Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s Dedication to the promotion of Buddhism

Not only has Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche exerted intense efforts in supporting the Lineage and financing its various projects, he has also accomplished much towards the propagation of Buddhism and the promotion of the Drikung Kagyu lineage on his own.

◎ In 1997, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche supported His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon Chungtsang Rinpoche in visiting Drikung monasteries in Yunnan. This was the first visit by His Holiness since the Cultural Revolution.

◎ In 2000, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche organized the Great Dorje Purbha Puja, which was conducted by Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang in Taiwan.

◎ In mid-October, 2000, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche paid a formal visit to Most Venerable Tenzin Nyima Rinpoche in Tibet. With great compassion, aspiration and bodhichitta, he prostrated on behalf of all beings before Tenzin Nyima Rinpoche, who was in the retreat room at that time. All of a sudden, auspicious snowflakes fell from the clear blue sky and only landed on the ground in front of the retreat room. This rare auspicious sign was the praise from the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and the Dharma protectors towards Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s virtues and great aspirations to benefit all sentient beings.

◎ In 2001, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche arranged a performance tour of the Drikung Vajra Dances in Taiwan. The Dances were performed by more than 10 dedicated lamas from India and was the first time for the dances to be performed in Taiwan. The Dances, which was performed in Northern, Central and Southern Taiwan, ended up attracting an audience of over 10,000 people in total and  USD200,000 raised. The proceeds were dedicated to the building of the Songtsen Library and its subsequent inauguration ceremony. (The videorecording of the performance has been produced and published in DVD format under the title “Vajra Dances“) by the Audio/Video Production Department of Glorious Jewel Group.

◎ In May, 2002, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche again led over 80 disciples of the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center to pay homage to the Drikung Thel Monastery in Lhasa, Tibet. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche paid a special visit to the Great Yogi Tenzin Nyima Rinpoche. When Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche stepped into the retreat room and prostrated himself, Tenzin Nyima Rinpoche searched the room, the seat, and even his own body for bills and coins. He then gave all the money, a total of RMB 500, to Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche and insisted that he accept. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche was going to reject the offering, but had to take it due to Tenzin Nyima Rinpoche’s insistence and H.H. Chuntsang Rinpoche’s elder brother’s persuasion. The incident signified that Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche was then able to accept offerings from man and the celestial beings and would carry the major responsibility for the propagation of the lineage. The video recording of the trip has been produced and published in DVD format under the title “The Pilgrimage to Tibet” by the Audio/Video Production Department of Glorious Jewel Group.

◎ In 2002, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche organized the Great Amitabha Pure Land Puja – Phowa and the Yidam Lohma Jolma Curing Puja, which was personally conducted by His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche at Taoyuan County Stadium in Taiwan. Over 10,000 attendees joined in this great assembly. The video recording of this puja has been produced and published in DVD format under the title “The Yidam Lohma Jolma Curing Puja by His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche” by the Audio/Video Production Department of Glorious Jewel Group.

◎ Between 2005 and 2009, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche held and conducted the Great Indiscriminated Amitabha’s Puja for Transferring Consciousness yearly in Taiwan.

This being the degenerate age of the Dharma and in view of the fact that numerous sentient beings have lost their lives due to natural disasters, accidents, wars, and epidemics and thereby fallen into the lower realms, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche vowed with great compassion to help all sentient beings from the six realms and thus has held the Great Indiscriminated Amitabha’s Puja for Transferring Consciousness annually since 2005. This puja was approved by Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang personally and was blessed by many great yogis in the order. The Great Amitabha’s Puja for Transferring Consciousness is an extraordinary tantra of Drikung Kagyu and has to be performed by a Guru who has accomplished the practice of Phowa successfully. For this, His Holiness personally bestowed upon Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche four secret empowerments.

