tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25922609333030330792024-03-14T08:29:53.620+06:00Bhutan Buddhism“You only lose what you cling to.” - Buddhacosmicdusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12125111194409879300noreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592260933303033079.post-5083296662203394322014-08-21T14:48:00.000+06:002014-08-21T14:48:20.549+06:00"Buddhism is life, not Religion" Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi RinpocheBuddhism, which is life, is today practised as a tradition and superstition, Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi rinpoche, Ugyen Tenzin Jigme Lhundrup, the incarnation of Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse rinpoche, said, in his talk on the introduction of Buddhism at the Royal Thimphu College.<br /><br />“Buddhism is like a mother to all activities in our life, such as business, society, tradition, mentality and everything,” the rinpoche said. “We aren’t putting any interest in it and it’s a big problem today.”<br /><br />Buddhism is not a religion, rinpoche said. “Buddhism has many aspects, sometimes it has aspects of ceremonies or concentration of mind and meditation, or sometimes it’s a practice of retreat,” he said.<br /><br />“If there was no Buddhism at all, then nothing will appear and many will think of it as rubbish and that we don’t need Buddhism,” he said. “But whatever it is, we need a little antidote to help us go in that particular path; I’m here begging you not to deny Buddhism.”<br /><br />Today, many used Buddhism as a weapon, as a self-gaining method, business, and money and to attract people, he said, which is not true Buddhism, nor what the Buddha taught, rinpoche said. “What Buddha taught was a medicine, an antibiotic to clean our mind and we’re forgetting that.”<br /><br />He said people, especially students, today think of Buddhism only when there is an examination or an important event. “That is not true Buddhism, that’s the using of Buddhism,” rinpoche said. “That’s like a small piece of how one sees Buddhism.”<br /><br />When one learns true Buddhism, it’s a totally different mentality and that is why it was important that whatever one does in one’s life, one should never forget what is Buddhism, why we learn it, the purpose of Buddhism and recycle the concept of Buddhism, rinpoche said.<br /><br />“Buddhism is our life, not a page to look at and throw,” he said. “It’s something we must think about because nothing is going to harm you if you learn Buddhism.” If you learn Buddhism, it’s going to reconstruct your mentality, way of living and doing things, rinpoche added.<br /><br />Rinpoche then shared about his visits to many western countries, where the living quality was much better compared to Bhutan. But he always found something missing in their society, which was Buddhism, he said.<br /><br />“We have Buddhism in Bhutan, instead of commercials and advertisements for everything, like in other countries,” rinpoche said. “In Bhutan, Buddhism is so much emphasised that one even can eat or taste Buddhism.”<br /><br />“One should study and practise Buddhism instead of just stacking kanjur tenjur (religious texts) in one’s house,” rinpoche said. “For Buddhism to live on, only books and texts aren’t going to help us, what we need is the mind.”<br /><br />Even in ancient India, in Nalanda, Buddhism did not die when thousands of monks were slaughtered. It instead flourished, rinpoche said.<br /><br />“The impact of Buddhism doesn’t only rely on textbooks or books; we need to learn, practise and imply on ourselves,” he said. “Once we learn and practise, it will flourish and increase, that’s why many great tutors always emphasise on that.”<br /><br />Even science has limitations to knowledge and certain things aren’t believed because they don’t have live proof of reincarnation, previous life, next life or clairvoyance, rinpoche said.<br /><br />“Nowadays, science has come to the point that many teachings about Buddhism are true, that they’re not unrealistic legends,” he said. “Buddhism is the answer to all our questions.”<br /><br />The rinpoche also spoke on how Buddhism is not a religion and that there is no such thing as a ‘god or creator.’<br /><br />“They’re great enlightened beings in the form of human beings to show us that there’s a way to become enlightened,” rinpoche said. “Anyone can become like the Buddha, because we all have the Buddha nature in our mind, that pure, untouched and undamaged human mind.”<br /><br />One can’t become enlightened right away, but it takes effort, time, discipline and circumstances, rinpoche explained.<br /><br />Rinpoche then filled the hall with laughter when he called everyone to be very boring because, due to the whole system of protocol, people hardly talked to him, rinpoche said.<br /><br />“The foreigners, sometimes, are the only people to talk to, even though I love to talk to Bhutanese and Tibetan people,” he said. “I really want to communicate with people.”<br /><br />Tradition and Buddhism are different things, rinpoche said, and that it was important to understand the difference. “We need tradition to organise the society but if we join tradition and religion, it becomes complicated and problem arises,” rinpoche said.<br /><br />Buddhism talks about ‘mind’ a lot, he said. “The mind is very dangerous; the deadliest weapon in the universe,” rinpoche said.<br /><br />All conflicts until now started because of the mind’s aggression, hatred, lack of contentment of wanting more, ignorance of superior, which made everything destructible, rinpoche said.<br /><br />“It’s not the phenomenon that does damage but the mind,” he said. “If I had a choice, I’d like to take my mind out and wash for few hundred years to get all the dirt out, because I’m so disgusted with my mind.”<br /><br />Each time when I look at my mind, I want to vomit and, because of Buddhism, tutors and learning for many years, made me think that, even if my mind is terrible, there’s a way to cure it, he said.<br /><br />“I understood that I shouldn’t feel guilty or damaged and that there’s a possible way to fix it,” rinpoche said. “I was created in your image and every one of you is created in your own image and perception; Buddhism talks about breaking away from such images because there’s no such thing as an image; everything is projected by the mind.”<br /><br />Buddhism is like an ongoing education that will never stop and each time one learns more, it will give a wide range of understanding, education, mentality and intelligence. “This is the biggest gift, something many of us don’t appreciate,” rinpoche said. “Buddhism is the biggest therapist in the world.”<br /><br />Rinpoche also explained on how the modern world, pumping out all the technologies, advertisements and accessories make younger generation lose interest in Buddhism.<br /><br />“Our greed is so powerful that it’s destroying everything,” rinpoche said. “There’s so much of unfriendliness among people today and it’s so sad.”<br /><br />The sad part in Bhutan is to learn that many young people are committing suicide, rinpoche said, adding how animals or insects would not ever think of committing suicide, even during extreme times.<br /><br />“It’s very sad to learn that and it’s important to learn that there’s always a solution to every problem or difficulty you go through,” rinpoche said. “We can’t buy human life anywhere; it’s a gift and it’s not something we get easily,” he said.<br /><br />Rinpoche advised the audience never to deny Buddhism and lose connection with people around and help one another.<br /><br />“May Buddhism spread in Thimphu, because many are becoming materialistic,” rinpoche said. The program ended with rinpoche giving mani and benza guru lung and aspirations to the audience, motivating them to recite the prayers, instead of just listening to him.<div>
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- Source <a href="http://www.kuenselonline.com/buddhism-is-life-not-religion/#.U_WvY_mSySo">Kuenselonline</a></div>
cosmicdusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12125111194409879300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592260933303033079.post-20561478505968118752010-10-29T20:28:00.001+06:002010-10-29T20:28:11.239+06:00His Holiness prays for fire victims<p><img align="left" src="http://www.kuenselonline.com/newspic2010/10oct28jekhen.jpg"> <p><b>28 October, 2010 - </b>His Holiness the Je Khenpo offered karmi tongchoe (one thousand butter lamps) and special prayers for the deceased and victims of the Chamkhar town fire yesterday.<br>His Holiness is in Dagana, presiding over the first ever moenlam chhenmo (great prayers) in the dzongkhag. <p>The moenlam chhenmo, which began on October 24, will end with tangrak goenpoi tshokbum (feast offering to Mahakala) ceremony and a tshewang (blessing of long life) for the public on October 30. <p>Source: <a href="http://kuenselonline.com">kuenselonline.com</a></p> cosmicdusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12125111194409879300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592260933303033079.post-5863049747987399632010-07-24T13:19:00.001+06:002010-07-24T13:19:59.772+06:00Buddha said it all<h3>Source: <a href="http://bhutanobserver">bhutanobserver</a></h3> <p>23 July 2010 <p><em>Workshop finds links between Buddhist principles and human rights concepts</em> <p>Lord Buddha had the concept of natural rights, rights be longing to a person by nature, because he was a human be ing. He treasured right to life and denounced destruction of it, the Chief Justice of the Su preme Court, Lyonpo Sonam Tobgye, said. <p>He was speaking at the Inception Workshop on Hu man Rights and Buddhism in Semtokha yesterday. The workshop was aimed at estab lishing a clear understanding of the concept of human rights from a Buddhist perspective. <p>Lyonpo Sonam Tobgye said that Bhutan’s political and religious traditions called on rulers to rule justly and compassionately, delineating limits on their powers over the lives, property and activities of their citizens were integral to the way of life. <p>“All these principles are ingrained in our spiri tual heritage and the laws of Zhabdrung, Mipham Wangpo, Desi Sherub Wangchuk and Thrimzhung Chhenmo,” he said, explaining how Buddhist principles had defined laws not only in the Bhutanese context but universally. <p>Lyonpo said that article 7, section 4 of the constitution, which corresponds to article 18 of the universal declara tion of human rights, pro vides for freedom of thought, conscience and religion as the basic right of all. He said that, from the Buddhist perspec tive, it was enunciated when the Buddha said, “On my path, all are considered equal.” <p>The Chief Justice also cited Buddhist principles as being related to constitutional rights such as the right to life, liberty and security of a per son. He said that, under article 7, section 1 of the constitution that emphasizes the right to life, “Deprival of the right of life is “Sok Choepa” in the Buddhist principle.” <p>On Article 7, section 2 of the constitution, Lyonpo said freedom of speech, opinion and expression can check and deter “the tyranny of opinion that silences others’ voices.” “It has been done well in Bhutan through unrestrained appeal to His Majesty,” he said. <p>Lyonpo Sonam Tobgye also said that Buddhist principles are not only applicable in the Bhutanese context, but universally. He said that in ju dicial history, personal rights like the right to vote, freedom of speech, thought and con science, and personal liberty occupied a higher status in the hierarchy of values than property rights. <p>“Hence, Lord Buddha said that ‘every living being deserves to enjoy a sense of security and well being. We should protect life and bring happiness to others,’ he said. This Buddhist principle relates to article three of the universal declaration of hu man rights, which states that “everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of a person.” <p>The Chief Justice said Bhutan had embarked upon inculcating Buddhist concepts in defining the law of the land. Article 7, section 17 and 18 of the constitution enshrines that no one shall be subjected to torture or cruel punish ment including capital pun ishment. Bhutan is a Buddhist country, the society of which is founded on the values of tolerance and compassion, he said. Therefore, capital punishment was abolished in 1994 by a royal decree. <p>Freedom of speech was highlighted in a modern con text. The Chief Justice pointed out how democracy without the freedom of speech, opin ion and expression has been ineffective through the ‘groan ing aguish of the people’. <p>“Censorship and suppres sion of publication discour ages all true scholarships and learning which reflects article 19 of Human Rights,” said Ly onpo, adding that Lord Bud dha had enunciated the same concept in Praj Parimitra in the form of Mra-sam, Joe-sam and du-jae-sum. <p>According to the director of Institute of Language and Cul ture Studies (ILCS), Lungten Gyaetsho, human rights have become important in the modern world, especially with Bhutan adopting GNH as the development philoso phy. “The whole machinery functions around the welfare of human beings and human rights,” he said. <p>The workshop on human rights and Buddhism was organised by the Institute of Language and Culture Studies (ILCS) with support from UNDP and the Netherlands Embassy in New Delhi. <p>The ILCS and Royal Uni versity of Bhutan took up the project in the hope of provid ing a wider perspective on hu­man life and its significance, and to enrich and broaden the scope of conventional concept of human rights. <p><strong>By Namgay Tshering</strong></p> cosmicdusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12125111194409879300noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592260933303033079.post-46576042533860179652010-07-16T02:11:00.001+06:002010-07-16T02:11:05.185+06:00Thuksey Rimpoche's purjang held<p>Source: <a href="http://bbs.com.bt">bbs.com.bt</a></p> <p><img border="1" src="http://www.bbs.com.bt/Pics/purjangThukseyRimpoche .gif" width="230" height="185"> <p>July 15: Coinciding with the first sermon of Lord Buddha, the purjang ceremony or cremation of His Eminence Lhalung Thuksey Rimpoche was held today.