16 years today on Buddha's Enlightenment Day

The Buddha's Enlightenment Day; Saga Dawa Duchen

16 years today!
Happy birthday, Rangjung Yeshe Gomde, Denmark.
Thank you Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche for your constant kindness, wisdom and guidance.

Thanks to everyone who over the years participated, worked, donated, meditated or rejoiced!

Dear Pema Kunsang,

On behalf of everyone at Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery, I would like to thank you for your donations made through www.monlam.org. Your donations have now been delivered at the monastery office and the Padmasambhava prayer that you sponsored in order to pray for no obstacles for Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche's retreat house in Denmark, will be chanted today on Saga Dawa Duchen by the monks during the yearly puja at the monastery. Likewise, the Shakyamuni Buddha Puja sponsored on behalf of Rangjung Yeshe Gomde, Denmark will be performed today during the yearly puja at the monastery. And, the Dharmapala puja, Vajrakilaya puja, Overcoming Obstacles puja, Reversing the Harm of Slander and Criticism and Vajrasattva puja will also be performed today.

Once again I would like to thank you for your kind support and generosity.

With best wishes,

Phuntsok Dolma
Office Assistant
Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery

office@monlam.org

The connection between Samadhi and Generosity

This summer at Gomde Denmark, the we have the unique opportunity to receive -- not only Padmasambhava’s wonderful terma treasure on Tara practice – but also the pointing-out instruction to the natural state of mind, the unity of stillness and insight, which is the nature of the mind all awakened ones. This indivisible unity of stillness and insight is known as samadhi. This samadhi is both the path and the fruition. I would like to quote Buddha Shakyamuni from a discourse recorded in the Samadhi Raja Sutra in which he describes the subtle connection between generosity and samadhi. Here word tathagata is a synonym for a buddha.

Once again the Transcendent Perfect Conqueror said to Youthful Moonlight: “Youthful one, this being so, a bodhisattva mahasattva who aspires to this samadhi and who wishes to quickly awaken truly and fully to unexcelled true and complete enlightenment should thoroughly train in this samadhi. Youthful one, how should he thoroughly train in samadhi for that purpose? Youthful one, such a bodhisattva mahasattva should, with a mind full of great compassion, in front of a living tathagata or to all those passed into nirvana, exert himself in making offerings of Dharma robes, alms, bedding, medicine, and other articles; of flowers, incense, scent, garlands, perfume, and fragrant powder; of garments, parasols, banners, and pennants of victory; of music from cymbals and bells; and then thoroughly dedicate the virtue of that to the attainment of samadhi.”

“He should not make offerings to the tathagatas while hoping for anything whatsoever, but should do so intent on the Dharma, without hoping for something desirable, without hoping for any enjoyment, without hoping for the higher realms, and without hoping for some samsaric state. Since, with such hoping, one doesn’t behold the tathagata as being the dharmakaya, how can one possibly behold him as the form-body (rupakaya)?”

“Youthful one, the way to make offerings to the tathagatas is without imagining the tathagatas, without conceiving of oneself, and without hoping for the karmic ripening. If you honor the tathagatas through this offering of threefold purity, you will fully attain this samadhi and awaken truly and fully to unexcelled true and complete enlightenment.”

Erik Pema Kunsang. From King of Samadhi, Rangjung Yeshe Publications.

Guru Yoga - from Phakchok Rinpoche

Dear Friends Near and Far,

Greetings to you all on this very special “pen chu” falling in the month of “Saga Dawa”. Pen chu meaning Guru Rinpoche Day falling on a Saturday which is a rare occurrence and “Saga Dawa”, the most sacred month in the Tibetan Lunar calendar marking Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and parinirvana.

