Pema Tallahassee

ANNOUNCEMENT OF TEACHINGS

2011-10-21T12:43:00.000-07:00

The Venerable Lama Rinchen Phuntsok

Tallahassee, Florida

November 9 – 27, 2011

The accomplished and scholar and meditation master Venerable Lama Rinchen Phuntsok has kindly agreed to return toTallahassee to give a series of five teachings in the Nyingma tradition ofTibetan Buddhism.

Everyone is welcome to attend some or all of the teachings. A brief biography of Lama Rinchen can be foundbelow, followed by a summary list of the teachings, and last a detailedschedule of the teachings, texts, and locations.

A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY

2011-10-21T10:32:00.000-07:00

A Brief Biography of Ven. Lama Rinchen Phuntsok

The Venerable Lama Rinchen Phuntsok is a skillfullteacher with a light and joyful manner. He is a scholar and meditationmaster of the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition. Born in Tibet, Lama Rinchenbegan receiving instruction in the traditions of Tibetan Buddhism at the age ofsix in Tsasum Chokhorling Monastery in Tibet. After he left Tibet in1958, he studied at Young Lama's Home School in Dalhousie, The BuddhistMonastic School in Rewalsar, Nyingmapa Lama's College in Dehra-Dun, and ZongdogPalri Monastery in Kalimpong. Lama Rinchen graduated from Sanskrit Universityin Varanasi India where he completed advanced studies in Sutrayana Buddhistphilosophy and scriptures, commentaries, logic, literature, history, and the majorsciences of the Tibetan curriculum. To complete his training in VajrayanaNyingma School studies, he served as private secretary to the late His HolinessDudjom Rinpoche, supreme Head of the Nyingma order of Tibetan Buddhism for overfifteen years. During that time he received all the importantempowerments, transmissions, essential instructions, the oral teaching ofNyingma Kama, and the Profound Rediscovered Teachings of Terma of the greatLotus Born Teacher, Guru Padmasambhava, the founder of VajravanaBuddhism. For many years Lama Rinchen was in charge of Zangdog PalriMonastery in India and also Urgyen Dongag Choling Monastery in Kathmandu,Nepal. In 1980, His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche asked him to come to theUnited States to teach in his New York center where Lama Rinchen wasdirector and resident Lama for four years. He lecturers widely inthe United States, Europe, and Asia at centers, colleges, anduniversities. He also devotes time and effort to compiling a library ofsacred Buddhist works. Lama Rinchen frequentlystays in Tallahassee to give teachings during his U.S. tour as he continues tospread the teachings of the Dudjom Lineage.

SCHEDULE SUMMARY

2011-10-21T10:29:00.000-07:00

Schedule Summary

PUBLICTALK

November9^th

BUDDHISTETHICS AS EVERYDAY PRACTICE

TEACHING 1

November10^th-12^th

PERFECT CONDUCT: ASCERTAINING THETHREE VOWS

TEACHING2

November13^th & 16^th-18^th

THEDUDJOM TESAR SATER NGONDRO

TEACHING3

November19^th-20th

EXTRACTINGTHE QUINTESSENCE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT: ORAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PRACTICE OFMOUNTAIN RETREAT

TEACHING 4

November22^nd -23^rd

CRAZYDHARMA OF AN IDIOT WHO WEARS MUD AND FEATHERS FOR CLOTHING

TEACHING5

November26^th-27^th

THEFEATURE OF THE EXPERT, GLORIOUS KING: TEACHING ON THE THREE LINES THAT STRIKETHE KEY POINTS

RecommendedDonations are $25 for a single day, $50 for a single teaching, or $200 for allteachings. All arewelcome and no one will be turned away for financial reasons.

