Rabin Man Shakya
Portland, Nov 11 (Nepal Oregon News): The official twelfth anniversary of Nritya Mandala Mahavihara kicked off on Wednesday, Nov 10, 2021 with Gurumandala Puja and Homa Puja which was ritualized by Rev Guru Prajwal Vajracharya and included seven Buddhist practitioners of the community performing the ritual to re-empower deities represented in the temple: Anna Shustrova, Joshua Proto, Anastasia Roderick, Gabriel Quitslund, Naveena Shakya, Adam Bidema and Riaz Khan.
During the Gurumandala puja, among other rituals, a long pasuka (sacred thread) was used, spread and passed over to all the Gurumandala participants and other guests.
Pataa Chhayegu from the temple's pinnacle (gajur) in all four directions was also carried out as a part of the twelfth anniversary celebrations.
At the end of the Puja, Rev Guru Prajwal handed over small pieces of sacred flowers and sacred Kokha to the Sangha members and dabbed Hyaungu Sinha on their foreheads.
In the last 12 years, Nritya Mandala Mahavihara has continuously served the Sangha or community in many ways, and credit for this goes to co-founders duo Helen Appell and Prajwal Vajracharya.
The Nritya Mandala Mahavihara in Portland, Oregon is the first and only Newar Vajrayana Buddhist temple in 350 years and it is the first monastery built outside of Nepal.
Nepalese Portlanders see Nritya Mandala Mahavihara as the religious and cultural bulwark, an object of veneration and an outlet for their cultural and socio-religious activities. After all, the Mahavihara is definitely the pioneering Nepalese religious and cultural heritage in the USA. Needless to say, preservation and promotion of esoteric Buddhist charya dances was the raison d' etre of the temple's establishment twelve years ago.
Meanwhile, evening celebration of the anniversary was followed by Buddha Bhajans and international Charya dance show in the zoom. In this way, a devotional song on Vasundhara was performed at the temple by Prajwal Vajracharya, Joshua Proto, Riaz Khan, Ashley Low, Casey Redman followed by another Buddha Bhajan 'Lumbini Yatra' which is a 600 year old song.
Similarly, Buddha Bhajans 'Tri Ratna Lumanki' and 'Das Paramita' were performed by long time practitioner Buddha Laxmi Shakya from San Diego, California.
On the occasion, the international Charya dance show was presented by classical Charya artistes from Nepal, USA, Hong Kong, Brazil and Japan. Vesta Corradini from Brazil presented a Charya dance 'Green Tara' while Joshua Proto from the USA demonstrated a Charya dance 'Rakta Ganesh'.
Likewise, Yuko Okomoto from Japan appeared in the zoom performing the 'Lokeshvara' charya nritya. Nritya Mandala Mahavihara's co-founder Helen Appell offered the charya dance 'Vajrayogini' in the zoom whereas Bobby Romansky danced 'Padmasambhava' at the temple.
Similarly, an enthralling dance 'Arya Tara' was performed by Hong Kong Sangha members: Dr Tina Ho, Eliza Man-yee Lau, Saldon Wu, Lingling Lee, Sophie Chan, Chin Chin Chang, Simone Ng, Eliza Lok-yee and Monita Lau.
A Charya dance 'Vasundhara' was performed by Anna Shustrova at the Vihara while Uppa Shakya from Hermiston, Oregon presented a dance on 'Yogini Mandala'.
Mahavihara's co-founder Guru Prajwal Vajracharya performed Ekjati dakini dance at the temple. 16 offering goddess dance was performed at the Portland Baha by Anna Shustrova, Joshua Proto, Anastasia Roderick, Anita Laxmi Shrestha and Riyaz Khan.
Similarly, 16 offering goddess dance was also performed by Hong Kong Sangha members: Dr Tina Ho, Eliza Man-yee Lau, Saldon Wu, Lingling Lee, Sophie Chan, Chin Chin Chang, Simone Ng, Eliza Lok-yee Lau, Monita Lau, Kerry Ho, Lai-chu Chan, Shira Chan, Patty Chan, Mary Lau, Rebecca Howe, Jennifer Tang, Yuk-ling Chung.
