Pictures from Nepal of Karma Thinley Rinpoche's birthday

Lama Jampa Thaye teaches in London, 21 May

On Saturday, 21 May in London, hosted by Sakya Dechen Ling, Lama Jampa Thaye taught the concise system of Lojong practice composed by the early Kadampa master Chim Namkha Drak and subsequently bestowed the initiation of Black Dzambala in the afternoon. Lama Jampa Thaye bestowed the initiation of Black Dzambala from the collection of sadhanas brought to Tibet by Bari Lotsawa and preserved in the Sakya tradition.

 

Lama Jampa Thaye on radio in Manchester, 29 May 2011

Lama Jampa Thaye appeared on his regular radio slot in Manchester, England on Sunday, 29 May where he discussed his "thought for the week" and a number of stories featured in the newspapers that day.

A recording of the interview has been uploaded to Lama Jampa Thaye's YouTube channel. Please click here to listen to the interview.

Karma Thinley Rinpoche's Birthday

Monday, 23 May was Karma Thinley Rinpoche's 80th birthday. In order to mark this auspicious occasion at Kagyu Ling, Rinpoche's long life prayer was recited throughout the day. Many sangha members came together to recite the long life prayer. The day also included four sessions of the Guru Rinpoche tsok puja, the Shower of Blessings.

H.E. Ratna Vajra Rinpoche visits Sakya Dechen Ling, Stuttgart

H.E. Ratna Vajra Rinpoche visited Sakya Dechen Ling in Stuttgart for several days last week accompanied by two monks: Lama Gendün and Dorje Phuntsok. Lama Jampa Thaye also accompanied His Eminence for the duration of the visit and discussed many dharma issues with His Eminence.

In the evening on 18 May His Eminence gave an inspiring teaching on the Madhyamaka. The following day His Eminence bestowed the initiation of Amitabha to the Sakya Dechen Ling sangha. His Eminence departed the following morning to continue his tour of Europe that will take him to Hungary, Spain, Italy and France, and also to England in August where he will visit our centres Sakya Thinley Rinchen Ling in Bristol and Sakya Dechen Ling in London. 

Prior to teaching in Stuttgart,  His Eminence spent several days in Frankfurt with H.H. Sakya Trizin, H.E. Gyana Vajra Rinpoche and his mother, Gyalyum Chenmo. His Holiness and entourage subsequently left for New York where His Holiness will commence an extensive teaching tour of the Americas. Lama Jampa had the opportunity to spend some time with His Holiness at Frankfurt airport prior to His Holiness' departure. 

His Holiness Sakya Trizin Arrives in America

On Wednesday May 18, His Holiness Sakya Trizin  arrived in New York JFK airport to begin his Summer 2011 Western Hemisphere Teaching Tour. He is travelling with his wife Gyalyum Chenmo,  his younger son H.E. Gyana Vajra Rinpoche and a number of monks. His elder son H.E. Ratna Vajra Rinpoche, who is currently teaching in Europe, will join the party on May 30.

There was a large reception party at the airport from where he was driven to Tsechen Kunchab Ling in up-state New York; his temple seat in the United States.

Lama Jampa Thaye visits H.H. Sakya Trizin and H.H. Karmapa in India

Making offerings to His Holiness Sakya Trizin

Lama Jampa Thaye and Dechen Dolma visited India from 2 to 12 May to receive teachings from His Holiness Sakya Trizin and to have a meeting with His Holiness Karmapa.

At the request of Lama Jampa, His Holiness bestowed the initiations of the “4 Kadam Deities” (Shakyamuni, Chenrezik, Achala and Green Tara), the 5 deity major initiation of Chakrasamvara from the Vajraghanta tradition and the initiations of the 21 Taras from the Suryagupta tradition.

With Lama Logya

Their Eminences Ratna Vajra Rinpoche and Gyana Vajra Rinpoche, 250 monks and nuns, including Lama Jampa’s old friend Lama Logya, and a number of lay-people attended the initiations, which His Holiness bestowed in the main Centre of Shri Sakya in Rajpur.

Lama Jampa also had discussions with His Holiness and His wife, Gyalyum Chenmo, about many issues affecting dharma today as well as plans for their forthcoming visit to the USA and Mexico.

Waiting for His Holiness Sakya Trizin

In other happy news, His Eminence Gyana Vajra Rinpoche and His wife, Dagmo Sonam Palkyi, have just had their first baby, a girl called Ngawang Tsejin Lhamo.

Returning to Delhi, Lama Jampa and Dechen Dolma were able to spend an afternoon with His Holiness Karmapa.

Meeting His Holiness Karmapa

Lama Jampa and His Holiness Karmapa discussed the status of Buddhism in the West and East; His Holiness Karmapa observed that we need more shedras, as well as drupdas, as we need to respect the full intellectual depth of the dharma.

Lama Jampa is now back in England and will be teaching the Mind Training Teachings of the Kadampa master Chim Namkha Drak followed by the Initiation of Black Dzambala in London on Saturday, 21 May.

New Issue of Melody of Dharma (No. 5)

The latest issue of the Sakya magazine, Melody of Dharma, has been uploaded to the official website of His Holiness Sakya Trizin. The issue features, among other things, a number of articles on Khenpo Appey Rinpoche who recently passed away, a feature on Sakya College and a transcript of a teaching by His Holiness on the nature of mind.

Please click here to download the issue.

Karma Thinley Rinpoche in London

On 29 to 30 April, Karma Thinley Rinpoche passed through London during his annual trip to Tegchen Legshay Ling in Nepal. Rinpoche spent the two days with Lama Jampa Thaye and is in good health.

Rinpoche will spend the next several months in Nepal, with a brief trip to Nangchen, Tibet during this time.

Lama Jampa teaching tour of Los Angeles

From 11 to 25 April, Lama Jampa visited Los Angeles and bestowed an extensive series of teachings and initiations at a number of dharma centres.

On 13 April, Lama Jampa bestowed the initiation of Sanjay Menla at Kagyu Do-Ngak Choling, a dharma centre set up under the auspices of Kalu Rinpoche, the famed Kagyu master from whom Lama Jampa received a number of teachings in the 1970s. On the weekend of 16 to 17 April, at Sakya Samten Ling, Lama Jampa taught Gorampa Sonam Sengge’s commentary on the Zhenpa Zhidral and bestowed the initiations of Green Tara and the Lion Faced Dakini, Simhamukha. Lama Jampa concluded his teaching programme by bestowing the initiation of Red Tara at the behest of Yeshe Nyingpo, a dharma group set up under the auspices of H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche and currently under the guidance of His son, Shenpen Dawa Rinpoche.

It was wonderful see a great mix of people attending Lama Jampa’s teachings, including dharma practitioners from the United States as well as members of our Mexican and European sanghas. During the visit, Lama Jampa attended a special Chenrezik Mahamudra puja at our Centre in Santa Monica, Sakya Samten Ling. After the puja, Lama Jampa rejoiced in the good fortune of those present and stressed the importance of supporting the growth of the authoritative teachings of the Buddhas in the United States.