In January 2011 Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche lead a drupchen in Tashiding, Sikkim. The drupchen practice was from the Rigdzin Sokdrup, “The Practice of the Life of the Vidyadharas” a cycle of Terma revealed by Lhatsun Namkha Jigme. The video link is a teaching that Rinpoche gave during this time.

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche explaining Lhatsun Namkai Jigme
from Noa Jones on Vimeo.

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche explaining Lhatsun Namkai Jigme from Noa Jones on Vimeo

Thangthong Gyalpo Tulku and Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche at Tashiding photo Gerard from Netherlands

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche and Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche making offerings photo Sarah Mist

PILGRIMAGE

“The aim of all Buddhist practice is to catch a glimpse of the awakened state. Going on pilgrimage, soaking up the sacred atmosphere of holy places and mingling with other pilgrims are simply different ways of trying to achieve that glimpse.” Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche

Pilgrim at Sarnath photo Sarah Mist

Rinpoche wrote the book “ What to do at India’s Buddhist Holy Sites “ in response to the questions students frequently ask about going on pilgrimage to Buddhist holy sites. What to do at India’s Buddhist Holy Sites is not a guidebook for ordinary tourists, but for Buddhists who wish to purify their defilements and accumulate merit by going on pilgrimage. Focusing primarily on the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha and the great Indian masters of the past, Rinpoche offers pilgrims advice on every aspect of pilgrimage: where to go, what to do, the meaning of pilgrimage  and generating the right motivation before leaving home. He explains what Buddhists mean when they describe a person, place or object as being ‘holy’. Included are suggestions for which prayers and practices one can do at the four main Buddhist holy sites in India and Nepal.

Click here to request a pdf file of Rinpoche’s book

Click here for a preview of Rinpoches Book

This story below is an excerpt from “What to do at India’s Buddhist Holy Sites” and was told to Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche By Deshung Rinpoche.

There are many stories, about people whose devotion was such that their one-pointed longing actually created holy places, or even invoked the material presence of holy beings into their own perceptions.

Like Lodro, for example, who felt tremendous devotion for the bodhisattva Mañjushri. One evening, he came across an amazing passage in a book he was reading about how Mañjushri had vowed three times to show himself to anyone who travelled to Mount Panchashisha * . For Lodro this was the most wonderful and inspiring discovery, and he became so excited that, after a sleepless night and without eating breakfast, he ran to his master’s house to ask his permission and blessings to visit the mountain. At first Lodro’s master did his best to convince him that such a journey, fraught with danger and hardship, was entirely unnecessary, but Lodro would not be convinced. Again and again he begged his master to allow him to go, until eventually he gave in and agreed.

In those days travelling was difficult, but Lodro, undaunted by the dangers that lay ahead, packed enough food and medicine for several months onto the back of his donkey, waved goodbye to his master, family and all his friends, and set off across the Tibetan plateau.

The terrain was extremely tough. He had to cross several fast flowing rivers and survive the punishing heat of empty deserts where his only companions were venomous snakes and wild animals. Nevertheless, after several months, Lodro arrived safely at Mount Panchashisha and immediately started searching for Mañjushri. He looked everywhere, again and again, but couldn’t find anyone who even vaguely resembled the bodhisattva. Then, one evening as he rested his back against the cold iron steps of a monastery he fell fast asleep. The  next  thing  he  remembered  was  walking  into  a  lively  bar  where  a  boisterous  crowd  of  locals  were drinking, laughing and having fun. It was late and Lodro was tired. He asked for a room, and the enormously fat Madame who sat behind a small desk at one end of the main corridor told him they were full up, but he could sleep in a corner of the corridor if he wanted to. He accepted gratefully and pulled a book out of his luggage to read before he went to sleep. Before long a rowdy gang of Chinese boys burst out of the bar into the corridor and started making fun of the fat Madame. Lodro tried to ignore them, but the leader caught sight of him and swaggered over to examine him.

The path that leads to the Manjushri Cave at Wu Ti Shan in China

“What are you doing here?” he demanded.

Not  quite  knowing  what  to  say,  Lodro,  in  his  innocence,  found  himself  telling  the  Chinese  boy  about Mañjushri’s vow. The boy laughed and laughed.

“You Tibetans, you’re so superstitious! Why is that?” he cried. “And you actually believe what you read in books! I’ve lived here all my life, and I’ve never heard of anyone called Mañjushri.”

Shaking his head in disbelief he turned back to his friends, saying, “Winter’s coming. You should go home before you freeze to death.”