So, How have you all been? I hope very well. For those of you who wondered why I didn’t drop by in your inbox with my regular GRD message last month, just so you know, I didn’t forget you. It just so happened that the 10th day got skipped last month in the lunar calendar! Anyhow, just to update you on my whereabouts, I’m at the moment in Hong Kong for a teaching program with H.E. Chokling Rinpoche, who on this on this special day gave a Sampa Lhundrup empowerment, which was later followed by a 100,000 feast offering.

Since today being so special and therefore auspicious, I thought I say a little on “Lame Naljor” or Guru Yoga, which is the practice of merging your mind with the wisdom mind of the guru.

Five Ways of Practicing of Guru Yoga

1. Outer Guru Yoga: Requesting blessings through supplication
2. Inner Guru Yoga: Recitation and receiving the four empowerments
3. Secret Guru Yoga: Meditating on the Guru and Yourself as Indivisible
4. Innermost Secret Guru Yoga: Resting uncontrived in equipoise
5. Unsurpassable Innermost Secret Guru Yoga: Primordially pure and spontaneously present

1. Outer Guru Yoga: Requesting Blessings through Supplication
The first guru yoga is to make supplication, so we visualize the guru in the space in front of us. We fold our palms and with our speech we say, “I go for refuge in you. I have no other hope but you. I supplicate you from the very depths of my heart!”. We really think like this in our minds and give rise to sincere faith and devotion. So in this way we make supplications, requesting the guru, “Please look on me with your compassion and bestow your blessings!” just as is taught in Calling the Guru from Afar. That’s the outer guru yoga of supplication.

2. Inner Guru Yoga: Recitation and Receiving the Four Empowerments
Inner guru yoga is mantra recitation for the guru, so [if the guru is Guru Rinpoche] then we recite the Vajra Guru mantra and visualize receiving the four empowerments from the Guru visualized in the space before us. First, from the white Om in the guru’s forehead white light-rays radiate out and strike out own forehead so that we attain the blessings of enlightened body. Then from the guru’s throat, red light-rays radiate out and strike our throat so that we attain the blessings of enlightened speech. Then from the blue letter Hung in the guru’s heart centre, blue light-rays radiate out and strike out heart centre so that we attain the blessings of enlightened mind. Then for the fourth empowerment there are two different traditions: one way is to visualize yellow light-rays radiating out from the letter Hrih in the guru’s navel and another way is to visualize white, red, and blue light-rays radiating out simultaneously from all of the three syllables (Om, Ah, and Hung). Either way, by these light-rays striking you, you imagine that primordial wisdom has been born within your stream of being. You have then received the four empowerments blessing you with enlightened body, speech, mind, and primordial wisdom.

3. Secret Guru Yoga: Meditating on the Guru and Yourself as Indivisible
Whoever the guru may be, you think you’ve now attained all of their blessings through receiving the four empowerments, as was just explained, and the guru now dissolves into yourself through the central channel on the crown of your head. By doing so, the guru’s enlightened body and your body, the guru’s enlightened speech and your speech, and the guru’s enlightened mind and your mind have become completely indivisible, inseparable and you remain within that state.

4. Innermost Secret Guru Yoga: Resting Uncontrived in Equipoise
Resting in equipoise. You leave your mind completely uncontrived, unfabricated, unaltered, totally at ease. This is the innermost secret guru yoga.

5. Unexcelled Innermost Secret Guru Yoga: Primordially Pure and Spontaneously Present
What is the essence of the guru? Primordially pure, primordially unborn. What are the excellent qualities of the guru? They are spontaneously present. The guru’s knowledge, love, and capacity are spontaneously present; they’ve been there, present from beginningless, primordial time. You need to understand these two: primordially pure and spontaneously present. You need to understand, “These have never been separate or apart from me. My own mind is primordially pure. My own mind is spontaneously present. This itself is the guru. I’ve never been separated from these.” Understanding primordially purity and spontaneous presence and being able to rest in equipoise within that state is the unexcelled innermost guru yoga.