<br>The ceremony was held at Kenchosum Lhakhang in Bumthang. Thuksey Rimpoche passed away in Thimphu on April 18th.<br>The purjang ceremony was presided over by His Eminence Chabjey Dujom Yangsey, Sungtruel Rimpoche, Gangtey Trulku and Tseyen Lopen of the Zhungdratshang.<br>During the purjang ceremony devotees from across the country gathered at the Kenchosum Lhakhang to pay homage and pray for the early rebirth of the late Thuksey Rimpoche. <p><img border="1" src="http://www.bbs.com.bt/Pics/purjangThukseyRimpoche-1.gif" width="230" height="180"> <p>His eminence was 59 years old. His eminence died from complications of chronic renal failure due to prolonged diabetes.<br>His eminence was the 10th reincarnation of Terton Pema Lingpa’s son, Thuksey Dawa. He was born in a central Tibetan region, Dranang Tsayul in 1951.<br>Thuksey Rimpoche was enthroned as the 10th Thuksey of Lhalung Thegcholing monastery in Tibet at the age of six.<br>Rimpoche fled to Bhutan from Tibet in 1960 at the age of nine.<br>Thuksey Rimpoche has conducted numerous religious ceremonies in the country, including oral transmission of Peling Choekhor and oral transmission of Kangyur. cosmicdusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12125111194409879300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592260933303033079.post-73518856625701921632010-07-07T14:48:00.001+06:002010-07-07T14:48:34.034+06:00Zhung dratshang to set up new system<p><a href="http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=15997">Source: kuenselonline.com</a> <p><i>Sparing His Holiness’s presence</i> <p><img align="left" src="http://www.kuenselonline.com/newspic2010/10july3je.jpg"> <p><b>His Holiness performs the Zhiwai Jinseg (burnt offering) for the departed</b> <p><b></b> </p> <p><b></b> </p> <p><b></b> </p> <p><b></b> </p> <p><b>Wangkur (Cremation Rites) 6 July, 2010 - </b>His Holiness the Je Khenpo may not be seen at the Thimphu cremation ground performing Wangkur or cremation rites.<br>The zhung dratshang (central monk body) is in the process of setting up a system where the presence of His Holiness may not be required when cremation rites at the Thimphu crematorium. </p> <p>Until now HH the Je Khenpo conducts at least 30 cremation rites a year in Thimphu for people from all walks of life. According to a senior monk, at least 70 people are cremated in a month at the Thimphu crematorium. <p>“People are of the thought that His Holiness only performs cremation rites for the well to do, but this is not true,” said the Zhung dratshang’s tshugla lopen, Samten Dorji. “His Holiness is very busy and therefore can’t attend.” <p>According to the new system that the dratshang is creating, His Holiness will not perform cremation rites for everyone, irrespective of who they are. <p>“It was not that His Holiness didn’t want to appear in a common place like the crematorium, but this system could give His Holiness adequate time to perform other important rituals, such as annual drupchen, melam chenmo, oral transmission, empowerments and blessings for the well being of all sentient beings,” said Lopen Samten Dorji. The zhung dorji lopen will instead conduct the cremation rites on behalf of His Holiness. <p>Meanwhile, the central monk body has initiated a ritual called zhiwai jinseg (burnt offering), where the names of the deceased are symbolically burnt. This zhiwai jinseg is performed by His Holiness at the Tendrelthang, behind the Tashichhodzong in Thimphu. <p>The zhiwai jinseg began yesterday in Thimphu. The symbolic burning of deceased names cleans all the negative merit and defilements accumulated by the deceased, which is then offered to the lord of death to free them from samsara and the intermediate state. According to a senior monk, His Holiness will perform these rites even at his residence if anyone requests it. <p>The three-day burnt offering ceremony ends tomorrow. <p>This is the second reform the zhung dratshang has initiated in recent years. In 2000, it did away with cash and meal offering to monks performing cremation rites. This had become a heavy burden for poor families, said Lopen Samten Dorji. <p><b>By Tenzin Namgyel</b> cosmicdusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12125111194409879300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592260933303033079.post-73077965885305592552010-06-30T16:34:00.001+06:002010-06-30T16:38:50.738+06:00Largest Thanka in Bhutan<p>Source: <a href="http://kuenselonline.com">kuenselonline.com</a> <p><img align="left" src="http://www.kuenselonline.com/newspic2010/10june30thongdrel.jpg" width="390" height="259"> <p><b></b> <p><b></b> <p><b></b> <p><b></b> <p><b></b> <p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>Bhutan’s largest thongdrol, depicting the 8th century Nyingma master, Guru Padmasambhava, as Ngangsoed Zilnon, unfurled at the Tashichhodzong yesterday morning</p> <p><strong>From: <a href="http://bbs.com.bt">bbs.com.bt</a></strong> <p><strong>Biggest Thongdroel consecrated</strong> <p><img border="1" src="http://www.bbs.com.bt/Pics/BiggestGuruThongdre.gif" width="300" height="238"> <p>June 29: His Holiness the Je Khenpo consecrated the Guru Thongdroel at the Tashichhodzong earlier this morning. The Thondroel, measuring 108 by 85 feet, will be the biggest Thongdroel in the country.<br>The Thongdroel is being offered to the government by Khenpo Sangay Choeda, from Bumthang.<br>It took over two years to make the Thongdroel. He said that the Thongdroel was constructed for the long life of the Monarchs and for the peace and harmony of the Kingdom.<br>The Prime Minister Lyonchhen Jigmi Y. Thinley, Cabinet Ministers, parliamentarians and senior government officials were also present at the consecration ceremony. </p> cosmicdusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12125111194409879300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592260933303033079.post-80410739118643385392010-06-29T14:02:00.001+06:002010-06-29T14:02:34.062+06:00Guru Padmasambhava’s thongdrol consecration<p>source: <a href="http://kuenselonline.com">kuenselonline.com</a> <p><b>29 June, 2010 - </b>His Holiness the Je Khenpo will consecrate Bhutan’s largest thongdroel, depicting the 8th century Nyingma master, Guru Padmasambhava, as Ngangsoed Zilnon, at the Tashichhodzong today.<br>Measuring 108 by 85 feet, the thongdroel was offered to the royal government by khenpo Sangay Choeda, a Buddhist monk from Chokhortoe in Bumthang. <p>The construction of the thongdroel began in December 2007 in Thimphu, and took three years to be completed, according to Khenpo Sangay Choeda. <p>The unfurling will begin at 6.30 am, and the consecration will be done two hours later. The prime minister, cabinet ministers, MPs and senior bureaucrats are expected to attend the ceremony. <p>A government spokesperson said that khenpo Sangay Choeda, who is a graduate of the prestigious Nyingma Buddhist institute in Mysore, India, had decided to offer the thongdroel as kurim for peace and harmony in the kingdom. cosmicdusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12125111194409879300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592260933303033079.post-71318044953531400932010-06-27T17:12:00.001+06:002010-06-27T17:12:20.073+06:00Where is Guru Rinpoche’s Bhutan?<p>source: <a href="http://kuenselonline.com">kuenselonline.com</a> <p><i><b>Part 2 of 4 </b>Condensed from Dasho Karma Ura’s forthcoming booklet</i> <p><b>PERSPECTIVES 27 June, 2010 - Mon Kings and Mon Consort </b><br>V ery little about economic and social conditions in Bhutan are recorded in the Hagiography of Sindharaza or old terma writings. There are, however, nuggets of other information. Gold dust was the high currency. Sindharaza sent escorts with pouches of gold dust to fetch Guru from India. Silk seems to have reached the court of Sindharaza.<br>Guru sat on a three-tiered silken (za ‘og) mattress and was served grain-drink (‘bras chang) as well as drink made out of date fruit (rgun ‘brum) in a golden cup in Bumthang. Yeshey Tshogyal was served honey and buffalo milk by Tashi Chidron in Singye Dzong during a brief break from her partial fasting and solitary meditation in the cave. <p>At the time of Guru’s visit, patchy information tells us that Bhutan had two kings: Sindharaza of Mon Bumthang, who worshipped Shiva until Guru converted him; and Mon King Hamray (Ham Ras) in the East, perhaps ruling some areas of Kurtoe often referred as Kurulung or Kurilung in old texts. King Hamray was the father of Khidren (khyi ‘dren), who was renamed by Jomo (lady) Yeshey Tshogyal as Tashi Chidron (Krashi sPyi sdron). I mention these facts categorically to correct the rampant errors about her origin and name repeated from secondary sources in almost all books. The Bhutanese born Tashi Chidron should have been a subject of debri portraiture and statue. She became a highly realized person. At one stage in her life, she enterred into an eleven year retreat with Yeshey Tshogyal at Shang Zabu. Tashi Chidren was present at the time of Yeshey Tshogyal’s passing away through ‘ja’ lus at Pama Gangphug. At 16, some three years after Yeshey Tshogyal first met her at Singye Dzong, Tashi Chidron played the role of supporting consort (gzungs ma) in the cycle of Vajrakila with Guru in Onphu Taktshang (See mKha’ ‘dro Yeshey Tsho rgyal gyi rNamthar KMT 2005: 120-122, hence abbreviated to KMT 2005). Guru selected her for this role because of her wisdom dakini attributes. Guru foretold that the diffusion of Vajrakila depended on her. She was regarded as one of the five emanations of Dorji Phagmo (Thunderbolt Sow). Besides Hamray and Sindharaza, there was an exiled Tibetan prince, Khikha Rathoed, living in Khenpajong, who had moved from place to place and was finally resettled by Guru in Choskhor Jalikhar. <p>Buddhist temples such as Tselung, Jambay and Genyen Lhakhangs and a fantastic palace of Sindharaza could be seen in Choskhor at the time of Guru’s travels. An oral tradition of the Monpas of Tongsa maintain that Guru came up from India through Nabji, Kubrag, Phrumzur and Jangbi and reached Bumthang via Ngangdagla. Their King Marapai (the one with long beard in Monpakha) played host to Guru. His modest palace foundation can be seen today at Kubrag on the Nabji Korphu tourist trial. <p>When Guru enterred Monyul, perhaps for the third recorded time, later through Singye Dzong (often known as Monkha Nerengphug in old texts), he came from Mangyul Gunthang and Lhodrag Karchu. Kyikha Rathoed invited Guru to Khenpajong. Although Bhutan figured strongly in the map of the tertons and other religious figures, not being explorers, they hardly mentioned routes in their writings. A few do vaguely. Terton Sherab Member, who lived before Pemalingpa; Pemalingpa; and Trulku Chogden Gonpo, a younger contemporary and disciple of Pemalingpa, visited Khenpajong (see Choden Gonpo’s and Sherab Member’s autobiographies). Sherab Member and Chogden Gonpo, the emanation of Terton Dorji Lingpa (1346-1405), who was in turn the emanation of Bairotsana (750-835) (see Jamgon Kongtrul’s autobiography) mentioned that they went to Khenpajong via Khoma Pangkhar village crossing Zela. In all likelihood, Guru travelled from Lhodrag to Khenpajong along the route connecting Lhodrag, Boedla, Gangla, Singye Dzong, Denchung, Khomakang, Khoma Pangkhar and Khenpajong. <p><b>Round Sitting Peace Conference</b><br>During another of Guru’s visits, most likely the second one, the purpose was to restore peace between the warring kings, Sindharaza of Bumthang and Nauche of India. Both were summoned by Guru at the border of India and Mon as Bhutan was known then (rja mon gyi mtshams su ‘bod par byao). <p>Sindharaza and his 50 ministers, and Indian king Nauche with his entourage of 80 met at the wide treeless plain that was named Nathang (Oath Ground) after they pledged not to fight anymore. The two embattled kings and Guru erected the Immortal Stone Pillar of Peace (‘chi med zhi wai rdoring btsugs), placed their hands on it, and swore that their forces will not cross over this point. Future archeological investigations into the intact stone pillar will settle the question of when Guru visited Bhutan precisely. Due to lack of official attention, the temple of Nabji which contains the Immortal Stone Pillar of Peace, is not widely known. This hardly noticed site is of monumental importance to Bhutan. <p>The successful ‘roundtable’ peace conference (dbyen zlum zhing ‘cham par bya ste) was concluded by Guru giving empowerment of Druba Kagyed or the Eight Great Herukas (sgrub pa bka brgyad), and making the two kings become friends in this life, and enabling them to meet in heavens in the afterlife. Druba Kagyed consists of gshin rje gshed, rta mgrin, yang dag, che mchog, phur pa, ma mo rbod gtong, dmod pa drag sngags, and ‘jig rten mchod bstod. Empowerment of the Druba Kagyed would mean the initiation of those present at Nathang into the practice of these eight deities. The teachings of Druba Kagyed is considered to be one of the main teachings of Guru and the texts on Druba Kagyed (titled bKa brgyad bde