On June 14, 2012, under the direct guidance of  Three-Grace Root Guru, His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang, His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche presided over the Grand Memorial Puja Commemorating the 795th Anniversary of Lord Jigten Sumgon of the Drikung Kagyu Order of Tibetan Buddhism at Taipei International Convention Center.The day on which the Grand Memorial Puja was held was the memorial date designated by Drikung Kagyu Lord Jigten Sumgon, which had been confirmed and approved by His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang. The fact that this Grand Memorial Puja was held on the memorial date designated by Drikung Kagyu Lord Jigten Sumgon not only signifies reverence for the auspicious accomplishment of Drikung Kagyu Lord Jigten Sumgon, but also represents promotion of the pure Dharma lineage of the Drikung Kagyu Order, as well as reverence and gratitude of the Vajrayana disciples for the gurus.

Following June 6, 2010, when His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang presided over the Grand Memorial Puja Commemorating the 793rd Anniversary of Lord Jigten Sumgon of the Drikung Kagyu Order of Tibetan Buddhism in Taipei, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche has, under the direct guidance of His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang, presided over the Grand Memorial Puja commemorating the anniversaries of Drikung Kagyu Lord Jigten Sumgon in 2011 and 2012 respectively. These three Grand Memorial Pujas commemorating the anniversaries of Drikung Kagyu Lord Jigten Sumgon in Taiwan in three consecutive years have had far-reaching and important significance in the lineage and promotion of the Drikung Kagyu Order and brought incredible blessings to the attendees, the land of Taiwan and world peace.

This year’s Grand Puja was held under the blessings of Drikung Kagyu Lord Jigten Sumgon, the patriarchs of all generations of the Drikung Kagyu Order, His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang, the Dharma Protector Achi as well as Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche. With no media or outdoor bulletin used to publicize the event, which was held on a Thursday – a working day for the general populace, it had been fully booked with no extra seats left soon after it was open for registration. On the day of the event, the auspicious Grand Memorial Puja had an all-inclusive participation of the fourfold assembly from both Exoteric and Esoteric Buddhism, including three Khenpos and three Lamas of the Drikung Kagyu, one Lama of the Gelug Order and 74 ordained practitioners of Exoteric Buddhism.

More than 3,400 people attended the Puja, including VIPs from the United States, France, Japan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and disciples and believers from Japan, mainland China, and Taiwan. As usual, no fee was charged for entrance tickets to the Puja or activities such as lighting the lamps and offering mandalas. Five representatives who made offerings of mandalas and 300 representatives who lighted the lamps as offerings to the Buddhas had been all determined by lot at the time of entrance. In order to preserve the purity of the Puja, no commercial activities such as charity sales were permitted in the venue. All the funding required for the Puja was jointly shared by the members of the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Culture Exchange Association of the Republic of China under the supervision and guidance of His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche, and no fund was raised or accepted in the form of donations from the outside. Upon perfect completion of the Puja, His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche donated all the monetary offerings from the attendees in the amount of more than NT$2.48 million to the Department of Social Affairs of the Ministry of the Interior as funds for charity and social welfare.

Before the Puja, a precious video clip was played to the attendees, which was videotaped by His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang specifically for the Grand Memorial Puja commemorating the 794th anniversary of Drikung Kagyu Lord Jigten Sumgon presided over by Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche in 2011. In the video, His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang expounded on the teaching method of the auspicious lineage of the Drikung Kagyu Order, as well as the importance of disciple’s faith in and loyalty to the guru in practicing the Guru Yoga, and stressed on the pious heart for the guru. Also, His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang particularly praised Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche for doing a lot of work for the guru and the lineage, making great contributions to the Drikung Kagyu Lineage with his practical actions. The precious video clip allowed the attendees of the Puja to realize the importance of the guru in practicing Buddhism. At the same time, photos were shown about the three-month retreat that His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang had led Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche to conduct in the Snow Mountain of Lapchi which lies 4,500 above the sea level in Nepal in 2007, as well as photos showing the three-day fire offering ritual which His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang had led Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche to perform upon perfect completion of the retreat. The video clearly showed the relationship of lineage between His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang and his root disciple Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche.

At 10:00 a.m., with the prayer flags, treasure umbrellas, musical instruments, incense burners, and eight offering girls leading the way, His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche walked into the venue of the Puja and ascended to the Dharma throne to preside over the Puja. Before performing the Dharma, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche first gave some precious teaching to the attendees of the Puja by explaining to them the difference between Tantra and Exoteric Buddhism and the significance of the wrathful appearance in Tibetan Buddhism, to eliminate some misunderstanding that existed in society about Tibetan Buddhism, and to provide orthodox Buddhist teaching of the correct understanding and views. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche also expounded upon the accomplishing Dharma method and significance of the Drikung Kagyu Order, as well as how the date of this year’s Grand Memorial Puja was determined and its auspiciousness. Due to the fact that the date on which the Puja was held was a working day, many believers specially took leave of absence in order to attend it. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche particularly praised the believers who took leave to come and their superiors who granted such leave of absence.

During this year’s Grand Memorial Puja, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche performed the auspicious Guru Yoga and lamp offering ritual. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche led the attendees in reciting many Dharma texts of the Buddhist sutras, praising and making offerings to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and chanting the Heart Mantra of Drikung Kagyu Lord Jigten Sumgon as well as the Great Six-Syllable Mantra. This created a rare and auspicious opportunity for the attendees as more than 3,000 people could chant the mantra and the Dharma text together, listen to the eight offering girls singing songs of praise as offerings, and receive boundless blessings from the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. The guru even gave the attendees the opportunity to enjoy the offering food along with the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas during the Tsok offering ritual so that they could accumulate the resource and blessed rewards for learning Buddhism.

His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche performing the auspicious Guru Yoga.

The eight offering girls singing in clear unison songs of praise

of the Dakinis to make offerings to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche was performing the Tsok

offering and lamp offering rituals.

While performing the Dharma, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche explained in details the ritual and significance of each section of the Dharma. With such patient and detailed explanation in simpler terms, the attendees all had reverence sprung up from the bottom of their heart for Buddhism. On the other hand, they gained profound understanding of the omnipresent help of the Dharma. With great reverence, they expressed their heart-felt gratitude for Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s Dharma teachings.

Upon perfect completion of the Dharma, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche encouraged the attendees to continue the auspicious and favorable affinity in learning Buddhism, and prayed that today’s Puja would be beneficial to sentient beings. During the Puja, with his grand blessed rewards and infinite merits, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche painstakingly performed the Dharma and prayed that sentient beings would have the affinity to attend the Puja, initiate the good causal conditions to learn Buddhism, and have the opportunity to receive Buddhist teachings and help. From this we can see the infinite mind-measure of Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche and his grand aspiration to benefit sentient beings.

Upon perfect completion of the Puja, all attendees stood up and kept clapping

their hands to express their gratitude to His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche,

who in turn greeted the attendees with his palms together.

Upon the conclusion of the pure and perfect Puja, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche descended from the Dharma throne. All the attendees stood up and kept clapping their hands to express their gratitude to His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche for performing and teaching the Dharma so tirelessly to benefit boundless sentient beings. The all-inclusive fourfold assembly from both Exoteric and Esoteric Buddhism was filled with Dharma joy!

Updated on July 19, 2012