Ling Gésar and Rang-rig Togden

Rang-rig Togden’s full name was Rang-rig Trögyal Pawo (rang rig khro rGyal dPa bo). Khandro Déchen comments:This beautiful Tibetan thangka painted by Kumar Lama shows Rang-rig Togden wearing a blue chuba trimmed with the skins of tigers and leopards. Although Rang-rig Togden’s chuba was trimmed with such furs – the actual chuba would not have been embroidered with gold thread as shown here. The inclusion of gold thread is an honorific convention of Tibetan thangka painting, and emphasises the quality of veneration rather than depicting how Rang-rig Togden actually dressed. He is shown sitting on an island which indicates that he spent his life as a reclusive hermit, as it was often the case that a Lama such as Shabkar and many others would live on islands within large lakes in order to remain private from those who would come bearing continual gifts and requests for blessings. He is shown with a mélong braided into his beard in depiction of his practice of Dzogchen long-dé.
Ngak’chang Rinpoche comments:Rang-rig Togden was a powerful gÇodpa who was born into the A-Kyong clan from Golok. As well as mastering gÇod, he specialised also in the subjugation practice of Chana Dorje (phyag na rDo rJe – Vajrapani), Tamdrin (rTa mGrin – Hayagriva), and Khyung (Khyung – Garuda). Rang-rig Togden also practised the Kha-khyab Rangdröl of Padma Düd’dül Rinpoche of Nyarong, which he had received from A’dzom Drukpa (A ’dzom brug pa gro ’dul do rJe, 1842-1924) at Tashi Dungkar Khyil (bKra shis dung dKar khyi). He had also received transmissions from DoKhyentsé Yeshé Dorje (mDo khyen tse ye shes do rJe, 1800-1866), from whom he received the transmissions of his own gTérmas of Pema Gyalpo.
Until meeting with Jomo Pema ’ö-Zér, Rang-rig Togden had been a wandering gÇodpa, but she instructed him in the practices of Dzogchen long-dé which she had received from her aunt Jomo Chhi’mèd Pema, and after that he had several visions of Yeshé Tsogyel, Tashi Chhi’drèn and Mandarava. They practised all their lives in caves and spent almost all their elder years in retreat.

About me

Naljorpa Bar-ché Dorje has been a student of Ngak’chang Rinpoche and Khandro Déchen since 1992. He was ordained as a Naljorpa in January 2000.
He specialises in sKu-mNyé, a system of psycho-physical movements which give rise to ‘profound sensations’ that act as a the focus of meditation. The Aro sKu-mNyé is found within Dzogchen long-dé – the ‘series of the vast expanse’. Its purpose is that of returning to the non-dual state – but practised at the outer level its secondary functions promote good health, vitality, longevity, and charismatic lucidity.
Bar-ché Dorje journeys to Nepal every year to spend time with Kyabjé Künzang Dorje Rinpoche and Jomo Sam’phel – the Root Lamas of Ngak’chang Rinpoche and Khandro Déchen. He has made numerous journeys to Nepal throughout the 1990s and has an extremely close relationship with Kyabjé Künzang Dorje Rinpoche and Jomo Sam’phel – who are highly renowned rTsa rLung masters. Before becoming an Aro apprentice he had become a teacher of Pencak Silat—the Indonesian Martial art—but he found himself needing more depth in terms of the nature of Mind and when he met Ngak’chang Rinpoche and Khandro Déchen he realised that they had this knowledge. He is now studying the vajra dances of Ling Gésar – the epitome of spiritual warriorship in the Vajrayana tradition. In token of this he was presented with the full costume and martial implements of Ling Gésar by Kyabjé Künzang Dorje Rinpoche and Jomo Sam’phel. He has received the martial healing-arts with knives and swords associated with Ling Gésar as well as other methods which deal with raising rLung rTa (enthusiasm); maintaining srog (life force); and enhancing the lha (dynamic drive) of the individual. He lives in Helsinki, Finland with his ladyfriend Heidi who is also a practitioner of Aro.
Naljorpa Bar-ché Dorje speaks English, German, Finnish, Dutch and Indonesian.