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An Introduction to the White Sangha of Ngakpas and NgakmosBy Ngakpa Ga'wang (199!

The great Garuda dwelling above the crest of Kailash,She has a body shaped like a womanYet like a bird she has feather plumage and wings,

She is neither woman, nor bird, nor in between!She is the multicoloured garuda.

The turuoise dragon dwelling in space,e has the body of a snakeYet like a bird he soars in the sky!e is neither snake, nor bird, nor in between!e is the Turuoise dragon.

This ragged yogi who dwells in the mountains,"y body is clothed with robes like a monk#sYet like a layman $ have long hair.$ am neither a monk, nor a layman, nor in between!

$ am a ngakpa

Song of Ngakpa Tsodruk Rangdrol Shabka Rinpoche

The %yingma School is the oldest Tibetan &uddhist tradition. $t has two ordained sanghas'

(. the gend)n marpo * the red sangha of celibate monks and nuns.+. the gend)n karpo * the white sangha of non celibate tantric practitioners.

The white sangha g-*kar*chang*lo#i*d or ngak#phang/is a community of yogic practitioners ordained accordingto tantric samayas.0lthough we areordained, %gakpas male/and %gakmas female/ are householders and are

not bound to the same commitments as the monastic or vinaya vows of the 1ed Sangha.

%gak#phang means mantra*holding and relates to the fact that we are ordained according to Tantra rather thanSutra. G-*kar*chang*lo#i*d means long hair white skirt which accurately but perhaps rather unimaginativelydescribes our style of appearance!

2lease note, however, practitioners of all the 3ehicles of Tibetan &uddhism i.e. Sutra, Tantra etc/ may atdifferent times practice each of the vehicles but this is done from within the context of their own vehicle'scommitments.0lso there are #lay Tantrikas# and #lay &uddhists# of the %yingma school who have taken noe4ternal commitment to a particular tradition such as the ngak#phang even though they may be full time andhighly accomplished practitioners. You can often easily spot which is the %gakpa or %gakma because of theircommitment never to cut their hair which is often worn wound into a bun on top of the head!

%gagmas and %gakpas wear white shamtags skirts/, white, red and blue shawls of the yogic lineage and conch*shell spiral ear*rings5 all of which represent specific aspects of the teachings. They neverwear yellow which isassociated with the vinaya of monks and nuns.

"onks and nuns renounce worldly life, emphasising the observance of celibacy, an abstinence from alcohol andmeat and so on. %gakmas and %gakpas rely on internal renunciation rather than on e4ternal renunciation. 6etry to transmute our everyday life*circumstances as the means of practice. 1elationships with one#s partner,family, friends and colleagues at work are all regarded as the very basis of liberation and every facet of life*circumstances provides workable ground for practice

http://www.nyingma.com/artman/publish/ngakpa_root_commitments.shtmlhttp://www.nyingma.com/artman/publish/ngakpa_root_commitments.shtmlhttp://www.nyingma.com/artman/publish/ngakpa_root_commitments.shtml

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"he #oot $ommitments of a Ngakpa or NgakmoBy Ngakpa Ga'wang

Within the Nyingma and other %ineages& ngakpas and ngakmos a are committed to aoid '"he )ourteen Basic *ioations ofthe $ommitments& Which Are "o Be Guarded Against' (bsrung-bya'i damtshig rtsa-ltung bcu-bzhi!from theAnuttaratantras+

As for any and a *a,rayana teachings& authentic ineage of transmission is essentia+ Teachings cannot -e receied from a'generaised source' ike a -ook or a we-site+ Neither can one gie teachings uness they come from a specific source andone has -een gien authority to teach from the ineage hoder+ *iew& meditation and action is aways specific to the ineageof transmission and the circumstances and conte.t of the teacher/discipe reationship at that moment+ "eaching in*a,rayana is aways reaised (rather than merey interpreted! with the student as that which is appropriate and hepfu to thestudent at the student's actua stage of e.perientia deeopment and circumstances+ In that way it is dynamic+ But it is asoimpecca-y passed unsuied or diuted from each teacher to each student+ "his can ony happen if the teacher has fuyreaised that which is -eing taught+ "his is why the authority of the ineage hoder is crucia -ecause he or she there-yauthenticates the reaisation of the teacher and is the student's 'guarantee' that the teaching is itsef a reaisation of thatteaching+ "his appies e0uay to these root commitments+

)or these reasons there are many renderings of the dam/tshig -cu/-hi according to different ineages of transmission and

these are su-,ect to countess interpretations depending on the teacher& the student and his2her stage of deeopoment andother circumstances+

Athough the aoidance of the fourteen root downfas are the 'defining' ows of a ngakmos and ngakpas& how they arereceied aso aries -etween traditions& ineages and teachers+ Some& ike3arma #e,ung %ama &or some students of 445enor #inpoche& ceary receie a specific ngakphang ordinationwithin which the ows associated with the 16 #oot7ownfas are the centrepiece+ 8thers& though& receie their commitments through the damtsigs associated with thereceiing and practice of sadhanas -ut without a forma rite of passage into the ngakphang+

"hey hae interpretations according to -ody& speech and mind+ "hose of -ody and mind can ony -e gien to a studentdirecty -y a teacher and hence cannot -e attempted here+ Athough this is aso true of interpretaions according to speech

these are now so widey aaia-e that for iustration purposes one ersion wi -e attempted -eow+

"he )ourteen #oot 7ownfas are

1+ "o disparage the :aster

;+ "o transgress the three ees of ows

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9+ "o deeop dou-t in the inner doctrines of the tantras

1@+ "o hae compassion for ei -eings especiay those who harm the doctrine

11+ "o appy conceptuaisation to wordess natures

1;+ "o -eitte those who hae faith

1

4e aso descri-es the irtues of worthy students

D"he worthy students& trustfu and highy discerning& diigent& concientious& circumspect and knowedgea-e& not going-eyond (the teacher's! word& o-sering their o-igations and commitments& controed in -ody& speech and mind&compassionate and deepy concerned a-out other's we -eing& accommodating patient& generous and isionary& steady and

