Khenpo Tsultrim due to return Nov 6

Khenpo Tsultrim has been teaching and traveling through Europe for the past three weeks.  He is due to return to TMC on November 6.  On November 9 we will have a smoke offering and celebration for Chungtsang Rinpoche’s birthday and for Buddha’s return from the God realm.  Come join us for a potluck lunch and a chance to mingle with fellow sangha members.

Ontul Rinpoche program November 21-23

We are fortunate to have His Eminence Lho Ontul Rinpoche from the Tso Pema monastery in India here for an empowerment and teachings the weekend of November 21-23.  Beginning with a teaching on Four Turnings of the Mind on Friday, 11/21 (7-9 pm), Rinpoche will then give a Three Roots Empowerment on Saturday morning, 11/22 (10 am- noon) followed by teachings on that topic in the afternoon (2-5 pm).  On the final day, Sunday, 11/23, Rinpoche will give a teaching on Peaceful Padmasambava in the morning (10 am- noon) ending the day with a Healing Chod Ceremony (2-5 pm).  The suggested donation for the program is $25 for Friday evening; $65 per day Saturday and Sunday; or $135 for the entire schedule.  As always, no one is turned away for lack of funds.

2014 TMC Spring Retreat

Venerable Drikung Lamchen Gyalpo Rinpoche Gampopa Vajrayana Buddhist Center, Denville, NJ, USA will bestow the Vajrayogini Practice Empowerment and teach on the meaning and practice of the Method of Accumulating Merit by Practitioners (Kusalay Tshog Chöd) from the Profound Teachings of Lord Jigten Sumgön.

Venerable Drikung Lamchen Gyalpo Rinpoche
Gampopa Vajrayana Buddhist Center, Denville, NJ, USA
will bestow the Vajrayogini Practice Empowerment and
teach on the meaning and practice of the Method of Accumulating Merit by Practitioners (Kusalay Tshog Chöd) from the Profound Teachings of Lord Jigten Sumgön.

Vajrayogini is the consort of the Glorious Chakrasamvara. Together they represent the inseparability of bliss and emptiness, she being the wisdom aspect and he being the compassion aspect. Vajrayogini has a perfect red body, she is in the dancing posture, in her right hand she holds a hooked knife to cut the bonds of ignorance, and in her left hand she drinks from a skull-cup filled with blood to symbolize unconditional enjoyment. The ultimate purpose for a tantric practice such as Vajrayogini, is to transform limited, self-centered beings like ourselves into fully evolved and effortlessly compassionate Awakened Ones – there can be no greater or more worthwhile endeavor than this.

Venerable Khenpo Tsultrim Tenzin Tibetan Meditation Center, Frederick, MD will continue his teaching commentary on the Single Intention - Gong Chig by Lord Jigten Sumgön.

Venerable Khenpo Tsultrim Tenzin
Tibetan Meditation Center, Frederick, MD will continue his teaching commentary on the Single Intention – Gong Chig by Lord Jigten Sumgön.

Kusalay Tshog Chöd is an advanced practice. Those who are interested in practicing this are required to engage in general study and meditation practices for some time. In particular, one must engage in the Bodhisattva way of mind training, which is based on the great compassion and wisdom and the altruistic thought. In this practice, the main focus is cutting attachment and hatred through uprooting ignorance. There are many different ways of practicing the Chöd according to the level of one’s development.

The system of this practice was founded by the great enlightened Lady Machig Drolma in Tibet in the 11th century. She is a manifestation of Prajña Paramita. Out of infinite compassion, she has shown this method of practice to free all sentient beings from samsara and attain enlightenment. The Chöd practice became very popular in Tibet. Regarding this particular text [to be used], the white offering was composed by Lord Jigten Sumgön, who was the reincarnation of Arya Nagarjuna in the 12th century.

The Gongchig teaching is a commentary on the Buddha’s teaching by Jigten Sumgön, the reincarnation of Nagar- juna and the founder of the Drikung Kagyu lineage. He taught the Dharma teachings for forty years to several thousands of disciples. Gongchig is compiled by his heart disciple Sherab Chennga Jungne. It is the consummation of the Buddha’s whole teachings, in which Jigten Sumgön communicated the way of Buddha’s teachings as well as the actual practice. This he conveyed incisively and directly through the application of scholarly and enlightened commentary…The Gongchig describes the law of the universe, the causality based on wisdom and compassion, Nagarjuna’s philosophy of interdependence…which is the mode of abiding of all phenomena, the teaching of the Gongchik gives a very clear set of moral ethics on how to protect one’s own mind from confusion and illusion.

