Dear Dharma Brothers and Sisters,
We are writing to you on the anniversary of His Holiness Penor Rinpoche's Parinirvana, with His Holiness fully in our hearts.
So many of us have been very fortunate to receive at least some teachings of the Buddha in this lifetime. Now that we all must face tremendous obstacles with the Covid-19 pandemic, we can rely on these teachings to help us remain calm and maintain an attitude of helping each other and all sentient beings who have been our parents lifetime after lifetime. This is very important. It is time for us to manifest the benefit of our practice, outer, inner and secret. We can comfort ourselves in this way as well as those around us.
First, we would like to request you to please be mindful and follow all the guidelines given by health professionals to protect yourself and others from this coronavirus.
Never has our interdependence been clearer, that our fates are inseparable from those of other beings.
Many people have asked for advice during this difficult time. Fortunately, His Holiness Penor Rinpoche has already given us the best advice, instructing all of us in a few short paragraphs he dictated in 2005 following the tsunami in Asia and Hurricane Katrina. His Holiness mentioned that such global events are a manifestation of collective karma. Of the causes that lead to such collective suffering, His Holiness mentions selfishness as creating more difficulty than anything else.
The link to this teaching is here:
His Holiness also mentions that many people don’t believe forecasts and predictions given to us by wise people. He says that of course when we don’t follow the advice, we have a very negative result. In these days, we can see that if we do not follow advice for staying home, washing hands, wearing masks and gloves and so forth, that we can have a very negative result through not only harming ourselves, but spreading harm to our families, friends, and neighbors.
At the end of this teaching, His Holiness advises us very simply to love one another and have compassion towards all sentient beings. Let us take this advice to heart and practice it!
As far as our programs are concerned, the Heart Sons have already instructed that we should not engaged in group practice. And as you may know many local centers have moved to online programs. Lama Pasang Tenzin has webcast from Austin, Texas, and Lopon Rapjee Wangchuk has done so from New York City, enabling us to practice together while maintaining social distancing. If you are interested in joining in daily practice, the Austin center's program details are to the right.
As far as the summer retreat in the United States is concerned, we may need to postpone this year. We won’t know until we see the progress of the disease in the United States over the next months. If you have registered for retreat already, don’t worry, we have instructed the office to hold your registration or refund it as you need. Just write them at ret...@palyul.orgwith any questions.
The main thing for now is to focus on taking care of yourself, your family and to engage in prayer for all sentient beings. With fewer distractions of daily life, we can transform this occasion into a good opportunity to be with our families or possibly take personal retreat, study and practice.
All of our Palyul tulkus, khenpos, lamas, monks and nuns will continue to pray for your well-being and that of all sentient beings.
Know that we love you and wish you the best.
