May
H.E. Ling Rinpoche visited Italy and France in May and early June. Rinpoche commenced his European tour with an eight-day teaching on “Lam Rim Chenmo,” followed by a Manjushri initiation, at Instituto Lama Tzongkhapa in Pomaia, Italy. Rinpoche also visited and blessed a site in Pomaia for a new monastery, Lungtok Chokhor Ling, and gave the oral transmission of the “Praises to Manjushri” prayer and mantra. Rinpoche continued on to Milan, where he gave Buddhist introductory teachings and a Buddha Amitayus Long Life initiation at Ghe Pel Ling, as well as offering advice to the local Tibetan community. Rinpoche then gave teachings on the “Eight Verses for Thought Transformation” in Padua at the Tara Chittamani Center. Rinpoche visited the Basilica of St. Anthony of Padua, where the head monk received Rinpoche and invited him to view St. Anthony’s holy relics.
H.E. Ling Rinpoche then traveled to Veneux Les Sablong, France, where he was warmly welcomed by Venerable Dagpo Rinpoche and his students. Rinpoche gave teachings on the “Three Principal Aspects of the Path” at Ganden Ling Center, and bestowed the Manjushri, Chenresig, Vajrapani and White Tara initiations. On the auspicious day of Saka Dawa, the anniversary of Shakyamuni Buddha’s Birth, Enlightenment and Parinirvana, Rinpoche joined the Tibetan community in Paris and presided over a tsog offering puja. Rinpoche then gave the local Tibetans advice and oral transmissions of many mantras. Rinpoche concluded his tour by giving teachings on “The Foundation of All Good Qualities” and the Medicine Buddha initiation, at the Kalachakra Center in Paris.