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Welcome to Olmo Ling
Olmo Ling is a religious educational non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the ancient teachings of the Bon tradition of Tibet and making them available and accessible to lay practitioners.
Olmo Ling offers weekly meditation practice and teachings, prayers, meditation instruction and private interviews, and a study program that includes regular retreats with Tempa Dukte Lama and visiting lamas of the Bon tradition.
Learn more about Olmo Ling or Subscribe to our Mailing List.
Visit the Olmo Ling Teaching and Retreat Schedule for 2023 to view upcoming programs and please visit Olmo Ling online Bookstore!
STARTING THIS FRIDAY
Visit from H.H. 34th Gyalwa Menri Trizin to Pittsburgh, PA
in June 2023
Friday, June 2nd – Sunday, June 4th
at Olmo Ling Bon Center and over Zoom
We are deeply honored to announce the second visit of His Holiness 34th Gyalwa Menri Trizin Lungtok Dawa Dhargyal Rinpoche the 34th abbot of Menri Monastery and spiritual head of the Bon tradition to Pittsburgh this June. Please join us for this precious opportunity to spend time with His Holiness. H.H. will offer a public talk on Friday, June 2nd, teaching on The Important and Benefits of the Jang Chok Ritual on Saturday, June 3rd, and perform a Du Tri Su Empowerment on Sunday, June 4th.
His Holiness’s 34th June Schedule
FRIDAY: JUNE 2nd | 7:00 – 8:30pm EST
In-Person at Olmo Ling Bon Center & over Zoom
A Public Talk with His Holiness 34th Gyalwa Menri Trizin | The Heart Essence of the Four Noble Truths
with His Holiness 34th Gyalwa Menri Trizin Lungtok Dawa Dhargyal Rinpoche & Tempa Dukte Lama
The Four Noble Truths are the Foundation of the Bon path. They were the first teaching given by the Buddha after his awakening. The Four Noble Truths enable us to compassionately recognize and transform the suffering in our lives. The Bon view of practice is to acknowledge that suffering exists in our own lives and the lives of others. This is the First Noble Truth. The Second Noble Truth is the compassionate recognition of delusion as the cause of suffering. The Third Noble Truth reminds us that all beings can find liberation from suffering through clearing delusion from their mind. Noticing our suffering with gentleness and openness allows us to work towards its transformation. The Awakened One taught a path of transformation based on self-compassion, acceptance, and forgiveness. The Fourth Noble Truth clearly describes this path towards liberation from suffering. His Holiness will explain each of the Four Noble Truths and illuminate how we can reconnect with the innate peace and joy of our minds and hearts.
SATURDAY: JUNE 3rd | 10:00am – 4:00pm EST
In-Person at Olmo Ling Bon Center & over Zoom
Importance and Benefits of the Jang Chok Ritual for the Deceased
with His Holiness 34th Gyalwa Menri Trizin Lungtok Dawa Dhargyal Rinpoche & Tempa Dukte Lama
The Jang Chok ritual for the deceased is an extensive ritual practice to guide the consciousness of the deceased and protect it from the terror of the Bardo experiences. The Bardo is the in-between state where the consciousness finds itself after separating from the physical body at the moment of death and before taking on a new body.
SUNDAY: JUNE 4th | 10:00am – 1:00pm EST
In-Person at Olmo Ling Bon Center Only
Du Tri Su Empowerment
with His Holiness 34th Gyalwa Menri Trizin Lungtok Dawa Dhargyal Rinpoche & Tempa Dukte Lama
Du Tri Su is the heart practice of Bon to clear the karmic conditioning and suffering of the lower realms and the obstacles in our present life. It is a powerful practice to call upon the souls of the deceased, offer them guidance, and help them find peace and wellbeing. The Du Tri Su mantra strengthens our vital energy, enables healing of our body and our relationships, and protects us from epidemics, disease, provocation of energy, hostile forces and disturbing spirits.
EMPOWERMENT IS SOLD OUT / FULL
We have launched Phase II of the Temple Capital Campaign!
On December 9, 2022, we were able to buy the building that houses Olmo Ling temple in Pittsburgh. We would like to thank you all so much for your generous support that has made this possible.
