The Florida Drikung Dzogchen Community

Jan. 2011 Lama Gursam teachings

2011-12-18T11:25:00.000-08:00

We are honored to welcome back Lama Gursam for additional teachings on the weekend of January 7th and 8th. He will teach on Chenrezig (Skt. Avalokiteśvara), the Bodhisattva of Compassion. Lama Gursam will also give teachings on Achi Chokyi Drolma, the Dharma Protector of the Drikung Kagyu lineage.
Pre-registration is encouraged. To register please email us.

The schedule is:

Saturday (January 7th)
10 am - 12 pm: Chenrezig empowerment
(break; many people will likely go out to eat at a restaurant)
2 pm - 5:30 pm: Chenrezig teachings continued

Sunday (January 8th)
10 am - 12 pm: Achi Chokyi Drolma transmission and teachings
(break; many people will likely go out to eat at a restaurant)
2 pm - 5:30 pm: Achi Chokyi Drolma teachings continued

While no one will be turned away because of financial constraints, the suggested donation is $45 for the empowerment and $25 for each teaching session.

Teachings from Gape Lama (June 25th and 26th)

2011-07-17T02:58:00.000-07:00

On June 25th and 26th, Lama Thubten Nima Rinpoche also known as Gape Lama, taught on the generation stage yogas of Vajrayana practice at the the Florida DDC. The teachings were remarkably clear and helpful. We are honored to have received these teachings.

Nubpa Rinpoche: St. Pete May 2011

2011-04-10T11:42:00.000-07:00

Manjushri Teachings: 26:27 April 2011

2011-04-10T11:28:00.001-07:00

Drupon Thinley Nyingpo Rinpoche will be visiting the Florida DDC on Tuesday 26 and Wednesday 27 April 2011. Virginia Blum will be translating. Rinpoche will also give the Bodhisattva Vows. The schedule is:

Tuesday 26: 7-9 PM Manjushri Empowerment
Wednesday 27: 3-6PM Bodhisattva Vows
Wednesday 27: 7-9PM Manjushri Teachings

Manjushri is the Bodhisattva of Wisdom and his mantra and sadhana practice are associated with cutting through ignorance.

The teachings are at Ron Erichson's home at 1072 Winter Lane. Please email or call 850-274-4270 to register.

While nobody will be turned away because of financial constraints, the recommended donation is $45 for the empowerment and $25 for each teaching session.

Major Changes

2011-04-10T11:19:00.000-07:00

The practice of Tibetan Buddhism is not recession proof-- and thus we are no longer meeting at the Tallahassee Tibetan Center at 1103 Hays Street. Sincere thanks to everyone who supported our attempt to build a little Tibetan Buddhist Temple in Tallahassee.

Change is good. We will be working with The Tallahassee Buddhist Community AKA "TBC" in Railroad Square to offer programs specifically tailored for people new to Tibetan Buddhism. We have come to appreciate how bewildering and complicated Tibetan Buddhism can be, and we hope to remedy that with informal courses and programs hosted by the local sangha at TBC. We also plan on using TBC to host a variety of little retreatlets and special practices also focused on people new to Tibetan Buddhism.

We will also be meeting in sangha member's homes to practice and study the core Drikung Dzogchen practices taught by Lho Ontul Rinpoche in his series of DDC teachings. If you have been involved in Ontul Rinpoche's Drikung dzogchen program and wish to practice and study with a group-- please drop us a line.

And of course, we will be hosting our teachers throughout the year. Without the Hays Street center, we will do this in a variety of venues-- TBC, sangha homes, Unitarian Church, etc.-- depending upon the teaching and the expected turnout.

So... despite our challenges, the Iron Rabbit year has much promise!

