Introduction Today, on Guru Padmasambhava day, the Palchen Choling Monastery in Ralang, Sikkim, the monks are performing the Vajrakīlaya cham(dance) The Seven Profound Daggers (Zab bdun phur ba) in the tradition of treasure-revealer, Chogyur Lingpa. See live video here and photos on their Facebook page, here. For this reason, I am republishing a research article, first… Continue reading The Karmapas, Vajrakīlaya and Chogyur Lingpa’s ‘Dagger of the Seven Profound Cycle’ (Zabdun Phurba)
Month: Apr 2023
‘Wild is the Wind’: Q & A with Adele Tomlin, visiting teacher and founder of Dakini Translations and Publications (Tricycle Magazine, Summer 2023)
I am delighted to share and announce this new light-hearted Q & A feature with Tricycle Magazine in their brand-new Summer 2023 magazine. The online version of that piece, can be read here. The new Tricycle magazine can be read here. May it be of benefit! Music? From two of my favorite female singer-songwriter musicians,… Continue reading ‘Wild is the Wind’: Q & A with Adele Tomlin, visiting teacher and founder of Dakini Translations and Publications (Tricycle Magazine, Summer 2023)
THE YELLOW-HAT KAGYUPAS: LOST, STOLEN AND DESTROYED KARMA KAGYU TRADITIONS AND MONASTERIES IN TIBET. 8th Karmapa on inclusivity in Dharma communities, the yellow-hat Kagyu tradition of the Karmapas, signs of being in the last 500-year period of ‘merely wearing the robes’, worldly warring ‘monks’, and the many shedras and retreat places established by the 8th Karmapa (17th Karmapa Spring teaching 2023, Day 7)
"During the meeting, we spoke about what sort of hats we should wear during the Kagyu Monlam, I said we should wear the yellow-crested hats and that it would be good to do so. During the time of the 7th, 8th and 9th Karmapas, there was a tradition of wearing such yellow-crested hats. Likewise, the… Continue reading THE YELLOW-HAT KAGYUPAS: LOST, STOLEN AND DESTROYED KARMA KAGYU TRADITIONS AND MONASTERIES IN TIBET. 8th Karmapa on inclusivity in Dharma communities, the yellow-hat Kagyu tradition of the Karmapas, signs of being in the last 500-year period of ‘merely wearing the robes’, worldly warring ‘monks’, and the many shedras and retreat places established by the 8th Karmapa (17th Karmapa Spring teaching 2023, Day 7)
KARMA KAGYU KĀLACAKRA LINEAGE AND BOKAR RINPOCHE: 17th birthday offering for the yangsi Bokar Rinpoche
Today, on the occasion of the Bokar Rinpoche yangsi's 17th birthday, and for the forthcoming grand ritual of Kalacakra at Bokar Monastery from 27th April to May 5th, I offer this short article of an overview as well as links to research and translations I have written about the former 2nd Bokar Rinpoche and his… Continue reading KARMA KAGYU KĀLACAKRA LINEAGE AND BOKAR RINPOCHE: 17th birthday offering for the yangsi Bokar Rinpoche
NEW VIDEO: CHANTS FOR AVERTING OBSTACLES. Heart Sutra and 21 Taras chanted by 17th Karmapa for removing obstacles to his health, travel, activities and teaching
This month (April 2023) the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje cancelled several teachings at short notice due to sickness and cited there being obstacles to his health and activities. He mentioned how before teachings he could hardly breathe and that: "Whenever I am about to teach, I don't feel good. The other day I was… Continue reading NEW VIDEO: CHANTS FOR AVERTING OBSTACLES. Heart Sutra and 21 Taras chanted by 17th Karmapa for removing obstacles to his health, travel, activities and teaching
WHERE WERE THE WOMEN? THE MALE FACE OF ‘CONTEMPORARY’ BUDDHISM: Predominantly all-male panels of speakers at Global Buddhist Summit, Delhi 2023
"Imagine, you are all males entering into that totally female space. How does that make you feel?"---Sylvia Wetzel's question to the 14th Dalai Lama about the inequality in Tibetan Buddhism (1993) "You have got to learn to leave the table when Love is no longer being served." ~Nina Simone. Although I was happy to hear… Continue reading WHERE WERE THE WOMEN? THE MALE FACE OF ‘CONTEMPORARY’ BUDDHISM: Predominantly all-male panels of speakers at Global Buddhist Summit, Delhi 2023
