THE SNOW LION NEWSLETTER

Question: What is the difference between Tibetan Buddhism and other kinds of Buddhism and how do the various sects of Tibetan Buddhism differ?
Lama Lodu Rinpoche: Adherents of the other vehicles of Buddhism-Hinayana and Mahayana-might perceive a difference between the three vehicles, because it is not their practice to include the Vajrayana in their studies. But it is the Tibetan Buddhist practice to study all three, so for us there is no contradiction or conflict. All three approaches are valid and true. Tibetan Buddhists are trained in the Vinaya sutras, the Mahayana sutras and the Vajrayana tantras, and we believe that for all three vehicles the goal is the same: attainment of enlightenment.

The foundational teachings of all the Tibetan sects were brought to Tibet from India by various accomplished mahasiddhas and translators. Some lineage names come from the names of these different teachers, the practices they taught, or the places they came to. For example: Sakya means "gray earth", which is a region of Tibet. Shangpa is also a Tibetan place name. Other sect names come from the name of the family that took up the practice, like the Marpa Kagyu lineage. The Chod lineage comes from the practice of she-jay, or the pacification of afflictions.

There are eight different chariots, or lineages, that have been preserved down through the centuries. Not all are actively practiced today as independent schools, but their identities and unique characteristics have been preserved by the other schools. All eight chariots study and practice the three yanas (vehicles) and all share the same aims while observing slight differences in approach, rituals, and methods. On the whole, however, I would say the similarities far outnumber the differences.

Q: Is it correct that your lineage is Shangpa Kagyu? Are there other Tibetan Buddhist lineages that are similar to yours?
LLR: My lineage is really Karma Kagyu, because it is the one I was born into, but I have a very strong connection to the Shangpa lineage as well because my root guru, His Eminence Kalu Rinpoche, is the Shangpa lineage holder. I also have a deep connection with the Nyingma lineage because as a teenager I studied with His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, who taught me the nying-thig (heart drop) practice and the Six Volumes of Rainbow Light. Shangpa Kagyu is similar in its practices to all the other "new schools" of Tibetan Buddhism. As I said before, all the lineages aim toward the same goal, which is enlightenment.

Q: You wrote a book about the intermediate state (Bardo Teachings: The Way of Death and Rebirth, available from Snow Lion) that has been very helpful to Vajrayana students. Can you briefly summarize the concept of the bardo?
LLR: The word bardo can refer to anything in-between. Between right and left is the middle, so that could be called bardo; however, in this case we are talking about the intermediate state of existence that occurs during and after the death process and just prior to rebirth. These stages of the bardo state are of profound importance because the mind of the dying person is very flexible. It's like when you heat iron so hot that it glows, then it becomes soft and can be bent. Once it has cooled down, you can no longer shape it. The bardo state is like that red-hot stage when your mind is so flexible that you can actually shape your future life. A calm mind generates loving kindness and compassion, which can affect your rebirth in a positive way, causing you to be reborn into favorable circumstances. In this way, the bardo state can offer great gifts to even an ordinary person who is able to face death with a calm mind and peaceful attitude. For the Vajrayana practitioner, however, the possibilities are even greater. A person who is accustomed to visualizing deities and reciting mantras and knows how to view these forms and sounds as empty and clear has the opportunity to attain enlightenment when they enter the bardo state. Or if they wish, they can choose the precise circumstances of their future rebirth so they will be in the best position to benefit other beings.

I wrote that book many years ago because I believed that an understanding of this subject would be of great use to Vajrayana students and I meant it as a gift to them.

Q: You now have another group of students about to go into the traditional three-year retreat. What do you think is more beneficial: to do a three-year retreat with a group or to practice on your own?
LLR: I think it is generally preferable to do a group retreat because you are all doing the same practice with the same commitment and you stick together through the good and the bad times. You're all in it together and the shared commitment protects you from obstacles and weaknesses. It is a great advantage to be able to talk with each other, ask each other questions, and help each other get through the inevitable difficulties. On your own, it is much easier to become discouraged when heavy emotions come up and to be defeated by the various obstacles that arise.

In a group there are usually a few people who have particularly good intentions and who have prepared themselves especially well. Their strength and insight can help bind together the group as a whole. Also in a group retreat the practical matters like shopping and cooking are taken care of so you don't have to worry about your basic needs. In addition, you always have the teacher's understanding and experience available to you and you are guided by the faith and trust you have for him or her.

Of course, for a person who is truly dedicated and very experienced, practicing alone is the most suitable way. But you have to have an extraordinary amount of strength and determination to do this. Ultimately, the benefit is the same whether you practice alone or with a group, but it is generally much easier to succeed with a group. I would say that once you have completed a traditional three-year retreat with a group, you might think about pursuing the more rigorous path of solitary practice.

Q: What relationship do you and your center have with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and His Holiness the Karmapa?
LLR: Of course His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the leader of our country so we are all proud of him and devoted to him. He is an extraordinary leader-an incarnation of Avalokiteshvara who has taken human form-and there is no other like him in this world. Not just my center but all Tibetan Buddhist organizations are under his guidance.

His Holiness the Karmapa is very much revered by my family and we have a special connection with him because the Ninth Karmapa (Wangchuk Dorje) established Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim in the late 16th century and my family has been connected with Rumtek since that time. I entered Rumtek at the age of eight. My grandfather had been a respected lama there and my uncle also belonged to the monastery, so my entering Rumtek was the continuation of a long family tradition.

