Seven year course on Kālacakra and
the Six Yogas
at
Kālacakra Meditation Institute
Dharamsala, India

Jonang Duekhor Jordruk Gomdra Choekhor Ling

        
The photo above is of a mural in Tsangwa Monastery (gtsang ba mgon) in Dzamthang.
This first course organised at the Kālacakra Meditation Institute on Kālacakra and the Six Yogas will consist of seven seminars, one each year, starting in October 2016. The first seminar will run from Monday 10 October to Friday 21 October 2016, inclusive. The dates of the later seminars have not yet been determined. The content of the course is based on the Jonang tradition of Kālacakra, but the course will be open to members of all traditions. The course will be very detailed, fully utilising the extensive instruction texts of Tāranātha and Banda Gelek (see below). The instructions will be explained by Choki Nangwa Rinpoche. The teachings will be given in Tibetan and English.

In brief, the topics for the seven seminars are as follows (further extensive details, similar to those for the first year, will made available here soon):

2016. Introduction to the course and the instructions. First part of the instructions on the preliminary practices of the Six Yogas: refuge and prostrations and the development of the enlightened attitude. In addition, there will be an empowerment of Sahaja Kālacakra, teaching on the line structures and drawing for Kālacakra iconography and symbols and explanation of such images used in Tibet. Also ritual of permission for Avalokiteśvara.

The details of the main course are as follows:

    1. In praise of the teaching of the Dharma
    2. The meaning of instruction
    3. Explanation of the three confidences

1. First ordinary preliminary, refuge:

    1. The meaning of refuge
    2. Worldly and trans-worldly refuge
    3. The reason for the necessity of going for refuge
    4. The manner in which one goes for refuge
    5. Confirmation of having taken refuge
    6. Benefits of taking refuge
    7. That which is to be learned with refuge
    8. The differences between Hinayāna and Mahāyāna refuge
    9. The process of the main practice of refuge, with the prayers, the accumulation field, refuge accumulation field, meditation and so forth

2. Second ordinary preliminary: A. Development of the enlightened attitude

    1. Definition of the enlightened attitude
    2. Classification of the different components of enlightened attitude
    3. Meaning of the term 'enlightened attitude'
    4. Definition of generating the two enlightened attitudes
    5. The benefits of the enlightened attitude
    6. The harm of abandoning the enlightened attitude
    7. That which is to be learned

B. Explanation of the four immeasurables

    1. The harm of the absence of the four immeasurables
    2. The benefits of contemplating the four immeasurables
    3. The essence of the four immeasurables
    4. Classification of the components of the four immeasurables
    5. The characteristics of the four immeasurables

2017. Permission ritual for Vajrasattva and instruction on Vajrasattva meditation for the purification of evil and obscurations. In addition: the long life empowerment known as "one deity, one flask", recitation of the liturgies for the preliminary practices.

2018. Instruction and explanation of the maṇḍala offering practice for the development of the two accumulations. In addition, the method of recitation, arrangement of offerings, etc., for the nine-deity maṇḍala practice of 24-armed Kālacakra.

2019. Instruction on the practice of guruyoga, for the development of blessing/inspiration. This will complete the instructions on the five ordinary preliminaries of the Six Yogas. In addition, teaching on the drawing of the maṇḍala, placement of coloured powders, etc.

2020. The first of the two special preliminaries of the Six Yogas. Instruction on the generation process meditation of two-armed Sahaja Kālacakra. Empowerment of Kālacakra and explanation of the generation process.

2021. The second special preliminary, instruction on the three freedoms, the special preparatory practice for the perfection process of the Six Yogas. This will complete the two special preliminary practices, and the full seven preliminaries to the Six Yogas. In addition, the higher ultimate empowerment of nine-deity Kālacakra.

2022. Instructions on the main practices of the Six Yogas: Withdrawal (pratyāhara, so sor bsdus pa), Mental focus (dhyāna, bsam gtan), Wind control (prāṇāyāma, srog rtsol), Retention (dharāṇā, 'dzin pa), Consummation (anusmṛiti, rjes su dran pa) and Absorption (samādhi, ting nge 'dzin). In addition, there will be an empowerment for Kālacakra, permission ritual for Cakrasaṃvara and relevant ritual instructions.

This will conclude these special preliminary and main practices that enable the practitioner to travel the short and fast path to the state of Vajradhara.

Early Tibetan and Indian teachers stated that students could not receive and practice the teachings of the Six Yogas without first practising the seven preliminaries. It is the same here for this course, and so it is important that students complete the entire course of seminars. In order to take part, a student should at best have taken full ordination or at least be willing to take lay vows (refuge, and the five precepts regarding not killing, stealing, etc.).

Registration

Registration for the first course needs to be at least four months before the start of the first seminar. Cost of the course for 2016 will be US $550.00. This will include three meals each day and other refreshments (tea, coffee and the like). There will be one day off in the middle of the course, but meals will also be provided on that day. Unfortunately, the Institute is unable to cater to any special needs people may have due to any allergies.

In order to reserve your place for the 2016 course, please register and pay a deposit of $200.00. This can be done on the Institute's web site.

For further information, please contact: gomgrwa@gmail.com
Tel: +91-1892-655777

Accommodation

Accommodation is available local to the institute at these places:

Highland Village Resort
Norbulingka
Sidhpur
Dharamshala-17607 (H.P.)
email: highlandvillageresort@gmail.com, opdeepak@gmail.com
Tel: 08528853310, 086283311
Web: highlandvilageresort.com

Norbulingka Institute
PO Sidhpur
Dharamsala, District Kangra
HP 176057
email: guesthouse@norbulingka.org
Tel: +91(0)89881 59349, 01892 246406
Web: norbulingkahotels.com

Himalayan Brothers' Samdupling Guest House
V.P.O. Sidhpur,Dharmshala,Kangra. H.P.176057   
email: samduplinghotel@gmail.com
email: chemidolkar2012@gmail.com
Tel: +91 98827 26963
Tel: +91 98160 84567

Other suitable accommodation will be listed here when possible.

Source materials

The main instruction texts that will be used are:

"Meaningful to Behold", zab lam rdo rje'i rnal 'byor gyi 'khrid yig mthong ba don ldan, by Tāranātha.
"Blazing of a Hundred Lights", supplementary text to "Meaningful to Behold", rdo rje'i rnal 'byor gyi 'khrid yig mthong ba don ldan gyi lhan thabs 'od brgya 'bar ba, by Tāranātha.
"The Chariot that Transports to the Kingdom of the Four Kāyas", dpal dus kyi 'khor lo'i rdzogs rim sbyor ba yan lag drug gi sgom rim grub pa'i lam bzang sku bzhi'i rgyal sar bsgrod pa'i shing rta, by Banda Gelek ('ba' mda' dge legs).



    E. Henning.
    Last updated 4 June 2016.
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