S. S. SAKYA TRIZIN E S. H. LUDING KHENCHEN RINPOCHE

The Importance of Pilgrimage

The Importance of Pilgrimage

 

 

An Interview with His Holiness the Sakya Trizin

 

 

“Going to the holy places of the Buddha

is very important. The Buddha Himself

said that ‘after my entering into parinirvana, the

sons and daughters of my followers should visit the four places’. By these four places, the Buddha was referring to Lumbini, the place where He was born, Bodh Gaya where He became enlightened, Sarnath where He first turned the Wheel of Dharma and Kushinagar, where He entered into Parinirvana.

And so, by visiting these places and remembering the infinite qualities of the Buddha, everyone can become purified and gain great merit, even those who have committed heinous crimes. This is why they are called the four great shrines. There are also four minor shrines, Sravasti, Rajgir, Sankassa, and Vaishali.

These are referred to as the four minor places, and one can also gain great merit by visiting them, particularly if one makes material offerings such as butter lamps, flowers, water, incense and food. More importantly, if while visiting these places, one bears in mind how the Buddha loves every sentient being as if they were His only child and one generates loving kindness and compassion along with the enlightenment mind, then with every single moment, one gains immeasurable merit. And therefore it is extremely important to visit

these holy shrines.

I myself visited them for the first time in 1956. We especially came from Tibet at that time, because that year was the celebration of the Buddha’s parinirvana according to the Theravadan tradition and so there were special concessions given to travel to India for

pilgrimage. We visited the four main places and then returned home. Then, in 1959, the troubles started in Tibet and we had to escape, and so we came to India.

In 1960, we visited almost all the holy sites and also went to Nepal for the first time.

Since then, we’ve been living in India, and I’ve

been a number of times to some of the holy sites, especially Lumbini, since we go there almost every year for our annual Mönlam. But in the past years, I haven’t been to any of the holy places apart from Lumbini, and so last year I decided to visit them partly because of all the suffering that is going on in the world, specially the self-immolations in Tibet and natural disasters everywhere, with so many people

dying. Also, I visited Taiwan last year and many

people gave me offerings to pray for the deceased. I thought that the best way to help them was to visit the holy places, and so we went, not only with my family but with a group of monks from the Sakya Centre so that we could perform grand rituals in these holy

places.

Quite a long time ago, I had visited the four

major shrines and had performed the grand Sixteen-Arhat Puja in each of them for the sake of the Buddhadharma as well as for the benefit of all beings.

I had also performed the shorter Sixteen-Arhat puja in the minor shrines. And now, I wanted to do this again.

Although we couldn’t do the same in some of the places, like Sankassa, because they were too difficult of access, we did perform the grand Sixteen Arhat Puja in Sravasti, Vaishali, Varanasi and even a three-day one in Bodh Gaya. We also celebrated a one-day Vajrayogini feast puja in Varanasi, as it was the 10th

day of the lunar month when we were there. We went to Nalanda and also to Vikramshila, which was a very important centre of Higher Buddhist Studies, like Nalanda, and was the seat of many masters like Atisha and those of the Lamdre lineage. The first Tibetan lama to receive the Lamdre was Drogmi Lotsawa Sakya Yeshe, who travelled all the way from Tibet to India to study Buddhist Philosophy, and most of his studies were done at Vikramshila, and so I wanted to

go. It was a difficult journey, but it was worthwhile.

We couldn’t perform the long puja there, but we did perform the short one. It was my first time there, as well as in Kaushambi; otherwise I had been in all the other places, although I hadn’t been to Vaishali in a long, long time – 1956.

And so my main purpose for going on pilgrimage

was to pray for the deceased. For their sake we

performed all these grand pujas and also we did

Mahakala torma offerings in cemeteries. Apart

from this, I recited 100 times the ‘Aspiration of

Samantabhadra’ prayer as part of my own daily

practice.

And so our pilgrimage went very well, there

weren’t any problems. Everyone was in good health and enjoyed visiting these holy sites and we all received many blessings. We prayed that the Buddha’s teachings would spread all over the world, and especially that Vajrayana Buddhism would continue to thrive in Tibet, alongside all the other traditions, Mahayana and Hinayana.”.

MENSAGEM DE S. S. SAKYA TRIZIN

Dear Dharma Friends,

Happy New Year of the Wooden Horse!

I hope that this closing year has been a fruitful one for all.  It has been a very good one for us, blessing us with the birth of our delightful new granddaughter, Jetsunma Kunga Chimey Wangmo Sakya, who brings great joy to her parents, Ratna Vajra Rinpoche and Dagmo Kushok Kalden Dunkyi, as well as to her siblings and to her grandparents.

Our year was filled with Dharma activities, among which were the bestowal of precious teachings to numerous students in Europe, the U.S.A. and Singapore, alongside my younger son Gyana Vajra Rinpoche. Upon my return to India, I had the auspicious opportunity to undertake a strict retreat that has lasted until very recently.

Over the year, Ratna Vajra Rinpoche had the privilege of sharing Dharma teachings with many students here in India as well as in Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Nepal as well as taking active part in innovative programmes designed to successfully bring our Dharma treasures into this modern era. And, following his European and American trips with His Holiness, Gyana Vajra Rinpoche was Vajra Master at our Annual Vajrakilaya Puja at the Sakya Centre and, more recently, conducted the Vajrakilaya Drupchod in Singapore.

And now, a fresh year is upon us, and with it a promise of inner and outer renewal. The Wooden Horse is a powerful symbol in Buddhism, with the horse representing energy and effort in the practice of Dharma and wood the material that shapes the Tree of Enlightenment. Astride such a horse, let us follow the example of the great yogis and strive to cut the root of samsara, to then gallop on the plains of great bliss toward enlightenment. I pray that every day of this new year may bring each one of us inexhaustible vigour and enthusiasm for spiritual growth, and unexcelled circumstances for the performance of enlightened activities.

May all beings be filled with the blessings of the Buddha and be utterly free of suffering. May they enjoy perfect joy and happiness.

The Sakya Trizin

His Holiness the Sakya Trizin - Teaches in New York City

His Holiness the Sakya Trizin
Teaches in New York City
 
April 26 & 27, 2014

White Tara, Phowa Teachings & Public Talk
Tsechen Kunchab Ling, Walden, New York
March 30 - April 23
 
Everyone is encouraged to attend the special teachings by His Holiness Sakya Trizin at Tsechen Kunchab Ling, His Holiness’s seat in the United States. At the invitation of Venerable Khenpo Kalsang Gyaltsen, His Holiness will bestow the following teachings at the Temple. For more information, see www.sakyatemple.org.
 
    March 30 - Sunday - Welcome Ceremony & Long-life Initiation
    April 1-3 - Teachings on Chogyal Phagpa's “Gift of Dharma to Kublai Khan”
    April 4-23 - Extensive cycle of Vajrayogini initiation, blessings, and teaching
    April 19-20 - Dedication of the Tibetan and Himalayan Culture Center
 
The Sakya Tsechen Association
Kalachakra Empowerment 
April 7 & 8
 
The Sakya Tsechen Association of the Tri-state area will host a two-day Kalachakra Empowerment in New York City. A special "Mani-Rimdro" and 21 Praises of Mother Tara session will be conducted on the morning of each day in conjunction with the empowerment. The event is open to the public. All are welcome. For further details, see www.tsechen.org.
 

FELIZ ANO NOVO

H. H. SAKYA TRIZIN IN MONGOLIA

JETSUN KUSHO NO BRASIL