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May 23-27: First Annual Guru Rinpoche Drubchen
(9:00 am May 23 to 5:00 pm May 27)
Venerable Gape Lama
The Buddha prophesied that a second Buddha would appear who was even
greater than himself, and this prophecy was fulfilled by the
lotus-born Guru Rinpoche. Although the Buddha first taught secret
mantra, it was Guru Rinpoche who extensively propagated these
teachings.
Secret mantra is of supreme importance because it is the vehicle of
practice whereby one can attain enlightenment in a single lifetime.
It is especially beneficial during the present degenerate age in
which beings experience very strong afflictive emotions. Guru
Rinpoche predicted secret mantra would be of great benefit during
the height of the degenerate age when many sicknesses of mind and
body prevail. He said that during this time we should continuously
supplicate him, and one way is recitation of his mantra. By
continuously chanting Guru Rinpoche’s mantra for many days at a
time, we acquire a vast amount of merit, which is then dedicated
toward the enlightenment of all beings.
At His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche’s request, the annual Guru Rinpoche
Million Mantra Accumulation will from this year forward be a Guru
Rinpoche Drubchen. The sadhana will be specially translated for this
event, and we are deeply grateful for Rinpoche’s wonderful gift!
Guru Rinpoche’s mantra:
OM AH HUNG VAJRA GURU PEMA SIDDHI HUNG
You are welcome to participate in however much of the drubchen your
schedule permits.
* Ven. Traga Rinpoche will attend if his schedule permits.
June 14-16: Nyungne Retreat
(begins at 9:00 am June 14, ends after breakfast June 16)
Venerable Gape Lama
The Nyungne practice of the eleven-faced, thousand-armed form of
Chenrezig (Avalokiteshvara), the Buddha of compassion, is deeply
beneficial for purifying negative karma and accumulating merit and
wisdom in a short but intensive retreat setting. This intensive
practice requires maintaining the eight Mahayana precepts on the
first day and on the second day adding vows of fasting and silence
for twenty-four hours. Meditation sessions include prayers,
offerings, and prostrations, and extensive mantra recitation,
cultivating all three vehicles of Buddhism. Practicing nyungne with
great devotion increases peace in oneself and the world, brings
happiness and good fortune, and leads to rebirth in Buddha
Amitabha’s Pureland of Dewachen.
It is said in the text called the Collection of the Intentions of
All Tantras that if practitioners of the Mahayana do a nyungne even
once, they will purify all the wrongdoing accumulated throughout
forty thousand eons and achieve rebirth as either a human or deva.
If done eight times consecutively, the state of a stream enterer is
attained and rebirth in Dewachen is guaranteed. If performed
twenty-five times, the state equal to a once-returner is attained
and all wrongdoing of the previous eighty thousand eons is purified.
Performed fifty times the state equivalent to a non-returner is
achieved and all wrongdoing for the prior eight hundred million eons
is purified. If the nyungne is performed 108 consecutive times,
arhatship is attained and all the wrongdoing and obscurations of the
past one billion eons is purified and birth in Dewachen in the
direct presence of Buddha Amitabha is assured.
Participants must be able to attend all three days of this retreat.
July 21-August 7: Summer Teachings
- Six Bardos of Guru Rinpoche with Traga Rinpoche
- Faith, Devotion and the Meaning of Empowerments with Gape
Lama
- Chakrasamvara Empowerment and Fivefold Mahamudra Teachings
with Drupon Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche
More details coming soon.
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