DOCSLIB.ORG

The Practice of the Triumphant Ma Healing Practices Based on the Deity Tara

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Practice of the Triumphant Ma Healing Practices Based on the Deity Tara Gehlek Rimpoche The Practice of the Triumphant Ma Healing practices based on the Deity Tara Jewel Heart Transcript 2004 Gehlek Rimpoche, The Practice of the Triumphant Ma © 1995 Ngawang Gehlek Fifth edition, in new format: 2004. Jewel Heart Transcripts are lightly to moderately edited transcriptions of the teachings of Kyabje Gehlek Rinpoche and others teachers who have taught at Jewel Heart. Their purpose is to provide Rimpoche’s students, as well as all others who are interested, with these extremely valuable teach- ings in a way that gives one the feeling of being present at the teachings. JEWEL HEART Tibetan Cultural and Buddhist Centers, 207 East Washington Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104 USA Tel. (1) 313 994 3387 Fax: (1) 313 994 5577 www.jewelheart.org Acknowledgement This is the transcription of the teachings on White Tara, that Kyabje Gehlek Rimpoche gave during the spring retreat 1995 in Nijmegen, The Netherlands. A few details from later teachings have been added here and there. These are unique teachings. Never before in the West, a Tibetan teacher gave such a detailed explanation about special visualization techniques concerned with healing and self-healing. It is also unique in as far as that part of it comes from the secret treasure-chambers of tantra. Kyabje Gehlek Rimpoche modified those in a way that they can be used without having had the initiation. For those that have a full vajrayana initiation in at least a kriya tantra, a more exten- sive transcript that includes the vajrayana teachings on White Tara, is available. The basis of the teachings is A Prayer to the Noble Tara. Within that context all meditation techniques get their place. The prayer version used in 1995 has been adapted later, but because of the commen- tary following closely that first version, it has been maintained in the commentary. The new version is to be found in the chapter Texts. The transcript has Tibetan syllables transferred into Western sylla- ble-symbols. Any mistakes that may occur are due to my limited understanding. Marianne Soeters Jewel Heart Nijmegen, 5th edition, August 2004. © Ngawang Gehlek. Contents I Introduction 7 II Explanation of the Prayer to the Noble Tara 15 III Offering the Practice of the Seven Limbs 57 IV Tara and the eight fears 77 V The Practice of Healing and Self-healing 89 VI Fear and Fearlessness 127 VII Texts 139 VIII Notes 151 IX Glossary 153 X Literature 163 XI Index 165 Buddha Shakyamuni I Introduction Good morning everybody. We have come here to do a longevity and healing practice through Tara, or rather with the help of Tara, or maybe we should even say ‘within the sphere of Tara’s great en- ergy’? The way in which the great masters of early generations have given this practice is not just to have longevity for the sake of living long, but in order to have a meaningful life, meaningful in the sense of helping ourselves and, if possible, helping others. I believe that is our purpose. As you know, in the West a lot of people say, ‘What is my mis- sion in life? What is my purpose? What am I supposed to do?’ Your mission is helping yourself and, if you can, helping others. If you cannot help others, at least help yourself. For this you need longev- ity; for this you need a healthy life. That is why the earlier masters have given us this practice and that is how we should use it, too. Basically, when I was a kid, I was taught two things: - What do you do at the beginning and why? In other words, what are your ideas and motivations? - What do you do at the end? These are the two most important things. They told us to have at the beginning a proper motivation, a good way of thinking. What that really means is to think, ‘Why am I doing this? What for?’ Whether your thoughts are good or bad, it is always good to correct your motivation. Whether you have a practice in general or this one in particular, it is always nice to think, ‘Hey, I am not doing this just 8 The Practice of the Triumphant Ma for the sake of doing it, I am doing this for the benefit of myself and others.’ Even if you have come for other purposes, you can think at this moment, ‘I am here for very important purposes.’ That is what it means to have a great motivation. You do not necessarily have to sit cross-legged and meditate and say, ‘I am correcting my motivation’, I do not think you need to do that. So step number one is: the purpose of what we are doing here is to help ourselves and to help other beings. Step two. We do not have the power. Maybe we have it, but the power is not at our disposal. In one way we are very great, in an- other way we are helpless. So what do we do? We rely on another power. Basically a lot of people do that, rely on another power. You see a lot of healers in the world today rely on some spirits. A lot of people channel them, do all sorts of things. Whatever things are happening, they will go with that. Whatever will give you a shake and vibration, mentally, physically, psychologically or emotionally, people follow that in the world today. If you look around and see what is happening in the world today you see a group of people that is – let me put it nicely – ultra- scientific: nothing is acceptable to those people unless it is very