|
|
|
|
Featured Links
|
Learn the Tibetan language by conference call with Lama David Curtis Tibetan Language.
Missoula welcomes Anam Thubten Rinpoche
Feb 19-21, 2010.
|
|
January 2010
Volunteer Award
|
|
Pola Rest has donated her precious time this month attending meetings, doing research, helping with The Missoula Buddha Barn, and much more. Thank you, Pola, for all that you do for Ewam! |
New Ewam Staff
|
|
Charlie Pearl has graciously agreed to move into the Sangha House in Arlee as Ewam's new on-site grounds manager. Thank you, Charlie, for your expertise and generosity!
|
Meditation in Arlee
|
|
Mon/Wed/Fri 8-9am
Green Tara Practice
Ewam Shrine Room
Tuesdays 7-9pm
Ewam Practice
Ewam Shrine Room
Wednesdays 7-8pm Arlee Meditation Grp Hanging Art Gallery 92555 Hwy 93 Arlee
Thursdays 7-9pm
Dinner and Dharma Sangha House
Call Charlie for details 406-726-0555
A sangha that sits together, fits together.
|
Sangha Gathering
|
Ewam sangha
Losar celebration (Tibetan New Year) gathering, potluck, and updates at Ewam in Arlee, MT Sunday,
Feb 7, 2010 at 1pm.
Call for information 406-726-0555. |
Humorous Wisdom
|
|
Four monks sitting on a breezy day
Youngest monk sighs
"Ah, flag is flapping"
Older monk replies
"No, wind is flapping"
Next oldest monk says
"Ah, mind is flapping"
Elder monk (Briskly)
"Mouths are flapping!" |
| Join Ewam |
To become an official member of Ewam and read about Ewam membership benefits JOIN NOW!
|
|
|
Lion's Roar Newsletter
Vol 5 Issue 1 The Bodhisattva Vow
|
Monday, January 25, 2010
|
Letter from Gochen Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche, Jan 15, 2010
GREETINGS FOR THE NEW YEAR - 2010!
Presently, our world is experiencing strife, war, epidemics, economic instability and many other ills. It is evident that these violent, unfavorable, and often times barbaric circumstances are caused by increasingly strong mental afflictions. Consequently, the collective merit of sentient beings has diminished while strong negative forces have increased. To resolve this situation we must enhance the collective merit by cultivating bodhichitta, the enlightened mind, and engage in altruistic activities based on the philosophy of non-violence. This will help to prevent degeneration and accelerate universal peace, just as the qualities of water can extinguish a fire. There is no doubt about this. more
|
 H.H. Dalai Lama to Visit MT
Consecration of The Buddha Garden
His
Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama has officially accepted Gochen Tulku Sang-ngag
Rinpoche's invitation to consecrate the Garden of 1,000 Buddhas in Arlee,
Montana. The Garden is being
dedicated as a Peace Center and pilgrimage site for people of all religions and
walks of life. Already people are
gathering with enthusiasm, gratitude, and ideas for completing the Garden and
hosting His Holiness. Rinpoche
will be inviting Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi (the reincarnation of Dilgo Khyentse
Rinpoche) and other Tibetan Buddhist teachers and lineage holders to this
important event. Rinpoche is
specifically going to request Nyingma Dzogchen teachings from His Holiness for
Buddhists in a private setting. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and surrounding
communities will be participants in the planning and sponsoring of events, from
forum discussions to public speeches.
Different topics and sites are being discussed. All levels of Montana government will
also be involved as well as the Interfaith communities and Buddhist sanghas. more
|
 The Garden
of 1,000 Buddhas
Jocko Valley, Arlee, MT
Many years ago Rinpoche
had a vision of the Garden of 1,000 Buddhas constructed on this sacred
land. The Garden was surrounded by
these mountains in Arlee and shaped like a lotus blossom with the Garden in the
center. Rinpoche recognized that
this land is a sacred site and had been blessed by prayer for many generations
by the Native American people. The
original dream had included the 1,000 Buddha statues, but with the increasing
violence after 2001, Rinpoche added the central statue of Yum Chenmo
(Prajnaparamita), the Mother of all Buddhas, in order to help beings realize their
true compassionate natures. Underneath
this central statue are items to represent the suppression of negativity, in
the central area are sacred relics to increase peace and vitality of the earth,
and within the statue are numerous texts of the Heart Sutra. There are also the relics of the Buddha
and many masters of the past. In
2009, the 40-foot pavilion of steel and copper was erected over Yum Chenmo. The garden is a complete mandala that
represents the Buddha's teachings and represents the Peaceful Buddha
Activity. The entire garden is
dedicated as a Peace Center. moreDonate to the Buddha Garden! |
 Buddha Barn Grand Opening
Hand Casting Buddha Statue Studio
1800 Trail Street in Missoula, MT
This charming facility near The Good Food Store in Missoula is open and ready to host the hand casting of the 600 Buddha statues needed to complete the Garden of One Thousand Buddhas! From lovingly making the Buddha statue mold from the original bronze,
to carefully preparing each mold, to mixing and pouring the concrete
formula, the process of hand casting each 2-foot tall Buddha statue for
The Garden of 1,000 Buddhas offers blessings to everyone involved. Buddha statue pouring instruction classes will now be offered at The Buddha Barn Hand Casting Studio in Missoula on Wednesdays from 6-8pm and Saturdays from 1-3pm. Contact Allison Troxel for more information at 406-218-9813. Buddha statue pouring instruction classes will also be offered at Ewam in Arlee on Thursdays from 6-8pm and Sundays from 1-3pm. Contact Luke Hanley for more information at 435-640-0864. Anyone interested yet unable to attend the regularly offered classes may call either Allison or Luke to schedule a time to volunteer. |
 The Buddha Garden Directors
New Directors, more momentum
Ewam welcomes Chris Riebe and Steve McCluskey as the new Directors of
the Garden of 1,000 Buddhas. Chris and Steve look forward to their
springtime move back to Arlee as Directors of the Garden. From
planning and implementing to contracting and construction, Chris and
Steve have already begun working in their new positions and with the
help of many hands are making great headway in gaining momentum on the
project.
