Invoking the Blessings of the
16 ARHATS THE ALMS PROCESSION TAKES A NEW FORM January 14, 2014 | Tergar Monastery, Bodhgaya
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he Alms Procession, an annual feature of the Kagyu Monlam in Bodhgaya, took on a new form and meaning this year when the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa revived another Kagyu tradition, the Procession of the 16 Arhats. Originally, during the time of the 7th, 9th and 10th Karmapas, this procession of the 16 Arhats was held on the final day of the MonlamChenmo. During the time of the 15th and 16th Karmapas it was held on full-moon day in the first month of the Tibetan year. The 17th Gyalwang Karmapa has given this tradition new life by incorporating it into the Alms Procession, and he invested
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his time and energy to ensure that it went well. On Sunday evening, amid much laughter, he personally chose the gelongs who would represent the Arhats in the procession. He checked each candidate, made jokes about height and weight, and debated whether an Arhat could wear glasses or not. Sadly, because of the masks they have to wear, the short-sighted didn’t qualify. He then ushered them upstairs to check that the costumes and masks fitted them.
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On Monday evening he stayed in the Monlam Pavilion late into the night to supervise the re-arrangement of the stage and general seating for the Alms Procession. And today, throughout, the procession, the Gyalwang Karmapa was directing – occasionally he could be seen speaking through a microphone concealed in his robes. The 16 Arhats also known as the 16 Elders, were personally chosen by Shakyamuni Buddha from amongst his disciples. He asked them to remain in the world, protecting the Dharma for as long as beings are capable of benefitting from the teachings, and they vowed at the time of his parinirvana to remain in the world and maintain the Dharma until the teachings came to an end at the appearance of the next World Buddha, Maitreya.
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This continues to be their role, so the prayer to the 16 Elders is usually recited during teachings. As His Holiness explained, “We’re inviting the Arhats to join…mainly in order to help the Dharma flourish. The Dharma teachings are the sole medicine, the sole salve for all sentient beings. It’s the only medicine to eliminate the sufferings of sentient beings.” The 16 Arhats wear costumes and masks; their features and the style of their robes reflect the Chinese tradition of the Arhats, which was introduced into Tibet at the time of the restoration of Buddhism in the 10th century and recorded in a great thangka. Each of the Arhats can be distinguished by the sacred objects he is carrying, as well as the size of his retinue.
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The procession started from the main shrine room of Tergar Monastery. Preceded by three incense bearers and 16 banners, the 16 Arhats and their retinues circumambulated the main temple once before making their way through the main gate and along the road towards the Monlam Pavilion. Non-members and the sangha were directed to wait inside the pavilion, where the Gyalwang Karmapa and his two heart sons, JamgonKongtrul Rinpoche and GoshirGyaltsab Rinpoche, sat on the stage, leading the prayers. The chantmasters first recited the Refuge prayer and then began the recitation of the Prostrations and Offerings to the 16 Elders.
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As the serbang passed under the welcome gate, the prayer concluded, and the gyaling, horns drums and cymbals burst into sound, echoing through the pavilion. The Gyalwang Karmapa, JamgonKongtrul Rinpoche and Gyaltsab Rinpoche stood respectfully to greet the Arhats as the procession slowly made its way down the central aisle on the red carpet. Once everyone was seated, the Arhats in pairs on cushions, their retinues behind them on carpets, the pavilion was filled once more with the prayer of Prostrations and Offerings to the 16 Elders, as representatives of the Gyalwang Karmapa’s labrang came forward to make the first simple offerings, placing them into the alms bowls on ornately carved wooden tables in front of each pair of Arhats. They were followed by laypeople who were allowed to come forward and make small offerings of fruit, biscuits, sweets and so forth. As their alms bowls filled, the Arhats passed them back, the bowls were emptied into white plastic sacks, an empty one was passed forward, and the process began again.
