"Firmly plant the victory banner of the dharma!" - Karma Thinley Rinpoche's injunction to Lama Jampa Thaye
This past weekend, the 28th and 29th June, Lama Jampa Thaye returned to Manchester to continue teaching Maitreya’s Uttaratantra Shastra (The Supreme Continuity). This came one week after teaching for the first time in Stirling, Dundee, at the invitation of the newly established Dechen Scotland.
Read MoreWhat an extraordinary day it was for those who gathered for Lama Jampa Thaye's public talk on Buddhism! The air was buzzing with anticipation and a shared sense of curiosity as people, from seasoned practitioners to complete newcomers, arrived. And by all accounts, the Lama was able to connect with all levels.
Read MoreOn 7th and 8th June, Sakya Buddhist Centre Bristol hosted a joyful weekend of profound teachings and practice with Lama Jampa Thaye. Over these two days, many people gathered to learn about the Buddhist path as explained by Sakya Pandita, a great Tibetan Buddhist master, and to receive the Vajrayana initiation of Gonkar.
Understanding the teachings
In the morning, Lama Jampa taught how to approach Buddhist wisdom, using Sakya Pandita’s text, ‘Discriminating the Three Vows’ and the associated explanation or commentary by Gorampa Sonam Sengge. He explained how it’s necessary to rely not just on the written sources of the teaching, but also on reasoning to establish what is valid. This will ensure that the Buddha’s teachings continue to work and unfold the qualities of enlightenment within us. As the Buddha said, we need to test the teachings for ourselves, just as a merchant carefully checks gold before accepting it. Sakya Pandita’s writings help us learn how to discuss Buddhist ideas with others and strengthen our own understanding, turning initial inspiration into a well-founded, lasting confidence.
Whilst these teachings may seem complex, Lama Jampa reassured everyone that even if a teaching doesn’t make sense or seem relevant to us right away, it will become clearer over time as “all dharma teachings weave together in one path”.
The vajrayana initiation of Gonkar
In the afternoon, those who had formally committed to the Buddhist path through taking Refuge and the Bodhisattva vow received the initiation of Gonkar. Gonkar, also known as Gonpo Yizhin Norbu, is a Buddhist deity associated with wealth and protection. He is considered an emanation of Chenrezik, the embodiment of compassion. Praying to Gonkar attracts positive circumstances for our own practice of the Buddhist path, so that we can achieve enlightenment more swiftly for the benefit of others.
Chenrezik practice at Sakya Buddhist Centre Bristol
On Sunday Lama Jampa gave the reading transmission for the Chenrezik practice ‘For the Benefit of Beings that Pervades Space’, as well as explaining the key points, so that anyone new to this could fully participate. Everyone then did the practice of Chenrezik together in the Sakya Buddhist Centre Bristol’s shrine room.
Looking ahead
Lama Jampa will return to the Dechen Sakya Centre Bristol again in the autumn, following the annual summer course in France.
Lama Jampa Thaye has just completed a vibrant and joyful visit to Dechen LA in Santa Monica. The temple in Santa Monica was filled to the brim with longtime sangha members and new friends from across California, including many from the Bodhi Path community.
Read MoreEarlier this month Lama Jampa and Dechen Dolma were in Mexico City for a few weeks of teachings hosted by the Sakya centre there, Sakya Dolma Ling. This was a very special visit due to the presence of His Holiness Ratna Vajra Rinpoche, the 42nd Gongma Trichen, whom Lama jampa had requested to bestow teachings.
Read MoreBlessed with sunshine all day, Yorkshire Buddhist Community welcomed visitors from around the country to hear this wonderful teaching given by Lama Jampa Thaye.
Read MoreLama Jampa returned to Dhakpo Kundreul Ling, the foremost monastic center of the Karma Kagyu in the West, to continue the teaching on the Tantra Sets that he had begun last year, and indeed that he had previously taught at Dhakpo Kagyu Ling, the other main seat of His Holiness Karmapa in France.
Read MoreThis weekend Lama Jampa gave both a full day of Vajrayana Buddhist teachings in London, and also hosted a visit of His Eminence Khöndung Asanga Vajra Rinpoche to the Dechen London temple in Notting Hill (106 Chepstow Road).
Read MoreIn his welcome address to the participants of the 2025 Public teachings course at KIBI, Lama Jampa laid out the feast of Karma Kagyu dharma that was to come, as it included all aspects of the dharma.
Read MoreThe weekend course, held in Prague from February 21–23, 2025, was the third part of the series on 3rd Karmapa Rangjung Dorje's Namshe-Yeshe.
Read MoreLama Jampa visited the Bodhipath Centre in Renchen Ulm from 14.2. to 16.2.25. There he gave teachings on Karmapa Rangjung Droje Shastra "Distinguishing Consciousness and Primordial Wisdom" for the 5th time.
Read MoreOver the weekend of the 8th and 9th of February, Lama Jampa Thaye began teaching the Gyud Lama at the Shedra in Manchester, and on Sunday afternoon, bestowed the initiation of White Manjushri, from the lineage of Tropha Lotsawa.
Read MoreLama Jampa and Dechen Dolma have recently returned from a week long trip to Nepal to visit Karma Thinley Rinpoche. A grand master of the Sakya and Kagyu traditions, Rinpoche was born into the noble family of Bongsar in 1931 in the Nangchen area of Kham, Eastern Tibet.
Read MoreThe day opened with Lama Jampa recommencing teachings on Sakya Pandita‘s ‘Discriminating the Three Vows’, a work which illuminates how to practice the Buddhist path – without detour – to its destination.
Read MoreOn the evening of the 8th January, an event entitled ‘Navigating Spirituality in an Age of Doubt’, saw Lama Jampa in conversation in Manchester’s stylish city centre venue HOME. This event was attended by over 200 people of all ages and backgrounds.
Read MoreBetween the 13th and 20th December Lama Jampa was in residence at the Dechen temple in Manchester (Kagyu Ling). During that time he gave teachings in Central Manchester to a large gathering of people from across the UK.
Read MoreIn order to celebrate the vast and melodious dharma activity of our precious teacher, Lama Jampa Thaye, members of the Dechen Community offered over £2700 to sponsor a Long life tsok puja at Karma Thinley Rinpoche’s nunnery in Kathmandu, Tegchen Legshay Ling and also a Tsethar (life release) ritual.
Read MorePeople from London and beyond were blessed with a day of Vajrayana Buddhist teachings by Lama Jampa Thaye this Saturday, 23 November. The venue was Regent’s University’s elegant Herringham Hall, appropriately located in the Inner Circle of Regent’s park.
Read MoreSakya Buddhist Temple has just been blessed with a two week long visit from Lama Jampa Thaye.
Read MoreSakya Dolma Ling in Mexico City was recently blessed with a ten day visit by Lama Jampa Thaye and Dechen Dolma. Eager gatherings of people came together to receive a number of important teachings and initiations at the Dechen Mexico Dharma Centre.
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