The Essence of Mahayana Path Teaching and
the Noble Manujushri Empowerment
by Ven. Khenpo Choephel

Saturday & Sunday, November 17-18, 2018
10:00am – 4:30pm

The Noble Manjushri in Tibetan Buddhism is one of the great compassionate bodhisattvas who exemplifies profound transcendent wisdom which is pure and illuminating.  The image of Manjushri is shown as holding in his left hand a blue lotus flower containing the Prajnaparamita Sutra, the Sutra of the Perfection of Wisdom, and in his right hand a flaming sword which cuts through ignorance, attachment and delusion.

The empowerment of Manjushri is performed by our spiritual director, the venerable Khenpo Choephel, as a way to connect practitioners to the blessing of this enlightened wisdom being whose beneficial actions and exemplary conduct we seek to emulate.

On the same weekend Khenpo Choephel is offering three more sessions of the teaching of the Essence of the Mahayana Path on Saturday, October 17, morning and afternoon, (the regular New Moon Day practice at 7pm will be cancelled) and on Sunday, October 18, in the afternoon right after the Manjushri Empowerment.  Khenpo has been teaching from this text for the last few months on Sundays.  This will be the final three sessions that he offers before the end of the year.

SATURDAY, November 17, 2018
10am-12pm–Teaching on the Essence of the Mahayana Path
12pm-1:30pm–Lunch
1:30pm-4:30pm — Teaching on the Essence of the Mahayana Path

SUNDAY, November 18, 2018
10am – 12pm — The Empowerment of Noble Manjushri
12pm-1:30pm–Lunch
1:30pm-4:30pm — Continuation on the Teaching on the Essence of the Mahayana Path

 

ALL ARE WELCOME

 

Ven, Khenpo Choephel has been the spiritual director and resident teacher of TRTCC since November 2011. Ordained at an early age in Tibet, Khenpo Choephel has received precious teachings from many great spiritual masters in Tibet, India and Nepal. He has served for over 30 years as a dharma teacher, ritual and chant master, spiritual director and retreat master in monasteries and dharma centers all over the world. He leads weekly meditation practices and offers special teachings on foundational and advanced topics in Tibetan Buddhism.

Suggested donation is $30 for each day Saturday and Sunday and $50 for both days. Your donations will support TRTCC’s many teaching and cultural events year round. No one will be turned away from dharma teaching for insufficient funds.

Three Rivers Tibetan Cultural Center is located at:

7313 Florence Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15218

 

H.H. Dalai Lama came to Pittsburgh 20 years ago

Three Rivers Tibetan Cultural Center will host a celebration on

Sunday, November 11, 2018, 10am-12pm

12pm-1pm: A vegetarian Tibetan lunch

1pm: A recorded teaching of H.H.Dalai Lama on the Heart Sutra

 

Three Rivers Tibetan Cultural Center  will host an anniversary celebration of the visit of H.H. Dalai Lama to Pittsburgh 20 years ago!

Ven. Khenpo Choephel, spiritual director of TRTCC, will lead the traditional Long Life Puja, a special ritual practice that contains Mandala offering, Tsok or food offering, and long life recitation mantras and prayers for H.H. Dalai Lama.

We will celebrate with a simple vegetarian lunch offered by our sangha members and then watch a video of Dalai Lama’s teaching on the Heart Sutra, the one that he gave on November 12, 1998, at the Heinz Hall.

 

ALL ARE WELCOME

 

Dalai Lama has said that the source of all lasting happiness and joy comes from our compassionate actions.  “There is no denying that consideration of others is worthwhile. There is no denying that our happiness is inextricably bound up with the happiness of others.“

He said his true religion is Compassion:  “The doctrine is compassion. Love for others and respect for their rights and dignity, no matter who or what they are: ultimately these are all we need. So long as we practice these in our daily lives, then no matter if we are learned or unlearned, whether we believe in Buddha or God, or follow some other religion or none at all, as long as we have compassion for others and conduct ourselves with restraint out of a sense of responsibility, there is no doubt we will be happy.”

Our door is open to all who have a genuine interest in practicing with us.  There will not be an admission fee but your donations will keep us going and enable us to offer our cultural programming year round.  We thank you for your supports.

