Dakini's Whisper Monthly Journal - May 2021 |
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Stages of the Path and Our Journey Part 1 In Conjunction with “Songs of Spiritual Experience” by Lama Tsongkhapa |
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“The previous Masters who tread this same journey are gone but their teachings are passed on to us. See if you can aspire to put these teachings into practice and become one with them so that you become a benevolent ambassador in a world of suffering.” Khandro-la |
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LAMRIM Moisture and Warmth for Our Heart Practice Recently, after our first teaching from Khandro-la on “Songs of Spiritual Experience, Condensed Points of the Stages of the Path,” I sat down in my comfy chair in my meditation room and began to read these 45 verses of the path to enlightenment. I admit I had a certain expectation that I would be moved by these verses, feel a connection to them and gain deeper insight into this journey to awakening for the benefit of all to which each of us aspires. I don’t know if it was the time of day or my own scattered thoughts, but I honestly had a hard time reading it. “Can you taste it?” Khandro-la was whispering in my ear. “I want you to taste it.” This Song is filled with devotion and profound teachings on renunciation, bodhicitta and the wisdom of emptiness, and so on. It is remarkable in its profundity and completeness. And yet, I wasn’t “tasting it.” However, there was something happening as I was reading it. Some kind of energy was coursing through my body and my heart. Some sort of clearer inspiration was resounding deeper and deeper as I read this one stanza. I, a yogi, have practiced in this manner; You, who aspire for liberation, too should do likewise. I, a yogi, have practiced in this manner; You, who aspire for liberation, too should do likewise. This verse which is repeated throughout the song touched my heart! could “taste” the reality of the so-called “ordinary life” that these great masters lived and I was connected to those lives, connected to their journeys, and they to mine. This is the moisture and warmth I needed for my heart practice right now, just simply this. I, a yogi, have practiced in this manner; You, who aspire for liberation, too should do likewise. In this May Journal from Dakini’s Whisper, focused on the stages of the path and our own journeys, may you find your inspiration, some warmth, and moisture for your own heart practice. Ellen Dakini's Whisper Team |
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KHANDRO-LA'S CORNER Journeying Through the Cities of Realization A Teaching by Khandro-la |
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I’m going to guide you through this whole journey of Lamrim. Think of each of us practitioners as travelers treading this journey which our previous Masters tread, exactly the same road, stopping by different cities, different rooms, houses. This is called glance meditation. First, imagine you are awakened. You attained enlightenment. All your human potential is actualized. Just imagine you are that. Then from the sky of dharmakaya, you look down. You can see this whole globe and inside you can see the path you tread. You're a bit curious about it. How did I come here? How did I become a Buddha? You go back to the starting line and there are two cities' names from the two sections of the Lamrim teaching - How to Take a Lama and How to Train Your Mind Once You Have Taken Yourself to a Lama. You start walking into the first city… [Guided Review Meditation - Please review the youtube video below.] You quickly came towards the end of this journey. Imagine you have come to the first glimpse into emptiness. Shantideva said in his Bodhicharyavatara, “whatever I have learned so far is for this,” for realizing the wisdom of emptiness. For wisdom to dawn, we need to tread this journey and path. At the end of the journey, we rejoice. If you like you can go up to the sky again and let go of everything, empty of three spheres, the travelers, you, agent, and the path itself, all these realizations, what you reviewed, everything. They don't exist from their own side, the emptiness of emptiness, like an illusion or a rainbow. They appear yet do not have any substance, inherent existence. Just rest in the truth of that. This subject has been very dear to me. I hope you also appreciate this kind of teaching again and again. It’s not something to just “get it done.” It’s more like chewing, getting the taste more and more. We go on an excavation, go deeper and deeper, bottomless until we really come to the final stage of awakening That really enriches our practice and life both together, as you know, no difference, the same journey. The same human body, same human mind we have, exactly the same as those previous Masters who invested, who walked, who tread this same journey and came out like a shining star to benefit all beings. Now it’s our turn, no? The human incarnation, their incarnations are gone, but their teachings are left and passed on to us without any distortion, pure lineage, pure teachings coming from the snow melted river, mountain. See if you can inspire yourself or aspire to put this teaching into practice and come to realize, integrate, become one with it so that we become a benevolent ambassador in a world of suffering. DOWNLOAD the text here. Please join us for DW Sundays for this public offering. (May 2, 16 &23, noon - 1 pm, PST) |
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LAMRIM - STUDENTS' REFLECTIONS |