THE CAUSE OF BUDDHA’S TEACHINGS BEING DESTROYED: DISPUTES BASED ON ATTACHMENT AND AVERSION: 8th Karmapa on the dangers of religious sectarianism and harmful disputes based on arrogance, pride and jealousy (17th Karmapa Spring Teachings 2023, Day 6)
"We take it that everyone in our lineage is practising in accord with the Dharma and everyone in our own lineage is excellent. However, in actuality, we need to examine and see are they really good like that though? The way we examine this is if the monastics and lamas in that tradition are good;… Continue reading THE CAUSE OF BUDDHA’S TEACHINGS BEING DESTROYED: DISPUTES BASED ON ATTACHMENT AND AVERSION: 8th Karmapa on the dangers of religious sectarianism and harmful disputes based on arrogance, pride and jealousy (17th Karmapa Spring Teachings 2023, Day 6)
WHO IS KHALKHA JETSUN DAMPA AND WHY IS HIS RECENT RECOGNITION CONTROVERSIAL? The 5th Dalai Lama/Gelugpa forceful and violent takeover and suppression of Jonang (and other lineages) in Tibet, and their ongoing recognition of the Jonang and Shangpa Kagyu lineage master, Tāranātha
"In 1642, eight years after Tāranātha’s death, an alliance of Mongol armies led by Gushri Khan defeated the U-Tsang rulers and enthroned the Fifth Dalai Lama, Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso (Nga-dbang-blo-bzang-rgya-mtsho) (1617–1682). According to most historical accounts, in the year 1650, the Fifth Dalai Lama sealed and banned the study of Jonang Empty-of-Other texts, prohibiting the… Continue reading WHO IS KHALKHA JETSUN DAMPA AND WHY IS HIS RECENT RECOGNITION CONTROVERSIAL? The 5th Dalai Lama/Gelugpa forceful and violent takeover and suppression of Jonang (and other lineages) in Tibet, and their ongoing recognition of the Jonang and Shangpa Kagyu lineage master, Tāranātha
‘YOUR LIPS ARE WHAT WILL SEND YOU TO HELL AND NEED TO BE SHUT AND LOCKED’: 8th Karmapa on the difference between ‘dry’ and ‘juicy’ words, Je Gampopa on signs of the Dharma disappearing, and the importance of having pure perception of all people’s faults and mistakes, and keeping your lips shut (17th Karmapa’s Spring teachings 2023 (Day 5)
"From the outside, it might seem like they have the conduct of a bodhisattva that seems to benefit others. However, because they are thinking about this life only, then it is only of pseudo-benefit for others. The Bodhisattva actions they do are pseudo-actions." “Sometimes you do see faults, you see it and think that really… Continue reading ‘YOUR LIPS ARE WHAT WILL SEND YOU TO HELL AND NEED TO BE SHUT AND LOCKED’: 8th Karmapa on the difference between ‘dry’ and ‘juicy’ words, Je Gampopa on signs of the Dharma disappearing, and the importance of having pure perception of all people’s faults and mistakes, and keeping your lips shut (17th Karmapa’s Spring teachings 2023 (Day 5)
THE INDIAN BELL-HOLDER’S “GREAT BLISS CHAKRA” (DEMCHOK KHORLO): Indian Mahāsiddha, Ghantapa’s Five-Deity Cakrasaṁvara as held by First Karmapa, Dusum Khyenpa, and empowerment teaching by 12th Goshri Gyeltsab Rinpoche
"It [Chakrasamvara] was then given to Marpa Lotsawa from Tibet, and he gave it to Milarepa, who then gave it to Je Gampopa, who gave it to 1st Karmapa, Dusum Khyenpa, who holds the five sets of five deity practices. Among those sets of five, this is the five-deity Chakrasamvara and so became a special… Continue reading THE INDIAN BELL-HOLDER’S “GREAT BLISS CHAKRA” (DEMCHOK KHORLO): Indian Mahāsiddha, Ghantapa’s Five-Deity Cakrasaṁvara as held by First Karmapa, Dusum Khyenpa, and empowerment teaching by 12th Goshri Gyeltsab Rinpoche
Dakini Translations and Publications མཁའ་འགྲོ་མའི་ལོ་ཙཱ་བའི་འགྱུར་དང་འགྲེམས་སྤེལ། 