by Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche

Ideally the ultimate retreat is to retreat from the past and the future, to always remain in the present. However our mind is so empowered and controlled by habit all the time. One characteristic of habit is not being able to sit still, not being able to remain in the present. This is because being in the present is so scary, so boring and unbearable for our deluded and spoiled mind. Little do we know that actually being in the present is so exciting and the most liberating from all kinds of pain, suffering and anxiety. We sentient beings like to be free from all these things, but we always end up diligently creating more and more causes and conditions to have this pain, suffering and anxiety.

Being in the present is so important in Buddhism. It is the core strategy of Buddhism to do whatever it takes to keep the mind present, to have ones mind from going astray. Every single method that exists in Buddhism is for that result. It could be from just a simple sitting meditation to the tantric methods of visualisation, ritual and mantra. Even elaborate practices including certain tantric dances, what is now popularly known as lama dancing.

With the myriad of methods, one is basically retreating oneself from mundane activities and hopefully from mundane thoughts for as long as possible. Traditionally in Tibet we try to retreat from the everyday for something like one week, three weeks, three months, six months, three years, nine years. Even today there are many people in Tibet who are actually in retreat for a lifetime. However retreat doesn’t have to be three months or three years. What we need is to have the discipline of retreat every day. Such discipline is to retreat from our mundane worldly activities and simply sit on a meditation cushion with oneself.

The idea is to avoid engaging oneself with things we usually end up engaging in, such as gossiping, chatting, internet browsing or newspaper reading. We have so many Buddhist methods to help us do this, from simply doing nothing which is actually the most difficult, to all the way up to two or three hours of rituals and practices. There is no reason why we can not refer to this as a retreat.

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche by Gosha Heldtz

Compiled by Arne Schelling

Retreat is important. When interviewing various masters for this article, they all say it. It becomes even clearer when Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche defines what retreat really is ; “Ideally what are you retreating from? You are supposed to be retreating from the past and future. That is the ultimate boundary of your retreat. Not your door. Not your geographical area. Ideally you are supposed to be in the hut, and this hut is the present moment. But of course this is not that easy, especially for those who are not used to it.”

Being in the present, this seems to be the underlying theme of all practices, of all retreats, of all meditations. Being here and now. There is no other time anyway; the future hasn’t come yet and the past is gone like a dream from which we have awoken. But how can we find this elusive present? First we need the inspiration to do retreat ourselves.

Chagdud Khandro Photo Arne Schelling

Chagdud Khandro : “For me, amidst my ordinary activities, retreat beckons me like a distant, celestial realm. I aspire to immerse myself in disciplined practice, to concentrate, to open new dimensions of wisdom. I enter, close the boundaries, and breathe a sigh of relief. Soon however comes the bumptious confrontation with my own bad habits, the day-to-day presentation of my mind’s chatter and unleashed emotions, and worst of all, doubt.”

When we are setting the boundaries, how long should the retreat be and what kind of rules or discipline should be applied?
Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche : “So what do we do? We try to grab that situation as much as we can, so this is why the masters of the past have skilfully designed so called retreats, like a month retreat, a week retreat, a weekend retreat or even a whole life retreat and also prescribed out of skilful means different kind of situations which yourself can apply. For instance, if you have decided to do a retreat for a week, since it is really a short retreat, you can really make your own rule: ‘I’m not going to visit facebook. I’m not going to talk with the people. I’m not going to eat more than one meal a day. I will get up early in the morning and I will not talk’. All these kind of disciplines we can apply, but what I’m trying to tell you is: all this is a method, it’s a technique that works for a certain time, for certain people in a certain situation.”

Ringu Tulku Rinpoche Photo Arne Schelling

If we are planning to do a retreat ourselves, a life long retreat would be a very unusual choice. We still cling tightly to our usual ruts. Ringu Tulku Rinpoche explains how we can integrate shorter periods of retreat in our day to day life: “Short-term retreats, I think are very beneficial things for anybody, and therefore, I always recommended that western people start with short term retreats. I think it is very useful, and very beneficial to do short retreats, for even one day. I know about a Tibetan friend of mine, very old, now almost 100 years old, he used to do a one-day retreat every full moon and new moon, and used to say that it is really, really useful. I also recommended this to some people, and they did it sometimes, and they found it very nice. But because you are always working and you are always very busy and lots of things are happening, maybe you don’t have to necessarily do it on the full moon and new moon, but on the weekend or something like that, when you are a little bit more free. You don’t have to go somewhere, like to a retreat place, a forest or solitude, but even at home, you just go to your room and don’t speak for the whole day, and then just practice. Only one day and one night. That also rejuvenates the energy and is very useful. I prefer this kind of retreat, and I think they are very useful. Of course, when you can spend one or two weeks, or one or two months sometimes, I think it will also be very good.”

Rules or retreats don’t sound like a fun thing to do. But don’t take the rules or the retreat as a burden.
Mindrolling Khandro Rinpoche warns ; “Definitely don’t take retreat as an imprisonment. Some people view it as being very severe to yourself and its almost like now here is a time when your are distancing yourself from every sort of mundane like and dislike. That’s also bringing in too much exaggeration to what a retreat is.”

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche adds ; “Rules are necessary in one way, but rules can also become a bit of a burden. If you do the practice, thinking that it is something that you have to do, because you have promised to do it, or because it was your pledge, then you are not necessarily applying diligence in this case. The core message of Shantideva’s Bodhicaryavatara on the practice is to really have joy to practice and joy to listen to the teachings. Joy.”

Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche Photo Arne Schelling

The importance of having joy has been emphasised again and again. In order to have joy, it is sometimes helpful not to be stuck with the label of ‘retreat’.
Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche: “Whatever we call it, retreat is actually just a good lifestyle. Really it is a good life, a good lifestyle with the chances and time to work with one’s mind and to appreciate working with one’s mind. You should not see it as some kind of burden, but should approach retreat with some kind of joy.”

This joy can also be nourished by realising the kindness of the master, who guides our retreat. In the case of the Dharma Gar retreat, guided by Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche since 2008, the practitioners should really be aware of the preciousness of that unique opportunity to practice.
Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche : “Now to encourage people who are doing this sort of retreat with a greater sense of appreciation we should consider this. You know, we live our lives and time just goes, year by year, time just flies and so also our life just goes with the time. And when such an opportunity and situation such as the Dharma Gar arises, an opportunity that comes from one’s own merit and the blessing and kindness of the teacher coming together, we must realize how precious this is. You know, not having to leave one’s own environment and not having to leave one’s own home, one can actually get the satisfaction of the practice being done and guided by a great master, and the growth that comes with it. Its much more significant than if a lump of gold in the size of your own head dropping into your lap. It’s right to have that kind of appreciation. With that appreciation there should to be a not-do-it-too-tight and not-too-loose approach to the practice and retreat as a lifestyle.”

Mindrolling Khandro Rinpoche Photo Arne Schelling

With this underlying understanding we learn how to appreciate this rare and positive circumstance of ours, which is the quintessence of all the teachings on the precious human life: the ability to practice Dharma.
Mindrolling Khandro Rinpoche : “Western students in particular look at retreat as a project. And before they go into retreat, they have pretty much a formulated idea what they want to achieve during that time of the retreat. I think that’s a wrong attitude to go into it, because it lacks a lot of devotion and the sense of how fortunate one is, that one is able to spend time with the practice. So not only in retreat, but in the context of our practice, we have to be able to really appreciate the preciousness of the teachings, the devotion aspect of how grateful we are for the blessings of the guru as well as the opportunity to practice the path of the dharma in our lives and a sense of really valuing the time that we have. We should have the perspective of humility to even try to attempt realizing the practices in our lifetime.
So to be like this is very gentle as well as generating an appreciative but simple attitude to retreat, and this is often lost when we go in it. For example, when people write to me about being in retreat, they ask: do I have the permission to go into retreat? This I find very odd, because you don’t really need permission to spend time with your practice and to value your practices. “

But how to practice?
Ringu Tulku Rinpoche emphasises on the importance of really knowing what we are practicing. “One of the main things in the retreat is that you need to really know what to practice, and how to practice. If you don’t know, you need to learn. It doesn’t need to be very complicated or too deep or too profound or very elaborate, you just have to know how to do meditation or any kind of practice you do; you just have to have a clear practical understanding on how to do it, then I think it’s useful.”

