Namkhai Norbu (; 8 December 1938 – 27 September 2018) was a
Tibetan Buddhist
Tibetan Buddhism (also referred to as Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, Lamaism, Lamaistic Buddhism, Himalayan Buddhism, and Northern Buddhism) is the form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet and Bhutan, where it is the dominant religion. It is also in majo ...
master of
Dzogchen and a professor of
Tibetan
Tibetan may mean:
* of, from, or related to Tibet
* Tibetan people, an ethnic group
* Tibetan language:
** Classical Tibetan, the classical language used also as a contemporary written standard
** Standard Tibetan, the most widely used spoken dial ...
and
Mongolian language
Mongolian is the official language of Mongolia and both the most widely spoken and best-known member of the Mongolic language family. The number of speakers across all its dialects may be 5.2 million, including the vast majority of the residen ...
and literature at
Naples Eastern University
Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...
. He was a leading authority on
Tibetan culture
Tibet developed a distinct culture due to its geographic and climatic conditions. While influenced by neighboring cultures from China, India, and Nepal, the Himalayas, Himalayan region's remoteness and inaccessibility have preserved distinc ...
, particularly in the fields of
history
History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...
,
literature
Literature is any collection of written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially prose fiction, drama, and poetry. In recent centuries, the definition has expanded to include ...
, traditional religions (
Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (also referred to as Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, Lamaism, Lamaistic Buddhism, Himalayan Buddhism, and Northern Buddhism) is the form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet and Bhutan, where it is the dominant religion. It is also in majo ...
and
Bon
''Bon'', also spelled Bön () and also known as Yungdrung Bon (, "eternal Bon"), is a Tibetan religious tradition with many similarities to Tibetan Buddhism and also many unique features.Samuel 2012, pp. 220-221. Bon initially developed in t ...
), and
Traditional Tibetan medicine
Traditional Tibetan medicine (), also known as Sowa-Rigpa medicine, is a centuries-old traditional medical system that employs a complex approach to diagnosis, incorporating techniques such as pulse analysis and urinalysis, and utilizes behavior ...
, having written numerous books and scholarly articles on these subjects.
When he was two years old, Norbu was recognized as the '
mindstream
Mindstream (''citta-santāna'') in Buddhist philosophy is the moment-to-moment continuum (Sanskrit: ''saṃtāna'') of sense impressions and mental phenomena, which is also described as continuing from one life to another.
Definition
' (Sanskri ...
emanation', a
tulku
A ''tulku'' (, also ''tülku'', ''trulku'') is a reincarnate custodian of a specific lineage of teachings in Tibetan Buddhism who is given empowerments and trained from a young age by students of his or her predecessor.
High-profile examples ...
, of the Dzogchen teacher
Adzom Drugpa (1842–1924). At five, he was also recognized as a mindstream emanation of an emanation of
Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel (1594–1651). At the age of sixteen, he met master Rigdzin Changchub Dorje (1863–1963), who became his main Dzogchen teacher.
In 1960, he went to Italy at the invitation of
Giuseppe Tucci and served as Professor of Tibetan and Mongolian Language and Literature from 1964 to 1992 at Naples Eastern University. In 1983, he hosted the first International Convention on Tibetan Medicine, held in Venice, Italy.
In 1976, Norbu began to give Dzogchen instruction in the West, first in Italy, then in numerous other countries. He became a respected spiritual authority among many practitioners, and created centers for the study of Dzogchen worldwide. Norbu taught Dzogchen for more than fifty years and was considered by the
Tibetan government in exile
The Central Tibetan Administration (, , ), often referred to as the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, is a non-profit political organization based in Dharamshala, India. Its organization is modeled after an elective parliamentary government, compo ...
as "the foremost living Dzogchen" teacher at the time of his death, in 2018.
Norbu founded the Dzogchen Community, which today has centers around the world, including in the US, Mexico, Australia, Russia, and China.
Birth
Namkhai Norbu was born on 8 December 1938 in the village of Ge'u in
Derge County.
