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H.E. Ling Rinpoche at Centro Nagarjuna Madrid, Madrid, Spain, April 2019. Photo by Sonia Martinez.
His Eminence the 7th Kyabje Ling Rinpoche visited Spain from April 9-20, 2019, teaching in Barcelona, Madrid, and Valencia at events supported by FPMT Hispana centers Centro Nagarjuna Barcelona, Centro Nagarjuna Madrid, and Centro Nagarjuna Valencia. Núria Sala, Centro Nagarjuna Barcelona spiritual program coordinator; Susana Sáiz Medinger, Centro Nagarjuna Madrid spiritual program coordinator; and Stephen Milton, Centro Nagarjuna Valencia center director, share the story.
His Eminence Ling Rinpoche’s teachings in Barcelona were organized by three Dharma centers: Centro Nagarjuna Barcelona, an Centro Budista Tara de Barcelona, and Fundació Casa del Tibet de Barcelona.
Rinpoche arrived at the Barcelona airport on April 9. Rafael Ferrer, FPMT Europe coordinator was there to welcome Rinpoche, along with the three center directors Ven. Marga Echezarreta, Ven. Anila Ridzing Chödrong, and Ven. Thubten Wangchen. Tibetans and students from all three centers also came. Many people brought flowers and H.E. Ling Rinpoche was very happy.
Each center contributed what they had to offer: accommodation for Rinpoche was provided by Centro Budista Tara de Barcelona; a teaching hall was offered by Fundació Casa del Tibet de Barcelona; and Centro Nagarjuna Barcelona supported the entire event. The centers worked together with a lot of harmony.
H.E. Ling Rinpoche with Mar Corominas, Jualia Montero, Xavier De Juan, Joan Ordeix, Núria Sala, Ven. Marga Echezarreta, Geshe Rinchen, Geshe Lobsang Yonten, Ana Esteban, Montse Quera, Andreu Estany, and Ven. Tenzin Nangse at Centro Nagarjuna Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain, April 2019. Photo by Carlos Henao.
Everyone enjoyed the three days of teachings and initiations very much, and H.E. Ling Rinpoche was very happy, always smiling. The teachings were translated by Ven. Tenzin Nangse (Ana González), Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo Translation Program graduate and Centro Nagarjuna Barcelona translator. Rinpoche promised to return to Barcelona. The three centers were very happy, committing to organize it together. The room capacity was two hundred people, and every day it was full. Tickets sold out in a month. For the three centers these teachings were a blessing.
H.E. Ling Rinpoche visited and blessed Centro Nagarjuna Barcelona on April 11, and enjoyed a meal served by members of the Tibetan community. Then Rinpoche and some students took a walk by the sea.
Rinpoche gave teachings and offered blessings at the two other Dharma centers, and visited Benedictine Monastery Santa Maria de Montserrat. From my humble opinion I think that everyone—organizers, teachers, members of the public, students, and more—were very happy Rinpoche visited us, and are waiting for Rinpoche to come back soon.
H.E. Ling Rinpoche at Centro Nagarjuna Madrid, Madrid, Spain, April 2019. Photo by Sonia Martinez.
On the morning of April 17, Rinpoche arrived in Madrid accompanied by two attendants. Approximately fifteen people were waiting for Rinpoche with incense, khatas, flowers, and an abundance of happiness and smiles.
In the evening Rinpoche was taken to Centro Nagarjuna Madrid were more than one hundred people waited for the teachings and transmission. More than twenty people—many who seemed to have a previous connection with Rinpoche—had collaborated in advance of the event, helping to make the center look beautiful. The precious teachings moved everybody, and people were so happy—even in joyful tears—so that when Rinpoche said we could all go for dinner together, many people came to the restaurant to enjoy Rinpoche’s company. Twenty of us sat together in the restaurant, sharing experiences and laughs with Rinpoche, and had a great time.
Even though it was a very short visit everybody who attended was so touched by Rinpoche’s presence. We publicly invited Rinpoche to please, please, please come back soon to Madrid. Rinpoche said he would be happy to come back.
The morning Rinpoche left for Valencia, a group of people were at the station with khatas to wish Rinpoche a good journey. We all went home with a deep feeling in our hearts that we had made a great connection with a magnificent guru. We thank Rinpoche for the marvelous teachings, and wish Rinpoche a very long life so we and many other beings can benefit from Rinpoche’s teachings, presence, and nectar of wisdom.
H.E. Ling Rinpoche with Pablo, Daniel Badran, Geshe Lobsang Tendar, Geshe Thubten Chöden, Ven. Fabio Poza, Marion Lambert, Javier Valverde, Carmen Blazquez, Raul, student, Karen Molina, Fernando Fernandez, Lydia, two students, Ana Maria Izquierdo, Marisa Femenía, Susana Sáiz, Maria, and Alberto at Madrid Atocha train station, Madrid, Spain, April 2019. Photo by Sonia Martinez.
It was a huge honor for Centro Nagarjuna Valencia to host H.E. Ling Rinpoche, one of the most important lamas of this day and age.
Geshe Lamsang—our resident lama and a disciple of His Holiness the 6th Kyabje Yongzin Ling Rinpoche—wanted to give a warm traditional welcome for such a high lama, so it was red carpet treatment (literally) accompanied by the sound of Tibetan trumpets. Rinpoche was led along the red carpet through clouds of fragrant incense all the way from the entrance of Centro Nagarjuna Valencia to the throne in the gompa where Geshe-la made a mandala offering of body, speech, and mind followed by an offering of Tibetan butter tea and auspicious rice.
Rinpoche said how much Rinpoche enjoyed the welcome, and that Rinpoche would hopefully see us all again later on in the teachings.
H.E. Ling Rinpoche, Tenzin Osel Hita, Geshe Lamsang, Ven. Paloma Alba, and students at Centro Nagarjuna Valencia, Spain, April 2019. Photo by Geshe Tenzin Khentse.
More than a hundred people attended the public talk in the evening, a commentary on the text Separating from the Four Attachments. Rinpoche’s explanation was profound and precise and covered the whole path to enlightenment. While listening to Rinpoche’s instructions you got the feeling that actually separating oneself from the various kinds of attachment that prevents us from becoming Buddhas was definitely possible. Sitting there in front of Rinpoche, the ultimate goal—for a while at least—suddenly seemed a little bit closer.
It hardly ever rains in Valencia, but from the moment Rinpoche arrived until Rinpoche left Valencia, it rained hard. At the end of the talk we thanked Rinpoche for bringing the much needed rain to Valencia, and even more importantly a rain of Dharma nectar to subdue our minds; hopefully we can all put it into practice!
For more information about H.E. Ling Rinpoche’s schedule, visit Rinpoche’s website:
http://lingrinpoche.info/
For more information about FPMT Spain, visit their website:
http://fpmt-hispana.org/en/
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