The weekend of 11th and 12th July in London saw the historic visit of two of the most senior lineage holders of the Sakya tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, His Holiness Kyabgon Gongma Trichen, the 41st Sakya Trizin, and His Holiness Kyabgon Gongma Trizin Rinpoche, the 43rd Sakya Trizin, at the invitation of Lama Jampa Thaye. These auspicious events were co-hosted by Dechen London (Sakya Dechen Ling) and Dechen Bristol (Sakya Thinley Rinchen Ling).
Well over 700 people from far and wide gathered for the three initiations given in the transformed space of Kensington Town Hall, adorned with flowers and flickering candles, and humming with anticipation. We were especially delighted to be joined by masters Rangdrol Rinpoche and Khenpo Lekshey for these events, as well as welcoming the Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the United Kingdom, Mrs Tsering Yangkey.
On the afternoon of 11th July, HH Kyabgon Gongma Trichen Rinpoche was welcomed by Tibetan and Western children holding an auspicious traditional chemar offering, followed by an uplifting Tibetan song accompanied on the Tibetan lute or dranyen, ending with wishes for His Holiness’s long life. Lama Jampa welcomed His Holiness, who gave the initiation of Manjushri Arapatsana from the lineage of Bari Lotsawa, renowned for enabling the practitioner to directly perceive emptiness, cutting through confusion.
The morning of 12th July opened with a direct, concise and engaging articulation of the Buddha’s teachings by HH Kyabgon Gongma Trizin Rinpoche. He pointed out that we suffer because - even prior to the deepfakes of Artificial Intelligence - we have never seen the truth. It is nevertheless possible for us to become enlightened at any moment, because it is our point of view that matters; it is our reaction that determines whether we are at peace or angry. Buddha’s truth does not change – and he did not find it or create it. He realised it and it was always there. Our great masters are at peace as, when they look at the universe, they see that truth.
Why is it that we are not enlightened now? His Holiness explained that we are attached to the beauty in life and do not take death seriously; we know that we are in samsara but we don’t take that to heart. Considering suffering and motivated by compassion, we need to practise for the benefit of all beings, going beyond a narrow focus on ourselves or those close to us.
With that introduction complete, His Holiness gave the Vajrakilaya Torma empowerment, a teaching transmitted within the Sakya Khön family since the time of the 8-9th century Indian master and yogin, Guru Padmasambhava, and effective in overcoming obstacles to practice.
On the Sunday afternoon, HH Kyabgon Gongma Trichen gave the long life empowerment of Amitayus and Hayagriva, to support conditions for a life dedicated to the practice of dharma. The initiation is from the lineage of Tangtong Gyalpo, a realised master who travelled to Guru Padmasambhava’s pure realm to receive teachings and whose compassionate activity even extended to building iron bridges over treacherous waters, including several in Bhutan, recently visited by His Holiness. The lineage is the combined pure and treasure lineage, whose blessings mean that if you recite the prayer 100 times and the mantra 1000 times each day, you will live to see 100 years.Tangtong Gyalpo lived 125 years, with many of his disciples living for at least a century.
To close this extraordinary weekend, Lama Jampa Thaye offered deep gratitude and thanks for His Holiness Kyabgon Gongma Trichen and His Holiness Kyabgon Gongma Trizin for coming to share these precious teachings with us.
He also expressed gratitude to tulku Rangdrol Rinpoche for being with us, and Khenpo Lekshey, to all His Holiness’s attendants for their very great kindness, to all the monks and anis present, to all dharma brothers and sisters, with the wish for us all to meet again in the blessing field of His Holiness.
