day of miracles losar and lama yeshe day
TRANSCRIPT
February - March 2012
(office) -
Day of Miracles Thursday 8th March The Day of Miracles is one of the four great holy days of the Tibetan Buddhist year. The four holy days are: the Day of Miracles, the day the Buddha was enlightened, the day the Buddha first taught the Four Noble Truths, and the day he returned to Earth from the god realm where he was teaching his mother. On the Day of Miracles, Ven. Dondrub recommends that we take the day off work to pray, reflect and do good works. One can take precepts on this day and join in the planned activities at the centre. Any merit created on this day is multiplied many times. When Shakyamuni Buddha was forty, six great Hindu teachers, who represented the six schools of Hinduism that existed at the time, challenged the Buddha to a competition of miracles. Buddha accepted the challenge, but only because many would be benefited and achieve the arhat state and people of the future would be inspired to practice as a result of his demonstration. He proceeded to perform miracle after miracle during the first fortnight of the lunar New Year. The rival teachers were eclipsed almost immediately, as Buddha produced spectacular manifestations. For example, he threw down a toothpick and grew a giant wish granting gem tree. Teachings of liberation and awakening, reverberating in every language known to man, illumined the minds of all assembled. On the fifteenth day Buddha enabled all beings to see all the six realms. Many people converted to Buddhism after seeing the lower realms with their own eyes. So that is the first great day, the Day of Miracles, on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. A time that is ripe for merit making, and as Lama Zopa says, karmic results are multiplied by one hundred million – join us to celebrate the Day of Miracles on Thursday 8th March: Precepts 6am Extensive Offerings Setup 2pm Medicine Buddha Puja 7.00-8.30pm with Venerable Dondrub
Please enjoy Greg’s and Owen’s reflections on the great Lama Yeshe and his teachings: Lama Yeshe Day By Greg Carr Lama Yeshe was the first lama to explain the teachings to me in a down to earth way. He did not take us on a Tibetan trip but taught the Dharma in a way that suited our western culture. It was the time of the hippy and travelers to the early Kopan courses in Nepal rejected a lot of society. Lama made us look within, "Check up, dear" and would roll around laughing at our hang-ups. His knowledge of English was not much, but he had picked up the slang and he used it with great humor. Lama motivated us to use our time effectively, instead of spacing out. He was very m uc h i nv o l v e d w i t h everything in the organisation (FPMT). He would oversee all sorts of things, from teaching us westerners and educating the young monks at Kopan, to the building, gardening and dealing with any other problems. Lama and Rinpoche (Lama Zopa) would travel to all the centres each year. At first they would travel together,
but as the organisation grew, they toured separately. The Lama had incredible energy to understand western culture, psychology, science and religion. He also had Christian students and was happy to help them in their religious pursuits. He often spoke of Christ and visited Christian pilgrimage places. He would travel undercover (in lay clothes), go to night club, the beach, Disneyland and watch TV – maybe to better understand our monkey minds. Time goes on and Lama’s blue print of FPMT grows under the precious guidance of Lama Zopa Rimpoche and Lama’s incarnation, Osel Rimpoche.
(Continued on page 3)
Losar and Lama Yeshe Day Wednesday 22nd February Losar (Tibetan New Year) has become known as Lama Yeshe Day by those within the FPMT, since it marks the day of Lama Thubten Yeshe’s passing in 1984. On this day we remember this
great teacher and founder of FPMT by making offerings and attending puja. Lama Yeshe Day is a Buddha day and thus a great merit making opportunity. We hope you will join us on this day for Maitreya Buddha Puja with Venerable Dondrub - Wednesday 22nd February at 7.30pm.
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Current and up-coming Discovering Buddhism courses: Establishing A Daily Practice Wed Jan 25, Feb 1,8,15,29 Mar 3,14 Retreat Day Sunday Mar 18 We need tools to develop a successful practice. Using our Spiritual Director’s booklet A Daily Meditation Practice as a guide, we can become familiar with the elements necessary to
generate realizations in the mind, and we can receive some tips for making every act ion of the day meaningful. Death and Rebirth Wed March 21, 28, April 4, 11,18 Retreat Day April 22 Explore the process of death and rebirth, and its impact on how we live our lives. Be guided in skilful reflection on the meaning of death and what to expect at the death- time.