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deepy deoted wi aways -e mindfu of the teacher's 0uaities+ "hey wi not ook for fauts and& een if they see them&wi consider them as (hidden! 0uaities+ By thinking from the -ottom of their heart that these fauts are certainy their own(mistaken! iews and not e.isiting in (the teacher!& they use admission (of their own shortcomings! and sef/restraint ascounteragents (to their error!+

"hey re,ect eerything that may dispease the teacher and they make eery effort to to pease him+ "hey neer go againstthe teacher's word and treat those around the teacher& een if they are on good terms with them& as the teacher+ "hey do nottake the teacher's serants as their discipes& -ut wi ask them for e.panations and initiations+

In the presence of the teacher they restrain themsees in -ody speech and mind& they sit with their egs tucked under and donot turn their -acks to him+ "hey show a smiing face and do not cast angry gances nor frown upon him+

"hey wi not speak rashy& neither wi they te other's fauts nor wi they use unpeasant harsh words& nor wi they speakthoughtessy nor at random+

"hey wi not coet the teacher's utensis& and they wi dismiss a kinds of harmfu thoughts that are ike caws+ "hey winot ,udge as wrong and mistaken the teacher's arious actions and deices -ecause that which is openy done seems to -eiethe hidden intention+ "hey renounce erroneous iews that carry with them the ei and defect of finding faut witheerything& -e it eer so sma& thinking that this is inappropriate& -ut he is certainy going to do it+

When they are cross with their teacher they wi certainy e.amine their own fauts& admit them& and restrain themsees&and -owing their head they wi sincerey offer their appoogies+ "here-y they wi pease him and 0uicky achiee theiraim+

When they see their teacher& they wi get up and greet him& when he is a-out to sit down& they wi offer him a comforta-eseat and so on+ "hey wi praise him with a peasant oice and keep their hands foded+ When he waks a-out they wifoow him inm attendance and show respect+

Aways mindfu and concientious and concerned& deotedy and meeky in awe they wi stay with him+ When near theteacher& they wi -e -ashfu in -ody speech and mind ike a young -ride& not strutting a-out or -eing indoent& not takingsides& not fattering& not deceitfu& not hypocritica& neither pu-icy nor priatey showing affection or aersion to his nearand distant reaties+

If they are weathy they wi make gifts to the teacher& or -y -ody and speech wi sere him& honour him& respect himE ordismissing their preoccupations with this ife from their minds they wi pease him -y their indiidua achieements+

If others speak ei of him& they wi refute their aegations+ If they are una-e to do so& they wi again and again think ofhis 0uaities& cose their ears and in compassion gie him hep+ "hey wi not use words that do not approe of him+D

Kindly Bent to Ease Us, Part ne! Mind by "ongchenpa Translated by #erbert $ %uenther, &harma Publishing hapter (

"he reationship -etween tantric teacher and student is not necessariy a comforta-e one+ "he teacher isempty form+ "hereis no security in the reationship with your ama+ 5resenting sta-iity at the ee of form neither is nor isn't necessary forthe core commitment to proide the student with the opportunity to e.perience non duaity+ "he student -ecomes empty tothe personaity dispay of the teacher+ "he teacher manifests as the form 0uaity of emptiness and the student manifests the

emptiness 0uaity of form+ "hat is how transmission is possi-e+ No tsa/wa'i ama no transmission+

2. To transgress the three levels of vows

"his reates to the speech of the %ama+ It is esewhere ariousy e.pressed as DNot to diso-ey the instructions of the Buddhain genera and your guru specificayD and Dneer contradicting and denegrating one's ama's teachingsD+ Why pretend to -ethe discipe of a teacher for whom you hae incompete respectF 8ne earns -y asking 0uestions in the e.pectation that the%ama wi carify the situation+ If you merey pit your own iews against those of the %ama and you win& you ose -ecauseyou actuay don't hae a %ama+ It has -een said that if you see your teacher as Buddha you receie the -essings ofBuddha+ If you regard her as a great teacher you receie the -essings of a great teacher and if you see your teacher as an

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ordinary person+++++

3. To be hostile to vajra brothers and sisters

Sangha (gendun dge Hdun! has more than one meaning depending on the conte.t+ According to one fairy conentionainterpretation& particuary from Geugpa perspectie& sangha is the ordained monastic community+ 8rdained ngakpas arenot a feature of that tradition as it is entirey cei-ate+ In the conte.t of the Nyingma Schoo& sangha can -e either the

students of a particuar teacher or a those who hae eer taken teachings or empowerments from a teacher or a Buddhistpractitioners+ "antric practitioners whether ordained ngak'phang& ordained monastic or non ordained swear to cutiatepositie feeings toward other "antric practitioners and to deeop mutuay -eneficia and harmonious reationships+ It is ofprimary importance in reation to one's tsa/wa'i ama& -ut it e.tends to a with whom you hae taken empowerment+timatey it appies to a tantric practitioners+

4+ To foresake loving kindness on behalf of sentient beings

$ompassion is fundamenta to Sutra& "antra and 7ogchen and working toward the eentua i-eration of a sentient -eingsis definitie of the :ahayana (as opposed to 4inayana!+ We are encouraged to remem-er that eery iing creature&howeer oathsome or crue to us& has aso in preious ies certainy -een our mother and has made great sacrifices to feedand protect us+ We are reminded that utimatey there can -e no i-eration unti a sentient -eings are i-erated+ "heina-iity to -ear the suffering of iing -eings is the indication of compassion and if non/referentia compassion is cutiated

as the unity of openness of -eing and compassion& the resut is a mind without maice and indictieness in a its fitness andprima purity (ibid)*

5. To abandon the enlightened mind

"his is not to -ecome separated from nightenment J-yang chu- kyi semsKor the from the aspiration to nightenment(smon pa'i -yang chu- kyi sems! or Bodhichitta+ In the conte.t of 7ogchen it is the innate wakefuness of awakened mindwhich is synonymous with non/dua+ It is aso spoken of in terms of the primary creatie spatia essences known as the redand white -oddhichittas (thig/es! and is an in,unction against the o-,ectification of one's se.ua partner+

