Chakrasamvara commentarial teachings at Gyuto Tantric Monastery, Dharamshala

At the request of Gyuto Tantric Monastery, Sidhbari, Dharamshala, His Eminence Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche gave a 15-day (3 – 17 February 2018) commentarial teachings on the highest integrating tantric path of the glorious Chakrasamvara. His Eminence Rinpoche bestowed both the blessing transmission and the commentarial teachings on Jey Sherab Gyatso’s (1803 – 1875) text, Transmitted Words of Heruka—Bared Teachings on the Two Stages of the Glorious Chakrasamvara, in the Tradition of Mahasiddha Lūipa.

At the start of daily two sessions of teachings His Eminence Rinpoche advised on the need to draw essence/meaning out of this human life attributed with the excellent capabilities of opportunities and conducive factors endowed; the need to enter the tantric path only subsequent to having trained one’s mind on the common path.

And, as a general introduction to the tantric path His Eminence Rinpoche explained the distinctions between the two vehicles, and of the four classes/levels of tantra; the differences amongst father tantra, mother tantra, and non-dual tantra; the extreme rarity of the tantric teachings, yet the grave dangers in approaching it wrongly; and other important matters.

His Eminence Rinpoche emphasised, in the daily preliminary advice, that these days people consider temporary profits and benefits as more important than the ultimate goal, that people spend most of their time in trying to accomplish things for this life, rather than for next life and beyond, and of the ultimate goal; even in our doing of virtuous actions they are done mostly with the parts incomplete of preparation, the actual and the end; as regards the means to achieve the ultimate goal it would not help to merely pray and wait for it, rather one needs to engage in non-separated (combined) learning, reflection and meditative familiarization; bereft of an ingredient to dedicate, merely praying would not help much; for eliminating of ignorance there is no other means apart from knowing pristine-consciousness (insight), and for generating it one needs a single-pointed mind, for which one needs an excellent practice of ethics.

Also emphasised in the preliminary advice are: The need to achieve the ultimate goal, by not wasting this human rebirth of the attributes of opportunities and endowments; there would be no greater foolishness than those who, having acquired human rebirth, engage in actions for this life only and of non-virtuous kinds; now when one has acquired human rebirth one needs to make it distinct over that of animals; one needs to have the recognition that the teachings (Dharma) are so rare and of great meaningfulness.

Through those and other advice His Eminence Rinpoche reminded the need to set one’s motive—in listening to the teachings—and maintain an appropriate physical conduct during the teachings, as instructed in The Stages of the Path of Enlightenment.

With the actual commentarial teachings on Jey Sherab Gyatso’s text, Transmitted Words of Heruka—Bared Teachings on the Two Stages of the Glorious Chakrasamvara, in the Tradition of Mahasiddha Lūipa, His Eminence Rinpoche taught in the four-repeat experiential commentarial teaching of the lineage, with daily two sessions of teachings.

At the concluding session His Eminence Rinpoche gave general guidance advice to the monastic residents.

Thereafter, Gyuto Tantric Monastery offered a formal request to His Eminence Rinpoche to kindly live long for the welfare of the teachings and all sentient beings. Those who attended the teachings comprised of His Eminence Sharpa Choejey Rinpoche, the Honourables Abbot and Lama Uzay of Gyuto Tantric Monastery, reincarnate lamas and scholars from the major monastic seats, tutorial teachers, Geshes, monastic teachers from abroad, foreigners, and lay devotees.