In this way, fulfil your purpose in life, resolve conflicts, and develop the skills to help both yourself and others at the time of death. Eventually, through Buddhist practice, one can overcome death altogether. Hayagriva Buddhist Centre is most fortunate to have as its resident teacher one of the foremost teachers within the FPMT – V e n e r a b l e T h u b t e n Dondrub. He is Australian born, has been an attendant to Lama Zopa
Rinpoche, the spiritual head of the tradition, and is regularly requested to teach overseas. He has just returned from Nepal for a record eighth time teaching the annual Kopan course. $100 (Memb. $90 ) One day retreat $40 (Memb. $30) Registration is essential to a l l ow f or adequate preparation of student material
The Importance of Attending Teachings An Interview with Venerable Dondrub – Part 3 “One of the commitments of refuge is trying not to be too involved with people who don’t have a religious atti tude, who aren’t Buddhist or who are critical of Buddhism – without rejecting. This is because, as beginners, if one is around such people, then one’s own faith can be really challenged, reduced or even lost. So, it’s vital for new Buddhists and for all Buddhists, to have Dharma friends and a Dharma community to be with.
Just coming to the centre and being with Dharma students is incredibly important. One point I wanted to make was that ultimately what we have to do to change our minds is hear the teachings, study them and finally, we have to meditate on them - that’s what brings about the real transformation. For us as beginners, we have to think about the teachings and we have to meditate on them, but one problem that exists at our level is that they are just our thoughts. We may think our thoughts and way of r e f l ec t i ng m ay be wonderful, but in fact, they may be extremely limited and incorrect. Where as
when we discuss things with other people or hear teachings from a teacher, even if it’s only a western teacher, they can present things in a way that we have never reflected on or considered before, and we d i s c o v e r t h a t o u r understanding of this point, maybe wasn’t as correct. So, it’s really vital to hear the teaching. People practising, in m o d e r n s o c i e t y , especially in this busy city life, can think - ‘I’m a Buddhist, I think in a Buddhist way all the time’ - but it is so easy for the worldly mind to sap away one’s actual Dharma life. It’s important to come to the centre because you’re
hearing more that just your own t hough t s an d hopefully you’re hearing someone who has a little bit more experience and background than yourself. It gives you the chance to check your understanding with the teacher and the other students. I think it’s vital. It’s so important. It’s so important. Just bringing the mind in contact with the Dharma by coming to a centre and listening to a teaching, even if you know the teaching back to front, is incredibly important.” Thank you Venerable Dondrub for the gift of this interview and of your wisdom.
* Important Lam-rim Newsflash from
Venerable Dondrub * The Tuesday night Illuminating the Path class has reached the last and most important part of Lam a T songk hapa ' s presentation of The Graduated Path to Enl i ghtenm ent . Th i s section deals with how to develop concentration and how to develop penetrative insight into the true nature of oneself and all things.
This subject is at the very heart of the B u d d h a ' s teachings, the
understanding of which is vital for freeing us from suffering but also essential for enabling us to realise our complete Buddha potential. And this in turn is vital to develop if we want to be of real, lasting benefit to all the living beings, who have been so kind to us, but are still trapped in the cycle of suffering.
Lama Tsongkhapa was famed in Tibet as possibly giving the clearest and most profound and precise explanation of how to train the mind in concentration and wisdom, so it is a wonderful opportunity for us to study these subjects together. And of course learning to develop a calmer, clearer mind and to be more intelligent, wise and i ns i gh t f u l a re incredibly helpful in our daily lives.
