To become a Kagyu Student one must feel ready to commit one to two hours a day engaging with the Kagyu foundational practices. To know whether or not this is right, one both searches within and consults with Lama Palden (from whom permission is required). While Sukhasiddhi offers a formal program for students at this level, it is not necessary to be part of this program to be a Kagyu Student.
Vipashyana of Mahamudra
The meditation practice of the Kagyu Student is Vipashyana of Mahamudra, an analytical meditation that looks directly at the nature of mind, cutting through to the root or basis to discover the true nature, suchness of mind and reality.
Yidam Practices
Kagyu Students learn the practices of Medicine Buddha (after receiving the empowerment), Amitabha and Chöd. Students may also learn the Monlam Choga (the extended practice of Niguma's tönglen) as well as White Tara.
Songs of Realizations, Aspiration Prayers
The fully-realized Buddhist masters have left us a priceless treasure in their aspiration prayers (heart prayers for realization and help on the path), and songs of realization, which poetically express their awakened experience and transmit the understanding and blessings to us. Kagyu Students integrate these prayers and songs by reciting, studying and singing them in class and as a part of their personal practice.
Foundational Practices: Ngöndro
The first step in the complete journey to enlightenment offered by Vajrayana is the Ngöndro or Preliminary Practices (comprised of four Ordinary Preliminaries, four Extraordinary Preliminaries and four Special Preliminaries). Through these foundational practices, a student undergoes a process of purification and transformation that prepares her for understanding and practicing Mahamudra and further Vajrayana.
The Four Ordinary Preliminaries
The four thoughts that turn the mind to dharma are: 1) the preciousness of the rare human birth that allows us to study and practice dharma 2) the impermanence of life and inevitability of death 3) karmic causes and results of which we are at the mercy till full liberation and 4) the shortcomings of samsara, which is filled with suffering. Through contemplation, the Kagyu Student deepens and personalizes her understanding of these profound concepts.
The Four Extraordinary Preliminaries
Traditionally a student completes 100,000 each of the four Extraordinary Preliminaries - 1) taking refuge + generating bodhicitta 2) Vajrasattva mantra practice 3) mandala offerings and 4) guru yoga practice. However, the decision of how many to complete and how long to do each practice is determined in consultation with the teacher.
In Vajrayana, the Six-fold Refuge begins with our guru (since the Vajrayana path does not exist without the guru) and continues with the yidams, Buddha, dharma, sangha, dakinis and protectors. The practice purifies negative habitual patterns, karma and helps transform emotional afflictions, all of which present obstacles to the path. Finally, during guru yoga, we request and pray for the blessings and transmission of primordial wisdom from the guru and lineage masters.
The Four Special Preliminaries
The causal condition, empowering condition, object condition and proximate condition make up the four Special Preliminaries that further us on the path.
The causal condition is the development of a genuine sense of revulsion for samsara. The empowering condition is the development of devotion, trust and confidence in the lineage and the guru. The object condition (referring to various objects of Mahamudra meditation) begins with ground Mahamudra-the inseparability of samsara and nirvana and the inseparability of the three kayas, which exist in this very nature of mind (the very nature of reality). The proximate condition means instantly entering Mahamudra meditation, going beyond labeling, beyond discursive thought, beyond meditation, meditator and the act of meditation.
Study Topics
Madhyamaka
Philosophical Schools
Stages of Emptiness
Sun of Wisdom
Buddha Nature
Distinguishing Phenomena and Pure Being
Perfect and Complete Purity
Ground, Path and Fruition
Ground is Buddha Nature (the potential for full awakening that is in everyone) as a basic truth. Since this truth is obscured, we have path, consisting of methods, practices and techniques that help us strip away our misunderstandings and unwholesome dualistic patterns. The path culminates in fruition, the realization of the awakened being that we truly are.
