Pathgate News

Second Anniversary of HH Penor Rinpoche’s Parinirvana

The second Anniversary Ceremony commemorating the Parinirvana of His Holiness Penor Rinpoche was held at Namdroling Monastery in India for five days which commenced on 2nd April (29th day of the 1st Tibetan Lunar Month) and continued until 6th April 2011, comprising five days of light offerings and three days of puja.

To commemorate this special anniversary, Ven. Lama Dondrup Dorje instructed his students from around the world to join in with pujas at their respective local centres and to accumulate prayers for the Swift Rebirth of HH Penor Rinpoche.

At the main Pathgate Dharma Centres, in England and Greece, continuous light offerings were made for five days accompanied by the accumulation of prayers for the swift rebirth of HH Penor Rinpoche.

In both Centres, Puja was held for three days, with Vajrasattva practices in the morning, Shitro pujas in the afternoon, and Lama Choepa in the evening. All practices were well attended by both ordained and lay students, many of whom took days off work so as to participate in the practice throughout the five days period.

To commemorate the second anniversary of HH Penor Rinpoche’s Parinirvana, audio recordings of HH Rinpoche Rinpoche chanting the Prayer to Guru Rinpoche; Blessing of Speech, and the Lamp Offering are now available on line at the Pathgate English Language Website. To hear the chanting, please click on the Tibetan Prayer and Mantra.

May HH Penor Rinpoche be swiftly reborn and continue to spread the heart essence of the Dharma teachings throughout the hundred million worlds, for the benefit of all sentient beings.

Enthronement of Khenpos and Dorje Lopon at Namdroling Monastery

Congratulations are warmly extended to 137 Dharma brothers of Ven. Lama Dondrup Dorje at the Namdroling Monastery in India who have recently become the recipients of the degree of Khenpo and Vajracharya. Their enthronement took place on Saturday 19th March 2011 (the 15th day of the first Tibetan Lunar Month), which happened to be the most auspicious day of Chotrul Duchen which commemorates the completion of 15 days of miracle display by Shakyamuni Buddha 2500 years ago.

The enthronement ceremony was conducted in the presence of HH Karma Kuchen Rinpoche, the 12th Throne Holder of the Palyul Lineage and many illustrious dignitaries. Also present were members of the management committee of Namdroling Monastery which included HE Gyangkhang Tulku Rinpoche, HE Muksang Tulku Rinpoche, Khenchen Pema Sherab Rinpoche, Khenchen Namdrol Rinpoche and Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso Rinpoche. 120 Lopons who are all graduates from the Ngagyur Nyingma University received the degree of Khenpo (Professor of Buddhist Study) and 17 Lamas who have completed their three years retreat received the degree of Vajracharya (Dorje Lopon).

Buddhist Practice Dates & Anniversaries

A new addition to the Pathgate Institute website is 'Buddhist Practice Dates & Anniversaries', where you can find upcoming practice dates and anniversaries in the Tibetan Buddhist calendar.

The Tibetan calendar is based on the lunar cycle and includes annual Buddhist Festivals, which celebrate the major events in the life of Shakyamuni Buddha, and monthly practice days for specific deities including those for Medicine Buddha, Guru Rinpoche, Amitabha, Dakinis, Dharmapala Protectors and for Lord Shakyamuni Buddha.

Medicine Buddha Day falls on the 8th of the month in the Tibetan calendar and on this day practices for Medicine Buddha, Orgyen Menla and Tara are all encouraged. Guru Rinpoche Day follows on the 10th day of the Tibetan month, and in addition to special pujas, the accumulation of the Seven Line Prayer is encouraged on this day. Amitabha Buddha Day falls on the 15th of the month and Dakini Day on the 25th, followed by Dharmapala Day on the 29th and Shakyamuni Buddha Day on the 30th. Other dates in the calendar include Sojong: the twice monthly confession day for the ordained, and Nyi Nak: ‘black sun’ days when dynamic actions are favoured but such actions as initiations, marriages, consecrations, funerals, the starting of building projects and the like are not encouraged.

To find out about practices on these and other days at your local Pathgate Study Group, please contact the organiser of your local group (Click here for details). To view upcoming dates in the calendar click on ‘Buddhist Practice Dates’.

