A sacred space for everyone
A teaching by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo, March 6, 2005.
In this video teaching Jetsunma explains that the relationship with the Guru is the “rocketship of Vajrayana.” These teachers appear for only one reason – us. So, we can rely utterly on their blessing.
Mahasiddha Karma Chagmed Rinpoche was one of the main teachers of Terton Migyur Dorje, and served as his scribe, writing down all the terma revelations as they were spontaneously revealed to the young treasure revealer.
Karma Chagmed Rinpoche was born in the province of Nyomtod, Zalmo Gang region, in the tenth Tibetan rabjung year (1613). He was given the name Wangdrag Sung (Powerful Speech) at birth. Throughout his childhood, he displayed many wondrous signs of being a special child. From the age of eleven, he received from the great secret yogi, Prawashara, his root guru of many past lifetimes, many extensive empowerments and transmissions. He diligently put the instruction he received into practice and attained great accomplishment in both the generation and the dissolution stages for each of the deities he practiced.
When he took his full ordination (gelong) at the age of nineteen, he was given the name Karma Chagmed and became a member of the sangha at the Thupten Nyinling Monastery in the same year. Known for his discipline and noble character, Karma Chagmed applied himself diligently and fulfilled all the accumulation of mantras he set out to accomplish in his practice. At the age of thirty-seven, he entered into a period of intensive retreat of Avalokiteshvara, Gyalwa Gyatso and the Mahamudra for thirteen years. After he left the retreat at the age of fifty, he performed many great accomplishment ceremonies during which many fortunate signs such as sweet fragrance in the air and rainbow colors in the sky manifested around him. He was regarded as the incarnation of Avalokiteshvara, Guru Padmasambhava, Songtsen Gampo, Gyalsei Sednaleg, Luyi Gyaltsen and Milarepa.
Karma Chagmed Rinpoche propagated the Buddha Doctrine far and wide to many students by giving empowerment and transmission on Namcho, Sangye Lagchang, Tsa-Lung and many other profound revelations. His foremost disciples included Kunzang Sherab, his sister Ahkön Lhamo, Pema Rigzin, Ratna Bidza and many others. In the eleventh rabjung year of the Earth Horse (1678 AD), when Karma Chagmed Rinpoche was sixty-six, he informed his students that it was time for him to go to Dewachen (the realm of great bliss). On the first day of the sixth month of the same year, Karma Chagmed Rinpoche condensed his mind into the heart of Buddha Amitabha and entered the realm of great bliss.
During the cremation ceremony, the sky was filled with rainbow colors which appeared like pitched tents amongst white clouds which manifested in the form of the eight auspicious symbols. In spite of the fierce heat of the cremation fire, the brain, heart and tongue of Karma Chagmed Rinpoche remained undamaged and clear images of the Wrathful Deities of Chemchod, Gurdrag, Drolod and the syllable AH appeared in the organs. The bone relics recovered from the cremation ashes were found to bear the embossed images of Avalokiteshvara, Dechog, Phagmo and the eight auspicious symbols.
Reference: Pathgate Institute of Buddhist Studies
The Great Terton (Treasure Revealer), Migyur Dorje was born in Nhom Tod Rola in the province of Kham in Eastern Tibet on the seventh day of the ninth month of the Wood Bird Year (1645). Just as Lord Buddha Shakyamuni, he was born without harming his mother or causing her even the slightest bit of pain. His right hand was marked by an extraordinary blue mole, symbolizing the single-essential nature of the Dharmakaya (The Body of the Ultimate Truth).
As a small child, he enjoyed using his hands to perform mudras (Dharma hand gestures) and carried out secret yogic exercises by himself. As soon as he could speak, he told others that he was a lama of the Kathog tradition and was able to give detailed description of his previous life at the Kathog Monastery.
