Krishnacharya1
2005-01-02 19:00:21 UTC
http://www.karmapa.org/karmapa_org_redesign/news/news_june_1.htm
H.H. receiving important initiations
The Karmapa ...>snip>...
(the authorities....)... would not give permission
for Chobgye Trichen Rinpoche to come to Sikkim. It is only now after almost two
centuries that this Tantra transmission is being returned to the Kagyu lineage.
H.H. the 17th Karmapa originally wanted to receive the Marpa Tantras from the
great Sakya Lama, Chobgye Trichen Rinpoche. However, he is now quite old and
his health does not permit him to give long initiations. Therefore, Karmapa
requested to receive them from another prominent Sakya lama, Ludhing Khenchen
Rinpoche. His Holiness the 17th Karmapa asked that the Shamarpa obtain the over
forty Marpa Tantras from the Sakya Lama and he would then like to receive them
from Shamar Rinpoche himself. The Shamarpa replied that he would give the first
collection of Jamgon Kongtrul’s Marpa Transmission, the “Kagyu Ngakdzo,”
to the 17th Karmapa which Shamar Rinpoche had received twice from The 16th
Karmapa and to save time they would receive the other forty Tantras together.
As a matter of fact, the Sakyas keep the Tantric precepts and discipline pure
and carefully. Therefore, Shamar Rinpoche said to Karmapa, “You are young, so
you should do a retreat on each of these Tantras and later pass the
transmission to Kagyu lamas.”
Geir : The Tantras are in the Tantra-collection called the Gyu De Kun Tus. It
is not that which is given by Ludhing Rinpoche (above), which is from India,
being that given to him by Chobgye himself. The only direct line of the
teaching from Tibet is - as per the biography of Phende Kenchen below - from
two masters only : Chobgye Trichen - now too old to give it any more - and/or
Phende Kenchen who is still just able to do so. I send his biography below for
reference so that ll those concerend by the saving of the Kagyu tradition (that
Karmapa is anxious about in the article above) and beyond that, of Tantric
Tibetan Buddhism in general, (that also must, just like the Karmapa receive all
these Tantras as well to preserve it's lineages too) can read it so as to take
the dispositions they need to make the requests for the teachings they require
and do so quickly before Phende Kenchen the most learned of all Tibetan lamas
dies. This can be amatter of very few years now so they should make utmost
haste as Milarepa said : "Hurry slowly". Which is to say : "Hurry, but be
careful to not be too hasty for sloppiness and ascertain exactly what the goal
is before, like the cat, jumping at one's obective". Haste is waste and one
should not embark on a one year teaching that will only be given once in this
world again, without having properly weighed all the aspects of the material
side as well as one's own motivation to sit a whole year at the feet of Tibetan
Buddhism's greatest lama still alive and still teaching today. Receiving only
half the teaching and pulling out because of ill-preparation (this will be made
to be costly for people because this will be very detrimaental to them and bad
also for the other particiapants' morale. The full teaching will be required to
be paid fully first.) will not be an option in this most important of
teachings. All the teachings are contained within this one so that thos is the
most important teaching of Tibetan Buddhism today. I want this to be very clear
so that people don't misunderstand the scope of this teachings nor
underestimate the need for it, in today's Buddhism that cannot survive without
it because it will have lost all it's lineages without exception.
Thank you. Keep me informed of your intentions reagrding the attending of these
teachings. I'll collect all requests for it, keep the posts and adress them to
the guru when there are enough of them. The hall will be for one thousand
people and also the necessary funds will have to be gathered to organize it. In
Tibet, most important teachings in our Ngorpa school, such as this one, were
requested by giving pure gold.
To Buddhists, the teachings are more important than even one's own life. As
this teaching indeed, is one of these most important teachings. It is, in fact,
the most important teaching, as it includes all others in it ! Hurry slowly.
You have time but this is your last chance now. Hurry. But do the right thing.
