Troma Nagmo
Make Tsok, Butter Lamp, or other offerings for Summer Retreat
During the second session of our Summer Retreat, June 11-20, 2017, Sangye Khandro, a senior disciple of Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche and Dungse Thinley Norbu Rinpoche, and highly regarded translator of several texts and sadhanas on Dudjom Lingpa’s Chöd, will give teachings and lead us in Troma practice. By doing this retreat, you will receive a thorough and practical grounding in the Troma Ngondro (preliminary) practices and will gain familiarity with the chöd (or severance) practice of the Four Feasts as well as the concise and medium length Troma sadhanas.
You may attend the full 10-day retreat, or either of two 5-day retreats. Sangye Khandro requests that participants attend the full 5 days for each retreat, in order to maintain the continuity of the teachings and practice. If you would like to request permission for a special arrangement, please contact office@vajrayana.org.
June 11-15, the focus will be on Troma Ngondro, with teachings and opportunities for personal accumulations, as well as daily practice of the Four Feasts. Sangye Khandro will teach from Master Pedma Lungtog Gyatso's extensive commentary to Terton Dudjom Lingpa's terma revelation, Heart Essence of Saraha. This commentary was composed at the request of the Terton himself and is a comprehensive treatise that underscores the preliminary instructions in detail that surpasses Patrul Rinpoche's Words of My Perfect Teacher. Each word of the terma is embedded in the commentary entitled An Ambrosia Ocean of Sublime Explanations [Dudjom Lingpas' Chod]. During this practice-oriented retreat we will do the four feasts each day and accumulate the intermediate Ngöndro. Sangye Khandro will give teachings and instructions during the mid-morning and afternoon sessions daily. Each evening, we will offer tsog. We will conclude the 5-day retreat with he intermediate sadhana on the final day.
June 16-20, Sangye Khandro will teach from the Heart Essence of Saraha and go through the Trekchö teaching that are introduced by means of the four samayas: non-existence, oneness, openness and spontaneous presence in the commentary, Dudjom Lingpas' Chod. The daily sessions will engage one with the ritual and practice of the Intermediate Sadhana. This is a rare opportunity to study the Dzogchen view through the Tröma cycle wth a qualified practitioner and teacher.
The “Sole Mother” or Troma Nagmo, the Black Wrathful Dakini, is one of the most profound termas (treasures) revealed by Dudjom Lingpa. Chöd, or severance, is the practice that directly severs the root of suffering, self-fixation, with exceptionally expedient wisdom methods. It is well known that through the Troma Nagmo cycle of practice, thirteen of Dudjom Lingpa’s disciples attained the rainbow body, and it is predicted that many more will continue to do so for three generations to come.
New students who have an interest in the Troma Cycle are welcome and encouraged to attend the retreat.
Sangye Khandro, a disciple of both Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche and Dungse Thinley Norbu Rinpoche, studied Troma under the guidance of Kyabje Rinpoche who oversaw her progress as she underwent a series of retreats to accomplish the prerequisites of the practice. Hence Troma has become her principle practice and she has translated several of the important termas that illuminate this path, including the text we will study this retreat.
Sangye Khandro has been a student of Buddhism since 1971 and a translator of the Dharma since 1976. She has helped to establish numerous centers in the USA and has served as translator for many prominent masters in all four lineages. Sangye has been the spiritual companion of the Venerable Gyatrul Rinpoche for nearly forty years and has continued to help serve the centers established by her root teacher, Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche, with whom she studied and practiced for many years. In 1999, Sangye founded the Light of Berotsana Translation Group and continues within that context to translate classical texts of the Tibetan Buddhist literary tradition. Sangye’s main practice is Chöd and she has been leading the Tröma Nagmo Chöd retreats at Tashi Choling and Orgyen Dorje Den for many years.
