Revelations of Tibetan hermits. Lama Sonam Dorje - Revelations of Tibetan Hermits

Sonam Dorje

Revelations Tibetan hermits. Retreat Guide

A collection of teachings on solitary retreat practice by eminent Vajrayana Buddhist masters

REVELATIONS OF TIBETAN HERMITS

Retreat Guide

Rigdzin Jigme Lingpa, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, Dudjom Rinpoche, Karma Chagme Rinpoche, Tenga Rinpoche, Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, Jetsun Milarepa

Translation from Tibetan Lama Sonam Dorje

Illustration used for cover design M. Kolesnikova

All the merit from the translation and publication of this book, as well as from the practical application of the instructions contained in it, is entirely dedicated to the good health of the new reincarnation of my Teacher Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche (1920-1996), who returned to this world as Urgyen Jigme Rabsel - the son of the noble parents of Neten Chokling Rinpoche and Tenzin Choyang Gyari.

May his life be long and fruitful, may there be no obstacles in it, and may the good that he brings to suffering living beings be limitless.

Editor's Preface

The Orientalia Publishing House brings to your attention a book (translation from Tibetan and compilation) by Lama Sonam Dorje (Oleg Pozdnyakov), the first Russian Buddhist yogi who completed a full course of theoretical and practical training in Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism in Nepal, India and Tibet. He was fortunate to receive teachings and instructions from such outstanding Buddhist masters of our time as Urgyen Tulku Rinpoche, Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche, Chokling Rinpoche, Chogye Trichen Rinpoche, Beru Khyentse Rinpoche, Sakya Trizin Rinpoche, His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, Thrangu Rinpoche, Tenga Rinpoche, Chatral Rinpoche , Tsultrim Gyatso Rinpoche and Jigme Rinpoche.

Lama Sonam Dorje conducted two traditional meditation retreats in the holy places of Nepal total duration for more than seven years, for which he earned the recognition and respect of his teachers, who blessed him to spread the Dharma in Russia and Ukraine. He translated and commented on nine classical and modern Buddhist treatises, such as “Treasury of Dharmadhatu”, “The Secret Cosmology of Dzogchen”, “Freedom from the Four Attachments”, and others, and his book “Despite Death” was translated into German.

"Revelations of Tibetan Hermits" is a collection of texts by the great masters of Vajrayana Buddhism, dedicated to how to engage in Buddhist meditative practices in solitary retreat. The book brings together essential instructions for conducting retreats from various traditions of Tibetan Buddhism: Kagyu, Nyingma and the Great Perfection - Dzogchen. An invaluable guide to action for those who seek to put into practice the instructions contained in it, this book certainly deserves the attention of all those who are interested in Tibetan Buddhism.

Series editor « Samadhi»

Alexander A. Narignani

Translator's Preface

Over the past decade, interest in spirituality has increased greatly in Russia. Thousands of people have discovered the treasure of the Buddha's teachings, and many have become genuinely interested in traditional meditation practices. The number of practitioners is growing day by day, and this gives hope for a fruitful future of Buddhism in Russia and the CIS countries. On this moment Vajrayana teaching has become most widespread in our country, and practitioners already have access to wide range translated literature. Unfortunately, not many qualified Buddhist masters visit the CIS countries, and our Buddhists have to rely heavily on information gleaned from books. Among the mass of literature published in Russian, many books are devoted to the practical aspects of the Teaching, and this is very important, because the practice of meditation occupies a central place in all traditions of Buddhism. Among the Three Pillars of Buddhism - study, analysis and meditation - the last one is called the most important. According to a long-established tradition, Buddhist monks and laymen first devoted several years to studying the fundamentals, philosophical principles and practical aspects of the Teaching, and then began intensive practice, spending months and years in solitary retreat, meditating on the essence of the received teachings in order to achieve spiritual realization and enlightenment.

It was precisely this tradition of solitary seclusion, which became fashionable, borrowed from English name"retreat" (English, to retreat- to retire, to retire), and this book is dedicated to. Although short retreats have become a common addition to modern seminars and lectures by visiting Buddhist teachers, there is virtually no literature on this topic in Russian. And many practitioners strive and even make attempts to perform individual retreats, and although there is nothing reprehensible in this, the lack of key knowledge cannot lead to successful results from independent retreat. To fill this gap, I decided to translate several retreat manuals written by the most revered teachers of Tibetan Buddhism. My desire coincided favorably with the requests of several vajra friends from Russia to write something about the retreat and translate two texts included in this book. All teachings contained in this publication are the most common and widely used among Vajrayana practitioners both today and in the distant past. The main reason for combining them into one book was their versatility - almost any Buddhist can use this guide in their retreat. However, all the authors of the texts I translated belonged to the two main traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, namely Nyingma and Kagyu. To make the book as practical and compact as possible, I have omitted all introductions to Buddhism and explanations of terminology. Therefore, this publication is aimed at those who have at least basic knowledge of the philosophy and practice of the Buddha’s teachings.

