Report of the Year 2024: Accomplishments and Goals
As the year comes to an end, we rejoice in what we have accomplished and look forward to the future. This year we published 25 new translations, the Longchen Nyingtik Project became a registered charity in the Netherlands, and much more.
Charity Status
Becoming a registered charity was a big step for us, but this status offers numerous benefits and will significantly support our goal of translating the Longchen Nyingtik texts into English and other languages, as well as advancing the teaching and practice of these texts. Although we have successfully registered as a charity, we still have a few bureaucratic details to be resolved with our bank. Once we have our own bank account, we will surely inform everyone.
Lights of Dharma Grant for Retreat Guide
Dodrupchen Rinpoche
This year we received a grant from the Light of Dharma Trust to translate The Way of the Vidyādharas of the Past, Instructions on the Stages of the Practice of Approach and Accomplishment of the Guru, Yidam Deity and Ḍākinī of the Heart-Essence of the Vast Expanse, written by the Fourth Dodrupchen, Tubten Trinlé Pal Zangpo. This text is a detailed, practical guide to meditating in retreat on each of the major sādhanas of the Longchen Nyingtik, with advice on how to prepare the location, set up a shrine, chant the liturgy and play a bell and drum. Although this text is absolutely no substitute for receiving instructions on how to do retreat from a qualified teacher, these detailed instructions will be of enormous benefit for everyone, whether novice or expert, who wishes to do retreat on the sādhanas of the Longchen Nyingtik. We have so far published the first chapter on the sādhana of Rigdzin Düpa (Gathering of Vidyādharas) and the remaining two chapters are scheduled to be in the first months of 2025.
More New Translations
Boudha Stupa, Nepal
Another major text this year is the Prophetic Guide for the Heart-Essence of the Vast Expanse. It was revealed during Jigme Lingpa's initial vision of the Longchen Nyingtik in which he flew to the Boudha stūpa in Nepal. The text recounts the history of Padmasambhava's entrustment of the treasure to the destined disciples, who would later emanate as Jigme Lingpa and his students, to reveal and propagate the Longchen Nyingtik. It also refers to key events in Jigme Lingpa's life and the physical and psychological attributes that identify him as the treasure revealer.
“On the second storey of the temple emanated from Akaniṣṭha,
The Blazing Turquoise Chamber,
The heart disciples—the King, the subject and the friend—
Were shown this casket containing a hidden manual of most vital direct instructions
For the profound cycle of the Heart Essence.
When the signs of the self-arisen ḍākinī of the three kāyas were revealed,
The disciples presented a maṇḍala of gold and turquoise,
And, without a second thought, offered their body, speech and mind.”
Other major new texts are the Longchen Nyingtik Vajrakīlaya practice Overpowering the Forces of Māra; Jigme Lingpa’s word-by-word commentary on the Ultimate Inexpressible Confession practice, popularly known as Yeshe Kuchokma, called A Commentary on the Fourth Chapter of the Immaculate Confession Tantra; and the Fire Offering for the Peaceful Vidyādhara Practice. We have also published all the supplementary texts needed for the rituals of the Longchen Nyingtik.
Website Updates
We are constantly updating and improving the website with new pages. This year we added pages for the Supplementary Texts of the Longchen Nyingtik, a page detailing all the various editions of the Longchen Nyingtik Core Texts and a page for Vajrasattva: Cultivating the Pure Realm of Manifest Joy.
The Empowerment Manual and Other Plans for 2025
This year we started our research and translation of the complete empowerment manual written by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche for the entire cycle of the Longchen Nyingtik, A Feast that Delights the Fortunate Ones and Reveals the Nectar of the Profound and Secret: A Garland of Liturgies for Bestowing the General and Specific Empowerments of the Three Roots of the Great Perfection Heart-Essence of the Vast Expanse, which consists of thirteen chapters filling more than three hundred pages. One of our main aims for 2025 is to translate the entire manual. You can read about the fascinating history of this text in our blog. Thus far, we have translated Chapter 2 on Rigdzin Düpa.
We also plan to finalize one of the largest commentaries of the Longchen Nyingtik cycle, namely the Ratik commentary on the Yumka Dechen Gyalmo practice written by Ratön Ngawang Tendzin Dorje.
Besides these major texts, we are currently working on plenty of other smaller texts, such as texts related to the Sealed Quintessence (Tikle Gyachen), the Inner Yumka practice, the recitation manual for the Gathering of Awesome Ones, and several arrangements of the Longchen Nyingtik Vajrakīlaya practice. In relation to the latter, we will also start work on texts of Jigme Lingpa's Tantra System Vajrakīlaya (Gyüluk Phurba).
Please support us through Patreon or Paypal and best wishes for the new year!
Full list of New Translations
Flames of Wisdom: A Fire Offering for the Peaceful Vidyādhara Practice, by Jigme Lingpa and the Fourth Dodrupchen, Tubten Trinlé Pal Zangpo
Casket of Enlightened Mind, the Prophetic Guide for the Heart-Essence of the Vast Expanse, by Jigme Lingpa.
The Supreme Bestowal of Wisdom, The Ripening Empowerment for the Innermost Secret Guru Practice, the Sealed Quintessence (Tiklé Gyachen), by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo
Clarificatory Notes on the Tormas of the Heart-Essence of the Vast Expanse, by Jigme Lingpa
The Way of the Vidyādharas of the Past, Instructions on the Stages of the Practice of Approach and Accomplishment of the Guru, Yidam Deity and Ḍākinī of the Heart-Essence of the Vast Expanse, by the Fourth Dodrupchen, Tubten Trinlé Pal Zangpo
Supplementary Verses for the Lineage of Dilgo Khyentse Tashi Paljor, by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
Visualization for the Recitation of Vajrakīlaya: Overpowering the Forces of Māra, from the Heart-Essence of the Vast Expanse, by Chatral Rinpoche
Message for Mantrikas: Illuminating the Ocean of Samayas, A Commentary on the Fourth Chapter of the Immaculate Confession Tantra, by Jigme Lingpa
The Jewel Necklace, A Prayer to the Lineage of the Gathering of Vidyādharas, from the Heart-Essence of the Vast Expanse, by Adzom Gyalse Gyurme Dorje
Prayer to the Lineage of White Tārā According to Atiśa's Tradition, by Jigme Lingpa
An Aspiration to Accomplish Perfection, Maturation and Purification, by Jigme Lingpa
A Daily Fulfilment Practice for Gönpo Lekden, by Jigme Lingpa
Pith Instruction for Repairing Impairments and Breakages, by Jigme Lingpa
The Quintessence of Deathless Amṛta, A Concise Method for Conferring the Long-Life Empowerment of the Vidyādharas Multiple Times, by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo
Vajrakīlaya: Overpowering the Forces of Māra, from the Oceanic Gathering of Awesome Ones, by Jigme Lingpa
The White Pennant of Honour: A Song of Victory for the Wrathful Lion-Faced Ḍākinī, Tamer of Demons, by the Third Dodrupchen, Jigme Tenpe Nyima
A Concise Fulfilment Practice for the Activity Manual of the Heart-Practice of the Gathering of Awesome Ones, by the Third Dodrupchen, Jigme Tenpe Nyima
Supplementary texts for the Longchen Nyingtik