Technology Change

2010-01-28T12:51:00.000-08:00

The Florida DDC has ceased regular updates through the Yahoo!Group and gmail account. The color PDF newsletters were well received, but many people did not receive them because either their email service deleted the attachments, or they were unable to view the attachment. At the same time, Yahoo! started requiring a Yahoo!ID to join YahooGroups, forcing people to use the Yahoo! mail service to use the Yahoo!Group service. Because of this we fell back on the gmail mass mailings-- but in that case, people could not respond to the entire community. Because of this we have started using GoogleGroups.

To join the Florida DDC GoogleGroup go to http://groups.google.com/group/DDC-FL and join. This is an environment much like Yahoo!Groups, and includes space to host small webpages which will be useful as we start developing our web presence over the next year.

Thanks.

Group Photo

2010-01-28T12:48:00.000-08:00

A group photo thanks to Jatson Dolkar. Ontul Rinpoche, Tashi Dolma and sangha from throughout Florida and beyond for Ontul Rinpoche's 2009 DDC teachings.

Healing Chod venue change

2009-11-11T09:26:00.001-08:00

Ontul Rinpoche's Healing Chod on Friday 13 November will be held at the United Church at 1834 Mahan Dr. Please bring blankets and/or a pillow to make yourself comfortable, as it is traditional to lie down for this healing ritual. All other events will be held at 1103 Hays Street.

Lho Ontul Rinpoche November 2009

2009-10-25T17:00:00.000-07:00

Lho Ontul Rinpoche will be visiting the Florida Drikung Dzogchen Community from Thursday 12 November through Sunday 15 November 2009. The teaching schedule is:

Thursday 12 November. 7:00 PM. Vajravidarana Healing and Purification Ceremony. The deity Vajravidarana (Dorje Nampar Jompa) is associated with the healing of mental and physical afflictions at the root of suffering. This healing and purification ceremony is aimed at releasing and expunging these root afflictions for health, well being and spiritual benefit.

Friday 13 November. 7:00 PM. Healing Chod. Rinpoche will offering a Healing Chod practice to healing mental and physical sicknesses, and to remove karmic obstacles to spiritual growth.

Saturday 14 November

10:00 AM Dudul Gyalpo "Demon Destroying King" Empowerment. The Demon Destroying King is a wrathful form of the Three Roots (Guru, Yidam and Dakini) from the Yangzab dzogchen terma. This practice forms the core of the 5th year DDC teachings.
2:30 PM Teachings on the Dudul Gyalpo practice.
7:00 PM Sangha dinner with Rinpoche & Tashi Dolma (potluck)

Sunday 15 November

10:00 AM Amulet of the Sun and Moon. This tsa lung practice is also part of the 5th year DDC teachings. Rinpoche will offer the transmission and instruction on this practice.
3:30 PM Urgyen Kaldren Drenzey practice and tsok. Rinpoche will offer the transmission for this special guru yoga practice from the pure vision of Nuden Dorje. Rinpoche will also lead us in this practice, concluding his teaching tour with the tsok from this practice.

Please note that there is limited seating for these teachings due to the space constraints of the venue. All teachings are at 1103 Hays Street, Tallahassee, Florida, 32308. Preregistration is required for these teachings to reserve a seat. Seating in the shrine room is guaranteed for only the first 30 registrants. Nobody will be turned away, but additional participants will be seated in overflow seating. To pre-register, email: ddc.florida@gmail.com

Suggested donation: $25 per session, $35 for the Dudul Gyalpo empowerment.

Lama Acharya Gursam: 18-20 September 2009

2009-08-20T16:55:00.000-07:00

Lama Acharya Gursam Rinpoche will be visiting the Florida Drikung Dzogchen Community September 18-20, 2009.

On Friday September 18th at 7PM, Lama Gursam will teach on "The Mantra of Compassion, OM MANI PADME HUNG".

On Saturday September 19th from 10AM-12PM and 2PM-5PM, Lama Gursam will teach on "Calming the Body and Mind: Vipassana Meditation".

On Sunday September 20th at 10AM, Lama Gursam will offer the empowerment of the Medicine Buddha. In the afternoon, at 2PM-5PM, Lama Gursam will give teachings on the practice of Medicine Buddha.

