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| Second Buddha- Guru Rinpoche, Head of Nyingma Lineage Holders |
Nyingma
Buddhism account in Bhutan:
Buddhism originally finds its root in India and
it is generally divided into two great schools: the Mahayana meaning
Greater Vehicle and Hinayana meaning Lesser Vehicle. These
days Hinayana is more popularly known as Theravada.
The Sanskrit word Yana meaning vehicle, suggests
a path which leads sentient beings to higher states depending on their deeds.
Bhutan is the only independent Mahayana country in the world today. Buddhism
set its foot in the country in the 7th century when A.D, when the
first two temples of Kyichu in Paro and Jampa in Bumthang were built in the
first half of the 7th Century by Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo.
However, the major growth of Buddhism started
only in the 8th Century with the visit of Indian saint,
Padmasambhava, popularly known as Guru Rinpoche in Bhutan. His teachings laid
the foundation for one of the most important and unifying forces in the
development of Bhutan’s unique culture and tradition. Now the country’s
religion has become its way of life.
From the 13th century onwards, many
religious masters came to Bhutan from Tibet and spread the teachings of their
schools such as Sakyapa, Drukpa Kagyudpa, Chagzampa, Kathogpa and Nyingmapa.
Many of these schools were able to establish only small temples and in the
course of time merged with other schools. Today, Drukpa Kagyudpa and
Nyingmapa are the two most prominent schools in Bhutan.
The introduction of Buddhism occurred in the
seventh century A.D., when Tibetan king Srongtsen Gampo (reigned A.D. 627-49),
a convert to Buddhism, ordered the construction of two Buddhist temples, at
Bumthang in central Bhutan and at Kyichu in the Paro Valley. This had laid
foundation of Bhudha dharma in Bhutan.
In A.D. 747, a Buddhist saint, Padmasambhava (known
in Bhutan as Guru Rinpoche and sometimes referred to as the Second Buddha),
came to Bhutan from India at the invitation of one of the numerous local kings.
After reportedly subduing eight classes of demons and converting the king, Guru
Rinpoche moved on to Tibet. Upon his return from Tibet, he oversaw the
construction of new monasteries in the Paro Valley and set up his headquarters
in Bumthang
According to tradition, he founded the Nyingmapa
sect - also known as the "old sect" or Red Hat sect - of Mahayana
Buddhism, which became for a time the dominant religion of Bhutan. Guru Rinpoche
plays a great historical and religious role as the national patron saint who
revealed the tantras - manuals describing forms of devotion to natural energy -
to Bhutan.
After Guru Rinpoche, his Nyingma teachings were
preserved and spread by his reincarnations and treasures revealers in Bhutan.
Since then, many sub-sect of Nyingma teachings were flourished in Bhutan, such
as Longchen Nyingthig, teaching of Kunkhyen Longchen Ramjam, Pedling, the
revealed treasures of Terton Pema Lingpa, Dorling, the revealed treasure
teaching of Terton Dorji Lingpa, Dudjom terser teaching, discovered teachings
of Dudjom Rinpoche, Jangter teachings of Namkhia Nyingpo Rinpoche and other
holders of treasures teachings are dominant in Bhutan today.
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| Khenlop Chesum- Khenpo, Guru and King |
Brief Account of
Nyingma tradition of Buddhism:
The Nyingma school of
Tibetan Buddhism traces its origin to the Indian adept, Guru Padmasambhava, who
came to Tibet in 817 C.E. at the invitation of King Trisong Deutsan (742-797)
in order to subdue the evil forces then impeding the spread of Buddhism. Guru
Rinpochey, as he is popularly known, bound all evil spirits by oath and
transformed them into forces compatible with the spread of Buddhism. In
collaboration with the great Bodhisattva Abbot Shantarakshita, Guru Rinpochey
then built Samyey monastery, which became a principal centre of learning and
the site where many of the texts that would make up Tibet's vast Buddhist literature
were first translated into Tibetan.
Guru Rinpochey also
gave widespread teachings from the highest classes of tantra and in particular
to his twenty-five principal disciples. These first Tibetan adepts are renowned
for their spiritual accomplishments, for example, Namkhai Nyingpo for his feat
of travelling on beams of light, Khandro Yeshe Tsogyal for reviving the dead,
Vairochana for his intuition, Nanam Yeshe for soaring in the sky, Kawa Peltseg
for reading others thought and Jnana Kumara for his miraculous powers.
