News from His Eminence Terton Namkha Drimed Rabjam
Guru Rinpoche Day - August 2004
Dear students,
I hope this letter of mine finds you all in good health and spirit.
Here,as always, I have been very busy with my schedule or I would say
with my regular activities and so it took a while to send this message.
These are some of the activities I did in the last month or two and would
like to share it with you.
23/Jun - Jigme Rinpoche arrived from Orissa after a very hectic schedule
there particularly presiding over the 'Mani Dhungdrup'. It was a happy
moment for the Ripa family.
24/Jun - Hindus believe that when a woman has a very evil mind and by
practicing black magic they can become very powerful and can harm any
living being they want through their practice, so not surprisingly a
daughter in-law of an old woman came to see me as she was being posessed
by the mother in-law's black magic, the reason being that the mother
in-law hated her daughter in-law. So myself and Lhunpo Rinpoche had this
extra job too, usually if a dead negative spirit posesses someone it
does not take long for a highly realised master to subdue it but because
this was a live woman trying to harm someone through black magic we had
to be extra careful so as not to bring harm to the other woman that is
the old mother in-law,therefore it took sometime. As a Buddhist I feel
it is my duty to benefit everyone no matter how evil they are.
25/Jun -Today we performed 'Dorje Drollo Dokpa' requested by a Khenpo
in Canada.
26/Jun - My daughter Palmo and her two daughters arrived from America.
Everyone's very happy.
27/Jun - Myself and the whole of Ripa family went to 'Pharping' and
together with all the Ripa monks performed the 'Guru Thugdrup' puja.(Taksham
tsok offering)
28/Jun - Jigme Rinpoche left for another month long teaching schedule
to Europe.
29/Jun - On this day i got some discomfort with my tooth and so went
to see a dentist and got well.
30/Jun - One of my disciples requested and invited me and 12 of my monks
to perform the 'Sambha Lhundrup' tsok offering at his residence.
2/Jul - Today as requested by Alan and Palmo, Ghesar Sangsol was performed
here at the Ripa residence.
4/Jul - Myself and Lhunpo Rinpoche with the Ripa family all went up
to Pharping and conducted the Taksham extensive protector practice together
with the monks of Rigon Tashi Choeling, it took a long time as this being
the extensive practice.
5/Jul - Today my sister in Switzerland and her daughter arrived for
a three week vacation.
6/Jul - I visited my physician for a regular check-up.
7/Jul - went again to the physician for a follow check-up.
12/Jul - It is dakini day, so myself, Lhunpo Rinpoche and family went
to Pharping and did Tsok offering together with the Ripa monks.It was
a very special day, I made a short visit to the Asura cave.
14/Jul - Yeshi Dorje, one of oldest disciples from Tibet (he is now
settled in Nepal) invited the whole Ripa family for lunch. It was a beautiful
and emotional day as we talked about our old days in Tibet.
15/Jul - My sister's husband invited everyone of us for lunch at the
'Hayatt'. It was wonderful family get together.
16/Jul - The monastery's engineer arrived from Orissa for an official
visit here, so everyone got busy for few days.
17/Jul - Lhunpo Rinpoche and the monks performed 'Chod Ghi Mechod' (fire
puja) at the possessed lady's house .I was happy that Lhunpo Rinpoche
could preside over as this helped a lot for the lady who was in so much
pain. Alan arrived on this day and once again all are happy.
18/Jul - The entire Ripa family went to Pharping on pilgrimage, offered
prayers, butterlamps, also made offerings to the residential monks and
nuns around the 'Asura cave'.
19/Jul - Myself and brother got busy shopping ritual objects for the
'Pharping monastery', it took a while.
20/Jul - Today i decided to rest, in the evening went for dinner invited
by Alan and Palmo.
23/Jul - On this day i started my yearly 'Ghesar Drupchen' sponsored
every year by my close Dharma friend and a close disciple 'Tulku Tsepak
Rinpoche', the 'Nepal Lingdro' association, and the 'Riwoche' group.
26/Jul - 'Ghesar Lingdro' was performed.
27/Jul - Today is the 'Guru Rinpoche' day a very special day as this
was the day Guru Rinpoche was born ,the Year of the Monkey. 'Monks of
Rigon Tashi Choeling' monastery and the other three different groups
offered a very grand and beautiful longevity ceremony for me. It was
a very happy day as everything went very auspicious. I felt much better
and healthier after the ceremony. The next few days myself along with
my brother (Karma Shedup from Orissa who is also very learned in all
kinds of rituals specially in the Taksham cycle) visited 'Pharping' to
teach the rituals of the Taksham cycles to the Ripa monks .