Lama Tsongkhapa
Kopan Retreat 2011 On 10th November 2011, our own Venerable Dondrub led the one month Kopan Course for a record eighth time! Around 265 students from around the world attended the whole course. Kopan Monastery, as one of the places in the world where holy beings have resided, attracts many l e a r n e d D h a r m a practitioners and inspires them to bring the Dharma alive through their practice. The students of the recent Kopan November course, were not only presented with the insightful and experienced teaching from our own resident teacher, but also many others. During the course students had the good fortune to listen to a talk from the Ganden Tripa (the head of the Gelugpa Tradition), who was visiting Kopan
Monastery. Later on the Jangtse Choje, who is in line to be the next Ganden Tripa, gave three talks during his visit and granted Refuge, Bodhisattva vows, and Vajrasattva and Tara initiations. The new Abbott of the monastery, Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi, also gave a teaching.
Vene r a b l e Dond r ub reflected on the recent course: “Most of the students at the course were in their 20's or 30's and quite new to the Dharma, some having never studied it at all. There were also fewer students with a long background in Dharma than in previous years, so
this gave a particular flavour to the course. I also felt that more people than in previous November courses that I had taught seemed, at least at first, somewhat grim, or serious and not quite so open. But this gradually changed during the course and by the time we got to the section on Bodhicitta, many of these people really lightened up and became much more receptive. By the end there was a very positive feeling. Strangely enough, there are always people who attend the whole course, but seem totally unaffected by it, even critical, whereas others say i t has completely changed their life. At least it gets people thinking about what is really meaningful for their life. To "check up" more, as Lama Yeshe would say. So that's great.”
2011 Kopan Retreat
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Lama Yeshe – across the generations By Owen Cole In addition to being charismatic, able to light up a room and having an infectious laugh, Lama Yeshe had an innate ability to take complicated concepts in Buddhism, strip them bare and re-present them in a way that profoundly moved the minds of westerners. With his limited English, that was no mean feat. An example is a statement from him on meditation. “Meditation is actually very simple. When you close your eyes, what happens is that your awareness begins to radiate, like a sensitive radar detector. A good radar detector picks up any kind of signal; it
not ices; i t 's aware. Simi lar ly, when we medi tate, our mind becomes aware; we become very sensitive or totally awake as to what's going on. That's what I call m edi t a t i on - - i n t ens i v e conscious awareness. But I don't mean that in the conversational sense: ‘Blah, blah, blah, oh, there's a light, there's something else.’ It's not like that.” The statement is simple but you walk away with a m u c h d e e p e r understanding, and that was Lama Yeshe all over. He could do this because of the depth of his understanding and his profound realisation of the Buddhist teachings. He was without doubt a living Buddha. But it was in his passing that I found one of his most
profound teachings. We all knew Lama as this jovial, o u t g o i n g , w i s e , unconventional Lama who had a huge presence. He manifested a certain personality that was best suited to impart the Buddhist teachings to those of the time – mainly young, sceptical people in the 1970s who had turned their back on their own affluent societies and the associated values to go to India in search of something different. How could they not be drawn to someone like Lama Yeshe? To us, Lama Yeshe was, as we view everything around us, a permanent person - unchanging, fixed in time and someone whose presence we could enjoy for years. Then in 1984, he was no longer in the form we had
come to love. He passed away and his mind stream manifested as Spanish b o r n O s e l w h o s e personality is nothing like Lama Yeshe. Among other things, Osel (like many highly realised incarnate lamas) is into film, multimedia and modern forms of communication. Perhaps this is what he needs to communicate Buddhism to the present and future generations. The karma of young people today is different to that of those on the hippie trail in India in the 1970s, s o t h e f o r m o f communication has to change with it. This how a bodhisattva works – manifesting in whatever form is necessary to relate the teachings of the Buddha to the people of the time.
