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Many Masters, Many Teachings
‘Wai Kru’ Day
with Bhikkhuni Karma Lekshe Tsomo
Thursday 16th January @ Ariyasom Villa
WE’re happy to welcome back Hawaiian Tibetan Bhikkhuni Karma Lekshe Tsomo for a talk at Ariyasom Villa. She has been a fairly regular guest of ours in the past, though not for a couple of years. It’s always a pleasure to host and introduce her to you all!
Schedule:
- 6:30pm gather for refreshments at Ariyasom Villa
- 7:00 Dhamma talk and reflections from Karma Lekshe and Pandit Bhikkhu on the value of teachers, from the Buddha to present day inspirations.
- 7:45-8:15 meditation
- 8:20pm Finish
There is no charge for this event, and no need for advance booking. Donations to our guest’s travelling expenses are welcome.
‘Wai Kru’ Day
This is an annual day in the Thai cultural calendar when people from all professions and arts, from crocodile tamers to dancers to martial arts, students pay respects to their teacher(s). If you are connected with any schools here in Thailand they will also have some special exhibit or ceremony marking the occasion. In Buddhism our original teacher is still Shakyamuni Buddha, but we also acknowledge the contribution of generations of teachers, guides and mentors to the present day.
About our special guest:
While on a trip in India, Lekshe heard the teachings of Dalai Lama. She was convinced that she wanted to become a nun, and dedicate her life to service. Except for one problem: no monastery would accept her, because she was a woman.
So, Karma Lekshe started her own nunnery in the Himalayas and sure enough, became a Buddhist nun.
Today, decades later, she has drastically altered Buddhism’s view of women. As a PhD in comparative philosophy, author of several books, founder of a Himalayan nonprofit, professor at University of San Diego, president of International Association of Buddhist Women, Karma Lekshe is actively involved in interfaith dialogue and grassroot initiatives for empowerment of women.
Professor Tsomo received a B.A. in Oriental Languages (Japanese/Chinese) from the University of California, Berkeley; an M.A. in Asian Studies, an M.A. in Religion (Asian), and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Hawai‘i, Manoa. In addition, she studied at the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives and the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics in Dharamsala, India for 15 years. Since 2000 she has been an Associate Professor at the University of San Diego.
Scholarly and Creative Work
Professor Tsomo’s doctoral research focused on death and identity in China and Tibet. She is the author of Sisters in Solitude: Two Traditions of Monastic Ethics for Women and Into the Jaws of Yama, Lord of Death: Buddhism, Bioethics, and Death. Click here for all the titles by Lekshe Tsomo
She has produced several educational videos: “Sacred Ground: Consecrating a Village Temple in Spiti Valley,” “Women in Buddhism: Unity and Diversity,” and “Living and Dying in Buddhist Cultures.” click here for a full bio
Venue
Ariyasom Villa is a beautiful boutique hotel and high class vegetarian restaurant in the heart of Bangkok. Head down Sukhumvit Soi one to the end of the soi and the hotel is there by the canal.
