Author Archives for David Armstrong
April 27, 2020 8:51 pm
Published by David Armstrong
Due to the current pandemic we are currently running our Discover Buddhism classes on Tuesday evening and Saturday morning online using Zoom. If you would like to attend one of these classes please click this email link to request an invitation: bristol@dechen.org The Sakya Centre and activities are reliant on donations, if you would like to make a donation for attending an online class or course, you can do so here: https://www.sakyabristol.org/donations/
March 30, 2020 3:15 pm
Published by David Armstrong
In response to the temporary closure of the Sakya Centre, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, we have now prepared a page of Videos for Meditation and Reflection which you can work with on a weekly basis. We hope you will find this interesting and useful in your understanding and practice of the Buddhist Path
March 15, 2020 9:27 pm
Published by David Armstrong
In line with government requirements, and in order to protect members of the Centre and the public from the threats posed by the Corona Virus (COVID-19), we are for the time being suspending our public meetings on: Tuesday evenings, Wednesday mornings and Saturday mornings (see here for our meetings on Zoom). We will be reviewing the situation regularly and hope to return to normal as soon as possible. Further information will be posted here in due course. In the meantime please do contact us at bristol@dechen.org if you have any questions. David Armstrong (Centre Coordinator)
November 28, 2019 8:28 pm
Published by David Armstrong
Last weekend saw the annual Chenrezik retreat at Poulstone Court Retreat Centre in Herefordshire led by Liz Godfrey and David Armstrong. This has become something of a fixture in the Dechen calendar, and this year it was attended by members from Sakya Bristol and Exeter, but also sangha from Kagyu Ling in Manchester – 19 in all. We were given a warm welcome by the owner and then left to our own devices over the weekend. Photos:https://www.sakyabristol.org/sakya-galleries/gallery/chenrezik-retreat-in-herefordshire/ The length of the sessions was extended last year to one and a half hours and these were ably and patiently led by Liz and David. As usual, between sessions retreatants were well catered for in every sense of the word – a comfortable lounge to relax in between sessions, sustaining meals and most of all a peaceful and spacious environment in which to practise. On the Saturday afternoon there was an extended break which gave us the chance to have a have a walk in the beautiful, but very damp, countryside surrounding the Court, crossing a bridge over the river Wye. As far as we know this was not built by the author of the Chenrezik sadhana, Tangtong Gyalpo, famous for his bridge building amongst other things. A Sakya website tells us: “Tangtong Gyalpo constructed 58 iron suspension bridges, 60 wooden bridges, 118 ferries, 111 stupa monuments, countless temples and monasteries, and is credited for the creation of Tibetan opera. According to Tibetan Buddhist tradition, it is believed that putting Tangtong Gyalpo’s picture over a door or window serves as an Earthquake Protection Amulet.” (Maybe you live in a fracking area?) There is a further connection here, with our location – King’s Caple (“caple” being Old English for horse) and Tangtong Gyalpo. In his biography entitled “King of the Empty Plain.” it…
July 31, 2019 10:00 am
Published by David Armstrong
On Wednesday 31st July the Centre received an unusual visit from members of the Oxford Buddhist Vihara, the home of a group of monks and a meeting point for a community of Buddhists from a variety of backgrounds, centred on the Theravada Buddhism practised in Southern and South-Eastern Asia. More than twenty monks and lay people, including younger novice monks with temporary ordinations for the Vihara’s summer camp, gathered in the shrine room and were welcomed and introduced to the Sakya Centre by Coordinator David Armstrong, followed by questions and answers. They were then led by Ajahn Dhammasami in the Pali chants of going for refuge to the Three Jewels of Buddha, dharma and sangha, a practice common to Buddhists everywhere. It was a delight to meet the Vihara’s members and spend a little time in their company. Historically, the Buddha’s Theravada teachings were transmitted from India to the “Southern Buddhist” countries, such as Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, while the Mahayana teachings spread widely in places such as China, Korea, Japan, Mongolia and Tibet. It is extraordinary and to see so many teachings from both of these great traditions represented in the present day in the West.
