Search www.rangjung.com

Indivisible Nature

Spoken by Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche

Our Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche was born in Nangchen, in the eastern Tibetan province of Kham. He was born into the Tsangsar family line known as Tsangsar Lhayi Dung-gyu. He was recognized as a reincarnate lama of Lachab Gompa and as someone whose 'emanation-basis' was Guru Chowang.

At the early age of four he began meditation practice. The way this happened was that each day his father, Chimey Dorje of Tsangsar, would give guidance in meditation to his many followers. Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche sat and listened with the others so that when he was only four years old he already had what we call a recognition of the nature of mind.

Later on Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche received additional instructions from his uncle Samten Gyatso whom he considered his root guru. Samten Gyatso was a highly realized being. Not only was he a pure monk, but he was also a practitioner with a high level of accomplishment. Khakyab Dorje, the 15th Karmapa, often praised him. For instance, one evening after Samten Gyatso had left his room the Karmapa joined palms and was heard saying, "In these times perhaps only Samten Gyatso has a totally perfect realization of the view of the Innermost Essence of Dzogchen." Several old monks from Tsurphu told this story.

Samten Gyatso had offered the 15th Karmapa many of the empowerments and transmissions from the New Treasures, and it was from Samten Gyatso that our Rinpoche received most of his Dharma lineage, both empowerments and instructions. Of special importance is the fact that Samten Gyatso gave him semtri, guidance on the nature of mind, quite often and helped Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche to progress and enhance his realization. The view, which had been pointed out to him at the age of four, could not in essence be further enhanced, within the view there is no 'thing' to be further developed. At the same time, because of Samten Gyatso's high realization, and because of the vastness and depth of the view, we still talk about 'enhancing the view.' This enhancement, or deepening, necessitates a good deal of oral instructions from a competent master. In this way Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's principal root guru was his own uncle Samten Gyatso.

Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche received teachings from many other great masters of his time, including both Shechen Kongtrul and Karsey Kongtrul. In particular, at Tsurphu together with the 16th Karmapa and my mother, he received the entire Rinchen Terdzo from Karsey Kongtrul.

In our tradition of emphasizing mind essence, the Dzogchen teachings speak of Trekcho and Togal, the view being the thorough cut to primordial purity while the meditation is the direct crossing to spontaneous presence. Therefore, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche took the Dzogchen view as the very core of his practice. Combined with this, he was also someone who was adept in the Mahamudra tradition. He was trained in both Mahamudra and the Six Doctrines, but he always pointed towards the recognition of nondual awareness as being the vital core, the ultimate practice.

If you add up the time he spent in retreat in Kham, Central Tibet, Sikkim and Nepal, you end up with more than twenty years. In his youth he did a lot of accumulation and purification practices: ngondro, development stage, completion stage, tummo and so forth. Later in his life, he would describe his retreats by saying, "I'm just staying here chanting the mani," the mantra of Avalokiteshvara. This is a way great practitioners often refer to the practice of simply sustaining the natural face of awareness.

Many of the great masters of this time told me about Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's high level of realization. Not only did the Gyalwang Karmapa speak of this, but others including Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche and Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche also did so. That is why many of them are connected to him by receiving empowerments, reading transmissions and oral instructions.

When we spent time with him, he never showed off any air of being a great scholar. As Tarthang Rinpoche said the other day, "Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche was a very hidden yogi. Not only was he learned in the various Buddhist practices, but he was a scholar in the ultimate nature. Still he hid all his qualities within."

When teaching how to practice Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche placed the greatest emphasis on how to remain in the composure of the true view. He taught all of us, repeatedly, the importance of undergoing the different levels of training, stressing the general and specific preliminary practices. He said that the teachings and practices should ultimately lead to a direct recognition of the nature of mind. He always taught this view as the indivisible nature of the three great traditions: the Dzogchen view of primordial purity, the Mahamudra view of mental non-doing, and the Middle Way view of holding no mental constructs.

The effect Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's direct oral instructions had on people who met him was one which inspired admiration, delight in practice, and deep trust and confidence in the teachings. His words always helped their minds, in the sense that applying even some of his advice would help reduce disturbing emotions, and naturally allow compassion, love and insight to blossom. This was proven by actual experience. This is why his disciples had sincere and whole-hearted love and affection for him and was the basis for their trust and devotion.

