Rigdzin Düpa

Thangka of Rigdzin Düpa, courtesy of Dodrupchen Rinpoche

Rigdzin Düpa (Tib. རིག་འཛིན་འདུས་པ་, Wyl. rig 'dzin 'dus pa), 'The Gathering of Vidyadharas,' is the inner lama practice from the Longchen Nyingtik, the terma revelation of Jikmé Lingpa.

The Mandala of Rigdzin Düpa

At the centre of the mandala is Guru Rinpoche in union with Mandarava. Above his head is Garab Dorje and Samantabhadra. He is surrounded by the eight vidyadharas who are in essence the eight deities of Kagyé:

• East - Humkara - Yangdak Heruka
• South - Manjushrimitra - Yamantaka
• West - Nagarjuna - Hayagriva
• North - Prabhahasti - Vajrakilaya
• South-east - Dhanasamskrita - Mamo Bötong
• South-west - Vimalamitra - Düdtsi Yönten
• North-west- Rombhuguhya - Jikten Chötö
• North-east - Shantigarbha - Möpa Drakngak

They are all surrounded by all the vidyadharas of India and Tibet and the twenty-five disciples and yidam deities, dakas, dakinis and dharma protectors.

Revelations and Composed Texts Belonging to the Rigdzin Dupa Cycle

• The Gathering of Vidyādharas, the Inner Sādhana from the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse, (ཀློང་ཆེན་སྙིང་གི་ཐིག་ལེ་ལས་ནང་སྒྲུབ་རིག་འཛིན་འདུས་པ།,klong chen snying gi thig le las nang sgrub rig ‘dzin ‘dus pa), revealed by Jikme Lingpa.
  • English translation: The Gathering of Vidyādharas, the Inner Sādhana from the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse, Rigpa Translations
  • English translation: The Assemblage of Vidyadharas of Long-Chen Nying-Thig, translated by Tulku Thondup (Gangtok, 1980, revised 1991).

• Dazzling Key Points: The Vidhādharas' Manual of Concealed Instructions, from the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse (gab byang - klong chen snying gi thig le las/ gab byang gnad kyi mig tshag), revealed by Jikme Lingpa.
  • English translation: Gabjang—the Inner Mantra Practice: Dazzling Key Points—The Vidhyādhara's Manual of Concealed Instructions, Rigpa Translations.

• The Garland of Offerings of the Sixteen Vajra Goddesses: The Lute of the Gandharvas (mchod phreng - rdo rje'i lha mo bcu drug gi mchod phreng dri za'i rgyud mang), revealed by Jikme Lingpa.
  • English translation: The Garland of Offerings of the Sixteen Vajra Goddesses— The Lute of the Gandharvas, Rigpa Translations.

• The Vase of Immortal Life: The Long Life Practice (Tsedrup) of the Vidyādharas, from the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse (tshe sgrub - klong chen snying gi thig le las rig 'dzin tshe sgrub bdud rtsi bum bcud, revealed by Jikme Lingpa. (In here one also finds the Tsé Guk, the summoning of longevity)
  • English translation (partly): “The Vase of Immortal Life”——Tsédrup: the Long Life Practice of the Vidyādharas, Rigpa Translations.

• A Constant Stream of Blessings: A Prayer to the Eight Supreme Vidyādharas of India (mchog brgyad gsol 'debs - 'phags yul rig 'dzin mchog brgyad kyi gsol 'debs byin rlabs chu rgyun), by the First Dodrupchen Jikme Trinle Özer
  • English translation: Prayer to the Eight Supreme Vidyādharas of India, “A Constant Stream of Blessings” , Rigpa Translations.

• Rain of Siddhis: A Prayer to the Lineage of the Awareness Holder Assembly (rig 'dzin 'dus pa'i brgyud 'debs dngos grub char 'bebs), by the third Dodrupchen Jikme Tenpe Nyima.
  • English translation: Rain of Siddhis: A Prayer to the Lineage of Rigdzin Düpa, translated by Adam Pearcey, Rigpa Translations.