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As a new student to both Dakini’s Whisper and this path of Buddhism, paradoxically I feel as though I have a lot to say about my experiences with Lam Rim, and also can’t quite find the words. This is a bit of a new experience for me as I usually have lots of words to say on most subjects. But Khandro-la’s teachings encourage us to embody our experiences with the teachings, not to have simply an intellectual experience of contemplation but to really live and breathe the meaning and feeling of the lessons. I really appreciate this, I feel that it promotes a much deeper understanding of the truth of these teachings than I would experience in thought alone. And so I find myself trying to live these teachings rather than describe or talk about them so much. Starting on the path of Buddhism, particularly so far into my spiritual journey when I already have many tendencies and expectations set in place, felt a little daunting. Having the path so beautifully light up gives me a sense of clarity, a feeling that I can see where I am heading and know the reasons why I want to head in that direction. Every morning when I read the Foundation of All Good Qualities by Lama Tsongkhapa, I am reminded of the vows I have taken, I get to revisit my motivation for taking them, what I am working towards. Not just my own liberation from the suffering of the samsaric world, but to free all sentient beings, something that roots me in my heart as it opens up to the world around me. Every morning I am reminded that just cultivating bodhicitta isn’t enough, that I have to practice it even in the mundane moments of my life when someone cuts me off or the store doesn’t have the item I need. Instead of internally cursing or feeling frustrated, these small moments become a reminder to sink deeper into my heart, to connect more fully with compassion, and to see these as opportunities, as a part of the experience of this reality. Studying Lam Rim with Khandro-la’s guidance I am reminded to continually come back to the beginning, to my connection with the Buddha, the Buddha in me, in you, the thread of love that connects us to each other. Amanda K. DW Student |
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Khandro-la gives classical meditative teachings on Lam Rim, the Stages of the Path, which is the basis for Vajrayana, Tantra, Chö, and Mahamudra practices. Khandro-la teaches a step-by-step process for safe, gradual transformation to occur through embodying each practice authentically and genuinely. This helps to inform our lives as to what is helping or blocking realization each step along the way. The clarity of her presentations and her personal attention to each student within the Zoom online community creates very personal and complete social interactions within the sangha. My motivation and intention in treading the Dharma path have been incredibly deepened over the last three years of participation in Dakini’s Whisper programs, even after completing nine years of all Vajrayana preliminary practices. I particularly recommend reading Khandro-La’s book, The Heart of Chö, and joining in the DW Book Club to discuss it, as well as attending her public talks on Sundays, in which she currently is sharing Songs of Spiritual Experience, condensed points of Lam Rim from Shakyamuni Buddha to Lama Tsongkhapa. Self- renunciation is now my prime foundation and motivation for benefitting others, especially seen from the vastness and purity of the emptiness of all appearances, while we yet walk the path of karma and dependent arising. Oh, this beautiful realm of magical illusion full of infinite possibilities to awaken! Khandro-la beckons us to join her singing and dancing in effortless rest and joy on this journey home to true refuge and awakening. Betty O DW Student |
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In “Songs of Spiritual Experience” Tsongkhapa says: “...the root of creating well the auspicious conditions. For all the excellences of this and future lives Is to rely properly with effort both in thought and action Upon the sublime spiritual mentor who reveals the path.” Khandro-la has told us she’s just a messenger, she’s simply transmitting the lineage teachings given to her by her guru to us her students, and takes no credit for her role as a teacher other than the efforts she makes to transmit the teachings faithfully. Tsongkhapa’s thought seems to add a bit more to the mix than Khandro-la’s humble assessment. He calls reliance upon the teacher the “root” of success on this path. I think it was at least thirty years ago, at the beginning of my studies, that I first heard this idea, the overwhelming importance of the teacher, which is foreign to the Western point of view, and I was easily able to comprehend it. But why then do I never seem to put into practice the importance of relying upon my teacher? Without the teacher, you have no access to the lineage teachings. Without the teacher, you have no community of students to embody the lineage teachings. The teacher is the hub, the crux, the central fact. After a guided meditation with Khandro-la, I ask myself, "what was I doing during the meditation? I was listening to myself, working on strategies to deepen the meditative experience, trying to cunningly devise interior mental strategies to deepen the meditative experience. I’m relying upon myself! The pattern never fails to appear. Maybe some positive things happened (of course I’m the one judging that these things are positive), and then some losses of the positive things happen (again, in my judgment), and then, naturally, I try to fix the lost positive things by applying strategies of my own devising to regain the positive things. It’s the mind trying to hoist up the mind by its own “bootstraps.” I am not relying upon my “sublime spiritual mentor.” I should be “listening” for what she’s subtly communicating in that precise moment, instead of relying upon my mental strategies. Although that, again (sigh), is a strategy. I think we’re all guilty of this. Why else would Tsongkhapa make such a big deal about it? We all seem so eager to chase our own paths, full speed ahead, even though the Gurus stand there with flags, like the flags those officials at car races have, the checkered flags. They wave the flags at us as we blast by, pedal to the metal, with our hands tight upon the wheel, and they say, “This way, this way!” But all we say is, “Oh, those are just flags.” In A Short Six Session Guru Yoga, when referring to the Guru, it says: “My body, life and wealth I forsake And ask for your aid to only please you.” Now that would be a meaningful tattoo to emblazon on our forearms. Joe S DW Student |
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ANCIENT SAGE, ANCIENT WISDOM Je Tsongkhapa |
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As the story is told, the Bodhisattva Vajrapani was once asked to describe the qualities of Lama Tsongkhapa; but since these were innumerable Vajrapani was unable to do so. Born in 1357, in the Amdo region of eastern Tibet, Tsongkhapa, whose birth was foretold by Buddha Shakyamuni, was known as an emanation of Avalokiteshvara as well as Manjushri. A great scholar, saint, teacher-adept, meditation master and innovative thinker, he practiced simplicity and lived without affluence or great comfort. Throughout his life, Tsongkhapa was dedicated to developing a correct understanding of reality. Living the lifestyle of a wandering monk, traveling from one monastery to another, he deepened his knowledge and gave teachings. During periods of intense meditation, the richness of his mystic experiences unfolded and was deepened. A vision of Manjushri, the embodiment of enlightened wisdom, changed his life after which he took up practices associated with Manjushri and felt his constant presence in his life. Tsongkhapa was continuously developing spiritual qualities and reading all the texts and commentaries available. He composed a host of discourses and teachings. Yet from the point of view of his daily practice it seems that he spent his whole life in meditative retreat. In all facets of his practice, his concentration was single-pointed and uninterrupted. During meditation, he was completely oblivious to all disturbances around him. He gained a complete, non-conceptual understanding of emptiness. After his death in 1419, the 5th Dalai Lama described his achievements as unique in that he embodied the qualities of Mahayana Buddhism’s ideal of great compassion, had advanced meditative realizations and was one of Tibet’s greatest intellectual giants. Tsongkhapa’s Song of Spiritual Experience is studied by scholars and practitioners and presents the complete path to perfect enlightenment in 45 verses. Taken from “Tsongkhapa, A Buddha in the Land of Snows” by Thupten Jinpa; and The “Life and Teachings of Tsongkhapa” by Robert A. F. Thurman |
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Saka Dawa, Festival of Lights Celebration May 19, 3-5 pm PST (6-8 pm EST) |
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Dakini’s Whisper sangha on this holiest day of the Tibetan Buddhist calendar will celebrate Buddha Shakyamuni’s birth, enlightenment and Mahaparinirvana, also called the Festival of Merits. As this day of celebration is also the birthday of our teacher, Choying Khandro, please join us in honoring Buddha Shakyamuni and her. This is a day of celebration for the good news of Buddha Shakyamuni’s enlightenment and the sharing of that for the awakening of all sentient beings. Please join us in this time of thanksgiving! | | |
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NEW KECHARA JOURNEY New Online One-Year Immersion JourneyJune 2021 – May 2022 |
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Join us for our new Pilgrimage to Vajrayogini Paradise, KECHARA, One Body, One Lifetime, An Exploration of the Eleven Yogas of Vajrayogini Revealed by Naropa! This Kechara Journey is for those fortunate beings with a human body and mind who aspire to actualize their fullest and deepest potential within this very lifetime. The more you learn about Vajrayogini’s practice, the more you’ll understand how valuable and profound it is.The more you study and strengthen your faith in the practice, the more deeply you’ll progress into the authentic tantric path as part of your life journey. | | |
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Please join us for DW Public Sundays on May 2, 16 &23, noon - 1 pm, PST, Khandro-la will offer dharma teachings and meditation on "Songs of Spiritual Realization". On May 30, Khandro-la will introduce our upcoming KECHARA JOURNEY as a public offering. The Zoom Link of offerings open to all is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83228307087 Register Now! A New Five-Week Series "Magic Wheels" Preparing for Inner Yoga Starting Saturdays, May 29 9am-10:20pm More information will be up soon on our website. To share upcoming online teaching and practice opportunities, we have attached the Dakini's Whisper Google calendar which gives you a complete view of the various events, at-a-glance, so to speak. Please note, however, that all times listed here are PST. More detailed information can be found on the webpage or DW members can check their personal version of the DW Google calendar. You can access the DW calendar from the website as well. If you have further questions, please contact Ellen (dakiniswhisperteam@gmail.com). |
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