All sessions are offered on a donation basis. Nobody is turned away because of money. Suggested donation $20/session and $30 for the Medicine Buddha Empowerment.

Please preregister by email. All teachings are at 1103 Hays Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32301.

The Biography of Lama Gursam:

At the age of six, Lama Gursam entered Drikung Kagyu Monastery in Tso Pema, India, where he completed his basic education and studied Buddhist philosophy, practice, ritual and conduct. In 1981 he began his college education at the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies (University) in Sarnath, Varnasi, India. He earned his Bachelor's degree in 1988 in the Sanskrit, Hindi, Tibetan, and English languages and in Buddhist philosophy. Pursuing graduate study at the University, he was President of the student union, and served two years as a Kagyu Committee member. In 1990 he received his Master's degree in advanced Buddhist philosophy. Upon graduation he also received a special award from His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

After graduation, Lama Gursam was requested by His Holiness Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche to come to the Drikung Kagyu Institute in Dehra Dun, India, at a critical time where there was a great lack of teachers and funding for education. There he served as a volunteer for five years, teaching Tibetan language and Buddhist philosophy and history. He also held the posts of Instructor, Head of Examinations, and Assistant Director while serving as secretary to His Holiness Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche, the head of the Drikung Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. During this time, he also did a one-year meditation retreat and received Dzogchen teachings and empowerments from Khenchen Thupten Rinpoche and other lamas of the Nyingma lineage. He also studied with Dr. Pema Gyaltsen, a specialist in the Tibetan language.

In 1995, Lama Gursam was sent by His Holiness Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche to the United States, where he taught Buddhist philosophy for five years. Lama Gursam worked as a resident teacher in a Tibetan Meditation Center, also serving as director of North American Drikung Kagyu Center. Then Lama Gursam met His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche, whom he considers to be the second Milarepa. Under H.E. Garchen Rinpoche's guidance, together with the Venerable Traga Rinpoche, he became a yogi, and in 2002 he completed a traditional three-year retreat in the United States, practicing Mahamudra and the Six Yogas of Naropa. After a nationwide teaching tour, he then traveled to India, Nepal and the border of Tibet, where he completed a six-month retreat in Milarepa's cave at Lapchi. Lama Gursam continues to return every year to India for teachings and retreats, and every year to the United States and Canada to reunite with friends and students for teachings. His current sanghas are located in Vermont, Maryland, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Virginia, and Arizona, as well as Montreal and Sault Sainte Marie, Canada. Additionally, every 2-3 years, Lama Gursam leads a pilgrimage to Buddhist holy places in India and Nepal. In 2006, Lama Gursam founded The Bodhichitta Foundation, a U.S. non-profit organization officially recognized by His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche, head of the Drikung Kagyu lineage. The Bodhichitta Foundation benefits the West with teachings, a future center and retreat land, and the East, preserving ancient texts, Tibetan culture, education, women's rights, and health.

Thek Sum Nedek

2009-03-23T17:39:00.000-07:00

Lama Wangdor Rinpoche will be visiting the Florida Drikung Dzogchen Community for the second time, Monday 20 April and Tuesday 20 April 2009.

The topic of his teaching will be Garab Dorje's Three Vital Points. Garab Dorje was the first human teacher of Dzogchen or Atiyoga. The text Thek Sum Nedek or The Three Vital Points is the testament of Garab Dorje as transmitted to his student Manjushrimitra. This teaching introduces the student to the nature of mind, and expresses three vital points of view, meditation and conduct of Dzogchen.

The Golden Letters by John Myrdhin Reynolds and The Lion's Gaze by Khenchen Khenpo Palden Sherab Rinpoche include commentaries on this text, including Patrul Rinpoche's The Special Teaching of the Wise and Glorious King.

For more information about Lama Wangdor Rinpoche and his translator Lama Yeshe Katyup.

Please preregister by email. All teachings are at 1103 Hays Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32301.

