Teachings

Accountability

The Vajrayana Ethos of the Five Precepts

Ngak’chang Rinpoche & Khandro Déchen For anyone who has been concerned by the revelations of abuse in the world of Vajrayana Buddhism, here is a text from our Lineage Lamas outlining the five precept guidelines by which they, and all the Aro gTér teachers, abide.

Buddha Nature

By Kyabjé Dilgo Khyentsé Rinpoche

Sem-nyid né sang-gyé-pa’i rang-zhin (sems nyid ye nas sangs rGyas pa’i rang bZhin)
Whilst oscillating between anticipation and doubt – …

Building a Monumental Phurba at Drala Jong

Vajrayana Buddhism is a vast system of methods that facilitate the discovery of one’s natural state. This natural state is …

Chant & Yogic Song

a teaching given in March 2000

Nor’dzin Pamo Dön-pa (’don pa) in Tibetan means chant or liturgical recitation – the repetition of texts and practices. This can be …

Defining the word ‘sangha’

The two divisions of the sangha of ordained practitioners

Ngak’chang Rinpoche & Khandro Déchen There are various definitions of gendün or sangha which give a sense of the position and authentic dignity of the …

Devotion

Nor’dzin Pamo I first came across the little booklet ‘Fifty Verses of Guru Devotion’ in about 1983 or 1984. At that time …

Drifter

Ngak’chang Rinpoche Stories from the lives of Lineage Lamas, as told to Ngak'chang Rinpoche by Künzang Dorje Rinpoche.

E-mailing the Lamas from Afar

Ngak’chang Rinpoche & Khandro Déchen Aro gTér lamas reply to the e-mail questions of their students, questions which concern the full range of the students' …

Embracing Emotions as the Path

Colours and Elements in Tantric Psychology

Ngak’chang Rinpoche & Khandro Déchen Only through direct experience can we begin to perceive our world differently. Philosophical speculations and intellectual conjectures that are not …

Empowerment and the four kayas

Ngak’chang Rinpoche Ngak’chang Rinpoche recorded at the San Francisco Shambhala Center, March 2007. A 14-minute talk.

Empowerment & Transmission

Ngak’chang Rinpoche & Khandro Déchen The fundamental damtsig is to sustain the experience of transmission through practice—and ultimately, in every moment.
The Tibetan word for empowerment …

Form, emptiness, and non-duality

Form, emptiness, and nonduality are the most important terms in the Buddhist ‘view’. View is the experiential analysis reality. View …

Friendship as a reflection of our enlightened qualities

Nor’dzin Pamo Ngakma Nor'dzin Pamo recorded at the Wales Interfaith Conference, 2018 speaks about friendship from a Buddhist perspective. A 17-minute presentation …

From shi-nè into lha-tong

Ngak’chang Rinpoche

Guru Viking interviews: Ep8

Ngak’chang Rinpoche An interview with Ngak'chang Rinpoche about his book Wisdom Eccentrics
More Guru Viking interviews of Aro gTér lamas

Introduction to Khandro-Pawo Nyida Mélong Gyüd

Ngak’chang Rinpoche This is a brief contextual introduction to the Nyida Mélong teachings on vajra romance.
The recording also includes one of a …

Introduction to Shi-né (in German)

Déwang Pamo Shi-né is the most basic meditation technique taught in the Aro gTér. The Tibetan word Shi-né means “peaceful abiding”.
In this …

Karma

The Personal Police State

Ngak’chang Rinpoche The inconsequential eccentric yogi sNgags pa chos dByings rGya mTsho utterly acknowledges his endless joyful appreciation of his Lamas – …

Kindness & Compassion

Ngak’chang Rinpoche & Khandro Déchen interviewed by Naljorma Jig’mèd Khyungtsal Pamo
Questioner Ngak’chang Rinpoche, Khandro Déchen, how can one work with oneself when one finds …

Lama’i Naljor

Interview with Ngak'chang Rinpoche

Questioner: Rinpoche, what is Lama’i Naljor, and what is the essential purpose of practicing it?
Ngak’chang Rinpoche: Lama’i Naljor (Guru yoga …

Living the View

"We are form and emptiness—emptiness and form."

Ngak’chang Rinpoche & Khandro Déchen Our advice is to deliberately name everything which moves you to smiles, laughter, or tears as Padmasambhava or Yeshé Tsogyel—because …

Mature and immature tolerance

Part 1 of an interview with the lineage holders by Lama Shardröl, 31 December 1997.

Ngak’chang Rinpoche, Khandro Déchen & Shardröl Du-nyam Wangmo This is the first half of an interview originally published in Vision magazine in 1998 (issue 11). The second half, …

Moving Being: History and Practice of Physical Exercise Systems from the Three Series of Dzogchen.

International Vajrayana Conference 2019

Mé-tsal Wangmo In the spring of 2019, Ngakma Mé-tsal Wangmo and Naljorpa Ja’gyür Dorje were again selected to speak at the Third …

Precious Guru – Journey into the wild heart of the second Buddha.

Ngak'chang Rinpoche is featured amongst contemporary Buddhist teachers in the opening sequence of a film in the making by Triptych …

Promise and Process

Contemporary application of Tantric Samayas

Mé-tsal Wangmo In 2022, as Bhutan opened back up to visitors, the 4th International Conference on Vajrayana Buddhism in Bhutan was held.
Ngakma …

Q&A - Dzogchen long-dé

psycho-physical sKu-mNyé exercises

Ngak’chang Rinpoche & Khandro Déchen Dzogchen means ‘utter totality’, and refers to the natural liberated condition of the individual. This state of innate enlightenment is …

Q&A - Nyams in Dzogchen

Ngak’chang Rinpoche Dzogchen regards certain nyams as opportunities to recognise rigpa. This transcript (excerpted from Vision issue 11, Autumn 1998) discusses several …

Q&A - The Bristol Talks

Vajrayana and yidam practice

Ngak’chang Rinpoche Questioner Rinpoche, Vajrayana Buddhism is highly complex and intellectual – is there an approach for people who don’t have academic …

Refuge

Nor’dzin Pamo For many of us Refuge is a ceremony we take part in when we first become a Buddhist. We are …

Samsara, suffering, and suspicion

The path to endless enjoyment

Ngak’chang Rinpoche Ngak’chang Rinpoche recorded at the San Francisco Shambhala Center, March 2006. An 18-minute overview of Sutrayana from point of view …