sci- entific. And there is another group of people that believe there is an alternative power, too. I think all of us here are in that category. That does not mean we are against science. Spiritual power is not really scientific, because, if I understand correctly, scientific means: no matter who does it, where he does it, whenever you repeat it the correct way it should have the exact re- sult. Spiritual power does not work that way, It is totally different to different persons. Though you may do it the same way, you ap- proach it the same way, somehow the results are slightly different to each and every individual. It is like hand-made clothes in compari- son to factory-made ones. You know what I mean? Individuality is there. Likewise spiritual results, I think, depend on the level of the motivation of the individual, the intensity of the individual, the luck or fortune of the individual and many different circumstances. Introduction 9 Criteria for spiritual reliability Among the spiritual powers that you invoke, are major differences. A lot of people will use any spirit they can get. Basically, non- human spirits always have clairvoyant power and some limited ca- pability of healing, whether good or bad. That is the reason why Buddha insists that for any spiritual power you invoke, you make sure that the individual source is fully enlightened. Why? Because if that spiritual power is fully enlight- ened, then that spirit is free from all problems and all sufferings. Spirits that have some power but are not free from suffering themselves, have their own reasons for doing it. When they are fully enlightened they do not have a hidden agenda of their own. This is what makes the difference. Fully enlightened beings are not only free from suf- fering; they also know how to lead other people. Then the most important thing is: they have great compassion, compassion equal to everybody. So basically there are three most important reasons for invoking enlightened help: - the object or power that you invoke is free from suffering, - they know the best way of helping others, - they have great compassion. Compassion and great compassion are two different things. Com- passion generally means to have compassion for somebody or for a few people, but great compassion means compassion equal to all be- ings. If you do not have great compassion, you will do some good to the people you know, your friend and the ones you like, and you do less good to people you do not know and that are not your friend; so there is the effect of closeness and distance. Greater compassion will not allow that. So basically the criteria of being an object of refuge, being a power to be invoked, are these three qualities. Though teachings in books, like e.g. Lamrim, will tell you a lot of qualities, it boils down to these three which, I think, are the most important ones. Now the case of Tara. She is a fully enlightened being, which means she herself is free of all problems, she does have great compassion, and she does know the methods to help. So, the criteria are there. It 10 The Practice of the Triumphant Ma is not that we can judge who is great and who is not great, but at least we have means of looking at it. As I said earlier, in the West, the moment you get some kind of physical, mental, spiritual shake you will follow it, because you do not have criteria of looking at it. That is why a lot of people have problems. They say, ‘I hear a voice, the voice tells me to get up, to sit down, tells me that now I should eat and now I should not eat, the voice tells me I should go, the voice tells me I should jump into the water.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Healing and Self-Healing Through White Tara
    HEALING AND SELF-HEALING THROUGH WHITE TARA Kyabje Gehlek Rimpoche Spring retreat teachings, The Netherlands 1995 Winter retreat vajrayana teachings, US 1996-7 A Jewel Heart Transcript ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Part I of this edition is the transcription of the teachings on White Tara, Healing and selfhealing, that Kyabje Gelek Rinpoche gave during the spring retreat 1995 in Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Part II are the vajrayana teachings on the practice of White Tara, taught by Rinpoche during the spring of 1995 in Nijmegen, a vajrayana weekend in Ann Arbor 1995, and the winterretreats 1996/97 en 1997/98 in the US. Part II is restricted; what is taught can only be practiced by those who’ve received full initiation in either Avalokiteshvara or in any maha annuttara yoga tantra. (A Tara long-life initiation – which actually is a blessing – is not what is meant here). Because of this restriction, part I has been published separately. The transcript is updated since the 4th edition. In particular it got a number of features that facilitate studying this worthwhile practice. A glossary, a list of literature and an index are provided. Images related to the teachings have been added. References to other literature have been made. Cross-references between the sutrayana- and the vajrayana part may help clarify difficulties. For easy study additional small headings have been made. The teachings of Part I were transcribed by several Jewel Heart friends in the Netherlands. The vajrayana teachings have been transcribed by Hartmut Sagolla. The drawing of Buddha Shakyamuni and those of the mudras were made by Marian van der Horst, those of the life-chakras by Piet Soeters.
