Non-Silk Road - LiveJournal. Chögyal Namkhai Norbu: To my mother from the depths of my heart Life in exile. Moving to Italy
This is an excerpt from a more extensive commentary by Dzogchen master Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche on the practice of Guru Drakpur, which is performed in one of the lineages of Tibetan Buddhism. In this passage, he explains in detail how the lives of people are influenced by eight classes of living beings, different from people and invisible to most people. And what relation do they have to diseases, wars and revolutions?
Observing what is happening with my friends and acquaintances in connection with the events in Ukraine and Crimea, I feel it is important to talk about the fact that there is also such a possible view of these events. I hope that this text will force someone to become a little more attentive, to stop for a moment in making assessments and judgments, as well as in committing actions that can lead to increased hostility between people. The full text of the comment can be read here.
Text © Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche.
Translation from English © Dmitry Ainabekov,
© Shang Shung Edizioni, 2007
Malicious forces and influences of various classes of creatures.
It is important to know what we mean when we talk about harmful forces and influences. Many view harmful effects as something related to the function of the elements. To some extent, these phenomena are really connected with the material world. For example, if you find yourself in a very polluted place, it can immediately cause some damage to your health. This is what is meant by “the harmful influence of circumstances.” However, there are many other harmful influences, especially those associated with powerful classes of beings who manipulate energy and influence others.
Generally, people do not believe in such things, but still they have to suffer the consequences. Sometimes we talk about hostile energies, sometimes about the actions of certain classes of beings. For example, followers of all traditions: Sakya, Gelug, Nyingma and Kagyu - do Mahakale (Tib. Gonpo) pujas. If you ask them what they are doing, they will answer: “I am doing puja to the protector, dharmapala.” But some people do puja without knowing exactly what Mahakala is. And after doing puja for a long time, they then ask: “Is Mahakala some kind of force or being?” They don't really know what they are doing. Therefore, it is very important to understand this clearly.
Mahakala is not only power; Mahakala is a being or someone with consciousness. Also, Mahakala is one of the classes of creatures. Beings of this class, called mahakalas, are very energetic and are capable of exerting their harmful effects on anyone. To control this class of mahakalas, Avalokiteshvara, the awakened being, manifested himself in many forms. According to the followers of the Kagyu school, especially the Drugpa Kagyu, Chakrasamvara also appeared to subdue this class of beings.
Mahakalas represent more than one type of being. The Mahakala class includes many varieties. For example, Avalokiteshvara appeared in the form of Mahakala Maning, or Gonpo Maning. Mahakala Maning is not an ordinary being from the Mahakala class; he is a manifestation of Avalokiteshvara, who manifested himself in their form in order to be able to communicate with the Mahakalas.
Buddha Shakyamuni is an awakened being. He took on human form so that, while living in India, he could come into contact with people and communicate with us in the usual way. Likewise, Avalokiteshvara entered the mahakala dimension and manifested as a huge and very powerful mahakala. Thus, he was able to control this class of beings...
Avalokiteshvara is not the only awakened being. There is a great multitude of awakened ones, all of whom have omniscience, infinite wisdom, and the ability to manifest and subjugate all different classes of beings. Why do they need to subjugate these various classes of beings? Some of these classes have enormous power, but this power is aimed only at causing harm and bringing misfortune to others. Although there are some powerful beings who have received transmission from the manifestations of the sambhogakaya, most of the rest are very ferocious and harmful in nature. That is why they always bring trouble and harm us, especially if we provoke them.
We may feel like we didn't do anything to provoke them, but that's not true. We always do something that annoys them. First of all, we know absolutely nothing about these classes of creatures. They say: “I don’t believe in these spirits or any other creatures, because I’ve never seen any of them!” We believe that this is reasonable and quite logical, but in fact there is no logic here. We cannot deny something because we do not see it.
We are unable to see an object that is too far from us; so it is not acceptable to blindly deny something just because we cannot see it. For example, I cannot see the entire universe, but I have no right to deny its existence just because I do not see it. We cannot deny the existence of something that exists in another time - in the past or in the future. There are so many creatures and situations that we cannot see! It is very easy to verify this.
For example, walking through the forest, you can see many animals and insects among the trees. There are also many creatures there who are unable to see us. This does not mean that we do not actually exist for them: they simply do not have the ability to see us. They cannot deny our existence. Likewise, we cannot see many varieties of beings that are much larger or more powerful than us. This is how our world works. If we don't believe in them and think they don't exist, it simply shows our mental limitations.
There may be millions of beings right in front of us in our dimension, but we do not perceive them. For example, an enlightened being with developed clarity can also see bardo beings who have only a psychic body. We cannot see the psychic body with ordinary vision, but if we have actually developed clarity in ourselves, then they also become visible to us.
This is why some teachers say that in the bardo there are millions of beings in a small area of space. Sometimes, looking at the sky, you can see an infinite number of dots that look like shining stars. The infinite number of bardo beings is compared to this: in this way we can imagine an infinite number of living beings.
There are many people in modern society who do not believe that other powerful beings actually exist. It is important to understand the situation here. This does not mean that you have to believe blindly. Instead of accepting on faith any claims about the existence of some kind of deity or spirit, it is necessary to think a little. Then we can discover and understand something.
For example, there are many dimensions in the universe; we can understand this through science. We talk about the existence of many galaxies and solar systems and we know that these stars have immense dimensions. But if there are such dimensions, then why shouldn’t there be creatures there too? How can we be sure that only people exist? Who can guarantee that there are only people, cats and dogs?
