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 in real-time on Sunday, May 26 and Sunday, June 9 at 10AM Pacific (time zone converter). Video and audio recordings to download and keep.
Prerequisite: Prior teachings on sadhana meditation and practice experience. Empowerment not required.
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.
Tuition: $50. Includes PDF and EPUB prayers of aspiration and video and audio recordings to download and keep.
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.
Classes will be divided equally between the theory or principles of deity meditation (mahayoga) and how to practice the Dudjom Dakini Heart Essence (Khandro Thuk Thik) Yeshe Tsogyal Activity (extensive) Sadhana, Wish-Fulfilling Bliss. Theory will be drawn from Dudjom Rinpoche's Instructional Text on the Two Stages of the Profound Path of The Dakini Heart Essence, and other sources. Sadhana instruction will sync with theory and include visualizations, hand mudra, melody, and music.
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)