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Refuge Vows

wakingwaking
edited May 2008 in General Banter
Hello, NewBuddhists,
I just took the refuge vows two weekends ago at my Shambhala Center. What a wonderful experience. Something about those sorts of rituals that is always more powerful than
you expect they will be. I do feel like making a formal commitment to follow the path was a powerful experience.

More generally, I really have developed a fondness for Shambhala Buddhism. I'd come to Buddhism primarily though the American Vipassana teachers and also sat with a Zen group for around a year. What is great about Shambhala is that they explain what is going on and have a very structured approach to following the path.

May you all be happy, safe, healthy and peaceful.

Warmly,
Ben

Comments

  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited April 2008
    I'm looking forward to also Taking Refuge at a local Theravada Monastery here in the UK, on the 18th of May.
    It was scheduled for Monday 19th, but because it's more convenient and ideal, the monastery have asked me if I'd mind doing it on the sunday instead. (Monday is Wesak Puja day....)

    Well done you...
    glad it went well.
    How else would it go - ?! :D
  • KuboKubo
    edited April 2008
    waking wrote: »
    More generally, I really have developed a fondness for Shambhala Buddhism. I'd come to Buddhism primarily though the American Vipassana teachers and also sat with a Zen group for around a year. What is great about Shambhala is that they explain what is going on and have a very structured approach to following the path.

    Interesting. I'm currently engaged in Buddhism through Vipassana teachings but have been meaning to check out the Shambhala center here in Denver. Still searching for the best fit.
  • PalzangPalzang Veteran
    edited April 2008
    Congratulations, Ben! Did you get a refuge name?

    I remember when I took refuge the first time it was with Trungpa Rinpoche up in Pennsylvania way back in the Stone Age (1983). He said taking refuge was like getting on a street car going down a really steep hill with no brakes. He was right...

    BTW, I started out in Zen too before moving over to Shambhala (then called Vajradhatu).

    Palzang
  • wakingwaking
    edited April 2008
    Hi All:
    Frederica, I'll look forward to hearing about how your refuge vows go. Please update us.
    Kubo, is your name Ben too?

    Palzang, my refuge name is Champa Choshing, which translates to Maitri Dharma Tree. I have no idea what it means but maybe after a few years or lifetimes it will all become clear...

    Be well,
    Ben
  • KuboKubo
    edited April 2008
    waking wrote: »
    Kubo, is your name Ben too?

    Actually it's my middle name but I like it better than my first name.
  • PalzangPalzang Veteran
    edited April 2008
    waking wrote: »
    Palzang, my refuge name is Champa Choshing, which translates to Maitri Dharma Tree. I have no idea what it means but maybe after a few years or lifetimes it will all become clear...

    Be well,
    Ben


    Well, Maitri means loving kindness, and Choshing, as you know, is Dharma tree, so Dharma Tree of Loving Kindness.

    Palzang
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited April 2008
    Kubo wrote: »
    Actually it's my middle name but I like it better than my first name.
    Federica is my middle name too... But I quite like my first name. It just makes a change....

    Ben, what's wrong with the name Delilah? I quite like it, I think it suits you.
    Or the elephant, anyway....!:D
  • jacxjacx
    edited April 2008
    Congratulations, Waking!

    Shambhala, is that Pema Chodron's group? A friend of mine is going to a tonglen session with her next month, in New York.
  • PalzangPalzang Veteran
    edited April 2008
    Yes, Pema Chodron is part of Shambhala. She's also the abbess of Gampo Abbey in Nova Scotia.

    Palzang
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited April 2008
    Kubo wrote: »
    Actually it's my middle name but I like it better than my first name.

    Just kidding, Kubo....

    I love the Avatar too... in fact, I love all elephants, whether ferocious or placid.... ;)
  • BrigidBrigid Veteran
    edited May 2008
    Palzang wrote: »
    Congratulations, Ben! Did you get a refuge name?

    I remember when I took refuge the first time it was with Trungpa Rinpoche up in Pennsylvania way back in the Stone Age (1983). He said taking refuge was like getting on a street car going down a really steep hill with no brakes. He was right...

    BTW, I started out in Zen too before moving over to Shambhala (then called Vajradhatu).

    Palzang
    You took your refuge vows with Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche? Wow!! I didn't know that, Palzang!! I'm blown away. How totally cool! You're SO lucky! I love that man so. I wish he were still alive so I could meet him or at least attend one of his teachings.
  • PalzangPalzang Veteran
    edited May 2008
    Yeah, it was something. I've taken refuge vows with other lamas, including my own teacher, but with Trungpa it was quite different. First off, you went into a room with just Rinpoche and an aide who wrote down the name he gave you. You just stood there while he scanned you. I mean scanned, literally. You could actually feel him scanning you like a CAT scan or something. It was very weird, but also very cool! Then he asked me if I was from somewhere else (I was, having come up to seminary in Pennsylvania just to take refuge, but maybe he meant something else!). Finally he told his aide the name, but his aide had never heard it before, so he had to spell it out for him. Then that evening we took the actual vow in a group and received our new refuge name written in his own hand - and he did such wonderful calligraphy! Oh, the name he gave me? Thosam Gyatso - which means Ocean of Learning (Thosam means hearing and contemplating). I've never heard that one either, before or since. The whole thing was quite extraordinary. I only wish I had had it together enough back then to stick with it. I still treasure the calligraphy. Maybe next lifetime...

    Palzang
  • BrigidBrigid Veteran
    edited May 2008
    Oh, wow! What an incredible story! What an experience! Your description of the way Trungpa scanned you gave me goose bumps. Lol!!

    But what did you mean when you said:
    I only wish I had had it together enough back then to stick with it. I still treasure the calligraphy. Maybe next lifetime...
  • PalzangPalzang Veteran
    edited May 2008
    What I meant was I was very screwed up at that point in my life and unable to make use of the precious opportunity to study with Trungpa. By the time I got myself together he was dead and the opportunity lost. Of course, later I found my present teacher, so I'm not complaining, but I pray that someday I can reconnect with Trungpa and fully utilize the relationship. Which will have to be in some future lifetime as the young Trungpa will not reach his majority probably until I'm dead or at least too old. Sometimes your karma ripens in ways such that you can't really take advantage at the time. Of course, that's just a reflection of your mind.

    Palzang
  • BrigidBrigid Veteran
    edited May 2008
    Oh, I understand now. But just taking the refuge vows with Chogyam Trungpa is still pretty cool, even if you didn't get to study with him. :)
  • PalzangPalzang Veteran
    edited May 2008
    Yeah, definitely. Even though I wasn't able to connect the way I wanted to, I learned an immense amount from him - and continue to. He was/is something else!

    Palzang
  • BrigidBrigid Veteran
    edited May 2008
    You can say that again! It would be impossible to overestimate the effect he's had on my practice and understanding. A truly rare, precious teacher!
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