Upcoming Events at the Centre
Lha Bab Duchen: Buddha Sakyamuni practice
Lha Bab Duchen is a very powerful day and one of the most sacred days in the whole Buddhadharma world. We will be practicing Buddha Sakyamuni prayer and mantra recitation in the golden shrine.
There is no set price for attending, but your generous offering is greatly appreciated. Arrive at least ten minutes prior to start time.
Open for public self-guided tours
Self-guided public open time includes: an orientation from a volunteer, window viewing of the Golden Shrine, circumambulation of Shrine and Stupas, walk/sit in main garden, butterlamp building, wishing garden, Tara garden, gift shop, an opportunity to make offerings, and to see detailed explanations of the 8 stupas - the highest representation of Buddha's enlightenment.
Welcome to Kathok Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Centre
"Precious and sublime bodhicitta, May it arise in those in whom it has not arisen, May it never decline where it has arisen, But go on increasing, further and further!"
The great Bodhisattva Nagarjuna proclaimed that there is only one way to please the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and that is through benefitting all living beings. Therefore, the greatest aspiration and goal here at Kathok centre is to benefit those that are karmically connected beings as much as possible. Such is the intention and motivation yet, in these degenerating times there is no smooth path to accomplishment due to the powerful negative emotions and energies that arise.
For that reason, in creating benefit for beings we must uphold the protection of our pure and authentic lineage as the foremost goal. It takes great intelligence and untiring diligence to accomplish this. As you all know we belong to the Early Translation School of the Nyingma Kathok Longchen Nyingthig Dzogpa Chenpo lineage.
Some people consider this to be the rainbow body lineage as in the course of the its history there have been 100,000 practitioners who have accomplished the full rainbow body. You can see that the lineage is very pure and very profound to appear in this part of world and every activity here, innerly, outerly and secretly is connected to the brilliant energy of the great Guru Rinpoche and our three roots lineage and all the lamas, yidams and dakinis and dharma protectors. This is all about Guru Rinpoche and his representation, it is all him. Everything here has arisen from him and is a projection of his profound nature.
Guru Rinpoche is the form. He is the essence. He is the unshakable vajra ground of this tradition. He is the sealed vajra bindu in each follower’s heart. If you have faith in Guru Rinpoche, then you are in the correct place, if you do not have that faith you may begin to learn here. If you're just a traveler looking to see the scenery, may everything here make a good and positive impression on you. In fact, the humble traveler may have a kind of Buddhist spirit, sometimes more so than a so-called wise man with countless prejudices.
During the twenty some years of history here, many profound lamas and enlightened beings have come and given their blessings and have consecrated the ground, over and over, again and again. This is not an ordinary place; it is an extraordinary place where you should make every effort to open to your spiritual nature and to cherish this golden opportunity.
Our great lord and master, Longchenpa advised that one may only realize ultimate wisdom and accumulate merit by purifying the negativities of body, speech, and mind and engaging with the blessings of a fully accomplished master. Any other way is foolishness. That is absolute truth to us, that is what we try to accomplish, that is what we do, so do not bring any politics or drama or any other such pollution to the lineage. We have much room here but none for your ego or stories. This is how we maintain the purity of the lineage, not only for now but for future times.
Everything has its extraordinary significance and is the result of a series of factors. Buddhists call this “interdependent connection", every shining place you see here is the condensation of the diligent work, sweat and tears of compassion. I hope that you can feel and respect it all. Try to understand the transcendent meaning of all of this and remain open minded and respectful.
Thus, we pray: From the primordial Buddha, the great vajra holder, to our very kind and precious root gurus, whatever the aspirations that they have made to benefit sentient beings, may we accomplish all of them!
May all beings benefit!
Karzang Rinpoche, Spiritual Leader of Kathok Centre
Photos of the Centre