The teaching schedule:

Monday 20 April 2009. 7-9PM Garab Dorje's Three Vital Points
Tuesday 21 April 2009. 7-9PM Garab Dorje's Three Vital Points

Wangdor Rimpoche is a Tibetan Buddhist monk and teacher (lama). Through decades of solitary meditation, retreats and practices he has achieved the state which Buddhists call realization and is respected worldwide as a venerable teacher and a master of "Direct Mind Perception" (Dzogchen) Meditation. Lama Wangdor has a profound commitment to making Buddhist philosophy and teachings accessible to everyone with a sincere interest. He has taught and given empowerments in Asia, Europe and the United States over the past two decades.

He has spent more than 30 years meditating in the caves first used by the Tibetan saint, Padmasambava, above Lotus Lake (Tsol Pema) in the Himachal Pradesh region of Northern India. In solitary retreat during the early years, he was eventually joined over time by more than 50 cave-dwelling yogis and yoginis who look to him for guidance and support. Beginning in the 1970s, he constructed a monastery near the lake as well as a retreat center on the mountain, available to practitioners of all lineages and nationalities, projects which have taken nearly 20 years to complete.

Wangdor Rimpoche holds both Nyingma and Kagyu Dzogchen/Chagchen lineages and is considered a Remay (ecclectic) teacher. He teaches from heart texts on Dzogchen, the maha-ati and mahamudra yogas which he has received in lineage from Nambla Janchub Dorje, Kunu Rimpoche and Scholars Chonchok Sumon Khenpo of Trungpa Rimpoche's line; Tucksie Rimpoche and Pumdong Key Rimpoche.

Jag Tshug Ma: The Standing Blade of Grass

2009-01-25T07:06:00.000-08:00

From the Dri Thubten Dhargye Ling website:

Phowa, or ‘transference of consciousness at the time of death’ is the simplest and most direct method to attain enlightenment. It is one of the six Yogas of Naropa. There are many marvelous fascinating phowa instructions, in different tantra texts of new and old lineages. However, the Drikung phowa lineage, whose Tibetan name "Jaktshugma" means "the standing grass blade," is one of the most powerful and precious phowa practices still taught today.

Phowa Jagtsugma instructions of transfer to the pure land of Dewachen is included in the terma of ancient secret mantra lineage, which was rediscovered, and propagated a few hundred years later, and are presently upheld in an unbroken lineage through the Drikung masters.

The Drikung order is famous for its ability to successfully transfer the power of the phowa meditation to initiated and devoted practitioners who practice it. Thus, the Phowa transmission given by the Drikung lamas came to be known as the 'Drikung Phowa Chenmo' - the Great Drikung Phowa. In Tibet, the famous Drikung phowa became so powerful that it became a tradition to have a Drikung Phowa Chenmo ceremony every twelve years at Dro-ngor Sum-dho at Drikung in central Tibet by the two head lamas of the Drikung lineage.

The phowa Jaktsugma (the standing blade of grass) lineage is one of the precious phowa practices. In the eighth century, the Dharma King of Tibet, Chogyal Thri-song Deu-Tsen invited the great Indian tantric master, Guru Padmasambhava, to Tibet and they successfully built the Samye monastry. Guru Padmasambhava ripened the minds of the king and his subjects through the vajrayana vehicle. During that time, Guru Padmasambhava was residing in Chimphu cave in the vicinity of Samye when an important minister of the King, Nyima, had a great tragedy. He had great wealth and power. He had two palaces and was bringing many things in and out of storage. He was doing this by a light of lantern, when a small spark caused a fire which instantly burned down the entire palace, tragically killing thirteen people including his parents. All his horses, mules, cattle and other animals also perished in the fire. Minister Nyima, thinking of the respect and honor that others show their parents, felt that he had committed the heaviest of sins by causing the deaths of his parents and others. He was tortured with the suffering.

