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Karmapa
in America '08
The Karmapa's Office of Administration in the United
States has joyously announced that His Holiness the Seventeenth Gyalwang
Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, will visit the United States from May 15 –
June 2, 2008. His Holiness will visit Boulder on May 24 - 25.The tour will
cover three main regions, Eastern, Central, and Western according to the
following schedule.
May 15 - 18: New York, NY
May 19 - 23: Karma Triyana
Dharmachakra
May 24 - 25: Boulder, CO
May 26 - 28: Rest Days
May
29 - June 2: Seattle WA
For details continue to the Karmapa
Visit website.
Many Buddhist organizations have come together to create
the auspicious conditions for the visit including:
At Vajra Vidya, it is our sincere wish to make a mandala
offering of body, speech and mind to His Holiness if conditions come
together in Boulder. This will be a time to reinforce the connection
between His Holiness and Thrangu Rinpoche by expressing the heartfelt
support of Rinpoche's students in the United States. Lama Wangdu and
Khenpo Jigme will be excellent coaches for our group.
Contact coordinator@vajravidyaretreatcenter.org to express
interest in participating in the mandala offering. We are also building a
list of practice commitments.
Khenpo Jigme at
Shambhala
There was something for everyone at Khenpo Jigme's
generous teachings in the Boulder Shambhala shrine room. Karen Smith
reports:
There were over 30 students in the Main Shrine room at
the Shambhala Center on Friday
night for Khenpo’s Lojong (mind-training) teaching. The teaching was very
warm, clear and practical. Erik Drew did a great job of translating and
the Practice and Education Director, Cynthia Kneen was very pleased.
Khenpo said that enlightenment is available now, on the spot, when we
overcome our afflictive emotions and our habitual idea of ‘self’ and
‘other’ On Saturday Khenpo had three group audiences. The first was for
the general public and had about 20 students. The second was Tantrika
(those who have taken tantric vows and started the outer
preliminaries-Ngundro) and there were about 15 there and for the final,
Sadhaka (finished their preliminaries-Ngundro) there were perhaps 12 or
13.
Lama
Wangdu's Report from Nepal and India
Birthday Celebration Finale
Rinpoche said he is
now 75 years old and during this time he has not had many difficulties
because of the love and support from his students. During the birthday
celebration he made a commitment to long life in order to benefit all
sentient beings. He explained that he had gained confidence towards a long
life because of the samaya of his students and love towards him. The long
life puja was a powerful expression of that dedication. Because of his
aspiration for a long life, all of the participants knew that their
efforts had been rewarded.
Dharma and Family Combination
Then I went to see
my family. At that time, I got a chance to go Thrangu Tara Abbey at
Shambu. Since the next day was Mahakala day, they were doing a long puja
so I contributed toward a good lunch and made a feast offering. I had
originally planned to take my mother and sister to Tibet. However, based
on Rinpoche's recommendation, we made a pilgrimage in India instead. We
spent two days in Sarnath where Buddha had given his first teaching. I
practiced by myself and did some group practice too. Then I offered a good
lunch and dana offering to all the monks and our Rinpoche, since he was
also in Sarnath at that time.
Kagyu Monlam
Then we went
to Bodhgaya where Buddha obtained enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree. I
participated in the whole Kagyu Monlam with thousands of monks and nuns
and many other Buddhist practitioners. The fully ordained monks had to be
trained in every detail of the events. I had to learn about the set of six
dharma robes, a new hat and bowl. For the robes for example, there are
different instructions for wearing the robes during prostrations, while
walking and while sitting at monlam.
I was fortunate to be able do all of the monlam
prayers in the presence of HH the 17th Karmapa, Gyaltsab Rinpoche, Jamgon
Rinpoche, Thrangu Rinpoche, Tenga Rinpoche and many others Rinpoches,
Khenpos, Lamas, monks, nuns and many others students from different
countries all over the world.
The first day of the 25th Silver Jubilee Kagyu Monlam
started with vows and guidance by HH 17th Karmapa. Ven. Thrangu Rinpoche
started the second day. Then Ven.Gyaltsap Rinpoche started the third day.
They traded off the rest of the time. The Monlam lasted for eight days to
be followed by three additional days of Medicine Buddha Puja.
His Holiness made it so that from five in the morning
until bedtime every moment was filled with just dharma activities. The
eight days of Kagyu monlam arranged by HH the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa is
something to compare with what we normally experience during the rest of
the year. During monlam HH Karmapa gave teaching on the life of Milarepa
and his songs and also gave teachings on and the empowerment of Medicine
Buddha. Every day there was always special dedication prayers for the
deceased and for the living. My mom was so happy to get blessing from all
the high Rinpoches, the empowerment from HH the Karmapa and for the Kagyu
Monlam. There were plenty of good experiences during the entire monlam. I
felt like the Buddha was present with us and we were in a pure land. I was
glad to see my mom was so satisfied with the pilgrimage.
The Return Trip
Then we
three returned to Nepal. I had a full annual physical check-up. Then I got
chance to do the long Mahakala Puja at Bouddha Monastery with the monks
there. Not only that, but I was the chant master after many years back to
shrine room where I spent the first day of my life as a monk. Then I went
to Bhaktapur where they were holding a three year retreat. I paid for a
good lunch for the retreatants. I went to offer khatas and butter lamps at
Milarepa's cave. Then I returned to Bouddha for few days shopping for the
VVRC dharma store. Then I started the journey back to Crestone VVRC.
I would like to thank all the people who supported my
meaningful and successful dharma activities, dana, and puja offerings in
Nepal and India. At every pilgrimage site, I dedicated the merit to all my
sponsors and sentient beings.
May all sentient beings get chance to do such a
pilgrimage.
Lama Karma Wangdu
On a final note, please consider coming to do retreat at
VVRC now that the snow has melted in Crestone. Before Rinpoche's visit in
June, we would like everyone to have a chance to experience the center.
Spring Blessings,
Deb Wolfe
Director
Vajra Vidya
Retreat Center
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