Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

One World: Let the People Speak

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From a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:

Today I have a down mood. Watching what is happening worldwide is hard to take. Japan hiding info we need, in the Middle East giving more than we can use. Everywhere there are terrible events and dramas.

One theme I see is secretiveness by those in power. Any info we get is from regular people. I sincerely hope our government is asking questions, someone has to. So I guess I am worrying a lot. Worry is useless unless it spurs one to action. As in praying, or offering some relief. I work at Prayer, but I wish I could stop the wars, leaking nukes etc. One person cannot manage very much. But governments and groups of people can. That is why it is so hard to hear about these issues. They are fixable, but we refuse to change ourselves, our views, and so then government will not change. Government is us. Even if we feel impotent, we are the people and government should be serving our interests. We have lost our way, governments now work for themselves and are therefore hard to trust. We aren’t getting news. We are getting propaganda from hierarchies who are in self- protection mode. We are playing games with our planet and the sentient beings who live here. This is wrong, unethical and immoral. Government is a good example, but not the only one. For business and institutions to keep secrets and do wrong without consequence is not acceptable.

We must speak out and demand information about everything that affects planet earth. Especially things like ecological disasters which eventually affect us all. We are world citizens and we have the right to know! Secrets lead to disaffected people, disempowered. So nothing changes and the people never get to speak. This does not work for planet earth and her people. We have ideas that should be allowed to see the light of day! We aren’t stupid, we actually think and create. And so we must think of a way through this habit. What are we thinking?! Let the people in! Let us speak!

Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo.  All rights reserved

Ghost Stories and Understanding Karma

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From a series of tweets between Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo and two of her followers, Michelle9647 and Seedsdown:

Michelle asked Jetsunma about ghosts after sharing a video of a “ghostly image” she had seen online. She asked Jetsunma if she had ever had an encounter.

Jetsunma: Yes. Some seem to be repetitive emotional “bodies”. Others seem to be temporary thinning of other dimensional systems.

Seedsdown: Demons you mean? There are those too!

Jetsunma: There are demons. But they aren’t ghosts.

Michelle: Are some of the classes of demons subject to the thinning dimensional systems?

Jetsunma: Maybe, but I think hell-beings are there due to Karma. The heinous crimes especially – cause and effect. Not a god punishing us. If that doesn’t fly, think about this: do we have nightmares? They are our own emotions being worked through in a display. In that way at time of death all emotions, concepts appear outwardly, jumbled in time. If we are haters, that is one hellish appearance. If greedy, another hell. We are drawn to repeat our own habitual tendencies. Like draws like. So we are attracted to what we know in the Bardo. As many hell-dreams as there are “dreamers” to “dream” them. That is why it is so precious to awaken. As Buddha did.

Michelle: Just a thought. If mankind was to wake up one day and live a life of love and the karma is purified, what then happens to the demons?

Jetsunma: Very good question. It is very difficult to change habits in a hell realm, but it can be done, must be done. In the same way it is so difficult to let go of the addiction to samsara when living. Or to wake up from a dream. We must accumulate a storehouse of merit and virtue to draw from. It is like money in the bank, simply stated.

Was that clear enough for twitter? Any more questions?

Michelle: I’ve heard stories of great beings taming the demons. How is this done if merit is needed, because I do believe these stories to be true.

Jetsunma: Those stories are true. The merit of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is so great it can transform all through Bodhicitta, thereby transforming the habit and non-virtue of hell beings. That is the power of many lifetimes living compassion and love. So don’t waste time.

Sometimes, demons (hell beings) can affect the world we know. They are powerful in their laser like focus on hate. Some remain in one habitual place, like a haunting. Some want to return to their old ways desperately. I once knew an alcoholic (raging!) and three pitiful demons possessed him, trying to get their mouths and noses where his were. They were trying to smell and drink the liquor he always stank of. So the poor gent’s craving was magnified three times! So disgusting to see!

Another time a little girl had cerebral palsy and I saw a bag like thing sucking from her lower brain. She had a mild case. When I removed it the doctors were amazed, said she had “grown out of it.” Easier to take I guess! It seemed they had a karmic bond, hurting each other life after life. When it came off it tried to go to me and was transformed, able to take a higher rebirth. Some are easy to deal with, others extremely difficult.

But we should never fear if we can help it. They love that. One can visualize oneself in a sphere of light to protect. Buddhists have more options, puja, smoke offering, mantra, deity generation. Eventually we get strong and naturally repel them.

