BLOGBLOGhttp://www.berotsana.org/light-of-berotsana-blog/2012-04-16T17:51:46ZSquarespaceWarmest spring greetings!http://www.berotsana.org/light-of-berotsana-blog/2012/4/15/warmest-spring-greetings.html[Your Name Here]2012-04-16T00:27:03Z2012-04-16T00:27:03ZAfter too long, I am finally able to write something about what Lama Chönam and I have been doing these past few months. As many of you know, we lost our most precious root teacher, Thinley Norbu Rinpoche, this past winter; yet due to Rinpoche's timeless blessing, we have been able to feel his presence as though still with us in a corporeal form.

According to Rinpoche's final instructions, we began practicing the Vajrasattva sadhana known as Vajrasattva Guru Yoga, a terma of Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche and holding a practice vigil at our home in Palm Desert. Although it was a hard decision to make, we decided not to accompany the Kudung [term for the deceased body of a high master that means literally 'relic kaya.’] The term 'ku' or' kaya' is honorific for the living and also the deceased, but the term 'dung' is only reference to the deceased body as a relic due to faith and devotion. Rather than travel and be distracted, we stayed home and just practiced as best we could during the sacred time of Rinpoche's dharmakaya realization.

We have also continued to work on the translation of the Chöd commentary written by the rainbow body disciple of Tragthung Dudjom Lingpa, Pema Lungtog Gyatso. Now, we are about one quarter of the way into this remarkable text. It is clearly going to be pivotal for Chöd practitioners, and all disciples for that matter, as it illuminates the sutra aspect of the Chöd lineage in the initial history and gives us much-needed insight into the connection with the Prajnaparamita, the Great Mother herself.

We returned to Tashi Choling several weeks ago, and I led our annual Troma retreat here, which was well received and a joy to attend. I have to say that these days many of the students are really becoming good practitioners, and it was so powerful and engaging to practice and share together for a week.

Now our minds are turned toward the approaching teachings to be given by Khen Rinpoche Namdrol, the final or fifth year of the Precious Treasury of the Genuine Meaning transmission that we are responsible for in terms of offering the entire English translation. Lama Chönam and I have completed the final three chapters to be taught this year and are presently in the editing process with Kay Henry. We will prepare for this until departing for Alameda on May 16th.

If you are not in this teaching, then I would highly recommend that you do try to make a connection with Khen Rinpoche Namdrol for the next series of teachings that he will give whenever we know what that will be. The request for Rinpoche to continue teaching will certainly be made and perhaps after a year's break, then a new opportunity will emerge.

Stay tuned to LOB's website for more updates and information. In the meantime, we want to thank all of you for your interest and support and let you know how much it is appreciated on behalf of all sentient beings!

Sangye Khandro, Tashi Choling, Spring 2012

]]>Thank you! We love hearing from our friendshttp://www.berotsana.org/light-of-berotsana-blog/2011/12/6/thank-you-we-love-hearing-from-our-friends.html[Your Name Here]2011-12-06T22:20:33Z2011-12-06T22:20:33ZThanks to all of you who have responded to our 'end of year' email message. It is so nice to hear from you and your generosity is greatly appreciated. We heard from a Light of Berotsana friend from abroad and realized we needed to expand our giving capabilities to include various currency support. We now have a secure PayPal donation option allowing U.S. AND worldwide sangha to support our translations and preservation efforts. Visit our support page.

]]>Year End Message from Light of Berotsanahttp://www.berotsana.org/light-of-berotsana-blog/2011/12/5/year-end-message-from-light-of-berotsana.html[Your Name Here]2011-12-05T18:46:18Z2011-12-05T18:46:18ZDear Sangha & Dharma Friends,

At the brink of entering the year of 2012, we know this is a time when many believe humanity will see more devastating chaos and suffering among beings, as well as new possibilities for peace and harmony between people and their nations.

When we pause and reflect on what has meaning and value in our lives we can better understand the purpose of our life and how we may be able to contribute to the welfare of mankind as well as helping to ensure that the authentic dharma teachings will not only remain firm in this world but will continue to be translated and available to us in the English language.

