Dzogchen Community of Chogyal Namkhai Norbu

[Lhasa]

Thank you for this excellent summary, it's exactly what I needed. I need to go sit with this for awhile, maybe I'll have some questions later.

[T. Chokyi]

Thank you for this excellent summary, it's exactly what I needed. I need to go sit with this for awhile, maybe I'll have some questions later.

Lhasa, You're very welcome.

[wisdomfire]

Hi, I am looking for the Tibetan text for the Chod practice for Dzogchen Community. I find difficulties and inaccuracies for myself following the Drajyor system. I prefer reading Tibetan directly but the Chod booklet doesn't have the text in Tibetan. Can anyone PM me or direct me to find the Tibetan text? Thanks alot!

[simhanada]

To purchase the restricted books you need to be a member of the DC.

You don't need to be a member, just to of had transmission. Although I see they say that on the US website store specifies this the European does not. It just requires that you have had the appropriate transmissions. If you attend a retreat in person you don't have to be a member to purchase the appropriate materials either.

[RikudouSennin]

when someone gets a chance can you let me know when a person can start Dream Yoga/practice of the night?
i ordered the book already, because this is one of my main interest
thx

[Karma Dondrup Tashi]

Hi, I am looking for the Tibetan text for the Chod practice for Dzogchen Community. I find difficulties and inaccuracies for myself following the Drajyor system. I prefer reading Tibetan directly but the Chod booklet doesn't have the text in Tibetan. Can anyone PM me or direct me to find the Tibetan text? Thanks alot!

The text itself is in the thun book but the letters are English.

[Pero]

The text itself is in the thun book but the letters are English.

It's not in the new/current Tun book.

when someone gets a chance can you let me know when a person can start Dream Yoga/practice of the night?
i ordered the book already, because this is one of my main interest

Now.

[Josef]

when someone gets a chance can you let me know when a person can start Dream Yoga/practice of the night?
i ordered the book already, because this is one of my main interest
thx

After receiving transmission.
Good luck!

[Sally Gross]

Would somebody mind PMing me the mantra that turns bad days good? I'm getting oral surgery on a day when my bLa is going to be between my neck and temples (figures...), so I'm a bit worried about doing some damage to my bLa. I've received the mantra a few times, but I've never seen it written out. Thanks!
JR

There is an invocation at the back of the Tibetan Calendar for 2012/2013 published by the Shang Shung Institute. I used it this past Thursday, shown by the calendar as "a day that burns" and thus particularly unsuited to surgery and related medical procedures, which I had to spend in hospital undergoing a procedure which involved a degree of risk. Is this invocation the mantra in question, or is the mantra something different?

[oldbob]

T. Chokyi wrote in his long, excellent and kindly post:


"Your sound, light, and rays, happen the moment you transform. The rays are going out without anything blocking them, infinite light rays, the mantra garland is spinning from the very start and facing outward, vivid right from the instant transformation."

Checked the notes and I think that the mantras face out for male deities and inside for female deities. For Mandarava this means that you switch direction between upper and lower. Perhaps this is one of the keys that helps unlock the practice. Also, maybe it is ok if the sparks fill your body and also the universe. Also, I think I remember that there are three ways of saying some mantra.

Please, old-timers correct me if I got something wrong. Also, everybody should respect transmission, as this is what makes the practices work.

FAR better to hear this, in full, from a real Dzogchen Master like ChNNR directly, or read it in a SSI approved publication, than to learn on DW.

Long life to the Dzogchen Masters. May they live long in good health and with success in all things.

[JinpaRangdrol]

Hi, I am looking for the Tibetan text for the Chod practice for Dzogchen Community. I find difficulties and inaccuracies for myself following the Drajyor system. I prefer reading Tibetan directly but the Chod booklet doesn't have the text in Tibetan. Can anyone PM me or direct me to find the Tibetan text? Thanks alot!

I have a copy of the Tibetan somewhere, just gotta track it down. I also have an improved transliteration, if you want that.

[treehuggingoctopus]

Is there an audio of short Mandarava somewhere out there? If I recall correctly, there are some mantras there which aren't included in the magnificent but lengthy Mandarava-Ganapuja combo which is the current standard.

All help will be greatly appreciated. I may also hug you to death if I ever see you in meatspace.

[T. Chokyi]

T. Chokyi wrote in his long, excellent and kindly post:
"Your sound, light, and rays, happen the moment you transform. The rays are going out without anything blocking them, infinite light rays, the mantra garland is spinning from the very start and facing outward, vivid right from the instant transformation."

