Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Rimé Movement & Non-Sectarianism (19th C. AD)

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""Since the second propagation on the Buddist doctrine in Tibet, in which teachings of non-Indian origin were dismissed..."... (Kongtrul:1995..pg 28......Myriad Worlds: Buddhist Cosmology in Abhidharma, Kalachakra & Dzog-chen..... Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye )

"In the 19th century, a movement funded by the secular authorities in Derge, Kham began to establish centers of learning encouraging the study of traditions different from the dominant Gelug tradition in central Tibet. This now called rime movement revitalized the Sakya, Kagyu, and Nyingma traditions who had been by almost supplanted by the Gelug hegemony."....Shantarakshita (author); Jamgon Ju Mipham Gyatso (commentator); Padmakara Translation Group (translators)(2005). The Adornment of the Middle Way: Shantarakshita's Madhyamakalankara with commentary by Jamgön Mipham. Boston, Massachusetts, USA: Shambhala Publications, Inc. ISBN 1-59030-241-9

"The movement's name is derived from two Tibetan words: Ris (bias, side) and Med (lack), which combined expresses the idea of openness to other Tibetan Buddhist traditions, as opposed to sectarianism. The Rimé movement therefore is often misunderstood as trying to unite the various sects through their similarities, which was not the case.

Rimé is a Tibetan word which means "no sides", "non-partisan" or "non-sectarian". In a religious context, the word ri-mé is usually used to refer to the "Eclectic Movement" between the Buddhist Nyingma, Sakya, and Kagyu traditions, along with the non-Buddhist Bön religion, wherein practitioners "follow multiple lineages of practice." The movement was founded in Eastern Tibet during the late 19th century largely by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo and Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye, the latter of whom is often respected as the founder proper. The Rimé movement is responsible for a large number of scriptural compilations, such as the Rinchen Terdzod and the Sheja Dzö.

“Rimay” is a Tibetan word meaning “non-sectarian”, “non-exclusive”, or “without boundaries.” The Rimay Tradition is not itself a separate or new school, but rather a way of viewing and relating to all schools, lineages, and traditions. You might say that Rimay is the big view that includes all other views; Rimay does not take for itself any exclusive position, for it respects and is open to all expressions of Dharma. In its ultimate or absolute level, Rimay recognizes that there is nothing that is not Dharma, in much the same way as the Vajrayana view sees all things as the manifestation of Buddha-Nature. It is absolute openness, an openness that is beyond every sense of limitation or being separate. It is an openness that has unlimited compassion for all beings equally. Rimay is the view of every Enlightened-being.....http://www.rimayrinpoche.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=47&Itemid=57&lang=en

Rimay means unbounded, all-embracing, unlimited, and also unbiased and impartial.

The Rimay movement came to prominence in the Nineteenth Century in eastern Tibet (Kham), at a point in Tibetan history when the religious climate had become highly partisan-- perhaps not unlike the global context of our modern world today. The aim of the Rimay renaissance was "a push towards a middle ground where the various views and styles of the different traditions were appreciated for their individual contributions rather than being refuted, marginalized, or banned.”... The Dalai Lama himself has even taught clerics of other religions and also received instruction from them, especially Christians and Jewish leaders.It is said that the 5th Dalai Lama "blurred the lines between traditions." The seminal Rimay master, Jamgon Kongtrul I, said: “One must see all the teachings as without contradiction, and consider all the scriptures as instructions."

"RIMAY TRADITION.... (Rime, Ris med) : "Jamgon Kongtrul The Great....(1813-1899) His background was Bonpo (his father was an illustrous lama of the Khyungpo, or Garuda clan..[Kongtrul: 1995..pg 15]) and both he and Jamyang Kyentse were particularly open to the Bon tradition. The most significant Bon teacher in the Rimay movement was Shardza Trashi Gyantsen (1859-1935)". [Samuel:1993..p.542]....

