Published: Bringing Dreams onto the Path
The teaching presented in this book is an edited transcript of a retreat given by Drubdra Khenpo Tsultrim Tenzin, Abbot of the Meditation School at Triten Norbutse Monastery, Kathmandu (28.12.2021 to 01.01.2022). Broadcast via video link from Nepal, the retreat was organised by Shenten Dargye Ling, France and dedicated to instructions from the Mother Tantra of Yungdrung Bön on taking dreams as the path.
Drubdra Khenpo taught on the commentary written by a great early Bönpo siddha, Milü Samleg, who was an outstanding practitioner of Magyu, the Mother Tantra. Milü Samleg received the root text of this practice from the dream khandro Gyuma Chenmo, practised, achieved the result and then wrote a commentary comprised of 30 sections. Drubdra Khenpo’s lucid oral translation coupled with detailed comments based on his own experience and answers to questions from practitioners clearly explains how to apply Dream Yoga both in retreat and in daily practice. Before the retreat, Drubdra Khenpo asked Carol and myself to transcribe his teachings, and we of course agreed. Realising such detailed instructions on dream yoga have rarely been given to Western students, we gladly took on the task of editing the transcript to make a book, and asked our talented graphic designer Yungdrung Rabten to create the illustrations. Each full-colour picture was verified by Drubdra Khenpo. We are also grateful to Khenpo for kindly going through the final draft, clarifying some points and adding some corrections and comments which have been incorporated into the text. The whole process has taken several months and so now we are delighted to present you with this practice manual which, we hope, will be useful for those who participated in this retreat and also for anyone interested in learning how to apply dreams on the path of tantra.
It must be said, however, that although this book has been made public following Khenpo’s explicit wish, anyone who seriously wants to apply these methods must seek an authentic master and receive the authorisation and transmission in person. This will give the practitioner the ability to clearly understand the meaning of these instructions and connect him/her to the blessing of this lineage, thus ensuring their practice bears fruit.
We hope and pray that this publication will bring benefit to beings!
Best,
Dmitry Ermakov
DETAILS:
Publication Date: May 21, 2022
Language: English (Wylie & Tibetan for terms in footnotes)
ISBN: 9781916900547
Pages: 104
Binding: Paperback
Interior Colour: Colour
Dimensions: US Trade (6 x 9 in / 152 x 229 mm)
Price: £12.00 GBP (excl. VAT & P&P).
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CONTENTS:
Preface vi
Sixfold Path of the Mother Tantra 1
1. Tsalung and Tummo 4
2. Dream Yoga 6
Preparations 6
Main Practice 8
Body posture 8
Dreaming and Karmic Causes 9
Six Chakras and Six Realms 9
Chakra at the soles of the feet 10
Chakra at the secret place 10
Navel Chakra 11
Heart Chakra 11
Throat Chakra 12
Crown Chakra 12
Bardo 13
Summary 14
Dream Yoga in Tantra and Dzogchen 16
Dream and illusion 17
Result of Dream Practice 20
1. Greatness (chewa) 20
2. Multitude (mangwa) 20
3. Goodness (zangwa) 21
4. Swiftness (nyurwa) 21
5. Accomplishment (drubpa) 22
6. Transformation (gyurwa) 23
7. Emanation (trülpa) 23
8. Travelling (dropa) 23
9. Seeing (thongwa) 24
10. Meeting (threpa) 24
11. Experience (nyongwa) 24
The Sixteen Good Qualities of the Path 25
Eleven Examples of Illusion 26
1. Reflection 27
2. Water bubble 28
3. Lightning 29
4. Rainbow 30
5. Magic 30
6. City of scent-eaters 31
7. Echo 31
8. Mirage 32
9. Optical illusion 32
10. Water Moon – a moon reflected in water 33
11. Illusion 34
How to Practise Dreams 37
Meditation on ngöndro 37
1. General Preliminaries 37
2. Common Preliminaries 39
3. Particular Preliminaries – The Short Practice of the Threefold Active Contemplation from Mother Tantra 40
i. Guru Yoga 42
ii. Yidam Yoga 42
a) Establishing the Boundary and Dispelling Obstacles 42
Visualise your mind as a black HUNG / ཧཱུྃ. 42
b) Requesting Consideration 43
c) Taking Refuge 45
d) Generating Bodhicitta 45
e) Prayer to the Lama and Khandro 45
f) Mandala Offering 45
g) Contemplation 46
h) Yidam Yoga 46
i) Khandro Yoga 47
j) Prayer of aspiration 48
Dream Yoga Preliminaries 50
i) Body Posture 50
ii) How to take refuge 50
iii) How to develop bodhichitta 51
iv) How to pray 51
4. Special Preliminaries 51
Aspiration of taking dream as a path 53
The Four Obstacles to Dream Practice 56
Q & A Session 61
Main Practice – how to hold your dream 63
1st session 64
The key point of the condition 65
a) Disturbed sleep 65
b) Obstacle of not being able recognise dreams 66
2nd session 67
3rd session 68
4th session 68
Training with the Wisdom of Dreams 70
Developing Dreams 73
Q & A Session 76
Obstacles to Dream Yoga 77
1. Sejyam 78
2. Jejyam 78
3. Thruljyam 78
4. Gyujyam 78
The Four Trainings 79
1. Training with clarity 79
2. Training with appearances 79
3. Training with objects of sound 79
4. Training with objects of vision 79
Sublime contemplation 83
1. Integration 83
Integrate all appearances as dream 83
Maya 84
Milam bardo 85
2. Sublime contemplation 86
Four Obstacles to Dream Yoga 89
1. Thruljyam – Dreams of delusion 89
Antidote: 89
2. Gyujyam 90
Antidote: 90
3. Sejyam 91
Antidote: 91
4. Jejyam 91
Result 92
Q & A Session 93