New Year Poem from Ringu Tulku Rinpoche

New Year's Greeting for 2011:

Another year has passed like a dream.

We observed calamity after calamity.

Are we about to make our world unliveable

With our greed, short sightedness and ignorance?

Watching the Dalai Lama and a host of great beings

I find courage to look at the brighter side.

There is no use lamenting and losing heart.

We all have the fortune to choose what we do.

A little bird poured a mouthful of water on the forest fire.

“This may not put down the fire,” she said,

“But I like to be counted among those who tried to help”.

Let us do something that might help us and our fellow beings.

What an immense challenge we face!

What a great opportunity we have!

With a joyful smile and heart filled with kindness

Let us embrace the challenges of the coming New Year.

Wishing you a most wonderful new year in 2011.

Ringu Tulku

HH Karmapa will pray for your loved ones this week...

Many thanks to our Dharma friend Rahima for sending this information.
It was received from Samye Ling in Scotland and will surely be of interest to all who would like His Holiness Karmapa to pray for thier loved ones - especially those who have passed away.

The email which Rahima wishes to share reads as follows:

MESSAGE FROM INDIA  December 17, 2010 6 PM PST

Dear Friends,

His Holiness Karmapa is doing Akshobhya Buddha Rituals each night.

Lists for living and deceased family and friends for blessing and
deliverance can be sent to admin@kagyumonlam.tv, no offering needed but
recommended:
http://www.kagyumonlam.org/English/Monlam/monlam_sponsorship.html

On the sixth night the lists will be burned, so you have two days to get
lists to His Holiness. This is the first time HH is allowing this without
offering.

Please share this with Buddhist communities and friends.

Announcing Tibetan Language Classes in Dublin!

Many Many Thanks to Mick Mc Sweeney and Kelle Link for organising these wonderful Tibetan classes.
Please spread the word far and wide!
Tashi Samdup is a great person. He lives in Howth and is sure to be a fantastic teacher.

Dear Friends,

We are pleased to inform you that we intend to offer Tibetan language classes in Dublin early in the New Year.  There will be a beginners' course, and if needed, a course for those who have more experience.  The course(s) will consist of two six-week modules, with the first beginning in mid-January and finishing in March, followed by a second module, probably starting in mid to late April.

The classes will be taught by Tashi Samdup, who is a from Amdo province, in north-eastern Tibet.  Before he left Tibet, Tashi Samdup was studying to be a Tibetan doctor, and while in India, edited a Tibetan language newpaper. This year, he has been teaching Tibetan language in private classes in Dublin.  He has a wide knowledge of both the written and spoken language, being familiar with Lhasa and Kham dialects as well as that of Amdo.

The beginner’s classes which Tashi Samdup will teach will focus initially on the basics of Tibetan reading, progressing to cover grammar, simple spoken Tibetan and translation of prayers.  If there is demand for a more advanced class, the content will be tailored to take account of the students’ prior knowledge of the language.

These classes will be held on Tuesday evenings at 7.30 at  Kagyu Samye Dzong in Kilmainham.  The cost will be €60 per module, payable in full at the beginning of the module.  A reduced rate of €35 is available for Social welfare recipients.

If you would like to enrol in these classes, or have any questions, please contact Kagyu Samye Dzong at info@buddhism.ie or on 01-4537427.

Kind regards,

Lisa Steifl, KSD

RIGUL NEWS

click here to read the latest Rigul Newsletter.  There has been a lot of fundraising for the school and medical centre, which are now up and running, but money is now needed to keep things going.