Mahamudra Course Workbook

This workbook is published as part of Tergar International’s Vajrayana Online Mahamudra Course. Copyright © 2017 Tergar International. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher at the address below. Cortland Dahl, author Bonnie Lynch, editor Madeline Baum, graphic designer and illustrator

For more information, please contact: Tergar International 706 N. First Street Suite 112 Minneapolis, MN 55401 www.tergar.org

MAHAMUDRA WORKBOOK • Tergar

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction 3

Course Overview How to Use This Workbook Workbook Structure For Path of Liberation Students Guidance for Small Groups Reading List

Module 1: Mahamudra 101

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Section 1: What Is Mahamudra? Section 2: Ground, Path, and Fruition Section 3: The Mahamudra Lineage Section 4: The Mahamudra Preliminaries

12 20 28 36

Module 2: Mahamudra Shamatha 42

Section 1: Preparing Body and Mind Section 2: Using the Breath to Settle the Mind Section 3: Open Awareness Section 4: The Stages of Stabilizing the Mind

44 56 66 74

Module 3: Mahamudra Vipashyana 84

Section 1-2: Investigating the Mind 86 Section 3: Investigating Thoughts and Emotions 96 Section 4: Investigating Perception 104 Section 5: Investigating Stillness and Movement 112 Section 6: The Unborn Mind 120

Module 4: Pointing Out the Nature of Mind

128

Section 1: Coemergent Mind 130 Section 2: Coemergent Thought 138 Section 3: Coemergent Perception 146 Section 4: Genuine Practice 154

Module 5: Path and Fruition 162

Section 1: Stabilizing Recognition 164 Section 2: Avoiding Pitfalls 174 Section 3: Breaking Through 182 Section 4: Adversity as the Path 190 Sections 5-6: The Four Yogas of Mahamudra 200

Lineage Biographies 208

COURSE OVERVIEW

Mahamudra is considered the most profound and direct path to awakening in the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. This lineage of practical instructions helps us to experience the radiant purity of awareness and to stabilize this experience and integrate it with every aspect of our lives. For centuries, teachings on Mahamudra have been passed down by some of Tibet’s greatest masters, including Milarepa and Gampopa. In this course we will learn the most important principles and practices of the Mahamudra tradition. Our journey will be based on important texts from the Mahamudra lineage and video teachings from Mingyur Rinpoche on key points of nature of mind practice. The course will also include live webinars with Mingyur Rinpoche and Tergar instructors, discussion forums, an extensive Mahamudra workbook to deepen understanding and experience, and a range of other resources for study and practice. In the first two sections of the course, we progress from the essential meaning of Mahamudra to the practices of Mahamudra shamatha and vipashyana. In the last three sections, we will explore the nature of mind, the unfolding of experience along the path, and the stages of realization. Throughout the course, we return to three familiar points of reference: understanding the view, gaining experience through meditation, and applying our practice in everyday life. The discussion questions, reflection exercises, and meditation suggestions offered in this workbook are designed to help you deepen your experience and understanding in these three areas.


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HOW TO USE THIS WORKBOOK

The course comprises five main topics, or modules. This workbook is your main guide for navigating the modules and sections, but it can also serve as a tool for reviewing the material. In addition to the “core teachings,” there are a number of additional resources that you may use to support your study and practice. As described in the following section, these resources are based on the traditional structure of the view, meditation, and application. If you choose to venture beyond the core teachings offered in each section, you can choose which of these additional elements most interest you, and use the workbook to keep track of your study and practice. All of the readings, video teachings, and other course activities are listed in the workbook, so you can use it to plan your time and note which parts of the course you have completed. Each module begins with a quote that captures the essence of the teachings you will be working with. It may be helpful to read the quote and contemplate its meaning before you embark on the teachings for that module, and to revisit it afterward. You may find that the words have new or enhanced meaning in the context of what you have learned. The first section in each module serves as an orientation to the topic and the core teachings; later sections take a deeper look at the topic and present additional readings, online teachings, and questions to consider. Wherever the workbook offers space to write your thoughts on a particular topic or question, you are encouraged to do so. Like the introductory quote, your own written reflections can be excellent points for review and reconsideration in the context of further teachings. Reflections can also be fertile points to address in the course’s online discussion group. For those who are taking the course as part of a group, the workbook also offers suggestions for small-group work for each module. More information about small-group work is presented on the next page. This workbook is provided in pdf format and functions best when viewed with Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you do not have Adobe Reader, you can download a free version here. You can type your responses and make notes directly in the pdf. However, if you prefer to have a hard copy that you can place in a binder, you can access a printer-friendly version of the workbook here, so you can write your answers on the hard copy by hand. If you choose to use the digital version, be sure to save your work each time you enter information in the workbook so that nothing is lost. If you have any questions about the course or your personal practice, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us. Email us at any time at vajrayana@tergar. org for course or practice-related questions, or at [email protected] for technical issues. You can also schedule an interview with one of the instructors or ask a question in the discussion forums.


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WORKBOOK STRUCTURE

The contents of this workbook are based on the traditional framework of the view, meditation, and application. Within this workbook you will find an array of questions, prompts, quotes, and exercises to help you explore these core aspects of the Buddhist path. Understanding the View For each section of the course you will find a series of questions and exercises to help you understand the most important principles and practices of the Mahamudra tradition. This part of the workbook is based on Dakpo Tashi Namgyal’s Moonbeams of Mahamudra and a contemporary commentary on this text by Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, entitled Essentials of Mahamudra. Moonbeams is considered the single most authoritative text on the theory of Mahamudra practice. The workbook includes questions to clarify your understanding, and charts and diagrams to highlight important ideas and frameworks. Traditionally, these frameworks would be memorized as a basis for understanding and experience and as a way to pass on the teachings of the lineage. You may want to read the questions and familiarize yourself with the frameworks before you do the readings, and then return to them as you read to note your answers and reflect on the insights you encounter. Experiencing through Meditation You will also find suggestions for sitting meditation practice and prompts for experiential journaling related to each section of the course. These suggestions are based on the core teachings for each section, and especially on the instructions found in Clarifying the Natural State. If you choose to incorporate these exercises into your practice, we encourage you to keep a practice log and to use the journal prompts to reflect on your meditation experience throughout the course. Application in Daily Life The workbook also offers instructions for applying the practice of Mahamudra in everyday life. Each section includes specific suggestions for daily-life practice related to important principles and instructions, as well as journal prompts to help you reflect on your experience and clarify your insights. These exercises are meant to support you in integrating your study and practice with your work, relationships, and the mundane routines of daily life. Focus on What Works for You You may choose to focus on one of these three areas or work with all three. It is up to you.


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FOR PATH OF LIBERATION STUDENTS

Some participants in this course are also Tergar students who are moving through the Path of Liberation (POL) levels. Although the Mahamudra course is optional for POL students, it is designed to support POL practice by helping students to build a strong foundation for studying and practicing the nature of mind teachings. The materials in this course are presented as sequential modules and sections, yet working with these teachings does not have to be a linear process. You may want to engage with one element now, and return to the course in the future to work with another element. For instance, you may want to focus on the core teachings now and return to the offerings related to the view, meditation, and application at another time to deepen your understanding and experience with the teachings. You may also choose to focus on the understanding exercises related to the view and leave the instructions related to meditation and application for another time, or vice versa. In short, you can decide which elements of the course best support your practice. If you are not sure how this course fits with your existing practice, please set up a practice interview with a Tergar Instructor to get personal guidance. You can schedule an interview through the Instructor Interview page on the Vajrayana Online site. Note for those practicing the Path of Liberation levels: If you are actively pursuing one of the levels of the Nectar of the Path or Ngondro tracks of the Path of Liberation, you should continue your usual daily practice and use the teachings in this course to clarify important points related to the nature of mind component of the Path of Liberation. Incorporating the meditation instructions included in this workbook into your daily practice is optional. If you choose to add these instructions to your main practice, you can add them to the periods when you normally practice nature of mind. If the style of practice is related to the nature of mind instructions you are working on for a POL level, these additional periods of Mahamudra practice do count toward the practice homework requirements. The time you spend studying, however, does not count toward your POL practice requirements.


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SMALL GROUPS

Wherever possible, incorporation of small-group work into the course is strongly encouraged. Small groups are a valuable way to cultivate a more personal, supportive, and interactive relationship with the course materials and the other participants. The workbook contains prompts for small-group work in every module. The small-group material focuses on each of three facets: understanding, experience, and application. Suggested discussion questions are provided for each facet. Small groups are an informal, but helpful, way to deepen your experience with the teachings, and you do not need special skills or background to start a group. If you would like more information on starting an online or in-person small group, you can access our smallgroup guide here.


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READING LIST

Readings for the Core Teachings Clarifying the Natural State, by Dakpo Tashi Namgyal (CNS) Crystal Clear, by Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche (CC) Optional Readings on the View1 Moonbeams of Mahamudra, by Dakpo Tashi Namgyal (Trans: Traleg Kyabgon) (MB)2 Essentials of Mahamudra, by Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche (EM) Links to additional readings and resources are posted online in the course modules.

1These readings are the main source for the “Understanding the View” exercises in each section of the workbook. 2 An alternate translation of this text is Lobsang Lhalungpa's Mahamudra: The Moonlight.


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MODULE 1

Mahamudra is considered the most powerful and direct path to awakening in the Kagyu lineage. This experiential approach focuses on recognizing the mind’s empty clarity, and then stabilizing this recognition until it becomes an uninterrupted flow of experience that is integrated with all aspects of life. It allows the meditator to use every thought, emotion, and perception as a gateway to the awakened nature of mind and to see every aspect of experience as an expression of Buddha nature. In this module we will explore the fundamentals of the Mahamudra lineage and learn about the meaning of the term “Mahamudra” and the key points of Mahamudra practice. We will see that the term “Mahamudra” can be used to refer to the nature of reality, to a lineage of Buddhist practice that originated in ancient India, and also to a set of practical meditation instructions that guide the meditator to an experience of the mind’s true nature. We will also learn about the ground, path, and fruition of Mahamudra and the four points that serve as the foundation for Mahamudra practice.


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MAHAMUDRA 101 • Section 1: What Is Mahamudra? • Section 2: Ground, Path, and Fruition • Section 3: The Mahamudra Lineage • Section 4: The Mahamudra Preliminaries


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MODULE 1 • SECTION 1 WHAT IS MAHAMUDRA? “Mahamudra is the supreme approach. It reveals the natural state of mind - the spontaneous presence of the three kayas — in a straightforward, accessible manner. This is the sole path that is traveled by all the supreme siddhas and vidyadharas.” —Tsele Natsok Rangdrol

CORE TEACHINGS Multimedia “What is Mahamudra?" by Mingyur Rinpoche Weekly introduction from Tergar instructor Readings Crystal Clear, pp. 13-23 (“Introduction”) Natural State, pp. 13-14 (“Introduction”)

TRADITIONAL PERSPECTIVES Moonbeams, pp. 1-7 (1-7) (“Introduction”) Essentials, pp. 1-11 (“Introduction”)

CONTEMPORARY VOICES Meditating on the Mind Itself, by Traleg Kyabgon


MODULE 1 • SECTION 1 WHAT IS MAHAMUDRA?

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“Mahamudra meditation is a way to remain in our own natural state so that our thought and emotions are naturally self-liberated into wisdom.” —Traleg Kyabgon

UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW Questions for Understanding According to the readings, why is it so critical to understand the nature and workings of one’s mind? (MB, pp. 1-7; EM, pp. 4-8)

What are the benefits of meditating on the nature of mind, and what are the drawbacks of not doing so? (MB, pp. 1-7; EM, pp. 4-8)



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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW, CONTINUED Etymology of the Sanskrit term Mahamudra • The word “maha” literally means “great” or “vast.” • The word “mudra” means “stamp” or “seal.” • The term “seal” is used because once something is stamped with a seal, this mark or sign becomes inseparable from the thing that is sealed.3 • Similarly, the empty clarity of pure awareness is inseparable from all our experience. • Pure awareness is “great” in the sense that there is nothing superior to this true nature. • The different parts of the word Mahamudra can also refer to emptiness and wisdom, and the word itself reflects the union of these two.

3There are many ways to explain this. This explanation is based on the teachings of the Ninth

Khenting Tai Situ Rinpoche.

Definition: Mahamudra Literally, “Great Seal” — the union of emptiness and clarity that is our true nature.



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“Understand, oh sons and daughters of the Buddha, the faith and attainment of all bodhisattvas originates in an undistracted mind and insight into the nature of reality.” —Mahayanapradadsaprabhavana Sutra

UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW, CONTINUED Exercise Familiarize yourself with the etymology and meaning of the word “Mahamudra,” then see whether you can recall the specifics without referring to the text. What is the literal meaning of “maha”? What is the meaning of “mudra”? What does this term refer to?



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EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION Practice Instructions Chant the Aspiration of Mahamudra by Rangjung Dorje, the Third Karmapa, as part of your daily practice. Make this a practice that you can continue throughout the course. Set a clear intention to deepen your recognition of nature of mind so that you can help all beings recognize their true nature. Come back to this intention as often as you can, on and off the cushion. Keep a practice log for the duration the course. Each week, write down a clear intention for your sitting practice periods, including when, where, and for how long you will practice.4 Make a note each time you complete a session. Practice Journal What am I hoping to get out of this course in terms of my meditation practice? Envision what your practice will be like, having deepened your experience and understanding of Mahamudra, and note your aspirations and the vision you have for your practice. Reflect on your meditation and note any important insights, confusions, or experiences that occur when you practice. How might these experiences impact your practice?

4Practice instructions are included under the “Experiencing Through Meditation” heading in

each section of the workbook. You can add these practices to your sitting meditation sessions. The amount of time you spend on these instructions is flexible. Do what works best for you.



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APPLYING IN DAILY LIFE Daily-Life Practice Exercises Five times throughout the day, remember your intention to recognize nature of mind, and to do so to help all beings recognize their true nature, and then supplicate – in your own words – your teacher and the lineage that you might fully realize the nature of your own mind. You can set your phone to remind you or post reminders at home or at work. Journal Reflection Questions What am I hoping to get out of this course? How do I want to bring what I learn and experience into specific areas of my life? How do I imagine this will impact my relationship to different circumstances and people in these areas of my life?



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Reflection What do you really hope to get from studying and practicing the Dharma? What is your deepest aspiration and longing for your life?

SMALL-GROUP WORK Understanding What are the different ways you can understand the term “Mahamudra”? How is Mahamudra different from the wisdom aspect in the sutra traditions? Experience What are you hoping to get out of this course? How do you want to bring what you learn and experience into the way you relate to your own mind and emotions? To your relationships? To your work and other pursuits? Application Aspiration in daily life — Talk about the experiences of connecting with the aspiration to recognize nature of mind and of supplicating the lineage throughout the day. What helped you to remember this aspiration? When you did remember, how did it shift your experience? What were the challenges that you encountered? Open Discussion What struck you most about the teachings this week? What did you find confusing? What did you find clarifying? What did you find inspiring?



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MODULE 1 • SECTION 2 GROUND, PATH, AND FRUITION “Your mind is dharmakaya. You could never be reunited with it, nor could you be separated from it. It is so close, that you do not recognize it. It appears to you, yet it is so profound that you do not grasp it. It is so simple that you do not believe it.” —Niguma

CORE TEACHINGS Multimedia “Ground, Path, and Fruition," by Mingyur Rinpoche Weekly introduction from Tergar instructor

Readings Ground, Path, and Fruition, by the Third Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche (transcript)

TRADITIONAL PERSPECTIVES Moonbeams, pp. 83-108 (“Definition of Mahamudra” through“Mahamudra as The Embodiment of Sutra and Tantra”) Essentials of Mahamudra, pp. 73-79 (first half of “Origins of Mahamudra”)

CONTEMPORARY VOICES How to Do Mahamudra Meditation by Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche (article) Introducing Mahamudra by Khenting Tai Situ Rinpoche (transcript)


MODULE 1 • SECTION 2 GROUND, PATH, AND FRUITION

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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW Questions for Understanding In your own words, describe what is meant by the “ground,” “path,” and “fruition” of Mahamudra. (MB, p. 86; EM, pp. 74-75)

What role do Vajrayana practices like visualizing deities play in relation to the nature of mind practices of Mahamudra? (MB, pp. 101-104)



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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW, CONTINUED What are the three approaches of Gampopa? Think of a specific experience you have had and how you would relate to it through each of these three styles. (MB, p. 103; EM, p. 79)

What are the unique qualities of Mahamudra as an approach to waking up? (MB, pp. 101-104; EM, pp. 73-79)

“Even if we are learned in the sutras and tantras and know everything about the vinaya, if we do not apply ourselves to understanding the nature of mind, none of this will bring us much benefit.” —Tilopa



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Definition: Ground, Path, Fruition The “ground” is the true nature or actual condition of something. The “path” is the process of realizing this true nature for oneself. The “fruition” is the state of having perfectly realized it to the point where one never loses touch with this realization.

The Three Approaches of Gampopa



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EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION Practice Instructions Continue with chanting the The Aspiration of Mahamudra each day and add an awareness of ground, path, and fruition as you chant. Notice the stanzas that relate to these elements and what chanting these verses evokes in your experience. Continue to log your practice. Be sure to write down your intention and to note each session. If your nature of mind practice is stable and consistent, see if you can add something new or extend your practice. If you do not include nature of mind consistently in your daily routine, form the clear intention to develop a stable daily nature of mind practice. If you miss a session, reaffirm your intention and start fresh the next chance you get. Practice Journal Reflect on your meditation and note any important insights, confusions, or experiences that occur when you practice.

APPLYING IN DAILY LIFE Daily-Life Practice Exercises Continue to form the intention to recognize nature of mind and supplicate the lineage at least five times a day, now including the aspiration to fully realize the ground, path, and fruition of Mahamudra. These moments of supplication can be informal and brief. Simply bring your teacher and/or the lineage to mind and pray for their blessings that you might realize the empty clarity of pure awareness. Bring your understanding of the principle of ground, path, and fruition to your interactions with others. See this ground in other people you encounter throughout the day, and aspire for them to see this for themselves.



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APPLYING IN DAILY LIFE, CONTINUED Journal Reflection Questions Consider what you have learned about the principle of ground, path, and fruition as you reflect on the following questions: Can I identify references to the ground, path, and fruition in the practices that I do? Does knowing about the principle clarify anything about my practice? Where am I still confused or stuck, either in my understanding of the principle or in my practice?

Reflection What do you believe your true nature to be? Do you see yourself as fundamentally pure and whole, or do you believe that your basic nature is flawed or incomplete?