It’s just funny to set some kind of boundaries for yourself and live within them. This is just a manifestation of our human ego. We think we know everything, but in fact we cannot go beyond the capabilities of our senses. This is why we don't believe that there are other beings. If someone claims that these creatures exist, then we think that we must agree with this opinion. The need is not to share this opinion, but to break your limitations. That's all.
If you break your limitations, you can understand what is meant by the universe and its beings. The Indians, Amerindians and Aborigines of Australia possess such knowledge; we, not knowing anything about the characteristics of these creatures that do not belong to the human race, incur their wrath upon ourselves.
We also say that all these beings were our fathers and mothers. While this does not necessarily mean that they were all our fathers and mothers in the physical sense, it does imply that in this dimension we live together with others. However, we are selfish: we always think that we belong to this place or this land.
For example, if you have several acres of land, you think: “This is my land!” By law, this is your land. If someone comes onto it and becomes arbitrary, you will not allow it. You consider yourself the rightful owner of your land, but in reality you are not the only owner. There are many hosts, big and small. The Great Master is the guardian of the area, whom you cannot see, but who also owns this land. Doing wrong things can anger him.
There are also many small farmers on your land. For example, if you look closely, you will see many birds, mice and other small animals. There are also many small ants, which actually also feel like they are the masters of this place. And they don't care about your property rights. If you do anything against them, they will try to harm you. And even if they can't do much damage, they will at least try to bite you! With this example you can understand what provocation is.
I will tell you one true story from my own life. In 1954-55 I was in China because I was invited to take part in a conference. Then Chinese officials invited everyone who bore a high title. After the conference, a trip to China was organized, and on the way back I was forced to teach at a school for one hundred and sixty students.
I thought I was too young to teach. I was only seventeen, and I had just graduated from a monastery school and wanted to continue my studies, but they did not let me go. Kangkar Rinpoche (1903-1956) was also forced to teach there. He was the mentor of the Sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa (1924-1981), and I also received teachings from him. So, we divided the students into two classes. He taught in one, and I in the other. About a year later, in 1955, Kangkar Rinpoche went to Beijing, and I stayed with my students in Tartsendo, also called Tachenlu or Kanding. Since I was forced to stay there and did not want to waste time, I began to study Chinese, politics, etc.
One day one of my clients came to me and asked me to do something for a friend of hers who was distraught and constantly convulsing. I could not openly leave the school: although the Cultural Revolution had not yet begun, I knew what the situation was. So I went to this woman secretly, in my free time. Upon arrival, I saw an elderly woman raging and two young men trying to restrain her.
I didn't know what to do. I remembered that my uncle was very good at calming down crazy people, but he had enormous power. Crazy people were often brought to him, and he beat them with a book of sadhana until they calmed down. I’ve never done this before and I didn’t even know if it would work if I tried to do the same.
Several years before, I had done a special practice of Singhamukhi and after this retreat I often used her mantra with success, and therefore I trusted its power. So, I asked for some rice and recited the Singhamukhi mantra to sanctify the rice. I imagined myself transforming into Singhamukha, scattering sparks to eliminate all harmful things, combined rice with sparks and began throwing rice grains at this woman.
She thrashed about even more, screaming that she was burning. The others could barely contain her, but I kept throwing rice at her. The woman screamed and sobbed, but gradually weakened, and when the blessed rice was finished, she was still sobbing, but completely exhausted. She lay in bed without getting up for two or three days. After that, she completely came to her senses and became a kind of medium. From time to time, strange sensations took possession of her, and she became an intermediary for the local guardian.
One day I went to see her as a medium. When asked something, she replied: “I am the guardian of Shara Lhatse.” Shara Lhatse is a very famous local guardian in this part of Eastern Tibet. If you drive half a day east from Tarzendo, you will come across a mountain, then a valley, and on the right side of the valley is the famous mountain.
That woman, who became a medium, asked us to rebuild the support of the guardian of that place, who asked her for a favor: “My old support was destroyed by the Chinese, who turned this place into arable land.” We asked her where that support was, and she answered that it was in Atala. The woman medium was not local and did not even know those parts; but when we asked her how the support was destroyed, she said that the Chinese soldiers destroyed the support that was built on the hill and plowed up all the land. Then, through her, that local guard pronounced sentence on the culprit - the commander of the Chinese soldiers. She told us his name.
Returning to the school, I questioned the students from this area, as some were from Atal itself. I asked if this guardian's support was actually there. The disciples said that this was exactly so, and that the military commander was paralyzed. He could not be cured on the spot, and he spent about a year in the capital of that region, but without success. He was then taken to Chengdu, the largest city in the province, and no one knew what happened to him - whether he lived or died. This is a concrete example of how certain things do not depend on whether you believe in them or not. After all, the Chinese officer clearly did not believe in harmful influences, but, nevertheless, he had to pay for what he had done.
Now similar things are happening in the West. People pay heavily for the disturbance they cause to other beings. But they don't realize it. Sometimes, although harm has been sent to you, you may not immediately feel it because your energy is strong and your elements are in balance. You may not experience any consequences for now, but you are living in time and no one knows what will happen in the next month. So, when you are not at your best, the harmful effects directed at you may manifest themselves.
Many diseases and other disasters are caused by one or another class of powerful beings. If you become the cause of the rage of such creatures, then their harmful influence extends not only to you personally, but to your entire family. In this case, you will pay as long as your family exists. In a family, the one who is weaker and more vulnerable is the first to fall victim to harmful influences.
If your family is under such influence, then the whole family has to pay, whether the family believes it or not. There may be different situations in a family. If your energy or the conditions of its activity are impeccable, then at this moment you will not receive anything harmful; but one whose energy is weakened, disturbed or defective will experience this harm. For this reason, some kind of protection is sometimes necessary to overcome such harmful influences.
