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TRANSCRIPT
Newsletter of PhenDheLing Tibetan Buddhist Centre
Vol 53 July / August / September 2017
Continuing extracts from ‘My Spiritual Autobiography’ by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, 2009. Personal Reflections, Teachings and Talks collected by Sofia Stril-Rever, Translated by Charlotte Mandell.
My Childhood in Lhasa I climb up onto the Lion Throne.
DURING THE WINTER of 1940, they brought me to the Potala, where I was officially enthroned as the spiritual leader of Tibet. I have no particular memory of this ceremony, except that, for the first time, I sat on the Lion Throne, a wooden seat, very large, encrusted with jewels and magnificently sculpted, set up in the Sishi Phuntsok, “the Hall of all the meritorious actions in the temporal and spiritual world,” the main assembly hall in the eastern wing of the Potala.
Soon afterward, I was led to the Jokhang Temple, in the middle of the city, and there I was ordained a novice monk; then we proceeded to the hair-cutting ceremony, which I don’t remember much of, except that at a certain moment, when I saw the brocade costumes of the monks performing a ritual dance, I shouted excitedly to my brother, “Look over there!”
My hair was symbolically cut by Reting Rinpoche, the regent, who, along with acting as head of state until I came of age, occupied the position of my chief tutor. In the beginning, I
CONTACT DETAILS FOR PHENDHELING We now have new email addresses at Phendheling to make it easier for our members and friends to direct their enquires to the relevant people. Spiritual consultations : [email protected] Membership and accounts: [email protected] Newsletter and General enquires: [email protected] Event bookings & registrations: [email protected]
was guarded around him, but then I began to like him very much. He was a man with a great imagination and a very open mind, who always saw the bright side of life. He liked picnics and horses, which made him a great friend of my father’s. Unfortunately, during his years as regent he became a controversial character in a corrupt government in which buying and selling high offices was common practice.
At the time of my ordination there were a lot of rumors to the effect that Reting Rinpoche could not carry out the hair-cutting ritual, since people were saying he had broken his vows of celibacy and was no longer a monk.
Still, following the ancient custom, I exchanged my name of Lhamo Thondup for his own, Jamphel Yeshe. Attached to several other names, my full name became Jamphel (“Awakened Wisdom”) Ngawang (“Prince of Speech”) Lobsang (“Perfect Intelligence”) Yeshe (“Exalted Wisdom”) Tenzin (“Holder of the Teachings”) Gyatso (Ocean [of Wisdom]”).
To be continued.
SEPTEMBER
Wed 6th 7:00pm Teaching: letter to a friend
Thu 7th 10am Teaching: 37 practices of a Bodhisattva
Sun 10th 10:00am Meditation
Wed 13th 7:00pm Teaching: letter to a friend
Thu 14th 10am Teaching: 37 practices of a Bodhisattva
Fri 15th 7:00pm Tsog / guru puja
Sun 17th 9:00am Vajrasattava one day retreat
Wed 20th 7:00pm Teaching: letter to a friend
Thu 21st 10:00am Teaching: 37 practices of a Bodhisattva
Sun 24th 10:00am Meditation at Gidgegannup
Wed 27th 7:00pm Teaching: letter to a friend
Thu 28th 10am Teaching: 37 practices of a Bodhisattva
Sat 30th 7:00pm Tsog / guru puja
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EVENT CALENDAR CONTINUED
NEW MEMBERS
Phen Dhe Ling Tibetan Buddhist Centre welcomes
our new members Julie Halse, Frances Stone and
returning member Matthew Ritson.
May your association with the Centre be of great
benefit to you and all sentient beings.
EVENT CALENDAR
JULY - AUGUST
His Holiness the Dalai Lama 82nd Birthday
Celebration
Dear members and friends,
You are warmly invited to celebrate
His Holiness the Dalai Lama's birthday
at Phendheling Tibetan Buddhist Centre
with a high tea and short video
on Sunday 9th July from 1:30pm to 4:00pm
Cost - $20.00 Adults, $10.00 for Children aged between 5yrs and
16yrs
Tickets can only be purchased by cash at the door for this event.
