20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission: Difference between revisions
From Tsadra Foundation Advanced Contemplative Scholarships
20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission
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|otherlanguage2=English | |otherlanguage2=English | ||
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command | |otherlanguage2Prof=Native command | ||
|introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around 6 years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginners Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. A little over 5 years ago I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both | |introbuddhism=I first began reading books on Buddhism and learning to meditate around 6 years ago. I started with texts like the Dhammapada and some Theravadan sutras, Zen Mind, Beginners Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. A little over 5 years ago I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and then attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were helpful both in further developing the routine of a daily meditation practice and meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good fortune to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre, taught by a couple of senior western students. This class had a big effect on me, as although I had been drawn to the the Buddhadharma for some years, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; the atmosphere just felt different. Learning tonglen there felt like a huge relief; to find out that there are such compassionate practices and ways to train your mind was mind blowing. A little over 3 years ago I began to frequent the Palyul Pema Mani Centre here in Toronto. Our resident teacher is Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and, in my time, we have also been very lucky to have had visits from esteemed Lamas such as Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso and Khenpo Kunzang Dechen. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practices (tsog, Guru yoga green Tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for Phowa and Nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended 1 month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY under the tutelage of Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche (empowerments, heart teachings and vows), Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso (heart teachings and vows), Luphug Tulku (Ngondro) and Khenpo Tenzin Norgay (Tsa lung and Khorde Rushen) with the additional indispensable guidance of class Lamas, Lama Pasang (Ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (Tsa Lung | ||
) and Lama Tsultrim (Khorde Rushen.) All of these wonderful Rinpoches, Khenpos and Lamas were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche. Without any doubt, coming into contact with Palyul and being able to practice in this lineage has been the best thing to happen to me in this life. I think that being given the gift of Vajrayana teaching and practice is beyond all reckoning, it's like being given a new life. | |||
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche. | |refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche. | ||
|formalvows=Yes | |formalvows=Yes | ||
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|advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the 4 sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion and the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great resource, clarifying and illuminating many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the Dharma with Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible, clear and profound explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials. | |advstudiesprogsdetails=I'm not sure if this counts, but since last September, I've been taking self paced courses on Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's Vajrayana online platform and have completed courses on the view of the 4 sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion and the Bodhicaryavatara. These courses have been a great resource, clarifying and illuminating many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the Dharma with Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible, clear and profound explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials. | ||
|ynofferedservices=Yes | |ynofferedservices=Yes | ||
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche's birthday in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first month long retreat at upstate NY. | |offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the Toronto Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche's birthday in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first month long retreat at upstate NY. | ||
|retreatduration=3 years | |retreatduration=3 years | ||
|StartFunding=2027-01-01 | |StartFunding=2027-01-01 | ||
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|letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of practice and exposure to the dharma with limited understanding can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can truly be of benefit and use to others in a vast way. I believe the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction. | |letterofmotivation=I have seen for myself that even a small amount of practice and exposure to the dharma with limited understanding can bring great benefit and meaning to life and this gives me confidence that through the Mahayana path one can truly be of benefit and use to others in a vast way. I believe the opportunity to take part in this retreat would be a great help in going in this direction. | ||
While even one month in retreat first sounded daunting, and like something only for the highly evolved, doing these summer retreats at upstate NY and practicing at home | While even one month in retreat first sounded daunting, and like something only for the highly evolved, doing these summer retreats at upstate NY and practicing at home gradually instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the traditional three-year retreat. I've felt frustrated by the way that you would only really start to get used to it by the end of the month, and then its time to leave! I talked with my teacher, Tulku Dawa Rinpoche, about it a couple of times and he has been supportive of my aspirations. At the end of September 2025 we did a week-long retreat for Tara practice at Orgyan Osal Cho Dzong, located in an isolated area of eastern Ontario. From the limited practice that I have done, I've sometimes felt as if I was finally becoming slightly aware of beginning less delusion as the driving force of one's mental projections and suffering. Somehow during this short time, more than ever, this experience felt vivid. A few days after getting home, for some reason I felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. I had heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was doing one for Westerners in France and decided to get in touch with the coordinator there who sent me an information package. While mulling this over and listening to some of Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion and felt a great longing to study and practice under the guidance of this genuine master. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing dharma in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the samsaric state of delusion in which I find myself. | ||
I spent a week over the new years holiday at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first 3 year retreat that had been done there. This was a super inspiring experience and further cemented my committment to take part. Aside from the inspiration and faith I felt in Rinpoche's presence and from his teachings, it was really cool to meet some of participants of the first group and this definitely made me feel more confident of my plans. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave us a talk on the 3 year retreat and said on the subject of expectations that, if by the end of retreat we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since. | I spent a week over the new years holiday at Gomde Pyrenees while Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was visiting to open up the then just finishing first 3 year retreat that had been done there. This was a super inspiring experience and further cemented my committment to take part. Aside from the inspiration and faith I felt in Rinpoche's presence and from his teachings, it was really cool to meet some of participants of the first group and this definitely made me feel more confident of my plans. Drupbon Lama Tenzin gave us a talk on the 3 year retreat and said on the subject of expectations that, if by the end of retreat we're not realized, there's no need to feel bad; we will know how to practice dharma and be on the path and that's enough. I've kept this in my heart since. | ||
Revision as of 14:02, 16 March 2026
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