On November 9 and 10, 2009, His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche led 366 disciples to Kathmandu, Nepal, to attend the inauguration ceremony of Drikung Kagyu Rinchenling Monastery and the Empowerment Puja of Lohma Jolma, which were personally presided by His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche.

On November 8, 2009, in the morning, the His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche made a special trip to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, from Taiwan by fly to participate the inauguration ceremony of Rinchenling Monastery and the Winter Teachings of Drikung Kagyu. At the airport exit of both sides upon leaving the airport, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche was warmly welcomed by Rasbsang Rinpoche, Khenpo Namdol and lamas of Drikung Kagyu lineage, believers of Nepal, and three hundred and sixty-six Taiwanese disciples who arrived earlier. Although having taken a long flight, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche went directly, without any rest, to Rinchenling Monastery to meet and make offering to his root guru His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche. It’s apparent that the reverence and missing that Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche has towards his guru is so much and so sincere.

That evening, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche had dinner with all of the disciples in the restaurant of the hotel at Kathmandu. Two Ukrainian guests of Ningma lineage in the same hotel who never met but have heard of Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche also reverently, together with disciples of Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center, Taiwan, waited for Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche on their own initiatives till Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche arrived at the dinning hall. Since they were not willing to interrupt Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s dinner, but with the most sincere reverent heart they made a plea for an opportunity to meet Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche before they left. Three days later when the conditions were present, the two Ukrainians and their friend eventually met Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche as their wish and obtained auspicious blessing and enlightenment. Although they met Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche only 10 minutes, they felt joyful and grateful to obtain such a precious and rare opportunity of being greeted and blessed by Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche personally. From the enlightenment, they have learned a great deal what they didn’t know before. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche has broadened the horizon of their knowledge. Another Italian woman having dinner at the restaurant also reverently stood up and held both her palms together, along with disciples of Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center to reverently see Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche off after Richen Dorjee Rinpoche finished having dinner. These believers had never met Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche, but they all spontaneously paid their reverence to Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche, which shows the incredible gathering power of Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche.

On November 9, 2009, the His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche led 366 disciples to Kathmandu, Nepal, to attend the inauguration ceremony of Drikung Kagyu Rinchenling Monastery, which was personally hosted by His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche has been making every endeavor to sustain and support the lineage and to propagate the dharma heritage. Whenever there were grand pujas or important activities, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche often led hundreds of disciples, from thousands kilometers away, to participate. The contribution of Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche to the unification and promotion of the lineage has been significant. At around 7 am, the disciples of the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center were already at the venue of the inauguration ceremony of Rinchenling Monastery and lined up with reverence to greet His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche’s motorcade and His Holiness’s heart son, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s motorcade that followed immediately after. Escorted by stately and solemn prayer banners and musical instruments, His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche arrived and entered the venue, immediately followed by Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche. All these indicate, once again, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche is the heart son of His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche and Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s attainment of accomplishment and his position in the lineage is highly honored. His Holiness presently cut the ribbon and prayed for blessings for the monastery. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche was also invited to offer a scarf to the statues of the Buddhas in the monastery.

Afterwards, Khenpo Nyima Dorji, the president of the Monastery Management and Development committee of Rinchenling Monastery, addressed the assembly. He briefly explained the cause and condition through which Rinchenling Monastery was founded with Drubwang Norbu Rinpoche’s aspiration and the process in which the project was eventually completed with public support and the efforts of many gurus.

His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche himself bestowed the following teachings: Today is not only Lhabab Duchen, but also the birthday of His Holiness Chungtsang Rinpoche in Tibet. Therefore, holding the inauguration ceremony of the Drikung Kagyu Rinchenling Monastery on this very day is exceptionally meaningful. Besides the inauguration ceremony held today, essential teachings in the Drikung Kagyu Lineage and Buddhist philosophy will be bestowed. His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche welcomes those from thousands of miles away to the inauguration ceremony as well as the pujas and wishes everyone to have an auspicious and wish-fulfilling life. Prior to the founding of the monastery, Nubpa Rinpoche wrote to Drubwang Norbu Rinpoche, saying that a lady in Nepal, Miss Lu Huiling from Kaohsiung, Taiwan, requested the building of another Drikung Kagyu monastery in Nepal as there was only one at the time. His Holiness reckoned this was a feasible project, so, with Drubwang Norbu Rinpoche’s aspiration and collaboration of many other gurus, Rinchenling Monastery is finally able to be inaugurated today. His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche feels joyful about this achievement and rejoices with its virtues and merits.

