Students with Charok Lama and Rinpoche’s sister Ani Samten in front of the Lawudo gompa.

Following the Heart Sutra Retreat at Kopan this year to mark the first anniversary of the passing of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, a group of 38 students from around the world participated in a special Lawudo Anniversary Pilgrimage from April 24-May 8, 2024 to visit and make heartfelt prayers at the holy places of the Lawudo Lamas—Rinpoche and his previous life as Lawudo Lama Kunsang Yeshe. Please read this beautiful account of the pilgrimage by Amitabha Buddhist Centre’s Ven. Gyalten Rabten.

Our journey started on a positive note as we were able to fly directly on two special flights from Kathmandu’s domestic airport to Lukla (9,383 feet, 2,845 meters). We landed safely at the small airport and started our trek soon after breakfast once our bags had been given to the porters to carry to our guest houses ready for us to pick up each evening. 

Group photo at Namche. Photo by Ven. Gyalten Rabten.

Over the next few days, we trekked daily for about six to seven hours, covering an average distance of nine to ten kilometers (5-6 miles)—sometimes more—mostly ascending. The first night we stayed over in a place called Benkar (2,800 meters, 9,186 feet), a place blessed by great meditators in the past, and for the next two nights we rested in Namche Bazar (3,440 meters, 11,286. feet), the largest town in Khumbu, for acclimatization. Some of us, myself included, found it particularly challenging as we had never walked so much in a day, but we were rewarded with breathtaking natural scenery along the way—the soaring high snow mountains, clear blue skies, flowing rivers, waterfalls and lots of beautiful rhododendron flowers. We were also mesmerized by the air of magical spirituality in Khumbu—dotted with many white stupas, stones carved with mantras, colorful prayers flags, and the occasional monasteries, temples and caves perched high up amongst the mountains.

The view from the hotel in Namche, April 27, 2024. Photo by Ven. Sarah Thresher.

On day four, we arrived at the high valley of Khumjung and Kunde above Namche, the spiritual heart of Khumbu. There we visited Khumjung Monastery, the second oldest monastery in Solukumbu, which Rinpoche had helped to rebuild after the 2015 earthquake. It is famous for its “Yeti scalp,” but we were there to learn more about the secrets of Khumbu as a “hidden valley” blessed by Guru Rinpoche from a local expert and guest speaker; and also to pay respect to the many sacred artworks and precious statues whose restoration Rinpoche had helped to sponsor, such as a Guru Rinpoche with a third eye, the only known statue of Khumbila, the local protector, and some exquisite wall paintings by local artists.

Descending into Khumjung on the way to Kunde below the sacred Kumbila mountain. April 27, 2024

The following day, those in the group who were more fit, made a challenging three-hour hike up to Akar Drubkang. At the height of 4,400 meters (14,436 feet), it is a special hermitage cave where Guru Rinpoche and Princess Mandarava are said to have flown from Maratika after accomplishing the practice of immortality. Many great masters in the past, including the Lawudo lama, have practiced and received teachings in this cave. Therefore, the group took the rare opportunity to make tsok offerings and recite heartfelt prayers for Rinpoche’s swift return in that blessed cave!  Meanwhile, the rest of the group including myself, hiked up an hour to Hillary Viewpoint, where we were wowed by the stunning view of the surrounding snow mountain peaks, including the famous Mount Everest. We also managed to catch our first glimpse of  Lawudo from that high vantage point! 

On day six, we left Kunde and trekked onward through Thamo below Lawudo where Kari Rinpoche’s Nunnery is located for lunch and then on to Thame village, arriving  in the late afternoon. This is where we can still see the small house where Rinpoche was born, newly rebuilt after it was damaged in the 2015 earthquake. Next to the house is a large prayer wheel containing 100 trillion Chenrezig mantras built by Rinpoche’s sister which is open 24 hours a day for people to turn and create merits. When we visited the house the next day to recite prayers for Rinpoche’s swift return, special arrangement was made for us to receive blessings from the  Lawudo Lama’s precious lotus hat which as the first Lawudo Lama he had always worn. 

We also visited the magnificent Thameteng Stupa, about half an hour’s trek from Thame. It was rebuilt in the style of the Boudanath stupa after the original stupa was heavily damaged in the 2015 earthquake and was consecrated by Rinpoche remotely in August 2022. There, we were briefed by the project manager, Thukten Sherpa, who at one point was moved almost to tears, as he described how from the very beginning the reconstruction was possible only due to Rinpoche’s kind guidance and financial support and also spoke of the many other beneficial activities of Rinpoche in this Thamichowa region.

