The esteemed Tibetan Buddhist teacher and Dzogchen adept Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche will lead a Recitation of the Collected Words of the Buddha and Muni Mantra Accumulation from 18–24 March at Pal Thubten Shedrub Ling (also known as Thousand Buddha Temple) in Lumbini, Nepal, the birthplace of the Buddha, for the occasion of Chotrul Duchen.
“During the auspicious Miracle Month (Chatrul Dawa), a grand recitation of the precious Buddha’s words (Kangyur) will be held in Lumbini, along with [a] 100 million Muni Mantra Accumulation (Dung Drub)—the practice of the King of Dharaṇi Mantras, the source of all buddhas of the three times,” Rinpoche’s Shedrub community said in an announcement shared with BDG.
Interested practitioners are invited to take part between 18–24 March by accumulating Muni Mantra recitations at their own pace. Monks participating in the puja will be reciting the Kangyur on 18–21 March and will join the accumulation of Muni recitations on 22–24 March. The event will be live-streamed on Facebook, YouTube, and Zoom.
Chotrul Duchen, known as the Butter Lamp Festival, is one of four major Buddhist festival in the Tibetan lunar calendar that commemorate events in the life of Shakyamuni Buddha. Coming soon after Losar, the Tibetan New Year, Chotrul Duchen is held on the 15th day of the first month in the Tibetan calendar, during the full moon to celebrate the 15 days when Buddha is believed to have shown miracles for his disciples and followers who doubted his enlightenment. Chotrul Duchen was established in 1409 by revered tantric master Je Tsongkhapa at the Jokhang temple in Lhasa. Tibetan Buddhists believe that the effects of positive and negative actions taken during the festival are multiplied millions times.
“The aspirations for the Recitation of the Collected Words of the Buddha (Kangyur Dakdrok) and the 100 Million Muni Mantra Accumulation (Dung Drub) are that wars, epidemics, famines, and other calamities may be completely pacified; that all beings may live in peace, comfort, and prosperity with loving-kindness; that the precious teachings of the Omniscient Buddha may flourish, spread, and remain for generations; that His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the crown jewel of all Dharma holders, along with the lineage masters of all non-sectarian traditions, may enjoy long and stable lives, and that their vast activities in benefiting the Dharma and all sentient beings may continue to expand; and that monastic communities everywhere may be enriched in the three trainings—discipline, meditation, and wisdom—and that their activities in teaching, practice, and service may thrive,” Shedrub shared.
“May everyone rejoice in this noble and virtuous event and dedicate the merit for the benefit of all sentient beings.”
Tentative schedule (Nepal time):
Morning Session 1: 8am to 10am
Short Break: 10am to 10:15am
Morning Session 2: 10:15am to 12pm
Lunch Break: 12pm to 1:30pm
Afternoon Session 1: 1:30pm to 3pm
Short Break: 3pm to 3:15pm
Afternoon Session 2: 3:15pm to 5:30pm
Click here for full details on how to participate
Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche is considered to be one of the greatest living masters of the Dzogchen or “Great Perfection” tradition of Vajrayana Buddhism—a gentle yet imposing figure whose presence is one of warmth and compassion. The eldest son of the revered Dzogchen master Kyabje Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche and the devoted practitioner Kunsang Dechen, Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche was born in Tibet in 1951. He was recognized as the seventh incarnation of the Drikung Kagyu lama Gar Drubchen, a Tibetan mahasiddha and an emanation of the second-century Indian Buddhist philosopher Nagarjuna.
Following the invasion of Tibet, Rinpoche spent his youth in India, studying for 11 years under the care of His Holiness the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa at Rumtek Monastery. He also studied and practiced under the venerated masters Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Dudjom Rinpoche, Khunu Lama Tenzin Gyaltsen, as well as his own father, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche. In 1974, Rinpoche joined his parents in Kathmandu, where he assisted them in establishing Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling, a monastery on the outskirts of the city, just a short walk from the benevolent gaze of the venerable Boudhanath Stupa. Rinpoche became the abbot of Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling in 1976, at the age of just 25, and has since overseen the welfare and spiritual education of many hundreds of male and female monastics.
Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling, a dedicated sanctuary for studying and practicing the Buddhadharma, lies at the heart of Rinpoche’s growing mandala of Dharmic activities. Among his numerous initiatives and projects, Rinpoche, now 72 years old, has authored several books and founded a network of meditation centers around the world. In 1997, Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche established the Rangjung Yeshe Institute within the grounds of Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling. The institute affiliated with Kathmandu University in 2002 to form the Center for Buddhist Studies. Today, the center offers a range of courses at various levels, including BA, MA, and PhD degrees in Buddhist studies and Himalayan languages, with classes held at the monastery’s monastic college.
See more
Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche (Facebook)
Pal Thubten Shedrub Ling Monastery – Thousand Buddha Temple (Facebook)
Rangjung Yeshe Institute
Shedrub
DharmaSun
Recitation of the Collected Words of the Buddha &100 Million Muni Mantra Accumulation (Shedrub)
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