Author: Karen Macrae

Saka Dawa is the most important Tibetan Buddhist festival day – celebrating Shakyamuni Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and parinirvana!

Please feel welcome to join us at Tashi Gatsel Ling on this special day. We will have a program similar to below (to be confirmed closer to the time):

Open Drop-In Sessions:
11 – 12 noon Guided Meditation
1-2:30 pm Reading of Golden Light Sutra
7:00 – 8:30pm Medicine Buddha Puja

Sunday, May 17 from 5-7pm

Ever wonder what it might be like to visit Ladakh, India, also known as Little Tibet? This region is the last continually established region of Tibetan Buddhist religion and culture on the planet. Historically speaking, it was only recently opened to foreigners in 1974. This remote location has helped to preserve a rich tradition and magnificent monasteries dating back to the 11th century. The level of dedication and reverence of the Ladakhi society has helped to preserve a very deeply dedicated culture that places Buddhism at its heart and forefront.

Come take a journey through gompas (monasteries), learn about Tibetan Buddhist iconography, history of the importance of spiritual practice as a staple of life, and how the people of this high arid region have been dedicated practitioners keeping their devotion and dedication to Lord Buddha’s teachings alive and relevant through centuries of practice and basic goodness.

We will be treated to viewing sacred spiritual ceremonies, monasteries, schools, and temples, as well as driving over the world’s highest road and listening to original recorded chants. The photographer will be present and a Q & A period will follow the screening.

This event is free. A suggested donation or dana to Tashi Gatsel Ling is greatly appreciated. Come and bring a friend!

FMI contact Lisa at LisaV.Blake@gmail.com.

Come hear a discussion between Rinpoche and Dana Sawyer on Impermanence/Death at Tashi Gatsel Ling on Sat, Feb 28 from 1-5pm.

Rinpoche’s teachings on the Three Principal Aspects of the Path will continue at Tashi Gatsel Ling on March 3, 10, 12, and 17 (all 7-9pm).

Medicine Buddha Puja on Tue, March 5 at 7pm. All are welcome. Please bring an offering which will be shared afterwards. Fruit, nuts, sweets, and flowers are good choices.

Sunday, March 8 Rinpoche will lead a Vows Ceremony at 11am. Anyone interested in taking the Refuge or Bodhisattva Vow, please contact Karen Macrae before March 7 at 207-776-9927.

Rinpoche will be speaking at Maine College of Art on Wed, March 18 from 7-9pm.

Come join us for a prayer/meditation gathering dedicated to attaining Enlightenment yourself and for all sentient beings.  We will be led in a meditation on Universal Love and share tea and brownies afterwards.  Children welcome.

For this event, an RSVP is necessary in advance to: LisaV.Blake@gmail.com

“Is American Buddhism Losing Its Soul?” This talk addresses the tendency in America today to see Buddhism and “mindfulness” as synonymous, as though Buddhism is only about being present. Dana Sawyer sees this as a part of the American tendency to scrub all ideologies free of any intimations of their metaphysical aspects, which would, of course, compromise the dharma.

Dana Sawyer is professor of religion and philosophy at the Maine College of Art and a lecturer on world religions for the Chaplaincy Institute of Maine. He is the author of a critically acclaimed biography of Aldous Huxley and the authorized biography of Huston Smith.  He has been involved with the Buddha dharma since 1977, when he became a student of Nechung Rinpoche in Honolulu, Hawaii. Since 1989, he has worked closely with Khen Rinpoche Lobzang Tsetan, including editing Rinpoche’s book, Peaceful Mind, Compassionate Heart.  He is also a regular contributor to Tricycle magazine.

(Please RSVP for this event to tashigatselling@gmail.com, because we expect a large turnout & need to be prepared.)

The movie “Kundun” is an epic biographical film about His Holiness the 14^th Dalai Lama. Set primarily in Tibet from 1937-1959, it covers events from his identification at 2 years old to his training and initial political struggles through the Chinese invasion of Tibet and his flight from Tibet to India.

Come celebrate Losar, the Tibetan New Year, with a puja including meditation, rejoicing, butter lamp offering, and candles. Losar is a great time to set intentions and renew practice. It marks the time 2500 years ago when the Buddha performed miracles. Any good or bad deeds during the first 2 weeks of Losar are multiplied many times to accumulate or reduce merit. Please come renew and celebrate efforts to attain Enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings!

Sunday, October 26 at 3pm – Six Feet Under: Funeral Choices and Managing Your Final Affairs

Find out how to decide what arrangements you want to make for after you die and how to talk to others about them. Chuck Lakin of Last Things (http://lastthings.net/last/) will give us an overview of options and tell us how we can do it ALL ourselves! He’ll discuss home funerals, green cemeteries and other funeral alternatives. (This talk will be for a general audience and not from any particularly Buddhist point of view, although we may discuss among ourselves how to coordinate all this with Tibetan Buddhist theories about the death process. We plan to have a more detailed discussion at a future date when we can have someone versed in those theories present to advise us.)

Medicine Buddha Puja: Thursday, November 6 at 7 pm

Teaching on Dependent Arising: Sunday, November 9 from 1-4 pm

Teachings on Impermanence:

Tuesday, November 11 at 7 pm

Thursday, November 13 at 7 pm

AT MAINE COLLEGE OF ART: Wednesday, November 12 at 7 pm