Thanks for your continued interest in Kurukulla Center. As you probably know, our senior teacher, Geshe Tsultrim Chophel, stopped breathing last Sunday evening, November 21. Our week at the Center has been filled with prayers and pujas, and there will be more to come, see below. What is amazing, though not in any way unexpected, is how beautifully the community has come together at this time, to support the Center, to support one another. As we continue taking Geshe-la's teachings to heart, and actually practicing Dharma, living Dharma, it is our strength as a community--a community that Geshe-la was instrumental in developing--that will keep our hearts and minds open and virtuous. Thank you for being such an incredible community, one I as well as the whole Management Committee are honored to work for.

Our precious teacher,

Geshe Tsulga-la

Many students have been wondering, "How should I think about Geshe-la's passing?" We have not received direct advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche, because he is on a strict retreat, here is a link to what Rinpoche said when Geshe Jampa Gyatso passed away three years ago. 

In a few days, we will share a small bit about some of the events of the last week for those who were not able to attend. Then in the following weeks there will be more to come, including a short biography of Geshe-la in Mandala Magazine and an exploration of his incredible work for the Dharma in the West.

                                 
We will be sharing more information and images about the last week's events soon, but we wanted to let everyone know that Geshe-la offered us many crystal-like relics of various colors, and some of these will be on display for students.

We will be having pujas every seventh day, just as they are doing in Sera Monastery as well. It will most likely be at 10:00 am every Saturday for the next six weeks, but please check our homepage for the most updated calendar.

We will be continuing to offer recitations of the King of Prayers and the Manjushrinamasamgiti every weekday at 5:30 pm, as these are prayers that have been advised by Geshe-la's teachers to do through the next forty-nine days. These prayers are powerful for our own accumulation of merit and the overcoming of any obstacles that might prevent us from continuing to receive teachings from our precious guru in future lives.

We will try to give as much notice as we can for any and all events happening, though the next few weeks' schedules might change without too much warning, so please check our home page regularly for the latest updates.
 

 Lama Tsongkhapa Day

Tuesday, November 30 is Lama Tsongkhapa Day. We honor the anniversary of Lama Tsongkhapa, 1357 - 1419, the founder of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism, with a Guru Puja and extensive light offering from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. All are welcome!

Renowned as both scholar and realized meditator, Lama Tsongkhapa's legacy includes 18 volumes of works with hundreds of titles. He is the author of The Middle Length Lamrim, the text used in our Basic Program "Path to Enlightenment"class, as well as the comprehensive Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path (Lamrim Chenmo). For a short biography of Je Tsongkhapa, see Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive. To learn more about recommended practices for this day from Lama Zopa Rinpoche, the spiritual director of the FPMT, our mother organization, see the FPMT website.

Offerings

For this special practice we need miniature LED indoor/outdoor lights (Christmas lights). Clear are preferred, but color are okay, too. We are asking only for LED lights because they present less of a fire hazard, last longer and are more energy efficient.

If you would like to make a financial offering toward lights you are welcome to do so, just mark it clearly Lama Tsongkhapa Day. Please drop all offerings off at Kurukulla Center by 10:00 am Tuesday, November 30, or earlier, if possible, so they can be put up before the evening puja. 

Class Homework

Geshe Tenley has agreed to start assigning homework questions, or we will be suggesting additional readings, for both Sunday and Wednesday classes. These assignments will be sent out only to people who are signed up for the "Basic Program" email list. If you click the "Update Profile/Email Address" link at the bottom of this email, you can make sure you're on that list. Alternately, you can just "Reply" to this email and ask us to add you, and we can do it from our end.

Merit Box

For everyone who is engaging in a Merit Box practice, we are extending the collection date until December 7. It would be wonderful if you converted all coins to either cash or checks. Please indicate "Merit Box" in the memo line of your check. You can also make a secure online donation directly with a credit card by using the Virtual Merit Box.

If you don't know what the Merit Box Project is, you can read about it here, and get ready to include a Merit Box practice in your daily practice for next year! See Debra or Tsültrim for more information.

Kalachakra Initiation in Washington DC

We had mentioned a few weeks ago that His Holiness the Dalai Lama will again be giving the Kalachakra Initiation, this time in Washington DC, July 06 - 16, 2011. Originally tickets were to go on sale December 1, but they have not fund-raised as much as they had hoped, and if tickets were to go on sale with their current fundraising efforts the tickets would cost $475 each (which is still less than the last time it was offered in Toronto). In an effort to lower prices they are extending their fundraising efforts, they will announce actual ticket prices December 1st, and tickets will go on sale December 15. If you would like to contribute to their fundraising efforts or read more about it, you can visit their website.

Translating the Dalai Lama

There was a recent interview with Thupten Jinpa, who received his Geshe degree and has served as the English translator for His Holiness the Dalai Lama for the past 25 years, done by Krista Tippett and American Public Media. It is a great interview and we thought you would all enjoy it. If interested, you can find it here.

 

Thank you again for your wonderful support.

Much love,

  Debra Thornburg
  Director