Saturday 18 January saw the first teaching event of Lama Jampa’s programme for 2025. It was a time to reconnect with the teachings and fellow explorers on the path, both new and those of a more mature vintage.

The day opened with Lama Jampa recommencing teachings on Sakya Pandita‘s ‘Discriminating the Three Vows’, a work which illuminates how to practice the Buddhist path – without detour – to its destination. In part 12 of this series, the author continues to clarify misunderstandings about the vajrayana, the swift path to buddhahood, relying on the teachings in the tantras. Whilst composed in the 13th century in Tibet, this text remains a vital resource in addressing errors that are present today as Buddhism makes a home in the West.

In this instalment, Sakya Pandita deals with a whole range of topics, from how Buddhahood is manifested through different modes, depending on the needs and realisation of the student, to how it is necessary to understand what teachings are helpful as far as they go, and which point towards the true nature of things. For example, through giving, we relax our grip on self and gradually approach the ultimate teaching, understanding finally that giver, gift and recipient are all empty as all are dependent on each other.

During the afternoon, Lama Jampa gave the vajrayana initiation of Red Saraswati. Found in the master work by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo called the ‘Collection of Sadhanas’, the practice of Red Saraswati cultivates the wisdom to both understand the teachings and to realise the true nature of things. An ideal way to approach the teachings of Sakya Pandita, known as the wisdom mind of Tibet.

Lama Jampa will continue with ‘Discriminating the Three Vows’ in London on 22 March and we welcome him back to Bristol in the summer.

On Saturday 8 June, Sakya Buddhist Centre Bristol hosted a day of Buddhist teachings with Lama Jampa Thaye. The venue was the 6th floor of the Future Inn, with its lofty, bird’s eye view over the city. Over 100 people gathered for this joyous event, from across the UK and beyond.

During this visit, Lama Jampa continued with part 9 of Sakya Pandita’s ‘Discriminating the Three Vows’. Over the course of the morning, we made further progress in the chapter on the vajrayana vows. In this section, Sakya Pandita covered topics such as the real meaning and practice of mahamudra meditation, as outlined in the source texts, the tantras, and communicated through the teachings and songs of great masters. He also emphasised the necessity of receiving vajrayana initiation, as through this, the appropriate connection is made with the relevant meditation deity and one has a basis for cultivating this through subsequent practice.

Another vital point was on the nature of realisation and the qualities associated with this. In Tibet at that time, some said that whilst one may have true realisation, the qualities, such as being able to travel to many buddha realms, will not be displayed until after death. This would be similar to saying that whilst the sun is in the sky, the rays will show tomorrow!

Such clarity on these points means that we don’t mistake temporary experiences for true realisation, we understand what’s needed for practice to work, and we will not be tricked by those who assert that they are enlightened when this is not the case. In short, we can travel the path to buddhahood with greater knowledge and confidence.

In the afternoon, Lama Jampa bestowed the initiation of Green Tara. Green Tara is known as the mother of all buddhas, as she is the embodiment of the wisdom of all the buddhas. As the princess Jnanachandra, she made a vow to remain in female form, to demonstrate the possibility of achieving enlightenment as a woman. This initiation was bestowed directly by Tara to the Kashmiri master, Shakya Shribhadra, and has been transmitted in an unbroken line through the Sakya tradition.

As well as the monthly practice, Sakya Buddhist Centre will be hosting a meditation day on Green Tara, which will be particularly helpful to anyone new to this practice. More info can be found here. A re-teach of Part 9 of Sakya Pandita’s text for anyone who came to this teaching will start on 19 June and take place weekly for 4 weeks. For more details, click here.

We look forward to welcoming Lama Jampa back to Bristol in the autumn.

Around 25 people came to The Bristol Sakya Centre for a day of teachings on Lojong (Mind Training), led by Paul Rogers, who runs Dechen’s Exeter Group, Sakya Namgyal Ling.

The day was divided up into 4 one-hour sessions, each of which comprised some sitting meditation, then Paul’s expounding of the topics, and finishing with some meditation on the topic. The sessions were useful in a practical sense and valuable for one’s own practice, providing much food for thought.

Paul’s annual visit was very much appreciated, with his clear explanation and understanding of the Lojong practices, and it is hoped that most of those present have come away with some useful tools to incorporate into their dharma practice.

On 13 January, in a rather chilly Bristol, Lama Jampa Thaye gave his first teachings of 2024 to around 100 people gathered in the familiar surroundings of the Future Inn, with its great city views. Due to sponsorship by a generous donor, Sakya Buddhist Centre Bristol was able to keep facility fees at 2023 levels for this day of dharma, in the face of continuously rising costs, to make this as affordable as possible for those attending.

In the morning, Lama Jampa continued teaching ‘Discriminating the Three Vows’, a work by the great 13th century master, Sakya Pandita. In this chapter, Sakya Pandita clears away confusion about the nature of the vows associated with the vajrayana, the swift vehicle that can lead to the wisdom, compassion and power of buddhahood in this very life. He cautions that whilst the vajrayana has many powerful methods that can transform our ordinary perception of the cycle of birth and death, this transformation needs to have actually taken place for us to be able to put it to the test, as in the examples of the great realised ones (mahasiddhas) of India such as Tilopa, Naropa and Birwapa.

