News has recently been released that His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama will again give the Kalachakra Empowerment in America. It is tentatively planned for August 1999, in Bloomington, Indiana.
The Kalachakra Tantra was taught by Shakyamuni Buddha. For 2,500 years the teachings of Kalachakra have been preserved in India and Tibet. The Kalachakra has a special connection to the land of Shambhala and a future golden age of Dharma. In Tibet, past Dalai Lamas only gave it four times per century and at times of special danger. The present Dalai Lama, however, has offered this initiation 24 times in the last four decades. This will mark the fourth time he has offered it in the United States. Although it is generally meant for experienced practitioners, it has a profound message for all people of this planet. For that reason, the initiation is traditionally given at a public gathering, and may be taken simply as a blessing, giving people the opportunity to establish a personal link with the message and benefits of Kalachakra.
A Kalachakra empowerment is considered to be a very auspicious occasion, both for those who attend and for the land in which it is given. Twenty to twenty-five thousand people are expected to be in attendance in Bloomington to receive this transmission from His Holiness. It is open to all lineages and traditions of Buddhism. Everyone is welcome to participate.
If the price of a plane ticket to Indiana isn't in your budget, the
Golden
Blue Lotus Tara Meditation Center is planning to caravan to Indiana.
Housing is being arranged with the Bloomington Sangha. It will be a very
special opportunity to experience the profound blessings of His Holiness
and to receive one of Tibetan Buddhism's most powerful practices.
Zasep Tulku Rinpoche is offering two initiations in this area in the upcoming months.
Rinpoche is giving a workshop on torma making, how to set up a shrine
for an initiation, and how to make offerings.
Retreatants will meditate, doing sadhana and mantra for nine hours each day. Rinpoche will give teachings on the practice of Cittamani Tara for three hours each day. The option of taking the Eight Mahayana Precepts will be offered, and retreatants will stuff and consecrate a new Tara statue for Zuru Ling Center. When the retreat is finished, each retreatant will do the sadhana each day and count mantra until all the retreatants have counted the required number of mantra and then they will come together to perform a group fire puja with Rinpoche.
Bruce Heavenor, a longtime student of Zasep Tulku Rinpoche, and practitioner of Dharma, and Cyndy Roomy, Buddhist scholar and practitioner, will be here this winter. Cyndy will conduct a weekend workshop on Lojong (mind transformation.) Bruce's workshop topic has not been confirmed as of the time of this writing.
Watch your mail and the bulletin boards around town for more information
about winter Dharma teachings at GBLT.