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APPLYING IN DAILY LIFE, CONTINUED Journal Reflection Questions, continued How might the principle change the way I relate to myself, my body, my thoughts and emotions, and other aspects of my inner experience?

How might the principle change the way I view other people? When I call to mind someone specific in my life, what would it be like to relate to them with this understanding?



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“Mahamudra is present as the true nature of all sentient beings. It is regarded as the mother of all the buddhas.” —Guhyasattva

SMALL-GROUP WORK Understanding Discuss the principle of ground, path, and fruition. What do you understand by each of these terms? How do they relate to one another? Where are you still confused or stuck? Experience How does the principle of ground, path, and fruition relate to your sitting practice? How can you understand the practices that you do in these terms? Does the principle clarify anything about your practice Application How might you bring the principle of ground, path, and fruition into your daily life? Would application of your understanding and experience be particularly helpful in dealing with specific aspects of your own mind, thoughts, and emotions? How might it help with relating to specific people in your life, or to people in general? How might it help with approaching your mundane routines of everyday life? Open Discussion What did you find the most helpful or inspiring about the teachings in this section? How might you apply this in your practice?



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MODULE 1 • SECTION 3 THE MAHAMUDRA LINEAGE “When devotion is present, blessings infuse one’s being. When blessings are received, realization arises in the mind.” —Dakpo Tashi Namgyal

CORE TEACHINGS Multimedia “Mahamudra Lineage," by Mingyur Rinpoche Weekly introduction from Tergar instructor

Readings Mahamudra and the Kagyu Lineage by Thrangu Rinpoche (transcript) Devotion and the Kagyu Lineage by Mingyur Rinpoche (transcript)

TRADITIONAL PERSPECTIVES Moonbeams, pp. 108-117 (“Great Qualities of Mahamudra Practitioners” + “Two Approaches to Mahamudra Meditation”) Essentials of Mahamudra, pp. 79-91 (second half of “Origins of Mahamudra”)

CONTEMPORARY VOICES Lineage Principle by Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche (article)


MODULE 1 • SECTION 3 THE MAHAMUDRA LINEAGE

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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW Questions for Understanding Describe the instantaneous and gradual approaches of Mahamudra practice. Why do we find these different approaches in the Buddhist tradition? (MB, p. 115-116)

What are the different models of spiritual practice that you see embodied in the forefathers of the Mahamudra lineage? (See Thrangu Rinpoche article.)



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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW, CONTINUED What are you most interested in exploring further from the teachings this week? Write a sentence or two describing how you might study, contemplate, or practice this idea or instruction.

The Main Figures of the Mahamudra Lineage in India and Tibet

Vajradhara Tilopa Naropa

Marpa Milarepa Gampopa



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EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION Practice Instructions Continue with chanting the The Aspiration of Mahamudra each day, and bring to mind a lineage figure who inspires you. It could be your root teacher, a lineage figure like Milarepa, or an enlightened being like Tara or Avalokiteshvara. Imagine that you are supplicating them as you chant the aspiration, and that you are joining your intention with their compassion, wisdom, and awakened presence. Imagine that at the conclusion of the practice, their pure awareness flows into you and merges with your own mind. Then let go and rest for a few moments before continuing with your practice. Practice Journal Reflect on your meditation and note any important insights, confusions, or experiences that occur when you practice.

“One of my teachers said: first hear and study, then you think about it and you become it. And that’s the point: We go from head to heart and that transforms us. Then spontaneously what we say, what we think and what we do naturally arises from our understanding.“ —Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo

APPLYING IN DAILY LIFE Daily-Life Practice Exercises As you go about your day, bring to mind a figure from the lineage, such as your root teacher, Tara, or Milarepa, and supplicate her or him to realize the nature of mind. Feel the connection of your own mind with their enlightened presence. Recognize that ultimately you, your teacher, and all the buddhas are the same in essence, and then let go and rest. Set an intention to do a brief guru yoga practice of this nature five times each day.



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APPLYING IN DAILY LIFE, CONTINUED Journal Reflection Questions Which lineage figure do you find the most inspiring? What is it about this person or figure that resonates with you? What qualities do they embody? Are these qualities that you see, or would like to see, in yourself? How might this figure help you to discover these qualities within yourself?

Definition: Devotion A state of open receptivity that arises from a heartfelt sense of inspiration and respect toward someone or something.



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Definition: Lineage An unbroken chain of teachings, and the insights and realization they engender, that is passed down from teacher to student.

SMALL-GROUP WORK Understanding Why is lineage so central to the Buddhist tradition? How does this relate to our shared aspiration to recognize the nature of our own minds? What is the connection between lineage, devotion, and this recognition? Experience Discuss how you work with the principles of lineage and devotion in your own practice. What have you found helpful? What is challenging? Application Lineage and devotion, unlike concepts such as love and compassion, may be unfamiliar or even off-putting to others in our day-to-day lives. How, then, do we (or might we) bring our experiences of lineage and devotion to bear on our relationships and daily activities? Open Discussion What struck you most about the teachings this week? What did you find confusing? What did you find inspiring?



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Reflection What lineage figure inspires you the most? Imagine that you are in his or her presence this very moment and see what this evokes in your experience.



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MODULE 1 • SECTION 4 THE MAHAMUDRA PRELIMINARIES “The causal condition is to have a pure attitude of renunciation; to be free from attachment and devoid of fixation on the mundane concerns of this life. The empowering condition is the four types of guru and to be cared for by a genuine teacher. The object condition is to have an understanding of the correct approach to take in meditation. The proximate condition is to let the mind settle naturally in vast, non-conceptual wisdom, without getting caught up in ideas about a meditator and an object of meditation, in hopes and fears, or in other such concepts.” —Wangchuk Dorje, the Ninth Karmapa

CORE TEACHINGS Multimedia “The Four Conditions," by Mingyur Rinpoche Weekly introduction from Tergar instructor

Readings Pointing out the Dharmakaya by Thrangu Rinpoche, pp. 10-17 Natural State, pp. 15-16 (“Preliminary Steps of Guidance”)

TRADITIONAL PERSPECTIVES Essentials of Mahamudra, pp. 93-100 (“The Preparatory Practices of Mahamudra”) Moonbeams (LL version), pp. 121-1435 (“The Preparatory Practices for Mahamudra”) Crystal Clear, pp. 24-28 (“Preliminary Steps of Guidance”) 5 This section is omitted in Traleg Kyabgon’s version of Moonbeams. The page numbers

included here are from the Lhalungpa translation, entitled Mahamudra: The Moonlight.


MODULE 1 • SECTION 4 THE MAHAMUDRA PRELIMINARIES

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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW Questions for Understanding What are the four conditions, the four factors that function as the foundation for Mahamudra practice? Briefly explain how each of these four supports nature of mind practice.

Definition: Renunciation The desire to free oneself from the suffering of samsara and achieve nirvana. In the context of Mahamudra, this can be understood as the heartfelt desire to realize the nature of mind, and the commitment to the path that leads to this realization.



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The Mahamudra Preliminaries

Tip Renunciation does not mean that we have to let go of pleasure and enjoyment. Renunciation loosens our attachment so that we do not look toward fleeting experiences to provide enduring meaning and lasting fulfillment.



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“The preliminaries are the root of the Dharma.” —Dakpo Tashi Namgyal

EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION Practice Instructions Pick an element of the preliminaries. It could be one of the four thoughts, or a point from the inner ngondro, or one of the four specific conditions of Mahamudra practice. Include a reflection of this principle in your daily practice, and clarify for yourself how it can support your Mahamudra practice. Practice Journal Reflect on your meditation and note any important insights, questions, or experiences that occur when you practice.

APPLYING IN DAILY LIFE Daily-Life Practice Exercises Bring the element of the preliminaries that you have been working with in formal practice into your daily life. Practice for short intervals at least five times throughout each day and link the practice to your intention and aspiration to realize the nature of mind.



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APPLYING IN DAILY LIFE, CONTINUED Journal Reflection Questions What is the connection between the preliminaries and the exploration of the nature of mind? Why might it be helpful to include these elements in your practice, rather than focusing exclusively on nature of mind? How have you experienced this in your own practice?

Reflection How can you strengthen renunciation and commitment to your practice today?



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SMALL-GROUP WORK Understanding Why are the preliminaries considered essential complements to nature of mind practice? Why not focus solely on Mahamudra and let go of these preliminary practices? Consider specific practices, such as impermanence or guru yoga. What do these specific practices uniquely contribute to nature of mind practice? Experience How are you using the preliminaries to support your practice? In what ways do you find them helpful? What has been challenging or confusing? What are your aspirations for deepening your practice on this part of the path? Application How can you take the preliminaries into your daily life to support your nature of mind practice? Be specific. Think of concrete situations and how you might integrate them in that context, or share your experience of integrating them. Open Discussion What did you find challenging or confusing in this section? See if you can gain clarity on these points or instructions through discussion and group inquiry.

“Accessing these four conditions for practice will facilitate the effortless manifestation of all experience and realization.” —Thrangu Rinpoche



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MODULE 2

The Mahamudra path consists of stabilizing the experience of awareness through shamatha meditation and exploring the nature of mind through the practice of vipashyana meditation. The traditional analogy for these two forms of meditation is that vipashyana is like the illuminating flame of a candle, and shamatha is like a glass enclosure that protects the flame and magnifies its light. In the context of Mahamudra meditation, vipashyana helps us to recognize the empty clarity of the mind, and shamatha enables us to stabilize this recognition and integrate it with every aspect of our lives. In this section we will explore the unique presentation of shamatha meditation found in the Mahamudra lineage. Our exploration will introduce the different forms of shamatha practice, including the use of the breath, sensory objects, and other supports for awareness, as well as the practice of open awareness. We will also learn about the stages of shamatha meditation and important principles, such as tightening and loosening the focus of attention.



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MAHAMUDRA SHAMATHA • Section 1: Preparing Body and Mind • Section 2: Using the Breath to Settle the Mind • Section 3: Open Awareness • Section 4: Stages of Stabilizing the Mind



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MODULE 2 • SECTION 1 PREPARING BODY AND MIND “Tranquility is a one-pointed mind. Insight is the discernment of what is true.” —Jewel Cloud Sutra

CORE TEACHINGS Multimedia “Meditation with Support," by Mingyur Rinpoche Weekly introduction from Tergar instructor Readings Natural State, pp. 17-19 ("Supported Shamatha") Crystal Clear, pp. 29-38 ("Shamatha with Attributes")

TRADITIONAL PERSPECTIVES Common Approach to Shamatha Moonbeams, pp. 11-38 (Chapter 1: "Common Meditation” Chapter 2: "Common Tranquility and Insight” Chapter 3, Part 1: "Preparing to Attain Tranquility” Chapter 3, Part 2: "Setting Forth the Objects of Meditation”)6 Essentials of Mahamudra, pp. 15-37 (“The Shared Tradition of Shamatha and Vipashyana” through “Maintaining a Visualized Image with Mindfulness”)

Mahamudra Shamatha Moonbeams, pp. 119-127 (“Creating the Appropriate Conditions” through “How to Concentrate on a Meditation Object”) Essentials of Mahamudra, pp. 101-106 (“The Tradition of Mahamudra Meditation” through “Protecting the Mind”)

6Translation note: Page 18 of Traleg’s translation is missing a whole section on vigilance. Read

Lhalungpa’s translation or Thrangu Rinpoche’s commentary for more clarity on this section.


MODULE 2 • SECTION 1 PREPARING BODY AND MIND

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CONTEMPORARY VOICES

Meditation and Non-Meditation by Mingyur Rinpoche (transcript)

“If you want to calm the mind, discipline the body with the physical posture.” —Dusum Khyenpa, the First Karmapa

UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW Questions for Understanding Briefly describe the six causes of shamatha and the three causes of vipashyana. Which of these elements could be strengthened in your practice, and how might you do so? (MB, p. 13)



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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW, CONTINUED Questions for Understanding, continued What are some of the key differences between shamatha and vipashyana? What happens if one is practiced without the other? (MB, pp. 21-29; EM, pp. 21-26)

Is it recommended that beginners pick one object, or experiment with various objects? Why do you think this is? (MB, p. 36)



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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW, CONTINUED Questions for Understanding, continued Describe the rationale for meditating on an ordinary object, like a stick or pebble. Why are these important techniques when it comes to integrating our meditation experience and daily life? (MB, pp. 124-125)

“Insight without tranquility is unstable, like a candle flame in the wind.” —Dakpo Tashi Namgyal



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Definition: Shamatha Literally, “calm abiding” or “tranquility”; a state of one-pointed attention in which the mind does not waver from its object. This also refers to the form of meditation that leads to this state.

The Six Causes of Shamatha

Contentment Few desires

Conducive environment


Few activities Pure conduct

Letting go of negative thoughts


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The Seven-Point Posture Relaxed gaze directed slightly downward Neck slightly bent

Tip of tongue resting on palate, slight space between teeth

Shoulders even and chest open Spine straight Hands in mudra of equipoise Vajra posture (also known as lotus posture)

REVIEW Review the four common preliminaries, the four uncommon, or unique, preliminaries, and the four conditions of Mahamudra practice.



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Definition: Vipashyana Literally, “supreme seeing” or “insight”; the realization of the nature or characteristics of a particular object or experience. In the context of Mahamudra, this insight relates to the nature of mind. Vipashyana also refers to the form of meditation that leads to this insight.

EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION Practice Instructions Continue to chant the The Aspiration of Mahamudra as part of your daily practice, and pay special attention to the verses associated with shamatha meditation. Following the instructions in Clarifying the Natural State, practice shamatha using the following supports: • One session sitting in seven-point posture • Two sessions resting awareness on a stick/pebble • Two sessions resting awareness on a visualized sphere • Two sessions using an image of the Buddha Practice Journal Continue to use a practice log, setting a clear intention each week for your formal and informal practice, including when, where, and for how long you will practice. Track your practice each day.



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EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION, CONTINUED Journal Reflection Questions Which support or supports for shamatha meditation are you naturally drawn to? What did you experience when practicing with these different objects? Did you find some easier or more challenging than others? How so?

Reflect on your meditation and note any important insights, confusions, or experiences that occur when you practice.



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APPLYING IN DAILY LIFE Daily-Life Practice Exercises Each day, set a clear intention to use a particular aspect of your experience – such as visual objects or sounds – as a support for awareness. You can use a wrist mala or lap counter to track how many times you remember to bring awareness to this support and note this in your practice log.

Journal Reflection Questions In what situations or activities do you find it most challenging to be mindful? What will you do to remind yourself to practice in these situations?



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“If the right circumstances coincide in the body, realization will arise in the mind.” —Wangchuk Dorje, the Ninth Karmapa

APPLYING IN DAILY LIFE, CONTINUED Journal Reflection Questions, continued In the moments that you have remembered to practice in daily life, how has it changed your experience of the situation? How might you further strengthen your practice in this context?



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SMALL-GROUP WORK Understanding What are the key differences between shamatha and vipashyana? How do these two relate to nature of mind practice, and why is each necessary? Experience If you were counseling a friend who was beginning to meditate, how would you help them determine what object to use as a support for shamatha? What would you share of your own experience in working with different supports in meditation? Application Are there certain situations or activities that you find especially easy or challenging to integrate with your practice? Why do you think this is? What tricks and techniques have you found to be helpful in being mindful during daily life? Open Discussion What struck you most about the teachings this week? What did you find confusing? What did you find inspiring?

Tip Make a habit of forming a clear intention to be fully aware and present as you transition into a new activity. Every transition in daily life is a new opportunity to form an intention and to let that carry forward into the activity.



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“Tranquility develops from the guru’s blessings, dependent origination, gathering the accumulations, and purifying obscurations.” —Dakpo Tashi Namgyal



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MODULE 2 • SECTION 2 USING THE BREATH TO SETTLE THE MIND “Untainted by forced, conceptual meditation, Unmoved by the winds of mundane distractions, Knowing how to rest naturally and uncontrived in our basic nature, May we master maintaining the experience of the nature of mind.” —Rangjung Dorje, the Third Karmapa

CORE TEACHINGS Multimedia “Breathing Meditation," by Mingyur Rinpoche Weekly introduction from Tergar instructor

Readings Natural State, pp. 19-21 (“Shamatha with Breathing Practice”) Crystal Clear, pp. 38-41 (“Unsupported Shamatha with Breathing Practice”)

TRADITIONAL PERSPECTIVES Moonbeams, pp. 127-131 (“Using the Breath”) Essentials of Mahamudra, pp. 106-108 (“Shamatha Using Breathing”)

CONTEMPORARY VOICES The Gyalwang Karmapa Teaches Meditation on the Breath (article) Using Breathing Meditation to Overcome Dissatisfaction by the Gyalwang Karmapa (podcast)


MODULE 2 • SECTION 2 USING THE BREATH TO SETTLE THE MIND

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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW Questions for Understanding How should we relate to the apparent increase of thoughts when we begin to meditate? Are thoughts a problem in meditation? Why or why not? (CNS, p. 20; MB, p. 131)

What are the different ways that we can meditate on the breath? Which forms of breathing meditation does Dakpo Tashi Namgyal recommend? Give a brief description of these styles. (CNS, pp. 1920; MB, pp. 128-131; EM, pp. 106-108)



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The Obstacles to Meditation and Their Antidotes Arouse kindness and altruism Reflect on problems with sense pleasures and generate contentment

Malice

Rouse the mind

Slu gg ish ne ss

Agitat ion

iness Drows

Dou

bt

Contemplate

Settle on one point

impermanence

e ors Rem

Generate a sense of illumination

e ur as ing e l P eek s

Do not dwell on the object

Definition: Mindfulness The mental process that keeps awareness oriented toward an object of meditation, or toward the nature of mind itself. This is the mental process that enables one to remain undistracted.



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Reflection What is the quality of your breath in this moment? What is the quality of your mind? Are they calm and relaxed? Agitated and distracted? Do you notice a connection between them?

The Five Obstacles Specific to Shamatha and Their Eight Antidotes Faith Motivation

Laziness Exertion Suppleness

Forgetfulness


Mindfulness

Dullness and agitation

Alertness

Lack of application

Intention

Excessive application

Equanimity


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REVIEW See if you can recall the meanings of the word “mahamudra,” including what the words “maha” and “mudra” literally mean, and what they represent. Review:

• The six causes of shamatha • The seven-point posture

EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION Practice Instructions Devote six sessions to the instructions on meditating on the breath. If you have received instructions on the gentle vase breath, spend three sessions on counting the breath and three sessions on the gentle vase breath. If you have not received these instructions, you can spend all six sessions counting the breath, following the instructions outlined in the readings. Practice Journal Continue to use a practice log, setting a clear intention each week for your formal and informal practice, including when, where, and for how long you will practice. Track your practice each day.



