Surviving the Dragon is the story of Arjia Rinpoche’s growing up as the reincarnated abbot in Kumbum, one of Tibet’s major monasteries.  As a child, he was treated like a living Buddha; as a young man he emptied latrines, but after the death of Mao Tse Tung, he rose to prominence within the Chinese Buddhist bureaucracy.   When he was slated to become the tutor of the Chinese selected Panchen Lama, he fled Tibet rather than betray his Buddhist religion and his Tibetan and Mongolian heritage.  Rinpoche’s unique experience provides a rare vantage on this tumultuous period of Tibetan and Chinese History as well as a glimpse of life inside a Buddhist monastery in Tibet.

Discussion of TMBCC/KCL programs, activities and membership for 2010 and beyond.  Your participation and your ideas are important. Please plan to attend if you possibly can.

You Are Invited to an Interfaith Prayer Service

for World Peace and Harmony

 

Arjia Rinpoche and the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center are pleased to announce that His Holiness the 14^th Dalai Lama will visit our center and Bloomington, Indiana in May 2010.   As followers of His Holiness’ path for universal peace, we also wish to celebrate the beginning of a New Decade by holding an Interfaith Prayer Service at our center on January 16, 2010 at 10:30 a.m.   During the service, representatives of different religions will voice aspirations for world harmony.  The public is invited to attend. 

 

Because we wish to honor those who are in need and give them our assistance, we ask that each person bring a food donation (canned or packaged) that we will bless and offer to the poor during our prayer service and then take to the Hoosier Hills Food Bank. 

 

The event will feature music, brief talks by spiritual leaders of different faith traditions, and a candle lighting ceremony.  It will take place at the TMBCC Cultural Building and will be followed by a reception and a press opportunity session to further inform the public about His Holiness’ visit.

 

For information about events in Bloomington and Indianapolis regarding the Dalai Lama, please visit our website at www.tmbcc.net.

 

The TMBCC is located at 3655 Snoddy Road, Bloomington, Indiana 47401.  Contact:  812-336-6807; tmbculturalcenter@gmail.com.

"  

Lha Bab Duchen

Monday, November 09, 2009
10:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Lha Bab Duchen Commemorates the

Day that Buddha Descended from Tushita Heavens. 

Buddha Shakyamuni Descending from
Tushita Heavens to the Earth

Lha-Bab Duchen is celebrated on the 22nd day in the ninth lunar month of the Tibetan calendar, and marks the anniversary of the Buddha’s descent from the heavenly realm to the earth. It is on this day that Buddha Shakyamuni descended to The Heaven of Thirty-Three Trayastrimsa in order to give teachings to benefit the gods in the desire realms, and to repay the kindness of his mother by liberating her from Samsara. This is considered to be one of the great deeds of the Buddha among eight great deeds. It is part of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition to engage in virtuous activities and prayer on this day.

 

Resident monks at the TMBCC will recite special prayers in the Kumbum Chamtse Ling Temple at 10:00 a.m.  The public is invited to attend.

 

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Retreat for Chinese Lam Rim Students:  Saturday, November 7, 2009

 

We are having a special retreat this Saturday, November 7, 2009 from 9:00  to 4:00 p.m. for the Chinese Lam Rim Group.  Arjia Rinpoche will lead the prayers for the retreat.  In the future, we plan to have more retreats that will be open to everyone.

 

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Bloomington Peace Week Events

 

From Friday, Sept 18-Thurs, Sept 24, Bloomington Peace Week will be celebrating its second year with a far-reaching array of educational & community events promoting creative non-violence. All are free & open to the public. The week-long festival offers workshops, discussions, &  films in peace-building as well as opportunities for coming together in community, with a theme of "celebrating the peace we have achieved & exploring ways to create more". 

 

For details,see:  www.bloomingtonpeaceweek.org. or click here

 

Kick-off will be Friday, Sept 18 from noon-1pm @ the Waldron Arts Center, main level, when the nationally-touring exhibit, "Victory over Violence" will open. Free ice cream & music will be provided, along with a taped address to Bloomington from peace-activist & congressman, Dennis Kucinich.

