On this page appear the occasional inspirational messages that our Lama sends to encourage and remind us.
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12/5/2008: This year people around the world count their blessings and look into their hearts to clarify their relationship with divinity, and light candles in the darkness. Our own teacher in the Snowy Land has just begun his annual prayer festival for evoking the Amitabha Pure Land (Zhing drub). As you know, this Evocation is a powerful expression of the divine energy associated with the Buddha of Limitless Light. Jetsunma has communicated from Rinpoche that we are all invited to participate by opening our heart-mind to this event, connecting with Rinpoche through Amitabha, and Amitabha through Rinpoche.
And as you know, Guru Rinpoche, who is so closely aligned with our Rinpoche, is an emanation of Amitabha. That makes this an especially auspicious time to strengthen our 7-line prayer accumulations for Rinpoche’s good health and freedom from obstacles in this year that, astrologically, is potentially a difficult one for him. (In the Tibetan way, whenever one’s own age is a multiple of 12 –36, 48, and so on—the time is regarded with great caution.
You can download the prayer in Tibetan and English from http://www.dzogchennyingthig.org/amitabha08/.
Check this link again in a few days, Jetsunma is hoping to send a recording of her singing it so we can harmonize in that way too. Many thanks to Mac for setting up this link.
We are fortunate to be part of such a blessed sangha. May all of us rejoice and find the inner radiance awaiting our discovery.
Love,
Anne Rigzin Drolma
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10/7/2008: Please forgive any duplicate messages, but we are trying to make sure that this message is received by all of Rinpoche's heart-students.
The back-story is that Rinpoche dictated this letter over the phone while in residence at his monastery, Jetsunma took it down and got it typed in Tibetan, then gave it to Lisa, who emailed it to Anne to translate for you. Here is Rinpoche's teaching-message for us all:
Greetings and Tashi Delegs to all my intelligent, virtuous students endowed with the dharma eye.
It gives me great pleasure to think that, through the grace of the three jewels, you and everyone there is well.
Even though I have not been able to come this year on account of the present circumstances,
it is my great wish and strong prayer that we teacher and students be together,
and that I will see your happy faces before long. Even when our community is apart,
we are not separate in the slightest and, as it is said in scripture, we are continually doing
whatever is possible to keep away from harsh sorts of afflictive emotions.
Doing so is the single pith instruction constituting the key point of the Conqueror's teaching.
Relying on that therefore brings forth waves of benefit to others in accordance with one's own capacity.
It is important to do what is so fundamentally beneficial.
It is vital that you take up with joyous effort the unstained practices of mind-training, (lojong)
as well as training in the accumulations, together with the quintessential instructions of Semtri.
At this time you have obtained the profound instructions by which there is Buddhahood
in one life, one body. Recognize what great good fortune this is.
Don't fall prey to laziness or procrastination. Bind your mindstream
continually with mindfulness and awareness. Have no doubt that, practicing in this way,
you have found the supreme path to lasting happiness.
This virtuous message, an exhortation from the Shakya monk, Ad.zom Gyurme Thubten Gyatso, October 7, 2008.
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9/21/2008: Very early this morning Jetsun Ma was able to have a conclusive conversation with Rinpoche.
The conclusion is that they will not be making a visit this winter. He sends his warmest greetings and blessings to everyone. As always, he supports his students from wherever he is and encourages us to practice.
He is well, doing a lot of teaching at his own place, especially Words of My Perfect Teacher every morning. By late spring he will begin to consider whether a summer visit is possible. As always, as soon as there is any news, we will let you now.
We hope your lives and spiritual paths are flourishing, knowing that these connections are forever.
Deep in the dharma,
Rigzin Drolma
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6/1/2008: Many of us have observed the events in Tibet and China with aching hearts.
What can we do? How is the world restored? As we approach the holy Buddha Month of Sagadawa (begins June 2nd, full moon June 18th) we want to respond to the needs of our world.
Our teacher's response has been to initiate an intensive practice period of reciting the great prayer aspiring to be like the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra. These verses, a prayer beloved throughout the Tibetan Buddhist world. Its purpose is to foster happiness in all beings, and to strengthen our relationship with enlightened beings and with the state of enlightenment itself.
Jetsunma based on her conversations with Rinpoche, urges us to participate in this recitation. It is the first thing she asks about. So we include them here for you. Laurie found the English for us on line, Harvey located the TIbetan, Tom created the phonetics, and Mac has made it possible to be in touch with you all. This is our sangha's offering.
(click this link for info page on the prayer with links to texts/translations/commentaries on the prayer)
Participate as you are moved to do. In doing so, we ride on the waves of grace emanating from Tibet with these very words. Every line is a window into an enlightened vision of what is possible for all of us.
In Buddha's heart,
Anne Rigzin Drolma
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11/16/2007: For my students, to be placed in your heart-mind:
Hold to the foundation by furthering your intention to gain enlightenment for all, your Bodhicitta.
All that is needed is continuous effort toward the teachings through training in the path. When you rely on that, the outstanding good qualities of your inner realization will be spread as far and wide as the leaves of the world's trees!
Authentic experience is what gives you the potential for accomplishment. Therefore, now and into your future, the future, it is very important that you pursue this.
I beseech you once more to place this in your heart-mind.
