Vivid Awareness in Shambhala

Sep 21

Wednesday

2 Comments September 21, 2011 – 9:53 am | Permalink |

Venerable Thrangu Rinpoche teaches in Halifax, photo courtesy of Marvin Moore

The Venerable Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, a close friend and colleague of the Vidyadhara Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, the Druk Sakyong, was invited last year, on behalf of the Sakyong, to return to our Shambhala community. The letter of invitation stated: “On behalf of the Sakyong and the entire Shambhala community, we request that you come to Halifax and Boulder, whenever your schedule permits, to teach a program for all of the tantrikas on mahamudra. …We remember well your advice given shortly after the passing of the Vidyadhara that it is of crucial importance to foster, deepen, and stabilize the most profound vajrayana transmission that he gave to us.” The letter was inspired by the efforts of the Dorje Loppon Lodro Dorje and Acharya Larry Mermelstein, who were co-signatories along with President Reoch and Executive Director Carolyn Mandelker.

Rinpoche’s visit to Halifax directly followed a similar program of teachings he gave at the Shambhala Center in Boulder, Colorado. Click here to read the article about that visit: Vivid Awareness in Boulder.

Thrangu Rinpoche spoke to a packed public event on Friday, August 12, and he gave instructions to a large gathering of the vajra sangha over the weekend on the teachings detailed in his newly-published book Vivid Awareness: The Mind Instructions of Khenpo Gangshar, a commentary on teachings by Khenpo Gangshar, one of the Druk Sakyong’s closest teachers. At the conclusion of the program, the entire gathering supplicated Thrangu Rinpoche to return again and again to guide and inspire our sangha as he has done for decades.

Venerable Thrangu Rinpoche address a large audience at the Halifax Shambhala Center, photo courtesy of Marvin Moore

Venerable Thrangu Rinpoche teaches at the Halifax Shambhala Center, photo courtesy of Marvin Moore

Venerable Thrangu Rinpoche teaching, photo courtesy of Marvin Moore

Venerable Thrangu Rinpoche delighted by the crowd at the Halifax Shambhala Center, photo courtesy of Marvin Moore

Rinpoche with his translator David Karma Choephel meeting with the Nalanda Translation Committee, photo courtesy of Marvin Moore.

Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche welcomes Venerable Thrangu Rinpoche in Halifax, photo courtesy of James Thorpe

The Sakyong, Sakyong Wangmo and the Druk Sakyong Wangmo at the tea and rice ceremony in Thrangu Rinpoche's honour at Namgyal Potrang, the court in Halifax, photo courtesy of James Thorpe

During his time in Halifax, Thrangu Rinpoche was warmly welcomed by the Sakyong, Jamgon Mipham Rinpoche, the Sakyong Wangmo, and the Druk Sakyong Wangmo at a tea and rice ceremony at Namgyal Potrang, the Shambhala Court in Halifax.

At the conclusion of the Halifax visit, Rinpoche traveled to Gampo Abbey in Cape Breton, where he has been the Abbot since its founding in 1984, a role the Vidyadhara Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche requested him to assume. After a seven-year absence, the Abbey residents were eagerly looking forward to his nine-day visit. Rinpoche was exceptionally generous with his time. He taught on how the Shambhala teachings can support the development of monasticism; on two songs by Khenpo Gangshar; and on mahamudra, from a song of realization by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche called “The Experiential Song of the View of Luminous Mahamudra: A Symphony of Great Bliss”. Rinpoche also ordained three new novice monastics, gave refuge and bodhisattva vows, blessed the stupa and the site of a new buddha field, met with various groups, and gave many individual interviews. Click here to see more photos of Rinpoche’s visit to the Abbey.

Thanks to James Thorpe and to Marvin Moore for permission to use photos of this event. Visit marvinmoore.com to see more of Marvin’s work.

Post Tags: Halifax, Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche

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2 responses to “ Vivid Awareness in Shambhala ”

Linda V. Lewis
Sep 22, 2011
Reply

Thanks for wonderful photos of Thrangu R.’s visit here in Halifax. Would like to see photos of his visit from Gampo Abbey as well. His teaching and presence here at the Halifax Shambhala Centre was like water to a thirsty person, and his translator was amazing! The teaching was so direct through the “pipe” it was like getting the pith instructions from Khenpo Gangshar himself! Eh Ma Hoh!
Greg
Sep 22, 2011
Reply

That’s nice. Was he gone? Ah, the world of Tibetan Buddhism, where openness is the rhetoric, but interpersonal conflicts can only be alluded to only in the most cryptic of terms, when they must be publicly acknowledged at all.