    [Show full text]
  • The Mirror 84 January-February 2007
    THE MIRROR Newspaper of the International Dzogchen Community JAN/FEB 2007 • Issue No. 84 NEW GAR IN ROMANIA MERIGAR EAST SUMMER RETREAT WITH CHÖGYAL NAMKHAI NORBU RETREAT OF ZHINE AND LHAGTHONG ACCORDING TO ATIYOGA JULY 14-22, 2007 There is a new Gar in Romania called Merigar East. The land is 4.5 hectares and 600 meters from the Black Sea. The Gar is 250 meters from a main road and 2 kilometers from the nearest village called the 23rd of August (the day of liberation in World War II); it is a 5-minute walk to the train station and a 10-minute walk to the beach. There are small, less costly hotels and pensions and five star hotels in tourist towns and small cities near by. There is access by bus, train and airplane. Inexpensive buses go up and down the coast. There is an airport in Costanza, 1/2 hour from the land, and the capital, Bucharest, 200 kilometers away, offers two international airports. At present we have only the land, but it will be developed. As of January 2007 Romania has joined the European Union. Mark your calendar! The Mirror Staff Chögyal Namkhai Norbu in the Tashigar South Gonpa on his birthday N ZEITZ TO BE IN INSTANT PRESENCE IS TO BE BEYOND TIME The Longsal Ati’i Gongpa Ngotrod In this latest retreat, which was through an intellectual analysis of CHÖGYAL NAMKHAI NORBU Retreat at Tashigar South, Argentina transmitted all around the world by these four, but from a deep under- SCHEDULE December 26, 2006 - January 1, 2007 closed video and audio webcast, standing of the real characteristics thanks to the great efforts and work of our human existence.
    [Show full text]
  • And Daemonic Buddhism in India and Tibet
    Florida State University Libraries Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School 2012 The Raven and the Serpent: "The Great All- Pervading R#hula" Daemonic Buddhism in India and Tibet Cameron Bailey Follow this and additional works at the FSU Digital Library. For more information, please contact [email protected] THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES THE RAVEN AND THE SERPENT: “THE GREAT ALL-PERVADING RHULA” AND DMONIC BUDDHISM IN INDIA AND TIBET By CAMERON BAILEY A Thesis submitted to the Department of Religion in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Religion Degree Awarded: Spring Semester, 2012 Cameron Bailey defended this thesis on April 2, 2012. The members of the supervisory committee were: Bryan Cuevas Professor Directing Thesis Jimmy Yu Committee Member Kathleen Erndl Committee Member The Graduate School has verified and approved the above-named committee members, and certifies that the thesis has been approved in accordance with university requirements. ii For my parents iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank, first and foremost, my adviser Dr. Bryan Cuevas who has guided me through the process of writing this thesis, and introduced me to most of the sources used in it. My growth as a scholar is almost entirely due to his influence. I would also like to thank Dr. Jimmy Yu, Dr. Kathleen Erndl, and Dr. Joseph Hellweg. If there is anything worthwhile in this work, it is undoubtedly due to their instruction. I also wish to thank my former undergraduate advisor at Indiana University, Dr. Richard Nance, who inspired me to become a scholar of Buddhism.
