• Acharya Lama Kelzang Wangdi

At the heart of the teachings that a Buddhist tradition such as the Kagyu School transmits in its lineage of over 1000 years are the wisdom teachings of its great masters. Here the generic term for a special genre of profound views and teachings is “Mahamudra”, the “Great Seal”.

Acharya Lama Kelzang, who studied at the Shri Nalanda Institute of Rumtek Monastery in Sikkim, is now opening up the treasure of these special texts and meditation teachings. He is willing to share his knowledge of these teachings with people in the West and offers one-week study retreats annually.

In a study-retreat, meditation sessions are combined with teachings on such profound subjects. These in turn are not only taught intellectually, but also introduce meditation exercises. Therefore more time is required, which also means that the teacher and the participants engage in the respective topic for a process lasting several days. This is why these study-retreats at the Kamalashila Institute last about 7 days each.

The days will be spent alternating between lectures, guided and silent meditations and exchange with the teacher and in smaller groups.

In principle, anyone who is interested in the profound Mahamudra and wisdom teachings can take part, including those who participated in previous study courses and meditation retreats with Lama Kelzang and other lamas and Rinpoches.

Initially it is planned that such a 1-week study retreat will take place at least for4 consecutive years.

The theme of the 1st study retreat from 31.8.2024 to 6.9.2024 will be the

Mahamudra Prayer in 25 verses of the III Karmapa Rangjung Dorje.
This is the most famous Mahamudra text of the Karmapa tradition and it contains great blessings for the practice of meditation on the nature of mind.

Other texts in the following years may include (order to be determined later):

Moonbeams of Mahamudra – (Tschag Tschen Dawe Öser) – in extracts
by Takpo (or Dhagpo) Tashi Namgyal
English book here

The Distinction between Consciousness and Original Wisdom –
(Namsche Yesche Djepa) – by the III. Karmapa Rangjung Dorje
German book here

Pointing out the Essence – (Nyingpo Tenpa)
– by III Karmapa Rangjung Dorje

The Middle Way and the Shentong View (Uma Shentong)
– by the VIII Karmapa Mikyö Dorje

and the Introduction to Shentong (Shentong Scheldje)
see Wikipedia

Furthermore, it can be about the
Teachings of the Middle Way – Madhyamika – according to Nagarjuna and Chandrakirti

and finally the great text
“Treasury of Knowledge” (Sche Dja Dsö)
see Wikipedia

If everything goes well Lama Kelzang may also introduce the particularly profound introduction to the view of Mahamudra on the Vajrayana level according to the “Profound Innermost Meaning” (Sabmo Nangdön)
– by the III Karmapa Rangjung Dorje

Those who take part in such a study-retreat every year will, over the years, gain a very clear idea and experience of these teachings and thus be able to deepen their own meditation practice and view of existence.

If requested, parts of this retreat can be streamed via Zoom. If you are interested, please contact our team at support@kamalashila.de

For gluten-, lactose-free and vegan food we charge an extra fee of 3 Euro per day, please select separately below. The extra amount will be settled on site at the Kamalashila Institute.