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![Tibetan Prayer Wheel [Om Mani Padme Hum] - May all humans be blessed and free from all sufferings](images/prayerwheels.gif) |
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13 March Event at Gyuto Vajrayana CenterDear Friends,Here is another VERY long email from the Gyuto Center. Thanks to the kindness and generosity of Ven. Lobsang Dorjee Rinpoche we are able to offer a rich program of teachings and empowerments over the next three months. Please print it out for your reference (it is 8 pages long) or check our website for the program schedule. We will also send out reminders of upcoming events. Gyuto Programs [April - June 2004]Ven. Lobsang Dorjee Rinpoche, the former Abbot of Gyuto Tantric Monastery, will be teaching at the Gyuto Vajrayana Center for the next three months.Venerable Lobsang Dorjee Rinpoche was born in the 1930s. In 1954 he came to Central Tibet and enrolled in Drepung Monastery where he received novice monk's vows. He studied and practiced all the subjects of the monastic curriculum from Introductory Logic (Du-ra) up to the Perfection of Wisdom (Prajñaparamita). In 1984, in the course of his Lharam studies, he accepted the responsibility of being a spiritual master (Do Lop) of the Great Secret Vajrayana at Gyuto Monastery. In 1999, His Holiness the Dalai Lama officially appointed him as the Abbot (Khenpo) of Gyuto Tantric Monastery where he took responsibility for the Tantric rituals and practices until 2002. PROGRAM OUTLINETibetan Class for Beginners: Venerable Jampa Thaye is one of the senior Gyuto monks who left Tibet for exile in 1959. He was appointed as one of the managers at the Gyuto monastery where he worked very hard in order to fulfill the wishes of the monastery and the needs of the monks. Recently Ven. Jampa was requested by the monastery to come to San Jose and help Donyo at the Gyuto Center. He speaks reasonable English and we have asked him to give Tibetan classes to our devoted members who wish to read the Tibetan text for their Dharma practice. This class is free but we request that you register in advance. The class is limited to 10 students.For more information on Jampa-la please see his life story on our website. Six Armed Mahakala Empowerment:Venerable Lobsang Dorjee Rinpoche, has decided to offer a Mahakala Empowerment to the local community for the benefit of all sentient beings. Mahakala is the wrathful emanation of Chenresig, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. This empowerment is a powerful means of removing obstacles to one's Dharma practice. This empowerment into the King of Protectors comes from the impeccable lineage of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and His Holiness' tutors directly to Ven. Lobsang Dorjee Rinpoche.We would greatly appreciate you registering for this event so we can plan to accommodate attendees as comfortably as possible. Additional details will be announced by email closer to the event. Please note that this event will be take place at the RAMADA INN, in Sunnyvale. It is free but donations are welcome. For more information please call (408) 926 9430. Confession Ceremony (So-Jong):Traditionally, based on the lunar calendar, every fifteen days all the Monasteries and Nunneries hold a confession ceremony for the monks and nuns to restore their broken pledges and reaffirm their vows. This is not for lay practitioners.Mahakala Puja for Removing Obstacles: Every month based on the lunar calendar Venerable Lobsang Dorjee Rinpoche and the monks perform a Mahakala puja dedicated to the Center’s members, friends and all sentient beings. It said that that when Avalokiteshvara realized that his peaceful methods were too mild to subdue all degenerate beings, he decided that a wrathful form would be better to accomplish his compassionate intentions. Everyone is welcome. (Guru Puja) Tsog Offering:Twice monthly, based on the lunar calendar, the practice of Tsog Offering is done. It is a commitment for those practicing Tantra to restore and reaffirm their vows and pledges. Everyone is welcome to attend this ritual of making offerings to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Those participating can bring offerings such as fruit, cookies, flowers and candles.The Four Noble Truths:Ven. Lobsang Dorjee Rinpoche has kindly agreed to teach on the Four Noble Truths, the first teaching given by Lord Buddha after he attained enlightenment. The Four Noble Truths form the central foundation of Buddhism. Basically, we can see Buddha as the doctor who appeared to solve the universal condition of suffering, the first Noble Truth. The second Noble Truth reveals the cause of our suffering, karma and afflictions. The final two truths state that it is possible to end all suffering and explains how we can do this. Everyone is welcome.Medicine Buddha Puja for Healing:Venerable Lobsang Dorjee Rinpoche will lead the Medicine Buddha puja to help people who are suffering as a result of ill health and other personal problems. The Medicine Buddha practice is extremely powerful and beneficial for the sick and dying, as well as for those who have already passed away. It will also help bring deep and profound benefits to those in the healing profession. If you wish to dedicate this puja to your loved ones please send us the names and photos of your family and friends by email or by mail so that we can include them. We invite all our members to join the puja for the benefit of all beings.Twenty One Tara Practice for long life and prosperity:Tara is the principal female manifestation of enlightenment in the Buddhist tradition. She is specifically associated with practices designed to lengthen one's lifespan and overcome life-threatening hindrances. The Four Mandala Offering Ritual of Tara serves as a community practice. As Tara dispels personal and global obstacles, we come together to ensure the ongoing stability of the Center, its community and