Compassion in Action: Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche visits London, July 2013

Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche giving the Loving Eyes empowerment in London, in 2013

Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche in London, July 2013

From 25-31 July 2013, the London Diamond Way Buddhist Centre was very fortunate to be able to host Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche for a program of teachings and transmissions at the Beaufoy Institute in Lambeth. Rinpoche is a highly respected lama of the Karma Kagyu lineage. He was ordained in Rumtek monastery by the 16th Karmapa, and is one of the few lamas who holds the title ‘Maniwa’, given to masters of the Loving Eyes (Skt. Avalokiteshvara; Tib. Chenrezig) practice who are able to encourage others to recite the mantra of Loving Eyes, OM MANI PEME HUNG, more than one billion times. Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche has led 30 “Mani Dhungyur” festivals in his homeland of Nepal, which are attended by thousands of students, in which a billion mani mantras are accumulated. Loving Eyes is the Bodhisattva of compassion, so the friends from London, the UK and abroad who gathered for the programme were particularly fortunate to receive teachings and transmissions related so closely to this most noble of qualities, from a master who embodies it so perfectly. London was one of the destinations on Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche’s 2013 tour of Europe.

Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche arriving at Heathrow airport, 26 July 2013Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche welcomed at the Beaufoy Institute, 26 July 2013Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche welcomed at the Beaufoy Institute, 26 July 2013

Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche and his entourage were driven to the London Diamond Way Buddhist centre at the Beaufoy Institute after being greeted by a group of friends and students at Heathrow late in the evening of Thursday 25 July. At the Buddhist centre, a large group had gathered to welcome Rinpoche. Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche and his team were then taken to their quarters to get some rest after their travel and prepare for the next days’ busy schedule. Rinpoche would later explain that Lama Ole Nydahl had already told him how delighted he was about the new centre and the obstacles that had been overcome in order to complete the purchase of the Buddhist centre.

Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche welcomed in the main hall of the Beaufoy, 26 July 2013Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche welcomed in the main hall of the Beaufoy, 26 July 2013 Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche welcomed in the main hall of the Beaufoy, 26 July 2013

Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche was last in London in 2009, so this was the first time he had seen the new Buddhist centre at the Beaufoy Institute. The next morning, Rinpoche was given a full tour of the Beaufoy building in the daylight, and in in particular shown the rooms dedicated to meditation practice, as well as the progress made so far on getting the building in shape towards opening with a regular public programme. Then Rinpoche and a collection of friends who had arrived to help with the course shared a cup of tea and a snack together in the main hall. This was followed by a short meditation on the 16th Karmapa. Rinpoche then gave some instructions to the friends preparing for the special ritual scheduled for the following day. Afterwards, Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche and his team, together with a small group of friends, enjoyed a walk around some historical nearby sights of London and a meal in a restaurant.

Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche on his way to teach on Bodhicitta in London, 26 July 2013Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche teaching on Bodhicitta in London, 26 July 2013Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche teaching on Bodhicitta in London, 26 July 2013

The first event in the weekend’s official Dharma programme was a teaching by Rinpoche in the main hall of the Beaufoy Institute about the “Enlightened Attitude” (Skt. Bodhicitta), the compassionate wish to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all. After being welcomed on the stage and introduced, Rinpoche started by explaining that of all the various cycles of teaching given by the Buddha, everything is dependent upon Bodhicitta, and that Buddha himself has stated that Bodhicitta is the single teaching that is necessary in order to reach enlightenment. He then explained that all of teachings concerning Bodhicitta can be summarised into Absolute and Relative Bodhicitta. Absolute Bodhicitta means the understanding of the ultimate empty nature of all phenomena, and Relative Bodhicitta refers to that which we as beginners should practice step by step in order to reach the stage where we can understand Absolute Bodhicitta. Rinpoche then expounded on Relative Bodhicitta, subdividing it into into two parts: aspiration and application, referring respectively to the wish to reach enlightenment and the actual practice to do so. Concerning the actual practice, Rinpoche gave an extremely lucid presentation of of the Six Paramitas (sometimes referred to as the Six Liberating Actions). After this, he invited questions from the audience so the students could further clarify their understanding.

Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche and the local sangha gather in the Beaufoy's small meditation hall to practice the 16th Karmapa meditation, 27 July 2013Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche blessing sangha children in London, 27 July 2013Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche blessing sangha children in London, 27 July 2013Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche blessing sangha children in London, 27 July 2013Lama Orgyen preparing substances for the sur ritual, 27 July 2013Ani Tenzin and friends preparing substances for the sur ritual, 27 July 2013

The following day, Saturday 27 July, started with a short meditation on the 16th Karmapa together with Rinpoche, followed by a blessing for children of the local sangha in the small meditation hall. The day’s main event however was a particular type of ritual sometimes referred to as a “Fire Puja”, held in the rear courtyard of the Beaufoy Institute. After preparations under the guidance of Rinpoche’s two travelling assistants Ani Tenzin and Lama Orgyen, the ritual began at 11.30 am and continued until around 5pm. Despite forecasts of thunderstorms and heavy rain for the afternoon, the weather remained bright and warm, so the proceedings were undisturbed.

There are different kinds of fire-related pujas. The one Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche conducted in London is called “Sur” in Tibetan. The principle of the ritual is offering; food, liquids and other ingredients are placed in the fire and totally consumed. In this case, the smell of the burning substances is offered to four type of guests: first, to all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas as well as to the yidams; secondly, to the protectors of the Dharma, dakinis, and beings such as the Four Great Kings (guardians belonging to a class of gods in the desire realm) who protect the Dharma; the third class of guests includes all sentient beings, particularly local energies and elemental spirits; and finally are hungry ghosts and beings to whom one is karmically indebted.

Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche's assistant Lama Orgyen performing the sur ritual in London, 27 July 2013Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche performing the sur ritual in London, 27 July 2013Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche performing the sur ritual in London, 27 July 2013Sherab Gyaltsen presides over the sur ritual in London , 27 July 2013Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche performing the sur ritual in London, 27 July 2013Sur ritual in the London Diamond Way Buddhist Centre, 27 July 2013

The ritual is also performed in order to remove outer, inner and secret obstacles. As well as renewing and repairing the connection with the elemental constituents of the area, the offering and intention create the causes and conditions for harmony internally among the beings that inhabit the place, and externally in the environment itself. The offering can also effect change in the experience of the beings that inhabit the place, for example, healing and pacifying discord. Through the accumulation of merit, the inner obstacles of one’s disturbing emotions become less. As a consequence, the veils of stiff ideas and clinging to the idea of a self can also be overcome and one becomes more able to understanding the true empty nature of phenomena.

Sherab Gyaltsen presides over the sur ritual in London , 27 July 2013Substances for the sur ritual, 27 July 2013Substances for the sur ritual, 27 July 2013Sur ritual in the London Diamond Way Buddhist Centre, 27 July 2013Sur ritual in the London Diamond Way Buddhist Centre, 27 July 2013Sur ritual at the Beaufoy institute, 27 July 2013

As with any Buddhist practice, the positive imprints (merit) generated are multiplied by the number of people who participate in the practice. As such, Rinpoche invited all present to join in making the offerings, first circumambulating the fire place, then placing the various substances into the fire. Attendees also used the time to accumulate mantras and make positive wishes for the benefit of all beings. The process took place throughout the afternoon, and upon the conclusion of the ritual, a gentle rain began to fall. Rinpoche commented that this was an auspicious sign, meaning that the guests who had been invited were satisfied.

Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche guiding the sur ritual, 27 July 2013Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche making wishes during the sur ritual, 27 July 2013Sur ritual at the Beaufoy institute, 27 July 2013

Immediately following the ritual, Rinpoche and all the assembled attendees proceeded to the main hall of the Beaufoy for an extensive consecration of the building. Although both H.H. Karmapa and Lama Ole Nydahl have previously blessed the Beaufoy Institute, Rinpoche performed a very elaborate ceremony, in which not only the main hall, but every room of the building was blessed.

Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche performing consecration of the London Diamond Way Buddhist Centre, 27 July 2013Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche performing consecration of the London Diamond Way Buddhist Centre, 27 July 2013Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche performing consecration of the London Diamond Way Buddhist Centre, 27 July 2013Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche consecrating the Beaufoy Institute, 27 July 2013Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche consecrating the Beaufoy Institute, 27 July 2013Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche consecrating the Beaufoy Institute, 27 July 2013

In the evening, after all had relaxed a little and absorbed the impressions from the afternoon, the main hall of the Beaufoy was transformed by a team of hardworking friends to host a fundraising gala. Attendees of the weekend’s program were invited to participate in many games such as Beaufoy Hoopla, Beaufoy Fruit Machine, and Strongest Man, to raise further resources for the forthcoming renovation of the building.

Canapés at the fundraising galaFundraising gala in the BeaufoyWin prizes with three in a row at the Beaufoy fruit machine

On Sunday 28 July, the final part of Rinpoche’s official dharma programme took place – the initiation of Loving Eyes from the tradition of Palden Atisha, as transmitted in the Kagyu lineage in the context of the cycle of initiations known as Chik She Kundrol (Knowing One Liberates All), compiled by the 9th Karmapa Wangchuk Dorje. Rinpoche took time to carefully guide the attendees through each stage of the initiation, which confers the blessing of the body, speech, mind, qualities and activity of Loving Eyes, and the authorisation to practice the meditation on this particular Buddha aspect. At the end of the initiation, Rinpoche presented to the London Sangha the gift of a beautiful Thangka (scroll painting) of Loving Eyes in the Royal Tradition of Tibet’s first Dharma King, Songsten Gampo.

Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche performing the purification ritual preceding the initiation of Loving Eyes, 28 July 2013The mandala, a symbolic offering of the universe, is made to request the initiation, 28 July 2013Students make the gesture of mandala offering in request of the initiation, 28 July 2013Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche blessing the torma before the initiation of Loving Eyes, 28 July 2013Ritual objects on the altar used in the initiation of Loving Eyes, 28 July 2013Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche giving the initiation of Loving Eyes in the main hall of the Beaufoy Institute, 28 July 2013Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche wearing the ceremonial pandit hat during the initiation of Loving Eyes, 28 July 2013Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche giving the initiation of Loving Eyes in London, 28 July 2013Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche giving the initiation of Loving Eyes in London, 28 July 2013

Rinpoche stayed in London for a full two extra days. In the mornings he spent time with sangha friends exploring exciting London, for example visiting historic sites, viewing art collections in the Victoria and Albert Museum, and enjoying tours on buses and river boats. On Monday evening Rinpoche gave explanations of the Loving Eyes meditation and practiced it together with the London sangha and visiting friends. Rinpoche also gave the oral transmission (Tib. lung) for the Four Foundational Practices (Tib. ngondro). On the Tuesday evening he gave further teachings on the 16th Karmapa meditation, and meditated together with the sangha for a final time during this visit.

Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche and friends sightseeing in London, 29 July 2013Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche and friends in the Victoria & Albert museum, 29 July 2013Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche and friends in the Victoria & Albert Museum, 29 July 2013Lama Orgyen, Ani Tenzin, Caty, Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche and Slava outside the V&AThe Victoria and Albert Museum, Knightsbridge - a popular destination for visiting Kagyu lamasSherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche and friends visiting the peace pagoda in Battersea Park, 30 July 2013

On Wednesday 31 July, Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche and his team were bid farewell as they embarked on the next leg of their European tour, leaving behind a grateful and completely delighted crew in London, inspired to continue in the next phase of preparing the Beaufoy Institute to open fully as the new London Diamond Way Buddhist Centre.

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