The relevant passage here below is this one : >"The Collection of all the
Tantras (Gyu De Kun tus): a comprehensive collection
of all the great initiations with their mandalas and mandala rituals, a rare
teachung of which very few possess the lineage.>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------
His Eminence Ngor Ewam Phende Rinpoche
A Short Biography
(A translation from the French original by R.M.L. Samuel)
His Eminence Phende Rinpoche was born early in the year of the Water bird, 1934
into a family of tantric practitioners (ngakpas) in the Tharlam district of the
Gaba region of Kham, Eastern Tibet. Early on the great sage Jamgon Ngawang Lepa
whose Tharlam Monastery lay close to the child's birthplace recognised in him
the signs of a Tulku. But he was two or three years of age when officially
recognised as the reincarnation of Ngor Phende Khenchen Jamyang Kunzang Thupden
Chokyi Gyaltsen; this by the two respective head lamas of Sakya Monastery's
Dolma (Kyabgon Kunga Rinchen) and Phuntsok (Dagchen Ngawang Thotup Wangchuk)
palaces, who after praying at length to the powerful Sakya protectors had made
very precise prophesies as to the family and (re) birth-place of this
reincarnation lineage which goes back to the great Indian Siddha Birwapa. At
the time of his birth auspicious signs had manifested in the sky, and his body
bore certain physical features of this line such as the markings of a tiger
skin.
Thus recognised, the young Phende Rinpoche was given a careful education and a
large number of profound teachings by his first root-guru Jamgon Ngawang Legpa
who was renowned throughout Tibet for his wisdom and realisation. In this way
he received at an early age the profound Lamdre Lobshey teachings (The Path and
its Result). Later he was to receive from him the Lam Dre Tsog Shey, and on a
number of occasions the great initiations of Hevajra, the seven mandalas of the
Ngor tradition, Naro Khachoma, Vajrabhairava, the Guardian-Protectors, the
Protections of Birwapa, and others along with a large number of commentaries.
With his uncle and teacher Ngawang Rinchen, head preceptor at Tharlam Monastery
he studied and memorised all the ritual texts. Hence by seven years of age he
knew by heart the mandala rituals of Hevajra, the nine-deity Amitayus,
Vairochana, Maitreya Buddha, Vajra-akshobya etc. At this age also he was
enthroned and had to leave the family home. There then followed for him a
period of study and intensive practice.
At nine years of age he received from his guru the vows of an accomplished lay
disciple, and a few months later his novitiate vows; also a number of
initiations from Phende Khen Rinpoche Ngawang Khedrup Gyamtso, a perfectly
accomplished and very saintly Lama who thus became his second Root-Guru. There
next ensued for the young Tulku a period of retreat lasting several years
during which he accomplished the retreats of Bhutadamara, Kunrik Vairochana,
Amitayus, White Tara, and the Lords of the Three Families.
He then received from Phende Khen Rinpoche the monunemtal teaching known as
"The Collection of all the Tantras (Gyu De Kun tus): a comprehensive collection
of all the great initiations with their mandalas and mandala rituals, a rare
teachung of which very few possess the lineage. This instruction lasted three
years during which he nonetheless continued in the pursuit of his studies. He
received from the Grand Abbot Ngaga of Jyekundo the eighteen great
philosophical treatises of six different categories, studied according to
Sakyapa custom and passed all the examinations brilliantly. He likewise
received from this source teaching on many other tantric texts, such as "The
General Catalogue of the Tantras", the Tag pa Nyi (The Two Examinations") etc.
Later he completed his astrological studies, studying all of the principal
texts and was finally able to compose the calendar of a full year which he
posted on the door of the temple at Jyekundo for the benefit of all. He also
studied and mastered the different types of physical yoga and related
activities. And he received partly from Lama Ngaga and partly from Phende Khen
Rinpoche the complete collection of initiations and sadhanas known as the Drup
Thab Kuntu compiled by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo and completed by his student
Loter Wangpo.
