Monday Night Chanted Prayers Online-Dakini Practice
2020-10-12 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | online event, CA, United States
On Monday, October 12th at 6:30pm PT, Khenpo Karten Rinpoche will lead the practice of Dakini Yoga, channeling the female energy of wisdom. More details to come about this practice!

Link to Join Prayer Practice via Zoom: Monday Night Prayer Practice
Password required: WorldPeace

Or join by phone (your normal phone charges may apply):
US: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 646 876 9923 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799
Meeting ID: 970 1801 1835
International numbers available: https://middlebury.zoom.us/u/abeH9hRvO3
Phone Password: [REDACTED]

Wednesday Night Chanted Prayers Online--Medicine Buddha
2020-10-14 18:00 - 19:30
On Wednesday, October 14th, at 6.00PM PT we will practice Medicine Buddha supplication prayers. The practice of Sangye Menla, King of Lapis Lazuli light is very powerful for healing both the inner sickness of afflictions as well as outer physical illnesses and sufferings. The 12 syllables of Medicine Buddha’s name in Sanskrit also represents his 12 great vows for the benefit of all sentient beings.

This Medicine Buddha supplication also forms part of my daily practice; we will pray for healing of the body as well as invoking Medicine Buddha’s blessings especially during this great time of suffering in the world. We will also pray for those who have passed away from coronavirus. If anyone would like to join please sit and recite the mantra “Tayata Om Bekanze Bekanze Maha Bekanze Radza Samudgate Soha”. The prayers will be recited in Tibetan, but please participate. You can see me and recite the mantra at the same time so we can practice together for those who have recently died. Thank you and Tashi Delek.

Via Facebook Live: Manjushri Dharma Center Facebook

Written by Khenpo Karten Rinpoche, posted to the Manjushri Dharma Center Facebook page. Photo credit Miles McBreen.

Monday Night Chanted Prayers Online-Milarepa Guru Yoga
2020-10-19 18:30 - 20:00
Jetsun Milarepa (Tibetan: རྗེ་བཙུན་མི་ལ་རས་པ, 1028/40–1111/23) was a Tibetan siddha (accomplished, enlightened pratitioner), who famously was a murderer as a young man before turning to Buddhism and becoming a highly accomplished Buddhist disciple. He is generally considered one of Tibet’s most famous yogis and spiritual poets, whose teachings are known among several schools of Tibetan Buddhism. He was a student of Marpa Lotsawa, and a major figure in the history of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism.
Link to Join Prayer Practice via Zoom: Monday Night Prayer Practice
Password required: WorldPeace

Or join by phone (your normal phone charges may apply):
US: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 646 876 9923 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799
Meeting ID: 970 1801 1835
International numbers available: https://middlebury.zoom.us/u/abeH9hRvO3
Phone Password: [REDACTED]

Wednesday Night Chanted Prayers Online--Calling the Guru from Afar
2020-10-21 17:00 - 18:30
Calling the Guru from Afar is a heartfelt request to the guru for blessings to realize all the stages of the path to enlightenment, as well as a meditation on the nature of the guru.
This beautiful devotional guru yoga practice was composed by Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye; one of Tibet’s greatest scholars and poet. He also wrote more than 90 volumes of works known as the Great Treasuries.

Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye’s second reincarnation is Jamgon Kongtrul Palden Khyentse Oser, who was born in Tsurpu as the son of 15th Karmapa. Palden Khyentse Oser was a renowned Mahamudra master and passed on the lineage to the 16th Karmapa. My root guru’s teacher was the second Jamgon Kongtrul and this text is also very much connected to our guru yoga practice that we hold regularly.

Jamgon Kongtrul’s best student was a very good practitioner and requested him to write a guru yoga practice . In her mind he is the triple gems as well as the lama, yidam and dakini. Being humble he said that he did not have any good qualities but agreed to write this precious text for her. First he paid homage to all the lineage gurus from the four major lineages and then placed his own name at the end.�One of his best works was “Seven Points of Mind training” which is a direct path to the practitioner’s heart and transforms his mind. That is why it is also called the great path of awakening.

Please do join us. Thank you and Tashi Delek.

Here is the link to the text for reference:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/10Lb6ZK8mZwoaaiePE2CMiU6vd0CMXBB5L92YBSsRdA8/edit?usp=sharing
Via Facebook Live: Manjushri Dharma Center Facebook
Editor’s note: There is a wonderful version of this chanted prayer with beautiful images of Tibet on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhuW8xhcbUA.

Monday Night Chanted Prayers Online--Padmasambhava Guru Yoga
2020-10-26 18:30 - 20:00
Guru Rinpoche, also known as Padmasambhava or the Precious Master, is the founder of Tibetan Buddhism. He established the Buddhadharma in Tibet, and then developed the practice so that all the teachings of Buddha were preserved as a living tradition that has continued down to the present day.
Trinley Nyingpo, the “Essence of Enlightened Activity,” is the concise Guru Rinpoche sadhana practice from the Tugdrub Barche Kunsel, a hidden treasure teaching discovered by the King of Treasure Revealers, Chogyur Dechen Lingpa in the mid-19th century.
The central visualization for this practice is a triad of deities of the Three Kayas (“Enlightened Bodies”): the Dharmakaya Buddha Amitayus, the Samboghakaya Buddha Avalokitesvara, and the Nirmanakaya Buddha Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche). It also includes twelve additional manifestations of Guru Rinpoche.
Outwardly, Guru Rinpoche was a fully enlightened being who was invited from India by the Tibetan King Trisong Deutsen in the 8th century to establish the Vajrayana Buddhist teachings in Tibet. He personally blessed every square foot of Tibet and concealed innumerable “treasure teachings” (Terma) for future generations to receive and practice when the time was especially right. Trinley Nyingpo is one such terma.
Inwardly, Guru Rinpoche is the embodiment of all the Wisdom Gurus of the past, present, and future, and the essence of our own enlightened mind.
Prayers will be recited in both Tibetan and English.
Main text: Trinley Nyingpo, the “Essence of Enlightened Activity,” is the concise Guru Rinpoche sadhana practice from the Tugdrub Barche Kunsel
Lineage text: Thugdrup Barched Kunsel Lineage Prayer
Abbreviated text: Awakening to the Guru’s Pure Vision
Link to Join Prayer Practice via Zoom: Monday Night Prayer Practice
Password required: WorldPeace

Or join by phone (your normal phone charges may apply):
US: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 646 876 9923 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799
Meeting ID: 970 1801 1835
International numbers available: https://middlebury.zoom.us/u/abeH9hRvO3
Phone Password: [REDACTED]

Wednesday Night Chanted Prayers Online--Avalokiteshvara
2020-10-28 18:00 - 19:30
Avalokiteshvara, or Chenrezig in Tibetan, is the Bodhisattva who embodies the love and compassion of all Buddhas.

