Dzogchen Community of Chogyal Namkhai Norbu

[jet.urgyen]

Hello. There's something I'm uncertain about on authenticating namkhas/lungtas.

In the Teachings on Thun and Ganapuja book on page 255 it mentions an appointed person sprinkling water, and using incense to purify them. I don't have the Sang or Lungta book for reference.

You can just sprinkle water, and use incense on the namkhas/lungtas yourself if you're alone, right? How does one prepare the water, the incense, and the aspergillum/sprinkler? Any help would be appreciated.

a bowl of water is used, purified along the practice, use a little cypress branch for example to sprinkle water drops over the flags and incense's smoke to purify them (it is the smoke of incense or cypress, etc., not the incense or cypress, etc. per se, the thing that purifies) so the smoke gets in contact with the cloth.

one can do all by oneself. but if you can participate with siblings then, as always, is better.

Now I understand. Thanks for explaining it. I'm still clumsy with the mudras, but I'm slowly becoming familiar with the melodies since I join the webcasts whenever it's possible. The melodies are quite pleasant, and captivating.

you wellcome. this are actually not buddhist practices but tibetan so it's ok to talk about.

[Johnny Dangerous]

I have continual trouble streaming from the replay site, does anyone else have issues? It will tend to drop after about 5 minutes, forcing me to restart the file and find my place. Is there any other way to listen to replays?

[futerko]

I have continual trouble streaming from the replay site, does anyone else have issues? It will tend to drop after about 5 minutes, forcing me to restart the file and find my place. Is there any other way to listen to replays?

I tend to click play, then pause it and leave it to buffer for an hour or two before sitting down to listen.

[climb-up]

Does anyone do the Ayu Khandro Simhamukha practice?
If so, would you be willing to send a PM with a picture of your set up or, failing that, a description of how to set the altar up?
I would like to begin this practice, but I am unclear on certain aspects of it.

I believe I am correct in thinking that there is no book or DVD of rinpoche explaining the practice step by step. ...or is there?

Thank you

[Mantrik]

Does anyone do the Ayu Khandro Simhamukha practice?
If so, would you be willing to send a PM with a picture of your set up or, failing that, a description of how to set the altar up?
I would like to begin this practice, but I am unclear on certain aspects of it.

I believe I am correct in thinking that there is no book or DVD of rinpoche explaining the practice step by step. ...or is there?

Thank you

Worst case, pay a lot of money to Tara Mandala for their course. A lot of money.
The sadhana (Vajranatha's translation) is pretty clear on the setup but I've never done it so can't help more.

[climb-up]

Does anyone do the Ayu Khandro Simhamukha practice?
If so, would you be willing to send a PM with a picture of your set up or, failing that, a description of how to set the altar up?
I would like to begin this practice, but I am unclear on certain aspects of it.

I believe I am correct in thinking that there is no book or DVD of rinpoche explaining the practice step by step. ...or is there?

Thank you

Worst case, pay a lot of money to Tara Mandala for their course. A lot of money.
The sadhana (Vajranatha's translation) is pretty clear on the setup but I've never done it so can't help more.

I would love to go to Tara Mandala some day, everything I've read by Lama Allione is great and I have no doubt that the courses are wonderful, but I am quite poor and will most certainly not be going anytime soon!

I think that for most it would be extremely clear, I just don't know what it means to "construct a mandala of sindhura powder" (just spreading powder out and tracing a hexagram?) and I'm not sure, other than visualization, what the preparation of the inner offerings and sacred objects involves.
Lastly, "proceed as normally in the Dakini practice." ...I assume that that is the same as with a medium thun?

[schubertian]

I would be very surprised to learn that Tara Mandala did not have some sort of work-study or sponsor arrangement. YOu should contact them.

They might also be able to help you with the shrine preparations. For mother tantra the stack-up on the shrine is usually a bit more elaborate than just the sindura powdered mirror. Check with them. Someone there would probably be happy to help you.

[pemachophel]

"Make a mandala with sindhura powder."

