mahasiddha, disciple ofTilopa and Marpa's guru.
ngondro Preliminary practices for the path of mahamudra. A distinction is made between the four ordinary and the four special preliminaries. The ordinary preliminaries are the four reminders: precious human birth; impermanence; karma; and suffering of samsara. The special preliminaries are: refuge and bodhichitta, vajrasattva meditation; mandala offering; and gu- ruyoga.
nine techniques ofshamatha Experiences on the path of sha- matha meditation are presented in nine points in the commen- taries. They are: resting the mind, continuous resting, renewed resting, precise resting, disciplining, calming, calming com- pletely, one-pointedness, and evenly resting. The pith instruc-
. 128.
? ? ? ? GLOSSARY ? ? ?
tions describe the development of mental calmness in five stages, which are illustrated through five images: a waterfall, a mountain torrent in a narrow gorge, a broad, slowly flowing river, a calm ocean, and a butter lamp in a room with no drafts.
nirmanakaya See kaya.
nirvana (nyangde) State of liberation from the circle of re-
births. Often used as a synonym for enlightenment.
obscurations Everything that prevents one from realizing bud- dhahood, the nature of one's mind.
paramita (parol-tu chinpa) The six paramitas or liberating ac- tions are the essence of the mahayana: generosity, discipline, patience, exertion, meditation, and prajfia. According to some systems, there are four additional paramitas: skillful means, as- piration, strength, and wisdom.
path ofcauses and characteristics (gyu tsen nyi thekpa) Another name for the sutra path. In order to recognize emptiness, the characteristic, one practices the path, thus accumulating merit for enlightenment. See also yana.
path ofliberation See path of skillful means.
path ofinsight See five paths.
path of skillful means (thap lam) Although all yanas contain skillful means for attaining realization, the vajrayana is specifi- cally called the path of skillful means or upayayana because of its wealth of powerful techniques. Within the vajrayana a dis- tinction is made between meditations involving visualizations, which are the path of skillful means, and meditations without such visualizations, which are the path of liberation (drollam).
prajfia (sherap) The sixth paramita, transcendent knowledge. Only through prajfia do the first five paramitas become instru- ments of liberation. Prajfiaparamita is the realization that real- ity is beyond the duality of being versus nonbeing. Since it is this realization that leads to enlightenment, prajfiaparamita is often called the "mother of all the buddhas" and represented as a female buddha.
? 129.
? ? ? ? GLOSSARY ? ? ?
prana, nadi, hindu (tsa, lung, thikle) On the vajrayana path of skillful means one meditates on the nadis or different pathways of energy in one's body, the energy winds or prana which cir- culate through them, and the hindus or essential components of the body. This type of meditation belongs to the special skill- ful means of the vajrayana.
Literally, the term hindu means "drop;" and describes the essence or pith of something. In shamatha meditation, the hin- dus are sometimes used as an "essential" support for concen- tration in the form of tiny visualized spheres. In the human body, hindu is the quintessence of maleness or femaleness through which life arises.
pratyekabuddha (rang sanggye) A state of liberation from sam- sara. Those who endeavor to achieve this state have the follow- ing characteristics: they fear samsara, strive for nirvana, have little compassion, are proud, keep their teacher secret, and long for solitude. Their path consists mainly in meditating on the twelve links of dependent origination. See also yana.
reality A distinction is made between relative and ultimate lev- els of reality. Relative reality is the world of one's experience, based on dependent origination. Ultimate reality is emptiness, the true unconditioned nature of things. These two aspects of reality or levels of truth are inseparable from each other.
realm ofdesire (do kham) See three realms of samsara.
realm ofform (zuk kham) See three realms of samsara.
refuge (kyap dro) Taking refuge involves the decision to inte-
grate the three gems into one's life. One takes refuge in the Buddha as an example of one who has attained the goal, in the dharma or teachings as the path, and in the sangha or com- munity of practitioners as helpers on the way. In addition, in the vajrayana one takes refuge in the three roots.
refuge tree A way of depicting the three gems and three roots, visualized during prostations.
In brief, toJamgon Rinpoche one can say as in this quote:
I pray to you, source of all qualities, the one rich in faith, discipline, learning, generosity, intelligence, modesty, and humility.
