A special announcement
from Dzogchen Khenpo Choga Rinpoche
about webcasts and teleconferences on June 14 & 15
Happy 2,971st Birthday to the Supreme Guide Buddha Shakyamuni
On Wednesday, June 8, 2011 Buddha was born to King Suddhodhana and Queen Maya Devi of the Shakya in Lumbini, Southern Nepal 2,971 years ago.
Dear Sangha Practitioners,
As you know, the most precious holy time in Buddhism is this month, the Saka Dawa.
Especially, Wednesday, June 15th, 2011 corresponding to the 15th day of the 4th lunar month is the Excellent Time of the Buddha's Enlightenment, Saga Dawa Duchen.
Saga Dawa is the entire fourth month of the Tibetan lunar calendar. In 2011, Saka Dawa begins June 2nd through July 1st. The seventh day of Saga Dawa is the day of Buddha Shakyamuni’s birth. However, the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and entry into Nirvana at his death are observed together on the 15th day of Saga Dawa. This month is the holiest time of the Tibetan Buddhist year and a holy time for pilgrimages.
On this day, the power of positive and negative intentions and actions increases one billion (1,000,000,000) times or more.
I sincerely request that all Sangha increase good intention and virtuous activities, especially on the four auspicious, holy days of Buddha’s life.
Khen Rinpoche releases prayers this Spring near the Golden Gate.
Photo credit: Padma Wonmo
On the occasion of this auspicious event, I am giving a teaching on:
Buddha Shakyamuni's Life and Enlightenment
Revealing the Revolutionary Points
of Buddha Shakyamuni’s Life Story
I request you to invite your Sangha and friends to gather together to watch and listen to this live teaching. I will also take time to answer some of your questions.
Please send this link to your contact lists so other people may also learn the Dharma teachings of Buddha.
Please make time and set up your computer, internet connection, and telephone prior to this Dharma teaching.
For teleconference access:
dial 1-559-546-1700 and enter access code 482069 followed by the # key.
Please see the schedule below and call or follow the link above at the appropriate times to listen.
Teaching Schedule
Day 1 Dharma Teaching on
The Power of Prayer and the Benefits of Bodhicitta
West Coast, USA (PST) – 9pm Tuesday, June 14, 2011
East Coast, USA (EST) – 12am Wednesday, June 15, 2011
India – 9:30am, Wednesday, June 15th
Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and China –
12 PM Wednesday, June 15th
Nepal – 9:45AM Wednesday, June 15th
Japan – 1 PM Wednesday, June 15th
Day 2 Dharma Teaching on
How to Practice The Four Noble Truths In Everyday Life
West Coast, USA – 10am, Wednesday June 15, 2011
East Coast, USA – 1PM, Wednesday June 15, 2011
Russia – 9pm, Wednesday June 15, 2011
Europe – 7pm, Wednesday June 15, 2011
Great Britain – 6pm, Wednesday June 15, 2011
If you don't see your time zone listed above, you can visit TimeAndDate.com to easily calculate the local time that the teaching will begin.
How to Celebrate and Pray On Buddha's Holy Days
Intention
For the benefit of all sentient beings;
for the true happiness of all beings;
for the sake of world peace;
for the preservation of the Dzogchen Lineage;
and especially to decrease negative thinking, negative karma, negative conduct, negative attitude, negative actions, and suffering;
and to increase positive thinking, positive karma, positive conduct,
positive attitude, positive actions, and happiness;
Remember
We should remember and honor the four holy days
We should mark these holy days on our calendars
We should joyfully celebrate the four holy days
We should organize to teach and practice together on these holy days
We should create good karma and dedicate excellently on these holy days
The Four Holy Days of the Buddha
1. The Excellent Time of Miracles; Chotrul Duchen
Sunday, March 19th, 2011 corresponding to the 15th day of the 1st lunar month
On this day, the power of positive and negative intentions and actions increases ten million (10,000,000) times or more.
2. The Excellent Time of the Buddha's Enlightenment; Saga Dawa Duchen
Wednesday, June 15th, 2011 corresponding to the 15th day of the 4th lunar month
Saga Dawa is the entire fourth month of the Tibetan lunar calendar. In 2011, Saka Dawa begins June 2nd through July 1st. The seventh day of Saga Dawa is the day of the historical Buddha's birth for Tibetans. However, the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and entry into Nirvana at his death are observed together on the 15th day of Saga Dawa, which in 2011 is June 15. Saga Dawa is the holiest time of the Tibetan year and a peak time for pilgrimages.
On this day, the power of positive and negative intentions and actions increases one billion (1,000,000,000) times or more.
3. The Excellent Time of the Turning of the Wheel of Dharma; Chokhor Duchen
Thursday, August 3rd, 2011 corresponding to the 4th day of the 6th lunar month
On this day, the power of positive and negative intentions and actions increases ten million (10,000,000) times or more.
4. The Excellent Time of Descent From the Realm of the Gods; Lha Bab Duchen
Friday, November 17th, 2011 corresponding to the 22nd day of the 9th lunar month
On this day, the power of positive and negative intentions and actions increases ten million (10,000,000) times or more.
On these auspicious days, please recite the following prayer with good intention.
Dzogchen Lineage Internship Prayer
Namo Buddhaya, Namo Dharmaya, Namo Sanghaya
Namo Guru, Dewa, Dakiniya
For the benefit of all sentient beings;
for the true happiness of all beings;
for the sake of world peace;
for the preservation of the Dzogchen Lineage;
and especially to decrease my negative thinking, negative karma,
negative conduct, negative attitude, negative actions and suffering;
and to increase my positive thinking, positive karma, positive conduct,
positive attitude, positive actions and happiness;
I will joyfully practice this Heartfelt Dharma Aspiration prayer.
Namo Kind Root Master embodiment of all Buddhas
Please grant us your blessings
Namo Buddhas, Dharmas and Sanghas of all directions
Please grant us your blessings
Namo Gurus of the three Dzogchen Lineages
Please grant us your blessings
Namo Dewas of the four precious Tantras
Please grant us your blessings
Namo Dakinis of the three sacred realms
Please grant us your blessings
Namo Bodhisattvas of all directions
Please grant us your blessings
Namo Arhats of all directions
Please grant us your blessings
Namo Dharmapalas of all directions
Please grant us your blessings
Namo Lokapalas of all directions
Please grant us your blessings
May Dzogchen Khenpo Choga Rinpoche have good health and long life.
May his aspirations be fulfilled and Dharma activities be successful.
May his students have the resources and time to practice Dharma.
May his students diligently learn, contemplate and meditate on Dharma.
May his students become Dzogchen Masters and benefit all sentient beings. May his students preserve and perpetuate the Dzogchen Lineage in all universes.
May the Dzogchen Lineage Internship increase world peace and benefit all beings.
Through the sincerity of my good intentions, the immeasurable power of all Buddhas, the holy truth of all Dharmas and the boundless merit of all Sanghas, may these virtuous aspirations swiftly be fulfilled, completely be fulfilled, be fulfilled, fulfilled.
Written by His Eminence Dzogchen Khenpo Choga Rinpoche on September 17, 2007 in San Diego, USA with contributions by the American Dzogchen Sangha.
Auspicious Instructions
On these auspicious days, it is best if Sangha members and practitioners can congregate and practice together. In particular, practice and pray with the supreme intention of Bodhicitta. That is, pray that all beings may attain true happiness and be free from suffering. Especially pray for the people of this earth to be free from famine, war and disease and have happiness and peace.
These requests are for the prayers and practices not only of the Dzogchen Sangha, but of all Buddhist monasteries, retreat centers and congregations around the world. On these days, everyone should do extra virtuous practices.
It is especially important to pray on these auspicious days for all those who have sponsored and helped support the Dzogchen Retreat Center project, the Dzogchen Lineage Internship program and particularly the Dharma book writing project.
On these days, the international Sangha should also engage in various Dharma activities such as a special grand prayer for the purpose of world peace, for the long life of the holy teachers and for the success of Sangha practitioners.
How to Engage in Virtuous Activities
On these auspicious days, it is extremely powerful for Buddhist practitioners to start, complete or increase any of the following benfeficial activities.