Chenrezig is an important deity in Tibet and considered the patron Bodhisattva of the Tibetan people. Chenrezig is also believed by Tibetans to be the actual progenitor of the Tibetan people, and HH Dalai Lama and the Karmapa, who are considered living Buddhas, are also believed to be emanations of Chenrezig. It is said that even babies upon birth know the mantra OM MANI PADME HUM.

Please do join us for this profound practice. Tashi Delek

Text: from the Odiyana Institute: Chenrezig Sadhana
Alternate text: https://1drv.ms/w/s!AjwAt5Zl42NggSQu6LvP1SeO9b2t

Via Facebook Live: Manjushri Dharma Center Facebook

Saturday Event--Chöd Prayer Practice Online
2020-10-31 18:00 - 19:30
Chöd, which means “to cut,” is a profound path of severing dualistic fixation and ego-clinging. For the chod practitioner, the body is regarded as the primary object of clinging. Through visualizing one’s consciousness as the female Buddha T’hroma Nagmo (The “Wrathful Black Mother”) the yogi or yogini offers the ordinary body to the assembled guests: enlightened beings, gods and demons (personifications of the five poisons), and those owed karmic debts, purifying negative karma and accumulating merit on a vast scale. Combining the view of the Prajnaparamita Sutra with the highest view of Dzogchen, Chöd is known for its haunting melodies and ritual instrumentation. When performed for others, it is a powerful healing ritual.

This special practice will be held on Saturday, Oct.31, 2020 at 6pm on Zoom (details below). What an appropriate way to celebrate the full moon and Halloween day!

Link to Join Prayer Practice via Zoom: Chod Prayer Practice
Password required: WorldPeace

Or join by phone (your normal phone charges may apply):
US: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 646 876 9923 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799
Meeting ID: 970 1801 1835
International numbers available: https://middlebury.zoom.us/u/abeH9hRvO3
Phone Password: [REDACTED]

Medicine Buddha Prayers Online
2020-11-02 18:30 - 20:00
On Monday, 11/2/20 we will practice the prayers of Medicine Buddha (Buddha of Infinite Healing), creating the causes for a world that is healed from illness and disease. You can find a link to the prayer text here: MedicineBuddhaPuja_༄༅།-།སྨན་བླའི་སྒྲུབས་ཐབས་བཞུགས་སོ།-།.pdf
Our main Monday night prayer practice has always been Buddha Amitabha (the Buddha of Infinite Light), so we typically also recite the Amitabha mantra. Here are two versions of that text–first a short version: Amitabha Prayer Practice. Additionally, we now have the long text: The Recitation for Accomplishment of Sukhavati from the Sky Dharma Mind Terma.
Please join us as we wish for all beings to have health and peace of mind.
Link to Join Prayer Practice via Zoom: Monday Night Prayer Practice
Password required: WorldPeace
Or join by phone (your normal phone charges may apply):
US: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 646 876 9923 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799
Meeting ID: 970 1801 1835
International numbers available: https://middlebury.zoom.us/u/abeH9hRvO3
Phone Password: [REDACTED]

Image by MDC Sangha member Miles McBreen

No Practice on Wednesday 11/4/20
2020-11-04 18:00 - 19:30
Typically, Rinpoche leads prayers online via Facebook livestream on Wednesday evenings at 6:00pm Pacific Time, but this week there will be no event. We will resume next week, 11/11/20.
Image by MDC Sangha member Marguerite Fishman.

Saturday Morning 37 Practices of Bodhisattvas-Online
2020-11-07 08:00 - 09:30
Beginning on Saturday, November 7th (on the Great Occasion of Lhabab Duchen), from 8:00am to 9:30am each Saturday until completed, Khenpo Karten Rinpoche will conduct teachings on The Thirty-seven Practices of Bodhisattvas, written by Gyelsay Togmay Sangpo in the fourteenth century. This treasured teaching lays out the conduct of those who aspire to train in the brave path of love and compassion with clarity and humor. Our Dharma family in Portland will host this series of teachings.
The teachings will be conducted in Tibetan, and the text used will be in Tibetan as well, with no English text available. Although this is the case, Rinpoche’s English-speaking students are also welcome to join the event to meditate and enjoy the good energy of this precious teaching.
More resources for English-speakers and the Zoom Link is below.

Zoom Link to Join: 37 Practices of Bodhisattvas
​Meeting ID: 862 0873 6682
Passcode: [REDACTED]
One tap mobile
+12532158782,,86208736682#,,,,,,0#,,4375105320# US (Tacoma)
+13462487799,,86208736682#,,,,,,0#,,4375105320# US (Houston)

Dial by your location
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C)
Meeting ID: 862 0873 6682
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kwuAt4ndL

More resources for English-speaking students:

His Holiness the Dalai Llama gave a teaching on this text on January 2, 2020, and you can see notes on his official website from that teaching here.
The online publisher Lotsawa House makes this text (and many others) available for free download: 37 Practices of Bodhisattvas
In early 2020, MDC Sangha Member, Karma Palden (Miles) had the excellent good fortune to travel to the most holy Buddhist site in our world, the Vajra Seat (Dorje Den) of Buddha’s Enlightenment, known as Bodhgaya, location of the renowned Bodhi Tree. There, he had the further good blessings and karma to receive teachings on the 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva directly from H.H. Dalai XIV, who is none other than the Buddha of Compassion, Chenrezig, in human form. Karma Palden has generously transcribed his hand-written notes from the teachings in digital format in order to make them freely available to MDC Sangha members. You can obtain a copy of these notes by contacting him directly at montereymiles222@gmail.com .
The Thirty-Seven Practices of Bodhisattvas, text by Ngülchu Thogme Zangpo
Suggested Readings for the Study of “The Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva,” list compiled by Sangha member and former MDC Board President Bob Muller:

HH Dalai Lama – “Commentary on the Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva”, LTWA, 1995
Chokyi Dragpa – “Uniting Wisdom and Compassion: Illuminating the Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva”, Wisdom Publications, 2004

Barbara Du Bois – “Brave, Generous, & Undefended: Heart Teachings on the 37 Bodhisattva Practices”, White Cloud Press, 2020
Dilgo Khyentse – “The Heart of Compassion: The Thirty-Seven Verses on the Practice of a Bodhisattva”, Shambhala, 2007
Geshe Jampa Tegchok – “Transforming the Heart: The Buddhist Way to Joy and Courage”, Snow Lion Publications, 1999
Geshe Tsultim Gyeltsen – “Keys to Great Enlightenment”, Thubten Dhargye Ling Publications, 2006