During his childhood, he had many visions of Great Masters. One day he had a vision of Guru Loden Chogsed, one of the eight manifestations of Padmasambhava, and through gesture transmission, he understood how to read and write. When he was seven years old, in a state of pure vision, many Primordial Wisdom Dakinis told him of the importance of relying upon a guru. Instantly, without any obscuration he had a vision of the great scholar and siddha, Raga Ah Syei (Chagmed Rinpoche), who was in solitary retreat, and an intense desire arose to be in his presence.
When he was ten years old, he met Karma Chagmed Rinpoche in person and received the purification blessing of Nam Jom and Dor Sem, and the transmission of Thug Drub Yang Nying Dupa (Innermost Essence of the Mind Accomplishment). The following year, Migyur Dorje entered into retreat with the Great Mahasiddha, Karma Chagmed Rinpoche. At the retreat, Migyur Dorje received continual visions of Buddha Amitayus, Guru Padmasambhava, Buddha Amitabha, Avalokiteshvara and many other Yidams (Meditational Deities). From each of the Yidams, Migyur Dorje received many specific empowerments and transmissions. These he compiled into thirteen volumes called Nam Chö (Space Treasures) and practiced with single-pointed focus until he attained the full accomplishment of each of these treasures.
Although Terton Migyur Dorje was destined to reveal earth termas, the merit of sentient beings was deficient and it was due to this that his presence in this world was cut short. In 1667, the year of the Fire Sheep, he was in his twenty-third year and while staying in a sacred place in Mugsang, he began to show signs of illness. As the third month approached, his illness grew worse and he was forced to stop giving all dharma transmissions. On the eleventh day, he prayed to the meditational deities and offered many dedication prayers. On the fourteenth day, he had a vision of all eight Herukas and their accomplishment mandalas. On the morning of the fifteenth day, he beheld the three root-peaceful and wrathful assemblies of deities and assuming the vajra posture he entered into meditative equipoise. On the evening of the sixteenth day, while counting mantras on his prayers beads, he passed into the empty sphere of truth and remained sitting upright in meditative equipoise for three days.
At the cremation, rainbows in the shape of pitched tents appeared in the sky. The heart and tongue of Migyur Dorje were undamaged by the fire. These, together with the bone relics embossed with vowels and consonants of the Tibetan language were placed inside golden Stupas, which served as objects of refuge revered by devotees to this day.
Reference: Pathgate Institute of Buddhist Studies
Palyul Nyingma Institute, Singapore
Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo, recognized as an emanation of Princess Mandarava, talks about her experiences during a pilgrimage to Maratika Cave where Mandarava and Guru Padmasambava accomplished the Long Life Practice of Amitayus and consort.
Tibetan Buddhism has four main traditions:
Nyingma “the Ancient Ones” This is the oldest, the original order founded by Padmasambhava andSantaraksita. Whereas other schools categorize their teachings into the three vehicles: The Foundation Vehicle, Mahayana and Vajrayana, the Nyingma tradition classifies them into nine vehicles, among the highest of which is known as Atiyoga or Dzogchen “Great Perfection”. Hidden treasures (terma) are of particular significance to this tradition.
Kagyu “Lineage of the (Buddha’s) Word” This is an oral tradition, which is very much concerned with the experiential dimension of meditation. Its most famous exponent was Milarepa, an 11th century mystic. It contains one major and one minor subsect. The first, the Dagpo Kagyu, encompasses those Kagyu schools that trace back to the Indian master Naropa via Marpa, Milarepa and Gampopa, and consists of four major sub-sects: the Karma Kagyu, headed by a Karmapa, the Tsalpa Kagyu, the Barom Kagyu, and Pagtru Kagyu. There are a further eight minor sub-sects, all of which trace their root to Pagtru Kagyu and the most notable of which are the Drikung Kagyu and the Drukpa Kagyu. The once-obscure Shangpa Kagyu, which was famously represented by the 20th century teacher Kalu Rinpoche, traces its history back to the Indian master Naropa via Niguma, Sukhasiddhi and Kyungpo Neljor.
