We great joy we offer a cycle of teaching from Lama Rangbar. Last year he already visited other centres of the Rigdzin Community, and now we can welcome him here in Holland.

From Friday the 30^th of June till Wednesday the 5^th of July he will teach on various topics of the Vajrayana practice. And not only that, he will lead us into the practice of Naga Puja and Tsok. And to those with urgent questions about their own personal practice, he will give time to advise and clarify whatever doubts they might have.

The International Rigdzin Community, under guidance of Rigdzin Namkha Gyatso Rinpoche, is following the way of the Old Translation School, or the Nyingma Tradition. In this tradition our main practices come from the Dudjom Tersar, or the New Terma Treasures of Dudjom Lingpa and Dudjom Yikdrel Yeshe Dorje. Lama Rangbar received his first empowerments and instructions from Dudjom Yikdrel Yeshe Dorje, and later studied with his direct sons and other very close students of Dudjom Rinpoche. So this is a very special visit indeed!

Not only for the members of the Rigdzin Community this can be a most wonderful meeting of minds, but also for those of other sanghas or people with open mind who find themselves attracted to the Buddhist path in general. For Lama Rangbar was born with “a westerner’s mind”, very much like ours. And with many years of authentic training and receiving pith instructions from realized masters, this “westerner’s mind” came to be tamed, ripened and polished into a jewel with many facets, reflecting the teachings of this precious Dudjom Tersar lineage onto the raw diamond of our own mind.

For a more elaborate biography of Lama Rangbar click HERE

Teaching Schedule:

HOW TO SURVIVE THE 21^ST CENTURY?

Friday June 30^th – 20:00 till 22:00 o´clock

Chogyam Trungpa said that the greatest problems of modern humans are speed and aggression. And we can find many scriptures that speak of our times as the degenerate times, when the elements are disturbed, war governs the nations and spiritual wisdom is in decline. So we can rightly ask ourselves: How do we survive the 21st Century?

How do we find a right balance in our lives? How do we cope with the relentless fury of distractions? How can the ancient wisdom traditions benefit us today?

This teaching of Lama Rangbar is aimed at giving us a vision of how we can live a meaningful life that benefits both ourselves and others in this 21^st century.

We welcome you in the centre of Dzogchen Ling, Middenweg 22 in Amsterdam.

Costs: 20,- euro

 

DEVOTION AND PURE PERCEPTION, THE KEY TO VAJRAYANA

Saturday morning, July 1^st – from 10:00 till 12:30 o´clock

¨When the sun of fierce devotion shines on the snow mountain of the master, the stream of his blessing will pour down.¨

In this famous saying we find the importance of devotion. Also it is said that realisation will come through blessings; and blessings come through devotion. So devotion is indispensible in the practice of Vajrayana.

Pure perception also plays an important role in our practice. To leave behind our habitual tendencies of judging with like or dislike, attachment and aversion, and instead view everything as excellently pure. The time is the perfect time, the place a perfect place, the teacher the perfect teacher, the entourage a perfect entourage and everything a perfect teaching.

Lama Rangbar will remind us of these important points and how to combine them, turning the key to open the doors to the diamond vehicle.

You are most welcome in Dzogchen Ling centre, Middenweg 22 in Amsterdam.

Costs: 20,- euros.

NAGA PUJA

Sunday morning, July 2^nd – from 10:00 till around 12:00 o´clock

The Naga Puja is something new to the Rigdzin Community of Dzogchen Ling, but not to the array of skillfull means of Lama Rangbar. Nagas are serpent-like beings whose presence is mentioned in many ancient Buddhist scriptures. A harmonious relation with the Nagas is important, as it is with all the beings in this world, for it is through the positive interdependent connection with them that our worldly conditions like health, wealth and other auspicious qualities improve. Also can offering to the Nagas benefit our spiritual practice greatly, for it brings harmony in the community and in the elemental world; it furthers connections with spiritual friends; and since the nagas themselves can be holders of wisdom, it can remove our inner knowledge obscurations.

The location of the puja will be the Amsteldijk in Amsterdam, very close to the cemetery Zorgvlied.

