Kunzang Palyul Choling is a center for Buddhist study and practice in the Nyingma tradition that is located in Poolesville, Maryland. Founded as the Center for Discovery and New Life in 1985, and then given to Penor Rinpoche and renamed by him in 1987, KPC was Penor Rinpoche's first Dharma Center in the US.
In April 1984, the Center began a 24-hour prayer vigil in the basement of Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo's home in Kensington, Maryland, dedicated to the end of suffering. A year later, the Center formed a corporation, purchased an antebellum style mansion in Poolesville, Maryland, purchased numerous large crystals weighing hundreds of pounds and reinstituted the 24-hour prayer vigil at its new location. Participants maintain two-hour prayer shifts, and, the vigil remains largely unbroken. In 1999, Kunzang Palyul Choling began another 24 hour prayer vigil shortly after Jetsunma established another center in Sedona, Arizona.
Peace Park
The Peace park's creativity and imagination starts with entering a natural mandala laid out with red, green, blue, yellow and white gardens. Holy objects are placed in strategic positions, including a silent Buddha, crystals, Tibetan prayer wheels. Visitors can make over 21stupa circumambulations.
Stupas
Many stupas have been built at Kunzang Palyul Choling's two locations, all containing relics pertinent to the Nyingma lineage. The first stupa, the enlightenment stupa in Maryland was built and consecrated in 1988. In 1991, a stupa peace park in Maryland containing all eight types of stupas, representing the eight great deeds of the Buddha, was completed. The central long life stupa in the park is dedicated to the long life of Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo. In 1995, Penor Rinpoche gave Jetsunma a relic from TertonMigyur Dorje, which is now housed in the tall Migyur Dorje Stupa in Maryland. This particular stupa is dedicated to the eradication of diseases for which there is no known cure. The most recent is the Amitabha Stupa in Sedona, Arizona, completed and consecrated in 2004.
Key Practices
, taking Refuge, and arousing Bodhicitta, are the path's foundation to this ancient school's Buddha-nature training. Nam Cho, is the "sky / space treasure" terma of the Tibetan Buddhist Nyingma Palyul Lineage as revealed by Terton Migyur Dorje. Known as Sadhana, KPC practices may involve a Wang and spiritual commitments.
* Contemplations that turn the mind to Dharma - Precious Human Rebirth, Karma, Benefits of Virtue, Faults of Non-Virtue, Faults of Cyclic Existence, Ship to Liberation
**** Short Confession, Dissolution, Short Confession, Root Terma - Short Confession - Dedication
** Guru Yoga - Visualization, Vajra Verses, Ship to Liberation, Nam Cho Lineage Prayer, Terma Lineage Prayer, Blessings, Motherly Sentient Beings Prayer, Six Realms Gurus, Four Empowerment, Root Terma, Ship to Liberation, Prayer to Guru
** P'howa - Visualization, Three Deities, P'howa Prayer, Visualization, Prayer to be Reborn in Dewachen, Nectar Descent, Prayer to Amitayus, Dissolution
