— 1 April 2010
Dear Sangha Members,
I hope that you are all well and your practices are progressing well along the path. We, here at Mindrolling and Samten Tse, are all fine and getting ready for the year ahead with all the different schedules and plans.
I heard that my previous letter to the sangha might have left some people a little shocked and gave rise to quite a few "interesting comments." I re-read the letter and asked around but was still left wondering where the shock might have come from or what exactly might the interesting comments have been. However, I have come to the conclusion that it is best to keep you all on your toes, as they say, and see if I can shock some of you again.
I would like to first begin by informing you all of some very good news. Kyabje Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche and his party have now received their visas for the United States. However, we did have a short period of panic after receiving the visas and discovering that both Kyabje Tsetrul Rinpoche and his main attendant had received only three-month long visas beginning in March and expiring in June. There are senior teachers like Kyabje Tsetrul Rinpoche and H.E. Khochhen Rinpoche and many Tibetans who are living in India who carry an RC or a refugee passport from the Indian Government as travelling papers. In the past these passports were allowed up to five and even ten year visas from the United States but due to recent policy changes we were informed, very politely and sympathetically, that the United States Embassy was now legally allowed to issue only a maximum of a three-month visa to the holders of these refugee passports. Fortunately, the persons who went to collect the passports were able to talk to the embassy and explain that the visa would not work according to Kyabje Tsetrul Rinpoche's travel plans to America and the US Embassy was kind enough to give permission to re-submit the passports anytime three months prior to Kyabje Tsetrul Rinpoche's arrival in America and they would be granted new visas immediately. Our hearts paused for a little while that afternoon but finally we all rejoiced that Kyabje Tsetrul Rinpoche and his two attendants had their visas. The next big step in the travel department will be obtaining visas for Kyabje Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche's attendants and our own H.E. Khochhen Rinpoche.
The second piece of news is far better than any of us could have ever imagined. Kyabje Tsetrul Rinpoche has not only confirmed the dates of his teachings (August 27th to 12th September) but also confirmed that he will bestow some of the highest Dzogchen transmissions this year in Lotus Garden. Kyabje Tsetrul Rinpoche has said that he will transmit the very essence of his very own lineage in the highest of transmissions from the Northern treasure called Künzang Gongpa Zangthal. It was quite surprising and unexpected for all of us as we had requested Kyabje Tsetrul Rinpoche to transmit Dzogchen Nyingthig teachings at Lotus Garden but we had no way of knowing that Kyabje Tsetrul Rinpoche in his infinite kindness and compassion would transmit the heart of the Jangter lineage (the Northern Treasures Tradition). I would again like for all of you to know that what is now set to take place at Lotus Garden is truly amazing and extremely rare. I hope everyone of you understands how extremely fortunate we all are and ask that you all make the best aspirations that the seed of dharma be sown in the fertile ground of Lotus Garden and in the West. When we first heard Kyabje Rinpoche say that he would bestow the entire Künzang Gongpa Zangthal, we were delighted and marveled at our good fortune that such a command came from the teacher himself. And when Lopön Barabara Ryan and some of the other members of Lotus Garden who were still here were told that it is from Gongpa Zangthal that the Aspiration of Samantabhadra has been extracted, they were even more deeply moved.
Künzang Gongpa Zangthal is the heart essence teachings of Padmasambhava. I know that we had first said that the Nyingthig Yabzhi transmissions would take place this year. However, as Kyabje Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche pointed out, the content of Nyingthig Yabzhi and Gongpa Zangthal are essentially the same but Rinpoche holds the Jangter lineage and as such Gongpa Zangthal is what he himself has practiced and the lineage of transmissions he is most close to. As such it would be most appropriate for Kyabje Rinpoche to transmit these profound transmissions as Dzogchen heart teachings.
Künzang Gongpa Zangthal (kun bzang dgongs pa zang thal) is the highest Dzogchen teachings of the Northern Treasures tradition discovered by Rigzin Gödem in 1366. It is a complete set of Mahasandhi instructions from the preliminary level up to thögal practices and is renowned throughout Tibet as one of the three most supreme Dzogchen transmissions along with Nyingthig Yabzhi and Ati Zabdön Nyingpo. And so it is with great joy and happiness that I write to all of you today from an apartment here in Barcelona. It seems like such an auspicious coming together of tendrel and merit that such an event can take place in our lifetime. I ask that you all join me in prayers and aspirations that these peerlessly profound and precious transmissions can take place without any obstacles and that they bring boundless benefit to all. I am sure that through the blessings of Kyabje Mindrolling Trichen and the collective excellent aspirations of the entire vajra sangha, this historic event will be a source of immeasurable benefit and happiness to all.
Here I would like to say though that some of you often have the tendency to let fear come in the way of progress along the path of practice. Sometimes one hears of these great and profound transmissions and then allows oneself to get all clogged up with doubts and hesitations. The root of all this is traced to fear and poverty mentality laced with self-absorption. But it is best not to give in to these habitual tendencies.
Remember, that as it says in the Aspiration of Samantabhadra —
"By abiding in sharp intrinsic awareness,
Even if the three realms are destroyed,
There is neither fear nor panic."
The mark of a true Vajrayana practitioner is one who is not swayed by fear and self-doubt and even if we can only aspire to such an absolute state right now, we can all certainly train in it and not give in to the habitual tendencies of lack of courage and paralyzing self-doubt which lead us nowhere. I have absolutely no doubt that if anyone has the true and sincere motivation to receive these precious teachings and makes heartfelt aspirations towards it, obstacles will be dispelled and fortunate conditions will arise making it possible for you to receive them. After all, "All dharmas are circumstantial and depend entirely on one's aspiration."
I send you all my love and prayers. Continue to practice well and train in being happy and content. I will write to you again soon and keep you posted on any further developments.
— KR