Introduction to Larung Gar Five Sciences Buddhist Academy

 

Choeje (King of Dharma) Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche was the incarnation of the great terton Terchen Lerab Lingpa, who was a teacher of His Holiness the Thirteenth Dalai Lama. In 1980, wanting to revitalize Dharma and benefit all sentient beings, Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche established Larung Gar Five Sciences Buddhist Academy at Larung Valley near Serthar, Sichuan Province, China. This site was chosen because of its history as a sacred place in Vajrayana, where monks went to achieve “rainbow body” (a high level of spiritual achievement) and realize the “four karmas”. It is also said to have been the place where His Holiness the First Dudjom Rinpoche stayed, and at which his thirteen disciples attained “rainbow body”. The aim of the institute can be summarized as four pursuits: to unite Buddhists in harmony; to uphold pure precepts; to study, reflect upon, and practice the sacred Dharma; and to propagate the Dharma and benefit all beings.

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In May of 1987, the Tenth Panchen Lama approved the founding of the institute and presented a plaque on which he wrote, in Tibetan: “Larung Gar Five Sciences Buddhist Academy”, and respectfully addressed His Holiness Jigme Phuntsok as “Sage Choeje”. In the meantime, Mr. Puchu Zhao, the Chairman of the Buddhist Association of China, wrote the name of the institute in Chinese. With these events, an era of revitalization of Tibetan Buddhism thus began.

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In 1999, the Larung Gar Five Sciences Buddhist Academy was identified by the New York Times as one of the largest and most influential centers for study of Tibetan Buddhism in the world. In more than 30 years, the institute has produced hundreds of eminent Buddhist scholars and practitioners who in turn have founded numerous Dharma centers around the world. By teaching the sacred Dharma, revitalizing the traditional Tibetan culture, and improving ethnic unity, they have made dramatic contributions in propagating the Buddha Dharma.

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As early as two hundred years ago, a great siddha, the First Dodrupchen Rinpoche, wrote in his Future Prophecy, “At Danjian Ala Mutian Larung Valley, Guru Rinpoche will appear as the one named Jigme, who is surrounded by the four groups of Bodhisattva disciples. His teachings of sutra and tantra will shine like an illuminating sun; his activity of benefiting beings will be able to hold up the heavens and support the earth; he will attract sentient beings in ten directions and lead them onto the path of liberation; anyone making connections with him will be reborn to the Buddha Amitabha’s Pureland.”

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The prophecy is interpreted to mean that the Larung Valley, protected by the Goddess of Mutian and surrounded by the sacred Danjian Mountain and Ala Mountain, is a blessed site. Here Guru Rinpoche will appear as His Holiness Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche who will take four groups of disciples: monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen. He will spread the Buddha Dharma throughout the world, and fortunate beings connected with him will for certain take rebirth in the Pureland of Bliss.

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This prophecy identified the name of His Holiness Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche, his disciples, the location of the Institute, and his achievements in benefiting sentient beings. More importantly, whoever makes a connection with him will find rebirth in Buddha Amitabha’s Pureland of Bliss.  His great activities are being carried out and expanding just as predicted, reaching the inner hearts of many people around the world. Let us pray that the sutra and tantra, coming down from His Holiness, will prosper throughout the world and continue to benefit countless sentient beings!

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From Khenpo Sodargye's official website

 

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尊贵的第十三世达赖喇嘛之师——伏藏大师列饶朗巴尊者，其化身即法王如意宝晋美彭措。1980年，为振兴正法，广利有情，法王如意宝在“大密乘虹光身静处，成就四业之圣地”，著名的第一世敦珠仁波切修行及其十三位心子成就虹光身之圣地——今四川省色达县喇荣沟畔，创建了以“团结和合、清净戒律、闻思修行、弘法利生”为宗旨的色达喇荣五明佛学院。1987年5月，第十世班禅大师亲自批准五明佛学院成立，并赐给学院亲笔题写的“喇荣五明佛学院”之匾牌（藏文）；尊称上师晋美彭措为“圣者法王”。中国佛教协会赵朴初会长也为学院亲笔题写了院名（汉文）。从此开创了藏传佛教的再弘时代。1993年，佛学院被纽约世界报等报刊称为世界上最大的佛学院。三十多年来，学院培养出了数百位高僧大德，他们在世界各地创办道场、树立佛幢弘扬佛法，为继承藏族优秀传统文化，增进民族团结，弘扬佛法作出了卓越的贡献。

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早在二百多年前，大成就者多珠根桑银彭（菩提金刚）在《未来预言》中写道：“单坚阿拉木天喇荣沟，邬金莲师化身名晋美，彼于菩萨四众眷属中，广弘显密教法如明日，利生事业顶天立地也，清净所化眷属遍十方，凡结缘者皆生极乐剎。”意思是：右边是单坚神山、左边是阿拉神山、具有木天女神山的喇荣山谷中，有莲师化身名为晋美彭措尊者，摄受比丘、比丘尼、优婆塞、优婆夷四众眷属，其有广大的弘法利生事业以及凡与之结缘者必定往生极乐世界。此预言授记了法王的名号、眷属弟子、事业；特别是凡与法王结缘的信众，必定能往生极乐世界。如是授记中所说的宏伟的利生事业如今正在广大，深入人心。让我们共同祈愿：

法王如意宝一脉相传的显密教法广弘于世界各地，利益无边有情！

 

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摘自国际学佛网