This is a FREE event and available both In-person and Online.
Experience the profound spiritual journey of grand Sur Puja, a sacred practice of immense significance. Khentrul Rinpoche will practice two powerful Sur Pujas: one written by Patrul Rinpoche, known as Patrul Sur Ginma, and another written by Bamda Gelek Gyatso and Lama Luthak. So, both Nyingmapa’s and Jonangpa ‘s Sur will be practiced.
Sur Puja is a universal practice that is open to all and without restrictions. It offers immense benefits to all sentient beings, with a special focus on those who have passed away and those in the bardo. This practice allows us to make offerings to a multitude of beings, enlightened or otherwise, to benefit them.
The Sur Puja involves the burning of offerings in fire, symbolizing one of the female Buddhas, Gökarmo (Pāṇḍarāvasinī), the consort of Amitabha. This nurturing mother nature bestows her blessings on these beings through the fire.
The Sur Puja is particularly beneficial for those who have passed away, be they relatives, pets, or any being with whom you share a special connection. It is also an effective practice for repaying karmic debts accumulated over countless lifetimes. For those who want to be connected to this, we can write the name of a special person, animal, or pet on the 6-realm mantra wheel and offer it for you.
Through the Sur Puja, we provide physical offerings and impart the Dharma, guiding these beings towards liberation. This practice can help beings in lower realms attain higher rebirths, ultimately leading them towards enlightenment. Join us in this significant practice and contribute to the well-being of all sentient beings. Ullambana
The Ullambana Festival, or the Filial Piety Festival, is a significant event in Chinese Buddhism. It provides a unique opportunity for individuals to express their appreciation toward their parents.
Understanding the Ullambana Festival: “Ullambana” is derived from Sanskrit, signifying “rescue from being inverted.” The phrase “inverted” symbolizes the torment in hell. Individuals with negative karma may be reincarnated in hell and undergo severe punishment after death. Consequently, the Ullambana Festival embodies the concept of liberating those who are enduring agony in hell. It also allows everyone to honor their filial responsibilities towards their parents and forefathers.
The Genesis of the Ullambana Festival The Ullambana tradition traces its roots back to the tale of Maudgalyayana (also known as Moggalana in Pali), one of Buddha’s esteemed disciples, who rescued his mother from the realm of famished spirits. Upon achieving Arahantship, Moggallana immediately remembered his late mother. Using his divine vision to explore all domains, he discovered that his mother had been reborn in the realm of famished spirits, suffering from extreme hunger and thirst due to her disproportionately large abdomen and minuscule neck.
Moved by his mother’s plight, Moggallana collected food in his alms bowl and attempted to feed his mother using his supernatural abilities. However, her selfishness and greed caused the food to transform into flaming coals before she could consume it. Distressed by his inability to alleviate his mother’s suffering despite his extraordinary powers, Moggallana sought Buddha’s guidance.
Buddha advised him to wait until the seventh lunar month and make substantial offerings to the monks on Pavarana day, marking the conclusion of the 3-month Rain Retreat. This would result in enormous blessings due to the monks’ rigorous spiritual practices during these three months. Transferring these blessings to his mother would liberate her from the realm of famished spirits and facilitate her rebirth in a divine realm.
Following Buddha’s counsel, Moggallana saved his mother and numerous famished spirits, enabling their reincarnation in heavenly realms. This inspiring narrative led to the annual celebration of the Ullambana Festival in the seventh lunar month, now referred to as the Ullambana month. This festival allows people to express gratitude towards their parents, grandparents, and ancestors.
Known as the month of absolution for the deceased, individuals respectfully present offerings to the Three Jewels during this time, transferring their merits to their ancestors. This act may liberate their ancestors from the realms of famished spirits and hell.
Khentrul Rinpoche will practice Sur and recite the prayer for rebirth in Shambhala to dedicate all living beings to the second golden age. Meanwhile, dedications will be arranged during pujas in monasteries in Tibetan areas.
Schedule by Timezone
East Coast USA, Toronto – SUNDAY August 18, 2024 / 2:00 PM Melbourne, Australia – MONDAY August 19, 2024 / 4:00 AM Hong Kong, Shanghai, Mongolia, Singapore and Taiwan – MONDAY August 19, 2024 / 2:00 AM Central Europe and South Africa – SUNDAY August 18, 2024 / 8:00 PM São Paulo, Brazil – SUNDAY August 18, 2024 / 3:00 PM West Coast USA – SUNDAY August 18, 2024 / 11:00 AM
Amitabha is the most well-known Buddha after Buddha Shakyamuni himself. Some Chinese traditions only focus on Amitabha, and many Tibetans also focus on him because, in the Amitabha sutra, it is said he has taken many vows to help sentient beings easily be reborn in his Pureland of Sukhavati, the Land of Bliss.
