Practices
The following practices are celebrated at our temple according to the Tibetan Lunar Calendar.
This is the Year of the Iron Ox 2148.
Nam Chö Ngöndro is done as part of daily practices or special scheduled days
The Great Perfection: Buddha in the Palm of the Hand
The Namchö (Space Treasure) Dzogchen preliminary practice is called “Buddha in the Palm of the Hand.” The terma (treasure revelations) were revealed to Terton (treasure revealer) Migure Dorje from Arya Avalokiteshvara and Guru Rinpoche, and have been passed down from master to student through the centuries. The blessings of the Palyul lineage are pure and unbroken. By accomplishing these practices one can realize the nature of mind — an important and necessary foundation for higher Dzogchen practice. The preliminary practices consist of Refuge, Bodhichitta, Offering the Mandala, Vajrasattva and Guru Yoga. Although the Namchö preliminary practice is very deep and profound, it is clear and easy for all to practice. -His Holiness Penor Rinpoche.
Medicine Buddha Practice is done each month on the 8th Lunar day
This Mind Treasure, the River of Lapis Lazuli, the Practice of the Medicine Buddha, which is the Ornament of the Luminous Expanse of Mind has been extracted and compiled from the Nam Chö Nyid
This prayer pays homage to Medicine Buddha, also known as the Healing Master of Lapis Lazuli Radiance, has a distinctive colour of deep blue body. Medicine Buddha is also known as Bhaisajya Guru, the manifestation of the healing energy of all enlightened beings. The practice is performed on the 8th lunar day of the month, and prayers are offered to request the blessing of Medicine Buddha to heal diseases, as well as overcome obstacles, in order to to achieve temporary and ultimate happiness for all.
Riwo Sang Cho is done as part of morning practices or for special scheduled days
Ritual Recitation of the Mountain Smoke Offering
Riwo Sangchö or literally ‘Mountain Smoke Offering’, is a terma that was hidden by Guru Rinpoche and revealed in the seventeenth century by the great yogin and Tertön Lhatsün Namkha Jikmé (1597-1653), who brought the Dharma to Sikkim, as part of the profound Dharma-cycle of Rigdzin Sokdrup, ‘Accomplishing the Life-Force of the Vidyadharas’. It can prolong life and remove obstacles, particularly those associated with unpaid karmic debts.
Vajrakilaya is done as part of morning practices and may also be done on the 9th, 19th or 29th Lunar Dharmapala Days
The wrathful Heruka Vajrakilaya is the Yidam deity who embodies the enlightened activities of all Buddhas
The practice of Vajrakilaya is famous in the Tibetan Buddhists world as the most powerful for removing obstacles, destroying the forces hostile to compassion and purifying the spiritual pollution so prevalent in this age. The wrathful Heruka Vajrakilaya is the Yidam deity who embodies the enlightened activities of all Buddhas. This manifestation is an intensely wrathful yet compassionate form in order to subjugate the delusion and negativities that can arise as obstacle to the practice of Dharma. Vajrakilaya can be practiced on either the 9th, 19th or 29th day of the lunar month. Our sangha has been directed to practice Vajrakilaya on the 29th day.
Rigdzin Dupa is done each month on the 10th Lunar Day
A Practice on The Inner Aspect of Guru Rinpoche
Guru Rinpoche means the Precious Master in Tibetan. He is also known as Guru Padmasambhava, a manifestation of Amitabha Buddha. He was born from a Lotus Flower, in Oddiyana Lake amid wondrous signs. Due to his great realization and spiritual powers, he created the conditions for the propagation of Vajrayana teachings in this world. He is particularly powerful when negative emotions are stronger and confusion is greater. The more confusions and difficulties, the more powerful Guru Rinpoche is. Even great masters when face with a crisis call upon him for help.
“Rigdzin Dupa, ‘The Gathering of Awareness Holders’, is a very powerful practice for dispelling obstacles and is one of the three root sadhanas in the Longchen Nyingthig tradition.” -Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso Rinpoche.
This practice is a tsog (or feast offering), so please bring a food offering, flowers and/or other offerings. For first time visitors, this a longer practice that is held on Guru Rinpoche Day (the 10th day of the Tibetan calendar).
Yumka is done on the 25th Lunar Day
Yumka is a Dakini practice of the three roots of Longchen Nyingthig, the terma cycle reveled by Omniscient Jigme Lingpa.
Yumka is practiced on Dakini Day (25th day of the Tibetan calendar) in Namdroling and many other Nyingma monasteries and centers around the world. The central meditation visualization of the practice is on the wisdom Dakini Yeshe Tsogyal, as the Khandro. The wisdom Dakini Yeshe Tsogyal was also a consort of Guru Rinpoche and the founding mother of Tibetan Buddhism. All female buddhas are manifestations of Wisdom Dakini Yeshe Tsogyal. Through this practice one understands Dakini Yeshe Tsogyal to be the embodiment of the three kayas.
This practice is a tsog (or feast offering), so please bring a food offering, flowers and/or other offerings. For first time visitors, this a longer practice that is held on Dakini Day (the 25th day of the Tibetan lunar month).
Vajrasattva is done as part of Ngondro or special scheduled days
Vajrasattva is the manifestation of the purity of body, speech, and mind of all the Buddhas.
The meditational deity Vajrasattva is visualized as an expression of mind’s pure essence. In this way, negativities and obscurations are cleansed, allowing Buddha nature to manifest. As a Bodhisattva, Vajrasattva saw that all beings suffered because of their negative karma, so he made a vow to free all beings from this karma.
Vajrasattva is the ultimate embodiment of all aspects of the Buddhas and represents the diamond-like primordial purity of the Buddha Nature within each individual. Sattva translates as ‘spiritual hero or heroine’ and Vajra translates as ‘diamond thunderbolt’ (indestructible and pure energy). Vajrasattva embodies the 100 Peaceful and Wrathful Deities considered to be inherent in each sentient being, and also represents the Union of Compassion and Skillful Means. The lineage of Dzogchen is traced from the dharmakaya Samantabhadra to the sambhogakaya,the five buddha families and Vajrasattva, who are Samantabhadra’s own self-reflection. Vajrasattva is one of the four foundational preliminary practices in the Ngöndro.
Twenty One Taras is done as part of daily practices or special scheduled days
She who Liberates
Tara is a completely enlightened buddha who had previously promised to appear, after enlightenment, in the form of a female bodhisattva and goddess for the benefit of all beings. Her primary activity is to protect from the eight fears. Practiced in all Schools of Tibetan Buddhism her various forms are found in all classes of tantra.
Tara or Drol-ma in Tibetan, mean goddess of protection and compassion. Tara is the bodhisattva representing the miraculous activities of all buddhas. There are innumerable manifestations of Tara, manifesting in so many ways as sentient beings may require, but her most famous are the peaceful WHITE TARA, who brings protection, long life and peace; and the dynamic GREEN TARA, who overcomes obstacles and saves beings in dangerous situations in the most immediate manner. Tara is also well know in 19 other forms that together make up the total of 21 that are highlighted in each of the twenty-one verses of Praise to Tara.
Heart Sutra is done on special scheduled days
Prajna-Paramita-Hridaya-Sutra — The Heart Sutra — is a pivotal Sutra of Mahayana Buddhism.
The Heart Sutra summarizes the essence of the Prajna Paramita (Perfection of Wisdom) teachings of the Buddha. It is a luminous expression of enlightened wisdom realizing emptiness. Many Buddhists around the world recite this daily to plant the imprints towards achieving the highest wisdom. – Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso Rinpoche