Jamyang Study Group - Los Masos France

HH Dalai Lama Daily Advice for Today

2011-04-17T14:28:00.438+02:00

Meditation on Practicingf Buddhism

31st December 2011

"If as a Buddhist you wish to dedicate yourself to humanitarian work, that is a good thing. Check that your intention is perfectly pure. But nevertheless, social action is not in itself an engaged form of Buddhism if it is not carried out with love and compassion, and if one does not take refuge in the Buddha*.This is why you should devote part of your time to practice sessions, during which you take refuge and meditate on impermanence, suffering, and so forth.."

*****************

Latest News of Ösel Hita

2010-10-25T07:13:00.010+02:00

Osel Hita : latest news

See more about Osel's FPMT background in our "FPMT_Bulletin"

April 2010

Ösel gives frank and revealing one-hour interview on French radio

On 14th April 2010 Radio France Culture "Sur les Docks" broadcast a one-hour programme comprising interviews with Ösel and his mother Maria in Ibiza. They spoke in English and it was interpreted into French.

In it, Ösel describes his supposed status as an incarnation of Lama Yeshe, what it means to him, what it was like studying in the Tibetan monastery in India as a child: the beatings that were given there, what he thought of that, the depression he suffered, why he left, how life in the west appeared to him when he returned - and what kind of life he wants to live now.

His mother, Maria describes how all this was for her and what she thought about it all as a student of Lama Yeshe herself. In particular, she tells of her disappointment when it was decided by whoever at FPMT to ritually 'enthrone' Ösel as Lama Yeshe's incarnation without her permission as his mother. She felt deceived, and says that enthroning Ösel like that was counter-productive since in the end it had a negative effect on the course of Ösel's close, involved and ongoing connection with FPMT.

Click to hear the programme . You'll need RealPlayer SP to play it.

March 2010

Osel to make rare Public Appearance

We are advised by a reliable source that Osel will attend the consecration of Lama Yeshe’s stupa at Boulder Creek in California on 8th May 2010.

See
http://www.vajrapani.org/Site/stupaconcecration2010.html

A recent photo of Osel with Lama Zopa Rinpoche

February 2010 ....

Osel is well and staying in Ibiza with his mother. He’s graduated from the College of Cinematography in Madrid and is now carrying out small projects, making short videos and films and writing movie scripts. Probably, he also has a day job.

15th June 2009

A friend has kindly sent us some poetic words supposed to be written by Osel which sum up very neatly his position. Presented as a single verse, it goes like this:

Soy una pieza más
En este mundo tan distinto.
Si me dejas andar,
Me guio por el instinto.
Y ese, me conduce a ti.

Translated into English by our expert translator it goes as follows:

I'm just a piece
Of this very [different / diverse] world.
If you let me go [on my own],
I'll let instinct guide me.
And that will lead me to you.

5th June 2009

Osel, courtesy Osel and ‘Babylon’ Magazine

There is quite a flurry of new information and interview(s?) about and from Osel which has just been published.

It seems the above picture was first published with a long interview with Osel in the May/June 2009 edition of Babylon, a free magazine from Madrid University on Spanish culture, here:
http://www.magazinebabylon.com/BabylonMagazine5.pdf
See page 56 for the interview, in Spanish and English.

It is interesting that Osel now proclaims himself here, not as a Buddhist but as a "scientific agnostic". This seems in accord with the Dalai Lama's advice to Buddhists to put aside old "Buddhist" beliefs that are contradicted by science. It can also be argued that the Buddha himself was in his day a "scientific agnostic", turning away from all existing religions in his search for scientific truth about the nature of existence. For further details about the Dalai Lama's position on this please see http://www.jamyangstudygroup.com/OurPhilosophy.html.

An edited-down version of Osel's 'Babylon' interview was then published on 31st May 2009 in El Mundo, a Catholic Spanish newspaper. Since this newspaper is largely Roman Catholic based it seems to have selected a rather negative collection of comments from the Babylon interview, out of context in order to discredit the Tibetan Buddhist movement. For Spanish speaking readers it can be read here:
http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2009/05/30/espana/1243716606.html

A further edited-down version of this was then published on 1st June 2009 in the UK newspaper The Guardian, which also quotes Osel’s words out of context and unsympathetically presented:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/may/31/dalai-lama-osel-hita-torres

It has been stated by Dr Nick Ribush, Director of FPMT’s Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive, that Osel was not very happy with the presentation of the secondary articles adapted from this Babylon interview and published in El Mundo and the Guardian out of their original context.

Dr Ribush has pointed to a message on the official FPMT website as being Osel's personal response and rebuttal to the Guardian and others' “distortion of the original interview” : http://www.fpmt.org/teachers/osel/.

This posting also shows a second new photo of Osel:

Though dated June 2009 and said to be “current”, this message consists mostly of statements taken en bloc and verbatim from other writings by Osel, and mainly from his letter to “Everyone working at FPMT” in October 2008 (reproduced below).

This posting on FPMT’s website coincided with the complete deletion of all FPMT’s previous official information compiled and published about Osel over the last 24 years, including his family, discovery, recognition and being sent off at a tender age for a Tibetan monastic education. It had put Osel on a something of a pedestal and idealised his monastic education as a proper training and prelude to becoming a Buddhist teacher.

