“During the Kaliyuga, when disturbed mental states spread rapidly, having entered the gateway of the Buddhist teachings and [Secret] Mantra but not following the teachings, practitioners act incorrectly. They are lax in guarding their vows and their training precepts weaken. Not in keeping with their samaya, they chant the secret mantras incorrectly. Not receiving the signs of accomplishment, their ability and power diminish. Not having true confidence, they undertake the enlightened activities. For these reasons, all the mamos of phenomenal existence and the eight classes of gods and demon-spirits become disturbed and gradually destroy what is valuable in the world and to beings. At such a time, if practitioners strive in this excellent method [of offering this amendment-confession], they will be granted fruition’s temporal benefits and ultimate bliss. SAMAYA!
“Practicing this Amendment-Confession to the Dakini Assemblies, properly, even one time amends the samaya breakages and deteriorations of yogis and yoginis. Having restored their samaya transgressions and degenerations, all wished-for accomplishments will be attained. Illness, epidemics, conflicts, poor harvests, and so forth—the turmoil of the mamo dakinis is pacified. The entire region experiences happiness and so forth. In all ways, momentary and ultimate, unsurpassed great bliss is accomplished”.
“Thus, what is referred to as samaya is said to be one’s view”.
This online class will study the topic of tantric samaya in the Nyingma tradition and the 34-page ritual for amending our samaya, “The Amendment-Confession to the Dakini Assemblies”, from Dudjom Rinpoche’s Dakini Heart Heart Essence (Khandro Thuk Tik).
In every age, there are those who are ready to awaken and those who are ready to plant the seeds of their future awakening. For both, there are suitable and fitting teachings and transmissions.
The Dudjom New Treasure Dakini Heart Essence (Khandro Thuk Thik) is a twentieth-century transmission from the female buddha, Yeshe Tsogyal, to His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, Jigdral Yeshe Dorje. In Dudjom Rinpoche’s own words: How wonderful! [The Dakini Heart Essence] method has few words, is concise, and is endowed with blessings. May this quintessential profound path be the glory of those with karmic connections!
Based on the four empowerments of inner tantra, practitioners follow their four paths which involve trainings based on perceptual experience, subtle mantric sound, the subtle energy body, and pure knowing awareness (rigpa). Although these four paths are presented sequentially and separately, in practice, they envelop and support each other at all levels of the practitioner’s skill.
These teachings will use quotations from the root verses of the Dakini Heart Essence, Dudjom Rinpoche’s prayer of aspiration and instructions on practicing the Dakini Heart Essence and also, Lama Tsedrup Tharchin’s prayer of aspiration, “A Heartfelt Longing Melody of Faith.”
Prerequisites: None.
Each class begins with teachings on the principles of deity meditation according to Nyingma’s mahayoga tradition and then applies these principles to how to practice the Dakini Heart Essence (Khandro Thuk Thik) Yeshe Tsogyal Activity Sadhana, Wish-Fulfilling Bliss. The last class is devoted to rituals, such as building the mandala, hand mudras, and melodies.
A one-hour class on the Dudjom Dakini Heart Essence Yeshe Tsogyal Longevity Practice that is practic with the Yeshe Tsogyal Activity Ritual.
The purpose of practicing sadhana is to awaken the mind to its nature and bring forth its intrinsic enlightenment. The creation stage calms and focuses the discursive mind by immersing it in an unpolluted visual and auditory reality. Then the completion stage of dissolution and re-emergence perfects the creation stage by releasing all ontological constructs and immersing the mind in the vast expanse of its natural perfection or "luminosity." Eventually, both stages are practiced simultaneously. This is the method for achieving enlightenment in a single lifetime through mahayoga sadhana practice. This class will focus on the theory and practice of the completion stage.
Format: Two video classes. Video and audio recordings to download and keep.
Prerequisite: Prior teachings on sadhana meditation and practice experience. Empowerment not required.
Buddha said, “If you want enlightenment, kill your father; kill your mother; kill your king, and kill your countrymen.” This means—kill your habit of subjectifying (your mother); kill your habit of objectifying (your father); kill your personal identity (atman/king), and kill all your afflicted states of mind (countrymen). . . and then, you will be enlightened!
While the notion of self-hood is natural or innate to all beings, in all forms of Buddhism, enlightenment is attained through eliminating self-ignorance and cultivating the experience of no-self. Severance combines Mahayana’s mind training in shunyata, compassion, and generosity with Vajrayana’s methods for isolating consciousness (phowa), feast offerings (ganachakra), and resting in the self-knowledge called luminosity or clear light.
The Dakini Heart Essence severance is based on Thröma Nagmo, Fierce Black Mother, a direct revelation from the Indian mahasiddha, Saraha, to Dudjom Lingpa in the 19th century. This is a concise practice of a few pages and can be practiced in ten minutes. This class will begin with teachings on the principles of severance and then offer detailed instructions on practicing this particular severance sadhana.
Pre-requisite: Refuge in the Vajrayana tradition. No empowerment required.
From the perspective of the Buddhist tantras, the human body is not an ordinary body but a dynamic pathway to realization. It is a nirmanakaya buddhafield, and how we relate to it, consciously and unconsciously, is a crucial point of training in maha, anu, and ati yoga. This class will offer theory and some basic body-based practices.
Pre-requisite: Refuge in the Vajrayana tradition. No empowerment required.
Format: Two live video classes + digital resources and recordings to download and keep.
Historical consciousnessis helpful and necessary. At the very least, it promotes larger understandings and helps prevent sectarianism. At best, despite differences between historical fact and legend, Vajrayanists will always find inspiration and a grounding for their faith by studying the writings of Dudjom Rinpoche. —Lama Dechen Yeshe Wangmo
Format:
On-demand text based videos by Lama Tsering Gyaltsen with verbatim translation by Lama Dechen Yeshe Wangmo added in post production.
The text is His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche's Brief Account of the Origins of Buddhism in Tibet & The Divisions of the Great and Lesser Vehicles, Collected Works of Dudjom, Vol. 2, pgs. 1 - 30
Course Materials:
- 9 hours of on-demand video recordings (9 classes)
- Tibetan text and English translation (PDFs to download)
