Thinley Namgay
The 31 volumes of Longchen Rabjampa’s sungbum (collected works), transcribed by 30 skilled Bhutanese calligraphers in Thimphu between 2020 and 2023, are being distributed to Dharma Centres across the world.
The international distribution that began from December 1 for international circulation will happen until December 31.
So far, the sungbums have been distributed in the USA, Brazil, France, New Zealand, Mexico, China, Nepal, and Taiwan.
In Bhutan, copies will be handed to all religious institutions under the Choedey Lhentshog, such as chodey, dubdra, shedra, and dratshang.
A team of 127 learned Bhutanese scholars cross-checked the transcribed volumes. For the first time in the world, a complete transcription of Longchenpa’s works was carried out in Bhutan.
Despite the sacred relationship between Bhutanese people and Longchen Rabjam, no one had previously managed to honour his works to this level. The project included scripting the texts with gold, silver, vermilion, turquoise, and topaz mineral pigments or inks, marking a first in Bhutan and the world.
The project team further sanctified the work by procuring a bone relic of Longchenpa himself, which was dissolved into the ink used for the writing which symbolises the holy body, mind, and speech of Longchenpa in each letter.
The sungbum was recreated and printed in Bhutan to ensure the survival of Dzogchen teachings and to promote and preserve literary art in the country.
The sacred project was blessed and endorsed by many great masters.
Bhutanese view the project as an opportunity to pay tribute to Longchenpa for his contribution for Buddha Dharma and preservation and promotion of Bhutanese culture and tradition.
The Project Director for the recreation of Longchenpa’s literary works, Khenpo Phuntshok Tashi, said that all the Dharma Centres across the globe would receive the complete collection of the sungbum.
Khenpo said that the 31 volumes of Longchenpa’s sungbum were based on the three volumes of the 17 tantras, the pith teachings of the Buddha that have the potential to attain enlightenment within a lifetime.
“This international circulation is a gift from Bhutan, the land of Dharma, GNH, and the hidden jewel of the Himalayas,” Khenpo Phuntshok Tashi said, adding that it is primarily intended to ward off negative energies, war, disease, and famine in the world.
“For individuals, it is not possible to provide copies at the moment. However, if there is a genuine practitioner in a hermitage or mountain who truly needs such texts, we will offer them,” he said.
The 17 tantras were brought from India to Tibet by Guru Rinpoche and Vimalamitra around the 8th century. At that time, people were unwelcoming of these teachings, prompting Guru Rinpoche’s 25 disciples to conceal them in the form of treasures.
Four hundred years later, Longchenpa was born and rediscovered these teachings that were well received by the Bhutanese in the early 14th century.
Khenpo also said that the sungbum had the potential to liberate from samsara through various methods: liberation through seeing (thongdrol), hearing (thoedrol), touching (rekdrol), and experience (ngongdrol).
Longchen Rabjampa (1308–1364) was one of Tibet’s pre-eminent saints. He travelled to Bhutan at the age of 42. During his decade-long stay in Bhutan, he continued writing and established eight very important spiritual sanctuaries.
Longchenpa’s compositions reflect the qualities and uniqueness of a visionary and a fully enlightened being. It is believed that while he dictated the text, the Dharma protector Rahula scripted his teachings, Ekajati procured paper, and Damchen Dorje Legpa supplied ink.
These three Dharma protective deities vowed to guard every word and line of his literary works, facilitating practitioners and students of his teachings until they achieve complete awakening.