As the Tibetan New year of the Wood Monkey Year began, we prepared to leave Vermont to visit and participate in teachings offered by H H Chetsang Rinpoche, Drikung Scholars and the inauguration of the Lotos stupa at Lumbini, Nepal.
Biksuni Drolma greeted Reverend Dane and myself in New Deli on February 24th 2004. Our pilgrimage was made possible through the generosity of community members who felt this journey to be an important one for the Sangha. Fund raising for the journey was intiated by Julie James, the Vaccaros, the Warringtons and many community members were inspired to support this precious journey.
On arrival in India I was impressed by the changes since my last visit in 1992, when Changlochen Rinpoche was enthroned. New Delhi appeared cleaner and the atmosphere fresher due to changes from highly polluting small engines to more efficeint and less polluting engines. Also there is a strong sense of India expanding it’s welcome to foreigners and foreign business investment.
The sentinels of India’s rich spiritual traditions still stand quietly upon the land as throngs of people move quickly maintaining commitments and supporting life. I sensed a country on the verge of vast change as major religions and material development converge in a diverse population. From New Delhi, we traveled to Deer Park in Sarnath, Varanasi where Shakamuni Buddha first turned the wheel of Dharma teachings after he attained enlightenment and taught the four noble truths to those who had practiced aceticism with him in the forest.
Busloads of Buddhist pilgrims from many countries arrive and make offerings and pray at this holy site as echoes of the first teaching still ring out from the land and sky. I directly experienced the power of Buddha’s realization as a pulse in the land continually offering blessings to all beings. Hearing the heart sutra chanted in many languages heightened my awareness that all beings are relatives in the dance of life.
From Varanasi we traveled by car to Nepal. As we drove we observed children in their varied school uniforms making their way to class. Education appears a precious priority in the small villages were even the poorest families send their children to schools. Lumbini, the birth place of Buddha has temples and stupas of many Buddhist schools. The area surrounding Buddha’s birth is held in Trust as a world heritage site for all peoples. The inauguration of the Drikung Lotus stupa was a memorable event. The stupa itself radiates energy of clarity and has enshrined within Buddha relics, placed by H.H. Chetsang Rinpoche. Drikung communities of Taiwan, Malaysia , Germany and many more brought the ideal of the Lotus Stupa to fruition for the benefit of beings in this and all worlds.
Within the stupa are magnificent statues of the eighty four Maha Siddis of Kagu Tradition, upon the walls and ceiling are paintings most beautiful, depicting teaching lineages and deities. The workmanship and expression of devotion displayed, reveal artisans of clear mind and compassionate hearts.
Teachings were succinct and clear, like the bare bones of empty space. Explanations as sound unwinding into visualizations, revealed the depth of Chetsang Rinpoche’s Bodhisattva motivation to reveal the inherent Buddha nature in each being present.
A very special Bodhisattva teaching was offered for the first time in decades bringing tears of joy to the eyes of elder lamas.
Our community was honored by H H Chetsang Rinpoche through seating me with important Tulkus of the lineage and Biksuni Nyma Drolm behind me.
The last day of teachings was filled with laughter and flowers flying through the air as all those present expressed great appreciation of the wondrous teachings and the acknowledgement of new Khenpos and Drupons. My heart was filled with joy as Biksuni Nyima Drolma a Sunray student for twenty years, was seated as Khenpo.
(Abbess of Vajra Dakini Nunnery, Lincoln, VT.) Khenpo Nyima Drolma is the first female Khenpo in the swiftly renewing Drikung Kagu lineage.
H H Chetsang Rinpoche has manifested the goals he outlined to me in 1986 when he first visited Vermont. His diligence and great energy has restored precious teachings and lineages that were almost lost. May his life be long and strong and his students carry the banner of skillful action, which benefits all beings.
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