4th March - A tribute to HH Sakya Trizin

His Holiness Sakya Trizin

Today is the 4th of March 2009 and it is a very special day as it is the joyous 50th anniversary of HH Sakya Trizin's enthronement. HH Sakya Trizin is one of the great masters of Tibetan Buddhism and the head of the Sakya lineage. His Holiness was enthroned in Lhasa, Tibet in the year 1959 and today it has already been 50 years. Over these 50 years, His Holiness has given teachings, established a monastic institution and performed many great activities that not only uplifts the Sakya tradition but cause Tibetan Buddhism in general to become like sunshine to the world. I have had the great fortune of receiving many important empowerments and teachings from him and he has visited our monastery on two occasions and stayed a few days on both occasions.

The ceremony of 50th anniversy of HH Sakya Trizin's enthronement at Pema Tsal Pokhara.

The Sakya monastic institute at Pokhara is called "Pema Tsal". The institute had asked me to join this joyous celebration of HH Sakya Trinzin's 50th anniversary of enthronement as the chief guest. They planned the ceremony very nicely and invited many people from various societies and also representatives from monasteries. A few hundred people came to pay their respect and join in the ceremony.

Me offering Mandala and body, speech and mind to HH Sakya Trizin's portrait.

As a chief guest, they also asked me to make a Mandala offering and offering of body, speech and mind. At the end I also gave a short speech.

Lunch for all the guests

During the ceremony, Khenpo shared with us the detailed biography and the great deeds of the present HH Sakya Trizin and the earlier lineage holders of Sakya. After the speeches, there was a performance of a Dharma Dance called Garcham which is a unique spiritual ceremony dance of the Sakyapas and then every guest enjoyed the delicious vegetarian lunch provided.