January 21, 2019 4:03 pm
Published by David Armstrong
It was a revelation to discover that the answers to some age-old questions are available in Buddhist teachings being given in Bristol this year: How can we achieve happiness in this life? How can we free ourselves from suffering? How can we help others to be free from suffering? By some good fortune Bristol is home to the oldest Sakya Buddhist Centre in the UK, which makes the teachings of the Buddha available to anyone who is interested via a programme of classes but also, crucially, via regular visits from Lama Jampa Thaye. A Garland of Jewels On this visit Lama Jampa began teaching a text called “A Garland of Jewels” written by one of the founding lamas of the Sakya tradition, Chogyal Phakpa, in the thirteenth century. It was originally given as advice to a prince in the royal court of Kublai Khan, the head of the Mongol Empire, however the relevance and value of this ancient text to ordinary people in the modern-day world is surprising. This teaching is divided into three parts. The first part provides guidance for a good life (the causes of happiness); the second outlines the path for liberation (freedom from suffering); the final part outlines the path to enlightenment so that one can benefit other beings and free them from suffering. The entire text is divided into 204 verses which cover the entire Buddhist path, from the level of a beginner to that of full enlightenment. Well over 100 people gathered to hear part one of this teaching on January 19th, and we look forward to hearing parts two and three later this year. If anyone is interested to attend the second and third part of these profound teachings, which are only taught very rarely, they are very welcome. It is not necessary…
November 26, 2018 9:58 pm
Published by David Armstrong
This was a beautifully organised and totally stress free retreat environment with a very warm and welcoming atmosphere from the moment you arrive. The venue (hand picked by Liz and Molly) feels perfectly suited to letting go of the usual worldly concerns and immersing yourself in the dharma and sangha. The rooms are comfortable, the food fantastic and there is ample time to explore the beautiful countryside between sessions. As a member of the Bath sangha, one of the things I found really lovely (and this was mirrored by others I talked to) was the opportunity to get to know other sangha members from Bristol and London. In contrast to previous years, where we have had shorter meditation sessions with fairly long breaks in between, this year Liz and David thought it would be good to “stretch us” a bit and so lengthened the sessions. I found that placing a little more emphasis on the meditation worked well for me. Although sitting for longer was a challenge (physically), it was good to do and certainly informative in terms of my own practice and the much needed application of effort – something I definitely need to improve upon! Observing and spending this time with other sangha members, I feel newly inspired by their dedication and discipline and will try to bring them to mind when I find myself making excuses about why I can’t meditate today. Thanks guys! All in all the retreat has provided a much appreciated opportunity to quieten my mind and immerse myself in dharma practice with fellow practitioners. This has been a precious time for me and I know that all who attended would like to offer their gratitude to Liz and David for organising this retreat.
November 19, 2018 5:17 pm
Published by David Armstrong
The Exeter and Barnstaple Dechen groups were very pleased to welcome David Armstrong on Saturday for a day’s meditation and teaching on ’The Eight Dreamlike Practices’ by the Sakya master Jetsun Drakpa Gyaltsen. This is a particularly helpful text for those of us that may have been in Dharma a little while and perhaps need reminding of the pitfalls and distractions that can arise. As Karma Thinley Rinpoche has said, one of the great compassionate gifts to avoiding this kind of thing have been the teachings of the Sakya Masters. These teachings have prevented us from wandering down the cul-de-sacs and sidetracks that can mislead us, pushing us off course when we are practising the path. David clearly and gently guided us through the direct advice contained in the eight verses of the text. He elaborated on all those points that needed a little more context and showed their relevance as to our own current practice and outlook. Group discussion at various times during the sessions helped us to clarify things further. The lunchbreak enabled us to catch up with one another (Barnstaple is in fact well over an hour’s drive from Exeter); while some members were able to share their experiences of being in Nepal and spending time with Rinpoche. The day was well attended by both groups and we were very appreciative of David and Liz Godfrey for making the time to come and share the teaching with us in view of their busy schedule and many commitments.
October 25, 2018 10:23 pm
Published by David Armstrong
Last Sunday (21/10/18) Paul Rogers, from Sakya Namgyal Ling in Exeter, visited Sakya Centre Bristol to lead a day of study and meditation. Paul was teaching “The questions of the contemplative Nyimo Gomchen and the responses of Sakya Pandita”, skilfully presenting the essential points of this text which, as always with Sakya Pandita, help us to avoid getting the wrong end of the dharma stick! Paul’s many years of study and practice with Lama Jampa ensured that we received a clear and comprehensive presentation of this text and there were some really useful discussions around many different dharma topics. Next year Paul will teach the second part of this text, so if you sadly missed today’s session you’ll no doubt be able to catch up, and who knows, you may still be able to get the right end of the stick! Paul also signposted some very helpful online resources such as Lama Jampa’s teaching on Dependent Origination on Sound loud: https://soundcloud.com/lama-jampa-thaye/part-1-interdependence-english-only. We look forward to welcoming Paul back next year on June 30th 2019.
November 26, 2017 11:11 pm
Published by David Armstrong
This weekend, 24th-26th November 2017, twenty-five of us attended the Sakya Centre’s second residential retreat on Chenrezik, embodiment of compassion, giving us a great opportunity to come together to meditate as a group and learn more about the practice using guidance given by Lama Jampa. The practice we followed is called “The Benefit of Beings that Pervades Space: The Meditation Recitation of the Great Compassionate One” composed by the famed 14th/15th century Buddhist master, Tangtong Gyalpo, who had visions of and received instructions direct from Chenrezik. As Lama Jampa says in his instructions: “The power and simplicity of the Chenrezik practice makes it one of the most popular and widespread of all vajrayana practices.” The peaceful environment of the remote, rural setting of Poulstone Court in Herefordshire felt very much in harmony with this inspiring meditation practice. There were also requests from sangha members for the merit from the practice to be dedicated to help particular family-members or friends who had recently died or were facing obstacles. The residential retreat enabled sangha from Bristol, Bath, Exeter, London and Wales to spend some supportive time together, with new connections made and old friendships renewed over some frosty walks and delicious home cooking. Many of those attending hope to come again next year, as the benefits of the practice are apparent, and the environment so conducive. The venue has been booked again for a retreat next year and is open to Dechen sangha members who have taken refuge and received a Chenrezik initiation and/or the reading transmission (lung) of this practice from Lama Jampa Thaye. Next Chenrezik residential retreat: 23 -25 November 2018. Bookings available in due course on this website.
