A tale of a hunter Gyonpo Dorjé and a Great Yogi Jetsun Milarepa!

This is a tale of a hunter Gyonpo Dorjé and a Great Yogi Jetsun Milarepa. It offers important spiritual and moral messages of non-violence, right livelihood, devotion, miracles, and enlightenment.

We are very happy to share this short animation. It was made last year as a part of basic animation training for Lhomon Education and Chokyi Gyatso Institute students.

Thank you, Sherab Thai (AwesomeBhutan) for making this possible!

Youth Volunteer!

Tashi Yangzom, local youth from Dewathang has been volunteering her time with Lhomon Education for the last four months. She has been helping our teachers and students carry out administrative work as well as student welfare activities. We are very happy to engage her. As a part of her engagement, she recently took part in one of Drubchos (practice intensive) at Chokyi Gyatso Institute.

This is what she has to share with us,

“In three-day ritual, I felt so lucky where I got a good opportunity to recite Vima Ladrub prayers along with lamas and monks. In the process of reciting prayers, I have learned hand gestures/mudras, sitting position and continuous practice of mantras. It was wonderful to attend and witness the sacred dance and tshok offerings. I am very blessed to attend Vima Ladrub. This ritual is well known for accumulating merit instantly. It is believed that just attending one Drubcho/Drubchen will vanish the suffering in the community. So, I would like to recommend my colleagues and friends to attend Drubchens and Drubchos.”

Planting tree is a practice of warrior

We organized a tree planting activity as a practice of warriors, for senior LME students. Before the plantation, students were encouraged to discuss the importance of the warrior’s role in planting trees and how this planting practice would benefit, not only humans but for animals and other beings. We have assigned this task in four groups. The students choose the group names based on who the Ling Gesar is (Emanation of Guru Rinpoche, Jampal Yang, Chenrigzig and Chana Dorji). Each group came up with a poster that has beautiful art of Buddha, trees and some messages. 

The following are excerpts from their posters, 

Guru Rinpoche Group wrote, "As warriors, it is our responsibility to plant trees for the benefit of all sentient beings." 

Jampal Yang Group wrote, "To help all sentient beings we have to plant trees." 

Chenrigzig Group wrote, "As warriors, we plant trees to attain enlightenment, accumulate merit, save mother earth, and help animals and sentient beings." 

Finally, the Chana Dorji Group wrote, "Planting a tree is a practice of the warrior." 

Photo Gazing Practice

On June 10, coinciding with the last day of the Vesak month, we did a photo-gazing practice with our students. Specifically, we practised gazing at the Buddha. This practice is done as a part of the warrior's unit.

Om Muni Muni Maha Munaye Soha!

Computer class for senior students

Some of the senior students are taking part in learning basic computer skills!

Be Kind

"Do we want to be elegant and beautiful? Then let us be polite, confident, and kind. " -- Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche

Tree Plantation - Touch the earth

Coinciding with the Saga Dawa Duechen and the coronation day of the Fourth Druk Gyelpo, LME students took part in the tree-planting program with Chokyi Gyatso Institute lamas and students. We have planted some 500 native saplings in and around the institute. 

The plantation is a part of Rinpoche’s ongoing Bhumisparsha initiative to plant 84000 trees worldwide. This is a short excerpt from Rinpoche’s message to Bhumisparsha, “Let’s carry on celebrating the Buddha’s most trusted witness by continuing to ‘touch the earth’ and by giving something back. You could plant a tree or arrange for a tree to be planted for you.”

Check this video, "Celebrating the Buddha".

 

Sangay Thinlay, a 10 y. o. said, “I learned that we have to refrain from harming others and eating meats during the Vesak month.”

Celebrating the Saga Dawa Düchen

 

Lhomon Education students and teachers celebrated the 'Saga Dawa Düchen' in our humble ways. Why do we have to celebrate it? What is the significance of it? Well, generally Saga Dawa Düchen is the month in which the anniversary of Buddha Śākyamuni's birth, enlightenment and parinirvāṇa took place. All these important occasions happened on the fourth month of the lunar calendar, so it is considered the most auspicious month of the year for Buddhists. For us, it is known as bumgyur Dawa (the month of merits), which means “merits multiplied by a hundred thousand times. Merit has paramount importance in our culture. We believe that it influences our ability to realize the truth taught by the Buddha. Besides, it influences our worldly activities such as determining one’s life, wealth, accomplishing tasks etc. It is a big deal.

Most importantly, we need to understand that, we celebrate the occasion because to commemorate our own real identity, the uncontrived Buddha, the authentic nature of our mind that is within us. This is the most important celebration of all the celebrations in the world, including our birthday. So, Saga Dawa Düchen gives us this opportunity to celebrate the historical Buddha and the Buddha within us. So, making this connection is all about genuinely celebrating the Düchen.

But how do we make this connection? Well, for us, we did several activities to make that connection: we talked about the historical Buddha and his teachings; we gazed at his statue and its parts; we recited mantras and prayers; we offered flower and light; we offered bath offering to the Buddha, and practised the meditation. All these activities are bridges and means to connect between historical Buddha and the Buddha within us.

Here are a few thoughts and views shared by our young students as they celebrated the day. Sonam Phuntso, 12, said, “We are asked to bring flowers to the temple and make offerings to the Buddha.”

Sangay Thinlay, 10, said, “I learned that we have to refrain from harming others and eating meats during the Vesak month.” He added, “We offer bath to the Buddha so that we accumulate merits.”

Ngawang Jamphel, 13, another student said, “If we don’t have anything to offer, it is ok to pick a tree leaf and make an offering to the Buddha.”

Thus, such celebration is a very important activity for our students and teachers.