Remembering Tulku Thondup Rinpoche
Rigpa
Now that the beloved teacher Tulku Thondup Rinpoche has passed into parinirvana, the whole Rigpa Sangha joins in sending our heartfelt wishes and sympathy to all who were close to Rinpoche and those many, many people who were moved and transformed by his teachings.
Naturally sadness falls on us all as we contemplate the loss of such a great being, and yet sorrow is somehow strangely married to an uplifting sense of inspiration, as we think of Rinpoche and his extraordinary qualities. Because he was among the last of those masters who were trained in the old Tibet alongside the great gurus of the lineage, and at the same time, he became one of the most important figures in the spread of the Buddhadharma in the wider world. Through his writings and teachings, Rinpoche did nothing less than educate an entire generation or more of practitioners and students of the Dharma, especially about the sublime traditions of Guru Padmasambhava. Among his many books and translations are some of the most important and authoritative works on the history and philosophy of the Nyingma ‘Ancient’ order of Tibetan Buddhism. Everything he wrote was superb. With works like Buddha Mind (The Practice of Dzogchen), he introduced us to the profound view and practice of the Nyingmapas, and then went on to illustrate the healing gifts of Buddha’s wisdom for all kinds of broader audiences, discovering a unique language of the heart in which to convey the authentic truth of the teachings. How significant it was that The Heart of Unconditional Love was one of his last writings, as if he had become the very essence of love and compassion himself.
Rigpa students were immensely fortunate in coming to know Rinpoche through his teachings at Rigpa centres in Europe and the US during the 1990s and 2000s. Rinpoche’s personality was, we learned, so open and endearing. He radiated an irresistible and infectious serenity, and he took time to show great personal kindness to individuals who were facing illness or difficulty. Rinpoche was a master who, in a way, concealed his realization; he wore his vast knowledge with a disarming lightness and complete humility. Everyone would turn to him to contextualize or clarify the teachings, to explain the nuances of translation, and he was so generous, always ready to help with his profound understanding of the Dharma.
Rinpoche’s own devotion to Kyabjé Dodrupchen Rinpoche and the Longchen Nyingtik revelation was intensely moving, and a signpost for us all. His masterpiece, Masters of Meditation and Miracles, which he would sometimes say was the summit of his life’s work, actually ends with the biography of Kyabjé Dodrupchen Rinpoche. Although Tulku Thondup Rinpoche would never agree, it would seem in no way out of place, in some future edition, to add the story of his own life, and his achievements as a torch bearer in that golden lineage of Longchen Nyingtik that he spoke and wrote about with such soaring enthusiasm and embodied so very perfectly.
Rinpoche’s life was truly remarkable, and we all feel an enormous sense of gratitude to Lydia Segal, Rinpoche’s wife, who accompanied him with such enduring love and care, and gave him such inspiration. There is no uncertainty about Rinpoche’s onward journey and its complete fulfilment, but for us, Rinpoche’s passing is a reminder of the preciousness of this human life, and the importance of dedicating ourselves to the path to enlightenment. We can maybe never be prepared enough for when our teacher departs this world, yet Rinpoche has shown us how to keep the teachings alive in our hearts and merge with the master’s wisdom mind. He left an extraordinary legacy in his writings, his teachings and his disciples, and they will all ensure that his blessings, his wishes and the vision of the lineage will continue to shine far, far into the future.
Read more about Tulku Thondup Rinpoche, including his books on his website.
’Boundless Healing’ Download teachings given by Tulku Thondup Rinpoche in Dzogchen Beara in 2002 from ZAM Part 1 Part 2.
