Welcome

Welcome to Nyen-gyud Samten Choe-Ling (NGSCL).  This auspicious name was given by His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche.

We are a non-profit organization based on the Re-Mey (Non-Sectarian) Buddhist Tradition as taught to us by our founder and Spiritual Director, Most Venerable Ngaglo Rinpoche and Tulku Jigme Trinley Rinpoche.   www.sakyausa.org

The evolution of our organization has had one core purpose; to provide courses and retreats based on Buddha’s teaching, through which people’s minds and hearts can be transformed into their fullest potential of infinite Wisdom and Compassion.

We have two public practice sessions per week:

Sunday, 10am,  Meditation on Compassion

Wednesday, 6:30pm, Calm Abiding Meditation and teachings

All are welcome.

2340 Grant Street, Eugene, Oregon 97405

For more information, please email sakyaeugene@gmail.com

Visit our website:sakyausa.org

Meditation center opens in Northwest Neighborhood
By Jon Stinnett The Cottage Grove Sentinel

photo by Jon Stinnett From left, Tulku Ngalo Rinpoche, Ani Jangchup-Palmo and Tulku Jigme Rinpoche share a laugh during a dedication celebration for Khandro Choe-ling, a Buddhist meditation center.

Friends and devotees came from as far away as Portland and Roseburg Sunday for the opening of Khandro Choe-ling, Cottage Grove’s new Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Center.

Under the direction of meditation masters Tulku Ngalo Rinpoche, Tulku Jigme Rinpoche and Ani Jangchup-Palmo, a ceremony that drew a packed crowd was held to dedicate what Tulku Jigme Rinpoche called “an institute of wisdom and compassion.”

“We will endeavor to make the wealth of Buddhist teaching as open and accessible as possible,” he said.

Later, the rinpoche (which means “precious one” in Tibetan Buddhism) talked about the auspicious nature of the center’s opening.

“I have a great sense of joy,” he said. “Generally, we waste our life. We are distracted from our true self in an endless whirlwind of activity. Our lives are lived in extreme struggle. Eventually we reach the point where we don’t even know what aspect of ourselves we can identify with and believe in. We are always seeking to find ourselves outside ourselves. The purpose of this center is to be of service so that we can all come home to a place of wisdom and compassion. We all deserve it and have the wisdom to achieve it.”

Tibetan Buddhists believe that the practice of meditation helps bring about the “pure knowing quality of the mind.”

“We seek to become aware that the knowing mind is misused by our ego to grasp at thoughts,” Jigme Rinpoche said. “The grasping for these thoughts creates negative emotion, which in turn leads to suffering. The peaceful mind is free of this grasping.”

Khandro Choe-Ling is not the first Tibetan Buddhist presence in Cottage Grove; in the late 1970s, the Dechhen Ling center was founded by practitioners along River Road as a center for Tibetan Buddhists journeying to the United States. Khandro Choe-Ling is viewed as a continuation of efforts to remind people to “come home and take care of this mind, our best friend and worst enemy,” Jigme Rinpoche said.

Khandro Choe-ling is located at 325 N. I St. The center has scheduled weekly meditation and teaching for Sundays at 3:30 p.m. and Tuesdays at 6 p.m. Those with questions are asked to call 767-9671.

Tibet The Kingdom of Lost Boy – 11th Panchen Lama video

The 11th Panchen Lama is held in detention at an unknown location, Tibetans and supporters of religious freedom around the world are concerned about his physical welfare and spiritual upbringing. Tibetan traditions require that the Panchen Lama receive the care and instruction at Tashi Lhunpo Monastery for his well-being and proper religious education. Despite worldwide appeals, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima and his parents remain in detention. China has refused to provide information of their location or condition and will not allow any independent observer to see them.

Digital Dharma: One Man’s Mission to Save a Culture, Trailer

Digital Dharma is the chronicle of a cultural rescue. This feature-length HD documentary brings to light the magnitude of one mans 40-year inspirational journey to save the literary history of a disappearing culture and to preserve early lessons of mankinds consciousness.

H.E. Dagmo Kusho and E. Gene Smith discuss their first meeting in 1961 and te impact of Deshung Rinpoche on Gene’s Mission.

