AN FPMT INTRODUCTORY HOMESTUDY PROGRAM - … · mentary from Lama Zopa Rinpoche, detailed...

1 General Program Information14 S P E C I A L I N T E G R A T I O N P R A C T I C E SAN FPMT INTRODUCTORY HOMESTUDY PROGRAM

Discovering BUDDHISM at Home 2 14: Special Integration Practices 3 General Program Information

Discovering BUDDHISM

at HomeAwakening the limitless potential of your mind,

achieving all peace and happiness

AN FPMT INTRODUCTORY PROGRAM

SUBJECT AREA 14

Special Integration Practices

November 2006


Discovering BUDDHISM at Home

Awakening the limitless potential of your mind,achieving all peace and happiness

Contents should not be copied or reproduced without permission.

© FPMT Inc., 2003, 2006All rights reserved.

Cover image: Courtesy of Wisdom Publications,Tibetan Art Calendar 1995

Cover design: Karena Domenico

Contents

Letter to Discovering BUDDHISM at Home participants 7

Module Information and Documents 9

Why Special Integration Practices? 11

Suggested Schedule for a Three-Day Lam-rim Retreat 15

Required Readings 19

Assessment Questions 21

Completion Card 23

Student Satisfaction Survey 25




Dear Most Valued Participant,

Please find enclosed the materials you will need to complete Module14 of the Discovering BUDDHISM at Home program, Special Integra-tion Practices. You may be receiving these materials having completedall thirteen previous modules or you may be receiving these early onin your Discovering BUDDHISM at Home studies. It is entirely yourown personal choice when to begin these practices, and there is notime limitation for completing them.

For some helpful hints on completing this module, please read thefollowing web pages: http://www.fpmt.org/education/pdfs/aboutspecialintegrationexperiences.pdf.In these pages we have outlined various options that one can followto complete the Module 14 practices.

If you have been following the program for a certificate you willfind your completion card and assessment questions for this moduleincluded here. If you are not following for a certificate, then simplyignore these.




SUBJECT AREA 14

Special Integration Practices

Module Information and Documents

Special Integration Practices is the last of this fourteen-module program.With this module you are receiving:

• The Preliminary Practice of Vajrasattva practice booklet

• The Preliminary Practice of Prostrations (Prostrations to the 35Confession Buddhas) practice booklet

• Nyung Nä: A fasting retreat done in conjunction with the Buddha ofCompassion

• Assessment Questions

• Completion Card

We wish you every success with your participation in DiscoveringBUDDHISM at Home and hope that this unique opportunity will trans-form your life and awaken the true nature of your mind so that youmay be of greatest benefit to all beings.

Merry ColonyDirector

FPMT Education DepartmentFPMT International Office

1632 SE 11th AvenuePortland OR 97214

Email: [email protected]

* Please be reminded that all “requirements” apply only to those who choose to follow thisprogram for a Completion Certificate. This is a personal choice that one can make at anytime during the program. For those wishing to receive a Completion Certificate, there is noset order or time period in which one must complete the 14 modules’ completion cards.When all 14 cards are completed, send them to the FPMT Education Department toreceive your Completion Certificate.


Discovering BUDDHISM

Why Special Integration Practices?

A letter from the FPMT Education Department to FPMTSpiritual Program Coordinators on why host Module 14 aspart of the Discovering BUDDHISM program

Dear and Precious Spiritual Program Coordinators,

A few centers and individuals have been in touch with us to expresstheir concern that the practices listed in the fourteen module ofDiscovering BUDDHISM – specifically doing 100,000 prostrationsto the thirty-five Confession Buddhas and completing 100,000Vajrasattva mantras – are asking too much of our students for themto complete the program and get a “Certificate of Completion.”

We wanted to remind you of the reasons why these practicesare included as requirements to complete the program, and letyou know of the resources we have recently developed to assistand encourage students to be able to do so.

Why are these practices are included in the program?Discovering BUDDHISM (DB) was created by many of the mostsenior teachers and spiritual program coordinators in the FPMT.*One of the mandates for DB was that it somehow “package” (asmuch as possible) the very special way that Lama Thubten Yesheand Lama Zopa Rinpoche have personally guided their closest


students, and then make that available to others. The informationalcontent of the Lam-rim is certainly the heart of how we havereceived the Dharma from Lama and Rinpoche. This is why thesubject areas of DB generally follow the outline of topics in theLam-rim. In addition, from the very beginning, both Lama andRinpoche instructed and encouraged their students to do the pre-liminary practice of Vajrasattva and other extensive retreatsfor purification and accumulation. This is part of our FPMTheritage.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche also did a personal observation for whatpractices Discovering BUDDHISM students should do. In additionto Vajrasattva, Rinpoche advised that DB students do 100,000 pros-trations to the thirty-five Confession Buddhas and Nyung nä – actu-ally do Nyung nä, know how to do Nyung nä, and be able to leadothers in Nyung nä.

These are essential components of the Discovering Buddhismprogram. They are how we are leading our students to en-lightenment – by purifying negative karma and accumulatingmerit. Otherwise, we are giving our students only an intellectualunderstanding of the Dharma. We are not giving them the benefitof tasting the transformation that Dharma provides in a deep way.

The stated purpose of Discovering BUDDHISM is “awakening thelimitless potential of your mind, achieving all peace and happiness.”This is the title that Lama Zopa Rinpoche personally gave to theprogram. It is our responsibility to provide a program that fulfills itsmission of awakening sentient beings – leading them to enlighten-ment. When someone receives their “Certificate of Completion,” itmarks for them a period of profound change and transformationaccording to the Dharma, and it acknowledges the significant effortand the gift of realization that they have received from their sincereparticipation.

As such, we have recently created two new resources that will helpyour students to fulfill their requirements for prostrations andVajrasattva mantras:

Preliminary Practice Booklets have been made for both thesepractices. Each booklet contains the practice texts needed for doingprostrations to the thirty-five Confession Buddhas and engag-ing in Vajrasattva retreat, respectively. They also contain com-mentary from Lama Zopa Rinpoche, detailed instructions on howto complete 100,000 repetitions, either as a daily practice or inretreat, and an extensive list of helpful resources available such assuggested reading, website links, companion practices, etc. Theywill both inspire and inform students in doing their preliminarypractices. Both booklets are over 150 pages, are spiral bound, andhave beautiful glossy color covers.

In addition, we would like to remind you that we also have a similarversion of the above with respect to Nyung nä. We have a glossycolor cover spiral-bound Nyung nä practice text complete withdetailed instructions and commentary on how to do the prac-tice, set up the altar, and so on.

By making these resources available to students and making sure togive them the support, guidance, and encouragement they need, weare helping to bring sentient beings to enlightenment more and morequickly. Please make the effort to offer a complete program ofDiscovering BUDDHISM and help us to fulfill the mission ofthis program in FPMT Dharma Education.

If you have any comments, questions, or concerns, please do nothesitate to be in touch. We are here to serve you.

With prayers that our gurus’ wishes to benefit sentient beings beswiftly fulfilled,

Merry Colony Kendall MagnussenDirector Education Services

* For a detailed description of how the program was created, please see Education ConferenceReport 2001, available on the FPMT website in the members section.


In the early 1970s, Lama Zopa Rinpoche gave advice on how to do a lam-rim retreat.This involves a three-day cycle of meditations where one goes through all the main lam-rim topics in the course of three days and then begins again. Retreats can be arranged forthree, six, nine, or any number of days divisible by three. A sample schedule of one ofthese three-day cycles follows:

Day One5:30 am Precepts (optional)6:00 Tea6:30–7:15 Morning prayers with prostrations to the 35

Confession Buddhas7:15–8:30 Breakfast and break8:30–9:15 Shakyamuni Buddha guru yoga1 with precious

human rebirth9:30–10:15 Impermanence and death10:30–11:15 Death dissolution11:15–12:00 Lunch12:00–2:00 pm Break2:00–2:45 Discussion

Suggested Schedule

for a Three-Day Lam-rim Retreat

1. You can do this in a simple way: For example, take refuge and bodhichitta, visualizeShakyamuni at your crown, entrust yourself to his care, recite his mantra for purificationand blessings for approx. 5–10 minutes, then enter into the meditation. All lam-rim sessionsshould start in this way. Other deities can also be used, such as Chenrezig together with the

great scope, Manjushri when meditating on emptiness, and so on.


3:00–3:45 Suffering of the lower realms: hell realms4:00–4:45 Suffering of the lower realms: preta realm5:00–5:45 Suffering of the lower realms: animal realm5:45–6:30 Tea break6:30–7:15 Refuge7:15–8:15 Dinner or tea break8:15–9:00 Karma: 4 principles of karma ending with a short

Vajrasattva practice together withthe 4 opponent powers

Day Two5:30 am Precepts (optional)6:00 Tea6:30–7:15 Morning prayers with prostrations to the 35

Confession Buddhas7:15–8:30 Breakfast and break8:30–9:15 Shakyamuni Buddha guru yoga with precious

human rebirth9:30–10:15 Karma: 10 nonvirtues and their results10:30–11:15 Suffering of the higher realms: human realm11:15–12:00 Lunch12:00–2:00 pm Break2:00–2:45 Discussion3:00–3:45 Suffering of the higher realms: deva and asura

realms4:00–4:45 General sufferings of samsara: 8, 6, or 3 sufferings

(Choose one set for each cycle.)5:00–5:45 Four Noble Truths5:45–6:30 Tea break6:30–7:15 Wheel of life7:15–8:15 Dinner or tea break8:15–9:00 Generating the mind of renunciation; short

Vajrasattva practice

Day Three5:30 am Precepts (optional)6:00 Tea6:30–7:15 Morning prayers with prostrations to the 35

Confession Buddhas7:15–8:30 Breakfast and break8:30–9:15 Shakyamuni Buddha guru yoga with precious

human rebirth9:30–10:15 Equanimity10:30–11:15 Bodhichitta: 6 causes and 1 effect11:15–12:00 Lunch12:00–2:00 pm Break2:00–2:45 Discussion3:00–3:45 Equalizing and exchanging self with others4:00–4:45 Tong-len5:00–5:45 Concentration5:45–6:30 Tea break6:30–7:15 Emptiness7:15–8:15 Dinner or tea break8:15–9:00 Short Vajrasattva practice, King of Prayers

One can use this formula for arranging retreats to complement lam-rimcourses such as teachings on the Three Principal Paths, the Foundation of AllGood Qualities, or any other lam-rim text. It is a great way to give people thetraining they need to know how to meditate on the lam-rim and becomefamiliar with the outline of meditation topics in the lam-rim.

One can also use a lam-rim prayer such as those mentioned above. VisualizeShakyamuni Buddha, take refuge, and generate bodhichitta. Then visualizethe Buddha coming to rest on the crown of your head to bless yourmeditation session. Recite your lam-rim prayer at the beginning of everysession, stopping at the topic you have reached, doing the appropriatemeditation, and then finishing the prayer before dedicating. This way, eachsession becomes a complete lam-rim review, with special emphasis on aparticular topic.


Required Readings

Becoming Vajrasattva, (previously entitled The Tantric Path ofPurification) by Lama Thubten Yeshe (WP, FPMT)

Everlasting Rain of Nectar, by Geshe Jampa Gyatso (amazon.com)

Discovering BUDDHISM Required Reading “Special Integration Prac-tices.” This consists of one article, The Eight Places of Buddhist Pilgrim-age, by Jeremy Russell

Download this reading from the Lama Yeshe Wisdom ArchiveWebsite – www.lamayeshe.com (There is no readings CDincluded with this module.)


Assessment Questions

Please write a paragraph (or more) about each of your integrationexperiences describing:

• What did you find most beneficial about the practice?• What did you find most challenging?• What advice would you give to others engaging in the

same practice?• Is there anything else that you would like to share?

Your responses will be used to help inspire and guide future stu-dents, so please be as honest and candid as possible in sharing yourstory.

• Two-week Kopan-style lam-rim course (or NovemberCourse at Kopan Monastery)

• Three-month or 100,000-mantra Vajrasattva retreat

• 100,000 prostrations to the 35 Confession Buddhas

• Nyung Nä retreats

• Guiding others in Nyung Nä retreat

Please return your responses to:Director

FPMT Education Department1632 SE 11th AvenuePortland OR 97214




Completion Card

14. Special Integration Practices

Student Name

Required Meditations, Practices, and RetreatsPlease indicate completed requirements together with dates.

Two-week Kopan-style Lam-rim courseDone Place and dates

Three-month or 100,000-mantra Vajrasattva retreatDone Place and dates

100,000 prostrations to the 35 Confession BuddhasDone Place and dates

Nyung nä RetreatDone Place and dates

Guiding Others in Nyung nä RetreatDone Place and dates


Student Satisfaction Survey14. Special Integration Practices

Thank you for taking a few minutes to complete this survey. It will assist the FPMTEducation Department in further development of this program.