    [Show full text]
  • Learn Tibetan & Study Buddhism
    fpmt Mandala BLISSFUL RAYS OF THE MANDALA IN THE SERVICE OF OTHERS JULY - SEPTEMBER 2012 TEACHING A GOOD HEART: FPMT REGISTERED TEACHERS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE FOUNDATION FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE MAHAYANA TRADITION Wisdom Publications Delve into the heart of emptiness. INSIGHT INTO EMPTINESS Khensur Jampa Tegchok Edited by Thubten Chodron A former abbot of Sera Monastic University, Khensur Jampa Tegchok here unpacks with great erudi- tion Buddhism’s animating philosophical principle—the emptiness of all appearances. “Khensur Rinpoche Jampa Tegchok is renowned for his keen understanding of philosophy, and of Madhyamaka in particular. Here you will find vital points and reasoning for a clear understanding of emptiness.”—Lama Zopa Rinpoche, author of How to Be Happy 9781614290131 “This is one of the best introductions to the philosophy of emptiness 336 pages | $18.95 I have ever read.”—José Ignacio Cabezón, Dalai Lama Professor and eBook 9781614290223 Chair, Religious Studies Department, UC Santa Barbara Wisdom Essentials JOURNEY TO CERTAINTY The Quintessence of the Dzogchen View: An Exploration of Mipham’s Beacon of Certainty Anyen Rinpoche Translated and edited by Allison Choying Zangmo Approachable yet sophisticated, this book takes the reader on a gently guided tour of one of the most important texts Tibetan Buddhism has to offer. “Anyen Rinpoche flawlessly presents the reader with the unique perspective that belongs to a true scholar-yogi. A must-read for philosophers and practitioners.” —Erik Pema Kunsang, author of Wellsprings of the Great Perfection and 9781614290094 248 pages | $17.95 compiler of Blazing Splendor eBook 9781614290179 ESSENTIAL MIND TRAINING Thupten Jinpa “The clarity and raw power of these thousand-year-old teachings of the great Kadampa masters are astonishingly fresh.”—Buddhadharma “This volume can break new ground in bridging the ancient wisdom of Buddhism with the cutting-edge positive psychology of happiness.” —B.
    [Show full text]
  • Restricted Dzogchen Teachings, Part 2: Buddhahood Without Meditation
    WISDOM ACADEMY Restricted Dzogchen Teachings, Part 2: Buddhahood Without Meditation B. ALAN WALLACE Lesson 7: Quantum Physics, and Vajradhara’s Cosmogony Reference Materials: “The Nine Stages Leading to Shamatha,” “The Five Kayas,” “The Five Facets of Primordial Consciousness,” and the Outlines for Sera Khandro’s, “The Fine Path to Liberation,” and “Garland for the Delight of the Fortunate.” SHAMATHA Shamatha is attained by progressing through the nine stages, relying on the eight antidotes to abandon the five faults. This is accomplished through the six powers and the four mental engagements. Fault Antidote 1. laziness 1. faith 2. aspiration 3. enthusiasm 4. pliancy 2. forgetfulness 5. mindfulness 3. laxity and excitation 6. introspection 4. non-application 7. application 5. over-application 8. equanimity 1. The first stage is attained through the power of hearing. 2. Stage 1: Directed Attention 3. Mindfulness 4. Introspection 5. From here until the seventh stage the flame progressively decreases in size until it becomes absent. This difference denotes the measure of the strength of effort required regarding mindfulness and introspection. 6. The elephant is the mind and the black colour symbolizes laxity. 7. The monkey is the proliferation of thoughts and the black colour symbolizes excitation. 8. The second stage is attained through the power of thinking. 9. Stage 2: Continuous Attention 10. Excitation has the five sense pleasures as its objects. 11. From here, the black colour progressively becomes white. This symbolizes the factor of vividness and the factor of stability progressively increasing. 12. The third and fourth stages are attained through the power of mindfulness.
