RobinaCourtin.com

“There’s this disconnect between how things are and how we perceive things." — Ven. Robina

“We’re not suffering because our cup broke, we’re suffering because we thought it shouldn’t." — Ven. Robina

“Given that Buddha’s views are from his own direct experience, from his own observation — they not coming from on high, they’re not speculation, he didn’t make them up — he’s more like Einstein than Jesus." — Ven. Robina

“Everything we think and then do and say is the very process that produces who we become." — Ven. Robina

“The root of the problem is our powerful misconception of an intrinsic me." — Ven. Robina

“So why do you get angry? Because attachment didn’t get what it wanted." — Ven. Robina

“Attachment is a junkie that assumes that I only ever deserve the good things." — Ven. Robina

“If you look in your garden and you see a weed, you would never say “Who put a weed in my garden? I don’t deserve it!” Who planted the seeds? Who planted the weeds? Who planted the flowers? I did." — Ven. Robina

“Our life is our garden. Whatever’s in it, we put it there." — Ven. Robina

“Without understanding karma first, we can’t have proper compassion for others." — Ven. Robina

“We must have compassion for the harmers in this life, because they’ve caused themselves terrible future suffering." — Ven. Robina

“We have the power to look into our own minds, to recognize what harms us and, with enormous self respect, we can learn to change, we can learn to get rid of the neuroses. This is all Buddha is saying.” — Ven. Robina

“From Buddha’s point of view, we should be weeping in delight every day at how fortunate we are, having such an extraordinarily fortunate life, which we ourselves created by our own past actions.” — Ven. Robina

“Every microsecond of everything that goes on in our mind, and the things we do on the basis of those thoughts with our body and speech, this is the karmic process.” — Ven. Robina

“Buddha's expertise is the mind: he has a profound and extensive explanation what the mind is, how it functions and how, crucially, we can transform it.” — Ven. Robina

“Happiness is the mind that is free from attachment and the other neuroses: clear, blissful, happy and stable.” — Ven. Robina

“The main cause of my happiness, the main cause of my suffering, is in my mind.” — Ven. Robina

“Don't point to some external thing and call it samsara; point to your own mind, your own body.” — Lama Zopa Rinpoche

“If no anger, then no enemy.” — Lama Zopa Rinpoche

“You are the creator of yourself, honey – that’s what Buddha says.” — Ven. Robina

“We've got to distinguish facts from fiction. And when you're a buddha, you've finally got all the facts down.” — Ven. Robina

“Anger, anxiety, depression and fear break our hearts – and all Buddha is saying is: yes, sweetheart, you can change it.” — Ven. Robina

“We accept we come fully programmed into this life, but we think the programming comes from mother and father. It doesn’t, Buddha says. Our tendencies come from previous moments of that very mind itself, which is not physical and not from any external condition.” — Ven. Robina

“The mind, for the Buddha, is where things happen. The mind is where the workshop is: it’s the source of suffering and the source of happiness.” — Ven. Robina

“Any happiness you feel comes from your own mind. It is all manufactured by your own inner factory.” — Lama Zopa Rinpoche

“Human beings have great potential; they can do anything. The power of the mind is incredible, limitless.” — Lama Thubten Yeshe

“Positive states of mind are natural to us. They are at the core of our being. They are what define our mind. They are what we really are.” — Ven. Robina

“When your only purpose for living is the benefit of others, it is very easy to make the right decision. It is easy because you are very clear about why you are alive." — Lama Zopa Rinpoche

“Not believing in the way things appear to us: you can't get more radical than that.” — Ven. Robina

“There’s a big difference between being able to explain religion intellectually and transforming that knowledge into spiritual experience.” — Lama Thubten Yeshe

“Buddhism is not just about one or two small things; it is not some tiny philosophy. Lord Buddha explained the nature of every single phenomenon in the universe.” — Lama Thubten Yeshe

“Without understanding, belief can be very dangerous. So what Lord Buddha emphasized was that understanding is the path to liberation, knowledge is the path to liberation.” — Lama Thubten Yeshe

“The main cause of my happiness, the main cause of my suffering, is in my mind.” — Ven. Robina

“Love is wanting another person to be happy, a delight in their happiness. Love has no strings.” — Ven. Robina

“I hope that you understand what the word 'spiritual' really means. It means to search for – to investigate – the true nature of the mind. There's nothing spiritual outside. My rosary isn't spiritual; my robes aren't spiritual. Spiritual means the mind and spiritual people are those who seek its nature.” — Lama Thubten Yeshe

“And also, to study Buddhism you don't need to believe in something extreme. It's a matter of investigating, examining and experimenting on yourself. It's not just belief.” — Lama Thubten Yeshe

