A Brief History of Kyodrak Monastery Om Swasti! From the profound instructions of the incredible Lake Manasarovar Comes the wealth of precious pith instructions endowed with the Enlightened mind; I respectfully bow to those of the Kagyu tradition: Tilopa, Naropa, Marpa, Milarepa, and Dakpo [Gampopa], the protectors of beings! KYODRAK MONASTERY: The Universally Abundant Kyodrak Monastery: The Place that Disseminates and Proliferates the Theory and Practice of the Buddhist Teachings [ 1 ] LOCATION OF THE GREAT MONASTIC SEAT OF KYODRAK MONASTERY: Tibet, the Land of Snow, a place exalted like a crown jewel on the top of the Earth, is divided into three regions: Amdo, Central Tibet, and Kham. In Do Kham there is a famous practice site of Guru Pema called The Universally Abundant Kyodrak , which is one of the twenty-five great sacred sites of Do Kham. It is the excellent Akanishta descended upon the Earth, an utterly vast arrangement of implements and seed syllables. That is the location of Kyodrak Monastery. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MONASTERY: In the Iron Bull Year of 1361 in the sixth calendrical cycle of the Tibetan calendar, one of Lha Repa Tsondru Pelwa’s [ 2 ] many disciples, the supreme emanation of Manjushri, Langre Drakpa Gyeltsen, [ 3 ] practiced in the area’s sacred site of the eastern facing Kyoko Cave. [ 4 ] When he had discovered accomplishment in a single life, the primordial wisdom dakini prophesised: “On the palace atop the cliff over there, [ 5 ] is the pollen bed of the enlightened mind of the great, glorious Chakrasamvara. In its centre sits a boulder like a sizeable and majestically poised tiger. Compile the embers of a fire in this essential place! [ 6 ] This important place is like a vigorous striped tiger. The benefit of beings and the teachings will flourish far and wide.” Saying that, the dakini emanated into a fox and stole his shoes. Early the next morning he sought for the tracks [of the dakini] in the fallen snow. There he saw the main cliff of Kyodrak—at its crest was a swirling rainbow tent of the dharmakaya, at its slope was a pleasant rain of blessings, and diffusing across its base was the aromatic fragrance that arises from discipline. Understanding the dependent arisings from having arrived at this place of solitude, he constructed the initial monastic [structure] of Kyodrak. It was at that time that the Mongol King Genghis Khan offered a bronze [ 7 ] statue of the unparalleled Teacher Shakyamuni. He, [Drakpa Gyeltsen], saw that the figure of the Teacher was made of a brilliant mass of rainbow light and stated that this supreme sacred object is equal in blessings to Shakyamuni. Consequently, he made it the central sacred object of the temple. The dependent arisings of that statue are well suited to allow the teachings to abide for a long while and for there to be a continuous stream of beings who understand the teachings and benefit whomever they encounter. The main representational statue of the enlightened mind was an eight-year-old form of the Sixth Dharmakaya Vajradhara [ 8 ] made from a refined gold of high-quality. In the representational statue of the unified enlightened mind are many relics of the buddhas including small pearl-like relics ( ringsel ) of Tilopa Prajnabhadra (988–1069), [ 9 ] small pearl-like relics from the nose blood of Naropa Jnanasiddhi (1012–1100), [ 10 ] a tooth from Marpa Chokyi Lodro (1012–1097) [ 11 ] with a manifested Hevajra, a small pearl-like relic in the shape of a conch shell from the Laughing Vajra Milarepa (1040–1123), [ 12 ] the combined tongue, heart, and eyes of the Youthful Moonlight of Dagpo [Gampopa], and small pearl-like relics from Barom Darma Wangchuk (1127–1194). [ 13 ] After those were put into the representational [statue] of the unified enlightened mind, a ‘rain of flowers’ fells three times and consecrated the sacred place. “In future times, this will be my representative,” he said as the people received his command. Later when the accomplished meditator Marmo [Sonam Dondrup] was young, as he offered prayers, the compassionate eyes [of the statue] looked upon him pensively. Marmo [Sonam Dondrup] was actually able to see its smiling face and nicely arranged white teeth. Blazing with sincere and measureless devotion, he genuinely discovered the realization of the single experience of meditation. Thus, he built a temple and sacred objects. Philosophical System: It adheres to the stainless tradition of the unbroken lineage of the essential meaning of the dharma lords of the Barom Kagyu, one of the four great Kagyu traditions. MAINTENANCE OF THE TEACHINGS: The transmission is maintained firstly by the lineage gurus of the accomplished ones, secondly by the lineage of the Bare [ 14 ] knowledge holders, lastly by the lineage of the emanations of the bodhisattvas. Development: There is the unbroken lineage of accomplished masters inseparable from the great masters and accomplished ones of India who soared like a flock of birds in the sky. They include the Kyodrak dharma lords, [specifically] the thirteen accomplished ones of Barom, who knew how to fly as they had mastered the power over their winds and mind. Their fame has spread far and wide. There are various representations of enlightened body, speech, and mind including the thirteen [sets] of the Translated Words of the Victor written in gold. Up until this point, it has been the history of the development of the precious teachings of the victor at the central peak of Kyodrak, or the main Kyodrak cliff. FOUNDING OF THE MONASTERY IN CENTRAL KYODRAK: In the Wood Dog Year, 1754, of the thirteenth calendrical cycle, Kyodrak Tsoknyi Ozer (b. 1737) [ 15 ] received the complete instructions of the abiding nature from Nedo Dechen. [ 16 ] Then he went on pilgrimage to U in [central Tibet] and met Karmapa Dudul Dorje (1733/34–1797/98) [ 17 ] who had decided that Tsoknyi Ozer was the reincarnated emanation of Choje Lingpa (1682–1720) [ 18 ] and bestowed him the name Tsoknyi Ozer and all of the instructions. “Since your benefit to beings is in Kyodrak,” the Karmapa prophesised, “you must go there and be of service. In the future you will be of great help