Khenpo Namdrol 2008 Teachings on Buddha Nature

Khenchen Namdrol teaching at the Rigpa Shedra East 2008 / 2009 in Pharping

Khenchen Namdrol Rinpoche is currently teaching the Rigpa Shedra on Mipham Rinpoche's work on buddha nature (Skt. sugatagarbha): The Lion's Roar: A Commentary on Sugatagarbha.

We will update this page on a daily basis with recordings of the teachings as we progress. The recordings contain the Tibetan teaching and its live English translation.

Recorded during Shedra East 2008-2009 in Pharping, Nepal

Khenchen Namdrol and Gyurmé the translator

Study Material

Douglas Duckworth has recently published an English translation of the text we are studying:

• Douglas Duckworth, Mipam on Buddha-Nature. The Ground of the Nyingma Tradition, State University of New York Press, 2008. ISBN 978-0-7914-7521-8. The translation is contained in Appendix 1.

The Tibetan is contained in Mipham Rinpoche's collected works (gsung 'bum), Volume pod 4 pa

• bde gshegs snying po'i stong thun chen mo seng ge'i nga ro p. 563-608. See TBRC

The Lion's Roar: A Commentary on Sugatagarbha

By Jamgön Mipam Rinpoche

Prologue

• 1st teaching, 16-Dec-2008: How is buddha nature taught in sutra, tantra and Dzogchen?
  online: 20081216PH0930KN.mp3

Introduction

• 2nd teaching, 17-Dec-2008: Our teacher the Buddha has taught on buddha nature emphazising sugatagarbha's essence (ngo bo) by teaching on emptiness. On other occasions, he gave clarifications on its nature (rang bzhin) by explaining its primordially present qualities. It is crucial to understand that those two aspects are in union.
  online: 20081217PH0930KN.mp3
  See Tibetan: Mipham gsung 'bum, Vol 4., p. 564-565. English: Duckworth, p.147-148

• 3rd teaching, 18-Dec-2008: Accuracy of scriptures can be examined by the three types of investigation and understanding establishes irreversible trust by means of the three types of valid cognition. How can buddha nature (tathagatagarbha) be established in this way, as being empty in essence while cognizant in nature?
  online: 20081218PH0930KN.mp3
  See Tibetan: Mipham gsung 'bum, Vol 4., p. 566-567. English: Duckworth, p.148-149

A. Proof of the Presence of the Tathagatagarbha in all Sentient Beings

The Uttaratantra Shastra says:

Because the perfect buddhas’s kaya is all-pervading,
Because reality is undifferentiated,
And because they possess the potential,
Beings always have the buddha nature.