May 28 2011
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On the last Full moon we celebrated Vesak day ( photos Gallery) also known as Buddha Purnima. According to the Theravada calendar it is on that day that we commemorate Lord Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and paranirvana.
It was also the last puja together with Lopon Choewang who had served here as the main teacher for the past four years.
On this auspicious day we offered 1000 butter lamps and performed the Big Rigdzin. At the break we took out the 16 pechas, which are known as the Bum, a condensed version of the Kangyur ( teachings of Lord Buddha). Lead by the 3 symbols of Body, Speech and Mind we carried the texts outside.
Even though we had not made any kind of publicity, quite a few Buddhist people from the surrounding turned up at this very moment and took part in the procession. Texts got carried around the Gompa, then around the Stupa and then we all took a break at the farm house, to recite several prayers and enjoy cold drinks as the day was very hot.
Then the procession started again, went through the wood and back to the gompa. The ambiance was very joyful and you could feel everybody was very much touch within by something that could not be seen.
It was the first time since the inauguration of the gompa,that the teachings were brought all around the land and we wish now to do it every year.
Published by The Chhimed Rigdzin Society
May 16 2011
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Tulku Ugen is due to visit Europe in June. He has been invited to several places in Poland.
Once the schedule and programs are finalized we shall keep you posted.
Published by The Chhimed Rigdzin Society
May 13 2011
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A year ago the Thartang Tulku organization had offered the monastery a precious set of the Kangyur and Tengyur being the very words of Lord Buddha and their commentaries. Ground and reference for the teachings studied by those who follow the words of the Buddha.
At the moment due to lack of funds those precious texts are kept on the third floor of the Gompa, on top of a table and without any kind of protection from mice, worms and the humidity of the coming monsoon.
We already made an appeal on this topic a year ago but had no answer. Yet it is really becoming urgent to protect and honor these texts in an efficient way by buying 7 metal glass-fronted cupboard before the rain starts in June. Some of you had made the request to be informed on particular needs that they might feel comfortable to support. This is one of them, and the one coming in priority at the moment.
If any of you feels touch and concerned please contact us at thechhimedrigdzinsociety@yahoo.com.
A good metal glass-fronted cupboard costs the equivalent of 100 Euros.
Published by The Chhimed Rigdzin Society
May 7 2011
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These annual events are dedicated to benefit all beings, including animals, hell beings and everyone that is suffering in the samsara.
Annual butterlamps retreat:
The 21st offering of 111.111 butterlamps retreat will be held at Khordong Byangter Monastery in India from January 9th to January 26th 2012.
Grand lives release:
The 2nd lives release event will be held on the next Chotrul Duchen Festival. The more lives are being released the better. We will concentrate on fishes like this year. Collection of funds is open; if you wish to take part please contact us at thechhimedrigdzinsociety@yahoo.com. To give you an idea all expenses included it costed us the equivalent of 15 Euros to release 10 kg of fishes.
For more details, please see previous lives release.
Published by The Chhimed Rigdzin Society
May 7 2011
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On April 28th, Khordong Byangter Monastery had put on its nicest appearance to receive the people of Shantiniketan and celebrate Tulku Ugen and Shashi’s 25th marriage anniversary in a mix of Bengali and Tibetan celebration.
A great moment of joy, dance and feast until late in the night.
Published by The Chhimed Rigdzin Society
April 23 2011
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1 <the young monks and their education. Their English and mathematics teacher, Om Sir had suffered of poor health for the past 3 months, so was his aged mother so he could not come anymore. Meanwhile Nathalie started to teach sewing to four of them and mathematics to all>.
2 <for the first time here, wheat had been planted and the harvest has just started, it is a good success and it will be repeated next year>.
3 <the tomatoes production has also been very good with more than a 1000 kilos sold at the local market>.
4 <a new metal net fencing has been put all around the Gompa and new barbed wire has been put till the gate. This strengthens the overall protection of the land till the day we can afford to build a proper wall>.
5 <the guest house is getting busy with half of the rooms on rent to families who accompany a patient at the local cancer Hospital. Most of them are from the hills and are so happy to find refuge in this beautiful, peaceful and clean environment close to the Oncology center>.
6 <we are happy to announce the birth of two small geese. Their parents were part of a life release 3 years ago, and now they are growing in number>.
Published by the Chhimed Rigdzin Society
April 21 2011
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The outcome of the Bhutanese trip has not been very good, as Namkhai Nyingpo Rinpoche would not receive any visitors at that time. But the request could be made but unfortunately his answer was not in our favor, in the sense that he cannot send us a teacher trained in the Byangter system. For the simple reason that even though he has quite many monks at his Monastery in Bhumtang, he himself lacks of reliable and fully trained lopons and teachers who can teach the Byangter tradition to his monks. He himself sent several of his monks in training at Shimla with Thaklung Tsetrul Rinpoche as we did few years back with 4 of our students.
With this understanding, Tulku Ugen went straight away to Sikkim to visit the Shedra there and meet several people. We are yet to find an elder lama of the Byangter tradition who would come and stay at the gompa, but Tulku Ugen’s request will be spread around in India. In the mean time a new teacher will be sent to gompa.
The objective for this year is to include 10 new students to the existing 11 and to have two teachers on a permanent basis. So that they can take turn and support each other throughout the year.
Published by The Chhimed Rigdzin Society
April 8 2011
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This year was marked with some changes among the residents here. Pema Tsering Drukpa, 18 years old joined us in August and very soon became a key member here due to his joyfull and versatile character. Originally from Darjeeling, he first received a good education before choosing to become a monk, he previously spent two years in a gompa in Sikkim.
Then came Norden who first joined us here to work. Coming from Yuksom, Norden Bhutia, 17 years old, got poor education and did not have the chance to grow with his parents. Few weeks after he started, he actually voiced his wish to become a student and a monk. After putting him on trial over a period of two months he finally got admitted as a monk during the butterlamp retreat.
Meanwhile Pema Lama left us after studying 4 years with us. One day of December his father whom we were told had disappear long ago came at the gompa and claimed for his son back. After much discussion we unfortunatly had to allow the son to follow his father according to his personal wish.
Published by The Chhimed Rigdzin Society
March 25 2011
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Tulku Ugen is on his way to Bhutan with Norbu Gyaltshen, with the plan to meet Namkhai Nyingpo Rinpoche.Namkhai Nyingpo Rinpoche is the head of the biggest Byangter Monastery in Bhutan with approximatly 300 monks.
It has been a long time wish to approach him and request for a possible link between his gompa and Khordong Byangter Monastery in india to strengthen the Byangter lineage and root these teachings in our monks curriculum.
Published by The Chhimed Rigdzin Society
March 23 2011
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Once the fishes were released it was time to celebrate the Holi festival (Photo Gallery) as this year it coincided with the full moon of the first lunar month according to the Tibetan calendar. This Hindu festival celebrates some events of lord Krishna life and it is a day when the whole of india turns extremely colorful from the youngest to the oldest and regardless of rank or cast in the society.
This festival has always been celebrated with great joy by Chhimed Rigdzin Rinpoche and now at the gompa by the residents.
This full moon day and festival was also the celebration of Amalha 90th birthday who kindly accepted to spend the day with us, even though she preferred to stay a bit away from the joyfull play of colors and the general excitement.
Published by The Chhimed Rigdzin Society