After this five year period of study and practice at Jyekundo monastery he
began a new period of retreat with the retreat of Naro Khachoma, of whom he
received numerous signs. He was also fully successful in accomplishing the
Pho'wa practice of transference of consciousness. After this he accomplished
the retreat of Mahakala whose manifest and certain protection accompanied him
in all of the many dangers he would meet on the road, with the Chinese, and in
many events of his life. On completion of this retreat, as the 21 Ngor
monasteries of the Gaba region had long been asking him to do, he undertook to
visit them all. All of these monasteries and the neighbouring country-side were
under a rule and laws established by the great Palden Tcheu Tchiong, the first
Tibetan of H.E. Phende Rinpoche's reincarnation lineage. Thus it naturally fell
to him to check the respect in which these rules and laws were held. He began
with the monastery of Tharlam where he was welcomed with great ceremony, then
toured the other 20 monasteries giving numerous initiations and teachings. It
was only at the end of this long period of travelling that he at last undertook
for the first time the lengthy journey to his monastery of Ngor Ewam Choden,
situated in the Tsang region of Tibet itself, lying more than three month's
journey from Kham. He was accompanied on this journey by the Venerable Khen
Chen Nwawang Khedrup Gyamtso and a numerous following. He was welcomed on his
arrival by the four "Ladrangs" (Houses of Ngor). Then began preparations for
his occupancy of the throne of Ngor when his turn should come. The throne was
occupied for three consecutive years by the head of one Ladrang, then came the
turn of the head of another Ladrang, and so on for the four Ladrangs, each of
their turns thus recurring every twelve years. During his three year occupation
of the throne the Lama had to teach the Lam Dre annually and many other
teachings besides. Equally he had to administer the monks of all the affiliated
monasteries who could only receive ordination by going to the seat of Ngor Ewam
Choden. And when the Lama had held the throne of Ngor in this way for three
years he was given the title of Khenpo, signifying Abbot.
Thus the young Phende Rinpoche had to recite from memory before a great
assembly of monks the four treatises as required by the rule. Then throughout a
full year he had to preside over all the assemblies devoted to recitation of
all the great mandala rituals in usage at Ngor, participating in the
preparation of mandalas, establishing the measures, casting the coloured
powders etc. During his stay at Ngor he received from the very holy and
illustrious Khenchen Tampa Rinpoche of the Khangsar Ladrang a large number of
initiations and teachings, such as the initiations of the seven mandalas of
Ngor, the common and uncommon cycles of the three Reds, the initiation of White
Mahakala, Vajrakilaya (Tele and Mele), Naro Khachoma, each of the protectors of
the eight-fold Mahakala cycle, Hevajra, Vajrabhairava, etc.
These comprehensive teachings lasted several months and the great Tampa
Rinpoche thus became his third Root Guru. Then, and from this time from
Khenchen Ngawang Khedrup who had meanwhile become the throne-holder and thus
seated on the red throne of the great Ngorchen Dorje Chang Kunga Zangpo, he
received the Lam Dre Tsog Shey teachings, also the vows of a fully ordained
monk (gelong), and further numerous initiations. Afterwards he himself gave a
great number of initiations at Ngor. At this time be began an eighteen month
Hevajra retreat followed by a retreat of the three Reds, above all Kurukulle of
whom he also obtained numerous signs. At the end of this first stay at Ngor,
which lasted over four years, he left again for Kham where he remained for
several years alternating studies at the monastery of Jyekundo with retreats at
the Dzuphu Ladrang. Then on the pressing invitation of the Ngor monasteries in
several regions of Kham he undertook yet another long journey leading to the
Nangchen region of Dema, then to Derge where at the monastery of Gonchen for
approximately a month he conducted the great ritual of Hevajra and the Torma
ritual of Vajrabhairava, reuniting seven branch monasteries into one.
As relations with the Chinese became ever more tense and the situation at Derge
deteriorated dangerously, Rinpoche continued on his way to Konjo, then to Gaba.
During the course of this lengthy circuit he had accepted invitations from more
than sixty monasteries and given an incalculable number of initiations and
teachings. Back in Gaba, the Chinese becoming menacing, he decided to flee from
Kham making a wide detour through the extensive deserts of the Northern Plains
(Chang Thang). Thus during 1957-58 he arrived at Ngor where, the situation only
worsening, he decided to flee to India accompanied by his mother, his tutor
uncle, and some twenty servants. By chance his party met up with that
accompanying His Holiness Sakya Trizin who was likewise fleeing to India. In
1959 they simultaneously arrived in Sikhim. Here he met Kyentse Rinpoche
Jamyang Chokyi Lodro and received from H.H. Sakya Trizin the great initiation
of Chakrasamvara. He then went to Mussourie where he often met His Holiness the
Dalai Lama who had recently arrived there.
During his ten year stay in India he succeeded in re-establishing at Kamrao the
Jyekundo monastery with refugee monks, while a certain number of Ngor
monasteries were likewise reconstituted with great difficulty. During these ten
years he repeatedly gave many initiations and teachings whilst continuing his
own daily practice without interruption.
