The retreat at Palyul Ling was quite different from the ones we used to organize at KPC Maryland. During ours, we received an instruction, then practiced five sessions a day, for three days, with lotsa additional chanting in the early morning and evening, until receiving the next instruction. That was it, for 30 days.
At Palyul Ling, it was a rare day when we would have three practice sessions, because the schedule was set up to accommodate chanting with the lamas in the morning, weekend initiation ceremonies, and add-in practices and events for auspicious days on the calendar. I prefer the former retreat style, but see the broad benefit of the latter. And, of course, I took photos.
In four progressive stages over the course of the retreat, one of the most profound cycles of teachings within the Nyingmapa system was conferred, known as the Lama Yang Thig. This is Longchen Rabjam’s commentary on the ancient, innermost tantras known as the Vima Nyingthig, transmitted to Tibet from India during Padmasambhava’s time by the consummate Vajrayana Buddhist master Vimalamitra. One important note is that HH Penor Rinpoche is said to have been Vimalamitra in a previous life. Anyway, if you’re a Dharma geek like me and want the whole story about the evolution of these transmissions, it’s here. For the rest of you, it’s probably enough to know that even within the highest teachings of the Nyingmapa called Dzogchen, the ‘Great Perfection,’ these cycles represent the innermost secret instructions of that path.
There was one very special day during the retreat, one of four that occur during the Buddhist calendar year. It’s called Chökhor Duchen. In Tibetan, this means “The Great Time of the Turning of the Wheel” and it refers to the time after the Buddha’s enlightenment when he first taught the Dharma he had realized – known as the Four Noble Truths – to his five erstwhile ascetic companions.
That was about 2500 years ago. Shakyamuni Buddha went on to teach for 42 years across northern India. The Buddha’s disciples who realized the truth as he taught it were known as arhats (“enemy destroyers” – the inner enemies of hatred, avarice, pride, envy and, especially, fundamental ignorance) and possessed many extraordinary qualities. One of these was perfect recall of the teachings they heard. Through the succession of arhats, these teachings were preserved and disseminated for a century until finally they were systematized and written down. Over the course of time, great scholars and meditators wrote commentaries clarifying the Buddha’s meaning and intention in his original teachings. Today, the scriptural collection of the Buddha’s own teachings is known in Tibetan as the Kangyur, and the collection of the commonly accepted, authoritative commentaries is known as the Tengyur. Most large temples, such as the one at Palyul Ling, will enshrine these texts high on their altars.
So, on Chökhor Duchen, everyone gathered to perform an elaborate ceremony in praise of Shakyamuni Buddha. Afterward, all the lamas, monks, nuns, and laypeople picked up several volumes of the scriptures...
...and, single-file, circumambulated the property chanting Shakyamuni Buddha’s mantra Om Muni Muni Mahamuni Ye Soha, and making strong aspirational prayers concerning their future virtuous activity. I thought the lamas looked wonderful here in front of the prayer flags...
...and an amazing trick of the light showed it cascading in a rainbow spectrum down upon the lay sangha:
Toward the end of the retreat, after all the instructions had been given, came a special day for some of the laypeople. Those in our third year class who had received the precepts and instructions for the Dzogchen practice known as Togyal were given a special maroon and white zen, or upper shawl. Those who had completed the fifth year in the practice known as Trekchöd had this augmented with a white shantab, or garment for the lower part of the body. HH Penor Rinpoche personally distributed these.
For us monks and nuns, wearing these robes has become second nature. Not exactly so for those receiving them for the first time. So our next practice session turned into a Zen Management Seminar, with Lama Dorje patiently helping the class with their admittedly huge new adornments.
{I should take a moment here to declare that America seems once again to be number one in the world at something, namely the perpetration of heinously ugly trends in footwear. I refer, of course, to Crocs. About one out of three retreatants sported them. They placed them on HH Penor Rinpoche's holy feet! I secretly wanted to burn them all in a pile. I might exempt Celia, above, however. She was such a constant ray of sunshine I named her Happiest Person of the Retreat.}
Anyway, the students turned out to be quick zen studies, and soon were looking quite elegant:
As the retreat wound up, the mood relaxed, and it was time for the monks to kick up their heels a bit...
...and for the Australian sangha to do what they do best, just kick back and relax:
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