Mahamudra Meditation Center is a Buddhist Dharma study and practice group established at the encouragement of the Venerable Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche (1933-2023) to facilitate the study and practice of Mahamudra based on the mind teachings of India and Tibet. Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche was recognized at a young age as the 9th Thrangu Tulku by the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje. As a leading Buddhist scholar-monk of his tradition, he became renowned as one of the foremost masters and teachers of this profound, and yet simple and direct, path of liberation which emphasizes the practice of kindness and meditation on, and in accordance with, the nature of mind.

Rinpoche summarized his view on the relevancy of this approach for students of Dharma in the West in the following:

Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche "In my experience and judgment Mahamudra is especially appropriate and beneficial in this modern age, in particular for people in the West who are very busy. It is a path that is extremely simple, meaning that it does not require a lot of preparation or devices, so it can be practiced at any time or in any situation, provided one possesses mindfulness and alertness."

Nowadays, anyone with sincere interest in Mahamudra can begin to study and practice this profound path in reliance upon these oral instructions and the traditional root texts, which at the end of the 20th Century became available through the express wishes of the Gyalwang Karmapa Rigpe Dorje, head of the Karma Kagyu lineage, and Kyabje Thuksey Rinpoche, acting head of the Drukpa lineage.

In discussing how a student should approach some of the most advanced practices of Mahamudra and Dzogchen, Thrangu Rinpoche summarizes the traditional approach utilized in Tibet in a lineage which has flourished for more than one thousand years:

"You need to attempt them again and again until you actually experience them...Once you have gained some experience through actual practice of the instructions found in the text, then go back and study the text again and see how your experience compares with what you found in the text. Thus, by combining practical experience with the learning you have gained by studying the text, what you learn will actually become useful to you as a practitioner. In this way, the transmission of instructions has been kept as a lineage of practical experience rather than simply a lineage of transmitted information."


Mahamudra Programs and Resources

Each year, starting in September, we offer a Nine-Month Mahamudra Program suitable both for new and experienced students. For ongoing and/or scheduled events, please see:

To support those interested in Mahamudra or working with Mahamudra study and practice groups, a summary of links to Mahamudra Meditation Center Resources is provided.

Our program framework is organized into five series:

  • Jewel Ornament of Liberation - The Teachings of Gampopa
  • Moonbeams of Mahamudra - The Mahamudra Teachings of Dakpo Tashi Namgyal
  • Eliminating the Darkness of Ignorance - The Mahamudra Teachings of Wangchuk Dorje
  • Treasury of Basic Space - The Dzogchen Teachings of Longchen Rabjam
  • Songs of the Mahasiddhas - Heart Instructions from the Lineage
The approach utilized by our group, and emphasized by Rinpoche, is based on the view that, in general, it is most helpful that Mahamudra be taught to individuals "as a full system of instruction that they can implement on their own gradually through diligent application." According to our tradition, the texts on Mahamudra by Dakpo Tashi Namgyal and Wangchuk Dorje summarize the ancient key instructions in this regard. Over the years, Rinpoche has given the oral instructions on each of these texts to help make them more accessible to folks and enable them to proceed with individual study and practice.

Khenchen Könchog Gyaltsen Rinpoche In early years, our group maintained a library of transcripts of and notes on some of Rinpoche's teachings to support our efforts. These days, many of his Mahamudra and Dharma teachings are available in a variety of formats (for example, see Namo Buddha Publications, Namse Bangdzo and Amazon.com .) In addition, many of the underlying root texts and commentaries have been translated into English and other languages. These teachings present in great detail the elaborate and pith instructions on Mahamudra, specifically with the purpose of providing them for study and putting them into practice.

For a list of program teachers certified by MMC, please see:

MMC's approach to classes is generally humanistic in nature (i.e., in the style of the "school of Carl Rogers"), with a teacher facilitating the presentation and discussion of topics and/or guiding the meditations conducted by the participants.

For more detail regarding our recommended framework and range of resources for studying Mahamudra, please see:

Finally, students interested in pursuing a broader range of traditional teachings and/or retreats related to Mahamudra, specifically, or the Buddha Dharma, in general, are referred to Vajra Vidya Retreat Center in Crestone, Colorado for access to qualified teachers and an excellent retreat location.


Historical Perspective

Since the outset, the Senior Spiritual Advisors of Mahamudra Meditation Center have been:
  • Very Venerable Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, Karma Kagyu Great Abbot
  • Very Venerable Khenchen Könchog Gyaltsen Rinpoche, Drikung Kagyu Great Abbot

Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche was the founding Senior Spiritual Advisor of Mahamudra Meditation Center and provided the primary inspiration and guidance for our activities for more than three decades (see his official website at rinpoche.com.) During this time, we have also been strongly supported by Khenchen Könchog Gyaltsen Rinpoche, who has provided us with a wide range of Dharma teachings and also served as an ongoing source of inspiration.We are extremely fortunate in that we have had the continual guidance of these two leading abbots of the Karma and Drikung Dakpo Kagyu lineages from 1990 up until 2023. In addition, we have had a strong connection with leading lamas of the Drukpa lineage.

Kyabje Thuksey Rinpoche, The Gyalwang Drukpa, Khenpos and Monks, Darjeeling, 1974

Andrew Levine (Lama Rabjam) serves as the Director and lead Dharma Teacher of MMC since 2015. He is continuing the group's activities largely as established by our founding member, Peter Barth (Lama Thapkhay), who served as its director from 1990 to 2015. Peter had studied Mahamudra and Tibetan Buddhism since 1970 and under the guidance of Drukpa teachers, including Geagen Khyentse and Kyabje Thuksey Rinpoche, tutor to the 12th Gyalwang Drukpa, in Northern India in 1974. It was due to Thuksey Rinpoche's request that, in later years, Lama Lobsang Lhalungpa translated "the most important sacred text" of Mahamudra into English, Mahamudra : The Moonlight - Quintessence of Mind and Meditation (also known as "Moonbeams of Mahamudra") written by Dakpo Tashi Namgyal (1511-1587.)

