The Drikung Meditation Center is the home of a Tibetan Buddhist community in Arlington, Massachusetts. Founded in the early 1980s by Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen Rinpoche, the center moved through several different locations in the Boston area, until settling in Arlington in 2007. As well as being a center for meditative practice, it also holds Dharma and Tibetan language classes for its members. The center is open to all visitors, and anyone can become a member. The Drikung Meditation Center is located within the Jokhang Temple, which is the home of the U.S. Jowo Rinpoche statue. The Jokhang Temple is considered to be one of the only Buddhist pilgrimage sites in the United States, and visitors come to the center to meditate and gaze upon the Jowo Rinpoche statue. The center is a branch of Katsel Monastery in Tibet and follows the Drikung Kagyu Lineage.
The Kagyu school traces its origins all the way back to Tilopa, and is one of the major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. One of the main values of the Kagyu school is the emphasis on the passing down of oral teachings from enlightened masters. Starting with Tilopa, the Kagyu school claims a very famous and venerated series of masters. To this day, the teachings of the current Kagyu masters are valued above all other modern teachings. The head of the Kagyu lineage is called the Karmapa, and all of the subsequent Karmapas are considered to be incarnate lamas of Gyalwa Karmapa. The current Karmapa is the seventeenth reincarnation of Gyalwa Karmapa, and he is called His Holiness, the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa. Within the Kagyu school, The Drikung Kagyu lineage was established with Kyopa Jigten Sumgön when he founded Drikung Thil Monastery in Tibet in 1179. The most important teachings in the Drikung Kagyu lineage, and emphasized at the Drikung Meditation Center, are the Six Yogas of Naropa and the Five-fold Profound Path of Mahamudra. The Six Yogas of Naropa are a set of six tantric practices that were passed down to Naropa from Tilopa, that are said to bring one to enlightenment within one lifetime. The Five-fold Profound Path of Mahamudra is a method of realizing one’s true Buddha nature and achieving enlightenment. Mahamudra literally means “great seal” and to the Drikung Kagyu lineage, it is considered to be the essence of Buddha’s teachings. The five steps in the Five-fold Profound path of Mahamudra are, “bodhichitta”, “yidam”, “guru-yoga”, “mahamudra”, and “dedication.” The founder of the Drikung Meditation Center, Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen Rinpoche has studied extensively in both the Six Yogas of Naropa and the Five-fold Profound Path of Mahamudra.
Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen Rinpoche was born in Tsari, Tibet in the spring of 1946. In 1959, Rinpoche and his family fled Tibet due to the dangerous political situation, eventually settling in Darjeeling, India. Rinpoche then went to Varanasi, India to study at the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies (CIHTS). At CIHTS Rinpoche’s subjects of study included Abhidharma, Vinaya, the Middle Way, history, and Tibetan grammar. After completing the nine-year program, Rinpoche received an Acharya degree. After receiving his Acharya degree from CIHTS, Rinpoche continued to study under many different masters in many different Tibetan Buddhist Lineages. In 1982 Rinpoche moved to the United States and began to spread his teachings. Before he founded the Drikung Meditation Center, Rinpoche established another Buddhist community- The Tibetan Meditation Center in Maryland. Rinpoche, who is fluent in English, spends his time teaching at different centers, as well as writing and translating texts. Some of his published works include, “Prayer Flags”, “The Great Kagyu Masters”, and “The Garland of Mahamudra Practices.” The subjects of his writings range from basic introductions to Buddhist thought and the Dharma, to translations of ancient texts. Rinpoche has published ten books so far, and is currently working on completing his eleventh. As well as writing, Rinpoche spends his time traveling all over the world to teach the Dharma and lead retreats. Because he has such a busy life, Rinpoche is only able to visit the Drikung Meditation Center sparingly and on special occasions, like the twenty-fifth anniversary of the center’s founding, for instance.
As well as Rinpoche, another leader at the Drikung Meditation Center is Venerable Lama Konchok Sonam. Lama Sonam is the spiritual director at the Drikung Meditation Center, as well as other Buddhist centers throughout the United States. Lama Sonam was born in Lhasa, Tibet and took full ordination as a Buddhist monk at the age of 18. He trained within the Drikung Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. Lama Sonam has studied under more than twenty-five great Buddhist masters, and has an incredible knowledge of the Dharma. In 2005 at the Drikung Meditation center, Lama Sonam started the Jowo Rinpoche Statue Project. He successfully managed to create a pilgrimage site in 2008 by acquiring a replica of the Jowo Rinpoche statue.
