Chenrezig practice and teachings were conferred by Lama Lodru of the Karma Kagyu tradition at our 2008 sumer event. The Friday night group keeps the practice alive in Oklahoma City, alternating it with Shiné and other activities. Beginners are welcome to join us.
On the Friday preceding the first quarter moon of each month, we do a concise Red Tara practice adapted from the terma of the great Nyingma lama Apong Terton, and translated to English under the direction of Chagdud Tulku. The adapted practice is open to the public and does not require an empowerment.
Shiné (Sanscrit, Shamata, or Calm Abiding) meditation is a practice for maintaining a continuous stream of awareness, samadhi, which is essential for development on the path. The practice is usually complemented with Lhagthong (Sanscrit Vipassana, or Insight) meditation. The actual practice may vary according to your own instruction. The Friday night group provides a space to practice with others.
| Four Thoughts to Turn the Mind Every lineage of the Vajrayana teaches the ordinary and extraordinary preliminary practices as preparation for the path. The ordinary preliminaries consist of four thoughts to turn the mind to Dharma practice. The four thoughts are contemplations on: 1) the precious human existence; 2) impermanence; 3) the laws of cause and effect; and 4) the suffering of cyclic existence. Because these mediations are common to Tibetan traditions, they are part of the Rimé practice. |
Mind Training In the Tibetan tradition, motiviation is supreme. And the supreme motivation is Bodhicitta. Bodhicitta is the altruistic motivation to achieve Buddhahood in order to free all beings from suffering. Altruism, putting the needs of others ahead of one's own, runs counter to our usual motivation. The master Atisha transmitted contemplations, called Mind Training, to Tibet through the Kadampa tradition, which has since been absorbed into all of the contemporary Tibetan lineages. |
