Completed–Annual Memorial Prayers (for all who have passed on), Tuesday, November 22, 2016, at 7:00 pm

Ven. Lama Kunga Rinpoche will conduct the annual Memorial Prayer service at Ewam Choden. This is a gathering to offer prayers for the benefit of all of our friends, relatives and countless sentient beings who have passed on in this year and in previous years.  The event is open to everyone.
If you wish, you may bring a photo of a special person or animal to include, and you may bring tea candles or flowers to set up near the shrine. The gathering begins at 7 p.m. and lasts for about one and a half to two hours.

 

 COMPLETED–The EMPOWERMENT of PALDEN LHAMO, will be given by VEN. LAMA KUNGA RINPOCHE on Sunday, September 25, 2016, at 1:00 pm

Ven. Lama Kunga Thartse Rinpoche  will kindly bestow the empowerment of Palden Lhamo at Ewam Choden on Sunday, Sept, 25th.  The time is 1:00 p.m.  The requested donation is $30.00. Dana (offerings to the Lama and monastic) is separate.  This event is open to everyone.  Please arrive early to register, and be considerate of neighbors when parking.  Directions to Ewam Choden can be found elsewhere on this website.

Palden Lhamo (Shri Devi) is the only female among the Dharmapalas, defenders and protectors of the Buddhadharma and practitioners. It is a great blessing to receive the empowerment of this unique protector.

Completed KHENPO LAMA PEMA WANGDAK will teach at EC on Sunday, November 20, 2016 at 2:00 pm

Khenpo Lama Pema Wangdak returns to Ewam Choden for an afternoon of teaching on The First Paramita, generosity (in Tibetan, སབྱིན་པ sbyin-pa) and on The Third Paramita, patience (tolerance, acceptance, endurance) (in Tibetan,  བཟོད་པ bzod-pa).   The teaching may include meditative insight.  Speaking in fluent English, Lama Pema is known to teach with a keen and incisive, and sometimes challenging, presentation.

The starting time is 2:00 p.m.  There is a requested donation of $20.00.  Everyone is welcome.

ABOUT KHENPO PEMA WANGDAK

Biography of Khenpo Pema Wangdak
Khenpo Pema Wangdak was born in Purang, Tibet in 1954,  and escaped to India as a child in 1959. Having graduated from the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies in Benares, India, he received his Acharya (masters) degree from Sanskrit University in 1980, while studying with the highest Sakya Lamas..  In 1982, he was sent to the West by His Holiness Sakya Trizin,  as the first of the younger generation of Tibetan teachers in America from the Sakya School.
In 1989 Lama Pema founded the Vikramasila Foundation which encompasses several Palden Sakya Centers in New York,  three other states, and in some other countries. Lama Pema is the creator of “Bur Yig”–Tibetan Braille, and the founder of Pema Ts’al (English for Lotus Grove) Schools in Mundgod, India (for Tibetan lay children); Pokara, Nepal (monastic schools for boys); and Pema Ts’al School in New York City, with a curriculum modeled on that of Sakya College, India. The Pema Ts’al School in New York City provides a traditional Buddhist education of monastic training and study, in the format of Western university teaching.
Lama Pema was recognized with the title of “Khenpo” by His Holiness Sakya Trizin in 2007. He received the distinguished  “Ellis Island Medal of Honor” award by the National Ethical Coalition of Organizations in May, 2009 at Ellis Island for his humanitarian work around the world. Lama Pema is the first Tibetan ever to have received such an award. Recently, Khenpo Pema has been doing translations of sadhanas for his Holiness Sakya Trizin, as well as, traveling to give teachings in various places. He maintains his focal Centers in New York.
Check out Khenpo Pema’s interesting website at  http://www.vikramasila.org/  and find him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/PaldenSakya   

COMPLETED—ANNOUNCING VEN. LAMA KUNGA RINPOCHE’S BIRTHDAY PARTY, Sunday, July 24th, 2016

POTLUCK BIRTHDAY PARTY FOR VEN. LAMA KUNGA RINPOCHE.

We will honor Ven. Lama Kunga Thartse Rinpoche with a party and prayers and wishes for his continued healthy life.  

EVERYONE IS WELCOME!  BRING FOOD TO SHARE.  Reminder: Lama Kunga Rinpoche doesn’t eat anything with sugar or any sweetener.  Rinpoche says–No material gifts or food gifts, please. Donations$ are accepted.

