Twenty-One Rigpa retreats: A Report from Myall Lakes, Australia

This year, Australians celebrated 21 years since Sogyal Rinpoche first began to teach us at Myall Lakes, in New South Wales, Australia.

While he may have made a dent in taming our minds, the animals here remain wild. Retreatants were treated to a whole array of wildlife sightings including dolphins in the surf and a very large and confused goanna dashing through the tent during one of Rinpoche's teachings.

A recording of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche was accompanied by the local kookaburras who, apparently realising the illusory nature of everything, burst out laughing. Even Rinpoche was lucky enough to spot a wallaby early one morning breakfasting on the lawn at Blueys.

Of course it is Rinpoche himself we come to see, and this year we once again turned out in record numbers to make the retreat bigger than ever before. Rinpoche gave Dzogchen teachings, and it seemed that everyone, from those who have been attending the Myall Lakes retreat from the beginning, to those who were here for the first time, was blown away by Rinpoche sharing such precious and profound teachings so openly.

No one missed out on the special atmosphere, with Rigpe Yeshe (Rigpa's programme for children and families) having its biggest year so far. As the retreat falls during the Australian summer school holidays it has always had a family atmosphere, and certainly by the pool the children outnumber the adults. While many of the children do attend some of Rinpoche's sessions, they were also lucky enough to have him sit with them and teach them directly. Some excellent questions were asked, including one young boy who wanted Rinpoche's advice on "how to be sensible". (For those who are interested, Rinpoche defined "sensible" as looking both ways before crossing the road).

As the tents are packed away for another year and fond farewells are made, the Australian sangha reflect on just how blessed we are to be able to share this time with Rinpoche every year and pray that he returns for 21 years more at the very least.

(Story by Elena Marie)

Help the people of Haiti

Avalokiteshvara, Buddha of Compassion
(image courtesy of Lama Tsondru Sangpo)

Here is a letter from a Rigpa sangha member to each and every one of of us.

I am writing about the critical situation the people in Haiti are currently facing.

Haiti is a country I have loved so much. I lived there for 4 years whilst working for the United Nations in the field of human rights and justice, and during that time I got to know so many people who I still hold dear in my heart. Many people, both Haitians and people from different parts of the world, who were dedicated to working for peace.

The capital, Port-au-Prince, has been completely devastated and there are ex colleagues and friends of mine who have lost their lives under the ruins. The situation the people there are now facing is tremendously sad. There are no words to express it.

I think that if we want to do something to help alleviate the suffering in the world, we should try to support Haiti now! Just to look at the situation brings so much pain. I wanted to share this pain with you because the Haitians really need our help.

They need our prayers and our support. They need our compassion to help them find their way to a better future and a more lasting happiness. I am also sure any donations we make now will benefit the people in Haiti.

I really wanted to share this message and encourage people to make prayers and where possible to donate to the relief effort.

One really reliable organization working on the ground in Haiti is the Red Cross, and it is to them that I would recommend making donations.

The Red Cross is among the first to have been able to actually deliver aid since 12 January. The Canadian section of the Red Cross is known to be very effective in Haiti in times of disaster; both because of the geographic proximity of the two countries and because of the important Haitian community established in Montreal.

If you would like to donate to the Red Cross appeal then you can click on the links below.

www.ifrc.org

With all my love

Marie-Claude Nielly

Watch a recent interview with Sogyal Rinpoche at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

On 15 and 16 December, Sogyal Rinpoche gave two free public talks at the Chan Center for Performing Arts at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.

Rinpoche taught on Finding Peace and Stability in a Troubled World, How to Discover Inner Peace and Contentment. On the 16th, he taught to a sold-out audience on The Heart Essence of Tibetan Buddhism, The Profound Method of Meditation for Bringing Forth the Nature of the Mind.


Rinpoche was hosted by the Buddhism in Contemporary Society Program of the Institute of Asian Studies at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver.

Watch this interview Sogyal Rinpoche gave at UBC's College for Interdisciplinary Studies, where he spoke about Buddhism as a science of mind and not only a religion.

Some days the sun shines more brightly on the Rigpa Shedra

(L-R) Khenpo Pasang, Richard Gere, Khenpo Namdrol Rinpoche, Tsoknyi Rinpoche, Khenpo Sonam Tobten, and Ani Samten Palmo, with some of the Rigpa Shedra East students

The life of Rigpa Shedra students is mostly study and practice, but there are some days that shine especially bright. One such day came in the second week of January when a very special teacher, Tsoknyi Rinpoche, and a celebrity student, Richard Gere, came to the Penor Rinpoche Retreat center in Pharping, Nepal, where the shedra is held, and visited both its students and its illustrious khenpo, Khenpo Namdrol Rinpoche.

