Sunti Creates Rinpoche and Dalai Lama in Bronze
On Friday, December 2, 2011, Sunti began the clay foundation for his bronze bust of the eminent Gochen Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche as his gift to the Garden of One Thousand Buddhas. Sunti first learned about the Garden from visitors who met Sunti and viewed his artwork at the CM Russell Art Show in Great Falls Montana in March 2010 – the same weekend it was announced that His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet would be making his first visit to Montana. With the excitement over Sunti’s fiberglass resin sculpture, Grandfather Monk Luan, many enthusiastic Montanans encouraged Sunti to sculpt the Dalai Lama in honor of his visit to Montana. With a little research, Sunti discovered that the true reason for His Holiness’ visit was to bless a Buddhist sanctuary only 70 miles from his gallery – the Garden of One Thousand Buddhas.
After contacting the Garden regarding his desire to sculpt the Dalai Lama, Sunti offered to donate an additional casting to the Garden, in addition to possible monetary donations via fundraising in his homeland, Thailand. Gochen Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche graciously accepted Sunti’s gift, and shared his desire to display Sunti’s sculpture outdoors. After several months, Sunti had yet to return to Thailand to fundraise and his country was overwhelmed with political turmoil, followed by months of devastating floods. During this time, Sunti further studied the biography and accomplishments of Gochen Tulku, the honorable humanitarian and sixth incarnation of Gyalwa Gyatso; a man of equal holiness to the Dalai Lama. With the option of fundraising eliminated and Sunti’s mounting interest in Rinpoche himself, Sunti offered to sculpt not only a bust of His Holiness as his gift to the Garden, but also an original bust of Gochen Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche. Sunti envisions the busts on two equal pedestals in an entryway, welcoming visitors. Both sculptures will be cast in bronze, adhering to Rinpoche’s request to display the pieces outdoors. Please visit Sunti’s website www.suntiworldart.com for updates regarding his bust of Rinpoche and original sculpture of the Dalai Lama.
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Arlee High School Student Athlete Fundraiser
G’Day Mate! My name is Donovan McDonald. I am currently a sophomore at Arlee High School. I placed 11th at the Montana State Cross Country Meet and now I have been invited to represent Montana on the North Central Conference Cross Country team competing in Australia in the summer of 2012. I am excited for the opportunity to represent my family, school, tribe, community, state, and country in this once-in-a-lifetime experience. In order to achieve this goal of competing internationally I am asking for donations in any amount to go towards the cost of competing Down Under. ATTACHED is a copy of my sponsorship letter confirming that I have officially been selected to be on the North Central Conference Cross Country Team, and explaining how to contribute. Also included in my sponsorship letter is a thank you ticket that you can fill out and submit to Down Under Sports to be entered into a drawing for 2 all-expense paid trips to Australia and Hawaii as well as a drawing for a 5-day Caribbean cruise for 2. Whether you are able to donate or not, please take the time to fill out and submit this thank you ticket for taking the time to read this letter. Kind Regards, Donovan McDonald
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Holiday Fundraiser Raffle
This holiday season, the Ewam sangha and supporters were treated to a special way to donate to the Garden of One Thosuand Buddhas…a holiday raffle. On December 15 during an open house and holiday potluck at the Ewam Buddhist Center and Tibetan Store in Missoula, the drawing was held. Congratulations to Donald and Caroline Wood of Livingston, MT for winning the brightly-colored Pendleton Blanket. Sarah Brouwer won the beautiful, earth-toned, Yak Wool Blanket. Ewam Sangha member, Roberta Anderson won the Guru Yoga Gift Basket filled with Ewam’s exclusive products. Thank you to all who supported the Garden of One Thousand Buddhas with your raffle ticket purchase. The raffle raised almost $3,000 for the Garden Construction fund! On behalf of the Ewam sangha we wish you all the best during this season of peace, love and joy!
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Prajnaparamita Retreat in MT Dec 2-4
On November 30, 2011, Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche visited the Ewam Sangha in Montana to teach the Prajnaparamita Retreat on the Heart Sutra and the practice of the One Thousand Buddhas. Upon his arrival with translator Khenpo Sonam from LA, the Ewam Sangha held a meet-and-greet at The Ewam Buddhist Center and Tibetan Store in Missoula, where the newly opened store was filled with new products and great possibilities. Rinpoche delighted in the achievements of the Sangha this year and congratulated members on their accumulating merit and good fortune.
The following day, Ewam held its first annual fundraising luncheon where almost 150 Missoula supporters were treated to lunch at the Hilton Garden Inn. During the luncheon, the visitors enjoyed a short video about the Garden followed by an inspiring discussion by Rinpoche about his vision for the Garden and the responsibility for each person to create peace in the world. Speakers Raquel Castellanos (Ewam Development Coordinator), Dr. Georgia Milan (Ewam Board Member), and Julie Cajune (Native Educator) rounded out the presentations offering encouragement and support for the collective vision the Garden promises. Generous donations were offered, good friends were made, and connections were deepened through the activities of the Sangha and community that day.
Friday through Sunday December 2-4, Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche taught a sold-out retreat at the Ewam Buddhist Center in Missoula beginning with a public talk about Buddhist Practice. Throughout the weekend, Rinpoche taught the practices of Yum Chenmo and the Thousand Buddhas to a large and dedicated group. In just a few months, Ewam has grown in its presence in Missoula, offering films of compassion, open meditation sessions, guest speakers and presentations on everything from horoscope weaving to ayurvedic health and chi-gong. Visit the CALENDAR on this website for more information about how you can be involved in this growing center.
