Karma Thegsum Choling [Santa Monica]

A Center for Tibetan Buddhist Teachings

We are a tax-exempt charitable organization (501c.3)  IRS  id # 68-0647707

Calender of events    Email list    Lama visits   Life Release Ceremonies   FAQ

"Karma Thesgum Choling" is Tibetan and translates as: "A Place for the study of the Three Vehicles of Buddhism, of the Karma Kagyu Tradition."

Visit us on the Santa Monica Tibetan Buddhist Meetup page here.

The Karma Thegsum Choling of Santa Monica is a Tibetan Buddhist center, offering practical meditation instruction and practice and reading / discussion of books written or transcribed by the masters of the Tibetan Buddhist (Mahayana) teachings.

We are an affiliate of 'KTD' which is under the spiritual guidance of Venerable Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche, who resides at 'KTD' Karma Triyana Dharmachakra. Information regarding the monastery in New York can be found at www.kagyu.org and on our main teacher here.

The whole thrust of The Dharma (Buddha's teachings) is to master the mind. If you master the mind, you will have mastery over body and speech as well. But if you leave your mind full of its intrinsic underlying emotions then however perfect the actions of your body and speech, your progress on the spiritual path will be limited.  

Sessions are arranged so that most evenings will be basic meditation practices and reading/discussion of a complete chapter-subject or article to accommodate individuals who cannot necessarily attend every week. Bring your meditation pillow, if you have one, if not, there are plenty of chairs and floor mats.

Calendar of Events:

Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism and meditation group.
No fee. Contact us for times and location in Santa Monica.

For over four years now we have offered a weekly ongoing (intermediate) Tibetan Buddhism and Meditation Practice group. Contact us for information and location in Santa Monica. No fee.

UPCOMING Events and Lama Visits

Lama visits this year

FISH RELEASES
Occassionally, we go to Marina Del Rey for Fish Release ceremonies, for more info, call us or join our email list. For more info on this ceremony, do a web search or go here.

Buddha Relics Exhibit
For times and locations of this incredible exhibit, go here.

Email list

Prior Lama Visits and Events

February 15, 2007
Santa Monica KTC co-sponsored His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche, with over 100 attendees, for many it was their first dharma event.  For more info go here

The Venerable 3rd Bardor Tulku Rinpcohe
Date: Feb. 10th, 11th, 12th 2006
For more info about Bardor Tulku, please visit here.

August, 2005
Lama Kathy Wesley, for more info about Lama Kathy, go to here or here

February 4 - 6, 2005
Santa Monica KKSG sponsored the renowned Buddha relics tour on February 4 – 6 2005 in Santa Monica. For more info, go to here.

November 6, 7, 2004
On November 6th and 7th teachings with Thrangu Rinpoche of the Karma Kagyu lineage took place in Santa Monica, hosted by the Vajra Vidya group.

March 2004
The Venerable 3rd Bardor Tulku Rinpoche
He will teach on the ’37 Practices of a Bodhisattva, offer Refuge and also the Chenrezig Lord of Compassion empowerment. Translation by Lama Yeshe.

October 2003
Tsewang Rinpoche
Spoke on his assisting the 17th Karmapa’s escape from Tibet, translated by Michele Martin. For more info on this, go to here.

Recommended readings, by Masters of the Karma Kagyu Lineage

Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism
www.kagyu.org/kagyulineage/buddhism/int/int00.php

The Importance of Meditation
www.kagyu.org/kagyulineage/buddhism/tam/tam00.php

The Karma Kagyu Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism
http://www.kagyu.org/kagyulineage/lineage/index.php

His Holiness, the 17th Karmapa
www.kagyu.org/kagyulineage/karmapa/index.php

FAQ

Who was Buddha?
Among the founders of religions, the Buddha (if we are permitted to call him the founder of a religion in the popular sense of the term) was only a teacher who did not claim to be other than a human being, pure and simple. The Buddha attributed all his realization, attainments and achievements to human endeavor. If the Buddha is to be called a ‘savior’ at all, it is only in the sense that he discovered and showed the Path to Liberation and the end of suffering. But we must tread The Path ourselves. The Buddha said he never wanted to control his students, nor did he want his students to depend on him. This freedom of thought allowed by the Buddha is unheard of elsewhere in the history of religions. There are no articles of faith in Buddhism either. To force oneself to believe and to accept a thing without understanding is ‘political’, and not spiritual or intellectual or experiential. Not only the freedom of thought, but also the tolerance allowed by the Buddha is astonishing to the student of the history of religions. This spirit of tolerance and understanding has been from the beginning one of the most cherished ideals of Buddhist culture and civilization. That is why there is not one single example of persecution or the shedding of a drop of blood in converting people to Buddhism for 2,500 years. -- Excerpts from Dr. Rahula