gshegs ‘dus pa’i chos skor) were discovered later as terma by Nyangrel. <p><b>Pioneering Longevity Extension Technique</b><br>Guru also first came to Bumthang to heal King Sindharaza whose his bLa and life force (bla srog) had been robbed by the spirit, Sogdag Shelging Karpo. bLa and srog has no appropriate words in English (see Cornu P.1997: 85-87). The bla of an individual, which cannot reincarnate, resides normally in the person but it can wander off and live in other parts of our physical environment. Srog (life force or biologically heart condition) is located in the heart and lasts as long as life does. The idea that bla is separable from the body by means of theft by evil forces is considered a pre-Buddhist idea. Guru returned the lost bla and life force to Sindharaza, healing him. The spirits who attacked Sindharaza were turned into positive agents. The widespread narrative of conversion of various kinds of spirits from harmful to helpful dispositions demonstrates the classic role of Guru as the moral and psychological teacher. It is also symbolic of the view that there is no absolute evil. However, to me, local deities of mountains, forests and rivers are personification of these complex ecologies, having spirits and life of their own. It has a parallel, in my opinion, to Giai hypothesis (Lovelock J. 1979), though at a micro level. What I conclude from terma text of ‘chimed srog thig is the important view that causation of illnesses can lie in wider environment. For people to have a fuller wellbeing involves the concepts of bla, life force (vitality), lus (energy level of the body), wangthang (dbang thang), which is capability and empowerment to achieve goals. <p>At the recovery celebration, Guru gave the entourage empowerment of Chana Dorji (Vajrapani). The whole episode about healing is very short: the Hagiography assumes a greater understanding about healing rituals by Guru on the part of readers. For readers unfamiliar with corpus of life extension technique, the act of restoring life force must seem mystical and irrelevant to health practices. Blaming displeased deities, malevolent spirits for illness is part of a personalist medical system, while the naturalist system traces the cause of illness to virus, weather, pollution etc (Samuel G. 2009: 7-10). If the spirit approach works, it is assumed to work on the psychological level rather than organic level. However, spirit approach also works on the body level because psychological changes affect physiological processes. The question is how the mysterious placebo effect arises. The issue is relevant in Bhutan where the performance of healing and protective rituals to block the threat of illnesses caused by spirits and other malicious causes are widespread. It is also important to demystify how Guru healed Sindharaza from a spirit attack. <p>Let me briefly weave the role of longevity ritual into the narrative of restoring the health of Sindharaza. The longevity ritual is known as tshe drup (or bla ma tshe dpag med kyi sdrup pa in full). The question ultimately is about validity and efficacy of tshe drup or tshewang because restoring bla and life force is part of it. The longevity rite originated with Guru and Madarava who practiced it in the Maratika cave, and was practiced later by disciples of Guru. Singye Dzong and Takstshang were important sites where Yeshey Tshogyal and other disciples practiced and witnessed the mandala of Guru Amitayus Yab-Yum. The central diety for visualization was Guru Amitayus, also known as Guru Pema Thodthrengtsal, and his consort (blama tshe dpag med yab yum). The origin and transmission of the tersar text of longevity practice ‘chimed rsog thig’ (Immortal Life’s Creative Seed) is a subject of illuminating joint article by Cathy Cantwell and Robert Mayer (Cantwell G and Mayer Robert, 2009). The terma hidden by Yeshey Tshogyal was revealed in 1908 at the cave of Singye Dzong by Zilnon Namkhai Dorji (1874-), the root lama of the late Dudjom Rinpoche (1904-87) and Karmapa Khachap Dorji. The deduction of terma text of ‘chimed srog thig from dakini script was carried out most likely when Zilnon lived in Bumthang with the patronage of King Ugyen Wangchuck, because its colophon mentions the palace and king of Lhomon. The terma titled ‘chimed rsog thig corpus was incorporated by Dudjom Rinpoche in his gsung ‘bum dam chos rin chen nor bu’i mzodm, Vol pha :193-554. ‘Chimed rsog thig corpus suggests that longevity is affected not only by theft and attack on life force by various powerful spirits such as driza, shinje, luwang, nodjin, firegod, cannibal, wind god, and four kinds of demons. There are other credible factors: (1) the decline of life force and breath, (2) the loss of body and mood, (3) the interruption in the subtle neurological, respiratory and libido processes (rtsa-rlung-thigle) (Dudjom 1999: pp. 110-122). Accordingly, a comphrehensive method of recovering longevity encompasses five elements: (1) ritual seeking jinlab from the assembly of Amitayus Buddhas and protector deities: (2) burnt offerings to the fire gods of wisdom (yeshey kyi me lha); (3) casting away of effigies of scapegoat as substitutes for meat, blood and life force to repurchase bla and life force (sha rin khrag tsab srog gi glud, see Dudjom 1999: 354); (4) consumption of herbal pharma products and other essences such as that of minerals (Dudjom 1999: 449-450); (5) the ultra secret practice of union following sbyor dnyos rje gsum (Dudjom 1999: 492-506); (6) longevity blessing (tse dbang), and (7) psycho-physical yogic exercise to work on subtle parts of neurological, respiratory and libido systems; and, more importantly, (8) visualisation and meditation that activates perceptional mechanism in a different way and reorients consciousness (see Part 1 of this article). In the case of longevity blessings with longevity nectar (‘chimed rdud tsi), longevity arrow-silk (tse dhar) and longevity pill (tse ril), the recipient visualizes Amitayus blessing the recipient with healing power and energy through the performing lama. One of the key assumptions behind the longevity practice is the body as an open system influenced by the environment (psychological, sociological, nutritional, spiritual etc.) in the widest sense of the term. If the body is an open system, then a mix of naturalist and personalist approaches to health is more comprehensive. <p>This broader context was drawn to provide an understanding that Guru’s healing of Sindharaza by returning his life force stems from a more complex longevity technique Guru developed. This explanation is also applicable to the content of longevity practice of Guru Amitayus that Yeshey Tshogyal took at Paro Taktshang that I will elaborate later. cosmicdusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12125111194409879300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592260933303033079.post-23645385897770507022010-06-26T11:57:00.001+06:002010-06-26T11:57:11.322+06:00Expanding the role of the monk body<p>From: <a href="http://kuenselonline.com">kuenselonline.com</a> <p><img align="left" src="http://www.kuenselonline.com/newspic2010/10june24MONKS.jpg"> <p><b>Dratshang Conference: Monks on the first floor of the Tashichodzong kunra </b>Photo : Karma Dupchu <p><b>Annual Dratshang Conference 24 June, 2010 - </b>Providing Dzongkha language classes for university graduates as part of the community outreach programme of the dratshang lhentshog (special commission) is one of the issues discussed at the 7-day annual dratshang conference in Thimphu, which started yesterday.<br>“It’s mainly to assist university graduates, who return home after studying abroad and are appearing for the civil service examinations,” said dratshang lhentshog officials. <p>The director of the dratshang lhentshog, Karma Penjore, told Kuensel that he could provide teachers and teaching equipment, provided there is space available to hold classes. “We’ll also be discussing how to explore other areas to provide social services, like conducting religious discourses in schools, which are already in practice,” he said. <p><img align="left" src="http://www.kuenselonline.com/newspic2010/10june24dra.jpg"> <p><b>Community Outreach: Program Taking monastic expertise to the people</b> <p>Officials from gross national happiness (GNH) commission, budget, public accounts, revenue and customs and the royal audit authority made presentations on their policies and procedures yesterday to the 70 lam netens, shedra (monastic college) principals and secretaries of the monastic body and the five lopens of the zhung dratshang attending the conference. <p>The anti-corruption commission (ACC) and royal Bhutan police (RBP) will be making their presentations today. <p>The conference will also discuss strengthening dratshang education, meditation and learning, registration and record keeping of religious items, dratshang scholarships to underprivileged children, helping poor patients in hospitals and strengthening administration and coordination. <p>According to Karma Penjore, there are about 15 shedras, three major zhirim lobdras (basic education schools) and about 100 small zhirim lobdras, with 7,027 officially registered monks in the country. <p>His Holiness the Je Khenpo, Trulku Jigme Choeda, attended the opening ceremony of the conference, which was held on the first floor of Tashichodzong’s kunra. <p>The conference will conclude on June 30. <p><b>By Nima Wangdi</b> cosmicdusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12125111194409879300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592260933303033079.post-66497025261309749682010-06-19T16:27:00.001+06:002010-06-19T16:27:03.984+06:00Guru Padmasambhava’s Bhutan<p><b>Source: <a href="http://Where is Guru Rinpoche’s Bhutan?">Where is Guru Rinpoche’s Bhutan?</a></b> <p><i>Part 1 of 2: Condensed from Dasho Karma Ura’s forthcoming booklet</i> <p><img align="left" src="http://www.kuenselonline.com/newspic2010/10june19singye.jpg"> <p><b></b> <p><b>Singye Dzong</b> <p><b></b> </p> <p><b></b> </p> <p><b></b> </p> <p><b></b> </p> <p><b></b> </p> <p><b></b> </p> <p><b>PERSPECTIVES 19 June, 2010 - Many Sources on Guru’s Life</b><br>21st June marks the birth anniversary of Guru, the son of King Indrabhuti in some accounts, or the lad of lotus blossom in most accounts , born in Udiyana in a place that we cannot identify exactly now.<br>His emergence out of a lotus flower may escape the understanding of history and science, or even anthropology. But to deny multiple meanings and realities is uni-dimensionally narrow. The awesome life, travels, works and ideas of Guru are subject of numerous terma biographies, revealed by Nyangrel Nima Yoser (1124-1192), Guru Choewang (1212-1270), Ugyen Lingpa (b.1323), and Pemalingpa (1450-1526). There is one written by Jonang Taranatha (1575-1634) from Indian sources. Jamgon Kongtrul (1813-1899), who came from a Bon family, added a Bon version of Guru’s biography (Ngawang Zangpo 2002). The terma biographies are rich literature written in allusive, metaphorical language. Among them, Ugyen Lingpa’s Padma Kathang is crowning jewel of many colours: lyrical, stirring, vast, shocking, raw, baffling, mysterious, tense and inhumanly brilliant.</p> <p>Other books yield direct, additional information about Guru’s life. Guru’s relationship with Bhutan (Monyul) is clearer from biographies of other individuals. The Hagiography of Sindharaza and Clear Mirror of Prediction’ by terton Ugyen, who was an emanation of Denma Tsemang, is a key text. A version of this story was documented first by a certain Tibetan terton Molmokhyil (1087-1146), and incorporated into Jamgon Kongtrul’s (1813-1899) Rinchenterdzod in 1880 (Aris 1979: 50-82). The terma biography of Guru by Pemalingpa (1450-1526); the biography of Yeshey Tshogyal, originally written by Gyalwa Jangchub and Namkhai Nyingpo but revealed as terma by Taksam; the fragments of biography and works of Terton Sherab Member (contemporary of Ugyen Lingpa and Longchen’s root lama Rinzin Kumara raza, hence much before Pema Lingpa); the biography of Ratna Lingpa (1403-1478), the author who redacted Nyingma Gyudbum (100,000 tantras of Nyingma) are useful sources. <p><b>Vajrayana Vision of Human Potentials</b><br>Guru is still active, through his promised appearances in the pure vision of adherents, particularly on his birthdays. As a dharmakaya figure (chos sku), Guru exists in the fourth or primal time that is not past, present or future. Through his real activities in the 8th century and emanations’ deeds, he animated consciousness of accomplished practitioners and nourished a particular kind of civilization in this country known as Monyul in his time. The complex concept of chos sku represents both a potential for human existence (Samuel G. 1993: 19) and a social, economic and cultural pattern that favour the realization of the Vajrayana view of human potentials. There are now other competing views of human existence and potentials which drive the activities of the people and the State. But the Vajrayana view of human potentials was what Guru brought to us in the 8th century, along with an approach to structuring the mind towards non-duality and the cultivation of a different kind of consciousness. <p>Guru came at a moment in history, the 8th century, when tantric practices dominated Buddhism in India. The word, Vajrayana, itself had appeared in the tantric texts only in the late seventh century, although tantric texts appeared first in the 3rd century (Williams P. 2000: 194-199). Guru’s coming Bhutan and Tibet was of gigantic socio-economic and political consequences, beyond his introduction of sutra and mantra. Tantra-based Buddhism he