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Welcome to Olmo Ling
Olmo Ling is a religious educational non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the ancient teachings of the Bon tradition of Tibet and making them available and accessible to lay practitioners.
Olmo Ling offers weekly meditation practice and teachings, prayers, meditation instruction and private interviews, and a study program that includes regular retreats with Tempa Dukte Lama and visiting lamas of the Bon tradition.
Learn more about Olmo Ling or Subscribe to our Mailing List.
Visit the Olmo Ling Teaching and Retreat Schedule for 2025 to view upcoming programs and please visit Olmo Ling online Bookstore!
A KHRID SERIES | PART I – V
Please Note: The A Khrid Teachings will be offered in five parts with Parts I-IV taking place this spring and Part V Powa to be offered in the winter after Tempa Lama’s return from Tibet. These teachings are meant to be attended in succession.
BON NGONDRO TEACHING RECORDINGS (Sessions 1-4)
Recordings of Bon Ngondro are made available to participants who attending A Khrid Part One (Saturday, March 22nd) and received the Bon Ngondro transmission.
If you missed the transmission on Saturday, March 22nd but would still like to practice Ngondro, please FIRST reach out to Joanna via email at bon@olmoling.org before donating for the recordings so that we can ensure that you can receive the transmission.
DONATE TO RECEIVE BON NGONDRO RECORDINGS | SESSIONS 1-4
CONTINUING THIS WEEKEND
A KHRID PART II | Two Weekend Course (3 Days)
Day 1 | Sun. March 30th, 2025
Days 2 & 3 | Sat. April 5th – Sun. April 6th, 2025
In-Person at Olmo Ling Bon Center & over Zoom
A Khrid Part II (Sessions 6-7): Meditation on Essential Nature | Teaching & Transmission
Prerequisite: Attendance of A Khrid Part I this year or previous years.
REGISTRATION IS OPEN UNTIL SUNDAY, MARCH 30TH AT 8:00 AM EST PLEASE NOTE THAT REGISTRATIONS SATURDAY EVENING AFTER BUSINESS HOURS (EST) WILL BE SEND ZOOM INVITATIONS SUNDAY MORNING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE!
The A Khrid Part II teaching covers sessions 6 and 7 from the original A Khrid teaching and transmission given by Bon Dzogchen Master Gongzod Ritrod Chenpo. Having stabilized our mind through meditation with an object according to the Part I teachings, this second part guides us in cultivating meditative absorption without an object. Tempa Lama will give instructions on spontaneous presence and continuity of meditative absorption of the body, speech, and mind without an object. This is also known as meditation on essential nature or ngang sgom.
A KHRID PART III | One Weekend Course
Saturday & Sunday
April 12th – April 13th, 2025
In-Person at Olmo Ling Bon Center & over Zoom
A Khrid Part III (Sessions 8-10): Spontaneous Presence in the Natural State | Teaching & Transmission
Prerequisite: Attendance of A Khrid Part I & A Khrid Part II this year or previous years.
The A Khrid Part III teaching covers sessions 8, 9 and 10 from the original A Khrid teaching and transmission given by Bon Dzogchen Master Gongzod Ritrod Chenpo. Tempa Lama will first give teachings on how to distinguish between the ordinary mind and the true nature of the mind. Based on this, he will offer the introduction to the nature of the mind. Third he will offer instructions on how we can stabilize this recognition through the practice of klong sgom, the spontaneous presence in the natural state.
A KHRID PART IV | Two Weekend Course (4 Days)
Week 1 | Sat. April 26th – Sun. April 27th, 2025
Week 2 | Sat. May 3rd – Sun. May 4th, 2025
In-Person at Olmo Ling Bon Center & over Zoom
A Khrid Part IV (Sessions 11-14): Dream Yoga and the Three Bodies | Teaching & Transmission
Prerequisite: Attendance of A Khrid Part I, A Khrid Part II, & A Khrid Part III this year or previous years.
In this Part IV teaching, Tempa Lama will explain how we can utilize dreams and vision in order to practice, maintain, and deepen our practice of the natural state during both sleeping and waking. Practicing with dreams and visions offers a profound pathway towards directly self-liberating affliction and delusion as they arise in each moment. Tempa Lama will then give the introduction to the nature of the mind and the Three Bodies of the Awakened One, the truth body, enjoyment body, and emanation body.