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www.buddhaair.com
The Opening Ceremony of the 1st Annual
Buddha Air offers a
ARYA KSHEMA WINTER DHARMA GATHERING
panoramic view of the Himalayas in just one hour
January 20, 2014 The main shrine hall of Tergar Monastery had been transformed for this the first ever Karma Kamtsang Nuns’ Winter Dharma Gathering. The magnificent, brightly-coloured stitched thangkas of the Kagyu forefathers and lineage holders, which had lined the sides of the Monlam Pavilion aisle, now hung on either side of the central section of the shrine room. The 197 nuns, drawn from 6 Karma Kagyu nunneries in Bhutan, India and Nepal, along with a scattering of Chinese and Western nuns who follow the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, sat patiently in rows of raised seats, and a nun umze waited to lead the chanting. The Winter Debate session for Karma Kamtsang monks has been running for seventeen years but this is the very first time when the nuns of the Karma Kamtsang have been called together at the behest of the Gyalwang Karmapa. He has chosen to call it the Arya Kshema after the nun of the same name who was the foremost of the Buddha’s female disciples, the wisest of the wise and the most confident, as a cause for the nuns to become better educated and more confident. During the event many speakers including Gyalwang Karmapa himself, talked about the equal place of nuns in the Dharma and the empowerment and status of women of the world, on the whole. 72 | w w w . v a i r o c h a n a . c o m
Kathmandu
Varanasi
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T
he second and the grandest annual festival of Shechen monastery, is something to look forward to every year. It takes place in Nepal during March/April, on the tenth day of the second lunar month, and in Tibet during June/ July on the tenth day of the fifth month.
TSECHU CHAM The Festival of the Tenth Day
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Words & Images by Ven. Matthieu Ricard
In Nepal an influx of mountain-dwellers from the Himalayas jostles with inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley to form an audience of thousands during the festival. The dance festival is the culmination of a long ritual lasting several days and nights, in which monks, nuns, and laypeople practice together in the temple from dawn to dusk. Then the monks take turns for the nightly vigil so that the prayer, ritual, and meditation are never interrupted. To conclude this intense meditation the monks dance for two days in the monastery courtyard in the presence of several thousand spectators. w w w. v a i ro c h a n a . c o m
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The Seven Line Prayer The original inspiration for the dance festival of the tenth day was a vision of Guru Chowang in the twelfth century. It starts with the demarcation of the boundaries of the mandala, performed by the wrathful deities, and continues with the ‘rain of blessings’ in which eight dakinis in copper masks sing the melodious seven-line prayer to invoke the blessing of Padmasambhava. It is said that, like a mother who hears her child crying, Padmasambhava cannot refuse the call of this prayer.
The Death of the Ego Following the dance of the golden libation, there are two dances (gsum rgnam and tshogs len) that depict the liberation or ‘putting to death’ of the ego. This is the liberation of the negative forces in the space of absolute truth, a liberation that takes the form of a ritual killing: an effigy representing attachment to the ego is dismembered by the dagger of transcendent wisdom.
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The Dance of the Sixteen Heroes The symbolism of this dance is particularly deep and complex. It concerns the spiritual energies linking the mind and the body. The sixteen heroes (ging) represent the sixteen types of essence (laindu) whose movements in the subtle channels (nadi) bring about transformations in the vital “breath” (prana). The interaction between the gings and their assistants, the tsoklen, takes the form of a riotous pursuit in which the dancers weave and turn in every direction amid raucous whistles. The basic meaning of this is the manifestation of emptiness and compassion.
