Fall greetings!

Warmest fall greetings to our friends and colleagues. Fall has brought changes and also completion for Lama Chonam and I as we have been able to practically complete two of the main translation projects that we have been consumed by for many years. One is the Epic of Gesar of Ling which we began working on with Robin Kornman in the fall of 1995. Hence this project has spanned nearly two decades to reach completion. The manuscript is now with Shambhala Publishing and we will look for this great Epic to appear in book form in August of next year.

The other project is the translation of Longchenpa's masterful commentary to the Guyagharbha Tantra entitled The Thorough Dispelling of Darkness Throughout the Ten Directions. This book includes a full translation of the root tantra followed by the word- by word commentary with the root words embedded and bolded within it. Extensive end notes are included. Lama Chonam and I have been working on this project for the last eight years. During the first four years we received the entire oral commentary from Khen Rinpoche Namdrol and offered the oral translation of this teaching simultaneously to a large gathering of vajrayana disciples. Following the completion of the teachings we were then able to work on the translation of Longchenpa's commentary and consult with Khen Rinpoche particularly one year by traveling to Parping Nepal for that purpose. For the last year we have devoted all of our time to this effort and now with the amazing assistance of our skillful editor and devoted vajra sister Kay Henry have finally sent the manuscript to Snow Lion publications. It is expected to be available in book form sometime this spring.

Words cannot describe to you how it feels to finally have reached this stage with these two lifetime endeavors. Many of you may know that the other two commentaries to the GG tantra, one written by Dodrubchen Tenpai Nyima called Key to the Precious Treasury and the other by Ju Mipham Rinpoche entitled Essence of Clear Light are already published and available through the restricted book section in the Snow Lion catalog. We hope you will take the time to order them and begin the important process of studying their crucial and pithy content.

These translations represent the authentic texts that are studied by our own masters and the information that allows a vajrayana aspirant the opportunity to understand how to appreciate and actually practice this profound path. They are not written to be an easy read or for entertainment nor will they be books that you can just sit down and pour through. With the root tantra coming out in English this will be invaluable for the study of all three commentaries each of which has it's own particular emphasis and benefits.


As for our translation plans to follow, many of you may know that we had published several translations of Heruka Dudjom Lingpa's Chod teachings corresponding to Dakini Troma Nagmo. These books are now out of print and so we will rework the translations and in the case of one of them, Sole Essence of Clear Light, we will include additional liturgies and commentary that are crucial to the six month Troma togal retreat practice. Hence the completed book will include everything that a practitioner should need to engage in that retreat. These books will be published by our own Kama-Terma publishing through the kindness and sponsorship of our dear vajra brother David Bolduc of the Boulder Book store. Stay tuned for more updates as to the timing of these translations.

In the immediate future we plan to attend the Rinchen Terdzod Empowerments in Alameda scheduled to begin on December 1st of this year. I will offer the oral translation to start out but it is our hope that the illustrious Shashikala Reitz will be able to take over and carry the load as they say for the duration of the empowerments. It is important training for Shashi and besides that she will do an awesome job.

That is the update for now. I would like to close by expressing our deepest gratitude to our generous sponsors and volunteers who allow us the dignity to continue serving the dharma and all of you by devoting all of our time to the translations. We can never thank you enough for your what you are doing. Please join us on this blog as we would welcome any feedback or communications that have to do with these projects or any other thoughts you all may have,

Warmly,
in the dharma,
Sangye Khandro