:: Phowa Retreat 2009 - Q & A

By His Eminence 4th Tsikey Chokling Rinpoche & HIs Holiness 7th Phakchok Rinpoche

from Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery, PO Box 1200, Boudhanath, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Excerpts held on Thursday June 4 2009 at Rangjung Yeshe Buddhist Society Penang, Midlands Centre

from December 2 to 6 2009, at the Copthorne Hotel, Tanjung Bunga, Penang, His Eminence will be teaching for the first time in a large public setting in Malaysia the special Phowa practice. Phowa in Tibetan or Transference of Consciousness Upon Death is one of the most renowned skillful method employed by Buddhist practitioners to be reborn in Amitabha's Western Pure Land of Great Bliss.

Concise introduction in simple question & answer format

Q. What is Phowa & how to practise it?

A. As mentioned earlier, Phowa is one of many skillful means in Buddhism practiced by many past great masters and practitioners all over South Asia, the Himalayas, China and the Far East to free themselves from cyclic existence and actualize enlightenment.  Although the details are secret, the practice can be simply described as learning of how to send our consciousness to Amitabha's Buddhafield through our ninth orifice, the gate of the central channel.  At the same time we also learn to block of the remaining eight gates, namely, our anus, urinary orifice, navel, mouth, nose, eyes, ears and the eighth gate that is located above our hairline when we are still an infant.  IF we do not learn to block the lower eight gates, when we die our consciousness will leave through one of them and thereby perpetuate our rebirth in cyclic existence.  That’s why it is so vitally important to learn how to practice Phowa and thereby free ourselves from suffering.