Taking note of the growing interest of Westerners in Buddhism and being invited
to Great Britain by the Samye Ling Tibetan Centre in Scotland, he arrived there
in 1969 and remained teaching there for several months. Then having decided on
the support of a consort, the mudra possessed of the charactaristics and
learned in the Tantras as the Path to Awakening , he thus repeatedly prayed to
Mahakala. Thus he met at Cambridge a young French woman who was to become his
wife Jamyang Khandro, who possessed all the qualities of faith and respect for
the Dharma and who was moreover already conversant with the Tibetan language
and script. Settling in France with the idea of founding a centre there, he
succeeded a few years later in 1974 in establishing Ngor Ewam Phende Ling in
Normandy with the help of his disciples . Here he has since given numerous
profound teachings including the complete Lam Dre; numerous initiations such as
those of Hevajra, Vajrayogini, Bhutadamara, the Protectors, the Wealth Deities,
Avalokitesvara, Tara, Vajrasattva, Manjusri, and Sakya Pandita; and numerous
explanations on practice, on the tantric root vows, the Noble Discourses of
Sakya Pandita (Leg she), the lives of the Mahasiddhas, and others besides.
Meanwhile three sons were born to him, Jamyang Nyima in 1972, Jigme Dorje in
1973, and Jampal Yeshe in 1981. All three have been recognised as Tulkus.
His Eminence Phende Rinpoche was later able with the help of his disciples to
establish two additional centres in France: Ngor Ewam Kunzang Ling in Paris,
and Ngor Ewam Cho Ling at Poitiers. He now travels regularly to India; and to
Taiwan where he has established two centres, one in Taipei and the other in
Tainan. He hopes, with the help of his disciples there and in France, to be in
a position to provide regular help to all the Sakyapa monasteries in India.
With the support of his disciples, principally those from Taiwan, he has
already been able to establish his main seat of Phende Ladrang in the head
monastery of Ngor Ewam Choden at Manduwala in North West India.
Subsidiary notes on the Tradition. The Ngor Ewam Choden monastery, of which His
Eminence Phende Rinpoche was thus recognised as one of the heads of one of the
four lama houses or "Ladrangs" directing this monastery, is the widely famed
mother monastery at the head of hundreds of affiliated houses throughout Tibet
collectively constituting the Ngor branch of the Sakyapa School, one of the
four great schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The Sakyapa School consists of three
branches: Sakya, Ngorpa, and Tsarpa, whose teachings are uniform but whose
ritual, monastic tradition, and administration vary. The Sakyapa School is
characterised in its history by a very large number of lamas learned in the
ocean of Sutras and Tantras as well as by realised sages among whom the
illustrious Sakya Pandita was alone among all Tibetan lamas in possessing the
thirty-two physical marks and eighty characteristic qualities of the fully
enlightened Buddhas, besides other sages as well. This Sakyapa School is
directed overall by His Holiness Sakya Trizin, who is resident in India.
"May the lotus-seat of the Lama, wealth of the Dharma, flourish! May holy
beings, holders of the Dharma, abound! May the wealth and success of the Dharma
benefactors prosper! And long may the Holy Dharma abide!"
LONG-LIFE PRAYERS
1. You, the great Master Kunga Zangpo, are the holder of the doctrine of the
holy Sakyapas, incarnations of Manjushri; you who are the dharma-regent of the
distant tradition, Chokyi Gyamtso, long may you remain here. (This prayer was
composed by Jamyang Chokyi Lodro, having been requested by Tamdrin Gonpo).
2. THE ROLLING THUNDER OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF IMMORTALITY You, Manjushri who
embodies the primordial wisdom of the Buddhas, you are the regent seated on the
throne of temporal and spiritual rule of Kunga Zangpo who was predicted by the
Buddha; Master of the ocean of the Bodhisattvas, long may you live! Lord among
sages, you are accomplished in hearing, thinking and meditating; you flawlessly
maintain the three vows, possessing a great wave of Bodhicitta; Vajradhara,
long may you remain! Through the blessing of this prayer may your supreme lotus
feet be firm as vajras. May the divine activity of your three secrets be
indestructable, and may the doctrine of E-wam spread. (This prayer was composed
by the learned abbot Khyenrab Chokyi Ozer).
3. You Manjushri, great treasure of the knowledge of all Buddhas, like
Vajradhara Kunga Zangpo you embody the three secrets; You have completely
mastered the Buddha's doctrines of sutra and tantra; Chokyi Gyamtso, long may
you remain. (This prayer was composed by H.E. Phende Rinpoche himself on
request by his students at Ewam Phende Ling).
