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Giveaway of the Day

Giveaway of the Day

Friday, April 17, 2009

Most Venerable Drupon Sonam Jorphel Rinpoche

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Ladakh is a splendid region that has been blessed by an uninterrupted succession of intelligent and realized Kings and ministers who were emanations of great Bodhisattvas. One of the valleys in the lower area of this region is Bodhkharbu where Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche was born into a family called Gongmapa, a wonderful caste and clan whose ancestors have been very heroic, intelligent and courageous. His father was Sonam Tsephel and his mother was Chosnyit Zangmo, a very well natured, polite and greathearted lady. He is the youngest among four brothers and one sister.




It was early in the morning on the 10th of the 2nd month of the Earth-Hare year when he was born, with many auspicious and marvelous signs, very smoothly without any maternity pain to his mother. According to astrological review, it was revealed that he was going to be intelligent and practice Dharma as the day of his birth was Thursday. It was prophesied that he was going to live for either 28 to 90 years as the star was Yugpa. On the 10th day and during the 10th month he was going face obstacles as his birth star had spotted on his hand. Another clear mark was a clockwise swastika that had appeared on the back of his left hand.




During those days, the Lord of Dharma in Ladakh was Choje Chosku Tsang. He very affectionately examined the baby and loved it even though he was very little. He made a clear prophesy to the mother that if the baby was brought up clean and took ordination, he will do tremendous benefit to a lot of sentient beings. He named the baby Sonam Jorphel Palzangpo and gave extensive blessings, which was amazing to everyones present.




Even as a child, Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche had inborn loving kindness for the poor and the destitute and devotion towards beings that were wise. Especially he had the awakened disposition of Mahayana with marvelous inborn intelligence and all the time he was spontaneously loving and truthful even without any training in ethical behaviors. He was naturally fond of practicing the sublime Dharma. The way he taught Dharma, method and wisdom in terms of entering the path and his efforts to benefit others conformed to the resultant signs, taught in the Abhisamayalankaranama.




It is said:


Bodhicitta won't give one up


Like water by spoonbills and fire by smoke


The family of a wise bodhisattva


Can be judged by his characteristics.




In accordance with these, as Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche is a Bodhisattva with a great mind and extraordinary intentions, everyone in the village said he must be a great reincarnation. Particularly, information was loud like wind that he was the reincarnation of Vidyadhara Tashi Wangdan or Balok Gelong, an accomplished disciple of Drupon Choskyab Rinpoche. However this Tulku title for him dissipated like a rainbow, as he was not interested in such a status and his father being from a poor family scarcely took notice of this matter. Especially, his father and grandfather were not as selfish and ignorant like many people of the modern age.




Drupon Jorpehel Rinpoche started learning reading from his father when he was four to five years old. He read gzung bsdus, brgyad stongpa, mdo sdudpa, padma bka' thang and so forth. (The Collection of Dharanis; the 8000 s'lokas; the Condensed Sutra; the Biography of Padmasambhava) He then memorized the entire rituals and dharma performances of the Drikung Kagyu lineage. He became very famous for being very intelligent as he did such comprehensive studies. Not only did he study so well in the day, he could also memorize recitations in his dreams, without depending on any reference text to read.




Concerning the ability to do the daytime routine of reading texts and so forth in dreams is like the story of Karmapa Rolpe Dorje in the past. According to his biography, every night he would open many texts and arrange them around his bed and in his dream he could memorize the words in those texts and understand their meanings. Likewise, the sublime Drupon Sonam Jorphel Rinpohce memorized the recitations of Dharma works both in and out of dreams. One of the many texts he memorized purely in his dreams, without depending on text reading in the day, was zhing skyong gi bstod tsig nyishu rtsa bzhi (Twenty Words in Praise of Shinskyong). Thus he made great efforts without distractions in his studies, both in the day and in nocturnal dreams, with his inborn intelligence and perseverance, in the manner of former sublime beings.




