This is the fourteenth article in a series by Lama Drimed Norbu on the lineage holders of the Great Perfection, the simplest yet most profound spiritual approach of the Buddhadharma. It is the first of a two-part article on Longchenpa.
Often referred to as the second Buddha, Longchenpa or Kunkhyen Longchen Rab jam, which means "the All-Knowing, Completely Learned One Who Is Vast Like Space," was born in 1308. His family line went back to one of Padmasambhava's disciples. His grandfather lived to be 150 as a result of longevity practices, and his father, Tenpa Sung, was a great yogi of the Vajrayana. When Longchenpa was in his mother's womb, she dreamt of a great lion with a sun above its head, illuminating the world. At his birth, the dharma protector Black Remati appeared, took the child, and held him,saying, "I will always protect him," and then handed him back to his mother.
Longchenpa was the reincarnation of King Trisong Detsen's daughter, Princess Pemasal. Guru Padmasambhava gave her the Great Perfection teachings known as the Heartdrop of the Dakinis. In a later incarnation as Pema Ledreltsal she rediscovered the teachings as a treasure. Perna Ledreltsal took rebirth as Longchenpa.
As a young child, Longchenpa not only had great faith, but wisdom and compassion–the qualities of a bodhisattva. He learned to read and write easily, and at the age of seven received empowerments and teachings from his father. Ordained as a novice at twelve, he studied the moral discipline of the Vinaya and began teaching at fourteen. At sixteen he studied many tantras, such as the Kalachakra, the Six Yogas, and chod. By the time he was in his early twenties he had studied the philosophies of the Middle Way school, the long version of the Mother of Transcendent Knowledge (Prajnaparamita), many other Mahayana texts, as well as Sanskrit, poetry, logic, and drama. Having studied with well over twenty teachers of the Nyingma, Kagyu, and Sakya schools, Longchenpa had comprehended most of the spiritual and philosophical systems known at that time in Tibet. During this period, Longchenpa was also deeply engaged in meditation practice.
To Longchenpa, sambogakaya pure realms were not mere objects of belief; he had visionary experiences of many deities, such as Manjushri, Sarasvati, Vajravarahi, and Tara. He was known by many then as the "Master of Infinite Realization."
Despite his great attainments, Longchenpa became disheartened by the conduct and sectarian behavior of many scholars. He also felt intense sorrow for the suffering of the world, and so he decided to renounce worldly life and wander freely as a mendicant. His teacher and fellow students tried to persuade him to stay, but his resolve was strong and he left, traveling from place to place without fixed direction and devoting himself entirely to meditation.
He had been practicing a very advanced yoga in the dark for many months when he had a pure vision. First he heard the sounds of cymbals and melodious songs. Then a beautiful young girl dressed in silks and adorned with gold and turquoise appeared riding a horse covered in leather mail adorned with tiny bells. He could not see her face, for it was covered by a veil. He touched the hem of her dress and prayed, "Please bless me, sublime one!" She took a jeweled crown from her head and placed it on his, saying, "I will always bless you and bestow accomplishment on you." At that point Longchenpa experienced a blissful state beyond ordinary thought. He sensed the vision meant that he would encounter the most sublime teachings of the Great Perfection.
Meanwhile, the great rigdzin (awareness holder) Kumaradza, who was the lineage holder of the heart-drop teachings of Vimalamitra (Vima Nyingt'hig), had a dream, which he recounted to his disciples. "A wonderful bird that declared itself to be divine came with a flock of others and carried away my books in all directions." Joyfully Kumaradza told his disciples that someone would come to hold his spiritual lineage.
In a pure vision, Tara prophesied to Longchenpa that he was destined to study with and serve Kumaradza. When he was twenty-seven,Longchenpa met Kumaradza and spent two years with him. Kumaradza never settled in any one place or became attached to ordinary things. To arouse disillusionment with worldly objects in his students, he moved many times each season, using only temporary windbreaks as shelters. Longchenpa endured tremendous austerities out of his love for the dharma. He had little food,surviving at times only on a little tsampa (barley flour) and some medicinal pills. During the cold winter months, he had only one large cloth sack, which served as both clothing and a bed.
During this time Kumaradza gave Longchenpa all of the empowerments and teachings associated with every level of the Great Perfection. Like pouring water into water, Kumaradza empowered Longchenpa as the lineage holder of the Nyingt'hig teachings.
This article is based on accounts given in Masters of Meditation and Miracles by Tulku Thondup and The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism by H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche. It will be continued in the Spring 1997 Windhorse.
