Lama Tharchin Rinpoche's 9th Dechö Anniversary

We remember and honor our sublime guide Lama Tharchin Rinpoche on the 9th anniversary of Rinpoche's passing into parinirvana on July 22, 2013, the Full Moon Day of the Sixth Lunar Month. This year, according to the Tibetan lunar calendar, the parinirvana, or dechö, falls on August 12th.

Lama Tharchin Rinpoche gave the following advice at the one-year anniversary of Kyabje Dungse Thinley Norbu Rinpoche's parinirvana:

"This first year anniversary of Kyabje Dungse Rinpoche’s parinirvana is a very sad day from a relative point of view since Rinpoche’s physical form is no longer present with us. But ultimately, since Rinpoche is a totally and perfectly fully enlightened Buddha, he has no coming or going, no living or passing away, so there is actually no difference between when Rinpoche’s form was here in person and now that he has passed into parinirvana. Wherever there is faith and devotion, Rinpoche’s presence is always there.

According to our Dzogchen Great Perfection tradition, when realized masters pass away, their mind blessings transform – we call this dé-jé in Tibetan – like Garab Dorje’s direct instruction to Shri Singha after he passed. With parinirvana, sublime beings perform their different enlightened activities and that time becomes very special and valuable. Since we can receive their blessing more directly after they have passed away, it is a good time for practice. Today, doing practice together, we are all Kyabje Dungse Thinley Norbu Rinpoche’s children. I am really happy that we children can come together and I want to say thank you all. Dorsem Lama Chöpa practice, in particular, is special because Kyabje Dungse Rinpoche himself is Dorje Sempa Vajrasattva. Our Vajrasattva practice is a direct connection to Kyabje Dungse Rinpoche. Also, just before he passed away in his own vajra words of advice, Rinpoche recommended that we do Dorsem Lama Chöpa practice.

Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche compiled this Dorsem Lama Chöpa, a special offering guru yoga of Vajrasattva based on the first Mindroling Terdak Lingpa’s treasure. The lama is always the root of all blessings. Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche perfectly arranged this Guru Yoga practice for how to make offerings to the lama and receive our lama’s direct blessings, especially through dak-juk self-empowerment. Therefore, I’m requesting that we all do this special practice together for the parinirvana.

Whether we receive blessings or not is one hundred percent based on keeping pure samaya as much as possible. With Vajrasattva practice, we view all phenomena’s forms as Vajrasattva’s wisdom body, all kinds of sound as Vajrasattva’s wisdom speech, and all of our thoughts and concepts as inseparable with Vajrasattva’s wisdom mind. In this way, we can accomplish our practice quickly. Kyabje Dungse Rinpoche is himself Vajrasattva, so for us, if we practice Vajrasattva inseparable from Kyabje Dungse Rinpoche, we will receive his blessings much more directly and faster.

Thank you so much. Please practice well."   

(edited excerpt from Lama Tharchin Rinpoche, December 15, 2012)

In this video excerpt from Lama Tharchin Rinpoche's teaching series on the Dorsem Lama Chopa, he introduces Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche's practice of Vajrasattva Dorsem Lama Chopa and explains why he felt it was important to give teachings on it at the time following Dungse Thinley Norbu Rinpoche's passing into parinirvana. Lama Tharchin Rinpoche considered it his personal gong-dzok (fulfilling the enlightened intent of one's lama after their passing) and the best technique of guru yoga to keep our lama's wisdom presence inseparably with our mind.

To help support our Vajrasattva practice, we are pleased to offer a new recording of the Vajrasattva Meditation Ritual for Daily Practice (Dorsem Drub T’hab or Ka-Ter Dorsem), chanted by Rinpoche’s longtime student Sarah Beasley. You can stream and download the recording on SoundCloud. You’ll find more Vajrasattva daily practice recordings, the Hundred Syllable Mantra, and a recording of Rinpoche reciting the Excellent Treasure Vase of Blessings guru yoga practice as well. Find more on our SoundCloud page.

Practice Texts:

Vajrasattva Daily Practice PDF

Dorsem Lama Chopa (Chariot of Great Merit) PDF

Ka-Ter Dorsem (found in the Vajrasattva Practices for the Time of Death) PDF

Excellent Treasure Vase of Blessings PDF 

Please join all of us connected with Lama Tharchin Rinpoche in practicing together on these special days of the solar and lunar anniversaries. 

Vajrayana Foundation with Tulku Jamyang Rinpoche and Lama Sonam Tsering Rinpoche are hosting the Vajrasattva Dorsem Lama Chopa practice at Pema Osel Ling and online on August 12, 2022. Please visit their website for information on attending as well as how to connect through making offerings.

The Tsogyal Center with Lama Dechen Yeshe Wangmo & Jnanasukha Foundation is hosting online events with Vajrasattva Ka-Ter Dorsem practice on July 22 and Lama Tharchin Rinpoche's "Excellent Treasure Vase of Blessings" Guru Rinpoche Guru Yoga practice on August 12th. Visit their website for details.

Photos: Lama Tharchin Rinpoche at Namo Buddha, Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, December 2008 (Nikko Odiseos); Tulku Jamyang Rinpoche & Lama Sonam Tsering Rinpoche in front of Lama Tharchin Rinpoche's throne, Pema Osel Ling, 2021 (Sonam Famarin); Lama Tharchin Rinpoche with Lama Dechen Yeshe Wangmo, Bodhi Tree, Honolulu, Hawaii, 2011 (Myron Berney)

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