Phowa

Accomplishing Buddhahood without Meditation

December 10-11, 2011
Portland, Oregon

Lama Wangdu Rinpoche

Lama Wangdu Rinpoche, a Chöd master and a lineage holder of Padampa Sangye's Shije tradition, will offer empowerments and teachings on the Longchen Nyingtig practice called Phowa which Accomplishes Buddhahood without Meditation. This is the first time in many years that Rinpoche is teaching Phowa in the United States. It is a rare opportunity to train in this ancient practice of preparing for death with a recognized master and yogi.

Phowa is a Buddhist Vajarayana practice of transfering the consciousness at the time of death. It enables the dying practitioner to let go of attachment to this life and create the conditions necessary for liberation or a favorable rebirth. Phowa is practiced in all of the Tibetan Buddhist lineages and is especially important in Rinpoche's Chöd tradition.

Participants will receive copies of the texts, which contain the Tibetan, transliterated Tibetan and an English translation.

About Lama Wangdu Rinpoche

Rinpoche was born in the Dingri region of Tibet in 1936. He received transmission for Chöd, Phowa, the Longchen Nyingthig and other teachings from his root lama, Naptra Rinpoche, while in his teens. He has completed the traditional 108 charnel grounds retreat and spent many years practicing Chöd in the wild places of Tibet, India and Nepal.

In 2001, HH Dalai Lama asked Rinpoche to found a monastery, preserve the teachings and train a new generation of Chöd practitioners. Today he serves as the abbot of Pal Gyi Dingri Langkor Monastery in Kathmandu, training monastics and lay people.

Rinpoche is known throughout Nepal, Tibet and China as an accomplished, compassionate and generous yogi, teacher and healer. To learn more about him, visit lamawangdu.org or read his biography, One Hundred Thousand Rays of the Sun.

You can also subscribe to Lama Wangdu's mailing list.

Location

This non-residential retreat is being held at Still Meadow Retreat Center near Portland, Oregon.

Lunch will be provided on Saturday and Sunday. Please plan on making arrangements for other meals.

While this is a non-residential retreat, there may be on-site lodging available. Please contact Still Meadow directly for information on lodging.

Schedule

Saturday, 9AM-5PM

Empowerment, practice and teachings. With lunch.

Sunday, 9AM-4PM

Practice and teachings with Rinpoche. With lunch.

Cost and Registration

The cost of the retreat, including lunch and a suggested teacher's gift, is $200.00.

Download a registration form or request one through email.

Instructions for registration and payment are included with the form.

More Information

If you have questions about the retreat, please contact the organizers at info at lamawangdu dot org.

You can learn more about Phowa by reading Anyen Rinpoche's book, Dying with Confidence.