The 12th anniversary day long program was participated by 31 people from different countries in the zoom and 20 people at the Mahavihara and was followed by a Nepali style lunch and dinner.
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Talk on "The Critical Role of the Viharas and Mahaviharas in the Newar Vajrayana Buddhism" Organized
Portland, Nov 6 (Nepal Oregon News): A virtual talk program on "The Critical Role of the Viharas and Mahaviharas in Newar Vajrayana Buddhism" was organized by Nritya Mandala Mahavihara on Nov 5, 2021. It was on the second day of Lunar Calendar's first month: the day of honoring the brothers by sisters for liberation from sufferings from Kaya, Vak and Chitta. The speaker of the program was Ven Rajendra Man Bajracharya who is also the chairman of Vajrayana Federation of Nepal.
Prior to the beginning of the presentation, Rev Guru Prajwal Vajracharya of the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara gave a short introduction of the key-note speaker Ven Rajendra Man Bajracharya. Prajwal informed the zoom audience that more than two dozen book titles have been authored by Ven Rajendra Bajracharya on different subjects of Buddhism, Newar culture and traditions.
Speaking on the occasion, Ven Rajendra Bajracharya said:"When we talk about the Buddhist monasteries of Nepal, first of all we must understand what Vajrayana is. Till the life time of Lord Buddha, there were three sects of Buddhism -- Shravakayana, Pratyak Buddhayana and Samyak Sambuddhayana."
"Vajracharya is a caste. But real Vajracharyas are those persons who daily practice rituals, do recitations of Nava Sutra Grantha. Whatever is mentioned in Nava Sutra Grantha, Pancha Rakshya Grantha, Sutra Grantha, they apply them in their life. That is why Vajrayana Buddhists are those persons who have got the Buddhist ordination," the Buddhist scholar went on saying.
Throwing light on the importance of Chibah Dyoh in Newah Vajrayana Buddhism, he said that Prajwal's father Ven Ratna Kaji Vajracharya had elaborately and very deeply researched on the Chibah Dyohs of the Kathmandu valley.
Chuka, Nani, Nani Baha, Bahi, Vihara and Mahavihara are all categorized on the basis of educational level. Mahaviharas can be ranked at the university level education, he said.
So far, there are 954 Viharas and 46 Mahaviharas in Nepal, he added. Bajracharya's talk also presented a detailed and comprehensive description about the role of Viharas and Mahaviharas in Newar Vajrayana Buddhism.
The talk vigorously dealt with the educational standards and levels within the three different sects of Buddhism. The talk also zeroed in on various ritual and educational activities carried out at the Viharas and Mahaviharas of the Kathmandu valley.
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Discussion on the Building of the Vihara Held
Portland, Nov 7 (Nepal Oregon News): A virtual conference "Discussion on the building of the Vihara" was organized on Saturday, Nov 6, 2021. Speaker duo at the zoom meeting were Helen Fox Appell, co-founder of Nritya Mandala Mahavihara and Mayo Aarons, an architect. (But he likes to call himself a carpenter).
The zoom gathering was moderated by Corinne Nakamura, a board member of the Mahavihara. During the discussions, Helen and Mayo threw light on the history of the Mahavihara, the challenges and problems they faced in the beginning of its construction.
Actually, the short history of 12 years of Nritya Mandala Mahavihara is the history of Charya dance school, history of rituals and celebrations of Newar festivals.
The Mahavihara which is the only Newar Buddhist temple in the USA so far has moved to the centerstage in Nepalese community in Oregon by organizing scholarly presentations on rituals, by promoting Charya dances, by observing age-old festivals of the Kathmandu valley and by keeping alive the wonderful traditions and culture of Newar people. Nevertheless, the Mahavihara was the brainchild of Helen Apell and Prajwal Vajracharya, not the Newar community living in Oregon.
