A Pilgrims Journey to Pay Homage

By Charlotte Davis, Kathmandu, Nepal

After the sad news of Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche’s passing was announced, the Vajrasattva Drupchen from Mindroling was practised here at Shechen for a week, which I attended as much as I could. They perform this Drupchen each year and I’ve come to appreciate the special energy and inspiration that comes from attending these intensive group practises. A very kind person has made a translation available, so those of us who aren’t fluent in Tibetan can engage in the practise with more understanding. This practise is also being performed at Sitapaila Gonpa. I was fortunate to have received a number of empowerments from Kyabje Trulshik Rinpche during my numerous stays in Nepal over many years, so I feel a personal gratitude towards him as well as respect for he has been the Teacher of so many of our Teachers.

On the 12th September 2011, I headed up to Sitapaila Gonpa to pay homage to Rinpoches relics, with a nun, (known as “Ani Chung-Chung” or “Little Ani”) who is from Trulshik Rinpoche‘s remote nunnery at Thupten Choling. Sitapaila Gonpa is a large new monastery, still under construction though completed in the main part, that Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche built on a mountain behind Swayambhunath Stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal. I heard that one of the reasons that Trulshik Rinoche located the new gonpa there is that on a clear day, you can see three of the main Buddhist sacred places in the valley: Swayabhunath stupa, Baudhanath Stupa, and Namo Buddha.

There was the usual chaos that such journeys often seem to invoke! I was assisting the young Ani (Tibetan for ‘nun’) because she has to walk with an artificial leg, due to cancer. So when we found out that the Shechen monks had been invited to conduct the Pujas we decided to travel with them.

At 7am we were ready and waiting on Mahankal Road. By 7:30 the buses had all arrived and off we set. The traffic was already building up and we had to alternate between opening the window to let in some air and closing it to keep out the pollution and dust. To anyone who has travelled in this area this will be very familiar. We hadn’t gone far before the first obstacle arose: we were stopped by a car that was stuck in the mud. The bus-driver then backed up and we went back to Ring Road. Again we set off up the hill this time via the only alternative route and soon met a procession of devotees travelling up to Sitapaila Gompa in taxis and cars for the same purpose, causing the ubiquitous “jam” (traffic jam). As the road became steeper, the bus driver said that it was impossible for him to travel further fully laden, so the monks all got out. We weren’t sure if it would make it even if it was empty, so we got out too. Quickly we negotiated a price with a taxi driver heading down the hill and off we set again. We were happy to see that he veered to a side road to turn around but then for some reason he decided to change his mind and instead headed all the way back down the hill until we were back at the bottom! So there we were back at the beginning at the end of the long traffic jam. In the meantime we observed the bus we had abandoned chugging its way up to the top! We moaned and complained a bit, but in the end our intrepid taxi driver pulled through, put his foot to the accelerator, charged past all the stationary vehicles until he got to the steepest part, then he backed up for the final charge to the top of the hill. Muttering “go go go!” under my breath we made it with a wing and a prayer! With lots of smiles and a sense of relief we paid the taxi driver. He went on his way and there we were looking up at the beautiful new Gonpa.

Young Ani “Chung Chung” from the Shechen Gonpa Art School is one of those very humble and sweet natured practitioners you meet here that cannot fail to touch your heart. She never complains about her affliction, the discomfort and the pain it gives her and is constantly attending our art school ‘Genla’ or teacher, Konchog, with great devotion. Konchog in turn also inspires this kind of devotion, being someone who has also spent his entire life in humble service to his guru Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche and the Dharma. He too always expresses good humour in even the most difficult situations. Travelling and being in the company of people like this is always a teaching, as I am confronted with my own spoilt tendencies and selfish grasping. I am inspired to see how people who have been brought up from birth, in this ‘dharma culture’, relate very differently to their world and situations.

Back to the journey…
Ani and I headed up the stairs to the Gonpa. When Ani was recognised from Thupten Choling Nunnery and when we said we were with the Shechen monks we were ushered up to the side of the small temple where the relics are housed. We were quickly reminded as to why we were there when we saw a number of grief stricken nuns as well as a few monks overcome with emotion and sadness as they left the temple after paying homage to the kudung.

The organisation around this day, the first day his relics were open for the public to view, was very impressive. There were many friendly volunteers to help direct people and take care eg a chair was quickly found for Ani so she could be seated comfortably. I sat with the other westerners to the side of the marquee where the Shechen monks were performing the pujas. People were handed tea and bread as they arrived and later lunch was served. The weather was hot so there were water fountains and cups in many locations that were constantly being refilled with filtered water. As each person left the temple after paying homage, they were each handed a large bag of tsok. Also each person received an envelope with a photo of His Holiness, a prayer for his swift rebirth with English translation, and a small plastic bag with some of his body salts and another bag with a small piece of his cloth, as an object of veneration and devotion. So kind.

When our turn came, we were ushered into the temple, where a gathering of High Lamas and guests were conducting Pujas. When I went through, Jigme Khyentse Rinpoche was seated in meditation next to the kudung. After receiving a blessing string from Pema Wangyal Rinpoche, I exited the building in something of a daze. Receiving the envelope with the precious remains and the bag of tosk we returned to our cushions and joined in with our own prayers and the Minling Dorsem Puja.

A number of the lamas, as well as ordinary people who were inspired to speak about Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche, were interviewed on live local TV over the afternoon. Although unfortunately the noise of the pujas made it difficult to hear very well, Jigme Khyentse Rinpoche recounted many details of Trulshik Rinpoche’s incredible life story. He also gave words of advice as to how we should relate to this time. The essence of the advice I heard from him and others was that the most significant thing for us as aspiring practitioners to contemplate during this time, was to take the life of such great masters as an example and that the best way to pay homage to such great beings is to put the teachings we have received from them into practice and contemplate their life example so we can try to emulate this in our own lives.