Kagyu Samye Dzong London
News

November 2006

Contents

1. An interview with Choje Akong Tulku Rinpoche in Samye Ling, August 2006
2. Holistic Treatment Fundraising Day
3. What to do when a Buddhist dies?
4. Chenrezig Instructions
5. Forthcoming events

1 - An interview with Choje Akong Tulku Rinpoche in Samye Ling August 2006

Rinpoche, could you please share with us some of your thoughts about the pilgrimage to Tibet and Dolma Lhakang with yourself and Lama Yeshe in 2008?

I think you can either call it a pilgrimage or a celebration. It’s the project of rebuilding Dolma Lhakang over many many years, and Rokpa sponsoring all the building. I hope this will finish by 2008. Normally eight is meant to be an auspicious number. And since it’s 2008, it may be a good year to open it.

The pilgrimage is also so that people can go to different monasteries they have a connection with, whether it’s Palpung monastery because of Situ Rinpoche, or because of connections to Karmapa, it’s Karmapa’s monastery in Karma Gon or Tsurphu, or similarly Thrangu Rinpoche’s monastery. It will be good to know where they come from, what they used to do before they came to Europe. Also, it will tell us that they are proper teachers. They are traditional genuine teachers. I think it shows more background. For example, it shows how many generations, reincarnations, there have been. How many monasteries, where they are, how many years those monasteries have existed. So it gives some kind of reassurance.

And also I hope the people who are going to the 2008 celebration will contribute to some kind of fund for the future for Dolma Lhakang. At the moment Rokpa is sponsoring their building, but there are no funds with which to run the monastery. There are no funds for the monks’ incomes. I hope that people who go on the pilgrimage will bring no less than £1000 as part of their donation. Maybe just one pilgrimage will not be enough funds. But I also hope the people who are going with us, the people who are willing to go and wish to go, will benefit. There will be benefit both ways: the monastery will benefit from the funds, some of these for future maintenance, and the people going there they will have a better understanding of where their teachers come from; like they will know where I come from, where I used to be.

Rinpoche, how do the monks and nuns manage, how do they get the basics such as food and a roof over their head?

It very much depends at the moment on the families of the monks and nuns. When we go in 2008, I hope the main temple will be finished. Then we need to rebuild the nunneries, there are 4 separate nunneries, their accommodation is very poor, and I hope I am able to build a small shrine room, and nuns’ rooms. I think when you go there you will see how simple their way of living is. And where the retreat is at Dolma Lhakang, this will need to be rebuilt. Then we have to build clinics and monks quarters, where the monks will stay. So, still the project will keep going, we will keep on building for many years.

Roughly how many monks and nuns are there now?

The number of nuns is changing all the time. The nuns very much depend on where there is a good teacher. They always move from one teacher to another, and they are not very stabilised because they don’t have much food, provisions etc. from their families. They don’t have a suitable house, accommodation, so due to that it’s kind of minimal. Nuns become like travellers. Monks, maybe there are 50 or 60 monks at the moment.

Is Sechen Kongtrul the teacher there?

He is the main spiritual leader there at the moment, yes.

And there are teachings there and pujas?

There is a rota system for the monks. At least 13 or 14 monks stay in the monastery all the time, there is also some training, studying a little. But one of the problems is that Dolma Lhakang monastery is very very cold. Many learned abbots who we invited on a few occasions, somehow they have not been able to stay there all the time, because in winter time it is almost impossible, unless you are born in that area.

So, they don’t stay for long.

No, I’m afraid not.

Even if the building is not finished in 2008, will we still go?

Yes, yes 2008. Whatever we are able to finish, then I will celebrate that.

People in general would like to know which month the pilgrimage will be? They have to plan quite a long time in advance in order to get a reasonable time off from their jobs.

My idea is August, but I think August will be too cold, so I think some time in July is better. I don’t really know exactly, because some people will want to go longer than others, maybe 5 weeks pilgrimage to different monasteries. Some people may only want to go for 4 weeks or 3 weeks, so there will be different groups, and different people leading in different places. I think people can choose where they want to go, what length they want to stay. I think it will be in July.

