Barom Kagyu Phowa with Chogyal Rinpoche
in Austria – 25th till 30th of July 2019
This Phowa practice is belonging to the profound path of the glorious Barom Kagyü and arose as the synthesis of the blessings of direct transmission and terma (tib. bka' gter gcig 'dres).
The direct transmission is the quick path of the Secret Mantra Vajra Vehicle, the quintessence of all tantras. These are the key instructions that liberate completely through the upper door and are profound teachings for reaching buddhahood without meditating.
The lineage of this rapid path goes from Vajradhara to Tilopa, Naropa, Marpa, Milarepa,Gampopa, and then to the four primary lineage-holders (1st Karmapa Dusum Khyenpa, Pakmo Drupa, Lama Zhang, and Barom Darma Wangchuk). This Phowa practice is contained in the 6 Yogas of Naropa.
The lineage of the treasure path goes from Buddha Amitabha directly to Guru Padmasambhava. It is said that Guru Rinpoche travelled magically to Sukhavati (tib. Dewachen, eng. Blissful Realm), where he met Buddha Amitabha and received the Profound Instructions on the Rainbow Body Transference [gdams zab 'pho ba 'ja' gzugs-ma], also known as Planting the Stalk ['jag tshugs ma]. Padmasambhava put it into practice and hid it as a terma for the benefit of future destined ones at the mountain Gampodar, which later became the birthplace of the great master Gampopa.
The rediscovery of Padmasambhava’s termas started slowly in the 11th century with the activity of treasure revealers (tertön) who are able to reveal termas due to their realization and their past relationship with Padmasambhava. He prophecized the coming of future tertons, who are generally considered the re-incarnations of his 25 main disciples.
In the 14th century, the terton Nyida Sangye was doing a retreat in Gampodar and had a vision of Dorje Phagmo in his meditation. She told him that it was the right time to get the treasure out of its hiding place. According to a later vision Nyida Sangye had of Dorje Phagmo, he transmitted the teaching to the terton Namkha Gyaltsen, who became the next lineage holder.
The characteristics of the profound methods of these instructions on transferring the mind that arose as a combination of the blessings of direct lineage and terma is explained in the following quotes.
Vajradhara:
Even those who kill a brahman daily
And accomplish the five heinous actions Can, if they encounter these instructions, Attain liberation: have no doubt about this!
Nāropa:
There are eight openings for samsara
But one door that lead to mahāmudrā. Closing eight doors and opening one:
Do not doubt that this is the way to liberation!
Marpa Lotsāwa:
I train in Transference right now.
I train, train, and train again.
When in the end I die, I have no fear:
Because of previous training, I have confidence.
Milarepa:
This instruction that combines Merging and Transference Is crucial as it is the path that overcomes the bardo.
Are you one who possesses such way?
Blissful is the one who harnesses winds
and make them enter into the central channel.
Emaho! This leads to the dharmadhatu!
Gampopa:
Awakening by meditating, everyone can do. Awakening without meditating, that is the method!
This profound key-instruction on Transference Is an instruction from the great Naropa.
Having trained, one obtains supreme Transference. This is the excellent path of a yogi.
When the time of death will come
The application of the Transference is supreme.
Sönam Zangpo:
Captain of the path of Transference,
King of the mind base-of-all,
Rider of the horse of the center of appearances and emptiness: Emaho! This is a great person of wonder!
Thus, this instruction on Transference, which is called “Travelling to the Pure Field of Dewachen”, is the synthesis of direct transmission and treasure as well as the combination of Nirmanakaya-, Sambhogakaya- & Dharmakaya-Phowa.
A central feature of this Phowa is a special technique of holding the breath, the so-called “vase breathing” (tib. lung bum pa can), which is supported by muscular contraction, mental concentration and certain visualizations. With this method the meditator is controlling the movement of energies and lung in his subtle body with the aim to master his mind.
In 2018, Repa Tsultrim Tharchin asked Chogyal Rinpoche to spread the Barom Kagyu Phowa practice outside of Tibet to interested long-time practitioners. Before Rinpoche is leaving for his 3,5 year wandering retreat in 2019, he will transmit the Phowa only one time in the West: From the 25th till 30th of July 2019 in Austria.