ourselves. This puja is led by Venerable Lobsang Dorjee Rinpoche and the monks. Everyone is welcome.Chenresig (Avalokiteshvara) Empowerment:Venerable Lobsang Dorjee Rinpoche has kindly agreed to give the Chenresig Empowerment. This empowerment is a necessary requirement for those students who wish to do the Nyung Nye or fasting retreat. Avalokiteshvara is the embodiment of all the Buddha's infinite compassion. Avalokiteshvara looks upon the beings in all realms of cyclic existence with the heartfelt wish that they be separated from the mental and physical suffering that they may be experiencing in their lives. We invite all our members and friends for the empowerment. It is free but donations are welcome. Please note that this event will be take place at the RAMADA INN, in Sunnyvale. For more information please call Ven. Donyo at (408) 926 9430.100,000 Water Bowl Offerings:During the month of Saka-Dawa, Buddha's birth, we are offering 100,000 water bowls and thousands of light offerings to the Buddhas in the ten directions. We will be doing this practice twice daily for the whole month and all the members are invited to join in this offering. Please let us know if you would like to join the water bowl offerings so that we can rotate everyone at different times. Participants can bring water, candles, flowers and fruits for offering.Oral Transmission of Six Session Guru Yoga:Venerable Lobsang Dorjee Rinpoche has decided to give an oral transmission of Six Session Guru Yoga, the Guru Puja, the Nyung-Nye Sadhana, the Tara Sadhana and some important mantras. Rinpoche has said that for students who wish to practice regularly, it is a very important to have the transmissions so that the merit will be greater. While Rinpoche is giving the transmission all the participants will be reciting mantras silently. There are no commitments and everyone is invited.Eight Mahayana Precepts:Venerable Lobsang Dorjee Rinpoche will be leading the Eight Mahayana Precepts. Keeping the Eight Mahayana Precepts for one day, or even one hour, and thus protecting your mind from disturbing negative thoughts becomes a contribution to peace not only for the human beings of this world but also all other sentient beings. So, while you have this precious human rebirth, it is most essential to make your life as meaningful as possible. These Precepts enable you to live in the essence of pure moral conduct, and since you take them with the strong motivation of cherishing and wishing to benefit others, their value is immeasurable. Everyone is welcome.Nyung-Nye Fasting Retreat:The Nyung-Nye retreat is based on the practice of Avalokiteshvara, (Chenrezig) the Buddha of Compassion, and involves fasting and multiple daily sessions of prostration and recitation of his Sadhana, praises, and mantra. This is an intensive spiritual practice to purify obscurations and negativities and accumulate merits.Friday night is an explanation of the retreat. There are no commitments for Friday. The schedule for Saturday and Sunday begins with the Eight Mahayana Precepts at 5 a.m. On Saturday only one pre-noon meal is to be taken and Sunday is a day of silence; no food or liquids are to be taken. Students need to maintain these commitments at home over Saturday and Sunday night. That is: on Saturday no additional meals, and on Sunday no speaking, food or liquids. The schedule for Monday begins with an early breakfast and the session starts at 8 a.m. and ends at around 10 a.m. Participants should plan to attend the entire retreat each day from Friday evening until Monday morning. This is the long weekend of the Memorial Day Holiday. All the participants need to have received the Chenrezig empowerment before they can do this retreat. If you are very new to this practice please attend the Chenrezig empowerment before you decide to do this retreat. Space is limited, please register by email:info@gyutocenter.org or call (408) 926 9430 The retreat is free but donations are welcome. Saka-Dawa, Buddha's Birth:According to the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, Saka-Dawa is the day of Lord Buddha's enlightenment and also the anniversary of his parinirvana. Traditionally all the Tibetan Monasteries make extensive offerings to the Buddhas such as thousands of light offerings, water bowl offerings, making prostrations and releasing animals. It is said that due to the spiritual energy of these days, the effects of positive and negative actions are multiplied. We are inviting all the members to celebrate this day by taking the Eight Mahayana Precepts at sunrise around 5 am.Dependent Origination:The Twelve Links of Dependent Origination describe the mechanism of rebirth and cyclic existence. When we speak about mind in Buddhism, we are talking about an activity that is occurring all the time. We are talking about a type of activity that includes both the rational and the emotional, both thinking and feeling. This is described by what are called the "Twelve Links of Dependent Arising or Origination". Ven. Lobsang Dorjee Rinpoche will be giving this talk and this is probably the last set of teaching by Ven. Lobsang Dorjee Rinpoche for this year. Everyone is welcome.Vajrasattva Purification Practice:The Vajrasattva practice is the most powerful purification practice in daily life. Vajrasattva is the deity that embodies the purification powers of all the Buddhas. If one practice sincerely with the correct motivation, all the negativities we have accumulated in this life and previous lives can be remove. We will be reciting and chanting the Vajrasattva mantra. Everyone is welcome to join the practice and bring your mala.Four Armed Chenrezig (Avalokiteshvara) Practice:Chenrezig or Avalokiteshvara is the embodiment of all the Buddha's infinite compassion. Reciting his six syllable mantra OM MANI PADME HUM, every day of your life with strong faith and devotion will eliminate all the negative forces and develop love and compassion. During this practice we will be reciting the mantra many hundreds of times and everyone is invited to join the practice and develop love and compassion.PROGRAM SCHEDULEApril 2004
