2011 - Workshops and Events

Chanting with Geshe Jampa Every other Sunday 11:00-11:30 am

After many requests to hold a Sunday morning practice, Geshe-La has agreed to lead a chanting session twice a month.

We will recite the Praise to Buddha Shakyamuni in order to remember the Buddha's kindness and receive the energy of his body, speech, and mind. We will also do a reading of the Heart Sutra and a few verses of Dhammapada, the Buddha's essential teaching.

The chanting of mantras holds an important position in Buddhist practice. Mantras that are specific to the various Buddhas, including Buddha Shakyamuni, are recited during meditation to purify and calm the mind. Chanting the mantra of a deity such as Chenresig -- Om Mane Padme Hum -- is said to transform the mind into that of infinite compassion.

Join Geshe Jampa for this beautiful practice

The Footsteps of the Buddha January 2012

Pilgrimage with ZaChoeje Rinpoche
to Nepal and India
2-1/2 weeks
Trip begins January 14, 2012

Registration is closed as of October 1.
For more information, email us at mail@emahofoundation.org

ZaChoeje Rinpoche invites you to travel with him, following in the steps of the Buddha.

"There are four places Ananda, which the believing man should visit with feelings of reverence and awe. What are the four? The place, Ananda, at which the believing man can say, Here the Tathagata was born. The place, Ananda, at which the believing man can say, Here the Tathagata attained the supreme and perfect insight. The place, Ananda, at which the believing man can say, Here was the kingdom of righteousness set on foot by the Tathagata. The place, Ananda, at which the believing man can say, Here the Tathagata passed finally away in that utter passing away which leaves nothing whatever to remain behind."
Mahaparinitryana Sutra

Click here for image.

Lam Rim Intensive begins November 12

Lam Rim Intensive
Gradual Path to Enlightenment

with Geshe Jampa
Saturdays November 12 - December 17, 12:30 - 2:00 pm
Tuesday December 20, 7 - 8:30 pm

We are happy to offer a special opportunity to receive a series of teachings from Geshe Jampa on the Lam Rim. The Lam Rim Intensive (The Path to Enlightenment) will consist of 7 sessions of 1-1/2 hours each, to be held once a week every Saturday from 12:30 to 2:00 pm beginning November 12, except for the last session which will be held on Tuesday, December 20, from 7 - 8:30 pm. This is a great opportunity to study in the traditional style, in a personal setting with a learned Geshe.

The Lam Rim, known as the gradual path to enlightenment, contains the essence of the 84,000 teachings of the Buddha. When one studies the Lam Rim, one studies the three principal aspects of the path, leading one ultimately to a full realization of the aspects of renunciation, bodhicitta, and emptiness. The skillful teachings of the gradual path are meant for all practitioners, whether of small, medium, or great scope.

In the early eleventh century, the Indian Buddhist master Atisha condensed the essential points of the Buddha’s teachings into the text Lamp of the Path. These teachings were then expanded in the fourteenth century by the Great master Lama Tsong-Kha-pa, the founder of the Gelug Tradition into the text The Great Exposition on the Gradual Path to Enlightenment (Lam Rim Chenmo). These texts form the basis of our contemporary understanding of the Buddha’s teachings.

"Of the many works of the Tibetan master Tsong-kha-pa, none compare in terms of popularity and breadth of influence with The Great treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (Lam rim chen mo ), which has been treasured by practitioners and scholars alike for centuries. What distinguishes it as one of the principal texts of Mahayana Buddhism is its scope and clarity. The various stages of the path are presented so clearly and systematically that they can be easily understood and are inspiring to put into practice. " --- H.H The Dalai Lama

The Lam Rim covers all the major teachings of the Buddha, including the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, Karma-The Law of Causality, Refuge of the Three Jewels, Relying upon a Spiritual Guide, the Twelve Links of Interdependent Origination, Impermanent and Death, Bodhicitta, Emptiness and so on.

Join your Emaho friends in this profound study of one of Buddhism’s great texts.

