Sunday December 28 to Wednesday December 31, 10:30:am to 4:30pm
The Gateway to Knowledge
The Gateway to Knowledge, written by the renowned 19th-century Nyingma master Ju Mipham Rinpoche, is a vital text for anyone wishing to gain a deep and well-rounded understanding of the Buddha’s teachings. Drawing from key Buddhist systems—Abhidharma, Madhyamaka, and Pramana—it offers a concise yet comprehensive guide to Buddhist philosophy and has become a cornerstone of study in the Nyingma and Kagyu traditions.
Mipham Rinpoche (1846–1912), a brilliant student of great teachers like Jamgön Kongtrul, Jamyang Khyentsé Wangpo, and Patrul Rinpoche, was known for his vast knowledge and spiritual insight. After an early retreat on Manjushri, he gained extraordinary clarity, reportedly able to understand any text he encountered. His grasp of complex teachings, such as the Wisdom chapter of the Bodhicharyavatara, was so profound that even Patrul Rinpoche confirmed his mastery after just a few days of instruction.
In Gateway to Knowledge, Mipham condenses the essence of the Tripitaka and its commentaries into a single, coherent work, leading the reader through the range of philosophical views in Tibetan Buddhism and culminating in the profound Zhentong (Empty-of-Other) perspective.
Initiation of Namgyalma
To create auspicious circumstances for the ongoing transmission of this teaching, Lama Jampa will also bestow the initiation of Namgyalma, one of the key longevity deities of Vajrayana Buddhism.
Namgyalma (Ushnishavijaya in Sanskrit) is one of the three great Buddhist deities of long life, revered alongside White Tara and Amitayus. Yet her blessings go far beyond longevity—she is also a powerful source of transcendental wisdom.
Through devotion and meditation on Namgyalma, practitioners can achieve both worldly benefits and spiritual accomplishments. She strengthens and protects the life force, granting vitality and long life. But her highest blessing is the swift unfolding of deep, liberating wisdom—the kind that carries us beyond all suffering.