Sunset at Namtso (& Li Bai's "Drinking Alone")

花間一壺酒
獨酌無相親
舉杯邀明月
對影成三人
月既不解飲
影徒隨我身
暫伴月將影
行樂須及春
我歌月徘徊
我舞影零亂
醒時同交歡
醉後各分散
永結無情遊
相期邈雲漢
- 李白 (Li Bai, 701-762)


Amongst the flowers is a pot of wine (translation by Ezra Pound, 1915)

Amongst the flowers is a pot of wine
I pour alone but with no friend at hand
So I lift the cup to invite the shining moon,
Along with my shadow we become party of three

The moon although understands none of drinking, and
The shadow just follows my body vainly
Still I make the moon and the shadow my company
To enjoy the springtime before too late

The moon lingers while I am singing
The shadow scatters while I am dancing
We cheer in delight when being awake
We separate apart after getting drunk

Forever will we keep this unfettered friendship
Till we meet again far in the Milky Way


Drinking Alone Under the Moon (translation by Burton Watson, 1986)

A jug of wine among flowers
I drink alone, for there's no companion.
I raise the cup and invite the moon,
With my shadow we become three.
Of course the moon does not understand drinking;
The shadow purposelessly traces my body.
But I accompany the moon and the shadow anyway
The pursuit of pleasures must continue until the spring.
The moon wanders as I sing;
The shadow rattles when I dance.
Still sober, we share our joys;
After drunk, each goes its way.
Permanently joined for feelingless journeys--
Perhaps to the remote Milky Way.

Gyalwang Rinchen Püntsok

Here's an excerpt from the book Masters of the Golden Rosary Lineage: Life and Liberation of Drigung Kagyü Throne-holders:

17th Drigungpa, Gyalwang Rinchen Püntsok
(1509-1557, r. 1528-1534)

THE 17th Drigungpa was the nephew of Gyalwang Künga Rinchen. Even before the boy was born, Künga Rinchen had announced that he is a reincarnation of the Indian mahāsiddha Hūṃkaravajra. Unfortunately, when he was only five years old, the lay leaders of Drigung made the accusation that the child might not be of the Kyura clan. Eventually, Gyalwang Rinchen Püntsok left with some attendants to the Yarlung region where the King of Neudong welcomed them. He was exceptionally intelligent and a fast-learner. Even while just a child he was able to memorize texts like the Cakrasamvara Sādhana, Chenrezig Sādhana, Guru Yoga and Five-fold Path of Mahāmudrā. During this time, Gyalwang Rinchen Püntsok also traveled to Tashi Dowoka and received all the lineage teachings of Drigung-til and Densa-til from Khenchen Sonam Tashi and the complete texts of Cakrasamvara from the tradition of Ghantapada, Four-Armed Mahākāla, "Songs of Milarepa" and complete collected-works of Gampopa, Pakmo Drupa, Jikten Sumgön and other Drigung masters. He also received teachings on The Single Intention, Amitayus (Siddharajni tradition) and Gyalwang Yangonpa’s (1213-1258) Mountain Dharma (a definitive manual for retreats). Furthermore, at Densa-til, the Fourth Red Hat (Zhamar) Karmapa, Chökyi Drakpa (1453-1526), gave him the vows and the name Rinchen Püntsok. The Zhamarpa also gave Rinchen Püntsok transmission and oral instructions of "The Three Cycles of Jewels of the Hearing Lineage" as well as transmission of the 100,000 New Tantras (Sarma Gyübum). During this time he also memorized Hevajra root-texts and familiarized himself with Hevajra commentaries.

At the Zhamarpa’s Yangpachen Monastery, Rinchen Püntsok further received from him the Kalacakra teachings and completion-stage teachings of Cakrasamvara, Guhyasamaja and Hevajra. The Zhamarpa also imparted to Rinchen Püntsok teachings unique to the Drigung lineage. Furthermore, Rinchen Püntsok also received transmissions on the texts of the different Karmapas and Zhamarpas. While at Yangpachen, Rinchen Püntsok especially familiarized himself with The Five Dharmas of Maitreya. While in retreat at the Gura Cave, Rinchen Püntsok realized the oneness of the outer and inner states.