The whole gang then staggered back into the bar for another drink as the Madame and Lodro exchanged a look of relief. A few days later, on his way back from another futile trek up the mountain, Lodro bumped into the same Chinese boy.

“You still here?” exclaimed the boy.

“Alright, I give up,” replied Lodro, with a wan smile. “You were right, I am too superstitious.”

“So, you’ve finally had enough, have you?” crowed the Chinese boy. “Will you go home now?”

“I thought I’d make a pilgrimage to Mongolia,” said Lodro. “I might as well, it’s on the way home. And it’ll mean this journey wasn’t a complete waste of time.”

Lodro looked sad and there was something about the way his shoulders slumped as he spoke that softened the Chinese boy’s heart.

“I tell you what,” he said, slightly less aggressively than before. “You don’t have much money and you’ve run out of supplies, so you’re going to need some help. I have a friend in Mongolia. I’ll write him a letter. If you deliver it to him I’m sure he’ll do what he can.”

Auspicious Clouds at Wu Ti Shan

The next day, Lodro once again packed everything he had onto his old donkey and, feeling depressed and disheartened, took one last look at Mañjushri’s mountain, hoping desperately that Mañjushri might appear at least long enough to wave him goodbye. But no. The crowds of people rushing to and fro before him gave up nothing but the Chinese boy with the letter he’d promised. Lodro thanked him, tucked the letter into his yak skin coat and left for Mongolia.

After several months Lodro reached the town where the Chinese boy’s friend was supposed to live. Waving the letter in his hand, he stopped everyone he met to ask where the recipient of the letter might be found. To his surprise, every single person he approached burst out laughing. Lodro was extremely puzzled. Eventually he met an old woman who managed to control herself long enough to ask if she could read the letter. Lodro gave it to her, without reading it himself. She studied it carefully, then asked,

“Who wrote this letter?”

And Lodro told her the whole story. She shook her head and sighed, “Those young men are always bullying helpless pilgrims like you. But there is one creature I know of who bears the name written in this letter. If you really want to deliver it, go to the rubbish tip at the edge of the village. There you’ll find a pig. He’s very fat so you can’t miss him.”

Lodro was a little baffled by this information, nevertheless he decided that, as he was already so close he would go to the tip and have a look at the pig.

Before long, he found a huge hill of rubbish on top of which sat an extremely large and rather hairy pig. Feeling a little self-conscious, Lodro unrolled the letter and held it in front of the pig’s small, bright eyes and was completely astounded when the pig appeared to read it. Once he’d finished, the pig started weeping uncontrollably and fell down dead. Suddenly curious about what could possibly have had such a strong effect on the animal, Lodro finally read the letter.

Dharma Arya Bodhisattva,

Your mission to benefit beings in Mongolia has been accomplished. Now hurry back to Mount Panchashisha.

Mañjushri

Amazed and reinvigorated, Lodro rushed back to Mount Panchashisha with just one thought in his mind,

“This time, when I meet Mañjushri, I’m going to hold onto him extremely tightly and I’ll never let him go!”

His first stop back on the mountain was the bar where the Madame had given him shelter. Lodro asked her if she’d seen the Chinese boy.

“Those boys are always on the move. Who knows where they’ll be?” she said.

Lodro’s heart sank.

“But you’re tired,” continued the Madame, a little more gently. “Why don’t you sleep now. You can look for the boys tomorrow.”

And she offered him his old place in the corridor. He fell asleep quickly, only to wake with a start to find himself slumped against the steps of the monastery and freezing cold. There was no sign of the Madame, the bar or the town. Physically he was on Mount Panchashisha, the external realm where Mañjushri is said to live, yet his merit had been such that his experiences of Mañjushri had all taken place in a dream.

I’ve always hoped that Lodro finally realized that Mañjushri’s compassion is so immense and all pervasive that it’s possible to invoke his presence absolutely anywhere—even his hometown. And from that point of view, his journey to China had been unnecessary, but it definitely wasn’t a waste, because if Lodro had not made his pilgrimage he probably wouldn’t have experienced this inner journey, or realized anything at all.

Chotu, the chai wala at Bodhgayas Number 1 tea stall photo Pawo Choyning

After I heard this story from Deshung Rinpoche, I visited Mount Panchashisha * several times, but had even less success than Lodro. Not only did I completely fail to invoke Mañjushri’s presence, I didn’t have any dreams at all. The only thing that happened was I got annoyed by the ticketing system that’s been instituted at most of the temples and by the monks who sold the tickets. Most of all I was extremely disappointed to see holy shrines reduced to the status of national monuments. Later, though, my intellectual mind began to wonder if one of those arrogant, acquisitive monks who could only think about the amount of tickets they were selling, was in fact Mañjushri. Who knows?

