Advertisement
Published: July 16th 2006
Gesar's Horseman
Arriving at Traling, a procession of horseriders awaited the arrival of lamas and monks from all over Tibet.Last week I headed with Holly, Anne (Belgium), and Angela (US), back down to Darlag for festivals and consecration ceremonies at Traling Gompa. At last - the weather is warm, the wild flowers are in bloom, and the mountains are covered with a rich carpet of green. This is the time of year that Golok is famous for. Since Holly and the others were headed further south after the ceremonies, they rented a luxurious Land Cruiser and hired a driver and translator. We landed in Darlag on Sunday evening, settling in at Ama and Apa’s house. I was delighted to see them again!
Now that yartsa season has officially ended, the nomads seem to be friskier than average. A little extra income and many of them flock to local saloons until the wee hours. The Darlag streets presented more of a challenge than usual - swaggering, drunk cowboys showing off their swords, the sound of beer bottles shattering, cat-calling and endless stares for the strange-looking foreigners. It was more like a battle-ground, and hard to
Main Temple
A sideshot of Traling's main temple - the building that was being consecrated in this week's ceremonies. find a restaurant that was not the scene of a bar fight.
An Arrival Not to Be Forgotten and Perusing the Sacred Grounds Monday morning, we all piled into the Land Cruiser, with Ama and Apa as well, and headed to Traling Gompa, the monastic seat of Trulku Kadak Choying Dorjé, known as Lingtrul Rinpoche in the west. First we circumambulated the glorious temple grounds, turning prayer wheels along the way. Having spoken with Lingtrul Rinpoche several days before, I had the names of several people I should meet. As I asked around for them, it became clear that Rinpoche had called ahead and told of my visit, so people were expecting me and gave a warm welcome.
Suddenly, the gorgeous skies got dark and within just a minute, huge pellets of hail fell from the sky! We quickly ran for cover under the monastery awnings and were whisked inside by monks, just as a procession of decorated cars pulled into the gates. A total of three minutes later, the storm had stopped completely, the sky was again blue and sunny, and we were taken to see Orgyen Kusum Lingpa, a Lama known for miraculous powers like
Orgyen Kusum Lingpa
Here with are with Orgyen Kusum Lingpa, a renowned crazy-wisdom yogi, known in this area as Pema Tumpo. games with the weather. Somehow during the brief but rather violent storm, he and his entourage had snuck into the temple unnoticed. We were seated in a room with him, in front of tables piled high with food and drink of all sorts. We each presented katags (traditional offering scarves) and received his blessings.
Shortly thereafter, we did khora (circumambulation) of the entire monastery. Along the way, we played in wildflowers, looked for vultures, and visited a sky burial site - one of Golok’s best known. Sky burial is Tibet’s version of funeral rite. The deceased’s body is placed upon a large concrete slab and a “chödpa,” a yogi known for his skill in exorcizing demons, chops the body into pieces and throws them to eagerly awaiting vultures. The land is strewn with feathers, pieces of bone and other remnants of body. The site is a powerful reminder of death and impermanence.
That day, I met many, many wonderful people - monastics and laypersons - all who generously showed me around the gompa and offered me a place to stay. We decided that we would return to town that evening, but would plan to spend the following night
Gegen Panchen Dawa
Lingtrul Rinpoche's primary teacher, Panchen Dawa. at Traling.
On Tuesday, we returned to the Gompa, to find that a beautiful tent had been arranged for us, complete with four setups of bedding, a row of tables, lighting, snacks and individual wash basins with soaps, lotions, towels, toothbrush and toothpaste. No question, it was a home away from home. We had an appointment to visit with Panchen Dawa, Lingtrul Rinpoche’s primary tutor, so we headed up a very, very steep mountain path to his home - which is actually Lingtrul Rinpoche’s house. Panchen Dawa does not come down very often. He is old and the walk is difficult and I imagine dangerous at certain times of the year. Occasionally a car brings him supplies, and he is attended on by a very old, tiny nun. I asked if I could take her picture, but she declined saying, “I’m going to be dead soon. I don’t need my picture taken!” We spent about an hour with Panchen Dawa, and he told us stories about Lingtrul Rinpoche and the history of the Golok tribes. He was warm and animated, his enthusiasm infectious. We returned down the mountain to find an amazing feast ready for us inside the tent.
Scattering of Tents
All over Traling Gompa were beautiful brightly colored tents, the temporary homes for many nomads and visiting lamas and monks. In the background are the prayer flags near the sky burial site. Many monks were lined up, awaiting our arrival and serving us with kindness and attention.
