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Hevajra and Dzogchen Retreat with Garchen Rinpoche

Written By: Christopher May No Comment

Garchen Rinpoche will be giving a Hevajra & Dzogchen Retreat
from January 28-31, 2010 in the Denver Colorado area.

His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche will return to Colorado at the end of January for 4 days in 2010. He will bestow the very rarely given Hevajra Empowerment, an anuttaratantra class transmission. Additionally, he will teach also teach the Prayer of Kuntuzangpo. This prayer expresses the different forms in which primordial awareness appears and helps us to understand that it is only our clouded understanding that makes things appear as other than they really are.

Hevajra & Dzogchen Retreat Schedule:

Jan 28 – Thu 7-9PM: Introduction to Hevajra *
Jan 29 – Fri: 10AM-12PM: Hevajra Empowerment
Jan 29 – Fri: 2-4PM: Prayer of Kuntuzangpo
Jan 30 – Sat: 10AM-12PM: Prayer of Kuntuzangpo
Jan 30 – Sat: 2-5PM: Prayer of Kuntuzangpo & White Dzambhala Practice
Jan 31- Sun: 11AM-1PM: Prayer of Kuntuzangpo
Jan 31- Sun: 2:30-5PM: Prayer of Kuntuzangpo & Tsok

Detailed info online at http://www.colorado ratnashri. net

His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche is one of the most important lama’s within the Drikung Kagyu Lineage. He was known in the thirteenth century as the Siddha Gar Chodingpa, a heart disciple of Kyobpa Jigten Sumgon, founder of the Drikung Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. In ancient India, he had incarnated as Mahasiddha Aryadeva, the lotus-born disciple of the great Nagarjuna. In the seventh century, he was known as Lonpo Gar, the minister of the Tibetan Dharma King Songsten Gampo.

Garchen Rinpoche, at the age of 22, after completing a two and a half year retreat, in 1959 he was imprisoned for 20 years during the political turmoil of China’s Cultural Revolution. While in the labor camp, he received meditation instruction from his root lama, the Nyingma master Khenpo Munsel. Enduring hardship and practicing secretly, Garchen Rinpoche attained realization of the lama’s wisdom mind. Since his release from prison in 1979, Garchen Rinpoche has made great effort to rebuild the Drikung Kagyu monasteries, re-establish the Buddhist teachings, and build two boarding schools for local children in eastern Tibet. Rinpoche is the founder and spiritual director of the Garchen Buddhist Institute in Chino Valley, Arizona.

Garchen Rinpoche is known for his vast realization, as well as for his great kindness. His main seat North America is the Garchen Buddhist Institute – click on the link for more information about the Institute.

Registration Info & Cost
http://www.colorado ratnashri. net
Full Retreat Suggested Donation: $150

Location:
Denver Zen Center – Directions
3101 W 31st Ave
Denver, CO

More Information or to register:
Bill & Kelly O’Brien
303-627-4373
aurora at coloradoratn ashri.net

** Bring a meditation cushion, a zabuton or zafu to sit on

Hevajra Preparatory Teachings and Empowerment
Rinpoche will give teachings the night before to introduce students to Hevajra and anuttaratantra yoga deities and practice. Rinpoche will be giving a concise version of the Hevajra empowerment based on a empowerment root text composed by Drikung Chokyi Dragpa the 1st Chuntsang Rinpoche. It is a special transmission and is rarely given. In the Kagyu tradition it is was handed down by Marpa (1012–1097), the great translator.

The Prayer of Kuntuzangpo is the prayer of the Primordial Buddha. It is also a prayer of aspiration on the path of awakening to the true nature of reality. It expresses the different forms in which primordial awareness appears and helps us to understand that it is only our clouded understanding that makes things appear as other than they really are. It is to be recited especially during a solar or lunar eclipse, an earthquake or at the solstices.

This prayer is commonly recited at the end of teachings at the Garchen Institute and when Rinpoche travels. Thus has long been held as one of the primary aspiration prayers by Garchen Rinpoche and his students.

If you need meditation supplies, such as, meditation cushions or zafus and zabutons, back jack chair or meditation practice supplies, you can pick those up through www.FourGates.com.

Special Note*
Just the first night of the event Thursday Jan 28th, the Denver Zen Center has an earlier event in the main shrine room at the same time as ours. Strict silence is mandatory when entering the building so as not to interrupt their contemplative practice. Thank you for being sensitive to this request and our kind hosts at the Denver Zen Center
.