| The Eight Fold Meaning of Choosing Pema Karpo (White Lotus) as the name of our center: 1. When Shakyamuni Buddha was born, it is told that he took seven steps in each of the four directions. As he took each step a white lotus appeared behind him. 2. Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche), the great tantric master who truly brought Buddhism to Tibet, was said to have been born in the middle of a beautiful lake on a large white lotus. One of his names is Pema Jungney - the lotus born one. 3. The root teacher of Khenpo Gawang Rinpoche, His Holiness Pema Norbu Rinpoche's name means Jewel Lotus. 4. The white lotus is commonly used in teaching stories as the lotus grows in the mud and up through the mud but is not stained by it. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas take birth in samsara yet their nature remains purely awake.We are born into and believe in samsara but our indwelling Buddha nature is never stained by samsara. 5.Our center is dedicated to the dharma of awakening and we are located on the banks of the Muddy Mississippi River. 6. We use a Shakyamuni Buddha practice as the main sutrayana litergy for our center. It was composed by Ju Mipham (1846-1912) and the commentary's name is Pema Karpo. 7. In the Seven Line Supplication to Padmasambhava he is referred to as Padmakara which means the Lotus Born. 8. For the Vajrayana we use the commentary by Ju Mipham on the Seven Line Supplication named Pema Karpo. |