The first puja was held in September 2005. About 5000 people attended this great puja, including the Drikung lamas, disciples, believers and many monks and nuns of Exoteric Buddhism. In particular, there were 28 Geshes, Khenpos and lamas from different lineages attended the puja without receiving advanced invitation and voluntarily came to the puja upon learning about it on the day. This puja was congregated by Four Groups: Bhikkhu, Bhikkhuni, Upasaka and Upasika. Upon completion of the puja, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche contributed NTD 1,000,000. Together with the attendees’ offering of NTD 3,520,000, a total of NTD4, 520,000 was donated to the Ministry of Interior for social welfare.

In August of 2006, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche again held and conducted the Great Indiscriminated Amitabha’s Puja for Transferring Consciousness. Over 10,000 people attended the puja, including lamas, monks and nuns of Exoteric Buddhism. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche contributed more than NTD 4,680,000 to Ministry of Interior for social welfare after completion of the puja. Later, a letter of appreciation was sent to Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche from MOI.

In September 2007, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche conducted the Great Indiscrimated Amitabha’s Puja for Transferring Consciousness for the third time. 12,000 attendees, including an ngakpa from another lineage, monks and nuns of both Exoteric and Esoteric Buddhism, and people from Japan, Holland, France, China, Hong Kong, India, Vietnam, the Philippines, the U.S., Canada, and New Zealand. On completion of the puja, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche contributed over NTD 4,890,000 to the Ministry of Interior for social welfare.

In September 2007, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche conducted the Great Indiscriminated Amitabha’s Puja for Transferring Consciousness for the third time with 12,000 attendees, including an ngakpa from another lineage, monks and nuns of Both Esoteric and Esoteric Buddhism, and people from Japan, Holland, France, China, Hong Kong, India, Vietnam, the Philippines, the U.S., Canada, and New Zealand. On completion of the puja, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche contributed over NTD 4,890,000 to Ministry of Interior for social welfares.

In August of 2008, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche conducted “The Great Indiscriminated Amitabha’s Puja for Transferring Consciousness” for the fourth time. There were up to 14,000 attendees, including 31 khenpos, lamas, and nuns from Drikung Kagyu, Drukpa Kagyu, Nyingma, and Gelug lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, and 6 monks and nuns of Exoteric Buddhism, as well as people who especially came to attend by plane from Japan, U.S., Canada, Holland, Brazil, China, Hong Kong, India, etc. Upon the completion of the puja, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche contributed his own and all the attendees’ offerings of over NT$ 4,160,000 to the Department of Social Affairs, the Ministry of Interior for social welfare to help the disadvantaged and people in need, which also sowed favorable condition with the sentient beings.

In October 2009, His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche presided over the auspicious Great Indiscriminated Amitabha Puja for Transferring Consciousness of the Drikung Kagyu Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism for the fifth time. Besides the Taiwanese disciples and believers, over 13,000 people came to the puja, including 14 ordained people from Exoteric Buddhism, 18 Khenpos and lamas of the Drikung Kagyu Lineage and the Nyingma Lineage from Qinghai and Yunnan, as well as those who made a special trip from Australia, Japan, India, France, the Philippines, and Canada. During this puja, His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche donated 2 million NTD in cash to the Department of Social Affairs in the Ministry of the Interior through Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche, as a post-Typhoon Morakot disaster reconstruction fund. Subsequently, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche also donated another 2 million NTD in cash plus 4.23 million NTD offered to him by the attendees of the puja, i.e. 6.23 million NTD in sum, all as the post-Typhoon Morakot disaster reconstruction fund. A total of 8.23 million NTD was donated as the post-disaster reconstruction fund. The Ministry of the Interior particularly sent an appreciation letter to express their gratitude to His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche and Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche. During the five years, from 2005 to 2009, the venerable Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche donated a sum of 24 million NTD and each year Ministry of the Interior would send a special letter or a letter of appreciation to thank the venerable Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche.

Without propaganda through any posters but merely through oral propagation by disciples of the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center, the number of attendees of those 5 pujas in total exceeded 54,000. This signifies that Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche possesses, as do all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, vast merits and virtues, as well as the profound aspiration to save all sentient beings.