When His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche first arrived at this place, no colorful establishments as such had ever been built, but the construction of distinctive Tibetan building is still able to be completed today. In addition, lots of details, such as murals and the structure of the monastery have all been done in accordance with Tibetan traditions. Khenpo Nyima Dorji and the monastery sangha have painstakingly completed such collaborative work, including the drawings and the building structures, and His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche is grateful for everyone’s contribution.

Additionally, His Holiness explains that Tibet and Nepal have been closely associated ever since ancient times, and there are similarities in the styles of their murals and statues of Buddhas. Samye Monastery, for example, reveals a strong Nepalese style. When Mahasiddha Marpa went to India to request teachings, he passed by Nepal and met a master, with whom he went to India to learn the Buddhist teachings. Therefore, there is a profound relationship between Nepal and Tibet. In Nepal, there are numerous sacred places where Tibetan masters once practiced. This Rinchenling Monastery has been established with Tibetan traditions as well as a Nepalese style and contributions.

His Holiness stresses that the construction for the monastery has overall completed, but this is the easier part. The most difficult part to achieve is the cultivation and propagation of the Buddhist teachings. His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche has identified four tasks: First of all, to bestow and practice Buddhist philosophy. Secondly, to do retreats and practice in places such as Lapchi. Thirdly, they need to carry out social relief and charitable services, such as establishing medical stations. Last, to help the poverty-stricken population in the region in a way just as one conducts the first practice of the Six Paramitas, i.e. practicing charities and generosity. These are no easy tasks. Hence, all of you shouldn’t lax off simply because the monastery has now been completed. We should cultivate diligently and achieve the aforementioned tasks with the same spirit as soon as possible. In the end, His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche prays that all the virtuous ones to live for a long time so as to bestow and practice the Buddhist teachings and to exert influence on their disciples without any difficulty. In addition, it is hoped that all sentient beings may eliminate various obstacles and share world peace and happiness.

During the entire ceremony, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche was invited to sit in a sofa arranged solely for him at the middle of the first row among the attendees, directly across to His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche. All such arrangements suggest the fact that Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche is the heart son of His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche as well as the fact that Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s attainment of accomplishment and his position in the lineage is significantly valued. As the ceremony perfectly completed, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche was invited to his personal lounge in the monastery to have lunch. In the afternoon, when sitting in the car to leave the monastery, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche was surrounded by many Tibetans and believers who implored Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s blessings. Compassionately, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche gave his blessing one by one to Tibetans and the believers.

In addition to attending the inauguration ceremony, by the request of his root Guru His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche furthermore had arranged Dr. Kou, the chief doctor of Glorious Jewel Clinic of Chinese Medicine from Taipei, Taiwan, to come to the Rinchenling Monastery to provide two-day volunteer clinic for 45 ordained practitioners, including 43 nuns and 2 lamas. Not only did Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche support all the expense of the volunteer clinic but also instruct the clinic to offer the best quality of Chinese herbs. In the evening, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche inquired the chief doctor about the health conditions of those who came to the volunteer clinic, which demonstrated how much Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche cared for those ordained practitioners. Moreover, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche has also carefully in advance planned for the subsequent medicine supply. All the hearty care and prudent and thorough arrangements were carried out without being noticed and without asking anything in return.

In the evening, the His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche had dinner with all disciples at the hotel. It would accumulate great merits to share meals with a great master. The disciples of Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center all felt grateful to be granted a chance to accumulate merits. Nyizong Sopa Rinpoche and Khenpo Namdol were also present in the banquet.

On November 10, 2009, the His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche led 366 disciples to Rinchenling Monastery in Kathmandu, Nepal, to attend the Winter Teachings of Drikung Kagyu. His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche bestowed the Empowerment of Parna Shabari (the Goddess Who Eliminates All Diseases). Under the refuge of Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s great merits, all the disciples of Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center, Taiwan were blessed to gather together in the assembly hall of the monastery to attend the puja. They were grateful to the guru, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche.

Long before the beginning of the puja, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche has reverently stood downstairs outside His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche’s lounge to greet His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche also followed the Regent Gyabra Tritsab Rinpoche to accompany His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche to walk down the stairs to the venue of the puja. When His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche was entering into the monastery, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche closely followed Gyabra Tritsab Rinpoche, who followed right behind His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche. All these indicate that Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche is the heart son of His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche’s, upholds the transmission of lineage, attainment of accomplishment and his position in the lineage is very significant. Prior to the transmission of dharma conducted by His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche, with his limbs and body lying prone on the ground, on behalf of all sentient beings, reverently made full and reverent prostration towards His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche. Following that, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche, on behalf of all sentient beings. make Mandala offering towards His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche in order to pray for transmission of the instructions. All these indicate that Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche is the heart son of His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche’s, has attained accomplishments, and is highly honored in the lineage. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche has ever taught disciples that Mandala offering refers to making the offering with the most precious treasure in the universe towards Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and Gurus, for the accumulation of benefit of sentient beings, to pray guru impart the sublime Buddha-Dharma.