From childhood, he naturally had all the qualities of a noble being. His faith and pure vision of his teachers was unpar- alleled, and especially, his devotion to his root lama, Vajra- dhara Gyalwang Karmapa, was fully equal to that of all the previous lineage holders of the Kagyii tradition. From the time His Holiness became ill, until he dissolved his mind into the dharmadhatu, Jamgon Kongtriil Rinpoche was not separate from him for even one moment. He was never tired
? 112.
? ? ? ? A BriefBiography ? ? ?
nor careless for a moment in attending to the physical needs or following the commands and wishes of his lama. With great respect he served His Holiness even to the point of cleaning His Holiness' personal bathroom and sweeping his floors when it was necessary. His life is a teaching to people like us who tend to treat the dharma and the lamas like water by the roadside, which we take when we need it, but do not respect or give devotion from our heart.
Jamgon Rinpoche studied numerous sutras, tantras, their commentaries and oral instructions, from traditions in par- ticular and in general. As a sign of having genuinely realized these teachings, he displayed the qualities of faith, pure vi- sion, loving-kindness, and genuine concern for the well-be- ing of others, qualities that were so much a part of him that they became inseparable from his name. He constantly ful- filled the wishes of others through giving away all that was offered him to build monasteries, to establish centers of learning and practice, to create representations of the Bud- dha's body, speech, and mind, and to support the sangha and the poor and needy.
With clear wisdom of the world and of dharma, he soothed the mental sufferings of others, cut through the net of their doubts, and guided them onto the right path through direct and indirect means. To his attendants and all those, high or low, with whom he related, Jamgon Rinpoche alwaysshowedthequalitiesofconstantfriendship, modesty, humility, and gratitude; he perfected all these qualities that are esteemed in the world. We, his disciples, should always remember this perfect life story of our supreme guide and seek to emulate it with faith, respect, and pure vision.
At the age of thirty-nine (by the Tibetan calendar), Jam- gon Kongtri. il Rinpoche suddenly passed away, due to the obstacles for Buddhism and people in general, and in par-
. 113.
? ? ? ? APPENDIX? ? ?
ticular for the Kagyii tradition. Considering his age~ learn- ing, qualities, aspirations, and activities, his passing has been an unbearably sorrowful event for his disciples and all who knew him. Yet, as ordinary people with limited under- standing and realization of how things truly are, we are un- able to know the profound methods for benefitting sentient beings in the right time and place. We should, therefore, always look at his life with pure vision, great faith, and de- votion, and try to attain in our lifetime the supreme achieve- ment of mahamudra through receiving in our mindstream
the blessing of his body, speech, and mind. We should al- ways turn our minds toward praying that his perfect incar- nation will swiftly return, and that his life and activities will be brought to perfection following the aspirations he has made of the Dharma and sentient beings.
From now until enlightenment, supreme lama,
May we always serve and rely on you.
May we persevere in practice and complete the path,. Giving up what is negative and perfecting the positi'\i"e.
Following the request of Jamgon Rinpoche's attendants, Tenzin Dorjee and Sonam Chophel, this was written at Rumtek Retreat Center, Yiwang Samten Chokhor Ling, on the 5th of May, 1992, by Bokar Tiillm, Karma . }'Jgedon Chokyi Lodro, whose devotion is inspired by the life fOfJam- gon Lama. Sarva Mangalam. This translation was IDtade by Ringu Tiilku and Michele Martin in May of 1992, in Sikkim.
? 114.
? 2
Supplication to the Kagyu Gurus
NAMO GURAVE
You who bind the secret joy, Sri Heruka, I supplicate you.
In the charnel ground of the play of joy and light, Wisdom <;lakin! consort, I supplicate you.
In the secret bhaga of the land of U<;l<;liyat)a, Glorious Buddha Tilopa, I supplicate you.
In the sphere of activity of the wisdom <;lakini consort, The mahapat)gita, great siddha Naropa, I supplicate you.
Surrounded by the assembly of Nairatmya Devi, Lord Lhotrakpa, father and son, I supplicate you.
Sporting with the queen in the celestial realm, Lord repas, greater and lesser, I supplicate you.