(Continued from page 1 - Lama Yeshe – across the generations)
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Ultimate Healing Workshops 2-4 pm Saturdays 17 Mar, 21 Apr, 19 May, 16 Jun “We may use medicine or some other external means to heal a particular disease, but the disease will return unless we heal our mind”, says Kyabje Thubten Zopa Rinpoche in his marvellous book, Ultimate Healing (Wisdom Publications, Boston, 2001). The Saturday Workshops of the Wheel of Life Palliative Care Support Group will be devoted in 2012 to a study of Lama Z o p a ’ s b o o k . T h e emphasis in 2012 therefore will be on the spiritual aspects of coping with serious illness and the possibilities for healing that come from the mind. You are most welcome at any of our Saturday workshops. This year, we will use a "Book Club" format i.e. participants will be issued with a copy of the next chapter(s) a month in advance, and then the facilitator(s) will prepare guided questions for
d i s c u s s i o n . C a s u a l attendees will receive a copy at the workshop. However, our hope is that participants will commit to the year’s study program. As Lama Zopa says: “In the W est , the external conditions for a particular disease are usually regarded as its cause. The cause of the disease is not external; it is in the mind - or we could say, it is the mind. Disease is caused by ou r se l f -che r i sh i ng , ignorance, attachment,
anger, and other delusions and by the negat ive actions motivated b y t h e s e thoughts. Our negative thoughts and actions leave imprints on our mind, which then m a n i f e s t a s disease or other problems.” Now the amazing thing is that “A com passionate person is the most powerful healer, not only of their own disease a n d o t h e r
problems, but of those of others. A person with loving kindness and compassion heals others simply by existing.” Lama Zopa gives examples in his book of healing through meditation and compassionate actions: “I suggested Alice meditate on Vajrapani, a wrathful aspect of Buddha, that is powerful in healing cancer. I simply advised her to visualize Vajrapani above the crown of her head,
emitting beams of nectar to purify her. I also advised her to buy animals that were in danger of being killed, and free them in a safe place, thus enabling them to have longer lives. Alice was in hospital when she received my advice. Her doctors advised her to stay, but said that if she really believed in these methods, she could leave. Alice saved many animals from restaurants and other places. Although I advised her to liberate animals equal in number to her age in years, she actually freed two or three thousand animals, mostly chickens, fish and worms. She had the chickens taken care of on a farm, freed the fish in open water, and released the worms in her own garden. When Alice returned to the hospital for a check-up, the doctors could not find any trace of the cancer. They were very surprised. This was the first time they had seen anyone cured of cancer through meditation.”
Prayers for the Dead 2-3 pm Saturdays 3 Mar, 7 Apr, 5 May, 2 Jun Every month the Wheel of Life Palliative Care Support Group meets to lead an abbrev iated Medicine Buddha Puja and an Amitabha Buddha practice for those who have died in the last 49 days. A list of FPMT students and their loved ones who have passed away recently is supp l i ed by FPMT headquarters. This is part of an amazing service offered by FPMT. If you go to the website http://www.fpmt.org/pfd.html you can enter the details of your loved one. The FPMT
then gives this name to His Holiness the Dalai Lama with the request for his prayers. Imagine the benefits to your friend who has passed away and may be g rappl i ng wi t h t he d i f f i c u l t i e s o f t h e Intermediate State and trying to find a good rebirth. But this is not all. As part of Kyabje Thubten Zopa Rinpoche's advice in setting up this service, International Office also sends names of the deceased to Kyabje Thubten Zopa Rinpoche, and to the monks of Nalanda Monastery, Kopan Monast ery , T hubt en
Shedrup Ling and the nuns of Chenrezig Nuns' Community for their prayers. In addition, the names and causes of death are added to the FPMT Prayers for the Dead e-Group, so that you and others have the opportunity to make prayers for all the recently deceased, and so that you can see that your request has been acted upon. The names on this e-Group list are the ones we say prayers for on the first Saturday of each month. Taking part in this short practice not only may help your loved one, but also may help you, or others who you make dedication
for, to cope with life-threatening conditions or illnesses. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Important Announcement Please keep an eye on the eNews editions as they come out, as some programmed event might change when Geshe Sonam arrives.
