Bodhgaya, November 2019 to March 2020
HE Luding Khen Chen Rinpoche, HE Dungsey Abhaya Rinpoche, HE Luding Khen Rinpoche, HE Luding Shabdrung and the Luding Sangha have been on pilgrimage at Bodhgaya and Varanasi from November 2019 to March 2020. The pilgrimage auspiciously aligned with the Great Sakya Monlam for Peace & Harmony presided over by His Holiness the 41st Sakya Gongma Trichen and the opening of the new Sakya Monastery, located at Katorwa, Bodhgaya.
On 19 November 2019, the soft opening of the new Sakya Monastery took place and coincided with the Day of the Descent of Lord Buddha (Lhabab Duchen), which auspiciously fell on the western birthday of His Holiness the 42nd Sakya Trizin. From that day onwards, for approximately 45 days there was the bestowal of the Collection of Sadhanas and the bestowal of important teachings and empowerments at the new Sakya Monastery, by HH 41st Sakya Trichen, HH 42nd Sakya Trizin, HE Luding Khen Rinpoche and other esteemed Rinpoches.
At the new Sakya Monastery at Bodhgaya, the following prayers, pujas and empowerments were bestowed:
- The Recitation of the Samantabhadra Prayer
- The Trikulanatha Major Empowerment
- The Exquisite Long-life Tenshug Puja
- The Collection of Sadhanas
- The seven day White Mahakala Puja
- The Elaborate 16 Arhat Puja.
Over the course of a 45 day period, over 1000 ordained monks and nuns, as well as Tibetan, Asian and Western devotees participated in the teachings, pujas and empowerments that took place at the new Sakya Monastery.
During the pilgrimage, at Luding Ladrang (Luding House) in Bodhgaya, HE Luding Khen Rinpoche bestowed full monastic ordination on a group of monks, performed a variety of important rituals and pujas, gave precious teachings and bestowed rare empowerments. On one auspicious occasion, HE Luding Khen Rinpoche bestowed the precious White Tara Empowerment on HE Dungsey Abhaya Rinpoche, HE Meghan Tulku Rinpoche, esteemed Khenpos and a small group of sangha members.
His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje respectfully visited and offered a long-life Mandala to HE Luding Khen Chen Rinpoche at Luding Ladrang in Bodhgaya.
In the grounds of the Mahabodhi Temple, HE Luding Khen Chen Rinpoche auspiciously gave a short and succinct commentary on Parting from the Four Attachments by Jetson Dragpa Gyaltsen. In attendance were HE Dungsey Abhaya Rinpoche, Meghan Tulku Rinpoche, Khenpo Lungrik Senghe as well as lay Tibetan and Western students.
The Luding Sangha travelled to various surrounding pilgrimage sites, including the White Mahakala Cave, also known as ‘Silwitsal’ or ‘Dungeshwari’ and the Phalgu river bank where Lord Buddha meditated and practiced six years of asceticism.
HE Luding Khen Chen, HE Luding Khenpo, HE Luding Shabdrung, HE Khangsa Shabdrung and the whole Luding Sangha made many offerings at the Mahabodhi Temple over the course of the pilgrimage for the benefit of all sentient beings. HE Luding Shabdrung also offered gold paint to the body of Lord Buddha.
On 21 March 2020, HE Luding Khen Chen, HE Luding Khenpo, HE Luding Shabdrung and the Luding Sangha safely returned to Ngor Monastery in Uttarakhand, Northern India.
