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Mahamudra Teachings
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| Introduction
Mahamudra practice is useful
and vital for dharma in the west today. |
In the application of Mahamudra meditation there
is no conflict between the responsibilities
of daily life and dharma practice. Therefore
it is very useful for those who must work and
have other duties such as raising children.
In order to practice Mahamudra meditation, it
is necessary to have a qualified teacher who
has understood the teachings and practiced them.
It is necessary to receive oral teachings from
this teacher and to develop true devotion in
and trust towards the teacher.
However, in order to understand the essential
points of the path it is very useful to be able
to read and study the great treatises of the
Mahamudra masters of the past. The Mahamudra
teachings were passed on through great masters
of the Karma Kagyu lineage such as Marpa, Milarepa,
Gampopa and the succeeding Karmapas. It is also
beneficial and easier for the beginner to be
able to read commentaries of teachers of the
present time.
Great teachers of this time, such as His Eminence
Tai Situ Rinpoche, have the ability to explain
the essential points of these treatises and
help those on the path to understand the teachings.
One of the most important of all various systems
and texts on Mahamudra is “Ocean of Certainty”
by the Ninth Karmapa, Wangchuk Dorje, on which
Tai Situ Rinpoche has based these teachings
in this book. A teaching such as this helps
the meditator to develop a clear view of Mahamudra
ground, path and fruition.
Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche
Boudhanath, Nepal
July 19, 2001
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