4th Oddiyana Retreat 2009

Wogmin Thubten Shedrub Ling Monastery in Tso Pema (Himalchal Pradesh, India) has the great pleasure of announcing the 4th Oddiyana Retreat starting 1 February 2009.

His Eminence Lho Ontul Rinpoche will teach the following:

Sun and Moon Amulet. Breathing yoga from the Yangzab Terma Cycle of terton Rinchen Phuntsok.
Swift Path to Sukavati. A concise phowa by Rigdzin Nuden Dorje.
Swiftly Perfecting the Two Accumulations through the Offering of the Body. Rainbow Body Attainment Chod of Rigdzin Nuden Dorje.

The teaching will last for approximately 7 days, after which there will be a 7 day pilgrimage with His Eminence Lho Ontul Rinpoche.

Please see http://www.dk-petsek.org/ for information on the tour.

Lama Khyenno!

The Song that Clarifies Recollection

The Song that Clarifies Recollection
by Lord Jigten Sumgon
translated by Khenpo Konchog Gyaltshen

(borrowed from the out of print book: Prayer Flags, published by Vajra Publications)

Once, when Jigten Sumgon was residing at Drikung Thel, he gathered his students in a meadow behind the monastery and asked them to perform displays of their miracle powers. All but one were able to comply with their guru's request, and this disciple, Rinchen Drak, suddenly died from shame. When the undertakers tried to dismember his corpse in order to feed it to the vultures, the body resisted the knife. Jigten Sumgon placed his walking stick on the heart-center of the corpse and sang this song:

I bow at the feet of glorious Phagmo Drupa ( the Teacher of the composer of the song )

Listen, Rinchen Drak, my son.
Ka! At the time of death

Worldy activities are a lie.
The eight worldly dharmas are like the colour of a rainbow.
Think, can you put your trust in them?

When you see the separation of gathered friends,
The affection of relatives and friends is a lie.
Heart-felt words are like an echo.
Think, can you put your trust in them?

When you see the growth and decline of the four elements of the body,
The illusion of strength and ability is also a lie.
The spring flower of youth?
Think, can you put your trust in it?

When you see the gathering and consumption of wealth,
Clinging and painful accumulation are also lies.
Food and wealth are like dew on a blade of grass.
Think, can you put your trust in them?

When you see the suffering of birth and death,
The happiness of the assemblies of gods and men is a lie.
The joy and suffering of the wheel of samsara?
Think, can you put your trust in them?

To the tree, the father, bodhicitta,
The bias of disciples is a lie.
Nonvirtuous and misleading friends?
Think, can you put your trust in them?

When you understand that all sentient beings are your parents,
Attachment to self-cherishing is a lie.
The Shravakas? vehicle of self-liberation?
Think, can you put your trust in it?

When you become convinced of the cause and result of karma,
The instruction of non-effort is a lie.
Thunder without rain in an empty sky?
Think, can you put your trust in it?

For the guru who has the realization of power and blessings,
The obstacles of maras and error is a lie.
Chattering prayers like a parrot?
Think, can you put your trust in that?

When you realize the nature of your mind,
The three limitless kalpas are also a lie.
The deceptive vehicle of relative truth?
Think, can you put your trust in it?

In the cemetery, Gathering Relics, are you sad, son, at being alone?

Since nothing lasts and all must die, Rinchen Drak, don't be attached.

If your mind is still attached, transfer it to your guru's heart.

Rinchen Drak's body was then cut open and found to contain numerous relics. There were so many of these that they had to be swept together with brooms.

The DDC Program

Ontul Rinpoche is the incarnation of the elder brother of the great Drikung Kagyu terton and tantric master Orgyen Nuden Dorje, and is an emanation of Khyiu Chu Lotsawa, one of Guru Padmasambhava's twenty-five disciples. He is a master of both the mahamudra and dzogchen lineages of the Drikung Kagyu lineage. With the counsel of other great Drikung lamas-- Pachung Rinpoche, Jamgon Chogyi Nyima, Lho Bongtul Tenzin Nyima and Togden Drodun-- Ontul Rinpoche developed a ten-stage curriculum of empowerments, transmissions and teachings to transmit the tradition of Drikung dzogchen. Source texts are from terton Rinchen Phuntsok, terton Nuden Dorje and the first Chungtsang Rigdzin Chokyi Dragpa. This is a very rare opportunity to receive such rare and precious teachings in such a systematic manner in America.