  • Session 1 - Introduction of Lamrim Intensive Session
  • Sessions 2,3,4 - Four Noble Truths and Karma Session
  • Sessions 5,6 - Twelve links of Interdependent Origination and Awakening Mind Session
  • Session 7 - Summary of Lamrim

Recommended reading:
The Path to Bliss by H. H. the Dalai Lama
The Path to Enlightenment by H. H. the Dalai Lama

REGISTRATION

Cost for full series of 7 classes: $80.

Please register and pay in advance with thePayPal button below or send a check to Emaho Foundation.

mailing address:
PO Box 3014
Scottsdale 85271 AZ

You may also pay in person at the Center before November 5.

No one is ever turned away for lack of funds. We offer discounts for students. Please contact us for details. All proceeds support the activities of Emaho Center.

Geshe Jampa will offer a Certificate of Attendance or Certificate of Completion to the students at the last session of the teaching. 

For more information or to register, please call 480-704-4169 or e-mail Emaho at mail@emahofoundation.org

AHIMSA December 10

Annual Ahimsa Celebration in honor of His Holiness The Dalai Lama receiving the Nobel Peace Prize

» Download flyer

Saturday December 10

4:30 - 5:00 PM
Tibetan bazaar with Dharma crafts and MP3's with Rinpoche's teachings - an opportunity to do your Christmas shopping

5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Free showing of the movie "Sun Behind Clouds."

"This film shows what is happening in the hearts of the Tibetan people…it presents a very unusual insight into the situation in Tibet."
Vaclav Havel, on presenting the award

"beautiful, stirring and inescapably elegiac"
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times

"The documentary does a superlative job of examining the half-century dispute over Chinese rule of mountainous Tibet."
VA Musetto, New York Post

"A potent update on Tibetans' 50-year struggle for justice and recognition-essential viewing for anyone who cares about the fate of the mountain region and the legacy of the Dalai Lama."
Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter

"a welcome departure from many previous films about the decades-long friction between Tibet and China-an exception in what is not an angry film but a notably calm, well-considered and balanced one."
Robert Koehler, Variety

6:30 - 7:00 PM
Sale of Dharma crafts and MP3s

7:00 PM
Authentic Tibetan dinner.
Suggested donation $ 15 per person.

Note: As of December 3, reservations for the dinner are closed in order to allow for the purchase of ingredients this week.

Proceeds from the Ahimsa Tibetan dinner will support Emaho Center and its offerings.

 

Pure Essence of Mind November 6

ZaChoeje Rinpoche
Sunday November 6, 10 am - 4 pm

Revealing the Primordial and Pure Essence of Mind through Vajrasattva.

The pure nature of our mind is the ultimate Varjasattva and it is the primordial quality of our consciousness. We will learn how to use the mantra and meditation of Vajrasattva to reveal that essence in this workshop. All are welcome even if they have not received the Vajrasattva Empowerment.

Click her to download the translation of the Vajrasattva mantra used in Rinpoche's teaching(pdf)

 

Discovering Dharma 2 Begins August 6, 2011

WITH GESHE JAMPA
Saturdays 5:00-6.30 PM
Series of 8 classes beginning August 6
(See registration information below)

We are happy to offer a special opportunity to receive teachings on Discovering Dharma (Part 2) from Geshe Jampa. Discovering Dharma will consist of a series of 8 classes of 1-1/2 hours each, to be held once a week. This is a great opportunity to study in the traditional style, in a personal setting with a learned Geshe.

The four main topics of the Buddhist teachings covered in this year's Discovering Dharma teaching series:

1.Dhammapada - chapter 3 - 7
2. Mind Training (Lojong )
3. Bardo and Phowa ( Intermediate State and Transference of Consciousness)
4. Heart Sutra

DHAMMAPADA:

The Dhammapada contains the most essential teachings of the Buddha. "Dhamma" means teaching and "pada" means path, so it is the path or way of the teaching. It is not all one lengthy discourse, but a compilation of what is said to be the Buddha's utterances over many years brought together by his disciples to give the true nature of his unique understanding. Six chapters will be covered in this course.

MIND TRAINING (LOJONG ):

The practice of mind training is based on the essential Mahayana teachings of impermanence, compassion, and the exchange of self and other that the eleventh-century master Atisha brought to Tibet from India. The Lojong teachings are a source of inspiration and guidance shared by masters of all Tibetan traditions. The Seven Point Mind Training text by master Chekhawa will be covered in detail in this course.

