Dzogchen:
The Three Words That Strike the Vital Point Immersion

A step-by-step guide to one of the most cherished sets of instructions on recognizing pure awareness

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Prerequisite: to join this course, you need to have received pointing out instructions on the nature of mind from a qualified lineage teacher — learn more.

This course is now available! Recordings of special webinars and live sessions are accessible to all Vajrayana Online participants.

About the Course

In this immersion course, we will explore the view and practice of Dzogchen. We’ll start with an initial overview of its unique preparatory practices and move into in-depth instructions on the recognition of pure awareness, how to sustain this recognition, and gaining confidence in liberation.

The course will focus on a famed set of Dzogchen teachings known as Three Words That Strike the Vital Point by Garab Dorje, perhaps the most well-known and cherished instructions on recognizing pure awareness. We will explore these teachings step-by-step, drawing on a range of instructions and teachings from both classical and contemporary teachers.
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Welcome to the Course by Mingyur Rinpoche

Photo by Matthieu Ricard

Your Course Includes

  • Video teachings from Mingyur Rinpoche, with audio, subtitles, and transcripts
  • Recordings of webinars with Mingyur Rinpoche, Tsoknyi Rinpoche, and Khenpo Kunga
  • Interviews with leading Western Dzogchen scholars and practitioners — Anne Klein, Erik Pema Kunsang, Matthieu Ricard, Marcia Binder Schmidt, Chagdud Khadro, Lama Rigdzin Drolma, Andreas Kretschmar, Sangye Khandro, and Sara Jacoby
  • Recordings of Heart-to-Heart and Dharma Geek sessions with your guides, Cortland Dahl and Tim Olmsted
  • Guided meditations with Cortland Dahl and Fionnuala Shenpen Daffy
  • Weekly readings on the practice of Dzogchen from a range of traditional and contemporary voices
  • Optional personal practice interviews with Tergar guides
  • A range of resources and additional Dzogchen teachings

Meet your Teacher and Guides

In this course, you will receive teachings from Mingyur Rinpoche, Tergar lamas, Vajrayana Online guides, and special guest teachers.

Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche

Teacher
Mingyur Rinpoche was born in 1975 in the border region between Tibet and Nepal. He was attracted to a life of contemplation from an early age and spent many years of his childhood in strict retreat. Mingyur Rinpoche studied with some of the greatest masters in living memory. Nowadays, he heads the Tergar Meditation Community and takes care of the monasteries under his responsibility. He supports students in more than thirty countries.

Khenpo Kunga

Tergar Lama
Khenpo Kunga is a senior monastic teacher in the Tergar lineage. He studied at Namdroling Monastery in South India under Penor Rinpoche and holds the title of khenpo (professor of Buddhist philosophy). He teaches worldwide and plays a vital role in guiding Tergar monastics and lay practitioners in both philosophical studies and meditation.

Tim Olmsted

Vajrayana Online Guide
Tim Olmsted began Buddhist studies in 1977 with Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. He lived in Nepal for 12 years, studying with Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche and many renowned teachers while working as a psychotherapist. A founding instructor of Tergar International, Tim shares meditation with warmth and humor. He lives in Colorado with his wife Glenna, leading a community following Mingyur Rinpoche's teachings.

Cortland Dahl

Vajrayana Online Guide
Cortland Dahl is a scientist, translator, author, and meditation teacher with over 25 years of meditation experience. Fluent in Tibetan, he has published twelve books of translations of classical Buddhist texts. He holds a Ph.D. in Mind, Brain, and Contemplative Science from UW-Madison, where he was mentored by Dr. Richard Davidson. Cort is Executive Director of Tergar International and Chief Contemplative Officer at Healthy Minds Innovations.

Tsoknyi Rinpoche

Guest Teacher
Tsoknyi Rinpoche is a renowned meditation teacher in the Drukpa Kagyu and Nyingma traditions and the brother of Mingyur Rinpoche. A tulku recognized in childhood, he has taught worldwide for over 30 years. Known for his warmth and clarity, he supports over 50 nunneries and monasteries and bridges ancient wisdom with the modern world.

Chagdud Khadro

Guest Teacher
Chagdud Khadro is a senior teacher in the Nyingma tradition and the spiritual director of Chagdud Gonpa Brazil. Trained directly by her late husband, Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche, she has helped establish a vibrant Vajrayana community in South America. She teaches widely and is committed to preserving and transmitting the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism.

Sangye Khandro

Guest Teacher
Sangye Khandro is one of the pioneering Western translators of Tibetan Buddhist texts and a respected teacher in the Nyingma tradition. She trained with great masters such as Dudjom Rinpoche and Penor Rinpoche, and cofounded Light of Berotsana, a translation organization. She continues to teach and translate extensively in the U.S. and beyond.

Lama Rigdzin Drolma

Guest Teacher
Anne Klein (Lama Rigzin Drolma) is a scholar, translator, and teacher of Tibetan Buddhism. She cofounded Dawn Mountain in Houston, Texas, and is a professor of religion at Rice University. A student of Adzom Paylo Rinpoche, she blends academic rigor with experiential practice, making profound teachings accessible to modern students.

Matthieu Ricard

Guest Teacher
Matthieu Ricard is a French Buddhist monk, humanitarian, and author. A longtime student of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche and Kangyur Rinpoche, he has lived in the Himalayas for decades. He is renowned for bridging science and meditation, and for his work with altruism and compassion. He collaborates with Tergar and other global organizations.

