About Jamchen Buddhist Centre
Chogye Jamchen Choe Dzong or “Jamchen Buddhist Centre” is a non-profit association set up to further the study and practice of Mahayana Buddhism – as taught by the Tsarpa lineage of the Sakya School of Tibetan Buddhism. The centre is based in Melbourne, Australia.
Our honorary patron His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche is the 26th partriach of the Tibetan Nalendra Monastery, who was also the abbot of several monasteries in Nepal. Our spiritual director, Lama Choedak Rinpoche, is one of His Eminence’s most senior and highly regarded students.
Members of Jamchen Buddhist Centre are inspired by the examply set by Chogye Trichen Rinpoche and Lama Choedak Rinpoche, and wish to support Buddhist practice.
In Melbourne, Australia the centre hosts teachings, initiations, retreats and a comprehensive program of group practice sessions. Anyone wishing to get more involved with our activities is warmly welcomed.
Contact details: Mailing address:Jamchen Buddhist Centre,PO Box 356, Balwyn, Vic. 3103.Australia. For inquiries (including venue details) call the Centre on (03) 9857-3612
Email inquiries to: info "at" jamchen.com.au
The History of Jamchen Buddhist Centre, Melbourne
In November 1997 Lama Choedak Rinpoche was first invited to come from Canberra where he is Spiritual Director of Sakya Losal Choe Dzong, The Tibetan Buddhist Society of Canberra, to teach in Melbourne. A small group of students began meeting in private homes to practice together and Rinpoche was invited to teach in Geelong and Melbourne twice a year.
In March 1999, the first Melbourne Calm Abiding Meditation retreat was held under Rinpoche’s leadership at Atisha Centre in Bendigo.
In 2000, Rinpoche suggested that a centre for Melbourne become formalized and he requested a name from his own teacher, His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche. The centre became Chogye Jamchen Choe Dzong, or Jamchen Buddhist Centre with His Eminence as Chief Patron and Lama Choedak as Spiritual Director. (Chogye Jamchen Choe Dzong means “Fortress of the Great Loving Kindness of Chogye.”)
In March of 2001 the first Ngondro retreat was held at Atisha Centre. A very special and auspicious event for this year was the Melbourne visit of His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche hosted by Jamchen. His Eminence and entourage gave many blessings for the success of Jamchen’s activities in Melbourne. Also during this year Lama Choedak Rinpoche designed an 8-lesson “Introduction to Calm Abiding Meditation” course and training program for senior students to lead the course. The 8-week course has become a central part of the Jamchen teaching program, initially held at the Balwyn Library and in later years at our centre. It has also become a course offered by many other sister centres in Australia and New Zealand.
In 2002, Rinpoche’s visits to Melbourne increased. A second Calm Abiding Meditation Retreat was held over the March long weekend. This tradition has since continued every March for four days.
In 2003, Jamchen rented a premises for the first time. Shortly after forming the centre, Jamchen had the honour to host a “Healing Buddha Empowerment” by His Holiness Sakya Trizin. His Holiness visited and blessed the new centre's premises and gave his blessing for the success of Jamchen activities. In December, eleven Jamchen members, some with their families, accompanied Rinpoche on Pilgrimage to India and Nepal.
In 2004, Jamchen hosted the visit of His Eminence Ludhing Khenchen Rinpoche to Melbourne. His Eminence and entourage stayed at Jamchen and gave many teachings and blessings. In mid 2004, Jamchen hosted the visit of Acharya Lama Lekshey, the Abbot of the Sakya Centre in India, who stayed at Jamchen and gave teachings and blessings.
In 2004, Jamchen senior students piloted a 10-week “Introduction to Buddhism” course following Rinpoche’s sequence of teachings in his Rongton Buddhist Philosophy class.
Jamchen gained Deductible Gift Recipient Status in 2005 meaning donations to the centre’s building fund are tax- deductible. This year also saw the initiation of the Nyung Ne fasting retreat with Rinpoche.
In 2006, Jamchen was honoured by the visit of His Eminence Ratna Vajra, the eldest son of His Holiness Sakya Trizin. His Eminence stayed at Jamchen with his attendants monks and gave teachings and empowerments during his visit.
In September 2006 Jamchen members greeted His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche as he arrived in Melbourne en route to consecrate and officially open the new retreat centre established by Lama Choedak Rinpoche in East Gippsland, Sakya International Buddhist Academy, SIBA (formerly “ONTOS”).
The most significant occurrence of 2007 was the passing of His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinopche, Patron of Jamchen and teacher of Lama Choedak Rinpoche, his heart son.
His Eminence was a highly revered teacher, poet and spiritual practitioner. His Holiness Sakya Trizin said,
“There are many who have attained the wisdom arising from the study of the scriptures. There are some who have attained the wisdom arising from the contemplation of the Dharma. There are few who have gained wisdom arising from meditation. Chogye Trichen Rinpoche is one how has attained all three wisdoms. One should consider oneself fortunate just to meet him, which is in itself a great blessing.”
Several Jamchen members, along with members of many sister centres in Australia and New Zealand were fortunate to visit Tibet with Lama Choedak Rinpoche in June 2007. The group went to visit His Eminence’s monastery, Nalendra in the Phenpo valley in Central Tibet. Strong links have been made and sponsorship programmes established to assist Nalendra and affiliated nunneries.
Jamchen’s seventh annual Calm Abiding Meditation retreat was held for the first time at SIBA in March 2007.
In September Her Eminence Jetsun Kusho la, sister to His Holiness Sakya Trizin, stayed at Jamchen with her husband and bestowed White Tara and Ushnishavijaya Empowerments.
In November, Jamchen ran a special community event, “Pathways to Meaningful Living” Conference at Hilton on the Park featuring a wide range of presenters including Lama Choedak Rinpoche, Prof Rob Moodie, Gabriel Gate, Brian Walters SC, Lynne Haultain, Karen Mahlad and others.
2008 began with the auspicious visit of His Eminence Zimog Tulku Rinpoche. Rinpoche is the reincarnation of Zimog Rinpoche who was teacher to His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche. (For many hundreds of years the two lineages of Sakya- the Zimog’s and Chogye Trichen’s- have kept alive the special combination of yogic practice and study that have made Tsarpa so famous within the ancient Tibetan traditions of Buddhism. Nalendra monastery is the seat of these two special lineages.) During this visit to Jamchen, on the auspicious first day of Losar, 7 February 2008, Rinpoche was formally requested to become Jamchen’s future resident Buddhist teacher. Jamchen members have been delighted and honoured that Rinpoche has accepted. He will be moving here with his family at the end of 2008.
At Jamchen we are very fortunate to be able to support both our Rinpoches in fulfilling His Eminence Chogye Trichen’s wishes, preserving the Tsarpa lineage which cultivates the blessings of the Dharma for all.
See Courses and Spiritual Programme for our current activities.