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Second anniversary pilgrim participants in front of the Lawudo Gompa. The final group photo—blessing the prayer flags to be hung at the White Cliff above Lawudo. Some pilgrims left a day earlier to give more time to walk back to Lukla. Photo courtesy of Ven. Sarah Thresher.
By Ven. Sarah Thresher
The Second Lawudo Anniversary Pilgrimage ended on May 10 with the safe return of all the pilgrims to Kathmandu and a double rainbow appearing in the sky to the East of Lawudo and arching over Namche Bazar.
This year the pilgrimage was limited to 25 participants and a further 5 helpers, 5 guides and 15 porters and pretty much everyone except for the porters were disciples of Rinpoche. Surprisingly, the average age of the pilgrims was 60 and we even had a wonderful 70th birthday celebration on our first night in Phakding! Everyone had love in the hearts for Rinpoche and some had waited years and years for the opportunity to fulfill their dream of visiting Lawudo.
Double rainbow appearing in the sky to the East of Lawudo and arching over Namche Bazar. Photo courtesy of Ven. Sarah Thresher.
Pilgrims with Ani Samten in the evening by the fire listening to stories. Photo courtesy of Ven. Sarah Thresher.
The journey begins! Geshe Legtsok and Ven. Sarah arrive in beautiful Thadokosi for lunch on the first day. Photo courtesy of Ven. Sarah.
The goal of the Lawudo Pilgrimage is to immerse in the world of the Lawudo Lamas, while doing prayers and practices for the auspicious return of our most precious Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s yangsi and for all Rinpoche’s holy wishes to be fulfilled. With this in mind we visited various gompa along the route, including Rimijung and Thame (two of the three oldest gompas in Khumbu), Namche, Khumjung, Khunde, Thamo Nunnery and Charok. We were fortunate to attend pujas at Rimijung and Thame; join the local sangha from all around the valley in reciting the Kangyur at Khumjung; make offerings to the sangha, and be guided around the gompa we visited with talks by the lamas in charge—deepening our understanding of the Sherpa religion and culture. Most of us felt very at home and humbled by the famous Sherpa hospitality.
Those who were strong enough walked to Thame for a full day visiting the holy places of Rinpoche’s birthplace—the 100-trillion prayer wheel next to the birth house, Thame monastery, Thameteng stupa and precious holy objects from the first Lawudo Lama—while also offering Lama Chopa tsog, Chanting the Names of Manjushri and other auspicious prayers for Rinpoche’s swift return.
Anila Ngawang Samten’s 83rd birthday was celebrated with a special Lama Chopa Jorcho puja for her health and long life and wishes to be fulfilled offered by the pilgrims in the main gompa and a huge birthday cake brought from Namche Bazar as special tsog!
At Lawudo, we attended inspiring and thought-provoking teachings by Charok Lama Rinpoche who moved us by his insight into Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s qualities; divided into small groups to recite the prayers for Rinpoche’s yangsi in the Lawudo cave; visited Charok Hermitage; hung prayer flags at the Amogapasha thangka above Lawudo; performed Vajrasattva tsog and even enjoyed an afternoon birthday celebration for Anila Ngawang Samten—Rinpoche’s sister—with Lama Chopa Jorcho and a special birthday cake brought from Namche. Evenings were spent gathered around the fire in the dining room listening to Anila’s stories and tales of the first Lawudo Lama Kunzang Yeshe. The weather was unpredictable—often cold and cloudy, sometimes sunny and clear, and even snowing at the sacred mountain of Khumbila—but despite the hardships there was a warmth and joy that never dissipated throughout the whole journey. We walked around numerous prayer stones, turned prayer wheels, paid respect to the many stupas, marveled at the spectacular mountain views, walked over swinging bridges, blessed many animals (Tania) and enjoyed time together with delicious food and the occasional cappuccino and apple pie!
The view from the Cave of Blissful Attainment at Lawudo where both Lawudo Lamas have practiced..
It’s difficult to express the preciousness of the experience of a Lawudo pilgrimage, the depths of gratitude that arises in the heart to our teachers, the joy of entering into the hidden valley of Khumbu, and the special group feeling that arises from being together with other disciples of the lama, sharing, and doing prayers and practices together. Deepest gratitude to all who helped make this happen.
Ven. Sarah Thresher met Buddhism in 1982 at Kopan and almost immediately began working for Wisdom Publications editing and preparing Dharma materials. In 1986, after ordaining in Bodhgaya with His Holiness Dalai Lama she made her first trip to Lawudo. She has traveled and taught around the world, but her special focus is preserving and spreading the teachings, practice, and chanting lineage of Lama Zopa Rinpoche. In 2023/4 she has spent eight months in retreat and pilgrimage at and around Lawudo and looks forward to sharing the magic of Khumbu with others.
Interested in a trek to Lawudo this year? Join Ven. Katy Cole for a fifteen-day Himalayan adventure from October 6-21, from Kopan Monastery to Lawudo Gompa and back. Please learn more about this opportunity.
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.