May
June
Prayer Wheel:An Excellent Opportunity to Accumulate Merit:The Gyuto Center is installing a large prayer wheel at the back of the house for the use of visitors to dedicate merit for all living beings. Prayer wheels are cylindrical wheels filled with millions of the sacred six syllable mantra of the Compassion Buddha, "Om Mani Padme Hung". According to tradition, the spinning of prayer wheels unites the devotee's body, speech and mind. While spinning a prayer wheel, the devotee constantly recites the mantra of Chenrezig, the Buddha of Compassion.We will be installing seven small prayer wheels around the prayer wheel house. We would like to thank our wonderful sponsors for generously donating these prayer wheels and the prayer wheel house. We are also printing millions of Compassion Buddha mantras for the prayer wheels. One box of mantras will cost $150 and we need to print about 20 boxes to fill all the prayer wheels. If anyone would like to sponsor printing any of the mantras please contact Ven. Donyo by email:info@gyutocenter.org or call (408) 926 9430 Buddha Maitreya Project:The next project at the Gyuto Center will be to purchase and install a life size statue of the Buddha Maitreya. Maitreya, living now in the Tushita Pure Land, will be the next Buddha to come to this world to benefit all sentient beings. By having the statue of Buddha Maitreya at the Center members will develop a strong spiritual connection with him and can hope to be reborn in Tushita and to be a student of Maitreya’s in their future lives. If you wish to support this project or send a donation, for more information please contact Ven. Donyo. Thank you so much for your support.Pujas:The Gyuto monks have a 500 year old tradition of performing pujas for individuals and the community. A list of pujas is shown on our website. If you would like information on a puja or to schedule a puja please call Ven Donyo.Prayer List:Twice a monthly based on lunar calendar, Venerable Lobsang Dorjee Rinpoche and the monks perform Mahakala and Tara Pujas for the benefit of all living beings. If you would like to add someone to our prayer list, please email us at info@gyutocenter.org or call (408) 926 9430 with the full name of the person and if deceased, the date they died.Gyuto Newsletter:We are sending our Newsletters out once every three months and we will send out event reminders by e-mail three days before each event. If for any reason you do not receive emails from us, then please go to our website and re-send your email address with your current mailing address so that we can update your contact information. We do not want anybody miss the teachings or pujas.Private Meetings with our Resident Teacher:The Gyuto Center has five resident monks including one resident teacher, who is highly qualified to teach both Sutra and Tantra. If anyone wishes to meet with Rinpoche privately please call Ven. Donyo and make an appointment.Gyuto Center's visiting hours:We are open every day seven days a week from 9 am - 7 pm for the general public.Please call ahead to make sure the monks are available. Parking around the Center:Special request to all the members:Please be so kind as to park your car a few blocks away from the Center. Especially do not park in front of the Center. We suggest that you park down hill from the Center towards Piedmont Road. We had some complaints from our neighbors and we want to respect their concerns. We thank you very much for your kind consideration.Membership:Please join us and become an active member of the Gyuto Vajrayana Center. It is dollar a day to become an active member. Please fill in the enclosed form, or the form on our website, or call Donyo. Help us build the Gyuto Center into a strong sustainable Dharma community!!Welcome to Our New Members:On behalf of all the monks of Gyuto I would like to thank all the new members who have joined our membership program. Once you join the membership program you are not only a sponsor of the Gyuto Center but you are also helping sponsor the Gyuto Monastery in India. For those of you who have not yet become members, we encourage you to join our membership program in order to help us spread the Dharma. Without your support there is no way that the Monastery and the Center can survive and provide teachings and spiritual activities to the community. The Monastery and the Center solely rely on its devoted students and friends. All your donations will be used for the Center's daily expenses including the resident teacher's and the monks' medical bills, food, utilities and the house mortgage.DonationsThe Gyuto Center never charges fees for its teachings or any other of its services but we welcome donations of any amount. The Gyuto Vajrayana Center is a religious non-profit organization {501 (c) 3}, registered in the State of California and all donations are tax-deductible.We really appreciate your support. Ven. Thupten Donyo ********************************************************* May all sentient beings have happiness and its causes. May all sentient beings be free from suffering and its causes. May all sentient beings never be separated from sorrowless bliss. May all sentient beings abide in equanimity free of bias, attachment and anger. Gyuto Vajrayana Center 1439 Old Piedmont Rd. San Jose, CA 95132 Tel: (408) 926 9430 Fax: (408) 272 1275 Email: gyutovc@aol.com Website: http://www.gyutocenter.org For all past events, please Click Here to read them. ********************************************************* Note: All the above events are published are for information basis. It is not in any way related or affiliated with our website. If you are interested in attending or finding out more, please contact the above website or email to the above email address. |
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