“Revelations of Tibetan Hermits” is a collection of texts by the great masters of Vajrayana Buddhism, dedicated to how to engage in Buddhist spiritual practice in solitary retreat. The book brings together the essential teachings of various traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, in particular Dzogchen, Nyingma and Kagyu. Of interest to all Buddhists, Tibetologists and Buddhologists.

Sonam Dorje
Revelations of Tibetan hermits. Retreat Guide

A collection of teachings on solitary retreat practice by eminent Vajrayana Buddhist masters

REVELATIONS OF TIBETAN HERMITS

Retreat Guide

Rigdzin Jigme Lingpa, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, Dudjom Rinpoche, Karma Chagme Rinpoche, Tenga Rinpoche, Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, Jetsun Milarepa

Translation from Tibetan Lama Sonam Dorje

Illustration used for cover design M. Kolesnikova

May his life be long and fruitful, may there be no obstacles in it, and may the good that he brings to suffering living beings be limitless.

Editor's Preface

The Orientalia publishing house brings to your attention a book (translation from Tibetan and compilation) by Lama Sonam Dorje (Oleg Pozdnyakov), the first Russian Buddhist yogi who completed a full course of theoretical and practical training in Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism in Nepal, India and Tibet. He was fortunate to receive teachings and instructions from such outstanding Buddhist masters of our time as Urgyen Tulku Rinpoche, Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche, Chokling Rinpoche, Chogye Trichen Rinpoche, Beru Khyentse Rinpoche, Sakya Trizin Rinpoche, His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, Thrangu Rinpoche, Tenga Rinpoche, Chatral Rinpoche , Tsultrim Gyatso Rinpoche and Jigme Rinpoche.

Lama Sonam Dorje carried out two traditional meditative retreats in the holy places of Nepal for a total duration of more than seven years, for which he earned the recognition and respect of his teachers, who blessed him to spread the Dharma in Russia and Ukraine. He translated and commented on nine classical and modern Buddhist treatises, such as “The Treasury of Dharmadhatu”, “The Secret Cosmology of Dzogchen”, “Freedom from the Four Attachments”, and others, and his book “Despite Death” was translated into German.

Series editor "Samadhi"

Alexander A. Narignani

Translator's Preface

Over the past decade, interest in spirituality has increased greatly in Russia. Thousands of people have discovered the treasure of the Buddha's teachings, and many have become genuinely interested in traditional meditation practices. The number of practitioners is growing day by day, and this gives hope for a fruitful future of Buddhism in Russia and the CIS countries. At the moment, the Vajrayana teachings have become most widespread in our country, and practitioners already have access to a wide range of translated literature. Unfortunately, not many qualified Buddhist masters visit the CIS countries, and our Buddhists have to rely heavily on information gleaned from books. Among the mass of literature published in Russian, many books are devoted to the practical aspects of the Teaching, and this is very important, because the practice of meditation occupies a central place in all traditions of Buddhism. Among the Three Pillars of Buddhism - study, analysis and meditation - the last one is called the most important. According to a long-established tradition, Buddhist monks and laymen first devoted several years to studying the fundamentals, philosophical principles and practical aspects of the Teaching, and then began intensive practice, spending months and years in solitary retreat, meditating on the essence of the received teachings in order to achieve spiritual realization and enlightenment.

It is this tradition of solitary retreat, which received the fashionable name, borrowed from English, “retreat” (English, to retreat- to retire, to retire), and this book is dedicated to. Although short retreats have become a common addition to modern seminars and lectures by visiting Buddhist teachers, there is virtually no literature on this topic in Russian. And many practitioners strive and even make attempts to perform individual retreats, and although there is nothing reprehensible in this, the lack of key knowledge cannot lead to successful results from independent retreat. To fill this gap, I decided to translate several retreat manuals written by the most revered teachers of Tibetan Buddhism. My desire coincided favorably with the requests of several vajra friends from Russia to write something about the retreat and translate two texts included in this book. All teachings contained in this publication are the most common and widely used among Vajrayana practitioners both today and in the distant past. The main reason for combining them into one book was their versatility - almost any Buddhist can use this guide in their retreat. However, all the authors of the texts I translated belonged to the two main traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, namely Nyingma and Kagyu. To make the book as practical and compact as possible, I have omitted all introductions to Buddhism and explanations of terminology. Therefore, this publication is aimed at those who have at least basic knowledge of the philosophy and practice of the Buddha’s teachings.