What do you think is the best way for us to prepare for this celebration now? What do you think we should do? Save up money for the funds?

Yes, saving money and I think then the next thing is decide where you want to go. Then if you want to go for five weeks, I am sure there will be a group that will go for five weeks or four weeks or three weeks. I think the shortest will be two weeks. I don’t think we can make it any shorter than two weeks.

Thank you Rinpoche.

2 - Holistic Treatment Fundraising Day - Sunday 19th November

A perfect opportunity to get a complementary therapy treatment at low cost and help Samye Dzong raise funds in the process! At a reduced rate, there will be individual treatments of reflexology, shiatsu, acupuncture, massage and many other therapies. Classes in yoga, meditation, tai chi etc. will also be held at intervals throughout the day. Tea, coffee and refreshments will be available and everyone is welcome. A good day out for the family. And just to whet your appetite, here are a few photo's from previous days at the Centre.

Please help publicise this event by printing off our A4 flyer to display or give to friends and family. This is a fairly large file so you may want to think about it if you don't have broadband! To obtain your copy either use the right hand button on your mouse and select the option that says something like "Download linked file" or "Save linked file" to save it to your computer. Otherwise, to open it just click here.

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3 - What to do when a Buddhist dies?

For some years Kagyu Samye Ling Monastery and Tibetan Centre has been the place that many Buddhists naturally turn to for support and advice on what to do when they die, and has become an information / spiritual / practical resource. This service has now been further developed at Cape Town Samye Dzong with the formation of a ‘Bardo Group’ which impressed Choje Akong Tulku Rinpoche on his visit there, and this summer he expressed a wish to have a similar group at each Samye Dzong.

Services would vary according to the resources of each Samye Dzong but could include:

• Providing professional counselling to the dying.
• Promoting a stable and compassionate environment around the dying.
• Promoting a stable and compassionate environment after death around the body, through 24 hour prayer vigils prior to cremation.
• Chod and Powa prayers performed promptly at the bedside by appropriately qualified practitioners.
• Providing information to Buddhists or care-providers to enable the body to be treated appropriately.
• Providing an experienced practitioner for the funeral service.

Lama Zangmo is keen to develop many of these services in London, and has asked Marilyn Harris and Julian Abel to come to Samye Dzong with the aim of helping to start a Bardo Group and discussing the idea with people who are interested in taking part in this project.

Julian is a doctor who has been working in the field of palliative care since 1996. He says:

“ I spend half my time working in a hospital and half in a hospice.  The majority of the patients I see have incurable cancer, although about 10% of my work is with other incurable life limiting chronic diseases.  Palliative care is defined by the World Health Organization as the physical, social,  psychological and spiritual care of patients with incurable disease.  This reflects a very broad and open way of approaching a challenging time for patients and their families.  Compassion plays a fundamental role in providing the motivation for care, and this is the inspiration for my medical practice.”

Marilyn is a former nurse living in Eskdalemuir, near Samye Ling, who does the undertaking for local Buddhists and friends of Samye ling. She says:”There are three areas to the activity that I do:

• Passing on information based on advice given by Akong Rinpoche on the Buddhist approach to death;
• Ensuring that spiritual care is in place before and after death;
• Being an undertaker for Buddhists within a 100 mile radius of Samye Ling..”

In order to be able to help and support people who are approaching the time of death, it is important to train a group of helpers and carers, and to have some guidelines for practice. It would be beneficial for everyone to have a large group involved, as 24-hour prayer vigils involve unsocial hours at short notice!!

If you are interested in being part of a Bardo Group in London and in contributing your time and care, please contact the centre on 020 7928 5447 or email london@samye.org We will then contact you with a date for a future meeting. Thank you.

4 - Chenrezig Instruction

Chenrezig, the deity that represents the loving and compassionate potential of the mind, is the most popular deity of Tibet. The meditation on Chenrezig, designed to help develop love and compassion, is one of the main practices carried out at Samye Dzong.

