This Week at Kurukulla Center                               August 02, 2010 - August 08, 2010
From the Director


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Dear Kurukulla Community, 


Thank you for your interest in and support of the Center. 


Geshe-la update
Geshe Tsulga
Our precious teacher, Geshe Tsulga-la, continues his wonderful teachings on the profound ninth chapter of Shantideva's classic Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life. Please don't miss these! They're amazing. In the meantime, thank you very much for all your practices directed at complete restoration of Geshe-la's health. And we continue with the practices we've been doing for this purpose. The latest tallies are:

Vajrapani malas - 302
White Tara malas - 76
Animal liberations - 24 housebugs, 2 lobsters, 200 crickets, 200 worms, 2 mice


Rejoice! If you would like to participate in these practices, please let us know. Of course, you can dedicate any practice you do to Geshe-la's good health and long life.


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Stupa update

It's all happening in the back yard! The stupa is being painted, the Tara pond is being constructed and the circumambulation paths are being poured (the concrete, that is). The following pictures are worth a lot more than my few words:

Ani Yeshe having fun painting the stupa
Ani Yeshe having fun painting the stupa
Geshe Tenley taking it more seriously
Geshe Tenley taking it more seriously
Jenn digging a trench for the electric cable for the pond pump
Jenn digging a trench for the electric cable for the pond pump
Dolores and Walter planning strategy
Dolores and Walter planning strategy
Master painter Sonam at work
Master painter Sonam at work
First part of the path ready for concrete tomorrow
First part of the path ready for concrete tomorrow
Damchoe, Jampel, Jenn, Emmanuel preparing the pond...
Damchoe, Jampel, Jenn, Emmanuel preparing the pond...that's a pedestal for Tara
Kalachakra seed syllable
Kalachakra seed syllable
The stupa head, largely painted
The stupa head, largely painted
Emmanuel training for marathon
Emmanuel training for marathon; Devin and Harry, watch out....

Thank you so much for all the hard workers and kind benefactors making all this happen. If you would like to donate to all this, it's not too late. If you would like to help paint, please see Sonam (the stupa painter) on site. You should have some painting experience. But it's a great way to create merit.

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Choden Rinpoche's visit to Kurukulla Center


All this frenetic (but highly controlled, of course) stupa activity is aimed at meeting our August 28 deadline, when our guru Choden Rinpoche will consecrate the stupa. With respect to Rinpoche's visit, we still have $2,000 to raise to meet our projected expenses. Time is getting short...please contribute whatever you can to ensure the success of Rinpoche's visit. Remember, we make no charge for any of our Dharma programs at Kurukulla but we do depend on the generosity of those who can afford it to underwrite our regular and special costs. Thank you so much.


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Choden Rinpoche at Milarepa: rides and accommodation needed

Many of us are going to Milarepa Center for the Kalachakra Initiation August 20 - 22. Several people are arriving from other parts of the country or overseas for this and may need accommodation in Boston for a night or two and a ride to Milarepa, including sangha members. Please contact Tsültrim if you can help our Dharma brothers and sisters with this. Thank you very much.


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Kurukulla South?

Some people have said they would attend the kind of Dharma teachings we offer if they were available south of Boston. We did a quick survey of people from the south after class today and all expressed interest and also said they had friends who would attend if they didn't have to drive through Boston! So, this is to extend the survey. If you and/or your friends would attend a class somewhere say south of Quincy on a Tuesday evening, please email Tsultrim
and we'll see what we can work out. Also, if you have a suggested or preferred location (like town), please let us know. If you have a large living room and would be prepared to host such teachings for a couple of months while we assess interest, please let us know that too. Tsultrim has kindly offered to teach at these meetings and lead discussion, so this could be a great way of extending Kurukulla's outreach and helping many, many people.

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A couple of links

The latest mandala e-zine, journal of the FPMT, is now available, as is the new Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive e-letter. Please sign up on the respective website if you would like to receive these automatically. Thank you.


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Daja Wangchuk Meston

This afternoon I attended a memorial for my Dharma friend Wangchuk. Damchoe and I were monks at Kopan Monastery with him back in the 70s and 80s and his mother, Thubten Wongmo, and I were ordained together by HH Ling Rinpoche in Bodhgaya, January 1974. Wangchuk arrived in Boston around the time I did, back in 1989. This morning's Boston Globe had a beautiful obituary. Please pray for his fortunate rebirth. Thank you.


Thank you again for your wonderful support.


Much love,


Nicholas Ribush, Director

  Nick Ribush
  Director

Calendar of Events

Monday, August 02


Introduction to Buddhism with Ven. Ani YesheAni Yeshe-la 

7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Introduction to Buddhism is an on-going series. Each class introduces a new topic as a way of providing newcomers a broad overview of Buddhism. The course is designed for those who are new or newly acquainted with the Center to hear basic Buddhist teachings, ideas and concepts, especially those emphasized by our resident lama (teacher), Geshe Tsulga. Bring all your questions. It is fine to attend any class without having attended prior classes. All welcome!