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Dhammapada Stones Set in Garden
Garden supporters Thang and Loan donated beautiful landscape stones which were placed this week, providing an area to sit and rest and reflect on the path of peace. The six stones represent the the Buddha Shakyamuni and the five ascetics who became the Buddha’s first students after he became enlightened. The largest stone will have a carving of verses from the dhammapada etched into it for all to read.
This 14,000 lb stone almost tipped the huge tractor being used to place it, creating quite a scare and then a laugh or two from the crew. From the flower garden of Genovieve Bliss, Pam and Valerie have sent dozens of perfect perennial plants in honor of their mother, which will grow for many years to come in the Garden of 1,000 Buddhas. Thank you for sharing this love. Other lovely areas will be created over the next year! Stay tuned for more!
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Dzogchen Retreat at Ewam Arlee
In October 2011, Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche arrived to an eager group of students from around the globe to teach Dzogchen meditation. The 10-day retreat offered students an opportunity to learn from a great teacher such as Rinpoche. The entire week was filled with blessings and happiness for all involved. Khenpo Sonam from LA came to translate for Rinpoche. The next retreat with Rinpoche will be held at Ewam Missoula from Dec 2-4, 2011. Rinpoche will teach on the practices of the thousand Buddhas and the Prajnaparamita (Yum Chenmo) practice. For more information, visit Ewam.
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7th Annual Festival of Peace Sept 10, 2011
On Saturday, Sept 10, 2011, the 7th Annual Festival of Peace began early in the morning with the 1st Annual Walk-A-Mile for Peace. Walkers collected pledges to support their walk which directly benefited the Garden of One Thousand Buddhas.
Participants walked the one-mile loop around the Ewam property and at each 1/4 mile marker, they contemplated one of the four immeasurable qualities: compassion, loving kindness, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. Founder of the Garden, Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche himself took part in the walk, whispering at each marker “Oh compassion” and “Oh joy”.
The walk had over 100 participants and raised over $3,000 toward the construction of the Garden.
The day continued with a traditional Tibetan Buddhist processional with the Ewam sangha following Rinpoche and hundreds of visitors.
Guest speakers discussed health, the environment, and how to practice in troubled times.
Music, food, vendors, and lovely weather rounded out a full-day of peaceful interactions for all who were involved.
Make sure to mark your calendars for next year’s event to be held on Sept 8, 2012! Click the links below to view the 2011 festival on Vimeo!
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Garden Progress Update Summer 2011
During an amazing summer of great progress on the Garden, many milestones were reached! We’ll start with the small stuff and work up to the big accomplishments! (Although it all seems so HUGE!) For most of us, water is VERY important for our health…for a Garden, water is a MUST have!
The irrigation has been laid and installed throughout the Garden, and a well, pump house, and some flower beds have been added! This addition to the first 100 trees that were planted last year means it is time to ask, how does your Garden grow?
In addition to this, the gravel inner-throne wall walkways have been laid, making it easy to circumambulate. And the outer throne wall walkways have just been completed as well in late October, just before the weather has turned!
In other great news, the one thousand stupas hand-carved from volcanic stone have arrived from Indonesia in crates.
Each stupa will have a Tara statue placed in the gau on the front of the statue. The Taras are being made by Dr. Tashi’s sangha in Taiwan.
The nuns at Rinpoche’s nunnery, Turquoise Leaf in Nepal are making the one thousand sogshings (blessing, mantra, medicine, the central channels) which will be inserted into each stupa.
Also completed this summer by Nepali artist Lama Sonam Tsering was the stupa on the Northeast side of Yum Chenmo. It is called “the stupa of reconciliation”, and commemorates Buddha’s reconciliation of the disputing factions of the sangha.
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People of Japan Sponsor 163 Stupas for Garden
This summer in an amazing act of generosity to the Garden of One Thousand Buddhas, 163 stupas have been sponsored at $200/each by a large group of citizens from Japan. During such a period of turmoil in the wake of the tsunami there, these supporters have opened their hearts to the potential of this spiritual place in Arlee, MT, so far from their own home, after having been inspired by faithful students of Rinpoche’s, Mimi and Ronnie Colsen.
Last year, these dedicated students of Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche inspired and followed through to help almost 150 Buddha statues to be sponsored by the people of Japan as well. What is so amazing is that while these resilient citizens could be spending their time and money taking care of their families and healing from the disasters that have befallen them, they have chosen to open up even more to care for the spiritual health and happiness for the benefit of all beings. A HUGE and heartfelt ‘thank you’ goes out to these gracious families in Japan and to Mimi and Ronnie from the Garden of One Thousand Buddhas.
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The Way of the Bodhisattva Shedra Teaching June 2011
In June 2011, the new Ewam Buddhist Center in Missoula hosted a special week of Buddhist teachings given by Namchak Khenpo, the brother and spiritual heir of Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche, on the Mahayana Tibetan Buddhist path as discussed in Shantideva’s The Way of the Bodhisattva. This shedra, or multi-year retreat, offered an in-depth study of one of the greatest spiritual texts ever written on the principles of compassion. Namchak Khenpo kept a dozen eager students engaged daily, teaching from the text commentary and offering prayers and practices in the evening to help the students dispel obstacles to practice. An interesting addition to the weekend was that a translator, Vanessa, was Skyped-in from LA. With only a few modem dropouts, this was an efficient way to bring the dharma to Missoula without having a translator present. Though Khenpo only spends about 6 months a year in MT, the Ewam sangha and community benefits greatly from each and every teaching with him as he is skilled in all areas of Buddhist practice. He will return next July 2012 to teach at Ewam. We wish him safe travels and pray for his swift return home to us!
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