Blog

Tues. Feb 19, 7:00 p.m.

During the first 2 weeks of the New Year, it is celebrated that the Buddha displayed a miracle each day to increase the merit and devotion of us his future disciples. During this time, the benefit of one’s actions is multiplied 100,000 fold. The Miracle Month culminates on Chotrul Duchen ; the Day of Miracles. On this day, the effect of one’s actions is multiplied 10 million fold. This is truly a most auspicious day for practice. Ven. Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche will lead practice that day on Buddha Shakyamuni followed by a tsok offering. On this day of Miracles, how wonderful it is that we may gather together with our Beloved teacher to give thanks for the miracle of the 3 Jewels in our lives!

Fri.  Feb. 15, 7:00 p.m.

All are welcome to join Ven. Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche and the PBDC Sangha for a special practice that commemorates the life of the hidden yogi and father of our beloved teachers, Lama Chimed Namgyal.With hearts full of gratitude, we will honor this great practitioner with practice on the Shower of Blessings and tsok offering. On this day we will also honor and celebrate with special practice Guru Rinpoche known as Shantarakshita.

As always, we appreciate your food offering and if possible, please bring early for placement on the tsok table.

Tues. Feb. 5th, 7 p.m.

All are warmly invited to join Ven. Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche and the PBDC Sangha in the celebration of Losar, the Tibetan New Year.  Losar is a time of purification, of new beginnings and a beautiful coming together of our community.  We will celebrate this day with practice on Buddha Shakyamuni followed by a potluck party with entertainment provided by our own sangha. Hope you will join us for this festive occasion.

Losar also signals the beginning of the Miracle Month. During the first 2 weeks of the New Year, it is celebrated that the Buddha displayed a miracle each day to increase the merit and devotion of future disciples. During this time, the effect of one’s actions is multiplied 100,000 fold. It is a most auspicious time for meditation practice and beneficial activity.

Fri., Sat., & Sun.  Feb. 1st, 2nd, & 3rd  at 7 p.m.

Please join Ven. Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche and the PBDC Sangha for Gutor practice which averts the negativity of the old year in preparation for the Tibetan New Year, Losar on Tuesday, Feb. 5th, which heralds in the Tibetan New Year.

Our practice will be on Vajrakilaya, White Umbrella, Heart Sutra, Lion Faced Dakini and Dharmapalas. The practice will include a tsok offering.  As always we appreciate your freshly prepared or purchased vegetarian food offering. Please bring early for placement on the tsok table.

If you have any of these sadhanas, please bring them with you.

Please note that our regularly scheduled Sat. morning 10 a.m. Ngondro Practice and Sunday morning 10 a.m. Calm Abiding Meditation will not be held due to the Gutor evening practices on those 2 days.

We are delighted to announce our annual Dzogchen Winter Retreat January 19 – 26.

On January 20, Ven. Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche will give Empowerment and Teachings on Amitayus, the Buddha of Long Life and Prosperity, according to the tradition of the renowned terton Tsasum Lingpa. During the other days of this retreat, he will focus on essential instructions for Dzogchen meditation according to the great master Patrul Rinpoche.

This is a rare and precious opportunity. Ven. Khenpo Rinpoche is a holder of the complete Nyingmapa lineage and master of Dzogchen. Co-author of over twenty-five Dharma books in English, he is fully versed in the Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana schools

We hope that you will be able to join us.

For more information, please download the event flyer here.

Please download a registration form here.

Please download the daily schedule here.

We are honored to invite you to the auspicious occasion of the enthronement of Tulku Yangsi Rinpoche, the reincarnation of Ven. Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche!

This ceremony will coincide with the Buddhist festival of Lha Bab Duchen on October 31, 2018. Ven. Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche will host this special event at the Tulku’s seat of Orgyen Samye Chokhor Ling in Sarnath, India (www.PBCIndia.org).

We are very honored that H.E. Terton Namkha Drimed Rinpoche will perform the enthronement ceremony.

 

 

Learn more about how HE Terton Namkha Drimed Rinpoche discovered the definite and unmistaken reincarnation of Ven. Khenchen Palden Yangsi Rinpoche, who he named Palden Yonten Thaye Lodro Chokyi Gyaltsen!

 

 

In October 2018, students of the Venerable Khenpo Rinpoches are gathering from around the world in the holy land of Sarnath, India where the Buddha first turned the wheel of Dharma to celebrate the enthronement of Palden Yonten Thaye Lodro Chokyi Gyaltsen, the reincarnation of our precious teacher, the great scholar and master Venerable Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche.

Soon after the consecration ceremonies, everyone is invited to follow in the footsteps of the great masters and devotees of the past, and go on a guided pilgrimage to some of the sacred places of Buddha Shakyamuni, including a visit to the PBC Miracle Stupa in Shravasti near Jetavan Grove. For those wishing to stay longer, the Sangha will also travel with a knowledgeable guide to Bodhgaya, Nalanda, and Vulture’s Peak Mountain where we’ll meditate, supplicate, and make offerings to all the enlightened beings of the past, present, and future.