For further information contact: pematalli@gmail.com or 850-445-7348

PUBLIC TALK

2011-10-21T10:26:00.000-07:00

BUDDHIST ETHICS AS EVERYDAY PRACTICE

Wednesday November 9th

7-9 PM

"Buddhist Ethics as EverydayPractice" at the Tallahassee Buddhist Community (Railroad Square Area), 647McDonnell Dr., Tallahassee, FL 32310

TEACHING 1

2011-10-21T10:23:00.000-07:00

PERFECT CONDUCT: ASCERTAINING THE THREE VOWS

Perfect Conduct text can be purchased in advance from Wisdom Publications:http://www.wisdompubs.org

The teaching will be held at 1072Winter Lane, Tallahassee FL 32311

Thursday November 10^th – Guru Rinpoche Day

5-7 PM

Shower of Blessings Tsok, please bring a dish foroffering and sharing

7-9 PM

Perfect Conduct: Ascertaining the Three Vows, H.H.Dudjom Rinpoche’s commentary on the root text by Ngari Panchen

Friday November 11^th

7-9 PM

Perfect Conduct: Ascertaining theThree Vows, H.H. Dudom Rinpoche’s commentary on the root text by Ngari Panchen

SaturdayNovember 12^th

10-10:30AM

Meditation

10:30-12:30PM

Perfect Conduct: Ascertaining the Three Vows, H.H.Dudjom Rinpoche’s commentary on the root text by Ngari Panchen

12:45-2:15PM

Lunch at Essence of India. 1105-A Apalachee Pkwy,Tallahassee, FL 32301, 656-7200

2:30-5:30PM

Perfect Conduct: Ascertaining the Three Vows, H.H.Dudjom Rinpoche’s commentary on the root text by Ngari Panchen

TEACHING 2

2011-10-21T10:20:00.000-07:00

THE DUDJOMTESAR SATER NGONDRO

Textwill be provided in Tibetan and in English translation at the teaching

The teaching will be held at 1072Winter Lane, Tallahassee FL 32311

SundayNovember 13^th

10-10:30AM

Meditation

10:30 AM-12:30 PM

DudjomTersar Sater Ngondro, a rediscovered teaching by Dudjom Lingpa, arranged by H.H.Dudjom Rinpoche

12:15-1:45PM

Lunch at Samarat, 2529 Apalachee PKWY,Tallahassee, FL-32301, 850-942-1993

2:30-5:30 PM

DudjomTersar Sater Ngondro, a rediscovered teaching by Dudjom Lingpa, arranged byH.H. Dudjom Rinpoche

Wednesday November 16^th

7-9 PM

DudjomTersar Sater Ngondro, a rediscovered teaching by Dudjom Lingpa, arranged by H.H.Dudjom Rinpoche

Friday November 18^th

7-9 PM

DudjomTersar Sater Ngondro, a rediscovered teaching by Dudjom Lingpa, arranged by H.H.Dudjom Rinpoche

TEACHING 3

2011-10-21T10:15:00.000-07:00

EXTRACTINGTHE QUINTESSENCE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT: ORAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PRACTICE OFMOUNTAIN RETREAT

Copies of the text in Tibetan and English willbe made available at the teaching

The teaching will beheld at 1072 Winter Lane, Tallahassee FL 32311

Saturday November 19^th

10-10:30AM

Meditation

10:30 AM –12:30 PM

“Extracting the Quintessence of Accomplishment:Oral Instructions for the Practice of Mountain Retreat” by Dudjom Rinpoche

12:45-2:15PM

Lunch at BahnThai Restaurant, 1319South Monroe Street, Tallahassee, FL 32301, (850) 224-4765

2:30-5:30PM

“Extracting the Quintessence of Accomplishment:Oral Instructions for the Practice of Mountain Retreat” by Dudjom Rinpoche

SundayNovember 20^th, Dakini Day

10-10:30AM

Meditation

10:30 AM –12 :30 PM

“Extracting the Quintessence of Accomplishment:Oral Instructions for the Practice of Mountain Retreat” by Dudjom Rinpoche

12:45 –2:15 PM

Lunch at Samarat, 2529 Apalachee PKWY,Tallahassee, FL-32301, 850-942-1993

2:30-5:30PM

“Extracting the Quintessence of Accomplishment:Oral Instructions for the Practice of Mountain Retreat” by Dudjom Rinpoche

