Dear Sangha,
This August I will return to Tibet for the second time since I escaped during the Chinese conquest in 1959. This time, as before, I will visit monasteries that I have been associated with in this and past lifetimes: Kathog Gonpa, Chagdud Gonpa, Tromge Gonpa and Tenphel Gonpa.
These monasteries have suffered various degrees of destruction and disruption during the conquest and the subsequent cultural revolution. Tromge Gonpa was razed to the ground and all its books, statues and puja instruments destroyed or lost; Kathog was likewise devastated. The buildings of Tenphel Gonpa were allowed to stand but their contents were destroyed and the teaching lineage was disrupted by the killing of many of its lamas. Chagdud Gonpa fared best. Its buildings are still standing, its contents are intact and its lamas–who were repressed and imprisoned but not executed–are still present there.
The forces of impermanence often give us cause for sorrow and regret, yet we should remember that evil and darkness are subject to impermanence, too. Now there are many positive changes in Tibet. During my last trip in 1987, I was extremely happy to see that as soon as the Chinese gave them the opportunity, the Tibetans–with great faith and generosity–were resuming lama training, rebuilding monasteries, painstakingly carving new woodblocks for texts and sculpting new statues. Amazingly, none of the skill and craftsmanship has been lost. Tromge Gonpa, for example, is being rebuilt better than before. Nevertheless, there is much to do, and I am very fortunate to be in a position to make substantial personal offerings during this trip. I also hope to establish an association for the ongoing connection with and support of these monasteries, and if possible, to open the way for others to visit them in the future.
Now, as I set off on this long trip which will keep me away until the end of the year, my prayers and best wishes are with you. Do not overlook any opportunity to practice virtue; always watch carefully the workings of your own mind.
In the dharma,
Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche
Dear Sangha,
This August I will return to Tibet for the second time since I escaped during the Chinese conquest in 1959. This time, as before, I will visit monasteries that I have been associated with in this and past lifetimes: Kathog Gonpa, Chagdud Gonpa, Tromge Gonpa and Tenphel Gonpa.
These monasteries have suffered various degrees of destruction and disruption during the conquest and the subsequent cultural revolution. Tromge Gonpa was razed to the ground and all its books, statues and puja instruments destroyed or lost; Kathog was likewise devastated. The buildings of Tenphel Gonpa were allowed to stand but their contents were destroyed and the teaching lineage was disrupted by the killing of many of its lamas. Chagdud Gonpa fared best. Its buildings are still standing, its contents are intact and its lamas–who were repressed and imprisoned but not executed–are still present there.
The forces of impermanence often give us cause for sorrow and regret, yet we should remember that evil and darkness are subject to impermanence, too. Now there are many positive changes in Tibet. During my last trip in 1987, I was extremely happy to see that as soon as the Chinese gave them the opportunity, the Tibetans–with great faith and generosity–were resuming lama training, rebuilding monasteries, painstakingly carving new woodblocks for texts and sculpting new statues. Amazingly, none of the skill and craftsmanship has been lost. Tromge Gonpa, for example, is being rebuilt better than before. Nevertheless, there is much to do, and I am very fortunate to be in a position to make substantial personal offerings during this trip. I also hope to establish an association for the ongoing connection with and support of these monasteries, and if possible, to open the way for others to visit them in the future.
Now, as I set off on this long trip which will keep me away until the end of the year, my prayers and best wishes are with you. Do not overlook any opportunity to practice virtue; always watch carefully the workings of your own mind.
In the dharma,
Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche
Dear Sangha,
This August I will return to Tibet for the second time since I escaped during the Chinese conquest in 1959. This time, as before, I will visit monasteries that I have been associated with in this and past lifetimes: Kathog Gonpa, Chagdud Gonpa, Tromge Gonpa and Tenphel Gonpa.
These monasteries have suffered various degrees of destruction and disruption during the conquest and the subsequent cultural revolution. Tromge Gonpa was razed to the ground and all its books, statues and puja instruments destroyed or lost; Kathog was likewise devastated. The buildings of Tenphel Gonpa were allowed to stand but their contents were destroyed and the teaching lineage was disrupted by the killing of many of its lamas. Chagdud Gonpa fared best. Its buildings are still standing, its contents are intact and its lamas–who were repressed and imprisoned but not executed–are still present there.
