[Tib. U ma] The great Middle Way. A philosophical school (founded by Nagarjuna) which bases on the Prajnaparamita Sutras and the teachings of Emptiness. Madhaymaka deals with the transcendence of existence and non-existence and stresses the interdependent origin of all things.

[Tib. Dzogpa Chenpo] The "Great Perfection" is the absolute teaching of the old or Nyingma tradition. Essence and goal correspond to the Mahamudra of the Kagyu transmission.

Great Black

[Tib. Chagya Chenpo] The "Great Seal" of reality. Buddha's promise that this is the ultimate teaching. It is mainly taught in the Kagyu tradition and brings about the direct experience of mind. Mahamudra includes basis, way and goal and is the quintessence of all Buddhist teachings.

[tib. Drubchen] Mahasiddhas or Siddhas: The great realized masters of  Diamondway . Traditionally a group of 84 Mahasiddhas in ancient India is mentioned. These people came from all social ranks and developed extraordinary abilities. The most important master of them was Saraha.

Great Way

Maitripa (1007 - 1077) was a disciple of Shavaripa from whom he received the Mahamudra teachings. It is said that he has been a student of Naropa at Nalanda University. Maitripa recovered the teachings about the Buddha Nature (Uttara Tantra Shastra) so that they later could be spread in Tibet. He was one of the main teachers of Marpa and he introduced him to Mahamudra.

The next Buddha to appear in the current age.

[tib. threngwa] A mala is a chain that is made up of Beads and is used for counting "mantras". Mantra's are the expression of a Buddha-aspect on the level of sound. For certain Diamond-Way techniques, the number of mantras gets counted to ensure that certain meditation results will occur.

The large bead at the end of a Mala stands for the wisdom which recognizes emptiness and the cylindrical bead surmounting it, emptiness itself, both symbolize having vanquished all opponents.

[Tib. Khyil-khor, Lit. Center-circle ] Power circle of a  Buddha on which one meditates in Diamondway-Buddhism. It consists of a central aspect and all the other aspects assign to the central aspect. A mandala is depicted as a painted picture or strewed with coloured sand.

A universe full of precious things that is offered to the Buddhas in the 3rd preliminary practise and during initiations.

Wisdom Buddha on a Lion.

[Tib. Ngag] Syllables and words, usually in Sanskrit, protecting mind of disturbances and connecting inner and outer truth. Mantras mostly includes the name of a  Buddha aspect and are repeated very often to develop the quality of this aspect of enlightenment. Mantras are an important part of  Diamondway meditation .

The main hindrances on the way to enlightenment.
1. Devaputra-Mara: Attachment to the joys in the god realms or to wallow in comfortable sensual impressions.
2. Klesha-Mara:  Disturbing emotions in general
3. Skandha-Mara: The imagination that the parts of the own person constitute a real “I”
4. Mrtyupati-Mara: Believing that death is real (and not to realise that mind can never die because mind is not a thing)

Marpa Lotsawa (1012 - 1096), called "The Translator", was the first Tibetan lineage holder of the Kagyu Lineage. The lay and yogi transmissions of the Kagyu lineage are often called "Marpa Kagyu." During his time in India he received many teachings and empowerments and translated them into Tibetan.

Because of his lifestyle as a "house-holder" (Lay Buddhist) he is of special interest to the people in the west. He wasn't nor monk or yogi - he had a house, a wife and children.

Marpa was born in Lhodrag in southern Tibet. His parents were rich landowner. The young Marpa (called Dharma Wangchuk) was very aggressive und stubborn. So he was given to a Lama at the age of twelve. From him he quickly learned to read and write. But this didn't change his character. Because his parents feared that he will do them great harm they sent him far away to a monastery in western Tibet. There he stayed for three years, but didn't get Diamond Way teachings. So he decided to go to India to get them there.
He asked his parents for his inheritance and went to Nepal. There he met two disciples of Naropa. When he heard this name Marpa felt the strong urge to meet him. But first he stayed for three years in Nepal to get accustomed to the climate. When reaching India, Naropa welcomed him as "his son", because Marpas appearance was a prophecy by Tilopa. Marpa received teachings, empowerments and initiations from Naropa about Hevajra und other meditation deities. Hevajra became the main practise of Marpa.
From Maitripa Marpa received the Mahamudra teachings and from the Dakini Niguma the Cathupitha Tantra. After that he received the transmission of "Highest Bliss" (Khorlo Demchog) from Naropa and practised hard what later will be called "The six teachings of Naropa". All in all he stayed in India for 12 years. Then he went back to Tibet to teach the Dharma and to give empowerments. During these activities he collected gold for his second voyage to India. In those days the disciple usually brought precious things to his guru to show how important he considered the teachings. During his time in Tibet he married Dagmema.