6. To disparage one's own dotirne and those related to it

"his is aso rendered as DNot to maign spiritua traditions other than the "antras& in particuar the :ahayana SutrasD+ "his isthe aoidance of 'spiritua materiaism'+ "he resoution of the apparenty contradictory renditions is that to denigrate theteachings and paths of other systems ignores the possi-iity of seeing the prinipe and function of a path for an indiiduaA tantrika needs to -e open to seeing the princpa and function of eerything+ If one understands there is no fundamentacontradiction in accepting the aue of other approaches& toerance can -e e.tended to a systems of reigion promotingkindness and awareness+

!. To div"lge serets to the immat"re

"his is aso a 0uestion of spiritua materiaism+ 5ractices and teachings re0uiring preparation are to -e resered for thosewho are ready to work with them+ Some may actuay -e harmfu if undertaken at the wrong time or in the otherwiseinauspicious circumstances+ It is -emeaning in the same way that one woudn't share the intimate detais of your se.uareationship with your partner to a stranger+ "he teaching of iew& meditation and action is aways specific to the ineage of

transmission and the circumstances of the reationship -etween teacher and discipe at that moment+ "eaching in *a,rayanais aways that which is appropriate to the studentHs stage of e.perientia deeopment+ 8utside that at -est it is information&at worst it is miseading or generay degrading of the persona treasure you hae -een gien+

#. To ab"se the five omponents whih are primordiall$ p"re

"his re0uiresthe 5ractitioner not to affict her or his own -ody or that of another with suffering or in any other way to treat itdisrespectfuy+ #egarding the fie eements of the psychophysica -ody as Limpure' or LdefiedH misunderstands*a,rayana+ Any meditation or contempation which generates disgust for the -ody is a -reakage of this ow+ Any meditationor contempation which iews physicaity as something to -e transcended& is a -reakage of this ow+ 8neHs iew of women&and of the -irth process is particuary important in this respect+ "o regard -irth in the wom- as impure& or to iew femae

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re/-irth as inferior& is a -reakage of this ow as we as the 16th *ow+ According to *a,rayana nothing is intrinsicayimpure+ According to 7ogchen eerything& and eeryone& eerywhere is intrinsicay pure+ According to the iew of :ahayoga& the human -ody is the mandaa of the 1@? peacefu and wrathfu awareness -eings+ According to Anu yoga& thehuman -ody is the dimension of r"sa& r%ung& and thig/M+ According to Ati yoga& the human -ody is the compassionatedimension of e.istence in which association and interaction are sef/fufied in their own arising+ "he Ngakphang

practitioner woud take position that if his or her iew of the -ody is not in accord with these iews this is merey her or hisduaistic distortion of intrinsic purity+ "he practitioner aoids taking su-,ectie duaism as a refection of reaity+

%. To develop do"bt in the inner dotrines of the tantras

7ou-t is perfecty appropriate when considering the step of entering the path of *a,rayana -ut& ike a snake entering a-am-oo tu-e which can ony go forwards& once the commitment to the practice of *a,rayana has -een made& the 5ractitioner

shoud not induge the deeopment of dou-t+

7ou-t wi sti arise -ut that the sensation of dou-t is regarded as a practice+ "he spirit of 0uestioning is important inBuddhism& particuary in Sutra& -ut inoement with "antra is ike marriage used to -e in the West+ "o entertaindou-ta-out oneHs -ride or -ridegroom on oneHs wedding night does not -ode we for the marriage+ 8neHs wedding night is not thetime for dou-t+ "he time for dou-t and 0uestioning ies in the phase which eads up to engagement+ "he engagement phasecan -e compared with the ngndro which eads into the actual practice*A point of interest here is that unike the traditionamarriage system where se.ua intimacy is deferred unti the wedding has taken pace& ngndro contains the actua practice+

"he parae to se.ua intimacy within ngndro is the %amaHi na,or in which a practitioner unifies with the :ind of the%ama+ %amaHi na,or is therefore ery important if the marriage with *a,rayana is not to end in diorce+ It is imperatie thatthe 5ractitioner aready has compete confidence in the %ama+ If the practitioner is not certain of this the fourteen root owsshoud not -e taken+ It woud -e far -etter neer to take the ows than to -reak them and fee+ustiied in -reaking them+8nce a 5ractitioner has -roken these ows a further attempts at practice come to nothing+ *ow -reakage does notnecessariy mean each and eery sip+ In order to -reak oneHs ows one has to do so consistenty and ithout any orm oregret+ In other words to fee ,ustified in doing so+ It is said that one can repair oneHs ows up to three years after -reakagehas occurred -ut that the a-iity to repair oneHs ows -ecomes increasingy unikey as time goes on+ )or these reasonsdou-t is regarded as a cancer to -e surgicay remoed+ If cancer can -e remoed -y chemotherapy& then we do not o-,ecttoo much to the pain or damage that chemotherapy might cause+ $ancer is ife threatening& and dou-t is aso regarded as ifethreatening+ With ife threatening diseases the most serious steps must -e taken& and one acknowedges that fact on

-ecoming a tantrika+ If a 5ractitioner is not prepared to treat dou-t as a ife threatening disease& the fourteen root owsshoud not -e taken+

Neertheess a 5ractitioner can alayscarify dou-ts with his or her %ama+ 8neHs %ama wi alays dea with oneHs dou-tsaspart o the teaching so it is important that one neer hides the dou-ts which arise+ Such dou-ts can -e a necessaryaspect of oneHs spiritua eoution& so if they are e.pored in discussion with the %ama& they -ecome the -asis for aua-einsights+ When deaing with dou-t& the commited student woud regard it as an o-ious conse0uence of duaisticconditioning& and seek methods of practice with which dou-t can -e oercome+ "o aoid Le.pressionH means that one onyoices oneHs dou-t to oneHs own %ama it does not mean that one neer e.presses any dou-t+ "o aoid repression meansthat one is open and honest with oneHs %ama it does not mean that one presents oneHs dou-ts as recrimination against the%ama& -ut that one is open to haing oneHs dou-t resoed -y the %ama+ 8ne has confidence that the %ama wi resoe oneHsdou-ts+ "o aoid dissipation means that one does not aoid oneHs dou-ts through -urying oneHs dou-ts in LorganisationaactiityH in order to -e part of the %amaHs mandaa without actuay participating in the teaching+