Please consider joining us for this pilgrimage and sacred event!

For more information, contact us at Padma Samye Ling

(607) 865-8068  –  jowozegyal@catskill.net

www.padmasambhava.org/event/yangsi-rinpoche-enthronement

 

The PBC Pilgrimage to India in October 2018 is open for all sangha members and friends to attend.

 1. Pilgrimage dates

2. What everyone needs to arrange for themselves

3. Costs

4. Sample Packing List

 

 Pilgrimage dates

1. Arrive to Sarnath by October 24^th, 1 week before the Enthronement. Please correctly calculate the time it takes to travel to Sarnath, and include a couple of days to rest up a bit. It takes at least 2 days to travel from USA to Sarnath.
2. Enthronement of Ven. Khenchen Yangsi Rinpoche in Sarnath, India on October 31, 2018
3. Pilgrimage to Miracle Stupa in Shravasti with Ven. Khenpo Tsewang Rinpoche will happen within a couple of days after the Enthronement, and will last for 2-3 days total.
4. Afterwards, for those staying longer, arrangements will be made for a knowledgeable guide to accompany those wishing to visit Kushinigar, Bodhgaya, Nalanda, and Vulture’s Peak, which will last for about 5 extra days.

 

5. October 24^th is the Theravadan celebration of Lha Bab Duchen when a procession of the Buddha’s relics will circumambulate the Mahabodhi Temple in Sarnath.

 

What everyone needs to arrange for themselves

 

1. Book round trip airplane flights to: (1) Delhi India, and (2) from Delhi to Varanasi.

Varanasi is located near Sarnath, India, where the PBC Monastery and Nunnery are located.

 

Here is a link to the location of Orgyen Samye Chökhor Ling Nunnery on Google Maps:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Orgyen+Samye+Chokhor+Ling+Nunnery+of+the+Padmasambhava+Buddhist+Center/@25.38474,83.0233732,242m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x398e2ee870d6a12b:0xa1c385b2ea1fa974!2sSarnath,+Varanasi,+Uttar+Pradesh+221007,+India!3b1!8m2!3d25.3761664!4d83.0227103!3m4!1s0x0:0x71b90cde2eae03f8!8m2!3d25.3844939!4d83.02355?hl=en

 

2. Make sure you have a Current Passport
3. Get a Travel Visa. Contact your local embassy. If you’re planning on traveling outside of India and then re-entering India during your stay, plan on getting a “Multiple Entry Visa.”

 

Nunnery Address:

Orgyen Samye Chökhor Ling

Tibetan Nyingmapa Buddhist Nunnery

SA-13/10 Khajuhi, Sarnath-221007

Varanasi (U.P.) INDIA

Contact:

Ms. Pema

Contact Telephone Number:

011 91 7348500332

Contact Email:

orgyensamyechokhorling.vns@gmail.com

 

4. Any vaccines you would like to take.

It is recommended to consult your own doctor about this.

 

5. Recommended Hotels at Various Locations:

 

Delhi (Radisson at the airport)

Varanasi/Sarnath (Taj Hotel; Clark Hotel)

Shravasti near PBC Miracle Stupa (Lotus; Burmese Guesthouse; various other monastic guesthouses: www.google.com/search?q=guesthouses+in+shravasti+india&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b-1)

Bodhgaya (Hotel Mahayana; variety of accommodations)

 

Costs

1. Plane flights: Costs vary depending on when you buy the tickets, and where you fly out of USA from. Many people fly through NYC. Virgina Atlantic and Delta are standard international airlines. Air India is a national airline within India.

If it’s possible, travel together with other Sangha members to help coordinate ride sharing.

Feel free to ask your local PBC Sangha Coordinator to find out who else is traveling to India.

 

2. Personal Spending money Bring enough money for traveling expenses such as gifts, food on the go, taxis, etc.
3. Donation for staying at the Nunnery: $38 per person per day for accommodations, which includes 3 vegetarian meals per day at the nunnery.
4. Suggested Donation for Enthronement preparations and tsok offerings: $145 per person
5. Transportation between India locations is each individual’s responsibility, and will calculated on site.

 

Please note that contributions for accommodations and preparations for the Enthronement Ceremony will need to be collected by at least two weeks before the Enthronement (around October 17^th) via check (payable to “PBC” with “India Ceremony Donations” mailed to Padma Samye Ling), or completed via PayPal. This will greatly help prepare for the Enthronement.

 

Also Note: Current exchange rate (as of September 15, 2018) of US Dollar to Indian Rupee is: 71 Indian Rupee (INR) = 1 US Dollar.