LOCATION: Three Rivers Tibetan Cultural Center. 
7313 Florence Avenue,
Pittsburgh PA 15218

 

 

Buddha Shakyamuni Blessing/Empowerment
and Meditation on the Nature of Mind
by Ven. Khenpo Choephel

Saturday & Sunday, September 29-30, 2018
10:00am – 4:30pm

The life of Buddha Shakyamuni in the 5th Century BC exemplifies the enlightening path that heals and transcends human suffering. BUDDHA means “the awakened one”, “the enlightened one”. His teachings on the accumulation of beneficial actions (Merits), and meditative concentration to realize our innate pure nature (Wisdom), are the foundation of Buddhism philosophy and practices.

SATURDAY, September 29, 2018
10am – 12pm —The Blessings of Lord Buddha Shakyamuni
1:30pm – 4:30pm — Continuation with Meditation Practice

SUNDAY, September 30, 2018
10am – 12pm —Meditation Practice on the Nature of Mind
1:30pm – 4:30pm — Continuation with Meditation Practice

 

ALL ARE WELCOME

 

Ven, Khenpo Choephel has been the spiritual director and resident teacher of TRTCC since November 2011.  Ordained at an early age in Tibet, Khenpo Choephel has received precious teachings from many great spiritual masters in Tibet, India and Nepal.  He has served for over 30 years as a dharma teacher, ritual and chant master, spiritual director and retreat master in monasteries and dharma centers all over the world.  He leads weekly meditation practices and offers special teachings on foundational and advanced topics in Tibetan Buddhism.

Suggested donation is $30 for each day Saturday and Sunday and $50 for both days.  Your donations will support TRTCC’s many teaching and cultural events year round.  No one will be turned away from dharma teaching for insufficient funds.  To download a flyer, please click here: September 2018 Shakyamuni Blessing flyer

Three Rivers Tibetan Cultural Center is located at:

7313 Florence Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15218

 

Three Rivers Tibetan Cultural Center presents:

A Public Talk on

“Why is a Spiritual Path important

and What is this Spiritual Path?”

by Ven. Khenpo Choephel

Friday, September 28, 2018 at 7:00pm

at the Sixth Presbyterian Church

The Venerable Khenpo Choephel, spiritual director and resident teacher of Three Rivers Tibetan Cultural Center, will give a public talk on Friday, September 28, at the Sixth Presbyterian Church of Squirrel Hill on the topic of why a spiritual path is important and what this spiritual path is.

Khenpo Choephel is a Tibetan Lama originally from Tibet.  He has been the spiritual director and resident teacher of TRTCC since November 2011.  Ordained at an early age in Tibet, Khenpo Choephel has received precious teachings from many great spiritual masters in Tibet, India and Nepal.  He has served for over 30 years as a dharma teacher, ritual and chant master, spiritual director and retreat master in monasteries and dharma centers all over the world.  He leads weekly meditation practices and offers special teachings on foundational and advanced topics in Tibetan Buddhism.

LOCATION: Sixth Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh
1688 Murray Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15217

To many of us, a spiritual path is our way of trying to figure out the meaning of life, a way to reach a deeper understanding of oneself amid all the chaos and pain that life has brought on to us.

• Is it about the searching for the light within?
• Is there a universal principle that can help us see the same goodness in all of us despite our differences?
• What guidance can we have to help us deal with social ills and injustices?
• What actions can we take to turn this life a useful and beneficial one?
• How do we free ourselves from distracting thoughts and destructive actions?
• Can a life with peace and happiness be attainable and sustainable?

There will be a Q&A session at the end of Khenpo’s presentation.  We invite you to join us and be part of this conversation.  Share with us your observation or insight.  This event is free and open to all.  No registration is necessary.  Donations to support TRTCC’s cultural and educational events are heartily appreciated as always.

 

ALL ARE WELCOME

 

To download a flyer for this event please click here:  September 2018 Public Talk flyer

Please help us pass the word so more interested people can attend.  We look forward to seeing you there.