Sakya “Grey Earth” This school very much represents the scholarly tradition. Headed by the Sakya Trizin, this tradition was founded by Khon Konchog Gyalpo, a disciple of the great translator Drokmi Lotsawa and traces its lineage to the Indian master Virupa. A renowned exponent, Sakya Pandita 1182–1251CE was the great grandson of Khon Konchog Gyalpo.
Gelug “Way of Virtue” Originally a reformist movement, this tradition is particularly known for its emphasis on logic and debate. Its spiritual head is the Ganden Tripa and its temporal one the Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama is regarded as the embodiment of the Bodhisattva of Compassion. Successive Dalai Lamas ruled Tibet from the mid-17th to mid-20th centuries. The order was founded in the 14th to 15th century byJe Tsongkhapa, renowned for both his scholasticism and his virtue.
Within these, Kunzang Palyul Choling is Nyingma
There are six “Mother” Nyingma Monasteries:
Within these monastic traditions, Kunzang Palyul Choling is Palyul.
Palyul Monastery — one of the Six “Mother” Nyingma Monasteries. It was founded in either 1632 or 1665 by Rigdzin Kunzang Sherab, a disciple of Terton Migyur Dorje, and Karma Chagmed. The monastery specializes in kama practices, the termas of Ratna Lingpa and Tulku Migyur Dorje (1645-67). The current head of Palyul Monastery is the Fifth Karma Kuchen.
The inspired masters who contributed to the teachings practiced within Palyul
To date, Palyul has had 12 throne-holders in its history. According to His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, while Nyingma is generally practiced as a Ngagpa tradition, within Palyul it has never been true. The Lineage Holders of Palyul have always been fully-ordained.
Important “elder statesmen” of Palyul, contemporaries and close senior students of His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, are:
It is because of these pure Lineage teachers that we continue to have a pure unbroken stream of wisdom to guide us today to reveal our own enlightenment.
Sources include Wikipedia, Rigpa Wiki, and most of all Pathgate.org, who gave us permission to use their thangka images and biographies
Lyrics by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo
I wanna change
I wanna change
The world
I wanna stop the pain
And make the people sing
I wanna bring
I wanna bring
The end of war
And set the people free
I wanna see
I wanna see
The end of lies
And hear the truth
As open as the sky
Chorus:
OM BENZAR SATO SAMAYA
MA NU PA LA YA
BENZAR SATO TE NO PA
TISH TRA DRI DHO ME BHA WA
SUTO KHAYO ME BHAWA
SUPO KHAYO ME BHAWA
ANU RAKTO ME BHAWA
SARWA SIDDHIM ME PRA YATTSHA
SARWA KARMA SU TSA ME
TSITTAM SHRI YAM KU RU HUNG
HA HA HA HA HO
BHAGAWAN SARWA TATHAGATA
BENZAR MA ME MUNTSA
BENZAR BHA WA MA HA
SAMAYA SATO AH
In the View, I confess all commitments broken through mental activity. Knowing the View is the all-pervasive foundational Bodhicitta; realizing that the View exists in non-existence, and practicing meditation that is non-existent, realizing that activity is neither existent nor non-existent, the Bodhicitta is without expectation or disappointment. All root and auxiliary commitments, breaches and failure to uphold them, are unborn, ungenerated, and liberated in the indivisibilty of the object to confess and the confession itself.
OM BENZAR SATO HUNG
Chorus
©Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo
The following prayer is from the Nam Cho Ngondro, The Great Perfection Buddha in the Palm of Hand
LAMA SANGYE RINPOCHE LA SÖL WA DEB SO
May realize that the Guru is the precious Buddha.
LAMA KHYEN NO LAMA KHYEN NO
Lama, care for me. Lama, care for me.
DRIN CHEN TSA WA’I LAMA KHYEN NO
Supremely kind root guru, care for me.
LAMA KHYEN NO LAMA KHYEN NO
Lama, care for me. Lama, care for me.
DRIN CHEN TSA WA’I LAMA KHYEN NO
Supremely kind root guru, care for me.
LAMA KHYEN NO LAMA KHYEN NO
Lama, care for me. Lama, care for me.
