The Florida Drikung Dzogchen Community Founded by the 3rd Drikung Ontul Rinpoché
The Florida Drikung Dzogchen Community (DDC) was founded in Tallahassee, Florida, in 2001 by Drikung Ontul Rinpoché. The Florida DDC is part of Ontul Rinpoché's world-wide community of sanghas devoted to supporting his transmission of the Drikung dzogchen across the world. The Florida DDC hopes to make the teachings of the Drikung dzogchen available to interested practitioners throughout the Southeastern portion of the United States and beyond.
Drikung Dzogchen refers to the dzogchen or "Great Perfection" teachings held within the Drikung Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. These teachings consist of the Yangzab terma teachings of tertön Rinchen Phuntsok, as well as the teachings of the Bongtul Nuden Dorjé Kabum. These cycles of teachings include teachings ranging from the ngondro or preliminary practices, up through various guru, yidam and dakini practices, to the dzogchen practices of trekcho and togal.
It is Ontul Rinpoché's intentions to transmit these teachings throughout the various Drikung Dzogchen Communities through a series of ten or more teaching retreats offered every other year. In addition to his teachings at the various DDCs, Ontul Rinpoche offers practice retreats at his monastery, Wogmin Thubten Shedrup Ling, at the holy "Lotus Lake" Tso Pema in Rewalsar, India. To support students of these teachings, the associated texts are in the process of being translated, and many of the teachings on these practices are being recorded in DVD and CD format.
To date, the following Drikung dzogchen teachings have been offered at the Florida DDC:
Yangzab Ngondro - The preliminary practices from the Yangzab dzogchen terma. Ontul Rinpoché taught extensively on the ngondro during his first visit in 2001, and has given the transmission for the practices during each of his subsequent visits. Drupon Thinley Nyingpo Rinpoche taught on the guru yoga section of the Yangzab Ngondro in 2008.
Yangzab Three Roots - The combined sadhana practice of the guru, yidam and dakini is central to Ontul Rinpoché's transmission of the Yangzab cycle. Ontul Rinpoché taught extensively on the long and short sadhanas during his second visit in 2003, and on the unelaborated sadhana in 2007. He has given the short Yangzab Three Roots empowerment during each of his visits.
Chö - The Chö that Bestows the Rainbow Body was offered by Thubten Nyingpo Rinpoché in 2003, and The Magical Net of Samantabhadra was offered by Ontul Rinpoché in 2007. The practice of chö is central to Ontul Rinpoché's presentation of the Drikung dzogchen.
Urgyen Kaldren Drenzey - This guru yoga practice by Nuden Dorjé was offered by Thubten Nyingpo Rinpoché in 2003. Ontul Rinpoché considers this practice very important, and was the topic of the first Tso Pema retreat. Drupon Thinley Nyingpo Rinpoché gave the transmission for this practice in 2008.
Yangzab Protectors. The Dharma Protectors from the Yangzab cycle were given by Ontul Rinpoché in 2005 and 2007.
Medicine Buddha. A Medicine Buddha from the Nuden Dorjé Kabum was given by Ontul Rinpoché during his third visit in 2005.
Other related practices offered at the Florida DDC include: Amitabha, Chenrezig, Green & White Tara, Achi Chokyi Drolma (including the pure vision Achi of Trisab Gyabra Rinpoché), Vajrakilaya, bardo teachings, and the Great Drikung Phowa.