Is Buddhism a Religion or a Philosophy?
It doesn’t matter what you call it. Buddhism remains what it is, whatever label you put on it. The label is immaterial. Even the label ‘Buddhism’ which we give to the teaching of the Buddha, is of little importance.
The truth needs no label. -- Excerpts from Dr. Rahula

Is there a God?
Buddhism takes a very straightforward look at our human condition; nothing is based on wishful thinking, at all. Everything that the Buddha taught was based on his own observation of the way things are. Everything that he taught can be verified by our own observation of the way things are. Buddhism is not agnosticism or atheism. Buddha did not deny God. He only said: "Do not bother about questions like: 'Is there a God?'’ 'Do I exist?' ‘Is life eternal?’‘ “Is there a Soul?” Was there a place called Atlantis?’ ‘When will the world end?’ Do not waste your time and energy in useless discussions. Purify your heart; Control the mind; Lead a virtuous life; you will attain Nirvana or complete freedom from suffering."

Buddha insisted upon the inexorable Law of Cause and Effect. He said to the people that they lived in a world in which causes always produce their natural and necessary effects and that the consequences of their conduct would, therefore, follow them wherever they went. He said that virtue has its own reward and vice its own punishment and that whatever is done inevitably reacts on the character and through the character affects the destiny of the Soul. Buddhism is a way, and not a creed. It is a strategy of spiritual development, and not a set of doctrines. The immediate great problem for Buddha was suffering and the annihilation of suffering. - anonymous

What is ‘The Dharma’?
“The ‘Buddha-dharma’, is a path that frees one from disturbing emotions and fundamental ignorance. This dharma leads us towards the fruition of independence, the fruition of the state of complete freedom, the state of fearlessness, even going beyond our subtle fears. We can say that Buddha dharma is not a religion. It's a science, a pure and genuine philosophy of humanity and science that works with the two sides of our mind, the negative aspect and the positive aspect. This path of Buddha dharma is totally free from any theistic view and is totally free from any shape or color. It's like pure water; it has no shape, it has no color. Depending on the container that we pour the water into, the water adopts that shape”. --Excerpts from Ponlop Rinpoche

Why study/practice Dharma?
“No one is ill intentioned to himself. People never think to themselves how nice it would be to get sick, nor do they long to be crippled and poor. What they think is how much they want to be happy, and what a pleasure it would be to be rich and comfortable. But where do these ideas come from? They come from the belief in an “I”. It is because of this deeply rooted belief that we are preoccupied with our own happiness. In this frame of mind, we will never be satisfied. Even if we were crowned emperor of the whole universe, or won the so-called ‘lotto’; we would still want more power, wealth and pleasure.

Although we love ourselves so dearly we have no idea at all where to find real happiness. We search for happiness in pleasure, fame, wealth and at the most, all our strenuous exertions may produce a few moments of enjoyment – a small result from such a huge amount of effort. For the most part, what our family and friends see as worthwhile – though with the best of intentions – is only to accumulate more wealth, how to out-compete others and to protect their own interests; they pursue these values perpetually, their thoughts a continual stream of attachment, hopes, frustrations, anxieties and disappointments.

If you carefully examine the state of affairs in the world today where greed, violence, thirst for fame and pervasive suffering of all kinds abound, it will become clear to you just how empty and meaningless all the frenetic activity is. You will feel more and more certain that spiritual practice, such as Buddha-Dharma is a worthwhile pursuit.”
- Excerpts from Dilgo Khyentse

Is Desire Bad?
"Desire can be compared to fire. If we grasp fire, what happens? Does it lead to happiness? If we say: 'Oh, look at that beautiful fire! Look at the beautiful colors! I love red and orange; they're my favorite colors,' and then grasp it, we would find a certain amount of suffering entering the body. And then if we were to contemplate the cause of that suffering we would discover it was the result of having grasped that fire. On that information, we would hopefully, then let the fire go. Once we let fire go then we know that it is something not to be attached to. This does not mean we have to hate it, or extinguish it or walk away from it. We can enjoy fire, can't we? It's nice having a fire, it keeps the room warm, nice to look at, but we do not have to burn ourselves in it." Similarly, unbeknownst to us, many of our wants, desires, wishes and grasping at (car, job, relationship, vacation, etc) eventually ‘burn’ us in a way, either mentally or emotionally -- anonymous

