Chenrezig Institute

is affiliated with the

FPMT

The Foundation for the

Preservation of the

Mahayana Tradition is a

worldwide organisation of

over 150 centres founded

by Lama Yeshe & Lama

Zopa Rinpoche.

Chenrezig Inst i tute i s ful l y

audi ted , not - for -prof i t and

mainly run by volunteers .

We rely ent i re ly on the

support of members ,

fr iends , benefactors and

bequests . Fac i l i ty Fees and

donat ions are needed to

keep the Centre running .

33 Johnsons Rd

Eudlo QLD 4554

Ph: 07 5453 2108

info@chenrezig.com.au

www.chenrezig.com.au

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The Buddha often spoke of the need and also the desirability of harmony (avirodha or sahita) within and between groups of people. Some of the things contributing to what he called ‘the progress of a society’ are the ability ‘to meet together in harmony, adjourn in harmony and conduct business in harmony’ (D.I,76). But, this is easier said than done! Someone once asked the Buddha, ‘why is it that wanting to live in peace and without hate, violence, hostility, ill-will and malignancy, humankind is constantly in conflict and plagued by hate, violence, hostility, ill-will and malignancy and lacking in love?’ (D.II, 276). The Buddha said: ‘Monks, there are six things that foster love and respect, helpfulness and agreement, harmony and unity. What six? When one acts with love towards one’s companions in the spiritual life, both in public and in private; when one speaks with love towards them, both in public and in private; when one thinks with love towards them, both in public and in private; when one shares with them, without reservations, whatever one has acquired justly, even if it be no more than the food from one’s alms bowl; when one possesses together with them virtues that are complete, unbroken and freedom-giving, praised by the wise and conducive to concentration; and when one possesses with one’s companions in the holy life, both in public and in private, the understanding that is noble, leading to freedom and which is conducive to the complete destruction of suffering; then will there be love and respect, helpfulness and agreement, harmony and unity.’ (M.I,322). On another occasion, the Buddha visited three monks, Anuruddha, Nandiya and Kimbila, living together in Parileyyaka Forest. The Buddha asked them how their relationship as fellow practitioners was going. Anuruddha replied, "We meditate separately and come together to discuss the Dharma on a regular basis. We live in harmony mixing like milk and water. My

companions are a great blessing. Before I do or say anything, I ask myself how they would react. Instead of following my own impulse, I defer to them. If I question that my actions might offend, I refrain. We may be three, but we are of one mind." The Buddha indicated his approval and turned to the other two recluses. Kimbila added, "What Anuruddha says is true: We live in harmony with great consideration for one another." Nandiya added, "We share not only the offerings we collect but also encouragement and meditation experience." The Buddha praised the three by saying, "Excellent! Harmony is the way. A spiritual community is only a real Sangha when there is harmony and mutual encourage-ment.” (M.III,156).

Before the Buddha departed, he spoke in praise of harmony and declared six principles to achieve it: 1. Sharing a living space whether in a city or forest 2. Sharing duties essential to life 3. Observing the precepts 4. Uttering only words that contribute to

harmony, leaving unsaid words that might split the community or ruin its harmony

5. Meeting together to share their insight and understanding of the Dharma

6. Respecting others' viewpoints without coercing others to follow their views. (M.III,156).

A community living in accord with these principles lives in happiness and harmony.

Summer 2013/14: December, January, February

The Buddha on Community

In this issue:

Community News 1-9

General Programme 10-11

Programme Details 12-22

Upcoming Events 23

Calendars 25-27

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P a g e 2 From the Community—Management S u m m er 2 0 1 3 / 1 4

Farewell to Maureen and Ven. Tsultrim By Carla Pearse (Tsultrim) President Management Committee Chenrezig Inc On behalf of the Management Committee of Chenrezig Inc, the staff, volunteers, teachers, sangha and students I would like to take this opportunity to offer our most heartfelt thanks to Maureen Walshe, our outgoing Director, for her dedica-tion, her incredible commitment and energy, and for the achievements that she brought to Chenrezig Institute during her tenure. There have been many incredible achievements over the past five years, not least of which was the amazing visit of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 2011. This would not have happened without her vision, her courage, and her absolute conviction in the ability of the Institute to pull it off. Her encouragement and confidence ensured the visit of His Holiness was an outstanding success and an event that the Institute will not forget for many years to come. In addition, the gompa renovation and the building of the much sought after art studio were other highlights of Maureen’s directorship that directly fulfilled the wishes of our Spiritual Director, Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

Maureen’s time as Director at Chenrezig Institute saw a significant increase in the number of visitors and an education programme that caters to a much broader cross-section of the community… all driven by the motivation to help people to develop their compassion and wisdom in order to help bring peace and harmony to their own lives and to our world. We would like to wish Maureen all the very best for her future endeavours. We hope that she will continue to serve the Guru for many many lives to come for the benefit of many sentient beings.

Further, on my own departure from Chenrezig Institute and as I head off to India for a bit of a “sabbatical”, I would like to extend a deep and heartfelt thank you to Maureen Walshe, and the members of the Management Committee that I have had the pleasure of serving beside over the past five years. I would also like to thank the staff and the many volunteers for their hard work and support during my time as Volunteer Manager. It really has been a pleasure to work with each and every one of you in the service of the Dharma. I would also like to thank the Chenrezig Nun’s and Monk’s Communities for your support and kindness over the past 4 1/2 years. And I would like to thank Geshe Jamyang for his kindness and patience in tirelessly trying to teach me some Dharma.

To all at Chenrezig Institute, may you only experience positive karma ripening, and may each of you have the blessings of all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas from now until you attain enlightenment. May each of you be happy, and in every moment have peace and contentment in your heart and mind.

Big love....Tsultrim

A Message from the Centre Manager By Paul Wood (Centre Services Manager) In this time of change for our centre and community I thought it might be nice to say hello. Something that has come to my attention recently is how incredibly busy everyone involved in the centre is: staff running around like maniacs; volunteers working, not only the allotted hours, but also on their ‘off shift’ periods; and masters programme participants studying long hours dedicatedly. Everyone puts a lot of effort in! This is amazing, and we try to better ourselves and the centre for very good reasons. However, now seems to be an excellent time to pause. I hope that in this new period we can all contribute to making this place an ever-increasing story of success. We know that only a part of this success can be measured on paper—a much greater part of it will depend on our ability to work together for common goals with a peaceful and caring attitude towards each other. The fairly well known quote from the King of Bhutan seems to sum up well: “Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross National Product.” This doesn’t mean that we don’t take our finances strongly into account in our decisions, or that we tackle tough subjects with an innocent smile and pretend everything is happy, happy, happy. Instead we may do well to come together and talk to each other in an open and honest manner about what we hope and wish for our centre to become. In this regard: it will be wonderful to hear from you!

From the Programme Coordinator By Michael Gardner (Spiritual Programme Coordinator) I would just like to express my gratitude to all the members of our small family at Chenrezig Institute—students, volunteers, staff and Sangha–for their amazing diligence, consideration and courage. It has been humbling to see the willingness of everyone to take a frank look at both our achievements and failings—despite how hard that can sometimes be. It has also been inspiring to watch people build closer bonds of friendship and trust, to witness everyone discovering joy in their work, and to see the Dharma flourishing in our daily activities. It gives me renewed confidence that, in maintaining open hearts and minds, we can build a brighter future for Chenrezig Institute. So thank you everyone for all your endless effort, kindness and support.

