Transmission of the Byangter Cycle by
H.H. Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche


India 2006, Tulku Ugen, Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche, Jomo Gudrun in Front of  Khordong Gompa


From 11th of July 2008 to 12th or 17th of August 2008 Kyabje Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche will give the transmission of the Byangter Cycle in our Dharma centre Drophan Ling in Darnkow, Poland. Just before this occasion the traditional Khordong Marme Monlam (28.06.08 – 10.07.08) will be held for the 12th time in Darnkow, where we will offer 100.000 butter lamps and dedicate the merit for world peace.

The Byangter Teachings  (Northern Treasures) are said to be the heart teachings of Padmasambhava. Before he left Tibet, he concealed them in the cave Zang Zang Lhadraks so that  future generations could receive these teachings in a pure and unstained state. In 1366 Rigdzin Godem, a mind emanation of Padmasambhava and incarnation of Nanam Dorje Dudjom, one of the five closest disciples of Padmasambhava – took a maroon leathern casket out of that mountain. This casket had five subdivisions which were made out of precious materials, each in a different colour. Within it were the teachings of the Northern Treasure (in tib: Byangter) and many holy objects. Rigdzin Godem transcribed these texts and transferred them to selected disciples who are well-known for having achieved extraordinary results. Some of the Byangter texts that are most commonly known of the are: the Sadhana of Lama Rigdzin Dung Drub, the Prayer in Seven Chapters (Le’u Dun Ma) as well as the Vajrakilaya practices. The highly praised Kunzang Gongpa Zangthal Cycle are said to be one of the three highest transmissions of the Dzogchen teachings.

The third incarnation of Rigdzin Godem, Ngagi Wangpo, founded the monastery of Dorje Drak, which remains the main residence of the Byangter Teachings. From there the teachings  spread all over Tibet. After the intervention by the Cultural Revolution this tradition was brought also to India, Europe and America. The main monastery outside of Tibet is found in Shimla/India. Abbot of this monastery is Kyabje Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche.

Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche  was born in Central Tibet near the Yardrog-Lake in 1926 and was recognized as a reincarnation of Ngok Chosku Dorje. In the 19th century the great Khenpo Namkha Longyang from Dorje Drak had recognized an ordinary monk of the monastery as an incarnation of Ngok Chasku Dorje. This Tulku (reincarnation) continued his studies and practices as an ordinary monk until he achieved the position of the Vajracharya (Vajra Master/highest teacher) of Dorje Drak. His Reincarnation again achieved the rank of an Acharya after having lived as a normal monk but went into the pure realms at a very young age. The 9th Dodrak Rigdzin (title of the abbots of Dorje Drak), the 9th incarnation of Rigdzin Godem – named Choswang Nyamnid Dorje – identified Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche as his following reincarnation. By the age of five Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche arrived at Taklung Tse Monastery and received his first ordination and title of a Tulku. At eight years old, he accepted the Dharma-Seat at the mother monastery Thubten Dorje Drak. He studied all monastic arts and rituals, mastering all of them. At the age of fifteen he received the initiations and transmissions of the Byangter Tradition and other Dzogchen teachings by the Khenpo of the Gotsa Monastery, who had been a disciple of the former Dodrak Rigdzin. Later he received many further initiations and transmissions from different great masters of those days. During this time he was Khenpo (high scholar/professor) of the monastery Dorje Drak for several years, until he was called back to his own Taklung Monastery. On the occasion of the 2500th anniversary of the Buddha’s Parinirvana, Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche and his family made a pilgrimage to India. When it became clear, due to the political situation, that it would be more and more difficult to stay in Tibet he proceeded towards India into exile. With the intention to keep, promote and spread the teachings of the Byangter Lineage he established a new Dorje Drak Monastery in Shimla, Northern India. Kyabje Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche gave the Byangter and other Dharma initiations and teachings in monasteries in Bhutan, India and Nepal.

In Europe the Northern Treasures have been predominantly transmitted with the Khordong Termas. This Terma Tradition was introduced by Nuden Dorje Drophang Lingpa (1809 – 1872). He was an incarnation of Drogban Keychung Lotsawa, one of the 25 main disciples of Guru Rinpoche. An important Lama of this lineage who also teaches in the West has been the 4th incarnation of Nuden Dorje Lingpa – Chhimed Rigdzin Rinpoche (1922 – 2002).