5:30-7:30 PM

Shower of Blessings Tsok, please bring a dish tobe blessed and share

TEACHING 4

2011-10-21T10:11:00.000-07:00

CRAZY DHARMAOF AN IDIOT WHO WEARS MUD AND FEATHERS FOR CLOTHING

Copies ofthe original text by Dudjom Lingpa in Tibetan will be provided along with anEnglish translation of a teaching on this text given by Gyatrul Rinpoche

The teaching will be held at 1072 Winter Lane, Tallahassee FL32311

TuesdayNovember 22^nd

7-9 PM

“Crazy Dharma of an Idiot Who Wears Mud andFeathers for Clothing” by Dudjom Lingpa

WednesdayNovember 23^rd

7-9 PM

“Crazy Dharma of an Idiot Who Wears Mud andFeathers for Clothing” by Dudjom Lingpa

TEACHING 5

2011-10-21T10:07:00.000-07:00

THE FEATUREOF THE EXPERT, GLORIOUS KING: TEACHING ON THE THREE LINES THAT STRIKE THE KEYPOINTS

Root text and commentary by Dza Patrul Rinpoche,text can be purchased in advance from Snow Lion Publications:http://www.snowlionpub.com

The teaching will be held at 1072 Winter Lane, Tallahassee FL32311

SaturdayNovember 26^th

10-10:30AM

Meditation

10:30 AM – 12:30 PM

“The Feature of the Expert, Glorious King: Teachingon the Three Lines That Strike the Key Points”

12:45-2:15PM

Lunch at Sahara Greek and Lebanese Café, 1241 E.Lafayette St, Tallahassee, FL 32301, (850) 656-1800

2:30-5:30PM

“The Feature of the Expert, Glorious King: Teachingon the Three Lines That Strike the Key Points,” root text and commentary by DzaPatrul Rinpoche

SundayNovember 27^th

10-10:30AM

Meditation

10 :30AM –12:30 PM

“The Feature of the Expert, Glorious King: Teachingon the Three Lines That Strike the Key Points”, root text and commentary by DzaPatrul Rinpoche

12:45-2:15PM

Lunch at Samarat, 2529 Apalachee PKWY,Tallahassee, FL-32301, 850-942-1993

2:30-5:30PM

“The Feature of the Expert, Glorious King: Teachingon the Three Lines That Strike the Key Points,” root text and commentary by DzaPatrul Rinpoche

ANNUAL WINTER DZOGCHEN RETREAT - January 14-21, 2012

2011-10-20T11:49:00.000-07:00

Several of us are planning to attend the Annual Winter Dzogchen Retreat with the Venerable Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche in West Palm Beach, Florida. The retreat will be from January 14-21, 2012 and is sponsored by the Palm Beach Dharma Center. This year the focus of the retreat will be on the Empowerment of the 1,000-Armed Chenrezig, the Buddha of Compassion, with further teachings to be announced. Generally we get a good rate at an inexpensive hotel in the Palm Beach area and carpool down from Tallahassee. If you are interested in joining us for the retreat please send us an email at pematalli@gmail.com expressing your interest and we will get back with you.

Major Changes

2011-04-10T12:05:00.001-07:00

The practice of Tibetan Buddhism isn't recession proof-- and thus we have lost the 1103 Hays Street practice space. Thanks to everyone who supported us and made Tallahassee's first Tibetan Buddhist Temple possible. It was wonderful while it lasted! And many apologies for the lag in communication as we work things out...

We will be regularly meeting in sangha member's homes for practice and study of the Khenpo Rinpoches' teachings and practices. Please email or call Eric at 850-274-4270 for more information.

We are also considering working with the local ecumenical temple and Buddhist "commons" the Tallahassee Buddhist Community, to offer special programs hosted by the local sangha to help introduce new people to the Nyingma lineage of Tibetan Buddhism in the tradition of the Khenpo Rinpoches. This is a work in progress so please be patient. If you're too excited to wait, that's great too! Please email or call as mentioned above and we can get you involved!

