Vol i
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issue 7
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December - February 2012/13
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rs. 300
The GreaT iLLuminaTor
The eye of new awareness
THe IMPoRTANCe oF STuDyING THe BuDDHA DHARMA
JAMCHeN LHAKHANG MoNASTeRy
LAMA ZoPA RINPoCHe ANIMAL LIBeRATIoN
20th ReMoTe ouTReACH MICRoSuRGICAL eye CAMP
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Contents The Importance of Studying the Buddha Dharma ...................4-17 Jamchen Lhakhang Monastery ..............................18 - 36 The Great Sakya Aspiration Prayer Festival (Monlam in Lumbini) .............38 - 47 Mustang Nepal’s Former Kingdom of Lo ........................48- 57 Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Animal Liberation ....................58- 63 20th Remote Outreach Microsurgical Eye Camp ..........64-71 Thangkas Past and Present ......72-77 The Gunakar Mahavihar (Chusya-Bahal).........................78-87 Universal Beads of Faith...........88-91
Editorial puBLiSher’S
aCKnoWLeDGmenT
The publisher gratefully acknowledges the generous help of Stanley Teo-la in sponsoring the printing of this issue of “Vairochana.”
S
pecial appreciations to Ven. Jhampa Losal-la and Stan-la for helping to finance this print publication and for your continuous support, encouragement and backing. It’s been a privilege to know both of you. You have both touched my life in special ways and have been my pillars of strength on the path of Dharma. I admire your act of kindness and salute you both as pure bodhisattvas. I request all the different monasteries whose articles are published in this issue to join me in rejoicing in their merits and act of virtue.
i dedicate this great compassion mantra of aVaLoKiTeSVara to you!
DeDiCaTion “VairoChana” offers this dedication to the Triple Gem, or the three treasures, the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha. Wishing everyone an inspiring and enjoyable read ahead!
Pasang Sherpa
DAO Ktm Regd. 207 – 068 / 069
puBLiSher & eDiTor in ChieF Pasang Sherpa
December - February 2012/13
w w w . v a i r o c h a n a . c o m CoVer The Maitreya Buddha statue inside Jamchen Lhakhang monastery is probably the biggest Maitreya statute in Nepal and India.
Vairochana: is a quarterly magazine. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopy without written permission. Vairochana is not responsible for statements expressed in signed articles or advertising claims.
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tHE
iMPORTANCE of
sTUDYING tHE
bUDDHA DHARMA The Very Ven. the late Khenchen Appey Rinpoche Translated by
Ven. Shastri Jhampa Losal & Karen White
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Homage to the Omniscient One! w w w. v a i ro c h a n a . c o m
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On listening to the teachings of the Lord Buddha, the only One who aspires to benefit all the sentient beings of the three realms. The unsurpassable teacher, having meditated upon great compassion for countless aeons, attained the allperceiving wisdom. His purpose was to transmit the teachings concerning the obtainment of rebirth in the higher realms, and about attaining liberation, thus opening the eye of wisdom for those who had not yet seen the path of benefit and happiness, due to their blindness. Therefore, acquiring the eye of wisdom by listening devotedly to the words of Lord Buddha, applying oneself to entering into the excellent path of the teachings,, and leading others into that path, is an unsurpassable activity. It is stated in many sutras, and supported by logical reasonings, that expounding and listening to four words of the Buddha’s teachings is far more meritorious than making offerings to the Triple Gem of an entire world, filled with seven different kinds of precious jewels. The reason is, that making offerings of material wealth is the cause of samsaric prosperity, whereas expounding and listening to the teachings is the cause of the Noble Dharma. As a further example, the Sadharmapundarika (Sutra) says, If someone reveres, honors, pays homage and makes offerings to the Tathagatas who fill the whole three-thousandfold world system, and reside therefor as many aeons as there are sand grains in the River Ganges, and if that person also generates similar merit by revering, and so forth, the stupas of those gone to parinirvana, then, compared to the merit generated thus, the merit of someone who perfectly enters into, and utters the words of the well-spoken Dharma, such as ‘all phenomena are impermanent, or suffering or empty or without self, then the latter, Ananda, is more meritorious than the first.
Why is this so? Ananda, it is like this because acts of giving, other than these, are accompanied by defilements and afflictions and are the cause of one’s wandering in samsara. Wlieras, Ananda, the treasure of the precious Dharma, which has been practiced for uncountable millions of aeons without material things, is unsurpassable. With it, the continuum of
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samsara is cut. Ananda, when they hear this precious and unsurpassable Dharma, beings who are subjected to birth will be totally liberated from birth; beings who are subjected to sickness, death, anguish, wailing lament, misery, mental unhappiness and mental disturbances will be totally liberated from all of those, from sickness, up to menial disturbances. Ananda, having seen the basis of meaning of this, both the one who respectfully expounds the Dharma, and the one who listens respectfully to the Dharma, generate much merit. Thus I say, Ananda, the one who respectfully expounds the Dharma to a Bhikshu who is seeking for Dharma, and the Bhikshu who also respectfully listens to the Dharma, both of these two generate immeasurable merit, they generate vast, uncountable merit. Whether one can abandon samsara or not, is solely dependent upon whether one has heard the Buddha Dharma or not. To confirm this, Acharya Aryadeva said, The coming together of a listener, the Dharma to be listened to, and a teacher who teaches the Dharma is very difficult to find. Therefore, in brief, samsara is both endless and not endless. This means that the human life which has leisure and the endowments, the Buddha Dharma to which one listens, and a Dharma Master who teaches, are all hard to find. If one is able to listen to the Dharma, through these three, then one can abandon samsara, so samsara is not endless. If all these three factors are not present, then one cannot abandon samsara, and therefore samsara is endless. This is further illustrated in another Sutra, For the exhausted, the road is long, For the sleepless, the night is long, Fikewise, for the child-like beings Devoid of Dharma knowledge, samsara is long. Only the Buddha Dharma is confirmed to be the path which abandons samsara. This is because, although there are other teachings which explain that samsara should be viewed as suffering, and which recognize attachment to be a fault, which discard bad karma and practice austerities, and in which adepts receive various vows and so forth, these methods alone cannot cut the root of samsara. Therefore, these teachings cannot reverse samsara. The root of samsara is self-grasping, and the antidote for this is the wisdom of apprehending selflessness. The selflessness which is to be understood by that wisdom, is only expounded by the Buddha. Moreover, the profound methods for obtaining liberation and omniscience are also taught by the Buddha, alone. Therefore, Acharya Vasubandhu said, Buddha’s doctrine is hard to find Without it there is no liberation. Thus, aspiring for liberation One should listen devotedly to it.
Furthermore, in the Abhidharma, when briefly showing the manifest realizations of the path for each of the three Yanas, Vasubandhu said, One who has developed Moral discipline, hearing and contemplation Should undertake the practice of meditation. The Mahayana path must be completed in this way, with these four characteristics: moral discipline, which is the cause of not being distracted; hearing, which is the cause of not being ignorant; contemplation, which is the cause of ascertainment; and meditation, which is the cause of parting from the defilements. In the Sutralamkara it is also said, If meaning were conceived merely by hearing, meditation would become purposeless. If one enters into meditation without even hearing, Buddha’s doctrine would become purposeless. As it is said clearly in the Sutralamkara, both hearing and meditation are important. Otherwise, if one could comprehend the meaning merely by hearing, there would be no purpose for meditation. Similarly, if only meditation without hearing were sufficient, then there would exist the fault of the Buddha’s teachings having no significance. From the Vinaya also, it is said that one should not meditate in isolation unless one holds the Tripitaka. Further, the Pramana philosophy states, Attainment should be preceded by entry into the Dharma, Entry should be preceded by comprehension In order for the fruit of attainment to be achieved, the cause of that fruit, which is entering the path, must come first. Likewise, entering the path must be preceded by knowledge of the path. The enlightenment of a Shravaka can be achieved even with a little hearing, but in order to obtain perfect enlightenment one requires vast hearing. That is why it is explained in the sutras that becoming a Completely Enlightened One depends upon vast hearing. In the Bodhicharyavatara it is also said, There is nothing that a Bodhisattva should not be trained in. Some say, that even though listening to the Dharma is required in order to teach others, listening to the Dharma is not required for one’s own practice. Making this kind of statement can hinder others immeasurably, barring them from entering into the Buddha’s doctrine. This is because, without even hearing it, one can not know the Buddha’s Dharma in the first place, so what would it be, that one is practicing? Without knowing the essential points, even if one were to exert oneself in activities of physical and verbal virtue through imitating others, it would be difficult to attain a great
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result or to fulfill a great purpose. In the Bodhicaryavatara, Shantideva says,
contemplation, and having morality as their basis, is the Buddhist tradition.
Just as a person afflicted, or shaken with disease, Is rendered without strength,
The main objective of human activities is to obtain happiness and pleasure and to avoid harm and suffering. This objective can only be met in a very slight way by other means. However, by the Buddha’s teachings, all the flow of suffering, without exception, can be cut; and one can also accomplish permanent happiness.
Likewise, if someone’s mind is agitated by ignorance, They will become powerless in Dharma activities. Some even say that meditation, itself, is adequate and that there is no need to listen to the Dharma, at all. The person who makes such statements shows that they do not understand that hearing and contemplation of the Dharma are, in fact, the causes of meditation. These three: hearing, contemplation and meditation, which are referred to as the three wisdoms, do not arise without each wisdom relying on the previous one, since a result devoid of a cause is not possible. In the Bavanakrama of Kamalashila, If some one asks, what is the assemblage of enlightened wisdom: Thoroughly searching for manifold hearing of Dharma, appropriate contemplation, and so forth. Many so-called learned masters of the modern age, claim that one can learn the sutras adequately merely by going through them, without even the need to rely on a spiritual teacher. This assumption is erroneous, since, without seeking the spiritual guidance of a learned master, it is difficult to understand the meaning of the profound view of the Tathagata. In the Samuccaya Sutra, The victorious one, who possesses supreme qualities, Said that it is in reliance upon spiritual masters That one will comprehend the Buddha Dharma. Further to this, in many sutras it is instructed that one should know the advantages and disadvantages of seeking spiritual masters, in order to be able to rely upon spiritual masters. Otherwise, one would be going against the instructions: ‘even at the cost of one’s life, one must not forsake spiritual masters’, and ‘one should respect the spiritual masters from whom one receives spiritual teachings, in the same manner as one pays obeisance to the Tathagatas. Furthermore, the teachings expounded by the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas would thereby also become purposeless. For this reason it is said, Taking austerity as the essence, is the tradition ofjainism, taking recitation as the essence, is the tradition of Hinduism, and taking meditation preceded by listening to the Dharma as the essence, is the tradition of the Buddha. Moreover, for individuals who believe that their wishes can be fulfilled merely by chanting and recitation, it is proper that they should come to understand the essence of the methods for making human life purposeful. They should be aware that emphasizing austerities is the Jain tradition; emphasizing the recitation of the Vedas is the Brahmin tradition; and that emphasizing meditation preceded by hearing and
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Shantideva prayed for the holy Dharma to remain long, in this way, May the doctrine of the Buddha, The source of all happiness and The only medicine for the suffering of sentient beings, Long remain, through the presence of Benefactors making offerings and Devotees paying reverence. In this verse, Shantideva is praying that the holy doctrine expounded by the Buddha will remain in this world, for a long time, since it is the unsurpassable path through which all sentient beings may obtain the temporary happiness of higher realms and the permanent benefit of perfect liberation. The sutra known as Paltreng Sengei Dra states that if all prayers were to be condensed into one, and if someone were to ask what that prayer is, it is this: May I hold the holy Dharma. In the sutra known as the Space Treasury, the Lord Buddha addressed Maitreya thus, The four activities of the Bodhisattvas are: dispelling all the sufferings and maras, suppressing the harmful forces; being in harmony with the Dharma; thoroughly ripening sentient beings and thoroughly holding and propagating the holy Dharma. The essence of all four of these activities can be condensed into one, which is,‘to thoroughly hold and propagate the holy Dharma’. The great Bodhisattva known as ‘Adorned with Merit’ reported thus to the Lord Buddha, I perceive the roots of all the virtues, other than holding and propagating the holy Dharma, to be only of the size of a sesame seed; but I perceive the roots of virtue of holding and propagating the holy Dharma to be as vast as all of space, in the ten directions. In this way, many sutras describe the measureless merit which will arise from holding and propagating the holy Dharma. Further to this, the Buddha said to his disciples, After my Parinirvana, this holy Dharma will become your teacher. That is ivhy you should hold it, without losing the words or the meaning. The Buddha said further, to Ananda, Ananda! you must make sure that this holy Dharma will
remain for a long time, and that it thoroughly benefits humans and celestial beings. The merit gained by one sentient being who generates the enlightenment thought in order to attain supreme enlightenment, is higher in quality and greater in volume than the merit gained from creating a stupa to house the Buddha’s relics, made entirely from precious jewels, high enough to touch Akanishta and wide enough to contain a three-thousand-fold world system; and moreover, for endless aeons, making offerings to that stupa with all available offering substances. This is because the former will enable the holy Dharma to continue for a long time, so that the lineage of the Buddha will not be broken. A quotation from the Four Hundred Verses supports this, The stupa which is of the nature of precious jewels Created higher than any world you can imagine, The person who has tamed one sentient being Is said to be more supreme than that. If one should ask, ‘what is it that should be held and with what methods should it thus be held’, the Abhidharma gives the following answer, Buddha’s two holy Dharmas are: the teachings and the realization. The only way to hold this, is by both expounding the teaching and by practicing. The Buddha’s Dharma refers to the Tripitaka which is the teaching, and the three trainings which are the Dharma of realization. Teaching the Dharma without error, and meditating on the Dharma of realization, in the correct manner, are the methods by which these two Dharmas should be held. If one does not take refuge in the Triple Gem, one cannot bring an end to the sufferings of samsara. However, the taking of the refuge vow cannot, by itself, accomplish the goal. The precepts of refuge also need to be observed and protected. Associating with noble beings, listening to the holy teachings and practicing in accordance with the Dharma are the precepts of refuge that need to be followed and kept. The one who teaches and practices the Buddhadharma as it has been expounded by the Buddha, is a noble being. The Tripitaka, which is confirmed to be truly the Buddha’s words and the shastras composed by the Acharyas Nagarjuna, Asangha, Vasubandhu, Shantideva and Chandrakirti, in the ways that the Buddha intended, are the doctrine of the Buddha. ‘Practicing in accordance with the Dharma’ means that the teachings and all the practices should be accomplished according to the Buddha’s doctrine.
