Dzogchen Lineage

Rinpoche’s Dzogchen Lineage

In the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism, the Great Perfection (Dzogchen) is considered the most profound and direct path to enlightenment. The instructions of this tradition present a spiritual shortcut—a radically direct approach that cuts through confusion and lays bare the mind’s true nature of luminous purity. Although the Nyingmapa school is the oldest tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, its Dzogchen teachings are the clearest, most effective and relevant to the needs of beings today. The Dzogchen teachings have been passed down in an unbroken line from the Primordial Buddha Samantabhadra, teacher to student, to this day, in all their freshness, immediacy, and power.

Samantabhadra

Samantabhadra, the primordial Buddha is pure omniscience, the essence of the enlightened mind of all the Buddhas. He is depicted as a dark-blue nude figure embracing his white consort Samantabhadri, the female primordial Buddha. Their union represents the fusion of wisdom and compassion, the ultimate indivisibility of samsara and nirvana and the potential for Buddhahood inherent in all sentient beings. ‘Samanta’ means, “universally extending” while ‘bhadra’ means “great virtue.” Samantabhadra means to extend such great compassion that every sentient being is benefited and to practice so extensively and profoundly that all virtue is perfected. Samantabhadra is not subject to limits of time, place, or physical conditions. Samantabhadra does not represent a person, but the Buddha-nature itself, the unchanging purity of the mind which is the fundamental nature of all beings. Samantabhadra is not a colored being with two eyes, and so on. Samantabhadra is the unity of awareness and emptiness, the unity of appearances and emptiness, the nature of mind, natural clarity with unceasing compassion – that is Samantabhadra from the very beginning.

Padmasambhava

Padmasambhava or Guru Rinpoche, an emanation of Buddha Amitabha, was a great Tantric adept from Oddiyana who established Buddhism firmly in Tibet in the eighth century and is the founder of the Nyingma tradition. He spent more than 55 years in Tibet, accomplishing vast and great deeds and benefiting countless beings.  The stream of his enlightened activities continues to this day.

Guru Padmasambhava gave teachings and transmission of the Vajrayana to hundreds of disciples. His main students, known as The Twenty Five Disciples, are the root incarnations of the masters of this day. With his principal disciple, the dakini Yeshe Tsogyal, he concealed thousands of hidden teachings known as Termas in Tibetan, in many secret places for the benefit of future generations.

The termas are gradually discovered when the conditions are right by future generations of realized Masters who are reincarnations of his main disciples. This means that certain teachings that are appropriate for the particular needs and capacities of beings at different times can be kept safely and revealed only at the appropriate time.  This also keeps the blessings of the teachings fresh with no loss or corruption in the line of transmission.  Through the Terma tradition the Nyingma school has been able to stay in close and continual contact with the blessings, energy and inspiration of Guru Rinpoche.

Longchen Rabjam

Longchen Rabjam or Longchenpa was one of the greatest Dzogchen masters and brilliant writers of the Nyingma lineage.  He was the author of over 200 works, of which only about twenty-five survive, and amongst which the Seven Treasuries and Three Trilogies are most well-known.

As Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche explains: “Kunkhyen Longchenpa’s Seven Treasuries (Dzö Dun) were written to elucidate the extraordinarily profound meaning of the seventeen main Tantras of Dzogpachenpo as well as the teachings of all Nine Yanas. For the purpose of the actual practice of Dzogchen according to these Tantras, Longchenpa gathered his own termas well as those of Chetsun Senge Wangchuk and Pema Ledrel Tsal (Longchenpa’s previous incarnation) in the form of the thirteen volume collection known as the Nyingtik Yabshyi. This Yabshyi is the practice aspect of Longchenpa’s writings, and the basis of the Old Nyingtik. In it he synthesized the Vima Nyingtik of Vimalamitra and the Khandro Nyingtik of Guru Rinpoche and explained all the practical details in the light of his own realization. He transmistted the Longchen Nyingtik cycle off teachings and practice to Jigme Lingpa and is has since become one of the most widely practised of traditions.

