Rabin Man Shakya
Portland, Sept 28 (Nepal Oregon News): During his month-long visit to Nepal (Sept 1-27, 2023), Prajwal Guruji, co-founder of Nritya Mandala Mahavihara, was able to attend various programs, meet important personalities, visit important Buddha Dharma related places and most notably visit less explored caves of Nepal.
No doubt, Nepal is well-known as a country of temples, stupas and chaityas. But Nepal is also renowned for its ancient and medieval caves that are well-known but at the same time there are also historical caves in Nepal that are not well known and that are less accessible to the people.
Prajwal Guruji and other Sangha members Teya DeSesa, Anna Shustrova, Dmitry Skvortsov along with Rajya Laxmi Shakya and other local people embarked on a journey to have a view of some of the little known and little seen Buddhist caves of Nepal. One of them is Guru Rinpoche cave at Temal, Sindhupalchowk.
The banner at the gate of the cave says:"Welcome to the auspicious place Temal. The holy place is like eight auspicious marks."
A member of Prajwal Guruji's month-long trip to Nepal - Teya DeSesa - says:"Unknown to most tourists with Google maps offering no help, Prajwal set out to find the hidden cave of Nagarjun. Above lie two more caves, difficult to traverse during the current monsoon season, home to many aggressive mosquitoes and leeches."
Teya further says:"Prajwal and a small team reached the second cave, called 'Buffalo cave'. The third and final reachable cave called 'Middle cave' was a beautiful site to gaze upon, especially after hours of hiking and climbing countless stairs."
Meanwhile, on Sept 18, 2023, Prajwal Guruji together with Teya DeSesa, Anna Shustrova, Dmitry Skvortsov and Natalia Sanders also visited Itum Bahal and Itum Baha Museum which was launched only last year. There are 18 Vajrayana Buddhist Mahaviharas in Kathmandu and Itum Baha is the largest among them. Itum Baha is rich with ancient heritages.
Prajwal Guruji and the team also visited National Art Museum of Nepal in Kathmandu and Spiritual Arts Gallery in Patan during their visit to Nepal. While in Nepal, Prajwal Guruji also had a meeting with Kathak Guru Honey Shrestha and Arun Shrestha (author of a book entitled 'Charya: Dancing Away to Nirvana'). The Guruji along with Anna, Dmitry, Teya and Alla Zakharova were able to attend a Kurukulla puja ceremony at Shree Padma Bhandar Mahayana Buddhist Monastery. Similarly, Prajwal Guruji together with other Sangha members also visited Namobuddha, Bhadrakali and many other historical and religious sites in the Kathmandu valley. Likewise, Prajwal Guruji was also felicitated by Bajracharya Club in Kathmandu.
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Lama Lena's Teachings on "Introduction to Dzogchen" Held at Nritya Mandala Mahavihara
Portland, Sept 7, (Nepal Oregon News): A teaching on "Introduction to Dzogchen and View of Six Paramita" by Lama Lena was held at the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara, Portland on Wednesday, Sept 6, 2023. Lama Lena's teaching event was coordinated by Phyllis Moses, a Sangha member of the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara.
During the teaching, Lama Lena discussed what Dzogchen is and how to practice it.
Lama Lena's teaching presented a detailed and comprehensive description of Dzogchen and importance of Six Paramita: Dana (Generosity), Sila (Morality), Ksanti (Patience), Virya (Vigor), Dhyana (Meditation) and Prajna (Wisdom).
Throwing light on Dzogchen, Lama Lena said:"The beginning of Dzogchen is the same as the end of Dzogchen, which is that Buddha nature is just inherent in you. It is already there."
Lama Lena went on saying:"You do not have to acquire it, be good enough for it, develop it, or any of these things. It is inherently present and always has been."
Lama Lena added:"It is the true, infinite, open awareness which arises naturally as the innate, luminous, lucid vitality which itself is the innate, shimmering, sparkling creativity which is inherent in all life."
Lama Lena also answered to numerous questions of the participants. About 25 people attended in person at the Mahavihara while 15 people took part at the teaching through the zoom.
For in-person audience as well as for the zoom participants, Lama Lena's teaching was an event that gave the participants an opportunity to be enlightened with the ideas about Tibetan Buddhism.
Lama Lena (Yeshe Kaytup) is a teacher of Direct Mind Perception Meditation (Dzogchen and Mahamudra) and a lineage holder of several Tibetan Buddhist traditions. Her informal style is precise and direct; and she is revered by students around the world for her exceptional ability to share profound teachings in a clear, poetic and humorous way.
Beginning in 1972, Lama Lena spent three years studying with Lama Thubten Yeshe at his monastery in Nepal. She then spent seven years in retreat and practice in a small cave above Tso Pema under the tutelage of her root teacher, Ven Wangdor Rimpoche. From then on, she continued to travel extensively with him as his main translator and assistant.
