While we were circumambulating the Great Stupa in Boudhanath one evening, my husband, Lama Yontan, suddenly stopped and said, "Follow me, I want to show you something." I was somewhat taken aback, because it was very pleasant there: the Stupa in Boudha is a haven from the noise and traffic of Kathmandu. Vehicles are not allowed in the area, although an occasional motorcycle passes by. The environment is quite vivid and magical, andone has the feeling, "This is the navel of the world; why go anywhere else?"
Nevertheless, Lama Yontan set off at a brisk pace toward the main gate and Boudha Road, and I followed. Now, Boudha Road is the antithesis of the Stupa. There the air is blue from toxic clouds of vehicle exhaust. People wear masks or scarfs over their mouths and noses. At this time of evening the sidewalk is crowded with pedestrians going home or buying last-minute items for supper. Lama Yontan parted the waves and I followed behind, muttering, "This had better be good."
About six or seven blocks up Boudha Road we went into a house and up several flights of stairs, where we found a Tibetan woman and a number of children. The woman was very friendly and led us into a room filled with venerable shrines and books, the walls darkened with incense smoke. She asked us to sit down, then went to the shrine and reverently took out a heavy silver frame, which she put on the table in front of us. Enclosed in the frame was a bone of the great practitioner T'hang Tong Gyalpo, and in the bone was a perfect little statue of thousand armed Chenrezig, the bodhisattva of compassion, on a high stemmed lotus blossom. There was a feeling of pristine purity about this object unlike anything I have ever encountered.
T'hang Tong Gyalpo was famous throughout Tibet for his great strength and engineering skills. Although he lived a few hundred years ago, the iron bridges he built were still in use when the Communists invaded Tibet and may continue to be used today. T'hang Tong Gyalpo was a great terton, or discoverer of hidden teachings called terma, who both revealed and concealed terma for future generations. His main practice was that of Chenrezig. A young incarnation of this great master is said to be currently living in Bhutan.
When T'hang Tong Gyalpo died, his physical body did not decay, an occurrence that often indicates successful meditation practice. At the time of the Communist takeover, it was decided that in order to avoid mutilation by the invaders the great yogi's body should be cremated. After the body was burned, this exquisite relic was found in one of the vertebrae. The relic was carried to Nepal by the family in whose house we were now visiting. Well aware of its preciousness, the family made a vow to show it to anyone who wished to see it, at any time.
We sat for a while, contemplating how much practice T'hang Tong Gyalpo must have done and what immaculate motivation he must have had inorder for this spontaneous, self arising image of Chenrezig to have appeared in his bones. Then we offered kataks (offering scarves), thanked our gracious hosts, and departed. How wonderful! T'hang Tong Gyalpo, the great bridge builder, is still building bridges across time and space to the hearts and minds of people in this age.
Lama Inge Zangmo
While we were circumambulating the Great Stupa in Boudhanath one evening, my husband, Lama Yontan, suddenly stopped and said, "Follow me, I want to show you something." I was somewhat taken aback, because it was very pleasant there: the Stupa in Boudha is a haven from the noise and traffic of Kathmandu. Vehicles are not allowed in the area, although an occasional motorcycle passes by. The environment is quite vivid and magical, andone has the feeling, "This is the navel of the world; why go anywhere else?"
Nevertheless, Lama Yontan set off at a brisk pace toward the main gate and Boudha Road, and I followed. Now, Boudha Road is the antithesis of the Stupa. There the air is blue from toxic clouds of vehicle exhaust. People wear masks or scarfs over their mouths and noses. At this time of evening the sidewalk is crowded with pedestrians going home or buying last-minute items for supper. Lama Yontan parted the waves and I followed behind, muttering, "This had better be good."
About six or seven blocks up Boudha Road we went into a house and up several flights of stairs, where we found a Tibetan woman and a number of children. The woman was very friendly and led us into a room filled with venerable shrines and books, the walls darkened with incense smoke. She asked us to sit down, then went to the shrine and reverently took out a heavy silver frame, which she put on the table in front of us. Enclosed in the frame was a bone of the great practitioner T'hang Tong Gyalpo, and in the bone was a perfect little statue of thousand armed Chenrezig, the bodhisattva of compassion, on a high stemmed lotus blossom. There was a feeling of pristine purity about this object unlike anything I have ever encountered.
T'hang Tong Gyalpo was famous throughout Tibet for his great strength and engineering skills. Although he lived a few hundred years ago, the iron bridges he built were still in use when the Communists invaded Tibet and may continue to be used today. T'hang Tong Gyalpo was a great terton, or discoverer of hidden teachings called terma, who both revealed and concealed terma for future generations. His main practice was that of Chenrezig. A young incarnation of this great master is said to be currently living in Bhutan.