Though you were born in a family externally poor,


Internally your mind is permeated with the beauty of


Inborn intelligence and perseverance.


Unchanging in your sublime nature of the three secrets,


You are a fearless Bodhisattva identical to a mountain of gold.




At the age on eight, Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche offered his crown hair to Ladakh Cheje Togden Rinpoche and received the name, "Konchok Samtan." For his studies, he then enrolled and became a novice in Yungdrung Tharpa Ling monastery, an extraordinarily auspicious place where many scholars and siddhas of the past had visited such as the Arahat Nyima Gungpa, Mahapandita Naropa and Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo. He once again studied rituals and dharma works and served the monastery accordingly to its aged-old traditions and became well known as a fine little novice in whom everyone placed great hopes.




Where one achieves the Great Bliss Primordial Wisdom of Dharmadatu,


The source of all goodness upon seeing, hearing and touching,


Is Yungdrung Tharpa Ling, the Dharma
and of teaching of and practices.


Awesome! This home of sublime beins is marvelous.




His studies, contemplation and meditation



In order to gain confidence in the tradition of the former great masters, the practice of their learned followers and the vast corpuses of sutric and tantric teachings, Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche at the age of sixteen developed the wish to go to the second Vajrasana Drikugn Thil, which was the center for the Practice Lineage's Essence Meaning in the Land of Snow and the seat of Gyalwa Jigten Sumgon. Such a trip was also customary and he wanted to abide by it. To make this journey, he disregarded the hardship and welcomed the difficulties. Without caring about his body and life, he started out through Kashmir, India, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan and Dromolung. He wore the armor of conviction not to be frightened on the way by anything whatsoever such as the harsh terrains, the sky touching glaciers, stony passages, precipices, huge rivers and robbers. Thus with twenty-five companions, he departed to arrive there for the empowerments and oral transmissions of the Monkey Year Teachings. He arrived safe and sought admission to the glorious Drikung Thil Monasterry and became an adept in spiritual dances, melodies, drawings, sand mandalas, butter sculpturing, instruments, rituals and dharma activities.




He met the young Drikung Kyabgons, Chetsang and Chungtsang, and also went on pilgrimage to all the holy places in and around Utsang such as the great Tsukakhang in Lhasa. More importantly, from Choje Balok Thubten Choedak Rinpoche who is one of the thirty disciples of Lord Jigten Sumgon, he received the oral transmission of the canons of Buddha's teachings and the empowerments, oral transmission and background teachings of the entire ritual and practice texts, just like a vase emptied into another. Then he sought support from the Ngari House in Drikung Thil and persevered in meditation practices, just in the manner of Atisha of India. During those days, there were the fights of the time and revolution going on and the upheaval made it difficult to withstand. Despite of that, he retained his identity as a dharma practitioner and continued, for the next nine months, with his studies and contemplation with firm conviction.




Thereafter Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche returned to Ladakh and became the caretaker of Henasku Monastery, a branch of Yungdrung Tharpa Ling, for three years. To everyone he appeared to be an extraordinary being who strictly abided by the law of karma and result and made the quickest effort to benefit others before himself. They pleaded him to be the caretaker for one more time and he agreed for another two years. Thereafter, he became the caretaker of Sangngak Choeling Monastery in Bodhkharbu for three years and performed extensive activities. Subsequently, his parents passed away and he offered extensive service of virtue to the fields of the two accumulations and did profound and vast dedication and prayers.




Then for the benefit of Buddha-dharma and the welfare of sentient beings, he went to Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche in Zang Zang Palri Monastery in Chushul. From this master he received the empowerments, oral transmission, pith instructions as well as the background teachings of klong chen mdzod bdun, ngal gso skor gsum, rang grol skor gsum, and the entire profound teachings of byang gter. (The Seven Treasury of Longchenpa, The Threen Series of Relaxations, The Three Series of Self-liberation)




From the scholar and realized being, Gelong Gyaltsen Rinpoche in Sharkhul Phuntsog Choling Monastery in the upper part of Ladakh, he received teachings on many medical tenets such as the four medicine-tantras.




