Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche on his father's passing

Choiceless Awareness SG

Thank you for your sympathy and best wishes at this time.

We live in a world of our own making, a world built by our own unique perceptions which we believe in fully, every year, every day, every hour and every moment of our lives.

Even though in reality this life is fleeting and lasts no longer than the time it takes for a spark of fire to shoot out, it is experienced by some as dragging on interminably for aeons and aeons. Yet for others, although in reality the span of this world's existence is infinite, their experience of it lasts no longer than the blink of an eye.

For some, this world is no bigger than a worm hole, yet they feel insignificant and isolated, lost in a vast and infinite void. Others perceive the world to be small--as small as an entire universe--and to them it feels uncomfortably confined and claustrophobic.

Most of us, myself included, have been conditioned to live and die in a world created by our own perceptions, and continue to create conditions that will ensure we repeat this same game over and over again.

Amongst myriad possible perceptions, Thinley Norbu Rinpoche is seen variously as an ordinary person, a father, a teacher and a perfect being--a diversity of perception that is the result of each perceiver's individual merit, or lack of it.

For people like me, whose limitations lead me to see him merely as my father, your condolences will be accepted as emotional support.

For those of you with 'superior qualities'--or who aspire to develop such qualities--and are able to see Thinley Norbu as a perfect being, this is yet another opportunity to shrug off impure perception and generate pure perception, so that eventually you will go beyond perception altogether.

'Awareness' is the quintessential teaching of the Buddha--from the awareness of cool air as you breath in and then out, to the profound awareness of natural perfection. And with boundless compassion and courage, the sole purpose and activity of all the buddhas it is to ring the alarm bell that brings us to this awareness.

With enough merit, the passing of this great being can be interpreted as the ringing of that alarm bell, and a timely reminder of all the teachings, from the simple truth of impermanence, all the way up to the realization of unobstructed compassion. In this way, as much as this deluded mind of ours appreciated and valued his appearance in this world, it should also appreciate and value his disappearance.

Touching as it is to hear from those who are offering various prayers, recitations, butter lamps and many other wholesome activities at this time, allow me to remind myself and all those who are interested, that none of the practices we are currently engaging in are for him, but for ourselves.

However brilliantly the moon appears in the sky, if the pond is muddy, the moon will not be reflected in its waters. In the same way, it is through the purification of defilements and accumulation of merit within our own minds that will enable us, in time, to perceive a reflection of the Buddha, fully intact and never to depart.

So, rather than congratulating ourselves with the thought that we have accomplished all these practices during this special time, bear in mind that we should already have been doing them--and for that matter, we should continue doing them throughout this and all our future lives. But to imagine that our practise is something like providing this great being with the 'last rites' is definitely not the best way to go.

I have also been asked which specific practices should be done. Again, I will repeat that mindfulness, in other words 'awareness', is our practice. We are ignorant beings, and as such require constant reminders about the importance of making the effort to land in this awareness. Therefore all our guru's activities--from when he yawns or coughs, to when he appears or disappears--are his way of reminding us to come back, again and again, to mindfulness.

And as long as we are mindful and aware, no one practice is better than another.

Written and dedicated to the enlightenment of all sentient beings in the presence of the rupakaya of Thinley Norbu.

New York City

Choiceless Awareness SG

Word is spreading of the passing of Dungtse Thinley Norbu Rinpoche, eldest son of His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche and incomparable scholar and contemporary Nyingma master. He was an incarnation of Tulku Trim Ozer, who was one of seven sons of Dudjom Lingpa, and was also considered to be an emanation of Longchenpa. On hearing of the passing of this remarkable lama, Venerable Gyatrul Rinpoche sends the following message to the sangha:

We have heard that Thinley Norbu Rinpoche passed away. Therefore, at all the centers students should gather if they can and practice Dorsem Lama Chodpa--the practice of making offerings to the guru as Vajrasattva. Individually, students should recite Vajrasattva mantra as much as they can. Why should everyone do Vajrasattva at such a time? Whether or not the lama who passed away needs purification, we have no way of knowing. But when a great master passes, the power of merit accumulated at such a time is said to be increased even 100,000 times. Therefore, since we all need to purify our obscurations and accumulate merit, we can use the Lama Chodpa (practice of offering to the guru) as the method to engage our three doors in virtue at that time. Engaging our body, speech, and mind in such powerful virtue purifies the negativity that we constantly use them for out of habit. And we all have connection to this lama, the son of His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, so therefore we need to practice now.

