SADHANA OF SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA
With Pema Khandro & Khenpo Gawang Rinpoche
This Wednesday, May 26th, 6pm – 8pm PT
Celebrate the Anniversary of the Buddha
With an Evening of Meditation and Mantra
- Receive the initiation for the sacred Buddha mantra
- Receive the initiation for the Kunzang Monlam, the eclipse practice
- Practice mantra and meditation with Pema Khandro & Khenpo Gawang
- Make aspiration prayers with the community
- Accumulate merit through the meditation and offerings
“Saga Dawa,” is the most auspicious day of the Buddhist Calendar. Saga Dawa is celebrated by Buddhists all around the world as the anniversary of the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and the day he passed away into parinirvana.
Join us online for a celebration with Khenpo Gawang Rinpoche and Pema Khandro. Khenpo Gawang Rinpoche will teach the Sadhana of Sakyamuni Buddha and give the initiation for the practice and for the mantra. This will be a reading transmission, or lung.
This year, Saga Dawa Full Moon falls on an eclipse. Therefore, for this special occasion, Pema Khandro will give the lung and lead the recitation of the beloved and powerful prayer of the Nyingma lineage for eclipses, the Kunzang Monlam.
Join Khenpo Gawang, Pema Khandro, friends and members for this joyous celebration of the Buddha’s Anniversary.
Opportunity for Auspicious Butterlamp Offerings
The effects of actions on this day are said to be multiplied by ten million times because of the spiritual power of this full moon on the fourth month. To participate in this momentous occasion, friends and members of the community may become butterlamp (or candle) sponsors and offer aspiration prayers on this special occasion. Sponsors of the Butterlamp offering will be given the opportunity to come online live during the ceremony and recite their aspiration prayer while holding a butterlamp, candle or tea light. Plan to write your aspiration prayers to be completed in under two minutes. For an example of an aspiration prayer, please visit the link below.
VAJRAYOGINI EMPOWERMENT
With Drupon Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche & Pema Khandro
June 4th, 6pm – June 6th, 6pm Online
Join us for this special event, the Vajrayogini Empowerment, an initiation into the inner tantra practice of generation stage meditation.
Generation stage meditation is the central method of Tibetan tantra. It centers on the transformation of our identity and a re-inhabiting of embodied experience in the energy of the yidam – the meditational deity. It is a practice used to liberate the mind from the confines of its habitual reference points.
Generation stage meditations are closely kept secret practices passed through ritual initiations, known as empowerments. The empowerment provides an introduction to the practice, permission to practice, as well as the direct introduction with the energy of the yidam.
This special weekend will feature two and a half days of instructions, empowerment and meditations of Vajrayogini.
It will be led by Drupon Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche who will give the empowerment and Lama Pema Khandro who will give the explanation and instructions.
We are honored to host the most excellent interpreter, Ina Bieler! The empowerment will be translated into lucid and easy to understand English.
This special event is offered online for the special occasion of the celebration of Saga Dawa and the one year anniversary of Dakini Mountain.
An invitation in the beautiful world of Tibetan Buddhist Tantra
- Receive empowerment for the secret practice of Vajrayogini
- Learn the symbols, ornaments and meaning of Vajrayogini
- Learn and practice the Vajrayogini mantra
- Learn and practice Vajrayogini generation stage meditation
- Learn and practice the Vajrayogini torma offering
Vajrayogini is regarded as the essence of all buddhas, venerated by every sect of Tibetan Buddhism and venerated by Buddhists and Hindus all over the world. Vajrayogini is the symbol of the freedom and power of intrinsic wisdom.
This weekend will focus on two Vajrayogini rites.
Friday evening will open with the Vajrayogini torma offering from the Dakini’s Heart Essence (Khandro Nyingthig) and the Jewel Garland Chod (Rinchen Trengwa Chod) entitled, Calling the 100,000 Dakinis. The oral transmission and explanation will be given by Pema Khandro, followed by engaging in the practice.
Saturday and Sunday will focus on the short-form Drikung Kagyu, Vajrayogini generation stage meditation. Drupon Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche who will bestow the Vajrayogini empowerment and give the full transmission of the empowerment, oral transmission and explanation. This will be followed by practice instructions, explanation and mantra accumulations led by Pema Khandro.
Pre-requisites
Traditionally, the Vajrayogini empowerment is difficult and rare to get. For this special occasion of Saga Dawa and the Anniversary of Dakini Mountain, and upon so many requests, the Buddhist Studies Institute is sponsoring the Vajrayogini Empowerment one more time. The pre-requisite for long term extensive Vajrayogini practice is completion of ngondro, the tantric preliminaries. However, out of generosity, Drupon has welcomed anyone to attend, as long as they complete the ngondro before begining the Vajrayogini accumulations. This will allow everyone to receive the empowerment while they can.
Vajrayogini is the female buddha who takes many forms, as a dancing Dakini, as a fierce warrior, as joyous, as wrathful, as compassionate mother, single or in embrace with consort. She is the symbol of the vibrant intrinsic power of altruistic love and radical clarity.
So That We Can Breathe
It has been one year since the murder of George Floyd. We are committed to searching our hearts and minds, learning and educating so that racism and all forms of hate are cut at their root.
We are committed to providing education in the fundamental tools needed to create communities in which people of all races and ethnicities can live in safety and dignity including Black, Brown, Indigenous, Trans and Queer People.
Faith communities each respond in their own ways to times of tragedy. We are a Buddhist community led by an indigenous woman of color, thus we regard diversity issues as core to understandings of the Buddhist philosophy of emptiness, compassion and interdependence. There are so many actions needed for the world to change, at Buddhist Studies Institute we work together to contribute to that change through providing education and empowerment of all those we serve.
Remembering the Poem
When black men are 3.6 times more likely to die from police use of force
… I can’t breathe.
When black men between the ages of 18-35 are dying twice as fast as any other American
… I can’t breathe…
Father Lamas, Mother Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Dakas and Dakinis, Protectors, lineage masters, elders and ancestors.
Help me to breathe in “I Can’t Breathe” and breathe out compassion
Help me to breathe in “I Can’t Breathe” and breathe out education
Help me to breathe in “I Can’t Breathe” and breathe out altruistic action
Help me to breathe in “I Can’t Breathe” and breathe out the practice of liberation…
– Excerpts from Pema Khandro’s poem as read at the Dakini Mountain Inauguration, May 31, 2020
Ngondro Training
Ngondro Training – Heart of the Vast Expanse
Join Anytime, Attend Live Online, Receive Recordings
Click Here to Register Now
ONLINE OPEN TEACHINGS
Join our certified meditation instructors for a short free daily practice online. Each day meditation is followed by a brief discussion on Buddhist ethics.
Resuming in June
Excellent Path and Group Leader Training have been CANCELLED this month only on Wednesday, May 26th, 2021, due to the Saga Dawa Celebration, and will resume in June. Join us for Saga Dawa by registering here: Click Here to Register Now