Door Prizes
The afternoon tea will include sweet and savoury homemade foods including gluten free, vegan foods and traditional chai and
Tibetan teas.
We look forward to you joining us for this joyous celebration!
Thurs 6th 7:00pm Mahakala Puja
Sun 9th 1:30pm His Holiness’ Birthday High Tea
Tue 11th 7:00pm Meditation
Sun 16th 10:00am Meditation at Gidgegannup
Tues 18th 7:00pm Tsog / guru puja
AUGUST
Wed 2nd 7:00pm Tsog / guru puja (not at centre)
Tue 8th 7:00pm Meditation
Thu 17th 7:00pm Tsog / guru puja
Sun 20th 10:00am Meditation
Tue 22nd 7:00pm Meditation
Wed 23rd 7:00pm Teaching: letter to a friend
Thu 24th 10am Teaching: 37 practices of a Bodhisattva
Sun 27th 10:00am Meditation at Gidgegannup
Thu 31st 7:00pm Tsog / guru puja
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Dharma Teachings
TSOG OFFERING / GURU PUJA
Twice a month, based on the lunar calendar, the practice of
tsog offering / Guru puja is done.
It is a commitment for those practicing tantra to restore and
reaffirm their vows and pledges.
However, anyone and everyone is welcome to attend this
ritual of making extensive offerings to the Buddhas and
Bodhisattvas, thus accumulating the positive energy needed
to progress along the spiritual path. Everyone is welcome to
attend.
July: Tuesday 18th
August: Wednesday 2nd (not at centre) ,
Thursday 17th, Thursday 31st
September: Friday 15th, Saturday 30th,
Time: Please arrive at 6.45pm for a 7.00pm start.
Cost: By donation
Offerings of food or flowers are welcome
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GENERAL NEWS PhenDheLing Website For general information on PhenDheLing Tibetan Buddhist Centre, including the calendar of events, please visit: www.phendheling.org. Newsletter Contributions If you would like to contribute to the newsletter or have any suggestions, please forward your copy or message to [email protected] with the subject "Newsletter".
Dharma Teachings
GENERAL MEDITATION ON SUNDAYS
Genla will be teaching meditations based on compassion, respect and happiness. These meditations will include techniques such as focusing on the breath and visualisations.
All welcome: Suitable for both beginner and more advanced students.
August: Sunday 20th August | September: Sunday 10th
Time: 10.00am.
Cost: By donation
SUNDAY MEDITATION AT GIDGEGANNUP
Morgan has kindly opened her house to hold meditation sessions at 54 Waterford Drive, Gidgegannup.
The meditation will be led by Ven. Thupten Lodey. Genla will teach meditations based on compassion, respect and happiness using techniques such as focusing on the breath and visualisations. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Please join us for morning tea afterwards. Any queries please call Morgan on 9574 6186 / 0438 055 732.
July: Sunday 16th | August: Sunday 27th |
September Sunday 24th
Time: 10.00am.
Cost: By donation
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GUIDED MEDITATION ON TUESDAYS
Visualisation meditation is a unique Tibetan Buddhist technique to develop concentration, to purify your nega-tive energy and to enhance your positive energy.
Buddha and Green Tara meditations are held on alter-nate sessions at the Centre. Everyone is welcome to attend.
July: Tuesday 11th | August: Tuesday 8th & 22nd
Time: 7.00pm.
Cost: By donation
Dharma Teachings, continued Teaching Nagarjuna's “Letter to King Satvahana” (Continuation) Nagarjuna (1st - 2nd century A.D.) wrote his celebrated poem Letter to a Friend as a letter of advice to his friend King Gautamiputra/Satavahana. This advice gives a concise and comprehensive introduction to the entire path and practice of Buddhism. It guides both householders and the ordained onto the path leading to liberation and enlightenment. The instructions are of special interest to those who wish to take up spiritual activity while continuing to live and work in society; they are meant to convey the whole meaning of the Dharma to the ordinary person in a language and style that are easy to understand. Despite its short length (only 123 verses), it covers the whole Mahayana path with unusual clarity and memorable imagery; thus it is widely quoted by Tibet's great masters and scholars in the many commentaries they have written on the Buddhist path.
