Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
Encyclopedia
Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche is a teacher (lama
) of the Bon Tibet
an religious tradition. He is founder and director of the Ligmincha Institute and several centers named Chamma Ling, organizations dedicated to the study and practice of the teachings of the Bon tradition.
. At the age of thirteen, he began dzogchen
training from both Buddhist and Bon teachers. He began an eleven year traditional course of instruction at Bonpo Monastic Center and in 1986 attained the degree of Geshe
, the highest academic degree of traditional Tibetan culture. That same year, Tenzin Wangyal began employment at the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives
in Dharamsala, India
.
In 1988 he began to teach in Italy at the invitation of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu
. In 1991, he was awarded a Rockefeller Fellowship
at Rice University
in Houston, Texas. A second Rockefeller Fellowship followed in 1993.
Tenzin Wangyal has chosen to stay in the United States and teach ancient Bon traditions to Western students.
Tenzin Wangyal has an interest in the interpretation, control and application of dream
s and has written fairly extensively on lucid dreaming
and dream yoga
as well as Dzogchen in Bon tradition.
Lama
Lama is a title for a Tibetan teacher of the Dharma. The name is similar to the Sanskrit term guru .Historically, the term was used for venerated spiritual masters or heads of monasteries...
) of the Bon Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
an religious tradition. He is founder and director of the Ligmincha Institute and several centers named Chamma Ling, organizations dedicated to the study and practice of the teachings of the Bon tradition.
Life
Tenzin Wangyal's parents fled the Chinese invasion of Tibet and soon after he was born in Amritsar, IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. At the age of thirteen, he began dzogchen
Dzogchen
According to Tibetan Buddhism and Bön, Dzogchen is the natural, primordial state or natural condition of the mind, and a body of teachings and meditation practices aimed at realizing that condition. Dzogchen, or "Great Perfection", is a central teaching of the Nyingma school also practiced by...
training from both Buddhist and Bon teachers. He began an eleven year traditional course of instruction at Bonpo Monastic Center and in 1986 attained the degree of Geshe
Geshe
Geshe is a Tibetan Buddhist academic degree for monks...
, the highest academic degree of traditional Tibetan culture. That same year, Tenzin Wangyal began employment at the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives
Library of Tibetan Works and Archives
The Library of Tibetan Works and Archives ' is a Tibetan library in Dharamsala, India. The library was founded by His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama on June 11, 1970 and is considered one of the most important libraries and institutions of Tibetan works in the world.The library...
in Dharamsala, India
Dharamsala
Dharamshala or Dharamsala is a city in northern India. It was formerly known as Bhagsu; it is the winter seat of government of the state of Himachal Pradesh and the district headquarters of the Kangra district....
.
In 1988 he began to teach in Italy at the invitation of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu
Chogyal Namkhai Norbu
Chögyal Namkhai Norbu is a Dzogchen teacher who was born in Derge, Kham district on 8 December 1938. When he was two years old, Namkhai Norbu was recognized as the 'mindstream emanation', a tulku, of the great Dzogchen teacher, Adzom Drugpa , at five he was also recognized as a mindstream...
. In 1991, he was awarded a Rockefeller Fellowship
Rockefeller Foundation
The Rockefeller Foundation is a prominent philanthropic organization and private foundation based at 420 Fifth Avenue, New York City. The preeminent institution established by the six-generation Rockefeller family, it was founded by John D. Rockefeller , along with his son John D. Rockefeller, Jr...
at Rice University
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
in Houston, Texas. A second Rockefeller Fellowship followed in 1993.
Tenzin Wangyal has chosen to stay in the United States and teach ancient Bon traditions to Western students.
Tenzin Wangyal has an interest in the interpretation, control and application of dream
Dream
Dreams are successions of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. The content and purpose of dreams are not definitively understood, though they have been a topic of scientific speculation, philosophical intrigue and religious...
s and has written fairly extensively on lucid dreaming
Lucid dreaming
A lucid dream is a dream in which one is aware that one is dreaming. The term was coined by the Dutch psychiatrist and writer Frederik van Eeden . In a lucid dream, the dreamer can actively participate in and manipulate imaginary experiences in the dream environment. Lucid dreams can seem real and...
and dream yoga
Dream yoga
Dream Yoga or Milam — the Yoga of the Dream State are a suite of advanced tantric sadhana of the entwined Mantrayana lineages of Dzogchen...
as well as Dzogchen in Bon tradition.
External links
- The Ligmincha Institute, founded in 1992 by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
- Chamma Ling Retreat Center of Crestone, Colorado, founded in 2004.
- The Lishu Institute India, founded in 2006
- The Three Doors founded in 2010
- Audio Interview Series on Buddhist Geeks