Dearest Friends
@ CAS,
We are glad to inform all
of our coming Dharma programme
with His Eminence Kyabje Tsona
Rinpoche, immediately following
Most Ven Drikung Ontrul Rinpoche's
Dharma tour.
We have been requested by
the Tsawa Khamtsen ( or Tsawa
monastic hostel ) of Drepung
Loseling Monastery to help
to raise fund for their new
prayer hall and monk quarters.
Due to new arrivals from Tibet,
Tsawa Khamtsen has not been
able to house the many new monks as
they have practically overflowed
from the already overly-cramped
old quarters. Loans from banks
have been acquired to finance
the new building and the interest
rates have been astounding !
The many holy masters from
Tsawa Khamtsen include HH the
late 100th Ganden Trisur Rinpoche,
the Honourable Kalon Trisur
Professor Samdhong Rinpoche
and His Eminence Kyabje Tsona
Rinpoche.
We are especially appealing
to all students of His Holiness
the late 100th Ganden Trisur
Rinpoche to help to raise funds
for the new Tsawa Khamtsen.
The Dharma programmes, have
been organised, also, to help
to raise funds for the new monastic
building.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
His Eminence Kyabje
Tsona Rinpoche
His Eminence Kyabje Tsona
Rinpoche
Most importantly, do not
miss the opportunity to create
precious Dhamic connection with
His Eminence who is one of the
highest-ranking and most respected
masters from the Gelugpa lineage.
Our few contacts with His Eminence
spanned years back when He visited
Singapore as one of the official
delegates with the Indian Prime
Minister and also when His Eminence
paid a private visit to HH the
100th Ganden Tri Rinpoche in
Singapore to request for His
Holiness's long-life, on behalf
of the Drepung Loseling Tulku
Association.
The last time we glimpsed Tsona
Rinpoche was when He
was displayed, enthroned beside
His Eminence Kyabje Ling Rinpoche
(incarnation of the Dalai Lama's
Senior Tutor), His Eminence
the Sharpa Choeje ( the
second seniormost Head of the
Gelugpa lineage ) and His Eminence
the Jangtse Choeje ( now HH
the 102nd Ganden Tripa ) and
our Teacher, Loseling Khensur
Lobsang Gyamtso, during the
official opening of the huge
Drepung Loseling prayer hall
by HH the Dalai Lama.
His Eminence Tsona Rinpoche
has also been one of the important
masters who had recognised and
enthroned past Dalai Lamas and
His past emanations for
the sake of the Dharma and all mother
sentient beings has hailed from
as far back as Nagarjuna's time
and His Eminence has also emanated
and acted as a contemporary of
Lama Je Tsongkhapa Himself.
His Eminence has graduated
with the highest scholastic
honours as a Geshe Lharampa
and is a key protector and propagator
of the Dharma in the Himalayan
regions. His Eminence has successfully
initiated and is the head of extensive
social welfare, educational,
environmental and spiritual programmes
in some of the poorest and most
remote regions of India. His
Eminence has acted as one
of the trusted advisors
to the Indian government in
these areas and is the "precious
Guru" to thousands of lay
and ordained communities in
the traditional Tibetan areas
of Mon or Arunachal Pradesh.
He holds also the ancient
title of "Huthokhthu", a title
desginating the highest
religious position and honours bestowed
by past Dalai Lamas and the
emperors of China. The Dalai
Lamas and the Drikung Kyabgons
hold the similar title of the
"Huthokhthu".
This is, therefore, an invaluable
opportunity to forge a precious
Dharmic connection with a
holy Bodhisattva and to receive
blessings from Him.