August: Wednesdays, 23rd and 30th September : Wednesdays, 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th Time: 7:00pm
Cost: By donation
THE KING OF PRAYERS
O lions amongst men
Buddhas past, present and future
To as many of you as exist in the ten directions
I bow down with body, speech and mind.
On waves of strength of this king of prayers
For exalted sublime ways
With bodies as numerous as atoms of the world
I bow down to the Buddhas pervading space.
On every atom is found a Buddha
Sitting amongst countless Buddha sons
I imagine with faith to the victorious ones
Thus filling the entire dharmadatu.
Of these with endless oceans of excellence
Endowed with an ocean of wondrous speech
I sing praises of the greatness of all Buddhas
A eulogy to those gone to bliss.
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Dharma Teachings, continued Thursday Teachings The Thirty Seven practices of a Bodhisattva composed by Tibetan great master Ngulchu Gyalsay Thogmey Sangpo The Thirty-seven Practices of Bodhisattvas summarize the Mahayana path to perfection. Recognizing their true potential and letting go of everything which could hinder them on their spiritual journey, Bodhisattvas entrust themselves to the path taught by the Buddha. Resisting disturbing emotions, they learn to respond to difficult situations in a constructive way. A wonderful, lucid explanation of how you can come to cherish living beings as the source of all happiness and will ultimately be able to work solely for the good of all.
August: Thursday 24th September : Thursdays, 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th Time: 10am
Cost: By donation
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THANK YOU!
I would like to say thank you to Ulrich for organising the Bhutan pilgrimage trip and for the donations for tree trimming from the Bhutan tour.
Also thank you to the people who donated money and time towards the tree trimming.
Thank you also to everyone who organised and participated in my surprise Birthday party. And to everyone who offered money towards the new oven and stove. However Tibetans usually don't have birthday celebrations, I think because it is just because you are getting one year older. However, I enjoyed the party.
Thank you so much.
༄། ཨོཾ་མ་ཎི་པད ྨེ་ཧཱུཾ།།
Be kind to others, Thupten
Also I would like to say thank you to all the members and friends who supported the centre with financially, physically and emotionally. Continue to service Dharma by Phendheling is depending on our members and friends .
༄། ཨོཾ་མ་ཎི་པད ྨེ་ཧཱུཾ།།
Be kind to others,
Thupten
SPECIAL EVENTS
MAHAKALA PUJA
Mahakala is a manifestation of Avalokiteshvara, Buddha of compassion. He is one of the main protector deities of Tibetan Buddhism. This puja will be on the six armed form of Mahakala and will be conducted in Tibetan. It is dedicated for Mahakala Puja for His Holiness the Dalai Lama and all Phendheling members and friends to fulfil their spiritual and mundane aspirations.
Date: Thursday 6 July
Time: 7.00pm
SPECIAL EVENTS VAJRASATTVA RETREAT
Vajrasattva is the Buddha of purification. Engaging in a Vajrasattva re- treat is a powerful practice for purifying the negativities of body, speech and mind, thus removing the causes for future suffering and obstacles to spiritual practice.
Date: Sunday 17 September
Time: 9.00am - 4.00pm
(Guru Puja Tsog offering, 3-4pm )
Cost: $35 members / $45 non-members, includes vegetarian lunch.
Bookings essential: Email [email protected] to register for the retreat.
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YAMENTAKA RETREAT This two week retreat is from Saturday July 22 to Friday August 4. Only for those who have taken Yamantaka initiation. Booking essential For details contact to Claire on 0427 301 204.
NOTICE
Genla Thupten Lodey will be in retreat from 22nd July to 6th August.