Tsikey Chokling Rinpoche's Interview for Rabsel

I was born in Chokyi Nyima's monastery, Drongngur Gonpa, at sunrise on the tenth day of the 6th month. I came to Nepal about a year before the revolution in Tibet. It is better not to say I am Tibetan and talk much about when I left Tibet, as I and my family all have Nepali passports and we have monasteries here. We came to Nepal when I was seven years old. I was recognized by the 16th Karmapa at the age of nine. Then I went to Rumtek to study. It is better not to talk about my birth in Tibet and all that as we are very good friends with the Nepali king and the government, and we are considered to be Nepalis. All you need to say is that I was born in Drongngur Gonpa and then came to Nagi Gonpa. It is better not to mention Tibet. At the opening of our monastery the Nepali king sent a representative to the ceremony, and they don't like to hear that we are Tibetans. When Tulku Chokyi Nyima was 11 years old and I was 9 years we went to study in Rumtek. We stayed there for about 12 years, studying according to the Kagyu tradition, learned how to be vajra master, how to make tormas and so forth. Karmapa invited Kalu Rinpoche to give us all the Kagyu initiations and transmissions, the Six Yogas of Naropa, as well as the Shangpa Kagyu teachings. At that time Dzongsar Khyentse was also there. From Karmapa himself we received the initiations of Chikshe Kundrol, the Gyachen Kadzod and many other initiations. The Kagyud Ngagdzod Karmapa gave at our monastery in Nepal. When I was about 14 years old Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche came to Baudha to give the Nyingthig Tsapo wongs and my father Tulku Urgyen asked me to come from Rumtek to receive it. I also received the Kahgyur transmission that HH Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche gave in Baudha after that. Then gradually Gya Lama gave us land and my father planned to build a monastery. So we got some land and he built Kah-Nying Shedrup Ling and asked Karmapa excuse for us to leave. Then in Dehra Dun I received the complete Rinchen Terdzod empowerment and transmissions from HH Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. After that he gave us the initiations of the New Treasures, the Nyinthig Yazhi, the teachings on the Gyud Sangwa Nyingpo, the Lamrim Yeshe Nyingpo and so forth at our monastery in Baudha. Also Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche gave us the empowerments of the Jatshon Podrug, the sutra empowerments of the Nyingma Kahma and the peaceful and wrathful Gyutrul. I received the Dzogchen Desum from Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche and also received it three times from my father, when he gave it to Gomchen Kampalags, to Dewo Rinpoche and to the Kagyu tulkus in Nagi Gonpa. I received the Kunzang Thugthig 5 times. Then again I received the Chokling Tersar from my father when it was requested and sponsored by Jamgon Rinpoche at Nagi Gonpa, so I received it twice, through two different lineages. I also received the complete teachings on the Yeshe Lama along with Drigung Kyabgon Rinpoche, who sponsored it, and teachings on the Kading Shoglab [Flight of the Garuda]. I also met Rinpoche in Bhutan but didn't take teachings there. I received the Gyud Sangwa Nyingpo [Guhyagarbha tantra] teachings at Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche's monastery twice. When Khyentse Rinpoche invited this khenpo from Dzachukha, a disciple of Khenpo Thupga, who was also Khyentse Rinpoche's teacher, I again received the explanations on the Gyud Sangwa Nyingpo from him. Of the Nyingma cycles I received the Rigpa'i tsal wangs, giving introduction to the nature of mind. Of the Kahma I received the Dorje Sensum wongs and of the Terma I received the Rinchen Terdzod, the New Treasures, the Jatshon Podrug, the Kah Gon Phur Sum wongs, and the Nyingthig Tsapod. I received the Nyingthig Tsapo twice from Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, once when he gave it at Nagi Gonpa and once when he gave it to Thinley Norbu Rinpoche at the Khyentse monastery. I received twice the Tsasum Osel Nyinthig, a terma of the first Khyentse, and also received the entire Nyingthig Yazhi twice. The first time was when Karmapa was staying at Rumtek and invited HH Dilgo Khyentse, who lived in Kalimpong, to come to Rumtek to give it. At that time, besides the 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpa'i Dorje, there was Shamar Rinpoche, Gyaltshab Rinpoche, Jamgon Rinpoche, Topga Rinpoche and myself. Situ Rinpoche was sick and wasn't there. There was only six of us. Later I received it again at our monastery, when he gave it to my father. I received Garab Dorje's Tsiksum Nedek about 5 or 6 times. So I received many