Mahamudra
Samatha and Vipashyana
Relationship to teacher in terms of Vajrayana and Mahamudra
Antidotes-change in perspective
Formal pointing out instructions
Vajrayana
Mahamudra Shamatha and Vipashyana as Inseparable with Vajrayana
Creation and completion
Ngondro
Vajrayana Topics
Yidam/Vajra World
Five Buddhas in relationship to Vajrayana
Relative and Absolute Reality
Kayas
Tsoks
Advanced Sadhana Practice
Bardo Teachings
Death & Dying
Extraordinary Vipashyana and Mahamudra from the Shangpa tradition
Tantric Vows
Kagyu Student Reading List
| Berzin, Alexander. |
Relating to a Spiritual Teacher: Building a Healthy Relationship. |
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Chapter One in Taking the Kalachakra Initiation. |
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| Dorje, Wangchuk. |
Ocean of Definitive Meaning. (need permission to acquire this book. Thrangu Rinpoche has one by the same name that is a commentary that is excellent) |
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| Harding, Sarah. |
Machik's Complete Explanation. |
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Kongtrul, Jamgon,
trans: Sarah Harding |
Creation and Completion. |
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The Torch of Certainty. |
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| Nalanda Translation Committee. |
Rain of Wisdom: The Essence of the Ocean of True Meaning. |
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| Rinpoche, Kalu. |
Luminous Mind: The Way of the Buddha. |
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| Rinpoche, Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso. |
Progressive Stages of Meditation on Emptiness. |
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The Sun of Wisdom: Teachings on the Noble Nagarjuna's Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way |
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| Rinpoche, Thrangu. |
Medicine Buddha Teachings. |
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Pointing out the Dharmakaya |
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| Zangpo, Ngawang. |
Timeless Rapture: Inspired Verse of the Shangpa Masters. |
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Biography
| Dowman, Keith. |
Masters of Mahamudra: Songs and Histories of the Eighty-Four Buddhist Siddhas. |
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Sky Dancer OR |
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| Nam-mkha'i snying-po. |
Mother of Knowledge: The Enlightenment of Yes-shes mTsho-rgyal. |
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| Guenther, Herbert. |
The Life and Teaching of Naropa, OR |
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| Rinpoche, Trungpa. |
Illusion's Game: The Life and Teaching of Naropa. |
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| McLeod, trans. |
Chariot for Traveling the Path to Freedom: The Life Story of Kalu Rinpoche. |
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| Stewart, Jampa. |
The Life of Gampopa: The Incomparable Dharma Lord of Tibet. |
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| Thinley, Karma. |
The History of the Sixteen Karmapas of Tibet. |
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Optional
| Dzokchen, Ponlop. |
Wild Awakening: The Heart of Mahamudra and Dzokchen. |
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| Garry, Ron. |
Wisdom Nectar: Dudjom Rinpoche's Heart Advice. |
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| Kunzang & Schmidt. |
Blazing Splendor: The Memoirs of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche. |
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| McLeod, Ken. |
Wake Up To Your Life. |
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| Rinpoche, Kalu. |
Profound Buddhism: From Hinayana to Vajrayana. |
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| Rinpoche, Khenpo Karthar. |
Wish-Fulfilling Jewel: The Practice of White Tara. |
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| Rinpoche, Patrul. |
Words of My Perfect Teacher. |
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| Rinpoche, Trungpa. |
Journey Without Goal. |
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| Simmer-Brown, Judith. |
Dakini's Warm Breath. |
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| Zangpo, Ngawang. |
Sacred Ground: Jamgon Kongtrul on "Pilgrimage and Sacred Geography." |
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Commitments at the Kagyu Student Level:
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Maintaining commitments from previous level
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Continuing to engage in active study with Sukhasiddhi Foundation and teachers of Sukhasiddhi Foundation
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Engaging in Development of the Paramitas:
- generosity
- ethics and manners
- patience
- joyful effort or diligence
- meditative concentration
- discriminating awareness born from wisdom
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Cultivating flexibility of mind
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Studying and committing to root Tantric Vows
These vows are very subtle in understanding and application and the complete explanations need to be studied thoroughly.
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Participating in the Sukhasiddhi annual retreat
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Practices of Medicine Buddha, Amitabha and Chöd
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Study and practice of Songs of Realization and Aspiration Prayers
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Study and practice of Vipashyana of Mahamudra
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Study and practice of Ngöndro
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Pilgrimage to centers and holy sites of the lineage in the Himalayas and/or Tibet
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Receiving empowerments as necessary and upholding the commitments
Membership and Service Commitments
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Engaging in active service with Sukhasiddhi Foundation
(Long distance students also can assist)
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Continue to maintain active membership in Sukhasiddhi Foundation
Duration of Level
Three years is generally the minimum amount of time required at the Kagyu Student level. However, the number and diversity of its studies and practices are sufficient to take a lifetime to assimilate. Again, these practices and the study at this level is profound and one can spend a lifetime on these without necessarily going to the next level if so desired. They are sufficient for full realization.
The Kagyu Student level represents the first three years of Sukhasiddhi's Six Year Program. It is not necessary to be a member of the Six Year Program to be a Kagyu Student, but the program may be of help.
For those with a particular affinity for more advanced spiritual practices in the Vajrayana and Mahamudra tradition, the Lineage Student level is offered.
