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Buddha House
Centre for Advanced Buddhist Studies Inc
Tel (08) 8333 2824
Address
1 Fisher St, Tusmore
Postal
PO Box 434, Glenside, 5065, South Australia
Buddha House is affiliated with the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT
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Lama Choden Rinpoche in Adelaide 2009 |
Ancient Teachings from an Authentic Master Representing the pure lineage 9 - 11 January 2009 - Teachings, Practices, Public Talks, Chenrezig Empowerment
{xtypo_quote}my feeling is that each word Rinpoche says is coming from his own realization and that is why each word is very, very effective - like an atomic bomb to pacify delusion. More specifically, because of the very pure samaya that Rinpoche has with his own Gurus every single word of the teachings can benefit because it carries so much blessing. Born in 1933 in eastern Tibet, Choden Rinpoche was recognized at age three as the reincarnation of the previous Rinpoche, and entered Rabten monastery at age eight. This renowned Lama was selected to debate with His Holiness the Dalai Lama during his geshe exams. During the communist Chinese takeover of Tibet in 1959, Choden Rinpoche stayed in Tibet and went into solitary retreat for 19 years. He never left his tiny, dark room in Lhasa from 1965 to 1985. At the request of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Choden Rinpoche has now visited the west several times to give teachings and lead retreats.
ProgramProgram 9 - 11 January, 2009: Friday 9 January,
Saturday 10 January
Sunday 11 January
About Choden Rinpoche
Born in 1933 in eastern Tibet, Choden Rinpoche was recognized at age three as the reincarnation of the previous Rinpoche, who himself had been one of the candidates for the twelfth Dalai Lama. At age eight he entered Rabten monastery, and at age fifteen he went to Sera Je monastery, where he studied the five main texts. Although Rinpoche studied through the Lharam class and could have become a geshe, his teacher asked him not to take the exams yet. Choden Rinpoche decided to study the teachings on Vinaya - monastic discipline - and is regarded as one of the foremost experts on the subject. Choden Rinpoche was one of the two Sera Je lamas selected to debate with His Holiness the Dalai Lama during His Holiness's geshe exams. During the communist Chinese takeover of Tibet in 1959, Choden Rinpoche stayed in Tibet and went into solitary retreat for 19 years. He never left his tiny, dark room in Lhasa from 1965 to 1985, and was virtually unknown in his monastery for this reason. In 1985 he was allowed to leave Tibet for India, and has since taught for many years to thousands of students at Sera Je monastery in South India. At the request of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Choden Rinpoche has now visited the west several times to give teachings and lead retreats. Lama Zopa Rinpoche talks about Choden Rinpoche at Land of Medicine Buddha "Those students who have received teachings from Choden Rinpoche in the past, starting from the first time we invited Rinpoche to Vajrapani will have some idea and recognition of some of Rinpoche's qualities. Of course it is only when we become enlightened that can we see every single quality that Rinpoche possesses - the vast and inconceivable secret qualities of the Buddha are the object of knowledge of only Buddhas themselves, even arhats and tenth level bodhisattvas cannot perceive them. However, those who have taken teachings before will be able to see that Rinpoche has vast knowledge and experience - not only having vast intellectual understanding but also his holy mind enriched with oceans of realizations as vast as space, being soft-minded, having completed the mind training in good heart, being pure and possessing all the qualities of the learned ones. This much we are able to see and feel. Actually, all the qualities of the Guru that Rinpoche mentioned over the past few days of Lam Rim teachings are qualities that he himself possesses. Rinpoche himself has the ten qualities mentioned in Maitreya Buddha's teaching, the Ornament of the Sutras. He is a virtuous friend who has pacified his mind by living in the training of moral conduct, who has pacified his mind by the training in concentration, and who is extremely pacified due to the training in great insight. Then, Rinpoche has greater qualities than the disciples, has perseverance - you can see there is not even the slightest stain of laziness - and is enriched with all the lineages of the three baskets of teachings including tantra. Also he has the highest realization of emptiness according to the Prasangika school, not just a lower school view of emptiness such as svatantrika or mind only, which could be implied by the quality of "great insight". Then, Rinpoche is extremely skilful in the way he teaches - able to make the teachings very effective, has compassion and no upsetness in guiding the disciples, in revealing the teachings. Rinpoche also has all the qualities mentioned in the Guru Puja. He has the ten qualities, has well-disciplined the three doors of body, speech and mind, has great wisdom, patience, a sincere heart, and is free of pretence or cunning - not hiding his own mistakes. And Rinpoche has complete understanding of the four classes of tantra, including the highest, mahaanuttaratantra. He not only has intellectual understanding but also the actual realization of the real meaning of mantra or ngag - the clear light, the transcendental wisdom of non-dual bliss and voidness of mahaanuttaratantra. Rinpoche has the ten outer qualities of the lower tantras and the ten inner qualities of highest tantra. Then, in the Fifty Verses of Guru Devotion there are five qualities mentioned: having unshakeable devotion to the Mahayana teachings, being learned in all the Mahayana teachings - the common sutra teachings and in particular the tantric teachings, the whole path to enlightenment - great compassion, being expert in guiding disciples, and being well disciplined in body, speech and mind. Rinpoche is qualified in all of these. So I