Chogyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche
Chogyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche (born 8 December 1938 in Dege, Eastern Tibet) is a teacher and master of Dzogchen, one of the teachings of Buddha. At an early age, he was recognized as the reincarnation of Adzam Drugpa, another great teacher of Dzogchen. He was later pronounced the mental manifestation (Mind Emanation) of Drug Shabdrung Rinpoche, another well known teacher.
The main teachers of Chogyal Namkhai Norbu were Changchub Dorje, Ayu Khandro and his uncles Togden Orgyen Tendzin and Jamyang Chokyi Wangchuk.
After completing his training in both Sutra and Tantra, he left Tibet and for many years taught Tibetology at the University of Napoli, Italy. Chogyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche began teaching Dzogchen in Italy in 1976, but has since organized International Dzogchen Community. The community established numerous centers (called Gars) throughout the world, the principal ones being in Italy, Venezuela, the United States, Argentina, Australia, and Russia.
Chogyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche is known to use modern technology for teaching his students. His teachings are often transmitted over the Internet as audio and video webcasts. With help of technology for synchronization the teacher 3 times per year performs Dzogchen transmission worldwide for students who find it challenging to come to a retreat.
Chogyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche has also been the author of many books relating to the subject of Dzogchen and continues to actively teach to this day.
About Dzogchen Buddhist teachings
According to some schools of Tibetan Buddhism and Bon, Dzogchen is the natural, primordial state or natural condition of every sentient being, including every human being.
Our ultimate nature is said to be pure, self-existing, all-encompassing awareness. This ‘intrinsic awareness’ has no form of its own and yet is capable of perceiving, experiencing, reflecting, or expressing all form. It does so without being affected by those forms in any ultimate, permanent way.
The analogy given by Dzogchen masters is that one’s nature is like a mirror which reflects with complete openess but is not affected by the reflections, or a crystal ball which takes on the colour of the material on which it is placed without itself being changed.
Other evocative phrases used by masters describe it as an ‘effulgence’, an ‘all-pervading fullness’ or as ‘space that is aware’. When an individual is able to maintain the rdzogs chen state continually, he or she no longer experiences dukkha, i.e., feelings of discontent, tension and anxiety in everday life.
Chogyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche (born 8 December 1938 in Dege, Eastern Tibet) is a teacher and master of Dzogchen, one of the teachings of Buddha. At an early age, he was recognized as the reincarnation of Adzam Drugpa, another great teacher of Dzogchen. He was later pronounced the mental manifestation (Mind Emanation) of Drug Shabdrung Rinpoche, another well known teacher.
The main teachers of Chogyal Namkhai Norbu were Changchub Dorje, Ayu Khandro and his uncles Togden Orgyen Tendzin and Jamyang Chokyi Wangchuk.
After completing his training in both Sutra and Tantra, he left Tibet and for many years taught Tibetology at the University of Napoli, Italy. Chogyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche began teaching Dzogchen in Italy in 1976, but has since organized International Dzogchen Community. The community established numerous centers (called Gars) throughout the world, the principal ones being in Italy, Venezuela, the United States, Argentina, Australia, and Russia.
Chogyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche is known to use modern technology for teaching his students. His teachings are often transmitted over the Internet as audio and video webcasts. With help of technology for synchronization the teacher 3 times per year performs Dzogchen transmission worldwide for students who find it challenging to come to a retreat.
Chogyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche has also been the author of many books relating to the subject of Dzogchen and continues to actively teach to this day.
About Dzogchen Buddhist teachings
According to some schools of Tibetan Buddhism and Bon, Dzogchen is the natural, primordial state or natural condition of every sentient being, including every human being.
Our ultimate nature is said to be pure, self-existing, all-encompassing awareness. This ‘intrinsic awareness’ has no form of its own and yet is capable of perceiving, experiencing, reflecting, or expressing all form. It does so without being affected by those forms in any ultimate, permanent way.
The analogy given by Dzogchen masters is that one’s nature is like a mirror which reflects with complete openess but is not affected by the reflections, or a crystal ball which takes on the colour of the material on which it is placed without itself being changed.
Other evocative phrases used by masters describe it as an ‘effulgence’, an ‘all-pervading fullness’ or as ‘space that is aware’. When an individual is able to maintain the rdzogs chen state continually, he or she no longer experiences dukkha, i.e., feelings of discontent, tension and anxiety in everday life.