Dear Dharma Friends,
I am delighted to introduce this new site, Tibetan Buddhist Altar. It is my hope that it will offer those who are traveling, those who are home bound, those in hospital or ill a way to stay connected to the Buddhist Sangha.
One can always establish a sacred space, anywhere. In fact, one can practice meditation anywhere- inside, outside, on a bus, in a plane- everywhere.
The way to begin is to familiarize oneself with images that work as a support for one’s practice.
For example, we have all seen images of Buddha. There are many styles according to different cultures- but the image is universally recognizable. So here we are all ready familiar with an image of support for meditation. The idea is to become comfortable with and strong in visualization.
On this site we will offer enlightened images for your use and consideration. And for contemplation and prayer. Happily, as one studies, these images become more and more familiar and easier to visualize.
We will also learn to build one’s own altar. How to pack a small box altar for traveling. How to respect and care for holy objects. And learn simple meditation.
If one wishes to recite mantra, we will learn how to string a proper mala, or set of prayer beads. So we will be taking some big first steps on the path of Holy Dharma.
We will also create sacred space by learning how to cleanse, purify, and bless one’s home.
Not everyone lives near a Buddhist Temple or knows a Buddhist Master. But one can always do some kind of meditation practice. We on this site are hoping to help.
We will begin with offering these precious and extroadinary images so that one can now begin to study, contemplate, and remember. Then we will build a “cyber altar”. We will show the very simple, and the very elaborate so one will have many choices and a large, inspirational library.
Please feel free to download these images, enjoy, and learn. Learn the Buddhas, the Stupas, the enlightened Lamas- so precious to our hearts and practice.
It is so necessary to receive the blessing of a truly qualified Master to ripen the potential of one’s mind. To receive that blessing from a living Master is a treasure- and so necessary for real practice. I am fortunate to have studied with HH the third Drubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche. He has sadly recently passed- but was considered a true living Buddha. His image, and that of other highly realized Lamas will be shared for the benefit.
I will regularly offer teachings, guidance and advise. Although this site is just now being developed we will eventually have an “ask the Lama” section. And a section where one can meet long-time practitioners and dialogue with them. Their experiences are invaluable.
Until next time, then. I very much look forward to this new avenue to learn, and to connect. May all the blessings of the Holy Dharma be yours!
In Faith and Friendship,
Jetsunma
Ahkon Norbu Lhamo
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
How wonderful to be reminded that the sacred is always everywhere and to learn how to recognise that. Thank you.
So wonderful to see this, Thankyou Thankyou Thankyou my precious Lama
Beautiful! Thank you for your deep and abiding faith and great kindness!
How precious! May your Wisdom Fire warm countless hearts and give hope to the lost and weary.
The Lama always finds profound ways to answer our prayers. Thank you for such loving kindness for all those searching.
Love and deep devotion to you dearest Jetsunma.
How amazing!!!! Just what I have been praying for and desperately seeking. Thank you Jetsunma for making this site available to all of us. It is so refreshing and such a blessing to see these written truths, these beautiful teachings, these opportunities to practice pure view, especially in these times of degeneration. With so much venom being put out into cybe space these days, your Dakini essance is like a breath of fresh air! Thank you, my Precious Lama.
E MA HO!! How fortunate for all sentient beings who get to connect with a TRUE, PURE Master! How amazing are these times that you can reach so many beings through this thing called the internet! It’s like the thousand armed Chenrezig reaching out to all who have the very auspicious karma to connect with you, my Precious, Precious Lama! Thank you from the depths of my heart and mind! May we all achieve spiritual sobriety and not give in to our addiction to this drug called samsara!
Namo Precious Lama! How amazing!!!! Just what I have been praying for and desperately seeking. Thank you Jetsunma for making this site available to all of us. It is so refreshing and such a blessing to see these written truths, these beautiful teachings, these opportunities to practice pure view, especially in these times of degeneration. With so much venom being put out into cybe space these days, your Dakini essance is like a breath of fresh air! Thank you, my Precious Lama.
Ok this is Dechen! We are having a hard time with posting so now Lobsang has these 2 comments and I have none. Before, it was my comment that posted and Lobsang’s did not. So sorry for any duplicates that are on here! Sometimes we don’t understand how to use the computer much with these things! AAAAHHHH!!!! Om Ah No Big Deal Hung!!
This is just wonderful. Thank you, Jetsunma!
Wow! Thank you for letting us see your altar. It inspired faith in me. I hope people who are hungry for pure Dharma find this site and drink the nourishment you have compassionately offered.
This is beautiful. Thank you.
Thank you, Jetsunma.
This altar site truly thoughtful and a such a beautiful way to continue to have access to an Altar and Dharma practice while traveling. I will most definitely use it.
Bright Blessings!
