Third Anniversary of the Ven. Trogawa Rinpoche's Death

The following account is from Emchi Shakya Dorje's website:

"The great healer Ven.Dr.Trogawa Rinpoche left the world on May 11, 2005. He had not been ill apart from a hip injury. He spent the last months of his life in spiritual retreat, first at a temple in Siliguri, Bengal, and then at the monastery of Choten Gonpa in Gangtok, Sikkim. In his last days he was surrounded by close desciples and by other lamas. As is often the case with Buddhist masters, his remains did not deteriorate after his passing. He is deeply mourned by his many students and spiritual desciples, and by his many patients. All who knew him remember his deep kindness and compassion, his infinite wisdom, his deep understanding of healing. His legacy lives on in Chagpori, in the work of his students, in the healing he carried out and in the spiritual lives of all he touched."

This morning I am reminded of Dr. Trogawa who died on May 11, 2005. On that day just as I was preparing to attend my graduation for my MFA degree at New England College, I received an email from France regarding his passing. I've met many famous and important Tibetan lamas over the years but he remains so special in my heart as a manifestation of great and unbounded compassion.

Historic Tibetan Medicine Symposium at Amherst College, June 13-15, 2008

Tibetan Medicine in America 2008
June 13th -15th at Amherst College

A historic symposium featuring keynote speaker Chögyal Namkhai Norbu, speakers from the American Tibetan Medical Association and Tibetan doctors from around the world.

Regarded as science, art and philosophy, Tibetan medicine is an ancient form of holistic heath care indigenous to the Tibetan people that integrates the core Buddhist principles of altruism, karma and ethics. Originating from early indigenous Tibetan society, traditional Tibetan medicine evolved into a synthesis of thousands of years of accumulated empirical knowledge from China, Persia, India and Greece. It has been practiced continuously in Tibet for over 4,000 years.

All symposium sessions are free and open to the public, and will be held at Amherst College, in Pruyne Hall, Fayerweather. Sponsored by the International Shang Shung Institute, American Tibetan Medical Association, Department of Asian Languages and Civilizations, Amherst College, the Dean’s Office; the Hamilton Fund; the President’s Office; and the Tagliabue Fund, Amherst College.

About the symposium
Opening day will feature a key note lecture by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu, the internationally renowned Tibetan scholar and the founder of the International Shang Shung Institute for Tibetan Studies with locations in Austria, Italy and the United States. Since 2005, the USA branch has offered the only 4-year Traditional Tibetan Medicine Program in the West and the first-of-its-kind English-language curriculum that mirrors traditional training found only at advanced medical schools in Tibet and India.

On Saturday the following speakers will lecture: Dr. Yang Ga, an assistant professor of Tibetan medicine at the Tibetan Medical College in Lhasa who is currently in a Harvard PhD program, will talk on the history of Tibetan medical knowledge, one of humanity's oldest continuously practiced healing systems.

Dr. Kunchok Gyaltsen, a doctoral student at the UCLA School of Public Health, ordained Tibetan Buddhist monk, and board member of the American Tibetan Medical Association, will introduce the basic medical theory underlying Tibetan Medicine that a naturally balanced being is better health.

Dr. Tenzin Darje, professor at the Lhasa Medical School in Tibet, and Dr. Phuntsog Wangmo, director of the Shang Shung Institute's 4-year Tibetan Medicine program and president of the American Tibetan Medical Association, will give a talk to introduce the ancient healing system's prevention approach in present-day clinical practice with an emphasis on balancing the Western diet and lifestyle.

Dr. Tenzin Dapka, a Tibetan medical professor and publisher, and Dr. Chimed Rabten, a professor at Sichuan State Tibetan College in China, chief physician at the school's affiliated medical center and board member of the American Tibetan Medical Association, will discuss the current situation for Tibetan medicine in Tibet, where it has been practiced continuously for 4,000 years, and India, which is now home to the largest school of Tibetan medicine outside of its Himalayan homeland.

Dr. Choyang Phuntsog, a former faculty member and pharmacy director at the Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute in Dharamsala, India and member of the American Tibetan Medical Association, and Tashi Rabten, a graduate from the Tibetan Medical School in Lhasa and founder of the Tibetan Green Health Center in New York, will talk about the current situation for Tibetan medicine in America focusing on legality, licensing, standards and preservation through practice.

Speaker Schedule

FRIDAY, JUNE 13
Pruyne Hall, Fayerweather, Amherst College

4:30 Welcoming remarks by Professor Paola Zamperini, Department of Asian Languages and Civilizations, Amherst College
Opening remarks, Dr. Phuntsog Wangmo
Keynote lecture by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu

SATURDAY, JUNE 14
Pruyne Hall, Fayerweather.