Next on the itinerary was a visit to Thame Monastery, one of the three oldest in Khumbu, where had a nice lunch together with the young Thame Rinpoche and his monks. The Lawudo Lamas are closely connected with Thame Monastery and this was where Rinpoche first became a monk as a young boy.  The manager showed us a set of cymbals gifted to the monastery by the first  Lawudo Lama and blessed us with its beautiful sound when it was played. He explained that this special gift could be one reason for Rinpoche’s huge fame and renown throughout the world this lifetime, along with his ability to spread the Buddha’s teachings far and wide.

On day eight  and after another four hours of ascending, we finally arrived at our main destination, the Lawudo Retreat Center at a height of 4,000 meters (13,123 feet)! Of the many precious places to visit at Lawudo, the main holy site must definitely be the Lawudo cave, where the first Lawudo Lama—Rinpoche’s previous life—had spent many years of his life in meditation and finally attained the highest realizations with many special signs when he passed away. Inside is an precious stupa with relics from the first Lawudo Lama Kunsang Yeshe and also a recent stupa brought up last year by Ven. Roger at Lhabab Duchen with a tooth relic from Rinpoche’s most recent life.

The newly built memorial stupa for Rinpoche in Lawudo. Photo by Ven. Gyalten Rabten.

The retreat center has several basic retreat rooms for students and visitors to stay or do retreats. The old gompa, the first and only one to be built under the supervision of Rinpoche (before Kopan even existed), now houses many amazingly beautiful statues such as the five-feet standing Sampa Lhundrupma Guru Rinpoche statue and a recently added Kalachakra statue. 

For the last fifty over years, Lawudo has been being steadfastly cared for by Rinpoche’s elder sister, Anila Ngawang Samten. On May 3 which was a tsok day, we offered a guru puja and tsok in the Gompa and celebrated Anila’s 83^rd birthday with many prayers and dedications for her long life and good health! 

We spent the next four days in Lawudo, attending teachings on the Three Principal Aspects of the Path by Charok Lama Rinpoche, a young tulku recognized as the incarnation of the late Venerable Kushog Mende, who was a friend of the previous Lawudo Lama and spent many years practicing in a hermitage cave nearby. Many of us were moved to tears when he began the teachings by describing Rinpoche’s many and unfathomable qualities. During other times, we were divided into small groups to recite prayers for Rinpoche’s swift return inside the cave using a special practice compiled for the pilgrimage.

Students doing prayers in the Lawudo cave. Photo by Ven. Gyalten Rabten.

The evenings were spent in the warmest place in Lawudo, the dining hall where we gathered to hear stories from Ani Samten while hot drinks and delicious dinner such as garlic soup, momos, and potato pancakes were served. Those were truly unforgettable moments of family feeling and bonding for us all as we shared stories and experiences. After dinner, we once again recited prayers and practices for Rinpoche’s swift return all together before retiring, in order to dedicate all the virtue we had created throughout the day. 

Ani Ngawang Samten recounting past stories of Rinpoche and Charok Lama in the dining hall. Photo by Ven. Gyalten Rabten.

Soon it was time for us to depart! After a trek of two days down from Lawudo, the group managed to take flights from Lukla back to Kathmundu during a window of clearer skies and weather before the fog crept in! 

What a special lifetime experience and pilgrimage it has been for me and the group in honor of our most beloved guru! Many thanks to the organizers, including Charok Lama Rinpoche, Venerable Sarah Thresher, Venerable Nyima Tashi, Venerable Kalden and all those who helped and made it possible! 

May the merit accumulated from this pilgrimage be dedicated for a new Lawudo Lama to swiftly reappear with all the qualities and attributes needed to guide us just as Rinpoche so lovingly cared for us his whole life and to continue the unimaginable blessings of his work spreading the pure Dharma teachings in all directions.

May the smile of a reincarnation swiftly beam in glory for fortunate disciples!

With grateful thanks to Ven. Gyalten Rabten for this inspiring report and to the pilgrimage participants for sharing photos with us.

To lean more about Lawudo, please visit: http://lawudo.com/

Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.