The Pointing Out Way of Tibetan Buddhist Meditation

Level 3A Course: Garab rDorje Teachings

Thupten Kalsang Rinpoche & Daniel Brown, Ph.D.
Course Outline
Day 1: 6-9pm
Basic principles of intensive concentration meditation
Review of the 7-point posture
Introduction to concentration using the 3-point breath
Ordinary vs. extraordinary forms of practice
Deepening concentration: Intensifying & Easing up
Factors that potentiate practice
Concentration using the 7-point object
Concentration with supportan overview of the state
Day 2
10:00am-12:30am
PadmaSambhava Guru Yoga: Establishing the view of awakened
awareness
Reinforcing the view of awakened awareness between the interval of
breaths
Traditional essence tradition concentration training
2:00-4:30pm
Concentration without support
Keeping the mind in a non-elaborated state at the subtle level
Automatic concentration
One-pointed concentration
Tracking the imprint of the meditation object throughout the flow of
vibrancy
Serviceable concentration
Stabilizing concentration using the mind-perspective
Mahamudra movement & stillness meditation

7:00-9:00pm
Review of emptiness of self, reality-construction, and time
Day 3
10am-12:30pm
The yoga of one taste
Automatic emptiness
2:00-4:30pm
Overview of Great Completion (Dzogs chen) meditation
Thoroughly Cutting Through Dzogs chen practice
7:00-9:00pm
Garab rDorjes recognizing own face instructions
Mirror instructions
Lions gaze
Garab rDorje's PHAT instructions
Day 4
10:00am-12:30pm
Padma Sambhava's Metaphors practice
Unpacking the instructions on settling the mind in its natural state-Padma Sambhava's "Don't change anything" instructions
2:00-4:30pm
Developing/nurturing awakened awareness (rig pa)
Re-establishing the conditions of thoroughly cutting through
Increasing frequency and duration of operating in awakened
awareness
Identifying 'favorite clouds' emptiness vs. liveness practice
The reification of self, out thereness, time, thought, emotions
Recognizing duality at the moment of occurrence
Ma rig pa as rig pa
7:00-9:00pm
Developing metacognitive awareness
What is my basis-of-operation this moment?
Deepening the heart connection with the teacher

Preventing going off track

Differentiating ever-prevent, non-dual, and awakened awareness
Day 5
10:00am-12:30pm
Special states (bliss, luminosity, & stillness) as enhancements of
rig pa
Developing awakened awareness at all times/all situations
Dealing with seeming external appearance
Padma Sambhava's condensed instructions--emptiness of time
up to liveliness practice
Enhancing metacognitive awareness of rig pa at all times
Mixing rig pa with everyday activities--structured mixing practices
Liveliness practice
2:00-4:30pm
Liveliness of seeming external appearances
Liveliness of seeming internal thought and emotions
Overview of Buddha-training
Automatic dharmakaya release & dharmadhatu exhaustion
Non-ordinary perception--the wisdom energies
Clear light body
Cracking the egg shell--Buddha fields and Buddha bodies
7:00-9:00pm
Practicing with the inseparable, non-dual pair of groundless-ground and
brilliant awakened awareness
Automatic dharmakaya release (rang 'grol)
Day 6 Transmission teaching by Rahob Tulku
10:00-12:30pm
Overview of lineage and Dzogs Cehn practice the Nine Levels of Great
Completion Practice-- Ati Practice
2:00-4:30pm

Garab rDorje's Three Essential Points

The view--setting up the infinite vast expanse of awakened
Mediation as non-meditation on and off the pillow at all times and
all situations; light rays of knowledge and love
7:00-9:00pm
Deepening automatic dharmakaya release (DB)
Day 7 Continued transmission teaching by Rahob Tulku
10:00-12:30pm
Activity--sprouting the seeds of Buddhahood via automatic dharamakaya
release--leaving no karmic trace
2:00-4:30pm
Guru Yoga teachings
Bodhicittta
7:00-9:00pm
Firmly establishing automatic dharmakaya release (DB)
King of samadhi as the foundation for Buddha training practices

Day 8
10:00-12:30pm
Offering of merit and closing blessing with Rahob Tulku, Thupten Kalsang
Rinpoche