Also, please be informed that this year 100 Million Mani Recitation retreat, which will be held at Suntec City from 29 Dec ’08 to 31 Dec ’08, is now opened to part-time participants. Details can be found at www.maniretreat.org.

May you be well and happy always and may you experience swift spiritual progress, 

Rinpoche requests the worldwide sangha to  recite long-life mantras on December 22 as much as our personal circumstance permits. In 2008 in the northern hemisphere, December 21 is the shortest day of the year in terms of daylight, and Rinpoche says that the next day, "when daylight and warmth begin to increase again," is a most powerful time for reciting long-life mantras.

He said we may recite the mantras of any of the three long-life deities, who are the same for all the Buddhist lineages—White Tara, Amitayus, and Namgyalma—but that it is sufficient to recite White Tara's mantra. He said that Namgyalma and Tara are basically the same deity, and that Namgyalma is especially powerful. He said she protects us from the eight great fears and from rebirth in the lower realms and that the benefit of practicing her mantra is immense, since she protects us in this and future lifetimes. She abides at the crown protuberance ("ushnisha" in Sanskrit) of the Buddha, and thus her Sanskrit name: Ushnishavijaya ("victorious crown protuberance").

In addition to praying for the long life of all, it is most auspicious that this gift of practice provides an extra and powerful opportunity to pray for Rinpoche's long life in anticipation of his long-life celebration on Losar. Rinpoche has told us that it is our sincere prayers that prolong his life, and he also gave the following precious teachings on the life span of the lama:

"Life span depends on love. So whether the life span of the lama will be long depends on whether his or her disciples have love and keep their samayas (vows). The basic samaya is the Bodhisattva vow, which the lama has given to his disciples. His disciples therefore all share a samaya of bodhichitta with each other and with the lama. If disciples quarrel and cause disharmony among the sangha, this will decrease the lama's life span. There are many stories of a great Tulku whose life was cut short because of disharmonious conduct by his disciples. If, however, we keep our samaya of bodhichitta toward our lama and all our sibling-disciples, it will increase the lama's life span. If we constantly quarrel and are miserable, this will decrease his life span as a result of our breached samaya."

Rinpoche's love for all mother sentient beings is immeasurable and unceasing, and may we constantly express our gratitude through loving kindness and harmonious relations with all.

Yours in dharma,

Dri Thubten Dargye Ling