At the request of H.E. Zigar Choktrul Rimpoche and Ven Wangdor Rimpoche - as well as many Western and Tibetan Dharma students, Lama Lena has been travelling, teaching and translating from the lineage she holds.
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Flute and Tabla Performance Livens Newar Buddhist Temple
Portland, Sept 31 (Nepal Oregon News): A powerful classical flute performance by world famous bamboo flute master Steve Gorn and Tabla playing by renowned multi-instrumentalist Benjy Wertheimer was organized at the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara on Saturday, Sept 30, 2023.
At the beginning of the musical performance, Guru Prajwal Vajracharya, co-founder of the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara, gave a short introduction of Steve Gorn and Benjy Wertheimer.
I am very happy that Steve and Benjy are here at the Newar Buddhist temple to offer the classical Hindustani musical performance, Prajwal Guruji said.
The enthralling and mesmerizing Bansuri performance of Steve was accompanied on Tabla by Benjy.
And there is no doubt that Steve and Benjy are musicians with a penchant for Hindustani classical music.
Steve Gorn has performed Indian classical music on the Bansuri Bamboo flute in concerts and festivals throughout the world. A disciple of Sri Gour Goswami of Kolkota, and Pandit Raghunath Seth of Mumbai, he is well known to audiences in India and the West.
He has been praised by critics and leading Indian musicians as one of the few Westerners recognized to have captured the subtlety and beauty of Indian classical music.
A Grammy winner and five time Grammy nominee, Steve Gorn is creating a new idiom, a music that combines the essence of classical Indian tradition with a contemporary world music from a virtuoso mastery, generating a vibrant fusion, alive and accessible to Western ears.
Benjy Wertheimer is an award winning musician, composer, vocalist, producer and multi-instrumentalist equally accomplished on Tabla, congas, percussion, esraj, guitar and keyboards.
Benjy has performed and recorded with such artists as Krishna Das, Deva Primal and Miten, Jai Uttal, Walter Becker of Steely Dan, virtuoso guitarist Michael Mandrell, Tabla Master Zakir Hussein, and renowned bamboo flute master G. S. Sachadev.
He has also opened for such well-known artists as Carlos Santana, Paul Winter and Narada Michael Walden. Benjy is a founding member of the internationally acclaimed world fusion ensemble 'Ancient Future'.
The concert was one of the rare opportunities for a limited number of audience at the Newar Buddhist temple in Portland to dive into the ocean of raga with bamboo flute master Steve Gorn and multi-instrumentalist Benjy Wertheimer.
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Naamsangiti Chanted for a Month during the Gunla Dharma at Portland's Newar Buddhist Temple
Portland, Sept 17 (Nepal Oregon News): One month of Gunla Dharma - which is one of the most important and auspicious times in Newar Buddhism - was observed at Portland's Nritya Mandala Mahavihara in person and in the zoom from Aug 17 to Sept 16, 2023 by chanting Maha Manjushree Naamsangiti.
The participants who chanted Naamsangiti for the whole month of Gunla included Sangha members of the Mahavihara (Newars, Chinese and American Buddhists) from Oregon, as well as from Nepal, Hong Kong, Finland, New York and California.
Prajwal Guruji participated at the month-long Naamsangiti chanting event through the zoom, because he was in a Nepal trip during the period of Gunla Dharma. He also took part at the Naamsangiti chanting held at Mantrasiddhi Mahavihara in Kathmanndu.
Prajwal Guruji said:"In Vajrayana Buddhism, Naamsangiti is one of the most important preachings of Shakyamuni Tathagata. It consists of 167 verses and Mantra sentences."
The Guruji added:"Naamsangiti is the quintessence of Buddhism because it summarizes all the Buddha's teachings."
The far-reaching importance of Naamsangiti lies on the fact that Manjushree Bodhisattva is the embodiment of all knowledge, Prajwal Guruji went on saying.
At a time when a lot of heritage, historical and religious scriptures are on the verge of extinction, disseminating the sacred Tantras and preachings is essential to keep them alive, said Prajwal Guruji adding:"That is why Nritya Mandala Mahavihara in Portland, USA is committed to protect, promote and preserve these sacred things."
Meanwhile, a Paru Bhoye was also organized on the last day of Gunla month at Portland's Newar Buddhist temple by Suva and Uppa Shakya.
It is to be noted that the Mahavihara has been organizing Manjushree Naamsangiti recitation on every full moon day of the month since July 2020. Also, Naamsangiti is recited daily at the Mahavihara during the month of Gunla (Nepal Sambat Lunar Calendar) in person and on the zoom.
(Rabin Man Shakya is a Nepali journalist in USA.)
