Aro gTér
{{Short description|Lineage within Tibetan Buddhism}}
{{primary sources|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox Organization
|name = Aro gTér
|image = Aro gTér.png
|caption =
|size = 180px
|abbreviation =
|founder = Ngakpa Chögyam
|formation = 1980s
|headquarters = Vale of Glamorgan,
Wales,
United Kingdom
|type = Tibetan Buddhism
Western Buddhism
Dzogchen
|website = {{URL|http://arobuddhism.org/}}
}}
The Aro gTér is a lineage within the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. The pure vision terma on which it is based teaches all Buddhist topics from the point of view of Dzogchen. The Aro gTer terma was received by Western-born Buddhist, Ngakpa Chögyam. The lineage is a ngagpa or non-monastic lineage and emphasizes householder practice and non-celibate ordination. All of its contemporary teachers are ethnically non-Tibetan.{{sfn|Cousens|2010|p=196}}
History
Ngakpa Chögyam founded the Aro gTér organization in the 1980s.{{sfn|Cousens|2010|p=196}} He was born in Hanover, Germany in 1952 and grew up in England. His father was English and his mother German; he is distantly related to the composer Franz Schubert. He studied Buddhism from the early 1970s through 1989, while working as a manual laborer, factory worker, and a truck driver in Britain to subsidize his education.{{cite web|title=Ngakpa Chögyam Biography|url=http://aro-books-worldwide.org/shared/text/b/biography_ph_01_ncr_01_eng.php|website=Aro Books Worldwide|accessdate=3 February 2015}}
According to a terma which Ngakpa Chögyam received in visions, the Aro tradition has antecedents in a 'Mother Essence Lineage' of female tertöns originating with Yeshe Tsogyal,{{sfn | Chögyam | 1994 }} and forward to Kyungchen Aro Lingma (1886-1923).{{sfn | Rawlinson | 1997 | pages = 207 }}{{sfn | Cousens | 2010 | p=196 }} According to the Aro gTér, Kyunchen Aro Lingma first discovered the terma.{{sfn | Rawlinson | 1997 | pages = 207 }}{{sfn | Cousens | 2010 | p=196}} This terton says Aro Lingma transmitted the lineage to her only son, named Aro Yeshe (1915-1951).
According to Gyaltsen Rinpoche, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche recognized Ngakpa Chögyam as Aro Yeshe's tulku,{{sfn | Gyaltsen Rinpoche | 1986 | pages = xi-xvii }} and Khordong gTerchen Tulku Chhi'med Rig'dzin Rinpoche recognized him as 'a-Shul Pema Legdeas', the incarnation of Aro Yeshe's predecessor.{{sfn | Rawlinson | 1997 | pages = 207 }}{{sfn | Gyaltsen Rinpoche | 1986 | pages = xi-xvii }}
In the 1970s, Ngakpa Chögyam studied with Chhi'med Rig'dzin Rinpoche,{{sfn | Cousens | 2010 | p =196 }}{{sfn | Chhi’-mèd Rig’dzin Rinpoche | 2003 }} Dudjom Rinpoche,{{sfn | Gyaltsen Rinpoche | 1986 | pages = xi-xvii }} Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche,{{sfn | Gyaltsen Rinpoche | 1986 | pages = xi-xvii }} Kunzang Dorje Rinpoche,{{sfn | Gyaltsen Rinpoche | 1986 | pages = xi-xvii }} and Khamtrül Yeshé Dorje Rinpoche.{{sfn | Yeshe Dorje Rinpoche | 1991 }} He wrote about his experiences in his 2011 book, Wisdom Eccentrics.{{sfn | Chögyam | 2011 }}
H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche gave the name Sang-ngak-chö-dzong to establish the western White Tantric Community organization,{{sfn | Gyaltsen Rinpoche | 1986 | pages = xi-xvii }} which is located in Britain.{{sfn | Chögyam | 1994 }}{{sfn | Chögyam | Déchen |2003 | p=308}}
Teachings and practices
References
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
Sources
{{refbegin}}