As a young tulku, Drikung Lamchen Gyalpo Rinpoche was blessed to assume his Dharma activities during an age when the teachings flourished in Tibet. As such he was able to receive transmissions and empowerments from the great masters of all Tibetan Buddhist lineages. A small sample of the transmissions and empowerments that he received were the treasure teachings and empowerments of Kagyed, Gongdu, and Kilaya. He also received the complete teachings from such enlightened masters as Druwang Drubpon Gejung Rinpoche, Lo Bongtrul Konchog Tenzin Drodul, Driter Osel Dorje, Chogtul Thubten Nyingpo, and Ontul Choeying Rangdrol. After escaping from Tibet, Gyalpo Rinpoche served the Tibetan Government in Exile for 11 years as Senior Secretary to the Kashag and later as Executive Manager of Tibetan Self-Help Handicraft Center in Simla, India. Towards the end of his 11 years’ service, Gyalpo Rinpoche was asked by His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Rinpoche to join him at Jangchubling, the seat of the Drikung Kagyu in Dehra Dun, India. Because of his unending devotion to His Holiness and his wish to serve the Drikung Kagyu in whatever way he could, Gyalpo Rinpoche resigned from the Tibetan government service and traveled to Dehra Dun. While with His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Rinpoche, Gyalpo Rinpoche served as his Private Secretary and General Secretary of Drikung Kagyu Institute (Jangchubling) during the time of founding and registering of the Institute. He obtained funds to begin building the monastery and has been a contributor throughout the various stages of building the seat of the Drikung Kagyu tradition in exile. Today, Gyalpo Rinpoche works tirelessly, without regard to his personal health or comfort, to bring to fruition the rebuilding of the Drikung monasteries, the establishment of schools for Tibetan Nomad children, and the founding of modern hospitals and community health programs in Kham. Rinpoche has several active Dharma centers in the United States, the main one being in Denville, New Jersey. He also has active Dharma centers in Taiwan. Since his Dharma activities are so diverse, he spends much of his time traveling to his various centers, nurturing and guiding his students to a better understanding of the teachings of the Lord Buddha, the Drikung Kagyu, and how to apply those teachings to improve the day to day quality of their lives, and the lives of those around them. A pure lama is hard to find and each of his students realized that they hold a jewel in their hands and they pray continually for his good health and success in all his Dharma activities

Khenpo Tsultrim Tenzin took his monk’s vows at the age of 14. He studied the Thirteen Major Texts with Khenchen Nawang Gyalpo Rinpoché and other khenpos. He also received the entire Lamdré-cycle of empowerments of the Ngor-Sakya lineage from Khensur Khenchen Rinpoché and from Amdo Lama Togden Rinpoché and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoché he received many Nyingma empowerments and teachings. Later, Khenpo Rinpoché joined Drikung Kagyu Institute at Jangchub Ling in Dehra Dun and there met His Holiness Drikung Kyabgön Chetsang Rinpoché. The spontaneous devotion he felt for His Holiness resulted in his request to His Holiness to join the monastery there and continue his education. Khenpo Tsultrim completed his formal education at the Jangchubling Monastery and it was there he began his teaching career. He was enthroned as Khenpo in 1998 and he began teaching at TMC in 2001. Khenpo is now the Spiritual Director of TMC and he travels to many Dharma Centers in the USA to bring his wonderful insights and commentaries on the Dharma texts.

Spring Retreat May 24 – June 1

This years Spring Retreat begins Next Month!

Watch your email for registration information.

Gyalpo Rinpoche from the Gampopa Center in New Jersey will be teaching from May 24th to May 28

  • May 24  Vajrayogini Empowerment
  • May 25  Vajrayogini Teaching
  • May 26-May 28 Chod Teaching and Practice
  • May 29-May 31  Gong Chig Teachings
  •  w/ Khenpo Tsultrim Tenzin
  • June 1 Lama Chopa with Tsok

Khenpo Tsultrim now a U.S. citizen

Khenpo Tsultrim has become a naturalized U.S. citizen.  He now has a U.S. passport, which will allow him to respond to the numerous requests that he receives for giving teachings in many countries around the world.  We are pleased to share our beloved Spiritual Director with so many others seeking the benefit of his wonderful teachings but we also appreciate our precious time with him here at TMC.

Sunday afternoons (will resume in fall, 2015)

Introduction to Buddhism
This program, offered Sunday afternoons, is specifically designed for those who are new to Buddhism and would like to learn some of the basic foundational ideas and views in an open, non-dogmatic and inquiry-based context. Topics such as the Four Noble Truths, Altruistic Mind, Ethics and Morality, Wisdom and Compassion, Four Immeasurable Minds (love, compassion, joy and equanimity), Three Vehicles (hinayana, mahayana and vajrayana), and Buddha-nature. This program is informal and is being presented in rotating pairs of five senior students of the center. Classes 1-7 will be at Frederick Meditation Center, 1 West Church Street, Frederick.  Class 8 will be at TMC.  Suggested donation $10/class but no one is turned away for lack of funds.