*Also known as Mount Wu Tai Shan.

“At the close of the World teaching tour of Yangsi Khyentse Rinpoche, eight stupas were consecrated at the following places: Lumbini, Shravasa, Sankisa, Sarnath, Kushinagar, Vaishali, Rajgir, Bodhgaya.

Here are a selection of photographs taken by Mathieu Rikard and Raphaele Demandre to inspire and encourage pilgrimage.

Thank you to Yangsi Khyentse Rinpoche, Rabjam Rinpoche and everyone who made possible this extraordinary tour to all parts of the world ”

Lumbini

Shravasti

Yangsi Khyentse Rinpoche at Sarnath

Sarnath

Nalanda, Rajgir

Vultures Peak, Rajgir

Stupa at Rajgir

Vashali

Vaishali Stupa

Bodhgaya

Yangsi Khyentse Rinpoche Sarnath

Noa Jones

Feb 2011
In September, Rinpoche posted a message on the SI Web site warning people who might be thinking to following him on his pilgrimages to Bodhgaya and Sikkim:

“Here in India, worlds like “delay”, “cancellation”, “confirmation”, “cleanliness”, “no problem,” “yes” and “no” all have different meanings. And in fact, if you learn how to appreciate those different definitions, you will find that this is what makes this part of the world magical. So, people who are wishing to come from the first world expecting their toilet will flush, and a hot shower, who are married to, the whole principal of no trespassing, who value individual rights and personal space, might as well just look at pictures, preferably black and white and especially taken by Cartier Bresson and Raghu Rai.”

Attending the drupchen in Tashiding, Sikkim was part practice, part pilgrimage and part adventure. About 20 of Rinpoche’s Bhutanese, Tibetan and Sikkimese students attended the ten-day drupchen and another ninety came from other parts of the world. Tashiding Gonpa is remote and even when one drives—and if one makes it through the road blocks and striking protesters—there is a good 10 to 15 minute walk up a set of stairs to arrive at its gates. People scrambled to find housing near the top but the higher one stayed, the more rustic the conditions became. People were shacking up in the strangest of places to be closer to the action. The action being a red hot drupchen, Lhatsun Namka Jigme’s Ridgin Songdrup, in a very cold temple.

Tashiding landscape and Farmhouse

Like all sangha gatherings, there were exuberant reunions with old friends and lots of new connections made. And of course the restrained clamour for the guru’s attention. He appeared, but always seemingly just out of reach, emerging from the mist, disappearing, giving scant moment of his precious time to as many people as possible before moving on with the enigmatic grace of his. And as the days progressed, as we all became grimy and exhausted, he only seemed to become more luminous.

It rained for days and then hail, the likes of which a 17-year resident had never seen, came crashing down on the temple roof on one sunny cold day. Most days were cold, though sometimes hot. The nights were frigid and in the sky the moon waxed from half to full. We asked if there was a reason the drupchen landed on these particular dates. Did it have to do with the moon? “Sometimes we check astrology for dates but this time we only checked Rinpoche’s schedule,” said Khenpo Sonam Tashi. The shivering masses, old friends, wanderers, court jesters, and royalty, engaged in all kinds of survival techniques, sharing supplies and telling stories, inviting romance, butting heads, and spending rollicking nights with that Sikkimese potion, tongba, in the parking lot below.

“No matter where we go, it’s the people we meet who create the ambience and character of a place and who inject it with a unique energy. A café becomes ‘cool’ or a ‘dive’ depending on the kind of people who hang out there; a rave party for three hundred over-60s and two teenagers is unlikely to involve much raving. It goes without saying that for people like us whose minds and perceptions aren’t very flexible, a holy site is made powerful by collective devotion and veneration, not wall-to-wall carpets.”

Fresh paint on old stone - Tashiding Gonpa

The real potion of the week, however, was the amrita, the mendrup, that was produced with the help of the monks from Pemayangse over the course of the ten days. Preparations had been underway for months prior to the drupchen, overseen by Khenpo Sonam Tashi. Substances were ordered and gotten from an expert in Kalingpong, others were brought from Rinpoche’s secret stash. “Mother pills” are required, just like starter is needed to make sourdough bread. These pills contain parts of pills that contain parts of pills that go all the way back to Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo’s days and with those came snow lion milk, herbal medicines, the eight substances, and so on. During the ten day drupchen, one day is spent preparing these substances, then three days is spent mixing the dry substances, and on the fifth day it is mixed with the mother pills and wet substances. This mix is placed into a large vase and the main practice begins. On the ninth day, the vase was opened and the mendrup is measured. Everyone was very pleased because there were clear signs that the substances had increased, which is the best result. Khenpo Sonam Tashi said that this means it “woke up” and that the worst case scenario is that it merely rots.

