Newsletter No. 17 - April 2005 |
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| Our first sight of the temple at the Sakya Centre in Dehradun was at 6.45 on 30th December 2004; it was dark and the temple was festooned with trailing lights hung from the roof. We had come to the centre by coach with a group of other westerners all staying at the same hotel. Our arrival in Dehradun had been by train from Delhi the previous day, arriving at the hotel at 9.45 pm. We had set off from Bournemouth at 3 pm on the 28th. More and more people were arriving at the Sakya Centre and by the time the ceremony started there were probably about 4,000 people present. We spied Lama Lekshey early on, in charge of operations in his role as the director of the centre. There are 300 monks based at the Sakya Centre and others were bussed in from surrounding monasteries. The gathering was seated in the courtyard all around the outside of the temple, “special guests” such as ourselves on chairs and the monks and ordinary Tibetan people on their own rugs; there was a special seated section set aside for “Tulkus”. His Holiness Sakya Trizin arrived at the centre through the large processional arch that is the main entrance amidst much fanfare with horns blowing and cymbals clashing. The colourful ceremonial hats and outfits worn by monks and others were fantastic. Before we knew it His Holiness had been ushered along the carpet with the eight auspicious signs, up the red carpeted stairs and into the temple. The Long Life Ceremony for His Holiness went on inside the temple and was relayed to those outside by loud speaker, we were pretty sure it was Lama Lekshey reciting some of the incantations. When the ceremony had finished monks, visitors from Sakya centres around the world and finally the Tibetan public were called up in turn to make their presentation and receive a blessing from His Holiness. The gifts included Buddha statuettes by the score, carpets, silks and a shower of white envelopes. The temple was filled with the sounds of chanting, the smoke of incense and of course the images of Buddha in every aspect. On reaching His Holiness for his blessing, everyone bowed with hands together, tried to catch his eye and received a bonk on the head from his prayer book. When it came to the turn of the Tibetan people, the throng of bodies was so great the monks had to push the main temple doors shut and lead the people through smaller side doors.
Throughout the events at the Sakya Centre everyone was kept fed and watered, with hot drinks brought round at intervals and with a buffet laid on in a marquee for special guests for both lunch and evening meals. The whole event was essentially a birthday party and it was an honour and privilege to witness it and participate and be so well received. Richard Sedgley |
| After His Holiness had Long Life Ceremony, Liz and I joined the European group at the Sakya nunnery (Richard being unwell that day). 160 nuns whose ages varied from 6 - 40 chanted Tara puja. Gabriella (from the Strasbourg Skya Centre) had organised a tea ceremony which invloves giving each nun 100 rupees; in exchange we are given tea and had Tara puja chanted for us We sat entranced listening! An English speaking nun showed us around the grounds, their main diet being greens which they grow in a small area behind the nunnery, some rice and supplemented dairy produce from 3 cows donated by Canadian Buddhists. In bright sunshine the following day we visited Mindrolling Monastory at Clement, Dehradun. Walking into beautiful gardens and ahead of us was the World Peace Stupa, the largest in Northen India Hand painted walls of the life of Buddha decorated the ground floor. There was a 3D Mandala on the second floor and a Buddha Tree on the third floor Viewing platforms gave amazing views of the massive complex accommodating 600 monks and aTibetan village. We visited the Sakya College situated in a beautiful position, amongst trees, with mountains behind and a bright moon to enhance the atmosphere. The main part of the monastery was in a quadrangle, highly painted with the Temple at the centre and the monks quarters all around. With Richard better, we met Lama Lekshey in his office. It was wonderful to be with him again. We saw the new hospital, but with only 2 patients in residence? Lama La arranged for us to see His Holiness at his Palace. We told of our new Centre and asked for help. He wished us peace and gave us gifts. We were also lucky enough to attend His Holiness teaching ‘A letter to the Kublai Khan’ in English in his Palace. Guests from Sakya Centres all over the world attended. On our fifth day we went by jeep to Puru Wala, 2 hours of hair-raising driving. Our treat was to visit the school in Puru Wala. Children and teachers had returned from their winter holiday to sing and dance for us. We also visited the Craft centre there we saw rug making which helps to support the community. I was totally overwhelmed by our experience, and humbled when the headmaster’s wife showed us her two rooms which they shared with their 2 girls.; My heartfelt wish, returning home, is to help communities like this who want to learn and keep their rich traditions. All the Tibetan settlements give the impression of an oasis amongst the chaos which is India! I would like to thank Gabriela from the Strasbourg Sakya Centre for her help in making our trip so very special. Sue Sedgley |
| My visit to the Sakya Monastery in Bodhgaia by Liz Elwick.
After a week in the foothills of the Himalayas I travelled south-east to Bodhgaia and the Sakya Monastery there. The town of Bodhgaia is small and the atmosphere at the time of my visit was expectant, as His Holiness the Dalai Lama was to visit in 10 days time. Many Tibetans arrived on a daily basis and a camp established for those visitors who weren’t staying in any of the many local monasteries. Although cool at night, between 11a.m. and 1p.m. the sun was intense. The Monastery is listed in the Rough Guide and is in the north east of the town, within easy walking distance of the place where the Buddha gained enlightenment. It opened in 1973 and in 1983 Khempo Tsega Dorja came after graduating fromthe Sakya College in Dehradun. 5 monks live in the monastery, which is a Registered Charitable Trust.
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