BARDO AND PHOWA:

The Tibetan word bardo means literally "Intermediate state," also translated as transitional state or "in between state". In Sanskrit the concept has the name antarabhava. According to Tibetan Buddhism, after death and before one's next birth, when one's consciousness is not connected with a physical body, one experiences a variety of phenomena. These usually follow a sequence of degeneration from just after death, with the clearest experiences of reality of which one is spiritually capable, to, later on, unpleasant appearances arising from the impulses of one's previous unskillful actions. In this teaching, we will go through the text "Seeking liberation from the narrow path of the Intermediate state," by Panchen (Lama) Lobsang Choekyi Gyaltsen (1570-1662), one of the great masters of Gelug Tradition.

Phowa literally means 'Transference of consciousness." The goal of the Phowa practice is to learn how to die consciously, and transfer the consciousness at the moment of death to a state of highest bliss. The practice is one of the six yogas of Naropa.

HEART SUTRA:

The Heart Sutra is one of the most famous texts of Buddhism. It is a presentation of profound wisdom on the nature of emptiness and selflessness. Whether memorized, chanted, or studied, this sacred text is often looked to for inspiration. For more than two thousand years, the Heart Sutra has been part of the daily life of millions of Buddhists. From the Heart Sutra, you will learn how the ultimate reality of emptiness and the conventional world of cause and effect not only fit together but imply each other. This is a very practical message for anyone seeking to lead a life that is useful for oneself and for others.

Register:

The cost for the full 8 classes will be $ 100. We ask that you please register and pay in advance with the PayPal button below, or send a check to the Emaho Foundation mailing address: PO Box 3014 Scottsdale, AZ 85271, or pay at the Center in person before July 30. We offer discounts for students. Please contact us for details. The proceeds will support Emaho Center.

Geshe Jampa will offer a certificate of Attendance or certificate of Completion to the students attending all sessions at the last session of the teaching.

For more information about the series or to pre-register, please call 480-704-4169 or email Emaho at mail@emahofoundation.org

The Pure Wisdom of a Bodhisattva September 10

ZaChoeje Rinpoche
Saturday September 10
10 am - 4 pm

Within the seed, there is a flower,
This flower blooms and unfolds in the limitless sky,
When all conditions are gathered.

Within the mind, there is a pure wisdom,
This pure wisdom expands and grows in the emptiness sphere,
When all conditions are gathered.

In each and every thing around us, there is an essence of truth we are not aware of and we often keep missing. That profound phenomenon is known as Emptiness in Buddhism and understanding that truth is pure wisdom of Bodhisattva. We can purify our negative mind with its impure karma by applying pure wisdom in our practice. When we unfold this wisdom and uncover more of our true nature, we become capable of seeing everything as it is.

The Pure Heart of a Bodhisattva July 16

A Special Teaching with ZaChoeje Rinpoche
Saturday July 16, 10 am - 4 pm

A Bodhisattva is one who has attained the highest forms of both wisdom and compassion. In this special teaching, Rinpoche explains the pure heart of a Bodhisattva:

If we look at life from a Bodhisattva's perspective, everything is good fortune, because a Bodhisattva is life. His or her heart becomes bigger and bigger, infused with more and more happiness, with greater and greater love. This happens because there is no distinction between what is thought and felt, seen and heard, tasted and touched, even smelled. Everything is the display of the Bodhisattva's pure heart.
[from The Bodhisattva Way of Life]

Mandala Painting Class July 2, 9, 16

New Mandala Painting Class with Rick Weir and Jackie Sepulveda

July 2, 9,16 - 11:00am to 1:00pm
CLASS CANCELLED - TO BE RESCHEDULED IN THE FALL OF 2011

Beginners mandala painting in the Tibetan Thangka style. Intermediate and Advanced painting, in Tibetan and Western style. Please e-mail Rick at rickweir73@yahoo.com for special instructions or questions.

Cost: $30:00 total, all materials are included !!! 8"x 12" canvas board provided.

