With deepest joy we want to announce, that H.E. Söpa Rinpoche will bestow the long-desired “Eight Herukas” Empowerment in 2024. It was a special wish of H.E. Garchen Rinpoche that H.E. Söpa Rinpoche bestows this Empowerment here at the Milarepa Retreat Center. We have been waiting for H.E. Söpa Rinpoche since 2020, but unfortunately it was not possible for Rinpoche to leave China, due to the Covid 19 Pandemia. Now, our joy is immense, that we can welcome Rinpoche in September 2024.

Furthermore H.E.Söpa Rinpoche expressed his explicit wish to lead annually a Mani Retreat for the well-being of all sentient beings. Already in 2019 Rinpoche led the first Mani Retreat at the Milarepa Center and in 2024 he wants to continue with this series.

28.-29.09.2024

The "Eight Herukas" Empowerment

Description of the Eight Herukas

Guru Padmasambhava conferred the empowerments and teachings of the Ocean of Dharma that Gathers all the Teachings (Kadü Chökyi Gyatso), which contains the Eight Herukas, to the Dharma-king Trisong Detsen and seven other disciples at Samye Chimphu. It was then concealed as a terma (treasure teaching) and was later discovered by Terchen Ngadak Nyang-ral Nyima Özer. Gyalwang Rinchen Phüntsok, the 17th Drikung successor, integrated the practice of the Eight Herukas into the Drikung Kagyü lineage.
He arranged the eight sadhanas to suit traditional Drikung Kagyü practices and supplemented them with Cham-dances at the end. His grandson Rigdzin Chödrak added further supplements to the sadhana, and at Yangrigar Monastery he set in motion the month-long Eight Heruka retreat. The previous Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche, Kyabgön Shiwé Lodrö, conferred the transmission of this lineage to H.E. Garchen Rinpoche’s previous incarnation, Gar Trinley Yongkhyab, and the Mahasiddha Chime Dorje. The present 8th Garchen Rinpoche in turn received the lineage from the Mahasiddha Chime Dorje, with an instruction to uphold it and pass it on to tulkus who would practice and uphold this lineage.
At one occasion in Tibet, H.E. Garchen Rinpoche conferred all the empowerments and transmissions of the Eight Herukas to an assembly of tulkus, among them H.E. Söpa Rinpoche—a great master and practitioner who has engaged in the practice of the Six Dharmas of Naropa, and who is able to transmit this lineage in an authentic way.

The tantric teachings brought to Tibet during the first spread of Dharma were upheld in what later became known as the Nyingma tradition. The highest yogatantra of the four classes of tantra—the anuttara-yogatantra—comprises the teachings of Mahāyoga, Anuyoga, and Atiyoga, or the Three Classes of Inner Tantra.
Mahāyoga emphasizes the basis in its perspective, the generation stage in its meditative technique, and ritual activities in its conduct.
Anuyoga emphasizes the path, the completion stage of meditative technique, and meditative stability.
Atiyoga emphasizes the result, the Great Completion, or the nature of the mind.
The Mahāyoga scriptures are divided into two sections: The tantra section consisting of eighteen great tantras, and the sadhana section centering on eight main deities, called the Eight Logos or Eight Herukas.

The Eight Logos are:
1. Yamantaka, the wrathful Manjushri - the deity of body
2. Hayagriva of the lotus family - the deity of speech
3. Vishuddha, Yangdag Heruka - the deity of mind
4. Chemchok, the wrathful Samantabhadra - the deity of qualities
5. Vajrakilaya, the wrathful Vajrasattva - the deity of action
6. Mamo Botong – the deity of inciting and dispatching
7. Jigten Choto - the deity of worldly offering and praise and
8. Möpa Dragnak, the wrathful Maitreya - the deity of wrathful mantras

Of the two lineages of kama and terma, these particular practices belong to the terma tradition. While in the kama lineage there is the Kagye Dzong Thrang (the Fortress and Ravine of the Eight Logos), in the terma lineage of the Eight Logos there are several lineage-blessing rivers,
of which three are most important:
1. The Eight Herukas—Embodiment of All the Sugatas (Deshin Dupa), revealed by Terchen Ngadak Nyang-ral Nyima Ozer, is esteemed as the heart practice of the Eight Herukas, and is the practice that was integrated into the Drikung Kagyu lineage.

