Khandro Rinpoche – 9-4-11 – Creation and completion continued

 Lung for Krodhi Kali Troma Nagmo (Black Vajrayogini) and Tummo – Khandro Rinpoche

I have hijacked jestunlas morning session. (laughs)  I hardly know of anyone, even living among learned people, who understands the correct liturgy as well as jestunla. At the same time, receiving explanation from her is very nice. This year’s Creation and completion is a review for older people.  In the last few years, have been a gap btwn the “entering the vajrayana” and those calling themselves senior practitioners. There is a gap – a little but needs tweaking. These topics I hope to cover in the morning and other days going into this week. Very important to strengthen your understanding of your path of practice. even in the winter, when you had your retreats, when you refer to yourself as Dzogchen practitioner, is very dangerous., if you call yourself Dzogchen practitioner, you must be one, label must be one,.

Khandro Rinpoche –9-2-11- morning – Creation and Completion

We have been talking about Creation and Completion practice. Spend today’s time working – many of you have studied Creation and Completion, generation and conclusion, Utpatti and sampanakrama, – the material regarding mechanics of how to cultivate the right view of visualization practice, mantra practice, and dissolution practice. You are familiar with some of these sections, but mainly for those learning how to relate to Creation and Completion. Today, I will work on the various stages, technical aspects.

5 Skandhas – DC Khandro Rinpoche study group – 11/16/11

I found it very useful to go from the description of the Skandhas in “Indestructible Truth” by Reginald Ray.  We start out with a feeling of existing, being a me – my body, my mind.

“These analyses require that we suspend the ordinary division of experience into “self” and “other,” “inside” and “outside,” “body” and “mind,” and observe instead from the perspective of dynamic fields of sensory experience.” – pg. 131, ”Ways of Enlightenment“

 If we examine our experience, we find fields of experience, without any need for the existence of a self. The reason we study the categories, like the Skandhas, is to break the hold of the belief that we are unitary. 

“A Guru Yoga that Brings the Dharmakaya onto the Path” – Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen Rinpoche, 10/1/11

(editor’s note: This was part of a teaching Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen Rinpoche gave at TMC Frederick the weekend of October 1-2, 2011.  This  Lord Jitgen Sumgön Guru Yoga was covered and practiced the morning of the first day before Rinpoche taught on his text “Prescriptions and Prohibitions: Their mode of abiding”.  I plan to get those notes up in the near future.  Khenchen Rinpoche had previously taught more extensively on A Guru Yoga that Brings the Dharmakaya onto the Path at TMC in the Summer of 2009. – JTR/LWWD)

…Nowadays, more than ever before, we need that wisdom we can apply in our daily life. Many levels of practice. If you want to go on retreat, you can go on retreat. If you want to go for years, you can like Milarepa. You can read his life story. He utilized the optimal power of the human capacity in that very lifetime because of that he achieved the ultimate benefit. That why the precious human life has so much ability, opportunity it is there, if you choose. If can’t go in retreat, you can in daily life. While walking. 

First reminder – Precious Human Existence- DC Khandro Rinpoche study group

The first section of Khandro Rinpoche’s book “This Precious Life” is called ‘Entering the gateway.’ Here she lays the groundwork before moving into the 4 reminders.  The rest of the book is essentially the 4 reminders, also known as the Four Thoughts that Transform the Mind.   She starts (pg. 17) with the First Reminder: the preciousness of human existence.

Contemplating the preciousness of human existence brings a genuine appreciation of our human body, mind, and potential. With exertion we can create the cause for genuine happiness and benefit for others.

This precious human existence is like an udumbara flower, difficult to attain.

If found, it is of greater benefit than the wish-fulfilling jewel.

However, having attained such· a precious existence just this once,

We do not accomplish the ultimate aim of great’ benefit,

But instead waste it meaninglessly.

Guru, embodiment of the Three Jewels, look upon us with Compassion.

Bestow your blessings so that. We fulfill the meaning of this precious existence. 

 

Second Reminder – Death and Impermanence – DC Khandro Rinpoche study group – 4/18/2011

Why the focus on the preliminaries? Rinpoche focused only on them before the empowerments.  She always focuses on them so much.   Why?  If you get the basics in a deep way, a physical “submitting to the universe” (R),  a cleansing occurs that opens up.  The four reminders are the tent stakes. J Can have the most expensive tent, but without good stakes, it can still blow away. There are common spiritual crisis, and unhealthy behaviors that the 4 Reminders are the remedy. One year Rinpoche challenged some newer students, asking them to  bring out suggestions  of problems and issues.  She could say which reminder’s weakness could be responsible and why to every single one.

“To bring about the fruition of this precious human birth, you need to remember death and impermanence.”

