From 3–6 January, the Tibetan Buddhist Rimé Institute (TBRI) held its second annual Six Bardos Summer Retreat at the beautiful Maitripa Centre, located 90 minutes east of Melbourne.
Khentrul Jamphel Lodro Rinpoche. From rimebuddhism.com
“The six bardos are the six stages of the cycle of life: the awakened state, dream state, absorption state, dying state, nature of reality state, and the becoming or rebirth state,” says TBRI’s spiritual director Khentrul Jamphel Lodro Rinpoche. “These teachings show us how to live fully and how to die well, helping us to face the uncertainty of our lives with confidence and clarity” (TBRI video).
During the first day of the four-day retreat, participants received introductory and foundation teachings to prepare for the initiation ceremony and bardo teachings. The second day included the initiation and empowerment, and three sessions of teachings on the first, second, and third bardos, as well as a Q&A session and a guided meditation. On the third day, Khentrul Rinpoche gave teachings on the fourth, fifth, and sixth bardos, along with two clarification and meditation sessions. On the final day of the retreat, participants received clarification on all the bardo teachings and took part in a closing ceremony, receiving blessings for success in their Dharma practice. A most enlightening and joyous time was had by all.
The “Bardo Thodol” (Liberation through hearing in the intermediate state), known in the West as the “Tibetan book of the dead,” is a Tibetan Buddhist scripture of the Nyingma tradition, and according to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, “is one of the most important books civilization has produced” (Dalai Lama 1993). It concerns the nature of the mind and its projections, and is one of a series of instructions on the six types of liberation. It was composed by Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) and written down by his consort, Yeshe Tsogyal. Padmasambhava then buried these texts in the Gampo Hills in central Tibet. Many other texts and sacred objects were buried in this way, in different places throughout Tibet, and are therefore known as sa ter (“earth treasures”). Padmasambhava gave the transmission of power to discover these and other terma or “treasures” to his 25 chief disciples. The bardo texts were later discovered by Karma Lingpa, an incarnation of one of these disciples.
Situated in Belgrave in the Dandenong Ranges, TBRI was founded by Khentrul Rinpoche in 2005. Rimé means “unbiased” or “non-sectarian,” and TBRI offers extensive teachings from all Tibetan Buddhist traditions while focusing on the Jonang tradition, which includes the Shentong (extrinsic or other-emptiness) Madhyamaka view and the Six Yogas of Kalachakra. Among the renowned masters of the Jonang tradition are the great lamas Taranatha and Dolpopa.
Maitripa Centre. From maitripacentre.org
A Jonang scholar and Rimé master, Khentrul Rinpoche studied under 25 teachers at 11 different monasteries before becoming khenpo (abbot) of Dzamthang Monastery in eastern Tibet. He was awarded the title Rimé master, meaning master of all traditions, by his root teacher, the late Lama Lobsang Trinley, in 1997, and the title was conferred by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 2003. He has written over 10 books in Tibetan and other languages.
TBRI offers Dharma classes for everyone, from beginners to experienced practitioners, as well as regular meditation sessions, yoga classes, summer and autumn retreats, and tours to Tibet and India.
The Maitripa Centre is surrounded by hundreds of acres of state and national forest, and is an ideal place for retreats, workshops, and conferences.