About

About the Foundation

The Dudjom Troma Foundation is a not-for-profit Vajrayana Buddhist organization founded on October 12th, 2008. Its inaugural practice was held in George and Susan Quasha’s beautiful mandala-shaped shrine room in Barrytown, New York. The vajra master was the Venerable 10th Bhakha Tulku Pema Tenzing Rinpoche, who led the practice that day.

Bhakha-Tulku-Pema-Tenzing-leadingpractice

The Dudjom Troma Foundation practices are from the Dudjom Tersar lineage. The word tersar translates as “new treasures.” They are very effective and profound teachings whose goal is the achievement of higher states of realization specifically meant for the challenging times we live in.

The practice of Troma Nagmo is classified as a “mind treasure,” and was transmitted by Guru Padmasambhava, the great Indian saint and sage who brought Tantric Vajrayana Buddhism to Tibet during the 8th century. Troma Nakmo is the Tibetan name of the goddess Krodhikali, one of the three primordial wisdom dakinis of the universe, the others being Vajra Varahi and Samantabhadrini.

Guru Padmasambhava concealed many texts that were later discovered at the prophesied times by tertons, or treasure revealers. One such person was Dudjom Lingpa (1835-1904), who discovered the lineage known as Dudjom Tersar beginning in the mid-19th century. It consists of hundreds of texts and twenty-two volumes of teachings. Dudjom Lingpa stated that these teachings were especially profound, effective and appropriate for these degenerate times. Over thirteen of his disciples attained rainbow body by following these great teachings. Many thousands of others attained the level of Vidyadara (Tib. rikzin) or awareness holder.

The Dudjom Tersar lineage comes to us directly from Guru Padmasambhava through Dudjom Lingpa to Dudjom Jigdral Yeshe Dorje (1904-1987). Just like his predecessor, His Holiness Dudjom Jigdral Yeshe Dorje was a terton who revealed over twenty-three volumes of various mind treasures. His Holiness’ previous incarnations have included many of the greatest masters, yogis and scholars in the history of Tibetan Buddhism. Among them are Nuden Dorje Chang, Shariputra, Saraha, Choelon Krishna Dzin, Acharya Hung Kara, Drowen Khyue Chung Lotsawa, and Jowo Smriti-Jnana. Guru Padmasambhava prophesied that anyone who has had Dharmic connections and unbroken samaya with His Holiness Dudjom Jigdral Yeshe Dorje would be taken to the pure land of Zangdok Palri (Padmasambhava’s Copper Colored Mountain). Anyone who has just seen him (Tib. thongrol)  or heard his voice (Tib. todrol) will be liberated and will not suffer during the intermediate state (bardo) after death.

The goal of these practices is to minimize suffering, psychological problems, obstacles, and illness, as well as to avoid personal and natural calamities. Troma practice also empowers us to recognize and develop our own wisdom and abilities, realizing that all beings have the potential for awakening, or Buddhahood. The Dudjom Tersar teachings are direct, vivid and fresh, with no loss of meaning in either the words or the blessings. Therefore this lineage is perfect, and is unimpaired by broken samaya.

The Buddha said that all beings are Buddhas by nature. However, obstacles, defilement and negative karma obscure that nature. It is like the brilliance of the sun being covered by dark clouds. As the Buddha taught, without a skilled diamond cutter, a diamond is just a rock under the earth. The blessings of the great Buddhist masters coupled with our own dedication to meditation practices are the diamond cutter, meaning that this combination has the ability to cut one’s ego, defilements, obscurations, and negative karma. By practicing these profound practices with devotion and diligence we can reach enlightenment in one lifetime.

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