bb & all frens  @
Phuntsok Cho Ling (CAS) _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
His Eminence
Kyabje Tsona Rinpoche's Dharma programme
Malacca
6 Dec (Friday)
- Teaching on the Bodhisattva's
Perfections of Generosity and
Ethics (8pm to 9pm)
- Empowerment of 21 Taras
( 9pm to 10pm)
7 Dec (Saturday)
- Teaching on the Bodhisattva's
Perfections of Patience and
Perseverance (8pm to 9pm)
- Empowerment of Six
Arm White Mahakala (9pm
to 10 pm)
Singapore
8 Dec (Sunday)
- Teaching on the Bodhisattva's
Perfection of Meditation (7pm
to 8pm)
- Empowerment of the Thousand
Arms-Heads-Feet White Umbrella
Sitatapatra (8 pm to 9 pm)
9 Dec (Monday)
- Teaching on the Bodhisattva's
Perfection of Wisdom (7pm to
8pm)
- Empowerment of the Twelve
Armed Great Red Ganapati (8
pm to 9 pm)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Programme
details
The
Six Bodhisattva Perfections
The
Six Bodhisattva Perfections
constitute the fundamental
practices of Application Bodhicitta
and are indispensable practices
for attainment Buddhahood.
All Dharma and tantric practices
taught by the Buddha are solely
for the sake of these Six
Bodhisattva Perfections, specifically
the Sixth Perfection. Without
proper understanding and engagement
in these perfections, all Dharma
or tantric practices are rendered
obsolete and unfruitful.
The
Twenty One Taras
The
main (green) Tara is seated
upon a lotus arising from
the waters of a lake, just
as Tara is said to have arisen
from the compassionate tears
of Avalokiteshvara. Her right
hand is in the mudra of supreme
generosity indicating her
ability to provide beings
with whatever they desire.
Her left hand at her heart
is in the mudra of bestowing
refuge: her thumb and ring
finger are pressed together
to symbolise the united practice
of method and wisdom, and
the three remaining fingers
are raised to symbolise the
Three Jewels of Refuge – Buddha,
Dharma and Sangha. In each
hand she holds the stem of
a blue utpala flower. Each
flower consists of three blossoms
indicating that Tara, the
embodiment of enlightened
activities, is the Mother
of the Buddhas of the past,
present and future.
Tara is dressed in the
silken robes of royalty.
She wears rainbow colored
stockings, a white half-blouse
and various jeweled ornaments.
These symbolise her mastery
of the perfections of generosity,
morality and so forth. The
tiara fastened in her black
hair is adorned with jewels,
the central one is a red
ruby symbolic of Amitabha,
her spiritual father and
the head of her Buddha family.
She is seated in a distinctive
posture, her left leg withdrawn
to symbolise her renunciation
of worldly passion and her
right leg extended to show
that she is always ready
to arise and come to the
aid of those who need her
help.
With a warm compassionate
gaze she looks down upon
each sentient being as a
mother regards her only
child. Her emerald-green
color — related to the wind
element and hence to movement
— signifies her ability
to act swiftly and without
delay to bring benefits
to sentient beings
( from: http://www.preciousteaching.org/practices/the-twenty-one-forms-of-tara-according-to-the-tradition-of-lord-atisha/ )
Six
Arm White Mahakala
The six-armed
White Mahakala is known
as Wish-Granting Gem and
is very popular in Gelugpas.
This is the wealth aspect
of Mahakala which specifically
supports the comfort and
economic well-being of tantric
practitioners. His iconography
is rich in symbols delineating
his wealth-deity status.
For example his skull bowl,
rather than contain the
mortal remains of his victims,
is full of various jewels,and
his crown is made up of
five jewels instead of the
trademark five skulls.
The following
description is according
to his sadhana:
- His body is white. His
face is wrathful and he
has three eyes. His main
right hand holds a wish-fulfilling
jewel (chintamani) mounted
on a jewel-tipped handle,in
front of his chest.
- The other notable departure
from the normal Mahakala
iconography is the elephant
goad held in the center
left hand, the sharp point
of which symbolizes penetrating
awareness.
- Also, in contrast to
other Mahakalas, he stands
on two elephants rather
than one. The elephant
skin stretched at the
back refers to the deity
having torn asunder the
pachyderm of ignorance.
Another interesting
aspect of White Mahakala
is that he is occasionally
shown in the tribhanga posture.
In this typical stance of
the body, the head, torso,
and legs slant in contrary
directions. The legs and
hips shift to the right,
the trunk to the left, and
the neck and head then again
gently to the right. It
is a lyrical, dreamy, very
graceful pose. The three
curves formed by the body
symbolize the three worlds,
upper, lower and middle,
better known in Sanskrit
as triloka. This is also
popularly known as the posture
of three bends.