brought oriented people towards an alternative state of consciousness about a more humane relationship among people and between people and the natural order. This alternative consciousness emerged from shamanic process that led practitioners into visionary states or revelation (see Samuel 1993: 363-377 for an extensive discussion on shamanic process). Samuel contrasted shamanic process with rationalized process. The word shamanic, being associated with pawo and nenjom, is likely to be misunderstood in Bhutan without a couple of examples. Key Buddhist practices can be seen as shamanic. Insight meditation is a shamanic method to enter into a visionary state. Buddha’s overcoming of Mara’s attack was a shamanic control that Guru repeated with his symbolic control over spirits over and over again. A wandering ascetic like Thangtong Gyelpo (1385–1464?) or Drukpa Kunlay (1455-1529) was an enlightened shaman drawing authority and inspiration from beyond the organized, monastic structures. <p>Against this broader background, Vajrayana variety Guru brought can be seen as particularly more yogic, shamanic, tantric, de-centered and social centric. <p>As we will come across later, all of Guru’s great heirs, such as Dorji Lingpa, Thangtong Gyelpo, Guru Choewing, Ratna Lingpa, Sherab Member, Pema Lingpa, Drukpa Kunley, Dudjom Rinpoche who operated in Bhutan were part of this visionary tradition. Others like Phajo Drukgom and Zhabdrung Rinpoche were more clerical and institutional. Guru’s introduction of Vajrayana resulted in dominant national characteristics of which a few can be discussed briefly here. <p><b>Inner and Outer Healing</b><br>The first effect we still enjoy is that our land became broadly pacified and peaceful under the influence of Vajrayana. It is important to appreciate the cause of peace, just as the state of peace itself. Because of the spread of Buddhism by Guru and his disciples and their disciples during both the first and second transmissions (bstan pa snga ‘gyur dang phyi ‘gyur), a particular world view took hold and that influenced polity and culture. The stress on cultivation of peace within people led broadly to peace in communities. <p>To the North, Guru’s conversion of Tibet to Vajrayana pacified Tibet’s imperial ambitions so that it became a non-threatening empire, as its polity changed (Ngawang Zangpo 2002: 87-88). Tibetan legislation since Trisong’s reign harmonized relatively more with Buddhist moral principles, with certain exceptions (see Kapstein 2000: 57). <p>Guru brought peace to Bhutan in an overt way by stopping the war between King Sindharaza of Mon Bumthang and King Nauche of India. But external peace cannot be sustained without peace at heart. <p>For inner development and peace, the peace conference between the two was concluded by giving empowerment of Druba Kagyed or the Eight Great Herukas (sgrub pa bka brgyad), making the two kings become friends. Guru also gave heart-essence (snying gyi thigs pa) teachings of ‘dzogpa chenpo selwai melong’ to a 500 strong entourage of Sindharaza and Kyikha Rathoed in Kurjay, leading them to the fruits of enlightenment on the spot. It was a devotional scene reminiscent of events down the centuries where lamas gave teachings to lay people and nobles in the wide meadows of Kurjay. Thus Dzogchen teachings started early in Bhutan by this account. <p><b>Enlightenment Education</b><br>The second effect of Guru’s visit to the Himalayas was the spread of enlightenment education through translations of Indian texts into classical Tibetan which are read increasing widely today among scholars. Guru was a colossal engine of translation and transmission of works from Indian civilization to the Himalayas. Two chapters (87 and 88) in Padma Kathang enumerates the translation Guru carried out with 108 Tibetan translators and 21 Indian pandits (KMT edition of mkha’ ‘dro Yeshey Tshogyal gyi rnam mthar 2005: 151. Hence abbreviated to KMT) at Samye under Trisong’s magnificent patronage. Among the sutras, almost all the classic authors studied today like Vasubandhu, Nagarjuna, Santarakshita, Kamalasila, Asvagosha, Chandrakirti, Dinaga, Asanga, Shantideva, Dharmakirti, and Arya Deva were translated at that time in Samye. The list of tantras translated is far longer. Without the availability of these translated texts, Buddhism would not have cascaded down the slopes of Himalayas and spread over the wide plateau of Tibet. Nor would 73 million-words long Kanjur and Tenjur get compiled gradually over the centuries without the high, initial burst of translation (Tharthang Trulku in Introduction to Toussaint 1978). Through the transmission of learning based on these classic texts, the same ideas about cosmology and causation framed the views of most Bhutanese, until Western schooling started in the 1960s. Though people do not believe in world geography according to Abhidharma, a lack of reasoning among a growing section of the Bhutanese in the necessary connection between samsara and karma is surely a profound shift occurring today (see Khewang Tshultrim Lodrey, 2003 for a lucid defense of such classic reasoning). From our cultural point of view, it is even more radical that big private and public organizations do not take account of this ethical reasoning in their operations. Ministries and corporations hedging under corporate social responsibility may fall far short of this fuller ethical reasoning. <p><b>Silent Zones</b><br>The third result of Guru’s visit is the notion of living in the midst of sacral sites associated with Guru such as Kurjay, Singye Dzong, Gomokora and Taktshang. Guru visited numerous parts of Bhutan for teaching and practice. They are our holy lands. Take Singye Dzong’s direct association with Guru. Nyangrel’s Phurba Yangsang Lamed (p. 2) names five key disciples of Guru, namely, Namkhai Nyingpo, Gyalwa Chogyang, Nanam Dorji Dudjom, Ladrong Konchog Jungney, Shelkar Za, and Yeshey Tshogyal as having received Vajrakila teachings at Singye dzong from Guru. There is a big flat boulder in Singye dzong claimed to have been the place, according to oral tradition, where Guru and his disciples sat in discourse. Yeshey Tshogyal was in Singye Dzong, arriving first with her two companions. One of the companions was her ritual partner, an Indian youth (Acharya) from Nepal who had a Yemenis sounding name called Saleh (KMT: 7). As foretold by Guru, she had fetched him earlier at great price from Nepal. Guru gave thirteen teachings on Vajrakila at Singye Dzong to Yeshey Tshogyal (bdag mkha’ chen bzas/ rdo rje phur pai skor la yang zab snying poi chos skor cu gsum zhus). From Singye Dzong, Yeshey Tshogyal and her fellow practitioners went to live at least seven months in Paro Taktsang to meditate on Guru Amitayus. Guru stayed for three months in Singye dzong, four months in Taktsang and two months in Chumophug and for more than year in other places including Cheldrag in Paro (see Pema Lingpa’s Chos ‘gyung Mun sel sDron me smad chag: 277). Padma Kathang notes that Guru spent, among other places in Monyul, three months in Mon Gom, or Gomokora. In Mo rgyud kuntu bzang mo klong gsel’ bar ba Nyima’ gsang rgyud, Terton Sherab Membar reveals that this female tantra text was recorded by Yeshey Tshogyal during its teaching by Guru at Taktshang. The omnisient Jigme Lingpa (1729–1798), who hardly missed anything printed, also noted that Guru stayed for three months in Singye Dzong and four months in Paro Taktsang (see Jigme Lingpa’s gTam tshog: 608). <p>These holy places of Guru have triggered that part of us as pilgrims, in search of our own divine nature that is increasingly obscured. Travels in the footsteps of Guru are a way of re-igniting his teachings and practices among us on the pilgrimage process. Yet commodification of these spiritual arenas will hollow them, instead of hallowing them. The outbreak of tourists to fulfill their momentary curiousity about these places, as opposed to pilgrims on the path of spiritual renewal, presents new problems. If the key sacral places become spectacles of tourism, they lose their attributes as isolated mountains sites for contemplation (dba’n pai ri khrod) (See Kumar Satish, 2009 for differences between pilgrims and tourists). <p><b>Rocks Archives of Ter</b><br>Most of these sacral places are also venues where Guru and his root-disciples deposited texts and other relics as ter. Some of the ters were concealed by Guru but a vast number of teachings by Guru were recorded textually by Yeshey Tshogyal in dakini and other scripts and hidden as ter. Taktshang, Kurjay, and Singyedzong are hallowed not only because Guru practiced and taught in these places. They became charged with ters that were retrieved later by pre-ordained masters to reinvigorate teachings. From Taktshang, Thangtong Gyalpo retrieved 1 scroll of yellow paper (see his biography: 202); Dorji Lingpa (1346-1405) retrieved a zab ter Sethurma(see his biography: 56, see Karmay Samten); and Dudjom Jigrel Yeshey Dorji (1904-1987) revealed Phurpa Pudri Regphung (Samuel G 2008). Sherab Member retrieved a list of ter he was to extract from a cave called Zangphug behind Singye Dzong. Ratna Lingpa also visited Singye Dzong and revealed a text titled ‘glong gsal snying tig’. In his biography (bka’ ‘bum: 70), Ratna Lingpa gives a description of Singye Dzongsum in terms of Pawo Padma dzong on the right, Khando Rinchen dzong on the left, Drakar Singye Dzong at the centre and Nering meadows in the front. Ratna Lingpa reveals zab ter dam chos klong gsal nying tig while he was at Singye Dzong ((bka’ ‘bum), The latest terma text was the corpus of ‘chimed srog thig, revealed by Terton Zilnon Namkha Dorji in 1908 (Dudjom 1999, Vol 14; Cantwell Cathy et al 2009). Other places where Guru’s ters were found repeatedly by successive tertons were concentrated in Bumthang: at Rimochen, Nering Drag, Jamba Lhakhang, and Tselung Lhakhang. <p>Many extraordinary individuals have been thrown into a visionary state when they were at Taktshang. They included Chogyam Trungpa (1940-1987) and Dilgo Khyentse (1910-1991) both of whom composed at Taktshang in a visionary state. Most recently, on 21 February 2010, His Majesty the King, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, had a solitary day of prayer in the cave of Taktshang, during which he had a sublime experience and a powerful impulse to write a supplication text to Guru (HM Khesar 2010). <p><b>Ideals of Relationship</b><br>The effects that we just discussed are familiar. But the others are far more subtle. Space hardly allows us to go over them, but let us take one example for the fourth effect. Vajrayana notion of ideal of relationship, in which damtshig or lifelong faith in a guru is a key value, has shaped wider relationships, beyond itself. Relationships such as the ones between parents and children, and lords and subjects were often homologized with that of a lama and disciple. As the archetypal lama, Guru was both the personally experienced, transmitter of fast-track Vajrayana enlightenment techniques and the lightning rod for the beneficence of yidams (deities of sadhanas). In most visualization schemes, Guru is envisaged as both a lama and a tantric deity. Take one element of a complex visualization scheme. A mental image of Guru merges into the disciple in incredibly radiant colours, light, details, and vivacity. The disciple holds on the generated images for a long time (for broader discussion, see Harrington A. et al 2006: 96). By transforming the disciple’s consciousness, and arousing Boddhicitta, the meditator becomes mentally the meditated, Guru. (Samuel G. 1993: 250-257). This transforms the afflictive mental states (nyon mongs) into five forms of transcending awareness (yeshey nga), triggering off Buddhahood present in an accomplished meditator. However, the other kinds of binary relationships like ordinary school teacher and student, and employees and employers are qualitatively different because they are not oriented toward enlightenment. Yet the lofty ideal of guru-disciple relationship has inspired the best of human relationships. <p><b>Consciousness and Its Pathologies</b><br>The most important effect stemming from Guru’s teachings has been on the reduction of all too human pathologies and compulsiveness towards the self. The philosophy of freedom from self-afflictions is a general Buddhist theme, but Vajrayana expanded the path and perspective. In brief, the Vajrayana path to freedom from self-afflictions consists eventually of being just aware of pure awareness that has no content in terms of sensory inputs from memory, external perceptions, concepts, or thought about past or future. But such an achievement does not come easily, unless one learns through hard practice to hold visualized imageries, whether dynamic or still, in a stable and vivid way for a long time with appropriate changes in mental faculty. Imagery training is ultimately intended to promote emotional balance as well as cognitive balance (Harrington A. et al 2006: 100-114, 135-137). But the use of the mind in visualization and meditation is not the only method as it is in the sutra system. In Vajrayana, the mind as well as the subtle body energy system - the basis of mind - is mobilized (Dalai Lama 2005: 165-183). The subtle body energy system, known as rtsa-klung-thigle, involving neural, circulatory, respiratory and libido channels are activated and ‘awakened’ to improve physiological and psychological functions. Some sadhanas Guru’s devised, such as the longevity practice focused on Amitayus, entail nutritional changes called consumption of essences (blends) made from rocks (minerals) and herbs (Terton Zilnon Namkha Dorji, see Dudjom Vol. 14 