Update on the Olmo Ling Temple Building!
Thanks to the generous support of our community we were able to acquire our temple building in Pittsburgh in December 2022. Our temple is the cornerstone of our work in offering Bon teachings and carrying out charitable projects in the Himalayas. Following His Holiness’ visit in July 2023 we began work on obtaining a residential-use permit for the two floors above the temple so that we can rent them out to community members and help cover the monthly mortgage payments.
The upper two floors are currently linked with a communicating stairs. There is little fire separation between all three floors. We anticipated that we would need to remove the communicating stairs, install a separate heating and cooling system for the second floor (to close off a possible fire pathway from the basement boiler room), and install a fire alarm system. However, we learned that we additionally needed to construct either external fire stairs for all three floor or a sprinkler system with a new water main line connecting across the road from Olmo Ling. Iris worked with our architects over several months to appeal to the City Board of Appeals twice to request an exemption to these extremely costly requirements. We are delighted to share that in December we were granted an exemption given our building’s small size!
While this is very welcome news, some fire safety requirements still have be met. We ask for your help in covering these cost so that we can soon rent out the two upper floors.
Budget for Fire Safety Requirements:- $35,000 for removing the stairs between the upper two floors (for fire safety) and installing a separate heating-cooling system on the second floor. This has the additional benefits of expanding the narrow hallways on both upper floors and replacing a very old furnace.
- $5,914 in professional services from the architects and engineer
- $5,000 for better sound proofing between the temple and residential floor above
- $881 in permit fees
- $328 for smaller items
- Fire alarm system (costs not yet known)
Total Budget: $47,123.00
Raised So Far: $2,617.53
To Be Raised: $44,505.47
We grateful acknowledge the generosity of a dear community member whose substantial gifts enabled us to bridge the time while we waited for the permit. We also thank our architects Greg and Ee Ling Marin for offering their skillful work at a discounted rate.
We sincerely thank you for your support and prayers. Your generosity allows us to manifest Tempa Lama’s deep aspiration to make the Bon wisdom teachings widely available in the West through teachings, practice, translations, and community gatherings.
READ MORE AND DONATE
H.H. 34th Menri Trizin Will Visit Pittsburgh, PA
in August 2025
Saturday, August 30th – Sunday, August 31st, 2025
at Olmo Ling Bon Center and over Zoom
Read about H.H. 34th’s Menri Trizin’s visit to Olmo Ling in June 2023
We are most honored to host His Holiness 34th Gyalwa Menri Trizin Lungtok Dawa Dhargyal for a Teaching and Longevity Empowerment on August 30-31, 2025.
On May 10-11, 2025 we will host Menri Shedrup Khenpo Geshe Nyima Dhondup Rinpoche, abbot of the Menri Dialectic School, for a special teaching and transmission of Bon Dzogchen from the Drakpa Kor Sum.
We are delighted that Tempa Lama will give the complete teaching and transmission of the Bon A Khrid Dzogchen this year! Tempa Lama and his brother Geshe Tsewang Ngodup Rinpoche will also guide a special 22-day Pilgrimage Trip to Tibet in the fall. In addition, Tempa Lama will offer a teaching on The Heart Drop of the Loving Mother Practice, the Teaching and Ritual of Tse Drup Longevity Practice, a 3 weekend training on the Jang Chok Ritual for the Deceased, and Bardo teachings.
LEARN MORE AND REGISTER FOR
BON DZOGCHEN WITH MENRI SHEDRUP KHENPO RINPOCHE
24-Day Pilgrimage | Mt. Kailash & Central Tibet through Upper Humla Simikot
September 22nd – October 16th, 2025
with Tempa Dukte Lama and Geshe Tsewang Ngodup Rinpoche
Tempa Lama has 25 years experience leading and co-leading pilgrimage trips to Tibet, Nepal and India (Menri Monastery) as well as medical service trips to Humla, Nepal.
Tempa Dukte Lama and Geshe Tsewang Ngodup Rinpoche will be offering a 24-day pilgrimage from their home valley of Humla, Nepal, to Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarowar in Tibet.
