NEWS ROUNDUP balti liPI a 2 0 Thousands gathered in the town hall square, Tallinn, Estonia to hear His Holiness speak. In his second visit in ten years, His Holiness spent eight religious and political leaders in five cities, defining his main days in June visiting the Baltic Republics at the invitation of tasks as being the promotion of human values and better the universities of Tartu in Estonia, Vilnius in Lithuania and understanding among different religions, and his responsibility the Academy of Sciences in Riga, Latvia. His lectures and to speak on behalf of the Tibetan people's non-violent struggle public talks were enthusiastically received. He also met with for freedom. • teachings in India His Holiness fulfilled the late Khensur Dorje Tashi Rinpoche's request to teach on Tsong Khapa's Middle Stages of Path (Lamrim Dring) at Sera Je Monastery, South India, in July. Almost 7000 monks and nuns from all over India, as well as 200 foreigners, attended the twelve days of teaching and tantric empowerments. His Holiness spoke out against sectarianism. "These days the Gelug/Nyingma rela- tions in India are improving," he said, "but I must stress that sectarianism will only lead to a degeneration of the Dharma. We must appreciate each other's qualities." • Over 7000 came to hear His Holiness teach and give empowerment at Sera le Monastery, India. MANDALA • DECEMBER 2001 - FEBRUARY 2002 PAGE 87 NEWS ROUNDUP lama zopq, rinpoche on u D UP TER Music giant, EMI, has produced a 2CD set entitled Lov- ing Kindness and Wisdom featuring internationally known 2001-2002 singer, Faye Wong, and Lama Zopa Rinpoche. One CD is an Invocation to the 21 Taras and the other an Invocation to Maitreya. Additional prayers and mantras are on both CDs. December 1-8, 2001 - Rohatsu Temple The $US25 package includes a booklet of all the prayers in Dedication Sesshin: An intensive traditional Tibetan phonetics, in English and Chinese, plus a commen- Zen training led by Joan Halifax Roshi and tary given by Rinpoche in both English and Chinese. All Enkyo O'Hara Sensei proceeds will go towards Rinpoche's projects. Contact Ven. Tenzin Pemba at [email protected] * December 9-10, 2001 - Dogen Seminar: Study of master Dogen's Deep Ocean of Samadhi fascicle with Kazuaki Tanahashi Sensei, world- reknowned calligrapher and translator of texts December 21, 2001 - Winter Solstice Circle of the Way Temple Opening: Contact us for details January 31-February 3, 2002 - Buddha and the Body: A yoga and meditation retreat with Joan Halifax Roshi and Tias Little, of Yogasource ng March 12, 2002: Invocation to Compassion: nsa Ku r Benefit for Upaya Social Action Programs e Rog with Ram Dass, Joan Halifax Roshi & friends n. Ve . to Upaya Offerings include: Pho Lama Zopa Rinpoche with Faye Wong Upaya Sanctuary Program - for persons age 17 years and older who wish to practice, study, work dharmakaya stupa and serve in community. Applications are available. consecrated in the U.S. rockies By Noa Jones Personal Retreats - available year-round Catching the first glimpse of the Great Stupa of Dharmakaya Which Liberates Upon Seeing is a thrill. Air- Facility Rental - for conferences, meetings, weddings and more planes over the Rocky Mountain Shambhala Center in the Northern Colorado Rockies change flight patterns to get a For information and reservations: closer look at the $2.7 million, 108-foot, state-of-the-art mon- ument to a Tibetan master responsible for bringing Buddhism to millions of Westerners. Upaya Zen Center The consecration of the Great Stupa, which took 14 years 1404 Cerro Gordo Road to build, was a powerful 10-day practice retreat for thousands Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 of people connected to the lineage of Vidyadhara Chogyam tel: (505) 986-8518 Trungpa Rinpoche. fax: (505) 986-8528 Fourteen rinpoches and their entourages from four lin- email: [email protected] web: www.upaya.org eages came to Colorado for the occasion, including His Holi- ness Penor Rinpoche, Zurmang Ghawang Rinpoche, Dzongsar Joan Halifax Roshi Khyentse Rinpoche, Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche, Sogen Rin- poche, and Gyatrul Rinpoche. Since the consecration 50 to 100 people visit the Great Stupa daily. It is open to the public and tours are offered on weekends. Call RMSC at (970) 881 2184 x 223. • PAGE 88 MANDALA • DECEMBER 2001 - FEBRUARY 2002 NEWS ROUNDUP Offering goddesses perform at the consecration Photo: Jakob Leschly Dharmakaya Stupa Photo: Jakob Leschly holy object art program Annual By Linda Gatter "Buddhist images are not something Holy objects are an integral part of which one can nip down to the corner Retreats Maitreya Project's vision of making shop for. A photo or drawing of the par- the causes of happiness and enlighten- ticular deity or other image must first be ment automatically