This is the fourteenth article in a series by Lama Drimed Norbu on the lineage holders of the Great Perfection, the simplest yet most profound spiritual approach of the Buddhadharma. It is the first of a two-part article on Longchenpa.
Often referred to as the second Buddha, Longchenpa or Kunkhyen Longchen Rab jam, which means "the All-Knowing, Completely Learned One Who Is Vast Like Space," was born in 1308. His family line went back to one of Padmasambhava's disciples. His grandfather lived to be 150 as a result of longevity practices, and his father, Tenpa Sung, was a great yogi of the Vajrayana. When Longchenpa was in his mother's womb, she dreamt of a great lion with a sun above its head, illuminating the world. At his birth, the dharma protector Black Remati appeared, took the child, and held him,saying, "I will always protect him," and then handed him back to his mother.
Longchenpa was the reincarnation of King Trisong Detsen's daughter, Princess Pemasal. Guru Padmasambhava gave her the Great Perfection teachings known as the Heartdrop of the Dakinis. In a later incarnation as Pema Ledreltsal she rediscovered the teachings as a treasure. Perna Ledreltsal took rebirth as Longchenpa.
As a young child, Longchenpa not only had great faith, but wisdom and compassion–the qualities of a bodhisattva. He learned to read and write easily, and at the age of seven received empowerments and teachings from his father. Ordained as a novice at twelve, he studied the moral discipline of the Vinaya and began teaching at fourteen. At sixteen he studied many tantras, such as the Kalachakra, the Six Yogas, and chod. By the time he was in his early twenties he had studied the philosophies of the Middle Way school, the long version of the Mother of Transcendent Knowledge (Prajnaparamita), many other Mahayana texts, as well as Sanskrit, poetry, logic, and drama. Having studied with well over twenty teachers of the Nyingma, Kagyu, and Sakya schools, Longchenpa had comprehended most of the spiritual and philosophical systems known at that time in Tibet. During this period, Longchenpa was also deeply engaged in meditation practice.
To Longchenpa, sambogakaya pure realms were not mere objects of belief; he had visionary experiences of many deities, such as Manjushri, Sarasvati, Vajravarahi, and Tara. He was known by many then as the "Master of Infinite Realization."
Despite his great attainments, Longchenpa became disheartened by the conduct and sectarian behavior of many scholars. He also felt intense sorrow for the suffering of the world, and so he decided to renounce worldly life and wander freely as a mendicant. His teacher and fellow students tried to persuade him to stay, but his resolve was strong and he left, traveling from place to place without fixed direction and devoting himself entirely to meditation.
He had been practicing a very advanced yoga in the dark for many months when he had a pure vision. First he heard the sounds of cymbals and melodious songs. Then a beautiful young girl dressed in silks and adorned with gold and turquoise appeared riding a horse covered in leather mail adorned with tiny bells. He could not see her face, for it was covered by a veil. He touched the hem of her dress and prayed, "Please bless me, sublime one!" She took a jeweled crown from her head and placed it on his, saying, "I will always bless you and bestow accomplishment on you." At that point Longchenpa experienced a blissful state beyond ordinary thought. He sensed the vision meant that he would encounter the most sublime teachings of the Great Perfection.
Meanwhile, the great rigdzin (awareness holder) Kumaradza, who was the lineage holder of the heart-drop teachings of Vimalamitra (Vima Nyingt'hig), had a dream, which he recounted to his disciples. "A wonderful bird that declared itself to be divine came with a flock of others and carried away my books in all directions." Joyfully Kumaradza told his disciples that someone would come to hold his spiritual lineage.
In a pure vision, Tara prophesied to Longchenpa that he was destined to study with and serve Kumaradza. When he was twenty-seven,Longchenpa met Kumaradza and spent two years with him. Kumaradza never settled in any one place or became attached to ordinary things. To arouse disillusionment with worldly objects in his students, he moved many times each season, using only temporary windbreaks as shelters. Longchenpa endured tremendous austerities out of his love for the dharma. He had little food,surviving at times only on a little tsampa (barley flour) and some medicinal pills. During the cold winter months, he had only one large cloth sack, which served as both clothing and a bed.
During this time Kumaradza gave Longchenpa all of the empowerments and teachings associated with every level of the Great Perfection. Like pouring water into water, Kumaradza empowered Longchenpa as the lineage holder of the Nyingt'hig teachings.
This article is based on accounts given in Masters of Meditation and Miracles by Tulku Thondup and The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism by H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche. It will be continued in the Spring 1997 Windhorse.
