Report of the Year 2025
2025 is coming to a close and we want to share with you our accomplishments for this year. Thanks to the support of all our patrons, and in particular the Tsadra Foundation and several benefactors who have been especially generous, we have been able to expand our team and our efforts in making the profound teachings of the Longchen Nyingtik accessible to practitioners worldwide. Last summer marked more than 5 years since we started the project, during which we've translated over 1000 pages of the Longchen Nyingtik Shechen Tsapo (the Core Texts) and other collections.
New Translations
This year we published 17 new translations in English and 7 in French, almost all of which have never been translated before. Among our major new translations was An Illuminating Ornament of Brilliant Sunlight: A Catalogue of the Heart-Essence of the Vast Expanse, by Jigme Losal. This catalogue of the treasures of the Longchen Nyingtik was written in 1802 at the Lhundrup Teng temple in Derge, after the printing blocks had been carved at Derge's famous printing house. The text includes a history of how the Dzogchen teachings came to this world, an account of how they flourished in Tibet, and the actual catalogue of the Longchen Nyingtik treasures. We translated it into French as well.
We also completed the translation of The Way of the Vidyādharas of the Past: Instructions on the Stages of the Practice of Approach and Accomplishment of the Guru, Yidam Deity and Ḍākinī of the Heart-Essence of the Vast Expanse, by the Fourth Dodrupchen, Tubten Trinle Pal Zangpo: a detailed, practical guide to meditating in retreat on each of the major sādhanas of the Longchen Nyingtik, with advice on how to prepare the location, set up a shrine, chant the liturgy and play bell and drum. It consists of three chapters: Chapter 1: Rigdzin Düpa, Chapter 2: Palchen Düpa and Chapter 3: Yumka Dechen Gyalmo. This translation was funded by a Light of Dharma grant from the Terton Sogyal Foundation.
“When you are in retreat, unless you keep to the boundaries strictly, there will be a great risk of distraction. Therefore, do not be lax. Unless you have confidence that you are truly diligent, do not make a long-term commitment to retreat at the outset. If you do, you may be tempted to give up. Therefore, extend your commitment gradually.”
We also translated the inner practice the Queen of Great Bliss (Yumka): The Treasure Vase Containing the Essence of Great Bliss. This practice includes twenty-one forms of activity, such as increasing intelligence, extending longevity, and eliminating obstacles, all linked to the Twenty-One Tārās and the corresponding verses of the famous Praise to Tārā with Twenty-One Verses of Homage. In the introduction of the terma text itself, Jigme Lingpa says:
““From the heart of a lotus flower
Arose the goddess Tārā, swift and courageous.
In the wilderness of snowy mountains, she appears as a woman.
Outwardly, she is the sweet-voiced Tsogyal.
Inwardly, she is venerable Tārā in actuality.
Secretly, she is Vajravārāhī.”
Supporting Events
This year we were present at and provided extensive support for two events, one in New Zealand and one in France, during which the entire Longchen Nyingtik, both empowerments and oral transmissions, was transmitted, by the esteemed Dzongsar Khyentse and Rabjam Rinpoches. Specifically for these events, we created a dedicated page with Empowerment Resources. In this day and age, significant efforts are being made by various individuals and organizations to translate the Tibetan Buddhist teachings into English and other languages. Yet at present, most empowerment ceremonies of the Vajrayana teachings are still conducted in Tibetan, either by masters who do not speak English or by those who do but continue using Tibetan for various reasons—including the fact that many empowerment manuals still await translation. During these ceremonies, students must repeat certain verses after the vajra master, such as the request for the empowerment, taking refuge and bodhicitta, and the promise to keep the samayas. Since these repetitions are often in Tibetan, we have compiled translations of these verses to help students understand what they are saying.
In connection with these events, we have also translated an extract from Precious Bundle of Grains: A Record of Received Teachings for the Collected Works of the Omniscient Guru Jigme Lingpa, which was compiled and composed by the Shechen Monastery Organisation Committee, when Rabjam Rinpoche transmitted these collections in 2019 at Shechen Monastery in Nepal.
Khenchen receiving the lung for The Light of the Sun and the Moon from Jigme Khyentse Rinpoche in the Dordogne. Courtesy of Khenpo Sonam Tsewang.
We were also one of the driving forces behind the teachings bestowed by Khenchen Pema Sherab Rinpoche on Rigdzin Düpa, based on The Light of the Sun and the Moon commentary by Khangsar Tenpé Wangchuk. Based on his teachings and with the help of Khenpo Sonam Tsewang, we were able to compile an erratum.
Khenchen also taught on the Stairway to Akanistha in Berlin, and for that we produced a draft of the text in German.
During the event in France, we were able to give a short presentation on the Longchen Nyingtik Project: Video presentation of the Longchen Nyingtik Project.
Expanding the Website
We continue to add pages to our website. We created the following new pages:
Tantra System Vajrakīlaya (Gyuluk Phurba)
Loud Laughter of the Ḍākinīs (Khandro Gegyang)
We also continue to write blogs on various topics, such as Notes on Rigdzin Düpa Drupchens and The Five Nyingtik Monasteries of Dzachuka & Sershul.
