Volume 2, Issue 1
The Xuanfa Institute of Sanger, CA
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Page 2:
Prema’s Perspective
Bhadra’s Corner
Pages 3 & 4: Photos
Page 5: RInpoche’s Column
Page 6: Listings
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Rinpoche’s Column
Halfway through the last
Dharma Propagation Tour
I was summoned to a
special meeting with my
Buddha Master. The good
news from that meeting is
Continued on Page5
Coming soon – Speech
Etiquette – How does one
address our Master?
The Dharma Courier
CourierCCCouCCCourier
Special Class on the Treasure Book
His Holiness Dorje Chang Buddha III
“December 13-20, 2009: Intensive
Class on Treasure Book H.H. Dorje
Chang Buddha III at Xuanfa
Institute.”
The listing seemed innocuous
enough. Indeed, it provided a very
accurate description of the event –
so far as it went. It was a class; the
class was intensive and it was on
the Treasure Book, His Holiness
Dorje Chang Buddha III and on
the Monk’s Sutra. The “homework”
assignments were very clear and
there were plenty of indicators that
there was more to the class: how
much more was revealed through
an interesting and richly rewarding
experience – or series of
experiences.
Since Bhadra was assigned to be
our Master’s attendant for the class
we arrived that Friday afternoon.
Saturday and Sunday were
consumed with a variety of
projects: toilet repairs, yard
maintenance, and more. But the
major project was the complete
redesign and restructuring of the
altar room. Parts of that project
were barely finished by the last
day, but finished they were with the
help of everyone.
And that was pretty much how the
week went – everyone participated,
everyone contributed, and most
everything got done.
January – March 2010
It was a wonderful experience to
hear the perspectives of others in
discussing the Treasure Book
and the Monk’s Sutra. I thought
everyone brought their unique
take on things and I, for one,
learned a great deal from the
class in that way.
A part of the study of the
Treasure Book was devoted to
the lineages. This was quite
helpful although I have to confess
that Tibetan names still do not
flow easily off of a tongue more
at ease with “ya’ll” than say,
Mindrolling Trichen. But, I
learned that the pronunciation for
the first word is min’-dro-ling as
opposed to mind rolling.
The food was vegetarian and
absolutely great. There was
shepherd’s pie, pizza, pasta,
soups – nettle soup! Fresh nettle
soup! And, for a true test of
bodhicitta - cheesecake. It’s that
last slice that challenges a
practitioner’s ability to carry out
the first three branches of the
Dharma of Bodhisattva
Correspondence Bodhicitta.
I would encourage everyone to
do his or her best to attend such
a special training session. It is a
very good way to increase your
foundational knowledge and the
experience of group chanting
was really quite a treat.
Harsha the Scribe
Page 2 The Dharma Courier

Prema’s Perspective Bhadra’s Corner

th
On Sunday December 13 arriving at the gates of the I wanted to express my deep
Xuanfa Temple I took in, all at once, the sound of trickling appreciation to all who attended the
water, two white egrets ambling in the pond, horses retreat last month in Sanger that was
grazing, and spacious fields under an open gray sky. The hosted by our most wonderful
serenity and beauty of this natural setting filled me with a Master, Zhaxi Zhuoma Rinpoche. I
sense of peace and homecoming, a perfect mind for learned so much from each of you
beginning this weeklong retreat on the Treasure Book. and I was so impressed with how
everyone got along so well for the
week. I learned what a wonderful
It was a busy and productive week, as each of us worked
sangha we have the pleasure to be
to enhance the grounds, the altars and the experience for
a part of and how talented everyone
one another: cleaning, repairing, beautifying, cooking,
is. Everyone did their part to help
preparing pills. I learned many new things: new chants,
with the remodeling of the retreat
new practices, even some new cooking ideas from
center, including cleaning rooms,
Anandamayi, our cook for the week, and other participants
rearranging cabinets, clearing old
(Lily and Kamala) who stepped up to prepare some
fences, sweeping sidewalks,
meals. One day for lunch I helped our Master Ven. Zhaxi
repairing bathrooms and sinks,
Zhuoma Rinpoche prepare nettle soup from the freely
covering walls, centering altars and
growing nettles I had gathered from the grounds. They are
parasols, etc. There was wonderful
a delicious wild food that must also be very nutritious.
food each meal to sustain us while
Patriarch Milarepa was able to survive on nettles while
we worked. There was sharing of
living as a hermit. I now know how to spot them and cook
conversations to get to know each
them.
other. There was sharing of
presentations and information to
During the retreat I also took refuge and was given the
learn from each other. There was
name Prema, which means, “Love of the Dharma, ” so the
the wonderful and boundless
week will always be special and memorable for me. And,
information compiled and presented
though I did not suspect it beforehand, I really enjoyed our
by our Precious Master. And
homework assignment to give ten minute presentations on
throughout the week there was
what we’d found important in the Treasure Book and two
sharing of love to support and
of His Holiness’s Discourses, “A Monk Expounds the
nurture each of us along our paths. I
Dharma to A Layperson” and “What Is Cultivation.” This
am so much better a person for
assignment was so very helpful to me in many ways:
having the experience of spending
having to memorize some of the material, consolidating my
the week with such wonderful and
understanding of what I’d read, examining my personal
gifted individuals--with you! I send
connection to the material, and practicing speaking in front
you each much love and many
of others. Altogether, giving the brief talks was an
blessings.
empowering learning experience and I now feel much
more confident about opening and leading a Dharma
Listening Center in Utah. I thank Ven. Zhaxi Zhuoma
Rinpoche for challenging us in this way. It was a really
good idea. Just For Fun

