Sponsoring a Buddhist Retreat

Sponsoring a Buddhist Retreat brings greater love, compassion and goodwill into the world by supporting those who dedicate themselves to transform their lives into a path of positive energy. Ever dollar invested in sponsoring a person practicing a 3 year retreat goes a long way to provide food, housing and other basic necessities while the person is in retreat. This article shares information about the Garchen Institute Three-Year Retreat program, and invites you to increase the positive Karma for yourself and the retreat participants by sponsoring their participation in this most auspicious activity. To learn more about the retreat program, click on the link above.

His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche has stated that… “As more and more people practice bodhicitta, it will pervade and change the whole world. It is so very important to have a place where this practice is permitted and can be cultivated. The Garchen Institute enables people to cultivate bodhicitta by offering the three-year retreat continuously. Love can only be cultivated if you practice it—you cannot just give love to someone. Three-year retreatants devotedly practice bodhicitta, and if even one in ten of them generates bodhicitta it will benefit the whole world.”

As we draw nearer to the beginning of the next three-year retreat, which will start sometime between December 15, 2009, and January 15, 2010, our once full list of applicants has shortened due to unexpected health concerns and other unanticipated changes in plans.

This means we now have room for additional retreatants, and His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche and Drupon Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche, the Three-Year Retreat Master, wish for every three-year hut to be filled.

To help make it possible for sangha members with limited income to participate, we have begun fundraising to create two partial scholarships of $10,000 each. The total cost for the three-year, three-month retreat if you spend the minimum we estimate you will need for food and personal items of $200/month plus the hut/support fee of $350/month will be $21,450. The lamas will review the scholarship applications, and the names of all who qualify will be placed in a hat for a drawing by Drupon Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche. If you are interested in applying for one of the scholarships, please contact The Garchen Buddhist Institute by phone at 928-925-1237 or via email at questions@garchen.net.

We are delighted to report that we have already raised over $5,000 for the scholarship fund!, and all proceeds from the current Garchen Institute raffle will also go toward the retreat scholarships.

The raffle is for a 14-inch Chakrasamvara & Vajravarahi yab-yum statue, and you can purchase tickets through the webstore at http://www.garchen.net/GBI-Shop. Click on “Donations & Raffle” and then on “Raffle Ticket – Chakrasamvara & Vajravarahi Statue” (a photo of the statue will soon be uploaded).

Garchen Rinpoche has also said that one of the single most important ways we can help three-year retreatants is to sponsor their food, and so we are also raising funds to assist with the food costs for all the three-year retreatants. (See below for how to donate.)

In addition, Drupon Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche has asked that we fundraise to cover the costs of the many materials needed for the elaborate fire puja the three-year retreatants will do. The goal is to raise $4,000, and we have raised $1,000 thus far! (See below for how to donate.)

Garchen Rinpoche always speaks of the immeasurable merit accrued from helping three-year retreatants in any way, and if you can help with the fundraising for the, food support, or fire puja, we rejoice! Your prayers for the retreatants are equally important, and we likewise rejoice for all your prayerful support!

If you would like to make a donation, there are several options:

1. By credit card through the web store at http://www.garchen.net/GBI-Shop. Click on “Donations & Raffle” and then on “Garchen Institute Projects” and specify one of the following:

* Three-Year Retreat Scholarship Fund,
* Three-Year Retreat Food Fund, or
* Three-Year Retreat Fire Puja Fund.

2. Other ways to donate via credit card are to call the office at 928-925-1237 or email your information to questions@garchen.net.

3. To make a donation by check, please make the check out to “Garchen Institute” and note on the memo line the three-year fund to which you wish to donate (scholarship, food support, or fire puja).

The mailing address for checks is:
Garchen Institute,
P.O. Box 4318,
Chino Valley, AZ 86323

4. If you would like to make a monthly donation by credit card, check, or bank transfer, please call the office at 928-925-1237, and we will gladly help set this up for you.

Garchen Rinpoche has said that the three-year retreat program is the very heart of the center, and we are boundlessly grateful for your loving support.

We at FourGates.com make donations to The Garchen Institute periodically. When you make purchases here at www.FourGates.com, you are helping support retreat programs as well as refugees in Nepal, India and many philanthropic activities in the USA, such as Garchen Institute in Chino Valley, Northern Arizona.

You can make a difference by supporting the Garchen Three Year Retreat Program through your generous sponsorship donations of any amount.

May all beings benefit!

Christopher Lee May

Tags: cultivate bodhicitta, Drupon Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche, immeasurable merit, retreat scholarships, Sponsoring a Buddhist Retreat, Three-Year Retreat program Garchen Institute