Holder of the ultimate lineage, the sacred teaching of mahamudra,
Lord physician, uncle and nephews, I supplicate you.
Revealing the miracles of luminosity, Lord Tiisum Khyenpa, I supplicate you.
. 115.
? ? ? ? APPENDIX ? ? ?
Possessing the buddha activity which subjugates those difficult to tame,
Lord Sanggye Rechen, I supplicate you.
Possessing the mastery which overpowers the phenomenal world,
Lord great Pomtrakpa, I supplicate you.
In the east at Karppo Kangra, holder of the Practice Lineage,
Lord Karmapa, I supplicate you.
You, the lord of mudra messengers, Lord Mahasiddha, I supplicate you.
Expanding the stream of blissful wisdom, Lord Rangjung Dorje, I supplicate you.
In the clear palace of the luminous vajra, Victorious Yungton Shikpo, I supplicate you.
Samaya holder of the unified maQ. <;lala of the devas, Lord Rolpe Dorje, I supplicate you.
The poet who sings songs of great blazing passion, Lord Khacho Wangpo, I supplicate you.
You who wear the crown of glorious, invincible yoga, Lord Teshin Shekpa, I supplicate you.
Enjoying the great taste of mind, bliss, and praQ. a, Lord Chopal Yeshe, I supplicate you.
Spreading the hindu of the great wrathful one, Lord Ratnabhadra, I supplicate you.
You whose roar of bliss pervades the sky, Lord Thongwa Tonden, I supplicate you.
. 116?
? ? ? ? Supplication ? ? . Greatly intoxicated by the joy of Mafijusri,
Lord Pengar Kiinkhyen, I supplicate you.
You who promote profound brilliant realization, Great Lord Goshri, I supplicate you.
You who achieved the siddhi of taste with the gaze of simplicity,
Lord Chotrak Gyatso, I supplicate you.
You whose mind has perfected the aspects of supreme union,
Lord Sanggye Nyenpa, I supplicate you.
You who fully reveal yourself to your son-disciples, Lord Mikyo Dorje, I supplicate you.
Bestowing bliss on sentient beings pervading space, Glorious Konchok Yenlak, I supplicate you.
You, the nirmaQ. akaya endowed with a compassionate heart,
Lord Wangchuk Dorje, I supplicate you.
From the palace of praQ. a purified in the avadhiiti, Lord Chokyi Wangchuk, I supplicate you.
On the u~Q. I~aof the brahmarandhra, Lord Choying Dorje, I supplicate you.
In the profound, brilliant, divine palace, Lord Trakpa Chokyang, I supplicate you.
In the palace of space and wisdom, Glorious Yeshe Nyingpo, I supplicate you.
In the divine dome of Potala,
Lord Yeshe Dorje, I supplicate you.
. 117.
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Marvelous with profound and brilliant knowledge, Lord Chokyi Tontrup, I supplicate you.
Supreme, fearless, accomplishing the benefit of all, Lord Changchup Dorje, I supplicate you.
Spreading the sunlight of the teachings of the two knowledges,
Lord ChokyiJungne, I supplicate you.
Perpetually enjoying the gaQ. acakra of great bliss, Lord Diidiil Dorje, I supplicate you.
You who know the illusory character of the whole phenomenal world,
Lord Chotrup Gyatso, I supplicate you.
From the palace of the dharmakaya of unchanging truth, Lord Padma Nyinche, I supplicate you.
You can establish whoever encounters you in nonreturning,
Lord Thekchok Dorje, I supplicate you.
illusory musician of supreme bliss and emptiness, Lord Lodro Thaye, I supplicate you.
Whoever hears your name is led to the path ofliberation, Lord Khakhyap Dorje, I supplicate you.
Glorious conqueror of the hordes of the four maras, Lord Padma Wangchok, I supplicate you.
You who liberate those poisoned with the ignorance of dualistic fixation,
Lord Jamgon Guru, I supplicate you. ? 118.
? ? ? ? Supplication ? ? ?
May I be liberated from the sophistries of the two truths of dharma.
In the nakedness of true ordinary mind,
Which is the penetrating path of abandoning hope and
fear,
May I realize buddha in the palm of my hand.
? 119?
