20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission: Difference between revisions
From Tsadra Foundation Advanced Contemplative Scholarships
20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission
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{{SavedApplication | {{SavedApplication | ||
| | |status=FirstSave | ||
|Submissiondate=2026-03-7 | |Submissiondate=2026-03-7 | ||
|Submissionyear=2026 | |Submissionyear=2026 | ||
| Line 15: | Line 15: | ||
|telephone=6478556323 | |telephone=6478556323 | ||
| | |retreattype=Three-year retreat | ||
|center=Rangjung Yeshe Gomde Pyrenees | |||
|centerstreet=Mas can pere courreu departmentale route 13 | |||
|centercity=La bastide | |||
|centerpostalcode=66110 | |||
|centercountry=France | |||
|startdate=2026-06-01 | |||
|enddate=2029-12-31 | |||
|retreatmaster=Drupon Lama Tenzin | |||
|retreatadministrator=Mikk Tamme | |||
|retreatliaison=Mikk Tamme | |||
|cvedu=Oakwood Collegiate Institute/Subway Academy 2, High School Graduate 2010 | |||
Toronto Ontario | |||
|cvwork=BBB Architects September 2022 - current. Office maintenance | |||
Palmerston Painters | |||
February 2019- April 2020 House painter | |||
Horseshoe Hill Construction | |||
November 2018- December 2019 | |||
Laborour | |||
|studiedtibetan=No | |||
|spokentibcomprehension=None | |||
|writtentibcomprehension=None | |||
|tibetanrequiredforretreat=Not required | |||
|tibetanretreatparts=My understanding is that our practice texts will be in Tibetan with English translations, and that the teachings will be given probably largely in Tibetan but always with English translation. | |||
|otherlanguage1=French | |||
|otherlanguage1Prof=Basic communication skills | |||
|otherlanguage2=English | |||
|otherlanguage2Prof=Native command | |||
|introbuddhism=I first began reading and studying books on Buddhism about 6 years ago, starting with texts like the Dhammapada, Zen Mind, Beginners Mind, Robert Thurman's Essential Tibetan Buddhism and a bit later a couple of books by Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. Around 5 years ago I went to a couple of meditation classes at a New Kadampa centre and attended a meditation course at a local yoga centre. These classes were very helpful in developing the routine of a daily personal practice. In 2022, I was fortunate to attend a few months of a shamatha class at the Toronto Karma Kagyu centre. This had a big effect on me, as although I had been gradually more and more drawn to the spiritual path in general and the Buddhadharma specifically for some years, there was something particularly powerful about way meditation was taught there. It just felt different. A little over 3 years ago I began to frequent the Palyul Nyingma centre here in Toronto, which is the lineage I have been training in ever since. | |||
|refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche. | |||
|formalvows=Yes | |||
|formalvowsdetails=In July 2023 I took Refuge, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana vows with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche. | |||
|ngondrocomplete=Yes | |||
|ngondro1=Namcho Ngondro | |||
|ngondro1begin=2023-07-16 | |||
|ngondro1end=2025-06-30 | |||
|ngondro2=Refuge/Bodhicitta | |||
|ngondro2begin=2023-07-16 | |||
|ngondro2end=2024-03-15 | |||
|ngondro3=Mandala | |||
|ngondro3begin=2024-03-15 | |||
|ngondro3end=2024-05-31 | |||
|ngondro4=Vajrasattva | |||
|ngondro4begin=2024-06-01 | |||
|ngondro4end=2025-04-01 | |||
|ngondro5=Guru Yoga | |||
|ngondro5begin=2025-04-01 | |||
|ngondro5end=2025-06-30 | |||
|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, receiving these profound Ngondro teachings in retreat and then completing the accumulations at home has been a life changing experience. Gradually, I gained a more deeply felt confidence in the truth and validity of the teachings, their great relevance to my life, and perhaps some small sense of the vast implications of path of dharma for all beings. On the other hand, I went to various inner and outer challenges during this time, and often felt quite muddled. Looking forward to the opportunity to come at these practices fresh in the 3 year retreat; I feel in a funny way a little more ready for them now. Completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers. | |||
|previousretreatscomplete=Yes | |||
|previousretreatsdetails=For the past three summers I have attended month long retreats at the Palyul retreat centre in upstate NY for Ngondro(2023), Tsa Lung (2024) and Khorde Rushen (2025.) | |||
|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. These have been very helpful and I have completed courses on the view of the 4 sutra schools, Jamgon Kongtrul's text Creation and Completion and the Bodhicaryavatara. | |||
|ynofferedservices=No | |||
|offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, only helping out as a regular at the Palyul dharma centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc. | |||
|retreatduration=3 years | |||
|StartFunding=2027-01-01 | |||
|EndFunding=2029-12-31 | |||
|costestimateCurrency=USD | |||
|costestimate=32 250 | |||
|requestedamountCurrency=USD | |||
|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. | |||
A few years ago I had the good fortune to make a connection to the Palyul lineage through their center in Toronto, and for the past three summers I've been attending month-long retreats at their center in upstate NY for ngondro, Tsa lung and Khorde rushen. While a month in retreat first sounded daunting, and like something only for the highly evolved, I have come to the conclusion that anyone can practice the dharma in meaningful way. Doing these retreats, practicing at home and studying with increased inspiration quickly instilled in me an aspiration to take part in the three-year retreats that I had heard about. I talked with my teacher from the Toronto center, Tulku Dawa Rinpoche, a couple of times about it in a general way and he was supportive of my aspirations. At the end of this September, 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 have sometimes felt as if I was finally becoming slightly aware of beginningless delusion as the driving force of one's mental projections and suffering, and somehow during this short retreat, more than ever, this experience felt vivid. A few days after retreat, I somehow felt that now was the time to research the possibility of a three-year retreat more earnestly. As far as I know, Palyul is not set up at this point for these retreats in the West so I started by doing some research online. I knew that I would want to continue practicing in the Nyingma tradition and had heard that Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche was doing a retreat for Westerners in France. I got in touch with the coordinator there who sent me an information package. While mulling this over and listening to Rinpoche's teachings online, I felt deeply inspired by his clear explanations and evident compassion and felt a great longing to take part in this retreat under the guidance of this genuine master. Before formally applying, I spoke to Tulku Dawa Rinpoche and he encouraged me to go ahead and kindly wrote a letter of recommendation. Bearing in mind the four thoughts, refuge/bodhicitta and the great force of habitual tendency, I believe practicing in long-term retreat to be the ideal way to work with the samsaric state of delusion in which I find myself. | |||
}} | }} | ||
Revision as of 15:25, 7 March 2026
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