WISDOM CENTER
OF SANTA CRUZ
About Venerable Gyalten Chime
Venerable Gyalten Chimé (Lisa DuPont, M.S.) is an American monastic in the Tibetan Gelug tradition with over 25 years of experience in study and retreat in Tibetan Buddhism. She brings her many years of training and experience in psychology/ neuroscience as a school psychologist and is a certified instructor of Emory University’s Cognitively Based Compassion Training (CBCT)
The Sutra of Golden Light
A Mahayana sutra emphasizing healing, world peace, & protection
with Ven. Gyalten Chime
Every Wednesday: Starting April 9, 2025
6:30 - 8:30pm pacific • In Person & Online • By donation
Purpose of reciting this sutra:
During times of climate crisis, and social, political & economic instability in our country and around the world, we need a powerful practice. Reciting this holy sutra counters this harm while offering innumerable benefits.
Benefits from reciting the sutra:
Building up positive force (“merit”) in our mindstreams, creating world peace, protecting one’s country, and averting natural disasters. The sutra is often read aloud in groups.
We’ll watch a video on the Sutra & read sections of it with short discussions
Lama Zopa Rinpoche from FPMT made the heartfelt request for as many people as possible to recite this sutra to help relieve the suffering in the world and to support peace and prosperity.
Includes video teaching and reading of text on large screen.
Digital text available from fpmt: (recommended)
https://shop.fpmt.org/The- King-of-Glorious-Sutras-called-the-Exalted-Sublime-Golden-Light-eBook-PDF_p_2348.html
History
This powerful sutra has its origins in India & spread across East Asia for 18 centuries. It was first translated in the West in 1970. In 2007, FPMT - the Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition - translated the 21 chapter version.
The title of this sutra derives from the Bodhisattva Ruchira-ketu’s dream in which he saw a golden drum radiating golden light like the sun, symbolizing the enlightening Dharma of the Buddha.
In the preamble, Buddha encourages all beings experiencing sufferings such as ill health, poverty, loss, abuse, fear, etc. to recite this sutra. He taught that the power of the recitation itself exhausts all their negative karmic potentials, grants them peace and happiness, and eliminates their suffering. The following chapters focus on topics such as confession of harmful deeds, rejoicing in positive acts, dependent arising, karma, rebirth, and awe-inspiring stories of the Buddha’s previous lives, all in easily understandable language.
Please join us!
Drop-ins welcome!