    [Show full text]
  • Middle Way Review Class with Jampa Gendun – January 18 – 21, 2000
    SUPPLEMENT TO THE ‘MIDDLE WAY’ (Madhyamakavatara) TRANSCRIPTS OF REVIEW CLASSES WITH JAMPA GEDUN January 2000 – May 2001 FPMT MASTERS PROGRAM MATERIAL © Jampa Gedun & FPMT, Inc. All rights reserved No part of this work may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system or technologies now known or later developed, without permission in writing from Jampa Gedun & FPMT, Inc. Masters Program: Middle Way Review Class with Jampa Gendun – January 18 – 21, 2000 Review Class with Jampa Gendun January 18 (Tuesday) Motivation for our studies of the Middle Way Without the wisdom realizing emptiness we will never be free from suffering. Kensur Yeshey Tupden (in Path to the Middle) says that to the degree we understand that the referent object of our conception of true existence does not exist, there will result a commensurate diminishment of our suffering. And not only will we understand but we can then impart this wisdom to others. We should be observing this precious opportunity to study Madhyamika with this motivation. Resources We have several resources for this text: A translation by George Churinoff of Chandrakirti’s root text, Supplement to the Middle Way (we will refer to this as Supplement), along with the autocommentary, ‘Explanation of the Supplement to the Middle Way’ (we will refer to this as Autocommentary) A translation by Jeffrey Hopkins of the first five chapters of Lama Tsongkhapa’s commentary, Illumination of the Thought (we will refer to this as Illumination) The transcripts of Geshe-la’s current teachings The transcripts of Geshe-la’s teachings on Supplement ten years ago A translation by Martin Wilson of The Mirror of the Clarification of the Thought, another commentary on Chandrakirti’s Supplement, written by the first Dalai Lama Reviewing the handout: Middle Way – Madhyamika – Studies Background Madhyamika has gone through many different changes in how it has been viewed in the West.
    [Show full text]
  • Tibetan Nuns Debate for Dalai Lama
    PO Box 6483, Ithaca, NY 14851 607-273-8519 WINTER 1996 Newsletter and Catalog Supplement Tibetan Nuns Debate for Dalai Lama NAMGYAL INSTITUTE by Thubten Chodron I began hearing rumors the At 4PM nuns, monks, and Enters New Phase morning of Sunday, October 8th laypeople gathered in the court- that nuns were going to debate in yard. The nuns were already debat- the courtyard in front of the main ing on one side, and their voices of Development temple in Dharamsala and that His and clapping hands, a mark of de- Holiness the Dalai Lama was to be bate as done in Tibetan Buddhism, Spring 1996 will mark the end Lama. The monks have received a • Obtain health insurance for the there to observe. There were many filled the place. Suddenly there was of the fourth full year of operation wide and popular reception Namgyal monks, none of whom nuns in McLeod Gam' at the time; a hush and the nuns who had been and the beginning of a new phase throughout the U.S. and Canada, currently have health insurance. the major nunneries in India and debating went onto the stage in the of development for the Institute of and there is an ever-growing circle • Fund a full-time paid adminis- Nepal were having their first ever "pavilion" where His Holiness' seat Buddhist Studies established by of students at the Institute in trator. Our two administrators inter-nunnery debate. The fact that was. His Holiness soon came out, Namgyal Monastery in North Ithaca, confirming the validity of have each put in forty hours per the best nun debaters had^athered the nuns prostrated and were America.