for the Barom teachings.” Accordingly he travelled to his homeland. He received all the instructions of the liberative methods from Selje Chogrub Senge. Before that time as there had only been black yak-haired tents at Kyodrak, he [ Tsoknyi Ozer ] built Pur Khang Fort [ 19 ] in 1779. There he conducted meditational practices, rituals, and offerings. In the thirteenth calendrical cycle of the Wood Dog Year, 1785, Tsoknyi Ozer constructed Kyodrak Monastery’s new assembly hall along with its sacred objects. His enlightened activities flourished and spread: He established the tradition of Choje Lingpa’s revealed treasure teachings, becoming the object of worship for the people of China, Tibet, and Mongolia. He [built] innumerable and priceless representations of the enlightened body, speech, and mind and established retreat centres at numerous hermitages. In brief, he extensively spread and proliferated the teachings of both theory and practice, such as the dances, mask dances, and melodies, following the traditions of the previous knowledge holders. DESTRUCTION: During the Cultural Revolution, the sacred objects and the immeasurable mansion of this monastery were destroyed, falling into ruin just like the other monasteries. Only its name had remained. RESTORATION: Relying upon the marvellous armour of the aspirations of the Eighth Dungtrul Rinpoche, the Ninth Selga Rinpoche, the emanation Aten Puntsok, the elder guru Yeshe Rabgye, the emanation Tsoknyi Ozer , Chadrel Tsultrim Tarchin, Khenpo Damcho Dawa, Khenpo Jikga, the accomplished guru Tashi Namgyel, and Lopon Tsering Gyurme, the abbots, emanations, and the sangha newly constructed the assembly hall along with the sacred objects even more elaborately than before. In the main monastic seat [of Kyodrak Monastery] are the following: Barom’s Immutable and Spontaneously Established Temple, a college for the theories of the excellent teachings, the retreat centre for spontaneously accomplishing the two benefits, a tantric college for teaching the three vehicles in the lineage tradition of Marpa, a medical college to bring love and benefit to all, the Dzamo retreat centre, the Kechara nunnery of great bliss, the Lotus Stem retreat centre of enlightenment, Barom’s practice centre of the blissful and secret mantra, Victor Gyam’s Avalokiteśvara practice centre, the practice centre of all knowledge, Narong’s practice centre of the luminosity of great bliss, and Khongne practice centre of auspicious liberation. As for the minor temples that are always in use there are the new protectors’ temple, the Vajrakila meditation centre, the Lion-Faced centre, the Lotus Vajra centre, the longevity centre, the Dorje Drolo centre, and the Three Blissful Seals centre. Each year there are gatherings including a great accomplishment ceremony of the peaceful practices, enlightened heart practices, vase practices, longevity practices, practices for the tenth day, practices for all greater and lesser days, Barom’s grand prayer festival, and Barom’s ritual offerings for the deceased. Their corresponding sacred objects, dances, chants, and melodies are better than before. The monastery and its affiliated institutions have around two-thousand monastics [in total]. Furthermore, for the benefit of the entire district, there is the Precious Pleasant Grove School: The Source of Qualities for the orphans separated from the care of their parents, a nursing home for those separated from their loving children, a thrift store for those who are not able to conduct business, a hospital of both Chinese and Tibetan medicine with reduced costs of treatments for the destitute and sick, and so forth. In brief, it is an extraordinary place for maturing the beings and the teachings. ASPIRATION: May all the mountains be filled flock of meditators! May all textual traditions be enriched with scholars! May the teachings of the victorious Barom, the beautiful and conquering teachings Of the two wheels of meditators and scholars, flourish! COLOPHON Composed collectively by those at Kyodrak Monastery. NOTES [1] skyo brag spyi 'byams phun tshogs thub bstan bshad sgrub dar rgyas gling [2] lha res pa brtson 'grus dpal ba [3] mchog tu gyur pa 'jam dbyangs rnam 'phrul glang ras grags pa rgyal mtshan [4] skyo kho nyin phug [5] ya ki brag [6] This means to construct a new monastery at this location. [7] zi khyim [8] This is the Vajradhara of the sixth buddha family from which the other five families emanate. [9] ti lo pa [10] nA ro pa, BDRC P3085 [11] mar pa chos kyi blo gros, BDRC P2636 [12] mi la res pa bzhad pa'i rdo rje, BDRC P1853 [13] 'ba' rom pa dar ma dbang phyug, BDRC P1856 [14] 'bar re [15] skyo brag tshog gnyis 'od zer [16] gnas mdo bde chen [17] karma pa 13 bdud 'dul rdo rje, BDRC P828 [18] chos rje gling pa, BDRC P671 [19] phur khang BIBLIOGRAPHY Skyo brag dgon pa. 2021. Skyo brag dgon pa'i gsal bshad mdor bsuds . London: Tib Shelf I001 Abstract A brief history of Kyodrak Monastery where the successive reincarnations of Tsoknyi Öser reside. It is the main seat of the Barom order, one of the four main divisions of Kagyu, situated in Dokham. TIB SHELF I001 DOWNLOAD TRANSLATION GO TO TRANSLATION LISTEN TO AUDIO 00:00 / 00:27 TRADITION Kagyu FOUNDED 1361 REGION Do Kham ASSOCIATED PEOPLE Kyodrak Tsoknyi Ozer Langre Drakpa Gyeltsen Marmo Sonam Dondrup The Eighth Dungtrul Rinpoche The Ninth Selga Rinpoche Tulku Aten Puntsok Guru Yeshe Rabgye Chadrel Tsultrim Tarchin Khenpo Damcho Dawa Khenpo Jikga Guru Tashi Namgyel Lopon Tsering Gyurme TRANSLATOR Tib Shelf INSTITUTION N/A INCARNATION LINES Tsoknyi Ozer AUTHOR Kyodrak Monastery A Brief History of Kyodrak Monastery VIEW ALL PUBLICATIONS NEXT PUBLICATION > < PREVIOUS PUBLICATION Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Terms of Use Privacy Policy Donate Subscribe to our newsletter Support Tib Shelf's ongoing work & Subscribe Today! Name * Email* Submit Tib Shelf is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to translating, presenting and preserving primary source Tibetan texts across a vast array of genres and time periods. 