MA GYUD - Bön mother tantra

In 2018, Lama Sangye begins a new series of comprehensive teachings of the Ma Gyud (mother tantra). Lama Sangye plans to give one week of Ma Gyud teachings in Spring every year, for seven years (or so), and two weeks of practice retreat in Winter every year, all in Yeshe Sal Ling, in Austria.

The topic of the first part, in April 2018, is the fundamental practice for integrating with the enlightened mind of Lama, Yidam and Khandro (gong choe nam sum). This is the basic practice that every Ma Gyud practitioner performs every day. Lama Sangye will give precise instructions also on the musical part of the recitation (how to play damaru and shang) and teach the mudras accompanying the practice.

Also in 2018, Lama Sangye will teach us about the biography of Milu Samleg (a central figure in the history of the Ma Gyud), from the "meditation according to the mandala of the sun" chapter of the Ma Gyud, and teach parts of the Tharlam "way of liberation" chapter of the Ma Gyud, containing basic practices.

The Ma Gyud is an important tantric cycle in its own right, but, in addition, it is the source of the best known auxiliary practices for Dzogchen, such as Tsa-lung (Tummo) and dream yoga. Many of us Western practitioners have learned Tummo and/or dream yoga according to Shardza Rinpoche's Kusum Rangshar. The Ma Gyud is the main source of the treatment of these practices in Kusum Rangshar, but the Ma Gyud version of these practices is often simpler, focusing on the essential.

Also contained in the Ma Gyud, in the "drol lam" chapter, are mind-boggling exercises (comparable to Rushen practices for Dzogchen) for the purpose of putting the practitioner into the "natural state" that is the basis of both Tantra and Dzogchen - another reason why the Ma Gyud is useful to the Dzogchen practitioner.

This series of teachings is a rare opportunity to learn the practices of the Ma Gyud, this deep and fascinating, important tantric cycle, that frequently sweeps us off our feet with its mental experiments and unique style of thinking that frequently leaps from bodily fluids to abstraction beyond concepts in the same line of text.

As in his previous cycle of mother tantra teachings, Lama Sangye will go through the original Ma Gyud root text (Guru Nöntse's terma) with us and comment on it. Lama Sangye teaches in Tibetan and will be interpreted into English.

Prerequisites: Lama Sangye Mönlam's Ma Gyud teachings are suitable for beginners and new students as well as for advanced practitioners, including those who have already received Ma Gyud teachings. As most of us have experienced, with profound texts such as the Ma Gyud, one understands the same teachings on a new level upon every encounter with them, and always learns something new.