His name, ''Namkhai'', means "sky", "space", and "aether", and has the possessive case ending, thus it may be rendered into English as "...of the sky". ''Norbu'' means "jewel", "crystal", "gem", "
cintamani". Therefore, Namkhai Norbu may be rendered in English as "jewel of the sky".
Recognition as a reborn master
At birth, two of Norbu's uncles, the Dzogchen masters
Palyul Karma Yangsid and
Shechen Rabjam, believed him to be the reincarnation of their master, Adzom Drugpa Rinpoche (1841–1934). When Norbu was two years old, this was confirmed by a senior tulku of the
Nyingma
Nyingma (literally 'old school') is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. It is also often referred to as ''Ngangyur'' (, ), "order of the ancient translations". The Nyingma school is founded on the first lineages and transl ...
school. Adzom Drugpa was a disciple both of
Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo
Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo (, 1820–1892), also known by his tertön title, Pema Ösel Dongak Lingpa, was a renowned teacher, scholar and tertön of 19th-century Tibet. He was a leading figure in the Rimé movement.
Having seen how the Gelug instit ...
(1820–92) and
Patrul Rinpoche
Patrul Rinpoche ( Wylie: ''dpal sprul rin po che'') (1808–1887) was a teacher and author from the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism.
Biography
Patrul Rinpoche was born in Dzachukha, a nomadic area of Golok Dzachukha, Eastern Tibet in 1808, a ...
(1808–81).
Furthermore, when he was five years old, the sixteenth
Gyalwa Karmapa
The Karmapa (honorific title '' His Holiness the Gyalwa'' ྒྱལ་བ་, Victorious One''Karmapa'', more formally as ''Gyalwang'' ྒྱལ་དབང་ཀརྨ་པ་, King of Victorious Ones''Karmapa'', and informally as the ' ...
and the
Situ Rinpoche together recognized Norbu as the
mind emanation of the mindstream of another well-known teacher, who was in turn the emanation of
Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel, the 17th-century Tibetan-born founder and spiritual leader of
Bhutan
Bhutan (; dz, འབྲུག་ཡུལ་, Druk Yul ), officially the Kingdom of Bhutan,), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is situated in the Eastern Himalayas, between China in the north and India in the south. A mountainou ...
. Because of this, Namkhai Norbu also bears the honorary title '
Chögyal
The Chogyal (" Dharma Kings", ) were the monarchs of the former Kingdom of Sikkim, which belonged to the Namgyal dynasty. The Chogyal was the absolute monarch of Sikkim from 1642 to 1975, when the monarchy was abolished and the Sikkimese peopl ...
' (), meaning 'Dharma King'.
Such recognitions conferred a great deal of attention and prestige upon him from a very young age, leading him in later life to remark: "As I grew up, I was thus given quite a few names and titles, many of which are very long and grand-sounding. But I have never used them, because I have always preferred the name my parents gave me at birth".
Tibet
In his early years, Norbu studied at the
Derge Gonchen monastery. At the age of nine, he entered a
Sakya
The ''Sakya'' (, 'pale earth') school is one of four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism, the others being the Nyingma, Kagyu, and Gelug. It is one of the Red Hat Orders along with the Nyingma and Kagyu.
Origins
Virūpa, 16th century. It depic ...
college, where he studied
Buddhist philosophy
Buddhist philosophy refers to the philosophical investigations and systems of inquiry that developed among various schools of Buddhism in India following the parinirvana of The Buddha and later spread throughout Asia. The Buddhist path combin ...
for many years with
Khyenrab Chökyi Odzer. He also received numerous
tantric and Dzogchen transmissions and teachings from many masters, including his paternal uncle
Togden Ugyen Tendzin, his maternal uncle
Khyentse Rinpoche Chökyi Wangchug, as well as
Drubwang Rinpoche Kunga Palden,
Negyab Rinpoche,
Drugse Gyurmed Dorje,
Dzongsar Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö
Dzongsar Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö (c. 1893 – 1959) was a Tibetan lama, a master of many lineages, and a teacher of many of the major figures in 20th-century Tibetan Buddhism. Though he died in 1959 in Sikkim, and is not so well known in the We ...
