祈願長老尼的傳承得以重建而廣遠流傳
In 1968 I was a young western nun in my mid-twenties working as a secretary for my lama, the 8th Khamtrul Rinpoche, who had been the head of the 200 Drukpa Kagyu monasteries in Kham, Eastern Tibet.
我在1968年時，是個二十幾歲的年輕西方尼師，為我的上師第八世康祖仁波切擔任秘書，而仁波切一直以來都是藏東康區200座竹巴噶舉寺院的領導者。
Having left Tibet in 1959 with 25 of his monks, Khamtrul Rinpoche had established a community first in Kalimpong and later in the Kangra Valley not far from Dharamsala where His Holiness the Dalai Lama is situated.
康祖仁波切與他的25名僧眾在1959年逃離西藏，他首先在卡林邦建立了一個僧團，之後又在離達賴喇嘛駐錫地達蘭薩拉不遠的康格拉山谷建立一個僧團。
At this time Rinpoche headed a small monastery and a community of lay people from his region.
當時，仁波切領導著一個小寺院，以及一個由所在地區在家人組成的團體。
I had first met with the 8th Khamtrul Rinpoche on my 21st birthday and three weeks later received my first monastic ordination when my head was shaved and I donned robes.
我在二十一歲生日那天，第一次遇見第八世康祖仁波切，三週後，我第一次領受出家戒，剃了頭並披上了袈裟。
Then I remained with Khamtrul Rinpoche and his community, working as his secretary and teaching English to the small monks.
接著，我和康祖仁波切與他的僧團待在一起，擔任他的秘書，並教導小僧人們英文。
The monastery in those days had about 80 monks and among them was a small group of yogis who are known as togden.
寺院在那時大約有80位僧眾，其中有一小群被稱為長老（togden，原意：具證）的瑜伽士。
In Kham these togden, although fully ordained monks, lived in caves in the hills above the monastery of Khampagar and they wore long, matted dreadlocks wound up on their heads and white lower robes and a red and white stripped shawl.
在康區，這些長老儘管為具足戒比丘，卻住在康巴噶寺（Khampagar）上方山丘的洞穴中。他們的頭上纏著長辮子，身上穿著白色的下袍，還披著紅白相間的條紋披肩。
His Holiness the XVI Karmapa assured me that even in Tibet these particular Khampagar togdens were revered and considered very special. Their lineage is associated with Rechungpa, one of the heart sons of Milarepa.
第十六世噶瑪巴法王很肯定地告訴我，即使在西藏，這些特別的康巴噶長老也受到尊崇且被視為非常獨特。他們的傳承與密勒日巴心子之一的惹瓊巴有關。
Rinpoche had told me that in Kham he had a nunnery of about 400 nuns. At this nunnery there was also a group of togdenma or yoginis who were also considered very advanced in tantric practices and realisations.
仁波切曾告訴我，在康區，他有一間大約共400位尼眾的尼院。在那間尼院當中，也有一群被視為具有卓越密宗修持與高度了證的長老尼（togdenma）或瑜伽女。
There is a special transmission called the “Rechung Nyen Gyu” [Ras.chung sNyan.brgyud] dealing with the inner yogas which contains a section especially for female practitioners.
有個特別的法脈稱作「惹瓊年舉」（Rechung Nyen Gyu），修持一種包含特別為女性修行者所設之法的內在瑜伽。
Actually I have met a few lamas who had visited this nunnery. Males were not allowed direct entrance therein but could sit in a gallery and look down on the assembly hall.
事實上，我遇過幾位曾拜訪過該尼院的上師。男性不允許直接進入其中，但能坐在走廊，向下俯視大殿。
They reported that the togdenma sat in rows very straight backed and unmoving during the rituals, with their long dreadlocks hung over a rope stretched behind them.
他們說，長老尼會在法會期間坐成一排，背脊挺直，一動不動，在她們身後拉起一條繩子，而她們的長辮子就掛在上面。
As far as we know the togdenma lineage ceased to exist in Kham after the communist takeover since no nuns managed to escape into India.
據我們所知，在共產黨接管後，由於沒有尼眾成功逃到印度，長老尼的傳承在康區便不復存在。
One afternoon Khamtrul Rinpoche took a long white silk scarf (ashi khata) and placed it around my neck with the words, “I will always pray that you can re-establish the lineage of togdenmas which, as you know, has died out.”
一個下午，康祖仁波切拿著一條長長的白色絲巾（哈達），將它掛在我的脖子上，說道：「我會一直祈願，希望妳能重建長老尼的傳承，妳知道那已經消失殆盡了。」
Therefore I have always felt it a sacred commission to bring back this most precious female tradition before it is too late.
因此，我總是覺得，要在為時已晚之前復興這個極為珍貴的女性傳承，是一項神聖的使命。
——Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo 傑尊瑪丹津．葩默
~ 普賢法譯小組 Joy 翻譯 / Serena 校對，祈願長老尼的傳承得以重建而廣遠流傳！
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