[ Prem Chetry ]
BOMDILA, 13 Jun: Hundreds of local devotees flocked to Thubchog Gatsel Ling monastery here in West Kameng district on Friday to seek long life empowerment (tsewang) from His Holiness the 41st Sakya Trizin, Gongma Trichen Rinpoche of the Sakya lineage, from Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
During the ceremony, the rinpoche, while conferring long life empowerment through drupthop thangtong gyalpo, emphasised the importance of accumulating merits through virtuous actions. He urged the devotees to refrain from misdeeds and to practice sincere repentance for any harmful conduct towardsothers.
“Dharma teaches us discipline. A long life should serve a noble purpose; otherwise, it lacks meaning. To live long, we must sow seeds of good deeds,” he said.
Earlier, the 12th Guru Tulku Rinpoche of the monastery described the event as an auspicious opportunity for devotees to absorb the spiritual teachings of Gongma Trichen Rinpoche. He encouraged the attendees to apply these teachings practically in their lives.
The event took place during the culmination of Saga Dawa, the sacred month for the Monpa community, believed to mark the birth, enlightenment, and maha parinirvana of Lord Buddha.
Participating in the long life empowerment event is considered a means to accumulate merits and longevity, ward off illnesses, and protect against unforeseen events.
Gongma Trichen Rinpoche is one of highly revered figures among the Tibetan Buddhists, and was the former throne holder of the Sakya tradition, alongside other Tibetan Buddhist sects like Gelug, Nyingma, and Kagyu.
