H.E. Ling Rinpoche with Vera Kappers; Ven. Losang Gendun; Hermes Brandt; Janneke Langeveld; Paula de Wijs; Els Wittermans; Marja Dijkstra; Annelies van der Heijden; and Karel Vellekoop, Maitreya Instituut Amsterdam, the Netherlands, April 2019. Photo by Netty Leleulya.

His Eminence the 7th Kyabje Ling Rinpoche visited the Netherlands from March 30-April 8, 2019, teaching at several Dharma centers including FPMT center Maitreya Instituut Loenen, where Rinpoche gave the White Tara long life empowerment. Annelies van der Heijden, Maitreya Instituut Amsterdam spiritual program coordinator and FPMT registered teacher; and Liang Tjoa, chairman of the board of directors of Dharma center Kadam Chöling collaborated to invite Rinpoche to the Netherlands and organize the events. Paula de Wijs, Maitreya Instituut Amsterdam center director; Maarten de Vries, Maitreya Instituut Loenen assistant director; and Annelies share the story.

On March 30 students in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, had the privilege of welcoming H.E. Ling Rinpoche to Europe from India for the start of Rinpoche’s two-month tour through Europe. Rinpoche liked the relatively cold weather and fresh air in the Netherlands.

The next day Rinpoche accepted a last-minute invitation to visit the Tibetan School in Amsterdam and took sincere interest in the classes. Many children and parents gathered at the school.

Our city center, Maitreya Institute Amsterdam, hosted Rinpoche for a small informal tea with some volunteers and International Campaign for Tibet staff. There were a number of discussions and exchanges over tea and petit fours. Everyone appreciated Rinpoche’s kind and practical approach to answering questions, as well as Rinpoche’s advice—especially about community building, which resonated with all present.

The following morning, April 1, Rinpoche greatly enjoyed seeing Amsterdam’s blossoming flowers, house boats, old houses, and beautiful canal scenery. That afternoon and the following morning Rinpoche visited two other Dharma groups in the city, Rigpa Amsterdam and Jewel Heart Nijmegen, bestowing the Medicine Buddha Jenang at Jewel Heart on the morning of April 2.

H.E. Ling Rinpoche teaching at Maitreya Instituut Loenen, Loenen, the Netherlands, April 2019. Photo by Netty Leleulya.

Afterwards our retreat center Maitreya Institute Loenen had the great honor to host Rinpoche until the following afternoon.

Rinpoche was enthusiastically greeted by Geshe Sonam Gyaltsen, Maitreya Instituut Loenen’s FPMT resident geshe, our center director, staff, and volunteers. Rinpoche was presented tea and snacks, and enjoyed lively conversations with Geshe-la and sangha members before taking a tour of our retreat center.

Our team then got back to work, lovingly arranging flower arrangements and extensive offerings while Rinpoche’s attendant sculpted tormas in the kitchen. The atmosphere was busy but relaxed and very joyous.

The next morning, on Wednesday, April 3, while Rinpoche was in the gompa preparing for the White Tara long life empowerment, a steady stream of smiling faces came in through the front door. For a number of the 142 attendees, this event was especially poignant because they had been students of His Holiness the 6th Yongzin Ling Rinpoche Thupten Lungtok Namgyal Thinely.

After taking the ritual sip of saffron water we entered the shrine room in silence. Rinpoche was soft spoken and unhurried, taking his time to carefully guide us through the visualizations. Ven. Tenzin Pellha, Maitreya Instituut’s interpreter, skillfully channeled Rinpoche’s words. Geshe Sonam Gyaltsen and Geshe Ngawang Zopa attended the empowerment and gave helpful last-minute suggestions.

H.E. Ling Rinpoche with students, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, April 2019. Photo by Netty Leleulya.

From the moment Rinpoche arrived, we were surrounded by an almost palpable atmosphere of sacredness. When the moment came to say goodbye—after a nice lunch with volunteers—we knew this visit had been a profound blessing.

Next, on April 4, was a visit to Kadam Chöling in Haarlem, the Netherlands, where Rinpoche bestowed the Manjushi jenang.

Rinpoche’s official visit to the Netherlands came to a close with a two-day teaching on Je Tsongkhapa’s lamrim text Songs of Spiritual Experience jointly organized by Maitreya Institute and Kadam Chöling. The teachings were held on April 6 and 7 in the middle of the city in the beautiful old church Posthoornkerk.

Rinpoche left for Barcelona, Spain, on the morning of April 9 to continue his European tour. We are extremely grateful that Rinpoche and his team spent so much time in Holland, and that they visited Maitreya Institute Amsterdam and Maitreya Institute Loenen in addition to many other sangha groups and places, connecting so well with everyone.

We deeply thank everyone who made this visit possible and rejoice in the harmonious collaboration between different sangha communities. We sincerely hope that we’ve paved the ground for Rinpoche to return to the Netherlands and Maitreya Institute soon, and then many more times in the future.

For more information about H.E. Ling Rinpoche’s schedule visit Rinpoche’s website:
http://lingrinpoche.info/

For more information about Maitreya Instituut, visit their website:
https://maitreya.nl/index.htm

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