Michelle: It makes one wonder how many of these conditions are more “beings” based than medical.

Jetsunma: Many more than we can imagine.

Michelle: What you just said was heartbreaking and for some reason it was also very freeing.

Jetsunma: Goes to show. We live in our own karmic stream, and our own awareness and view is the door to samsara and enlightenment both.

Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo.  All rights reserved

FOUR GREAT FESTIVAL DAYS

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There are four Great Festival Days throughout the year that celebrate different significant aspects of the life of the Buddha.  On these days, positive or negative actions are multiplied by 10 Million times.

CHOTRUL DUCHEN:  Display of Miraculous Activities

15TH day of the first month of the New Year

On the first fifteen days of the New Year, the Buddha displayed a different miracle each day in order to increase the merit and aid in the devotion of future disciples.

In India at that time, the Buddha was being challenged by the various philosophical schools of the day in a contest of miraculous powers.  For fifteen days, the Buddha displayed a miracle and completely defeated his opponents.  His students were inspired by this display and it increased their faith and devotion.

SAGA DAWA DUCHEN:  The Birth, Enlightenment and Parinirvana

Of the Lord Buddha Shakyamuni

15th day of the fourth month (full moom)

This day marks the day when the Buddha attained Enlightenment at Bodhgaya at age 35.  It also marks his Parinirvana at age 81.  Both of these events happened on the same day, the full moon of the fourth lunar month.  The birth of the Buddha happened on the 7th day and is also celebrated on this holiday.

In general, the entire fourth month is regarded as important.  In the words of the Buddha:

Individuals who are involved in practice of Dharma should make a strong effort to do extra practice during this particular month.  During this month, any wholesome or virtuous action that we do brings benefits of one million times.

CHOKHOR DUCHEN:  The First Turning of the Wheel of Dharma

4th day of the sixth lunar month

For seven weeks after Lord Buddha Shakyamuni attained Enlightenment, he did give any teachings.  After being encouraged to teach by Indra and Brahma, he turned the Wheel of Dharma for the first time at Saranath, by teaching the “Four Noble Truths.”

LHA BAB DUCHEN:  The Descent from Tushita Heaven

22nd day of the ninth lunar month

Lord Buddha’s mother was reborn in Indra’s Heaven.  To repay her kindness and to liberate his mother as well as to benefit the gods, Buddha spent three months in the realm of the gods giving teachings.  This holiday represents Buddha’s descent from Tushita’s heaven.  Also, traditionally in the monasteries this is regarded as a good time to begin renovations.

Song to Tara

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A Prayer by Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo

Clear Mind, Holy Mind

The arguments we have used against you

Are like dust…

Against You?

You, who flow silently… eternally

In the well of our hearts.

Have we robed you in filthy rags

Hatred… greed… ignorance?

You have remained steadfast,

Unchanging.

Today we lift you up

To the lips and hearts of

Beings without number

And are feasted forever.

Precious mind unchanging

Clear mind eternal.

The promise we have searched for

Is enthroned within our hearts.

Clear light, holy light

Stainless, precious heart.

Here in this clear place

We are robed in sweet scent

And victorious forever.

© Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

Tulku Thubten Palzang Rinpoche

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The most senior living lineage-holder of the Palyul Tradition, Tulku Thubten Palzang Rinpoche (“Tulku Thubzang Rinpoche”), was born in the year of the Fire Rat (1936). He was discovered by the great Khenpo Ngaga Rinpoche, the same Khenchen who confirmed the recognition of our late Holiness, Drubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche.

Tulku Thubzang Rinpoche was a younger classmate and dear friend of His Holiness along with Dzongnang Rinpoche. The three young tulkus studied and practiced as brothers under the direct guidance of Khenchen Ngaga and received teachings and empowerments together from many realized masters. As a youth, Tulku Thubzang Rinpoche was present when His Holiness Penor Rinpoche completed Ngondrö. He has described the single-pointed zeal and physical hardships endured without complaint through which His Holiness completed all of the recitations and accumulations.

Among the empowerments Tulku Rinpoche has received are Rinchen Ter Dzöd (“Precious Terma Treasury”) from Chötrul Rinpoche and the Dam Ngang Dzö (“Treasury of Essential Instruction”), the Do Wang Drangtsi Chu Gyun (Anu Yoga Empowerment-“Continual Flow of Nectar”) from Khenpo Legshed Jordan. From Lungtog Rinpoche, he received all the Longchen Nyingthig empowerments and oral transmission teachings. From Khenpo Khyentse Lodrö, he received the Du Do Drelwa (Anu Yoga Commentary) and many other empowerments and transmissions.