Compassion at Work: the Kind Hearts of Susan and Dockpo Earlier that day, we met Dockpo and Susan who live in Golok with their toddler son, Guiseppe. Susan is an American, finishing PhD research here and Dockpo is a Tibetan, the son of a high Lama and a student of Lingtrul Rinpoche. Together, Dockpo and Susan have established a medical clinic providing free medicine and treatment to poor nomads. They also work to raise funds to bring doctors in to train others and to treat patients. They asked if I knew any Western doctors who might be interested in visiting. (Dr. Lhamo? Dr. Atko?)
Their second project is to find supplies for orphans and children in local schools. Unfortunately when money is given to schools or monasteries to buy things like clothing, better food, or educational supplies, it is generally rerouted and the children do not reap any direct benefit. Sometimes new construction appears instead, or new shrine objects in the temples, but the children still wear the same ripped, often too small clothing and eat the same un-nutritious food. To circumvent
My Favorite Tent
Here is the tent we were so kindly offered for our overnight at Traling Gompa. this, Dockpo tries to find sponsors who will not just hand over cash gifts to bureaucratic establishments. He wants actual material goods - food, clothing, medicine - so that they can be hand-delivered to the children.
Another problem in Tibet, in epidemic proportions, is orphaned children. Apparently there is more maternal death during childbirth here than in ANY OTHER part of the world. Children are often abandoned or just sorely neglected by remaining family members, and young beggars line the streets. Rather than just hand money to these kids - Dockpo invites them to go to school. He has personally pulled more than 20 children off the streets, taken them into his home, and enrolled them in local schools.
I was so moved by his commitment. In all the years of fundraising, setting up a clinic, and helping to found two schools, he has never received a dime for his work. I told him I would try and find sponsorship from my friends in the west. He was very grateful, and said that if any of my friends wished to contribute, they could just give the money to me, and together he and I would shop for supplies
Khandro Uza Jangchub Drolma
Khandro Uza Jangchub Drolma's last incarnation was born somewhere closer to Lhasa. Now she has appeared in Golok, to a Chinese mother and a father who is half-Tibetan, half-Chinese. and personally bring them to the children. If any of you reading this are interested in helping, please contact me directly.
The Rabne, or Consecration Wednesday morning, the ceremonies at the Gompa began. The main temple was lined with lamas and monks from all over Tibet, elaborate offerings were presented, and hours of prayers began that would last for several days. Occasionally, the monks would head outside in a large procession that snaked all throughout the temple grounds. The inside of the temple was by and large not open to the public. It was mainly reserved for monks and tulkus (reincarnated practitioners from the past), but a small group of non-monastics were allowed in certain areas. We were generously offered a place to sit within the main, monastic seating, and invited to join in with all of the ceremonial recitations. At lunchtime, we were offered food and drink - huge bones of yak with plenty of meat to carve off of them, fresh, thick yogurt and beans and rice virtually drenched in yak butter. Sadly, I still do not have a palate for yak butter; its pungent aroma seems to be everywhere here, wafting throughout the air even.
Procession
The first morning of the consecration, monks paraded with banners, flags, drums, cymbals and more. I do my best in such circumstances to fake eating, or to take small bites while closing off my olfactory sense.
Chance Encounter with a Young Dakini We stayed all that day, then headed back into town in the evening. Dockpo had arranged for us to meet a 13-year old Khandroma, or Dakini - a reincarnation of a divine female from the past. She was an intense teenager to say the least! One time her father tried to give her a toy - a large, plastic car, big enough for her to ride around in. Khandroma took a large rock and smashed it, saying, "What would I need this for? I'm not a driver!" We received long life blessings from her in the form of prayers, tastes of sacred water, precious pills containing blessed substances, and knotted thread cords for protection. Many monasteries have submitted letters recognizing her incarnation, vying for the chance to train her. This year, the decision will be made as to where she will go, but for now she lives in her parent’s home, receiving personal training from several great lamas of this region.
Finally, I headed back to my comfortable nest in Dawu. I was tired, dirty and had another cold, but was content from the week’s adventures. For me there is nothing like spending a few days in a sacred land, in the presence of practitioners. All of this within the context of beautiful skies, green, plush mountainsides, in an ancient land rich with spiritual history. How deeply I slept that night, and the next day, refueling for more study and work in the new week to come.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.145s; Tpl: 0.012s; cc: 7; qc: 47; dbt: 0.0834s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb
Pilar
non-member comment
Wednesday
Wangmo, How amazing that you are making such connections, what a great opportunity. I'm so happy for you! I hope you have continued success in your work abroad. with love, P. ps Thanks for the funny pictures you emailed me!!