Longchen Nyingtik Project
The aim of this project, which began in 2020, is to translate into English the core texts of the Longchen Nyingtik (klong chen snying thig), or Heart-Essence of the Vast Expanse—the cycle of treasure (terma) revealed by Jigme Lingpa (1729/30–1798) in Central Tibet in the eighteenth century. The project is endorsed by a number of lamas, including Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche, and led by Han Kop.
The Core Texts
The Longchen Nyingtik treasures and compositions originally consisted of two volumes of texts revealed or written by Jigme Lingpa himself. Later, other texts crucial to the practice of the Longchen Nyingtik, such as arrangements for the practice, supplementary practices, and commentaries, were composed by other great masters, such as the First Dodrupchen, Jikme Trinle Özer and Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo.
In recent times, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche also composed many arrangements for the practices, empowerment manuals, and commentaries that clarify the meaning of the practices. He then gathered all these texts together—the writings from his predecessors as well as his own compositions—thereby adding two additional volumes to the original Core Texts.
These texts were published in five volumes (the original two volumes of treasures were spread out over three volumes, thus making five in total) in Nepal by Shechen Monastery in the 1990s, as a collection called the Core Texts of the Heart-Essence, or Nyingtik Tsapö (snying thig rtsa pod). However, not all the texts were available to Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, and so several other important and rare texts have resurfaced in the meantime. Recently, a new ten-volume edition of the Core Texts was published in Tibet.
Highlights
The texts published so far as part of the initiative include:
The Sādhanas
A large section of the Core Texts of the Longchen Nyingtik consists of sādhanas and their associated rituals, empowerment manuals, and commentaries. The following is an overview based on traditional classifications:
1. Male vidyādharas
a. Peaceful:
Outer: Guru Yoga
Inner: Rigdzin Düpa
Secret: Dukngal Rangdrol
Innermost secret: Ladrup Tikle Gyachenb. Wrathful:
Blue: Palchen Düpa
Red: Takhyung Barwa
2. Female vidyādharas
a. Peaceful: Yumka Dechen Gyalmo
b. Wrathful: Senge Dongma (Skt. Siṃhamukhā)
Besides these, there is also the sādhana of the Hundred Peaceful and Wrathful Deities called Zhitro Ngensong Jongwa, and the Chöd practice called Khandro Gegyang.
Support the Project
Please help by making a donation to support the commissioning of new translations and editorial work. Donate >.
“I would like to offer my full support to this most meritorious and wonderful undertaking...”