During the virtual interaction program, Helen and Mayo spoke about their first encounter with Prajwal and about their introduction with the Newar Buddhism.
The interaction with Helen and Mayo dealt with the history of how the Mahavihara was built. "During the construction of the temple, there was a big fire that took place because of a improperly stored gas can," Mayo told the zoom audience.
A lot of discussions were zeroed in on gods, goddesses, and carved windows and wooden Toranas that were brought all the way from Nepal and also on ceiling of the Mahavihara. Their talks also focused on the origin and concept of the Vihara, construction process of the temple and its consecration in 2009.
In fact, Nritya Mandala Mahavihara is the first Mahavihara built in the entire history of Newar Mahaviharas after the last one was built in Nepal 350 years ago. But Helen said:"We certainly did not think of it as the first and 350 years or any kind of Mahavihara at all. We really just wanted a place that was a real temple for the Temple Dance. We wanted to be able to dance in a ritual environment and that was the main thing."
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Houseal Stresses Need for Preserving Ancient Dances
Portland, Nov 7 (Nepal Oregon News): While addressing a zoom talk on 'Importance of Dance in the World', a part of the ongoing 12th anniversary of the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara on Saturday, Nov 6, 2021, Joseph Houseal, director of Chicago based non-profit 'Core of Culture Dance Preservation' has stressed the need for preserving and promoting ancient classical dances like Charya.
During the virtual interaction program, Houseal took time to applaud role and contributions of Russian immigrants Mikhail Baryshnikov and George Balanchine for enriching classical ballet in America.
The rising of modern dancing in America was very much around these personalities and also Ted Shawn, Ruth St Dennis, Merce Cunningham, Martha Graham and so on," he went on saying.
Throwing light on the ancient dancing, Houseal said:"When Christianity became powerful, the theology separated the body and the soul."
Finding the importance of dancing, that is the real thing, Houseal said and added:"Some of the people in our Mudra project, modern dancers are really connecting with that. The West does not have a tradition like Prajwal's. We do not have the ancient tradition. But we do have modern people who are intelligent and really good dancers. They want to understand it."
He went on saying:"And how do you let people like me that do not know anything about anything. Meet someone like Prajwal who knows everything about ancient tradition. And other dancers are in the same place. We want to talk to you and we want to know what your experience is. Are we having the same experience ? The way you describe your dancing experience. That is the way we are describing our experience."
So it is very interesting balance of trying to understand how people are coming to these traditions, he said and added:"I think with Prajwal's temple now in 12th anniversary, the symbol of the world is beginning to understand the importance of it."
Prajwal brings his ancient traditions to the world. That is really what we are celebrating here. The only Newar Vajrayana Buddhist temple outside of Nepal and have any connection, he said.
Houseal further said:"This is huge, unprecedented act, any connection to it at all in all of the history of 2500 year history of Buddhism. There is no parallel to what Prajwal has done."
Prior to the beginning of the talk, Ven Prajwal Vajracharya gave a brief introduction of Joseph Houseal to the zoom audience.
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Virtual Interaction among Pujaris, Charya Dancers and Sangha Members Held
Portland, Nov 8 (Nepal Oregon News): A virtual interaction about the devotional acts among the Pujaris, Charya dancers and Sangha members organized on Sunday, Nov 7, 2021 by Nritya Mandala Mahavihara, a part of its 12th anniversary celebration, was a unique and unprecedented event in the history of the Mahavihara.
Unprecedented in the sense that never ever has this kind of interaction been organized in the past where Sangha members, Charya dancers and Pujaris have come together to share their feelings, emotions about the Mahavihara and inspirations from it.
Prof Dr Miranda Shaw who is a prominent scholar on Buddhism was the facilitator for discussions while the program was coordinated by Corinne Nakamura, a board member of the Mahavihara.