The king, desiring to end the suffering of his minister, went to Chim-phu cave to request the help of Padmasambhava. Padmasambhava, by miraculous power went to the Pure Land of Dewachen to see Amitabha Buddha. He told Amitabha Buddha about the suffering of minister Nyima and of all sentient beings. He asked Amitabha Buddha to give a special teaching to free all from suffering. Amitabha Buddha gave this Phowa teaching to Padmasambhava and instructed that it should only be given to Minister Nyima for the time being, and sealed so it should not be given to others. Padmasambhava through miraculous power then come back to Chim-Phu cave in Samye and gave this teaching to minister Nyima who then gave up all worldly activities to practice phowa. He achieved the signs and realization of phowa. Through the path of phowa, minister Nyima’s consciousness attained the Pure Land of Dewachen. At the time of death, he used the phowa,and inconceivable marvelous signs appeared, such as rainbows in the sky and relics from the body.

Then this text was written on the palm leaf with the blood from the ring finger of Padmasambhava as the ink and the hair of Yeshe Sogyal as the pen. It was sealed seven times and wrapped with waterproof silk and so forth. Then it was hidden under the Black Mandala Lake which is located behind the East Dhag-Iha-gampo Hill. The Naga king, Tsurana-Ratna, asked to be guardian of this text. He was told by Padmasambhava that the future incarnation of minister Nyima wouldbe Nyida Sang-gye and that he must give the text to him.

Padmasambhava then left to go to the land of the Rakshas in the southwest. After more than 350 years, the incarnation of minister Nyima was born as the son of a shepherd and given the name Nyida Sang-gye. While Nyida Sang-gye was growing up, he looked after the sheep, during which time he felt great compassion and wept tears of sorrow when the lambs and the other animals would die. Amitabha Buddha appeared directed to him and said” Oh Son of a noble family, don’t suffer. This is the profound teaching to alleviate your suffering and to benefit all sentient beings.” Thus he gave this Phowa teaching. Nyida Sang-gye then gave the Phowa to all the dying animals and often many miraculous signs appeared, such as rainbows and lights during the day. The Naga King then came to Nyida San-gye and told him of the Hidden Text (Terma). Nyida Sang-gye took the Ter from the Black Mandala Lake and first gave the teaching to the Nagas in the lake. Through this teaching, most of the Nagas were liberated from the lower realms and reborn into the temporary high- goodness realms.

After that, this teaching was given to many human beings and they were established in liberation. This great knowledge-holder terton gave the lineage transmission to Nam-kha Gyaltshen, the great being, the keeper of this teaching. He gave it to the great realized Sangha Bhadra. He was not able to find a teacher to hold this lineage. He then received a prophesy from Vajrayogini to give the transmission to Ra Dzi Trime Lodro( Phago Trime Lodro) in Phan Po. He gave him this transmission. He matured and liberated thousands of disciples through this phowa. Then he transmitted the lineage to Cho-je Sang-Gye Gyaltshen of Dsing Ta Tak To. Then he transmitted this to Lopon Gyaltshen of Man-tse. He transmitted this lineage to Lho-drak Phuntsok Namgyal, the abbot of Yang Gri Gar monastry. He gave the lineage to Kunchog Ratna, the fully enlightened one, the first Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang and the great Vidyadhara Dharmakirti (Chokyi Dragpa), the first Drikung Kyabgon Chungtsang. These two great beings enriched these profound teachings and made them well-known. Since then this great Phowa teaching has become one of the profound teachings of the Drikung Kagyu Lineage. As explained in the sutra and tantra, the qualified disciples, with no doubt or hesitation about the lama or the teachings, experience the phowa signs, such as opening the Brahma door, becoming unconscious, and so forth, simply by receiving the ‘lung’ blessing transmission without even depending on the practice. The signs of this phowa are experienced by many people and it is quicker than other phowas. Because of this, the fame of the magnificent blessing of this great Drikung phowa remains intact and not exaggerated. These two brothers gave the lineage to Lama Lhopa Tulku Trinley Namgyal, and so forth. The lineage was transmitted to the present time. This is the brief account of the history of the teachings.