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Tuesday, August 03

Morning Meditation with Tsunma-la (Sue Macy)Ani Tsunma-la 

6:30 am to 7:00 am

Start your day on the right foot by calming your mind, setting your day's purpose to be a meaningful one and remembering to just breathe! Resident nun Tsunma-la leads basic meditations that help stabilize the mind by learning to focus on the breath. By using these simple techniques, you can bring a sense of tranquility to your day. If you plan to join Tsunma-la in the meditation hall (gompa) at Kurukulla Center please arrive a few minutes early. We will start promptly at 6:30 am. Feel free to listen live online.

 

Yoga & Meditation with Wendy CookWendy-la 

7:00 pm to 8:45 pm

These classes include therapeutic movements, standing postures, back strengthening postures and hip openers. The last twenty minutes are spent in guided meditation, including breath awareness, visualization, and analytical techniques to enhance our inner good qualities. Suitable for both experienced and new students, you are welcome to attend on a drop-in basis. Please arrive a few minutes early and wear comfortable, fitted and modest clothing.

 

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Wednesday, August 04


Thirty-seven Practices of Bodhisattvas with Venerable Geshe TenleyGeshe Tenley-la 

7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Geshe-la continues an explanation of the Thirty-Seven Practices of Bodhisattvas by Togme Sangpo (1245-1369.) Come and discover what it means to model your actions after those of a bodhisattva. All are welcome. A copy of the text will be distributed in class and a commentary by His Holiness the Dalai Lama is available on the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive website. Other contemporary commentaries are available for purchase in our bookstore. Feel free to listen live online.

 

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Thursday, August 05

There is no How to Meditate class with Tsunma-la this week. The next one meets Thursday, August 12, from 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm.

 

Guru Puja (Lama Chöpa) Chanting & Prayer CeremonyLama Chopa

7:00 pm to 8:45 pm

The word puja means "to please" and has the connotation of pleasing through offerings and practice. The Guru Puja imprints the entire path to enlightenment on our mind stream, connects us more strongly to our teachers, allows us to accumulate skies of merit and purifies eons of negative karma.

 

We perform this practice on the 10th and 25th of the lunar Tibetan calendar, a special time for making the tsok offering, a particular ritual inserted into the Guru Puja. We chant the first 2/3 of this puja in Tibetan (or follow along by reading the English) and recite the last 1/3 in English. Today's puja is dedicated to the good health and long life of our precious teacher, Geshe Tsulga. All are encouraged to attend.

 

To create merit for yourself and others we recommend you bring offerings for the altar; these offerings then become the basis for the visualized offerings made during the puja. Cookies, fruit, flowers, tea lights (unscented) and saffron are suggested

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Friday, August 06


Morning Meditation with Tsunma-la (Sue Macy)

6:30 am to 7:00 am

Start your day on the right foot by calming your mind, setting your day's purpose to be a meaningful one and remembering to just breathe! Resident nun Tsunma-la leads basic meditations that help stabilize the mind by learning to focus on the breath. By using these simple techniques, you can bring a sense of tranquility to your day. If you plan to join Tsunma-la in the meditation hall (gompa) at Kurukulla Center please arrive a few minutes early. We will start promptly at 6:30 am. Feel free to listen live online.

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Saturday, August 07


Book Club with Tsunma-la (Sue Macy)

1:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Optional brown bag lunch from 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm

 Tsunma-la leads an informal discussion of Buddhist themed books that have practical significance for one's daily life. The book we discuss this month is Sixteen Guidelines which presents qualities of mind that can bring happiness when developed. Please read the entire book before our meeting. You can purchase the book in our bookstore for a discounted price. You are welcome to join us for lunch at 12:30 pm before the session begins.

 

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Sunday, August 08


Confession and Prostrations to the 35 Buddhas with a senior student

9:00 am to 9:45 am

This powerful purification practice contains the elements of the four opponent powers and includes prostration, recitation and visualization. This practice is highly recommended by our teachers. For development along the path it's very important to "weed our garden," or purify the negative seeds on our mind stream. This session is a great opportunity to learn by doing.


Wisdom Chapter from Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life with Venerable Geshe TsulgaGeshe Tsulga-la 

10:00 am to 12:00 pm

The ninth chapter of Guide to a Bodhisattva's Way of Life, composed by the great bodhisattva Shantideva, addresses the Madhyamaka view of reality by setting it against other philosophical systems, both Buddhist and non-Buddhist. Reputed to be highly challenging, we are fortunate such an eminently qualified teacher as Geshe Tsulga will guide us through this section. Copies of Guide to a Bodhisattva's Way of Life and a commentary on this chapter by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Transcendent Wisdom, are available for purchase in our bookstore. We will also distribute a copy of Chapter 9 to all class participants. Feel free to listen live online.

 

This course is from the Basic Program, a multi-year program offering a comprehensive and in-depth exploration of core Buddhist texts. Prior participation in the Basic Program or a background in Buddhist philosophy are recommended. If you would like to receive the handouts, homework and materials for this course, please click the link at the bottom of this email, "Update Profile/Email Address," and be sure that "Basic Program" is selected, or email us and we will manually add you to the list.





     Kurukulla Center for Tibetan Buddhist Studies

     68 Magoun Avenue
     Medford, MA 02155
     617.624.0177

     http://www.kurukulla.org


May all sentient beings have happiness and its causes!