- John Myrdhin Reynolds
John Myrdhin Reynolds, whose initiated name is Vajranatha (or "Rigdzin Dorje Gonpo") is a scholar, linguist, author, translator, mystic and initiated
ngagpa of theNyingma pa.Reynolds has made a special study of
Dzogchen and theBuddhist Tantra s, both in their own context and in comparison withGnosticism and other Western mystical traditions. This has fruited in Reynolds translating many original Tibetan texts of the Nyingmapa and Kagyudpa into English. He has also studied theBön traditions of Dzogchen and has translated some Bön literature as well.Education
Reynolds studied History of Religions,
Anthropology ,Arabic ,Sanskrit , Tibetan, andBuddhist Studies atColumbia University , at theUniversity of California at Berkeley, and at theUniversity of Washington atSeattle .At
Columbia University Reynolds pursued Islamic Studies under Prof. Arthur Jeffrey along with Iranian Studies under Prof. J. Duchesne-Guillemin. Reynolds did his PhD research in Sanskrit, Tibetan and Buddhist Philosophy under Prof.Edward Conze , the lauded scholar of the BuddhistPrajnaparamita literature.Field research and experience
Post PhD, Reynolds spent circa ten years in
India andNepal doing fieldwork research at a number ofHindu Ashrams inSouth India and at Tibetan Buddhist monasteries inDarjeeling ,Nepal andKalimpong . At these Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, Reynolds studied and researched the rituals, literature and meditation practices of theKagyu pa andNyingma pa. Reynolds'Lama teachers includedDezhung Rinpoche ,Kangyur Rinpoche ,Chatral Rinpoche ,Dudjom Rinpoche ,Kalu Rinpoche ,Gyalwa Karmapa , amongst others.In
Nepal , Reynolds researched the techniques andlore of Himalayanshamanism , includingrite s ofsoul retrieval andexorcism , employed and practiced amongngakpa lamas belonging to the Nyingmapa school. The mode of this research was experiential and participatory.Reynolds has continued his researching and has lectured widely in
India , America andEurope . Reynolds has taught History of Religions and Buddhist Studies atShanti Ashram (South India ), at theUniversity of Massachusetts (Amherst), at theUniversity of California Santa Cruz and at theCollege of New Rochelle inNew York City .Initiations and lineages
Reynolds has been initiated into both the Nyingmapa and the Kagyudpa Schools of Tibetan Buddhism and in 1974 in
Kalimpong , Reynolds received ordination fromDudjom Rinpoche as aNgakpa or Buddhist Tantric Yogin of the Nyingmapa order, receiving the nameVajranatha (Rigdzin Dorje Gonpo). With the direction ofDudjom Rinpoche , Reynolds commenced research into the Ngakpa tradition of Tibetan Buddhism welling fromPadmasambhava andNubchen Sangye Yeshe in the 8th century CE.Collaborations
Reynolds has worked closely with
Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche on a number of translations of important Dzogchen texts. Since 1989, he has worked closely withLopön Tenzin Namdak , widely considered as the foremost scholar of the Bönpo tradition outside of Tibet. With the Lopön (teacher or master), he has collaborated on the translation of a large number of ancient and rare Bönpo Dzogchen texts into English, including theZhang-zhung Nyan-gyud (referZhangzhung ), and also theMa Gyud , the Bönpo Mother Tantra. As his principal focus, Reynolds continues his research into the historical origins of Dzogchen in both the Nyingmapa and the Bön traditions, and especially into the connections of Dzogchen and the Bön with Iranian religious culture of ancient Central Asia and the West, includingIranian Buddhism ,Mithraism andGnosticism .Projects
Reynolds' research into original texts in Tibetan and Sanskrit, as well as comparative studies of mysticism, magic and religion and the production of
monographs thereof, is known collectively as theVidyadhara Project .As the
Bönpo Translation Project of theBönpo Research Foundation , Reynolds has privately published a series of monographs on Bönpo Dzogchen and Tantra.As Simhanada Publications, he has privately published a series of monographs and practice texts (
sadhana s) from the Nyingmapa and Kagyudpa relating to Dzogchen and Buddhist Tantra.In
San Diego ,California , Reynolds established theVidyadhara Institute for Comparative Studies in Mysticism and the Esoteric Traditions with the aim of publishing and republishing a series of monographs on Buddhist and Tibetan Studies and also on various topics from the History of Religions, focusing on a comparive study of Buddhism and Bön with other mystical traditions such asGnosticism ,Neo-Platonism ,Early Christianity ,Kabalah , andSufism , as well as dealing with the questions of East-West Psychology and meditation practice.Publications
* "The Alchemy of Realization" (1978, Simhanada Publications)
* "Tibetan Astrological Calendar and Almanac" (1978, Kalachakra Publications)
* "The Cycle of Day and Night" (1984, 1987, Station Hill Press)
* "The Golden Rosary of Tara" (1985, Shang Shung Edizione)
* "The Adamantine Essence of Life" (1987, Vidyadhara Publications)
* "Self-Liberation through Seeing with Naked Awareness" (1989, 2000 Snow Lion)
* "The Secret Book of Simhamukha" (1990, 2001, Vidyadhara Publications)
* "Wicca, Paganism, and Tantra" (1994, Vidyadhara Publications)
* "Path of the Clear Light" (2007)
* "The Golden Letters" (1996, Snow Lion)
* "Space, Awareness, and Energy" (2007, Snow Lion).References
* http://www.vajranatha.com/bio.htm (accessed: February 1, 2007)
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