While staying in India for the second time he deepened his studies with Naropa and Maitripa. After six years he went back to Tibet. There he lived many years in Lhodrag. In this time his most important disciple Milarepa came to him. Marpa travelled for a third time to his teacher, to get empowerments Naropa had promised to him. On his way to India he met Atisha. Atisha was teaching the monastic aspects of Mahayana Buddhism in Tibet while Marpa brought the Tantra teachings to Tibet. Atisha told Marpa that Naropa couldn't be met as a human. Only disciples with a high degree of devotion and confidence would be able to meet him.
Marpa searched eight months for Naropa. Then he saw the mandala of Hevajra. He called for Naropa and he appeared. From Naropa Marpa received two empowerments. One of them was Phowa Tronjug, the transference of consciousness from one being to another. This turned out to be important when one of Marpas sons died. After three years he returned to Tibet. For the rest of his life he taught the Dharma in Tibet. He spent 16 years with his teacher altogether.

In Tibetan medicine, the body is more than a mere life-support system. It is a vehicle for achieving Buddhahood. The physical world, including our bodies, is recognized as a product of our individual perception. The root of this perception lies in basic ignorance, leading to a separation between a subject, an object, and an action. Because of this, attachment, aversion, and indifference evolve, and with them all kinds of disturbing emotions. The emotions grow into habits, and into inner, often subconscious, psychological states, which are mirrored by our body. Therefore, Tibetan medicine is not only committed to healing the human body of illness and disease, i.e. the symptoms. It equally reveals a path in which disturbing emotions and basic ignorance can be overcome. True healing begins when the patient is directed towards health-producing attitudes and behaviour. Health then becomes a heightened state of vitality, creativity, peace and joy.

[Tib.: Gom] The word 'meditation' is used to denote the practice itself. But it is actually only the third step of a Buddhist's practice. The first step is to recieve teachings, the second the effort to understand them and the final step is meditation. While meditating we spiritualize what we have learned. For an efficient meditation the right understanding of the Buddhist path is absolutely necessary.

The time between the meditation sessions is called "After-Meditation". Thus the every day live of a Buddhist practioneer.

[Tib.: Sangye Menla] Meditating on the Medicine Buddha frees us from diseases and basic ignorance, and leads to ultimate Buddhahood.

[1243 - 1303] Melong Dorje was born as the son of a Yogi. As an adolescent he often recited the Prajnaparamita texts and through that reached an understanding of absolute truth and experience in his meditation-practice. Under the harshest conditions he made different pilgrimages. At age 18 he met Trulshik Senge Gyabpa (Phowa Lineage) and became his student.

Even during the "Preliminary Practices" he had a vision of Diamond Mind which lasted for a full six days. He received in his dreams many blessings from the Gurus of the lineage. Melong Dorje had many visions of Buddha aspects and studied with many teachers, among whom was Towarepa in Tsurphu. He was a contemporary of the Kagyu-Master Orgyenpa, with whom he studied for 10 years. (Orgyenpa was the Root-Lama of the third Karmapa Rangjung Dorje.)

[mental events, mental activity]: All positive, negative and changeable states of  mind, which influence the  stream of mind and lead to an according behaviour.

Activity of the  Bodhisattvas for the benefit of all beings. These are the first five  Paramitas in connection with wisdom

[1507 - 1554] At his birth in Ngam Chu province, in eastern Tibet, the eighth Karmapa, Mikyo Dorje, sat up and declared: "I am the Karmapa! I am the Karmapa". His father sought out Situ Tashi Namgyal, to request advice about his remarkable son. He was told the child was probably the Karmapa reincarnation, and instructed to care for and raise him with that in mind. Almost simultaneously, a family named Amdo, from Kongpo in central Tibet, brought forward their son's claim to be the Karmapa. Gyaltsap Tashi Namgyal was asked to watch over this second child. Meanwhile, the first child had been taken to Lho Rong, in Riwo Che province, where a number of the previous Karmapa's disciples had gathered. They were convinced that this was the reincarnation of their teacher.
And so began a trying period, as the two factions each persisted in supporting their particular candidate. Finally, Gyaltsap arranged for the two children to meet and to be tested. Following tradition, each was asked to select the possessions of the previous Karmapa from a random assortment of objects. Mikyo Dorje proved able to choose the correct objects - his rival was not. Thus it was Mikyo Dorje who was proclaimed Karmapa, and immediately announced that his rival was, in fact, the reincarnation of Zurmang Chungtsang from Zurmang Monastery in the east of Tibet.