He also received teachings of cikitsavidya, the science of healing, from the physician Thinle Odzer. From Khenchen Noryang Rinpoche, the one who greatly disseminated the Kagyu teachings in the decadent age, he received teachings on the three grammatical textbooks, Abhisamayalankara, Uttaratantra, Madyamikaavatara and so forth. (Ornament of the Realization of the Perfection of Wisdom, Sublime Compendium, Engaging in the Middle Way)




Having developed tremendous interest in studies and contemplation, he went to the holy place Rewalsar where there was Khenchen Thupten Choezang Rinpoche, a scholar and realized being with unsurpassable qualities of learning, conscientiousness and goodness, the illuminator of the northern treasure teachings of the ancient tantric traditon of Dorje Dak. Together with the reincarnation of Shabtrung Ngawang Namgyal of Bhutan, Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche pleased Khenchen Rinpoche with his body, speech and mind and received many literary teachings such as the three textbooks of grammar, poetry, prosody, synonyms and also Dharma teachings of the inner science such as mkhas 'jug, bodhisattvaavatara, sgondro, dbuma rgyan gyi rtsa 'grel, abisamayalankara and so forth for a period of four years. (Gate Way to Knowledge; Engaging in Boddhisattva's Conducts; Preliminaries; Root Stanzas and Commentary of the Ornament of the Middle Way; the Ornament of the Realization of the Perfection of Wisdom)




Extremely delighted by his adorable nature, Khenchen Thupten Choezang Rinpoche said, "I have disclosed every word of my heart to you, Sonam Jorphel." Thus he was very fortunate to receive many profound and vast pith instructions, ripening and liberating, with great love and affections.




In one of those days, Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche went to Manali on vocation. He stayed at the residence of one family and at night he slept in a room upstairs. He saw a myriad of dreams, including some extraordinary ones but he does not want to disclose them. Later on, as soon as he came to know that there was a great yogi staying down stairs, he went to see him.




The moment he saw the yogi, he felt a mixture of joy, sadness and devotion that was inconceivable. He was full of joy to see such an authentic Lama but sad for having created the negative karma as he had slept above the Lama in the room upstairs. Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche says that it is hard for him to even say the name of that sublime Lord of Yogis but for the sake of others if he does so, he was Drubwang Konchok Zodpa Gyatso or Chunga Rinpoche, an emanation of Mahasiddha Dombi Heruka, a Lord of Yogis and a Wish fulfilling Gem.




At that time, when Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche felt undivided devotion, the ordinary hasty thoughts were totally ceased by themselves and he remained in that state for a while. He bowed his head to the Lama's feet and pleaded for considering him as his disciple. The Lama accepted that and asked where he was from. When he replied from Ladakh, the Lama said, "Oh! Oh! That's a very auspicious coincidence of interdependence." The Lama gave him some wine to drink in a skull cup he always carried. As he drank the whole wine without any doubt, the Lama very affectionately gave him some pith instructions and prophesied, "The two of us have perfect interdependence of meeting each other in the future." Thus they parted with reluctance.




Then at the age of thirty-five, Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche traveled to Bodhgaya. There he met the great hidden yogi, Khunu Lama Tenzin Gyaltsen, a non-sectarian sublime being who had mastered the ocean of Buddhist and non-Buddhist tenets. When Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche requested him for some teachings, he asked, "Who is your teacher?" Drupon Jorphel answered, "My teacher is Gegen Choszang Rinpoche." Khunu Rinpoche folded his hand and praised, "He is a well versed scholar and realized being." Khunu Rinpoche taught him the commentary of ngag sgron (Lamp of Speech) that was his own composition and gave him the oral transmission of byang chub sems bstod (In Praise of Bodhicitta) and some seeds of the Bodhi tree and did lengthy discussions.




