Buddhist Studies, Kagyü/Nyingma Advanced, Online Program
Moonbeams: Tilopas Ganges Mahāmudrā – Esoteric Instructions on Mahāmudrā [ONLINE]
Moonbeams of Mahamudra: Tilopa’s Ganges Mahāmudrā – Esoteric Instructions on Mahāmudrā
Note that this program is restricted to eligible participants.
Dates: Mondays – October 7, 21, December 2, 16, January 6, 20th
Online over zoom
7:00-8:30 pm Eastern time
This series of six sessions will be based on this root text in the Mahamudra tradition, which we will use as a basis to delve further into our practice of path mahamudra. Each session will include guided meditation, a talk, and discussion on an assigned topic of contemplation from the previous session.
There will be no assigned discussion topic for the first session.
Tilopa sang these now-famous instructions on mahāmudrā to Nāropa on the banks of the Ganges River. There are numerous translations into English, including one by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche as the epilogue in the Myth of Freedom, (pages vary by edition).
It begins:
Mahāmudrā cannot be shown.
And later says:
Kye ho. The true state beyond the intellect isn’t seen by means of intellectual dharma.
The true state of nonaction isn’t realized through fabricated dharma.
If you wish to attain the true state of nonaction beyond the intellect,
investigate your mind and remain in naked awareness.
The translated text and commentary by Rangjung Dorje will be available to all participants for class use only.
The text is part of Jamgon Kongrul’s anthology of practice instructions, The Treasury of Precious Instructions: Marpa Kagyu Part I, available from Shambhala publications.
Requirements: having received pointing-out instructions in the Mahamudra tradition and practicing mahamudra shamatha-vipashyana meditation.
start date – Oct. 7
You do not need to have participated in the previous series to join this one.
Elizabeth Callahan began her contemplative training and Tibetan studies in 1977, and completed two three-year retreats at Kagyu Thubten Chöling, New York, under the direction of Kalu Rinpoche. She is a student of Khenpo Tsültrim Gyamtso Rinpoche, and has translated key texts of the Karma Kagyu tradition, including Mahamudra: Ocean of Definitive Meaning, Profound Inner Principles, and, most recently, Moonbeams of Mahamudra. She has been a Tsadra Foundation Fellow since 2002 and is the director of the Tsadra Foundation Studies Scholarship Program.
This class will be offered online via Zoom. Classes will be recorded and recordings made available to participants to follow along or review.
The zoom link, and other details will be emailed to paid and confirmed registrants approximately 1 week before the program begins. If you do not receive a confirmation email within 24 hours after registration, please check your spam folder, then contact [email protected] to make sure you are able to receive class communications.
Registration Please register with an email you check regularly. We will send important information about the program to you via email and don’t want you to miss it.
Participants will receive a confirmation email within 24 hours of registration, and a confirmation email with program details approximately 1 week before the program begins. Sometimes emails may end up in your promotions, spam or junk folder. It’s also possible that you’ve unsubscribed from emails from Shambhala, which prevents you from receiving the necessary emails. If you don’t receive the confirmation email, please contact [email protected].
Price Please see our pricing policy page for information about tiered pricing, MyPrice, cancellations and more.
Payment: We use Paypal to process credit card payments. You can choose to pay through a paypal account (if you have one) or with a credit or debit card. Unfortunately Paypal sometimes disables guest checkout “based on several risk factors” and will prompt you to create an account. If you run into this issue, please email [email protected] to let us know. We hope to find a better solution soon.
Zoom participation As with any contemplative practice, your environment impacts your experience. For those wishing to join virtually, we strongly suggest you find a space to join the program that is relatively quiet and free of distractions. Zoom meeting info will be provided to registrants approximately 1 week before the program starts.
FAQ Common questions might be answered on our FAQ page.
Code of Conduct: Shambhala’s Code of Conduct applies to everyone present at any program or event. The policy describes appropriate conduct, misconduct, and what resources are available if you have a concern. There are also specific policies which apply to people in positions of authority, sexual misconduct, diversity, inclusivity and anti-discrimination and working with children. Read about them on the Code of Conduct Hub (https://code-of-conduct.shambhala.org/policies/)
Note that this program is restricted to eligible participants.
Requirements: This course is only open to those who have received pointing-out instructions in the Mahamudra tradition and practicing mahamudra shamatha-vipashyana meditation. One need not have attended Mahamudra Elixir Part 1 to join this class.