Donate to MSB

Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche founded Mangala Shri Bhuti in 1989 in order to support the establishment of the buddha dharma in the West. The primary focus of any Buddhist lineage is to realize the essence of one's own buddha nature. The masters of the past speak of their longing to go deeper into this realization. MSB seeks to lay the foundation that makes this possible for students who have that same longing. Our efforts to realize this vision must take into consideration the practicalities of physical supports, such as a dharma centers or retreat centers; but the development of these is never about development for its own sake. Instead we aim to create a base and provide means for its ongoing support, yet continually maintain practice and our path as the heart of our focus. These funds mentioned here all support the activity of Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche and MSB. We hope by bringing them to your attention to share an opportunity with you to be part of something bigger.. If you are inspired to contribute, we ask you to take a moment to rejoice in your own generosity, for when we give, we don’t just benefit others. Our generosity becomes the foundation for an increasingly greater vision in our own lives as well. We invite you to explore some of the activities listed below and welcome your connection and support.

If you would like more information about the progress of any of these activities of funds, please

contact MSB's VP of Finance.

 

Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche's Parsonage


The Mangala Shri Bhuti sangha provides parsonage support for our teacher, Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche, and his family. We attain this goal through specific fundraisers, monthly contributions and teaching events. All funds raised for this purpose directly and personally support Rinpoche's activity in turning beings towards the Dharma. Rinpoche's wife, Elizabeth Mattis Namgyel, and son and dharma heir, Dungse Jampal Norbu, have studied and practiced under Rinpoche's guidance for many years. They each have a deep wish to devote their lives to the study, practice, and communication of dharma to those who have an interest. Both have begun to teach and guide the next generation of dharma students.donate

Offerings made to the parsonage are fully self-inspired rather than a requirement of students. If you wish to support Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche, Elizabeth Mattis-Namgyel and Dungse Jampal Norbu, personally through the parsonage, please click here, or for more information contact our Parsonage Coordinator.

 

Phunstok Choling Center Fund

Located in the majestic Rocky Mountains above Boulder, Phuntsok Choling is the central meeting place for the MSB sangha in Colorado. Phuntsok Choling provides a contemplative and peaceful atmosphere in which to connect to the Buddha’s teachings. Since 1990 we have had the privilege of hosting a variety of annual teaching and practice programs, including the Words of My Perfect Teacher, the Nyingma Summer Seminar and the MSB Shedra. We continuously strive to make this opportunity available while keeping the cost of programs workable for all who wish to attend. Without a center where students and friends can gather together, practice together and receive teachings together, we would never be able to ensuredonate the growth of the Dharma in the West. Your entire contribution to the Phuntsok Choling Fund will be used to maintain infrastructure and make yearly improvements that are necessary in the powerful environment of the Rocky Mountains.  On behalf of all who benefit from the presence of Phuntsok Choling, thank you for your generosity. For more information, please contact the MSB Secretary.

 

Pema Osel Center Fund

Pema Osel Do Ngak Choling is MSB’s Study and Practice center in the peaceful setting of rural Vermont, and serves as the main gathering place for students on the East Coast. The center has an atmosphere of deep quietude, set in the airy New England forest, and people often remark upon the beauty of the setting. Rinpoche teaches the Dzogchen and Mahayana Seminars here each year. Pema Osel has had the honor of hosting Jetsun Khandro Rinpoche, Ani Pema Chodron, Elizabeth Mattis-Namgyel, and several other prominent Buddhist teachers. We aspire that Pema Osel serves the community and general public for generations to come, donateandas is our tradition in MSB, we work to keep the price reasonable for these yearly public teachings. Your contribution to Pema Osel with either a one time or on going offering, strengthens the roots of this center in ways that touch so many lives. On behalf of all who benefit from the presence of Pema Osel, Thank You. For more information please contact the Director of Pema Osel.

 

Samten Ling Retreat Fund: The Heart of MSB

Considered the very heart of Mangala Shri Bhuti, Longchen Jigme Samten Ling provides a majestic, vast, and peaceful setting for solitary retreat practice. Longchen Jigme Samten Ling means “the meditation place of the fearless great expanse,” The great thirteenth century meditation master Longchenpa said that nature provides a perfect support for resting in “the mind of uncontrived naturalness” – this mind is the very wellspring of the Vajrayana Buddhist tradition. The thirteen cabins perched and nestled high in the mountain’s foothills were built and are continually occupied by students of Kongtrul Rinpoche. Funds offered to the Retreat Fund directly support infrastructure and maintenance of the cabins themselves, as well as road and trail work, solar electricity and appliances, weather proofing and water supply. Your support allows us to keep the cost of doing retreat to a minimum, donateallowing many students to maintain a simple life of practice,study, and service. We thank you for your ongoing support and as with all donations to MSB, your gift is tax deductible. For more information about the Samten Ling Retreat Fund, please contact the MSB Secretary.

 

Construction of the Sangdo Palri Temple in America

 

The Sangdo Palri Temple is a physical representation of Guru Rinpoche's Glorious Copper Colored Mountain. Many practitioners of the Longchen Nyingtik aspire to be reborn in this realm and swiftly follow the path to enlightenment. With great joy, construction of Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche’s long-held vision has commenced at Longchen Jigme Samten Ling, our retreat center in Crestone, Colorado. Located in a beautiful, protected meadow in the heart of our land there, the three-story Sangdo Palri Temple, follows traditional design and architectural measures, composed of Tibetan motifs, Japanese aesthetic, and American materials. Containing traditional statues of the Longchen Nyingthik Lineage, and volumes of Buddha’s words as well as the great commentaries, the temple will be open for visitors on specified days for circumambulation and prayer, while the retreatants will use the temple regularly for their bi-monthly tsok practice.