Practice Materials
Besides translations, we are increasingly providing supporting materials for practice. We frequently receive requests from practitioners for tangkas and mandalas, which can be difficult to obtain. To address this, we have gathered various images on our website. We've added new pages in the 'resources' section for tangkas, tormas, and mandalas. We are particularly pleased to have obtained several thankas from the Shechen Archives, as well as drawings made by Tulku Rigdzin Pema Rinpoche, based on old drawings from Tibet and created under the direct guidance of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.
Revising Translations
We aim not only to produce new translations but also continue improving and refining our existing ones. This year we have completely revised our translation of the Yumka Dechen Gyalmo sadhana.
Translations into French and German
The Longchen Nyingtik Project has started to make our translations available in French with the help of Vincent Thibault and the support of the Tsadra Foundation. In 2026, Theresa Bachhuber will begin to translate texts into German.
Future Plans
Besides our continued work on publishing new translations every month, behind the scenes we have started working on several texts on tsalung and dzogrim. We are consulting with lineage holders on how these can be published in the future. We are also still trying to complete the immense Ratik commentary on Yumka Dechen Gyalmo, and are working to produce both a critical Tibetan edition and an English translation. We have started preparing the texts for several Rigdzin Düpa frameworks for drupchen practices, and also the entire cycle of the Gyuluk Phurba. We have made many drafts of empowerment manuals and will revise these and publish them in the future. We also have several texts related to the Longchen Nyingtik ngöndro in preparation, as well as several texts on three-year retreat, rituals, and tormas.
This concludes our report for this year. Once again, we want to thank everyone who supported us in our endeavors. If you like to support our work, please do so here: Support the Longchen Nyingtik Project.
Full list of New Translations
Fourth Dodrupchen, Tubten Trinle Pal Zangpo, The Way of the Vidyādharas of the Past: Instructions on the Stages of the Practice of Approach and Accomplishment of the Guru, Yidam Deity and Ḍākinī of the Heart-Essence of the Vast Expanse
Jigme Lingpa, The Treasure Vase Containing the Essence of Great Bliss, The Inner Female (Yumka) Practice
Jigme Lingpa, A Bundle of Blessings: An Empowerment Ritual for the Secret Female (Yumka) Practice of Siṃhamukhā,
Jigme Lingpa, Supplementary Instructions for the Empowerment of the Long-Life Practice “The Vase of Immortal Life”
First Dodrupchen, Jigme Trinle Özer, Concise Offering to the Oath-Bound Guardians of Vajrakīlaya
Nyangral Nyima ÖzerYumka Aspiration
Jigme Losal, An Illuminating Ornament of Brilliant Sunlight: A Catalogue of the Heart-Essence of the Vast Expanse
Mañjuśrīkīrti, Confession of the Eight Branch Infractions and Downfalls
Shechen Monastery Organisation Committee/Rabjam Rinpoche, Precious Bundle of Grains: A Record of Received Teachings for the Collected Works of the Omniscient Guru Jigme Lingpa
Second Penor Rinpoche, Rigdzin Palchen Düpa, Daily Practice for the Inner Practice of the Gathering of Vidyādharas
Third Dodrupchen, Jigme Tenpe Nyima, Six-Session Yoga
Jigme Lingpa, The Great Perfection: Directly Seeing the Natural State, Vital Instructions for Beginners
Fifteenth Karmapa, Khakhyap Dorje, Bindu of Great Bliss, Supplementary Instructions for the Supreme Bestowal of Wisdom, The Ripening Empowerment for the Sealed Quintessence (Tikle Gyachen)
Jigme Lingpa, Recitation Manual for the Gathering of Awesome Ones (Palchen Düpa), Heart Practice of the Vidyādharas
Khenpo Ngkachung, Vajrakīlaya: Overpowering the Forces Of Māra, from the Ocean of Gathered Teachings of the Awesome One
Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, Empowerment from The Excellent Path of Great Bliss: A Ritual of Offering to the Gurus Based on Vajrasattva, Combined with Activity for the Benefit of Others
In French
Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche, Une corne d’abondance, Registre d’enseignements reçus dans le contexte des œuvres réunies de l’Omniscient Guru Jigmé Lingpa et de Patrul Orgyen Jigmé Chökyi Wangpo (extraits)
Jigmé Losal Özer, Un ornement éclairant comme un soleil radieux, Catalogue de l’Essence du cœur de l’immensité
Jigmé Lingpa, Pour actualiser la terre pure d’Abhirati : Guru-yoga de Vajrasattva
Jamyang Khyentsé Wangpo, Une averse de grande félicité : Prière à la lignée du guru-yoga de Vajrasattva
Jigmé Lingpa, Guru-yoga axé sur Rigdzin Jigmé Lingpa
Jigmé Tenpé Nyima, Yoga en six séances, Par le troisième Dodrupchen
Dola Jigme Kalzang, Les instructions orales des siddhas, Comment pratiquer l’Essence du cœur de l’immensité