wisdom will arise; for the one who lias wisdom, defilements will be thoroughly pacified; for the one without defilements the mar as do not find any opening. In a Sutra, it is explained in detail in this way: that there are five benefits of hearing the Holy Dharma. They are, Being able to hear what one has not heard before; Becoming well trained with what one has heard, Removing doubt; Being able to distinguish between right and wrong views, and Being able to comprehend the meaning of the holy Dharma, with the help of wisdom. If I were to explain all the five benefits cited here, the explanation would be too lengthy. Therefore, I will clarify only the first one. The meaning of the first one is that one will be able to hear about the ‘five aggregates’, the ‘eighteen elements’, the ‘twelve sources’, the ‘two truths’, the ‘four truths’, ‘samsara and liberation’, the ‘paths of the three yanas’ together with the faults that can be abandoned by those paths, and both the temporary and the permanent results. One will hear all of these for the first time, never having heard them before. Another Sutra gives one more set of four benefits resulting from hearing the Dharma, in the following way. First, it is said that, ‘by hearing one will understand the Dharma’. This is because, by hearing the doctrine, one will know that the three trainings are the Dharma, as spoken by the Buddha; and one will know that the paths which are expounded by other masters are not the genuine Dharma. Second: After having listened to the Dharma, one would take the vow, and having taken the vow, one would abandon non-virtue. That is why it is said, ‘by hearing, one abandons non-virtue’. Third: ‘By hearing one will abandon all the purposeless things’. This is because, having received mind training, through hearing, one would abandon the gross defilements. Through this, one would know that all the sensual pleasures which worldly beings are attached to, are purposeless.
The benefits of hearing the Dharma are explained in the Sutra requested by Vishnu, Noble son! For the one who has hearing,
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Fourth: Since, by hearing one obtains the training in wisdom and abandons the subtle defilements, it is said that, ‘through hearing one achieves Parinirvana’. Acharya Vasubandhu, having spoken at length about the benefits of listening to the Dharma, says further, that the purpose of listening to the holy Dharma has no limit, and that those things which I have stated are only a part of it. Why is there no limit? It is because all of the paths and the results of the three Yanas arise from the foundation of listening to the Dharma. Furthermore, many disadvantages of not hearing the teachings are described in the sutras. The temporary disadvantage is that: Although human beings have two feet, They are not different from cattle, They are foolish, and this foolishness has to be abandoned. Also, One should consider those on this earth Without the wealth of hearing, To be blind. This blindness has to be abandoned. Even though they do not have the hump and the dewlap, Those human beings are like cows with upper teeth. And so forth. In this way, those humans deprived of hearing the Dharma, are looked down upon by the learned ones. In the Vinaya Sutra it is said that, ‘One who is like a lion should not respect one who is like a wolf. This has the same meaning as the other quotations, above. The permanent disadvantage of not hearing the teachings is that one is not able to pacify defilements and sufferings; and one will not attain liberation. This is because, as it says in the Abhidharmakosa, Without the thoroughly discriminating Dharma, there is no method by which one can totally uproot the defilements. Due to defilements, worldly beings wander in the ocean of cyclic existence. Therefore, the Buddha has expounded the doctrine possessing thoroughly discriminating wisdom. As it is said, if one has not heard the holy Dharma, one will not obtain the liberation which pacifies defilements and suffering. In the Karuna Pundarika Sutra it is said, Ananda, many sentient beings may become completely degenerate, due to not hearing a Dharma jewel treasure of this kind.
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Thus, it is also said, in Clarifying the Sage’s Intent, In particular, the dialectical schools produce scholars of the Buddhist doctrine and are the source of many good qualities. If there are no such schools, the fault exists that, ivithout the hearing and explanation of the Dharma, the continuity of scholars will be broken; and without scholars who know the Dharma, even though there may be many spiritual texts, the Buddha’s doctrine will be demolished. Further, in one Sutra it is stated, The coming of the Buddha into this world is as rare as the appearance of a person on a deserted road, The human body is obtained with great difficulty. Alas! Having devotion in the Dharma and having the opportunity to listen to the Dharma Are difficult to find, even for hundreds of kalpas. It is appropriate to encourage people to listen to the Dharma through explaining that it is extremely difficult to obtain the complete causes and conditions for hearing the teachings. In the Shiksasamuccaya, Shantideva taught five verses of encouraging people to listen respectfully to the Dharma. These verses offer two methods: The first method is to encourage people by explaining to them the disadvantages of not listening to the Dharma. These are that: By not hearing the teachings of the Buddha, the mental defilements cannot be pacified. As a consequence, one will experience the sufferings of being burnt in the ravines of the hell realms, which one would never be able to bear. The suffering would be immense; not only immense for one time, but one would be tormented by this kind of suffering again and again. In this way, one should enjoin beings to be delighted to listen to the Dharma, by keeping this in mind. The second method is to encourage people by showing the advantages of listening to the Dharma: Having listened to the Buddha’s doctrine, if one pursues the practice of meditation, then one entirely abandons all non-virtues, which are the causes of one’s suffering, through birth in the lower realms. One also obtains the happiness of humans and of gods, through birth in the higher realms. Having abandoned defilements, one will obtain the bliss of liberation which will never decline, the inexhaustible bliss of the Bodhisattvas, and all of the incomparable perfections of the Buddha. Therefore, if today, one finds the meaningful and rarely obtained jewel-like Dharma, all the Gods, Humans, Nagas, Siddhas, Gandharvas, Yakchas, Garudas, demi-Gods, Kimnaras and Demons will become happy, inspired and
faithful. For that very reason, all of them are asked to attend the teachings, in this way. In the Vinaya Sutra it is said, I will explain the Buddha’s doctrine, Wliich is the cause of happiness And which thoroughly pacifies the defilements. O, you Gods, Nagas, Demi-Gods, Kimnaras, Shakras and so forth, Who performed the supreme activities of Dharma, You must therefore come here to listen to the holy Dharma! Further it says, Therefore you must respect, with devotion The precious treasure of the Buddha’s Teachings Which have immense qualities And which fulfill the purposes of others. Since nothing can be heard which is superior to this, One must listen to the doctrine of the Buddha Having tamed the sense faculties, as one tames a wild horse. In brief, knowing that the Buddha’s doctrine is very difficult to find, that it has a vast purpose, and that it is not going to remain for long, it is appropriate for all those who have devotion, to listen and to practice. Moreover, when the Victorious One’s doctrine is at the brink of extinction, it is particularly essential and greatly meritorious to hold and preserve the holy teachings. In the Sutra of Avalokiteshvara it is said, When it is on the brink of extinction, To hold and propagate the doctrine of the Saviour of the World, Both day and night, Is more meritorious Than to revere hundreds of thousands of Buddhas, Who are as many as the grains of sand in the River Ganges, for countless aeons.
Teachings, Is thereby weakening the fulfilling of the purposes o f sentient beings, And therefore the lower transmigrations of that person will have no limit. In the Sutra known as Rabtu shi ba rNampar Ngepa Cho ‘trul gyi mdo it is said, ‘Someone who creates an obstacle to a Bodhisattva’s virtuous act of giving a handful of food to an animal, performs a greater non-virtue than someone who kills all sentient beings and snatches their possessions. This is because the former creates an obstacle to a virtuous deed that would cause the future appearance o f a Buddha.’ In the Sutra called Chos Thamsched ‘byungwa med-pa bstenpa, in the doctrine of the Tathagata who is known as Ri Rab Itar mngon par ‘phag pa’i it is said, “There was a Bhikshu named spyod pa’i bio dros, who was endowed with moral discipline and five clairvoyances, was complete with retinues, and who resided in seclusion, exerting himself in practice. At the same time, there was a Bhikshu called chos smra ba spyod pa rnam dag, who wandered in the cities, markets and towns and in the palace o f the king, giving teachings. The first Bhikshu said to him, ‘Since the Buddha has praised seclusion, you should not go to the town and the markets. Instead, you should practice meditation in an isolated place.’ Even after telling him not to go into town, the first Bhikshu saw the other one in town, associating with ordinary vulgar friends, so disrespect towards that Bhikshu arose in his mind. He said ‘This bhikshu has broken his imos and is interested in worldly things.’ In this way, the first Bhikshu stopped the other from the task of giving teachings. By the negative power of that act, Bhikshu spyod pa’i bio dros died, was reborn, and suffered unceasingly in hell, for as many as ninety-nine thousand million aeons. The Bhikshu spyod pa’i rnam dag during that time, was myself and spyod pa’i bio dros, who gave teachings, was then, the Buddha Achala.” Thus, the Buddha said.
Some say that if someone hinders the teaching of, or the listening to, the Mahayana Dharma, that person will remain in lower transmigrations for a long time. As it is said in Boddhisatvacharyavatara, Whoever, even for a single moment Creates obstacles to the Mahayana
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Since everyone has the same motivation, whether sitting together to discuss setting up a philosophical institute, or engaging in other ways of supporting Dharma study, or contributing financial aid for Dharma practice, they will all gain the same merit as those who are directly involved. In order to confirm this, Vasubandhu said, ‘Since in war, and so forth, all have the same purpose whether they are directly or indirectly involved, they will all acquire the same non-virtue as the actual killer.’ In many surras it is said that, by requesting the spiritual masters to give teachings, as in the Seven Limb Practice, one will acquire the same merit as one would have obtained by making supplication to the Buddhas to turn the wheel of Dharma. Also, if one encourages others to listen to the Dharma, one will obtain the root virtue of the others who perform that
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Dharma. If, without jealousy, one rejoices in others’ teaching and listening to the Dharma, as in the Seven Limb Practice, and if one says ‘Well done!’ to others’ actions, then one will obtain the merits of rejoicing. In the bdud rtsi brjod pa Mahayana Sutra it is said, ‘There will not be disease, epidemics, contagious sickness and chaos in the country where this kind of Sutra is held and propagated, nor where someone dwells and transmits the teachings, nor where various teachings are inscribed, on scrolls.’ In other sutras it is said, There will not be starvation, wars, harms created by evil spirits, and there will be perfect wealth and good harvests, in any place where the Kings, and so forth, venerate the sutras. Those places will always be protected by the Four Guardian Deities, and by Indra and Brahma.’
Even if one obtains the wealth of the world, this is not considered to be the best wealth. However, hearing one verse of the Buddha Dharma will become the most excellent wealth, because it can grant permanent happiness to oneself and to others. It is, of course, missing a great opportunity if one fails to gain one’s own share of wealth, food, status and so forth. However, it is even more unfortunate to miss the opportunity, either as a monk (who has less work and less purpose) or as a lay person (who has more work and more purpose) to gain one’s own share of hearing, contemplation and meditation. The reason being, that by missing the opportunity to gain one’s own share of hearing, contemplation and meditation, one misses the opportunity of attaining perfect Buddhahood, which spontaneously accomplishes one’s own purpose and the purposes of others.
has the rare opportunity to practice the Dharma, which is difficult to obtain. So, it is at this time that one must abandon samsara. Despite one’s having all these opportunities, why is it that one does not have the thought to abandon samsara; why does one not have the thought to attain Buddhahood; and why does one not have the thought to listen, contemplate and meditate on the Dharma? One should carefully check the reasons for this.
When one has obtained human birth, has met with the Buddha’s teachings, and has faith in the Dharma, then one
One should at least try to know and to understand the following, with clear ascertainment: what the cause of attaining
A reason given, is that householders have a lot of their own work; and that is why they say they do not have the time to practice. If that is claimed, then for this purpose, the Buddha has taught the short sutras, particularly for those lay persons who have many things to do, and for those Bhikshus who engage mainly in the practice of meditation. So they should study whatever the Buddha has particularly taught for them.