 

 

Special Vajrayogini Day PHOWA Practice

by Ven. Khenpo Choephel

Wednesday, September 5, 2018, 7:00-9:00pm

Wednesday September 5 which coincides with the 25th day of the seventh month of the Tibetan lunar calendar is known as Vajrayogini day, or Dakini day of the month.  The Venerable Khenpo Choephel is offering a special practice on PHOWA at 7pm that day instead of our regular Green Tara practice.

PHOWA (transference of consciousness) is a method of training to help practitioners face death fearlessly and compassionately for oneself or others whether the signs of death are distant or proximate.  Over the years our sangha has received transmission and teaching of PHOWA and Amitabha Dewachen practice from many teachers.  Khenpo is offering this practice on Wednesday as a way to help us familiarized with this important practice.

 

ALL ARE WELCOME

 

This practice is open to everyone who would like to learn about or further deepen your PHOWA practice.  We do not have a suggested donation.  Please give as you feel fit.  We appreciate your continual support to further our mission to cultivate compassion and wisdom through dharma teachings and meditation practices.

 

Three Rivers Tibetan Cultural Center is located at: 7313 Florence Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15218

 

Kusali Chöd Practice and the Thousand-Armed and Thousand-Eyed Avalokiteshvara Sadhana with Ven. Khenpo Choephel

Saturday and Sunday, August 18-19, 2018

10am – 4:30pm

The Venerable Khenpo Choephel, spiritual director and resident teacher of TRTCC, will lead a practice on Kusali Chöd (གཅོད) which literally means “cutting through“.  It is an internal mental practice to offer one’s body as nectar to the beings in the six realms in order to cut through one’s self-grasping and self-cherishing.  This is an important practice to help practitioners cut through ego and all forms of attachment, the root of our suffering.  This is also a great purification practice to purify our negative karma, the past harmful actions that we have done.

Saturday, August 18, 2018
10am – 12pm    Explanation of the Chöd practice
12pm – 1:30pm   Lunch break
1:30pm – 4:30pm   Kusali Chöd practice

Sunday, August 19, 2018
10am – 12pm    the Thousand Armed and Thousand Eyed Avalokiteshvara Teaching
12pm – 1:30pm    Lunch break
1:30pm – 4:30pm    Avalokiteshvara Sadhana practice

Avalokiteshvara (Chenrezig in Tibetan) is the deity embodying loving kindness and compassion.  The action in loving Kindness and Compassion is much needed in today’s world where suffering abounds.   The essence of this Thousand Armed and Thousand Eyed Chenrezig practice is to generate the awakening mind, bodhicitta, in order to liberate all sentient beings from all forms of suffering.  The practice includes invocation, offering, visualization, recitation of mantra, meditation on compassion, and some ritual practices such as torma and tsok offering.  This practice is beneficial to the world, to all sentient beings in this world, and to oneself as well.

As our resounding dedication prayer goes on: “Bodhicitta, the excellent and precious mind, where it is unborn may it arise.  Where it is born, may it not decline, but ever increase, higher and higher.“

The Venerable Khenpo Choephel, spiritual director and resident teacher of
Three Rivers Tibetan Cultural Center

 

ALL ARE WELCOME

Suggested donation is $35 for each day Saturday and Sunday and $60 for both days.  Your donations will support TRTCC’s many teaching and cultural events year round.  No one will be turned away from dharma teaching for insufficient funds.  To download a flyer, please click here.   August 2018 flyer

Three Rivers Tibetan Cultural Center is located at: 7313 Florence Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15218

 

 

Visiting Teacher The Venerable Tashi Nyima

The Pureland Teaching, The Yoga of Dying, and the OTHER Emptiness

Friday-Sunday, July 27-29, 2018

The Venerable Tashi Nyima is an ordained monk in the Jonang lineage of Vajrayana (Tibetan) Buddhism, and leads the Universal Compassion Buddhist Congregation, with Sanghas in Texas, Mexico, and Argentina. For more than three decades, Lama Tashi has shared the Dharma in North and South America, Europe, and Asia.  Known for his directness, clarity of expression, and sense of humor, Lama Tashi shares the Dharma in fluent English and Spanish.

