Words of a Gentle Sage (Collected Teachings of Khenchen Appey Rinpoche) (Volume-I)

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About The Book This volume holds a selection of teachings by one of the most eminent masters in recent times, Khenchen Appey Rinpoche. The topics include:

1. The Importance of Studying the Buddhadharma

2.Pith Instructions by Ngülchu Thogmé

3. The Logic of Rebirth

4. The Passing of Enlightened Beings

5. The Four Mind Changing Contemplations and Other Practices

6. A Commentary on the Sutra of Recollecting the Three Jewels

7. The Seven-Branch Practice, based on Samantabhadra's aspiration

8. A Commentary on Mind Training in Seven Points

9. An Introduction to the Abhidharma

10. The Four Schools of Buddhist Thought, with an Emphasis on Madhyamaka in Tibet

About the Author Preface In my view, the late Khenchen Appey Rinpoche (1927-2010) was one of the most learned Tibetan Buddhist masters of the twentieth and twenty- first centuries. Yet, this was not obvious to many. Because of this imperceptibility of his being a great scholar, many people missed the chance to study with him. I'm very fortunate to have been able to study with him over a period of ten years at Sakya College, India, and later managed to come to the International Buddhist Academy, Kathmandu, to serve him.

My experience of being with him for all those years has formed the basis of who I am today. Looking back gives me goose bumps. Thinking of him, I am overwhelmed by how caring, generous, and compassionate a master he was, and I realize how much I took him for granted, being busy thinking about my own selfish purposes instead of appreciating his presence.

Not only did he teach us all the major Buddhist texts of both Sutra and Tantra, but most importantly, he taught us how to live a meaningful life by his own example. In this way, he was the epitome of a true practitioner, someone whose life is one with the Dharma. The scriptures tell us that a true Dharma practitioner should have no attachment to anything, and that is what he showed us by example. This is what he taught us and it is his legacy we reflect on. Rinpoche dedicated his whole life to Dharma activities. His contribution to the revival of Tibetan Buddhism in general and, in particular, the Sakya School immeasurable. of Tibetan Buddhism, is truly immeasurable.

This anthology of Khenchen Appey Rinpoche's teachings will benefit everyone who is inspired to engage in the study and practice of Buddhism.

Those who study this book will certainly have a dharmic connection with the great master himself.

May the merit gained from translating, compiling, editing, and publishing this book fulfill the noble wishes of Khenchen Appey Rinpoche.

Introduction A GENTLE SAGE The teacher on the Buddhist path is a noble being, the source of knowledge and wisdom. Under the care of an able master, devoted disciples learn to unfold their potential. Through the good-hearted guidance of a qualified spiritual friend, the path to liberation becomes clear and obstacles are removed. In this sense, the Buddha stated that the teacher represents the whole of the holy life."

Many study the words of the Buddha and his disciples, but few are able to develop unshakable confidence in his teaching based on thorough, personal investigation. Even fewer are those whose knowledge of the Dharma is both profound with regard to its nature and vast in terms of the classes of teaching mastered. And as rare as stars in bright daylight are those who, through perseverance in the practice of the liberating path, have gained true realization. Khenchen Appey Rinpoche was indeed of such caliber, revered as one of the most learned and accomplished masters in recent times.

Because he rarely traveled outside India and Nepal, and never taught in Europe, America, or Australia, Rinpoche remains largely unknown to the students of Tibetan Buddhism in these parts of the world. His influence among the current masters of the Sakya school, however, and the preservation of the teachings in general, can hardly be overstated. To begin with, Khenchen Appey Rinpoche was the personal tutor of Gongma Trichen Rinpoche, the 41" throne holder of the Sakya tradition responsible for the successful preservation and flourishing of the Sakya tradition in exile, who regards him as one of his most important teachers. Secondly, Appey Rinpoche established two important centers of learning-the Sakya College in Mussoorie, India, and the International Buddhist Academy in Nepal-laying the foundations for the preservation of the rigorous scholastic training of the Sakya school in exile. With these institutions, Rinpoche offered the world two important containers for the lasting transmission of the wisdom teachings of the Buddha. Personally teaching the classes at Sakya College for thirteen years, from 1972 to 1985, he further played an instrumental role in the upbringing of the first generation of monastic scholars and lamas in exile. Thirdly, Rinpoche initiated the preservation of rare manuscripts by sending his disciple Khenpo Jamyang Kunga to Tibet and China, equipped with a list of important authors and texts that were unavailable in exile. The project was extremely successful, culminating in the digitization of thousands of pages of precious teachings, distributed in print to monasteries and later made widely available online.

Rinpoche's vast activities are a reflection of his inner qualities, honed under the skillful guidance of his own teachers, most notably Dzongsar Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö (1893-1959) and Deshung Anjam Rinpoche (1885-1952). Despite his formidable mastery of the Dharma and his quiet, majestic presence, Rinpoche emanated a genuine sense of profound humility. Completely unpretentious in the way he delivered the teachings, he offered his students a transmission of utmost purity. During the first teaching session at IBA in the summer of 2001, when he taught Sakya Pandita's Clarifying the Sages Intent (Thub pa'i dgongs gsal) Rinpoche explained that it was neither necessary for students to prostrate to him, nor for him to sit on a throne (his throne was in fact a most humble one).. The reason he accepted the slightly elevated seat was that the Buddha himself said that the teacher of the Dharma should take a higher position out of respect for the teachings delivered and that students will benefit from this. Rinpoche also explained that due to his advanced age, the seat would allow him to sit down and get up with more ease, which was also an advantage.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages