General Information

Mahamudra is considered to be one of the highest teachings within all of Tibetan Buddhism and the essence of all sutra and tantra teachings of the Buddha. The focus of this profound and direct path to awakening is the ultimate Nature of Mind itself. The experience of Mahamudra is described by Gampopa as the realization of the natural state, as awareness-emptiness, absolutely clear and transparent and without any root.

For centuries, teachings on Mahamudra have been passed down by some of Tibet’s greatest masters to their most skillful students, including Milarepa and Gampopa.

Jamgon Kontrul the Great describes in his Vajrasong that Mahamudra consists basically of three aspects: the ground, the path and the fruition Mahamudra.

Ground Mahamudra refers tot the Nature of Mind and is the proper view, which guides to understand things as they are.

Path Mahamudra is experiencing the view of Mahamudra through applying Mahamudra meditation practice.

Fruition Mahamudra is the completed Mahamudra journey; the realization of the Nature of Mind, which is full enlightenment.

Even though the Mahamudra path leads to experience the luminous purity of the awakened state beyond any duality, it is difficult to integrate this direct taste of the Nature of Mind with every aspect of one's life. To make Mahamudra comprehensible, Chogyal Rinpoche designed this particular retreat as a tool box from which Vajrayana practitioners can use the different methods leading to the highest view, meditation and action of Mahamudra.

Before undertaking Mahamudra meditation, one should first gain an understanding of mind’s true nature, which is emptiness pervaded by luminous clarity. Following Gampopa’s statement that Mahamudra is founded on Maitreya’s Uttaratantra Shastra (tib. Gyu Lama), we will study some key points of that text in order to gain a proper theoretical understanding of mind’s true nature, which will then be followed by a more experiential approach through contemplation and meditation practices.

After receiving the necessary introduction to the Nature of Mind and being ready to give rise to the actual experience of Mahamudra meditation, one enters the stage of path Mahamudra, by first engaging in the preliminary practices (tib. Ngöndro) before starting with the main practices.

During our retreat the first introduction to path Mahamudra is going to be the explanation and application of the preliminary practices. The Ngondro practice is an extraordinary method of the Vajrayana that can be used to purify obscurations and accumulate merit in an extremely short time. Among the four special preliminary practices, Guru Yoga is especially important because on the path of Mahamudra as the teacher's blessing is essential in order for ultimate wisdom to unfold. It is said in the Four Dharmas of Gampopa that through the preliminary practices, one's mind can be one with the dharma and one's dharma practice can progress along the path.

The two main practices in the Mahamudra tradition are Mahamudra shamatha (tib. Shine), or resting in the Nature of Mind, and Mahamudra vipashyana (tib. Lhaktong), or clear seeing, in accordance with different pointing out instructions.

Chogyal Rinpoche will introduce the shine techniques and lhaktong practices that are unique to Mahamudra and explain in what way they are different from the similarly named techniques found in Hindu systems or other Buddhist traditions. He will also touch the profound methods of tantra Mahamudra, which include the creation- (tib. Kyerim) and completion-stage (tib. Dzogrim) as well as meditation on nadi (tib. Tsa), prana (tib. Lung), and bindu (tib. Tigle).

From the 31st of October to the 5th of November 2019 Chogyal Rinpoche will offer these essential teachings to interested Vajrayana practitioners. With his incomparable free-spirited style, he presents deep Dharma teachings in a way that even those new to subject can relate to it.

By studying the scriptures and through reasoning we are freed from the veil of ignorance. Through contemplating the oral instructions we overcome the darkness of doubt.

With the light arising from meditation we illuminate the natural state as it is.

May the light of this threefold knowledge increase.

3^rd Karmapa Rangjung Dorje, The Mahamudra Prayer