Mennag Rinpoche'i Dzöd: The Precious Treasury of Pith Instructions - VIRTUAL RETREAT

Tara Mandala has the precious opportunity to offer bi-weekly teachings with Adzom Gyalse Tulku Rinpoche in which he will provide a unique opportunity to learn and study Mennag Rinpoche’i Dzöd, The Treasury of Essential Pith Instructions by Longchenpa.

Mennag Rinpoche’i Dzöd is the shortest of the seven texts that conform Longchenpa’s Seven Treasuries.  This is the only text composed entirely in verse in which Longchenpa distills the principles underlying the entire range of Buddhist practice in more than 400 stanzas, each consisting of six instructions or pieces of advice leading up to the most profound instructions on the nature of being itself and the ultimate level of truth.

Adzom Gyalse Tulku Rinpoche will offer these teachings via Zoom on Wednesday and Friday mornings from September 1 until October 29 — see the specific dates and times below (No sessions will take place on Sept. 15 and 17). Please also note that Rinpoche intends to give the transmission (Tib. Lung) for these teachings on Friday, October 29. We encourage all participants to attend that session live to receive this important blessing.

Teaching Dates & Times
Times below are listed in Mountain Time.
Please use this link to see how this schedule translates into your timezone.

SEPTEMBER
From 8:00am – 10:00am MT

• Wednesday 1, 8, 22, 29
• Friday 3, 10

OCTOBER
From 8:00am – 10:00am MT

• Wednesday 6, 13, 20, 27
• Friday 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29

November
From 8:00am-10:00AM MT

• Wednesday 3, 10, 17, 24
• Friday 5, 12, 19, 26

If you are attending from another time zone, please know that recordings will be made available within 24-48 hours so you can review missed sessions.

Who Should Attend? 

• At the request of Adzom Gyalse Tulku Rinpoche, this retreat is open to participants who attended his virtual teachings on Longchenpa’s Chöying Dzöd (The Basic Space of Phenomena) at Tara Mandala this past spring (Feb-May 2021). Participants who did not attend those teachings must have completed a ngöndro, or must be currently practicing a ngöndro and/or must have accumulated 100,000 Vajrasattva long mantra recitations.

How Do I Prepare?

• We recommend having at hand the translation of this text:
  • The Precious Treasury of Pith Instructions by Longchen Rabjam, translated by Richard Barron, available for purchase here.
  • Special Note: Participants of this retreat will receive a 15% discount code on the purchase of the text listed above when using the discount code:  TMPITH15. This code will be valid from now until the end of September.
  • Update August 25th: we have received news that the publisher is experiencing a 1-3 week delay in processing orders due to wildfires in their vicinity. If you have not already purchased your text for the retreat, you may need to seek out alternative sourcing to secure the text in a timely manner. 

What is a Virtual Retreat?

Virtual Retreats are Tara Mandala At-Home intensive retreats, teachings and in-depth workshops during which practitioners receive dharma teachings, engage in guided practice, experience hands-on learning, and connect with other participants through an easy-to-use online platform (Zoom) during consecutive days (with few exceptions) and daylong offerings. This modality of learning is appropriate for practitioners who are able to create a practice container of their own, setting aside a dedicated retreat space, removing themselves from social media, and taking care of necessities with the mind of compassion in action for the specific dates and times that the teachings occur. 

Virtual Retreats are meant to be attended live given that direct transmission (Tib. lung) may be given. However, access to recordings of the sessions are available for additional viewing for various timeframes specified by the price level selected.

Tiered-Prices

Tara Mandala offers tiered pricing for all virtual retreats to allow participants the opportunity to consider offering additional financial support for Tara Mandala while gaining greater access to the recordings of the teachings post-retreat. These are difficult times for everyone, and Tara Mandala is no exception. We encourage you to select at the highest level within your capacity to assist Tara Mandala in covering the costs to offer these wonderful teachings. We thank you in advance for your support and your practice!

$398 – Tier 1 (includes access to recordings of all sessions for up to 7 days from the end of the retreat)
Registration at this level covers the basic costs of holding this specific retreat. 

$490 – Tier 2 (includes access to recordings of all sessions for up to 30 days from the end of the retreat)
Registration at this level covers basic costs of this retreat and supports the year round staff at Tara Mandala.

$538 – Tier 3 (includes access to recordings of all sessions for up to 1 year from the end of the retreat)
Registration at this level covers basic costs for this retreat, supports year around staff as well as facilities maintenance and other critical operational needs.

Choosing Tier 2 or Tier 3 levels will allow Tara Mandala Retreat Center to continue to operate, be a repository for wisdom literature, a center for translation, a beacon for the feminine in Buddhism, and an active dharma center that provides refuge for deep practice and transformation.

There are many ways to support and engage with Tara Mandala’s activities. Click here to learn more. We appreciate your support and generosity! 

Offering dana to the teacher: The practice of offering dana, which means “generosity,” is the traditional offering the student makes to the teacher as a symbol of appreciation, gratitude, and reciprocity for receiving the precious teachings. Information on offering dana to the teacher will be provided during the virtual retreat. To learn more about dana and suggested dana ranges, please click here. 

Payment Plans and Financial Assistance
Tara Mandala has two scholarship funds and offers deferred payment plans as resources for anyone with financial limitations. For more information and to apply, visit our Scholarships and Financial Assistance Page.