empowerments and transmissions. Of the Nyingma cycle I received all the empowerments and transmissions according to the Kahma and Terma from Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. The Chokling Tersar and the Chodwang Gyatsa wongs I received from my father, who was the only one holding the Chodwang Gyatsa transmission. I received the most important Terma wongs from my father, the Kahling Zhitro cycle, the Uma Rangdrol cycle, as well as the Kunzang Thugthig cycle, which was the special practice of my father. I received that about five times from my father. Before my father passed away he gave it to five students from America, who came especially for that and made a lot of trouble as they had been promised to be given it, so Rinpoche gave it to them before he died. When I was about 19 years old I came back from Rumtek and became the Dorje Loppon at our monastery. Since then, until now, at the age of 43, every year I have done the Gutor in the 12th month, the Tsekar Drubchen in the first month, and the Ngakso drupchen in the second month. Once we did it in Nagi Gonpa and once at Asura, when my mother still lived there. On the 10th day I do the mediocre or elaborate Trinley Nyingpo, and on the 25th day the Kurukulle. On the 30th day we do the Ngagso. On the 4 special days of the buddha we do either the Ngagso or the Tshekar, for the long life of all the masters. I will continue to do this until I die. Also I hope to do retreat at Asura or Nagi gonpa. That is about my lifestory. Please don't mention in the Rabsel interview about Tibet, that I went to Tseki Gonpa a lot and that we left there after the revolution. You can just say that I came from Tibet and then stayed at Nagi Gonpa in Nepal. Then my father sent me to Rumtek to study for about 13 years. My root gurus in the Kagyu lineage were Karmapa and Kalu Rinpoche. As Karmapa invited Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche to Rumtek to give the Nyingthig Yazhi, I received it with Shamar Rinpoche, Gyaltsab Rinpoche and so forth. I have said many times that my root teacher is Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche and Podar Khenpo, whom I met in Bhutan. I felt great devotion to Podar Khenpo and received the Tsiksum Nedeg teachings from him. He passed passed away soon after that. When Karmapa came to our monastery to give the Kagyud Ngagdzod during one month, all the great Kagyud tulkus were there, such as Shamar, Situ, Gyaltshab, Jamgon, Dabzang, Zabchu, Garwang, Dzogchen Ponlob, Bardo, Tenga, Trarik, Drubwang Gyatrul, Chokyi Nyima and Trangu Rinpoche. When the empowerments started the Nepali dharmaking also attended the opening ceremony. A few years after that I received the empowerments, transmissions and teachings of the Chokling Tersar, the Nyingtig Yabzhi and the Guhyagarbha tantra from His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche when he stayed at our monastery for a few months. So now I have been vajra master at our master for about 13 years.
In my monastery in Kham there are two Tseki Chokling incarnations. There are three Chokling incarnations, the body, speech and mind. The one in Kham was recognized by Khyentse Chokyi Lodro. He is the wisdom incarnation of Tseki Choling. The other Neten Chokling and myself were recognized by the 16th Karmapa. The one who is in Kham took care of the monastery there. As he didn't receive many empowerments, he came to Nagi Gonpa and received the Chokling empowerments and transmissions there. Also he received the Dzogchen Desum from my father. Then he went back to Kham. A few years ago Tenga Rinpoche asked me to give the Chokling empowerments and transmissions at Benchen monastery. The Dzogchen Desum and other instructions he received from my father. I shall give him the New Treasures after the cremation, starting on the 18th of this Tibetan month.
Whenever Dilgo Khyenste Rinpoche would do a drupchen he would ask me to come for the drupchen. Sometimes it would coincide with our drupchens so I would be a few days late. In general His Holiness was very fond of me and he always asked me to come for whatever empowerments or teachings he would give. He would wait for me to come. From when he started doing the Tsokchen Duspa drupchens until he passed away, I always attended it. Sometimes we would be doing the Tshekar drupchen at the same time and as I was the vajra master in the Tshekar drupchen I would be a few days late. Then I had to come rightaway after that. Before going to Malaysia I went to see him with two old statues of Guru Rinpoche that I had bought. He did very special Guru Rinpoche prayers and said that I should teach, as I was able to benefit the Nyingma doctrine. Also when he did any special pujas he would call me. He really loved me a lot.
