Zabmo Nyingtig Trekcho Teachings
Yangzab Trekcho/Thogal Fruition Teachings
Vajrasattva Enlightened Mind Empowerment
Yangzab Amitayus Long Life Empowerment
Great Yangzab Dzogchen Transmission
December 10-20, 2009
Bristol, Vermont
Venerable Traga Rinpoche
Retreat Schedule
Thursday, December 10
Enlightened Mind
Vajrasattva Empowerment
Traga Rinpoche will be bestowing this empowerment which comes from a cycle of teachings transmitted and hidden by the master Padmasambhava and then later revealed by Terdag Lingpa, the founder of the great Mindroling Tradition. This cycle of instructions, known as the Enlightened Mind Sadhana of Vajrasattva, is both extensive and profound. It covers the entire scope of the path from the preliminaries, generation stage, completion stage with characteristics, the path of method, up through the practices of tregchö (cutting through) and thögal (direct crossing). This empowerment of Vajrasattva serves as a gateway to this incredible cycle of teachings. Recognizing the importance of this empowerment, Jamgön Kongtrül placed it as the first empowerment in the 1,700 empowerments of the Precious Treasury of Hidden Teachings (rin chen gter mdzod). It is a particularly meaningful opportunity to receive this empowerment from Traga Rinpoche, who personally practiced the Enlightened Mind Sadhana of Vajrasattva in retreat.
Time: 7 PM
Sug. Don. $30
Location: 2 Elm St. Bristol, VT
Friday, December 11
Trekcho Teachings
From the Zabmo Yangtig:
Introducing the Uncontrived Ground As It Is
Traga Rinpoche will be giving Dzogchen instructions based on the text entitled the Stages of Introducing the Uncontrived Ground As It Is. These instructions come from the Zabmo Yangtig or Innermost Essence of the Profound cycle of instructions by foremost Tibetan Dzogchen master Longchenpa. The Zabmo Yangtig is one part of the famous Nyingthig Yabzhi.
The text that Traga Rinpoche will be teaching from introduces one to evenly resting in the uncontrived unborn ground of primordial purity. It gives practical instructions on how to genuinely experience the nature of mind, how to effortlessly rest in the primordial wisdom of the dharmakaya, and vividly experience the ultimate way of abiding. There are also pith instructions that introduce naked awareness within the context of all experiences. Finally, there are instructions on how to guard the state of non-distraction.
In the context of these instructions, Traga Rinpoche will instruct practitioners on how they may directly introduce themselves to the nature of mind or primordial wisdom awareness and sustain it. These instructions are very clear and precise and explain the very essence of the practice of cutting through, or trekcho.
Time: 1:30-4:30 & 6:30-9 PM
Sug. Don. $60
Location: 2 Elm St. Bristol VT
Saturday-Wednesday, December 12-16
Yangzab Trekcho/Thogal
Pith Instruction Fruition Retreat
Traga Rinpoche will be continuing his teachings on Clearly Revealing Primordial Wisdom composed by Patrül Namkha Jigme. Namkha Jigme was one of the sons of the famous Düdjom Lingpa and was also regarded as the direct incarnation of Patrül Rinpoche. The text is an extensive commentary on the The Completion of All Primordial Wisdom by Padmasambhava as revealed by the great Drigung Rinchen Phüntshog (1509-1557). This rare commentary elucidates the Dzogchen teachings of Khorde Rushen (Differentiating Samsara and Nirvana), Trekcho (Cutting Through), and Thogal (Direct Crossing) in great length with skillful detail.
Traga Rinpoche will be giving teachings on the final sections of this text. These explain how the practice of Trekcho and Thogal lead to the fruition of Buddhahood, which cannot be intellectually grasped or fathomed. These teachings are extremely profound in that they point out for the practitioner the true goal of enlightenment that is ultimately found in the essence of one's own mindstream and in the essence of all appearing phenomena. The fruition of Dzogchen practice is realized when all expectations and fears are severed once and for all, as one fully realizes all inner and outer phenomena to be the energy of awareness arising as the magical display of the enlightened bodies or kayas of Buddhahood. For the highest level of practitioners with the greatest diligence, in this life or at the time of death, even their physical bodies dissolve into a mass of light as they attain what is known as the rainbow body. Traga Rinpoche will also be imparting the essential pith instructions upon the Dzogchen practices of trekcho and thogal, how to avoid obstacles along the path, how to maintain awareness at all times, and how to really gain genuine experience
and realization through practice.
Time: 9:30-12 and 2:30-5 PM
Sug. Don. $250 or $60 per day
Location: 2 Elm St. Bristol, VT
Thursday, December 17
Yangzab Amitayus
Long Life Empoerment
Traga Rinpoche will be bestowing the long life Amitayus Empowerment form the Extremely Profound Intention of the Sublime Dharma transmitted by Guru Padmasambhava discovered by Drigung Rinchen Phuntsog. This particular Amitayus empowerment is unique in that it introduces one to the outer, inner, and secret aspects of immortality. One is introduced to the true immortal vajra body essence of one's own present form together with the male and female Buddhas of the five families abiding in the five cakras. This empowerment also serves as the gateway to the three aspects long life practice associated with this empowerment. There is an outer practice whereby one does the meditation and recitation of the Buddha Amitayus. There is an inner practice where one works with the sutle energies of prana in order to attain immortality and tame one's mind. Finally, there is the secret practice, wherein one utilizes the skillful means of union with a consort to attain common accomplishments such as immortality and the ability to perform the enlightened activites as well as the supreme accomplishment of Buddhahood.
Time: 9:30-Noon
Sug. Don. $30
Location: 2 Elm St. Bristol, VT
Saturday-Sunday, December 19-20
Great Yangzab DzogchenTransmission:
Clearly Revealing Primordial Wisdom
Traga Rinpoche will be giving the vast reading transmission of the entire commentary entitled Clearly Revealing Primordial Wisdom composed by Patrül Namkha Jigme. Namkha Jigme was one of the sons of the famous Düdjom Lingpa and was also regarded as the direct incarnation of Patrül Rinpoche. The text is an extensive commentary on the The Completion of All Primordial Wisdom by Padmasambhava as revealed by the great Drigung Rinchen Phüntshog (1509-1557). This rare commentary elucidates the Dzogchen teachings of Khorde Rushen (Differentiating Samsara and Nirvana), Trekcho (Cutting Through), and Thogal (Direct Crossing) in great length with skillful detail.
This great reading transmission grants formal permission to study the entire scope of this profound commentary on dzogchen. The reading transmissions themselves have been passed from masters to disciples from Rinchen Phüntshog and Namkha Jigme to the masters of this present day. It is said to be of great benefit and blessing to receive such profound transmissions. This is the first time in America that this entire rare transmission has been publicly given.
Time: 10-12 & 3-5 PM Both Days
Sug. Don. $80
Location: 2 Elm St. Bristol, VT
For those attending the complete Retreat
(12/10-20) the suggested donation is $350.
To Register please email ddcv@gmavt.net
Or call us at 802-453-3431
Work Study and Scholarships Available
No one turned away for financial reasons.
If you are able to pre-register for these teachings
that is very much appreciated.
Registration checks should be made out
to DDCV and sent to:
DDCV
PO Box 252
Bristol, VT 05443
You can also pay by Paypal.
Our Paypal account is ddcv@gmavt.net
To pay by credit card click here
The teachings will be held at
2 Elm St. Bristol, VT 05443
Venerable Traga Rinpoche - A Brief Biography
Rinpoche is an accomplished Dzogchen master, having received profound teachings from some of the greatest masters of Tibetan Buddhism -- including His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche, His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche, Khenchen Jigme Phuntsog and many others. He has completed more than ten years of retreat.
From Garchen Rinpoche, Traga Rinpoche received teachings on all Drikung Kagyu texts on regular Dharma service and practice, the five-fold Mahamudra, the entire Dzogchen Yangzab teachings, and many profound pith instructions. He then did his Dzogchen Yangzab retreat at Lho Miyel Gon monastery.
In early 1984, Traga Rinpoche received full gelong ordination from the Nyingma master Khenpo Munsel, who gave him the detailed teachings on Dzogchen Cutting Through the Resistance to Primordial Purity. Khenpo Munsel gently looked at Traga Rinpoche and said, your karmic propensity is to practice Dzogchen. I am your karmic lama. If you can meditate, you have today found the way to liberation in one life. You will never find something like this even if you went to look for it with your horse's hooves encased in steel. Spend one year near me and meditate. For the next seven years, he did retreat near Khenpo Munsel, and practiced Cutting Through, Passing Over, and many other advanced practices.
In 1998, Lamchen Gyalpo Rinpoche -- determined to make Traga Rinpoche's vast knowledge and profound experiential understanding of the highest level of Dzogchen teachings accessible to as many students as possible -- enthroned him as Lopon Rinpoche (Precious Master), with lavish praise for his hard work and outstanding achievements. His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche selected Traga Rinpoche as the retreat master and resident lama at the Garchen Buddhist Institute in Chino Valley, Arizona, and asked his students to have full confidence in Traga Rinpoche, just as, Garchen Rinpoche said, "I have full confidence in him."