Kagyu Shedrup Chöling
By: Samantha Bacerio
The Open Awareness Buddhist Center, called traditionally the Kagyu Shedrup Chöling, is a Tibetan Buddhist center of the Karma Kagyu Lineage located in South Florida. Kagyu is known as the “Teaching Lineage” of Tibetan Buddhism. It is one of the four major schools of Himalayan/Tibetan Buddhism. It has origins with the historical Buddha, Gautama. The Kagyu order is a spiritual lineage, focusing on spiritual instruction and meditation. Given its emphasis on strict meditation practice, it has been commonly called the “practice” lineage. The goal of the Kagyu school is to guide individuals on the spiritual path through an interplay of direct questioning and answer, through meditation, and through pointing out the true nature (Kagyu 2017). This is done by an intimate form of oral instruction between teacher (guru) and student. This tradition believes that the ultimate goal of understanding true nature can be achieved in a single lifetime.
The Kagyu Lineage focuses on the role of secret meditation instructions passed orally from master to student. This is referred to as the Golden Rosary. The Golden Rosary of the Kagyu descends from the supernal Absolute (vajradhara) itself, to the blessed yogis Tilopa and Naropa, to Marpa, Milarepa, Gampopa, the first Karmapa Du-sum Khyenpa, and from the latter through a whole succession of masters.
Tilopa is a highly realized yogi and tantric master. It is said that one day a female embodiment of wisdom known as dakini came to him in a vision and offered him knowledge. After requesting her insight, Tilopa gained an understanding of the Chakrasamvara Tantra. The Chakrasamvara is the most important Mother Tantra emphasizing female deities, like yoginis and dakinis. Its practices focus more on clear light mental activity and blissful awareness of emptiness, as the immediate cause for achieving buddha nature. It is said that Tilopa was given direct transmission of Mahamudra by the Buddha Vajradhara. A form of tantric meditation, the Mahamudra, or “great seal”, emphasizes the importance of emptiness to understanding the nature of our own lives. After achieving status as a great tantric master, he chose Naropa as his disciple (The 17th Karmapa Thaye Dorje: Official Website of His Holiness Karmapa 2017).
Naropa was a Buddhist monk who resided in a great monastery. One day while sitting in the monastery, a woman came to Naropa wanting to discuss Buddhist philosophy specifically the Perfection of Wisdom sutra. The Perfection of Wisdom is a teaching found in Mahayana Buddhism that speaks of emptiness and the lack of essence as being essential elements of the bodhisattva path. After hearing what the woman had to say Naropa was left with the feeling of confusion that he lacked the true experience of liberation. He left the monastery in the search for true understanding of liberation and found Tilopa. Tilopa put Naropa through a series of tests (common practice among Tibetan Buddhist traditions) until he proves allegiance to Tilopa, his guru. Once Tilopa felt that Naropa was ready he transferred his knowledge to him. Naropa’s most famous set of teachings are known as the “Six Yogas of Naropa”. Naropa then transmitted his knowledge to his chosen disciple, Marpa, and the lineage continued.
Marpa, the chosen disciple of Naropa, received the lineage of tantric teachings called the Four Special Transmissions. These teachings encompass the four major yogas: (1) illusory body and transference of consciousness, (2) dream, (3) luminosity, (4) inner heat (The 17th Karmapa Thaye Dorje: Official Website of His Holiness Karmapa 2017). Marpa is credited for bringing this lineage to Tibet, passing them on to his primary disciple, Milarepa. Milarepa is the most renowned and accomplished of Tibet’s tantric yogis, who achieved enlightenment in one lifetime.The various lineages of Tibetan Buddhism share many teachings in common. The Open Awareness Buddhist Center specifically pertains to the Karma Kagyu Lineage. This lineage was founded by Dusum Khyenpa, the 1st Karmapa Lama and serves as the primary source of refuge for all followers of the Karma Kagyu lineage. Dusum Khyenpa was the 1st Buddhist to become an incarnate lama. He received his teachings from Gampopa, the most well-known disciple of the great Tibetan yogi, Milarepa. Gampopa is credited with creating the first monastic order of the Kagyu School. From here the Karma Kagyu tradition continues on to the current 17th Karmapa, Urgyen Thinley Dorje (Kagyu 2017).
Lama Karma Chotso:
Lama Karma Chotso began studying and practicing the Kagyu Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism in March 1982. She decided to begin her practice after meeting yogi and meditation master, Kyabje Dorje Chang Kalu Rinpoche, when he gave the Kalachakra empowerment in New York City. Moved by the ceremony, she took refuge with Rinpoche. After four years of practicing under Rinpoche, Chotso was ordained as a novice nun. In 1986, she entered a three-year meditation retreat held in strict seclusion. After the retreat, she traveled to Asia where she completed the pilgrimage to several Buddhist holy sites (Lama 2017).
After several years practicing in New York State, Lama Chotso relocated to South Florida in 1996. In South Florida, she is credited with establishing the first Kagyu center in Hollywood, FL in 1997. Many years were spent working to raise funds to improve the center, until a very generous donation allowed to firmly establish the center at their current location in Miami, FL (Lama 2017). 
Lama Chotso is actively involved in the local community. Spreading harmony and peace throughout South Florida, even visiting and chanting mantras to the manatees at the Miami Seaquarium and dolphins at the Dolphin Research Center in the Florida Keys. She served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Interfaith Council of Greater Hollywood for many years and as president one year (Lama 2017).