- {{Citation | last = Chhi’-mèd Rig’dzin Rinpoche | first = Khordong gTérchen Tulku | contribution = Foreword | contribution-url = http://approachingaro.org/crr-foreword | editor-last1 = Chögyam | editor-first1 = Ngakpa | editor-first2 = Khandro | editor-last2 = Déchen | title = Spectrum of Ecstasy: The Five Wisdom Emotions According to Vajrayana Buddhism | publisher = Shambhala Publications | year = 2003 | isbn = 978-1-59030-061-9 | url = https://archive.org/details/spectrumofecstas00chum |url-access=registration }}
- {{Citation | last =Chögyam | first =Ngakpa | year =1994 | title =The mother essence lineage | journal =Gassho | volume =1 | issue =5 | url =http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/tib/aprntice.htm | accessdate =2009-05-18}}
- {{Citation | last =Chögyam | first =Ngakpa | year =2011 | title =Wisdom Eccentrics | publisher =Aro Books, Inc. | isbn=978-0965394864}}
- {{Citation | last1 = Chögyam | first1 = Ngakpa | year = 2003 | first2 = Khandro | last2 = Déchen | title = Spectrum of Ecstasy: The Five Wisdom Emotions According to Vajrayana Buddhism | publisher = Shambhala Publications | isbn = 978-1-59030-061-9 | url = https://archive.org/details/spectrumofecstas00chum |url-access=registration }}
- {{Citation |last=Cousens |first=Diana | editor1-last =Melton | editor1-first =J. Gordon | editor2-last =Baumann | editor2-first =Martin | year =2010 | chapter =Aro gTér | title= Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices |page=196 | publisher =ABC-CLIO |place=Santa Barbara|edition=2nd |isbn=9781598842036}}
- {{Citation | last = Gyaltsen Rinpoche | year = 1986 | contribution = Foreword | editor-last = Chögyam | editor-first = Ngakpa | title = Rainbow of Liberated Energy: Working With Emotions Through the Colour and Element Symbolism of Tibetan Tantra | publisher = Element Books | isbn = 978-0906540923 | contribution-url = http://approachingaro.org/lydr-foreword}}
- {{Citation | last =Rawlinson | first =Andrew | title =The book of enlightened masters : Western teachers in Eastern traditions | date =1997 | publisher =Open Court | location =Chicago, Ill. [u.a.] | isbn =978-0812693102 | edition =first print | url =https://archive.org/details/bookofenlightene00rawl |url-access=registration}}
- {{Citation | last = Yeshe Dorje Rinpoche | first = Ngakchang | year = 1991 | contribution = Foreword | editor-last = Chögyam | editor-first = Ngakpa | title = Rainbow of Liberated Energy: Working With Emotions Through the Colour and Element Symbolism of Tibetan Tantra | publisher = Element Books | isbn = 978-0906540923 | contribution-url = http://approachingaro.org/lydr-foreword}}
{{refend}}
Further reading
- {{cite journal |url=http://enlight.lib.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-AN/an140412.pdf |first=Ngakpa |last=Chogyam |title=Sang-ngak-cho-dzong and the Evolution of the Apprentice Programme |journal=Gassho |volume=1 |number=4 |date=May–June 1994 |accessdate=2015-06-16}}
- {{Citation | last = Dorje | first = Rig'dzin | year = 2001 | title = Dangerous Friend: The Teacher-Student Relationship in Vajrayana Buddhism | publisher = Shambhala Publications | isbn = 978-1-57062-857-3}}
- {{Citation| last =Simmer-Brown | first =Judith | title =Dakini's warm breath: the feminine principle in Tibetan Buddhism | date =2001 | publisher =Shambhala | location =Boston | isbn =1-57062-720-7 | edition =1st}}
External links
- {{official website|http://arobuddhism.org/}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aro gTer}}