Advent of the Sakyapa Lineage in Australia

by Lama Choedak*

 

Although Australia is far away from Sakya, Bodh Nath and Rajpur, the influence of Sakya teachings in Australia has been growing rapidly. This is mainly because His Holiness Sakya Trizin visited Australia twice and taught both the common and uncommon Lamdre in 1988 and 1997 respectively. His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche and Jetsun Kusho-la visited Australia and gave many teachings. The following account of Sakya Dharma activities and centres in Australia has been prepared for the benefit of interested people around the world.

One of the first persons to assist with the spread of Sakya Teachings in the west is Peter Meyer. Peter came to Lumbini in the late 1970s and took ordination from His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche. He accompanied  Sakya Trizin's visit in Europe and did  a lot of good work as his visit secretary. It is also mainly Peter's enthusiasm in Dharma that made it possible for the advent of Sakya teachings in Singapore and Malaysia. In writing this article, I pay tribute to him who started my own interest in coming to the west.

In the early 1980s some students of His Holiness Sakya Trizin invited Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche to Australia. Dzongsar Khyentse was first invited visit to Sydney by Diana Bowen.

After working two years at Dorje Chang Institute in Auckland at the request of Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa, I was inspired to remain in the West and work for the Dharma. I arrived in Sydney in March 1985. I contacted Raymond and Marie Steiner, whom I had met in Rajpur in 1970s and at the Lamdre teachings in Puruwala in 1980/1981. Through them I also met Judy Sperling and Kevin Barnes. At the group's request I taught at Judy's house on Tuesdays. Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche subsequently named the group "Manjugosha Fellowship". He accepted to become the abbot of Vajradhara Gonpa. It was  established by a number of dedicated Buddhist students, especially Kathy Chodron and Joe Shields.

When I arrived in Australia, there were two Tibetan Lamas living in Sydney, Lama Trigyam and  Ghala Tulku. During my first year in Sydney, I taught courses on Buddhist meditation at the Buddhist library in China town and at the Kagyu Centre in Lindfield. I was invited by ACT Buddhist Society and conducted several residential courses in Canberra. A group of students in Canberra asked me to return to Canberra and be their teacher. In 1986, I gave the group  a name for the future centre, "Sakya Losal Choe Dzong" and commissioned three statues from India. I named the centre after Tsharchen Losal Gyatsho (1502-1566) as my tribute to His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche, the head of Tsharpa lineage.

Back in Sydney, Dzongsar Khyentse changed the group's name to "Buddhist Education Foundation" and engaged the group to invite many great teachers to Australia. I was appointed as one of its three directors.  The practice group in Sydney met weekly except when I had to travel to Malaysia and Singapore. In association with BEF the Tibetan community in Sydney staged a cultural show in Sydney Town Hall to raise funds for the visit of His Holiness Sakya Trizin. Thanks to many people who helped with this event. Tibetan Friendship Group, Australian Tibetan Society and the Tibetan community in Sydney helped the event. Because of the success of this event it inspired many of us involved to start Australia Tibet Council.

Between 1985-87 I taught in Sydney, Canberra, Wollongong, Melbourne and Adelaide. As an independent teacher, my visits were hosted by various Buddhist and non-Buddhist groups. Sakya Tenphel Ling invited me to Singapore to teach courses on Buddhism  for their young and dynamic members. I also taught at various cities in Malaysia hosted by Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia.

In 1987  Lamdre teachings was organised in Sakya College for foreigners and Tibetans. I led a group of students from Singapore. Kathy, Neil and Mike were among six Aussies at the Lamdre. Their attendance at the Lamdre at Sakya College proved to be important as they were to play key role for the Lamdre teachings in Australia in the following year. Lama Jamyang Lekshe, the then resident teacher of Sakya Tenphel Ling in Singapore made a flying visit to Australia in 1987. He met up with some BEF members and other students and gave some teachings. He apparently got a group together and called it "Sakya Centre" for which he later got  the name "Sakya Tharpa Ling" from HH Sakya Trizin.

In preparation for the Lamdre, Dzongsar Khyentse invited Gyalsay Tulku Rinpoche to reside at Vajradhara Gonpa. He arrived in Australia in May 1988 before Lamdre started and took the position as the resident teacher of Vajradhara Gonpa. At first I was surprised  to see the abbot of Nangchen Sakya monastery in Bir come to Australia, but was later happy for Australia. A graduate of Sakya College, Rinpoche has also served as a member of parliament in the Tibetan government in exile.