When T'hang Tong Gyalpo died, his physical body did not decay, an occurrence that often indicates successful meditation practice. At the time of the Communist takeover, it was decided that in order to avoid mutilation by the invaders the great yogi's body should be cremated. After the body was burned, this exquisite relic was found in one of the vertebrae. The relic was carried to Nepal by the family in whose house we were now visiting. Well aware of its preciousness, the family made a vow to show it to anyone who wished to see it, at any time.
We sat for a while, contemplating how much practice T'hang Tong Gyalpo must have done and what immaculate motivation he must have had inorder for this spontaneous, self arising image of Chenrezig to have appeared in his bones. Then we offered kataks (offering scarves), thanked our gracious hosts, and departed. How wonderful! T'hang Tong Gyalpo, the great bridge builder, is still building bridges across time and space to the hearts and minds of people in this age.
Lama Inge Zangmo
While we were circumambulating the Great Stupa in Boudhanath one evening, my husband, Lama Yontan, suddenly stopped and said, "Follow me, I want to show you something." I was somewhat taken aback, because it was very pleasant there: the Stupa in Boudha is a haven from the noise and traffic of Kathmandu. Vehicles are not allowed in the area, although an occasional motorcycle passes by. The environment is quite vivid and magical, andone has the feeling, "This is the navel of the world; why go anywhere else?"
Nevertheless, Lama Yontan set off at a brisk pace toward the main gate and Boudha Road, and I followed. Now, Boudha Road is the antithesis of the Stupa. There the air is blue from toxic clouds of vehicle exhaust. People wear masks or scarfs over their mouths and noses. At this time of evening the sidewalk is crowded with pedestrians going home or buying last-minute items for supper. Lama Yontan parted the waves and I followed behind, muttering, "This had better be good."
About six or seven blocks up Boudha Road we went into a house and up several flights of stairs, where we found a Tibetan woman and a number of children. The woman was very friendly and led us into a room filled with venerable shrines and books, the walls darkened with incense smoke. She asked us to sit down, then went to the shrine and reverently took out a heavy silver frame, which she put on the table in front of us. Enclosed in the frame was a bone of the great practitioner T'hang Tong Gyalpo, and in the bone was a perfect little statue of thousand armed Chenrezig, the bodhisattva of compassion, on a high stemmed lotus blossom. There was a feeling of pristine purity about this object unlike anything I have ever encountered.
T'hang Tong Gyalpo was famous throughout Tibet for his great strength and engineering skills. Although he lived a few hundred years ago, the iron bridges he built were still in use when the Communists invaded Tibet and may continue to be used today. T'hang Tong Gyalpo was a great terton, or discoverer of hidden teachings called terma, who both revealed and concealed terma for future generations. His main practice was that of Chenrezig. A young incarnation of this great master is said to be currently living in Bhutan.
When T'hang Tong Gyalpo died, his physical body did not decay, an occurrence that often indicates successful meditation practice. At the time of the Communist takeover, it was decided that in order to avoid mutilation by the invaders the great yogi's body should be cremated. After the body was burned, this exquisite relic was found in one of the vertebrae. The relic was carried to Nepal by the family in whose house we were now visiting. Well aware of its preciousness, the family made a vow to show it to anyone who wished to see it, at any time.
We sat for a while, contemplating how much practice T'hang Tong Gyalpo must have done and what immaculate motivation he must have had inorder for this spontaneous, self arising image of Chenrezig to have appeared in his bones. Then we offered kataks (offering scarves), thanked our gracious hosts, and departed. How wonderful! T'hang Tong Gyalpo, the great bridge builder, is still building bridges across time and space to the hearts and minds of people in this age.
Lama Inge Zangmo
While we were circumambulating the Great Stupa in Boudhanath one evening, my husband, Lama Yontan, suddenly stopped and said, "Follow me, I want to show you something." I was somewhat taken aback, because it was very pleasant there: the Stupa in Boudha is a haven from the noise and traffic of Kathmandu. Vehicles are not allowed in the area, although an occasional motorcycle passes by. The environment is quite vivid and magical, andone has the feeling, "This is the navel of the world; why go anywhere else?"
Nevertheless, Lama Yontan set off at a brisk pace toward the main gate and Boudha Road, and I followed. Now, Boudha Road is the antithesis of the Stupa. There the air is blue from toxic clouds of vehicle exhaust. People wear masks or scarfs over their mouths and noses. At this time of evening the sidewalk is crowded with pedestrians going home or buying last-minute items for supper. Lama Yontan parted the waves and I followed behind, muttering, "This had better be good."
