THE SNOW LION BUDDHIST NEWS & CATALOG

"Essential teachings... The deepest insights are presented here straight from the heart. I consider this a great contribution to the study of Buddhism."—Ringu Tulku, author of Daring Steps Toward Fearlessness and Mind Training

"Straight from the Heart: Buddhist Pith Instructions is an exciting new collection of poetry, songs, meditation instructions, and philosophical works by Indian and Tibetan Buddhist masters, much of which has previously been unavailable in Western languages. The eminently capable translator, Karl Brunnholzl, has made his selections from the writings of such famous teachers as Nagarjuna, Asanga, and the Karmapas of Tibet as well as from those of lesser known teachers. Each selection is prefaced by an introduction and a biographical sketch of its author, and is copiously annotated. The result is a compendium of profound and witty writings that will delight, inform, and inspire all who are interested in the Buddhist spiritual path."—Elizabeth Callahan, editor and translator of The Treasury of Knowledge, Book Six, Part Three: Frameworks of Buddhist Philosophy

This excerpt is an exceptionally direct look at what true non-sectarianism means, taken from Straight from the Heart, a potent collection of previously untranslated texts from a variety of sources.

The famous Sakya master Jamyang Kyentse Wangbo (1820-1892) was born in the area of Derge in Kham in eastern Tibet. Just as Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Tayé (1813-1899) and Chogyur Lingba (1829-1870), he was considered as an emanation of Mañjushri....Together with the above two masters, Patrul Rinpoché (1808-1887), Mipham Rinpoché (1846-1912), and others, Jamyang Kyentse Wangbo was one of the main figures in the nonsectarian Rimé movement in nineteenth-century east Tibet.

As for this movement, at present in the West some fashionable mistaken notions about its nature and intent seem to prevail, such as that all Buddhist traditions are one and the same and can be combined or patched together just as our eclectic whims please. However, the contemporary Kagyü master Ringu Tulku clarifies:

Rime is not a way of uniting different schools and lineages by emphasizing their similarities. It is basically an appreciation of their differences and an acknowledgment of the importance of having this variety for the benefit of practitioners with different needs. Therefore the Rime teachers always take great care that the teachings and practices of the different schools and lineages and their unique styles do not become confused with one another. To retain the original style and methods of each teaching lineage preserves the power of that lineage experience. Kongtrul and Khyentse made great efforts to retain the original flavor of each teaching, while making them available to many...

The Rime concept was not original to Kongtrul and Khyentse—neither [was it] new to Buddhism! The Lord Buddha forbade his students even to criticize the teachings and teachers of other religions and cultures....A true Buddhist cannot be but non-sectarian and Rime in his approach.

Also Jamgön Kongtrul's biography of Jamyang Kyentse Wangbo says:

In general, many people [become entangled in] numerous heated yet short-lived affirmations and negations of philosophical systems and, in particular, in sectarianism in terms of "self-empty" and "other-empty," pulling at [other people's] necks as if to break them. But when this Lord [Jamyang Kyentse Wangbo] spoke about the individual philosophical systems, he would teach in a very straightforward and easily understandable manner, without mixing their dharma terminologies and in strict accordance with their respective distinct [approaches].

He used to say, "In general, the heart of the matter to be determined through philosophical systems is the true nature of all phenomena. This is expressed in the Prajñaparamita sutras:

The nature of phenomena is not a knowable object.

Not only that, but also the crown jewel of all Tibetan dialecticians, the great translator Ngog, maintained that, let alone the ultimate being an object of terms and thoughts, it is not even a mere object one can refer to. No matter how profound the minds of those who only see what is right in front of them may be, they cannot determine the final basic nature. In terms of temporarily evaluating it in a partial way, there appear to be many reasonings and justifications to establish each of the dharma terminologies presented by great scholars and siddhas. Therefore, if we follow our individual traditions and thus gain a firm footing in the explanations of the supreme gurus [in our own lineages], we don't really need any overwrought sectarianism. However, if we mix dharma terminologies and philosophical systems with each other and, due to not being well-grounded in our own philosophical system, just haul in the ways of others as our supports, all scriptures on view, meditation, conduct, and fruition become as muddled up as the yarns of a bad weaver. So, our inability to support the meaning of our scriptures through reasoning means that we lack basic trust in our own philosophical systems, and even if we may wish to follow those of others, [out of pride or prejudice] we do not [allow ourselves to] do so. When true scholars see us like that, we are nothing but a cause for their laughter. Therefore, it is best to gain a firm footing in our own [traditions]."

In this spirit, Jamyang Kyentse Wangbo became one of the greatest masters of Tibetan Buddhism, well versed in all its traditions. He had students from all four Tibetan Buddhist schools and would teach them in strict accordance with their own traditions, to the point of even changing his dress and hat in order to be utterly faithful to those lineages. He also composed numerous works on a vast range of subjects and his influence is still very palpable in the Sakya, Kagyü, and Nyingma lineages to the present day.

More about the author . . .

Read an interview with Karl Brunnholzl about his latest book, Straight from the Heart.

Karl Brunnhölzl has been a translator and interpreter since 1989; he is presently mainly involved with the Nitartha Institute as a teacher and translator. He lives in Seattle, WA.

Books by Karl Brunnholzl:

• The Center of the Sunlit Sky


• Straight from the Heart: Buddhist Pith Instructions