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Those who rest in samadhi while mindful of the movements of the breath are said to be beings who abide in the ultimate nature of reality.

—The Ten Wheels of Kshitigarbha Sutra

EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION, CONTINUED Journal Reflection Questions What experience do you resist the most in your sitting meditation practice? How do you respond when this experience arises? How might you alter this response so that you experience less inner tension in your practice?



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EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION, CONTINUED Journal Reflection Questions, continued Reflect on your meditation and note any important insights, confusions, or experiences that occur when you practice.

There are six ways to meditate on the breath: counting, following, settling, examining, changing, and purifying. —Vasubhandu



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APPLYING IN DAILY LIFE Daily-Life Practice Exercises Form a clear intention to bring awareness to your breath at least five times throughout the day. Think of specific situations, times, and places to practice, or particular experiences – like standing up or touching a doorknob − to remind yourself.

Journal Reflection Questions What daily-life situation, relationship, or experience that you have could benefit the most from a calm, steady mind? How will the situation unfold when you encounter it with the calm presence of awareness? Write as though you have already achieved this level of stability in awareness.



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SMALL-GROUP WORK Understanding Discuss some of the different supports that can be used for awareness, and especially different styles of working with the breath. How intensely should we focus or concentrate on the breath? How do we deal with distractions and other experiences that pull on our attention? Experience Talk about what you resist the most in your sitting meditation practice. How do you respond when this experience arises? How might you alter this response so that you experience less inner tension in your practice? Application What daily-life situation, relationship, or experience that you have could benefit the most from a calm, steady mind? Discuss what comes to mind when you envision yourself being able to bring your practice fully to this experience. Open Discussion What struck you most about the teachings this week? What did you find confusing? What did you find inspiring?



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Definition: Alertness The mental process that brings awareness to one’s current mental state and can discern whether, for instance, the mind is dull or agitated. This term can be translated as “introspection,” “vigilance,” and “awareness.”



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MODULE 2 • SECTION 3 OPEN AWARENESS “Do not pursue the past, do not anticipate the future; let the uncontrived, present mind settle in its natural state.” —Gampopa

CORE TEACHINGS Multimedia “Shamatha without Support," by Mingyur Rinpoche Weekly introduction from Tergar instructor Readings Natural State, pp. 21-23 (“Shamatha without Breathing Practice”) Crystal Clear, pp. 41-43 (“Unsupported Shamatha without Breathing Practice”)

TRADITIONAL PERSPECTIVES Moonbeams, pp. 131-132 (“Not Using the Breath”) Essentials of Mahamudra, pp. 108-111 (“Meditation without a Reference Point”)

CONTEMPORARY VOICES The Essence of Meditation, by Mingyur Rinpoche


MODULE 2 • SECTION 3 OPEN AWARENESS

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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW Questions for Understanding In your own words, describe the practice of resting in open awareness (a.k.a. objectless shamatha). What are the most important points to keep in mind when doing this form of practice? (CNS, pp. 21-23; MB, pp. 131-132)

What are some of the challenges that can arise during this style of practice, and how should one deal with them? (CNS, pp. 21-23; MB, pp. 131-132)



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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW, CONTINUED Questions for Understanding, continued Which of these challenges have you encountered in your practice? What have you found useful in managing them? Are these challenges still present for you? How might you apply the instructions from the readings to approach them? (CNS, pp. 21-23; MB, pp. 131-132)

Definition: Open Awareness The practice of resting effortlessly in awareness, without paying attention to anything in particular, blocking thoughts or emotions, or shutting out the world of the senses. Also referred to as “objectless shamatha.”



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The Five Antidote Objects and What They Remedy

Reflection What keeps me from letting go and trusting my experience in the present moment? Can I let go in this very moment and trust that the mind will settle on its own?



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REVIEW • The three approaches of Gampopa • The first six masters of the Mahamudra lineage

EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION Practice Instructions Spend five sessions on open awareness meditation. After reciting opening chants and supplications, rest the mind naturally, without controlling thoughts, emotions, or attention, and leaving your senses wide open. Rest in a state of effortless receptivity, without trying to change or alter what occurs. Journal Reflection Questions What would change in your meditation practice if you were able to notice the impulse to control, change, or “fix” what happens in the mind and body, but not get caught up in the impulse? When do you find it the most challenging to let go in this way? What makes it easier or more accessible?



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EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION, CONTINUED Journal Reflection Questions, continued Reflect on your meditation and note any important insights, confusions, or experiences that occur when you practice.

“When there is vipashyana but no shamatha, the mind of the meditator is distracted by sensory objects, as unstable as a candle flame in the wind. When this is the case, the light of wisdom will not shine brilliantly.” —Kamalashila



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“When your mind is still and stable, resting all on its own, It will be freed from the experiences of samsara.” —Songs of Realization

APPLYING IN DAILY LIFE Daily-Life Practice Exercises Bring the practice of letting go and letting be into your relationships and interactions with others. Each day, think of the people you will be with and form a clear intention to be open, receptive, and fully present when you are with them. Notice what happens and how this intention shapes your relationships. Journal Reflection Questions Where does the impulse to control your experience, your environment, or others manifest in your life? What would change if you were to notice this impulse without getting caught up in it, and give yourself permission to simply “be” in these situations? What might you do today to bring this practice into these circumstances?



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SMALL-GROUP WORK Understanding How would you describe the practice of resting in open awareness to a friend? What tips or advice would you give to help her get started? Experience What would change in your meditation practice if you were able to notice the impulse to control, change, or “fix” what happens in the mind and body, but without getting caught up in it? When do you find it the most challenging to let go in this way? What makes it easier or more accessible? Application Where does the impulse to control your experience, your environment, or others manifest in your life? What would change if you were to notice this impulse without getting caught up in it, and give yourself permission to simply “be” in these situations? What might you do today to bring this practice into these circumstances? Open Discussion What teaching or instruction did you find most helpful this week? How did you apply it in your formal or informal meditation practice?

Tip It is easier to relax after a period of exertion. Alternating between periods of focus and periods of relaxed, effortless presence is a helpful way to experience open awareness.



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MODULE 2 • SECTION 4 STAGES OF STABILIZING THE MIND “Leave the mind untouched. Do not expect meditation to happen. Do not fear that it will not happen. Leave the mind just as it is.” —Gotsangpa

CORE TEACHINGS Multimedia “Tightening," by Mingyur Rinpoche “Loosening," by Mingyur Rinpoche Weekly introduction from Tergar instructor Readings Natural State, pp. 23-26 (“Shamatha without Attributes”) Crystal Clear, pp. 43-46 (“Shamatha without Attributes”)

TRADITIONAL PERSPECTIVES Moonbeams, pp. 133-150 (“Attaining Equipoise without an Object” through Stages in Realizing the Settled Mind”)

Essentials of Mahamudra, pp. 111-118 (“Sustaining Resting of Mind” to end of Chapter 8) Moonbeams, pp. 38-42 (“Methods for Realizing Tranquility”) Essentials of Mahamudra, pp. 38-44 (“Methods of Developing Shamatha”)

CONTEMPORARY VOICES Nine Stages of Training the Mind by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche (article)


MODULE 2 • SECTION 4 STAGES OF STABILIZING THE MIND

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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW Questions for Understanding Describe the practices of tightening and loosening. When should we apply these techniques, and what do they remedy? (CNS, pp. 23-26; MB, pp. 133139; EM, pp. 108-110)

Describe mindfulness and alertness/awareness. What role do these two factors play in meditation practice? (MB, pp. 139-144; EM, pp. 110-111)



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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW, CONTINUED Questions for Understanding, continued What analogies are given for the three stages of shamatha? What do these images tell us about what we are likely to experience at each of these stages? (CNS, p. 26; MB, pp. 144-145)

The Three Stages of Shamatha

Waterfall

Peaceful river

Still ocean



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Reflection


R

The Six Powers

g e n ce

Al

ss

Famil

D

ili

ndf Mi ul

s nes

n

izat iar io

eflectio

n

ring/stu

dy

Hea

Imagine what it would feel like to have a stable, flexible mind, a mind that can be focused at times and relaxed and receptive at others. This is possible for you. Remind yourself that this is possible, and that every moment of awareness helps you get in touch with this innate capacity of your mind.

ertne


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The Nine Stages of Resting the Mind

9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1


Equipoise One-pointedness Full pacification Pacification Taming Increased settling Renewed settling

Continuous settling Settling


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REVIEW Review the concepts covered in the previous sections of this module:

• The six causes of shamatha • The five obstacles to meditation and their antidotes • The five obstacles specific to shamatha and their eight antidotes • The five antidote objects and what they remedy • The seven-point posture

“A yogi lets the mind go wherever it pleases.” —Kyeme Shang

EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION Practice Instructions Review the practice instructions on tightening and loosening, and spend five sessions alternating between these two approaches. After your opening chants and reciting the The Aspiration of Mahamudra, relax the mind and rest naturally. When the mind grows dull or foggy, focus more intensely and concentrate. When thoughts proliferate or the mind is agitated, let go and relax both body and mind. If the mind is balanced, without much dullness or agitation, rest naturally. Listen to your experience in each moment and apply whichever approach is helpful.



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EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION, CONTINUED Journal Reflection Questions Do you tend to be too tight and controlling in your meditation practice, or too loose? Reflect on your natural tendency and how the instructions covered in this section might help you find more balance in your practice. What are some of the most common challenges you have when meditating, and how might you work with tightening and loosening when they occur?

Revisit the goals and aspirations you formed for the course in the first week. Has your experience aligned with those aspirations? Reaffirm and, if need be, update your aspirations and goals for the rest of the course.



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APPLYING IN DAILY LIFE Daily-Life Practice Exercises Bring the technique of noticing when the mind is dull or agitated and alternating between a tight focus and relaxed awareness into your daily life. In particular, practice in the midst of chores and everyday routines like showering, doing the dishes, etc. Put reminders around your home or office to remind yourself to practice. Journal Reflection Questions In what situations do you naturally find yourself getting too tight and agitated, or too loose and distracted? What might you do differently to bring more balance into these situations? Note specific ideas to help integrate this practice with your everyday life.



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SMALL-GROUP WORK Understanding What were some of the most important points about tightening and loosening in meditation? When do we apply these techniques? How do they relate to your own natural tendencies in meditation practice? Experience What is your experience with tightening and loosening? Have you tried these techniques? What happened? What tips have you found the most helpful in bringing about a state of inner balance when you practice? Application In what situations do you naturally find yourself getting too tight and agitated, or too loose and distracted? What might you do differently to bring more balance into these situations? Open Discussion What insight or instruction did you encounter in this section that was new or surprising? How might this impact your experience and understanding of Mahamudra practice?

“The techniques of tightening and relaxation remove the faults of dullness and agitation.” —Wangchuk Dorje, the Ninth Karmapa



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Tip Link moments of awareness with simple experiences like walking up stairs or touching a doorknob, or with natural transitions, such as the transition between activities, the moment between paragraphs when reading a book, etc. You can train the mind so that these moments remind you to be aware and present.



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MODULE 3

Mahamudra shamatha stabilizes the mind and sets the stage for the analytical meditations of Mahamudra vipashyana. In the Mahamudra tradition, analytical meditations are not thought experiments or discursive contemplations. They are direct, experiential inquiries into the nature of experience. These inquiries prompt a deep exploration of thoughts, emotions, perception – and especially of awareness itself. Over time, the path of analytical meditation reveals the empty clarity of awareness and sets the stage for a stable recognition of the nature of mind. In this section we will explore the analytical meditations of the Mahamudra tradition. Our journey will introduce a range of investigations, including inquiries into the nature of thoughts and emotions, perception, the still and moving mind, and the nonarising nature of experience. These teachings introduce some of the most profound and transformative principles and practices of the Buddhist tradition, presenting them in a way that is both intimate and experiential.



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MAHAMUDRA VIPASHYANA • Sections 1-2: Investigating the Nature of Mind • Section 3: Investigating Thoughts and Emotions • Section 4: Investigating Perception • Section 5: Investigating Stillness and Movement • Section 6: The Unborn Mind



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MODULE 3 • SECTIONS 1-2 INVESTIGATING THE MIND "To look at your own mind is the view Not to be distracted from it is meditation Not to be separated from it is conduct" —Rangjung Dorje, the Third Karmapa

CORE TEACHINGS Multimedia “Introduction to Vipashyana," by Mingyur Rinpoche “Looking at Mind Part 1," by Mingyur Rinpoche “Looking at Mind Part 2," by Mingyur Rinpoche Weekly introduction from Tergar instructor Readings Natural State, pp. 27-29 (“Establishing the Identity of Mind - the Basis”) Crystal Clear, pp. 47-58 (“What is Vipashyana?” through “Establishing the Identity of Mind - the Basis”)

TRADITIONAL PERSPECTIVES Sutra Approach to Vipashyana Meditation (Optional) Moonbeams, pp. 43-77 (“Common Insight Meditation” + “Misconceptions about Common Meditation”)7 Essentials of Mahamudra, pp. 45-70 (“The Shared Tradition of Vipashyana Meditation” + “Eliminating Doubts Concerning Vipashyana Meditation”) Mahamudra Vipashyana Moonbeams, pp. 151-172 (“Why Insight Meditation is Necessary” through “The Nature of Mind is the Basis for Everything”) Essentials of Mahamudra, pp. 119-131 (“Reasons for Practicing Vipashyana” through “Mistakes in Perceiving Mind’s Nature”) 7This section of Moonbeams contains a great deal of material that relates to philosophical debates within the Tibetan tradition. This section is likely to be very challenging for most readers. Essentials contains a helpful summary of this section that is more directly related to Mahamudra practice.


MODULE 3 • SECTIONS 1-2 INVESTIGATING THE MIND

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CONTEMPORARY VOICES The Third Karmapa on Mahamudra by Khenpo Kunga

UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW Questions for Understanding Briefly describe the two forms of self: the personal self, and the self or identity of phenomena. Give an example of these two from your own experience. (MB, p. 46)

How is saying that something is empty or lacks inherent existence different from saying that it does not exist at all? (MB, pp. 51-55)



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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW, CONTINUED Questions for Understanding, continued What is the unique way of generating insight in the Mahamudra tradition compared with other approaches like Madhyamaka? Why is the Mahamudra approach thought to be so powerful? (MB, pp. 155-157)

Describe the key points of inquiring into the nature of mind. What are the different ways that we can examine it? (MB, pp. 160-162; CNS, pp. 27-29; CC, pp. 47-58)



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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW, CONTINUED Questions for Understanding, continued What danger is there in encountering meditative experiences like tranquility? How do we discern the difference between transitory experiences and a genuine recognition of the nature of mind? (MB, p. 171)

Inquiry Where is the mind? Does it have a particular location? Is it in a part of the body? Observe the mind directly. What do you see? Pause and look at your mind right now. Who or what is reading this? What is the awareness that experiences this moment?



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“Never abandon investigating the mind. Continue to investigate during your meditation sessions and in daily life.” —Wangchuk Dorje, the Ninth Karmapa

The Three Causes of Vipashyana Authentic teacher

Extensive study

n

Correct ntemplatio o c



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Definition: Vipashyana Literally, “supreme seeing” or “insight”; the realization of the nature or characteristics of a particular object or experience. In the context of Mahamudra, this insight relates to the nature of mind. The term also refers to the form of meditation that leads to this insight.

The Steps for Investigating the Nature of Mind Rest the mind naturally

Mind gently observes itself

Does the mind have a shape or color?

Does the mind have a location or basis?

Does the mind have particular qualities?

Let go and rest in awareness

1 2 3 4 5



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EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION Practice Instructions Begin your practice with your usual opening chants, including the The Aspiration of Mahamudra. Look straight ahead with a relaxed gaze and rest in open awareness for a minute or two. For the rest of your session, alternate periods of resting naturally with short periods of inquiry, following the instructions in Clarifying the Natural State, pp. 27-28. Follow these instructions for 10 sessions of sitting meditation. Practice Journal Continue to use a practice log, setting a clear intention each week for your formal and informal practice, and then tracking your practice each day. Journal Reflection Questions Describe how you investigated the mind. How did you look? What did you see, or not see? How did the inquiry change your experience of resting in awareness?




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APPLYING IN DAILY LIFE Daily-Life Practice Exercises Think of a specific activity that you do every day, and turn this into a mindful inquiry. It will be easier if the activity is intellectually undemanding, like going for a walk by yourself or doing a routine chore at home. As you do the activity, alternate between brief periods of investigating the mind – looking to see whether it has a location, shape, or color, etc. – and resting naturally. You don’t have to stop what you are doing. Rather, go about the activity as you normally would, but with the addition of looking at your mind as you do so. Journal Reflection Questions In what situation, relationship, or activity do you feel the strongest sense of identity and persona? In other words, when do you have the strongest beliefs about who and what you are? Can you identify what these beliefs are, and recognize that they are mere habits of mind? Form a clear intention to bring your practice into this situation, relationship, or activity, thinking of specific times that you can do so. Note what happens when you bring your practice into this part of your life.

“Directly observe your own mind. When you look, you will find that there is nothing to see.” —Wangchuk Dorje, the Ninth Karmapa



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Tip Investigating the mind is a gentle process. Look for brief periods, with a sense of warmth and curiosity. Then let go and rest in awareness. Do this as much as you can, on and off the cushion.

SMALL-GROUP WORK Understanding Discuss the key points of inquiring into the nature of mind. Are we thinking about the mind, or investigating in another way? What are the different ways that we can examine it? Experience Discuss the experience of investigating the mind. What did you do when you looked at the mind? What did you see, or not see? How did the inquiry change your experience of resting in awareness? Application In what situation, relationship, or activity do you feel the strongest sense of identity and persona? In other words, when do you have the strongest beliefs about who and what you are? Can you identify what these beliefs are, and recognize that they are mere habits of mind? Form a clear intention to bring your practice into this situation, relationship, or activity, thinking of specific times that you can do so. What happens when you bring your practice into this part of your life? Open Discussion What struck you most about the teachings this week? What did you find challenging? What did you find inspiring?



