The enthronment ceremony of Gyuto monastery’s 128th abbot Gangkar Choktrul Rinpoche at the Gyuto monastery.
Sidhbari: On 26 February, Secretary Chime Tseyang of Religion and Culture attended the enthronment ceremony of the 128th abbot Gangkar Choktrul Rinpoche at the Gyuto monastery.
Also present, were senior officials of the CTA, Parliamentarians, and other guests.
The ceremony began with the offering of mandala and ceremonial scarves to the Khenrinpoche by the guests.
Since Bomdila is located near the border between Tibet andIndia, there were great restrictions on travelling and other activities in the area. Moreover, due to its remoteness, the monks faced many severe problems when they become sick and travelling within and outside of the area. Therefore, under the guidance of His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, a plan was made to relocate the monastery to Dharamshala. However, the plan could not be implemented immediately due to various problems.
Fortunately, in 1989 when His Holiness the Dalai Lama was awarded theNobel Peace Prize, with the financial donation from the Sarasvati Dharma Centre in Japan, a stone pillar was installed at Sidhbari, near Kangra, as a tribute to His Holiness the Dalai Lama for his undaunted effort toward global peace and harmony. At the same time, a monastery was built on the site.
In 1996, His Holiness inaugurated the monastery and the pillar. For the sake of sentient beings His Holinessthe 17th Karmapa UgyenTrinleyDorjePelSangpohas been staying at GyutoTantric Monastery since 2000. All the members of the GyutoTantric Monastery feel themselves very fortunate to have GyalwaKarmapa Rinpocheat the monastery.
In 2003, after the completion of monks’quarters at the new Gyuto monastery, all the monks of the Gyutomonastery at Bomdilamoved to the new monastery. Under the kind guidance and leadership of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the monastery practises the traditional tantric practicesof the Gyuto Tantric Monastery and does not go against the wishes of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The monastery strictly followsthe ritual traditions of Guhyasamaja, Chakrasamvara andVajrabhairava deities. Teaching and learning of sutra and tantra are done in proper manner in accordance with the monastic rules. The Honourable Abbot, lamas and monks in general of the monastery share pure and unstained relationship between them.
At present, the monastery has about five hundred monks in all, including its own lamas, tulkus, teachers, kye-rimpa students and monks who have come from Tibet, Mongolia, Ladakh, Sikkim, Mon, Spiti and other places, besides monks with Geshe degree who have come from the three great monasteries of Geluk School, Ratomonastery and othermonasteriesto study here.
-Filed by the Department of Religion and Culture, CTA
Secretary Chime Tseyang of Religion and Culture pays obeisance to the Khenrinpoche.
Senior CTA officials, Parliamentarians and others were present at the ceremony.
