From Thursday 13 until Sunday 23 January, Lama Jampa was in Los Angeles to give teachings at the Dechen Sakya Centre in Santa Monica. The sangha were particularly joyful to welcome him as the visit was long awaited.
On the Saturdays he gave two full days of teachings to local and international sangha. In the mornings Lama Jampa gave the transmission and detailed explanation of the first section of Karma Thinley Rinpoche’s commentary on The Friendly Letter. The root verses were composed by the great philosopher Nagarjuna in the second century CE and have remained a classic text of Buddhism down to the present day. The commentary - The Telescope of Wisdom - was composed by the great master Karma Thinley Rinpoche in 1987. As it was at Rinpoche’s behest that Lama Jampa established the centres which now make up the Dechen community, the teaching of this text is particularly apt.
Although you may have already heard
And understood in your heart many of the Great Sage’s words,
Is it not the case that something made from limestone
Is made lighter by the light of the midnight moon?
(Verse 3 of The Friendly Letter)
Lama Jampa also gave interviews to numerous people, attended the centre’s regular programme of pujas, and did a few days of filming for a forthcoming series of YouTube videos.
It is hoped that Lama Jampa will be able to return to LA in the fall 2022 to continue teaching this text, and to bestow further initiations on the sangha here.