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INTRODUCTION

A Jewel in the Crown Ornament

Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche

It is impossible for one person to truly judge another, so we can never really know how great a master Tulku Urgyen was. Only a buddha like Shakyamuni can fully know another being. However, during the twentieth century, a few masters were unanimously accepted to be like the Buddha appearing in person. Along with the sixteenth Gyalwang Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpey Dorje, and Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche, who was the emissary of Guru Padmasambhava, there has also been Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. Within the contemporary Kagyü and Nyingma schools, no one has been more extraordinary, with so immense an impact on the Buddhadharma, than they have. Yet, these three all accepted Tulku Urgyen among their root gurus. If they respected Tulku Urgyen as their crown ornament, I, too, feel we should regard him as someone special.

Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche upheld both the teaching and family lineages of Chokgyur Lingpa. He kept this lineage of empowerment, instruction, and reading transmission alive, not only by practicing it himself but also by passing it on to the Karmapa and Dudjom Rinpoche, as well as countless others. His activity on behalf of this dharma lineage is an immense kindness that I regard as very special. Tulku Urgyen’s family lineage comes through Chokgyur Lingpa’s daughter, Könchok Paldrön, and her son, Chimey Dorje, who was Tulku Urgyen’s father. Thus, he descended directly from the great tertön.

On one occasion, Könchok Paldrön asked for advice from both Jamyang Khyentse and Jamgön Kongtrül as to whether it would be better to become a nun or get married. Both masters replied, “You should take a husband; in the future it is through your bloodline that someone will appear to benefit beings. This is very important.”

Accordingly, she married a son of the Tsangsar family. The couple had many children, including Tulku Urgyen’s uncle, the great master Samten Gyatso, who brought great benefit to the continuation of the Tersar teachings and was able to carry out great deeds. This lineage continues through Tulku Urgyen’s many sons, who are all still alive and well. Although they have their individual titles and bear the responsibility to uphold their respective lineages, I hope that they will also personally practice and transmit the terma teachings of Chokgyur Lingpa, their father’s own lineage.

Many people these days hold the opinion that Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche was just a Dzogchen yogi, who only stayed up in his mountain hermitage, Nagi Gompa, and practiced one-pointedly—concluding that he was a good lama with high realization. Since he downplayed his talents, not many people seem to know the details of his qualities beyond these simple facts. But when I reflect on what I personally know, I feel that he was also a great scholar.

Tulku Urgyen was not someone famed for being learned. But if we begin to investigate in detail, starting from reading skills, we see he was a scholar, able to read many kinds of scripts, including even the rare lantsa and wardu variety. He was proficient in grammar, poetry, and the general sciences, so it is difficult to find anything about which he was ignorant. Concerning the inner knowledge of Buddhism, he had met many very educated and learned masters, and he was especially well-versed in the Ngakso, the Lamrim Yeshe Nyingpo, and the Guhyagarbha Tantra. He was a great calligrapher, very knowledgeable about many scripts that have been practically forgotten today. Taking all this into consideration, I personally consider him very learned.

Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche was also a skilled craftsman. He could make original statues—unlike professional sculptors, who usually just repeat themselves—thus, his sculptures of deities often had much finer proportions. Some of these can be seen in the shrine rooms for the dharma protectors at Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling.

When it came to mundane discussions, he was extremely skillful. Even if people put their heads together, they are often still unable to decide what to do. But Rinpoche was always able to make a decision that was in harmony with both spiritual and social conventions. He always seemed to know what the best course of action would be, giving advice without hesitation. Often people would find that his solution was something they hadn’t even thought of, and upon hearing it, they felt, “Well of course!” His decision would put their minds at ease, and they felt confident that this was the best solution. This is another example of the power of his intelligence.

There is a famous Kagyü saying, “Devotion is the head of meditation.” Devotion is based upon one’s guru, so to have the trust and devotion that one’s guru is the Buddha in actuality is a most eminent method. To fulfill one’s guru’s wish to the letter and to serve him in whatever way possible is the proper way to apply the oral instructions. In this regard, Tulku Urgyen’s sense of trust, loyalty, and samaya with other masters was constant. He regarded his own teachers as the Buddha in person. Once he had connected with a teacher through receiving empowerment or oral instructions, his trust was unwavering. If the opportunity came to carry out his guru’s wish, he was willing to give unstintingly of whatever wealth was in his possession, without any concern for personal hardship. If it came to it, I feel that he would even have been ready to sacrifice his own life without any hesitation or regret.

Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche was someone who could back up his words with action. In both spiritual and secular affairs, he wouldn’t just talk about what needed to be done, he would go ahead and do it. Nor did he get involved in a lot of doubt and hesitation about the tasks at hand, worrying about whether something would be successful or not. He wouldn’t get caught up in a web of concepts; instead, he would make a decision free of doubt and never waver. That’s the kind of man he was.

When speaking of the Buddhist scriptures—the Middle Way, Prajnaparamita, and so forth—the “exposition lineage” focuses on explaining the syntax and intent. But being learned is not just a matter of knowing the words and their meaning; there is also the transmission of the real meaning. Tulku Urgyen was a pandita in the true sense of the word.

At one time, I went to see Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche to ask him to clarify a verse from the ninth chapter of Shantideva’s Bodhicharya Avatara (The Way of the Bodhisattva):

When concreteness or inconcreteness

Does not remain before the intellect,

At that moment there is no other mental form,

And so, there is utter peace without conceptions.

I had studied it many times and asked many khenpos about it but still felt that none of them had given me an adequate explanation. I also asked Tulku Urgyen about certain points in the Prajnaparamita teachings, in which the fact of emptiness is established, such as the statement that emptiness has no form, no sound, and so forth. Only Tulku Urgyen was able to prove the reality of these statements in a reasonable way. His logic established emptiness in actuality for me, while the other scholars merely established emptiness in words.

At some point, the reincarnation of Neten Chokling, Tulku Pema Wangyal, and a few of us went up to Nagi Gompa and spent a few days asking questions. During this time, Tulku Urgyen clearly laid out the logic of establishing emptiness. Everyone was amazed at his clarity. Explaining how all sentient beings have buddha-nature also proves that buddha-nature is an intrinsic quality. This is especially done in the higher Middle Way School, known as Shentong. In the biographies of many great lamas, you find that they would bow down to and circumambulate even old dogs to show their respect for buddha-nature, while saying, “I take refuge in the buddha-nature.”

Tulku Urgyen had confidence and utterly pure trust, based on his personal, direct understanding that buddha-nature really is present in every sentient being. Just like oil is present in each and every sesame seed, any sentient being can realize the awakened state and thus has the basis for enlightenment. Therefore, Tulku Urgyen showed respect for every sentient being and didn’t turn against anyone. He felt this not as mere platitude, but from the core of his heart.

Tulku Urgyen also showed vast insight about the meaning of the Uttaratantra, Hevajra Tantra, and the Profound Inner Meaning, which are favored in the Kagyü lineage. Within the Nyingma School, he was incredibly well-versed in both the root text of the Lamrim Yeshe Nyingpo, as well as Jamgön Kongtrül’s commentary on it. He knew most of the root text by heart and had repeatedly studied the commentaries by Rinchen Namgyal and Khenpo Jokyab. He was very knowledgeable in Vajrayana, having studied the Guhyagarbha Tantra, The Secret Essence of the Magical Net. In a discussion with Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, it became apparent to me that Tulku Urgyen also had a complete grasp of the Guhyagarbha Tantra.

During the first Ngakso drubchen held at Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling, I had the chance to ask Tulku Urgyen questions about the tenfold meaning of mantra. He gave very clear explanations that made me appreciate his learnedness in the Guhyagarbha Tantra. He also had an in-depth knowledge of many other tantras. He was especially insightful when defining the kayas and wisdoms and the “chakras of syllable clouds,” the sounds and meaning of mantra. In short, he exactly fit the title, Pandita of Definitive Meaning.

Concerning tantric ceremonies, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche was extremely competent in the mandalas for vast activities, knowing their proportions and the accompanying rituals of sacred dance and exorcism. He was a skilled torma maker as well as an expert umdzey, “chant master.” He had a remarkable grasp of architecture and all other necessary fields of knowledge connected to Tibetan Buddhist practice. While some umdzeys merely sing ceremonies from beginning to end, Tulku Urgyen’s singing carried a certain blessing that could move the listener to devotion. When he gave an empowerment, even though the ritual may not have involved more than placing a vase on somebody’s head, people would feel it was something really special. Even the way he looked at people would give them some understanding that was totally unlike an ordinary person’s perception.

When giving empowerment to a gathering of thousands of people, sitting on a throne made of brocade cushions, he never looked out of place. His air and bearing, impressive and dignified, never looked contrived. He was definitely extraordinary.