2/Aug - Alan left for New York.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Dear students,
My activities have been non-stop even though I am not travelling this
year, however, I am getting plenty of rest here and happy that I am able
to help those in need. My family, my monks, my people are taking very
good care of me and also thanks for your prayers, my health is much better
now. I have been going for 'Kora (circumumbalation') almost every morning
for about an hour, giving alms and also offering butter lamps at the
same time. I am also seeing needy people, doing divinations and writing
most of the time.
Even though I am not present with you all I think of you all often and
include you in my prayers and aspirations.
I hope your practices are in better shape when I see you all next year.
2002 marked a changing of the guard for the volunteers who support Ripa
Ladrang Foundation. The outgoing board, composed of Iris Anderson, Chris
Jones, Myriah McGorrill and Michael Reid ended their term. As you probably
know, His Eminence and Jigme Rinpoche appointed a new board, which is
comprised of:
The New Treasures Project: Rigon Tashi Choeling
Monastery
We are all involved in a wonderful project. The Monastery in Pharping
that you are sponsoring is beginning to take shape. I cannot begin to
describe the beauty, power and purity of what is being manifested as the
main temple of the monastery complex is completed.
Construction on the main temple building is 98% complete. In addition
to the general construction, an incredible amount of detail work, such
as the carving of mantras into the pillars and moldings has also been
completed. Construction of the statues in the main hall and the temple
of Gesar are well underway. The structure is imposing, rising four stories,
with the main hall ceiling reaching over eight meters alone.
His Eminence Namkha Drimed Rinpoche is actively involved in all project
decisions and frequently makes changes to ensure that the final results
hold to his vision. He is very happy with the progress thus far.
Since the fall of 1999, we have raised over $1,013,855 for this project.
This is a wonderful accomplishment and the amount raised so far provides
the means for us to complete construction on the main monastery building,
and fund the creation of the main temple and Gesar temple statues. A recent
generous donation has allowed work to begin on the monk hostels (with
capacity for over 160 residents), the classrooms and kitchen. The current
funds will support the excavation and ground floor stages of these five
buildings, which is about 1/3 of the total. We have made great progress,
but we still have a long way to go.
His Eminence Rinpoche has set a goal for the completion of the monastery
complex as December of 2004. From a logistical standpoint, taking into
account all the critical path construction, finish work, and landscaping
activities, this is technically achievable. But the project has not yet
been financially secured. At this time, we have enough funds to continue
work through April of this year. We will need to bring in more funds before
April to keep this excellent work going.
Can you help us finish this great project? I recognize that you have
already done so much. Please realize that this is the opportunity of a
lifetime to see our generosity manifest in the creation of an institution
that will preserve the secular and religious traditions of Tibet and train
new generations of practitioners.
Just a few short months ago, 105 new monks left from Nepal for Rinpoche’s
Monastery in Orissa where they have been accepted to begin their educational
training. The monks, ages 6 to 15, have come from Nepal, Bhutan and India.
In one day, their arrival more than tripled the number of residents at
the monastery. There is an urgent need to find sponsors for these monks
and Jigme Rinpoche has asked this to be one of our immediate priorities.
The annual cost of providing for food, clothing and other necessities
for these new monks is only $300 each. I urge you to consider the annual
sponsorship of one or more monks. Please contact us if you can help.
The purpose of the Ripa Ladrang Foundation, as Namkha Rinpoche has explained,
is virtue. Practically speaking, the main focus of our activities is to
make the teachings of the Ripa lineage available to students of the Dharma
in North America, and to sponsor the creation of a new seat for the lineage
in Pharping Nepal, the Rigon Tashi Choeling Monastery.
We currently have over 60 members and many friends. Your membership dues
go towards paying for the Foundation’s operational expenses. These
are quite modest and include mail service, voicemail, our Internet presence,
accounting fees to maintain proper records and audits in order to maintain
our non-profit religious status with the IRS. Any additional funds contribute
towards the annual teaching tours, which have been running at a small
deficit. All work performed by the Foundation officers and Sangha members
is entirely volunteer. One hundred percent of funds donated to the Foundation
for any of our projects go to these projects. Donations and membership
dues paid to the Ripa Ladrang Foundation are tax deductible.
A new membership committee is forming and will be working to bring special
news to members. They will be contacting existing members to renew memberships
and contacting our friends about becoming new members. Information should
be forthcoming in March.
2003 is looking very exciting. His Eminence has confirmed that he will
visit the U.S. this year. The schedule of events is currently being drawn
up. The tour will likely start on the East coast in August and complete
in late October. Jigme Rinpoche has also just informed us that he will
be available for a short tour in the US at the end of May. Your pledges
towards the sponsorship of the 2003 teachings are very welcome and needed.
Please watch our website for tour updates and registration information.
We look forward to seeing you at this year’s events and wish you
a great 2003!