How human activities can cause harmful effects.
Today, many people talk about environmental issues; However, if you want to achieve something in the field of ecology, it is not enough to preserve only grasses, flowers and trees. We must understand the main thing in ecology and bring a person to harmony with the dimension in which he lives. First of all, you must understand the power of the energy of the subject, the object and their relationship. Recently I tried to re-read many of the books of the teachings of Desheg Kagye - "Eight Sections", a series of teachings of the Nyingma tradition, especially related to the eight classes of beings. We have many diseases such as cancer and tumors, and now AIDS.
All these diseases are associated with harmful influences. If we have no control over these harmful energies, but simply try to treat such a disease with drugs and procedures, it is incurable. But we know what this harmful force is and what practice to do to control it, and we do this practice in combination with healing procedures and medicines, then it really helps. Therefore, it is very important to understand what these harmful forces are.
If we provoke any classes of beings, they will send their harmful influences on us, and we can be in big trouble. For example, we burn garbage everywhere, especially plastic, most often in big cities. This is extremely dangerous because it provokes the momo class. Generally speaking, even just burning bad-smelling clothes can irritate moms. But burning plastic is much worse. Nobody thinks about it.
People believe that burning garbage is cleaning and purification, but if the smoke enters the environment, it is very dangerous. We commit such actions due to our own lack of clarity. Anyone who lacks clarity and does not think about it provokes other beings and is forced to pay. It would be better to create modern devices that do not produce smoke or ash.
In some places people are blowing up mountains and rocks and completely destroying them. Of course, if local guards live there, this will anger them. Even if the local guardian is small and not very influential, he still belongs to a certain class.
We have a similar situation in our society. If French fishermen go to the shores of North Africa for fish, they will partly deprive local fishermen of fish. Although a simple fisherman is not such an important figure for the French government, he is nevertheless a French citizen. Therefore, the French government will intercede on his behalf with the North African state, and if the parties do not come to an agreement, this could lead to big troubles.
Sometimes we also experience the effects of natural energy, because when the energy of the subject and object is not balanced, we can get into trouble. However, many harmful influences are associated with beings of the eight classes. And so we do the practices of manifestations [of enlightened beings].
Containing harmful forces through (enlightened) manifestations.
In general, all the various creatures are divided into eight classes. This is a general division because one class can have hundreds of subclasses. The manifestations of enlightened beings gained power over the eight classes, imposing a vow of obedience on them...
Each class is capable of one or another malicious action. Anyone who disturbs a class can suffer intractable paralysis. Cancer is associated with price class influences, and contagious diseases are also associated with similar influences. Lymph disorders and skin diseases are associated with the influence of nagas. However, in addition to diseases, there are many other types of harm caused. For example, mamos give rise to discord, conflict and war, as well as deadly epidemics such as cholera.
The way to overcome all these harmful influences is to resort to the corresponding manifestation of enlightened ones...
As I already said, in the Nyingma there are teachings of Desheg Kagye, associated specifically with the eight classes of beings. The last three of these teachings contain explanations of protectors, the various manifestations of enlightened beings as protectors, and the true place of the various classes of beings. It also contains explanations of the relationship between people and these classes, what we humans can do to provoke them, and what punishment we can suffer for it. If you read and study these books, you will be able to learn more, but you will not find one book that contains all these explanations. I think this information is very important.
Those who practice Dzogchen sometimes think: “If we are in the knowledge of Dzogchen, then what should we protect? There is nothing to protect." Of course, if you really are in the knowledge of Dzogchen constantly, if you are united with this state, then you do not need any protection. But you need to watch yourself. How many hours a day are you actually in this state? If you are distracted, as is usually the case, then, of course, you can run into any troubles...
You should not confuse your view with your behavior, with the way you behave... Otherwise you will be in trouble. A speculative understanding of Dzogchen is not true knowledge. It does not embrace our true state. This is why we need to be aware of what is happening around us in order to overcome and eliminate possible harm.
The Gyalpo class and the harm it causes.
Gyalpo is one of the eight classes. Gyalpo is a very broad class and also very dangerous. Where harmful gyalpos operate, people become very nervous; Where there is a Gyalpo, there are wars, conflicts, disasters and serious unrest. Even if you don't touch the gyalpo in any way, sometimes when you are very vulnerable, they can send some harm to you. In addition, even completely peaceful people, if they are passive and have weak points, can become victims of the gyalpo, especially if they have any relationship with them. Nowadays in our society the Gyalpo class is a real problem.
The malign influence of the Gyalpo exists everywhere. Having visited China, Mongolia and Russia, I have observed many such phenomena originating from the Gyalpo class. To be exposed to the harmful effects of the gyalpo, there must also be a channel of communication. As a rule, if we do not directly provoke them, then we do not get into much trouble, but sometimes, even if we do not provoke them at all, if there is a channel of communication with the Gyalpo, we can feel their influence on ourselves.
In ancient times, somewhere in Mongolia there lived a very strong and powerful Gyalpo. Then Gypy Padmasambhava subjugated this gyalpo, who later became the guardian of the Samye temple. This Gyalpo is called Gyalpo Pehar. He is one of the most important gyalpos, one of the most important beings of this class. Guru Padmasambhava met Pehar and conquered him. Thus Gyalpo Pehar became the protector of the Samye Temple. So we consider Pehar an important guardian.
Nowadays the official oracle of Tibet, who is called Nechung Choyang, is one of the servants of Gyalpo. Although Pehar belongs to the gyalpo class, he has an obligation to Guru Padmasambhava, so he will not harm you. For example, if you practice with Gyalpo Peharu puja, he will protect you. However, you may actually find that simply doing the Pehara practice can make you very nervous - such is the nature of the gyalpo class; so by doing this practice you may be exposed to this kind of influence.