1999: 449-450). <p>Vajrayana method of meditation and visualization is seen as an advancement because it can combine generation of skillful means with wisdom and compassion (thabs dang shesrab), corresponding with simultaneous experience of bliss and voidness (bde stong gzung mjugs). Buddhist understanding states that in the shortest possible split second, mental activity can only have one way of apprehending (hear Alexander Berzin on Berzinarchive.com). It also says that in the shortest possible split second, we can either have a visual phenomena or a mental phenomena (concepts, emotions), but not both (Harrington A. et al 2008: 42). The implication is that even if we try to foster single-pointed concentration, our concentration will alternate between compassion at one moment and voidness in the next moment, without being able to subjectively experience it simultaneously. Vajrayana applies this understanding of mental constraint to improvise further techniques. Let me jump over the many stages, simplify and compress the visualization process to bring out the main technical improvement, as I understand it. The generation of the appearance of a deity like Amitayus in the mind of meditator during Amitayus practice is considered symbolic of voidness. Of course, creating clear imageries bathed in radiant colours and light is much more taxing than perceiving them from external objects. But it is now known from scientific experiment that being able to do so activates the same areas in the brain which are usually engaged during visual perception of external objects. The strength of the activation depends on the capacity of the meditator to create more vivid and stable imageries. If the images are dynamic, harder still is the mental exertion to create them. As the meditator merges himself mentally into the meditated deity, and the meditator imagines himself as Guru Amitayus. With the meditator becoming more able, the meta-awareness, the awareness that he is just trying to imagine he is Amitayus while he is not, should decrease and disappear. At a successful stage of meditation and visualisation, it is the Buddha figure performing mental rotations of various multi-coloured mantra letters and holding in view other subsidiary Buddha figures. The implication is that the body image of the meditator has transformed “into the healthy, vital and enlightened being of the central deity” (Samuel G. 2008, 2009). In this context, Amitayus is the exemplar of compassion. Enlightenment is defined by compassion. At the level of subjective reality, this meditation and visualization thus brings compassion and voidness together within every shortest possible split-second. That means that consciousness, which is subjective, is transformed for that moment. More moments of such kind can create notions of continuum. <p>Finally, the object of meditation, the meditation and the meditator are all made to dissolve first into a seed syllable letter, and in turn the seed syllable letter into dark space. As images come from within voidness at the beginning of a visualization session, they return to voidness at the end. The idea is to see the phenomenal world (consciousness) just as an appearance. The process combines understanding of voidness with the generation of compassion. But it is well said that it can be experienced, not explained because bde stong gzung mjugs is considered ineffable part of Vajrayana. <p>Exploring the relationship between the observed external objects, the perception of the objects, and the images felt by the observer is perhaps the most crucial part of neuro-science studies. None of the parts in the process can be independent of consciousness, because that is where reality is apprehended. Was enlightenment education started by Guru primarily about restructuring consciousness? Was Guru trying to teach neuro-science to the 8th century Bhutanese in a different module and language? Are the 21st century Bhutanese any better students, 1200 years after Guru’s visit? I will take up these and other questions in my next article. cosmicdusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12125111194409879300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592260933303033079.post-70229876250670658332010-06-08T06:16:00.001+06:002010-06-08T06:16:32.062+06:00Moenlam chenmo in Haa<p>source: <a href="http://bbs">bbs</a> <p><img border="1" src="http://www.bbs.com.bt/Pics/Jekhenpo_haaMoenlamChenmo.gif" width="230" height="182"> <p>June 6: His Holiness the Je Khenpo is presiding over a weeklong Moenlam Chenmo in Haa. The world peace prayers started today.<br>Hundreds of devotees are attending the Moenlam Chenmo at the Lhakhang Karpo in Haa.<br>The Moenlam Chenmo in Haa was first conducted in 2002. cosmicdusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12125111194409879300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592260933303033079.post-57297474870874998572010-05-31T16:08:00.001+06:002010-05-31T16:08:03.675+06:00Meditation is mind over matter<p>from <a href="http://kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=15616">kuenselonline.com</a> <p><i>Yangpoi lopon Chimmi of the zhung dratsang spoke on “mindfulness” to about 600 students and teachers at the Nazhoen Pelri complex on May 29. An excerpt from the talk.</i> <p><img align="left" src="http://www.kuenselonline.com/newspic2010/10may31lopon.jpg"> <p><b></b> <p><b></b> <p><b></b> <p><b></b> <p><b></b> <p><b></b> <p><b></b> <p><b><font size="1">The Yangpoi lopon speaks to teachers and students</font></b> <p><b>Nazhoen Pelri Talk 31 May, 2010 - </b>Our bodies are present in this hall, but most of our minds are loitering outside, thinking what you did yesterday, what you will do tomorrow and your school work, failing to control mind.<br>Like a person multitasking at a time, he said, our minds get distracted too, through our five sense organs. Our mind follows what we see, feel, smell, hear and taste. Anxieties and sufferings are the two most common results of an uncontrolled mind in oneself. <p>One would be able to meditate, if one realises the inner self causes suffering and anxiety, instead of looking at the next person’s sufferings. One has to start working on the realisation of two causes and one will find that, with the proper meditation, they dissolve. <p>The five causes that blind peoples’ minds are our five sense organs, which our mind follows. <p>The use of five sense organs with proper concentration is what real meditation is all about, rather than what people believe meditation to be: as sitting with closed eyes and mouth. <p>The mind, he encouraged, if controlled, meditation for a second would make them realise there is no such existence of suffering and anxiety in the mind for that particular moment. <p>A layman trying to meditate would be able to do it for a few seconds. But that is a start. You have to practice it regularly to control your mind. <p><b>By Yangchen C Rinzin</b> cosmicdusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12125111194409879300noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592260933303033079.post-35745603973932531292010-05-30T22:48:00.001+06:002010-05-30T22:48:29.946+06:00H.E Garab Rinpoche’s interview<p>Source: <b>Parents are entirely responsible | kuen</b>selonline <p><i>The president of the young Buddhists’ association Druk Nangpoi Zhoenu, His Eminence Garab Rinpoche, talked to Kuensel’s reporter, Tenzin Namgyel, about the programme to commemorate Lord Buddha’s parinirvana.</i> <p><img align="left" src="http://www.kuenselonline.com/newspic2010/10may28rim.jpg"> <p><b>Q. What’s the idea behind organising the event in a different way?</b><br>It was kind of expressing our gratitude to Buddha, who was born in samsara to benefit all beings. The other reason was to remind Bhutanese about the birthday. Today, most Bhutanese do not want rituals.</p> <p><b>Q. What are the spiritual benefits of members appearing as Buddha’s first five disciples?</b><br>Spiritual benefits are immeasurable. We believe that whoever sees Buddha in the form of a statue or thangka, its liberation of sight (thongdrel). By seeing his face, it will bring peace, even if a person did not make a wish. With Buddha’s statue, we also carried Buddhist texts that represent Buddha’s speech and it was liberation of sound. There was also a small chorten that represented Buddha’s love and compassionate mind, which brings peace and happiness on earth.</p> <p><b>Q. Why do you give so much importance to youth and Buddhism?</b><br>I want to ask our young generation to support and maintain their religion that our leaders and kings have done so much to propagate. <p>The youth today have much faith, love and belief in me, despite the fact I am a kind of modern generation rinpoche. I thought I should take this good opportunity before they lose faith in me. When they trust me, I’ll create some awareness and build faith in religion. <p><b>Q. Some people say that lay people should not wear Buddha’s robe. Please comment on this.</b><br>When we follow religion, we do not see the real Buddha. So what we do is we depend on symbols, such as statues made out of copper, bronze or mud. Some people feel that ordinary people should not represent Buddha. In one way, that is right; but how different is it from seeing Buddha as a statue? In fact, it might bet better for a human to be dressed as a Buddha for everyone to see and relate to. <p>No one in the world qualifies to wear Buddha’s robe and mask, including rinpoches and scholars, unless one has completely removed the root cause of suffering; desire, hatred and ignorance. In a programme like this, what was most important is good motivation. Our motivation was to express gratitude to Buddha and turn the dharma wheel. <p><b>Q. Is it the government or Buddhist masters, who are not doing enough for youth to understand Buddhism?</b><br>It’s nothing to do with the government, but parents are entirely responsible. Most parents today think about only education and send their children for studies outside and abroad. Students studying outside really do not care about culture and religion. I’ve noticed the reaction of students studying in Sherubtse college and those studying outside – it’s different; Sherubtse students are religious. <p><b>Q. Does teaching methodology and mode of communication have a bearing on understanding the essence of Buddhism? </b><br>We should create an environment so that modern people understand Buddhism. I started the Throema group and people liked it because it’s interesting. Likewise, when I stared the Druk Nangpoi Zhoenu I told youth about simple and different ways of commemorating Buddhist days. If I had said that they would be made to meditate, nobody would pay attention. Accordingly, Buddhist teachings should be done in such a manner that it suits people, according to the time and place. cosmicdusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12125111194409879300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592260933303033079.post-16881118424229461042010-05-28T07:04:00.000+06:002010-05-28T07:04:00.104+06:00Advice on Meditation<p>By <em>Sogyal Rinpoche</em> <p>From: <a href="http://buddhanet.net/e-learning/advicemed.htm">buddhanet.net</a> <p>When you read books about meditation, or often when meditation is is presented by different groups, much of the emphasis falls on the techniques. In the West, people tend to be very interested in the "technology" of meditation. However, by far the most important feature of meditation is not technique, but the way of being, the spirit, which is called the "posture", a posture which is not so much physical, but more to do with spirit or attitude. <p>It is well to recognize that when you start on a meditation practice, you are entering a totally different dimension of reality. Normally in life we put a great deal of effort into achieving things, and there is a lot of struggle involved, whereas meditation is just the opposite, it is a break from how we normally operate. <p>Meditation is simply a question of being, of melting, like a piece of butter left in the sun. It has nothing to do with whether or not you "know" anything about it, in fact, each time you practice meditation it should be fresh, as if it were happening for the very first time. You just quietly sit, your body still, your speech silent, your mind at ease, and allow thoughts to come and go, without letting them play havoc on you. If you need something to do, then watch the breathing. This is a very simple process. When you are breathing out, know that you are breathing out. When you breath in, know that you are breathing in, without supplying any kind of extra commentary or internalized mental gossip, but just identifying with the breath. That very simple process of mindfulness processes your thoughts and emotions, and then, like an old skin being shed, something is peeled off and freed. <p>Usually people tend to relax the body by concentrating on different parts. Real relaxation comes when you relax from within, for then everything else will ease itself out quite naturally. <p>When you begin to practice, you center yourself, in touch with your "soft spot", and just remain there. You need not focus on anything in particular to begin with. Just be spacious, and allow thoughts and emotions to settle. If you do so, then later, when you use a method such as watching the breath, your attention will more easily be on your breathing. There is no particular point on the breath on which you need to focus, it is simply the process of breathing. Twenty-five percent of your attention is on the breath, and seventy-five percent is relaxed. Try to actually identify with the breathing, rather than just