Life behind the Desk: A Tale from 3 Receptionists In his advice for working at a Dharma Centre, Lama Zopa Rinpoche writes ‘The best motivation is the goal to benefit others’ (http://fpmt.org/teachers/zopa/advice/). This is the crux of the reception role. We are there to serve those who come through the door within the context of the Centre. The beauty of being behind the desk is that you are constantly reminded that your own suffering is nothing in comparison to others, especially those who have yet to identify the cause of their suffering. At Khadro’s initial interview 2 years ago, Maureen talked about the role as the ‘Face of Chenrezig’. It is an apt description. Quite often, we are the first port of call for those who are seeking comfort, support or help. They have reached their lowest point and are desperately seeking something to lift them. Our role isn’t to be that lift. It is to outline the opportunities Chenrezig offers. We are a ‘middle men’ of sorts. What is most inspiring about being behind that desk? After you have worked there for some time, you are privy to watch the newest additions of our Dharma community change as the teachings become a greater part of their daily life. This is the real inspiration for us. It is a privilege to see others reassert themselves when they are challenged. Everyone faces their own personal demons and many return again and again with the right motivation. The reception role exists for the greater good of the Centre, something far beyond the self that we cling to so much. It’s less about what we gain from a paid position and more about the precious opportunity we have to contribute. We are so fortunate to use this time as we do. The outcome of our labour is a condition for others to develop compassion and loving kindness in their own lives. It’s a powerful source of inspiration. I think Lama Zopa Rinpoche says it very nicely: “…you work for the people coming to the centre with the motivation of bodhicitta and they practice Dharma to benefit sentient beings. Can you imagine? Even by that? Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow.” (http://fpmt.org/teachers/zopa/advice/) What is the most challenging? What isn’t challenging about working at a Dharma Centre? Just kidding! We are striving to generate equanimity at all turns. It’s probably the most important quality for our role. Its necessity is brought to the forefront in everything we do; serving at the desk, answering the phone, replying to emails, booking accommodation. We must begin at the top of our list and work our way down. No queue jumping or preferential treatment for friends or fellow monastics. If we are to truly serve all of those who come through the door, then we must ensure that we treat everyone in the same manner, Buddhist or non-Buddhist, lay or Sangha.

Currently we are preparing to change our reception processes. It is a very exciting time for us! We will be able to streamline our booking processes and provide a much improved service for all. There are people who are working very hard behind the scenes to make this happen and, from a reception perspective, we are very appreciative for their commitment to the cause. Another aspect to this role is the interaction you have with others who work and volunteer at the Centre. It is humbling to watch the office-staff commit themselves to long hours and consecutive days. You don’t truly appreciate their level of commitment until you see them in action and things that are perceived as problems by others are quickly placed into their correct context. The volunteers are another group of people who assist us in our role behind the desk. Our roles naturally overlap and the regular communication allows us to be mindful of our procedural strengths and weaknesses. It is the volunteers who keep Chenrezig ticking over on a daily basis. In our experience, when you work at the Centre you become part of the engine room. You get to understand the value of each part and see how much oil is used to keep the motor running. You become very appreciative of the karma you have. As Lama Zopa Rinpoche says, “Thus the Dharma centre plays a most important role by taking responsibility for the peace and happiness of all sentient beings, particularly those in this world. How fortunate and happy I am! How fortunate and happy we are!” (http://fpmt.org/teachers/zopa/advice/). Much love from your friendly Chenrezig receptionists, Jen, Susana and Khadro

Venerable Khadro—one of our lovely receptionists

From the Community—Reception

Reception Opening Times

Mon, Tue Closed

Wed-Fri 9:30am - 2pm

Sat 8:30am - 4pm

Sun 9.30am - 4pm

S u m m er 2 0 1 3 / 1 4 P a g e 3

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P a g e 4 From the Community—Sangha S u m m er 2 0 1 3 / 1 4

By Lozang Jhampa, Monk at Chenrezig Institute This spiel or random occurrence of thoughts was inspired by the look from a man at a lunchtime when I was using my iPhone to get someone’s number in the Big Love Café. The expression was one of “Look! That degenerate monk has an iPhone!”. Automatically in my mind I had a sense of, “Yes, you are right! Why does a monk need an iPhone?” After all if you really look at the teachings of the Buddha they really do discourage materialism (the Oxford Dictionary definition here is very fitting) seeing such a pursuit to be bound up in the suffering of change. Whenever I have such thoughts of how useless the sole pursuit of materialism is and then I analyse my own behaviour and see that mostly it is bound by such a pursuit I am reminded of a powerful quote by Lama Tsongkhapa in the Lam Rim Chen Mo that says, “when we analyse today’s practitioners we see that they are like a man carrying a corpse.” This analogy means that just as a man that carries a corpse on his back, the corpse’s back and the man’s back are touching so that the man and the corpse are facing in the opposite direction. Likewise the analogy says, today’s practitioners are in complete contradiction with the Buddha’s teachings. This rings true when I think of how the Buddha says attachment leads to suffering therefore give up attachment, then I go and have all sorts of attachment to various things – iPhones included! So these thoughts run through my mind like water down a stream. But then the other side of the equation kicks in, thinking, “The certain things that we use are not the problem, the iPhone itself is not the problem, the real problem is the attachment, the craving for this device to be the source of my happiness. Therefore I can keep my iPhone and just not be attached to it.” This sounds appealing doesn’t it! “I don’t need to give things up because I am exalted enough to use them without attachment.” I could justify that such thoughts are correct, after all we know many stories of great yogis that can

embrace a consort in sexual union with no attachment doing such solely for their spiritual development. However, have I had an accurate assessment of my own capabilities? Am I a yogi? Or am I a being that by even simply seeing anything with slight good qualities exaggerates them in an instant and clings to them as if they were the mental factor of bliss itself? When I look at myself I see that I fit into the last option. So where does this lead me? I am totally overcome with attachment to my iPhone and a whole variety of other things, so I know that I am in total contradiction with the teachings of the Buddha, yet the thought of “It’s the attachment that is the problem, not the thing itself,” runs through the mind with all of its logic and reason. However, let’s see where the later thought gets us. If I keep the things I have and I keep telling myself that it’s the attachment that is the problem, this leaves me with only one option – get rid of the attachment! “That is pretty straight forward don’t you think? Just one thing to do and it is all mental, I can do that”, such thoughts arise. “Yes I can do that, maybe I can download an app that teaches me how to do so!” The mind is now clouded with confusion. “Well, calm down, you’ve received the teachings, just think about them and apply them to your mind”, I start to tell myself. So I start to apply antidotes and redirect my mind to thinking about Dharma and it does have an affect, attachment does wane when its antidotes are used. “But that iPhone looks very nice!” Oh no, attachment is back again. Where am I going with this? Well, I really do think that it is the attachment that gets us and not the objects, this is logically sound and we can know from experience that it is correct. However, I feel that if I only go down that road and continue to confuse myself with thoughts of, “I don’t need to distance myself from using things like iPhones less because it is the attachment that is the problem not the object itself,” then I feel that I am deluding myself for there is a hidden motivation behind such thoughts of “Don’t relinquish attachment!” So what this tells me is that I need to reduce both, 1) attachment and 2) use of things. From one perspective this is correct because to progress on the path is mental so why do I need these things? I only really need the four necessities of life: food, shelter, clothing, and medicine, that’s it. “Alright then, let’s throw them away!” “Hold up a minute, there is another perspective.” The other perspective is “Can I really live with just the four necessities of life at my current ability?” Well maybe, but I don’t know because I have never tried, so the habitual thought is to say, “No, I can not.” This last one is the normal answer that we are given or the normal advice that we hear all the time, “If we look at our current capacity we see that we don’t have the capacity to give it all up and only focus 100% on Dharma practice,” teachers always say.

Monks and Materialism—One Perspective

S u m m er 2 0 1 3 / 1 4 From the Community—Sangha P a g e 5

Well, I have an iPhone, I have a MacBook Pro, I have a car, I have a stash of cash in my room, I have quite a lot of money in the bank, I have a lot of things! Although I have a tendency to want to just relinquish it all and not know about any of it and focus only on Dharma practice, I also see that it would not be very wise for me to do that right now for these things can help me in my studies and practice now. So to conclude this disjoined discussion, if I am to continually give myself that last type of advice of “You’re not ready yet”, then maybe the time will never come when I actually start really putting actual experience on my mind stream. I may tell myself this my whole life and then the day of my death will come when I am sending a text that has quite honestly information that could wait until I see the person next time, and then I will die in a state of clinging to this life and will be reborn in the lower realms. Yes, I might well go mad if I were to relinquish all my possessions and go and meditate in the solitary wilderness, but quite equally I may go mad or even worse if I do not do this. We live in a materialistic age and it is quite easy to see that this age will keep on increasing in material-ness and spiritual goals will become forgotten or just myths. Monks will have iPhones and iPads etc. and they will even proclaim the good qualities of sandalwood without possessing any sandalwood as the Buddha predicted. Do I dare to relinquish my things? Is such audacity actually the door to freedom? I suppose I won’t know unless I do it, “But don’t do it yet,” my troubled mind says, “but keep looking out for those looks of disapproval in the café,” says the more daring or sane part of my mind, for seeing such looks catalyse such a critical introspective attitude.