Third reminder – Karma – DC Khandro Rinpoche study group – 4/7/11

The basic definition of karma from Patrul Rinpoche’s Words of My Perfect Teacher is that one’s present condition is the result of former actions.  Present actions lead to future conditions. Karma is the impulse that drives the action. Some people say the karma is the actual effect, but this is not so.

Karma is something that follows consciousness after death. Karma is never the action, it is the impulse that takes us to the action. Impulse is what draws us towards a specific action. The intention is the wish to do something with that action. Impulse and intention are always related.

Karma is the 10 virtuous actions and the 10 un-virtuous actions. Karma is never something that you leave. It’s almost like your body; it is a structure. This is a new structure.

The karmic fruition of virtuous and unvirtuous actions is never lost.

From this infallible path [truth] of cause and effect

Appears the phenomena of samsara and nirvana.

We understand that one’s actions ripen upon oneself.

Yet, we are unable to engage and disengage in the appropriate manner.

Guru, embodiment of the Three Jewels, look upon us with compassion.

Bestow your blessings so that we cultivate virtue and abandon unvirtuous deeds.

Fourth reminder -Suffering of Samsara- DC Khandro Rinpoche study group – 5/6/11

This is often the introductory teaching given at the very beginning. It is specifically for students who want to be Buddhists, do ngondro, etc.   (The fourth reminder is also the first noble truth.)

Suffering of Samsara

Due to ignorance, craving and becoming

In the realm of men, gods and the three inferior spheres,

The five realms beings revolve foolishly,

Like the turning of the potter’s wheel.

 

All contaminated aggregates are causes of suffering

And are possessed with many torments.

Even that which appears pleasurable is a deceiver.

The three realms of existence are like a pit of fire.

Yet, we ‘who are filled with attachment do not realize this.

Guru, embodiment of the Three Jewels, look upon us with compassion.

Bestow your blessings so that we give rise to the mind of renunciation.

Mindrolling Jetsun Khandro Rinpoche – Ngondro talk via Skype – 2-21-11

Mindrolling Jetsun Khandro Rinpoche

– Skype address to participants at Lotus Garden Ngondro program – 2-21-11 9:15 AM

A message that the lopons should all sit down a little bit more. (They keep spraining ankles (laughter)) Practitioners must believe in the power of purification of karma. That’s why you are all intellect (?). If you didn’t believe it, there is no way you could having confidence in possibility of enlightenment.

Exertion on path has to be honest, whole-hearted.  Very strong confidence in accomplishment stage of realization that becomes cause of liberations of all sentient beings. The full enlightenment, freedom from samsara for self and other.

Of all practices, ngondro emphasizes this most important. What kind of a result we all believe in. must encourage meditator- to have the power to hold the result in your hand – results in purification of karma and attainment of merit. I think western practitioners have an immense emphasis of intellectualization of dharma.  They are swinging between believing the view and having difficulties believing in it. Trying to have confidence to maintain the view- takes so much time, so actualization takes a backseat. Maybe because of that, modern meditators are overwhelmed by obstacles quickly.  They want to believe in power of practice. But many of you encounter diseases- obstacles to self and those around, it is easy to be overcome by the Samsaric happenings. Overcome – it is crucial as we encounter different stages of like, encounter obstacles use that moment for greater encouragement to practice the dharma even more. So, the possibility of holding retreat is good. I hoped there would be a serious of retreats at Lotus Garden, and then more. Lotus Garden was intended to be a retreat land, for deepening of practice. 4-5- days is really very wonderful. Early, when I talked to lopons, there was skepticism that so many people would come and do all these. One said, maybe 2 will show up, maybe 10. But have been consistently strong. The lopons and the residents have been great. And senior practitioners– Judy, etc. (lopons here) – have encouraged themselves to practice.

Guru yoga – Lopön Andre Papantonio – 2/21/11

Guru yoga – teaching at Lotus Garden Ngondro program

Lopön Andre Papantonio

This is a preview. J the real movie is in March, the guru yoga program.  Jann and Cathie are just fab teachers. This has been an incredible retreat. Only one of them is here, but we’d like to thank the residents.  Thanks them by name.

Again, remember what the proper intention is for any practice period, or giving or hear a talk.  Flash on motivation of radiating bodhichitta and then remember the whole point is to achieve liberation for all sentient beings including ourselves. Keep that in mind instead of gathering knowledge for knowledge’s sake. Also, flash on the lineage- in particular the Mindrolling lineage, in part His Holiness and Her Eminence, and picture the continual flow of blessings from that lineage, and from our guru, even when she is sitting still (which isn’t often).

The thing about guru yoga is we aren’t supplicating Dharmakaya or Sambhogakaya beings, but Nirmanakayas. Padmasambhava was a human being; Khandro Rinpoche is obviously a human being. There is a liveliness coursing through the veins of this lineage that is not abstract – these are actual people who dealt with actual human problem, Khandro Rinpoche tells the stories of growing up and her mistakes.