Brilliant Sun: Teachings on Compassion and the Nature of Mind
Winter Retreat with Tergar Senior Lama Khenpo Kunga
Compassion and wisdom are the basis for the path of awakening. The practice of compassion culminates in the commitment to help all beings discover their awakened nature. Wisdom manifests as the recognition of pure awareness, an experience that puts us in touch with a source of well-being and deep inner peace. In Tibetan Buddhism, wisdom and compassion are likened to the two wings of a bird, each equally necessary to take flight.
Join us for a wonderful opportunity to grow in wisdom and compassion with Senior Tergar Lama Khenpo Kunga. In this retreat, Khenpo Kunga will offer practical teachings for developing these two qualities, basing his teachings on The Way of the Bodhisattva, one of the most cherished treasures of the Buddhist tradition. His Holiness the Dalai Lama and other great masters often praise this masterpiece, extolling the profound simplicity of its teachings and its power to open the heart and transform the mind. Khenpo Kunga will also offer instructions on the nature of mind, drawing on a unique set of “pointing out instructions” from the lineage of Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche.
The daily schedule will include periods of silent meditation, teachings, and discussions with Khenpo Kunga, and opportunities for interviews and small group discussions with senior Tergar instructors.
The teachings given at this retreat provide the transmissions needed to begin formal Buddhist practice in the Tergar Community, including "pointing out" teachings on the nature of mind, refuge vows (the vows to formally enter the Buddhist path), and the transmissions to begin practicing the Tibetan Buddhist foundational practices (ngondro). This retreat is open to those who have completed the three Joy of Living levels and/or who already have strong background in Buddhist meditation practice (see below for prerequisites).
Qualifications
This retreat is open to all individuals who meet at least one of the following criteria:
1) Have attended all three Joy of Living Levels and completed the practice requirements
2) Have attended the Path of Liberation Level I or Mahamudra Level I with Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche and completed its practice requirements or will complete them prior to the retreat (attendance at the 2010 St. John’s month long retreat or the advanced track of the weeklong retreat fulfills this criteria)
3) Have completed the full preliminary practices (the 4 x 100,000 ngöndro)
4) Have received pointing out teachings from a qualified Buddhist lineage holder (a tulku or rinpoche)
5) Have had a daily meditation practice for at least five years and attended either group or solitary practice retreats (with 6+ hours of formal meditation practice each day) under the guidance of a Buddhist teacher for a total of at least thirty days
Accommodations: Residential and commuter options are available for this retreat. Onsite retreat fees include breakfast, lunch and dinner each day. Commuter fees do not include breakfast. Those staying in area hotels will need to make arrangements for breakfast. Lunch and dinner are included in the commuter retreat fees.
Both the Basic Rate and Sponsor Rate include the same course fees, meals and accommodations. *The Sponsor Rate, for those who choose to pay it, enables us to offer work/study scholarships for those who could not otherwise afford to attend.
Accommodations On SIte: There are a limited number of single or double rooms at Holy Wisdom Monastery. On-site rooms will be assigned on a first come, first served basis. Currently, there are no more on site rooms available, but you can join a waiting list should your preferred room choice open up.
Accommodations and Costs Off Site: We have negotiated discounted rates and free shuttle service with the Baymont Inn and Suites Madison West. We selected the Baymont because they are close to the retreat center, they offered us a discount on room rates, and they are the only hotel that will provide free shuttle service to and from the retreat center. They will hold a block of rooms for Winter Retreat Registrants until December 10, 2015. If you need lodging in Madison, please contact them at 608-831-7711 and mention Tergar.
Work Study: We have already received more requests for work/study than available positions. If you would like to be added to a work/study waiting list, please email winterretreat@tergar.org. We will do our best to accommodate as many requests as possible. Work study is only being offered to those commuting to the retreat. The cost for commuter work study is $295 plus the cost of off-site lodging.
Meals: The retreat center will provide vegetarian meals. Please indicate during registration if you request a vegan/gluten free menu. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at winterretreat@tergar.org.
Payment and Cancellation Policy: All registrations must be accompanied by a payment of at least $250. You will receive an invoice for the balance due, which must be paid prior to the start of the retreat. Cancellations before December 1, 2015 will be refundable subject to a $50 cancellation fee. Cancellations between December 2 and December 18, 2105, will be refundable subject to a cancellation fee of $250. For cancellations after December 18, 2015, no refunds will be possible.
Rates
Holy Wisdom Single Room Basic: $875
Holy Wisdom Single Room Sponsor: $1,035
Holy Wisdom Double Room Basic: $695
Holy Wisdom Double Room Sponsor: $845
Commuter Basic: $475
Commuter Sponsor: $625
If your ability to pay makes it difficult to attend, please contact us.
About Khenpo Kunga
Khenpo Kunga became a monk at a young age and began his education at Tergar monastery, where he studied the rituals, prayers, and other traditional practices of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. At fifteen, he entered an extended meditation retreat and spent three years mastering the profound contemplative practices of the Kagyü lineage. Following this period of intense meditation practice, he entered the renowned Dzongsar monastic college near Dharamsala in Northwest India. After studying there for eleven years and receiving his Khenpo degree (roughly equivalent to a PhD), he taught at Dzongsar college for three additional years. Khenpo Kunga's primary teacher is Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, though he has studied with many other revered masters as well. In recent years, Khenpo Kunga has taught in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the United States as one of the main teachers for the worldwide network of Tergar monasteries, meditation centers, and meditation groups.
About the Path of Liberation
Based on the ancient Buddhist teachings of Tibet, the Path of Liberation presents a course of practice and study that addresses the fundamental confusion that lies at the root of all suffering and allows the meditator to move beyond habitual thoughts and deeply ingrained emotional patterns to the innate purity of awareness itself. Read more...