In 1988, His Holiness Sakya Trizin visited most cities in Australia. Vajradhara Gonpa hosted the Lamdre teachings and BEF hosted Vajrayogini initiation and teachings in Sydney.  His Holiness taught Lamdre Tsogshe in Vajradhara Gonpa, Kyogle. Most of the BEF people in Sydney attended Lamdre teachings. Gyalsay Tulku, Lama Lekshe, Lama Migmar Tseten and myself took turns to lead afternoon and evening sessions. In Canberra, His Holiness gave Manjushri initiation and conducted a special Lamdre lineage Guru puja where he endorsed "Sakya Losal Choe Dzong".

After Lamdre in Kyogle, my wife and I lived in Sydney for one year. I availed myself to lead all the weekly practice sessions at BEF-cum Sakya Tharpa Ling in Sydney. Kevin, Mike, Mal, Hugo and Bernadette were the pioneer residents at the centre. While residing at Vajradhara Gonpa as its resident teacher, Gyalsay Tulku Rinpoche visited most Australian cities including Darwin and sowed seeds of Dharma.

In early 1989, I moved to Canberra to do postgraduate study at the Australian National University and to take the position of the resident teacher of a centre which only had a name, three statues and couple of students. Natasha Dyer (Chozin) and Peter Rueter, who had both received Lamdre from His Holiness Sakya Trizin rented a house and turned their lounge into a small Gonpa. We had weekly Avalokiteshvara practices and Green Tara practice. I also taught a course on Nagarjuna's "Letter to a Friend" at Shakyamuni Buddhist Centre.

Subsequently BEF organised  Jetsun Kusho-la's visit in 1989 and Gyalwang Drukchen's in 1990, to Australia. Both Gyalsay Tulku  and myself acted as translators for  Jetsun Kusho-la and Gyalwang Drukchen, the head of Drukpa Kagyu. Kalu Rinpoche's visit  was scheduled  but unfortunatley he died. The visit of Jetsun Kusho-la consolidated the Sakya Losal Choe Dzong as many of the eager participants attended weekly and monthly sessions. She gave the uncommon White Tara initiation and teachings.

In the meantime the remoteness and sheer company of koalas and kangaroos at Vajradhara Gonpa did not suit Gyalsay Tulku Rinpoche. When he moved from Kyogle to Sydney, he discovered that BEF-cum Sakya Tharpa Ling in Sydney needed him to determine the identity of the centre.  Some students moved away from the centre to adopt the trendy Ri-may movement advocated by Dzongsar Khyentse, which in fact was a Nyingma group. While it was nice to see BEF inviting teachers from different lineages, except Geluk for some reason, it later became confusing to many students.  Discovering the change of events in Sydney, Dzongsar Kyentse abandoned the name BEF and changed the name of the group  to "Siddhartha's Intent".

Gyalsay Tulku Rinpoche repositioned himself in Sydney and commissioned a distinct logo for Sakya Tharpa Ling that hung on the centre's wall. He made it sure that there was no room for confusion as to which lineage  the centre belonged. Hence,  Sakya Tharpa Ling was born as a  legitimate Sakya centre only in 1991. Among many others, Jane Miknius, Serene Tan and Peter Green helped Gyalsay Tulku Rinpoche to establish the centre. Rinpoche was very popular as he was the only English speaking Tibetan teacher resident in Sydney. Reverend Bill Cruze became a very close friend. I enjoyed Gyalsay Tulku Rinpoche's presence in Sydney as he was co-operative and easy to deal with. As a result, Sakya Tharpa Ling in Sydney and Sakya Losal Choe Dzong in Canberra organised annual joint Sakya Ngondro retreats at venues conveniently located between the two cities. The two centres jointly invited the late abbot of Sakya College, Ven. Khenpo Migmar Tsering in 1993 to Australia. Gyalsay Tulku Rinpoche travelled with the Khenpo all over Australia and made a great effort for Dharma in Australia.

At the end of 1993, I led a pilgrimage group from Canberra to India. Gyalsay Tulku Rinpoche, who was invited to give a Medicine Buddha initiation in Canberra, suddenly passed away the next morning. I had to come back to Canberra from India to accompany his body to his monastery. His death was a great teaching and inspiration to many people involved. His Holiness Sakya Trizin quickly appointed Karma Lodoe as the resident teacher of Sakya Tharpa Ling, who was from then on to be known as "Lopon Ngawang Damchoe".