Baby Naming Ceremonies By Lozang Pema (on behalf of the CI Nun’s Community) Although many members of the Chenrezig Nuns’ Community are engaged in the study program, we are also engaging with the community on a number of levels, including conducting baby naming ceremonies. Venerables Lhagsam and Drolkar have conducted the ceremonies over many years with the practice becoming increasingly popular. The simple ceremonies take place at Chenrezig Institute under the Bodhi tree, near one of our stupas or at the Garden of Enlightenment. ‘My role in the ceremony is to set the tone, be the visible sign of a spiritual path and bring that element to the event,’ Venerable Drolkar said. ‘I tailor the ceremony to suit the family’s wishes and, as much as I can, make the occasion special and personal for them, something they remember fondly.’ ‘We have an outline, but it is very flexible. We welcome the guests and the baby, read poems that reflect Buddhist or secular values; there is also an opportunity for the baby’s parents or grandparents and family members to speak. We light candles which they can take home as a keepsake. I say a short prayer and sometimes chant a mantra. We can plan for it to be non-denominational or very Buddhist.’ ‘People from all walks of life and often from interstate attend the ceremony. My guess is about 30% of the parents would identify as Buddhist and 30% have values that align with Buddhist values or philosophy; the rest want a non-denominational ceremony.’ ‘I’m not a civil celebrant. His Holiness the Dalai Lama encourages Buddhists (and others) to value other religions, so I aim to make the ceremony inclusive. We have had great feedback about our ability to be flexible. ‘It’s a privilege to be a part of an occasion parents consider very special, an occasion that marks the beginning of their child’s spiritual life. It’s also wonderful that people who probably wouldn’t ever come to a Buddhist centre have come to Chenrezig Institute. ‘

Postscript: We would like to thank all our incredibly kind supporters and benefactors, particularly the anonymous donor whose generosity will allow us to undertake much-needed refurbishment of our main living area, Tashi House. We rejoice in your generosity and kindness!

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P a g e 6 From the Community—Art Centre S u m m er 2 0 1 3 / 1 4

By Ray Furminger, Resident Artist Chenrezig Institute has several art projects that have been brought together under one roof (literally) at the Art Centre. Here we will give you an overview of our current projects by way of presenting the team members.

Firstly, Garrey Foulkes has been instrumental in many developments at the Institute right back to its early days. He is currently the Garden of Enlightenment (GoE) manager and has recently taken on the Enlightenment Project for Purification and Merit (EPPM). Much of Garrey’s work is in producing castings and moulds for the variety of holy objects produced for these two projects. These include stupas of differing designs and sizes for the GoE, tiles for the GoE temple, concrete slabs and plinths for stupas, tsa tsa’s, statues, prayer wheels etc. He also produces moulds for students who have taken on a commitment to produce Buddha images (usually tsa tsa’s) as part of their ngondro practice and for other centres around the world. In addition to all this, Garrey also is responsible for the upkeep of the gardens at the GoE and the ongoing fitting out and landscaping of the art workshop.

Ray Furminger is the Institute’s Artist-in-Residence who was brought to the centre to work on various art projects and to teach thangka painting. Ray spent much of his first year working with Garrey bringing the Garden of Enlightenment up to standard in time for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s visit to the centre in 2011. Since then, Ray’s main project has been the production of eight large paintings for the Prayer Wheel House. The specific deities for these paintings were suggested by Lama Zopa Rinpoche and has set Ray a challenge in researching and producing a set of line drawings, some of which he had never seen before, and also finding materials for the paintings that are suitable for Queensland’s weather and wildlife!

The eight paintings are:

1. Simhanada Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig Riding the Snow Lion)

2. Four-armed Chenrezig 3. 1000 armed Chenrezig 4. Namkha’i Gyalpo (another 1000 arm form of Chenrezig) 5. Amoghapasha 6. The eight Medicine Buddhas 7. The 35 confession Buddhas 8. Chenrezig Protecting from the Eight Fears

The first of these is complete and will shortly be hung in place in the Prayer Wheel House and Ray is currently mid way through the second painting. In addition, Ray is on hand helping with production of various holy objects for the GoE and EPPM projects and bringing the art studio to completion. Ray’s monthly art classes have been attended by many students and will continue with some longer courses planned for next year.

Krissie Foulkes is known as one of CI’s long term students without whom the centre would not be what it is today. After many years of devoting herself not only to the centre but also to raising a family and running a business, she is now returning to her roots as an artist and is (at last) painting thangkas and will be assisting Ray with the Prayer Wheel House project. Krissie has been a key member of the team in bringing the GoE temple decorations to completion spending many hours painting lotus petals, corner decorations and the magnificent garlands on the large main temple stupa. She also regularly cleans and maintains the Namgyalma stupa near the reception office.

Greg Doherty and Heather Clarke have been wonderful in volunteering their time, materials and highly skilled labour in doing much of the painting on both the GoE temple and main gompa during its renovation. They continue to help in these as well as in producing many fine holy objects for the EPPM project. We should like to extend our grateful thanks to them both.

Matt Drewett and Joseph Hattam have both been regular volunteer workers at the art studio. Matt and Garrey will be working on producing various items that can be sold through the art studio to help raise income for the centre particularly employing Matt’s skills in sculpting to produce original items which can then be molded for reproduction. Joseph has fine art skills that he is using in the production of stupas and holy objects and will be assisting Ray with painting projects. He is also helping with the renovation work at the GoE. In addition to these regular team members, we have had many casual and occasional helpers at the art studio and we would like to thank all of them.

All-in-all, it has been a difficult year in establishing the art studio with several obstacles to overcome and big challenges to meet. However, we feel we are now in a position to provide a solid, profitable and professional art service to the Centre and to the wider FPMT community both in Australia and further afield. Our projects and the art workshop itself are all part of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vision and, as such, we are most sincerely grateful and honoured to be working towards making his vision a reality.

Matt Drewett sculpting the auspicious symbol of the golden fish

Chenrezig Arts

From the Community—Volunteers

By Eva Mueller, Work exchange participant 5.30 am I wake up to the sounds of birds, rustling leaves, a chime… still a few minutes to snooze before the alarm will ring, and time to set my motivation for the new day with the words of my favorite Buddhist writer Thich Nhat Hanh ‘Waking up this morning, I smile. 24 brand new hours are before me. I vow to live fully in each moment and to look at all beings with eyes of compassion’. 5.45 am I finally get up and set off on a beautiful 10 minutes walk from my hut up the hill to the Gompa. 6.15 am I sit in the Gompa for the daily 45-minutes morning meditation. Even though I often struggle with my extremely busy mind, or on other days with my laziness (‘It would be so nice to sleep in!’) the morning mediation is just the best way to start the day! Breathe in, breathe out. Relax. Smile :-) 7.00 am The bell rings—breakfast! While I was meditating one of my beautiful fellow Vollies was already busy with preparing breakfast: heating up Chai, putting out fruits, cereals, and bread, cutting tomatoes and cheese, and welcoming everyone with a friendly smile, or sometimes—still sleepy—with a yawn. After breakfast it’s usually time to start with the allocated work shift. There are several areas and various times rostered each day: kitchen, dining room, shopping, house keeping and grounds/maintenance. The earliest shift starts at 6.30 am and the latest ends at 7.30 pm. Each shift is 6 hours long and the daily duties are rotated between us 10-14 Vollies who are on the Work Exchange Programme. This way it never gets boring! 12.00 pm The bell rings again—lunch time! This is the busiest time of the day for us Vollies: the food has to be ready and out to be served to any number between 40 and 150 people, piles of dishes have to be washed and dried, coffees, chai and cake want to be served, and so on and on. On really busy days lunch will keep a team of about 7 volunteers plus the chef humming and running. Even though it is stressful at times, there is always space for a smile, laugh or hug in between. Serving and helping others is the motto, may it be a guest, Sangha member, resident or volunteer… the café is a perfect ground for practicing Dharma! At around 2 pm the business in the café usually slows down, quietude settles in and it is time to clean up the kitchen and

dining room, while housekeeping finishes preparing the rooms for newly arriving guests, bringing in the laundry from the washing lines and checking all bathrooms for cleanliness. The guys on grounds come in from ‘the fields’ (well, steep hills actually), sweaty and thirsty and rejuvenate with cakes or drinks before they call it a day. Most shifts end at 3pm and the Vollies retreat to their accommodations, except for 2 or 3 people who stay in the kitchen till the evening. 5.30 pm The bell rings for the third time—supper. This is usually a good time for us Vollies to gather and socialize, and let the day ease out or plan for tomorrow. After work we often share cars to go for a swim or shopping in close-by towns. Or we simply hang around, chat and laugh together. There are also plenty of quiet corners to chill or read a book. On some days there are evening teachings or meditations which are great for those who are interested in learning about Buddhism. Others prefer to knock back with a book or watch a movie. In the shared accommodations it’s lights out at 9pm. The nights at Chenrezig are very quiet, except of the noises of the wild-life: possums, owls, mice, geckos, and many more sentient beings share Chenrezig Institute with us. In fact, we often joke about that we human beings are truly the minority here :-) The life as a Volunteer is very unique and special compared to everyday’s life outside in the big world. Personally, I gained so much from my stay here: time and space to develop myself, new practical skills, many beautiful friendships, and last but everything else than least: the beauty of learning and practicing Dharma naturally every day through living in a community of a Dharma centre changed my life significantly for the better. I came here without any expectations 10 months ago, just as a short stop on a road trip, and haven’t left since. Thank you, Chenrezig for having me and for giving me the opportunity to serve for such a good cause: practicing and spreading the Dharma! On behalf of the whole Vollie-team I would like to say ‘Thank You’ to Ven. Tsultrim for being our Volunteer Coordinator for such a long time, and it is with much joy that we now welcome Ven. Khadro in this role. We’re looking forward to exciting times! :-)

Interested in Buddhism? Want to volunteer?

