Map to Center

Some general remarks on the Dharma by our founder Khenchen Rinpoche Konchog Gyaltshen.

The Tibetan Meditation Center is a center belonging to the Drikung Kagyu lineage. (more info here)

The Tibetan Meditation Center (TMC) of Gainesville, Florida was formed by the Venerable Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen Rinpoche in 1999 along with other centers throughout the U.S. It is affiliated with the first TMC in Frederick, Maryland that he founded in 1982. Read about his most recent visit in April of 2007 here.

Meditation and practice at the TMC are informal and comfortable. Everyone is welcome to practice and benefit from the treasury of the lineage teachers.

Texts used in the practice can be obtained directly from Vajra Publications: http://www.vajrapub.org

See the events page for both regular practice schedules and upcoming events.

Wednesday evenings at 6 PM book study the Jewel Ornament of Liberation . Beginners and experienced practitioners welcome.

Monday evenings Tara Practice 6:30 PM. Everyone welcome.

Friday evenings Zambhala Practice 6:30 PM

Saturdays 4-6 PM
(introduction to Buddhism)


Sundays 1-3 PM
(Shamata Meditation Practice and Instruction, including the various stages of meditation as well as direct teachings from Khenmo)

3) Thank to the Florida Back to Work program in our community (see www.floridaworksonline.com for more info) the TMC is planning to hire several people starting in February to provide administrative and facility support. The skills needed include carpenter/handiman, landscaping/maintenance/yardwork, order processing clerk, Dharma practiction with digital media skills to create sound, print and video content, marketing/social networking and IT/web designer/e-commerce.

The program includes the following requirements to be eligible to be hired:
A. Employee must have dependent children under 18 (19 if full time student) living in their household.
B. Household income must be less than 200% of poverty for the past 30 days. For a family of three this is just over $36,000. See www.floridadharma.org for details.

Contact Lena at lovlydaze@yahoo.com if you or someone you know is interested in these positions.

4) Our new 'Alms Bowl' Program begins on March 12th.

 


News!

Florida Tibetan Buddhist Center

See www.floridatbc.org to learn of the aspirations of local Dharma groups in creating a sustainable Dharmic community, residence and teaching center for our venerable Dharma teachers, including His Holiness Gyalwa Karmapa. His Holiness has expressed his wish to have a multi-lineage and cross cultural center to bring the ancient Dharma teachings from Tibet to north Florida while promoting global peace, environmental and humanitarian awareness. Members of the Gainesville TMC are engaged and supporting this development and hope to contribute to this effort while providing more exposure to the many Kagyu teachers we all have coming to our area. Click here.

Interesting search on the word "Karmapa" on the Drikung-Kagyu.org website is shown here.


Link to Vajra Publications    

 Drikung photo gallery     


Chenrezig Sand Mandala creation at the Florida Museum of Natural History by Drupon Thinley Ningpo Rinpoche and Lama Konchok Gyaltsen.

See here the Slide Show and narrative of the Mandala dissolution ceremony produced by Lindsay Levkoff. Thank you!


Drikung Kagyu Symbol

The Sun, the Moon, and the Hung Syllable Translated by Khenpo Konchok Tamphel


History of the Drikung Kagyu Lineage


To be sure to see the latest events, our Events page is shown below. Please click on the Events tab at the top to better view this page.


Conference of spiritual leaders in Dharamsala
May 2009


A ll the religious heads came to visit the Dalai Lama’s palace. The above picture was taken in front of the Dalai Lama’s sitting room and shows (from left): H.H. Lungtok Tenpa’i Nyima, H.H. Sakya Trizin, H.H. the Dalai Lama, H.H. the Karmapa, H.H. Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang.

Article here.


Karmapa visits Kagyu College


The College’s monks and Khenpos were overwhelmed to receive and welcome His Holiness Gyalwa Karmapa in the Shedra (Kagyu College). The Karmapa visited the College Temple and at the request of Khenchen Konchok Gyaltsen Rinpoche he gave a brief speech to the College students. In his address, the Karmapa reminded his audience of the great importance of having such an ancient lineage practice like the Drikung Kagyu. He also stated that the Drikung Community plays a vital role in the preservation and prospering of the Kagyu sect, which is one of the four major religious schools of Tibetan Buddhism. He also gave his perception on dealing and studying Buddhism. At the conclusion he reminded us, how lucky we are to have His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche and His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon Chungtsang Rinpoche as supreme heads and their unsurpassable blessings.

