The below letter was presented to me (Tulku Sherdor) by Lama Chimay, the lifelong attendant of Tulku Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche. Lama Chimay explained to me that Ms. Gurung, the author, is a Nepali Buddhist under great pressure to send her daughter to Christian missionary schools for her education, but who stubbornly insists on providing the […]
It occurred to me, including because of the difficulties at times in communicating from Nepal, that many of you may be interested to know how I spent my time there. So I jotted down some of the highlights that I remember. From these you can see that, if anything, I am even busier with the study, practice and teaching of dharma in Nepal than I am here in the U.S., or anywhere else.
Shortly after I arrived in January, I participated in an all-day (12 hour) chod ritual called tsog lay rin chen treng wa, or "the rosary of jewels feast ritual," an elaborate practice that I last did during the final week of my forty month Lama retreat in 1990. We were at least 500 people all playing the large chod drums and bells in unison. Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche bestowed the chod empowerment, and in the course of the day, we consecrated large statues of the eight great bodhisattvas that will go in the new temple in Lumbini.
Several days later, Rinpoche invited me for a private lunch and visit at his personal retreat house in the mountains outside Kathmandu, where we had a good opportunity to discuss many matters of shared interest, a rarity given his very busy schedule and many responsibilities. He graciously agreed to do special prayers on behalf of Ivy's father who had just passed away in Singapore, and our family also made a number of offerings to the monastery dedicated to Mr. Loo's welfare and in gratitude for their support.
Afterwards, over the course of five days, one of the senior khenpos at the monastery taught the complete (short) text by Rongzom Mahapandita called nang wa lha drup, or "establishing all appearances as divine," an important text that sets forth the Nyingma view of deity yoga and the nature of the two truths.
Tara's Triple Excellence Weekend RetreatJanuary 17-18, 2015Saugerties, NY At his retreat at Garrison Institute earlier this year, Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche, with whom Tulku Sherdor has been fortunately and closely connected since 1981, graciously gave Blazing Wisdom Institute the opportunity to assist with his activities by appointing Tulku an Acharya (Loppon) in the Tara Triple Excellence […]
The weekend before Thanksgiving 2014, was bright and crisp in Saugerties, NY, where Blazing Wisdom Institute opened its new center to friends, supporters, and its new neighbors.
We are delighted to announce that through the masterful and dedicated efforts of Jim Elkin, and due to the kind contributions of 10 different Lamas, the final version of the tribute video to Dorje Chang Kalu Rinpoche is now available for viewing on the Blazing Wisdom YouTube Channel. The final version includes words and images […]
Krishna Das: Heart of Devotion Retreat Garrison Institute, Garrison, NY March 13-15, 2015 We recommend the following program at Garrison as well for those who appreciate devotional chanting at its finest. Krishna Das has invited Tulku Sherdor to participate as a surprise(!) guest at the program. For more information, and to register for this event, […]
Sivananda Ashram, Paradise Island, Bahamas, December 12-17, 2014 Is deep realization and awakening in this precious human life possible? Come explore the possibility with a teacher who has been studying Buddhist philosophy and practicing meditation for more than 30 years. This course offers yoga and meditation practitioners and teachers an opportunity to significantly deepen their […]