Authors: Rigdzin Jigme Lingpa, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, Dudjom Rinpoche, Karma Chagme Rinpoche, Tenga Rinpoche, Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, Jetsun Milarepa
Per. from Tib.: Lama Sonam Dorje
Publisher: Orientalia, 2003
Series: Samadhi
Pages: 352 pp.
ISBN: ISBN 978‑5‑91994‑030‑2
Format: FB2, RTF
Size: 1.2 MB

"Revelations of Tibetan Hermits" is a collection of texts by the great masters of Vajrayana Buddhism, dedicated to how to engage in Buddhist meditative practices in solitary retreat.

The book brings together essential instructions for conducting retreats from various traditions of Tibetan Buddhism: Kagyu, Nyingma and Great Perfection - Dzogchen. An invaluable guide to action for those who seek to put into practice the instructions contained in it, this book certainly deserves the attention of all those who are interested in Tibetan Buddhism.

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Revelations of the Blessed Hermits. Guide to Buddhist Retreat. Lama Sonam Dorje

Practical instructions on Buddhist meditation Shamatha and Vipashyana
Author: Lama Sonam Dorje
Voiced by: Lama Sonam Dorje
Year of publication of audio book: 2010
Duration:12:03:48
Gratitude: Lama Oleg
Russian language
Format/Codec: MP3, 32000 Hz, 2 channels, s16
Audio bitrate: 128 kb/s
Size: 662 MB

Description: The seminar took place in Riga on September 10-12, 2010. There were five classes in total - three evening and two daytime. The total duration of the seminar is 12 hours. The seminar contains a lot of applied information and meditative practices.

Lama Sonam Dorje (Lama Oleg) rangjungyeshe.ru is the first Russian practitioner to complete a full course of theoretical and practical training in Buddhism in Nepal, India and Tibet. Lama Sonam Dorje conducted two traditional meditation retreats in the holy places of Nepal for a total duration of more than seven years, for which he earned the recognition and respect of his teachers, who blessed him to spread the Dharma in Russia and Ukraine. Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche repeatedly confirmed the authority and qualifications of Lama Sonam Dorje at his Moscow seminars.

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A collection of teachings on solitary retreat practice by eminent Vajrayana Buddhist masters

REVELATIONS OF TIBETAN HERMITS

Retreat Guide

Rigdzin Jigme Lingpa, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, Dudjom Rinpoche, Karma Chagme Rinpoche, Tenga Rinpoche, Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, Jetsun Milarepa

Translation from Tibetan Lama Sonam Dorje

Illustration used for cover design M. Kolesnikova

May his life be long and fruitful, may there be no obstacles in it, and may the good that he brings to suffering living beings be limitless.

Editor's Preface

Series editor « Samadhi»

Alexander A. Narignani

Translator's Preface

Over the past decade, interest in spirituality has increased greatly in Russia. Thousands of people have discovered the treasure of the Buddha's teachings, and many have become genuinely interested in traditional meditation practices. The number of practitioners is growing day by day, and this gives hope for a fruitful future of Buddhism in Russia and the CIS countries. At the moment, the Vajrayana teachings have become most widespread in our country, and practitioners already have access to a wide range of translated literature. Unfortunately, not many qualified Buddhist masters visit the CIS countries, and our Buddhists have to rely heavily on information gleaned from books. Among the mass of literature published in Russian, many books are devoted to the practical aspects of the Teaching, and this is very important, because the practice of meditation occupies a central place in all traditions of Buddhism. Among the Three Pillars of Buddhism - study, analysis and meditation - the last one is called the most important. According to a long-established tradition, Buddhist monks and laymen first devoted several years to studying the fundamentals, philosophical principles and practical aspects of the Teaching, and then began intensive practice, spending months and years in solitary retreat, meditating on the essence of the received teachings in order to achieve spiritual realization and enlightenment.