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Talking to Myself Emaho! These days, here in the bowels of the degenerate age, The rulership of karma drags me where I don’t want to go. This weighs on my mind, but still, I spurn the Dharma. No matter what I go on about, it doesn’t mean much. In my heart, I’d like to be a part of the Dharma, But a fathomless sea of bad karma swells all around me. With all this triviality, I’ve made a fool of myself and others. Strangled by the straps of the eight delusions, [ 1 ] Here where the five poisons rage, I have betrayed everyone, high and low. I know that partaking in the Dharma heals, And I want to wrap myself in the fine cloths of study and practice. But these thoughts, like foul vomit gurgling within me, Haunt me with the unthinkability of my path pleasing the buddhas. In these times, study and practice have all the appeal of a corpse. I have remained in solitude, but nothing meaningful came of it. Pretending to be an altruistic practitioner, My mind buzzes with schemes embroiling me and others. To me the teachings of sūtra and tantra are mere commodities I blithely traffic to get ahead in this world. What will become of me in future lives? My entourage of students serves me again and again, [ 2 ] And I fritter away my life, worthlessly, Days and nights passing on a wheel of distractions. The life stories of my fathers, the Kagyu saints, Speak straight to my heart, But I only pretend to relate to their hardships. I pose and I lie, talented in my treachery. Straggling behind the forefathers, I’m an orphan lost among the images of my mind. Sad at the decay of my body’s four elements, And cut off from the Dharma’s stream, my heart feels dark. I’m oppressed by the burden of my self-absorption, And I long to rest in selflessness. But unseeing clouds my mind, so I don’t make sense of the path. I stumble around in my distortions. After thoughts, I scramble helplessly, And I’m full of hopes and fears about keeping up appearances. Being in charge of a bastion of the teachings is a demonic fate. These activities, like rapids, I try to manage. All these undertakings, and I’m still a bastard to the basic truths. All this fellowship, and I just wallow in quarrels. My sojourns in solitude have been ruts of distraction. Ungrounded, I sway in the winds of the wealthy. [ 3 ] How I really am remains a mystery to me. My appearance is finely wrought, but I’m fooling myself. The hypocrisy inside me will fuel my future miseries. These toxic deeds I’ve heaped up under the cover of Dharma. [ 4 ] I aspire for noble qualities, then I deceive. Though I’m getting older, I don’t think about death. Lacking all sense of direction, empty-handed, I creak along. Who will save me from terror on the Lord of Death’s road? The drive to shelter from fear is rooted in my mind. [ 5 ] I’m drunk on the poison draft of bettering my lot, [ 6 ] And if I don’t serve nectar that helps others, The Dharma I take part in will just be filler for this life. Now, no matter what I think about, My mind finds nothing to trust. So let me turn my mind inward and stop looking around! Let me integrate the practices that have come down through the lineage! I’ve collected things of value, but I can’t take them with me. I’ve indulged in gathering up my desires, And I got them, sure, but all I came away with was toxic burdens. I scramble like some Sisyphean slave, [ 7 ] And my hard man image is wrapped up in the eight delusions. What hope can I hold for anything down the line? Betrayed by my benighted mind, I’m dull and thick. I stuff myself with meaningless likes and dislikes, And while I understand that enemies are endless, still I strive to quell them. I know I can’t rely on friends, yet I bind myself in attachment to them. I’ve managed to get everything wrong about what is vast and profound, [ 8 ] And though I’m good at masquerading as a teacher, I’m steeped in laziness. Surrounded by the appearances of this life, reflect on the implications of your thoughts. [ 9 ] See if there is any benefit in my babble. Take good stock of the way I am. If you think I’m on to something, then practice. If you think, “I am not afraid of the great enemy of the lower realms,” Then feel free to take it easy. May some good come from “talking to myself.” [ 10 ] COLOPHON None NOTES ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Joseph McClellan produced a draft of the translation and appendix during the summer of 2022 in Mae Sot, Thailand. Lowell Cook then checked the translation against the Tibetan and made many corrections and improvements. Ryan Jacobson reviewed a second draft and Tom Greensmith offered final copyedits. Thanks to Khentrul Lodro Thaye Rinpoche for some helpful comments. APPENDIX On the Methodology of the Translation In the translation of this poem, we used a methodology much less common in translated Tibetan literature. Most of this literature is doctrinally rich, and often it conveys subtle contemplative instructions that a translator must take great care to pass along to the reader with precision. Other translated Tibetan literature, such as the tremendous work of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, strives to preserve the style, register, and even syntax of the original text as much as possible, even if it sometimes goes against the grain of English literary conventions. The consensus is that more literal translations—metaphrase in translation parlance—are better for preserving the texts as historical documents. At least as important as that, Tibetan translators usually approach their work with an attitude of devotion—they try to tread as lightly as possible on the fabric of sacred words laid before them. Writers of Khenpo Ngaga’s stature, and Khenpo Ngaga himself, usually write from a position of explicit or implicit authority—an authority that comes from the partial or complete accomplishment of the Buddhist path. Khenpo’s autobiography, Wondrous Dance of Illusion, recounts a nearly endless stream of spiritual insights going back to his early childhood, and many of his writings are in the voice of a master in total control of his life and mind and who is writing for the reader’s benefit—to teach us something about view, meditation, or action. Therefore, most of his work should be translated according to