Tulku Rinpoche has spent the majority of his life in Palyul, Kham, overseeing the rebuilding of Palyul Monastery. However, while making sure we have the physical buildings where all can study and practice the teachings, most important has been his activity to save and preserve the texts of teachings. Through great effort, personal danger and the blessings of all the lineage masters, Tulku Rinpoche has managed to collect texts that were nearly destroyed. The Kama teachings, for instance, were scattered in personal collections throughout the local area and the world. These he assembled in the Palyul Library, and had re-carved into wooden blocks based upon the copies. He has also preserved some of the original wooden printing blocks of the Nam Chö which remarkably had escaped destruction through being mistaken by those who would do so for firewood. The original pre-1959 library held wood blocks for 50 volumes. Thanks to Tulku Rinpoche’s hard work, and with the addition of the Kama teachings, the library today holds printing blocks of more than 110 volumes. It has likely become the world’s largest wood block library for texts related to Kama collected in one place. Because of this effort, His Holiness Penor Rinpoche was able to obtain the texts required to carry through the series of retreats known as Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand, now regularly given in Namdroling Monastery and in the US Retreat Center.

Biographies often mention that Tulku Thubzang Rinpoche is renowned for his expertise in the detailed instructions of all the ritual activities such as Mudra (hand gestures) and Cham (sacred lama dance). This understates his mastery. It is because of his capacity to know all of the most minute details of the elaborate rituals for Drupchen (twenty-four-hour a day, seven-day prayer ritual) and Accomplishment Ceremonies that these teachings have been preserved. He also knows how to play nearly all of the sacred musical instruments and has taught these. To understand the extent of his knowledge, we must know that ordinary aspirants generally can remember just one of the instruments. The monastic retreats within Palyul Monastery, Kham, are all also overseen by Tulku Rinpoche. Fortunately for us, Tulku Thubzang Rinpoche has been able to confer these teachings to hundreds of aspirants, insuring they are remembered for generations to come. In this way, granting teachings and empowerments based on these texts and based on his knowledge of all of the rituals of Palyul, Tulku Rinpoche has spent many years caring for and nurturing the entire Palyul lineage.

Free from the stain of partiality, Tulku Thubzang Rinpoche’s activities are like a great ocean of enlightened conduct for the benefit of the teachings and all sentient beings. For Palyul students, we know him for his profound humility and for a devotion to and faith in His Holiness Penor Rinpoche so deep and so vast, it makes eyes tear and hearts tremble in appreciation to observe. In the region of Palyul, he has served as His Holiness Penor Rinpoche’s surrogate. Along with His Holiness, he has been a major contributor in preventing these teachings from falling into extinction. Now, we pray, with visits to Asia and the West, he will continue to propagate these teachings to the world.

Reference:  Palyul Ling International

The Twelfth Throne Holder

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The Fifth Karma Kuchen Rinpoche

(1970  – date)

The 5th Karma Kuchen Rinpoche was born in the year of Iron Dog (1970), along with many auspicious signs in Southern India, to a noble religious family. When he was two years old, the late His Holiness Pema Norbu Rinpoche, and H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche notified his parents that their son was quite a special child, and they should send him to the monastery for training as a monk.

H.H. Karma Kuchen Rinpoche was sent to the monastery at the age of four, where he studied and perfected the teachings of Namcho (Sky Teachings) preliminaries (ordinary and extraordinary), Tsalung and up to Dzogpachenpo under the direct guidance of H.H. Penor Rinpoche. He also took the Bhikshu and Bodhisattva vows, and received the Namcho, Ratna Lingpa’s revelations and Rinchen Terzoed empowerments from H.H. Penor Rinpoche. In addition, he received many teachings under the late H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Dodrupchen Rinpoche, Nyoshul Khenpo Rinpoche, and many other great siddhas.

He displayed infinite wisdom and understanding of Vajrayana and Mahayana teachings when he gave a long discourse at the Ngagyur Nyingma Institute in the presence of many high Khenpos. In 1994, at the instructions of H.H. Penor Rinpoche, he went to deepen his studies at the main Palyul Monastery in Tibet where the retreat centers and a Buddhist Institute are also located. H.H. Karma Kuchen Rinpoche often gave lectures at the request of his students at the Dharma Institute. There he was recognized as the Fifth Karma Kuchen Rinpoche by Tulku Thubzang Rinpoche and Khenpo Acchu.

