Monday 2 January 2017

What happens during Kalachakra initiation process?

The initiation process spans several days, with the first day being a preparation ceremony, followed by usually two or three days of actual empowerment.

The most important part of the initial procedures is taking refuge and the Bodhisattva and tantric vows. Without all three, we cannot actually receive empowerment, although we may witness it and derive great benefit.

The empowerment itself involves a complex procedure of imagining ourselves transforming into a series of special forms, entering the mandala of the Buddha-figure Kalachakra, and experiencing in it a sequence of purifications and the awakening and enhancing of potentials for future success in the practice.

The mandala is an enormous multistoried palace, in and around which are 722 figures, including a principal couple in the center. The master conferring the empowerment simultaneously appears as all these figures, not just as the central one. Thus, throughout the process we visualize ourselves, our teacher and our surroundings in a very special way.

The steps of the initiation are extremely intricate and, without familiarity, the visualizations involved can be quite perplexing. But if, as a proper vessel, we take the vows with full sincerity and at least feel, with strong faith, that all the visualizations are actually occurring, we can be confident that we are receiving the empowerment.

With this basis secured, the next step is seeking further instruction and then trying, as sincerely as possible, to travel the full path to enlightenment as presented in the Kalachakra Tantra.

Source: kalachakra2017.net

Friday 30 December 2016

His Holiness the Dalai Lama offers prayers at Mahabodhi Temple

His Holiness the Dalai Lama visited the Mahabodhi Temple, the place where Buddha attained enlightenment and offered prayers on December 29, 2016.  
He was accompanied by Chair of the 34th Kalachakra Organising Committee, Kalon Ven Karma Gelek Yuthok of Department of Religion and Culture, Kalon Phagpa Tsering Labrang, Department of Security and other representatives of the Central Tibetan Administration. 
To catch a glimpse of His Holiness, devotees from India and the world lined up the streets in front of the Mahabodhi temple. 
Image source: tibet.net

Watch English translation of Kalachakra rituals here

His Holiness the Dalai Lama will grant the Kalachakra Empowerment from January 2-14, 2017 from Bodhgaya, Bihar, India. The English channel will carry all of the consecration prayers, ritual dances and sand mandala construction along with the preliminary teachings and Kalachakra Empowerment. His Holiness will speak in Tibetan with an English translation available. There will be no translation for the prayer sessions and ritual dances.



All times Indian Standard Time (IST=GMT+5.30)

January 2nd
7:00am - 10:00am Prayers
10:00am - 11:00am Teachings for Disciples
12:30pm - 2:00pm Prayers

January 3rd
7:00am - 11:30am Prayers
12:30pm - 2:00pm Earth Ritual Dance
2:00pm - 4:00pm Prayers

January 4th
7:00am - 11:00am Prayers
12:30pm - 3:00pm Prayers

January 5th-8th: Teachings -  His Holiness will give teachings on Shantideva's "A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life" and Kamalashila's "Middling Stages of Meditation"

January 5th
8:45am - 10:45am Prayers
12:30pm - 3:00pm Teaching

January 6th
8:45am - 10:45am Prayers
12:30pm - 3:00pm Teaching

January 7th
8:45am - 10:45am Prayers
12:30pm - 3:00pm Teaching

January 8th
8:45am - 10:45am Prayers
12:30pm - 3:00pm Teaching

January 9th
7:00am - 11:30am Prayers
1:00pm - 2:00pm Ritual Offering Dance
2:00pm - 3:00pm Prayers

January 10th
7:00am - 11:00am Self Generation
12:00pm - 3:45pm Preliminary Empowerment for Students

January 11th
7:00am - 11:30am Self Generation
12:30pm - 4:00pm Kalachakra Empowerment

January 12th
7:00am - 11:00am Self Generation
12:00pm - 4:00pm Kalachakra Empowerment

January 13th
7:00am - 11:30am Self Generation
12:30pm - 4:30pm Kalachakra Empowerment

January 14th
7:30am - 8:30am Self Generation
8:30am - 11:30am Avalokiteshvara Permission and Long Life Offering

For times in your area 10:00am IST on January 2nd in Bodhgaya, India is the same as 8:30pm PST on January 1st in Los Angeles, California, USA and 5:30am GMT on January 2nd in London, United Kingdom. Other times can be found using Time Zone Converter (http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html)

Source: Dalailama.com

Thursday 29 December 2016

Watch live webcasts of Kalachakra from Bodh Gaya

His Holiness the Dalai Lama will grant the Kalachakra Empowerment from January 2-14, 2016 from Bodhgaya, Bihar, India. His Holiness will speak in Tibetan with English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Hindi, Russian and Mongolian translations available.

