Movie: The Oracle by David Cherniak

My friend Linda Merle recommended this short movie The Oracles: Reflections on the Self by David Cherniak in which he explores the nature and role of oracles in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. He interviews His Holiness the Dalai Lama, his Holiness’ brother (Tenzin Choegyal), the Nechung oracle, and many others. Includes rare video footage of the oracles in trance including Khadro la, and a discussion about Dorje Shugden.

The film maker questions Western scientific conceptions of self and consciousness in light of the oracles’ ability to possess their mediums. The movie is beautifully filmed in Dharmasala and includes many shots in His Holiness’s residence.

Light of the Path 2012: update

“We have received the news that the Light of the Path Retreat Year 3 will not happen this year. Venerable Roger has tentatively scheduled it for September 2013.”

(source: email from Kadampa Center, Jan 23, 2012)

AstroTibet’12: Android App

There are over 4 billion mobile phone users in the world, of which 1 billion are SmartPhones. Got an Android? Here’s the perfect app for you!

AstroTibet ’12 is an astrological calendar for 2012 showing 38 kinds of auspicious and inauspicious days for activities such as medical procedures, travel, investments, business, parties, weddings, starting important activities, and spiritual and religious practices. Artwork, mantras with audio, and quotes are included.

This app was prepared by Nawang Thartho with additional advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Spiritual Director of the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), and Geshe Nawang Dakpa, astrologer lama of FPMT’s Tse Chen Ling center in San Francisco.

Liberation Prison Project, a social services program of the FPMT, supports men and women in prison who seek our help to learn about meditation and Buddhism, to transform their lives.

Available from Amazon.com for only $4.99. (That’s a good deal because the print edition is $10 + $6.00 shipping on the FPMT website.)

Never miss another tsok!

So now all the “old man” feature phone users (like me) have another reason to reconsider upgrading to a SmartPhone, LOL!

16th Self-Immolation

(source: Students for a Free Tibet email)

On Saturday, 21-year-old Lobsang Jamyang lit himself on fire to protest for freedom and the return of the Dalai Lama. Chinese police who rushed to the scene kicked and beat him with clubs spiked with nails.

Tibetans who witnessed this inhumane attack tried to stop the police; they too were savagely beaten. SFT has received reports that a larger group gathered in protest. The police opened fire on the crowd, shooting at least two people. A Tibetan woman is now in critical condition and many more have been injured and arrested.

Take action!

More self-immolations in Eastern Tibet

On January 6th, two young Tibetans, Tenyi and Tsultrim  self-immolated in Ngaba. On January 8th, Ven.  Sopa Rinpoche self-immolated in Dhalang.

Students for a Free Tibet urges us to take the following actions:

1.    Send a letter to Chinese authorities directly responsible for Tibet policy demanding they immediately address Tibetan grievances before more lives are lost.

2.    Sign and share the Enough! Pledge for Global Intervention to Save Tibetan Lives. Update your elected representatives on the recent cases of self-immolation and request they sign the pledge for multilateral action for Tibet.

3.   Join or plan a solidarity vigil. A weekly vigil is being organized each Wednesday in New York, London, Toronto, and Boston by Tibetans and their supporters in solidarity with Tibetans inside Tibet. For more details on these vigils or to organize you own, please contact grassroots@studentsforafreetibet.org

Detailed report and self-immolatiom fact sheet available on the International Campaign for Tibet website.

Total number of self-immolations within the past year: 15.

Passing of the Abbot of the D.C. Vietnamese Buddhist Temple

Many of you have probably visited Giac Hoang, the beautiful Vietnamese Buddhist temple on 16th street in D.C.  The temple hosted the FPMT Maitreya Project Relics tour twice. You may have met him during these or other occasions.

Ven. Thich Thanh Dam, the abbot and founder of the temple, passed away at the age of 84 on December 4th, 2011.

My friend Lien wrote an article for the Washington Post memorializing Ven. Thich Thanh Dam. She and her family are part of the Vietnamese community who regularly visit the temple. Ven. Thich Thanh Dam truly made his life meaningful by helping so many people. His passing is a lesson in impermanence and a loss to our community.