Stupa that Liberates upon Seeing - Lhatsun Namkha Jigme photo Sangpo Shresthra

Drupchens are magical, not least because of the chanting of the mantras must continue uninterrupted through the night. Not everyone signed up for all night shifts, although some signed up for almost all of them. Tshewang Dendup, the “hero” from Travellers & Magicians, became the hero of the night, taking it upon himself to make sure there were thermoses of tea and some biscuits to keep people awake. Sometimes only one or two people would show up and the pressure of the drupchen’s success lay on their shoulders, which was enough to keep them alert and chanting ! The mantras changed every few days to match the activity of the amrita production.

We were told plainly not to complain but by the fifth day, Tashi Colman was making the rounds in the shrine room, alerting people to the exact number of minutes and seconds until the drupchen would end (although there was a rumour that he may have been set up).

Rinpoche sat on the throne flanked by Thangthong Tulku, who is the reincarnation of Thangthong Gyalpo, the famous bridge maker.  Jamyang Gyeltshen, whom many students know from Sea to Sky Retreat Centre in Canada attended them both. Jamyang was in fine form, serving Rinpoche all kinds of crazy concoctions, and seemingly always going for elaborate costume changes between services. You never knew what he’d show up with at tea time, perfectly pressed espresso in a Tibetan robe, banana flambé in traditional Sikkimese dress, paan in a tracksuit, all variety of chili pastes. Rinpoche seemed amused.

And Rinpoche was more than just amused by the westerners that came to the drupchen. He made a point of praising the effort they put into making the drupchen a success. He even went so far as to say they “saved” it. This was a surprise for some of the monks who were unaccustomed to foreigners participating in such rituals. “In the end they learned a lot,” said Khenpo Sonam Tashi about the monks, “and they were very happy.”

Stupa of Choki Lodro at Tashiding Gompa

Rinpoche noted that the very first empowerment he ever received after his enthronement was from Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, the Lama Gongdu. It took place right there in Tashiding, in the room that was now used for cold storage. It was also here that Dzongsar Khyentse Chokyi Lodro was cremated in 1959. Several of Jamyang Khyentse Chokyi Lodro’s close students were key coordinators of the drupchen. If one wasn’t made aware of these men, they might have seemed like any other old codgers fetching thermoses of tea and making sure things were running smooth. “Butter tea or sweet?” We asked them. And they pointed and poured with a smile. But these were the very same men, his carpenter and his cowherd, who travelled with Chokyi Lodro from Derge, witnessing miracles and mastery along the way.

Khenpo Sonam Tashi, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche and Thangthong Tulku on the last day at Tashiding

After the drupchen, a smaller group of students followed Rinpoche to Ghezing (Geyshing) where Rinpoche did a fire puja and hosted two bonfires to burn loads of his old possessions so that he could clear way for the new abbot of the Gonpa there. He saved a few things, his Bee Gees record, a tea set from his teens, and of course his pechas, but suitcases full of clothes and books went up in flames while his students sang and danced around the flames.

For the two weeks following the drupchen, the nine monks who had come from Rinpoche’s Chokyi Gyatsho Institute (Dewathang, Bhutan), remained in Tashiding to roll the mendrup into pills, which will be saved for special occasions. Seeing what goes into the production gave many of those who attended the drupchen a new appreciation for precious pills. Many participants are now back at home with their hot showers and routines, some kept going on the pilgrim path. But all took a little shining memory of Tashiding with them that can be lit up or forgotten, clung to, used, misremembered. It doesn’t really matter. As Rinpoche said in “ What to Do in the Holy Sites of India”:

“What exactly is the right motivation for going on a pilgrimage? At best, it is to develop wisdom, love, compassion, devotion and a genuine sense of renunciation (renunciation mind). So, as you set out, you should make the wish that your journey, one way or another, will continuously remind you of all of the great noble enlightened qualities of the Buddha, and that as a result you will accumulate merit and purify defilement.“

Noa Jones  – Feb 2011

Mt. Kanchenjunga from Tashiding Gonpa

The Spirit of Nalanda continues…

By Melitis Kwong

Deer Park Institute is a centre for study of classical Indian wisdom traditions. The Institute’s core vision is to re-create the spirit of Nalanda, a great university of ancient India where all traditions of Buddhism were studied and practiced, alongside other schools of classical Indian philosophy, arts and science.

Interfaith Meetings with His Holiness Dalai Lama photo Jennifer Yo

Deer Park Institute’s campus is situated on the former site of Dzongsar Institute, a well respected Tibetan Buddhist college. When Dzongsar Institute moved to its new site in Chauntra, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche transformed the campus into a centre with a new vision.

In remembrance of the Buddha’s first teachings at the historical Deer Park (Mriga Dava) in Sarnath, where the Buddha displayed a spirit of open inquiry into the nature of mind, existence and suffering without any bias, Dzongsar  Khyentse Rinpoche named the new (centre) institute “Deer Park”.

Since opening in March 2006, the Institute has hosted teachings by great masters of all lineages of Tibetan Buddhism including Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, Sakya Trizin Rinpoche, Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche, Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, Geshe Lakdor ….  Deer Park in the spirit of inclusiveness also runs courses and retreats in the Zen and Theravada traditions within Buddhism and courses on other classical Indian philosophy such as Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras and Kashmiri Shaivism, which have recently been integrated into the program.  This year (2011) Deer Park launched a series of Tibetan language courses and translation workshops, providing an exciting new dimension to the Institute’s academic curriculum.

The principal vision of Deer Park is to create a welcoming, safe and open-minded place of learning. Students from all over the world visit and attend programs, sharing their knowledge and experience. The atmosphere is intimate and friendly. A youthful kitchen staff prepares simple, healthy, delicious vegetarian food. The office staff includes young interns from different Asian countries.

Clowning in the Himalayas photo Jennifer Yo

Deer Park welcomes students, laypeople and wisdom seekers to attend their programs. Most of the programs are free of charge and the language of instruction is English.The Institute’s programs are not advertised extensively, relying instead on ‘word of mouth’. People, who have come to know about its existence, appreciate its non-sectarian approach as upheld by Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche. The dining area often becomes the centre for activities with lively discussions and exchanges. The campus has a number of meditation halls that are the venues for different activities, from meditation and ecology workshops to film screenings. The Institute can accommodate up to 65 or 70 people in single rooms with attached bathrooms; double rooms with shared bathrooms and the dormitory.

Communities bond on the steps of Deer Park photo Jennifer Yo

One feature of the Institute’s activities is its commitment to ecological sustainability. Deer Park has organized workshops and conferences on environmental issues, preserving local culture and sustainable livelihoods with courses held in the Institute as well as in local schools. To disseminate awareness of these issues, informative documentaries and printed materials have also been produced. Since 2009, Deer Park Institute has been invited by the Himachal Pradesh (HP) Government (the local state government) to advise on zero waste and has received an Appreciation Award.

Deer Park is located in Himachal Pradesh , within the Bir Tibetan colony at the foothill of the Himalayas.  Set in an idyllic landscape, Deer Park is surrounded by hills, namely the Dhauladhar range, and rice fields. On a sunny day, students and guests can take an hour’s walk to visit Dzongsar Institute in the nearby town of Chauntra, or walk through the rice fields to Sherabling Monastery (Situ Rinpoche’s monastery). In Bir village itself you can visit four other monasteries, all within ten minute’s walk. There are other holy places of the Hindu and Buddhist traditions nearby such as Tso Pema where Guru Rinpoche displayed miracles and practiced in the caves or the ancient temple of Baijnath.  For students keen on outdoor adventure, one can hike up the hill from Deer Park to a waterfall or simply take a thirty-minute stroll to the Upper Bir village.

Lunchtime with Rinpoche at Deer Park Institute photo Jennifer Yo

With Dharamsala becoming more crowded as tourists flock to this famous Tibetan settlement, home of H.H. Dalai Lama, many long-term Dharma students are attracted to the spaciousness and tranquillity of Deer Park and its surroundings.  Although, over the past ten years more hotels and restaurants have been established in Bir, it still retains its charm as a small village with its monasteries against the backdrop of the magnificent Dhauladhar range.

You can travel to Deer Park by air, train or bus from Delhi. It’s a long journey but once you arrive you’ll appreciate the fresh air and the serene countryside. As you walk up the hill towards the Institute, the friendly staff or our friendly dogs, the majestic temple and the clean surroundings of the campus will welcome you. You can then sip a cup of “Chai”, taste homemade cookies from the Deer Park café, visit the temples, browse through the expansive library and sit back and enjoy your stay at Deer Park.

