Letter to the Sangha

Dear Sangha Members and Friends,

Happy Metal Snake Year!

We are celebrating the Tibetan New Year with great joy, having heard the auspicious news that the Indian government has granted a formal status to His Holiness the Seventeenth Gyalwang Karmapa, Ugyen Trinley Dorje, which allows him to remain in exile in India. I welcome and rejoice in this decision of the Indian government and express my appreciation on behalf of the sangha members of Nalandabodhi and Nitartha international. We wholeheartedly pray that His Holiness may come to Rumtek Monastery to take his seat-in-exile soon; and thereafter, teach around the world where he is long awaited. On this happy occasion, I send my tashi deleks and best wishes for the Metal Snake Year to all my students and their families, sangha members at large, and to all readers of Bodhi!

Bodhi

Bodhi magazine is now being published quarterly and is being distributed more widely. I am delighted to see this new phase of Bodhi taking place. Bodhi has been successful in bringing together the genuine scholarship and contemplative traditions of buddhist teachings to its readers. I am happy and thankful to the Bodhi editors and staff for working so hard and making it possible for us to enjoy these teachings.

Nalandabodhi

We are in the process of working toward a more defined organizational structure for Nalandabodhi. This structure is now being introduced to the US and Canadian local and national organizations. I wish to share this news with all our students and sangha members and to ask that you all participate in whatever way possible to help the local centers and the national organization. I appreciate your continual support and assistance, which makes it possible for Nalandabodhi to achieve its goal of bringing the supreme wisdom and genuine compassion of buddhist teachings to beings around the world. I welcome any comments and suggestions regarding the further development of our organization's structure, as well as our study and practice curricula. Please feel free to contact a local center director or myself by email with your suggestions.

News from the Garuda Cave

For some months now, I have been in private retreat at the Garuda Cave on Whidbey Island, where I am enjoying my practices. The place itself is very beautiful, peaceful, and conducive for study and meditation. I would like to dedicate the merit of my retreat to my generous students, without whose help, this retreat would not have been possible.

I hope we will soon have our retreat place, Mahasiddhi, so that all students and practitioners can enjoy the perfect environment for study and meditation retreat in this part of the beautiful Northwest.

Thank you very much and I look forward to seeing many of you in April at the sangha retreat.

Ciao for now!

dpr

This letter is part of the contents published in Bodhi Issue 7 (Spring 2001). You can purchase this issue or subscribe to Bodhi at the Bodhi Dharma Store.