In Memory of Khandro Tsering Chödron
Khandro Tsering Chödrön, Khyentse Sangyum, beloved by so many, passed away on the 30th of May 2011 at Lerab Ling in France. Sogyal Rinpoche wrote about her in The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying: “In a figure like Khandro Tsering Chödrön, the greatest woman master of our day, … Read more
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Cymbals to Invoke a Compassionate Response:
A Prayer for the Swift Rebirth of Khandro Tsering Chödrön
Lake Born Vajra Padmasambhava, the very face and embodiment of all the buddhas,
With the whole vast, infinite gathering of sources of refuge,
When I call on you, unwavering, in this heartfelt yearning melody,
Let this prayer of mine come true!
Read more
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Read Sogyal Rinpoche’s article on the Huffington Post
Khandro Tsering Chödrön:
In Memory of an Extraordinary Buddhist Master
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The summer 2011 edition of View pays tribute to Khandro Tsering Chödrön, the spiritual wife of Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö and one of the foremost female practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism of recent times. For more information visit Rigpa Shop
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Prayer to Khandro Tsering Chödrön
With the blessings of Tsogyal, wisdom dakini of great bliss,
Emanation of the lady of Shelkar,
Ayu Dharma Dipam (Long Life, Lamp of the Dharma), to you I pray.
Grant your blessing so that all our wishes in accordance with the Dharma be fulfilled.
By Chökyi Lodrö
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Letter from Kyabjé Trulshik Rinpoche
To the sun of the Ancient Translation (Ngagyur Nyingma) teachings, supreme protector, most excellent Sogyal Rinpoche, together with the rest of the honourable Hor Lakar family, and the assembly of the Rigpa sangha, I respectfully offer the following message. Read more
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Prayer to Khandro Tsering Chödrön by Tarthang Tulku
With the thought, “May this prayer come true, just as I have wished!” this was offered from Oddiyana by the lowest disciple, the one called Yeshe Dorje, better known as the one from Tarthang, on the twenty-first day of the fourth month.
Read more
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Video
Watch video of Khandro Tsering Chödron during her stay at Lerab Ling, France.
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The Khandro Memorial Fund
A vast number of prayers and practices have been sponsored at the main Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in India, Nepal and Tibet, in Khandro la’s memory. Everyone can contribute towards these prayers and practices by making a donation here.
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I was shocked to hear about our Great Khandro Tsering Chodron’s Parinirvana. She was indeed Greatest Dakini Master, who had lots of influence on sentient beings with immeasurable compassionate at heart. She has not left the world, but she will be Returner (of Lham-zhe) Four Path) on the earth to complete her un-finish task for sentient beings. I am sure she is now in Copper Colored Mountain – Guru Rinpoche’s Zangto Pelri. I visualize that in my heart, she is receiving further instructions from Guru Rinpoche. This how I visualize when she is in celestial world and with Guru Rinpoche.
May Guru Rinpoche Bless her with his Body Wang(Ku),
May Guru Rinpoche Bless her with his Speech Wang(Sung),
May Guru Rinpoche Bless her with his Mind Wang(Thug).
Oh! Ati Guru Rinpoche please take care of her at Zangto Pelri.
With my homage and prayers for her peace in the celestial world.
Jambay Tashi,
GNHC, Thimphu-Bhutan
29th June 2011
To be close to Khandro-la and to serve her for the last years and especially the last six months was the best that ever happened to me.
The three days after her passing, the cloudless sky here at Lerab Ling, was as lucid, blue and clear as never before. Khandro-la was everywhere, all pervasive, her presence was enormous. There was only joy, bliss and freedom: she will never die, she is beyond coming and going, and she has always been like that!
Khandro-la was so incredibly well this winter, so content and cheerful, so at ease, so much with us and with everyone who wanted to see her and receive a blessing. Her door was always open and she enjoyed the visitors, who received a cup of tea, and “chiri”, some sweets and cookies. She would gently touch the faces of the ones who would dare to come that close to her and these moments were always very deep and touching, many of them started crying.
Being in her spaciousness also had a strong sense of density and even speed, though all her movements were so slow and always precise. May be it is better to say that it was fullness or richness or beauty, that was so much around her and she was exuding pure love, unconditional love, all the time.
I remember still vividly, even though it is now more than thirty years ago, the moment I met Khandro-la for the first time. I was on a summer retreat with Sogyal Rinpoche, my first retreat, and had taken my son Arwen, who was then three years old, with me. That afternoon I was already feeling so light and happy. Someone had taken Arwen for a walk, and I decided I would join the kitchen crew, preparing dinner for about 100 people. So I happily walked down to the storeroom, to see what would be a good choice for making dinner.
And then suddenly there she was, standing in front of the main house. I stood stock-still, enraptured. Such beauty, such grace, such strength, such simpleness, such warmth, I can go on endlessly and still not find words. At the time, my mind, that had just only caught a first whiff of the depths of this marvellous and amazing spiritual tradition, conceptualized the longing that came from the depths of my heart and mind, “ How I wish I could start a conversation.”
That moment never lost its beauty and strength.
Now, so many years later, I’m at home, and through illness not able to go to Lerab Ling. I have put a large, beautiful photograph of Khandro-la on my shrine, and lay in my bed, just looking at her. And each and every time I look at Khandro-la, without any effort my devotion just opens up, to her, to all the masters, with a depth I have not known before. It is indeed a marvellous and amazing, great and dear gift and blessing. My gratitude to Khandro-la, to Sogyal Rinpoche, to all the masters, tears come to my eyes, how can I ever express it in words…
20 years ago I walked accidently into the Rigpa Centre in Amsterdam. The next moment I was caught by the warmth of some eyes and a beautiful smile, which appears to be the eyes and the smile of Khandro Tsering Chödrön. I bought the photo and carry her with me for all these years. Sometimes I forgot where she was, but I always knew she was somewhere around me. To be honest I have never practised meditation (only tai chi chuan every now and than) but she has always a special place in my heart, for now and forever
Maybe this is a good moment to start to meditate…is there a guide ?
I never had a chance to meet Khandro in person, but as a Rigpa student I feel that she has blessed us all.