In 1959 — Red Army soldiers invade Tibetan villages, destroying homes and temples. Fleeing refugees leave behind countless artifacts — the last evidence of an ancient culture.

In the shadow of the foreboding Himalayas, a small band stands on a ledge. Their lives, their families, and their history depend on a successful escape. Hidden securely in their packs is documentation of a culture that is heading for extinction. Carrying centuries of philosophy, religion, science and art, they cling to a precipice, inching toward the future.

Can one man, a Mormon from Utah, who would do everything possible to keep from going to war… start a quiet revolution against the obliteration of a culture not his own?

In 1959 — Red Army soldiers invade Tibetan villages, destroying homes and temples. Fleeing refugees leave behind countless artifacts — the last evidence of an ancient culture.

In the shadow of the foreboding Himalayas, a small band stands on a ledge. Their lives, their families, and their history depend on a successful escape. Hidden securely in their packs is documentation of a culture that is heading for extinction. Carrying centuries of philosophy, religion, science and art, they cling to a precipice, inching toward the future.

Can one man, a Mormon from Utah, who would do everything possible to keep from going to war… start a quiet revolution against the obliteration of a culture not his own?
Visit site:
www.digitaldharma.com

H.H. Dalai Lama Remembers 10th Panchen Lama

Dalai Lama joins Tibetans in remembering 10th Panchen Lama
Phayul, December 30, 2009
By Phurbu Thinley

His Holiness the Dalai Lama releases a book at a commemoration ceremony to mark 20 years since the passing away of the 10th Panchen Lama at Tsunglakhang in Dharamsala, India, December 30, 2009. (Photo by Abhishek Madhukar)

Dharamsala, December 30: The exiled Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama today joined thousands of Tibetan exiles in a ceremonial function commemorating the 20th death anniversary of the 10th Panchen Lama, Lhundrup Choekyi Gyaltsen.

Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama releases a book at a commemoration ceremony to mark 20 years since the passing away of the 10th Panchen Lama at Tsunglakhang in Dharamsala, India, December 30, 2009. (Photo by Abhishek Madhukar)
Tibetan leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama releases a book at a commemoration ceremony to mark 20 years since the passing away of the 10th Panchen Lama at Tsunglakhang in Dharamsala, India, December 30, 2009. (Photo by Abhishek Madhukar)
The Dalai Lama presided over a memorial ceremony here at the main Tibetan temple that began with a minute of silence and special prayer offering to pay homage to the late Panchen Lama.

While China lauds the second most influential spiritual figures of Tibet as an enemy of ’separatism’, Tibetans today remembered the 10th Panchen Lama as a great martyr and champion of Tibetan people’s rights.

“In person, the 10th Panchen Lama is an extraordinarily fearless Tibetan who showed unwavering courage to work for the general cause of Tibet and its people,” the Dalai Lama said. “Panchen Lama was someone who held firm conviction to fight for the truth,” the Tibetan leader said.

“If the 10th Panchen Lama still been alive, he would have certainly made far more contribution to the cause of Tibet,” the Dalai Lama noted, while expressing regret for his untimely death.

The 10th Panchen Lama wrote the famous 70,000-character petition about the Tibetan people’s plight under Chinese rule and was submitted to the Chinese government in 1962. The petition, criticising Chinese government’s Tibet policy, was met with violent and scornful reaction from Mao Zedong and the Communist Party. The Panchen Lama was condemned without trial and spent the following 14 years in prison or under virtual house arrest.

In December 1964, he was taken to Peking under the criminal title of ‘counter-revolutionary’. He was accused of working against the Chinese government and its people and, was said to be subjected to severe beatings and struggle sessions.

In 1978, he was freed after which he traveled extensively throughout Tibet working to preserve the Tibetan culture, and improve the lives of the Tibetan people. During his last visit to Tibet in 1989, the Panchen Lama gave an extraordinary public speech in Shigatse, the seat of the Tashi Lhundup Monastery, where he publicly criticized China’s policies in Tibet and declared his loyalty to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.

Shortly after the address, on January 28, 1989, the 10th Panchen Lama is said to have breathed his last under mysterious circumstances. He was 51.