Jikmé Lingpa

Jikmé Lingpa (1729-1798) is regarded as one of the most important figures in the Nyingma lineage. Also known as ‘Khyentsé Özer’, ‘Rays of Compassion and Wisdom’, he was a great scholar and visionary, and discovered the Longchen Nyingtik cycle of teachings and practice through a series of visions from the great fourteenth century master, Longchenpa. With the patronage of the Dergé royal family, Jikmé Lingpa published the compilation of Nyingma tantras known as the Nyingma Gyübum and composed a catalogue to accompany it.

Jikmé Lingpa discovered the Longchen Nyingtik teachings as mind ter at the age of twenty-eight. Tulku Thondup writes:

In the evening of the twenty-fifth day of the tenth month of the Fire Ox year of the thirteenth Rabjung cycle (1757), Jikmé Lingpa went to bed with an unbearable devotion to Guru Rinpoche in his heart; a stream of tears of sadness continuously wet his face because he was not in Guru Rinpoche’s presence, and unceasing words of prayers kept singing in his breath.

He remained in the depths of that meditation experience of clear luminosity for a long time. While being absorbed in that luminous clarity, he experienced flying a long distance through the sky while riding a white lion. He finally reached a circular path, which he thought to be the circumambulation path of Jarung Khashor, now known as Boudhanath Stupa, an important Buddhist monument of giant structure in Nepal.

In this vision, the wisdom dakinis gave Jikmé Lingpa a casket containing five yellow scrolls and seven crystal beads. One of the scrolls contained the prophetic guide of Longchen Nyingtik, called Nechang Thukkyi Drombu. At the instruction of a dakini, he ate the yellow scrolls and crystal beads, and all the words and meaning of the Longchen Nyingtik terma were awakened in his mind.

Jikmé Lingpa kept this terma secret for years, and he did not even transcribe the terma until he entered another retreat in which he had a series of visions of Longchen Rabjam. Tulku Thondup explains:

In the earth-hare year (1759) he started another three-year retreat, at Chimpu near Samye monastery. During that retreat, because he was inspired by three successive pure visions of Longchen Rabjam, and he was urged by repeated requests of dakinis, he transcribed his terma as the cycle of Longchen Nyingtik. On the tenth day of the sixth month (monkey month) of the monkey year (1764) he made his terma public for the first time by conferring the transmission of empowerment and the instructions upon fifteen disciples.

Natsog Rangdol (1st Drugpa Rinpoche)

According to the prophecies of Guru Rinpoche as well as those of the rainbow mahasiddha Padma Dudul, Natsog Rangdrol or the 1st Adzom Drugpa Rinpoche Drodul Pawo Dorje, was the reincarnation of the Indian mahasiddha Tsejung Biba, Padmasambhava, Pandita Vimala, Tibetan King Trisong Detsen, Yeshe Tsogyal, mahasiddha Wangyu Wangchuk, terton Ridzin Lingpa, Chokgyur Lingpa and Ridzin Chengpo.

Disciples and devotees of the 1st Adzom Drugpa Rinpoche could be found all over Tibet, northern India, China, Bhutan and other neighbouring countries, including the holder of  Lingkar monastery, Gyala Wangyi Dorje and his daughter Norzin Wangmo and other high officials and noble lords.

The common people around the region also requested teachings from Rinpoche with irreversible faith. Through Rinpoche’s tireless efforts, the profound teachings of the Great Perfection (Dzogchen) became like the dazzling rays of the sun that radiated brightly on the snowy land of Tibet. Rinpoche always taught his disciples that,” Although, I have obtained numerous profound terma teachings, yet I have concentrated my life’s efforts in practising Dzogchen. And I strongly believe that that is more than enough, and I need not ask for far or near teachings. I wish that you will all be like me in earnestly practising the Dzogchen.”

