Lama Jampa Thaye has just completed his spring program of teachings at Sakya Buddhist Center Los Angeles. It was a busy and joyful visit, with a wonderful array of teachings, time with the sangha and planning for the future.
With three weekends of teaching, the Los Angeles sangha were able to immerse themselves in the dharma life. Through Lama Jampa’s kindness and wisdom, we remembered those things which are of true importance, transcending life and death. It is impossible to express in words how grateful we were to have had this time together with him.
Lama Jampa gave several vajrayana initiations and continued to teach The Telescope of Wisdom, Karma Thinley Rinpoche’s wonderful commentary on Nagarjuna’s seminal work, the Friendly Letter, which provides a crystal clear account of how we can practise the threefold path of morality, meditation and wisdom.
At the midpoint of his visit Lama, Jampa gave an entire day of teachings focused upon the great master Sakya Pandita. In the morning he taught on his life and key works and in the afternoon gave the initiation of Sakya Pandita. This happily coincided with Karma Thinley Rinpoche’s birthday. Lama Jampa remarked on the auspiciousness of this occasion and explained how accumulating the praise of Sakya Pandita can help us in developing the wisdom with which to study dharma properly.
As always, the center was transformed by the light and warmth of Lama Jampa’s presence. In his closing remarks of the visit, after the practice of Chenrezik, he urged the sangha to continue with their practice of this deity for the sake of the world. Finally, he looked forward to his return in August, when the center will welcome His Holiness Sakya Gongma Trichen to Santa Monica to bestow the initiation of Vajrapani Bhutadamara, and spoke of the importance of making this a truly beautiful and memorable occasion for His Holiness.
Lama Jampa has now returned to the UK. His next teaching will be in Bristol this weekend where he will continue to teach Sakya Pandita’s key work, Discriminating the Three Vows.