|
The Namchak Foundation
By Lama Tsomo
Three years ago, Rinpoche sent Dr. Tashi a formal letter, asking him to revive the Namchak Lineage in Tibet. Soon after that, Dr. Tashi asked me to help with both the planning and financial support for this mission. I agreed, and approximately 18 months later, Dr. Tashi submitted the plan to Rinpoche. He happily approved the plan. Last summer, Dr. Tashi and I updated and further fleshed out that plan and presented it to Rinpoche. Rinpoche approved of the plan and the mood was celebratory. more
|
 Ewam Santa Fe Grand Opening
by Ludwik Turzanski
On
Saturday afternoon, November 14th, the hoard of shoes, outside the door
of the little stucco building on Luisa Street in Santa Fe, indicated
that whatever was going on inside was well-attended. What was
occurring, after weeks of sprucing up and painting, was the Opening
Ceremony of a two-day celebration to consecrate Pema Khandro Ling, the
first city center of Ewam in America! more |
The Bodhisattva Vow
Remarks by Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche
July 20, 2003 Arlee, MT
How do the Buddhas of the
three times - the past, present and future - become fully and perfectly
awakened? The principal cause is
bodhichitta, love and compassion. What
is the nature of bodhichitta, this heart and mind of awakening, and how do we
bring it about? These are
important questions for us to understand as we prepare to take the bodhisattva vow. more |
|
The Bodhisattva Vow
Reflections of Jenny Bondurant
The July
2003 Shedra was wrapping up in Arlee. A warm hot, dusty week. But on Sunday I was privileged, along with about
twelve others, to be present at the bodhisattva vow ceremony, the day after
Tulku Sang-ngag gave the talk that is also in this newsletter. I took this vow for the first time in
1980 and have renewed it many times since. I was delighted to be doing so again but I was viewing it
fairly conventionally. What
happened was far from conventional! more |
Anam Thubten Weekend Retreat
The Holiday Inn Parkside Missoula, MT
Feb 19-21, 2010
The Tibetan Language Institute is hosting Anam Thubten Rinpoche for a weekend meditation retreat at The Holiday Inn Parkside in Missoula, MT from Feb 19-21, 2010. As an accomplished teacher and author of the book No Self, No Problem, Rinpoche will help us focus on unburdening ourselves from mental habits that cause unnecessary suffering and to realize our natural state which is the inner dimension of peace, joy, and love. For more information contact the Tibetan Language Institute at info@tibetanlanguage.org. |
|
 Ewam Seeking
Bodhisattva Volunteers
Call to action!
Gochen Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche has told us many times that this is our garden. It is up to us to finish it. It will take all of us working toward this one goal to make it happen. Fund raising letters will be sent out soon to rally the support needed to propel this phase of the Buddha Garden creation.
Gifts of every kind are welcome. You are a true bodhisattva when you give even small amounts of money, time, and service. If you have a skill you wish to contribute, just call us and we will put you to work! We recognize that financial times may have been challenging for
everyone recently, yet the merit earned through volunteering is unmatched when
dedicated. |
|
|
Newsletter Contact
|
Thank you for sending your committee updates, photos, stories, and information by the 15th of each month to
Deborah Hicks
406-642-3695
Next month's topic: Merit
|
|
Ewam
PO Box 330/34574 White Coyote Road
Arlee, MT 59821
406-726-0217 - Office
406-726-0555 - Sangha House
admin@ewam.org
www.ewam.org
|
|
Save
15% |
Becoming an official Ewam member is now easier than ever!
By signing up to join Ewam through the website for monthly
auto donations of as little as $15 per month, you automatically
receive 15% off all the Ewam retreat fees. Check the retreat
schedule on the website for more information. www.ewam.org | *Membership levels range from $15 and up and are necessary to keep Ewam operational.
Donor gifts and incentives are available based on amount of gift. We thank you for your support!
|
|
|