H.H. receiving important initiations
The Karmapa ...>snip>...
(the authorities....)... would not give permission
for Chobgye Trichen Rinpoche to come to Sikkim. It is only now after almost two
centuries that this Tantra transmission is being returned to the Kagyu lineage.
H.H. the 17th Karmapa originally wanted to receive the Marpa Tantras from the
great Sakya Lama, Chobgye Trichen Rinpoche. However, he is now quite old and
his health does not permit him to give long initiations. Therefore, Karmapa
requested to receive them from another prominent Sakya lama, Ludhing Khenchen
Rinpoche. His Holiness the 17th Karmapa asked that the Shamarpa obtain the over
forty Marpa Tantras from the Sakya Lama and he would then like to receive them
from Shamar Rinpoche himself. The Shamarpa replied that he would give the first
collection of Jamgon Kongtrul’s Marpa Transmission, the “Kagyu Ngakdzo,”
to the 17th Karmapa which Shamar Rinpoche had received twice from The 16th
Karmapa and to save time they would receive the other forty Tantras together.
As a matter of fact, the Sakyas keep the Tantric precepts and discipline pure
and carefully. Therefore, Shamar Rinpoche said to Karmapa, “You are young, so
you should do a retreat on each of these Tantras and later pass the
transmission to Kagyu lamas.”
Geir : The Tantras are in the Tantra-collection called the Gyu De Kun Tus. It
is not that which is given by Ludhing Rinpoche (above), which is from India,
being that given to him by Chobgye himself. The only direct line of the
teaching from Tibet is - as per the biography of Phende Kenchen below - from
two masters only : Chobgye Trichen - now too old to give it any more - and/or
Phende Kenchen who is still just able to do so. I send his biography below for
reference so that ll those concerend by the saving of the Kagyu tradition (that
Karmapa is anxious about in the article above) and beyond that, of Tantric
Tibetan Buddhism in general, (that also must, just like the Karmapa receive all
these Tantras as well to preserve it's lineages too) can read it so as to take
the dispositions they need to make the requests for the teachings they require
and do so quickly before Phende Kenchen the most learned of all Tibetan lamas
dies. This can be amatter of very few years now so they should make utmost
haste as Milarepa said : "Hurry slowly". Which is to say : "Hurry, but be
careful to not be too hasty for sloppiness and ascertain exactly what the goal
is before, like the cat, jumping at one's obective". Haste is waste and one
should not embark on a one year teaching that will only be given once in this
world again, without having properly weighed all the aspects of the material
side as well as one's own motivation to sit a whole year at the feet of Tibetan
Buddhism's greatest lama still alive and still teaching today. Receiving only
half the teaching and pulling out because of ill-preparation (this will be made
to be costly for people because this will be very detrimaental to them and bad
also for the other particiapants' morale. The full teaching will be required to
be paid fully first.) will not be an option in this most important of
teachings. All the teachings are contained within this one so that thos is the
most important teaching of Tibetan Buddhism today. I want this to be very clear
so that people don't misunderstand the scope of this teachings nor
underestimate the need for it, in today's Buddhism that cannot survive without
it because it will have lost all it's lineages without exception.
Thank you. Keep me informed of your intentions reagrding the attending of these
teachings. I'll collect all requests for it, keep the posts and adress them to
the guru when there are enough of them. The hall will be for one thousand
people and also the necessary funds will have to be gathered to organize it. In
Tibet, most important teachings in our Ngorpa school, such as this one, were
requested by giving pure gold.
To Buddhists, the teachings are more important than even one's own life. As
this teaching indeed, is one of these most important teachings. It is, in fact,
the most important teaching, as it includes all others in it ! Hurry slowly.
You have time but this is your last chance now. Hurry. But do the right thing.
