Asia Travelog: December 2024

Venerable Damcho sent this update about Venerable Chodron’s travels in Asia. You can see photos from these teachings here.

The videos for some teachings are not uploaded yet, but audio files are available on ThubtenChodron.org. Check back later for the videos.

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On November 23, Vens. Chodron, Damcho, and Konchog headed to Seattle and then on to Taiwan, prior to arriving in Singapore for Ven. Chodron’s annual teaching tour. (See photos from the first leg here.)

Earlier this year, Ven. Chodron was invited by a fellow preceptor at the full ordination at Fo En Si Temple to visit monasteries in the south of Taiwan. She gladly accepted the invitation and as mentioned in the last eNews, the Abbey monastics took the opportunity to pay respect to some of our Vinaya teachers in Taiwan as well.

Taiwanese Tibetan Connections

They were hosted very warmly throughout their time in Taiwan and visited a number of temples around Pingtung County in south Taiwan. Most remarkable was the Qingliang Mountain Nation-Protecting Miaocong Temple located in Liujia District, founded by abbess Venerable Hong’an who practices in both the Chinese and Tibetan traditions.

The temple has numerous magnificent halls filled with Buddhist artwork from both Tibetan and Chinese Buddhism, truly resembling a pure land on earth. Ven. Chodron and the abbess had a real meeting of minds when they discussed bodhicitta.

Photos from Qingliang Mountain Nation-Protecting Miaocong Temple

This is just a small sample of the incredible holy objects—representations from both the Chinese and Tibetan traditions—at this Temple.

Make sure to click the photo for a bigger view!

The Abbey monastics also visited the Gosok Tsechen Khunpen Monastery established by Jangtse Choje Kyabje Gosok Rinpoche where they were warmly welcomed by the lay community. The resident Tibetan geshes were not present as they were all in Taipei to welcome Yangten Rinpoche who was there to participate in conferences on Buddhism and psychology. Fortunately, the Abbey monastics also had the opportunity to visit with Yangten Rinpoche in Taipei before flying to Singapore.

Singapore

Shortly after arriving on December 2, the Abbey monastics visited Pu Ti Buddhist Temple that was in the middle of a program offering refuge, lay precepts, and bodhisattva precepts to hundreds of laypeople. Held once every six years, the program involved preceptors from Taiwan, including Venerable Xiuxun who was the head bhikshuni guide at the full ordination at Fo En Si Temple in the spring. Vens. Chodron and Damcho were happy to reconnect with this 82-year-old nun who has a wealth of experience organizing precept transmission ceremonies.

Ven. Chodron then had a full schedule of public talks at different Buddhist centers in Singapore, which included:

• The Four Foundations of Mindfulness at Tibetan Buddhist Centre
• The Three Principal Aspects of the Path at the Buddhist Library
• The 37 Practices of Bodhisattvas at Poh Ming Tse Temple
• Prayer to be Reborn in the Land of Bliss at Vimalakirti Buddhist Centre
• Competition vs. Contentment at Singapore Buddhist Mission
• The Power of Gratitude and Cultivating Gratitude hosted by the Singapore Buddhist Mission and the National University of Singapore Buddhist Society
• Sutta on a Lump of Foam at the Buddhist Fellowship

Ven. Chodron also gave a series of teachings on the theme of compassion at Amitabha Buddhist Centre:

• She offered a talk on Cultivating Compassion and Letting Go of Anger at Amitabha Buddhist Centre followed by a discussion on compassion with Q&A.
• She gave an Introduction to Chenrezig Practice that led to a rich discussion about lying with Q&A.
• She gave a public talk on Compassion: What It Is, What it Isn’t based on an article she presented at the Global Buddhist Conference in Bodh Gaya in 2023, which you can read here.
• She also gave a commentary on the first two verses of Chandrakirti’s “Homage to Great Compassion” that she finished teaching at the Vajrasattva Retreat held at Pureland Marketing. The recordings from the Vajrasattva Retreat and talks on Chapter 8 of Engaging in the Bodhisattva’s Deeds given at Pureland Marketing will be posted soon.

At all these talks, Ven. Konchog—who worked as a theatre technician before ordination—played a key role in helping with space set-up, ensuring Ven. Chodron’s voice was well-amplified, creating and running videos and slides, and recording the teachings for our archives.

Deep Dharma Connections

Amidst a busy public teaching schedule, Ven. Chodron found time on December 10, the anniversary of His Holiness the Dalai Lama receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, to give a virtual interview on Understanding the Dalai Lama facilitated by the Foundation for Universal Responsibility of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Ven. Chodron also kept up connections with the bhikshuni community at Pao Kwan Foh Tang Temple and old Dharma friends whom she has known since she first taught in Singapore in 1987-8. She also met new Dharma friends at a number of private gatherings, such as at this conversation on “Working with Compassion” with leadership coach Dr. Roslina Chai at 1880 Members Club. Serene, a participant in the dialogue shared her reflections here.

Ven. Chodron’s teachings in Singapore for 2024 concluded with a Friends of Sravasti Abbey Singapore (FOSAS) and Pureland Marketing volunteer gathering to celebrate the completion of The Library of Wisdom and Compassion series and the long-standing connection between Sravasti Abbey, FOSAS, and Pureland Marketing. Choon Fah, leader of the FOSAS, shared how this connection came about.

As with previous years, Ven. Damcho spoke at the My Little Gems Preschool Graduation Concert on Celebrating the Superwomen in Our Lives and visited the preschool to tell Buddhist stories to the little ones. She also had the opportunity to reconnect with the Singapore Management University’s Dhamma Circle by offering a talk on “Living with Integrity: An Ethical Lay Life” to the student group.

Remaining Talks

As His Holiness the Dalai Lama is not giving public teachings at the end of this year, the Abbey monastics will remain in Singapore.

Don’t miss Ven. Chodron’s first teachings of 2025 at Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery on Living in the Modern World with Love and Compassion on January 4 and a public talk on Facing Difficulties with Joy and Equanimity on January 5.