A Complete Path of Buddhist
Study and Practice

Courses and events offered in Rigpa form part of an in-depth curriculum of study, reflection, practice and retreat designed for anyone who wishes to follow the teachings of the Buddha and in particular the Buddhist tradition of Tibet.

The general approach shared in Rigpa is that of Tibetan Buddhism, which brings together the Basic Yana, the Mahayana and the Vajrayana (see Glossary of Terms). In particular, Rigpa follows the Nyingma lineage and tradition of Dzogchen, or “Great Perfection”—the most ancient and direct stream of wisdom within the Buddhist tradition of Tibet, which reveals the way to realize the innermost nature of mind.

The essence of all Buddhist teachings is to arrive at lasting peace and happiness through transforming the mind. The Buddha taught the importance of recognizing the reality of suffering, abandoning its causes and achieving liberation by following the path. The underlying goal of Rigpa’s path of study and practice is to support individuals of all ages, cultures and backgrounds, to travel this path and gradually embody the wisdom and compassion that are the essence of the Buddha’s teachings.

In general, the Buddhist path is very flexible. Buddha was renowned for teaching a wide variety of ways to practise, each attuned to the needs of different individuals. At all stages of the path, one can study and practise in great depth, or in a more essential way, the key point being the transformation that actually takes place in one’s being.

Stages of the Path

The Rigpa curriculum is broadly divided into five stages or categories and each stage has a number of core areas:

Courses, retreats and teaching events happening in Rigpa are labelled according to these categories to make it clearer which part of the path they emphasize. This is intended to indicate what is best suited for beginners, what is best suited for more established Buddhist practitioners, what are core Buddhist studies and what is relevant for anyone, and so on. This is not intended to be rigid or prescriptive, but to provide a general reference point. It is highly recommended that those already following courses and programmes in Rigpa seek out the advice of experienced instructors or peers in order to make the best choices about how to best continue their studies.

In the spirit of the Buddha, individuals are encouraged to question, clarify, explore and test the teachings and practices until they arrive at a personal conviction. A culture of open dialogue and critical analysis is encouraged at every stage of the path.

Stages of the Path in more detail

Foundations of the Buddhist Path

Foundations of the Path is not only for beginners, but also for all Buddhist students, wherever they are on the path.

The main aims of the Foundations of the Buddhist Path is to:

• Share the key principles of Buddha’s insight into our mind and the world, as well as the practices of meditation, loving-kindness and compassion. There is no notion of having to become a Buddhist at this point. You can simply use what you find relevant to face the challenges and big questions of life.

• Provide a solid foundation in the key philosophical principles and practices of Buddhism, especially those of the Basic yana, so that one has a stable and solid foundation for the later stages of the path. The overview of the whole Buddhist path is also shared at this stage.

• Introduce the vision of study and practice followed in Rigpa, which spans the whole of life, dying, death and beyond in the spirit of The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying.

Emphasis is placed on applying these Buddhist principles and practices to our own mind, habits and emotions in a way that brings benefit to all areas of our lives. On this path we come to understand our mind and its nature and learn about what Buddha Shakyamuni identified as the true causes of happiness and suffering.

For those who wish, the Refuge Vow can be taken at this stage. Doing so marks the formal entry point to the Buddhist path.

Mahayana

This category of courses and events is based on the ‘Great Vehicle’ (Mahayana) of Buddhism and starts to explore the central practice of bodhichitta—the altruistic wish to attain enlightenment for the sake of all beings. This approach entails training in love and compassion to the fullest extent as well as developing profound insight into the ultimate nature of reality, or shunyata.

These teachings and practices can be of great practical value to anybody, regardless of whether they wish to be Buddhist or not, but they also form the heart of formally following the Buddhist path.

For those who wish, the Bodhisattva Vow can be taken at this stage. Doing so marks the formal entry point to the Mahayana.

Vajrayana | Preliminaries (ngöndro)

As the foundation for the Vajrayana and Dzogchen stages, the preliminary practices, or ngöndro in Tibetan, have been skilfully designed to effect deep transformation at every level of our being and stabilize our practice. Not only do they prepare the practitioner for the profound practices of Vajrayana and Dzogchen, but they also form a complete path to enlightenment.

While studying and practising the preliminaries, students also reflect on their path and whether or not they wish to begin the main Vajrayana or Dzogchen practices with their respective commitments.

Vajrayana (tantra and sadhana)

The main Vajrayana path is a specialized path of the Mahayana that is suitable for students with certain affinities. This path requires students to have formally entered the Buddhist path by taking Refuge and Bodhisattva vows, and to have a solid foundation and experience of the principles and practices of the Mahayana as well as the Vajrayana preliminaries. After reflection, one can formally enter the Vajrayana by receiving an empowerment from a qualified master, which enables one to study the Vajrayana teachings, or tantras, and engage in Vajrayana practices, or sadhanas.

Vajrayana practices emphasize the close guidance of a qualified teacher and employ many special methods such as visualization, mantra recitation and profound meditation, in order to arrive swiftly at a direct realization of one’s true nature and the nature of reality itself.

Rigpa upholds a vibrant lineage of sadhana practice, drupchös, drupchens and nyenpas, supported by the corresponding teachings, practice instruction, retreat guidance and ritual training according to our tradition.

Dzogchen

The study and practice of Dzogchen is considered the highest path in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition and especially appropriate for the present time. As one teacher says, “as a way in which to realize the innermost nature of mind—that which we really are—Dzogchen is the clearest, most effective, and most relevant to the modern world.”

Though generally associated with the Nyingma or Ancient School of Tibetan Buddhism founded by King Trisong Detsen, Khenpo Shantarakshita, Guru Padmasambhava and others, Dzogchen has been practised throughout the centuries by masters of all the different schools of Tibet as their innermost practice. Formal Dzogchen practice is intended for those who have accomplished the Vajrayana preliminaries and have accepted the guidance of a qualified Dzogchen master.

In Rigpa, the Dzogchen perspective that the nature of our mind is primordially perfect is shared throughout all the stages of the path beginning with the practice of meditation. The spirit is one of uncovering our true nature rather than fabricating something new. General Dzogchen teachings, and teachings pointing out the nature of mind are not restricted only to the Dzogchen stage of the curriculum. This is reflected in the teachings Sogyal Rinpoche gave and those given by the many different masters who continue to visit Rigpa.

In addition to maturing a new generation of teachers, practitioners and instructors, Rigpa continues to invite lineage masters to give teachings, transmissions and guidance on study and practice to Rigpa students and teachers.