VISION STATEMENT

To establish the first Diamond Way Buddhist retreat center in North America as a central point for lay Buddhist practice within the Karma Kagyu lineage, in order to protect its teachings and ensure their transmission into the future.

Email your questions or comments to rc@diamondway.org

Tibetan Buddhism is a spiritual legacy of teachings, first given by the historical Buddha Shakyamuni to his students, and passed on from teacher to student for more than 2,500 years. It offers countless methods aimed at the full development of human potential and enables people to become more fearless, joyful and compassionate.

Since the Communist Chinese takeover of Tibet, with it's systematic destruction of Buddhism, this irreplaceable wisdom has come to the West, held by Tibetan and Western teachers. The continuation of the teachings on the nature of mind depends on an unbroken transmission from teacher to student, as well as the right circumstances to receive, understand and practice these methods.

This fact has inspired us to build a Buddhist Retreat Center for North America. This place will provide a unique opportunity to experience Diamond Way Buddhism and make these precious teachings more accessible, ensuring their continuation for future generations.

This Retreat Center will make the treasured teachings of the Karma Kagyu School of Diamond Way (Vajrayana in Sanskrit) Buddhism available to anyone interested in using them. It will provide a unique place in North America where these teachings are protected, honored and shared.

The land will be developed and facilities created to make this possible. In addition to the existing one bedroom cottage, which we hope to upgrade and expand by another room, the plan is to build a new caretaker residence, and a bunk house for guests. Eventually, we also hope to build a meditation hall with a library for important Buddhist texts. The bunk house will provide two dorm rooms and 2-3 smaller rooms for individual retreat guests.

Lama Ole Nydahl, the 17th Karmapa Trinlay Thaye Dorje and other great teachers of our lineage will visit the retreat center for teachings and courses. The process of developing the Retreat Center will also strengthen the bonds with everyone who contributes their time, effort, money, creativity, skills and other support, to the timeless teachings of Buddhism and to each other.

Diamond Way Buddhist Centers USA is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. All contributions to this project are fully tax-deductible.

Diamond Way Buddhism in North America

Diamond Way Buddhist Centers USA is part of the Karma Kagyu Lineage, one of the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism. It is a grassroots organization of lay Buddhist meditation centers founded and directed by Lama Ole Nydahl. These centers are operated on the basis of friendship and idealism by volunteers dedicated to making these teachings available to modern society.

The Karma Kagyu Lineage is headed by the Gyalwa Karmapas. In 1969, Lama Ole and Hannah Nydahl became students of H.H. the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje. They studied and meditated in the Himalayas under his guidance until he asked them to return to the West to teach Buddhism. They have since established more than 450 Diamond Way Buddhist meditation centers around the world.

To learn more about Diamond Way Buddhism of the Karma Kagyu Lineage please visit www.diamondway.org or www.diamondway-buddhism.org

The Teachers

The Gyalwa Karmapa is the first recognized incarnate lama of Tibet and spiritual head of the Karma Kagyu Lineage.

H.H. the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje (1924 -1981)

The 16th Karmapa relocated to Sikkim, India in 1959 when the Communist Chinese invaded Tibet, and thus secured the survival of the Karma Kagyu Lineage. With the help of his Western students, he brought the highest teachings on the nature of mind to the West, traveling extensively in the U.S. and Europe.

H. H. the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, Trinlay Thaye Dorje (1983 - present)

The transmission of the lineage today continues with 17th Karmapa, who escaped from Tibet in 1994 at the age of 10. He was recognized by Kunzig Shamar Rinpoche, who over saw the Karmpa’s education until December 2003 when he was declared Vajracharya or Great Tantric Master. The Karmapa currently resides in Northern India and as Spiritual Head of the Karma Kagyu Lineage, he travels frequently to visit his Centers around the world. He first visited North America during the summer of 2003.

To learn more please visit www.karmapa.org

Ole Nydahl is one of the few Westerners fully qualified as a Lama. He has taught the timeless practical methods of the Diamond Way in a different city almost every day for over 30 years around the world. Consistently full of joy, wisdom and compassion, he shows through his own life what is possible through meditation practice. Lama Ole has authored 6 books on Buddhism that have been translated in many languages.

To learn more please visit www.lama-ole-nydahl.org