In 1525, Rinchen Püntsok finally returned to Drigung-til. His uncle, Gyalwang Künga Rinchen, gave him many Drigung transmissions. When he received instructions on Mogu Sogkor there were clear signs of success and when he received Five-fold Path of Mahāmudrā teachings he attained actualization. In accordance with the established tradition at Drigung, Rinchen Püntsok practiced Six Dharmas of Nāropa clad only in a white cotton shawl.

In 1527 Gyalwang Künga Rinchen departed for the pure Buddha-realms. During the ten days of funeral rites led by Rinchen Püntsok, rainbows emanated from Künga Rinchen’s heart and dissolved into the heart of Rinchen Püntsok. Thereafter, Rinchen Püntsok received full-ordination as a monk from Khenchen Drakpa Gyeltsen, went into a retreat to focus on Achi practice and subsequently received the signs of protection from her. In 1528, Rinchen Püntsok emerged from retreat and became the 17th throne-holder of Drigung.

As the throne-holder, Rinchen Püntsok’s public teachings followed the old tradition: Five-fold Path of Mahāmudrā in the summer and Six Dharmas of Nāropa in the winter. He also sent disciples to the traditional retreat places of Lapchi, Kailash and Tsari. According to certain prophecies, Rinchen Püntsok’s life could only be stable if he did not cut his hair. But under the pressure of the monastic community, Rinchen Püntsok cut his hair despite the prophecies. Not long after, he received a vision of Guru Rinpoché who advised him to have the entire Kangyur recited, to hold a hundred feast-offerings of Vajravarahi and to make prayers to the Dharma-protectors. Guru Rinpoché repeated the advice that he kept his hair long. Immediately after this vision, Rinchen Püntsok withdrew himself to Terdrom to do as Guru Rinpoch instructed. While at Terdrom, Rinchen Püntsok reopened the sacred cave of Kiri Yangdzong - a cave first discovered by the Tenth Drigungpa, Dorjé Gyelpo.

In 1534, Rinchen Püntsok stepped down from the throne and transferred it to his cousin's son Rinchen Namgyel (1519-1576). From that point on he was free to allow his hair grow long and remain in retreat.

Later, recognizing the importance of the monastic Sangha, Rinchen Püntsok established Yangri Gar Monastery nearby Yamari Monastery. He gave many teachings at different monasteries in order to fundraise for this project. He also consecrated the soil of many future monasteries with ritual dances he had perceived in a vision of Guru Rinpoché’s pure land. In the ninth month of 1538 Rinchen Püntsok went to Terdrom and at Yangdzong Namkhé Phuk discovered the terma known as the Gongpa Yangzab on the 25th day of the lunar calendar (ḍākinī day). After retrieving the terma, Rinchen Püntsok went to Katsel Monastery and while there focused on editing and arranging the texts as well as renovating Katsel. He completed editing the Yangzab texts in 1542. In 1546, he married Rigdzin Butri and a son was born to them (Chögyal Püntsok, eventually the 21st Drigungpa) .

Although already an accomplished master, Rinchen Püntsok continued to visit with and receive teachings from other teachers (especially Nyingma masters). At Samyé Monastery he met the famous Nyingma master Ngari Panchen Pema Wangyel (1487-1542) and received from him many teachings of the Nyingma lineage. Gyama Migyur Künga imparted the Mahāyoga Kagyed (Eight Pronouncements) and the Ātiyoga Nyingthik Yabzhi to him while Rigdzin Düdjom Dorjé gave him the Kagyed teachings from the Nyang tradition as well as Lama Gongdü teachings (revealed by Sangyé Lingpa [1340-1396]). Rinchen Püntsok was also responsible for starting the maṇḍala-rituals of Cakrasamvara, Hevajra, Guhyasamaja, Kalacakra and Kunzang Gongdü (terma discovered by Pema Lingpa [1450-1521]) at Drigung-til.