The relevant passage here below is this one : >"The Collection of all the
Tantras (Gyu De Kun tus): a comprehensive collection
of all the great initiations with their mandalas and mandala rituals, a rare
teachung of which very few possess the lineage.>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------
His Eminence Ngor Ewam Phende Rinpoche
A Short Biography
(A translation from the French original by R.M.L. Samuel)
His Eminence Phende Rinpoche was born early in the year of the Water bird, 1934
into a family of tantric practitioners (ngakpas) in the Tharlam district of the
Gaba region of Kham, Eastern Tibet. Early on the great sage Jamgon Ngawang Lepa
whose Tharlam Monastery lay close to the child's birthplace recognised in him
the signs of a Tulku. But he was two or three years of age when officially
recognised as the reincarnation of Ngor Phende Khenchen Jamyang Kunzang Thupden
Chokyi Gyaltsen; this by the two respective head lamas of Sakya Monastery's
Dolma (Kyabgon Kunga Rinchen) and Phuntsok (Dagchen Ngawang Thotup Wangchuk)
palaces, who after praying at length to the powerful Sakya protectors had made
very precise prophesies as to the family and (re) birth-place of this
reincarnation lineage which goes back to the great Indian Siddha Birwapa. At
the time of his birth auspicious signs had manifested in the sky, and his body
bore certain physical features of this line such as the markings of a tiger
skin.
Thus recognised, the young Phende Rinpoche was given a careful education and a
large number of profound teachings by his first root-guru Jamgon Ngawang Legpa
who was renowned throughout Tibet for his wisdom and realisation. In this way
he received at an early age the profound Lamdre Lobshey teachings (The Path and
its Result). Later he was to receive from him the Lam Dre Tsog Shey, and on a
number of occasions the great initiations of Hevajra, the seven mandalas of the
Ngor tradition, Naro Khachoma, Vajrabhairava, the Guardian-Protectors, the
Protections of Birwapa, and others along with a large number of commentaries.
With his uncle and teacher Ngawang Rinchen, head preceptor at Tharlam Monastery
he studied and memorised all the ritual texts. Hence by seven years of age he
knew by heart the mandala rituals of Hevajra, the nine-deity Amitayus,
Vairochana, Maitreya Buddha, Vajra-akshobya etc. At this age also he was
enthroned and had to leave the family home. There then followed for him a
period of study and intensive practice.
At nine years of age he received from his guru the vows of an accomplished lay
disciple, and a few months later his novitiate vows; also a number of
initiations from Phende Khen Rinpoche Ngawang Khedrup Gyamtso, a perfectly
accomplished and very saintly Lama who thus became his second Root-Guru. There
next ensued for the young Tulku a period of retreat lasting several years
during which he accomplished the retreats of Bhutadamara, Kunrik Vairochana,
Amitayus, White Tara, and the Lords of the Three Families.
He then received from Phende Khen Rinpoche the monunemtal teaching known as
"The Collection of all the Tantras (Gyu De Kun tus): a comprehensive collection
of all the great initiations with their mandalas and mandala rituals, a rare
teachung of which very few possess the lineage. This instruction lasted three
years during which he nonetheless continued in the pursuit of his studies. He
received from the Grand Abbot Ngaga of Jyekundo the eighteen great
philosophical treatises of six different categories, studied according to
Sakyapa custom and passed all the examinations brilliantly. He likewise
received from this source teaching on many other tantric texts, such as "The
General Catalogue of the Tantras", the Tag pa Nyi (The Two Examinations") etc.
Later he completed his astrological studies, studying all of the principal
texts and was finally able to compose the calendar of a full year which he
posted on the door of the temple at Jyekundo for the benefit of all. He also
studied and mastered the different types of physical yoga and related
activities. And he received partly from Lama Ngaga and partly from Phende Khen
Rinpoche the complete collection of initiations and sadhanas known as the Drup
Thab Kuntu compiled by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo and completed by his student
Loter Wangpo.
After this five year period of study and practice at Jyekundo monastery he
began a new period of retreat with the retreat of Naro Khachoma, of whom he
received numerous signs. He was also fully successful in accomplishing the
Pho'wa practice of transference of consciousness. After this he accomplished
the retreat of Mahakala whose manifest and certain protection accompanied him
in all of the many dangers he would meet on the road, with the Chinese, and in
many events of his life. On completion of this retreat, as the 21 Ngor
monasteries of the Gaba region had long been asking him to do, he undertook to
visit them all. All of these monasteries and the neighbouring country-side were
under a rule and laws established by the great Palden Tcheu Tchiong, the first
Tibetan of H.E. Phende Rinpoche's reincarnation lineage. Thus it naturally fell
to him to check the respect in which these rules and laws were held. He began
with the monastery of Tharlam where he was welcomed with great ceremony, then
toured the other 20 monasteries giving numerous initiations and teachings. It
was only at the end of this long period of travelling that he at last undertook
for the first time the lengthy journey to his monastery of Ngor Ewam Choden,
situated in the Tsang region of Tibet itself, lying more than three month's
journey from Kham. He was accompanied on this journey by the Venerable Khen
Chen Nwawang Khedrup Gyamtso and a numerous following. He was welcomed on his
arrival by the four "Ladrangs" (Houses of Ngor). Then began preparations for
his occupancy of the throne of Ngor when his turn should come. The throne was
occupied for three consecutive years by the head of one Ladrang, then came the
turn of the head of another Ladrang, and so on for the four Ladrangs, each of
their turns thus recurring every twelve years. During his three year occupation
of the throne the Lama had to teach the Lam Dre annually and many other
teachings besides. Equally he had to administer the monks of all the affiliated
monasteries who could only receive ordination by going to the seat of Ngor Ewam
Choden. And when the Lama had held the throne of Ngor in this way for three
years he was given the title of Khenpo, signifying Abbot.
Thus the young Phende Rinpoche had to recite from memory before a great
assembly of monks the four treatises as required by the rule. Then throughout a
full year he had to preside over all the assemblies devoted to recitation of
all the great mandala rituals in usage at Ngor, participating in the
preparation of mandalas, establishing the measures, casting the coloured
powders etc. During his stay at Ngor he received from the very holy and
illustrious Khenchen Tampa Rinpoche of the Khangsar Ladrang a large number of
initiations and teachings, such as the initiations of the seven mandalas of
Ngor, the common and uncommon cycles of the three Reds, the initiation of White
Mahakala, Vajrakilaya (Tele and Mele), Naro Khachoma, each of the protectors of
the eight-fold Mahakala cycle, Hevajra, Vajrabhairava, etc.
These comprehensive teachings lasted several months and the great Tampa
Rinpoche thus became his third Root Guru. Then, and from this time from
Khenchen Ngawang Khedrup who had meanwhile become the throne-holder and thus
seated on the red throne of the great Ngorchen Dorje Chang Kunga Zangpo, he
received the Lam Dre Tsog Shey teachings, also the vows of a fully ordained
monk (gelong), and further numerous initiations. Afterwards he himself gave a
great number of initiations at Ngor. At this time be began an eighteen month
Hevajra retreat followed by a retreat of the three Reds, above all Kurukulle of
whom he also obtained numerous signs. At the end of this first stay at Ngor,
which lasted over four years, he left again for Kham where he remained for
several years alternating studies at the monastery of Jyekundo with retreats at
the Dzuphu Ladrang. Then on the pressing invitation of the Ngor monasteries in
several regions of Kham he undertook yet another long journey leading to the
Nangchen region of Dema, then to Derge where at the monastery of Gonchen for
approximately a month he conducted the great ritual of Hevajra and the Torma
ritual of Vajrabhairava, reuniting seven branch monasteries into one.
As relations with the Chinese became ever more tense and the situation at Derge
deteriorated dangerously, Rinpoche continued on his way to Konjo, then to Gaba.
During the course of this lengthy circuit he had accepted invitations from more
than sixty monasteries and given an incalculable number of initiations and
teachings. Back in Gaba, the Chinese becoming menacing, he decided to flee from
Kham making a wide detour through the extensive deserts of the Northern Plains
(Chang Thang). Thus during 1957-58 he arrived at Ngor where, the situation only
worsening, he decided to flee to India accompanied by his mother, his tutor
uncle, and some twenty servants. By chance his party met up with that
accompanying His Holiness Sakya Trizin who was likewise fleeing to India. In
1959 they simultaneously arrived in Sikhim. Here he met Kyentse Rinpoche
Jamyang Chokyi Lodro and received from H.H. Sakya Trizin the great initiation
of Chakrasamvara. He then went to Mussourie where he often met His Holiness the
Dalai Lama who had recently arrived there.
During his ten year stay in India he succeeded in re-establishing at Kamrao the
Jyekundo monastery with refugee monks, while a certain number of Ngor
monasteries were likewise reconstituted with great difficulty. During these ten
years he repeatedly gave many initiations and teachings whilst continuing his
own daily practice without interruption.
