Kagyu Droden Kunchab KDK San Francisco

ANNOUNCEMENT: Lama Jinpa Tharchin giving Ngondro Teachings via Zoom on Mondays starting April 12th, 2021 Kagyu Mahamudra Prelinaries Ngondro Teachings Mondays, 7-9 PM CDT Starting Monday April 12, 2021 ... Join Ngondro Teachings Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86851292378 Meeting ID: 868 5129 2378 Hosted by Kagyu Droden Kunchab, St. Louis Lama Lodu Rinpoche, Spiritual Director At Lama Lodu Rinpoche’s suggestion and with his blessing, Lama Jinpa Tharchin will offer weekly teachings and discussion on the Kagyu Mahamudra Preliminaries (Tibetan: Ngon-dro). This will be an overview of both the Common and Uncommon practices which are the essential preparation for all practitioners before beginning Mahamudra. It will be Lama Jinpa’s intention to provide a general understanding of these preliminary practices and how they integrate with each other to prepare one for the main practice of Mahamudra. The Buddha said, Mind is chief, and the forerunner of all happenings. Whatever the state of our mind, it determines what we say and do. If our mind is at peace, our words and actions will express that peace, and we will likely be of benefit to others. Our Buddhist practices of hearing, contemplating, and meditating mark out stages of training our minds leading to the ultimate goal, Buddhahood. The three vehicles Foundational, Mahayana, and Vajrayana embody this path of training; and the Preliminary Practices embody all three vehicles. These Preliminaries provide a strong basis to anyone who wishes to practice in the Kagyu tradition. The Zoom sessions will be interactive and provide ample time for questions and comments. As meditation is fundamental to all dharma practice, we will devote the last part of each session to practicing Shamatha meditation together. Recommended reading: The Torch of Certainty, Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye, Shambhala Press. The Torch of True Meaning: Instructions and the Practice Text for the Mahamudra Preliminaries, Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye and the Ninth Karmapa Wangchuk Dorje, KTD Publications. An offering in support of the Dharma teachings may be made here but is not required: http://www.kdkstl.org/donate For more information, please email Kati at [email protected]. Kagyu Droden Kunchab, St. Louis: http://www.kdkstl.org/ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kdkstl

While I am absent, I would like Lama Choying to lead the Chenrezig Puja via Zoom and conduct Q & A to the public for when they have questions. Lama Choying has been my student for a long time and has completed Three Year Retreat under my direction, and has been quite inseparable for all my activity. He has good motivation to help people, and while I am gone, he will lead the Chenrezig puja via Zoom at 6 - 7 PM Pacific Time every Saturday night. You will not need to bring a...nything to participate, as he will lead the practice slowly with the text on the screen. I am confident as I know him, his motivation is very strong to benefit others compared to other people who say too many things, so I really believe he can benefit all of you. Even people who are not necessarily my students can practice with him on Zoom, so I request - please everyone, don't be ignorant, and pay attention. Whatever your leisure, you can come on any Saturday evening. From my heart, I request that you continually maintain this practice, as Chenrezig is the emanation of the actual Buddha's compassion. When you meditate on Chenrezig and chant the mantra, you are communicating directly with the Buddha's mind and becoming more inseparable with your mind. Then, you have some space for wisdom and method to be instilled in your mind. Lama Choying will show the text on the screen; nothing else is necessary, you can follow the text right there, and Lama Choying will let you know when to start, when to say mantra, do silent meditation, and conclude. If you have leisure time, you can ask questions afterwards. Via ZOOM, Saturdays 6 PM - 7 PM Pacific Time https://zoom.us/j/91362322171 Meeting ID: 913 6232 2171 One tap mobile +16699009128,,91362322171# US (San Jose) +13462487799,,91362322171# US (Houston)

Lama Andak, a disciple of His Eminence Dabzang Rinpoche, a part of the main stream of the Karma Kagyu lineage and a personal friend of Lama Lodu Rinpoche, passed away this morning in Dilyak Monastery, Nepal. This photo is of him during his post-death meditation practice. This is a good example for practitioners to learn from: whatever we do in our lifetimes, if at the time of death the result of our practice is like this, that is profoundly beneficial.

REMINDER: Lama Lodu Rinpoche will be teaching via Zoom on the practice of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, Chenrezig, Sunday Jan 31st, 2021, 3 - 5 PM ZOOM URL: https://zoom.us/j/96742048879 Phone: +1 669 900 9128 Meeting ID: 967 4204 8879... Password: 429999 Link to Chenrezig Sadhana: http://kdk.org/images/ChenrezigSadhana2.pdf Lama Lodu Rinpoche will give the commentary and teachings on the practice of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, Chenrezig. The practice is divided into three subdivisions, the first part being refuge and generating Bodhicitta, the second part is the focusing of the mind on the main body of the meditation object, and the third part is how to dedicate the merit gained from the practice to all sentient beings. Rinpoche will give commentary on each subdivision, and also lead a guided group meditation practice, and conclude with a Q & A session.