The disappearance of all this 'History of Osel according to FPMT' coincides with Osel’s publication, in Babylon, of how differently he himself had experienced - and disliked - that same monastic education, and how much he disliked being put on a pedestal.

The sudden deletion appears to constitute a tacit acknowledgement by FPMT that they had made a mistake in consigning little Osel to a monastic life in India and treating him the way they had, but it is also a pity they could not leave all that interesting and valuable information on public display, for the record.

Dr Ribush, who helped found FPMT in the 1970s, has very kindly provided us with the full text of Osel's October 2008 letter to everyone of FPMT (referred to above), which reads as follows:

“Hello, and Greetings to everyone working so hard within the FPMT organization.

I am delighted to have the opportunity to add some thoughts and comments to the FPMT Handbook.

When I was much younger, like eighteen months old, between His Holiness, Lama Zopa and others, some oracles, they decided that out of ten different candidates, this one was the reincarnation of Lama Yeshe. It turns out that when I was pretty young I remembered people and situations and moments – things like that. So that gave credit to the fact that I was the reincarnation of Lama Yeshe. But as time flew on I’ve forgotten everything.

If I did remember something, I don’t remember anything anymore. The earliest memory I have is of being in Tushita Dharamsala when I was maybe – I don’t know – four years old, in the forest, something like that. I have other memories of when I was six, in Switzerland. But even though I can remember those times I don’t remember remembering anything from my previous life.

Lama Yeshe taught really, really well on so many different things and aspects of life – religion, Buddhism, your mind and the interior universe we all have. One of the things he taught was impermanence and how we all change; how we take form and leave that form, change energies and change dimensions – whatever you want to call it.

You cannot really project your expectations onto anybody or fantasize about the future, because that’s only hurting yourself, deceiving yourself. Obviously. You have to live moment by moment and find your own true teacher inside yourself.

Of course, any religion or anybody can say ‘Oh look, I found the truth here. Come and take it.’ But it’s not going to really work out, because each person has his or her own truth that they have to find. Like for example, full moon light shining in the middle of a dark forest can help you find your way, but it’s not THE way. Many people think the light is the path, but you’re not going to the moon, you’re actually trying to get out of the forest. The full moon just helps you find your way. It’s a little bit like that.

Some people seem to expect that a teacher will take them all the way, to the end. But it doesn’t really work like that. They think that because this is Lama Yeshe’s reincarnation, then for sure he’s going to do everything, teach everyone, and be just like Lama Yeshe. It’s not like that. Also, today is not like being in Tibet many years ago, or even when the hippies were in Nepal and India in the 1970s. The world has changed a bit.

I’ve changed, I’ve moved on. I’m trying to find a different way of teaching. I think FPMT is doing a great job and Lama Zopa is really, really, truly amazing. But personally, I can’t sit on a throne and give teachings.

Besides, I don’t really qualify very much in Buddhist studies, because I didn’t finish them.

So I’m trying to find another way for this future generation. One of the ways is through music, movies and audio-visual techniques. In a movie you can condense so many different stories. You can put in music; you can put in different situations and messages. Even just the sunset can be enough to give you peace to find a moment of meditation in yourself. There are so many different millions of possibilities in movies.

And not just movies, but documentaries – actually going somewhere and interviewing people who may have reached a level on their path where they are at peace with themselves.That’s kind of what I’m planning to do. But it is one thing is to plan and another for things to actually happen. So we’re back to the mental projections. But for now, that’s what I am hoping to do. ...

I’m really, really grateful for all the help everyone gave me. People really helped and supported me. Thank you for all the support and the help.I’m treading on my own path now, though I am not separated from those people who helped and supported me. It’s not at all that I don’t want to do anything anymore with the FPMT.

Then on the Handbook itself, I thought to mention the following ideas I have:

1. I really feel it is vital all centers should use the Handbook, which may not be happening fully at present. There is so much of Lama Yeshe’s advice contained in the handbook. Lama Yeshe left everything so perfectly. He was a very modern teacher.

2. Center staff, key personnel, and all residents should possibly even sit an exam on the Handbook to ensure they really know it.

3. There should be karma yoga at all centers. That was a key part of Lama Yeshe’s advice - a way to involve students at courses and events - to give them a chance to participate and contribute. There should be Morning meditation, teaching, karma yoga.

4. Then another extremely important point and one which is not always observed well - Those who have worked hard for the organization must be acknowledged, respected, and appreciated even after their contribution has ended. It is not in any way acceptable to forget, pass over, or drop anyone because they no longer directly contribute. Everyone is very important, and plays a crucial role in their position. Everyone should be equally respected, and appreciated for their help. Especially after people have finished their term of duty. It’s like ex-workers are holy and sacred. They are the foundation of the F in the FPMT and must never be forgotten or taken for granted.Thank you all so much,

To feel is to love. Even though love has many faces,
Love will unite us with our true identity.
Love created us, love keeps us moving.
One love throughout each and every one of us.

Big Love
Osel
October 2008”

EARLIER ....

18th April 2008
By Sean Jones, J-S-G co-founder and co-coordinatoR

Yesterday, 17th April 2008, my wife Ariane and I went back to the place where we met in 1993, FPMT’s ‘Institut Vajra Yogini’ centre at Lavaur, near Toulouse in France, and we had the great good fortune to spend a good 5 hours in the company of the 23rd Gomo Tulku Rinpoche, the 19-year old reincarnation of the 22nd, who was one of the (or THE?) main teachers of both Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche, founders and Spiritual Directors of the FPMT.