We are looking for people with experience in hospitality to join our “Work Exchange Programme” team at Chenrezig Institute. For those looking for a life changing experience check out our website www.chenrezig.com.au

A day in a Vollie’s life

S u m m er 2 0 1 3 / 1 4 P a g e 7

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P a g e 8 Library S u m m er 2 0 1 3 / 1 4

Beginnings By Hilary, Library Manager When we make our first – often tentative – visit to Chenrezig we may be in search of a good coffee rather than enlightenment. But when we have made the trip to the beautiful Gardens of Enlightenment and the Gompa then we might check out the Library downstairs. Here you will find a large and varied collection of books – mostly texts on all aspects of Buddhism. There are books for everyone, whether they are Masters’ Programme participants, Discovering Buddhism students or day visitors. You may find something interesting here. But where to begin? The following titles have been selected as good introductions.

If you would like an historical context for your first investigations into Buddhism an excellent book is ‘Entering the Stream’ edited by Samuel Bercholz and Sherab Chodzin Kohn. It begins with a life of the Buddha and a brief history of Buddhism. Then follows a collection of writings and teachings from all of the Buddhist traditions.

Highly recommended!

Lama Surya Das is an American teacher of Buddhism with a swag of publications to his name. All are very accessible and good reading but for beginners perhaps the best one is ‘Awakening the Buddha Within: Eight Steps to Enlightenment’. Both prac-tical and profound he reveals how sacred wisdom can be integrated into our daily lives helping us to see things as they really are using Buddhism’s ‘The Noble Eightfold Path’ as the basis. Multiple copies available. All books by American nun Pema Chodron are extremely popular – and understandably so. Try ’Start Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate Living’. The very first sentence tells us what to expect. ‘This book is about awakening the

heart. If you have ever wondered how to awaken your genuine compassionate heart, this book will serve as your guide.’ She uses an old Tibetan text ‘Seven Points of Training the Mind’ as the foundation for an illuminating book on how be happier and how to enable those around you to be happier too. We have a number of copies of this very readable book. We have around 150 titles by the Dalai Lama in our collection. ‘How to be Compassionate: a Handbook for Creating Inner Peace and a much Happier World’ is a book that everyone will find inspiring. Unlike Mao who said that power comes out of the barrel of a gun, His Holiness says that the greatest power comes from compassion in your heart. A ‘must read’. Lastly a book published by the FPMT specifically for use by beginning students in introductory courses. ‘Buddhism in a Nutshell: Essentials for Practice and Study’ by our Lama Yeshe, Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Amy Miller. Complete with MP3 disc this is an excellent simple introduction to Tibetan Buddhism as practiced at Chenrezig Institute. We have multiple copies. But that is just a tiny collection of possibilities. We are here to help you find something interesting and illuminating. We look forward to seeing you!

Library Hours

Wed 12noon - 2:30pm

Thurs 1pm - 3:30pm

Fri 10am - 12noon 1pm - 3:30pm

Sat & Sun 1pm - 3:30pm

Happy reading!

How You Can Help

Chenrezig Institute runs predominately on the kindness of donations, benefactors, and the support of our members. By becoming a member of Chenrezig Institute you become an integral part of our community and contribute to the continuation of the Dharma in numerous ways:

Supporting the spiritual programme at Chenrezig Institute (Geshe Lobsang Jamyang, interpreter, attendants, the Gompa, texts, and the ongoing expenses of the spiritual programme)

Supporting the Pujas of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche, Geshe Tashi Tsering, and Geshe Lobsang Jamyang

Supporting Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s many merit-making projects

By becoming a 1000 Arms of Chenrezig member you receive: One weekend course per year (two for Family memberships) Two nights motel accommodation per year International FPMT magazine ‘Mandala’ FPMT Basic Friendship membership Chenrezig Institute newsletter emailed or snail-mailed 10% discount on all courses Invitation to annual Arms Members' afternoon tea with Geshe-la

and the Sangha Prayers for the long lives and health of Arms members and their

families (twice monthly Guru Puja) Chenrezig Institute library membership Wisdom Archive books, new copies of free distribution books

(when available)

Membership Application

Yes, please sign me as a 1000 Arms of Chenrezig Member

Single $185 per year (or 4 quarterly payments of $46.25)

Family $245 per year (or 4 quarterly payments of $61.25)

Concession $120 per year (or 4 quarterly payments of $30.00)

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However many members a Centre has, that many people are making this incredible contribution to the world - Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Make cheques payable to ‘Chenrezig Institute’ and send with this form to PO Box 41, Eudlo QLD 4554. Commitments are ongoing unless you cancel your membership.

I am interested in including Chenrezig Institute in my will, as a benefactor of my life insurance, or in my retirement plans. Please contact me to discuss.

You can join online at http://chenreziginstitute.memberlodge.org/

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Keeping the Dharma Flowing...

Like most communities in the world in the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis, we have had to take a close look at our finances in recent months. The Executive Committee and staff of Chenrezig Institute have been working hard to streamline operations and ensure that we remain viable and able to provide the Dharma to everyone. As part of this, you may notice ongoing revisions to the prices of food and accommodation. Although unfortunate, this is the first increase in our service prices for more than 5 years. However, we are determined to make sure that we stay affordable and we are deeply committed to ensuring that everyone has access to the teachings. So if you would like to attend teachings, but are experiencing some financial constraints, please just ask! Sponsorships may be available. Equally, if you would like to give someone else the gift of Dharma, please speak to us about sponsoring vouchers for weekend courses. Thank you to all our generous members who have already done so! It is such a wonderful offering to the community. Finally, we are also extremely grateful for the ongoing support of our donors and members. In the last quarter we received three substantial donations, totaling $12 000, which will help us address some much needed infrastructural issues. A huge thank you to those three incredibly kind individuals! Your help is much appreciated!

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P a g e 1 0 General Programme S u m m er 2 0 1 3 / 1 4

Weekly Programme

General programme events are by freely offered and bookings are not necessary. Your donations enable us to continue the programme. Thank you!

Changes to the Weekly Programme

We have made a few changes to our weekly schedule. From the beginning of December, a guided meditation from 1:15pm—1:45pm on Fridays will replace Taste of Tibetan Buddhism, which will instead run on Tuesdays from 1:30pm—2:45pm. Please note that the General Programme will not run during the annual retreat season (ie: from Wednesday 25th December—Sunday 19th January).

Every Weekday 6:15am-7am Silent Meditation Practice

Tuesday 1:30pm - 2:45pm Taste of Tibetan Buddhism with Lozang Lhagsam

Wednesday 10:30am - 12noon

General Teaching with Ven. Tony Beaumont (27th Nov—18th Dec). Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life with Geshe Lobsang Jamyang (22nd Jan—26th Feb).

6:30pm - 7:30pm Meditation/Discussion with CI monks and nuns

6pm - 7:30pm Meditation/ Discussion with Lindsay Pratt (in Maroochydore)

Thursday 1:15pm - 1:45pm Guided Meditation with CI monks and nuns

7pm - 8:30pm

General Teaching with Ven. Tony Beaumont (28th Nov—19th Dec). General Teaching: Resting in the Nature of Mind with Geshe Jamyang

Friday 1:15pm - 1:45pm Guided Meditation with CI monks and nuns

6pm - 7:30pm Meditation/ Discussion with Peter Shepherd (in Caloundra)

Morning Meditation

Join us every weekday morning for a session of silent meditation practice. Focusing on sequential mindfulness and insight meditation, these sessions are an opportunity for people to draw on the support of others in their daily practice. Very brief instructions for specific exercises may be provided, but as these are not guided meditations, familiarity with meditation is recommended.

