Migyur Dorje

Introduction to the Life Story of Migyur Dorje

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The following is an excerpt from a teaching offered by Tulku Dawa Gyalpo at Kunzang Palyul Choling in Maryland. Future posts will continue with the teaching on the Life of Migyur Dorje.

First of all, generate this altruistic bodhicitta thinking that for the sake of all sentient beings, I am going to listen to the life story of the great Tertön Migyur Dorje. By listening to his life story, I’m going to generate confidence in the revelation teachings of Tertön Migyur Dorje. Then I’m going to put the generation and completion stages into practice, to be able to lead all sentient beings into the complete state of Vidyadharahood. For that purpose, I’m going to listen to this and generate bodhicitta.

 

Today’s talk is about the life story of Tertön Migyur Dorje. I came to know that Jetsunma Akhön Lhamo had this sudden experience, or some kind of thing, that made her ask me to talk about his life story. This was related to me from Gonpo and others. I heard about Tertön Migyur Dorje’s life story here and there from our late Holiness Penor Rinpoche Holiness, but I didn’t really study his life story deeply. Because I was told to talk about his life story, that became a catalyst or a condition for me to look into the life story of Tulku Migyur Dorje.  I heard the life story of Tertön Migyur Dorje from our late Holiness, my own root guru, as well as from our Khenpos and tulkus. They taught me about Tulku Migyur Dorje’s story. I know their personalities very well, so I didn’t look at it in detail. Today, when Jetsunma Akhön Lhamo asked me to talk about this, then I started to look in detail. Actually it is not possible to complete this in two hours. There is an outer history, inner history and secret history. There are over 250 pages [in this book] and that is not all. There are also some others [books] that I have to look at. Here I am trying to shorten over 250 pages [to fit] within this two hours. I think maybe tonight it will take a little longer than usual.

When I looked, I enjoyed myself very much. I felt bliss after I looked at those histories. Before I start this, I would like to thank Jetsunma Akhon Lhamo so much because she made this condition for me. I am so pleased and happy to talk about it. Not just only for me; for all who follow this tradition. It’s very important. He is the head, or root, of this tradition, where it comes from, when it started, and from there, what is going on in the Palyul lineage. He is like Shakyamuni Buddha, the person who started Buddhism on this planet. Likewise, Tulku Migyur Dorje is the person who started this Palyul tradition, especially this Sky Treasure. Therefore, I’m considering myself very fortunate to have a chance to talk about it.

Before I start, I would like to describe a little about the namthar, which is a kind of liberation. thar is liberation. Nam is like aspect, if you translate it word for word. The life history of a normal person isn’t namthar. We don’t call it namthar. It is “history,” but in Tibetan we have a different word. If the life has a very deep meaning and is very beneficial, it’s called namthar. If it is just a normal person’s life story, we call logyu, a different way of saying it. In English, it is Tulku Dawa’s history or it is Tulku Migyur Dorje’s history. It’s the same. There’s no different “history.” But when we talk in the Tibetan way, there is a big difference.

Nam is the aspect, or it could also be “appearance.” Thar is liberation by looking in that person’s aspect, which means their life. Their life is their aspect, their appearance. Through looking at their aspect, or the appearance of their three doors, we can get liberation by studying their life story. For that it is very important to look at the great person’s life story so we will know what we have to do in order to follow their path. Like Shakyamuni Buddha’s life history. If I am trying to follow him, then what should I do? This is Tulku Migyur Dorje’s history, the namthar.

The Four fold Prayer for Motherly Sentient Beings Equal to Space

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The following prayer is from the Nam Cho Ngondro, The Great Perfection Buddha in the Palm of Hand

MA NAM KHA DANG NYAM PA’I SEM CHEN THAM CHED

I pray that all motherly sentient beings, countless as space,

LAMA SANGYE CHÖ KYI KU LA SÖL WA DEB SO

May realize the Guru’s Dharmakaya Buddha Body.

MA NAM KHA DANG NYAM PA’I SEM CHEN THAM CHED

I pray that all motherly sentient beings, countless as space,

LAMA DE CHEN LONG CHÖD DZOG PA’I KU LA SÖL

WA DEB SO

May realize the Guru’s Great Bliss Sambhogakaya Body.

