All teachings by Khandro Déchen

Spontaneity and Discipline in the Sangha

Ngak’chang Rinpoche & Khandro Déchen ...to merge mirth and meaningfulness, frivolity and fierce commitment, revelry and rigpa.
Dorje gendün—indestructible association—means the community of practitioners who are …

spurn dejection at every turn

Ngak’chang Rinpoche & Khandro Déchen Apprentice I had been expecting a telephone call this week—a call which had not arrived—until I suddenly realised that they …

Strange and unbelievable

Ngak’chang Rinpoche & Khandro Déchen Apprentice Why does enthusiasm come and go? It is not that I am not enthusiastic as an apprentice—it’s the best …

Strength

tob – sTobs – power

Khandro Déchen This is how an apprentice described the nature of momentary feelings – and in so doing delightfully defined absence of …

Sweet & sour orthodoxy

Part 2 of an interview with the lineage holders by Lama Shardröl, 31 December 1997.

Ngak’chang Rinpoche, Khandro Déchen & Shardröl Du-nyam Wangmo This is the second half of an interview originally published in Vision magazine in 1998 (issue 11). The first half …

Taxonomy

Khandro Déchen Khandro Déchen said: “Taxonomy concerns categories and classifications. We understand what we understand by comparison – but . . . …

that is the nature of the world

Ngak’chang Rinpoche & Khandro Déchen Apprentice I spent the first 32 years or so working out a reason to live. What was the point when …

The Art of Living

18 October 2018

Ngak’chang Rinpoche & Khandro Déchen The Art of Living is the act of living life AS Art. This can only really be understood if we …

The Drala Jong Interview – Part I

24 July 2011

Ngak’chang Rinpoche & Khandro Déchen Q: What will Drala Jong be used for?
Ngak’chang Chögyam Rinpoche [NCR]: Buddhism!
Q: [Laughs] Sorry, silly question. What I really meant …

The Drala Jong Interview – Part II

29 July 2011

Ngak’chang Rinpoche & Khandro Déchen Q: What sorts of teachings would a residential centre allow – would there be something new that isn’t currently possible …

The ‘either’

a reminiscence of Chhi'mèd Rig'dzin Rinpoche

Khandro Déchen It was always slightly fraught visiting Chhi’mèd Rig’dzin Rinpoche. I never quite knew what he was going to ask me …

The Five Certainties

Ngak’chang Rinpoche & Khandro Déchen Five factors are of crucial importance if transmission is to function: time, place, teacher, teaching, and audience. For authentic, lucid, …

the Godfather

Ngak’chang Rinpoche & Khandro Déchen Retreat participant My son is thinking about opening a gun shop. I’m wondering if you could comment as to whether …

The hell of being a practitioner

Ngak’chang Rinpoche & Khandro Déchen Apprentice Why is it that I can see, in my practice of shi-nè, exactly how my mind works, but I …

The initial display

Ngak’chang Rinpoche & Khandro Déchen Apprentice How I can relate with unsatisfactoriness without dwelling on it and becoming miserable?
Lamas Relate with the initial display of …

The Lama-Student Relationship within Dzogchen

Ngak’chang Rinpoche & Khandro Déchen We have long realised that we cannot work with those who need their Lamas to sit on shoulder height thrones …

The malodorous security of last night’s curry

Ngak’chang Rinpoche & Khandro Déchen Apprentice There is something a little irritating about shi-nè when I practise it properly—I mean when I don’t zone out …

The Meaning of Transmission

Ngak’chang Rinpoche & Khandro Déchen The essential meaning of transmission lies in continually experiencing oneself in relation to the Lama.
The function of the Lamas – …

the surrogate compassion of an arrogant dharmite

Ngak’chang Rinpoche & Khandro Déchen Apprentice I am used to hearing teachings which continually emphasise compassion—and since I became an apprentice I have been aware …

The technique could become a tourniquet

Khandro Déchen Prospective apprentice I am very interested in meditation techniques. Could you give me an example of meditation technique in your …

The ‘ten second problem’

Khandro Déchen Apprentice I would like to ask you about practice. Why is it that my practice is often such a contrast …

The Vajra Simpleton

Khandro Déchen Advice from Khandro Déchen
Ngak’chang Rinpoche and I always recommend that people keep their lives simple – but what might …

The Vehicles

Ngak’chang Rinpoche & Khandro Déchen As you get to understand Buddhism better, you will come to understand what a beautiful geometry it makes. The ways …

The year of the Dog

A teaching on ‘time in transit’

Ngak’chang Rinpoche & Khandro Déchen There are many ways in which we could examine the meaning of the Fire Dog year. We could look at …

Tralam-mé

Ngak’chang Rinpoche & Khandro Déchen Authentic relationship to the dimension of sexuality—in terms of Aro gTér practice—is linked with the Dzogchen teachings of the Khandro …

Tralam-mé Q&A (1)

Ngak’chang Rinpoche & Khandro Déchen Q Rinpoche, do you have awareness of people’s tralam-mé?
R Yes – but it is not necessary. You can know the …

Tralam-mé Q&A (2)

Ngak’chang Rinpoche & Khandro Déchen Q Is it possible to see tralam-mé?
R Yes, in a manner of speaking – but it is more that you …

trust in the humor of the situation

Khandro Déchen Apprentice When you’re in a situation where you’re experiencing ambivalence or resistance . . . you said that I should …

‘Unless you are an imbecile. . .’ (Drala Jong Interview – Part III)

13 September 2011

Ngak’chang Rinpoche & Khandro Déchen Q: What sort of location do you have in mind?
KD: It depends on how much money we raise. It depends …

Vajrayana Buddhism in the West

Ngak’chang Rinpoche & Khandro Déchen This is not ‘just for us’; not even the Aro gTér is ‘just for us’.
People often speak of preserving the …