“We have the power to look into our own minds, to recognize what harms us, and out of enormous self respect, we can learn to change the poison; we can learn to get rid of the neuroses. This is all Buddha is saying.” — Ven. Robina

“Every microsecond of whatever goes on in our mind, and the things we do and say on the basis of those thoughts: this is the karmic process.” — Ven. Robina

“We think happiness is what we get when attachment gets what it wants. No. Buddha says happiness is what we get when we give up attachment.” — Ven. Robina

“Positive states of mind are natural to us. They are at the core of our being. They are what define our mind. They are what we really are.” — Ven. Robina

“Not believing in the way things appear to us: you can't get more radical than that.” — Ven. Robina

“The main cause of my happiness, the main cause of my suffering, is in my mind.” — Ven. Robina

What Buddha is saying is that we have this incredible potential, if we have the courage to look inside.” — Ven. Robina

“Happiness is the mind that is free from junk: clear, blissful, happy and stable.” — Ven. Robina

“Buddha's expertise is the mind. And he has a profound, deep, extensive explanation and view of what the mind is.” — Ven. Robina

“We accept we come fully programmed into this life, but we think the programming comes from mother and father. It doesn’t, Buddha says. Tendencies in the mind come from previous moments of that very mind itself, which is not physical, and not from any external condition.” — Ven. Robina

RobinaCourtin.com

“There’s this disconnect between how things are and how we perceive things." — Ven. Robina

“We’re not suffering because our cup broke, we’re suffering because we thought it shouldn’t." — Ven. Robina

“Given that Buddha’s views are from his own direct experience, from his own observation — they not coming from on high, they’re not speculation, he didn’t make them up — he’s more like Einstein than Jesus." — Ven. Robina

“Everything we think and then do and say is the very process that produces who we become." — Ven. Robina

“The root of the problem is our powerful misconception of an intrinsic me." — Ven. Robina

“So why do you get angry? Because attachment didn’t get what it wanted." — Ven. Robina

“Attachment is a junkie that assumes that I only ever deserve the good things." — Ven. Robina

“If you look in your garden and you see a weed, you would never say “Who put a weed in my garden? I don’t deserve it!” Who planted the seeds? Who planted the weeds? Who planted the flowers? I did." — Ven. Robina

“Our life is our garden. Whatever’s in it, we put it there." — Ven. Robina

“Without understanding karma first, we can’t have proper compassion for others." — Ven. Robina

“We must have compassion for the harmers in this life, because they’ve caused themselves terrible future suffering." — Ven. Robina

“We have the power to look into our own minds, to recognize what harms us and, with enormous self respect, we can learn to change, we can learn to get rid of the neuroses. This is all Buddha is saying.” — Ven. Robina

“From Buddha’s point of view, we should be weeping in delight every day at how fortunate we are, having such an extraordinarily fortunate life, which we ourselves created by our own past actions.” — Ven. Robina

“Every microsecond of everything that goes on in our mind, and the things we do on the basis of those thoughts with our body and speech, this is the karmic process.” — Ven. Robina

“Buddha's expertise is the mind: he has a profound and extensive explanation what the mind is, how it functions and how, crucially, we can transform it.” — Ven. Robina

“Happiness is the mind that is free from attachment and the other neuroses: clear, blissful, happy and stable.” — Ven. Robina

“The main cause of my happiness, the main cause of my suffering, is in my mind.” — Ven. Robina

“Don't point to some external thing and call it samsara; point to your own mind, your own body.” — Lama Zopa Rinpoche

“If no anger, then no enemy.” — Lama Zopa Rinpoche

“You are the creator of yourself, honey – that’s what Buddha says.” — Ven. Robina

“We've got to distinguish facts from fiction. And when you're a buddha, you've finally got all the facts down.” — Ven. Robina

“Anger, anxiety, depression and fear break our hearts – and all Buddha is saying is: yes, sweetheart, you can change it.” — Ven. Robina

“We accept we come fully programmed into this life, but we think the programming comes from mother and father. It doesn’t, Buddha says. Our tendencies come from previous moments of that very mind itself, which is not physical and not from any external condition.” — Ven. Robina

“The mind, for the Buddha, is where things happen. The mind is where the workshop is: it’s the source of suffering and the source of happiness.” — Ven. Robina

“Any happiness you feel comes from your own mind. It is all manufactured by your own inner factory.” — Lama Zopa Rinpoche

“Human beings have great potential; they can do anything. The power of the mind is incredible, limitless.” — Lama Thubten Yeshe

“Positive states of mind are natural to us. They are at the core of our being. They are what define our mind. They are what we really are.” — Ven. Robina