Amitabha Pureland is one of the well-known easiest pure lands to get to, although perhaps harder to reach than the Bodhisattva realm of Shambhala. Through this empowerment, one can connect with and work to cultivate unwavering faith and devotion to Amitabha. If one is reborn in his pure land, the path to Buddhahood is natural.
Two of Khentrul Rinpoche’s Lamas, including his root Guru Lama Lobsang Trinlé emphasized Amitabha a lot, especially for non-monastic householder practitioners. Even though Lama Lobsang Trinlé was a Kalachakra master, he spent his whole life practicing and extensively teaching Amitabha to everyone. He eventually bestowed not only his hat but also his precious practice text of Amitabha to Khentrul Rinpoche. It had become warn out because he had used it for so many years. Lama Lutrin instructed Khentrul Rinpoche to teach this practice to Amitabha to many people in the future. Up until now, Khentrul Rinpoche has focused on sharing his passion for Shambhala and the Golden Age, so he has not had a chance to emphasize Amitaha enough. But now he sees that it is the right time to start emphasizing and sharing these teachings to fulfill his responsibility to his precious teacher. Many of the people with great faith and devotion feel at peace upon death, They often see Amitabha before they die and feel at peace and secure after they have become dedicated to this practice. A Jonang Lama and a Khandro said that Khentrul Rinpoche’s own mother went to Sukhavati so the practice is very powerful. Khentrul Rinpoche received this empowerment and practice many times from Nyingma Lama, Zhigli Khenpo Tenzin Zangpo and Lama Lobsang Trinley.
Rinpoche will give the empowerment and a practice with it.
Schedule by Timezone
East Coast USA, Toronto – SATURDAY September 14, 2024 / 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM Melbourne, Australia – SUNDAY September 15, 2024 / 12:00 AM – 3:00 AM Hong Kong, Shanghai, Mongolia, Singapore and Taiwan – SATURDAY September 14, 2024 / 10:00 PM – 1:00 AM (SUNDAY September 15, 2024) Central Europe and South Africa – SATURDAY September 14, 2024 / 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM São Paulo, Brazil – SATURDAY September 14, 2024 / 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM West Coast USA – SATURDAY September 14, 2024 / 7:00 AM – 10:00 AM
This is a FREE event and is available both Online and In-person.
As we head towards the end of the year, Khentrul Rinpoche will guide us through a thought process to understand what type of Dharma we are practicing, for what reason, and how that reflects in our life priorities. If you ask most people, they will say they are practicing Dharma to benefit all sentient beings or to get out of Samsara. Maybe they will say they are practicing mindfulness and meditation to deal better with their life and reduce their anxiety. There are many reasons in why people choose to practice Dharma. These reasons may be based in wisdom and compassion or they may be based in Samsaric motivations. Rinpoche will help guide us in an end-of-the-year self-reflection so we can dig deeper into our own minds and uncover our blind spots in our intentions. By discovering our true intentions with our practice, we can create the opportunity in the new year to truly transition into a deeper level of practice, walking more fully on the path mindfully with discriminating awareness.
Schedule by Timezone
Melbourne, Australia – FRIDAY December 27, 2024 / 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM Hong Kong, Shanghai, Mongolia, Singapore and Taiwan – FRIDAY December 27, 2024 / 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM Central Europe and South Africa – FRIDAY December 27, 2024 / 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM Sao Paulo, Brazil – FRIDAY December 27, 2024 / 5:30 AM – 7:00 AM East Coast USA, Toronto – FRIDAY December 27, 2024 / 3:30 AM – 5:00 AM West Coast USA – FRIDAY December 27, 2024 / 12:30 AM – 2:00 AM
VAJRAPANI: Tame Your Demons Tap into the power of all the Buddhas to tame your internal and external obstacles to realization. Vajrapani, the embodiment of the power of all the Buddhas of the ten directions and the three times, is a fearless Bodhisattva of the tenth level and the guardian of the Buddhist tantras.
Khentrul Rinpoche will bestow an extraordinary empowerment of Vajrapani known as the Demon Destroyer, and the practice that Lama Lutrin may have used in the retreat where he cured himself of Leprosy. This empowerment and retreat will help practitioners embrace their fierce power within to tame the obstacles on their path.