We will start around 10:00, so plan your trip well. Click Here for the location on the map.

A donation of 10,- is suggested. Note, this practice is very useful for those who wish for a more abundant financial situation, for the Nagas are associated with great wealth.

We would like to know if you plan to come: info@rigdzin.nl

 

TEACHING ON VAJRAKILAYA AND THE PHURBA

Sunday July 2^nd – from 14:30 till 17:00 and then from 19:00 till 21:00 o´clock

The Vajrakilaya practices are widespread among Buddhists, and especially among the Nyingma practitioners. Drawn from the rich tradition and his personal experience, Lama Rangbar will guide us through the key points of this practice and expound on the meaning and use of the phurba, the ritual dagger used by the deity Vajrakilaya to penetrate to the ultimate truth of Buddhanature.

This teaching is for long time practioners as well as those with a “zen mind beginners mind”, for anyway in Dharma we renew ourselves with every breath we take, keeping a fresh and open mind in the ever moving present moment.

The teaching will be at the Dzogchen Ling centre, Middenweg 22 in Amsterdam.

The costs are 40,- euros

More information on Vajrakilaya as practiced in the Dudjom Tersar tradition can be found here

 

TSOK OFFERING

Monday evening, July 3^rd – from 19:30 till around 22:00 o`clock

Two times a month we perform Tsok offering in Dzogchen Ling. We offer food and drinks to the Buddha and the entourage of dakas and dakinis, to the enlightened masters and the supreme practitioners, to all sentient beings, with or without form. We recite prayers from the text “A Shower of Blessings” along with the audio recordings of Dungse Thinley Norbu, a root teacher to Lama Rangbar as well as to Namkha Rinpoche.

On this day, Lama Rangbar will join us in this celebration, and will give a small teaching on the meaning of Tsok.

If you would like to join us you can bring your own Tsok offering. Sweets like candy or cookies, fruits, chips or nuts, meat or vegan… all is appreciated by the Buddhas and sentients beings alike! Beers, a bottle of wine, fruit juice, home brewed raspberry liquor… during the ceremony all will be transformed into Long Life Ambrosia.

A small donation to cover the expenses of the centre and the teacher, about 10 euro, is appreciated!

If you plan to come, please let us know, so we can arrange the space accordingly: info@rigdzin.nl

You will find some more information about Tsok Here

 

PERSONAL CONSULTATION

Tuesday July 4^th – afternoon and evening

Sometimes you find that your practice became unclear, or you somehow lost connection with it. Or you are facing an obstacle to your practice which you just cannot seem to overcome. Others may find themselves in a state of utter bliss, but with no sense of direction and actually blissed-out…

It could be that you are rather new to Buddhism, and although many teachers came and went, leaving you with all kinds of advise, in your heart and mind you did not yet formulate a simple beginning to your own spiritual practice.

With all these kinds of questions and issues, you can come to have some very personal guidance from Lama Rangbar, who is our spiritual brother with the same loving father and mother. Although we may not have met him before, we can be sure we are in the very same mandala, and therefore we can take his instructions to heart, without doubt.

In order for us to make a time schedule, please send us an email if you would like to come: info@rigdzin.nl

Together with Lama Rangbar we will work out a time schedule, and let you know.

You will have the opportunity to show your appreciation in the form of a donation, directly to the lama.

 

TEACHING ON DHARMAPALAS / PROTECTORS

 Wednesday July 5^th – from 19:30 till 22:00 o´clock

Dharmapalas or Dharma Protectors are the guardians of specific teachings, and as Vajrayana practitioners we often engage in practice activities to make auspicious connections with them. Since many of the empowerments we receive and liturgies we recite fall under the direct protection of these guardians, it is of great importance to know how to relate with them.

For seasoned practitioners of Vajrayana these instructions will be very practical, and we advise to have your questions ready. For the open minded people who follow in the footsteps of the Buddha, you are most welcome to learn about a practice very dear to the heart of tantric Buddhists.

We welcome you at the centre of Dzogchen Ling, Middenweg 22 in Amsterdam.

Costs: 20,- euros