The Drum Dance of Drametse The sage and scholar Kunga Gyaltsen, a descendent of the great Pema Lingpa, had numerous visions of Padmasambhava. In one of these, he visited the glorious copper-colored mountain, the ‘pure land’ of Padmasambhava that symbolizes the pure aspect of the phenomenal world. In the course of a ritual feast, the knowledge-holders surrounding Padmasambhava metamorphosed into 108 peaceful and wrathful deities, and performed a majestic symbolic dance. After that vision, Kunga Gyaltsen added texts revealed by other visionary masters to what he had seen himself, and wrote a text in 21 chapters describing a dance that is regularly performed in Bhutan. 78 | w w w . v a i r o c h a n a . c o m
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The Eight Manifestations of Padmasambhava The high point during the two days of dances is the representation of the eight manifestations of Padmasambhava, a historical dance celebrating the coming of Buddhism to Tibet. In the course of his activities for the benefit of beings, Padmasambhava took on different appearances, such as a Buddha, a king, a yogi, or a learned sage, and also at times appeared in terrifying forms to remove obstacles on the path. The most important of those manifestations are known literally as the ‘eight names’ of Padmasambhava. They symbolize eight spiritual experiences or eight aspects of enlightenment. 80 | w w w . v a i r o c h a n a . c o m
Pema Gyalpo, the Lotus King This is the aspect of Padmasambhava when he was born in a lotus, in the form of an eight-year-old child, and became the adopted son of King Indrabodhi and crown prince of the kingdom of Uddiyana. His miraculous birth in the heart of a lotus in the center of Lake Dhanakosha is charged with significance for the practitioner. A lotus, the flower that springs unsullied from the mud, is the perfect metaphor for the original purity of the nature of mind, which is never muddied by the emotions.
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Tsokye Dorje, the Lake-Born Diamond After leaving his kingdom, Padmasambhava became a yogi and went to the charnel ground of Cool Grove, a terrifying place, where he demonstrated the way to transcend birth and death.
Shakya Senge, the Lion of the Shakyas In his next manifestation, Padmasambhava adopts the monastic life, thus underlining the importance of the basic vehicle, or I-Iinayana. Shakya is the name of the clan of the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni. The proclamation of truth is compared to a lion’s roar, awakening beings from the torpor of ignorance. Here Padmasambhava can be considered as a special manifestation of Shakyamuni, destined to spread the teaching of the tantras.
Nyima Ozer, Rays of the Sun Appearing in the form of a wild yogi with yellow - gold complexion and long hair gathered in a topknot, he wears a crown of five skulls and a tiger-skin skirt. He carries a trident, or khatvanga, in his right hand and holds the sun with a lasso of rays in his left.
Padmasambhava, Lotus-Born With this name he manifested as a great pandit, or scholar of the dharma. In the garb of a doctor of philosophy, wearing a pandit’s hat, he taught the philosophy of Buddhism. In order to attain enlightenment, understanding the teaching is as necessary as practicing it. Thus study and practice are like two wings. One cannot learn to fly by developing one without the other.
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Loden Choktse, Scholar This is the manifestation in which Padma (Padmasambhava) received the main tantric teachings from his eight teachers, the eight knowledge-holders of India. Subsequently, empowered by that transmission, he went to the kingdom of Zahor, where he took the princess Mandarava as his disciple. Accused by the king of having seduced the king’s daughter, Padma was condemned to be burnt alive, but his burning pyre transformed into a lake, in the middle of which Padma sat, radiant upon a lotus. Filled with remorse, the king offered him his garments and his kingdom. Padma embodies the power of truth that overcomes all false accusation and censure.
Senge Dradrok, the Roaring Lion When the Buddhist pandits at Bodhgaya were seriously threatened by powerful tirthika masters (tirthika: “ford-makers,” the name given to members of non-Buddhist religious, occult, or philosophical sects) who had challenged them to a magical combat, a dakini, who appeared as an old woman, advised them to appeal to her ‘brother’ through prayer. Padma appeared and vanquished the tirthikas by his miraculous power. They then decided to kill him with black magic. He took on a terrifying form and, through wrathful mantras, pulverized his enemies with 84 | w w w . v a i r o c h a n a . c o m
lightning and meteors and liberated their consciousness. Then, with a roar like a lion, he proclaimed the truth. Here the tirthikas symbolize dualistic views of good and bad and occult practices seeking personal power. Senge Dradrok is the power of truth which, like a mirror, sends evil back to its source.