White Mahakala
is popular for both mundane
as well as spiritual reasons,
ranging from the basic desire
for wealth and prosperity
to the ultimate attainment
of the precious jewel, which
is none other than the Buddhist
Dharma.
( from: http://www.thranguhk.org/buddhism/en_mahakala.html )
White
Umbrella Sitatapatra
Sitātapatrā, one of the
most complex Vajrayana goddesses.[12]
According to Miranda Shaw
in the "Buddhist Goddesses
of India", Sitatapatra emerged
from the crown
of Shakyamuni Buddha's head
when he was in Trayastrimsa
heaven. The Buddha announced
her role to "cut asunder
completely all malignant
demons, to cut asunder all
the spells of others...to
turn aside all enemies and
dangers and hatred." Her
benign and beautiful form
belies her ferocity as she
is a "fierce, terrifying
goddess, garlanded by flames,
a pulverizer of enemies
and demons."
In the Mahayana "Sitatapatra
Sutra", she is called "Aparajita"
or "undefeatable" and is
also identified as a form
of goddess Tara
from the "Vairochana"
Buddha family and is also
called "Mahamaya", which
is also the name of Sakyamuni's
mother before he becomes
the Buddha.
In other sutras, she is
regarded as a female counterpart
to Avalokiteśvara,
the bodhisattva
of compassion. Like him,
Sitātapatrā manifests in
many elaborate forms: having
a thousand faces, arms and
legs, or simply as a feminine
deity of great beauty. Known
foremost for her "white
parasol" she is most frequently
attributed with the "golden
wheel". The auspiciousness
of the turning of the precious
wheel is symbolic of the
Buddha's
doctrine, both in its teachings
and realizations.
( from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sitatapatra )
The
Twelve Armed Great Red Ganapati
Ganapati
in the Buddhist tradition
is an emanation of Avalokiteshvara
It is renowned as a powerful
protector of the Dharma who
gathers every favourable
conditions and dispels obstacles
to Dharma practice as well
as one's worldly life.
Chogyal
Phagpa’s father, Sangtsa Sonam
Gyaltsen, was a great practitioner
who concentrated on Ganapati
practice. At one point Ganapati
appeared before him and lifted
him up into space to the height
of a mountaintop, saying:
“Look below.” But Sodnam Gyaltsen
was afraid. After some time,
he looked and beheld the three
provinces of Tibet
below. Ganapati
said, “Whatever you saw, you
will reign over. You saw the
three Tibetan provinces, so
your descendants will rule
over those territories. But
because you didn’t look down
the moment I told you to,
you will not rule them yourself.”
Then he placed Sodnam Gyaltsen
on the earth again. ( from: http://www.hhthesakyatrizin.org/tradition_founder5.html )
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Volunteers
We are looking for as
many hands ( and legs )
as we could agther to help
keep the programme going.
Posts avaialble include
admin-registration, texts-pictures
distribution, food distribution,
IT work.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Money
Texts and picture printing
/ food and transport of
Rinpoche and entourage
( air and land ) are sponsored
for all students and are
also up for sponsorship,
full or partial ( !! )
Accomodation is arranged
at a reasonably clean
and comfortable budget
hotel 5 min walk from
the centre. Laundry and
pharmacy services are
all wihtin walking range
of the centre.
Tsona Rinpoche's programme
at Malacca follows immediately
Ontrul Rinpoche's programme after
5 Dec.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Venue
at Singapore
Poh Ming Tse
Poh
Ming Tse Temple
438 Dunearn Road
Singapore 289613 |
|
Getting here
| By
Driving: |
| 1A. |
From
West, exit PIE
into Eng Neo Avenue,
then turn LEFT
into Dunearn Road.
|
| 1B. |
From
East, exit PIE
into Adam Road,
then turn RIGHT
into Bukit Timah
Road. After
Duchess Road,
keep RIGHT. When
near Hwa Chong
Junior College,
U-turn into Dunearn
Road. |
| 2. |
Along
Dunearn Road,
keep LEFT. After
Watten Estate
Road, turn LEFT
into
Shelford Rd. Slow
down before entering
the basement car
park on your LEFT. |
| By
Bus: |
| 1. |
From
West, alight at
the bus stop right
after Watten Estate
Road and Shelford
Road. |
| 2. |
From
East, alight at
the bus stop in
front of Coronation
Plaza and use
the overhead bridge
to cross the road.