KHENTRUL RINPOCHE PERSONAL CONNECTION WITH VAJRAPANI “For me Vajrapani is personally special because my root lama, Lama Lobsang Trinley, was considered as the actual Vajrapani. When he practiced it, he could completely heal his leprosy during a long solitary retreat. At the end of his retreat, he achieved the same realization of the great Indian mahasiddhas. My root Lama’s teachings on Vajrapani were incredibly special. As many high Lamas came to our monastery in order to receive the Vajrapani empowerment from him, I could receive it many times. All these Lamas who came had no doubt about his realization. They said that he himself was the actual Vaprapani, as they were witnessing my Lama taming incredibly powerful demons who wish to bring harm to our regions.”
This practice has a very special connection to our lineage through both Lama Lutrin and the Shambhala Dharma King Suchandra. Suchandra who was an emanation of Vajrapani, requested the Buddha in the form of Deity of Kalachakra, transmit the Kalachakra Tantra Teachings. Suchandra went on to establish these Kalachakra teachings in Shambhala where they flourished and came to us. TANTRA EMOTIONS AND VAJRAPANI In this retreat, Rinpoche will also explore further working with Vajrapani in your life as you work to engage on an authentic tantric path, harnessing, directing, and transforming the power of anger and other emotions on the path.
Course Information
This first section will provide you with general information about the course that you will need to participate. This includes:
Overview: If you ever get lost, you can use this page to remember where everything is and how to access what you need.
Online Checklist:To join the live practice sessions for this course, you will need to make sure you have all of the necessary technologies installed and ready to use. For this reason, we have compiled a short guidebook for setting up Zoom and how to prepare for the various sessions.
Live Session Schedule: This page provides all of the links for the live webinar sessions. You can find the schedule in a variety of timezones so that you can be sure not to miss anything. ORAL TRANSMISSIONS AND EMPOWERMENTS ARE NEVER RECORDED.
Gratitude and Generosity: We take a moment to thank those who have made this event possible and provide details for how to offer Dana or give support so that we can all benefit from future activities.
Schedule by Timezone
Melbourne, Australia
Melbourne, Australia
FRIDAY December 27, 2024 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM – End of the Year Public Teaching: Use Your Brain: How to Cultivate Discriminating Awareness on the Path
SATURDAY December 28, 2024 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM – Session 1: Online Empowerment Preparation 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM – Session 2: Vajrapani EMPOWERMENT & ORAL TRANSMISSION 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM – Session 3: Vajrapani Practice 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM – Session 4: Vajrapani and the Kalachakra Lineage
SUNDAY December 29, 2024 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM – Session 5: Vajrapani Practice 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM – Session 6: Tantra and working with emotions and Anger 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM – Session 7: Vajrapani Practice 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM – Session 8: Vajrapani Practice and Q and A with Rinpoche
MONDAY December 30, 2024 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM – Session 9: Final Retreat Practice
Hong Kong, Shanghai, Mongolia, Singapore and Taiwan
Hong Kong, Shanghai, Mongolia, Singapore and Taiwan FRIDAY December 27, 2024 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM – End of the Year Public Teaching: Use Your Brain: How to Cultivate Discriminating Awareness on the Path
SATURDAY December 28, 2024 6:30 AM – 8:00 AM – Session 1: Online Empowerment Preparation 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM – Session 2: Vajrapani EMPOWERMENT & ORAL TRANSMISSION 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM – Session 3: Vajrapani Practice 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM – Session 4: Vajrapani and the Kalachakra Lineage
SUNDAY December 29, 2024 6:30 AM – 8:00 AM – Session 5: Vajrapani Practice 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM – Session 6: Tantra and working with emotions and Anger 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM – Session 7: Vajrapani Practice 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM – Session 8: Vajrapani Practice and Q and A with Rinpoche
MONDAY December 30, 2024 6:00 AM – 7:30 AM – Session 9: Final Retreat Practice
Central Europe and South Africa