It is through Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche’s vast vision, and the dedication of the staff and volunteers, that Deer Park Institute came into being. May this endeavour be auspicious and enable the precious Dharma to spread and benefit all beings.

For detailed information on Deer Park programs and other related information, please check the web site www.deerpark.in

For further inquires on program registration and room booking, please write to: info@deerpark.in

Welcome to Bir photo Pawo Choyning Dorji

Interview with Pawo Choyning Dorji

Questions from Yvonne Gold

Q. Where were you born & when?

A. I was born in Darjeeling, India on the 23rd of June 1983. I am Bhutanese but now I spend most of my time between Bir, Northern India and Taipei, Taiwan.

Q. Where did you grow up and go to school?

A. My father worked as a diplomat for the Bhutanese government, so we were always on the move. Of course I spent a majority of my childhood in Bhutan but I also grew up in Switzerland, India and Kuwait. Since we were always on the move, my parents opted to send me to a boarding school to finish my high school. I graduated from Kodaikanal International School, an American boarding school in the beautiful Palini hills of Tamil Nadu, South India. Since my high school was an American school, it was natural for me to do my university studies in the US. I majored in International Relations and Political Science at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin. After I graduated in 2006, I moved to Bir to be with Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche.

Q. How & when did you get your 1st camera?

A. I used to use my parent’s old Nikon film camera, but I got my first digital SLR camera when I graduated from college. I guess you could say that was my first serious camera.

Q. How old were you when you started taking photo’s

A. I don’t remember, I always enjoyed taking photos, but I started being serious about it around 2006.

Q. How, why & where did you get interested in taking photo’s?

Pawo Choyning Dorji

A. I think that the world is seen differently by each individual, because each eye is unique. This is just my way of sharing my viewpoint. The way I see the world.
I also take pictures because I want to share my life with others. I do lead a very unique life; I live in a place like Bir and work for my guru. I think I am very fortunate that way…because happiness I think comes down to living a life where you do what makes you happy, and for me that is being around my guru. There are many other sangha members around the world, who probably would also like to live such lives…but they cannot because of different conditions. I take pictures and share them because I want our sangha to feel connected with our guru and his activities.
Also I travel a lot and I enjoy shooting landscape. I like to share that with friends who have not been there yet. (I don’t know if this makes sense but you go ahead and edit it and do whatever.)

Q. Do you have an idea before you shoot of what you want, or just see how it is when you’re in a place?

A. I love to shoot landscape and people. People’s faces (especially old people) are my favourite, I feel like their whole life story is written on their faces…the happy times and the times of struggle. I also shoot a lot of panorama shots, where I actually take several shots on one place in a row.  I then use different software to stitch them together into a giant photo. I think this is cool because it really gives the viewer ideas of what I am seeing when I am there.
I am very open to shooting and processing techniques. I like to experiment and just see how it turns out. I shoot in HDR mode as well, that’s when a photo is shot in 3 different exposure levels and then merged together to form one photograph. Sometimes the end product looks like a painting.

Q. How / why do you go to all these places?

A. I guess it’s the life I lead. I am a Bhutanese, married to an American Taiwanese, living in a small mountain village in northern India. Following a guru who is always on the move! We just end up travelling a lot!

Q. What else would you like to do now or in the future?

A. I would like to study photography. Right now its just something that I have picked up on my own, and I think there is so much more to learn.

Q. Your photos have a huge sense of spaciousness about them, which is very inspiring for meditation. How do you achieve that? What’s your motivation in taking these images?

A. I think it just turns out like that because I am a photographer who happens to a Buddhist, and who also happens to be always hanging around meditative places! Its very unlikely I’ll be taking photos in a place like Paris or Tokyo…I am usually in places like Bodhgaya, Bhutan, or on some remote mountain top.

Instant Inspiration photo Pawo Choyning Dorji

May I become at all times, both now and forever; a protector for those without protection; a guide for those who have lost their way; a ship for those with oceans to cross; a bridge for those with rivers to cross; a sanctuary for those in danger; a lamp for those without light; a place of refuge for those who lack of shelter; and a servant to all in need” Shantideva, The Bodhicharyavatara, Chapter III, Verse 18-19

This is Pawos link which is full of wonderful photos to inspire others to travel to pilgrimage places. http://drukpakuenlay.smugmug.com/Travel/Paths

Beautiful Bodhgaya photo Pawo Choyning Dorji

Tara Blessing at Deer Park Institute, Bir HP India Oct 1 & 2, 2010.

