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| Michael Imperioli, Wisdom Publications Facebook, photo credit: Michael Imperioli. |
On July 1, 2020, Wisdom Publications hosted another episode of Wisdom Dharma Chats, a live video version of their Wisdom podcast. I watched it on Zoom and enjoyed it a lot.
Michael Imperioli
Thanks to this online event hosted by Wisdom Publications I learned Michael Imperioli is devoted Buddhist practitioner whose root guru is Garchen Rinpoche. On July 1, Daniel Aitken, Wisdom Publications' CEO/Publisher, spoke with Michael about how Michael met Garchen Rinpoche, Michael's early acting classes, and much more.
Their special guest was Michael Imperioli, best known for playing Christopher Moltisanti in the HBO TV series The Sopranos (1999-2007.) I remember taping The Sopranos episodes on the VCR. Watch the season 1 trailer on YouTube. I think you can watch it now if you have subscriptions to HBO, Hulu, or Amazon Prime.
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| The Sopranos. |
Thanks to this online event hosted by Wisdom Publications I learned Michael Imperioli is devoted Buddhist practitioner whose root guru is Garchen Rinpoche. On July 1, Daniel Aitken, Wisdom Publications' CEO/Publisher, spoke with Michael about how Michael met Garchen Rinpoche, Michael's early acting classes, and much more.
The great news is that the conversation was recorded and can be watched now.
Watch the recording of the Zoom session by first logging into your free Wisdom Publications account, or create a free account if you don't have one yet by going to that same webpage.
I think I read somewhere that an audio recording of the interview will be added to the Wisdom Podcast at a future time. As of today it's not yet listed on the podcast.
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| His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Garchen Rinpoche, Pinerest. |
Garchen Rinpoche
Garchen Buddhist Institute writes, "Garchen Rinpoche was born in Eastern Tibet in 1936 and recognized at a very young age as the 8th incarnation of Garchen Rinpoche. From that time, he entered into monastic life and studied and practiced the dharma under many of the highest lamas of the Drikung lineage until the age of 19. Garchen Rinpoche then entered into a traditional three year retreat, which was interrupted after two and a half years due to the Cultural Revolution in China. At that time, after fighting in war to defend Tibet and preserve the Buddha Dharma, Garchen Rinpoche was captured and imprisoned. Garchen Rinpoche spent the next 20 years in prison and labor camps in Communist China. While in prison, Garchen Rinpoche met his root Guru, the great Nyingma master Khenpo Munsel, who gave him many essential teachings and pith instructions. Enduring unfathomable hardships, Rinpoche practiced secretly in prison until he attained great profound realization and merged his mind with his Guru.
"Since his release from prison in 1979, Garchen Rinpoche has worked tirelessly to restore, preserve, and spread the teachings and blessings of the Buddha Dharma across Tibet, and later, throughout the entire world."
Continue reading Garchen Rinpoche's biography on www.garchen.net.
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| Garchen Rinpoche, www.drikungkagyujamcholing.com. |
I read this short story published by Northwest Dharma Association some time ago. I haven't met Garchen Rinpoche but this story left a strong impression on me.
Buddhist teachers shine light for inmates
"On April 25, 2017, a very special guest visited the inmates at Twin Rivers Unit (TRU), a man who deeply understands prisoners’ experience.
"Over the course of a morning, His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche spoke to inmates about his own 20-year imprisonment in a Chinese labor camp.
"This was the first time Rinpoche had been in a prison since his release in 1979. He is a revered and senior Tibetan lama in the Kagyu tradition.
"Rinpoche told the inmates that understanding cause and effect can help you accept the circumstances of your life. He spoke about the importance of cultivating limitless love and compassion, and said self-clinging is the source of our negative emotions.
"Rinpoche said each of us wants happiness and freedom from suffering, adding that negative states of mind disappear as we develop in love and compassion.
"Rinpoche gifted each of the inmates with the booklet 'The 37 Bodhisattva Practices,' and said that it contained all the important points of the dharma. He also gave each wristbands and stickers, depicting the 'Liberation through Sight' mantra."
"Over the course of a morning, His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche spoke to inmates about his own 20-year imprisonment in a Chinese labor camp.
"This was the first time Rinpoche had been in a prison since his release in 1979. He is a revered and senior Tibetan lama in the Kagyu tradition.
"Rinpoche told the inmates that understanding cause and effect can help you accept the circumstances of your life. He spoke about the importance of cultivating limitless love and compassion, and said self-clinging is the source of our negative emotions.
"Rinpoche said each of us wants happiness and freedom from suffering, adding that negative states of mind disappear as we develop in love and compassion.
"Rinpoche gifted each of the inmates with the booklet 'The 37 Bodhisattva Practices,' and said that it contained all the important points of the dharma. He also gave each wristbands and stickers, depicting the 'Liberation through Sight' mantra."
For opportunities to study with Garchen Rinpoche online in 2020 visit the Garchen Buddhist Institute 2020 Event Schedule.
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