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Buddhhood is; what the path which facilitates one to attain enlightenment is; what the characteristics of the resultant Buddhahood are; what the subjects are that beginners should practice; what the indispensable Dharmas are, and how they should be practiced. After understanding all these, then one should practice as much as one possibly can. Otherwise, if one wastes this perfect opportunity to practice the essential Dharma, and if one consequently departs to the next birth, naked and empty-handed, one will certainly experience intense regret. In the Karuna Pundarika sutra, it says, ‘Ananda! Do not forget to be vigilant. If you forget to be conscientious, you will definitely regret it later’. Another reason given for not practicing the Dharma is that one regards it as unimportant. In this way. one has the idea that householders’ works are of importance and one thinks that it is all right if one does not practice the Dharma, despite its benefits. However, this evaluation is mistaken, because most worldly activities cause oneself and others to suffer, in this life and in future lives. Even if such activities help to some extent, their benefit is trivial. The Buddha’s teachings will always help; they will never harm; and the benefits one receives from the Buddha’s teachings are permanent. Arya Nagarjuna said, If a fire breaks out on your head And burns your head and clothing, Do not pause to extinguish it! Rather, exert effort to stop future rebirth. There is no purpose superior to this. Actually, when fire has broken out and one’s head and clothes are smoldering, then in general, one does stop
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other things one is doing, and tries to extinguish that fire. Nevertheless, the learned ones, by ignoring that fire, and not even looking at their bodies and their wealth, exert every effort instead, to abandon samsara, because, as it is said, there is no greater task than that of abandoning samsara. Few people assert that understanding the Dharma is of value. Parents and relatives, who love and care for us, sometimes object to our performing Dharma activities. Recognizing that such bonds are an obstacle to one’s Dharma practice, one should try to eliminate them. The best method for accomplishing this is to maintain an unwavering and steadfast faith in the Dharma. Shantideva said, You take birth alone, and you die alone. Since others will never take your share of suffering, What benefit can one expect from relatives, Who cause obstacles to virtuous deeds? In this way, those who are closest are an impediment to one’s Dharma practice, so one should not come under their power. Manjushri said, Neither parents, nor relatives can be a Refuge for you. They discard you and go wherever they wish. Lay householders are always engrossed in worldly activities, for the purposes of this life. There are none who engage in hearing, contemplation and meditation. Always comparing themselves to others, they are content with their worldly activities. One should think carefully about this. While it is all right to imitate others, there are many different kinds of examples to follow. There are many who indulge in extremely
dreadful actions. Therefore one should look for good examples. From the sutras it is also recommended that one should take vows, as did the Tathagatas of the past; and that one should perform dedication, just as Manjushri did in the past. Performing deeds after careful analysis by oneself, is in accord with the faultless guidance of the learned ones. Performing actions by listening to and watching others is a procedure of the unwise. Therefore, one should make decisions regarding what one deems as good, through investigation, using proper reasoning and wisely chosen examples. If one thinks, with a disheartened mind: ‘a person like myself cannot engage in study’, then this thought will bar the door to studying. Shantideva said, Discarding effort due to a disheartened mind, There cannot be any liberation. As it was said by Shantideva, one cannot progress from the state one is in if one is prevented from making an effort, by a disheartened mind. Therefore, it is said in a sutra that, If one has enthusiasm, effort and conscientiousness, then with these three, one can accomplish every activity. Thus one should be assertive, confident and efficient in relation to the task of study. As it is said in the Bhadrapani sutra, One should think that ‘if even fleas and flies can attain enlightenment, why should I, a human being, diminish my effort to obtain Bodhi, even at the cost of my life?’ This quotation instructs us that even animals can obtain enlightenment, and that therefore, belonging to the human race, knowing virtue and non-virtue, and being conscientious,
one has no reason not to be determined to attain enlightenment. As it is said in Bodhicharyavatara, There is nothing that does not become easier When one becomes accustomed to it. Whatever the subject of study might be, when one becomes accustomed to it, it will become easier, and it will produce delight in one’s mind. Not only will it produce delight, but with familiarity, one will also accomplish any task with ease. Of course, it is possible that one may not, at first, understand the meaning of what one has been taught. But this should not be the cause for one to withdraw, thinking that one has engaged in purposeless effort. The study of the Dharma is not the same as other studies. In the case of other studies, if one does not learn it, then one does not gain the result. But in the case of Dharma study, even if one has not learned it, it will ensure one’s future understanding and it will place latencies upon the mind continuum for the attainment of Buddhahood. In this way, the purpose it has served will be immense. Therefore, Vasubandhu said, Even one who does not comprehend the meaning should listen respectfully to the Buddhadharma, because merely by listening with devotion, one will gain immense merit and enhance one’s wisdom. One need not mention how much more that gain would be, if one also understands the meaning. In one of the sutras it is said, A being who makes an effort to listen and to take hold of the meaning of a single verse from my teaching, will without doubt, gain the state of Bodhi. There is not a single being
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who will not attain enlightenment by hearing this teaching. There are individuals who seek results just by listening and performing minimal practices. This kind of attitude in the initial stage, is the cause of quickly discarding the task. Therefore, from the beginning, no matter what troubles one encounters when engaging in hearing and contemplation, one should put on the armour of determination, thinking that one will make the action purposeful, by tolerating it. It is said in Sikchasamucchaya, ‘One should search for knowledge with patience.’ In yet another Sutra it is said, ‘In order to hold the Dharma, one should have patience towards scolding, slandering and harsh and reprimanding words. In terms of time, one should hear the Dharma from this time forward, until enlightenment is attained. In the sutra known as Lodros mi zad pas bstan-pa it is said, ‘The Four Insatiables will procure an accumulation of wisdom for Bodhisattvas.’ The Four Insatiables are: being insatiable in hearing; being insatiable in expounding the teachings; being insatiable in investigation; being insatiable in knowledge. These Four Insatiables are the active sources of the Bodhisattvas’ accumulation of wisdom. In the Prajnaparamita, Maitreya said, ‘At the time of thorough purification, at the third Bhumi, one should never be content with the knowledge one has.’ Searching for the Dharma, without ever thinking that the Dharma one has already heard is sufficient, is the excellent ornament which beautifies the exalted Bodhisattvas. It is described in many sutras that, at the time Lord Buddha manifested as a Bodhisattva, in order to accumulate the treasure of the holy Dharma, merely for one or two words of the Dharma he practiced austerities such as sacrificing his own body, his own Kingdom, and so on, for many countless eons. Therefore, Master Pawo prayed that he would not become discouraged, even if he had to cross ‘the trench of fire’ for the sake of listening to the Dharma. As it is said in the Seventy Verses of Inspirational Prayer,
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With any opportunity to listen to even one word that contains the teaching, it is advisable to cross over the blazing fire of endlessly flowing lava. You should rejoice, and not be indolent. The main reason why one has no interest in practicing the Dharma, is attachment to this life. One should abandon that attachment through recollecting death. A human life span is short and there is no certainty of the time of death. When one becomes subject to death, the wealth that one has amassed through hardship, and one’s relatives, friends, one’s name and fame and so forth, will not follow one. One will go to the lower realms, bearing those non-virtues which one has accumulated on behalf of one’s relatives and friends. If the thought of dying arises within one’s mind continuum, then there will be no difficulty in engaging in Dharma practice. On top of that, one must forego clinging to any aspect of samsara. If one is attached to samsara, then no matter what activities of hearing and contemplation one may perform, they will not become the path that leads to liberation. Instead, they will become causes of samsara. Therefore, one should shun attachment by bringing to mind the disadvantages and faults of samsara. If one is attached to one’s own purpose, then even if one does engage in Dharma practice, that practice will fall into the path of Hinayana and therefore one will not attain full enlightenment. Therefore, with loving kindness, compassion and altruistic thought, one should shun attachment to one’s own purpose. In brief, having relinquished those three attachments, one should make every effort to attain enlightenment for all sentient beings. For that very purpose one must ensure that one is motivated with the Mahayana enlightenment thought, when listening to the holy Dharma. In order to encourage beings to listen to the Dharma with the Mahayana motivation, it is stated in the sutras that, Therefore it is certain that one will acquire merit. In a shastra known as sNyoms ‘jug Rab gSal it says, ‘Having confirmed that worldly activities have no essence, one should strive to learn the meaning of the teachings.’ The Sutra known as mDo sDe pedma dKarpo states, ‘By having shunned all attachments, listen to this kind of doctrine, for it is very hard to find the inclination and opportunity to listen to the Dharma’. Finally, if someone should ask ‘what is the method for not wasting one’s having heard the Dharma?’ In the Sutra known as Nam mKa’ mZod kyi mDo it is said, ‘No virtue or non-virtue accumulated earlier will go astray; no virtue accumulated through making offerings to the Tathagatas will go astray; no virtue accumulated through altruistic thought will go astray; no hearing accumulated primarily through practicing will go astray.’ As it is said by Rendawa,
In order to make meaningful the Dharma to which you have listened, you, the young intelligent ones, should go to the remote forest. Through having heard the Dharma, one understands what needs to be understood, one abandons the things that need to be abandoned, and one cultivates the things that need to be cultivated; so it is certain that one will obtain that which needs to be obtained. These are the reasons which indicate that study is meaningful. Therefore, one should engage in the practice with effort. Even in these days, there are many Bhikshus and worldly beings who have renounced cyclic existence, taken vows, discarded their homes and are engaging in the paths of liberation and of omniscience. They are the field of accumulating merit, for those who practice rejoicing and making prostrations to them. Therefore, it is not really necessary for me to encourage those people to listen to the Dharma and to practice the Dharma. Nevertheless, I have carefully taken a few scriptural quotations from the sutras in order to persuade those lay householders, who, although they have faith in the Buddha, do not have knowledge of the Buddha’s teachings, and are not engaging in Dharma practice; or, even if they are engaging in Dharma practice, are doing so incorrectly. With this teaching, I wish to tell them that if they listen well to the Dharma, they will gain understanding. As a result of this, they will experience delight in engaging in the practice, and thereby, all their purposes will be fulfilled. In this way, I have presented a few scriptural quotations from the sutras and shastras so that devotees can more readily understand them. Shubam! Sar vada Kalyan Bhavatu. Whatever merit may be gained from the conceiving, writing, translating, publishing and distributing of these noble Dharma words, we dedicate towards the fullfilment of the nobel wishes of our most venerable the late Khenchen Appey Rinpoche. We also dedicate with the hope that these words of Khenchen Appey Rinpoche may inspire untold numbers of beings to realize the importance of studying the Buddha’s teachings, and that they may have the conditions to do so.
Ven. Shastri Jhampa Losal is a close student of Ven. Khenchen Appey Rinpoche. He is currently serving International Buddhist Academy, Tinchuli, Kathmandu in capacity as the Vice Director. Karen White is Khenpo Ngawang Jorden’s Executive Assistant, and head of operational administration at IBA.
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Trikal Maitreya Buddha Vihara
Jamchen Lhakhang Monastery 18 | w w w . v a i r o c h a n a . c o m
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A
s you enter the Boudha Stupa premises
As you walk towards the big doors of the monastery
and take a right, the Trikal Maitreya Buddha
building, guarded by four embossed figures of Kings,
Vihara or the Jamchen
you will immediately be drawn in.
Lhakhang Monastery is the first monastery that you will come across. Colored in yellow and topped
A gigantic statue of the Maitreya Buddha (Jampa)
with three golden gajurs on top, the monastery is
is centered in the main hall of the monastery,
considered as the main seat of the Tsarpa tradition,
surrounded by other smaller statues of gods and
sub-school of the Shakya order of Tibetan Buddhism.
goddesses. The walls, ceilings and paintings of the hall are painted with intricate murals, some that even
As you enter the portico roofed with gold plated
slightly glitter in light. Lined with stout tables, behind
symbols from Tibetan Buddhism, on your left is a
which the monks carry out their prayers, there are
small room that fits a huge prayer wheel. Opposite,
two frame drums kept inside the hall. The smell of
there is another small room where you can buy butter
butter lamps is omnipresent. The spirituality of the
lamps to light in prayer.
room lifts you.
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His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche, Ngawang Khyenrab Thupten Lekshe Gyatso, is the head of Tsharpa branch of the Sakya Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. His Eminence is a renowned tantric master, a dedicated practitioner, an outstanding scholar and an eloquent poet. His Eminence embodies the wisdom, spirit and activities of the holy Dharma. His Eminence is a master of masters as most Tibetan Buddhist lineage holders are his disciples. Amongst these disciples are His Holiness the Dalai Lama and His Holiness Sakya Trizin. Perhaps one can begin to comprehend the greatness of His Eminence through the words of His Holiness
Sakya Trizin, who describes the great accomplishments of His Eminence as thus: “There are many who have attained the wisdom arising from the study of the Scriptures. There are some who have attained the wisdom arising from contemplation of the Dharma. There are few who have gained wisdom arising from meditation. His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche is one who has attained all three wisdoms. One should consider oneself fortunate just to meet him, which is in itself a great blessing.” In addition to His Eminence’s stature among Tibetan lamas, King Birendra of Nepal awarded His Eminence “Gorkha Dakshin Babu”, a tribute which has never been awarded to a Buddhist monk in Nepal before.
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Brief History His Eminence was born in 1920 into the blessed Zhalu Kushang family of the Che clan, a lineage descended from the clear light gods. Many auspicious and marveleous signs accompanied His Eminence’s birth. His Eminence is the 26th patriarch of Phenpo Nalendra Monastery, North of Lhasa. Founded by Rongton Sheja Kunrig (1367-1449), Nalendra is one of the most important Sakya monasteries in Tibet. Wondrously, each generation of the Kushang family has produced no less than four sons, most of who have served as throne holders of many important monasteries including Nalendra, Zhalu and Ngor. The name “Kushang” meaning ‘royal maternal uncle’ derived from the fact that many daughters from the family were married to numerous Sakya throne holders, one of whom, Drogon Chagna, was supreme ruler of Tibet, who succeeded Chogyal Phakpa. At the age of twelve His Eminence was officially enthroned at the Phenpo Nalendra Monastery.
From his enthronement until the age of 39, His Eminence remained in the Phenpo Nalendra Monastery where he mastered the monastic scriptural rituals, the rituals of Mandala, and the musical accompaniment of the rituals. His Eminence has completed meditation retreats of all the major deities of all the four tantras. His Eminence’s two root gurus are Zimog Rinpoche Kunga Tenzin, and Dampa Rinpoche Shenphen Nyingpo of Ngor monastery. From them, His Eminence received the Lamdre empowerments and instructions, as well as countless other empowerments, transmissions, pith instructions, and ritual traditions of all four classes of Tantra. His Eminence completed extensive studies in all major fields of study taught in Lord Buddha’s teachings. His Eminence is a master in both Sutrayana and Mantrayana teachings. His Eminence is also a great scholar of literature, poetry, history and Buddhist metaphysics and a highly accomplished poet.