1&. To have ompassion for evil beings espeiall$ those who harm the dotrine

"his refers to faiing to act in a potentiay disastrous situation and spiing the heart -ood of sef/,ustification wheneer itioates one ows+ It is a faiure of one who hods the -odhisatta ow not to ki& if it saes other -eings from harm+ A

-odhisatta must act towards the i-eration of ioenty maicious -eings een if this entais destroying their physica form+"his ow must -e considered in the conte.t of the fourth ow not to foresake oing kindness on -ehaf of sentient -eings een those with negatie motiation and harmfu intentions+ Shakyamuni Buddha tod a sea captain that an act of murderhe committed was not negatie as& haing oerheard the ictim potting to ki a the others on the -oat the captainHsmotiation was compassionate in wishing to sae the ies of his fie hundred other oyagers+ 5acifism shoud not detractfrom oneHs kindness+ If the aoidance of kiing is merey cowardice and ack of deep concern for others& then faiure to actis a -reakage of oneHs ows+

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11. To appl$ onept"alisation to wordless nat"res

"his reates to the commitment to iing the iew through unity of openness of -eing and compassion+ Any of the 6phiosophica e.tremes (monism& duaism& nihiism and eternaism! which are denied in Buddhism are conentiona ways inwhich we characterise through concepts and distance oursees from Dthat which transcends conceptsD+ It is commitment toe.perience the naked nature and te.ture of reaity+

12. To belittle those who have faith

"his may -e taken not to maign 7harma practitioners& and drie -eings away from the 7harma and the "antra in particuar+An authentic practitioner wi aways -e happy to gie as much as possi-e in order to hep others+ "he principe of theimminent i-eration in onesef and other acts& in an authentic tantrika& to generate great enthusiasm around re0uests forteaching+ "he wish of others to practise shoud actuay inspire gratitude+ 8ne shoud fee great ,oy when others wish tofoow the path of *a,rayana with deotion and dedication so to refuse teaching is to competey fai to connect with

practice+ 8ny poitica/priests and poitica/priestesses act in such a way so a true tantrika or true practitioner of anyspiritua path is aways generous in making the teachings aaia-e+

13. To violate the ommitments that have been "ndertaken

"he tantrika ows not to foow purey Shraaka conduct& thus giing up the "antric actiities of the ganachakra& etc+

#efusa to partake in practices inoing the consumption of meat O acoho (su-stances commony hed to -e impureaccording to Sutra and the outer tantras! fais to appreciate the iew of "antra which transcends the pure/impure dichotomy+As a tantrika one cannot -e stricty egetarian+ Nor can a tantrika a-stain from acoho as a rue+ "antric practitioners can -eegetarian for most of the time ( to practise compassionate actiity at a reatie ee!+ Nor does a tantrika hae to drink atany other times apart from receiing the "antric offerings+ Neertheess& one shoud regard a foods and drinks offered -ythe %ama (any %ama! in the same way one woud regard the "antric offerings+ 8ne cannot stricty maintain any rue withregard to food without -reaking this ow& as any type of food may appear in a "antric tsog/khoro offerings (gana/chakra!+Any kind of food with which you are sered -y the khandro at a "antric tsog/khoro must -e eaten / whether it is found to

-e paata-e or not+ 8ne's persona food preferences or disikes must -e oerridden in the "antric tsog/khoro& or this ow is-roken+ "aken in a wider and more su-te sense& this ow appies to anything within the mandaa of oneHs %ama+ 8ne must-e open to consuming& through the senses& what eer is orchestrated -y oneHs %ama+ "he %ama may introduce the discipesto a ariety of e.periences and one shoud neer withdraw from what is offered+ 8ne wi natura eoe a sense in which

the sense fieds -ecome oneHs practice and that the %ama gie continua indications as to how one can e.pand ones sensoryision+ In terms of taking the three kayas of the %ama as the path& we are concerned with Lour obser.ationof the %amaHE -utwith the thirteenth ow we are ooking atparticipation+ 8ne cannot merey o-sere the %amaHs personaity dispay and -eopen to it as an Lincomprehensi-e dharmaH which has the potentia to cause our awakening we hae to enter into the spiritof the actiity which is -eing suggested+ We hae to enter fuy into what is -eing created for our -enefit+ If we retract intothe cosy imitations of our own preferences& the we -reak this ow+ "his does not mean that we cannot physica imitationswhich the %ama can take into account& -ut it does mean that we hae to -e enthusiasticay open to whateer offers itsefne.t in the company of the %ama+

14. To disparage women the so"re of disriminative wisdom

"he er-a& menta& or physica denigration of women -y men& or men -y women& is seriousy deprecated within "antra+)undamentay women are the source of isdom& and men are the source of method+ Within the inner tantras of a schooswomen and men must -e regarded with pure/ision as -eings who hae the innate a-iity to refect one's enightenednature+ Within the specific ows of the g/kar/chang/o& this ow e.tends to refraining from cutting the scap hair+ eryhair is regarded as em-odying the energy of the pawos (for women! and khandros (for men!+ )or men or women to mentayor er-ay denigrate each other& is to denigrate their own enightened natures+

These are interpreted with eight branh ommitments ($an lag brg$ad). The seven branhes pl"s the aro"sing of

bodhihitta whih are prinipall$ onerned with the pratie of having a onsort and with teahing the Tantras.

