Khenpo Karten Rinpoche
to Bestow the Reading Transmissions
of his Dharma Lineage

Saturday, February 20
Saturday, March 6
Saturday, March 13
Saturday, March 20
9:00-10:30 AM

Manushri Dharma Center is very pleased to announce that over select weekends in February and March, our precious teacher Khenpo Karten Rinpoche will begin the process of offering the reading transmissions of all the main practices that he holds from his own Root Guru, Sangye Tenzin Rinpoche, and his other primary teachers.

On March 6th, 2021, Khenpo Karten Rinpoche bestowed the following transmissions of the two-volumes of the cycle of practices related to the wrathful wisdom deity Vajrakilaya: Sangthik Phurba Single-Mudra Vajrakumara, from the Seven Profound Cycles revelations of Chokguyr Dechen Lingpa. Among the Three Roots (Lama, Yidam, and Khandro), Vajrakilaya, is the primary yidam (meditational deity) for the Chokling Tersar and most other Nyingma lineages. As a wrathful manifestation of Vajrasattva, Vajrakilaya is an extremely powerful deity for dispelling obstacles and purifying negative karma.

On March 13, Rinpoche bestowed the following transmissions:

1. Amitabha sadhana of Namcho Mingyur Dorje

2. Amitabha sadhana of Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa

3. Green Tara sadhana of Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa

4. Longchen Nyingthig Chod Practice: “The Sound of Dakini Laughter” of Rigdzin Jigme Lingpa

5. Dzogchen Aspiration Prayer of Samantabhadra (“Kunzang Monlam”) of Rigdzin Godemchen

6. Guru Practice “Rain of Blessings” of Khenpo Karten Rinpoche

7. Namcho Amitabha Lineage Prayer

8. Kagyu Lineage Prayer of 8th Karmapa

Please read on for some important information about the Reading Transmission for Tibetan Buddhist practitioners.

Wang, Lung, and Tri in Tantric Buddhism
Generally, the scriptures of the Buddhadharma can be divided into the two categories of Sutra and Tantra. As students of Buddhist Tantra (alternatively called Secret Mantra, Vajrayana, Mantrayana, or Tantrayana), it is essential that we engage in the study and practice of these very special and profound teachings only after having connected with the lineage through a genuine and qualified teacher. There are many wonderful texts, such as Words of My Perfect Teacher, which explain the qualifications of a genuine Tantric teacher, and it is important that we familiarize ourselves with them.

Once we have met a qualified teacher, as we have in Khenpo Karten Rinpoche, we can enter through the doors of faith and devotion into the Vajrayana path, which can lead us to complete and perfect Buddhahood in as little as a single lifetime. Having connected to the blessings of the lineage by receiving from the master what is known in Tibetan as Wang, Lung and Tri (Empowerment, Transmission, and Oral Instructions), we become qualified to study and practice a given Vajrayana method. All three of these must be received in order for the teachings to truly take hold in, ripen, and liberate our mind stream.

In the past, Rinpoche has bestowed empowerment and oral instructions for various practices, and will continue to do so. Through the Wang, the “Vajra Master” initiates the student into the mandala of a particular yidam or meditational deity, such as Amitabha, Chenrezig, Tara, or Vajrayogini. With Tri, the Vajra Master provides specific commentary, in accordance with his or her own lineage, on how to properly perform each stage of the practice. This may involve ritual, visualization, mudras and mantras, which are sometimes very concise, but often highly elaborate. Importantly, Tri also explains the profound and layered meaning of each particular aspect of the practice.

Now, we are extremely fortunate to be able to receive the crucial Reading Transmissions for some of the core practices that we have been doing as Rinpoche’s sanghas, as well as for many he intends to introduce us to in the future. This will include some of the main practices of the Treasure Revelations (terma) of the Tertons Namchoe Mingyur Dorje and Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa. It was the terma cycle of the latter treasurer revealer that formed the core practice curriculum for Khenpo Karten’s Three Year, Three Month, Three Day retreat in Tibet.

Why we receive the Reading Transmission
In receiving the Reading Transmission, we simply listen to the words read aloud in Tibetan by our teacher, with as much faith and devotion, and as little mind-wandering, as possible. In this way, the powerful blessings of all the realization of the yogis and yoginis who have held and passed on this unbroken lineage fall upon our ears. Without the Reading Transmission, we will fully connect with the lineage, and over time, the potency and integrity of the teachings will become diluted and begin to degrade. But, baving been connected to this lineage and the liberating words of the Dharma through receiving the Transmission, the seed of realization is planted in our own heart, the lineage remains intact, and its longevity is ensured.

A Very Special Method of Receiving the Reading Transmission
Khenpo Karten has shared with us a very special way to receive the Reading Transmission. It is, in Rinpoche’s words, a “secret” or “sacred” instruction, which he received from his late uncle and one of his most important teachers, a terton and senior khenpo of Shechen Monastery, Lama Gephel.

Visualize that your ears transform into fully bloomed lotus blossoms, and that the stems are luminous transparent wisdom channels. These stem-like channels”descend down inside your body and connect to your heart chakra. As Rinpoche gives the Reading Transmission, visualize that the sounds of the words float out of his mouth in the form of the “Ali Kali” — the Tibetan or Sanskrit vowels and consonants (if you do not know what these syllables look like, you can visualize the words in English, or at least, generate the conviction that this is occurring). The syllables, made of golden light, float to the pollen heart of the lotus blossoms that are your ears. As the sounds/syllables fall upon your lotus ears, they transform into drops of wisdom nectar in the form of golden liquid light. The drops of luminous nectar drip and flow down through the stem channels into your heart chakra, blessing your heart-mind with the wisdom of the Buddhadharma.