The Tsarpa & Tsarchen Losal Gyatso Dr. Khenpo Ngawang Jorden has provided some background on the history of the Tsarpa subschool and its important contribution to the more esoteric form of the “Lam Dre tradition.”
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In 1959, given the change in circumstances in Tibet after the Chinese invasion, His Eminence left Tibet for Mustang, where his sister was married to the Mustang Raja, the King of Mustang. For several years from 1962, in accordance with the wishes of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, His Eminence acted as the Secretary General of the Council for Religious and Cultural Affairs of the Tibetan Government in Exile in Dharamsala, India. Also, His Eminence took a leading role in preparing the manuscript of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s book “My Land and My People” and was responsible for writing Tibetan text books for schools set up for central Tibetans. In 1969, His Eminence took leave from the Tibetan government and returned to Nepal to rebuild the Nalendra monastery and the Seat of the Tsharpa school in exile. His Eminence has founded two monasteries in Nepal,
T
he Dar Drangmoche monastery in Tsang was the residence of the Tsarchen Losal Gyatso (1502–1566), who established the Tsar sub-order of the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism. Great beings known as “masters of the ocean of sutra and tantra” directed this monastery between the time of Tsarchen himself and that of the great abbot Ngawang Losal Phuntsog. The Tsarpa tradition was and has been famed for its transmission of the Thirteen Golden Teachings (gser chos bcu gsum), and teachings on the greater and lesser Mahakala. The teachings had been transmitted through Ngorchen and his principal disciples and through the divine ’Khon line. They were passed on without interruption until Vajradhara Lodro Gyaltsen gave them to Doring Kunpang Chenpo (1449–1524). He “held aloft the banner of victory in practice” while in solitary retreat at Kha’u Dag Dzong and elsewhere, where he obtained the summit of realization. Among Doring pa’s numerous disciples was the Tsarchen Losal Gyatso (1502–1566). He is said to have taken monks’ vows from the second Dalai Lama, Gendun Gyatso (1476– 1542), who was the 3rd throne-holder of Drepung monastery.
the Tashi Rabten Ling Monastery in Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha and the Jamchen Lhakhang Monastery in Katmandu. In Lumbini, His Eminence established the first three and half year Lamdre Lobshey retreat centre, which has inspired the founding of other meditation retreat centres or ‘Gom-dra’. A smaller retreat facility has also been established by His Eminence in Bagdora, a sacred site attributed to Krakucchanda, one of the previous Buddhas of this age. His Eminence has also founded a Tsharpa retreat center at Lo Gekar in Mustang. Outside Nepal, His Eminence has established centers in Hong Kong and Taiwan. The center in Hong Kong is named after Green Tara. With the sincere invitations of his disciples, His Eminence has traveled to these centers to give teachings and initiations. His Eminence is also the supreme patron of ten centres in Australia and New Zealand founded by his disciple, Lama Choedak. As two of the main centres in Australia are named after Rongton and Tsharchen. His Eminence regards them as future pillars of strength to uphold his teachings and practices. To acknowledge these developments in Australia, His Eminence made two important visits to Australia in 1996 and 2001.
Tsarchen’s biographies tell us that he studied Buddhist philosophy at the Tashi Lhunpo monastery, where his flawless understanding, resembling that of Shantideva, was said to have humbled other scholars. It is said that, by having matured his previous prayers, Vajrayogini directly commanded him to go to Kha’u Dag Dzong where he would receive uncountable esoteric teachings, including the Path and Its Result (Lam ’bras) teachings of the slob bshad (‘Taught to Few Selected Disciples’) tradition, from Doring Kunpang Chenpo. It is alluded to that, since Vajrayogini was his guardian, she appeared to him at ’Phro phu, Srin po ri, and ’Phan yul, and he achieved high realization. At Shalu monastery, he ascended the throne of Buton Rinchen Drub (1290–1364). Altogether he studied with sixty-three masters of the “Ancient” (rnying ma) and “New” (gsar ma) traditions and received all the profound teachings on practice that existed in the ‘Land of Snows’ at that time. It is said that Tsarchen’s two principal students, Khyentse Wangchuk (1524–1568) and Mangtho Lhundrup Gyatso (1523–1596), maintained the Tsarpa lineage. Another disciple of Tsarchen, Khyabdag Wangchuk Rabten (1559–
1636), had a student named Gonpo Sonam Chogden whose two students were Khyabdag Zhaluwa and the 5th Dalai Lama, Ngawang Lobzang Gyatso (1617–1682). This was a time of conflict within Tibet. After a difficult period, however, the 5th Dalai Lama was established as ruler and was able to govern during a period of restored peace. He received detailed teachings on the Lam ’bras slob bshad and related works of the Cycle of the Path (Lam skor). The slob bshad tradition of the Path and Its Result teaching then became one of his principal practices. In order to spread the Lam ’bras slob bshad, the 5th Dalai Lama invited Zhalu Khenchen to teach it while he furnished provisions and offerings for the teacher and students. It is said that four principal lamas, from the abbot of Nalendra, Chogye Khyenrab Jampa, to Sachen Kunga Lodro, were among the students who received the teaching on this occasion. As a result of the religious activity of these four masters and the kindness of the 5th Dalai Lama, the oral lineage of the slob bshad tradition of the Path and Its Result teachings flourished within the different schools including Sakya and Ngorpa throughout Tibet, up to the present day.
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The name
Chogye Trichen
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I
t is believed that the name ‘Chogye’ has derived from the anniversary date of Khyenrab
Choje, a member of the Kushang family and a tribute offered by the then Chinese emperor to his nephew. Khyenrab Choje was a teacher who possessed the direct lineage of Kalachakra received from Vajrayogini, and he was invited by the Sakya Trinzin Dagchen Lodro Gyalten to be 8th abbot of the Phenpo Nalendra Monastery. During his time, Kyenrab Choje immensely impressed the Emperor of China. Although Khyenrab Choje was unable to visit China, his nephew Jamyang Donyoe Gyalsten visited China and became the spiritual preceptor of the Chinese Emperor. Inspired by Jamyang Donyoe Gyalsten’s saintly qualities, the Chinese Emperor
Turning the wheels of Dharma
bestowed upon him eighteen
His Eminence’s commitment to spread the holy Dharma has no geographical
precious tributes as praise for
boundaries and is truly global. This is evident by His Eminence’s numerous travels
spiritual qualities he recognised
overseas to give teachings, initiations and empowerments to his disciples abroad.
in this master. Hence the name
For example, in 1988, His Eminence traveled to the United States and Canada. In
‘Chogye’ which means ‘eighteen’
1994, His Eminence taught in Japan and in 1996, His Eminence visited Australia.
in Tibetan. It is from Kyenrab
In 1998, His Eminence visited Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Australia to
Choje that the lineage of the
give many initiations and teachings. In the same year, His Eminence bestowed
Chogye Trichens, all of whom
the Kalachakra initiation and other teachings for an assembly of 6,000 disciples in
came from His Eminence’s family,
Taiwan. In 2000, at the request of His Eminence Shamar Rinpoche, His Eminence
began. The title “Trichen” means
visited France where he bestowed the Collection of Sadhanas. In the same year,
“throne holder”, referring to the
at the request of the Sakya centers in Spain, His Eminence visited Spain where he
one whole holds the seat and title
gave the Kalachakra initiation and public talks in Barcelona on Peace in the World
of the Chogye Trichen.
according to Kalachakra Tantra.
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Jamchen Lhakhang Monastery This monastery was established by His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche who is embodiment of the wisdom, spirit and activities of the Holy Dharma, which has been passed down since the time of Shakyamuni Buddha.
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A
generous gift of a house by a devotee, a niece of the late Chini Lama provided a suitable land to build the beautiful monastery, now widely known as Jamchen Lhakhang. In 1982, the construction of this monastery began where the original house was demolished to make space for the construction of the three storey Maitreya Buddha statue and a monastery to house it. In 1986, the construction work of this monastery was completed and the grand inauguration ceremony in the same year was graced by the late king Birendra of Nepal and a surprise visit by Jimmy Carter, ex-president of the United States. The Maitreya Buddha statue is probably the biggest Maitreya statute in Nepal and India. His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche expressed the following on his reason for this statue:“In the beginning, I was thinking to build a statue of Shakyamuni Buddha but I had already founded one in the Lumbini monastery. Thus having thought that the entire living beings of the present world have not been fortunate enough to meet the Lord (Shakyamuni Buddha)
directly and Maitreya Buddha is the Buddha of the future, I founded the statute of Maitreya Buddha in order to make an auspicious connection with Him so as to be fortunate enough to meet with Him when he appears in this world.” In 1987, His Eminence purchased a piece of land for the building of a retreat center behind the main monastery. Two groups of three year Lamdre Lobshe retreat completed their retreat at Jamchen Lhakhang monastery. In 1996, His Eminence bought more land adjoining the retreat center for the construction of monks living quarters, staff cottage and a guest house. Today there are 120 monks who study and maintain the traditional Nalendra Monastery’s rituals and practices. The older monks are engaged in daily practices and the performance of pujas or prayers at the request of devotees. Some are responsible for the administration and maintenance of the Monastery. The younger monks go to school every day in a classroom in the Monastery, the topics their studies include the study ritual scriptures, Tibetan, English and Mandarin.
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Dharma Swami Maharaj
Buddha vihara L
umbini is the land mark where Lord Buddha was born over twenty-six centuries ago. It is one of the holiest pilgrimage places for Buddhists and those of other
religions respect Lumbini as well. Countless pilgrims visit this holy place to receive blessings and inspirations from the place where Buddha took his first steps in this world. For the benefit of all sentient beings, His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche initiated the Lumbini Project to construct Dharma Swami Maharaj Buddha Vihara and his second monastery in Lumbini. Tashi Rabten Ling holds the annual Sakya Monlam Prayer Festival and further enhance the peaceful and spiritual atmosphere of Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha.
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Dharma Swami Maharja Buddha Vihara (previously
in November 1976 and completed in early 1980. Two
known as Tashi Rabten Ling) was built on a piece of land
successful graduates and survivors of that historical retreat
granted by His Majesty’s Government of Nepal in 1968.
are Lama Wangdu and Lama Choedak. Although the three
The construction work of Tashi Rabten Ling began in
year retreat had to be relocated due to problem of heat in
earnest in early 1969. The main part of construction work
Lumbini, Tashi Rabten Ling continues to play a significant
and interior of the monastery included a gilded statue of
role as a monastery for Buddhist pilgrims from all over the
Shakyamni Buddha and traditional murals were completed
world. It has hosted most of the annual Sakya Monlam
in 1975. The inauguration ceremony was held in May 1975.
Prayer Festival for world peace held every January/February.
After consultation with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the monastery was dedicated as a ‘Gom-dra’ or retreat centres
In general, the aim of this monastery in Lumbini and
for three and half year retreat training center for uncommon
Jamchen Lhakang in Kathmandu is to preserve and spread
Lamdre Lobshe. After careful selection of suitable candidates
the Buddha’s precious teachings. In particular its goal is
amongst all Sakya monks, the first group to undergo the
to uphold the authentic and unique tradition of the Tsarpa
strict three year Lamdre Lobshe retreat started their retreat
lineage of the Sakya tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.
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Mahaparinirvana
H
is Eminence passed from this world into Nirvana, at
stupa, a rainbow parasol appeared in the sky. Witnessing
the age of 87, on 22nd January 2007, corresponding
this directly, devotees were moved and shaken by faith,
to 4th of the twelfth Tibetan month, at 6.30am at his
and erupted into joyful comments.
retreat house, Narayanthan, Kathmandu, Nepal. Until the cremation, Rinpoche’s Kudung was enshrined in For an entire 16 days he remained in the post-death state
a beautifully decorated prayer hall, where thousands of
of meditative absorption called Thukdam. As a sign of
devotees came from far and wide to receive the blessings
achieving realization of luminosity, devoid of all fabrications
of his Holy Body.
and free from the stains of dualistic appearances of subject and object, his Kudung or Holy Body remained
During that period there occurred a surprising snowfall in
radiant without any odor.
Kathmandu, the first in 62 years, in the form of a shower of flowers. As such, the after-death events of His Eminence
On the day His Eminence’s Kudung was brought to the
have put the disciples in a state of great joy mixed with
Monastery in Boudha, the sky was crystal clear, and the
sorrow, which has prompted them to eulogize
moment the Kudung entered into the circle of Boudhanath
His Eminence.
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Cremation Ceremony On the auspicious occasion of the cremation of His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche, the day Buddha displayed miracles, the sacred rites of the cremation began early in the morning. The cremation was held in the garden of Jamchen Lhakhang Monastery, with simultaneous rituals of four deities in the four directions, presided over by His Holiness Sakya Trizin, His Eminence Ratna Vajra Rinpoche, His Eminence Luding Khenchen Rinpoche and His Eminence Luding Khen Rinpoche along with many high lamas. A crowd of faithful devotees watched with tearful eyes and folded hands as Rinpoche’s Kudung was offered to the flames in the elaborate ritual. A stunning array of beautiful flowers decorated the cremation stupa, which was the focus of attention and prayer for the huge assembly gathered to pay their last respects. During the ritual, many people reported seeing five colored flames, and other auspicious signs. This auspicious day was the clearest of blue sunny days. It is rare in Kathmandu Valley to see such a clear
day – without even the faintest wisp of cloud or dust, it has been said that this is a sign of the clarity of His Eminence’s realization. This unusual sky remained until the completion of the rituals and the sealing of the cremation stupa. During the following week, many interesting cloud patterns formed above the stupa and rainbows were visible around the sun and in the clouds on several occasions. After ten days, the cremation stupa was opened by H.E. Luding Khenchen Rinpoche. Holy relics, bones and ashes were collected carefully, and placed into containers for the necessary rituals. Again on that day a rainbow appeared encircling the sun. On the fiftieth day after His Eminence’s passing into Nirvana, a large assembly of monks from all Traditions gathered on the Boudha stupa to make aspiration to benefit all sentient beings. A downpour of blessings fell from the sky at the conclusion of the prayer – a sign of the great blessings of our guru and rainbows appeared again as the shower passed.
