EUROPEAN TEACHING TOUR
RETREATS AND PUBLIC TALKS
WITH THE VENERABLE JIGME THRINLEY RINPOCHE, BUDDHIST MEDITATION MASTER
NGÖNDRO-RETREAT — Karuna Haus
Ngöndro practices are both the foundation and the heart of Tibetan Buddhism. These profound and powerful meditative practices provide a means for deep purification and genuine transformation of one's life. Although Ngöndro is often described as a foundational or preparatory practice, in this retreat Rinpoche will explain how it is, in fact, the very essence of the entire Buddhist path.
Rinpoche is a Rimé master, trained in multiple Tibetan Buddhist traditions. While teaching through the lens of the Sakya tradition, he will open up the meaning and purpose of Refuge, Bodhicitta, Vajrasattva, Mandala Offering, and Guru Yoga in ways that are relevant to all styles of Ngöndro practice. These teachings will illuminate how the principles embodied in Ngöndro extend beyond formal practice and can be integrated into every aspect of daily life.
This retreat is suitable for those who have never begun a Ngöndro practice, those who are currently engaged in one, and those who have already completed Ngöndro in any Tibetan Buddhist tradition.
INTRODUCTION TO LORIG: UNDERSTANDING THE MIND— Retreat in Portugal
Lorig, often translated as "Mind and Awareness," is a foundational subject in Tibetan Buddhist philosophy and psychology. It provides a detailed exploration of how the mind functions, how perceptions and emotions arise, and how our experience of reality is shaped by different states of awareness.
Through the study of Lorig, we learn to distinguish between clear perception and misunderstanding, wisdom and confusion, and the mental habits that lead either to suffering or to freedom. By becoming familiar with the workings of the mind, we gain practical tools for meditation, self-awareness, and emotional transformation.
In this course, Rinpoche will introduce the key principles of Lorig in a clear and accessible way, showing how these ancient teachings can help us better understand ourselves and cultivate greater clarity, compassion, and wisdom in daily life.
Suitable for both newcomers and experienced practitioners, this teaching offers valuable insights into the nature of mind and the Buddhist path to awakening.
This retreat will include a transmission of the Ngöndro, enabling participants to begin this foundational practice at home. The retreat will also feature a Chöd Healing Ceremony. Chöd, meaning “cutting through,” is a profound Tibetan Buddhist practice that helps sever ego-clinging, fear, and negative emotional patterns. Through this powerful healing ceremony, practitioners cultivate compassion, wisdom, and freedom from the obstacles that hinder spiritual growth.
CHENREZIG & MAHAMUDRA-RETREAT — Ganden Chökhor
This retreat will focus on the Sādhana of Great Compassion (Chenrezig), composed by the great Sakya master Ngorchen Könchok Lhundrup (1497–1557), together with teachings and practice in Mahāmudrā. The retreat will also incorporate instruction on The Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva, a text that Rinpoche has taught extensively at Ganden Chökhur in recent years.
The beautiful Chenrezig sādhana presents one of the most beloved practices of the Vajrayāna Buddhist tradition. It includes visualization of the four-armed Chenrezig (Avalokiteśvara, the Buddha of Compassion), meditation on the ultimate nature of mind, and recitation of the sacred mantra of compassion.
One of the most inspiring aspects of these teachings is the opportunity to explore deeply the distinction between compassion and bodhicitta, and to learn how bodhicitta is cultivated according to the traditions of Atiśa and Kamalaśīla through the Sevenfold Cause-and-Effect Instruction, as well as through Śāntideva’s practice of Equalizing and Exchanging Self and Others.
Through this exploration, we begin to see that compassion is not something we extend to an “other,” but rather something that naturally arises as the sense of separation itself dissolves. This insight opens a transformative way of seeing the world and relating to others.
Mahāmudrā refers to the unfabricated wisdom nature of mind. Even a brief glimpse of this nature can become a genuine and personal experience of freedom from the bonds of conceptual elaboration, hope, and fear.
Rinpoche will skillfully open these profound texts and practices to make them accessible to those who are new to them, while also bringing greater depth and clarity to experienced practitioners.Praktizierenden mehr Tiefe und Klarheit zu vermitteln.
THE THREE HIGHER TRAININGS
The Three Higher Trainings—ethical discipline, concentration, and wisdom—form the foundation of Buddhist practice and the path to genuine freedom. Each training supports and deepens the others. Ethical conduct provides the stable foundation necessary for concentrated meditation, while sustained concentration enables the clear seeing that gives rise to liberating wisdom. Together, they form an integrated path that transforms both mind and character, addressing the root causes of suffering through disciplined practice.
In this talk, Rinpoche will explore how these timeless teachings are not merely philosophical ideals, but practical tools that can be applied in our daily lives. Through understanding and integrating the Three Higher Trainings, we can cultivate greater peace, clarity, compassion, and wisdom in every aspect of our experience.
Ethical discipline provides a method for simplifying our lives, creating harmony in our relationships, and establishing the conditions for a peaceful and stable mind. Higher concentration, cultivated through meditation, gives us the tools to steady our emotions, develop clarity, and transform the mind.
Higher wisdom is the ultimate means of cutting through the root causes of suffering and delusion, allowing us to recognize the true nature of reality.
INTRODUCTION TO VAJRAYANA BUDDHISM — Bern
Suitable for both newcomers and experienced practitioners, this talk will present these profound teachings in a clear and accessible way while offering deeper insights for those already engaged in Buddhist practice.
This introductory talk will explore the foundations, key principles, and unique methods of Vajrayāna Buddhism, and how these teachings fit within the broader Buddhist path.
Vajrayāna, often called the "Diamond Vehicle" is a profound tradition within Mahāyāna Buddhism. Rooted in the teachings of the Buddha and developed over centuries in India, Tibet, Bhutan, Nepal, and other parts of Asia, it offers a path that transforms ordinary experience into wisdom and compassion.
Rather than rejecting our difficult emotions and challenges, Vajrayāna teaches us how to work with them skillfully, transforming them into the very path of awakening. Like gold refined in a fire, our confusion and afflictive emotions can be transformed to reveal their pure essence—our innate Buddha Nature.
Using meditation, mantra, visualization, devotion, and the recognition of mind's true nature, Vajrayāna provides powerful methods for spiritual development. While its teachings may appear rich in symbolism, their purpose is deeply practical: to help us recognize the enlightened qualities already present within us and bring greater benefit to others.
UNSERE WAHRE IDENTITÄT JENSEITS VON ARBEIT UND ANERKENNUNG FINDEN — St Gallen
In today's busy world, it is easy to become defined by the labels attached to us—parent, child, friend, boss, employee, professional, and countless others. While these roles serve important functions in our lives, they can also obscure a deeper understanding of who we truly are.
In this talk, Rinpoche will present a Buddhist perspective on how to untangle ourselves from our worldly identities and the expectations that accompany them. Through reflection and meditation, we can begin to discover a more authentic sense of self that is not dependent on status, achievement, recognition, or the roles we play.
By learning to rest in our true nature, we can cultivate a life that is simpler, more grounded, and more at ease, allowing us to engage with the world and with others from a place of greater freedom, clarity, and compassion.