W invite you to join us in supporting the second phase of the capital campaign for renovating the upper two floors. Often, long-term students ask about doing a personal retreat at Olmo Ling. We will therefore offer the second floor for personal retreats and for accommodation during teachings (following necessary renovations). The third floor will be renovated as an apartment for rent. Utilizing the entire building in this way will help us sustain our temple and pay for the building
Tempa Lama’s vision for many years has been to provide a sacred space of refuge where the community can come together to practice and where everyone can have access to well-learned Tibetan Bon masters and Western teachers. Tempa Lama’s deep wish is to support the flourishing of Bon in the West by offering translations of ancient Tibetan Bon texts into Western languages at Olmo Ling. Most of all, Tempa Lama’s profound aspiration is to support Western students who want to train and become responsible Bon teachers and lamas so that Bon can truly grow deep roots in the West.
Our temple space in Pittsburgh is the cornerstone of this work and of our charitable projects in the Himalayas.
We are most grateful to have received the support of His Holiness 34th Gyalwa Menri Trizin Lungtok Dawa Dhargyal Rinpoche and the Menri Monastery community for the temple capital campaign.
We invite you to help us raise $87,500 for building renovations.
Raised to date for Phase II: $56,735 – You can donate HERE
Read More and Join Us Here
Tempa Dukte Lama in Warsaw, Poland | Phowa Teaching
Saturday, July 1st – Sunday, July 2nd, 2023
from 9:00 – 17:00 CET (with a break for lunch)
Address: ul. Sniadeckich 20/21 01-419 Warsaw, Poland
Phowa will be taught in English and translated into Polish.
Read More and Register
Tempa Dukte Lama in Profoundeville, Belgium | Phowa Teaching
Saturday, June 24th – Sunday, June 25th, 2023
Address:
Centre Komyo
Chemin du Beau-Vallon 23
5170 Profondeville
0032/(0)81/22.10.18
Phowa will be taught in English and translated into French.
Contact to Register – Space is Limited!
Weekly Olmo Ling Dzogchen Practice Group
Sundays at 4:00 PM EST | Offered via Zoom & In-Person with Senior Student Bob Marin
- Meditation Practice Group: 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month
- Reading and Discussion Group: 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month
Dzogchen is a path of spiritual realization that guides us to directly recognize our Buddha nature, the qualities, and capacities present in all of us that are realized by enlightened beings. Dzogchen Olmo Ling meets weekly to study and practice Dzogchen according to the Bon Akhrid Dzogchen tradition taught by Tempa Lama.
Dzogchen Olmo Ling holds a Meditation Practice sitting and a Reading and Discussion group on alternate weeks. Weekly announcements provide brief readings and indicate whether the meeting will be online or in-person. In-person meetings permit online participation as well.
The sittings are open to all. Practitioners are welcome to attend, regardless of Dzogchen background. Sittings are convened by Bob Marin, a senior student of Tempa Lama and a longtime Dzogchen student of the American-born Tibetan Lama Surya Das. Dzogchen Olmo Ling offers welcoming, informal gatherings that foster collective learning through openness, authenticity, and curiosity. Regular participants are asked to consider membership in Olmo Ling. However, there is no fee for participation in Dzogchen Olmo Ling. If you wish to participate or if you have questions about Dzogchen Olmo Ling, please contact Bob Marin
Calm Abiding Meditation with Instruction
Every Other Friday, 6:30 – 7:30 PM EST | In-Person with Senior Student Andrew Kaiser
- June: 9, 23
- July 7, 21
- September 8, 22
- October 6
Class Schedule:
5 minutes Daily Prayers
15 minutes Talk
10 minutes Meditatation
30 minutes Questions
This class will provide instruction in the first phase of meditation, known as Zhine or Calm Abiding. It is important to be able to understand the full succession of meditation phases so that we know what we will learn – and just as important, what we will not be practicing.
First Phase: Calm Abiding Meditation helps us to free ourselves from the distractions that disturb us. In this class, we will work towards stability of pose and equanimity of mind.
Second Phase: Insight Meditation means to see clearly the way the mind works and to free the mind from grasping at the duality.
Third Phase: Abiding in the nature of mind, the union of emptiness and clarity. These are the Dzogchen teachings.
We are given instruction in many different practices. Zen, Theravada, and other Tibetan traditions all begin with the stability of the mind. Mindfulness is also taught in a lot of different places in today’s world. Understanding Zhine (Calm Abiding) is essential.
Andrew Kaiser is a senior student with Tempa Lama at Olmo Ling.