In 2000, on August 14th, H.H. Karma Kuchen Rinpoche was formally enthroned at the main Palyul Monastery in Tibet. This was considered an important event in the Buddhist world. Equipped with inconceivable wisdom, modesty, grace and boundless compassion, he has vowed to bring peace and happiness to all sentient beings and spread the supreme Dharma in the 10 directions.

Significant achievements of H.H. Karma Kuchen Rinpoche since his arrival in Tibet are that he has built many temples, Stupas, prayer wheels, images of deities and other objects of veneration and faith. Under the direction of Penor Rinpoche, he has also built a very grand and magnificent temple on the monastery premises.

Of the many remarkable qualities that he possesses, the most striking quality is his strict and pure observance of all the vows of a monk. He is thus the embodiment of pure conduct in these degenerate times.

Reference:  Pathgate Institute of Buddhist Studies

Losar

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The Tibetan Buddhist New Year celebration called LOSAR is a day of joyfully welcoming in the New Year.

The celebration begins two days prior with GUTOR, a day where one reflects back on the past year and any mistakes that have been made.  Practice is done to avert the negativity of the past year.

On the eve of the New Year, time is spent cleaning the home and Temple.  This represents joyfully sweeping away the past negative karma and preparing for the many blessings that the New Year will bring.

LOSAR is a time of happiness, joyful effort and celebration.  The first month of the New Year is regarded as very auspicious and is referred to as “the month of display of Enlightened Activities” or miracles of the Buddha.  In particular, on the first 15 days Lord Buddha Shakyamuni performed a miracle each day to increase the merit and devotion of future disciples.  Below is an account of one such miracle as described by the Venerable Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche:

At one time the Buddha was invited to share in a festival.  It was then traditional (as it still is in India) for people to brush their teeth with a piece of twig.  This was considered very healthy for your gums and teeth.  So the Buddha was brushing his teeth with a twig.  It was the custom to keep it in your mouth a long time and then to brush with it.  When the Buddha took the twig out of his mouth, he put it into the ground like planting a tree, and with that action, some 500 miles were covered by fruit trees in an instant.  Those who had no food could partake of some.  The Buddha was making connections through this act.  A number of people who were overwhelmed by the power of ego fixation, pride and arrogance could not appreciate the teachings.  They were very critical, so when the teachings were being presented (just as they are being presented now), all they could offer were a lot criticisms.  They said that the Buddha could not stand being a king, so he went wandering, and that as a meditator he could not keep up with that, so he came back into the world.  They said he knew how to say all of these things because he was prince, a king.  And on and on they criticized.  These people could not hear or appreciate the teachings; therefore, the Buddha had another style in which the teachings could manifest: the planting of this twig and the miracle that resulted.  This got their attention.

On each of the fifteen days the virtue or non-virtuous activity is multiplied by 100,000 times with the exception of the 15th day, Chotrul Duchen, on which it multiplies by 10 Million times.

This year Losar took place on March 5th.

Mantra-thon!

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Chenrezig

Now is a wonderful time to benefit beings, and one way we can do that is through the recitation of mantra.  From now until Chotrul Duchen on March 19,  we will be accumulating mantra for the benefit of the world and all beings.  The time between Tibetan New Year, called Losar, and Chotrul Duchen is considered to be very auspicious.  Meritorious activity is said to be multiplied 100,000 times.

The mantra we are accumulating is the Mani mantra:

Om Mani Pedme Hung

525px-Om-mani-padme-hum_02.svg

To learn more about the Mani mantra, click here.

How to participate in the Mantra-thon:

1.  Set your intention to benefit beings

2.  Accumulate the mantra – Om Mani Pedme Hung as many times as possible

3.  Dedicate the merit you have accumulated, and

4.  Send your accumulations to [email protected]!

On Chotrul Duchen we will announce the grand total accumulated!

The following is a dedication prayer written by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo that can be used to dedicate the merit:

By this effort may all sentient beings be free of suffering.

May their minds be filled with the nectar of virtue.

In this way may all causes resulting in suffering be extinguished

And only the light of compassion shine throughout all realms.

by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo


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