The Venerable Lama Losang Samten will give a brief Dharma talk in addition to signing and presenting his book Ancient Teachings in Modern Times: Buddhism in the 21st Century. His book, DVD & CD will be available for purchase.

About the book:
Each page of this book is filled with gems of wisdom that illuminate the path towards discovering greater joy and peace within oneself through the teachings of the Buddha. Without feeling overly technical or onerous, Losang’s friendly storytelling nature draws the reader into a delightful journey through the complexities of Buddhism and spirituality for everyday life, all the while preserving the profound essence of the teaching. He masterfully weaves together the story of how the teachings of the Buddha can help anyone of any culture or faith achieve greater peace and joy by practicing loving-kindness and compassion. He affirms the potential that lies within each of us to realize the ‘Buddha within’ and to become free from suffering through the wisdom that lies within these Ancient Teachings in Modern Times.

From the author:
When I first sat down to write I was only planning to draft a few pages to share at retreats in the United States and Canada. I am amazed that this simple idea developed into this lovely book that offers the essence of the teachings of the Buddha relevant to everyday life in the 21st century. Writing this book is a wonderful opportunity to share what I have learned from growing up in a Buddhist family, studying for 20 years in a monastery, and living for over 20 years and teaching in the West. I feel that this book is special, because it shares a unique perspective resulting from the diverse experiences I have had and is inspired by the wonderful people I have met. When I travel to create sacred sand mandalas, it is wonderful how children, adults and elders share their joy and questions about spirituality with me. It is incredible how similar their delight and concerns are, regardless of the religious or spiritual tradition they may follow. I feel fortunate that I have the chance to meet so many wonderful people who are all unique and special. Through this book I hope that everyone comes to see themselves as unique and special, and to recognize the beauty and gifts that we all possess.
About the author:
The Venerable Lama Losang Samten, a renowned Tibetan scholar and a former Buddhist monk, was born in Chung Ribuce, of central Tibet. In 1959, he and his family fled to Nepal and later moved to Dharamsala, India. His education includes studies at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts and the Namgyal Monastery which is the monastery of the 14th Dalai Lama. In 1985, he earned a Master's Degree in Buddhist Philosophy, Sutra, and Tantra, from the Namgyal Monastery, which is equivalent to a Ph.D. In 1994, Losang received an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. He was granted an Honorary Doctorate of Art from the Maine College of Art in 1995. He taught Tibetan Language at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia from 1994 – 1997 and was awarded the National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts in 2002. In 2004, he was awarded a Pew Fellowship in the Arts.

In 1988, Samten came to the US as instructed by His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama, to demonstrate the meditative art of sand painting. This was the first time a Tibetan mandala was shown in the west. Since then, he has created sand mandalas at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, Chicago Field Museum, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology of University of Pennsylvania, Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, Harvard University, Columbia University, New York University, Trinity College of Hartford, Connecticut, among numerous others (see list below). He has served as the religious technical advisor and sand mandala supervisor as well as actor for Martin Scorsese's film Kundun.

Wheel of Life Mandala by Losang Samten:

Follow the link below to watch a time-lapse video of Losang Samten creating a sand mandala:

5 Dhyani Buddhas from peacefeather imagery on Vimeo.