Alex Wilding

The founders of the movement worked very hard to make sure that it wasn't creating some kind of mishmash and that it was preserving all the traditions in their full individuality. The implication of this seems to me that the movement may have been as significant politically as it was spiritually.

The founders of the movement worked very hard to make sure that it wasn't creating some kind of mishmash and that it was preserving all the traditions in their full individuality. The implication of this seems to me that the movement may have been as significant politically as it was spiritually.

As part of his work, Jamgon Kontrol produced an enormous literary output, including the Treasury of Knowledge, which is something of an encyclopedia of Buddhism. In it, he refers to these eight chariots, the eight practice lineages, or we might also think of them as eight great rivers running through the Buddhist continent of the time.

As part of his work, Jamgon Kontrol produced an enormous literary output, including the Treasury of Knowledge, which is something of an encyclopedia of Buddhism. In it, he refers to these eight chariots, the eight practice lineages, or we might also think of them as eight great rivers running through the Buddhist continent of the time.

They include, amongst others, the Nyingma tradition, which is based on the early translations, the Kadam, which emphasised strict discipline and study, the teachings known as Path and Fruit of the Sakyas school, the tradition of the Kalachakra Tantra, which was perhaps the last major Tantra to develop in India and reach Tibet, two quite distinct varieties of cardew, and the tradition of churn.

They include, amongst others, the Nyingma tradition, which is based on the early translations, the Kadam, which emphasised strict discipline and study, the teachings known as Path and Fruit of the Sakyas school, the tradition of the Kalachakra Tantra, which was perhaps the last major Tantra to develop in India and reach Tibet, two quite distinct varieties of cardew, and the tradition of churn.

As usual, there's more to it than I have just mentioned, and in the description I will include some technical terms if you want to look them up later.

As usual, there's more to it than I have just mentioned, and in the description I will include some technical terms if you want to look them up later.

I don't really think there is an equivalent in Western culture, but for a very, very rough suggestion, you might think of these rivers as having a parallel with, say, the Presbyterians, the high church Protestants like the Anglicans, the Roman Catholics, the Eastern Orthodox Church. All have a lot in common, but they are quite different in other ways.

I don't really think there is an equivalent in Western culture, but for a very, very rough suggestion, you might think of these rivers as having a parallel with, say, the Presbyterians, the high church Protestants like the Anglicans, the Roman Catholics, the Eastern Orthodox Church. All have a lot in common, but they are quite different in other ways.

There are two particular unique features of the church tradition. Firstly, although its origins are closely connected to an Indian figure, Padampa Sanjay, Chert as we know it now is a tradition indigenous to Tibet. Its main teachings and practices were formulated by an extraordinary woman, Machig Labdron.

There are two particular unique features of the church tradition. Firstly, although its origins are closely connected to an Indian figure, Padampa Sanjay, Chert as we know it now is a tradition indigenous to Tibet. Its main teachings and practices were formulated by an extraordinary woman, Machig Labdron.

If you only want to look up one of the things I mention in this episode, I would suggest that Machig Labdron would be your best starting point. Iconographically, she is most often painted as a white darkiny figure, dancing on her left leg, holding a rather large raised double-sided drum, known as a damaru in her right hand, and a bell in her left.

If you only want to look up one of the things I mention in this episode, I would suggest that Machig Labdron would be your best starting point. Iconographically, she is most often painted as a white darkiny figure, dancing on her left leg, holding a rather large raised double-sided drum, known as a damaru in her right hand, and a bell in her left.

Oh, she also has a third eye in the middle of her forehead. In these pictures she is, obviously enough, raised pretty much to the status of a deity in her own right, although it remains perfectly clear that she was a very real human being. I'll not say more about her here, as the episode would then become altogether too long.

Oh, she also has a third eye in the middle of her forehead. In these pictures she is, obviously enough, raised pretty much to the status of a deity in her own right, although it remains perfectly clear that she was a very real human being. I'll not say more about her here, as the episode would then become altogether too long.

And what were those teachings that eventually became so popular and that we still practice today? I think it might help to distinguish two sides, which is to say the ritual practice and the underlying thrust of her teachings. The first is perhaps better known, and the second perhaps more important. The name Ch'er itself means cutting. It refers to the cutting of all attachments.

And what were those teachings that eventually became so popular and that we still practice today? I think it might help to distinguish two sides, which is to say the ritual practice and the underlying thrust of her teachings. The first is perhaps better known, and the second perhaps more important. The name Ch'er itself means cutting. It refers to the cutting of all attachments.

On a conceptual level, this means recognising the emptiness of all phenomena, a vital Buddhist theme, as you almost certainly know. This is the focus of the perfection of wisdom teachings, and it is, so to speak, the soil from which the Chö practice grows.

On a conceptual level, this means recognising the emptiness of all phenomena, a vital Buddhist theme, as you almost certainly know. This is the focus of the perfection of wisdom teachings, and it is, so to speak, the soil from which the Chö practice grows.