Then walk against
the traffic flow
until you reach
Shelford Road. |
|
Bus
Number: 66, 67,
74, 151, 156,
157, 170, 171,
174, 540, 852,
961 |
| By
NorthSouth-Line
MRT: |
| 1. |
Alight
at Newton MRT
Station. |
| 2. |
Take
'Exit A' to Scotts
Road. |
| 3. |
Take
TIBS Bus No. 171
heading towards
Bt Timah Road. |
| 4. |
Alight
at the 8th bus
stop, in front
of Coronation
Plaza and use
the overhead bridge
to cross the road. |
| 5. |
Then
walk against the
traffic flow until
you reach Shelford
Road. |
| By
Circle-Line MRT: |
| 1. |
Alight
at CC19 Botanic
Gardens MRT Station. |
| 2. |
Take
'Exit to Botanic
Gardens'. |
| 3. |
You
can either walk
for 10 -15 min
or take 66, 67,
74, 151, 156,
157, 170, 171,
174, 540, 852
or 961 heading
towards Bt Timah
Road. |
| 4. |
Alight
at the 2nd bus
stop, in front
of Coronation
Plaza and use
the overhead bridge
to cross the road. |
| 5. |
Then
walk against the
traffic flow until
you reach Shelford
Road. |
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Venue at Malacca
Dharma centre
Library corner
Dharma hall
Phuntsok Cho
Ling Buddhist Centre (CAS)
Melaka, Malaysia
It is 15 min
by cab from Melaka Sentral,
the main bus station in
Malacca.
Malacca is 2
and a half hrs' drive
from Singapore.
Contact us at
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Tsona Rinpoche
A
brief biography of H.E. Tsona
Gontse Rinpoche
13th Tsona Gontse Rinpoche
During
his lifetime the famous teacher
Nagarjuna prophesied, “I pray
that I may go to Tibet for
the purpose of sentient beings
there and at that time, you
will be among the first group
to be trained”.
Arya Nagarjuna
Accordingly,
when his religious activities
attained the highest level
in Tibet, Khedrubje, the direct
disciple of Je Tsong Khapa
(the founder of Gelugpa sect)
was born as Rigpai Khujug
in India. Rigpai Khujug received
the profound teachings of
Nagarjuna. Je Tsong Khapa
and Nagarjana are believed
to be of one and the same
mind but in different manifestations.
It
has been prophesied in the
Sutras that Nagarjuna would
be reborn as Jangsem Norsang.
Thereafter at the time of
early diffusion of Buddhism
in Tibet he would be born
as Kawa Drimedo. He would
invite many expert Panditas
from India and translate their
teachings into Tibetan and
thereby spread Buddhism to
a great extent.
Again,
during the period of the later
diffusion of Buddhism in Tibet
he was reborn as Nyoton Choebar,
who would develop and spread
the teachings of Atisha
like that of rays of
the sun. As prophesied by
Geshe Potawa, he erected a
great monastery at Yal. He
passed away at the age of
63.
It
has been said that during
the first 21 days after his
demise, amazing miracles took
place. Many self-arising Buddha
statues appeared (at his cremation)
and the mandala of Chakrasamvara
is said to have also appeared
inside the kapala (skull cup)
and the 21 Taras outside.
Furthermore, a figure of white
Miyova is said to have appeared
on the right shoulder and
Avalokiteshvara on the left.
A number of relics were also
recovered from his tongue,
heart and eyes.
Chakrasamvara
Later
he was reborn as Lhari Denod
Zinpa. He studied and practised
the instructions of Chakrasamvara
later had a vision of the
mandala. In his will, he said,
“Twenty one to twenty two
years after I die, the embers
of buddhadharma will flourish
a little more”.
