Dharmashop – Powa

Key points of Lama Jigmé Namgyal’s

Teaching on The Profound Path of Phowa

June–October 2011

A few years ago, I had my doubts.
I thought people wouldn’t understand phowa because they first had to understand certain other things.
But then I met some people who were dying.
Then I thought, “Okay, for some people it’s too early, but for others it’s too late.”
So then I thought that even if I share a little bit about phowa, a lot of people will benefit from it.
This is my motivation.
Lama Jigmé Namgyal

What phowa is in essence.
Phowa is a simple, beautiful method for liberating our consciousness when our physical body dies. While some people think that when we die, life ends, like a candle being blown out, others believe that only our physical body dies and consciousness remains forever. This technique is essential for practitioners who have not yet reached stability on the path, or who have committed numerous harmful actions. For anyone who possesses these special instructions, no matter how serious their harmful actions, the gates to the lower realms are closed. These instructions on the profound path of transmission are therefore a way to attain Buddha nature without meditation, a secret path that powerfully liberates even great sinners. The great Guru of Oddiyana himself said: “Everyone knows about attaining Buddha nature through meditation, but I know a path without meditation.” Sometimes our meditation is weak and negative emotions are very strong, we feel blocked, and we don’t know what to do. Then the practice of phowa is a wonderful method that can remove all this negativity in a single moment. Therefore, don’t have low self-esteem, thinking, “I can’t do it.” Successfully practicing phowa also brings self-confidence and fearlessness when we face the moment of death.