Crowdfunding campaign launched to cover expenses of Rinpoche’s second visit, which will again include public teachings about Dharma in Malta.
Bodhicitta Malta has launched a crowdfunding campaign to support a second visit to the island by internationally-renowned Tibetan Buddhist Lama Chamtrul Rinpoche.
The newly-registered voluntary organisation, which aims to spread awareness about Dharma in Malta, has invited Rinpoche for a second time to deliver public teachings in early 2019, based on the success of his previous visit last March. These teachings will once again focus on various topics including spirituality, philosophy, and psychology, as well as spreading the enhancement of inner peace of mind through Dharma in Malta, and around the world.
As the third in a series of recognised reincarnations in the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, Chamtrul Rinpoche has spent a lifetime studying and teaching Buddhist philosophy. Based in Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, where he runs the Bodhicitta Dharma Centre in Dharamkot, Rinpoche regularly travels around the world teaching, offering guidance, and giving empowerments and transmissions, at the request of his students.
To cover the expenses for Rinpoche’s visit, including the hire of a suitable venue with sufficient capacity and a central location, Bodhicitta Malta hopes to raise a total of €2,500 through a crowdfunding campaign on local platform Zaar. Any extra funding received beyond this target amount will be put towards bringing Rinpoche back to Malta in coming years. In the long-term, the organisation also aspires to have its own premises, which will greatly reduce the costs of hosting similar events in the future.
“We had been complaining for 20 years that there are few Buddhist teachings in Malta, and so we decided to do something about it,” explains one of Bodhicitta Malta’s founders. “Last year, Rinpoche was hosted by one of our founding members, but since she cannot afford the costs again this year we are looking for other sources of funding, including government and foreign sources if possible. It was Matthew Caruana at Zaar who suggested that crowdfunding Rinpoche’s return might be a good idea, since his visit last year attracted so much attention and was so successful.”
The organisation also believes that others beyond those who attended Rinpoche’s previous teachings in Malta will be interested in supporting the campaign. “Buddhists believe that sponsoring Dharma (Buddhist) events brings enormous merit, as long as it is done with the intention of benefitting as many beings as possible. If you are not Buddhist, you might still want to sponsor such an event to learn more about meditation, which is proven to benefit physical and mental health such as reducing inflammation, boosting the immune system, and reducing stress.”
There are also a number of rewards available for supporters of the crowdfunding campaign, dependent on the sponsorship amount, which will be delivered during the teachings. With just a €5 donation, the backer receives free membership to Bodhicitta Malta for one year, while for €10 they will also receive a Tibetan Offering Scarf known as a Kata. For €25, the backer will receive all this plus a one-day seat reservation for Rinpoche’s teachings, which are open to everyone in the general public. With a €50 donation all these rewards will be received along with a seat reservation for all days of Rinpoche’s teachings, and, for 15 backers only, a €100 donation will give them all this as well as an invitation to dinner with Rinpoche himself and other main sponsors.
Visitors are invited to visit www.zaar.com.mt for further information and to make a donation towards the ‘Public Teachings by Chamtrul Rinpoche, Valletta, 2019’ crowdfunding campaign.