9 - 10:30 AM | Dr. Yang Ga The Historic Roots of Medical Knowledge in Tibet
10:45 AM - 12:15 PM | Dr. Kunchok Gyaltsen Understanding the Basis of the Tibetan Healing Science
2 - 3:30 PM | Dr. Tenzin Darje and Dr. Phuntsog Wangmo Preventative Measures and Practical Applications of Tibetan Medicine
3:45 – 5:00 PM | Dr.Tenzin Dakpa and Dr. Chimed Rabtan Modern Day Study and Practice of Tibetan Medicine in Tibet and India

SUNDAY, JUNE 15
Pruyne Hall, Fayerweather.

9 - 10:30 AM | Dr. Chodying Phuntsog and Tashi Rabten Tibetan Medicine in America
10:45 AM - Noon |Concluding Remarks
Dr. Yang Ga, Dr. Kunchok Gyaltsen, Dr. Tenzin Darje, Dr. Chodying Phuntsog and Tashi Rabten

Moderators: Dr. Phuntsog Wangmo and Professor Paola Zamperini, Department of Asian Languages and Civilizations, Amherst College

About ATMA
The American Tibetan Medical Association (ATMA) is exclusively dedicated to the promotion and preservation of Tibetan Medicine and has no political affiliations or involvement. It is a national organization representing the Tibetan Medical profession in The United States of America, and its mission is to preserve, protect, improve and promote the philosophy, knowledge, science and practice of Tibetan Medicine for the benefit of humanity.

About The Department of Asian Languages and Civilizations, Amherst College
Asian Languages and Civilizations promotes an interdisciplinary exploration of the histories and cultures of the peoples of Asia. Through a systematic study of the languages, societies, and cultures of the major civilizations that stretch from the Arab World to Japan, this department aims at expanding knowledge and challenging presuppositions about this large and vital part of the world. Students in this discipline learn about cultural difference and its social and political implications, both within Asia and between Asia and the West.

About The International Shang Shung Institute
The International Shang Shung Institute was founded in Italy in 1989 by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu, and inaugurated in 1990 by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Its aim is to deepen the knowledge and understanding of Tibetan cultural traditions in order to ensure their survival and preservation. The International Institute currently has three main branches, located in Italy, Austria, and the USA, which work together as one to promote all initiatives to this end.

The American branch, founded at Tsegyalgar in 1994 by Chögyal Namkai Norbu, currently offers the only full-time, four-year Traditional Tibetan Medicine certification program in the West. The program follows a recent revival of Traditional Tibetan Medicine in the East and marks one of the most significant advances for its preservation and practice in the West.

The innovative program is attracting a new generation o medical students interested in the integration of ancient healing systems with modern medicine. The institute is currently on the path of becoming the first fully accredited school of Traditional Tibetan Medicine in the West

For more information contact the Shang Shung Institute at (413) 369 - 4928 , email: secretary@shangshung.org, Web: ShangShung.org

New Year Greeting: Year of the Earth Rat

Best Wishes and Good Health!

Year of the Earth Rat


What comes to mind is a certain
brawn, a radiant boldness
that defies the boundaries of can’t do
or won’t make it happen.
I’ve seen you look askance,
your single eye focused
in the strutting through garbage and refuse--
All the heaps of discouragements
that hinder others but excite your passion
for excellence and a worthy prosperity.
Let's move mountains,
scale globes of gold,
defy the house rules
to blaze a path towards realization
arising from such unlikely origins
as the lowly earth rat
who never says No.



Jacqueline Gens
2.7.08
Brattleboro, VT

Visit Shakya Dorje's Gallery of Photos

For other photos fo Dr. Trogawa Rinpoche and Chagpori, visit Emchi, Shakya Dorje's webpages by clicking on the title above.

Five Essays by Dr. Trogawa, Rinpoche Online

Five essays by Dr. Trogawa, Rinpoche can be downloaded from Thrangu, Rinpoche's website. Click on the title above for the link. These are :

• Medical Care in the Tibetan Tradition

• Embryology

• Diabetes

• gNyan Dieseses

• Causes of Mental Disorders According to the Tibetan Tradition

A Brief Overview of Tibetan Medicine by Dr. Trogawa, Rinpoche

The following transcript is a portion of a talk delivered by Dr. Trogawa on June 9, l989. The translator was Shakya Dorje.