“In my mind, freedom from desire would take the fun out of life. Years later I would realize that the Buddha never intended to make desire the problem. When Buddha said craving causes suffering, he was referring not to our natural inclinations to have wants and needs, but to our habit of clinging to experience that must, by nature, be impermanent and change come to an end. On my way to understanding that, I've stumbled around, fallen down and repeatedly found myself deluded and entangled. Desire has sometimes taken over me like autopilot; and at other times I have battled firmly, hardening myself against its strength. Eventually I would find that relating wisely to the powerful and pervasive energy of desire is a pathway into unconditional compassion. -- Tara Brach, Ph.D

Do Buddhists worship statues?
Many people think Buddhists worship statues and pictures. This is a misconception, they do not worship them at all. Statues and pictures are utilized as symbols of the truth just as Christians use the cross as their symbol of faith. We live on the planet Earth, but we are not able to see the whole planet at once. To understand where we live, we use a globe, a map, pictures, photographs, etc. These items are not the real planet Earth, but by using them to expand our awareness, we are able to understand the truth more effectively. In the same light, statues, pictures, symbols, are used to understand the truth or law of cause and effect.

Buddhism teaches how to be awakened to the truth by observing it. It is not possible to fully explain the planet Earth with words, it is easier and faster to understand the planet by looking at a globe rather than listening to a verbal explanation. Observation is a very important practice and key to realizing the truth in science and technology study. You should use your five senses to observe the truth and you should contemplate it until you understand it. Symbols are very useful factors for this process.

Often it is asked why we bow or make prostrations in front of symbols. Prostrations are not a form of worship, rather it is a common practice in Asian countries to show appreciation or respect to others. We show our appreciation or humbleness by prostrating ourselves before observing a practice. Imagine that your friend thanks you with an arrogant attitude, do you really feel a sense of gratitude from him? We should be humble before we practice the teachings of Buddha. Showing appreciation is the beginning of the practice in Buddhism.

Why doesn't Buddhism believe in creation?
Buddhism does not believe in creation because the Buddhist teachings are based on the law of cause and effect. Everything in this world is changing. If you leave a cup of water on the table for a while, the water will evaporate. This happens due to the law of cause and effect. Water evaporates or turns into ice depending upon certain conditions. When there is a cetain amount of water in the cup, the same amount will be in the air after it evaporates. Water changes its form, but its basic element remains the same. There is a law in nature that allows water to change its form, and there are many conditions that affect the form, such as temperature, pressure, amount, passage of time, etc. Without meeting nature's law and conditions, a cup of water cannot evaporate.

Is there an answer to this question, "When was this water born and when will it die?" It’s more complex than that. We cannot create something from nothing. If there is no hydrogen and oxygen in this world, we cannot see, use or drink water let alone exist as this life form. There is always a cause of existence and effect of changing forms. It is hard to believe that this world was created from nothing. Some scientists say that the Big Bang was the beginning of the universe. If there was a Big Bang, there was a cause and effect for the Big Bang to occur. The Big Bang could not take place from nothing.

What is Karma?
After something happens to you, someone might in an offhanded way say, "It is your Karma." You may think that Karma is a misfortune or something bad. Actually, it is energy created by your actions of body, speech and mind. This world has a law of cause and effect and there is always a cause for something to occur. Karma is an energy or cause to produce an effect in the future. Karma is not something good or bad, but depending upon how you process the situation physically and spiritually, the result can be different. Remember, that if something wonderful happens to you, it also is a result of karma.

For example, when two persons commit the same action, the Karma created by that action is different for each one if their mind or intention behind the action is different. For example, two people catch a fish: one catches fish for fun only while the other catches fish for survival. Do you think the intentions of the two are the same? Karma is created by actions of body, speech and mind, therefore, if the mind behind the action is different, you create different energies or causes. This energy or cause will affect you in some way in the future. All of our volitions, intentions, dreams, actions are producing karma whether we know it or not. When you throw a ball to a wall, it comes back as hard as you throw it. Every branch of science understands that for every action (biological, chemical, physical, psychological, etc) there is an equal or opposite reaction. In the same light, the Karma or energy we create is invisible yet it comes back to us sooner or later in some way when the proper conditions are present. Facing difficulties of all kinds is a good opportunity for us to cleanse our Karma. Things occur because of past actions, hence, there is a reason we face difficult situations. When we learn some good lessons through our experiences, we will not suffer the same difficulties again. Because we learned a lesson we know how to better deal with the same problem. If we run away from a difficult situation, or do not learn the lesson, the situation will either continue or come back with greater force later on. This is a law of nature.