Other Teachings with Drupon Thinley Nyingpo Rinpoche

2009-01-25T06:56:00.000-08:00

Drupon Rinpoche will be giving other precious teachings in Florida in 2009.

It should be noted that the practice of Chakrasamvara is central to the special practice of the Fivefold Mahamudra that forms the core of the Drikung Kagyu tradition, and is exceedingly rare and precious.

February 7 & 8 Golden Dzambhala Empowerment and teachings. Tibetan Meditation Center, Gainesville, Florida.
February 9-11 Amitabha Empowerment and teachings. Drikung Theksum Choling, Orlando, Florida.
February 19 Namgyalma Empowerment. Katsel Dharma Center, Tampa, Florida.
February 20 Mahakala Empowerment. Hudson, Florida
February 21 Chakrasamvara Empowerment and teachings. Clearwater, Florida.
February 22 Smoke Offering ceremony. Clearwater, Florida.

Drikung Phowa Chenmo

2009-01-25T06:34:00.001-08:00

Drupon Thinley Nyingpo Rinpoche will be visiting The Florida Drikung Dzogchen Community 13-16 February. He will be offering teachings on the Great Drikung Phowa-- Drikung Phowa Chenmo-- known as the jag tshug ma or The Standing Blade of Grass. While phowa is one of the Six Yogas of Naropa, the precious pith tantric instructions of the Dhakpo Kagyu lineages, there are many special phowa instructions in the tantric teachings of the Nyingma and Sarma lineages. The jag tshug ma is a terma teaching of Guru Padmasambhava, and has been practiced in the Drikung Kagyu lineage in an unbroken lineage until the present. Phowa practice allows one to transfer one's consciousness to Dewachen, the pure land of Buddha Amitabha at death. It is a powerful practice that is considered an essential part of vajrayana practice, and is a practice that is entirely appropriate for practitioners of all levels of experience.

Please preregister by email. All teachings are at 1103 Hays Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32301. The tenetative schedule:

Saturday 14 February

10AM empowerment
2PM teachings
7PM teachings

Sunday 15 February

10AM teachings and practice
2PM teachings and practice
Lama Choepa tsok

Please let us know if you need a phowa text.

Lama Gursam October 2008

2008-10-22T09:37:00.000-07:00

Lama Acharya Gursam will be visiting the Florida Drikung Dzogchen Community from Monday27 October to Thursday 30 October. He will be offering two different teachings that are very central to practice in the Drikung Kagyu Lineage.

On Monday 27 October and Tuesday 28 October at 7:00PM Lama Gursam will teach on the 37 Bodhisattva Practices. This text written by Ngulchu Thogme Zangpo, is an outline of the entire Buddhist path, and details the conduct of the Bodhisattva.

On Wednesday 29 October at 6:30PM, Lama Gursam will offer the empowerment of Achi Chokyi Drolma, the chief protectress of the Drikung Kagyu lineage, and a dharma protector revered all throughout Tibet. Achi was the great grandmother of Lord Jigten Sumgon, the founder of the Drikung Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. Achi is an enlightened dharma protector, and is considered an emanation of Tara and Vajrayogini.

On Thursday 30 October at 7:00PM, Lama Gursam will offer teachings on the practice of Achi Chokyi Drolma.

All teachings are at 1103 Hays Street. Directions can be found on the DDC Florida blog.

4th Oddiyana Retreat 2009

2008-07-21T08:56:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-07-18T18:21:00.000-07:00

The Song that Clarifies Recollection

2008-07-18T10:50:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-17T06:24:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-17T06:21:00.001-07:00

Interview with Lho Ontul Rinpoche: Part 1

2008-07-17T06:18:00.000-07:00

Lama Gursam 27 October- 1 November

2008-07-15T11:57:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-15T10:03:00.001-07:00

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

2008-07-15T09:55:00.001-07:00

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

2008-07-15T09:44:00.000-07:00

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.

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