Gomo Tulku had, he said, been sent by Lama Zopa Rinpoche to tour Lama Yeshe’s old centres in Europe and was in France in between trips to Spain and Italy.“El Gomo” as he jokingly prefers to style himself (having just come here from Spain), was born in Canada as the son of the 22nd Gomo Tulku Rinpoche’s daughter – and is thus in the extraordinary position of being his own grandson! He was born at 8 o’clock on the 8th of August - the 8th - in – wait for it - 1988. Very auspicious!!! Thus, he will be 20 years old on the opening day of the Beijing Olympics. He is truly a charismatic and highly impressive Lama – he blew our minds ... but we didn’t fall over.

He discussed at great length about his people, his constituency in Penpo, in Tibet, his monastery, and the current situation in Tibet, but this does not concern us here.He had actually just arrived from Madrid where he had been spending time with Osel, who, he told us, is his close friend from when they were both tulku students at Sera Monastery in South India.

Photo: Gomo Tulku, Institut Vajra Yogini, France, 17th April 2008.

Osel, confirmed Gomo Tulku, true to his predecessor Lama Yeshe’s mould-breaking character, had rebelled against the FPMT-designated ‘medieval’ monastic education system he had been consigned to and did drop out of Sera Monastery completely, half a dozen or so years ago, returning his monks robes and going back to Spain to do his own thing; thus dropping out also completely from FPMT's control.

After a spell at a Canadian boarding school and travelling in Switzerland and Italy he eventually decided to return to his native Spain and study film-making. He is currently completing the third year of a degree course in Cinematography at Madrid University and doing well.‘El Gomo’ told us how very close he is to Osel, and when asked if he could give an example of an enlightened being he immediately said “Osel”. They have been close friends for many years already in this life and from the way he spoke we could easily sense the deep and strong bond that exists between them.

They are both primarily interested in how they can most benefit their own generation and the coming generation of young people. They consider ODWs and FPMT students as already highly privileged and spiritually very well cared for, with plenty of teachings, lamas and gurus behind them, and they are focussing their attention on how they can create maximum benefit by helping their own generation in the west which, on the contrary, is largely bereft of Dharma and thus in far greater need. Cool!

To do this, they are therefore in the process of completely immersing themselves in contemporary youth culture and learning the language through which they can communicate directly with young adults of their own age. But whatever he does in future, Rinpoche assured, he will continue his Dharma studies, that is his paramount and overriding consideration.

‘El Gomo’ expressed a particularly strong personal interest in music and dance and dreams of being a ‘hip-hop’ superstar, and seems to find Osel’s interest in film and video fully compatible. One assumes they might be planning to work together. Both love music, said el Gomo; he prefers hip-hop himself while Osel likes trance and techno; and both enjoy listening to Eminem together. He also talked a lot about films they liked.

Gomo said he would leave Sera Monastery in August and travel to Spain to link up with Osel and start their work together. He would take his Dharma teacher with him, who is the Abbot of Sera Monastery, and this, he hoped would enable him not only to continue his higher Buddhist studies but also to pass on to Osel the essence of the higher teachings which he (Osel) had missed by leaving the monastery earlier.

I do not wish to reveal any further details of the various visions explained and the ideas to transcend Dharma and change the world that were speculated about, since this might create obstacles to their fruition. However, suffice it to say that Ariane and I felt enormously reassured to know that Osel has such a strong friend behind him as Gomo Tulku Rinpoche, and very happy to learn that they seem intent on working together for the maximum benefit of their own generation.

Osel may be lost to FPMT, but his entire generation will be the needy beneficiaries.Watch this space!This is largely my own interpretation of what we heard and learned from “El Gomo” yesterday and I take full responsibility for any distortion.

Sean

The above account is adapted from a report posted on the “Old Dharamsala Wallahs” social networking site and the following is a brief selection of the comments and exchanges that ensued from this posting:

From Fabrizio:
Dear Sean,

I really appreciate your blog on Gomo Rinpoche. Rinpoche was truly an extraordinary Lama in his past life. I had the fortune of spending a lot of time with Rinpoche when he first came to Italy in the mid eighties. In three months Rinpoche gave more than 200 initiations, teachings, commentaries, fire pujas, lama dances, public talks and much more. It seemed like for him 24 hours had the length of 48, so much activities he was able to accomplish. I know the young Rinpoche as well, if he manages to finish his studies at the monastery he will be so beneficial for the Dharma in the west. Likewise we all know that lama was a great yogi and accomplished being, so, they might appear a little eccentric as Lamas, that's how they are going to benefit people. I have more but for later, got to run now

Thanks, Fabrizio, glad you appreciated. We told El Gomo we were friends of yours and he said "who?" then he said "oh, the ice-cream guy?" and we said "that's the one!" Are you in the ice cream business? Give me a large one, please.

At the moment he is considering going to the USA after August instead of continuing to take his Geshe degree, but he assured us he will continue with his Dharma studies whatever happens, that is paramount, taking his main guru with him to the US.

It is the first time I met him or his predecessor but maybe I knew the 15th or so because we made a good connection.