A disciple of the Bodhsattva Tenzin Gyaltsen Rinpoche was Drikung Khandro or Nene Rinpoche; a yogini in the guise of a human being. She said to Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche, "Right now, the Drikung Lineage is extremely weak and underprivileged. I urge you for your attention so that the Drikung Lineage will be flourishing higher and higher and the damages restored in the future." Especially she said, "I have great hopes that you will benefit Buddha-dharma and sentient beings. Don't miss it. Don't miss it." Just as she prophesied, like it is very obvious to us, look at Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche's activities of teachings and practices. Those who are wise will definitely notice them.




Thereafter, the prophesy of Drubwang Chunga Rinpoche seemed to be coming true, exhibiting the infallibility of perfect interdependence of cause and result. With their unsurpassable aspirations, Ladakh Choeje Togden Rinpoche and Khenchen Konchok Tenzin unanimously decided to invite the Wish fulfilling Drubwang Chunga Rinpoche to Ladakh so that the dying fire of the Drikung Lineage could be rekindled. They sent Gelong Tsetan to Himachal, specifically to invite Drubwang Chunga Rinpoche.




By his firm aspirations and commitments in the past, Drubwang Chunga Rinpoche very kindly accepted the invitation and came to Chusul in Ladakh, solely for the sake of the definitive precious teachings of the Practice Lineage, which he had perpetually treasured in his heart.


When Drubwang Chunga Rinpoche was already in Ladakh, Choeje Togden Rinpoche appointed some monks to be going into retreat and particularly he called Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche in and urged him to practice in retreat in order to disseminate the essence meaning of the Practice Lineage.




At that point, he thought that it was the time when his special wish to persevere in the practice of the essence meaning had come to its fruition and also it may be possible for him to benefit Buddha-dharma and sentient beings. Thus Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche decided by himself and said "yes" to Choeje Togden Rinpoche. Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche's sustenance during the retreat was going to be sponsored by Chushul Meme Gawa Tsang, his friend Lhobzur Konchok Gyatso and his mother. Besides that, Drupon Jorphel himself gave treatment to some patients and earned some living. Thus the sustenance for his retreat was spontaneously arranged.




The first batch did their retreat at Zang Zang Palri in Chushul, where a disciple had established a monastery according to the prophesy of his Guru, Kyabgon Thugje Nyima. This batch included Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche and his colleagues like Lhobzur Konchok Gyatso, Lhobzur Konchok Tenzin, Gelong Tseten, Gelong Choejor, Gezur Konchok Thusten, Uzur Konchok Dorje, Dezur Konchok Lhundup, Gelong Gatsul, Gelong Trimten and Amje Rabten.




At Zang Zang Plari in Chushul, Drubwang Chunga Rinpoche taught general scriptures such as dagpo mthar rgyan, lam mchog rinchen phrenwa, dam chos dgongs pa gchigp' 'grelpa nyime' snangba and bka' 'grel munsel sgronme, rgyal sras lag len. (Jewel Ornament of Liberation; Jewel Rosary of the Sublime Path; Two Commentaries of Gongchik; Thirty Seven Practices of Bodhisattvas)




Also he taught the scriptures of meditation practice such as the tsewang, tsesgrub, phyag chen ngaldan, snyan rgyud rdorje tsigrkang, nammkha' dang mnyam p' rgyud, phyagchen ganga ma, mile snyan rgyud. (Empowerment and Practice of Longevity; Five-fold Mahamudra; The Vajra Stanzas of The Hearing Lineage; The Tantra Equal to Space; Ganges Mahamudra; Mila's Hearing Lineage). Thus, Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche with eleven qualified practitioners received the ripening and liberating empowerments, transmissions and pith instructions in accord with the stages of the path, and persevered one-pointedly in his studies and practices and hoisted the victory banner of the teachings of the former sublime masters from the practice lineage on the peaks of the three worlds and made the teachings of the Buddha pervade in every directions and corners.