◎ From 1999 to 2006, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche has helped many Rinpoches of the Drikung Kagyu Lineage to hold pujas for eliminating disasters and praying for blessings in Taiwan, each with 1000 to 2000 attendees.who were not charged at all These pujas were all sponsored by the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center. As to the proceeds from the attendees’ donations, they were completely contributed to the officiators, either His Holiness or other Rinpoches,to be used for the construction and maintenance of temples, colleges, and schools in Tibetan area.

  • Organized the Vajrapani Puja conducted by Lhochen Rinpoche in 2002. There were more than 1300 attendees.
  • Helped Most Venerable Chenga Rinpoche to hold the Sakyamuni Empowerment Puja in 2003. There were about 1000 attendees.
  • Organized the Great Avalokiteshvara’s Six Syllable Mantra Chanting Puja for Pureland by Most Venerable Drubwang Norbu Rinpoche in 2003. The puja last two days and was conducted in two sessions, each of which was attended by about 2000 believers.
  • Organized the Usnisa-sitatapatra Empowerment Puja performed by Lhochen Rinpoche in 2003. There were 1500 attendees.
  • Organized the Great Amitabha Empowerment Puja and Vajrasattva Practice for Transferring Consciousness, performed by His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche in 2004.
  • Organized the Great Padmasambhava and Usnisa-sitatapatra Group Practice, officiated by Lhochen Rinpoche in 2004.
  • Organized the Mani Mantra Group Practice, officiated by Most Venerable Drubwang Norbu Rinpoche.
  • Organized a puja for His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche to transmit the Bodhichitta teachings and the White Tara empowerment in 2006.

Since 2003, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche supported the traditional annual pujas for the Drikung Thel Monastery: 250 lamas reciting the Mani mantra 24 hours a day for 45 consecutive days. This tradition had been suspended for many years but was reinstated in 2003 through the financial support of Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche.

◎ In 2004, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche supported the Great Drikung Teachings in Qinghai province. Over 100 Rinpoches, 4,000 lamas and 80,000 believers attended the teachings and was said to have been the biggest teachings ever held since Lord Jigten Sumgon left the Kham area.

◎ In 2005, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche supported His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon Chungtsang Rinpoche in holding a puja at Yushu, Qinghai, where local Tibetans had not seen any Drikung Kyabgon for hundreds of years. Without support from others, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche single-handedly sponsored the air flight and lodgings for the whole trip, as well as providing offerings.

◎ In 2005, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche supported and attended the Terma Empowerment of the Eight Major Herukas at the Lho Miyel Gon Monastery in Qinghai. On behalf of all ngakpa practitioners, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche received the lineage of this precious practice. This was also the first time for this practice to be transmitted within a Han occupied area of China. The video recording of this puja has been produced and published in DVD format under the title “Return” by the Audio/Video Production Department of Glorious Jewel Group.

◎ In 2006, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche prepared for the establishment of a Buddhist center in Japan and supported the establishment of a retreat center in New Zealand.

◎ In August, 2006, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche led more than 500 disciples to India to celebrate Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang’s birthday. As the Drikung Kagyu centers congregated in Dehra Dun for the celebration, the entire Order was thereby more united. During the puja, His Holiness bestowed a Gampopa Hat and a Five Dhyani Buddhas Conch upon Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche and personally bid him to cast the treasure vase and the auspicious clouds of the lineage in gold and mount them on this ceremonial hat. The precious video recording of the birthday celebration has been produced and published in DVD format under the title “Longevity” by the Audio/Video Production Department of Glorious Jewel Group in the DVD.

◎ In October, 2006, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche delivered a speech as a Vajra Guru of Tibetan Buddhism and gave out awards as the annual prestigious honored guest at the renowned M. G. N. school, in the Sikh region of the northern Indian state of Punjab at the end of October, 2006. The profound wisdom of Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche inspired all the guests and journalists. One journalist even recited a poem at the scene and highly praised Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche as a most precious gift from heaven. On the next day, six local newspapers reported this event in four different languages with the headline reading “Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche guides our youths and students with Buddhism”.

