With lockdowns continuing, live-streaming precious Buddhist teachings — especially healing and Medicine Buddha meditations — are a vital lifeline to practice. Although there are many past-recorded video teachings online — such as on the Buddha Weekly YouTube Channel — there is something very intimate and special about the live-stream teaching, regardless of lower production values. Even though the suddenness of lockdown left many teachers without access to higher-quality cameras and microphones, the live teachings are somehow more “powerful” — you feel as if you are facing your teacher, listening to Dharma. [See inset of Zasep Rinpoche teaching Medicine Buddha from a past Buddha Weekly video.]
As we enter the second month of lockdowns, collectively enduring the Covid-19 tragedy, some teachers have reached out to isolated students through YouTube and Facebook live-streams.
Live streams from teachers are available on YouTube. For example, Venerable Zasep Rinpoche teaches live every Sunday at 2pm PT (5pm ET) on Gaden West’s YouTube channel.
Healing teachings series
Zasep Tulku Rinpoche continues a healing series of live streams every Sunday on YouTube, focusing mostly on healing practices within Tibetan Buddhism. Other teachers and meditation centers are likewise increasing the frequency of streamed teachings.
Rinpoche is popularly known for his approachable teaching style, strong humor and teachings based on a long lineage of great lamas. His own gurus included the most celebrated of Gelug teachers: His Holiness Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, His Holiness Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, Venerable Geshe Thupten Wanggyel, His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, Venerable Lati Rinpoche, Venerable Tara Tulku Rinpoche and Venerable Khalkha Jetsun Dampa Rinpoche. He is also the author of several published English commentaries, including Tara in the Palm of Your Hand and Gelug Mahamudra.
Mantra transmission online?
Many teachers are providing “mantra transmissions,” — which, according to Zasep Rinpoche, are valid as long as you are “facing the teacher” repeating after the teacher three times.
Zasep Rinpoche began the first two Sundays with teachings on the healing meditations of Black Manjushri. The last three teachings have focused on Medicine Buddha. Tomorrow, Rinpoche will transmit teachings on a precious Sadhana “Medicine Buddha Wish-Granting Jewel” — available for PDF download here>>
Rinpoche will live-stream special Medicine Buddha teachings on Sunday at 5 pm Eastern, 2 pm Pacific, scheduled at this link on YouTube>>
Past Medicine Buddha teaching video from Budda Weekly YouTube channel:
21 Tara teachings to come
After the Medicine Buddha teaching series finishes, Zasep Rinpoche indicated he plans to teach — again, on Sundays at the fixed time — the 21 Taras, according to Surya Gupta. [For more on the 21 Taras according to Surya Gupta, see>>]
Tara practice is highly protective and recommended by many teachers in this time of Covid-19. The 21 Taras practice is well known, although Surya Gupta practice is very powerful and focused — where each Tara appears in entirely different forms and attributes to emphasize individual “specialties.” Each Tara has her own mantra.
He will teach each of the 21 Taras separately, with their visualization, mantras sadhanas. Rinpoche wrote one of the few English commentaries on the 21 Taras, according to Surya Gupta, in his popular book Tara in the Palm of Your Hand.
The live streams are each Sunday at 5pm Eastern Time, 2pm Central Time (convert for your region) on the Gaden for the West YouTube Channel.
The previously streamed teachings are viewable there as well.
- Interviews with Zasep Tulku Rinpoche>>
- Click here to read part 1>>
- Click here to read part 2>>
- Click here to read part 3>>
Zasep Rinpoche Mini Biography
Rinpoche is spiritual head of many Dharma Centres, and teaches around the world. Originally from Kham province in Tibet (born 1948) Rinpoche has taught in the west since 1976, after he was first invited by Geshe Thubten Loden and Lama Yeshe to teach at the Chenrezig Institute in Australia. Today, he is spiritual head of the Gaden for the West centres in Canada, U.S., and Australia and also spiritual director of the the charities Gaden Relief Project (Canada) and Manlha Tus NGO (Mongolia). He is the author of three books, including his latest release in 2018 with a rare English commentary and practice instructions for Gelug Mahamudra.
H.E. Zasep RInpoche. Photo by Gabriela Reyes Fuchs. From the book Gelug Mahamudra, Eloquent Speech of Manjushri.
Lee Kane
Author | Buddha Weekly
Lee Kane is the editor of Buddha Weekly, since 2007. His main focuses as a writer are mindfulness techniques, meditation, Dharma and Sutra commentaries, Buddhist practices, international perspectives and traditions, Vajrayana, Mahayana, Zen. He also covers various events.
Lee also contributes as a writer to various other online magazines and blogs.
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