“One of the temples built at that time was the chapel at the rooftop of the Great Assembly Hall [in Drepung monastery] called the Temple of the Sixteen Arhats (Gnas bcu lha khang). It was named after the sandalwood statues of the 16 disciples of Buddha Śākyamuni that were initially housed in the Karma Kagyu… Continue reading THE “STOLEN STASH” OF MASSES OF TEXTS HIDDEN AT DREPUNG MONASTERY FOR CENTURIES”:Remembering Je Tāranātha’s legacy and life on his parinirvana, and uncovering the Gelugpa “hiding” and suppression of hundreds of Je Tāranātha’s (and thousands of other lineage texts) in the Sixteen Arhats Temple (Drepung Monastery, Tibet) during Gelugpa dictatorial rule of Tibet
Tag: Taranatha
THE IMPORTANCE OF CONFESSING DOWNFALLS AND PURIFICATION: 17th Karmapa’s recent advice to recite the Sutra in Three Sections and Vajrasattva and 17th Karmapa’s call to practice
"Whatever karmic veils I may have developed that would lead to the hells, or to the animal realm, or to the land of the pretas, or to birth in border regions, or amongst barbarians, or amongst the long-lived gods, or that would lead to incomplete sense faculties, or holding wrong views, or to not rejoicing… Continue reading THE IMPORTANCE OF CONFESSING DOWNFALLS AND PURIFICATION: 17th Karmapa’s recent advice to recite the Sutra in Three Sections and Vajrasattva and 17th Karmapa’s call to practice
MAGIC KEY FOR ENTERING KNOWLEDGE (PART III): ‘CONEQUENTIALIST MIDDLE WAY’ SCHOOL. The Consequentialist (Prasangika) Middle Way school and the fault of negating everything into empty-of-self (rang-tong) without asserting the ultimate ‘basis’ and qualities of Buddha Nature, the union of clear awareness-emptiness
“These days in this scriptural tradition people take mere words that appear as 'no propositions' as a refuge. They do not accept the presentation of the path and result, and do not even assert the Buddha Nature (Dezheg Nyingpo). Then they focus their mind single-pointedly on the blank, mere emptiness of the lack of elaborations…… Continue reading MAGIC KEY FOR ENTERING KNOWLEDGE (PART III): ‘CONEQUENTIALIST MIDDLE WAY’ SCHOOL. The Consequentialist (Prasangika) Middle Way school and the fault of negating everything into empty-of-self (rang-tong) without asserting the ultimate ‘basis’ and qualities of Buddha Nature, the union of clear awareness-emptiness
A SHINING MASS OF DHARMA: The Extraordinary and Vast Collected Works of Jetsun Tāranātha. New website and translation on his Life and Works
Introduction For the New Moon today, the first day of the sacred month of Saga Dawa tomorrow,and the recent commemoration of Jetsun Tāranātha's passing (May 17th), I am happy to launch and announce a brand-new website and first ever published English translation of the outline/contents of Tāranātha’s Collected Works, see https://taranathascollectedworks.com. To accompany the launch,… Continue reading A SHINING MASS OF DHARMA: The Extraordinary and Vast Collected Works of Jetsun Tāranātha. New website and translation on his Life and Works
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
THE YOGA OF LADY NIGUMA AS COMPILED BY JETSUN TARANATHA AND PRESENTED BY 2ND KALU RINPOCHE: Niguma Yoga presentations in Bhutan and India by 2nd Kalu Rinpoche; and textual and historical background