All of us who met and knew him saw that he had a deeply humble character, very gentle and soft, kind and loving to everyone. Spiritual practitioners, of course, had trust and devotion through their Dharma connection. However, the other day I met someone who said, "I don't know anything about Dharma, but I do know that he was a very nice man. His death made me so sad; I have lost a really good friend. He was the best friend one could have, easy-going, mild, and reliable, very open-minded. We have lost a very good man." Several people came and spoke of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche in this way. He was connected to people in many different ways, a few through deep friendship, though most had a spiritual link with him.

We have heard of the great masters of the past who left this world accompanied by many extraordinary signs. The Buddha also described certain signs which occur during the death of great practitioners. When Rinpoche passed away he was very relaxed. Twice he sat up from a reclining position. At one point he removed most of his garments. We thought that since he would get sick from being chilled, we should quickly cover him up with blankets. Then we gently straightened out his legs so that he could lean back and lie down again. However he soon sat up again while exclaiming 'ah.' Shortly after this his vital signs all stopped at the same time. Some people die slowly, with rasping, labored breathing. Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche had nothing of that sort; he passed away very peacefully.

Having passed away; he remained in tukdam, in samadhi. The Dzogchen teachings describe the external signs that occur when someone who has reached a high level of realization of the view passes on. The best sign is "A cloudless, clear sky above, with dust-free air beneath." This sign definitely appeared. Relic pills in the ashes are also good, but not regarded as the foremost.

Now, what must we, his followers, do? The tantras explain that after the passing of one's guru, and while his kudung, his body, is still kept, his mind of original wakefulness has departed into a state of unbound vastness. Many texts describe how during the first 49 days the kudung has power and blessings. Therefore, it is taught that when in the presence of the kudung, if we disciples supplicate him and mingle our minds with his we receive blessings swifter than if he was still in his body. In particular, someone who is a practitioner of mind essence can have great enhancement by sitting near the kudung, supplicating one-pointedly, and resting in the state of indivisible mind. This is described as the king of enhancements. Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye mentioned this in his writings many times.

All of us who are here in Boudhanath can sit down near the kudung to practice the sadhanas and ceremonies. But especially we can chant the Calling the Guru From Afar, imagine that we receive the four empowerments and then mingle our minds with his. It is very fortunate and beneficial for people who have the opportunity to come. Those who live far away should make heart-felt supplications, mingle your mind with his and remain in the continuity of the view. This is very important right now.

Actually this is very important because what we really need and seek is enlightenment. Wasn't that the reason we connected to Rinpoche in the first place? Isn't it true that a master's job is to show the way to both liberation and enlightenment? Isn't the path to enlightenment imparted by giving the oral instructions? Isn't it true that when we correctly apply our master's oral instructions, then we too attain accomplishment, we too become enlightened?

In these sad circumstances, isn't it true that it doesn't help to just sit around being continually depressed? Aren't all conditioned things impermanent? Please try your best to mingle your minds with his. It is of vital importance to try to sustain the natural face of awareness in which your mind and the guru's are indivisible.

Jamgon Kongtrul said, "To kindle the torch of devotion, supplicate wholeheartedly; this brings you much closer to realizing the view." How is this possible? Since the 'encasement' of his body has disintegrated, the guru's mind, which is the realization of dharmakaya, has now been released and become all-encompassing. Jamgon Kongtrul mentions that for 49 days there is some connection between this all-encompassing state of original wakefulness and the location of his body. This is because all phenomena are a combination of emptiness and dependent origination. This connection is very precious and profound. It is said that one can even receive a reading transmission by chanting a text near the kudung. A pledge taken in front of the kudung is much stronger. A wish or aspiration made in its presence is more forceful and closer to becoming a reality. These are words from the tantras which are clearly mentioned in Jamgon Kongtrul's writings.

Through supplicating and filling their hearts with compassion, there have been many practitioners who realized the view if they had not already. If they had realized the view, then they expanded it vastly, simply by sitting near their master's kudung. So, we who are near can do all these practices in the kudung's presence. While for people who have devotion to Rinpoche but live far away it is important to fill your minds with devotion and deep-felt longing and then mingle your minds with his.