Synopsis by Crystal Catherine Southwood.

On October 1, 2010 Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche bestowed the jenang (Tib) or darshan (Skt) blessing of the tantric deity Arya Tara. The Manjushri Hall at Deer Park Institute was completely filled and many people sat outside looking in through the windows. The lineage of this blessing came from Shakya Shri.

Rinpoche explained that although “not a major abisheka (empowerment) it is one of the many methods of the infinite tantric path to introduce you to the mandala of a certain deity — it creates a connection.” The connection is with the deity and its mandala as well as with the master who bestows the empowerment.

The ceremony consisted of the classical aspects: generating bodhicitta motivation, mandala offering, refuge & bodhisattva vows, request for connection and then the body (through blessing water), speech (through mantra) and mind blessings. For the mind blessing Rinpoche handed everyone a fresh flower, which I placed on the crown of my head.

The following quotes are from Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche said during this Tara Initiation

“These flowers are not just marigolds, they have infinite dimension, and represent that Arya Tara will always be your crown ornament and your pledge that you will never take it off.”

“When you just watch the non fabricated mind, that mind is none other than Arya Tara.”

” By engaging in deity practice and visualising self as deity we are actually purifying our perception to what is our true nature”.

“Ultimately our very being is Arya Tara – Arya Tara is not an externally existing deity. We must discover this innate Arya Tara and utilize its full potential.”

“Me telling you Arya Tara is inside you is the same as me telling you oil is in the sesame seed. Oil is always in the sesame seed. It [tantra] is not a deceiving path.”

“Tantra has something to do with continuity, it means, before you practice, while you practice and after realisation, your innate nature has not changed at all.”

“The real cause of suffering is that we do not have the right view.”

Rinpoche also mentioned that the ultimate truth that Buddha realised is beyond words. Concepts that at first Buddha did not teach so as not to lead people astray. What was given are called provisional teachings – teachings that lead along the path but that are not ultimate truth, because most beings were not ready for that.

Rinpoche talked about how to maintain the blessing through various methods such as various ways to do the sadhana. Viewing self and environment all as Arya Tara, visualising Arya Tara as your root guru, reciting praises, reciting mantra, even just reciting the seed syllable Tam has many blessings.

“Sadhana is a method to land on dharmata and arise as Tara instead of our impure self. To try to get pure perception for a moment and replace our impure perception with right perception.”

During question and answer someone asked about merit.
Rinpoche said “Anything that brings you closer to the truth is meritorious.”

Someone asked about grace and Rinpoche said,
“The utlimate grace/blessing is that we have innate Arya Tara.”

Climbing the staircase photo Crystal Catherine Southwood

Travel Tips for India and Bhutan

By Pamela Croci

Our experience with planning any trip has been to keep in mind worthwhile tips, step into the void and follow whatever comes up. Of course, book transport there (return) and accommodation on arrival, and depending on the season, hotels in key areas. Doing this meant that there was time for opportunities that truly resonated, to guide us to some extraordinary places. Recently we returned home, with a sense of accomplishment, rather than tired from trying to see too much, and not having the space of mind, to appreciate the place or the people. Some time ago, we did go on a long trip, with everything organised within an inch of its being, and we found this exhausting.

If you have a more organised habit, are travelling with children or if this is your first time to India then I recommend engaging a tour guide. Less anxiety if you have advice regarding hotels and a car to take you around places like Delhi. However try and give yourself some free days just to wander. In India the main pilgrimage places are a must especially if time is limited. For the rest of your life you will find them to be so inspiring as your mind can return to them again and again.

Zangpo Palri of Kurjey up ahead - Bumthang, Bhutan photo Hugo Croci

In Bhutan, unless you are travelling with exceptional Government approval you are required to have prearranged bookings with a tour company. Our driver and our guide were very accommodating and always asked us where and what we wanted to see. Any homework would be, to take note of special places where wonderful masters have been and with whom you feel a particular connection.

Travelling around India and Bhutan can not be done with tight schedules. Things happen. Roads are slow. Trains can take forever. However if time is a consideration, flying has improved enormously. Not as cheap obviously but not horrendously expensive either and very convenient. To keep costs down book air travel online before you leave and if you need to change flights this can be done for less than buying there as you go. Well that was our experience. At Airports make sure you have checked your luggage and that you are not carrying anything questionable. Security at Indian airports is now very strict so be prepared for several checks.