The second time, Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche did his retreat at Lamayuru or Dansa Chenpo Yungdrung Tharpa Ling, an extraordinary place where many sublime beings like Arahat Nyimagungpa and Mahasiddha Naropa etc. had paid their visits. This time Drubwang Chunga Rinpoche had fifteen disciples including His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang.




At the time of Drubwang Chunga Rinpoche's demise for the benefit of others, the only person available in front of him was Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche and he was given some pith instructions in the form of his last words. Lest the pith instructions become exaggerations and denigrations, he kept them in the core of his heart. In brief, Drubwang Chunga Rinpoche held Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche's hand with is right and said, "Just practice according to the way I have instructed you. I know your joy and sorrow. One is never deceived by the deity and the Lama." Later on, Drubwang Chunga Rinpoche ordered, "Now you also join me and recite lama rgyang 'bod (Calling the Lama from Afar)." While both the Lama and the disciple were reciting, lama rgyang 'bod, the Lama held Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche's hand with his right hand and said, "Shewe Lodro Khenno!" with his wide-open eyes gazed in space, and he passed into parinirvana.




Thereafter, all disciples were caught in sorrow and conducted the ceremonies appropriate to his parinirvana. Then a conference was held between all disciples and everyone agreed in one voice to follow as the Precious Lama had instructed. His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon also advised that it would be best to do lifelong practice or keep practicing individually in suitable retreat cells.




Just as Drubwang Chunga Rinpoche had intended, Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche gave the remaining pith instructions, oral transmissions and empowerments to the following practitioners: Khenchen Konchok Gyaltsen, Late Gelong Tashi Gyatso, Late Gelong Konchok, Lobzur Tondup, Drupon Sonam Kunga, Gelong Tsering, Drupon Chamba Rigzin, Drupon Konchok Samten, Gelong Paldan, Lama Konchok Tharchan, Gelong Dawa, Nangchen Gelong Tsulten, Gelong Samtan, Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche's late brother Lhopon Tondup.




Later on His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang, the heir of Gyalwa Drikungpa's teachings that represent the heart of the Meaning Lineage, with his spontaneous nature of a sublime being, pleased Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche's body, speech and mind and received the pith instructions for mediation on the Lama as Dharmakaya onwards until dedication practice. Also His Holiness received Vajrayogini's empowerment, oral transmission and the pith instructions, in conformity with the words of the Lama along with the six yogas of Naropa and the yogic exercises and so forth. These teachings were offered to His Holiness gradually, in accordance with the words of the former masters of the Kagyu Lineage.




Before that, Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche served as attendant when His Holiness did some meditative recitations in his main residence at Yungdrung Tharpaling, followed by some pith instructions offered to him by Drubwang Chunga Rinpoche.




In brief, the Lama and the disciples maintained their samaya steadier than a golden knot; practiced the path of the two stages; studied and taught the four sets of tantra; prevented the vanishing of the stream of flawless empowerments and never missed precision in the practice of the former master of the Practice Lineage. Without any error in the view, meditation and action, they studied and practiced the ocean of teachings pertaining to the great secret Mantrayana.




At all times, they persevered in the generation stage, meditative recitations and the completion stage and viewed their body as deity-body, speech as mantras and mind as the union of bliss and emptiness respectively, just in accordance with the pith instructions of the sublime masters of the Practice Lineage who were the most excellent legion that fulfilled both wishes of oneself and others.




To the above-mentioned group of practitioners, Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche gave the empowerments, oral transmissions and pith instructions of Vajrayogini and the six yogas of Naropa, including the background teachings, in precise accordance with the method of the sublime lama. For the benefit of Buddha-dharma and sentient beings, he demonstrated incredibly great activities as initiating the revitalization of the teachings of transmissions and realization in general and the once again dissemination of the teachings of Gyalwa Drikungpa in particular. Thus, he preserved the techniques of the former master of the Practice Lineage, which is like a chain of gold devoid of the stains of samaya breaches. The great benefits accomplished by such extraordinary disciples who uphold, preserve and disseminate the sutras and tantras along with their commentaries are clearly delineated in the sutras and tantras and therefore I have not written them here.




Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche received the vast treasury of Buddhas's teachings, empowerments, oral transmissions and pith instructions, including the background teachings as well as many profound and vast pith instructions such as khrid yig yeshes blama from His Holiness Dilgo Khentse Rinpoche, the personification of Padamasmabhava and the spiritual head of the tradition of ancient translations. He received the Precious Treasury of treasure-teachings from Kyabje Drubwang Penor Rinpoche. From Their Holiness Taklung Matrul and Shabtrung Rinpoches, Kyabje Duejom Rinpoche, His Holiness the 16th Karmapa Rigpe Dorje, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the exponent of world peace and the lord of humans and gods, and many authentic lamas, he received many empowerments, oral transmissions and pith instructions. For the names of these teachings, one can refer to his list of teachings received. Due to time shortage, I have not listed them here and I apologize for that.






His Expansive Activities to Disseminate Dharma




From the year 1983, Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche has been traveling in foreign countries. He has established many Dharma centers such as Drikung Tahijong in Germany, Drikung Phuntsogling in Austria and Drikung Kagyu Dharma Center in Russia and has turned the minds of many to Dharma by setting the Dharma-wheel in motion. Among his disciples, many are great supporters of the Dharma. Those who were of the best capacity attained liberation within this life. Others who were of mediocre capacity attained liberation at the time of death and those who were of low capacity attained liberation in the intermediate state.




Tara from Austria and Ngakpa Rinchen Phuntsok, who has dedicated his entire life in Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche's service, is among his present disciples. The mass of his disciples in the traditions of Sakya, Gelug, Kagyu and Nyingma as well as in India, China, Tibet and Nepal are seekers of utter liberation who endeavor in the studies and practices of Dharma and tread the path of the three trainings and study the three baskets of teachings. Even an ignorant being like myself have noticed how most of his disciples constantly persevere, day and night, in the practice of Dharma by riding the horse of wisdom and speeding it up with the whip of diligent effort.




Other than that, Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche travels around the globe in countries like The United States, Switzerland, Taiwan, Malaysia and Russia and extensively benefits all sentient beings by turning the minds of many beings towards Dharma. To know more about such activities of him, which illuminates the entire three worlds, I suggest watching video footage of his activities.


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In the year 2000, during the Snake Year Teachings at Jangchub Ling, India, Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche performed a great act of generosity by giving an ambrosia-like Dharma teachings of the seven tantras of Ngok Lotsawa such as Hey Vajra, along with many sadhanas and discourses, to a crowd of over thousand ordained people, including many Khenpos and Tulkus.




In order not to waste the donations he received in foreign countries, Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche has utilized them to establish monastic schools and meditation centers and to built body, speech and mind representations in the following way:




In the form of capital for the annual non-sectarian grand prayers in Ladakh, he donated Rs.7, 000, 000 in the hands of Chairman Wangchuk. This has been a tremendous benefit to Buddha-dharma and sentient beings by facilitating perfect organization of the prayer. Apart from that, he has donated hundreds and thousands of Rupees as fund for new construction of monasteries of all sects.




In Bodkharbu, he donated Rs.80, 000,00 as fund for the construction of a palace for His Holiness the Dalai Lama




He donated Rs.400,000 to Gangngon Tashi Chedzong Monastery in the from of capital for conducting kun rigs (sarvavid) ritual and Hundred Million Mani Recitations annually.




He donated a giant embroidered Thanka and sixty gold plated statues of the golden rosary of Kagyu Masters including the sacred substances for filling to Yungdrung Tharpa Ling Monastery.




He donated a complete set of The Translated Teachings Of Buddha and Rs.100,000 to Shachul Phuntsok Choeling Monastery.




He donated Rs.100, 000 to Sani Gonpa in Zangskar.




He opened the Drikung Kagyu Text Project in
Delhi, which has been printing many of the important works.