Maybe these young lamas are in the process of a big reform. He talked about conservatism in the monasteries and when I asked his comments about the observance and enforcement of monastic discipline it was the only question he appeared to feel slightly uncomfortable to give a full answer. He just said "become a monk and see for yourself!" I told him "no way, man".

From Anonymous:
Great update on Lama Osel. Here's one possible future: The FPMT starts a film production unit and produces Osel's films, giving him 100% editorial freedom. It becomes a real win-win for everyone. FPMT fulfils its purpose of supporting Lama Osel; Oz would get backing for his film projects; young, hip people all over the world get turned onto to Dharma through Osel's films, music and dance; they join the FPMT in massive numbers; Oz takes over the FPMT, and transforms it into a major producer of hip contemporary films, videos and music.

It’s going to be great!

Patron Sets Us Text To Study

2010-04-01T11:02:00.015+02:00

In January 2010, our Patron kindly gave us the following text to study.

THIRTY-SEVEN PRACTICES OF BODHISATTVAS
By Gyalsey Thokmay Sangpo

Published by the Library of Tibetan Works & Archives, 2009

Namo Lokeshvaraya !

You see that all phenomena neither come nor go.
Still you strive solely for the benefit of beings.
Supreme Guru and Protector Chenrezig,
To you I continually bow with body, speech and mind.

The perfect Buddhas, the source of benefit and happiness,
Arise from practicing the genuine Dharma,
Which in turn depends on knowing how to practice.
So here I’ll explain the Bodhisattva practices.

1
Now that you have obtained this precious human body, the great boat so difficult to find,
In order to free yourself and others from the ocean of samsara,
Listening, reflecting and meditating with diligence day and night
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

2
Passion towards friends churns like water;
Hatred towards enemies burns like fire;
Through the darkness of ignorance one forgets what to adopt and what to reject.
To abandon one’s homeland is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

3
Giving up inhospitable places, mental afflictions gradually decrease.
With no distractions, virtuous activities naturally increase.
When mind becomes clear, conviction in the Dharma is born.
(Therefore) seeking solitude is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

4
Friends and relatives acquainted for long will separate.
Possessions gained with exertion will be left behind.
Consciousness, the guest, will leave the guesthouse of the body.
To let go of this life is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

5
When friendship with someone causes the three poisons to increase,
Degrades the activities of listening, reflecting and meditating,
And destroys loving kindness and compassion,
To give up such a friendship is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

6
When in reliance on someone your negativities diminish,
And your positive qualities grow like a waxing moon,
To cherish such a spiritual friend more than your own body
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

7
Themselves captive in the prison of samsara,
Whom can the worldly gods protect?
Therefore the seek refuge in the Three Jewels, who do not betray you
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

8
The suffering of the lower realms, so difficult to bear,
Is what the Buddhas taught to be the fruit of negative actions.
Therefore, even at the cost of your life,
Never to commit negative actions is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

9
Happiness in the three realms, like dew on a blade of grass,
Is subject to instantaneous fading away.
To strive for the supreme state of liberation
That never wavers is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

10
From the beginningless time your mothers have cherished you.
If they now suffer, what good is your own happiness?
Therefore, in order to liberate limitless numbers of sentient beings
Cultivating Bodhicitta is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

11
All suffering comes from yearning for your own happiness.
The perfect Buddhas are born from the intention to benefit others.
Therefore, to truly exchange your own happiness
For the suffering of others is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

12
Even if someone driven by excessive desire steals all your wealth
Or incites someone else to steal it,
To dedicate to this person your body, possessions and all your virtue
Of the three times is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

13
If someone cuts off your head
Even when you have not done the slightest wrong,
Through the power of compassion
To take his misdeeds upon yourself is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

14
Should someone slander you
In a billion worlds,
With a loving heart, to proclaim his good qualities in return
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

15
If in the middle of a crowd of people
Someone reveals your hidden faults and abuses you for them,
To see him as a spiritual friend and to bow with respect
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

16
If someone whom you cherish as dearly as your own child
Takes you for an enemy,
Then, like a mother whose child is sick,
To love that person even more is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

17
Even if someone who is your equal or inferior,
Driven by arrogance seeks to disparage you,
To place him on the crown of your head with the same respect you would accord your guru
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

18
Though gripped by poverty and always scorned,
Though stricken by acute illness and possessed by evil spirits,
To take upon yourself the suffering and negativities of every being
And never get discouraged is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

19
Though famous and prominent, someone to whom others bow,
Though you amass the riches like that of the god of wealth,
To see that worldly splendour has no essence
And thus to be without arrogance is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

20
If you have not pacified the enemy of your own anger,
Combating outer opponents will only make them multiply,
Therefore, with an army of loving kindness and compassion,
To tame your own mind is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

21
Sensual pleasures are like salt water;
The more you partake of them, the more your craving will increase.
Therefore, when something arouses attachment,
To abandon it immediately is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

22
All appearances are your own mind,
And mind itself primordially transcends all mental fabrications.
Knowing this, and to remain free from apprehending the signs of subject and object
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

23
When you encounter objects that please your mind,
Like rainbows in the summer season,
Though they seem beautiful, not to view them as real and to give up attachment to them
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

24
All suffering is like the death of your child in a dream.
To take such delusive appearances as true, how exhausting!
Therefore, whenever you encounter unpleasant circumstances,
To see them as deceptions is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