Dorje Drolo, LooseBellied Diamond He is the most astonishing of the eight manifestations: deep red and extremely wrathful, with three bloodshot eyes and red hair, he stands on a pregnant tigress, surrounded by flames. Padmasambhava manifested in this form in Bhutan, when he was staying at Paro Taktsang, ‘the tiger’s lair’ where he subdued the local demons and deities and hid numerous spiritual treasures, or termas, for the benefit of future generations. At the end of the leaping majestic dance of Dorje Drolo, who subdues the negative forces opposed to peace in the world, Padmasambhava, his eight manifestations, and a hundred monks enter the temple in procession in a climax of music, fluttering banners, and collective fervor. As evening approaches, the gathering of pilgrims who have shared this moment together disperse, and soon the courtyard, which reverberated with so much animation, is silent.
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The dance that takes
evil away
THRANGU TSEDRUB
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Thrangu Monastery have been performing this sadhana and the Cham every year for a week during the Lhabab Dhuchen at the Thrangu Tashi Yangste Monastery in Namo Buddha.
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here was a major earthquake in Thrangu Monastery during the life of the 14th Karmapa. So the Rinpoches and monks from the monastery asked HH the Karmapa for assistance. HH the Karmapa advised that the monastery be rebuilt so the Dharma would still continue to be spread far and wide. He also suggested that the Great Terton Chogyur Lingpa be invited to the monastery site. The monks of the Thrangu Monastery followed the instructions of Karmapa and The Great Terton Chogyur Lingpa was invited. He performed the ‘Taming of the Land’ after the monastery was rebuilt. He prophesied that the monks of the Thrangu Monastey needed to perform the elaborate way of ‘Tsedrub Thabshey Khajor’. He also showed and taught the elaborate way of performing the Cham, a lively mask dance ritual to expel evil forces and bring good fortune. As implicated in the holy text, the Cham was performed by making a right circle to the right three times, making a left circle to the left three times, dancing by scattering three times, dancing by gathering three times and so on.
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In the pure realm of Boddhisattva with immeasurable life and wisdom, which is the Dewachen Temple, The Lord Amitayus was sitting in the center and he was surrounded by Gyalpo Sangpo Chog(The Great Kind King), Yum Lhamo Shijichen(The consort Majestic Goddess), Sey Dawai Hod(The son Moonlight), Rimdropa Nyenpa Drima Medpa(The Principal attendant Pleasantly Stainless) and other Boddhisattvas. In front of all these Great Buddhas and Boddhisattvas, the Sixteen Goddess performed this majestic dance which was witnessed by the Great Terton Chogyur Lingpa. He then taught this majestic dance to the monks of the monastery. Performing the Cham helps not just in spreading the Dharma but also in bringing peace and happiness to the whole world. In particular, whoever has the chance to witness the dance every year will receive special blessings and the obstacles in the life of the viewer will be removed for that year. After the Cultural Revolution in Tibet, the Dharma was badly destroyed and there were lots of disasters. The essence of the lands and countries were heavily corrupted. So the present Thrangu Rinpoche thought that to revive the Dharma and to bring peace in the world, it would be best if we could revive the tradition of ‘Thrangu Tsedrub’, or the long-life sadhana. Then in the year 2007, two senior Chanting Masters, Lama Dawa Phurpa and Nima Tashi, from Thrangu Monastery in Nepal were sent to the Thrangu Monastery in 90 | w w w . v a i r o c h a n a . c o m
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Tibet to learn about the special rituals of “Thrangu Tsedrub”. During their month-long stay they also learned the Tsedrub Cham and after perfecting all the ritual they returned to Nepal. After getting back to Nepal, the two Chanting Masters taught the Cham to the monks of Thrangu Monastery in Boudha, Namo Buddha and Varanasi. The nuns of Thrangu Monastery in Swayambhu were also a part of this holy learning experience. In November of the same year, the Very Venerable Thrangu Rinpoche handed over the empowerment of ‘Tsedrub Thabshey Khajor’ to all the monks and nuns of Thrangu Monastery at the very holy site of Namo Buddha, the place where the present Buddha in one of his earlier lives offered his body to a hungry tigress and her cubs. Since then, monks and nuns of Thrangu Monastery have been performing this sadhana and the Cham every year for a week during the Lhabab Dhuchen at the Thrangu Tashi Yangste Monastery in Namo Buddha. By the merit of this Tsedrub sadhana, peace has settled in the country and the Dharma activities of the Thrangu Monastery are also spreading far and wide.