Lhabab Duchen Celebration Online
2020-11-07 18:00 - 19:30
On Saturday, November 7th, at 6:00pm Pacific Time, we will celebrate the auspicious day of Lhabab Duchen, one of the most holy days in the Buddhist calendar. It commemorates the Buddha’s descent to the human world from the Heavenly Realms where his mother had been reborn shortly after giving birth. In order to repay her kindness, he taught the Dharma to her and other gods there before once again Turning the Wheel of Dharma for our benefit.
On this day, all the karmic effects of our actions are multiplied many millions of times. For this reason, virtuous conduct and group spiritual practice, dedicated for the benefit of all “mother sentient beings”, is emphasized.
We will recite Shakyamuni prayers in Tibetan and English.
Zoom link below:
Link to Join Prayer Practice via Zoom:
Saturday Night Nov. 7th Lhabab Duchen Prayer Practice
Password required: WorldPeace
Or join by phone (your normal phone charges may apply):
US: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 646 876 9923 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799
Meeting ID: 970 1801 1835
International numbers available: https://middlebury.zoom.us/u/abeH9hRvO3
Phone Password: [REDACTED]

Monday Night Chanted Prayers Online--Amitabha Practice (Note Updated Zoom Link)
2020-11-09 18:30 - 20:00
Join us on Monday evenings as Khenpo Karten Rinpoche leads us in chanted prayers recited in Tibetan and English online as we shelter in place. On Monday, November 9th, we will practice Buddha Amitabha (the Buddha of Infinite Light). Here is the long text, our traditional Monday night practice for Amitabha: The Recitation for Accomplishment of Sukhavati from the Sky Dharma Mind Terma.
Our Dharma sister Pema Tsomo and our Portland Sangha will be our hosts this evening.
PLEASE NOTE–THIS IS A DIFFERENT ZOOM LINK THAN USUAL
Topic: Monday Night Amitabha Prayer Practice
Time: Nov 9, 2020 06:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86159862174?pwd=[REDACTED]

Meeting ID: 861 5986 2174
Passcode: [REDACTED]
One tap mobile
+12532158782,,86159862174#,,,,,,0#,,719687# US (Tacoma)
+13462487799,,86159862174#,,,,,,0#,,719687# US (Houston)

Dial by your location
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 861 5986 2174
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdYLw73ZqG

Wednesday Night Chanted Prayers Online--Padmasambhava Guru Yoga (Note updated time)
2020-11-11 17:00 - 18:30
Guru Rinpoche, also known as Padmasambhava or the Precious Master, is the founder of Tibetan Buddhism. He established the Buddhadharma in Tibet, and then developed the practice so that all the teachings of Buddha were preserved as a living tradition that has continued down to the present day.
Trinley Nyingpo, the “Essence of Enlightened Activity,” is the concise Guru Rinpoche sadhana practice from the Tugdrub Barche Kunsel, a hidden treasure teaching discovered by the King of Treasure Revealers, Chogyur Dechen Lingpa in the mid-19th century.
The central visualization for this practice is a triad of deities of the Three Kayas (“Enlightened Bodies”): the Dharmakaya Buddha Amitayus, the Samboghakaya Buddha Avalokitesvara, and the Nirmanakaya Buddha Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche). It also includes twelve additional manifestations of Guru Rinpoche.
Outwardly, Guru Rinpoche was a fully enlightened being who was invited from India by the Tibetan King Trisong Deutsen in the 8th century to establish the Vajrayana Buddhist teachings in Tibet. He personally blessed every square foot of Tibet and concealed innumerable “treasure teachings” (Terma) for future generations to receive and practice when the time was especially right. Trinley Nyingpo is one such terma.
Inwardly, Guru Rinpoche is the embodiment of all the Wisdom Gurus of the past, present, and future, and the essence of our own enlightened mind.
Prayers will be recited in both Tibetan and English.
Via Facebook Live: Manjushri Dharma Center Facebook
Main text: Trinley Nyingpo, the “Essence of Enlightened Activity,” is the concise Guru Rinpoche sadhana practice from the Tugdrub Barche Kunsel
Lineage text: Thugdrup Barched Kunsel Lineage Prayer
Abbreviated text: Awakening to the Guru’s Pure Vision

Sunday Morning 37 Practices of Bodhisattvas-Online
2020-11-15 08:00 - 09:30
Beginning on Saturday, November 7th (on the Great Occasion of Lhabab Duchen), from 8:00am to 9:30am each Saturday and Sunday until completed, Khenpo Karten Rinpoche will conduct teachings on The Thirty-seven Practices of Bodhisattvas, written by Gyelsay Togmay Sangpo in the fourteenth century. This treasured teaching lays out the conduct of those who aspire to train in the brave path of love and compassion with clarity and humor. Our Dharma family in Portland will host this series of teachings.
The teachings will be conducted in Tibetan, and the text used will be in Tibetan as well, with no English text available. Although this is the case, Rinpoche’s English-speaking students are also welcome to join the event to meditate and enjoy the good energy of this precious teaching.
More resources for English-speakers and the Zoom Link is below.
Special note: This Sunday, January 31, 2021, Khenpo Karten Rinpoche will conclude teachings on The Thirty-seven Practices of Bodhisattvas, written by Gyelsay Togmay Sangpo in the fourteenth century. The closing ceremonies will include many prayers and practices that will benefit all the Sangha, both Tibetan-speaking and English-speaking. The Butterlamp prayers (have a candle at hand), offering the mandala, Words of Truth, a prayer written by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and long-life prayers for our own Khenpo Karten Rinpoche. Thank you to the Portland Sangha for hosting this series and concluding ceremony!

Zoom Link to Join: 37 Practices of Bodhisattvas
​Meeting ID: 862 0873 6682
Passcode: [REDACTED]
One tap mobile
+12532158782,,86208736682#,,,,,,0#,,4375105320# US (Tacoma)
+13462487799,,86208736682#,,,,,,0#,,4375105320# US (Houston)

Dial by your location
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C)
Meeting ID: 862 0873 6682
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kwuAt4ndL

More resources for English-speaking students:

His Holiness the Dalai Llama gave a teaching on this text on January 2, 2020, and you can see notes on his official website from that teaching here.
The online publisher Lotsawa House makes this text (and many others) available for free download: 37 Practices of Bodhisattvas
In early 2020, MDC Sangha Member, Karma Palden (Miles) had the excellent good fortune to travel to the most holy Buddhist site in our world, the Vajra Seat (Dorje Den) of Buddha’s Enlightenment, known as Bodhgaya, location of the renowned Bodhi Tree. There, he had the further good blessings and karma to receive teachings on the 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva directly from H.H. Dalai XIV, who is none other than the Buddha of Compassion, Chenrezig, in human form. Karma Palden has generously transcribed his hand-written notes from the teachings in digital format in order to make them freely available to MDC Sangha members. You can obtain a copy of these notes by contacting him directly at montereymiles222@gmail.com .
The Thirty-Seven Practices of Bodhisattvas, text by Ngülchu Thogme Zangpo
Suggested Readings for the Study of “The Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva,” list compiled by Sangha member and former MDC Board President Bob Muller:

HH Dalai Lama – “Commentary on the Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva”, LTWA, 1995
Chokyi Dragpa – “Uniting Wisdom and Compassion: Illuminating the Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva”, Wisdom Publications, 2004
Barbara Du Bois – “Brave, Generous, & Undefended: Heart Teachings on the 37 Bodhisattva Practices”, White Cloud Press, 2020
Dilgo Khyentse – “The Heart of Compassion: The Thirty-Seven Verses on the Practice of a Bodhisattva”, Shambhala, 2007
Geshe Jampa Tegchok – “Transforming the Heart: The Buddhist Way to Joy and Courage”, Snow Lion Publications, 1999
Geshe Tsultim Gyeltsen – “Keys to Great Enlightenment”, Thubten Dhargye Ling Publications, 2006

Monday Night Chanted Prayers Online–Padmasambhava Guru Yoga
2020-11-16 18:30 - 20:00

No Wednesday Night Chanted Prayers
2020-11-25 17:00 - 18:30
No practice on Wednesday, November 25th–we will resume practice on Wednesday, December 2nd. Enjoy the week! Pray and meditate!

Monday Night Chanted Prayers Online--Amitabha Practice
2020-11-30 18:30 - 20:00
Our main Monday night prayer practice has always been Buddha Amitabha (the Buddha of Infinite Light). Since the Covid shelter-in-place, we have included the Amitabha mantra in every session, but this evening we will once again return to our main text: The Recitation for Accomplishment of Sukhavati from the Sky Dharma Mind Terma.
We also have a shorter text for reference: Amitabha Prayer Practice.
Please join us as we wish for all beings to have health and peace of mind.
Link to Join Prayer Practice via Zoom: Monday Night Prayer Practice
Password required: WorldPeace
Or join by phone (your normal phone charges may apply):
US: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 646 876 9923 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799
Meeting ID: 970 1801 1835 (No participant ID, press # to bypass)
Phone Password: [REDACTED]
International numbers available: https://middlebury.zoom.us/u/abeH9hRvO3
For questions, please contact: rachelmdc2016@gmail.com.

Wednesday Night Chanted Prayers Online--Medicine Buddha Practice
2020-12-02 17:00 - 18:30
Medicine Buddha is the Buddha of Infinite Healing. Join us in chanted prayers, creating the causes for a world that is healed from illness and disease. You can find a link to the prayer text here: MedicineBuddhaPuja_༄༅།-།སྨན་བླའི་སྒྲུབས་ཐབས་བཞུགས་སོ།-།.pdf
Wednesday night prayers tend to be in Tibetan, but all practitioners can follow along in the spirit and intention of peace and healing.
Via Facebook Live: Manjushri Dharma Center Facebook

Monday Night Chanted Prayers Online--Chenrezig Practice
2020-12-07 18:30 - 20:00
On Monday, 12/7/20 at 6:30 PM PST, we will live stream via Zoom the practice of “The Recitation for the Chenrezig Meditation”.

Avalokiteshvara, or Chenrezig in Tibetan, is the Bodhisattva who embodies the love and compassion of all Buddhas.

Chenrezig is an important deity in Tibet and considered the patron Bodhisattva of the Tibetan people. Chenrezig is also believed by Tibetans to be the actual progenitor of the Tibetan people, and HH Dalai Lama and the Karmapa, who are considered living Buddhas, are also believed to be emanations of Chenrezig. It is said that even babies upon birth know the mantra OM MANI PADME HUM.

Please do join us next week for this profound practice. Tashi Delek

Text: We are using the version of the text as posted by the Odiyana Institute: Chenrezig Sadhana

Link to Join Prayer Practice via Zoom: Monday Night Prayer Practice
Password required: WorldPeace

Or join by phone (your normal phone charges may apply):
US: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 646 876 9923 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799
Meeting ID: 970 1801 1835
International numbers available: https://middlebury.zoom.us/u/abeH9hRvO3
Phone Password: [REDACTED]

Canceled-Wednesday Night Chanted Prayers
2020-12-09 17:00 - 18:30
On 12/8/20 there will be no chanted prayers on Facebook–Rinpoche will resume prayers next week.

Monday Night Chanted Prayers Online--Medicine Buddha Practice
2020-12-14 18:30 - 20:00
On Monday we will practice the prayers of Medicine Buddha (Buddha of Infinite Healing), creating the causes for a world that is healed from illness and disease. You can find a link to the prayer text here: MedicineBuddhaPuja_༄༅།-།སྨན་བླའི་སྒྲུབས་ཐབས་བཞུགས་སོ།-།.pdf
Additionally, Rinpoche wrote a very short but beautiful teaching on the practice of Medicine Buddha, which includes the visualization: Medicine Buddha Practice for Corona Virus from Khenpo Karten Rinpoche, posted on the Teachings page originally in March 2020.
Also, our main Monday night prayer practice has always been Buddha Amitabha (the Buddha of Infinite Light), so we typically also recite the Amitabha mantra. Here are two versions of that text–first a short version: Amitabha Prayer Practice. And here is the long text (this is our main text for practice): The Recitation for Accomplishment of Sukhavati from the Sky Dharma Mind Terma.
Please join us as we wish for all beings to have health and peace of mind.
Link to Join Prayer Practice via Zoom: Monday Night Prayer Practice
Password required: WorldPeace
Or join by phone (your normal phone charges may apply):
US: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 646 876 9923 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799
Meeting ID: 970 1801 1835 (there is no participant number, so press # to bypass)
Phone Password: [REDACTED]
International numbers available: https://middlebury.zoom.us/u/abeH9hRvO3
Image by MDC Sangha member Miles McBreen

Monday Winter Solstice Blessing of the Waters--Online
2020-12-21 18:30 - 20:00
Water Blessing 2017
Monday, December 21st, 2020 is the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year. For many years now, at both summer and winter solstices, Khenpo Karten Rinpoche offers a Blessing of the Waters, by reciting two prayers that he composed, Propitiating the Devas of the Four Elements and the Prayer for World Peace. Typically we gather in community and send our good energy to the ocean, to all the waters of the world, and to all of nature and humanity.
This year, once again due to concerns about Covid-19, we will not gather together to perform this ceremony, but each individual is encouraged to visit nature while remaining socially distant, and to “collectively while apart” send good energy out to the world. Practitioners may download these prayers to recite at the beach, by a river, or wherever you choose outside in nature. Bring some flowers to offer and send your good energy and wishes for healing to the waters of the world, all the elements of nature, and all sentient beings. Additionally, here is an “instruction on how to practice” the Blessing of the Waters, composed by Rinpoche and Pema/Aaron with more information on how to conduct a “do-it-yourself” Blessing of the Waters 2020. Instructions on Blessing the Waters
Finally, we will come together at 6:30pm online via Zoom, during our regular Monday night prayer practice, and recite these prayers and wishes together. Below is the Zoom link, and Rinpoche’s Prayer for Peace.
Link to Join Prayer Practice via Zoom: Monday Night Prayer Practice
Password required: WorldPeace
Or join by phone (your normal phone charges may apply):
US: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 646 876 9923 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799
Meeting ID: 970 1801 1835
International numbers available: https://middlebury.zoom.us/u/abeH9hRvO3
Phone Password: [REDACTED]

Prayer for Peace
Through roots of goodness of us all on this vast earth,
May all living creatures become full of
love and compassion,
So that all enjoy peace on earth!

Stop bad intentions, thoughts and deeds
of all those who terrorize others,
That all living beings on this earth
come together like one family!

May all be well, have long life and health
with bliss of mind, free of illusion.
May all mothers have oceans of bliss
of body, for now, and ultimately of mind.

May this lamp of wisdom love, oneness,
highest remedy to clear darkness,
Enter the hearts of all living beings,
so their perfect path be illumined!

Footnote: In the name of all religions on earth, as I see and hear of increasingly many unwarranted harmful actions being enacted, thinking, with a joyful, universal aspiration, how wonderful it would be if all such activities ceased entirely. Khenpo Karten Rinpoche, on 2-4-2015, on Wednesday, His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s auspicious day, wrote this dedication prayer to be recited at the conclusion of other prayers, meditation, or practices.

No Wednesday Night Chanted Prayers
2020-12-23 17:00 - 18:30
ཆོས་གྲོགས་རྣམ་པར་ཞུ་རྒྱུར། གནས་སྐབས་ལས་ཀ་གཞན་གྱི་བྲེལ་ཟིང་གི་རྐྱེན་གྱིས་འབྱུང་འགྱུར་རེས་གཟའ་ལྷག་པ་གསུམ་ལ་ངོ་དེབ་ཐད་གཏོང་ནང་ཆོས་བཤད་དང་། འཚོགས་པ་སོགས་གང་ཡང་མེད་པས་དེ་ལུགས་ཐུགས་ངེས་ཞུ། རེས་གཟའ་སྤེན་པ་དང་། ཉི་མ་ཞོགས་པའི་ལག་ལེན་སོ་བདུན་མའི་ཆོས་ཁྲིད་དང་། རེས་གཟའ་ཟླ་བ་དགུང་མོ་འཆར་ཅན་ལྟར་ཡོད་པའི་འཛུམ་zoom་ནང་གི་ཆོས་ཕྱོགས་ཀྱི་ལས་འཆར་རྣམས་སྔར་རྒྱུན་བཞིན་འགྱུར་བ་མེད་ཅིང་གཤམ་གྱི་དྲ་ཚིག་ནང་མཉམ་ཞུགས་གནང་ཐུབ་པས་ཚང་མས་དེ་ལུགས་དགོངས་དབྱིངས་སུ་མངའ་བར་མཁྱེན།

I want to inform you that Wednesday night prayers conducted on Facebook Live will be CANCELLED for the next several weeks {12/16, 12/23, 12/30, 1/6–until teaching is finished}.

A group of Dharma practitioners and monks have requested a special teaching from me, and Wednesdays are the most convenient time for them. Therefore, we will have to suspend our regular Wednesday night prayers.

Thank you for understanding; continue your Dharma practice at home and please participate in our Monday night prayers every Monday at 6:30PM PST (California Time) on Zoom:
https://middlebury.zoom.us/j/97018011835?pwd=[REDACTED]
You can also join every Saturday and Sunday morning from 8:00 – 9:30AM PST the teaching on the 37 Practices of Bodhisattvas (held in Tibetan). Here is the link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86208736682?pwd=[REDACTED]
Additionally, please watch the newsletter for any other upcoming Dharma activities. Tashi Delek

written by Khenpo Karten Rinpoche, originally posted on the MDC Facebook page on Dec.14th, 2020.

Monday Night Chanted Prayers Online-Green Tara Practice
2020-12-28 18:30 - 20:00
The feminine embodiment of enlightened activity, Green Tara is the swift liberator, a compassionate and loving protector in times of distress and great danger. Through meditating on the form and mantra Arya Tara, and chanting the Praises to her 21 different manifestations, we receive the blessings to become inseparable from Tara herself, actualizing the potential to liberate all motherly sentient beings from the suffering ocean of samsara.
She is known as the Mother of all Buddhas, born from Chenrezig’s tear of compassion. She will swiftly come to comfort and protect those who supplicate her. Especially from emotional, and physical sufferings. In her hands she holds utpala flowers which symbolize power and purity.
This is also my daily practice; we will pray for overcoming fear and clearing of obstacles. Also pray for those who have passed away from coronavirus. We will recite the mantra “OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SOHA “. You can see me and recite the mantra at the same time so we can practice together for those who have recently died. Thank you and Tashi Delek.
Prayers will be recited in both Tibetan and English. (Prayer text will be shown on screen, but we don’t have permission yet to add to our website)
Written by Khenpo Karten Rinpoche, adapted for the Monday night session.
Link to Join Prayer Practice via Zoom: Monday Night Prayer Practice
Password required: WorldPeace
For questions, please contact: rachelmdc2016@gmail.com.

Friday evening January 1st, 2021: The Guru Practice, Rain of Blessings-Online
2021-01-01 17:00 - 18:30
༅༅།། སྤྱི་ལོ་གསར་པའི་ཚེས་པ་གཅིག་སྟེ། ༢༠༢༡ སྤྱི་ཟླ་དང་པོའི་སྤྱི་ཚེས་གཅིག་ཉིན་དགུང་མོ་ཆུ་ཚོད་ལྔ་པའི་ཐོག་གུས་པའི་རྩ་བའི་བླ་མ་སྐྱབས་རྗེ་སངས་རྒྱས་བསྟན་འཛིན་རིན་པོ་ཆེའི་༼བླ་སྒྲུབ་བྱིན་རླབས་ཆར་འབེབས་༽ངོ་དེབ་བརྒྱུད་ཐད་གཏོང་བྱེད་འཆར་ཡོད་པས་ཆོས་གྲོགས་མཉམ་ཞུགས་བྱེད་འདོད་ཡོད་པ་རྣམས་ནས་དེ་ལུགས་ཐུགས་ངེས་ཞུ།

Friday, January 1st, 2021, we will bring in the New Year With the profound practice of Guru Yoga. This will be live-streamed at 5:00PM (PST) California time on Facebook Live. (Via Facebook Live: Manjushri Dharma Center Facebook)

In my lineage, the Guru is everything. He is Three Jewels and the Three Roots. For me, my Root Guru Kyabje Sangye Tenzin Rinpoche is the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. We are truly fortunate to be his followers and to celebrate a fully enlightened Buddha who came to this world in the form of a human being; his loving-kindness can never be repaid! Even though we don’t see him with our physical eyes, he watches over us like a sighted person taking care of the blind. Don’t think that you have never met my Guru; if you have faith and devotion, he definitely extends his compassion to you and we will all receive an unceasing rain of blessings. Everyone who has become the disciple of this Guru should rejoice!