These are some of the important reasons we ask you to consider making a year-end donation to the Light of Berotsana Translation Group as now, even more than before, these dedicated and skilled translators need your monetary assistance in order to carry on their work and the hope of sustaining truly qualified translators on in to the future.

We have recently launched a new website. Please take a moment to see what has and is being translated and also how to contribute and become a member of our extended sangha community. www.berotsana.org/

Click here to download a recently translated Supplication Prayer to the Great Heruka Dudjom Lingpa;
an offering from Light of Berotsana to the Sangha. www.berotsana.org/light-of-berotsana-offering/

If you would like to make a donation online, please click here:

http://www.berotsana.org/support/

 

There is also the old fashioned way of sending a donation by mail to:

Light of Berotsana
P.O.Box 124
Ashland OR 97520

Thank-you friends and may your new year be filled with blessings.

 

Sincerely,

The Translators & Board of Directors of Light of Berotsana

]]>Prayer to Heruka Dudjom Lingpahttp://www.berotsana.org/light-of-berotsana-blog/2011/11/17/prayer-to-heruka-dudjom-lingpa.html[Your Name Here]2011-11-17T13:16:25Z2011-11-17T13:16:25ZGreetings!

We just posted a new translation of a supplication prayer to Heruka Dudjom Lingpa written by Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche for everyone's enjoyment. Please check the Offering page and enjoy!

A French version will be coming soon!

]]>Warmest summer greetings!http://www.berotsana.org/light-of-berotsana-blog/2011/8/9/warmest-summer-greetings.html[Your Name Here]2011-08-09T15:06:00Z2011-08-09T15:06:00Z
Things have been on full speed here at Tashi Chöling for several weeks now. Kathog Getse Rinpoche has just completed a reading transmission, lung, for the text we are now translating that is Pema Lungtog Gyatso’s Chöd commentary, a word-by-word commentary to the Heart Essence of Saraha, a terma of Dudjom Lingpa. We had the opportunity to read along as Rinpoche gave the lung and, hence, could get a glimpse of what is to come. This is an extraordinary treatise that covers all aspects of the path of Secret Mantra and, in particular, Dzogchen. We will be working on this translation each day now until it is complete, which should be sometime next year if all goes well. I won’t be posting for a while as a short retreat is in store; so in the meantime please feel free to contact Lama Chönam through the info address on this website.

And thank you all again for your continued interest and support. We hope and pray to serve the doctrine and all beings as best we can for all the life’s to come.

Tashi Deleg!
Sangye and Lama Chonam

]]>Happy Summertime!http://www.berotsana.org/light-of-berotsana-blog/2011/8/4/happy-summertime.html[Your Name Here]2011-08-04T12:56:00Z2011-08-04T12:56:00ZDear Friends,

Greetings to everyone and happy summertime! We hope that you are all able to enjoy the outdoors and the many dharma events that are happening all around the globe this summer. We have just returned to Tashi Choling from one such event which seems to get more sublime as the years proceed. Khen Rinpoche Namdrol is now going on the fifth year of teaching the Tsig Don Rinpoche Dzod Treasury of the Genuine Meaning of the seven treasures of Omniscient Longchenpa. This year Light of Berotsana was able to offer a rough draft translation to the recipients so that they could more easily follow along during the teaching. This was greatly appreciated and in fact an indispensable part of the study of such a complex teaching and text.

After consulting with Khen Rinpoche Namdrol we have decided to make a complete translation of this text over the next two years. Although a translation of this text is going to be made available later this year as a part of the translation project to translate all seven of the Treasures headed up by Lotsawa Chokyi Nyima (Richard Barren) we felt that since Khen Rinpoche has been teaching this and the audio files are of course based on our own terminology choices it would be extremely harmonious and congruent for the students of this teaching in particular to have a the text translated in the same way that the teachings have been translated. We also feel that this effort will be an invaluable tool for the translators of LOB and those who are already in the course from other centers and genres to come together and join in a combined effort. So, this project will begin sometime later this fall and we will keep you all informed as to how it is going.