So, despite the challenges-- the Iron Rabbit year is a promising and exciting one!

Technology Update

2010-01-28T13:04:00.000-08:00

Pema Tallahassee has ceased regular updates through the Yahoo!Group and gmail account. The color PDF newsletters were well received, but many people did not receive them because either their email service deleted the attachments, or they were unable to view the attachment. At the same time, Yahoo! started requiring a Yahoo!ID to join YahooGroups, forcing people to use the Yahoo! mail service to use the Yahoo!Group service. Because of this we fell back on the gmail mass mailings-- but in that case, people could not respond to the entire community. Because of this we have started using GoogleGroups.

To join the Pema Tallahasee GoogleGroup go to http://groups.google.com/group/pema-tlh and join. This is an environment much like Yahoo!Groups, and includes space to host small webpages which will be useful as we start developing our web presence over the next year. The Pema Tallahassee WWW page vanished along with Geocities.

Thanks.

Change in Meeting Time

2009-08-02T15:58:00.000-07:00

We have changed our Tuesday evening meeting time from 6:30PM to 7:00PM.

Padmasambhava Buddhist Center YouTube Videos

2009-01-25T07:45:00.000-08:00

For those who have not met our precious Khenpo Rinpoches, the Padmasambhava Buddhist Center International now has a YouTube channel. Include are many clips of dharma teachings, Padma Samye Ling and special dharma practices such as Vajrasattva Fire Puja. This is a great way for students of the Khenpo Rinpoches to keep connected with the Khenpo Rinpoches and the precious Nyingma lineage from afar, and is an equally great way for people interested in Pema Tallahassee to get a taste of the Khenpo Rinpoches' blessings and the rich flavor of their teachings.

Lama Rinchen Phuntsok 12-15 December

2008-12-07T13:22:00.000-08:00

Lama Rinchen Phuntsok will be teaching from Friday 12 December through Monday 15 December. A brief synopsis:

Friday 12 December. 7:00 PM – 9:30 PM. Teaching on The Mind Ornament of Padma. His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche wrote this profound commentary on the famous prayer of Orgyen Chokgyur Lingpa. This six-line Vajra prayer is the quintessence of all supplications. It provides a concise way of removing all obstacles: outer, inner and secret.

Saturday, December 13th. 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM. Teaching on The Mirror of Clear Meaning: A Dzogchen Text. This Dzogchen text is a treasure (terma) from the great 19th century yogi, Nuden Dorje Drophan Lingpa, who spent many years of his life in retreat. The text provides a very clear authentic account of the view and essential meditation of Dzogchen. Lama Rinchen will provide a detailed explanation of the root verses of this precious teaching.

Sunday, December 14th. 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM and 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM. Teaching on The Mirror of Clear Meaning: A Dzogchen Text. This Dzogchen text is a treasure (terma) from the great 19th century yogi, Nuden Dorje Drophan Lingpa, who spent many years of his life in retreat. The text provides a very clear authentic account of the view and essential meditation of Dzogchen. Lama Rinchen will provide a detailed explanation of the root verses of this precious teaching.

Sunday, December 14th. 12:00 – 1:30 PM. Shower of Blessings: Guru Rinpoche Tsok. This tsok offering of food is performed for the purpose of taming the mind for cultivating non-attachment. This tsok was composed by the great Vajrayana master Mipham Rinpoche and is based on the Seven Line Prayer of Guru Rinpoche.

Sunday, December 14th. 7:00 PM. Traditional Nepali Dinner with Lama Rinchen Phuntsok at the Annapurna Café. Join Lama Rinchen and others for a special off-menu Nepali feast at the Annapurna Café, 666 West Tennessee St. in Tallahassee. The multi-course meal accommodates vegetarians as well as non-vegetarians. Estimated cost is $20 w/ drinks extra. Please RSVP to Pematalli@gmail.com by Friday December 12th if you are planning on attending.

Monday, December 15th. 7:00 – 9:00PM. Buddhist Advice for Difficult Times: Long Life Practices. A public lecture with opportunities for questions and discussion, Co-sponsored by FSU’s Tallahassee Buddhist Association.

These teachings and lecturers are open to everyone. Suggested donations: Friday teaching $25, Weekend teaching $75/ $40 day, Monday lecture $15. No one will be turned away for financial reasons. All donations go to cover the cost of bringing Lama Rinchen to Tallahassee. For inquiries: please call: 850-893-6778 or email pematalli@gmail.com

The Dark Red Amulet

2008-10-27T11:23:00.000-07:00

Several members of the Pema TLH community attended the Khenpo Rinpoches' Vajrakilaya Teachings at the Palm Beach Dharma Center on October 25-26. The teaching was from the terma cycle of Tsasum Lingpa called The Dark Red Amulet, and consisted of the empowerment, transmission and teachings on the short sadhana associated with this practice. The Khenpo Rinpoches shared stories about some of the great Vajrakilaya masters and about terton Tsasum Lingpa and his discovery of this terma. The Khenpo Rinpoches' book on The Dark Red Amulet will be released by Snowlion Publications in November 2008.

rnying ma rgyud 'bum

2008-07-23T20:24:00.000-07:00

Lama Urgyen Chhimmed AKA Lama Juergen, who founded Zilnon Urgyen Ling in Havana, Florida back in the 1980's, offered Pema Tallahassee a copy of the rnying ma rgyud 'bum. In his time in Tallahassee, Lama Juergen worked to transmit the teachings of the bgyang gter or Northern Treasure Lineage as taught by Chhimmed Rigdzin Rinpoche. Having departed Tallahassee since 1990, Lama Juergen was so thrilled to hear of the success of the vajrayana in Tallahassee, that he offered this gift.

The rnying ma rgyud 'bum or The Collected Tantras of the Nyingma, is a 36 volume collection of inner tantra teachings, and includes a mixture of kama (transmitted precepts) and terma (treasure teachings) texts. There are 10 volumes on atiyoga, 3 volumes on anuyoga, 6 volumes on the tantra section of mahayoga, 10 volumes on the sadhana section of mahayoga, 1 volume on protector tantras and 3 volumes of histories and catalogs.

Khenpo Rinpoches' Visit January 2006

2008-07-18T18:55:00.000-07:00

Picture from the Khenpo Rinpoches' visit to Tallahassee, taken at the Unitarian Church, N. Meridian, Tallahassee.

From the left: Back Row: Ani Lorraine, Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche, Khenchen Khenpo Palden Sherab Rinpoche. Front row: Dr. Douglas Duckworth and his wife Jasmine, Laura, King, Craigie, Rachel, Eric and long-time student of the Khenpo Rinpoches' Mimi.

The Khenpo Rinpoches' taught on the three higher trainings-- ethics, concentration and wisdom-- profound and immediately practical, and gave many transmissions for core sangha practices.

Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche

2008-07-18T08:42:00.000-07:00

Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche was born in the Dhoshul region of Kham in eastern Tibet on June 10, 1950. On that summer day in the family tent, Rinpoche’s birth caused his mother no pain. The next day, his mother, Pema Lhadze, moved the bed where she had given birth. Beneath it she found growing a beautiful and fragrant flower which she plucked and offered to Chenrezig on the family altar.

Soon after his birth three head lamas from Jadchag monastery came to his home and recognized him as the reincarnation of Khenpo Sherab Khyentse. Khenpo Sherab Khyentse, who had been the former head abbot lama at Gochen Monastery, was a renowned scholar and practitioner who lived much of his life in retreat.

Rinpoche’s first dharma teacher was his father, Lama Chimed Namgyal Rinpoche. Beginning his schooling at the age of five, he entered Gochen Monastery. His studies were interrupted by the Chinese invasion and his family's escape to India. In India his father and brother continued his education until he entered the Nyingmapa Monastic School of Northern India, where he studied until 1967. He then entered the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, which was then a part of Sanskrit University in Varanasi, where he received his B.A. degree in 1975. He also attended Nyingmapa University in West Bengal, where he received another B.A. and an M.A. in 1977.

In 1978 Rinpoche was enthroned as the abbot of the Wish-fulfilling Nyingmapa Institute in Boudanath, Nepal by H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche, and later became the abbot of the Department of Dharma Studies, where he taught poetry, grammar, philosophy and psychology. In 1981, H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche appointed Rinpoche as the abbot of the Dorje Nyingpo Center in Paris, France. In 1982 he was asked to work with H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche at the Yeshe Nyingpo Center in New York. During the 1980s, until H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche’s mahaparinirvana in 1987, Rinpoche continued working closely with him, often traveling as his translator and attendant.

In 1988, Rinpoche and his brother founded the Padmasambhava Buddhist Center. Since that time he has served as a spiritual director at the various Padmasambhava centers throughout the world. He maintains an active traveling and teaching schedule with his brother, Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche.

Khenpo Tsewang Rinpoche has authored two books of poetry on the life of Guru Rinpoche, including Praise to the Lotus Born: A Verse Garland of Waves of Devotion, and a unique two-volume cultural and religious history of Tibet entitled The Six Sublime Pillars of the Nyingma School, which details the historical bases of the dharma in Tibet from the sixth through ninth centuries. At present, this is one of the only books written that conveys the dharma activities of this historical period in such depth. Khenpo Rinpoche has also co-authored a number of books in English on dharma subjects with his brother Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche, including Ceaseless Echoes of the Great Silence: A Commentary on the Heart Sutra; Prajnaparamita: The Six Perfections; Door to Inconceivable Wisdom and Compassion; Lion’s Gaze: A Commentary on the Tsig Sum Nedek; and Opening Our Primordial Nature, all of which are available online at Chiso.

Khenchen Dancing

2008-07-17T19:12:00.000-07:00

This is a video of Khenchen dancing on the steps of the Padma Samye Ling temple.

Aspirational Prayer of Samantabhadra

2008-07-17T13:00:00.000-07:00

This Friday at 7:30PM-- the full moon-- the Pema Tallahassee community will be doing the Aspirational Prayer of Samantabhadra at the center. Please RSVP is you wish to join us so that we can print enough texts.

The Aspirational Prayer of Samantabhadra is a very special prayer from the terma of Rigdzin Godem Chen, the great terton who revealed the Northern Treasures. As a dzogchen teaching it points out the ground, path and fruition of the true nature-- and as a practice, it is said to be of great benefit to all beings when it is recited at the times of full moon, eclipses, earthquakes, major storms, etc. Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche has written a commentary on this practice called Penetrating Wisdom, which is published by Snowlion.

The deeper meanings of this prayer are self-secret, so this practice is open to all, regardless of their religious background and experience with Buddhism or Tibetan Buddhism.

Khenchen Khenpo Palden Sherab Rinpoche

2008-07-16T10:31:00.000-07:00

The Venerable Lama Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche was born in 1941. On the morning of his birth a small snow fell with the flakes in the shape of lotus petals. He was raised in the village of Joephu in the Dhoshul region of Khampa in eastern Tibet near the sacred mountain Jowo Zegyal. The family was semi-nomadic, living in the village during the winter and moving with the herds to high mountain pastures where they lived in yak hair tents during the summers. The monastery for the Dhoshul region was called Gochen and his father's family had the hereditary responsibility for administration of the business affairs of the monastery. His grandfather had been both administrator and chantmaster in charge of the ritual ceremonies.

Beginning education at age four, his father taught him to read. At age six he started learning the chants and ritual ceremonies. At age seven he started studying at the monastery and began ngon dro practice. Later that year he went on his first retreat for one month.

At the age of twelve he went to Riwoche monastery, which was one of the oldest and largest monastic institutes in eastern Tibet. Here he was trained to become the next abbot at Gochen. He completed his studies just as the Chinese invasion of Tibet reached that area.

In 1960 he and his family were forced into exile. They left in the middle of winter and were captured and escaped three times during the journey. His sisters died during the escape and his mother died shortly after reaching India. He and his father and younger brother lived in refugee camps in India. He was eventually appointed to teach at Sanskrit University in Varanasi and was also a founding member of the Institute for Tibetan High Studies, where he was head of the Department of Nyingmapa Studies.

In 1980 he made his first trip to America. In 1984 he moved to New York to work closely with H. H. Dudjom Rinpoche, head of the Nyimgma lineage. In 1985 he founded the Dharma Samudra Publishing Company and has subsequently published a Tibetan edition in eleven volumes of the termas of Tsasum Lingpa. These teachings were held at Gochen monastery, which was founded by Tsasum Lingpa. After the Tibetan diaspora he searched through the refuge communities in India, Nepal and Sikkim to locate and assemble these texts.

In 1988 he and his brother, Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche, founded the Padmasambhava Buddhist Center, which is incorporated as a nonprofit religious organization. The Padmasambhava Buddhist Center now has chapters in several cities in the United States, as well as in Puerto Rico and in Moscow, Russia. The primary centers are in New York City and at Padma Samye Ling in Delaware County, New York, where a retreat and study center is being built. He has taught in Tibet, India, Nepal, England, France Belgium, Australia, Canada, Russia, Puerto Rico and throughout the United States.

Khenchen Palden is the author of six works in the Tibetan language. These include a book of poetry titled Ornamentation for the Public Ear, a grammar text called Explanation of Tibetan Grammar, two works dealing with philosophy, Clearly Establishing the Buddha and His Teachings as Without Error through Clear Reasoning and The Essential and Profound Meaning of Madhyamika, a work on logic, Madhyamika and tantra entitled The Flaming Light of the Sun and the Moon, and finally a history book called The History and Life Stories of the Masters of the Late School of Tibetan Buddhism, dealing with the 11th to the 15th centuries.

His works in English include The Light of the Dharma; The Prajnaparamita, The Six Perfections; and a commentary on the Heart Sutra entitled Ceaseless Echoes of the Great Silence. He is currently at work on commentaries on dream yoga and ngondro practice titled The Dark Red Amulet. He is also completing an autobiography. His book The Flaming Light of the Sun and the Moon is currently being translated by the Nalanda Translation Committee in Boulder, Colorado. The Light of the Dharma and The Prajnaparamita, the Six Perfections have been translated in Spanish and are currently being translated into Russian. He is also working on building a monastic university on a piece of land near the Deer Park in Sarnath, India. He maintains a travel schedule that includes yearly stops at each of the Padmasambhava Buddhist centers, including trips to India, Puerto Rico and Russia.

The Nyingma Lineage

2008-07-16T08:34:00.000-07:00

The Nyingma (rnying ma) lineage is the oldest of the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism (Nyingma, Sakya, Kagyu and Gelug). In the 8th century C.E., the Tibetan king Trisong Detsen, invited many great masters to Tibet, including the great Indian mahapandita Shantarakshita from Nalanda University. King Trisong Detsen and Shantarakshita worked to establish Buddhism in Tibet, as it had declined after Songtsen Gampo first established the dharma. The construction of Samye monaster, the first Buddhist monastery in Tibet, was block of obstructing forces. Shantarakshita insisted that King Trisog Detsen invite Padmasambahva, the great vidhyadhara, to subdue the demons and obstacles. Accepting this invitation, knowing it would be of benefit to many beings, Padmasambhava went to Tibet, and through his wisdom, compassion and skillful means, overcame these obstacles, brought the demons and obstructive spirits to the dharma, and firmly established Buddhism in Tibet.

Samye become a great center of Buddhist learning. Guru Padmasambhava, his twenty five main disciples, Shantarakshita, and 108 translators undertook a massive translation project to translate the Buddhist texts into Tibetan. Padmasambhava focused on the tantra teachings while Loppon Shantarakshita focused on the sutra teachings. At this time all of the sutra teachings of the three baskets, as well as the outer and inner tantras, were translated from Sanskrit into Tibetan. Shantarakshita was the preceptor who ordained the first monastics in Tibet. Guru Rinpoche transmitted the inner tantras to his twenty five closest disciples, who are famous in Tibetan history for their spiritual accomplishments.