At the Florida Drikung Dzogchen Community, the following teachings from the ten-stage cycle have been given:

• Yangzab ngondro
  
• Yangzab Three Roots (long and short sadhanas; unelaborated sadhana)
• Chod: The Chod that Bestows the Rainbow Body and The Magical Net of Samantabhadra.
• Yangzab Dharmapalas
• Urgyen Kaldren Drenzey (with Thubten Nyingpo Rinpoche)

Future teachings for the next six stages include the following (not necessary in this order):

• Dundrol Gyalpo, the "King Who Subdues Maras"
  
• Lama Tsewa Zinpa (a secret practice)
  
• Dorje Drollo (very secret inner guru practice)
  
• Chenrezig (outer, inner, and secret)
• Amitabha (outer, inner, and secret)
• Hayagriva (outer, inner, and secret)
• Five Deity Vajravarahi (outer, inner, and secret)
• Tummo
  
• Luminosity (Clear Light)
  
• Dream Yoga
  
• Yeshe Santal, "Unimpeded Wisdom", phowa
  
• Zhitro (outer, inner and secret)
  
• Dzog Rim (perfection stage) with and without signs
  
• Khorde Rushan,
  
• Kadak Trekcho (Primordial Purity)
  
• Lhundrub Thogal (Spontaneous Presence)
• Long life, Protectors, and Wealth practice (Vaishravana)

These teachings will be bundled accordingly to fit the time constraints of the tours and the needs of the International Drikung Dzogchen Communities-- and to fit within the additional constraint of what has been translated by the Drikung Dzogchen Translation Project.

Interview with Lho Ontul Rinpoche: Part 2

Interview with Lho Ontul Rinpoche: Part 1

Lama Gursam 27 October- 1 November

Lama Gursam will be visiting the Florida Drikung Dzogchen Community from Monday 27 October through Saturday 1 November 2008. He will be an empowerment, transmissions and teachings on Achi Chokyi Drolma, the main protector of the Drikung Kagyu lineage. More information will be posted as it becomes available.

Lama Gursam's biography can be found here.

Lama Lena Yeshe Katyup

Lama Lena (Yeshe Katyup), the long time student and translator of Lama Wangdor Rinpoche, visited us on 20-22 June, for our first formal teaching in the new practice space. She blessed the lokapalas (local spirits) of the area, and proceeded to teach on the tsiksum nedek, or the "Three Incisive Points"-- the last testament of Garab Dorje. Garab Dorje, the first dzogchen master of the human realm, gave this teaching to his heart disciple Manjushrimitra, posthumously after having attained the rainbow body. The three points of this testament are the quintessence of the view, path and fruit of dzogchen.

Wangdor Rinpoche himself gave this teaching last year, following Patrul Rinpoche's commentary "The Special Teachings of the Wise and Glorious King". With the same directness, humor and practicality, Lama Lena taught from the same text. The group was quite small, so we were able to receive individualized instruction and ask many questions.

Lama Lena informed us that Lama Wangdor Rinpoche's 108 foot statue of Guru Rinpoche is completed and that they are working on the temples and shrines in the platform of the statue. Lama Wangdor Rinpoche, like Lho Ontul Rinpoche, the founder of the Drikung Dzogchen Communties, is based at Tso Pema. Tso Pema is a holy site to Sikhs, Hindus and Buddhists. In the Vajrayana tradition, Tso Pema-- the "Lotus Lake"-- is the site where Guru Padmasambhava and Mandarava were set afire, to arise on a lotus in a lake.

For Lama Wangdor Rinpoche's activities look here.

Regular Practice Schedule

The Florida DDC meets every Wednesday at 7:00PM for group practice. The location is 1103 Hays Street, Tallahassee, FL 32301.

Everyone is welcome regardless of their religious background, or their prior experience with Tibetan Buddhism. If you are very new to Tibetan Buddhism, please arrive a little early to meet members of the community, ask questions and get oriented to the practice. New people should expect silent seated meditation, chanting, mantra recitation and visualization. The practice location is handicapped accessible, and chairs are available for those unable or uncomfortable sitting on the floor. If you like, bring your own cushion!

It is advised, but not required, that new people call (unless they are on our email mailing list) to make sure we are meeting. Call Preston at: 813-313-6362 or Ron at: 850-445-0387.

A New Home

The Florida Drikung Dzogchen Community has moved!

The Florida DDC is located at 1103 Hays Street, Tallahassee, FL 32301. Please see the map below for directions. Our WWW-page is the same, as is our email: ddc.florida@gmail.com.



View Larger Map