How much benefit the reader gets from this book depends on him. The meditative retreat has no analogues in Russian culture, and the reader, one way or another, will have to get rid of a number of stereotypes in order for this information to be harmoniously assimilated. From the very beginning, you must understand that retreat is not a recreational activity, but a radical step taken by a Buddhist practitioner with the goal of achieving spiritual realization. This step is taken on the basis of renunciation of the meaningless vanity of the world and out of compassion for countless suffering beings. All the great masters of the past achieved spiritual realization after spending many years in retreat, in complete poverty and deprivation, deliberately renouncing all pleasures and comforts, sometimes even sacrificing their own health. You probably know the heroic journey of Milarepa, whose song ends this book: in order to achieve enlightenment, Milarepa practiced for many years in the snowy mountains at constant sub-zero temperatures, without shelter, clothing, or even food. He ate only nettles, as a result of which his body turned over time into a skeleton covered with gray-green skin, so that people who saw him often took him either for a spirit or for a person from the other world, since he looked less like a person Total. Another great master, Jigme Lingpa, with whose instructions this book begins, practiced under no less ascetic conditions, and after completing a cave retreat that lasted three and a half years, he wrote:

“Due to the lack of food and harsh weather conditions, all my negative karma and karmic debts from past lives began to ripen in my body. Due to an energy imbalance, my back hurt as if I had been stoned. As a result of the agitated blood circulation and air circulation, my chest hurt as if nails were being driven into it. Due to the weakening of the metabolism in the lower part of the body, my legs no longer supported me, and I could not even get up from my seat. Like a hundred-year-old man, all my strength left me. I even lost my appetite. After three steps, my body began to shake and sway. But despite all this, I thought: “If I die, I will perfectly fulfill the instructions of the ancient masters who taught: “Aim your mind on the Dharma. Aim your Dharma practice on poverty.” Having achieved confident realization in Great Perfection (Tib. dzog-chen), I did not experience the slightest fears or anxieties about myself; on the contrary, great compassion awoke in me for all those suffering from old age and those suffering from illnesses.”

Both Jigme Lingpa and all the authors of the texts given here gave their heartfelt advice to close disciples, without doubting that they would devote their entire lives to meditation, and did not count on the fact that their disciples would return to the bustle of the world and seek a compromise between everyday cares and following their instructions. To gain maximum benefit from these instructions, you must follow them completely by going into retreat to practice meditation. There is no other option.

As a matter of fact, the book is intended for those who want to practice in retreat. We are not required to invent new methods of practice or retreat, since everything has already been invented before us. Buddhism is not a new-fangled New Age subculture, but an ancient tradition that to this day gives us the opportunity to achieve enlightenment - provided we follow it as taught by the Buddhas and enlightened masters. Therefore, as you read these instructions, try to regard them as rules that require strict adherence - rules for those who want to achieve enlightenment in one life.

Over the years that I have lived in the Himalayas, I have visited several traditional and non-traditional retreat centers in Nepal, Tibet and India. In three of them I was able to complete a monthly retreat, but both my first traditional retreat in Pullahari (Nepal), which lasted three years and three months, and the second, longer retreat in Pharping (ibid.), I did individually, preferring to live near, but not inside, retreat centers. My ideas about the ideal place for solitary practice have changed over the years and with experience, and I do not rule out the possibility of spending the rest of my life in some cave. I was probably very lucky in some ways from a spiritual point of view. I could practice in retreat for years without having to visit my teachers, who themselves visited me regularly, giving me the most secret instructions and caring for me as if they were their own son. I had the opportunity to choose retreat sites in the holiest places in Nepal, without being limited by time or circumstances. Many Buddhists probably dream of such conditions, but I am sure that everyone creates their own destiny. If someone has the desire and determination to practice, then all doors will open for him. You don’t need millions of dollars to do a retreat, nor do you need a lot of living conditions and comfort for which ordinary people work hard from morning to night. If you look at it, in order to do a long retreat, you only need following conditions: deep renunciation of worldly vanity, motivation of compassion, blessing of the Teacher and receiving his initiations, his presence and personal guidance (in ideal), confident knowledge of their practice and the absence of moral obligations to elderly parents or young children. By and large, if you have all these conditions, in particular the personal blessing of your Teacher for the retreat, then you can carry it out anywhere in your country, as long as there are no distractions in this place.