Taking note of the growing interest of Westerners in Buddhism and being invited
to Great Britain by the Samye Ling Tibetan Centre in Scotland, he arrived there
in 1969 and remained teaching there for several months. Then having decided on
the support of a consort, the mudra possessed of the charactaristics and
learned in the Tantras as the Path to Awakening , he thus repeatedly prayed to
Mahakala. Thus he met at Cambridge a young French woman who was to become his
wife Jamyang Khandro, who possessed all the qualities of faith and respect for
the Dharma and who was moreover already conversant with the Tibetan language
and script. Settling in France with the idea of founding a centre there, he
succeeded a few years later in 1974 in establishing Ngor Ewam Phende Ling in
Normandy with the help of his disciples . Here he has since given numerous
profound teachings including the complete Lam Dre; numerous initiations such as
those of Hevajra, Vajrayogini, Bhutadamara, the Protectors, the Wealth Deities,
Avalokitesvara, Tara, Vajrasattva, Manjusri, and Sakya Pandita; and numerous
explanations on practice, on the tantric root vows, the Noble Discourses of
Sakya Pandita (Leg she), the lives of the Mahasiddhas, and others besides.
Meanwhile three sons were born to him, Jamyang Nyima in 1972, Jigme Dorje in
1973, and Jampal Yeshe in 1981. All three have been recognised as Tulkus.
His Eminence Phende Rinpoche was later able with the help of his disciples to
establish two additional centres in France: Ngor Ewam Kunzang Ling in Paris,
and Ngor Ewam Cho Ling at Poitiers. He now travels regularly to India; and to
Taiwan where he has established two centres, one in Taipei and the other in
Tainan. He hopes, with the help of his disciples there and in France, to be in
a position to provide regular help to all the Sakyapa monasteries in India.
With the support of his disciples, principally those from Taiwan, he has
already been able to establish his main seat of Phende Ladrang in the head
monastery of Ngor Ewam Choden at Manduwala in North West India.
Subsidiary notes on the Tradition. The Ngor Ewam Choden monastery, of which His
Eminence Phende Rinpoche was thus recognised as one of the heads of one of the
four lama houses or "Ladrangs" directing this monastery, is the widely famed
mother monastery at the head of hundreds of affiliated houses throughout Tibet
collectively constituting the Ngor branch of the Sakyapa School, one of the
four great schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The Sakyapa School consists of three
branches: Sakya, Ngorpa, and Tsarpa, whose teachings are uniform but whose
ritual, monastic tradition, and administration vary. The Sakyapa School is
characterised in its history by a very large number of lamas learned in the
ocean of Sutras and Tantras as well as by realised sages among whom the
illustrious Sakya Pandita was alone among all Tibetan lamas in possessing the
thirty-two physical marks and eighty characteristic qualities of the fully
enlightened Buddhas, besides other sages as well. This Sakyapa School is
directed overall by His Holiness Sakya Trizin, who is resident in India.
"May the lotus-seat of the Lama, wealth of the Dharma, flourish! May holy
beings, holders of the Dharma, abound! May the wealth and success of the Dharma
benefactors prosper! And long may the Holy Dharma abide!"
LONG-LIFE PRAYERS
1. You, the great Master Kunga Zangpo, are the holder of the doctrine of the
holy Sakyapas, incarnations of Manjushri; you who are the dharma-regent of the
distant tradition, Chokyi Gyamtso, long may you remain here. (This prayer was
composed by Jamyang Chokyi Lodro, having been requested by Tamdrin Gonpo).
2. THE ROLLING THUNDER OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF IMMORTALITY You, Manjushri who
embodies the primordial wisdom of the Buddhas, you are the regent seated on the
throne of temporal and spiritual rule of Kunga Zangpo who was predicted by the
Buddha; Master of the ocean of the Bodhisattvas, long may you live! Lord among
sages, you are accomplished in hearing, thinking and meditating; you flawlessly
maintain the three vows, possessing a great wave of Bodhicitta; Vajradhara,
long may you remain! Through the blessing of this prayer may your supreme lotus
feet be firm as vajras. May the divine activity of your three secrets be
indestructable, and may the doctrine of E-wam spread. (This prayer was composed
by the learned abbot Khyenrab Chokyi Ozer).
3. You Manjushri, great treasure of the knowledge of all Buddhas, like
Vajradhara Kunga Zangpo you embody the three secrets; You have completely
mastered the Buddha's doctrines of sutra and tantra; Chokyi Gyamtso, long may
you remain. (This prayer was composed by H.E. Phende Rinpoche himself on
request by his students at Ewam Phende Ling).