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The Biography of Ven.
GYALPO RINPOCHE (1913 – 1975)
The Venerable 1st Gyalpo Rinpoche was born in 1913 in the village of Braka in Manang. Since a very young age, he showed deep devotion in the Buddha Dharma. When the greatly realized Dzogchen master, the Ven. Kushog Wangyal Rinpoche, who was the main disciple of Tokten Shakya Shire made a visit to Manang, he was impressed with the young child and prophesied that the young man would become an excellent practitioner and benefit many beings in the future. Gyalpo Rinpoche went to Nubri, to study under Ven. Kushog Wangyal Rinpoche. He completely mastered all the Shastras and Tantras, particularly those of the Dzogchen tradition. Upon his return to Manang, he established Karma Samten Chokhor Ling, known as Karma Samten Ling today. He started to guide the community in the Manang region. When he visited H H the 16th Karmapa in 1963 at Rumtek Monastery and received the pith instructions from him, he became the holder of both the Dzogchen and Mahamudra lineages. Since then the Karma Kagyu lineage has flourished and become renowned in that region. In the same year, Rinpoche established Karma Drubghyud Chokhor Ling Monastery at Matopani, Pokhara. Through oral instructions, he guided many illiterate lay disciples and also ordained Sangha, and among them, many showed great signs of inner attainment; for example, when they passed away, they remained in the meditative state for a few days (Thug Dam). The 1st Ven. Gyalpo Rinpoche’s contribution toward establishing Buddhism in the Manang region is a remarkable legacy for the future generations of the people of Manang.
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Lumbini
Karma Samten Ling Monastery in
Rinpoche’s vision was to build a monastery in Lumbini. It is well known that Nepal is a deeply significant place for Buddhists for many reasons, mainly because it is the birthplace of the Lord Buddha. This holy site of Lumbini makes Nepal a very special country. Over the past 2600 years, countless Buddhist shrines and sacred sites have been erected enhancing this precious land. Now, in the 21st Century, it is home to many major Buddhist monasteries and followers of Lord Buddha. Nepal is also increasingly a destination
of which they can enjoy for the rest of their lives. And which four are they? They are the site where the Lord Buddha was born, the site where the Buddha attained full and complete Buddhahood, the site where the Lord Buddha turned the Wheel of the Dharma with twelve aspects, and the site where the Lord Buddha passed away into Parinirvana. Bhikshus, let those who have faith in me know that, after I have gone, these are the sites to visit and the monuments to circumambulate where they can pay their respect by prostrating and making offerings. By doing so, they will all create the merit producing the happy states, the worlds of the higher realms and beyond.” Therefore Lumbini is extremely precious and important for those who are earnestly seeking peace, a site which is an inexhaustible treasure of universal happiness. In this 21rst century, outer material comforts and advancements are rapidly being developed. Our whole world is becoming modernized, yet our inner mind is still poverty-stricken and we lack satisfaction in our own achievements. All individuals, societies, and nations are struggling for peace and happiness, yet we are continually ignoring the right cause and methods for achieving our goal. In this regard it is of upmost importance to follow the guidance of Lord Buddha. As the Nepali Government had proclaimed that 2012 was Visit Lumbini Year, the Ven.Gyalpo Rinpoche took the opportunity to hold the grand Kagyu Monlam officiated by H E.Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche along with thousands of monks and nuns in the newly built Karma Samten Ling Monastery. There was also opening ceremony of the Temple by the Honourable Gopal Kirati, Minister of Federal Affairs and Culture on the 24th of March, 2012. It was Rinpoche’s deepest aim and wish that establishing the Temple and hosting the 13th Annual Nepal Kagyu Monlam in Lumbini would be a great blessing for this country, as well as for the entire world.
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he Ven. Gyalpo Rinpoche the Second was born in Tsumje VDC,Gorkha district in 1978 and enthroned in 1984 at Pal Dilyak monastery by H.E Shamar Rinpoche and H E Tai Situ Rinpoche and Kyabje Dabzang Rinpoche. After his enthronement, Rinpoche began his formal monastic education under the guidance of Choje Lama Phuntshok, and in 2012 he completed the traditional three year retreat at Sherab Ling Himachal Pradesh, India.
