Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

Template:ActiveDiscuss

Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo (born Alyce Zeoli) is an American Lama of Tibetan Buddhism who has been recognized as a tulku, and the spiritual director of Kunzang Palyul Choling, a center in the Vajrayana Nyingma Palyul tradition with locations in Poolesville, Maryland, Sedona, Arizona in the U.S.A.,^[1] and Comboyne, NSW, Australia.^[2] She carries on a compassionate tradition for raising Bodhicitta. Jetsunma is viewed within her sangha as an American dakini or female wisdom being.^[3]

Alyce was born in Brooklyn on October 12, 1949, to a Jewish mother and Italian father. She left an abusive home life at seventeen and moved south, married Pat Mulloy and had two children, Ben and Christopher.

She ended up at the Black Mountain Light Center in North Carolina. There she studied with a New Age teacher named Jim Gore and gave channelled psychic readings.^[4][5] Alyce tells of how she began a meditative practice and intuitive spiritual training, culminating in a spiritual experience at age 30. In 1980, she met Michael Burroughs, a graduate student in religions at the University of Virginia. She and Pat Mulloy separated in 1981.^[6]

Alyce moved with Michael and her son Christopher to Kensington, Maryland, where she married Michael in 1983 and changed her name to Catharine Burroughs. There they formed the Center For Discovery and New Life beginning with former members from Black Mountain. The group quickly expanded. She channelled the prophet Jeremiah,^[7][8] a being called Santu, as well as "a being called Andor who claimed to be head of the Intergalactic Council."^[9][10] She taught a version of Jim Gore's Light Expansion Prayer and the group began a 24-hour prayer vigil in the basement of their Kensington home.^[11]

In 1984, the Burroughs met Kunzang, a student of H. H. Penor Rinpoche who was selling rugs to support Namdroling monastery.^[12] The students sponsored seventy Namdroling monks.^[13] A few months later H. H. Penor Rinpoche stayed with them on his first visit to the US and gave them the Bodhisattva Vow.^[14][15] Thereafter she continued to channel the prophet Jeremiah, but the channelled teachings took on a more Buddhist flavor,^[16][17] slowly shifting terms such as "Christ consciousness" to "Buddha consciousness" between 1984 and 1987. According to the temple spokesman, the former New Age students were surprised to discover that they were now Buddhist.^[18]

The Palyul lineage leader, Penor Rinpoche, recognized Jetsunma as a tulku and emanation of Ahkon Lhamo, who cofounded the Palyul lineage with her brother Kunzang Sherab. Jetsunma was the first western woman to be recognized and enthroned as a tulku in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.^[19][20] She was enthroned at Kunzang Palyul Choling in Poolesville, Maryland in September, 1988.^[21][22] Penor Rinpoche is Jetsunma's root for guru yoga, in the Sadhana Tantra techniques (Vajrayana). Penor Rinpoche also recognized actor Steven Seagal as a tulku in 1997.^[23]

In 1994, Lama Orgyen Kusum Lingpa recognized Jetsunma as an emanation of White Tara (Buddhism) and incarnation of Lhacham Mandarava, one of the tantric consorts of Padmasambhava, the tantric master who established the Buddha's teaching in Tibet.^[24] In 1996, she traveled to India and visited many of the places where Mandarava was known to have practiced.^{[25] [26]}

In April, 1984, the Center for Discovery and New Life began a 24 hour prayer vigil in the basement of Catharine Burroughs' Kensington home.

In 1985, CDNL formed a corporation and purchased the property at 18400 River Road, Poolesville, MD. They purchased numerous crystals, some of which weighed hundreds of pounds and then held a three-day retreat to bring in Universal Spirit and reinstitute the 24 hour prayer vigil at its new location in Poolesville.^[27] There participants have continuously maintained 2 hour prayer shifts.^[28] The vigil is dedicated to the end of suffering and has been largely unbroken since its inception.^[29] In 1999, Kunzang Palyul Choling started another 24 hour prayer vigil shortly after Jetsunma established the Sedona, Arizona location.

Jetsunma was motivated to start a 24 hour prayer vigil from experiences in Brooklyn, when she searched for a sacred place to pray and found locked doors.

Under her direction, many stupas have been built at Kunzang Palyul Choling's two locations, all containing relics pertinent to the Nyingma linage.

The first stupa, the 36 foot Enlightenment Stupa in Maryland was built and consecrated in 1988.^[30][31]

In 1991, the Stupa Peace Park in Maryland was completed and dedicated to peace in the world. It contains all 8 types of stupas representing the 8 Great Deeds of the Buddha. At the center of these stands an 18 foot Long Life Stupa, dedicated to Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo.^[32]

In 1995, His Holiness Penor Rinpoche gave Jetsunma a relic from Terton Migyur Dorje, which is now housed in the 42 foot tall Migyur Dorje Stupa in Maryland.^[33][34] Stupas housing similar relics built worldwide are renown for the spontaneous healing from mental and physical afflictions experienced by those who circumambulate with faith. This particular stupa is dedicated to the eradication of diseases for which there is no known cure.