And on top of that, the blessing of the lineage is crucial.
Chagdud Khandro puts it in a nutshell ; “the blessing is in sitting still with all this instead of running. Relying on the lineage instructions instead of my ad hoc fabrications. Creating, dissolving, resting. Deepening compassion is the most valid measure, but how to measure compassion?” A very important key factor in retreat is our attitude. We should always tune our compassionate motivation, again and again, giving rise to Bodhicitta, the wish to attain enlightenment for all sentient beings. To make that wish firm and our practice meaningful, it is so important to let go of our expectations. Chagud Khadro remembers; “Chagdud Rinpoche said to me, ‘When you meditate, it is like rain on the mountainside. All kinds of plants bloom–medicinal and poisonous. Let go of your expectations.’ ”

What are our expectations?
Mindrolling Khandro Rinpoche : “People seem to think that a retreat has to have a result. Of course we all hope for a result, but at the same time when a retreat becomes goal orientated, result orientated, then we allow self frustration or dejection to come after leaving the retreat and all the while that we are in retreat we are like a hungry ghost, looking for experience, looking for something to happen, looking for some extraordinary event or realization to take place. That makes it all very deliberate, full of tension and orientated very much with form and deliberate concepts, so that the pleasure, just the genuine happiness of being quiet in our own self, with our own practice and finally being able to bring some understanding to what we have only literally and intellectually interpreted gets lost. That kind of happiness is not often found. I wouldn’t say its not found at all, because some people of course practice very well, but its not so often found, which I find is very, very unfortunate.”

And Ringu Tulku Rinpoche adds ; “Regarding retreats, western people sometimes come with too much expectation, and without really knowing what the retreat is all about. Then it doesn’t help, but becomes a problem. Retreat is training to practice, and if you can take it like that and use that time to learn how to practice, and to not expect too much result, then it will be very useful. “

Even though we shouldn’t expect anything, retreats do bring about some benefits.

Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche : “Really to get some realisation it has to come through from the practice, whatever the practice that one is doing. For example if one is doing the ‘four thoughts that turn ones mind towards the Dharma’, there has to be some experience of having one’s mind turned away from the samsara and the causes that actually lead to suffering. And if we are taking refuge or are doing the Bodhicitta practice or Vajrasattva or Guru Yoga, out of each of those practices there is some accomplishment that one can have in one’s mind; one can have relative experiences. One should actually see if one has those or not. If one has such realisations and accomplishments, one should be very grateful and appreciative. And if one doesn’t have them, then one should understand how one can actually still have effects of the practice on the mind. I think it’s very important. The daily practice and also the Dzogrim practice, each has it’s own kind of relative accomplishment. We should also see if that accomplishment is there or not. If the accomplishment is lacking, we should pray for that and for the encouragement to practice. If not, through asking teachers or engaging with other older students, or through reading of how one can do better, we can make progress and have those accomplishments. That is important.

Ultimately there is a real sense of confidence coming from that. How the Dharma manifests in one’s own experiences, that’s very important. And then in the nature itself. If one has confidence in the nature itself, that’s everything, you know?
I think that confidence comes, slowly, slowly comes, but sometimes you really have to see how to generate it or how to just have that confidence, that it is not fake, or that it is not ungrounded in realization or only based on temporary experiences. I think that is very helpful. I would suggest people to get to that point through this ten years period of the practice. I really pray that people will do that. You know in my experience of guiding students, a lot of people make it to that grade. That’s very beautiful and that’s wonderful for a teacher to see. So I hope that this takes place in this Dharma Gar program. “

Mindrolling Khandro Rinpoche : “Intensive practice means that your body, speech and mind is now so ingrained with the practice that it has the power of cutting through. Otherwise, how can we practice in mundane life? In mundane life there are moments of switching on and switching off; now you are a practitioner and now you are a samsaric mundane person. This is very detrimental to the path of progress of understanding Dharma. Now in retreat, you don’t need to have a mundane interpretation and view, versus a much more Dharmic view. You can be completely installed in the essence of the Dharma with body, speech and mind. So, although there is a form and a structure to the practice, I would say, there is much more a uniformity and evenness of day and night, holding the view of the practice all the time, and that’s what retreat is about. So I think that attitude to retreat is definitely something people need to really understand better, and not see it so much as an ambitious project to complete.

Definitely what you realize is how much just touching the surface your practice actually is. The enormity of what it means to be a practitioner strikes you more impactfully when you are in retreat. And you begin to see that everything that you are trying to do in terms of Dharma is just scraping the surface. And you begin to say; “that is not how I should actually be practicing.” Dharma requires a tremendous degree of involvement so that you dive into it completely, immersing yourself completely into it. So I think it’s a very humbling experience, definitely.”

Ringu Tulku Rinpoche : “Any practice you do is much more strong, much more profound in retreat than otherwise, even if you are not doing it so well. People who do retreat that way find that maybe not immediately, but in the long run, retreat becomes something really valuable in their life. They find they can really get something. But sometimes they don’t know immediately what they accomplished.”

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche and Joshua Vishnu Pokora Photo Arne Schelling

As with all Dharma practices, the retreat is to as Drubgyud Tenzin Rinpoche says: “overcome the eight worldly dharmas and accomplish the two kayas”.

Drubgyud Tenzin Rinpoche recalls a conversation he had with Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, while walking in a garden in Bhutan: “Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche said; “Do you see the gate there at the end of the wall? With a lot of studies you can reach that gate. But with just one moment of practice, you will go far, far beyond that gate.”

By Arne Schelling

Khandro Tsering Chödrön, who was the spiritual consort of Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö, passed away in Lerab Ling in France on the 30th May.Universally respected, loved and revered as one of the foremost female practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism of recent times, she was an inspiration and source of blessings to Buddhist practitioners everywhere.

Khandro Tsering Chodron Kudung Photo Arne Schelling

Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche called her “the queen of the dakinis”. Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche visited her regularly during the past years and re-arranged his schedule to see her during her final days, particuarly on the 28th May when he conducted many pujas for her.

Now three months later, on the 2nd September, the cremation of her kudung, which was now only about 60 cm tall, took place in the presence of a great gathering of masters. In the east gathered H.H. Sakya Trizin (and his consort Gyalyum Chenmo), Dungse Gyana Vajra Rinpoche and Khen Rinpoche to practice the Yajrayogini Jinsek. In the south gathered Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, Jigme Khyentse Rinpoche, Pema Wangyal Rinpoche, Rangdröl Rinpoche and Tulku Yeshe to practice the Thukdrub Barche Kunsel. In the west was Sogyal Rinpoche and his mother (Khandro Tsering Chödrön’s elder sister), Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche, Alak Zenkar Rinpoche and Tulku Rigdzin Pema to practice the Minling Dorsem; and in the north the practice of Hevajra has been conducted by Dungse Ratna Vajra Rinpoche and his Lamas.

Alak Zenkar Rinpoche & Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche at Lerab Ling Sept 2011 Photo Arne Schelling

H.H. Sakya Trizin and Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche at Lerab Ling Sept 2011 Photo Arne Schelling

It was a very peaceful and blissful day, celebrating the life of such a great and inspiring dakini.

H.H. Sakya Trizin concluded with the words “Her passing away is of course a great sadness to myself and to many of you also, and I extend my deep condolences to everyone. The most important thing now for us to do is to fulfill her wishes.”

3rd September 2011

Many great lamas gathered Photo Arne Schelling

Khandro Tsering Chodron Photo Jurek Schreiner

Khandro Tsering Chödrön Courtesy of Shechen Archives

Some days ago we got the sad news that Kyabje Trülshik Rinpoche, head of the Nyingma Lineage, entered parinirvana on 2nd September at 8 AM. Kyabje Rinpoche remained in tukdam meditation for 3 days in his monastery in Sitapaila near Kathmandu, Nepal.
Trulshik Rinpoche was the tutor of H.H. the Dalai Lama, and a close disciple and holder of both Dudjom Rinpoche’s and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche’s lineages, as well as other lineages including the treasure teachings of his previous incarnations. Rinpoche was a pure holder of the Buddhist monastic Sarvastavadin ordination lineage, which traces its origins back to Buddha Shakyamuni. In his life, Rinpoche ordained over ten thousand monks and nuns, and his monastery Thubten Choling in Solukhumbu in Nepal is home for several hundred monks and nuns, who are known for their pure discipline and meditation practice.
Kyabje Trülshik Rinpoche’s passing is a profound loss to the Nyingma lineage, to all of his students, and to all those who have been touched by his compassionate wisdom throughout the world. The following days and weeks are an important time for all of his students to practice as much as possible, to think of him, and to merge their minds with his.

