A letter from Ven. Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche

Dearest PBC Sangha Members and Friends,

I hope that this message finds you safe and secure, and filled with courage and confidence.

During this difficult time, it is important to support each other and to remember the Dharma, seeing this as an opportunity to practice compassion and loving-kindness for ourselves and others.

The Padmasambhava Buddhist Centers are taking several steps to help us all do this.

Firstly, as my heartfelt offering to deepen your meditation and retreat with day-to-day study and practice, we just shared general guidance and resources for doing retreat at home on our PBC websites and newsletters. Please find these suggestions here. This includes relevant videos and lineage heart essence instructions. If you have any questions, email us at: jowozegyal@catskill.net

Secondly, to help us stay in touch, we’re creating a private message board for each PBC Center’s website where we can leave notes, encouragement, and offer help to other Sangha members.

Thirdly, next week we will inform you of livestream practices from Padma Samye Ling monastery and retreat center beginning sometime in April, so that we can all practice and meditate together with myself and the lamas online.

In addition, here are special prayers we published last week in response to requests from our Sangha, including White Tara practice and others, which I have asked everyone to participate in if possible.

Recommended prayers and mantras

Requested White Tara practice and mantras

For the safety and heath of all PBC Sangha Members and Friends, all PBC Centers are temporarily closed until further notice.

I ask that you pray for the well-being of all sentient beings, and follow the advice of your health professionals.

Please be careful to monitor yourselves for symptoms of the Covid-19 virus, and contact your health care providers if you start to show any symptoms. This is a practice of loving-kindness, taking care of both yourself and those who you come in contact with.

May we all emerge from this difficult time more courageous, stronger in our commitment to the Dharma, and filled with even more bodhichitta.

Yours in the Dharma,

Ven. Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche

Useful sites for further information:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

CNN: Coronavirus symptoms