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Vietnamese Kuan Yin Bodhisattva Empowerment–2017 from Holy Vajrasana Temple on Vimeo.

Three Kuan Yin (Avalokitesvara) Bodhisattva’s Great Compassion Empowerment Dharma Assemblies were conducted by Zhaxi Zhuoma Rinpoche at the Thai Son Pagoda, in Da Nang, Vietnam on December 15, 16, and 17. Khartas were offered, along with chanting and prostrations to the Holy ones.

Many received healings and various forms of empowerments. Some even saw the magnificent Great Bodhisattva. Some spontaneously started singing, dancing and doing graceful mudras that ...

Thai Kuan Yin Bodhisattva Empowerment–2017 from Holy Vajrasana Temple on Vimeo.

A Kuan Yin Bodhisattva’s Great Compassion Empowerment Dharma Assembly was conducted by Zhaxi Zhuoma Rinpoche on Sunday, December 10, at 10:00 am at a beautiful private retreat center located in the parklike suburban Nongjok District of Bangkok. The Dharma Assembly was followed by a fish release ceremony performed as part of the Kuan Yin Empowerment.

On the previous day, many attended ...

Seventeen Buddhists who attended a seminar and retreat at the Holy Vajrasana Temple over the weekend were able to see the holy Vajra Poles shake during the day and many “orbs” and spirit beings during the night. Click for similar photos taken at the temple.

The abbot of the Holy Vajrasana Temple, Zhaxi Zhuoma, took her brother, Glenn Welker, to visit the Manzanar Relocation Center located on the east side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in Owens Valley near Independence, California. Declared a National Historic Site in 1992, this was the location of the most widely known of ten concentration camps established by the United States government where over 110,000 Japanese Americans were forcibly removed and forced to live during World War II from 1942-1945. ...

Probably the last trip to the Sierras for 2017 was a journey of many contrasts. It started in the remains of the fire ravaged forest left from the South Fork wildfire that burned around 7,000 acres east of Wawona and the Yosemite National Park during much of August. The Yosemite Valley was still very hazy from the smoke. Smokey conditions were even a problem at the temple during this period. Since this was the end of summer, the waterfalls were ...

Students from China, Taiwan, and the USA came to spend a thirty-day retreat at the temple to do intensive study of the Dharma Discourses given by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III and to read the rare and precious Supreme and Unsurpassable Mahamudra of Liberation text as well practice their dharma. Some were up before dawn to meditate at the site of the Holy Vajra Poles and then do walking meditation around the temple as shown above. They took turns cooking ...

Reba and Uma had ten baby peachicks arrive at their mountain home in Sonora, California, this year and as of July 22, nine have survived. Ladybird, a hand-raised chick from 2015 now has her own family, but lives in a protected cage under the garage porch. She was the first to arrive. The other two peahens were left to roam on their own, one with six babies and the other with two, but only after the resident cats had ...

Students came over the fourth of July weekend to participate in a XFVU Seminar covering five Dharma Discourses that have been designated as being suitable for beginning students and included a vigorous debate.  Several students continued the retreat, studying a preliminary translation of Learning From Buddha and other Dharma Discourses. They also worked on various temple projects and were able to travel to southern California to hear other Dharma Discourses that answered their questions.

Visitors to the temple took a day trip to nearby Yosemite National Park and enjoyed lunch at the grand dining hall at the Majestic Hotel (formerly known as the Ahwahnee Hotel). The abundant snow fall last winter is still feeding the magnificent water falls at the park.

Click here to see the same falls a few years ago during the drought.

The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is under construction in Chino Hills, California. The main temple and the visitor center are completed. The visitor center includes a lovely gift shop and cafeteria where one can find all sorts of Indian delicacies and treats.