watching it. You may choose an object, like a flower, for example, to focus upon. Sometimes you are taught to visualize a light on the forehead, or in the heart. Sometimes a sound or a mantra can be used. But at the beginning it is best to simply be spacious, like the sky. Think of yourself as the sky, holding the whole universe. <p>When you sit, let things settle and allow all your discordant self with its ungenuineness and unnaturalness to disolve, out of that rises your real being. You experience an aspect of yourself which is more genuine and more authentic-the "real" you. As you go deeper, you begin to discover and connect with your fundamental goodness. <p>The whole point of meditation is to get used to the that aspect which you have forgotten. In Tibetan "meditation" means "getting used to". Getting used to what? to your true nature, your Buddha nature. This is why, in the highest teaching of Buddhism, Dzogchen, you are told to "rest in the nature of mind". You just quietly sit and let all thoughts and concepts dissolve. It is like when the clouds dissolve or the mist evaporates, to reveal the clear sky and the sun shining down. When everything dissolves like this, you begin to experience your true nature, to "live". Then you know it, and at that moment, you feel really good. It is unlike any other feeling of well being that you might have experienced. This is a real and genuine goodness, in which you feel a deep sense of peace, contentment and confidence about yourself. <p>It is good to meditate when you feel inspired. Early mornings can bring that inspiration, as the best moments of the mind are early in the day, when the mind is calmer and fresher (the time traditionally recommended is before dawn). It is more appropriate to sit when you are inspired, for not only is it easier then as you are in a better frame of mind for meditation, but you will also be more encouraged by the very practice that you do. This in turn will bring more confidence in the practice, and later on you will be able to practice when you are not inspired. There is no need to meditate for a long time: just remain quietly until you are a little open and able to connect with your heart essence. That is the main point. <p>After that, some integration, or meditation in action. Once your mindfulness has been awakened by your meditation, your mind is calm and your perception a little more coherent. Then, whatever you do, you are present, right there. As in the famous Zen master's saying: "When I eat, I eat; when I sleep, I sleep". Whatever you do, you are fully present in the act. Even washing dishes, if it is done one-pointedly, can be very energizing, freeing, cleansing. You are more peaceful, so you are more "you". You assume the "Universal You". <p>One of the fundamental points of the spiritual journey is to persevere along the path. Though one's meditation may be good one day and and not so good the next, like changes in scenery, essentially it is not the experiences, good or bad which count so much, but rather that when you persevere, the real practice rubs off on you and comes through both good and bad. Good and bad are simply apparations, just as there may be good or bad weather, yet the sky is always unchanging. If you persevere and have that sky like attitude of spaciousness, without being perturbed by emotions and experiences, you will develop stability and the real profoundness of meditation will take effect. You will find that gradually and almost unnoticed, your attitude begins to change. You do not hold on to things as solidly as before, or grasp at them so strongly, and though crisis will still happen, you can handle them a bit better with more humor and ease. You will even be able to laugh at difficulties a little, since there is more space between you and them, and you are freer of yourself. Things become less solid, slightly ridiculous, and you become more lighthearted</p> cosmicdusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12125111194409879300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592260933303033079.post-35456543545975289322010-05-27T19:10:00.001+06:002010-05-27T19:10:08.534+06:00The Last Days of the Buddha<h3> <p>Source: <a href="http://buddhism.about.com/od/buddha/a/parinirvana.htm">Parinirva: How the Buddha entered Nirvana</a></h3> <p>By <a href="http://buddhism.about.com/bio/Barbara-O-Brien-38125.htm">Barbara O'Brien</a> <p><i>This abridged account of the historical Buddha's passing and entry into <a href="http://buddhism.about.com/od/abuddhistglossary/g/nirvanadef.htm">Nirvana</a> is taken primarily from the <a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/dn/dn.16.1-6.vaji.html">Maha-parinibbana Sutta</a>, translated from the Pali by Sister Vajira & Francis Story. Other sources consulted are</i> Buddha <i>by Karen Armstrong (Penguin, 2001) and</i> Old Path White Clouds <i>by Thich Nhat Hanh (Parallax Press, 1991).</i> <p>Forty-five years had passed since the Lord Buddha's enlightenment, and the Blessed One was 80 years old. He and his monks were staying in the village of Beluvagamaka (or Beluva), which was near the present-day city of Basrah, Bihar state, northeast India. It was the time of the monsoon rains retreat, when the Buddha and his disciples stopped traveling. <h5>Like an Old Cart</h5> <p>One day the Buddha asked the monks to leave and find other places to stay during the monsoon. He would remain in Beluvagamaka with only his cousin and companion, Ananda. After the monks had left, Ananda could see that his master was ill. The Blessed One, in great pain, found comfort only in deep meditation. But with strength of will he overcame his illness. <p>Ananda was relieved, but shaken. <i>When I saw the Blessed One's sickness my own body became weak,</i>he said.<i>Everything became dim to me, and my senses failed. Ye I still had some comfort in the thought that the Blessed One would not come to his final passing away until he had given some last instructions to his monks.</i> <p>The Lord Buddha responded, <i>What more does the community of monks expect from me, Ananda? I have taught the dharma openly and completely. I have held nothing back, and have nothing more to add to the teachings. A person who thought the sangha depended on him for leadership might have something to say. But, Ananda, the <a href="http://buddhism.about.com/od/buddhismglossaryt/g/Tathagata.htm">Tathagata</a> has no such idea, that the sangha depends on him. So what instructions should he give?</i> <p><i>Now I am frail, Ananda, old, aged, far gone in years. This is my eightieth year, and my life is spent. My body is like an old cart, barely held together.</i> <p>Therefore, Ananda, be islands unto yourselves, refuges unto yourselves, seeking no other refuge; with the Dharma as your island, the Dharma as your refuge, seeking no other refuge. <h5>At the Capala Shrine</h5> <p>Soon after he had recovered from his illness, the Lord Buddha suggested he and Ananda spend the day at a shrine, called the Capala Shrine. As the two elderly men sat together, the Buddha remarked upon the beauty of the scenery all around. The Blessed One continued, <i>Whosoever, Ananda, has prefected psychic power could, if he so desired, remain in this place throughout a world-period or until the end of it. The Tathagata, Ananda, has done so. Therefore the Tathagata could remain throughout a world-period or until the end of it.</i> <p>The Buddha repeated this suggestion three times. Ananda, possibly not understanding, said nothing. <p>Then came <a href="http://buddhism.about.com/od/iconsofbuddhism/a/mara.htm">Mara</a>, the evil one, who 45 years earlier had tried to tempt the Buddha away from enlightenment. <i>You have accomplished what you set out to do,</i> Mara said. <i>Give up this life and enter Parinirvana [complete Nirvana] now.</i> <h5>The Buddha Relinquishes His Will to Live</h5> <p><i>Do not trouble yourself, Evil One,</i> the Buddha replied. <i>In three months I will pass away and enter Nirvana.</i> <p>Then the Blessed One, clearly and mindfully, renounced his will to live on. The earth itself responded with an earthquake. The Buddha told the shaken Ananda about his decision to make his final entry into Nirvana in three months. Ananda objected, and the Buddha replied that Ananda should have made his objections known earlier, and requested the Tathagata remain throughout a world-period or until the end of it. <h5>To Kushinagar</h5> <p>For the next three months, the Buddha and Ananda traveled and spoke to groups of monks. One evening he and several of the monks stayed in the home of Cunda, the son of a goldsmith. Cunda invited the Blessed One to dine in his home, and he gave the Buddha a dish called <i>sukaramaddava</i>. This means "pigs' soft food." No one today is certain what this means. It may have been a pork dish, or it may have been a dish of something pigs like to eat, like truffle mushrooms. <p>Whatever was in the <i>sukaramaddava</i>, the Buddha insisted that he would be the only one to eat from that dish. When he had finished, the Buddha told Cunda to bury what was left so that no one else would eat it. <p>That night, the Buddha suffered terrible pain and dysentery. But the next day he insisted in traveling on to Kushinagar, located in what is now the state of Uttar Pradesh in northern India. On the way, he told Ananda not to blame Cunda for his death. <h5>Ananda's Sorrow</h5> <p>The Buddha and his monks came to a grove of sal trees in Kushinagar. The Buddha asked Ananda to prepare a couch between to trees, with its head to the north. <i>I am weary and want to lie down,</i> he said. When the couch was ready, the Buddha lay down on his right side, one foot upon the other, with his head supported by his right hand. Then the sal trees bloomed, although it was not their season, pale yellow petals rained down on the Buddha. <p>The Buddha spoke for a time to his monks. At one point Ananda left the grove to lean against a door post and weep. The Buddha sent a monk to find Ananda and bring him back. Then the Blessed One said to Ananda, <i>Enough, Ananda! Do not grieve! Have I not taught from the very beginning that with all that is dear and beloved there must be change and separation? All that is born, comes into being, is compounded, and is subject to decay. How can one say: "May it not come to dissolution"? This cannot be.</i> <p><i>Ananda, you have served the Tathagata with loving-kindness in deed, word, and thought; graciously, pleasantly, wholeheartedly. Now you should strive to liberate yourself.</i> The Blessed One then praised Ananda in front of the other assembled monks. <h5>Parinirvana</h5> <p>The Buddha spoke further, advising the monks to keep the rules of the order of monks. Then he asked three times if any among them had any questions. <i>Do not be given to remorse later on with the thought: "The Master was with us face to face, yet face to face we failed to ask him."</i> But no one spoke. The Buddha assured all of the monks they would realize enlightenment. <p>Then he said, <i>All compounded things are subject to decay. Strive with diligence.</i> Then, serenely, he passed into Parinirvana.</p> cosmicdusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12125111194409879300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592260933303033079.post-81536270568620408392010-05-17T20:25:00.001+06:002010-05-17T20:25:36.225+06:00Touching the mind with teaching<p>From: <a href="http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=15479">kuenselonline.com</a> <p><b>Sogyal Rinpoche 17 May, 2010 - </b>Work hard now to live a better life tomorrow or live all you can today for the future is uncertain, would be the usual dilemma that consciously or unconsciously runs in every Bhutanese mind. <p>But the Buddhist teaching tends to favour the former.<br>Drawing on the Buddha’s 2,500-year-old wisdom, which still holds water at a time when people are blinkered by their short-term benefits at the cost of their long-term goals, Sogyal Rinpoche reminded more than 1,000 Thimphu residents during his last day of teaching at Nazhoen Pelri hall in Thimphu yesterday: “Don’t sacrifice your long-term happiness for short-term pleasure.” <p>The subject emerged from the rinpoche’s talk on ‘the mind’. <p>Sogyal rinpoche offered guidance on how people could inculcate these principles into their daily lives, through what he said was, giving a taste of the Buddha’s wisdom. <p>Emerging from the mind, two of the components most undesirable, rinpoche said, were fear and anxiety, both of which came from people’s inability to tame their minds. <p>“If you know how to work with your mind, the world is a beautiful one, which otherwise makes your mind itself the worst enemy,” he said. <p>The mind, he urged, should be tamed, transformed and conquered as it was the root cause of everything else. <p>“It is the creator of happiness, of suffering, of samsara, of nirvana,” he said. <p>The profound and authentic teachings on the modern mind touched the minds of many a devotee. <p>One of the devotees, Pema Y Rinzin said it boosted his confidence to practise the mind, taking refuge in guru yoga and Bhoddichitta (compassionate mind). <p>“I am sad that the session came to an abrupt end but I deeply look forward to attending the one next year to learn more on impermanence of thinking,” he said. <p>Sogyal rinpoche clarified queries surfacing from many curious minds among the devotees, who with the true interest submitted with regard to Buddhist teachings, the Buddha and Buddhism. <p>Tashi Gyelmo said the two-day teaching made her feel calm, compassionate and truly blessed. <p>Tears welled up in the eyes of most devotees and some let it out down their cheeks on hearing rinpoche’s gentle and soothing voice during the luung (aural transmission) for refuge in the Guru, Bodhichitta, bearing Guru Rinpoche in the mind while praying, praying to Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig) and Tara. <p>People, who enthusiastically attended the teaching, said they were eagerly awaiting the next session with the rinpoche. <p>Sogyal rinpoche reminded the devotees to recite the mantra: “May you be well, may you be happy” throughout their lives. <p>The teaching concluded following rinpoche’s prayer for ultimate happiness for Bhutan. “I thank you all for your genuine appreciation.” <p><b>By Yangchen Choden Rinzin</b> cosmicdusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12125111194409879300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592260933303033079.post-41699700480221989762010-05-16T18:32:00.001+06:002010-05-16T18:32:31.874+06:00To tame and transform the mind<p>Source: <a href="http://kuenselonline.com">kuenselonline.com</a> <p><i>An interview with Sogyal Rinpoche</i> <p><b>16 May, 2010 - </b><b>The last time you were in Bhutan, you mentioned that young people in the Himalayan region need to understand Buddhism in a more practical way. What can we do to make Buddhism more relevant, especially for younger generations today?