The forces of impermanence often give us cause for sorrow and regret, yet we should remember that evil and darkness are subject to impermanence, too. Now there are many positive changes in Tibet. During my last trip in 1987, I was extremely happy to see that as soon as the Chinese gave them the opportunity, the Tibetans–with great faith and generosity–were resuming lama training, rebuilding monasteries, painstakingly carving new woodblocks for texts and sculpting new statues. Amazingly, none of the skill and craftsmanship has been lost. Tromge Gonpa, for example, is being rebuilt better than before. Nevertheless, there is much to do, and I am very fortunate to be in a position to make substantial personal offerings during this trip. I also hope to establish an association for the ongoing connection with and support of these monasteries, and if possible, to open the way for others to visit them in the future.
Now, as I set off on this long trip which will keep me away until the end of the year, my prayers and best wishes are with you. Do not overlook any opportunity to practice virtue; always watch carefully the workings of your own mind.
In the dharma,
Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche
Dear Sangha,
This August I will return to Tibet for the second time since I escaped during the Chinese conquest in 1959. This time, as before, I will visit monasteries that I have been associated with in this and past lifetimes: Kathog Gonpa, Chagdud Gonpa, Tromge Gonpa and Tenphel Gonpa.
These monasteries have suffered various degrees of destruction and disruption during the conquest and the subsequent cultural revolution. Tromge Gonpa was razed to the ground and all its books, statues and puja instruments destroyed or lost; Kathog was likewise devastated. The buildings of Tenphel Gonpa were allowed to stand but their contents were destroyed and the teaching lineage was disrupted by the killing of many of its lamas. Chagdud Gonpa fared best. Its buildings are still standing, its contents are intact and its lamas–who were repressed and imprisoned but not executed–are still present there.
The forces of impermanence often give us cause for sorrow and regret, yet we should remember that evil and darkness are subject to impermanence, too. Now there are many positive changes in Tibet. During my last trip in 1987, I was extremely happy to see that as soon as the Chinese gave them the opportunity, the Tibetans–with great faith and generosity–were resuming lama training, rebuilding monasteries, painstakingly carving new woodblocks for texts and sculpting new statues. Amazingly, none of the skill and craftsmanship has been lost. Tromge Gonpa, for example, is being rebuilt better than before. Nevertheless, there is much to do, and I am very fortunate to be in a position to make substantial personal offerings during this trip. I also hope to establish an association for the ongoing connection with and support of these monasteries, and if possible, to open the way for others to visit them in the future.
Now, as I set off on this long trip which will keep me away until the end of the year, my prayers and best wishes are with you. Do not overlook any opportunity to practice virtue; always watch carefully the workings of your own mind.
In the dharma,
Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche
Dear Sangha,
This August I will return to Tibet for the second time since I escaped during the Chinese conquest in 1959. This time, as before, I will visit monasteries that I have been associated with in this and past lifetimes: Kathog Gonpa, Chagdud Gonpa, Tromge Gonpa and Tenphel Gonpa.
These monasteries have suffered various degrees of destruction and disruption during the conquest and the subsequent cultural revolution. Tromge Gonpa was razed to the ground and all its books, statues and puja instruments destroyed or lost; Kathog was likewise devastated. The buildings of Tenphel Gonpa were allowed to stand but their contents were destroyed and the teaching lineage was disrupted by the killing of many of its lamas. Chagdud Gonpa fared best. Its buildings are still standing, its contents are intact and its lamas–who were repressed and imprisoned but not executed–are still present there.
The forces of impermanence often give us cause for sorrow and regret, yet we should remember that evil and darkness are subject to impermanence, too. Now there are many positive changes in Tibet. During my last trip in 1987, I was extremely happy to see that as soon as the Chinese gave them the opportunity, the Tibetans–with great faith and generosity–were resuming lama training, rebuilding monasteries, painstakingly carving new woodblocks for texts and sculpting new statues. Amazingly, none of the skill and craftsmanship has been lost. Tromge Gonpa, for example, is being rebuilt better than before. Nevertheless, there is much to do, and I am very fortunate to be in a position to make substantial personal offerings during this trip. I also hope to establish an association for the ongoing connection with and support of these monasteries, and if possible, to open the way for others to visit them in the future.
Now, as I set off on this long trip which will keep me away until the end of the year, my prayers and best wishes are with you. Do not overlook any opportunity to practice virtue; always watch carefully the workings of your own mind.
In the dharma,
Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche
