Celebrate mothers!

In 2015 the Amitabha Foundation received $93.26 from AmazonSmile because our supporters donated 0.5% of their Amazon purchases to us. It all happens without any additional cost to you! Sign up here and your purchases will automatically blossom into additional income for the Amitabha Foundation's spiritual and humanitarian projects in Tibet, Nepal and India.

Great News! We reached our goal of $15,000 to put a new roof on the clinic!

For another way to honor motherhood on America's holiday of Mother's Day, May 8, please give the gift of life by donating to our Safe Childbirth in Tibet project. We will be reactivating our Global Giving project in May with the goal of raising enough money to purchase clean Birthing Kits for 200 mothers, $10,000, and to pay the doctors' and midwife's salaries for the next year, $15,000. But you can help now by sending a check to our address below, or donating online using PayPal or your credit card. We will send a Mother's Day e-card on your behalf, and send your names for dedication of prayers to Ayang Rinpoche's monastery in Tibet.

With thanks, and wishes for a meaningful spring,

Becky

 

Becky Loy, Vice President/Treasurer
Amitabha Foundation

P.O. Box 2572

Aptos, California 95001
831-461-4381 

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Drikung Kagyu Dharma Protector 

Achi Chokyi Drolma

The annual 100,000 Achi Tsog Offering Puja at Ayang Rinpoche's monastery in Bylakuppe will begin April 20 and last for one week.

Those who would like to make an auspicious connection with the Achi Tsok Offering Puja are encouraged to send their donations to the Drikung Charitable Society account. For a tax deductible donation in the U.S., please send your check to the Amitabha Foundation, P.O. Box 2572, Aptos, California 95001, or 

donate online here.  

You may dedicate your offering to loved ones, whether they are living or have passed.

Here is an edited excerpt of a short biography of Achi Chokyi Drolma, given by Ayang Rinpoche in Sydney, Australia in 2004:

Achi Chokyi Drolma is an emanation of Vajra Yogini and Tara. She was born in the central area of Tibet. Beginning at a young age she was very special. She had great compassion and always practiced Tara, and she taught the Tara prayer to everyone in the village. When she grew older she prophesized that in the future there would be a new Buddhadharma lineage, and that she would be that lineage's Dharma protector, whereupon she wrote protector offering prayers. Several generations later, her great grandson Jigten Sumgon started the Drikung lineage and she did become the main lineage Dharma protector.

She moved to Eastern Tibet, married and had 4 sons. Her most holy practice place is in East Tibet. At her death she attained the Great Rainbow Body. Her entire body become rainbows and light, leaving only her hair and nails. Like this, with no need to change this physical body, she went to the Pure Land.

On the relative level Achi was like the Dharma protector. But on the ultimate level, Achi had already attained the 10^th Bhumi of a Bodhisattva. In this way, Achi was already enlightened. Achi's activity in Tibet is very famous. All the Tibetan people, especially the older generation people, know very well about her great activity, how it is so helpful because it is very fast. In Tibet, some great masters say that Achi is exactly the same as the Buddha, and if we pray to Achi, then by our Achi practice we will achieve enlightenment, or we will attain the Pure Land at our death moment.

Support the Amitabha Foundation when you make a purchase on Amazon.com Buy your gifts and other purchases on Smile.Amazon.com and Amitabha Foundation will receive  0.5% of the purchase price at no additional cost to you! Click here to sign up!

Ayang Rinpoche's 2016 US and Canada Schedule

Please save the dates for Rinpoche's 2016 visit to the US and Canada. More information will follow shortly. Please visit our website for updates.

August 18-27	Toronto, Ontario
	Phowa Course
	*****
September 2-4	Vancouver, British Columbia
	Teaching To Be Announced
	Contact:  amitabhafoundation.vancouver@gmail.com
	*****
September 9-18	San Jose, California
	Phowa Course
	Contact:  th97quach@gmail.com

