About Us
The Story of Dewachen
By Ven Tenzin Namdag, April 2009
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y first experience of teaching at Lama Zopa Rinpoche's request was at the Himalayan Buddhist centre in Kathmandu in 1997. I gave a Lam Rim teaching over three days. I then went to Land of Medicine Buddha where I did some teaching and led meditations.
At the end of my period at Land of Medicine Buddha, I was asked by Rinpoche to do a three month retreat and on completion he said I could go where ever I wished as long as I could hear teachings, meditate and have some rest time.
I chose to go to Chenrezig Buddhist Institute as I knew the Lama, Geshe Tashi Tsering and I respected him as a remarkable teacher and guide, having received many teachings from him. During the year that I was there, I led meditation groups and taught some weekend courses.
I finished my time at Chenrezig in late 2001 and then several requests to teach started manifesting. I began teaching in Caloundra and Noosa, which were shortly followed by Gympie, another 200 Kilometres north. I then started trips to Cairns, which is another 2000 kilometres north.
Some people from Maleny, a small town in
Dewachen is the name given to our centre by the founding Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Rinpoche means precious one and he is very precious to us as he is the director and main teacher of the FPMT with which our centre has the privilege of being associated. Both Meditation and teachings occur at the centre each week.
It is important to understand that true practice is something we do from moment to moment, day to day. We do whatever we can, with whatever wisdom we have, and dedicate it all to the benefit of others. We just live our lives simply, to the best of our ability.
Venerable Tenzin Namdag is an Australian Buddhist nun trained in the Tibetan tradition of His Holiness The Dalai Lama. She has travelled widely and taught Buddhism in Australia and overseas. She has a grown family, and prior to ordination had a successful business career.