Dr. Trogawa Rinpoche
Overview of Tibetan Medicine

Translator: Good evening everyone. This evening I've been asked to begin an overview of Tibetan medicine. Elements of the Tibetan system of medicine as it is practiced today date from more than 3ooo years ago to an early system of medicine from amongst the Tibetan peoples-Tibet was initially an isolated country and so developed its ideas in general, and its medical ideas in particular, under its own inspiration. In the 3rd and 4th centuries, Tibet began more seriously to contact other cultures, particularly India, and Indian medicine began to influence Tibet. Three systems of medicine from India have influenced Tibet, two of these were the general wide-spread systems found in India, and the third was a lesser-known system. And as the diffusion of Indian medical ideas began in Tibet, there also began the diffusion of Dharma ideas. This was during the reign of King Lha-mtho-ri gnyan-brtsan. So from the 4th century, there begins a fusion of the traditional system of medicine found in Tibet, and Indian systems of medicine, in Tibet.

One might investigate more precisely the particular influence of India on Tibet, and the interrelation of the two, but that is not our topic tonight and we do not have the time for such a sideline.

In the 7th century, a large conference of medicine was held in Lhasa and at this time physicians came from all over Asia, from China and Nepal and from all over Tibet, from Mongolia, from Kashrnir, and from Tajikestan, and elsewhere. This served to bring together medical ideas of that time. In the 8th century a second great conference was held at Samye Monastary. This was the great period of transmission of Dharma in Tibet when Padmasarnbhava, Vimilarnitra, and other great Indian Masters were in Tibet at this time. When the second conference was held, it was headed
by a very great Tibetan Master of medicine, gYu-thong Yon-tan mGon-po, the E1der. At this time, it is said that from a place called Trong a physician whom we call Galenos came to Tibet. This would seem to be a practitioner of the ancient European system of medicine, as epitomized by Galenos (or Galen).

It is an interesting point as to where Trong might have been, there is quite some speculation about it, but it is unsure now where it might have been, where Galenos might have come from. Some people think that it is a reference to Rome and, in fact, Galen of the 2nd century was from Rome, so it might be a reference to the text and system. There are other ideas that it might be somewhere in Persia. It is important to understand the sources of what we do so these historical questions have some importance.

At this time in the 8th century and further on, there occured a number of other developments, but I'm going to keep this part fairly short. What is important to note is that there was a text written down at this time, which [?} some coordinate ideas on medicine, called The Fearless Weapon (Tib. I'ihjigs-pa'i mTs'on-chha). In the 11th century the family descendent of gYu-thong Yon-tan mGon-po, the Elder became the overwhelningly predominate influence on Tibetan medicine. He had the same name, so he is clled gYu-thong Yon-tan rnGon-po, the Younger. He composed a text which is still the basis of the science of Tibetan medicine. This text is commonly called the Four Tantras (Tib. rGyud-bzhi) and it consists of 1-56 chapters.

gYu-thong Yon-tan mGon-po, the Younger was a very great Master and had a very great influence on his time and on future generations. He had a very large number of
disciples, not only in the field of medicine but also in the field-of spiritual practice. And at the end of his life he flew away to the Buddha-fields of the Dakinis in front of a great crowd. He had been invited to Tsong to a place near Shigatse, by a local official. There he was to give a teaching, and at the end of his teaching to a great assernbly of people, he flew away in the sky.

This family had a paternal origin in India. They had perpetuated in their family a tradition of Buddhist practice centering around the Medicine Buddha, with many special instructions, and so in their family through whom the teaching was transmitted, a number of practitioners had vanished in the rainbow at the end of their life, leaving behind no mortal remains. He had many disciples in the field of medicine, and a good number of them who were capable of transmitting the (?) of his understanding of medicine. So because of him, Tibetan medicine became a more wide spread science.

In the (?) century, the Fifth Dalai Lama became quite concerned that the tradition of Tibetan medicine might at some point decline if its teaching were not regularly
supported. So he built the Medical Monastary of Chakpori (Tib. lChags-po-ri) adjacent to Lhasa. Here the teaching of medicine was given with a very definite spiritual emphasis, so that medicine and Dharma became a single integral practice. So the physicians of Chakpori were practitioners of Dharma and developed their healing powers through the practice of mantra and special sadhanas. And when they did so, then each one according to his own particular capacities would utilize not only the more scientific and external systems of treating illness, but also use his personal development and personal powers according to his development to cure his patients.

