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Consecration of the Victory Stupa built for Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Lawudo, Nepal, November 4, 2023. Photo by Ven. Sarah Thresher.
Lhabab Duchen, one of the four great holy days of the Buddhist calendar, took place this year on November 4 and meritorious activities took place around the world.
At Lawudo Gompa, Nepal, an incredible day of auspicious activities occurred and we share details of these events for great rejoicing.
Ven. Roger Kunsang offering body, speech, and mind mandala to Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s holy tooth relic in the Lawudo gompa, Lhabab Duchen, November 4, 2023. Photo by Ven. Sarah Thresher.
In the morning, fifty-five monks and nuns as well as the three main lamas in the valley—Thame Rinpoche, Charok Lama, and Kyarok Lama—along with locals and foreign guests gathered in the main gompa (with many lay people outside) to welcome a 15-inch gold stupa containing the most precious tooth relic from Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s holy body, which arrived with a procession from the blessed mountain cave. Ven. Roger Kunsang carried the relic led by the three lamas and accompanied by monks playing gyaling. Rinpoche’s relic arriving to Lawudo was an unbelievably auspicious event to occur on Lhabab Duchen.
Ven. Roger, Sangay (Rinpoche’s brother), and Anila Ngawang Samten (Rinpoche’s sister) each offered a body, speech, and mind mandala to Rinpoche’s holy relic.
Ven. Roger made a brief speech thanking everyone for coming and saying that there was no need to talk much about Rinpoche because everyone present knew that he was a great ascetic lama, completely selfless, who had made an enormous contribution and been very influential in spreading and preserving the Buddha’s teaching all around the world. Then he made offering to all the sangha and especially thanked Anila Ngawang Samten and Sangay and those who helped at Lawudo along with the artists who had completed the amazing 31-foot Amoghapasha painting on Drak Karma Cliff.
Ven. Roger Kunsang making offerings in the Lawudo gompa, Lhabab Duchen, November 4, 2023. Photo by Ven. Sarah Thresher.
Next was an elaborate tsog puja led by the three lamas and Thame monks.
Tsog puja in the Lawudo gompa on Lhabab Duchen. November 4, 2023. Photo by Ven. Tenzin Michael.
After lunch, the incredibly special holy objects were consecrated.
The Victory Stupa built for Lama Zopa Rinpoche at Lawudo. Photo by Ven. Tenzin Michael.
15-inch gold stupa containing Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s holy tooth relic. Photo by Ven. Tenzin Michael.
31-foot Amoghapasha painting on Drak Karma Cliff, Lawudo.
First, the Victory Stupa organized by Anila Ngawang Samten with the help of others for Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s swift return was consecrated by all three lamas.
Then, the consecration of Rinpoche’s holy tooth relic which resides in a 15-inch gold stupa.
Next, the Lawudo Lama Stupa, which was recently renovated, was consecrated by Charok Lama and monks.
At the same time, Kyarok Lama and younger monks consecrated the Amoghapasha painting on the cliff.
This magnificent painting was the expressed wish of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and is a truly remarkable achievement involving great risk and also great effort by many. To be completed in time for Lhabab Duchen, is simply remarkable.
Consecration of the new Victory Stupa for Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Lawudo, November 4, 2023. Thame Lama, Charok Lama, and Kyarok Lama join
the Thame monks. Photo by Ven. Tenzin Michael
Once the consecrations were complete, all of the lamas and monks returned to the gompa for prayers and dedications.
Following this, the local community offered mandala to Rinpoche’s throne and expressed their heartfelt gratitude to Lama Zopa Rinpoche and the entire FPMT organization for the contribution of aid offered during the earthquake of 2015 when many houses and ancient holy sites were damaged and destroyed.
Lhabab Duchen puja inside Lawudo gompa with Sangay Sherpa and Anila Ngawang Samten. Photo by Ven. Sarah Thresher.
The day’s activities concluded with Anila Ngawang Samten thanking those in attendance and Ven. Roger making offerings on behalf of the FPMT organization to those who had been helping actualize these unbelievably precious projects.
Please rejoice that these unimaginably auspicious activities were completed on Lhabab Duchen, such a powerful and holy day for these these unimaginably auspicious activities.
View from the Lawudo Lama’s cave, looking toward Thamserku. Photo by Ven. Sarah Thresher.
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.