Programmes & Practices of Lhatse Monastery Buddhist Institute

Lhatse Monastery Buddhist Institute conducts a 9-year programme on the teaching of the five sutras and old tantras to prepare the monk for their practice and at the end of the course, the monk need to sit for the final examination. For those who have good result, he will receive the tile 'Khenpo' (meaning professor) from the Abbot. As Khenpo, they can give dharma teaching.

The practice of Lhatse Monastery can be classified into 3 stages and catered from beginner practice to highest practice:
1. Outer Division consists of:

Four Foundations Practice
To complete 100,000 set of each of the foundations practice, except for Guru Yoga foundation practice requires the completion of 1 million set which includes the completion of recitation of Guru Rinpoche Mantra 1 billion times.

Channel, Wind, and Drop
This practice is done during the coldest season of winter period.

Great Perfection Practice
Before the 3 years 3 months 3 days Retreat, one must receive from Lhatse Lineage holders the empowerment of Great Perfection and the teaching of Kunzang Sherab's unification of Great Perfection and Mahamudra practice. Within one month, one must practice the Great Perfection in the quiet mountain behind Lhatse Monastery. During this process, in order to build foundation, one also emphasis on the practice of mediation on where was I come from, where am I now, and where I will be going. The Great Perfection practice during this one month include receiving the teaching of Todgal. Then one receive the teaching of Tragchod. Thereafter, one practice the unification of Todgal and Tragchod.Only when one completes the outer division practice, then they can move on to the inner division pratice.

2.Inner Division consists of the method to attain:

• Nirotnunukaya
• Sambhogakaya
• Dharmakaya

The monks spend one year preparation and study before they begin the Nirmanakaya Attainment Practice Retreat, which is held from the middle of the first month of the year to the middle of the second month of the year. Then they spend another one year to study and prepare for the Sambhogakaya Attainment Retreat, and then engage in its one month retreat during the first and second month of the second year. The they spend another one year to study and prepare for the Dharmakaya Attainment Retreat, and then engage in its one month retreat on the third year. All these one month retreats are silent retreats (that is no conversation during the entire one month) under strict discipline of 6 sessions practice per day.Only when one completes the inner division practice, then they can move on to the secret division practice.

3.Secret Division consists of:

Dark Retreat

• Purification of Sound
• Dream Yoga
• Pure land practice

Secret division practices are held during the 3-year 3-month 3-day retreat and this includes completion of the required number of 3-Root mantra of Namchoi.

These three divisions practices require minimum 9 years' practices.
During this 9 years practice, when one attain realisation, he will be granted the title of Vajra Acharya from the Abbot. Only when one receives the title of Vajra Acharya, then he is allowed to conduct the puja for the dead (Chang Chog), and other dharma activities.Furthermore, there are the practice of Sojong, Yarney, Gagyeyand studies and the meditations of the new tantras.