To see and enter this temple, or to practice there, will be an opportunity of great magnitude for students to deepen their connection to Guru Rinpoche as it is held to be equal in blessing to donateencountering Guru Rinpoche himself. The presence of such a temple in this world is dedicated to world peace and beings’ progress towards enlightenment. We warmly invite you to make a connection to this vision and welcome your participation, support, and inquiries. For more information, contact our VP of Development or visit the Sangdo Palri Temple website.

 

Guna Shedra and Vairochana's Legacy

Guna Shedra is home to Mangala Shri Bhuti’s seat in India. Nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, and next door to Chokling Monastery, Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche’s vision for this center is that it may offer students a focused environment where they can delve deep into the study and contemplation of Buddhist philosophy. In 2012 we will complete the five-year Tibetan Translator’s Degree Program, in which students will have not only learned the foundations of translation, but under Kongtrul Rinpoche’s daily guidance, will have acquired a traditional shedra education. Such an education is necessary for successful translation. We aim to establish a small translation group, Vairochana’s Legacy, with sincere aspirations to contribute to the on going need for translation of Tibetan texts into English, Chinese and Japanese.

Looking to the future, in addition to the establishment of Vairochana’s Legacy, Rinpoche will continue to offer an ongoing course of studies at Guna Shedra. Curriculum and scheduling are currently under donatedevelopment, but we strive to keep the cost of participating in the Guna Shedra manageable to all who have the aspiration. In order to secure the benefit this brings to not only the participants themselves, but to all who have access to the buddha dharma due to translators, we ask that you consider supporting Guna Shedra and the development of Vairochana’s Legacy. For more information, please contact MSB's Secretary.

 

Life Release: The Tsethar Fund

 

Beings value nothing more than their own life. For this reason, saving lives brings tremendous merit, and has always been a central practice of Mahayana Buddhism. MSB students gather together in Portland, Maine six times a year to buy and release lobsters and sometimes crabs and other shellfish, back into the wild. Throughout the year people ask Rinpoche for prayers, either for themselves, loved ones, for those who have passed, are struggling or for the world. Rinpoche designates a large portion of offerings made to him directly to the practice of tsethar, or life release, as a vehicle for those connected to him to receive the merit of this practice. Rinpochedonate continues this activity in different places whenever possible as he travels. All contributions to the Tsethar Fund are used entirely for ransoming lives. If you have further questions about this activity please contact our Life Release Coordinator.


Compassionate Activity: The Asian Charity Fund


Compassionate activity is a natural expression of Buddhist practice. Actively helping those in need, making offerings and prayers to the buddhas and bodhisattvas on behalf of all beings, and supporting conditions for the sangha to flourish are all ways of serving others that awaken our potential for sympathy and care. Every year Rinpoche travels to India to make offerings at the significant sites of the Buddha's life and to help beings in need. All who have asked for prayers and all who donate to this activity make a connection to Rinpoche's vast compassionate activity for that entire year. It is like one big pot, filled with wishes, prayers and pennies, which is then drawn from and disseminated to virtuous causes. These include making offerings to the Three Jewels in Bodhgaya, supporting elder practitioners who have no means to feed themselves, saving animals, sponsoring druchens to clear obstacles for the sangha and bring peace to the world, and offering danadonate to the Sadhus or holy men, and beggars inIndia. Your twenty or hundred dollars gets mixed into that whole pot, like a drop of water in a lake, so that each activity has a connection back to you and your prayers and aspirations. All contributions are used in their entirety to support Mangala Shri Bhuti's compassionate activities in Asia. If you have further questions about this activity please contact Offering and Dana Coordinator.

 

 

Shabten Contributions: 

Ceremonies for the Teacher's Life, Health and Activity


Each year we request a divination for Kongtrul Rinpoche's shabten for the coming year. The divination, or mo as it is called in Tibetan, designates specific prayers and accumulations that should be accomplished to support the long life, good health, removal of obstacles, and general activity of the teacher, for the benefit of beings. The shabten of a teacher is connected to and effects all his students, so as a sangha we collectively engage in the prayers and accumulations for Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche's shabten. From our sangha, we send an offering to the Lama who performed the mo as donatewell as to his nunnery or monastery requesting the monks and nuns to also perform that particular year's shabten. If you are inspired to contribute to the shabten of Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche and MSB, please click here. If you would like more information you can also write to our Shabten Coordinator.

 

 

MSB Sangha Member Dues

Sangha Dues support the general operation of Mangala Shri Bhuti and allow students to contribute to and support its larger vision in the service of others. Paying Sangha Dues supports our work together in establishing the Dharmain the West; it signifies our commitment to be part of something bigger than just our own life’s concerns. As formal students ofMSB we make a commitment during the Sangha Ceremony to support our community and its needs by paying dues. If you would like more information or have any questions, please write to MSB's Treasurer.

 

Mangala Shri Bhuti is a 501c3 tax-exempt organization and all donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. To make a general contribution to MSB or discuss another form or manner of donation please write to Mangala Shri Bhuti's Treasurer, at treasurer@mangalashribhuti.org.