A of these ows are su-,ect to interpretation -y the "eacher for the needs of the student at the time+ I know ofinterpretations -y the most accompished masters which woud appear to -e entirey contradictory from the outside& for

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e.ampe in respect of the cutting of hair+

/gakpa %a'ang 0st 1une 0222

"he Importance of the Ngakpa "raditionBy *en+ %a/kar $hkyi Wangchuk #inpoche

In the degenerate era& when red faced -easts hae ruined the *a,rayana teachings& those with whiteskirts wi -enefit sentient -eingsP "hence arises the need for onghaired practitionersP A carefree -odydonning a white skirt and head adorned with -raids / this is the sky/ike appearance of the tru/kuP$arefree uncut hair / this is the sky/ike appearance of the ong/kuP $arefree iew of pure :ind / this isthe ch/ku+ Achieing the three spheres of -eing within onesef / this is the practice of 7ogchenPD-rom the Kuntuzangpo 3alpa /akpo m&o 4Kun tu b5ang po ral pa nag poi m&o) The Primordial Black6utra o 3alpachen+

It is important that the g/kar/chang/o'i/dM is maintained not merey for its own sake& -ut for thesuria of Buddhism in genera+ 5eope hae occasionay asked what rea importance there is in a setof cothesE -ecause + + + surey& 7ogchen is -eyond outer appearances+ In terms of 7ogchen (withregard to the statement that it goes -eyond outer appearances! it shoud -e understood that it was theg/kar/chang/o'i/dM who were originay the chief proponents of 7ogchen+ It was ony during theater spread of Buddhism in "i-et that peope adopted ay dress in order to practice without moestationfrom the then preaiing aggressie monastic assertieness+

"he reason now that we pace such importance on the outer appearance is a 0uestion of -odhicittarather than of essentia necessity+ If Buddhism& et aone *a,rayana Buddhism& is to surie in the West/ there must -e an aternatie to the monastic stye+ Buddhism wi neer -e esta-ished een as a minor

reigion in Western countries as ong as there are no cergy apart from monastics+ "his is why we haeto -e so scrupuous a-out our costume and the precise detais of the ows inoed+ "his is why wehae to insist on uncut hair+ Any deiation from the historica mode undermines our positioncompetey+ %et us 0uote %a/kar $hkyi Wangchuk #inpoche again Dery ordinary and e.traordinarye.istence is a manifestation of the three spheres of -eing reaised manifestationE reaised isionaryappearanceE and& unconditioned potentiaity+ "hese e.istences therefore met -ack into the same+erything emerges from the e.panse of prima purity and dissoes again into undifferentiatedastness+D When asked DWhat is so wonderfu a-out a ngakpa or ngakmaFD It was repied (in the3untuangpo #apa Nakpo m7o! D"he wondrous thing a-out the e.istence of ngakpas and ngakmas is

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that Buddhas are found in the dimension of form as the -odies of ngakpas and ngakmasP "he wondrousthing a-out ngakpas and ngakmas is that Buddhas are found in the dimension of isionary appearanceas the speech of ngakpas and ngakmasP "he wondrous thing a-out ngakpas and ngakmas is thatBuddhas are found in the dimension of emptiness as the :inds of ngakpas and ngakmasP 4ence it iswondrous to find a Buddha within the e.panse of the three spheres of -eing which are none other thanthe three doors of -ody speech and :indPD

We hae neer spoken in such grandio0uent terms a-out the g/kar/chang/o'i/dME and& of course& such0uotations appy ony to great masters+ We simpy adocate the g/kar/chang/o as a way of integratingwith ife in the West / a way of making working famiy ife a method of practice that can inspire others+4oweer& if you read te.ts on the appearance of monks& you wi find simiar honorifics to thoseempoyed in the description of the ngakphang sangha+ So it is not the indiidua duaistic -eing who is-eing honoured& -ut the appearance+ "he appearance is the practice and the gift to others who witnessthe appearance+

#emoing the darkness of ignorance / the suddeny arising song which deciphers the sym-os of theyogis and yoginis three secrets D"ho/,ung u/hM na,or sar/sum da dr/thM tshom/mun se/hug soD

("ho -yung g%u gQhas rNa -yor gSar gSum -r7a Gro the tshom mun se -Qhugs so!+ "he te.t-egins -y inoking the ineage in a ery -road sense / a stye which crosses ineages in order to speakof a non/monastic sangha in a schoos+ 3Rnang "o-den Wangpo -egins his teaching as foows D"othe eighty four mae and femae mahasiddhas of IndiaE to 5admakara and the twenty fie discipesE tothe succession of g"Mrtns& and to the )ather and son ineage of :arpa and :iarMpa+ I pay myprofound and one/pointed respectPD 4e continues -y e.paining that D+ + + peope's concepts aree.tremey gross+ "hey ask me with derision 'Who are youF What e.acty is your iew and teachingFWhy is your stye of dress and -ehaiour disharmonious with monastic reigious conentionF' 4e giesdetai of his parents& -ut their names are sym-oic of his reaisation+ 4e says D:y mother's name is4eroine of WisdomE my father's is 4ero of Supreme :ethod+D "his means that his :ind was -orn fromthe non/dua state+ 4is mother's name signifies reaised emptinessE his father's& reaised form+ 4e istheir son+ #igpa+ 4e then speaks of his ife D$urrenty I ,ourney through mountain ranges drinkingfrom springs and sucking stones& or ese I hum songs of e.perience and reaisation+ "hen I come upontowns& and stro as I may through its streets e.pressing cray wisdom+ I drink chang and eat meat inactuaisation of my connection with the pawos and khandros+ I sing songs of ,oy and happiness in orderto actuaise reaisation in others+ "his is pro-a-y the reason you find me disharmonious+D 4ereigdin 3Rnang "o-den Wangpo creates another ignette of emptiness and form& in which themountain ranges are emptiness and the towns are form+ 4e wanders through either withoutdistinguishing them as different+ In this way he is disharmonious with those who need to retire from theword in order to foow a spiritua practice+ "he ery nature of his ife is the practice of 7ogchen inwhich emptiness and form are unified+ "he reference to sucking stones is connected with 7ogchenchu/en& (-$ud en! in which one can e.ist for ong periods of time without haing to rey on food+ It isirreeant to him whether he e.periences the emptiness of chu/en or the form of tsog+ 4e is notattached to the puritanica image as a yogi who maintains harsh spiritua austerities / -oth haing andnot haing are the non/dua e.perience that characterises the 7ogchen yogi or yogini+ 4e makes thise.picit -y commenting on his dress in the foowing way In the same way the otus is uncontaminated-y the sime in which it grows& so ngakpas wear white coth -ecause they are uncontaminated -yconcepts of impurity+