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H.E. SHABDRUNG NGAWANG KHYENRAB
rinchen paLJor rinpoche S habdrung Ngawang Khyenrab Rinchen Paljor Rinpoche, one of the successors of H.E. Chogye Trichen Rinpoche, living at Jamchen Lhakhang monastery was born in 1971 in Lo-Tsarang, Mustang, West of Nepal, into the royal family of Mustang. Shabdrung Rinpoche’s mother is the youngest daughter of the late 24th King Jampal Tenzing Dandul and late queen Kelsang Choeden, who was the elder sister of H.E. Chogye Trichen Rinpoche.
enTerinG monKhooD: During a visit by H.E. Chogye Trichen Rinpoche to Mustang, Shabdrung Rinpoche’s family offered their middle son to Rinpoche to be ordained as a monk. However, His Eminence chose Shabdrung Rinpoche, the youngest son, to be ordained as a monk instead as he envisioned him to be a great lama later. So at the age of six, Shabdrung Rinpoche was blessed by the hair cutting ceremony and was given the name Rinchen Paljor. At the age of eight, Shabdrung Rinpoche took his novice vow with H.E. Chogye Trichen Rinpoche in the Lumbini Monastery and was named Ngawang Rinchen Paljor. Ngawang is the first name of His Eminence. From then Shabdrung Rinpoche mastered the monastic scriptural rituals and musical accompaniment of the rituals. enThronemenT aS ShaBDrunG: In 1992, as H.E. Chogye Trichen Rinpoche’s previous Shabdrung Tenzing Thinley Rinpoche gave up his monk hood, H.E. Chogye Trichen Rinpoche had envisioned Shabdrung Rinpoche to be his next
Shabdrung. Hence Shabdrung Rinpoche was enthroned as Shabdrung Ngawang Khyenrab Richen Paljor. Since then he had been constantly with His Eminence serving his master as well as getting guidance. Due to this close association he has been able to receive innumerable initiations, oral instructions, ritual traditions and transmission of various Buddhist teachings.
In 1996, together with H.E. Gyana Vajra Rinpoche, H.E. Tulku Dorjee Denpa and Ngaglo Tulku Rinpoche, Shabdrung Rinpoche received the full bikshu ordination from H.E. Chogye Trichen Rinpoche and H.E. Ludhing Khenchen Rinpoche who were accompanied by some other senior Rinpoches and khenpos, in Lumbini, on the auspicious Anniversary of Lord Sakya Pandita. reCeiVinG Dharma eDuCaTion: Shabdrung Rinpoche was educated in Sakya Institute and Sakya College on major Buddhist texts and graduated from Sakya College, obtaining the degree of Ka Chu Pa (Bachelor of Arts) by accomplishing the ten spiritual texts, which include the major divisions of Buddhist Philosophy. reCeiVinG TeaChinG anD TranSmiSSionS: Shabdrung Rinpoche has received major teachings and transmissions from His Holiness Sakya Trizin, H.E. Chogye Trichen Rinpoche and H.E. Ludhing Khenchen Rinpoche such as Lamdre empowerments, collection of tantra and sadhana. enTerinG inTo reTreaTS: He conducted several major meditation retreats at Lumbini Monastery, Mustang and Jamchen Lhakhang monastery such as Hevajra, Vajra Yogini, Maha Vairochana and many more under the direct guidance of H.E. Chogye Trichen Rinpoche. orDaininG monKS: He has also ordained many monks. Recently he fully ordained 30 monks of PemaTsal Monastery in Pokhara as they wanted to get ordained by Shabdrung Rinpoche who holds direct lineage from H.E. Chogye Trichen Rinpoche. H.E. Shabdrung Rinpoche now resides in Kathmandu. As head of Jamchen Lhakhang, he continues to teach and spread the message of dharma in the path shown by His Eminence Late Chogye Trichen Rinpoche and is working tirelessly to keep the name and teachings of His Eminence alive.
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H.E. Chogye Shabdrung Rinpoche S habdrung Tenzin Tsultrim Rinpoche was
protect the legacy of H. E. Chogye Trichen Rinpoche.
born in Zhalu Kushang family of Shigatse,
Thereafter, Shabdrung Rinpoche was recognized as His
Tibet which is a sacred lineage reputed to have
Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche’s Shabdrung.
produced many highly realized masters. Shabdrung
Rinpoche’s mother was Deden Wangmo and father was
Since then, Shabdrung Rinpoche studied Buddhist
Tadring Tsewang.
philosophy in Zongsar Institute and Buddhist dialectic school in Ngor monastery.
In 1993, at the age of fifteen, under the guidance of H.E. Chogye Trichen Rinpoche, Shabdrung Rinpoche joined
At present H.E. Shabdrung Rinpoche is studying in
the Nalanda Monastery in Tibet in order to preserve and
Sakya college, India.
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upcoming project
A HUGE MEMORiAL sTUPA Of
H.E. CHOGYE TRiCHEN RiNPOCHE
Benefits There are incomparable benefits to building any Buddha images, stupas and temples where Sanghas gather. As it is said in Smrtiyupasthanah Sutra, ‘Constructing base and basis, Providing place and needs for Sangha etc… Always-virtuous leading to virtuous, So that virtue does not decline For a thousand million aeons.’ Furthermore, in the Sutra Describing Law of Cause and Result where immeasurable benefits are stated, it is said, ‘Any being who builds a stupa of Tathagata and Sangha gathering place directly or helps these noble acts indirectly will definitely become a king and have power to rule in the future as well as gaining a pleasant voice etc…’
purpose It is said that all the Buddhas of the three times reached enlightenment owing to the blessings of their Gurus. Hence, the fulfilling wish of Guru is of paramount importance to every Buddhist practitioner. In order to honor and fulfill the noble wish of our precious Guru, it is the sincere and heartfelt wish of all the Disciples and students of His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche to construct a Memorial Holy Relics Stupa. The stupa, which we are going to build, is also one of the eight Stupas
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of the Tathagata. When Buddha passed into Nirvana, his disciples built a stupa dedicated especially to fulfill the holy wishes of Buddha. Following this auspicious example, we are erecting a Memorial Stupa to fulfill noble wishes of His Eminence for the sake of all sentient beings.
Details The Holy Relics Memorial Stupa will be constructed in accordance with the descriptions for such Stupa contained in the Sutra Text. It will be built nearby his retreat house in Narayanthan, which is located in the north west of Kathmandu and is also the holy place of one of the previous Buddhas, Krakuchand. It will stand approximately hundred over feet high and 54 feet in diameter. The main body “vase” of the Memorial Stupa will contain the Holy relics, Tsatsas of His Eminence and thousands of holy texts and statues. The ground floor of the Stupa, a hall which will enshrine images of Buddhas, Dharma Protectors and other deities. how you can help! BeneFiCiarY Account Number: 075851C, Trikal Maitreya Buddha Vihara Address: Boudhanath-6, G.P.O. Box No. 4518 Kathmandu, Nepal. Tel.: 4470992, Fax: 4483118, Email: jamchen_lhakhang@yahoo.com Web: www.jamchen.org.np
vairochana.boudha@gmail.com Cell No.: 9803306430
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THE gREaT sakya aspiRaTion pRayER fEsTiVal 38 | w w w . v a i r o c h a n a . c o m
Monlam
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Glimpses of
21 Sakya st
Monlam The main purpose of performing the Monlam each year is to prolong the lives of the upholders of the Buddha’s doctrine, such as His Holiness the Dalai Lama, His Holiness Sakya Trizin and other masters, and to pray that their intentions for the benefit of beings may be accomplished; that the Buddhist sangha may continue to live together harmoniously, to possess pure conduct, and to increase their practice of the Dharma through explication and practice; and that through the blessings of the holy ones, epidemics, famine and warfare be dispelled, and happiness and peace spread to every region and country of the world. For this purpose, the assembly chants over 100,000 recitations of Samantabhadra’s Aspiration to Noble Deeds, and other prayers for world peace.
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oble sons and daughters, those faithful ones should travel to these four holy places, and recall them in their
minds for as long as they live. If one wonders where those four holy places are, they are the place where the Bhagwan Buddha was born; the place where the Bhagwan Buddha was enlightened; the place where the Bhagwan Buddha taught the Dharma; and the holy place where the
ches, a e t , s w o n Whoever k Aspiration to this tely a or recites m i t l u l l a ds Sh e e D e l b o N ood. h a h d d u B ect attain perf air of p s e d e n o May n ent. m n e t h g i l n e complete a’s r d a h b a t eeds D -saman e l b o n n to aspiratio
Bhagwan Buddha entered mahaparinirvana. Bikkshus, after I enter parinirvana, some pilgrims may come to these places to see the stupas and make prostrations. When they come, you should tell them these words.
He also said, “For those who are unable to see the holy face of the actual Buddha, they should go and see these four holy places, and practice the Dharma in these places.”
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behind the scene 46 | w w w . v a i r o c h a n a . c o m
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Mustang Nepal’s former Kingdom of Lo Text by Manjushree Thapa
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Images by Mani Lama
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M
ustang will change you forever, if you let it. When I first went there more than twenty years ago, its sweeping panoramas, stark deserts, and its culturally vibrant villages captivated me – so much so that I went there to work. During this time I went through some of the most moving, wondrous and transformative experiences of my life.
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A monk heading up to Lo-Manthang
bEATEN
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This harshness of the land here shapes people’s lives. Walking from village to village under the open sky, I fell into conversation with shepherds and traders, monks and farmers, whose rugged lives attested to the resilience of humanity. In the shelter of the villages’ sturdy adobe homes I heard lively tales full of local gossip, speculation, praise and rivalry. Whether I was in the crush of a village festival or walking alone on a lonely path, there was never a dull moment.
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The land itself is so rich, full of dramatic skies and breathtaking geographic formations at this, the meeting point of two massive tectonic plates. Each village is picturesque in its own way, the houses ringed by hills and the yellow-and-pink fields of mustard and buckwheat. I was just as riveted attending a prayer at a monastery as I was sitting in the shade of a willow tree by a river. Even the humblest home is beautiful here, with brightly painted doors and windows to cheer up the plain faรงade. Stacks of firewood on the roof convey the promise of a warm meal inside. The interiors of each house is warmed up by Tibetan rugs and decorative furniture, the most ornate of which is reserved for a special altar. People are warm and hospitable, curious about outsiders and happy to talk about their own lives as they offer
Mules train heading towards upper Mustang
cup after cup of butter tea.
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Almost every other day I would find myself steeped in beauty. This happened whenever I visited the monasteries of Lo Monthang, built in the 15th century. The exquisite paintings on the wall, which have since been restored, attested to the sophistication and wealth of this area in centuries past. With its labyrinthine streets and grand palace, Lo Monthang is itself a rare place. I never tired of poking around its nooks and crannies and discovering its hidden treasures.
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Further north, in the village of Chhoser, the houses are built into caves. A few hours’ horse ride away stretch the plains of the Tibetan plateau, home to the Drogpa nomads who move their yaks from pasture to pasture, living in tents. East, across the Kali Gandaki river, in the village of Surkhang, is the Luri Gompa, with sumptuous frescoes that contrast the barrenness of the surrounding hills. For me, it was the vastness of the land that, above all, moved me. I never felt alone. I would remember the tales I’d heard in the villages, and look forward to the tales I had yet to hear. I would see a lammergeyer, with a 9-foot wingspan, circling high up in the sky, or spy a lynx slinking away above the path. I would take in the warm breeze and feel an openness in my heart and lightness in my thoughts. I would treasure the sights and sounds around me, knowing I was in one of the most special places in the world. I let Mustang change me. For the chance to do so I will always be grateful.
Manjushree Thapa She is the author of several books of fiction and nonfiction. Her first book was Mustang Bhot in Fragments (Himal Books, 1992) a travelogue to Mustang, along Nepal’s border with Tibet. For some years Manjushree worked in nongovernment organizations, traveling through rural Nepal on a variety of assignments. From 1992 to 1994 she headed the Annapurna Conservation Area Project in the walled city of Lo Manthang.
Mani Lama One of Nepal’s most acclaimed and influential photographers, Mani Lama introduced Nepal to the world with his postcard project back in the early 1980s. Being born the 5th generation of the Rev. Buddha Vajra, the “Chiniya Lama” the traditional ruler/protector of Boudha, he is passionate about capturing Boudha Stupa in her different moods and from every angle.
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Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s
Animal Liberation Since time without beginning, humans have exploited animals, killing them for food and clothing, sacrificing them in religious rituals, working them to death, experimenting upon them, and enslaving them simply for entertainment. As a result, millions of animals suffer unbearably every day. Humans dominate every aspect of life on this planet without regard for the interests and feelings of animals and their right to happiness. They have received little if anything in return.
Š Ven. Roger Kunsang Lama Zopa Rinpoche blowing mantras on seeds and offering them to pigeons, Boudha, Nepal, February 2012.
