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Compassion alone is
not enough for one's
The venerable sister has been in Chengdu since June. She is one practice. For example,
just like it is not enough
of the main contacts for Rinpoche and all his students in Tibet to know the alphabet to
and China. She is the liaison for Rinpoche and his Chinese pass the exam, it is not
enough to feel sorry for
students fulfilling their prayer requests. Recently she has been
someone. One should
taking care of thank you letters for donations made this year. feel compassion no
There was damage from the earthquake to the Chengdu matter the circum-
stance. Without com-
apartment and she has been working on getting the repairs done, passion the world
and also finishing the office above the apartment. would destroy itself.”
Our teacher is creating two Thogyal druptras, one for nuns and one for monks. Thogyal is the
practice that leads ultimately to Rainbow Body. The right environment is required to complete the
practice. Susan Purcell interviewed Lama Tsultrim Allione about the druptras and the practice of
Thogyal.
SP Lama Tsultrim, I have the impression that places in the United States even, they don’t have
our teacher is doing something unusual in those conditions.
building druptras for the practice of Thogyal. Also it’s unusual to practice Thogyal
There will be eight practitioners in each druptra, because it is a very high practice. If you’re
one per room. Is it unusual to be doing this practicing Thogyal, it means that your
practice as a group rather than in solitary Thekchod, or your nature of mind practice, is
retreat? stable. It has to be stable or there’s no point in
L Ts Well, I think that Thogyal in itself is doing Thogyal. And that’s unusual.
unusual. It’s a very high practice, and you have I’ve never heard before of a Thogyal
to have certain conditions. For example, you druptra. That doesn’t mean it hasn’t existed in
have to have long views—rising sun, setting sun the past or that it didn’t exist in Tibet. I imagine
—ideally, and clear skies. Many people are not that it probably did. It would be sort of like the
in the position to have those conditions. So just graduate school from the three-year retreat, that
the fact that they have those conditions where you would do the three-year retreat first and
they are is unusual. For example if someone is then go into the Thogyal druptra. Because the
practicing in Kathmandu, they don’t have those stabilizations and the development that
conditions. If they’re practicing in many other happened in the three-year retreat would then
understand omniscience.
L Ts It’s almost inconceivable, I think, what that
experience would be like, to be able to tune in to
anyone at any point. But then it’s also true that
the faith of sentient beings in those illuminated
beings facilitates their being able to help. It’s
like…if we don’t have our TV on, we can’t
receive the signal. So our practice is really
“turning on the TV” so that we can receive the
signal from that level of consciousness. So when
we practice something like Guru Yoga, we attune
to that field of energy.
SP Is there anything else you would like to say
about Thogyal and the druptras?
L Ts To have the number of people that our
teacher would like to put in these druptras
indicates that he already has many students at a
very high level of practice. And therefore, our
supporting these druptras allows for this
extraordinary level of practice to happen, which
really has a worldwide significance. A
practitioner practicing in the conditions that are this time changes things.
there at this monastery, doing these kinds of And anyone who participates in supporting
practices—that level of practice will affect the this, you have a direct karmic link with making it
whole world. That it is occurring on the planet at possible. And that’s an extraordinary connection
to make. As they say, the blessings of the one who
supports someone in retreat are equal to the
I rejoice in the virtue that creates the cause of blessings of the one in retreat. So it’s a very direct
gaining the enlightened state, and celebrate the link to the beings who are at this extremely
freedom won by living beings from the round of
refined level of consciousness.
pain.
SP On a bit different thread, is the practice of
May I be a guard for those who are protectorless, Thogyal universal among Buddhists?
may I be a guide for those who journey on the road. L Ts It’s unique amongst Buddhists. It’s really
May I be a boat, a raft, a bridge for all who wish to only practiced in the Nyingma and Bon traditions.
cross the water.
Susan Purcell
~Shantideva
Pagosa Springs, CO
Council Members
Robert Olander Chairman monastic coordinator Renee Pitts
Kathryn Gervasi Secretary Treasurer Jim Boal
Mac McCarty Jody Deychen