Rev. Danny Fisher

Just a Buddhist Minister Trying to Benefit Beings

A Gift of Dharma for 2.14.10

Today’s comes to us from His Holiness Kyabje Jigdral Yeshe Dorje, Dudjom Rinpoche (1904-1987), the late leader of the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism.

He is pithily described at the Dzogchen website this way:

His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, Jigdrel Yeshe Dorje, was the supreme head of the Nyingmapa Order. Poet, author of many books, terton (visionary discoverer of hidden teachings), historian (see his two volume History and Fundamentals of the Nyingmapa), meditation master and tantric yogi, he was one of the most beloved and grandfatherly of the grand lamas of Tibet.

After establishing Yeshe Nyingpo Dharma Centers in Kalimpong, Nepal, Europe and America, he passed away in 1988 in Dordogne, France, and was enshrined in a stupa in a monastery in Bodhanath, Kathmandu, Nepal.

The teaching for today comes to us courtesy of Shambhala Sun‘s Tynette Deveaux over at MahaSangha News, and was translated by Karl Brunnholz last year.  Tynette writes, “I just opened a New Year’s [email] greeting from Nalandabodhi with this powerful and pithy teaching by the late Dudjom Rinpoche…[with the caption] EMBRACE THE NEW YEAR!”  This is it:

The primoridial ground of self-awareness is utterly changeless.

There is no good or bad in whatever happens,
the expressive play of the dharmakaya.

Since my present wakefulness is the buddha in person,

Within my own heart,
I discovered the carefree guru of mind being at ease.

Cheerful Shambhala Day!

Photo by the author.

Cheerful Shambhala Day from the Shambhala Meditation Center of Los Angeles, where I spent a wonderful day in celebration of the Year of the Iron Tiger.  As it turned out, there was much more to celebrate than expected…

Happy New Year, everyone!

Losar Greetings from Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche

Read Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche’s lovely Losar greetings right here.

Losar Delek!

Image via Ewam Choden.

Today is Losar, the Tibetan New Year.  It is the Year of the Male Iron Tiger (pictured above).  I’m off to celebrate “Shambhala Day” at the Shambhala Meditation Center of Los Angeles, but I leave you with a podcast on the occasion of Losar 2010 by the great Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche.  Losar Delek!

Happy Year of the Tiger!

Hsi Lai Temple decorated for the Year of the Tiger, February 13th, 2010. Photo taken by the author with a Pentax K-X.

Today is the Chinese Lunar New Year. This year, it’s the Year of the Tiger.  I celebrated last night with some friends at Hsi Lai Temple in Hacienda Heights.  Below, please enjoy some pictures that I snapped with my phone.

Decorations around the temple.

The Tiger!

It's good to spend the New Year with friends.