• The Vajra Sound Goddes' Offering Clouds: The Abbreviated Garland of Offerings of the Sixteen Vajra Goddesses (mchod phreng mdor bsdus - rdo rje lha mo bcu drug gi mchod phreng mdor bsdud rdo rje sgra ma'i mchod sprin), by Jamyang Khyentsé Wangpo.
  • English translation: The Abbreviated Garland of Offerings, Rigpa Translations.

• The Vajra Lute—A Brief Fulfilment for the Guru Practice Assembly of Awareness Holders (bskang sdus - klong chen snying gi thig le las bla ma rig 'dzin 'dus pa'i skong bsdus rdo rje'i rgyud mangs), by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo.
  • English translation: The Vajra Lute—A Brief Fulfilment for the Lama Rigdzin Düpa, Rigpa translations.

• Vajra Blessings: A Self-initiation for the Guru Practice Assembly of the Awareness Holders, from the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse (bdag 'jug - klong chen snying gi thig le las/ bla ma rig 'dzin 'dus pa'i bdag 'jug rdo rje'i byin 'bebs), by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.

• A Treasury of Accomplishments: A Framework for a Practice Intensive of the Maṇḍala of the Awareness Holders' Heart Practice, from the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse, by Dodrupchen Rinpoche, (klong snying rig 'dzin thugs sgrub dang 'brel ba'i dkyil 'khor sgrub mchod kyi khog dbub dngos grub gter mdzod)

• A Lake of Enjoyment [Fulfilling] All Wishes Related to the Two Accomplishments: A Framework for an Elaborate Accomplishment Practice of the Three Roots, of the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse (sgrub khog - klong chen snying gi thig le'i rtsa ba gsum gyi spros bcas sgrub mchod rgyas pa'i khog phub grub gnyis 'dod dgu'i rol mtsho), by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.

• A Small Addendum to Accomplish Amṛta for the Awareness Holders Assembly (starting with dividing the maṇḍala house) (rig 'dus bdud rtsi chig sgrub) (Longchen Nyingtik Root Volumes, Vol 4, p.77/78)

- Additional Texts according to Dodrupchen's tradition

• Blessing the Offering Substances (mchod rdzas byin rlabs)

• Blessing the Activity Vase with Bhurkuṃkūṭa (las bum dme brtsegs bsgrub pa )

• Longchen Nyingtik Preliminary Torma Drum Tradition (rnga chog skabs sngon gtor)

• Offering the White Torma According to the Bell Tradition (dril chog skabs dkar gtor)

• Longchen Nyingtik Obstructors Torma (bgegs gtor)

• Rigdzin Düpa Amṛta Offering (rig 'dus sman mchod)

• Supplementary Text for the Mantra Recitation ('dzab nyer mkho)

• The Wish-fulfilling King of Power Who Spontaneously Accomplishes the Two Aims: A Method for Bestowing the Long-life Empowerment for 'The Long Life Practice of the Awareness Holders: The Vase of Immortal Life' (rig 'dzin tshe dbang - rig 'dzin tshe sgrub bdud rtsi bum bcud kyi tshe dbang bskur thabs don gnyis lhun grub yid bzhin dbang gi rgyal po), by Dodrupchen Jikme Trinle Özer.

• Supplementary Texts for the Concluding Rituals (rjes chog nyer mkho bzhugs)

- Empowerment Texts

• The King’s Coronation Kamandalu Vase Root Empowerment, the Inner Enabling Empowerment, from the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse (rtsa dbang - klong chen snying gi thig le las/ rtsa dbang rgyal thabs spyi blugs/ nang nus pa 'jug pa'i dbang ngo'), revealed by Jikme Lingpa.

• A Necklace of Lotus Flowers: An [Empowerment manual] which is Easy to Perform, Connected with the King’s Coronation Kamandalu Vase Root Empowerment, from the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse (rtsa dbang - klong chen snying gi thig le las/ rig 'dzin 'dus pa'i rtsa dbang rgyal thabs spyi blugs kyi mtshams sbyor khyer bdes brgyan pa pad+ma'i do shal), by Chimé Tennyi Yungdrung Lingpa Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Tayé.