"Since the second propagation on the Buddist doctrine in Tibet, in which teachings of non-Indian origin were dismissed, the ancient Nyingma teachings had been severely suppressed. Therefore the teachings of the Dzogchen system of the Nyingma [and Bonpo] traditions received the greater attention of the three great Rimay masters." (Kongtrul:1995..pg 28)...

"The rimay movement began in Kham and leaned more to the shamanic and popular rather than to the centralized, clerical, heirarchical, and academic of the central Tibetan school. (Samuel: 1993..pg 543)..."

There are significant differences in traditions and beliefs—even physical appearance—between the peoples of Kham and Lhasa. At least one-third of Kham residents are speakers of Qiangic languages, a family of twelve distinct but interrelated languages that are not closely related to the Khams Tibetan language....The people of Kham are reputed warriors. Many do not refer to themselves as Tibetan.... The peoples of Kham have endured a tumultuous past, their sovereignty often encroached upon and marginalized by both Tibetans to the West and the Han Chinese to the East..... Kham was a patchwork of two dozen or more kingdoms, tribes, and chiefdoms that were constantly at war with each other.....

The "New Bon" phase began in the 14th century and is primarily practiced in the eastern regions of Amdo and Kham. Although the practices of New Bon vary to some extent from Yungdrung Bon, the practitioners of New Bon still honor the Abbot of Menri Monastery as the leader of their tradition....At the time of the communist takeover in Tibet, there were approximately 300 Bon monasteries in Tibet.....

Rimé is a Tibetan word which means "no sides", "non-partisan" or "non-sectarian". In a religious context, the word ri-mé is usually used to refer to the "Eclectic Movement" between the Buddhist Nyingma, Sakya, and Kagyu traditions, along with the non-Buddhist Bön religion. It does not mean "non-conformist" or "non-committal"; nor does it mean forming a new School or system that is different from the existing ones. Buddha forbade his students even to criticise the teachings and teachers of other religions and cultures. notable Tibetan Lamas noted for their non-sectarian approach were Patrul Rinpoche and Orgyen Chokgyur Lingpa. Shabkar Tsodruk Rangdrol, Dudjom Lingpa and the Fifteenth Karmapa Khachab Dorje who was a student of Kongtrul.... A "new Bon" (Bon-gsar) movement originating in sDe-dge in the eighteenth century, emphasised the interpenetration of many Bon-po and Buddhist teachings. New Bon lamas were active in the Ris-med movement, and some new Bon works were included in the Ris-med compilations of texts. Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen (1859 - 1933) was a great Dzogchen master of the Tibetan Bon tradition who not only took Bon disciples but gathered disciples from all traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. According to tradition, he famously realized the rainbow body.

Kalachakra and the VAJRA CASTE...."The purpose of the Vajra Caste was not to convert everyone to Buddhism but for people to return to the pure teachings of their own religions.

KHYUNGPO NALJOR...(978-1127)..."In his work 'An Impartial History of the Sources of Spiritual Instruction', Jamgon Kongtrul had great praise for Khyungpo Naljor, who mastered both Ancient Tibetan lineages and had more than 150 teachers. He founded the Shangpa lineage."...(Jamgon Kongtrul's Retreat Manual..pg 87)...

Kongtrul, Jamgon (Lodro Taye)..."Myriad Worlds: Buddhist Cosmology in Abhidharma, Kalachakra, and Dzog-chen"...(1995)
Kongtrul...."Retreat Manual"...trans: Zangpo....
Kongtrul...Enthronement: Reincarnate Masters...1997

"The Kalachakra refers to many different traditions, for example the Hindu; Saivite, Samkya, Vaishnava, the Vedas, Upanisads and Puranas traditions, but also Jainism. For example, the Kalachakra mandala includes deities which are equally accepted by Hindus, Jainas and Buddhists.".....http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalachakra

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Email....okarresearch@gmail.com

John Hopkins.....Northern New Mexico….November 2012

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