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Ven. Gyalpo Rinpoche was appointed by the Ministry of the Local Development Committee of the Nepali government as Chairman of Monastery Management and Development Committee from 1998-2000. He was the youngest Chairperson to ever serve in this position, and showed remarkable ability in overseeing the development of monasteries. The Nepali Government made him a generous offering of a piece of land for Rinpoche to build a monastery in Lumbine.
for countless travelers who are seeking the profound view of Lord Buddha and the path to happiness and peace. The Lord Buddha specifically instructed the Sangha in the Vinaya Sutra: “Bhikshus, after I have gone, there are four pilgrimage sites for noble sons and daughters to visit, the memory
Rinpoche travels regularly to South East Asia and other parts of the world to share his Buddhist knowledge. He resides at his seat in Karma Samten Ling, Kathmandu . Being aware of the importance of education, Rinpoche has put great efforts into providing a comprehensive education for monks and nuns, providing them with both a secular and a Buddhist education, including training in ritual practices. w w w. v a i ro c h a n a . c o m
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Musical Offerings to the
BUDDHA
The
Marme Monlam January 16, 2014
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Monlam Pavilion, Bodhgaya Right on time at 7:30pm, the Gyalwang Karmapa arrived to take his seat in front of the stage and the light show started, bathing the stage in indigo blue as the spotlights found the golden statue of the Buddha, which seemed to float in space. Two monks opened the ceremonies with words of praise and a small recitation. Â After this invocation, warm greetings were offered to all the guests, beginning with JamgĂśn Kongtrul Rinpoche and Gyaltsap Rinpoche, the tulkus and khenpos, continuing to the ordained and lay sangha, who had come from around the world. When the great Monlams were held during the time of the 7th Karmapa, Chodrak Gyatso, prayers and aspirations were recited in the morning; and in the afternoon, theatrical performances were given. In order to revive this wonderful tradition as the Karmapa wished, the Marme Monlam offered an extended program of music, song, and dance this year. The Karmapa was then invited to speak. After welcoming everyone, he said that one thing all living beings wish for is to have happiness in their mind and to be freed from the suffering in samsara. Therefore, we should bring happiness to others in all the ways that we can. Touching on some of his favorite topics, the Karmapa stated that the performances this evening were not worldly ones but intertwined with the Dharma. 100 | w w w . v a i r o c h a n a . c o m
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The first event of the evening was a practice of Chenrezik called All-Pervading Benefit for Beings, which was recited by four umdzes (chant-masters). Both the Dalai Lama and the Karmapa are said to be emanations of Chenrezik, the embodiment of compassion. This practice of opening our hearts to all living beings set the framework for the entire evening. The presentation which followed celebrated the beauty of the natural world. The introduction by the MC also educated the audience about the importance of preserving our environment. The earth with its complex ecosystems is what sustains our life, and we need to care for it. In particular, Tibet is suffering from the results of human activity. Tibetan glaciers are melting and they supply water to a large portion of the people who live in Asia, so we must take responsibility to protect the waters in Tibet and to preserve its environment. On the large screen filling the back of the stage, awesome images of nature were projected ̶ landscapes of vast plains and majestic mountains, clouds resting gently around their peaks. These photos were interspersed with images of the performers: a flautist, a drummer, a woman playing a traditional Chinese stringed instrument, and a man on an electric piano. The next piece was about the invaluable animals that inhabit the environment. It was played by the new ten-piece orchestra the Karmapa created from traditional Tibetan and Chinese instruments. In contrast to the previous music, this composition, called Hoof Beats of the Yak, was a happy one of animals walking through nature; one can feel their lively gait in the music. The lights were the colors of a rainbow and the images on the big screen were of wild birds taking flight, yak herds in Tibet, and water buffalo. 102 | w w w . v a i r o c h a n a . c o m
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The orchestra returned for the next piece, which offered a poem, called A Joyful Aspiration, along with a melody composed by the Karmapa. This evening, the poem was sung by a group of four women and one man with the two flutes. The screen displayed classic images of Tibet celebrated in the Karmapa’s song: Tibetan faces of all ages, mani wheels, monks blowing conch shells, a woman making a prostration, and prayer flags lifted by the wind. The final performance of the evening celebrated the connection between India and Tibet with a doha of the Indian master Tilopa, who was a forefather of the Kagyu lineage. In appreciation
Traditions are a font of knowledge passed down through generations, an inheritance of wisdom that we need to preserve. The next group was of singers and dancers from the Bhutanese Royal Academy for Performing Arts. They offered a dance to accompany a song written by the 17thJe Khenpo of Bhutan. It is a happy performance reflecting the auspiciousness that the song celebrates.