In 1996, His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche visited Australia at the invitation of Sakya Losal Choe Dzong with the entourage of ten monks and one nun. Rinpoche was very pleased to arrive at Sakya Losal Choe Dzong and insisted that he sleep in the centre. Rinpoche gave Chakrasamvara and Vajrapani initiation and teachings in Canberra and endorsed the establishment of "Rongton Buddhist Training College". He performed a Vajrapani fire Puja for the success of Sakya centres in Australia. An ongoing five year training programme that started since Rinpoche's visit dramatically increased the educational activities of the centre. The centre organises annual White Tara and a 10 day residential retreats on Calm Abiding Meditation. These popular retreats attract students from all over Australia and overseas.

Rinpoche also endorsed the Dharma group started by Bruce and Rae in Whyalla and spontaneously named it "Sakya Yigah Choe Ling" saying "how happy he was to be there", hence the name "Yigah". He was officially received by the Mayor there, who was deeply moved by  Rinpoche's presence. Rinpoche's visit to Australia added a great enthusiasm and inspiration to many in Australia. Lismore, one of the smaller towns he visited, had some six hundred people attending Medicine Buddha initiation.

In 1997, His Holiness Sakya Trizin visited Australia and gave Lamdre Lobshe teachings at Vajradhara Gonpa. He was accompanied by both Ratna Vajra and Jnana Vajra Rinpoche. Students from twenty countries attended the teachings. His visit took him to many cities in Australia. His Holiness gave Hevajra Cause initiation in Sydney and Canberra. Snow Lion Publications published Lama Dampa Sonam Gyaltshen's "Clear Mirror", translated into English by myself and Kunga Sangye (McComas Taylor). His Holiness launched the book at a special ceremony held at University House at ANU. In 1997, Sakya Losal Choe Dzong established its publishing arm "Gorum Publications", named after the famous Gorum library in Sakya, and published three of my books: (1) Theory and Practice of Calm Abiding Meditation; (2) Lamdre: Dawn of Enlightenment; and (3) Panchen Ngawang Choedak's Triple Tantra. Sakya Losal Choe Dzong publishes a bi-monthly 16 page newsletter called "Clear Mind".

From late 1996, following the successful visit of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Sakya Trizin, I began to travel and give teachings interstate on a regular basis. This has produced number of centres associated with Sakya Losal Choe Dzong and His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche in particular. These include: Chogye Tsechen Choe Dzong in Brisbane, Chogye Padma Choe Dzong in Hervey Bay, Sakya Dolma Choe Ling in Sydney, Chogye Jamchen Choe Dzong in Melbourne and several Rongton Study Groups including Adelaide. I visit these centres at least several times a year to conduct weekend retreat and teachings. All of these groups have regular weekly and fortnightly practice sessions and study groups connected with the distant education co-ordinated by Rongton Buddhist Training College in Canberra. There are about sixteen study groups in Australia who are taking part in our distant education programme. Most of them are incorporated and registered organisations.

Other Sakya teachers who visited Australia include Dungyu Tulku and Aenpo Kyabgon. Although, Dzongsar Khyentse makes frequent visit to Australia, we haven't succeeded in hosting his visit. He apparently said in an interview that it was a karmic mistake for him to be recognised as a Sakya teacher. Our centre has also hosted visits of teachers including Geshe Yama Tseten, Kirti Tulku Rinpoche, Gyalwang Drukchen, Traleg Rinpoche, Lama Samten and Nechung Kuten.

In 1998, Rongton Buddhist College sponsored a teaching tour of the Venerable Khenpo Migmar Tsering. At Rongton College, he taught the complete text of Chandrakirti's Madhyamakavatara on the basis of Gorampa's outline. Khenpo visited most of the above centres and he was dearly loved and respected by all those who met him.

Over the last several years, texts studied at the Rongton Buddhist College include Aryadeva's Four Hundred Verses and its commentary by Rendawa Shonu Lodro and  Maitreya's Uttaratantra and its commentaries by Asanga and Rongton Sheja Kunrig. These are two texts that I have studied thoroughly with the late Khenpo Khedrup and Geshe Sherab Woser. Half a dozen of students attend weekly classes on classical and spoken Tibetan language. Rongton College students attend weekly classes, monthly workshops and annual retreats. Numbers of students have done and are doing long traditional retreats including Ngondro. Over 2500 audio tapes of teachings are in the process of being transcribed and edited for future publication.

