The Path of the Masters of the Past
Students who have prior familiarity with Buddhist principles, prior meditation experience, or a strong connection to Vajrayana Buddhism may decide to enter this path. One begins by taking the refuge and bodhisattva vows. This path was most commonly followed by the practitioners and great masters of the past in Tibet. As Phakchok Rinpoche is a primary lineage holder of the New Treasures of Chokgyur Lingpa or Chokling Tersar, this path centers around these profound teachings and practices.
Initial Practice
- Reflection on the four mind changings
- Learning and focusing on the refuge precepts
- Students may choose to take additional precepts
- Bodhisattva vow
Ngöndro
Tukdrub Barché Kunsel Ngöndro
In this course, Phakchok Rinpoche and senior instructors provide detailed explanations and commentary on each practice according to the Tukdrub Barché Kunsel Ngöndro
Overview
Tukdrup Barché Kunsel
Tukdrup Barché Kunsel Ngöndro. Students can practice the ngöndro either individually or in a group. An online Ngöndro program is available.
- Refuge
- Bodhicitta
- Vajrasattva
- Mandala Offering
- Guru Yoga
Focus on improving our character. Cultivate core values:
Reliability, Kindness, Caring, Sincerity, Honesty, Humility, and Dignity.
- Stable confidence in karma, cause and effect
- Renunciation
- Bodhicitta: Training in compassion
- Devotion: Guru Yoga
- Recognition: Nature of mind meditation
- Samaya: Knowing the Vajrayana samayas and how to mend them
Removal of Obstacles:
Enhancement with supportive practices and multiplying merit.
Enhancement Programs and Educational Materials
Tibetan for Practitioners
Acquire basic Tibetan language skills so you can better engage with your daily recitations and visualizations!
The Concise Sang Offering
Discover the hows and whys of the profound practice of making fragrant smoke offerings.
Mahayoga and Beyond
From this level students from the Traditional Vajrayana and the Nine Yanas Pathways merge into one stream.
Three Inner Tantras
Students engage in the practice of Mahayoga, Anuyoga, and Atiyoga.
Rinpoche suggests that all students take the opportunity to practice in a one-week Phowa retreat to gain confidence at this point in their journey.
Kyerim: Developing Stage
The students begin Mahayoga practice after having gained stability in the key principles of karma, bodhicitta, devotion, recognition, and samaya.
Mahayoga
Empowerment: Tukdrup Barché Kunsel
Spiritual Foundation: Lamrim Yeshé Nyingpo and Tukdrup Barché Kunsel (Chapter 4: Guru Nangsi Zilnön, Yeshé Zangthal)
Practice: Three Roots
Focus: Learning and reflecting on the Mahayoga Samayas and establishing the view of the Mahayoga: perfect pure equality (kundzop dhakpa chenpo, döndam nyampa chenpo)
Three Roots
Lama: Guru Rinpoché: Concise Daily Practice and Trinlé Nyingpo
Yidam: Dorjé Sempa (peaceful) and Dorjé Phurba (wrathful)
Khandro: Kurukullā and Jetsün Drolma
Sadhana Ritual Courses
Samye Institute offers these support courses regularly in Nepal and also at some of our global centers. We are currently developing an online course that will serve the needs of those who cannot travel to Nepal to allow the students to immerse themselves in sadhana practice gradually.
Focus: Body, Speech, Mind, and Activity
Gain stability in the Four Nails that Bind the Life-Force
Familiarization with the sadhana and its ritual aspects
Maintaining the Practice (dü shi)
Students learn how to maintain practice throughout the day in all activities.
Focus: Refocusing on Phowa and Bardo teaching and training
Geksel: Removal of Obstacles
Bokdön: Enhancement
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Anu- and Atiyoga
Restricted to senior students. Eligibility to continue to these levels will be determined by Phakchok Rinpoche.
Dzokrim: Completion Stage
Having gained stability in karma, bodhicitta, devotion, mind recognition, and the Mahayoga view and samayas.
Anuyoga
Nadi, Prana and Bindhu
These teachings will be given in detail to those students who engage in the Three-Year Retreat.
Spiritual Foundation: Lamrim Yeshé Nyingpo and Tukdrup Barché Kunsel (Chapter 9: Guru Dzamling Gyenchok: Dechen Zangthal)
Practice: Six Vajra Yogas (Dorjé Chö Druk). These are Heat Yoga, Illusory Body, Luminosity, Dream Yoga, Phowa, and Bardo.
Focus: Primarily on Heat Yoga, Bardo, and Phowa
Atiyoga
Spiritual Foundation: Lamrim Yeshé Nyingpo and Tukdrup Barché Kunsel (Chapter 16: Guru Dechen Gyalpo: Ösal Zangthal)
Practice: Trekchö (Cutting Through)
Focus: Devotion and rigpa
Ngöndro (Preliminary)
Body: Vajra Position
Speech: Hung Practice
Mind: Minds Coming, Staying and Going (jung, né, dro sum)
Ngöshi (Main Part)
Three Vital Points of Pointing Out
Mahamudra Stage 3: Equal Taste
Mahamudra Stage 4: Non-meditation
Thögal
Geksel: Removal of Obstacles
Bokdön: Enhancement
Lifetime Practice
Guru Practice: Trinlé Nyingpo or Concise Daily Practice
Cultivation of Bodhicitta
Dzogchen: Trekchö
From time to time or on appropriate occasions one should also practice:
Phowa
Bardo
Chöd: Cutting through Self-clinging
Tsok: Ganachakra offering
Optional Three Years and 45 Days Retreat
Starting with 2 months of mind training and meditation.
Ngöndro: Tukdrup Barché Kunsel Preliminary Practices
Ngözhi: Main Part: Three Roots
Lama: Five Months
Followed by 1 month on nature of mind meditation.
Yidam: Three Months
Khandro: Two Months
Followed by one month of nature of mind meditation.
Chenrezik Khorwa Dongdruk: Avalokiteshvara: Forty-Five Days
Six Vajra Yogas: One month each
Trekchö: Six Months