DRIN CHEN TSA WA’I LAMA KHYEN NO
Supremely kind root guru, care for me.
LAMA KHYEN NO LAMA KHYEN NO
Lama, care for me. Lama, care for me.
DRIN CHEN TSA WA’I LAMA KHYEN NO
Supremely kind root guru, care for me.
EH LAMA KHYEN NO EH LAMA KHYEN NO
EH Lama, care for me. EH Lama, care for me.
EH PAL DEN TSA WA’I LAMA KHYEN NO
EH Glorious root guru, care for me.
LAMA KHYEN NO LAMA KHYEN NO
Lama, care for me. Lama, care for me.
YE YE DRIN CHEN TSA WA’I LAMA KHYEN NO
YE YE Supremely kind root guru, care for me.
LAMA RANG KHYEN NO LAMA RANG KHYEN NO
Lama, you alone care for me. Lama, you alone care for me.
DRIN CHEN TSA WA’I LAMA KHYEN NO
Supremely kind root guru, care for me.
Lyrics by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo
Hello my friend, you got your best face on
And I see what you sayin,’ and why you been gone
Oh, I know all the reasons, it’s the same old song
You see I met a lot of people, since I was born
And you can always tell a good man, by what he has done
You say you’re outstanding in your field, I see you standing alone
Don’t take it personal, I’m just tellin’ what I see
And I’m trying to do my Dharma, ‘cause I wanna be free
But if you cause a gal to suffer, the result is what you see
Think about it Honey, what have you done for me
When it comes down to giving, all I have is free
I guess you had your own agenda, and your own misery
Let me tell you one thing, that I know to be true
Every single pain you cause, will come right back to you
It’s time to be a stand up man, and pay your own dues
Don’t take it personal, I’m just tellin’ what I see
Trying to do my Dharma, ‘cause I wanna be free
But if you cause a gal to suffer, the result is what you see
©Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo 2007
A video teaching by Khenpo Tenzin Norgay
In Honor of Ani Thupten Palchen on the one year anniversary of her death
Ani Thupten Palchen died on Friday, January 8, 2010, at the age of 80. As Tibetan Buddhist practitioners, we have heard stories of seemingly ordinary and devoted practitioners in Tibet who showed miraculous signs at the time of their deaths. And now we have in our own sangha a display of these miraculous signs from a student of Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo.
What are the miraculous signs of accomplishment at the time of death? The signs are described in the following excerpt from the introduction of the new biography for His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche called an Introduction to Light of Fearless Indestructible Wisdom
The Dzogchen tantra Blazing Relics of Buddha-Body describes signs of realization observable to others when a great master leaves the body, as well as the meaning of those signs. When a circle of light surrounded by rings appears after death, that individual has reached the ultimate state. When a light goes straight up, it indicates that the individual has instantly reached enlightenment without having to experience the bardo.
When beams of light appear, it means the individual is reaching enlightenment at the end of the bardo. That same tantra teaches that when a sound comes from the eastern direction, the practitioner has achieved enlightenment in the vajra family; from the south, in the ratna family; from the west, in the padma family; from the north, in the karma family; and from above, in the buddha family. Furthermore, the complexion of one who has merged the child and mother clear-light luminosity states remains bright; even if the body is left for as long as twenty-five days, it will remain fresh. And fragrances are emitted, more pleasant than camphor, saffron, and sandalwood.
Ani Thupten Palchen’s body was kept in the hospital for six days before it was transferred to the crematorium. Since her body was to be cremated, it was not embalmed. On the seventh day after her death, three Buddhist Anis (nuns) went to dress her body for cremation. According to Beverly Heckrotte, the President and Mortician of Going Home Cremation Service in Clarksville, Maryland, nothing had been done to the body other than refrigeration. No embalming process was used and no make up was applied. Juanita Thomas, Mortician, confirmed that the only thing she had done was wipe Ani Palchen’s face to make it nice and clean. She also indicated that the refreshing scent in the room was unusual, especially considering the length of time since her death and the fact that Ani Palchen had open wounds from a skin graft on her leg and open heart surgery. As evidenced by the photo of Ani Palchen’s body, Ani Palchen’s face and skin continued to have a natural tone seven days after her death. These are unusual signs.