#igdin 3Rnang "o-den Wangpo says of hair D7ark %ustrous hair descri-es the ngakpas sphere ofunconditioned potentiaityP 4air ornaments descri-e the ngakpas sphere of reaised isionaryappearancesP Immeasura-e mats of hair descri-e the ngakpas sphere of reaised manifestationP )ifty

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matted -raids of hair descri-es the ngakpas sku as the seat of the wrathfu yidamsP "he countessstrands are khandros+ If one winds ones hair into a top knot it is the e.0uisite ornament of the ngakpaPIf one ets one's hair fa oose& it is the spendid stye of the ngakpaP If it is wrapped around theforehead it protects against sun and codP If it is whipped on the ground it a-oishes enemies ando-structionsP It is from within the conte.t of this history& that the present manifests+ It is upon thishistory& that the future wi -e -ased+ + + + monks and nuns wear three monastic ro-es& and ngakphang

practitioners wear their ngakphang dress+ Both are e0uay foowers of Buddha+ Both styes of dressare e0ua+ "herefore -oth styes of dress wi hae a purpose and -e meaningfu& or they wi notP

"here were many thousands of ngakphang practitioners in "i-et up unti the 11th $entury& -utthereafter the g/kar/chang/o'i/dM -egan to diminish and femae practitioners in particuar were forcedinto the -ackground+ "his was the time in which the arge monastic institutions arose& and from thattime onward the g/kar/chang/o'i/dM were forced out of centra "i-et into 3ham Amdo and Gook+:any went to the -order areas of "i-et ,ust as the Bn practitioners had done -efore them+ "his was thetime when they -egan to ie in remote iages in order to continue their practises+ "hey woud ieanywhere sufficienty far from the arge monastic institutions+ It woud seem that the disparaging term'iage ngakpa' came from that period& as a way of diminishing respect gien to the ngakphang sanghain paces where the monasteries had ess infuence+ "he Nyingmas appear to hae made the decision ofadopting a stronger monastic form in order to surie in the period of the ater spreadE and through sodoing& graduay ost many of their origina argey non/monastic characteristics+ 8ne can see thismonastic emphasis in the way in which many of the great Nyingma %amas are depicted as monks&when they were patenty non/cei-ate+ 8# $8S": WAS 5#S$#IB7 BC5A7:ASA:B4A*A+ It was specified -y 5admasam-haa that the monastic sangha shoud wearyeow and red+ 4e said they shoud eat the ngar/sum/kar/sum (the three sweets and three whites! andthat they shoud not eat meat or drink acoho+ "his woud seem to hae changed with the passing oftime& -ecause there now seems to -e no restriction against monks and nuns eating meat+5admasam-haa said that the g/kar/chang/oi/dM shoud either wear -ack& or wear white& red& and-ue+ 4e said they shoud eat meat and drink acoho and make a the sense fieds their sphere ofpractice without artificiay discriminating -etween pure and impure+ G/3A#/$4ANG/%8 ISBAS7 8N 5#I:8#7IA% WIS78:+ "he g/kar/chang/oi/dM traditions were a -ased on yeshM (yeshes / ,nana / primordia wisdom! and that it was therefore ery important neer to fa into any kind ofpure 2 impure dichotomy+ It was -ecause of this emphasis on yeshM that the ater monastics fet o-igedto dismiss the g/kar/chang/oi/dM+ 4e said that their perspectie ed them to imagine that the g/kar/chang/oi/dM regarded themsees as superior and a-oe the aw of karma+ 4e said that the -uiders ofmonasteries were una-e to comprehend that the g/kar/chang/oi/dM had no interest in ,udging otherpractitioners at a& and so were 0uite innocent of the iew with which they were credited+ "here wasconsidera-e ,eaousy inoed on the part of the power seeking faction of the new transation schoo&in terms of access to the "antras+ "he monastic supremacist moement of that time wished to controaccess to the "antric practices and the g/kar/chang/oi/dM were a threat inasmuch as they ied their"antric practice 0uite oerty+ In order to maintain power and contro& they emphasised Sutra oer"antra& and made "antra the soe prociity of monastics+

In the time of 5admasam-haa and CeshM "sogye& the g/kar/chang/o'i/dM were a-e to drink acohowithout any detrimenta effect on their -odies at a& -ut in these days it is e.tremey rare+

$en* "a-kar h7kyi 8angchuk 3inpoche is a /yingma /gakpa and an incarnation in the amily clan o

3atna "ingpa

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#emoing the 7arkness of 7ou-tBy #igdin 3unang "o-den Angpo& aso known as $hagpa 7or,e

9 am grateul to $en "ama Tharchin 3inpoche and to the $a+rayana :oundation or the olloing

translation o a te;t originating rom 3igdzin Kunzang Tobden

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-ody to sym-oise -eing uncontaminated -y the stain of defiements+

"he topknot is tied on the head as the sym-o that Buddha *airocana and 7hatishari and so forth&with the dakas and dakinis of the -uddha famiy are sef/manifested and spontaneousy present in the channe eafs of the en,oyment whee/the neck of the a,ra -ody+

A precious ong garand adorns the heart as the sym-o that Buddha Aksho-hya and :amaki and soforth& with the dakas and the dakinis of the a,ra famiy are sef/manifested and spontaneousy presentin the ? channe eafs of the dharma whee/the heart of the a,ra -ody+

A siken sash -et and a goden and copper amuet adorns the yogi as the sym-o that Buddha#atnasam-haa and the Great :other %ocana and so forth& with the dakas and the dakinis of the ratnafamiy are sef/manifested and spontaneousy present in the >6 channe eafs of the whee of

emanation/the nae of the a,ra -ody+

A ceestia phur-a e.0uisitey adorns the waist as the sym-o that Buddha Amoghasiddhi and Samaya/tara and so forth& with the dakas and the dakinis of the karma famiy are sef/manifested andspontaneousy present in the ;? channe eafs of the whee of retaining ecstasy/the secret pace of thea,ra -ody+

)urthermore& the dark cooured ustrous hair sym-oises the nature of the dharmakaya ama+"he hair adorned with sik and ,ewes sym-oise the nature of the sam-hogakaya ama+ "heimmeasura-e mats of hair sym-oise the compassion of the nirmanakaya ama+

