Lama Mingyur Rinpoche: tantric Buddhist teaching and empowerment tour June - August 2009 / Avalokitesvara teaching

Keywords : meditation practice ( tantra devayoga sadhana ), Mahayana Buddhist transmission, mantra yoga, Heart Sutra, Karma Kagyu lineage of Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, 2009 Tour, Portland, deity of "Liberating Compassion" Avalokitesvara empowerment ( a.k.a. Kuan Yin, Kannon, Chenresig etc. ).

Summary: His Eminence Yongey Mingyur will be giving a tantric Buddhist empowerment ( highest yoga tantra ) for Avalokitesvara in Portland this June 19, and later, other cities as well. This major tantric guru of the Karma Kagyu lineage is on international tour through August. Background references and a key book reference are provided.

" If we try too hard, meditation becomes difficult. But it is so easy... Meditation is resting in our own natural awareness. "
His Eminence Yongey Mingyur Dorje Rinpoche

His Eminence Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche is a younger yet also major teacher in the Indo-Tibetan tradition of vajrayana and tantra, specifically as a retreat master in the Karma Kagyu lineage. He is the son of the great Nyingma master Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, and his main residence is Sherab Ling, the seat of His Holiness Khentin Tai Situpa, a principal Kagyu guru.
www.mingyur.org/biography/index.html

Although quite young, HE Yongey Mingyur is an accomplished master of both the Great Seal ( Mahamudra ) and Great Perfection ( Dzogchen ) traditions of pure awareness yoga. I have received from His Eminence both the Tsik Sum Ne Dek ( Great Perfection Breakthrough ) and Karma Pakshi Great Seal guru yoga empowerments some years back, and both transmissions were quite powerful.

His Eminence is also establishing fellowships in North America ( e.g. San Jose CA and Phoenix AZ ) and participating in western scientific studies on mind science. He is the author of two well received books on meditation, including the recently released "Joyful Wisdom - Embracing Change and Finding Freedom".

This young teacher is clearly one of the most important of the new generation of tantric Buddhist gurus teaching in the West, in terms of the quality and quantity of his teaching work, and the deep and broad impact he is beginning to have. ( See "Yongey Foundation Links" at www.mingyur.org/links.html ).

This year he teaches coast to coast and also in Brazil. For information on the North American Tour continuing through August, see
www.mingyur.org/schedule.html

The main event of the Portland visit is a major empowerment for the meditation deity Avalokitesvara. See
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avalokitesvara

and many book titles and other resources from Snow Lion Publications. See
www.snowlionpub.com/

and the Kagyu bookstore for the Karma Kagyu lineage seat in North America at Woodstock New York:
www.namsebangdzo.com/

Avalokitesvara is a primary and pre-eminent deity and practice for Buddhists worldwide. Avalokitesvara is the renowned deity of "Liberating Compassion", known in many parts of the Far East as Kuan Yin ( China ), Kwannon ( Japan ), Kwan Seeum ( Korea ), Kwan Theum Botat ( Viet Nam ), etc. This is a major practice for both general Mahayana ( Great Way ) Buddhists and also for esoteric / yogic ( tantric ) Buddhists, and thus unites and helps all schools of Buddhist practice in many different cultural contexts, both Asian and Western.

This is a most well known and quite universally practised pagan / polytheistic deity yoga of Sanskrit origin, Hindu or Buddhist. For example, it has become incorporated into some Hindu practice lineages, such as that of Swami Nikhilesvarananda. It is very similar to or overlaps the practice of Blue Throated Siva, as shown in one of the mantras for Blue Throated Avalokitesvara.

The influence of Avalokitesvara is vast throughout the world, and in different Buddhist lineages. Several of my teachers are considered to be emanations of Avalokitesvara including ( the late ) HE Deshung Tulku Rinpoche ( Sakya ), HH the Seventeenth Karmapa Urgyen Trinley Dorje and the Karmapa lineage, HH the Dalai Lama and the Dalai Lama lineage, and so forth.

His Eminence Dzongsar Rinpoche ( Sakya and Nyingma lineages of Tibetan Buddhism ), who teaches worldwide, has stated that Avalokitesvara is the most broadly and most commonly practised of all Buddhist mantras worldwide. This is consistent with my experience in Japanese, Chinese, Tibetan, and Vietnamese traditions. Apparently there is a book on Avalokita practice in the Sri Lankan traditions, which are mostly Theravadin Buddhist.