Rinpoche would like to welcome practitioners of all schools (Kagyu, Bon, Nyingma, Sakya, Gelug, etc), who have finished the Ngondro (or similar preliminaries) to this Phowa course.
The direct transmission is the quick path of the Secret Mantra Vajra Vehicle, the quintessence of all tantras. These are the key instructions that liberate completely through the upper door and are profound teachings for reaching buddhahood without meditating.
The lineage of this rapid path goes from Vajradhara to Tilopa, Naropa, Marpa, Milarepa,Gampopa, and then to the four primary lineage-holders (1st Karmapa Dusum Khyenpa, Pakmo Drupa, Lama Zhang, and Barom Darma Wangchuk). This Phowa practice is contained in the 6 Yogas of Naropa.
The lineage of the treasure path goes from Buddha Amitabha directly to Guru Padmasambhava. It is said that Guru Rinpoche travelled magically to Sukhavati (tib. Dewachen, eng. Blissful Realm), where he met Buddha Amitabha and received the Profound Instructions on the Rainbow Body Transference [gdams zab 'pho ba 'ja' gzugs-ma], also known as Planting the Stalk ['jag tshugs ma]. Padmasambhava put it into practice and hid it as a terma for the benefit of future destined ones at the mountain Gampodar, which later became the birthplace of the great master Gampopa.
The rediscovery of Padmasambhava’s termas started slowly in the 11th century with the activity of treasure revealers (tertön) who are able to reveal termas due to their realization and their past relationship with Padmasambhava. He prophecized the coming of future tertons, who are generally considered the re-incarnations of his 25 main disciples.
In the 14th century, the terton Nyida Sangye was doing a retreat in Gampodar and had a vision of Dorje Phagmo in his meditation. She told him that it was the right time to get the treasure out of its hiding place. According to a later vision Nyida Sangye had of Dorje Phagmo, he transmitted the teaching to the terton Namkha Gyaltsen, who became the next lineage holder.
The characteristics of the profound methods of these instructions on transferring the mind that arose as a combination of the blessings of direct lineage and terma is explained in the following quotes.
Vajradhara:
Even those who kill a brahman daily
And accomplish the five heinous actions Can, if they encounter these instructions, Attain liberation: have no doubt about this!
Nāropa:
There are eight openings for samsara
But one door that lead to mahāmudrā. Closing eight doors and opening one:
Do not doubt that this is the way to liberation!
Marpa Lotsāwa:
I train in Transference right now.
I train, train, and train again.
When in the end I die, I have no fear:
Because of previous training, I have confidence.
Milarepa:
This instruction that combines Merging and Transference Is crucial as it is the path that overcomes the bardo.
Are you one who possesses such way?
Blissful is the one who harnesses winds
and make them enter into the central channel.
Emaho! This leads to the dharmadhatu!
Gampopa:
Awakening by meditating, everyone can do. Awakening without meditating, that is the method!
This profound key-instruction on Transference Is an instruction from the great Naropa.
Having trained, one obtains supreme Transference. This is the excellent path of a yogi.
When the time of death will come
The application of the Transference is supreme.
Sönam Zangpo:
Captain of the path of Transference,
King of the mind base-of-all,
Rider of the horse of the center of appearances and emptiness: Emaho! This is a great person of wonder!
Thus, this instruction on Transference, which is called “Travelling to the Pure Field of Dewachen”, is the synthesis of direct transmission and treasure as well as the combination of Nirmanakaya-, Sambhogakaya- & Dharmakaya-Phowa.
A central feature of this Phowa is a special technique of holding the breath, the so-called “vase breathing” (tib. lung bum pa can), which is supported by muscular contraction, mental concentration and certain visualizations. With this method the meditator is controlling the movement of energies and lung in his subtle body with the aim to master his mind.
In 2018, Repa Tsultrim Tharchin asked Chogyal Rinpoche to spread the Barom Kagyu Phowa practice outside of Tibet to interested long-time practitioners. Before Rinpoche is leaving for his 3,5 year wandering retreat in 2019, he will transmit the Phowa only one time in the West: From the 25th till 30th of July 2019 in Austria.
Rinpoche would like to welcome practitioners of all schools (Kagyu, Bon, Nyingma, Sakya, Gelug, etc), who have finished the Ngondro (or similar preliminaries) to this Phowa course.
