New Year 2021 At Lhodrak Kharchu

Iron Female Ox Year 2021

There are several days in a year which are remembered by us. I've no issues with any of the days and I enjoy almost every day equally but sometimes, once in a blue moon, it so happens that you do not want to forget some days for strong reasons. And I’ve a reasons why I should pen these particular days. Losar which translates into New Year is one of the most remarkable event's I've ever noticed. This year is Iron Female Ox Year according to calendar of Tibetan buddhism. Let's hope this new year brings peace and prosperity unlike its precedent. In our monastery, led my Kyabje Namkhai Nyingpo Rinpoche, the day got its real essence of calling it as Losar and I couldn't hold back but share with you guys those moments through this digital diary of mine. Hope you'll enjoy reading, at least I expect that way. 

Auspicious Soup

By the way this is not first day of the new year but people will begin from this day itself by drinking auspicious soup since it is the last day of the old year. 

Source: Tibetan Dictionary.

I went to try what kind of omens I've for the new year. Honestly I couldn't identify symbolic object neither asked anyone. I don't know if it got dissolved into dumpling? As per the symbolic objects I was in neither of them. I'm optimistic and consider it as a good omen only. 

Losar Day

It falls on the very first day of a new year. In our monastery, monks woke up early in the morning, performed Mipham Rinpoche's liturgical method for invoking the blessings of Shakyamuni Buddha, tara practice, three roots ritual and petition-offering to dharma protectors. His holiness also bestowed life empowerment of one of the Maha Siddhis Thangthong Gyalpo who explicitly got empowered at the celestial palace of Guru Rinpoche in Zangdo Pelri. H.H. briefed us how Drupthob lived 125 years after that. 

Flour blessing 

Last day or third day of a new year celebration is remembered for flour blessing. After performing lhasang (incense offering) some senior monks gathers at the courtyard and recite common chant and then toss flour in the open air. All the participants end up covering themselves with flour. Some goes to other places throwing flour at acquaintance and even at strangers. 

In one of the websites, (https://samyeinstitute.org/sangha-updates/losar-tibetan-new-year/) 'This shower of tsampa increases the prosperity, health, and happiness of sentient beings. It also raises ‘wind horse,’ or luck,  bringing forth auspicious circumstances.'

Pictures

I did not carry phone in the morning hours therefore first four pictures are copyright reserve of Kharchu Editorial Committee page in Facebook. 

Kyabje Namkhai Nyingpo Rinpoche Giving Blessing.

Devotees.

Monks and devotees in queue offering Tashi Delek to H.H.

Tshok.

Sumptuous Lunch.

Splendid Dining.

Monks dancing on Ko-Ka-Lay-Ko song. 

Serving Zaw.

Hot tea served.

Monks showering flour at private residence.

Jurmey and I escaped from monastery but we couldn't as they've managed to cover private residences. We were returning monastery after having lunch at my elder brother's house and fortunately or unfortunately those monks were on round throwing flour at anybody. I could hardly run away from, in my estimation, ten of them. They didn't spare us let alone householders. Of course it's blessings, to be precise. 

Spirituality And Lockdown 2.0

Linking Family Tree

I still remember my mother telling us how our generation would forget our ancestors and that she expected one of us to keep records. Alone, she would have written down a long list of names of her old parents and relatives, but only, if she was literated. I felt what she meant but I was not equipped at that time. Ever since I've always wanted to keep a records of our family's tree. On the contrary it was not going to be easy for me to keep lists of hundreds of people. I felt the need for right technology. I even tried browsing on Google but I failed. 

In 2015, one of my uncles, Pema Dendup, showed me a copy of several A4 sized papers in which he has recorded a history of our forefathers. He wanted me to proceed with digital recordings. I paid less heed to what he has done but I wanted to take those papers help. I was looking for a better way. I knew there would be better way to sort out messy stuff but I wasn't sure how to do until I came across Passu Diary's post few days ago. Going through the post I felt an immediate urge to dig out my family tree. And that's how it happened with a free software called Family Echo. So far I traced 79 people and they are all from mother's side. I have sent an invitation to cousins so that they can add their own lines of information. This tracing can continue.

