A Precious Gift: Practicing with Lama Tharchin Rinpoche

~ DudjomTersarNgondro ~ Leave a comment

This week our sangha observed the 13th Dechö (Parinirvana) Anniversary of Lama Tharchin Rinpoche—a time to remember with deep gratitude the immeasurable kindness he showed in establishing the Dudjom lineage in the West and in guiding so many students onto the path of awakening.

Although Lama Tharchin Rinpoche is no longer with us in physical form, his wisdom, blessings, and compassionate activity continue to reach us in countless ways. One of the most direct is through the recordings he left behind.

For those engaged in the Ngondro, listening to Rinpoche chant these sacred liturgies is much more than hearing a beautiful recitation. It is an opportunity to connect directly with the living lineage. His voice carries the confidence, devotion, and realization of a master who practiced these teachings throughout his life and transmitted them with boundless compassion.

We are deeply fortunate that these precious recordings have been lovingly preserved by Libby Luning through the Heart Teachings of Lama Tharchin project. Thanks to her years of dedication, students today—and for generations to come—can continue to hear Rinpoche’s voice and receive the inspiration of his teachings.

Many of these recordings are available through a monthly subscription to Heart Teachings of Lama Tharchin, while others can be accessed freely through SoundCloud, Vimeo, and YouTube. These archives are an extraordinary treasure for anyone wishing to deepen their connection with Lama Tharchin Rinpoche and the Dudjom lineage.

Today, we share a treasured recording of Lama Tharchin Rinpoche chanting the Concise Dudjom Tersar Ngondro. Click below to listen. 

For those who are practicing the Ngondro, hearing Rinpoche chant these sacred liturgies is more than simply listening to beautiful recitation. It is an opportunity to connect with the living lineage. His voice carries the cadence, devotion, and confidence of a realized master who practiced these teachings throughout his life and offered them so generously to others.

Whether you chant along with the recording, use it to support your daily practice, or simply listen with a heart of devotion, may it strengthen your connection to the lineage and inspire your own path.

As we remember Lama Tharchin Rinpoche, may we honor his legacy in the way he most encouraged us: by practicing sincerely, cultivating bodhicitta, and recognizing the inseparability of the guru’s wisdom mind from our own.

May hearing his voice be a source of inspiration, bring blessings to your practice and deepen your connection to the Dudjom lineage.

With heartfelt gratitude to our precious teacher.

A heartfelt thank you goes to Libby Luning, whose devotion and tireless work have made it possible for Lama Tharchin Rinpoche’s voice and teachings to remain available to students around the world. Her dedication has become an invaluable service to the Dudjom lineage and to all who cherish Lama Tharchin Rinpoche’s teachings.

About the recording:
Lama Tharchin Rinpoche recites the Concise Dudjom Tersar Ngondro according to the melody he originally taught the sangha at Pema Osel Ling. This recording was made in the mid-1990s to guide sangha in reciting the practices from Vajrayana Foundation’s original Daily Practice Book.

© Lama Tharchin Rinpoche and Vajrayana Foundation;
2023 LTRHF and Heart Teachings by Lama Tharchin Rinpoche

 

Lama Tharchin Rinpoche’s 13th Dechö Parinirvana Anniversary

~ DudjomTersarNgondro

As we approach the anniversary of Lama Tharchin Rinpoche’s 13th Dechö Parinirvana Anniversary, our hearts naturally turn to gratitude.

Lama Tharchin Rinpoche (1936–2013) was one of the great Dudjom Tersar masters who helped bring the authentic Vajrayana tradition to the West. Born into the renowned Repkong Ngakpa lineage in Amdo, Tibet, he was the tenth lineage holder of one of Tibet’s largest communities of yogic household practitioners. From an early age, he trained under the guidance of Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche Jigdral Yeshe Dorje, completing years of intensive retreat while mastering ritual arts, sacred music and dance, torma-making, mandala construction, and the profound teachings of Dzogchen.

After escaping Tibet in 1960 and spending many years serving his teachers in India and Nepal, Rinpoche came to the United States in 1984 at the request of Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche Jigdral Yeshe Dorje to establish, preserve, and transmit the Dudjom Lineage and the Vajrayana teachings in the West. In the Santa Cruz Mountains, Rinpoche founded the Vajrayana Foundation and established Pema Osel Ling (Lotus Land of Clear Light) Retreat Center, Drub Nyiy Döjö Gatsal Three-Year Retreat (The Joyful Grove That Provides Both Kinds of Accomplishments), Namdrol Pemay Gatsal (The Joyful Lotus Stupa Mandala), Zo Rig Gyu Tsal Khang (Magical Display of the Arts), Bero Jeydren Translations and Publications, and the Treasure Vase Project. Through Rinpoche’s extraordinary kindness, humor, precision, and unwavering devotion to the Dharma, he nurtured generations of practitioners.

Those who had the great fortune to know Lama Tharchin Rinpoche remember not only the depth of his realization but also the warmth of his smile, his spontaneous laughter, his artistic brilliance, his Jokechen jokes, and his remarkable ability to make every student feel personally seen and encouraged. His teachings continue to illuminate the path for practitioners around the world.