Latest Geshe news. The Immigration department has now requested a Police clearance for Geshe la from Germany. This is creating some difficulty as the German government won’t issue a full PCC to someone unless they travel back to Germany. Keep saying your mantras we’ll work through it all.
Up-coming Bi-annual Lam-rim Retreat Mark June 8 – 18 in your calendar as it is the planned date for Hayagriva’s Bi-annual Lam Rim retreat at Mt Helena this year June 8 -18. More details available soon.
Lam-Rim Teaching CDs now available at the Dharma Shop Don’t forget that the Dharma Shop has cds of the 17 topics covered by Venerable Dondrub at Hayagriva’s 2008 Lam-Rim Retreat at Jhana Grove at Serpentine. Prices are $10 (memb $8).
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Wheel of Life
Free Community Information Session
YOUR LIVING WILL Presented by Robyn Baker,
Office of the Public Advocate Come along to a free information session on Enduring Powers of Guardianship (EPG) and Advance Health
Directive (AHD) 7:30pm - 9:00pm Thursday 1 March 2012
Hayagriva Buddhist Centre Registrations close: Monday 27 Feb 2012
Contact Len Warren for more information on [email protected]
Wheel of Life Palliative Care Support Group Hayagriva Buddhist Centre PROGRAM OF EVENTS FOR 2012 The theme for 2012 is “Ultimate Healing”, and we will be exploring Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s teaching in his book Ultimate Healing (Wisdom Publications, Boston, 2001). But the first workshop of the year will be a special event, a community information session presented by Robyn Baker from the WA Office of the Public Advocate, on “Living Wills”, or more properly, Enduring Power of Guardianship and Advance Health Directive. February Sat 4 Feb 2-3 pm: Prayers for the Deceased Thu 1 Mar 7:30-9:00 pm Robyn Baker: “Living Wills” March Sat 3 Mar 2-3 pm: Prayers for the Deceased Sat 17 Mar 2-4 pm: The Healing Power of the Mind April Sat 7 Apr 2-3 pm: Prayers for the Deceased Sat 21 Apr 2-4 pm: Successful Healing May Sat 5 May 2-3 pm: Prayers for the Deceased Sat 19 May 2-4 pm: Breaking Fixed Concepts & The Purpose of Life June Sat 2 Jun 2-3 pm: Prayers for the Deceased Sat 16 Jun 2-4 pm: The Nature of Compassion July Sat 7 Jul 2-3 pm: Prayers for the Deceased Sat 21 Jul 2-4 pm: The Healing Power of Compassion & Healers August Sat 4 Aug 2-3 pm: Prayers for the Deceased Sat 18 Aug 2-4 pm: Everything Comes From the Mind Through Labelling September Sat 1 Sep 2-3 pm: Prayers for the Deceased Sat 15 Sep 2-4 pm: Disease Is Just a Label October Sat 6 Oct 2-3 pm: Prayers for the Deceased Sat 20 Oct 2-4 pm: Everything Comes From the Mind Through Karma November Sat 3 Nov 2-3 pm: Prayers for the Deceased Sat 17 Nov 2-4 pm: Transforming Illness Into Happiness & The Benefits of Illness December Sat 1 Dec 2-3 pm: Prayers for the Deceased Sat 15 Dec 2-4 pm: The Ultimate Benefits of Illness CONTACT: Hayagriva Buddhist C e n t r e , 9 3 6 7 4 8 1 7 o r [email protected]
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Spiritual Director: Kyabje Thubten Zopa Rinpoche. Resident Teacher: Ven. Thubten Dondrub. Sangha: Ven. Losang Chodron & Ven. Thubten Drolma. Director: John Waite. Assistance Director: Karl Matacz Spiritual Program Coordinator: Susan di Bona. Meditation & Puja Leaders: Ven. Thubten Dondrub,
Ven. Thubten Drolma, Greg Carr, Owen Cole, Dave Webb & Christine Turley.
