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All of the PBC Sangha prays for your very long life, wonderful health, and the swift and perfect fulfillment of your Dharma aspirations!
August 1, 2022
Padma Samye Ling


Tsa Tsa Making Class!
Padma Samye Ling Retreat Center in upstate New York
August 6 and 7
Saturday, Aug 6
• 10:00-noon EDT
• 2:00-5:00pm
Sunday, Aug 7
• 10:00-noon
Come to the Inconceivable Lotus Land of Padma Samye Ling to learn how to make tsa tsas! Tsa tsas are molded objects in the form of buddhas or stupas. Enjoy hands-on lessons in making and painting tsa tsas, and learn about their profound meaning and powerful merit!
Learn and perform the practice of making tsa tsas according to the ancient Buddhist tradition of Tibet. The Buddha taught numerous meritorious activities that bring benefit to oneself and others, including making tsa tsas. Each tsa tsa is a nirmanakaya given birth. Tsa tsas can be formed from space, fire, wind, water, or earth. We’ll craft earthen tsa tsas in the open air surrounded by natural beauty that reflects pure mind’s innate freshness.
Pema Lodro has lived at Padma Samye Ling since 2011 and was ordained a novice monk in 2014. He has made dozens of intricate tsa tsa molds and thousands of tsa tsas that are objects of veneration throughout the main temple and within PSL stupas.
Cathy Allen has been a student of the Venerable Khenpo Rinpoches since the 1990s. In 2010, she made over one thousand tsa tsas in honor of Ven. Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche, and has created numerous tsa tsas that have shipped around the world for other PBC centers and Sangha members’ practice and personal inspiration.
PBC members: $60; $36/day
Non-members: $72; $41/day
+ Accommodations
Register:
www.padmasambhava.org/event-pre-registration
For more information, please be in touch with us!
jowozegyal@catskill.net • (607) 865-8068
Padma Samye Ling • 618 Buddha Highway • Sidney Center, NY 13839

The benefits of building stupas were spoken of by the buddha in the Noble Amazing Sutra:
Ananda! Any devoted noble sons and daughters who fill this entire three-thousand-fold universe with the seven precious metals and make offerings to all the stream-enterers, once-returners, non-returners, and arhats—as well as all the sangha members in the four directions—do not accumulate as much merit as someone who makes a stupa to the Tathagata—the Subduer, the Perfectly Enlightened One, the One Who Entered Mahaparinirvana— that is even the size of a churura seed, with a central column the size of a needle, an umbrella the size of a juniper leaf, and filled with grain-sized statues and mustard seed-sized relics.
Moreover, in the Analyzing Activity Sutra, the Buddha said to the brahmin son Netso:
Whoever builds the Stupa of the Tathagata will gain the eighteen benefits. These are: (1) to be born in a royal family, (2) with perfect features (3) and a beautiful body; (4) who everybody loves to see (5) and looks to as a leader; (6) with fame expanding in the ten directions, (7) beautiful cheering sounds, (8) and praised with beautiful verses; (9) very detached from the world (10) and honored by gods (11) and humans; (12) very wealthy, (13) with a long life (14) and as healthy and strong as a vajra; (15) possessing the major marks (16) and minor marks; (17) born in the upper realms; (18) and soon to enter the supreme enlightened state.
In the Noble Lotus Sutra, the Buddha said:
Whoever makes a stupa out of stones, agarwood, or sandalwood; or whoever makes a stupa with joy out of medicinal wood or even out of plain wood, earth, brick, and so on; or whoever makes a stupa by just using heaps of earth in some remote area while thinking of the Buddha; or even children who make a stupa while playing games with sand while thinking of the Victorious One; or whoever draws forms (of the Buddha)—they will all reach enlightenment.
The Manjushrimitra Root Tantra states:
(Those who want) to purify their negativities should make a stupa with their own hands—it will cleanse even the worst five obscurations. If they make 100,000 stupas, they will become a universal monarch among all the vidyadharas. Whoever contacts such a stupa will develop great wisdom and long life, and even if they die, they will be reborn in the higher realms in a royal clan, and they will never go to the lower realms. When born, their intelligence will be like a blazing sun, their intellect will become stable, and they will remember past lives. Thus it is said.
Moreover, the Noble Stainless Beams of Light Sutra states:
Noble sons and daughters! Whoever circumambulates or make offerings to a stupa will be blessed by Tathagatas, move to the supreme enlightened state through a non-returning path, and purify all of their karmic obscurations. Even if the shadow of a stupa touches birds, animals, deer, or whomever, they will not be reborn in the lower realms.
Thus, in the sutras and tantras the Buddha taught extensively about the benefits of building stupas, as well as the benefits to those who support and make contact with stupas.

August 20-21, 2022
All day Saturday and half-day Sunday
Padma Samye Ling Retreat Center in upstate New York
Please join us in savoring the summer season at a glorious weekend retreat held in the sacred Medicine Buddha temple at beautiful Padma Samye Ling.
Relax and rejuvenate by bringing your body, speech, and mind back into a state of inner calm, strength, and balance.
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During this retreat we will deepen our compassion and meditation with a simple Medicine Buddha practice. You will learn specific techniques to enhance vitality and enrich your own healing path.
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*Optional 20 minute complimentary treatments: acupressure with licensed acupuncturist Amanda Lewis or massage therapy treatments with certified Rolfer Karen Giles.
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Amanda Lewis has been a devoted student of the Ven. Khenpo Rinpoches since 2007. She is a licensed acupuncturist and herbal medicine practitioner with clinics in Binghamton and Oneonta New York.
Karen Giles has been a dedicated student of Ven. Khenpo Rinpoches since 1990. She has practiced advanced Rolfing, cranio-sacral therapy, and energy healing for over 30 years.
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Suggested Donation: $175 • Includes full retreat with 2 night dorm accommodations & vegetarian meals
Register:
www.padmasambhava.org/event-pre-registration
For more information, please be in touch with us!
jowozegyal@catskill.net
(607) 865-8068
Padma Samye Ling
618 Buddha Highway
Sidney Center, NY 13839

“We should always keep our courage and commitment to maintain and uphold the view of the Vajrayana, particularly when our emotions are turbulent. When we’re struggling with emotions, that very moment we must liberate and release them, and not allow them to hold us down and disturb us.
It is very important for us to know all of this, and to remember that we are Vajrayana practitioners. That means we are completely in the Vajrayana state—our pillow is Vajrayana, our bed is Vajrayana, our blanket is Vajrayana, our body is Vajrayana, and our exercise is Vajrayana. We also speak Vajrayana and love Vajrayana, so why not just be Vajrayana?”
Venerable Khenpo Rinpoches
“Supreme Wisdom: Commentary on Yeshe Lama” (restricted)
www.padmasambhava.org/chiso/books-by-khenpo-rinpoches/supreme-wisdom-a-commentary-on-yeshe-lama
Photo of Ven. Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche with sangha members at Padma Samye Ling in the 1990s.