The Pauenhof Dharmasala Project was established in 1991 by the venerable Sakya abbot Khempo Dorje Gyaltsen from Tibet and the German publisher Michael Hellbach (Tushita Publ.).  The basic idea is to contribute to a development of a financially independent, philosophically interdependent, NON-RELIGIOUS, NON-MONASTIC BUDDHIST DHARMA CENTRE where children, parents, families, lay people and ordained people are welcome EQUALLY. It is not only that we want to work on the basis of Rime (non sectarian view)  but also within each of the traditions we emphasize the humanistic and laity orientated approach. Keeping in mind the necessity for intellectual studies, the main focus is on the practice of meditation and retreats, the development of the core of the practice: love and insight.  Besides we want to inquire the manifold ways and expressions of the western society into a fine art of living the Dharma.

RIME (non sectarian view)
Within the wide compound of Pauenhof with its three Meditation Halls we have Three Buddhist Centres all integrated and cooperating with each other, still keeping their own tradition pure, building on centuries of experiences of their lineage masters and their present representatives. This pure and straight attitude of each lineage is an important condition for the achievements within each tradition. Given that, it can not give rise to any sectarian view. On the other hand, Rime is not just an intellectual concept by which we can proove our “coolness” and advanced tolerance but it eventually and hopefully becomes a heartfelt way of life, all the way from tolerance to appreciation.

DHARMASALA, house of the Dharma, stands as a synonym for this appreciation and spiritual approach.

1. SAKYA LING – as initiaded by Khempo Dorje Gyaltsen. This is the oldest German Sakya Centre with 20 years of constant teachings and practice. Beside Khempo Dorje Gyaltse Rimpoche,  who founded the Centre after spending 12 years in Chinese imprisonment, we had a wide range of Sakya teachings and practice retreats with Her Eminence Jetsün Küchog. Many other Lamas of the Tradition visited the centre. The most prominent of all is His Holines Sakya Trizin who conducted the Great Kalachakra Initiation in 1996 and 2006. We are extremely fortunate to have Khempo Lama Migmar from Harvard University, USA, since 2010 as our Head Lama for the Sakya Ling.  www.sakyaling.de

2. MANGALAM MEDITATION CENTRE - dedicated to the practice of Metta and Mindfulness- & Vipassana meditation as being taught by the Theravada Traditions. Here we have our main teacher in Bhante Sujiva from Malaysia, who lives in Europe and visits the Centre since many years. His meditation retreats are important highlights in the development of the centre. Traudel Reiss, a former nun of the Ayya Khema Sangha, lives at the centre and conducts the weekly meditation sessions. A further development is taking place with the regular Sutta discussion circle. For the Year 2012 Bhante Dhammadipa has accepted our invitation and further invitation to other teachers of the Tradition will follow.  www.sarva-mangalam.de  (under construction)

3. BODHI-NET – is the expression of the wish to integrate the teachings of the Buddha in our social life. Buddhas wisdom is already reflected in the new approaches of modern psychology, medicine and science and many fields of life. Especially the practice of mindfulness has a healing influence on people being caught up in the disorientation process of  modern life. Christopher Titmuss from England, co-founder of the Gaya House is an unique representant of what we call the “Buddhism in the West”. He is on regular visits at the centre and was and is a most valuable supporter of the concept of the Pauenhof as an “interesting new model of a Dharma Centre”. He encouraged us in times of doubts to continue our way being a family orientated, non-monastic centre.   www.bodhi-net.de  (under construction)

BUDDHAS TEACHINGS
The teachings of the Buddha do not fit into any of the traditional categories of religious concepts. It is no faith or belief and consequently there is no worship. It is not pure philosophy or merely an intellectual experience. It is not psychotherapy even though it offers a great deal to heal the mind from unhealthy concepts leading into a vital and peaceful life. Certainly it is no wellness event to program body and mind to function well with the requirements of society. SO, WHAT IS IT? To find out is one of the great challenges in life and the Buddha is inviting us. The essence of Buddhas teachings to us is the practice of meditation, of mindfulness, of the development of loving kindness, eventually resulting in a deeper understanding of self and others, non-violent communication, ecological responsibility and a deeper love to oneself, the planet, and the sentient beings inhabiting it.

ORGANISATION
The financial independence from any religious organisation is important to us. We are sponsored by Tushita Publishing and in future by the Tushita Foundation. We are non-profit orientated (trust) but we work on various means of financial survival. One of it is private support through members and sponsors. At present we are establishing a book publishing branch in German language at Tushita, closely connected with the flow of teachings and practice taking place at the centre. Our Sangha members consist of 6 adults and 6 children. If you want to contribute with your ideas or with your personal means of support, feel yourself being invited to do so!