,
Dudjom Rinpoche Yeshe Dorje, and
Bo Gongkar Rinpoche. He also received teachings at
Dzogchen Monastery
Dzogchen Monastery (Tib. རྫོགས་ཆེན་དགོན། ''rdzogs chen dgon'') is one of the "Six Mother Monasteries" of the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. It is located in Kham within modern day Dêgê County, Garzê Tib ...
. In 1951, he received various teachings from the female yogi
Ayu Khandro Dorje Paldrön (1838–1953).
Norbu was invited to China in 1953 as a representative of the Tibetan monasteries. After visiting
Chengdu
Chengdu (, ; simplified Chinese: 成都; pinyin: ''Chéngdū''; Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: ), alternatively romanized as Chengtu, is a sub-provincial city which serves as the capital of the Chinese pro ...
and
Chungching, he accepted an invitation to teach
Classical Tibetan
Classical Tibetan refers to the language of any text written in Tibetic after the Old Tibetan period. Though it extends from the 12th century until the modern day, it particularly refers to the language of early canonical texts translated from ot ...
in
Menyag and also had the opportunity to learn Chinese there. During this time, he met
Kangkar Rinpoche, from whom he received instruction on the
Six Yogas of Naropa
The Six Dharmas of Nāropa (, Skt. ''ṣaḍdharma'', "Naro's six doctrines" or "six teachings"), are a set of advanced Tibetan Buddhist tantric practices compiled by the Indian mahasiddhas Tilopa and Nāropa (1016-1100 CE) and passed on to th ...
, and other teachings.
After having had a vision in a dream, Norbu returned to Derge. It was here that he met his
root teacher
In vascular plants, the roots are the organs of a plant that are modified to provide anchorage for the plant and take in water and nutrients into the plant body, which allows plants to grow taller and faster. They are most often below the sur ...
, Rigdzin Changchub Dorje, in 1955 (when Norbu was sixteen).
He stayed at Dorje's residence in
Khamdogar for six months, and it was under this teacher that Norbu gained real experiential knowledge of Dzogchen.
Changchub Dorje was a disciple of Adzom Drugpa, Nyagla Padma Dündul, and Shardza Trashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche (1859–1935), and was the leader of a small community of lay practitioners, as well as a doctor of Tibetan medicine. From Changchub Dorje, Norbu received authentic transmissions of all three series of Dzogchen (Semde, Longde, and Menngagde).
Italy
From left: Lionello Lanciotti (professor of Chinese Studies), Geshe Jampel Singe, Lobsang Samten, Chögyal Namkhai Norbu, , IsMEO, Rome, 1961">Luciano Petech, IsMEO, Rome, 1961
In the late 1950s, Norbu made a pilgrimage that took him to central Tibet, India, Bhutan, and Nepal. Because of the turmoil and aftermath of the
1959 Tibetan Rebellion
The 1959 Tibetan uprising (also known by #Names, other names) began on 10 March 1959, when a revolt erupted in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, which had been under the effective control of the China, People's Republic of China since the Seventeen ...
, he could not return to Derge from Sikkim, so he stayed as a refugee in
Gangtok, working as an author and editor of Tibetan literature for the
Chogyal government from 1958 to 1960. It was here that he met with the Italian
Tibetologist
Tibetology () refers to the study of things related to Tibet, including its history, religion, language, culture, politics and the collection of Tibetan articles of historical, cultural and religious significance. The last may mean a collection of ...
Giuseppe Tucci. Also during his time in Sikkim, he met and received teachings from the
XVI Gyalwa Karmapa.
Already recognized as a knowledgeable figure in all aspects of Tibetan culture at the age of 22, Norbu was invited to Italy by Giuseppe Tucci to work at the Institute for the Middle and Far East () in Rome for two years. He collaborated with Tucci and Geshe Jempel Senghe on
a catalogue and library of Tibetan texts.
