Ep21: The Dutch Lama - Bar-ché Dorje
In this episode I talk with Bar-ché Dorje, a Dutch Lama in the Aro gTer tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.
We discuss Bar-ché Dorje’s early interest in kebatinan, an Javanese esoteric tradition, that saw him plunge his hands into boiling oil and deflect strikes from poisonous machetes.
We find out how Bar-ché Dorje first made contact with Ngakchang Rinpoche, who was to become his tantric guru for over 25 years.
We hear stories of the infamous wrahthful teaching style of the wandering Ngakpa Kunzang Dorje Rinpoche, with whom Bar-ché Dorje spend a great deal of time in Nepal.
Topics Include:
00:00 – Intro
00:38 – Cast of characters
01:40 – Early experiences in Catholicism and martial arts
04:00 – Exploring the esoteric Javanese tradition of Kebatinan
08:33 – the dark side of Kebatinan
10:00 – Encountering Tibetan Buddhism and Ngak’chang Rinpoche
15:22 – About Ngak’chang Rinpoche
18:16 – How Ngak’chang Rinpoche worked with Bar-ché Dorje
21:15 – Kunzang Dorje Rinpoche’s opinion of Ngak’chang Rinpoche
22:50 – The point of the teacher-student relationship
27:45 – Bar-ché Dorje’s personal practice
28:30 – The Ling Gesar Terma of warriorship
39:29 – Stories about the wrathful teaching style of Kunzang Dorje Rinpoche
56:48 – Western Buddhists in the East who miss the point
1:02:30 – Becoming ordained as a Lama and receiving a Terma
1:11:13 – Bar-ché Dorje’s opinion on himself as a Lama
1:16:21 – How to contact Bar-ché Dorje
To find out more about Bar-ché Dorje, visit:
Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James