Very Memorable Official Opening of KCCL
including talks by
His Holiness Karmapa, Dzogchen Pönlop Rinpoche and Mindrölling Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche,
and photos by Marvin Moore
The day chosen for our KCCL Opening Celebration was Vaishakha Day—the most auspicious day in the Tibetan calendar celebrating the birth, death and enlightenment of Shakyamuni Buddha. It began with an outdoor lhasang in order to purify the entire space.
This was followed by the Vaishakha liturgy which included an offering to the Buddha.
For the remainder of the day, we were then joined by the Online community who showed up plentifully.
At first, Khandro Rinpoche zoomed in from Prague along with 350 of her students who were participating in a retreat with her. Here is the link for the entire online morning event including her talk and the introduction by Ron Stubbert and Nyingje Gongpel.
This was followed first by a marme mönlam (candle light prayer) ceremony in English designed by Trungpa Rinpoche which includes the chanting of the Heart Sutra, during which Khandro Rinpoche lit a candle on the shrine in Prague, symbolizing the light of gnosis or jnana, and then “passed it on” to us here in Halifax so that in turn we can pass it on individually from one person to another in whatever location.
Then Rinpoche herself conducted a more elaborate blessing ceremony in Tibetan, which in turn was followed by an outside raising of the Karmapa’s dream flag, the namkhyen gyaldar, the “Victorious flag of Buddha’s Wisdom” which was followed by the singing of the Shambhala anthem which closed the morning celebrations.
The afternoon event started out first with an introduction of Pönlop Rinpoche by Mike Munro for Nalandabodhi before viewing a pre-recorded talk by Dzogchen Pönlop Rinpoche which also included a presenting of his “Emptiness” calligraphy by Nalandabodhi.
This was in turned followed by a message from Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, presented by Bakes Mitchell.
The evening event consisted mainly of a Sadhana of Mahamudra Zoom feast during which we replayed a pre-recorded audio talk by His Holiness Karmapa. Although His Holiness mentions in his talk that he had intended to contribute to our celebration with a video talk, he did not mention at that time specifically why not. We then only later found out, that the reason was the passing away of Kyabje Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche with which he was and is greatly involved.
But throughout the day we always ended each section with long life prayers to Thrangu Rinpoche. In addition, we were also asked to keep the father of His Holiness in mind, who also is in the hospital in China.
Of course, none of all this could have happened without the great help of so many people, first of all, KCCL’s three spiritual advisors plus the two big sources of our inspiration: Trungpa Rinpoche and Thrangu Rinpoche.
And then of course, everybody who helped us either financially, whether big or small, or through contributing to the renovations which make our place now look so beautifully and “ready to be used for the Dharma”. Thus, furthermore, we want to thank everybody who is simply participating by simply joining with practice and study, and also be simply dropping in.
The day therefore had to end with a “great thank you” to everybody who helped and is our friend.