In order to practice as a retreat, it is not at all necessary to look for a traditional retreat center or holy cave in Tibet. Of course, this will facilitate the practice, but do not forget that the retreat centers and caves are for your practice, not you for them. We practice not to sit in a cave, but to clear our mind of obscurations, so do not make yourself dependent on conditions - let the conditions depend on you. When I asked Beru Khyentse Rinpoche about where it is better to do a retreat - in a retreat center or a cave, he replied: “It is better to do the first retreat in a retreat center, and then, when you get used to the practice and leave behind gross attachments, you can go to a cave "

It is no secret that few people can afford to do a traditional retreat in European retreat centers - it is quite expensive financially. It is even more difficult to obtain a visa to Tibet or Nepal for a long period of time. Since my own path does not fit into the framework of normal perception and generally accepted rules, I have no right to advise others to follow my example.

Those who really want to practice should take a simpler approach and do the retreat in their own country. We also have caves and even retreat centers are starting to appear. Your choice depends on your whims. The cave is not suitable for everyone. Maybe it will be suitable for some “honored tourist of the USSR” for a couple of months, but a young Muscovite, who has lived her whole life in an apartment with her parents, will run away from the cave the very next day. You should also not think that a retreat center is a paradise for a practitioner. To me, for example, after five years of military service in my youth, these retreat centers are somewhat reminiscent of barracks life: equalization, duty schedules, a common toilet and excessive isolation from the outside world, right down to barbed wire and watchdogs. The number of practitioners in some retreat centers may be greater than in remote monasteries, so that it is difficult to even call them “retreat centers.” It is best to do a retreat alone - this is the unanimous opinion of all realized masters. You have complete freedom of action in solitude, you are not limited by any conditions, and, except for your own mind, you have nothing to distract you.

The greatest effect of your meditation will be if you practice methods and sadhanas that are in accordance with the tradition of your root Teacher who initiated you into them. Before starting the retreat, you should experiment for some time and find out which practices work best on your mind. Over time, you will be able to transform your practices in the right direction, but do not forget that the real signs of progress in spiritual practice are an increase in love, compassion, faith, renunciation and understanding of the impermanence and illusory nature of all things.

You choose the retreat time yourself. A traditional “lama” retreat lasts three years and three months. This period was defined by Buddha Shakyamuni as the minimum period sufficient for the complete transformation of karmic prana into the energy of wisdom, that is, for the technical achievement of enlightenment at the internal level. This calculation is based on the ratio of the period human life and the number of breaths we take. According to the system tantra Each of our breaths contains a particle of enlightened energy of wisdom. In tantra average duration human life is calculated at one hundred years. In one lunar year there are 21,600 minutes, and the same figure corresponds to the number of breaths during one day. One-thirtieth of our breath contains the energy of wisdom [ jnanaprana], and if you count the number of these particles of wisdom energy over a hundred years, you get three years and three crescents. This period is, as it were, calculated by nature itself for achieving enlightenment. If a person, with the help of absolute meditation, releases each of his breaths into the energy of wisdom 24 hours a day during the above-mentioned period, then into his “central” energy channel [ avadhuti] will receive as much enlightened energy as is required to achieve complete enlightenment. I received the following explanation from Lopon Teng Rinpoche:

“The energy of wisdom flowing in our breath for a hundred years takes a total of three years and three crescents. When all karmic energy during this period is transformed into the energy of wisdom, then this is enough to achieve complete enlightenment. That is why it is said that the stage of Vajradhara Buddha is achieved in three years and three crescents.”

Since Tibetan lamas apply this calculation to their lunar calendar, which has 13 months instead of 12 every three years, such a retreat lasts from 3 years and 2.5 months to 3 years and 3.5 months according to the Western calendar. For this reason, Western Buddhists call the traditional retreat “three years and three months.”

In theory, such a retreat should be led by a qualified lama. Each European and American retreat center where such traditional retreats take place has an experienced lama assigned to it. I have heard repeatedly that before starting such a long retreat, you should first test yourself on a shorter retreat, such as two or four months. There have been cases of people going crazy and even committing suicide during a long retreat, and there are simply countless cases of premature termination of a retreat. You need courage, willpower and steadfastness of mind to fully complete a traditional retreat.

The day after completing my first retreat at three years and three months, I went down to Kathmandu, where I was surrounded by several Buddhists I knew and did not know, asking how I had been able to endure so much time, how I had managed to resolve the visa issue, and so on. I replied: “If you want to practice seriously, then of course you need willpower and common sense. But this is not enough. You still have to be fearless, reckless, and if you want, a little crazy. Administrative, immigration and criminal codes are not intended for practitioners. If you only follow them, then you will not get far with your practice. All these laws regulate samsaric existence - exactly what you theoretically want to get rid of. You should not become dependent on conditions; let all conditions depend on your practice.”