In 1989, Peter met Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche while Rinpoche was giving extensive teachings on this work, for the very first time, in the West. After completing a cycle of teachings, Rinpoche noted to him, "Now that it had been translated into English, per the Gyalwang Karmapa Rigpe Dorje's request, and the corresponding oral instructions have been given, as I have been doing in fulfillment of his wishes, the most important thing is to put it into practice." It was with this in mind that the Mahamudra Meditation Center (MMC) group was established in California. Andy also has maintained a strong interest in Mahamudra spanning several decades and has studied with various leading teachers, including Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche (since the 90's) and Lama Thapkhay.

Over the years, MMC has maintained a "practice emphasis" to its teachings and studies and it has done so utilizing the humanistic, "circle of yogis" approach traditional within the Dakpo Kagyu and Drukpa Buddhist lineages. Since it's inception, our teachers have held a variety of short retreats on commentaries and root texts listed on our framework webpage. Texts which have frequently served as the basis for nine-month programs include:

  • Jewel Ornament of Liberation - Gampopa (1074-1153)
  • Moonbeams of Mahamudra - Dakpo Tashi Namgyal (1512-1587)
  • Clarifying the Natural State - Dakpo Tashi Namgyal
  • Pointing-out the Dharmakaya - Ninth Karmapa Wangchuk Dorje (1556-1603)
  • Eliminating the Darkness of Ignorance - Ninth Karmapa Wangchuk Dorje
  • Aspiration of Mahamudra - Third Karmapa Rangjung Dorje (1284-1339)
Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche with Sangha at Stupa in Crestone, Colorado 2006 Retreat

On many occasions, Rinpoche has expressed his appreciation to us for cultivating Mahamudra practice in accordance with his teachings and the lineage. In 2004, we felt fortunate to participate in hosting Rinpoche's visit to San Francisco including his empowerments and teachings on Mahamudra and Chakrasamvara. In 2005, at the encouragement of Rinpoche, Lama Thapkhay held the first Mahamudra group retreat at Vajra Vidya Retreat Center in Crestone, Colorado, prior to the completion its first shrine room.

In 2010, shortly after the April 14 earthquake in Tibet which killed so many people and destroyed Thrangu Tashi Chöling, two of our participants offered to make their home available to MMC for some of its practice programs. Subsequently, Rinpoche gave this supportive group the name of Thrangu Chagchen Chögar. It is our hope that Thrangu Chagchen Chögar will be the seed for lasting efforts "to preserve and maintain teachings and transmissions of Thrangu Rinpoche and his monastaries." Keith Hale (Lama Kunzang) has served as the Director and lead Dharma Teacher of Thrangu Chagchen Chögar since 2015.

In the first half of 2024, we will have completed our thirty-fifth annual Nine-Month Program on Mahamudra and related practices. In addition, for several years now, we have averaged more than one thousand unique visitors each month to our website and to our center's online resources. Over the years, we have freely provided support to thousands of folks interested in these profound and most geunuine "mind teachings" without requiring membership in a religious organization or donations.

Guru Rinpoche Finally, Affiliated Teachings are sometimes also included in our program schedules. These typically consist of select programs from our spiritual advisors and/or teachings by Khenpo Jigme and Khenpo Lobsang from Vajra Vidya Retreat Center in Colorado. In addition, students of Nyingma lineage practices of our center are referred to the teachings of Loppön Jigme Rinpoche. Loppön Rinpoche received the complete Tersar tradition from H. H. Dudjom Rinpoche, the complete Kama tradition from Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, and the complete Longchen Nyingthig tradition from Chatral Rinpoche. Since 2005, he has most generously been available to support our members in their Dharma studies and practice and has also provided a wide range of teachings to Dharma students in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Mahamudra Meditation Center is registered with H.H. Gyalwa Karmapa Ogyen Trinley at The Official Website of H.H. Gyalwa Karmapa. In addition, we have been listed by The Office of Tibet, New York, The Official Agency of H.H. the Dalai Lama and Tibetan Government in Exile to the Americas at Office of Tibet, New York and by Karma Triyana Dharmachakra, The North American Seat of H.H. the Gyalwa Karmapa.


For Further Information

Please note that we do not have a temple, residential facilities or a residential program.

Regarding the use of meditation and/or prayer for healing, we do not advocate meditation practices and/or prayers in place of conventional healing methods. This view was even espoused by the great Mahamudra teacher Dakpo Tashi Namgyal in the 16th century when he wrote: "Since this human body as the invaluable support for seeking enlightenment cannot possibly be left to the fate of the live-or-die attitude of ignorant ones, meditators must rely upon the conventional healing methods and relevant practices for curing their ailments."

Please contact our director, Andy (Lama Rabjam) at andrewlevine19@yahoo.com if you have any further questions.

Please also note that, due to our limited resources, we may not be able to respond to all enquiries.



The official website of Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche may be found at:  rinpoche.com.

Go to chagchen.org to see retreat center providing instruction in Mahamudra.

Go to naljor.org to see a selection of photos posted in tribute to Rinpoche.

Photos copyrighted by H. Rhine, L. Miracle, and P. Barth