Tsoknyi Rinpoche took advantage of the visit to encourage Rigpa students in their studies. “I'm happy to see you studying and practicing to be able to hold the authentic Buddha Dharma. The Western world really needs it,” he said. “Without real human values, life is really plastic.” He also urged students to be steadfast in their commitment, and thoroughly dissipate any doubts about what they are doing.

“I think there is not much danger practicing Buddha Dharma, because the Buddha gave permission to check his teachings based on common sense, and make sure they don't clash with basic morality,” Tsoknyi Rinpoche told the students, “Love and compassion is one pillar, and another is thorough investigation, and another is trust--but trust based on investigation.”

Tsoknyi Rinpoche encouraged students to drop their expectations to achieve something, and just work hard to understand the teachings, as well as nurture their practice. “The goal is to embody the teachings, not just know them,” he said. “Everyone in the world is looking for beautiful, compassionate, honest persons, someone who is like His Holiness.”

He also encouraged students to relax, just breathe out, breathe in, and appreciate their studies in a joyful manner. “From time to time, just drop everything. Go back into the basic space,” he advised. “Don't lose the simple beauty of the Dharma.” As you can see by the smiles on the faces of the students present, his visit had an immediate effect. Richard Gere attended the special class, too, and was as joystruck as the twenty shedra students in attendance.

“If you really become a good practitioner, if you really study hard, I think you might become like Milarepa,” Tsoknyi Rinpoche told the students. “Milarepa was the most fanatical Buddhist. But nice, no? If you really practice hard you'll end up like Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. Do you mind? Or you'll end up like Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche—it's OK, no? Just think about those teachers, and dedicate to the practice.”

(Report by Rob Spaulding, a 3^rd year Rigpa Shedra student. Photo by Jurek Schreiner)

See what else the Rigpa Shedra East students have been up to, at www.ripgashedra.org

Learning how to be, Aussie style

The most laid-back retreat on the Rigpa calendar is taking place this week at Myall Lakes in Australia.

The 10-day retreat with Sogyal Rinpoche is now in its 21^st year, and for a first-time visitor, it is easy to see why the Aussie sangha have never sought out an alternative venue.

Around 500 people are staying here in tents and cabins, and they have been enjoying a double treat: crystal-clear teachings on meditation and the nature of mind, and pretty much the perfect environment.

The campsite sits on a narrow strip of land in northern New South Wales. On one side is a wild beach where swimmers fear to dip their toes, and on the other the vast, tranquil Wallis Lake.

The view from the teaching tent beside the lake is spectacular, and crickets and birds provide the backing vocals for any teaching or practice session. Between sessions, the prospect of a surprise encounter with a goanna, snake or spider is a constant aid to mindfulness.

The title of the retreat is Gaining Confidence in our Innate Wisdom Through the Teaching of Dzogchen, the Great Perfection. After leaving behind the snow in London, Rinpoche began teaching on the 17th, and he has already given several profound, experiential teachings.

“The main point is learning how to be," he has repeated again and again. "Meditation is a process of coming to know the nature of your mind. It is the art of learning how to be with your mind.”

Rinpoche has also been sharing teachings from his own masters, including rare video footage of Dudjom Rinpoche teaching on meditation in 1979, when he spent a month at the centre of Dzogchen Orgyen Chöling in north-west London, which was later to become Rigpa.

The retreat ends on the 26^th, Australia Day, and Rinpoche will continue his teaching tour of Australia when he leads a retreat at Tuncurry from 26 February-1 March. He will also give a teaching weekend in Sydney in March, and lead the annual Practical Wisdom retreat for business leaders.

Khenchen Namdrol's Opening Address at Rigpa Shedra East

Khenchen Namdrol's opening address at this year's Rigpa Shedra East in Nepal is now available for free download as an mp3 from the Rigpa Wiki. In his introduction to this year's text, the "Introduction to the Middle Way" (Skt. Madhyamakāvatāra) by Chandrakirti, he explained how the teachings of the intermediate and final turnings of the Wheel of the Dharma fit together and eventually culminate in the Dzogchen teachings.

Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche "defrosts" Rigpa London with teachings on Madhyamika, Mahamudra and Dzogchen

With the UK in the grip of the biggest ‘cold snap’ since the sixties, we were definitely in need of some antifreeze, and Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche’s visit to Rigpa London certainly supplied the antidote! It was wonderful to see over 150 people in spite of very difficult travelling conditions – and to welcome so many students from different sanghas to the centre.

Surveying the shrine with its magnificent Buddha statue, Rinpoche uttered a ‘wow!’ before doing prostrations and ascending the throne.

The title of the teaching was “The Three Great Views – Madhyamaka, Mahamudra and Dzogchen” which Rinpoche delivered with incredible clarity and precision. Although this involved quite a plethora of Dharma terminology, it was punctuated by some very pithy gems such as the analogy of oxidisation on copper for the stains that obscure our Buddha nature, the phrase “Samsara is mere thought” and Rinpoche, when speaking of emptiness, encouraging us to ‘freak out’ in a good way when we understand that all our thinking is delusional!