To avoid any hindrances it might be useful to recite the long live prayer of H.H. Taklung Rinpoche. You will find it below or here as PDF with tibetan and for printing.

Temporary program:
28 June - 10 July  - Khordong Marme Monlam – Butterlamps Offering Ceremony with continuation till 111.111 Lamps are offered (once a day during the retreat with Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche)
11 July - 12 or 17 August - Empowerments with H.H. Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche

  • for Gongpa Zangthal, the great Dzogchen Manual;
  • for Drubkor Nam Sum (tib. sGrub sKor rNam gSum): the outer, inner and Heart-Sadhana texts of so to speak Avalokitesvara (Chenresig Drowa Kundrol, tib. Thugs rJe Chen Po 'Gro Wa Kun Grol), Vidyadhara Guru Rinpoche (Rigdzin Dung Drub, tib. Rig 'Dzin gDung sGrub) and the wrathful Guru Rinpoche (Thug Drub, tib. Thugs sGrub);
  • and Le’u Dunma:  The seven Chapter Prayers, Taught by Padma Sambhava of Urgyen where the Sampa Lhundrub is one of its most famous parts far beyond the Nyingma tradition.


A Retreat registration form is already available on the polish website www.khordong.com.pl in KURSY – FORMULARZ so if You would like to make reservation please use it:
www.khordong.com.pl/kursy_eng.php

Place and Contact:
Związek Buddyjski Khordong, Darnków 18, PL – 57-343 Lewin Klodzki, Poland
eMail: khordong@poczta.onet.pl
Phone: +48-74-868 88 22
Cell phone: +48-601-35 77 76

The full Invitation with cost and further details you will find here: Darnkow Retreat 2008.


Finally a few words from Tulku Thondup Rinpoche, spiritual adviser of the Khordong Sangha:

tulku thondup rinpocheDear Friends of Khordong Sangha in the West,

I am so happy that I had the chance to see many of Rinpoche's students in Europe moving forward in Rinpoche's footsteps devotedly and single-mindedly. I'd like to repeat what I said in Hamburg. If any of you could attend the Byangter empowerments given by Kyabje Tsetrul Rinpoche in Gompaland, India, that would be such a golden opportunity. Tsetrul Rinpoche is the most important Byangter master still living. And Byangter is, as you know, the mother tradition of the Khordong lineage.

With my warmest wishes and prayers always with all of you,
Tulku Thondup, April 27, 2006


Longlife Prayer for Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche


OM  SOTI    TSA SUM   KUEN DUE  CHI MED   THOED  TRENG TSAL
Immortal Padma Thöd Treng Tsal, the embodiment of the three tantric roots
DRANG SONG   DEN DRUB   NGA WAI   TSOG CHAE  KYI
Together with all the sages who have realized highest truth,
THUG JE   DEN TOB   LU WA  ME PAI   THUE
By the power of their unfailing truth of compassion --
THUB TEN   DO  NGAG   GYAM  TSOI   SHING TA  CHE
Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche, the sublime holder of oceans of the Buddha's sutra and tantra teachings,
SHE DRUB   NYING JE   TRIN LAE   PAL  ZANG POI
The pure and glorious activity of excellent knowledge, high accomplishment and great compassion,
SANG SUM   DOR JEI  NGO WOR   TSO ZHE  SHING
May his body, speech and mind have the indestructible vajra essence.
TAEN DROR   MAEN PAI   ZHE GU   LHUEN DRUB  NAE
Having spontaneously fulfilled the many positive aspirations of teachers and beings
SANG CHEN   RING LUG   CHOG  THAR   PEL JE  SHOG
May the tradition of the great secret spread as far as the extent of the universe.
 

This longlife prayer for Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche has been composed by Jigdral Yeshe Dorje (H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche) on the request of the monk Thubten Dazer of Tragthog monastery in Ladakh. Translated by Jean-Luc Laurenceau

For a Tibetan version and printable file, please see this PDF.


***04/2008 ar