In 1557 Rinchen Püntsok unexpectedly left the Drigung area and went to Gyama, the birthplace of King Songtsen Gampo (605?-650?). There, he wrote his spiritual testament and dissolved his body maṇḍala in the fifth month. It was his wish that his death be kept secret for three years and so peace prevailed in the area since many of those who would otherwise cause troubles were kept in line by the threat of his great powers. Three years later his mummified body was brought back to Drigung-til and placed in a stupa with elaborate ceremonies. Later, the stupa was moved to Khangsar Yangon where he once had been in retreat. Some of his relics were also brought to Katsel Monastery where a stupa was built to enshrine them.

As a terton the great 17th Drigungpa was known under the name of Sengé Namchak Mebar. Gyalwang Rinchen Püntsok had many disciples. Among the most important were Drungpa Rinchen Pel, Lhochen Püntsok Namgyel, Lama Chökyong Rinchen, Tokden Dorjé Pelbar, Tokden Künga Sherap and Tokden Khetsun Drakpa Tsültrim.

A few more wanderings and wonderings from Drigung

This is a new large (12-15 feet?) image of Jikten Sumgon in the Dukhang (the Great Assembly Hall), specially built in memory of the 36th Thripon of Drigung-til, Drubwang Tenzin Nyima Rinpoche (see article on Drigung Kagyu Resource Website) who passed away in the summer of 2006.

A stupa where some of the ringsel (white, grainy, round relics) of Drubwang Tenzin Nyima are interned.

We did the lingkor at Drigung-til. On that morning, sky-burials were still going on and so we had to walk real quick pass the actual site. Some of us actually got yelled at by the corpse-breakers! But once we passed around the front of the site and got above it, it was okay to linger. That was where I decided to sit down and offer sang while our Tibetan guide, Bhuchung-la hung the prayer-flags we bought and tended the fire.

Someone decided they needed to take a picture of me after the sang was over. It was drizzling most of the time but cleared up after the sang was offered.

Our group with Balok Rinpoche and Ven. Samten Puntsok (Director of Drigung-til)

Terdrom, also known as Shoto Tidro. Many great masters have meditated here and various cycles of termas were discovered here including the Yangzab of Gyalwang Rinchen Puntsok (the 17th Throne-holder of Drigung). Today, many practitioners (especially nuns) are in retreat in this area. The current Drigung Khandro resides in a cave way over on the other side of this valley.

Self-arisen Guru Rinpoche housed in the nunnery at Terdrom.

Gyalwang Rinchen Puntsok's footprint housed in the nunnery.

Masters of Golden Rosary Lineage

OK. This will seem very random. But there are some people who know what this is about.... As for those of you who are here mainly to read the blog, you can ignore this post!

The Protector Sokra

Sokra (Sok-ra) is one of the oath-bound protectors especially associated with Drigung Kagyu and in particular to Drigung-til. As such, it is extremely unlikely to find much or any information on him in anything written in English. In fact, I doubt there is much on him even in Tibetan. My first encounter with this deity was during my first trip to Drigung-til. While visiting the Achi Protector Shrine I noticed this extremely wrathful red-colored protector riding on a horse. When I asked the caretaker monk who that was, he replied “Sokra” and gave me a look that seemed to say “surely any Drigung Kagyupa of any worth would have known that!”

This time around, when Sokra’s name came up, I knew I had to ask. So Balok Rinpoche kindly shared a bit of what he knew about this deity. Sokra is said to have originated from China and he is colloquially called “The Chinese Protector” or something to that effect. When Jikten Sumgon was teaching at Drigung-til, many disciples came from far and wide. These disciples came from all different parts of Tibet, from China and Central Asia. Not only did human disciples come but also non-human disciples and among these was Sokra. Sokra came to Jikten Sumgon and soon became his disciple and took the upasaka (Tib. genyen) vows. He was given the name Genyen Dorje Jangchup and pledged to protect Drigung-til. Instead of returning to his original dwelling place in China, Sokra remained in the vicinity of Drigung-til since then. In fact, his spirit palace moved to Tsa-ug – an area in Drigung where Jikten Sumgon spent a good part of his life in retreat.