Just visualizing, imagining the guru dissolving into you and their enlightened body and what you think of as your own dirty, impure body mixing together—we can’t do that, right? Because it won’t work. So we need to understand that our own minds are primordially pure in essence and that all the excellent, enlightened qualities are spontaneously present within our own minds. Remaining vivid and aware in that state of recognition is the unexcelled innermost secret guru yoga.

Sarva Mangalam,

Phakchok Rinpoche

Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche on Facebook

Rinpoche just passed the number 4000 on Facebook.

Tara Treasure of Triple Excellence - description

As we look foreward to Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche's teachings this summer, I would like to share an overview of the treasure root text by Padmasambhava.

Preface to Skillful Grace

The Essential Instruction on the Threefold Excellence contains three distinct views: Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana. The special approach it takes is to combine or interweave all three into a seamless single path that one person can follow. This small text begins in a simple way, with how to deal with life as a human being and goes all the way to how to attain true and complete enlightenment in a single lifetime.

The first level of the teachings here deals with being human. This means understanding that we have a precious opportunity right now in this life, and that it does matter how we behave: there are consequences to our actions. We are shown how to find the true spiritual path that leads us in the right direction.

The second level of teachings provides methods for reducing and dissolving our selfishness. It offers advice on how to genuinely work for others and gain mental stability and insight. In this teaching, insight is the core of Tara practice. Here it is called ‘the ultimate Tara of transcendent knowledge.’

Once we have stability and insight—often called shamatha and vipashyana—we as practitioners can then embrace Vajrayana, the third level, with skillful means that quickly dissolve habitual tendencies and delusions. Practitioners can awaken to buddhahood through sadhana practice based on Tara.

Padmasambhava explains that there are untold numbers of Tara tantras. The ultimate source of these infinite Tara tantras, practices and teachings is the female dharmakaya buddha Samantabhadri. Vajra Yogini, among whose countless emanations at the nirmanakaya level is Tara, spread them into limitless realms.

For our particular age, in recent times, all these tantras were condensed into three levels. The first, the extensive form, with an amazing number of teachings and rituals, was supposed to be revealed by the illustrious 19th-century master Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo. Unfortunately, due to a lack of auspicious coincidences, he never wrote down the instructions. He only retrieved the statue itself, which he recovered from a sacred location in the Zabbu valley of Shang in central Tibet and brought back to Kham.

The medium-length instruction, which Chokgyur Lingpa, a visionary master of the same period, revealed shortly afterwards, is called the Zabtik Drölma, The Profound Essence of Tara. It has several levels of practice: outer, inner and innermost. It is best known for its ritual of the four mandalas, which is widely practiced in hundreds of Dharma centers all over the world. Then there is the ultra-short instruction, which is the very core of this book. It is known as The Essential Instruction on the Threefold Excellence. It came about through the blessings of Samantabhadra, Vajra Yogini, Tara, and Padmasambhava with consort. When Chokgyur Lingpa saw Tara in a vision, she spoke three words: “Lekso, lekso, lekso,” which means “Excellent, excellent, excellent.” Based on this, the meaning of the instruction that is the very core of this book appeared in his mind as a profound Dharma treasure.[i]

Some time later, Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo gave the transmission for this revealed treasure to his close friend and disciple, Jamgön Kongtrül, a master who was foretold by the Buddha and whose writings are unparalleled in their conciseness and clarity.

In Skillful Grace we present the root text with two works of clarification—a pithy instruction by Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, one of the greatest Dzogchen masters of recent times, and a longer, very practical guidance by Trulshik Adeu Rinpoche of Nangchen.

I feel we are incredibly fortunate that two recent masters who are holders of the lineage from Khyentse, Kongtrül and Chokling have given oral teachings on this text. It is with great joy that we share their wisdom with you, the reader. I wish that all of you receive the empowerment and instructions of Arya Tara and thereby receive her blessings, and that these blessings penetrate your lives and saturate everyone with whom you are connected.