It is quite interesting to know about Lama Sangay Wangdi who happened to be a maternal uncle of my maternal grandfather Dawa Chojey. 

https://kuenselonline.com/a-brief-history-of-yongla-goenpa-and-its-successive-lams/

Great Grandmother's family tree.

This was done with the help of an aunt who lives in Samtse. We consider her with the much information than rest of the family but when I asked her, it was not evident enough so I had to skip some of them but I'll keep on validating. Sadly I couldn't trace before great grand parent and I doubt whether I can go far from where I'm stuck. 

If you're bored amid lockdown, take this as a game and trace your family's tree. 

Once Again At Tharpaling Monastery

Group Photo

I would have never known sacredness of Tharpaling if I had not chosen my present path. I'm saying this to repent for not visiting during my school days when I had an ample of time. Now I'm so busy that I can't even remember most of my daily chores. This sounds quite funny but it is true. Hardly I can manage time for myself to treat Tharpaling's inscrutable energy. Neither can I express nor can you describe being around this place. Honestly, I can only recommend you to visit, once in your life, to taste what people gets when they go back from here. 

The place was initially blessed by Guru Rinpoche, later, prophetically, the number of interest of Buddhist priests visiting this place became a prominent both within and outside of country, especially Tibetans. One such figure that I fervently believe is The Great Longchen Rabjam who spent almost a decade’s time into exile. For me the synonym of Tharpaling is Longchenpa. (What is the literal meaning of Tharpaling?) What Longchenpa has achieved in his life is beyond sky and the earth. I, vehemently, say that we as a Buddhist owe this great practitioner in many aspects. There is no doubt that I beseech him like any other buddha's of three times. 

Therefore our class made a trip. This trip went so well that I instantly felt like blogging. 

I'll be forever indebted to certain group of people for their sponsorship without them this trip would have been nothing more than a plan. They’ll remain in our daily prayers. Some great masters of the past and present always said and says how lay practitioners can accumulate merits: patronage is one such kind of an act. It takes immeasurable amount of time to ripe one's acts & I just can't imagine when we might have started for this particular moment. It also requires perfect cause and condition to mesh together in order to ripe the fruits. Of course every moment of life flows in that cycle but most of the moments that we experience are not which allow us to do dharma. I've no other choice but to embrace and cherish a wonderful moment like this. 

Accompanied by Khenpo, few other seniors, patrons and some devotees, our class performed simple puja, essential tantric sacramental rite offering, inside Chodra Gompa. Our simple act was aimed to close session of the class which is done every year at this time. It was such a breathtaking moment for me to be in a holy place that too with a great purpose—service to sentient beings. Nearly two and half hours rite closed with a speech by our coordinator. We dispersed to visit holy sites after taking a lunch and a photo session. 

This time I couldn't visit any site’s. One reason is because I want to visit whenever I get time and feel as if I'm visiting for the first time. So I leave some of the sacred sites to unfold in my next trip what is known in Buddhist terminology as predisposition (བག་ཆགས). This time I sat along with three others in a small temple and did a recitation of one of the sacred scriptures composed by Longchen Rabjam at Gangri Thoekar in Tibet. Temple was enlarged later in an exact place where Longchenpa has spent time composing several books. I could feel the energy of great master. It has a collection of statues and other sacred items. I was lost in the presence of Longchenpa and didn't bother to ask anything beyond. Such is the power of my master Longchenpa! We spent almost an hour. 

It was 3:00 PM when I looked into my cellphone time. Many of our friends were busy visiting holy sites. I told them to get ready as soon as possible. They agreed. Since there was enough time, we thought why not take a walk before all the friends have assembled. I informed our bus driver that four of us would be walking ahead on the road. We talked all kinds of nonsense, walked nearly two hours, it started to get cold, and yet bus was not coming from behind. We reached Uruk village, met cow herders returning home with their cattle, saw some villagers busily greeting us while repairing fence and finally we heard roar of a bus in the distant. Not to my surprise, heard our friends singing songs in the bus, it was pretty dark by then. We hopped in. I recollected past memories when they sang a song that doesn't have beginning and end. Isn't it a refreshing moment away from our strict monastic rules? Some people would badmouthed for such behaviors but monks aren't that way all the time. We do but once in a blue moon. We are a human too, as I say oftentimes.