Contemporary Indian masters Vimalamitra, Buddhaguhya,
Shantipa and the tantric adept, Dharmakirti, also came to Tibet and spread
tantric teachings. So, although the study of logic and Buddhist philosophy was
not yet prevalent, the practice of tantra in extreme secrecy was much favoured.
Even the work of translating such esoteric texts as Kun-byed
rgyal-po, mDo-dgougs-'dus and the Mahamaya cycle of
teachings by Vairochana, Nyag Jnana Kumara, Nubchen Sangye Yeshe and others, was
carried out In great secrecy.
Seeing the disciples
unripe and the time inappropriate for many of the other teachings he had to
reveal, Guru Padmasambhava hid hundreds of Treasures in the forms of
scriptures, images and ritual articles, in air, Cave Mountains, river and
lands, with instructions for their revelation for the benefit of future
generations. Subsequently, more than one hundred masters have revealed these
Treasures and taught them to their disciples. So, besides the tantric
teachings, it is these lineages of revealed teachings combined with the Great
Completion or Dzogchen doctrine taught and disseminated successively by Garab
Dorji, Shri Simha, Guru Rinpoche, Jnana Sutra, Vimala Mitra, which are
distinguished In Tibet as Nyingma doctrine
The Nyingma tradition
divides the entire Buddhist teachings into Nine Vehicles: the Three Common
Vehicles comprising the Hearer, Solitary Realizer, and Bodhisattva vehicles
dealing with those categories of teachings included in the sutras taught by
Buddha Shakyamuni; the Three Outer Tantras consisting of Kriya Tantra which
places greater emphasis on practicing proper external behavior, physical and
verbal conduct aimed at purification and simple visualization practice; Upa
Tantra which lays more emphasis on developing both external and internal
faculties with the goal of achieving a deeper affinity with the meditational
deity; and Yoga Tantra, which I mainly aimed at developing the strength of
inner psychophysical vitality as taught by Vajrasattva. Finally, the Three
Innermost Tantras comprising Mahayoga, primarily emphasising the Generation
Stage practice in which the ordinary level of perception and attachment are
eliminated through sacred vision and divine pride; the Annuyoga, emphasising
Completion Stage practice in which the vajra body is used as a serviceable
means to actualize primordial awareness and the Atiyoga, in which all emphasis
is directed towards full activation of the generation and completion stage
practices, enabling the yogi to transcend all ordinary time, activity and
experience, as taught by Samantabhadra Buddha. The first six of these nine
vehicles are common to all schools of Tibetan Buddhism, whereas the last three,
the Innermost Tantras, are exclusive to the Nyingma tradition.
Due to the slightly different approaches of various
lineages in presenting Dzogchen three sub-schools have developed: The Mind
School (Sems-sde) is attributed to
Shrisimha and Vairochana's lineage, the Centredness School (kLong-sde) is attributed to Longde Dorje Zampa, and Shrisimha and
Vairochana's lineage, whereas the Quintessential Instruction School (Man-ngag-sde) is attributed directly to Guru Padmasambhava's lineage of the
Heart's Drop (sNying-thig) cycle of
teachings and practice. Although Dzogchen is the unique feature of Nyingma
practice, even among the lay followers the practice of reciting Guru Rinpoche's
prayers, observing the 10th and 25th of every lunar month as a day for feast
offerings, and even retiring into retreat for three years and three months individually
or in company are common.
According to the
history of the origin of tantras there are three lineages: The Lineage of
Buddha's Intention, which refers to the teachings of the Truth Body originating
from the primordial Buddha Samantabhadra, who is said to have taught tantras to
an assembly of completely enlightened beings emanated from the Truth Body
itself. Therefore, this level of teaching is considered as being completely
beyond the reach of ordinary human beings. The Lineage of the Knowledge Holders
corresponds to the teachings of the Enjoyment Body originating from Vajrasattva
and Vajrapani, whose human lineage begins with Garab Dorje of the Ögyan Dakini
land. From him the lineage passed to Manjushrimitra, Shrisimha and then to Guru
Rinpoche, Jnanasutra, Vimalamitra and Vairochana who disseminated it in Tibet.
Lastly, the Human Whispered Lineage corresponds to the teachings of the
Emanation Body, originating from the Five Buddha Families. They were passed on
to Shrisimha, who transmitted them to Guru Rinpoche, who in giving them to
Vimalamitra started the lineage which has continued in Tibet until the present
day.
