The Seed of Faith (4-2)

The Seed of Faith (4-2)

By Khenpo Tamdin Gyalpo & Translated by Dr. Gyurme Dorje

Pilgrimages (1)

From time to time Yangsi has frequented the consecrated places of spiritual attainment, as well as power places, great snow massifs, rocks and lakes, hidden lands and monasteries, such as those in the Ngari Prefecture of Upper Tibet exemplified by Mt Kailash, those in Utsang, including the three glorious places where the wheel of the sacred teachings was initially turned, the power places of upper and lower Dokham, Wutaishan and so forth in China, as well as places in Nepal, exemplified by the three major stupas, the great power places associated with the Teacher Shakyamuni Buddha in India, and those of Bhutan including Paro Taktsang.

Having effectively completed his inspection of the power places and the making of extensive offerings there, he has sealed these acts with a dedication of merit undertaken without reference to any particular objective, for the benefit of the Buddhist teaching and all living beings. Moreover, in all circumstances, he is continuously engaged in uninterrupted acts of offering, including those which are delivered up to the Three Precious Jewels, and donations that are handed down to beggars. Through such composite actions, he is endowed with great generosity.


With regard to his deeds undertaken on behalf of the Buddhist teaching and living beings, when Yangsi Rinpoche was seven years old in 1997 (fire ox year), at Nyeshang Monastery near the great naturally arisen Stupa in Nepal, in accordance with the enlightened intention of the lord of refuges Chatral Rinpoche, he conferred a long-life empowerment (tshe dbang) by means of the bDud ‘dul tshe dkar cycle upon a gathering of many thousands. All members of the monastic and lay communities who had gathered there were consequently established in a wondrous state of mind. This was his very first turning of the wheel of the sacred teachings.

Then, at the request of the complete gathering of spiritual teachers and students of Zangdok Pelri, a mother monastery of the Nyingma school in Kalimpong, which had been the residence of his predecessor, he presided over a feast offering ceremony which combined the attainment of Vajrakila and the attainment of medicinal elixir, based on Vajrakila: Razor of Meteor (Phur pa gnam lcags spu gri).

At Jangsa Monastery in Kalimpong, he presided over a feast offering ceremony of spiritual attainment based on the distant lineages of oral teachings (bka’ ma) of the ancient translation school, and he conferred the empowerment of the Grol nyid zab lam mtsho skyes thugs thig. He also visited many monasteries and hermitages, including the monastery of the lord of refuges Chatral Rinpoche in Darjeeling.