Teaching Of Longchenpa’s Mengag Rinpoche Dzod At Bodhgaya

There was a change of programme at this year's Kama Transmission in Bodhgaya. HE Yangthang Rinpoche, who had graciously accepted an invitation from the Ngagyur Kama Tradition Preservation Association to bestow the oral transmission of the Kama teachings in Bodhgaya after the completion of the Ngagyur Nyingma Monlam Chenmo, was not be able to attend this year as a result of ill-health. Instead, Khenchen Pema Sherab Rinpoche attended this year’s event to give teaching on Longchenpa's Mengag Rinpoche Dzod (Precious Treasury of Pith Instructions).

Pathgate Winter Retreat 2010-11

The Pathgate Winter Retreat 2010-11 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England was preceded by a three-day Pathgate sangha festive get together over the Christmas period. The UK sangha were joined by students from Singapore, China, Japan, Russia, Serbia, Poland, Israel, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Netherlands, New Zealand, Australia, and Ireland. As always, it was a relaxed joyful period full of examples of living Dharma brought to life by our beloved teacher, Venerable Lama Dondrup Dorje. The main subject of the 2010 Pathgate Winter Retreat was Classical Chan Ding Internal Arts Foundation Study with Puja practices, Dharma teachings, meditation and Classical Chan Ding Internal Arts practices being held throughout the day.

During the retreat, Ven. Lama Dondrup Dorje gave a series of vibrant demonstrations to illustrate the reason why Buddhadharma is the foundation of authentic classical internal arts practice. He also highlighted the impact Buddhadharma has in bringing harmony to every facet of our daily lives. Through endless vivid examples, Ven. Lama Dondrup Dorje repeatedly remind the students that true learning cannot even begin until we have completely renounced our reliance on personal logic which is the product of individual habit and preferences, and has nothing in common with the primordial wisdom of discriminative awareness, which is the result of successful Chan Ding practice through firm faith and devotion in taking refuge in the guidance of a qualified teacher.

So what exactly is Chan Ding? Chan Ding is a state of quiet and relaxed mind which sees all things clearly as they are. It is an effective learning tool with which we can accomplish without stress all that we wish to achieve. For when we approach any learning without adding our share of conceptualised view, we become a true reflection of the instruction we have received and thus avoid the habit of contaminating all that we see and hear through the intellect of a speculated mind.

For those who wish to participate in the study of Chan Ding Meditative Practice, please visit Teaching Schedule.

Pathgate Partnership Programme – Summary for 2010

By the Blessing of the Lineage Gurus, Pathgate Partnership Programme has been able to maintain the sponsorship of a range of Dharma projects worldwide during the course of 2010. Here is a brief summary of some of the projects.

The first major event sponsored by Pathgate Institute in 2010 was the Second Ngagyur Kama Transmission which was held in Bodhgaya, India - the site at which Lord Buddha Shakyamuni attained enlightenment 2550 years ago. Organised by The Association for the Preservation of Ngagyur Kama Tradition, of which Ven. Lama Dondrup Dorje is a member of the Executive Committee, this month-long event with oral transmission of Nyingma Gyudbum by Togden Rinpoche, Kama Empowerment by Yangthang Rinpoche, and pith instruction by Khenchen Pema Sherab, attracted a record number of over 3000 Nyingma practitioners.

Apart from the provision and the setting up of broadcasting facilities to provide translation services of English and Chinese language to the sizable number of foreign students present, Pathgate Institute is a principle sponsor of this event which offers not merely rare teaching and empowerments which are not commonly available in the world today, but also free food and lodging to the 3000 plus participants throughout the month-long event.

In April, Pathgate Institute was quick to act in response to a request for help when Kunzang Odsal Palyul Changchub Choling (KPC), a Vajrayana Buddhist organization of Palyul Nyingma tradition founded by Jetsuma Akhon Norbu Lhamo, at Poolesville, Maryland, USA, was in danger of losing its temple to the bank due to their falling behind in repayments to a mortgage financed by a mortgage-backed line of credit, with the temple property used as collateral. On the 24th April 2010, the credit note was called in by the bank and KPC was given just 5 days to raise the $250,000 US dollars needed to prevent its property and assets being seized by the bank.

