RIGDZIN SOGDRUP AND RIWO SANGCHO

Lhatsun Namkha Jigme

The  famous cycle of terma teachings called Rigdzin Sokdrup (‘Accomplishing the Life-Force of the Vidyadharas’), emerged in a pure vision while Lhatsun Chenpo was in retreat in the cave of Lhari Rinchen Nyingphug near Tashiding in west Sikkim. These teachings, of which Riwo Sangcho forms the mengak or innermost instruction, are unsurpassed instructions on Dzogchen Atiyoga.

Terton Lhatsun Chenpo, Sikkim’s Patron Saint, discovered the “Attainment of the Vidyadhara Life” (rig 'dzin srog sgrub), from which the “Riwo Sangcho” (ri bo bsang mchod), meaning “Mountain Smoke Offering”, a terma hidden by Guru Rinpoche, comes from and “The Spontaneous Song of the Clouds: the Nucleus of Indestructible Reality” (rdo rje snying po sprin gyi thol glu).

Rigdzin Sogdrub (rig 'dzin srog sgrub) is a cycle of more than 800 pages in five volumes. The terma is a collection of core teachings of the Southern Treasure Text Lineage (lho gter) of the Dzogchen Tradition popular in Sikkim. The fifth volume is the famous Neysol (gnas gsol = 'Worship of the Place') often referred to in connection with the religious history of Sikkim.

Through his practice of Riwo Sangcho, Lhatsun was able to remove all human and non-human obstacles to the Dharma in Sikkim, opening it as a ‘secret land’ of the teachings. Because of this, he was able to teach Dzogchen very widely in Sikkim in the remaining years of his life, establishing a vibrant and unbroken lineage that continues to this day, known simply as ‘Sikkim Dzogchen’.

Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche

More than two hundred of Lhatsün Namkha Jigme’s writings have survived. Accomplishing the Life-Force of the Vidyadharas and The Spontaneous Song of the Clouds have continued to be transmitted and practised throughout Tibet and particularly in Sikkim right up to the present day without any decline.

THE TSUKLAKHAG TRUST

This month, under the leadership and guidance of the Chogyal Wangchuk Namgyal of Sikkim,who is engaged in the revival of Dharma, particularly the Rigdzin Sogdrup tradition,  H.E. Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche will bestow Rigdzin Sogdrup and Dorje Nyingpo Wang-Lung (empowerment and initiation) at Tashiding Monastery, West Sikkim, from November 16-22, 2017.

Dzongsar Rinpoche will also bestow Kawang at the Tsuklakhang Royal Chapel in Gangtok on November 26, 2017.The two functions are being organized under the auspices of The Tsuklakhang Trust.