Penor Rinpoche - An Ocean of Blessings: Heart Teachings of Drubwang Penor Rinpoche

The first published collection of essential teachings by Penor Rinpoche, one of the most important Buddhist masters of the 20th century.This inspiring work is the first available collection of teachings by one of the most well-known Nyingmapa masters of the twentieth century, His Holiness Penor Rinpoche. Ani Jinba Palmo compiled and translated this valuable collection of Penor Rinpoches fundamental instructions for practitioners on the Vajrayana path. Coming straight from the heart and realization of this great master, these honest and clear teachings emphasize the indispensable foundations of loving-kindness, mindfulness, and simplicity needed to become a true yogi. Profound yet accessible, this work serves to remind Buddhist practitioners of the heart of the Tantric and Dzogchen traditions.ReviewPenor Rinpoche was generous with the teachings that he gave personally, and readers can enjoy some of them here in this book. I also deeply appreciated his dedication and enthusiasm in providing young monks and nuns with generous facilities and opportunities to pursue a rigorous study of Buddhism.His Holiness the Dalai LamaKyabje Penor Rinpoche is a jewel of wisdom. Through these deep and intimate teachings, he truly brings the Dharma alive. Sakyong Mipham RinpocheAbout the AuthorPenor Rinpoche was generous with the teachings that he gave personally, and readers can enjoy some of them here in this book. I also deeply appreciated his dedication and enthusiasm in providing young monks and nuns with generous facilities and opportunities to pursue a rigorous study of Buddhism.His Holiness the Dalai LamaKyabje Penor Rinpoche is a jewel of wisdom. Through these deep and intimate teachings, he truly brings the Dharma alive. Sakyong Mipham RinpocheBiographyHis Holiness Penor Rinpoche (Tib. , Wyl. pad nor rin po che) or Kyabj Drubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche (1932-2009) was the 11th throne holder of the Palyul Lineage of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. He was the Supreme Head of the Nyingmapa, the early translation school tradition, from 1993 to 2001. During his lifetime he accomplished much to preserve and propagate Buddhism. After fleeing Tibet in 1959, he succeeded in founding Namdroling Monastery near the village of Bylakuppe in Karnataka state, close to Mysore. The monastery today has over 4000 monks and over 1000 nuns, and is home to the Ngagyur Nyingma Institute, a Buddhist College (shedra) that has graduated many Buddhist professors (khenpos).He returned to Tibet in the 1980s and was able to collect many old Buddhist texts during the journey, bringing them back to India for republication.Meanwhile, through his activities of training and educating monks and nuns at Namdroling, he was able to found centers around the world. Palyul centers exist in Asia, Europe, Oceania and the Americas. Remote areas of Nepal, India and even China have seen a resurgence of the Buddhist teachings, thanks to his training of monks and nuns from local communities who return to provide teachings to their home villages.The monastery in India has become a tourist attraction and helped the local area to thrive. New roads and other infrastructure have been built as a result of the activity at Namdroling, among others. His main representatives today are his three heart sons: His Holiness Karma Kuchen Rinpoche, the 12th throneholder; His Eminence Khentul Gyangkhang Rinpoche; and His Eminence Mugsang Kuchen Rinpoche. Three senior Buddhist professors (Khenchen) oversee study at Namdroling. Khenchen Pema Sherab, Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso and Khenchen Namdrol also teach worldwide.H.H. Penor Rinpoche was born in 1932, in the Powo region of Kham, East Tibet. Choktrul Rinpoche was his main master, although he received teachings from many lamas. Beside becoming learned in several subjects including writing, poetry, astrology and medicine, he studied the sutras with many different khenpos.Aged twelve, he received from Choktrul Rinpoche the most important transmissions and empowerments of the Nyingma School, including the great empowerment of the Kagy and the Rinchen Terdz empowerments. From the previous Karma Kuchen Rinpoche (fourth) he received the terma revelations of Ratna Lingpa.At twenty-one he was fully ordained by his master following the vinaya lineage transmitted to Tibet by Shantarakshita, receiving all the essential instructions and empowerments of the Nyingma tradition.He then completed a Vajrakilaya retreat and, having received all the transmissions of the Kangyur and Tengyur, he entered into retreat for four years during which his master gave him all the transmissions of the Palyul tradition, following the secret oral instructions of Tertn Mingyur Dorjs Nam Ch, the Sky Treasure lineage.Penor Rinpoche successfully completed all the stages of the practice, accomplishing the root recitations of the Three Roots (lama, yidam, and khandro), the Namch preliminary practices, inner-heat Tummo and Tsa Lung, and Dzogchen practices. He was known as a highly-realized lama in his lifetime. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche said of him that he was a boundary-crosser or someone who had a great capacity to benefit beings.Penor Rinpoche made his first visit to the United States in 1985.In 1993, he was elected the Supreme Head of the Nyingmapa, succeeding Kyabj Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. He served in that position until 2001, during which time Namdroling Monastery served as one of the chief organizers of the Nyingma Monlam Chenmo (Great Prayer Festival) in Bodh Gaya yearly.In 1998 he founded a retreat center in upstate New York. Teachings from this retreat are now available in a book translated by Ani Jinba. In 1999 he built a new temple to accommodate the huge number of monks at Namdroling. In 2004 he inaugurated Zangdokpelri temple, a temple to Guru Rinpoche.He transited this world in 2009 and has been reborn. In 2013, Chadral Sangye Dorje Rinpoche and Tulku Thubsang Rinpoche confirmed the incarnation. Chadral Rinpche prophesied that he would be born near Leten Tramo Drag or Dung Lung Tramo Drag, the sacred place where the Nyingthing Yabshyi (The Four Cycles of Heart Essence Teachings) was revealed. And based upon this prophecy letter, combined with pure visions of Tulku Thubten Palzang Rinpoche, the Yangsi (incarnation) was authentically recognized and enthroned on July 31, 2014, at Palyul Monastery in Tibet.