FRIDAY, July 27, 7-9pm
The Pure Land Teaching
In this brief talk, the Ven. Tashi Nyima will explore Pure Land practice as the gate to the Way of the Bodhisattva, as well as the practice of Powa (transference of consciousness) in Tibetan Buddhism as an integral practice at the time of death.

SATURDAY, July 28, 10am-12pm,  1:30-3:30pm
The Yoga of Dying
As a way to further explore and deepen our understanding of the practice of Powa at the time of death, the Ven. Tashi Nyima will discuss issues concerning the death process, such as medication for pain, prolongation of life, removal of support, assisted suicide, organ donation, embalming, and the medical power of attorney.

SUNDAY, July 29, 10am-12pm, 1:30-3:30pm
The OTHER Emptiness
While the Buddha encouraged us not to be fooled by appearances and to stop ascribing independent existence to that which is temporary and dependent, it is important not to interpret his teaching as promoting “nothing” as the ultimate truth.  The Ven. Tashi Nyima will examine the notion of emptiness with regard to “no thing exists independently of the consciousness that perceives it.”

Suggested donation is $10 for the Friday talk, $30 for each day Saturday and Sunday. Your donations will support TRTCC’s many teaching and cultural events year round. No one will be turned away for insufficient funds.

ALL ARE WELCOME

LOCATION: Three Rivers Tibetan Cultural Center
7313 Florence Avenue,
Pittsburgh PA 15218

 

To download a flyer:  Tashi Flyer

 

CHOKOR DUCHEN   ཆོས་འཁོར་དུས་ཆེན།

Commemorating Buddha Shakyamuni’s First Turning of the Dharma Wheel

Sunday July 15, 2018

SUNDAY, JULY 15
10am – 12pm
1:30pm – 3:30pm

CHOKOR DUCHEN ཆོས་འཁོར་དུས་ཆེན། is on the 4th day of the 6th month of the Tibetan Lunar Calendar.  It is the anniversary of Buddha Shakyamuni’s first turning of the Dharma Wheel.

TRTCC will have a day of practice with prayers, supplication, recitation and chanting led by Ven. Khenpo Choephel to commemorate this special event.

Please consider giving a donation to our center to help sustain TRTCC’s many teaching and cultural events year round.

 

ALL ARE WELCOME

 

LOCATION: Three Rivers Tibetan Cultural Center
7313 Florence Avenue,
Pittsburgh PA 15218

To download a flyer please click here:
Shakyamuni July15 2018 flyer

 

H.H. Dalai Lama is 83 years old today

July 6, 2018

Happy Birthday!

His Holiness Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people committed to promoting human values such as compassion and love, and to enable understanding and harmony among all religions. He has been working in great effort on preserving Tibetan Buddhist culture of peace and non-violence.

He said, “All major religious traditions, including its different ideologies, all carry one message, ie. message of love, forgiveness, tolerance and self-discipline. On that basis, we can develop genuine harmony.”

Living a disciplined life for the benefit of all living beings for decades, he is still strong and healthy at age 83.  He said he is looking forward to another 15, 20 years,  continuing to promote a sense of oneness of the 7 billion human beings on this Earth.

The following is an excerpt from his book Ethics for the New Millennium:

The best way to ensure that when we approach death we do so without remorse is to ensure that in the present moment we conduct ourselves responsibly and with compassion for others. Actually, this is in our own interest, and not just because it will benefit us in the future. As we have seen, compassion is one of the principal things that make our lives meaningful. It is the source of all lasting happiness and joy. And it is the foundation of a good heart, the heart of one who acts out of a desire to help others. Through kindness, through affection, through honesty, through truth and justice toward all others we ensure our own benefit. This is not a matter for complicated theorizing. It is a matter of common sense. There is no denying that consideration of others is worthwhile. There is no denying that our happiness is inextricably bound up with the happiness of others. There is no denying that if society suffers, we ourselves suffer. Nor is there any denying that the more our hearts and minds are afflicted with ill-will, the more miserable we become. Thus we can reject everything else: religion, ideology, all received wisdom. But we cannot escape the necessity of love and compassion.

