The Buddhist Traditions of India and Tibet
Listed in the Historical Order of the Traditions Themselves

Some of my Buddhist friends, including some of my teachers, asked me why I never put anything about Buddhism on my web page. So, some years ago, I tried to simply enumerate the teachings that I had received over the last 40 years. Then, some of my other friends joked about the page and how ostentatious it was. So I’ve significantly reduced the content.

What follows is not meant to be an exposition; it is simply a personal account of particular teachings I am exploring and how I have tried to integrate these teachings. To the best of my understanding the following teachings may be organized as follows. All suffering is due to ignorance. This ignorance manifests simultaneously as misconceptions regarding individuals (including ourselves) and misconceptions regarding phenomenon. The explanations below only try to describe how these approaches all work to eliminate misconceptions regarding reality. They don't attempt to explain how each of these approaches leads to a full awakening.

• The Madhyamaka dialectic: Using techniques such as Chandrakirti's sevenfold reasoning erroneous ways of viewing individuals and phenomenon are are analyzed and found to be contradictory.
• Generation stage practices: Our view of individuals is transformed through self-generation as deities and our view of phenomenon is transformed through generation of external phenomenon as celestial palaces and so forth.
• Completion stage practices: Our awareness of both individuals and phenomenon arises in dependence on the movement of winds and drops in the channels. When we gather the winds, drops, and awareness itself into the central channel then we induce a series of experiences culminating in clear light. As we recognize this empty clear light as our own nature, our view of self and persons is tranformed. As we arise from that state our view of phenomena is tranformed.
• Mahamudra vipashyana and Dzogchen separation (rushan) practices: Through investigating into the arising, abiding, and departing of the mind, the mind's natural state is recognized and misconceptions regarding individuals and phenomona naturally subside.
• Direct introduction to the natural state: In the Mahamudra or Dzogchen tradition the lama may show the disciple their natural state directly. Again, in this way our misconceptions regarding individuals and phenomena naturally subside.
• The thogal meditations of Dzogchen: By directly experiencing how phenomena are expressions of our own awareness, misconceptions regarding phenomona are eliminated.

• The Dzogchen tradition of the Oral Transmission of Zhang Zhung
• My teachers: Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, Ponlop Trinley Nyima, Lama Tashi Gyaltsen, Geshe Chaphur Rinpoche, Geshe Namgyal Dangsong, Geshe Tenzin Yangton
• The Dzogchen tradition of the Longchen Nyingtig
• My teachers: Kunzang Dechen Lingpa and his son Rigzin Dorje Rinpoche, Traga Rinpoche, Anam Thubten, Kahtog Khenpo Lama Loga (empowerment and transmission only)
• Mentors/senior spiritual friends: Ngagpa Pema Wangdi, Khenpo Sonam
• The Dzogchen tradition of Chogyur Lingpa
• Root Texts: The Kunzang Thug Tik and the Heart of Wisdom (Lam Rim Yeshe Nyingpo)
• My teacher: Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche
• Mentors/senior spiritual friends: Erik Schmidt
• The Path and Result Tradition of Virupa
• My teachers: Lama Kunga, Luding Khen Rinpoche, HH Sakya Trizin, Ratna Vajra Rinpoche
• Mentors/senior spiritual friends: Cyrus Stearns
• The Tradition of Naropa's Khecari
• From the Sakya Tradtion
• My teachers: Lama Kunga, Luding Khen Rinpoche, HH Sakya Trizin, Jetsun Kushogs
• Sakya mentors/senior spiritual friends: Cyrus Stearns
• From the Gelugpa Tradtion
• My teachers: Zong Rinpoche, Khensur Losang Tharchin
• Gelugpa mentors/senior spiritual friends: Art Engle
• From the Rime Tradtion
• My teachers: Lama Kunga, Luding Khen Rinpoche, HH Sakya Trizin, Jetsun Kushogs
• Sakya mentors/senior spiritual friends: Cyrus Stearns
• The Six Yogas/Doctrines of Naropa
• My teachers: Lati Rinpoche, Khensur Rinpoche Geshe Thubten Dawa, Lithang Rinpoche (Ye lo Tulku),
• Mentors/senior spiritual friends: Glenn Mullin
• The Kagyu Tradition of Mahamudra
• My teachers: Thrangu Rinpoche, Mingyur Rinpoche
• The Gelug/Kagyu Tradition of Mahamudra
• My teachers: Geshe Losang Jamspal, Geshe Losang Tarchin