One of the precious aspects of the Jonang lineage is the consistency in the view throughout the Sutra and Tantra teachings. Rinpoche will give a very special empowerment the following weekend on Chod, Opening the Door to the Sky Empowerment from Jetsun Taranatha. In preparation he will give a bit of insight into the practice based in Sutra and how the view aligns with Other-Emptiness.
If would like to register for the International online event in other langauges, please sign up on Dzokden.org so we can best track your enrolment.
About the Practice of Chod
Chod is a powerful practice of accepting willingly what is undesirable, cutting through our concepts, reducing our self-cherishing nature leading us closer to our own true nature. The main obstacle to our own enlightenment is our clinging to our own ego, our own existence. When fear, fixation, and self-clinging are cut through, giving rise to the awareness of the pure nature of emotions and the emptiness of mental obscurations.
Machig Labdrön created a unique practice of Mahamudra Chöd practice. She is the manifestation of Prajnaparamita, the Great Mother who gives birth to realisation of emptiness. Furthermore, Machig Labdron is also the manifestation of Arya Tara, who gives birth to compassion. A chöd pa (practitioner) can cut through anything and therefore his or her main intention should be to unify understanding of emptiness and loving kindness and compassion, just as Machig Labdron did.
Khentrul Rinpoche has received the Chöd transmission and practiced in multiple traditions such as the Nyingma Kagyu, Jonang and the Gelug traditions.
Khentrul Rinpoche with the 9th Kalka Jetsun Dhampa. Rinpoche has received the Chöd Transmission from many masters. He had the pleasure of practicing Chod Retreat and receiving transmission from the Kalka Jetsun Dhampa considered to be a reincarnation of Taranatha and the spiritual head of Mongolia.
Throughout Buddhist history, female practitioners have been models of leadership in virtuous conduct, meditation, discipline and practice. Machig Labdron is an extraordinary example of a highly realised female practitioner. One of Rinpoche’s aspirations is to cultivate more realised female practitioners around the world and we hope this practice inspires the prominence and proliferation of more female Buddhist masters.
About the Empowerment This is an incredibly rare and precious empowerment of Chöd from the primordial mind of master Jetsun Taranatha. It is the most extensive and detailed Chöd Empowerment. We will include a booklet to follow along through the empowerment. Part of the transmission includes stories of Machig Labdrön’s life in which we can all be inspired by this precious Dakini’s presence.
Who can attend (online and in person)?
This retreat is open to all.
Sunday 21th November 2021 – Free Online Pre-Teaching If you want to learn more about the retreat and the teaching tune into this teaching from Khentrul Rinpoche. 7 AM – Chöd, Prajnaparamita and Zhentong Emptiness
Retreat Schedule – Online or In Person
*** All teachings (except transmissions), will be recorded and available for viewing in the learning centre.
Saturday 11 December
A Pearl Garland Narration of the Chöd Empowerment that Opens the Gate to the Sky (required attendance) This precious empowerment text by Jonang Lineage Master Jetsun Taranatha.
10:00 AM – 12:30 PM Arrive, set up camp and have some lunch 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM Session 1 Empowerment 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM Tea Break 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM Session 2 Empowerment 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM Dinner 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM Session 3 Empowerment
Sunday December 12
Facing your Fears – How to integrate Chod practice in Daily life
Understanding the Chod teachings and how it integrates into the Kalachakra practice.
Direct practice of Chod
Teaching of the Chöd Sadanas
7:00 AM – 8:30 AM Breakfast 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM Session 4 Practice and Teaching 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM Free Time and Lunch 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM Session 5 Teaching and Practice 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM Tea Break 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM Session 6 Teaching and Practice 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM Dinner and Free Time 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM Session 7 Teaching and Practice
Monday December 13
7:00 AM – 8:00 AM Breakfast 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM Session 8 Teaching and Practice 11:00 PM – 1:00 PM Lunch and Pack Out
Ritual Objects to Bring or Pre-order by November 18
Optional extras for practice – To enhance your practice, we have additional items for you to purchase for home practice. All purchases through our Dzokden store run by volunteers goes directly to Rinpoche’s altruistic projects.
As a kindness – If you want to special order these items to pick up a the Chöd Retreat in Australia, you must fill out this Australian order reservation form by November 18th. You will need to pick them up in person at the retreat. All items are subject to confirmation from the supplier for shipping due to Covid challenges. You will receive a confirmation email with a bill November 20th that the items are shipping for you.
