Medicine Buddha Sadhana for Ultimate Healing Class 3

This link is for participants in the Ultimate Healing course, December 2009. This Medicine Buddha practice is the meditation homework for class 3. It's in the Ultimate Healing book as well.

This pdf is laid out to be printed back-t0-back and folded into a booklet. It can be a little tricky getting the reverse side printed the right way around and the instructions vary according to the printer you are using. Good luck.
http://www.fpmt.org/HOPE!/letter/booklet/medbudltrbklt.pdf

This version is "reader" style, which can be easier to print, but doesn't fold into a neat booklet:
http://www.fpmt.org/HOPE!/letter/reader/medbudltrrdr.pdf

Social scientists build case for 'survival of the kindest'

Social scientists build case for 'survival of the kindest'

ScienceDaily (2009-12-09) -- Researchers are challenging long-held beliefs that human beings are wired to be selfish. In a wide range of studies, social scientists are amassing a growing body of evidence to show we are evolving to become more compassionate and collaborative in our quest to survive and thrive.

In contrast to "every man for himself" interpretations of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection, Dacher Keltner, a UC Berkeley psychologist and author of "Born to be Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life," and his fellow social scientists are building the case that humans are successful as a species precisely because of our nurturing, altruistic and compassionate traits.

They call it "survival of the kindest."

more at: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091208155309.htm#

The Hidden Message in Water

We discussed this book in class two of "Ultimate Healing" after we did "Chenrezig Healing Meditation". This meditation is in chapter 21, pages 220-222,in the book "Ultimate Healing", by Lama Zopa. The Hidden Message book has evidence supporting the meditation.

"The Hidden Message in Water", By Masaru Emoto
Available on Amazon

Product Description
This book has the potential to profoundly transform your world view. Using high-speed photography, Dr. Masaru Emoto discovered that crystals formed in frozen water reveal changes when specific, concentrated thoughts are directed toward them. He found that water from clear springs and water that has been exposed to loving words shows brilliant, complex, and colorful snowflake patterns. In contrast, polluted water, or water exposed to negative thoughts, forms incomplete, asymmetrical patterns with dull colors. The implications of this research create a new awareness of how we can positively impact the earth and our personal health.

Vajrasattva Retreat and the Relics at Vajrapani Inst.

I wanted to pass on more information about the Vajrasattva Retreat and the relics, as a few questions came up during your Ultimate Healing class at GGBC.

- The relics will be here during the Vajrasattva Retreat. The relics will also be available for viewing / practice on Dec 26 from 10am to 4pm.

- Partial attendance is allowed for the Vajrasattva Retreat, for people who can't come for the entire duration.

Jennifer

Vajrapani Institute Office
(831) 338-6654
10am-6pm, Pacific Time - 7 days a week
http://www.vajrapani.org

Karma Activity: protecting living beings

Today I did something that was related to the 'homework' this week from our Ulimate Healing course--the exercise in protecting the welfare of living beings.

I hung up reflective streamers and whirligigs around the Memorial Shrine Temple to stop birds from flying into the windows. I also shopped for decals that are translucent to humans, but show up well to birds--a fun example of the emptiness of the object, making the object appear differently to different observers--but I couldn't find any locally and we'll just have to get them online. (Search for "bird window decals" or "stop birds flying into windows" if you have the same problem.)

There are various reasons that a person might do something like preventing birds from flying into the window. One is compassion for the birds. Another is that you don't like cleaning up the mess. In this week's exercise, the idea is to change our karma; specifically the karma of having poor health or a shortened life span. In the case of the bird-window injuries, my efforts would help purify the karma of getting in injury-accidents. I do have a tendency to bump my head hard on things that are placed just a little too low, like stove hoods, and Asian doorjambs. So now maybe I'll have a little less of that.

Then, after doing the karma activity with the awareness of dependent arising, we can rejoice to multiply the effect and dedicate in order not to lose the positive potential.

May all beings be protected from collisions.

Ribur Tulku Recognized - Autumn 2009

Several of our older students at GGBC took teachings and vows from the Late Ribur Rinpoche who made Aptos (Santa Cruz) his home during the last years of his life. He was one of my very dear teachers. When he returned to India in 2005 to leave his body there I decided to make the journey to see him quickly one more time. Fortunately I got there just in time, spending the last week of 2005 at Sera Monastery, visiting Rinpoche several times that week. Two weeks later, while I and most of the monastery were at the Kalachakra Initiation with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh, Rinpoche left his body on the full moon day, January 15, 2006.

This season, we are just finding out about his new emanation (tulku), which has been officially confirmed by His Holiness. Read this message from Lorne Ladner, Director of Guhyasamaja Center, and also a close student of the previous Ribur Rinpoche.

- Drimay
________________________________

[November 2009]

This is an update going out to Genden Ling (the Dharma Center of Kyabje Ribur Rinpoche) and friends…

It’s been nearly 4 years now since Kyabje Ribur Rinpoche passed away in South India. Before Rinpoche’s death, he made it extremely clear to quite a few of his students that he would quickly take rebirth in order to continue his work for the benefit of sentient beings. Before Rinpoche passed away, he even made it clear that he’d built his Labrang (home) near Sera Mey for his next incarnation to grow up in, requested Gyumed Khensur Rinpoche Lobsang Jampa (whom Rinpoche often praised very, very highly) to be his first teacher in his next lifetime, and even chose a young monk to be his attendant in his next life.

Soon after Rinpoche passed away, his nephew and long-time attendant Tenzin Rinpoche wrote to H.H. the Dalai Lama who indicated that it would not be difficult to find the tulku of Ribur Rinpoche and that this would be possible in 4-5 years time. Also, Kyabje Ribur Rinpoche had told a couple of people that his tulku would be found very close to Sera Mey monastery in South India.

So, last year at the request of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Gyumed Khensur Rinpoche arranged to have some monks collect names and information about boys recently born near Sera Mey. These names were then given to Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche who subsequently arranged to have them given to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Recently, His Holiness wrote back to Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche indicating that a young boy (currently) named Tenzin Pasang who lives close to Sera Mey Monastery in South India is the reincarnation of Kyabje Ribur Rinpoche!

The young boy apparently lives with his father and older sister. His parents have been told about this news by a group of monks from Sera, and they were apparently quite happy with the news and quite agreeable to his entering the monastery to study when he is old enough to do so! His parents apparently mentioned that Tenzin Pasang often liked holding a Vajra and Bell.

I was just given permission to share this news with Rinpoche’s students, so feel free to pass this along to friends who may not already be included in Genden Ling’s email list if you like. I hope that others of you who knew and studied with Kyabje Ribur Rinpoche—a true emanation of Shri Heruka Chakrasamvara—are as joyful at this news of the discovery of his reincarnation as I am!

As this time, nothing is particularly needed in terms of help or support for the tulku. So, it appears that for now we can simply rejoice and also make prayers that the tulku continues to uphold and spread the Buddha’s teachings in general and Je Tsongkhapa’s teachings of Sutra & Tantra in particular as vastly and skillfully as the previous Ribur Tulku and also that all of his holy wishes be fulfilled.

Also, His Holiness the Dalai Lama advised that the boy recite the mantras of Manjushri and the Miktsema name mantra of Je Rinpoche to remove obstacles or obscurations. Gyumed Khensur Rinpoche indicated that it was OK for us students to also recite these on behalf of the tulku. If opportunities arise in the future such that donations can be collected for pujas or other needs of the young tulku, then I’ll pass that along as well in case people have the wish to help in those ways as needs arise.

Thanks!
With much joy,
Lorne Ladner