the principles of metaphrase. While translating this poem, however, metaphrase did not seem adequate, or even appropriate. This is not the place to speculate on Khenpo Ngaga’s motives in writing this poem, but based on his life story, if he ever felt the way he describes here, it may surprise many of us. Whatever the case, the poem is striking for its tone of self-excoriation, regret, and melancholy—the kind of depression that torments a person who has the embers of a seeker in their heart but nevertheless has wasted their life and spiritual opportunities. The poem is almost devoid of technical terminology, and it does not present precise contemplative instructions. Rather, Khenpo Ngaga here uses affect as a hammer. The poem’s sole purpose seems to be to exacerbate the reader’s existential darkness—to strike on the hopelessness of being happy doing what one has always done. Considering these elements of the poem’s content and style, we offer a paraphrastic translation—that is, we do not contort the translation to fit the syntax and grammatical details of the original. The poem, as strange as it may sound, is far closer to Hank William’s I’m so Lonesome I Could Cry than to Khenpo’s own prayers and instructions. Even if the poem is a performance of a bodhisattva mimicking the thoughts of the saṃsārically afflicted, Khenpo Ngaga has succeeded in writing something many of us find painfully familiar. His “Talking to Myself” sounds just like our own pain and frustration. To give a few examples of the paraphrastic approach of the translation: Line three begins with the clause don gong ltar bsam kyang chos ma mthun (lit. meaning + above + like + think + but + Dharma + not + agree). A simple and accurate literal translation would be, “I think about the aforementioned meaning, however, I do not conform to the Dharma.” But no one would find that English line elegant or interesting, and the warmth of an English poem must not be cooled because of a half-line of stock phrasing. Tibetan verse, on the other hand, with its austere meter and elided particles, tolerates and even thrives when a chain of simple syllables forces the reader to fill in the gaps with their imagination. The point of the line is to highlight what he just said about feeling the negative consequences of his previous actions and the absurdity of refusing to engage in the one thing that would make the situation better—Dharma practice. For this reason, in lieu of a literal translation, we opted for the more evocative, “This weighs on my mind, but still, I spurn the Dharma.” The Tibetan of another line on the first page says dus deng song gi bshad sgrub ro ltar mthong (“these days + of + study + practice + corpse + like + to see”). A literal but unsatisfying rendering of this might say, “The study and practice of these days look like a corpse.” That will not do aesthetically, so we must ask what it means to look like a corpse. Of course, this means it looks like something you want nothing to do with, something you would rather leave by the road and forget about. Thus, we ended up with “In these times, study and practice have all the appeal of a corpse.” Tibetan has every resource to articulate that exact English thought, but to our ear, the correspondence here is adequate, and no meaningful violence has been done to the original. Again, on the first page, there is a couplet in which nauseating thoughts or concepts rise up (we say “gurgling,” but in fact there is only implied verbal action)—these thoughts (rtog pa) are in the instrumental case, so they are the agent or the reason for the verb, which comes at the end of a Tibetan sentence. The verb here is “to think” or “wonder” (snyam pa), so the basic logic of the sentence is “because of these thoughts … I think.” But again, this will not do aesthetically, and there is nothing technical in the couplet that would demand a high degree of literal precision. If we focus on the affective meaning, we may consider how we speak about specific thought patterns that crystallize around dark and negative thoughts. We might say something like, “I am haunted by the memories of my child’s death.” While that is not a common idiom in classical Tibetan, it conveys the feeling much better than the metaphrastic “thoughts … make me think.” A bit later, another line solicits a loose rendering. The Tibetan says, “toxic deeds + big + those + Dharma + in + accumulated + is.” The sticking point is interpreting the preposition in relation to “Dharma.” The general meaning is “accumulated/gathered/heaped up in the Dharma,” but that English is ambiguous. We take “in” as “in the context of the Dharma,” but we still must unpack intent. If one heaps up toxic deeds in the context of the Dharma, the main problem is the hypocrisy of acting destructively under the false banner/aegis/cover of the Dharma. Therefore, we end up with a loose translation we think captures the meaning better than any literal option: “These toxic deeds I’ve heaped up under the cover of Dharma.” A final, simple example regards the handling of probably the most common Tibetan adjective, chen po. It can cover every synonym of the fundamental English adjectives “big” and “great.” In one line of this poem, the common term mtsho chen appears, which means, unambiguously, “big lake/ocean.” The main verb in the line is rdol ba, which has the water-related meaning of “flood” or “burst,” which nudges us to choose a water-related adjective for “big.” We, therefore, opt for “fathomless,” even though there are Tibetan words that match that adjective’s etymology. Since the vocabulary being used is not doctrinal or technical, we see no reason to limit our diction to the less poetic options. [1] “Eight delusions” here stands for the “eight worldly concerns,” the false paths of basing one’s happiness on gain and loss, feeling good and not good, praise and censure, and recognition and insignificance. [2] We have speculatively amended kyi to kyis in this line. This is the most common Tibetan orthographical error, and the instrumental case kyis reads more smoothly. [3] Most likely referring to the tendency to gravitate towards one’s wealthy benefactors who make one’s life comfortable. [4] A