Nityananda Institute Sponsors Visit by Lama Wangdu Rinpoche

Nityananda Institute is sponsoring Lama Tsering Wangdu Rinpoche, a member of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, for another visit to the United States. Lama Wangdu will be giving instruction, assisting in translation projects, and performing many rituals during his stay.

(PRWEB) November 16, 2003 -- Nityananda Institute, based in Portland, Oregon, is sponsoring Lama Tsering Wangdu Rinpoches most recent visit to the United States. Lama Wangdu will be spending the next few months in Portland giving instruction to and practicing with students at Nityananda Institute. He has been visiting the United States regularly since 1999.

Lama Wangdu has trained and initiated Nityananda Institute students in the practice of Phowa and Chöd, including the accompanying ritual dance (chum), as well as the practice of the Queen of Great Bliss tsok and sadhana. During his visits to Portland, he has also assisted in the translation of a number of important texts from Padampa Sangye and Machig Labdron. Nityananda Institute students are at work on a documentary about his life and Chöd practice and a book of his teachings on Chöd.

Lama Wangdu was born in the Dingri region of Tibet, an area associated with the mahasiddha Padampa Sangye, and the birthplace of the Third Karmapa Rangjung Dorje. He completed the traditional training in Tibet with his guru, Nadrag Rinpoche. He was sent on pilgrimage to Nepal in 1957. He eventually settled in Kathmandu, where he has lived in the Tibetan refugee camp in Jawalakehl for many years.

Lama Wangdu practices in the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, particularly the Longchen Nyingthig cycle of teachings, and is an accomplished practitioner of Chöd. He has studied, practiced and received initiations from teachers in all four schools of Tibetan Buddhism, and many of the most respected members of the Nyingma school: Chatral Rinpoche, Dodrupchen Rinpoche, Dudjom Rinpoche, Penor Rinpoche, and the late Urgyen Tulku Rinpoche.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama recently requested Lama Wangdu to open a monastery in Kathmandu to train practitioners in Chöd. Work is underway, and Lama Wangdu will open the monastery when he returns to Kathmandu early next year.

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