As Vajrayana Buddhists we diligently practice the 2-fold accumulation of merit and wisdom. To accumulate wisdom we engage in meditation to deepen our understanding of emptiness and the innate purity of all phenomena. To accumulate merit we engage the other 5 perfections, starting with the perfection of generosity. Mandala practice combines meditation, mantra, and purification into a single very powerful act of generosity, and serves as a method to accumulate merit quickly.

With each mandala offering we offer the entire universe, our world and the inconceivably vast universe, in brief, the entirety of the glorious dharmasphere, to all beings and to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. In doing so we overcome our basic tendency toward self grasping and greed by purifying it with loving kindness and compassion. In the context of Ngondro, or preliminary practice, offering 111,111 mandalas is recommended. So just as we repeatedly polish our offering rings, we correspondingly polish the mirror of mind.

Our beloved Drupon Thinley Ningpo will show us how to practice the mandala offering as taught in the Drikung Kagyu tradition. He will explain not only how to perform the mandala offering — the ritual materials and 37 point step-by-step process — but will also explain its inner significance, how it builds merit, purifies negative karma, and ultimately blossoms as the most valuable benefit of all, Buddhahood.

Mandala practice texts will be available to use during the teaching weekend, and will be available for purchase in the dharma store. If you own a mandala offering set, please bring it with you. If you do not own a mandala set, we will provide as many simulated sets as needed, and vats of rice to fill the mandala, so that everyone can participate and learn the practice hands-on.

To pre-register for this event, please click here.

Teaching Fee: $75 for this weekend, $35 for Sustaining Members and above.
Foundational Members may attend for free.