29 July, 2011 – The 14th Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche, Mepham Chokyi Lodro, who resides in New Delhi, India, is receiving an oral transmission and empowerment of Chhag Chhen Jazhung from His Holiness the 70th Je Khenpo, Trulku Jigme Chhoedra, at Tashichhodzong in Thimphu.

The four-day oral transmission, which started on July 26, concludes today.

Shamar Rinpoche said the primary reason for receiving this teaching was to transmit it to the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, Thrinley Thaye Dorjee.

According to Shamar Rinpoche, the Kagyupa has two unique lineages. The Naro Chhoedrug, which means six doctrines of Naropa, was transmitted to Marpa, and from Marpa to Milarepa, and from Milarepa to Gampopa, who instituted the whole Kagyupa school.

Chhaja Chhenpo is another unique subject of Kagyuepa, which means, just as Ningmapa has Dzogchhen, Kagyupa has Chhaja Chhenpo.

Rinpoche said the Chhaja Chhenpo text is mainly about teachings on how to meditate, like starting from mind turning meditation to the ultimate level of enlightenment. The mahamudra teaching is also the lineage that came to Marpa from his root guru Maitrepa, who is the famous Mahasida.

Maitrepa taught mahamudra to Marpa, who has two main lineages, six yogas and six doctrines of Naropa. Another is mahamudra meditation, the teachings from Maitrepa. So, Marpa taught Milarepa and Milerapa taught Gampopa, and ultimately Gampopa propagated in Tibet.

These mahamudra teachings were all collected by the 6th Karmapa and is called Chhaja Chhenpoi Jazhung. Chhaja Chhenpo is the name of the particular meditation and Jazhung means all the doctrines written by Indian Mahasidas and Mahapundits.

The 7th Gyalwa Karmapa collected all the Jazhungs to organise in one set and published it to spread this lineage. But lineage is more or less disappearing.

“Everybody likes to go for Naropa’s six yogas and they may have received brief teachings of mahamudra, but they did not go to all the texts. That is why the lineage has been shrunk. But some high lamas are holding the lineage,” Shamar Rinpoche said.

The 15th Karmapa, Khachhab Dorji, a disciple of Kongtrul Lodroe Thayae, gave this oral transmission to Kheywang Tenzin Gyatsho, who is a famous teacher in the Drukpa Kagyu school, and he gave it to His Holiness the 68th Je Khenpo, Tenzin Dondrup, who has this lineage and transmitted it to the present Je Khenpo.

Rinpoche said that his master plan is to collect and organise all the Jazhungs written by all the Chhagja Chhenpo Masters. Until now he had published 11 volumes of Jazhungs.

An article written by By Chencho Wangdi

Published here: http://www.kuenselonline.com/2010/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=20247