[May 15, 2009]

I am happy to announce that we now have Quickbook Accounting software for non-profit organizations, thanks to a member who was able to get it for us at a discount.

It is received, installed and ready to go.

Again, I would like to thank our member who so graciously offered to get it for us. Many thanks to everyone who responded with suggestions.

Our center is so blessed to have so many kind and helpful members.

Best regards, Christine Nelson, Treasurer at Gyalwa Gyatso Buddhist Center

[May, 2009]

We had a good turn out on May 7th for our fund-raiser at Chevys, in the range of 50 to 60 people over the course of the evening. (Photos by Dave Jeffords.)

[April 25, 2009]

Get recordings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's recent talks in California at:

www.kcsb.org/ - Santa Barbara, UCSB, April 24, morning talk on "The Nature of Mind" (audio, mp3)

webcast.berkeley.edu/events.php - Berkeley, Greek Theatre, April 25, afternoon talk on "Peace Through Compassion'. The main event site says, "An online video will be available after the event." (Not sure when.)

[April 30, 2009]

And at Harvard:

http://harvardmagazine.com/breaking-news/dalai-lama-audio

[April 2009]

Geshe Dakpa gave Refuge Vows, April 18, 2009

Geshe Ngawang Dakpa, resident teacher in San Francisco, came down to our center to give a teaching on the meaning of Refuge in the Three Jewels. (Read booklet about refuge.)

At the conclusion of the talk, Geshe-la gave refuge vows to 8 people. Five were taking the formal vow of refuge for the first time, and three were just renewing. Those who hadn't received a refuge name before, received new names, all beginning with "Ngawang"--powerful speech--which is part of Geshe-la's name.

Pictured at left: some of the people who took refuge vows (two people not pictured).

[updated March 30, 2009]

His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Berkeley, April 25, 2009

• Greek Theater at UC Berkeley Campus, public talk called, "Peace Through Compassion". Event starts at 2:00; venue opens at noon.

Web page about event: http://www.berkeley.edu/dl/ Event is SOLD OUT, but you still might find tickets on craigslist or somewhere else.

• Audience for Tibetans & the Himalayan Community, Berkeley Community Theatre, 1930 Allston Way, 3:45 - 4:30pm. http://www.tanc.org/

[April 8 update]

The best place to get tickets in the San Jose area for this Tibetan Audience event (the one at 3:45) is: Gyuto Vajrayana Center

[February, 2009]

New Saturday Yoga Teacher:

We welcome Nicole Murchison as a new yoga teacher at our center. She will be teaching the Saturday morning yoga sessions now.

[January, 2009]

A New Center Director and Three New Board Members

On January 10, we had a meeting to elect a new director and the group chose Linda Hoeber, who kindly stepped forward offering to serve again. She has previously served as director and has hosted many events at her house. Her term will begin on February 1, 2009. Linda is the one with the golden halo around her. (Okay, so it was photoshopped.)

Out-going director, Gay Bachmann, is on Linda's left (middle row, 2nd from the right). Gay has been serving for 3 years. Thank you, Gay.

We also have 3 new board members: Dave Jeffords (back row, 3rd from right); Christine Nelson (middle row, far right); and Katt Clark (inset--she was taking the picture). We rejoice in your merit.

Many thanks to out-going board members: Dave Simpson (back row, 2nd from right); and Joe Pao (not pictured).

Sally Hutson (middle row, 2nd from left) remains faithfully on the board.

[November, 2008]

Comments by Denma Lochö Rinpoche

October 28, 2008 at Gyalwa Gyatso Buddhist Center

translated by Fabrizio Pallotti

transcribed by Gelongma Losang Drimay

[While we were having drinks and sweet rice, Drimay introduced Emily (other course instructor), Gay (director), and Donna (spiritual program coordinator). Then Rinpoche began to comment.]

This is excellent that you are all participating in the workings of the center. The center has already been very beneficial, so please continue to support the center. The center should improve and grow up nicely.

You should think that there is no difference between what happened in Tibet and here, now. In Tibet, we had monasteries here and there. A monastery would open up and at first there would be a couple of monks, and then there would be people coming, and then there would be a little center that keeps the propagation and supports the teachings of the Buddha, and so forth. So that's the same here. Here in the West, the centers have the same responsibility. A center is there so that it can support the teachings and the practice of Buddha.

Also, it's about being open to other people. Here at the center there is something going on, so that when a new person comes along who doesn't know about meditation and other things, there is someone at the center who can teach. In this way, the center can improve and benefit. Basically, the center is the foundation for benefits through the teachings of the Buddha. In this way, the centers [in the West] and the monasteries in Tibet are alike.

