DRIKUNG DHARMA SURYA CENTER (DDSC) was founded and established by His Eminence Garchen Konchog Gyaltsen Rinpoche, a much revered lama of the profound, unbroken Drikung Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. The Center is dedicated to sharing, promoting, and sustaining Buddhist teachings and practices.
Drikung Dharma Surya Center is a IRS 501(c)(3) non-profit religious organization.
Spirituality is an essential part of everyone’s daily life. Through education/teachings, training, meditation retreat and community services, DDSC engages in preserving and transmitting Buddhist teachings and values, particularly the authentic Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhist tradition and practices of the 800-year old profound, unbroken Drikung Kagyu lineage. Just as the DDSC founder, His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche has guided, the goal of DDSC is to generate loving kindness, compassion and peace – peace in the individual, peace within families and communities, peace within other faiths, and peace among all beings, thereby bringing inconceivable benefits to others in the surrounding communities of the greater Washington D.C. metropolitan area.
The DDSC temple shrine hall houses the Buddha Shakyamuni, White Tara and Thousand-Armed Avalokiteshvara statues consecrated with the relics of Lord Buddha Shakyamuni and other enlightened Masters embedded and sealed inside the statues, pervaded by 24 x 7 audio CD chanting sound of sacred Mani, White Tara and Vajrakilaya mantras and surrounded by the 100 volumes of sacred Kangyur or the “Words of the Buddha” and the 1,000 Buddha golden statues. The Buddha relics are known to have tremendous power and can bring great blessings to individuals and the surroundings, where family, relatives and friends can visit the DDSC temple, circumambulate and make offerings, and participate in practices that will benefit themselves.
A special golden-colored metal prayer wheel of 5 feet tall by 3 feet diameter is installed outdoor and contains billions of mantras of deities and Dharma protectors to bring blessings to the surrounding environment, in which it was built, to those who build it, and to those who visit and venerate it. Just touching and spinning the prayer wheel is a particular blessing for those who are sick or experiencing obstacles, and brings great purification of negative karma and obscurations.
The temple also provides a special outdoor Contemplation Garden in the right corner of the temple, beautified with the 44″ x 84″ framed structure displaying the 37 Practices of Bodhisattvas as one of the foremost LoJong (mind-training) texts written by Gyalsé Tokmé Zangpo and the 6 feet tall Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha statue who took a great vow to guide all living beings from the hell and denied to achieve Buddhahood until all hells are empty. Visitors often stop by the Contemplation Garden surrounded by all season perennial companion plants that complement each other in the landscape, and read the 37 Practices of Bodhisattvas and Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha’s vows, and study, contemplate and reflect these mind-training teachings.
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Auspiciously, the Sanskrit name “Dharma Surya”(Tibetan: Chokyi Nyima) or “the Sun of the Dharma” was given to the Center by the present-
day Eighth Garchen Rinpoche, Konchog Gyaltsen. This was also the name of the Third Garchen Rinpoche, Chokyi Nyima, as well as the 28th Drikung Kyabgon throne holder, Drikung Kyabgon Chungtsang Rinpoche, Chokyi Nyima.
Under the spiritual guidance and direction of His Eminence Garchen Triptrul Rinpoche and the patronage of His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang and His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chungtsang, DRIKUNG DHARMA SURYA is open to all Buddhist traditions. In particular, the Center strives to follow and preserve Buddhist teachings and practices of the Drikung Kagyu, known as the “whispered lineage”.
- SOURCE for those who seek guidance, teachings, and practices on the Buddhist path, specifically the Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions
- SOURCE for those who seek spiritual refuge to alleviate suffering
- SOURCE for devotion in the Buddha’s teachings through making them meaningful in the context of daily life
- SOURCE for everyone to practice, cultivate and grow precious Bodhicitta higher and higher
- PROVIDE temple space for Dharma activities such as teachings, rituals, prayers, meditation, and retreats
- SERVE as the base to build a monastic Sangha and a valued, trusted community resource
As the spiritually centered Tibetan Buddhist way of life is developing here, DDSC becomes a space where everyone can always learn about the law of karma – the causes of happiness and the causes of sufferings. DDSC is a source of merit for this very life and many generations to come as this merit will become the cause of rebirth in the happy states in all future lives and ultimately the cause of attaining enlightenment.
Ordained monastics from Gar Monastery in Tibet and from Drikung Kagyu lineage in India live and work at DDSC to teach, train, and perform various spiritual rite/ritual activities as well as community services. DDSC is missioned to offer the following:
- Provide a conducive and protective physical environment accessible to everyone for study and practices, especially the BuddhaDharma teachings taught by Lord Buddha Sakyamuni, as well as rite/rituals, prayers/pujas for the living and deceased, Tsok (Feast) and smoke offerings, deity yoga, meditation, and retreats.
- Serve as the trusted monastic sangha and valued community resource as “Neighboring Home” to provide spiritual support to residents of the surrounding community.
- Community neighbors can spend a good portion of their day in yoga meditation such calm abiding, prayer chanting in unison for health and longevity, or praying for others upon request.
- Mindfulness & alertness training – appreciation of life – acceptance of self.
- Promoting personal happiness – instilling faith and hope – assisting with emotional and spiritual human needs
- Creative scientific healing for physical & spiritual self, to include wellness-healing program, such as Tibetan yoga meditation and Tai-Chi classes.
- Provide, support and/or host community outreach and inter-religious/inter-faith programs such as Sharing Sacred Spaces’s Interreligious Communities Project and unique cultural heritages and performance. Like-minded visitors from all world religions and faiths, even those who do not identify with any specific religion or tradition, can meet, share, recognize, respect and celebrate the richness and diversity of respective cultural traditions.
DDSC has been striving to serve as the source of sharing, promoting and sustaining Buddhist teachings and practices taught by Lord Buddha Sakyamuni and Great Masters of India and Tibet, bringing together everyone from all walks of life and all walks of faith to learn and understand each other and to find a common ground to achieve the ultimate goal of happiness, freedom and inner peace within and among all people and nations on earth, thereby bringing genuine relief from suffering for all sentient beings without exception. This resonates with the very same aspiration and vision of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, His Holiness the 37th Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang, and His Eminence the 8th Garchen Rinpoche.
May the Sun of the Dharma shine in every direction and dispel the darkness of ignorance, and bring peace and great benefits to everyone in the Greater Washington D.C. area and beyond.
Quotes from Garchen Rinpoche & Biography
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