People say that in this lifetime I have not much fear; I am not afraid of death or of Mao Tsetung. But I am very afraid of three things: samaya with the 16th Karmapa, my father, and Dilgo Kyentse Rinpoche. Of course I cannot behave like Naropa was towards Tilopa, but I feel the same confidence. When I heard that Khyentse Rinpoche passed away in Bhutan I was so upset that I cried for 7 days. It was like the sun had set forever. Then I went to Bhutan as soon as possible to see the precious kudung and then felt a little better. When I came back to Nepal my father said that the sun of the Nyingma doctrine had set and was very worried. Rinpoche had told me to receive oral instructions on my practice from my father and from Nyoshul Khenpo Rinpopche, so I did. So I received the Kunzang Tuktig teachings from my father and the Kahding Shoglab from Nyoshul Khenpo, and many instructions on the nature of mind. Also my son received the teachings with me. My father also gave my son Phagchog Rinpoche the Kunzang Thugthig and many instructions on the nature of mind, and said that he would practice dzogpachenpo. Really Khyentse Rinpoche was very fond of me and I had great devotion to him. I had the lasso of devotion and he had the iron hook of compassion. So when these two come together things work out well.
I know that my son is the genuine reincarnation of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, as Trulshig Rinpoche had many pure visions, prophesies and dreams about him, and the Dalai Lama also agreed on it. When I went to Nagi Gonpa with the yangsi and brought him to my father, telling him that it was Dilgo Khyentse, he said that he had thought so before but hadn't said anything. He said that it was because I had great devotion to Khyentse Rinpoche and we had pure samaya. He said that since Dilgo Khyentse had the freedom to be born wherever he liked and we had pure samaya, he was born in my family. My father predicted that he would hold all the lineages of the Kahma and Terma. I also think so. When we went to see the Dalai Lama with the yangsi, His Holiness was very happy to see the yangsi. He received the yangsi's blessing and a kattag which he wore around his neck. He offered the body, speech and mind supports and did many prayers. He touched his forehead with the yangsi and prayed for the remaining of the masters and the doctrine. He said that Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo had relied on 108 learned and accomplished masters and was a supreme accomplished being. He said that the reincarnation of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo was Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, who was his root teacher, and that this was the genuine reincarnation of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. He predicted that the yangsi should hold all the empowerments, transmissions, teachings and oral instructions of the four schools, Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya and Geluk, but that he would be impartial and that his view would be dzogpachenpo, his meditation would be dzogpachenpo and his action would dzogpachenpo. He said that he would practice the Lamdre of the Sakyas, the Lamrim Chenpo of the Gelukpas, the Six Yogas of the Kagyus and practice dzogpachenpo like the previous Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, the oral instructions of dzogpachenpo. Since he was very small he had great devotion to Guru Rinpoche and would touch his forehead to any images of Guru Rinpoche or prostrate to them, always asking where Guru Rinpoche was. Regarding the yidams, and whenever he would see phurbas or images of Phurba he would touch them with his forehead. For the dakinis he would respect any images of dakinis, and for the protectors, as soon as he could speak, whenever he would see protector images he would ask:" Ekajati?". So he has already recognized the lama as Guru Rinpoche, the yidam as Phurba, and the protector as Ekajati. His Holiness the Dalai Lama said the yangi would be impartial [rimed] but that his view would be dzogpachenpo, and that all the signs were extremely auspicious.
Urgyen Topgyal Rinpoche had told me that in order to get rid of obstacles the yangsi should receive the Chime Phagma Nyingthig empowerment from Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche and the Nyaglug Phurba empowerment from Rabjam Rinpoche, a mind treasure of the previous incarnation. I didn't request Rabjam Rinpoche rightaway. I asked Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche about the Chime Phagma Nyingthig and he said he would give it in the first month, as he planned to come and receive some teachings from my father at that time. Dzongsar Khyentse had planned to receive some tregcho and thogal treachings from my father at that time and said he would give it then. Then my father passed away and when Dzongsar Khyentse came to see the precious kudung I thought this wasn't a good occasion to give the Chime Phagma Nyingthig to the yangsi, so I didn't ask again.