Sokra figures quite prominently in the ritual-life of Drigung-til Monastery. Apart from the daily-offerings and prayers dedicated to him at the Achi Protector Shrine, he is also an important character in the annual cham festival. At the very end of the cham in the evening, the Sokra dance takes place.

These days, Sokra is danced by Balok Rinpoche (seen above) and the Sokra mask currently used was made by Angon Rinpoche – Balok Rinpoche’s father. Rinpoche invited me to come to the Sokra dance but unfortunately I wasn’t able to. In any case, most Tibetans who come to attend the annual cham make it a point to wait till the Sokra dance is completed before they leave. The main reason is because at a certain point in that dance, Sokra scatters special barley-seeds that serve as powerful protective amulets. The Drigung laity place great confidence in these blessed barley-seeds and thus will wait at all cost for this grand finale just to obtain a few grains of precious barley.

P.S. This blog was inspired by a question about Sokra that Rick F. recently asked me over email. Thanks Rick! And if anyone reading out there has more info on Sokra, please add comments!

Four Masters of the Indian Centrist Way

As I mentioned in my second posting on this summer blog, the Indian Buddhist master Chandrakirti’s Entry to the Centrist Way (or Introduction to the Middle Way) is one of a few books I’ve brought along to Asia for this summer. Ironically, I barely read any of it while in Tibet. Instead, the little reading I did while in Tibet was from Gary Snyder’s The Practice of the Wild and Aelred’s Spiritual Friendship. But now that I’m back in Malaysia, it’s time to return to Chandrakirti. As a way of establishing “auspicious interdependence,” I thought I’d blog a bit on Chandrakirti and the Centrist Way (Madhyamaka).

Of the great masters of the Indian Centrist Way, four figures stand out – Nagarjuna, Aryadeva, Shantideva and Chandrakirti. Nagarjuna is of course the purported founder of the Centrist Way system who definitively expressed the heart of the Buddha’s teachings in his important text, Root Verses on the Centrist Way (Mulamadhyamaka-karika). Tibetans thus regard Nagarjuna’s Root Verses as the most incisive presentation of the View of the Centrist Way. Nagarjuna is so revered in Mahayana tradition that he is often referred to as the “Second Buddha.” Following Nagarjuna was Aryadeva. Aryadeva was Nagarjuna’s disciple and foremost successor. Aryadeva was the one who successfully clarified, defended and propagated Nagarjuna’s teachings in the face of challenges from adherents of Buddhist and non-Buddhist philosophical systems. In particular, Aryadeva’s Four Hundred Verse Treatise (Catuhsataka) most clearly presents the Meditation approach of the Centrist School. The third major figure in the Indian Centrist Way is Shantideva who composed Entry into Bodhisattva’s Way (Bodhicharyavatara). In particular, his Entry into Bodhisattva’s Wayis well-known for clearly delineating the Conduct aspect of the Centrist School. Finally, Chandrakirti who lived more than half a millennium after Nagarjuna composed Entry to the Centrist Way (Madhyamakavatara) – a Centrist text that succinctly presents the complete View, Meditation and Conduct of the Centrist Way. Most traditional curriculum for mastering the Centrist Way begins with the study of Chandrakirti’s Entry to the Centrist Way. Entry to the Centrist Way is a good introduction to the Centrist Way since it covers all the important points taught by masters of the Centrist Way, equally treating all three aspects of View, Meditation and Conduct. In this sense, it provides a grand overview of the Centrist Way. Furthermore, rather than presenting the Centrist Way’s understanding of “emptiness” in an extensive manner, it takes a more manageable (especially for beginners) analysis of the subject. Instead of employing a plethora of examples (like Nagarjuna), Chandrakirti takes the approach of a more focused or centered analysis. For these two main reasons, Entry to the Centrist Way is especially suitable for those desiring to study the Centrist Way approach via listening, contemplating and practicing.

