Introduction to Gong Ter (Mind Treasure)
With His Eminence Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche and Dungsey Lhuntrul Dechen Gyurmey Rinpoche
August 6, 2014
Program of the Bestowal of the Empowerments of the Great Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche’s Complete Cycle of Gongter
TERTONS AND TERMA: TREASURE-REVEALERS AND TREASURE TEACHINGS
The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism is home to a transmission of Buddhist teachings known as the ‘Treasure Tradition’ (Ter-Lug), a unique religious system that only recently has become the focus of attention in the West. The Treasures are most often comprised of spiritual instructions concealed by enlightened beings for the purpose of discovery at a later predestined time when their message will invigorate the Buddhist teachings and deepen spiritual understanding. Central to this process is the figure of the ‘Terton’ or Treasurer-revealer – the person who acts as a medium for the re-emergence of this inspired material into the human world.
The Tibetan term ‘Terton’ is sometimes also rendered as ‘treasure discoverer.’ Accordingly, beginning in the 11th century and continuing into the present, the Nyingma School identifies a large number of Treasure revealers and grants authoritative status to their discoveries. There are classifications according to their content, nature, manner of concealment, etc. All Tibetan Treasures share the claim that they were concealed during the golden age of the Yarlung dynasty (7th– 9th centuries C.E.) by enlightened Buddhist masters who considered the needs and inclinations of the future followers.
Most of the termas were hidden by Guru Padmasambhava or his immediate disciples; he prophesied the circumstances for the discovery of each Terma and the Terton who would find it. According to the tradition, Tertons are Bodhisattvas who possess special qualities and insights that enable them to find Termas. The great Tertons are emanations of Padmasambhava whose primary purpose is to find the appropriate Terma at the appropriate time. The Nyingma School traditionally traces the beginning of Treasure revelation in Tibet to the master Sangye Lama and Drapa Ngonshe in the 11th century.
They were followed by Terton Nyangrel Nyima Woser (1124-1192), and Choekyi Wangchuk (1212-1270), who were referred to as the ‘Sun and Moon’ of Tertons. The Terton tradition continued in the following centuries. This system has proven remarkably effective in regularly breathing new life into the Nyingma tradition while maintaining a perceived link with its origins. Each age finds the Terma appropriate to its spiritual needs, and each new Terma becomes a part of the tradition. The tradition continues today to breathe new life into the Nyingma tradition, and many Terma have been incorporated into other lineages.
For instance, Kyabje Dudjom Jigdral Yeshe Dorje, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, and Kyabje Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche are some of the few Tertons of our time. Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche (1904-1987), was recognized as the direct rebirth of Dudjom Lingpa (1835-1904). He was the supreme head of the Nyingma lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. Dudjom Rinpoche was born in Southern Tibet in a region called Pemakod, Bome County which is known in Tibetan as a Bey-Yul, or a ‘hidden land’.
Dudjom Rinpoche was the root teacher of many of today’s most prominent masters, including His Eminence Kyabje Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Dudjom Rinpoche established a number of vital communities of practitioners in India, Nepal and throughout the world. Dudjom Rinpoche was a major Tertons, and his New revealed treasure teachings (Dudjom-Tersar) are well known. The Dudjom Tersaar is the collective name of terma teachings revealed by Dudjom Lingpa and Dudjom Rinpoche.
He is considered one of the ‘Hundred Great Tertons’ in the Nyingma lineage. There are four major cycles in the Dudjom Tersar of Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche, Jigdarl Yeshe Dorje, which are all Mind-treasure teachings (Gong-Ter): (a) the cycle of teachings for the practices on the Outer, Inner, Secret, and Innermost Secret Sadhanas of the Lama or Guru is called ‘Tsokyi-Thugthig; (b) the cycle of teachings for the practices of the meditation deity (Yidam) is called ‘Pudri-Rekpung’; (c) the cycle of teachings for the practices on the Outer, Inner, Secret, and Innermost Secret Sadhanas of the Dakini (Khadro) is called ‘Khadro-Thugthig); and (d) the cycle of teachings on Guru Dorje Drolo. Among the widely read works of Kyabje Dudjpm Rinpoche are ‘The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism, Its Fundamentals and History’, which he composed soon after his arrival in India as an exile.
Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche (1910-1991), was a highly accomplished Vajrayana master, poet, scholar, and head of the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism from 1987 to 1991. He was born in Eastern Tibet, Kham Dege, Denkhog, to a family directly descended from the 8th century Tibetan great king Trisong Deutsen. When he was seven, he was recognized as one of the reincarnations of the great Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo (1820-1892) by Shechen Gyaltsab Rinpoche (1871-1926). Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche spent thirteen years in silent retreat in remote hermitages and caves near his birthplace, and later became principal teacher to His Holiness the Dalai Lama in the Nyingma tradition, including Dzogchen. He was a dedicated exponent of the nonsectarian Rime movement in Tibet and tirelessly worked to uphold the Dharma through the publication of texts, building of monasteries, and stupas.
The Mind-treasure teachings (Gong-Ter) revealed by Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche are: ‘Jampal-Nying-Thig’- the ‘Heart Essence of Manjushri’, the ‘Dzong-Trang’- the ‘Fortress Ravine of Nectar Medicine’, ‘Drol-Jang’ – Outer, Inner, and Secret Sadhanas of Green Tara’, ‘Guru Drakpo’ – Sadhana, Empowerment, Activity and Feast Offering of the ‘Wrathful Guru’, ‘Lhatsun-Lhadrub’, ‘Pema-Tseyi-Nying-Thig’, which is a practice of longevity based on Amitayus, Rang-Jung-Pemai-Nying-Thig which is the ‘Heart Essence of the Self-born Lotus’, and the practice of the ‘Three Roots’. His writings in Tibetan fill twenty-five volumes. He is regarded as one of the greatest Dzogchen masters of the 20th century, and the very embodiment of Guru Padmasambhava. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche was the root teacher of many prominent teachers of today, including His Eminence Kyabje Namkha Drimed abjam Rinpoche.
In summary, a number of Nyingma monasteries were founded to preserve and transmit the spiritual treasure teachings, including, for example, the monasteries of the Ripa Lineage in Tibet, India, Nepal, and numerous Dharma centers in the West. Thus, many of the Nyingma lineages are based on particular Terma, and the ‘Ripa Lineage’ bases its practices on the transmission of the Tagsham treasure-teachings, and the Mind-treasure Teachings of the Warrior King Gesar, by H.E Kaybje Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche.
The ‘Termas’ are said to be hidden throughout the land of Tibet, and they are safeguarded in a way that prevents them from being found before the appropriate time. When conditions are ripe for their dissemination, the Termas are discovered by Treasure-revealers. These people are prophesied by the masters who hid the Terma, and there are strict controls and tests regarding the finding and propagation of Terma. Historically the most influential Terma have been the ‘Eight Heruka Sadhanas’ (Drubpa-KaJed) and the Innermost Essence of the Great Expanse (Longchen-Nying-Thig), which were hidden by Padmasambhava. Other texts were hidden by his consort Yeshe Tshogyal, who memorized his teachings and then concealed them with the help of Padmasambhava.
One of the greatest Treasure-revealers, Nyangral Nyima Woser, speaks of five Treasures. : Amongst them is the category of Spiritual Treasure (Thug-Ter), and these are considered to be particularly important teachings. In the 14th century, however, this notion of spiritua Treasure appears to function as the etymological inspiration for the concept of ‘Mind-Treasure’ (Gongter). The Mind-Treasure, which although at first a semantic synonym for Spiritual Treasure (Thug-Ter), is developed by later writers such as Jamgon Kongtrul and Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo into a prominent Treasure category by denoting a Treasure that is concealed in and revealed from the Treasure-revealer’s mind.