Mount Kailash is one of the most sacred places on Earth. In the Bon tradition, Mount Kailash is viewed as the center of the universe. It is the soul mountain for the ancient kingdom of Zhang Zhung, where the Tibetan Bon religion originated. Mount Kailash is the citadel of the celestial deity Gekhöd, the patron deity of Zhang Zhung. The area surrounding this sacred mountain is home to many Bon and Buddhist yogis and yoginis who live in long-term retreat. The pilgrimage will include daily teachings, meditation and Bon rituals with Tempa Lama and Geshe Tsewang Ngodup Rinpoche.
Please Contact Olmo Ling with Any Questions!
If interested in joining us on our 2025 Pilgrimage to Tibet, please email us at bon@olmoling.org and we will provide you with our itinerary and other necessary documents.
Click Here to View the Itinerary and Pictures of Previous Trips!
Family Sangha
Friday, April 25th
7:00 – 8:00 PM EST
Offered In-Person with Olmo Ling Community Members
Upcoming Dates:- April 25th, 2025
- May 9th, 2025
Special Event: April Family Sangha will be led by Tempa Lama! Come experience TSA Lung Thrul Khor!
The program is designed for children to experience personal familiarity with Bon teachings and for families to deepen their connections with Bon and with each other. Each Family Sangha meeting will include a snack (families are welcome to contribute to the snack table), meditation, a story/lesson, and a related craft/activity.
LEARN MORE ABOUT FAMILY SANGHA
Wednesday Ngondro (6:00 PM) & Silent Meditation (6:30 PM)
Wednesdays at 6:00 PM EST
Offered In-Person with Senior Student Gary Terner
Participants are welcome to join both the Ngondro / Preliminary teachings of Bon Buddhism (6:00 PM EST) and Silent Meditation (6:30 PM EST) or either of the two sessions. You do not need to practice Bon Buddhism to attend Silent Meditation starting at 6:30 PM EST.
The Wednesday evening practice at Olmo Ling Temple is free and open to all. This practice will offer the experience of meditating in a group. Group meditation is helpful in establishing a regular, stable meditation practice.
Silence will be observed throughout (from the second ringing of the bell following the opening chant). There will be two 20-minute sitting sessions separated by a 10 minute walking meditation. We will attempt to start on time so that we will not finish too late.
Ngondro practice is offered at 6:00 PM ET for those who have previously received Ngondro instructions and would like to practice in a group.
Read More
Saturday Calm Abiding Meditation (Zhine) with Instruction
Saturdays at 8:30 AM EST
Offered via Zoom & In-Person with Senior Student Andrew Kaiser
This class will provide instruction in the first phase of meditation, known as Zhine or Calm Abiding. It is important to be able to understand the full succession of meditation phases so that we know what we will learn – and just as important, what we will not be practicing.
Join us In-Person or Zoom HERE
Meeting ID: 967 9436 8181
Read More
Saturday Chod Session
One Saturday a month at 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM EST
Offered via Zoom & In-Person with Senior Students Jim DelBianco & Andrew Kaiser
- Saturday, March 8th, 2025
Once a month, we will practice elements of the drumming and chanting, followed by performing the Chod ritual as a group. The longer practice session will benefit us all as we learn the fundamentals of the drumming and have more time for practice. Jim and Andrew are both senior students of Tempa Dukte Lama.
Join us In-Person or Zoom HERE
Meeting ID: 970 0641 9095
In-Person is recommended, however, we know that is not possible for everyone!
Read More
Sunday Dzogchen Practice Group
Sundays at 4:00 PM EST
Offered via Zoom & In-Person with Senior Student Bob Marin
- Meditation Practice Group (IN-PERSON & ZOOM): 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month
- Reading and Discussion Group (ZOOM ONLY): 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month
Dzogchen Olmo Ling holds a Meditation Practice sitting and a Reading and Discussion group on alternate weeks. Weekly announcements provide brief readings and indicate whether the meeting will be online or in-person. In-person meetings permit online participation as well.
If you wish to participate or if you have questions about Dzogchen Olmo Ling, please contact Bob Marin
Read More
April 1st | Free Tuesday Evening Talk
Special Talk Series on the Two Truths in Bon
with Iris Grossmann, PhD
Join us at 7:00 PM EST via Zoom or In-Person at:
Olmo Ling Bon Center
1101 Greenfield Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15217
Tempa Lama traveled to Nepal where he attended the 100-year anniversary of H.E. Yongdzin Lopon Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche in Kathmandu with an offering on behalf of the Olmo Ling community and also worked on the Olmo Ling Humla project and prepare the 24-Day Pilgrimage to Tibet offered this fall.