“When your only purpose for living is the benefit of others, it is very easy to make the right decision. It is easy because you are very clear about why you are alive." — Lama Zopa Rinpoche

“Not believing in the way things appear to us: you can't get more radical than that.” — Ven. Robina

“There’s a big difference between being able to explain religion intellectually and transforming that knowledge into spiritual experience.” — Lama Thubten Yeshe

“Buddhism is not just about one or two small things; it is not some tiny philosophy. Lord Buddha explained the nature of every single phenomenon in the universe.” — Lama Thubten Yeshe

“Without understanding, belief can be very dangerous. So what Lord Buddha emphasized was that understanding is the path to liberation, knowledge is the path to liberation.” — Lama Thubten Yeshe

“The main cause of my happiness, the main cause of my suffering, is in my mind.” — Ven. Robina

“Love is wanting another person to be happy, a delight in their happiness. Love has no strings.” — Ven. Robina

“I hope that you understand what the word 'spiritual' really means. It means to search for – to investigate – the true nature of the mind. There's nothing spiritual outside. My rosary isn't spiritual; my robes aren't spiritual. Spiritual means the mind and spiritual people are those who seek its nature.” — Lama Thubten Yeshe

“And also, to study Buddhism you don't need to believe in something extreme. It's a matter of investigating, examining and experimenting on yourself. It's not just belief.” — Lama Thubten Yeshe

“We have the power to look into our own minds, to recognize what harms us, and out of enormous self respect, we can learn to change the poison; we can learn to get rid of the neuroses. This is all Buddha is saying.” — Ven. Robina

“Every microsecond of whatever goes on in our mind, and the things we do and say on the basis of those thoughts: this is the karmic process.” — Ven. Robina

“We think happiness is what we get when attachment gets what it wants. No. Buddha says happiness is what we get when we give up attachment.” — Ven. Robina

“Positive states of mind are natural to us. They are at the core of our being. They are what define our mind. They are what we really are.” — Ven. Robina

“Not believing in the way things appear to us: you can't get more radical than that.” — Ven. Robina

“The main cause of my happiness, the main cause of my suffering, is in my mind.” — Ven. Robina

What Buddha is saying is that we have this incredible potential, if we have the courage to look inside.” — Ven. Robina

“Happiness is the mind that is free from junk: clear, blissful, happy and stable.” — Ven. Robina

“Buddha's expertise is the mind. And he has a profound, deep, extensive explanation and view of what the mind is.” — Ven. Robina

“We accept we come fully programmed into this life, but we think the programming comes from mother and father. It doesn’t, Buddha says. Tendencies in the mind come from previous moments of that very mind itself, which is not physical, and not from any external condition.” — Ven. Robina

Cocktail Party-Auctions

On Saturday, November 17, 2012, The Bodhichitta Trust held a cocktail party-auction at the home of Sarah Brooks in Raleigh, North Carolina. 100 people packed the place, with successful bidders buying some 46 items, including statues and tangkas from Kathmandu, Turkish rugs, and Australian Aboriginal paintings.

The trust offered half of the $21,000 raised to San Francisco FPMT center Tse Chen Ling, and used the rest towards loans from kind supporters of Liberation Prison Project when Ven. Robina ran it, which the trust had underwritten.

The evening included performances by Guatemalan conductor and cellist Igor Sarmientos, Sarah herself, Raleigh’s FPMT center director Robbie Watkins, and Jill Marie, all accomplished pianists. A highlight was a five-minute cello piece written by Igor’s father, the late Jorge Sarmientos, for a visit to Guatemala in 2004 of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

“It was a beautiful evening,” said one guest. “Ven. Robina and her team know how to throw a party!”

 

From left: Ven. Katy Cole, Sarah Brooks, Carina Rumrill, Ven. Robina Courtin, Alison Harr, Kate Macdonald, Rashel Adragna and Michelle Stewart. Photo Alison Harr.

 

Igor performs the five-minute cello piece written by his father, the late Jorge Sarmientos, for His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Photo Alison Harr.

 

Some of the 40+ items auctioned: clockwise from top-left: Vajrayogini thangka detail, by the artits of Patan, Kathmandu; Lama Tsong Khapa statue, also by the artists of Patan, with 23 kt gold-leaf offered by Maine artists Troy and Mer Stafford; a detail from one of the Aborginal pieces offered by Kate Negoescu of Perth; bell and dorje from Kathmandu, goldleafed by Troy Stafford; silver-plated mandala set gilded in 23kt goldleaf by Troy Stafford; and White Tara thangka detail, by the artists of Patan. Photos David Strevel and Kate Macdonald.

