Teachings in the Himalayas

Now we are back in the Netherlands for a month already. After the Pilgrimage (see previous blogs) I returned to Bodhgaya to meet my wife. And to follow teachings of Tai Situpa. He was explaining the intricacies of the Ngöndro practice mainly for the monks and nuns of the Rumtek monastry from Sikkim. There were 2600 monks and nuns from all ages (I would guess in the range between 5 and 90 years old). And there were at least 3000 lay followers from many parts of the world. In the morning Mingyur Rinpoche would give meditation instructions, based on the teachings of the previous day. And in the afternoons Tai Situpa would explain all aspects of this special practice. I started to get some idea of the possible effect of first 110,000 prostrations, then the 110.000 Vajrasattva practices, then 110,000 mandala offerings and finally the 110,000 Guru Yoga practices. By the time you have gone through these you have accomplished the preliminary practices and you are ready for the real work. But I could clearly see how such practices clear the mind and make you detach your self from material craving.

The 6 days of these teachings were topped of by a long life empowerment that was impressive. The power of this man is truly inherited from Padmasambhava.

After that we traveled back to Delhi in order to fly to Dharamsala. Their we stocked up on warm clothes to prepare ourselves for the Himalayas. From there we went to Sherab Ling, the root monastery of Tai Situpa, where we would receive teachings from Mingyur Rinpoche. They were 5 days of teaching on “Moonbeams of Mahamudra” a classic text in Vajrayana. And after a week of leasure another 5 days about “The words of my Perfect Teacher”. Especially the first teaching blew my mind. It still reverbrates when I sit at home. Finally shikantaza comes naturally to me 🙂