For example, even as a child, when I was in convent school, I knew that Samye Temple was very important because it was the only temple built by Padmasambhava during his stay in Tibet. And since the guardian of this temple is Gyalpo Pehar, I thought that he must also be very important. When doing puja for guardians, I always included the practice of Gyalpo Pehara in it. Later I began to think that Gyalpo Pehar was very good and that I needed to do more of his practice. But then I learned what the harmful influence of the Gyalpo class was like, and I noticed that when I did the Gyalpo Pehara practice, I became a little more nervous and unfocused, so I thought it was better not to do it anymore. And since then I haven’t done it.
There are other types of gyalpo - not only those who have good qualities and have accepted obligations. Generally speaking, there are hundreds and thousands of less important gyalpos in this class. They have many servants. Many of these beings appear as guardians, and all of these guardians have responsibilities; how Gyalpo Pehar has obligations to Guru Padmasambhava. When we do any Gyalpo practice, we become very nervous because the harmful influence of Gyalpo makes one restless and crazy (in general, Gyalpo is famous for causing madness).
There are many evil spirits who have fallen under the control of the Gyalpo class. Actually, this is not a gyalpo, but the so-called tserseb, tserngen or gyalngen. Gyalngen means “evil gyalpo” (evil spirits are generally called drengen: dre is “spirit”, and ngen is “bad” or “evil”; combined with gyal, an abbreviation for gyalpo, the word is gyalngen, i.e. “evil” gyalpo"; the spirit of gyalpo is also called dregyal), and, as a rule, our troubles are associated with this type of gyalpo. In Tibet, this type of guardian is also used, especially in the Sakya and Gelug.
There are evil spirits, which have become, in particular, some practitioners who received Vajrayana teachings and then committed very serious violations of samaya. As a result of some unfavorable circumstances, they become evil spirits. Since beings of the Gyalpo class are naturally endowed with a long life span, which can last eighty thousand years, one who becomes a Gyalpo remains a Gyalpo for a long time.
Examples of harm caused to the Gyalpo.
Many of the problems facing our world today are caused by the Gyalpo class. One example is Yugoslavia, where there are two or three ethnic groups, and each believes that it is more important than the others, and therefore they fight against each other. But in reality they can live in peace because their differences are not very significant. And this happens not only in such a small country as Yugoslavia, but throughout the world. We could all live in peace and harmony, but people are selfish.
The Dzogchen teaching says that the reason for being born as a human being is pride. This is true, and we are inflating it even more. When the water in the kettle is boiling, if you add oil to the fire or add wood, the water will boil even more. When selfishness and weakness are added to pride, the reason for being born human, we become a victim of harmful influences. Where things are like this, the Gyalpo rejoice and the people suffer all sorts of calamities.
The Cultural Revolution in China and the recent massacre in Rwanda between two peoples living in the same country are examples of this. All this is instigated by the Gyalpo. Another example. The Gyalpo harm not only people, but also animals, such as cows and sheep, who contract rabies. This is what happened in England (where the mad cow disease epidemic broke out). So the situation is indeed very dangerous, and we must understand this.
Chögyal Namkhai Norbu born in 1938 in Derge in Eastern Tibet. At the age of 3, he was recognized by many high Tibetan teachers as the incarnation of Adzom Drukpa - the great teacher of Dzogchen - and received a full traditional education corresponding to his rank of tulku (reincarnation). In addition to theoretical disciplines, he received instructions from many teachers of various Buddhist schools and performed practices under their guidance. At the age of 18, he met his root teacher Changchub Dorje, thanks to whom he was able to fully awaken his spiritual knowledge.
In 1960, Professor G. Tucci invited him to Rome for research work at the Oriental Institute. Subsequently, Chögyal Namkhai Norbu served as professor of Tibetan and Mongolian language and literature at the Institute of Oriental Studies at the University of Naples, where he worked until 1992 and made a great contribution to the development of Tibetology in the West.
In the mid-70s, for the first time in the Western world, at the request of his students, he began to transmit the Teaching. Now Chögyal Namkhai Norbu is one of the main living teachers of Dzogchen. He is the founder of the international Dzogchen Community, the Shang Shung Institute and the A.S.I.A. organization, which helps Tibetan schools and hospitals. For many years he has traveled tirelessly around the world, transmitting the Dzogchen teachings and devoting himself to caring for Tibetan culture.
BIOGRAPHY OF CHOGYAL NAMKAY NORBU
This short biography was originally published in the second edition of Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche's The Dzi Necklace: A Cultural History of Tibet, published in Tibetan by His Holiness the Dalai Lama Information Service.
Chögyal Namkhai Norbu was born in the village of Geug, in the Dege region, in Eastern Tibet, on the eighth day of the tenth month of the Earth Tiger Year (1938). His father's name was Dolma Tsering, he was from a noble family and served for some time as an official of the local government of the region, his mother's name was Yeshe Chodron.
When Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche was two years old, Palyul Karma Jansrid Rinpoche and Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche recognized him as an incarnation of Adzom Drukpa. Adzom Drukpa was a student of the First Khentse Rinpoche, Jamyang Khentse Wangpo (1829-1892), and also a student of Patrul Rinpoche. Both famous Masters were leaders of the Rime, a non-sectarian movement in Eastern Tibet in the nineteenth century.
Adzom Drukpa received the transmission of instructions from his root Master Jamyang Khentse Wangpo thirty-seven times, and from Patrul Rinpoche he received the complete transmission of the Longchen Nyingthig Teachings and instructions on Tsa-lung.