Free Tuesday Evening Talk
POSTPONED FOR TONIGHT | MAY 30TH
The Importance and Benefits of Meditation
POSTPONED FOR TONIGHT
via Zoom & In-Person with Geshe Tsewang Ngodup Lama & Tempa Dukte Lama
We are very happy that Tempa Dukte Lama’s brother, Geshe Tsewang Ngodup Lama is currently visiting Olmo Ling. This week,
Geshe Tsewang and Tempa Dukte Lama will offer a joint evening talk on the importance and benefits of meditation. This talk will begin a series of talks over the next several weeks for the duration of Geshe Tsewang’s visit. After Geshe Tsewang’s departure in July, Tempa Lama will continue his series of talks on the Ten Perfections.
Join the weekly evening talk via Zoom HERE
Geshe Tsewang Ngodup Lama is the abbot of Pal Samten Due Dul Wosel Ling Monastery in Humla, Nepal, and the first Geshe in the Yungdrung Bon tradition from Humla. Rinpoche studied at Menri Monastery, India, from 1992. In 1998 he enrolled in the Bon Dialectic School at Menri where he studied the three Bon Paths of Liberation, Sutra, Tantra, and Dzogchen. He was awarded the Geshe degree at Menri in 2014. On March 8th, 2023, the auspicious birth anniversary of Buddha Tonpa Shenrab, he was enthroned as the abbot of Pal Samten Due Dul Wosel Ling Monastery with the blessing of His Holiness 34th Menri Trizin Rinpoche and His Eminence Menri Ponlop Yangton Thinley Nyima Rinpoche. Rinpoche has served as Secretary of the Bon Dialectic School, Vice-president of the Bon Dialectic School, leader of the Menri Mask Dance, and General Treasurer of the Yungdrung Bon Monastic Center. He is currently serving as General Secretary at the Yungdrung Bon Monastic Centre.
The weekly program at Olmo Ling is offered free of charge. All are welcome! You can join us via Zoom or in person at 1101 Greenfield Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15217.
Donations to Olmo Ling or to Tempa Lama and Geshe Tsewang Ngodup Lama are deeply appreciated.
Join the weekly evening talk via Zoom HERE
Meeting ID: 143 923 353. One tap mobile +13017158592,,143923353# US (Washington D.C) +13126266799,,143923353# US (Chicago)
Olmo Ling Daily Prayers
We recite the prayers below at the start of each weekly community practice on Tuesdays. Feel free to download for your own daily practice!
Olmo Ling Publications, 2021. Paperback, 188 pp., $16.95
In this first English rendition of the Tibetan Bön Medicine Buddha practice, Tempa Dukte Lama illuminates the history of how the Medicine Buddha was first taught. He offers a translation of the short Medicine Buddha practice composed by 14th century Bön master Nyamed Sherab Gyaltsen along with a detailed explanation of the liturgy, visualization, and altar preparation.
The Bön Medicine Buddha practice was first taught in the human realm eighteen thousand years ago by the Awakened One Tonpa Shenrab and his son, compassionate being Che Bu Trishe, in response to a pandemic that threatened the ancient kingdom of Dawa Ruteng and caused widespread illness, conflicts, and famine. Tempa Lama retells the story of how this practice was first taught and how the Awakened One brought hope and healing to Dawa Ruteng. At that time, the king of Dawa Ruteng, Drag Chen Khorlo, had become very ill due to his misguided karmic actions and was going through a deep personal crisis. His son prince Triten Khorlo invited the Awakened One to visit Dawa Ruteng with an assembly of compassionate beings. Tonpa Shenrab’s visit and profound teaching inspired and guided the king back to the light and to forgiveness and healing.
Now available at our online store here. We also carry Medicine Buddha deity cards and Medicine Buddha Mandala cards.
Tempa Lama’s books
- Thrul Khor: Ancient Tibetan Bon Yoga. Step-by-step instructions for 85 practices according to the A Khrid, Ma Gyud (Mother Tantra), and Zhang Zhung Nyen Gyud cycles of Bon Thrul Khor, supported by 499 photographs.
- Heart Drop of the Loving Mother. Tempa Lama offers detailed instructions on the Heart Drop of the Loving Mother practice and on how we can become a Loving Mother in our lives.
- Journey into Buddhahood: The Five Paths and the Ten Stages of Compassionate Beings. Tempa Lama offers a profound guide to attaining full liberation according to the Bon Sutra path, the path of compassionate beings.