Erik Pema Kunsang

Nagi Gompa Hermitage, 2006

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[i] The Tibetan title is: dgongs gter sgrol ma’i zab tig las, legs so gsum gyi don khrid bzhugs

Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche visits Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

Dedication and aspiration Dzongsar Khyentse

I would like to dedicate the merit of all of you so that:

We and many others will enter into the quintessential path of the Buddhadharma,

We will not fall into the abyss of samsara,

We will not be reborn in the jungle of desire and anger,

We will not be burnt in the hell of wrong view,

We will never hear the roaring beasts of envy and jealousy,

We will never be struck by the poisonous arrow of emotion,

We will not be separated from virtuous friends.

From now until enlightenment we will always be nurtured by the sustenance of nondistraction,

And when we actually come to the end of our lives,

With this merit we will follow all the sublime beings of the past, follow in their footsteps, and be reborn in the Buddhafield.

For this we beseech all the past Buddhas to come and receive us,

We beseech all the deities to support us,

We beseech all the bodhisattvas to be our railing,

We beseech all the dakinis to encourage us,

And we dedicate this merit so that we will be the cause for enlightenment of all.

Sent by Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche in his Foundation's annual report.

Pictures from the 35 days Padmasambhava retreat at Gomde, Denmark 2011

Taler i buddhanesisk?

Buddhas lære indeholder mange specielle udtryk. Fartøj er et af dem:

Fartøj (theg pa / yana). Udtrykket fartøj er centralt i buddhismen, fordi det dæk­ker mange planer af anvisninger samt deres anvendelse. Der er mange forskellige måder at opdele en buddhas instruktioner på, men oftest hører vi om tre fartøjer: hinayana, mahayana og vajra­yana. Disse fartøjer er dét, som bringer os til vores destination på en åndelig rejse — fra forvirringens endeløse hav til frigørelse og den oplyste buddhatilstand. Hinayana dækker en holdning og et sæt in­struktioner, der lægger vægt på forsagelse af verdens blændværk; der tales om det nytteløse i at stræbe efter behagelige oplevelser og ting, som alligevel forsvinder efter en kort stund, en stræben, der i sig selv er frustration. I stedet for at opnå glæde gennem visse situa­tioner i denne verden, opelsker vi muligheden for at finde frihed ved at være opmærksomme i det nuværende øjeblik, uden at distra­heres af forstyrrende følelser, hvilket udvikler indre ro. Indre ro giver så plads til at se klart og tydeligt, at alting er forbigående, at egoistisk stræben er smertefuld, og at ideen om et fast og vedvaren­de “jeg” blot er en illusion. Når vores bevidsthed er “vænnet fra” den vanemæssige involvering i illusion og egoistiske følelser, opnår vi frigørelse fra samsara, fra de betingede bevidsthedstilstandes verden. Denne vej kaldes også for hinayana, det mindre fartøj, eller pratimoksha, individuel befrielse, fordi vægten ligger på at skabe fri­hed for sig selv, ligesom “at feje for sin egen dør først.”

Men er det nu nok at være frigjort, mens alle andre ikke er det? Når vi ser os omkring, opdager vi, at vi er ikke alene om at være her, og at vi er dybt forbundne med alle andre væsener. Mahayana, det “store fartøj,” lægger vægt på at tage alle andre med på vejen, at vi motiveres ud fra ønsket om at bringe alle vore “forældre” fra tidli­gere liv med til frigørelse og oplysning. Som mahayana udøvere tager vi et løfte, bodhisattva-løftet, om “lige meget hvor længe det tager, lige meget hvor svært det er, så vil jeg ene og alene tage an­svaret for at hjælpe alle levende væsener op fra de tre lavere riger, ud af samsaras seks verdener, fra nirvanas passive tilstand til bodhi­sattva-planerne, og endeligt til den sande og fuldkommengjorte buddhatilstand.” Dette store mod, denne umådelige frygtløshed hvi­ler på indsigt i jegløshed, på forståelsen af at alle ting og den person­lige identitet begge er uden håndgribelig virkelighed. På denne måde er den sande mahayana vej foreningen af medfølelse og indsigt.

