November 6, 2008

 Milarepa Center

1344 US Route 5 South
Barnet, Vermont 05821
802.633.4136

www.milarepacenter.org
milarepa@milarepacenter.org

Affiliated with the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT)


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Coming Events!
Please call, e-mail or see
our website for info!

Meditation Daylong
(Sun., Nov. 9, 10:00am-4:00pm)

New Year's Vajrasattva Retreat
(December 29 - January 1)

Winter Warming Music Night
(February, 2009)

Four Noble Truths and General Introduction to Buddhism
(Tuesday eves, 7:00-8:30pm)

Kevin Cole working on the "Steps to Enlightenment" . . .

The Steps on the

Path to Enlightenment
(The Real Lam-Rim*)

Thank you to Daishin David Sunseri, Julie Hand, Mila Wilson
and Bob Zimmer for their generous contributions to our recent
"Putting Out Fires" fundraising effort which raised more than $1,400. 
We have been able to complete the fire escape steps as shown in the
above photo as well as the wood stove upgrading.

However, we are still $2,200 short to cover the installations and
rewiring of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Please consider making a tax-deductible donation at this time. 
Checks are made payable to Milarepa Center and may be mailed to:
 Milarepa Center, 1344 Route 5 South, Barnet, VT 05821
or please consider donating through our PayPal account at www.milarepacenter.org

Please designate on your check that it is to cover the
fire inspection expenses. 

Thank you, we couldn't do it without you!

(*) Lam-Rim, in Tibetan, is literally "Steps on the Path" and is the
philosophy we study in this tradition of Tibetan Buddhism
that includes topics such as the preciousness of being a human,
death and impermanence, karma, suffering, bodhicitta and emptiness.



. . . and the finished product.  Fantastic!

Program Reminders

This Sunday, November 9, 10am - 4pm; Meditation Daylong led by Ven. Amy Miller

Come sit with us for periods of silent and guided meditations.  A question and answer period will be included as well as some time to work on developing concentration.  Perfectly appropriate for beginners.  Lunch included. 

Please call 802.633.4136 or e-mail us at Milarepa@milarepacenter.org
to register so we can plan lunch.

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   New Year's Vajrasattva Purification
   Retreat led by Ven. Amy Miller,
   December 29 to January 1.

    Ring in the New Year in a most meaningful
   way by joining this deeply purifying retreat.
   Appropriate for all levels of practitioners
   and a great place to gain familiarity with
   how to do effective retreat. 

   Videos of Lama Thubten Yeshe, one of
   Milarepa's spiritual masters, will be shown
   throughout the retreat, in addition to guided
   visualization, mantra recitation and silent
   meditations.

   Vajrasattva is an aspect of the Buddha who helps us purify dissatisfied mind states and negative karma.

The schedule for the retreat is as follows:
Mon (Dec 29): 6:00pm dinner; 7:15 orientation; 7:30 introduction.
Tues/Wed (Dec 30, 31): 7:00-800am 1st session; 8:00-9:30 breakfast;
                   9:30-10:45 2nd session; 11:15-12:30 3rd session;
                   12:30-2pm lunch and break; 2:00-3:00 questions and answers;
                   4:00-6:00 4th session; 6:00-7:00 dinner; 7:00-9:00 5th session
    Note: on Dec 31 we'll do a shorter 5th session followed by Tsog
                   (special ceremony) at 8:00pm.  Others are welcome to participate,
                   and we welcome all and any musicians to join our celebration!
Thurs (Jan 1): 8:00-9:30am final session;  9:30 New Year's brunch.             

To register for this retreat, or for more information, please contact Milarepa Center at 802.633.4136 or by e-mail at Milarepa@milarepacenter.org
This retreat is free of charge and donations are welcome.

We are also looking for musicians who may want to join us at 8pm on New Year's eve to enhance our special celebration, so please do pass the word.  You are all invited to our party!!

Amy Miller (Ven. Losang Chodren) was born in 1959 and first encountered Tibetan Buddhism in the spring of 1987 during a
10-day course at Kopan Monastery in Nepal.   Since then, she has spent a great deal of time engaged in meditation retreats, study, teaching and Buddhist center management in India, Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan.  She was ordained as a Buddhist nun in June 2000 by the great Tibetan master, Ven. Choden Rinpoche, and has been teaching extensively since 1992.  Her teaching style emphasizes a practical approach to integrating Buddhist philosophy into everyday life.
Ven. Amy completed a three-month Vajrasattva retreat in 1998.

