Chod/Machig Labdron

This page is for research and translations on Chod, Padampa Sangye and Machig Labdron (1055-1149). The life story of Machik Labdron (ma gcig labs sgron) has been recounted in several different Tibetan hagiographies (rnam thar), with considerable differences among them, see Machig’s Treasury of Lives biography.

Research and Translations

THE KARMAPAS AND CHOD: An overview of the Karmapas’ important role and influence in the Chod lineages, preservation and practice

8TH KARMAPA ON CHOD: TEXTS AND LINEAGE. New translation of 8th Karmapa’s short daily Chod practice and full transcription of 17th Karmapa’s Chod teaching

‘JOYFULLY JOYOUS’ SIDDHA’S ROAR : PADAMPA SANGYE’S ‘DHARMA THAT PACIFIES SUFFERING (ZHIJE)’ SONG TO MILAREPA AND MARPA LOTSAWA’S SUPPLICATION TO MACHIG LABDRON

TRANSLATED TEXT: Beggar’s Body Banquet by Je Jigten Sumgon with Introduction.

BEGGAR’S BODY BANQUET (Kusāli Tshog Sog) with Vajravārāhi : Sacred Instructions by Je Jigten Sumgon and teaching by Drupon Rinchen Dorje Rinpoche

CHOD LINEAGES AND MACHIG LABDRON: Indic-Tibetan Sources, Contemporary Works, The Karmapas and ‘The Long Lineage Supplication to Machig” by Bengar Jampel Zangpo

Reading/Sources

Allione, Tsultrim. “The Biography of Machig Labdron (1055-1145),” 2000 (1984). Women of Wisdom. Ithaca, New York: Snow Lion.

Edou, Jérôme. 1996. Machik Labdron and the Foundations of Chöd. Ithaca, New York: Snow Lion Publications.

Dudjom Lingpa. 1990. Throma Nagmo: a Practice Cycle for Realization of the Wrathful Black Dakini, A Treasure of Dudjom Lingpa. Trans. Sarah Harding. Junction City, CA: Padma.

Gyatso, Janet. 1985. “The development of the gcod tradition.” In Soundings in Tibetan Civilization. B.N. Aziz and M. Kapstein, eds, pp. 320-341. New Delhi: Manohar

Harding, Sarah. 2013. Machik’s Complete Explanation: Clarifying the Meaning of Chod (Expanded Edition) (Tsadra). Snow Lion Publications.

Harding, Sarah. 2016. Chod: The Sacred Teachings on Severance: Essential Teachings of the Eight Practice Lineages of Tibet, Volume 14 (The Treasury of Precious Instructions). Snow Lion Publications.

Kollmar-Paulenz, Karénina. 1993. ‘Der Schmuck der Befreiung‘: Die Geschichte der Zhi byed-und gCod-Schule des tibetischen Buddhismus. Wiesbaden: Harrowitz Verlag.

Kollmar-Paulenz, Karénina. 1998. “Ma gcig lab sgron ma – The Life of a Tibetan Woman Mystic Between Adaption and Rebellion.” Tibet Journal 23 (2), 11-32.

Lo Bue, Erberto. 1994. “A Case of Mistaken Identity: Ma-gcig Labs-sgron and Ma-gcig Zha ma.” In Tibetan Studies: Proceedings of the 6th Seminar of International Association of Tibetan Studies, pp. 481-490. Per Kvaerne, ed. Oslo: The Institute for Comparative Research in Human Culture.

Ma gcig lab sgron. 1974. Phung po gzan skyur gyi rnam bshad gcod kyi don gsal byed. In Gcod kyi chos skor. Byams pa bsod nams, ed., pp. 10-410. New Delhi: Tibet House.

Machik Labdron. 2003. Machik’s Complete Explanation: Clarifying the Meaning of Chöd: A Complete Explanation of Casting Out the Body as Food (Phung po gzan skyur gyi rnam bshad gcod kyi don gsal byed). Sarah Harding, trans. Ithaca, NY: Snow Lion.

Orofino, Giacomella. 1987. Contributo allo studio dell’ insegnamento di Ma gcig Lab sgron. Supplemento n. 53 agli Annali, vol. 47, Napoli: Istituto Universitario Orientale.

Orofino, Giacomella. 2000. The great wisdom mother and the gcod tradition. In Tantra in Practice. David Gordon White, ed., 320-341. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Roerich, George, trans. 1996. The Blue Annals. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidas.

Sorensen, Michelle (2013) Making the Old New Again and Again: Legitimation and Innovation in the Tibetan Buddhist Chöd Tradition. PhD Columbia University.