</b><br></p> <p>That’s why I’m actually coming here, to present teachings and to give the tools in a simple, practical and modern way. It’s hard to say, in just a few words, the main thing is to come to the teachings. What I want to do is, over the years, to give you the teachings stage by stage, especially this time I want to make it even more practical.<br><b></b></p> <p><b>What role can Buddhism play in the context of a rapidly modernising or developing society? Wouldn’t the lifestyles we lead contradict our Buddhist background?</b><br></p> <p>On the one hand, you can see there are big contradictions, however, if you really begin to study the teachings of Buddha, you will see his wisdom is amazing. It’s a matter of how you can transept. It requires very skillful translation of the teachings. Integration is a huge challenge but it’s possible. At the same time, of course, samsara and dharma don’t mix, as some masters say. Yet, at the same time, there is a way to integrate the dharma in our lives. I think it’s a good thing, it’s going slowly here in Bhutan at the moment, but I think it will require very skilful guidance, in terms of the youth. Also, the people must be a little bit patient with challenges.</p> <p><b>Buddhism embraces change, yet today in Bhutan we also believe and support the preservation of certain traditions. Some today wonder where we draw the line. What do we allow to change and what do we preserve?</b><br></p> <p>There are some fundamental essential values and principles of the teachings of the dharma, which are timeless. But there are other things that can change according to geography or time like, for example, Tibetan Buddhism. It’s one thing in Tibet but another thing outside. It’s a different time; it can change. We must not all be stuck by the form, but for that change you also need lamas and scholars, who can understand the teachings well. To cut the story short, there are two kinds of traditions: one that’s fundamental to the teachings, which are timeless, which are not based on culture, on dogma, those traditions must be left to continue. Then there are others, which are only cultural paraphernalia; these can change.</p> <p><b>You also said the last time you were here, that Bhutan holds “extraordinary promise”. What role do you see Bhutan playing?</b><br></p> <p>As Bhutan develops, as it meets modernity, there are so many areas it can contribute. For example, gross national happiness. An idea that has generated great interest in the world. Because there are two kinds of happiness: one based on material comfort and pleasures; the other on inner contentment and peace. And I think Bhutan can provide the latter, based on Buddhist principles. Material happiness is often very expensive and doesn’t satisfy us. Whereas, if it’s based on deeper inner peace and contentment, then even when you face difficulties, you can overcome them. Bhutan has a unique role to play, because it is the only independent Vajarayana country. In the future, Buddhism is going to have a real big impact; there’s going to be a greater impact. Bhutan can then develop these things and use them in a modern and practical way; it can enrich this impact.</p> <p><b>How do we achieve this inner peace and contentment?</b><br></p> <p>Buddha said all fear and anxiety come from an untamed mind. If you were to ask what is the essence of the teachings of Buddha, it is to tame, to transform, to conquer this mind of ours, because it is the root of everything, it is the creator of happiness, of suffering, of samsara, of nirvana. So, if you know how to use the mind well, it can be the most wonderful thing. Or it can be your worst enemy as, I think, John Milton said, “The mind is its own place and, in itself, can make heaven of hell, and a hell of heaven.” The most important thing is to work with the mind, as great masters have said, it’s foolish to go looking for happiness outside, because you’ll have no control. When you transform your mind, your perception and experience transform, even appearances transform. Because happiness is not something that exists objectively, it’s subject to one’s experience. No matter what the circumstance are, you’ll be able to cope.</p> <p><b>By <em>Gyalsten K Dorji</em></b> cosmicdusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12125111194409879300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592260933303033079.post-20309414550511144402010-05-13T05:02:00.001+06:002010-05-13T05:02:27.402+06:00Relics on display<p><b>Source: <a href="http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=15426">31 relics on display</a> | Kuenselonline.com</b> <p><img align="left" src="http://www.kuenselonline.com/newspic2010/10may12toys.jpg"> <p><b>Rinpoche’s collection of toys</b> <p><b>Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche 12 May, 2010 - </b>A magnifying glass, table clock, pen, rings, walking stick and toys, which belonged to His Holiness the late Dilgo Khyentse rinpoche, are among the holy relics that are being displayed at Satsam chorten, Paro, in celebration of his hundredth anniversary.<br>Among other relics are Guru Rinpoche’s consort Yeshe Tsogyal’s footprint left on a stone. The relics of Buddha from Dilgo Khyentse rinpoche’s gao (amulet) include a Guru Dewachenpo’s statue, believed to have blessed by Guru himself, and Tibetan king Trison Detsen’s handwriting (740-798), who was believed to be an emanation of Manjushri, the god of wisdom. <p>In total, there are 31 relics that date to the time of the Buddha and Guru Rinpoche and many Buddhist masters through the ages. <p>Among the displays is the relic of Longchen Rabjampa’s brain (1308-14364), the great Nyingma master, who systematised the Nyingma teachings in his seven treasures, and wrote extensively on Dzogchen; and Terdak Lingpa’s bone (1646-1714), the 5th Dalai Lama’s teacher, Rigdzen Pema Trinle. <p>Naropa’s bone ornament, Marpa, the great translator’s jaw, and a fragment of Milarepa’s meditation belt are also on display. <p>The coordinator of the event, Gyalse trulku, said that when bodhisattvas die, they pray that their remains (in form of relics) will enlighten all living beings through their senses of light, touch, smell, taste and hearing, thereby, liberating them. <p><b>By Tenzin Namgyel</b> cosmicdusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12125111194409879300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592260933303033079.post-70223460291479800772010-05-12T05:06:00.000+06:002010-05-13T05:07:29.906+06:00Remembering Dilgo Khyentse<p><b>Source: <a href="http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=15427">Remembering Dilgo Khyentse</a> | Kuenselonline.com</b> <p><img align="left" src="http://www.kuenselonline.com/newspic2010/10may12dilgo1.jpg"> <p><b>Celebrating the 100th anniversary of Dilgo Khyentse</b> <p><b>Centenary Celebrations 12 May, 2010 - </b>It was a time for devotees to show their reverence to their spiritual teacher, who, through his teachings, steered them clear of the path of sin.<br>Besides, they were also given an opportunity through teachings they received to make atonement for sins they had committed in their younger days. <p>A one-time soldier, Rinchen Wangdi, admitted that he would have killed at least 100 wild animals and killed countless fishes when he was young. <p>“We were aggressive people and we wouldn’t have changed had it not been for Dilgo Khyentse rinpoche, whom we were fortunate to meet,” he said. <p>Rimpoche, he said, explained to them, referring to a group of ex-soldiers, who were assigned to be Dilgo Khyentse rimpoche’s personal attendants, why we need to be compassionate to all living beings and turned us into being more kind, loving and patient people. <p>“We were taught to kill,” said Norbu, 69, another ex-soldier, who served as Dilgo rinpoche’s personal attendant for three years. “But after we were taken under his wing, we could never think of killing.” <p>The group of ex-soldiers, along with other personal attendants, who had served the rinpoche, were yesterday recognised and presented statues during the first day of the centenary celebrations of Dilgo Khyentse rinpoche being held in Paro <p>His Majesty the fourth Druk Gyalpo, Her Majesty the Grand Queen Mother Ashi Kesang Choden Wangchuck and members of the royal family, attended the event. Dilgo Khyentse rimpoche was the root teacher for the royal family. <p>Her Majesty the Grand Queen Mother Ashi Kesang Cheoden Wangchuck was also recognised for her support to Dilgo Khyentse rinpoche during the celebrations. <p>Also in attendance was Lyonchhoen Jigmi Y Thinley, several ministers and senior government officials, most of whom had at one time received teachings from or been associated with Dilgo Khyentse during his presence in Bhutan. <p>“Rinpoche never got angry in the seven years that I was with him,” said Dego, 71, also an ex-soldier, who became Dilgo Khyentse’s personal attendant. “Every morning he’d wake up at exactly 3 am and meditate until 8 am and, although we disturbed him by entering his room during meditation, he never got angry.” <p>Norbu said how difficult it was to understand the teachings of many rinpoches today, who sometimes gave incomplete teachings or transmissions. “Rinpoche’s teachings were always complete, and they were very clear,” he said. <p>“I regard him as the truest practitioner, a real Buddha,” added Dego, pointing out that Dilgo Khyentse, despite being Nyingma, could also teach according to the traditions of Kagyu, Gelug, and Sakya. <p>Dego also explained that his high regard for Dilgo Khyentse stems from the rinpoche’s experience of receiving most of his teachings within Tibet itself. <p>Dilgo Khyentse moved to Bhutan in 1959 and lived in Bhutan until his death in 1991. <p>Between those years, Dilgo Khyentse began teaching not only in Bhutan but also in India, Nepal, Southeast Asia, Europe and the USA. With such a reach, it was no surprise that nearly half of those attending the centenary celebrations being held at Satsam chorten in Paro were from abroad. <p>Dilgo Khyentse’s influence had been the same, despite the different cultural backgrounds of his students. <p>“I was a professional fisherman,” said Jean Pierre Devorsine, who had come all the way from France. Like the ex-soldiers, Dilgo Khyentse convinced the 58-year-old against killing. He devoted 30 years of his life to the teachings of Dilgo Khyentse. <p>Some, like Paivi Ahonen, from Finland, had never even met the rinpoche, yet through his published teachings, came to respect Dilgo Khyentse and followed him to the centenary celebrations. <p>The centenary celebrations, which end this Thursday, is open to the public. <p><b>By Gyalsten K Dorji</b> <p><strong>-----------------------------------------------------------------</strong></p> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="369"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="367"> <p><font size="2">Born in Kham, eastern Tibet, in 1910, Dilgo Khyentse rinpoche was recognised as the reincarnation of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo at age seven at Shechen, a major Nyingmapa monastery in Tibet. After which, he received essential teachings of the Nyingma tradition from his root guru, Shechen Gyaltsap. Between the ages of 15 and 28, he spent his time in solitary retreat, meditating. Although he desired to spend the rest of his life in solitary meditation, he was instructed to teach instead, which he did for the rest of his life. </font> <p><font size="2">In 1959, at the invitation of the royal family, Dilgo Khyentse along with his family, moved to Bhutan. In 1961, he established and began teaching at the Semthokha rigney school.</font> <p><font size="2">In 1980, he established Shechen monastery in Nepal and also began publishing Buddhist teachings, of which over 300 volumes were eventually published.</font> <p><font size="2">In 1985, he returned to Tibet, followed by two more visits. He inaugurated the rebuilding of the original Shechen monastery that had been destroyed during the cultural revolution. </font> <p><font size="2">Following the death of Dudjom rinpoche in 1987, he became the head of the Nyinma school.</font> <p><font size="2">In 1991, Dilgo Khyentse rinpoche died and was cremated in Paro. His funeral was attended by around 50,000 people.