This is the fourteenth article in a series by Lama Drimed Norbu on the lineage holders of the Great Perfection, the simplest yet most profound spiritual approach of the Buddhadharma. It is the first of a two-part article on Longchenpa.
Often referred to as the second Buddha, Longchenpa or Kunkhyen Longchen Rab jam, which means "the All-Knowing, Completely Learned One Who Is Vast Like Space," was born in 1308. His family line went back to one of Padmasambhava's disciples. His grandfather lived to be 150 as a result of longevity practices, and his father, Tenpa Sung, was a great yogi of the Vajrayana. When Longchenpa was in his mother's womb, she dreamt of a great lion with a sun above its head, illuminating the world. At his birth, the dharma protector Black Remati appeared, took the child, and held him,saying, "I will always protect him," and then handed him back to his mother.
Longchenpa was the reincarnation of King Trisong Detsen's daughter, Princess Pemasal. Guru Padmasambhava gave her the Great Perfection teachings known as the Heartdrop of the Dakinis. In a later incarnation as Pema Ledreltsal she rediscovered the teachings as a treasure. Perna Ledreltsal took rebirth as Longchenpa.
As a young child, Longchenpa not only had great faith, but wisdom and compassion–the qualities of a bodhisattva. He learned to read and write easily, and at the age of seven received empowerments and teachings from his father. Ordained as a novice at twelve, he studied the moral discipline of the Vinaya and began teaching at fourteen. At sixteen he studied many tantras, such as the Kalachakra, the Six Yogas, and chod. By the time he was in his early twenties he had studied the philosophies of the Middle Way school, the long version of the Mother of Transcendent Knowledge (Prajnaparamita), many other Mahayana texts, as well as Sanskrit, poetry, logic, and drama. Having studied with well over twenty teachers of the Nyingma, Kagyu, and Sakya schools, Longchenpa had comprehended most of the spiritual and philosophical systems known at that time in Tibet. During this period, Longchenpa was also deeply engaged in meditation practice.
To Longchenpa, sambogakaya pure realms were not mere objects of belief; he had visionary experiences of many deities, such as Manjushri, Sarasvati, Vajravarahi, and Tara. He was known by many then as the "Master of Infinite Realization."
Despite his great attainments, Longchenpa became disheartened by the conduct and sectarian behavior of many scholars. He also felt intense sorrow for the suffering of the world, and so he decided to renounce worldly life and wander freely as a mendicant. His teacher and fellow students tried to persuade him to stay, but his resolve was strong and he left, traveling from place to place without fixed direction and devoting himself entirely to meditation.
He had been practicing a very advanced yoga in the dark for many months when he had a pure vision. First he heard the sounds of cymbals and melodious songs. Then a beautiful young girl dressed in silks and adorned with gold and turquoise appeared riding a horse covered in leather mail adorned with tiny bells. He could not see her face, for it was covered by a veil. He touched the hem of her dress and prayed, "Please bless me, sublime one!" She took a jeweled crown from her head and placed it on his, saying, "I will always bless you and bestow accomplishment on you." At that point Longchenpa experienced a blissful state beyond ordinary thought. He sensed the vision meant that he would encounter the most sublime teachings of the Great Perfection.
Meanwhile, the great rigdzin (awareness holder) Kumaradza, who was the lineage holder of the heart-drop teachings of Vimalamitra (Vima Nyingt'hig), had a dream, which he recounted to his disciples. "A wonderful bird that declared itself to be divine came with a flock of others and carried away my books in all directions." Joyfully Kumaradza told his disciples that someone would come to hold his spiritual lineage.
In a pure vision, Tara prophesied to Longchenpa that he was destined to study with and serve Kumaradza. When he was twenty-seven,Longchenpa met Kumaradza and spent two years with him. Kumaradza never settled in any one place or became attached to ordinary things. To arouse disillusionment with worldly objects in his students, he moved many times each season, using only temporary windbreaks as shelters. Longchenpa endured tremendous austerities out of his love for the dharma. He had little food,surviving at times only on a little tsampa (barley flour) and some medicinal pills. During the cold winter months, he had only one large cloth sack, which served as both clothing and a bed.
During this time Kumaradza gave Longchenpa all of the empowerments and teachings associated with every level of the Great Perfection. Like pouring water into water, Kumaradza empowered Longchenpa as the lineage holder of the Nyingt'hig teachings.
This article is based on accounts given in Masters of Meditation and Miracles by Tulku Thondup and The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism by H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche. It will be continued in the Spring 1997 Windhorse.
This is the fourteenth article in a series by Lama Drimed Norbu on the lineage holders of the Great Perfection, the simplest yet most profound spiritual approach of the Buddhadharma. It is the first of a two-part article on Longchenpa.
Often referred to as the second Buddha, Longchenpa or Kunkhyen Longchen Rab jam, which means "the All-Knowing, Completely Learned One Who Is Vast Like Space," was born in 1308. His family line went back to one of Padmasambhava's disciples. His grandfather lived to be 150 as a result of longevity practices, and his father, Tenpa Sung, was a great yogi of the Vajrayana. When Longchenpa was in his mother's womb, she dreamt of a great lion with a sun above its head, illuminating the world. At his birth, the dharma protector Black Remati appeared, took the child, and held him,saying, "I will always protect him," and then handed him back to his mother.
Longchenpa was the reincarnation of King Trisong Detsen's daughter, Princess Pemasal. Guru Padmasambhava gave her the Great Perfection teachings known as the Heartdrop of the Dakinis. In a later incarnation as Pema Ledreltsal she rediscovered the teachings as a treasure. Perna Ledreltsal took rebirth as Longchenpa.
As a young child, Longchenpa not only had great faith, but wisdom and compassion–the qualities of a bodhisattva. He learned to read and write easily, and at the age of seven received empowerments and teachings from his father. Ordained as a novice at twelve, he studied the moral discipline of the Vinaya and began teaching at fourteen. At sixteen he studied many tantras, such as the Kalachakra, the Six Yogas, and chod. By the time he was in his early twenties he had studied the philosophies of the Middle Way school, the long version of the Mother of Transcendent Knowledge (Prajnaparamita), many other Mahayana texts, as well as Sanskrit, poetry, logic, and drama. Having studied with well over twenty teachers of the Nyingma, Kagyu, and Sakya schools, Longchenpa had comprehended most of the spiritual and philosophical systems known at that time in Tibet. During this period, Longchenpa was also deeply engaged in meditation practice.
To Longchenpa, sambogakaya pure realms were not mere objects of belief; he had visionary experiences of many deities, such as Manjushri, Sarasvati, Vajravarahi, and Tara. He was known by many then as the "Master of Infinite Realization."
Despite his great attainments, Longchenpa became disheartened by the conduct and sectarian behavior of many scholars. He also felt intense sorrow for the suffering of the world, and so he decided to renounce worldly life and wander freely as a mendicant. His teacher and fellow students tried to persuade him to stay, but his resolve was strong and he left, traveling from place to place without fixed direction and devoting himself entirely to meditation.
He had been practicing a very advanced yoga in the dark for many months when he had a pure vision. First he heard the sounds of cymbals and melodious songs. Then a beautiful young girl dressed in silks and adorned with gold and turquoise appeared riding a horse covered in leather mail adorned with tiny bells. He could not see her face, for it was covered by a veil. He touched the hem of her dress and prayed, "Please bless me, sublime one!" She took a jeweled crown from her head and placed it on his, saying, "I will always bless you and bestow accomplishment on you." At that point Longchenpa experienced a blissful state beyond ordinary thought. He sensed the vision meant that he would encounter the most sublime teachings of the Great Perfection.
Meanwhile, the great rigdzin (awareness holder) Kumaradza, who was the lineage holder of the heart-drop teachings of Vimalamitra (Vima Nyingt'hig), had a dream, which he recounted to his disciples. "A wonderful bird that declared itself to be divine came with a flock of others and carried away my books in all directions." Joyfully Kumaradza told his disciples that someone would come to hold his spiritual lineage.
In a pure vision, Tara prophesied to Longchenpa that he was destined to study with and serve Kumaradza. When he was twenty-seven,Longchenpa met Kumaradza and spent two years with him. Kumaradza never settled in any one place or became attached to ordinary things. To arouse disillusionment with worldly objects in his students, he moved many times each season, using only temporary windbreaks as shelters. Longchenpa endured tremendous austerities out of his love for the dharma. He had little food,surviving at times only on a little tsampa (barley flour) and some medicinal pills. During the cold winter months, he had only one large cloth sack, which served as both clothing and a bed.
During this time Kumaradza gave Longchenpa all of the empowerments and teachings associated with every level of the Great Perfection. Like pouring water into water, Kumaradza empowered Longchenpa as the lineage holder of the Nyingt'hig teachings.
This article is based on accounts given in Masters of Meditation and Miracles by Tulku Thondup and The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism by H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche. It will be continued in the Spring 1997 Windhorse.