In 1962, he took up a post in Naples at the
Istituto Universitario Orientale, where he taught the Tibetan language and literature until 1992. Namkhai Norbu focused his research on the ancient history of Tibet, the
Shang Shung kingdom, and the
Bön tradition. His research included works on history,
Tibetan medicine
Traditional Tibetan medicine (), also known as Sowa-Rigpa medicine, is a centuries-old traditional medical system that employs a complex approach to diagnosis, incorporating techniques such as pulse analysis and urinalysis, and utilizes behavior ...
, astrology, Bön, and Tibetan folk traditions.
Norbu married Rosa Tolli in 1968. They had a son, Yeshi Silvano Namkhai (born in 1970), and a daughter, Yuchen Namkhai (born in 1971).
Teaching Dzogchen in the West
In 1971, Norbu began to teach an ancient Tibetan form of physical yoga he called Yantra Yoga (Tibetan:
Trul Khor
''Trul khor'' ('magical instrument' or 'magic circle;' Skt. ), in full ''tsa lung trul khor'' ( sa, vayv-adhisāra 'magical movement instrument, channels and inner breath currents'), also known as yantra yoga, is a Vajrayana discipline which ...
). This system is based on the
Dzogchen tantra called ''The Union of the Sun and Moon'' and uses physical postures, breathing, and visualization to harmonize one's energy and relax the mind.
Starting in 1976, Norbu began to teach Dzogchen to a small group of Italian students.
During this time, Dzogchen was barely known in the West, and Norbu worked to make it accessible to modern Western students.
As interest in his teachings grew, Norbu dedicated himself to teaching Dzogchen throughout the world through his growing "Dzogchen Community" (Wylie: ''rdzogs chen 'dus sde''). The first "gar" (gathering, settlement) of the DC was established in 1981, near
Arcidosso
Arcidosso is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Grosseto in the Italian region of Tuscany, located about south of Florence and about northeast of Grosseto and near the town of Montalcino.
History
The first certain documentation of ...
, in Tuscany. It was called ''Merigar'' ("Community of the Mountain-of-Fire").
The Dzogchen Community would eventually grow to include thousands of members in over forty countries, including in Europe, Australia, Asia, North America, and South America.
The main DC Gars were: Merigar West in Italy and Merigar East in Romania; Tsegyalgar East in Massachusetts, USA and Tsegyalgar West in Baja California, Mexico; Tashigar North in Venezuela and Tashigar South in Argentina; Namgyalgar in New South Wales, Australia, and Kunsangar in Ukraine and Russia.
Norbu continued to travel around the world, giving Dzogchen teachings. He held over 600 Dzogchen retreats throughout his life. Since 2005, some of these teachings were also transmitted worldwide via the internet.
Norbu also developed a system of study and contemplative training for his students, which he called Santi Maha Sangha.
In the 1980s, Norbu also began to reveal a new series of Dzogchen teachings (i.e., a
terma cycle) called ''Longsal''. These terma revelations have been translated and published in ten volumes.
In 2002, Norbu oversaw the establishment of the Ka-Ter translation project, which tasked experienced translators such as Adriano Clemente,
Elio Guarisco, and Jim Valby with the translation from Tibetan of key texts, as well as the works of Norbu himself.
Other projects
In 1983, Norbu organized the First International Congress on Tibetan Medicine, which was held at
Ca' Foscari University in Venice and the
Cini Foundation,
Arcidosso
Arcidosso is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Grosseto in the Italian region of Tuscany, located about south of Florence and about northeast of Grosseto and near the town of Montalcino.
History
The first certain documentation of ...
.
Norbu also convened the first three International Conferences on Tibetan Language, held at various major universities.
Apart from his spiritual activity, he founded the International Shang-Shung Institute for Tibetan Studies in 1990 to preserve the cultural traditions of Tibet (including Tibetan medicine and language). The institute has a large collection of Tibetan books and manuscripts, and it also publishes the works of Namkhai Norbu. The institute was inaugurated by the XIV Dalai Lama in 1990.
In 2005, the Shang Shung Medical Institute began to offer a four-year course in traditional Tibetan medicine.
