2024 Ngondro Retreat Faculty
Tulku Thadral Rinpoche, Sam Bercholz, Lama Sonam Rinpoche
Amy Green, Drubpon Pema Rigdzin
Stefan Graves, Chöying Wangmo
March 30 & 31
"The View that Leads to Liberation"
Teachings with Sam Bercholz
April 1-7
Teaching and Practice Instruction
with Tulku Thadral Rinpoche, Lama Sonam Rinpoche, Amy Green, Drubpon Pema Rigdzin, Choying Wangmo and Stefan Graves
April 4, 10AM-12PM
Oral Transmissions (lungs) for the Concise Dudjom Tersar, Sa-Ter and Troma Nagmo Ngondros
Refuge Ceremony and Bodhisattva Vows
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April 4, 6PM-8PM Dudjom Lingpa's Vajrayogini Empowerment (Wang) with Tulku Thadral Rinpoche Find out more HERE
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We want everyone who has a sincere interest in practicing Dharma to attend whether online or in person. Email us at office@vajrayana.org if you need a reduced fee inorder to attend.
About the Ngondro Retreat
Ngondro, the preliminary or foundational practices of Vajrayana Buddhism, is a profound and powerful means of affecting transformation through purification and the vast accumulation of merit.
"If there are any wise persons who desire to be completely freed
From the hot torments of the fire pit of samsara, they should
Rely on this supreme path, Ngondro, which, like the king of trees,
Will revive one in its cool, dense shade, enlightenment."
---His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche
The first weekend, March 30-31, features teachings by Sam Bercholz, senior student of many Nyingma and Kagyu lineage holders, including root lamas Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and Dungse Thinley Norbu Rinpoche, who personally authorized him to teach. The teachings will include commentary on Dungse Rinpoche's A Cascading Waterfall Of Nectar, as well as Sam's personal dharma stories. Sam requests that each participant have a copy of A Cascading Waterfall of Nectar, available at Dharma Treasures.
Sam says about his teachings,
Buddhism teaches that enlightenment is our natural state; the problem is that we do not recognize this state, owing to the mind's confusion about its true nature. For our practice to be successful, we must have the enlightened view, so it is important to understand exactly what is meant by the two extremes of eternalism and nihilism. As we so often see, with tragic results, “almost all eternalists decide that the ultimate basis of truth is believing only in their own god.” Nihilists, on the other hand, think that everything ceases at death. They believe only in what can be perceived by the senses, and they do not accept karmic causes and results beyond this life. The middle way is not a position between these two extremes, nor is it a third, neutral state. It goes entirely beyond them both. Such a view is “always based on the state of immeasurable stainless space,” while at the same time it “never denies phenomena.”
April 1 - April 7
The retreat will continue with Ngondro commentary and practice instruction with Tulku Thadral Rinpoche, Lama Sonam Tsering Rinpoche, and Dungse Thinley Norbu Rinpoche's senior student, Amy Green, and our drupon Pema Rigdzin.
Afternoon and evening Ngondro accumulation sessions will be led by our Ngondro Program Coordinators Choying Wangmo and Stefan Graves
Please register to receive the live streaming links. The teachings will be recorded and available at the same YouTube links for at least one month after the retreat. All donations support the streaming of Dharma programs and help support the ongoing expenses of Pema Osel Ling. If you are not able to offer at one of the suggested levels, please contact office@vajrayana.org.
Lungs (Oral Transmissions):
For those wishing to receive the lungs for the Dudjom Tersar Ngondro, Sa-Ter Ngondro and Troma Nagmo Ngondro on April 4th please note that you must receive the lungs in real time, so please make every effort to attend that session.
Tulku Thadral Rinpoche's Biography and Long Life Prayer
Lama Sonam Rinpoche's Biography and Long Life Prayer
Sam Bercholz' Biography and Long Life Prayer
For information on our Ngondro Program please click here.
To make offerings for Tsok, Butter Lamps, Streaming or personal offerings for the teachers or the translator, please visit https://www.vajrayana.org/pema-osel-ling-offerings/
Yajrayogini
Thangka by Kumar Lama
As part of our Annual Ngondro Retreat, Tulku Thadral Rinpoche will bestow Dudjom Lingpa's Vajrayogini Empowerment (wang).
Vajrayogini (Dorje Naljorma) is considered the highest of all the wisdom dakinis. She represents the nature of our mind, Prajnaparamita, the mother of all the Buddhas of the three times and ten directions. In the Dudjom Tersar Ngondro practice, we visualize ourselves in the form of a deity as Vajrayogini during Guru Yoga.
Please go to this link to see the "The Laughter that Delights the Dakinis, an Aspiration Prayer for the Progressive Path of the Profound Treasure of the Wrathful Mother" on page 22-26. Tulku Thadral Rinpoche says the samayas for taking the empowerment are included in this prayer.
Register for one of the following options:
You may participate in person or by streaming in real time. You may register as a commuter or plan to spend one or more extra days on site participating in the Ngondro Retreat. Find out more about the Ngondro Retreat (March 30 - April 7) and Sam Bercholz's weekend teachings (March 30-31), "The View that Leads to Liberation" here.
If you are not able to register at one of the suggested levels, please contact the office. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.
Please see our Cancellation Policy.