25
If those who aspire to enlightenment willingly give up their bodies,
What need is there to mention external objects?
Therefore, with no hope of reward or benefit,
To give with generosity is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

26
If lack of discipline prevents you from benefiting yourself,
Then your wish to benefit others is just a joke.
Therefore, to observe discipline with no longing for worldly existence
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

27
For a Bodhisattva who seeks a wealth of virtue,
Every harm perpetrator is like a precious treasure.
Therefore, without feeling irritation to all,
To cultivate patience is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

28
If Shravakas and Pratyekabuddhas, who strive for their benefit alone,
Expand effort as if to extinguish a fire burning on their heads,
To cultivate joyous effort, the wellspring of positive qualities,
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

29
Vipasana perfectly endowed with Shamatha
Completely conquers all afflictions.
Knowing this, and to cultivate meditative concentration that transcends the four formless states
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

30
The practices of the first five perfections
But without wisdom cannot achieve perfect enlightenment.
Equipped with skilful means and cultivating the wisdom of non-conceptualising the three spheres
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

31
If you do not analyse your own faults
You might put on a Dharmic façade while behaving in a non-Dharmic way.
Therefore, to continually analyse your faults and then discard them
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

32
If compelled by your own afflictions you speak of the faults of other Bodhisattvas
You yourself will degenerate.
Therefore, never citing the faults of those who have entered the Mahayana path
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

33
Desire for gain and services leads to mutual arguments,
And activities of listening, reflecting and meditating decline.
To relinquish attachment to the households of friends, relatives and donors
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

34
Harsh words disturb the minds of others
And disintegrate a Bodhisattva’s conduct.
Therefore, to give up harsh and unpleasant speech towards others
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

35
Once you become accustomed to afflictions, they are hard to undermine with antidotes.
Therefore, with the remedial weapons of mindfulness and introspection,
To forcefully eliminate afflictions such as attachment, the moment they arise,
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

36
In brief, wherever you are and whatever you do,
Always examine the state of your mind.
Continuously working for the welfare of others
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

37
To dedicate the merit thus accumulated through these efforts to enlightenment
With the wisdom free of concepts of the three spheres,
In order to eliminate the suffering of all infinite beings
Is the practice of a Bodhisattva.

**************************************

By relying on the words of genuine masters,
I explain the meaning taught in the sutras, tantras and (other) treatises,
In the form of these thirty-seven Bodhisattva practices
To benefit those who wish to train on the Bodhisattva’s path.

Because my intelligence is small and my studies few,
I lack linguistic skills to please the scholars.
Yet, since they are based on sutras and the teachings of the genuine masters,
I believe these practices of a Bodhisattva are flawless.

Nevertheless, since the vastness of a Bodhisattva’s conduct is difficult to fathom
By someone like me with an inferior intellect,
I pray to the genuine masters to consider with patience
All my flaws such as contradictions, incoherence and so on.

By the virtue of the merit gathered here,
And by the power of conventional and ultimate Bodhicitta,
May all beings become like the benefactor Avalokiteshvara
Who dwells neither in the extreme of samsara nor in that of peace.

*****************************

Translated by Geshe Dorje Damdul, Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, Dharamsala, HP, India.
2009.
Published by Library of Tibetan Works and Archives
Printed by Archana Press, Delhi.

2008-02-04T19:43:00.001+01:00

His Holiness greets the audience of 10,000 in Milan

JAMYANG ATTENDS HHDL MILAN TEACHINGS

9th December: a JSG party converges on Milan, Italy, for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s teachings. What better thing to do? He's 73 now, and who knows how long he'll travel to teach in Europe?

We are three from Los Masos, one from Antigua, a Swiss and an English, plus a Parisian and a New Yorker. The venue is a 10,000-capacity concrete-covered stadium from the sixties. His Holiness arrives, greets everyone, prostrates to the Buddha and mounts his throne. Monks or nuns from various Asian countries chant the Heart Sutra, the teaching begins and HH’s golden and resonant tones roll out across the hall. Pure bliss!

His Holiness first creates a sweeping portrayal of the birth of religions in men's minds."I want to say something about the relevance of religion in modern times - I will discuss secular methods in the Public Talk." Primitive religions, based on simple faith to cope with the overwhelming fear of the unknown, were followed by increasingly complex systems based on both faith and more or less sophisticated philosophies - yet all, whether theistic or non-theistic, pursue the same goal of developing our compassion, love, tolerance, self-discipline. He blows out the lights with the explanation of emptiness in the verse from Guhyasamaja that opens the subject text by Nagarjuna. Then he dances through the 100+ stanza text, selecting just over a dozen verses to completely cover the entire path.
.
At the ordinary level he explains why we are here and what we should do to be happy. He then outlines ethical behaviour for all, correct attitudes for Buddhist students and teachers, how to relate to others. All actions of body, speech and mind are characterised as good or bad according to our motivation for making them. How we shape our own future by the way we act, speak and think.

He puts complex concepts into simple words: “love” is wanting to make others happy, “compassion” is wanting to relieve their suffering. By exercising such qualities we attain happiness. We can enhance our ability to do so by study and meditation. Meditation on suffering and the wish to help others enhances our determination to progress towards enlightenment for their sake. The more we learn and progress, the better we can help.

All this is made blindingly obvious in progressively profounder detail in four two hour sessions over two days, the excellent Italian interpreter is warmly applauded; organisation is impeccable. The friendly, relaxed Italian atmosphere is very refreshing.