To commemorate the loving-kindness of my Root Guru, we will hold the profound practice of Guru Yoga with the text “The Guru Practice, Rain of Blessings” composed by His Holiness the Karmapa and myself. You can find a link to the text below:

The Guru Practice, Rain of Blessings

The profound practice of Guru Yoga is part of my main practice, and I always pray The Essence Request, as follows:

I pray to the precious Guru;
Grant your blessing so that my mind may give up ego-clinging. Grant your blessing so that contentment may arise in my being. Grant your blessing so that non-Dharmic thoughts may cease. Grant your blessing so that my own mind may be realized as unborn.
Grant your blessing so that illusion may be pacified in itself.
Grant your blessing so that phenomena may be realized as Dharmakaya.

Please do not miss this most auspicious opportunity to commence the New Year! Tashi Delek

Via Facebook Live: Manjushri Dharma Center Facebook

No Weekend Sat/Sun 37 Practices of Bodhisattvas
2021-01-02 08:00 - 09:30
The teachings will resume on January 9-10, 2021, but then also pause over the retreat weekend of January 16-17, 2021. Teachings will resume regularly on January 23-24, 2021.

How to Have a (Truly) Happy New Year-A Virtual Public Talk
2021-01-15 18:00 - 20:00
How to Have a (Truly) Happy New Year
A Virtual Public Talk
with Khenpo Karten Rinpoche
Friday, January 15th, 2021
6:00 – 8:00 PM Pacific Time
Online via Zoom
Free & Open to the Public–Registration Requested

About the Talk
Are you hoping to find purpose and meaning in the events of the past year, while living with greater peace and authenticity in the year to come? Spend an evening with Tibetan monk, scholar, and meditation master, Khenpo Karten Rinpoche, who has distilled centuries of Buddhist wisdom to its essence in original poetic verse. With warmth and clarity, Rinpoche will draw on his decades of personal study and meditation practice to explain a selection of verses on the nature of happiness and methods to cultivate it. Time will be made for Rinpoche to answer your questions. Attendees are also invited to register for our virtual annual retreat (Jan 16-18, 2021), where Rinpoche will teach on The Instructions of Gampopa: Precious Garland of the Supreme Path. More about the retreat can be found on our webpage: https://manjushridharmacenter.org/event/january-retreat-2021-precious-garland-of-the-supreme-path-online/2021-01-16/
About the Teacher, Khenpo Karten Rinpoche
Sangye Tenzin Rinpoche (left) with Khenpo Karten (right), his heart student.
Khenpo Karten Rinpoche is an accomplished teacher and practitioner of the Karma Kagyu Lineage and is also trained in the Nyingma Lineage of Buddhism. He was born in the beautiful mountains of the Himalayas of Tibet. At the age of twelve, he was ordained at Ja-pa monastery, where he began his formal education of reading, writing and ritual practice. At the age of fifteen having completed the basic studies, he furthered his studies in the Sutra and Tantric texts under the accomplished master Khenchen Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche and Pema Tsewang Rinpoche for eight years. Subsequently Khenpo Karten Rinpoche went to the hermitage of anther accomplished teacher, Sangye Tenzin Rinpoche and completed five years of retreat under the great master. In the retreat he completed the practices of the Naropa’s six yoga, Mahamudra and many others. In recognition of his achievements, Sangye Tenzin Ringpoche bestowed upon him the title, Khenpo Karma Lekshe Tharchin in 1994.
In 1996, he left Tibet and traveled to Dharamsala, India to meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Upon
Khenpo Karten Rinpoche (right) with His Holiness the Dalai Lama (upper left) and the Manjushri Dharma Center (lower right)
His Holiness’ advice, he spent another two years doing retreat. H.H Dalai Lama also recognizing his achievement, bestowed upon him the title Khenpo Rinpoche. After his retreat, Khenpo Karten Rinpoche was requested by H.E Tai Situ Rinpoche to go to the monastery of Venerable Tsoknyi Rinpoche, to teach the young monks there.
Khenpo Karten arrived in the United States in 2008, and taught in the Monterey Bay area for the first time in September of that year. After meeting a group of prospective students and seeing the hills of Big Sur which remind him of Tibet, he returned in 2009 to make the Monterey Bay his permanent home. Since then, Rinpoche has established the Manjushri Dharma Center (MDC) in Pacific Grove, California, which has become his main teaching location and his home residence. With unflinching faith in the precious Buddha Dharma, Khenpo Karten Rinpoche, now a U.S. citizen, bestows sacred teachings to thousands of people all over the world, with weekly teachings and events.

Registration
Registration is requested, but not required. Registration will allow participants to receive a reminder email two days prior to the event, and fifteen minutes ahead, so the links below will be close at hand. To register, please visit EventBrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-to-have-a-truly-happy-new-year-public-talk-wkhenpo-karten-rinpoche-tickets-134906156947

Zoom link: How to Have a (Truly) Happy New Year–Virtual Public Talk
Password: [REDACTED]
To join by phone: first dial one of the phone numbers below (normal charges apply), then enter the meeting ID, there is no participant ID so just press #, then enter the password, and you will be able to hear the teachings over the phone. For international numbers, click this link.
US: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 646 876 9923 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799
Meeting ID: 943 7151 7846
Password: [REDACTED]

For questions & more information
Please contact Aaron Joseph, Manjushri Dharma Center Board President, 805-618-8822 or jwlinthelotus@yahoo.com. You may also subscribe to our weekly newsletter for updates on events and written teachings delivered to your email in-box each Monday.
The beautiful image of Big Sur shown above is by Miles McBreen.

A Precious Garland of the Supreme Path: A Three-Day Virtual Retreat with Khenpo Karten Rinpoche & Guests
2021-01-16 10:00 - 16:00
The Instructions of Gampopa: A Precious Garland of the Supreme Path
A Three-Day Virtual Retreat with Khenpo Karten Rinpoche
& Guest Teachers Lama Leshe Zangpo and Thich Minh Tinh (Thay Kozen)
Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, January 16-18, 2021
10:00am-12:00pm & 2:00pm-4:00pm Pacific Time
Online via Zoom–Registration Required
Donation requested at $10.00 per session, $50.00 for entire retreat
No one turned away for lack of funds
About the Retreat
Spend three days with Tibetan monk, scholar, and meditation master, Khenpo Karten Rinpoche as he teaches on The Instructions of Gampopa: A Precious Garland of the Supreme Path, written by the Venerable Gampopa Sonam Rinchen. With warmth and clarity, Rinpoche will draw on his decades of personal study and meditation practice to explain the nature of happiness and methods to cultivate it. Attendees will receive the oral transmission of the text, as well as extensive teachings on one of the masterworks in the Buddhist tradition. In Precious Garland of the Supreme Path, Gampopa lays out 28 lists, each containing key oral instructions on all levels of the path to Enlightenment–succinct points for right actions and intentions. The text includes many inspiring and poetic descriptions of the ultimate nature of mind and reality. Time will be made during each day for the chanted prayer practice of Amitabha Buddha (the Buddha of Infinite Light), and on Saturday and Sunday morning, we will enjoy special guest teachings from the Venerable Lama Leshe Zangpo and the Venerable Thich Minh Tinh (Thay Kozen). Additionally, Rinpoche will give all attendees the opportunity to renew the Bodhisattva vow (a promise to practice love and compassion), and to pray for peace in the coming year. Teachings will be in Tibetan and English (with English interpretation/translation). A preliminary schedule and more details are below.