- Inexhaustible Miracles: The Ten Perfections on the Path of Compassionate Beings. The Ten Perfections are the heart practices of compassionate beings through which we bring the Bon teachings into our lived experience: generosity, wholesome conduct, patience, effort, concentration, power, aspirational prayers, skillful means, and discriminating awareness. Tempa Lama explains how we can cultivate each Perfection and use these practices to transform every moment of our lives.
- The Intimate Mind: Illuminating Emotion and Transformation. Tempa Lama explores how we can use the Bon teachings to better understand our mind, be intimate with it, and ultimately transform it.
Recap: visit of His Holiness 34th Gyalwa Menri Trizin Lungtok Dawa Dhargyal Rinpoche to Olmo Ling in summer 2019
We are deeply honored to have hosted His Holiness 34th Gyalwa Menri Trizin Lungtok Dawa Dhargyal Rinpoche as part of his first world tour. Following the passing of the late 33rd Menri Trizin on September 14, 2017, Geshe Dawa Dhargye was determined as the new spiritual head of Bon and Abbot of Menri on January 1, 2018 through an intensive weeklong prayer ritual conducted by Bon nuns and monks from across Asia.
His Holiness offered a public talk Awakening the Heart of Compassion, at the First Unitarian Church, a daylong teaching on the Loving Mother Sherab Jamma at Olmo Ling, and the Mawe Senge wisdom deity empowerment at Olmo Ling. He joined a benefit dinner for the nuns and children at Menri Monastery. His Holiness also visited the Mayor’s office and the Art in the Garden children’s program offered by OMA Pittsburgh.
Read more about His Holiness’ visit in the post-event newsletter and in an article in the Post Gazette.
Sidpa Gyalmo practice resources
- Recording of Tempa Lama chanting the Sidpa Gyalmo Healing Practice liturgy
- Recording of Tempa Lama chanting the Sidpa Gyalmo Healing Waters Practice liturgy
- Recording of Tempa Lama chanting the Sidpa Gyalmo Longevity & Prosperity practice
- A booklet by Tempa Lama with an explanation of the symbolic meaning of the Sidpa Gyalmo and Yeshe Walmo visualization, detailed instructions of the healing practice, an explanation of the Bon approach to healing, color pictures of Sidpa Gyalmo and Yeshe Walmo, and the practice liturgy of both the Healing Practice and the Healing Waters Practice is available from our store here. We are able to ship quickly and now offer lower First Class shipping rates for domestic and international orders.
Olmo Ling monthly Youth Sangha – date to be announced
A new date will be announced soon!
One of the most renowned practices in Tibetan Buddhism and Bon is the making of sand mandalas which represent the impermanence of all things. Although we obviously don’t have time to construct an authentic one in an hour, we will collaborate to construct a nature mandala of seasonal greenery, pebbles, twigs, and seashells in addition to colored sand. After completing this family-friendly community activity, we will brush it away to foster non-attachment.
The Olmo Ling Youth Sangha is offered monthly on Fridays from 6:30-8PM.
Please note that this is a half hour later start time than previous years.
Venue: Olmo Ling Bon Center, 1101 Greenfield Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15217. This program is offered free of charge. We appreciate donations to help us cover material expenses.
The Friday evening Youth Sangha is a mindful way to end the school week and begin the weekend. This Program is free and open to all ages birth to teens, and newcomers are always warmly welcome. Children over age 5 may be dropped off, although parents generally stay to share this time with their children and fellowship with other families. For children 5 and under, we request that a guardian remain and participate. Gatherings include a snack, meditation, mantras, and an art activity such as calligraphy, music & literature or discussions and service projects.
Although we are based in the Tibetan Bon tradition, we have been expanding activities to include more traditions and Youth Sangha is appropriate for all Buddhists as well as other wisdom traditions. Dharma is for everyone, so please share this invitation with others, especially if you belong to another Sangha! While there is no charge for any of the activities, contributing to the shared snack (all nut & peanut free) is always appreciated and there is a bowl for donations to Olmo Ling right inside the door, but please never let any of those requests be a hindrance to joining us!
Please make sure to RSVP with the Youth Sangha coordinator Bonnie Weiss at earthmom3@comcast.net to ensure adequate materials are available for class as well as to advise about any food allergies or special accommodations that might benefit your child