The esoteric yoga traditions of Buddhist tantra are based on ritual empowerment and the practice of self-empowerment, and these include placing points of light at the Brow Cakra ( White Light ), Throat Cakra ( Red Light ), and Heart Cakra ( Blue Light ). Some forms of Avalokitesvara practice include a full kundalini yoga / psychic heat method, known in the Buddhist tradition as Completion Stage Yoga. N.B. One important example is the transmission of Red Avalokita / Vajrayogini. However, I do not know what form of Avalokita is being given by HE Mingyur Rinpoche.

Avalokitesvara is without doubt the most well known Buddhist ( or other ) esoteric spiritual practice in the West ( either as "OM MANI PADME HUM" or as the "Heart Sutra" or as other variants, see below ).
Many tens of millions of Buddhists recite daily either a Sanksrit formula for Avalokitesvara or a meditation text associated with this deity, as in (1) and (2) following.

1) One of the root mantras ( esoteric invocations or evocations ) of Avalokitesvara is
"OM MANI PADMA HUM", which is discussed at
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Om_mani_padme_hum

2) Avalokitesvara is the source of the primary Buddhist text Prajna Paramita Hrdaya, the Heart or Essence of Transcendent Wisdom, which is recited daily in many Buddhist countries, such as in the Chinese and Japanese Zen traditions. See
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart_sutra
This is a primary and central and definitive text for many of the Mahayana Buddhist schools, both outer and inner.

A good source of teaching on Avalokitesvara in the East Asian tradition is
"Bodhisattva of Compassion: The Mystical Tradition of Kuan Yin"
by John Blofeld.
The Sanskrit recitation of Kuan Yin / Avalokitesvara is one of the main esoteric healing practices in Chinese Buddhism. Of course, I can make no claims for any specific application. I do know that it is traditionally used by the Chinese for easing the pains of childbirth.

There is also
"The Origins of Om Manipadme Hum: A Study of the Karandavyuha Sutra"
by Alexander Studholme, Ph.D.

An example of a deeper and essentialized practice focused on Avalokitesvara is given in the book
"The Union of Mahamudra and Dzogchen"
by Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche
ISBN 962-7341-13-9
Rangjung Yeshe Publications

This is a commentary on "The Direct Instructions of the Compassionate One" originally given by Karma Chagmey Rinpoche the First.
See
www.snowlionpub.com/html/pro...6174.html
THE UNION OF MAHAMUDRA AND DZOGCHEN
by Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche
240 pp.
# UNMADZ - $ 18.00

"Teachings on the complete path to enlightenment in 8 songs by the 17th century yogi/poet Karma Chagmey explicated with Rinpoche's trademark brilliance and humor.
'This advice spoken through personal experience embodies the quintessence of the Dharma.'--Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche"



Please note that I do not formally represent this teacher nor the fellowship hosting him in Portland.

Sarva mangalam! May it be beneficial!
Siddhi rastu! May there be accomplishment!

KT


Hosted by Portland Dharma Group
www.portlanddharmagroup.org
503.341.7776


From
www.portlanddharmagroup.org/Ming....html

schedule

16 June
7:30 pm
Book signing at Powell's Books for
"Joyful Wisdom - Embracing Change and Finding Freedom"
www.mingyur.org/book/joyful_wisdom.html

17 June - 18 June
Public talks 7 - 8:30 pm
First Congregational Church
1126 SW Park Ave, Portland OR

19 June
7pm
Avalokitesvara [ Chenrezig ] empowerment
First Congregational Church
1126 SW Park Ave, Portland OR

[ end listing / article ]


More event listings for Ven. Mingyur Rinpoche from:
www.yongey.org/en/eventyongey.htm
Note that these are subject to change.


