THE VAJRA SANGHA

Creating and Supporting the Vajra Mandala

Vajra Sangha students at Sukhasiddhi Foundation have received the empowerments (Tib: wangs), reading transmissions (lungs), and oral instructions (tri), and have practiced the core creation and completion stage practices of the Shangpa lineage.

This is usually, but not always, accomplished while participating in one of Sukhasiddhi’s long-term practice programs.

In the Vajra Sangha, participants continue to clarify and stabilize their insights, glimpses and realization. They continue to engage in the advanced practices of the Shangpa lineage, and may also practice some of the advanced practices of the Karma Kagyu lineage. They maintain clear samaya with their primary Vajrayana teacher and Lama Palden. As practice progresses, the obstacles that obscure realization and its stabilization become increasingly subtle. At this stage of practice it is of critical importance to have a close connection with Lama Palden, or your root guru, if that is another lama. It also is of great benefit to establish or enhance connections with the primary lineage holders of the Shangpa Lineage.

At this stage of practice, serving the center, the lineage and all sentient beings becomes more and more essential. The form this service takes widely varies and should be decided upon in consultation with one’s root lama or another Sukhasiddhi lama.

Vajra Sangha Study and Practice

Vajrayana and MahamudraVajra Sangha students have the opportunity to practice, integrate as one’s own and actualize the remaining of the Five Golden Dharmas of the Shangpa, as well as other very important Shangpa practices. This includes:

  • Khandro de Nga

  • Drolkar (White Tara)

  • Niguma and Sukhasiddhi Longlife sadhanas

  • Niguma’s Six Yogas

  • Gonkar (White Mahakala)

  • Demchog Lha Nga

  • Tamdrin (Hayagriva)

  • Dorje Phurba (Vajra Kilaya)

  • Kachömas

  • Infallible Deathlessness (Chi Me Chug Me)

  • The Three Integrations on the Path (Lam Gyer Nam Sum)

  • Four Yogas of Mahamudra

  • Connate Unio

Yogis and yoginis may also engage with other practices normally done in the three-year retreat such as:

  • Bernakchen

  • Milarepa (Guru Yoga and Tsok)

Specific to the Vajra Sangha Student:In Vajrayana, which includes Mahamudra for the Shangpa and Kagyu lineages, once one comes to a more advanced stage of practice, one’s relation to one’s teacher(s) becomes more paramount, therefore Lineage Students need to have:

  • A formal agreement in regards to teacher-student relationship with Lama Palden

  • Continuing to deepen and clarify one’s commitment to the root Tantric Vows (these vows are very subtle in understanding and application and the complete explanations need to be studied thoroughly)

  • Individual meetings with Lama Palden Drolma twice yearly

  • Self retreats as well as Sukhasiddhi group retreats

Vajra Sangha students are at the forefront with teachers in creating and sustaining a Vajra Mandala. At its heart, a Vajra Mandala is a community of advanced practitioners whose practice together furthers individual awakening, and as importantly, through the process of coming to actually embody realization, the Vajra Mandala powerfully radiates the wisdom, love and compassion of awakened awareness. With Vajrayana and Mahamudra practice the Vajra Mandala powerfully manifests auspicious interdependent causes and conditions that help bring beings to peace, harmony, freedom and awakening. It also is a container for all Sukhasiddhi students.More information is provided to students at this level.

Continuing Commitments:

  • Taking the appropriate teachings and engaging in daily meditation practice

  • Maintaining Refuge and Bodhisattva Vows

  • Developing the Paramitas:

    1. generosity

    2. ethics and manners

    3. patience

    4. joyful effort or diligence

    5. meditative concentration

    6. discriminating awareness born from wisdom

  • Lifetime dedication to one’s Samaya commitments

  • Participating in the Sukhasiddhi annual residential retreat

Service Commitment

  • Serve when authorized and requested as mentors, practice leaders, sangha and organizational leaders and the like;

  • Engage in continuing service to the teachers, the students, and all the elements of the Sukhasiddhi Mandala; meet other similar expectations and lama-requests as they develop over time.

  • Continue membership in Sukhasiddhi

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