The virtual interaction program was participated by nine people at the Portland Baha while 20 other participants took part through the zoom.
Speaking on the occasion, Rev Prajwal Vajracharya said:"We have so many volunteers, supporters and helpers with us to move forward with the temple."
Giving a short introduction of Dr Miranda Shaw, Prajwal said:"Miranda is the one who introduced me to America in 1990s, involved me to different organizations, Buddhism in America conference at her own university".
Expressing her happiness to be the facilitator of the virtual interaction, Dr Miranda Shaw said:"The way I think about this is as kind of a celebration to add to the celebration of what this community means to each of us individually and then that adds up to what it means to all of us."
The participants who took part at the virtual interaction directly from the Mahavihara were: Prajwal Vajracharya, Anastasia Roderick, Aniruddha Shakya, Joshua Proto, Ashley Low, Casey Redman, Adam Bidema and Riyaz Khan.
Other participants of the zoom interaction included Prof Dr Alexander von Rospatt, Helen Appell, Terry Shatterthwaite, Kuon Hunt, Jone Rybak, Anna Shushtrova, Uppa Shakya, Dave Sage, Vikram Vaidya and Laxman Shakya.
All the participants used the moment to share how the Mahavihara benefitted them, what kind of influence in their life by their participation in this community and what the temple community has meant for them.
On the occasion, co-founder of NMM Helen Appell emphasized the need for preserving and protecting the ancient and medieval Newar Buddhist rituals and Newar Buddhist Charya dances.
Underscoring the importance of the Sanskrit language, Kuon Hunt, a board member of the Mahavihara threw light on the role played by the Newar Buddhist temple to enhance and enrich the Sanskrit in the community.
The virtual interaction facilitated by Prof Dr Shaw proved to be very useful for the Mahavihara's Sangha members, Pujaris and Charya dancers, as all of them poured their heart to each other.
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Virtual Talk on 'Living the Vihara'
Portland, Nov 9 (Nepal Oregon News): A virtual talk program 'Living the Vihara' by Suva Shakya, an irrigation engineer, from Hermiston Oregon was organized on Monday Nov 8, 2021 by the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara.
Suva's talk gave a detailed description of how he came to the US and how he met Guru Prajwal and Helen Appell.
His talk also dealt with the life cycle rituals performed at the Mahavihara and about what the Portland Vihara meant to him and his family. Suva also spoke about the process of Vihara construction and about its consecration in 2009.
Underscoring the importance of the Viharas in his life, Suva mentioned three Viharas: (1) Kalimpong Dharmodaya Vihara in India (2) Itum Baha in Kathmandu and (3) Nritya Mandala Mahavihara in Portland, USA.
Reminiscing about Dharmodaya Vihara in Kalimpong, India, he said that they celebrated Buddha Jayanti, did Gunla Bhajans and had Guthi roles.
When Dalai Lama visited the Dharmodaya Vihara in the 80s, he was within few feet of him, Suva recollected.
"But it was at the Itum Baha in Kathmandu where my Chuda Karma (a part of lifecycle rituals) was performed," he added.
"And it is at the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara in Portland where Macha Janko, Ihi ceremony and Bara Tayegu ceremony (lifecycle rituals) of my daughters were performed by Guru Prajwal," he added.
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Noted Paubha Artist Vajracharya Passes Away
Portland, Nov 20 (Nepal Oregon News): Noted Paubha artist of Nepal Gautam Ratna Vajracharya who has been practicing Newar Buddhist Paubha painting for more than four decades has passed away on Friday, Nov 19, 2021 at Bir Hospital, Kathmandu. Late Vajracharya who was suffering from diabetes was 61.
Nepalese Paubha arts sector has lost a great Paubha artist in Vajracharya's demise.
Antyesthi samskara (funeral sacrament/funeral pyre) was held on the same day at Shobha Bhagavati Karna Deep on the banks of river Bishnumati in Kathmandu with full ritual traditions.
