Guru Rinpoche: Connecting to Dorje Drolo
By Cortland Dahl • 2 min read
We will look back on Mingyur Rinpoche’s teachings in Kathmandu this summer as one of the historic events in the Tergar community. A number of factors are coming together. One is that this is the first time he will give the Dorje Drolo teachings; they’ve never been taught in this open way before. Another is that this will be the first time we’re holding events like this at the new Osel Ling monastery. Lastly, this will be one of the few global gatherings held for the entire Tergar community. The first retreat we did at St. John’s University, Minnesota back in 2010 was one of those times, but then Rinpoche went on retreat. We haven’t had many truly global events since that time. For these reasons, this time in Kathmandu is truly special.
In this first year, Mingyur Rinpoche will introduce the Dorje Drolo cycle of teachings and teach the foundational practices (Tib: ngondro) for the cycle. The Dorje Drolo teachings are considered a terma, a Tibetan word for a hidden teaching revealed by a treasure revealer. Termas come in “cycles of teachings” or kor in Tibetan and encompass an entire teaching path, from ngondro teachings and sadhana practices all the way to Dzogchen teachings. In the future, there will be a whole range of other practices connected with this terma. Already slated for next year is a particular sadhana practice, with Dzogchen teachings to follow the year after that. Within the Tergar’s Buddhist pathway, the Path of Liberation, Dorje Drolo will become the main ngondro practice.
The Dorje Drolo terma is close to Rinpoche’s heart, so receiving these teachings would certainly be special for all Path of Liberation students. Even if a student is not doing ngondro, they may, at some point, be interested in the sadhana or Dzogchen practices and, therefore, may want to connect with the whole cycle of teachings and the blessings of the lineage.
Another group that may be interested in the Dorje Drolo are Vajrayana practitioners, specifically Nyingma, who feel a connection with Guru Rinpoche and might want to make a connection to the lineage. Of course, individuals considering doing ngondro or those currently doing ngondro and thinking of making Dorje Drolo their main practice will be interested in these teachings.
In short, this is a very special opportunity for all of us in the Tergar community, especially those practicing the Path of Liberation under Mingyur Rinpoche’s guidance. These are powerful instructions from a lineage with great blessings. We are fortunate indeed that Rinpoche has agreed to pass this lineage on to us.
Cortland Dahl is a scientist, Buddhist scholar and translator, and meditation teacher living in Madison, Wisconsin. He cofounded Tergar, a network of meditation centers with activities on six continents, with Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche.
Our Vajrayana Buddhism online course is for those seeking an authentic introduction to the principles and practices of Vajrayana Buddhism. It is led by Mingyur Rinpoche and includes videos, audio files, a course workbook, webinars, and a forum. This course is part of the Vajrayana Online subscription-based offering.
“A big highlight was going around Nepal and seeing all these incredible places that were dedicated monasteries, temples, shrines, and caves, where our great meditation ancestors practiced.” — Christopher Baxter
More than any other single figure, Guru Rinpoche is the source for the entirety of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.
"If you practice meditation, you can use problems as support for your practice. You can liberate your self-created suffering by recognizing the nature of suffering."
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