For more about Kyabje Trülshik Rinpoche and his life see:
http://www.songtsen.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=101&Itemid=60&lang=en
http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Trulshik_Rinpoche

Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche (born in 1924), one of the most remarkable spiritual masters of the Ancient Tradition (Nyingmapa) of Tibetan Buddhism. He is also one of the last living teachers of the fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet. Trulshik Rinpoche is the lama who, from his isolated monastery near Everest, identified a young child as the incarnation of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, his spiritual master. 1988 Photo Matthieu Ricard

This rare image shows the fourteenth Dalai Lama receiving an initiation from one of his last living teachers, Trulshik Rinpoche, a highly respected Tibetan master. Dharamsala, India. 1999 Photo Matthieu Ricard

Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche Photo Matthieu Ricard

Dillgo Khyentse Rinpoche and Trulshik Rinpoche Photo Matthieu Ricard

Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche at Shechen Monastery Nepal, 2003 Photo Matthieu Ricard

In December last year Khenpo Appey , a very important teacher of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche passed away.
It was very remiss of me not to have honoured this in some way in the last issue of Gentle Voice so when I recently caught up with an old student, Inge Riebe , I asked her to write something. Pamela Croci

By Kunga Södron

It is very difficult to write something about Khenchen Appey Yönten Zangpo Rinpoche because he was totally dismissive of the cult of the ‘personality’. When I met with him after the death of Gyaltsay Tulku Rinpoche, who had originally introduced me to Khenchen Rinpoche, I asked him ‘how best to maintain the connection to Gyaltsay Tulku’. Rinpoche gave me the quiet-searching-look and said, ‘We don’t do that, the point is not personal connection – just do his work.’ It is even difficult to feel ok about including a photograph of him.

When I worked on the first brochure for the International Buddhist Academy that Khenchen Appey set up for ‘those foreign students with a sincere interest in Buddhist philosophy’ he did not want any photos of himself or of His Holiness, who is the patron. He eventually agreed to only two quite small formal pictures. He also did not allow any detailed descriptions of his major teaching role in Tibet and India allowing only ‘He taught in several seminaries of Tibet and India’. For this phrase please understand that he was a foremost scholar, monk and practitioner who taught many of the great teachers of today, and established Sakya College a key seat of learning in India. His students included Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche who studied formally under Khenchen Appey Rinpoche for five years from 1972-1985 as well as receiving further teachings from him thereafter.

For Khenchen Appey Rinpoche establishing anything, whether stupa or college, included everything, from carrying bricks and sacks of cement to overseeing the development of his students, and the spiritual and ritual correctness of all endeavours. When the IBA in Tunchili Kathmandu was being built, Rinpoche was there daily checking details – I remember him carefully making decisions as to the height of the handles on the cupboards.

Being taught by him was life changing. His incisive razor-like, breathtakingly deep, wide and subtle teachings were an overpowering shining mountain, of which one aspired to grasp just the smallest part. If one asked a ‘good’- that is unpretentious, heartfelt question – he would answer with a twenty minute Teaching and then often the next day add some extra point he had considered from another sutra or text. But if one asked something that came from the desire to impress, or some poorly thought out idea, he cut through with one or two words. Despite his incredible exactness and toughness, his compassion and kindness made everything acceptable. It was always an honour and a huge pleasure to see him and a single word of praise from him resonates for the rest of ones life.

So what could we take as ‘to do his work’? Khenchen Appey RInpoche dedicated his life to furthering ‘the great Buddhist tradition of rigorous scholarship and soundly based practice’. To take some words from a teaching of his, that outlined the activities on the path,

The Mahayana path must be completed with these four characteristics: moral discipline which is the cause of not being distracted; hearing which is the cause of not being ignorant; contemplation which is the cause of ascertainment; and meditation which is the cause of parting from defilements.

and then gave encouragement to the union between practice and scholarship,

In the Sutra known as Nam mKa’ mZod kyi mDo it is said, ‘No virtue or non-virtue accumulated earlier will go astray; no virtue accumulated through making offerings to the Tathagatas will go astray; no virtue accumulated through altruistic thought will go astray; no hearing accumulated primarily through practicing will go astray.’ Therefore, one must engage in the practice as said.

Khenpo Appey gave credit for that which actually was one’s achievement. I wrote to him on one occasion in 1992, inviting him to Australia on behalf of Gyalsay Tulku Rinpoche and expressing my desire to do what ever would be helpful for foreign students to be able to study at Sakya College which at that time was supported by Khenpo Migmar. Khenpo Appey’s reply letter concluded ‘Finally thank you for your good motivation…’ which was really all I could be thanked for.
So as he taught,
The Sutra known as Paltreng Sengei Dra states that all the prayers are combined into one. If one should ask ‘what is that prayer?’ it is “May I hold the Holy Dharma “.

If we sincerely pray that prayer, Khenchen Appey Rinpoche would thank us for that.

A few small words by the very poor student Kunga Södron.

For Jurek Schreiner’s photo gallery of Kenpo Appeys Cremation click here

Khenpo Appey Rinpoches Kudung Photo Jurek Schreiner

By Lilith Rocha

Helping others according to their need is the true expression of compassion and I am always encouraged when people take practical steps like this to put such positive motivation in action…

His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

An amateur (from the Latin word for lover) is defined as someone approaching a subject with an open mind and financially disinterested manner, meaning amateurs (like Charles Darwin) do it for love…

Therapists and teachers from many traditions agree that underlying all fears is the fear of death, and that a willingness to examine this inescapable fact can help to free us from unnecessary suffering. The time of dying is rich in spiritual possibilities. This can be enhanced, through the Buddhist emphasis in care for the dying, on qualities of simplicity, kindness, humour, warmth, openness and stability.

During her work with the AIDS Council of NSW, long time Buddhist practitioner Judy Arpana designed and implemented care programs to support people through this transitional process.  A counsellor for many years to clients with life-limiting illnesses, their relatives and carers, Judy has been invited to hold training seminars for doctors, nurses, social and pastoral care workers, educators, staff and volunteers in aged care facilities and hospices in Australia, the UK, NZ, Ireland and Europe.

At the invitation of Siddhartha’s Intent Australia, for one weekend a month during winter 2011 Judy delivered a six-day series of seminars for dharma practitioners. This was with Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche’s wish that participants would go on to serve their local communities in the capacity of dharma mitra, or spiritual friend at the end of life.  The program’s aim was to train a group of volunteers to respond effectively to requests from the general public and sangha members for visitors with a Buddhist-based approach to those approaching death.

The interactive seminars used meditations and practices of mindfulness to explore the concepts of fearless receptivity, unconditional acceptance, quiet confidence, and authentic presence. The importance of providing a stable environment for the dying person and their relatives – of remaining peaceful, respectful and calm.  As it progressed, the program familiarised participants with the physiology and psychology of the dying process, and shared exercises on working with unfinished business, forgiveness, bearing witness, being fully present and offering the gift of compassionate listening.

With time in between each weekend for practice and reflection, the course addressed practical issues involved with the grieving process, organ donation, supporting bereaved families and communicating openly about death and dying using simple, everyday language. Participants learned the difference between help and service, wrote personal motivation and dedication prayers and reflected on their own spiritual journey in preparation for accompanying others on theirs.

Consciously experiencing life’s continuum of mini-deaths made the non-duality of life and death increasingly apparent, and we learned that healing is always possible, even while dying.  That facing our own death by putting our legal, family and funeral matters in order serves us well for being with another dying person. The parallels between the way we live life and the way we die deepened our appreciation of the necessity for maintaining a daily spiritual practice as a preparation for death.  As happens in group dynamics, while material was covered and skills developed, there were also beneficial side effects of learning from each other and teaming up in pairs to work into the community.

While insights from the course continue to unfold in our lives, Judy prepares for her annual North India pilgrim’s tour with Karma Rinpoche to attend the Dalai Lama’s teachings and present her workshop Facing Death, Embracing Life at Deer Park Institute. Here in Australia several Dharma Mitra volunteers are already responding to local requests…

Judy is teaching at Deer Park India later this year. Click here for details.

Dharma Mitra Training Winter 2011 Photo Nikki Keefe

By Shenphen Zangpo – resident monk at Deer Park Thimphu

Sonam serving tea Photo Shenphen Zangpo

The recovering addicts staying at the Thimphu drug rehab centre requested a trip to a sacred site. As it was the middle of the monsoon and many of the guys were not in good physical shape, there was a certain apprehension about the trip. However, the risk seemed worth taking and Taktsang Monastery (Tiger’s Nest) was chosen as the destination and dakinis’ day as the date.

As always, the Royal Grandmother kindly placed the royal family’s private bus at our disposal, and after an early start we alighted at 10AM at the foot of Taktsang Mountain.

