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Dungse Thinley Norbu Rinpoche, eldest son of His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche and incomparable scholar and contemporary Nyingma master, passed away on December 26, 2011.
Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo made the following statement:
With the passing of His Holiness Thinley Norbu Rinpoche, the world has lost another great Lama. Kyabje Thinley Norbu Rinpoche was considered one of the greatest mahasiddhas of our time. Rinpoche was very close to my own root teacher, His Holiness Kyabje Drubwang Penor Rinpoche. In fact, His Holiness Penor Rinpoche respected Thinley Norbu Rinpoche so much that he was one of the very few Lamas for whom His Holiness would stand up to greet when Rinpoche entered the room.
I had the tremendous blessing to visit Rinpoche a number of times, and each time he had very beautiful advice for me. His Holiness Thinley Norbu Rinpoche told me that I could always come and practice with him, particularly if my life force was weak. I had always intended to go, and wish I had. But in 1991 Rinpoche came to pay a surprise visit to my center, Kunzang Palyul Choling in Maryland, and gave a spontaneous teaching to the students that were there, and we were able to meet again. Rinpoche was a sublime writer. Every book he has written is pure nectar.
This is the teaching teaching Rinpoche gave at KPC, that Jetsunma refers to:
TIB-100_Thinley Norbu Rinpoche_5-12-91.mp3
(18 MB File)
Right-click on the MP3 file, choose “Save Target As” or “Save Link As”,
and save it on your computer.
On hearing of the passing of this remarkable lama, Venerable Gyatrul Rinpoche sent 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.
Here is a prayer for the swift rebirth of Thinley Norbu Rinpoche from his son, Dungsé Garab Rinpoche:
Prayer for Swift Rebirth of Kyabjé Dungse Thinley Norbu Rinpoche
by His Eminence Tulku Garab Rinpoche (PDF)
Here is a prayer for the swift rebirth of Thinley Norbu Rinpoche from Namkhai Nyingpo Rinpoche:
Prayer for Swift Rebirth of Kyabjé Dungse Thinley Norbu Rinpoche
by Namkhai Nyingpo Rinpoche (PDF)
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This teaching from The Seven Treasures of Longchenpa, by Dungse Thinley Norbu Rinpoche, was given in Nepal in the early 1990's. Since Thinley Norbu Rinpoche is considered an emanation of Longchenpa, this is an especially precious teaching. Khenpo Tenzin Norgay gives us a beautiful translation and commentary as he brings it to life for a western audience.
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Title
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MP3
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Dzogchen by Thinley Norbu Rinpoche ($5.00)
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MKTN-057
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The Collection of the Seven Treasures of Longchenpa is a synthesis of the entire path to liberation. The Seven Treasures are:
1. The Precious Wish-fulfilling Treasury.
2. The Precious Treasury of the Dharmadhatu.
3. The Precious Treasury of the Supreme Vehicle.
4. The Precious Treasury of the Way of Abiding.
5. The Precious Treasury of the Meaning of Words.
6. The Precious Treasury of Oral Instructions.
7. The Precious Treasury of Philosophical Systems.
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