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MODULE 3 • SECTION 3 INVESTIGATING THOUGHTS AND EMOTIONS “Not knowing the nature of thoughts has kept you circling through samsara. Now thoughts reveal the dharmakaya, so you should view them to be greatly beneficial.” —Gampopa

CORE TEACHINGS Multimedia “Investigating Thoughts and Perceptions,” by Mingyur Rinpoche“ Resolving that Thoughts Are Mind," by Mingyur Rinpoche Weekly introduction from Tergar instructor

Readings Natural State, pp. 29-34 (“Establishing the Identity of Thoughts and Perceptions” through “Resolving that Thoughts Are Mind”) Crystal Clear, pp. 58-71 (“Establishing the Identity of Thoughts and Perceptions” + “Resolving that Thoughts and Emotions Are Mind”)

TRADITIONAL PERSPECTIVES Moonbeams, pp. 173-182 (“Realising All Appearances Are Product of Mind” through “Thoughts and Appearances Are of Mental Origin”) Essentials of Mahamudra, pp. 131-140 (“The Mind’s Expressive Power” through “The Technique of Strong Thought”)

CONTEMPORARY VOICES A Mahamudra “How-to” for Everyday Life by Reginald Ray


MODULE 3 • SECTION 3 INVESTIGATING THOUGHTS AND EMOTIONS

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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW Questions for Understanding Describe the process of investigating thoughts. What are the most important steps in this practice? (MB, pp. 177-178; CNS, pp. 29-34; CC, pp. 58-71)

Describe the process of inquiring into the origin, abiding, and departure of thoughts. What do we come to realize through this technique? (MB, pp. 180-181)

Explain the metaphor of the waves and the ocean as it relates to thoughts. How can you use this image to understand different kinds of thought activity in relation to the nature of mind? (MB, p. 181)



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The Ocean and Its Waves ghts ou Th

ons oti m E

T

hts ug o h

ons oti m E

hts ons ug o oti h m E T

Awareness

The Steps for Investigating Thoughts and Emotions

Apply this to a range of pleasant and unpleasant thoughts and emotions

7


6

Look to see whether it has particular characteristics or qualities

5 4 3

Look to see whether it has a location or basis Look to see whether it has a shape or color

2 1


Directly observe it Rest the mind naturally


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REVIEW • The three approaches of Gampopa • The first six masters of the Mahamudra lineage • The four common preliminaries, the four unique preliminaries, and the four conditions of Mahamudra

“In Mahamudra, we use thoughts and phenomena to advance on the path, instead of viewing them as obstacles to meditation.” —Dakpo Tashi Namgyal

EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION Practice Instructions Continue practicing as you did in the previous section, but now direct your inquiry to the investigation of thoughts and emotions. Alternating periods of resting in awareness and periods of gentle inquiry, observe thoughts and emotions and inquire into their nature. Can you find their location? Do they have a defined shape or color? Is there some basis from which they arise and into which they dissolve? Look directly into the experience of thoughts and emotions, following the instructions on pages 29-34 of Clarifying the Natural State. Practice Journal Continue to use a practice log, setting a clear intention each week for your formal and informal practice, and then tracking your practice each day.



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EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION Journal Reflection Questions What happened when you investigated thoughts and emotions? Was it different from simply watching them? What did you find when you looked for their qualities and characteristics? Did looking into these experiences change the periods of rest that followed the inquiry? How so?

Reflect on your meditation and note any important insights, confusions, or experiences that occurred when you practiced.

Inquiry Does a thought have a particular location? Is it in a part of the body? Does it have a center or an edge?



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“Look nakedly into the essence of any thought. Let mind relax in itself without contrivance.” —Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche

APPLYING IN DAILY LIFE Daily-Life Practice Exercises Set a goal to practice the instructions of this section for short periods five times each day. To remind yourself, place sticky notes or a noticeable item at home and work, and practice inquiring into thoughts and emotions when you see the item(s). You can also use a wrist mala or lap counter to note each time you remember to practice. Journal Reflection Questions Think of a challenging relationship or situation in your life – not the most difficult one, but something that occurs repeatedly and is not easy to deal with. What are the automatic thoughts, memories, and emotions that surround this relationship or situation? Would anything change if you saw into the nature of these thoughts and emotions? Would a difficult relationship change if you practiced seeing the nature of thoughts and emotions, but the other person didn’t? Bring your practice into this situation and reflect on your experience.



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SMALL-GROUP WORK Understanding Describe the process of inquiring into the origin, abiding, and departure of thoughts. Why do you think it is encouraged to investigate all three of these aspects of thoughts? (MB, pp. 180181) Experience Discuss the experience of investigating thoughts and emotions. What did you do? How did you look? What forms of inquiry did you find helpful or challenging? How did the inquiry change the periods of resting that followed the investigation? Application Think of a challenging relationship or situation in your life – not the most difficult one, but something that occurs repeatedly and is not easy to deal with. What are the automatic thoughts, memories, and emotions that surround this relationship or situation? What would change if you saw into the nature of these thoughts and emotions? Bring your practice into this situation and reflect on your experience. Open Discussion What most inspired you about the teachings this week? Did you find any real-life opportunities to practice what you have been learning?

Tip It is easy to get lost in thoughts, so practice for very short periods at the beginning. End your inquiry before you get lost, even if the investigation lasts less than a minute. You can gradually increase the length of these investigations.



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Inquiry What is your emotional state right now? Can you find the emotion? Is it in the body? Is it in the mind? Do thoughts and emotions have a particular shape, color, or other characteristics? Do not think about this. Look directly and see what you find.



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MODULE 3 • SECTION 4 INVESTIGATING PERCEPTION “When you realize that the essence of mind is emptiness, you will automatically realize that the essence of everything you experience is emptiness as well.” —Dakpo Tashi Namgyal

CORE TEACHINGS Multimedia “Resolving that Perceptions Are Mind,” by Mingyur Rinpoche Weekly introduction from Tergar instructor Readings Natural State, pp. 34-35 (“Resolving that Perceptions Are Mind” also review Natural State, pp. 29-34) Crystal Clear, pp. 71-73 (“Resolving that Perceptions Are Mind”)

TRADITIONAL PERSPECTIVES Moonbeams, review pp. 180-182 (“Thoughts and Appearances Are of Mental Origin”)


MODULE 3 • SECTION 4 Investigating Perception

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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW Questions for Understanding In your own words, describe the view that all phenomena come from mind. How do the metaphors of the ocean and its waves and the experiences of a dream help you understand this view? (MB, pp. 173-182)

Describe the process of investigating the experience of sensory perception (appearances). What are the most important steps in this practice? (MB, pp. 178-180; CNS, pp. 34-35; CC, pp. 71-73)

Are the nature of mind and the nature of thoughts and perceptions the same or different? Explain your understanding. (MB, p. 181)



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The Steps for Investigating Perception

8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Apply this to a range of pleasant and unpleasant experiences Let go and rest in awareness Look to see whether it has particular characteristics or qualities Look to see whether it has a location or basis Look to see whether the perceiving mind has a shape or color

Directly observe the mind that perceives it Let a perception arise, or create one Rest the mind naturally

“The mind is never anything but emptiness in terms of its true nature. In this sense, the mind is like space. This same mind manifests without obstruction as all kinds of appearances, yet no matter how great the diversity of appearances is, these appearances are great emptiness the very moment they occur. For this reason, we speak of the inseparability of appearances and emptiness, awareness and emptiness, clarity and emptiness, and bliss and emptiness.” —Dakpo Tashi Namgyal



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REVIEW Review the concepts covered in previous sections of this module:

• The six causes of shamatha • The five obstacles to meditation and their antidotes • The five obstacles specific to shamatha and their eight antidotes • The five antidote objects and what they remedy • The seven-point posture • The nine stages of resting the mind • The six powers

EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION Practice Instructions Spend five sessions devoted to exploring the nature of perception. Look into the experience of perceiving. Is the perception of a sound or visual object in the mind? Is it somehow separate from the mind? Where is the boundary between the perceiver and what is perceived? Follow the instructions on pages 34-35 of Clarifying the Natural State, alternating periods of rest and periods of inquiry, as before. Practice Journal Continue to use a practice log, setting a clear intention each week for your formal and informal practice, and then tracking your practice each day.



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EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION, CONTINUED Journal Reflection Questions When you examine the experience of perception, what do you do and what do you see? What happens when you let go and rest after examining perception? Has this changed your experience of perceiving in any way? How so?


Inquiry When you perceive, where is the perception happening? Is it “out there” beyond the body and senses? Is it in the mind? Is it somewhere in between?



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“What we understand to be phenomena Are but the magical projections of the mind. The hollow vastness of the sky I never saw to be afraid of anything. All this is but the self-glowing light of clarity. There is no other cause at all. All that happens is but my adornment. Better, then, to stay silent in meditation.” —Yeshe Tsogyal

APPLYING IN DAILY LIFE Daily-Life Practice Exercises Find a sensory experience that you normally think of as unpleasant, one that you typically encounter in day-to-day life. When you encounter this experience, look into the nature of it and the nature of the awareness that experiences it. Do the same with a pleasant experience. Look to see whether the nature of these experiences is the same or different. Try to do this inquiry at least once each day during this section. Begin by settling the mind in shamatha, then get up and take a walk with the intention to experience sensory perceptions as projections of the mind, rather than “out there.” When you do this, do you notice a shift in how you experience the world?



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APPLYING IN DAILY LIFE, CONTINUED Journal Reflection Questions What common sensory experiences in life do you tend to resist or avoid? What pleasurable experiences do you seek out on a regular basis? Bring your practice into these situations and reflect on what happens. Does it change the resistance or attraction you feel, and if so, how?

Inquiry Look at a pleasant experience and then an unpleasant one, and then at the mind that experiences them. Is the nature of these experiences the same or different?

“All these appearances are in the mind. They appear, yet they do not actually exist. They are like reflections in a mirror, like the moon’s reflection in a pool of water.” —Gotsangpa



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Tip The primary focus of investigation in Mahamudra practice is the mind. When you inquire into the nature of perception, look at the mind that perceives.

SMALL-GROUP WORK Understanding Discuss the view that all phenomena come from mind. How does the belief that the mind and its perceptions are separate arise in the first place? Experience Discuss the practice of exploring perception. When you examine the experience of perception, what do you do and what do you see? What happens when you let go and rest after examining perception? Has this changed your experience of perceiving in any way? How so? Application What common sensory experiences in life do you tend to resist or avoid? What pleasurable experiences do you seek out on a regular basis? Discuss what happens when you bring your practice into these situations. Does it change the resistance or attraction you feel, and if so, how? Open Discussion What instruction or teaching in this section did you find the most challenging or confusing? See if you can gain clarity on this point through the group discussion.



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MODULE 3 • SECTION 5 INVESTIGATING STILLNESS AND MOVEMENT “There is no need to stop the mind from thinking or to create a state of stillness. You do not need to block one and encourage the other. If the mind is still, gain certainty that it is inherently free, that it is emptiness-clarity, within that very state. And if it is moving, see these qualities within that very state of movement.” —Dakpo Tashi Namgyal

CORE TEACHINGS Multimedia “Investigating Stillness and Movement," by Mingyur Rinpoche Weekly introduction from Tergar instructor Readings Natural State, pp. 36-37 (“Investigating the Calm and the Moving Mind”) Crystal Clear, pp. 73-75 (“Investigating the Calm and the Moving Mind”)

TRADITIONAL PERSPECTIVES Moonbeams, pp. 182-185 (“The Nature of Tranquil and Active Mental States”) Essentials of Mahamudra, pp. 140-142 (“Doubts About Resting and Moving Mind”)


MODULE 3 • SECTION 5 Investigating Stillness and Movement

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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW Questions for Understanding What experiences do the terms “stillness” and “movement” refer to? How do we go about investigating or analyzing these states? (MB, pp. 182-185; CNS, pp. 36-37)

In what way are the still mind and the moving mind the same? In what way are they different? What is the true nature of these two experiences, and how is it different from the way they appear to us? (MB, pp. 182-185)

“Do not consider the thoughts that occur to be problems. Know them to be empty and let them be. If you do this, you will experience thoughts as dharmakaya.” —Gotsangpa



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The Steps for Investigating Stillness and Movement

7 6

Look to see whether the nature of these two states is the same or different Directly observe the origin, abiding, and departure of the moving mind

5

Let thoughts arise, or create some

4 3


Directly observe its origin, abiding, and departure

2 1

Let the mind settle into a state of calm Rest the mind naturally

REVIEW Review the concepts and ideas covered so far in this section:

• The three causes of vipashyana • The metaphor of the ocean and waves



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Definition: Movement The state of mind when many thoughts and emotions are present, or when attention is captivated by sensory experiences and actively moving among them.

EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION Practice Instructions Spend five sessions investigating stillness and movement, following the instructions on pages 36-37 of Clarifying the Natural State. Do not try to create a state of stillness or avoid thoughts and other forms of movement. Let the mind be, and examine whatever state it is in. Look to see whether the nature of stillness is the same as or different from the nature of movement. Practice Journal Continue to use a practice log, setting a clear intention each week for your formal and informal practice, and then tracking your practice each day.



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EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION, CONTINUED Journal Reflection Questions Do you resist the mind’s natural movements or seek states of calm and peace? Do you consider one better than the other? How does this manifest in your meditation practice? What would change in your practice if you truly had no preference for stillness and inner calm?


Definition: Stillness The state of mind when there are no or few thoughts and emotions, and when the movement of attention is calm and settled.



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Inquiry Look into the mind when it is still and when it moves and thoughts occur. Is the nature of the still mind different from that of the mind that moves?

APPLYING IN DAILY LIFE Daily-Life Practice Exercises Pick a daily activity or routine and use this as a period of practice. As you engage in the activity, simply notice whether your mind is calm or thinking, and alternate brief periods of inquiry into the nature of whatever state your mind is in and periods of letting go and resting in awareness. Journal Reflection Questions Where does the preference for inner calm and stillness show up in your daily life? Are there things you do to calm and settle your mind? Are there ways you try to change or avoid certain thoughts and emotions? What if you were to channel this energy into exploring these experiences and embracing them? Pick a specific situation to start with, and note what happens.



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SMALL-GROUP WORK Understanding Discuss the experiences of stillness and movement. In what ways are the still mind and the moving mind the same? In what ways are they different? What is the true nature of these two experiences, and how is it different from the way they appear to us? Experience Discuss how you relate to your experience in sitting meditation. Do you resist the mind’s natural movements or seek states of calm and peace? Do you consider one better than the other? How does this manifest in your meditation practice? What would change in your practice if you truly had no preference for stillness and inner calm? Application Discuss how the preference for inner calm and stillness shows up in your daily life. Are there things you do to calm and settle your mind? Are there ways you try to change or avoid certain thoughts and emotions? What if you were to channel this energy into exploring these experiences and embracing them? Share what happens when you experiment with this in daily life. Open Discussion What struck you most about the teachings this week? What did you find challenging or confusing? What did you find inspiring?

Tip Do not try to create a state of stillness or avoid thoughts and emotions. Mahamudra practice uses these experiences as gateways to recognizing the empty clarity of pure awareness.



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MODULE 3 • SECTION 6 THE UNBORN MIND “Mind transcends birth and death. In the equanimity of the absolute, there is nothing to renounce or attain.” —Niguma

CORE TEACHINGS Multimedia “Resolving that All Experience is Nonarising,” by Mingyur Rinpoche Weekly introduction from Tergar instructor Readings Natural State, pp. 37-39 (“Resolving that All Experience is Nonarising”) Crystal Clear, pp. 76-78 (“Resolving that All Experience is Nonarising”)

TRADITIONAL PERSPECTIVES Moonbeams, pp. 185-192 (“All Appearances Are Nonarising” through “Blending Mahamudra Insight with Other Systems”) Essentials of Mahamudra, pp. 142-148 (“Doubts About Appearances as Unborn” through “This Vipashyana and Other Kinds of Vipashyana”)


MODULE 3 • SECTION 6 The Unborn Mind

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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW Questions for Understanding What does it mean to say that the mind is “unborn” or “nonarising,” or that it is “unconditioned”? (MB, pp. 185-187)

What sidetracks might we encounter when investigating the mind, and how do we deal with them? (MB, pp. 187-189)

“Kashyapa, when you look for the mind you will not find it. What cannot be found cannot be observed. What cannot be observed is beyond time. What is beyond time has no essence. What has no essence cannot arise, and what cannot arise cannot cease.” —Heap of Jewels Sutra



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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW, CONTINUED Questions for Understanding, continued How can we tell when genuine insight occurs? What do we understand or realize that marks true recognition of the nature of mind? (MB, pp. 188-189)

REVIEW Review the various forms of inquiry covered this month. What do all these forms of inquiry have in common?

• Investigating the nature of mind • Investigating thoughts and emotions • Investigating perception • Investigating stillness and movement • Investigating the unborn nature of mind



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“Looking again and again at the mind that cannot be seen, What cannot be seen is seen clearly, just as it is. Cutting through doubts about what it is and what it is not, May we come to see our own true nature without confusion.”

—Rangjung Dorje, the Third Karmapa

The Steps for Investigating the Unborn Nature of Mind

6 5.

5 4

3 2 1


Let go and rest in awareness Look to see how it ends or ceases

Look to see whether you can find its qualities in the present Look to see whether you can find a cause or basis from which it arises Look directly at the mind Rest naturally in awareness


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EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION Practice Instructions For the next five sessions, return to the practice of inquiring into the nature of mind itself. Look directly to see whether the mind has a point of origin, a cause, or basis from which it arises. Look to see whether you can identify its qualities or nature in the present moment. Look to see whether there is somewhere it goes when it ceases or changes. Alternate periods of gentle inquiry with periods of resting in awareness. Practice Journal Continue to use a practice log, setting a clear intention each week for your formal and informal practice, and then tracking your practice each day.

“Mahamudra is the ground of being and beyond the conceptual mind. This ground has been spontaneously present from the beginning. It is beyond arising, ceasing, or abiding. —Wangchuk Dorje, the Ninth Karmapa



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Inquiry Does mind have a point of origin? Can you pinpoint it in the present? When it changes, can you find a location where this occurs?

EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION, CONTINUED Journal Reflection Questions Now that you have investigated the mind and its expressions from many different angles, reflect on your experience and understanding of Mahamudra practice. Has anything shifted in your meditation practice? Has your understanding of mind and its nature changed? Are there points you still find confusing?




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APPLYING IN DAILY LIFE Daily-Life Practice Exercises Pick an enjoyable experience and use this as a basis for your nature of mind inquiry. As you engage in the activity, ask yourself, “Who or what is experiencing this?” Simply observe your experience for a few moments, then let go and relax. Continue to practice with the experience and notice what happens. Journal Reflection Questions How has your evolving experience of the nature of mind changed your perception of who and what you are? Have you experienced moments where it changed the way you were with others? Has it changed the way you relate to work, to mundane activities, or to other common experiences?

“When you inquire within, you will see that the true essence of things is unborn.”


—Sutra of the King of Genuine Dharma


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Tip Investigate the mind in a variety of states and circumstances. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, look directly at the mind and see whether you can find it. Alternate looking and resting.