Meditation on the Coast

If you live on the coast, don’t forget that we continue to offer weekly meditation/discussion sessions with Lindsay Pratt at Millwell Road Community Centre. These run every Wednesday from 6pm –7pm. No need to book. All welcome!

Alternatively, join Peter Shepherd for meditation sessions on Friday evenings in Caloundra. It’s a great opportunity to meditate with others in a supportive environment and establish a time each week to spend on your own inner development. Friday evenings 6pm–7pm at 124 Bulcock Street, Caloundra (above Britannia Garage at Ramsdale's Tang Soo Tao). No need to book. Entry by donation. All welcome!

The last Caloundra meditation group for the year will be on the 20th December and will start again on the 24th January. Many thanks to all of those who have supported the group so far and we look forward to continuing next year.

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Dharma Dates

DZAMBHALA PUJA

Sunday 1st

December 6:30pm

Sunday 5th

January 6:30pm

Sunday 2nd

February 6:30pm

PRECEPT DAYS

Monday 2nd

December 4:15am

Tuesday 10th

December (at home)

Tuesday 17th

December 4:15am

Wednesday 1st

January 4:15am

Wednesday 8th

January (at home)

Wednesday 15th

January 4:30am

Thursday 30th

January 4:45am

Friday 7th

February (at home)

Friday 14th

February 5:00am

Saturday 1st

March 5:15am

GURU PUJA

Thursday 12th

December 6:30pm

Friday 27th

December 6:30pm

Friday 10th

January 6:30pm

Monday 27th

January 6:30pm

Sunday 9th

February 6:30pm

Monday 24th

February 6:30pm

TARA PUJA

Tuesday 10th

December 6:30pm

Wednesday 8th

January 6:30pm

Friday 7th

February 6:30pm

MEDICINE BUDDHA PUJA

Tuesday 17th

December 6:30pm

Wednesday 15th

January 6:30pm

Friday 14th

February 6:30pm

NO PRAYER FLAGS It is inauspicious for prayer flags to be

hung on the following dates: December 9th, 21st January 16th, 31st

February 12th, 24th

SPECIAL DAYS Losar/ Lama Yeshe Day Friday 27th December

Regular Monthly Events

Morning Q+A Session Wednesday 5th February 10:30am-12noon

Chenrezig Sadhana Friday 6th December and 31st January 6:30pm-7pm

First Sundays/ Open Day Sunday 1st December (see programme pages for more detail)

10:15am-3pm

Evening Q+A Session Thursday 30th January and 27th February 7pm-8:30pm

Vajrayogini Practice Sunday 24th Nov., 19th January and 23rd February 9am-3:30pm

A Guide to Our Courses and Events

Living Well (Blue Vajra): These courses focus on cultivating physical, emotional and mental well-being. They in-clude yoga, 16 guidelines for life workshops, Tibetan medicine classes and mindfulness-based acceptance commit-ment training. They are suitable for everyone, regardless of background.

Beginning Buddhism (Green Double Vajra): If you would like to know a little about Buddhism, and how it relates to our daily lives, these courses offer a gentle introduction. They include workshops on meditation, dealing with dis-turbing emotions, and courses on basic Buddhist ideas. They are suitable for anyone.

Exploring Buddhism (Red Lotus): If you are familiar with the basic principles of Buddhism, but would like to learn more about certain topics and practices, these courses are for you. They include the ongoing Discovering Buddhism programme and intermediate courses taught by Western teachers.

Geshe and Advanced Topics (Yellow Jewel): These include courses taught by our resident Tibetan teacher (translated into English) and more advanced courses taught by Western teachers. It is recommended that you have a good grasp of the fundamentals of Buddhist philosophy as the courses can be quite challenging!

Retreats and Meditation (White Dharma Wheel): For those who would like to take time out to spend in retreat, we offer a variety of deity, teaching and meditation retreats. Please check the flyers for details about the specific re-quirements and level of difficulty.

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P a g e 1 2 S u m m er 2 0 1 3 / 1 4 November/December 2013

Mindfulness Intensive with NeLi Martin and Dr. Samantha Clarke

Mindfulness is being fully aware of the present moment, and adopting an attitude of openness and acceptance of whatever is happening. It is an amazing tool to help us handle the stresses of our busy lives with calmness, kindness and clarity. Scientific studies show that mindfulness is effective in the treatment of pain, anxiety, and depression, and can boost productivity, creativity, and per-sonal happiness. Astoundingly, the list of incredible benefits continues to grow!

The practice of mindfulness is straightforward and practical. To learn more about it, join us a for this one-day intensive course. It covers the techniques of mindfulness training, gives us the oppor-tunity to spend a day practicing, and shows us how to use mindfulness to relate to our everyday experiences in the most effective and intelligent ways.

This is a secular course equally appropriate for people with little or no spiritual tradition.

Saturday 30th November 9am - 4:30pm. Facility fee $49. 10% discount for members and concession card holders. Accommo-dation and meals available separately. Bookings essential!

Just as every object is accompanied by a shadow, so every intentional activity is accompanied by a positive or negative result. This is the simple law of karma. It indicates that we are ultimately responsible for our happiness or unhappiness - both in the present and in the future.

But how exactly does karma work? Can we alter the results of our actions, or prevent ourselves from experiencing the full effects of past negative actions? In this series of Wednesday teachings, Venerable Tony Beaumont will be discussing the nature of karma and how we can go about purifying mistaken actions done in the past.

Venerable Tony Beaumont is an Australian-born Buddhist monk. He has been ordained for almost 20 years, and has studied extensively at Lama Tsong Khapa Institute in Italy and Nalanda Monastery in France. Tony has taught at FPMT centres around the world, and currently works as a teacher at Karuna Hospice in Brisbane.

Wednesdays, 27th November—18th December, 10.30am—12.00pm. No charge. All welcome!

Karma and Purification with Ven. Tony Beaumont

During his lifetime, the Buddha gave thousands of teachings. The key to beginning to understand them is knowing the order in which they should be studied.

Fortunately, a very useful and beneficial ordering of the Buddha's teachings was taught by the Indian sage, Atisha, and later expanded on by Lama Tsongkhapa in the The Great Exposition on The Gradual Path to Enlightenment (Lam-rim Chenmo). These lam-rim teachings present a very detailed map of the spiritual path. They are beautifully and very clearly summarised in the The Foundation of All Good Qualities - a prayer by Lama Tsongkhapa.

In this series of Thursday evening teachings, Venerable Tony Beaumont presents the progressive, step-like structure of the lam-rim as explained in the Foundation of All Good Qualities. Tony explains how, by studying this text, we can gradually become familiar with the attitudes and actions contained within these steps, and begin to make our lives more meaningful.

Thursdays,28th November—19th December, 7.00pm—8.30pm. No charge. All welcome!

The Foundation of All Good Qualities with Ven. Tony Beaumont

P a g e 1 3 S u m m er 2 0 1 3 / 1 4 November/December 2013

A great day out for the whole family! Start with Dharma Club if you have children, or drop into the Gompa for a talk on Buddhism in everyday life. Enjoy lunch in the Big Love Café, take a walk to the Garden of Enlightenment, or browse in the extensive Library. Then join us for a free movie and afternoon tea in the Gompa. 10:15am – 12noon Dharma Club for Kids 10:30am – 12noon Talk on Buddhism 12noon – 1:00pm Lunch ($12.50 per person, bookings essential) 1.30pm -2.45pm FREE afternoon tea and screening of "For the Benefit of All Beings"

First Sunday events are offered by the centre without charge. Booking for events is not necessary, but please let us know if you will be joining us for lunch ($12.50 per person, bookings essential!) About the Movie: FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL BEINGS is an experiential immersion into the Tibetan Buddhist view of the world, as lived by His Eminence Garchen Triptrul Rinpoche. On this journey, we are exposed to Rinpoche’s unusual integration of heart-breaking adversity. He was raised in an extremely strict way by his father, endured the invasion of his country and the destruction that resulted, then he took up arms and was subsequently captured and imprisoned under the harshest of conditions for 20 years in the prime of his life. The film documents his extraordinary biography in a unique way, relying upon the engaging storytelling of Garchen Rinpoche himself, interviews with high lamas and peers from both Tibet and the world beyond, and through unprecedented access to this revered lama’s private life and public persona as he travels throughout the world.

First Sundays: Sunday 1st December

In the Tibetan tradition, paintings and statues are not just pieces of art – they are tools that act as a support for visualisations and meditation practices. All aspects of the artistic discipline directly reflect the Buddhist path to enlightenment.

In this course, Ray teaches us the traditional foundational techniques of this art form, beginning with drawing the face of the historical Buddha, Buddha Shakyamuni.

This introductory class is aimed at complete beginners, no prior art experience is necessary! Returning students are also welcome to attend, and will instead focus on drawing the body of the Buddha. Materials (please bring along): A3 Cartridge Paper, HB Pencil and Sharpener, Eraser, 30cm or longer ruler.

Ray studied Buddhist art for many years under master artist Andy Weber in the UK. He now lives and works at Chenrezig Institute, where he is the resident artist.

Saturday 30th November 9am - 4:30pm. Facility fee $49. 10% discount for FPMT members and concession card holders. Accommodation and meals available separately. Bookings essential!

A Start in Buddhist Art with Ray Furminger

Dharma Club teaches children universal values that can help them to be happy. By incorporating Buddhist principles and using play, craft, mediation, and other activities, we help children explore values such as kindness, compassion, humility, respect, and responsibility.

From 10:15am to 12noon. No charge! Children 5 and over welcome! All children must be accompanied. Meals in the Big Love Cafe available separately. Please let us know if you will be joining us for lunch.

Dharma Club—Sunday 1st December

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December 2013

By maintaining a regular meditation practice, we can make each day an opportunity for a real transformation of ourselves and the world around us.

In this retreat, we explore the tools for developing an inspiring daily practice that enables the growth of kindness, compassion and wisdom. We reflect on the teachings and instruction from the 'Establishing a Daily Practice' module of the Discovering Buddhism programme, and continue the exploration of the lam-rim, the graduated path to enlightenment.

The retreat provides a chance to enjoy group practice and meditation, to ask questions about the teachings and to participate in discussions. It is an excellent opportunity to clear away any doubts you may have, and get useful advice on how to stay inspired and overcome obstacles. Everyone is welcome to attend even if you didn’t attend the teaching weekend.

Saturday 7th December 9am - Sunday 8th 3:30pm. Facility fee $99. 10% discount for FPMT members and concession card holders. Accommodation and meals available separately. Bookings essential!

Discovering Buddhism is an ongoing programme covering the essential points of Buddhist philosophy. You do not have to have attended previous modules. All welcome!

Discovering Buddhism: Establishing a Daily Practice with Lozang Drolma

Understanding the Mind with Lozang Tsewang

‘All things are preceded by the mind, led by the mind, created by the mind.’ (The Dhammapada)

Why is it that no matter how much we achieve we still encounter problems? Why does that elusive goal of long-lasting happiness continue to evade us? From a Buddhist perspective the key for ex-periencing greater mental well-being and reducing suffering lies within us: through understanding and training the mind we can come to increase our happiness and decrease the internal sources of suffering.

In this course, we will be identifying the qualities of this “final frontier” of exploration – the mind – and explore the way we perceive and interpret the world around us. This is a precise and skilful analysis of the mind and its functions. It reflects very clearly our mental make-up with all its faults and qualities, and shows how properly training the mind can bring about positive mental states that lead to inner peace and greater happiness.

Saturday 14th December 9am - Sunday 15th 4:30pm. Facility fee $99. 10% discount for FPMT members and concession card holders. Accommodation and meals available separately. Bookings essential!

The Gift of Compassion with Ven. Tony Beaumont

‘Dwelling deep within our own hearts, and within the hearts of all beings without exception, is an inexhaustible source of love and wisdom.’ (Lama Yeshe)

Compassion, the wish that everyone be free of suffering, lies at the heart of Buddhist practice. De-veloping our compassion helps us to experience increased mental well-being and emotional free-dom because it lessens our normal self-obsession, which is the source of so many of our problems. It is the greatest gift we can give ourselves and those around us.

In this course, Venerable Tony Beaumont discusses why cherishing others helps us lead happier and more meaningful lives, and teaches practical mind-training techniques that expand our ability

to feel concern for and appreciation of others. The course involves teachings, reflections and meditations. It is suitable for eve-ryone, and anyone is welcome to attend.

Saturday 21st December 9am - Sunday 22nd 4:30pm. Facility fee $99. 10% discount for FPMT members and concession card holders. Accommodation and meals available separately. Bookings essential!

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Art of Enlightenment: Drawing the Vajra and Bell with Ray Furminger

In the Tibetan tradition, paintings and statues are not just pieces of art – they are tools that act as a support for visualisations and meditation practices.

The vajra (or dorje) and bell feature heavily in Tibetan artworks and symbolism. The vajra is a ritual object that symbolizes steadfastness and skillful action. The bell represents the open, spaciousness of wisdom and clarity. Together the vajra and bell are used to indicate the union of the masculine and feminine principles of compassion and wisdom.

In this special weekend art course, resident artist Ray Furminger, will be showing us how to draw the vajra and bell, and will explain the iconographic importance of both. Students will be encour-aged to work on their own compositions, and are given advice and support. Although all students are welcome, the course is primarily aimed at returning students. Beginners may be interested in first attending the related course “A Start in Buddhist Art.”

Saturday, 21st December 9am - Sunday, 22nd 4:30pm. Facility fee $99. 10% discount for FPMT members and concession card holders. Accommodation and meals available separately. Bookings essential!

A Buddhist Xmas: Sanghata Sutra Writing

Need to escape the rush of the festive season? Join us for a peaceful day of writing out the Sang-hata sutra in gold ink. Not only is this a deeply relaxing and satisfying way to spend the day, it is said that merely copying any part of the sutra creates an indescribable amount of merit.

As Lama Zopa Rinpoche put it: “You see the benefit that is working for your mind and you see that it is an amazing sutra.”

Everyone is very welcome! Please let us know if you will be joining us to ensure we supply enough gold pens, and lots of free cake and free chai.

Tuesday December 24th from 9am-4.30pm. No charge! Please remember to book in for lunch if you will be eating in the Big Love Café ($12.50 per person).

This day is the celebration of the enlightenment of the great Lama Tsongkhapa (1357–1419). Lama Tsongkhapa was the founder of the Gelug school and author of the Lam-rim Chenmo (The Great Exposition of the Stages of the Path), one of the most influential works in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.

Lama Tsongkhapa, whose birth and enlightenment was prophesied by Shakyamuni Buddha, taught, wrote and practiced extensively throughout his life in order to benefit others. Indeed, according to Alexander Berzin, "if we look at his life of only 62 years, and consider how much he studied, practiced [...], how much he wrote, taught, and did retreats, it would seem impossible that anyone could do even one of them in a lifetime". The day serves to remind us of the great kindness of Lama Tsongkhapa, and encourages us to engage in Guru devotion through pure practice and conduct.

4:30pm Everyone is invited to help set up the offerings for the evening puja 6:30pm Guru Puja with extensive offerings to Lama Tsongkhapa

Any Merit Box donations are sent to Rinpoche on this day, so please remember to get them to us by the weekend to allow time for us to process them!

Friday 27th December. No need to book. However, please book in for lunch or supper before 10am if you will be joining us. A gluten and dairy-free option is available - please let us know when booking so that we can cater accordingly.

Lama Tsongkhapa Day

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S u m m er 2 0 1 3 / 1 4 January 2014 P a g e 1 7

Kopan Downunder with Geshe Lobsang Jamyang

Kopan Downunder, named after the famous course at Kopan Monastery in Nepal, is an annual teaching retreat at Chenrezig Institute that presents a step-by-step guide to the entire Buddhist path to enlightenment. It combines teachings, discussions and meditations which provide a com-prehensive grounding in Buddhist thought and practice. Throughout the retreat, students receive instructions on how to make every day meaningful through mind transformation.

This year, Geshe Jamyang will be teaching from A Lamp for the Path by the Indian sage Atisha. This is one of the most important texts in Tibetan Buddhism as it is the foundation of the lam-rim - a genre of works which present a clear, graduated arrangement of the teachings of the Buddha.

This retreat is an ideal retreat for beginners as well as experienced practitioners. It is an excellent opportunity to gain a complete overview of the Buddhist path, and to fully immerse yourself in practice. All welcome!