Checked the notes and I think that the mantras face out for male deities and inside for female deities. For Mandarava this means that you switch direction between upper and lower.

Thanks oldbob, yes, the mantra garland for female deities goes the oppoiste direction (anti clockwise) with the letters facing inwards, very excellent point.

Pracitioners can get the book "The Precious Vase" by CHNN and see pages 220-221 for example.
The subjects there address this briefly, they are "Visualizing the Dimension of the Deity of Contemplation" and "Reciting the Mantra of Contemplation"

[Lhasa]

Good pointing, T. Chokyi, I'll go look those up. I didn't know that everything happened at once with a transformation. The spinning mantras had me scratching my head. lol I love this being, no doing, kind of practice. Your description was quite 'grok-able', thanks again.

[underthetree]

My first Ganapuja tonight - very excited!

Could I have some pointers on etiquette, please? I don't want to do anything silly...

[simhanada]

My first Ganapuja tonight - very excited!

Could I have some pointers on etiquette, please? I don't want to do anything silly...

Arrive a little early and ask someone if they can go through the practice quickly with you so you have a small idea of what's happening. Its a good icebreaker

Don't worry if you don't get it all perfect. When your doing the mudras pick someone and just try and follow along, it'll take some practice to get them down so don't expect to get it on your first go. Wait till the practice leader eats(male) or drinks(female) before you do, if you male eat a piece of meat/food first, if your female drink first. Save a little piece of each type of food you have for offerings at the end.

Just follow the best you can. My first Ganapuja was a wonderful experience

[Blue Garuda]

My first Ganapuja tonight - very excited!

Could I have some pointers on etiquette, please? I don't want to do anything silly...

Arrive a little early and ask someone if they can go through the practice quickly with you so you have a small idea of what's happening. Its a good icebreaker

Don't worry if you don't get it all perfect. When your doing the mudras pick someone and just try and follow along, it'll take some practice to get them down so don't expect to get it on your first go. Wait till the practice leader eats(male) or drinks(female) before you do, if you male eat a piece of meat/food first, if your female drink first. Save a little piece of each type of food you have for offerings at the end.

Just follow the best you can. My first Ganapuja was a wonderful experience

Do groups cater for vegetarians at Ganapuja or is meat compulsory? (I know for Tsog in vajrayana that tsampa is an alternative.)

[Jikan]

In DC, meat is compulsory.

[simhanada]

Do groups cater for vegetarians at Ganapuja or is meat compulsory? (I know for Tsog in vajrayana that tsampa is an alternative.)

I've never experienced a vegetarian ganapuja in the DC. I have seen meals catered to food allergies though. If one is a recovering alcoholic then maybe it would be best not to drink.

[oldbob]

My first Ganapuja tonight - very excited!

Could I have some pointers on etiquette, please? I don't want to do anything silly...

Lots of good answers, but here is my 2 cents.

Nothing is silly - we all had our first Ganapuja and "made fools of our selves" (goes with the territory) and this is as it should be.



Get there early, and ask who are the old-timers, and then go up to an old-timer and ask if they could help you keep track.
Respectfully elbow the old-timer, if you get lost and need to be shown the place.
Sit next to them and very slightly behind, so you can watch them out of the corner of your eye. Then, while you are
reading the text and singing along, also keep an eye on them and do what they do. You can sing quietly, under your breath,
if you are afraid of getting it wrong. If you can get there early, ask an old-timer to show you the mudras (hand-gestures) a few hundred times.

Sometimes concentrate more on learning the mudras and sometimes more on the words and melody. For the offering, remember that
women hold the wine glass in their right hand and men hold the wine glass, in the left. (Hands are crossed when receiving.)
Woman drink first, and men eat first.
So it might be easier to choose an exemplar of the same sex, if you are going to do monkey see, monkey do.

None of which has anything to do with the real (inner and secret) meaning of the GP which you can ask an old-timer about.


If etiquette is of major concern then you might just keep your hands folded in a prayer gesture and concentrate on on the words and melody.
Then learn the mudras separately.

Before eating from your plate of food, set aside 2 small pieces which will be collected for an offering to the "spirits."
Some people give most of their plate, but it is not like that. Two little pieces are enough. These offerings are multiplied by visualization so
the physical amount really doesn't really matter. You can take home, or respectfully throw out, what you don't eat.

Please, old timers, correct me if I got something wrong.

Hope this helps,

Enjoy!!!

ob