Dorje Kasung: a definition

This is part of a series of brief talks and articles relating to the Dorje Kasung in an effort to educate the San Antonio sangha and revitalize our center squad.

To establish the foundation, it is helpful to define the Dorje Kasung. Quoting directly from True Command: The Teachings of the Dorje Kasung by Chogyam Trungpa,

“Dorje” is the Tibetan word meaning adamantine, diamond-like or indestructible. “Kasung” is made up of two syllables: ka and sung. “Ka” is the first letter in the Tibetan alphabet and has the meaning of “sacred word”, as in the oral transmission of the teachings from teacher to student. It is the “ka” in Kagyu, the Tibetan Buddhist School of which the Dorje Dardül was the lineage holder. Kagyu itself means “the lineage of the sacred word”. “Ka” has the sense of command, as in the exhortation to be awake, thus takes on the meaning of the dharma or what is true altogether. “Sung” means “protector.” So the overall meaning of Dorje Kasung is “the indestructible protector of the dharma”.

As we begin to study Shambhala Buddhism, the truth of suffering and the non-existence of ego emerge in the basic insights of the Four Noble Truths. Although we want suffering to cease, the treat to our ego creates clinging and sometimes aggression as our habitual patterns hold strong. Chogyam Trungpa, the Dorje Dardül, gathered a group of practitioners to provide a protective atmosphere, an open space for the truth to emerge.

“The purpose of the Dorje Kasung is to foster this opportunity, by providing protection from the outer obstacles such as attack and the inner obstacles such as laziness and confusion.”

If you are interested in learning more about the Dorje Kasung please contact Linda Mockeridge at linmock@gmail.com.