One of the greatest blessings since Rinpoche’s passing has been the tireless work of Libby Pema Dechen (Libby Luning). Through the Heart Teachings project and the Lama Tharchin Rinpoche Heritage Foundation, she has lovingly preserved, organized, and shared an extraordinary treasury of Rinpoche’s recorded teachings, writings, ritual traditions, artwork, songs, and oral instructions. Because of her years of dedicated service, we continue to hear Rinpoche’s voice, receive his guidance, and feel deeply connected to his living presence in the lineage.

Pema Dechen presenting Tibetan texts to Lama Tharchin Rinpoche .  Pema Osel Ling  Photo by Erin Naveen

For anyone wishing to learn more about Lama Tharchin Rinpoche’s life, lineage, and enduring legacy, the Lama Tharchin RinpocheHeritage Foundation offers an extensive biography and archival resources.

As we remember Lama Tharchin Rinpoche on the anniversary of his 13th Dechö Parinirvana Anniversary, may our gratitude deepen into practice. May we honor his immeasurable kindness by keeping his teachings alive in our own hearts and by passing them faithfully to future generations.

May Lama Tharchin Rinpoche’s blessings continue to guide all beings on the path to awakening.

On a personal note, my own connection with Lama Tharchin Rinpoche began in a way that I (Sonam Famarin) never could have imagined.

I first met Rinpoche when he came to our cottage in Mill Valley. During that time, Rinpoche heard about the Tibetan input text work I was doing and came because he was curious about the software I was using.

Following that first visit, Rinpoche came to Mill Valley to offer teachings. By the second month of teachings, we realized we needed a larger space. We partnered with Rob Calef of Open Secret Bookstore on C Street in San Rafael (Closed last year after 36 years) to offer Rinpoche’s teachings there. Even then, the teachings overflowed their beautiful sacred temple. Students filled every available seat and lined the aisles leading from the bookstore into the temple. The response was so extraordinary that we rented the space next door and literally opened the wall between the two buildings to make room for everyone. Nearly 150 people attended that first teaching, and even then, we barely fit.

Within the year, I was living at Pema Osel Ling, where I had the great privilege of creating and preparing Tibetan texts for Lama Tharchin Rinpoche for 12 years. The responsibility for hosting Lama Tharchin’s teachings at Open Secret was graciously passed on to Sheppard Powell and Diane DiPrima when I entered retreat. The rest, as they say, is history. From those humble beginnings, Lama Tharchin Rinpoche’s activity continues to flourish, benefiting countless students.

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Lama Tharchin Rinpoche teaching at Open Secret

 

 

Some of the Open Secret Series teachings are available through Heart Teachings by Lama Tharchin Rinpoche.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Join the Vajrayana Foundation in the practice of Dorsem Lama Chopa
(Offering to the Lama in the Form of Vajrasattva)
at Pema Osel Ling or YouTube online for
Lama Tharchin Rinpoche’s 13th Dechö Parinirvana Anniversary
Two sessions on July 29th at 9am and 2pm
FREE AND OPEN TO ALL!  DETAILS



The Seven Line Prayer

~ DudjomTersarNgondro

The Monthly Ngondro 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧g𝐬 Series 𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 with Tulku Thadral Rinpoche began on September, 2025 and concluded in January, 2026. This prayer was revealed as a terma by great master Guru Chöwang (1212–1270) and is considered a condensation of Guru Rinpoche’s enlightened activity. It is said to be so powerful that even hearing or reciting it invokes Guru Rinpoche’s presence.

The Importance of the Seven Line Prayer
“Of all the devotional prayers used as a support for Dharma practice, the Seven Line Prayer is the most essential, often repeated many thousands of times by practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism. This concise prayer invokes the blessings of Padmasambhava, also called Guru Rinpoche (“Precious Teacher”) and known as the Buddha of our time.”
~ Kyabje Thinley Norbu Rinpoche, Sole Panacea

Listen to Tulku Thadral Rinpoche’s  Seven Line Prayer Teachings on the Dudjom Ngondro Podcast

Join us for the free and open to all monthly Ngondro Teaching Series at
Pema Osel Ling or by YOUTUBE Livestream.
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Visit the Vajrayana Foundation Events Calendar

Guru Rinpoche Day is on Friday, July 24th. We celebrate the Manifestation of Guru Tsokye Dorje, whose name means “Lotus-Born Vajra” or more literally “Lake-Born Vajra. He was born miraculously on a lotus in the middle of Lake Danakosha. 
Tsokey Thuk Thik, The Heart Essence of the Lake-Born Vajra, the Secret Accomplishment of the Great Guru, is a mind terma of Dudjom Rinpoche Jigdral Yeshe Dorje focused on Guru Rinpoche in the form of Guru Tsokye Dorje, which was revealed in 1929. It is the main lama practice in the Dudjom Tersar lineage.

Join us at Pema Osel Ling or by YOUTUBE Livestream for the Tsokye Thuk Thik Puja and Tsog on Friday, July 24th at 8am.