On the second evening we visit Milan’s central piazza and the Duomo, swarming with people celebrating Milan’s patron saint’s day and it is a magnificent sight with all the Christmas lights and happy crowds. We ask a gorgeously uniformed hotel doorman where we can find “a real pizza parlour”. He sends us a few blocks away where we take a table in a packed and noisy restaurant full of Italian families, enjoy “the real thing” and rejoice over the teachings.

Next morning is a “Thousand Armed Chenrezig” blessing. This personification of compassion removes suffering in a thousand ways at once. It is an awesome ceremony as His Holiness radiates blissful vibrations. The whole city rejoices.

Later, an informal and relaxed public talk. His Holiness makes a few jokes and asks what the subject is today. “Religious Harmony” he replies. “Oh, good” he says “my favourite topic”. He waves at an elderly Muslim gentleman with a cap and a beard sitting in the front row: “My old friend”. He points out that since Muslims have unlimited respect Allah and believe he created everything, they are therefore equally obliged to respect everything he has created as well; and that no religion is characterised by a few ‘mischief makers’ since similar ‘extremists’ exist in Buddhism; it is a human trait, not belonging to any one religion. Different religions serve to fulfil the various dispositions of different people and all have the same aim in practice such as social harmony, happiness and the practice of compassion. We must work together for the good of all, have realistic long-term goals, eschew violence and dream of a better world; everything is possible. He talks for an hour, then responds to questions. This talk is published under “Special” on Berzin_Archive, as transcribed by our friend Dr Alex Berzin.
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Time to say goodbye and fly home. A great weekend in Italy, thanks to the organisers and of course His Holiness. A very warm glow is felt by all.
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Los Masos late news

2008-01-27T16:56:00.001+01:00

Canigou peak fom Los Masos in the February sunrise

Latest Los Masos Newsflash

The teachings by Geshe_Losang_Jampel, tentatively scheduled for 12th/13th February have been postponed to late April or early May. There were difficulties with booking the hall and with finding an interpreter from Tibetan into French.
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On 15th February we move to India and reconvene in Dharamsala to visit His Holiness and attend his whole Losar New Year teaching programme. There will be a group of several members from the Los Masos areas plus others from the USA and Paris. They will stay there for a month before moving to Delhi at the end of March for a week of private teachings from His Holiness on Gom Rim and Mahamudra, interpreted by Geshe Thubten Jinpa Langri.

2007-12-30T23:17:00.024+01:00

FPMT Bulletin

5th May 2008. A great solution as a basis for Osel and FPMT to re-unite has been put forward by a friend:

"Great update on Lama Osel. Here's one possible future: The FPMT starts a film production unit and produces Osel's films. It becomes a real win-win for everyone. FPMT fullfills its purpose of supporting Lama Osel; Oz would get backing for his film projects; young, hip people all over the world get turned onto to Dharma through Osel's films, music and dance; they join the FPMT in massive numbers; Oz takes over the FPMT, and transforms it into a major producer of hip contemporary films, videos and music. It's going to be great!"

This is self-evidently such a wonderfully inspirational solution that we are forwarding it, first to Osel to think about via his friend Gomo Tulku and secondly to Lama Zopa Rinpoche to consider from FPMT's side. Let us hope that something good for everyone comes out of it!

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Lama Yeshe, Osel's previous incarnation (left), and Osel as a young monk in 1990 (Photo Clive Arrowsmith, Office of Tibet London)

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Jan 2008. As many members enjoy a long-term connection with Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa of FPMT, a world-wide Tibetan Buddhist group, and Osel, we relate their fascinating story.

