About Us
Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism is one of the Buddhist heritage that spreaded in the Himalayas and central Asia started from the 7th century. Tibetan Buddhism contains the complete scriptures of Mahayana and Vajrayana, and also discussion and literary works of various Sangha groups. Historically, Tibetan Buddhism spreads only among people of Tibet and Mongolia, but since the beginning of this century the Tibetan Buddhism are spread to all around the world and since then the value of Tibetan Buddhism had also gained the attention and affirmation from people.
Before Buddhism is introduced in Tibet, Bon is the primitive religion in Tibet. In the seventh century, Songtsen Gampo, the thirty-third Tibetan King, under the influence of his concubines, Princess Bhrikuti from Nepal and Princess Wen Cheng from Tang Dynasty, he became a Buddhist. Songtsen Gampo then send Thonmi Sambhota with other youths to learn Sanskrit in India. After back to Tibet, Thonmi Sambhota invented the Tibetan script by imitating Sanskrit, and translated some of the Dharma scripture to Tibetan. Although Songtsen Gampo vigorously advocated Buddhism, and manage his country according to Buddhist 10 Good Deeds, but Buddhism did not have much development until the eighth century.
In the eighth century, Trisong Detsen, the thirty-seventh Tibetan King, invited Santarasita and Padmasambhava from India to spread Buddhism in Tibet, and since then Buddhism slowly combine with the local culture of Tibet and formed the Tibetan Buddhism. In the tenth century, when King Langdarma ruled Tibet, he persecuted Buddhism and had destroyed a lot of Buddhist temples, statues and scriptures. However, after 100 years, Buddhism was revived in Tibet again and had spreaded widely in East and West of Tibet.
After revival of Buddhism, Dharma scripture were translated to Tibetan by Tibetan scholars under guidance from the Indian scholars. With the increase in Tibetan scholar, reliance towards Indian scholar slowly decreased. By time goes, Tibetan Buddhism, still retains the basis of Dharma, was independent from the Indian Buddhism. In terms of its core ideas, Buddhism had not been altered nor increased in the hand of Tibetan Buddhism. They discussions or arguments are clearly marked, and for the sake of authority, they usually quote the main teaching of Buddha or literary works from the Indian scholar.
Nyingma
Nyingma, which means old or ancient in the Tibetan language, is the oldest of the four schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Nyingma get its name as it follow the Dharma that is passed down from the “Old Translation”, Buddhist text that is first translated to Tibetan language by Guru Rinpoche, Santaraksita, 108 translators and 25 Guru Rinpoche nearest disciples. As most of the practitioners of Nyingma are wearing red hat, hence it is commonly known as the “Red Hat” sect of Tibetan Buddhism.
Guru Rinpoche is the founder of Nyingma. In the middle of eighth century, Tibetan King Trisong Detsen send messengers to invite Guru Rinpoche to spread the Dharma in Tibet, and had built Samye Gompa, the first Buddhist monastery in Tibet . Practitioners of Nyingma back then are scattered around and are not grouped as a sect. During the revival of Buddhism after persecution of Dharma by King Langdarma, other schools of Tibetan Buddhism are formed, and to differentiate those who follow the “Old Translation” in early history of Tibetan Buddhism, they are grouped as the Nyingma sect. The inheritances and teachings of Nyingma are basically come from Guru Rinpoche, his nearest 25 disciples and Trisong Detsen. After years Nyingma branches out into six, each having their main monastery which are Dorje Drak, Mindrolling, Shechen, Dzogcen, Katok, and Palyul.
Nyingma teachings are included in the nine Yanas and three categories of Atiyoga/Dzogcen. The nine Yanas includes the three Sutra system (Sravakayana, Pratyekabuddhayana and Bodhisattvayana), the outer/lower/exoteric Tantra (Wylie Tantra of Action, Carya/Ubhaya - Tantra of Conduct and Yogatantra - Tantra of Union) and the inner/higher/esoteric Tantra (Mahayoga - Great Yoga, Anuyoga Subsequent Yoga and Atiyoga - Ultimate Yoga). The three categories of Atiyoga/Dzogcen includes Semde - the “Mind Series”, Longde - the “Space Series” and Menngagde - “Secret Oral Instruction Series”.
The tantra and practice in Nyingma teachings are passed through two kinds of method:
- Teaching (bka’ ma) :- unbroken tradition of instruction from Buddha to his disciples, which continues to the present day.