Tsonawa
Sherab Zangpo is regarded
as the reincarnation of Lhari
Denod Zinpa. At the age of
twenty one, he re-invigorated
the buddhadharma as a whole
and more particularly insisted
on giving importance to the
code of discipline laid down
in the Vinaya. He became an
unparalleled and unrivalled
master.
In
the Phelchen Sutra it says,
“In the place called Zhiwa
Rinchen Choe-kyi-ling where
the lake of three realms lie,
Tsonawa will be born. This
region will become a place
of learning. He will be able
to dispel the darkness of
ignorance and prove to be
a great leader of sentient
beings to lead on the path
of Enlightenment.” It is evident
from this text that he derived
his first name ‘Tsona’ from
the name of the place and
Sherab Zangpo was his ordination
name.
Je
Tsong Khapa said, “There is
no text written that is better
than Tsonawa’s Tsotrig Nyimay
Odzer and there is no need
of another text!” Saying so
he proclaimed Tsonawa as a
highly qualified master and
called him “dul ba ‘bum sDe
mNga bdag Tsonawa” (the master
of Vinaya).
Later
on the great Tsonawa Sherab
Zangpo, reincarnated as Jetsun
Sherab Zangpo and then as
Tsultrim Tashi who reincarnated
as Lobsang Tenzin, who then
reincarnated as Tenpa Gyaltsen
and as Khantse Wangchuk, then
as Tenpa Gyaltso, then as
Lobsang Paljor, then as Lobsang
Wangchuk, then as Ngawang
Choekyi Wangchuk, then as
Thinley Jampal Tenzin Wangchuk
and as Thupten Jampal Wangchuk.
Thupten
Jampal Wangchuk was born at
Morshing, in the Mon region
of Arunachal Pradesh, in 1903.
He mastered all the Sutras
and Tantras and was a renowned
figure in the Buddhist world.
He passed away at the age
of 63.
Rinpoche as a child.
The
present Tsona Rinpoche, His
Eminence Jetsun Tenzin Jampal
Wangchuk is revered as the
re-incarnation of Thupten
Jampal Wangchuk. He is regarded
as the 13th reincarnation
of the great Tsonawa Jetsun
Sherab Zangpo. He was born
on 19th August
1967 at Nyesar Zhungpa Tse,
Mon Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.
He was recognized as the reincarnation
of Lama Thupten Jampal Wangchuk
by His Holiness the 14th
Dalai Lama. He started his
education at Drepung Loseling
Monastery, South India and
in due course became well
versed in all the Buddhist
treatises. He graduated with
the degree of Geshe Lharampa
(Degree equivalent to Doctorate
in Buddhist Philosophy) from
Drepung Loseling Monastery.
After
the completion of his studies
he became the President of
the Himalayan Buddhist Culture
Association. As the President
of the Association he worked
towards the development of
mutual relationships between
various cultures and religions
of India and endeavored towards
preservation of flora and
fauna to maintain a peaceful
environment of co-existence
of all sentient beings. Furthermore,
he assumed the great responsibilities
of developing the religious
shrines and cultural practices
and activities in the Mon
region. Numerous monasteries,
educational centres, stupas
and cottage industries established
by him are testimonies of
his accomplishments.
Rinpoche performing the
Liberation of Life ritual.
He
was the Minister of State,
Industry, Textile and Handicrafts
and Cabinet Minister of Tourism,
Chairman of Advisory Council
for Tourism Development (ACTD),
Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh
during his different tenures
respectively. At present,
he holds the position of Chairman,
Department of Karmik &
Adhyatmik Affairs, Government
of Aruanchal Pradesh and Chairman,
Arunachal Pradesh Hydropower
Development Corporation, (APHPDC).
He is internationally recognised
as an excellent social worker
and fully accomplished spiritual
master. He has received several
national and international
awards for his tireless efforts
and social work for the well
being of people around the
world.
Rinpoche
also had the privilege of
attending the Millennium UN
World Peace Summit at the
United Nations Assembly Hall
as the first ever Buddhist
representative from the entire
Himalayan region. He regularly
visits different countries
around the world for dharma
activites.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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