Then Adzom Drukpa became a terton - the discoverer of the hidden Terma Teachings, having visions and instructions from the Omniscient Jigme Lingpa himself. At that time he was thirty years old. Adzom Drukpa lived and taught in Adzomgar, in Eastern Tibet and became the Teacher of many Dzogchen masters of that time. Among them was Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche's paternal uncle Togden Urgyen Tenzin, who became his first Dzogchen Teacher.
When Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche was eight years old, the Sixteenth Karmapa and Palden Pun Situ Rinpoche recognized him as the embodiment of the mind of Ngawang Namgyal Lhobrug Shabdun Rinpoche (1594-1651). This Teacher was the incarnation of the famous Master of the Drukpa Kagyu school - Padma Karpo (1527-1592). Shabdun Rinpoche was the historical founder of the state of Bhutan. Until the beginning of the 20th century, the Shabdun Rinpoches were dharmarajs - the temporal and spiritual rulers of Bhutan.
As a child, Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche received Dzogchen teachings from Dzogchen Khan Rinpoche. From the age of eight to fourteen, Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche studied in a monastery, where he studied the Prajnaparamita sutras, Abhisamayalankara, Hevajra Tantra and Samputatantra. He became an expert in Abhisamayalankara. He studied a large commentary on the Kalachakra Tantra, studied the Guhyasamaja Tantra, medical Tantras, Indian and Chinese astrology, as well as Karmapa Ranjung Dorje's Zabmo Dandon. There he studied secular sciences. At the same time, he studied the basic doctrine of the Sakyapa school and the root text on logic of the Sakya Pandita.
Then, with his uncle Togden Urgyen Tenzin, he retired to a cave to contemplate Vajrapani, Simhamukha and White Tara. At this time, the son of Adzom Drukpa Gyurme Dorje returned from central Tibet and gave Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche initiation into the cycle of Longchen Nyingthig Teachings.
In 1951, when Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche was fourteen years old, his mentor advised him to find a woman who lived in the Kadari area, who was an incarnation of Vajrayogini herself, and take initiation from her. This woman, a Teacher named Ayu Khadro Dorje Paldron (1838-1953), was a student of the great Jamyang Khentse Wangpo and Nyagla Pema Duddul, as well as an older contemporary of Adzom Drukpa. At this time she was one hundred and thirteen years old, and had been in a dark retreat in contemplation for fifty-six years.
Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche received from Ayu Khadro, in particular, the transmission of the Longchen Nyingthig and Khadro Yantig Teachings, in which the main practice is contemplation in the dark. In addition, she gave him her own termas of the mind, such as the practice of the Lion-headed Dakini - Simhamukha.
In 1954, Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche was invited to visit the People's Republic of China as a representative of the Tibetan youth. He taught Tibetan language in China at the Southwest Minor Nationalities University in Chengdu. In China, he met the famous Gankar Rinpoche (1903-1956) and heard from him explanations of the Six Yogas of Naropa, Mahamudra and instructions on Tibetan medicine. During this period, Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche achieved perfection in the study of Chinese and Mongolian languages.
Returning home to Dege at the age of seventeen and following a vision he received in a dream, he went to meet his root Teacher Zhangchub Dorje Rinpoche (1826-1978), who lived in a secluded valley east of Dege. Zhangchub Dorje was from the Nyarong region, near the border with China. He was a student of Adzom Drukpa, Nyagla Pema Duddul and Shardza Rinpoche (1859-1935), the famous Dzogchen Teacher of the Bonpo school. Nyagla Pema Duddul and Shardza Rinpoche achieved the highest realization in the Dzogchen Teaching - the Body of Light. Zhangchub Dorje was a practicing physician and led a community in his valley called Nyaglagar. The community fully provided itself with everything necessary and consisted entirely of practitioners - yogis and yoginis.
From Zhangchub Dorje Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche received the initiation and transmission of the main sections of Dzogchen: Semde, Longde and Mennagde. But more importantly, this Master brought him directly into the experience of Dzogchen. He also received some transmissions from the Teacher’s son. He remained in Nyaglagar for almost a year, often assisting Zhangchub Dorje in his medical practice and serving as his secretary.
After this, Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche went on a long pilgrimage to Central Tibet, India and Bhutan. Returning to his homeland, in Dege, he found a worsening political situation and an avalanche of violence. He was forced to flee to Central Tibet and reached Sikkim as a political emigrant. There, in Gangtok, from 1958 to 1960. he worked as an author and publisher of Tibetan literature for the Government Development Department of Sikkim.
In 1960, when he was twenty-two years old, Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche went to Italy at the invitation of Professor Giuseppe Tucci and settled in Rome for several years. From 1960 to 1964 He was engaged in research work at the Italian Institute of the Middle and Far East. While receiving a Rockefeller Fellowship, he worked closely with Professor Tucci and taught seminars on yoga, medicine and astrology.
Since 1964, Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche worked as a professor at the Oriental Faculty of the University of Naples, where he taught Tibetan language and the history of Tibetan culture. He conducted extensive research into the historical sources of Tibetan culture, in particular, researched little-studied sources related to the Bonpo tradition. In 1983, Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche convened the first international conference on Tibetan medicine, held in Venice.
Since the mid-seventies, Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche began teaching Yantra Yoga and Dzogchen contemplation to several students from Italy. The growing interest in these teachings convinced him to devote himself even more to this activity. Together with his disciples, he founded the first Dzogchen Community in Arcidosso in Tuscany, later establishing other centers in various parts of Europe, Russia, the USA, South America and Australia.
