Japanese thronged in droves Tibetan Spiritual Festival

Tuesday, 15 May 2007, 2:54 p.m.

Monks performing cham.

Tokyo: The nine-day Tibetan Spiritual Festival organized by Tokyo Tibet House concluded successfully on 6 May at the Gokokuji Temple.

Planned during the famous Japanese golden week holiday with the active support of the Gokokuji, a well-known Japanese Temple in the heart of Tokyo, the main objective of the event was to foster better religious and cultural interactions between Japanese and Tibetans. The entrance to the festival was therefore free–albeit people were generous in their offerings.

Jado Rinpoche performing fire puja

People from all walks of life thronged the spacious compound of Gokokuji Temple throughout the festival. With colorful lungta prayer flags hoisted all around it, the Temple oozed a rare spiritual aura. Furthermore, the large presence of Tibetan and Japanese monks, along with young volunteers in Tibetan chupas, presented a majestic spectacle.

During the festival, Ven Jado Rinpoche presided over the empowerment teachings and Goma rite, fire ritual offering. Geshe Tashi conducted a workshop on meditation. Eight Dzongkar Chode monks headed by Ponlob Zoepa la constructed the Medicine Buddha`s sandmandala, and performed Cham, Tibetan religious dance.

People from all walks of life packed the main temple to attend the teachings

Ven Jadho Rinpoche also gave empowerment and teaching on the Medicine Buddha and Fudomyo to a select group of Japanese monks and devotees. The chief priest of the Gokokuji Temple and the monks too participated in the teaching. A long queue was formed to get in the Jinsek puja conducted by the Rinpoche.

Geshi Tashi la`s meditation session remained crowded throughout the workshop. Tibetan sandmandala at the Gokokuji`s main Temple, its destruction at the end of festival followed by its dissolution in the Edo river inspired great spiritual devotion among the people. Despite the rain on the last day, people flocked to watch the Cham dance and to receive a few grains of the consecrated sand.

The photo exhibition showcased Tibet.

To get the feel of Tibet, a well-known Tibetologist conducted a photo exhibition on Tibet. Her work drew good crowd and allowed the public to see the majestic beauty of Tibetan landscape and its people. Volunteers maintained a stall where butter tea and Khase, Tibetan cookies were also sold. Tibet related institutions managed booth to sell Tibetan merchandise, accessories, ritual items and books. The shops did a very good business. It was estimated that some 30,000 people visited the event. People from neighboring prefectures of Saitama, Tochigeken, Aiichiken etc. also came for the event. Some people came all the way from Osaka. `It was a golden opportunity to have a feel of Tibet during this golden week` remarked one of the visitors.

Without the cooperation of Gokokuji Temple and the hard work of the volunteers, the festival may not have been a success. The volunteers worked very hard. `Although I had a tough time, I got a feeling of elevation as if it was a spiritual awakening.` Commented one of the volunteers. Many volunteers saw this opportunity as more of spiritual practice to accumulate merit. On the last day of the event, Mr. Chope, Representive of His Holiness the Dalai Lama for Japan thanked the Gokokuji Temple, the monks and the volunteers for their full hearted support and said, `We are all student of the same teacher Buddha Shakyamuni, it was a good to work together and to live up to his teaching.` Chief priest of the Gokokuji Temple expressed complete satisfaction and happiness at the warm response from the general public to the festival. Many people requested that such event be organized every year to bring peace and harmony, and to bring better understanding of the Lord Buddha`s teaching.

The monks left for Hokkaido on 8th May to conduct a similar Festival there for a week with the support of Himalayan Club at Sapporo Narita Betsuin.

–By Tsewang Gyalpo Arya, Tibet House