Thursday 2nd January 7pm - Friday 17th 3pm. Facility fee $390 (or $350 for FPMT members & concession card holders). Accom-modation and meals are available separately. The Institute additionally offers 10% off all meals and accommodation for those attending the full retreat. Booking essential!

(Following the retreat at 1:30pm on Friday the 17th January Geshe Jamyang will offer Refuge to anyone who wants to take that step; whether they did the retreat or not. There is no charge for this but please let us know if you will be attending and if you have taken refuge previously or not so we can prepare texts).

Geshe-la was born in Tibet in 1966 and took ordination at the age of 16. Following 22 years of study at Kardze Monastery in Tibet and then Sera-Je monastery in South India, he attained the highest degree in Buddhist phi-losophy, Geshe Lharampa. Geshe Jamyang was the main teacher at Dolma-Ling nunnery in India, before coming to Chenrezig Institute in 2005.

Tenzin Tsepal leads the discussion and tutorial sessions. Tsepal was ordained by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 2001 and is a graduate of the Buddhist Studies Programme. Tsepal has been Chenrezig Institute’s primary Western Teacher since 2004, and teaches the Discovering Buddhism programme.

How would your life change if you genuinely accepted yourself, just the way you are?

Most of us do not really live our lives fully because we are trapped by feelings of shame and unworthiness. Our society and the media also encourage us to believe that we are not good enough. This can be the source of immense pain, and lead to many of the problems we experience in our relationships, careers, and even our attempts at personal or spiritual growth.

Learning to be open to ourselves, with a quality of warmth and self-acceptance offers a way to break out of this emotional prison. In this weekend workshop, popular teacher and

psychotherapist, Renate Ogilvie, teaches practical ways of freeing ourselves from the grip of our self-aversion. With insights from both Buddhism and Western psychology, Renate introduces us to the skills needed to become more compassionate toward ourselves, to rejoice in our good qualities, and be more tolerant of our faults.

The workshop involves teachings, meditation and discussions that will help us discover the freedom that comes with kindness and true appreciation of ourselves and others. All welcome!

Saturday 18th January 9.00am—Sunday 19th 4.30pm. Facility fee $99. 10% discount for FPMT members and concession card holders. Accommodation and meals available separately. Bookings essential!

Renate Ogilvie has taught at Buddhist centres around the world for over 20 years. She combines modern approaches to psychotherapy with Buddhist philosophy to help individuals deal with depression, fear and anger.

Living Life to the Fullest: Freedom through Self-acceptance with Renate Ogilvie

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P a g e 1 9 S u m m er 2 0 1 3 / 1 4 February 2014

Art of Enlightenment: The Symbolism of Colour with Ray Furminger

In the Tibetan tradition, paintings and statues are not just pieces of art – they are tools that act as a support for visualisations and meditation practices.

Colours carry particular meaning in Tibetan Buddhist paintings. Each of the five main colours (pancha-varna) can symbolize a state of mind, a Buddha or Buddha family, a part of the body, a part of a mantra, a direction in a mandala, or a natural element. The colours serve as reminders of the particular qualities of the Buddhas and help deepen the process of mental transformation.

In this weekend art course, Ray will be teaching us about the various symbolic aspects of colour in Thangka paintings, as well as traditional and modern methods of colour preparation. Students will be encouraged to work on their own compositions, and are given advice and support. Although all students are welcome, the course is primarily aimed at returning students. Beginners may be in-terested in first attending the related course “A Start in Buddhist Art.”

Saturday 1st February 9am - Sunday 2nd February 4:30pm. Facility fee $99. 10% discount for FPMT members and concession card holders, accommodation and meals available separately. Bookings Essential!

Essence of Buddhism provides an overview of Buddhist thought and philosophy. Focusing on practical application, the course covers topics like the nature of mind and meditation.

This unit investigates how we react to upheavals in our lives. At some level, we all know that our lives change—people leave, get old, and die, or whatever possessions we have break or get lost. But despite knowing that these changes are a fact of life, they cause us immense sadness and suffering. In this course, we look at why this is the case, and discover methods of dealing with change in realistic, and more positive ways.

You do not need to have attended any previous units of Essence of Buddhism - each module is a standalone course. Join in at any time - all welcome!

Tuesday evenings 6pm – 7:30pm, 4th - 25th February at Millwell Road Community Centre. $10 facility fee per session. Bookings not necessary!

The next 4-week unit Essence of Buddhism: Transforming Problems will run from 4th - 25th March.

Essence of Buddhism: Comfortable with Change with Lozang Drolma

The Buddha said that healing essentially comes from the mind. Therefore it’s important for us to understand the nature of the mind, and how it is pure, separate from the faults that cause mental and physical illness and suffering.

In this course we look at how mental habits like selfishness, anger, and guilt are temporary and can be removed. We learn to cultivate positive attitudes like compassion, self-acceptance, and forgiveness, which are the real inner medicines that heal our minds and the causes of our problems. The course covers methods and meditations outlined by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, in the book Ultimate Healing. Join us to learn the keys to inner well-being and happiness!

Saturday 1st February 9am - Sunday 2nd 4:30pm. Facility fee $99. 10% discount for FPMT members and concession card holders. Accommodation and meals available separately. Booking essential!

Healing in Tibetan Buddhism with Tenzin Tsepal

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February 2014

The terms 'Samsara' and 'Nirvana' describe how life is, and how it could be.

We are all stuck in samsara - our ordinary lives that seem to be an endless cycle of hope, struggle, achievement and disappointment, where somehow we don't seem to be able to stay happy for very long. But things don't necessarily have to be this way. The Buddha taught that is is possible completely transform our lives and experience a state of lasting happiness, freedom and joy. This is nirvana - an imperturbable peaceful and positive state of mind.

In this module of Discovering Buddhism, we will explore the profound teachings that clearly outline the mechanisms of cause and effect. These teachings show us how we create our own difficulties, as well as how we can break free of the cycles that keep us locked in unhappiness and suffering. We will investigate how we can empower ourselves with practical tools that will give us the confidence, commitment and energy for spiritual transformation.

Saturday 15th February 9am - Sunday 16th 3:30pm. Facility fee $99. 10% discount for FPMT members and concession card holders, accommodation and meals available separately. Bookings Essential!

Discovering Buddhism is an ongoing programme covering the essential points of Buddhist philosophy. You do not have to have attended previous modules. All welcome!

Discovering Buddhism: Samsara and Nirvana with Tenzin Tsepal

In the Tibetan tradition, paintings and statues are not just pieces of art – they are tools that act as a support for visualisations and meditation practices. All aspects of the artistic discipline directly reflect the Buddhist path to enlightenment.

In this course, Ray teaches us the traditional foundational techniques of this art form, beginning with drawing the face of the historical Buddha, Buddha Shakyamuni. This introductory class is aimed at complete beginners, no prior art experience is necessary! Returning students are also welcome to attend, and will instead focus on drawing the body of the Buddha. Materials (please bring along): A3 Cartridge Paper, HB Pencil and Sharpener, Eraser, 30cm or longer ruler.

Saturday 22th February 9am - 4:30pm. Facility fee $49. 10% discount for FPMT members and concession card holders. Accommodation and meals available separately. Bookings essential!

A Start in Buddhist Art with Ray Furminger

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Most of us get frustrated by our children or partners, annoyed by bad drivers or difficult colleagues, and easily angered when hurt or insulted. But how do we develop the ability to stay in a positive state of mind when faced with unpleasant or difficult circumstances? In Buddhism, the word ksanti, which is translated as ‘patience’ and ‘tolerance’ is the art of keeping a peaceful mind when things go wrong. It is one of the most essential skills we can learn to help us lead a happier, more trouble-free life.

In this SPONSORED weekend course, Geshe Jamyang, the resident Tibetan teacher at Chenrezig Institute, will be teaching us how to develop a more relaxed, tolerant and patient attitude, by draw-ing on the ancient wisdom contained in one of the most beloved Buddhist texts - Shantideva's "Guide to the Boddhisattva's Way of Life". The course includes teachings, discussions and medita-tion, and is suitable for beginners and advanced students alike. All welcome!

Saturday 8th February 9am - Sunday 9th 3pm. No Facility fee! Accommodation and meals available separately. Bookings essential!

Chenrezig Institute is delighted to sponsor the facility fee for this weekend course. We are able to do so by allocating 5% of our shop income to sponsorship, so shopping at CI has many benefits!