The article appears here in the online edition and will appear on page B-2 of the December 7th print edition. Please keep Ven. Thich Thanh Dam in your prayers.

(Note: The Post included 17 gorgeous photos of His Holiness during the Kalachakra at the top of the article. Photo 10 is of Mrs. Hiep Lowman, a close friend of the Guhyasamaja Center and of Ven. Thich Thanh Dam. Photo 11 is Mr. Matt Regan, one of the main volunteers for the Kalachakra event.)

Please share your memories of Ven. Thich Thanh Dam.

Kalachakra 2012 Live Webcasts

There will be live webcasts from the Kalachakra Teaching in Bodh Gaya, Bihar, India, from January 1-10, 2012. His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be teaching in Tibetan and there will be live webcasts in English, Chinese, Russian and Tibetan languages.

All times Indian Standard Time (GMT+5.30)January 1: Short Teaching
His Holiness will give a short teaching.
Time: 1:00pm – 3:00pmJanuary 4-6: Preliminary Teachings
His Holiness will give preliminary teachings on Kamalashila’s “The Middling States of Meditation (gomrim barpa)”, Gyalsey Thokme Sangpo’s “37 Practices of A Bodhisattva (laklen sodunma)”, Geshe Langri Thangpa’s “Eight Verses of Training the Mind (lojong tsik gyema)”, Nagarjuna’s “The Praise to the World Transcendent (jigten ley deypar toepa)” and Khunu Lama Tenzin Gyaltsen’s “The Precious Lamp in Praise of Bodhicitta (jangchup sem kyi toepa rinchen drolma)”.
Times: 1:00pm – 3:30pm each day

January 10: Long life empowerment and offering
A long life empowerment (tsewang) and a ceremony offering prayers for the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be performed.
Time: 9:00am – 11:00am (approximate time)

January 10: Ceremony honoring His Holiness the Dalai Lama
There will be a public felicitation ceremony for His Holiness.
Time: 1:30pm – 3:00pmLive English language webcast can be viewed here.
Live Chinese language webcast can be viewed here.
Live Russian language webcast can be viewed here.
Live Tibetan language webcast can be viewed here.More information and a full schedule of events at http://www.kalachakra2012.org/For times in your region 1:00pm Indian Standard Time (IST) on January 1st in India is the same as 7:30am on January 1st in London, England. NOTE: this is 2:30 am eastern standard time in the United States.

Buddhism in Daily Life: Khensur Rinpoche Losang Jampa

In his final teaching at Gyuto Vajrayana Center for 2011, Ven. Gyumed Khensur Rinpoche gave a detailed teaching on the heart of Buddhist practice: cultivating a kind heart.

Rinpoche also wished everyone a Happy New Year and requested that we each cultivate bodhicitta in the coming year.

Gift of Prayers: Tibetan Nuns Project

Here’s a convenient and loving way to share the power of prayer — visit the Tibetan Nuns Project website and order offerings, pujas and prayers ranging from butter lamps, to Medicine Buddha, and Tara.

“The Tibetan Nuns Project was founded over two decades ago to provide education and humanitarian aid to refugee nuns from Tibet and Himalayan regions of India. The Project provides facilities and programs to educate, empower, and improve the status of ordained Tibetan women.

People in Buddhist cultures have relied on the prayers of nuns for centuries. The nuns, as full-time spiritual practitioners develop deep wisdom and great kindness, which make their prayers especially effective. In Buddhism, prayers and offerings are expressions of “honour, worship, devotional attention” and are performed by the nuns regularly for the benefit of all sentient beings.”

What is Buddhism (in three sentences)

The heart essence of Buddhist practice is abstaining from non-virtuous actions that harm others, and instead, practicing the 10 virtuous actions. The root of Buddhist practice is Compassion. The objective is the final attainment of Buddhahood, the state of complete freedom from suffering.

Gyumed Khensur Rinpoche Losang Jampa
Commentary on the Uttaratantra, given December 20, 2011 at the Gyuto Vajrayana Center San Jose, CA