The English, Chinese and Tibetan channels will carry all of the consecration prayers, ritual dances and sand mandala construction along with the preliminary teachings and Kalachakra Empowerment. The other language channels will only cover the teachings, ritual dances, Kalachakra Empowerment and Long Life Empowerment and Offerings.

All times Indian Standard Time (IST=GMT+5.30)

English language live webcasts can be viewed here.
Chinese language live webcasts can be viewed here.
Tibetan language live webcasts can be viewed here.
Vietnamese language live webcasts can be viewed here.
Hindi language live webcasts can be viewed here.
Korean language live webcasts can be viewed here.
Russian language live webcasts can be viewed here.
Mongolian language live webcasts can be viewed here.

January 2nd
7:00am - 10:00am Prayers
10:00am - 11:00am Teachings for Disciples
12:30pm - 2:00pm Prayers

January 3rd
7:00am - 11:30am Prayers
12:30pm - 2:00pm Earth Ritual Dance
2:00pm - 4:00pm Prayers

January 4th
7:00am - 11:00am Prayers
12:30pm - 3:00pm Prayers

January 5th-8th: Teachings -  His Holiness will give teachings on Shantideva's "A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life" and Kamalashila's "Middling Stages of Meditation"

January 5th
8:45am - 10:45am Prayers
12:30pm - 3:00pm Teaching

January 6th
8:45am - 10:45am Prayers
12:30pm - 3:00pm Teaching

January 7th
8:45am - 10:45am Prayers
12:30pm - 3:00pm Teaching

January 8th
8:45am - 10:45am Prayers
12:30pm - 3:00pm Teaching

January 9th
7:00am - 11:30am Prayers
1:00pm - 2:00pm Ritual Offering Dance
2:00pm - 3:00pm Prayers

January 10th
7:00am - 11:00am Self Generation
12:00pm - 3:45pm Preliminary Empowerment for Students

January 11th
7:00am - 11:30am Self Generation
12:30pm - 4:00pm Kalachakra Empowerment

January 12th
7:00am - 11:00am Self Generation
12:00pm - 4:00pm Kalachakra Empowerment

January 13th
7:00am - 11:30am Self Generation
12:30pm - 4:30pm Kalachakra Empowerment

January 14th
7:30am - 8:30am Self Generation
8:30am - 11:30am Avalokiteshvara Permission and Long Life Offering

For times in your area 10:00am IST on January 2nd in Bodhgaya, India is the same as 8:30pm PST on January 1st in Los Angeles, California, USA and 5:30am GMT on January 2nd in London, United Kingdom. Other times can be found using Time Zone Converter (http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html).

Source: Dalailama.com

Kalachakra to start a day early, from January 2 onwards

The upcoming 34th Kalachakra at Bodh Gaya will begin from 2 January and not 3 January as earlier announced. The development came after His Holiness the Dalai Lama decided to add an extra day for the preliminary teachings of the Kalachakra initiation. Rest of the schedule for the Kalachakra remains unchanged. 
His Holiness the Dalai Lama is scheduled to arrive at Bodh Gaya on 28 January 2017. 
The 34th Kalachakra Initiation, being organised by the Central Tibetan Administration, is expected to draw at least 2,00,000 devotees from across the world. 
The tentative schedule for the 34th Kalachakra is as follows:
2-4 January 2017 – Kalachakra Ritual Preparation
5-8 January 2017 – Kalachakra Preliminary Teachings
9 January 2017 – Kalachakra Ritual and Offering Dance
10 January 2017 – Students Preparation (Preliminary Initiation)
11 – 13 January 2017 – Kalachakra Initiation
14 January 2017 – Long Life Empowerment for the Public and Long Life Ceremony for His Holiness the Dalai Lama. 
Source: www.tibet.net
Image source: Kalachakra – the Enlightenment

Wednesday 7 December 2016

The Seven Jewels of The Dharma

Leader: Blessed are they that aspire to holiness.
Children: For they shall attain serenity.
Leader: Blessed are they that pursue knowledge.
 Children : For they shall attain understanding.
Leader: Blessed are they that promote peace.
Children: For they shall attain true happiness.
 Leader : Blessed are they that seek truth.
Children: For they shall attain wisdom.
Leader: Blessed are they that practise virtue.
 Children : For they shall attain perfection.
Leader: Blessed are they that follow The Path.
Children : For they shall attain enlightenment.


Source: Buddhst Sunday School Lessons By he Venerable Sumangala