The Certain Time

For transmission to occur the five certainties must coincide: time, place, teacher, teaching, and retinue. Time is the first consideration because the other certainties exist within time – and so awareness of time is crucial. How often have people felt that the time was not right for something – or that they missed the right time? How often have people failed to appreciate the unique quality of an epoch before it was over? Having a sense of the opportunities availed by the right time is a question of awareness – and a question of appreciation. A well lived life can be characterised by kindness and the lack of regret.

A quarter of a century is both the flicker of a butterfly’s wing – and an epoch. For Sang-ngak chö-dzong it is an epoch – and an epoch in which marvels have been accomplished. Khandro Déchen and I would like to thank everyone who has helped to make Sang-ngak chö-dzong what it is today – and, at the same time, invite you invest energy in the next quarter century by celebrating together in the certain time and place that have been found to gather together.

This is an important juncture. And as many apprentices as possible need to attend in order to make the physical statement of our presence as a lineage. We shall be giving an exposition concerning the future and the passing of time. During our lives as Lamas, Khandro Déchen and I have avoided speaking of the future – but we feel that now is the time to address that space of possibility. We shall speak of gTérma and of our rôles in making the gTérma available. This will be the first time we have ever spoken openly of this.

We would like you all to consider this as an opportunity for transmission – in which the potential of the future is received as Tri (khrid) or transmission through explanation. There is a book by Elmer Keith called ‘Hell, I was there! ’. The ‘there’ in question was the final days of the Old West. Elmer Keith saw a substantial number of the final days of that epoch – and his book is worth reading. The final days of any period are intriguing – but what of the initial days or years of an epoch?

Kyabjé Düd’jom Rinpoche and Kyabjé Künzang Dorje Rinpoche asked us to establish the gos dKar lCang lo’i sDe in the West – and at this point in time, that has been accomplished. The ordained apprentices of the Confederate Sanghas of Aro have dedicated their lives to fulfilling our promise to Kyabjé Düd’jom Rinpoche – and there are apprentices who are working toward ordination. At this point in time—at the 25 year celebration of the establishment of Sang-ngak-chö-dzong as a charity—we would like as many as possible to be able to say “Hell, I was there!” because this is the beginning of a vast venture.

Ngak’chang Rinpoche & Khandro Déchen

18th of November, 10.30am to 5.30pm