2. The Totally Complete Secret of the Eight Herukas (Kagye Sangwa Yongdzog), revealed by Terchen Guru Chokyi Wangchuk, is commended as the heart-blood practice.

3. The Self-Born, Self-Arising Eight Herukas (Kagye Ranjung Rangshar), revealed by Terchen Rigdzin Godem, is honored as the heart-essence practice.

Traditionally, the Eight Heruka Drupa is a month-long retreat consisting of several days of preliminary practices, approximately one day of practice for each deity, and several days of Cham dances at the end.

This practice brings incredible blessings and power: it pacifies outer, inner, and secret obstacles and hindrances due to demons and evil spirits, and it helps practitioners perfect the two accumulations and attain the two siddhis.

Guru Padmasambhava said in the Tibetan Book of the Dead (Bardo Thodrol): "Those who have meditated on the formal description of these heruka-kāya ('bodies of Heruka'), and also made offerings and praise to them, or, at the very least, have simply seen their painted and sculpted images, may recognize the forms that arise here (in the bardo) and attain liberation."

30.09.-05.10.2024

Empowerment in the “Four-Armed Avalokiteshvara” and Start of the Mani Retreat

About the 100 Millionen Mani Recitation Retreat:

The Singapore 100 Million Mani Recitation Retreat was initiated by the late H.E. Drubwang Rinpoche in the year 2001. Since then, more than 10,000 people have participated in this auspicious retreat.

Participants will gather to recite the six syllabus mantra OM MANI PADME HUNG, which is the heart mantra of Avalokiteshvara (Guan Yin Bodhisattva). Through the power of the mantra and individual’s effort, one will begin to uncover the excellent qualities of Avalokiteshvara from within oneself. By purifying one’s body, speech and mind, one may experience inner peace, compassion and wisdom.

It is taught that the merit of reciting even one OM MANI PADME HUNG is inconceivable. Doing this practice will help to close the doors of the six realms of cyclic existence. Sentient beings will gradually be free from sufferings, gain rebirth in the Buddha’s pureland and eventually attain full enlightenment.

As this is a group practice, the merits individual participant receive is equivalent to the vast merits of reciting 100 million Mani mantras.

PROGRAM:

The complete program will be distributed in the Center.

TRANSLATOR:

From Tibetan to English: Sonam Spitz

RITUAL ITEMS:

If you wish to use instruments for the practice, please bring your personal ritual objects (vajra, bell and damaru).

RULES AND REGULATIONS:

To bring out the best of this retreat practice, participants should:

1) Wear white or light colored clothing if possible.

2) Take vegetarian meals during the entire retreat. Eggs and food mixed or cooked with meat are NOT allowed. No smoking is allowed during the retreat session.

3) Be punctual and attend all the sessions daily. At the end of the retreat, one will experience the blessings of inner peace and joy by keeping to this commitment sincerely.

4) Since this is a closed Retreat you must participate in the complete Retreat-week. It will not be possible to participate only on single days.

OVERNIGHT STAYS AT THE MILAREPA RETREAT CENTER AND EXTERNAL ACCOMMODATIONS:

At the Milarepa Retreat Centre we can only offer a limited number of overnight stays. As soon as this contingent has been exhausted, please contact the Schneverdingen Tourist Office (www.schneverdingen-touristik.de) directly. We strongly recommend that you try to find a place to stay as soon as possible, as many tourists like to visit the Lüneburger Heath.

FEES:

Herukas Empowerment: 190,00 € regular I 162,00 € reduced
Mani Retreat: 320,00 € regular I 272,00 € reduced
Herukas Empowerment and Mani Retreat: 495,00 € regular I 420,00 € reduced