Remember you CAN take the retreat and receive the empowerment even if you do not have all these items. Chöd can be practiced in your daily life as well as ritualistically.
Chöd Drum Made by artisans in Nepal. Each Chöd ritual drum, comes with a brocade case and tail. This high quality damaru is made of Sengdeng wood. $225 AUD
Kangling Thigh Bone Trumphet (made out of wood) Made by artisans in Kathmandu Nepal. It is very difficult to get a human bone Kangling in these modern times. Many people worldwide use Trumphets made from wood to look like Trumphet. It comes with a case. $110 AUD
Dorje and Bell (Small or Large Size) Made with bell metal by artisans in Dehradun India. Brocade case color may vary from the one shown in the image.
HOW THE ONLINE EMPOWERMENT WILL WORK 1) Register for each attendee that will be receiving the empowerment. You will receive a confirmation email. All of our online events use the Dzokden learning center. If you are not already enrolled in it, you will be invited to learn.dzokden.org
2) Before the empowerment, you will receive information on some simple supplies you should get to help make the experience as authentic as possible. If you are not able to get them all don’t worry. They are symbolic and you can still receive the empowerment. More important you must understand what is happening. Just attending an empowerment does not mean you receive it. You must know what is going on. To ensure everyone will receive the empowerment, Rinpoche will kindly make his instruction booklet available to you as an eBook so you can follow along so you know exactly what is happening. You are not allowed to share this program book with anyone else or give them access to the empowerment. This is private for your personal use. Rinpoche typically gives the eBook out the night before.
3) You will receive access to the zoom for each of the sessions. You will be able to watch any of the course in learn.dzokden.org The empowerment must be received in real time. There are no recordings available of the empowerment.
OFFERING DANA TO RINPOCHE It’s customary at the end of empowerment for students to make an offering of Dana to the guru. As this is an online event, you can make the offering of Dana to Rinpoche here.
There is an onsite supplement fee of $120 per person for all on-site attendees to cover the cost of food and amenities. This on-site fee is the same for those camping on site and those staying in the surrounding environment as meals will be provided to you either way.
Camping Accomodations
This is a camping retreat. Very simple amenities are available onsite. There is a basic shower and water for washing and portable toilet. There is limited power and no pubic wi-fi access.
Accommodation
You are able to camp for free onsite or you may prefer to stay in one of the local hotels or caravan sites. Please bring your own tent, sleeping bag and anything else you need.
Food
Food
All meals provided will be vegetarian only. If you have other food requirements please bring your own and notify us before the retreat so that we can allow some space for storage. We can reduce the supplement cost if you have a food allergy and can not eat with us.
What to Bring
What to Bring
Toiletries, personal care items and a bath towel
Warm and comfortable clothing (it gets cold at night time)
Walking shoes if you are a bushwalking type
Shoes that are easy to slip on or off for walking between buildings
Sunscreen and a hat for summer
Warm clothes/jacket for evening
Insect repellent
Torch
Notepad and pen
Snacks if you have preferences
Practice Items
Chod Drum (optional)
Dorje & Bell (optional)
Text
Cushion
Getting to Land of Shambhala
Getting to the Land of Shambhala
Address: 837 Taggerty-Thornton Road, Thornton 3712 Victoria
Contact:0487 440 140
Directions from the Melbourne Airport It is very difficult to get to the retreat center property by public transit. It takes a full day to do it. If you are flying in for this retreat we encourage you to rent a car to get to the airport.
If you need a lift please email [email protected] or call her at 0487 440 140 and we will endeavour to match you with someone coming from an area near you. Please note, we can’t guarantee a lift to everyone who needs one.
I can offer a lift?
Let us know if you can take extra people with you by emailing [email protected]
The journey is usually about an hour and a half drive from Belgrave, Victoria.
If you require any help with directions you can call us on 0487 440 140 or (03) 9754 6212
Zoom and Facebook Live. Translations to be determinedBy request of many different students, Rinpoche will kindly lead a discussion and debate around the Dharma of food. Khentrul Rinpoche always encourages us to see debates from many views and angles. The age old question on what to eat is no different. He will help walk us through all the different intentions and vantage points we may have when looking at the karma of the actions around what we consume.Please bring your questions and your best points to this interactive event. Some of the questions that often come up and lead to lot of discussion and confusion – Are Buddhist all peaceful people eating vegetables? In Tibet some Monastery areas sell “naturally died” vs “killed” meat. What’s the difference and do the monks eat meat? If I buy meat at a supermarket am I contributing to killing? Am I violating a vow if I eat meat? What if I need to eat meat for my health, am I a failed Buddhist?
