The complete cycle of empowerments for the treasures of the great Nyingma lama Dudjom Lingpa and selected empowerments for the treasures of His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche will be given in California by Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche. These empowerments (wangs) will be given for twenty-four days beginning April 22nd at Rigdzin Ling, Chagdud Tulku's center in the Trinity Alps near Weaverville, California.

The tradition of practice concealed as treasures (terma) by Padmasambhava twelve centuries ago is an illustrious one. Concerned about beings in the future, Padmasambhava saw the need to pro-' vide spiritual methods that would relieve them from the afflictions of disease, famine, war and unrest that would manifest in times of spiritual degeneration. Some of these treasures were planted in the mindstreams of his students to be discovered in later lifetimes; some were physical objects left in the earth and rocks, in lakes and streams.

Among the treasure cycles concealed in this manner are those revealed in the nineteenth century by T'hrag T'hung Dudjom throughout the three planes of existence as an emanation of Padmasambhava and an incarnation of Drogban Khye'u Chhung Lotsawa, one of Padmasambhava's twenty-five disciples. Dudjom Lingpa codified terma cycles such as the Treasury of the Vast Expanse of the Space of Dharmata (Chho-nyid Nam-khai Long-dzod). His teachings include mind treasures, earth treasures and visionary transmissions, all of supreme relevance and benefit to beings in these times.

In an uninterrupted lineage, these treasures were received by Jigdral Yeshe Dorje, the late His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche. At Boudhanath, Nepal, Chagdud Tulku had the good fortune to join a large group of people who received from His Holiness all the ripening empowerments, liberating teachings and supportive scriptural transmissions of Dudjom Lingpa's teachings. Each day, after he completed the empowerments and transmissions, His Holiness would encourage us to benefit others through these transmissions. At that time Chagdud Tulku formulated the personal aspiration that at least once in this lifetime he would in turn transmit all these teachings to practitioners who could benefit from them.

The late H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche

Even to receive these empowerments can help heal illness and overcome obstacles. In bestowing them, Chagdud Tulku has said, I am not presenting myself as a very special teacher but I am concerned that these precious treasures of spiritual wisdom should survive and flourish in a new generation of practitioners. This is my intentionnot to seek personal glory, but to per-mit others to establish connection with the-unsurpassed Dudjom lineage. For me it is also an opportunity to fulfill my personal aspiration to offer this transmission.

Those who are interested in attending these empowerments should write Donna Gans at Rigdzin Ling, Box 387, Junction City, CA 96048 or call 916-623-2714.