This is the fourteenth article in a series by Lama Drimed Norbu on the lineage holders of the Great Perfection, the simplest yet most profound spiritual approach of the Buddhadharma. It is the first of a two-part article on Longchenpa.
Often referred to as the second Buddha, Longchenpa or Kunkhyen Longchen Rab jam, which means "the All-Knowing, Completely Learned One Who Is Vast Like Space," was born in 1308. His family line went back to one of Padmasambhava's disciples. His grandfather lived to be 150 as a result of longevity practices, and his father, Tenpa Sung, was a great yogi of the Vajrayana. When Longchenpa was in his mother's womb, she dreamt of a great lion with a sun above its head, illuminating the world. At his birth, the dharma protector Black Remati appeared, took the child, and held him,saying, "I will always protect him," and then handed him back to his mother.
Longchenpa was the reincarnation of King Trisong Detsen's daughter, Princess Pemasal. Guru Padmasambhava gave her the Great Perfection teachings known as the Heartdrop of the Dakinis. In a later incarnation as Pema Ledreltsal she rediscovered the teachings as a treasure. Perna Ledreltsal took rebirth as Longchenpa.
As a young child, Longchenpa not only had great faith, but wisdom and compassion–the qualities of a bodhisattva. He learned to read and write easily, and at the age of seven received empowerments and teachings from his father. Ordained as a novice at twelve, he studied the moral discipline of the Vinaya and began teaching at fourteen. At sixteen he studied many tantras, such as the Kalachakra, the Six Yogas, and chod. By the time he was in his early twenties he had studied the philosophies of the Middle Way school, the long version of the Mother of Transcendent Knowledge (Prajnaparamita), many other Mahayana texts, as well as Sanskrit, poetry, logic, and drama. Having studied with well over twenty teachers of the Nyingma, Kagyu, and Sakya schools, Longchenpa had comprehended most of the spiritual and philosophical systems known at that time in Tibet. During this period, Longchenpa was also deeply engaged in meditation practice.
To Longchenpa, sambogakaya pure realms were not mere objects of belief; he had visionary experiences of many deities, such as Manjushri, Sarasvati, Vajravarahi, and Tara. He was known by many then as the "Master of Infinite Realization."
Despite his great attainments, Longchenpa became disheartened by the conduct and sectarian behavior of many scholars. He also felt intense sorrow for the suffering of the world, and so he decided to renounce worldly life and wander freely as a mendicant. His teacher and fellow students tried to persuade him to stay, but his resolve was strong and he left, traveling from place to place without fixed direction and devoting himself entirely to meditation.
He had been practicing a very advanced yoga in the dark for many months when he had a pure vision. First he heard the sounds of cymbals and melodious songs. Then a beautiful young girl dressed in silks and adorned with gold and turquoise appeared riding a horse covered in leather mail adorned with tiny bells. He could not see her face, for it was covered by a veil. He touched the hem of her dress and prayed, "Please bless me, sublime one!" She took a jeweled crown from her head and placed it on his, saying, "I will always bless you and bestow accomplishment on you." At that point Longchenpa experienced a blissful state beyond ordinary thought. He sensed the vision meant that he would encounter the most sublime teachings of the Great Perfection.
Meanwhile, the great rigdzin (awareness holder) Kumaradza, who was the lineage holder of the heart-drop teachings of Vimalamitra (Vima Nyingt'hig), had a dream, which he recounted to his disciples. "A wonderful bird that declared itself to be divine came with a flock of others and carried away my books in all directions." Joyfully Kumaradza told his disciples that someone would come to hold his spiritual lineage.
In a pure vision, Tara prophesied to Longchenpa that he was destined to study with and serve Kumaradza. When he was twenty-seven,Longchenpa met Kumaradza and spent two years with him. Kumaradza never settled in any one place or became attached to ordinary things. To arouse disillusionment with worldly objects in his students, he moved many times each season, using only temporary windbreaks as shelters. Longchenpa endured tremendous austerities out of his love for the dharma. He had little food,surviving at times only on a little tsampa (barley flour) and some medicinal pills. During the cold winter months, he had only one large cloth sack, which served as both clothing and a bed.
During this time Kumaradza gave Longchenpa all of the empowerments and teachings associated with every level of the Great Perfection. Like pouring water into water, Kumaradza empowered Longchenpa as the lineage holder of the Nyingt'hig teachings.
This article is based on accounts given in Masters of Meditation and Miracles by Tulku Thondup and The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism by H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche. It will be continued in the Spring 1997 Windhorse.
