As the Tibetan New Year (Losar) approaches on February 18th, Tromge Jigme Rinpoche and the sangha of PPI – Ati Ling wish you a happy new year.

The PPI – Ati Ling sangha will offer tsog for Losar on Wednesday February 18th at 6:00am.

Rinpoche is now in India, where he will first spend Losar in Bir, with his mother and visiting Chokling Gompa. Then he will head to Delhi to meet the pilgrimage group and they will set out on the tour to the holy sites.

He sends the following message from the foothills of the Himalayas –
“My very best wishes to everyone for the year of the Fire Horse! I pray for everyone’s well-being and happiness in the coming year, and for you all to have excellent conditions for practice. These positive conditions are something we also have responsibility for creating, in setting aside time every day depending on our work and family commitments. I was asked if there is anything people should focus on at this time, and I feel that reflecting on bodhicitta is very important. We can recite the four lined prayer we often do in our centers that begins changchub sem chok rinpoché……O precious and sublime bodhicitta – may it arise in those in whom it has not arisen. May it never decline where it has arisen, but go on increasing, further and further!

If we recite this short prayer repeatedly, carefully considering what each part means, there is so much we can learn and benefit from, also by incorporating whatever we understand from the lojong teachings. Recognizing the perfect qualities of bodhicitta in itself gives us profound joy. Then, as we examine our own grasp of bodhicitta, and see the benefits as well as our limits, we can gain clarity, and our focus and diligence increases. Turning outwards, we look to other sentient beings and observe their suffering and also their virtuous actions – this arouses our compassion, and our rejoicing, and deepens our commitment to the path of liberation for all. We have so many ways we can work on generating bodhicitta, through so many practices, on and off the cushion. And the vastness of this prayer’s intention pushes us beyond our usual small circle of attention, just the me-me-me, my family, my people, and beyond our immediate present time. This is the power of such aspirations.

I also encourage you to read and meditate on the following bodhicitta aspiration prayer by Nyoshul Lungtok Tenpai Nyima (1829-1901), Patrul Rinpoche’s disciple. The words of these teachers are precious enough as they stand; when we as disciples of His Eminence Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche are also fortunate enough to be directly connected to this lineage of lamas, we should never forget them as being a source of great blessings. These lamas’ unshakeable faith in the teachings through all conditions, and their complete dedication to freeing all beings, brought them to perfect realization that we can rely on and be inspired by, whatever we meet with in samsara. Here are the last lines of that prayer. Please cultivate joy, stay humble, and may all beings benefit!”

Much love,
Jigme Rinpoche

Bless us such that when rich and in good circumstance, or down and out; when strong or weak, happy or sad, sick, dying or taking birth, in fact, at all times and in all circumstances, we may recall and actualize twofold bodhicitta. Whatever difficult circumstances befall us and cause us obstacles, be they arising from inside, outside, or in some secret way, may this profound dharma be our friend and help us on our way; may all negative conditions be taken as the practice and, more to the point, pray bless us that when we come into contact with them, they may prove to be the catalyst for a deep and meaningful enhancement of our practice and path toward awakening.

Everyone is welcome to join for the Shower of Blessings Guru Rinpoche tsog at 6am in the morning, California time. If you don’t have the text, we have many spare copies in the shrine room. We would love to see you here and have as many Sangha as possible participate in Losar celebrations.

Join via livestream here

If you would like to make an offering for tsog, butterlamps, or saving of lives please click the appropriate link below.

Make a Tsog Offering
Make a Butterlamp Offering
Make a Saving Lives Offering

The first fifteen days of the lunar Tibetan New Year are considered an especially potent and auspicious time to generate merit, whether through prayers or making offerings. Chotrul Duchen is on the 15th day of the Tibetan New Year, and Ati Ling will be preforming its annual Saving of Lives Ceremony on that day. On the first day of Losar practitioners are encouraged to recite texts and make aspiration prayers for the coming year. All dedications received will be read in the New Year puja in the morning or evening.