Please be careful with food. We travelled recently with our 15 yr old and he became very ill from what we think was a bag of potato chips. This is a time only to feed your body sustenance not to indulge in western habits. We had been warned that Bhutan’s food was only chilli, chilli and more chilli. Not so. Mainly it was rice with lots of fresh vegetable dishes, sometimes dhal, sometimes great mushrooms and yes, always with chilli as a side dish.

Regarding your health it is wise to carry some supplies. (See Nikki and Paula’s Medicine Chest list.) When our son was sick in Varanasi we went to a very good hotel and were looked after by an excellent doctor who was called to the room by the hotel. Of course becoming ill was unfortunate but able to be met without too much hardship.

Heart of Bhutan, Taksang photo Pamela Croci

Money tips: You can use rupees in Bhutan but don’t have notes in denominations above 100 Rupees. Not 500, not 1000, as they will not be accepted. Bhutan is mostly cash only country. There are a couple of ATMs. One at the airport and one in Thimpu. $US Dollars are accepted.

Regarding clothes. Check weather conditions in the immediate area in which you are travelling. Be like a chameleon – blend. We found one lot of outer layers work with good thermals and several pairs of comfortable socks. Scarves for extra warmth and colour. If travelling in summer, cover up. A simple shirt costs around $5.00 so you can buy, wear and pass it on. Try and contain everything within one bag. Travelling with warm sleeping bag is sensible if staying in cheaper hotels. Have passports, money always close. If possible don’t leave visas until the last minute. We left getting our visa into Sikkim until Siliguri when we could have done this at Sikkim House in Delhi. It worked out however it could have been very inconvenient not only for us but also for others.
That’s it. Have a wonderful time.

There are many special places in and on the way to Bumthang,
Central Bhutan.

It takes a full day to get there over a beautiful and worth every bump in the road.
Here are a few:
Jakar:
Jamba Lhakhung (7th century) ask to see Pema Lingpa’s chain shawl
Walk through the fields to
Kurjey Lhakhung and Kurjey Zangpo Palri (Guru Rinpoche Head print)
Tamshing Lhakhung – Pema Lingpa’s Monastery
Namkhai Nyingpo’s Monastery Kharchu overlooking Bumthang
Out of Jakar:
Kunzangdrak – Pema Lingpa’s Retreat (steep walk)
Dechenling – where Pema Lingpa was born and lived (shorter walk half way to Kunzangdrak)
Mebartsho (Burning Lake)
On the road back to Thimpu via Punakha
Choe Drak – Tharpa Ling Monastery – Longchenpa cave and Nyoshul Khen’s Kudung – short steep walk from car
At Punakha:
Punakha Dzong – exquisite painting of Buddha in main monastery
Not far out of Punakha
Chimi Lhakhang – Drukpa Kunley’s Monastery -a joyful walk through the fields
and
In Sikkim on the way to Tashiding is a wonderful Guru Rinpoche cave called
Kharchu Sangphog “ Secret cave of the Dakinis “

Kindly put together by Nikki Keefe
and Paula Raymond – Yacoub.

Paula is a Physiotherapist/Acupuncturist and Nikki a registered nurse who has run clinics in India.

Panadol/ Ibuprofen (good for pain &fever)

Asprin (one prior to flying to reduce risk of DVT)

Olbas oil (good for colds/sinus congestion)

Rennie/ indigestion tablets (for overindulgence of Indian food!!)

Stemetil for car sickness or nausea (Prescription only in west or over the counter in India)

Tinidazole antibiotic for Giardia gut infection, 2 gm stat (Prescription only or over the counter in India)

Norfloxacillin antibiotic for bacterial diarrhoea

Cephlex antibiotic for upper respiratory/sinus infections

Temazepam sleeping tablet (Prescription only)

Tiger balm (good all rounder for aches, pains, insect bites)

Dulcolax/ Nulex for constipation (yes it can happen!!)

Imodium/ loperimide (for diarrhoea)

Oral hydration powder (if diarrhoea)

Betadine antiseptic lotion

Tea tree oil for infections/dilute gargle for sore throat

Himalaya brand Balm for colds and pain (available in India)

Small first aid kit including plasters, gauze and bandage

SF30 cream/ Lip balm

Capsicum plaster from Chinese Herb Shops for painful backs etc

Chinese Herbal granules – Gui Zhi Tang – for chills [aeroplane aircon]

Paula and Nikki at Kiosk on the way up to Taksang, Bhutan

Yacoub