"When one realizes that our many thoughts of anger and desire,which churn the ocean of Samsara,are devoid of any self-nature,everything becomes a land of gold, my child.--A Song of Niguma "When he requested these vajra verses [from Niguma], the learned and accomplished Kyungpo Naljor offered five hundred measures of gold to the wisdom dakini. He… Continue reading THE YOGA OF LADY NIGUMA AS COMPILED BY JETSUN TARANATHA AND PRESENTED BY 2ND KALU RINPOCHE: Niguma Yoga presentations in Bhutan and India by 2nd Kalu Rinpoche; and textual and historical background
‘WAKING UP FROM THE SLUMBER OF IGNORANCE’: THE ‘KA-NYING’ CONNECTION. Reasons why the 8th Karmapa did not write Nyingma refutations and why people assumed he did, and the profound connection of the Karmapas and Nyingma Dharma, 3rd Karmapa as main disseminator of Dzogchen in Tibet, (17th Karmapa Spring teachings, Day 6)
"There are also many famous tertons who were disciples of the Karmapas. In fact, it is traditionally said that the person who had to determine whether a terton was authentic or not was the Karmapa. During the time of the Tai Situ Chokyi Junge, the terma practice spread widely in the Kamtsang, and many of… Continue reading ‘WAKING UP FROM THE SLUMBER OF IGNORANCE’: THE ‘KA-NYING’ CONNECTION. Reasons why the 8th Karmapa did not write Nyingma refutations and why people assumed he did, and the profound connection of the Karmapas and Nyingma Dharma, 3rd Karmapa as main disseminator of Dzogchen in Tibet, (17th Karmapa Spring teachings, Day 6)
MIND-ONLY IN TIBET (PART II): FIVE DHARMAS OF MAITREYA; KAGYU, JONANG AND SAKYA ZHENTONG VIEWS AND DIFFERENCES; DOLPOPA’S ASSERTIONS ABOUT MIND-ONLY TEXTS AS ZHENTONG MIDDLE WAY; AND THE NEED FOR THE THIRD MAHAYANA SCHOOL ‘BUDDHA NATURE’ (17th Karmapa teaching, Day 8)
"Generally, when talking about the 3rd Karmapa, Rangjung Dorje, he had studied and contemplated the Five Levels and many other Mind-Only texts. However, he mainly emphasized the Dharmas of Maitreya, and was the first Kagyupa, in the general and the sub-Kagyu lineages to spread the teachings of the Dharmas of Maitreya in Tibet. He left… Continue reading MIND-ONLY IN TIBET (PART II): FIVE DHARMAS OF MAITREYA; KAGYU, JONANG AND SAKYA ZHENTONG VIEWS AND DIFFERENCES; DOLPOPA’S ASSERTIONS ABOUT MIND-ONLY TEXTS AS ZHENTONG MIDDLE WAY; AND THE NEED FOR THE THIRD MAHAYANA SCHOOL ‘BUDDHA NATURE’ (17th Karmapa teaching, Day 8)
THE EIGHT MAIN HEVAJRA LINEAGES AND ‘INNATE’ HEVAJRA OF SHANTIPA: Lineages, Texts and 2021 Teaching and Empowerment by 8th Garchen Rinpoche
"Jigten Sumgon also said that the highest practitioner (or disciple) sees the guru as the dharmakāya; the average disciple, a medium capacity disciple sees the guru as sambhogakāya; and the lowest practitioner sees the guru as nirmanakāya."--8th Garchen Rinpoche For the new moon (and Indian festival of light, Diwali) today, am happy to offer… Continue reading THE EIGHT MAIN HEVAJRA LINEAGES AND ‘INNATE’ HEVAJRA OF SHANTIPA: Lineages, Texts and 2021 Teaching and Empowerment by 8th Garchen Rinpoche
NEW TRANSLATION: Milarepa’s Song on the Ten Pāramitās
"Great Kind, Lord Marpa Translator, Please be a refuge for sentient beings of degenerate times. May your dharma blessing pacify jealousy. Listen, Darlo, you teacher who seek fame: Thinking one is immortal, Obsessing over words that connect or contradict, Thirty-two years wasted without sensing it, If you practice now, that would be best." --Excerpt from… Continue reading NEW TRANSLATION: Milarepa’s Song on the Ten Pāramitās