Here is a first hand report from Ani Aileen who was present at the crematorium.
Today Ani Drolkar, Ani Rinchen and I went to the crematorium to dress Ani Palchen’s body for the cremation. We took her daily robes, her yellow robes, and the rest of her Dharma clothes and put her together as best we could. Then we covered her with flowers and incense. She looked beautiful!
Juanita from the crematorium was with us and we commented on the fact that Ani Palchen had no odor, although she’d been dead a few days. And, at the hospital, they had taken skin to use in grafting for burn victims, so she had open wounds. In fact, the whole room smelled quite pleasant. Juanita replied that it was quite unusual for someone to be completely without odor–and almost unheard of when there were those kinds of open wounds. We were all delighted and astonished. Ani Palchen looked so peaceful when we left her after prayers of dedication and we were so happy at her auspicious transition!!!
Ani Ariana’s report:
I had the great good fortune to be present when the call came to the home of Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo, our Guru and Spiritual Guide that Ani Thupten Palchen had died. As has been described previously, Jetsunma immediately went into her prayer room and performed the practice of Phowa for Ani-la at the very moment of her death. Palchen was successfully awakened from her death slumber, and guided by Jetsunma to Amitaba’s Pure Realm, known as Dewachen. She was liberated! This is what all practitioners aspire to; this is our goal.
Now we have a most remarkable second part to Ani Palchen’s story. Her body had remained for almost a week at the hospital where she died, an unusually long time. Finally, her body was released for cremation. In preparation for this final step, three of our Anis went to the crematorium to dress Ani Palchen in her ordination robes, and to prepare her body with due respect for the cremation. They surrounded her with flowers, laid incense on her body, and arranged her as though for a funeral pyre. To everyone’s astonishment, they discovered that there was no odor whatsoever from Ani Palchen’s body. Even after so many days, even after having been subjected to surgery and skin grafting prior to her death, there was no scent of deterioration. This was incredible to everyone there.
Jetsunma confirmed that this phenomenon occurred because Ani Palchen had been truly liberated. It was a sign, a true confirmation of her successfully following the Path of Vajrayana, with complete devotion and faith, and achieving freedom from the suffering of cyclic existence. It was a modern day miracle. There could be no ordinary explanation for the phenomenon that was witnessed at the crematorium.
Here is Ani Sonam’s report:
I was at Jetsunma’s house when Ani Ariana got a call from Ani Rinchen who was at the crematorium where they were dressing and preparing Ani Palchen’s body for cremation, and they reported that it was very unusual because the body had no odor. When Jetsunma was told she said, “That’s a sign that Ani Palchen is no longer ordinary. She has been liberated.” And Jetsunma said, “This is wonderful news for people who don’t believe that miracles can happen anymore.” I commented that, even more extraordinary, it was a Westerner who had accomplished her practice. And Jetsunma said, “A woman accomplished her practice with a woman teacher.”
This is historic. These are signs of Ani Palchen’s spiritual accomplishment through her devotion to her root Guru, Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo. In Jetsunma’s words, this is “Proof that liberation in one body is possible! Lineage and devotion are the real deal.”
His Holiness Karma Kuchen Rinpoche, Head of the Palyul Lineage was informed about Ani Palchen’s miraculous signs. His Holiness Karma Kuchen upon seeing this post on Ani Palchen, looked closely at her picture and said, “I know her from retreat! This is good! This is VERY VERY good!” Nawang Paljor who was with His Holiness, expanded by saying, “Especially in Nyingma, faith & devotion are emphasized, and even lay people show these accomplished signs from their practice. Now for westerners, it’s very good that they can see with their own eyes this proof of their faith, and perhaps more westerners will be drawn to Dharma.”
