The Heart Essence of the Sublime Lady of Immortality

Through the power and blessings of Chimé Pakmé Nyingtik, many masters and practitioners have been able to remove obstacles to their long life, so that they can enhance their accomplishments and continue to benefit beings.

The first Rigpa drupchen ever held, meaning our time to learn and train in all aspects of this practice, and the sixth time that an elaborate practice of Chimé Pakmé Nyingtik will be conducted entirely in English.

A great opportunity and adventure for everyone who wishes to be trained in this practice! To prepare a fertile ground, we will begin with one full day familiarizing ourselves with this ‘great accomplishment practice’ (drupchen) and also share inspiring teachings.

Participating in a Chimé Pakmé Nyingtik practice is the best and fastest way to become familiar with and deepen your practice of this profound sadhana which is one of the two main yidam practices of the Rigpa sangha.

Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche explains that the main reason for doing this White Tara practice is to spread the teachings of the Buddha far and wide and to promote the well-being and happiness of all sentient beings, and also so that the practitioners may be free from illness, live long lives and quickly attain enlightenment.

Holding annual drupchös and drupchens in Lerab Ling was very much initiated by Sogyal Rinpoche, and the Lerab Ling practice team does its utmost to continue this annual tradition of group Vajrayana practice for the benefit of the whole sangha and all beings.  

It is said that several days participating in a drupchö or drupchen can yield the same results as years of solitary retreat, and great contemporary masters such as Kyabjé Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche have made a point of encouraging and reviving the practice of drupchen, because of its power of transformation.

WHO THIS EVENT IS FOR?

Chimé Pakmé Nyingtik is recommended for established Ngöndro students and Dzogchen Mandala students who have already received a Chimé Pakmé Nyingtik empowerment and wish to become familiar with and/or deepen the practice of sadhana.

WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS TO JOIN?

Drupchös are most suited for students that:

• Have a firm grounding in the practice of ngöndro, which includes having received all the ngöndro teachings, up to and including guru yoga, 
• Have started their ngöndro accumulations;
• Have already received some instructions for sadhana practice, including a basic understanding of the key principles of the Vajrayana. This means you have either followed:
  • Rigpa’s study and practice programme of the Vajrayana cycle from the Three-year retreat, Home Retreat or Vajrayana online retreats streamed from Lerab Ling,
  • Or you received these instructions during previous drupchens with Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche,
  • Or you are a student from a sangha other than Rigpa and have received these instructions from a qualified Vajrayana teacher.

Please note – To participate in this drupchen, a Chimé Pakmé Nyingtik empowerment is absolutely required. The empowerment has recently been given by Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche, in Lerab Ling, in 2023 and 2024.

PREPARING YOURSELF FOR THIS EVENT

You can support your practice by studying the Kyerim section of A Guide to Vajrayana Practice for the Rigpa Sangha which is available at ZAM. This will help make your participation as meaningful as possible.

Further study recommendations are shared on Rigpa’s Study & Practice page for Chimé Pakmé Nyingtik.

Which texts to bring:

• The provisional Chimé Pakmé Nyingtik practice text arranged for chanting in English and any additional texts, are still being updated and will be made available closer to the time on this page, and also via the registration email.
• Additional Practice Text Booklet for Drupchen (ATB version 2017) order or download the English text from ZAM: order hardcopy   download 
• Daily Sadhana book 

HOW TO FOLLOW

• This event can only be followed onsite in Lerab Ling. 

DRUPCHEN HOLDER TRAINING PERIOD 1-20 May

Holding Rigpa’s first “homegrown” Drupchen requires a group of committed individuals working together. It provides an opportunity for training in roles and areas such as Lopon, Umdze, Chopön, shrine, ritual, music, liturgies, mudra, and much more.

There will be a training period (1-20 May) conducted by Rigpa Senior Practice Holders, including Karma Cheda, an experienced Lopon who received extensive training at Chökling Monastery in Bir, India, along with our head Chopön, Tobias Bublat.

We have received project funding from the Light of Dharma Grant to enable Practice Holders, Teachers and other committed experienced practitioners to join the training. 

Please contact us by email before January 31st at practice@rigpa.org if you wish to be part of the training (a Chimé Pakmé Nyingtik empowerment is required).

REGISTRATION

Although it is mandatory to register to attend the drupchen, there is no fixed contribution to be paid. For two reasons: religious ceremonies don’t have a price put on it ; and rather than seeking to cover the costs by asking each one a very high participation fee, we appeal to the generosity of all those who wish to contribute to make this event possible. Since the costs are very high (travel, practice holder training, food and accommodation, tsok and all the equipment and ingredients necessary for the preparation of the ceremonies), we will need the financial support of the greatest number.

We suggest an individual offer of 21 euros per day, which may be lower or higher, depending on the means of each. Gifts made to a religious congregation allow a reduction of taxes for persons liable for income tax in France. Article 200 of the Code général des impôts, (1) provides for a tax reduction equal to 66% of the amount given, up to a limit of 20% of the taxable income.

TEACHERS

This event is held and guided by Lerab Ling’s team of Senior Practice Holders, with the help of the whole Practice and Chöpön team. 

SCHEDULE

Since we are holding this first Rigpa Drupchen ourselves, it is good to regard this time as a training, and know that we will include many unfamiliar aspects:

• Fri 8 May: Orientation day starting at 9am
  —Please do not even consider skipping this day, otherwise you may not reap the full benefit of this drupchen and spend most of your time completely lost shuffling the pages of your practice book…
  —To prepare a fertile ground, we will begin with one full day familiarizing ourselves with this ‘great accomplishment practice’ (drupchen) and also share inspiring teachings.
• Sat 9 May: Preliminary day, starting at 8am with Sang practice
• Mon 11 May: Anniversary of Khandro Tsering Chödrön
• Sun 10 – Sat 16 May: 7 full days of main drupchen practice starting at 6am, and including night sessions, and mantra rota
• Sun 17 May: Siddhis day

MORE INFORMATION• Rigpa Shedra Wiki articles on: drupchen & Chimé Pakmé Nyingtik