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Jigme Lingpa: Questions

Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 2:14 am
by kirtu
Is there a namthar for Jigme Lingpa or a conventional biography? His life seems somewhat obscured by the hagiography: he entered a monastery at an early age but seems to have been considered unremarkable then he has a vision of Logchen Rabjam at 28 during a three year retreat, following which he enters another three year retreat and apparently records the visionary teachings that he receives. However Sam van Schaik says in "Sun and Moon Earrings: The Teachings Received by 'Jigs-med Gling-pa" (pdf):
After completing this retreat, 'Jigsmed Gling-pa moved into a monastery, which henamed Tshe-ring-ljongs Padma 'Od-gsal Theg-mchog-gling, which had been constructed for him by disciples who had gathered during the years of his retreats.


How did he acquire students during the retreats? Did the Logchen Nyingtig teachings just become overwhelmingly popular? AH - "The Treasury of Lives" says
During his second retreat Jigme Lingpa wandered the Chimpu valley giving teachings to an increasing number of disciples and highly placed patrons.
Thanks!

Kirt

Re: Jigme Lingpa: Questions

Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 4:32 am
by Yudron
Apparitions of the Self: The Secret Autobiographies of a Tibetan Visionary- A Translation and Study of Jigme Lingpa's Dancing Moon in the Water and Dakki's Grand Secret Talk

http://www.amazon.com/Apparitions-Self- ... gme+lingpa

Re: Jigme Lingpa: Questions

Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 11:04 am
by yegyal
If you read Tibetan there's a readily available book (as opposed to pecha) version that has the outer, inner, and secret bios collected together. Otherwise, it was during his first retreat that he received in a vision/dream what he would eventually name the Longchen Nyingthig, and in his second retreat that he had a series of three visions of Longchen Rabjam. And besides Apparitions of the Self, I would recommend Van Schaik's Approaching the Great Perfection.

Re: Jigme Lingpa: Questions

Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 12:30 pm
by kirtu
Thanks yegyal and Yudron!

I will see if I can get "Apparitions" and "Approaching the Great Perfection" from the local libraries.

Jigme Lingpa apparently became extremely popular and gained royal support at Dege as a result of his public teachings during his second retreat. But there is no hint of opposition or criticism of his terms as was recorded for Chogyur Lingpa and Pema Lingpa. I would have expected some pushback as he appears to have not had a high status as a getsul. I am reading his "Treasury of Precious Qualities" - a unique poetic exposition. While it encompasses the traditional preliminary teachings, presentation in poetic form has a different impact than that of the prose WOMPT, "The Three Visions", or "Buddhahood in the Palm of Your Hand". Did Jigme Lingpa become noted as a poet as a getsul or just after his first retreat?

Thanks!

Kirt

Re: Jigme Lingpa: Questions

Posted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 7:04 pm
by Yudron
kirtu wrote:Thanks yegyal and Yudron!

I will see if I can get "Apparitions" and "Approaching the Great Perfection" from the local libraries.

Jigme Lingpa apparently became extremely popular and gained royal support at Dege as a result of his public teachings during his second retreat. But there is no hint of opposition or criticism of his terms as was recorded for Chogyur Lingpa and Pema Lingpa. I would have expected some pushback as he appears to have not had a high status as a getsul. I am reading his "Treasury of Precious Qualities" - a unique poetic exposition. While it encompasses the traditional preliminary teachings, presentation in poetic form has a different impact than that of the prose WOMPT, "The Three Visions", or "Buddhahood in the Palm of Your Hand". Did Jigme Lingpa become noted as a poet as a getsul or just after his first retreat?

Thanks!

Kirt
Jigme Lingpa, Longchenpa, Mipham and Dudjom Rinpoche are the greatest writers of the Nyingma tradition. However, I don't know whether you can separate out being noted as a poet and being noted as a great lama. Many of Longchenpa's great works were presented in verse, and as an emanation of Longchenpa one would imagine texts would come forth that way for him as well.

The queen of Dege became Jigme Lingpa's patron became aware of him possibly through his secret biographies, which were already written by the time she became his student (After his second retreat and discovery of the LN), but more likely--says Janet Gyatso--through word of mouth coming from his discussions with his lama and close disciples. The 450 page outer biography was not written until after she met him.

His lama wrote him a letter verifying the authenticity of his treasures, the regional royalty were his students. With that kind of support, people are not going to question his terma. Also, if my memory is correct, he did not do the big public treasure revealments, with crowds and so forth, the way Pema Lingpa and others did... which are always bound to raise a few eyebrows.

Re: Jigme Lingpa: Questions

Posted: Mon Oct 16, 2023 3:15 am
by KonchogUrgyenNyima
yegyal wrote: Mon Apr 01, 2013 11:04 am If you read Tibetan there's a readily available book (as opposed to pecha) version that has the outer, inner, and secret bios collected together. Otherwise, it was during his first retreat that he received in a vision/dream what he would eventually name the Longchen Nyingthig, and in his second retreat that he had a series of three visions of Longchen Rabjam. And besides Apparitions of the Self, I would recommend Van Schaik's Approaching the Great Perfection.
Was reading through this old thread wondering: does anyone know where I can find this Tibetan book?

Re: Jigme Lingpa: Questions

Posted: Thu Nov 02, 2023 9:29 pm
by ThreeVows
Yudron wrote: Mon Apr 01, 2013 7:04 pm Jigme Lingpa, Longchenpa, Mipham and Dudjom Rinpoche are the greatest writers of the Nyingma tradition.
I think Rongzom has to be in here.