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The Home of Tibetan Buddhist Texts in Translation
ISSN 2753-4812
ISSN 2753-4812

Patrul Rinpoche Series

Tibetan Masters Patrul Rinpoche

English (45) | Deutsch (10) | Español (12) | Français (20) | Italiano (2) | Português (10) | 中文 (2) | བོད་ཡིག (45)

Outwardly you are the bodhisattva Śāntideva,

Inwardly, Śāvaripa, lord of adepts,

Secretly, the supreme and noble Self-liberation of Suffering—Avalokiteśvara—in person:

Jikmé Chökyi Wangpo, to you I pray!

Texts by and about the great Rimé master Dza Patrul Orgyen Jigme Chökyi Wangpo (rdza dpal sprul o rgyan 'jigs med chos kyi dbang po, 1808–1887):

Advice

Written for his close disciple Alak Do-Ngak Gyatso (1824–1902), this text of Patrul Rinpoche offers advice on the purpose and significance of solitude. Brief as it is, the work is of interest not only for its comments on retreat, but also for the clues it holds about Alak Do-Ngak's life, especially as no complete biography has yet come to light and his writings have not survived.
Retreat & Solitude Advice 21 Dec 2014
Patrul Rinpoche does not mince words in this pithy, plainspoken advice for himself. Constance Wilkinson's translation successfully captures the tone of the original.
Advice 14 Nov 2024
In this succinct account of the difference between ethical and unethical companions, Patrul explains the various ways in which they can influence one's own character for good and ill.
Advice 24 Aug 2021
In this important guide to Mahāyāna ethics, Patrul Rinpoche elaborates upon nine points or criteria that a follower of the bodhisattva path should consider when seeking to act for others' benefit.
Advice Ethical Guidelines 15 Apr 2015
One of the best-known and most popular texts of Patrul Rinpoche's, in which he offers pithy mundane and dharmic counsel (to himself) in sets of three.
Advice 24 Aug 2021
Verses in praise of mountain solitude inspired by a recognition of the turbulence and futility of ordinary affairs and interactions, including some aspects of monastic life.
Retreat & Solitude Advice 9 Dec 2020

Aspiration Prayers

An untitled five-verse aspiration to perfect view, meditation and action and contribute to the flourishing of the teachings.
Aspiration Prayers 22 Apr 2022
This prayer of aspiration covers the entire Buddhist path, but places special emphasis on the cultivation of bodhicitta in its various forms. For to have bodhicitta, says Patrul Rinpoche, is to have "all that's needed to attain enlightenment."
Mind Training (Lojong) Bodhicitta Aspiration Prayers Nyingma Mönlam 13 Oct 2010

Biography

by Alak Zenkar Rinpoche
Alak Zenkar Rinpoche offers a concise account of the extraordinary life and teaching career of Dza Patrul Orgyen Jigme Chökyi Wangpo (1808–1887), one of the most influential Tibetan masters of the nineteenth century. The biography has been reprinted a number of times since it was first published in the 1980s, and is included in most recent editions of Patrul's most famous work, Kun bzang bla ma'i zhal lung.
Biography 11 Aug 2006

Bodhicaryāvatāra

This prayer to the masters of the lineage of explanation for Bodhicaryāvatāra, from Patrul Rinpoche back through the generations as far as Śāntideva, and before him to Buddha Śākyamuni and Mañjuśrī, is also an aspiration to take the central message of the text to heart.
Lineage Prayers Bodhicaryāvatāra 27 Aug 2006
Patrul Rinpoche was renowned for his mastery of, and fondness for, Śāntideva's classic guide to the way of the bodhisattvas, and this is his practical manual for applying its wisdom and meditating on its key themes.
Bodhicaryāvatāra Stages of Meditation Bodhicitta Six Pāramitās 19 Nov 2004