Sakya Pandita also explains in this section some of the differences between the common mahayana – the gradual path to buddhahood – and the vajrayana. Whilst both paths are motivated by the wish to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings, the common mahayana sees enlightenment as something to gradually approach, through gathering merit and wisdom, by practice of the Six Perfections (giving, moral discipline, patience, effort, meditation, wisdom). This path is effective but takes many, many lifetimes; aeons in fact. In contrast, through quickening the seeds of buddhahood in us now, the process of initiation in vajrayana, along with subsequent practice, can bring about enlightenment in this very life.

In the afternoon, Lama Jampa gave the initiation of Chenrezik Mahamudra. In this context, Lama Jampa explained that the term Mahamudra should be understood as having a clear picture or view of the true nature of reality, rather than experiencing it directly. This particular initiation was given by Chenrezik himself to Jetari, being transmitted in an unbroken line through the Sakya tradition to the present day.

We next welcome Lama Jampa to Bristol on 8 June. If you would like to sponsor these teachings, please contact bristol@dechen.org.

Last Saturday we welcomed Lama Jampa, family and fellow Buddhists to the Future Inn in Bristol for a day of Buddhist teachings.

Amid the unseasonable warmth, around 100 people gathered from around the UK and beyond to listen to part 5 of Sakya Pandita’s master work, ‘Discriminating the 3 Vows’ and to receive the vajrayana initiation of Mahachakra Vajrapani.

In this instalment of the text, Sakya Pandita describes how to clarify misunderstandings about the vow of the bodhisattva, the promise to become a buddha not for ourselves but for all beings. This aspiration arises through the recognition of our profound connection with others, through our common wish to avoid suffering and to experience happiness. In this chapter, Sakya Pandita covers such topics as the different lineages of the vow so we know how to take and maintain them properly, the different aspects of the vow – imbued with compassion and wisdom, and how to train to keep our promise alive.

Introducing the morning’s teachings, Lama Jampa also commented on the role of this text for us as Buddhists in the West, receiving it outside of the traditional and structured setting of a monastic college. As beginners in the dharma, it may not yet be possible to understand all that is contained in the text, however by receiving it now, it will be there for us when we can most benefit from it. Hence, it is important to be flexible in receiving teachings, taking what we can from them now, and then coming back to them as we progress along the path.

In the afternoon, Lama Jampa gave the initiation of Mahachakra Vajrapani, from the lineage of Marton Rinpoche. This buddha, the most powerful of all the forms of Vajrapani, is the embodiment of the wisdom of all the buddhas and all magical power is concentrated in him.

As the leaves fall and the year turns, we look forward to welcoming Lama Jampa back to Bristol in January next year.

On Saturday 3 June, we welcomed Lama Jampa Thaye and family to Bristol for a glorious summer weekend of wisdom, blessings and joy. The first day opened with Part 4 of the great master Sakya Pandita’s ‘Discriminating the Three Vows’ at the usual venue of the Future Inn in the heart of the city. This work is taught in the monastic colleges within the Sakya tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, and in it Sakya Pandita skillfully points out the mistakes that can be made by having a simplistic view of such topics as karma. With great kindness and clarity, he gives a sophisticated and nuanced view of how to conduct ourselves as a Buddhist and why, freeing us from the burden of rigidly following rules that aren’t required or aligned with what the Buddha intended.

In the afternoon, Lama Jampa gave the initiation of the deity Manjushri Arapatsana, renowned for helping Buddhists to increase wisdom and thus travel more swiftly along the path. He also gave the reading transmission for this deity’s practice by Sakya Pandita, who was himself seen as the embodiment of Manjushri.

For Sunday’s programme of activity, the focus shifted to Sakya Buddhist Centre Bristol’s vibrant shrine room. The morning began with prayers to Chenrezik to help the cultivation of compassion, followed by a question and answer session on the dharma path. Questions ranged from whether Buddhists should take holidays (a resounding yes!), to how to understand experiences that arise in meditation and how to approach the Buddhist view of non-self. The packed shrine room was full of joyful attention and laughter as we all heard good advice on how to bring study and practice into all of our everyday life, along with realising that whilst meditators may look calm, a volcano may be simmering or even erupting underneath! During the day, Lama Jampa also gave individual interviews to those seeking advice on their own particular studies and practice.

Finally, we were delighted to be joined by Lama Jampa for our evening prayers celebrating the Buddha Day of Saga Dawa. On this day, we reflect on the enlightenment and mahaparinirvana or passing away of the Buddha and recite the beautiful prayer of offerings and praises to the Buddha and his 16 disciples or sthaviras (elders). These 16 chief disciples protect the dharma so that it continues to transform us even now after the passing of over 2,500 years.

As all things are impermanent so even such a weekend must come to an end. However, we look forward to gathering again at Sakya Changlochen Ling in France for our summer school in August, and to welcoming Lama Jampa back to Bristol in the autumn.

For more pictures click here.