Central Europe and South Africa FRIDAY December 27, 2024 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM – End of the Year Public Teaching: Use Your Brain: How to Cultivate Discriminating Awareness on the Path 11:30 PM – 1:00 AM (SATURDAY December 28, 2024) – Session 1: Online Empowerment Preparation
SATURDAY December 28, 2024 3:00 AM – 5:00 AM – Session 2: Vajrapani EMPOWERMENT & ORAL TRANSMISSION 6:00 AM – 7:30 AM – Session 3: Vajrapani Practice 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM – Session 4: Vajrapani and the Kalachakra Lineage
11:30 PM – 1:00 AM (SUNDAY December 29, 2024) – Session 5: Vajrapani Practice
SUNDAY December 29, 2024 3:00 AM – 5:00 AM – Session 6: Tantra and working with emotions and Anger 6:00 AM – 7:30 AM – Session 7: Vajrapani Practice 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM – Session 8: Vajrapani Practice and Q and A with Rinpoche 11:00 PM – 12:30 AM (MONDAY December 30, 2024) – Session 9: Final Retreat Practice
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Sao Paulo, Brazil FRIDAY December 27, 2024 5:30 AM – 7:00 AM – End of the Year Public Teaching: Use Your Brain: How to Cultivate Discriminating Awareness on the Path
7:30 PM – 9:00 PM – Session 1: Online Empowerment Preparation 11:00 PM – 1:00 AM (SATURDAY December 28, 2024) – Session 2: Vajrapani EMPOWERMENT & ORAL TRANSMISSION
SATURDAY December 28, 2024 2:00 AM – 3:30 AM – Session 3: Vajrapani Practice 5:30 AM – 7:00 AM – Session 4: Vajrapani and the Kalachakra Lineage 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM – Session 5: Vajrapani Practice 11:00 PM – 1:00 AM (SUNDAY December 29, 2024) – Session 6: Tantra and working with emotions and Anger
SUNDAY December 29, 2024 2:00 AM – 3:30 AM – Session 7: Vajrapani Practice 5:30 AM – 7:00 AM – Session 8: Vajrapani Practice and Q and A with Rinpoche 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM – Session 9: Final Retreat Practice
East Coast USA, Toronto
East Coast USA, Toronto THURSDAY December 26, 2024 3:30 AM – A:00 PM – End of the Year Public Teaching: Use Your Brain: How to Cultivate Discriminating Awareness on the Path
SATURDAY December 28, 2024
12:00 AM – 1:30 AM – Session 3: Vajrapani Practice 3:30 AM – 5:00 AM – Session 4: Vajrapani and the Kalachakra Lineage
5:30 PM – 7:00 PM – Session 5: Vajrapani Practice
9:00 PM – 11:00 PM – Session 6: Tantra and working with emotions and Anger
SUNDAY December 29, 2024 12:00 AM – 1:30 AM – Session 7: Vajrapani Practice 3:30 AM – 5:00 AM – Session 8: Vajrapani Practice and Q and A with Rinpoche 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM – Session 9: Final Retreat Practice
West Coast USA
West Coast USA THURSDAY December 26, 2024 12:30 AM – 2:00 AM – End of the Year Public Teaching: Use Your Brain: How to Cultivate Discriminating Awareness on the Path
SATURDAY December 28, 2024
12:30 AM – 2:00 AM – Session 4: Vajrapani and the Kalachakra Lineage
2:30 PM – 4:00 PM – Session 5: Vajrapani Practice
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM – Session 6: Tantra and working with emotions and Anger
4:00 PM – 5:30 PM – Session 7: Vajrapani Practice
SUNDAY December 29, 2024 12:30 AM – 2:00 AM – Session 8: Vajrapani Practice and Q and A with Rinpoche 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM – Session 9: Final Retreat Practice
Join us for a special evening with Kalachakra Master Khentrul Rinpoche. Rinpoche will share a short teaching about how the External Kalachakra, the cosmos, relates to the Internal Kalachakra mandala, the individual’s subtle body. From there, we will move on to a short vedic tantric yoga asana practice led by Yeshe Wangmo.
Don’t miss an opportunity to connect with these rare and precious teachings. This introductory evening will help us understand the role of Yoga Asana, Pranayama, astrology, and the subtle body in Kalachakra preliminary and completion stage practices. For those looking to find an authentic long term practice in Yoga that is connected to profound teachings, this is a little taste to understand what is to come. Khentrul Rinpoche is working diligently to bring all of these practices to the world to offer us a complete yogic path to non-monastics for Kalachakra. He started by teaching the profound 6 Vajra Yogas, the completion stage of Kalachakra, in Europe. In the next year or two, he plans to teach a Kalachakra yoga asana program founded from the Jonang Tibetan Buddhist lineage that anyone can do to prepare themselves for the completion stage. This evening is best for people who are practitioners of yoga who are curious to learn about a wholistic tantric yogic system that can go from entry-level to enlightenment or for those who have an interest in the Kalachakra tantra.
Schedule by Timezone:
East Coast USA, Toronto – THURSDAY September 05, 2024 / 6:30 PM