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n the world, there are not only foes to animals but friends as well who work solely for the cause of
these animals. One such person is Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche: A Buddhist master who has spent his whole life working for the happiness of all beings, teaching others through his words and actions how to practice loving kindness and compassion. He strongly emphasizes the shortcomings of killing and cruelty to animals and the benefits of vegetarianism and liberating animals. There are countless stories of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s extraordinary actions of caring for beings in the animal realm. These stories illustrate Rinpoche’s strongly held commitment to liberating animals from immediate death and helping to create the conditions for their enlightenment. For example, when driving by a butcher, Rinpoche will stop his car and buy goats and chickens waiting to be slaughtered and then find
Lama Zopa Rinpoche blessing goats, Kopan Monastrey, Nepal
them a sanctuary where they will live out the rest of their lives hearing Dharma and circumambulating
contact with Dharma instead. He has
to create the correct motivation for
stupas. Rinpoche will buy lobsters
done this for turtles, frogs, pigeons,
engaging in the practice of
from the fish tanks at seafood
snakes, fish, ants and so on. And he
animal liberation:
restaurants and return them to
regularly blesses the dogs, cows,
the ocean. If there are worms in
horses, monkeys, flies – and even
First, reflect that all these creatures
Rinpoche’s driveway that may be
cockroaches! – he comes into contact
have been human beings, just like
crushed by cars, he will have his
with. Rinpoche’s actions are based
you. But because they did not practice
attendants collect the worms,
in his profound commitment to living
Dharma and subdue their minds, they
recite mantras over them, walk them
every moment as a bodhisattva would,
have been reborn as animals. Their
around a stupa and then release
caring more for helping other beings
present suffering bodies are the result
them into the garden.
than for himself.
of their unsubdued minds. ... It is vital that we feel some connection with the
Through actions like these,
Rinpoche advises students in
animals. We should not look at them
Rinpoche has saved millions of
Liberating Animals from the Danger of
and think that their bodies have nothing
animals from death and offered them
Death (available at fpmt.org) on how
to do with us. We should not think that
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the bodies of these animals are permanent or truly existent and have no relationship with their minds. And, most important, we should not think that our own minds could not create such bodies. Reflect on the fact that every one of these animals has been your own mother. When they were human beings, they were extremely kind in giving you your body and in saving you from danger hundreds of times each day. Later, they bore many hardships to educate you in the ways of the world; they taught you how to speak, how to walk, and how to behave. They also created much negative karma to ensure your happiness. Not only have they been kind to you numberless times as a human mother, but they have also been kind to you numberless times as an animal mother... We should feel as close to these animals as we do to our present family. We should hold them in our hearts. Think, “I must free all the hell beings from all their suffering and its causes and lead them to enlightenment. I must free all the hungry ghosts from all their suffering and its causes and lead them to enlightenment. I must free all the animal beings from all their suffering and its causes and lead them to enlightenment.�
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108 Yaks A Journey for the
Love of Animals
Liberated yaks just after their arrival in Rolwaling Valley, Nepal, September 2011
O
ne particularly amazing example of
(available at shop.fpmt.org).
Rinpoche’s efforts to liberate animals and the inspiration he offers others to do the
“Rinpoche first spoke about his wish to rescue yaks in
same is the story of 108 Yaks. In 2011 through the
January 2011. He had heard rumors about the trading
efforts of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Geshe Thubten
of yaks for meat up in the Himalayas of Nepal and
Jinpa and with the support from FPMT’s Animal
expressed his concern,” Amitabha Buddhist Centre’s
Liberation Fund (www.fpmt.org/projects/fpmt/alf.html)
newsletter Tashi Delek reports. Rinpoche sent Geshe
and Amitabha Buddhist Centre in Singapore more
Jinpa to investigate. Eventually, Rinpoche arranged
than 108 yaks’ lives were saved in Nepal. Geshe
for the liberation of 115 yaks and for their care by
Jinpa documented the liberation with a camera
the villagers living in the sacred Rolwaling Valley in
crew and also created a fascinating video called
northeastern Nepal, where the footprints of Guru
108 Yaks: A Journey of Love and Freedom
Rinpoche are said to be.
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108 Yaks tells the story of the 19-day journey made by the rescued yaks from Dhudkunda, Nepal, where they were sold to Geshe Jinpa, to their new home in the lush pastures of Rolwaling. The video takes us along on the stunning trek as a team of 22 herders and porters guides the gentle and peaceful yaks over rugged and treacherous mountain terrain. Lama Zope Rinpoche has advised many times that, animal liberation is not just about saving animals from slaughter, but making sure the animals receive positive Dharma imprints for the rest of their lives through circling holy objects, hearing mantras and so forth. And in addition to watching over the rescued yaks, the villages agreed to recite mantras to the animals and do other activities that will create positive merit for the animals.
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Liberated yaks in Rolwaling, Nepal, wearing cords blessed by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, September 2011
Geshe Jinpa explained the reasons for rescuing the yaks
realm has terrible suffering, and the best thing is to think of
and making the film 108 Yaks:
something that benefits them. The best thing one can do to benefit animals is to circumambulate them around a stupa
My whole point of doing this animal liberation is to dedicate
or statue as many times as possible. This means they have
for Rinpoche and the gurus’ long lives. But also it is to
a chance to purify negative karma, and have a cause for
promote animal liberation, to tell people what animal
enlightenment and liberation from samsara.
liberation is and how it should be done. And also [share] what Rinpoche does to benefit sentient beings, with his
For Mahayana Buddhists who work to benefit all sentient
words, his teachings and actions. Through that we contribute
beings, animal liberation can be an important and valuable
to the welfare of the animals. I mentioned to Rinpoche,
practice. And unlike some Buddhist practices, benefiting
by doing so, maybe this [video] can get some support for
animals and practicing animal liberation can be practiced by
Rinpoche’s animal liberation projects – building sanctuaries
any individual with a good motivation without prior training
everywhere to accommodate these animals.
or experience – all you need is a love for animals! Also, because helping animals can take many forms, animal
There are many benefits to liberating animals as Lama Zopa
liberation can be practiced every single day of the week,
Rinpoche advises in the “Benefits of Liberating Animals,”
so there’s no time to hesitate. How will you help our furry,
which can be found on the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive
feathered, scaly and slimy friends today?
website (lamayeshe.com): Lama Zopa Rinpoche and his organization, Foundation for If you liberate animals, it helps you to have a long life, or
the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), want
you can dedicate the merit from their liberation to those
animal liberation to be part of your spiritual practice. By
who have life obstacles. In this life we are human beings,
visiting fpmt.org and searching for “animal liberation” you’ll
which is due to our past good karma ripening. But human
find links to important resources to help you get started.
beings have so much physical and mental suffering, no
Residents of Kathmandu should contact Kopan Monastery
freedom, and are completely overwhelmed by delusion and
and Nunnery to find out ways to support their animal
karma. Fortunately, we have met the Dharma. The animal
liberation projects.
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20th Remote Outreach Microsurgical
Eye camp 23-24 November, 2012
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Appo Deepo Bhava Be a light unto yourself
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Founder: H.E the Third Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpohe (1954 - 1992)
Spiritual Head: H.E the Fourth Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche
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estled in the foothills north of the Great Stupa of Boudha, the quiet, secluded serenity of Pullahari is ideal for cultivating deeper insight into the Buddha Dharma through listening, reflection, and meditation. Monks engage intensively in prayers, scriptures, rituals, and dedications for temporal benefit of beings and ultimate realization. Those in the 3-year retreat train in the ancient contemplative tradition of the Mahamudra Lineage to become Lamas.
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In 1986, the late 3rd Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche accepted the offer of a piece of land by the Third Dilyak Dabzang Rinpoche (1929 – 1992) and agreed to his request to establish a 3-year Mahamudra retreat centre. He named the place “Pullahari” after Lord Naropa’s monastery in Bihar, India, where Naropa declared Lotsawa Marpa (1012 – 1097) his Dharma Heir in Tibet. There too, Naropa foresaw Milarepa’s (1040 – 1123) wondrous resolve for enlightenment,
told Marpa that his spiritual lineage will continue through his disciples, and prophesied the coming of Lord Gampopa (1079 – 1153). Pullahari Monastery opened in March 1992. The Third Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche consecrated the lineage shrine hall, appointed the site of the 3-year Mahamudra retreat centre, and made the decision to relocate the Rigpe Dorje Institute project to
Pullahari from Sarnath, India, the originally intended location. He also gave instructions for the annual Rigpe Dorje programmes and pointed to a site for a Tibetan Medical Centre. He advised Tenzin Dorjee, his General Secretary, to think not only of him but also the future incarnations when working for his projects and activities. As it came to be, the Third Jamgon Rinpoche dissolved his mind into the sphere of Dharmakaya on April 26th, 1992.
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This will be the 20th Eye Camp at Pullahari monastery which is an annual affair. Even though the founder Avatar Lama of this monastery H.E. Jamgon Kongtrul the 3rd has passed away, his disciples Venerable Tenzing Dorjee & Khenpo Chokyi are still carrying his legacy till date. Since 1994, the monastery has been sponsoring and organizing surgeries and intra-ocular implants for the underprivileged people from the remote impoverished areas of Nepal.
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H.E. the late 3rd Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche shared the humanitarian ideals of the eminent ophthalmologist, Dr. Sanduk Ruit, to combat treatable blindness in poor, remote and rural areas of India and Nepal. Inspired by his wish, Jamgon Kongtrul Labrang began annual outreach cataract progammes in 1994, in technical collaboration with Nepal’s Tilganga Eye Centre under Dr. Sanduk Ruit guidance. The patients are screened at their localities and mobilized to Pullahari monastery for surgery and lens implant. By the end of 2011, more than 100,200 patients had been screened in various parts of Nepal and the remote and rural areas of Kalimpong District, and more than 10,500 patients received treatment of cataract surgeries and intra-ocular implants.
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“We get only one life, and that life is very short. You can’t live forever. I try to see how best I can utilize my strength. I am blessed by God to have this opportunity to restore people’s eyesight.” Dr. Sanduk Ruit
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Thangkas past and present The Kathmandu Valley historically is a center for Himalayan art. Located on key trade routes, and rich in religious and artistic traditions, the area has a highly regarded, continuing tradition of Buddhist and Hindu art. Thangkas are a sacred art form still in active use, yet the form and style of thangkas are in flux. The thangka form is evolving with changes from cultural influences, through the Internet and films, and in the materials available to the artists who paint, and tailors who sew the traditional textile mountings. Such change is part of the ongoing tradition of thangka painting, yet can create a challenge for both scholars who cling to the past, and Art Conservators working to preserve thangkas. All conservation efforts must be respectfully attentive to both the continuous sacred nature of thangkas, and their evolving form.
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My first work with thangkas began with research into thangka painting techniques in 1970 in Nepal and India. Over the past four decades I have been documenting the changes in technique and style of thangkas by interviewing master painters and learned Buddhist scholars and teachers. See Endnote 1. Today, I consult with major museums worldwide, lecture for universities and train museum staff in the preservation of thangkas. I also work pro bono with nunneries and monasteries in the Himalayan region, advising them on the preservation of thangkas and statues used in daily rituals. Working closely with nuns and monks, we have preserved some of the most beautiful thangkas in the world for use in their monasteries. Some of the nuns working on the team restoring traditional thangkas hung a red, flocked velvet, non-traditional form of thangka in their own rooms. Contemporary techniques of thangka production can offer a path to the distribution of thangkas for numerous devotees. Some contemporary thangkas made for devotional are partially or constructed completely from synthetic materials; not the cotton, silk, hide glue and earth colors of thangkas from previous centuries. w w w. v a i ro c h a n a . c o m
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Image 1. Thangka painter in Nepal using “Camel” colors poster paint
This is an image of a Kathmandu thangka painter. He is using nontraditional paints, “Camel colors” to create traditional iconography. A thangka painter of 100 years ago would have used yak hide glue mixed with pigments from the earth, perhaps with delicate shading made with colors extracted from flower petals. The aesthetic effect of “Camel colors” and other contemporary synthetic paints is different, although the forms may be according to traditional iconography.
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Image 2. Thangka constructed of all synthetic materials is used in a traditional blessing.
Image 3. Detail from a recent thangka that shows a combination of printing and painting techniques depicting a contemporary meditation master.
In Image 2, a contemporary thangka
Traditional painting materials are still
cultural heritage of a certain age.
form is being used in a traditional
in use. For example, in the Tsering Art
Although there are loopholes in the
Buddhist environment due to the
School in Kathmandu, and elsewhere in
enforcement of these laws, their
choice of the Buddhist teacher who
Nepal, master painters endeavor to use
very existence should be respected
lives in Kathmandu seated beside
traditional materials whenever possible,
by visitors to Nepal. Because thefts
it. Even the dowel on the bottom is
according to their availability.
of thangkas from monasteries are
plastic and not wood. He said that this
increasing, buyers should always be
use of contemporary materials made
The lucrative tourist trade in Nepal
wary of buying old thangkas, without
it possible to produce more of these
is also changing how thangkas are
assuring they were legally acquired
thangkas and give them as presents to
produced. Some new thangkas are
and can be exported.
his students.
created to appear older than they are, and are sold at higher prices as
In the tourist thangka marketplace
This detail from a recent thangka,
antiques. It is the intent to deceive that
these days, it is often “Buyer Beware.”
