Cortland Dahl

Short description

Cortland J. Dahl graduated from Naropa University in 2000 with an MA degree in Buddhist Studies and Tibetan language. Since that time, he has worked as an instructor at Kathmandu University's Center for Buddhist Studies, located in Kathmandu, as well as an interpreter for various lamas, including Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche and Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. He currently serves as president of Tergar International and as a senior instructor in the Tergar Meditation Community. He lives with his wife and son in Madison, where he is pursuing a PhD at the University of Wisconsin under the guidance of pioneering neuroscientist Dr. Richard Davidson.

Main teachers

Mingyur Rinpoche, Chatral Rinpoche, Trulshik Rinpoche, Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, Khenpo Sherab Sangpo

Published Works

• Maitreya, et al., Distinguishing Phenomena from Their Intrinsic Nature: Maitreya's Dharmadharmatavibhanga with Commentaries by Khenpo Shenga and Ju Mipham (editor, co-translator). Snow Lion, August, 2013.
• Shechen Gyaltsap et al., Vajra Wisdom: Deity Practice in Tibetan Buddhism (editor, co-translator). Snow Lion, April 2013.
• Mabja Jangchub Tsondru, The Ornament of Reason: The Great Commentary to Nagarjuna's Root of the Middle Way (editor). Snow Lion, April, 2011.
• Jigme Lingpa, et al., Entrance to the Great Perfection: A Guide to the Dzogchen Preliminaries (editor, translator, introduction). Ithaca: Snow Lion Publications, 2009.
• Ju Mipham, Luminous Essence: A Guide to the Guhyagarbha Tantra (editor, co-translator). Ithaca: Snow Lion Publications, 2009.
• Ngetön Tenzin Zangpo, Great Perfection: Outer and Inner Preliminaries (editor, translator, introduction). Ithaca: Snow Lion Publications, 2007.
• Ngetön Tenzin Zangpo, Great Perfection: Separation and Breakthrough (editor, translator, introduction). Ithaca: Snow Lion Publications, 2007.
• Maitreya, et al., Middle Beyond Extremes: Maitreya's Madhyantavibhanga With Commentaries by Khenpo Shenga and Ju Mipham (editor, co-translator). Snow Lion, January 2007.
• Jigme Lingpa et al., Deity, Mantra and Wisdom: Development Stage Meditation in Tibetan Buddhist Tantra (editor, co-translator). Snow Lion, April 2007.

Published Works (Internet Publications)

• Jigme Lingpa. Prayer of the Ground, Path & Fruition. lotsawahouse.org, 2006; translation of zhi lam 'bras bu'i smon lam.
• Yonten Gyatso. An Explanation of the Prayer of the Ground, Path & Fruition. lotsawahouse.org, 2006.
• Ju Mipham, et al. The Amrita of Love: A Liturgy for Saving and Ransoming the Lives of Animals. lotsawahouse.org, 2006.

Private Publications

• Ngondro and Sadhana Practices
  • spros med rgyun gyi nyams len ku su li'i bdud rtsi; short ngondro by Jamgon Kongtrul; translated as Nectar of the Simple Yogi: An Unelaborate Daily Practice.
  • 'phags lam bgrod pa'i shing rta by the 9th Karmapa Wangchuk Dorje. Translated as The Karma Kagyü Preliminary Practices: The Chariot for Traveling the Noble Path.
  • sngon 'gro'i ngag 'don thar lam rab gsal by Mipam; translated as The Luminous Path to Liberation
  • sngon 'gro mdor bsdus byang chub lam bzang by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo; translated as The Sublime Path To Enlightenment: A Concise Preliminary Practice

• Sadhana Practices
  • sgrol dkar rgyun khyer by Tai Situ Tenpe Nyinje; translated as A Daily White Tara Practice
  • tshig bdun gsol 'debs dang 'brel ba'i bla ma'i rnal 'byor byin rlabs char 'bebs by Mipam; translated as Shower of Blessings: A Guru Yoga Combined with the Seven Line Supplication
  • phur pa'i rgyud khyer by Terdak Lingpa (from the thugs kyi phur gcig Yang gsang spu gri cycle]]; translated as The Daily Practice of Vajrakilaya
  • karma pakshi'i bla sgrub bsdus pa by Karmapa Khakyap Dorje
  • gsang thig phur pa and related texts from the Chokling Tersar lineage

• Philosophical
  • nges don dbu ma chen po'i sgom rim by Khenchen Petse Rinpoche; translated as A Step-by-Step Meditation on the Definitive Meaning, the Great Middle Way

• Practice Commentaries (khrid yig)
  • untitled ngondro commentary by Mipam; contained in zab khrid gnad bsdus skor bdud rtsi'i yang zhun
  • Pointing Out the Dharmakaya by the Ninth Karmapa, Wangchuk Dorje; phyag rgya chen po lhan gcig skyes sbyor gyi khrid zin bris snying po gsal ba'i sgron me bdud rtsi'i nying khu chos sku mdzub tshugs su ngo sprod pa.
• Prayers and Aspirations
  • 'phags pa bkra shis brgyad pa'i tshigs su bcad pa by Mipam; translated as Prayer to the Eight Noble Auspicious Ones
  • The Great Cloud of Blessings: A Prayer that Magnetizes All that Appears and Exists
  • rje btsun 'jam pa'i dbyangs kyi bstod pa gang gi blo gros ma; In Praise of Manjushri

• Miscallaneous
  • bcom 'dan 'das ma shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa'i snying po; The Essence of the Perfection of Knowledge (Heart Sutra)

Active Projects

• With the Dharmachakra Translation Committee, a translation of the Lalitavistara Sutra, an important Mahayana sutra that depicts the life of the Buddha.
• A collection of texts related to Padmasambhava's Rosary of Views, including:
  • man ngag lta ba'i phreng ba (root text)
  • man ngag lta ba'i phreng ba'i mchan 'grel nor bu'i bang mdzod by Mipham
  • man ngag lta ba'i phreng ba zhe bya ba'i 'grel pa by Rongzom Chokyi Zangpo

Websites

• Tergar Meditation Community, a network of meditation centers and groups under the direction of Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche
• Center for Investigating Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin, Madison

Contact Info

• Email: cortland at tergar dot org