In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, the teachings on death and the bardo are commonly given to help us prepare for our own death and to enhance our spiritual progress. ‘Bardo’ is a Tibetan word meaning transition or gap between the completion of one situation and the onset of another. It is more commonly used to describe the intermediate state between death and rebirth, however it has a much deeper meaning than this. It is in the bardo teachings, perhaps more than anywhere else, that we can see how inseparable what we have called ‘life’ and ‘death’ truly are, when seen and understood clearly from the perspective of enlightenment. Bardo teachings are the key that enables us to discover and recognize the opportunities for liberation that are occurring continuously and uninterruptedly throughout life and death, and to make the fullest possible use of them to end the cycle of suffering experienced by ourselves and others.

Gochen Tulku Rinpoche (Tulku Sang ngag), the sixth Gochen Tulku, is an incarnation of Gyalwa Chokyang, one of the close disciples of Padmasambhava. Recognized at the age of three, Rinpoche began learning religious rituals and liturgies, as well as traditional Tibetan medicine, at an early age. Rinpoche met his root guru, Tulku Orgyen Chemchok, in a Chinese prison where he was held for nine years. Here he received teachings and secret transmissions. Upon release, Rinpoche met his other root teacher, H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, with whom he traveled, studied, and practiced intensively for nearly fourteen years. Rinpoche teaches worldwide and oversees his two retreat centers in Pharping: Yuloko Nunnery and Phurpaling, a dharma center in Taiwan and his U.S. retreat center, Ewam Sang-ngag Ling, located in Arlee, Montana.

Accommodation choices include our beautiful new residence hall. More information...

Fees: Sliding scale fees allow participants to pay according to individual means. Your payment above the low end directly benefits our scholarship fund.
Double: $690 - $460
Queen Double: $762 - $508
Queen Single: $828 - $552
Camping/Off Land: $420 - $280
Suggested Dana: $160 - $100

Sustaining Sangha discounts range from 10%-20% based on your membership level and are calculated at registration. Become a Sustaining Sangha member today!

Detailed information about retreats at Tara Mandala
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