Armidale Community Buddhist Centre

Lama Rigzin trained as a Tibetan monk for almost 25 years under the guidance of many great Lamas. He speaks fluent English and is currently working as a translator in Sydney. Lama Rigzin has been teaching Buddhism in Australia for over five years.

His earthy lifestyle and happiness in sharing the precious and timely teachings of the Buddha makes his talks enjoyable and very pragmatic.

Friday 7^th July – Public Talk on “The Power of Forgiveness”

Learning to forgive is a profound spiritual practice. The grudges we hold poison our heart and keep us in a state of suffering, forgiveness is the road to peace.

“The weak can never forgive

Forgiveness is an attribute of the strong”

(Mahatma Gandhi)

Time: 7.00pm

Place: Armidale Community Buddhist Centre (next door to the Mandarin restaurant, white door, upstairs)

Cost: $5.00

There will be a light supper provided after the talk.

Saturday 8^th July – A Guide to the Bodhisattvas Way of Life, Chapt 3

On Saturday Lama Rigzin will be giving a commentary on the third chapter from Master Shantideva’s “A Guide to the Bodhisattvas Way of Life”. This chapter completes the preliminaries to generate Bodhimind, the altruistic aspiration to become a fully enlightened being in order to help others, then explains how to take Bodhisattva vows and what to do thereafter.

Time: 8.30am – 3.30pm

Place: Vajra Ling, Rocky River

Cost: $50.00 (includes morning tea, please bring own lunch or lunch to share)

For bookings and further information please call Dianne on 6772 6674 or Justine on 0429 729 466 or email justine.barratt@hotmail.com

Listen to us chanting the Green Tara Mantra yesterday morning with Karma Lhundup Rinpoche.

 

 Green Tara Mantra: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Ngakpa Karma Lhundup Rinpoche was born in 1959 in upper Mustang in an area sacred to Guru Padmasambhava. Soon after his birth, Karma’s mother opened a sealed earthen jar of traditional “birth beer” and a blazing fire came out of the jar. This was understood to mean that the child could be a reincarnation of a powerful yogi. He is from the Nyingma school of Buddhism and is a master of Dzogchen and Chod.

Friday 23^rd June 2006
Public Talk on “Loving Kindness and Compassion”

When: 7.30pm
Where - ACBC, 211 Beardy St, Armidale (near Mandarin Restaurant, white door, up the stairs)
Cost: $5 donation

Saturday 24^th June – Dzogchen Teaching

Sunday 25^th June – Chod Practice

When: 10am – 5pm each day
Where: Vajra Ling, Rocky River
Cost: $80 for both days or $50 for one day

Bring lunch to share, morning and afternoon teas provided

**SPECIAL EVENT**

Pot Luck Dinner with Rinpoche.

Saturday Night at Vajra Ling

6 – 8pm, bring a plate to share

DZOGCHEN is the consummate practice of Tibetan Buddhism. It derives from the Maha Ati Tantra, and represents the nondual, or absolute/ultimate teaching of pure and total intrinsic awareness, innate wakefulness. Dzogchen is considered, in Tibet, an advanced and secret teaching. Today it is said by certain senior Tibetan lamas to be “a teaching for our time”, because it is direct, immediate, adaptable and profound: a naked awareness practice applicable to any circumstance or situation, and easily integrated into modern life.

CHOD: In the chöd practice we transform into the deity and cut our illusory body and offer it to all the enlightened and sentient beings. Offering our body in this way allows us to cut attachment to ego and cultivate generosity toward others. Through this practice we cut through our misunderstanding of our own real condition and reconnect to our own true nature. If one is practicing chod correctly, pride and arrogance lessen, attachment to compulsory attractions, worldliness, samsara and its eight worldly concerns decrease. As the eight worldly dharmas fall off, one is only thinking about dharma.

PLEASE BOOK IF YOU WISH TO COME TO RINPOCHE’S TEACHINGS.

Contact Ruth or Michael on 6772 1106 or Pedro 6771 3016 or Maxine 6778 5038 if you need directions to Vajra Ling or have any inquiries

The Venerable Acharya Zasep Tulku Rinpoche, a highly realized and internationally respected teacher of Gelugpa Buddhism, was born in Tibet in the province of Kham in 1948. Zasep Tulku Rinpoche was recognized as the 13th incarnation of Lama Konchog Tenzin of Zuru Monastery. In 1959, during the Chinese invasion, he escaped from Tibet and continued his education for sixteen years in India under the tutelage of many of the greatest teachers of Mahayana Buddhism.
Zasep Rinpoche has been coming to Rocky River and Armidale since 1993 to lead Buddhist retreats. Each time he has visited this area he has given public talks on Buddhism, which are becoming more and more popular. Rinpoche has nearly 30 years experience teaching Buddhism to western students in Canada, USA and Europe. He combines his deep understanding of the mind and how it works with humour and clarity.