Retreat Schedule
Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021
Session One: 10:00am-12:00pm PT: Oral Transmission, Amitabha Practice & Dharma Teaching from the Venerable Leshe Zangpo on the Four Causes for Rebirth in Sukavatti.
Session Two: 2:00pm-4:00pm PT: Oral Transmission & Teachings on A Precious Garland of the Supreme Path from Khenpo Karten Rinpoche

Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021
Session Three: 10:00am-12:00pm PT: Amitabha Practice & Dharma Teaching from the Venerable Thich Minh Tinh (Thay Kozen). “I would like to tell the story of the beautiful Metta Sutra and the wonder filled life living the Brahmavihāra. Metta (loving kindness ) opens our hearts to living a kind and caring life; as we learn to let go of anxiety, stress, anger, ignorance and desire,” says Ven. Kozen.
Session Four: 2:00pm-4:00pm PT: Teachings on A Precious Garland of the Supreme Path from Khenpo Karten Rinpoche

Monday, Jan. 18, 2021
Session Five: 10:00am-12:00pm PT: Amitabha Practice, Bodhisattva Vows, Butter Lamp Prayer & Conclusion of Teachings

Registration, Donation, and Zoom Participation

Step one: REGISTER via EventBrite. Click the link to register.
Step two: Donate–This is a fundraiser for the Manjushri Dharma Center, so your generosity in giving $10.00 per session or $50.00 for the retreat is appreciated. If you can give an additional amount to pay for those who cannot donate at this time, that would be greatly appreciated. If you cannot donate at this time, please know there is no shame in that, and you are still welcome to join all sessions. You will indicate any amount comfortable for you to complete registration. All donations are tax deductible.
Step three: Zoom link–The Zoom link is below, or you may join by phone.

Retreat Zoom Link:
https://middlebury.zoom.u/j/99243407554?pwd=[REDACTED]

Password: [REDACTED]

Or by telephone:

Or Telephone:
US: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 646 876 9923 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799

Meeting ID: 992 4340 7554 (No participant ID, press # to bypass)
Phone Password: [REDACTED]
International numbers available: https://middlebury.zoom.us/u/aeuAxOnHp

About the Venerable Khenpo Karten Rinpoche

Khenpo Karten Rinpoche is an accomplished teacher and practitioner of the Karma Kagyu Lineage and is also trained in the Nyingma Lineage of Buddhism. He was born in the beautiful mountains of the Himalayas of Tibet. At the age of twelve, he was ordained at Ja-pa monastery, where he began his formal education of reading, writing and ritual practice. At the age of fifteen having completed the basic studies, he furthered his studies in the Sutra and Tantric texts under the accomplished master Khenchen Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche and Pema Tsewang Rinpoche for eight years. Subsequently Khenpo Karten Rinpoche went to the hermitage of anther accomplished teacher, Sangye Tenzin Rinpoche and completed five years of retreat under the great master. In the retreat he completed the practices of the Naropa’s six yoga, Mahamudra and many others. In recognition of his achievements, Sangye Tenzin Ringpoche bestowed upon him the title, Khenpo Karma Lekshe Tharchin in 1994.
In 1996, he left Tibet and traveled to Dharamsala, India to meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Upon His Holiness’ advice, he spent another two years doing retreat. H.H Dalai Lama also recognizing his achievement, bestowed upon him the title Khenpo Rinpoche. After his retreat, Khenpo Karten Rinpoche was requested by H.E Tai Situ Rinpoche to go to the monastery of Venerable Tsoknyi Rinpoche, to teach the young monks there.
Khenpo Karten arrived in the United States in 2008, and taught in the Monterey Bay area for the first time in September of that year. After meeting a group of prospective students and seeing the hills of Big Sur which remind him of Tibet, he returned in 2009 to make the Monterey Bay his permanent home. Since then, Rinpoche has established the Manjushri Dharma Center (MDC) in Pacific Grove, California, which has become his main teaching location and his home residence. With unflinching faith in the precious Buddha Dharma, Khenpo Karten Rinpoche, now a U.S. citizen, bestows sacred teachings to thousands of people all over the world, with weekly teachings and events.

About the Venerable Thich Minh Tinh (Thay Kozen)

Thich Minh Tinh (Thay Kozen) is a Buddhist monk in the Zen tradition, and co-founder of the Mount Adams Buddhist Temple at the Trout Lake Abbey retreat center in Trout Lake, Washington. For several years, Khenpo Karten Rinpoche and his sangha in Portland, Oregon have made their annual retreat at the Trout Lake Abbey, where Thay Kozen and Khenpo Karten became good friends. Thay Kozen has been transmitted in the Vietnamese Rinzai Zen line of Thich Thien An and Thich An Giao. In addition he has studied in Japan with Nanrei Kabori Roshi, then in the US with Soyu Mastsuoka Roshi, then in Japan with Doki Suda Roshi. Matsuoka Roshi later transmitted Kozen after a period of time as the Long Beach Zen Center’s administrative assistant. It is under Matsuoka Roshi’s and Thich An Giao’s request that Kozen teaches and maintains a temple and teaches. Saito Roshi from Japan, has been a mentor and dear friend and teacher. Saito Roshi and Kozen were both student priests over 40 years ago in Southern Japan.

About the Venerable Lama Leshe Zangpo

Lama Leshe Zangpo is a longtime friend of Khenpo Karten Rinpoche and fellow ordained monk in the Gelug tradition. He will teach on the Four Causes for Rebirth in Sukhavatti, using the text “Sukhavatti Aspiration.”

About the Venerable Gampopa Sonam Rinchen

The Venerable Gampopa (སྒམ་པོ་པ་བསོད་ནམས་རིན་ཆེན།) is known as the father of the Kagyu Lineage in Tibet. Gampopa lived from 1070 to 1153 of the common era. He was born in Central Tibet, trained in Buddha-dharma and medicine, and was known as a great doctor and healer. At age 26, there was a terrible epidemic in Tibet. He buried both of his children, a daughter and a son, and then his wife became ill. He promised his wife on her deathbed that he would become a monk and devote his life to Buddhism. He knew great sorrow, losing his wife and family, but determined to become a monk and fulfill his promise. He eventually met the great yogi Milarepa and became his foremost student. He founded the system of Mahamudra which combines the tantric teachings of the great siddhas of India with the graduated path teachings of Atisha.
Gampopa wrote a number of commentaries on Buddha’s teachings, including The Jewel Ornament of Liberation and The Instructions of Gampopa: A Precious Garland of the Supreme Path. In A Precious Garland he gives precise instructions on what is needed to develop one’s understanding, meditation and conduct on the spiritual path for practitioners of beginning, moderate, and advanced levels. Gampopa succinctly outlines in twenty-eight categories what we need to know in order to perfect our spiritual practice–bullet points for right actions and intentions. The text includes many inspiring and poetic descriptions of the ultimate nature of mind and reality.