During the teachings this year our translation of Lonchenpas' commentary to the Guhyagarbha Tantra including the root Tantra itself arrived from Snow Lion publications, fresh off the press. This was wonderful timing and we were able to offer the book to Khen Rinpoche. Actually Rinpoche returned with three copies as he is traveling to Bhutan soon and will probably offer one of them to the King of Bhutan. Please go to the Snow Lion website and look under the restricted titles section for the new book entitled The Guhyagarbha Tantra with commentary by Longchen Rabjam.

We are also beginning the translation of the long Chod Commentary from Heruka Dudjom Lingpa's terma revleations collections written by his foremost disciple Pema Lungtog Gyatso. We will post more info about this news as we are hoping to receive the reading transmission for this from Gesei Rinpoche when he visits here at Tashi Choling in late July early August. More news on that to come... The Troma togal text is about to go off for typesetting in the next week as well. That's it for now,

All best wishes

Sangye and Lama Chonam

]]>Spring at Tashi Cholinghttp://www.berotsana.org/light-of-berotsana-blog/2011/5/23/spring-at-tashi-choling.html[Your Name Here]2011-05-23T13:39:00Z2011-05-23T13:39:00ZDear Friends,

We hope everyone is having a lovely spring as we are here at Tashi Choling.

We are posting the photo of the completed Dudjom Lingpa statue that Lama Sonam Tsering has made for the Tashi Choling shrine room. It is exquisite and will be a central figure on the main shrine. Since LoB translates the terma revelations of this great master we thought it would be interesting for all of you to see what he apparently looked like. He was a yogi of the order of the white clad tantrikas and it is assumed that most of his followers were as well. Nervetheless the monastics are also devout practitioners of the Dudjom Tersar as well as Dudjom Lingpas profound terma revelations.


Lama Chonam and I had a very meaningful trip to New York where we taught and gave the refuge and bodhisattva vows to a group of students that have been studying under John Baker, Derek Kolleeny and other meditation teachers in the group. Folks were very interested in our work and we feel that the importance of supporting and participating in the process of translation is becoming an interesting and pertinent issue to more and more dharma practitioners.

Now that we are back we must work hard to prepare the rough draft translation to have before us during the up and coming teachings with Khen Rinpoche Namdrol. This will be the fourth year of the teachings that Khen Rinpoche is giving on the Treasury of the Genuine Meaning and this year he will teach only the eighth chapter which is rather long and pithy. This teaching will last for two weeks as usual. Unfortunately it is not open to the public, but that does not mean you cannot supplicate Khen Rinpoche to teach this or other important transmissions again in the future.

During the teaching we will hook up in person with our other translators and begin plans for the next group translation. Stay tuned for a preview of what that might be. Also it is anticipated that our translations of the longest commentary on the Guhyagarbha Tantra composed by Omniscient Longchenpa entitled Dispelling Darkness Throughout the Ten Directions will be available for purchase through Snow Lion publications in just a matter of weeks. Please be sure to get this book as it is full of the most profound instructions found in Vajrayana.

We will post again after returning home from the teaching. We wanted to also let you know that we now have a presence on Facebook and are trying to learn how to be active on that platform. You can go in through the link for Nanci Gustafson-Sangye Khandro or just go straight to Light of Berotsana's own page and become our friend. We will be posting on the LOB site and not so much on mine as that is merely a means to be able to open the LOB site. It has been fun to see many of you on the page already.

All our best wishes,
Sangye Khandro and Lama Chonam

]]>Greetings from Tashi Cholinghttp://www.berotsana.org/light-of-berotsana-blog/2011/4/8/greetings-from-tashi-choling.html[Your Name Here]2011-04-08T19:07:00Z2011-04-08T19:07:00ZLama Chonam and I arrived back home at Tashi Choling about ten days ago and found that spring is just emerging from the earth; plants and trees in the form of green grass, sprouts and buds and the skies are majestically changing patterns and going through stages of transformation. It is a very beautiful and dynamic time here. What a wonderful land this is and the blessings of the dharma practice and the great masters are very apparent.

