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Lama Zopa Rinpoche at GGBC, March 2011
Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche
March 12, 13 & 19 – Oral Transmission (lung) of the Sutra of Golden Light (long version)*
Update: One more session added for Golden Light Sutra on Sunday, March 20 at 4pm
March 20 – White Tara Long-life Initiation (jenang)
New: Check this out: What Did I Miss? – a review of the teachings
During these frightening times of both natural and man-made disasters, being with an actual bodhisattva such as Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche–whose every action is done only to benefit all sentient beings–is the best place to be.
- Drimay
Times: Doors open at 3pm. Golden Light sessions are scheduled to begin at 4pm, going until about 10pm. There will be breaks for dinner. Rinpoche has been spending about 3/4 of the time teaching and leading meditations and about 1/4 giving the actual oral transmission.
New: Saturday’s 4:00 session will start off with some special activities–a 16 Arhats pujas and some presentations–to request Rinpoche to live a long life.
Note: There is a 4:00 session on Sunday as well.
The White Tara initiation on March 20 is scheduled to begin at 7:30pm. The program is likely to go late on this night.
Location: Doubletree Hotel, 2050 Gateway Place, San Jose, CA 95110. Directions. Due to the large number of participants expected, we are holding these events outside of our center in a hotel conference hall. There will also be a block of rooms for out-of-town guests (see access codes below).
Parking: Parking is $5.00 with your validated ticket. We will validate at the registration table. No in and out privileges, please consider carpooling.
Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche is the spiritual head of the FPMT, the organization that our center is affiliated with. Read more about him here.
“Sutra of Golden Light” Oral Transmission (lung)
In order to extinguish all unwholesome deeds
I will proclaim this auspicious subline discourse
That exhausts all negative karma,
Grants all peace and happiness,
Completely eliminates suffering,
Which is adorned with all that is glorious
And is the foundation of omniscience.
*Slight correction to what was previously posted: It turns out that Rinpoche is giving the 31-chapter version, not 29. By the end of Sunday night, March 13, he had completed Chapter 3. Most of the time Rinpoche is giving teachings and leading meditations.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche often recommends that we recite the Sutra of Golden Light to eliminate obstacles and to have success with beneficial activities. At the San Francisco teachings, Rinpoche expressed his wish to spread the Sutra of Golden Light as a means to avert disaster–in the world, but especially in our area.
Rinpoche plans to give the transmission of the long version, i.e. the 29-chapter version of the Sutra of Golden Light. See the FPMT website for a page about the short version with links for downloading translations of it in various language. The long version is still in the translation process.
Rinpoche will be reciting the sutra to us, thus giving us the direct master to disciple transmission planting the seeds of realizations in our mind-streams. Lama Zopa Rinpoche generally gives quite a bit of introduction, leading us in a motivation and reminding us of the general points of the Buddha-Dharma. There is usually a thorough dedication at the end of the evening.
All are welcome to attend this transmission. There are no pre-requisites or commitments.
Text: Copies of the Golden Light Sutra in English and Chinese will be available at the event.
White Tara Long-life Initiation (jenang)
White Tara booklet from FPMT store
The practice of White Tara strengthens and restores good health and life-force energy by gathering all the various elements needed to sustain and nurture health and removing life obstacles. In addition, by relying on White Tara, we are quickly able to gain whatever is needed to accomplish our aims in this life.
White Tara is from the class of tantra called kriya, or action, and so on the day of the initiation you should keep a vegetarian diet and avoid smelly foods like those of the onion family.
‘Jenang’ is a type of initiation which give us permission to do the practice. Note: You don’t have to have Refuge and Bodhisattva Vows before coming to the initiation; you will get those at the time of the initiation.
Here are the general guidelines provided by the FPMT International Office regarding commitments:
COMMITMENTS
The commitments listed below are to give a general indication of what Rinpoche usually gives.
To take the initiation one will have to take refuge at the beginning. This is the basis of the initiation. For some initiations it is also necessary to take bodhisattva vows and tantric vows as part of the initiation.
Anyone can attend the motivation for a jenang. It is excellent that any student attends the motivation for the jenang – that is the main thing for all students, and is essential for those taking the jenang.
For those students who are taking the jenang as an initiation (this only refers to jenang of lower tantra not Highest Yoga Tantra), Rinpoche gives 3 options in terms of bodhisattva vows:
1) those who have taken bodhisattva vows before have the chance to renew those vows
2) those who haven’t taken bodhisattva vows before have the opportunity to take the wishing vows
3) for those who are not yet willing to take wishing vows Rinpoche gives the option to promise to practice more compassion in their life.
These are the only 3 options in terms of vows, which are taken on the basis of taking refuge – which is mandatory.
For White Tara there are generally no further commitments in terms of retreats or mantra recitation.
NB: Lama Zopa Rinpoche does not wish to have a guru-disciple relationship with anyone who is practicing Shugden.
[Taking an initiation from someone establishes a guru-disciple relationship.]
Accessibility
As Rinpoche speaks, notes will be typed onto a projector that you will be able to see on a screen at the front of the room.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche teaches in English, but being a native of Nepal (of the Sherpa people), he speaks with an accent. It usually takes time to get used to his way of speaking. Be patient with it and enjoy spending time with a realized master. As you learn more and more about the Dharma, you will pick up more of what he is saying. (Rinpoche spoke quite clearly at the recent teachings hosted by Tse Chen Ling and new students found that they could follow along fine with the help of the projector notes.)
There will be translation into Chinese. If you want to listen to the Chinese translation, you need to bring an FM radio with earphones.
Hotel Accommodation
Here are the codes for our block of hotel rooms:
The code for the first weekend is C-604. The price is $105.00 +$5.00 parking+ tax.
The code for the second weekend is C-606. The price is $75.00+ $5.00 parking+tax.
You can also mention it’s for the Gyalwa Gyatso event and get the discount.
Go to the Doubletree website for details on rooms.
About Ticket Prices
On the registration page you will see various prices for tickets, with early bird discount before Feb 28. There are also discounts for pledged members of the center.
You might be wondering why we are charging these prices. The answer is: We are depending completely on ticket purchases (and any additional generous donation you wish to give) to cover the expenses of these events. The center does not have any reserve fund to cover this.
The expenses are expected to run to at least $10,000. Our share of the international tour cost is $6000. The base price of the conference room rental is $2000 (for the four days). Once our organizing team has a more specific breakdown, we will post that here.
Thank you for supporting this visit of Lama Zopa Rinpoche to our area.
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