accessible to every found, and then checked with a trusted Vajra Yogini visitor. According to Lama Zopa Buddhist master to make sure the hand Rinpoche, "Due to the power of a holy gestures, facial expressions and propor- Vamantaka object as soon as offerings, circumam- tions are correct. Then an appropriate bulations and prostrations are done in manufacturer must be found and the DETAILS conjunction with the holy object, they details carefully explained and all the immediately become the cause of while through production, the manufac- www.yamantaka.org enlightenment." turer's work must be checked." www.vairayogini-retreats.com Tony Simmons, Maitreya Project's Many of the statues for the shrine artwork manager, is commissioning and rooms at the upper throne level have 1-800-819-2288 managing the creation of 1.3 million been ordered and are in the process of pieces of holy art. Many of these images being made in India, Nepal and Tibet. are repeated (for instance, there are 1 Larsen and Toubro, one of India's Take advantage of million small Maitreya images) so there leading construction companies and one Canada's exchange rate! are actually 600 completely different of Maitreya Project's main construction pieces. When asked about the challenges engineers, is developing the methods for of his responsibilities, Tony said, producing the 100,000 stupas needed. MANDALA • DECEMBER 2001 - FEBRUARY 2002 PAGE 89 NEWS ROUNDUP what's new for into seven other languages are currently Chenrezig's study program continues young and old underway. in March 2002 with a new round of subjects Translation Projects: The Lamrim starting with Mind and Mental Factors. By Merry Colony Chenmo translation into Chinese by Contact [email protected] for A series of children's booklets for use Sherab Chen and Roy Li is almost com- more details. in schools, as aids for teachers, or by an plete. Volume One, which goes through adult wishing to help a child develop the 'being of middle scope,' is now ready meditation experience, is being created for publishing. The Sutra of Golden Light 1Y8MoVirOnn by Sandy Smith. The first two are is currently being translated into Jamyang Buddhist Centre's second Meditations for Children, containing lively Spanish by Ven. Champa Shenphen two-year Certificate Course in Basic Bud- line drawings to accompany meditation and a new Medicine Buddha retreat dhist Studies taught by Geshe Tashi in Lon- instructions, and Plays for Children, sadhana has been translated by Fabrizio don has finished. Geshe Tashi presented which originated from Lama Zopa Pallotti. Lama Zopa Rinpoche's transla- each graduate with a Kadampa stupa and a Rinpoche's wish to integrate curriculum tion of the long Hayagriva sadhana is certificate, signed by Lama Zopa and him- that demonstrates ethics, compassion, now final. self. These things, he said, weren't impor- wisdom, etc., in a participatory format. For a full listing of all Education tant but they will be treasured as symbols of Bev Gwyn of Vajrapani Institute has Department activities as well as prayers a course that for many people had become a prepared a manual on how to set up and and practices visit www.fpmt.orgleducation central point of stability in their lives. run a Buddhist summer camp for kids. or email materials@fpmt/org Students around Europe have begun Version 2 of the Basic Program ■ the next two-year Foundation of Buddhist (BP) CD is out. This CD includes every- f r:11811.nellttrl al ntric Thought course. The program will also be thing a center needs: guidelines, root available as a correspondence course from texts in Tibetan, translations in English, This final year of Chenrezig Institute's January 2002. See www.jamyang.co.uk for contemporary commentaries by FPMT first round of the Buddhist Studies Program more information. * geshes as well as example quizzes and focuses on tantra. A four-week module on exams. Highlights include new transla- the lower tantras is followed by eight weeks tions of Tantric Grounds and Paths and on Highest Yoga Tantra and a six-week Mind and Mental Factors. commentary on Yamantaka practice. The The new standard FPMT introduc- program is taught by Geshe Tashi Tsering, tory program (Discovering Buddhism: assisted by Ven. Antonio Satta. h An FPMT Introductory Program of Bud- For most participants the modules t Ba are full time — four days per week of in dhist Studies) will be taught in various b teachings, tutorials and discussions, with Ro FPMT centers from January 2002. to: o Two volumes of Essential Buddhist study, revision and exam prep in the Prayers, an FPMT Prayer Book, are now evenings and on weekends. "The materi- Geshe-la frequently used the analogy of the chocolate in circulation, with Volume Three com- al itself is complex, and its integration coin to describe the study of the two truths. By licking one ing soon.