2016 News letter

The magnificent Buddha Amitabha temple and retreat center built in Nepal by His Eminence Ayang Rinpoche and consecrated in May 2013, was seriously damaged during the 2015 Nepal earthquakes. Due to Rinpoche's foresight in building to the highest engineering standards, the retreat cottages were undamaged, as was the major temple structure. However, the superb frescoes and other artwork did suffer major damage, and there was considerable cracking in the structure. [View more photographs of the damage here.] With the recent re-opening of the India-Nepal highway, work can now begin to repair the temple. We appeal to the generosity of all students and supporters of Rinpoche to assist in this great work. Even if you made an offering to support this work last year, please consider how this retreat center was created due to the great vision of H.E. Chöje Ayang Rinpoche and will benefit countless beings, not only in the present day, but for generations to come. DONATE NOW Donations (tax-deductible in the US) can be made online or by mailing a check to: Amitabha Foundation Post Office Box 2572 Aptos, California 95001 If a US tax deduction is not necessary, you may make your donation directly to any of the various Amitabha Foundation organizations outside the United States or directly to the Amitabha Foundation Nepal account: Account Number: 01104098701 Account Name: Amitabha Foundation Bank Name: Standard Chartered Bank, Kathmandu, Nepal Swift Code: SCBLNPKA Bank Address: Standard Chartered Bank Nepal Ltd, Naya Baneswor, Kathmandu, Nepal GPO Box : 3990; Fax : 977 - 1 - 4780762 Temple address: Amitabha Foundation Kapan Buddha Nilkantha Nagarpalika Area No. - 12 Kathmandu, Nepal   Ayang Rinpoche's Scheduled Teachings Hong Kong Phowa Course  February 25 to March 6, 2016 Life Release March 7, 2016 For more information Rinpoche's other teachings in 2016 will be posted as soon as we receive his schedule. Other Ways You Can Help Volunteer  Nurse or Doctor Needed Are you a trained nurse or physician who would be willing to volunteer your time in a rewarding setting? There is an urgent need at Ayang Rinpoche's monastery in Bylakuppe, South India for a new medical professional. Download a full description of the position here. Click here to see Ani Samten's "Month in Pictures at the Monastery" Can you Sponsor a Child? The Amitabha Foundation has been facilitating sponsorships for monks and lay children and deserving adults since 1995. T.Y. - Her father is deceased and she is being cared for by her grandmother. Her uncle is one of the monastery chant masters. T.P. - He is a deaf, mute, partially paralyzed and mentally challenged Tibetan adult. He need help to purchase medicines. Others are also waiting for your support. Read more about the program and begin your sponsorship by going to our website or contacting Becky at NY@amitabhafoundation.us. Support the Amitabha Foundation when you make a purchase on Amazon.com Buy your gifts and other purchases on Smile.Amazon.com and Amitabha Foundation will receive  0.5% of the purchase price at no additional cost to you! Click here to sign up!   Becky Loy, Vice President and Treasurer Amitabha Foundation P.O. Box 2572 Aptos, California 95001 831-461-4381

100 Peaceful and Wrathful Deities Puja

From February 16-23, Ayang Rinpoche's monastery in Bylakuppe, South India will hold the Shitro (100 Peaceful and Wrathful Deities) puja to welcome in Losar and celebrate Chötrul Düchen, one of the four holy Buddhist festivals commemorating significant events in the life of the Buddha. During the first fifteen days of the year, the Buddha displayed miracles for his disciples to increase their devotion. During this time, it is believed that the effects of positive or negative actions are multiplied ten million times.

"It [Shitro] is the essence of the 6,400,000 Dzogchen tantras, and merely hearing this teaching cuts through birth in the lower realms; merely understanding it causes one to travel to the ground of great bliss (mahasukha); bringing its meaning to mind causes one to accomplish the irreversible state of the spontaneously arisen awareness holder.  For everyone who connects with this teaching there will be great purpose and meaning." H.E. Ayang Rinpoche, 2009 (Trans. Tyler Dewar).  Read a short teaching on the 100 Peaceful and Wrathful Deities from Ayang Rinpoche's 2009 Karma Lingpa Shitro empowerment in Garrison, NY.

True Lhamo said, "Any one who has family members, friends or loved ones who have died and would like to make donations and dedicate it to them, it is the best opportunity."

Make an auspicious connection with the Shitro puja by sponsoring butterlamps, tsok, tea, meals or money offerings for the monks at Ayang Rinpoche's monastery with an online donation. Or send a check made out to Amitabha Foundation to P.O. Box 2572, Aptos, California 95001. Be sure to include the names of persons or pets for whom you are requesting prayers. Donations sent through the Amitabha Foundation are tax deductible in the US.

You may also send your donation directly to the monastery's bank account using the information below (this will not be tax-deductible).

Account Number	17082200011214
Account Name	Drikung Charitable Society
Bank Name	Syndicate Bank, Bylakuppe -571104 Branch
Bank Address	Kagyudpa Monastic InstituteP.O.Bylakuppe 571104, Mysore District Karnataka State, India

Swift Codes for:

• US dollars: SYNBIN BB 118 BKTRUS 33
• UK Pound: SYNBIN BB 118 BARCCB 22
• Euro: SYNBIN BB 118 DUTCH BANK-953492610
• Swiss Franc: SYNBINN BB 118 UBSWCH2H 80A

Thank you, and Losar Tashi Delek!

Becky Loy, Vice President
Amitabha Foundation

P.O. Box 2572

Aptos, California 95001
831-461-4381

Pujas at Ayang Rinpoche's Monastery in Bylakuppe

Thank you for your offerings for the end-of-year Guru Dragpo pujas. In addition to helping people make an auspicious connection with these prayers and practices to purify and remove obstacles, we raised $7,421 to support the monastery, due to everyone's generosity.

The next puja at Ayang Rinpoche's monastery is Shitro (100 Peaceful and Wrathful Deities), February 16-23, 2016. After these dates are confirmed we will send another email with details about sending in names for the prayer list and making offerings.