I forbindelse med mahayana, men bestemt ikke foruden, kan vi også være heldige nok til at komme i forbindelse med buddhaernes “vajra fartøj.” Vajrayanas kernepunkt ligger i oplevelsen og erken­delsen af vores vajra-natur, den uforanderlige, ukonstruerede og oprindelige vågenhed — som fuldendelsesfasen — i forening med anvendelsen af enestående midler: guddom, mantra og samadhi — som udviklingsfasen.

Dear Sangha.

It is Rinpoche's wish that a entrance is made for the temple hall.
We all like a Buddha field design and Michael who is an architect have helped a long.
If you like to donate any kind of amount to make Gomde's temple look like one from the outside, please donate money for the project on the www.gomde.dk, noting "Entrance adornment for the temple"
If you like to help building, please write to Erik, erik@gomde.dk
Here is the latest letter from Helen and Michael:

"So have a look at the above drawing.
I think a carpenter would easily read it. It would be good, if I could communicate with him, how to bring the ornamentation in. It is not difficult. It is basically all pre-manufactured and just in LEGO-Land put together!
As I mentioned before, you have to decide were to put the glass.
I would place it outside of the wood to protect it.
The Shurig is 25/25 by 120 cm
The main beam 30/30 and 560 and 410cm
Do it all in wood. It is the most beautiful and the easiest!
Maybe I have to come to help you: retreat and work.
Keep it going.
Michael"

Hus til salg nær Gomde

http://www.nybolig.dk/maegler/PrivatBolig.jsp?csref=boligsiden&fromsite=boligsiden&sagsnr=E173620&forretningsnr=106199

Ngøndro retreat i maj

Kære venner!

Så er foråret endelig kommet og vi holder ngøndro retreat i weekenden d. 6 - 8 maj 2011 på Gomde.

Erik underviser i Vajrasattva, Mandala praksis og Guru yoga.

Ngøndro forløbet transformerer vanemønstre til kærlig indsigt og er forberedelse og nøgle til vores oprindelige, tidløse vågenhed.

Undervisning og meditation forbinder Padmasambhava, metode, virkelighed og eget hjerte.
Erik Pema Kunsang er elev af Dzogchen mesteren Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche.

Undervisning, værelse og mad 1.300 kr.
Studerende / folkepensionister 700 kr.

Tilmelding: programs@gomde.dk

Rangjung Yeshe Gomde
Smedehalden 3, 8420 Knebel Danmark
Tlf. 86356835

Er du ikke startet endnu så kom alligevel og få et kærligt skub til at komme i gang.

Well-wishes

Dear Lama Tenzin, Erik, Tara & all retreatants,
I believe someone once said, "there are no small acts of kindness, only great acts" and there is no doubt that your retreat has been a great act. You are an inspiration to us all.
love & life,
mt
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We wanted to send to you, Lama Tenzin and all the retreatants endless good wishes for an auspicious retreat. May it benefit the the Dharma, the retreatants, Gomde DK, all Rinpoche's centre's of activity and countless beings.

May Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche and all true teachers live long and healthy lives.

Sarva Mangalam!

and

many many hugs

from your sisters and brothers at Gomde, Lindholme Hall

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Holder i 35 dags retreat igen næste år og er der en eller anden mailingliste jeg kan komme på så jeg kan holde kalenderen fri?

Mvh. Jeppe

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I wolud have liked to do this retreat.
Hugs, Pilar.

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To the Trinley Ningpo Retreatants,

E MA HO !

