Ladrup Dewé Dorjé Ngöndro Retreat

On August 3 & 4, Dorje Lopön Dr. Hun Lye gave teachings on the Ngöndro for the Ladrup Dewé Dorjé (“Accomplishing the Guru Blissful Vajra”) cycle, a practice entrusted by His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgön to Dr. Lye & the DDIS community to carry forward in the West.

This retreat was open to those who received the Ladrup Dewé Dorjé empowerment from His Holiness. With students joining in person from as far as Arkansas, Colorado, New York, Guatemala, and Mexico, as well as all over the world via Zoom, we had a successful two days of receiving the basic instructions necessary to start on this first part of the practice cycle. Additionally, Dr. Lye shared with the Sangha a recently painted thangka of the Field of Refuge of the Ladrup Dewé Dorjé cycle which he commissioned.

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A Visit from His Holiness's Sister

On August 5, Mrs. Namgyal Taklha, the sister of His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgön, came to Asheville to meet with Dr. Lye, see Urban Dharma, and visit the site of the Drikung Forest Hermitage. Members of DDIS gathered to welcome Mrs. Taklha and to practice before receiving Acha Namla with breakfast tea and snacks. The group then traveled to the land, where her brother gave his blessings earlier this year for the Forest Hermitage.

Mrs. Namgyal Lhamo Taklha was born in the Tsarong family in Lhasa in 1942. Her grandfather Tsarong Dasang Dramdul was a close aide of the 13th Dalai Lama (and was host to Austrian explorer Heinrich Harrer who lived in Tibet from 1946-1952 and subsequently published the book “Seven Years in Tibet”). From 1988-1994, she served the Tibetan government in exile in India. During this period, she also held the post of Health Secretary in the Central Tibetan Administration Cabinet based in India. After Mrs. Taklha retired from active service to the Tibetan community in exile, she helped her brother the Drikung Kyabgön with several important projects in Dehradun at the Drikung Kagyu Institute, including the establishment of the Songtsen Library and Samtenling Nunnery.

In August 1962, she married Lobsang Samten, a brother of the 14th Dalai Lama.

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Visiting Teacher Drupon Palkyi

On August 10 & 11, we welcomed Drupon Palkyi, who is visiting the U.S.A. for the first time, and Virginia Blum, a seasoned translator and practitioner interpreting for Drupon-la. Drupon Palkyi shared teachings for Kusali Chöd as transmitted by Kyobpa Jikten Sumgön, the 12th-century founder of the Drikung Kagyu Lineage.

While Chöd is often described as a method for overcoming difficulties related to unseen beings and harmful influences, Jikten Sumgön’s teachings, like those of Shakyamuni Buddha before him, emphasize the transformative power of loving-kindness and the realization of emptiness to surmount all problems.

Drupon Palkyi offered teachings and instruction on these basic attitudes, as well as shared with us special melodies and ritual techniques associated with this particular Chöd practice (from the Zabchö ("Profound Dharmas") of the collected works of Jikten Sumgon).
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Some recordings of Drupon's demonstrations of this practice are available on our Facebook page. It's worth hearing!

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Regular Weekly Programs

Find out about our Regular Weekly Programs by visiting udharmanc.com/events.