sTag-lung-rtse-sprul Rin-po-che
bShad-sgrub-phrin-las-nyin-byed-bzang-po (1926–2015), the current head of the
rNying-ma school of Tibetan Buddhism, passes away today (December 23, 2015) in
Buddhagayā, where Siddhārtha vanquished Māra (“Death”) and attained the state
of immortality (amṛta), a state
untouched by the inevitable process of taking birth, ageing, becoming sick, and
dying. Of the six principal monastic seats of the rNying-ma school since the
seventeenth century, sTag-lung-rtse-sprul Rin-po-che was affiliated with the
rDo-rje-brag Monastery in Central Tibet. I had the fortune to receive the
reading transmissions of the Rin chen gter mdzod from him in rNam-grol-gling,
to which he was invited by my master Pad-nor Rin-po-che. That would not be
considered special or personal at all, for there were hundreds of other people
receiving the transmission. One day, however, an attendant of his came to my
cell to tell that rTse-sprul-rin-po-che would like to see me. So I went to see
him. It turned out that Pad-nor Rin-po-che has suggested that I help him write
some letters in English. During the months that followed, I wrote some letters
for him. I took it as an honor to be able to be close to him in this way. What
struck me most during my visits to his residence was his extreme sense of humility,
which is, by no means, a mean quality of a master of his stature. I will be one of
many who will miss him as a master.
gang la sems kyi dam pa rin chen de ||
skyes pa de yi sku la phyag ’tshal lo ||
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