In 1988, Chögyal Namkhai Norbu founded A.S.I.A. (Association for International Solidarity in Asia), a non-governmental organization whose mission was to meet the educational and medical needs of the Tibetan population.
In 1989, Chogyal Namkhai Norbu founded the Shang Shung Institute, which aims to preserve Tibetan culture by promoting the development of knowledge about it and its dissemination.
For more than 30 years, Chögyal Namkhai Norbu has been teaching the teachings called Dzogchen—which encourages compassion and nonviolence—to hundreds and thousands of people around the world (Dzogchen means “great perfection,” a term that refers to our own true nature). With great tenacity he always proclaimed the concrete realization of the true message of peace: a brotherhood of men and women from different parts of the world who are trying to lead a relaxed, peaceful life in cooperation with each other, not separate but harmoniously integrated with the normality of everyday life.
In addition to his spiritual teachings, Chögyal Namkhai Norbu is passionate about improving the living conditions of Tibetans and preserving the millennia-old culture of his country. The magnificent Tibetan culture dates back 4,000 years to Shang Shung, the first kingdom in Tibet. Knowledge is traditionally divided into five main areas: art, craft, linguistics and poetry, medicine and the so-called “inner knowledge”, which relates to the understanding of the relative and absolute state of the individual.
For about twenty years, with the help of the non-governmental organization ASIA (Association for International Solidarity in Asia), which aims to meet the educational and medical needs of the Tibetan people, and the Shang Shung Institute of Tibetan Studies, Namkhai Norbu has been doing everything possible for the social and cultural development of his homeland, always while cooperating with local authorities.
Professor Namkhai Norbu is one of the most prominent personalities of Tibetan culture. A true connoisseur of the traditions and knowledge of his country, he devoted many years of his life to researching and disseminating his knowledge, with the goal of preserving the cultural identity of his people. His numerous books are now published in most parts of the world. He sincerely dedicated himself to preserving the vast cultural heritage of Tibet in order to pass it on to new generations and the Western world.
20th century Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche was born on the eighth day of the tenth month of the Year of the Earth Tiger (1938) in Eastern Tibet in Kham near Derge. They say that on this day roses bloomed near the house, although it was December. His father was a member of a noble family and often held official positions in the government. From a very early age, he received numerous teachings and empowerments from teachers belonging to different schools of Tibetan Buddhism. When he was two years old, he was recognized as the incarnation of Adzom Drukpafrom the line of reincarnates of the Gonchen Monastery,who was one of the greatest Dzogchen masters of the early twentieth century. Namkhai Norbu was a student of the first Khyentse Rinpoche and also a student of Patrul Rinpoche. Both of these brilliant teachers were leaders of the non-sectarian Rime movement that developed in Eastern Tibet in the nineteenth century. Adzom Drukpa was a master for many Dzogchen teachers of that time. Among them was Namkhai Norbu's paternal uncle Togden, who became his first Dzogchen teacher. When Namkhai Norbu was 8 years old, he was also recognized by the 16th Karmapa and Situ Rinpoche as the incarnation of the outstanding Drukpa Kagyu master Padma Karpo (1527-1592), the historical founder of the state of Bhutan.
From the age of 8 to 14, Norbu Rinpoche studied at the monastery college, performed retreats (meditative retreats) and studied with famous masters. In 1954, after completing his training course, he was invited to China as a member of a delegation representing Tibetan Buddhist monasteries. There he taught Tibetan language at Chengdu (National Minority University, Sichuan Province). In China, he acquired a good knowledge of Chinese and Mongolian languages. During this time, he was fortunate enough to meet Konkar Rinpoche, a renowned master of the Kagyupa tradition, from whom he received many teachings.
When he turned 17, he returned to his home province of Derge. Following a vision he received in a dream, Namkhai Norbu met his root master Changchub Dorje, who lived the life of a simple village doctor and led a community of lay practitioners, yogis and yoginis. He was also the discoverer of terma (hidden spiritual treasures). From this master Norbu Rinpoche received the most important initiation of his life into the essence of the Dzogchen teaching, through a direct introduction to the experience of rigpa. Thus Changchub Dorje became the Root Master for Namkhai Norbu. Namkhai Norbu remained with him for almost a year, often assisting Changchub Dorje Rinpoche in his medical practice as a secretary.
After this, Norbu Rinpoche went on a long pilgrimage to Central Tibet, Nepal, India and Bhutan. Returning to Derge, his homeland, he found that the political situation in the country had deteriorated greatly as the Chinese army had captured Tibet. Continuing his journey through Central Tibet, he arrived in Sikkim. From 1958 to 1960, he lived in Gangtok (Sikkim), where he wrote and edited several Tibetan books that contributed to the development of the government of Sikkim. In 1960, when he was 22 years old, Professor Giuseppe Tucci invited him to Rome to participate in research at the Institute for the Study of the Far and Middle East. Since 1964, Norbu Rinpoche has been a professor at the Oriental Department of the University of Naples, where he taught students Tibetan and Mongolian languages, as well as the history of Tibetan culture.
Namkhai Norbu conducted in-depth research into the historical roots of Tibetan culture, paying special attention to the study of little-known literary sources of the Bonpo tradition and the culture of the ancient state of Shang Shung. In 1983, Norbu Rinpoche organized the first International Congress of Tibetan Medicine in Venice. After some time, he began to conduct training retreats in different countries, at which he gave practical instructions on Dzogchen practices of a non-sectarian nature, as well as on Yantra yoga, Tibetan medicine and astrology. In addition, Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche is the author of more than a dozen books on the teachings of Dzogchen and the Bonpo tradition. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, he continued to transmit knowledge throughout the world, providing everyone with a real opportunity to receive deep instructions and initiations into spiritual practices Dzogchen.