The earliest occurrence of the term ‘Mind-Treasure’ appears to stem from the 14th century works of Longchenpa (in particular his Innermost Essence of the Dakini) and Orgyen Lingpa (in his famous Chronicle of Padmasambhava). According to the ‘earth Treasures’ (Sa-Ter) and ‘mind Treasures’ (Gong-Ter), the earth Treasures are divided into ‘actual earth Treasures’ (Sa-Ter-Ngoe) and ‘rediscovered Treasures’ (Yang-Ter), while mind Treasures consist of ‘actual mind Treasures’ (Gong-Ter-Ngoe) and ‘recollected Treasures’ (Jey-Dren-Ter). The basic division of earth and mind Treasures forms the primary structure for Jamgon Kongtrul’s work while the remaining sub-categories are encountered throughout the text as he discusses the revelations of individual figures, in particular those of Khyentse and Chokling.
However, Mind Treasure Teachings are revealed purely from the mind of the Treasure revealer where Padmasambahva is claimed to have originally concealed them. For instance, His Eminence Kyabje Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche is one of the few living Tertons in this era who revealed various mind-treasure teachings (Gong-Ter). He was recognized as an incarnation of Terton Yonge Migyur Dorje]] (1628/41-1708) by Dungsey Phagchok Shedrub Tenzin (a son and spiritual heir of Tibet’s great Yogin, Drubwang Shakya Shri). He was also recognized by Nyakrong Terton Jigme Choejung Lingpa as the manifestation of Dho Khyentse Yeshe Dorje (1800-1866). Kyabje Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche is currently the Supreme Head of the Ripa Lineage of the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism and holder of the Tagsham lineage. At the age of thirteen he had a direct vision of Guru Rinpoche who gave him the empowerment of the ‘Display of Awareness’ ‘Rig-Tsal’ and the secret name Dorje Zijid Tsal. Thus empowered as the Guru’s regent, thereafter he revealed mind treasures of the awareness display. He repeatedly saw visions of the enlightened warrior-king Gesar of Ling and, being the reincarnation of Gesar’s elder brother Gyatsa Shalkar, clearly remembered his former life. Kyabje Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche’s Mind-treasure teachings are characterized by the cycle of ‘Rig-Sum-Nor-Bue-Gong-Dzod’ – the ‘Jeweled Treasure Thought of the Three Families’ including the practices of the ‘Three Roots.’ Guru Practices comprise the peaceful and wrathful aspects of Guru Rinpoche’s abridged, medium, and extensive Sadhanas and Droje Drolo’s Cycle of teachings. The ‘Meditation Deity’ or Yidam Practices consist of Vajrasattva and Vajrakilaya’s Cycle of teachings.
The Dakini or Khandro Practices contain Dakini Yeshe Tsogyal’s abridged and extensive Sadhanas. The vast cycle of mind-treasure teachings ‘Rigsum-Norbue-Gongdzod’, principally encompass the four aspects of Gesar: wrathful, pacifying, enrichment, and magnetizing; these are called the four enlightened activities, which are also connected with the hundred peaceful and wrathful deities (Zhi-Tro), and as a protector under the form of Gesar Drala. According to the Sadhana Practices of Gesar as Lama (La-Drub) and the Secret Practice (Sang-Drub), there is the section of mind-treasure called ‘Rigsum-Sangwe-Thigle’ – the ‘Secret Essence of the Three Families.’ The Cycle of Teachings called ‘Yang-Zab-Thug-Thig’ – the practice of the ‘Vast and Profound Heart Essence,’ consists of the Practices of Vajrakilaya, Vajrasattva, Dorje Drolo, and Yeshe Tsogyal. The Cycle of Teachings called ‘Rig-Dhue-Lamai-Thug-Drub’ – the ‘Compendium of the Three Families, Heart Practice of the Lama,’ consists of all the peaceful and wrathful Deities ‘Zhi-Tro’. To this day, the Mind-treasure teachings of His Eminence flow spontaneously and continuously from the vast expanse of his mind-stream.
