Losar : Tibetan New Year, Food For Bodhisattvas Veg Seminar,
Eugene Asian Celebration
~ Saraha Feb. 2016 ~
Usually, around this time of year, our Lunar New Year (Tibetan Losar, Tues. Feb. 9) announcement goes out with gay and whimsical zodiac animal images and some kind of joyous message and promotion of ongoing auspiciousness and celebration. We are not doing that this year. On Feb. 9 we will be doing regular practice at Saraha, with addition of Vajrasattva puja and live release ceremonies.
But, because two of the most precious teachers from our Nyingma Buddhist tradition, HH Chatral Rinpoche and HH Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche, have recently entered Parinirvana we will not be celebrating this year. For us students, this can be a serious time of reflection, purification and offering. We can use this time to look at ourselves, assess our lives, what we are doing and what we have done, remember our promises and turn our faces towards the Dharma and the benefit of all beings.
Sat. Feb. 13 : 1-4 pm : Seminar Event : "Food for Bodhisattvas" ... with Heidi Nevin
The great Tibetan yogi Shabkar, an eloquent advocate of vegetarianism. The seminar title "Food for Bodhisattvas" borrows the title of the book by a similar name, which contains translations of two of Shabkar's famous writings on this subject...
By now, Heidi Nevin is well-known to the Saraha community as a frequent visitor and Tibetan language interpreter for visiting Tibetan Lamas, including Saraha founding teacher Lama Tsering Gyaltsen and others. In fact, Heidi is a professional translator of written Tibetan works, wife of one, mother of two, an ardent vegetarian, and an assistant chatelaine of her family's organic farm. She is a Buddhist practitioner and a devoted student of the great Tibetan Buddhist master, HH Chatral Rinpoche, who is the most vocal and famous proponent of vegetarianism within the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.
In mid-December, Heidi accepted Saraha's invitation to conduct a seminar on vegetarianism, which has come to be entitled "Food for Bodhisattvas : Vegetarian Thinking, Cooking and Living for the Love of Dharma, Animals, People and Planet" as a fundraising benefit for Saraha Nyingma Buddhist Institute.
At the end of December, HH Chatral Rinpoche entered Parinirvana. Consequently his student, HH Dudjom Rinpoche, Sangye Pema Zhepa, who is the spiritual leader of the Dudjom Lineage and of Saraha Nyingma Buddhist Institute, has enjoined students "who have faith" in Chatral Rinpoche, including those of us here at Saraha, to practice vegetarianism as part of honoring and offering and according to the wishes of this great master at the time of passing. So this is an auspicious and fertile time to learn about vegetarianism and to practice it.
In this event, Heidi will discuss vegetarianism according to the unequivocal instructions and exhortations of Buddhist masters to practice it; and the Buddhist vows and promises of altruism that practitioners undertake; and the many collateral benefits to others, to the planet and oneself that that this practice entails. The sheep that Heidi personally rescued from imminent slaughter have been invited to accompany her to the event. But will they come?
This will be a fun and meaningful event. And will include copious veg food treats to go along with the discussion. Non profit donation. Tickets $20 available at Saraha office in advance, or at the door... Mangalam (Auspiciousness)
Eugene Asian Celebration, Sat. Sun. Feb. 20-21
Saraha at Eugene's Asian Celebration,
Sat. & Sun. Feb. 20-21
Saraha will be at Booth 22, we will be volunteer manning, womaning and childing the popular traditional Tibetan wood block auspicious prayer flag printing station in the children's activity room at the celebration.
This year there will be gifts and treasures linking the booth and the activity station. Join us. See you there...
Since the moment of its inception, Saraha Nyingma Buddhist Institute, a 501(c)(3) designated non-profit organization, has needed your kind donations to survive. If you visit our website saraha.org and see our past and current events we hope you can see that even though we are only gnome-like no-one Oregon recluse types, we are doing what we can to bring the Dharma alive in this world, near and far,including keeping the Saraha physical facility warm and alive, and operating our daily practice schedule, daily Buddhist educational events, and regular special events, and M-F Saraha Children's School, and educational website, (which averages tens of thousands of visits from over a hundred countries around the world each year).
Still there is obviously so much more to do, locally and at large, and we can do more. Specifically, we dearly aspire that the Buddhist Home senior care initiative can come to life this year. Your kind donations will add exactly to that, to the depth and scope of we all can accomplish together. Here is the DONATE LINK...
Saraha Calendar for February 2016
Apart from these special events, there are always daily activites at the Institute. Click on calendar image below to visit calendar web page for the up-to-datest info...
The Saraha Nyingma Buddhist Institute, or "Saraha" for short, is a registered 501(c)(3) status non-profit religious organization based in Eugene, Oregon, USA. Following the Buddha's teachings of Enlightenment, and practicing according to the Dudjom Lineage of the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism, Saraha offers a full schedule of regular temple meditation events, special teachings events, and educational courses.
Saraha also operates Saraha Children's School, grades K-8, an award-winning, Oregon State registered and approved children's school, featuring small class size, project-based learning, with a full and rigorous academic curriculum, art, music, dance and Tibetan, infused with child-oriented Buddhist teachings of compassionate virtue, mindfulness and wisdom.
Altogether, Saraha intends to offer a community-based, family friendly atmosphere where students young and old can visit and grow in age and wisdom together. For more information, click our online calendar HERE.
