The Dzogchen Lineage of Nyoshul Khenpo
The teachings and practice of Ati Dzogpa Chenpo, the Great Perfection, descend from two peerless eighth-century Indian Tantric masters, Guru Rinpoche and Vimalamitra, down through a distinguished lineage of learned and accomplished Tibetan masters as well as through visionary revelations.
Terma refers to the previously hidden, rediscovered teachings of the short and direct lineage ( nyegyu) from Guru Rinpoche and other enlightened ones.
The seventeen main tantras of Mengak-ki De form the basis for the Yangsang Lame. (According to the tradition of Vimalamitra, there are eighteen tantras; according to Guru Rinpoche's tradition, there are nineteen.
Vimalamitra and Guru Rinpoche (8th century)
There are many stories about Kangyur Rinpoche receiving transmission directly from Guru Rinpoche, whereupon their minds were mixed. There are also accounts of his visions of Vimalamitra, Longchenpa, Jigme Lingpa , and others. Dudjom Rinpoche received numerous direct transmissions likewise. The terma lineages are infinite, direct transmissions from Guru Rinpoche to the terton (treasure master).
Thus, between Guru Rinpoche and oneself in this terma lineage there is only one person, the great terton who is our teacher. This accounts for the tremendous power and efficacy of such transmissions, even today.
In all cases, all the various kinds of terma were hidden by Guru Rinpoche -- or intimate associates such as Yeshe Tsogyal, Vimalamitra, or Vairotsana -- so that the reincarnations of his disciples would later continue to discover them for the benefit of the generations of the future. Tulku Thondup has written in English an excellent book on this subject, Hidden Teachings of Tibet.
As Guru Rinpoche himself said, "Except for a dog's corpse, anything can be taken out as ter." This means that terma treasures are inexhaustible mines of teaching, which can appear in any form whatsoever in order to suit the needs of beings.
The Nyingma Kahma -- including all the sadhanas, practiced at the time of Guru Rinpoche and transmitted from guru to disciple through the long unbroken lineage -- was first gathered together, edited, and published in the seventeenth century by the two great brothers of Mindroling, Terdak Lingpa Gyurme Dorje and Lochen Dharma Sri. ... Particularly regarding the Nyongtri lineage, it is not merely the teachings of Jigme Lingpa, Gyalwa Longchenpa, or Guru Rinpoche -- it is the teaching of Dorje Chang, the vajra-shortcut of Dorje Sempa, the wisdom-mind of Kuntuzangpo expressed in the light of each enlightened lineage master's own experience and realization, tailored to suit his disciples and future generations.
Rinpoche left Tibet during the cultural revolution and settled in Tso Pema, the holy pilgrimage site of Guru Rinpoche in Northern India.
When the appointed retreat master released the retreatants from the retreat boundaries, Chatral Rinpoche came and said that now that the retreat was complete, Sikkim was an extremely sacred practice place of Guru Rinpoche. From then on, if all of the retreatants left their hair uncut and wore ngakpa attire, it would be auspiciously beneficial to the country."
The Rigdzin Sogdrub lineage originally consisted of seven volumes of texts. Over the centuries many sections of these texts have been scattered and have disappeared. Rinpoche has spent the last fifty-five years of his life searching and collecting these missing parts - from the remote monastery libraries in Sikkim, Bhutan and Nepal, to the private collections of individual yogis.
In the mid 1990s, Rinpoche and his consort, Jomo Samp'hel settled in the valley of Yanglesho - P'harping, Nepal; at the holy site where Guru Rinpoche accomplished the Vajrakilaya practice and subjugated the evil spirits.
According to Rinpoche, this was the first time he had given transmission to westerners. During this time, he founded a Tse-Chu Tsogpa - assembly of practitioners who meet annually during the first month of every year to gather and perform the tsog offering ceremonies for the Three Roots of the Dudjom Tersar. From 2002 until now, Kunzang Dorje Rinpoche and Jomo Samp'hel have been living in Lama Dawa Chhodak's residence in Boudha, Nepal, near the great stupa. There, Rinpoche continues to bestow teachings, empowerments and advice to those fortunate disciples, and to lead the annual Tse-Chu Tsogpa.
Practitioners gathered from all the surrounding states of Amdo, Nam-tso to this area in which Guru Rinpoche, Gampopa, and Taklung Tangpa subdued the great Mamos, and left handprints on the walls of the caves.
She was a lineage holder for both the Drikung Kagyu and Taglung Kagyu lineages and she bestowed many of the sacred teachings and empowerments of the Six Yogas of Naropa as well as Mahamudra Chod. She gave the Great Chakrasamvara Wangs, which included separate empowerments for each of the deities in the mandala. She wrote a commentary teaching for her students including the "Dakini's Direct Instruction" manual, which contain some notes from her about the four sessions of practice, the six sessions of practice, and the Preliminary practices, or Ngondro. She also wrote an instruction manual for the Great Chakrasamvara Empowerment, which discusses each deity in detail. This indicates that she gave the great Chakrasamvara empowerment - a major wang that very few Lamas can give. At the end of this was a "Tob-yik", a Manual for Practitioners, which she took from the root text and added her own commentary. She gave this Tob-yik to those students who attended the Chakrasamvara wang, as well as some documentation that such and such student received this empowerment, etc.
She taught the Gyud-bum at Samye Monastery, and her fame spread throughout the area. She left handprints on rocks, and it was said that when she stood in the sun, she left no shadow. One of her surviving students says that when she speaks about her or says her name, no words come, only tears.
It would call out "Rinpoche, Rinpoche" when she was around. My father tells a story about a Lama who got very angry at the parrot. When he was there it cried out, "Rinpoche, Rinpoche, this nomad is a thief, this nomad is a thief!
They finally settled in Tso Pema, the holy place of Guru Rinpoche. Teachers
The Most Venerable Sangpo Rinpoche has from childhood felt a special connection with Chenrezig (Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of compassion) and Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava). As a young boy, he was recognized by HH Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche as the 5th reincarnation of Gonzi Rinpoche. From the age of seven, he started studying a wide range of Buddhist treatises. He then entered The Dzogchen Five Knowledge Buddhist Institute to receive the supreme lineage of Nyingma teachings and traditions under the supervision of many accomplished and renowned masters such as his root master HH Dzogchen Padma Kalsang Rinpoche, Padma Tsewan Rinpoche and Khenpo Dhazer.
With his outstanding performance, he obtained the honorable khenpo degree (equivalent to doctorate degree in Buddhist philosophy) in the short time of eight years, completing his studies with four years in retreat.
He continued to teach as a professor at The Dzogchen Five Knowledge Buddhist Institute before being invited to teach at the famous Samye Monastery. The Samye Monastery was constructed by King Trisong Detsen and Guru Rinpoche in the 8th century and was Tibet's first and oldest Buddhist monastery. Rinpoche was only 23 years old at that time. He taught as a vajra master at Samye Monastery for three years.
Today, Rinpoche is a compassionate and accomplished Dzogchen master. He has established centers in Taiwan and Malaysia and has been invited to teach regularly in several countries, including Singapore, Japan, Nepal, Germany, UK, Denmark, Spain, Sweden and Norway. Rinpoche has tirelessly put his effort towards benefiting people all over the world. He is currently engaged in building a Buddhist college, and has a genuine wish that children shall get an opportunity for good education. ... Thubten Lama is, among other lamas, a close friend of Rinpoche. They have known each other since childhood. Thubten Lama is well educated and has an especially warm heart. He is always pursuing new studies.
