Wisdom Retreat

November 15-16, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia

To become fully realized Buddhas, we must accumulate both Merit and Wisdom. This retreat focuses on connecting with the teachings of Wisdom, which arises not just from knowledge but through awareness. By cultivating wisdom and compassion with an altruistic mindset, we can overcome the darkness in our world and help manifest the Golden Age on Earth. Wisdom and compassion are like two wings of a bird—both are needed to soar. Through deep personal transformation and dedicated practice, we reduce suffering and become better equipped to help others. Despite the challenges in the world, we can start our path today and embody the peace we wish to see.

Khentrul Rinpoche’s connection with Manjushri

Khentrul Jamphel Lodrö Rinpoche is name means Manjushri and was bestowed on him at ordination. The name was his preceptor root guru’s name and it is believed the person receiving this name embodies the qualities of that guru.

White Manjushri

Gentle Methods in Wisdom and Sweet Speech

White Manjushri helps us cultivate wisdom, specifically through gentle methods that help us teach others through our speech.

Red Sarasvati

Intuitive Female Wisdom

Khentrul Rinpoche will bestow the Wang (full empowerment) of the Goddess Red Saraswati who is the consort of Manjushri and the female embodiment of wisdom. The empowerment comes from the Jonang tradition, based on Jetsun Taranatha. Both Buddhists and non-Buddhists worship her equally. In the vedic tradition, Brahma created the world, and for a long time after, they didn’t have any sounds or sentient beings. Many gods came to him and said, “you made the world, but there are no beings and no sounds.” Then Brahma spilled water from his vase, and there became this incredible sound, this sound is known as the goddess Sarasvati. So that is why she is known as Brahma’s daughter. While the story varies across cultures, the Tibetan tradition features multiple forms of Sarasvati, including a powerful, four-armed tantric version. She is especially worshipped by scholars and spiritual practitioners for her transformative, magnetizing power.

Way of the Bodhisattva - Wisdom Chapter Teaching

PREPARATION TEACHING FOR 2026 YEAR LONG ADVANCED COURSE

In 2026 Khentrul Ripoche will be giving teachings on the 20 Sutras of the Definitive Meaning of Dharma, this is the ultimate wisdom teachings. To help prepare disciples for this, he will bestow the White Manjushri and Red Saraswati Empowerments along with preparatory teachings on Shantideva’s Way of the Bodhisattva Wisdom chapter. The teachings on the Sutras of Definitive Meaning were from high level Bodhisattvas and are deeper even than the wisdom teachings of Shantideva. For this reason it’s encouraged to take this teaching and empowerment in preparation.

Vajra Master

Khentrul Rinpoche

Jonang Kalachakra and Rimé Master

Khentrul Rinpoché Jamphel Lodrö is the founder and spiritual director of Dzokden. Rinpoche is the author of Unveiling Your Sacred Truth, The Great Middle Way: Clarifying the Jonang View of Other-Emptiness, A Happier Life, and The Hidden Treasure of the Profound Path. Rinpoche spent the first 20 years of his life herding yak and chanting mantras on the plateaus of Tibet. Inspired by the bodhisattvas, he left his family to study in a variety of monasteries under the guidance of over twenty-five masters in all the Tibetan Buddhist traditions. Due to his non-sectarian approach, he earned himself the title of Rimé (unbiased) Master and was identified as the reincarnation of the famous Kalachakra Master Ngawang Chözin Gyatso. While at the core of his teachings is the recognition that there is great value in the diversity of all spiritual traditions found in this world; he focuses on the Jonang-Shambhala tradition. Kalachakra (wheel of time) teachings contain profound methods to harmonize our external environment with the inner world of body and mind, ultimately bringing about the golden age of peace and harmony (dzokden).