I have spent many years in retreat in my life, and I can assure you that if you truly dedicate your life to realizing the Dharma, you cannot help but gain real experiences and results. If you want, you can consider all the stories about the mahasiddhas of the past to be fairy tales, no one will condemn you for this, the past is the past. I was lucky enough to meet real spiritually realized lamas, whose achievements are beyond any doubt. I saw them with my own eyes. Never doubt the truth of the Buddha's words - they are immutable. Spiritual achievements and enlightenment are possible and feasible; awakening is real because it is within you.

I want to express my deep gratitude to all those who helped me spiritually, morally and financially in my many years of retreats in Nepal, in particular Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche, Chokling Rinpoche, Beru Khyentse Rinpoche, Tsoknyi Rinpoche, Chobgye Trichen Rinpoche, Jigma Rinpoche, Chatral Rinpoche, Katok Situ Rinpoche, Tulku Palsang Tsering, Lama Amdo, Khenpo Lodro Namgyal, as well as my friends and parents. Special thanks to all those who kindly provided their strength and resources to help me prepare and publish this book.

Lama Sonam Dorje

Parping, Nepal, 2002

Technical Note

For the convenience of readers, my own explanations and comments, as well as the original sound of some Sanskrit and Tibetan terms given in the translation, are given in parentheses, while terms, names and proper names that appear from the context, but are absent in the original text (calculated as usually for a trained reader), are given in square brackets and integrated into the syntactic structure of the Russian text.

Rigdzin Jigme Lingpa. An amazing ocean of instructions on practice in retreat

The embodiment of all magnificent buddhas,
Compassionate Lord Padmasambhava,
Sit on the crown of my dark blue locks
And clothe my mind with blessing.

Listen, all believers who observe samaya and strive for spiritual practice from the depths of their hearts. In this beginningless and endless samsara, the seeds of bad karma have subjected you to the influence of bad circumstances. All your thoughts come down to experiences of fear and suffering. The beings of the Six Worlds are forced to experience them continuously, like prisoners imprisoned in a dungeon. If you are now experiencing illness, depression or an undesirable situation, you begin to panic, fall into despair and paranoia, and the whole world is no longer pleasant to you. How would you like to experience the torment of the Three Lower Realms? Alas, the only way out of this suffering is to realize the absolute goal of the highest Dharma.

You can declare that “appearances are illusory,” and ride around on luxurious horses, drink beer and indulge in entertainment, and in the evening, assuming a religious guise, clearing your breath like a blacksmith blowing bellows, ring your bell and strike your damaru. This way you will definitely not achieve enlightenment.

The reason for wandering in samsara is clinging to one’s self. As it says in “Message to a Friend”:

Any addiction turns into destruction, like a fruit kimba,- said All Might. They should be abandoned, for these chains bind all beings in the prison of samsara.

As for clinging to self, you put off practicing the Dharma because of attachment to your country, home, wealth and possessions. When you find a needle and thread, you praise God, but if you lose a pen or laces, you immediately lose heart. These are the external manifestations of egoism. Internal manifestations include the perception of the masters of their tradition as deities, and everyone else as demons, as well as thoughts like: “How am I worse than Shakyamuni Buddha?”, which are a consequence of the lack of self-criticism. Secret forms of egoism include material clinging during the generation stage, conceptual framing of the completion stage, bias in the practice of compassion, and the assertion that all things are void and lacking an independent nature, accompanied by clinging to the nature of emptiness itself, similar to that of a beauty with clouded perception , obsessed with her body; and also thoughts such as: “Hardly anyone has reached my level in meditation, so I should not consult anyone...” If so, then your life will be wasted. I will give you one piece of advice: if you resolutely give up attachments to your country, wealth and property, then a good half of the Dharma will already be comprehended.

When I entered the gate of the absolute teaching, my ability to reject selfishness like spit in the dust allowed me to capture the citadel of the natural state. Many students gathered around me and I began to benefit others through my motivation and limitless teachings. I kept only the essentials with me and did not make excuses like “I will need this property a little later” or “I will need this if I get sick or die.” In this way, I did not burden myself with worries about providing for future food by making offerings to the Three Jewels, ransoming captured animals, helping practitioners, and giving to the poor. I did not waste offerings from living or dead people for obscene purposes and did not accumulate them like bees in a hive. Since I never had much property with me, I did not feel embarrassed in front of visitors.