About six or seven blocks up Boudha Road we went into a house and up several flights of stairs, where we found a Tibetan woman and a number of children. The woman was very friendly and led us into a room filled with venerable shrines and books, the walls darkened with incense smoke. She asked us to sit down, then went to the shrine and reverently took out a heavy silver frame, which she put on the table in front of us. Enclosed in the frame was a bone of the great practitioner T'hang Tong Gyalpo, and in the bone was a perfect little statue of thousand armed Chenrezig, the bodhisattva of compassion, on a high stemmed lotus blossom. There was a feeling of pristine purity about this object unlike anything I have ever encountered.
T'hang Tong Gyalpo was famous throughout Tibet for his great strength and engineering skills. Although he lived a few hundred years ago, the iron bridges he built were still in use when the Communists invaded Tibet and may continue to be used today. T'hang Tong Gyalpo was a great terton, or discoverer of hidden teachings called terma, who both revealed and concealed terma for future generations. His main practice was that of Chenrezig. A young incarnation of this great master is said to be currently living in Bhutan.
When T'hang Tong Gyalpo died, his physical body did not decay, an occurrence that often indicates successful meditation practice. At the time of the Communist takeover, it was decided that in order to avoid mutilation by the invaders the great yogi's body should be cremated. After the body was burned, this exquisite relic was found in one of the vertebrae. The relic was carried to Nepal by the family in whose house we were now visiting. Well aware of its preciousness, the family made a vow to show it to anyone who wished to see it, at any time.
We sat for a while, contemplating how much practice T'hang Tong Gyalpo must have done and what immaculate motivation he must have had inorder for this spontaneous, self arising image of Chenrezig to have appeared in his bones. Then we offered kataks (offering scarves), thanked our gracious hosts, and departed. How wonderful! T'hang Tong Gyalpo, the great bridge builder, is still building bridges across time and space to the hearts and minds of people in this age.
Lama Inge Zangmo
While we were circumambulating the Great Stupa in Boudhanath one evening, my husband, Lama Yontan, suddenly stopped and said, "Follow me, I want to show you something." I was somewhat taken aback, because it was very pleasant there: the Stupa in Boudha is a haven from the noise and traffic of Kathmandu. Vehicles are not allowed in the area, although an occasional motorcycle passes by. The environment is quite vivid and magical, andone has the feeling, "This is the navel of the world; why go anywhere else?"
Nevertheless, Lama Yontan set off at a brisk pace toward the main gate and Boudha Road, and I followed. Now, Boudha Road is the antithesis of the Stupa. There the air is blue from toxic clouds of vehicle exhaust. People wear masks or scarfs over their mouths and noses. At this time of evening the sidewalk is crowded with pedestrians going home or buying last-minute items for supper. Lama Yontan parted the waves and I followed behind, muttering, "This had better be good."
About six or seven blocks up Boudha Road we went into a house and up several flights of stairs, where we found a Tibetan woman and a number of children. The woman was very friendly and led us into a room filled with venerable shrines and books, the walls darkened with incense smoke. She asked us to sit down, then went to the shrine and reverently took out a heavy silver frame, which she put on the table in front of us. Enclosed in the frame was a bone of the great practitioner T'hang Tong Gyalpo, and in the bone was a perfect little statue of thousand armed Chenrezig, the bodhisattva of compassion, on a high stemmed lotus blossom. There was a feeling of pristine purity about this object unlike anything I have ever encountered.
T'hang Tong Gyalpo was famous throughout Tibet for his great strength and engineering skills. Although he lived a few hundred years ago, the iron bridges he built were still in use when the Communists invaded Tibet and may continue to be used today. T'hang Tong Gyalpo was a great terton, or discoverer of hidden teachings called terma, who both revealed and concealed terma for future generations. His main practice was that of Chenrezig. A young incarnation of this great master is said to be currently living in Bhutan.
When T'hang Tong Gyalpo died, his physical body did not decay, an occurrence that often indicates successful meditation practice. At the time of the Communist takeover, it was decided that in order to avoid mutilation by the invaders the great yogi's body should be cremated. After the body was burned, this exquisite relic was found in one of the vertebrae. The relic was carried to Nepal by the family in whose house we were now visiting. Well aware of its preciousness, the family made a vow to show it to anyone who wished to see it, at any time.
We sat for a while, contemplating how much practice T'hang Tong Gyalpo must have done and what immaculate motivation he must have had inorder for this spontaneous, self arising image of Chenrezig to have appeared in his bones. Then we offered kataks (offering scarves), thanked our gracious hosts, and departed. How wonderful! T'hang Tong Gyalpo, the great bridge builder, is still building bridges across time and space to the hearts and minds of people in this age.
Lama Inge Zangmo