On hearing the plight of the KPC and recognising the imminent threat that the KPC Temple, which had been blessed by numerous visits of the late Holiness Penor Rinpoche, was on the verge of being lost to the bank, Ven. Lama Dondrup Dorje immediately took steps to offer financial help to the KPC by diverting money to the KPC from the Pathgate Centre Fund, which was due to be used in paying off the mortgage for the main Pathgate Dharma Centre, in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Wishing to encourage the many supporters of KPC around the world to play a bigger part in the fundraising effort, Ven. Lama Dondrup Dorje offered to match the amount pledged by donors during the final night of their fund-raising telethon on the 28th April. Being aware that this effort may still not have been sufficient, Ven. Lama Dondrup Dorje also offered to top up the difference in the short fall of donation that was needed to reach the total amount of $250,000 US dollars, to ensure the future of the KPC Temple was secured. As a result, the KPC temple, which Ven. Lama Dondrup Dorje regarded as the extension of his Root Guru Penor Rinpoche’s Enlightened Activities, was saved from the bank.

A plan to establish a Retreat Centre by Pathgate Institute in Bhutan through the joint effort of Ven. Lama Dondrup Dorje and his Dharma friends from Namdroling Monastery has been quietly proceeding for several years. Once fully completed, the Samantabhadra Retreat Centre in Paro, Bhutan, will have five separate retreat houses sited around a prayer hall in the middle within a wall-enclosure. In November 2009, the first phase of construction was commenced at a site beneath Taktdang Palphug Monastery, a prominent sacred site built on the cliff-side of the upper Paro Valley close to the Taktsang Senge Samdup Cave where Guru Rinpoche is known to have meditated for three months in the 8th century.

This project to construct a retreat centre in Bhutan was brought to the attention of Ven. Lama Dondrup Dorje by Khenpo Sangay Wangdi (former Principal of Ngagyur Nyingma University at the Namdroling Monastery) and Khenpo Jurme Kunzang (former Abbot of the Singapore Palyul Centre). In response to their appeal, Ven. Lama Dondrup Dorje agreed to sponsor the initial construction of one two-storey retreat house and has since made good his words by providing full funding for its completion during the course of 2010. Formal opening of the retreat centre is scheduled to take place on the 10th April 2011.

On a separate sponsorship, Pathgate Partnership Programme has also provided full funding for the procurement of winter clothing for over one hundred monks and lamas of the Mahayana Nyingma Institute in Buli, Zhemgang, Bhutan.

Other on-going projects of Pathgate Partnership Programme, which started in the 1990s, including sponsoring education for young people, support for the elderly and medical services for the needy, have been continuing throughout 2010 in India, Bhutan, Mongolia, Nepal, Bangladesh and Africa. In addition, sponsorship and specific support for a whole range of projects have also been extended to a great number of individuals from around the world. These and much more are merely a brief description of some of the compassionate activities as supported by the Pathgate Partnership Programme.

None of these could have been possible without the generous support from the students and friends of Pathgate Institute. If you wish to support the Pathgate Partnership Programme and become a Friend of Pathgate International, you may do so by clicking Make a Donation.

Chariot Of Courage

At the Classical Internal Arts Foundation Study Retreat held in August, one of the participants was James O’Shea, who arrived in a wheelchair. He explained to Ven. Lama Dondrup Dorje that he lost both his legs at a train accident when he was age 19, and that he was in the right place at the right time to learn a big lesson in life.

In spite of his obvious physical handicap, James has performed as a professional dancer with CandoCo, the renowned integrated dance company of disabled and non-disabled performers. James gained further recognition earlier this year by winning ‘Dancing on Wheels’ on a BBC TV show from the makers of Strictly Come Dancing, with his dance partner Caroline Flack.  Remarking during the filming of Dancing on Wheels that he wants to be challenged, James is currently training to become a competitive swimmer at the London Olympics in 2012.

During his time at the retreat, James fitted himself comfortably into the dormitory-style accommodation without any need for special access or assistance. A man of great integrity and courage, James O’Shea has demonstrated to the world by his own action that obstacles are in fact blessings in disguise.

