The work of Blazing Wisdom Institute is offered as a gift to whomever it may benefit.  Our existence and work is not a means to another end, including the livelihood of any teachers or directors affiliated with it.  On the contrary, BWI owes its existence to the material as well as spiritual generosity of its founding directors and teachers.

What is freely given in this world, however, is not free; we are all embedded in an interconnected matrix, one of whose levels of manifestation is an economy of exchange.  The utilities, gas stations and supermarkets generally do not offer their services and goods to us.  Therefore, while income is never the purpose of our work and programs, still, support must arise to cover operational and other necessary expenses. 

His Holiness Orgyen Kusum Lingpa, at the opening of his first teaching in our Catskills facility in 2006, presenting an instruction on bodhicitta, the altruistic wish to benefit others and lead them to enlightenment, said that anyone who comes to hear the dharma without the joyful intention to contribute materially to its support is a demonic gatecrasher.  The demon to which he referred, of course, is selfishness, which is antithetical to everything we strive to learn and accomplish through study and training in dharma.

Most of our work is done at no charge and non-commercially.  Sometimes, however, programs have a recommended donation, which is flexible for those with good intentions but true material constraints.  The donations are used to defray expenses and make gifts to visiting teachers, for example.  No one earns income from our translations, and any income from sales of publications is used to cover publication costs and fund further printings.  Copyright is used only to ensure quality and authenticity, as well as to observe any necessary restrictions on tantric topics.

Therefore, whenever, in whatever way, and to whatever extent you participate in or derive benefit from what we do, please consider yourself a part of our virtuous circle, a network of positive exchange, and support and contribute in whatever ways you can.  Thank you!