Centres
There are more than twenty centres associated with Sakya Losal Choe Dzong, and most are under the spiritual directorship of Lama Choedak Rinpoche. Rinpoche travels around the country regularly visiting these centres giving public talks and empowerments, leading teaching workshops and conducting residential meditation retreats.
These centres vary in size and activities - some have dedicated premises while others are conducted by members who have offered the use of their garages and lounge rooms. Rinpoche encourages all centres to meet regularly for meditation practice and dharma study.
Some of the practices that take place at most centres each week include:
- Calm Abiding meditation
- Ngondro preliminary practices
- Green Tara puja
- Buddhist Philosophy study (these are teachings given by Rinpoche, also available as recordings)
- Soor Ceremony to assist the deceased
At mostany centres, Calm Abiding meditation 8-week structured courses are facilitated by experienced, trained students of Rinpoche.
In Buddhism the spirit of community is important, and centres like these have been meeting and practicing since the time of the Buddha himself. There is enormous merit in supporting dharma centres because by doing so you are causing the Buddha's teachings to flourish, and are directly benefiting others who come to the centres.
You can contact the centres listed below or visit their websites to find out more.
The Evatt site, also known as Rongton Buddhist Training College, is the Canberra centre of Sakya Losal Choe Dzong (Tibetan Buddhist Society of Canberra Inc). At the Evatt centre you can find information about all SLCD activities such as workshops, talks, empowerments, residential retreats and Tibetan language studies.
Lama Choedak Rinpoche conducts regular meditation and philosophy class here every Tuesday of the school term; and on most Wednesdays Rinpoche leads practice sessions at 7.30pm according to the schedule of practices listed below.
| WEEK1 | SUNDAY | 8.00am 9.30am | WhiteTara |
| 9.30am-11.00am | Ngondro | ||
| 11.00am-12.30pm | Meditation & talk | ||
| WEEK 1 | WEDNESDAY | 7.00pm-8.30pm | Chenrezig** |
| WEEK 2 | SUNDAY | 8.30am-9.15am | Vajrapani |
| 9.30am-11.00am | Ngondro | ||
| 11.00am-12.30pm | Meditation & talk | ||
| WEEK 2 | WEDNESDAY | 7.00pm-8.30pm | Chenrezig** |
| WEEK 3 | SUNDAY | 7.00am -9.15am | Hevajra |
| 9.30am -11.00am | Ngondro | ||
| 11.00am -12.30pm | Meditation & talk | ||
| WEEK 3 | WEDNESDAY | 7.00pm -8.30pm | Chenrezig** |
| WEEK 4 | SUNDAY | 7.00am -9.15am | Vajrayogini |
| 9.30am -11.00am | Ngondro | ||
| 11.00am -12.30pm | Meditation & talk | ||
| WEEK 4 | WEDNESDAY | 7.00pm -8.30pm | Chenrezig **or MedicineBuddha |
|
|
**change to the Sixteen Arhat puja at full moon |
Tibetan Buddhist Society of Canberra Inc. (Sakya Losal Choe Dzong)
25 Alderman Street, Evatt
(next to Miles Franklin School)
Contact: Venerable Tharchin / Pam Cernak
Phone: (02) 6238 2088
Fax: (02) 6238 2088
Email: mail@sakya.com.au
Virupa Retreat Centre and SIBA (Tsarchen Choeling) are both retreat centres of the Tibetan Buddhist Society of Canberra Inc (Sakya Losal Choe Dzong)
Virupa RC is a beautiful venue for short or long residential retreats and work shops, only 20 minutes from Canberra airport, 15 minutes from Queanbeyan, and 30 minutes from Canberra.
It has 100 acres of mountain scrub with magnificent peaceful views and deep quiet. There is a beautiful traditional Tibetan Buddhist shrine room which is looked after by the resident community of volunteers, and which is open for personal practice and also for hire. VRC is, of course, also a venue for teachings and empowerments. Apart from the dormitory accommodation in the main house used during teachings, there are three individual meditation retreat huts for long-term and short-term retreats.
You are welcome to visit or spend some time at Virupa. There is regular Soor practice and daily Green Tara practice at 7am. Please call if you wish to join in practice, or to request Soor prayers for the deceased.
179 Douglas Close, Carwoola, (off Captain's Flat Road, off Kings Hwy nr Queanbeyan), NSW, 2620
Phone: 02 6495 6468 and 02 6495 7902
Email: staff1@bigpond.com
Phoenix Park, Nethercote Rd, Pambula NSW 2549 and
"Eas-Waramma Sai", 156 ruggs Rd, Nethercote NSW 2549
Show map
Our centre takes in Taree, Forster district and hinterland. We invite Lama Choedak Rinpoche for visits at least annually, and enjoy the company of the Port Macquarie group on these retreats.