Your Name

Completion Date of This Module

1. Where did you hear about the Discovering BUDDHISM atHome program? (Please circle all that apply. Please provide specific names whereapplicable.)

a. Mandala magazine

b. Shambhala magazine

c. Other magazine ____________

d. FPMT website

e. Other website ____________

f. Friends

g. Other FPMT Center __________

h. Kopan course

i. Brochure___________

2. It was easy to get detailed information on the content of thecourse. (Please circle one.) 1. Strongly Agree 2. Agree 3. No opinion

4. Disagree 5. Strongly disagree

Feedback:

Required ReadingsPlease indicate that you have completed reading the following texts.

Becoming Vajrasattva (The Tantric Path of Purification) Done

Everlasting Rain of Nectar Done

Special Integration Practices section of the DiscoveringBUDDHISM Required Readings (www.lamayeshe.org) Done

Completion of AssessmentName of Assessor

Date Assessed

* Remember, completion cards are only for those who wish to receive a DiscoveringBUDDHISM at Home Certificate of Completion. For such a student to officially completeany given subject area all the required reading and practices indicated in each subject areasummary sheet must be completed. The requirements for Special Integration Practicesare summarized above. The FPMT Education Department at FPMT InternationalOffice will issue an official Completion Certificate to students who have fulfilled therequirements for all 14 subject areas. Please retain your completion cards and send copies(of all 14 together) to the FPMT Education Department to receive your final CompletionCertificate.


8. The meditation exercises gave me a deeper experience &understanding of the subject matter.(Please circle one.) 1. Strongly Agree 2. Agree 3. No opinion

4. Disagree 5. Strongly Disagree

Feedback:

9. The Required Readings led me to a deeper understandingof the subject matter.(Please circle one.) 1. Strongly Agree 2. Agree 3. No opinion


Feedback:

10. The assessment questions didn’t grant me a deeper under-standing of the subject material.(Please circle one.) 1. Strongly Agree 2. Agree 3. No opinion


Feedback:

11. This Module fulfilled my needs and expectations for thecourse.(Please circle one.) 1. Strongly Agree 2. Agree 3. No opinion


Feedback:

12. Any other comments?

3. It was hard to order the course materials.(Please check one.) Online or by mail

(Please circle one.) 1. Strongly Agree 2. Agree 3. No opinion


Feedback:

4. This type of format (PDF, notes & Audio CDs) was easy tounderstand and use.(Please circle one.) 1. Strongly Agree 2. Agree 3. No opinion


Feedback:

5. This type of format (PDF, notes, & MP3 CDs [when available])was hard to understand and use.(Please circle one.) 1. Strongly Agree 2. Agree 3. No opinion


Feedback:

6. It was hard to understand the course format and sequence.(Please circle one.) 1. Strongly Agree 2. Agree 3. No opinion


Feedback:

7. The teaching materials were clearly and concisely presented.(Please circle one.) 1. Strongly Agree 2. Agree 3. No opinion


Feedback:


FPMT Education

Department

The aim of the Education Department at FPMT International Officeis to serve the needs of Dharma centers and individuals in the area ofTibetan Buddhist educational and spiritual materials. This includesprayers and practice texts, retreat sadhanas and other practice materials,a variety of study texts and translations, deity images for meditation,and curricular materials for study programs in FPMT Dharma centersand for homestudy.

One of our principal objectives is to serve as a repository for awide variety of practice texts primarily within the Gelug tradition, espe-cially those authored or translated by Lama Zopa Rinpoche and LamaThubten Yeshe. We work in close collaboration with the Lama YesheWisdom Archive, Boston, Massachusetts, which serves as a reposi-tory for the commentaries and transcripts of teachings by Lama ZopaRinpoche and Lama Yeshe.

If we can be of service to you in any way, please contact us at:

Education DepartmentFPMT International Office


USATel: 001(503)808-1588

Email: [email protected]: www.fpmt.org/shop

Many thanks for your time. Your opinions are important to us.Please return this form to:

DirectorFPMT Education Department



Discovering BUDDHISM at Home 32 14: Special Integration Practices

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