Mitra Karl Brunnhölzl: Jamgön Kongtrul’s Guiding Instructions on Great Shentong Madhyamaka & The Seven Line Supplication to Padmasambhava: Connecting with our Enlightened Nature
Jamgön Kongtrul’s Guiding Instructions on Great Shentong Madhyamaka- Light Rays of the Stainless Vajra Moon – May 16th-May 18th Weekend
Gampopa’s famous statement, “The text for this Mahāmudrā of ours is the Uttaratantra composed by Maitreya” is well known in the Kagyü School, but rare are the instructions that actually combine Mahāmudrā with the teachings on buddha nature in the Uttaratantra. In his Guiding Instructions, Jamgön Kongtrul blends Maitrīpa’s Mahāmudrā tradition with the most crucial verses from Maitreya’s Uttaratantra, thus presenting us with a manual for contemplating Mahāmudrā through these verses. Since the text also includes passages from the Laṅkāvatārasūtra and other Yogācāra works, it offers a veritable banquet of “Great Shentong Madhyamaka”—the choicest instructions on the nature of the mind that we can find in Yogācāra, the buddha nature teachings, and Mahāmudrā. During this weekend we will explore each one of these traditions and join this with brief contemplations based on the verses and the meditation instructions that the text presents.
The Seven Line Supplication to Padmasambhava: Connecting with our Enlightened Nature – Wednesday, May 21st
The Seven Line Supplication to Padmasambhava is perhaps the most well-known prayer in Tibetan Buddhism. Buddha Shakyamuni prophesied the coming of Padmasambhava, who successfully instilled Buddhism in Tibet. These seven lines provide a powerful means of meditating on Padmasambhava and connecting with the primordially present vajra mind. Mipham Rinpoche wrote a commentary on this invocation, which elucidates the multiple layers of meaning in this short prayer. His commentary also instructs us on how to use these lines as a powerful means of blending our mind with the wisdom of Padmasambhava. During this evening we will explore this supplication, using Mipham Rinpoche’s text as a guide, and learn to use it as a potent method for connecting with our enlightened nature.