◎ In 2007, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche conducted the Avalokiteshvara Puja in the city of Jalandhar, Punjab, India.With 500 Indian people attending the Avalokiteshvara puja, this was the first time that a Tibetan Buddhism puja had been held in an Indian Sikh area, and thus brought Buddhist teachings to the people..

◎ In August 2007, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche led about 300 disciples to Leh, Ladakh, in northern India in mid-August, 2007, and attended the Pig Year Teachings of Drikung Kagyu, which is held every twelve years, at Phyang Monastery. His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang presided over the great teachings and was always accompanied by Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche at the time, which showed a great example of a disicple’s utmost reverence and contribution to his Guru.

◎ At the end of October, 2007, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche led over 50 disciples of the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center to Nepal at the end of October, 2007, and attended the inauguration ceremony of the Drikung Kagyu Rinchen Palri Monastery, a new monastery of the Drikung Kagyu in Balambu, Kathmandu. It was Drubpon Sonam Jorphel Rinpoche, the spiritual director of the Drikung Kagyu Dharmaraja Foundation (DKDF) who exerted years of effort for the establishment of this monastery.

◎ In December, 2007, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche led more than 300 disciples and believers to Kyoto, Japan in mid-December, 2007. As requested by the President of Sagano Scenic Railway, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche performed the Chod Puja on the scenic railway. On the morning of the Puja, a rare and auspicious solar halo appeared in the sky. This was not only the very first Chod performed on a moving train in the history of Tibetan Buddhism, but also in the history of the world. While the Chod Puja was performed, an auspicious image of the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva appeared in the sky. All of these signs signify that both the strength of Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s hopes to aid and his compassion towards all sentient beings can surpass the boundaries of both space and time.

◎ In May 2008, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche went to India to invite and accompany His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang to Taiwan. On behalf of all the Rinpoches, Khenpos, lamas and disciples of each of the Drikung centers in Taiwan, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche supplicated His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang to hold a blessing puja for the victims of the great Sichuan earthquake and the Myanmar cyclone. His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang mercifully granted Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s wish. Also, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche personally attended to His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang to pay visits to the Drikung Kagyu centers around Taiwan.

◎ In May of 2008, His Holiness, accompanied by Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche, was interviewed in Lighting the Lamp, a TV program (A streaming video of the program is now available with CTS online video on demand). In the program, an introduction of the Songtsen Library, which was founded by His Holiness, was given. The interview also provided an insight in His Holiness’s current work with the historical manuscripts found in Dunhuang for his upcoming book on Tibetan history. Furthermore, the close communion of a lama’s heart and his disciple’s was specifically brought into light. Essence of the Buddhist doctrine, such as the impermanence of life, causes and conditions, and the Six Paramitas, was elaborated as well.

◎ In 2008, His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche conferred the Authorization Letter (Date of Authorization: May 19): For the religious activities in Japan, His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche specially appointed Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche to disseminate and host the Bao-Ji-Shang (Glorious Jewel) Buddhism Cultural Exchange Center for Drikung Kagyu Order of Tibetan Buddhism in Japan.

◎ On Aug. 16, 2008, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche conducted the first Chod Puja in the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center in Kyoto, Japan. There were around 80 people attended this puja, including local believers from Japan and the disciples from Taiwan.

◎ On November 7, 2008, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche led nearly 200 disciples of Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center and was again invited as the chief guest of the Annual Prize Distribution Function of M.G.N Public School, Kapurthala, the most famous school in the Punjab province of the northern India. After delivering a speech at the 2008 Annual Function, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche, to pray for all people present, also particularly led 4 lamas, 2 nuns, and 50 disciples to recite the “Aspiration Prayer for Rebirth in Pure Land” and the scene was very touching.