Rinpoche would always touch heads with whoever came into his presence, even the poorest Nepali worker, and ask, “How are you?” And you could see happiness on the person’s face, which far surpassed the joy of receiving thousands of rupees. There is no reason why someone should become so happy just by being asked how they are and touching foreheads, but people were so delighted. Many foreigners changed their whole perspective on life from only one meeting and felt extraordinarily blessed. Practitioners felt that they received blessings, and even ordinary people still felt that something unusual had happened. Whoever came into his presence never felt tired, even after several hours had passed. That is totally unlike being in the presence of some politicians, when you can’t wait to get away. Speaking for myself, I never tired of being with Tulku Urgyen—I only felt happy.

In all his conversations, he never mentioned any prejudice. Whether you talked about religious or secular affairs, he always spoke honestly and clearly, never acting pretentiously or ever lying. He also had a sharp memory and spoke of events long past as if they just happened yesterday. Nobody wanted to leave his presence; people always wanted to sit longer—they just wouldn’t get out. I’ve heard that he scolded a few people, but I’ve never met anyone who actually got scolded. I never heard him say a harsh word. At the same time, anyone who lived near him or knew him for a long time felt a sense of timidity and awe. His very presence was powerful.

The qualities of someone who has completely severed the ties of selfishness and pursues only the welfare of others may not necessarily be visible. But it is hard to find a more unselfish person than Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche. When focusing on benefiting others, our own aims automatically become fulfilled without having to deliberately try. Building a monastery is a very difficult task that sometimes seems insurmountable. But most people are not aware of how many temples Tulku Urgyen built. Nor does anybody know exactly how many years he stayed in retreat, which practices he did, and the number of recitations he completed. People can vaguely say that he did it once or twice in Tibet and once in India; but other than that, no one knows. I figure he spent approximately half of his entire life doing intensive practice in retreat.

There are no accurate records of which empowerments, transmissions, and teachings he received. But he probably received most of the Nyingma Kama and Terma, all the Kagyü teachings, and the Lamdrey from the Sakya school, as well as many other lineages. Every time someone brought up a certain teaching and asked him about it, it seemed he held the transmission for it. He received an ocean of teachings. Tulku Urgyen’s unique heart practice was the Chetsün Nyingtig and Kunzang Tuktig, belonging to the Great Perfection itself. Everyone unanimously accepts him as a great Dzogchen yogi.

It is not really up to me to speak about his attainment of great accomplishment; but in 1985, after a discussion with Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, His Holiness told me that Tulku Urgyen had reached the level of “culmination of awareness.” When someone has arrived at the culmination of awareness, there is nothing more to realize other than “exhaustion in dharmata.” So he was someone who achieved the final realization of the Great Perfection. In short, it is perfectly fine to regard him as a master who was both learned and accomplished.

From a personal point of view, I can say that I haven’t met anyone superior to Tulku Urgyen. There has been no one who, in actuality, was better able to carry out the intent of Shantideva’s Bodhicharya Avatara to the letter. Without any concern for personal hardship, he always aimed to do his utmost to benefit sentient beings. He was also extremely humble and self-effacing—totally in tune with Shantideva’s bodhisattva ideal. He treated everyone, whether important or ordinary, with the same affection and attention, teaching everyone equally. In order to bring the highest benefit, he always tried to communicate in the listener’s own terms. He clearly reflected the bodhisattva ideal of ocean-like activity, not only in his teaching but also in all his conversations. While I never saw him actually give away his head, arms, or legs, as you hear about in some of the bodhisattva stories, I feel absolutely certain that he was a great bodhisattva, able to do so.

Whether he was giving empowerment, instruction, or reading transmission, he always gave his full attention, taking his utmost care to bring benefit to the recipients—particularly when giving the sublime Dzogchen teachings. He was unlike many teachers who, lacking substance, supposedly give teachings on Dzogchen while only teaching the words. When Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche imparted the pointing-out instruction, he would point out the real thing, nakedly and directly.

Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche’s way of giving a general outline of the ground, path, and fruition of the Great Perfection was not extraordinary compared to that of other masters. But if you asked him about one single word, no matter how subtle or profound the connotation, his answer was just as subtle and profound. Both Dzongsar Khyentse and I felt that compared to many months and years of studying books and going through analytical meditation, it was more beneficial to spend just a few hours asking questions of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche and listening to his answers. I went to see him at Nagi Gompa many times and received various empowerments, but I feel the actual teachings were revealed in ordinary discussion.

