Thaye Dorje, His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, giving a teaching about meditation at the Karmapa International Buddhist Institute, India.

The Karmapa recognized the XIIth Tai Situ Rinpoche after he returned from a visit to China. He did not perform a divination with a mala or throw dice, as is sometimes the case. The same morning the child was born, the Karmapa chanted, rested in meditation, and immediately described where the Tai Situpa could be found. The final meditation of the 16th Karmapa lasted for 3 days. During this time the body showed no sign of decay. Towards the end, perspiration appeared on his brow, a sign that the meditation was complete. The coffin with His Holiness’ body arrived at Rumtek Monastery in early November 1981.

“For proper meditation what you need to realise is that it’s like a supplement, or nutrition, or like a diet. Meditation is more like that. Just like our body needs exercise and proper nutrition, the mind needs the same thing. So meditation is the same thing. There’s no difference. If the mind lacks all of those things, then the mind will become…a couch potato. So therefore meditation is required.

And also, how to meditate. One should meditate properly. One should not, let’s say, suddenly feel that “Oh, meditation’s so great, that I should really start meditating”, and then do it over the top, in an extreme way. Then it would be… indescribable, the result. The thing is, it has to be maintained. The best example is to say that. . . it’s impossible to say that I will eat tomorrow’s lunch today. Or tomorrow’s dinner today. Never works. Never. So it’s the same case with meditation, that you can never meditate tomorrow’s meditation today.

So that’s why you have to meditate regularly. Every day. Not too much, not too little. Although if it’s towards the too much direction, it’s ok. But never disrupted, you know. Keep it a good rhythm. Then the mind is proper, and basically healthy.

Now, what to meditate on, that’s another question. And, there is nothing more to meditation that watching yourself. Watching yourself doesn’t mean watching what you do with your speech and body. But the puppeteer. Which is the mind. To watch the puppeteer, actually, more than the puppet. The body and the speech is really like a puppet. Whatever the mind says. they’ll do. Sometimes it’s the reverse, but ultimately it’s the mind.

So, the basic, and the deepest meditation is actually just watching yourself. The elaborate visualisations, all of those are a way to make this mind develop “mind muscle”. To make the mind develop good fibre, muscle, agility, flexibility, all of that. That’s why we meditate very elaborate, extremely elaborate, sometimes whole universes. Like an architect. Sometimes I think an architect could meditate quite well. [laughs] Next time I will make a group of architects, and make them meditate. And see, how well they do. I think that they will do well. So, the thing is, we have this habit of receiving something, and then needing something, we basically give and take. That’s why we have the elaborate practices of visualizations of yidams, like Chenresig, Manjusri, all that. But in the end, it’s really about watching yourself. Even those sadhanas have that particular benefit. But the most basic one is just watching your own mind.

If you take time to watch your mind, I believe that it’s fascinating. You will know so many sides or parts of yourself that you never knew before. And, accordingly, there’ll be room to develop respect for oneself, most importantly. Prior to developing respect for others one has to develop respect for oneself. It’s very important. If one has no respect for oneself, there is no way of knowing how to respect others. So, by watching your own mind you will know how to respect yourself, and also see what is not respectable in yourself. And, just by seeing, in some ways this phrase “Seeing is believing” is in some ways true, because when you actually see the truth, meaning your own state of mind by your mind, it’s like putting a mirror in front. The more you see of your own mind, the remedy is it – there is no other remedy.

That’s why in the different stages of teachings it says that there is nothing really to abandon. Relatively there is something to abandon – to abandon non-virtuous actions, to restrict oneself from many many things, but in the end, all there is to do is to know. Just to understand. Understanding is the absolute compassion. Understanding is the absolute remedy. Nothing more. So that’s the benefit that we will achieve or gain through meditating, and more importantly, meditating watching yourself. Watching your own mind.”

His work

Lama Ole Nydahl teaches the basic principles of Buddhism and the traditional meditations of the Karma Kagyu line in lectures and courses.

Introductory lectures and courses

Lecture with Lama Ole Nydahl and local translator in Bratislava, Slovakia

For those that wish to learn more about Buddhism, in particular Diamond Way Buddhism, attending an introductory lecture is the best choice. Here you will learn how we can apply Buddhism to everyday life. At all lectures Lama Ole Nydahl leads a meditation and gives Buddhist Refuge upon request. At courses different aspects of Buddhism are covered in-depth. A lecture normally costs the equivalent of a cinema ticket and lasts around 4 hours.

Meditation on Conscious Dying (tib. Phowa)

Phowa Course close to Velez-Malaga, Spain.

Through the meditation on “conscious dying” you get the opportunity to work intensively with the process of your own death. Buddhist teachings contain very precise descriptions on the process of dying, death and the stages between death and rebirth. Many teachers and meditation masters have also had a lot of experience with the process of dying. In the meditation practice one learns to transfer consciousness at the moment of death into a state of highest bliss.

Over 27 years, Lama Ole has taught around 120,000 people Phowa, which includes an explanation about death and rebirth. Those that have learnt the Phowa practice also learn how to actively help others and themselves at the moment of death.

Lama Ole Nydahl received the transmission of the Phowa teachings from highest Tibetan masters and is today the most significant teacher of this practice in the Western world.

Tibetan name: Phowa
Tibetan source: Kunzang Lame Shelung
Translation: 'The Words of my Perfect Teacher'
Commentary: Composed by Dza Patrul Rinpoche (1808-1887), Lineage of Longchen Nyingthig.

The Great Seal (tib. Mahamudra)

During courses one can get a blessing from Lama Ole

Lama Ole Nydahl explains the important text from the 3rd Karmapa on the subject of the nature of mind in a contemporary way. The Great Seal (Skt. Mahamudra) allows a deeper view into the world’s ultimate reality. The course normally takes around 2 days.

The Four Foundational Practices (tib. Ngöndro)

Ngondro Course in Lolland, Denmark

The four foundational practices (Tib. Ngondro) are the beginning of our development in Diamond Way Buddhism. They are powerful methods for removing hindrances and negative impressions from the mind, and to develop new positive impressions for inner wealth.

16th Karmapa Meditation

The Four Foundation practices include taking refuge with the so-called “prostrations”, the “Diamond Mind Meditation”, the “Mandala Offerings” and the “Meditation on the Teacher” (Guru Yoga). Practicing the Ngondro purifies disturbing impressions in body, speech and mind through the repetition of mantras and negative habits disappear. It is the basis for further meditations and points the way to liberation and enlightenment.

16th Karmapa Meditation Pdf Free Printable

Tibetan name: Ngöndro
Tibetan source: Phyag chen nges don rgya mtsho
Translation: “Ocean of the Definitive Meaning of the Great Seal”, 9thKarmapa Wangchuk Dorje (1556-1603)
Commentary: 'Torch of Certainty' by the First Kongtrul Lodrö Thaye (1813-1899), Kalu Rinpoche Sonada India 1970-71, Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche, Becske Hungary 2008

16th Karmapa Meditation (Tib. Lami Naljor)

16th Karmapa Meditation

The 16th Karmapa composed this meditation himself and asked Hannah and Lama Ole Nydahl to teach it as the main practice in the West. It’s a very condensed and very effective meditation.

Chakra Meditation Pdf

Tibetan name: Ku shi nyu gu kye je du tsi char gyun
Tibetan source: 16th Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje (1924-1981)
Translation: The Rain of Nectar Ripening the Seedlings of the Four Buddha States
Commentary: Explanations given by the 16th Karmapa originally in Tsurphu, Tibet, 1957, and USA 1980.