"ying the hair knot on the top of the head sym-oises meditating on the ama Insepara-y upon the topof your head+

"he =? dreadocks are the paces where the rakta drinkers reside+

"he countess tiny mats of hair are the pace where the ten miion one hundred thousand dakinis reside+

If you make a top knot it is the e.0uisite ornament of the yogi+

If it fas oose it is the spendid stye of the yogi+

If wrapped around the forehead it is a method to protect against sun and cod+

If it is whipped on the ground it wi a-oish enemies and o-structers+

"he yogi's eyes gae into space sym-oising

8utwardy& apparent e.istence is the deity and the immeasura-e paace+Inwardy& carrying the union of appearance and emptiness on the path+

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Secrety& reaching the point of pristine awareness which is emptiness+

A conch earring adorned with god and tur0uoise danges in the earo-e sym-oising

8utwardy& istening to the specia instructions of the profound dharma+Inwardy& recognising that a sounds are mantra+

Secrety& reaising a sounds are emptiness and un-orn+

5recious -one -raceets adorn the im-s sym-oising

8utwardy& the four gate keepers who defend from ei spirits ando-structers+Inwardy& taming -eings through the four immeasura-es+Secrety& the four sacred -odies are competey actuaised+A finger ring decorated with fie ,ewes is worn on the eft ring finger -ecause from the ring finger theife support force wanders away and aso there is a ein that demonic spirits and o-structers enterwithin+ It sym-oises

8utwardy& guarding the entrance of the ein+Inwardy& cutting through agitation of conceptua mind+Secrety& destroying cinging to the e.tremes of hope and fear+

A circed meditation sash& the coour of magnetising actiity& is diagonay worn sym-oising

8utwardy& the yogi is a-e to hod the ita energy of the -ody+Inwardy& the wind and mind are fe.i-e+Secrety& the mother of supreme wisdom+

A -eautifuy adorned magica coth fied with a powerfu su-stance adorns the neck and waistsym-oising

8utwardy& protection from harsh o-structers associated with astro/ogica signs and diagrams+Inwardy& protection from the harm gods& raksas& and the eight casses of spirit -eings+Secrety& freedom from cinging to the co/emergent ghost+

"he skucup of retaining ecstasy Is paced in the eft arm sym-oising

8utwardy& an encouragement to remem-er impermanence+Inwardy& the pate upon which food and drink is perceied as nectar+

Secrety& cutting through the entire conceptua mind of purity andimpurity+

"he great -one damaru is payed with the right hand sym-oising&

8utwardy& oerpowering dakinis and oath -ound ones+Inwardy& maintaining the deightfu enightened mind of the three roots+Secrety& the sound of nada which generates ecstasy+

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"he trumpet of the human thigh-one is hed with the eft hand sym-oising

8utwardy& summoning the gods and ghosts of apparent e.istence as guests+Inwardy& pacing a of them in the hoy dharma+Secrety& showing the meaning of the non/duaity of samsara and nirana+

3eep in mind that monks wear three monastic ro-es and mantric practitioners wear their mantric dress&-oth are e0uay considered foowers of Buddha& and -oth styes of dress are e0ua+ "herefore& -othstyes of dress wi hae a purpose and -e meaningfu& or they -oth wi not+

8nce again& if I am asked& whose foower are youFD&I woud say I can -e the foower of the three ,ewes -ecause

:y -ody is adorned -y the ornaments of the sam-hoghakaya+:y speech is reciting after the hoy dharma+:y mind is iewing the meaning free from -irth and cessation+

I can aso -e the foower of the three roots -ecause

I meditate on the ama insepara-y upon my head+"he deity's paace is esta-ished in my -ody+"he dakinis and oath -ound ones are fufied -y the feast offering+

I can aso -e the foower of the great 8ddiyana master -ecause

8utwardy& the eements of the aggregates are purified through:ahayoga+Inwardy& the eements of the channes are purified through Anuyoga+

Secrety& the meaning of Atiyoga is reaised+

I can aso -e the foower of :iarepa -ecause

8utwardy& I took hardships and deeoped courage and toerance+Inwardy& I trained in the yoga of the channes& -indu& and wind+Secrety& I attained the accompishment of :ahamudra+

I can aso -e the foower of 7ipamkara -ecause

8utwardy& I a-andoned een the motiation towards harming others& so

I am pure+Inwardy& I practised the seen specia instructions on cause and resut+Secrety& I possess the meaning of the si. paramitas+I can -e the foower of the ama who Is the %ord :an,ushri -ecause

8utwardy& I am engaged with eerything without diso-eying karma& cause and resut& or a-andonmentand cutiation+Inwardy& the strength of -odhictta is e.pansie+

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Secrety& I e.ert mysef In the yoga of the two stages+

:y ords are the actua deity and -uddha Tfifty amas& Incuding $hokyi 7oUe& 7ipwang 5ema#angdr& and so forthV+ :y a,ra -rothers Tsuch as *idhyadhara $hoying "o-den 7or,e& and igmed7udre& and so forthV are dakas& and my a,ra sisters T5ema %ahtso& &Cingchug 7oma& and so forth+Vare dakinis+

:ost of my students hae their fortunate karmic tendency awakened& and so whoeer gossips andspreads rumours a-out them are deuded+

:y nature& wid actions& and -ehaiour are not pouted -y deception and hypocrisy+

If others ook it seems ike a cray stye+

If I ook it seems meaningfu+

If seen -y a no-e -eing then their grace woud enter into me+

5ease hod this meaning in your minds& fortunate ones+

5ease propery practice the iew& meditation& and conduct of the secret mantrayana+

In the future may we meet each other in the ceestia ream+

Whoeer disagrees& criticises& and spreads rumours a-out us& they can do whateer they pease -ecauseI do not hae any concepts of -eing peased or angry+

:ay we gie aspirations for the purification of negatiity& o-scurations& and o-staces+

By this irtue may a sentient -eings without e.ception -ecome proper recipients for the profoundsecret mantrayana& practice with a one pointed mind& and haing competed their practice& may theyswiffy o-tain -uddhahood+