These days you find people who say, “I know the teachings but I don’t like to practice sadhana in large gatherings. I don’t feel like doing all that chanting.” Honestly, there are people who have said this to me, and it surely proves their lack of realization. Anyone who truly understands the teachings, especially the Vajrayana, will also know that these teachings are implemented in group sadhana, in development and completion stage training, and in chanting. That is the application of Vajrayana, and if someone talks but doesn’t practice, then that person is definitely not learned.

Tulku Urgyen himself knew all about the encompassing activities of the Vajrayana and never belittled their application. He gave great attention to the performance of all the important rituals, including the drubchen ceremonies. In the first half of his life, in order to be of benefit to others, he learned these down to their minutest detail, never missing a single day. He also never belittled the consequence of any karmic action.

Without having to deliberately ask for donations, he managed to raise funds in an apparently effortless fashion. Tulku Urgyen was able to build all the temples and monasteries he intended to construct. Yet all these projects were totally completed on the side; you never saw them as his main aim or occupation.

In the latter part of his life, he basically abandoned all involvement in conceptual activities and didn’t put any obvious effort into building. Yet temples still seemed to rise up continuously and many tasks were accomplished. He always spent the money that came during the day, and when the sun went down, he had nothing. He didn’t keep a project schedule, and I never saw or heard about him sending out any fundraising letters, which are so plentiful these days. Even so, it seems he was able to build more temples than any other contemporary lama, no matter how much effort they put into it. So I feel confident that he accomplished his aims without hardship.

In terms of Vajrayana, he had perfected the practices of both development and completion. I know he spent at least four three-year retreats doing sadhana and recitation. Later, he remained in what you could call life-retreat at his hermitage, Nagi Gompa. The scriptures mention something called the “threefold gathering” and the “threefold blazing forth,” which is achieved upon having perfected the practices of the development and completion stages. I feel he possessed these in entirety and taught these practices from the expanse of the view.

To truly practice development and completion stages and teach them, one needs to have actualized and stabilized the view. The great dharmadhatu is free of center and edges, coming and going, outer and inner. Resting in the equanimity of rigpa, out of this great emptiness, the unimpeded display, the great compassion, appears as the deity, indivisible and complete—empty but apparent, luminous yet empty. From this unified, empty luminosity, all the characteristics of the deity appear, completely perfect. The appearance is the deity; the mantra is the self-resounding sound; the deity and resounding sound unfold from the nongrasping mind, which is recognized devoid of solid reality. A realized being knows that it is not appearing from outside but from the nature of mind, without elaborations. The deity is the empty essence, the cognizant, clear nature—nonexistent, like an illusion; free of concept; luminous; and liberated upon arising. One’s mind, free of elaboration, empty in essence, and luminous in nature is the completeness of the deity. This form unimpededly manifests as empty appearance, from which all phenomena arise; from within this state, the great display unfolds, and the mantra is recited.

The crucial point of the Nyingma teachings is that first the view is ascertained. In the new schools, the view is of the great purity, but it is considered inconceivable, as according to Rangzom Pandit’s commentary Ascertaining Appearances As the Deity. First, the view has to be established according to the Nyingma way, which is very profound and precise. In the new schools, if the view of the great purity is not ascertained, then what does not exist needs to be created and that is complicated.

All that appears and exists is the great primordial purity, from the beginning. Do not grasp after the words; recognize the meaning. The expanse of the great purity is seeing things as they are: All appearances are the display of the deity. There is nothing to visualize; merely know things to be as they are. For the practitioner, the deity and oneself are the same. There is no big or small, good or bad. For the intellectual, the Dzogchen view just does not fit in their brains. But if it does, that is the way to practice a deity. Vajrayana begins with pure perception, the purity of all. As one’s experience of that increases, it brings greater blessings. It is pure phenomena, free of any dualistic grasping, but if impure perceptions obscure this, then one is unable to experience pure phenomena. Some can talk about this but not really know it. The ultimate view in Vajrayana is pure perception. The basis is the buddha-nature, where there is no mention of pure or impure. It is completely pure. If you think that the deity and you are separate, that the deity is pure and you are impure, as a duality, then there is no way to accomplish a deity. All duality needs to be dispersed; once that happens, then one can practice deity yoga. The whole root of deity practice is realization of nonduality. That is the way to practice, and this is how Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche practiced and taught.

I feel certain that there is not the slightest difference between the state of mind of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche and Samantabhadra. For those who regard him as Vajradhara in person, the perfect root guru and the support for their supplications, he is definitely extraordinary. To summarize, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche was an incredible master, both learned and accomplished. Teachings should always be given upon request. So, since I was specifically asked, I have said what I personally know and have witnessed.