 

The event wouldn’t have been possible without the support of over 30 volunteers: over a dozen of Sarah’s friends in Raleigh: Barb Baranski, Chris Baranski,Sandy Carlson, John Castelloe, Richard Dell, Jr., Sarah Gould-Wright, Guillermo Haas-Thompson, Jessica James, Lisa James, Kim Lillig, David Machles, Jill Marie, Karen Mastroianni, Scott Miller, Patrick McGinity, Timothy Powell, Frank Scalia, David Strevel, Elise Strevel,Robbie Watkins and Brian Wright; plus a handful of friends and supporters of Ven. Robina’s who came from out of town: Ven. Katy Cole, Alison Harr, Rashel Adragna, and Michelle Stewart who flew out from California; Carina Rumrill and Kate Macdonald from Portland; Lana Popovic and Jaime Silberman from New York; Vikrant Bhasin and Igor from Washington DC; Joshua Bond from Tennessee; and Mer Stafford from Maine.

 

People from around the world also offered items: Kate Negoescu ofPerth offered Aboriginal paintings; Troy and Mer Stafford offered white gold and gold-leafwork, and semi-precious stones for the statues from Kathmandu, as well as a series of Rajasthani paintings, a hand-gilded 23kt gold looking-glass, a monk’s gau, and a hand-gilded 23kt framed photograph of His Holiness the Dalai Lama; Lana offered a weeks stay in her Manhattan apartment; Rashel offered a vacation at her Hollywood home; Carol Hunchik of Raleigh offered a series of yoga classes; Elise offered three stained-glass hand-made eternal knots; Jill Marie offered a consultation and series of organizational services; Sarah offered three lotus photographs, and a course of piano lessons from her Peaceful Piano Studio; Seret & Sons ofSanta Fe offered a set of silk hand-embroidered Uzbekistani cushions; Jaime offered two tailored Calvin Klein men’s suits; and San Francisco artist Losang Monlam offered one of his paintings “Garuda.”

 

“I was so touched that so many people wanted to help,” said Ven. Robina. “People came on their own dime from around the country. Others offered beautiful pieces to the auction. And the Raleigh volunteers were amazing. A very special community they have there at Kadampa Center. Such a harmonious, supportive group.”

 

Clockwise from top-left: Lana and Ven. Robina; Mer and Vikrant; a detail from Rainmaker Dreaming, one of the Aboriginal pieces; guest Andre Smith. Photos Lana Popovic and David Strevel.

 

Before the auction guests chat over canapes and cocktails, enjoying musical offerings from Igor on cello, and Robbie Watkins and Jill Marie on Sarah’s baby grand piano. The auction’s Aboriginal art, Tibetan thangkas, and Turkish rugs cover Sarah’s walls. Photo David Strevel.

 

Volunteers Sandy Carlson (left) and Lisa James (right) offer guests various canapes created by Carina Rumrill and her team. Photo David Strevel.

The trust spent some $14,000 to put on the auction, mainly on holy objects and Tibetan furniture from Kathmandu. A friend of Ven. Robina’s in Santa Fe, Ercan Nalkiran, also offered Turkish rugs from his store The Rugman of Santa Fe, at cost.

“We had to spend money to do the event well,” said Kate, who manages Ven. Robina’s projects. “So it does take courage, as Ven. Robina always says. We’ve done several of these events in the past and they have been incredibly successful. And you can really see the benefit, not just helping bring in the dollars, but touching people’s hearts, inspiring people, bringing people together. They really combine all elements of Ven. Robina’s fundraising philosophies: being generous, offering a beautiful experience to people, and, of course, using commerce.”

Ven. Robina and the staff of Liberation Prison Project did four of these cocktail-party auctions – one of many commercial endeavors of Ven. Robina’s to bring in funds to support LPP – in Australia in 2009. They raised $75,000 total.

“The parties have been a fantastic success,” Ven. Robina said. “I think because we always try to follow Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s advice to ‘think of giving, not receiving,’ by offering people a beautiful time, music and delicious food – in other words making people happy.

“Awesome event last night at Sarah Brooks house,” said one volunteer. “Wonderful food, excellent company, Ven. Robina Courtin, beautiful items up for auction. I feel so privileged to be part of this community!”

 

At the end of the evening Ven. Robina thanked each person who worked on the event and offered each a tsa-tsa. Photo David Strevel.

 

Chenrezig thangka, from Patan, Kathmandu. Photo David Strevel.

 

 Aboriginal art offered from Kate Negoescu of Perth. Photo David Strevel.

 


Silk hand-embroidered cushions offered by Seret & Sons in Santa Fe. Photo David Strevel.

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