Manjushri Wisdom Center is a Dharma Center affiliated with the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Traditition (FPMT). The FPMT is a world-wide network of more than one hundred and fifty Tibetan Buddhist (Gelug) Centers.

 

Ven. Losang Kalden established Manjushri Wisdom Center in 2006 following the advice of Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche.  FPMT transmits the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through Tibetan Buddhist teachings, meditation, community service, retreat centers, and projects that preserve the tradition. FPMT is based on the Gelugpa tradition of Lama Tsongkhapa of Tibet as taught by our founder, Lama Thubten Yeshe, and spiritual director, Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

 

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SANGHA: The benefits of wearing robes

A conversation with Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Not long after her ordination, Ven. Losang Kalden was stopped in the aisle of a grocery store in Arizona by a young girl, who was probably no more than sixteen years of age. "I really like your outfit," the girl said. "It reminds me of Gandhi; it's so peaceful."

When Ven. Losang mentioned this to Lama Zopa Rinpoche, he said: "That is great. I am very happy to hear that. You should know that is your benefit to the world. Just to be sangha, that is the benefit of wearing the robes."

Ven. Losang, who was ordained in April 2006 by Lama Lhundrup, Abbott of Kopan Monastery in Nepal, is the former Barbara Oquest, retired clinical psychologist. She was married with a new house, two cats, and a new car, living the American Dream.

"I said to Rinpoche, some time in November 2005, that if I weren't so old (68) and married I would like to be ordained. He said that that didn't matter  and the rest, as they say, is history."

Ven. Losang Kalden is now in Tucson, Arizona, where she came following Rinpoche's advice to establish the Manjushri Wisdom Study Group.

Earlier this year she was visiting Lama Zopa Rinpoche at his California residence, Kachoe Dechen Ling. Her conversation with her guru continues:

Lama Zopa: "If you were sangha but you didn't wear robes, then people would not know [that you were ordained], but with robes on there is no question. That is how the robes have such incredible benefit for the mind. It is planting the seed for enlightenment when people show respect to your wearing of the robes, or to the robes themselves: This is planting the seed of liberation, and is a way of benefiting sentient beings."

"Some people find they are attracted to the robes, even having the wish to be like that. And if they can't become sangha in this life, just thinking about it is purification. By generating the wish even one time, they create karma so that in their next life they become sangha."

"What other comments have you had wearing your robes?"

Ven. Losang Kalden:  "People do ask me questions. One man came up to me in a coffee shop and said, very respectfully, 'May I ask you a question?' and I said, 'Yes, but I may not know the answer.'  The question was: 'What does Rinpoche mean?'¹

"You never know what people are going to say when they approach you.  That was his way of starting a conversation, and then he went into a dissertation on how he has asked other people questions and although they think they know the answer, they usually don't.  Then he says he meets people who say they don't know anything “and they know a lot.  Those are the ones who really know something, he believes.   More...