Roaring Silence

Roaring Silence
Discovering the Mind of Dzogchen
By Ngakpa Chögyam (Ngak’chang Rinpoche) and Khandro Déchen

This is a guide for anyone wanting to deepen their meditation practice and a key text for Aro students. It discusses in depth the preparation practices for Dzogchen (which include shi-nè and lhatong meditation) and gives an introduction to Dzogchen itself.

"Chogyam and Dechen are western lineage holders in the Dzogchen tradition of the Aro-ter. Their book sets out this simple, yet difficult, theory/practice with uncommon clarity, from initial preparations on through to direct perception. Chogyam and Dechen write with sparkling intelligence. In many ways, then, this is the best single introduction to the Dzogchen path. Recommended to all with an interest in Buddhism or comparative soteriology." — Kidder Smith

For more information about Roaring Silence please see http://arobuddhism.org/books/wisdom-eccentrics.html and for other books, please see http://arobuddhism.org/community/aro-books.html

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The Drala Jong project seeks to create a home for the Aro gTér Lineage. Please see the Appeal page for more information about the Drala Jong project and how to help.

Retreat Centre Appeal : A home for elderly practitioners

A home for elderly practitioners

Buddhist practitioners who evolve to the point where they become teachers, normally have care available until they pass away.

Other knowledgeable and experienced ordained practitioners however, never become full time teachers and therefore lack the care of personal students.

We therefore intend to provide a venue in which the elderly ordained could be available to others in exchange for accommodation in an environment conducive to practice.

Several senior practitioners in the Aro Tradition have already committed to moving to the area in which Drala Jong will be established, so that they can contribute their time, knowledge and energy to the development of the Centre.

When so many elderly people grow old and die in isolation – the need to reverse this trend by creating a vibrant Buddhist community in and around the Retreat Centre is paramount.

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The Drala Jong project seeks to create a home for the Aro gTér Lineage. Please see the Appeal page for more information about the Drala Jong project and how to help.

Spectrum of Ecstasy

Spectrum of Ecstasy
The Five Wisdom Emotions According to Vajrayana Buddhism
By Ngakpa Chögyam (Ngak’chang Rinpoche) and Khandro Déchen

Spectrum of Ecstasy describes the Dzogchen view of emotions, emotional pain and pleasure – and the liberation of emotions. It is valuable reading for anyone interested in human psychology according to Dzogchen and a must-read for everybody seriously interested in the Aro gTér Lineage. The book is suited for experienced meditators as well as for beginners on the Buddhist path.

For more information about Spectrum of Ecstasy please see http://arobuddhism.org/books/spectrum-of-ecstasy.html and for other books, please see http://arobuddhism.org/community/aro-books.html
 

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The Drala Jong project seeks to create a home for the Aro gTér Lineage. Please see the Appeal page for more information about the Drala Jong project and how to help.

Retreat Centre Appeal : Why a retreat centre?

Why a Retreat Centre?

Ngak’chang Rinpoche and Khandro Déchen, along with their teaching students, have offered public teachings and training on a wide range of subjects at many rented venues over the years. Now we are looking for a permanent home for our tradition, to make it more readily accessible to Buddhists and to those many non-Buddhists interested in elements of Buddhist practice, psychology, and philosophy.

This centre will bear the name ‘Drala Jong’ – ‘Sparkling Meadow of Primal Iridescence’ – and will become the primary teaching venue for our spiritual directors.

We have no grand aims for changing the world rapidly. Such proposals tend to be naïve. We aspire rather, to have an influence in terms of how we live, and how we make our tradition available.

Historically Sang-ngak-chö-dzong has rented venues, so access to qualified teachers and teachings is limited to short spaces of time – or else only indirectly through books and articles. There is no opportunity for people to simply call, or visit to ask questions. The vast array of Buddhist inspirational objects in the possession or care of our organisation cannot be on open display, due to their number, size, and the care required to preserve artefacts – some of which are a thousand years old. Since most hired venues are profit-making ventures, costs borne by event attendees are inflated and smaller specialised events not financial viable. A permanent home will open up many more possibilities for us to be of benefit to the interested public.

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The Drala Jong project seeks to create a home for the Aro gTér Lineage. Please see the Appeal page for more information about the Drala Jong project and how to help.

Wearing the Body of Visions

Wearing the Body of Visions
By Ngakpa Chögyam (Ngak’chang Rinpoche)

Wearing the Body of Visions is a unique overview of Tantric Buddhism. Ngak’chang Rinpoche abandons the didactic expository style of most books on Tantra. Instead, he adopts language that is poetic, electric, evocative, experiential, unconstrained and unconventional. This is the style of Tantra itself: Rinpoche writes Tantra rather than writing about Tantra.