SMALL-GROUP WORK Understanding Discuss the important principle of nonarising. What does this mean? How does it apply to the nature of mind? How do we come to experience this for ourselves? Experience Now that you have investigated the mind and its expressions from many different angles, reflect on your experience and understanding of Mahamudra practice. Has anything shifted in your meditation practice? Has your understanding of mind and its nature changed? Are there still points you find confusing? Application Discuss how nature of mind practice has (or has not) changed your perception of who and what you are. Have you experienced moments where it changed the way you were with others? Has it changed the way you relate to work, to mundane activities, or to other common experiences? Open Discussion What piece of advice or instruction from this section’s teachings will you take with you into your practice on and off the cushion? How do you plan to work with it in your practice?



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MODULE 4

Pointing-out instructions are experiential introductions to the nature of mind. These transformative teachings are the hallmark of the Mahamudra tradition. The foundations for these introductions are the experiences that unfold through the twin practices of shamatha and vipashyana. Shamatha calms the mind and enables the meditator to observe and explore awareness through the practice of vipashyana. Vipashyana, in turn, brings deep insight into the nature of thoughts, emotions, perceptions, and awareness itself. On the basis of these experiences, the nature of mind can be “pointed out” or “introduced” to the meditator. In this section we will explore the teachings that help us to recognize the nature of mind. This part of our journey will be familiar, since it covers the same terrain that we encountered in the previous section on Mahamudra vipashyana. We will learn to see and directly experience the nature of mind and its expressions. Of particular importance is the principle of “coemergence” or “connate union,” which helps us to see that every aspect of our experience is grounded in the open, radiant space of pure awareness.



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POINTING OUT THE NATURE OF MIND • Section 1: Coemergent Mind • Section 2: Coemergent Thought • Section 3: Coemergent Perception • Section 4: Genuine Practice



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MODULE 4 • SECTION 1 COEMERGENT MIND “Throughout the day and night, look at your mind. When you look at your mind, you don’t see anything. When you don’t see anything, let go and relax.” —Milarepa

CORE TEACHINGS Multimedia “Pointing Out the Nature of Mind," by Mingyur Rinpoche Weekly introduction from Tergar instructor Readings Natural State, pp. 40-42 (“Pointing Out Innate Mind-Essence”) Crystal Clear, pp. 79-86 ("Pointing Out of the Innate” + “Pointing Out Innate Mind-Essence”)

TRADITIONAL PERSPECTIVES Moonbeams, pp. 193-208 (“How to Identify This System of Meditation” through “The Coemergence of Mind”) Essentials of Mahamudra, pp. 149-157 (Chapter 11, ending before “Coemergent Thought”)

CONTEMPORARY VOICES Pointing Out Ordinary Mind by Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche (article)


MODULE 4 • SECTION 1 Coemergent Mind

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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW Questions for Understanding Describe the essence, nature, and characteristic of mind in experiential language. What do each of the terms point to in terms of your own direct experience? (MB, pp. 193-200)

What does the term “luminosity” mean in relation to the nature of mind? How can this term be misunderstood? (MB, pp. 195-198)

“Profound, peaceful, free from concepts, luminous, and unconditioned, Is this nectar-like Dharma I have found. Yet if I teach it, no one will understand, So I will remain silent here in this forest.” —The Buddha



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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW, CONTINUED Questions for Understanding, continued What is the meaning of the term “coemergent”? How does this principle relate to thoughts and emotions, and to the mind itself? What “coemerges” with what? (MB, pp. 200-205)

REVIEW Review the definition and etymology of the term “Mahamudra” and the meaning of ground, path, and fruition Mahamudra.



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Essence, Nature, And Characteristic Of Mind

= Emptiness

= Luminosity

= Mind appears as both samsara and nirvana

“Once you have found this self-knowing primordial awareness, you are a blazing torch in an age of darkness. You totally defeat the karmic delusion. You are like a person who has woken up from sleep.” —Jnanadakini



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Definition: Coemergent The fact that all experiences and the nature of these experiences occur together. This term literally means “born together,” and can also be translated as “connate” or “innate.”

EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION Practice Instructions After your daily chants and supplications, including the The Aspiration of Mahamudra, rest your mind as it is. From time to time, look gently at awareness itself, see that there is nothing to see, and then let go and rest. The main practice here is simply to be, to let the mind be whatever it is in the present moment. You can intersperse these periods of resting in awareness with brief, gentle moments of mind looking at mind. End your session by resting in awareness before you dedicate. Spend the next five sessions practicing in this manner. Practice Journal Continue to use a practice log, setting a clear intention each week for your formal and informal practice, and then tracking your practice each day.



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Inquiry Look at your mind right now. Who is reading this? Look, see, and rest.

EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION, CONTINUED Journal Reflection Questions Recall the times you have received pointing-out instructions from your teacher or teachers. What did you glimpse in those moments? How has your understanding changed? How has your experience changed? Are you more or less confident in your practice than you were when you were first introduced to the nature of mind?




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APPLYING IN DAILY LIFE Daily-Life Practice Exercises Link your daily practice with the body and movement. Find a physical activity, such as yoga, tai chi, or simply going for a walk, and use it as an opportunity to practice looking and resting. Make time each day for practicing in this way. Journal Reflection Questions How does your “on the cushion” experience of nature of mind practice differ from your experience “off the cushion” in daily life? Do you find one form of practice more challenging than the other? How so? What are some practical ways you could work with these challenges?

“What we call ‘Mahamudra’ is your very own awareness." —Jigten Sumgon



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SMALL-GROUP WORK Understanding Clarify the meaning of the term “coemergent.” How does this principle relate to thoughts and emotions, and to the mind itself? What “coemerges” with what? Why is this such an important principle in the Mahamudra tradition? Experience Discuss your experience when you first received pointing-out instructions from your teacher or teachers. What did you glimpse in those moments? How has your understanding changed? How has your experience changed? Are you more or less confident in your practice than you were when you were first introduced to the nature of mind? Application Discuss how your “on the cushion” experience of nature of mind practice differs from your experience “off the cushion” in daily life. Do you find one form of practice more challenging than the other? How so? What are some practical ways you could work with these challenges? Open Discussion What struck you most about the teachings this week? What did you find confusing? What did you find inspiring?

Tip Mahamudra practice is simple. Rest naturally in awareness. The purpose of all the inquiries, contemplations, and techniques we use is to help us to experience awareness more fully.



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MODULE 4 • SECTION 2 COEMERGENT THOUGHT “Do not focus the mind or get stuck in concepts. Notice that everything that appears frees itself and is beyond grasping. With this recognition, simply rest and let things free themselves the moment they occur.” —From the terma teachings of the first Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche

CORE TEACHINGS Multimedia “The Nature of Thought," by Mingyur Rinpoche Weekly introduction from Tergar Instructor Readings Natural State, pp. 43-45 (“Pointing Out Innate Thinking”) Crystal Clear, pp. 86-88 (“Pointing Out the Innate in Thinking”)

TRADITIONAL PERSPECTIVES Moonbeams, pp. 209-212 (“The Coemergence of Thought”) Essentials of Mahamudra, pp. 157-160 (“Coemergent Thought”)

CONTEMPORARY VOICES On Developing Confidence by Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo (video)


MODULE 4 • SECTION 2 Coemergent Thought

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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW Questions for Understanding Revisit the metaphor of the ocean and its waves. What does this tell us about the mind, its movements, and the nature of these two? How would you use this metaphor to explain the nature of mind and the nature of thoughts to a friend? (MB, p. 209; CNS, p. 43)

Explain the union of shamatha and vipashyana from a Mahamudra perspective. How are these two forms of practice united in a recognition of the nature of mind? (MB, p. 209)

“Look directly at the nature of whatever thoughts arise. When you experience thoughts as an ungraspable luminous emptiness, you will no longer need to reject negative thoughts or try to remedy them with something else.” —Wangchuk Dorje, the Ninth Karmapa



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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW, CONTINUED Questions for Understanding, continued What does it mean to say that “thoughts are dharmakaya”? How can we misunderstand this statement? (MB, p. 212)

REVIEW Review the key figures in the Mahamudra lineage, and the steps of the Mahamudra preliminaries, including the common and unique preliminaries and the four conditions.



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Insight When you experience emptiness as mental activity and mental activity as emptiness, you have understood the coemergent nature of thoughts.

EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION Practice Instructions Spend five sessions on the coemergent nature of thoughts. For the main part of your session, let thoughts and emotions come and go freely. Rest the mind naturally, and from time to time, inquire into the nature of the thoughts as you rest in a state of empty awareness. See that the mind’s movements are themselves empty awareness. Look, gently and briefly, then let go and rest in this recognition. Practice Journal Continue to use a practice log, setting a clear intention each week for your formal and informal practice, and then tracking your practice each day.



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Inquiry Pause for a moment and observe your thoughts. They are empty the moment they arise. Notice and rest in their insubstantiality.

EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION, CONTINUED Journal Reflection Questions How do you experience the idea that thoughts are empty clarity? Do thoughts dissolve and disappear? Can their emptiness be experienced while they are still present? Note your own experience here, not the theory or ideas you have read about.




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APPLYING IN DAILY LIFE Daily-Life Practice Exercises Pick a routine activity that you do every day, and use this as the basis for your practice. As you engage in the activity, observe the thoughts and emotions that naturally occur. As they arise, look briefly into their nature, notice that they are empty and insubstantial, then rest naturally in this recognition. Practice for short times, many times throughout the activity. Journal Reflection Questions How is your experience of thoughts different as a result of having received Mahamudra instructions? In what parts of your life do you notice this change? What areas have not shifted?

“Within thought, I discover nonthought. Within nonthought, I discover original wakefulness.” —Jamgon Kongtrul



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SMALL-GROUP WORK Understanding Explore the meaning of the statement “thoughts are dharmakaya.” How can we misunderstand this statement? What does it illuminate about Mahamudra practice? Experience Discuss your experience of the idea that thoughts are empty clarity. Do thoughts dissolve and disappear? Can their emptiness be experienced while they are still present? Discuss this in light of personal experience, not the theory or ideas you have read about. Application How is your experience of thoughts different as a result of having received Mahamudra instructions? In what parts of your life do you notice this change? What areas have not shifted? Open Discussion What struck you most about the teachings this week? What did you find confusing? What did you find inspiring?

Tip When you were investigating thoughts, you did not know they were emptiness-clarity. Now you do. Come back to this recognition again and again until it becomes second nature.



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“This variety of desirous and hateful thoughts that strands us in the ocean of cyclic existence once realized to be without intrinsic nature, makes everything a golden land, child. If you meditate on the illusion-like nature of illusion-like phenomena, actual illusion-like buddhahood will occur through the power of devotion.” —Niguma



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MODULE 4 • SECTION 3 COEMERGENT PERCEPTION “Every appearance and every event Is the miraculous display of the mind. In the spacious expanse, I see nothing to fear. It is just the natural radiance Of the mind’s luminosity, and nothing else. There is no reason to react. All activity is my adornment. Therefore, it is better to rest silently In meditative absorption.” —Yeshe Tsogyal

CORE TEACHINGS Multimedia “The Nature of Perception," by Mingyur Rinpoche Weekly introduction from Tergar instructor Readings Natural State, pp. 45-47 (“Pointing Out Innate Perception”) Crystal Clear, pp. 88-91 (“Pointing Out the Innate in Perception”)

TRADITIONAL PERSPECTIVES Moonbeams, pp. 212-217 (“The Coemergence of Appearance”) Essentials of Mahamudra, pp. 161-168 (“Coemergent Appearance”)


MODULE 4 • SECTION 3 Coemergent Perception

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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW Questions for Understanding How does the example of dreaming relate to the experience of recognizing the nature of perception? How is perception in a dream the same as in waking life? How is it different? (MB, p. 213)

What is “coemergent appearance” or “coemergent perception”? What is it that “coemerges” with what in this case? Why is this important to understand as a basis for nature of mind meditation? (MB, pp. 212-213)

“If you understand the mind, you understand all phenomena. If the mind is freed, everything is freed. —Dakpo Tashi Namgyal



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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW, CONTINUED Questions for Understanding, continued How are both shamatha and vipashyana present in the recognition of the nature of perception? How does this relate to the phrase “whatever appears is dharmakaya”? (MB, pp. 212-213)

REVIEW Review the key points related to Mahamudra shamatha:




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Insight Every night our mind creates entire worlds. In a dream, these worlds seem real and truly “out there.” Your experience right now is the same. It feels real, yet is a creation of the mind.

EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION Practice Instructions Spend five sessions resting in the recognition of the nature of perception. For the main part of your session, begin by resting in open awareness. As you rest in awareness, notice a sound or a visual object, and inquire into its nature and the nature of the perceiving mind. Notice that the perception and the mind that perceives cannot be separated, and that the nature of both is empty clarity. Notice this emptiness within the unfolding of perception, and rest within that recognition. Practice Journal Continue to use a practice log, setting a clear intention each week for your formal and informal practice, and then tracking your practice each day.



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Inquiry Notice the words and letters you are looking at right now. Are they things you see “out there,” or is this a projection of the mind? Notice that the things you see, hear, and feel are all occurring in the mind.

EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION, CONTINUED Journal Reflection Questions How has your relationship to sensory experiences changed in the context of your meditation practice? Are there some experiences that you find easier to link with nature of mind and others that are more challenging? Are there some you have not worked with in practice?




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APPLYING IN DAILY LIFE Daily-Life Practice Exercises Take your relationships and interactions with others as the basis for your practice in this section. Each day, think of an interaction – at a specific time and place – that you will have. Form a clear intention to use this as an opportunity to practice, but instead of using it to recognize the nature of your mind, take the opportunity to recognize that the person you are with also has this pure, spacious awareness as their very nature. You don’t need to do anything or say anything to the other person. Simply recognize this in the immediacy of your connection and rest in that. Journal Reflection Questions How has exploring the nature of mind influenced the way you see and relate to others? Have you worked with extending your practice in relationship? If so, what is your experience? If not, what could you do to make this shift?

“Look directly at the objects of the senses. These illusory experiences are mind. Let go of clinging and rest with whatever appears.” —Saraha



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Tip You don’t need to change or alter what you perceive in any way. Every single experience is a fresh opportunity to recognize the nature of mind.

SMALL-GROUP WORK Understanding Discuss the example of dreaming. How does this example relate to the experience of recognizing the nature of perception? How is perception in a dream the same as in waking life? How is it different? Experience Discuss how your relationship to sensory experiences has changed in the context of your meditation practice. Are there some experiences that you find easier to link with nature of mind and others that are more challenging? Are there some you have not worked with in practice? Application How has exploring the nature of mind influenced the way you see and relate to others? Have you worked with extending your practice in relationship? If so, what is your experience? If not, what could you do to make this shift? Open Discussion Was there anything from this section’s teachings that was especially inspiring or thought-provoking? What was it, and how did it shift your perspective or understanding?



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“All these appearances are your own mind. Although they appear, they lack any true existence, like reflections in a mirror or the reflection of the moon in water. So rest naturally, without fixating on appearances. You do not need to block appearances. Simply resting without fixation is Mahamudra. It is enough to sustain this without distraction." —Gotsangpa

Tip Observe the world of the senses like a small child staring in wonder at the images in a temple.



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MODULE 4 • SECTION 4 GENUINE PRACTICE “In the space of non-conceptual emptiness, Cut the root of conceptual mind. Having cut, relax.” —Sukhasiddhi

CORE TEACHINGS Multimedia “Flawed and Flawless Meditation," by Mingyur Rinpoche Weekly introduction from Tergar instructor Readings Milarepa’s Instruction to Sale öo Natural State, pp. 47-52 (“Describing Mistakes and Faulty Meditation” + “Explaining Flawless Meditation Practice”) Crystal Clear, pp. 91-100 (“The Flawed and the Flawless Meditation Practice” + “Flawless Meditation Practice”)

TRADITIONAL PERSPECTIVES Moonbeams, pp. 217-229 (“How to Eliminate Flaws in Meditation” + “Recognizing Flawless Meditation”) Essentials of Mahamudra, pp. 169-179 (“Flaws in Incorrect Meditation” through “Realizing Flawless Meditation”)

CONTEMPORARY VOICES This Very Mind, Empty and Luminous by Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche (article)


MODULE 4 • SECTION 4 Genuine Practice

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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW Questions for Understanding Describe some of the faulty and partially correct approaches to meditation. Do any of these approaches seem familiar from your own meditation? Why are these approaches problematic, and how might you address them in your own practice? (MB, pp. 217-222; CNS, pp. 47-52)

How can we recognize authentic nature of mind meditation?

“Do not corrupt your ordinary mind By attempting to interfere with its natural state. The nature of mind is pure and needs no improvement. Do not confine it. Do not release it. Simply leave it as it is.” —Shavari



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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW, CONTINUED Questions for Understanding, continued What do we mean by the term “ordinary mind”? In what way is it ordinary? In what way is it different from ordinary samsaric mind? (MB, pp. 222-229)

REVIEW Review the various inquiries from the section on Mahamudra vipashyana:

• Investigating the nature of mind • Investigating thoughts and emotions • Investigating perception • Investigating stillness and movement • Investigating the unborn nature of mind



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EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION Practice Instructions For the next five sessions, practice doing nothing. Just sit. You can open and close each session with your usual chants and dedications, but in between, completely let go and be. Do not investigate, do not focus, do not intentionally try to pay attention or attend to anything. Do not even try to recognize the nature of mind. Just sit. Practice Journal Continue to use a practice log, setting a clear intention each week for your formal and informal practice, and then tracking your practice each day.

Definition: Ordinary Mind The natural state of the mind, which does not need to be improved and cannot be corrupted.



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Inquiry Do you believe that your own mind - as it is in this very moment - is pure and perfect? What if you were to let go of the assumption that there is something missing or in need of improvement?

EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION, CONTINUED Journal Reflection Questions What happens when you let go of any effort and rest? Simply note what happens, reporting on your experience as though it were happening to someone else.

Revisit the goals and aspirations you formed for the course in the first week. Has your experience aligned with those aspirations? Reaffirm and, if need be, update your aspirations and goals for the rest of the course.



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APPLYING IN DAILY LIFE Daily-Life Practice Exercises Practice tuning in to effortless awareness in everyday life. Set a clear intention to practice in different situations, but beyond that, do not do anything. Give up the idea of “practice,” and notice what it feels like to simply be in these situations. Journal Reflection Questions What was your experience of letting go of effortful practice? Did this change your perspective in any way?

“When the mind comes to recognize its own nature, we realize that we have been awake from the beginning.” —Vajradakini Tantra



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Tip “Letting go” is not something you can do. It is a surrender to experience in the present moment and is based in trust and openness.