Late Vajracharya is the elder brother of Guru Prajwal Vajracharya who has also lost another one of his brother in Kathmandu about three months before. Guru Prajwal was in mourning for a week. The Guru performed Durgatiparishodhana Dharani for liberation of the deceased soul everyday for a week in front of the Buddha at Nritya Mandala Mahavihara.
Late Vajracharya was born on June 13, 1960 to late Asta Maya Vajracharya, a housewife and father late Ratna Kaji Vajracharya, a Buddhist scholar and ritual master.
Late Gautam Ratna's foray into Newar Buddhist Paubha art started when he was still a teenager. He did not go to any art school. He learnt the art lessons from his father late Ratna Kaji Vajracharya.
Late Gautam Ratna who started to participate at national art exhibitions of Nepal since 1977 had bagged several national awards and prizes.
Late Vajracharya had won first prize at the 15th National Art Exhibition in 1979 and best prize at 22nd National Art Exhibition in 1988 sponsored by Nepal Association of Fine Arts (NAFA). Late Vajracharya had a painting exhibition at the 15th World Buddhist Conference held at Tribhuvan University in Kirtipur, Nepal.
Late Vajracharya had also participated at SAARC countries folk festival in Pakistan in 1987. However, late Vajracharya's magnum opus of 108 Avalokiteshvaras are displayed at Osaka Museum in Japan. His paintings are collected at the National Museum of Nepal, Lahore Museum in Pakistan and Osaka Museum in Japan.
According to Guru Prajwal Vajracharya, late Gautam Ratna has been creating priceless Paubhas all his life. Mostly, his paintings are in Japanese museum. They have been collecting his Paubhas for last 40 years. He has painted all Mandala based on texts in Sadhana Mala and Nispannayogavali.
"Many books on his drawings and paintings were published in Japan. We also have some of his priceless paintings at our Portland Baha," Guru Prajwal added.
Late Vajracharya is survived by his wife who is the elder sister of our Sangha member Ekmananda Vajracharya.
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Sakimila Punhi Observed in Portland
Portland, Nov 20 (Nepal Oregon News):A Halimali Bwoyegu program (artistic display of different fried grains including wheat, puffed corns, fried soya beans and peanuts and different kinds of fruits) was organized at Portland's Nritya Mandala Mahavihara on Friday, Nov 19 2021 to celebrate Sakimila Punhi.
Shedding light on Halimali Punhi, Rev Guru Prajwal Vajracharya said:"Sakimila Punhi is one of the full moon days in Nepal Sambat calendar when the Newar people eat boiled arum, sweet potato and different fried grains and perform Naamsangiti chanting."
On the occasion, Durgatiparishodhana Dharani was chanted by Guru Prajwal along with other Sangha members for liberation of the deceased soul of late Gautam Ratna Vajracharya, a noted Paubha painter of Nepal.
Manjushree Naamsangiti was also chanted by Prajwal Guruju and 15 other Sangha members who were present at the Vihara to mark the Sakimila Punhi. Likewise, 20 other participants from the US, Hong Kong, India chanted Naamsangiti too in the zoom.
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Purification Ritual for New Clinic Held
Portland, Nov 29 (Nepal Oregon News): A purification ritual was held by senior priest Prajwal Vajracharya for 'Wellbridge Acupuncture Clinic' of Sangha member Jone Rybak at South East Powell Boulevard on Sunday, Nov 28, 2021.
In the Buddhist tradition, a purification ritual is conducted before people move into a new house or office. The purpose of the ritual is to purify the building, to ensure safety and prosperity of the house or office, said Guru Prajwal Vajracharya.
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Weekly Activities in Vihara Continue
In November, as usual and as always, Dharani chanting in the zoom was conducted once a week every Tuesday. Similarly, Sadhana practice and Buddha Bhajan singing practice were held on each Wednesday. Likewise, the practice of singing Charya giti was performed on every Friday.
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