I’m still humming the chants we practiced, too. Life is What is Master Rinpoche's favorite response to a
good and I am fortunate. question?

Prema Answers in next quarter's newsletter!

Rinpoche’s Column
The Dharma Courier Page 3

Lily arranged the feathers

beautifully

These photos [above] are of the first presentations when using notes was
allowed.

As the presentations are made, Master Rinpoche makes a few notes for later.

The photos below show fellow students realizing what a good point the
speaker just made.
The Dharma Courier Page 4

Skanda Bodhisattva’s
The group at the end of the week and after the presentations Altar at the entrance to
the Buddha Hall

The main altar in the Buddha Hall after a week of arranging & re-arranging with the help and involvement of
everyone.
Page 5 The Dharma Courier

Rinpoche’s Column continued from Page 1 The Xuanfa Institute

11507 East Ashlan Avenue
Sanger, California
Phone 559-875-3515
that His Holiness stated that we should have a long- Fax 559-875-3515
term retreat center at the Xuanfa Institute in Sanger. E-mail zhaxiz@gmail.com
This means that as soon as we can obtain the
necessary permits and governmental approvals, we can Dedicated to propagating the true
dharma established by
start having the traditional three year-three month-three
Shakyamuni Buddha—the
day retreats for disciples. If we are able to build fundamental Theravada, the
separate facilities, we can continue to hold classes and exoteric Mahayana, and the
shorter retreats at the center while these retreats are in esoteric Vajrayana—and
progress. Plans include a medium size yurt that can expounded by H.H. Dorje Chang
Buddha III.
serve as a meditation hall, but our local building officials
will be a challenge. The long-term retreat will be
designed to enable the participants to have an extended
period of time in seclusion where they can focus only on
their practice and cultivation.

With that in mind, we are planning on offering a two-

year certificate program that will also include a 90-day
practice period at the Institute. I am hoping that at least
part of this program will be able to be conducted at the The Xuanfa Institute logo consists
various Xuanfa dharma centers. It will be like the of seven “jewels” on a sun-mirror,
December class that is described in this newsletter in as sailing on a moon boat in dharma-
much as it will focus on listening to selected dharma clouds. The seven “jewels” are
discourses by our Buddha Master, preparing a summary Good Fortune, Miracles or Holy
Manifestations, the Five Vidyas,
of the essence or principles contained in those
Wisdom, Compassion, Becoming
discourses, and presenting what you have learned to a
a Saint or Holy Being, and the
group of your peers. I am hoping to start the first module Quick Path to Enlightenment. The
of this program in March, but there is still much to be image of the Jewel Mirror came to
done. Ven. Zhaxi Zhuoma in a dream. It
was such an unusual and vivid
The students attending the week long class in dream that she told her vajra
December helped remodel the Buddha Hall in master, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha
anticipation of being able to have the temple and retreat III, about it only to have His
center approved, but there are many steps we must to Holiness laugh and say, “But of
through to make this project a reality. We will need course, that’s the magical
everyone’s help. We want this to be a place where Buddha-dharma that I have been
trying to teach you. Use that
English-speaking students from all over the world can
image as a means of expounding
come and learn and practice the Buddha-dharma of
the Dharma!” You can learn more
H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III and cultivate themselves about these jewels on
so as to become accomplished. I hope to see you here www.zhaxizhuoma.net
in the future.

