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The 25th annual Tsekar Drubchen
The 25th annual Tsekar Drubchen was preformed recently in Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery’s main temple, from February 14th to February 23rd. This is a nine-day ceremony based on a collection of liturgies belonging to the" Great Accomplishment Group Sadhana of White Amitayus". The drubchen, beginning on the 8th day of the first lunar month of the Tibetan New Year, ushers in auspicious circumstances for the practitioners' twofold attainment of longevity and primordial wisdom.
“In essence, White Amitayus represents the totally unobstructed dharmadhatu (basic space of phenomena) of all Tathagatas. As the natural radiance of this utterly indestructible ultimate state, Amitayus manifests as sambhogakaya endowed with the Five Certainties and replete with buddhafields and bodily forms whose densely-arrayed ornaments equal the expanse of space.
Just as the king of wish-fulfilling jewels is capable of appearing in a variety of colors, in the same way Buddha Amitayus, in his boundless compassion, is able to assume any form whatsoever to accord with the karmic disposition of those to be trained. For this reason, he appears as the Lord of Longevity in five [Buddha] families endowed with perfect activities, such as the ability to easily protect [beings] from the immense fear of mortality and readily help them attain their desired aims based simply on their faith and devotion. [In this way, the sadhana] includes special mantras that bestow both temporary and ultimate benefit.”
These were the statements of Jamgön Kongtrül the First.
The late Dzogchen master, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, revived this tradition at his seat in Nepal — Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery — where the custom of practicing the Tsekar Drubchen has continued since 1983 in an unbroken lineage. This year more than 300 monks, nuns, high Lamas and laypeople, both local and Western, attended the drubchen which is performed in strict sessions, round-the-clock, for 24 hours each day. More than two dozen Westerners took part in the drubchen, reading the Tibetan text along with the monks, or else following the drubchen's English translation. As always, the extraordinary event was presided over by Tsikey Chokling Rinpoche and his eldest son, Phakchok Rinpoche, who shared the role of Vajra Master, as well as by the monastery’s abbot, Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche. On the final day we were honored by the visit of Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche.
On Day One of the drubchen, sacramental articles are concealed inside a 3-metre tall beautifully decorated tiered mandala box, adorned with silk brocades, torma cakes, statues and so forth that will hopefully please the longevity deities. Throughout the 9 days, the articles within the box are ritually consecrated by means of the participants' visualizations and recitation of liturgical prayers of invocation and Amitayus' special mantras.
Many devoted visitors, from near and far, arrived at the monastery throughout the nine days to make offerings to the drubchen's participants as well as to receive the drubchen's powerful blessings and empowerments. On alternate evenings, a one-hour masked Lama Dance pertaining to this practice, was carried out inside the temple. Large crowds of onlookers from the community gathered for these performances.
On the drubchen's final day, which began at 3:00am, the main temple was packed to capacity with the 9-day participants as well as with dozens of other devotees. In the outside courtyard, about 3,000 people had also gathered by 8:00am to receive the blessings and empowerments. The devoted came from many diverse cultures and nationalities including, Tibetans, Nepalese, Chinese, and Westerners. A tangible feeling of excitement and joy pervaded the monastery's entire compound as the mandala box was finally opened and its various sacraments distributed first to the participants within the temple and thereafter to the thousands waiting outside. The sacred articles were carried through the crowd by a procession of high Lamas and senior monastic practitioners and distribution took more than an hour.
During the last hour before completion of the Tsekar Drubchen at 2:00pm on the 23rd, everyone celebrated with butter-lamps, kotas, many verses of praise and prayers for auspiciousness.
Tibetan text translated by Erik Pema Kunsang.
Overview arranged by Lama Gerry and slightly edited by S. Lhamo.
Watch a short video from the 25th annual Tsekar Drubchen here
(8 min)
For the photogallery please click here |
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