The original Jowo Rinpoche statue was created in 641 CE to the likeness of Jowo Sakyamuni Buddha, and is considered to be the most sacred image or statue in all of Tibet. The original statue is currently located in Lhasa, Tibet and traditionally Tibetans make at least one pilgrimage to see it in their lifetimes. The statue is said to symbolize four qualities: loving kindness, compassionate activities, peace, and wisdom. It is believed that viewing the statue will quicken one’s path to enlightenment. The Jowo Rinpoche statue at the Drikung Meditation center was constructed on May 30th, 2008. It is about eight feet tall, and is the only one of its kind within the United States. The Jokhang Temple was constructed to house the Jowo Rinpoche statue, and all are welcome to take a pilgrimage to see it and gain the benefits that come from viewing it. As the Jokhang Institute’s website says, “Visitors are encouraged to pull up a chair or cushion, have a cup of tea and meditate on the statue by simply looking at its beauty.” Although the statute currently resides at the Jokhang Temple, there are plans in the works to get the funding to create a new home for the statue that includes a retreat area, meditation hall, and lodging for visitors.
The Drikung Meditation Center has a regular weekly schedule of events, as well as hosting special events and retreats. The center also has a library in which members are allowed to read and study. In order to become a member, you are expected to donate to the center, either through financial gifts or volunteer work. Every Sunday the center has an event called “Sunday Morning Dharma” in which takes place a combination of meditation and study. Students learn several different meditative practices to help calm the mind, read excerpts from “The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa”, and learn some basic elements of the Tibetan language. These sessions are open to all and are created to serve students at all levels. Also on Sunday evenings, the center hosts an “Intermediate Tibetan Language study” class for members who are already fairly well versed with the subject. On Mondays, the Drikung Meditation Center hosts a basic “Introduction to Buddhism” class taught by David Tucker. The class is mostly aimed toward people with little knowledge of Buddhism, and starts on January 19th. Every Tuesday, the Drikung Meditation Center holds a session called “Words of Enlightenment”, taught by spiritual leader Lama Sonam. The session is described as a “discussion of core Buddhist texts in the light of daily life and practice.” On Wednesdays, the Drikung Meditation Center has a session called “Vajrasattva.” Vajrasattva is a practice aimed at purification, in which attendees will participate in visualization, mantra recitation, and meditation in order to achieve purification for past mistakes. On Thursdays, the center hosts “Green Tara” in which participants aim to rid themselves of any fear and obstacles. Green Tara is a bodhisattva and has a mantra used for meditation. On Fridays, the center hosts a “Beginning Tibetan” class in which members are instructed in the basics of the Tibetan language. Every Saturday, the center is open to visitors from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., and there is also a session of self-guided meditation.
As well as the weekly schedule of sessions and classes, the center hosts special events, like retreats lead by Lama Sonam, and visits and speeches given by various guest lamas. Past events include, “Dzambhala and the Protection of Bodhicitta with Ven. Lama Konchok Sonam”, “Four-Armed Mahakala with Khenpo Choephel Rinpoche”, and “Lha Bab Duchen Practice, Long-Life Puja and Birthday Celebrations.” The retreat room in the center can also be rented out by other Buddhist groups who are interested in holding their own retreats or events. One final element of the Drikung Meditation Center is its “Dharma Shop.” While the center is a non-profit organization, the Dharma shop helps raise money to bring teachers to the center, fund daily activities, and also to fundraise for the project to create a new home for the Jowo Rinpoche statue.
Sources
“A Brief History of the Drikung Kagyu Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism.”Drikung Kagyu. Web. 30 Nov. 2015. <http://www.drikung.org/drikung-kagyu-lineage>.
“Biography of His Holiness the 17th Karmapa.” Karma Triyana Dharmachakra. Web. 30 Nov. 2015. <http://www.kagyu.org/kagyulineage/karmapa/kar00.php>.
Drikung Meditation Center at the Jokhang Temple. Web. 30 Nov. 2015. <http://drikungboston.org/>.
“Five-Fold Profound Path of Mahamudra.” Drikung Dharma Surya Center. Web. 30 Nov. 2015. <http://drikungdharmasurya.org/five-fold-profound-path-of-mahamudra/>.
“The U.S. Jowo Rinpoche.” The Jokhang Institute. Web. 30 Nov. 2015. <http://jokhang.org/>.
“Ven. Khenchen Rinpoche Konchog Gyaltsen.” Vajra Dakini Nunnery. Web. 30 Nov. 2015. <http://www.vajradakininunnery.org/gyaltsen.html>.