- Hidden Treasure (gter ma) :- tantra or practice written by Guru Rinpoche and Yeshe Tsogyal, Guru Rinpoche then concealed these to different places and entrusted them to their respective Dakinis and Protectors to guard them from getting damage. Until the conditions are ripe for their dissemination, the hidden treasure will be discovered by treasure discoverers (gter ston) and benefits all sentient beings at that time.
Dudjom Lineage
Dudjom Lineage is a lineage of hidden treasure. The Tibetan Buddhism New Orders often closely connected with politics and social factors, the Nyingma by contrast has remained remarkably aloof from political intrigues. One result of this orientation, however, was that the tradition at times became insular and detached from current events. Guru Rinpoche had foreseen this problem and together with his disciples, they created the institution of hiding texts and artifacts that would be discovered at a later date and would breathe new life into the tradition. Among the gterma by Guru Rinpoche, the gterma obtained by Dudjom Lingpa and Dudjom Rinpoche are the latest and nearest to this period of time.
“Dud” -- five poisons, conflicting emotions, maras
“Jom” -- cut-off , eliminate, destroys
Dudjom lineage is a system of teachings for followers to cut samsara from its roots, eliminate conflicting emotion and obtain liberation in this very life. As Dudjom Rinpoche said: “Dudjom Tersar is a auspicious and valuable lineage, it is the of essences and methods of Dakinis.”
Dudjom Lineage origin from Dudjom Lingpa (1835 - 1904), also known as Dudjom Rinpoche. When Dudjom Rinpoche is 25 years old, he revealed from the rocks of Ba-Ter of the Mar Valley his “prophetic guide”, which had all the instruction on how and when he should discover and reveal his own gter ma. In the same year, with the guidance, Dudjom Rinpoche discovered and revealed his one major gter ma from Ngala Tak-tse at his place of birth Ser Valley. Over the times, Dudjom Rinpoche was able to discover all together twenty volumes of treasures and sacred item.
After Dudjom Lingpa passed away at 1904, the second Dudjom Rinpoche, Dudjom Jigdral Yeshe Dorje (1904 - 1987) was borned at the same year. He is known for preserving many of the historic gter ma teachings and practice lineages that were at risk of being destroyed. He also organized the building of monasteries, and teaching and retreat centers, in India, Nepal, Bhutan, and other countries. The second Dudjom Rinpoche, although considered a completely enlightened being, would rise hours before dawn to practice. In the morning he would pray for all living sentient beings, in the evening for those who had died, and continually he prayed for all who had saw him, heard him, came contact with him or even thought of him to be freed from suffering.
After the second Dudjom Rinpoche passed away, the teaching of Dudjom Lineage continued to spread all around the world by the effort taken from his descendents and students.
Ven. Vajra Guru Yogi Tan
Ven. Vajra Guru Yogi Tan Whui Eng is the founder and spiritual councilor of Persatuan Buddha Dharma Padmasambhava Malaysia. In 1993, Yogi Tan Whui Eng paid homage to His Holiness Dungse Garab Dorje Rinpoche. Thereafter, Ven. Vajra Guru Yogi Tan received the initiation into the Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism of The Dudjom Lineage of Nyingma. In 1996, Ven. Yogi Tan made a pilgrimage to India with His Holiness Rinpoche and at Bodhgaya made a vow to spread Tibetan Vajrayana practice to Malaysia and the neighbouring countries.
In early 1999, during his annual visit to Malaysia, His Holiness Rinpoche gave the auspicious name of “Persatuan Buddha Dharma Padmasambhava Malaysia”to our newly formed dharma association. Since then, our most respected spiritual guide and counsellor, Ven. Yogi Tan, spread the Vajrayana teachings in Klang.
At the same time, Yogi Tan applied to the Registrar of Societies for an official license to carry out religious practices. In 2005, the official license was obtained and Persatuan Buddha Dharma Padmasambhava Malaysia became a member of the Vajrayana Buddhist Council Malaysia (VBCM).
Ven. Vajra Guru Yogi Tan’s main motivation is to develop spiritual practice as well as creating harmony in families. This will help to build a healthy, happy and prosperous Vajrayana family for the purpose of achieving harmony and balance in dharma activities,business activities and personal activities.
Today, through the efforts of Vajra Guru Yogi Tan, members of Persatuan Buddha Dharma Padmasambhava Malaysia and devotees, dharma centers and retreats have been set up in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Bukit Mertajam, Malacca, Kluang, Johor Bharu, Sarawak, Brunei, Bulgaria and Indonesia for the purpose of spreading Buddhism for the benefit of all sentient beings.