Quintessential Wisdom

Our group’s main practice is Natural Mind meditation. Meditation on the Natural Mind leads to self-liberation. It transforms ignorance and delusion on the quick path to Enlightenment. This category of Kunsang Gar Wisdom is Quintessential Wisdom.

The teaching of Pure Dzogchen, considered to be the very peak of the nine vehicles. This involves introduction to the true nature of your mind and training in the practices of Trechod, Cutting Through to Primordial Purity, and Thögel, Direct Crossing or Spontaneous Presence. This is the basis of the previously mentioned Tantric view, the singular base of primordial enlightenment. This is not just a realization of the tantric system, but a door to this special quality spontaneously present within us.

On the basis of actual practice, not simply believing, one develops definite realization or direct experience.  It is the swiftest path to attaining the resultant state. Its view is without prejudice, unbiased; its meditation is the great equanimity. Quintessential Wisdom teachings will attend to the following:

• Identifying mind and the mind’s true nature

• Revealing the innate wisdom-mind through the three great stages of meditative practice  (Thun-gom, Ngang-gom and Long-gom)

• Pure Dzogchen or Natural Mind meditation

Foundational Wisdom

Similar to when you build a house, the first thing you do is build a solid foundation. Foundational Wisdom includes knowledge of what our world is; what human beings are and how we take birth in this sphere of existence; how we change as the world changes; whether or not we cease to exist after death. Foundation Wisdom classes also include the following topics:

• The Four Noble Truths

• The outer and inner preliminary practices

• Mind training

• The twelve links of interdependent origination

• The nature of samsara and nirvana

Mental Development

Practices for mental development include a framework or structure for understanding the Natural Mind. One must develop the common wish to develop a mind of compassion, wishing to free all beings from suffering, and loving or wishing to conjoin them with happiness. Mental Development classes will address the following:

• The non-inherent existence of things

• Emptiness as taught in the Prajnaparamita Sutra

• Emptiness as explained in the Vehicle of the Perfections

• The Great Mother of the Sphere, Sherab-jama

• Maha madhyamaka, the Great Middle Way

• Mahamudra, the Great Seal

• The Tantric view of enlightenment

• Tantric samadhis or meditative absorptions

• The Six Yogas of Tantra