 

Several events, including a Sunday evening (9/20) "Peace Harvest" dinner provided by the Islamic Center, will be featured around town at The Waldron, Banneker Center, Monroe Co. Public Library, and elsewhere. The community is also invited to participate in a Town Hall meeting @ City Hall, Council Chambers, on Tuesday evening, Sept 22, to discuss a "city of peace" initiative for Bloomington

 

 

Cultural Celebration & Dedication of the Choekor Pagoda

Kalachakra Mandala  

Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20 at the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center:  3655 Snoddy Road, Bloomington, IN  47401 

The Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center (TMBCC) will dedicate the Choekor Pagoda and celebrate the cultures of Tibet and Mongolia with special events on Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2009.  Events are free and open to the public.  The TMBCC is located at 3655 Snoddy Road, Bloomington, IN 47401.  Following is a schedule of events

Saturday, September 19:             

8:00 p.m.     Campfire Program with entertainment by Tibetans and Mongolians

Sunday, September 20                                 

10:00 a.m.    Chanting of Prayers at the Kumbum Chamtse Ling temple by TMBCC resident monks

11:00 a.m.    Dedication of Choekor Pagoda.  This pagoda will house a replica of the Kalachakra  Mandala and a sacred Tibetan Prayer Wheel.  In the future, our resident monks will create a sacred sand painting of the Kalachakra Mandala to be placed in the pagoda

12:00 noon    Food, drink, and merchandise on sale at the Cultural Building

1- 5 p.m.        Mini Naadam on the grounds of the TMBCC:  wrestling, games (traditional Mongolian Sheep Ankle Bone Competition), supervised activities for children

Our Resident Monks Repairing the Jangchub Chorten

Both stupas are in need of repair.  The Jangchub Chorten was built as a memorial to Tibetan refugees and dedicated by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1987.  Recently one of the upper tiers of the  base began to crumble and disintegrate.  The chorten is badly stained and needs to be repainted.
 
The Kalachakra Stupa was built in 1999 at the time of the Kalachakra Empowerment given by His Holiness.  It, too, was dedicated by the Dalai Lama.  Although it is in better shape that the Jangchub Chorten, it, too, needs to be repainted.
 
We hope to have both monuments in perfect condition before His Holiness' visit to our center in May 2010.
 
For more information about the Jangchub Chorten (including its contents) and the Kalachakra Stupa, please click here.
 
A chorten (Sanskrit stupa) is a sacred symbol of the enlightened mind of a Buddha.  Helping to build or preserve one of these holy monuments generates good karma.  If you wish to help us renovate these sacred edifices, you will accumulate great merit.  Please send your donation to the following address:
 
TMBCC
Stupa Renovation
P.O. Box 2563
Bloomington, IN 47402
 

Celebrate His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet’s Birthday at the

Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center

 

His Holiness the Dalai Lama 

Annual TMBCC Yard Sale:  June 26 & 27^th Friday and Saturday - Inside the Cultural Building.

Clean up those closets, basements and back porches!   Donations are still needed to make this another successful sale.  Items may be dropped off during the day at the Cultural Building now through Thursday afternoon June 25th. 

Please bring items in and set them in the designated corner of the Great Room. Please label unusual items as to their origins and feel free to pre-price items for us. 

Proceeds will go towards this year's Mongolian Summer Camp and other projects to care for our grounds and to support the center.  Any items not sold at the sale will be donated to various local charitable organizations. 

For more information or if you would like to help out with the sale, please call Sandy at 812-325-6549. 

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Lobsang Nyandak, Representative of the Dalai Lama to Speak at the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center on June 17, 2009 at 6 p.m.

Lobsang Nyandak  

Mr. Lobsang Nyandak,  the Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama of Tibet to the Americas, will give a talk at the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center on Wednesday, June 17 at 6 p.m.  entitled “Future Prospects for Tibet.”  The talk will take place in the Cultural Building at 3655 Snoddy Road, Bloomington, IN  47401 and will be followed by a reception in his honor.  The public is invited free of charge.  Donations are accepted.

Mr. Lobsang Nyandak assumed the post of the Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the Americas on September 1, 2008.  He is a former Cabinet Member of the Central Tibetan Administration.  As a Cabinet Member, he headed the Department of Information and International Relations, the Department of Finance and the Department of Health.  Prior to his appointment to the Tibetan Cabinet, he worked as the founding Executive Director of the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy and also as a member of the Tibetan parliament.   He also worked in various Tibetan NGOs, in particular, Tibetan Youth Congress and National Democratic Party of Tibet.  Before joining the Office of Tibet, he worked as Development Director of the Tibet Fund, New York.

