Retreat Schedule
Wednesday, April 30
Spontaneous Wisdom:
Manifesting Buddha Mind in Everyday Life
Public Talk - Open to All
Time: 7 PM
Sug. Don. $10
Thursday, May 1
Tsa Lung Tigle Retreat
Awakening the Vajra Body: Yogic Teachings on the Channels, Winds and Drops
Time: 2-4:30 and 7-9 PM
Sug. Don. $60
These are the channels, winds, and drops which make up the subtle energy or Vajra Body. Yogic practices which work with the subtle energy body if done under the guidance of a qualified teacher can help clear obstacles to spiritual practice as well as have great benefit in healing illness of body and mind.
May 2-5
Trekcho Dzogchen Retreat
Cutting Through Delusion to Primordial Purity
Time: Fri. May 2, 2-4:30 and 7-9 PM
Sat.-Mon. May 3-5, 9:30-12 and 2:30-5 PM
Sug. Don. $240 or $60 per day
Trekcho or "cutting through"is the Dzogchen practice which swiftly cuts through all obscurations and delusive thoughts of the three times which prevent us from recognizing and being able to abide in our primordially pure nature.
This is a very special opportunity to receive detailed instructions on the profound Dzogchen practice of Trekcho or "cutting through". Traga Rinpoche will be teaching from a text entitled The Completion of Primordial Wisdom from the Yangzab Treasure teachings. Previously Traga Rinpoche taught on the earlier sections of this text which covered the practices of Korde Rushan (separating samsara from nirvana) as well as meditations that clarify the true nature of mind. We are now going to enter into the detailed Yangzab Trekcho Practice instructions which have not been given previously in the West. It is ok to attend this retreat even if you did not attend the previous Completion of Primordial Wisdom retreats with Traga Rinpoche.
Registration
For those attending the complete Retreat the suggested donation is $280.
Suggest donation for those attending individual teachings days is $60 per day.
To Register please email ddcv@gmavt.net
Or call us at 802-453-3431
Work Study and Scholarships Available
No one turned away for financial reasons.
If you are able to pre-register for these teachings that is very much appreciated.
Registration checks should be made out to DDCV and sent to:
DDCV
PO Box 252
Bristol, VT 05443
You can also pay by Paypal.
Our Paypal account is ddcv@gmavt.net
Location
All teachings will take place at 2 Elm St. Bristol, VT 05443
Directions
Community Housing
Inexpensive housing is available for $15 a night.
Other housing options
Nearest airport, bus and train stations are in Burlington, VT. Pickups from these locations can be arranged.
Click for information on Lho Ontul Rinpoche, founder of the Drikung Dzogchen Community
May These Teachings Benefit All Sentient Beings.
BIOGRAPHY for Venerable Traga Rinpoche
The Venerable Traga Rinpoche was born in 1954 into a long lineage of great Tantric Yogis. His paternal ancestry traces back to Rigzin Godem (1337-1408), the discoverer of the Northern Treasures of the Nyingmapa School. Rinpoche's mother was a true Wisdom Dakini who recited Tara's mantra almost constantly.
Very special signs were seen at Rinpoche's birth. At age 4, the 7th Lhotual Khakhyab Dorje recognized him as the reincarnation of Togden Tsondrue Tharchin (xxxx to xxxx). Due to the political unrest in Tibet, there was no opportunity to enthrone him and teach him Dharma, so Rinpoche studied Tibetan Medicine for 8 years and both studied and taught the Tibetan language.
Traga Rinpoche is an accomplished Dzogchen and Mahamudra master. He has received profound foundational as well as the most advanced teachings from some of the greatest living masters of Tibetan Buddhism including His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche, His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche, Khenchen Jigme Phuntsog and many others. He has completed over 10 years of retreats.
From Garchen Rinpoche, Traga Rinpoche received teachings on all Drikung Kagyu texts, the five-fold Mahamudra, Dzogchen Yangzab teachings, and many profound pith instructions. He did a Dzogchen Yangzab retreat at Lho Miyel Gon Monastery.
In early 1984, Traga Rinpoche received full gelong ordination from the Nyingma Master Khenpo Munsel, who gave him the detailed teachings on Dzogchen Tregchvd. Khenpo Munsel gently looked at Traga Rinpoche and said, "Your karmic propensity is to practice Dzogchen. I am your karmic lama. If you can meditate, you have today found the way to liberation in one life. You will never find something like this even if you went to look for it with your horse's hooves encased in steel. Spend one year near me and meditate."
For the next seven years, Traga Rinpoche did retreat near Khenpo Munsel, and practiced Tregchvd, Thvgal, practices of working with the vital energies, and other advanced practices.
Rinpoche has received and practiced many different lineages of the Six Yogas of Naropa. He studied and practiced Vajrayogini, Marpa's Guru Yoga and the Six Yogas with a Karma Kagyu Togden known for flying from mountain top to mountain top. Later he received and practiced the profound Drikung path of the Six Yogas and Mahamudra with Drupon Tenzin Nyima. Rinpoche has also studied with the Drugpa Kagyu Togdens of Tashi Jong.
In 1990, Traga Rinpoche went to see Khenchen Jigme Phuntsog. For 100 days, he received teachings and meditated. Some of the teachings/empowerments included the Dakini Heart Eseence teachings, Awareness-expression Empowerment, and the Khregs Chod, written by Khenchen Jigme Phuntsog himself.
Traga Rinpoche went to Chamdo in 1992 where Khenchen Karma Tseten asked him to give oral transmissions to the monks and nuns of Trachog Gon Monastery. Rinpoche was named 'Lung Lama' or 'Transmission Lama' by the Khenpos and Tulkus of the monastery.
In December, 1993, Traga Rinpoche arrived at Jangchub Ling Monastery in India where he met His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche. His Holiness gave him, among others, the Chakrasamvara Empowerment and transmission of the Five-Fold Mahamudra, He also received the wheel of Life Scripture, one of 18 major scriptures of the Mind Section of Dzogchen. Rinpoche then spent one year meditating at Lapchi, a place of special power where Milarepa had meditated.
In 1998, Lamchen Gyalpo Rinpoche, determined to make Traga Rinpoche's vast knowledge and profound experiential understanding of the highest level of Dzogchen teachings accessible to as many students as possible, enthroned him as 'Lopon Rinpoche' (Precious Master), with lavish praise for his hard work and outstanding achievements. His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche selected Traga Rinpoche as the Retreat Master and Resident Lama at the Garchen Buddhist Institute, and asked his students to have full confidence in him, "just as I have full confidence in him." Garchen Rinpoche has also specifically said, "It may seem like there are many great Lamas out there. Yet Traga Rinpoche is like gold. Even if put in a burning fire, he just glows."