Dodrupchen Jigme Tenpe Nyima Series

• Advice for a Dying Practitioner | Dying & the Bardos

This short work, written for an unnamed disciple, contains general advice on how to prepare for the moment of death.

• Advice to Jigme Tenpe Nyima by Mipham Rinpoche | Advice

Mipham Rinpoche gave this text in thirty-seven verses to the Third Dodrupchen Jigme Tenpe Nyima as a sealed scroll while they were both at Dzongsar Monastery. Although the precise date is unclear, it seems likely that this was in or around 1886. The text is a mixture of personal, often cryptic advice and prophecy.

• On Seeing the Guru as a Buddha | Advice

In this brief text, Jigme Tenpe Nyima explains the most important reasons for regarding the teacher as a buddha, a central tenet of the Vajrayāna.

• On Sleep | Advice

On the basis of classical sources, Jigme Tenpe Nyima warns of the dangers of sleep and drowsiness; he also offers some practical suggestions for cutting down on sleep and enhancing diligence.

• On the Ignorance of the Learned | Advice

A candid, somewhat comical description of what it means to take a limited and superficial approach to scholarship, which Jigme Tenpe Nyima tells us is based on his own experience.

• Retreat Advice | Retreat & Solitude

A very short text on the best conduct and attitude to adopt when practising in meditative retreat.

• Three Ways of Bringing Sickness onto the Path | Sickness & Healing

In this very short text, Jigme Tenpe Nyima describes the best, middling and inferior ways of using pain and illness as part of the Mahāyāna path.

• Turning Suffering & Happiness Into Enlightenment | Mind Training (Lojong)

One of Jigme Tenpe Nyima's best known works—and indeed one the most famous Tibetan texts of recent times—this is a pithy and practical guide to integrating all experiences, good and bad, happy and sad, into the path to enlightenment. As the text itself puts it, this is “indispensable for leading a spiritual life, a most needed tool of the Noble Ones, and quite the most priceless teaching in the world.”

• Aspiration for Rebirth in Sukhāvatī | Amitābha

These verses of aspiration to take rebirth in Amitābha's pureland of Sukhāvatī are extracted from the author's longer compilation of practices called The Easy Route to the Supreme Realm (zhing mchog bgrod pa'i bde lam).

• Aspirations in Accordance with the Dharma | Aspiration Prayers

A series of aspirations to devote one's life to the Dharma—which, Dodrupchen Rinpoche says, is the only thing of any real value or meaning—to practice it with sincerity, and to accomplish it successfully.

• Benedictory Verses by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö | Benedictory Verses

Benedictory verses (spar byang smon tshig) for an as yet unidentified text on the Jonang tradition, possibly written by Dodrupchen Jigme Tenpai Nyima (1865–1926).

• A Guide to the Practice of Sang | Sang Offering

A brief explanation of the popular ritual of incense smoke offering—or sang—detailing the visualization and describing the benefits of the practice.

• A Simple Visualization for the Seven-Line Prayer | Seven-Line Prayer

This short commentary on the most famous of all prayers to Guru Padmasambhava offers a simple visualization based on the very words of the Seven Lines.

• Brief Explanation of Taking Refuge | Taking Refuge

A simple presentation of taking refuge that identifies its objects, essence, literal meaning, subdivisions, and benefits.

• Garland of Night-Blooming Water Lilies: A Commentary on the Guru Siddhi Mantra | Mantra

This profound explanation of the individual syllables of Padmasambhava's famous Vajra-Guru Mantra is written in colloquial language that is concise and easy to understand. The text is explicitly aimed at 'town-dweller mantrins' who mistakenly confuse the fundamentals of Secret Mantra.

• Lamp That Illuminates the Excellent Path of Great Bliss: A Guide to the Practice Text of the Female Awareness-Holder, the Queen of Great Bliss | Yumka Dechen Gyalmo

This is the second major commentary on Yumka, the ḍākinī practice of the Longchen Nyingtik, (not including Jigme Lingpa's own writings) after the much longer and more elaborate Raṭik, which it supplements. The text begins with a discussion of the role and significance of Yeshe Tsogyal, and then proceeds to examine the practice itself, highlighting its special qualities and elaborating on many of its profound and subtle features.

• On the Final Words of Orgyen Tendzin Norbu | Dzogchen

An explanation of the final words of the great Dzogchen master Orgyen Tendzin Norbu (1841–1900): "I am Guru Padmākara of Oḍḍiyāna, a buddha free from birth and death. Awakening mind is impartial and unbiased, beyond labels of the eight stages, the four pairs."

• Teaching on the Offering of Flowers | Offering

This unusual text, which the author playfully suggests was requested by a bouquet of flowers, discusses the qualities and benefits of floral offerings. The translation is by Tulku Thondup Rinpoche and Philip Richman.

• Advice for Hor Özer | Dzogchen

Answers to a series of questions on the distinction between ordinary mind (sem) and pure awareness (rigpa), the dissolution of dualistic perception, mindfulness in Dzogchen, the phases of dissolution at death, and how to practise Dzogchen meditation.

• Advice for Palseng | Dzogchen

This short text from Jigme Tenpe Nyima's Dzogchen corpus explains the distinction between the ordinary mind (sem) and pure awareness (rigpa), as well as the ways in which the Great Perfection is superior to other approaches.