A day or two after arriving we began the annual Troma Nagmo retreat that is held here, lead by myself and the group of seasoned practitioners who support this completely through their devotion and joy. Each year new practitioners join us and this year it was particularly tight as a strong group and a powerful practice. We do the intermediate sadhana throughout the day combined with the four feasts and we also hold an early morning session for Troma ngundro and prostrations. This time we also included a guru yoga sadhana for accomplishing Dudjom Lingpa that Light of Berotsana translated prior to this retreat. This sadhana was practiced each day as a way to consecrate the amazingly beautiful statue of Dudjom Lingpa that the master artist Sonam Tsering is just finishing up in the shrine room here. We all agree that this is the most delicate and shockingly beautiful statue of the the great Dzogchen master that has ever been seen. As each day passed the colors and presence of the statue increased and we all felt the blessing of the guru entering not only the statue but the shrine and everyone involved. Each day we offered a bountiful ganachakra in the evenings and also practice the kilaya sadhana for the extension of Venerable Gyatrul Rinpoche's life. One thousand kilaya mnatras were accumulated daily by everyone present. On the final two days of the retreat a large group of vultures and also ravens arrived to spend time close to the temple. This is also a sacred sign for this land as each year when Troma is practiced here in retreat these birds suddenly appear whereas they are not seen otherwise.

Now Lama Chonam and I are settling in here and getting our son Sangye Tendar set up for home schooling and a few classes in town. We are hoping the local sangha members will help us to support Tendar in his western education as we continue to teach him dharma, Tibetan language reading and writing and speaking. We are beginning preparations for the fourth year of teachings on the Tsig Don Rinpoche Dzod that are about to commence with Khen Rinpoche Namdrol on June 3rd-18th. Lama Chonam and I, along with the shedra students assistance, will make our rough draft translation of the teachings that also includes many quotes from the Dzogchen tantras. We are told by Sidney Piburn of Snow Lion publications that the the great commentary to the Guhyagarbha Tantra written by Lonchenpa that we have worked on for the last ten years, "Dispelling Darkness Throughout the Ten Directions", will be published in time for Khen Rinpoche's arrival in America again. We are extremely excited about this and look forward to all of you being able to read this masterpiece. We will keep in touch and in the meantime hope that all of you have a wonderful spring experience wherever you are. Thanks again for you continued support and friendship. May all beings benefit through our combined efforts!

Sangye Khandro and Lama Chonam

]]>Happy Losar!http://www.berotsana.org/light-of-berotsana-blog/2011/3/3/happy-losar.html[Your Name Here]2011-03-03T22:15:00Z2011-03-03T22:15:00ZHappy Losar to one and all!

Wishing all of our friends and colleagues a very happy year of the Iron Rabbit. As many of you know the first month of the new year is the miracle month as Buddha Shakyamuni was said to have performed a different miraculous deed each day, particularly on the first fifteen days of the waxing moon. It is said that whatever virtue is accumulated will proliferate one hundred thousand times. We of Light of Berotsana send out our prayers for your long life and happiness in the new year with the special aspiration that all of us may fulfill our goals and dreams as swiftly as possible.

Speaking of that, one of the most important aspirations of Gyatrul Rinpoche and his students was recently fulfilled with the successful conclusion of the Rinchen Terdzod Empowerments bestowed by Yangthang Tulku Rinpoche. This event was an unprecedented success in terms of blessing transmission. Yangthang Tulku Rinpoche is a fully realized master and to just sit in his presence every day for two and a half months was an opportunity of a lifetime. Everyone who came to receive empowerment from this remarkable master immediately became aware of the fact that they were sitting in the presence of an extraordinary Being.

Everyday at the conclusion of receiving empowerment substances, all students took their seats again while having the opportunity to recite prayers and the Vajra Guru mantra some one hundred and eight times, with Rinpoche reciting as well as resting in meditation. Given that Rinpoche himself had begun his day of prayers and transmission in the predawn hours and the empowerments concluded each day around 7:00 pm the example that Rinpoche showed all of us was perhaps the greatest expression of his kindness. Always cheerful and beaming with love and compassion for everyone equally, we can only aspire to try to uplift ourselves to somehow attempt to follow in the footsteps of such a great practitioner. When someone like Rinpoche actually comes among us the path to liberation comes alive once again in this difficult time and our hearts and minds are renewed with the memory of his accomplishment and the inspiration that we too can achieve this same potential. May we always remember the kindness of the Guru.