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Lama Yeshe's western students having brought him to the west and founded various Buddhist centres, he called it FPMT and became its Spiritual Director, making his students responsible to organise it. He passed away in 1984, his main student Lama Zopa took over and FPMT now (2008) has 59 Dharma Centres, big and small, world-wide. In 1985 Lama Zopa 'recognised' Osel, the son of two Spanish students as Lama Yeshe's reincarnation (see: FPMT-Osel).
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In terms of finance Lama Zopa’s USA office is now the biggest ($4m annual income and $12.8m in net assets), see its publicly-available FPMT-Accounts. Meanwhile FPMT’s support base shifted back to Asia, judging by 90% of its donors in its most recent fund-raising campaign having Asian names: Donor-name_List. It is also comparatively small in the USA now, having only 12 affiliated centres out of 2,032 U.S. Buddhist groups listed by Buddhanet - well under 1%.
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As Lama Yeshe's successor, FPMT sent Osel, aged 5, to Sera, a traditional Tibetan Monastery in South India where he spent his entire boyhood studying Buddhism under tutors and personal attendants chosen by FPMT. Their "Mandala" Magazine had regular updates at the time about his studies. Osel left the monastery for Spain in 2001, aged 16, since when FPMT says it respects his wish to live a private life and do his own thing independently.
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A 2002 interview in a French periodical indicated Osel reportedly said his personal vision was to use the world-wide platform of FPMT centres to make essential Buddhism accessible to all, somehow divested of Tibetan or Indian cultural content.
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Osel repudiates his honorific titles 'Lama' and 'Rinpoche' and wants to be known just as "Osel", "Oz" for short. He was further educated in Canada (see FPMT-past-updates-Osel) and now studies film-making in Spain. In February 2007 he wrote to the FPMT Board stating his position, but details weren't made public.
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In comments made about Osel to JSG members in 2007, FPMT members pointed out that ‘Osel doesn't want a lot of attention or a lot of devotion. As he develops, he will naturally manifest in his own inimitable way - and we'll all be amazed!’ They also indicated that Osel ‘felt a lot of pain from his time at Sera', that he is ‘averse to the spotlight of publicity’, and that ‘he rejects the burden of expectation put on him to teach or lead FPMT'. In 2002 it was officially stated by FPMT that though young, Osel was ‘still the Lama and the Owner of this organisation’ - and that ‘soon we’ll be able to receive teachings from him’.
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For the first officially-released new statements made by Osel since he left the monastery, please see FPMT's Annual_Review_for_2006.
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JSG´S MESSAGES FROM OSEL
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Despite his own general silence, Osel sent JSG a kind message on 1/11/07, "Lha Bab Du Chen", the very day that Buddha descended from heaven to teach on planet Earth. Osel was rumoured to be in nearby Barcelona so we invited him over. He replied "to thank us for our kind invitation", explaining "he does not have time to make a visit for the moment" and asking us "to excuse him for the time being". We hope he can come next time.
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Osel also wrote a longer and more personal letter to JSG’s co-ordinator in December 2007, sending it via FPMT Board Member Peter Kedge but specially asking us to keep its contents private. However, FPMT recently published an edited extract from this letter on Page 3 of their Annual_Review_2007, as if Osel had written it like that as a message for FPMT’s public use. We have queried this publication with FPMT Director and Osel go-between Peter Kedge but he has not yet responded.
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We sympathise with Osel's need for privacy to develop away from the unwanted weight of expectation and devotion thrust upon him. We send him all our love and support hoping it will speed him along and help karma take its course in the most beneficial way.
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Osel also inspired our "Next Generation Buddhist Survey". We wonder what he thinks of Buddhism, as practiced by the older generation ....
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Lama Yeshe said: "you can’t put me in a box" and "go beyond Buddhism, discard its Asian cultural stuff". He showed us how to change our world by changing our attitudes. So what can we expect from Osel? - Nothing! We just have to wait and see. He is reported to have once sent the FPMT Board what is effectively a rhyming couplet, saying:
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"Maybe, one day, I will teach,

Sat on a rock, on the beach". . .

If any kind reader has an up-to-date photo of Osel or more up-to-date news or other info they can share about him, whilst totally respecting his wish for privacy please let us know.

NEWSFLASH: copied from the front page:

NEWS OF OSEL!

On 17th April several members attended FPMT’s Institut Vajra Yogini at Lavaur, near Toulouse, and had the great good fortune to spend 5 hours in the company of the 23rd Gomo Tulku Rinpoche, the 19-year old reincarnation of the 22nd, who was one of the (or THE?) main teachers of both Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche. He had been sent by LZR, he said, to tour Lama Yeshe’s old centres in Europe and was in France in between trips to Spain and Italy.
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“El Gomo” as he jokingly prefers to style himself, was born in Canada as the son of the 22nd Gomo Tulku Rinpoche’s daughter – and is thus in the extraordinary position of being his own grandson! He was born at 8 o’clock on the 8th of the 8th in 1988. Very auspicious!!! Thus, he will be 20 years old on the opening day of the Beijing Olympics. He is truly a charismatic and highly impressive Lama – he blew our minds. But we didn’t fall over. He also discussed at great length about what he referred to as ‘his people’ in Penpo in Tibet (despite never having even been there for several generations), his monastery there and the current situation in Tibet but this does not concern us here.
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Gomo Tulku had actually just arrived from Madrid, where he had been spending time Osel, who is, he said, his close friend. Osel, confirmed Rinpoche, true to his character had rebelled against the system and did drop out of Sera Monastery completely half a dozen or so years ago, returning his monks robes and going back to Spain to do his own thing, dropping out also from FPMT's control. After a spell at a Canadian boarding school he then decided to return to his native Spain and study film-making. He is now completing the third year of a degree course in Cinematography at Madrid University and doing well.
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‘El Gomo’ told us how very close he is to Osel, and when asked if he could give an example of an enlightened being he immediately said “Osel”. They have been close friends for many years already in this life and from the way he spoke we could easily sense the deep and strong bond that exists between them. They are both primarily interested in how they can most benefit their own generation. They consider us and FPMT students as already highly privileged and spiritually very well cared for, with plenty of teachings, lamas and gurus behind them, and are focussing their attention on how they can create maximum benefit by helping their own generation in the west which, on the contrary, is largely bereft of Dharma and thus in far greater need. Cool! To do this, they are therefore in the process of completely immersing themselves in contemporary youth culture and learning the language through which they can communicate directly with young adults and adolescents of their own age. But whatever he does in future, Rinpoche assured us, he (Gomo Tulku, that is) will continue his Dharma studies, that is his paramount and overriding consideration.
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‘El Gomo’ expressed a particularly strong personal interest in music and dance and his dreams of being a hip-hop superstar, and seems to find Osel’s interest in film and video fully compatible. One assumes they might be planning to work together, like making music videos. Both love music, said 'El Gomo'; he prefers hip-hop himself while Osel likes trance and techno; and they’ve enjoyed listening to Eminem together. He also talked a lot about the movies they’ve liked watching.
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We should not reveal here any further details of the various visions he explained and the ideas to transcend Dharma and change the world that were speculated about, since this might create obstacles to their fruition. However, suffice it to say we all felt enormously reassured to know that Osel has such a strong friend behind him as Gomo Tulku Rinpoche, and very happy to learn that they seem intent on working together for the maximum benefit of their own generation. Osel may be lost to FPMT, but his entire generation will be the needy beneficiaries.
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Watch this space!