What were the spiritual aspects of the practice of medicine, as a Chakpori physician would learn? First of all, he would be a person who developed himself. And part
of his own development would be to learn healing practice and develop his own healing energies so that these would also be utilizable for curing his patients. Then another
aspect of the spirituality of medicine at Chakpori was the consecration of the medicines. This happened regularly, but most especially at a great annual ritual which took about ten days if you count also the time it took to prepare, in which a great mandala was drawn and the medicines for the year were placed in the mandala and then consecrated in a large ritual. We would say that in Chakpori the medicines had two powers: they had the powers of the substances themselves, and then the powers of the mantras with which they were consecrated.

The practice of Tibetan medicine diffused throughout Tibet, from Chakpori it diffused as far as the eastern reaches of the Tibetan people, and it was found all through
the Himalayas as well. In Mongolia, Tibetan medicine was taught and practiced, and in China some things about it were learned from Mongolia, and some texts were translated into Chinese. Through the Mongols, Tibetan medicine was practiced in Tsarist Russia also. we find some texts in Tibetan which were translated between the 7th and 8th
centuries into Tibetan frorn Chinese. But the matter in these texts is basically Indian. For instance, the Sonaraza, which is a commentary of Nagarjuna, a great Indian Master, still has its Indian title and was brought to China in an early period and then translated into Tibetan from Chinese. The studies by Nagarjuna of the head and of the body, with regard to their points and strategic places was also translated into Chinese at one point from an Indian language.

In ancient times traditions ran together quite a bit, rather like different streams flowing into a large river. And the old sources of these different influences tended to get lost. So in the different systems one finds in Asia -even in early times there were influences that weren't exactly entirely indigenous. There were influences from
other different sources as well. Indian influence on Chinese medicine, for instance, It goes back to very early times. The earlier you go in research, evidently the harder it is to find exactly where the influence might have been.

So because of the different historical changes that have taken place, especially in our century, the ancient sciences have declined in the modern period. Especially
since 1959, Tibet has gone through a severe cultural decline. Chakpori no longer exists. At the beginning of this century, the thriteenth Dalai Lama began another school of medicine in Lhasa, the Lhasa School of Medicine and Astrology (Tib. sMan-rtis-dkan) and this was then closed by the Chinese administration at one time.
It has now been reopened (in Tibet), and so this school again functions. In Dharamsala, there is also a school which is a derivitive of the former School of Medicine and Astrology in Lhasa. Chakpori has been destroyed. There has been no attempt to rebuild this very valuable school, so this is why it is my aim to work to rebuild the school which will replace the teachings of Chakpori.

This is more or less by way of introduction.

Peace & Discipline in Mental Stress According to Tibetan Medicine

The Meridian Trust Buddhist film archive has a talk by Dr. Trogawa, Rinpoche recorded on January 4, 1986 at Rigpa London. In the film, according to the notes:

"Dr. Trogawa talks of the effects of mental stress, how it can develop an attitude of patience to bear with the discord of life and how we can relate to others in this world with happiness. There is a question and answer session at the end of the talk. Dr. Trogawa is one of the most highly respected practitioners of Tibetan medicine and completed a rigorous training in Lhasa before leaving Tibet in 1954."

Shang Shung Institute of America Tibetan Medical School Receives Licensing by the Massachusetts Department of Education

While not specifically related to the Chagpori School of Tibetan Medicine, I worked for years in helping Shang Shung Institute under the direction of Choegyal Namkhai Norbu develop its own Tibetan Medicine School in America. I am very happy to report some fruition to my own and others great effort toward realizing the initial steps in creating an accredited school of Tibetan medicine. My initial inspiration, of course, was Dr. Trogawa, who was first brought to the west at the invitation of Choegyal Namkhai Norbu, Rinpoche to participate in the first conference on Tibetan Medicine. {Louise writes about this in her recollections}. It was through my work with Dr. Trogawa that I was first introduced to students from the Dzogchen Community.

The Shang Shung Institute Tibetan Medicine program under the direction of Dr. Phuntsog Wangmo is doing an incredible job of creating the first four year curriculum in English with 14 full time students enrolled.

Congratulations!!!!

New Photo of Dr. Trogawa, Rinpoche

While cleaning my shrine area this morning, I came accross this photo of Dr. Trogawa, Rinpoche taken by John Giorno in 1993 on a trip outside New York. While I do not remember the destination, on the way we stopped to picnic at a lovely park where everyone took a nap.
While we were sleeping, a small red fox approached the doctor. On the backside of this photo is a stamp "Giorno Systems." I do remember sitting in the backseat of the car with John on this trip and hearing his story of meeting poet, Anne Waldman. I love John's slogan art. For years, I have kept a small silk screened post card of his in my office--EVERYONE IS A COMPLETE DISAPPOINTMENT. Whenever, I feel disappointed in my own or others' failing, just seeing this card perks me up.