MA NAM KHA DANG NYAM PA’I SEM CHEN THAM CHED

I pray that all motherly sentient beings, countless as space,

LAMA THUG JE TRUL PA’I KU LA SÖL WA DEB SO

May realize the Guru’s Great Bliss Nirmanakaya Body

MA NAM KHA DANG NYAM PA’I SEM CHEN THAM CHED

I pray that all motherly sentient beings, countless as space,

Biography of Migyur Dorje

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Migyur-Dorje-Stupa

The following is respectfully quoted from “Biography of Migyur Dorje” published by Palyul Jangchub Darjeling Center

History of Mugsang Monastery

The Great Compassionate Teacher, Shakyamuni Buddha, prophesied that teachings would spread to the Land of Snow. As per his prediction, during the reign of twenty-seventh Tibetan King, Lha Tho Ri Nyentsen, Buddhadharma first originated in Tibet. Five generations later, the thirty-third Dharma King Songtsen Gampo established Lord Buddha’s doctrine. Five reigns later in the ninth century, the Great Three-Abbot Santaraksita, Guru Padmasambhava, and King Trisong Deutsun who were bonded together by their past aspiration prayer, met together that led to the widespread flourishment of the whole sutra and tantra teachings in Tibet. This unique tradition that possesses six distinct qualities, flourished in entire Tibet which later came to be known as the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism. Subsequently, the six main monasteries of Dorje Drag, Mindroling, Shechen, Dzogchen, Kathok and Palyul were preserving the Nyingma tradition.

Kere Chogkyong Dampa first established the Palyul Monastery in the year 890, and widely spread the teachings of Mdo-sGyu-Sems (Sutra of Gathered Intentions, Peaceful Illusory Net, and Mental Classes). In 1664, Dharma King of Dege constructed the main temple with statues inside. Under the guidance of Rigzin Migyur Dorje and Serlo Tonpa Gyaltsen, the king conferred the responsibility of looking after the monastery and became the first throneholder. He widely propagated the entire Kama and Terma teachings through study and practice. The unique tradition of Palyul monastery was preserved by the later throne holders, namely Pama Lhundrub Gyamtso, Drubwang Palchen Duspa Tsal and Karma Thegchong Nyingpo. The eleventh throneholder is the present Drubwang Pedma Norbu Rinpoche, Jigme Thubten Shedrub Choekyi Drayang Palzangpo.

Out of several branch monasteries of Palyul Namgyal Jangchub Choeling, the brief history one of the most sacred monastery, Mugsang Thubten Sangngag Choeling is being mentioned here.

Terton Migyur Dorje

In Pedma Kathang action,
“In the white cave with the leaping lion appearance, the treasure lies.
When it’s auspicious sign to reveal occurs
Terton Migyur Dorje will come to reveal
A hundred such treasures in Eastern Tibet.”

Ratna Lingpa prophesied,

“During the time of Terton Choy Yang Dorjr, Migyur Dorje will come,
And discover a hundred treasures in Kham”

In the prophecy of Terton Guru Kyngdrak,

“In a place close to Nabuszin, in Do Kham,
The holder of the name ‘Dorje’ will find the treasure.”

As Guru Rinpoche and several Tertons prophesied, in the early hours of the seventh day of the tenth month in the Wood Female Bird year of the tenth Rabjung (16th century, 1585 AD) Migyur Dorje was born to father Gonpo Tseten and mother Sonam Tsonyi with miraculous birth signs. The patriarchal lineage of Ratna Lingpa’s father went back in an unbroken line, all the way to the Dharma King Trisong Deutsen.

When he was still very young, Guru Loden Chokset appeared to him and taught him all aspects of reading and writing. His personal protecting deity Shenpa Marnak predicted that he would meet with the consort appeared to him in a vision and told him that the time was near when he should find a teacher, and so in the Wood Male Horse year, he met Raga Ahse. As Raga Ahse meditated on what the previous life of Migyur Dorje was, spontaneously this came to his mind,

“In a cave called Kula Sangwe Yang Phug,
He will get the siddhis of the Great Compassionate One.”