We have taken an oath to improve, we aren't improved. 

Every time I go to Tharpaling, I pray and wish to return again. 

Some of the photos from the trip

Performing Feast

Offering Feast Song

Lunch

Returning After A Feast Offering

Feast

The Funniest Monk I Know (and What He Taught Me About Life)

Friends, I haven’t told you yet about a friend who lives next to my room. I’d like to introduce him to you because I think you’ll like him. It has been exactly three years since we came to know each other. Not only the monks and students, but even the seniors know him because he’s such a hilarious guy. We call him Pemba, which, of course, is his real name.

But frankly speaking, this guy sometimes irritates me — and I’ll tell you how.

Every morning, Pemba knocks on my window while I’m busy with my prayers. When I look at him, he makes funny facial expressions just to amuse me. If I’m in a good mood, I smile; otherwise, he sees me differently. He never gets tired of entertaining me, though sometimes I get fed up with him. When I show an angry face, Pemba pretends to disappear, only to reappear once I’ve returned to my normal mood. Then again, I have to act as if I’ll jump down his throat just to avoid him from my sight — and that makes me giggle in the end. This is how the two of us greet each other.

You won’t believe the kind of stories Pemba has. I’ve heard many from him, but I won’t narrate them all here for certain reasons. What I’m going to share are just the highlights of his life so far.

Pemba lost his mother at a very young age and was raised by his father and elder siblings. Later, his father remarried and left, but Pemba never lacked affection under the care of his elder sister. Still, a mother is a mother — nothing can replace her. You and I both know that.

Despite his challenges, he was sent to school, though he was slower than most of his classmates. Pemba told me he had to repeat several grades. His friends of the same age moved ahead, and he had to cope with new batches each time — which he managed well.

His life took a different turn one day, and that changed everything. He was traveling between Zhemgang and Gelephu in his cousin’s car. When he regained consciousness, he found himself lying in a hospital bed and felt pain when he tried to move. When he asked his sister what had happened, she told him that he had survived a car accident two weeks earlier. He couldn’t tell me much beyond that because his memory didn’t go further back.

I would say luck turned in another form for him because that unforgettable incident pushed him onto the spiritual path.

It wasn’t easy for him, especially when he had to study and take examinations in the monastic school. Once, like any other monk, Pemba was sitting for an exam. But he got dismissed from the examination hall. He laughed hysterically when he told me how his teacher had whipped him that day. Why? His shaky hands didn’t allow him to write properly. He wrote only one word and filled the space meant for the entire name of the monastery! This infuriated his teacher. Logically, I don’t see any fault with Pemba — but that’s how life is. Unfair. There should have been better options for him. Is a written exam the only way to measure learning?

His story doesn’t end there. Pemba later enrolled in higher Buddhist studies, which meant he would have to face exams for the next ten years. He had to pass each grade to complete his studies on time, but it was obvious that he would struggle. Indeed, he tried — and failed — for two consecutive years. Since examinations are not the ultimate aim of Buddhist studies, he was granted special consideration and exempted from the most dreaded challenge of his life.

Today, he attends classes regularly and receives oral transmissions. I often see him holding a pen, mostly scribbling. He also practices jaling (the Tibetan trumpet). He believes that if one cannot enjoy the fruit of success in this life, there’s always the next.

To me — and perhaps to you, too — such a life might seem difficult. But the way my neighbour handles his life is truly awe-inspiring. I feel that his stories are meant to uplift me whenever I feel low.

Living With Fear

I do not remember when was the first time a fear has pinched me but learning philosophies to greater heights makes me to believe that fear was already in me from a time immemorial. It is quite crazy but then that's the fact. Needless to say, you and I've experienced fear in some point of our life. Isn't it? It is the fear of getting something, losing something, departing from dear one's, meeting unknowns, so on and on. Despite going through such kind of unpleasant feeling, we have lived our life, at least I consider that way and adjusted in every situations. Considering the fact, it is fear that shaped us and pushed us to arena of fearlessness. Maybe maybe not, as you read the lines on fear, your adrenaline rush gets activated for a valid reason that in one point of life you went through FEAR. Sharing your old memories gives you strength to face fear. Don't have to believe me. Go on and give a try. 