During the puja, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche was arranged to sit at the mandala area on the first row, very closely to the throne of His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche, which indicates the position of accomplishment that Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche has attained and his significance in the lineage. During the entire puja, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche, with a clear and pure mind, sublimely sat as steady as a mountain, and entered into the state of meditation to receive the dharma transmission of His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche.

During the puja, His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche bestowed the following teachings: Through attending the Parna Shabari Empowerment puja, it could help to eliminate the obstacles such as illness. Especially for the following series of the Empowerment of Kagyu Ngag Dzö, you may get ill or meet other obstacles before receiving the great Dharma. The Dharma of Parna Shabari is the best to eliminate the obstacles. Prior to the transmission, the motivation, namely the development of Bodhicitta, is very important. As you all learn Mahayana, you ought to cultivate the Buddhism for the sake of enabling sentient beings to attain Buddhahood, not for the benefit of one own. Everyone who attends puja should generate this heart.

The Sanskrit term for Empowerment is Abisheka. Abi means to eliminate the contamination and obstacles. Sheka literally translates to pouring the nectar of wisdom. Empowerment embodies that of the body, speech and mind as well as the fourth empowerment. The empowerment of body is that of crown chakra. Receiving the empowerment of body, one plants the seed of the attainment of Nirmanakaya. The empowerment of speech is that of throat chakra. Receiving the empowerment of speech, one plants the seed of the attainment of Sambhogakaya. The empowerment of mind is that of heart chakra. Receiving the empowerment of mind, one plants the seed of the attainment of Dharmakaya. Following the empowerment of body, speech and mind is the forth empowerment, which is also the empowerment of heart chakra. In Sanskrit empowerment means to pour into from the head. The Tibetan term for it is “Wang”, and the Chinese meaning for it, actually very close to the Tibetan’s, represents a form. This term could be traced back to the ancient times when a prince is about to be enthroned, some water would be poured from a vase onto his head, which indicates that the prince is to possess the power of king. In Buddhism, empowerment also means to empower: The empowerment of body is to empower one to meditate and practice the Yidam; the empowerment of speech is to empower one to recite the mantra; the empowerment of mind is to empower one to practice meditation and Mahamudra.

The original name of Lohma Jolma, the emanation of Buddha Vairotsana, is Shawar gyal pa. Parna Shabari lived and practiced in forest of mountains, there she recited the heart mantra of Maitreya. Due to long-term staying in the woods, clothed in leaves, Parna Shabari was named with the meaning of leaf-clad goddess. The practice of Parna Shabari is in the Lotus group of the Kriya tantra of tantric dharma. Therefore, this practice is different from most of the Anuttarayoga Tantra practices. In this practice, any employment of meat-related thing must be abstained; For example, the practitioner is not allowed to eat meat or use a tambourine made of leather. Also, the leathers of peacock are not used as the vase’s decoration for practicing this dharma.

Afterwards, His Holiness led the assembly to recite praying texts to pray the Yidam’s blessings for eliminating all kinds of obstacles, enmities, and diseases. Parna Shabari embodies all the merits and virtues of Buddhas in the three times. Now you could visualize Parna Shabari is before you, surrounded by countless Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Then, it was proceeded with the Seven Fold Offering, the development of Bodhicitta, and the recitation of the Emptiness Mantra. Everyone now could visualize all phenomenon transform into emptiness. The nature of emptiness here does not mean that all is empty, and it is also not only-emptiness. Instead, it refers that the all return to their pure and uncontaminated nature.

His Holiness continued to bestow the teachings on the meditation practice as well as the dharma appearance of Parna Shabari Yidam. Later on, His Holiness prayed the Yidam for descending, and then started the empowerment of body. There were numerous attendants and time was too limited to give each of the assembled one by one the blessings and the empowerment with a vase. About this, His Holiness explained that it is not necessarily to put the vase on one’s head for completing the empowerment, by which is merely a form. It is mainly through praying, visualization, and blessings to obtain the empowerment. His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche led everyone to recite the dharma texts and then practice rituals to complete the empowerment of body for eliminating its habitual patterns and obstacles, and to plant the seed of the attainment of Nirmanakaya. Through the completion of the empowerment of speech, it eliminates the speech of everyone of its habitual patterns and obstacles, and to plant the seed of the attainment of Sambhogakaya. Through the completion of the empowerment of mind, it is for everyone to obtain aids on the practice of the emptiness and the reality, and to plant the seed of the attainment of Dharmakaya.

