Courses and Retreats

According to the wishes of our venerable teacher Tenga Rinpoche, Lama Ngawang Tsultrim teaches the traditional pujas (tantric ceremonies) and the associated rituals in these workshops. Kyabje Tenga Rinpoche himself was a Vajra master, which means that he was fully master of all tantric rituals and authorized to pass them on.

Just as the rituals once came from India to Tibet and were learned by the Tibetans, today it is necessary to continue the transfer of the lineage to the West.

The goal is for the Western Sangha members to be able to perform the traditional pujas independently. It is planned to learn one puja completely every year. Until now the Mahakala puja, the Bardo puja and the Milarepa Tsok Puja have already been successfully mastered to the joy of our teachers.

This year there will be more explanations of the Milarepa Tsok Puja and the music training will be deepened.

The next exercise weekend will take place on the following date (start always Friday at 19:00 CET/CEST and end Sunday noon, no lunch on Sunday):

28. February - 1. March 2020

3. July - 5. July 2020

Everyone is welcome to participate. No prerequisites are required. Texts and instruments are provided by the Centre. For planning purposes, please register in advance.

Please observe the general information on courses and retreats. Here you will find information how to register and also an overview of all courses in Benchen Phuntsok Ling.

Buddha Akshobhya is one of the five Dhyani Buddhas who are rulers over subtle realms, also called "Pure Lands".
In the mandala Akshobhya is assigned to the East. "Akshobhya" (“Mitrugpa" in Tibetan) means "The Immovable". This refers in particular to the fact that he remains unaffected by anger and aggression. He is the head of the vajra family. His blue body colour is symbolic of mirror-like wisdom and the transformation of the mind factor of anger into mirror-like wisdom. In everyday life, in anger we direct a powerful energy towards something that seems to be outside of ourselves. However, if we recognize the mirror of our own personality in the other person, the anger can be transformed and compassion can arise.

His Holiness the Seventeenth Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje repeatedly emphasizes the connection between Buddha Akshobhya and the Karmapa lineage: Akshobhya features in the highest tantra, the anuttarayoga, where he is invoked as representing the non-dual wisdom of the enlightened mind of Buddhahood. There is also a special connection to the Black Crown Ceremony. According to His Holiness the 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje, the Akshobya practice is especially important and beneficial in our current age.

In this course Lama Ngawang Tsultrim will explain the Akshobhya practice and we will perform the corresponding meditation practice together under his guidance.

Important note: during the course no meat, onions, garlic, alcohol or nicotine may be consumed.

Please consider the general information on courses and retreats. Here you will find information how to register and also an overview of all courses in Benchen Phuntsok Ling.

"Tara" (tibet. Dölma) means "liberator". There are many different emanations of Tara. The best known manifestations are the White and the Green Tara. The different emanations indicate that the Tara shows herself in various forms depending on the situation and requirements and carries out various healing activities accordingly.
Since she leads countless beings to enlightenment in this way, she is also called "Mother of all Buddhas". The White Tara practice that we are going to perform here aims to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. Until we have attained enlightenment, it also helps against fear and serves to prolong life and remove obstacles for oneself and others.

The prerequisite for participation in this course is an initiation into the practice of White Tara.

Lama Ngawang Tsultrim will give explanations on the practice of White Tara (Drölkar) and will guide the meditation.

Please consider the general information on courses and retreats. Here you will find information how to register and also an overview of all courses in Benchen Phuntsok Ling.

For many years it has been a common practice in Benchen Phuntsok Ling to practice Nyung Neh. The Nyung Neh practice is very effective in purifying negative karma, accumulating merit and opening the heart to compassion.
This practice was brought to Tibet by the Indian nun Gelongma Palmo. Gelongma Palmo herself was seriously ill and in this state she had a vision of Chenresig, who gave her the long mantra of the Thousand-armed Chenresig as a healing spring. Thus Gelongma Palmo became healthy again and a yogini who later attained enlightenment.
The Nyungne Retreat is a special two-day meditation of the Thousand-armed Chenresig that belongs to the Kriya Tantra. It is said that through the practice of Nyungnes the gate to rebirth in low realms of existence is closed forever. The completion of eight Nyungnes will, according to tradition, lead to a rebirth in Dewachen.

In this course Lama Ngawang Tsultrim will first give detailed teachings on practice including visualization. We will then take the eight vows that are to be held during Nyung Neh from the participants and guide them step by step through the meditation practice. The retreat includes days of silence as well as days of fasting during which people neither eat nor drink.
Before participating in the Nyung Neh Retreat, it should be medically checked on one's own responsibility, whether the health requirements for participation are fulfilled. In addition, the prerequisite for participation is the empowerment of the Thousand-armed Chenresig.

Sangtik Dorsem (Tibetan: Dorje Sempa; Sanskrit: Vajrasattva) means "diamond being". He is considered the most important deity for purifying negative karma and restoring broken vows.
The Dorje Sempa practice is one of the main exercises in Tibetan Buddhism as well as part of the Ngöndro, the four basic exercises of Tantric Buddhist practice. The purifying effect refers to body, speech and mind.
The aim is to achieve freedom from suffering by purifying all negative karma. In the course the practice will be done together under the guidance of Lama Ngawang Tsultrim. An initiation into the Dorje Sempa practice is a prerequisite for course participation.

100 prostrations and 100 offerings of butter lamps will be performed.

Please consider the general information on courses and retreats. Here you will find information how to register and also an overview of all courses in Benchen Phuntsok Ling.

The Chöd practice originates from the second turning of the Dharma wheel by Buddha Shakyamuni. It was spread in India by Padampa Sangye and in Tibet by Matchig Labdrön. It is a powerful meditation practice to "cut through" or overcome the grasping for material things, the mental poisons (Kléshas), and above all the grasping for a self (Chöd).
Lama Ngawang Tsultrim will give background information about this ritual of "cutting through" as well as guide the practice step by step with visualization, melody and instruments (bell and Chöd drum). The short Chöd text "Milam Lungten" by Karma Chagme will be used as a basis.

Prerequisite for participation in this course is an empowerment of the Chöd practice.

The Medicine Buddha (Sangye Menla) in Sanskrit is called "Bhaishajyaguru Vaiduryaprabha" which can be translated as "The King of the Lapislazuli Light".
The "healing Buddha" is one of the most revered deities in the Mahayana. His body colour is dark blue like the lapis lazuli stone and symbolizes everything rare and pure. In Tibet the Medicine Buddha is worshipped as the source of all healing knowledge.
Additionally, according to the tradition the four medicine Tantras go back to him. They contain detailed explanations about the causes and treatment possibilities of the most diverse mental and physical illnesses, whereby the basic cause of the illnesses is seen in the mental poisons (Kleshas).

The practice of Medicine Buddha, which we learn and practice in this course, originates in India from the time of Buddha Shakyamuni and belongs to the highest Tantra class (Annuttara Yoga Tantra). One can practice it for oneself as well as for other beings. The prerequisite for participation in this course is an initiation into the practice of the Medicine Buddha.

Lama Ngawang Tsultrim will give explanations of the practice of Sangye Menla and will guide the meditation.

Please consider the general information on courses and retreats. Here you will find information how to register and also an overview of all courses in Benchen Phuntsok Ling.