SELF-SUSTAINING
In the next years we will explore the the possibilities to build up solar & wind energy and we will try to use the 30 000 sqm of land for self-sustaining organic farming. Any suggestion or help is most welcome.

SARVA MANGALAM
May all beings be safe.
May all beings live in peace.
May all beings be healthy.
May all beings enjoy a happy life.

TO UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT THE PHILOSOPHY OF DHARMASALA
PLEASE READ THE TESTAMENT OF KHEMPO DORJE GYALTSEN !

Please scroll on the right side and click “Rinpoches Testament” for english version
or click here:

http://www.pauenhof.de/blog/pauenhof-verein/rinpoches-testament/

For INTERNATINOAL EVENTS where English
is the main language, please scroll at the
list of contents ( SEITEN) on the right side.

OTHER TOPICS ON OUR WEBSITE to be translated

BUDDHIST EATING MEAT

* We have a larger chapter about Buddhist’s unfortunate habits “for the benefit of all sentient beings”. This is a very extensive forum, where we introduce opinions and articles of various schools. Here we discuss the disadvanages of consuming meat not only for the extensive environmental effects it has. At the same time we like to point out that vegetarian diet is not necesseraly a Buddhist practice but for very good reasons like compassion and care for all sentient beings and one should try in a gentle way to deal with it, if meat is still on the menue.

FACT IS: the consequences and poltution and waste of resources derriving from the excessive consumption of meat has more negative environmental effects, than all automobiles, aeroplaines, and other means of transports together. To produce meat, we spend ten times as much resources like water and earth than we would need for the same value in vegetarian health food. On top we detroy vast areas of the rainforest, which we would actually need to balance the negative effects of our polution. If we are talking about change of climate without caring about this, our mother earth will have no chance to survive.

We would like to make a WISH, that Buddists of all schools should come to a distingushed and compassionate view and possibly give up unfortunate habbits which is sometimes as difficult as giving up smoking…

The Buddha accepted all kind of foods for various reasons, especially for the monastic situation where the monks were encouraged to accept all, people would offer them. However it would be an absurd conclusion, to say that the Buddha allowed the consumption of meat. Other ways of reasoning come from the tantric practices. But here the Dalia Lama stated clearly: “If you eat meat for tantric practices, you should be able to eat your excrements as well, as meat is visualised an inpure substance…” So tantric practises can never justify the habitual consuption of meat.

When I was studying all those various ways of reasoning and excusing the habbit of eating meat, it seemed to me, that there are many cultural and habitual patterns and some people just try to defend their unfortunate habbits.

BUT TIMES HAVE CHANGED:
Today we will have no much room play around sophisticated ways of reasoning.
We can go on endlessly debating what the Buddha has said and what not.
Today various healthy vegetarian diets are available almost all over the world.
Today the negative effects of eating meat have come to a point, where we can contribute a lot of compassion to our fellow beings, ANIMALS, MAN and to MOTHER EARTH, by not eating meat.

Personal View
I personaly also did like to eat meat but it is not really on my menue as I enjoy other things even more. Sometimes, when I am at my parents christmas dinner, i do not make a big deal of being vegetarian, but eat it. But- honestly: it is quite disapointing, the memory of taste is much stronger than the actual sense of taste.

JUST like giving up smoking. Quite difficult, isn’t it? Still: No need telling everybody that you stopped smoking and no need turning away with a cry of horror when some people around do smoke. No need to tell everybody that you are vegetarian. No need at all to feel being a better Buddhist.

DALAI LAMA
the Dalai Lama often talks about this topic. He introduced a complete vegetarian diet to many of his monasteries in India. He advises : If we would only eat meat every 2nd day we would would contribute a lot to the world already, this would be a good start.

some reference in English: www.awrv-online.org/Eileen-Weintraub.htm
www.fwbo.org/articles/eat_meat.html

more translations to follow here.

* There is the founders testament, a very moving last speech before Khempo died in 1993. Something like the foundations of the Pauenhof trust. Very touching words of the founder. Translation is available. please scroll & click on the right side:

RIMPOCHES TESTAMENT.

* The aim of the Sakya Heritage Project. available in English.
please scroll on the right side.

* How our LIBRARY is organised (no translation available)

* The Nepal Prisoners Association, description on the work done for Nepalese women in prison and the help for the children of those families by the NGO and our contact and support from Pauenhof. www.thequietrevolution.net/panepal/index.html

* Book Publishing in German language at Tushita in connection with the courses on Pauenhof. (no English translation)