Lama Jampa Thaye at Sakya Thinley Rinchen Ling 14th March 2011 Bestowing blessings Lama Jampa Thaye gave a series of teachings in Bristol on Saturday, 12 March. In the morning, Lama Jampa taught the 14 Root Downfalls by Sakya Pandita. This text is a brief but authoritative exposition of the nature of the vows and pledges to be maintained by all those who have received a major initiation in the Yoga or Anuttarayoga tantras. In the afternoon, Lama Jampa bestowed the initiation of Green Tara from the lineage of Shakyashribhadra, an important master of Sakya Pandita. Mandal tensum offering At the conclusion of the teachings, Lama Jampa remarked that it was wonderful to see so many children coming to dharma events as they are the future of the dharma. He emphasised that the main way to ensure that children practise the dharma in the future is to practise with them in the family, the main vehicle for the transmission of the dharma. Lama Jampa encouraged everyone to practise the dharma together and to share it with their children. Teaching the dharma Lama Jampa also explained that he had received this particular initiation of Green Tara from Karma Thinley Rinpoche, who had himself bestowed the initiation in England. Lama Jampa mentioned that Green Tara is a wonderful deity on which to rely: she is mother to all Buddhas and to all beings. In times of difficulty or problems, there is no better deity to rely on. Many generations of dharma practitioners have relied upon her, from great yogis to ordinary beings, and she is an extraordinarily approachable deity. Lama Jampa encouraged peopole to rely on this deity. Giving refuge Lama Jampa concluded by looking forward to the upcoming visits of H.H. Sakya Trizin to Sakya Dolma Ling in Mexico in July and H.E. Ratna Vajra Rinpoche to Dechen Centres in the UK in August. Lama Jampa’s next teaching will be in Manchester in April, where he will teach the first part of Clearing the Darkness of Unawareness and bestow the initiation of Milarepa. Following this, Lama Jampa will travel to Los Angeles to bestow an extensive series of teachings.