Statue of the mahasiddha Saraha
“The cross-eyed fool sees one lamp as two; The vision and the viewer are one”
– Saraha (8th Century CE)
From “Saraha’s Dohakosa: The Royal Song” (translated by Keith Dowman)
Saraha is known as the chief of the Indian Mahasiddhas or “Great Accomplishers”, a prominent master of the Great Seal (Skt. Mahamudra) teachings, and a former incarnation of the Karmapa.
This quote is from the Third Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche (1954-1992)
Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche
“What is free from birth, dwelling and cessation? It is the nature of mind. However, as long as one doesn’t recognise the nature of mind, one experiences samsara; if one does recognise it, one experiences nirvana. In other words, the way phenomena manifest depends on awareness. Nirvana is not obtained by overcoming samsara or putting an end to disturbing emotions in order to develop something else. On the contrary, one should look at the actual nature of the disturbing emotion and thus ‘self-liberate’ it and recognise its true nature. By holding this supreme view, one can understand reality, the suchness of all phenomena. If one achieves this realisation and fully recognises the basic nature of all phenomena, without struggling to give up samsara or attain nirvana, then everything becomes ultimate reality. Conceptual mind dissolves, along with (more…)
Lama Ole Nydahl made this statement in a teaching in San Fransico in 1995 which perfectly expresses the essence of Diamond Way Buddhism.
Lama Ole Nydahl in San Francisco 1995
“We want to produce Buddhism, not consume it. We want each of us to develop into a temple and not create one somewhere outside. We want to allow each of us to possess the ability to really benefit others. Because we do not want to believe or believe in a fanatic way, we really want to develop everyone’s potential and everyone’s power. You have to understand that you have to stay conscious and to keep producing Buddhism in your lives.
You are Buddhism. Buddhism is not something outside, it is not something else. Buddhism is the way you eat, drink, make love, think, feel; all this is Buddhism. Never have there been so many educated, independent people with so much ability as we find today. This has never happened before. For the first time in history we are on a world-wide scale, held together by friendship and idealism that can produce this wonderful thing called Mahamudra communities. Where we are all really close together, we are already friends, trusting each other back from former lives. (more…)
In our second retrospective post, we would like to share some inspiring impressions of H.H. 17th Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje’s second visit to the UK at the invitation of Diamond Way Buddhism UK, in June 2007.
Reports of other visits of the 17th Karmapa to London can be found here (2005) and here (2009).
Poster for 17th Karmapa in London August 2007
The 16th Gyalwa Karmapa
Heart of the Mahamudra
Song of the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa
Manifestation and sound arise from the subtle mental imprints created from thoughts. As a picture in water disappears of its own accord, so false appearances automatically fade away when their lack of reality is understood. Beyond essential reality there is nothing – Such is the insight of the Mahamudra.
When the door of the mind, through which appearances are created, remains unobstructed, unwarped by concepts, then there is no solid reality, just bright light, and we let everything that appears just arrive naturally. Such a practice is the meditation of Mahamudra.
Illusory appearances are born of the belief in a reality. Relying on a constant understanding of their non-reality, we dwell at rest in original spontaneous nature and the space where there is nothing to accomplish is thus reached effortlessly.
Such is the practice of Mahamudra. These three points are the treasure of my heart. Since the yogis who go to the heart of everything are like my own heart, for them I have pronounced these heart-felt words, which cannot be communicated to others.
16th Gyalwa Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje (1924-1981)
Lama Ole Nydahl & Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche in London, September 2009
In September 2009 we were very fortunate to be able to welcome two of our precious teachers to London; Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche and Lama Ole Nydahl. This was a particularly auspicious occasion, as it was the first time Rinpoche had given teachings in the UK.
Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche (born 1950), a highly respected Karma Kagyu lama, holds the title “Maniwa”, given to masters of the Loving Eyes (Tib. Chenrezig) practice who have accomplished at least a billion OM MANI PEME HUNG mantras. Rinpoche was ordained in Rumtek Monastery by the 16th Karmapa. The official programme took place over the weekend of 18-20 September 2009, a course entitled “Meditation in Diamond Way Buddhism”.
17th Karmapa in London, 30 July 2009
In July 2009, H.H. 17th Karmapa, Trinley Thaye Dorje made his third visit to the UK to meet his students and give Buddhist teachings and empowerments. The visit started with a wonderful two-day programme in Manchester, hosted by the Dechen community. Details can be found here and here on the Dechen blog. There is also an article on the Dechen website where Lama Jampa Thaye reflects on the visit of the 16th Karmapa to Manchester in 1977. The Manchester Evening News announced the event and The Times also ran a report.
Diamond Way Buddhism UK then had the great honour of hosting Gyalwa Karmapa in Liverpool and London. He was joined by Nendo Rinpoche, Lama Tsultrim Namgyal, Lama Chopon Gyaltsen, and Lama Karma Wangdu, from Rumtek Monastery.
On the way to London from Manchester on 29 July, Gyalwa Karmapa stopped briefly in Liverpool to bless the Diamond Way Buddhist Centre there. Members of the Liverpool Centre and other groups in the north of the UK made a presentation about the activity of the northern Diamond Way Buddhist centres. He gave the oral transmission for the Four Foundational Practices (Tib. Ngondro) and the Third Karmapa’s Great Seal Wishes.
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