(From The introduction to Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand – A Concise Discourse on the Path to Enlightenment By Pabongka Rinpoche Edited by Trijang Rinpoche Translated by Michael Richards Wisdom 1991. All formatting and emphasis mine…)
His kindness is without equal.
Trijang Dorjechang
He was — and now I shall give his name in view of my purpose — Jetsun Jampa Taenzin Trinlae Gyatso Paelzangpo. (Pabongka Rinpoche)
Although people like me are immature, uncultured and unregenerate, there was a time when I feasted on his oral instructions into the Mahayana [the Supreme or Great Vehicle] at Chuzang Hermitage, a lonely place that was blessed by the presence of great meditators.
He started the following informal teaching on the thirtieth day of the seventh month of the Iron Bird Year [1921], and it lasted twenty-four days.
People braved great hardships to get there from the three major monasteries in Lhasa, from the Central Province, from Tsang, Amdo and Kham to taste the nectar of his oral teachings, as the thirsty yearn for water.
There were about thirty lamas and reincarnations of lamas, and many upholders of the three baskets of the teachings – in all a gathering of over seven hundred.
Je Pabongka
The informal teaching he gave combined various traditions on the Lam-rim – the stages of the path to enlightenment.
There were the two oral lineages related to the Lam-rim text Manjushn’s Own Words. One of these lineages was quite detailed and had developed in the Central Province; another lineage of a briefer teaching flourished in the south of Tibet. He also included the concise teaching, the Swift Path Lam-rim; and in the part of the Great Scope section that deals with the interchange of self and others, he taught the seven-point mind training.
Each part of the teaching was enriched by instructions taken from the confidential oral lineages. Each section was illustrated by analogies, conclusive formal logic, amazing stories, and trustworthy quotations. The teaching could easily be understood by beginners, and yet was tailored for all levels of intelligence. It was beneficial for the mind because it was so inspiring.
Sometimes we were moved to laughter, becoming wide awake and alive. Sometimes we were reduced to tears and cried helplessly. At other times we became afraid or were moved to feel,
I would gladly give up this life and devote myself solely to my practice.
This feeling of renunciation was overwhelming. These are some of the ways in which all of his discourses were so extraordinary.
Trijang Rinpoche and Zong Rinpoche
How could I possibly convey all this on paper! Yet what a pity if all the key points contained in these inspiring instructions were lost. This thought gave me the courage to write this book. As my precious guru later advised me:
Some of the people present could not follow the teaching. I’m afraid I do not trust all the notes people took during the classes. I therefore ask you to publish a book. Put in it anything you feel sure of.
In this book I have accurately recorded my lama’s teachings in the hope that this substitute for his speech will be beneficial to my friends who wish to succeed in their practice.
March 23, 2009 by truthaboutshugden (extracted from http://truthaboutshugden.wordpress.com)
English
Indonesia
Tibetan
vajrastorm
January 11, 2011
“People braved great hardships to get (to where the great and unequalled master, Pabongka Rinpoche, was giving the Lamrim teachings) to taste the nectar of his oral teachings”. These words of Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche in reference to Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche’s teaching of the Lamrim in a period of twenty-four days, is so very inspiring. Afterwards, following his great teacher’s instructions, Trijang Rinpoche faithfully transcribed every word of the teaching into the Lamrim text entitled ‘Liberation in the Palm of your Hand’.
This text has captured the richness of the teachings, with its clear and conclusive formal logic, its lively illustrations via analogies and stories, and its trustworthy quotations. As Trijang Rinpoche says, Pabongka Rinpoche’s teachings are tailored to suit all levels, from beginners to profound scholars. Indeed, this text – Liberation in the Palm of your Hand – has become the basis of Lamrim courses that are being conducted everywhere today.
Pabongka Rinpoche transmitted the Lamrim teachings with such great power and impact mainly because of the way in which his Lama, the great and highly attained master Dagpo Rinpoche, had taught him the Lamrim. After each topic, he would be asked to go to his cave to study, meditate and realize it in his mindstream. Only when his Lama had ascertained that he had truly realized the topic would he be allowed to move on to the next topic. In this way, he realized every topic of the Lamrim.
Today, whenever a course of Lamrim(based on ‘Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand’) is being conducted, one should draw inspiration from Trijang Rinpoche’s above comments about it and, no matter how far the place is or how busy one is, one should make every effort to attend it ‘to taste the nectar ‘ of the powerful Lamrim master’s (Kyabje Pabongka Rinpoche’s ) teachings.
Arisa
March 3, 2011
Pabongka Rinpoche took 24 days to finish the informal Lamrim teachings he gave to his monks from the 3 major Monasteries in Lhasa. And suffering hardships to get the informal teachings from these Monasteries. Tibetans from Tsang, Anmdo and Kham also made their way to this teaching. Trijang Rinpoche knew that most of the people will not be able to understand the full teachings. So Trijang Rinpoche gathered and combined all the Lamrim traditions and compiled the Book called the Stages of the Path of Enlightenment which he has also included the 7 point mind training. With this book teachings would be recorded accurately so that the teachings won’t be lost and knowledge can then be passed down.
sunitta
September 28, 2015
Wow ! Those words and expressions of devotion and admiration from Trijang Rinpoche on his Guru, Pabongka Rinpoche is so heart warming and inspiring ! May I be able to obtain such a level of devotion and admiration for my Guru too ! With folded hands.