Shamar Rinpoche in Hong Kong

H.H. Shamar Rinpoche will visit Hong Kong and will give an empowerment into Mahakala (Skt.), otherwise known as Black Coat or Bernagchen (Tib.). Black Coat embodies the love and protective activity of unlimited space. Black Coat is known as the main protector of the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism.

An empowerment is a ceremony which introduces the practitioner to the powerfield of a certain buddha-aspect. It may be given as a blessing to establish a bond to the teacher and to purify obstacles on the way to enlightenment, or given at the start of a practice. The effectiveness of these methods in developing one’s awareness cannot be overestimated.

About the teacher

Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche is second to Gyalwa Karmapa in the spiritual hierarchy of the Karma Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism and is an emanation of Buddha Amithaba. The first Shamar Rinpoche, Khedrup Trakpe Senge (1283-1349), was the principal disciple of the 3rd Karmapa, Rangjung Dorje. His second incarnation, Kacho Wangpo, received the Red Crown from the 4th Karmapa, Rolpe Dorje, an exact replica of Karmapa’s Black Crown. With the Red Crown, the Karmapa bestowed on him the name of “Shamarpa – The One with the Red Crown.” Since then, Karma Kagyu texts speak of two Karmapas, the Black Hat and Red Hat Karmapas, always alternating as teacher and student throughout centuries and their minds are considered inseparable.

H.H. the 14th Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche Mipam Chokyi Lodro was born in 1952 in Derge, Tibet as the nephew of H.H. the 16th Karmapa. He was recognized as the Shamarpa incarnation at the age of 6, and was taken to Yang Chen Monastery, the main seat of the Shamarpas in Tibet. He left Tibet at the age of 9 together with the 16th Karmapa for Sikkim, India where he lived and studied under Karmapa’s guidance. Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche received the entire teachings and transmissions of the Karma Kagyu School from the 16th Karmapa at Rumtek monastery in Sikkim. After Karmapa’s death, Shamar Rinpoche undertook the project of completing the Karmapa International Buddhist Institute (KIBI) in New Delhi, India. In March 1994, he officially recognized Trinlay Thaye Dorje as the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa. Shamar Rinpoche spends most of his time giving Dharma teachings around the world.

Schedule

Empowerment of Black Coat (followed by a celebration for the birthday of Shamar Rinpoche): Saturday 27 October, 3pm

Meeting students (by appointment – contact details below): Sunday 28 October, 3pm

Information

Please note these events will not take place at the Diamond Way Buddhist Centre in Sheung Wan. Please see the venue address and contact details below.

Venue: Karma Kagyu Lineage Centre, Flat A, 1/F Wing Tai Centre, 12 Hing Yip Street, Kwun Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong (telephone 2802 6767)

All are welcome to attend. We look forward to seeing you there!

We are really excited to announce that Tomek Lehnert will be visiting Hong Kong in October 2012. Tomek has been instrumental in bringing the timeless methods of Diamond Way Buddhism to the modern world, having been the travelling companion and secretary of Lama Ole Nydahl for over 20 years. 

Tomek was born in 1956 in Gdansk, Poland. He studied Civil Engineering at the Polytechnics of Gdansk and English literature at the University of Poznan, Poland. In the early eighties, he became active in the students’ Solidarity movement in the then communist Poland. 

In 1983, during martial law in Poland, Tomek met Lama Ole Nydahl, took Buddhist refuge and became his student. He began traveling with Lama Ole in 1987. Together with Ole’s wife Hannah Nydahl, he organised Lama Ole’s activity for twenty years and helped start Diamond Way Buddhist centers in the Americas, Australia and New Zealand, Russia and Western and Eastern Europe. Tomek translated for Lama Ole at his lectures in Poland and Latin America for more than ten years. 

The program for the weekend is as follows:

Introduction to Buddhism: Friday 12 October, 7pm

Meditation in daily life: Saturday 13 October, 11am
Buddhist Refuge: Saturday 13 October 3pm 

Meditation practice: Sunday 14 October, 11am
The Teacher and Student: Sunday 14 October 3pm 

Buddhism in the Modern World: Tuesday 12 June, 8pm

Put simply, Buddha’s teachings enable us to experience lasting happiness. By using suitable meditations, our theoretical knowledge turns into direct experience leading to the goal of Buddha’s teachings – the full development of body, speech and mind. The teachings of Buddhism have remained a liberating gift to mankind for the last 2,450 years. Non-dogmatic, and without any gods or commandments, they have enabled people to benefit both others and themselves. Especially today, with the many independent thinkers and new communication techniques, it has become possible to collect, organize and distribute Buddhist teachings, old as new, in attractive and fresh ways. In today’s fast paced world, how can we use these timeless methods in our modern, busy lives?

Love and Partnership: Wednesday 13 June, 8pm

The Buddhist approach to love and partnership can help us to relax our minds, break bad habits, and use relationships to grow ourselves and benefit everyone around us. Rather than competing with our partners, the Buddha advises us to support each other and stand side by side. This talk will discuss patterns of behaviour that can come up in our relationships and will include concrete advise on how we can use our closest connections as important steps on our way to reach enlightenment.

About the speaker

Jonathan Bradley has been a student of Lama Ole Nydahl since 1997. Asked to teach by Lama Ole Nydahl, Jonathan is also the co-executive editor of Buddhism Today magazine and the President of the Diamond Way New York Buddhist Centre. Jonathan has given talks at NYU and Columbia University. He lives with his wife Liz and works for a major arts organization in New York.

Information

The talks will cost HK$80 (or HK$50 for concessions) and will start at 8pm.

Venue: Diamond Way Buddhist Centre Hong Kong, 2/F, 3-5 Jervois Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong

All are welcome to attend. We look forward to seeing you there!

Normally everybody is taking refuge in something. Some in a Mercedes, others in their families, in being rich, smart, young, etc. But if we look for something lasting, something beyond coming and going, then what can we rely on?

The Buddha explained that mind itself is the only source of lasting happiness and the teachings about Buddhist Refuge align us with this. Starting with an understanding of our goal (the Buddha), the teachings which bring us there (the Dharma), and the friends who help us on the way (the Sangha), this talk will explore these teachings and also explain the role of the teacher (the Lama) who is necessary to practice Diamond Way Buddhism.

This talk will be given by Anthony Hopson, one of the founders of Diamond Way Buddhism Hong Kong. He took Buddhist Refuge in 1997 with Lama Ole Nydhal and has taught in Europe, Hong Kong, Japan, Vietnam and Australia. Anthony is actively involved in various translation and editing projects with respect to Buddhist meditations and texts.

The talk will cost HK$80 (or HK$50 for concessions) and will start at 2pm.

Venue: Diamond Way Buddhist Centre Hong Kong, 2/F, 3-5 Jervois Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong

All are welcome to attend. We look forward to seeing you there!

Please join us for a weekend meditation course from Saturday 18 – Sunday 19th February. We will be joined by a fantastic Buddhist teacher from Australia, Matt Balara.

In Buddhism, meditation means “effortlessly remaining in what is.” This state may be brought about by calming and holding the mind, by realizing compassion and wisdom, or by working with the body’s energy channels and meditating on Buddha forms of light and energy. The most effective methods are the constant identification with one’s own potential to be a Buddha and experiencing the richness of every situation in life; both of which are taught in the Diamond Way. When one understands that the seer, what is seen, and the act of seeing are not separate from each other, the goal has been reached.

Matt Balara has been a student of Lama Ole Nydahl since 1997, when he helped start the first Diamond Way group in Canberra. In 1998 he travelled to India with Lama Ole to meet His Holiness the 17th Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje. After exploring more of Asia and Europe, Matt settled in Hamburg, Germany, home of a very active Diamond Way group. He returned to Australia in late 2008, and now lives in the Diamond Way centre in Sydney. Lama Ole asked him to teach in Australia during his visit in 2009. Matt works as a freelance web designer and consultant for clients worldwide.

The schedule for the weekend course is as follows:

– Saturday 18 February: Talk on Meditation, with Matt Balara (7pm)

– Sunday 19 February: Talk on Meditation, with Matt Balara (10am)

– Sunday 19 February: Talk on meditation, with Matt Balara (3pm)

Each talk will cost HK$80 or HK$50 for concessions each.