We are very honoured that Kyabje Tsikey Chokling Rinpoche has so compassionately agreed to bestow the extensive empowerments for the entire Tukdrub Barche Kunsel (Guru’s Heart Practice: Dispeller of All Obstacles) cycle in this Guru Rinpoche Year. The Tukdrub Barché Kunsel cycle forms around one-third of the New Treasures of Chokgyur Lingpa. It is not just an ordinary teaching composed by somebody, it is a valid teaching endowed with the richness of blessings, siddhis, love, care, compassion, auspiciousness from Guru Rinpoche and Dakini Yeshe Tsogyal. This is a special heart practice of Guru Rinpoche and he gave it to us right now, a teaching that is meant for these times. This treasure teaching is also special as it was revealed as an earth treasure by Chokgyur Lingpa and a mind treasure by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo. Moreover, Chokgyur Lingpa kept it hidden for eight years, as he practiced in secret and attained all the signs of accomplishment.
The empowerments will be given over a period of ten days, starting on November 23rd (Dakini Day). Out of those ten days, eight days will be filled with empowerments, and two days will be rest days. The rest days will be determined and announced during the program, depending on the needs of Rinpoche and the sangha. The empowerments that will be given over the eight days are listed below. The empowerments will take place at Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery, Boudhanath, Nepal. No registration is required to attend this program.
We encourage all devotees to attend and receive these sacred empowerments. It is very rare to receive all these empowerments at one go, especially from our precious teacher, Chokling Rinpoche who is a reincarnation of Chokgyur Lingpa himself. Moreover, to receive these empowerments in Guru Rinpoche Year, within the month of Lhabab Duchen is extremely auspicious.
The empowerments for the Thukdrub Barche Kunsel cycle will be given in the following order:
Day 1:
- Red Amitayus empowerment: The dharmakaya Amitayus is the first cycle that Guru Rinpoche bestowed on his students as part of the Thukdrub Barche Kunsel. Amitayus is the Buddha of longevity, and appears as the dharmakaya guru in this practice. He wears the saṃbhogakāya attire and is seated above the crown of Avalokiteshvara’s head.
- Stirring the Depths of the Lower Realms (Avalokiteshvara) empowerment: The cycle for the Great Compassionate One, the sambhogakaya Avalokiteshvara, was the second cycle bestowed by Guru Rinpoche. Avalokiteshvara is the Buddha of compassion, who reaches out to all beings of samsara, freeing them from the lower realms. In this mandala, he sits above the crown of Guru Rinpoche’s head as the sambhogakaya guru.
- Amitabha empowerment: Amitabha is in essence inseparable from Amitayus. Their appearances are similar, though Amitabha does not wear the sambhogakaya attire. The practice of Amitabha is mainly aimed at achieving rebirth in the Realm of Great Bliss, Sukhavati.
- Sangye Menlha empowerments: Sangye Menlha is the Medicine Buddha. His practice can cure mental and physical illnesses, especially those resulting from an imbalance in the internal elements.
- Preliminaries for the Extensive Root Empowerment: This is the preparation for the next day’s empowerment.
Day 2
- Extensive Root Empowerment
Day 3
- Ultimate Empowerment (Middling and Concise)
- Guru’s Offering: This is the outer empowerment for accomplishing the guru in the Guru Yoga part of the preliminary practices. In order to accomplish the self-visualization necessary to accomplish the guru, one must first receive the empowerment of the Guru’s Offering.
Next come the empowerments for the twelve manifestations of Padmasambhava, starting with the four deities seated on the lotus petals around the central figure:
- Gyalwey Dungdzin Empowerment: Gyalwey Dungdzin is one of the eight manifestations of Guru Rinpoche, called Lotus King. He is the deity of magnetizing activity. His practice brings the three realms under one’s control and enhances the magnetizing and wrathful activities of yogic discipline.
- Mawey Senge (Peaceful and Wrathful) Empowerments: Mawey Senge is an emanation of Manjushri, the deity of wisdom, and is also inseparable from one of the eight emanations, called Loden Choksey. His practice develops intelligence and insight.
- Leyshin Empowerment: Leyshin is Yamaraja, the Karmic Lord of Death. His practice is an auxiliary to the Mawey Senge cycle. Mawey Senge has both a peaceful and a wrathful emanation, and Leyshin is connected to the wrathful emanation, Jampa Paro Gonjom. One can perform death ransoming (Chi lu) rituals connected with Jampa Paro Gonjom, in order to avert untimely death by illness and the like. In order for these rituals to be effective, one must first receive the Leyshin empowerment.