I would like to express my appreciation for your effort to undertook the 35-days Retreat and I feel a bit sad for not having enough merit to be able to attend the retreat. Guru Rinpoche must feel great to see you fulfilling his wish to practice. His and all the dakinis blessings are certain. The great Chokyur Lingpa is rejoicing and the lineage Gurus up to Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche are happy. I am proud to be a member of our Sangha and you gave it meaning.

I wish you all the best. Thank you for practicing to remove the suffering of all sentient beings. Everybody in the universe has benefited and is greatful to you. You pushed samsara a bit further to the end and helped us on the way to enlightenment. Please do not underestimate the merit you gained. I am sure that you are all further up in the waiting list to Sangdogpalri.

Please be all hugged.

The force is with us!

Thank You!!!

Michael and Helen

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Hope that you had a great retreat and that you all attained liberation.

Salute to all the wonderful yogis at Gomde.

See you this summer.

Love from Dorje

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Today, yogis at djursland completed the 35 days-retreat. Rejoicing with rainbow skies in my mind. You are lovely yogis!
♥ Sascha.

HH Dalai Lamas besøg i København 18. april 2011

I forbindelse med HH Dalai Lamas besøg i Danmark og to foredrag den 18. april 2011 var Rangjung Yeshe Gomde sammen med 8 andre foreninger medarrangør af dagen.

Der var en audiens søndag eftermiddag hvor et antal frivillige hjælpere deltog, og havde en unik mulighed for at møde HH Dalai Lama "tæt på."

I Gomdes stand, der blev opsat af frivillige aftenen inden arrangementet, og betjent af samme på selve dagen, blev der bla solgt røgelse, malaer, bøger, offerskåle, klokker, flag med mere.
Standen blev besøgt af mange interesserede, der købte ind af diverse og der blev taget godt imod Gomdes smukke postkort, folder og kursusprogram.

Andre frivillige hjalp til med mange praktiske opgaver som dørvagter, anvise folk pladser, checke billetter mm.

Det var et inspirerende, varmt og dybt møde med HH Dalai Lama og hans undervisning.
2500 mennesker deltog til hvert foredrag - et om formiddagen samt et om eftermiddagen.

Tak til alle Jer, der var med til at hjælpe med til, at denne dag forløb rigtig godt og for den gode stemning blandt frivillige og på Gomdes stand.

Varme hilsner og på snarligt gensyn, bestyrelsen.

Invitation til afsluttende ceremoni den 2. maj kl 09:00 - 12:00 på Gomde DK

Kære sangha venner,

Det vil glæde Lama Tenzin og os der deltager i 35 Dages Padmasambhava Retreat at se dig/jer til vores afsluttende ceremoni den anden maj kl 09:00 - 12:00 om morgenen.

Du er velkommen til at medbringe venner og familie, økologiske spise og drikkevarer til ceremonien.

Tilmeld dig venligst til programs@gomde.dk hvis du bliver til frokost, (50 kr).

Fra i morgen går vi ind i perioden med ti dages Vajra Guru mantra hvor målet bl.a. er 400.000 mantaer pr person. Deltag gerne hjemmefra med din kærlighed og mantra recitation.

Ellers går det rigtigt godt og mange slør er løftet.

Mange kærlige hilsner fra alle os deltagere i Gomdes andet 35 Dage Padmasambhava Retreat.

Lama Tenzin Sangpo

Frivillige Søges til Mindfulness Meditation Workshop

 Karuna Workshops er værter for en 7-dages retreat på Gomde den 21.- 28. maj med Christina Feldman og John Peacock og i den forbindelse har vi brug for nogle ekstra hjælpende hænder. 

Hvis du har mulighed for at hjælpe med køkkenarbejde ca. 4 timer dagligt tilbyder vi ophold på Gomde samt deltagelse i programmet (undervisning og fælles meditationer).

 
Se programmet på www.karunaworkshops.dk

og hvis du ønsker at hjælpe, skriv venligst til: appave@gmail.com

Mange hilsener

KarunaWorkshops og Gomde