Chicago Phowa Retreat with Ayang Rinpoche
August 6-14th
More information is available on the Amitabha Foundation website
Chicago Karma Thegsum Chöling (KTC) is the official home of His Holiness the Seventeenth Gyalwang Karmapa, Orgyen Trinley Dorje in Chicago. We are a center for study and practice in the Karma Kagyu Buddhist tradition of Tibet. We are affiliated with Karma Triyana Dharmachakra (KTD) in New York, and are under the guidance of Ven. Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche and Ven. Bardor Tulku Rinpoche, the resident teachers at KTD.
KTC offers instruction for newcomers to meditation, and group meditation sessions for anyone who wishes to attend. Meditation instruction and group practice sessions are offered free of charge. Ongoing classes on Tibetan Buddhism are also available at KTC. Several times a year we have the good fortune of hosting visits of accomplished Buddhist teachers of the Kagyu lineage. These teachers have included Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche, Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche, Bardor Tulku Rinpoche and Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche.
The Kagyu tradition dates back to the 10th century in India and remains a flourishing lineage today in the 21st century. The seventeenth Karmapa, Orgyen Trinley Dorje, who currently resides in India, continues this long tradition of sacred Buddhist instruction.
Chicago KTC was founded over twenty-five years ago after a visit of the Ven. Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche. Our membership includes a number of senior students who are available to answer your questions and lend their support. Another helpful resource is the library of several hundred books on Buddhism that have been collected by our members over the years.
In the winter of 2003, on the day before the Tibetan New Year, we moved into our current location. The main portion of the building on the upper level is being renovated into a traditional Tibetan Buddhist shrine. The walls of the bright and spacious shrine room are ornamented with mantras and traditional designs which were painted by Tibetan artists and KTC members. Our current major project is the construction of a shrine cabinet to house our 4-foot tall, gold-leafed Buddha statue and other religious statuary. We are also renovating other portions of the building to accommodate visiting teachers and guests.