SMALL-GROUP WORK Understanding What do we mean by the term “ordinary mind”? In what way is it ordinary? In what way is it different from ordinary samsaric mind? Experience Explore the practice of dropping effort in meditation. Was it easier to let go when there was nothing to do? Was it more challenging? Was your experience different from before or similar? Application Discuss the experience of letting go of effortful practice in everyday life. Did this change your experience or perspective in any way? Open Discussion What struck you most about the teachings this week? What did you find confusing? What did you find inspiring?



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“Begin by supplicating the guru. Imagine that the guru dissolves into you, and your minds merge as one, like water poured into water. Then rest in that state with a sense of freshness. Do not hope that your meditation will develop, or worry that it will not. No matter what state of mind you are in, let it be and rest. Rest without meditating on emptiness and without fixating on objects. Rest without focusing on anything in particular, without striving to attain a state of blissful ease or vivid clarity.” —Gotsangpa



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MODULE 5

Recognizing the nature of mind is not the end of the path. Once we directly experience the open, spacious clarity of the mind, we need to stabilize this recognition. The Mahamudra teachings contain a wealth of practical tips and experiential pointers to help us gain confidence in our experience of nature of mind and to aid the process of integrating this recognition with every aspect of our lives. In this final section of the course, we will explore the ways we can stabilize and enhance our nature of mind practice, and also avoid common pitfalls and mistakes. Our journey will end with the four yogas of Mahamudra, the stages of experience and realization that mark important milestones on the path of awakening.



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PATH AND FRUITION • Section 1: Stabilizing Recognition • Section 2: Avoiding Pitfalls • Section 3: Breaking Through • Section 4: Adversity as the Path • Sections 5-6: The Four Yogas of Mahamudra



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MODULE 5 • SECTION 1 STABILIZING RECOGNITION “There is no need to alter the mind. It is naturally pure. Don’t control it. Don’t release it. Leave it as it is.” —Saraha

CORE TEACHINGS Multimedia “General Reasons for Meditation Training,” by Mingyur Rinpoche Weekly introduction from Tergar instructor Readings Natural State, pp. 53-59 (“General Reasons for Meditation Training” + “Special Training without Separating Meditation and Postmeditation”) Crystal Clear, pp. 101-108 (“General Reasons for Meditation Training” + “Special Training without Separating Meditation and Postmeditation”)

TRADITIONAL PERSPECTIVES Moonbeams, pp. 231-271 (Chapter 6) Essentials of Mahamudra, pp. 181-207 (Chapter 13)

CONTEMPORARY VOICES Meditation Only Gets You So Far by Lama Willa Miller (article)


MODULE 5 • SECTION 1 Stabilizing Recognition

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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW Questions for Understanding Describe the different forms of mindfulness. Which of these is thought to be the most important for beginners? (MB, pp. 236-238)

What are the six methods taught by Tilopa? Give a brief description of each, and how it relates to meditation practice. (MB, pp. 243-246)

“First, let go of any effort or impulse to practice, and relax your body and mind from deep within. In the middle, rest in a fresh, natural state without second-guessing your experience. In the end, recognize that everything you experience is unborn.” —Gampopa



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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW, CONTINUED Questions for Understanding, continued Describe the four methods of Gampopa. What does this add to your understanding of the way to rest in the nature of mind? (MB, pp. 246-249)

Moonbeams includes an extensive discussion of non-meditation and non-distraction, two of the most important principles in the Mahamudra tradition. What are the key points of these two instructions? What did you learn from Dakpo Tashi Namgyal’s explanation that deepened your understanding? (MB, pp. 252-255)



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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW, CONTINUED Questions for Understanding, continued What example does Dakpo Tashi Namgyal use to explain the principle of appearances’ being “illusory” or “illusion-like”? What does this teach us about how to relate to experiences in postmeditation? (MB, pp. 264-268)

REVIEW Review the concepts covered in Module 1:

• The meaning and etymology of the term “Mahamudra” • The three approaches of Gampopa • The first six masters of the Mahamudra lineage • The four common preliminaries, the four unique preliminaries, and the four conditions of Mahamudra



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“Not protecting your meditation once it has developed Is like letting your wealth get swept away by the wind, Like a lion who joins a pack of dogs, And like a precious jewel submerged in mud.” —Tsangpa Gyare

The Six Methods of Tilopa

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Definition: Conscientiousness The factor that protects the mind from negative tendencies and keeps it oriented toward virtue. This is mentioned alongside mindfulness and alertness as a critical factor in Dharma practice. Also translated as “vigilance.”

EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION Practice Instructions In this section we will focus on “three manners” described in Clarifying the Natural State, pp. 55-58. Review the key instructions on being fresh, artless, and unbound. Spend five sessions resting in this way, continuing your session opening and closing practices as usual. Practice Journal Continue to use a practice log, setting a clear intention each week for your formal and informal practice, and then tracking your practice each day.

Tip Rest like the sky free from clouds. Rest like an ocean without waves. Rest like a candle flame protected from the wind.



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EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION, CONTINUED Journal Reflection Questions From the instructions in this section, what key point for meditation practice inspires you the most? What happens when you use this principle or instruction to guide your practice? What are some ways that you can deepen your experience of it?




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Tip Tend to your mind like a shepherd tending to sheep. The shepherd is ever watchful and aware, yet lets the sheep wander and graze freely.

APPLYING IN DAILY LIFE Daily-Life Practice Exercises Make intention-setting the focus of your informal practice for this section, and use the transitions of daily life as your ally. Every time you move from one activity to the next, or in the natural transitions during an activity, form a clear intention to be mindful and present, and to recognize the nature of mind during what follows. Set the intention and let the natural momentum of the intention carry you forward into the activity. Focus on the intention, not the outcome. Do this at least five times per day. Journal Reflection Questions What happens when you focus on the intention, rather than the outcome, when you practice in daily life? Were there certain periods when you forgot to set a clear intention? How might you remind yourself in these situations?



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SMALL-GROUP WORK Understanding Discuss the presentation of non-meditation and non-distraction found in Moonbeams. What are the key points of these two instructions? What did you learn from Dakpo Tashi Namgyal’s explanation that deepened your understanding? Experience Discuss your experience of practicing with the “three manners” presented in Clarifying the Natural State. Which of these three did you most connect with? Did you find any of the three challenging? Where do you see these three in your meditation practice, and how might you strengthen them? Application Discuss what happens when you focus on the intention, rather than the outcome, when you practice in daily life. Were there certain periods when you forgot to set a clear intention? How might you remind yourself in these situations? Share tips and suggestions from your own practice. Open Discussion What struck you most about the teachings this week? What was it about this point or instruction that impacted your understanding or experience?

The Six Instructions of Tilopa “Do not reflect, do not think, do not speculate, do not meditate, do not analyze, rest the mind naturally.”



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MODULE 5 • SECTION 2 AVOIDING PITFALLS “Those who understand that all phenomena are emptiness And yet are attuned to actions and their results Are truly amazing. They are truly remarkable.” —Commentary on Bodhichitta

CORE TEACHINGS Multimedia “Hindrances and Sidetracks,” by Mingyur Rinpoche Weekly introduction from Tergar instructor Readings Natural State, pp. 59-63 (“Cutting through Hindrances, Sidetracks, and Straying”) Crystal Clear, pp. 108-113 (“Cutting through Hindrances, Sidetracks, and Strayings”)

TRADITIONAL PERSPECTIVES Moonbeams, pp. 272-299 (“Four Deviations Associated with Emptiness” + “Three Deviations Associated with Meditative Experiences”) Essentials of Mahamudra, pp. 209-215 (“Eliminating the Four Ways of Going Astray” through “Eliminating the Three Mistaken Paths”)


MODULE 5 • SECTION 2 Avoiding Pitfalls

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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW Questions for Understanding Describe the four deviations associated with emptiness, and how to avoid them. Which of these four is the most destructive, and why? (MB, pp. 272-280; CNS, pp. 59-61)

What are the three strayings, the three deviations related to fleeting meditation experiences (Tib: nyam)? How can we work with these experiences in a healthy way? (MB, pp. 280-296)

“Some great meditators, like simple-minded children, Become attached to the vivid appearance of rainbow-like experiences. They do not recognize that they are deceptive, seductive, sidetracks.” —Ling Repa



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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW, CONTINUED Questions for Understanding, continued What are the two key qualities that must be present in stable meditation? What are the factors that impede these qualities, and how should we address them? (MB, pp. 296-299)

REVIEW Review the key points related to Mahamudra shamatha:




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The Four Deviations as an intellectual theory

as the path

Emptiness

as a remedy

as a seal

The Three Strayings

to experiences of bliss

Attachment

to experiences of clarity

to experiences of nonconceptuality



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Tip Emptiness is not experienced after thoughts and emotions disappear. Emptiness is the very nature of these experiences. You will not experience emptiness somewhere else.

EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION Practice Instructions Spend five sessions resting effortlessly in awareness. Notice when you have an impulse to control, change, or “improve” experience in any way. Do not indulge these impulses. Simply note them and let them dissolve on their own. With this effortless presence as your main practice, do not forget to include renunciation, compassion, and devotion within your practice, and to dedicate at the end of each session. Practice Journal Continue to use a practice log, setting a clear intention each week for your formal and informal practice, and then tracking your practice each day.

“The fruitional state of the dharmakaya is already present within us. It is the very nature of our own minds. Yet we do not realize this. We take emptiness as the path and meditate on it, thinking that there is some other buddhahood to be attained, that the three kayas and five wisdoms have yet to be achieved.” —Dakpo Tashi Namgyal



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EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION, CONTINUED Journal Reflection Questions When you sit down to meditate, do you believe that awakening is possible in that very moment? If not, what doubts or habits of mind get in the way? What would change if you really did have confidence in your own true nature?




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Tip Every time you sit down to meditate or you remember to practice in daily life, remind yourself that buddhahood is already present as your true nature. It will never be closer to you than it is right now.

APPLYING IN DAILY LIFE Daily-Life Practice Exercises Pick a routine activity that you do every day and use it as a basis for practice. During the activity, let your mind be as it is – yet without getting lost or distracted. Notice any impulses to control or change your experience, and noticing them, let them go. Journal Reflection Questions Notice how the deviations and strayings manifest in your daily life. Do you use practice to “fix” or “improve” your experience in the present moment? Do you try to create your version of a “happy” mind? What would change if you truly believed that each moment is perfect as it is?



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SMALL-GROUP WORK Understanding Discuss the four deviations and the three strayings. What are they, and how do we deal with them? Experience Discuss how these deviations and strayings manifest in your practice. Do you view awakening as something that will happen in the future, for instance? Do you hanker after experiences of inner calm or feelings of rapture? How have you experienced these deviations or strayings, and how might you relate to them differently going forward? Application Discuss how the deviations and strayings manifest in daily life. Do you use practice to “fix” or “improve” your experience in the present moment? Do you try to create your version of a “happy” mind? What would change if you truly believed that each moment is perfect as it is? Open Discussion What struck you most about the teachings this week? What did you find confusing? What did you find inspiring?

“Many understand meditation, few understand letting go.” —Tsangpa Gyare



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MODULE 5 • SECTION 3 BREAKING THROUGH “If the sun of devotion does not shine On the mountain snows of the guru’s four kayas The stream of blessings will not flow. Thus, devote your mind to devotion.” —Jigten Sumgon

CORE TEACHINGS Multimedia “Transcending," by Mingyur Rinpoche Weekly introduction from Tergar instructor Readings Natural State, pp. 64-70 (“Enhancing by Transcending into Nonarising” Crystal Clear, pp. 114-120 (“Enhancement by Transcending into Nonarising”


CONTEMPORARY VOICES Naked Mind, by Thrangu Rinpoche (article)


MODULE 5 • SECTION 3 Breaking Through

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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW Questions for Understanding What is the right time for “breaking through” or “transcending” (Tib: la da)? What happens if we do these practices too early or too late? (MB, pp. 300-303; CNS, pp. 64-65)

Describe the actual practice of breaking through. How is this different from the earlier practice of non-meditation and non-distraction? (CNS, pp. 67-69; MB, pp. 311-313)

“When it comes to Mahamudra, there is no mental engagement. Since there is nothing whatsoever to meditate on, there is no meditation. Not losing touch with this point of non-meditation is itself the supreme meditation.” —Shavaripa



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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW, CONTINUED Questions for Understanding, continued How should we work with sleep and dreams, especially if we are not mindful during these states? How do we eventually merge these states with our practice? (CNS, pp. 69-70; MB, pp. 318-321)

REVIEW Review key points from the vipashyana module: • The three causes of vipashyana • The vipashyana inquiries ––Investigating the nature of mind ––Investigating thoughts and emotions ––Investigating perception ––Investigating stillness and movement ––Investigating the unborn nature of mind



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Tip Devotion may feel artificial at times. That is fine. Think of the remarkable qualities of your teachers, the teachings, the lineage, and the practice as often as you can. Don’t worry about the result.

EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION Practice Instructions Spend five sessions focusing on devotion. In whatever way helps you to open your heart to the blessings of the lineage, supplicate your teacher and the lineage that you might realize the empty clarity of ordinary mind. Alternate periods of guru yoga or heartfelt supplication with periods of letting go and resting in awareness. You can include short inquiries into the nature of thoughts, emotions, perceptions, or awareness if you find it helpful. Practice Journal Continue to use a practice log, setting a clear intention each week for your formal and informal practice, and then tracking your practice each day.

“Devotion to authentic teachers is what enhances Mahamudra.” —Jigten Sumgon



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EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION, CONTINUED Journal Reflection Questions What helps you to open your heart to the blessings of the lineage? What figures, teachings, poems, etc., move you? How might you include them in your practice on and off the cushion to keep the spark of devotion and inspiration alive?




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Definition: Breakthrough To reach a definitive experience of the nature of mind that completely shatters all concepts, doubts, and uncertainty. The Tibetan term la da can also be translated as “transcend” or “thoroughly resolve.”

APPLYING IN DAILY LIFE Daily-Life Practice Exercises At least fire times a day, try to remember your teacher or whichever buddha or yidam inspires you. Bring this figure to mind and feel his or her blessings, love, and awareness wash over you like a wave. Supplicate him or her that you might realize the nature of your mind, then practice mingling your minds and resting. This need only take a few moments. Practice short times, many times each day. Journal Reflection Questions How do devotion and inspiration manifest in your daily life? When have you felt the power of these qualities the most? What are some ways that you could stay connected with the receptive heart of devotion as you go about your day? Be specific.



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SMALL-GROUP WORK Understanding Discuss the actual practice of breaking through. How is this different from the earlier practice of non-meditation and nondistraction? Experience Discuss devotion and its role in supporting nature of mind practice. What helps you to open your heart to the blessings of the lineage? What figures, teachings, poems, etc., move you? How might you include them in your practice on and off the cushion to keep the spark of devotion and inspiration alive? Application Discuss how devotion and inspiration manifest in your daily life. When have you felt the power of these qualities the most? What are some ways that you could stay connected with the receptive heart of devotion as you go about your day? Be specific. Open Discussion What point did you find especially helpful or insightful from this week’s teachings? How might you apply this point to your practice?

“If you do not wander from the natural presence of awareness, everything is meditation.” —Dakpo Tashi Namgyal



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Practice Pause for a moment and think of your gurus and teachers. Without them you would never have heard the phrase “nature of mind.” Feel their presence. Feel the boundless care and love they have for you, and for all beings. Then let go and rest in a state of devotion.



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MODULE 5 • SECTION 4 ADVERSITY AS THE PATH “I, Labdron, the Shining Light of Lab, Am the greatest of all women. Now my death in the unborn expanse Is the greatest of all ways to pass away.” —The Parting Words of Machik Labdron

CORE TEACHINGS Multimedia “Strengthening Practice," by Mingyur Rinpoche Weekly introduction from Tergar instructor Readings Natural State, pp. 70-76 (“Developing Strength by Utilizing the Conducts”) Crystal Clear, pp. 120-132 (“Developing Strength by Utilizing the Conducts”)



MODULE 5 • SECTION 4 adversity as the path

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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW Questions for Understanding What is the appropriate time and place to utilize or integrate adverse circumstances onto the path? (CNS, pp. 70-72; MB, pp. 322-327)

What are the three vital points that underlie the six methods for bringing adversity onto the path? How might you apply these points to a specific situation or challenge? (MB, pp. 330-331)

“You must recognize that it is the mind that is sick. It is mind that experiences an illness. And the mind is unborn, like space.” —Dakpo Tashi Namgyal



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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW, CONTINUED Questions for Understanding, continued Pick one or two of the six adverse methods mentioned in the text, and discuss how you would work with these situations, based on the three vital points mentioned previously. (MB, pp. 331-348)

REVIEW Essence, nature, and characteristic of mind • Essence = emptiness • Nature = luminosity • Characteristic = mind appears as both samsara and nirvana



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The Six Forms of Integration

Thoughts Destructive emotions Gods and demons Suffering Illness Death

The Three Vital Points for Integration

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Tip The areas in life that bring up the most fear and resistance are tremendous opportunities for growth, but we need to move slowly and with great care. Trust your intuition about what is healthy and constructive, but stay on the path, even if the right thing to do is to aspire to practice with a situation in the future if you do not feel ready right now.

EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION Practice Instructions For the next five sessions, work with thoughts, following the instructions in Clarifying the Natural State, pp. 72-73. Be sure to include guru yoga or another way to arouse devotion and periods of simply resting naturally in awareness. Practice Journal Continue to use a practice log, setting a clear intention each week for your formal and informal practice, and then tracking your practice each day.

Inquiry What scares you the most in life? Where do you feel the most resistance? Take a moment to form the aspiration to have the confidence and care to bring these experiences onto the path when the time is right.



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EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION, CONTINUED Journal Reflection Questions What thought and emotional patterns do you have the most difficulty integrating with your practice? What positive experiences do you seek out? How and when do you experience them? Keeping the three vital points for integration in mind, how might you change the way you relate to these experiences?


“Since the thought of death brings me no fear, I am happy.” —Milarepa



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Definition: Conduct Advanced yogic practices that are done at the very final stages of the path to further stabilize and refine one’s nature of mind practice.

APPLYING IN DAILY LIFE Daily-Life Practice Exercises Find a challenging situation that you can use as an opportunity for practice. Do not pick the most difficult situation, but one that feels workable. Review the instructions from Clarifying the Natural State, and pick a few key points to apply when the situation arises. Most importantly, recall the situation as often as you can, and form a clear intention to integrate your practice with it, and supplicate your guru or the lineage for their blessings. Journal Reflection Questions Where do you feel resistance, fear, or simply “stuck” in your life? What thoughts and beliefs do you have about this situation? How does it feel in your body? Reflect on the situation and come up with some practical ideas for integrating it with your practice. Note what you experience when you do.



