Venerable Khenpo Kalsang Gyaltsen is pleased to announce that His Holiness the Sakya Trichen has consented to visit the Washington, D.C. area in May to bestow the entire 21 Tārās Initiation cycle in the Atisha Tradition at the invitation of Sakya Phuntsok Ling, as well as a long-life initiation and teachings on the Four Mandalas’ Rite of Ārya Tārā. The teachings will be bestowed in English and simultaneously translated into Mandarin. Everyone is welcome to receive these very special blessings. You may attend in full or in part as your schedule allows, and no sadhana commitment is required. Early registration is encouraged. See “Registration” for more details.
May 3 -5
10:00 AM: 21 Tārās Initiation Cycle
02:00 PM: 21 Tārās Initiation Cycle
May 6
10:00 AM: Four Mandalas’ Rite of Ārya Tārā – Teaching & Explanation
02:00 PM: Long Life Empowerment
About His Holiness the Sakya Trichen
His Holiness the Sakya Trichen is the patriarch and revered 41st Sakya Trizin head of the Sakya School, which is one of the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Born in Tibet in 1945, His Holiness belongs to the ancient and distinguished Khön family, whose history extends back tot he early days of Tibet, before the arrival of Buddhism. For more information on His Holiness including biography please visit Our Teachers page.
About Khenpo Kalsang Gyaltsen
Venerable Khenpo Kalsang Gyaltsen is spiritual director of Sakya Phuntsok Ling Center for Tibetan Buddhist Study and Meditation in Silver Spring, Maryland, which he established in 1986. He is also Abbot and Vice President of Tsechen Kunchab Ling, which was established in 2001 at the advice of His Holiness the Sakya Trichen as the Seat of the Sakya Dolma Phodrang in the Americas. He is a widely recognized and accomplished teacher and translator of Buddhism. His Holiness the Sakya Trichen and other high lamas of the Sakya Order have repeatedly praised his Dharma activities as exemplary. For more information on Khenpo Kalsang Gyatlsen please visit Our Teachers page.
About Ārya Tārā
Ārya Tārā, or Jetsun Drolma in Tibetan, is a female Bodhisattva closely associated with Avalokiteshvara and Amitabha. She embodies all of the Buddha’s enlightened activities and is affectionately referred to as the Mother of all the Buddhas for she is none other than the wisdom of reality whence all Buddhas are born.
Ārya Tārā’s twenty-one emanations each have their own mantra and embody various qualities of enlightened activities such as protection, pacification, long-life, healing, purification, etc. Endowed with motherly loving-kindness, compassion, and wisdom they assist in the removal of obstacles to achieve one’s goals in ordinary life and to attain the highest spiritual goal of Buddhahood.
About the Four Mandalas’ Rite
The Four Mandalas’ Rite of Ārya Tārā helps to remove obstacles and to achieve one’s goals in our ordinary and spiritual lives thereby helping one to attain the highest spiritual goal of Buddhahood. The puja (ritual) is common to all schools of Tibetan Buddhism and is often performed at monasteries and Dharma centers daily. The ritual is centered around the prayer “Homage to the 21 Emanations of Tārā” which praises each of Tārā’s 21-emanations and describes Her qualities. We are fortunate to have the opportunity of receiving an explanation of both the meaning and method of practicing the ritual from His Holiness the Sakya Trichen himself.
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