And pondering on these two sentences, he came to the conclusion that Migyur Dorje was the reincarnation of Wangdak Gyatso. When Raga Ahse was giving the empowerment of The Condensed Secret Teachings of the Wrathful and Peaceful Deities to Migyur Dorje, the flower that Migyur Dorje threw into the mandala always fell to the center and east and never to any other direction. The center being Migyur and the east being Dorje, he was given the name Migyur Dorje.

In the Wood Sheep year when Migyur Dorje was eleven years old, he and his teacher Raga Ahse entered a very strict retreat which none was allowed to enter or visit. During this retreat, he studied the common five major and minor sciences and received the uncommon empowerments, oral transmissions and secret instructions.

He spent the rest Ahse wrote a biography on him.

Quoted from his biography,

“If condensed, from the age of eleven,
Until twenty-three, the age he passed away,
He spent half of his life in retreat.”

Blessings for All

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The following is from a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:

As you know KPC held a fabulous Web-A-Thon in Sedona for the Palyul Stupa and it was a great success, we have money for the Stupa land. And we’re still going. Sedona wants the Stupa kept as well and has helped us a lot. The value of the Stupa is becoming familiar to all. Really, something so precious yet exotic in this land is something special! Like a wish fulfilling gem it heals all.

When a Stupa is present the power is enormous and benefits all who do pilgrimage there. Please do visit!

Also we are steadily working on the Migyur Dorje Stupa to do cosmetic repair. We hope you will also do pilgrimage here. They are powerful and enormous!

On temple grounds we also have an Enlightenment Stupa for all to make progress on our path. Blessings for all.

Bring the sick, the needy and they will be blessed. Just get here! Even my doggie Rickey is getting better! There was no hope and here he is!

Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Norbu Lhamo.  All rights reserved

Prayer to Migyur Dorje

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Prayer To Migyur Dorje

SHU PU PAL SENG NGAM YUL SID PAR ZUNG
You are the emanation of Shupu Palseng, born in Ngam Yul

TSA SUM ZHAL ZING NAM CHÖ NYEN GYÜD PEL
Who had visions of the three roots deities, and propagated the Namcho aural lineage

JIN LAB TOB KYI ZHEN PHEN SAM MI KYAB
By the power of your blessings, you have benefitted others inconceivably

TRUL KU MIGYUR DORJE LA SO WA DEB
I pray to Tulku Migyur Dorje

From the Nam Cho Daily Practice at Palyul Ling

The Great Terton

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Vidhyadhara Migyur Dorje
(1645 – 1667)

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

Tibetan Schools and Palyul

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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:

  1. Katok Monastery, in east Tibet, was founded during the twelfth century, and expanded in 1656.
  2. Dorje Drak Monastery was founded in central Tibet, in 1659.
  3. Mindroling Monastery, in central Tibet, was established in 1676.
  4. Palyul Monastery, founded in east Tibet in 1665.
  5. Dzogchen Monastery, in east Tibet, established in 1685.
  6. Shechen Monastery founded in east Tibet, in 1735.

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

Calling the Lama from Afar

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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.

Method

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Tulku Migyur Dorje
Tulku Migyur Dorje

A teaching by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

It is essential to keep at one’s practice daily. But also keep progressing, accomplishing each stage before moving to the next.

Starting with contemplation of the Four Thoughts, Ngundro, Three Roots, Tsa-Lung, Togyal and Trekchod. This method assures progress and good rebirth.  All these, the Treasures of the path, are best learned within one’s Lineage, under the guidance of a truly accomplished Master.

All these teachings and more are conferred at the Palyul Retreat Center in New York. Soup to nuts! And we are guided now by His Holiness Karma Kuchen and the Heart Sons.

It is difficult to have these profound teachings all in one place. The month long retreat in New York every Summer is not to be missed. Concise!

And there we have fully accomplished Masters to teach and ripen our minds. How extraordinary, pure Lineage transmission here in the US for all!

For more information about Palyul Summer Retreat, visit Palyul.org

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