Yelo-center in St.Petersburg (Russia)

Buddhist tradition Sangha of Russia
Yelo Center in St.Petersburg

About Yelo-center

Yelo Center was founded in St. Petersburg in 1999 by the Tibetan dharma-master Yeshe Lodoy Rinpoche. Yeshe Lodoy Rinpoche is an incarnate lama, scholar and meditation-master of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. He is the fourth incarnation of the Buddhist yogin Yelo Tulku and holder of geshe lharampa degree (the highest scholarly degree awarded at the Gelugpa monasteries).

In 1993, answering the request of the Buddhist Tradition Sangha of Russia, H.H. the XIVth Dalai Lama of Tibet send him to Buryatia. Et present Yeshe Lodoy Rinpoche is a resident teacher at the Buddhist Institute Tashi Choikhorling, situated near Ulan-Ude, Buryatia. When on a visit to St. Petersburg in July, 1998, Yeshe Lodoy Rinpoche was requested to give spiritual guidance to a group of local Buddhists. In 1999, the Center under the guidance and authority of Yeshe-Lodoy Rinpoche was founded in St. Petersburg.

The main objective of the Center is to provide facilities for study and practice of Buddha's teachings. The activities of the Center take their rhythm from the traditional Buddhist calendar, with its feast-days and celebrations.

The Center is focusing on the following topics for study and practice:
- Lamrim: study and meditation
- Preliminary practices (sngon-'gro)
- Guru-puja
- The Yamantaka Tantra, Guchjasamadjra Tantra, Vadjraioginja Tantra (to join this practice Tantric empowerment is required)
- Eshei Gambo (Mahakala) puja

Yelo Center is a member of the Buddhist Traditional Sangha of Russia (Ulan-Ude, Buryatia ). At present it is the only Buddhist organization in the European part of Russia incorporated into the Sangha One of the objectives of the Center is to support and develop Buddha's Teaching in Russia. The Center members consider it essential to work for the revival of the monastery system which continuously flourished in Russia before the communist attack on Buddhism in the 1930s. Yelo Center maintains close connections with the most important monasteries in corporated in the BTSR, such as the Khambyn-Khure (Residence of the Pandita Khempo Lama, Ulan-Ude), Ivolginsky Monastery (Verkhnyaya Ivolga village in the vicinities of Ulan-Ude) and Aghinsky Monastery (Chita Region).

On the 8th and 15th days of the Buddhist calendar members of the Center meet together for group meditation and the Guru-puja celebration. On the 25th days of the Buddhist calendar Tsog offering is performed (an Anuttarayoga Tantra empowerment is required)