Buddhist Philosophy & Teachings

This survey of the five paths (lam lnga) and ten stages or bhūmis (sa bcu) explains the practices and qualities associated with each and every phase of the Mahāyāna path, from its initial point of entry through to its eventual culmination with the attainment of enlightenment.
Stages and Paths 26 Sep 2007
This short work details the phases of dissolution during and immediately following death, and also outlines the crucial points of practice to be born in mind at this critical time.
Dying & the Bardos Advice 23 Oct 2010
Taking a famous four-line prayer as his basis, Patrul Rinpoche explains the practice of taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Saṅgha, and arousing bodhicitta, in both its relative and ultimate forms.
Taking Refuge Bodhicitta 26 Sep 2004
One of Patrul Rinpoche's better known works, this pithy presentation of the two levels of truth is more than just a guide to what "relative" and "absolute" signify; it is also a practical instruction on how to apply such understanding in meditation.
Two Truths 27 Sep 2005
This brief work on pedagogical theory outlines the qualities and approaches of three different types of teacher (a fully enlightened buddha, arhat and learned paṇḍita), before discussing the science of listening and explaining the purpose of titles.
Pedagogy 21 Mar 2005
In this short guide to Buddhist and non-Buddhist philosophical tenets, Patrul Rinpoche begins by outlining the tīrthika views of eternalism and nihilism. He then summarizes the views of the śrāvaka schools of Vaibhāṣika and Sautrāntika, as well as the two kinds of pratyekabuddha, the various branches of Cittamātra, and the Svātantrika and Prāsaṅgika strands of Mādhyamika. To conclude, he offers a brief overview of the various levels of secret mantra.
Tenets Vehicles 22 Mar 2018

Dedication

Only recently discovered, this prayer of dedication by Patrul Rinpoche is to be recited when the construction of a temple is complete. It is not only an aspiration for the new temple to prosper and be of as much benefit as possible, but also a plea to the protective spirits to watch over the temple and guard its contents.
Dedication 30 Nov 2005

Dharma Protectors

This three-verse exhortation to the dharmapālas, which is regularly recited by followers of the Longchen Nyingtik tradition, was composed for Tsamtrul Rinpoche, the incarnation of Jigme Gyalwai Nyugu, when he was about to travel through the bandit-plagued land of Golok.
Dharma Protectors Longchen Nyingtik 7 Aug 2023

Dzogchen

This short work in verse offers advice on the natural self-liberation (rang grol) of thoughts and emotions, which Patrul Rinpoche repeatedly identifies as the key to the view, meditation and conduct of the Great Perfection.
Dzogchen Meditation Advice 13 Feb 2018
Sometimes known by its first four syllables as Eko Eko (translated as "Have you heard? Have you heard?") and sometimes as Self-Liberated Wisdom-Mind, this is a comprehensive and popular instruction on Dzogchen meditation. Although the emphasis is on remaining natural and unaltered (machöpa), the text also offers advice on how to integrate and adapt to the various experiences and circumstances a practitioner might face. The style is direct, eloquent and moving.
Dzogchen Meditation Advice 31 Mar 2018

Lineage Prayers

This prayer to the lineage of the Longchen Nyingtik transference (phowa) practice is not included in current editions of Patrul Rinpoche's collected works but does appear in several liturgies.
Lineage Prayers Longchen Nyingtik Phowa Transference 7 Mar 2023

Ngöndro

Patrul Rinpoche's explanations in this brief guide to the Longchen Nyingtik preliminary practices mostly follow those given in his classic text, The Words of My Perfect Teacher (Kun bzang bla ma'i zhal lung). Still, this condensed text offers useful reminders of the most important points of the practice, especially the details of the visualizations.
Ngöndro Longchen Nyingtik Ngöndro 15 Dec 2004

Pedagogy

A short summary of what must be covered when teaching Jigme Lingpa's celebrated treatise, The Treasury of Precious Qualities (yon tan rin po che'i mdzod).
Pedagogy 20 Sep 2021
A brief guide for teachers of Jigme Lingpa's magnum opus The Treasury of Precious Qualities (yon tan rin po che'i mdzod), which offers a practical guide to the entire Buddhist path.
Pedagogy 24 Feb 2021

Practices

This brief practice calls upon the goddess Tārā and other deities to grant their inspiration and blessings, so that the practitioner's lifespan, merit, prosperity, renown, good fortune, magnetism (dbang thang) and 'windhorse' (rlung rta) may all increase.
Lungta Tārā
A simple practice of offering the body (lus sbyin) that is made up of commonly recited verses and citations from sources such as Śāntideva's Bodhicaryāvatāra.
Chöd 8 Aug 2023

Praise

In this series of verses Patrul Rinpoche praises the deity Vajrsattva (rdo rje sems dpa') by describing his unique qualities, forms and functions.
Vajrasattva Praise 28 Apr 2015
by Dodrupchen Jigme Tenpe Nyima
Verses in praise of Patrul Rinpoche (1808–1887), which Dodrupchen Jigme Tenpe Nyima wrote for his own personal recitation.
Praise 8 Jun 2020

