Empowerment of Je Tsongkhapa and Dorje Shugden - Cumbria, July 2006 |
|||
In July 2006, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso granted the empowerment ofJe Tsongkhapa and Dorje Shugden. In this article, Henry Fitzhugh, one of the meditation teachers at Dorjechang Buddhist Centre in Wimbledon, gives a personal account of his experience at the festival. |
 Henry Fitzhugh, meditation teacher at Dorjechang Buddhist centre in Wimbledon |
||
 |
|
|
|
Memories of an Old-Timer - International Buddhist Festival review by Henry Fitzhugh
|
|||
"I came to my first Summer Festival in 1997. There are many, even hundreds, who began earlier, but nevertheless I consider myself an old-timer by now. That year was the first time the Temple was in use, replacing the tents that were, as I understand, used before. None of the beautiful decoration was in place then, but no matter – we were there for the Dharma. |
|||
"What has changed over the these ten years? Quite visibly, the facilities have been upgraded substantially. Restoration of the fabric of the Priory, better loos and showers, improved dining tents, and even improved marquee dorms where I have slept. Over the years, one by one, all of the public rooms except the North Gompa have been turned over to dormitories, a reflection of the ever-growing number of Dharma practitioners. The tent “extensions” to the Temple, which were not used at all in 1997, now extend to cover all of the available space within the walled garden of the Temple. It must be near capacity now, a reflection of the fact that in 1997 there were around 200 centres and branches, and now there are more than 800.
|
 Je Tsongkhapa |
||
"But all of that is very superficial. What has not changed is the Dharma and the teachings. Geshe does not look a day older, nor do any of his senior disciples, even though many of the faithful attendees do. Their approach to teaching is reassuringly just the same, which I am sure is why I see many of the same faces year in and year out. There are many now whom I consider good friends that I only see at a Festival. The foreign language contingents seem to have grown enormously, and I hear languages spoken that I cannot even identify. That’s the way it is – real fun with only nice people that are easy to get along with, no matter how crowded, or how hot, cold, wet, or dry the weather is. |
 Dorje Shugden |
||
|
|
|
|
"One change that is noticeable is the level of study of many of the practitioners. The entire range of Geshe’s books is now being taught, and many have studied the advanced ones. By now, it is possible to see the magnificent scope of the entire Dharma, which was perhaps not so clear, at least to me at any rate, ten years ago. "Have I changed at all? I ask myself this every Festival because it is a good opportunity to take stock and convince myself that I am making progress. With Dharma it’s not easy to see day-by-day improvement – indeed one should never seek it – but from Festival to Festival it’s easy to see myself getting somewhere. That’s the beauty and value of the Festivals. They don’t change, but we all do, and that’s why I’ll be signing up for them as long as I can." Related website links |
|||
|
|
|||
Home