Payment to be made at the first class session. All proceeds go to Emaho. Class will be limited to the first 14 students to sign up. Please e-mail Rick at rickweir73@yahoo.com to get on the list or for questions. A fourth Saturday will be provided at no charge for students who need to finish paintings.

This class is intended for persons with no previous painting experience or for those who know how to paint but want to try a new way of expressing themselves. We use non toxic acrylic paints. Please dress casually in older clothes, as you might get paint on them. Many thanks for your interest and support of Emaho.

Saka Dawa Celebration with Geshe Jampa June 15

Wednesday June 15, 7:00-8:30 pm

Saka Dawa is the celebration of Buddha Shakyamuni's Birth, Enlightenment and Parinirwana. It is one of the most sacred days for Buddhists. Please join us at Emaho for a traditional Saka Dawa ceremony with Bathing the Buddha. You can bring fruits and flowers to Buddha Shakyamuni's Altar to show respect to Buddha and accumulate virtues.

The celebration is followed by tea and cookies. Everyone is welcome.

Tibetan Language Level 1 begins Saturday April 9

With Geshe Jampa

Schedule: Saturdays 12:00 - 1:30 PM
Total: 10 Classes

Geshe Jampa will teach the Tibetan Language Level 1 class, consisting of a series of 10 sessions of 1- 1/2 hours each. This is rare opportunity to study the Tibetan language with a Geshe who is a master of Tibetan Grammar and Tibetan Buddhism. Tibetan Buddhism is enriched with all the Buddhist traditions, including Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana. You will gain access to all these teachings because our great translators ( Lotsawa ) have translated the teachings into Tibetan from the Sanskrit (one of the most profound languages in the world ) since the eighth century.

The series will cover the alphabet, subscripts, superscripts, prefixes, and suffixes, and will provide a useful vocabulary and basic grammar.

Nobel laureate H.H. the Dalai lama, has stated, "Even though the Tibetan language is not that much use in fields like business and legal studies, its use is paramount in studying teachings of the Buddha (Kagyur) and commentaries (Tengyur) contained in more than 300 volumes."

Kalu Rinpoche stressed in his book Luminous Mind: The Way of the Buddha that "Generally speaking, learning Tibetan is not mandatory for practicing the Dharma well, but in order to engage in deep commitment to Dharma,  knowledge of Tibetan is extremely important because it allows us to understand the practice texts and the traditional Tibetan commentaries. In order for Dharma to be properly understood in the West, there must be Westerners who are willing to master the Tibetan. Once the totality of Dharma is adequately translated into Western terminology, there will be no need for Tibetan. But for now, anyone wishing to study the Dharma deeply will reap great benefit from the study of Tibetan. If you study regularly, a little bit every day, you will quickly become knowledgeable."

  • The cost for the full series of 10 classes is $150.
  • Materials and handouts will be provided.
  • We ask that you please register and pay in advance with the PayPal button below, or send a check to Emaho Foundation, mailing address: PO Box 3014 Scottsdale 85271 AZ, or pay at the center in person before March 30.
  • No one is ever turned away for lack of funds.
  • The proceeds will support the running of the Emaho Center.

Students who have taken the Tibetan Language Level 1 series before can attend the classes free of charge. Geshe Jampa will offer a Certificate of Attendance to the students at the last session.

For more information or to register, please e-mail Emaho at mail@emahofoundation.org or call 480-704-4169. 

Mandala Painting Class July 2, 9, 16

New Mandala Painting Class with Rick Weir and Jackie Sepulveda

July 2, 9,16 - 11:00am to 1:00pm
CLASS CANCELLED - TO BE RESCHEDULED IN THE FALL OF 2011

Beginners mandala painting in the Tibetan Thangka style. Intermediate and Advanced painting, in Tibetan and Western style. Please e-mail Rick at rickweir73@yahoo.com for special instructions or questions.

Cost: $30:00 total, all materials are included !!! 8"x 12" canvas board provided.

Payment to be made at the first class session. All proceeds go to Emaho. Class will be limited to the first 14 students to sign up. Please e-mail Rick at rickweir73@yahoo.com to get on the list or for questions. A fourth Saturday will be provided at no charge for students who need to finish paintings.

