Happy Losar!

Happy Losar to one and all!

Wishing all of our friends and colleagues a very happy year of the Iron Rabbit. As many of you know the first month of the new year is the miracle month as Buddha Shakyamuni was said to have performed a different miraculous deed each day, particularly on the first fifteen days of the waxing moon. It is said that whatever virtue is accumulated will proliferate one hundred thousand times. We of Light of Berotsana send out our prayers for your long life and happiness in the new year with the special aspiration that all of us may fulfill our goals and dreams as swiftly as possible.

Speaking of that, one of the most important aspirations of Gyatrul Rinpoche and his students was recently fulfilled with the successful conclusion of the Rinchen Terdzod Empowerments bestowed by Yangthang Tulku Rinpoche. This event was an unprecedented success in terms of blessing transmission. Yangthang Tulku Rinpoche is a fully realized master and to just sit in his presence every day for two and a half months was an opportunity of a lifetime. Everyone who came to receive empowerment from this remarkable master immediately became aware of the fact that they were sitting in the presence of an extraordinary Being.

Everyday at the conclusion of receiving empowerment substances, all students took their seats again while having the opportunity to recite prayers and the Vajra Guru mantra some one hundred and eight times, with Rinpoche reciting as well as resting in meditation. Given that Rinpoche himself had begun his day of prayers and transmission in the predawn hours and the empowerments concluded each day around 7:00 pm the example that Rinpoche showed all of us was perhaps the greatest expression of his kindness. Always cheerful and beaming with love and compassion for everyone equally, we can only aspire to try to uplift ourselves to somehow attempt to follow in the footsteps of such a great practitioner. When someone like Rinpoche actually comes among us the path to liberation comes alive once again in this difficult time and our hearts and minds are renewed with the memory of his accomplishment and the inspiration that we too can achieve this same potential. May we always remember the kindness of the Guru.

Light of Berotsana was able to serve the mandala in a special way as well. Once Shashikala was feeling confident enough to take over the task of offering the translation during the empowerments this freed up Sangye Khandro to devote her time to making a general translation of each history that comes at the beginning of the empowerments. With Lama Chonam's indispensable assistance together they hammered out at least ten excerpts of historical information for the daily list of empowerments. Due to other responsibilities and time constraints they only had about an hour an a half each morning to do this. It was a great service to the students as it gave everyone an opportunity to know the source of the transmissions in terms of origin, lineage, place where the terma was concealed,  predictions concerning revelations, and the circumstances concerning the discovery. This information allows disciples to gain faith and appreciation for what they are receiving. We rejoice once again in our great fortune to have these translation opportunities and we acknowledge each and everyone of you who are part of this process assisting us to do our work.

Now we slowly return to normal and will continue to finish the final edits for the imminent publication of The Epic of Gesar of Ling to be published by Shambhala publications. We will also finish the revised edition of the the Troma Togal translation and Lama Chonam will continue to work via skype with our other translators that live around the world. Stay tuned for the next posting in April at which time we hope to deliver the news about new publications becoming available.

Once again, thank-you everyone for being part of this experience of serving the doctrine and sentient beings. Please let us know your thoughts and how we can continue to serve you in the most meaningful way.

Happy New Year!
Sangye and Lama Chonam