Some of you will remember Lama Tustrim's visit to Ireland earlier this year. Bodhicharya France has produced an album of his songs to raise funds for the Rigul Trust, please see Margaret Richardson's message below, and click here for a sample track to download.

Rain of Blessings - Lama Tsultrim recording of mantras and prayers on CD

Created by Margaret Richardson, yesterday
Shared With: Bodhicharya

Dear friends,

It is our pleasure to announce that a CD with mantras and prayers recorded by Lama Tsultrim and sold for the benefit of Rigul Trust is now available.

The project started one year ago during Summercamp 2011.

Lama Tsultrim suggested that the Sangha could sing, as an offering to Rinpoche, the so-called root guru mantra found in Kalu Rinpoche's Guru Yoga text, using a melody taken from the Calling the Guru From Afar prayer.

Rinpoche liked the mantra so much that he suggested that Lama Tsultrim could record it on a CD. This mantra, plus several others, have hence been recorded by Lama Tsultrim during the spring 2012. .

Best wishes,
Sherab.

Bodhicharya France

The contents of the CD are:

1  Root Lama Mantra
2  Karmapa Mantra
3  Mahamudra Prayer
4  Chenrezig Mantra
5  Invocation of Milarepa

Further details to follow shortly on the Rigul Trust Community as to how to buy this CD that Lama Tsultrim has recorded. Lama Tsultrim has a beautiful voice.

A transition year opportunity for people of any age in Sikkim, Northern India

Himalayan Gap Year is a programme set up by Spaff and Cathy Ackerly in
consultation with Ringu Tulku Rinpoche. After completing a 3 year 3 month
retreat at BMC Sikkim, under the guidance of  Rinpoche, they have set up
cross cultural links with Sikkim for young and not so young adults who'd like
to broaden their experience and get involved in a different culture through
volunteering or /and studies.

The programme is part hosted in Sikkim by Rinpoche's brother  Pema Namgyal
whose 'home from home',  The Hotel Pomra in Sikkim's capital, Gangtok, provides a
base. They are taking their first group of US High School graduates in the autumn of
2012.  

It would be an interesting opportunity for transition year and they welcome students
from Ireland and across Europe. 

See also their facebook page. 

New Classes in Dublin

Dublin member Bruno Breathnach has sent information on an interesting  new 20 hour intensive study programme he will be running on the topic 'Heart Essence'.  He says, "Hear Contemplate and Taste the Buddha's Main Teachings".  Details can be found on his website. 

Rinpoche's visit to Vajra Buddhist Centre in Singapore

Bodhicharya Ireland member, Albert Harris is currently travelling through Asia with Fulmaya his wife, on their way to BMC in Sikkim for a November retreat.  Albert has sent a link to his blogspot and an interview he made with Johnny Ho while staying in Singapore with Pat Murphy. Johnny Ho is a member of the Vajra Community there, and helped host Ringu Tulku when he visited their centre last year.
Here's the link, and thanks Albert for sending it to us, and for the other wonderful accounts of your journey.  

A Message from Ringu Tulku

Rinpoche sends news of the funeral today of his uncle, Thondup Dorjee.   He writes:

"The funeral went very well today. We were worried about the weather as the monsoon is not yet left and it is all the time cloudy and rainy.  

But this morning the Kachenjunga was fully visible.  the sky was completely clear and blue.  The cremation was done at Taktse, where you could directly see the Kachenjunga mountains.  The fire offering was done by two groups of ten Lamas. The Nyingma group performed with Chenrezik sadhana and the Kagyu group performed with Amitabha sadhana.  There appeared all different forms of clouds in the sky, and when the fire was lit a group of eagles circled three or four times in the skyabove and then disappeared.   The smoke only blew towards the west all through the hours and the body also fell its head towards the west.Many well wishers from Sikkim as well as from outside Sikkim came and gave us support. I have received sympathy and good wishes from all over the world and I would like to thank them on this occasion.

Today the Sakya and Ngorpa Monastery in Gangtok also performed the name burning practice through the sadhana of Vairochana where about 70 monks were in summer retreat. We offered lunch and distributed donations."

Thondup Dorje,  Ringu Tulku’s uncle and head of the family, has died age 90 at their home in Gangtok.  He was the eldest brother of Rinpoche’s father, and their father (Rinpoche’s grandfather) was Urgyen Gönpo, one of the regents for the King of Lingstang in Eatern Tibet. According to Rinpoche,  Thondup Dorjee, (known fondly as ‘Uncle’ to us), had been a monk, but had disrobed when he felt that he could be more useful as a defender of his people once the Chinese began to invade Tibet during the 1950‘s. It is said he fought ‘like a warrior’ to defend his family, his villagers and Rigul monastery, which was unfortunately razed to the ground.  

'Uncle' Thondup Dorje with Ringu Tulku at the gates of Dublin Samye Dzong in 1993. Rinpoche 

blessed the new centre with a teaching on the Four Noble Truths.   

When it became clear that they would have to leave, Sechen Gyaltsap Rinpoche, Uncle and Rinpoche’s father led the people of Lingstang out of Eastern Tibet across the Himalayas to safety, firstly to Pema Ko and then to Sikkim.  According to Rinpoche about 500 people began the journey, and only 150 or thereabouts completed it.  Sechen Gyaltsap Rinpche was one of those who did not, he sacrificed himself as a captive to the encroaching Chinese, acting as a decoy to allow the rest of the party to escape. 

The Chogyal (king) of Sikkim was a distant relative of the King of Lingstang and was able to respond favourably to the refugees and provide some help allowing the party to settle in the kingdom, where Rinpoche and his family remain to this day. 

While Uncle never again took robes, he remained the humblest and most gentle of beings, an inspiration to the many who met him. At the great age of 70, in 1992 he began to accompany Rinpoche as his attendant, quietly protecting and attending to his needs throughout some very hectic teaching schedules, travelling throughout Europe, America, and Australia.  He always took an active part in helping Rinpoche decide his travel schedule and firmly held the role of mentor in the household, especially after the death of Rinpoche’s father.  

Rinpoche asks that we join with him in saying prayers for the safe passage of his Uncle, Thondup Dorjee.  Please see his personal message on the Bodhicharya website.