Australian Tour of His Eminence Ratna Vajra Rinpoche

At the request of Lama Choedak Rinpoche, His Eminence Khondung Ratna Vajra Rinpoche visited Australia for his first teaching tour from September to December in 2006.  On Tuesday 26 September His Eminence arrived in Sydney, from India with two attendants, Ven. Dorjee Phunsok (who has also accompanied His Eminence to Taiwan and Singapore) and Ven. Jamyang Tsultrim.  His Eminence was welcomed at Sydney airport by Lama Choedak Rinpoche, H.E. Aenpo Kyabgon Rinpoche and Khenpo Ngawang Damchoe.  A traditional welcome ceremony was held at Sakya Dolma Choeling, in their beautiful gonpa.  Sylvia Johnson, the president of the centre and many others were present.  

This is His Eminence’s first official teaching tour and third visit to Australia.  His Eminences’ tour started in Sydney and went to the far north of Queensland, Cairns, and then gradually worked its way down to SIBA (Sakya International Buddhist Academy) in Victoria, covering mainly cities and some smaller towns and visiting most of the Sakya centres in Australia.  The programme also included an eight day visit to New Zealand.

An outline of the programme is included below. It was a full programme with very little time for rest – but some time for sight seeing!

Sakya Trinley Ling

Wednesday 27 September.

Even though His Eminence had arrived late the evening before He kindly agreed to visit Sakya Trinley Ling in the Blue Mountains and bestow the Vajrakiliya Empowerment.

Sakya Dolma Choe Ling

Thursday 28 September

Eastwood – Medicine Buddha Empowerment

Friday 29 September

Amitayus Empowerment

30 Sepember to 1 October

Two day Hevajra Cause Empowerment

Central Coast Meditation Centre

Monday 2 October

White Manjushri Empowerment

Sakya Tharpa Ling

Tuesday 3 - 5 October

Drogmi Retreat Centre Vajrapani Empowerment Teachings on Vajrapani Sadhana and Fire Puja

Khacho Yulo Ling, Cairns

Friday 6 October      

Port Douglas – Public Talk, Taking Refuge

Saturday 7 October

One day workshop, How Karma Works

White Umbrella Empowerment in the evening

Sunday 8 October   

One day workshop, Parting from the Four Attachments

Rongton Buddhist Centre, Brisbane

Monday 9 October

Orange Manjushri Empowerment

Tuesday 10 October

White Umbrella Empowerment

Serling Arya Tara, Gold Coast

Wednesday 11 October

Public Talk Guru Devotion

Thursday 12 October

Public Talk Three Levels of Spiritual perception

Tsechen Thubten Choeling, Adelaide

Friday 13 October

Public Talk The Four Powers

Saturday 14 October

Seven Point Mind Training Teaching

Sakya Yigah Choeling, Whyalla

Monday 16 October

Group Vajrayogini Tsog

Tuesday 17 October

Public Talk Mindfulness Meditation

Wednesday 18 October

21 Taras Empowerment and Teachings

Sakya Choekhor Lhunpo, Melbourne

Thursday 19 October

Public Talk What Is Buddhist Enlightenment?

Friday 20 October

Green Tara Puja and luncheon

Jamchen Buddhist Centre, Melbourne

Friday 20 October

Green Tara Empowerment

Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 October

Seven Point Mind Training and Chenrezig Empowerment

New Zealand

Khenpo Dorjees Centre and students

Auckland Events – organised by Phunsok Choeling

Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 October

Teachings on Virupa's "Matchless Compassion": 

Tuesday 24 October

Tara Empowerment

Wednesday 25 October

Vajrapani Empowerment

Napier – Hawkes Bay Events 26 – 29 October

Official consecration of Phunsok Choeling

Vajrapani Teachings & Hevajra Blessing

Teaching on Parting from the 4 Attachments

Vajrakilya empowerment and Chenrezig empowerment and Tsog

SIBA

One month teaching on Bodhisattvacharyavatara

Empowerments:

Hevajra Cause

Vajrapani

Bodhisattva Vows

The main high light of His Eminence’s visit was the one month teaching on Bodhisattva's Way of Life at Sakya International Buddhist Academy (SIBA), which was opened in September by His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche. His Eminence taught in fluent English and spoke with great care, kindly allowing question and answers sessions at the end of each teaching. His Eminence taught directly in English from the root text of Shantideva and a commentary by.  He taught two sessions daily and in between teachings He sat with 30 keen students including twelve ordained members of the sangha during self study.  At the start of each teaching session His Eminence picked a name of a student from a bowl, they would then give a revision of the previous teaching session (as they do in traditional Shedra seminary.)  The students at SIBA have been groomed to go through such meticulous study skills during their three week intensive study of Mahayana Sutralankara with Lama Choedak Rinpoche. 

During His time at SIBA, His Eminence conducted a Bodhisattva Vow ceremony which coincided with His 33rd Birthday on 25 November 2006.  Students felt honoured to have His Eminence with them on this very special day.  They offered a Sixteen Arhat Puja, Long Life prayers, speeches and an afternoon Birthday Party with people of the local community.

Sight Seeing highlights

One the highlights of the tour included a trip to Sea World to bless some of the dolphins.  At the suggestion of Ani Dolma from Serling Arya Tara Buddhist Centre on the Gold Coast, Sea World graciously allowed free entry for His Eminence, entourage and followers.  The plan was a dolphin blessing with media coverage.  His Eminence and monks lined themselves along the shore of a beach enclosure, the home of several dolphins that were on holiday at the time.  The tour guide insisted that the dolphins would do exactly what they liked as they were on holiday (so as not to get our hopes up.)  Once the prayers commenced three of the dolphins came right up to the shore, one in particular seemed to be really curious and was just about beaching itself trying to see what was happening.  It was a really special time for all.  We were taken to all of the enclosures and shows by a wonderful guide, but I think the main event for all was the dolphin show.

His Eminence got to visit the homes of many old friends, dharma patrons, long term dharma practitioners and students of His Holiness Sakya Trizin.  They were delighted to see His Eminence and to ask questions about His family and busy life.  Many details were swapped for future visits in the hope that they may get to spend more time with Him next time! 

In Adelaide His Eminence was taken to Cleland wild-life park for the morning.  The entire group had the opportunity to pat large Kangaroos, see koalas and dingos and many other native creatures.

Once we reached the unexpected town of Whyalla, I think the tolls of travel had started to set in.  But Ven. Loppon Tsering was the source of endless activities and fun, a great opportunity for a break for His Eminence and entourage.  Whilst in Whyalla they got to go canoeing in a blow-up raft and swimming, play cricket and tennis and have a BBQ.

10 December 2006 at Balmain Town Hall in Sydney

To mark the successful conclusion of the two month visit to Australia, His Eminence bestowed Amitayus Long Life Initiation and presided over the celebration of the International Human Rights Day and anniversary of the awarding of Nobel Peace Prize to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. This event was jointly organised by many Tibetan Buddhist organisations in Sydney and the Tibetan Community of NSW.

His Eminence's first teaching tour of Australia and New Zealand was co-ordinated by Sakya Losal Choe Dzong and all of its sister centres across the region under the guidance of Lama Choedak Rinpoche.  Whatever merits are accrued from this visit, may all beings learn the sacred teachings of the Buddha and live in peace and harmony!  May the glorious and pure lineage of Sakya Khon lineage spread far and wide!