A few years ago we went to the Kagyu Monlam in Lumbini and took the yangsi with us. At that time Chogye Trizin Rinpoche was doing a retreat there and I brought the yangsi to see him in between his sessions. At that time there was Chokyi Nyima, me, my wife and my oldest son. Chogye Trizin asked me if this was my youngest son and said: "Isn't that Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche?" His bearded attendant was very surprised and remembered clearly that he recognized the yangsi and that time. So at that time, when the yangsi was 6 months old, Chogye Trizin Rinpoche had already recognized him. So Chogye Trizin, Trulshig Rinpoche, the Dalai Lama and Sakya Trizin all agreed on it. My wife was very worried that there would be obstacles and said we should do many zhabten, but I wasn't worried at all. In the past I received many Phurba empowerments from His Holiness Sakya Trizin. At the opening ceremony of Trareg Rinpoche's monastery HH Sakya Trizin had given an elaborate Phurba empowerment which I received entirely. My yidam is Phurba and his yidam is also Phurba. I have great devotion to him and he is very fond of me. As this year the yangsi will be 3 years old, when Pewar Rinpoche went to Lumbini to see HH Sakya Trizin for the Sakya Monlam, through Pewar Rinpoche, along with offerings for prayers for my father, we requested a mo from Sakya Trizin for the yangsi. He said the yangsi should receive the Chime Phagma Nyingthig empowerment and that we should do the long life practice related to that, as well as 100.000 Barche Lamsel and some protectors, and there would be no obstacles. So we did a few 100.000 Barche Lamsel and some protector practice, such as Durtro Lhamo. One day I went to see Chogye Trizin and he said that he would like to offer the body, speech and mind support to the yangsi and offer him the Chime Phagma Nyingthig empowerment, so I invited him to come to our monastery. He came the day after the cremation and gave it to all of us: Khandro Lhamo, the yangsi, myself, my wife and my oldest son. He gave it very elaborately and offered the body, speech and mind support. He gave the Chime Phagma Nyingthig from the Rinchen Terdzod. Chogye Trizin had received this Chime Phagma Nyingthig empowerment from Dilgo Khyentse in Lhasa, in the Ngagpon's house. It was the same empowerment as the one from the Rinchen Terdzod. So he gave him the same empowerment which he had received from Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche in Lhasa and also did many prayers. It was a very auspicious occasion and both Khandro and Ngodrup were very happy.
As I had received many empowerments, transmissions and teachings from my root teacher Dilgo Khyentse, I myself really didn't feel like I could give my own root teacher empowerments. I told this to my father and he told me to first offer the body, speech and mind supports to the yangsi in the temple in Sawyambhu and not regard him as a child but as my genuine root teacher. So when I started the Chokling Tersar wongs in Swayambhu, I offered the body, speech and mind supports to the yangsi, and he happily accepted them. Then right after that I offered the Phurba empowerment to get rid of obstacles. He is receiving all the empowerments the whole day and listens very well. He has received many long life empowerments, the Drubpa Kagye, the yidams, and all the profound treaures of Chokgyur Lingpa. I am very happy that I can give him all the Chokling empowerments. In future I will make him receive the Nyingma Kahma and the Termas from Trulshig Rinpoche, the mind treasures of the previous incarnation from Rabjam Rinpoche and the empowerments and transmissions of the Kahma and Terma from Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, just like HH the Dalai Lama said. Thus his previous disciples will gradually give him all the empowermenst and transmissions so he will be matured and liberated. Everything has been very auspicious.
When we went to Shechen monastery with the yangsi on an astrologically perfect day, he was treated exactly like His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, which made me very happy. Khandro and Rabjam Rinpoche offered the body, speech and mind supports for his long life. To me they gave a Tshepagme statue in a gao for my long life, to Dechen they gave a zi and presents for our daughters from then Dilgo family. So we were all very happy.
After the yangsi was born, Chokyi Nyima's secretary Namdrol Gyamtso came to see me and said he thought it was an extraordinary being and offered a kattag. Isabelle, the french nurse, said that the child was born with his eyes open and looked around, and thought he must we an extraordinary accomplished being. My father also said so. I was so happy that I had a son. I didn't want a lama or a tulku, I was so happy to have a son. In future I plan to do long retreats at Asura and Nagi Gonpa and my oldest son can run the monastery. I thought I would teach my youngest son to be vajra master. Then one day asked for the names of myself and my wife. So I wondered what was going on.
After Rabjam Rinpoche, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, Tulku Urgyen Topgyal and Tulku Rangdrol had been to see Trulshig Rinpoche and told me about the yangsi, I was very happy that my root teacher had taken birth in my family. But I was sad that after some time I would have to part with my son. All this I told to my father, who said that I shouldn't be small-minded about it, and that the yangsi would be the holder of all the Kahma and Terma of the Nyingma, as well as all the empowerments, transmissions and teachings of all the other schools, just like Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo. I was very happy that when the yangsi went to Shechen monastery he was treated just like Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, and that Rabjam Rinpoche and Khandro are extremely fond of him. Now I will look after him for a few years and when he is bigger he will live at the Khyentse monastery, and come and visit us. I am sure that he will be a supreme doctrine holder, without any partiality. Tashidelegs!
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At the request of Vivian Kurz this was translated by Ani Jinba, Holland, May 1996.