- Sponsor retreatants
- Be generous to poor people
- Give offerings to monks and nuns
- Make pledges for offering generosity
- Give food to hungry people and animals
- Conduct or make fire and water offerings to all beings
- Make light offerings to all Buddhas and enlightened beings
- Pray for world peace and for world leaders
- Show loving action towards your parents
- Volunteer for community service
- Connect with your neighborsSpread good news to others
- Show respect to elders
- Adopt orphans
- Smile at others
- Release captive animals
- Protect the environment
- Recite Dharma texts
- Carve mantras in rocks
- Memorize Dharma texts
- Create mandalas and shrine rooms
- Make or sponsor Buddha statues and stupas
- Clean and decorate temples and shrine rooms
- Give Buddhist images, Dharma texts or sacred objects to others
- Make and hang prayer flags, Dharma prayer wheels and tsa tsas
- Build Buddhist monasteries, Dharma centers, schools and hospitals
- Write beneficial texts
- Translate sacred Dharma books
- Teach Dharma and lead Dharma practice
- Request Dharma teachings from Holy teachers
- Attend Dharma teachings, practice or discussion
- Invite Dharma teachers and arrange Dharma seminars
- Make films and music illustrating or recounting the lives and teachings of Buddhas or enlightened masters
- Make pilgrimages to sacred places
- Go on solitary retreats (if you have proper instruction)
- Purify your resentment and guilt
- Quit smoking, using drugs or abusing alcohol
- Learn, contemplate and meditate on Dharma
- Diligently maintain positive thinking and positive conduct
- Renew or make new virtuous commitments for avoiding negative conduct and/or engaging in positive conduct
- Be grateful and rejoice in the good intentions and actions of yourself and others
- Make a wonderful party and celebration for starting, maintaining or completing good works
Conducting any of these activities with pure motivation makes your life meaningful, creates healing, promotes the Dharma and benefits all sentient beings. It increases your personal happiness, world peace and ensures that you will swiftly attain the supreme Enlightenment of Vast Awakening.
If you cannot practice together with the Sangha at a Dharma center or private home on these holy days, it is also acceptable to practice individually. Whatever you do, try to accumulate merit on these excellent days.
At the conclusion of your practice, sincerely dedicate your merit to the long life of the Vajra Masters, for the Dharma attainments of the Dzogchen Sangha, as well as for the continued success of the Dzogchen Retreat Center, the flourishing of the Buddha Path and the preservation of the Dzogchen Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism.
Sarva Mangalam!
(All things auspicious!)
Love & Blessings,
Dzogchen Khenpo Choga Rinpoche
Please visit www.dzogchenlineage.org
to find more information about Dharma teaching events and current projects.
Love and Compassion + Awareness and Wisdom = Dzogchen Lineage
May pure renunciation, compassion, faith, loving kindness,
and awareness increase in your mind.
May happiness, harmony, blessings, peace,
and the bliss of enlightenment increase in your life.
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Dzogchen Lineage Retreat Schedule
Several Retreats and Dharma Events Scheduled in the USA and Russia
The Dzogchen Shri Singha Foundation and Dzogchen Khenpo Choga Rinpoche are pleased to keep you appraised of all the upcoming exciting Dzogchen Lineage retreats and special Dharma events. Please check the schedule page or click the name of an associated event director below to email and find out the latest on these events.
Event
| Duration
| Location
| Start Date
| End Date
| Director
| Assistant Director |
|
| Up to 10-days
| Verizon Center, Washington, DC
| Jul 6
| Jul 16
|
| |
|
| 7-days
| Dzogchen Retreat Center USA
| Jul 17
| Jul 23
|
| |
|
| 3-months
| Dzogchen Retreat Center USA
| Jul 24
| Oct 24
|
| |
|
| 1-month
| Dzogchen Retreat Center USA
| Jul 25
| Aug 25
|
| |
Drupchen
| 5-days
| Dzogchen Retreat Center USA
| Aug 20
| Aug 24
|
| TBD |
|
| 2-months
| Moscow Region,
Russia
| Oct 1
| Dec 1
|
| |
Dzogchen Autumn Retreat 2011
| 7-days
| Dzogchen Retreat Center USA
| Oct 25
| Oct 31
|
| Lindsey White |
Dzogchen Winter Retreat 2011
| 7-days
| Las Vegas, Nevada
| Dec 27
| Jan 3
| TBD
| TBD |
If you think you might attend one or more of these events, please register well in advance. If you'd like to volunteer to be a director or assistant director for a future Dzgochen Lineage retreat, please contact Hazlitt Krog for more information.