After three days of torrential rain the clouds had parted and the sun shone brightly. We were bathed in a serene dappled light. It was an auspicious start.

Despite living less than a two hour drive from the sacred mountain, many of the recovering addicts had never visited Taktsang before. Days lost in the shadows of the capital had given them little opportunity to explore Bhutan’s stunning heritage and sacred sites.

They were enthusiastic and symbolically the pilgrimage would act as a new beginning.

Depending on the level of fitness, the climb to the monastery takes between one to two hours. The younger guys bounded up the slopes like mountain goats, while the older and physically weak followed at a slow but steady pace. A few drifting clouds brushed the mountain peak, but fortunately the darker monsoon clouds swirled above harmlessly.

Soon we were standing across from the great monastery itself. It is said that in the 8^th century Guru Rinpoche flew to this site on the back of his disciple in the form of a pregnant tigress. Ever since, the spot has been revered as one of the most sacred of the sites associated with Guru Rinpoche.

After a pause for photographs, we traversed the final ravine and entered the monastery.  Already inspired by the journey through alpine forests, the recovering addicts were in the mood to open their minds further. They listened eagerly to tales of Guru Rinpoche and of the secret Mahamudra text discovered here by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche in 1968.

A short meditation symbolically connected us to the sacred site and offered us an opportunity to rest in the present moment – to be fully at Taktsang. There are four main shrines at the monastery, and each served as a place for the recovering addicts to make earnest aspirations for a clean and drug-free future.

Near the final shrine, butter lamps were lit and everyone offered prayers for the benefit of all sentient beings – in particular, merit was dedicated to those suffering with the pain of addiction. In a closing prayer everyone vowed to remain clean in order to lead others from the darkness of ignorance to the light of wisdom. The pain in their own lives infused the prayer with a sense of urgency, and their heartfelt aspirations reminded me of a well-known verse in Shantideva’s prayer:

For as long as space remains,
For as long as sentient beings remain,
Until then may I too remain
To dispel the miseries of the world.

Bodies were heavy but hearts were light and the journey down the mountain took less than one hour. At the foot of the mountain we rested over tea and homemade snacks at a house owned by a Deer Park volunteer. It proved a wonderful end to a memorable day.

Shenphen and outreach group at Taksang Photo Shenphen Zangpo

Perhaps it would be appropriate if the final words on the event were expressed by one of the recovering addicts himself.

A visit to Taktsang
My heart deeply touched
What a memorable day!

–       Uday

Deer Park Thimphu operates a regular drug outreach programme in Bhutan. This includes nightly outreach in the bars and clubs of the capital, regular talks on the danger of drugs at schools and colleges and a three times weekly meditation class at the detox centre and rehab facilities. Pilgrimages to sacred sites are organized on average about once every two months.

This pilgrimage was undertaken on 25 July 2011

http://www.deerparkthimphu.org

Taking Control of our Existence

By Jakob Leschly

What is the vision behind doing a Dharma Gar?
In general, Buddhism asserts causality – our suffering and happiness depend on our actions; and the value of our actions are contingent on the attitudes behind them. In Buddhism these actions and attitudes are seen as conditions that we can work with and change – this is very the purpose of the Buddhist path. Throughout his teaching the Buddha empowered individuals to take control of their existence and ultimately to free themselves. Dharma Gar provides the context for applying these teachings and taking control..

What does one do in a Dharma Gar?
One commits two hours every day to the practice of meditation. One meditates based on trusting the basic goodness and workability of our existence. It is a pro-active measure based on the realisation that vision without practical integration is merely a passing thought. To penetrate the inertia of our dullness we need the presence and wakefulness of meditation. Actually sitting down and meditating establishes a mental space of calm where sanity can emerge, a gap where our habitual patterns can give way to insight.

What is the purpose of a Dharma Gar?
Everyone recognises and cherishes wisdom, peace and compassion. Yet sometimes it seems that no one actually believes these can be translated into reality. Buddhist meditation challenges such a sense of poverty. Basic goodness is inherent to all sentient life and the objective of the Buddhist path is to actually manifest it. The Buddha taught so that we can claim this natural inheritance, and by doing so, consequently help to dispel the gloom and suffering of the world.

With the emergence and subsequent spread of Tibetan Buddhism far beyond its original Himalayan homelands, teachers such as Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse have worked tirelessly to promote the Buddha’s vision of basic goodness, guiding students to find peace and happiness. Over the last thirty years Rinpoche has engaged with modern audiences, sometimes teaching philosophy, sometimes being a traditional Buddhist master, sometimes being a contemporary film-maker, and sometime teaching meditation.

Dharma Gar provides the opportunity for creating a gap, a crack in the brittle shell of delusion that keeps us in the sad and painful half-life of delusion, samsara. It is a space in which individuals can become familiar with the Buddha’s vision and its application. The goal of the Dharma Gar is ultimately to be of service to the greater community. Discarding the cocoon of their comfort zone, practitioners might ultimately become inspiration for others. In the past, Buddhist practitioners and masters have brought inspiration and trust in basic goodness to the larger communities, and given meaning and value to human existence. This could also happen in the modern world.

Dharma Gar, Europe Sept 2011 Photo Anja Quathamer

Dharma Gar – do yourself and others a favour and practice more

According to Arne Schelling – Somewhere over Europe 2011

What to do, if you have the longing to deepen your practice, when you wish to go off the radar of the worldly life?
The Tibetans came up with the model of a three years retreat: leave job and loved ones behind, retreat within the boundaries of the retreat compound, have little to no contact to the outside world, and do many hours of practise each day. An extraordinary method to break through our habits, hang ups and inhibitions and ideally come out a little wiser. However according to Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche there are two problems with this method. Firstly, when going into a long retreat, you cut off the worldly life, and secondly when leaving the retreat you cut back on your intensive practice. There may be that no real integration of practise and worldly life has happened. Wow you might not even know how to use the new iphones.

So, what to do? Rinpoche has tailored a perfect way, of unifying these two lives, the introduction to the West of Dharma Gar. Dharma Gar or Dharma Camp, refers to the nomadic lifestyle of the wandering yogis, who gather for a while for a great Dharma event, and then disperse in all different directions. The curriculum of Dharma Gar is based on the traditional three years retreat, but the contents of these three years of practice is stretched to ten years of two hours meditation per day. By this we can still function in our worldly life, keeping up our responsibilities, and at the same time have a daily two hour practise on our cushion oasis. Easier said than done, since, if you are like me, you have way too many worldly commitments and distractions. But worth trying. A solid amount of cushion-on-time to have a little bit more Dharma than drama during our cushion-off-time. It is amazing how these two hours of practice make the events of the remaining 22 hours fall into place. Even from an economical point of view, these two hours of meditation make the 22 hours of post-meditation are much better, and even more efficient.. Another benefit of practicing more I have found is that you are of less annoyance to others.

Even though I am not at all a fan of advertisement, I just want to say that if you have the feeling that your life is precious and impermanent, if you have seen the uselessness and endlessness of our worldly pursuits and if you have trust in the Dharma and the Guru, do yourself and others a favour and consider joining a Dharma Gar.

“When the Shravakayana Teachings cease to exist on this earth Buddhism is finished. So the survival of the traditions that are still practised in Burma, Sri Lanka, are absolutely important because that is the base.”

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, Bangalow, Australia 2011

By Tara Frances (MacLachlan)

‘We practice meditation to bring peace to the world’ – so said Sayadaw U Pandita of Burma, one of the world’s foremost teachers of satipatthana vipassana in the Mahasi tradition. Sayadaw became a novice at age 12 and a fully ordained Theravadan monk at age 20. Now about to turn 90, he continues to travel widely to teach the Dhamma. In 1986, Sayadaw led his first retreat in Australia, which I was fortunate to attend; it was a watershed event both in my personal Dhamma journey and in the propagation of the practice of the Mahasi vipassana tradition in Australia. I was, as so many others, both overawed and inspired by this monk and drawn to the direct and profound Buddha Dhamma he taught. Then, providentially, some years later I was to meet Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche and occasionally received teachings from him. Clearly there were notable differences in the demeanour and form of their teachings, although what was at the heart of these two revered masters seemed not so far removed. Somehow these experiences led to a privileged invitation to share the vipassana practice with Rinpoche’s students at the second Three Year Retreat at Vajradhara Gompa.