loose rendering of the line. Please see the appendix for an explanation of the translation choices. [5] We have amended the spelling in this line from chag to chags. Additionally, “the motivation to the sheltered from fear” (’jigs skyobs kyi kun slong) is one of two main flawed motivations for pursuing the spiritual path. In Khenpo Ngaga’s own A Guide to the Words of My Perfect Teacher, he glosses this motivation in the following way: “If you practice the Dharma in order to be protected from the fear of being prey in this life to disease, negative spirits, being punished by the law, famine, and so forth, whether you follow the most basic practices of the Shravakas’ Vehicle or the most advanced practices of the Radiant Great Perfection, you may well be protected from these fears, but apart from this there will be no beneficial result whatsoever. You should therefore avoid this sort of attitude” (Ngawang Pelzang, A Guide to the Words of My Perfect Teacher, 18). [6] “The attitude of wishing to better one’s lot” (legs smon gyi kun slong) is the second main wrong motivation for spiritual practice. Khenpo Ngaga glosses it the following way: “you may think, ‘I will request a teaching and receive the empowerments and the transmissions, and then, if I practice the sadhana in retreat, I’ll gain something; people will praise me and I’ll become famous.’ With these three—gain, praise, and a good reputation—you can obtain food, clothes, and other sources of happiness for this life. Gain, praise, fame, and pleasure, and their four opposites, which are the things we do not wish for, together constitute the eight ordinary concerns… nothing on earth could be more shameful than using the Dharma to fulfill your worldly desires. Someone who does so, exchanging the priceless teachings of the sacred Dharma for worldly valuables and goods like food and clothes, is worse than an ordinary old man who gets rich hunting with a rifle. The peerless Dagpo said: ‘Unless you practice the Dharma according to the Dharma, Dharma itself becomes the cause of evil rebirths.’… It is said in the Sakya teaching Parting from the Four Attachments, ‘Those who are attached to this life are not practitioners of the Dharma.’ Such people are traders in the soul of the doctrine, people who demean the Three Jewels, mere collectors of monastic robes. You should avoid them like poison. “When you have this sort of motivation, hoping to better your lot, you might appear to be practicing the Dharma, whether the most basic Shravakas’ Vehicle or the most advanced Great Perfection; you might lock yourself up in your hermitage for many years; you might look as if you are diligently practicing sadhana in retreat; but, according to Apu, even if you acquire some wealth, praise, or a good reputation the only thing you will accomplish is being able to say, ‘It is because of my practice that I am rich, much-praised, and famous.’ You will not even sow the seed for liberation in the next life. Like the swindler who spread a deerskin over some donkey meat to sell it as venison, you will have covered the donkey meat of your own evil being with the deerskin of the sacred Dharma; you will have discredited the Dharma. Just as one says of an ordinary person who squanders his inheritance, ‘He’s a hopeless businessman,’ people will say of you, ‘There is someone who has failed and discredited the Dharma’ ” (Ngawang Pelzang, A Guide to the Words of My Perfect Teacher, 18–19). [7] Here, “Sisyphean” is rendering don med, a general term meaning “pointless/useless/meaningless.” Sisyphean relates to the Greek myth of Sisyphus, who was condemned by the gods to roll a boulder up a mountain repeatedly. Once he pushed the boulder to the top, it would roll back over him to the bottom, and he would have to repeat the process, eternally. Albert Camus wrote a popular essay about the myth, which he saw as an apt metaphor for the absurdity of human existence, where much of what we do is difficult, repetitive, and seemingly pointless. While we generally avoid specific Western references in Tibetan translations, here we use “Sisyphean” because of its common usage, and because it captures the contextual meaning quite well. [8] This is a reference to the “two commentarial traditions” according to which Mahāyāna treatises are organized. “Profound” here refers to the path of the profound view of emptiness inspired by the bodhisattvas Mañjuśrī and transmitted to and expounded by Nāgārjuna and the Madhyamaka philosophers. “Vast” here refers to the path of vast conduct taught by Maitreya to Asaṅga and carried on through the activities of Vasubandhu, Dignāga, and other important Cittamātra philosophers and logicians. Khenpo Ngaga is saying that he studied these intellectual traditions and misunderstood them. [9] Tentative. The Tibetan reads, “these appearances + because of these + thoughts’ + high + way + think about!” A clunkier literal translation might read, “Because of the appearances of this life, you should think about the gravity/importance/prominence of your thoughts.” Our slightly looser rendering follows the principles discussed in the appendix. [10] This line may be considered the poem’s colophon. Literally, it says, “Thus/there you have ‘Talking to Myself.’ Virtue!” However, the line keeps the meter of all the other lines, and in the Tibetan text, it is not written in smaller font, as colophons often are. Therefore, we rendered it as the final poetic line, which doubles as a colophon. BIBLIOGRAPHY Abstract Surging, subtle, and well short of a rigmarole, Khenpo Ngawa Palzang takes us down a river of reverie. In this current the ripples of his thought invoke images of self-depreciation, accountability, and conscientiousness, to name a few. In the end, the imperative is put forth to investigate the moral and to take your findings into your own condition. So, hop in this craft and take the journey down this eddyless waterway. BDRC LINK MW22946 _94C0EC DOWNLOAD TRANSLATION GO TO TRANSLATION LISTEN TO AUDIO 00:00 / 00:27 TRADITION Nyingma INCARNATION LINE N/A HISTORICAL PERIOD 19th Century 20th Century TEACHERS Lodrö Gyatso The First Drukpa Kuchen, Chöying Rölpe Dorje Nyoshul Lungtok