Texts and Resources:

Mandala Offering and Request for Teaching (recited by the students for each teacher)
The Recitation for Accomplishment of Sukhavati from the Sky Dharma Mind Terma (Amitabha Prayers)
Sukavatti Aspiration Prayer (Saturday morning text by Ven. Leshe Zangpo)
The Instructions of Gampopa: A Precious Garland of the Supreme Path, Shambala Publications, 1996; or on Amazon (we cannot offer a free version here, but plan to show the text on the screen during our Zoom retreat)
Bodhisattva Vows Prayer
Butter Lamp Prayer
Prayer for World Peace
Prayer for the Long Life of Khenpo Karten Rinpoche
Additional resources:

Khenpo Karten Rinpoche previously taught on the Jewel Ornament of Liberation, and he composed a succinct and poetic commentary called the “Excellent Path Of Freedom, The Jewel Ornament of Liberation in Brief.”
Khenpo Karten wrote “Showing the Path to Liberation: An Exhortation To Seek Isolated Places,” which is a good text to read prior to retreat, along with his blog post, “A Reminder Prior to Retreat.“

Virtual Shrine:
Khenpo Karten Rinpoche has expressed his preference that we leave our cameras on (as willing and able) during virtual practice and teachings. It brings him joy to see all of us sangha together as if we are in one place. During this upcoming retreat, Rinpoche has a special request for us to prepare a shrine in our practice space and make it visible on camera (it is okay to position the shrine behind us), as a way to inspire each other’s practice with many pleasing offering and images of holy dharma on screen. This is of course optional, but you are warmly encouraged to do so. Traditional Tibetan Buddhist shrines typically have supports for Enlightened Body (statues or pictures of deities and teachers), Enlightened Speech (scriptures and mantras), and Enlightened Mind (represented by a crystal, mirror, or stupa), and sense offerings such as flowers, candles, incense, or a row of seven bowls of water symbolizing seven types of offerings. However, your shrine may also be as delicately simple as a flower, a candle, and a photograph of the Buddha or other holy being.

Butter Lamp and Khata Offering:

At the conclusion of the retreat, Khenpo Karten will lead us in a traditional “Butter lamp offering prayer.” The offering of butter lamps symbolizes filling the world with the light of wisdom and dispelling the darkness of ignorance, which is the root of all suffering. For this prayer, please have a candle ready to light and hold during the prayer. If you have one, please also have a khata (traditional Tibetan white silk scarf) ready, so that we may make a virtual khata offering to Rinpoche and the guest lamas at the conclusion of the retreat.
Advice for the Virtual Retreat:

This weekend, let us collectively rejoice in the decision to engage in even a few days of online retreat. We are extremely fortunate to be able to hear the liberating wisdom of the Buddha dharma. To even have the inclination to focus our efforts on study and meditation on this long weekend, when many others are just watching extra Netflix shows, is a rare phenomenon. At the beginning of the COVID shutdowns nearly a year ago, many of us marveled at the quiet, and took advantage of both the heightened awareness of suffering and the time at home to step up our meditation practice. Now, we have an opportunity to reflect on where our mind and actions are, a year into the pandemic lifestyle. Have we continued to keep up the level of spiritual practice we might have been inspired to engage in when this situation began, or have we, like so many others, settled into the “new normal” and slowly reverted to a level of distraction and busy-ness similar to what we experienced before. Let us reinvigorate our determination to take advantage of our precious human life, and remember the suffering of motherly sentient beings in samsara. Even though most of us are in our own homes, and we might have family around us and other other responsibilities in the evenings, let us make a concerted effort, for these two-and-a-half days, to disengage from the distractions of ordinary activities and focus whole-heartedly on the Dharma to the greatest extent possible. If you are able sleep in a different room than usual (or even a tent) and maintain “noble silence” during the whole weekend, that is excellent! Perhaps you are only able to shut off your cell phone between the hours of 10 AM and 4 PM. That is excellent! Whatever the case, consider the level of retreat you can realistically commit to, and maintain that discipline. This will be of great benefit to you, as it will increase the merit of your hearing, contemplation and practice of the teachings during this special weekend.
How to Make a Donation of Dana at the MDC January Retreat 2021
Dana is a monetary offering to an individual–it is a sign of respect and thanks for the teachings and services provided during the retreat. You may make a dana offering by following the steps below:
Step 1: Fill out our Dana Donation Form to specify your wishes
Step 2: Make Payment by credit/debit card or by check.
We will distribute your donations to each teacher in the amount you specified, sending a final check for all dana collected.
For Payment by Credit/Debit Card:

Please go directly to PayPal– https://www.paypal.com/ and enter your login information. Then select “Send” and enter the following email: carmelkhenpo@gmail.com and this will reach Manjushri Dharma Center. You may put the name “Manjushri Dharma Center” in the name if it requires it. You may put a note in the payment to specify that the donation is for Dana or any specific fund or purpose. We will make sure to honor your intentions.
For Payment by Check:

Please make checks out to “Manjushri Dharma Center” and mail to 724 Forest Avenue, Pacific Grove, CA.

For questions, contact: Pam Krone, MDC Co-Treasurer: pamkrone@gmail.com

For questions & more information
Please contact Aaron Joseph, Manjushri Dharma Center Board President, 805-618-8822 or jwlinthelotus@yahoo.com. You may also subscribe to our weekly newsletter for updates on events and written teachings delivered to your email in-box each Monday.

Annual All-Sangha Meeting--Online
2021-01-18 12:00 - 13:00
Dear MDC Sangha and Friends,
We warmly invite all to attend our annual All-Sangha Meeting (held for the first time virtually!), immediately following the closing of our winter retreat. This is an important event, as we review and rejoice in all our wonderful dharma activities of the previous year, keep you informed of MDC’s financial health and important projects, get your precious feedback about what you would like to see in the year to come, and elect new members to the board. Please join if you are able, whether or not you attended the retreat, and feel free to enjoy food and drink during the meeting.
Please contact Rachel C. (rachelmdc2016@gmail.com) to receive the Zoom link, or check this webpage on Monday morning when it will be made available here.
We hope to see you there!
For Khenpo Karten Rinpoche and Manjushri Dharma Center,
The MDC Board

Zoom link
https://middlebury.zoom.u/j/99243407554?pwd=[REDACTED]
Password: [REDACTED]

Or by telephone:
US: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 646 876 9923 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799

Meeting ID: 992 4340 7554 (No participant ID, press # to bypass)
Phone Password: [REDACTED] (phone password only–different from above)
International numbers available: https://middlebury.zoom.us/u/aeuAxOnHp

No Monday Night Chanted Prayers
2021-01-18 18:30 - 20:00
