Vajrapani Institute
P.O. Box 2130
Boulder Creek, CA 95006
(831) 338-6654 

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EMPOWERMENT WITH CHODEN RINPOCHE
Highest Yoga Tantra Chakrasamvara
Heruka Body Mandala
May 30- June 1

Please note the additions and changes 
to the empowerment information listed below:

 

Friday, 30 May at 7 pm
Saturday, 31 May at 4 pm
Sunday, 1 June at 4 pm

Due to the length of the final session on Sunday night, those people staying with us are welcome to sleep here on Sunday night also.  The retreat will officially end on Monday, June 2 after breakfast


Vajrapani Institute is pleased to offer the Heruka Body Mandala Empowerment. "Heruka Chakrasamvara is one of the major meditational deities of the mother trantras, the principal sources explaining the methods for realizing the clear light." (Images of Enlightenment, Landaw & Weber) 

We are very pleased to welcome Venerable Choden Rinpoche back to Vajrapani.

This Heruka Empowerment weekend is designed to provide a complete preparation for the taking of the Heruka Body Mandala Empowerment.  Friday night is the Preparation.  On Saturday the Empowerment of Heruka Five Deities will be given, which is a pre-requisite for the Heruka Body Mandala given on Sunday.  
 Recently there have been inquiries about taking the empowerments separately.  It is possible to take each separately, as long as you adhere to the guidelines given below.  The recommendation however is that people come for all of the sessions related to the empowerment they wish to take.  For example, if you already have a Highest Yoga Tantra and wish to take one of the empowerments, technically you do not have to attend on Friday night.  However, it is strongly recommended that you do attend as this is an opportunity to restore your Bodhisattva and Tantric vows and attune yourself to the empowerment you are about to receive.  

*  Bodhisattva & Tantric vows will be given.

*  People may take either the Heruka 5 Deity or the Heruka Body Mandala or both

*  People who have had no Highest Yoga Tantra empowerment and want to take the Heruka 5 Deity MUST come on Friday night.  For people who do have a previous Highest Yoga Tantra empowerment, Friday night attendance is not required, but it is strongly recommended.

*  People wishing to take only the Heruka Body Mandala empowerment do not need to come on Friday night or Saturday.  They must, however, have a Heruka 5 Deity in the Ghantapa tradition from a Geluk Lama.

*  Commitment for the Heruka 5 Deities is the 6 Session Guru Yoga and Tsog.  (The Tsog commitment is to do a Mother Tantra tsog ritual on the 10th & 25th (Tibetan calendar) during the month of November.

*  Commitment for the Heruka Body Mandala is to do the Heruka 3 Purifications practice.  Rinpoche prefers that students do the long version rather than the short one, although the short one will suffice.  The Tsog commitment is the same as the one for the Heruka 5 Deities listed above.

 

Vajrapani's resident teacher, Ven Rene Feusi, has kindly offered to lead an explanation of these two practices on Saturday and Sunday during the empowerment weekend.  
     Saturday 9:30 am:  Commentary on the 6 Session Guru Yoga
     Sunday   9:30 am:  Commentary on the 3 Purifications of Heruka 

Ven. Rene will also be leading a 3 week Heruka Chakrasamvara Retreat in December of 2008 to help initiates deepen this profound practice.



 Venerable Choden Rinpoche
Born in 1933 in eastern Tibet, Choden Rinpoche was recognized at age three as the reincarnation of the previous Rinpoche, who himself had been one of the candidates for the twelfth Dalai Lama. At age eight he entered Rabten monastery, and at age fifteen he went to Sera Je monastery, where he studied the five main texts.  

Although Rinpoche studied through the Lharam class and could have become a geshe, his teacher asked him not to take the exams yet. Choden Rinpoche decided to study the teachings on Vinaya – monastic discipline – and is regarded as one of the foremost experts on the subject. Choden Rinpoche was one of the two Sera Je lamas selected to debate with His Holiness the Dalai Lama during His Holiness's geshe exams.

During the communist Chinese takeover of Tibet in 1959, Choden Rinpoche stayed in Tibet and went into solitary retreat for 19 years. He never left his tiny, dark room in Lhasa from 1965 to 1985, and was virtually unknown in his monastery for this reason. In 1985 he was allowed to leave Tibet for India, and has since taught for many years to thousands of students at Sera Je monastery in South India. At the request of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Choden Rinpoche has now visited the west several times to give teachings and lead retreats. 


Venerable Choden Rinpoche will additionaly be teaching at other Bay Area FPMT centers.

At Land of Medicine Buddha in Soquel, Ca he will be doing a series of Jenangs and Lam Rim teachings.

At Tse Chen Ling in San Fransisco, Ca he will do another series of different Jenangs and a teaching on Atisha's Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment.


Fees for the Empowerment: (inclusive of accommodation, meals, retreat fees)
  Non-Member Member
    10%
Camping $248.00 $223.00
Main Dormitory $263.00 $237.00
Semi Private Dormitory $278.00 $250.00
     
Private Room (single) $363.00 $327.00
Private Room (double) $318.00 $286.00
Cabin (single) $423.00 $381.00
Cabin (double) $348.00 $314.00
     
Scholarship Application deadline 30th April  

Commuting fees:

Commuters will be able to attend by making a Donation ahead of time through contacting the office, or during registration (3pm-6pm) on May 30th.

Donations are what enables Vajrapani Institute offer the Dharma and support our lineage lamas. Your generosity in supporting Choden Rinpoche and our center will create the causes for you and many others to have the opportunity to experience such precious teachings again and again.

No one will be turned away for lack of funds

Click here for details regarding financial aid

Click Here for Course and Registration General Info

Cancellation Policy 

A position for Course Manager Scholarship might still be available for this course. Click here for more information.