Gyumey Khensur Rinpoche mp3

As you may remember, back in Septmeber Gyumey Khensur Rinpoche, former abbout of Gyumey Tantric College, honored us with a teaching in Tucson. In this one-night-only affair, Rinpoche taught The Source of All My Good, a Lam Rim text by Je Tsongkapa that covers every step to reach perfect happieness for everyone.

That talk is now available for download with Rinpoche speaking in Tibetan and Geshe Michael as master translator.

Here it is.

Je Tsongkapa Day 2005

I just got back from Diamond Mountain. We had a great time celebrating Je Tsongkapa Day. We began by reciting the 1000 Angels of the Heaven of Bliss (Ganden Hla Gyama). Next we lit all the lamps and sang the Mig Tsema mantra. After that we split up into two groups. Those with Vajrayogini empowerment stayed in the temple and the others did a small fire puja outside. Finally we all got together in the temple to chow. And like many events at DM it ended with a friendly debate about perception and existence.

The Heart Sutra: Kirtan

This past term DMU was graced with the presence of traditional Kirtan Singer Mangala Tivari. While here, Shri Mangala performed the Heart Sutra in its original language of Sanskrit. Thanks to Ben Gross and Raven Hume the recording of this has been edited, cleaned and is now avaiable. It's a beautiful recording.

Download the Audio File

If you wish to read along with the singing, you can get a copy of the Heart Sutra in Saskrit from this resourceful website.

The Geshema: Geshe Degree for Nuns

I know it's not Diamond Mountain news, but it's exciting nonetheless. While at Sera Monastery I heard rumors of a possible Geshe degree being offered to nuns for the first time in over a thousand years of the degrees existence. It looks official now. From the Tibetan Publication Phayul:

Tibetan nuns may soon receive doctorate in Buddhism and be called Geshema, a practice that was non-existent until now. His Holiness the Dalai Lama said that talks are going on with the Department of religion to start honoring Buddhist nuns with the highest academic achievement in Buddhist studies.

Wonderful. Here's a link to the full article.

Celebrate Je Tsongkapa Day

If you aren't on the Diamond Mountain email list you probably don't know about the event coming up on December 26th. Here is part of the email that went out (I added the links for possible newbies):

Please join us at Diamond Mountain for the celebration of Je Tsongkapa Day, December 26 5:30pm to 10ish pm. We will honor the founder of our Geluk lineage with 1000 light offerings, followed by Vajrayogini Tsechu for initiates and a purification fire puja for non-initiates.

Please dress comfortably and warmly. If you wish to bring light offerings and/or tsok offerings to add to the celebration, feel free to do so.

Come early if you'd like to help us set up the temple for the occasion, 3pm.

So, if you're around, come on! This will be the second annual celebration. The photo is from last year's event.

SIE Video

Yes, another 8 minute sampler video by Mr. James Connor. This one is about Star in the East, the Christianity project. Just from going to these talks I've learned more about Christianity than I ever knew before or ever expected to know. If you are interested about their happenings keep posted on the DM events page or email starintheeast@gmail.com

I've hosted the video at here at Archive.org, so if you just want to download it right-click on the image above and save it to your computer.

The Essential Yoga Sutra

After much anticipation and a few publishing delays Geshe Michael and Christie's latest book is out. The Essential Yoga Sutra: Ancient Wisdom for Your Yoga is a commentary on the text which is the foundation of all yoga traditions, the Yoga Sutra by Master Patanjali.

I am quite excited to read this. Geshe-la and Christie have been teaching about and in the yoga world for a few years now and have done a lot for both yoga practioners and Buddhists, who at one time seemed disparate, but now are often one and the same. Yoga is a very large part of Diamond Mountain. In fact, it is required. One part of being a student at DMU is meditation, study, debate, and a daily channel practice, which usually translates as yoga.

You can order the book through our friend Benjamin Worden who has set up Evolution Ink and will be grateful for your business. If there are any early reviews please email me or simply post them in a comment on this site. You can give a book report and make a diorama from a shoe box.

Winter Term Registration

We've just put up registration for DMU's Winter Term 2006. There are many continuing classes and a good selection of new study groups and seminars. So go and sign up, but be careful not to overload. Kid-in-a-candy-store syndrome happens to almost everyone at DMU and it results in a chaotic term for some. Choose wisely and selectively or we'll find you passed out in the desert surrounded by unfinished homeworks and empty packages of emer'gen c.

All the info is at the DMU website.