? Glossary
abhisheka (wang) An empowerment ceremony in which the teacher introduces the student to the mandala of a given yidam and empowers him to meditate on that yidam. Besides the abhisheka, a reading transmission (lung), and an oral ex- planation (thri), are also necessary to effectively practice the vajrayana.
alaya-vijiiana (kiinzhi namper shepa) The consciousness that is the ground of everything. The aspect of mind that constitutes the basis for confusedly identifying with a self and dualistic thinking.
Atisha (982-1054) Also known as Dipamkara Shri }fiana. A meditation master and scholar at the Buddhist University Vi- kramashila in India. After being repeatedly invited to teach in Tibet, he accepted and contributed greatly to establishing the Buddhist teachings there. His student Dromtonpa is the founder of the Kadampa school.
bardo (lit. "in-between state") In general usage refers to the state between death and rebirth. In actual fact, there are six bardos: the bardo of life, sleep, meditation, death, dharmata, and becoming.
bhumi (sa) One of the ten stages on the path of a bodhisattva. bindu See prana, nadi, hindu.
bodhichitta (changchup-kyi sem) A mental attitude orientl'd
toward attaining enlightenment in order to benefit all ! wings ? 121.
? ? ? ? GLOSSARY? ? ?
Bodhichitta is divided into two aspects: relative and ultimate. Relative bodhichitta is both the aspiration to attain enlighten- ment for the benefit of others and the practical application of this aspiration through the practice of liberating behavior in the form of the paramitas. Ultimate bodhichitta involves real- izing the inseparability of emptiness and compassion.
bodhisattva (changechup sempa) A person who works tire- lessly to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings, without ever feeling discouraged. In the narrow sense, the term refers to someone who has realized emptiness and developed compassion. In the broad sense, it includes anyone who has taken the bodhisattva vow, a ceremony in which one promises to achieve buddhahood for the benefit of others.
BOn A shamanistic religion that was practiced in Tibet before the spread of Buddhism.
Bonpo PractitionerofBOn.
cloudy mind (kleshamanas; nyonmongpe yid) The seventh con- sciousness, an aspect of mind that rests on the alaya-vijfiana, that experiences confusion, and that has the concept of a self.
dakini (khandroma, lit. "sky-walker") Dakinis represent inspi- rational impulses of awareness that help the practitioner in his quest for wisdom. They appear in friendly, semi-wrathful, and wrathful forms. Some dakinis are yidams, while others are types of energy that protect the teachings and the practitioner. There are also some who do not benefit beings.
dependent origination (pratityasamutpada; tenching drelwar jungwa) The pattern of cause and effect in one's experience of life situations, with phenomena arising interdependendy, based on a variety of causes and conditions.
dharma (cho) In this book the term should be taken to mean Buddhist teachings, except in the expression "eight worldly dharmas. ''
dharmadhatu (choying) The space of phenomena; ultimate re- ality.
. 122.
? ? ? ? GLOSSARY ? ? ?
dharmakaya See kaya.
dharmapala (chokyong) See three roots.
dharma robes The three robes of a monk or nun.
eight transmission lineages (eight lines of transmis- sion) Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyii, Sakya, Shangpa, Shije, Orgyenpa, and Jonangpa. A distinction is made between the "old" and "new" traditions. The old tradition is the Nyingma, that arose during the first spread of Buddhism in Tibet in the eighth century, as opposed to the new traditions, that came to Tibet during the second wave of translations of Indian Bud- dhist texts. This phase begins with the translator Rinchen Sangpo (958-1051).
eight worldly dharmas Four pairs of opposites that rule our lives as long as we struggle to achieve the first set and reject the second. These are gain and loss, joy and pain, fame and obscu- rity, praise and blame.
enlightenment Buddhahood. The Tibetan word for Buddha, sanggye, is made up of two syllables that illustrate the two as- pects ofbuddhahood.