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of this relationship, the Karmapa encouraged the tradition of singing these dohas in Sanskrit and in 2010 invited Dr. R.S. Nandakumar to sing this Tilopa doha at the Karmapa 900 celebration. Dr. Nandakumar returned this year, along with his wife, Dr. Radhika Nandakumar, who performed a classical Indian dance.
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The final event of the evening was the Lamp Prayer. In full monk’s robes, the Karmapa walked up to his place in the middle of the stage, just below the Buddha, and sat holding a radiant lotus at his heart. As during an empowerment, he recited the Lamp Prayer phrase by phrase, which the audience repeated. He then led the singing in a resonant and lovely voice, performing for the first time at the Monlam. The audience joined in while holding up lotus shaped lights or round candles in small ceramic cups. The Pavilion became a night-time sea with thousands of stars reflected in it. And on stage the Karmapa sat in golden light, a Buddha beneath the Buddha. 106 | w w w . v a i r o c h a n a . c o m
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Homage to the Omniscient One! The Very Ven. the late Khenchen Appey Rinpoche-la
IBA 2014 Course Schedule Off campus
Sangha on campus room and meals
Sangha off campus
$255. US
$495. US Arr. July 31st Dep. Aug 29th before noon if not taking next course
$195. US
$255. US
$495. US Arr. Aug 31st Dep. Sep 27th if not taking next course
$195. US
$660. US Arr. Sep 30th Dep. Oct 30th if not taking next course
$255. US
$495. US Arr. Sep 30th Dep. Oct 30th if not taking next course
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$350. US Arr. Nov 2nd Dep. Nov 13th
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$265. US Arr. Nov 2nd Dep. Nov 13th
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IBA 2014 Proposed course name
On campus room and meals
Gorampa’s Abhidharma Commentary August 1st to 28th
$660. US Arr. July 31st Dep. Aug 29th before noon if not taking next course
Practice course September 1st to 26th (An example of a practice teaching is ‘Parting from the Four Attachments’)
$660. US Arr. Aug 31st Dep. Sep 27th if not taking next course
Maitreya’s Madhyantavibaga October 1st to 29th
10 Day Retreat November 3rd to 12th
Returning students of IBA will receive a 10% discount on course fees. Students with a valid current ID from another educational institution will receive a 20% discount on course fees (but will not be eligible for the additional 10% returning to IBA discount). $40. US registration fee (1 per year) will be added to your course fee total. Number or kind of courses you register in will not change this fee. No discounts. If you are from a SAARC country and have a valid visa, you may be eligible for a Dharma course fee discount, but nor for the registration fee or accommodation. 108 | w w w . v a i r o c h a n a . c o m
Further details will be available as arrangements with teachers subjects w w wand . v atheir iroc h a n a .are c o confirmed. m | 109 If you have any queries please contact IBA at 2register4iba@gmail.com
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Vol 2
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Issue 11
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Jun. - Mar. 2014
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Rs. 300
THE GREAT ILLUMINATOR
The eye of new awareness
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ANCIENT DISCOVERIES IN BUDDHA’S BIRTHPLACE
THARLAM MONASTERY
NIBBANA FOR EVERYONE
HOW TO RECITE THE MANI MANTRA
MEMORIES OF KHENSUR w w wRINPOCHE . v a i r o c h a nOF a . KOPAN c o m | 115