In addition to the Kagyü traditions of Drigung, there were a number of Dzogchen treasure cycles that were discovered in the Shotö Tidro cave at Drigung Thil and subsequently flourished in the lineage. According to legend, at the time of the Tibetan empire at the end of the 8th century, the rainbow body master of Oddiyana, Padmasambhava, along with the help of the primordial wisdom dakini Yeshe Tsogyal bestowed infinite empowerments, transmissions, and oral instructions to guide beings throughout the past, present, and future. Many of these teachings were then hidden to be discovered by future incarnations of their. In particular, there was a princess, Pema Sal, who Padmasambhava resurrected, and her brother, the prince Lhase Mutig Tsenpo, who went on to rule Tibet. The princess and prince both received essential blessings and instructions, which were hidden for them to discover for the benefit of future generations. In the 14th century, the incarnation of the resurrected princess became known as Padma Ledrel Tsal, who revealed the Khandro Nyingthig, Heart Essence of the Dakinis, at Drigung. His next incarnation, the great Dzogchen master Longchenpa, taught the Khandro Nyingthig along with his own mind treasures, the Khandro Yangthig, to a select few, including his own son Dragpa Özer.

Centuries after that, the incarnation of both the prince Lhase Mutig Tsenpo and Dragpa Özer took birth as the great Drigung master Rinchen Phüntsog. Rinchen Phüntshog received and practiced the Khandro Nyingthig when he was young and this led to his own discovery of the famous Yangzab treasure cycle from the same Shotö Tidro cave of Drigung. In these directly interrelated treasure cycles are the heart of the generation stage and completion stage practices that emanated directly from mind of Padmasambhava. In particular, the Dzogchen practices of cutting through concepts into the naked nature of the mind (Tregchö), separating samsara and nirvana (Khorde Rushen), and directly crossing into the experience of the three enlightened bodies of awakening (Thögal) are explained in presented in detail with many secret oral instructions.

Led by Eric Fry-Miller, this talk will be a candid lucid presentation in modern English about what these ancient visionary treasures of the sacred land of Drigung can mean for us here and now in our lives and meditations. There will also be an emphasis on how we might effectively and sustainably train in these practices to follow in the footsteps of those like Padmasambhava and Yeshe Tsogyal, who hid these instructions in the past for us in the future and beyond.

This event is open to all and free of charge. Donations welcome.

Sunday, April 1st 2018
10am-Noon and 2pm – 5pm

Eric Fry-Miller has been translating written Tibetan texts and live oral teachings by Tibetan Lamas for fifteen years. In that time he has completed a traditional three year retreat on the Drigung Kagyu practices of Five-fold Mahamudra and the Six Yogas of Naropa. He has also spent additional years in retreat focusing on the Dzogchen practices of the Nyingthig traditions.