Zhaxi Zhuoma
 XUANFA Affiliated Dharma Centers
Page 6
CALIFORNIA:
Buddha Nature Dharma Center:
Contact Master Narsimha
(Spencer Johnson); 1672-A
Orchard Street, Santa Rosa,
California; 707-321-3527;
narsimha@xuanfainstitute.org;
www.bn.xuanfainstitute.org
Dawapalmo, The Xuanfa
Dharma Center of Pacifica:
Contact Kamala (Marta Torres);
140 Gateway Drive, Pacifica,
California 94044; 650-678-5395;
kamala@xuanfainstitute.org;
www.dawapalmo.xuanfainstitute.
org [SPANISH]
The Xuanfa Dharma Center of
San Diego: 4115 3rd Avenue,
San Diego, California; Contact
Dharmadina (Elisa Lane); 619-
322-5067, elisa.lane@cox.net; or
Uppalavanna (Marieta Darrah);
858-361-4245,
mettadhar@hotmail.com; or
Abhirati (Sondra Buschman);
619-325-0992,
sondrab@tibetanacademy.org;
Xuanfa Temple of Sanger:
Contact Ven. Zhaxi Zhuoma
Rinpoche; 11507 East Ashlan
Avenue (Mail to PO Box 272),
Sanger, California 93657; Phone
and FAX: 559-875-3515;
zhaxiz@gmail.com;
www.zhaxizhuoma.net
DELAWARE: Dharmadhatu
Dharma Center- Contact Master
Nanda (Glenn Gauvry); 190 Main
Street, Little Creek, Delaware;
302-236-5383; glenn-
nanda@comcast.net;
www.dharmadhatu-center.org/
The Dharma Courier
NEVADA: Xuanfa Dharma
Center of Las Vegas - Contact
Sakula (Katie Hughes-Appel);
7628 Delaware Bay Drive, Las
Vegas, NV 89128; 702-292-4341;
sakula@xuanfainstitute.org;
www.lasvegas.xuanfainstitute.org
NEW MEXICO: Xiuxing Institute
of Taos - Contact Harsha (Mike
Jones); 1337-G Gusdorf Road,
Taos, NM 87557; 575-770-7372;
xit@taosdharma.org;
www.taosdharma.org
NORTH CAROLINA:
Asheville Dharma Center -
Contact Master Dr. Shu-Ying Kuai
and Shakti (Xiu Fang Wang); 114
Arlington Street, Asheville, NC;
828-254-2167;
Kuai_caichun@hotmail.com
Waynesville Dharma Center -
Contact Hari (Barry Dossenko); 44
Greenwood Avenue, Waynesville,
NC 28786; 828-452-7733;
wdc@xuanfainstitute.org;
www.wdc.xuanfainstitute.org
PENNSYLVANIA: Xuanfa
Dharma Center of Philadelphia -
Contact Bilwa (April Lynn Kay);
5444 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia,
PA 19128; 215-429-5526;
bilwa@xuanfainstitute.org;
www.phila.xuanfainstitute.org
UTAH: Xuanfa Dharma Center
of Utah - Contact Prema
(Margaret Esterman); 161 M
street, Salt Lake City, UT 84103;
801-532-4833;
margaret@greatriverbooks.com
ONTARIO:Xuanfa Dharma
Center of Toronto-Contact
Umang (Justin Teaw); 60
Glenashton Drive, Oakville,
Ontario Canada L6H6G2; 905-
257-3456;
umang@xuanfainstitute.org;
www.to.xuanfainstitute.org
mailto:justinteaw@gmail.com.
[BAHASA MALAYSIAN]
GERMANY: Xuanfa
Dharmazentrum of Cologne-
Contact Amal (Alexander Blazic);
Im StadtRaum, Moltkestr. 79,
50674 Köln (Cologne), Germany;
+49 (0)221 298 3690;
kontakt@xuanfa-
dharmazentrum.de; www.xuanfa-
dharmazentrum.de [GERMAN]
If your center has an upcoming
event please provide the
details and we will makesure it
is included in the newsletter.
The target publication date for
The Dharma Courier is the first
week of the quarter.
Thanks & we hope you find this
a useful project.
Harsha the Scribe