The most recent is the Amitabha Stupa in Sedona, Arizona, completed and consecrated in 2004.^[35]

Initially Jetsunma was given a yearly stipend of $24,000 a year. After the departure of her husband Michael Burroughs in 1991, this was increased to $36,000 a year,^[36] in addition to two houses, a yearly beach trip, and other gifts. According to KPC's former CPA, students also pay the self-employment taxes on her salary for her, cover her family's health insurance, and pay for the cost of cleaning her swimming pool.^[37] Then in 1992 her salary was increased to $100,000 a year.^[38][39] This runs Kunzang Palyul Choling at a serious deficit.^[40]

Following her separation from Michael Burroughs in 1991, Jetsunma had a series of consorts.^[41] First a woman who was her personal trainer,^[42] and then a devoted student and construction worker in his mid 20s.^[43] Once her divorce from Michael finalized in 1992, Jetsunma hosted a controversial divorce party where she had her students create an effigy of Michael, stab it with knives, throw it into the driveway, and run over it in their cars, horrifying the Tibetans in attendance.^[44][45]

In 1993 she married a 23 year old musician who helped her start Sky Dancer, a new age Buddhist rock band with whom she recorded Invocation (see discography below).^[46] Following her separation from him, in 1996 she approached a married long-term student who opted not to be her consort as it would be confusing to his children. She wrote the poem "War Cry" (below)^[47] in response and advised him to separate from his wife.^[48] In the summer of 1996, she found a young Native American shaman.^[49] Her current consort is a man in his early 20s who has been her student since childhood.

Jetsunma has also written Buddhist poetry, such as this excerpt from her poem "War Cry":^[50]

Template:Multicol

Bitch,
I have seen you.
I have heard your voice.
I have smelt your smell.
I have lived
And died with you
I know your name...
Samsara.

Template:Multicol-break

Bitch,
whore,
Whatever garment you wear
I will know you.
Your smile is no seduction
To me
I know you.

Template:Multicol-break

You will appear
In lovely forms,
Seductive, caressing, singing songs
Filled with promises.
It is then I will appear
Far more beautiful than you

Template:Multicol-break

Adorned with garments
Of pure aspiration
Of pure bliss.
From my mouth will come
The ambrosia of Dharma....

Template:Multicol-end

In 1998, a Mirabella Magazine article entitled "Bad Karma" reported that Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo was arrested for the assault on two monastics.^[51][52][53] The Maryland state's attorney's office confirmed her 1996 arrest for the assault. Two years later, a former Washington Post reporter wrote The Buddha from Brooklyn interviewing Jetsunma and many current and former students. The book describes both the assault and the arrest, and details concerns about Jetsunma's then $100,000 a year salary.^[54]

Monks and nuns are asked to pay $300 a month rent for their lodgings as well as tithe to the temple, which in most cases requires them to work outside full-time jobs.^[55] Most Buddhist lamas use the money they receive to support their monks and nuns, and Jetsunma's own teachers live frugally.^[56] Penor Rinpoche wrote Jetsunma a letter in 1996 demanding that she stop calling herself a Buddha and make her monks and nuns her first priority.^[57]

In 1990, Jetsunma presented plans for a monastery for 500 monks and nuns with a shedra, monastic library, large central temple, Peace Park gardens in the five directions, and a 100' statue of Amitabha. This complex was to be built on sixty-five acres of land in Poolesville purchased by KPC in 1989.^[58] As of 2007, one of the Peace Parks and a Migyur Dorje stupa have been built.

Palyul Productions

Palyul Productions extensively records Jetsunma's teachings. Their mission is to preserve and disseminate Tibetan Buddhist Palyul master's teachings.^[59]

Buddhist Relief

Jetsunma established Buddhist Relief, a compassionate disaster relief organization and network for worldwide compassion, in response to the Hurricane Katrina New Orleans disaster in 2005. The organization is currently focused on supporting the efforts in Burma as a result of military action against monastics.^[60]

Tara's Babies

The Tara's Babies animal sanctuary organization, was founded by Jetsunma in 2005, in response to Hurricane Katrina and the many animals abandoned as a result of the evacuation.^[61] Initially caring for 130 dogs, the sanctuary is set in 148 acres of former ranch land nestled in the 3 million acre Tonto National Forest near Payson, Arizona. It has rescued many abandoned and abused dogs and cats through shelter, adoption, and foster care.

Garuda Aviary

The Garuda Aviary in Poolesville, Maryland was founded by Jetsunma and has rescued macaws and many other neglected and abused parrots.^[62]

Ladyworks

A hair care product line sold in The Sharper Image with Jetsunma as the sole shareholder. In 1996 Ladyworks created a million-dollar infomercial for the products featuring Jetsunma.^[63][64]

Skydancer

Jetsunma sang the lead vocal in Skydancer, a New Age rock group founded by Jetsunma's former husband and musician.^[65][66]

Tara Studios

Tara Studios, producing small Buddhist statues, was founded in 1991 with the hopes to financially support KPC's monks and nuns. ^[67]

Chocolate Passion

A dessert company formed in 1992 also in hopes to financially support KPC's monks and nuns.^[68]

Ani's Ink

A small typesetting business predicted to be a "sure thing" by Jetsunma left behind a crippling debt.^[69]

• Invocation, 1992, ISBN 9-991-33545-5
• Revolution of Compassion, 2007, ISBN 9-991-55428-9
• Delog, 2007, ISBN 9-991-55430-0