Arrival of Tulku Urgyen Yangsi Rinpoche
Many months before the actual enthronement, Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery buzzed with countless activities in careful preparation for this occasion. For many this special day would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The monastery’s chief administrators intended to make the occasion a memorable one both for Tulku Urgyen Yangsi Rinpoche and for the thousands of devotees expected to attend. Several days before the Big Day, the monastery had erected four special Welcome Gates along the main route into Boudha from the local airport. These gates, constructed of 15-foot metal poles and silk banners, formed stately archways over the roads. In Tibetan, Nepali and English, the bright banners proclaimed: “Welcome to His Eminence Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche’s Return Celebration.”
At 3:15pm on Friday November 14th, Tulku Urgyen Yangsi Rinpoche arrived at Kathmandu’s Tribuvan Airport escorted from New Delhi, India by his parents, Neten Chokling Rinpoche and Sangyum Tenzing Chöyang Gyari, and by Mingyur Rinpoche and Tsoknyi Rinpoche. About 75 people were on-hand to greet him and offer katas. Yangsi Rinpoche, dressed in a long-sleeved knee-length silk brocade jacket and fitted wool cap, graciously accepted a kata (silk scarf) from each and every person present, including the half-dozen airport security police. With his right hand, he lightly touched each person on the head while, with his left hand, he tightly held Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche’s hand. Moments later, the high Lamas and their entourage sped off to the 5-star Hyatt Hotel in Boudha Nath where Yangsi Rinpoche and his parents were settled into a spacious comfortable suite on the hotel’s 5th floor.
At about 4:30pm, Yangsi Rinpoche and his family were escorted to the Hyatt’s private lounge on the 6th floor where afternoon tea and delicious Tibetan snacks, specially prepared by our monastery’s monks, were offered to the high Lamas and about 60 devotees gathered there. As planned, Yangsi Rinpoche and his parents remained at the Hyatt until November 19th when they formally shifted to Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery. Occasionally, they received small groups of close friends and visitors, including such esteemed callers as Sogyal Rinpoche, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche and Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche.
Day One of the Enthronement Celebrations
At the very break of dawn on Lha Bab Düchen, one of the holiest days in the Buddhist calendar, flocks of participants started to gather in the outer courtyard of the monastery. From the main shrine hall, came the rhythmic chants of the monastic assembly already well into their recitation of morning prayers. Emerging from the early morning mist, like a miraculous display, the monastery resembled a majestic celestial palace wonderfully festooned with resplendent brocades, long satin streamers and colorful Buddhist prayer-flags. As though bowing their heads in homage, clusters of flowers bloomed all along the monastery’s pathways. Several huge tents canopied the courtyards directly in front of the shrine-room and behind the monastery. Four large movie screens had been erected at strategic spots around the monastery to add to the audio-visual experience of all those seated outside the main temple. In anticipation of finally meeting the reincarnation of their beloved teacher, hundreds of disciples had journeyed to Kathmandu from all corners of the Earth. Having reached the monastery, they mingled with the congregation of monks and lay-practitioners from Nepal, Tibet, India, Sikkim, China and other parts of Asia. The whole harmonious gathering seemed in an increasing state of blissful enthusiasm. A few happy tears were shed as Dharma friends, who hadn’t seen each other in a decade, were reunited. One after another, high Lamas arrived and were escorted into the main shrine hall by Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche or Phakchok Rinpoche. Along with the monks, about two dozen Western disciples served as hosts, hostesses and volunteers, helping visitors find their seats, either inside the temple or in the covered courtyard, serving tea and attending to any and all special needs.
At about 10:00am, the vivid blue November sky was utterly cloudless as everyone assembled outside to welcome the arrival of Trulshik Rinpoche, Tulku Urgyen Yangsi Rinpoche and his extended family members. Some monks wore colorful costumes and auspicious masks. Local Tibetan laymen, in their finest traditional garb, lined up beside elegant Tibetan women in their silk chubas and floral hair-ornaments. The arrival of the two Precious Ones —Trulshik Rinpoche and Tulku Urgyen Yangsi Rinpoche — was unforgettable. Preceded by the cavernous resounding of Tibetan oboes and the piercing clash of Tibetan cymbals, followed by incense-bearing monks, the Rinpoches entered the shrine hall beneath a large multi-colored silk brocade parasol. Inside the temple, 20 minutes of prayers and purification practices continued followed by the actual enthronement ritual.
Once Yangsi Rinpoche had been placed upon the high throne and had received empowerment from Trulshik Rinpoche, seemingly countless auspicious offerings of mandala and representations of enlightened Body, Speech and Mind were laid before him. Prayers for Yangsi Rinpoche’s long and healthy life and for the flourishing of his activity were recited by more than 400 guests seated within the temple. Five professional camera crews, from places as far away as Bangkok, Amsterdam and New York, filmed the entire 4-day event. In mid-morning, poised in the temple’s center aisle, Khenpo Sherab Dorje read aloud the abbreviated life-story of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche. Later on, Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling and its affiliated monasteries, nunneries, retreat centers, Gomdes and various organizations presented offerings and well-wishes. Both before and after lunch, other monasteries, nunneries, Gomde centers and local Tibetan and Nepalese organizations and clubs had the opportunity to make offerings. While the high Lamas dined with Yangsi Rinpoche on the monastery’s upper floors at noon, everyone else was invited to enjoy a delicious luncheon buffet at appointed sites throughout the monastery’s grounds. From 2:00pm onwards, thousands of people, from every background, stood patiently in immensely long cues that wound throughout the monastery compound in order to present a silk kata to Yangsi Rinpoche, thus forming a strong karmic bond with him. For more than 4 hours, Yangsi Rinpoche sat erect on his throne good-naturedly receiving a kata from each person, and touching them on the head with his hand or a wrapped Dharma text. That evening, Ka-Nying’s extended family of high Lamas invited all those who had traveled from afar to enjoy an elaborate banquet held at the 5-star Hotel Yak and Yeti. About 900 people attended. Everyone enjoyed the delicious feast, each other’s company and the presence of most of the high Lamas who had come to the enthronement. Before the evening was over, Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche offered a poignant speech thanking those who had come from a great distance, and encouraging everyone to continue to keep a positive outlook and to strive for the benefit of others.
Day 2 of the Enthronement Celebrations
Once more, the second day started early with prayers in the monastery’s main temple and culminated with the arrival of Trulshik Rinpoche, Yangsi Rinpoche and other high Lamas. Acharya degrees were presented to a number of monks, with excellent scholastic achievements, in the monastery’s monastic college (Tib. shedra). For Yangsi Rinpoche’s enjoyment, three shedra monks recited pages and pages of carefully memorized Dharma discourses, along with their personal understanding of the texts. Later, in the middle of the shrine hall seven shedra monks took part in a lively traditional debate. Additionally, special honor was paid to a number of Rangjung Yeshe Institute’s Western shedra translators who were felicitated with white katas. Lastly, Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche gave a brief touching speech and repeatedly petitioned Trulshik Rinpoche to please enjoy an exceedingly long and healthy life for the benefit of beings.
Again, everyone was offered an elaborate feast. Throughout the afternoon, people stood in long lines to present scarves and gifts to Yangsi Rinpoche. Everyone was astounded at the little boy’s extraordinary kindness, stamina and patience as, without waning, he blessed thousands of people from early morning until early evening. One of the head monks estimated that, in those two days, about 15,000 visitors paid homage to Yangsi Rinpoche.
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