While Tempa La was away, Iris Grossmann started a series of free weekly talks on the Bon Middle Way teachings on the Two Truths based on Nyamed Sherab Gyaltsen’s text dbu ma bden gnyis ‘grel ba. This text illuminates the Bon teachings on the two truths, the absolute truth that is what is seen by the wisdom of the Awakened Ones, and the relative truth that is the deceptive perception of ordinary beings.
Iris has studied closely with Tempa Lama for the last 20 years and has been honored to help edit Lama la’s books. She has a particularly interest in exploring how the Bon Sutra teachings can be integrated into practice in our daily lives and how they can deepen our aspiration.
The weekly program at Olmo Ling is free! All are welcome!
Iris asks that any donations offered go towards covering the costs of implementing necessary fire safety measures at Olmo Ling. READ MORE AND DONATE
A one-time registration is required for attendance. If you registered already for previous talk, you are all set!
Register Here for our Zoom Talks
Olmo Ling Daily Prayers
We recite the prayers below at the start of each weekly community practice on Tuesdays. Feel free to download for your own daily practice!
Tempa Dukte Lama’s Books
- Jang Chok Ancient Tibetan Bon Ritual The Jang Chok ritual from the Du Tri Su cycle is a powerful skillful means to guide the consciousness of the deceased and protect it from the terror of the Bardo experiences. This book offers the first complete English translation and transliteration of the Du Tri Su Jang Chok liturgy (with the original Tibetan included). In the first part of the book, Tempa Dukte Lama explains the different sections of the ritual and their meaning and purpose as well as how to make the required torma offerings and prepare for the ritual. The liturgy in the second part of the book is annotated throughout and images of ritual arrangements and torma offerings are included to assist practitioners in performing the ritual.
- Origin of the Medicine Buddha Tempa Dukte Lama illuminates the history of how the Medicine Buddha was first taught. He offers a translation of the short Medicine Buddha practice composed by 14th century Bön master Nyamed Sherab Gyaltsen along with a detailed explanation of the liturgy, visualization, and altar preparation.
- Thrul Khor: Ancient Tibetan Bon Yoga Step-by-step instructions for 85 practices according to the A Khrid, Ma Gyud (Mother Tantra), and Zhang Zhung Nyen Gyud cycles of Bon Thrul Khor, supported by 499 photographs.
- Heart Drop of the Loving Mother Tempa Lama offers detailed instructions on the Heart Drop of the Loving Mother practice and on how we can become a Loving Mother in our lives.
- Journey into Buddhahood: The Five Paths and the Ten Stages of Compassionate Beings Tempa Lama offers a profound guide to attaining full liberation according to the Bon Sutra path, the path of compassionate beings.
- Inexhaustible Miracles: The Ten Perfections on the Path of Compassionate Beings The Ten Perfections are the heart practices of compassionate beings through which we bring the Bon teachings into our lived experience: generosity, wholesome conduct, patience, effort, concentration, power, aspirational prayers, skillful means, and discriminating awareness. Tempa Lama explains how we can cultivate each Perfection and use these practices to transform every moment of our lives.
- The Intimate Mind: Illuminating Emotion and Transformation Tempa Lama explores how we can use the Bon teachings to better understand our mind, be intimate with it, and ultimately transform it.
Sidpa Gyalmo practice resources
- Recording of Tempa Lama chanting the Sidpa Gyalmo Healing Practice liturgy
- Recording of Tempa Lama chanting the Sidpa Gyalmo Healing Waters Practice liturgy
- Recording of Tempa Lama chanting the Sidpa Gyalmo Longevity & Prosperity practice
- A booklet by Tempa Lama with an explanation of the symbolic meaning of the Sidpa Gyalmo and Yeshe Walmo visualization, detailed instructions of the healing practice, an explanation of the Bon approach to healing, color pictures of Sidpa Gyalmo and Yeshe Walmo, and the practice liturgy of both the Healing Practice and the Healing Waters Practice is available from our store here. We are able to ship quickly and now offer lower First Class shipping rates for domestic and international orders.