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Our visit to Leksheyling monastery to meet Choje Lama Phuntsok and get some more information about the elements of ritual we will need to prepare for the consecration of Rigdzin Shikpo's stupa. Khenpo Namgyal was with us, and was so helpful in making sure that everyone understodd what was being asked.
Khenpo Namgyal arranged for the monks at Leksheyling to roll the particular mantras that would go inside the stupa. This was to make sure they were prepared in the correct way. They packed them up and the lamas brought them in a suitcase.
Lama Dashon collected them from the airport and drove them to the Hermitage where they were greeted by Lama Shenpen the Hermitage team.
After a brief rest, Lama Shenpen, Lama Dashon and Lama Phuntsok (in yellow), together with his Lamas, Khenpo Targye (far right), Khenpo Kunsang (next to him) and Acarya Pasang (next to Lama Dashon) went for a visit to Tyn-y-Gors and then took a walk along Criccieth promenade.
Over the following day, they got straight into it, making tsa tsa's - small stupas made of clay mixed with the ashes of Rigdzin Shikpo - and the vases that would contain the rest of the ashes. These would first be blessed with a puja before being put inside the stupa.
Lama Dashon and Acarya Pasang sifting through the ashes of Rigdzin Shikpo to remove metal and plastic remnants from his cremation.
Lama Phuntsok sealing the vase that contain Rigdzin Shikpo's ashes.
Making light offerings during the puja.
Making tsa tsa out of clay and some of Rigdzin Shikpo's ashes
Making Torma in preparation for the stupa consecration rituals
When the rituals were complete for blessing the ashes, the Lamas went to Tyn-y-gors to fill the large stupa that would go on the island, and a small stupa that would be taken with Mandala Mother to Oxford, where Rigdzin Shikpo Rinpoche lived the last 40 years of his life and completed his three year retreat under the guidance of Khenpo Rinpoche.
The base of the stupas were filled with the mantras, previously rolled in Nepal, the tsa tsa we made at the Hermitage and the vase containing Rigdzin Shikpo's ashes. We also added a copy of Longchen Rabjam's text - The precious treasury of the Basic Space of Phenomena. In the small stupa, we added a memory stick containing the complete works of Longchen Rabjam, The Avatamsaka Sutra and the complete works of Trungpa Rinpoche - all important teachers and text for Rigdzin Shikpo Rinpoche.
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The vase section of the stupa had a sokshing (a tree of life) running through the middle, to which we attached some gold and a figure of Ganesh, and wrapped them tightly before packing in more mantras.
When we finished, it was sealed with epoxy resin, the images of Guru Rinpoche were placed inside the gau of each stupa and we sang Milarepas pranidhana.
To read more about the symbolism of the stupa, you can read Lama Shenpen's book on the Enlightenment Stupa
Lama Shenpen admiring the finished stupa.
This was only the first part of the process complete, and there would be three days of sadhana rituals to follow.
Tashi Mannox was invited. His experience as head monk at Samye Ling would be invaluable. He could bring the ritual instruments, meaning the lamas could travel a little lighter from Nepal.
The shrine room at Tyn-y-gors was arranged, so that Choje Lama Phuntsok, Tulku Sherdor, Lama Shenpen, the two Khenpos, Acarya Pasang and Tashi Mannox could all fit around the shrine tables.
There would be more than 50 people in the shrine room by the end of the day.
Jonathan, Sudhana and the team at Tyn-y-Gors made sure that there was enough space to sit, to eat, and to practice. They did an amazing job getting the sacred space ready for such a large event.
There followed three days of sadhanas.
Lama Shenpen introduced the event with a talk on the meaning of stupas. You can read her introductory talk here.
Day one was focussed on Amitabha and the prayers to be born in Dewachen. Lama Phuntsok gave a teaching on how all beings want to be happy and that meditation and our connections and pranidhanas was the way to make this manifest. It was a great introduction to the whole event.
Day two was calling on Milarepa and the Kagyu lineage masters.
Day three was calling on Guru Rinpoche.
This brought together the Kagyu and Dzogchen lineages that both the Awakened Heart Sangha and the Longchen Foundation are grounded in.
On the final day, and all the rituals were complete, the large stupa was lifted on a palanquin and taken to the island, where it was placed on a stone base, made by Mebar's husband Mike. Lama Phuntsok and the lamas did a final blessing and made offerings to the stupa.
Everyone else stayed on the bank of the lake, singing the prayer for the continuation of Rigdzin Shikpo's activity and Guru Rinpoche's mantra.
At the final moment, rice was tossed in the air, marking the auspicious moment.
Everyone present offered a candle to the stupa, filing on and off the island in small groups.
The rituals were completed with a smoke offering, with everyone involved in making offerings to the fire with a liturgy written by Rigdzin Shikpo.
The next day, we completed the rituals with the blessing of a treasure vase that will be placed in the foundations of the new meditation hall at the Hermitage.
Members of both Sanghas took part, making offerings to the fire as the Lamas blessed the ground.
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And finally, a group of around 20 members from the Longchen Foundation and Awakened Heart Sangha, made a pilgrimage from the Stupa at the Hermitage, circumambulating seven times before they left, via Llangybi's well, where spontaneous baptisms were given in the sacred waters, to Rigdzin Shikpo's stupa at Tyn-y-gors, arriving four hours later and circumambulating the island seven times.
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