When Rinpoche invited questions from the audience we had a real treat as he spoke about his father, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, and a delightful reunion with a man in the audience who had been invited to dinner with the great master’s family in Nepal in 1978 – Rinpoche remembered the man very well, and this inspired him to speak very intimately about the incredible kindness of his mum (Rinpoche’s word!).

To round off the afternoon, Rinpoche spoke very inspiringly on devotion, explaining so movingly why it is that masters display such emotion – perhaps seemingly inappropriately to us – when thinking or speaking of their own teachers. Without them how could we finally ‘quit the habit’ of our afflictive emotions and uncover the Great Compassion that wishes only to bring all sentient beings to the same realisation?

It was a truly fabulous mix of the highest teaching and the warmest and most intimate anecdotes and interactions…thank you Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche… I am certain that like me, everyone left with an inner glow that may even have melted some of the snows around us on our homeward journeys!

(Story by Jim Peters, Photos by Sasha Radovic)

Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche visited Rigpa's London centre on 9 January 2010. For information about upcoming Rigpa events and meditation courses in the UK, go to: www.rigpa.org.uk

24th Annual German Retreat at Kirchheim, The End of an Era?

Rigpa's annual German retreat, held at Kirchheim, possibly for the last time, has just ended. The 10-day retreat (27 December-6 January) was led by Sogyal Rinpoche.

About 750 people attended the retreat and, as usual, they came from all over Europe and the world.


Rinpoche taught on Dzogchen.

Also, his most recent teachings, including from the December retreat in Lake Tahoe, California, were shown so that everyone is up to date with his current teaching cycle. In addition, there were periods for study and reflection and group meditation practice sessions. The wonderful team of Rigpa Instructors, supported by an equally wonderful team behind the scenes, led all of these sessions.

Rinpoche also gave a special teaching to the children, many of whom followed the children's retreat organised by Rigpa's programme for families, Rigpe Yeshe.

On New Year's Day, in a most powerful way to start the new year, Rinpoche taught on, and gave a tendrel nyesel empowerment, which was video-streamed live to Lerab Ling and more than 50 Rigpa centres around the world. The Australian sangha stayed up till 2am for it, and students gathered in Uppsala, Sweden, Montreal, Dzogchen Beara and across Ireland, all over Europe, as well as in Taiwan and the US. All in all, 300 people received the empowerment via the video-streaming.

The German winter retreat has been held at Kirchheim, at the SeePark Hotel, for the past 24 years, but at the end of the retreat Rinpoche said that it is possible that the retreat will be held somewhere else in Germany next time. So, the whole assembly joined him in thanking the manager of the Hotel and all her staff for their extraordinary care in looking after Rigpa for all these years.


A new venue for the retreat has not been chosen yet.

After the retreat, Rinpoche taught for two days in the Paris centre. Next stop for him is Australia and the annual Myall Lakes retreat, which starts this week (16 January). Go to Rigpa Australia's website for information about the Myall Lakes retreat and all of Rinpoche's teaching events in Australia.

Kyabjé Dudjom Rinpoche - A Great Master Remembered

His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche and Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche

Yesterday was the anniversary of Kyabjé Dudjom Rinpoche (1904-1987), was one of Tibet’s foremost yogins, scholars, and meditation masters, and one of Sogyal Rinpoche's root teachers.

Recognized as the incarnation of Dudjom Lingpa (1835-1904), whose previous incarnations included the greatest masters, yogins and panditas such as Shariputra, Saraha and Khye'u Chung Lotsawa, and considered to be the living representative of Padmasambhava, Dudjom Rinpoche was a great revealer of the ‘treasures’ (terma) concealed by Padmasambhava.

A prolific author and meticulous scholar, Dudjom Rinpoche wrote more than forty volumes, one of the best known of which is his monumental The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism: Its Fundamentals and History. Over the last decade of his life he spent much time teaching in the West, where he helped to establish the Nyingma tradition, founding major centres in France and the United States.

In 1972, 1976 and 1979 Dudjom Rinpoche visited London at the invitation of Sogyal Rinpoche, who travelled with him during his tours of the West as his translator and aide.

In 1979 he spent the whole month of May at the centre of Dzogchen Orgyen Chöling in north-west London, which was later to become Rigpa. He gave public talks, empowerments and teachings in central London, and special instructions to small groups.

Dudjom Rinpoche was undoubtedly a fully realized master, yet, every day he would rise hours before dawn in order to practise; in the mornings he would pray for all those who had taken refuge in him, and in the evenings for those who had died. Continually he prayed that all those who saw him, heard him, came in contact with him or even thought of him would be freed from suffering. He always made a point of being accessible to people from all walks of life, and anyone who had the good fortune to meet him could not fail to be touched by his warmth, simplicity and vivacious sense of humour, as much as they were awed by his presence, deep wisdom and vast learning.

You can read more about this extraodinary master on the Rigpa wiki