Lama Tharchin Rinpoche

The Vajrayana Foundation’s Dudjom Ngondro Program

~ DudjomTersarNgondro

Lama Tharchin Rinpoche and Lama Sonam Rinpoche began planning the Ngondro Program with Vajrayana Foundation staff in the fall of 2012.

On April 21, 2013, Lama Tharchin Rinpoche gave the first Ngondro Program video conference teaching to a group of 36 Program members from the US, Europe, Mexico and the Pacific Islands.

On August 24th , 2015, we introduced the Ngondro Program to the world wide web. We mark the Web Ngondro’s 8th year with the launch of the Dudjom Ngondro Podcast. You can listen to our Podcasts on Spotify, Google Podcast, Podbean and Apple Podcast.

Blessings from Tulku Thadral Rinpoche 

Cy Kassoff English Translation

Choying Wangmo about the Dudjom Ngondro Program

Early Beginnings
Becky Loy, Co-Director
Vajrayana Foundation

Lama Tharchin Rinpoche and Lama Sonam Rinpoche began planning the Ngondro Program with Vajrayana Foundation staff in the fall of 2012, with the objective of providing to serious students of the Dharma the structure and guidance needed to complete their Dudjom Tersar Ngondro from start to finish.
The Program was announced in February 2013 with an email detailing the unique Program components:

  • A Personal interview with one of the lamas once a year
  • Senior student advisors to give personal support by email or phone
  • Video webinar teachings by one of the lamas every other month
  • Video study and discussion groups led by senior students on alternate months
  • Annual in-person Ngondro Retreat

Students began signing up immediately, and many attended the Ngondro Retreat in March, which began with Sam Bercholz’s first teachings at Pema Osel Ling: Establishing the View: The Golden Key to Kyabje Thinley Norbu Rinpoche’s A Cascading Waterfall of Nectar.

On April 21, 2013, Lama Tharchin Rinpoche gave the first Ngondro Program video conference teaching to a group of 36 Program members from the US, Europe, Mexico and the Pacific Islands. In it he welcomed the “new Tersar Lineage Holder guys”. He said,
“I want to say how much I’m happy all of you are willing to do Dudjom Tersar Ngondro. In this generation, by His Holiness Thinley Norbu Rinpoche’s kindness, we established pretty well all the Dudjom Tersar teachings. But [for the] next generation we have to keep these things going.
“His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche told me to take care of the Tersar tradition. My life meaning is only I want to serve dharma. People who do practice, that is my main focus, the meaning of my life. All our sangha is my special friend; and particularly, those who do more practice, that is closest to my heart. All of you willing to do Ngondro, please continue. I am dedicating my body, speech and mind, anything I can, to the Dudjom tradition. We have to be willing, responsible, to hold that doctrine lineage.”

This talk was part of a very auspicious weekend at Pema Osel Ling, beginning with Yangthang Tulku Rinpoche giving sublime Dzogchen teachings on Garab Dorje’s Three Words That Strike the Vital Point, and concluding with a Kurukulle jinsek (fire puja) led by Lama Tharchin Rinpoche, Tulku Jamyang Rinpoche, and Lama Sonam Rinpoche in order to magnetize all positive circumstances for Pema Osel Ling and the whole sangha.

The Ngondro Program has expanded in scope and offerings and has continued without interruption from 2013 to the present.

 

Lama Tsedrup Tharchin Rinpoche 1936-2013

~ DudjomTersarNgondro
Pema Dechen and Drubpon Pema Rigdzin standing next to Lama Tharchin Rinpoche’s Throne in the Shrineroom at the Pema Osel Ling Retreat Center in the Santa Cruz Mountains, California

Lama Tharchin Rinpoche was a beloved Dzogchen master of the Dudjom Tersar tradition of the Nyingma school of Vajrayana Buddhism and the tenth family lineage holder of the Repkong Ngakmang in Amdo, the largest community of yogi and lay tantric practitioners in Tibet. The Repkong ngakpas were revered throughout the region for their realization and ability to benefit others through the power of their tantric practice. (continue to read at https://www.heartteachings.com/pages/about-us). Lama Tharchin Rinpoche entered parinirvana on July 22, 2013

This year, on Rinpoche’s 10th Solar Parinirvana Anniversary, Saturday, July 22, Jnanasukha Foundation is offering  a day of community, practice and teaching beginning at 9:00 am with Lama Dechen Yeshe Wangmo, and students of Lama Tharchin Rinpoche. For more information, to see the schedule of events and to connect to join this commemorative event, visit: https://www.jnanasukha.org/ltr-10th-parinirvana-event