thought to mention all these qualities for the new people who are coming, who have some interest in the spiritual path, but no idea at all about the Guru and how everything depends upon searching for, finding, examining and then devoting oneself to a perfect Guru. This is the most important thing for spiritual practice and Choden Rinpoche is the real Tibetan Lama, the real Guru to whom they can devote themselves if they really want to practice a spiritual path. Of course no question this is the same of all my other Gurus, except myself, I am Mickey Mouse. I mention this so you know that this is not blind faith or getting into something that could later cheat you, some big hallucination. The other thing I want to say is that my feeling is that each word Rinpoche says is coming from his own realization and that is why each word is very, very effective - like an atomic bomb to pacify delusion. More specifically, because of the very pure samaya that Rinpoche has with his own Gurus every single word of the teachings can benefit because it carries so much blessing. This is the most important thing. How quickly the disciple gets realization and achieves enlightenment depends on the good relationship, samaya, with the Gurus. When the samaya is good the disciple can achieve realization very quickly and get enlightened, otherwise not, again they become obscured and there are obstacles. Because every single word is coming from his realizations and pure samaya with his Gurus, if you meditate continuously as Rinpoche gives teachings and continue to meditate on that basis I would think that definitely you will achieve realization. For example, Rinpoche is just about to finish the section on Guru Devotion, so if you continue to meditate on what Rinpoche has taught every day definitely you will achieve realization. It is the same with the other topics that Rinpoche teaches, as Rinpoche starts to teach, if you continue to meditate at the same time I would think that because of Rinpoche's blessings coming from realizations as well as pure samaya with the Gurus it will definitely change the mind. If one puts effort to meditate at the same time as Rinpoche is teaching, definitely you will have realizations. This is my general comment that I want to emphasize for new students, old students, everyone. There are many people who achieve realizations during teachings - while the Lama is teaching their mind gets moved and they get realizations. Therefore, of course at home there are many engagements and for those who live far away it may not be easy to come everyday, also I understand that there have been many great Lamas and other gurus teaching in the area but one should not think that there will be this opportunity all the time. This opportunity can be stopped anytime. So I would like to emphasize for the old students to attend the Lam Rim teachings as much as possible. Originally it was Ribur Rinpoche's advice to invite a very powerful lama to give the Lam Rim Chen Mo teachings at LMB, so this happened due to Rinpoche's kindness. So even though there are many engagements at home, in the family, but if one is able to make the time I would suggest to try as much as possible to attend Choden Rinpoche's Lam Rim teachings. For sure the result is that there will be no regret in the future at all. No regret in the future - the future is enlightenment, the realizations of the path to enlightenment. If you continue to meditate on the Lam Rim as Rinpoche gives teachings - of course it depends on each individual's karma - but I would definitely think there can be realization. And Rinpoche is someone whose mind is always in the practice, in the pure Dharma, without even one second's break. This is the comment I always make about Choden Rinpoche. So if one really meditates as Rinpoche gives teaching on the Lam Rim and really puts effort, there can be some change, one can really have some experience, development in the heart due to Rinpoche's blessing - his realizations and his pure samaya with his Gurus. I thought to say this, because even though I received many Lam Rim teachings myself, but of course the mind is still totally empty, so because my mind is empty I need to receive more teachings to subdue the mind. I received teaching so many times, even from His Holiness the Dalai Lama but my mind is still empty, so I feel good to receive more Lam Rim teachings, it is really unbelievable, incredible. There is nothing better to do in life than this. There is no happier life than this. Also, in Rinpoche's teachings there are many special clarifications that you do not normally hear. Rinpoche is not only a great scholar knowing many words but at the same time very humble, no ego, extremely soft-minded inside - having great knowledge but at the same time extremely subdued, soft-hearted. That is how the practice is and that is how we should become also. We should become like Rinpoche. So it is very important at this time to attend these Lam Rim teachings. We are unbelievably fortunate to be able to meet Rinpoche and hear teachings, unbelievably fortunate. What else is there to have realizations on? The rest of the world is suffering so much from the turmoil of ignorance, anger, attachment and there is more and more killing and bombing. This shows us how unbelievably fortunate we are. The world situation inspires us to practice so we can bring more peace to the world and to all sentient beings. Last time I thought to have more Sangha attend the teachings. I think particularly Sangha really need to learn the way Rinpoche understands and to become like Rinpoche. That is our goal. Thank you very much! Costs & VenueCosts & Venue: Full Weekend Program (Fri-Sun): $140 (members) / $200 (non-members) / $170 (conc.)This includes participation in the morning practices and lunch during the weekend.
Single Day: Teachings only: Per day: $50 (m) $70 (w), $60 (c) A $40 non-refundable deposit is required in order to reserve a place in teachings. Tickets for sale on the door if available. Venue for all events - Buddha House, 1 Fisher Street, Tusmore
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