Usually what this means when doing the accomplishment of a sadhana is that one first makes a square platform. If possible, you put victory banners at the four corners. You then ring the outer edges with the eight pleasing offerings. Inside the square, you put a round mandala of the Deity you are going to practice. Could be made from colored sand. Could be a painting. Could be a photo-copy. Over that round mandala, you put a kham-sum, a tripod. Could be metal. Could be wood. On top of that tripod you put a skull-cup filed with amrit. Then, on top of that goes as cho-jung, a six-pointed star made from bamboo or metal. On top of that goes a folded red cloth. On top of that goes a melong/mirror which you have smeared sandalwood oil. Over the oil, you sprinkle sindhura to cover the mirror. Then you draw another six-pointed star in this sindhura. Finally, you place a crystal in the center of this six-pointed star. This is a pretty standard, pretty simple set-up. It can be much, much more elaborate.

However, this is something that you should be taught. Each element is meaningful. The set-up should be part of the tri/khrid/commentary on how to do the practice.

[climb-up]

I would be very surprised to learn that Tara Mandala did not have some sort of work-study or sponsor arrangement. YOu should contact them.

They might also be able to help you with the shrine preparations. For mother tantra the stack-up on the shrine is usually a bit more elaborate than just the sindura powdered mirror. Check with them. Someone there would probably be happy to help you.

That is a good idea, it can’t hurt to ask.

[climb-up]

"Make a mandala with sindhura powder."

Usually what this means when doing the accomplishment of a sadhana is that one first makes a square platform. If possible, you put victory banners at the four corners. You then ring the outer edges with the eight pleasing offerings. Inside the square, you put a round mandala of the Deity you are going to practice. Could be made from colored sand. Could be a painting. Could be a photo-copy. Over that round mandala, you put a kham-sum, a tripod. Could be metal. Could be wood. On top of that tripod you put a skull-cup filed with amrit. Then, on top of that goes as cho-jung, a six-pointed star made from bamboo or metal. On top of that goes a folded red cloth. On top of that goes a melong/mirror which you have smeared sandalwood oil. Over the oil, you sprinkle sindhura to cover the mirror. Then you draw another six-pointed star in this sindhura. Finally, you place a crystal in the center of this six-pointed star. This is a pretty standard, pretty simple set-up. It can be much, much more elaborate.

However, this is something that you should be taught. Each element is meaningful. The set-up should be part of the tri/khrid/commentary on how to do the practice.

Oh wow, thank you for this response. Yes, this is definitely not something I will be trying to figure out on my own! I do have the lung, but no tri.

ChNN definitely gave lung for it, but it seems like this not commonly practiced in the DC?

[Virgo]

I would be very surprised to learn that Tara Mandala did not have some sort of work-study or sponsor arrangement. YOu should contact them.

They might also be able to help you with the shrine preparations. For mother tantra the stack-up on the shrine is usually a bit more elaborate than just the sindura powdered mirror. Check with them. Someone there would probably be happy to help you.

That is a good idea, it can’t hurt to ask.

Tara Mandala definitely has work-study programs. You should contact them.

Kevin

[lelopa]

...... everything I've read by Lama Allione is great .......

"I like to say that Tara is the first “Women’s Libber” and that Green Tara is the spiritual leader of the Green Party, guardian of the forest"
T.Allione

[Ayu]

...... everything I've read by Lama Allione is great .......

"I like to say that Tara is the first “Women’s Libber” and that Green Tara is the spiritual leader of the Green Party, guardian of the forest"
T.Allione

Often it is unfair to take quotes out of their context.

[heart]

"Make a mandala with sindhura powder."

Usually what this means when doing the accomplishment of a sadhana is that one first makes a square platform. If possible, you put victory banners at the four corners. You then ring the outer edges with the eight pleasing offerings. Inside the square, you put a round mandala of the Deity you are going to practice. Could be made from colored sand. Could be a painting. Could be a photo-copy. Over that round mandala, you put a kham-sum, a tripod. Could be metal. Could be wood. On top of that tripod you put a skull-cup filed with amrit. Then, on top of that goes as cho-jung, a six-pointed star made from bamboo or metal. On top of that goes a folded red cloth. On top of that goes a melong/mirror which you have smeared sandalwood oil. Over the oil, you sprinkle sindhura to cover the mirror. Then you draw another six-pointed star in this sindhura. Finally, you place a crystal in the center of this six-pointed star. This is a pretty standard, pretty simple set-up. It can be much, much more elaborate.

However, this is something that you should be taught. Each element is meaningful. The set-up should be part of the tri/khrid/commentary on how to do the practice.

Oh wow, thank you for this response. Yes, this is definitely not something I will be trying to figure out on my own! I do have the lung, but no tri.