The palace for His Holiness the Dalai Lama at Bodhkarbu is a replica of Yumbu Lhakhang in
Tibet. During the inauguration of the palace, His Holiness was extremely delighted and with tremendous kindness conferred many profound teachings. In his speech His Holiness promised to visit again. As such great activities were made possible, the palace became like a beautiful ornament for the people of Ladakh to accumulate new merits.




Other than that, Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche has set up new nunneries and retreat centers; made extensive donations to the second Vajrasana Drikung Thil; offered a residence and objects representing the body, speech and mind to His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chungtsang, the crown jewel of the entire Dakpo Kagyu, the leader of all sentient beings, the one who shows the sublime path and the representation of the Victorious One. Besides that, Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche has performed great acts of generosity to various Drikung Kagyu monasteries and communities. In
Ngari, Tibet, he helped reestablish Gyandrak monastery and sponsored the sustenance for the monks.




In
Nepal, he has established a retreat center at Tatopani and the Drigung Kagyu Dharamraja Foundation, the home to around hundred ordained students and their teacher. He has in plan to establish a dialectic Institute on the holy hill behind Syambunath.




Based on established specification, he has been building many stupas with authentic filling substances:




The construction of a retreat center and a Great Lotus Stupa is going on at Lumbini, in memory of the Utterly Skilled and Greatly Compassionate teacher of ours, the Fully Enlightened One who is the unequalled King of Shakya.




He has also built a Stupa of Harmony in Germany; a Through Victory Stupa in Austria; a Heaven Descend Stupa in Nepal at Swyambhunath; an Enlightenment Stupa at Tatopani; a Stupa of Harmony at the retreat center in Lamayuru as offerings to Drubwang Chunga Rinpoche; an Enlightenment Stupa and statues of Manjushri, Vajrapani and Avalokiteshvara in Henassku; an Enlightenment Stupa and statues of Manjushri, Vajrapani and Avalokiteshvara in Shachukul; a Great Lotus Stupa at Pithodgar in north India and an Enlightenment Stupa as offering to Lama Thupstan Choszang Rinpoche, in the great charnel ground at Sani, Zangskar, where he passed away.




Drupon Jorphel Rinpoche has also been continuously disseminating the meditations and recitations of the four sessions. Thus he serves like a messenger who causes the radiance of great activities to spread and pervade the three worlds. As mentioned before, he is such a disciple of Drubwang Chunga Rinpoche, who does everything in accordance with the Lama's words. Through his perfect nature and dedication for Buddha-dharma and sentient beings, he has established monasteries as representations of Body; libraries of Buddha's teachings and their commentaries as representations of speech; dialectic Institutes and retreat centers with spiritual communities as representations of mind. He is an authentic spiritual friend who lives as the glory and lord of Buddha-dharma and sentient beings with his magnificent body luminous, his unceasing speech resplendent and his unchanging mind in perfect equanimity.

Wesak Day


Bodhi Lankarama Buddhist Temple ( Founded in 1889 ).


Managed by Taiping Bodi Langka Ram Buddhist Association, No.13,Jalan Muzaffar Shah,Assam Kumbang,34000 Taiping,Perak. Tel.No.: 05-8077216


Wesak Programme 2009


8th May 2009 ( Friday ) - Wesak Eve


8.00 pm to 10.00pm - Dhamma Talk on the Birth , Awakening and Passing of Lord Buddha.


9th May 2009 ( Saturday ) - Wesak Day


6.45 am - Hoisting of the Buddhist Flag


- Kiribath-puja (Offering of milk rice in the traditional way).