• How to Count the Four Permutations of Actual and Basis | Dzogchen

A discussion of the term for main practice in Tibetan—dngos gzhi which translates literally as 'actual basis'. In response to a question, Jigme Tenpe Nyima clarifies the explanations of the four permutations of 'actual' and 'basis' from Longchenpa's Treasury of the Supreme Vehicle (theg mchog mdzod) and Jigme Lingpa's Yeshe Lama.

• Entry Point for All Seekers of Liberation: A Succinct Presentation of the Four Truths | Four Noble Truths

A short, scholarly explanation of the four noble truths, or four truths of the noble ones, providing definitions and subdivisions of each truth as well as a response to possible objections.

• The Staircase That Leads to Lotus Light: Essential Instructions on Guru Yoga | Guru Yoga

In twelve points, Jigme Tenpé Nyima offers detailed instructions and clarifications on The Wish-Fulfilling Jewel, the outer guru yoga practice from the Longchen Nyingtik cycle. He describes the realm of Lotus Light and its Copper-Coloured Mountain, highlights Guru Rinpoche's qualities, and stresses the importance of concentration, devotion and inspiration.

• Palchen Düpa Lineage Prayer by Jigme Lingpa | Palchen Düpa

A short prayer to the lineage of Palchen Düpa, the wrathful yidam practice of Longchen Nyingtik, including supplementary verses composed by the Third Dodrupchen, Jigme Tenpe Nyima.

• Prayer to the Gurus of the Dzogchen Lineage | Lineage Prayers

Jigme Tenpe Nyima composed this prayer to the gurus of the Dzogchen lineage at the behest of Khenpo Damchö Özer (d. 1927?), one of the so-called 'four great khenpos of Dodrupchen Monastery'.

• Rain of Siddhis: A Prayer to the Lineage of Rigdzin Düpa | Lineage Prayers

A prayer to the various masters of the lineage of Vidyādhara Assembly (rig 'dzin 'dus pa), the inner guru sādhana from the Longchen Nyingtik cycle revealed by Jigme Lingpa.

• Prayer for the Long Life of the Third Dodrupchen, Jigme Tenpai Nyima by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo | Long-Life Prayers

Khyentse Wangpo composed this three-verse longevity prayer for the Third Dodrupchen Rinpoche (1865–1926) at the same time as he bestowed upon him the name Kunzang Jigme Tenpai Nyima Trinlé Kunkhyab Palzangpo.

• On the Symbolism of the Vajra and Bell | Arts & Crafts

Notes on the deeper significance of various features of the vajra and bell, two ritual objects which a mantra practitioner must never be without.

• A Brief Ritual for Consecrating Representations of Enlightened Body, Speech and Mind | Consecration

The author wrote this short ritual liturgy for consecrating sacred imagery at the request of his brother, Dzamling Wangyal (1868–1907).

• Rigdzin Düpa Amṛta Offering | Rigdzin Düpa

Verses for offering 'medicine' (sman), or amṛta, as part of the Rigdzin Düpa (Vidyādhara Assembly) practice from the Longchen Nyingtik.

• The Adamantine Magical Wheel: Invoking the Profound Pledge of Padmākara, the Glorious Victor, to Avert the Final War | Guru Rinpoche Prayers

This prayer of invocation, which was written by the Third Dodrupchen Rinpoche during a period of political unrest, calls upon Guru Padmasambhava to protect Tibetans from aggressors and the ravages of war. More recently, it was redistributed at the behest of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, who recognized its continued relevance amid the turmoil of the twentieth century.

• Yumka Fulfilment Practice | Yumka Dechen Gyalmo

A fulfilment (bskang ba) practice to accompany the sādhana of Yumka Dechen Gyalmo, the Queen of Great Bliss, from the Longchen Nyingtik cycle.

• In Praise of Patrul Orgyen Jigme Chökyi Wangpo | Praise

Verses in praise of Patrul Rinpoche (1808–1887), which Dodrupchen Jigme Tenpe Nyima wrote for his own personal recitation.

• In Praise of Sönam Palge | Praise

These verses in praise of Rogza Sönam Palge (rog bza' bsod nams dpal dge, 1800–1884) provide a rough sketch of the master's life, including his dates. In fact, this is the only known text that specifies the years of his birth and parinirvāṇa.

• Prayer to Ārya Tārā | Tārā

A simple, four-line supplication to Tārā requesting her protection from fear and suffering in this life, the next and the bardo state.

• Prayer to Avalokiteśvara | Avalokiteśvara

A simple two-verse prayer to Avalokiteśvara written at the request of a disciple from Washul, Amdo.

• Prayer to Buddha Amitābha | Amitābha

A four-line prayer to Amitābha, the Buddha of Boundless Light, aspiring to take rebirth in his blissful paradise of Sukhāvatī.

• Prayer to Padmasambhava, Longchenpa and Jigme Lingpa | Guru Rinpoche Prayers

A four-line prayer to Guru Padmasambhava, Longchen Rabjam and Rigdzin Jigme Lingpa.

• Words of the Vajra Queen: An Essential Daily Practice of the Vidyādharas’ Female Practice | Yumka Dechen Gyalmo

A simple, abbreviated version of the root Yumka Dechen Gyalmo sādhana, which is known as The Glorious Blissful Garland, arranged for daily practice.