Description
B. Alan Wallace and Glen Svensson
04 Apr 2018 – 30 May 2018
Lama Tzong Khapa Institute, Tuscany, Italy
During this eight-week retreat, Alan Wallace will begin by commenting on Sera Khandro’s explanation of the preliminary practices for Dzogchen in The Fine Path to Liberation and by granting the empowerment of the Lake-Born Vajra manifestation of Padmasambhava (this was only available live at the time of the retreat, although SBI does offer this empowerment periodically). He will then give detailed oral commentaries on one of the five classic Dzogchen treatises by Düdjom Lingpa, The Sharp Vajra of Conscious Awareness, in addition to Düdjom Lingpa’s commentary (edited by Pema Tashi), entitled The Essence of Clear Meaning. Alan will comment on all aspects of these texts except the pith instructions on the direct crossing over (thögal), which is to be taught only to individuals who are able to abide continuously in pristine awareness.
Participants should be familiar with the foundational teachings and practices of shamatha, the four applications of mindfulness, and the four immeasurables, and relative and ultimate bodhicitta. Such understanding and experience can be acquired by listening to, studying, and practicing any one of the following sets of teachings:
The following eight-week retreats:
Alternatively, applicants may listen to any of the following recordings of week-long retreats sponsored and available from the Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Studies
Participants in this year’s retreat by way of audio stream should also have learned and practiced the preliminary practices as taught by Sera Khandro in A Fine Path to Liberation (read short text) and decide for themselves whether they are prepared to engage in these practices as they relate to the teacher of this retreat, to their fellow retreatants, and to sentient beings at large. This is an indispensable prerequisite for participating in this retreat and should be taken very seriously.
It is essential to learn the ethical training corresponding to each level of Buddhist practice: shravakayana, bodhisattvayana, and vajrayana. An excellent explanation of these different dimensions of Buddhist ethics can be found in: Perfect Conduct: Ascertaining the Three Vows, by Pema Wangyi Gyalpo (Author), Gyurme Samdrub (Translator), Sangye Khandro (Translator).
Please do not share the recording with those who are not registered for the retreat.
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