Tenpe Gyaltsen Khenchen Gyaltsen Özer Nyoshul Lungtok Tenpe Nyima Sönam Palden Kunzang Palden The Fifth Dzogchen Drubwang, Tubten Chökyi Dorje The Fifth Shechen Rabjam, Pema Tegchok Tenpe Gyaltsen Sönam Chöpel The Third Mura, Pema Dechen Zangpo Tsultrim Norbu Dorzin Namdröl Mipam Gyatso TRANSLATOR Dr. Joseph McClellan INSTITUTIONS Palyul Monastery Katok Monastery Dzogchen Monastery STUDENTS Tulku Könchok Drakpa Adzom Gyalse Gyurme Dorje Khenpo Nuden Legshe Jorden Lama Drönma Tsering Khenchen Gyaltsen Özer Tsultrim Yönten Gyatso Chatral Sangye Dorje The Fourth Chagtsa, Kunzang Pema Trinle The Fourth Drutob Namkha Gyatso, Zhepe Dorje Khenchen Tsewang Rigzin The Second Dzongsar Khyentse, Jamyang Chökyi Lodrö Botrul Dongak Tenpe Nyima Jampal Drakpa Khen Dampa Pema Ribur Tulku Gyalten Ngawang Gyatso Tromge Arik Tulku Tenpe Nyima Nyagtö Khenpo Gedun Gyatso Lama Munsel Tsultrim Gyatso Gojo Khenchen Karma Tashi Gyara Khenchen Gönpo Orgyen Chemchok Yoru Gyalpo The Third Zhichen Vairo, Pema Gyaltsen Togden Lama Yönten Lakar Togden Polu Khenpo Dorje Khunu Rinpoche Tenzin Gyaltsen Nyoshul Khenpo Jamyang Dorje Lungtrul Shedrub Tenpe Nyima Khenpo Rinpoche Sönam Döndrub Khen Lodrö Khenpo Pema Samdrub The Second Palyul Chogtrul, Jampal Gyepe Dorje The Second Penor, Rigzin Palchen Dupa AUTHOR Khenpo Ngawang Palzang Talking to Myself VIEW ALL PUBLICATIONS NEXT PUBLICATION > < PREVIOUS PUBLICATION Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Terms of Use Privacy Policy Donate Subscribe to our newsletter Support Tib Shelf's ongoing work & Subscribe Today! 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Rigpe Raltri 1830–1896 View The First Dodrubchen, Jigme Trinle Özer 1745–1821 View Losal Drölma 1802–1861 View Pema Tegchok Loden 1879–1955 View Butön Rinchen Drub 1290–1364 View Dilgo Khyentse Tashi Peljor 1910–1991 View Dudjom Lingpa 1835–1903 View Dudul Dorje 1615–1672 View Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Taye 1813–1899 View Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo 1820–1892 View Khenpo Ngawang Palzang 1879–1941 View The Thirteenth Dalai Lama, Tubten Gyatso 1856–1875 View Guru Chökyi Wangchuk 1200/1212–1270 View Jatson Nyingpo 1585–1656 View Döndrub Gyal 1953–1985 View Milarepa 1730–1798 View Jigme Lingpa 1730–1798 View Tsongkhapa Lobzang Drakpa 1357–1419 View Tubten Chödar b. 1969 View Do Dasal Wangmo 1928–2018 View Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje 1800–1866 View The Fifth Lelung Zhepe Dorje 1697–1740 View People Tibet's influential figures including their works and mentions across translated texts. Search Person Menu Close Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Terms of Use Privacy Policy Donate SUBSCRIBE Publications Watch People Listen

Treasure Revealer Dilgo Khyentse Tashi Peljor 1910–1991 BDRC P625 TREASURY OF LIVES LOTSAWA HOUSE Dilgo Khyentse Tashi Peljor (1910–1991) was a prominent Tibetan Buddhist master of the Nyingma tradition, renowned as a scholar, treasure revealer, and teacher. Born into the illustrious Dilgo family in Kham, he was recognized as a reincarnation of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, although his father initially resisted acknowledging his tulku status. Trained under esteemed masters such as Shechen Gyeltsab and Jamyang Khyentse Chokyi Lodro, he became a central figure in preserving and revitalizing Tibetan Buddhism. Despite political turmoil, he fled to Bhutan and India in 1956, where he continued teaching and established Shechen Monastery in Nepal as a hub of Nyingma practice. An influential teacher to many renowned lamas, his extraordinary energy and dedication to the Dharma endured until his passing. His reincarnation, Dilgo Yangsi, continues his spiritual legacy. Biography The Wondrous Light of Lunar Nectar Dilgo Khyentse Tashi Paljor Dilgo Khyentse Tashi Paljor chronicles the life of Chatral Kunga Palden (1878-1944) in this luminous biographical account. Read Translated Works Mentioned In Menu Close Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Terms of Use Privacy Policy Donate SUBSCRIBE Publications Watch People Listen

Tibetan literature brought to you through beautifully translated publications, engaging audio narrations & immersive videos. Aspirational Prayer The Magical Lasso: A Prayer of Aspiration to Accomplish Khecara Lelung Zhepe Dorje A heartfelt prayer to the ḍākinīs of three worlds, composed at Pemokö's Dudul Dewa Chenpo, seeking blessings to master the Vajrayāna path for all beings' benefit. Watch Today's Picks Biography The Biography of Ḍākki Losal Drölma Tubten Chödar A realized female master, Ḍākki Losal Drölma served as custodian of her half-brother Do Khyentse's treasure teachings while deepening her own spiritual attainments in Tibet's sacred sites Read Guidebook Hidden Sacred Land of Pemakö Dudjom Lingpa Dudjom Lingpa maps Pemakö's sacred geography, revealing its power spots, deity abodes, and purifying landscapes through traditional guidebook wisdom and spiritual insight. Read Guru Yoga, Prayer, Supplication Prayer Cloudbanks of Blessings: A Guru Yoga Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje A rare guru yoga from Do Khyentse's treasure teachings centered on a historical yoginī, revealing unique insights into female practitioners and tantric transformation in Tibet. Read Biography How Guru Chöwang Met the Guru at Ne Ngön Guru Chökyi Wangchuk During an alchemical corpse ritual, Guru Chöwang meets Padmasambhava in a profound encounter that defies categorization as dream, vision, or reality - an event he insisted truly occurred. Read Biography The Great Symbolic Vision at Palpuk Ring: A Dream of Guru Chökyi Wangchuk Guru Chökyi Wangchuk In this 1245 dream vision at Palpuk Ring, Guru Chöwang encounters his recurring guide, a ḍākinī named Yeshe Gyen, at his childhood home - sparking profound symbolic revelations of dharmic truth. Download Guidebook The Guidebook to the Hidden Land of Pemokö Jatsön Nyingpo The first guidebook to Pemokö, revealed as a treasure by Jatson Nyinpo, prophesies future degeneration and identifies this sacred hidden land as a sanctuary. Read LATEST PUBLICATIONS Lelung Zhepe Dorje A Set of Spontaneous Spiritual Songs Guru Chökyi