In 1991 a few of us asked H.E. Chagdud Rinpoche to become our teacher. Our center, Chagdud Dawa Drolma, arose from the idea that the more people there are in touch with the dharma, the better it is for the community, because everything Rinpoche teaches us affects our relationships. Our initial motivation to preserve and spread the dharma has remained firm and born fruit. We have been meeting together regularly since 1992 to practice Red Tara, ngondro, and p’howa.
In 1994 Rinpoche, through his wisdom and generosity, decided that a statue of Padmasambhava would be built here. That inspired us to double our fund raising efforts through activities such as parties, raffles, and donations, so that people could contribute to building a center.
Help came from everywhere and our dream came true. A large parcel of land in a beautiful place with waterfalls and pleasant vegetation was donated about fifteen miles from Belo Horizonte. We are now focusing our efforts and energy toward completion of the first phase of a temple.
Minas Gerais is in a central part of Brazil, making Chagdud Dawa Drolma accessible to many people. We wish to have not only a local but global center where the ever-growing sangha can gather for teachings and meetings. It will also be Rinpoche’s winter residence.
Our sangha now consists of almost fifty people. The people of Minas are by nature very devotional, and their Christian background leads them to embrace a full religious life—fertile soil for the development of the dharma. Soon after we met Rinpoche we asked him what he expected of us. His serious answer was “enlightenment.” We laughed and said that what we really wondered was what we meant to him. We knew nothing; we weren’t even Buddhists yet. We just liked him a lot. His answer was, “You are the extension of my arms and legs.” I remember the long silence that followed. For an instant it was like seeing the reach of his immense heart, a heart that holds and accepts all of us just the way we are. We shall continue with our efforts so that this heart never stops pouring wisdom through these veins and arteries. In the course of time, may our actions be like a mirror that reflects the wisdom qualities of our teacher.
Salim Zaidan
In 1991 a few of us asked H.E. Chagdud Rinpoche to become our teacher. Our center, Chagdud Dawa Drolma, arose from the idea that the more people there are in touch with the dharma, the better it is for the community, because everything Rinpoche teaches us affects our relationships. Our initial motivation to preserve and spread the dharma has remained firm and born fruit. We have been meeting together regularly since 1992 to practice Red Tara, ngondro, and p’howa.
In 1994 Rinpoche, through his wisdom and generosity, decided that a statue of Padmasambhava would be built here. That inspired us to double our fund raising efforts through activities such as parties, raffles, and donations, so that people could contribute to building a center.
Help came from everywhere and our dream came true. A large parcel of land in a beautiful place with waterfalls and pleasant vegetation was donated about fifteen miles from Belo Horizonte. We are now focusing our efforts and energy toward completion of the first phase of a temple.
Minas Gerais is in a central part of Brazil, making Chagdud Dawa Drolma accessible to many people. We wish to have not only a local but global center where the ever-growing sangha can gather for teachings and meetings. It will also be Rinpoche’s winter residence.
Our sangha now consists of almost fifty people. The people of Minas are by nature very devotional, and their Christian background leads them to embrace a full religious life—fertile soil for the development of the dharma. Soon after we met Rinpoche we asked him what he expected of us. His serious answer was “enlightenment.” We laughed and said that what we really wondered was what we meant to him. We knew nothing; we weren’t even Buddhists yet. We just liked him a lot. His answer was, “You are the extension of my arms and legs.” I remember the long silence that followed. For an instant it was like seeing the reach of his immense heart, a heart that holds and accepts all of us just the way we are. We shall continue with our efforts so that this heart never stops pouring wisdom through these veins and arteries. In the course of time, may our actions be like a mirror that reflects the wisdom qualities of our teacher.
Salim Zaidan
In 1991 a few of us asked H.E. Chagdud Rinpoche to become our teacher. Our center, Chagdud Dawa Drolma, arose from the idea that the more people there are in touch with the dharma, the better it is for the community, because everything Rinpoche teaches us affects our relationships. Our initial motivation to preserve and spread the dharma has remained firm and born fruit. We have been meeting together regularly since 1992 to practice Red Tara, ngondro, and p’howa.
In 1994 Rinpoche, through his wisdom and generosity, decided that a statue of Padmasambhava would be built here. That inspired us to double our fund raising efforts through activities such as parties, raffles, and donations, so that people could contribute to building a center.
Help came from everywhere and our dream came true. A large parcel of land in a beautiful place with waterfalls and pleasant vegetation was donated about fifteen miles from Belo Horizonte. We are now focusing our efforts and energy toward completion of the first phase of a temple.
