August 31, 2019

August commenced with H.E. Ling Rinpoche’s visit to Tibet House in New York, where Rinpoche spoke about “The Integration of Dharma and Worldly Activities.” Rinpoche was the Chief Guest at the opening ceremony of the ‘First Education Summit of Tibetan Language and Culture Schools,’ and he gave the “Hundred Deity Commentary” at Drepung Loseling Institute. Rinpoche bestowed the White Tara Long Life Initiation in New York City, kindly hosted by the Himalayan Elders Project, and he joined the Tehor Community in New York for their annual picnic. The visit to New York concluded with a public talk organized by the Tibetan Association of New York and New Jersey.

Rinpoche’s next stop was Connecticut, where he bestowed the White Tara Long Life Initiation and gave Dharma talks organized by the Tibetan American Community of Connecticut and Dongag Kunphen Ling Dharma Center. Continuing on to Vermont, Rinpoche visited the Tibetan Association of Vermont before being warmly welcomed to Milarepa Center (FPMT) where he gave two days of teachings on “The Importance of Private Retreat in the Development of Your Dharma Practice,” and “How to Develop Bodhicitta and Emptiness.” In Massachusetts, Rinpoche gave two days of teachings at Amherst College on Lama Tsongkhapa’s “Three Principal Aspects of the Path” and the White Tara Long Life Initiation, kindly organized by Jampel Nyingpo Ling. Rinpoche also gave a talk to the local Tibetan Community in Amherst, organized by the Tibetan Association of Massachusetts.

In Boston, Rinpoche met with Officers from Medford Police Department and gave a talk titled “Cooling the Fire: How to Manage Your Emotions in Stressful Situations,” before giving three days of teachings on Lama Atisha’s “Bodhisattva Jewel Garland” and the Amitayus Long Life Initiation at Kurukulla Center (FPMT). Rinpoche had a special meeting with the younger generation of Tibetans in Boston and spoke with them about “The Preservation of the Unique Tibetan Cultural Identity.”

In Washington D.C., Rinpoche was interviewed for RFA Lengmol Program and VOA Tibet (Kunleng). Rinpoche visited and blessed the Office of Tibet, International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) and the Drikung Dharma Center. Rinpoche visited the US State Department in Washington D.C. where he met with the Special Advisor for Religious Minorities. Rinpoche bestowed the White Tara and Amitayus Long Life Initiations at the request of the Capital Area Tibetan Association and he participated in an interfaith dialogue including representatives of the Christian, Muslim, Hindu and Theravada & Mahayana Buddhist traditions. Rinpoche visited the United States Institute of Peace where he spoke on “Nurturing Peace in a World of Disruption,” and participated in a panel discussion. The event was attended by a Representative of the US State Department for Religious Freedom and academic scholars. August concluded with H.E. Ling Rinpoche’s departure from Washington D.C. to India, following a very successful two-month tour of USA and Canada.

July 31, 2019

H.E. Ling Rinpoche’s 2019 USA tour commenced at the end June and continued through the month of July. In July, Rinpoche then visited Wisconsin and gave a week of teachings on Lama Tsongkhapa’s “Foundation of All Good Qualities” and the White Tara Long Life Initiation, at Deer Park Buddhist Center in Oregon. Rinpoche was the Guest of Honor at the Midwest Tibetans’ three-day celebration of H.H. Dalai Lama’s Birthday, where everyone enjoyed Rinpoche’s presence at the opening ceremony of the sporting events.

Moving on to Michigan, Rinpoche gave two days of teachings on Lama Tsongkhapa’s “Three Principle Aspects of the Path”, followed by a public talk and the Orange Manjushri Initiation at Jewel Heart Center. The visit included a sightseeing tour of the Ford Car Factory in Detroit.

In mid-July H.E. Ling Rinpoche traveled to Toronto in Canada, where he was warmly welcomed by the Presidents of the Tibetan Community, the Tibetan Youth Congress in Toronto and representatives of local Dharma Centers. Rinpoche spoke at the opening session of a two-day workshop for Tibetan youth about “Buddhism, Tibetan Culture and Secular Ethics,” organized by TCCC. Rinpoche gave teachings on the “Eight Verses of Thought Transformation” at Sera Jey Dharma Center and the “Three Principle Aspects of the Path” at Khunpen Ling Dharma Center, in Toronto. The Canada visit concluded with Rinpoche bestowing the White Tara Long Life Initiation and the Medicine Buddha Initiation, organized by TCCC, Ganjong Chodenling & Regional Tibetan Youth Congress.

On 23rd July H.E. Ling Rinpoche arrived in Texas USA, where he was warmly greeted by hosts from Drepung Loseling Institute Texas. Rinpoche was requested to give TV interviews by TV Khou 11 (Great Day Houston) and VIETV Network Houston. Rinpoche gave a talk on “Compassion & Mindfulness as a Tool for Law Enforcement” at the Houston Metropolitan Police Department, and at the Texas Children’s Hospital Rinpoche spoke about “Compassion & Nurturing the Future Generation,” blessing some critical care patients along the way. Rinpoche gave a public talk at Unity of Houston on “How to Contribute to Healing the World” and he gave Buddhist teachings, the Medicine Buddha Initiation and the oral transmission for the Yamantaka Sadhana at Drepung Loseling Institute of Texas. Rinpoche then gave “Introduction to Buddhism” teachings at Truc Lam Meditation Center. The Texas visit culminated with a VIP tour at NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) in Houston, where Rinpoche spoke about “Diversity & Inclusion.”

June 30, 2019

In early June, H.E. Ling Rinpoche returned to his residence in Dharamsala, India. Rinpoche then visited Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia for the 11th General Assembly and 50th Anniversary of the Asian Buddhist Conference for Peace, titled “Rejuvenation and the Way Forward,” from 21st-23rd June. While in Ulaanbaatar, Rinpoche was invited to Kunga Choling Monastery, where he was welcomed by the monastery’s Abbot and monks.

At the end of the month, H.E. Ling Rinpoche embarked upon a tour of northern USA and Canada. The tour commenced in Minnesota, with the Tehor Community’s annual picnic. Rinpoche bestowed the Buddha Amitayus Long Life Initiation, organized by the Gyuto Wheel of Dharma Monastery, and His Eminence was the Guest of Honor at Gyuto Dharma Center’s 25th Anniversary celebration.