7.00 am - Buddha-puja (Morning Offerings)


- Undertaking of 8-Precepts by 8-Preceptors


7.30 am - Heel Dana to Venerable Sangha and 8-Preceptors


9.00 am - Proccession of Holy Relics



11.00am - Buddha-puja


11.30am - Dana to Venerable Sangha and 8-Preceptors


12.30pm - Serving of vegetarian foods to all devotees / well-wishers


7.00 pm - Padi-puja


8.00 pm - Bodhi-puja and Buddha-puja


8.30 pm - Chanting of the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta


( the Discourse that set the Dhamma Wheel Rolling )

Monday, April 13, 2009

KTD Practice and Teaching Schedule for April 2009

Karma Triyana Dharmachakra


KTD Practice and Teaching Schedule for April 2009


April 9


Full-Moon Chenrezik


7 PM


April 10-12


Four Sakya Oral Instructions on Freedom from Attachment


Lama Tashi Dondup


Translator: Jigme Nyima


Cost of the teaching: $120/96 members.


Accommodation and meals are available.


Preregistration and deposit required.


register online


According to Buddhist teachings, attachment is one of the principal causes of -suffering. Training the mind in freedom from attachment, is therefore a cause for future happiness. Lama Tashi Dondup will use a text from the Sakya tradition to - present mind training teachings that one can use to successfully free oneself from suffering.




April 17-24


Karma Pakshi Intensive


Lama Kathy Wesley




Donations gratefully accepted.


Accommodation and meals are available only


for those who preregister and make a deposit.


This intensive week of practice is restricted to practitioners who have completed or are practicing ngondro, and have received the Karma Pakshi empowerment.


Karma Pakshi (1203-1283), the Second Karmapa, was particularly known for his miraculous powers. His guruyoga, the sadhana of Karma Pakshi, has become one the principal practices done within the Karma Kagyu tradition upon completion of ngondro practice.


All are welcome to join the retreatants at the final tsok on April 24th at 9:00 a.m. (Please contact the front office to confirm the time: 845-679-59-6, ext. 10 or office@kagyu.org).


April 19


Karma Pakshi Tsok Puja


6 PM


Time of the puja may change.


Please call 845-679-5706, ext. 37, to confirm.




April 26


Meditation Day 10am-noon & 2-4pm


Naomi Schmidt


Donations for the retreat are gratefully accepted.


Accommodation and meals are available


only for those who preregister and make a deposit.


This one-day meditation retreat is an opportunity to spend a day cultivating peace of mind in a very special environment, at the North American seat of His Holiness the Gyalwa Karmapa.


Meditation instruction is provided at the beginning of the morning session and is followed by periods of sitting and walking meditation. The afternoon session consists only of meditation practice.


March 2-3


Refuge Vow, Lay Precepts, and Bodhisattva Vow


with Bardor Tulku Rinpoche


Translator: Lama Yeshe Gyamtso


Cost of the program: $120/96 members


Accommodation and meals are available.


Preregistration and deposit required.


1 scholarship available. Learn more or click for application.


Buddhism has a long-standing tradition of vows and precepts. It is accepted that a certain degree of discipline is required for an individual to progress on the spiritual path. The purpose of offering vows and precepts is to assist practitioners in maintaining the level of discipline suitable for their personal situation. The refuge vow will be explained and offered on Saturday morning (please note: there will not be a separate refuge ceremony before the empowerment on Saturday evening). On Saturday afternoon Rinpoche will explain lay precepts, which will be given on Sunday morning. Also on Sunday morning an explanation of the bodhisattva vow will be offered. The bodhisattva vow will be bestowed on Sunday afternoon.


For the complete KTD schedule until the July of 2009, please visit our web site




For more information and registration, please contact the front office at office@kagyu.org or call 845.679.5906 ext. 10.


KARMA TRIYANA DHARMACHAKRA is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery beautifully situated in the heart of the Catskill Mountains above Woodstock, New York. It is the North American seat of His Holiness the Seventeenth Gyalwa Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje, the spiritual head of the Karma Kagyu Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism.


Karma Triyana Dharmachakra


335 Meads Mountain Road


Woodstock NY 12498


www.kagyu.org

Final Prayers : Om Mani Padme Hung at Palme Gon Buddhist Association , Bgn. Lallang , Butterworth on 13.4.2009.