In its pure form the “Mahasi” tradition, one of a number of vipassana meditation techniques, has three main aspects – a formal sitting practice, a formal walking practice and the refined development of a mindful observation of all other activities throughout the day. For lay practitioners the eight precepts are observed to provide an ethical foundation and support for the meditative mind training and of course this includes the seventh precept of abstaining from eating after midday – so only breakfast and lunch are provided (unless there are specific health issues that need to be accommodated). It is usual for the day to begin at 4am and continue until 10pm, comprising alternate one hour periods of sitting and walking meditation, interspersed by the meal breaks and a Dhamma talk in early evening. On retreats led by Western lay teachers this schedule is often modified to reduce formal practice hours and allow for an evening meal. “Noble silence” is also observed, meaning that verbal and non-verbal communication is restricted; conversation is limited to regular interviews with the teacher, an integral part of the retreat, and brief discussions with support staff for any practical needs that arise. It is a simple yet demanding practice that many people, including myself, return to again and again to experience the benefits.

What are these benefits? When we practise the Dhamma there may be profound and uplifting experiences and moments of intuitive understanding that provide a sense of deep faith or confidence in the Dhamma, in our teachers and practices. Conversely, we also may be confronted by many difficulties and challenges that can sometimes seem insurmountable and cause dislike and doubts to arise. The preference is commonly for the former but often as not includes the latter. I would say that one of the benefits of vipassana practice is the development of a pure heart that is open to all that arises from moment to moment.

Since that early retreat with Sayadaw U Pandita, as well as several others led by other renowned teachers, there was an ongoing and growing demand for more opportunities to practise in the Mahasi vipassana style in Australia. So further retreats were held and a number of local teachers also emerged. Around 1989 a small meditation centre dedicated to the Mahasi tradition of vipassana was established in the Blue Mountains, NSW. The Blue Mountains Insight Meditation Centre (BMIMC) set on two acres on the edge of suburban Medlow Bath continues to provide retreats of varying lengths, most commonly weekends and 9-10 days, for up to 18 people (details can be accessed on their website – www.meditation.asn.au/index.html).

Stupa at BMIMC in Medlow Bath Photo Tara MacLachlan

Another option for the practice of Mahasi satipatthana vipassana in Australia is the Bodhi Tree Forest Monastery at Tullera, near Lismore, which is headed by the Australian monk, Ven. Pannyavaro, the founder of Buddhanet. This centre, established in 2005, offers one-day workshops and satipatthana vipassana retreats under the guidance of both the resident monk and visiting teachers, including the experienced local teacher Patrick Kearney. Bodhi Tree is set on ninety-five acres and plans to provide long-term retreat opportunities for both monastics and laypeople (www.buddhanet.net/bodhi-tree/ ).

There are also two senior Burmese monks who reside in Australia and teach the Mahasi vipassana practice. They conduct retreats both at their own centres and other venues in Australia, including BMIMC, as well as overseas. Sayadaw U Pandita, not to be confused with the older Sayadaw, is based in Melbourne, with a city suburban and country retreat centre (www.dhammasukha.org.au/contact.htm ). Sayadaw Pannathami, who was the first resident teacher at BMIMC, is now the abbot of Panditarama Sydney and Melbourne (www.panditaramasydney.org/ ). Both these teachers speak good English and offer an experience in the traditional Burmese Mahasi style. Their city centres are suburban houses, which have been modified to provide simple residential retreat facilities.

At present, the best option for those wanting to practice long-term is to travel overseas. Personally I have only been to Burma and Nepal but there are many other international groups and centres. Two of the most well known, located in Barre Massachusetts, USA, are IMS (the Insight Meditation Centre), which runs a yearly three-month retreat, and its neighbour the Forest Refuge where a meditator can practice long term with some flexibility to customise their own retreat with the support of various resident teachers, including Joseph Goldstein a co-founder of IMS and a renowned vipassana teacher of long standing. ( www.dharma.org/ ).

For quite a few years now I have been travelling to Nepal to practice at Panditarama Lumbini International Vipassana Meditation Centre (www.panditarama-lumbini.info/ ). As the name implies, this centre is affiliated with Sayadaw U Pandita and is located in Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha, a very inspiring place to meditate. It is a small centre with two resident teachers who both speak very good English – a German monk Sayadaw Vivekananda, who lived and trained in Burma for a number of years, and a Burmese nun, Sayalay Bhadda Manika. The maximum stay here is dictated by the visa allowance, which in Nepal is 5 months in any one year. This potentially means that a ten-month retreat is possible, although it does require a few trips to the immigration office for visa renewals. The centre provides healthy meals and basic but comfortable facilities for up to about 30 people. Similar to many meditation centres in Burma, Panditarama Lumbini runs year round. However the most popular time to come is during the cooler months between November and February. Meditators come and go according to their individual circumstances, staying anywhere between a few days to the full ten months of the visa limit. During the time of the rains retreat – the traditional three months set aside by the Buddha for monastics to devote to practice and study – (usually beginning late July) the teachers here continue to support any meditators who are in residence, although it tends to be quieter due to the more difficult climatic conditions.

In Burma (Myanmar) it is possible to stay for much longer if sponsored by a meditation centre – I know a number of people who have practised and studied here for several years. To practise the Mahasi vipassana tradition in Burma is of course to practise at its source and this, together with being in a devoutly Buddhist country, can make for a very inspirational meditation environment. However, Westerners can find it difficult to acclimatise both climatically as well as culturally, and the country’s politics have been a cause for concern, so it doesn’t suit everyone. I have personally visited two centres, both under the authority of Sayadaw U Pandita – one in Yangon and one in the countryside about an hour from the city. These centres can accommodate large numbers of meditators at any one time. The country centre, Hse Main Gon, is usually very busy during the marginally cooler months from November to January, when there is a popular ‘special’ three months attended by many foreigners. (www.panditarama.net/ )

Other teachers in Burma who have centres that offer the Mahasi practice include Sayadaw U Indaka, Sayadaw U Janaka, Sayadaw U Kundala and Saydaw U Lakkhana – all but the first having been to Australia. At present Sayadaw Indaka’s centre is the Burmese base for the Venerable Ariya Nani an English speaking Swiss nun who has been to Australia many times to teach. She is a highly skilled and respected teacher who is generally in attendance during the cooler ‘winter’ months. (Information about these centres may be found on the Buddhanet website – www.buddhanet.net/ )

Of course there are other traditions of vipassana and a search on Buddhanet or more widely on the internet should provide further information about these. If you have a personal interest in or have been directed to practice Theravada vipassana I hope the preceding information will be of use in finding something suitable and that your Dhamma journey leads to much peace and happiness.

By Kate Miller

When we think of the traditional Tibetan Buddhist three year retreat, we naturally bring to mind courageous individuals practicing intensively and relentlessly day in and day out. But just as the visible mass of an iceberg is supported by an even greater mass invisible below the surface, so are long term retreatants dependent on an extensive team of supporters who are equally committed to this long-term journey.

The 16 retreatants in Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche’s second three year retreat at Vajradhara Gonpa in Australia are now in their final year. Participants in the current retreat include five men and eleven women, ranging in age from their early thirties to late sixties and they’ve come from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany and Hong Kong, as well as Australia.

Traditionally not much is said about the retreatants and what they are doing while their retreat is still in progress, but this is a very appropriate time to say a little about what it takes to support such a program.

Rinpoche’s three year retreat program in Australia is supported by three full-time core staff members appointed by Rinpoche and some 25 part-time volunteers who have committed themselves in their various capacities to serving the retreat – many of them through both of the three year retreats that have been held at Vajradhara Gonpa. The part-time volunteers provide their support all in the midst of their own busy lives with family, work and other commitments, including their own meditation practices. Beyond these regular helpers are many others in the broader community that also extend themselves in support of the retreat.

A Sprawling Three Year Retreat Campus

Joe Shields, Nishkam Pomeroy and Dave McCarthey raising prayer flags

Vajradhara Gonpa as a retreat venue encompasses a sprawling complex of buildings over many acres of grounds, all requiring continuous upkeep. Due to its remote location, the Gonpa is on solar power backed up by diesel generator. Water is pumped from a natural spring, and stoves, refrigerators and hot water heaters are fuelled by propane gas. Rinpoche appointed Jerry Epps to the role of full-time Facility Caretaker with responsibility for the routine daily support of the physical facilities. Jerry, a member of the nearby Gesar Community affiliated with the Gonpa, has over twenty years of experience at Vajradhara Gonpa and his extensive knowledge of the property has proven invaluable in the smooth day to day operation of the retreat.