Chakung Wangdrak Rinpoche (Spiritual Director of the Abhaya Fellowship) will give a teaching from 10am – noon on “The Ngakpa Tradition: Stories and a Teaching in Honor of Lama Tharchin Rinpoche, ” hosted by the Abhaya Fellowship. You can find the login information using this link on The Heart Teachings by Lama Tharchin website:

On August 1st, the Lunar Anniversary date, the Vajrayana Foundation is offering a day of practice, by livestream or to attend in person at the Pema Osel Ling Retreat Center, the Dorsem Lama Chopa Offering of the Lama in the Form of Vajrasattva puja and tsok. For more information and to receive live stream links, visit: https://www.vajrayana.org/events/242/

Following herein in three versions: English, Tibetan and by Rinpoche’s hand, we want to re-share Lama Tharchin Rinpoche’s ShalChem, Final Words of Advice. Lama Tharchin Rinpoche requested Pema Dechen to give his Final Words of Advice to people after he passed.

finaleng

finaltib

finalhand

“Responding to the requests of students, Lama Tharchin Rinpoche established Heart Teachings in 2000 (as Friends of Lama Tharchin Rinpoche) and began producing monthly Dharma teaching videos to support the practice of his many heart friends. Rinpoche used this opportunity to offer precise instruction on the view, meditation, action, and result of the vajrayana path, focusing on presenting detailed guidance for many of the most important practices of our Dudjom Tersar lineage.  Rinpoche’s video series provided us, wherever we were, with a way to connect with Rinpoche each month, helped support Rinpoche’s personal retreats, and allowed us to compile a vast library capturing Rinpoche’s unique wisdom heritage. Following Rinpoche’s instructions, after his passing into parinirvana on July 22, 2013, we have continued collecting, cataloging, preserving, and making available Lama Tharchin Rinpoche’s Vajrayana Buddhist legacy of teachings, practice and ritual traditions, writings and art, stemming particularly from the Nyingma and Dudjom Tersar yogi traditions.

Rinpoche’s teachings encompass a wide range of topics from Vajrayana Buddhism, including the foundational preliminary practices, our most common Dudjom Tersar sadhana practices, and Dzogchen. Suitable for beginning to advanced practitioners, Rinpoche’s heart advice will illuminate spiritual practice in any tradition.

Since the Heart Teachings’ inception, our monthly subscribers have formed the heart of support and continue to be an essential element of, and inspiration for, our work.”

Click here to join the Heart Teaching by Lama Tharchin as a monthly subscriber.

 

Mandala for the Support of Accomplishment

~ DudjomTersarNgondro


To make the mandala offering, you will need two mandalas. The first, called the “mandala for the support of accomplishment,” is placed on the shrine and visualized as a refuge tree. This support is made by filling three rings placed on a mandala pan with piles of offerings, totalling thirty-seven. If you do not have these rings, then put a mandala pan piled with rice on the shrine. The second is the offering mandala which is held in your lap. In addition, you will need rice, seeds, grain or precious stones, Precious stones are the best. If you use rice or grain, color it with saffron. Visualize each single grain of rice as one three-thousandfold world system, as was described before. Sit with a cloth draped across your lap to hold the pile of rice. Hold a bit of the rice and the pan in your left hand. Your right hand, formed into the mudra of the vajra fist, holds a small amount of rice between the thumb and middle finger. Recite the hundred syllable mantra while rubbing the underside of your right wrist on the mandala pan in a clockwise circle until you complete one recitation. Then drop the rice from between the fingers of your right hand back into the pile on your lap. With the same hand, pick up a handful of rice and make seven piles on the surface of the pan. The first one, in the center of the pan, represents Mount Meru. Then make a pile above the center one, another to the right, one below, and one to the left of the first pile. These four represent the four continents. Make the sixth pile in the same place as the second pile and the seventh pile in the same place as the fourth. These last two represent the sun and moon. After you finish making the piles, wipe the pan clean with the underside of your right wrist in a clockwise rotation. (The offering will fall into the cloth.) Think of the mandala plate as symbolizing the purity of your mind. As you rub your wrist on the pan, the action of rubbing the bodhicitta nerve, which passes through your wrist, purifies your mind’s obscurations.

Source: Dudjom Tersar Ngondro Commentary by Lama Tharchin Rinpoche.

Digi Dudjom Tersar Ngondro Commentary

Lama Tharchin Rinpoche Chants Dudjom Tersar Ngondro

This weekend, streaming online, on 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟏𝟓𝐭𝐡, 𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐚𝐭 𝟗:𝟑𝟎𝐚𝐦 𝐏𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜, 𝐃𝐮𝐝𝐣𝐨𝐦 𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐍𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐨 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 for the Vajrayana Foundation Ngondro Participants. Watch your email for logon information.

Not a participant in our Ngondro Program? Check out our website at DudjomTersarngondro.com to find out how we can help support your practice.