Remember, we are all going to die. Since the Dharma is free from prejudice, maintain a pure perception towards each [practitioner]. If you examine all the traditions of the Buddha's teaching, they are all profound in their own way. I am quite satisfied with the view of the Great Perfection (Tib. dzogchen), and all the fundamental falls disappeared in space.

Build a solid foundation from the preliminary practices and do not neglect them, saying that everything is empty, losing the behavior in the view. As for the main part of the practice, it should be done in a secluded, unfamiliar place, where you will be accompanied only by awareness and a vow to maintain a continuous flow of the natural state. If you receive good or bad news that provokes fears and hopes, do not take it seriously, do not reject it and do not accept it as truth - be like a dead person to whom you can say anything.

Reflect on the difficulty of achieving human rebirth, on the rarity of meeting the Dharma and true teachers. Think about the vulnerability of demons, the mortality of all living things, the torment and oppression of ordinary people. You should have the same aversion to samsara that a person with jaundice feels to fatty foods. If you do not remember this, then with good food, a generous sponsor, warm clothes, a comfortable place and pleasant conversations, you will only prepare yourself for worldly life. In this way, you will create obstacles for yourself even before you begin true Dharma practice. As it is said: “You can talk on spiritual topics about high realization with a smart face, but if you have not conquered the demon of selfishness and pleasure, it will still manifest itself both in your behavior and in your dreams.” It's important that you understand this.

It is also said that by accepting offerings from the salaries of guardsmen and officials, you will reap harmful results. If you consider where their wealth and fortune come from, you will see that your spiritual practice is unlikely to benefit from it. In addition, it is said: ““Black” offerings cut off life energy, like a razor blade. Obsession with food blocks the vital channel of liberation.” Ultimately, all this will become a millstone, dragging you into the depths of hell. So think about this carefully, beg only for food and do not flatter others.

Buddhas of the past taught: “Eat moderately, balance your sleep, and maintain clarity of awareness.” If you overeat, this will naturally intensify your emotions. If you are malnourished, you will go begging through the villages, beating your drum, muttering rituals and looking into the faces of passers-by in anticipation of alms. You will justify yourself by saying, “If I don’t do this, I won’t have enough food...” and as a result you will become more greedy than a stray dog. Therefore, be careful with the amount of food you consume. Alcohol is the source of all ills, so don't drink more than a glass. If you cannot be vegetarian, then eat some meat in accordance with the eating practices described in my text “cho yul lam khyer” (the text was published by the Minsk Dzogchen Community in 1996).

As for daily practice in retreat, it is difficult to establish any single pattern, for people have both higher, average and lesser abilities. However, I will give the example of my own retreat in Palgyi Rivo, which lasted three years and five months.

I woke up long before dawn, getting up very quickly and clearing my breath with nine exhalations to separate the pure and impure parts of prana. After completing the preliminary practices, I prayed so sincerely that tears flowed from my eyes. Then, during one session that lasted until mid-morning, I did practices with prana from a special cycle “Drol tik nyen gyu”. At first I had to courageously endure the pain resulting from these exercises with prana, but soon the knots [in the channels] untied themselves, and the prana entered its natural course. By monitoring thirty-two left and thirty-two right channels, I could monitor seasonal changes in the length of day and night. The vital prana united with the descending pranas, and my stomach began to clearly resemble a large round vessel, like a colander. This served as the basis on which ordinary and special signs ways of practice. If you only hold your breath for a short period of time and do not have clear visualization, it is important not to brag about your practice.

After dawn, I drank tea or soup and made a fire offering. After that, I started a session of reciting [mantras] approaching And achievements. The stage of generation implies that the essence of the deity is freedom from clinging, his manifestation is a luminous form, and his energy is a clear concentration on the emission and return of light. Perfection in the stages of generation and completion is achieved only by the power of such awareness. Some current practitioners meditate too relaxed, without the slightest diligence, like an old man muttering “Om Mani Padme Hung.” It is not right.

Practicing in this way, I would end this session in the afternoon. Then I offered water tormas, repented for violations of the samaya, read the prayer “Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desires,” the liturgies “Highest Point of Victory,” “Supreme Body of Wisdom,” and others, as well as dharanis, mantras and prayers from the collection of daily practices. After finishing the session, I quickly wrote down about eight pages of text if necessary. If my mind was not disposed to it, I practiced direct transfer(Tib. togal).