Minas Gerais is in a central part of Brazil, making Chagdud Dawa Drolma accessible to many people. We wish to have not only a local but global center where the ever-growing sangha can gather for teachings and meetings. It will also be Rinpoche’s winter residence.
Our sangha now consists of almost fifty people. The people of Minas are by nature very devotional, and their Christian background leads them to embrace a full religious life—fertile soil for the development of the dharma. Soon after we met Rinpoche we asked him what he expected of us. His serious answer was “enlightenment.” We laughed and said that what we really wondered was what we meant to him. We knew nothing; we weren’t even Buddhists yet. We just liked him a lot. His answer was, “You are the extension of my arms and legs.” I remember the long silence that followed. For an instant it was like seeing the reach of his immense heart, a heart that holds and accepts all of us just the way we are. We shall continue with our efforts so that this heart never stops pouring wisdom through these veins and arteries. In the course of time, may our actions be like a mirror that reflects the wisdom qualities of our teacher.
Salim Zaidan
In 1991 a few of us asked H.E. Chagdud Rinpoche to become our teacher. Our center, Chagdud Dawa Drolma, arose from the idea that the more people there are in touch with the dharma, the better it is for the community, because everything Rinpoche teaches us affects our relationships. Our initial motivation to preserve and spread the dharma has remained firm and born fruit. We have been meeting together regularly since 1992 to practice Red Tara, ngondro, and p’howa.
In 1994 Rinpoche, through his wisdom and generosity, decided that a statue of Padmasambhava would be built here. That inspired us to double our fund raising efforts through activities such as parties, raffles, and donations, so that people could contribute to building a center.
Help came from everywhere and our dream came true. A large parcel of land in a beautiful place with waterfalls and pleasant vegetation was donated about fifteen miles from Belo Horizonte. We are now focusing our efforts and energy toward completion of the first phase of a temple.
Minas Gerais is in a central part of Brazil, making Chagdud Dawa Drolma accessible to many people. We wish to have not only a local but global center where the ever-growing sangha can gather for teachings and meetings. It will also be Rinpoche’s winter residence.
Our sangha now consists of almost fifty people. The people of Minas are by nature very devotional, and their Christian background leads them to embrace a full religious life—fertile soil for the development of the dharma. Soon after we met Rinpoche we asked him what he expected of us. His serious answer was “enlightenment.” We laughed and said that what we really wondered was what we meant to him. We knew nothing; we weren’t even Buddhists yet. We just liked him a lot. His answer was, “You are the extension of my arms and legs.” I remember the long silence that followed. For an instant it was like seeing the reach of his immense heart, a heart that holds and accepts all of us just the way we are. We shall continue with our efforts so that this heart never stops pouring wisdom through these veins and arteries. In the course of time, may our actions be like a mirror that reflects the wisdom qualities of our teacher.
Salim Zaidan
In 1991 a few of us asked H.E. Chagdud Rinpoche to become our teacher. Our center, Chagdud Dawa Drolma, arose from the idea that the more people there are in touch with the dharma, the better it is for the community, because everything Rinpoche teaches us affects our relationships. Our initial motivation to preserve and spread the dharma has remained firm and born fruit. We have been meeting together regularly since 1992 to practice Red Tara, ngondro, and p’howa.
In 1994 Rinpoche, through his wisdom and generosity, decided that a statue of Padmasambhava would be built here. That inspired us to double our fund raising efforts through activities such as parties, raffles, and donations, so that people could contribute to building a center.
Help came from everywhere and our dream came true. A large parcel of land in a beautiful place with waterfalls and pleasant vegetation was donated about fifteen miles from Belo Horizonte. We are now focusing our efforts and energy toward completion of the first phase of a temple.
Minas Gerais is in a central part of Brazil, making Chagdud Dawa Drolma accessible to many people. We wish to have not only a local but global center where the ever-growing sangha can gather for teachings and meetings. It will also be Rinpoche’s winter residence.
Our sangha now consists of almost fifty people. The people of Minas are by nature very devotional, and their Christian background leads them to embrace a full religious life—fertile soil for the development of the dharma. Soon after we met Rinpoche we asked him what he expected of us. His serious answer was “enlightenment.” We laughed and said that what we really wondered was what we meant to him. We knew nothing; we weren’t even Buddhists yet. We just liked him a lot. His answer was, “You are the extension of my arms and legs.” I remember the long silence that followed. For an instant it was like seeing the reach of his immense heart, a heart that holds and accepts all of us just the way we are. We shall continue with our efforts so that this heart never stops pouring wisdom through these veins and arteries. In the course of time, may our actions be like a mirror that reflects the wisdom qualities of our teacher.
Salim Zaidan
