News 
July 2, 2007 - Seattle, WA
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DPR Completes Teachings on the Khandro Nyingtik
at 2007 Nalandabodhi Sangha Retreat
For the second year in a row, Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche guided over 220 students from around the world in the intensive study and practice of the rare and precious Khandro Nyingtik, or
Heart Essense of the Dakinis, teachings. The 2007 Nalandabodhi Sangha Retreat is the annual gathering of Rinpoche's students at Nalanda West in Seattle, WA, USA, Rinpoche's seat in the West. At this retreat Rinpoche completed the transmission of the Khandro Nyingtik teachings to his students in a private, focused setting.
Attracting students from throughout the US, Canada, Mexico, Germany, Hong Kong, Nepal and Greece, this year's 7-day program took place June 17-24 at Nalanda West, and was the largest sangha retreat on record.
The Khandro Nyingtik is a Terma, or treasure, of the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism. The treasure was transmitted by Padmasambhava and held by dakinis until it was revealed to Longchenpa in the 17th century C.E. The Khandro Nyingtik contains the heart essence of Dzogchen, the highest view and practice of the Nyingma lineage.
At this year's program, Cortland Dahl, the program's primary translator, commented that the transmission of the Khandro Nyingthik and its associated heart instructions is an event so rare that many Asian students and masters wait an entire lifetime to receive these teachings. That Rinpoche shared these instructions with his Western sangha is truly extraordinary, and many students supplicated Rinpoche to continue to teach from the Dzogchen treasures.
Alternating freely between the original Tibetan and evocative English, Rinpoche taught from The Excellent Chariot: A Vehicle for the Path to Liberation, a seminal text authored by the third Dzogchen Rinpoche, Ngeton Tenzin Zangpo. This text is an instruction manual on the Khandro Nyingtik practices, including the daily practice of monastics at Dzogchen Monastery in Eastern Tibet. Historically, Dzogchen Rinpoche and the Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche have been co-abbots of this reknowned monastery, and Ngeton Tenzin Zangpo's own root guru was the First Dzogchen Ponlop, Namkha Osel. The lineage of the Khandro Nyingtik extends directly from Guru Rinpoche to the present 7th Ponlop Rinpoche, through such great masters as the Lady Yeshe Tsogyal, His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, and Zenkar Rinpoche.
In addition to the Khandro Nyingtik teachings, Rinpoche bestowed two profound empowerments upon his students during Sangha Retreat. Rinpoche gave a Green Tara empowerment for "A Ritual for the Visualization of Khadiravani Tara," a heart practice of the 1st Karmapa, Dusum Khyenpa. Rinpoche commented that the empowerment will allow students to more deeply connect with the Nalandabodhi Tara Practice. Rinpoche also bestowed a Vajrakilaya Blessing Empowerment into the practice of Vajrakilaya from the Chogyur Lingpa treasure cycle, the Heart of Single Bindu.
During the program, the sangha celebrated both Ponlop Rinpoche's and His Holiness the Gyalwang Karmapa's birthdays with cake and festivities. There was much singing of His Holiness Karmapa's "An Aspiration for the World," as well as many aspirations that His Holiness will soon visit the West, and in particular Nalanda West.
The residence for His Holiness Karmapa above the Nalanda West shrine room is nearing completion, and many students toured the residence, imagining His Holiness with us here in the Northwest of the Land of America.
It is our heartfelt aspiration that in years to come Rinpoche will continue his teachings on the profound Dzogchen instructions without obstacles, and that all beings now and in the future who have a genuine interest may share this profound wisdom and use it to fully realize the true nature of their minds.
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