Gyaltse Gyurmed Dorje (1st Gyaltse Rinpoche)

Gyaltse Dorje Rinpoche was born in Adzom Monastery, in the eastern region of Tibet, in an area known as Do Kham. Rinpoche was recognised by Chung Rinpoche, the throne holder of the great Nyingma Monastery of Mindroling and many other accomplished masters as the reincarnation of Urgyen Terdag Lingpa and Palyul Gyaltrul Padma Dogdag Tarzin Rinpoche. Gyaltse Rinpoche’s father was Drodul Pawo Dorje (1st Adzom Drugpa Rinpoche), the great Mahasiddha. After his father attained nirvana, Gyaltse Rinpoche was enthroned as the Adzom Monastery Lineage Holder and he continued to propagate the Dzogchen teachings on a grand scale.

Rinpoche was a brilliant accomplished master with vast Buddhist knowledge. Mindroling Chung Rinpoche had on many occassions openly complimented him, saying, “Only Gyaltse Rinpoche of Adzom Monastery and no other person in this Do Kham region is as highly qualified and as great as him to impart the Dzogchen teachings.” During Gyaltse Rinpoche’s time, the Adzom lineage flourished exceedingly gathering thousands of devotees from the all over Tibet, India, Bhutan and Nepal who came to Adzom Monastery to receive teachings from him.

Thupten Padma Thrinley (2nd Adzom Drugpa Rinpoche)

Adzom Drugpa Rinpoche Thubten Pedma Trinley(1921-2001) was one of the greatest scholars in Tibetology, as well as an accomplished Dzogchen Master and mahasiddha who attained the rainbow body. Rinpoche was born in the Fire Tiger year (1926) in Kham area, nearby Yulhong Lhari Mountain, a sacred terma place of Guru Rinpoche (today’s Dege District of Sichuan Province). Rinpoche was recognized by the 5th Dzogchen Rinpoche, Thubten Chokyi Dorje as the unmistaken reincarnation of the previous Adzom Drugpa Dordul Pawo Dorje (the manifestation of one of the 25 disciples of Guru Rinpoche, Matog Rigzin and Rigzin Chenpo and other masters – the guru of the Great Jamyang Khyentse Chokyi Lodro).

In the Earth Dragon year of the Tibetan Calendar, Drugpa Rinpoche was enthroned as a high ranking master of Adzom Monastery. Rinpoche was renowned for his impartial loving kindness and compassion. Without caring much about his own interest and benefit, he always dedicated himself wholeheartedly and selflessly for the benefit of all. He upheld and maintained pure precepts and virtuous conducts, which made him a great and exalted example of a living Bodhisattva, who was highly praised and admired by all.

Sonam Lodroe Rinpoche

Tulku Sonam Lodroe, was born in Dira, in the province of Sichuan, China.  He was bestowed the title of “Khenpo” by His Holiness Adzom Jamga Rinpoche and His Holiness Penor Rinpoche. In Tibetan, Khenpo is a title similar to a doctorate, given to a person with the highest degree of scholarship after having undergone many years of intensive studying.

The term Tulku refers to those who are recognized as either the emanations of buddhas, the manifestation of highly accomplished adepts, or the rebirths of highly virtuous teachers. Sonam Rinpoche was recognized as the incarnation of Adzom Losel Rinpoche by H.H Jamga Rinpoche, His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama and His Holiness Dodrubchen Rinpoche. The previous Adzom Losel Rinpoche was a disciple of the great Nyingma Master Adzom Gyaltse Rinpochefrom Adzom Monastery. Adzom Losel Rinpoche was considered to be a highly accomplished Vajra Master.

Sonam Rinpoche started his dharma education from the Dzogchen Innermost Essence Preliminary Text and systematically obtained all the Dzogchen teachings and initiations from his Guru, H.H. Yidjin Drugpa Rinpoche over 10 years. At the same time, Rinpoche learned the Bindu teachings and practices from the Adzom lineage holder, H.H Jamga Rinpoche; The Tantric and Nangwa Lhadub from Khenchen Choechab; Buddhist Views from Khenchen Jigmed Phuntsok Jungne as well as other studies from other famous Khenpos.