Los Masos Events

2007-01-02T23:24:00.001+01:00

........8th January 2008

Venerable Tendar, Director of Nalanda Monastery gives a talk in Los Masos

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The Venerable Tendar, Director of FPMT's Nalanda Monastery in Lavaur, near Toulouse, our local monastery, came to Los Masos on 8th January to give a talk at the residence of the group coordinators. He was accompanied by Ven Tharchin, Nalanda's interpreter from Tibetan.

Despite having only a few days notice fifteen people attended the event, including several children who had recently taken refuge. After an introductory guided meditation, Ven Tendar spoke of his own experience, why and how he became a monk after studying psychology and doing social work. He had taken Buddhist teachings in Emst (Netherlands) from Geshe Sonam Gyaltsen and realised this was the path for him. He described all the benefits of Dharma study for the audience including the children experiencing their first taste of Buddha Dharma. After giving an overview of Buddhist thought and outlining basic practices Ven Tendar answered listeners questions with very helpful answers.

After a light supper provided by the hosts Ven Tendar and Ven Tharchin drove back to Nalanda in the night and the community dispersed.

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JSG members were very happy to receive teachings from the monks of their local monastery which is one of the very few existing Mahayana Monastic institution in Europe and we are extremely fortunate to be situated so close to it. The members were encouraged by the coordinators to support the monastery and the monks, according to ancient Buddhist tradition, regardless of the fact that our study group is not a part of FPMT. We are all Buddhists and very grateful to FPMT for establishing this monastery so auspiciously near to us that the Venerable Director can pop over to give a talk like this from time to time.

Please see the "Don't Donate to us" topic for our fund raising appeal on behalf of the monastery.

16th December 2007

Lama Namgyal teaching at the Los Masos 'Salle des Fetes'

Teaching on Buddhist Philosophy by Lama Namgyal

Lama Namgyal, a French Buddhist monk of the Kagyu tradition was visiting Conflent on a teaching tour in December so we made his visit into a Jamyang Los Masos event. He had met with our coordinator in the Dordogne region of France in August 1991, when as President of the French Federation of Dharma Centres he had successfully invited His Holiness the Dalai Lama to teach for a week there.

This meeting had inspired our coordinator to found "The Network of Buddhist Organisation in the UK" and to combine 27 Dharma centres of various traditions to invite His Holiness together, to teach in the UK. This succeeded and His Holiness taught the Four Noble Truths in London in 1996 - all as a result of our coordinator’s meeting with Lama Namgyal 5 years earlier.

We therefore hired the local Los Masos Village Hall (La Salle des Fêtes) and invited him to teach Dharma to our group there and to his own existing students. The village hall was decorated with a thangkha of Buddha which had been dedicated, signed and presented to members of the group by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 2003.

The coordinators were first invited to an excellent lunch with Lama Namgyal at the house of his existing students in the nearby town of Prades, the Pridmores, before bringing him to Los Masos to give the teaching in the afternoon.

Lama Namgyal then gave an excellent lecture in French to our local community on basic Buddhist philosophy and the all benefits of following the Buddha's Teaching. Nearly 40 people attended from all over the P.O., of whom 11 took refuge.

The teaching was very well received and 11 people taking refuge was a heartening result, well justifying the efforts of those who made arrangements and the journey. Lama Namgyal went on to his next destination (the plateau of Font Romeu) and the gathering dispersed full of renewed energy to face the festive season with enhanced equanimity and the wish to benefit others more, or at least not to cause harm, whenever possible – “this is always possible”, as His Holiness says!

Los Masos in the springtime: prayer flags by the Meditation Hut

4th November 2007

JAMYANG'S INAUGURAL FORMAL EVENT

Ven Charles Treboal came from his FPMT base, Insitute Vajra Yogini, to lead a meditation for 12 members gathered from as far away as Baillestavy and Collioure.

Ven Charles, or "Charles" as he prefers, is a senior monk in the Gelug tradition who did 7 years of retreat in the Pyrenees. It was his last talk before starting his annual winter retreat. Though known to be an accomplished meditator he belittled his retreat experience with a self-effacing laugh, saying all he ever does in retreat is "eat, sleep and make ka-ka".

The meditation he led us through however was a stunning and memorable experience for all present and highly appropriate for our first formal gathering. When over, everyone felt a fantastic connection with a real Dharma friend. After lunch, we saw him off to his winter retreat with hugs and good wishes.

It was also the first Dharma event for Vera, a 90-year-old “beginner”. She was thrilled and deeply impressed by the first Buddhist teaching and meditation she’d ever experienced.

Sadly there is no pictoral record of the event but it will remain engrained on the memory of everyone present for a long time, not least because of the message we just received from Osel on Lha Bab Du Chen, sending his regrets that he could not be with us today (see: "FPMT Bulletin"), and his message was read out, to everyone's amazement and delight.
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