Mikyo Dorje took the full Kagyu teachings from Tashi Paljor, and rounded off his studies with a range of accomplished masters. He went on to write many treatises, and found several monastic colleges. He selected as lineage holder the fifth Shamarpa, Kuenchok Yenlak, whom he had identified, and to whom he had passed on the Kagyu transmission, stating that the Karmapa and Shamarpa incarnations are inseparable, and of the same mind-stream.

Dream Meditation

[1040 - 1123] Milarepa was born into a wealthy family. His father died when he was still a child and his uncle took over the land and house of his family and made Milarepa, his mother and his sister to slaves. His mother hoped that they would get their land back when Milarepa would be old enough. But his uncle refused this. So she pressed Milarepa to learn black magic.
Milarepa went away, found a teacher and destroyed his uncle's house killing 25 people. Milarepa told everybody that he had destroyed the house by magic. In this way his mother got her land back but it was dangerous for Milarepa to stay there. So he returned to his teacher. Over the years his teacher regretted the bad things he and his disciple had done. So he sent Milarepa away to find a Dharma teacher.
Eventually he met Marpa. Marpa gave Milarepa a hard time. This was necessary to purify Milarepas bad karma. He let him build several towers. But each time Milarepa finished a tower Marpa said that he didn't like it. So Milarepa had to tear it down and built another one. At last he had to build a tower eight stories high. Having this tower nearly finished he got the first teachings from Marpa. After that he went into a retreat and spent many years meditating in isolated caves in the mountains.
Due to his diligence and faith Milarepa received enlightenment in only one lifetime! It is said that he could fly through space, walk through rocks and he said that he visited a lot of places in our world and in other worlds in the universe. Later Milarepa had two main disciples: Gampopa and Rechungpa.

• The un-enlightened mind: experience of conditioned and relative views and phenomena.
• The enlightened mind: absolute view, free of perturbing feelings and free of confusion.

By its very nature, the mind is empty, just like space. It does not possess any physical or "substantive" form but is empty. Its characteristics are clarity and awareness. Its expression is limitless. In no way is it limited. In other words, it can reach anything.

[1742 - 1792] The Tenth Shamarpa Mipham Chodrup Gyatso, was a brother to the Panchen Lama of the Gelugpa School. He spent his infancy in the central Tibetan province of Tsang. Much to the astonishment of his parents, the young Rinpoche had recounted many tales of his past lives and events known to have occurred within Tsurphu Monastery. The Thirteenth Karmapa Dudul Dorje, recognized and enthroned the Tenth Shamarpa. The Shamarpa received all the instructions of the lineage from the Karmapa and the Eighth Tai Situ Rinpoche. Many great lamas and scholars of other Buddhist schools also influenced his education. He traveled extensively through Kham, Derge and Nangshen where he gave teachings and empowerments to lamas, tulkus and the lay population. He visited many holy places in Central Tibet to meditate and make offerings. After his travels, he returned to Tsurphu and His Holiness the Karmapa.

Some years later, internal division arose within the political and spiritual hierarchy of Tibet that resulted in dark times for the Shamarpa. The Eleventh Dalai Lama passed away and the regent left in charge was unable to see beyond the narrow confines of his own monasteries. This resulted in the persecution of the Shamarpa and the seizing of his red crown. The regent and his followers, in collusion with the army, appropriated all of the Shamarpa's monasteries and forced them to integrate into the Gelugpa School. There was to be no future Shamarpa incarnation by a legal decree that forbid his enthronement. The Tenth Shamarpa went into exile unable to return to his beloved Tibet. Nonetheless, the generosity and patience of the bodhisattva shone through despite these monumental obstacles. The Shamarpa spent his remaining years in Nepal attending to the spiritual needs of the Nepali people.

[1952 - ] Just as the Fifth Shamarpa had foretold, the Fourteenth Shamarpa manifested as the nephew of the Sixteenth Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje. Long before the Shamarpa was born, there was anticipation in the monastic communities that there was soon to be an auspicious birth in the Karmapa's family. The Karmapa sent black pills and a special protective cord for the unborn baby to his sister-in-law, when no one was aware that she was an expectant mother.

At the age of six, the young Rinpoche saw some Yangpachen lamas coming towards Tsurphu Monastery from a distance. ' They are from my monastery,' he exclaimed in delight. This was remarkable because the Shamarpa had overseen the Dechen Yangpachen Monastery in his previous incarnations. This prompted a plea from the lamas for a formal recognition of their Rinpoche, however, for political reasons the Karmapa did not think it prudent to do so. Most of the great Tibetan lamas made a pilgrimage to India at the invitation of the Indian Mahabodhi Society and the Karmapa and the Shamarpa visited the Dechen Yangpachen Monastery upon their return. In its main temple were the statues of all the previous Shamarpas. The young child approached them and identified them one by one without any prompting. He tried on the crowns saying: 'These are my hats.' At the time he was only four years old.