WHEN:  Sunday, July 24, 2016   TIME:  from 12:30 pm to 4:00 pm   WHERE:  Arlington Park, 1120 Arlington Blvd.,  El Cerrito, CA  HOW: Drive northward on Arlington Blvd. past where you turn for Ewam Choden. The park is on the right with plenty of street parking. See a map here.  At the park, we’ll be at Site 1.  See the location here.

LAMA KUNGA LOOKS FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE.

PRAYER CEREMONY For H. H. JIGDAL DAGCHEN SAKYA at EWAM CHODEN on Sunday, May 8, 2016 at 4:30 p.m

On behalf of the S.F.Bay area Sakya Tsechen Tsokba group, Ven. Lama Kunga Thartse Rinpoche will lead prayer offerings for H.H. Jigdal Dagchen Sakya Rinpoche, head of the Sakya Phuntsok Phodrang, who passed into parinirvana on April 29, 2016 in Seattle, WA, USA.  H.H. Dagchen Rinpoche remained in meditation until May 5th.
Everyone is welcome to attend.

A NEW CLASS–Introduction to the Uttaratantra or Sublime Continuum: Maitreya’s treatise on Buddha-nature–CONTINUES THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2016 from 7pm to 9pm

NOTE  New class members, who didn’t attend the first meeting, are welcome. Everyone should email the instructor for information and materials at jwp6@columbia.edu

CLASS

Introduction to the Uttaratantra or Sublime Continuum: Maitreya’s treatise on Buddha-nature led by John Whitney Pettit, scholar and practitioner.  Six (or seven) classes on Thursday evenings, 7 to 9 pm. The start date is April 7. .  Course materials will include excerpts of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche’s commentary on the Uttaratantra, and Pettit’s outline of the Uttaratantra, excerpted and translated from the Uttaratanttra commentary of Rongton Sheja Kunrig.  Requested donation to EC of $25 ($100 for all six)  per class. Open to all.

ABOUT THE TEACHER

John Whitney Pettit has been a student of many Tibetan and other Buddhist teachers, especially the first Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. He holds advanced degrees in religion and Buddhist Studies from Harvard and Columbia University, and is the author of Mipham’s Beacon of Certainty (Wisdom, 1999). Since 2005,  he has researched and translated Tibetan commentaries on the topic of Buddha-nature, which are the subject of a forthcoming volume to be published by the Institute of Tibetan Classics.  He is currently in residence at Ewam Choden.

Completed–ANNUAL HIMALAYAN FAIR, May 21 & 22, 2016

Founded in 1983 by Lama Kunga Rinpoche and Arlene Blum, the annual Himalayan Fair continues to provide entertainment, food, crafts and other wares, education, altruistic support, and all-around fun. As usual, we will have a booth at the Fair, and Lama Kunga Rinpoche will be present (some of the time).  Hours are Saturday, May 21st from about 10 am to 5 pm or later, and Sunday, May 22nd from 10 am to 5 pm.  See http://www,himalayanfair.net/ for information about the Himalayan Fair.   SEE YOU THERE !

Completed—Ewam Choden Members Annual Meeting on Sunday, June 12, 2016 at 12:30 pm Everyone welcome

At the Annual Members Meeting, Lama Kunga Rinpoche and the Ewam Choden Board of Directors report on the state of our Center, which Rinpoche started about 43 years ago.  Members are asked to give requests and make suggestions.  Also, we look forward to including more participants in the many activities and chores around the Center.  Everyone who attends events and studies with Rinpoche is most welcome to attend, but only dues-paying members will vote.

completed–SPECIAL LOSAR (Tibetan New Year) MEDITATION, PRAYERS, and BLESSINGS on Sunday, February 7, 2016 at 10:00 a.m.

VENERABLE LAMA KUNGA RINPOCHE will lead everyone in special practices to welcome the Tibetan New Year and pray for the peace and happiness of all beings.   Everyone is welcome.  It is the year of the MALE FIRE MONKEY.  Be on time at 10 am.  (There will be New Year snacks, too.)

   

COMPLETED-EMPOWERMENT OF RED SARASVATI (Yang-Chen Marmo) on Sunday, February 28, 2016 at Ewam Choden at 1:00 p.m.

Venerable Lama Kunga Rinpoche will kindly bestow the empowerment and practice teachings of Red Sarasvati (Yang chen marmo).  This is an empowered from the Sakya lineage.  The power of Red Sarasvati brings intelligence and wisdom. The magnetism removes obstacles of ignorance and stupidity.  There is no prerequisite. Everyone is welcome. The date is Sunday, February 28, 2016.  The time is 1:00 p.m. Please arrive earlier to register at the door.  The requested donation is $30.00. Dana (offerings) to the Lama and attending monastics are separate.

 

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