Therefore, the Dharma centers are unbelievably beneficial for oneself and others. Let's say there is someone who just starts thinking about Dharma and wants to know about Dharma and if there weren't any centers around, there wouldn't be anywhere to go. So the more the centers are around, the more access there is for people who are just thinking, "I want to practice Dharma, I want to know about the teachings, I want to know about meditation, I want to meet people who are practicing." So, there is immediate access.

Not only that. The center serves to support a continuity of Dharma. There is a difference if a lama comes for a couple of weeks in a year and teaches in place and then leaves and then there is nothing going on for a year or so. If there is no center, there is no continuity. There is no basis to continue to build up the work of the lama and the Dharma. By having a center, that continuity can be established. It is stable. So, that is excellent.

It is extremely important that the people of the center, the disciples, live harmoniously, that they are supportive of each other, without conflict. It's like a hand with five fingers. If you take an individual finger, there is not much strength there, but if you put the fingers together, then you have a fist that is powerful. In the same way, if the people of the center are really together, if they are supportive of each other, then you have a really nice blossoming of the center and the people's happiness. It is much stronger than just having individuals. Therefore, it is important that the people running the center don't start having a power trip. It's better if people work together remembering that they are working for the same cause.

There isn't a single sentient being without mistakes. All sentient beings have mistakes. Only Buddha is without mistakes. A buddha has completely purified and developed all the qualities. Therefore, knowing that we all have mistakes, it doesn't help to concentrate of other people's mistakes. Concentrate on the qualities. In this way, you will be able to live together and to really do something nice together, to be harmonious. Instead of looking at other people's faults-everybody's got faults-just concentrate on the qualities. If you do this, then definitely you will have a very good result.

[Question-Answer period followed.]

[August 20, 2008]

Due to our private listserve no longer being available, we are switching back to our old Yahoo Group. If you are not already on the list, we encourage to you to sign up so that you will receive up-to-date announcements.

[July 10, 2008]

(Another article about our event appeared in the Campbell Reporter and the Mercury News several days later.)

Buddhist relics tour heads to San Jose after Campbell stop

By Chris Vongsarath

Campbell Reporter

Article Launched: 07/10/2008 04:15:22 PM PDT

Buddhists and non-Buddhists, believers and those who were a bit skeptical gathered at the Gyalwa Gyatso Buddhist Center in Campbell over the holiday weekend to get a glimpse and maybe a blessing from the sacred relics.

The tour heads to San Jose this weekend, starting with opening ceremonies Friday night.

The collection of more than 1,000 relics, found among the cremation ashes of Buddhist masters, has been touring the world since 2001. The relics made a stop in Campbell on July 5 and July 6, which was also the 73rd birthday of the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism.

The relics resemble small, round pearl-like crystals typically white in color, although some have reported they change color. They are thought to carry a spiritual quality with them, bringing health and wisdom to those they grace.

"The belief is that the compassion of Buddhist masters consciously created them at the time of death, which is an example of what they're trying to achieve their entire lives," said John Boley, a volunteer at the center.

Boley said a steady stream of visitors viewed the relics. The center offered blessings, in which the relics were gently placed on the crown of the heads of visitors. Dogs and cats were welcome to receive blessings as well.

"Everyone seemed to have that sensation. They moved a lot slower and were a lot less agitated," Boley said. "It's hard to describe the sensation, but you just feel it."

The balanced flow of visitors added to the already calming environment of the center, said Pat Prickett of Santa Clara. Prickett credited the relics along with soothing music and chants to the peaceful atmosphere.

Prickett said the relics are believed to also have some kind of healing power.

"I know a couple people who were having sickness in their lives, and they seemed to be healthier when they left than when they arrived," she said.

Boley said the relic tour is part of the Maitreya Project. After making their way around the world, the relics will end up enshrined in a 500-foot bronze statue of the Maitreya Buddha in Kushinagar, India. The project aims to bring the concept of loving-kindness to the world, a value embodied in Maitreya. At the forefront of the project are the relics.

Campbell resident Donna Babuska volunteers at the center as its spiritual program coordinator. She said the relics have special meaning to her because two of them were derived from Buddhist masters she's studied.

"For me, it was very overwhelming because I feel Buddhism changed my life since I started studying it. I'm a more calm, open-hearted person," Babuska said.

"Without the Buddha, all the things that have helped me change would have never happened. "I've done other religions, but nothing really approaches the mind and the heart like Buddhism. It gets into the inner place, and it's not contrived."

Venues across the country may request the relic tour visit their location. Last year the tour stopped in San Francisco.

The relics will be on display in San Jose at the Chinese American Mutual Association, 1669 Flanigan Drive this weekend. The opening ceremony is at 7 p.m. Friday, and hours of the tour are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

For more information on the center, visit www.gyalwagyatso.org. For more information on the relic tour, visit www.maitreyaproject.org.