Our Meditation Program:
Regular Calm Abiding meditation first and third Tuesday of the month. It runs from 6.30 till around 8 o'clock and can include discussion on general Buddhism. It operates from the Community Centre in Breeze Prd. Forster. Enter from the car park next to the Community Health building.
Second Sunday of the month is Chenrezig practice and is a particularly Buddhist meditation that you can find out about over the internet I am sure. It is held at my place, 15 Delore Crs Tuncurry. Starts 10am. Its main influence is on compassion. We do Soor practice after this which is of benefit to those who have recently died.
Kacho Yulo Ling is a cousin centre under the patronage of HH the Sakya Trizin and HE Chogye Trichen Rinpoche. www.yuloling.com
348 Severin Street, Parramatta Park, Cairns, Qld, 4870
Hervey Bay is a beautiful subtropical location adjacent to Fraser Island, 3 hours drive north of Brisbane. Padme Buddhist Centre is a not-for-profit community organisation whose members are inspired by the example set by H E Chogye Trichen Rinpoche and Lama Choedak Rinpoche, and who wish to support Tibetan Buddhist practice in Hervey Bay and the surrounding region. Anyone wishing to be more involved with our activites is most warmly welcome. All of Padma's work is done voluntarily.
We receive biannual visits from Lama Choedak Rinpoche as well as from other visiting teachers. Our group meets each Thursday 6.30pm - 8.30pm for practice, meditation and teachings (except during the school holidays) at the Padma Shrine Room in Point Vernon, a suburb of Hervey Bay.
Our regular practices include Calm Abiding Meditation, Manjushri, Green Tara, and Medicine Buddha. As well, study and discussion on Buddhist topics forms part of our evenings.
Regular courses introducing Calm Abiding Meditation are held throughout the year by students who have been trained by Lama Choedak Rinpoche.
Visit us on www.padma.org.au
Postal Address:
7 Berna Court
Point Vernon
Hervey Bay Qld 4655
Daily Green Tara Puja and weekly teachings from the three ordained sangha. www.aryatara.info
Dharmottara BC is located on the town limits of Nanango, gateway to the South Burnett region. We are 2.5 hours' drive north west from Brisbane, and the same distance from Hervey Bay and Sunshine Coast. We are only 1.5 hours from Toowoomba and 3 hours from the Gold Coast.
Our centre strongly promotes the practice of Calm Abiding meditation skills. We have also been very blessed by Rinpoche and His Eminence Chogye Trichen, for the empowerments of Vajrasattva, Ngondro, Sinamukha, Medicine Buddha and Chenrezig teachings and practice.
Our regular practice night is Thursday 6.30 - 8.30 pm.
Regular Calm Abiding meditation courses continue locally and in Kingaroy - contact Jac-Aileen for details.
Our hearts flow with gratitude that Lama Choedak Rinpoche will be visiting June 25, 26 and 27 to empower us with White Tara practice! We are also hopeful that a Public Talk will take place - details tba.
Adelaide Non-Sectarian Buddhist Group
Established in 1996, Adelaide Non-Sectarian Buddhist Group, provides a platform for teachers from all traditions of Buddhism to deliver their message to the people of South Australia.
The group of dedicated volunteers has hosted the visits of many Buddhist teachers. The group formally invites Buddhist teachers from interstate and overseas to teach in Adelaide. We also petition the organisers of the national and international tours of Buddhist teachers to include South Australia on their teaching schedule.
On the 27th of June 2001, during his visit to Adelaide, His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche formalised the group by giving the name Tsechen Thubten Choe Ling on his official paper bearing his personal crest with his donation for the group to purchase a representation of the Buddha. The word "Tsechen" is the Tibetan word for the Sanskrit "Mahakaruna". Tsechen Thubten Choe Ling translates as "Great Compassion Dharma Garden of Buddhadharma".
Adelaide Non-Sectarian Buddhist Group is one of the founding members of the Buddhist Council of South Australia. The group has been a member of the Council's Management Committee since the BCSA's inception and has served as the Council's Treasurer and Secretary.
PO Box 573, Glenside, SA 5065
SIBA (Sakya International Buddhist Academy) is a beautiful retreat centre in the Snowy River Country of East Gippsland Victoria. Formerly ONTOS, SIBA was founded by Lama Choedak Rinpoche and formally opened and consecrated by His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche in 2006. At this time His Eminence bestowed the dharma name of Tsarchen Choeling (Great Dharma dwelling of the Tsarpa Tradition).
Throughout the year, SIBA has a programme of group residential retreats conducted by Lama Choedak Rinpoche, visiting lamas or SIBA residents. SIBA is also perfectly set up for individual retreats .
SIBA is set in 108 hilly forested acres, and is maintained by a community of volunteer residents.
If you would like to spend some time at SIBA, whether as part of a formal retreat or not, please contact us
2592 Gelantipy Road, W Tree, (near Buchan Caves), East Gippsland, Victoria, Australia, 3885
Postal Address: P.O. Box 356, Balwyn, Victoria, 3103