• A Garland of Ruby: The Empowerment for the Deities of the Assembly of Awareness Holders of the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse (lha dbang - klong snying rig 'dzin 'dus pa'i lha dbang pad+ma rA ga'i phreng ba), by Dodrupchen Jikme Trinle Özer.

• Deathless Amṛta's Innermost Heart: Instructions For Times Such as When Accumulating The Long-life Empowerment of the Assembly of Awareness Holders (snying thig tshe dbang grangs gsog - rig 'dzin tshe dbang grangs gsog sogs kyi tshe nye bar bsdud pa 'chi med bdud rtsi'i yang snying), by Abhaya.

• A Manual for Bestowing the Root Empowerment for the Assembly of Awareness Holders Composed by the Mahāsiddha Künzang Shyenphen (Dodrupchen Jikme Trinle Özer) (grub chen kun bzang gzhan phan gyis mdzad pa'i rig 'dzin rtsa ba'i dbang skur la mtshams sbyor nyung ngu rje bla mas mdzad pa)

Commentaries on Rigdzin Düpa

• The Casket of Siddhis: A Recitation Manual for 'Vidyādhara Assembly' (bsnyen yig - rig 'dzin bsnyen yig dngos grub kyi za ma tog)
  • English translation: The Casket of Siddhis, A Recitation Manual for Rigdzin Düpa, the Gathering of Vidyadharas Translated by Adam Pearcey for Rigpa Translations, 2006. Amended and first published on Lotsawa House, 2015.

• Crucial Points on the Visualisation of 'The Long Life Practice (Tsedrup) of the Vidyādharas' (tshe sgrub dmigs gnad - rig 'dzin tshe sgrub dmigs gnad gal mdo), by Jikme Lingpa.

• Vase's Elixer of Immortal Life: An Explanation of the Empowerment of 'The Long Life Practice of the Vidyādharas' (tshe sgrub dbang bshad - tshe sgrub bdud rtsi bum bcud kyi dbang bshad), by Jikme Lingpa.

• A Mirror Reflecting Clearly the Chöpön Activities for Rigdzin Düpa (nang bsgrubs rig ‘dzin ‘dus pa’i phyag len mthong gsal me long), by Patrul Rinpoche.
  • English Translation: A Mirror Reflecting Clearly the Chöpön Activities for Rigdzin Düpa, Rigpa Translations, 2007. (now published by Gyurme Avertin, see below)
  • English translation: A Clearly Reflecting Mirror, Chöpön Activities for the Rigdzin Düpa, the Inner Sadhana of the Longchen Nyingtik Cycle, in Jigme Lingpa, Patrul Rinpoche, Khenpo Chemchok, and Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye, The Gathering of Vidyadharas: Text and Commentaries on the Rigdzin Düpa, Translated by Gyurme Avertin (Boulder: Snow Lion, 2017), page 169.

• The Words of the Vidyadhara which Bestow the Majesty of Great Bliss: A Guide to the Assembly of Awareness Holders (rig ‘dzin ‘dus pa’i zin bris rig ‘dzin zhal lung bde chen dpal ster), by Khenpo Chechok Döndrup Tsal (aka Khenpo Chöchok).
  • English Translation: The Oral Agama on the Vidyādharas which Gloriously bestows Great Bliss, translated by John Newnham, 1990.
  • English Translation: The Words of the Vidyādhara which Bestow the Majesty of Great Bliss, Rigpa Translations, 2007.
  • English Translation in: The Gathering of Vidyadharas—Text and Commentaries on the Rigdzin Düpa, translated by Gyurmé Avertin (Boston & London: Shambhala, Sept. 2017)