- Lectures and treatises.
- "Mirror-Jewel" of the ancient history of Zhanzhung and Tibet (pdf 171 Kb.).
- Dzogchen is a self-perfect state.
- Dzogchen - a state of self-perfection (2001. pdf 1.26 Mb.).
- Crystal and the path of light. Sutra, Tantra and Dzogchen (pdf 1.16 Mb.).
- Dzogchen and Zen (pdf 139 Kb.).
Three paths to liberation. Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche
Thank you for downloading the book from the free electronic library http://filosoff.org/ Enjoy reading! Three paths of liberation by Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche. The Dzogchen teachings speak of tarlam desum, the three paths of liberation. Liberation is a broad concept, and there are many types of liberation. For example, if we release an animal that we were about to kill, that animal will be freed from the threat of death, at least for a while. Of course, such temporary liberation is not at all the same as complete liberation. The animal that we saved will still remain in samsara and will be born in it again and again. Here our teaching concerns liberation in the absolute sense - the path to complete freedom from the suffering of the cycle of samsara. The teaching of the three paths of liberation says that all paths can be combined into three main sections. Although this approach forms part of the Dzogchen teachings, not all of the methods discussed have their origins in Dzogchen or other Buddhist traditions, since these three paths include all spiritual teachings that can lead to realization. Because there are many points of view and many approaches, it is very important to know what exactly a teaching means and how to follow it correctly so as not to become confused or misled. Everyone who follows any teaching, like everyone else, lives in samsara and in dualistic vision, and therefore within limitations. Following the teaching, a person thinks: “This is my path. This is my system." So he sets himself limitations that are characteristic of people, although they do not benefit them. This is exactly how people act in everything. This can be easily understood if we take our ordinary life, but we act in exactly the same way when embarking on the spiritual path. Those who follow the spiritual path are also subject to dualistic vision. The teacher tells us how to go beyond the dualistic state and beyond limitations, not how to apply them. However, we often misunderstand the teachings because we are constantly following our rational thoughts, ideas and attitudes. Here's one interesting example. When Shakyamuni Buddha was in India, he taught the four noble truths. First he talked about the suffering of samsara and how no one likes to suffer. He then taught how to go beyond suffering. This is the purpose of the four noble truths that he preached throughout his life. Buddha did not intend to create a school or a tradition. He had no restrictions. But soon after the Buddha manifested parinirvana, that is, after his death, eighteen different schools of Buddhism arose. Why? Because even the most eminent disciples of the Buddha could not come to an agreement. If they had a real understanding of the Buddha's teachings, they would know that there is nothing to disagree with. Although these disciples had some degree of realization, they still remained in dualistic vision, and none of them had completely given up their limitations, and therefore each understood the teaching in his own way. This is how various schools appeared. Sometimes we consider it important that the followers of a school adhere to the teachings and traditions in accordance with the instructions of their teachers. Difficulties begin when students accept a point of view automatically, without deep understanding. If the students understand the true essence of what the teacher conveys to them, they will not have difficulties associated with the conditions of life in society, since these circumstances arise and multiply due to dualistic vision and nothing else. Sometimes many of the attitudes present in the teachings and associated with our system of culture and traditions are quite important, but if we are seriously interested in the teaching, then the most important thing is to understand its essence. All teachings can be presented from three points of view: from the point of view of the basis, the path and the fruit. These concepts are used not only in the Dzogchen tradition, but in all traditions and schools. What is the basis? The basis is what we consider to be the true state of each individual being, personality. What do we mean by personality? What is the difference between two people or between people and other creatures? Although they have the same basis, its nature manifested in each of them is different. All traditions describe the basis differently, and therefore there are differences between schools and traditions. The second concept is the path. The path begins when we realize our position in samsara. For example, when we study a teaching such as the Buddha Sutra, we are introduced to the first of the four noble truths: the noble truth of the existence of suffering. Why do we have suffering? We suffer because we live in dualistic vision and, as a result, continually create negative karma. The consequence of the negative karma we endlessly generate is endless suffering. This is the samsaric position of every person. Why do we live this way? Because we don’t know, we don’t realize. We do not know the nature of our true situation, and therefore are completely dependent on our dual vision. We believe in it, what we see and what we think, and we prove it with our own reasoning. For example, if we ask a question, we are satisfied with the answer we receive. This is logical, but we will never understand our true nature if we rely only on our rational thinking. This is why we do not know our true state. There are many different paths in the teachings, and each of them explains and introduces us to the nature of our true state in its own way. These paths give guidance on different levels corresponding to the different abilities of people and the varied circumstances in which they live. For example, we know that Shakyamuni Buddha physically taught the Sutra. The teaching of Sutra is quite different from Tantra. There is no explanation in the Sutra regarding energy. This teaching is based on the physical, material level of our existence. Tantra deals primarily with energy. The teachings of Tantra originate from enlightened beings such as Buddha Shakyamuni, but they were not transmitted on a material level. The transmission of knowledge of Tantra occurs at the level of manifestations of energy, and the practice of the path of Tantra is carried out through the use of methods related to energy. To understand the physical, material level, you do not need high abilities. Buddha Shakyamuni physically transmitted the teachings of the Sutras because he knew that many people have low abilities. If you are able to understand the energy level and work with it, then you are much more likely to achieve full realization. This is why the Buddha taught Tantra, which works through transformation. On the highest path, in Dzogchen, we