Article here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

click on EVENTS above to
see upcoming activities

 

 

His Holiness Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche
comes to Florida in September 2010

His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche
His Holiness Karmapa and His Holiness Chetsang

 Gyalwa Drikungpa 2010 Florida Tour
 Tuesday, Sept 14 & Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2010
 10 AM-12 Noon and 2 PM - 5 PM
 
 Chua Phat Phap, Vietnamese Temple
  1770 62nd Avenue North
 St. Petersburg, FL  33702

Suggested Donations: $60/Session or
$200 Pre-Registration

 (727) 452-7714

 Drikung Kagyu Sanghas of Florida

For the first time in over 10 years, His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche, the Head of the Drikung Kagyu Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, will visit Florida to give Dharma Teachings and an Empowerment as part of his nationwide Gyalwa Drikungpa 2010 US Tour. This event is sponsored by the Drikung Kagyu Sanghas of  Florida, including
The Tibetan Meditation Center of Gaiensville.

Websites for additional info:   

Gyalwa Drikungpa 2010 Florida Tour http://www.drikungkagyuflorida.org/ 
or
Please see http://www.drikungpa2010.net/ for His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche's Gyalwa Drikungpa 2010  US Tour information.  

CONTACT INFORMATION:  
Name:  Lena Hadley
E-Mail:  lovlydaze @ yahoo.com

MEDIA:  For requests to interview His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche, please contact Richard Weissman

(727) 452-7714 or email drikungkagyuflorida@gmail.com


Masters of the Golden Rosary Lineage

Now Available (Limited Quantities)


A superb new book recounts the life stories of the Drikung Kagyu throne-holders from the beginning of the lineage until the present day. The book Masters of the Golden Rosary Lineage, subtitled Life and Liberation Stories of Drigung Kagyü Throne-holders, is based on texts translated and edited by Khenpo Tsültrim Tenzin and Dr. Hun Lye.

The first part of the biographies up to the 28th throne-holder, the 3rd Drikung Chungtsang, Tenzin Chökyi Nyima (1755-1792), are based on The Golden Garland of the Throne Lineage (Denrab Chöjung Serthreng, gdan rabs chos byung gser phreng). This famous work had been composed by the 4th Drikung Chetsang, Tenzin Peme Gyaltsen (1770-1826) in the early nineteenth century. Peme Gyaltsen’s sources were chronicles and works by earlier Drikung lineage holders as well as the Dharma history of Pawo Tsuglag Threngwa (1504–1566). Peme Gyaltsen’s text had been extensively revised by the present Drikung Kyabgön Chetsang. For the biographies from Peme Gyaltsen up to the present throne-holders, Drikung Kyabgön Chungtsang and Drikung Kyabgön Chetsang, the authors have mostly relied on the voluminous Religious History of Drikung Kagyu (‘Bri gung chos byung) by Dakpo Chenga Rinpoche.

Of course this book does not present a history in the strict sense of the word, as it is a compilation of so called Namthar (rnam thar), “lives of liberation”. Namthar is a special genre in Tibetan Buddhist literature of spiritual careers of eminent individuals as religious biographies. These comprise the “outer” career of external deeds and the “inner” and “secret” life stories of learning, reflection, meditative experience, and realization. Although these accounts are embedded in a historical framework, history is only one aspect of the narrative. Nonetheless Masters of the Golden Rosary Lineage is an indispensable source for those who want to gain a deeper understanding of the roots of the Drikung Kagyu lineage in its historical and spiritual dimension.

The marvelously produced book is illustrated with brilliant full-page color plates of an exquisite set of thangkas depicting the Drikung Kagyu throne-holders as well as numerous additional pictures, thus making it not only a highly recommended read, but also an intriguing iconographical discovery.

The first edition was published as a special limited edition of 108 copies at the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Tibetan Meditation Center, Frederick, ML. As the authors received many requests for the book, they were able to produce this magnificent revised edition primarily thanks to the generous financial support of Dr. and Mrs. Hoh Shu Chin from Malaysia, while Millard Pate of Vajra Publications shouldered the burden of producing this second edition. May this work reach the large audience it certainly deserves.
Masters of the Golden Rosary Lineage
Life and Liberation Stories of Drigung Kagyü Throne-holders

 

Khenpo Tsültrim Tenzin & Hun Lye
Vajra Publications, Gainesville, FL
ISBN 0-9655988-6-1, 114pp.

Price: US $45.00

For purchasing the book, individuals and centers should contact Tibetan Meditation Center at DrikungTMC@Gmail.com

OR

go to Vajra Publications at http://www.vajrapub.org


Some general remarks on the Dharma by Khenchen


Khenchen Rinpoche, Konchog Gyaltshen
founder of the
Tibetan Meditation Center - Gainesville

Read about his last teaching
in Gainesville here


 

from the TMC in Frederick, Maryland

About Drikung Kagyu

Dharma Resources

Upcoming Events