Andrew giving Indigenous Gallibal Welcome to Country

Jerry is assisted by Joe Shields, Nishkam Pomeroy and Dave McCarthey who spend a day each week ensuring that longer term tasks such as maintenance of grounds, fire roads and minor repairs to buildings receive their due care. They are further supported by Simon Thomas and Andrew Johnson, and in the wider community, by members of the Northern Rivers Regional Rural Fire Service. Joe says, “Events such as three year retreats are such a rare occurrence. The merit generated from such practice (seen and unseen) benefit countless beings for infinite lifetimes. It is an unquestioned privilege and honour to be part of the retreatants’ journey and responding to the needs of our sangha brothers and sisters.”

Fire and Rain!

The rugged Australian sub-tropical bush of northern New South Wales, where Vajradhara Gonpa is located, is subject to periodic bush fires in summer and the possibility of floods during the wet months of the year. The facility team is therefore critical in maintaining a safe container for the retreatants in a manner that is non-intrusive and harmonious with their program of practice.

Jerry Epps (right) & Rural Fire Service volunteers

How real are these threats? Locals say that on average a major bush fire will come through about every seven years. We had one that surrounded the Gonpa property in 2004 just before our first three year retreat and then again during the first year of this current retreat. Thankfully it didn’t require evacuation of retreatants. However Jerry, as our staff fire warden, and our maintenance crew were on hand to fight the fire for over a week. At that time Joe Shields, one of the original founders of Vajradhara Gonpa some 30 years ago, was on site day and night. Vajradhara Gonpa is important as a forward fire fighting base for protection of the nearby Border Ranges National Forest and the fire was monitored and fought under the guidance of the very experienced Rural Fire Service which is comprised mostly of volunteers from the local community. As emergency workers all of these workers have blanket permission to enter our otherwise strict retreat boundary.

The only road to town gets flooded

Earlier this year Dave McCarthey liaised with a crew of Rural Fire Service volunteers which undertook fire prevention activities in preparation for this current season to deal with what Nishkam refers to as our ‘radical areas’. To ensure continued efficacy in fire fighting Jerry and Joe have put their knowledge to paper and completely mapped our property to identify regions of significant risk and prioritise annual preparations for the bush fire season. Even though the likelihood of fire is low this season we need to be prepared not only to comply with our stringent OH&S regulations, but also to ensure that our retreatants can feel at ease in their retreat!

Low bushfire threat sometimes means we can look forward to short term flooding. This last year in particular saw massive flooding in much of the State of Queensland and its capital city Brisbane, just north of the retreat. While Vajradhara Gonpa itself does not flood – it’s located on a mountain shoulder, the retreat can be temporarily isolated due to swollen streams preventing access. During such periods volunteers work extra hard to ensure all necessary support, often in unscheduled hours – all the more challenging when phone lines go down since our remote location is a mobile phone dead zone.

Is There a Doctor in the House?

While the purpose of three year retreat is not to improve or restore one’s health, retreatants must receive timely medical support that will ensure that they are able to carry on with their practice. This can be a sensitive area as the intensive, relentless practice of retreat can provoke all manner of health issues as part of a process of purification. It takes much patience and skill to appropriately respond to retreatants who may develop complex physical manifestations relating to their health. Our health team must be sensitive to strike the right balance of encouragement and reassurance that this can be part of the “normal” retreat process while also being vigilant not to miss those health issues that require intervention.

Julie St. Aubyn, with a background in herbalism, homeopathy and health services administration, is the retreat’s Health Care Coordinator. Julie’s reassuring capacity for equanimity and practicality in varied health circumstances has supported practitioners through both retreats.

Julie St Aubyn & Dr Oscar

Julie oversees a team of licensed health care professionals that have permission to periodically enter the retreat boundary thereby minimizing occasions that might require retreatants to cross out of the boundary. Julie says, “Being a support for the retreat is a fantastic experience. There is something truly wonderful about driving up the hill and entering the sacred space of the retreat. I try to slow down and be mindful in my thoughts and actions as I know that I will be interacting with people who are living outside of the everyday world. The retreatants make me feel very welcome. It’s like visiting with really joyful friends. Their feedback is so positive that I feel like what I do really makes a difference in their lives. Watching the retreat participants as they go through this unique program is amazing. I gain insight into the process of the retreat without having to do one myself!!!”

Lead physicians Oscar Serralach and Jacquie Boustany of the Nimbin Medical Clinic are complemented by Libbie Nelson (physiotherapy, acupuncture & yoga therapy), Michele Alberth (acupuncture & Chinese herbs), Chime Leschly (naturopathy), and visiting pathology nurses. These medical practitioners enter the retreat every three months or so to provide care. Dr. Oscar, heading the health team, while also tending to a young family and busy medical practice, says that for him, “coming into the retreat and working with the retreatants is an absolute joy which also nourishes him.” Oscar takes a multidisciplinary team approach, having a keen interest in holistic medicine as an adjunct to traditional medicine.

Libbie Nelson teaching yoga therapy

Libbie Nelson, is another volunteer who has served on both retreats. Her stabilising and gentle way of being, combined with her lifetime of expertise in her field of health care has been sustaining for staff as well as retreatants over the years. Libbie says, “My experiences have only been positive – even when the retreatants felt low, which was often the case if they needed me to see them, their strength has been a source of delight and inspiration. The exquisite pleasure of being there is greater than the sum of the parts constituted. To sit on the veranda of the Gonpa while waiting for the acupuncture needles to do their bit, I feel I am truly blessed to be able to be there and I recognise that this is a very special experience for us all. It has enabled us all to grow.”

On those rare occasions when it is truly necessary for retreatants to visit external health appointments, Northern Rivers Community Transport volunteer dispatchers and drivers often provide transportation to those participants that are within their age and health criteria.

What’s to Eat?

Ensuring a range of quality food for retreat, especially in a remote location while adhering to a budget prepared years in advance requires tremendous logistical planning. Regina Zenz, the retreat’s Catering Coordinator, has primary responsibility for the two month bulk shop of dry stores, and ensures that retreatants have nutritious food which addresses the changing health needs that can arise for long term meditators. Regina is a great nurturer of others with a reliable and practical nature which has held her in good stead during her support of both retreats – all while managing to juggle responsibilities of family and full time work. Regina says, “I’ve always regarded it as a precious lineage blessing and an immense privilege to be able to work helping to fulfil Rinpoches’ vision and to support such dedicated practitioners through this mundane activity of ‘shopping’. A bit of shopping is nothing compared to what the retreatants are doing, but it’s good to know it’s making their retreat possible! Hey! – what more could a shop-aholic’s heart desire?!”

Core Staff

Kate Miller and Regina Zenz in the supermarket

The Retreat Administrator is appointed by Rinpoche as the person responsible for coordinating all volunteer efforts as well as the 24/7 day-in, day-out operation of the retreat. This position has been shared in turn by Kate Miller, Charlotte Davis and Ani Gosha Gray (Charlotte and Ani Gosha, themselves three year retreat graduates).

The appointed role of Retreat Master is responsible for presenting the detailed curriculum of the retreat and coaching retreatants through the course of the program.This position has been shared by Steve Cline and Jangchub Haubner, both graduates of the Chanteloube three year retreats in the Dordogne (France).

Teachers

About once a year Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche visits the retreat to give individual interviews, empowerments and instructions. This year Rinpoche spent about a month with the retreatants while doing his own retreat. Other times, Rinpoche’s visit has been scarcely more than a day!

From time to time the retreatants have also been fortunate in having instruction and advice from visiting lineage holders and guest teachers such as His Holiness Sakya Trizin, Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche, Khyentse Jigme Rinpoche, Khenpo Sonam Tashi, Lama Rigzin Samdrup, Ven. Tenzin Dorje, and Tara Frances (MacLachlan) of the Blue Mountains Insight Meditation Centre. Visiting teachers are in turn often supported by individuals such as Jakob Leschly (translator), Ela Pedma (cook & shrine implements) and Jittima (Ou) Promindr (cook & seamstress).

So Many Others

Eva Thomas, Gael Wallace and Judy Arpana have loyally provided general assistance and emergency support through both of the two retreats. Eva says, “Being a support person for a long retreat makes one appreciate the preciousness of the practice, I’m always so grateful to all the people doing the hard work day-in and day-out and having some contact with them is a constant reminder – the atmosphere rubs off a bit.” Tara Thomas and Dawn Johnson have helped out as general shoppers in addition to the individual personal shoppers that assist each retreatant with personal needs.

Steve Cline turns his hand to sword sun moon ornaments for flag poles

Major support is also provided by members of the Board of Directors of Siddhartha’s Intent Australia such as Paula Yacoub-Raymond (Vajradhara Gonpa Facility Coordinator), Hugo Croci (Treasurer & Budgetary Management), Nikki Keefe (Health Consultant) and Christina Peebles (OH&S Officer).

