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His Eminence Jhado Rinpoche at Nalanda Monastery with Sangha. Photo by Capucine Redon.
FPMT centers in Europe were very honored to welcome His Eminence Jhado Rinpoche to Germany, Spain, Italy, France, Switzerland, Austria, and Sweden from March-June 2023. This is cause for major rejoicing!
Séverine Savignan shares the details with us:
From March until June 2023, Rinpoche traveled tirelessly to give teachings, initiations and advice to students in many European centers, touching hearts in all the centers he visited through his extreme kindness and deep wisdom. Rinpoche was traveling with his two attendants, Geshe Tashi-la and Ven. Gonpo-la, who were extremely kind and helpful to staff and volunteers in preparing the teachings and initiations, wherever they needed guidance.
The European tour started in Germany where Rinpoche landed on March 20.
In Munich, at Aryatara Institute, March 22-23, Rinpoche taught on The Four Noble Truths and the Eight Verses of Mind Transformation. The translation was done by Ven. Geshema Kelsang Wangmo from Tibetan to English and Ven. Thubten Drolma to German.
In Spain, Rinpoche was extremely kind in accepting to visit four centers, including smaller ones which would have lesser opportunity to host such a qualified lama. The coordination was handled by Roger Mas Quintana and Irina Hueso who drove Rinpoche around Spain.
In Pamplona, Luz de Nagarjuna Center, March 25-26, Rinpoche taught on the Song of Four Mindfulnesses and gave Chenrezig jenang.
In Nagarjuna Madrid Center on March 28, teachings on Refuge were given, as well as the actual Refuge and Bodhisattva vows. On the March 29, Rinpoche gave the Green Tara initiation.
In Nagarjuna Granada, on March 31-April 1, teachings on the Thousand-Armed Chenrezig jenang were given by Rinpoche.
In Nagarjuna Alicante, on April 4, Rinpoche taught on the Song of Four Mindfulnesses.
On April 5, Palden Lhamo initiation was given to the center representatives. During a visit to Kopan Monastery, Jessica Pastor, the Center Director, had asked Lama Zopa Rinpoche for advice and practices for the center. Lama Zopa Rinpoche then recommended Palden Lamo practice. The initiation was therefore requested to Jhado Rinpoche, and he kindly accepted to grant during his visit.
The translators in Spain were Karen Molina and Katy Delmundo.
The tour then moved on to Italy,
Starting on the Island of Palermo, In Muni Gyana Center, from April 7-11, Rinpoche taught “The Wish-Fulfilling Jewel of the Oral Tradition: Instructions on Identifying the Shared View of Reality” by Khonton Peljor Lhundrup, then gave the Solitary Hero Yamantaka initiation.
His Eminence Jhado Rinpoche at Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa, Italy, April 2023. Photo courtesy of ILTK Facebook page.
In Pomaia, a beautiful village home to Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa (ILTK), Rinpoche gave the Guhyasamaja initiation over three days. Rinpoche was welcomed and hosted by the two Tibetan resident teachers, Geshe Tenphel and Geshe Gelek.
Translation in Palermo and Pomaia were done by Fabrizio Pallotti and Ven. Legtsok from Sera Je.
On April 18, the land where Lhungtok Choekhorling Monastery was built was blessed and Rinpoche gave the oral transmission of the Holy Names of Manjushri, Manjushri Namasamgiti.
In Bologna, Centro Studi Cenresig, on April 22-24, an Introduction to Tantra was given, as well a teaching on the Sutra of the Eight Buddhas of Medicine, the explanation of the puja, and finally the Eight Buddhas of Medicine jenang was given. The translation was by Andrea Capellari.
The tour in France began in Paris, at the Espace Charenton for Kalachakra Center, on April 29-30. Rinpoche gave the Kalachakra initiation, which had been requested by Ven. Elisabeth over many years. The translators were Ven. Steve for English and Sylvain Berthet for French.
His Eminence Jhado Rinpoche, Institut Vajra Yogini, May 2023. Photo by Tsanka Photography.
In Lavaur, at Institut Vajra Yogini (IVY), home of the 108 Nyung Na yearly retreat conducted by Ven. Charles, Rinpoche first gave the Thousand-armed Chenrezig wang on May 4-5, followed by the Commentary on the Nyung Na practice on 6-7. Rinpoche paid a visit to the Nyung Na practitioners and gave them appreciation and encouragement. Translation was by Ven. Gyurme in English and Katy Delmundo in French.
On May 9 evening, Rinpoche gave an online teaching from IVY to Jamyang London Buddhist Center students on the Seven Point Mind Training. The translation was done by Geshe Namdak.
In Nalanda Monastery, teachings on Mahamudra were given on May 11-12, then Rinpoche gave Solitary Hero Yamantaka initiation May 13-14.
On May 15 Rinpoche ordained nine Getsuls, and thirteen new Gelongs, which is extremely rare and unique in the West. This brought the total number of Sangha in Nalanda to a unique height of almost 60 Sangha on the day of the ordination, “which might be one of the biggest gatherings of Western Sangha in the West,” according to Nalanda Monastery.
Hi Eminence Jhado Rinpoche at Nalanda Monastery, France, May 2023. Photo courtesy of Nalanda Monastery Facebook page.
In Switzerland, Martigny, in Gendun Drupa Center, on May 20-21, Rinpoche taught on “In Praise of Dependent Origination,” by Lama Tsong Khapa, and on the Chapter 8 & 9 of the Bodhisattvacharyavatara, by Shantideva. Translation was done by Katy Delmundo.
In Austria, Vienna, in Panchen Losang Chogyen Gelug Center, on May 27-28, a teaching on Nagarjuna’s Commentary on Bodhicitta Bodhicittavivāraṇa was given. The translation was again done by Ven. Geshema Kelsang Wangmo from Tibetan to English and Ven. Thubten Drolma to German.
The Tour ended in Sweden, Stockholm, for the occasion, the Yeshin Norbu Center rented the Museum of Ethnography.
On Friday, June 2, a general talk was given on “How to practice Dharma in daily life,” then on Saturday June 3, Rinpoche taught on Lama Atisha’s Bodhisattva’s Jewel Mala, and finally on Sunday June 4, a teaching on Refuge and the Refuge ceremony was granted to members of the center. The translation was done by Ven. Michael Yeshe.
Many special thanks to all the Country Coordinators, Directors, SPCs, staff, volunteers, translators, sponsors, various hosts and carers, students, and many Dharma friends for their amazing support in making this tour and auspicious events possible.
A very special thanks to Geshe Loden-la, resident teacher at Institut Vajra Yogini, who initially made the request to Jhado Rinpoche, on our behalf, to come and turn the wheel of Dharma in person in Europe.
Our hearts are full of gratitude, hopes, and prayers in order to welcome His Eminence Jhado Rinpoche again soon in Europe.
Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.