Norbu also founded the NGO A.S.I.A (Association for International Solidarity in Asia), which works in Tibet, India, Nepal, Myanmar, Mongolia, and Sri Lanka.
A.S.I.A. has worked on more than 200 projects, including building twenty schools, where 3,000 Tibetan children learn Tibetan language and culture.
Recognition and legacy
Chögyal Namkhai Norbu's teachings on the Dance of the Vajra and Khaita Joyful Dances (a program based on the study, singing, and dancing of traditional and modern Tibetan songs) have been recognized at
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
's
International Dance Council
The International Dance Council (CID, standing for French: ''Conseil International de la Danse'') is the umbrella organization for all forms of dance in the world. It is a non-profit international non-governmental organization founded in 1973 "u ...
(CID).
The numerous cultural artifacts collected by Norbu, such as valuable Himalayan and Central Asian works of art, sacred objects, documents, and handicrafts, are now in the collection of the Museum of Asian Art and Culture in Arcidosso (2016).
In 2000, Norbu was invited to the UN's Millennium World Peace Conference of Religious and Spiritual Leaders in New York.
On 10 September 2018, the Italian government conferred upon him its highest award,
Commander of the
Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic ( it, Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana) is the senior Italian order of merit. It was established in 1951 by the second President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi.
The highest-ranking ...
; this was presented by President
Sergio Mattarella
Sergio Mattarella (; born 23 July 1941) is an Italian politician, jurist, academic and lawyer who has served as the president of Italy since 2015.
A Christian leftist politician, Mattarella was a leading member of the Christian Democracy par ...
.
Works
![Namkhai_Norbu_2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/Namkhai_Norbu_2.jpg)
Chögyal Namkhai Norbu wrote more than eighty works, which have been translated into numerous languages. His oeuvre includes books on Tibetan Buddhism, Tibetan history, poetry, biographies, and works on Tibetan culture and Tibetan medicine.
Books
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Contributions
* Introduction: Beyond Words: Dzogchen Made Easy (2003) (Element Books)
* Introduction: Self-Liberation: Through Seeing with Naked Awareness (2000) (Station Hill Press)
* Introduction: The Tibetan Book of the Dead: Awakening Upon Dying (2013)
* Introduction: The Golden Letters (1996) (Snow Lion)
* Introduction: Togden Shakya Shri. The Life and Liberation of a Tibetan Yogin (2009) (Shang Shung Edizioni)
* Introduction: You Are the Eyes of the World (2011) (Shambhala )
Discography
* ''Chöd: Cutting Through Dualism'' (1995) CD (Amiata Records) ARNR-0193
* ''Purification of the Six Lokas'' (2001) CD (Shang Shung) 10020
* ''General Introduction to Dzogchen'' (2009) DVD
* ''Music for the Dance of the Vajra'' (2009) CD (Amiata Records) ARNR-0200
* ''My Reincarnation'' (2012) DVD (New York)
See also
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Lucid dream
A lucid dream is a type of dream in which the dreamer becomes aware that they are dreaming while dreaming. During a lucid dream, the dreamer may gain some amount of control over the dream characters, narrative, or environment; however, this is ...
* ''
My Reincarnation
''My Reincarnation'' is a 2011 documentary film directed by Jennifer Fox. It is a drama between father and son, spanning two decades and three generations. The film addresses spirituality, cultural survival, identity, heritage, family, growing int ...
'' – a documentary film by Jennifer Fox
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Rimé movement
The Rimé movement is a movement or tendency in Tibetan Buddhism which promotes non-sectarianism and universalism.Sam van Schaik (2011). ''Tibet: A History'', pp. 161-162. Yale University Press. Teachers from all branches of Tibetan Buddhism - ...
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Six realms
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Zhitro
Notes
Citations
References
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External links
International Dzogchen CommunityList of international gars–Dzogchen community centresOfficial Yantra Yoga website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Norbu, Namkhai
1938 births
2018 deaths
Dzogchen lamas
Nyingma lamas
Rinpoches
Tertöns
Tibetan Buddhism writers
Tibetan Buddhists from Tibet
Italian people of Tibetan descent
Commanders of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic