Disponible también en español
At the heart of the Buddha’s teachings is dependent-origination (Sanskrit: pratītyasamutpāda, Tibetan: tenching drelwar jungwa རྟེན་ཅིང་འབྲེལ་བར་འབྱུང་བ). This teaching pervades all the 84,000 teachings of the Buddha and while its core meaning is singular, its implications are manifold. Although the profound philosophical meaning of dependent-origination is more well-known, in our practice of Dharma there is a context where dependent-origination plays out that is just as important to understand and appreciate.
When it is used in its contracted form of tendrel, dependent-origination refers to the necessary confluence of concordant causes and conditions for any and all positive and Dharmic endeavors to come into fruition. Often, the true significance of an action isn’t obvious or apparent to ordinary perception but to those with clairvoyance and wisdom-eye, the causality involved is understood. Thus, in the stories of past lineage-masters and other great practitioners are many instances where seemingly small or insignificant actions turned out to be a crucial factor or a catalyst for some positive outcome. Furthermore, the practice of establishing auspicious tendrel through some material/embodied connection of special or blessed Dharma-objects (often called jinlap “blessings” in Tibetan) is a common practice in traditional Buddhist communities in Asia.
Here, we will from time to time provide opportunities for you to connect with Dorjé Lopön Dr. Lye through participating in auspicious tendrel in the form of special items that Dr. Lye finds in his travels to teach the Dharma or on pilgrimage. Most of these items are explicitly Dharma-items although some are not. For each of the item, we have a suggested amount—you are welcome to offer whatever amount you are able and inspired to offer. Aside from creating auspicious tendrel, your donation will also help support the work we do and the wider orbits of Dr. Lye’s activities.
In 2018, during the Year of Dog, to create and dedicate merit for his main teachers (who are born in the Year of Dog), Dr. Lye started a project to fill, consecrate and distribute 1008 Namgyal Stupas. Of the eight traditional types of stupas, the Namgyal (Victory) Stupa is related to Buddha Shakyamuni turning away Mara the Demon of Death’s attempts to persuade the Buddha to depart from the world and pass into the great and complete nirvana. Since then, this stupa has become an auspicious interdependence for preventing untimely death and increasing longevity. This stupa is filled with mantras, relics, blessing-pills, semi-precious stones, and other sacred substances that Dr. Lye has gathered over the years.
Not available right now.
Milarepa (ca. 1052-1135) is the “Lord of Yogis” of Tibet and one of the Kagyu forefathers famed for his ability to turn from “sinner to saint” in one lifetime through his complete determination to be free and his devotion to his teacher, Marpa Lotsawa (ca. 1012-1097). Dr. Lye first saw this solid copper statue at a museum store in Kathmandu and instantly fell in love with it. After a lot of footwork around Kathmandu and help of friends and business contacts, he finally found the maker of this statue and obtained a number of them. The hollow-inside of each of these (limited) statues will be filled with the requisite mantras as well as special relics that Dr. Lye has been gifted over the years by different lamas and Dharma-friends.
Suggested donation: $108
1) The amount for the suggested donation is really only suggested – you can offer less or more based on your circumstances
2) Just for your information, the shipping cost for this statue outside the US can vary between $20-$40 depending on location and can take anywhere from 10 days to 3 weeks.
Achi Chökyi Drolma is a dharma-protector especially connected to Drikung Kagyu Lineage as she is historically the great grandmother of Kyobpa Jikten Sumgön (1143-1217), founder of Drikung Kagyu. In her lifetime, she was a great yogini respected as an emanation of the tantric deity Vajravarahi. Born in the Drikung area in central Tibet, she eventually settled in eastern Tibet and gave birth and raised sons who were all Dharma practitioners. She made prophecies regarding a future descendant of hers who will greatly benefit beings and these prophecies were fulfilled by her great-grandson Kyobpa Jikten Sumgön.
The special feature of this thangka is that it was painted specifically for a “pure vision” (Tib. daknang) practice of Achi revealed by the previous Gyabra Tritsab Rinpoché who was the regent of Drikung during the tumultuous period of modern Tibetan history. In this practice, Achi is practiced as guru, yidam, dakini and dharma-protector and thus this thangka contains images of these four aspects of Achi.
This thangka is a high quality canvas print mounted on traditional thangka style brocade frame and it comes with a pair of wooden dowels and a thangka “curtain.” The original thangka was painted in the last decade under the guidance of Nubpa Rinpoche and instruction of current Gyabra Tritsab Rinpoche.
Suggested donation: $75
1) The amount for the suggested donation is really only suggested – you can offer less or more based on your circumstances
2) Just for your information, the shipping cost for this Thangka outside the US can vary between $20-$40 depending on location and can take anywhere from 10 days to 3 weeks.