</font></p></td></tr></tbody></table> cosmicdusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12125111194409879300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592260933303033079.post-52195625826712416982010-05-10T11:05:00.001+06:002010-05-10T11:05:48.960+06:00H.H. Jekhen consecrates Shedra<p><b>Source: Kuenselonline.com</b> <p><img align="left" src="http://www.kuenselonline.com/newspic2010/10may7jekhenpo.jpg"> <p><b></b> <p><b></b> <p><b></b> <p><b></b> <p><b></b> <p><b></b> <p><b></b> <p><b>7 May, 2010 - </b>His Holiness the Je Khenpo consecrated the Rinchenling shedra in Shar Khotakha, Wangduephodrang, yesterday cosmicdusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12125111194409879300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592260933303033079.post-11081242546205333902010-04-30T16:15:00.001+06:002010-04-30T16:15:48.288+06:00Buddhist college in Bhutan<h3>Source: <a href="http://www.bhutanobserver.bt/2010/bhutanesetown/04/buddhist-college-construction-begins-next-month.html">Bhutan Observer</a></h3> <p>25 April 2010 <p><a href="http://www.bhutanobserver.bt/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Picture1.png"><img title="The design for the new Buddist college" alt="" src="http://www.bhutanobserver.bt/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Picture1-250x125.png" width="250" height="125"></a></p> <p>The construction of Tango Thorim Lobra, a new Bud dhist college, will begin next month in Dodena, Thimphu. </p> <p>Funded by the govern ment of India, the Nu 250-million college will be con structed over an area of 12.87 acres. It will cater to about 300 monks who have completed their higher sec ondary studies from reli gious schools. <p>The college will provide a three-year bachelor’s degree course in Buddhist Studies and Philosophy and a two-year master’s degree in Bud dhist Studies and Philoso­phy. English will be included in the syllabus but as an op tional subject. <p>The academic session will start from June 2013. <p>The college will function under Zhung Dratshang and Dratshang Lhentshog. The certificates from the college will be equivalent to that of any university. <p>The college will have eight residential blocks for the students with terraces for laundry and lounges for relaxing. Each room will ac commodate two students. The basement will have in door sports facilities. <p>Ten classrooms, including two lecture halls, will be con structed alongside a library. <p>There will be recreational facilities like an open basket ball court with spectators’ gallery, football field and the internet. <p>The buildings will be con structed with traditional de signs. The main academic and administration block and assembly hall will be in the shape of a mandela. <p>Duplex for principals and four block flats for 20 lectur ers will be constructed apart from six deluxe guest rooms along with infirmary in the basement with first aid ser vice. <p>The kitchen will use elec tricity instead of firewood. The kitchen will have show ers for the cooks to maintain health and hygiene. <p>“The college will not only impart values education, but also help preserve and pro mote religious and cultural values. There will be whole some education for the stu dents with modern technolo gies,” said Ugyen Tshering, the policy and planning of ficer of the Council for Reli gious Affairs. <p>Under Dratshang Lhents hog, there are three shedras offering bachelor’s degree – Tango in Thimphu, Sanga Chhoekhor in Paro and Kan glung in Trashigang. <p>There are 12 higher sec ondary schools and some 200 primary schools under the jurisdiction of Dratshang Lhentshog. <p>At present, there are about 160 monks from Japan, Ne pal and Bhutan in Tango She dra pursuing Buddhist cours es. There are nine lecturers and 14 other staff members in the shedra. <p><strong>By Eshori Gurung</strong></p> cosmicdusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12125111194409879300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592260933303033079.post-31418805641662133722010-04-20T01:54:00.001+06:002010-04-20T01:54:18.587+06:00His Eminence Thuksey Rinpoche passed away<p>Source: <a href="http://www.bbs.com.bt/His%20Eminence%20Thuksey%20Rinpoche%20has%20passed%20away.html">BBS</a> <p><img border="1" src="http://www.bbs.com.bt/Pics/HE-Thuksey Rinpoche.gif" width="300" height="209"> <p>April 19: His Eminence the Lhalung Thuksey Trulku popularly known as Thuksey Rinpoche passed away in Thimphu yesterday. He was 59-year-old.<br>His Eminence was the 10th reincarnation of Terton Pema Lingpa’s son, Thuksey Dawa.</p> <p>He conducted numerous religious ceremonies in the country, including oral transmission of Peling Choekhor and oral transmission of Kangyur.<br>The date and place of the purjang or the cremation are yet to be decided. </p> cosmicdusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12125111194409879300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592260933303033079.post-10290520554397024962010-04-13T01:33:00.001+06:002010-04-13T01:33:30.048+06:00His Holiness lauds Drukpa Council<p>Source: Kuenselonline.com <p> <p><img align="left" src="http://www.kuenselonline.com/newspic2010/10april12kham.jpg"> <p><b></b> <p><b></b> <p><b></b> <p><b></b> <p><font size="1"><b></b></font> <p><font size="1"><b>Chairman of the annual Drukpa council, the ninth Khamtrul rinpoche, Jigme Pema Nyinjadh</b> </font> <p><b>2 April, 2010 - </b>The annual Drukpa council (ADC), which commenced on April 8, is a source of inspiration to Buddhism and many people around the globe, according to His Holiness the Je Khenpo.<br>His Holiness, on behalf of the zhung dratsang (central monastic body), was conveying their appreciation to His Holiness the 12th Gyalwang Drukpa Rinpoche who is presiding over the meeting. His Holiness Gyalwang Drupchen Rinpoche is the reincarnation of Drogon Tsangpa Gyare (founder of the Drukpa lineage) and recognised and revered as the spiritual head of the Drukpa lineage. <p>In his message, His Holiness said, “Today, in this degenerated age, Buddhism in general and the glorious Drukpa tradition in particular are facing numerous challenges. In such a critical time, your skilful and visionary initiative of instituting the Drukpa Council is a great achievement in itself.” <p>The council, according to his Holiness, has not only provided a strong base for confidence and a sense of direction to the followers of the glorious Drukpa tradition, but also provided a source of inspiration to Buddhism. <p>Gyaltshen trulku rinpoche, the representative of HH the Je Khenpo to ADC, read out the message. While addressing the gathering on April 8, Gyaltshen trulku said, “The entire spiritual community takes pride in expressing their deepest appreciation for this unparalleled initiative that Your Holiness has taken up. <p>Around 300 Bhutanese monks and nuns are taking part in the world largest gathering of Drukpa masters, scholars, yogis and practitioners in the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu. <p>The theme of the second annual council is “Respect and appreciate through love and understanding.” The chairman of the council, the ninth Khamtrul rinpoche, Jigme Pema Nyinjadh, said the council is a forum that brings various people from different backgrounds and makes them understand the cultures and values through respect and understanding, to bring harmony and peace in the lineage without losing culture and values. <p>“We need to appreciate and respect different cultures because of their unique richness,” he said. Khamtrul rinpoche said he felt the impact of the first ADC in many ways, as many Bhutanese, after attending the council, came to know about the Drukpa lineage outside Bhutan. “Similarly many people from Ladakh and Garsh in India also visited Bhutan to learn about the Drukpa lineage,” said the Rinpoche. <p>The spiritual benefits of the council, according to Khamtrul rinpoche, will be the wisdom gained from listening to the teachings of different masters. “Understanding wisdom means understanding Buddha’s teachings and ultimately understanding enlightenment. Understanding enlightenment comes from teachings and teaching comes from great masters,” he said. <p><b>By Tenzin Namgyel</b> cosmicdusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12125111194409879300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592260933303033079.post-76493552068393077562010-04-11T14:41:00.001+06:002010-04-11T14:41:44.396+06:00What meditation really is – Sogyal Rinpoche<p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/robertrigpa"><strong>robertrigpa</strong></a> — May 05, 2007 — Sogyal Rinpoche explains that there is much more to meditation than saying mantras and burning incense. Find out more - <a href="http://www.youtube.com/redirect?username=robertrigpa&q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rigpa.org%2F&video_id=0tIBYxed16s&event=url_redirect&url_redirect=True&usg=kS6cvgZL5k0qjPHzhfmK5xzS0UA=">http://www.rigpa.org/</a></p> <p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:7fd6a0d4-80c1-49dd-8c84-c9833e357328" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="3bed96e3-8807-4739-8acc-8193f532d001" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tIBYxed16s&hl=en_US&fs=1&" target="_new"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_5EPhlYfiZJI/S8GLRqbASJI/AAAAAAAAAb8/ABhrCrgJ4n8/videoe17a247deb79%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('3bed96e3-8807-4739-8acc-8193f532d001'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"425\" height=\"355\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/0tIBYxed16s&hl=en_US&fs=1&&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/0tIBYxed16s&hl=en_US&fs=1&&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"425\" height=\"355\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div></div></p> cosmicdusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12125111194409879300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2592260933303033079.post-75947831061478420722010-04-09T22:26:00.001+06:002010-04-09T22:26:09.134+06:00Heritage site in sore need of restoration<p><b>Source: <a href="http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=15137">The rise and fall of the ‘iron castle’</a> | Kuenselonline</b> <p><i>Heritage site in sore need of restoration</i> <p><img align="left" src="http://www.kuenselonline.com/newspic2010/10april9lhakhang.jpg"> <p><b></b> <p><b></b> <p><b></b> <p><b></b> <p><b></b> <p><b></b> <p><font size="1"><b>History In Passing: A place central to the evolution of Buddhism in Bhutan stands neglected</b> </font> <p><b>Chagkhar Lhakhang 9 April, 2010 - </b>On the way to Kurjey, the most visited lhakhang in Bumthang, stands an ancient monument, historically and spiritually significant in the evolution of Buddhism in the country - the Chagkhar lhakhang.<br>The lhakhang, also called ‘iron castle’, built on the site of Sindhu Raja, the king who first invited Guru Rinpoche to Bhutan, is, however, in dire need of renovation. Located just next to the road opposite the Chagkhar guesthouse, the 400-year old lhakhang has never been renovated properly, according to the caretaker, Tenzin, who is also the son of the owner, Chakar lam. <p>On a closer look, the inner wall of the lhakhang is cracked, which was worsened by the September earthquake last year. Old timber, damaged by pests, and walls plastered with mud indicate that not even an attempt at restoration has been made. Tenzin said that the present lhakhang was the same one that was restored once by Terton Dorji Lingpa. He said that, while carrying out a partial restoration last year, they saw timber that was completely eaten by pests. “There could have been some sort of renovation during our forefathers’ time, because some timbers aren’t as old and damaged, but it was never given a full restoration,” said Tenzin. <p>Tenzin, who lives on the ground floor of the lhakhang, is building a separate house so that the lhakhang can be renovated. “The rich heritage will vanish if it’s not restored,” said Tenzin, adding that, being a private lhakhang, it is difficult without fund. <p><img align="left" src="http://www.kuenselonline.com/newspic2010/10april9cracked.jpg"> <p><b>Crack on the inner walls of the lhakhang</b> <p>The Bumthang dzongkhag support Tenzin is partially restoring the lhakhang last year. Tenzin say that Chagkhar lhakhang plays big role in Jamba lhakhang drup, from providing masks and other things to guiding the ritual as Terton Dorji Lingpa introduced it from there. “But there’s no support from the public,” he said. The lhakhang is still not connected with drinking water, as some residents refused to let the water line pass through their land. <p>Chagkhar lhakhang is central to the introduction of the Nyingma tradition of Buddhism in the country, starting from the invitation of Guru Padmasambhava in 746 AD by Chagkhar Gyab Sindhu Raja, and later becoming the residence of Terton Dorji Lingpa in 1374 to spread his teaching. <p>Sindhu Raja, who lost, in one of the family feuds with Naoche, the king of Duars in India, was forced to live in exile with his retinue in Bumthang. He invited Guru Rinpoche to rescue him from a serious illness. <p>After Sindhu Raja, the daughter of Sindhu Raja and one of the consorts of Guru Rinpoche, Moenmo Tashi Khewdren, is believed to have lived here until she died, before Langdarma destroyed the iron castle. <p>Later, in 1374, Terton Dorji Lingpa visited Bumthang and restored the Chagkhar dzong for his residence, which became the Chagkhar lhakhang that he also renovated. He also extended Jamba lhakhang, introducing the tradition of Dzogchen. <p><b>By Samten Yeshi, Bumthang</b> cosmicdusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12125111194409879300noreply@blogger.com1