Over the next four years, the political situation in Tibet deteriorated further. The Sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa and the eight years old Shamarpa left Tibet to settle in the northern Indian state of Sikkim. The Karmapa sought official recognition of the Kunzig Shamarpa from the Fourteenth Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso. The Dalai Lama made an official statement that granted the request and the enthronement took place in 1964 at Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim. The Shamarpa remained in the monastery for a course of intensive study. He received all the instructions of the Kagyu lineage from the Karmapa and studied traditional arts and sciences, the sutras and the tantras under Thrangu Rinpoche.

The Fourteenth Shamarpa has established the Karmapa International Buddhist Institute (KIBI) in New Delhi, India while observing his monastic obligations. In accordance with the wishes of His Holiness the Sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa, KIBI operates today as an institute for higher learning in the Buddhist tradition. The Shamarpa envisages a renewal of the essential teachings of the Mahamudra. The origins of the Kagyu teachings are being retraced and many important treatises of the mahasiddhas are being researched and revised, including the Seventh Karmapa's pivotal work - ' The Treasures of Mahamudra.' A Mahamudra teaching centre is currently in the planning stages that will eventually give s pecial emphasis to the teachings of the Karma Kagyu lineage in order to ensure their future preservation.

[1584 - 1630] The Ninth Karmapa recognized the sixth incarnation of the Shamarpa Mipham Chökyi Wangchuk. The Sixth Shamarpa's place of birth was Drikhung in central Tibet. At the age of sixteen, the Sixth Shamarpa had fully committed to memory no less than ten books on the Prajnaparamita, sixteen on the Vinaya, five on the Abidharma, seven treatises on medicine, the entire Sanskrit language and various studies of the arts; He selected the Zabmo Nang Dön and its commentary and the full text of the Kalachakra Tantra from the Diamond Way (Vajrayana) teachings. The youthful and exuberant Shamarpa expressed the wish to test his freshly acquired learning before the best minds of the land.

The Shamarpa became a highly respected master of the Kagyu teachings. He worked unceasingly in the three spheres of beneficial activity: learning, meditation and practical achievement. He visited China at the invitation of the Emperor who saw to the printing of the Kanjur (the complete teachings of the Buddha) in order to honor the wishes of his Guru. The Shamarpa enthroned the Tenth Karmapa Choying Dorje upon his return to Tibet. The Shamarpa became his Root-Guru and passed on to him the instructions of the Kagyu lineage. As the Shamarpa's renown spread into India, twenty-five of the greatest panditas invited him to teach the Dharma at Bodhgaya. He was unable to accept their invitations, but he replied to them individually in the Sanskrit language. The Shamarpa's skillful diplomacy managed to avert conflict as Tibet seemed headed towards civil war. He asked the country's rulers to observe the Dharma's basic principles, thereby saving many innocent lives.

This event takes place on the first days of a new year (note: the Tibetan year consists of 360 days. So the Tibetan new year moves through our calendar) on varying places. In 1996 it took place in Bodhgaya and was conducted by the 17th Karmapa Thaye Dorje and Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche. The purpose is doing aspiration prayers for the benefit of others. It was told by Nagarjuna that if aspiration prayers are done together with great bodhisattvas, the resulting prayer is so powerfull that it can avert natural disasters and can remove all kinds of bad karma, for example.

The tradition was established in Tibet in the eighth century. During the following centuries these gatherings grew more and more popular. More than 50.000 monks participated. In the 13th century the 3rd Karmapa introduced the monlam to the Kagyu Lineage. Today representatives of the four lineages of Tibetan Buddhism are doing the prayers together. more

[Lit. Seal: Something leaving a deep impression in the mind] In Buddhism there is a great variety of symbolic gestures using one or both hands or the whole body. They are called Mudras. The gestures of Buddhas or Bodhisattvas are Mudras as well as e.g. the posture of our hands during meditation.

One well known Mudra is Buddhas right hand touching the earth, after he attained Enlightenment ('calling the earth as witness for enlightenment'). Another well known Mudra is the posture of our hands during meditation: We put the right hand into the left one. This symbolizes meditation and concentration upon the Dharma

Tibet stands at the influence of three civilization, the Turko-Mongolian, the Chinese and the Indian. Enriched from time to time by influences from these, its own ancient tradition has developed in high isolation from the rest of the civilized world. Music plays an important part in Tibetan life. The Lamas say "Religion is sound". The recitation of mantras, chanting and the playing of instrumental music are fundamental in their worship. Their celebrations include the services of the regular Liturgy and various extra-liturgical rituals (see also explaining Tibetan Music in details).