Creation Stage Teachings
Category: Buddhism
Dates: September 5, 2010 - October 4, 2010
Venue: Samye Ling
Course Leader: Drupon Rinpoche
These precious teachings are open to those who are already committed to the Buddhist path, who are genuinely engaged in Vajrayana deity practice and who have previously taken Refuge and received at least one Vajrayana empowerment.
There is no course fee for these teachings but donations will be gratefully accepted. Normal accommodation rates apply.
Drupon Rinpoche's advice about the Creation Stage Teachings
The creation stage course will be a very useful opportunity for you if you have the time because the text I will be teaching from explains Vajrayana practice very clearly. Many people practice Vajrayana deity practices and recite mantras, doing various practices but they are often not very clear about what they are doing or about the purpose and benefit that comes from such practice. This text explains all that very clearly, describing the various sorts of Vajrayana practices, mantras, types of meditations and why we do them. It explains such things as how to use a mala and how it should be, and also the nature and purpose of tormas. The text explains those things well and clearly and we hope to have a translation ready for you for the course. This text does not exist in English translation at present.
Vajrayana practice is completely contained in the two topics of creation stage and fulfilment stage. The one-month course based on this text gives very clear insight into the nature of the creation stage. I think it will be hard to find such an opportunity again in the foreseeable future as this course is happening primarily to help those who are entering retreat this year. Such teachings are not often found outside the retreat context. This time, they will be made available to those who are sincerely practising Vajrayana and who have received empowerment. Just being a Buddhist and having taken Refuge is not enough. You must be an authentic practitioner. Many of you recite sadhanas. If you do not really understand the reasons why you do all the various things that make up a sadhana, there will probably not be that much benefit coming out of its practice. This text explains the reasons. I truly, heartily recommend these teachings to you.
Of course, it is up to you whether you take these teachings or not. There is no point taking them just because I recommend it. It must be because you understand that they will truly benefit you. You can also tell your friends who practice Vajrayana, if you feel it may benefit them. Personally I do not mind if there are a few people or many and I am not saying this to get higher numbers. The point is to bring benefit and make people's practice meaningful.
The conditions for attendance at this course will be very strict and that is not negotiable. Anyone attending must attend every session. There will be no excuses for regular medical appointments, trips to town, work that must be done and so forth. Of course, if someone falls ill during the course, they will be excused from the sessions during the time of their illness. But other than that, there must be 100% attendance. If I see that someone has missed a session, I will refuse to teach them afterwards, during that course. The only other exception will be if Akong Tulku Rinpoche or Lama Yeshe Rinpoche specifically asks. They are in charge of the centre here. This rule of attendance will apply to the Creation Stage course as well as to the Ngondro Practice Instructions course.