The Rimé (non-sectarian) approach
(from Wikipedia)
Most scholars of Buddhism explain Rimé as an "eclectic
movement", however one scholar has suggested that this is an inadequate
rendering, saying "In fact this Rimé movement was not exactly eclectic but
universalistic (and encyclopaedic), rimed (pa) (the antonym of
risu ch'edpa) meaning unbounded, all-embracing, unlimited, and also
impartial." One of the most prominent contemporary Rimé masters, Ringu Tulku,
emphasizes the message of the original Rimé founders, that it is not a new
school. It is simply an
approach allowing freedom of choice which was always the majority practice
within the history of Tibetan Buddhism. The
Karmapas,
Je
Tsongkhapa, the
Dalai Lamas,
Sakya lineage heads and major
Nyingma and
Kagyu figures took teachings and empowerments from various schools
and lineages.
The movement's name is derived from two
Tibetan words: Ris (bias, side) and Med (lack), which
combined expresses the idea of openness to other Tibetan Buddhist traditions, as
opposed to
sectarianism. The Rimé movement therefore is often misunderstood as
trying to unite the various
sects through their similarities. Rather Rimé was intended to
recognize the differences between traditions and appreciate them, while also
establishing a dialogue which would create common ground. It is considered
important that variety be preserved, and therefore Rimé teachers are generally
careful to emphasize differences in thought, giving students many options as to
how to proceed in their spiritual training.
Ringu Tulku describes these points which are often misrepresented:
Ris
or Phyog-ris in Tibetan means "one-sided", "partisan" or "sectarian".
Med means "No". Ris-med (Wylie), or Rimé, therefore means "no
sides", "non-partisan" or "non-sectarian". It does not mean "non-conformist" or
"non-committal"; nor does it mean forming a new School or system that is
different from the existing ones. A person who believes the Rimé way almost
certainly follows one lineage as his or her main practice. He or she would not
dissociate from the School in which he or she was raised. Kongtrul was raised in
the Nyingma and Kagyu traditions; Khyentse was reared in a strong Sakyapa
tradition. They never failed to acknowledge their affiliation to their own
Schools.
Rimé is not a way of uniting different Schools and lineages by emphasizing their
similarities. It is basically an appreciation of their differences and an
acknowledgement of the importance of having this variety for the benefit of
practitioners with different needs. Therefore the Rimé teachers always take
great care that the teachings and practices of the different Schools and
lineages and their unique styles do not become confused with one another. To
retain the original style and methods of each teaching lineage preserves the
power of that lineage experience. Kongtrul and Khyentse made great efforts to
retain the original flavor of each teaching, while making them available to
many. Kongtrul writes about Khyentse in his biography of the latter.... When he
(Khyentse Rinpoche) taught, he would give the teachings of each lineage clearly
and intelligibly without confusing the terms and concepts of other teachings.
Rimé was initially intended to counteract the novel growing suspicion and
tension building between the different traditions, which at the time had, in
many places, gone so far as to forbid studying one another's scriptures. Tibetan
Buddhism has a long history of vigorous debate and argumentation between schools
and within one's training. This can lead a practitioner to believe that one's
school has the best approach or highest philosophic view and that other lineages
have a lower or flawed understanding. The Rimé approach cautions against
developing that viewpoint, while at the same time appreciating that the debate
and discussion is important and that arguing which views are higher and lower is
still valid discourse.
Jamgon Kongtrul pointed out the necessity of each practitioner to have a strong
foundation in one school:
The scholars and siddhas of the various schools make their own individual
presentations of the dharma. Each one is full of strong points and supported by
valid reasoning. If you are well grounded in the presentations of your own
tradition, then it is unnecessary to be sectarian. But if you get mixed up about
the various tenets and the terminology, then you lack even a foothold in your
own tradition. You try to use someone else's system to support your
understanding, and then get all tangled up, like a bad weaver, concerning the
view, meditation, conduct, and result. Unless you have certainty in your own
system, you cannot use reasoning to support your scriptures, and you cannot
challenge the assertions of others. You become a laughing stock in the eyes of
the learned ones. It would be much better to possess a clear understanding of
your own tradition.
In summary, one must see all the teachings as without contradiction, and
consider all the scriptures as instructions. This will cause the root of
sectarianism and prejudice to dry up, and give you a firm foundation
in the Buddhas teachings. At that point, hundreds of doors to the eighty-four
thousand teachings of the dharma will simultaneously be open to you.
A rimé practitioner may take empowerments from numerous lineages and living
masters, though it is not a requirement to do so.
Rimé's founders
Two of the founding voices of Rimé were
Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo and
Jamgon Kongtrul, both from different schools; the epithets Jamyang
(Wylie:
jam dbyangs,
Sanskrit: Mañjughoṣa) and Jamgön (Wylie:
jam mgon, Sanskrit: Mañjunātha) in their name indicating
that they are considered to be emanations of
Manjushri. Jamgön
Kongtrul was from the
Nyingma and
Kagyu traditions, while Wangpo had been raised within the
Sakya order. At the time, Tibetan schools of thought had become very
isolated, and both Wangpo and Jamgon Kongtrul were instrumental in re-initiating
dialogue between the sects.
Rachel H. Pang has noted that non-sectarian ideals are also strongly present in
the works of
Shabkar Tsokdruk Rangdrol even though he predates the movement by
about three decades and never met with any of the Rimé masters from
Kham.
The Rimé movement came to prominence at a point in Tibetan history when the religious climate had become partisan. The aim of the movement was "a push towards a middle ground where the various views and styles of the different traditions were appreciated for their individual contributions rather than being refuted, marginalized, or banned." Many of the teachings of various schools were close to being lost and the movement set out to preserve them. However, though the Rimé movement gathered together teachings from each of the various traditions, it did not mix these, but recognised the individual integrity of each. Rimé was in its idealized presentation the reestablishment of a rule or principle that had always been present in Tibetan Buddhism, but that had been de-emphasized or forgotten: To ignorantly criticize other traditions was wrong, and that misunderstandings due to ignorance should be immediately alleviated. Ringu Tulku says:
The Rimé concept was not original to Kongtrul and Khyentse – neither was it new to Buddhism. The Lord Buddha forbade his students even to criticise the teachings and teachers of other religions and cultures. The message was so strong and unambiguous that Chandra Kirti had to defend Nagarjuna's treatises on Madhyamika by saying, "If, by trying to understand the truth, you dispel the misunderstandings of some people and thereby some philosophies are damaged – that cannot be taken as criticising the views of others" (Madhyamika-avatara). A true Buddhist cannot be but non-sectarian and Rimé in their approach.
The movement became particularly well-established in the Kingdom of Derge. Rimé has become an integral part of the Tibetan tradition, and continues to be an important philosophy in Tibetan Buddhism.
Other notable Tibetan Lamas noted for their non-sectarian approach were Patrul Rinpoche and Orgyen Chokgyur Lingpa. Shabkar Tsodruk Rangdrol, Dudjom Lingpa and Khakyab Dorje, the 15th Karmapa Lama, who was a student of Jamgön Kongtrul. Other lineage leaders gave their blessing to the movement and its founders, who were considered extremely realized.