◎ On November 9, 2008, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche conducted the auspicious Chod puja in Jalandhar, the famous major city in the Sikh region of the northern India, which was attended by approximately more than 250 Indians and nearly 200 disciples of Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center, Taiwan. His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang, Rinpoche’s root Guru, especially sent 4 lamas with a precious umbrella, a Dharma throne, a Dharma tablecloth, a cloth for the back of the throne, Dharma musical instruments, and a small table from Ladakh to help organize the puja. This was the first Buddhist puja (including Exoteric and Esoteric Buddhism) that was held in the major Sikh region by the attending of so many local Indian people, especially the Sikhs, who also participated in the entire puja and reverently listened to Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s teachings. All of the above indicated that this Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s unprecedented achievement, with Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s unselfish mercy and compassion and the marvelous power of Buddha Dharma, omnipresently benefited myriad sentient beings, beyond the barriers of races, regions, languages, and cultures.

◎ On November 11, 2008, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche led nearly 200 disciples to attend the Annual World Peace Prayer Gathering held by His Holiness Drikung Kyabgön Chetsang Rinpoche. From November 12 till November 15, 2008, His Holiness Drikung Kyabgön Chetsang Rinpoche conveyed the teaching and the pith instruction of the Ganges Mahamudra (Mahamudra Upadesha, phyag chen gang ga ma) in Jangchubling Monastery. H. H. Chestang Rinpoche personally not only gave the teaching on the auspiciousness of Ganges Mahamudra’s pith instruction which was expounded to Naropa by Tilopa, but also enlightened the history and gurus of lineage transmission. To highly respect the preciousness of the lineage’s teachings, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche especially led nearly 200 disciples from Taiwan to listen to the teaching and transmission in person, signifying that Dharma Wheel turns eternally.

◎ On December 20, 2008, the His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche conducted the auspicious Buddha Amitayus puja in the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center in Kyoto, Japan. There were more than 140 people attended this puja, including the local guests and believers from Japan and guests from India, and guests and disciples from Taiwan.

◎ On Jan 31, 2009, the His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche conducted the “Black Water Jambhala Dharma” in the morning and the “Elephant Jambhala Dharma” in the afternoon at the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center, Kyoto, Japan. There were a total of 85 persons that had attended the puja including the local believers from Japan, believers from Australia and disciples from Taiwan.

◎ In March, 2009, the His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche perfectly completed the tenth retreat in Jangchubling, India. This time, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche led 51 disciples to conduct their seven day retreat practice.

◎ On May 29 and May 30, 2009, the His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche conducted the inauguration puja for anniversary of the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center, Kyoto, Japan in the center. On May 29, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche conducted the rituals of Lamp Offering Prayer Chapter Two, Jewell Self-Born Lamp Offering, and Lama Chopa. On May 30, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche held the auspicious fire puja. There were a total of 129 and 131 persons respectively attended these pujas on May 29 and May 30, including local believers and guests, believers and guests from Taiwan, guests from India, and disciples of Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center, Taiwan.

◎ On August 16, 2009, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche presided over an auspicious Chod puja of Drikung Kagyu Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism at the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center, Kyoto, Japan. The puja was attended by a total of 108 people, including local Japanese believers and disciples from Taiwan.

◎ At noon of September 9th, 2009, His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche received Master Noritake Shuunan (the Abbot of Reiun-in Temple of the Myōshin-ji of Rinzai Zen Buddhism in Kyoto, Japan), Minamikei Okajima (a resident nun from the Honko-ji of the Myōshin-ji of Rinzai Zen Buddhism), the Master Xuan Shu (one of Abbot Noritake Shuunan’s disciples in Taiwan), and the accompanying dignitaries at the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center in Taipei. Master Noritake Shuunan praised that Tibetan Buddhism is extraordinary and, after Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s advice, said to the disciples of the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center, “You are very fortunate!”

◎ In September of 2009, the Chinese edition of His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s marvelous book entitled “Happiness and Suffering” was published. To this date, this book has been accepted into the collections of the Library of Congress of the United States, Harvard-Yenching Library of Harvard University, C.V. Starr East Asian Library of Columbia University, Kroch Library of Cornell University, Milton S. Eisenhower Library of Johns Hopkins University, Humanities Library of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and C.V. Starr East Asian Library of University of California at Berkeley.