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Coming this February, a Winter Warming Music Night. 
Warm up this winter with a fantastic musical evening at Milarepa Center. 
Bring your instruments, singing voices, songs and laughter to liven up
the long winter season.  Special guest: former singer, guitarist and
songwriter with Fairpoint Convention, George Galt.  (Date TBA)n

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We had a wonderful Nyung Ne purification retreat the
weekend of October 24-27. You can see everyone
enjoying their breakfast following a day of fasting!
Participants seemed to enjoy the intensive practice
employing visualizations and mantra recitations
of Chenrezig, the Buddha of Compassion.

 

Wish List

While we are cleaning and clearing clutter, we respectfully request that you not bring anything that is not on the list without checking with us first and, like all families and organizations, we always need cash to operate.  Your gift in any amount is greatly appreciated.  To make a donation, plesse see the details above under "Steps on the Path to Enlightenment"

Goods
:: 4-wheel-drive truck or tractor in good working condition;
:: used snowmobile in good working condition;
:: long-range portable phone with at least 2-3 phones;
:: good quality saffron (represents pure morality and is placed in our water
    offerings each day to create prosperity for the Center;
:: tea lights, small size in bags of 50 are great.

Volunteers
:: for housekeeping, cooking, general maintenance and computer help.

In addition, we are going to freshen up the center by removing all of the tsa tsas (small plaster Buddha images), small photos of lamas, crystals, etc. that are all around the house and gompa.  We are hoping to upgrade our rooms, but we will urgently need your help.  We are planning to go through items carefully and save those more precious while giving away other items.  Please let us know at this time if there are items, photos, etc. you may remember that we can label that absolutely must remain where they are, etc. or if you can impart the history about them.  We would be so grateful for your help.  Please feel free to mention this to others you know who might be interested in this.  Thank you.

 
A Message from Milarepa Director Ven. Amy Miller:

On October 9, in Brattleboro, Vermont, Ed Softky was killed in a hit-and-run accident while loading groceries into his car while on his way to a hospice training meeting.  Ed visited Milarepa Center many times, often in his role as an interpreter for Geshe Ngawang Singey.  Most recently, Ed helped during Milarepa's Family Camp in August.  His humble, enthusiastic, tireless, fun-loving, caring nature will be missed by all.


In addition, our most precious treasure and teacher, Geshe Tsulga, has recently been diagnosed with liver cancer.  Geshe-la was the resident teacher at Milarepa for many years and continues to visit each year to teach and lead retreats.  I had a nice conversation with Geshe-la a few weeks ago before knowing there was any health concern.

I wholeheartedly extended an invitation to Geshe-la to return to Milarepa Center in 2009 to teach and lead retreats.  He accepted my invitation, saying he be delighted to do so. 

It is with the utmost sadness that we recieved this news.

Geshe-la is now the resident teacher at Kurukulla Center, Milarepa's sister center outside of Boston, and is planning a trip to India quite soon.  For now, Geshe-la has decided to seek treatment in India with traditional Tibetan medicine.  Please contact Kurukulla Center directly at  info@kurukulla.org for any additional information.

A long life puja for Geshe Tsulga is planned for this Saturday, Nov. 8
at 4:00pm at Kurukulla Center, 68 Magoun Avenue, Medford, MA 02155, 617.624.0177.

We pray that Geshe-la can receive the best treatment available for a swift
and full recovery, and live for countless eons to spread the Dharma to infinite beings.


Lastly, I am sorry to inform you that Justin Miller dies near the end of October in Vermont.  Justin spent some time at Milarepa Center this past year and it was reported that his death was a suicide.  I'm sorry I don't have nay more details other than that.  I have been in touch with Justin's family who are planning to visit the center soon.

I am so sorry to bring you this tragic news, but it's important to keep you abreast of what is happening so you may add these individuals and their families into your prayers.

With my best wishes, Amy

www.milarepacenter.org