Sang means "completely purified," that is, purified of all obscurations, including the sleep of igno- rance. Gye means "completely developed" and refers to the development of all qualities and wisdom. Enlightenment or buddhahood is a state of complete purity and wisdom.
five paths A description of spiritual development in the mahay- ana outlined by: path of accumulation, path of union, path of meditation, path ofinsight, and path ofno more learning. With the path of insight, one achieves the first of the ten bodhisattva bhumis. Within the bhumis, a distinction is made between the so-called "impure" bhumis, the first seven, and "pure" bhumis, the eighth, ninth, and tenth. The eleventh bhumi is the realization of complete enlightenment, corresponding to the path of no more learning.
formless realm (zukme kham) See three realms of samsara. form kayas (zuk ku) See kaya.
? 123.
? ? ? ? GLOSSARY ? ? ?
/our dharmas ofGampopa A short text by Gampopa:
May my mind be one with the dharma, May my practice progress along the path, May the path clarify confusion,
May confusion dawn as wisdom.
four extremes Existence, nonexistence, both existence and nonexistence, neither existence nor nonexistence. These are four false notions that may arise when one reflects on reality, and that are countered by madhyamaka.
four great and eight lesser lineages (schools) See Kagyii.
four ordinary and four spedal preliminaries See ngondro.
/our noble truths (denpa zhi) The first teachings of Buddha Shakyamuni: suffering, the cause of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path leading to the cessation of suffering.
/our yogas Four stages of the path of mahamudra: one-point- edness, one taste, simplicity, and nonmeditation. Each of these four is divided into three levels of realization.
Gampopa (1079-1153) Main student of Milarepa and teacher of the first Karmapa, Tiisum Khyenpa. Gampopa blended to- gether two traditions: the Kadampa lineage of Atisha and the mahamudra lineage transmitted to him by Milarepa. At Taklha Gampo he founded the first Kagyii monastery in Tibet. Gam- popa is the source of the four great and eight lesser lineages (schools) of the Kagyii lineage. He is also known as Takpo Lharje, the physician from Takpo.
garuda (khyung) An ancient Indian mythological bird that hatches full-grown from the egg and thus symbolizes the awak- ened state of mind.
ghanta See vajra.
giving and taking (tong len) A form of meditation derived orig-
inally from the Kadampa tradition, aimed at developing bo-
dhichitta and training the mind. guru (lama) See three roots.
. 124.
? ? ? ? GLOSSARY ? ? ?
guruyoga (lame naljor) A form of meditation through which one realizes that one's own mind is inseparable from the mind of the teacher and from ultimate reality, that is, enlightenment.
Hevajra (Kye Dorje) One of the five main yidams of the Kagyii school. Hevajra was one of Marpa's yidams.
incarnation(triilku) Someone who through spiritual realization has attained the ability to manifest deliberately in the world for the benefit of other beings.
Jewel Ornament ofLiberation (Takpo Thargyen) One ofGam- papa's most important texts. It is one of the texts most used by Kagyii teachers to present the gradual path of the mahayana.
K. adampa Name of a tradition that was transmitted by Atisha's students. Although it has not survived as a separate school, it was absorbed into and transmitted by the other lineages of Ti- betan Buddhism.
Kagyii One of the four main lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, the other three being the Nyingma, Sakya, and Gelukpa. After Gampopa, the Kagyii lineage was also called Takpo Kagyii. The Kagyii lineage is divided into the so-called four great and eight lesser lineages. The four great lineages date back to Gampopa's main students:
1. theKarmaKagyii(orKamtsangKagyii)school,foundedby the first Karmapa, Tiisum Khyenpa
2. thePhakdruKagyii,foundedbyPhakmoDrupa
3. the Tsalpa Kagyii, founded by Ongom Tsiiltrim Nyingpo
and his student Zhang Darma Drak
4. theBaromKagyii,foundedbyBaromDarmaWangchuk
The eight lesser lineages can be traced back to the eight main
students of Phakmo Drupa. They are the Drikung, Taklung, Yamtseng, Thropu, Shuksep, Yelpa, Martsang, and Drukpa. The only surviving schools are the Karma Kagyii among the four great lineages and the Drukpa, Drikung, and Taklung among the eight lesser.
kalpa An inconceivably long span of time; an eon. ? 125.
? ? ? ? GLOSSARY ? ? ?
karma (le) The inevitability of cause and effect that conditions the different types of existential experience. Mental impres- sions left by actions, words, or thoughts leading to the experi- ence of sUffering are called negative karma, whereas those which lead to the experience of happiness are called positive karma.
