Chamgon Kenting Tai Situpa | The source of the teaching of the Shangpa Kagyu lineage

I like to say something, because here, Shangpa Kagyu sangha is involved, so I see that over there, with your logo, and so I wanted to say something about it, the lineage.

What makes a Marpa Kagyu and what makes a Shangpa Kagyu, and what makes a Gelug, and a Sakya, and a Nyingma, and then Shyijé and Jonang and Orgyenpa. All of these eight practice lineages is just a lineage. Lineage specific. In essence, everyone is practicing the essence of the tantra of Lord Buddha Shakyamuni. Same. …

Now, the source of the teaching of the Shangpa Kagyu lineage is just like all the other lineages, Buddha Shakyamuni Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya, Nirmanakaya. So you know what is Nirmanakaya of Buddha Shakyamuni? It’s Buddha Shakyamuni himself. And until he passed into Nirvana, in Kushinagar, when he was over 80 years old, so that is Nirmanakaya, Buddha Shakyamuni.

Sambhogakaya of Buddha Shakyamuni is very, very, very, very deep, but make it simple, you like simple, right? So to make it simple, all the deities, like in the Shangpa lineage, we have sde lha lnga (deities of the five tantra), lha chi dril drup (combined accomplishment of the four deities), all of these deities they are Buddha Sambhogakaya.

And also, all the teachings such as Six Yogas of Niguma, Sukkasiddhi, and all these Five Precious Dharma of Shangpa, sometimes it is translated as Five Golden Dharmas of Shangpa, that’s okay. So all of that is the manifestation of Sambhogakaya and it is essence of tantra.

So all of that, and then for example, Six Armed Mahakala, is a manifestation of Avalokiteshvara, who is father of all the Buddhas, which represents the compassion. Without compassion, no sentient beings reach buddhahood, as I told you at the beginning, without Bodhicitta, there would be no buddhahood. Bodhicitta is paramount for everyone who describes themselves as a Vajrayana practitioner, must have Bodhicitta. No Bodhicitta, then it is just a spiritual lie. Whoever might have, I might be indicating unintentionally, but anyway, really important, Bodhicitta.

H. H. the 12th Chamgon Kenting Tai Situpa’s Teachings – August 1, 2021
Prayers and Dedication by Kalu Rinpoche

To be continued…