Wangchuk The Great Symbolic Vision at Palpuk Ring: A Dream of Guru Chökyi Wangchuk Guru Chökyi Wangchuk Namkechenma: A Dream of Guru Chökyi Wangchuk Guru Chökyi Wangchuk How Guru Chöwang Met the Guru at Ne Ngön Guru Chökyi Wangchuk An Extraordinary Pure Vision at Kharchu's Nectar Cave: A Dream of Guru Chöwang Önpo Gelek A Brief Biography: The Successive Incarnations of Tsoknyi Özer People 1830–1896 Rigpe Raltri View 1745–1821 The First Dodrubchen, Jigme Trinle Özer View 1802–1861 Losal Drölma View 1879–1955 Pema Tegchok Loden View WEEKLY QUOTES “I’ve realized my mind to be the dharmakāya! Even what is called 'Buddha' is nothing other than this. In the state of the astonishing, unobstructed view, Let whatever appearances arise be free and unfettered, Undistracted presence in the continuity of non-meditation.” LELUNG ZHEPE DORJE AUDIO NARRATION The Wondrous Light of Lunar Nectar Dilgo Khyentse Tashi Paljor Dilgo Khyentse Tashi Paljor chronicles the life of Chatral Kunga Palden (1878-1944) in this luminous biographical account. Listen CLICK PLAY TO LISTEN Publications for Download Download Download Download Download

Author & Poet Döndrub Gyal 1953–1985 BDRC P5110 TREASURY OF LIVES TREASURY OF LIVES Döndrub Gyal is considered the first modern Tibetan poet to break through traditional Tibetan formalist elements. He is widely regarded in Tibet as the founder of Modern Tibetan Poetry. An accomplished scholar, writer, poet, and patriot, he passed away in 1985 when he was only 32. Poetry Waterfall of Youth Döndrup Gyal Döndrup Gyal's free-verse poem, written as Rangdröl, visually cascades down the page like a waterfall, its rhythm and form mirroring the flowing dynamics of youth. Read Translated Works Mentioned In Menu Close Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Terms of Use Privacy Policy Donate SUBSCRIBE Publications Watch People Listen

Translator Butön Rinchen Drub 1290–1364 BDRC P155 TREASURY OF LIVES LOTSAWA HOUSE HAR Buton Rinchen Drub (1290–1364) was a renowned Tibetan Buddhist scholar, abbot, and translator who significantly contributed to the development of the Tibetan Buddhist canon. Born into a family of Nyingma lineage, he received extensive teachings in sutra and tantra from various masters, including his parents and other prominent teachers of the time. Ordained at eighteen, he mastered a wide range of texts, philosophies, and practices, including the Prajñāpāramitā, Madhyamaka, and various tantric traditions such as Kālacakra and Hevajra. In 1320, he became the 11th abbot of Zhalu Monastery, where he expanded its facilities and established a college for the study of sutra and tantra. Buton is especially known for editing and organizing the Tibetan Kangyur and Tengyur, though he controversially excluded Nyingma tantras. A prolific teacher and writer, his works include treatises on Buddhist philosophy, tantra, and history, most notably his History of Buddhism . He retired in 1356 and passed away in 1364, leaving behind a rich legacy preserved in later woodblock editions of his writings. Advice Essential Advice in Three Sets of Three Butön Rinchen Drub Butön Rinchen Drup's concise text outlines ascending qualities for sages, bodhisattvas, and Mantrayāna practitioners, mirroring the progression through Buddhism's three vehicles. Read Translated Works Mentioned In Menu Close Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Terms of Use Privacy Policy Donate SUBSCRIBE Publications Watch People Listen

Treasure Revealer Dudjom Lingpa 1835–1903 BDRC P705 TREASURY OF LIVES LOTSAWA HOUSE HAR Dudjom Lingpa, born in 1835 in the Serta Valley of eastern Tibet, was a renowned Nyingma treasure revealer (terton) and Dzogchen master recognized as a reincarnation of Terton Dudul Dorje. From an early age, he experienced profound visionary encounters with deities, dakas, and dakinis, who guided him toward his destiny as a teacher and revealer of sacred texts. Despite a nomadic and challenging lifestyle, he uncovered several treasure cycles, including the widely practiced Dudjom Tersar lineage, and cultivated a family of influential spiritual heirs. Known for his unconventional and rugged persona, Dudjom Lingpa’s teachings bridged ancient Tibetan spiritual wisdom with a fresh, accessible approach, earning him lasting reverence among Tibetan Buddhist practitioners. Guidebook Hidden Sacred Land of Pemakö Dudjom Lingpa Dudjom Lingpa maps Pemakö's sacred geography, revealing its power spots, deity abodes, and purifying landscapes through traditional guidebook wisdom and spiritual insight. Read Translated Works Mentioned In Menu Close Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Terms of Use Privacy Policy Donate SUBSCRIBE Publications Watch People Listen

Leading Rimé Figure & Teacher Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Taye 1813–1899 BDRC P264 TREASURY OF LIVES LOTSAWA HOUSE HAR Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye (1813–1899) was a central figure in 19th-century Tibetan Buddhism, renowned for his profound scholarship, prolific writings, and ecumenical approach. Born in Kham, he became a disciple of Tai Situ and received extensive training in multiple traditions, including Kagyu, Nyingma, and Jonang. A key collaborator with Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo and Chokgyur Lingpa, he played a vital role in the Rimé movement, fostering the preservation and transmission of diverse Tibetan Buddhist lineages. His monumental literary works, the Five Treasuries , collected and systematized teachings across traditions, ensuring their survival. Known for his dedication to spiritual practice, education, and cultural preservation, Kongtrul's legacy as a teacher, author, and visionary continues to influence Tibetan Buddhism worldwide. Supplication Prayer Generating Wonder & Glory: A Supplication to Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo’s Successive Lives Arranged in a Rough Summary Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Taye Jamgön Kongtrul traces Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo's remarkable previous incarnations, revealing unexpected connections to significant Buddhist masters through history. Read Biography Abbreviated Biography of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Taye Jamgön Kongtrul celebrates Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo's mastery of diverse Tibetan spiritual traditions in this reverent biographical account. Read Translated Works Mentioned In Menu Close Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Terms of Use Privacy Policy Donate SUBSCRIBE Publications Watch People Listen

