from: jamyang buddhist centre · the new year and so we have included a talk by geshe rabten...

From: Jamyang Buddhist Centre <[email protected]>Subject: Gentle Voice November 2011

Reply: [email protected]

December 2011 and January 2012

In This IssueLama Yeshe teaching on Refuge

Long Life Puja for His Holiness theDalai Lama

His Holiness The Dalai Lama inEurope 2012

This month at Jamyang

Geshe Rabten explains Shamata

Geshe Tashi's column

The Director's Column

MIndfulness Based Stress Reduction(MBSR)

Jamyang Community Day

Christmas Shopping at Jamyang

The onward march of the Jamyangcafe

Volunteering and help with SchoolVisits

Poetry Corner

Dolma Education Fundraiser

About FPMT

Your thoughts for Gentle Voice

Quick Links

Jamyang Website

Current Programme Talking Buddhism The Foundation StudyCourse The Lamrim Chenmo StudyCourse FPMT

Editor's welcome

Hello,

This is the bumper end of yearedition of Gentle Voice. There willbe no edition at the end ofDecember so don't waitexpectantly next to your e-letterbox for your e-post at the end ofthe ye-ar. Before I forget - HappyChristmas and a Happy NewYear to you all from all of us atJamyang. What a lovely month November has been, constantly waitingfor the winter that never seemed to arrive, though there is adistinct nip in the air now. Finally, around the middle of themonth, I just gave up waiting, discarded my woollies, andjoined Alex in wandering the building in my bare feet. There'ssurely a lesson in that, the futility of expectations and the joy ofgiving them up and just living in the moment.

Geshe Tashi has been away the whole month but we have stillrun an interesting and varied series of classes. Many thanks toall the teachers and facilitators who ran classes this month. Itwas lovely to see the building full of children on the bread-making workshop last Sunday. They all seemed to really enjoythemselves and I hope we will be able to organise moreevents like this. Geshe-la is back on the 6th of December in story-telling mode.He will be telling us the life story of that hugely inspirationalfigure and the founder of our order of Tibetan Buddhism, LamaTsongkhapa.

As ever, do check the classes that are coming up. You canstart your warm up for Christmas with a weekend art class withAndy Weber (9th to the 11th December). This is followed bythe Community Day on the 18th December, a great chance toshare and discuss Jamyang's plans and also partake of theBring and Buy sale to fill up those stockings.

Gentle Voice November 2011 https://ui.constantcontact.com/visualeditor/visual_editor_preview....

1 of 11 16/12/2011 12:25

Then we have a range of very special practice retreats overthe holiday period and into January, starting with Nyung Naypractice from the evening of the 20th December for threedays. Do book yourself a space for these if you intend tocome. You can book by e-mailing Davidat [email protected]

In this edition we have a talk by Lama Yeshe on Refuge,explaining how we all take refuge all the time - it's just a matterof what you take refuge in - so be careful!

Geshe Tashi is leading a retreat on Shamata immediately afterthe New Year and so we have included a talk by GesheRabten explaining the path that you follow when you practiseshamata.

If you share in the practice of exchanging gifts at Christmas,then you can support Jamyang by buying some of your giftsfrom our bookshop or the cafe, details below.

This is a very sociable time of year and we would encourageyou all to approach the season in its true spirit, practisinggenerosity, loving kindness and compassion. If it all gets toofrenetic and materialistic then just take a moment to connectwith the deep absurdity of human existence. In the words ofthe song - The fool on the hill sees the world spinning round!

Peace and Love,John

Lama Yeshe on Refuge

There is always the risk at this time of year that yourrefuge will consist of food, presents and drink.... Ofcourse not you personally but some of us will strayinto these dangerous waters. Lama Yeshe gave a veryinteresting talk on Refuge in July 1978 and thefollowing is an extract "Taking refuge is the first step on the Buddhist path toinner freedom, but it is not something new. We havebeen taking refuge all our lives, though mainly inexternal things, hoping to find security and happiness.Some of us take refuge in money, some in drugs.Others take refuge in food, mountain climbing orsunny beaches. Most of us seek security in a relationship with a man or a woman. Throughoutour lives we have drifted from one situation to the next, always in the expectation of finalsatisfaction. Our successive involvements may sometimes offer temporary relief but, in sobertruth, seeking refuge in physical possessions and transient pleasures merely deepens ourconfusion rather than ending it. "We should try to determine for ourselves whether or not our experiences have been beneficial.When we take refuge only in agreeable sensations or emotions, the problem of attachment is


