Nyingma Palyul Retreat Centre

Ven. Khenpo Namdorl

The Nyingma Palyul Retreat Centre was founded in November 20th 1996 [10th day of 10th Tibetan month] under the compassionate guidance of His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, the lineage holder of the Palyul tradition and the supreme head of the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism. Khen Rinpoche Namdrol Tsering had the primary responsibility for initially establishing the retreat centre which is a branch of the Nyingma Namdroling Monastery of His Hokiness Penor Rinpoche in South India. It was essential that this retreat centre be established in Pharping Nepal not only because, in general, it is an important power spot which can assist people to attain swift results in their practice, but specifically because the Yangle Sho cave in Pharping is where Guru Rinpoche Became a Mahamudra Vidyadhara and where he accomplished the practice of Vajrakilaya. This practice is one of the three main tantric traditions to which the retreat centre is primarily devoted.

The main purpose of the retreat centre is to provide a place where people can engage in intensive practice and advanced study of the Tantric tradition of 1) Vajrakilaya, which belongs to the Sadhana Class (Sgrub sdel) of Mahayoga Tantra, 2) Guhyagarbha, which belongs to the Tantra Class (Rgyud sde) of Mahayoga, and 3) The Direct Transcendence (Ithod rgal) teachings of the Great Perfection (rdzogs chen) tradition of Atiyoga. Thus practitioners will not only be able to periodically supplement and enrich their practice by receiving teachings on the important texts of these traditions as well. (While the retreat centre will emphasize these three traditions, practitioners may also do other Nyingma practices at the centre in accordance with their particular needs and aspirations.

As for the Guhyagarbha Tantra (“Tantra of the Essence of the Secret”), it is one of the most important Tantras of the Nyingma tradition. It’s Mandala of 100 deities of 42 peaceful and 58 wrathful deities, which embody the vast and profound qualities of the Buddha’s and is renowned in the West through translations of the Tibetan Book of the Dead. The Guhyagrabha is the root Tantra of Mahayoga Tantra which is itself the first of the three highest Tantric vehicles-the inner Tantras of Mahayoga, Anuyoga Tantra but all three of the inner Tantras. In particular, due of its extensive commentaries racial tradition the Guhyagrabha is particularly renowned for setting forth the view of Tantra.

As for Vajrakilaya, it too belongs to Mahayoga Tantra and is one of the principle yidams (deties of meditation) of the Nyingma tradition. In these times of the Dark Age, through the strong practice of Vajrakilaya it is possible to reverse and pacify all the types of disease, famine, calamities, war, negativity’s, et cetera and make all the people in the world happier and more prosperous. The practice of this deity also specifically pacifies the obstacles to the Nyingma tradition so that it can flourish.

Since Vajrakilaya is one of the eight Herukas of the Sadhana Class of mahayoga while the Guhyagarbha is the root Trantra of the Tantra Class of Mahayoga, and since the Sadhana Class and the Tantra Class are the two divisions of Mahayoga, the practices of Vajrakilaya and Guhyagrabha are complementary.

As for the practice of the Direct Transcendence visions (thod rgal) of the Great Perfection (rdzogs chen) tradition of Atiyoga, the natural environment of Pharping in an upper region of the Kathmandu valley, with its vista of a vast expanse of the sky and brilliant sunlight, is ideally suited for this practice. Thus one of the purposes of the retreat centre is to use its natural beauty and physical endowments for promoting the practice of the Direct Transcendence visions.

1997 was a very auspicious year for the retreat centre. The first major phase of its construction was completed and H.H. Penor Rinpoche inaugurated the activities of the retreat center. From the 9th to the 12th of December he came to the retreat centre and bestowed the abhyishekas for not only Vajrakilaya but for the Guhyagarbha as well. This was followed immediately by a class on two major commentaries to the Guhyagarbha which was taught by Khen Rinpoche Namdrol Tsering who is one of the senior most khenpos (scholars) of the Ngagyur Nyingma Institute at His Holines’s main monastery in South India. This historic class included English translation and thus was given to both Tibetan and Westerner practitioners. During His Holiness’s stay at the retreat centre he expressed his explicit wish that the retreat centre have continuously overlapping Vajrakilaya retreats of 1, 3, 6, or 9 years in duration. He proclaimed that henceforth there should neverbe less than 10 lamas doing Vajrakilaya retreats at the centre. With regard to future teaching programs. His Holiness Penor Rinpoche will appoint Khenpos to teach at the retreat centre on a rotating basis. These teachings will focus primarily on the three Tantric traditions as set forth above.

Students and practitioners who which to study and practice at the retreat centre do not have to be ordained as monks or nuns. Whoever has faith in Buddhism and in Vajrayana is invited to come to study and practice at the centre.

For more information contact:

Nyingma Palyul Retreat Centre,

Pharping, Kathmandu, Nepal,

Phone: 977-1-290665

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