Overview
Ligmincha International is a community focused on preserving and teaching the Bön Buddhist tradition of Tibet. This particular worldwide network was founded by Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1992. He has led centers and sanghas primarily throughout the US, Mexico, and Europe. Ligmincha International’s centers and sanghas are located throughout the world, with its headquarters being located at the Serenity Ridge Retreat Center in Nelson County, Virginia. The retreat center and headquarters were formed in 1998, shortly after Tenzin Wangyal’s community spread positively throughout Charlottesville.
Founder
Tenzin Rinpoche was born in Amritsar, India following his parents’ escape from the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1959. At the age of 10, he was ordained as a monk and began his education under both the Bön and Buddhist schools of Tibet. In 1986, Tenzin Rinpoche completed his geshe degree, eager to bring his teachings to the western world. He spent several years traveling to different countries and American universities before founding the Ligmincha International organization in Virginia.
The Ligmincha Dynasty
The organization receives its name, Ligmincha, from an ancient dynasty of kings once located in the country of Zhang Zhung. This country was once located in what is now the northwestern part of Tibet. The Ligmincha seal can be found throughout centers and sanghas associated with this community. The unique seal provides a brief history of the Ligmincha dynasty and its importance to the organization. In the language of Zhang Zhung, the outer ring of the seal reads, “The kind of existence who has power over the Three Worlds”. Within this inscription lies a colorful lotus flower with five petals. The petals symbolize the five sciences necessary for a human to live an educated and fulfilled life. Next, a star lies within the flower. The star consists of eight points, symbolizing the first eight ways of the Bön tradition, or the ways to enlightenment. Finally, the Tibetan letter “A” lies in the center of the seal. This letter represents the ninth and final way of enlightenment. The seal is used throughout the tradition and serves as a historical anchor for the institution.
Ligmincha at Serenity Ridge
The Bön Buddhist tradition continues to be preserved through Tenzin Rinpoche’s efforts and contributions to the Ligmincha International community. He works to teach, translate, and publish texts, in hopes that Bön Buddhism can be taught as a genuine and livable tradition to Western students. The Ligmincha International headquarters at Serenity Ridge Retreat offers western students a year round center to learn and participate in his teachings.
The retreat center is located approximately 30 miles south of Charlottesville. Its location within the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia offers a beautiful and natural experience for visitors. Many find themselves focusing on their education while hiking through the many trails that connect to the center. Serenity Ridge offers dormitories for retreat goers as well as tent sites for those wishing to pursue a closer relationship with the earth on their journey. The grounds feature a meditative central building, while other meditative spaces can be found throughout the hills surrounding the site. Serenity Ridge finds success in its program by creating an approachable and open environment. Its resident lama, Geshe Tenzin Yangton, offers an open but disciplined style of meditation and teaching. Students are encouraged to go above and beyond the classes that are planned. The center is cared for by its permanent residents and teachers, while visitors are welcome to contribute to its daily caretaking hour. The idea behind this is to create opportunities for students to learn discipline and care while they attend.
Teachings
Serenity Ridge and the Ligmincha International community offer teachings to everyone with a goal of being accessible around the world. Many of the topics focus on Dzogchen, or “The Great Perfection”. The teachings of this topic cover everything from how to awaken the mind, to the history and wisdom of the Masters of Zhang Zhung. The institute balances the historical role of Tibetan culture with its influence on today’s society.
Practices are focused on the Bön Mother Tantra, the “Ma Gyu”. These include instructions and guidance for things like Dream Yoga, a prevalent form of meditation within this tradition.
Through his focus on the western world, Tenzin Rinpoche has also made a strong effort to connect his students with retreats around the world. Students may often find opportunities to visit centers and sanghas in other countries, as well as participate in online broadcasts. Many of his interviews and online broadcasts are available to engage with eager students everywhere.
Whether students and visitors are new or experienced, many can become involved in Tenzin Rinpoche’s theories and teachings of The Three Doors. This is an exceptional example of one of the many ways he communicates the rituals of Tibetan Buddhism with his students. These three points are used to create a direct and informative lesson to achieving self-realization. They are as follows:
- Through the movement of the body, you will learn how to access the deeper experience of unchanging body.
- Through the energy of your speech, you can experience the deeper experience of ceaseless speech.
- Through clarity of your mind, you can connect with undeluded mind.
These three keys reflect the importance of acknowledging one’s body, mind, and existence in the world – so that they may then study to forget them and become closer to enlightenment. The Three Doors offers just a piece of what the Ligmincha International community has to offer, and is readily available online to newcomers.
Tenzin Rinpoche researches, translates, and writes extensively on other topics as well. His other focuses include the Causal Vehicles of this Buddhist tradition. The Causal Vehicles refer to the first four of the nine ways to achieving enlightenment. He acknowledges along with the community how valuable the first four vehicles are to forming a disciplined education.
Ligmincha International in the Digital Age
Today, Ligmincha International is faced with the opportunities and challenges of expanding in a tech-savvy world. They continue to pursue their primary mission, of preserving the sacred practices of the Bön Buddhist tradition, while making them available in a clear and educational form. They have made successful efforts over the last year to bring their religion and wisdom to the internet, building communities of “cyber-sanghas”. These have been instrumental in the growth of the community, and have allowed for more participation than ever from both dedicated volunteers and new students. Tenzin Rinpoche has stressed the benefits of being able to provide free courses and teachings through the internet, and the positive impact that has had on the community’s connection.
With this type of success come challenges to any Buddhist tradition. The very nature of Buddhism emphasizes the importance of self-actualization and the relinquishing of a dependent, electronic lifestyle. Tenzin Rinpoche ensured throughout this last year that by expanding the institute’s teachings to an online presence, they have been able to connect with more students and volunteers than ever while remaining true to the tradition. In 2015, they were able to host a year-long free webcast series with Rinpoche, a wonderful and unique opportunity for those who may not have been able to travel to his resident retreat center.
Conclusion
The efforts to expand the Bön Buddhist tradition to an online source have shown great commitment and trust that its practice will remain authentic. Tenzin Rinpoche has provided an approachable and historically driven way for students to experience one of the oldest Buddhist traditions on record. Additionally, Ligmincha International has become an exceptional community in the western world for aiding students in their journey. Its headquarters, Serenity Ridge, has formed an anchor for many to continue to study and appreciate Bön Buddhism.
Kathryn Milburn
References
http://serenityridge.ligmincha.org