The Festival of Losar 2139

Today marks the beginning of the New Year for Tibetan Buddhists, and the end of our five days of Dorje Phurba sadhana, for the long life of our Dharma masters and root teachers. Dorje Phurba is a wrathful manifestation of Vajrasattva, the Buddha of Purification, and is associated with the formless Dharmakaya Buddha — the most pure aspect of Enlightenment. We spent the day yesterday, preparing for the coming year both physically, and spiritually.

The Festival of Losar began tonight with a ritual blessing ceremony, and some wonderful culinary treats made by Jampal Choden.

Our celebration will last fifteen days, with the second day being a day in which members of our community spend the day fasting and in contemplation as a means of expressing our profound sadness and disgust over the political machinations, lies and manipulation of Tenzin Gyatso, over the “Dorje Shugden Scandal” he created.

It is disgraceful that during this time, Gyatso, the current Dalai Lama, and his loyalist blood-thirsty henchmen government officials exchange greetings with both monastic and lay dignitaries, such as representatives of India, Bhutan, Nepal, Mongolia and other foreign visitors.

People of all spiritual traditions are welcomed in this celebration, with one exception… the Shugdenpa. And it is for this grave miscarriage of compassion, diversity, peace and justice that we fast and mourn.

The third day, through the fifteenth day of Losar, those who have completed at least two years of ngöndro (preliminary/foundational practices engage in specific pujas for the long life of our lineage holders, for the perpetuation of the Dharma, and for a relief from suffering for all sentient beings, while those who have not completed ngöndro will spend that time engaging in 1,008 Migtsema Mantras, and 108 Prostrations to the Thirty-five Confessional Buddhas.

During this special time, we offer the merits of our sadhanas and our thoughts, actions and aspirations to create the causes for hatred, intolerance, sectarianism and injustice to be transformed into loving-kindness and compassion.

This is an auspicious time to show appreciation for and devotion to your spiritual teachers, especially your lamas, gurus and Dharma lineage holders. I can assure you that your kindness during this period will bear rich fruits. If you would, cultivate great love for each other, for your Teacher’s disciples/students, for your dharma companions and dedicate your practice according to the 37 practices of a Bodhisattva. This will bring about your own benefit and the happiness of others, it will bring about the ultimate benefit of realising enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings.

This year’s pujas are an especially poignant time for us, as we focus and dedicate the merits of our sadhanas to create the causes for our Precious Root Guru, Tenzin Yangchen Ma (Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati) to return to vibrant health, as she completes her first round of cancer treatment.

With these prayers for the New Year, for an increase in the Buddha’s teaching in these degenerate times, and to bring about alleviation of suffering for all sentient beings, I extend my warm Losar “Tashi Delek!”

Namasté

khenpo gurudas sunyatananda

OM BENDZA WIKI WITRANA SOHA!

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Drawing on the essential teachings of the great spiritual teachers, philosophers and freethinkers throughout time, Khenpo Gurudas Śunyatananda (retired Archbishop Francis-Maria Salvato, O.C.) has been regarded as a provocative, revolutionary “voice of reason” within the field of religion and spirituality, since 1983. Having the distinction of being one of the few openly non-theistic, openly-gay and post-denominational thinkers ever to serve as Bishop-Exarch and spiritual leader of the autocephalic Eastern Catholic Franciscans in North America, Gurudas is the author of more than 600 articles, eight books and currently serves as the spiritual advisor for a non-theistic, intentional spiritual community, The Spiritus Project. He can be reached at:http://dharmadudeunplugged.com

Copyright ©2011, Khenpo Gurudas Sunyatananda (The Most Reverend Dr. F. Francis-Maria G. Salvato, M.Sc., O.C.). All rights reserved. This material may be reproduced, blogged, quoted or distributed, provided the entire copyright including contact information remain intact. It may NOT be altered in any way, without express written permission.”