About this Retreat
H.E. Trungram Gyalwa Rinpoche is the founder and spiritual director of the Dharmakaya Center for Wellbeing. Known as a scholar, teacher and meditation master to thousands of students around the world, Rinpoche is also the first incarnate lama to earn a PhD in the West. He completed his doctoral studies in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism at Harvard University in 2004.
He is the head of the Trungram lineage, its monasteries, meditation centers, schools, dharma centers and groups around the world. One of the highest tulkus of the Kagyu lineage, he is a Rime master, having received teachings from the great masters of all four schools of Tibetan Buddhism.
Rinpoche offers students a unique blend of Eastern wisdom and Western understanding. A scholar of Sanskrit and Tibetan, Rinpoche roots his teachings in the Skills of Awareness—a path combining profound meditation techniques with essential points of Dharma study.
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Details of this retreat
A DHARMAKAYA CENTER STREAMING PROGRAM
Milarepa, Tibet’s renowned and beloved enlightened master, was known for his ability to present complex teachings in a simple, approachable manner through song and poetry. Through his famous 100,000 songs he guided his followers along the Buddhist path.
This program is a rare opportunity to study Milarepa's teachings with Trungram Gyalwa Rinpoche, who is considered to be an emanation of Milarepa. In this program Rinpoche uses eight of Milarepa’s songs as a framework for his teaching. To intensify our understanding, we sing the songs together; we also meditate on Milarepa's messages. It is a unique, engaging, and powerful weekend.
If you are able to join in person, please register here.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Milarepa, known in Tibetan as the Lord of the Yogis, was a great sinner who became a great saint. He achieved enlightenment in one lifetime—despite having murdered 35 people, including family members. He became a revered teacher, and his ability to render any lesson into spontaneous song is one of his great legacies.
In each of our four weekend sessions, Rinpoche will give teachings on two songs, and we will sing those songs together. As Rinpoche explains, singing these texts is much richer than simply reading them, and helps us really understand and internalize the teachings within each song.
Because Milarepa’s actual music was not passed down, we have created new contemporary music to accompany the teachings. We distribute this music and the words approximately one month before the program to help you prepare and enable you to participate more fully.
For each song:
Rinpoche sets the context: Where was Milarepa, to whom was he singing, what were their circumstances?
Everyone sings the song together
Rinpoche teaches about the text of the song, expanding on its meaning so that we can understand it properly
Everyone sings the song again, now with a far deeper connection
Rinpoche answers questions from retreatants
Through this process, you will gain a deeper appreciation both for Buddhist teaching and for Milarepa and his legacy of illumination through song.
THE GANACHAKRA FEAST
In a ganachakra feast, practitioners gather to sing, make offerings, and share a meal as part of a sadhana or spiritual practice. During this program, we hold such a feast twice; our meal will be symbolic, including a small cookie and a few sips of wine as amrita.
SAMPLE SONG
Some songs from previous years are available on our Soundcloud channel. Here is a sample of a song for 2024:
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
Interactive sessions with question and answer periods
Small group discussion (organized by language and region)
Chinese translation
Group singing
Tsa-Tue yoga practice
Ganachakra Feast
OPEN TO ALL
There are no prerequisites for this program; it is appropriate for all. We will supply the music and lyrics to the songs prior the program, so that you can familiarize yourself with them.
PRE-READING
There is no requirement to study or read in advance of the program, but many people have asked for recommendations. Over the weekend, the texts and songs will be drawn from these two books:
100,000 Songs of Milarepa
Tsangnyon Heruka, translated by Christopher Stagg
The Life of Milarepa
Tsangnyon Heruka, translated by Lobsang P. Lhalungpa
SCHEDULE
(subject to change)
All times in the schedule below are provided in the Eastern Time Zone. For the first session global starting times are:
USA West: 4:15 PM, May 16
USA East: 7:15 PM, May 16
London: 12:15 AM, May 17
Berlin, Paris: 1:15 AM, May 17
New Delhi: 4:45 AM, May 17
Kathmandu: 5:00 AM, May 17
Bangkok: 6:15 AM, May 17
Hong Kong, Singapore, Beijing: 7:15 AM, May 17
Friday, May 16
Session 1
7:15-7:30 PM
Introduction and Welcome to the Retreat
7:30-9:30 PM
Milarepa's Story and Songs, with Rinpoche
9:30-10:30 PM
Small Group Discussion
Saturday, May 17
Session 2
8:00-10:00 AM
Milarepa's Story and Songs, with Rinpoche
10:15-10:30 AM
Ganachakra Feast
10:30-11:30 AM
Tsa-Tue Yoga
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Small Group Discussion
Session 3
7:00-9:00 PM
Milarepa's Story and Songs, with Rinpoche
9:00-10:00 PM
Small Group Discussion
Sunday, May 18
Session 4
8:00-10:00 AM
Milarepa's Story and Songs, with Rinpoche
10:15 AM
Ganachakra Feast
10:45-11:45 AM
Closing Ceremony
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