Light of Berotsana was able to serve the mandala in a special way as well. Once Shashikala was feeling confident enough to take over the task of offering the translation during the empowerments this freed up Sangye Khandro to devote her time to making a general translation of each history that comes at the beginning of the empowerments. With Lama Chonam's indispensable assistance together they hammered out at least ten excerpts of historical information for the daily list of empowerments. Due to other responsibilities and time constraints they only had about an hour an a half each morning to do this. It was a great service to the students as it gave everyone an opportunity to know the source of the transmissions in terms of origin, lineage, place where the terma was concealed,  predictions concerning revelations, and the circumstances concerning the discovery. This information allows disciples to gain faith and appreciation for what they are receiving. We rejoice once again in our great fortune to have these translation opportunities and we acknowledge each and everyone of you who are part of this process assisting us to do our work.

Now we slowly return to normal and will continue to finish the final edits for the imminent publication of The Epic of Gesar of Ling to be published by Shambhala publications. We will also finish the revised edition of the the Troma Togal translation and Lama Chonam will continue to work via skype with our other translators that live around the world. Stay tuned for the next posting in April at which time we hope to deliver the news about new publications becoming available.

Once again, thank-you everyone for being part of this experience of serving the doctrine and sentient beings. Please let us know your thoughts and how we can continue to serve you in the most meaningful way.

Happy New Year!
Sangye and Lama Chonam

]]>Winter Greetingshttp://www.berotsana.org/light-of-berotsana-blog/2010/12/21/winter-greetings.html[Your Name Here]2010-12-21T20:29:00Z2010-12-21T20:29:00ZWinter Greetings from Alameda and Happy New Year to everyone.

Lama Chonam, Sangye Khandro and students are all attending the Rinchen Terdzod Empowerments being bestowed by the Venerable Yangthang Tulku Rinpoche at Gyatrul Rinpche's center Yeshe-Nyingpo-Orgyen Dorje Den in the Bay Area. The empowerments commenced on December 1st and we are now almost one month into this experience. The schedule is set to last until about February 19th of 2011. Each day the empowerments begin at 1pm and continue until about 6pm or longer. For more information about them you can go to the Orgyen Dorje Den website (http://www.orgyendorjeden.org/).

Kyabje Dudjom established this center in 1980 and then appointed the Venerable Gyatrul Rinpoche as his spiritual representative. It was Kyabje Rinpoche's wish that the center host masters from all traditions and operate in an ecumenical way. Over the years Gyatrul Rinpoche and Sangye Khandro along with many students who came and went sustained the center as best as they could. Finally, in 2001 Rinpoche was able to acquire the present center which had been a prominent mortuary in the heart of downtown Alameda. Since that time the center has hosted countless important events, in particular the teachings that are given each year by Khen Rinpoche Namdrol and translated by Light of Berotsana.

The empowerments that are presently being bestowed are also being translated by Light of Berotsana and, as of about one week ago, Shashi Reitz has been able to take the hot seat and begin doing the oral translation on her own. Sangye Khandro is seated at her side and is coaching her along as she makes great strides each day. This is one of the important goals of Light of Berotsana that is actually maturing before our very eyes and ears! After two more months of this Shashi will have arrived at another level of oral translation skill.

Each day it is necessary to prepare by reviewing the empowerment texts and reading the history of each empowerment, then to look through the sections and mark where the repetitions will occur and the specific visualizations that each attendee is required to perform. From time to time the Rinpoche will also give pointing-out instructions. We are grateful for this opportunity to learn and serve the doctrine as well as the many beings who are attending these wangs and soaking up the blessings.

So for the next two months this is where you will find us and in our spare time we are working on the Troma liturgy and waiting for the the Dispelling Darkness and Gesar of Ling manuscripts to return to our court for the final once over.

Finally we want to say that all of us are deeply saddened by the tremendous loss of the most venerable Gene Smith who recently passed away. For more information on that you may go to the Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center website (http://blog.tbrc.org/) in case you did not know who this great man was and what his legacy is. May this New Year see the fruition of all of our deepest wishes and goals.

Lama Chonam and Sangye Khandro


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