Tibetan Buddhist Center Plans Art Night, Silent Auction and Fundraising Party:
Calligraphy of Important Teachers Featured

The Shambhala Meditation Center of Los Angeles (one of the 150 centers around the world founded by Chogyam Trungpa, Rinpoche) is hosting an Art Night and Silent Auction on Sunday, October 6th from 4-9PM at the Sandroni- Rey Gallery, 1224 Abbott Kinney Blvd., in Venice, California.

The public is invited to attend this festive event for a cost of $10 per person, which includes:

• A light supper
• Dancing
• A Silent Auction which will feature a special Hollywood Memorabilia section that is being simultaneously offered on Ebay.
• An auction of profound works of art such as:
  • Limited edition prints of calligraphies by the late Venerable Chogyam
  • Trungpa, Rinpoche, founder of Shambhala International and Naropa University;
  • A calligraphy by the late Vagra Regent Osel Tendzin;
  • Calligraphies created by great Buddhist teachers such Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentze, Rinpoche , who directed the film "The Cup;"
  • Work by the late Zen teacher Kobun Chino Roshi; much loved by the Buddhist community, he held the Wisdom Seat at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado;

Calligraphy, as done in the east is an ancient art form, which is created on paper with ink and brushes. The subjects range from teachings, poetry, Koans, mantras and seed syllables, to abstract forms that have no translation.

"It is not uncommon to find such calligraphies done by masters of the form," says Steven Saitzyk, Teacher and International Co-director of Shambhala Art. "However it is rare to have access to calligraphies created by meditation masters, and rarer still by great dharma teachers, since they can only be acquired as a gift, or in some fundraising event for a dharma center such as this."

"What makes their work so highly prized is not just the limited availability," he continues, "but what they embody. When an artist, even the best artist, creates a work of art, it is primarily reflective of their technical ability and the artist's state of mind. However, when a Dharma teacher creates a work such as these calligraphies, they not only represent their subject matter, but also embody an enlightened state of mind. It is difficult to imagine a better way to decorate ones environment than displaying such work. This is a great opportunity since such a fundraising auction has not taken place in Los Angeles for more than fifteen years."

Shambhala Centers follow the Shambhala Buddhist path, combining the Kagyu and Nyingma traditions of Tibetan Buddhism with the Shambhala view of living an uplifted life, fully engaged with the world. At the center, free meditation instruction as well as a variety of classes, including Dharma Art and Flower Arranging is provided to the public.

The Shambhala Center in Los Angeles, which has been at its Third Street shop-front location for 15 years, is currently raising funds to buy a larger building to accommodate their increase in activity.

For more information about the Shambhala Center or the Art party, contact 323-653-9342, or visit the web site; www.shambhala.org/center/los-angeles.