Buddhists talk a lot about compassion, how is this different from Love?
Love is a strong energy we create inside. Love is a giving energy, we give materials, comfort, heart, etc. to someone we love. Without this energy, maintaining a good relationship is difficult. When we love a particular person so much, we want that person to love us back with the same intensity, this can create problems. When this imbalance gets bigger, we face many problems. Incidents like arguments, fights, abuse, crimes and murders often occur from this starving or selfish energy. Jesus Christ taught his followers to practice Love. "Love your neighbors" and "Love your enemies" are well known. He did not tell his followers to love particular persons, rather he taught them to love everyone equally, not to discriminate neighbors or enemies. This Love is different from a personal Love. This is God's Love or unconditional Love.

Buddhist teaching emphasizes not to love (in the traditional sense) because love is an attachment and becomes a cause of suffering. Buddhism tells us to be compassionate to all beings. Most parents love their children and they are ready to sacrifice themselves when a danger threatens their children. Even if your child hates you, you try to protect him or her from a danger. Understanding the situation well, loving without attachment and not expecting any return is called compassion in Buddhism. It is different from personal love but very similar to unconditional Love. Ps: If your spouse whispers to you, "I love you the same as I love all other people," how would you react? probably in a selfish way.

Are Buddhists supposed to be vegetarians?
The First Precept admonishes Buddhists to refrain from killing, but meat eating is not regarded as an instance of killing, and it is not forbidden in the scriptures. As recorded in the Pali scriptures, the Buddha did not prohibit consumption of meat, even by monks. In modern Theravada societies, someone who adheres to vegetarianism to impress others with his superior notions of spirituality may be committing an infringement of the monastic rules. The issue of meat eating raises difficult ethical questions. Isn't the meat in a supermarket or restaurant killed "for" us? Doesn't meat eating entail killing by proxy? Few of us are in a position to judge meat eaters or anyone else for "killing by proxy." Being part of the world economy entails "killing by proxy" in every act of consumption. The electricity that runs our computers comes from facilities that harm the environment. Books of Buddhist scriptures are printed on paper produced by an industry that destroys wildlife habitat. Worms, insects, rodents and other animals are routinely killed en masse in the course of producing a vegetarian diet. It is impossible for most of us to free ourselves from this web; we can only strive to be mindful of entanglement in it. One way to do so is to reflect on how the suffering and death of sentient beings contributes to our comfort. This may help us to be less inclined to consume out of mere greed. All of that having been said, it cannot be denied that the economic machine that produces meat also creates fear and suffering for a large number of animals. It is useful to bear this in mind even if one consumes meat, to resist developing a habit of callousness. Many Buddhists do practice vegetarianism as a means of cultivating compassion

Good qualities like understanding, patience, generosity and honesty and bad qualities like ignorance, pride, hypocrisy, jealousy and indifference do not depend on what one eats and therefore diet is not a significant factor in spiritual development. Some will accept one point of view and some another. Each person has to make up his or her own mind. But for your own sake, do not become attached to the view that there is something spiritually wholesome about being a vegetarian. Also, it would certainly not be wise to think oneself superior due to one's choice of food. Furthermore, it would be improper to impose such spiritually superior view on others.
-- Excerpts From John Kahila; Ven. S. Dhammika; Samanera Kumara Liew

Buddhists talk about how important compassion is, yet they sit and meditate, shouldn’t they go out and help people instead?
If you don’t sit, you won’t develop mindfulness or awareness. If you lack mindfulness and awareness, how can you be of true benefit to others? Meditation begins the process of expressing our loving kindness, compassion and gentleness for oneself and then for others. This is considered ‘passive compassion’. It may not be active physically, but being peaceful and calm is the beginning for extending our compassion outwardly towards others.
-- Experts from Ponlop RInpoche

What meditation uncovers or reveals is the inherent lucidity that is what your mind is, fundamentally, and this lucidity is your basic intelligence. As it is revealed, and as it intensifies, your innate wisdom, in a practical sense, increases. – Thrangu Rinpoche

We serve the areas of:
Santa Monica, Venice, Marina Del Rey, Playa Del Rey, Pacific Palisades, Topanga, Malibu, Brentwood, Bel Air, Beverly Hills, Westchester, Palms, Culver City, Inglewood, West Hollywood, Hollywood, Rancho Park, West Los Angeles.

Other topics of interest, Tantra, mantra, yoga, meditation, dakinis, hinayana, mahayana, vajrayana.