The exchange rate changes so keep an eye on it here if you like:

www.xe.com/currencyconverter/convert/?Amount=1&From=USD&To=INR

 

Sample Packing List

 

Dharma items

1. Your daily practice sadhanas
2. Additional Aspiration Prayers you might want to recite at holy sites
3. Dharma robes
4. Mala
5. Inspiring Dharma book for travel times
6. Journal

 

Food

1. Recommended to bring your own water bottle or thermos (since you know if it is clean).
2. Always avoid any food, drink, dessert, etc. that contains unboiled water. Always.
3. Only drink from sealed water bottles.
4. Trail mix or power bars
5. Crackers
6. Powered milk
7. Cereal
8. Peanut butter (if desired)
9. Coffee (difficult to get in India)
10. Emergen-C Vitamin C/electrolyte packs to mix in bottled water
11. Small treats to enjoy or share with others throughout the trip
12. Any of your usual food supplements

 

Necessities

1. Individual packs of Kleenex tissues (can get toilet paper there)
2. Hand sanitizer
3. Sanitary wipes (to wipe off tables, etc.)
4. Own cup and utensils (can buy bowl there if desired)
5. Own towel
6. Bar(s) of soap
7. Own toiletries
8. Sleeping bag
9. Pillow case
10. Money belt(s) with additional safety pin to keep attached. Important.
11. Comfortable walking shoes. Important.

 

Possible First Aid/Medical Kit Items

1. If desired, get Cypro antibiotics (or equivalent). Check with your doctor.
2. Imodium
3. Ibuprofen
4. Cough drops
5. DEET mosquito repellent (it needs to work)
6. Benadryl (capsules and ointment)
7. Band Aids
8. Aspirin or equivalent
9. Antibacterial Ointment and skin cleanser
10. Antacids
11. Antihistamines
12. Shampoo
13. Adhesive bandages
14. Antibiotics
15. Plastic strip thermometers
16. Grapefruit Seed Extract (strengthens immune system. Add to bottled water as directed)
17. Probiotics (e.g. Primal Defense, to take daily as directed)
18. Green drink mix super food (In India eating leafy greens is rare, and if eaten they must be cooked well.)
19. Your basic daily medications and vitamins.
20. JetZone Homeopathic Jet Lag remedy (it works really well)
21. Medical Insurance for traveling (If you desire this. Check with your insurance provider)

 

Clothes

1. Flip flops for bathrooms and showers
2. Slip on shoes
3. Socks/Tights
4. Scarves for dust or head cover (or mask, but more people use scarves)
5. Skirts
6. Layers of clothing
7. Flashlight (small)
8. Alarm clock (AA battery-operated)
9. Sunglasses. Important.
10. Hat for sun
11. Shawl for cool mornings/evenings
12. Extra contact lenses and contact solution if you need.
13. Extra pair of prescription glasses if you need.

 

Remember. . .

1. Always wipe all water off plates and glasses before using them.
2. Hand wash clothes in bucket (can get soap locally)
3. Don’t give money to beggars until you’re almost back to where you’re going.
4. Feel free to take candy to give to kids.
5. Do NOT eat the butter or drink milk (okay in chai because it’s been boiled)
6. Gifts for monks and nuns: it’s better to not give something individually to one person. If you’re going to leave something behind, give it to Khenpo Rinpoche to be used by all the Sangha.
7. If you need to call USA, get a phone with International card. India landline can be unreliable.
8. Can check email from Sarnath cyber cafe (… if you’re lucky)
9. Traveler’s Checks are sometimes hard to cash. ATM is often easier. Need to cash checks in larger cities, b/c in rural areas they don’t have ATMs or will not cash checks.
10. Electricity very spotty (usually out for half of the day in many areas)
11. Ginger tea (or real ginger candy) is good for diarrhea and upset stomach.
12. Leave extra room in suitcase on the way if you plan on bringing extra items back to USA (Approximate international 50 lb. weight limit per bag. Check with your airline regarding exact weights and any additional luggage fees.)

 

Tips

1. Don’t show money or passport obviously in public.
2. Send clothes to be laundered only in decent hotels. Otherwise hand wash.
3. Wash all underwear yourself – also other clothes as well if possible.
4. For high altitude, drink lots of water, eat high carb foods, and cut back on salt.

5 Important: Only drink from bottled water. Always wipe water off plates and glasses before using them.

 

Please feel free to write or call with any questions.

This is a very special opportunity, and everyone is warmly invited to participate.

 

For more information, contact us at Padma Samye Ling

(607) 865-8068

jowozegyal@catskill.net

padmasambhava.org

 

Orgyen Samye Chökhor Ling

Nyingma Buddhist Nunnery

Sarnath, Varanasi

www.pbcindia.org

email: orgyensamyechokhorling.vns@gmail.com

telephone: 011 91 7348500332

(Calling from the US to India: (011 + 91 + phone number)

 

Note: The emergency cell of Lama Lorraine in India will be shared once she arrives to India.

 

Here’s a Google Maps link to Sarnath:
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Sarnath,+Varanasi,+Uttar+Pradesh,+India&hl=en&ll=25.384128,83.024299&spn=0.002052,0.003825&sll=42.746632,-75.770041&sspn=6.832468,15.666504&oq=sarnath+india&t=h&hnear=Sarnath,+Varanasi,+Uttar+Pradesh,+India&z=19

 

Download a pdf of all of these instructions here.