Precious Lama, Jetsunma,
It is indescribely good to see your alter and prayer space. I will be more inspired to continue the work you began in me. Especially, on this auspicious day. I love you and miss you!!! You are with me always.
Forever yours!
Jetsunma’s prayer room is so breath taking. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be able to see all four walls at once as if you were standing in the middle?
Thank you Jetsunma. May we never be separate from our pure and perfect teacher!
Dearest Jetsunma,
In looking at Your prayer room and the simple instructions for setting up an altar and envisioning the beautiful images, I see I have much room to grow and deepen. In all honesty I have wanted to quit yet in my heart of hearts where You my Teacher reside I have no place to go. So I begin again and starting with the altar in my heart I bow to you and confess I am afraid of ripping open my heart.I have stayed stuck in this fear rather than attend to benefiting beings so where is my Bodhisattva Vow? His Holiness Penor Rinpoche has repeatedly asked me to “abandon all concepts” I can see the concept of old age and the thought based on this concept”I am too old for this …..” has a strong hold on me that I must abandon to keep my vows. You taught that reaction is the opposite of love and I am working to see where I am reacting and start loving without rules or boundaries just love.
Your immeasurable kindness and generosity is displayed in even the least of your activities. Thank you for the ceaseless loving concern for all who may not have had the benefit to be in your physical and most sacred mandala.
Dear precious Jetsunma and all my Sangha brothers and sisters:
Thank you very very much, for not only sharing your beautiful abundant altar, but also for establishing this wonderful web site! I also greatly appreciate reading everyone’s comments.
I am looking forward to some of the “how to’s” promised in your letter to us, especially how to respect and care for Holy objects, how to prepare a traveling altar, and how to create sacred space to cleanse, purify and bless one’s home.
As many of you may already know, we are renovated our home, and because I want the new space to be a place of compassion and kindness, I have actually written Mantra, specifically “Om Mani Padme Hung”, inside the walls and on the wall studs. Soon there will be drywall put up, and my hope is that the Holy essence of these Mantras will permeate into the new room for the benefit of all beings.
I did (thankfully) remember to dedicate the Merit: “And by the merit of this offering, may all beings be free of suffering. May their minds be filled with the nectar of virtue. In this way, may all causes resulting in suffering be extinguished and only the light of compassion shine throughout all realms”- by JAL
I was glad I remembered to dedicate the Merit, as I have been taught that this “seals” in the blessings to everyone, which is very important, right?
Anyway, I look forward to all the valuable Dharma “how to’s” that this amazing website is giving us now and in the future.
Love,
Leslie M.
Dearest Jetsunma:
Thank you for your loving kindness at opening the door to your personal prayer room and guiding us on our path. Your words are truly an inspiration.
Thank you!
dear jetsunma
thankyou for being in the world if it were not for all you presious lamas and rinpoches and the tara practice i do not think i would have ever got out of the hell i put myself in i still have a long way to go but i know deep in my heart if i continue to practice the tara meditation 24 hours a day i am sure i will arrive at a place where i can benifit sentient beings i encourage all the people i meet to look into the tara practice to see if tara could help them i prey they do so however if they do not i know i tried with a sincere heart thats where iam the tara practice has lessoned my fear and i prey it will continue to increase my compassion for all sentient beings again thankyou jetsumna for being in the world that is so dark at the moment we need shinning lights like you to guide us out of our misery you show the way we tread that way and for me i know the green tara practice has really made a posotive impact on my life metta bhavna daniel
Jetsunma has been sharing her beautiful poetry and some fun and witty banter with us via the technological super highway. I sent this via text to Ani Atara on Monday and was encouraged to share it here on the TBA blog. ENJOY/And may it strike a joyful note of devotion in the hearts of all who read it!
—————–
“Ode to J.A.L.”
Love my Teach
She’s one hip Lama
Higher reach
Than Prez Obama
Leads us daily
On the path
Her Tweets and Tales
Of mirth and wrath
Guiding all those
Beings she calls
With song and prose
‘Bout rise and falls
Endless lies
Samsara brings
But countless lives
Dakini sings!
So happy boy
Crackberry raises
Making Noise
With clicky praises
Brooklyn Goddess
Palyul beseeched
To have her Modest
Brilliance Teached!
Come One Come All
Her feast laid bare
With achy knee
But Kick Ass Hair
Her Beauty guides
A Motley Crew
As she hooked us
We’ll Hook you too!
————
{With Love from Bowdawg!}
I’m listening – Again
I hear it all –
I have no fear of their ideaologies.
Not a sound did they make from a far.
The twin towers; I saw them fall.
Sadly I reside in my mind.
Where I waste such precious time.
Will I ever escape?
Most defineatly not.
But to their will I will not sucumb.
Paranioa is my only friend and my worst enemy.