After the completion the empowerment, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche was the only one who accompanied His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche to leave the venue. At the same time, upon the instruction of and accompanying His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche entered into the His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche’s lounge. Again, this indicates Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche is the heart son of His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche and Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s accomplishment and his position in the lineage is highly valued. Afterwards, several Rinpoches such as Nupa Rinpoche, Rasbsang Rinpoche and Nyizong Sopa Rinpoche, lamas, and believers all came to pay their visits to Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche in the especially arranged waiting room. The Most Venerable Nupa Rinpoche even offered a white scarf and presented Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche with some specially made Tibetan incense from Lapchi Mountain area. Nupa Rinpoche was one of the mentors in the Rinchenling Monastery, who had practiced retreat many times in Lapchi Mountains, resembling his superior position in Drikung Kagyu lineage. Another Rasbsang Rinpoche also presented to Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche a special statue of Jigten Sumgon. Moreover, when Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche walked out of the venue, a lama attendant of the great master, late Drubwang Norbu Rinpoche, insisted in personally caring for Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche all the way when walking down the stairs till Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche got into the car. After entering the car, there were still many ordained practitioners and Tibetans implored Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s blessing. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche compassionately granted their wishes one by one. When alive, Drubwang Norbu Rinpoche had admired Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche as being a rare Buddhist practitioner of great capacity. Whenever Drubwang Norbu Rinpoche had a chance to see Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche, he’d joyfully blessed Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche by touching Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s forehead with his own. All these have indicated the extraordinary achievement of Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche and the significant position in the lineage so that many Rinpoches and lamas are especially respectful to Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche.

In the evening, the His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche again had a dinner with all disciples at the hotel. It would accumulate great merits to share meals with a great master. The disciples of Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center all felt grateful to be granted another chance to accumulate merits. During the dinner, several tour guides of Sino-Cosmo Company and local guides, as well as hotel waiters all came to Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche for his blessing. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche compassionately bestowed his blessing to them one by one and gave some enlightenment. Because one of the local tour guides highly praised Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche and felt gratitude after obtaining the blessing and enlightenment, he then donated his income earned in this tour on his initiative to make the offering to support monasteries. Khenpo Namdol was also present in the dinner. Later, when Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche left the restaurant, some foreign guests of the hotel rushed to take pictures of Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche and reverently came to implore Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s blessing. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche granted blessing to them. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche had enlightened that there was no differentiation in Buddha dharma. As long as any sentient beings need help, Buddha dharma will assist them. The compassion of Buddha dharma can be manifested in Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche any time.

On November 13, 2009, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche conducted the Phowa Dharma for a deceased disciple who died right before boarding at the Nepal airport. Before joining this trip, this elderly female disciple had made a wish to attend the puja in Nepal and walk around the Boudhanath before she died. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche had granted this wish. This elder female disciple was eighty years old; she passed away by sitting on the floor peacefully all of a sudden in the waiting area right before the boarding for the flight to India. Soon after, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche conducted Phowa for her at once in far away distance. After the ritual was perfectly completed, the daughter, disciples of Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center and the chief tour guide all witnessed the auspicious phenomena of the perfect completion of Phowa ritual: the deceased’s body was supple and warm, her facial color changed from grey to rosy, her expression was peaceful, and the crown of the head was warm and slightly indented. No one felt panicked or sad. To the contrary, all felt joyful because the deceased has been reborn in the Pure Land. Moreover, all were profoundly touched by the compassion and incredible power of Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche compassionately instructed the daughter, who also is a disciple, that she use half of her remaining travel expenses to make the lamp offering to Buddha, and half of it to make offering to His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche. Then Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche made phone call to one of lama attendants of His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche about this event, and told him that performing rituals for her was not needed since Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche has already completed the Phowa Dharma perfectly. The lama attendant said that no more performing dharma was needed because he knew Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s Phowa is very auspicious. He also said His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche ever said that Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s Phowa is very powerful. He also told one disciple that his own mother came all the way from Yun-Nan province of China to attend the puja, too. His mother wished to die after seeing His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche, but her wish wasn’t fulfilled. She then returned to Yun-Nan. So she was very envious this elderly female disciple of Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche, who could pass away at such an auspicious time and location. In addition to that, she was envied by being able to obtain the auspicious Phowa Dharma of Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche and a rebirth in the Pure Land. After the remains were cremated, the crown on the skull apparently showed a small hole, which is the classic auspicious sign of perfect completion of Phowa Dharma.

Updated on December 6, 2009