We have a number of events coming up. Please check the Riwoche website calendar for the most recent schedules and details!

• Amitabha Buddha Practice/ Dechen Shin Drup
• Guru Rinpoche Day Tsok
• Namgyal Tong Cho/ Thousand-fold Offerings of Namgyalma

During the auspicious month of Saga Dawa, (May 20th-June 18th), the holy month which commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and nirvana of Buddha Shakyamuni, we hope you will join in accumulating virtue.  Buddhists around the world make extra effort to practice Dharma, generosity, and compassion during this time.  Simple acts such as becoming vegetarian for a month is common in many communities.
We ask anyone attending to remain mindful and not attend if you are not feeling well. 

Amitabha Buddha Practice
Dechen Shin Drup

Ven. Khenpo Sonam Rinpoche has offered to give teachings on Amitabha Buddha, the Buddha of Boundless Light and his Pureland. In conjunction with the teachings, Rinpoche will conduct a daily practice of Amitabha Buddha.

Each morning precepts will be taken, therefore participation for the full day on any day attended is mandatory. The Eight Precepts must be observed until sunrise the next day.

• Refrain from harming living beings.
• Refrain from taking that which is not given.
• Refrain from sexual activity.
• Refrain from incorrect speech.
• Refrain from taking intoxicants which lead to loss of mindfulness.
• Refrain from eating at the forbidden time (the one meal a day will be served at the temple).
• Refrain from dancing, singing, music, shows and wearing garlands, using perfumes and beautifying with cosmetics.
• Refrain from the use of high and luxurious seats and beds. 

In addition, Khenpo Rinpoche would like to dedicate a full day of tsok practice for May 30th (Guru Rinpoche day). Precepts will not be taken on that day.  Attendance for the full week is not required. You may choose the days on which you can attend.  A simple vegetarian lunch will be served daily to all practitioners. We ask all practitioners who will be attending for the full week to please notify us in advance to assist the kitchen staff.

If you cannot attend and would like to offer a donation towards the week of practice, please e-transfer to donations@riwoche.com.  If you have a specific request on the direction of your donation (for tsok/tea offering/meal offering), please make a note in your e-transfer or email office@riwoche.com.  Any donation amount is greatly appreciated.

Please note that Green Tara practice on Sunday May 28th will be cancelled.

Namgyal Tong Cho
Thousand-fold Offerings of Namgyalma

Namgyalma is the deity of longevity and purification. Namgyalma practice is effective and powerful in removing obstacles and cleansing negative karma that hinders good health and long life. According to scripture, Her mantra has infinite benefits and blessings. It is said to be so powerful that anybody who hears it will never again be reborn in the lower realms.
During the puja, one thousand sets of torma, lamp, incense, water bowl, and other offerings will be meticulously prepared and respectfully offered for the accumulation of merit, purification, longevity, and accomplishment.

The benefits of Namgyal Tong Cho, according to scripture:
a) Helps to purify all of your defilements.
b) Helps to pacify all of your obstacles, at present and for the future.
c) Helps to grow and increase your life span, fortune, wisdom, and other good qualities.
d) After this life, you will be reborn in the Pure Land of Bliss.
e) Assists you to swiftly attain the Great Enlightenment.

Each morning precepts will be taken, therefore participation for the full day on any day attended is mandatory. The Eight Precepts must be observed until sunrise the next day.

• Refrain from harming living beings.
• Refrain from taking that which is not given.
• Refrain from sexual activity.
• Refrain from incorrect speech.
• Refrain from taking intoxicants which lead to loss of mindfulness.
• Refrain from eating at the forbidden time (the one meal a day will be served at the temple).
• Refrain from dancing, singing, music, shows and wearing garlands, using perfumes and beautifying with cosmetics.
• Refrain from the use of high and luxurious seats and beds. 

A simple vegetarian lunch will be served daily to all practitioners.
If you cannot attend and would like to offer a donation towards the week of practice, please e-transfer to donations@riwoche.com.  If you have a specific request on the direction of your donation (for tsok/tea offering/meal offering), please make a note in your e-transfer or email office@riwoche.com.  Any donation amount is greatly appreciated.

Tuesday, February 21, 2023
beginning at 8:00 am

All are invited to join the Riwoche community for Losar, the celebration of the Tibetan New Year for 2150, the Year of the Water Rabbit.

As the first day of the new year, it is important to invite all good and auspicious things into our lives. It is customary for everyone to wear something new and visit the temple to make aspirations and receive blessings for a great year. After making one’s aspirations, you are invited downstairs to partake in some traditional Tibetan fare of desi (rice with raisins), Tibetan cookies and Tibetan Tea (butter tea).

Those unable to visit the temple and wishing to make a donation on Losar here. 

We are asking everyone to please be considerate of our neighbours by not making emergency stops/drop offs on the road, keeping traffic at a minimum on Heintzman Street. You can park either on Dundas or at one of the two public lots near by on Keele Street: North of Dundas at 400 Keele Street, South of Dundas at 351 Keele Street. Exceptions will only be made to those dropping off elderly or those in need of assistance.

Riwoche Temple will open Thursday, March 3rd from 8:00 a.m to 5:00 pm to anyone wishing to make aspirations in the shrine room on Losar day.  Due to the recent parinirvana of Kyabje Dodrupchen Rinpoche and Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche, the Temple will not be celebrating Losar with the customary gathering of auspicious rice, tea, and cookies.

The first fifteen days of the new year celebrate the fifteen days during which the Buddha displayed miracles to his disciples. During this month, it is said that the effects of both positive and negative actions are multiplied ten million times and hence called Bumgyur Dawa in Tibetan.

Anyone visiting the temple on Losar day will be asked to respect health protocols.  We will have a hand sanitizing station and ask everyone visiting to be masked.

We thank everyone in advance for their understanding as the safety of our members and community continue to be at the forefront.  Those unable to visit the temple and wishing to make a donation on Losar, please follow the link:  https://riwoche.com/losar-2022/

Welcome to this cyber-gathering of Vajra Mantra accumulation of Guru Rinpoche. Khen Rinpoche hopes that with your participation, we can achieve 10 million recitations by the end of 2021. We will be starting May 12th, marking the first day of the holy month of Saga Dawa.

In this moment of pandemic and strife plaguing the world, Khen Rinpoche emphasizes the importance to call upon Guru Rinpoche to liberate humanity, animals and all sentient beings. If one has time, Khen Rinpoche recommends that we complete recitation sessions by following this digital prayer booklet.

During practice sessions, Khen Rinpoche says to be mindful of generating compassion for all sentient beings and generating devotion to Guru Rinpoche to liberate all sentient beings. At the end of each practice session, it is essential not to forget or leave out the dedication of merit for the benefit of all sentient beings. The incredible benefits of the Vajra Mantra are explained in many tantra texts. Khen Rinpoche has no doubts that your recitations will bring tremendous positive transformation.

Please submit your mantra recitation accumulation counts here.