During lunch, I blew many special mantras and dharanis over the meat, developed compassion and said prayers. I practiced the yoga of eating, imagining my psychophysical complexes (Skt. skandhas) and elements in the form of deities and read the sutra to purify the accepted offerings. After that, I did two hundred to three hundred prostrations and read prayers from sutras and tantras.

Then I immediately sat down and diligently practiced meditation and reciting my mantras Yida-mov. Thanks to this, I was able to achieve mastery in the practices of many deities. Towards evening I did ganapuja, offered the torma to the protectors and concluded the practice with the dissolution [visualization] stage, which belongs to the completion stage. I sincerely prayed to realize the clear light [in a dream], and also recited the prayer "Spontaneous fulfillment of desires" both for myself and for all beings without any bias or preference. Following this, I would do a practice session with prana, after which I would begin dream yoga.

No matter what time I woke up, I did not fall asleep, but focused my attention one-pointedly, thanks to which I was able to make progress in practice. In short: during these three years I always ate the same amount of food and covered myself with only one cotton cloak. Not a single word leaked through the inner door, and not even my retreat assistants crossed the threshold of the inner door. Due to my renunciation, aversion to samsara and a clear understanding of the unpredictability of death, I never allowed myself to gossip and idle talk.

You, my students, only hang recluse signs on the door, while your thoughts wander elsewhere. When there are sounds outside, you turn into watchmen and listen to every rustle. If you meet someone at the inner door, you are discussing news in China, Tibet, Mongolia and wherever. Your six senses wander outside and you lose the full effect of your retreat. You follow external objects and perceptions while your achievements disappear on the outside, inviting obstacles inside. If you follow such habits, then your time of seclusion will expire, but your mind will remain the same as before.

Sonam Dorje

Revelations of Tibetan hermits. Retreat Guide

A collection of teachings on solitary retreat practice by eminent Vajrayana Buddhist masters

REVELATIONS OF TIBETAN HERMITS

Retreat Guide

Rigdzin Jigme Lingpa, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, Dudjom Rinpoche, Karma Chagme Rinpoche, Tenga Rinpoche, Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, Jetsun Milarepa

Translation from Tibetan Lama Sonam Dorje

Illustration used for cover design M. Kolesnikova

May his life be long and fruitful, may there be no obstacles in it, and may the good that he brings to suffering living beings be limitless.

Editor's Preface

Series editor « Samadhi»

Alexander A. Narignani

Translator's Preface

Over the past decade, interest in spirituality has increased greatly in Russia. Thousands of people have discovered the treasure of the Buddha's teachings, and many have become genuinely interested in traditional meditation practices. The number of practitioners is growing day by day, and this gives hope for a fruitful future of Buddhism in Russia and the CIS countries. At the moment, the Vajrayana teachings have become most widespread in our country, and practitioners already have access to a wide range of translated literature. Unfortunately, not many qualified Buddhist masters visit the CIS countries, and our Buddhists have to rely heavily on information gleaned from books. Among the mass of literature published in Russian, many books are devoted to the practical aspects of the Teaching, and this is very important, because the practice of meditation occupies a central place in all traditions of Buddhism. Among the Three Pillars of Buddhism - study, analysis and meditation - the last one is called the most important. According to a long-established tradition, Buddhist monks and laymen first devoted several years to studying the fundamentals, philosophical principles and practical aspects of the Teaching, and then began intensive practice, spending months and years in solitary retreat, meditating on the essence of the received teachings in order to achieve spiritual realization and enlightenment.

“Due to the lack of food and harsh weather conditions, all my negative karma and karmic debts from past lives began to ripen in my body. Due to an energy imbalance, my back hurt as if I had been stoned. As a result of the agitated blood circulation and air circulation, my chest hurt as if nails were being driven into it. Due to the weakening of the metabolism in the lower part of the body, my legs no longer supported me, and I could not even get up from my seat. Like a hundred-year-old man, all my strength left me. I even lost my appetite. After three steps, my body began to shake and sway. But despite all this, I thought: “If I die, I will perfectly fulfill the instructions of the ancient masters who taught: “Aim your mind on the Dharma. Aim your Dharma practice on poverty.” Having achieved confident realization in Great Perfection (Tib. dzog-chen), I did not experience the slightest fears or anxieties about myself; on the contrary, great compassion awoke in me for all those suffering from old age and those suffering from illnesses.”