This class is intended for persons with no previous painting experience or for those who know how to paint but want to try a new way of expressing themselves. We use non toxic acrylic paints. Please dress casually in older clothes, as you might get paint on them. Many thanks for your interest and support of Emaho.

Vajrasattva RetreatMay 20-25

Vajrasattva Empowerment and Retreat with ZaChoeje Rinpoche

Our Pure Mind of Buddha Nature April 10

Teaching with ZaChoeje Rinpoche

Sunday April 10, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Join Rinpoche for a special teaching on Buddha Nature.

Meditation through Art Begins Saturday February 26

Beginning and Intermediate Painting Classes
Conducted by Rick Weir

Feb. 26, Mar. 5 and Mar. 12
11:00am - 1:00pm

Beginning Mandala Painting

Students will learn how to paint a small mandala with emphasis on meditation in painting. Acrylic paints painting will be in the "Thanka" style. 7" x 10". No experience necessary !!!

One brush and flat canvas and paints included, along with mandala images and transfer materials. 3 Classes.......cost $27.00 total.

Intermediate / Advanced Painting (acrylic paints)

A continuation of the beginning class with emphasis on blending colors, shading and highlights in the "Thanka" style. Images will be figurative such as Buddha or Tara or a personal Buddhist symbol. If you have a personal favorite, you should bring it as a line drawing to class. You will be provided a 7" x 10" flat canvas sheet. Those wanting a stretched canvas (over a wooden frame) larger than that must supply their own canvas and image to fit. If you are painting a complicated image you may want to supply your own paints and brushes. But Rick will be  happy to guide you.

3 classes (the beginning and intermediate/advanced classes will be held simultaneously).....$30.00

If students need a fourth Saturday to finish, it will be offered free of charge. For questions please e-mail mail@emahofoundation.org

The class will be facilitated by longtime Sangha member Rick Weir. Rick obtained his Master of Fine Arts degree from ASU, taught art and Advance Placement Art History for 25 years in Southern California and has participated in many group and solo shows and exhibits throughout the US.
Rick's kind and supportive nature will put even first timers at ease.
"I believe anyone can achieve some sense of satisfaction by painting. It's not my intention to discover or make the next Rembrandt. Art should be fun and not taken too seriously".

People can sign up and pay at the first class. Class size is limited. The first 15 people who sign up will be able to attend.

Film: HAPPY Saturday Feb 26, 2-4 pm

A showing of the documentary film HAPPY at Mustang Library, followed by brief discussion with Rinpoche

HAPPY is a non-profit feature documentary that deals with many of the fundamental issues we face in today's society. How do we balance the allure of money, fame and social status with our needs for good relationships, health and a sense of contentment? Through powerful interviews and a global journey the film seeks to share the wisdom found in traditional cultures and from the cutting edge science that is now, for the first time, exploring human happiness.

HAPPY is a feature documentary that takes us on a journey from the swamps of Louisiana to the slums of Kolkata in search of what really makes people happy. Combining powerful interviews with the leading scientists in happiness research and real life stories of ordinary and extraordinary people around the world, HAPPY uncovers the secrets behind our most valued emotion. 

Mind Transformation Saturday Feb 5 10am-4pm

Workshop with ZaChoeje Rinpoche

Teaching on the Eight Verses of Mind Transformation text by Master Langri Tangpa (1054-1123).

Part 2 continues on February 27 10am-4pm

This ancient text is one of the most important mind training/LoJong instructions in Tibetan Buddhism. His Holiness the Dalai Lama regards it as one of the main sources of his own inspiration and incorporates it in his daily practices. 

Rinpoche will teach on how to change our selfish attitude into the selfless loving compassion of a Bodhisattva through this profound instruction.

 

 

Enlightenment Stupa 

UPDATE: November 11, 2011

Tenzin Phakmo, the Tibetan artist who visited Emaho in December 2010, was asked by Rinpoche to construct the Stupa.

The stupa is now complete!


Click to enlarge:
The Enlightenment Stupa


Click to enlarge:
Tenzin Phakmo and Tenzin Sangmo building the Enlightenment Stupa


Click to enlarge: 
Buddhist scrolls for the Stupa

Click to enlarge:
Rinpoche and Geshe bless the Stupa