The title of the book refers to one of its main topics – a central practise of Tantra. ‘Wearing the body of visions’ is envisionment or self-arising, in which one experiences oneself as an enlightened being (yidam). This chapter of the book gives a better sense than anything else available in English of what it is like to practise envisionment. A related chapter discusses empowerment, a prerequisite for yidam practice.

For more information about Wearing the Body of Visions please see http://arobuddhism.org/books/wearing-the-body-of-visions.html and for other books, please see http://arobuddhism.org/community/aro-books.html
 

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The Drala Jong project seeks to create a home for the Aro gTér Lineage. Please see the Appeal page for more information about the Drala Jong project and how to help.

Retreat Centre Appeal : Introduction

Rôle Models

People endeavour to improve the world in different ways: through improvements in diet, physical and mental health, housing, and education. Our approach encourages joyful interpersonal relationships. Happy marital relationships ensure that children grow up in an atmosphere free of mutual psychological damage.

Although we are a Buddhist charity, our teachings are open to anyone. At heart, the logic of our tradition is simple: world peace begins in the family. If children have positive rôle models in terms of their parents’ relationship, they are more likely to grow up as kind balanced individuals. This provides a self-perpetuating positive influence upon the world.

Overview

We seek to raise £500,000 to establish a permanent centre in Britain – capable of hosting residential and non-residential events, to make available a rare strand of Buddhism pertinent to Western culture in the 21st century.

We are looking to receive donations or pledges for anything from £1, up to the full cost of the centre. Please read the articles on this blog and help us if you feel moved to do so. If you remain unmoved, then we hope you simply enjoy hearing about a rare and precious strand of Buddhism and of our efforts to make it available.

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The Drala Jong project seeks to create a home for the Aro gTér Lineage. Please see the Appeal page for more information about the Drala Jong project and how to help.

Rays of the Sun

Illustrating reality: certainty, transcending causality, kindness, confidence
By Ngakpa Chögyam

In the early days of Vajrayana few Tibetan Lamas visited Britain, and eager students were often prepared to travel considerable distances to receive instruction. Yet some sought out a young Englishman recently returned from the Himalayas. Inspired by the magic and mystery of Tibet, they were keen to discover the lived meaning. Ngak’chang Rinpoche’s teachings were simple, direct, and experiential. The four evening talks contained here deal with the themes studied by everyone exploring Buddhism in depth: the four noble truths, eightfold path, causality, compassion and refuge.

 For more information about Rays of the Sun please see http://arobuddhism.org/books/rays-of-the-sun.html and for other books, please see http://arobuddhism.org/community/aro-books.html

All proceeds from the sale of this book go towards the Drala Jong appeal.
 

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The Drala Jong project seeks to create a home for the Aro gTér Lineage. Please see the Appeal page for more information about the Drala Jong project and how to help.

Retreat Centre Appeal

Sponsored by Sang-ngak-chö-dzong UK registered charity 1019886:

Supporting the preservation of non-monastic Buddhism

The Aro Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism wishes to establish a permanent centre in Britain to make this rare strand of Buddhism more accessible to people in the home country of our lineage holders Ngak’chang Rinpoche and Khandro Déchen. We intend to raise £500,000 to establish a centre capable of hosting residential and non-residential events.

This will be the fulfilment of the vision of HH Düd’jom Rinpoche, the most remarkable Tibetan Lama of the 20th Century, who gave instruction for the establishment of our organisation in 1977.

For more information, including how to support this project, please see http://arobuddhism.org/drala-jong/drala-jong-appeal.html

E-mailing the Lamas from Afar

E-mailing the Lamas from Afar
Heart Advice from Two Buddhist Teachers to Their Students
By Ngakpa Chögyam and Khandro Déchen

This book carries into the 21st century the teachings of an ancient spiritual tradition, non-monastic Vajrayana Buddhism, the vehicle of transformation and of direct essential understanding of the nature of mind, within the activities and circumstances of ordinary human life.

For more information about E-mailing the Lamas from Afar please see http://arobuddhism.org/books/emailing-the-lamas-from-afar.html and for other books, please see http://arobuddhism.org/community/aro-books.html
 

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The Drala Jong project seeks to create a home for the Aro gTér Lineage. Please see the Appeal page for more information about the Drala Jong project and how to help.