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SMALL-GROUP WORK Understanding Discuss the three vital points that underlie the six methods for bringing adversity onto the path. What are some specific situations or challenges, and how would you apply these principles? Experience Discuss the thought and emotional patterns that you have the most difficulty integrating with your practice, and the positive experiences that you seek out. How and when do you experience them? Keeping the three vital points for integration in mind, how might you change the way you relate to these experiences? Application Discuss the areas where you feel resistance, fear, or simply “stuck” in life. What thoughts and beliefs do you have about this situation? How does it feel in your body? Reflect on the situation and come up with some practical ideas for integrating it with your practice. Note what you experience when you do. Open Discussion What struck you most about the teachings this week? What did you find confusing? What did you find inspiring?

“What we refer to as ‘bodhichitta’ Is emptiness united with compassion.” —Hevajra Tantra



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Definition: Integration A method to embrace adverse circumstances as opportunities to enhance one’s nature of mind practice. Also referred to as “utilizing adversity” and “taking adversity onto the path.”

“From the time when illness first strikes until finally mind and body are rent apart, until you attain the great enlightenment, you must stick very close to the lama, yidam, and genuine view.” —Machik Labdron



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MODULE 5 • SECTION 5-6 THE FOUR YOGAS OF MAHAMUDRA “Resting with vivid wakefulness is one-pointedness. Cutting through assumptions is freedom from elaborations. Freedom from judgments is one-taste. The purification of experience is non-meditation.” —Gomchung

CORE TEACHINGS Multimedia "The Unfolding of Realization, Part 1," by Mingyur Rinpoche "The Unfolding of Realization, Part 2," by Mingyur Rinpoche "Conclusion," by Mingyur Rinpoche Weekly introduction from Tergar instructor Readings Natural State, pp. 76-104 ("How Realization Arises and the Enhancement Practices”) Crystal Clear, pp. 132-163 (“Signs of Realization” to end of text)

TRADITIONAL PERSPECTIVES Moonbeams, pp. 349-419 (Chapter 10) Essentials of Mahamudra, pp. 239-255 (Chapters 17 and 18)


MODULE 5 • SECTION 5-6 The Four Yogas of Mahamudra

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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW Questions for Understanding Using the example of traveling to Bodhgaya, explain the difference between understanding, experience, and realization. (MB, pp. 351-354)

Give a brief description of the four yogas and how they manifest in experience. (MB, pp. 360-365)

“Understanding involves inquiry and investigation. Experience involves the ups and downs of bliss and clarity. Realization is the recognition of mind’s true nature.” —Tsangpa Gyare



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UNDERSTANDING THE VIEW, CONTINUED Questions for Understanding, continued What are the key points of the entire path? How might you apply these key points to specific situations in your meditation practice and daily life? (MB, pp. 409-412)

REVIEW Mentally review the most important ideas and practices presented in the course. Clarify the sections that you would like to study further or continue to review after the course ends. Make a simple plan that will allow you to keep the insights from the course fresh in your mind.

Tip Every word of the Dharma can be taken as a practical instruction. When you encounter a teaching, ask yourself, “How can I apply this to my direct experience?”



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The Stages of Practice Realization Experience Understanding

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EXPERIENCING THROUGH MEDITATION Practice Instructions In this final section of the course, reflect on your practice over the past few months and choose one of the teachings that you would like to explore further. Spend 10 sessions working with this teaching, alternating the practice with periods of simply resting without effort in awareness. Journal Reflection Questions Reflect on your study and practice of Mahamudra and how you intend to continue to develop your experience and understanding. What teachings and practices have you found the most helpful during the course? What ways have you found to support your study and practice? What have you found inspiring or meaningful?

Think of specific things you can do, such as making a plan to go on retreat, renewing your commitment to daily practice, or finding specific areas to work with in daily life, to carry your practice forward.



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Tip There are said to be 84,000 Dharma teachings, but the multitude of practices and approaches are all meant to help us to let go of attachments and see through the illusion of an enduring self.

APPLYING IN DAILY LIFE Daily-Life Practice Exercises Pick a situation or activity that you encounter each day, and use one of the approaches or styles of practice you have learned in the course during this activity. Practice this same approach “short times, many times” throughout your day. Journal Reflection Questions How do you intend to continue to develop your practice of Mahamudra in daily life? How do you intend to get the support and guidance you need? Make note of three specific ways that you can inspire yourself and further strengthen your practice.



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SMALL-GROUP WORK Understanding Spend the final few sessions discussing your experience in learning about Mahamudra. How has your understanding deepened? What do you feel confused about? What steps are you inspired to take in the future to continue along the path? Experience Discuss your experience of sitting Mahamudra practice throughout the course. What has been the most helpful or rewarding? What did you find the most challenging? How do you plan to further deepen your practice beyond the course? Discuss specific things you can do, such as making a plan to go on retreat, renewing your commitment to daily practice, or finding specific areas to work with in daily life, to carry your practice forward. Application Discuss your experience of practicing in daily life during the course. What has been the most helpful or rewarding? Where have you felt stuck or resistant? How might you continue to practice in daily life beyond the course? Open Discussion What struck you most about the teachings this week? What did you find confusing? What did you find inspiring?

“When you realize there is no mind, all experience is carefree. When you no longer judge, thoughts are free the moment they arise. When you drop expectations, everything is fundamentally the same. When you realize this is how things are, the flow of meditation does not cease.” —Gampopa



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“Now until the dualistic identity mind melts and dissolves, it may seem that we are parting. Please be happy. When you understand the dualistic mind, there will be no separation from me. May my good wishes fill the sky.” —Yeshe Tsogyal



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MAHAMUDRA LINEAGE OF THE KARMA KAGYU DISTANT LINEAGE Buddha Vajradhara Guru Vajradhara, referred to as Dorje Chang in Tibetan, is the primordial Dharmakaya Buddha and represents the enlightenment of the Buddhas of the three times. He is most often depicted as dark blue in color, hands crossed in front of his chest, holding a vajra and a bell, symbolic of the two wings of the path: wisdom (bell) and compassionate activity (vajra). Vajradhara is said to have started the Mahamudra lineage.

Guhyapati—Enlightened Women (Dakinis) of Uddiyana—King Vishukalpa Guru Vajradhara entrusted the teachings to the custodian Guhyupati, who then passed them on to the Enlightened Women (Dakinis) of Uddiyana. These enlightened women further expanded on the original teachings and passed them on to King Vishukalpa, who traveled from India to Uddiyana to receive these teachings. Upon his return from Uddiyana to India, King Vishukalpa examined the potential of all of his disciples and chose Saraha as the most worthy vessel1.

Saraha Born into a Brahmin family in India, Saraha renounced his worldly possessions at a young age and chose to take an arrowsmith as his consort, much to the dismay of his family and community. Some say that Saraha received the transmission of Mahamudra from King Vishukalpa, while others claim it was from Bodhisattvas – either Ratnamati, included within the retinue of Buddha Vajradhara, or Manjushri and Avalokiteshvara2.In any case, Saraha is said to have achieved instantaneous realization3. Considered one of the 84 mahasiddhas of India, Saraha is famous for his sounds of enlightenment (S: doha) which he sang to his disciples and from which they received immense benefit. Saraha emphasized radical awakening through recognizing the nature of one’s mind, as opposed to iterative processes of calm abiding and special insight.

Nagarjuna In some accounts, after receiving the transmission from Bodhisattva Ratnamati, Saraha is said to have passed down the teachings to Nagarjuna, the second 1Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, Moonlight, p. 116.

2Thrangu Rinpoche, On Buddha Essence, p. 158. 3Thrangu Rinpoche, On Buddha Essence, p. 116.



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Buddha. In other accounts, Nagarjuna is said to have received them directly from the Bodhisattvas. In either case, Nagarjuna spontaneously awakened to the nature of reality. To be clear, in Tibetan Buddhist presentations, Nagarjuna is reported to have lived for over 500 years, and to have composed texts on a range of topics, including emptiness, Buddha nature, and more. Nagarjuna is also considered one of the 84 mahasiddhas of India.

Shavarishvara Born among the caste of dancers, Shavarishvara (also known as Shavaripa) was the perfect disciple to Nagarjuna, completely embodying devotion to his guru. Along with Saraha and Nagarjuna, Shavaripa is also reported to have received the teachings from the Bodhisattvas Manjushri and Avalokiteshvara. These three figures—Saraha, Nagarjuna, and Shavarishvara—are said to reside in the mythical mountain retreat of Shriparvata in south India, where they continue to offer the teachings on Mahamudra4.

Maitripa Maitripa is one of the most important figures within the transmission of Mahamudra. Some say he received transmission from Saraha, while others say that he also resided in Shriparvata and received transmission directly from Bodhisattvas. In either case, Maitripa was renowned as guru of both the great translator and founder of the Kagyu lineage, Marpa, and the founder of the Shangpa Kagyu, Khyungpo Naljor. He was expelled from the north Indian monastery Vikramashila and went forth to live the life of a mahasiddha, spending much of his time in the foothills of the Himalayas in eastern India and engaging in unorthodox behaviors targeted towards radical awakening.

4Namgyal, Moonbeams, p. 117.



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CLOSE LINEAGE

Buddha Vajradhara Guru Vajradhara, referred to as Dorje Chang in Tibetan, is the primordial Dharmakaya Buddha and represents the enlightenment of the Buddhas of the three times. He is most often depicted as dark blue in color, hands crossed in front of his chest, holding a vajra and a bell, symbolic of the two wings of the path: wisdom (bell) and compassionate activity (vajra). Vajradhara is said to have started the Mahamudra lineage.

Tilopa One of the 84 mahasiddhas of India, Tilopa was a master of both Tantra and Mahamudra. Born into a Brahmin family in modern-day west Bengal, Tilopa renounced his family status and chose to live a simple life as a wandering yogi. From the ordinary perspective, he is said to have received teachings from Saraha, Nagarjuna, and others, which he put into practice for many years. However, from the ultimate perspective, he had no human teacher and received transmission directly from Buddha Vajradhara himself. Tilopa’s name is derived from the means through which he fully realized the truth of Mahamudra—pounding sesame seeds (til). He is one of the foremost masters in the lineage of Mahamudra and is known to have composed the famous Six Words of Advice, in which one is instructed to simply rest, not analyzing, imagining, thinking, or engaging the mind in any way.

Naropa Also born into a Brahmin family, Naropa began his life studying Hindu texts and became a learned pandit. Upon meeting a Buddhist teacher and beginning to read Buddhist Sutras, however, he converted to Buddhism and became versed in both the Sutra and Tantra paths. He spent many years living at the great Indian monastery of Nalanda and was honored as the Northern Gatekeeper of the monastery. Through a vision of a dakini, Naropa was told to travel east and find the master Tilopa. Upon meeting him, Naropa was put through many tests of faith to prove his devotion to his master. Upon Naropa’s completion of all such tasks, Tilopa accepted him as a disciple and transmitted the totality of the lineage of Mahamudra to him.



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Marpa Born in Lhodrak in southern Tibet, Marpa is known as the great translator. He traveled over the Himalaya mountains numerous times to India and Nepal in search of the authentic Dharma. His two root teachers were Naropa and Maitripa, both of whom gave him transmission in various aspects of the path. Marpa is credited with bringing the complete Dharma to Tibet, translating many texts, and initiating the Tibetan tradition of Mahamudra. Marpa is said to have had countless disciples, four of whom were known as the great pillars: 1) Ngok Choku Dorje, who perfected the Tantras; 2) Tsurton Wangyi Dorje, who mastered ejection of consciousness (phowa); 3) Meton Chenpo, master of luminosity; and 4) Milarepa, master of all three aspects of the path—view, conduct, and meditation.

Milarepa The patron saint of Tibet, Milarepa is revered throughout all four major lineages as the embodiment of the ideal practitioner. After leaving home to study black magic in search of revenge against his wicked relatives, Milarepa realized that this was not the way. Instead, he searched for authentic Dharma, and fortuitously met his guru—the great translator Marpa. After being put through countless tests of devotion, Milarepa finally received the transmission of Dharma, which he put into practice for many years, eventually realizing perfect Buddhahood. He is famed for having achieved this state in a single lifetime due to the profundity and power of the lineage of Mahamudra. Among his many disciples, two are most prominent: Rechungpa and Gampopa, both of whom received the entire transmission and perfected it through practice.

Gampopa Gampopa began his life as a lay person, studying medicine and gaining notoriety for being one of the pre-eminent doctors of Tibet. When Gampopa wasf 26, however, his family was struck with an epidemic that killed his wife and children. Deeply saddened, he turned towards the Dharma and became a monk, studying within the Kadampa lineage. After practicing for many years, he heard of the great master Milarepa and set out in search of him. Upon arriving at Milarepa’s retreat, it is said that Gampopa was denied audience, a tactic later explained as a skillful means to lessen his pride. Milarepa quickly saw the promise of his new disciple and transmitted the entirety of the teachings to him. Gampopa spent many years in retreat enduring hardships and perfecting these practices. He is credited as the founder of the Kagyu monastic order, fusing the training he received from Kadampa masters masters with that from Milarepa.



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1st Karmapa Dusum Khyenpa Born in eastern Tibet, the person who would posthumously be called the 1st Karmapa spent his early years studying logic, debate, and meditation with the master Chapa Chokyi Senge. At the age of 30, he met his root guru Gampopa and received instruction on all aspects of the path—Sutra, Tantra, and Mahamudra. He developed many spiritual powers (siddhis) in the years to come, and began to lay the foundation of what would remain the core of the Karma Kagyu lineage. During his life, Dusum Khyenpa started three major monasteries, including Tsurpu, which has been the monastic home of the Karmapa lineage ever since. Included among his students were many learned and well-practiced disciples, chief of whom was Drogon Rechen.

Drogon Rechen Born in Yarlung, Drogon Rechen met Zangri Repa, his first teacher, after studying Sutra and Tantra for many years. It was from him that Drogon received the title of Rechen, which roughly translates to “great cotton-clad one.” Prior to Zangri Repa’s death, he instructed Drogon Rechen to pursue opportunities to study with the students of Milarepa. Drogon followed these instructions, met the 1st Karmapa Dusum Khyenpa and studied with him for seven years, receiving the full lineage transmission.

Pomdrakpa Pomdrakpa was ordained at a young age, and dedicated his life to study and practice of the Dharma. Upon hearing of the name of Drogon Rechen, he is said to have experienced intense meditation experiences, prefiguring his connection with his future guru. Pomdrakpa is said to have experienced visions of the 1st Karmapa while receiving empowerments from Drogon Rechen. He received the full lineage transmission from Drogon Rechen and bestowed it on the 2nd Karmapa Karma Pakshi.

2nd Karmapa Karma Pakshi Born in eastern Tibet, the 2nd Karmapa Karma Pakshi was a child prodigy and started his study of Dharma at a young age. He traveled to central Tibet, where he met Pomdrakpa, who had had previously identified him as the 2nd Karmapa. Karma Pakshi spent the majority of the first half of his life in meditation retreat. Later in life, he traveled widely throughout Mongolia, China, and Tibet, serving as advisor to Kublai Khan, grandson of Ghengis Khan, during the Mongolian reign over China. Karma Pakshi composed over 100 volumes of text and performed many miracles throughout his life. Prior to his death, he prophesied his next reincarnation—as Rangjung Dorje—to his root disciple, Orgyenpa, to whom he also gave the full lineage transmision. MAHAMUDRA WORKBOOK • Tergar


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Orgyenpa Orgyenpa was born in northern Tibet and practiced extensively in both the Nyingma and Kagyu lineages. He received monastic ordination from the great master Gotsangpa, and is said to have practiced Tantra extensively, mastering the practice of Vajrakalaya. He traveled throughout India, Nepal, China, Pakistan, and Oddiyana in order to learn about the Dharma and to document sacred places throughout these regions. He did not meet the 2nd Karmapa Karma Pakshi until he was 53 years old, but received the full lineage transmission from him. He also had a prophecy of the future birth of the 3rd Karmapa.

3rd Karmapa Rangjung Dorje Born in the Tsang region of central Tibet to a family of tantric practitioners in the Nyingma lineage, 3rd Karmapa Rangjung Dorje first met Orgyenpa at the age of five. He grew up in Tsurphu, where he was educated in both the Nyingma and Kagyu lineages. He is said to have experienced a series of visions, one of which was of Padmasambhava and Vimalamitra. During this particular vision, at the moment that the deities dissolved into his eyebrow center, he received the entire transmission of the Karma Nyingthik, a work that incorporates elements of Dzogchen and Mahamudra as well as intricate visualizations of deities, mandalas, and more. He also wrote the influential work Profound Inner Principles, which outlines the inter-workings of the subtle body. Rangjung Dorje had many influential disciples, including the 1st Shamarpa and Dolpopa. He passed away while visiting China.

Yungtonpa Dorje Pelwa Born to a family of Nyingma practitioners in Southern Tibet, Yungtonpa began studying general subjects, as well as Dharma, at a young age. He received instructions in Dzogchen and Tantra from renowned masters such as Zur Champa Senge and Shangpa Shakbum. Under pressure from his family, he took a consort, and after the birth of his first child, he requested to become a monk and follow his aspirations as a practitioner. At this point, he met the 3rd Karmapa and received the full transmission of the lineage. He also composed texts focusing on the differences in descriptions of Buddhahood found in Sutra and Tantra.

4th Karmapa Rolpe Dorje While carrying the 4th Karmapa in utero, his mother is said to have heard the mantra Om Mani Peme Hung, prefiguring the extraordinary life of her child. And at the age of three, Rolpe Dorje announced that he was, in fact, the 4th



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Karmapa. He spontaneously composed texts at a young age, displaying his inherited abilities. Rolpe Dorje met Yungtonpa while a teenager and received the full lineage transmission. Like his predecessors, Rolpe Dorje traveled to mainland China to give Dharma instructions to the Mongolian emperor. While returning from one of those trips, he had an auspicious meeting with a young boy in the Tsongkha district of eastern Tibet, and bestowed lay ordination (upasaka vows) on him. At that time, Rolpe Dorje predicted this child would have a great impact on Tibetan Buddhism in the future. The boy later became known as the Tsongkhapa, founder of the Gelug lineage. Rolpe Dorje was requested to return again to China by the new emperor, who had overthrown the Mongolian emperor, but he never made the trip.

