About this Jonang Kalachakra Ngondro Program

This program is designed for those who want structure and support to complete the Ngondro.

The program is open to all. There are no formal prerequisites for Modules 1-7. Although we encourage step-by-step participation, you are allowed to directly register for any module (except modules 8 and 9). Generally speaking, the Kalachakra Ngondro Program is for you if you wish for long-term and regular support in your dharma practice, regardless if you are starting now or if you have been practicing previously. More specifically, modules 1-7 are shaped to help you prepare for receiving the 1st set of Kalachakra Empowerments (“Seven Empowerments of a Growing Child”), also known as the Kalachakra Initiation, and for receiving in the future the “Kalachakra Four Higher Empowerments” if you so aspire. That being said, you are more than welcome to just drop in to make a first connection and see how the practice reverberates with you—in this case, the modules 1-4 may be more suitable.

Benefits of this 2 Year Program

The Kalachakra Ngondro Program is a 2-year long program created for students who want to deepen themselves in the Kalachakra Path in a structured, step-by-step guided process. The Ngondro — also called the “Preliminary Practices” — prepares you to uncover your own Buddha nature. If you want to completely unveil this perfect nature, the Kalachakra Ngondro prepares you for the very subtle and profound yogic practices of the Completion Stage called the ‘Six Vajra Yogas’ of the Kalachakra Tantra. You can benefit by doing the Kalachakra Ngondro even if you do not aspire to engage in serious meditation practices of the Kalachakra Completion Stage in this lifetime. Shar Khentrul Rinpoché offers a flexible approach in order to embrace a variety of practitioners because being fixed on only one traditional way may not be a match for everyone. Developing familiarization with the Kalachakra Ngondro practices can be adjusted individually according to your own personal inclination.

About this Module (4)

Bodhicitta

Bodhichitta is the extraordinary altruistic intention to attain enlightenment for the sake of all beings. “As long as the mind is dominated by self-cherishing thought, bias will be sustained, giving rise to attachment and aversion from which arise all derivative afflictions. To realize the empty nature of our mistaken projections, we need to cut self-cherishing and maintain our focus on others. This allows our virtuous qualities to grow immeasurably, ensuring our practice becomes a cause for full enlightenment.” In this module, we will also delve into the second Kālachakra sādhana “Enlightenment of the Heart”, which Rinpoché composed for the benefit of his Western students.

Course curriculum

    1. Kalachakra Ngondro Module 4 | Program OVERVIEW

    2. Schedule and Links

    3. DIVINE LADDER (excerpt) in various languages and additional MATERIALS

    4. ENLIGHTENING THE HEART Sadhana (excerpt) in various languages

    5. Divine Ladder CHANTING in Tibetan (slower version)

    6. PICTURES for Visualization

    7. Overview of Bodhichitta, Vows, and the 6 Perfections

    8. Gratitude & GENEROSITY

    9. Links for Further MODULES

    1. Session 1: Divine Ladder Practice, Review Path & Refuge, Bodhicitta Intro & Map, Bibliography, 8 Qualities of Ultimate Bodhicitta

    2. Session 2: Divine Ladder, Bodhicitta & 4 Immeasurables, Guided Meditation on Loving-Kindness, Explanation of Different Types of Love and Compassion

    3. Session 3: Divine Ladder with Focus on Compassion (Guided Meditation), Q&A, Presentation & Meditation about Joy

    4. Session 4: Divine Ladder with focus on Equanimity Meditation, Asanga & Nagarjuna Approaches, Meditation on the Kindness of the Mother, Intro Tonglen, Shantideva Dedication

    5. Session 5: Divine Ladder with Focus on Tonglen, Q&A, Explanation of Relative Bodhicitta with focus on Aspirational Bodhicitta

    6. Session 6: Enlightening the Heart with Meditation on Aspirational Bodhicitta, Explanation Bodhisattva Vows, Taking Bodhisattva Vows, Shantideva Verses

    7. Session 7: Enlightening The Heart Short Practice | Summary Presentation of the 6 Perfections & 4 Means to Gather a Following, Shantideva Recitation

    1. Session 1: Divine Ladder Practice, Review Path & Refuge, Bodhicitta Intro & Map, Bibliography, 8 Qualities of Ultimate Bodhicitta

    2. Session 2: Divine Ladder, Bodhicitta & 4 Immeasurables, Guided Meditation on Loving-Kindness, Explanation of Different Types of Love and Compassion

    3. Session 3: Divine Ladder with Focus on Compassion (Guided Meditation), Q&A, Presentation & Meditation about Joy

    4. Session 4: Divine Ladder with focus on Equanimity Meditation, Asanga & Nagarjuna Approaches, Meditation on the Kindness of the Mother, Intro Tonglen, Shantideva Dedication

    5. Session 5: Divine Ladder with Focus on Tonglen, Q&A, Explanation of Relative Bodhicitta with focus on Aspirational Bodhicitta

    6. Session 6: Enlightening the Heart with Meditation on Aspirational Bodhicitta, Explanation Bodhisattva Vows, Taking Bodhisattva Vows, Shantideva Verses

    7. Session 7: Enlightening The Heart Short Practice | Summary Presentation of the 6 Perfections & 4 Means to Gather a Following, Shantideva Recitation

About this course

  • 23 lessons
  • 10.5 hours of video content

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Meet Our Program Instructor

Dzokden Kalapa

Rafa Lobsang Dorje (Rafael Nassif)

Dzokden Kalapa Program Co-ordinator

He started his contact with Buddhism in 2008, after practicing in other systems of spiritual practice in his homeland Brazil. In Europe, India and Tibet he had precious opportunities to receive teachings, transmissions and empowerments from masters from almost all schools of Tibetan Buddhism and from the Theravada Tradition as well, and took part in different group and solitary retreats. He was fortunate to met his precious Guru Jamphel Lodrö (Khentrul Rinpoche) in She Drup Ling-Austria in 2015, from whom he has been receiving a vast and profound wealth of Dharma, since the foundational subjects until the Kalachakra Vajra Yogas. Since 2016 he has been teaching Lu Jong (Tibetan Healing Yoga). In 2018 he received authorisation from Rinpoche to teach the Kalachakra-Ngöndro. Recently he reduced his professional activities as a composer in order to serve the altruistic ideals of his Guru as a full-time volunteer at our Dzokden community. He serves the community a.o. as a translator, editor and coordinator for the translations’ groups for both German and Portuguese languages.

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Work through the full 2 year Ngondro Program

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