ChNN definitely gave lung for it, but it seems like this not commonly practiced in the DC?

Ayu Khandro Simhamukha practice is the standard Simhamukha in the DC. Everyone practice the ultra short version. The long practice, the sadhana, he only gave lung for on the Ayu Khandro Simhamukha retreats and on those retreats he also gave wang and tri on the text. I participated in one of these retreats and he didn't give any instructions how to do the altar, I think he didn't find these details necessary.

/magnus

[heart]

Just wanted to add that the information that Ayu Khandro Simhamukha practice is the standard Simhamukha in the DC comes from Malcolm. The long sadhana has been translated by John Reynolds as well as one person on this forum who kindly translated it when I received the sadhana from from ChNNR in Tibetan. I asked Rinpoche for a copy by email of the text he just transmitted.

/magnus

[climb-up]

"Make a mandala with sindhura powder."

Usually what this means when doing the accomplishment of a sadhana is that one first makes a square platform. If possible, you put victory banners at the four corners. You then ring the outer edges with the eight pleasing offerings. Inside the square, you put a round mandala of the Deity you are going to practice. Could be made from colored sand. Could be a painting. Could be a photo-copy. Over that round mandala, you put a kham-sum, a tripod. Could be metal. Could be wood. On top of that tripod you put a skull-cup filed with amrit. Then, on top of that goes as cho-jung, a six-pointed star made from bamboo or metal. On top of that goes a folded red cloth. On top of that goes a melong/mirror which you have smeared sandalwood oil. Over the oil, you sprinkle sindhura to cover the mirror. Then you draw another six-pointed star in this sindhura. Finally, you place a crystal in the center of this six-pointed star. This is a pretty standard, pretty simple set-up. It can be much, much more elaborate.

However, this is something that you should be taught. Each element is meaningful. The set-up should be part of the tri/khrid/commentary on how to do the practice.

Oh wow, thank you for this response. Yes, this is definitely not something I will be trying to figure out on my own! I do have the lung, but no tri.

ChNN definitely gave lung for it, but it seems like this not commonly practiced in the DC?

Ayu Khandro Simhamukha practice is the standard Simhamukha in the DC. Everyone practice the ultra short version. The long practice, the sadhana, he only gave lung for on the Ayu Khandro Simhamukha retreats and on those retreats he also gave wang and tri on the text. I participated in one of these retreats and he didn't give any instructions how to do the altar, I think he didn't find these details necessary.

/magnus

Interesting. So the more extensive Ayu Khandro was done, as written, without a specific altar set-up?
I wondered if that might be the case.

Can I PM you about this?

[climb-up]

Just wanted to add that the information that Ayu Khandro Simhamukha practice is the standard Simhamukha in the DC comes from Malcolm. The long sadhana has been translated by John Reynolds as well as one person on this forum who kindly translated it when I received the sadhana from from ChNNR in Tibetan. I asked Rinpoche for a copy by email of the text he just transmitted.

/magnus

So it’s all the same original text right (the one John Reynolds used and the one ChNN you?), but different translators?

[climb-up]

...... everything I've read by Lama Allione is great .......

"I like to say that Tara is the first “Women’s Libber” and that Green Tara is the spiritual leader of the Green Party, guardian of the forest"
T.Allione

Well, I like it.
I can think of a couple Lamas at least who’d agree with sentiment (wether or not Tara specifically was their focus).

[climb-up]

I would be very surprised to learn that Tara Mandala did not have some sort of work-study or sponsor arrangement. YOu should contact them.

They might also be able to help you with the shrine preparations. For mother tantra the stack-up on the shrine is usually a bit more elaborate than just the sindura powdered mirror. Check with them. Someone there would probably be happy to help you.

That is a good idea, it can’t hurt to ask.

Tara Mandala definitely has work-study programs. You should contact them.

Kevin

That is definitely awesome, and thank you for sharing it. It may be very helpful to someone.

I will check it out but my circumstance is such that, even if the retreat was 100%, I can’t really afford to be away from my family for any length of time, let alone pay for travel etc.
I went to a three day empowerment several months ago, and even having a little extra money and not having to do much travel, it was just too much for my family; that won’t be happening anytime soon.
...BUT, I will still check. Things change, maybe something will happen.

[Virgo]

You never know what the future holds.

Kevin