Highlights of Past Events
Visit of Their Eminences Khentrul Gyangkhang and Mugsang Kuchen Rinpoches
The Palyul Foundation of Canada was very pleased to host the visit of their Eminences Khentrul Gyangkhang and Mugsang Kuchen to Orgyan Osal Cho Dzong Buddhist Temple and Retreat Centre from August 19 to 21 for the Enthronement Ceremony of Ven. Lama Jigme Chokyi Lodro, including a mandala offering, and a Ganachakra offering in memory of the Late Ven. Peling Tulku Rinpoche.
On August 21, Venerable Lama Jigme Chokyi Lodro was enthroned as the regent and head of the Palyul Foundation of Canada and Orgyan Osal Cho Dzong Buddhist Temple and Retreat Centre by their Eminences Gyangkhang Tulku Rinpoche and Mugsang Kuchen Rinpoche. This marks the first enthronement of a Western-born lama in Canada. The enthronement and mandala offering ceremony was officiated by Their Eminences, who were joined by a delegation of Palyul lamas and monks, including Khenpo Tenzin Norgay Rinpoche who gave an introductory speech at the beginning of the ceremony.
Please read the announcement of Lama Jigme’s enthronement.
You can view a photo album with highlights of the event in a Flash or HTML format.
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The Laughter of the Dakinis - the practice of Chod according to the Longchen Nying Thig
Khenpo Tenzin Norgay Rinpoche came to Orgyan Osal Cho Dzong from June 18th to 20th, 2010 to teach the practice of Chod according to the Longchen Nyingthig of Jigme Lingpa, called ‘The Laughter of the Dakinis.” Chod refers to cutting through the grasping at a self and its attendant emotional afflictions. Most famous for its teaching on transforming the aggregates into an offering of food for demons as a compassionate act of self-sacrifice, Chod aims to free the mind from all fear and to arouse realization of its true nature, primordially clear bliss and emptiness.*
The practice of Chod originated with Phadampa Sangye, who taught it to the dakini Machig Labdron and this lineage has been extensively practiced in the Sarma (new translation) traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. Jigme Lingpa received this practice directly from a wisdom dakini in a vision, and is part of the Longchen Nying Thig cycle of teachings of the Nyingma lineage. As such, it emphasizes the view of Dzog Chen, placing greater import on the practitioner realizing the View of the Great Perfection than ritual paraphernalia and yogic activities.
*Edou, Jerome. Machig Labdron and the Foundations of Chod, Snow Lion Publications 1996
Celebration of the Birth, Enlightenment and Parinirvana of Shakyamuni Buddha
Sunday, May 23 – 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
The celebration of these three pivotal events in the life of Shakyamuni Buddha are normally celebrated on the full moon of the fifth lunar month. As this date falls on a weekday this year, we will be marking this occassion on the Sunday prior to this. On this day we practice the ritual visualization and recitation of the mantra of Shakyamuni Buddha, recite a hymn of praise describing the various profound events that occurred during his life, and ritually offer incense, flowers and a bath of scented water to a statue of the Buddha.
Anniversary Ceremonies for the first Anniversary of the Parinirvana of Ven. Peling Tulku Rinpoche
Friday, May 14 to Sunday, May 16, 2010
As the anniversary of Rinpoche’s parinirvana fell on a Friday, we held having ceremonies all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday. We wil performed the rituals of Riwo Sang Cho (fire offering), Narak Kong Shak (confession and atonement ceremony with a ganachakra feast and butter lamp offerings), The Lama Chopa (an extensive offering prayer to the Guru), and the Nying Thig Guru Yoga written by Rinpoche and prayer for his swift rebirth.
Shamatha Meditation Intensive: Sunday April 18
The aim of Shamatha or Tranquility Meditation, the basis of all Buddhist meditative practices, is to calm the ‘monkey mind’, our everyday mind of constant mental activity, emotionality and conceptualization, enabling us to gain insight into our real nature. You are welcome to join us for a day of Shamatha practice, which will give depth and perspective to one’s regular daily meditation sessions. The day was intended to provide an introduction to more intensive practice and longer periods of meditation and retreat. While a daily meditation practice is very beneficial, making time in one’s life for longer periods of practice enables one to settle and relax into the practice without the interference of deadlines or other activities.
Losar – Tibetan Lunar New Year: February 14, 2010
We celebrated the Tibetan Lunar New Year of the Metal Tiger atOrgyan Dzong Temple on Sunday, February 14th at 11:00 am. According to the Buddhist calendar, this marks the beginning of 15 very auspicious days that commemorate the Buddha displaying a different miracle on each of these days, and is therefore an excellent time to purify negative and accumulate positive karma. Tibetan Buddhists traditionally visit temples on this day to receive blessings and make offerings to the Three Jewels (the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha).
On this day we performed a ritual fire offering (Sang) to purify negativity, repay karmic debts and engender good karma, a special Guru Yoga of Padmasambhava written by Peling Rinpoche and an offering feast (Tsok). Ven. Lama Jigme distributed Mendrup (ritually prepared and blessed herbal medicine) and protection cords.
Annual Autumn Retreat
Orgyan Osal Cho Dzong held its annual fall retreat this year (2009) from October 24 to November 1. The retreat concluded with a Fire Puja for Hungry Ghosts on Saturday evening, and Guru Yoga, Riwo Sang Cho, Ser Khyem, Three Part Torma Offering and offerings to the local protectors, Shri Nirmata and Nagaraja Kala Amrita atop Ati Peak on Mt. Moriah to the north of the temple on Sunday morning.
His Holiness Karma Kuchen’s Visit
The Palyul Foundation of Canada was honoured by the visit of His Holiness Karma Kuchen Rinpoche, 12th Throne Holder of the Palyul Lineage to Orgyan Osal Cho Dzong Buddhist Temple and Retreat from August 18 to 20, 2009.
On August 19, His Holiness gave the wang (empowerment) of Ratna Lingpa’s Vajrakila, the Lung (textual transmission) for the sadhana and blessed the temple.
His Holiness also performed on August 20 a ground breaking ceremony for a 30 foot tower shrine for world peace which will enshrine a 13 foot statue of Guru Rinpoche, Padmasambhava. The event was covered in the local papers:
This statue is one of several that Khenchen Namdrol Rinpoche, one of the senior Khenpos at Namdroling Monastery in India, is having cast and placed in various countries around the globe. Khenchen Namdrol is having these statues created and ritually installed with the intention of their being a powerful source of blessings, healing and peace for the whole world, and to avert and pacify virulent new diseases, famine, war and conflict which will continue to intensify while individual well-being and contentment diminish. These difficult conditions, according to the teachings of the Buddha, are symptomatic of the era we are living in, an ‘age of degeneration’. Guru Rinpoche – Padmasambhava, the second Buddha, specifically promised to answer the prayers and shower his blessings upon those who call upon him during these difficult times. This shrine is being constructed in memory of the late Ven. Lama Jampa Rabjampa – Peling Tulku Rinpoche.