Gift of Sight

The idea to bring used eyeglasses to Tibet came to Ashley Pasteka (a student on the “WorldWide Tibet” course) last year at Terdrom. Ashley had taken a nap in the Terdrom guestroom. When we woke up, one of the head nuns was wearing Ashley’s reading glasses and reading a text. That was when Ashley recognized a need among the nuns. She brought the idea to us and I decided to start a small “Gift of Sight” project to fundraise and collect used eyeglasses and sunglasses (snow blindness during the winter can be a serious problem) to bring to the nuns and other underprivileged in remote areas. Through the sales of items we bought from the Barkor last year and the efforts of various individuals, I was able to bring a few hundred pairs of glasses on this trip and monetary donations as well. Most of the eyeglasses were given to the 180 or so nuns and retreatants at Terdrom. We just left them with the two nuns we met the day we visited Terdrom since the director nun I know – Ven. Puntsok Drolma – was away in Lhasa and other nuns were over at Drigung-til attending the annual cham. We did keep some extra glasses for Namtso as Bhuchung-la knew that they would be greatly appreciated by residents there. So when we got to Namtso, we found some people who clearly needed this “gift of sight” – nuns, lay caretakers, retreatants, and pilgrims and nomads from remote areas.




If you can help with next year's "Gift of Sight," please contact me! I'm hoping to take a group of Drigung Kagyu followers to Central Tibet next June.

Namtso

The birds have vanished down the sky.
Now the last cloud drains away.

We sit together, the mountain and me
until only the mountain remains.

- Li Bai (Li Po, 8th century Chinese poet)

Why not?

Maybe it's a mistake. But in this "Strange Magic Place" that is Tibet, anything is possible!

Namtso - Highest Salt-water Lake in the World

Namtso (“Sky Lake”) has only very recently turned up on the tourist list of “places to see” in Central Tibet. Mostly it’s because the roads to Namtso weren’t that good before. But now it’s paved roads all the way from Lhasa to Namtso and it takes only 3 to 4 hours. Even that, it seems that there are more inland Chinese tourists at Namtso (proportionately speaking) than Western tourists.
Last year we had to push our bus at the pass – the highest point at a little over 17,000 feet, held in our tracks by the sudden snow. This year was snow-free. The pass is a favorite place for hanging prayer-flags and, of course, to take pictures. We decided to postpone putting up our prayer-flags since our guide Bhuchung-la determined that it’s an astrologically better day to put the flags up on our way back.

Chinese tourists tend to just congregate at the section of the lake where the buses let them off – taking pictures of the lake, riding the horses or yaks (horse-ride is 10 yuan while yak-ride is 5 yuan) down to the lake while dressed in rented “Tibetan costume,” looking ridiculous and awkward. But, that’s part of the fun of touring a foreign place – doing ridiculous things you would not otherwise do. For sure pilgrims do that too – doing “strange” and “out of the norm” things while in the liminal state of “not here, not there.” Just read Canterbury Tales if you doubt that!
For pilgrims (and pilgrims-wanna-be – like me), the least and these days the most common activity one should do is to circumambulate Tashi Dor. Tashi Dor is a small hill by Namtso and it takes about an hour to leisurely circumambulate. Hardcore pilgrims take an 18-day journey around the entire lake. I was told that very few non-Tibetans have attempted it, as certain parts are quite treacherous. In the past great masters have come to Namtso to practice because of its isolation and of course, because of it being a powerful site, very conducive to retreats. I suppose the power of the site has been compromised by loadfuls of tourists pouring in daily during the warmer months.
When we were here last year it was earlier in the year and thus colder. That meant that we did not camp by the lake. Instead, we camped about an hour away. Nice site (and way less wind) but not by the lake. This year, we did camp by the lake but I’ve to admit that constant, non-stop winds drain the energy right out of your system! The whole time we were at Namtso I think the winds only died down for like an hour, around 3 or 4 AM. I kid you not.