When Drakpa Gyaltsen Met Drakpa Gyaltsen

Ven. Lama Dondrup Dorje has received in this life two Dharma names from his Root Guru His Holiness Drubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche. The first one is Drakpa Gyaltsen when he took his Refuge Vows and the second one is Dondrup Dorje when he took his Bodhisattva Vows.

When Ven. Lama Dondrup Dorje went to the National Palace Museum in Taipei in September to visit an exhibition of extremely precious Tibetan Buddhist Artefacts that are usually kept in safe storage, he found himself pleasantly surprised to come face to face with a statue of Drakpa Gyaltsen (1147-1216) - one of the founding patriarchs of Sakya Vajrayana tradition in Tibet.

It is said in the chronicles that Drakpa Gyaltsen had taken many rebirths in the form of Indian and Tibetan mahapanditas (scholar of great accomplishment). After being the disciple of Manjushri (the Great Bodhisattva who embodies the Wisdom of all the Buddhas) for seven life times, he took birth as a lama in Töchung and then as the son of Sachen Kunga Nyingpo.

Throughout his life, he wrote many treatises and commentary such as ‘The Celestial Tree of Clear Realisation of the Groups of Tantras in General’, the Pure Commentary on ‘The Examination’, advice on the ‘Path and Result (Lamdre) Practice’, plus several commentaries on the Chakrasamvara and Hevajra Tantras, and on the sadhanas of Manjushri, Naro Khandroma, the Twenty-One Taras, Vajrakilaya, Vairochana. He was also known for his commentary on the text ‘Parting From the Four Attachments’ which was based on the direct transmission to Sachen Kunga Nyingpo by Manjughosha (the manifestation of Manjushri) who spoke the words: “If you are attached to this life, you are not a true spiritual practitioner. If you are attached to samsara, you do not have renunciation. If you are attached to your own self-interest, you have no bodhichitta. If there is grasping, you do not have the View.”

Not merely known throughout Tibet for his depth of realisation, his great scholarship, his learning, his discipline, his humility and his dignity, Drakpa Gyaltsen was also renowned for his attainment of siddhis as being a highly accomplished Ngakpa Lama (Tantric Yogi) who has total command over the elements of nature such as the sun, the moon, the changes of weather and the influence of Rahula (the wrathful protector of the Revealed Treasure Tradition).

For this latest trip to Taiwan, Ven. Lama Dondrup Dorje was accompanied by several students from Hong Kong and Singapore. During their stay in Taipei, they were well looked after by his many Dharma friends there. Ven. Lama Dondrup Dorje would like to expresses his heart-felt gratitude to the thoughtful hospitality he received from his friends in Taiwan and he looks forward to meeting up with them in the near future.

Personal Gift of Rock Crystal from Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

On his return to the UK in July after having completed a teaching tour of the Far East and Australia, Ven. Lama Dondrup Dorje was greeted by the arrival of a most excellent gift of rock crystal from Jetsunma Ahkon Norbu Lhamo, founder of Kunzang Odsal Palyul Changchub Choling (KPC), a Vajrayana Buddhist Organization of the Nyingma Palyul Lineage, in Poolesville, Maryland, USA. The unexpected gift was a gesture of gratitude from Jetsunma Ahkon Norbu Lhamo in appreciation of Ven. Lama Dondrup Dorje’s financial support in saving the temple of Kunzang Odsal Palyul Changchub Choling a few months earlier when the KPC was given just 5 days to find US$250,000 to pay off a bank note that was secured against the temple property.

On being informed of their predicament, Ven. Lama Dondrup Dorje made the prompt decision to redirect money from the Pathgate Centre Fund which was meant to pay off the outstanding mortgage owed by his own Pathgate Dharma Centre in the UK, to the KPC’s bank account in the USA so that the KPC temple property will not be lost to the bank and in doing so, preserve the Dharma activity of his root guru, His Holiness Penor Rinpoche.

The rock crystal from Jetsunma Ahkon Norbu Lhamo has now been placed in Ven. Lama Dondrup Dorje’s personal shrine room amongst the many precious gifts he received from his root guru, the late Holiness Penor Rinpoche.