Secretary: Joanne Thorpe. Office Manager: Pat Moss. Trearurer: Ling Lee. Librarian, PR: Marlene Robins Executive Committee: John Waite, Dave Webb, Susan di
Bona, Ling Lee, Pat Moss, Marlene Robins & Joanne Thorpe. Wheel of Life Hospice Service: Ven. Losang Chodron.
Building and Grounds Coordinator: Paul Turner. Gompa Care: Jarka Kubalcik. Teacher Care: Felicity Westcott & Sandy Willoughby. Welcome Volunteers Roster: Pat Moss (Acting) IT and Website: Mike Glance & Geoff Hitchmough. Membership Coordinator: Heike Behrbohm. Hayagriva Shop: Lewanna Newman. Newsletter: Rachel Pountney Cheshire (Editor), Sam Nelson
(Centre Journalist) & Wee Kee Ng (Layout). For other enquiries contact the Centre by
Email: [email protected] Phone: (08) 9367 4817 Fax: (08) 9368 1240.
Hayagriva Buddhist Centre
Financial snapshot At t he recen t AG M mem bers requested more information on our financial position be made public rather than just being available to members. Some comments Pilgrimage is not held every year so we cannot rely on this as regular income. Building donations are offset against what is owed on properties which stood at $594,000 as of July 2011. This amount has been covered by generous interest free loans that are due to be repaid in a couple of years. It is only through members’ generous donations that we are meeting costs.
$ 4 3 ,7 3 6
$ 1 6 ,3 6 5$ 1 1 ,1 2 0
9 ,0 0 0
8 ,3 9 1
7 ,7 0 3
7 ,2 9 0
$ 1 7 ,3 3 8
$ 4 ,8 0 0
$ 5 ,3 7 2$ 6 ,2 5 3
$ 1 6 ,9 9 1
$ 9 8 4
$ 4 ,7 5 6
Figure 1 Income 2010-11 Figure 2 Expenditure 2010-11
Income: Expenditure
Building Fund donations $43,736 Centre/Office $17338
Courses/Teachings $16,365 Gompa $4,800
Donations $11,120 FPMT Levy and Insurance $5,372
Membership $9000 Teachers’ Residence: $ 6,253
Shop sales $8,391 Teacher expenses and allowance: $16,991
Pilgrimage $7,703 Newsletter Production $984
Dharma Sales $7,290 Tours/Travel $2,117
Misc. income including yoga $3,091 Gifts/ donations/ offerings $4,756
Director’s Column I’d like to thank all of you who have kept the centre going during 2011 through generous donations of time and money. It is only by your generosity that the centre is empowered to carry out our objectives.
There is not much specifically to report; it often takes a lot of leg work before we can announce anything. Venerable Dondrub is currently inviting some of our Lineage Masters to the Centre. I wish you all the best for the coming year.
Volunteer Positions Vacant Gardener
We would like someone to take on looking after the garden at 62 Banksia; there are always tasks needing to be done. If you’re keen, please talk to John or Felicity.
Yoga in 2012 Yin Yoga is a deeply relaxing and inwardly focused practice, working into the connective tissues of the body, with a focus on hip and spine mobility. This practice is based on T radi t i onal Chinese Medi c i ne meridian theory and is conducive to cultivating mindfulness and a sense of grounding. Postures are initially held, with the use of props, for 3 to 5 m i nu t es t o a l l o w f o r de ep e r exploration and release of mental and physical tightness. Yin yoga is a c o m p l i m e n t a r y p r a c t i c e t o
‘yang’ (dynamic and muscle focused) exercise or yoga. It is a particularly soothing practice during menstruation or injury, when a stronger yoga practice is not suitable. A short
meditation will conclude the practice. Current timetable: Vinyasa Yoga 1, Tuesdays 6-7pm (begin/general)with Jude Carter Vinyasa Yoga 2, Thursdays 6-7pm (general /expert ) wi th Lewanna Newman Y i n Y o g a a n d M e d i t a t i o n , Wednesdays 6-7 pm with Jude Carter Hatha Yoga, Thursdays 10-11 am with Jude Carter Jude Carter 0406 260 857 can be contacted for further information.