If Lockdown lifts you can come in person. To come in person just show up and or register and pay online.
The Request For This Teaching A student of Rinpoche’s is sick. Her astrology chart indicates she needs to receive the Medicine Buddha Empowerment and she has not received it previously. We can not find one near her so kindly Rinpoche is going to bestow the Medicine Buddha Empowerment Online.
About the Empowerment Please note that empowerments are not recorded. You must receive it in real-time. The medicine Buddha is the doctor that cures all suffering. Khentrul Rinpoche has prepared a sadhana for us and included this empowerment so that we may be able to improve the conditions for ourself and all sentient beings. Experience the power of bringing the Medicine Buddha in your life to help yourself, loved ones or people in the world who are ill and suffering from sickness and other obstacles.
Practice Book The Medicine Buddha is a profound method for clearing away hindrances and establishing conducive conditions for the practice of Dharma. Khentrul Rinpoche has arranged a short practice based on the visionary experience of Dölpopa. The conciseness of the practice allows you to easily integrate it into your own daily life.
EMPOWERMENT GUIDE BOOK We will provide online registrants with an eBook to follow along with step-by-step which is available in English, Chinese, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Hungarian, Romanian, and Mongolian.
HOW THE ONLINE EMPOWERMENT WILL WORK
1) Register for each attendee that will be receiving the empowerment. Choose your preferred language. You will receive a confirmation email.
2) Before the empowerment, you will receive information on some simple supplies you should get to help make the experience as authentic as possible. If you are not able to get them all don’t worry. They are symbolic and you can still receive the empowerment. More important you must understand what is happening. Just attending an empowerment does not mean you receive it. You must know what is going on. To ensure everyone will receive the empowerment, Rinpoche will kindly make his instruction booklet available to you as an eBook so you can follow along so you know exactly what is happening. You are not allowed to share this program book with anyone else or give them access to the empowerment. This is private for your personal use. Rinpoche typically gives the eBook out the night before but if this is a technical problem for you (you can’t read an eBook and be on zoom at the same time) please indicate on the registration form so we can work to accommodate you. 3) You will receive access to the zoom for session.
OFFERING DANA TO RINPOCHE It’s customary at the end of empowerment for students to make an offering of Dana to the guru. As this is an online event, you can make the offering of Dana to Rinpoche here.
In this free two day teaching and practice retreat, Khentrul Rinpoche will give a line by line commentary on the 3 prayers he wrote about the Sublime Realm of Shambhala. This is a deep dive into the layers of Shambhala. We explore concepts from what is Shambhala, how we can relate to it in our life and through our death.
He will bestow the Oral Transmission of 3 Shambhala Prayers. This course will be livestreamed on Facebook.
To receive the Oral Transmissions you need to be registered. They are only available in Zoom.
For those who have the Profound Path of Vajra Yoga, the first two prayers are in there.Make an offering of Dana to Khentrul Rinpoche It is common for those requesting an empowerment or transmission to make an offering. You can do so online here. https://dzokden.org/donations/dana-for-rinpoche/
For those who need an introduction to Shambhala, we recommend Rinpoche’s newest book The Realm of Shambhala as preperatory reading.The Realm of Shambhala presents the Kalachakra Tantra’s multilayered approach to Shambhala as taught by the Tibetan Buddhist Jonang tradition. Understood to be an ancient kingdom and physical place, Shambhala is also taught to be an exalted state of mind attainable by all through practice. Through cultivating peace and extending it into harmonious relationships with others, the transformative power of Shambhala can enter everyday life.
This book details the tradition’s perspective on the origins of Kalachakra literature and includes extensive lineage narratives of Jonang masters who have upheld this tradition in India and Tibet. Khentrul Rinpoche joins practical teachings with a vision for humanity rooted in ancient prophecy. The Kalachakra Tantra foresees a golden age, when the individual peace attained through Kalachakra practice spreads to humankind as a whole. The Realm of Shambhala lays out a vision for how we can cultivate an unbiased mind, overcome our collective afflictions, and usher in an era of perfect peace.