For more information, contact the TMBCC staff:  812-331-0014, 336-6807; tmbcc@tmbcc.net. 

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Saka Dawa Celebration at the TMBCC - June 7, 2009

The Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center will celebrate Saka Dawa at the TMBCC, 3655 Snoddy Road on Sunday, June 7.  The rituals will begin at 11:00 in the Kumbum Chamtse Ling Temple and the celebration will end at approximately 4:00 p.m. 

Following is a schedule of activities:

11:00 to 2:00 p.m. - Fire Puja (Peaceful)  performed by Director, Arjia Rinpoche.  He will be assisted by Geshe Lotin, Ven.  Chunpay, Ven. Dhamchoe Chopel, and Ven.    Jantsankhorol Tserendamba 

2:00 to 3:00 p.m. - Bathing of the Baby Buddha in the Kumbum Chamtse Ling Temple

3:00 to 4:00 p.m. - Lunch at the Cultural Building

4:00 to 4:30 p.m. - Dedication of the Kora Meditation Trail at the Flagpole with Circumambulation of the "Short Trail."

4:30 to 5:30 p.m. - Scavenger hunt on the Kora Trail

The public is invited.   All events are free.  Donations are gratefully accepted.

Saka Dawa

The Fourth month in the Tibetan Calendar, around the end of May to the end of June, is Saka Dawa. This event is considered the holiest of Buddhist Festivals. It is during this month, on the full moon, and in different years of his life, that Buddha Shakyamuni took birth, achieved Enlightenment and passed away attaining Nirvana.

During Saka Dawa, the karmic results of virtuous and non-virtuous actions are magnified. It is believed that merit earned on this day is multiplied a million times. As a result, the tradition in the Tibetan community is to make offerings to their temple, Lama, and their community. Fruits, flowers, cookies, and candy are good offerings for your altar. One important offering is made to poor people. Tibetans in Tibet, India, and Nepal give beggars give money during this time. The poor people line up on the streets for weeks accepting these donations. It is a very touching and moving sight.

Some Tibetans also give money to save the lives of animals. An example is giving a rancher or a butcher some money to save the life of a sheep. The sheep is taken to a herdsman who is paid regularly by the "sponsor" to take care of the animal. The karmic merit accumulated from these actions--if the motivation is correct--can be enormous.

The Fire Puja

 

After receiving an initiation, one practices the tantric path, bound to accomplish the welfare of sentient beings. To be capable of doing this one must become enlightened, and on the initial stage of the tantric path to this goal, one must closely identify with the deity whose practice one is pursuing by meditation on the deity, reciting his/her mantras and by making a ritual fire offering. Performing the ritual fire offering pleases the deities who help the disciple gain accomplishments on the path. It also serves to remove the faults of badly or incompletely recited mantras and removes obstacles to a good meditative stabilization.

 

There are four types of ritual fire offerings:

 

·       Peaceful,

·        Increasing,

·        Subduing

·        Forceful.

 

A Peaceful Ritual Fire Offering may be performed to pacify the results of unwholesome action, or to clear away obstacles and defilements. It may also be done to forestall impending difficulties and illnesses which have manifested themselves through dreams and inauspicious omens. Peaceful and Increasing Ritual Fire Offerings can be performed for both one's own and other's benefit.

 

The Subduing and Forceful Rituals can only be performed on behalf of others, for to forcefully subdue others for one's own benefit would contradict the conduct of a Bodhisattva which is fundamental to Buddhist tantric practice.

 

A Subduing Ritual Fire Offering may be performed to subdue forces that are harming other sentient beings. A forceful ritual fire offering is performed against harmful forces or people, if attempts to subdue them have failed and they continue to harm others.

 

A Forceful Ritual Fire Offering can be banish or instill such fear in the victim that he ceases to be harmful. When performing such a forceful ritual the master must be motivated purely by great compassion, not only for those being harmed, but also for those who are harming them. In Tibet these rituals were most often employed to dispel or subdue local disturbances, such as the harmful interference of spirits, possession by spirits, military aggression and so forth

 

Tibetan Mongolian Cultural Festival at the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center -  Sunday, May 24 - 12 noon to 5 p.m.

Visit the Happy Yak Gift Shop During the Festival

On Sunday, May 24, 2009, from 12 noon to 5 p.m., the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center TMBCC will hold a festival to celebrate the cultures of Tibet and Mongolia.  Mr. Gonchig Ganbold, Consular General of the Mongolian Embassy in Washington, D.C. will represent the Mongolian Culture, and Director of the TMBCC, Arjia Rinpoche, will represent the Tibetan culture at a brief ceremony honoring volunteers and donors to the center.

 

The day of celebration will begin with Prayers of Thanksgiving chanted by TMBCC's resident monks followed by the Honor Ceremony.   During the afternoon the public can enjoy music by live western bands and performances by Tibetan and Mongolian musicians.    Silent Auction of selected Tibetan and Mongolian items--including calligraphy by TMBCC Director, Arjia Rinpoche-- free food, momos, Tibetan and Mongolian merchandise on sale, open mike,  and children's activities will be available.  The Happy Yak Gift Shop will be open.  The TMBCC is located at 3655 Snoddy Road, Bloomington, Indiana 47401.

To view a schedule of events, click here

The public is invited.  All events are free.  TMBCC Staff:  812-331-0014; 812-336-6807
tmbcc@tmbcc.net

Gyalo Thondup's Visit to the TMBCC Is Cancelled

 

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New Yoga Class at the TMBCC

 

Beginning on Thursday, April 30 Winnie Edgerton will begin teaching a Beginner/Intermediate class at the Cultural Building.  The time is 5:00 p.m. to 6:30.  Suggested donation is $5 per class.

 

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The Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center welcomes world-renowned cellist Michael Fitzpatrick  for unveiling of the Film COMPASSION RISING

World-renowned cellist Michael Fitzpatrick will bring the film COMPASSION RISING to Bloomington on May 3, 2009. Thirteen years in the making, COMPASSION RISING chronicles the friendship between His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the late Thomas Merton, a friendship that inspired the unprecedented East-West musical collaboration filmed in Mammoth Cave, the largest cave in the world.  Since 1996, Fitzpatrick has devoted his musical talents and full-time efforts to the project, while participating in numerous events involving His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who stated, “The emotion of Michael Fitzpatrick’s music is so powerful it seems almost verbalized.” 

The event on May 3rd will be held at the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Center.  It begins at 4:00 p.m. with a Welcome Reception, followed by a ribbon cutting event officially opening the center's new Happy Yak Gift Shop featuring Tibetan and Mongolian handicrafts, jewelry, clothing and books.  A special musical performance and remarks by Fitzpatrick, who will introduce the ‘Director’s Cut’ of COMPASSION RISING, begins at 5:00 p.m.  Commenting on the film, Mary Pattison, Secretary to Arjia Rinpoche, Director of the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center, stated, “Fitzpatrick's stunning musical performances in the film, weaving between the other worldly sounds of Tibet's Drepung Loseling Monks and the Gregorian chant of the Abbey of Gethsemani Monks, powerfully renders a beautiful vision of compassion with all humanity,” 

The Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center is the ideal location for the unveiling of COMPASSION RISING, as Fitzpatrick has maintained for more than a decade a close friendship with the brother of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the recently deceased Thubten Jigme Norbu.  Fitzpatrick stated: “I am honored to continue the East-West collaboration with Arjia Rinpoche, whom I have had the pleasure of knowing and with whom I have worked over these past years. I am very excited to return to the Bloomington community and to introduce the Compassion Rising film project, especially as so much of it was filmed and recorded in Bloomington during His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s visits in 1999 and 2003.”

The unveiling event is open to the public with a suggested donation of $10 (pay at the door.)  Proceeds will be shared equally between the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center to support program development and the COMPASSION RISING film project to help fund completion of the film.

The Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center (www.tmbcc.net) is located at 3655 Snoddy Road, Bloomington, Indiana.   For more information call:  812-336-6807 (TMBCC). Details on COMPASSION RISING can be found at www.compassionrising.com. For more information on Michael Fitzpatrick, please visit http://www.michaelfitzpatrick.com

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Cut your Carbon Workshops to be offered April 19 & 26 at the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center:  3:30 to 5:30 in the Cultural Building Main room

An intensive program to reduce your “Carbon Footprint” while saving money.