What's my biggest fear in life? Ask yourself. 

If truth be told, there was never a time in my life without fear, to make a long story short, at this moment, my fear is; are my sentences arranged correctly, what will others think if I write this way, am I justifying the meaning of fear as per other people's beliefs. Actually these thoughts keeps me going forward. Are the thoughts, which strikes me time and again, necessary? Not all thoughts are necessary but remember they're all part of journey. There is only one thing and that is to move with thoughts--thoughts of fear! 

Let me share an incident in my life that I have never forgotten till date. On the first day of my school, more than two decades passed, I wept like any pampered child would do. But I do not find any specific reasons on why I silently erupted into crying the very moment when I saw mother at a little distances away from me. It surely was a fear but what kind of fear? Right after assembly got over, I ran off to my mother and burst out into a louder cry. She patted at my back with a consoling touch and that I'll have learn to face fear in life. Those soothing touch from mothers' are the best remedy to heal any kind of wounds. Later I realised that mother's love isn't spoken often and that they can touch you even when they gaze. As of now, this is my oldest known incident which I can relate.

Simple Hot Stone Bath

What if I told you that we went for hot stone bath today? Normally this kind of bath are taken in winter and rarely one will come across a situation like ours. Any ways, ours was another unprepared plan and also for the fact that it is a month of sundays and I didn't want to waste it doing regular chores. It was also last night that I felt like bathing in a traditional way—which not only cleanse physical dirt but inner too. In brief, it cleanses diseases, so, many in the past had used this for that purpose. And I couldn't stop myself from believing as I've to go through such pains which needed immediate cure too.

Stupa on the way

But Today, in the early morning, I never thought we would manage to go since the weather was unfavorable. Slowly it became clear to me that today is the day. Of course I should not be too quick to judge weather as it is known for unpredictable from time immemorial. However, three of us decided to go to a stream below  the monastery where Gelongma Palmo is believed to have spent sometimes doing meditation. I was told earlier by friends about the menchu, I saw some monks going there for the same reason and frankly speaking, I was waiting for the right moment to knock. Glad to have done it today. Wow!

Stone's being roasted 

For many, at least I assume, taking hot stone bath seems to be expensive. If you read how we did, you'll not only be surprised but also want to try it as the earliest. By the way, this was my first try. 

Three basic things are, match box, knife (or axe if you prefer) and firewood. Rest we can adjust after reaching spot. But for us, we had to search firewood from nearby places and luckily we got enough to roast the stones. Otherwise it will be hard to get, especially dried logs in monsoon season. One of my friends had previous experiences and this eased us. He failed several attempts before making a fire as everything was wet. I washed tub while another one vanished into bushes to find extra firewood. It was also teamwork with mutual understanding that quickened our process. After roasting stones for more than 2hrs, I took the first chance to dip into tub and experience a wonderful medicinal bath I’ve ever tried. I was told that even lesser stones can easily heat the water in the tub if the stones are heated longer. It depends on stone's to heat the water. They've a direct proportion. Longer the stone heated means faster the chances of getting water hot. Adding artemisia plant make’s the bath aromatic one. 

Bath Tub

We should have taken hot tea and snacks, I wished on that tub. None of us carried any eatable items. It was heavy breakfast that kept us strong till noon. Maybe that's why we were not concerned about not bringing edibles. I would prefer to carry next time. 

After soaking for nearly an hour, I offered two friends who were waiting and were busy roasting stones. When I stepped out from the tub, as informed by a friend, giddiness caught me for few seconds. Could be a blessing in disguise? Because, usually, orally, religiously, I was told about such symptoms and it occur only when it works with your ailment. Maybe I heard it wrong. 

Relaxing myself

I pray this medicinal bath cures me in every sense. 

Finally, we finished everything and took lunch around 2:00 PM at my brother's home.