Image 3, shows the combination
brings up the word “fake”, not the use of
High financial value is placed on
of printing and painting techniques
contemporary methods and materials.
thangka paintings, and therefore, as
depicting a contemporary and highly
mentioned above, the production of
respected meditation master. The
Purchasing thangkas created in
thangka painting “fakes” is increasing.
painting is sewn into a traditional textile
previous centuries is difficult, due to
Due to the increased market
mounting.
laws that prevent the export of genuine
demand, complete thangkas are
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Himalayan Buddhist thangkas are changing in form with shifts in socioeconomic context, and with a scarcity of traditional materials. Furthermore, the lucrative tourist trade is affecting both the intention and the way thangkas are produced.
being fabricated quickly in workshops. Grey or brown may be added to traditional primary colors to simulate an older “look”. Damage may then be intentionally inflicted, the thangka “distressed” and smoked, and sold as valuable antiques at high prices. The proportions of their figures and specific iconographic details may be non-traditional, as well as the use of non-traditional painting techniques. The hasty fabrication of “fakes” contrasts with the labor-intensive and respectful creation of traditional thangka paintings. For example, the painting shown in Image 4 is part of my thangka study collection. I purchased it in an outdoor market in Asia. As an experiment, I had asked the street vendor for an antique thangka. He sold this painting to me as 400 years old, and after we discussed the age, we laughed together and he admitted that it was painted the previous month. The smell of freshly BBQ’d pork was still present when I purchased it. This was one of the thangkas analyzed in the 2009 scientific analysis conducted at University of Delaware. Scientific research proved that it had been smoked in animal fat to look old. See Endnote 2. Traditional usage can cause uneven darkening from butter lamp smoke and incense grit. Traditional thangkas absorb accretions when offerings are flicked towards the image during ceremonies. “Flyspecks” are a common feature as well. For example, the reverse side of an older, traditional thangka painting often reveals uneven areas of water damage, from a time when the thangka was hung against
Image 4. A new thangka painting, sold as 400 years old, was “smoked” to appear older for the tourist trade.
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the damp wall of a stone/clay structure in its home monastery. These uneven
areas of actual water damage look nothing like the “faked” streaks on a new painting created to look old, with dirt and damage intentionally applied. The thangka form is more complicated than a simple designation of old or new. The historical relationship between the painting of a thangka and its current textile mounting is complex. The components of a complete older thangka may not be “original” to each other. For example, the textile mountings may have been changed several times in the history of a specific painting. A patron might have donated funds for new mountings for thangkas
Image 5. Dark streaks of commercial black poster paint were applied to “age” the painting.
in a monastery. a sacred art form still in active use, For newer thangkas in everyday use as
and many new and beautifully made
sacred objects, the age and technique
thangkas with traditional iconography
of manufacture does not always affect
continue to be produced by talented
the thangka’s value as a religious and
artists.
cultural artifact. In Nepal, even deeply traditional shrine rooms may display thangka “paintings” that are printed on
Endnotes
synthetic cloth or coated paper. These are often sewn into a traditional textile
l
Shaftel, A. 2009. “Thangka Fakes and Forgeries” Journal of Art Crime.
l
Shaftel, A. 2008. “The Continuously Evolving Form of Thangkas” ICOMCC Postprints.
l
Shaftel, A, 2007. “Thangka Painting Techniques: Traditional, Contemporary and Instantly Old” American Institute for Conservation Postprints.
border. The image can deteriorate from rolling, unrolling, display, exposure to light, re-rolling, and storage in trunks. Cracks in the plastic, peeling of the image and tearing from the textile mounting can be seen.
Conclusion Himalayan Buddhist thangkas
l
are changing in form with shifts in socioeconomic context, and with
l
a scarcity of traditional materials. Furthermore, the lucrative tourist trade is affecting both the intention and the way thangkas are produced. Although the form and style of thangkas are in flux, thangkas are
l
Shaftel, A, 2006. “Sacred Art” Shambhala Sun. Shaftel, A, 1991. “Conservation Treatment of Tibetan Thangkas” Journal of American Institute of Conservation, 30, 3-11. Shaftel, A, 1986. “Notes on the Technique of Tibetan Thangkas” Journal of American Institute of Conservation, 25, 97-103.
l
Jennifer Mass, Jo-Fan Huang, Betty Fiske, Ann Shaftel, Xian Zhang, Richard Laursen, Courtney Shimoda, Catherine Matsen, and Christina Bisulca, 2009, “Thangka Production in the 18th – 21st Centuries: Documenting the Introduction of Non-Traditional Materials into Himalayan Painting Practice”, published in Proceedings of the Forum on the Conservation of Thangkas, Special Session of the ICOM-CC 15th Triennial Conference, New Delhi, India, September 26, 2008.
BIOGRAPHY: Ann Shaftel is a Fellow of the International Institute for Conservation, a Fellow of the American Institute for Conservation, and Member of Canadian Association of Professional Conservators. She has an M.A. in Asian Art History and an M.S. in Art Conservation. She has worked in preservation of Sacred Art since 1970, with work for museums, universities and monasteries worldwide including in Nepal, Bhutan, India and China.
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The
GUNAKAR
MAHAViHAR
(Chusya-bahal) yuKta baJracharya Images by Laxmi prasad ngakhushi
A
n important and unique traditional architecture and religious site of worship of Buddhist Heritage in Nepal, The Gunakar Mahavihar, known colloquially as Chhyusabahal, located in Jyatha, has stood
through the test of time. Rem Ratna Bajracharya, who guards, performs rituals and rites and looks after his ancestral heritage, once called this Monastery his home. As he grew up, and the 345 year old monastery grew old, Bajracharya took up a responsibility of preserving this monastery which was built by his forefather, Gunajyoti Vajracharya. “You won’t find it written anywhere, as such, but it is said that Gunajyoti, on one of his trips to Lhasa for business purpose, earned a lot of gold. On his way back home, for his own safety, he wore a forlorn coat inside of which, he hid all his gold,” Bajracharya shares a story which has travelled many generations in his family from one mouth to another. “Back home, when he asked his wife to store the coat away, his wife finds it uncanny that an old, tattered coat should be so heavy. Upon being questioned, Gunajyoti tells his wife his secret and then with the gold, decides to build the monastery which is his namesake,” Bajracharya continues.
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Although of much importance, as a structure conforming
support from Kathmandu Metropolitan ward number 30,
strictly to the tenants of Vajrayana Buddhism, a living
IUCN, and the Government of the Federal Republic
heritage of traditional craftsmanship excellence, an open
of Germany.
book for study and research to scholars and a popular tourist destination, the monastery had reached its states
Gunakar Mahavihar was inaugurated in the presence of
of dilapidation. “To a point where it seemed as if the place
King Pratap Malla of Katmandu in 1667 AD during which
would collapse any moment,� shares Bajracharya who along
the image of Harihara Lokeshwara and a golden chaitya
with other members closely associated with the monastery,
were established in the shrine. The monastery is also
forming the Gunakar Mahavihar Conservation Committee,
special for the holy book of Bhagwati Panchabinassati
initiated the restoration of the monastery with financial
Sahasrika Pranjaparmita,that it houses. The Pranjaparmita
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was a holy collection of 25,000 sutras of Mahayana Buddhism and was completed by the grandson of Gunajyoti, Parikha Deva Vajracharya, who wrote the book with the help of inscription writers. This presentation was marked by the presence of King Bhupatendra Malla and it was during this occasion that the annual ceremony of reading the Pranjaparmita and showcasing the figures of deities in the monastery during the Buddhist festive month of Gunla, started. The ceremony is still carried out to date.
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Akshobhya or Kwapadhyo is the principal deity of the
for the ceremony of reciting the Pranjaparmita and a room
monastery and was also enshrined by Parikha Deva. The
which showcases the statues of the deities. The upper floor
idols of Gunajyoti along with his two wives Yadumani Laxmi
is an exclusive worshipping place for the traditional deities,
and Helamani Laxmi, were also installed in front of the
a place that can’t be accessed by members not belonging to
Akshobhya. The monastery fits in a square courtyard, is a
the clan. The upper floor, right above the main entrance of
two storied monument of typical Nepalese architecture built
the monastery also has a balcony which is reserved for the
with terracotta bricks and roofed with brick tiles with carved
lining of the main worshipers and priests.
wooden windows, supported physically and aesthetically by wooden struts. The courtyard itself has some chaityas
The iconic carvings seen on windows, pillars and struts are
built in its center.
from various mandalas such as the Dharmadhatu Vagiswara, Buddha mandala, Pancharaksya mandala, grahamandala,
While the lower floor of the monastery is where the idol of
samputatantroctavarasatwa mandala and tantric deities of
the Akshobhya is placed, this floor also has a reading room
their heritage.
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Deities on Struts four Dhyani buddhas from the Dharmadhatu mandala The four idols placed on the strusts of the shrine, are similar in appearance. The deities have four faces out of which three are visible, four pairs of arms, and they stand cross-legged on a lotus under a tree, mounted on their vahana or vehicle. They are adorned with flower garlands, crowns and ornaments. The figures of the four great kings, Birudhaka, Dhritarastra, Vaisravana and Virupaksha are placed under each of the DhyaniBuddhas or on the lowe parts of the struts of the shrine, consecutively. 1. The ratna Sambhaba With two horses beneath his feet, Ratna Sambhaba holds a vajra, sword,
arrow, goad in his right hands and a noose, bow, bell and a banner with a jewel on top, in his left hands. 2. akshobhya The Akshobhya holds a sword, vajra, arrow and goad in his right hands and in his left hand, a noose, bow, bell and a gesture known as Tarjanimudra. An elephant is placed under his feet.
and the Tarjanimudra gesture.
3. amoghasiddhi
4. amitabha
Two garudas are perched under Amoghasiddhi’s feet as his vehicles while in his right hands, he holds attributes such as a sword, vajra, arrow and goad and his left hand, he holds attributes such as a noose, bow, bell
With two peacocks below his feet, Amitabha has a vajra, arrow, sword and goad in his right hands whereas a bell, noose, bow and lotus on his left.
The ďŹ ve protective goddesses Known collectively as the Pancha Rakshyak, the five goddesses are believed to be protectors from natural devastation such as earth quakes and storms as well as inauspicious signs, according to the Pancharakshya Dharani manuscript. 5. mahapratisara This goddess stands on a lion, holding an astra wheel in the right hand and a noose in the left. According to the manuscript, Mahapratisara takes the Vajraaryankasana position and has four faces with three eyes and eight arms. The main face and body is white while the face on the right is black. Similarly the face on the left is green and the one on the back is yellow. The attributes such as the astra wheel, vajra, arrow and sword is in the right hands while the noose, trisul, bow and hatchet is in the left hands. There is a stupa on her head. 6. Sahasrapramardani On this strut, Sahasrapramardani is holding a vajra on her right hand and a
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noose on her left. She has demon like features and is in a dancing posture called Ardhaparyanka, with a pair of bulging eyes on her face and a garland of human heads on her neck. In the manuscript, she is illustrates as having four faces with three eyes and eight arms. She takes a Lalitsana position. Her body and the main face are black, her right face is white, her left face is green while her face on the back is yellow. On one of her right hands she forms the gesture of Barada mudra and holds a goad, arrow and sword on the others while in her left hands, she holds a noose, bow, axe with vajra and lotus with khadga and jewel. 7. mahamantranusarini The Mahamantranusarini placed on the struts has a peacock vehicle and forms a preaching gesture called the Dharmachakra mudra. In the manuscript, she is illustrated as having three faces with three eyes and tweleve arms. She sits in a semi Arhaparyankasana position. Her body and main face are colored in red while the face on the right is black and the one on the left is green. Her first right hand forms the preaching gesture of Dharmachakra mudra, second right hand form the preaching gesture of Samadi mudra while the other right hands take the gestures of Varada mudra, Abhaya mudra and the rest hold a vajra and arrow, The left hands hold a noose, jar with lotus, umbrella with jewel, lotus and bow.
vehicle and holds a jar with three peacock feathers in her left hand. In the manuscript, she has three faces with three eyes ad eight arms. She takes the position of Satwaparyankasana. Her body and main face are colored yellow, her right face is black and her left face is red. Her three right hands, she holds a jar of jewel, vajra and sword while the fourth right hand forms a Varada mudra. In her left hands, she holds a bowl with monk, peacock feather, Viswavajra with a bell and a flag with jewels.
9. Sitabati The Sitabati on the sturt stands with two garudas under her feet. She forms the gesture of protection called the Abhaya mudra with her right hand and holds a noose in her left hand. Her illustration in the manuscript has three faces with three eys and six arms. She takes the Paryangkasana position. Her body and main face is green, her right face is white and her left face is red. With one of her right hands forming the Abhaya mudra, the other three right hands hold a vajra and arrow. In her left hands, she holds a noose, vajra with jewel and bow.
8. mahamayuri The Mahamayuri on the strut has an elephant as her
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The Propitiation of goddesses of planets The left wing of the Chhusyabahal has struts with the seven goddesses of the nine planets. These goddesses are worshipped by the priests. 10. Vasundhara
perform music, singing and dancing during the puja and the procession of figures of the deity to the temple or to their worshipping destination. 17. Gita First of the group, Gita plays the cymbals. Her color is red.
The first goddess, Vasundhara, is represented simply in the human form, on the strut. The right hand holds a jewel whereas the left hand holds a jar.
18. Muruja
11. Vajravidarani
Demonstrating the act of dancing, Nritya is in Ardhperayanka posture. Her color is green.
Also appearing in a simple human form, the Bajravidarani holds a vajra in her right hand and a noose in her left hand, which is raised. 12. Ganapatihridaya Placed on the strut at the wall of the entrance to Chhyusabaha, the Ganapatihridaya is elephant headed with two arms. The right hand holds a radish and the left hand holds a dish of sweet meat. The vehicle of Ganapatihridaya is a rat. 13. Usnisavijaya The image of the Usnisavijaya on the strut has a raised right hand holding a fruit while the left hand holds a jar containing nectar. 14. Parnasabari
Smoke grey in color, she holds the drum. 19. Nritya
20. Vamsa Vamsa holds a flute and her color is red. 21. Mridanga Mridanga plays a drum and her color is black. 22. Vina Vina holds a stringed instrument with her left hand and plays it with a bow, which she holds in her right hand. Her color is yellow.
