Gaden Choling Mahayana Buddhist Meditation Centre

On behalf of the board at Gaden Choling, we are very pleased to let you know that our kind Spiritual Director Zasep Jamseng Rinpoche Bagsh-aa has will be visiting Toronto and offering some wonderful teachings and initiations while he is here. The complete schedule is below (including times and suggested donations). Please visit this website frequently for the centre's location, schedule updates, changes etc. Also, please feel free to write to us here if you have any questions regarding Rinpoche's visit, or about activities at Gaden Choling more generally.

Thanks,
Matt King

Schedule for Zasep Jamseng Rinpoche Bagshaa, Gaden Choling, June 2010

The Lives of the Lamrim Lineage Gurus and Lamrim Chenmo Lung - Wed., June 9th @ 7pm

The Lamrim ('Stages of the Path') instructions were introduced into Tibet by the Indian Master Atisha in the 10th century. These were an accessible and complete presentation of the Method (emphasis on developing compassion and bodhicitta) and Wisdom teachings of the Buddha, with an emphasis on developing the mind gradually from developing the wish for better rebirth, to developing the wish for a personal liberation from suffering, to developing the wish become enlightened in order to help all others find freedom from suffering. Atisha's lamrim lineage was incorporated primarily into the early Kadampa school, the Kagyu school, and later the Geluk school of Lama Tsongkhapa. Zasep Rinpoche will teach on several exemplary figures in the lamrim lineage, and continue to give the lung ('oral transmission') of Lama Tsongkhapa's 'Great Stages of the Path' text, which is the foundation for developing realizations into it's meaning. [Suggested donation: $15 members, students, or under-employed / $20 non-members]

Vajrasattva initiation - Fri., June 11th @ 7pm

An essential part of developing realizations in one's spiritual practice is purifying negative karma and other obscurations. Vajrasattva is the embodiment of the purity of all of the Buddhas, and by relying upon him, reciting his mantra and doing the special visualizations of this practice, one can quickly purify obstacles in one's path. The initiation connects us to Vajrasattva and the living lineage of Vajrasattva practice, and according to tradition refuge and bodhisattva commitments will be given as a preliminary. [$30/$40]

Weekend Retreat on Mindfulness meditation for all levels of Dharma students - Sat, Sun. June 12-13th @ 10am-5pm both days

Mindfulness practice is the foundation of developing the Three Higher Trainings of Ethics, Concentration and Wisdom. These in turn are the actual method for attaining realizations along the path as it was presented by the Buddha. Please join us for this special weekend of meditation practice and instruction with Rinpoche on various methods of developing, maintaining and improving our practice of mindfulness according to the Tibetan, Thai and Burmese Buddhist traditions. [$30/$40 a day, or $50/$60 for both days]

Powa teaching at the Institute of Traditional Medicine - Tues., June 15th @ 7pm

The Tibetan Buddhist tradition contains various methods which can transform death into a positive, liberating experience. One primary method is powa, otherwise known as 'transference of consciousness', which are meditation systems which can be relied upon during and after death to help direct the mind of the deceased into a positive state conducive to furthering spiritual practice. Specifically, powa is a method of transference of mind of of the deceased into Pure land of Buddhas. Please join us for Rinpoche's introduction to these profound methods at the Institute for Traditional Medicine (553 Queen St. W. 2nd Floor). Please RSVP by calling ITM at 416-537-0928. Visit: www.instituteoftraditionalmedicine.com. [$20]

Chod initiation - Thurs., June 17th @ 7pm

Chod is a very special lineage of instruction based upon the Buddha's teachings in the Perfection of Wisdom Sutras, which focuses on cutting-off delusions and our own inner demon: clinging to the notion of an inherently-existent self and self-cherishing. Developed in Tibet by the great yogini Machig Labdron and her Indian Guru Padampa Sangye around the turn of the 12th century, Chod is famous as one of the most direct methods for confronting and transforming ignorance and self-concern along the path to wisdom and bodhicitta, and ultimately the enlightened experience of a Buddha. This initiation is given according to the Gaden tradition, and refuge and bodhisattva vows will be given as preliminaries. [$30/$40]

Yamantaka Initiation - Thurs, Fri. June 24-25 @ 7pm both days

Yamantaka is a wrathful emanation of Manjushri, the Buddha of Wisdom, and is one of the three primary Yidams of the Geluk tradition. The Yamantaka tantric system is both Father and Mother Tantra, and also is known as a Non-Dual Tantra. Relying upon Yamantaka is a Highest-Yoga Tantra practice and as such is an incredibly powerful method for quickly completing the two accumulations of method and wisdom and accomplishing enlightenment for the welfare of others. Specifically, Yamantaka practice purifies ordinary birth, death and bardo and transforms them into the enlightened experience of a Buddha. Refuge, Bodhisattva and Tantric vows, as well as a daily recitation of six session Guru yoga (the long one, and if not the short one) are commitments to receiving this initiation. [$40/50]

Vajrayogini Intiation - Sat., June 26th @ 2pm

Vajrayogini is a female yidam deity and one of the principal meditational of the Mother Tantras, a class of Highest-Yoga Tantra. Relying upon the special qualities of Vajrayogini practice is a very direct and powerful way of transforming and purifying all aspects of one's ordinary, deluded experience into the enlightened experience of a Buddha for the benefit of others. Vajrayogini practice is said to be particularly suited to the needs of beings in this particular age, and purifies ordinary birth, death and bardo and transforms them into the enlightened experience of a Buddha. Vajrayogini practice is the most direct path for reaching the pure land of Khachod Khechara. Refuge, Bodhisattva and Tantric vows, as well as a daily recitation of six session Guru yoga (the long one, and if not the short one) are commitments to receiving this initiation. [$40/$50]