Rinpoche began his South American teachings with a lovely, informal talk on Sunday, April 26th at a regular weekly evening meeting at Dongyuling Center in the Abboud home in Buenos Aires. Gerardo, Juani, and their daughter Sofia were generous hosts to Tsoknyi Rinpoche during his stay.
He began teaching the first retreat, Fearless Simplicity, on April 27th, completing it on May 3rd, followed by an Advanced Dzogchen retreat May 5th – 10th. Both first and second teachings were held at a Jesuit Seminary called Centro Loyola, surrounded by huge, ancient gardens.
Because the building was under renovation, half the retreatants stayed at another Catholic convent called Maria Auxiliadora. The nuns there hosted Rinpoche for lunch and were eager to have photos taken with him.
Dedicated retreatants came from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, and Mexico, with 110 people in each retreat and approximately 25 taking refuge. Silence was well kept, and as always, Rinpoche’s great humor infused everyone.
Dongyuling now has a small “Stupa of Enlightenment” on Dewachen, the property of founding member Cristina Riess. (She is the person Rinpoche often mentions who collects street dogs, now numbered at 80, as well as other animals.) The stupa was completed in six months and consecrated by two Argentinian lamas, Lama Sangye and Lama Rinchen, from Kagyu Thekchen Choling, the Kalu Rinpoche center in Buenos Aires.
CristinaRiess’ mother, Cristina, Rinpoche, Vera & Florencia (Cristina’s daughters holding the children)
For more information about Dongyuling Center, please visit http://www.dongyuling.com.ar
More wonderful photos of these retreats and the blessing of Dongyuling’s new stupa can be found at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/sofabboud
