Dudjom Rinpoche and the Ngakpa tradition

An Interview with Lopon Rinpoche about H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche, Jigdrel Yeshe Dorje and the Ngakpa tradition

Dudjom Rinpoche said about the spirtual traditions of Tibet: „Two communities of Sutra and Mantra practitioners, shaven-headed monks and long-haired Yogins, with the view of the Middle Way and the conduct of the Vinaya, and the ultimate union of the generation and completion stages, the Great Perfection – this is the great secret tradition of Ancient Translations in the Land of Snows, with its six qualities of greatness.“
Generally the Ngakpa tradition is the non-monastic spiritual tradition of Tibet. Padmasambhava founded it in the 8th century and during the following dark age of King Langdarma the Ngakpas have had the responsibility to uphold the dharma in Tibet. As Dudjom Rinpoche said: „It is the responsibility of the holders of the teachings or members of the Sangha to ensure that the precious Buddhist teachings, with their two aspects of scripture and realization, do not degenerate but remain for long within the world.“ The first group of Ngakpas were the 25 disciples of Guru Rinpoche. There was a first Ngakpa College at Samye Monastery and was called the Ngakpa Dudul Ling. Here, people were trained in the subjects of Language, Literature, Translation, Agriculture, Medicine, and Astrology, Meteorology and especially Vajrayana studies and practice. Many Ngakpas have shown their great abilities by becoming highly educated people and practitioners. Also women are part of the Ngakpa tradition. They’re called Ngakma. Yeshe Tsogyal or Machig Labdron were highly respected practitioners and were an inspiration to many Tibetan women.
The Ngakpa tradition is an ultimate knowledge of having a perfectly balanced life.
Lopon Ogyan Tanzin Rinpoche is a student of H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche, Jigdrel Yeshe Dorje and studied long time with His Holiness. Lopon Rinpoche, originally from Pemako, was born into a family of ngakpas with an unbroken lineage of inherited spiritual gifts and accomplishments descended from the Terton Pema Lingpa. Lopon Rinpoche has studied with many of the greatest lamas of his generation. His root lama was H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche, Jigdrel Yeshe Dorje. Therefore he tells now some memories about H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche and some stories about the Ngakpa tradition.

Special thanks to Martin Námešný  for idea and interview!