Karma Kagyu See Kagyii.
Karmapa As spiritual Head of the Kagyii lineage, the Karmapas
embody all buddha activity. This is expressed in the name itself, since karma means "activity. " The first Karmapa, Tiisum Khyenpa (1110-1193) was Gampopa's main disciple. Before his death, he left behind a letter explaining the precise circum- stances of his next rebirth. In accordance with his description, the second Karmapa, Karma Pakshi (1206-1283) was born de- liberately as an incarnation of the first. He was the first incar- nation to be recognized in Tibetan history. Since that time, the Kagyii lineage has been transmitted by the Karmapas, with each successive Karmapa leaving behind specific instructions concerning his next incarnation.
karuna (nyingje) The quality of the bodhisattva which involves extending kindness toward all sentient beings without distinc- tion.
kaya (ku) Enlightenment body. Dharmakaya (cho ku) is the state of buddhahood itself; it is the nature of mind, or empti- ness, and is meaningful for oneself. The two form kayas, the sambhogakaya (long ku) and nirmanakaya (trill ku) manifest out of compassion for the benefit of beings and are meaningful for others. Sambhogakaya buddhas such as Vajrasattva can only be experienced directly by realized bodhisattvas, whereas nirmanakayas such as Shakyamuni Buddha manifest as hu- mans and can be perceived by beings with no particular reali- zation. The unity of the three kayas is called the svabhavikakaya (ngowonyi-kyi ku).
lineage A succession of Buddhist teachers who transmit a par- ticular tradition.
? 126.
? ? ? ? GLOSSARY"?
lineage supplication A supplication to the Takpo Kagyii trans- mission lineage that describes mahamudra in concise form. Composed by Jampal Zangpo, disciple of the sixth Karmapa and teacher of the seventh.
lower realms The hell, hungry ghost, and animal realms. See three realms of samsara.
madhyamaka (uma) Philosophy taught by the Buddha with re- gard to the nature ofemptiness, the ultimate mode ofexistence of all things. These teachings of Buddha were later commented on by Indian teachers likeNagarjuna, Chandrakirti, and others and constitute the philosophical foundation for the vajrayana.
maha ati (dzokpa chenpo, dzokchen) The "great perfection. " Similar to the mahamudra of the Kagyii tradition, it is trans- mitted mainly by the Nyingma school. In their nature and pur- pose, mahamudra and maha ati are the same, although the methods and the path differ.
mahamudra (chakgya chenpo) The "great seal" or great symbol of reality. A distinction is made between ground, path, and fruition mahamudra. Ground mahamudra concerns the nature of mind and the proper view, path mahamudra the application of mahamudra meditation, and fruition mahamudra the reali- zation of the nature of mind.
Mahamudra Supplication A prayer by the third Karmapa, Rangjung Dorje, describing the nature of mind.
mahasiddha (drupchen) A practitioner of the vajrayana who has attained all the ordinary and extraordinary siddhis. See sid- dhi.
mahapandita An Indian title given to highly accomplished scholars.
mahayana See yana.
Maitripa (eleventh century) Also called Maitri. Indian mahas-
iddha from whom Marpa received the mahamudra transmis-
sion.
mandala (khyil khor) The term has several meanings: It refers:
(a) to the spiritual force-field of the buddhas; (b) to the utterly ? 127 ?
? ? ? ? GLOSSARY ? ? ?
beautiful universe full of previous objects that one visualizes mentally in order to offer it to the buddhas in the mandala offering; and (c) to the round disk on which this universe is constructed symbolically.
mantra (sang ngak) Words or syllables used in vajrayana medi- tations.
mantrayana Vajrayana. See yana.
Mara Difficulties and obstacles due to confusion, false views
about reality, and wrong behavior.
Marpa (1012-1097) The "Great Translator," considered an em- anation of Hevajra. Marpa traveled three times from Tibet to India in order to receive teachings from his main gurus Naropa and Maitripa. He was the first Tibetan lineage holder of the Kagyii school and Milarepa's guru.
merit (sonam) See two accumulations.
Milarepa (1040-1123) An important teacher of the Kagyii
school who attained complete enlightenment in one lifetime. He is also called the greatest of yogis. Milarepa was Gampopa's guru.
nadi See prana, nadi, hindu.