Cangioli Che, Florence Koh, Su-yin Lee and Marco Noailles of the Khyentse Foundation have facilitated need-based scholarship support for qualified retreatants.

It is not possible to do justice to the contribution of all these people with a few words. All-in-all it is the respect and regard for the work of supporting the retreatants as they go through their journey of intense practice which motivates volunteers to serve Rinpoche and the dharma in this way. What sustains them is the knowledge that their service is dedicated to providing a special opportunity for others to practice deeply, so rare in our times.

The current three year retreat will conclude in May 2012. In April 2009 Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche formally announced that the current retreat will be the final three year retreat at Vajradhara Gonpa. At present Rinpoche has not indicated any plans for future three year retreats at other locations, either in Australia or overseas. Any future three year retreat program will be announced through the Siddhartha’s Intent website. In the mean time, those interested in engaging some of the contemplative practices typically included in three year retreat may wish to look to the Dharma Gar programs currently being administered in Germany and the United States, and soon to be available for Asia and Australia. Dharma Gar is designed for those who wish to combine a commitment to disciplined contemplative practice with worldly commitments such as career and family.

Main entrance to the Gonpa Photo Janine Schulz

Interview with Sydney and Chris Jay

June 18, 2011
Vancouver

Sydney and Chris Jay, long-term Buddhist practitioners, are a married couple from the United States, who decided in 2002 to participate in a traditional three-year retreat under the guidance of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche. The retreat took place at Vajradhara Gonpa in New South Wales (Australia) and, according to Tibetan Buddhist tradition, lasted three years, three months and three days. According to individually set retreat rules and boundaries, family contact was strictly regulated and shopping, novels, television and any other distractions of the digital age were prohibited.

Sydney and Chris speak openly about the benefits, as well as the challenges of being in a closed three-year retreat situation, with family as well as jobs in the world outside the border of Vajradhara Gonpa.

GV: So you have been together on a three-year retreat in Australia? When was that?

Sydney: Actually the retreat started in January 2005 and lasted until April 2008.

GV: How did this idea come up? How did you come to the point where you said: ‘Yes, we are doing it’?

Sydney: We met some people from Canada, who had done a three-year retreat. I didn’t even know that it was part of the tradition in Tibetan Buddhism. However I was very intrigued and started asking a lot of questions.
This was way back in 1998. I remember thinking, ‘Oh I could never do that.’ But I was curious and the seed was planted.
In 2002 we went to Australia, because Rinpoche was there doing a Ngöndro retreat. We heard that Rinpoche was planning to do a traditional three-year retreat and so I kind of sat there and simmered with thoughts of this … I then went to Chris and said “I think we should do this retreat.”

Chris: I couldn’t believe it when Sydney said, “Let’s do the retreat.” I thought, that there was a snowflakes in hell chance that I’d ever be able to interest her in doing that.
And it was her idea!
When we walked into Rinpoche’s house, I was sure he knew, what we were going to ask. He had this big grin on his face and when we said “Okay, Rinpoche, we want to do the three-year retreat.” Rinpoche replied,” GOOD! You are the first ones. You are in!”

GV: But this was not your first retreat?

Chris: No. We had done some retreats of one month, two months or three months back in the early 2000s. However we have never done a really long retreat. The longest we had ever done was for three months.

GV: For people with a western cultural background, how would you describe the importance and the benefit of a retreat?

Sydney: I don’t think there are enough words or the right kind of words to describe the benefit. You start your retreat the moment you say, I am going to do it. A woman who had just come out from a retreat told me, that it’s like the “you”dies. It’s a process. That “you”before you made the decision is very different from the “you” that’s moving forward. It’s this process of discovering who this person is that’s getting ready to go into retreat and then who this person is during the retreat. That’s one of the benefit’s in doing a three-year retreat. Also when you do a three-year retreat, you have the structure of the whole place, the structure of your room, the structure of everybody else there doing the same thing, and it’s a tremendous benefit to live in that kind of atmosphere.

GV: For someone who is 25 years old reading this may scare them. Because they think, this time I could go surfing on a nice island or have parties……

Chris: There is a kind of karmic connection aspect to this. When you hear the words three-year retreat or when you meet a three-year retreatant and talk about it, some people think that, “Oh gosh, I could be surfing, I could be sailing through the Greek islands” . However other people could be intrigued to the point where they see that there actually is a path where they could go as deeply as possible and as quickly as possible in this life. Also there is a timeliness to it, you know. We couldn’t do it until we were a bit older due to issues of money, children, so on and so on.

Sydney: But for everybody who goes in – no matter what the time in their life – something gets sacrificed. For me when I went in, I had one grandchild and that was a cause for a lot of my pain during the initial stages . When I talked to Rinpoche about this he said: “ Don’t worry, when you are in retreat, within six months the way you feel about that baby, you will feel about all sentient beings.” And I was like, Super! It is a beautiful thought and it really motivated me. As a result it kind of happened and I do feel differently about people. Probably not the same heart passion that I feel for my family but I do feel more open, more caring and not quite so willing to smash people with my temper.

Chris: At the end of the retreat we did a Drubchen and Rinpoche invited the media. During an interview they asked Rinpoche about the purpose of this kind of retreat. Rinpoche answered, “ Until this retreat the students, these practitioners have been dependent on the outer guru and the purpose of this retreat is that they can find their inner guru. Their inner guru will be what teaches them from now on. In the context of the guru that’s what this kind of retreat is about.”

GV: What about the boundaries that are set? Was there for instance , Skype?

Sydney: No Skype. However Rinpoche was so kind with our group. If our retreat master had decided it, it would have been nothing. But many of us had kids and some went in without their partners or spouses. Two months before the retreat started Rinpoche gave permission to have a phone. His directions were, keep it to a minimum. So we could talk, like I talked to my kids back here in the US. Nobody from the outside could come in to where we were except the doctor and the guys who mow the lawn etc. There was a house where people could go if they had visitors so retreatants who lived in Australia could have their families come and visit for very short periods of time.

Chris: I wanted stricter boundaries than Sydney did. Stricter in terms of who I could call because I didn’t want to call family members except for my mother who was 84 years of age. She was really sad when I left because she thought that she would never see me again. I wrote this in my retreat rules which are like a contract between Rinpoche and yourself. I wrote that I could call my mother every three weeks – basically to find out two things: 1) how is she doing and 2) how Tiger Woods was doing [laughs].

GV: Apart from issues with setting up the boundary and the different characters were there any other challenges directly related to practice?

Sydney: The initial practice everybody does, the Ngondro, where we had to do 100.000 prostrations was what probably gave me the most confidence in myself as a practitioner. Having the commitment of doing 400 times Refuge, 400 times Bodhicitta and 400 hundred-syllable mantras and so on within a certain amount of time, whenever you got behind, you would have to catch up. So you would never be lazy because you knew that you had to keep up. Being able to do that [keeping the commitment] gave me confidence in myself as a practitioner. But that’s only the part of the retreat where you have to count. When we moved to practices where we didn’t count it got really difficult. Settling in, doing the sadhana and doing visualization without the support of counting…..

Chris: At this point one’s neuroses are in full display: Am I doing it? Am I not doing it? oh my god I can’t do it because I am so stupid. Any kind of neurosis that one has comes right up in front of our minds. We all have these kinds of things, but when the neuroses come up we can easily project them onto other people and say ‘It’s their fault, it’s not me “ So there was a lot of self-discovery in the midst of doing Vajrayana practice. Also, a big learning for me in this retreat was to keep my mouth shut. We humans – that is, me – get in trouble with our mouths. To learn that, to see myself doing it while my mouth was open, and to develop some awareness around keeping it shut was really a great learning for me.

GV: Was there a lot of communication going on between the retreatants?

Chris: There was a main kitchen where a lot of people would get together and eat, but there were other people in cabins that would have their own kitchen. It was a very amorphous changeable situation.

GV: Was it helpful for the retreat being together as a couple rather doing it individually?

Sydney: I think for me it was really helpful because Chris is a very committed and dedicated practitioner. He was a real source of inspiration for me because I am much more emotional. I could spend a lot of time missing my children and my grandchildren and be very tearful.
I had three deaths in my family fairly quickly together from 1994 through 1997 including the death of my son (Chris’s stepson). Chris was incredibly important during that time. He took very good care of me. The most powerful learning in terms of the practice and our relationship came during the retreat because I had to take care of that stuff myself and so we learned that it is my pain, my loss just as he had his own pain and loss. Being in the retreat and having that loss came up during practice again and again–It was really healing not only for me personally but in terms of our relationship and the dynamics of that relationship.