    [Show full text]
  • The Mirror of Total Clarity
    No. 90 January, February 2008 upcoming retreats with CHÖGYAL NAMKHAI NORBU Photo: Romain Piro 2008 Venezuela Margarita Island, Tashigar Norte March 21–26 Dzogchen Teaching retreat Photo: N. Zeitz Open Webcast Rinpoche receives gifts from the children at the end of the retreat. April 4–9 Santi Maha Sangha, Yantra Yoga & Vajra Dance Teachers Training the mirror of total clarity April 25–30 Dzogchen Teaching Retreat shine and lhagthong retreat with CHÖGYAL NAMKHAI NORBU Open Webcast feb 1–6, 2008, tashigar south, argentina May 9–14 naomi zeitz Dzogchen Teaching Retreat Open Webcast The Mirror Of Total Clarity – An Explanation of Argentina. The teachings were based on Dani Simonelli added a new member, Edu- the General Principles About How to Practice a 72-page text written by Chögyal Nam- ardo Gromaches from Spain and his Ma- USA the Yogas of Shine and Lhagtong in the khai Norbu on Shine and Lhagthong in cintosh, so the space fi lled by the tireless New York City Tradition of Dzogchen Atiyoga Dzogchen. This retreat was a closed web technicians expanded and the entire seat- May 23–25 cast, so along with the approximately 200 ing of the retreat participants shifted over The essential Dzogchen teaching of Sangyas ati dzogchen lugsu shi lhag gi naljor chitar participants hailing from around the world to accommodate the area and wires need- Lingpa according to the Longsal teaching nyamsu lenpai tsul ragtsam tenpa kunsal in the newly painted Tashigar Gonpa, were ed for this invaluable service to all the in- Tsegyalgar East melong shechawa zhugso some 2000 practitioners, old and new, re- ternational Dzogchen Community, refi ned May 30 –June 6 ceiving the teaching in all the corners of and perfected by Yeshi Namkhai and Luigi Jigmed Lingpa’s Dzogchen teaching Yeshes a ti rdzogs chen lugs su zhi lhag gi rnal ‘byor ji the globe.
    [Show full text]
  • Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition Puja Fund
    Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition Puja Fund Activities Dedicated to the Long Life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, FPMT Dharma Activity & All Beings The FPMT is an organization devoted to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service. We provide integrated education through which people’s minds and hearts can be transformed into their highest potential for the benefit of others, inspired by an attitude of universal responsibility. We are committed to creating harmonious environments and helping all beings develop their full potential of infinite wisdom and compassion. Our organization is based on the Buddhist tradition of Lama Tsongkhapa of Tibet as taught to us by our founder, Lama Thubten Yeshe and our spiritual director, Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche. “The merit that is created from all these pujas is also your merit. So you can dedicate all these merits to having realizations and to achieve enlightenment.” -- Lama Zopa Rinpoche Established by Lama Zopa Rinpoche in 1995, The FPMT Puja Fund provides resources for continuous pujas (prayer ceremonies) dedicated to the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and to the success of all the FPMT centers and projects, students, benefactors and those serving the organization in any way. Each month, pujas are performed by many thousands of monks and nuns. The enormous number of Sangha engaged in these practices is an extremely powerful means to overcome obstacles and create merit for the entire organization. The following lists all puja prayers and offerings currently commissioned by the Puja Fund.
    [Show full text]
  • Speech Delivered by His Holiness 14 Dalai Lama to the Second Gelug
    Speech Delivered by His Holiness 14th Dalai Lama to the Second Gelug Conference (Dharamsala, June 12th 2000) We meet here today with Ganden Tri Rinpoche, the representative of Jamgön Gyelwa (Lama Tsong Khapa), chiefly gracing us with his presence. The abbots representing the three seats of Sera, Drepung, Ganden, as well as those of Tashi Lhunpo, Gyutö and Gyumei tantric colleges have joined us; as have abbots and former abbots who are here on behalf of the various other Gelug monasteries. It seems though that the Manali representative has not been able to join us though (laughter)1. Anyway as well as all of these guests I also have been able to attend this Gelug conference. The organisation of these international Gelug conferences and the general concern for the maintenance and promotion of the teaching is admirable. I would like to thank all of you for your concern and for having put in such hard work. Given the significance of this event, I would like to encourage everyone, for the space of these few days, to dispense with ostentatious posing and the empty formalities of ceremony. Let’s try to get to the heart of the matter. We have now gained quite a bit of experience. So let us utilise that to focus on what problems we face and give some thought to how we can improve things. Our consideration of these matters should be careful. I have high hopes that this will prove to be an open forum for the discussion of the important issues and will generally prove to be a success.