How important is this? Bokar Rinpoche, in his book "Chenrezig, Lord of Love" writes:

"..without love and compassion, every other practice, no matter how deep it may appear, is not a path to awakening; neither shinay (mental calming) nor meditations on deities nor exercises on subtle channels and energies.. Bodhicitta is the electricity of spiritual practice. If it is cut, nothing works anymore.

Every person whose heart is moved by love and compassion, who deeply and sincerely acts for the benefit of others without concern for fame, profit, social position, or recognition expresses the activity of Chenrezig. Love and compassion are the true signs revealing the presence of Chenrezig.

[The desire to be of benefit to others can be expressed in prayers such as the following by Santideva]:

May I be a protector for those who do not have one,
A guide for travellers on the road,
A bridge or ship or raft,
For those who want to cross the water.
May I be an island for those who look for it,
A lamp for those who wish to have light,
A bed for those who need rest,
A servant for those who want a servant.

Behind the somewhat startling nature of these wishes, one should see the compassionate mind of the bodhisattvas, ready to manifest in any way beneficial for beings. if it is beneficial for a ship to cross the sea, the bodhisattva takes the form of a ship. If it is beneficial for a bridge to span a river, he manifests himself in the form of a bridge. If a virulent sickness affects humans, the bodhisattva wishes to become the medicine that cures it, the physician who knows how to prescribe it, and the nurse who helps the sick one."

If you would like to learn more about Chenrezig and the Puja that takes place at the Centre, Lama Zangmo will be leading a day of instruction and meditation on Saturday 25th November from 10.00 - 4.00 pm. Book your place now by phoning the Centre on 020-7928 5447, or email London@samye.org

5 - Forthcoming events

To see the full programme of activities at the Centre, please click here to visit the website

NOVEMBER

VOLUNTEER WEEKEND
Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th November, 10.00 - 4.00 pm
A weekend of leaf sweeping and sprucing up the Centre! Tea, lunch and good company provided. Please let us know in advance if you can come.

HOLISTIC TREATMENT FUNDRAISING DAY
Sunday 19th November, 10.00 - 5.00 pm
A perfect opportunity to get a complementary therapy treatment at low cost and help Samye Dzong raise funds in the process! At a reduced rate, there will be individual treatments of reflexology, shiatsu, acupuncture, massage and many other therapies. Classes in yoga, meditation, tai chi etc. will also be held at intervals throughout the day. Tea, coffee and refreshments will be available and everyone is welcome. A good day out for the family.

CHENREZIG INSTRUCTIONS
with Lama Zangmo
Saturday 25th November, 10.00 - 4.00 pm
£30
Chenrezig is the embodiment of limitless compassion, and the Chenrezig puja is done regularly at the Centre. The course will provide instructions in the visualization throughout the practice, as well as the chanting. You will need a text (available from the shop), pen and paper. Bring lunch to share.

DECEMBER

Clive Holmes has been teaching meditation for the last fourteen years all over the UK. He is the co-editor of “Taming the Tiger” - a highly successful Tibetan therapy book of the Ven. Akong Tulku Rinpoche, which has been published in eight languages. He has completed a year in intensive retreat and has studied in Europe and India.

SILENT SHINAY RETREAT
with Lama Zangmo
10am–4pm Sun 10 December
£30
A day devoted to the practice of the shinay meditation of calm abiding. The day will start with brief instructions and the emphasis will be on the meditation itself with the main part of the day spent in silent retreat. Bring own lunch. Not suitable for total beginners.

TAI CHI
with John Henry
10.30am–4pm Sun. 10 Dec.
£25
A monthly class of tai chi with John Henry who has been studying martial arts for the last 13 years within the lineage of Chen Xiao Wang. The classes include a variety of chi kung exercises excellent for health, calmness, balance and relaxation. They are suitable for anyone and beginners are always welcome at any class.

This newsletter goes out to those who have expressed an interest in Kagyu Samye Dzong London. It covers news of the efforts and progress towards finding and funding a new site for the centre, and other events taking place in the coming weeks

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