Erik Pema Kunsang

Guest Teacher
Erik Pema Kunsang is a Danish translator and teacher who has translated over 60 volumes of Tibetan Buddhist texts. A student of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, he is known for his accessible language and direct style. He cofounded Rangjung Yeshe Publications and guides practitioners through retreats, teachings, and translation work.

Marcia Schmidt

Guest Teacher
Marcia Schmidt is a long-time practitioner and teacher of Tibetan Buddhism. She studied closely with Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche and cofounded Rangjung Yeshe Publications. With decades of retreat experience, she shares teachings with clarity and heart, often emphasizing the deep integration of view and practice in everyday life.

Sara Jacoby

Guest Teacher
Sarah Jacoby is a scholar whose work explores gender, sexuality, and autobiographical writing in Tibetan Buddhism. She is an associate professor at Northwestern University and received her Ph.D. from the University of Virginia. A specialist in the Nyingma tradition, she has translated and studied the life and teachings of Sera Khandro, a prominent Tibetan female visionary.

Andreas Kretschmar

Guest Teacher
Andreas Kretschmar is a longtime student of Khenpo Chöga and was one of the early translators for Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche. He is known for translating Khenpo Kunpal’s commentary on Shantideva’s Bodhicharyavatara, helping make these profound teachings accessible to Western students. His work reflects a deep commitment to preserving and sharing Buddhist teachings.

You Will Learn

  • The unique Dzogchen preparatory practices, such as the vajra stance and Dzogchen analytical meditation
  • The view, meditation, and application of trekchӧ, or “breakthrough,” one of the most important styles of Dzogchen practice
  • The Dzogchen approach to pointing out rigpa, or “pure awareness”
  • How to strengthen the recognition of rigpa through a multitude of meditation practices
  • Key points on integrating pure awareness with everyday life
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Course Outline

This course consists of four modules, each exploring a major theme of the text.

 Webinars

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Mingyur Rinpoche possesses the rare ability to present ancient Buddhist teachings in an accessible and playful way

Birthless by nature, it is a spacelike state—the dharmakaya;
Original purity, where the mind has nothing to do.
In this very state, with nothing to look at or meditate on,
Just let be and rest spontaneously; don't modify or spoil it.
— Longchenpa

Resources

For a richer understanding of this transmission, we encourage you to explore the recommended literature and readings. These resources offer deeper context and further perspectives, allowing for quiet reflection on the topics presented.
  • Primordial Purity: Oral Instructions on The Three Words That Strike the Vital Point by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
  • Perfect Clarity: A Tibetan Buddhist Anthology of Mahamudra and Dzogchen by Marcia Binder Schmidt
  • Quintessential Dzogchen: Confusion Dawns as Wisdom by Tulku Urgyen
  • Vajra Heart Revisited: Teachings on the Path of Trekcho by Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche
RESTRICTED MATERIAL

Nature of Mind

The teachings and practices herein are restricted in nature. Please do not share with people who have not received pointing out instructions on the nature of mind from a qualified lineage teacher.

The prerequisites for joining the Nature of Mind area are:

  • Option 1: To have attended any in-person Tergar Path of Liberation Level 2 retreat with Mingyur Rinpoche or Khenpo Kunga
  • Option 2: To have received ngöndro transmission and nature of mind pointing out from a qualified lineage holder, and have at least 5 years of regular meditation practice

Questions about the prerequisites? Contact StudySupport@tergar.org


*You must fill out a form to verify that you meet the prerequisites after subscribing to Vajrayana Online.

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at $500/year after a 10-day free trial.
 Cancel anytime.

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The standard rate will cover the basic costs of offering the program.

  • 10-day free trial
  • 25+ courses included

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USD per month, billed annually
at $750/year after a 10-day free trial.
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Your generosity will help us to offer a discounted rate to those in need of financial assistance.

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Do You Want to Know More About the Dzogchen: Three Words That Strike the Vital Point Transmission?

The Dzogchen: Three Words That Strike the Vital Point transmission includes a series of courses that provide a unique opportunity to integrate the core elements of the Buddhist path into your practice and daily life.

Frequently Asked Questions

This seems like too much for me . . . How much time will it take?

Don’t worry, you will only need about one hour to complete each lesson, and you can take the course at your pace.

Where can I purchase Stainless Prajna?

Stainless Prajna: Meditation Manual on the Treasury of Abhidharma is not yet published. The English translation is expected to be completed next year. A draft translation is provided to all Vajrayana Online members as part of the course materials.

Keep in mind that this is a traditional Buddhist meditation manual, not a typical book. Reading alone is not enough to truly understand it — the best approach is to learn directly from Mingyur Rinpoche, Tergar lamas, and Tergar guides throughout the Buddhist Psychology Immersion. During the course, you will receive teachings and practical guidance to explore each chapter and meditation in the text.

Is it possible to begin the immersion after it has already started?

Yes! You can join anytime and access all the material. You won't miss anything.

Who can take this course?

There are no prerequisites for this course. It is appropriate for practitioners of all levels.

I'm already practicing the Joy of Living/the Path of Liberation. How can I integrate this course into my practice?

Mingyur Rinpoche’s teachings make it easy to integrate the Abhidharma view into the practices you already do. Your daily practice will be enriched, and there’s no need to accumulate additional meditations from Stainless Prajna. There is no extra homework!