2 of 11 16/12/2011 12:25

merely aggravated and we are sadly disenchanted because we expect lasting satisfaction fromwhat turn out to be mere flickers of ephemeral pleasure. We take refuge in darkness and sinkinto even deeper darkness. "Buddhist refuge is a process of turning inward that begins with our discovery of our ownunlimited potential as human beings. This discovery generates tremendous zeal for thedevelopment of our own inborn wisdom-energy. Complete, perfect wisdom is buddhahood.Perhaps the word "buddha" conjures up a remote and rather oriental image. But "buddha" is justa word, and it means totally opened mind, an "opened lotus." When we finally realize our humanpotential and arrive at this total openness of mind, we become buddhas. "However, at the outset we feel hopeless, helpless and incapable of self-improvement. Buddhaseems to be somewhere in the sky, completely out of reach, and we are nothing. But this is nottrue; we should not underestimate ourselves. Shakyamuni, the historical buddha, was once evenmore confused than we are, but by discovering his own latent wisdom energy he attainedenlightenment. There are countless buddhas, and all living beings have the innate capacity tounify their minds with the unsurpassable clarity of enlightenment. "During Buddha Shakyamuni's lifetime, many people attained profound insight and experiencedmiraculous bliss as a result of merely seeing him. In spite of his bodily disappearance so longago, we still benefit from the power of his wisdom and compassion. By cultivating our own latentpowers and continuously developing our wisdom, we too can immensely benefit others.However much the world around us changes and our fortunes fluctuate, our inner world canremain stable and balanced when fortified by this profound understanding. Wisdom bringsunfailing happiness, unlike those temporal objects of refuge, which bring only tantalizingly briefand inconclusive moments of pleasure. "The three objects of refuge are Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Taking refuge in the Buddhainvolves accepting the guidance of enlightened beings as the only remedy for the confusion anddissatisfaction of our present life. This is the only way we can realize our dormant capacity forattaining inner freedom. There are two aspects of refuge: the outer and the inner. Outer refugemeans seeking guidance from living buddhas, since we are unable to achieve liberation withouta teacher. Buddhas also provide inspiration and are sublime models for us to emulate. When wecontemplate the enlightened state, its reflection within our own mind fills us with joyful, radiantenergy. This demonstrates that though at present we are not fully enlightened, the seed ofbuddhahood is contained within each of us. Inner refuge is directed towards this seed ofenlightenment, this inner buddha-nature. We recognize that, ultimately, we are our own refuge." The full text of this talk is available here Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive

Donate to Long Life Puja for His Holiness the Dalai Lama

FPMT is one of the sponsors of the Kalachakra initiation, and the Long Lifepuja to be offered to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, dedicated to His long lifeand the fulfilment of all His Holiness' wishes, in Bodhgaya, India: 31 Dec2011 - 10 Jan 2012.If you wish to make a donation to the Long Life Puja then please go tohttp://www.fpmt.org/projects/donate.php and make your donation directly onthe FPMT site.

His Holiness The Dalai Lama in Europe 2012

We've had some great news about the teaching schedule of His Holiness theDalai Lama in Europe next year. Not only will he be coming to the UK in June -


3 of 11 16/12/2011 12:25

the centrepiece will be teachings in Manchester - but he will also be in Austriain May. Details of the Austrian teachings are on this website His Holiness DalaiLama Austria 2012.We will let you know the details of the UK visit when they are available.