There is a special blessing and power to practices done at such a time with faith and devotion--the merit gathered and the negativity purified are truly inconceivable. This is because of the enlightened intent of such a master, whose every act is only to bring benefit to all beings. Such masters are not ordinary like ourselves. They don't die like we do, powerless and sniveling. They are born into this world as an act of compassion, as long as their physical body endures they use it only to bring benefit, and then they pass away and again teach the truth of impermanence just as Buddha Shakyamuni did. Therefore their passing, too, is part of their enlightened display, their miraculous activity in this world. That is why there is such power and blessing at their seeming 'death.' We should not think, "Oh, I'm so sorry that this lama is dead." Instead, we should feel faith and devotion and appreciate that we personally have such an opportunity for powerful practice. We shouldn't think, "Oh, it is just tradition to practice when a lama passes." It is more than just a tradition; it is an opportunity to take advantage of the exceptional blessing of that time. Also, traditionally you might go and offer katags and other offerings, and maybe you can't do that now, but always you can make the offering of practice. That is a real offering, and you don't have to go anywhere to make it.

We also shouldn't think, "This was not my lama." In fact, when any great lama of any tradition passes away there is this same opportunity. We can always do the Lama Chodpa practices at such a time. Gelug, Sakya, Kagyu, Nyingma--it makes no difference what school of Buddhism the master taught or practiced. We also should not think that there is no blessing for us if we never met that master in this life. When you do the Lama Chodpa, you are offering to all gurus, all yidams, all dakinis. You should think in a vast way like this when you practice, don't be narrow or rigid thinking that it is only one way. A true guru encompasses all the three roots--all guru manifestations, all yidams, all dakinis. You don't have to do the Lama Chodpa only for a lama, or only at their passing. We always need to gather merit, because we are always exhausting our merit. We always need to purify negativity, because we are always so busy making more negativity. Therefore see this as an opportunity to practice, a time of blessing and guru devotion, and do as much Vajrasattva as you can--a little bit here and there continuously. It will be of great benefit.

Our lord protector His Holiness Kyabje Dungtse Thinley Norbu Rinpoche passed into parinirvana last night. Rinpoche wrote down a message for all of us, asking that everyone do Vajrasattva practice for three weeks. These were Rinpoche's last vajra words for us.

If you are able to join with sangha and do practice in your area with a lama, please do that. If possible, please join with our sangha at Pema Osel Ling to do the Dorsem Lama Chopa, at Kunzang Gatshal, or with your local sangha. If you are not able to do that or if there is no local sangha, it is fine to do any form of Vajrasattva practice according to any sadhana including Ngondro and the Hundred Syllable Mantra. Meditate that our lord protector Dungtse Rinpoche is inseparable with Vajrasattva's form. Meditating this way, take empowerment and receive blessings. Then as Vajrasattva dissolves into you, you become inseparable with Vajrasattva. Rest in formless meditation in this way, with your mind and Kyabje Dungtse Rinpoche's wisdom mind inseparable.

This is the best way for us to get a taste of Kyabje Dungtse Rinpoche's wisdom mind, even though Rinpoche is not physically present. This stays with us inseparably until we reach enlightenment. Receiving Rinpoche's blessings in this way is most essential. Now in particular, after Rinpoche's wisdom mind has been uncovered from the physical elements and has merged with the vast dharmakaya, receiving Rinpoche's blessings is more powerful even than when Rinpoche is alive. Rinpoche's wisdom mind merges and pervades everywhere.

Please do Vajrasattva practice every day. This is a very special opportunity to receive Kyabje Dungtse Rinpoche's blessings.

Do not think that Rinpoche needs our help with puja. Don't have that concept. This is our practice so that we can receive Rinpoche's blessings and have a taste of Rinpoche's wisdom mind and how to seal Rinpoche's wisdom mind with our mind. That is the purpose for us to do puja with faith and devotion.