“The 10th Panchen Lama was undoubtedly a great being who had especially taken birth at that critical period for the benefit of Buddha Dharma and the Tibetan people,” said Kachen Lobzang Tseten, the abbot of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, which is the traditional seat of the successive Panchen Lamas.

“Even in ordinary parlance he was regarded as an extremely brave person who would not even draw the line at sacrificing his own life,” he added.

Top leaders of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile, including the Prime Minister Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche and his cabinet ministers, and speaker Mr Penpa Tsering and other members of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile attended today’s commemorative function organised by the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery and the Central Association His Holiness the Panchen Lama.

“The 10th Panchen Lama had shown incredible courage to act and speak on the truth about Tibet even under most difficult and sensitive political circumstances in Tibet,” the Tibetan Prime Minister said in his speech.

Owing to 10th Panchen Lama’s exemplary struggle for the welfare of Tibetan people and Tibet’s cause, Rinpoche said that the Tibetan Government-in-Exile was indebted to make all necessary efforts to free the young 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nima, from Chinese control.

In 1995, the Dalai Lama recognized a young boy Gendun Choekyi Nima as the 11th Panchen Lama, but Beijing abducted him to an unknown location and installed its own choice, Gyaltsen Norbu, who is spurned by most Tibetans.

The whereabouts of the Gendun Choekyi Nima and his parents are still unknown.

As part of the memorial ceremony, the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery and the Central Association His Holiness the Panchen Lama, earlier in the morning, conducted an elaborate long life prayer offering or tenshsug for the Dalai Lama.

The organisers also launched three books in Tibetan on the 10th Panchen Lama.

The books, the organizers, say, are part of their effort “to create awareness about the struggle that the 10th encountered while working to promote the welfare of the Tibetan people and revive the Tibetan cultural and religious traditions under Chinese rule”.

The organisers will also hold a concert in memory of the 10th Panchen Lama tomorrow at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA) in Dharamsala.

The commemorative events are part of the organisers’ year-long campaign activities dedicated to the 10th Panchen Lama starting January 2009.Dh

Tashi Lhunpo hosts photo exhibition in memory of the Xth Panchen Lama

Dharamsala, Dec 28:

Tashi Lhunpo Monastery and the Central Association of His Holiness the Panchen Lama on Sunday organized an exhibition of rare photographs and age-old thangka paintings (traditional Tibetan scroll art)that document the lives of His Holiness the Panchen Lama, from the first incarnate to the present, in a move to remind the world about the forgotten lineage.

Lobsang Dorjee, President of the Central Association of H.H. the Panchen Lama, points to a picture as Ven. Tsering Phuntsok, Minister of Religion, CTA and Lobsang Tseten Rinpoche, Abbott of Tashi Lhunpo look on.

Venerable Tsering Phuntsok, the Minister of Religion, Central Tibetan Administration, was the Chief Guest for the event at the Tsuglakhang courtyard, and he along with Kachen Lobsang Tseten Rinpoche, the Abbott of the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, Bylakuppe inaugurated the five-day photo exhibition, which is being organized to commemorate 20 years of the passing away of the Xth Panchen Lama, Lobsang Trinley Lhundrup Choekyi Gyaltsen.

The main aim of holding such an exhibition is to show the world that His Holiness the Xth Panchen Lama had consistently worked for the welfare of the Tibetan people and had struggled to preserve Tibetan cultural and religious traditions even under Chinese rule, Venerable Lobsang Dorjee, President of the Central Association of His Holiness the Panchen Lama said.

“Despite the Chinese government’s recent attempts to cast His Holiness the Xth Panchen Lama as an ally, these rare collection of pictures of the Xth Panchen Lama at Tibet’s factories, agri-products centres, vocational schools, healthcare and education centres, are proof of the fact that he worked solely for the benefit of the Tibetan people and the Tibetan cause,” Dorjee added.
With the disappearance of His Holiness the XIth Panchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Nyima after the Chinese government forcefully kidnapped the young boy in 1995, the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery is facing a crisis, Khen Rinpoche Kachen Lobsang Tseten said. Through this exhibition, the monastery hopes to create awareness amongst the public and garner support for the campaign to release the XIth Panchen Lama, he added.