This last mode of
transmission is most commonly employed for ordinary people. However, the former
two lineages may still exist amongst the highly realized Dzogchen masters.
There is yet another tradition which enumerates six
lineages for the origin of the tantras by adding: the Commissioned Instruction
Lineage (bK'a-babs lung-bstan-gyi-btgyud-pa),
the Treasure Doctrine Lineage of the Fortunate One's (Las-'phrn
gter-gyi-brgyud- pa) and the Lineage of Trustees
Established through Prayers (sMon-lam gtad-rgya'i-brgyud-pa).
The Nyingma tantric literature and its transmission are
classified into three groups: the Oral, Treasures, and Visions. These three may
be further subsumed under two categories: the Oral comprising primarily the
tantras and associated texts belonging to the cycle of Mahayoga tantras; the
root and explanatory tantra belonging to the cycle of Annuyoga tantras; and
finally, the Atiyoga or Dzogchen cycle of tantras.
The Treasure
transmission comprises the innumerable treasure texts revealed by subsequent
Treasure Masters, which were hidden by Guru Rinpoche himself in 9th century as
well as numerous teachings later revealed through enlightened minds and
meditative visions of Nyingma masters. Hundreds of masters have appeared who
have revealed treasures. Among them, Nyangral Nyima Özer (1124-92), Guru
Chowang (1212-70), Dorje Lingpa (1346-1405), Padma Lingpa (b.1405) and Jamyang
Khyentse (1820-1892) are renowned as the Five Kings of the Treasure Masters.
Their revealed treasures concern, among others, the cycle of teachings and
meditations related to Avalokiteshvara, Guru Rinpoche's sadhanas, the Dzogchen
teachings, the Ka-gyey cycle of teachings, the Vajrakila or Phurba cycle of
teachings, medicine and prophecies.
Hence, in addition to
the standard Mahayana Buddhist canon of the Kangyur and Tangyur, many further
teachings may be found in the Collection of a Hundred Thousand Nyingma Tantras,
compiled in thirteenth century by Tertön Ratna Lingpa (1403-1473) and organized
by Kunkhyen Longchen Ramjampa (1308-1363). Besides this, numerous works such as
the sixty volumes of the Rinchen Terdzod compiled by Kongtrul Yonten Gyatso
(1813-1899) and the writings of Rongzom, Dodrupchen, Paltrul, Mipham and many
others have added to the rich collection of Nyingma literature. The oldest
Nyingma institution is Samyey temple completed in 810 C.F. by Shantarakshita
and Guru Padmasambhava under the patronage of King Trisong Deutsan.
Subsequently, no big monasteries were built until the 12th century, when
Nechung Monastery was built in Central Tibet by Chokpa Jangchub Palden and
Kathok Monastery was founded in Kham by Ka Dampa Desheg (1112-92) in 1159. This
is an indication that unlike the other Buddhist traditions the Nyingmapa did
not become institutionalized until much later in their history.
However, later on in
Tibet starting from the 15th century onwards, great monastic universities were
built, such as Mindroling, founded in 1676 by Rigzin Terdag Lingpa, otherwise
known as Minling Terchen Gyurmed Dorje (1646-1714) and Dorje Drag founded in
1659 by Rigzin Ngagi Wangpo in central Tibet; and Palyul established by Rigzin
Kunsang Sherab in 1665; Dzogchen built by Dzogchen Pema Rigzin in 1685 and
Zhechen established by Zhechen Rabjampa in 1735, all in Kham province.
Dodrupchen and Darthang monasteries were established in Amdo.
Principal monastic
institutions re-established in exile, after occupation of Tibet are Thekchok Namdrol Shedrub Dargye Ling, in
Bylakuppe, Karnataka, Ngedon Gatsal Ling, in Clementown, Dehradun; Palyul
Chokhor Ling and E-Vam Gyurmed Ling in Bir, and Nechung Drayang Ling at
Dharamsala, and Thubten E-vam Dorjey Drag at Shimla in Himachal Pradesh, India.
The Nyingma tradition
is presently headed by, Taglung Tsetrul Rinpochey who succeeds the line of
vagra president of Nyingma lineage. The passed Nyingma heads include, Dudjom
Rinpoche, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Penor Rinpoche, Minling Trichen Rinpoche,
Trulzhig Rinpochey, and Dodrupchen and Jadrel Rinpoches are some of the living
Nyingma spiritual masters.
To be updated!!!!