Prajñāpāramitā

In this practical guide to meditating on the teachings of the Prajñāpāramitā sūtras, as outlined in Maitreya's Abhisamayālaṃkāra, Patrul discusses the attitude and training of a bodhisattva. He repeatedly emphasises the fact that enlightened activity for others' benefit—and not simply realization—is the ultimate goal.
Abhisamayālaṃkāra Prajñāpāramitā Stages of Meditation 10 Apr 2019

Prayers

by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö
Jamyang Khyentse composed this invocation of Dza Patrul Rinpoche (1808–1887) on an anniversary of the master's parinirvāṇa, which falls on the eighteenth day of the fourth Tibetan month.
Prayers 4 May 2021
by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo
Jamyang Khyentse wrote this twelve-line prayer to Patrul Rinpoche during the festival of Chökhor Düchen in 1860. The text identifies Patrul as an emanation of Śāntideva and the early Dzogchen adept Aro Yeshe Jungne, and praises his qualities of renunciation, bodhicitta and wisdom.
Prayers 13 Sep 2017
A short supplication in three verses addressed to the Mother Prajñāpāramitā, Krodhakālī, and the great Machik Labdrön.
Prayers Chöd 21 Aug 2019
by Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thaye
This five-line supplication to Patrul Orgyen Jigme Chökyi Wangpo (1808–1887) is taken from the prayers section of Jamgön Kongtrul's collected writings.
Prayers 29 Mar 2022
A short prayer composed while circumambulating stūpas dedicated to the early masters of Katok Monastery.
Prayers 20 Aug 2019

Sādhanas

A concise and simple sādhana focused upon Mañjuśrī, the embodiment of all the buddhas' wisdom.
Mañjuśrī Sādhanas Restricted 17 Feb 2018

Sojong

In this brief text, Patrul Rinpoche elaborates upon the standard text used when adopting the eight-branched one-day vow (bsnyen gnas) of lay householders, or Sojong (gso sbyong) practice, and describes the associated benefits.
Sojong 24 Jul 2021

Special Teaching of the Wise and Glorious King

Patrul Rinpoche's own commentary to the root verses of his most famous Dzogchen work, The Special Teaching of the Wise and Glorious King (mkhas pa śrī rgyal po'i khyad chos).
Striking the Vital Point in Three Statements 6 Jul 2013
The root text of one of the most famous and commonly taught works on Dzogchen of recent times, based on the final testament of the first human Dzogchen master, Garab Dorje.
Striking the Vital Point in Three Statements 6 Jul 2013
The root text in English alongside the original Tibetan of Patrul Rinpoche's classic, one of the most famous Dzogchen works of recent times.
Striking the Vital Point in Three Statements 6 Jul 2013

Topical Outlines

Patrul Rinpoche provides a topical outline (sa bcad) for the confessional liturgy that forms the final chapter of the Immaculate Confession Tantra (Dri med bshags rgyud).
Confession Topical Outlines
This brief guide to explaining Minling Terchen Gyurme Dorje's famous aspiration prayer, known as 'The Secret Vajra Knot' (rdo rje rgya mdud), provides a topical outline of its contents, and, in so doing, reveals the vastness of its vision.
Aspiration Prayers Topical Outlines Pedagogy 29 May 2015
A topical outline explaining the four major divisions of this popular prayer to Guru Padmasambhava which combines verses from both Longchen Rabjam and Jigme Lingpa.
Guru Rinpoche Prayers Topical Outlines 4 Apr 2018

Transference (Phowa)

compiled by Patrul Rinpoche
This compilation, which supplements the root text of the transference (phowa) practice from the Heart-Essence of the Vast Expanse (Longchen Nyingtik) with additional prayers, is extracted from Patrul Rinpoche's famous The Words of My Perfect Teacher (kun bzang bla ma'i zhal lung).
Transference Longchen Nyingtik Phowa Restricted 29 Sep 2020

Vows & Commitments

arranged by Chatral Rinpoche
This elaborate ritual for taking the bodhisattva vow, which includes preliminary recitations and practices as well as the vow itself, was arranged according to the tradition of the great Dza Patrul Rinpoche (1808–1887) by the holder of his lineage, Chatral Rinpoche Sangye Dorje, in 1986.
Bodhisattva Vow Bodhicitta Nyingma Mönlam
Patrul Rinpoche

Dza Patrul Rinpoche

From the murals of Shechen Monastery. Used with permission of Rabjam Rinpoche.

Name variants:

Abu Hralpo
Abu Śrī
Drimé Lodrö
Orgyen Jigme Chökyi Wangpo
Śrī

Previous incarnation(s):

Jigme Lingpa

Further information:

Treasury of Lives Author Bio
BDRC Author Profile (P270)

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