Drigar Thubten Daryge Ling

Drikung 5-folds Path of Mahamudra Preliminary Practice"

"In my view the Ngöndro is far more profound than all other practices."
—Lord Jigten Sumgön, founder of the Drikung Kagyu lineage

The preliminaries (called “Ngöndro” in Tibetan) make our mind workable for practice. Doing this practice is like preparing a field so that crops may grow there. If a field is unprepared to bear crops, then no matter how precious the seeds to be planted, they will be useless.  Similarly, although we might receive very precious and profound instructions, if our minds are not properly prepared, those instructions will not be useful. Thus, all schools of Tibetan Buddhism engage in the immeasurably important preliminary practices. The specific practices include prostrations, taking refuge, purification practices, making offerings to the Three Jewels and Three Roots, and so forth.

The preliminary practices should never be viewed as lesser because they are "preliminary," for they may become the main part of our practice. It is actually sufficient to engage in these exact practices for our entire lives. To participate in Preliminary Practice requires empowerment or transmission, which can be provided by our resident teacher, Ven. Dorzin Dhondrup Rinpoche. Please feel free to contact the centre for more details.

Guru Yoga & Tsok Offering Practice

Many people believe that enlightenment is impossibly far away, but Vajrayana Buddhism teaches that we must keep enlightenment near to us at all times.  Guru Yoga practice is one of the most important and effective methods for bringing enlightenment into our mindstreams, and we do this by strengthening our connection with the teacher, or “guru.”

Lord Jigten Sumgon instructed thus: "From today on, with one-pointed devotion pray to your great master and practice according to what he teaches. Thus, it is certain you will achieve the ultimate accomplishment." The enlightened master Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche wrote: The words 'Guru Yoga' mean 'union with the nature of the guru,' and in this practice, we are given methods by which we can blend our own minds with the enlightened mind of the master. Remember the master—the guru—embodies the crystallization of the blessing of all Buddhas, masters, and enlightened beings. So to invoke him or her is to invoke them all; and to merge your mind and heart with your master's wisdom mind is to merge your mind with the truth and very embodiment of enlightenment.

The practice is a complete meditation for purifying one's body, speech, and mind into the pure enlightened state. We also offer tsok, a ritual feast offering showing our profound love and respect to the teacher, when we do the Guru Yoga practice. In a tsok practice, we visualize that the Buddhas and other beneficial beings come and accept our offerings. Then we enjoy the food offerings together. You may wish to bring an offering of food or flowers when you attend the practice.

Chakrasamvara Practice

Chakrasamvara emanated from the Buddha Vajradhara and was the treasured yidam (meditation deity) of the lineage founder Lord Jigten Sumgon. Most of the famous 80 Indian Mahasiddhas attained highest realization relying on this deity, who is the chief yidam within the Drikung Kagyu lineage. The general lineage begins with the primordial Buddha Vajradhara, who taught Tilopa. The lineage continues through Naropa, Marpa, Milarepa, Gampopa, and Phagmo Drupa, and the tradition of practicing Chakrasamvara was established by Ga Lotsawa, a contemporary of Phagmo Drupa."

“Highest yoga tantra” practices like this one are precious and secret—you cannot practice without the empowerment, and one should never take such an empowerment heedlessly. The empowerment involves many samayas (binding promises), the principal one being that we must never cause any discord in the sangha, and especially not among those with whom we receive the empowerment. We must commit to always being harmonious in the sangha and to benefiting sentient beings. It will also enhance the power of the empowerment if we can commit to reciting Chakrasamvara's mantra.

_{*This practice is strictly for initiates only. Please bring along your sadhana, vajra and bell.}

Drikung Phowa Practice

Phowa, or “transference of consciousness at the time of death,” is the simplest and most direct method to attain enlightenment.

If phowa occurs correctly, the consciousness of the departed is reborn instantly in the pure land of Dewachen, avoiding other dangerous rebirths. It is one of the Six Yogas of Naropa.

While there are many marvelous fascinating phowa instructions in the various tantric traditions, the Drikung Phowa lineage, whose Tibetan name "Jaktshukma" means "the standing grass blade," is one of the most powerful and precious phowa practices still taught today.

Phowa jagtsukma instructions are presently upheld in an unbroken lineage through the Drikung masters. The Drikung order is famous for its ability to successfully transfer the power of the phowa meditation to initiated and devoted practitioners who practice it.

_{*Strictly for initiates who have received the teaching of Drikung Phowa Practice.}

Amitabha Practice

Amitabha Buddha is bright red in color. Within the circle of the five Buddha families, Amitabha is the Buddha of Infinite Light who presides over the western Buddha realm of the Pure Land of Great Bliss, known as Dewachen. He bears this name Infinite Light, because the light radiating from his body pervades all the pure lands of all the Buddhas of those ten directions.

Many eons ago, he manifested the Pure Land of Great Bliss at the time he accomplished Buddhahood. After death, faithful devotees of Amitabha are born into the pure land, where they receive teachings from Amitabha himself and from countless other Buddhas inhabiting this realm.Experiencing none of cyclic existence and forever free from having to take lower rebirth, these fortunate beings progress irreversibly toward enlightenment and eventually attain Buddhahood.

Also, Drigar Thubten Dargye Ling hosts an annual retreat on the practice of Amitabha with H.E Garchen Rinpoche. This is an important and highly beneficial opportunity.