Ten Krodha Bhairabs
The Marichi stands on a chariot which is drawn by a pig. She has one head and two arms. Her right hand holds a bow and there is an arrow on her raised left hand.
The ten Bhairabs placed on the struts of the north faced elevation of Chhusyabaha, on the street sight are called the Krodhas. They are terrifying deities believed to have the power to protect from evil spirits. These figures have demon like features such as a bulging pair of eyes, a grinning mouth. They wear a garland of human heads and have a brohamanical cord in the form of a serpent. The Krodhas are flanked by two figures of Ganesha and Mahakala.
16. Grahamatrika
23. Ganesha
The Parnasabari has demon like features. A grinning laugh can be seen on her face while she also wears a garland of human heads. She has one head and two arms with no attributes. 15. Marichi
The Grahamatrika takes a simple human form on the strut and has a preaching gesture of the Dharmachakra mudra.
Cult Goddesses of Music The group of six goddesses that can be seen on the struts on the right wing of the courtyard symbolize the acts that belong to the worship or puja. They
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The image of the elephant headed Ganesha, is mounted on his vehicle, the rat. Ganesha is seen in a dancing posture, holding a radish in his right hand and a dish of sweet meat on his left. 24. Usnishchakrabartini The Usnishchakrabartini holds a chakra in his right hand and a jewel in his left hand.
25. Yamantaka The Yamantaka holds a hammer tipped with a vajra in his right hand and a jewel in his left. 26. Prajnantaka The Prajnantaka holds a staff with a vajra in his left hand a jewel in his right. 27. Padmantaka the Padmantaka has a lotus in his right hand and a jewel in his left. 28. Vighnantaka The Vighnantaka holds a vajra in his right hand a lotus in his left hand.
29. Takkiraj
34. Mahakala
side of the Kwapadayo.
The Takkiraj holds a goad in his right hand and a jewel in his left hand.
The Mahakala has a kartri in his right hand and a bowl in his left.
Outside of the room of the shrine, in the courtyard, there is a pair of elephants standing as the vehicle of the Kwapadayo. The also has a large bell, an idol of Hanuman, idols of Gunajyoti and his two wives and a Halahal Lokeshor. A chaitya is placed on the middle of the courtyard and a Sikharsalli temple has also been installed. The structure of the temple resembles the famous Krishna Mandir located in the Patan Durbar Square.
30. Niladanda The Niladanda holds a staff on his right hand and a jewel on his left. 31. Mahabala The Mahabal has a trident in his right hand and a jewel in his left. 32. Kekara The Kekara holds a sword in his right hand. In his left hand, he holds a lotus. 33. Sumbharaja The Sumbharaja has a vajra in his right hand and a jewel in his left.
The Akshobhya Tathagata, or Kwapadayo, is the main shrine of the Chhyusabaha. There are two lion guards facing north, placed on either side of the Akshobhya. Other idols inside the main shrine include another Akshobhya, Manjushree, Amitabh, Simhananda Lokeshor, Harihara Lokeshor, Amogpas Lokeshor and Adi Buddha Manjushree. There are also two stone inscriptions which have been placed on either side of the Kwapadayo. Another third inscription is placed outside on the right
Reference: The Gunakar Mahavihar: The Monastery of Buddhist Heritage, Yadi Ratna Bajracharya, 2061 BS
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Beads of Faith – By Lauren Yanks
F
inding time for spiritual contemplation is a challenge in today’s busy world, which is where prayer beads can help. Used in a variety of traditions, prayer beads have aided worshipers for
centuries. In Buddhism, a set of beads is referred to as a mala. Usually made up of 108 beads, a mala helps people keep count while they chant, speak, or mentally repeat a mantra. Various reasons are given as to why the mala has 108 beads, which is said to be an auspicious number in different traditions. One thought is that there are 54 letters in the Sanskrit alphabet, with each letter possessing a masculine and feminine energy. Another theory is that the numbers 9 and 12 have special spiritual significance, and when multiplied equal 108.
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“Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is daily admission of one’s weakness. It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without a heart.” – Mahatma Gandhi
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John Rinkor lives and studies at Karma Triyana Dharmachakra, a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in New York. “Malas are used as a prayer device,” he said “It helps one to accumulate mantras, which are holy words. Basically, mantras are blessed words.” When asked why he thinks 108 beads are used, Rinkor says he is not sure but that in Tibetan Buddhist, it’s important to say a mantra at least a hundred times, so the extra eight beads are there as assurance in case you mistakenly skip a few beads. He also emphasizes that it’s not about saying a blessed word, but the feeling behind it. “It’s not just the mantra, it’s the devotion,” he said. “When you say sacred sounds, it purifies your speech.”
Chözang keeps a couple sets of beads.
Chözang is a Tibetan Buddhist monk also residing at Karma
“It’s nice to have a particular set of beads that you’re
Triyana Dharmachakra.
connected with,” he said. “One set I keep separate, and another I use more publicly. I use them daily.”
“The mala is a tool,” he said. “It’s a device of the body part of things. These ritual devices are said to contain blessings
Chözang finds that the mala helps him to focus on his prayer
from our use of them.”
life more deeply. “The mala is considered to be an intimate part of our personal practice,” he said. “It’s a tool of support. It’s helpful to have it there because the mind wants to stray and do other things.” A variety of materials can be used to make a mala, like wood or metal beads, as well as gemstones or jewels. Different beads may have different prayer uses; at times it’s just a matter of preference. Lama Yeshe Palmo is a Tibetan Buddhist nun residing at Kagyu Thubten Chöling. “All of us monastics wear the mala because we’re always using it,” she said. “It helps us to focus.” Lama Yeshe Palmo believes that her meditation practice is a way of life, and the mala helps her keep a conscious awareness at all times. “It’s a very good tool and simple to carry,” she said. “It’s a mechanism to keep me mindful, and that’s incredibly important.” In the Catholic tradition, many worshipers say the rosary, which is used to describe a string of prayer beads and a sequence of prayers, including the Hail Mary. It is part of the veneration of Mary, mother of Jesus. Most rosaries are
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made up of fifty beads, or five groups of ten beads called decades. Often, there are additional large beads between each decade. The rosary has grown in popularity over the centuries, as well as the devotion to Mary. Visions of Mary have been witnessed throughout the world—two of the most well-known visions include Lourdes in France and Fatima in Portugal. Often in the visions, Mary holds or wears the rosary. Although the Catholic Church believes god is without gender, there are patriarchal tendencies, and many nuns believe the rosaries help balance those male-dominated inclinations. Another religion that uses beads is Islam. Usually called a misbaha, the string of beads utilized by Muslims is, like other
asking for god’s mercy.”
traditions, a tool for prayer. It typically consists of 99 beads,
Although there are conflicting ideas about how the misbaha
corresponding to the 99 names of Allah.
came into use, originally they were said to be made of
“People use it when they start saying the names of Allah,” said Raid Ahmad, a member of the Islamic Community Center in New York. “God has 99 names, so every time you say the name of God, there is a bead.” A few ways that the names of god are chanted include the repetition of “God is the Greatest”, “Praise be to God” and “Glory be to God”. “It’s a traditional way to remember to mention god’s name, like ‘God is the Greatest’,” said Noura Hajjaj, an instructor of Arabic language and culture at Marist College. “In Islam, nothing can happen if it isn’t God’s will, so it’s a way of
pebbles. Today, the misbaha is usually made of wood, but there are also some made of olive seeds, ivory, plastic and other materials. “The misbaha is really not the focus,” said Hajjaj. “It’s just an object, just a materialist thing that connects people with god. It’s the connection itself that’s important.” Although each tradition offers differing histories and rituals regarding prayer beads, they ultimately share the same universal theme—beads are a tool that help worshipers connect with something greater, enabling deeper peace and satisfaction while journeying through their busy lives.
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World’s Largest Thangka Depicting the Twelve Miraculous Deeds of
Buddha Shakyamuni The World’s Largest Thangka was displayed at Dashrath Stadium on Oct 5th & 6th, 2012. The Thangka is created by the joint effort by Mr. Surya Bahadur Thakali, a Nepalese citizen and the Director of (NPO) N21 network Mr. Yasutada Katagiri, a Japanese citizen. The dream of creating the largest ever Thangka was conceived in 1994, and with the effort of more than 10,000 volunteers from over 16 countries in the span of eight years, this masterpiece was put together. Depicted in this art masterpiece is Lord Buddha’s life story, which is traditionally summarized in the twelve deeds that he performed from his coming to the world to his passing away. This Thangka is completed by joining 81 different pieces with the help of zippers. Each piece is 20 feet in length and 18 feet in breath making a ready Mandala approximately 229.60 feet in length and 164 feet in breath. It weighs about 1900 kgs (5066 pounds). To give this Mandala a full shape nearly 7000 square meters of cloth and 3200 meters of zipper has been used. The Thangka is stored and transported in 81 synthetic packets of : width 60 cms, length 105 cms and height 30 cms.
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1
Buddha Shakyamuni passes his crown to Maitreya as he prepares to fulfill prophecy and come into this world.
2
He descends from Tushita Pure Land as a white elephant and enters the womb of his mother, Queen Mayadevi.
3
Buddha Shakyamuni is born as Prince Siddhartha and takes his first steps into the world, seven in each direction, as lotuses bloom in his wake.
4
He is trained as a child in the worldly arts, reading poetry, playing with friends, hunting animals, and learning archery.
5 7 9 11
Prince Siddhartha indulges in worldly pleasures.
He engages in intensive spiritual practice.
He is challenged by and defeats the tempting armies of Mara, turning their weapons into flowers. Buddha Shakyamuni teaches the way of enlightenÂŹment (turns the Wheel of the Dharma).
6 8 10 12
After witnessing the suffering of humanity, Prince Siddhartha cuts his hair and takes up a life of renunciation.
He sits in meditation under a sacred tree, vowing not to rise until he attains enlightenment.
He attains full enlightenÂŹment as Buddha Shakyamuni.
Buddha Shakyamuni enters into Parinirvana, leaving this world. He is then cremated and the relics from his funeral pyre are entombed in a stupa (reliquary mound).
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Numerous multinational companies participated in creating the thangka. Sponsorship included materials, facilitation and other logistic support. Highlights include the photography of the master design using a 16000 Megapixel camera and collection of materials and other design related materials.
10000 volunteers from 16 different countries including Nepal and the Tibetian community of Nepal participated in the making. The Masterpiece consists of 81 units and took over 8 years for completion.
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book reviews
Lady of Realisation: A spiritual Memoir by Sheila Fugard
Lady of Realisation is one of the first memoirs of Tibetan Buddhist nun and western teacher Sister Karma Khechog Palmo. The book provides memorable insights of the sixteenth Karmapa and other teachers of the Kagyu tradition in the 1970s. Sister Palmo’s life as an Englishwoman in India was extraordinary both as an academic, political activist, and social worker. She is remembered as one of the key figures in bringing the sixteenth Karmapa to the West. She influenced younger important teachers like Trungpa Rinpoche and Akong Rinpoche. It was my privilege to have been her student, and to study and travel with her. This memoir is a reflection of that extraordinary time of the arrival of Tibetan Buddhism in the West in the 1970s. The memoir brings with it deep, personal experiences from my own life, lived out during the brutal years of the apartheid government in South Africa. The life and work of Sister Palmo continues to inspire others on the path. She brought the ancient yogic tradition of the woman yogis of the past together with insights into contemporary life. Her invaluable teachings open a door into the practice of Buddhism in our everyday journey.
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A Short Introduction to the Fearless at Work: Philosophy of Shantarakshita, Timeless Teachings for Awakening Confidence, by Marie-Louise Friquegnon Resilience, and Creativity in the Face of Life’s Demand M. Friquegnon’s A Short Introduction
True Nature: An Illustrated Journal of Four Seasons in Solitude
to the Philosophy of Shantarakshita is a significant contribution to the study of Shantarakshita, the foremost thinker of Tibetan Buddhism. The book is an excellent introduction not only to Tibetan Buddhism, but also a philosophically stimulating text on many of the fundamental topics from ethics, aesthetics, and epistemology (as viewed by Madhyamika school). The book is also of interest to students and scholars of comparative philosophy. The chapter on Shankara and the problem of nihilism is of particular interest to the study of Hinduism and Buddhism. There are insightful analogies between Shantarakshita and philosophers ranging from Kant to Wittgenstein. Discussion of Shantarakshita’s conception of language in relation to Wittgenstein is particularly noteworthy. An excellent introduction to Buddhism, in a non-technical vocabulary Friquegnon explains philosophical ideas clearly.
In this colorful journal, writer-illustrator Barbara Bash has re-created her chronicles of meditation and contemplative wandering during a series of solitary country retreats. Combining beautifully hand-calligraphed journal notes with watercolor-and-pencil drawings, she captures exquisite moments of magic in the natural environment: a dragon fly’s brief pause, a surprised deer in tall grass, a lumbering skunks visit, the woods at twilight. Nature lovers, gardeners, and anyone who enjoys solitary country walks will recognize in Barbara a kindred spirit and will find hours of pleasure in these pages.
by Michael Carroll
Work is such a crucial part of our life, and yet we often struggle with and feel overwhelmed by the numerous challenges it presents us. Whether its job insecurity, making peace with or leaving an unfulfilling job, or dealing with office conflicts, we often experience fear and a sense of groundlessness just at a time when we want to be our most creative and resilient. Drawing on Buddhist philosophy, Michael Carroll, a longtime humanresources executive, meditation teacher, and executive coach, explains how the practice of mindfulnessfull awareness of our moment-to-moment experience can help us become more confident and open to possibility in our work life. He offers a system of potent, inspiring principles that we can use as a practice for helping us work with our insecurities and awakening our natural bravery, resourcefulness, and resilience.
by Barbara Bash
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