Naropa (1016-1100) Also called Naro. An Indian mahasiddha, disciple ofTilopa and Marpa's guru.
ngondro Preliminary practices for the path of mahamudra. A distinction is made between the four ordinary and the four special preliminaries. The ordinary preliminaries are the four reminders: precious human birth; impermanence; karma; and suffering of samsara. The special preliminaries are: refuge and bodhichitta, vajrasattva meditation; mandala offering; and gu- ruyoga.
nine techniques ofshamatha Experiences on the path of sha- matha meditation are presented in nine points in the commen- taries. They are: resting the mind, continuous resting, renewed resting, precise resting, disciplining, calming, calming com- pletely, one-pointedness, and evenly resting. The pith instruc-
. 128.
? ? ? ? GLOSSARY ? ? ?
tions describe the development of mental calmness in five stages, which are illustrated through five images: a waterfall, a mountain torrent in a narrow gorge, a broad, slowly flowing river, a calm ocean, and a butter lamp in a room with no drafts.
nirmanakaya See kaya.
nirvana (nyangde) State of liberation from the circle of re-
births. Often used as a synonym for enlightenment.
obscurations Everything that prevents one from realizing bud- dhahood, the nature of one's mind.
paramita (parol-tu chinpa) The six paramitas or liberating ac- tions are the essence of the mahayana: generosity, discipline, patience, exertion, meditation, and prajfia. According to some systems, there are four additional paramitas: skillful means, as- piration, strength, and wisdom.
path ofcauses and characteristics (gyu tsen nyi thekpa) Another name for the sutra path. In order to recognize emptiness, the characteristic, one practices the path, thus accumulating merit for enlightenment. See also yana.
path ofliberation See path of skillful means.
path ofinsight See five paths.
path of skillful means (thap lam) Although all yanas contain skillful means for attaining realization, the vajrayana is specifi- cally called the path of skillful means or upayayana because of its wealth of powerful techniques. Within the vajrayana a dis- tinction is made between meditations involving visualizations, which are the path of skillful means, and meditations without such visualizations, which are the path of liberation (drollam).
prajfia (sherap) The sixth paramita, transcendent knowledge. Only through prajfia do the first five paramitas become instru- ments of liberation. Prajfiaparamita is the realization that real- ity is beyond the duality of being versus nonbeing. Since it is this realization that leads to enlightenment, prajfiaparamita is often called the "mother of all the buddhas" and represented as a female buddha.
? 129.
? ? ? ? GLOSSARY ? ? ?
prana, nadi, hindu (tsa, lung, thikle) On the vajrayana path of skillful means one meditates on the nadis or different pathways of energy in one's body, the energy winds or prana which cir- culate through them, and the hindus or essential components of the body. This type of meditation belongs to the special skill- ful means of the vajrayana.
Literally, the term hindu means "drop;" and describes the essence or pith of something. In shamatha meditation, the hin- dus are sometimes used as an "essential" support for concen- tration in the form of tiny visualized spheres. In the human body, hindu is the quintessence of maleness or femaleness through which life arises.
pratyekabuddha (rang sanggye) A state of liberation from sam- sara. Those who endeavor to achieve this state have the follow- ing characteristics: they fear samsara, strive for nirvana, have little compassion, are proud, keep their teacher secret, and long for solitude. Their path consists mainly in meditating on the twelve links of dependent origination. See also yana.
reality A distinction is made between relative and ultimate lev- els of reality. Relative reality is the world of one's experience, based on dependent origination. Ultimate reality is emptiness, the true unconditioned nature of things. These two aspects of reality or levels of truth are inseparable from each other.
realm ofdesire (do kham) See three realms of samsara.
realm ofform (zuk kham) See three realms of samsara.
refuge (kyap dro) Taking refuge involves the decision to inte-
grate the three gems into one's life. One takes refuge in the Buddha as an example of one who has attained the goal, in the dharma or teachings as the path, and in the sangha or com- munity of practitioners as helpers on the way. In addition, in the vajrayana one takes refuge in the three roots.
refuge tree A way of depicting the three gems and three roots, visualized during prostations.