The photo exhibition that had a compilation of more than 200 photographs is the result of years of collecting rare pictures of His Holiness the Xth Panchen Lama from various sources, including close aides of the Xth Panchen Lama and books, among others.

The collection of thangka paintings that spans the lives of the Panchen Lamas till the current incarnate included 13 rare 18th century thangka paintings of Phakpa Rabjor and Panchen Palden Yeshe, among others. The most recent thangka painting was one of Panchen Gedhun Choekyi Nyima by acclaimed Tibetan artist Buchung Nubgya.

“I applaud the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery and the Central Association of His Holiness the Panchen Lama as they have very meticulously put together this collection of rare photographs, which I believe will serve to create awareness among the world about the Panchen Lama issue,” Venerable Tsering Phuntsok, the Minister of Religion, Central Tibetan Administration, said.

Also part of the photo exhibition, were a collection of modern paintings by artist Tashi Lodoe. His paintings included one of the Xth Panchen Lama and another depicting the search for the XIth Panchen Lama.

The Tashi Lhunpo Monastery and the Central Association of His Holiness the Panchen Lama will on Dec 30th, 2009 organize a tenshug or long life prayer offering for His Holiness the XIVth Dalai Lama as part of a ceremony to commemorate 20 years of the passing away of His Holiness the Xth Panchen Lama. This will be followed by a concert in memory of His Holiness the Xth Panchen Lama on Dec 31, 2009.

Phayul, December 28, 2009

Tribute to Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Chokyi Lodro documentary

Exploring the life and times of Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö, one of the greatest Tibetan Buddhist masters of the 20th century, to mark the 50th anniversary of Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö’s parinirvana.  Interviews with H.H. Sakya Trizin, Sogyal Rinpoche and other masters.

The Life of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche – Film

This film is an authentic portrait of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, one of Tibet’s great contemporary teachers, considered to be a “Master of Masters” among the four schools of Tibetan Buddhism.

Renowned as a great meditator, guru, poet, scholar and as one of the main teachers of the Dalai Lama, the Nyingma Lama Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche died in 1991. Ten years in the making, this film began in 1989 when translator Matthieu Riacrd and Vivian Kurz began taping extensive footage of their teacher. Shot in rarely filmed Kham, Eastern Tibet, as well as Nepal, Bhutan, India and France, the film shows the rich and intricate tapestry Of Tibetan Buddhism and is a witness to the strength, wisdom and depth of Tibetan culture.

Narration by Richard Gere with music by Philip Glass.

Tribute to Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö

Exploring the life and times of
Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö,
one of the greatest Tibetan Buddhist masters of the 20th century
To mark the 50th anniversary of Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö’s parinirvana

“OUR TIBET” Tibetan Wind – Tibet’s True Heart

Images from the book “Our Tibet” © 2008 Flying Mystics Press and from the Australia Tibet Council “Tibet: Never Give Up” Photo Exhibition 2009. Used by permission. Woeser, “Come Home” (2000), as translated in Tibet’s True Heart. © 2008 Ragged Banner Press. Used by permission. Chanting sound track “Om Mani Padme Hung” from Tibetan Wind. © 2004. SAC Music International. SAC had not responded when posted. Will display their permission here when granted. Inspired by Isabella, compiled by Rob Perry.

Tibet’s Cry for Freedom Trailer

Inspired by a burning passion to raise awareness of the Tibet Freedom Struggle to a mainstream global audience, first time filmmaker Lara Damiani embarked on a journey to uncover the truth about Tibets long suffering non-violent freedom struggle and why China’s grip on Tibet is so tight. She quit her job, maxed out several credit cards and sold clothes and furniture to start The Tibet Project – the initiative behind the making of her documentary. Filmed over 12 months in India, Tibet, Beijing and Australia, Tibets Cry for Freedom tells the history of Tibet from the time of the Chinese occupation through to the present day debate between the Middle Way and Independence and the uprisings in Tibet that shocked the world in March 2008. Hear about human rights abuses, political persecution and the environmental destruction of this land known as The Roof of the World.