There was a nomad camp a few hundred yards from us and the kids came to visit the whole time we were there. As we were close to a freshwater source, other nomads came several times a day to get water. Whenever I got a chance, I handed out protection-cords and mani-pills to them – blessings that they received with such joy and gratitude.

Tradition has it that to circumambulate Tashi Dor once is the equivalent of having accumulated 100 million Guru Rinpoche mantras. Guru Rinpoche is said to have spent sometime here at Namtso and there are several caves associated with him. Several Karmapas have also spent time here in retreat (Tsurphu – the seat of the Karmapas – is not too far) and Karmapa Ranjung Dorje’s cave is one that pilgrims encounter while on the Tashi Dor circumambulation path. Namtso itself is said to have the shape of the female tantric-buddha Vajravarahi. Behind Namtso (at least from our perspective) is the mountain range of Nyenchen Thangla. On this impressive, often snow-clad, mountain-range that measures over 23,000 feet resides the protective-deity Nyenchen Thanglha. He is the chief protector of Northern Tibet and also the Potala Palace. He heads a list of so-called "Nine Creator Gods" from pre-Buddhist Tibet. Like many of the local spirits of Tibet, Nyenchen Thanglha was first subjugated by Guru Rinpoche and bound by an oath to serve as a protector of virtue and goodness. I remember reading that Jikten Sumgon also spent time at Namtso while here had an encounter with Nyenchen Thanglha. This spirit, although already bound by Guru Rinpoche, tested Jikten Sumgon and after being satisfied with Jikten Sumgon’s realizations reaffirmed his vow to protect the Dharma. Many such stories exist of how “converted” local spirits would from time to time exhibit signs of their “pre-conversion” days only to be met by advanced practitioners or realized masters who overwhelm these spirits into reaffirming their original pledges to Guru Rinpoche. On one level these stories seems to operate on what some might call a “recursive loop.” While others might just think suppose that they are messy stories, fraught with logical inconsistencies. How I tend to understand them is that these “local spirits” correspond to our most deeply-rooted, psychic-patterns and conditionings – our “ancient spirits” or in Buddhist technical jargon, “karmic propensities” – that for the most part have been “converted” to protect our inner development but from time to time re-display their old ways, ultimately providing opportunities for us to deepen our own realizations. Thus, to walk around Tashi Dor and encounter these stories is to walk around our inner landscape and encounter Nyenchen Thanglha and his awesome retinue.

I think maybe slightly more than half of our group completed the entire circuit around Tashi Dor. It was a special walk to say the least. We started as a group but eventually broke up into several groups, meeting up here and there. I liked it that way really; rather than all twenty of us in one big group. I met not a single Chinese tourist/pilgrim (mind you, there are Chinese pilgrims – new disciples of Tibetan lamas). There were a few Israeli tourists but mostly Tibetans from different parts. There was this young couple and toddler that went around Tashi Dor with a scooter while a group of apparently wealthy, middle-aged Khampas who did a combo of walking and riding in jeeps…. Made me feel good just walking – if only for just an hour, escaping our guilt of our American conspicuous consumption of energy-fuel.
At the start of the route, I bought some juniper-offerings to put into the sang-incense receptacle. I gave the seller 1 yuan (which was what I have been paying everywhere else) until another Tibetan guy said to the seller “he’s Chinese.” Understandably, there is an underlying resentment towards the Chinese even though the Tibetans are remarkably good at taking it in strides. The seller promptly asked for another yuan. I did not bother to explain, clarify or argue. "Sang" literally means, “to cleanse,” or “to sanctify.” So, whatever wrongs, misunderstandings, offenses, lapses of commitments and vows, may the offerings cleanse and sanctify caused by both self and other and the view of self and other!


To be continued…