    [Show full text]
  • Here It Re- Monastery
    BULK RATE U.S. POSTAGE PAID ITHACA, NY 14851 Permit No. 746 M 16 Address correction requested SNOW LION ORDER FROM OUR NEW TOLL FREE NUMBER NEWSLETTER & CATALOG 1-800-950-0313 1992 WINTER SUPPLEMENT SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS PO BOX 6483, ITHACA, NY 14851, (607)-273-8506 ISSN 1059-3691 VOLUME 7, NUMBER 1 Chakrasamvara, Yamantaka and Kalachakra, the special deity of NAMGYAL MONASTERY Namgyal, as the main ritual and meditation practices of the mon- Institute of Buddhist Studies astery. He placed special empha- Ithaca, New York sis on maintaining the practice of Kalachakra, and in conjunction Namgyal Monastery is establish- Namgyal Dratsang (Victorious with Zha-lu masters taught dance. ing a branch monastery in the Monastery). Since its inception, To gain admission to the monas- United States, in Ithaca, New the monastery has assisted the tery, a monk had to memorize cer- York, under the direction of His Dalai Lamas in their public reli- tain texts and was tested by a Holiness the Dalai Lama and the gious activities and performed senior monk who would judge parent monastery in Dharamsala, ritual prayer ceremonies for the whether he was capable of being India. Six Namgyal monks, in- welfare of Tibet. From the begin- examined in the Dalai Lama's cluding a Geshe and others with ning, the monastery has been a presence. If formally admitted, the the ' 'Master of Sutra and Tantra'' center of learning, contemplation monk would have a private au- degree, have been selected to es- and meditation on the vast and dience with the Dalai Lama before tablish the Namgyal Monastery In- profound Buddhist treatises.
    [Show full text]
  • "Tibet Has Come to Washington" DESTRUCTIVE EMOTIONS
    Snow Lion Publications sv\LLionPO Box 6483, Ithaca, NY 14851 607-273-8519 Orders: 800-950-0313 ISSN 1059-3691 SUMMER 2000 NEWSLETTER Volume 15, Number 3 & CATALOG SUPPLEMENT "Tibet Has Come to Washington" DESTRUCTIVE EMOTIONS BY VICTORIA HUCKENPAHLER The Mind and Life Conference 2000 Sogyal Rinpoche comments on the Smithsonian Folklife Festival pro- BY VEN. THUBTEN CHODRON reason. Science sees emotions as gram, Tibetan Culture Beyond the Beginning in the mid-1980s, the having a physiological basis, and Land of Snows; the Ganden Tripa Mind and Life Institute has brought this raises further questions as to opens the first Great Prayer Festival together scientists from various fields human nature and the possibility of held in the West; H.H. Dalai Lama of expertise with His Holiness the pacifying destructive emotions. In addresses an audience of fifty thou- Dalai Lama in a series of confer- the West, emotions are important sand. ences. A theme is picked for each, for determining what is moral, and Under a turquoise sky, the living and five to seven scientists in that morality is essential for the function- mandala of Tibetan culture, which field are selected to make presen- ing of society. Thus working with was a highlight of this year's Smith- tations to His Holiness. These pre- emotions is seen as important for sonian Folklife Festival, spread itself sentations are given in the morning social interaction, not for having a over much of the National Mall, with session each day, and lively discus- good soul or being a good person. a variety of displays and activities sions among these key participants, This leads the West to focus on both sacred and secular.
    [Show full text]