Treasure Revealer Guru Chökyi Wangchuk 1200/1212–1270 BDRC P326 TREASURY OF LIVES LOTSAWA HOUSE Guru Chökyi Wangchuk, also known as Guru Chöwang, was one of the five treasure-revealing kings (gter ston rgyal po lnga) and a scion of the Southern Treasures. He is known for his illuminating treatise on the phenomenon of treasure (gter), known as Guru Chöwang’s Great Treasure Account (gu ru chos dbang gi gter ’byung chen mo), and for his revelations: Lama Sangdu and Kabgye Sangwa Yongzok, amongst others. Biography The Great Symbolic Vision at Palpuk Ring: A Dream of Guru Chökyi Wangchuk Guru Chökyi Wangchuk In this 1245 dream vision at Palpuk Ring, Guru Chöwang encounters his recurring guide, a ḍākinī named Yeshe Gyen, at his childhood home - sparking profound symbolic revelations of dharmic truth. Read Biography Namkechenma: A Dream of Guru Chökyi Wangchuk Guru Chökyi Wangchuk Armed with the 'scroll of devastation' from his father, Guru Chöwang's first treasure excavation leads to a terrifying encounter with the Nine-Headed Nāga Demon, guardian of hidden teachings. Read Biography How Guru Chöwang Met the Guru at Ne Ngön Guru Chökyi Wangchuk During an alchemical corpse ritual, Guru Chöwang meets Padmasambhava in a profound encounter that defies categorization as dream, vision, or reality - an event he insisted truly occurred. Read Biography An Extraordinary Pure Vision at Kharchu's Nectar Cave: A Dream of Guru Chöwang Guru Chökyi Wangchuk After five days of Guru Pema practice, Chöwang's pure vision atop Mt Meru reveals worldly omens and a profound teaching: all phenomena, even demons, arise from mind itself. Read Translated Works Mentioned In Menu Close Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Terms of Use Privacy Policy Donate SUBSCRIBE Publications Watch People Listen

Nun, Physician & Treasure Revealer Do Dasal Wangmo 1928–2018 BDRC P1GS60402 TREASURY OF LIVES LOTSAWA HOUSE PHOTO CREDIT Nun, physician, and treasure revealer, Do Dasal Wangmo was a well-respected female master in eastern Tibet. She was the great-granddaughter of Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje and the last member of his family line. Her religious affinity and familial connections allowed her to follow a contemplative, studious, and altruistic lifestyle as a monastic physician and professor of Tibetan medicine. Although briefly imprisoned and under difficult circumstances for fourteen years, she was later allowed to practice medicine and was appointed to government-funded medical schools in Kham. Biography Abridged Biographies: The Lineage of the Do Family Do Dasal Wangmo Chronicling Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje's lineage, with special attention to his half-sister Losal Drölma - an honored teacher whose story emerges from the margins of temple narratives. Read Translated Works Biography The Biography of Gyalse Rigpe Raltri Tubten Chödar Son of Do Khyentse and recognized as Jigme Lingpa's son's reincarnation, Rigpe Raltri became a revered Minyak guru, transmitting the Yangsang Khandro Tugtik treasures to his own son. Read Timetable A Chronological Timetable: Lives of Do Khyentse’s Familial Line Tubten Chödar A chronology of birth and death dates mapping Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje's family lineage through its key figures and connections. Read Biography A Brief Biography of Jetsunma Do Dasal Wangmo Tsangpo A renowned female master in eastern Tibet, Do Dasal Wangmo - Do Khyentse's great-granddaughter - served as nun, physician, and treasure revealer, later teaching medicine despite political hardship. Read Mentioned In Menu Close Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Terms of Use Privacy Policy Donate SUBSCRIBE Publications Watch People Listen

Polymath The Fifth Lelung Zhepe Dorje 1697–1740 BDRC P675 TREASURY OF LIVES LOTSAWA HOUSE PHOTO CREDIT The Fifth Lelung Jedrung, Lobzang Trinle (1697–1740), on being recognized as the reincarnation of the Fourth Lelung Jedrung, Gendun Chögyal, had his hair-cutting ceremony carried out by The Sixth Dalai Lama (1683–1706) in 1702. Later the treasure revealer Chöje Lingpa (1681–1720/1722) prophesied that Lelung would be the one to receive and propagate a treasure cycle focussed on a peaceful and wrathful form of Avalokiteśvara. His collected works total some forty-six volumes. In 1740 he passed away at the age of forty-three and was posthumously declared to be the protector deity Drakshul Wangpo who is focused on subduing the spirit Dorje Shugden. Song A Set of Spontaneous Spiritual Songs Lelung Zhepe Dorje Two spontaneous songs by Lelung Zhepe Dorje: one honoring the mysterious Je Traktung Pawo, another celebrating unobstructed awareness - both transmitting direct spiritual experience through verse. Read Aspirational Prayer The Magical Lasso: A Prayer of Aspiration to Accomplish Khecara Lelung Zhepe Dorje A heartfelt prayer to the ḍākinīs of three worlds, composed at Pemokö's Dudul Dewa Chenpo, seeking blessings to master the Vajrayāna path for all beings' benefit. Read Pure Vision Chapter Narrating the Pure Vision of Gesar Lelung Zhepe Dorje Senior Geluk figure Lelung Zhepe Dorje (1697-1740) recounts his extraordinary 1729 pure vision of Gesar of Ling, marking a rare intersection of Geluk tradition with Tibet's epic hero. Read Buddhist An Aspiration to Travel to the Hidden Land of Pemokö Lelung Zhepe Dorje A prayer aspiring to rebirth in Pemakö, a sacred hidden land where dharmic conditions flourish and worldly obstacles dissolve - composed by Lelung Shepé Dorje. Read Translated Works Mentioned In Menu Close Home Publications Read Listen Watch People Information About Meet the Team Services Translators Terms of Use Privacy Policy Donate SUBSCRIBE Publications Watch People Listen