Another way in which she continues to be involved in the South Florida community is her continuous promotion o
f Buddhist education. Lama Karma Chötso has given various lectures on the Kagyu tradition and meditation practices in many venues such as the Whole Life Expo in Fort Lauderdale, Sunshine Cathedral, Dania Library, St. Thomas University, Barry University, Florida International University, and many health/wellness centers. She assisted Dr. Nathan Katz in teaching a course in Tibetan Buddhism at Florida International University. She is also a committee member of Florida Atlantic University’s Interfaith Group. She is very passionate about the growing Kagyu sangha in the providence of San Martin, Peru where she has taught for several years and is working on building a community hall for the community to give locals a place to practice and continue Buddhist education (Lama 2017).
Kalu Rinpoche:
Kyabje Dorje Chang Kalu Rinpoche, known as the “Lord of Refuge”, is central figure at the Open Awareness Buddhist Center . Lama Karma Chotso believes that Lama Kalu Rinpoche embodies the inner and outer qualities of a true meditation master and was ordained as a nun under him (Kalu Rinpoche 2017). Rinpoche was a renowned yogi and scholar. His teachings were sought by lamas of all four schools of Buddhism in Tibet. He was the senior Meditation Master of the Karma Kagyu Tradition, the tradition of the center. He was an 
essential player in spreading the Dharma to the west and establishing facilities where westerners can learn and practice Tibetan Buddhism. Lama Chotso has been granted permission to write a biography about Rinpoche based on recounts of what she has seen and heard while practicing under Rinpoche (http://kagyu.com/en/introduction/biographies/17-kyabje-dorje-chang-kalu-rinpoche 2017).
The Sangha:
The center’s sangha is a diverse community that is very active in South Florida. Given its location in Miami, the center is comprised of a variety of different members from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds. The majority of its members however are of Hispanic descent. 
The Open Awareness Buddhist Center is currently directly affiliated with Palpung International which is under the guidance of T’ai Situ Rinpoche. The Palpung institute is a monastic college located in Tibet. It offers courses on the history, literature, and language of Buddhism. Many of the teachings taught during educational seminars at the center are directly from members of Palpung International (http://palpung.org/english/news/default.asp 2017).
Practices:
Throughout the week, Dharma teachings on traditional Kagyu beliefs are taught. One specific seminar is given by Tai Situ, head of Palpung International, on the Mahamudra. Mahamudra practice deals with the idea that all sentient beings can attain Buddhahood because it is their goal, their essence. Mahamudra tantra is defined by a mind that both experiences bliss while realizes emptiness.
An important aspect of any Buddhist tradition involves the practice of making offerings, whether it be to the Buddha himself, a bodhisattva, or a monk. This is also a central practice at the center. The center places importance on the accumulation of merit in regards to karma in the upcoming cycles of rebirth. One of the practices that the Lama Chotso encourages as a way of attaining merit is through offering bowls of saffron water. It is considered an act of generosity with lack of greed since the individual does not have any direct attachment to the water. Another practice which is done once a week at the center is what is called the “butterlamps offering”. This practice symbolizes the burning away of mental afflictions of desire, greed, jealously, etc (Buddhism 2017). In Tibetan medical tradition, this practice is seen as a way to burn away one’s illness. Traditionally, illness was seen as the imbalance between the elements of the body. It is a way of placing the body back in proper balance. In the garden of the center, there is an alter with a sculpture of the Gautama Buddha where members of the center can offer up butter lamps along with any mantras or prayers that they wish share. This practice is accompanied with ritual tantric chanting lead by the lama (Buddhism 2017). 
Along with the practices stated before, throughout the week several yogi and meditation masters are invited to teach and offer classes to anyone who wishes to take them. Different forms of yoga and tantric meditation are taught in order to allow individuals to experience many forms of Buddhist practice. One of the main forms of tantric meditation taught is called the “Chenrezig Practice”. It is a form of meditation in which mantras are chanted and the individual is to embrace compassion for all beings and attain bodhicitta, a type of spiritual energy. These classes are a great way to connect the sangha and aid individuals in their journey to understanding the true nature.
Garden of Merit:
The Garden of Merit is a fundamental aspect of the center. It is where many of the practices are executed. The importance of this garden arises due to the stupas that were built in it. Stupas are structures that contain relics and are used as places for meditation in traditional Buddhism. Kagyu Shedrup Chöling is home to the southernmost Tibetan stupas in the United States. The sangha worked for years to build these stupas following the traditional Tibetan design of the Kagyu lineage. These four stupas face the four cardinal directions and are meant to counter negativity and balance the elements. Once a week, the center holds “merit days” where anyone can come tour the garden and where the sangha tend to the garden by cleaning fixtures, planting greenery, or simply meditating as a way of accumulating merit (Buddhism 2017).
Works Cited:
The 17th Karmapa Thaye Dorje: Official Website of His Holiness Karmapa. (n.d.). Retrieved December 18, 2017, from https://www.karmapa.org/
Buddhism, M. (2017, November 27). Butterlamps Offering. Retrieved December 18, 2017, from http://miamibuddhism.com/butterlamps/
Buddhism, M. (2017, April 13). Garden of Merit Stupas. Retrieved December 18, 2017, from http://miamibuddhism.com/stupas
Kagyu. (2017, April 12). Retrieved December 04, 2017, from http://miamibuddhism.com/kagyu/
“Kalu Rinpoche.” Open Awareness, 7 Apr. 2017, miamibuddhism.com/kagyu/kalurinpoche/
Lama. (2017, November 07). Retrieved December 18, 2017, from http://miamibuddhism.com/lama/
(n.d.). Retrieved December 04, 2017, from http://palpung.org/english/news/default.asp
(n.d.). Retrieved December 04, 2017, from http://kagyu.com/en/introduction/biographies/17-kyabje-dorje-chang-kalu-rinpoche