When I was 16 and began to take my dharma studies really seriously, His Holiness the 16th Karmapa was instrumental in guiding and encouraging me. I see him as a truly awakened Buddha and it was through his blessings that I met my root guru, His Eminence Kalu Rinpoche.

My center has a deep and strong connection with His Holiness the Karmapa; in fact it would be fair to say that the center belongs to him and I work for him. I hope that everything my center does may be seen as an aspect of his enlightened activity.

Q: I know you are not a monk but you are a highly respected teacher. Are there other lineages besides your own where it is not mandatory for a teacher to be a monk?
LLR: All Buddhist lineages emphasize monkhood because as a monk you are less involved with the world so you cling less to worldly things and more easily avoid obstacles to practice. Ideally a monk is only concerned with his or her vows and is not distracted by other things. All lineages recognize the desirability of this, but all lineages also have followers who are not monks. In relative terms, you can say that monkhood is a basic requirement if you want to discipline the body and train the mind. But you can never say, "This is the only way to enlightenment."

Among the great mahasiddhas of the Tibetan Buddhist lineage were many who were not monks, like Marpa, Milarepa, Viropa, Tilopa, etc. Of the 80 mahasiddhas, most were not ordained monks. Monks are often limited in their benefit to the world because their sphere of activity is so greatly restricted. The mahasiddhas, on the other hand, were of limitless benefit because they could go anywhere and do anything-helping lepers, sinners, outcasts, and people drowning in the world's negativity.

Mahasiddhas don't need monastic vows to support their practice; they have gone beyond that level. So you could say that a person with total realization is a monk in absolute terms, while a person who takes the monastic vows is a monk in relative terms. Either way, it is a mistake to think that one is better than the other. A tiger's stripes are visible on the outside, but a person's are not, so you can't make assumptions based on appearances. In the past, great mahasiddhas such as Marpa, Rechungpa, and Milarepa, on the basis and strength of their lay vows, attained enlightenment. Gampopa developed his mahayana and vajrayana practice based on his monastic vows, through which he realized mahamudra and attained complete enlightenment. So some of the great Kagyu masters were monks, and others were not, but all were equally great in their attainment. This is true for the other lineages of Tibetan Buddhism as well.

Those not fully awakened don't have the capacity to really see the qualities of great teachers, whether these teachers are monks or not. Our limited discernment prevents us from truly appreciating or comprehending the qualities of their mind and activity. So an excellent approach, given this situation, is to train our mind to view everyone as perfect in his or her own way and rejoice in that. Thus we humble ourselves, become aware of cause and effect, and maintain sincerity and honesty.

If one cannot take the monastic vow or if one is in a situation where it is not possible to keep the monastic vow, then it is best not to attempt it. There are many stories in the sutras like the ones mentioned above, describing those who attained enlightenment with lay vows.

It is much better not to take a vow if there is a chance that it will be broken. The least beneficial thing is to break a vow.

Q: What is the difference between a monk and a lay practitioner?
LLR: A monk observes the 253 Vinaya vows. You can find the entire list of vows in the Vinaya Sutra, or you can read an abbreviated version in the Jewel Ornament of Liberation. Non-monks, or lay practitioners, do not take these vows, but they generally take the Refuge, Bodhisattva, and Vajrayana vows and they are often extremely dedicated and accomplished in their dharma practice. So, between a monk and a non-monk, it's hard to say who will make it to enlightenment first!

Q: Who is the lineage holder for the Shangpa Kagyu lineage now?
LLR: In the Shangpa lineage, His Eminence Kalu Rinpoche was the lineage holder until he passed away, at which time he passed down this role to his heart disciple, His Eminence Bokar Rinpoche. As you know, Bokar Rinpoche has recently passed away, so the role of lineage holder has once again returned to Kalu Rinpoche, in his current incarnation.

I have been asked who is tutoring the young Kalu Rinpoche now that his beloved teacher, H.E. Bokar Rinpoche is gone. I must first say how deeply sorry I am that we have lost such an extraordinary and realized teacher. I deeply feel his loss for myself personally and for everyone in our lineage. I know that many people join me in my sadness and in praying morning and night for his swift return to guide us.

Khenpo Lodu Donyo Rinpoche, Bokar Rinpoche's heart disciple, will continue all of His Eminence's activities, including the teaching of monks and lay practitioners, tutoring H.E. Kalu Rinpoche, rebuilding Sonada Monastery, leading two different three-year retreats, and giving instructions in the Six Yogas of Narpoa and the Six Yogas of Niguma. Whatever empowerments and pith instructions that Bokar Rinpoche did not pass on to Khenpo Lodu Donyo Rinpoche will be transmitted to young Kalu Rinpoche by His Eminence Gyalstap Rinpoche.

LAMA LODU RINPOCHE, Spiritual Director of Kagyu Droden Kunchab, is a world-renowned scholar, teacher and accomplished Vajrayana master. He is the author of Bardo Teachings: The Way of Death and Rebirth, published by Snow Lion.

One of the first lamas to introduce Tibetan Buddhism to Western students, he has taught extensively in North America, Asia, and Europe. Rinpoche has resided in San Francisco since 1974 after being appointed director of Kagyu Droden Kunchab. One of the most accessible and generous teachers of Tibetan Buddhism, Rinpoche established KDK satellite centers throughout the San Francisco Bay Area as well as in Oregon, Arizona, and Missouri. Kagyu Droden Kunchab is located at 1892 Fell Street, San Francisco, CA 94117.
Phone: (415) 752-5454.
Website: http://www.kdk.org.