"his was spoken for my discipes the samaya hoders who maintain the mantric o-serances such as3handro Gyepa 7or,e and my cose attendant 7omi #angdan of 3amrak who is a wisdom hoder of:ahamudra+ "his was aso spoken for so many others who are a-e to fit and for those who are una-eto fit the secret mantrayana path and o-serances in their minds+ "hey tod me LDCou and many of youramas and friends procaimed to us the mantric stye of dress of wearing white cothes& etting yourhair grow and wearing many ornaments& and there is aso this kind of infuence amongst our students+"herefore is there any specific reasons for this stye of dress and -ehaiour or notF If there are no

reasons then the gossip of the great meditators of other communities a-out us / masters and students /wi -e correctD "o repy to them this cray mantric practitioner #igdin 3unang "o-den Angpo& asogien the name $hagpa 7or,e -y the ream protecting dakinis& I who pretend to -e a yogi wearingwhite cothes& -esides the rier of "sehung& spoke this spontaneousy with a sense of humourE andinterreated the definitions of the od and new tantric casses& and then ater wrote it down+

"he Ngakpa 7iscipes of Guru #inpocheBy Ngakpa Ga'wang

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"he ngakpa stye of a,rayana practice has ancient roots which go -ack at east as far as the introduction of Buddhism to"i-et+ "his is iustrated in an ancient thanka from which e.tracts are shown -eow+

The *gakpa +elg$i ,angh"k

Ngakpa 5egyi Wangchuk (m3har chen dpa gyi dBang phyug! is shown punging his phur-a into rock in to show hisreaisation+ 4e wears the costume of a ngakpa with the white skirt of pure ision& the -ue shirt of the 7ogchen teachings&ong -raided hair with two paits which show his mastery of reatie and utimate skifu means& conch/she earrings of theheruka costume+ "his picture shows a ngakpa wearing the costume which is identica to the monastic costume in a -utcoour / this is an e.tremey important image in an od thangka -ecause it underines the fact that ngakpa ordination hasancient roots which go -ack to the esta-ishment of Buddhism in "i-et+

The *gakpa -eshe e

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Ngakpa Ceshe 7e is shown here in fu ngakpa costume+ 8ften he is shown as a monk -ecause he was a transator+ It wasoften the case that practitioners woud hae a Lmonastic phaseH of training& and the Ngakpa Ceshe 7e may we hae -een amonk in his earier ife+ "his picture howeer& shows him in ater ife as a ordained non/cei-ate yogi fying in the sky toshow his accompishment+ 4e was aso a great phur-a master

The *gakpa /h$eh"ng 0otsa

Ngakpa 3hyechung %otsa is shown here giing techings+ 4e sits in his cae+ "here is a -ird on his hand and peope sitaround him istening to the teachings+ "he -ird sitting on his hand dispays his capacity to gie teaching to -irds+ 4is

4oiness 7ud,om #inpoche is an incarnation of this %ama as is 3hordong "erchen "uku $hime #igdin #inpoche4otherise knon as 3 "ama)+ Both 4is 4oiness 7ud,om #inpoche and 3hordong "erchen "uku $hime #igdin#inpoche are ngakpas+

The *gakpa -eshe -ang

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"he Ngakpa Ceshe Cang is another of the twenty discipes usuay depicted as a monk+ 4ere is shown reiing a corpse+Ngakpa Ceshe Cang was one of the eight editors of te.ts under the superision of Guru #inpoche+ At the end of his ife heattained rain-ow -ody+ In this picture he is shown wearing a the nagkpaHs costume and a white shaw which indicates that hewas a master of inner heat+

The *gakpa -eshe hon"

"he Ngakpa Ceshe Shonu was -orn into the Nyag can+ 4e was a master of $hemchog 4eruka and he is shown hereLdrinking the pure water of the pith instructionsH+ "his ama was important aong with Ngakpa Sangye Ceshe as one of theeary eaders of the ngakpas after the persecution of the apostate king %angdarma+

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The *gakpa $alwa 0odro

Ngakpa Gyawa %odro was an adminisatrator of the 7harma 3ing "risongdetsen+ 4e traeed to India where he -ecame amonk as the first part of his training+ 4e then studied with the mahasiddha 4umkara after which he -ecame a ngakpa asshown in this painting in which he wears a white skirt+ 4e had the powers of ong ife and remained in "i-et teaching foroer three hundred years after the departure of Guru #inpoche+ 4e is shown here wearing the panditaHs hat& -ecause he wasone of the great transators+

"he Ngakpa "radition

By Ngakpa Ga'wang

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"he Inner "antra teachings and practice stye of the g/kar/chang/o'i/dM (or the White Sangha! isparticuary reeant to peope trying to integrate '"i-etan' Buddhism with 'norma' famiy ife in themodern word+

Cet it re0uires no ess commitment from its practitioners& who are known as ngakpas (sngags pa& men!

and ngakmos (sngags mo& women!& than monastic samayas+ Sady the "radition is neither wideyknown nor easiy accessi-e outside the 4imaayan region een though some of the -est knownBuddhist masters were in fact ngakpas incuding 44 7ud,om #inpoche and 44 7igo 3hyentse#inpoche+

It is -ecoming more widey known and practised -oth in the Indian Su-/continent again and moreparticuary in the West& howeer& argey due to the efforts of *en+ %opon 5 8gyan "anin #inpocheandNgak'chang $hogyam #inpoche and his wife 3handro 7Mchen+ 44 5enor #inpoche& athoughhimsef a monk& has aso recenty ordained a num-er of ngakpas+

"his section of the Nyingma+com we-site is a starting point for anyone trying to make contact with

the Ngakphang "radition or ,ust to find out more a-out it+

It is aso where peope aready practising within the "radition can et others know a-out their sanghaand how to make contact+

If you are aready practising within this tradition te the word a-out your %ineage& your %ineage4oder& the stye of practice and how to contact and adertise your panned eents free+ ither writeto me& Ngakpa Ga'wang at gawangXnyingma+comor the we-master of Nyingma+com atwe-masterXnyingma+com+

Y $opyright -y Nyingma+com

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