20260307173933-Zachary-Burgess-Submission: Difference between revisions

Browse history interactively

← Older edit Newer edit →

Revision as of 18:08, 27 March 2026

Your application is saved. Please login using the credentials sent to you by email to view this page.

@@ Line 31: / Line 31: @@
 Toronto Ontario
-|cvwork=BBB Architects
+|cvwork=BBB Architects September 2022 - current. Office maintenance
-Office maintenance
-September 2022 - current
 Palmerston Painters
-House painter
+February 2019- April 2020 House painter
-February 2019- April 2020
 Horseshoe Hill Construction
-Construction Labour
+November 2018- December 2019 Construction Labour
-November 2018- December 2019
 |studiedtibetan=No
 |spokentibcomprehension=None
@@ Line 51: / Line 47: @@
 |otherlanguage2=English
 |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, Beginner's 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 in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck 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 Buddhadharma for some time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few 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 fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (tsog, guru yoga, green tara etc) and leads yearly retreats for phowa and nyugne. For the past three summers, I've attended 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 indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdroling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
+|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, Beginner's 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 in meeting other spiritual seekers. In 2022, I had the good luck 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 time, there was something uniquely powerful about way meditation was taught there; it just felt different. Along with methods for shamatha, we were taught compassion practices like tonglen, which really blew me away and seemed to open things up in a new way. A few 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 fortunate to have had visits from from highly regarded teachers like Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso, Khenpo Kunzang Dechen and Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam Rinpoche. Tulku Dawa regularly gives both formal teachings and personal guidance, grants empowerments, leads us in regular group practice (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 indispensable guidance of beloved class lamas, Lama Pasang (ngondro), Lopbon Rabjee (tsa lung) and Lama Tsultrim (khorde rushen.) All of these wonderful teachers were trained at Namdrolling monastery under the guidance of renowned Dzogchen master Kyabje Pema Norbu Rinpoche.
 |refugehistory=In July of 2023 I took refuge with Gyang Khang Tulku Rinpoche.
 |formalvows=Yes
@@ Line 71: / Line 67: @@
 |ngondro5begin=2025-04-01
 |ngondro5end=2025-06-30
-|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand (not that I've really done much now). At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the 3 year retreat. Completed 400,000 Vajrasattva accumulations, as per the advice of one of my teachers.
+|ngondronotes=Although I'm not sure I did a very good job with these practices, I can honestly say that doing ngondro has changed my life. As I gradually went through the accumulations, I slowly gained a more deeply felt confidence in the validity of the Vajrayana path. Somehow, it seems like the preliminaries create the kind of circumstance where a new sort of faith in the three jewels, and thus yourself, can arise. On the other hand, I went through a lot of inner and outer challenges during this time and often felt super muddled. I also think it would have helped to have studied a little more beforehand. At any rate, I look forward to coming at these practices fresh during the 3 year retreat. 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.)
+|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.)
 |ynadvstudiesprogs=Yes
-|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 help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear 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 help, clarifying many tricky points and deepening my appreciation of the dharma with Mingyur Rinpoche's uniquely accessible and clear explanations and a rich array of supplementary course materials.
 |ynofferedservices=Yes
 |offeredservicesdetails=Not formally, so again unsure if this counts, only by helping out as a regular at the local Palyul centre and during retreats in general ways, such as cleaning, serving tea etc, offering a song at a birthday celebration for Yangsi Penor Rinpoche in Toronto and to the Sangha during my first retreat at upstate NY.