• The Light of the Sun and the Moon— Generation and Perfection Stages, Notes Explaning the Words of the Rigdzin Düpa, the Inner Sadhana of the Longchen Nyingtik Cycle (nang sgrub rig ‘dzin ‘dus pa’i ’bru ’grel), by Khangsar Tenpé Wangchuk (aka Tulku Tenpo).
  • English translation: The Light of the Sun and the Moon— Generation and Perfection Stages, Notes Explaning the Words of the Rigdzin Düpa, the Inner Sadhana of the Longchen Nyingtik Cycle, in Jigme Lingpa, Patrul Rinpoche, Khenpo Chemchok, and Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye, The Gathering of Vidyadharas: Text and Commentaries on the Rigdzin Düpa, Translated by Gyurme Avertin (Boulder: Snow Lion, 2017), page 95.

• Rigdzin Düpa Manual, based on oral teachings by Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, Rigpa, 1999.

• An Ocean of Siddhis: an All-encompassing Retreat Manual for the Assembly of Awareness Holders (rig 'dus bsnyen yig kun btus dngos grub rgya mtsho), by Fourth Dodrupchen Tubten Trinlé Pal Zangpo

The Empowerments of Rigdzin Düpa Given to the Rigpa Sangha

Mandala of Rigdzin Düpa, courtesy of Chatral Rinpoche

The empowerment has been given to the Rigpa sangha on many occasions, including:

• Kyabjé Dodrupchen Rinpoche, London, November 1975
• Kyabjé Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Paris, 24th April 1980
• Dzogchen Rinpoche, Santa Cruz CA, December 1985
• Kyabjé Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Rigpa London, 20th May 1987
• Kyabjé Dodrupchen Rinpoche, Brunissard, France, 22nd August 1989
• Kyabjé Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Prapoutel, 18th August 1990
• Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, Berlin, November 1991
• Kyabjé Dodrupchen Rinpoche, Dzogchen Beara, 1991, including Tsédrup and Tséguk practices
• Tulku Kalsang Rinpoche, Munich, 30th January 1994
• Khenpo Petse Rinpoche, Munich, June 1997 (?)
• Dzogchen Rinpoche, Kirchheim, December 1998
• Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, Lerab Ling, 10th August 1998
• Kyabjé Trulshik Rinpoche, San Francisco, September 1999
• Kyabjé Trulshik Rinpoche, Lerab Ling, Saturday 13th November 1999
• Dzogchen Rinpoche, Lerab Ling, 2001
• Kyabjé Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche, Rigpa London, 30th October 2002
• Kyabjé Trulshik Rinpoche, Lerab Ling, Monday 23rd June 2003
• Kyabjé Trulshik Rinpoche, Kirchheim, Monday 29th December 2003
• Kyabjé Trulshik Rinpoche, Lerab Ling, Saturday 10th December 2005
• Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche, Boudhanath, Nepal, 24 March 2012, using Jamgön Kongtrul's arrangement of the empowerment for the Longchen Nyingtik inner lama practice of Rigdzin Düpa
• Yangthang Rinpoche, Lerab Ling, 28th July 2012
• Khenchen Pema Sherab, Lerab Ling, 17 June 2019, short empowerment based on the empowerment manual by Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Tayé.

Teachings Given to the Rigpa Sangha

• Sogyal Rinpoche, Tenby retreat, UK, 18-22 April 1987.
• Khenpo Könchok Mönlam Rinpoche, San Francisco, 6-7 July 1998.
• Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, Lerab Ling, France, 8-16 August 1998.
• Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, Rigpa London, UK, 5-9 September 2001.
• Sogyal Rinpoche, Lerab Ling, France, 18-23 July 2005, during the Rigdzin Düpa Drupchö—based on Jikmé Lingpa's commentary, The Casket of Siddhis.
• Lama Chökyi Nyima, Clear Lake, USA, 3-5 December 2006.
• Sogyal Rinpoche, Lerab Ling, France, September 2007.
• Sogyal Rinpoche, Lerab Ling, France, 21 October 2009.

Further Reading

• Tulku Thondup, Hidden Teachings of Tibet (Boston: Wisdom, reprint edition 1997), 'Appendix 2: Description of Empowerment of Rig dzin Dü pa'.