The unbroken lineage of Guru Rinpoche's vajrayana instruction through these original twenty five disciples is called the kama or "oral transmission". It is unbroken to this day. Guru Rinpoche also hid countless texts and sacred objects throughout Tibet. These are the terma or "treasure teachings", that are found and revealed by tertons (treasure revealers) generations later when such teachings are appropriate for the times. Terma teachings continued to be discovered to the present time, the most notable recent terton being His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche Jigdral Yeshe Dorje, a teacher to both of the Khenpo Rinpoches. Dudjom Rinpoche is also famous for having preserved the Nyingma kama teachings after the Tibetan diaspora of 1959.

From the 8th to the 11th centuries C.E. the Nyingma lineage was the only lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. It was briefly suppressed during the period of King Langdarma (836-842 C.E.), but continued to thrive underground. After the 11th century, the Nyingma lineage continued to exist along side of the sarma or "new translation" schools of Tibetan Buddhism: Sakya, Kaygu, and Kadam/Gelug. Unlike the sarma lineages, the supporters of the Nyingma lineage never held great political power. While this may have prevented the great growth the sarma lineages enjoyed at different times, it allowed the Nyingma to exist outside of the complexities of the Tibetan religious sphere.

While the sarma schools have single lineage heads-- the Ganden Tri Rinpoche of the Gelug, the Karma of the Karma Kagyu, etc.-- the Nyingma lineage has traditionally been a heterogeneous collection of sub-lineages. At the request of the Tibetan Government in Exile of His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, the Nyingma lineage started to have a lineage head. They have been:

Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche (the 1960's until his death in 1987)
Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche (1987- until his death in 1991)
Penor Rinpoche (1991 until his retirement in 2003)
Mindroling Trichen Rinpoche (2003 until his death in 2008)

The successor to Mindroling Trichen Rinpoche has not yet been named.

Shower of Blessings Tsok

2008-07-15T12:27:00.001-07:00

Saturday 12 July 2008 was Guru Rinpoche day. This was our first Guru Rinpoche day in the new center, so made a special effort to do a Shower of Blessings tsok. We invited friends from the Florida Drikung Dzogchen Community. Shower of Blessings is a guru puja based on the seven line prayer written by the great Nyingma Rime master Mipham Rinpoche. According to the Khenpo Rinpoches it contains the pith essence of all of the three inner tantras, and the pith essence of the kama and terma lineages.

Four sangha gathered-- two vajra brothers and two vajra sisters-- for a light lunchtime tsok.

Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche (L) and Khenchen Khenpo Palden Sherab Rinpoche (R)

2008-07-15T12:23:00.000-07:00

Weekly Practice Schedule

2008-07-15T12:11:00.000-07:00

The Pema Tallahassee community meets weekly for meditation practice. Our practices are traditional Tibetan Buddhist practices from the Nyingma lineage, and include periods of silent meditation, chanting in Tibetan, mantra recitation and visualization. Practices rotate weekly: calm abiding, Heart Sutra and guru yoga. Everyone is welcome to participate regardless of their spiritual affiliation and previous exposure to Tibetan Buddhism. All that is required is genuine interest.

Practice begins promptly at 6:30PM at 1103 Hays Street, Tallahassee, Florida. If you are new, please arrive a little early if you have questions, or if you'd like to meet the community members. If you're not on our email mailing list or YahooGroup, please call Eric at 850-284-8141 to confirm that we are meeting. Wear comfortable, modest clothes and please leave your shoes on the porch.

Our New Location

2008-07-15T12:09:00.001-07:00

Pema Tallahassee has moved from Laura's spare bedroom to 1103 Hays Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32301. We are located just North of Park Avenue and just West of South Magnolia. Please come visit us!

View Larger Map