Thousands Flock to Hear Samdhong Rinpoche’s Teachings at Mundgod

By Susan Laidlaw and Mary Trewartha / November 25, 2015;

His Eminence Professor Samdhong Rinpoche held a series of teachings and activities to offer guidance and support to over 2,500 people attending from the Tibetan settlement Mundgod Dhueguling in Southern India from November 3 – 15, as well as visiting monasteries and universities there.

Teaching at the school of Snowland Tibetan studies, Gyudme
Photo:samdhonginpoche.com

Rinpoche inaugurated the formal opening of the newly built Congregation Hall at Phunkhang Khangtsen on October 29. The Congregation Hall houses the Holy Represents (images, paintings, and other artefacts) and the residential quarters of the ordained. Over two days His Eminence gave daily teachings in the Congregation Hall on Jey Tsongkhapa’s text The Foundation of All Excellent Qualities. On the last day of these teachings, which were attended by over two thousand ordained and lay people,he concluded by giving specific advice to monastic scholar practitioners.

From Phukhang Khangtsen, Ripoche went to Drepung Loseling Monastic University to give a 12-day commentarial teaching on Nagarjuna’s The Fundamental Wisdom and Buddhapalita’s Buddhapālita.

A celebration for Rinpoche’s birthday, which fell during the teaching on November 5, was organised by the university and a general congregation of sangha held a session of prayers and supplication to request long life for His Eminence. Later, officials of the monastic university gathered for a formal function to express gratitude to Rinpoche and reiterate wishes for his long life.

During the 12-day teachings Ripoche was able to fulfill many requests for teachings and blessings and transmissions on a variety of specific texts and practices. He also visited the whole-night dialectical debate on the Middle View at Drepung Loseling Monastic University. Also in attendance there were His Eminence Gadhen Tri-Rinpoche, the Honourable Abbot and Honourable Former Abbots.

Rinpoche with Ganden Tripa Rinpoch, the supreme head of the Gelugpa Buddhist tradition
Photo:samdhongrinpoche.com

At the invitation of Sangbum Rinpoche, Samdhong Rinpoche visited Sangbum Ladrang, where he was offered a long life ceremony with a Mandala offering, and an offering of enlightened Body, Speech and Mind. He led a Lama Choepa Tsog Offering (Delighting Teachers Offering rites), along with the Re-emanated lamas (Tulkus) of Drepung Loseling and later gave guidance and instruction to the incoming new Administrative Officials of the Monastic University.

At the request of Drepung Tsawa Khangtsen (Tsawa Residential Department), Rinpoche bestowed the permission-empowerment of White Manjushri, in the system of the teacher Mation November 17, and later bestowed the blessing-transmissions of Saying Manjushri Names and the Praise to Manjushri Your Intelligence.

The following day, Rinpoche gave a guidance talk at the Great Dialectical Meet,Middle View and Perfection of Wisdom. This was organised on behalf of all Gelug, in celebration of the 80th Birth Anniversary of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and in remembrance of His Holiness’s kindness. Also present at the event were His Eminence Gadhen Tri-Rinpoche, the Honourable Abbots and the Honourable Former Abbots of Gadhen Monastic University and Drepung Monastic University. The same morning, Professor Samdhong Rinpoche gave a guidance talk at Gadhen Jangtse School on the unique heritage of Tibet and the benefits of studying Buddhist teachings.

Rinpoche then formally launched the school’s children’s cartoon stories Wonders of the World and later headed to the School of Snowland Studies, Gyudme, for further programmes there.

Professor Samdhong Lobsang Tenzin is the fifth Samdhong Rinpoche. He was born in 1939 in Jol, Eastern Tibet and recognised as the reincarnation of 4th Samdhong Rinpoche at the age of five, and enthroned in GadenDechenling Monastery at Jol.He fled to exile in 1959 and the following year received the Bhiksu ordination from His Holiness the Dalai Lama at Bodh Gaya Stupa. He has devoted his life to religious teachings and served in the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, becoming its first democratically elected leader, or KalonTripa, between 2001 and 2011.