REMINDER: Lama Lodu Rinpoche gives teaching on overcoming obstacles at 3 PM Pacific Time, January 24th, 2021 Zoom Link:https://zoom.us/j/96742048879 Phone: +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)... Meeting ID: 967 4204 8879 Passcode: 429999 TOPIC: While we practice seriously, at that time we may have obstacles instantly arise and the mind becomes covered by these obscurations. This causes lots of confusion and doubt, so Rinpoche will give a twenty-minute teaching on how to make this subside, followed by a Q & A session with written questions given by the participants. For information on the rest of Rinpoche's teaching schedule this month, and links to videos of his previous teachings, visit kdk.org.

This year, COVID-19 completely stopped Rinpoche from engaging in his normal schedule. So, it was unfortunate due to the disease being so severe that it scared and confused many people and caused panic. Someone who has wisdom would use this opportunity to expand their motivation and do something good. So, these restrictions of the COVID-19 made Rinpoche motivated to do something while he was in lockdown in Sikkim. After he acknowledged that there was nowhere he could go un...til the COVID-19 subsided, he realized he would be stuck there for a long time. He began to do something to benefit sentient beings, and started finding a place to build a stupa. The land donor was His Eminence Gyalton Rinpoche's father, Mr. Kunzang Topden, who generously gave the land to build the stupa. People of the village were so happy and helpful. After all, the pictures from October 1st show the consecration ceremony of the stupa. People were so happy in their expression, and they think they have the object of refuge right there now. Daily, they let the different ages of people come and pay respect, make homage and bow down to accumulate merit and purification. Next year, after the stupa is completely ornamented, then we will invite His Holiness Goshir Gyaltsab Rinpoche to consecrate the stupa and give the crown ceremony and empowerment; that is our aim to do next year. This is Lama Lodu Rinpoche's activity from the time he arrived in Sikkim until now, completely and continuously engaged in the Dharma, conducting the different stages and ceremonies and construction of the stupa level by level. We will share these pictures more later, as time goes by. Lama Lodu Rinpoche is the spiritual director of Kagyu Droden Kunchab since 1976 continously until now. This post is by associated students of Lama Lodu Rinpoche.

This year, COVID-19 completely stopped Rinpoche from engaging in his normal schedule. So, it was unfortunate due to the disease being so severe that it scared and confused many people and caused panic. Someone who has wisdom would use this opportunity to expand their motivation and do something good. So, these restrictions of the COVID-19 made Rinpoche motivated to do something while he was in lockdown in Sikkim. After he acknowledged that there was nowhere he could go un...til the COVID-19 subsided, he realized he would be stuck there for a long time. He began to do something to benefit sentient beings, and started finding a place to build a stupa. The land donor was His Eminence Gyalton Rinpoche's father, Mr. Kunzang Topden, who generously gave the land to build the stupa. People of the village were so happy and helpful. After all, the pictures from October 1st show the consecration ceremony of the stupa. People were so happy in their expression, and they think they have the object of refuge right there now. Daily, they let the different ages of people come and pay respect, make homage and bow down to accumulate merit and purification. Next year, after the stupa is completely ornamented, then we will invite His Holiness Goshir Gyaltsab Rinpoche to consecrate the stupa and give the crown ceremony and empowerment; that is our aim to do next year. This is Lama Lodu Rinpoche's activity from the time he arrived in Sikkim until now, completely and continuously engaged in the Dharma, conducting the different stages and ceremonies and construction of the stupa level by level. We will share these pictures more later, as time goes by. Lama Lodu Rinpoche is the spiritual director of Kagyu Droden Kunchab since 1976 continously until now. This post is by associated students of Lama Lodu Rinpoche.

Lama Lodu Rinpoche leads the consecration of the newly constructed stupa in the Sikkim, Martam village at 10:30 AM on September 28th.

Lama Lodu Rinpoche went to give a statue consecration ceremony and teachings to the public at a newly-build monastery near Rumtek. It is called "Dingpam", in Dingpam village. These pictures are of the consecration ceremony as well as the public teachings.

On August 14th, this is the day Lama Lodu Rinpoche placed Buddhist relics into the stupa, including His Holiness the Karmapa's black Mother Pill among other Buddhist relics which were ceremoniously placed in the stupa. Afterwards, Rinpoche and the lamas and monks were happy to celebrate the activity with a nice lunch.