Vajrayana Seminary
Application Deadline: March 31, 2007 About
Vajrayana Seminary The Shambhala Vajrayana Seminary introduces the student into the vajrayana teachings and practices of our Shambhala and Buddhist lineages. During this program, students will receive authorization and training in the Shambhala ngöndro practices under Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche's personal guidance. In applying for Vajrayana Seminary, students are requesting to be accepted as his vajrayana students. Thus, attendance in this program requires a personal connection and commitment to Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, the teachings of the Vidyadhara, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, and the Shambhala Buddhist mandala.
New 3-Week Format
Please note: new dates for Vajrayana Seminary 2008 at Shambhala Mountain Centre
July 6-13, 2008
Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche has advised that the 2008 Vajrayana Seminary be lengthened to three weeks beginning July 6th and ending July 27th.
To enable participants to settle and prepare for receiving the vajrayana teachings, the three week seminary will begin with one week of intensive practice. The Sakyong would like everyone to participate fully.
However, those who will have great difficulty doing three weeks because of previous planning may apply for (and in some cases be granted) an exception to attend two weeks from July 13th-27th.
New applicants should include a request for exception in their application.
Those who have already applied and want to apply for an exception should contact the Office of Practice and Education.
Those seminarians who are able can stay on for a ngöndro intensive (July 27-August 10) led by an acharya that is scheduled immediately after seminary.
Preparation Students applying to
Vajrayana Seminary will need to have completed the following in advance
of the program: - Shambhala Sutrayana Seminary (or
the hinayana and mahayana sections of the former Vajradhatu Seminary)
and its pre-requisites.
- Refuge and
bodhisattva vows, which are required before receiving
vajrayana transmission. Please note that these vows will not
be offered Vajrayana Seminary.
- The
Shambhala Training Sacred Path program through Warrior Assembly.
This is a new requirement. In this transition year, if you were
planning to attend Vajrayana Seminary but will not be able to complete
these requirements before the program, please speak with your Shambhala
Training Resident Director to discuss ways of completing at least the
Sacred Path material before the program. If accepted, you would then
commit to attend Warrior Assembly as soon as possible after Seminary.
- The
preparatory class, Entering the Vajra World.
You should plan to attend this after being
accepted to Vajrayana Seminary. Contact your local center's Dharmadhatu
Coordinator or Head of Study for information on having this program
scheduled in your centre.
- Membership
in your local Shambhala Meditation Center or Group is
expected unless you live in a remote area where this is not possible.
Exposure and familiarization with the Shambhala community is important.
- A
shamatha-vipashyana retreat is strongly
recommended, though not required.
How
to Apply The application process for Vajrayana
Seminary is managed by Shambhala International. Applications are
reviewed by the Seminary Application Review Committee, under the
direction of Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. Acceptance is determined based on
the student's level of preparation and understanding of basic dharmic
principles, and their readiness to undertake the further commitment
inherent in becoming a vajrayana student. Applications
for this year's Vajrayana Seminary can be filled out online in the box
to the right. Applications will be reviewed only after
all parts of the application have been received:
- The completed application form.
- At
least two completed recommendation forms (submitted
separately from the application) from the following people:
- Your meditation instructor
- The
Director, Head of Practice, or Head of Study from your local Shambhala
Center or a Shambhala acharya.
- A
$25 US application fee.
| Scheduled Seminaries
Information on coming programs is
forthcoming. Please check back to this site periodically for updates.
Submitting Recommendations To
submit a recommendation for a program applicant, select the program
they are applying for above and follow the instructions under Recommenders.
Financial Assistance Shambhala
International sets aside a portion of the revenue from each of its
programs for financial assistance. Please note: In
order to maintain consistent policies between the programs when they're
held at different locations, normal discounts offered by the practice
centers do not apply. After you have applied for
the program, you will be provided a link to the Shambhala International
Program Financial Assistance Application. Financial assistance awards
will be determined based on relative need. For
More Information Information on pricing,
application requirements, who to contact, etc., can be found in the
program fact sheets for the individual Vajrayana Seminaries. To access
the fact sheet, follow the link for the program you are interested in
under the section, "Scheduled Seminaries" above.
Return
to the Advanced Program Page. |