have the opportunity to work directly at the level of the mind, and we can achieve realization even faster. As you can see, there is a difference between the teachings; that is why each tradition offers its own path. These are the three characteristic paths spoken of in the Dzogchen teaching. In the Buddhist tradition there are many different levels of the path. For example, Sutrayana is divided into Hinayana and Mahayana. Tantra, also known as Vajrayana, has many divisions, including the higher and lower tantras. The lower tantras also have three main sections, as well as many tantras belonging to this cycle. In the highest tantras there are also many separate levels. Those who follow the lower path are only familiar with this path. They do not seek to study other traditions, and therefore their ideas are limited. For example, a practitioner of the Sutra, convinced of the view of this teaching, upon hearing about Tantra, says: “I don’t know what Tantra is, and I don’t want to know. I'm satisfied with my path. I want to study this path even more deeply and practice this way only.” This is true not only of the Sutrayana, but also of the other lower tantras, as well as the higher ones. Those who are familiar with the lower tantras cannot understand the higher tantras. Perhaps they do not have enough abilities for this. But even if they have the ability, they still limit themselves, thinking: “I am a practitioner of Yoga Tantra. I have no need to study the highest tantra, Anuttara tantra.” Those who are familiar with the highest tantra, Anuttara tantra, know that their path is different from the paths of lower tantra and Sutrayana. They must study and understand everything, without restrictions. But even those who practice this path do not know about the teachings of Dzogchen. Those of them who have had the opportunity to learn something about Dzogchen believe that Dzogchen is part of the teachings of Tantra. They always have such a limited view. Probably due to the fact that people have no interest in Dzogchen, they do not want to study it, and therefore they do not understand what Dzogchen is. This limitation is common. When we study Dzogchen, we learn that it is considered the highest teaching. Why? It is necessary to understand the reason why we follow one way or another. Our goal is to find realization. How can one achieve realization? By following the path and practicing according to its methods. If we follow a path related to the physical, material level, and not to the energy and mental levels, of course, we will not be able to quickly achieve complete realization. We are people, and people have three levels of existence: body, speech and mind. Full realization implies the realization of all dimensions, not just the physical, material level. This is why we understand that the teachings of Tantra are more closely related to our true state and can help us achieve full realization faster. The path of Tantra is different from the path of Sutra. Practicing the path of Tantra is transformation. We know that we live in samsara and that our samsaric vision is a creation, a consequence of our negative karma. We live and exist in these conditions, and our vision is imperfect. To purify this state and gain pure perception, we practice transformation. For example, what happens if we are controlled by our negative emotions? We find that their action increases samsaric suffering. If we transform these negative emotions into the five wisdoms, their action enhances pure vision and helps us achieve complete realization. This is why the Tantra system uses the method of transformation. Transformation is achieved through our energy. We mentally transform an impure vision into a pure one. We have a clear understanding of pure vision and impure vision because we have both. Working with them means working with our dual vision. The main thing in Dzogchen is to act with the mind and be directly in the nature of the mind. Essentially, the Dzogchen teaching is not concerned with either the energy level or the material level. However, the energy level and the material level are related to the mind. In the Dzogchen teaching there is an expression, chigshe kundrol, which means “when you discover one thing, you discover everything.” By discovering the true nature of your mind, you also discover the true nature of your material and energetic level. In this way you become independent of your dual vision, pure and impure. If you are able to remain in this knowledge, then, of course, you can achieve full realization faster. Now you can understand why they say that Dzogchen is the highest path. Dzogchen is truly the essence of all teachings. When in any
Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche (also Namkhai Norbu, December 8, 1938) is a Tibetan Dzogchen teacher who actively spreads the Buddhist teachings of Dzogchen throughout the world, in particular in Italy, Russia, Latin America, Australia, the USA, Ukraine, Belarus, and the Baltic states .
Namkhai Norbu was born in Eastern Tibet, in Derge, Kham Province.
At the age of three, he was recognized as an incarnation of the great Dzogchen teacher, Adzom Drukpa. He was also recognized as an incarnation of Kunchen Pema Karpo and Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, in fact the head of the Drukpa Kagyu tradition in Bhutan. Namkhai Norbu received a full education corresponding to the rank of tulku, and received transmissions from many Tibetan teachers. After the occupation of Tibet by China, he emigrated to India. Italian professor G. Tucci invited him to Rome to work at the Oriental Institute. In the early 60s he worked at the Institute of the Near and Far East in Rome, and subsequently, from 1962 to 1992, taught Tibetan and Mongolian language and literature at the Eastern University of Naples. His academic works reveal a deep knowledge of Tibetan culture, always fueled by a strong desire to keep Tibet's unique cultural heritage alive and relevant.
In 1964, Namkhai Norbu was appointed professor of Tibetan and Mongolian language and literature at the Institute of Oriental Studies at the University of Naples. In the mid-60s, after several years of teaching Yantra Yoga in Naples, Chögyal Namkhai Norbu began giving Dzogchen teachings, which were met with growing interest, first in Italy, then throughout the Dzogchen West. In 1971 he founded the International Dzogchen Society, whose activities currently unite thousands of practitioners in Dzogchen communities.
In 1981, he founded the first Dzogchen Community in Arcidosso, Tuscany, and gave it the name "Merigar". Subsequently, thousands of people become members of the Dzogchen Community throughout the world. Centers are appearing in the USA, in various parts of Europe, Latin America, Russia and Australia.
In 1988, Chögyal Namkhai Norbu founded A.S.I.A. (Association for International Solidarity in Asia), a non-governmental organization whose mission was to meet the educational and medical needs of the Tibetan population.
In 1989, Chogyal Namkhai Norbu founded the Shang Shung Institute, which aims to preserve Tibetan culture by promoting the development of knowledge about it and its dissemination.