PROGRAMME
All at Vajra Ling, Rocky River except where noted

FRIDAY MARCH 10th, 7pm: Public talk on Karma

At CWA Hall, Rusden St, Armidale. Karma is the law of cause and effect that governs the universe, and our karmic actions create all our suffering and happiness. By observing this natural law and being mindful of our actions of body, speech and mind, we can change
for the better. An understanding of karma is the key to dealing with the present in a positive way, and in creating whatever future results one may wish to experience. [$5 donation]

SATURDAY MARCH 11th, 2pm (Initiation): Lama Je Tsong Khapa
SUNDAY MARCH 12th 10am–5pm (Practice)

Je Tsongkhapa is considered a second Buddha, his teachings and explanations are very clear. He was said to be an emanation of Manjushri the Buddha of wisdom, whom he had direct contact with. Sunday:This practice brings one closer to the guru and increases
wisdom and understanding. [ $60 for two days]

TUESDAY MARCH 14th, 7pm: Dependent Origination

(12 Links of Wheel of Life). These teachings show the way we go from life to life and the leverage point by which we can overcome our suffering and achieve ultimate happiness. [$25]

WEDNESDAY MARCH 15th, 7pm: Green Tara initiation

Tara is the feminine essence of our own loving compassionate action that wants to help others across the ocean of suffering to the shore of happiness and bliss. Results of the Green Tara meditation can include quick thinking, generosity, fearlessness and spontaneity.
[$25]

THURSDAY MARCH 16th, 7pm: Four Arm Chenresig initiation.

Chenresig is within us because love and compassion are not qualities added to the mind. These qualities are part of the awakened state even if, for the moment, this state exists only as a potential for us. He is the visible expression taken by all the buddhas to help activate the love and compassion that are presently only a potential in us and to reveal the ultimate Chenresig to ourselves. [$25]

FRIDAY MARCH 17th, 7pm (Initiation): White Manjushri initiation
SATURDAY MARCH 18th, 10am–5pm (Practice)
SUNDAY MARCH 19th, 10am–5pm (Practice)

The practice of White Manjushri is a wisdom practice that purifies the mind. It is considered to be very good for developing, improving, and preserving memory. Saturday
and Sunday: Eight Mahayana Precepts and White Manjushri Sadhana practice. People can do this as a fasting retreat for both days or optional one meal per day. [$100 for three days]

For more inquiries about Vajra Ling, bookings or accommodation please contact:
• Maxine maxine@bluepin.net.au 6778 5038
• Dianne dthompson@nsw.chariot.net.au 6772 6674
• Pedro release@exemail.com.au 6771 3016
or view the printable PDF brochure here.

As you should be aware now, Sakya Losal Choe Dzong is in the process of buying a new property (ONTOS) in East Gippland, Victoria. As part of this purchase, there is a brand new building (dining, office, kitchen, gompa) in its near completion stage. Five of our members are in ONTOS helping to complete the building. I have been down there two times since I have returned from Nepal. The work progress is amazing. However, there is a lot of work to be done including sanding, priming, painting, landscaping, gardening, flooring and cooking. We are calling for any willing workers on
organic farm (woofers) who would like to go there for a weekend/week/a few days/ a month or more between now and June 2006.

We are aiming to speed up the completing of this building with the hope to invite His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche to bless the place in July 2006. His Eminence has agreed to come and has given the traditional name for this centre “Tsharchen Choeling”, named after Tsharchen Losal Gyatsho (1502-1566), the founder of Tsharpa lineage of which His Eminence is the current head. While this is the official name, I have choosen to caption it SAKYA INTERNATIONAL BUDDHIST ACADEMY (SIBA) as a name everyone can remember. This was named after many week’s of consideration and consultation. I hope you all like it.

Food and acomodation is provided. There is Green Tara puja every morning with everyone there. Ontos is situated in an area known as W Tree on Gilantipy Road, near town of Buchan. It takes about 5 hours from Canberra and Melbourne to drive.

If you can spare any amount of days, this will be an excellent working holiday. The whether there is cooler than anywhere else especially during this time of the year. The food is all organic. If you can come and help please contact Ani Kunsang, Ani Nangtong, Ani Tenpa or any resident at Virupa Retreat Centre on (02) 6238 2088 or send an email to sakya@exemail.com.au

Thanking you in advance,

May best wishes

Lama Choedak Rinpoche