- Dorje Tsuktor Empowerment: The Dorje Tsuktor (Vajra Ushnisha) empowerment is another auxiliary empowerment to the wrathful aspect of Mawey Senge, Jampa Paro Gonjom. Whatever sickness, whatever uneasiness of body, speech or mind one may have as a result of outside negative influences, these can be eliminated through the practice of Dorje Tsuktor.
Day 4
- Lama Norlha (Kyechok Tsülzang) Empowerment: Lama Norlha is the God of Wealth. He is one of the twelve emanations of Guru Rinpoche in the Thukdrub Barche Kunsel, seated on the lotus petals around the central figure. His practice brings about all desirable things and fulfills all wishes.
- Dukyi Shechen Empowerment: Dukyi Shechen is the deity of awakened activity, and is indivisible from the yidam Vajra Kilaya (Dorje Phuba). He is also one of the emanations of Guru Rinpoche seated on the lotus petals around the central figure.
The next eight manifestations are seated on the eight corners of the jewel, beneath the lotus flower:
- Dzamling Gyenchog Empowerment: Dzamling Gyenchok is a wrathful deity. There are six yogic practices connected to him that bring awakening: tummo, dream yoga, illusory body, the yoga of clear light, bardo and phowa. In the phowa practice of the Chokling Tersar tradition, one visualizes Dzamling Gyenchok.
- Pema Jungney Empowerment: Pema Jungney is the form of Padmasambhava connected to Dzogchen practice in the Thukdrub Barche Kunsel. His teachings include the ‘six wondrous doctrines that bring awakening without meditation:’ the liberation through seeing, hearing, tasting, touching, wearing, and recollecting.
Day 5
- Kyepar Pakpey Rigdzin Empowerment: Kyepar Parkpey Rigdzin is indivisible from Guru Nyima Ozer, who is one of the eight manifestations of Guru Rinpoche. He is the main deity for making extensive consecrations, such as blessing land or initiating a great effort for the benefit of beings.
- Dzamtrül Duchen Empowerment: Dzamtrül Duchen, or Dzutrül Duchen, is indivisible from Dorje Drollo. A wrathful emanation, he subjugates samaya violating damsi spirits.
- Dorje Draktsal Empowerment: The Vidyadhara Dorje Draktsal is none other than the wrathful form of Padmasambhava, Guru Drakpo. His main activity is to subjugate the samaya violating gongpo spirits.
Day 6
- Kalden Drendze Empowerment: Kalden Drendze is the wrathful Chemchok Heruka, one of the eight deities from the Eight Sadhana Practices (Kabgye). His’ is the supreme activity, and his practice is often used in the making of sacred medicine (mendrub).
- Raksha Tötreng Empowerment: The wrathful deity Raksha Tötreng is connected to numerous lower activities, such as subjugating the thirteen types of sea spirits.
- Dechen Gyalpo Empowerment: Dechen Gyalpo is in essence Padma Vajra as well as Chakrasamvara. Both development stage practices of the path of means and completion stage practices of Chö and Dzogchen are linked to this deity. The Dzogchen instructions from the Thukdrub Barche Kunse come from both Pema Jungne and Dechen Gyalpo, and cover both trechö and thögal.
Day 7
- Ngakso (Ocean of Amrita) Empowerment: Ngakso is a particular practice for mending and purifying our vows, in particular the Vajrayana samayas.
Day 8
There are four additional deities in the Thukdrub Barche Kunsel cycle, who are known as the four deities to remove the outer, inner, secret, and innermost obstacles. Each is a magical manifestations of one of Guru Rinpoche’s implements:
- Tara (That Dispels All Fear) Empowerment: Arya Tara appears from Guru Rinpoche’s khatvanga.
- Torma Empowerment for Miyowa (Subduer of the Four Maras): Miyowa, or Achala, emerges from Guru Rinpoche’s skull cup.
- Vajrapani, Lord of Secrets (Dorje Bechön) Empowerment: Dorje Bechön springs forth from Guru Rinpoche’s vajra.
- Mewa Tsekpa Empowerment: Mewa Tsekpa arises from Guru Rinpoche’s vase of longevity.
For more information on all these deities and on the practice of the Thukdrub Barche Kunsel cycle, please see Dispeller of Obstacles by Rangjung Yeshe Publications.