2nd Shamarpa Khacho Wangpo Born in northern Tibet, the 2nd Shamarpa experienced many visions as a young child and was recognized by the 4th Karmapa at the age of seven. Khacho Wangpo studied with learned masters in both the Kagyu and Nyingma schools, and received the full lineage transmission from the 4th Karmapa. He was one of the first figures to record much of the lineage teachings in writing, preserving them for us today. His writings totaled over 80 volumes.

5th Karmapa Deshin Shekpa Deshin Shekpa was born in southern Tibet to young practitioners, and like the 4th Karmapa, he declared he was the Karmapa soon after birth. The 2nd Shamarpa recognized very early that this was the reincarnation of the 4th Karmapa, because the boy presented him with the black hat and other possessions of his predecessor. He also soon gave him the full lineage transmission. After a series of visions, the 5th Karmapa traveled to China, fulfilling the original request of the 4th Karmapa. It is said in Chinese records that due to the great devotion of the Chinese emperor Yung Lo, the 5th Karmapa displayed 100 days of miracles. While in China, in order to bring benefit to countless beings, the emperor commissioned a replica to be produced of the Karmapa’s black hat. The 5th Karmapa only lived until the age of 31.

Ranabadra Ranabadra spent his younger years touring around Tibet, studying and debating in various monasteries. He perfected many aspects of the path, including logic, monastic discipline, and more. He received the full lineage transmission from the 5th Karmapa.



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6th Karmapa Thongwa Donden Born in eastern Tibet, upon meeting a disciple of the 5th Karmapa, Thongwa Donden was declared the 6th Karmapa. Soon after this, he was taken to Karma Gon monastery to begin training, and it was here that the 5th Shamarpa officially recognized and enthroned him as the Karmapa. While at Karma Gon, the 6th Karmapa received the full lineage transmission from Ranabadra as well as teachings from other distinguished lamas. Thongwa Donden is credited for having fused together the Karma and Shangpa Kagyu lineages, as well as including the lineage of Chod within the Karma Kagyu tradition. During his life, he composed numerous Tantric manuals, restored many monasteries, and laid the groundwork for the monastic education system that is used in the Karma Kagyu today. Realizing that he would die early, he entered into retreat and passed the full lineage transmission to the 1st Gyaltsab Rinpoche, Goshir Paljor Dhondrup. His main spiritual heir was Bengar Jampal Sangpo.

Bengar Jampal Sangpo Born to distinguished practitioners, Bengar Jampal Sangpo commenced his training at a young age, and at 21 he began studying with the great master Rongtonpa. Later in life he followed the instructions of the 6th Karmapa onepointedly and gained great realization.

Goshir Paljor Dhondrup The 1st incarnation of the Gyaltsab lineage, Goshir Paljor Dhondrup was chosen as the general secretary of the Karmapa, a role he has continued to fill to the present day. He received the full lineage transmission from the 6th Karmapa, and extensive teachings from Bengar Jampal Sangpo. He wholeheartedly offered his services to the lineage of the Karmapas at all times.

7th Karmapa Chodrak Gyatso Born in northern Tibet, Chodrak Gyatso is said to have spoken about the empty nature of reality at 5 months, and at the age of 9 months was taken to meet the first Gyaltsab Rinpoche. After being formally recognized as the 7th Karmapa, he began his training and was given the full lineage transmission from both Bengar Jampa Sangpo and Gyaltsab Goshir Paljor Dhondrup. Chodrak Gyatso composed many texts, including his well-known treatise on logic and reason entitled The Ocean of Reasoning. He was invested in many



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endeavors, including protecting wildlife, building bridges, and helping to restore Buddhist holy sites in India. He passed away at the age of 51, after transmitting the entire lineage to Tashi Paljor.

3rd Situpa Tashi Paljor A native of eastern Tibet, the 3rd Situpa Tashi Paljor met the 7th Karmapa at a young age and was instantly filled with devotion. At the age of 17, he chose to leave his homeland and follow the Karmapa full time. After receiving the full lineage transmission, the 7th Karmapa instructed him to remain in retreat in the mountains of eastern Tibet and practice like the great poetsaint Milarepa. After 20 years of retreat, he gained full realization and became known as the first Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche. After this, he became the primary teacher of the 8th Karmapa Mikyo Dorje.

8th Karmapa Mikyo Dorje Born in eastern Tibet, Mikyo Dorje is said to have spoken the words “I am the Karmapa” at birth. After hearing this, 3rd Situpa Tashi Paljor recognized him as the 8th incarnation of the Karmapa lineage. After receiving confirmation from Gyaltsab Rinpoche, Mikyo Dorje was officially enthroned and received the full lineage transmission from both Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche and the 3rd Situpa. He is renowned as both a great scholar and practitioner, authoring over 32 volumes of text. He is also known as an accomplished artist, founding the famous Karma Gadri style of thangka painting. Throughout his life he had visions of Padmasambhava, leading the 8th Karmapa to understand his indivisibility with the founder of Tibetan Buddhism. Mikyo Dorje composed many sadhanas, liturgies, and philosophical treatises throughout his life. Foreseeing his imminent death, he assigned the 5th Shamarpa Konchok Yenlak as his regent to carry on the lineage.

5th Shamarpa Konchok Yenlak Born in southeastern Tibet, Konchok Yenlak was recognized as the 5th Shamarpa by the 8th Karmapa, who also transmitted the entire lineage to him and recognized him as a lineage holder. Additionally, he received extensive instructions from Pawo Tsuklak Trengwa. Konchok Yenlak wrote prolifically throughout his life, composing many volumes. He also became the primary teacher of the 9th Karmapa Wangchuk Dorje.



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9th Karmapa Wangchuk Dorje As predicted by the 8th Karmapa, Wangchuk Dorje was born in eastern Tibet and is said to have been heard reciting mantras while in utero. After birth he is said to have sat for three days in a cross-legged posture, declaring himself the Karmapa. According to the Karmapa's prediction letter, 4th Situpa Mitrug Gocha quickly recognized Wangchuk Dorje, and a year later the 5th Shamarpa Konchok Yenlak enthroned him and gave him the full lineage transmission. Once trained, Wangchuk Dorje traveled throughout Tibet in a wandering monastic camp that emphasized meditation practice. He is well known for his three treatises on the practice of Mahamudra, which are still used throughout the Karma Kagyu lineage: The Ocean of Definitive Meaning, Dispelling the Darkness of Ignorance, and Pointing Out the Dharmakaya.

6th Shamarpa Chokyi Wangchuk Chokyi Wangchuk was born in central Tibet, and was recognized by the 9th Karmapa, whom he followed and from whom he received instructions on the practice. During this time, he received the full lineage transmission. The 6th Shamarpa was also the teacher of Desi Sangpa, the ruler of central Tibet at the time. Chokyi Wangchuk was fluent in Sanskrit and is said to have traveled throughout China and Nepal, teaching Dharma everywhere he went. After his travels, he remained in eastern Tibet and became the principal teacher of the 10th Karmapa.

10th Karmapa Choying Dorje Born in the Golok district, Choying Dorje was recognized by the 6th Shamarpa and enthroned as the Karmapa. Foreseeing the coming political strife of central Tibet, Choying Dorje gave away most of his wealth and appointed the 5th Goshir Gyaltsab Dragpa Choying as his regent. Fulfilling his prophecy, the Mongol armies of Gushri Khan attacked central Tibet. Luckily, the 10th Karmapa had already fled. He traveled for many years with his attendant in eastern Tibet and modern-day Yunnan province in China. It was 20 years before the turmoil settled and Choying Droje could return to central Tibet. At this point, he gave the full lineage transmission to the 7th Shamarpa, his spiritual heir.

7th Shamarpa Yeshe Nyingpo Born in eastern Tibet, Yeshe Nyingpo was extremely devoted to the 10th Karmapa and had many signs of accomplishment in the practices of both



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Mahamudra and Dzogchen. As the spiritual heir of the 10th Karmapa, he received the full lineage transmission from him and became the primary teacher of the 11th Karmapa Yeshi Dorje.

11th Karmapa Yeshi Dorje In accordance with the prediction letter left by the 10th Karmapa, Yeshi Dorje was recognized by the 7th Shamarpa, 5th Goshir Gyaltsab, and Terton Yongey Mingyur Dorje, and later enthroned in Tsurphu. Yeshi Dorje received instructions from all three of these teachers, including the full lineage transmission from the 7th Shamarpa, and a series of terma (treasure) teachings from Terton Mingyur Dorje, fulfilling a prophecy of Padmasambhava. He was renowned for his miracles and visionary capabilities. The 11th Karmapa Yeshi Dorje had the shortest lifespan of the Karmapas to date, but during his life he blended the Nyingma and Kagyu lineages, and located and recognized the 8th Shamarpa Palchen Chokyi Dhondrup, who became his spiritual heir.

8th Shamarpa Palchen Chokyi Dhondrup The 11th Karmapa sent an envoy to the Yolmo region of Nepal to find Palchen Chokyi Dhondrup immediately upon the child's birth. He was recognized as the 8th Shamarpa, and with permission from his parents, he was taken to central Tibet and enthroned. He received extensive teachings from the 5th Goshir Gyaltsab, Trecho Tenzin Dhargye, and others. He traveled throughout China and Nepal propagating the Dharma and benefiting countless beings. Prior to his passing at the age of 38, he gave the full lineage transmission to the 12th Karmapa.

12th Karmapa Changchub Dorje Changchub Dorje was born in eastern Tibet and was quickly recognized by the 8th Shamarpa and brought to Karma Gon to be enthroned as the 12th Karmapa. Changchub Dorje received instructions from many famous masters. This included transmission on Dzogchen from masters of Katok monastery, a Nyingma headquarters in central Tibet. He reciprocated the offering by giving teachings on Mahamudra. He made numerous trips to Nepal and India, accompanied by his three regents—Shamarpa, Situpa, and Goshir Gyaltsab— and is said to have relieved immense suffering in these regions. In India, he visited the holy sites of the historical Buddha. Changchub Dorje passed away en route to China in a smallpox outbreak. Tai Situpa was identified as his spiritual heir.



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8th Situpa Chokyi Jungney Known as the Situ Panchen, Chokyi Jungney studied with both the 12th Karmapa and the 8th Shamarpa, mastering all levels of the teachings. He oversaw the creation of an entire woodblock set of the Kangyur and Tengyur scriptures, one of his greatest accomplishments. He was renowned throughout Tibet as one of the greatest meditation masters of his time. Situ Panchen recognized both the 13th Karmapa and 9th Shamarpa during his life.

13th Karmapa Dodul Dorje Born in southern Tibet, Dodul Dorje was brought to Tsurpu at a young age and enthroned by the 7th Goshir Gyaltsab. He received the full lineage transmission at the age of 8 from the 8th Tai Situpa Chokyi Jungney, and is said to have been particularly proficient in miracles. For example, as prophesied by Padmasambhava, Dodul Dorje was beckoned by the central Tibetan government during a great flood to save the prized Jowo statue. Although he was not able to make the trip, he fulfilled the prophecy, and saved the statue, by writing a letter of blessing and invoking the compassion of the great Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. Once the flood had ended, the 13th Karmapa traveled to Lhasa and offered a ceremonial white scarf to the statue, at which time the statue is said to have shifted its arms to receive the offering, remaining this way ever since. Prior to passing away, Dodul Dorje recognized the 9th Situpa as his spiritual heir, instructing him on where to find his next incarnation.

10th Shamarpa Mipham Chodrup Gyatso Recognized by the 13th Karmapa, Mipham Chodrup Gyatso received extensive teachings from him, as well as from the 8th Situpa Chokyi Jungney, Pawo Tsuklak Gawa, and Rikdzin Tsewang Norbu. He lived for many years in Nepal, where he is credited with restoring the great Swayembunath Stupa in the Kathmandu valley. He received the full lineage transmission from the 13th Karmapa and passed it, in its entirety, to the 9th Situpa Pema Nyingje Wangpo.

9th Situpa Pema Nyingje Wangpo Padmasambhava predicted the birth of Pema Nyingje Wangpo, who was born in eastern Tibet and recognized by both the 13th Karmapa and the 10th Shamarpa. He studied and practiced diligently for many years, fueling his



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extensive Dharma activity, which flourished throughout Tibet. He established many retreat centers among the Karma Kagyu monasteries, where he taught and inspired many disciples. He gave the full lineage transmission to both the 14th Karmapa and the 1st Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye.

14th Karmapa Thekchok Dorje Thekchok Dorje was born in mid-winter in eastern Tibet, yet it was reported that flowers bloomed and many rainbows appeared. At birth, he recited the Sanskrit alphabet, a very auspicious sign. He was recognized by Drukchen Kunzig Chokyi Nangwa, the holder of the 13th Karmapa’s prophetic letter, and was enthroned by the 9th Situpa Pema Nyingje Wangpo. It was from the 9th Situpa that Thekchok Dorje received ordination and full lineage transmission. Thekchok Dorje lived his life as a simple yogi and excelled in both poetry and dialectics. He also participated in the non-sectarian (Rime) movement of the 19th century, receiving various Tantric initiations from the great Treasure revealer Chogyur Lingpa. This period in Tibet was characterized by an ecumenical feeling, and masters from various lineages actively exchanged teachings. Chogyur Lingpa had important visionary experiences, predicting the future succession of the Karmapa lineage. Thekchok Dorje’s spiritual heir was the great leader of the non-sectarian movement, the 1st Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye.

1st Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye The birth of Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye was prophesied by both Shakyamuni Buddha and Padmasambhava. He is said to have mastered the Sutra and Tantra teachings, including the Bon lineage, at a young age. His primary teachers included the 14th Karmapa, Great Khyentse, and the 9th Situpa. He was a renowned poet, scholar, artist, and meditation master, and is credited as one of the founders of the non-sectarian (Ri-me) movement of Tibet. His Five Great Treasuries is a masterful, encyclopedic series of texts that cover subjects ranging from the three vehicles to medicine, cosmology, and more. He is said to have written over 100 volumes during his life. He received the full lineage transmission from the 14th Karmapa Thekchok Dorje.

15th Karmapa Khakhyab Dorje Born with an auspicious tuft of hair between his eyes, representing one of the 32 major marks of a Buddha, Khakhyab Dorje is said to have immediately recited Om Mani Peme Hung upon birth. He was recognized by many great teachers, including the 1st Jamgon Kongtrul, Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, Terchen Chokgyur Lingpa, and Pawo Tsuklak Nyinchey. He received a



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comprehensive education from these teachers and others, and excelled in all aspects of the path. These teachings included extensive training in Dharma, medicine, art, and linguistics. Khakhyab Dorje received a full lineage transmission from the 1st Jamgon Kongtrul. He traveled extensively throughout his life, helping to preserve many rare texts, reprinting them when necessary. He also is one of the only Karmapas to take a consort, who gave birth to three sons, one of whom was identified as the 2nd Jamgon Kongtrul.

11th Situpa Pema Wangchog Gyalpo Born in eastern Tibet, the 10th Situpa Pema Wangchog Gyalpo was enthroned by the 15th Karmapa, with whom he studied extensively. Included among his teachers were the 1st Jamgon Kongtrul and Khenchen Shenga, a renowned scholar-practitioner. He received the full lineage transmission from the 15th Karmapa and is responsible for finding, enthroning and educating the 16th Karmapa.

2nd Jamgon Kongtrul Palden Khyentse Oser Born in Tsurphu, the seat of the Karmapas, Palden Khyentse Ozer was the son of the 15th Karmapa. He was recognized as the 2nd Jamgon Kongtrul. He spent many years at Tsadra Rinchen Drak, the seat of his predecessor, studying and practicing. He traveled throughout Tibet and China, bestowing empowerments and giving teachings, which brought great benefit for the beings he contacted. He received the full lineage transmission from the 16th Karmapa.

16th Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje Born to a noble family in eastern Tibet, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje’s mother was given instructions to travel to a cave near her home to give birth. This cave had been a dwelling of Padmasambhava many years before. Accompanied by a Khenpo, she was instructed in the cleansing ceremony and other practices. One day prior to his birth, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje is said to have disappeared from his mother’s womb entirely, only to return the next day to be born. Rangjung Rigpe Dorje was recognized first by the 11th Situpa Pema Wangchog Gyalpo and the 2nd Jamgon Kongtrul Palden Khyentse Oser, and later by the 13th Dalai Lama Thubten Gyatso. After being recognized, he traveled to Tsurphu in central Tibet and assumed his throne, where he received the full lineage transmission from the 11th Situpa and the 2nd Jamgon Kongtrul. Just prior to the cultural invasion of Tibet by the Chinese, the 16th Karmapa fled to the kingdom of Sikkim in India, anticipating the coming occupation. Here he assumed activities in Rumtek, his primary seat outside of Tibet. Throughout his life, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje taught extensively,



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traveled throughout Europe and the United States, established numerous monasteries, and helped revitalize the Tibetan people in exile. He is known as one of the greatest masters of the 20th century, and passed away while on a traveling teaching tour in Chicago, Illinois in November, 1981.

Current Tai Situ Rinpoche The 12th Kenting Tai Situ Rinpoche was born in the Derge province of Tibet in 1954. The 16th Gyalwa Karmapa, who had predicted the birth and who would become his root teacher, enthroned him at Palpung monastery when Kenting Tai Situpa was just 18 months old. At the age of six, he fled the worsening political conditions in Tibet, eventually settling in India. Kenting Tai Situpa received the full lineage transmission from the 16th Karmapa. He is the founder of the Sherab Ling monastic project as well as the Maitreya Institute. His root teacher passed away in 1981 and was reborn as the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Orgyen Trinley Dorje in 1985. He was recognized by Kenting Tai Situpa and confirmed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Kenting Tai Situpa now oversees the training of the 17th Karmapa.

17th Gyalwa Karmapa Orgyen Trinley Dorje The son of a family of nomads in eastern Tibet, the boy who would soon be enthroned as the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa announced to his family at the age of seven that they should expect a visit from a group of traveling monks. The travelers were searching for the new incarnation of the 17th Karmapa, and the details of the boy’s birth, his location, and his parents’ names matched those made in predictions by both the 16th Karmapa and the 19th-century terton Chogyur Lingpa. He was enthroned in Tsurphu in a ceremony attended by some 20,000 people. During his time there, His Holiness bestowed many empowerments and oversaw reconstruction and repair of the monastery, which had been severely damaged during the Cultural Revolution. However, with so many of the Kagyu lineage teachers having left Tibet for exile in India, it was clear that he would be unable to receive the necessary teachings to fulfill all of his duties without also leaving the country. When he was 14 years old, he snuck away on the pretense of entering personal retreat, and accompanied by a few attendants, he undertook a harrowing escape. Once safely established in Dharamsala, India, he continued his monastic studies and began touring the world to give teachings in Buddhism as well as more contemporary topics such as feminism and the environment.



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Mahamudra Course Workbook

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