Pauline Westwood transcribed the entire Lamdre Lobshe teachings at Kyogle and has begun  to transcribe Khenpo Migmar's teachings on Madhyamikavatara. Number of other people are engaged in transcription of teachings to produce books in the future.

Among others, units offered at Rongton College include "Life of the Buddha", "Early Indian Buddhism", "Rise of Mahayana Buddhism" and "Introduction to Vajrayana Buddhism". Annual Calm Abiding Meditation  and White Tara retreats attract people from all over Australia and overseas. The very popular Calm Abiding meditation classes which I conduct during each school term are always fully booked.

On its 10th birthday, Sakya Losal Choe Dzong launched the project to build the National Tibetan monastery in Canberra. Subsequently we have acquired a complete set of the Tibetan Buddhist canon. We are in the process of buying land to build the National Tibetan Monastery in Canberra. All of the smooth progress of Sakyapa presence in Australia has come from the goodwill of many people and the blessings of the precious teachings.

Following careful divination, His Holiness Sakya Trizin has appointed Lama Rigzin Wangchuk of Rajpur as an assistant teacher for Sakya Losal Choe Dzong and Lama Tsering Samdup as the resident teacher for Sakya Yigah Choe Ling, Whyalla. Lama Tsering-la and Lama Rigzin-la have both arrived and have take up residence in Whyalla and Canberra. In the near future, more resident Sakya teachers will be invited to Australia. Annual Sakya Ngondro retreat is held in June long weekend.  His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche is expected to visit to lay the foundation stone of the monastery. For more information on the programme and activities of relevant centres, please contact us:
 

Sakya Losal Choe Dzong
PO Box 3430, Manuka ACT 2603
Australia
Tel/fax: 61 2 6258 0452
Email: sakya@tpg.com.au
President: Rod Woolley
www.cyberone.com.au/sakya

Rongton Buddhist Training College
14 Johnson St. Narrabundah ACT 2603
Australia
Tel/fax: 61 2 6258 0452
Email: tinnion@dynamite.com.au
Co-ordinator: Julie Tinnion

Gorum Publications
PO Box 3430, Manuka ACT 2603
Australia
Tel/fax: 61 2 6258 0452
Email: rfoster@treasury.gov.au
Manager: Ron Foster
 

Sakya Tharpa Ling
66 Evans St, Rosselle NSW
Australia
Tel. 61 2 6555 6821
Email: sakya@looksmart.com.au
Fax.
Contact: Lopon Ngawang Damchoe

Chogye Tsechen Choe Dzong
PO Box 1465, Toowong, QLD
Tel. 61 7 3856 4455
Email: cavayeco@powerup.com.au
Fax. 61 7 3856 4428
Contact: Alison and David

Chogye Padma Choe Dzong
PO Box 11,
Torquay QLD 4655
Australia
Tel. 61 7 4125 7127
Email: eknight@itfusion.com.au
Contact: Elizabeth Knight

Vajradhara Gonpa
PO Box 345
Kyogle, NSW
Tel/Fax: 61 2  6633 1382
Email: vajgonpa@nor.com.au
Contact: Jangchub

Sakya Dolma Choe Ling
7 Alexandra Avenue,
Eastwood NSW 2122
Tel. 61 2 9801 3209
Email: boccaccio@bigpond.com
Fax: 61 2 9874 7942
Contact: Sylvia Johnson

Chogye Jamchen Choe Dzong
34 Mitta St., Box Hill North
Victoria 3129
Tel. 61 3 9898 6977
Email: moirabrown@hotmail.com
Contact: Moira Brown

Rongton Buddhist Study Group
PO Box 191, Brompton SA
Tel. 61 8 8346 3206
Email: noblejud@senet.com.au
Contact: Jude Noble
 

Sakya Yigah Choe Ling
PO Box 297 Whyalla SA 5600
Australia
Tel/fax: 61 8 8645 4642
Email: lamatsering@hotmail.com
Contact: Rae Watson

*Lama Choedak is the founder of Sakya Losal Choe Dzong, Rongton Buddhist Training College and most of the Sakya centres in Australia. He was a monk for twelve years and graduated from the first three and half year retreat on Lamdre Lobshey under the guidance of His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche. He is married and has three children. He is currently working on his Ph.D and the topic of his thesis is Hevajra practice.
 
 

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