Chris: Some people would come by and say ‘You two are so lucky that you have each other and you don’t have to go through this alone’ and it’s true (Sydney agrees). It was wonderful to be there as a couple, but I wondered if we were missing anything by being a couple… however at the end of the day I doubt if it makes any difference. I found myself by the end of the retreat appreciating how hard it must have been to go through this without a partner. But of course, as we all know, having a partner is not all that easy, particularly when the neuroses start coming up….

GV: What do you think is the essence of a retreat?

Sydney: Of course with the practice you start to become a practitioner and in the three years that’s one of the things you learn. Another thing is commitment. For me this was the biggest thing. Once I decided to go that was it and no more questions about getting up at 3:30 in the morning – that decision was already made because it was part of the commitment.

Chris: Two things. First of all to be exposed for who I am as opposed to what I think I am as a practitioner. Because it is so easy to walk in with a certain conceit about “Oh, I’m a great practitioner because I have been doing Ngondro for ten years”. But when one’s neuroses start coming up, you realise the alarming difference between who you think you are and what actually is. It’s stunning, and for me, this was really the beginning of the Path. Nowhere else can we learn this because everywhere else we get to be distracted by entertainment, or even worse, praised for being a practitioner. But here there’s none of that. You have to sit there, look at it and it can be very painful. The second thing is that as students of Rinpoche we are kind of like puppy dogs. We need our master, we wag our tail, we put our ears back and say please Rinpoche pay attention to me. To me, one essence of retreat is about moving from away that stance to begin awakening one’s own inner Guru. And, as Rinpoche told us, essentially, a 3-year retreat is a good start.

Based on a classical Tibetan graphic illustration, and drawing on authoritative works, this guide provides an overview of Buddhist meditation, identifying the gradual development of mental stability, as well as how to remedy inevitable pitfalls. Graphic design by Stefan Mager with text by Jakob Leschly.
Available through Snow Lion here.

Lobsang Jamyang reports

TV-online for Latinos

Buddha’s Amigo is a free online TV channel that discusses and brings closer the Buddha’s wisdom to the Spanish speaker community. Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche gave us the name for the program on November of 2010, when we started our first program and we are under his guidance and inspiration. Directed by Lobsang Tonden, today Buddha’s Amigo has a growing number of followers in many countries like the USA, México, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Argentina and Chile among others. Following Rinpoche’s advice, we are starting a plan to make the project grow, we are going to implement a studio and add some more days and topics. One of its particular features is the way to approach to Buddha’s teachings by relating them very closely with the daily issues and worries of the latinos. You can follow us every Sunday at 9:00pm (central time US and Mexico) on: www.lagartijapop.com

“I think this project of Buddha´s Amigo is a quite good idea. If you have time, energy and means, you should really put emphasis on it and make Buddhadharma accessible to the Mexican thinking, without bringing to much of the culture into it, Tibetan culture, etc. Take the essence of the Dharma and of course, depending on the time and the situation, you have to make it more accessible and entertaining to the people. If you just read a sutra for hours and hours people will fall asleep. I have a good feeling about Buddha´s Amigo, it has a very good potential to reach people. It should be a non-sectarian project and you should speak about different topics of common interest”

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche

Rinpoche is wearing a traditional Mexican mask of lapis lazuli given to him by his Mexican students

By Charlotte Davis, Kathmandu, Nepal

After the sad news of Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche’s passing was announced, the Vajrasattva Drupchen from Mindroling was practised here at Shechen for a week, which I attended as much as I could. They perform this Drupchen each year and I’ve come to appreciate the special energy and inspiration that comes from attending these intensive group practises. A very kind person has made a translation available, so those of us who aren’t fluent in Tibetan can engage in the practise with more understanding. This practise is also being performed at Sitapaila Gonpa. I was fortunate to have received a number of empowerments from Kyabje Trulshik Rinpche during my numerous stays in Nepal over many years, so I feel a personal gratitude towards him as well as respect for he has been the Teacher of so many of our Teachers.

On the 12th September 2011, I headed up to Sitapaila Gonpa to pay homage to Rinpoches relics, with a nun, (known as “Ani Chung-Chung” or “Little Ani”) who is from Trulshik Rinpoche‘s remote nunnery at Thupten Choling. Sitapaila Gonpa is a large new monastery, still under construction though completed in the main part, that Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche built on a mountain behind Swayambhunath Stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal. I heard that one of the reasons that Trulshik Rinoche located the new gonpa there is that on a clear day, you can see three of the main Buddhist sacred places in the valley: Swayabhunath stupa, Baudhanath Stupa, and Namo Buddha.

There was the usual chaos that such journeys often seem to invoke! I was assisting the young Ani (Tibetan for ‘nun’) because she has to walk with an artificial leg, due to cancer. So when we found out that the Shechen monks had been invited to conduct the Pujas we decided to travel with them.

The road to Sitapaila Gonpa Photo Charlotte Davis

At 7am we were ready and waiting on Mahankal Road. By 7:30 the buses had all arrived and off we set. The traffic was already building up and we had to alternate between opening the window to let in some air and closing it to keep out the pollution and dust. To anyone who has travelled in this area this will be very familiar. We hadn’t gone far before the first obstacle arose: we were stopped by a car that was stuck in the mud. The bus-driver then backed up and we went back to Ring Road. Again we set off up the hill this time via the only alternative route and soon met a procession of devotees travelling up to Sitapaila Gompa in taxis and cars for the same purpose, causing the ubiquitous “jam” (traffic jam). As the road became steeper, the bus driver said that it was impossible for him to travel further fully laden, so the monks all got out. We weren’t sure if it would make it even if it was empty, so we got out too. Quickly we negotiated a price with a taxi driver heading down the hill and off we set again. We were happy to see that he veered to a side road to turn around but then for some reason he decided to change his mind and instead headed all the way back down the hill until we were back at the bottom! So there we were back at the beginning at the end of the long traffic jam. In the meantime we observed the bus we had abandoned chugging its way up to the top! We moaned and complained a bit, but in the end our intrepid taxi driver pulled through, put his foot to the accelerator, charged past all the stationary vehicles until he got to the steepest part, then he backed up for the final charge to the top of the hill. Muttering “go go go!” under my breath we made it with a wing and a prayer! With lots of smiles and a sense of relief we paid the taxi driver. He went on his way and there we were looking up at the beautiful new Gonpa.

View from Sitapaila Gonpa down the Kathmandu Valley Photo Charlotte Davis

Back to the journey…
Ani and I headed up the stairs to the Gonpa. When Ani was recognised from Thupten Choling Nunnery and when we said we were with the Shechen monks we were ushered up to the side of the small temple where the relics are housed. We were quickly reminded as to why we were there when we saw a number of grief stricken nuns as well as a few monks overcome with emotion and sadness as they left the temple after paying homage to the kudung.

Handing out Tsok Photo Charlotte Davis

The organisation around this day, the first day his relics were open for the public to view, was very impressive. There were many friendly volunteers to help direct people and take care eg a chair was quickly found for Ani so she could be seated comfortably. I sat with the other westerners to the side of the marquee where the Shechen monks were performing the pujas. People were handed tea and bread as they arrived and later lunch was served. The weather was hot so there were water fountains and cups in many locations that were constantly being refilled with filtered water. As each person left the temple after paying homage, they were each handed a large bag of tsok. Also each person received an envelope with a photo of His Holiness, a prayer for his swift rebirth with English translation, and a small plastic bag with some of his body salts and another bag with a small piece of his cloth, as an object of veneration and devotion. So kind.

Waiting our turn Photo Charlotte Davis

When our turn came, we were ushered into the temple, where a gathering of High Lamas and guests were conducting Pujas. When I went through, Jigme Khyentse Rinpoche was seated in meditation next to the kudung. After receiving a blessing string from Pema Wangyal Rinpoche, I exited the building in something of a daze. Receiving the envelope with the precious remains and the bag of tosk we returned to our cushions and joined in with our own prayers and the Minling Dorsem Puja.

A number of the lamas, as well as ordinary people who were inspired to speak about Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche, were interviewed on live local TV over the afternoon. Although unfortunately the noise of the pujas made it difficult to hear very well, Jigme Khyentse Rinpoche recounted many details of Trulshik Rinpoche’s incredible life story. He also gave words of advice as to how we should relate to this time. The essence of the advice I heard from him and others was that the most significant thing for us as aspiring practitioners to contemplate during this time, was to take the life of such great masters as an example and that the best way to pay homage to such great beings is to put the teachings we have received from them into practice and contemplate their life example so we can try to emulate this in our own lives.

The Kudung of Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche Photo Matthieu Ricard