Jun 22
(Evening Talk) 92nd Street Y (Yongey Foundation)
New York, NY www.92Y.org
8:15 PM Public Talk "Joyful Wisdom" Tim Olmsted
Tel 970-879-5425
tim@zirkel.us

Jun 23 (Evening Talk) Shambhala Meditation Center
New York, NY www.ny.shambhala.org
Public Talk "Joyful Wisdom"
Katherine Lieberson
Tel 212-675-6544
katherine_lieberson@shambhalanyc.org

June 24 - Jul 6 Garrison Institute (Yongey Foundation)
Garrison, NY www.mingyur.org
6/25-30 Open Retreat "The Heart of Meditation"
6/30-7/5 Level 1 Mahamudra Retreat
Tim Olmsted
Tel 970-879-5425
tim@zirkel.us

Jul 7 - 13 Yongey Buddhist Center - New York
Flushing, NY www.yongey.org
7/7-9 Level 3 Mahamudra Retreat
7/10-13 Level 4 Mahamudra Retreat
7/12 Empowerment "Thousand Buddha"
7/12 Book Signing "Joyful Wisdom"
7/13 Farewell Luncheon Mei Yen Ladle
Tel 408-263-2740
Sue Chang
Tel 917-907-2318
info@yongey.org

Jul 14 - 19 Karma Triyana Dhamachakra
Woodstock, NY www.kagyu.org
7/17-19 Mahamudra Teachings
7/19 Evening Empowerment TBD Tom Schmidt
Tel 845-679-5906 ext. 15
Tel 845-453-2159 (cell)
external.affairs@kagyu.org

Jul 20 - 24 Kagyu Thuhten Choling Monastery
Wappingers Falls, NY www.kagyu.com
Teaching "Five Skandhas"
Teaching "Seven Points of Mind Training"
Closed Empowerments (3rd Year Retreats) Ani Jamdron
Tel 845-489-4654
jamdron@yahoo.com

Jul 25 - 28 Palpung Choekyi Gyaltsen Center
Charlottesville, VA
Shamata Meditation
Mahamudra Teaching
Empowerment "Green Tara"
Bobbi Grant Llewellyn
Tel 434-973-8000
bobbi@robertllewellyn.com

Jul 31 - Aug 3 Boulder Shambhala Center
Boulder, CO
www.boulder.shambhala.org
7/31-8/1 Public Talk "Bodhicitta and the Nature of Mind"
8/1 PM -8/2 Private "Bodhicitta and the Nature of Mind"
8/2 6PM Talk "Joyful Wisdom" @ Boulder Book Store
Cynthia Kneen
Tel 303-444-0190 ext. 101
Tel 303-449-5894 (cell)
cynthia@boulder.shambhala.org

Aug 4 - 12 Palpung Phende Kunkyab
Vancouver, BC
www.palpungvancouver.org
Level 2 Mahamudra Retreat
Meditation Retreat "The Joy of Wisdom"
1 day Special "Bardo" teaching for senior students Ping Yau
Tel 604-271-6322
palpungvan@shaw.ca

Aug 13 - 17 Palpung Yeshe Chokhor Dharmacentre
Kitchener, Ontario
www.thopaga.org
Bardo Teachings
Linda Hayes
Tel 226-747-2547
office@thopaga.org

Aug 18 - 20 Karma Sonam Dargye Ling
Toronto, Ontario
www.ksdl.org
8/18 Talk & Book Signing "Joyful Wisdom" (7:30PM)
8/19 Teaching "The Union of Dzochen & Mahamudra"
8/19 Shitro Empowerment (7PM)
8/20 Shitro Pratice (9AM-5PM) / Tibetan Dinner
Valerie White
Tel 416-463-8538
valeriewhite@sympatico.ca

Aug 21 - 22 Rigpe Dorje Centre
Montreal, Quebec
www.centrerigpedorje.org
8/21 Public Talk of "Joyful Wisdom"
8/22 Teaching "Embracing Change/Finding Freedom"
8/22 Empowerment "Guru Rinpoche"
Both Days - Book Signing "Joyful Wisdom"
Judy Cutler
Tel 514-227-0703
j.cutler@rogers.com

Aug 24 - Aug28 Yongey Buddhist Center - Brazil
Sao Paulo, Brazil
yongeybr.tripod.com
8/24-26 Level 3 Mahamudra
8/25 Evening Empowerment "Thousand Buddha"
8/26-27 Evening Teaching "Joyful Wisdom"
8/27 Level 2 Mahamudra
8/28 Evening Public Talk at UNOFESUniversity
Edson Chang
Tel 5511-9440-6013
echang9@gmail.com

Aug 29 - 31 Karma Theksum Chokhorling
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
www.ktc.org.br
8/29-31 Level 1 Mahamudra Teaching
8/29 Evening Open Talk
8/30 Evening Empowerment "Karma Pakshi"
Claudia Carrera
Tel 5521-3418-8122
office@ktc.org.br
claudiacarrera@ig.com.br