In early February 2022, Sakya Dechen Ling Stuttgart was delighted to host Lama Jampa Thaye for a series of teachings spanning three days. Many students gathered for the occasion not only from Germany, but also Switzerland and even from as far away as Sweden. Our Swiss translator, Beat, was able to skilfully bridge the communication gap!
On the Friday evening, Lama Jampa gave a public talk entitled Kindness and Wisdom, a Buddhist Approach. Lama Jampa emphasized that kindness and wisdom are the common threads running through all of Buddhism. Not only should this be applied and understood in our own practice, but also when explaining the dharma to outsiders in simple terms. For example, we can explain to them that being kind to animals is of paramount importance for buddhists.
Then on Saturday, Lama Jampa taught the text “Liberation Through Hearing in the Bardo” by Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa, (1829 - 1870). He is considered one of the most important tertöns of Tibet and as a contemporary of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo and Jamgon Kongtrul Lodrö Thaye was a central figure in the ‘Rimé (non-sectarian) movement in the nineteenth century The text has a a dual purpose of preparing the practitioner himself or herself for the death experience and as an instruction manual to be read out to a dharma friend during and after their death, so as to aid them in attaining liberation either at the time of death, during the bardo experience, or failing that, to attain a favourable human birth so as to be able to continue to practice the path.
Finally, on the Sunday Lama Jampa gave the initiation of White Chenrezig from the tradition of Mingyur Dorje's Sky Dharma Treasures. Afterwards the students were delighted to join Lama Jampa for a hearty lunch at a nearby restaurant, rounding off a wonderful weekend.
We look forward to Lama Jampa's next scheduled visit to Stuttgart on May 24/25th.