This, then, is my true religion, my simple faith. In this sense, there is no need for temple or church, for mosque or synagogue, no need for complicated philosophy, doctrine, or dogma. Our own heart, our own mind, is the temple. The doctrine is compassion. Love for others and respect for their rights and dignity, no matter who or what they are: ultimately these are all we need. So long as we practice these in our daily lives, then no matter if we are learned or unlearned, whether we believe in Buddha or God, or follow some other religion or none at all, as long as we have compassion for others and conduct ourselves with restraint out of a sense of responsibility, there is no doubt we will be happy.

TRTCC’S spiritual director, Ven. Khenpo Choephel is currently out of town teaching.
When he comes back next week we will have a simple celebration of the birthday of
His Holiness Dalai Lama.

Wednesday, July 11, 2018, at 7pm.

ALL ARE WELCOME

LOCATION: Three Rivers Tibetan Cultural Center
7313 Florence Avenue,
Pittsburgh PA 15218

 

 

His Eminence Tritsab Rinpoche
Pittsburgh Teaching Schedule

June 15th-20th, 2018

FRIDAY, June 15th, 2018

7pm-9pm  at the Sixth Presbyterian Church
PHOWA Transmission and Teaching by H.E. Tritsab Rinpoche:

Phowa in the Vajrayana Buddhism practice is a method of training to face death fearlessly and compassionately for oneself and others and transfer one’s consciousness into a pure and peaceful realm of Buddha field.

Sixth Presbyterian Church is located at:
1688 Murray Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15217

SATURDAY, June 16th, 2018

10am – 12pm at the Sixth Presbyterian Church

BASUDHARA Empowerment and Teaching by H.E. Tritsab Rinpoche:
H.E. Tritsab Rinpoche will bestow the empowerment and blessings of the female enlightened being Basudhara, also known by the name Lhamo Norgyunma, or Vasudhara, the goddess of wealth. Basudhara is the embodiment of prosperity, wealth, good fortunes and abundance of resources.

2pm – 5pm at the Sixth Presbyterian Church

BASUDHARA practice led by H.E. Tritsab Rinpoche and Venerable Khenpo Choephal :
The afternoon will be devoted to the practice of the teaching of Basudhara, the female wealth deity Lhasa Norgyunma with four Zambala retinues led by H.E Tritsab Rinpoche and Ven. Khenpo Choephel, with prayers, mantra recitations, visualization, silent meditation and dedication for the benefit of all sentient beings.

(Suggested donation: $20 for each session, $50 for both Friday and Saturday. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. )

To download a flyer:  HE Tritsab Rinpoche teaching flyer 2018(2)

 

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SUNDAY, June 17th, 2018

10am – 12pm at Frick Park

Blessing of the Environment and Cleansing Rituals:

H.E. Tritsab Rinpoche will perform the Dorje Namjom and Dorje Sempa Cleansing Rituals for all sentient beings and natural environments.
These cleansing rituals are performed in the traditional way as a blessing to purify physical and mental defilement or sicknesses of all living beings and to remove contamination of the environment. These include removing obscurations of the mind and violations of moral precepts, and the cleansing of negative energies of evil spirits. The intention is to heal and restore a balanced progress for all sentient beings and the natural environment to function in a wholesome way.

1pm – 2:30pm at Frick Park

Incense and Smoke Offering

3pm – 4pm at Frick Park

Silent meditation with H.E Rinpoche and Ven. Khenpo Choephel

(Suggested donation: $30 for the whole day.  No one will be turned away for lack of funds. )

To download the direction to the space at Frick Park:  TRTCC 2018 Frick Park direction

 

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WEDNESDAY, June 20th, 2018

7pm – 10pm at TRTCC

Special Teaching and Practice of the Great Dharma Protectress
ACHI CHOKYI DORLMA by H.E. Tritsab Rinpoche

The evening is devoted to the special teaching and practice of ACHI CHOKYI DORLMA. 

(Suggested donation: $30 for the session.  No one will be turned away for lack of funds. )

 

ALL ARE WELCOME

 

As always, your donations to our center will help sustain TRTCC’s many teaching and cultural activities year round. Our heartfelt thanks to your continual supports for TRTCC!  No one will be turned away from seeking teaching for lack of funds.

 

 

Three Rivers Tibetan Cultural Center is located at:
7313 Florence Avenue,
Pittsburgh PA 15218