Words of My Perfect Teacher

Teachings on the Ngondro from the Dzogchen Longchen Nyingthik Lineage

February 17-19 & March 2-4, 2012
Phuntsok Choling, Ward, CO

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The Words of My Perfect Teacher, written in the mid-nineteenth century by Patrul Rinpoche from his retreat cave high in the Tibetan mountains, might be considered a “spiritual person’s handbook for life.” This treasured volume looks at the cornerstones of human experience—impermanence, suffering, karma—from an honest and deeply intelligent perspective. It shows how we can draw from our experiences in order to grow spiritually, and in fact, how doing so gives full meaning to human life.  At once dryly humorous and admonishing, and always full of heart, this powerful and transformative text has inspired generations of spiritual practitioners.

Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche brings out the full impact of The Words of My Perfect Teacher by weaving together his own experience as a practitioner with traditional Buddhist stories and the text’s teachings themselves. His appreciation of The words of My Perfect Teacher’s relevance to awakening shines through, making this two-weekend seminar a unique time to discover our misconceptions about spiritual practice and clarify our way forward.  In both weekends, Rinpoche places special emphasis on the importance of bodhicitta—the wish to benefit others—as the underpinning of all spiritual practice.

Weekend One focuses on the “ordinary preliminary practices” section of the text, which includes fundamental reflections on the preciousness of human life, impermanence, karma, and suffering—and it is perfectly suited for those new to the spiritual or Buddhist path.

Weekend Two focuses on the “extraordinary preliminary practices” that are more specifically associated with the Vajrayana ngondro practice, such as vajrasattva mantra, mandala practice, and so on up to Guru Yoga. Kongtrul Rinpoche boils these practices down to

essential issues, for example, how to understand purification without a sense of guilt. New students as well as seasoned practitioners will find this portion of the commentary equally applicable.

The program includes a full reading of The Words of My Perfect Teacher, commentary, question and answer with Kongtrul Rinpoche, and periods of meditation.

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