THIS MONTH AT JAMYANG

THE COMING DECEMBER AND JANUARY AT JAMYANG

CLASSES by GESHE TASHI

Tuesdays 6 and 13 December@ 7.30pmLife of Lama Tsongkhapa Wednesdays 7 & 14 December@ 7.30pmMeditation on boundless balanceand joy Weekend 28 &29 JanJoy and Rejoicing Geshe Tashi will also teach on theevenings of 24th, 25th and 31stJanuary RETREATS

Tuesday 20 Dec 7:00pm until 23at7:00amNyung Nay

Wed 4 Jan - 10 JanShamata Retreat with Geshe Tashi

Thursday 12 Jan - 18 JanVajrayogini Retreat with gesheTashi

BUDDHIST MEDITATION

Mondays 5 & 12 DecShamata Classes restart 30th January with"Positve Emotions" Saturday 3 & 7 Dec and 21 Jan @ 10:30 -12:30Insight Meditation Practice Group MEDITATION

WEEKEND TEACHINGS 3 and 4 DecemberDiscovering Buddhism: Presentingthe Path 21 and 22 JanuaryBuddhism in a Nutshell with VenKerry SPECIAL EVENTS

Tuesday 20 [email protected] Tsongkhapa Day

4th and 20th Dec3rd and 18th Jan Lama Choepa

Tuesdays 6 & 13 Dec, 24 & 31 Jan@ 4.15pmTara Puja

Tuesdays 6 & 13 Dec & 31 Jan@ 6.15pmMedicine Buddha Puja

COMMUNITY

9th to 11th DecemberAndy Weber Weekend Art Class

Sunday 18 DecCreche/children facility forCommunity Day 29th JanCreche/chldren facility for GesheTashi's classFamily Day

Sunday 18 DecemberCommunity Day


4 of 11 16/12/2011 12:25

Thursdays 1, 8, 15 Dec and 19thand 26th January @ 6.15pmSilent Meditation

Mondays 5 & 12 Dec and 23 &30Jan @ 12 noon andWednesdays 7 & 14 Dec and 30January @ 12 noonMidday Meditation

Thursday 1 December@ 7.30pmMeditation for beginners

Thursday 8 December@ 7.30pmSpirited Sisters

Thursday 8 December@ 7.30pmBuddha Brothers

Thursday 26th Jan @ 6:30pmMindfulness Based StressReduction (start of 8 week course)

Thursday 26th Jan @7:30Jamyang Social: AV Club

Geshe Rabten on Shamata

This January we will be hosting a Shamata Retreat thatwill be led by Geshe Tashi. The retreat runs from the 4thto the 10th of January, 8:00am to 5:30pm each day. Thereare one or two cells and dormitory spaces available aswell as living out places. Call or email the office for details.

We thought that you would like a bit of an introduction tothe subject so here is an extract of a talk on Shamatameditation by the great Tibetan teacher Geshe Rabten.Geshe Rabten uses the Tibetan word shi-nä which is thetranslation of the Sanskrit word Shamata. It is usuallytranslated as Calm Abiding in English. This extract fromhis talk refers to the pictorial representation on the right.Image courtesy of Andy Weber. Cards of this thanka andother Andy Weber paintings are available through ourbookshop.

"At the bottom of the diagram depicting the developmentof concentration the elephant is totally black. This is because at the primary stage of thedevelopment of shi-nä mental torpor pervades the mind.

"In front of the elephant is a monkey representing mental agitation. A monkey cannot keep stillfor a moment but is always chattering and fiddling with something, being attracted to everything.The monkey is leading the elephant. At this stage of practice mental agitation leads the mindeverywhere. "Behind the elephant trails the meditator, who is trying to gain control of the mind. In one handhe holds a rope, symbolic of mindfulness, and in the other he holds a hook, symbolic ofalertness.At this level the meditator has no control whatsoever over his mind. The elephant follows themonkey without paying the slightest attention to the meditator. In the second stage the meditatorhas almost caught up with the elephant. "In the third stage the meditator throws the rope over the elephant's neck. The elephant looksback, symbolizing that here the mind can be somewhat restrained by the power of mindfulness.


5 of 11 16/12/2011 12:25

At this stage a rabbit appears on the elephant's back. This is the rabbit of subtle mental torpor,which previously was too fine to be recognized but which now is obvious to the meditator. "In these early stages we have to apply the force of mindfulness more than the force of mentalattentive application for agitation must be eliminated before torpor can be dealt with.In the fourth stage the elephant is far more obedient. Only rarely does he have to be given therope of mindfulness. "In the fifth stage the monkey follows behind the elephant, who submissively follows the ropeand hook of the meditator. Mental agitation no longer heavily disturbs the mind. "In the sixth stage the elephant and monkey both follow meekly behind the meditator. Themeditator no longer needs even to look back at them. He no longer has to focus his attention inorder to control the mind. The rabbit has now disappeared. "In the seventh stage the elephant is left to follow of its own accord. The meditator does nothave to give it either the rope of mindfulness or the hook of attentive application. The monkey ofagitation has completely left the scene. Agitation and torpor never again occur in gross formsand even subtly only occasionally. "In the eighth stage the elephant has turned completely white. He follows behind the man for themind is now fully obedient. Nonetheless, some energy is still required in order to sustainconcentration. "In the ninth stage the meditator sits in meditation and the elephant sleeps at his feet. The mindcan now indulge in effortless concentration for long periods of time, even days, weeks ormonths. "These are the nine stages of the development of shi-nä. The tenth stage is the attainment ofreal shi-nä represented by the meditator calmly riding on the elephant's back. "Beyond this is an eleventh stage, in which the meditator is depicted as riding on the elephant,who is now walking in a different direction. The meditator holds a flaming sword. He has nowentered into a new kind of meditation called vipasyana, or higher insight:(Tibetan: Lhag-mthong). This meditation is symbolized by his flaming sword, the sharp andpenetrative implement that cuts through to realization of Voidness. "At various points in the diagram there is a fire. This fire represents the effort necessary to thepractice of shi-nä. Each time the fire appears it is smaller than the previous time. Eventually itdisappears. At each successive stage of development less energy is needed to sustainconcentration and eventually no effort is required. The fire reappears at the eleventh stage,where the meditator has taken up meditation on voidness. "Also on the diagram are the images of food, cloth, musical instruments, perfume and a mirror.They symbolize the five sources of mental agitation, i.e. the five sensual objects: those of taste,touch, sound, smell and sight, respectively." The full text of this talk is available on the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive

Geshe Tashi's column

Hello,Well I am still away on my travels in America and India.Everything is going very well and I am looking forward to beingback at Jamyang in December. I look forward to seeing you all


6 of 11 16/12/2011 12:25

there, either at my talks in December on the life of our founder,Lama Tsongkhapa or my Wednesday classes or at one of theretreats in January, first the Shamata and then the Vajrayoginiretreat.

So please carry on with your meditations and try to incorporatethe dharma into your daily lives. Remember that all yourpractice starts with compassion for yourself and then builds outto compassion for others. You will find it very hard to feelcompassion for others if you do not have any for yourself. Sodon't be too hard on yourself if it all seems to be very difficult atthis very busy time of year.

Best wishes

Geshe Tashi

Director's Column

Hello,A very Happy Lama Tsongkhapa day and very Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year toeveryone!

It seems odd to be writing to you all in the 'Director's bit'. And there is a certain amount of'instant karma's gonna get you' as after just under two years of hassling first Sally then John,then Sally again, then Sue to give me some text to put in the upcoming edition of Gentle Voice,now it is John hassling me with a certain air of 'what goes around comes around'. Only joking! As always he is the epitome of a charming, fun and well mannered work colleague - not keepingtabs on my peccadilloes (I leave the armadillos at home).

So what to say? In the wider world this has been a year of tremendous changes. In this worldof change, and as we pass the anniversary of 16 years in the Courthouse on Monday 28November in our 33rd year of existence, I just want to say thank you to everyone who supportsus now and who has supported us in the past in whatever way.

Just thinking back on what I know of this year (I am just four weeks into the director job) the listof people who have helped us, and I include the Courthouse Community Centre (CCC) charityand its Repaying The Kindness (RTK) initiative here, is so long. This giving ranges fromvolunteers offering time and expertise, to Jamyang Friends offering financial donations, topeople giving occasional donations, to people renting our facilities and buying our cateringservices and eating in our cafe, to people offering to ensure that the cycle of pujas we offer herecan continue, people offering so that the dharma, meditation and teaching programme here canbe rich and varied, to people helping out CCC and RTK, to the cafe crew, the hospitality team,the staff, people helping put on Peace in the City and the community events, to people makingtime to listen and share with others.

They say there is a purpose to the order of the six perfections - starting with generosity, movingto morality, patience/ tolerance, energy for good, concentration and wisdom. So that meansthere are a lot of people connected with us making first steps in the foundation of generosity. That is something huge, something to really rejoice in.

So please rejoice in the good that you do and in the good that others do. Your kindness andgenerosity means that Jamyang will be around for a little longer to give people the opportunity tobring calmness and contentment to their minds, to further develop their innate capacity for loving


7 of 11 16/12/2011 12:25

kindness, or just to have a quiet space to step into and refresh themselves before heading backout into the maelstrom once again.

Keep well, be happyMike

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction

You may have noticed that we have started to offer courses under theheading of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). This is astructured 8 week course consisting of 8 evening classes and a fullweekend day of practice. In addition there is an introductory evening,so it's a 9 week commitment.

So what is it? MBSR is a programme established by Jon Kabat-Zinn atthe University of Massachusetts Medical School. It takes the age-oldpractices of meditation and uses them to solve various problemsencountered in modern life. Mindfulness helps you to become moreaware of your thoughts and mental processes, and the aim of thecourse is to give the participants the techniques to allow them tochoose how you respond to what comes up in their minds, rather thanresponding on autopilot. Interest in mindfulness has been growing steadily in recent years, partly as a result ofimprovements in brain scanning techniques. The National Institute for Health and ClinicalExcellence (NICE) has approved uses of mindfulness based cognitive therapies as apreventative for repeated episodes of depression. Of course the techniques are far more widelyapplicable than this narrow usage and this type of mental training is now in use in boardrooms,schools, hospitals, and even prisons and courtrooms, across the world. We will be offering these courses at Jamyang and establishing them as a strong component ofour community programmes. We will be running two MBSR courses next term. The first starts onthe 26th January and will run at 6:30 in the evenings. The second course starts on the 2ndFebruary and will be a morning course from 10:30 to 12:30. If you want to participate do get intouch with the office either by phone or email David at [email protected]

Jamyang Community Day combined with Family Day 18th December

Dear Jamyang Friends, Jamyang Community Day 2011Sunday 18th December - 10.30 am to 3 pm Community Day is your chance to come and share Jamyang's plansfor the future. All are welcome, no matter how young. There will be acreche and activities for youngsters provided by our Family Dayvolunteers. We will start with a meditation dedicated to the success of HisHoliness the Dalai Lama's visit to Britain in June next year and thecontinuing recovery of Lama Zopa Rinpoche's health. Our theme, "Creating a strong Community", enables us to celebrate Jamyang's progress in the


8 of 11 16/12/2011 12:25

past year, take stock of its changes and share everyone's ideas on plans for even more successin the future. There will be lots of informal time to meet old friends and make new ones over discussions anda shared lunch. A "Seasonal Bring and Buy Stall" ** will offer a great chance to obtain some last minutepresents.

Outline of the Day 10.30 - Arrival and a Welcoming Treat 11,00 - Meditation, dedicated to the great success of H H Dalai Lama's visit to UK in June 2012and the continuing recovery and good health of Lama Zopa Rinpoche. 11.45 - 12:45 Jamyang's New Organisation and Five Year Development StrategyIntroduced by Mike Murray and Ros Boughtflower. 12:45 Questions and suggestions and informal group discussions over refreshments. What are your ideas on: Buddhist Education, Venue Development, Local Community Engagement,Making Jamyang better known in the local Community? 13.45 - Shared Lunch. Take you time, stay and socialise; who knows what surprises the day maybring? **"Bring and Buy" Stall. If you would like to donate anything, drop it off at the Centre before theday, if you can. If not, bring it as early as you can on the day. All proceeds will help us enhanceJamyang Buddhist Centre and its capacity to serve an ever widening community. So startmaking those biscuits and jam now!

Christmas Shopping at Jamyang

Do you have a special dharma friend? Not sure what togive them for Christmas? Why not visit our shop and buysomething with a dharmic resonance? Alternatively, why not buy them a subscription to theJamyang Friends scheme? They will get a free Mandalamagazine every quarter and a range of other benefits. Ayearly subscription is £180 or you can buy six months for£90. Contact the office and order the special Friend'sScheme gift card by emailing us at [email protected]

The onward march of the Jamyang cafe

The cafe is now selling loaves of bread over the counter. They areall hand baked by our great team and they make interesting loavesusing exotic and rare ingredients (OK mostly very good qualitywheat). Over the next few weeks there will also be a range of Christmasdelicacies available to take away from the Jamyang Cafe. Surpriseyour Christmas party with Pepparkakor (Swedish gingerbread)


9 of 11 16/12/2011 12:25

or Makos Kaldcs (Hungarian poppy seed cake) and more. All extra and exceedingly yummy!!

Volunteering at Jamyang

We are always very grateful for any offer of help we receive to help runthe centre. If you can offer any help either occasional or on a regularbasis then do get in touch with the office. We appreciate help with tasksaround the building, from plumbing to cleaning to beautification to helpin the office.

In particular we need more help with hosting arranged visits either byschool parties or other interested groups. We also need help withoutreach visits - visiting schools that request talks on Buddhism. Theseall tend to be daytime weekday activities. Usually you are part of a teamwith experienced teachers and show the visitors round the building, explaining its history and answeringquestions on the Buddhist artefacts. Training is given by our experienced helpers and you will alwaysreceive a cup of tea, biscuits and a free lunch. What could be a better way to spend a morning! Foroutreach visits, we would not ask you to go out to schools until you had some experience with school visitshere at Jamyang. If you are interested then please contact us at this email address. [email protected]

Poetry Corner

Stars come into centre stage at this time of year. Some evenmove across the sky. The rationalists amongst us will speakabout Halley's comet and its periodic reappearance due to its elliptical orbit.

We like the following poem that speaks to the mystery of thevastness of space.

When I Heard the Learn'd AstronomerBy Walt Whitman

When I heard the learn'd astronomer,When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me,When I was shown the charts and diagrams, to add, divide, and measure them,When I sitting heard the astronomer where he lectured with much applause in the lecture-room,How soon unaccountable I became tired and sick,Till rising and gliding out I wander'd off by myself,In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time,Look'd up in perfect silence at the stars.

Fundraiser for the Dolma Education Fund Friday 16 December 5.30 - 9.30pm

A short reminder that we are hosting a fundraiser in aid of the DolmaEducation Fund. The highlight of the evening will be a supper cooked byGeshe Tashi, his sister Dolma Konchok and Lobsie (aka Lobsang Palbar). Also there will be stalls and a silent auction.The Dolma Education Fund is Geshe Tashi's private initiative to help Tibetanchildren from his Indian home environment to get a good education. It wasnamed after his beloved mother, Dolma.For tickets for the event please contact Michelle Klepper on mobile 077 6688 4260 or by [email protected]. Please book in advance so that Geshe-la knows how many tocook for! The suggested donation is £15.Please note that all money for this event goes to the Dolma Fund and that Jamyang is notinvolved in the financing of the event. So if you are turning up on the night please bring cash or


10 of 11 16/12/2011 12:25

your cheque book as the Dolma Fund does not have a credit card facility.

Can you help sew bags for the Dolma Education Fund to sell at this event?A number of Geshe Tashi's students and Dolma Education Fund supporters are volunteering tomake bags to raise money for the Fund at the upcoming fundraising event in December. If youyou can help with either machine (must have own machine) or hand sewing please contact RosWilliams at [email protected] to discuss how you can help in this fun fundraising project.

FPMT-

Jamyang is affiliated with FPMT (Foundation for the Preservation ofthe Mahayana Tradition) and is one of more than 150 centers andprojects worldwide. FPMT is based on the Gelugpa tradition of Lama Tsongkhapa of Tibetas taught by our founder, Lama Thubten Yeshe and spiritual director,Lama Zopa Rinpoche. If you would like to receive FPMT's monthlynewsletters please subscribe here.

Your thoughts

What do you want to see in Gentle Voice? We would love to hear your ideas and commentsabout Gentle Voice, please contact John at: [email protected]

Forward email

This email was sent to [email protected] by [email protected] | Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy.

Jamyang Buddhist Centre | The Old Courthouse | 43 Renfrew Road | London | SE11 4NA | null


11 of 11 16/12/2011 12:25

from: jamyang buddhist centre · the new year and so we have included a talk by geshe rabten...

Documents