“Was not their mistake once more bred of the life of slavery that they had been living?—a life which was always looking upon everything, except mankind, animate and inanimate—‘nature,’ as people used to call it—as one thing, and mankind as another, it was natural to people thinking in this way, that they should try to make ‘nature’ their slave, since they thought ‘nature’ was something outside them” — William Morris


Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Death of Thinley Norbu

I love his books.

His Holiness Dungtse Thinley Norbu Rinpoche passed away in New York, the United States this morning. He was 80.

Born in 1931, Dungtse Rinpoche was a prominent master of the Nyingma lineage, a renowned teacher and an author of numerous books on Buddhist teachings.

He is the eldest son of Dudjom Rinpoche and father of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche.

Soon after the news of his demise reached Bhutan, His Holiness the Je Khenpo who is in Autsho, Lhuentse offered a thousand butter lamps.

Special prayers are being performed at the Punakha Dzong and several Lhakhangs and Goendeys across the country.

The Drabi Lopen of the Zhung Dratshang in Punakha expressed condolence and respects of behalf of the monk body.

Rinpoche’s body will be brought to Bhutan after 21 days. The Kudung will first be taken to the Ranjung Yosercholing Monastery in Ranjung.

The final rites are to be performed at Lango in Paro.

Dungtse Rinpoche visited Bhutan twice, once in 1994 and in 2009

1 comment:

Tyler Phan said...

I received this message when I was in Crestone, CO to hang out with the folks at Yeshe Khorlo during the New Years. I was introduced to Thinley Norbu Rinpoche through his son (and one of my teachers) Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche. I think both approaches to the dharma are pretty interesting and have contributed greatly in spreading the Nyingmapa traditions to a Western audience.

On a a side note, Zizek makes a reductionist critique of what he terms as "Buddhist ontology" from Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche in a debate with Cornel West: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBvASueefk4 (05:00-11:12). I don't think he is quite familiar with the Mahasatipatthana Sutta in the section of "patikulamanasikapabba" and "navasivathikapabba." I really think he misses the point when discussing the "Buddhist ontology" as an "inner distance." Buddhaphobia.

I digress. Thinley Norbu was a great teacher and forever leave a print in the endless pit of samsara.