Taming the Reactive Mind with Geshe Jamyang and Tenzin Tsepal

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The Heart Sutra is one of the most famous and revered texts in all of the Buddhist scriptures. It contains the essence of the perfection of wisdom teachings, describing in a very succinct manner the nature of reality, and how to go about developing the wisdom to perceive it - the wisdom of emptiness (Skt. shunyata).

In this course we systematically go through the Heart Sutra looking at how to develop the correct view of emptiness and how then to cultivate the wisdom of emptiness along the various stages of the path to enlightenment. This is an essential component of the spiritual path, because without realizing the nature of reality we will not be able to fully liberate ourselves from suffering. Even a basic understanding of emptiness is helpful in reducing our afflictive emotions, and making our lives more peaceful and meaningful.

Saturday 22th February 9am - Sunday 23th 4:30pm. Facility fee $99. 10% discount for FPMT members and concession card holders. Meals and accommodation available separately.

Bookings essential!

Glenn is an Australian-born graduate from the seven-year Masters Program in Advanced Buddhist Studies of Sutra and Tantra at the Lama Tsong Khapa Institute in Italy in 2004, and has taught extensively at Dharma Centres in Australia and in India.

The Heart Sutra with Glenn Svensson

Maitreya Heart Shrine Relic Tour

This precious collection of sacred relics of Shakyamuni Buddha and numerous Buddhist masters is currently touring the world, and will be on display in Chenrezig Institute Gompa for the first time. Join us for this incredibly special opportunity to see the Maitreya Heart Shrine Relics, to be blessed, or to simply sit and enjoy the atmosphere.

The relics were found among the cremation ashes of the masters and many resemble beautiful, pearl-like crystals. The relics are clearly visible inside display cases that encircle a life-size, golden statue of the Maitreya Buddha. It is believed that the relics embody the teachers' spiritual qualities of compassion and wisdom, and are deliberately produced by them at the time of their deaths. Visitors often describe experiences of inspiration and healing when in the presence of the relics.

"Being at the relics show is a feeling like coming home... there is peace, perceptible peace in the exhibition hall, and peace grows in our hearts while we are there..." (Visitor of the Maitreya Heart Shrine Tour in Germany)

The relic tour will commence with an opening ceremony on Friday evening from 6:30pm—8pm. Everyone is welcome to come along to hear a bit about the history of the relic tour and the importance of the relics themselves.

The relics show will be on display all day Saturday and Sunday in the tranquil environment of Chenrezig Institute Gompa. You may participate in a Blessing Ceremony where the relics of the Buddha are gently placed on the crown of your head for a personal blessing. You are also invited to bring small pets to be blessed. Please ensure that all animals are safely restrained.

Opening times:

Friday 28th February 6:30pm - 8:30pm (Opening ceremony) Saturday 1st March from 10am - 7pm Sunday 2nd March from 9am - 5pm

No charge and no need to book! However, please book in for lunch or supper before 10am if you will be joining us. For further information about the show, please visit www.maitreyarelictour.com.

If you would like to volunteer to help out with the relic tour, please contact info@chenrezig.com.au.

This document contains dharma material - please be respectful and dispose of appropriately

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This document contains dharma material - please be respectful and dispose of appropriately

Upcoming Events Advanced Programme

News from the Advanced Programme

At Chenrezig Institute we offer teachings of all levels hoping to fulfil the needs of our many different kinds of visitors and regular students. The advanced programme developed from irregular one-off courses in the 80’s, through regular evening classes in the early 90’s, to an intensive programme for Sangha members and other serious students.

We have now completed three rounds of the fourteen core subjects of the FPMT’s Basic Programme, and have continued on to the first subject of the even more advanced teachings of FPMT’s Masters Programme.

Since June 2012 we have been engaged in a very extensive study of the Middle Way, the Madhyamaka teachings based on Chandrakirti’s Supplement to the Middle Way and referring mainly to Lama Tsongkhapa’s commentary to that text Illumi-nation of the Thought. These are not teachings for beginners - they are difficult, it has to be admitted - but they are incredi-bly important and beneficial.

Three more short modules are scheduled for 2014 with a month long retreat which completes the course expected to take place towards the end of 2014 or at the start of 2015.

Although new students will likely struggle a little with this advanced material, those with a reasonable experience of Buddhist study are welcome to join us for a module, a week or two, or even a day or two while you are visiting the centre. You are welcome to discuss your experience and the timing of your visit with the Programme Coordinator (bsp@chenrezig.com.au).

The dates for the next modules are:

Unit 8 - 3rd February—27th February (4 weeks) Facility fee $240 (10% discount for FPMT members and con-cession card holders). Sangha – no charge.

Unit 9 - 17th March—11th April (4 weeks) Facility fee $240. (10% discount for FPMT members and con-cession card holders) Sangha – no charge.

Unit 10 - 28th April—27th May (4 weeks) Facility fee $240. (10% discount for FPMT members and con-cession card holders) Sangha – no charge.

Facility fees for the Madhyamaka modules are calculated at $60 per week. The usual discounts apply and students may also use Dharma Dollars (work for course credits) to cover up to 50% of these fees.

The centre offers the teachings free of charge to all sangha and also offers discounted accommodation and food prices to all full-time students. Please contact reception at the centre for information (info@chenrezig.com.au).

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This document contains dharma material - please be respectful and dispose of appropriately

This document contains dharma material - please be respectful and dispose of appropriately

Opening Times Reception/Shop Café

Mon, Tue Closed Closed*

Wed-Fri 9:30am - 2pm 7am - 6:30pm

Sat 8:30am - 4pm 7am - 6:30pm

Sun 9.30am - 4pm 7am - 6:30pm

Café Mealtimes & Prices

Breakfast 7am - 8am / $8.00* (from 1st Dec.) Lunch 12 noon (please book by 10am) / $12.50 Supper 5.30pm - 6.30pm / $6.50

Coffee, cakes, and snacks available at other times.

Accommodation Prices Stay six nights and get the seventh free!

Lotus House (Motel) Share $32 pp /Single $42 Sangha House Share $45 pp / Single $55 Retreat hut (share bath) Single $60 ($40 shared) Retreat hut (en suite) Single $70 ($50 shared) Dormitory $25 per person

Please note: Accommodation prices will change as of 1st December 2013.

Who’s Who Spiritual Director : Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche

Primary Teacher Geshe Lobsang Jamyang

Translator Yaki Platt

Western Teacher Tenzin Tsepal

Program Coordinator Michael Gardner

AP Coordinators Lhundub Tendron

AP Tutor Lozang Tsewang

Gompa Manager Tenzin Wangmo

Director -

Volunteer Coordinator Lozang Khadro

Centre Services Manager Paul Wood (Woody)

Finance Officer Jenny Whisson

Librarian Hilary Tilton

Audio Technician Eva Mueller

Chenrezig Arts (GoE and EPPM)

Garrey Foulkes

Management Committee Yaki Platt, Christine Jones,

Lozang Yangchen, Peter Shepherd

Manager of Monks’ Community Lozang Jhampa

Manager of Nuns’ Community

Lozang Lhagsam

Membership Admin Judy Bowey

Reception Lozang Khadro, Jenny Whisson,

Susanna Nagasima

Shop Manager Dechen Gerrard

Cooks Wayne Sparks, Robert Gillow,

Pierre Fluck

Caretaker Aaron Watkins

Housekeeper Eva Mueller

Dharma Club Ros Thomsen, Jan Clark

Newsletter Editors Michael Gardner, Eva Mueller

*The café is open on Mondays & Tuesdays for registered guests, residents, & Masters Program students. The Chenrezig Gompa is open 6am – 9pm everyday. The Tara Meditation Room is open 24 hours.

Not receiving our fortnightly email updates? Keep up with us on Facebook or Twitter Integrate our calendar with yours

Many web-based email services (eg Hotmail, Yahoo! etc) send bulk email messages auto-matically to your spam/junk folder. Please add info@chenrezig.com.au to your address book/contacts list and the chenrezig.com.au domain to your safe list. That should solve the problem

We’ve been experimenting with ways to keep in touch with members and students. We’ve just moved to a new Facebook profile page, so if you are a Facebook user, look for our new profile: www.facebook.com/ChenrezigInstitute. It’s loaded with photos from current events and we’ll keep it up to date with news of upcoming events. On Twit-ter we are #ChenrezigFPMT.

An interactive Google Calendar is on the Newsletter and Calendar page of the CI web-site - click on the Google logo at the bottom of the calendar to integrate our events with your calendar.