Prior to writing this book Happiness and Suffering, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche implored his root guru His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang for H.H.’s advice and the foreword to the book. His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche granted Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s plea since His Holiness realized immediately after reading this book that it is language prajna and, on behalf of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, agreed that the book would benefit the sentient beings. Therefore, that is the reason why everyone can have lots of gains from simple words in this book. It is the blessings from the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and the Drikung lineage.

In this book, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche does not talk about rare Buddhism terms or abstruse philosophies. Instead, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche lively leads the reader to know the true essence of happiness and suffering with rich examples through Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s experiences of practically applying Buddha Dharma to daily life. Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche not only carefully edits the contents of this book, but also personally designs the cover of the book that implies profound attainment and meanings in practice. Likewise, the contents of two hundred forty pages of this book are concise with deep meanings. This book has received tremendous responses since it got published. Besides disciples, no matter who you are, a Buddhist or not, many people gain immense benefit and the wisdom nectar from the great practitioner and enable themselves to face all their happiness and suffering in daily life with a healthier and correct attitude.

◎ 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 Parna Shabari, which were personally presided by His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche.

Before the inauguration ceremony and the empowerment, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche followed His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche closely while making the entrance to the venue. During the entire ceremony, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche was invited to sit on a sofa arranged solely for him at the middle of the first row among the attendees, directly across from His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche. As the ceremony perfectly completed, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche was invited to his personal lounge in the monastery to have lunch. During the empowerment, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche was seated at the first row on the mandala, very close to the Dharma throne of His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche. After the completion of the empowerment, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche was the only one who accompanied His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche to leave the venue. At His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche’s instruction, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche accompanied His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche to His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche’s lounge. Many Rinpoches in the lineage, 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.

In addition to attending the inauguration ceremony, at the request of his root guru His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche had additionally 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 expenses of the volunteer clinic but also instructed the clinic to offer the Chinese herbs of best quality. 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 planned in advance for the follow-on medicine supply. All the hearty care and prudent and thorough arrangements by Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche were always carried out without being noticed or expecting anything in return.

◎ On November 15, 2009, His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche conducted an auspicious puja of Longevity Buddha at the Regent Park Hotel of Jarlandar in Punjab Province of northern India. There were four hundred and eighty-two attendees, including three hundred and twenty local Indian believers (among them, twenty from the hotel requested to participate on their own initiatives after they knew there would be such an auspicious puja) and one hundred and forty-four disciples of Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center in Taiwan. Since 2007, this is the third time Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche has presided over a Tibetan Buddhist puja of Drikung Kagyu at this major city of Sikh region to benefit sentient beings. His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche especially sent three lamas to bring a dharma throne, musical instruments, a dharma table from Jangchubling of northern India to help with setting up the mandala, the embellishment of the throne and the rituals of the puja. Additionally, Khenpo Namdol also came from Yunnan Province of China to assist the puja. The gyaling and dungchen (Tibetan long trumpet) brought by three lamas from Jangchubling, northern India have been used by His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche when presiding over pujas. Additionally, the dharma table used by Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche during this puja had also been used by His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche himself.

◎ On December 26, 2009, His Eminence Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche held the auspicious “Dorje Phurba” puja at the Glorious Jewel Buddhist Center, Kyoto, Japan. There were a total of 109 people who had attended this auspicious puja, including 21 local guests and believers, 1 Japanese disciple, 11 Taiwanese believers and 76 disciples from Taiwan. While reciting the mantras in the puja, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche uttered an extremely low sound resembling that of roaring thunders. With vertical eyebrows, bulging eyes, extending mouth and immensely fierce facial expressions, Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s look was exactly the same as the wrathful look of Dorje Phurba and served as an auspicious sign that indicated Rinchen Dorjee Rinpoche’s accordance with the yidam.

Updated on February 2, 2010