Names of Some Great Benefactors of Nyingma Monlam Chenmo International foundation

 

1. His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche Jigdal Yeshe Dorje

2. His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche rabsal Dawa

3. His Holiness Drubwang Padma Norbu Rinpoche Jigmed Thubten Shedrub Chokyi Drayang Palzangpo

4. His Holiness Minling Thrichen Rinpoche Gyurmed Kunzang Wangyal

5. His Holiness Thrul-Zhig Rinpoche Ngawang Chokyi Lodro

6. His Holiness Taglung Tsetrul Rinpoche Shedrub Nyinjyed Zangpo

7. His Holiness jadral Sangye Dorje rinpoche
 

All the above mentioned Holinesses have considered Monlam Chenmo as an im- portant event and presided most of the Monlam Chenmo. In particular H.H. Drubwang padma Norbu had immensely inspired the faithful masses with his noble guidance and gracing the Monlam continuously from the beginning till his attainment of Mahaparinirvana.

It is worthwhile that we commemorate the kindness of the great benefactors of the Dharma - H.E. Darthang Chogtrul Rinpoche Kunga Gelag Yeshe Dorje and H.e. Ladakh Choje Rinpoche for their continuous guidance and generous financial support.

It is the sole fruition of the sublime intentions and kindness of all the above-mentioned Rinpoches that even during this degenerate period the doctrine of the Ngagyur Nyingma is flourishing far and wide.

 

How the Nyingma Monlam Chenmo International Foundation Came In To Existence

 

The Sutra of Compassionate White Lotus states:

This place is the source of one thousand and two Buddhas of this fortunate eon. And also Buddha said in Agama-kshudraka (Lung phran tshegs): “After I die, righteous men and women with faith should visit and remember these four great places. The four great places are where the Buddha was born; the Buddha attained enlightenment; the Buddha turned the wheel of the teach- ings revealing the twelve links of dependent origination; and the Buddha passed into Mahaparinivana.”

Bodh gaya is one of the four great holy places. It is also the source of Sutra and Tantra texts. Guru Padmasambhava, in his treasure prophecy praised the holy place of Bodh Gaya time and again as the source of ocean like Tantras of Ngagyur such as - Seventeen Tantras; Pith Instructions of Dzogchen; three kinds of Tantra of Ngagyur; and ocean like Tantras of Kilaya and so on.

Even the great beings like - 1st 7 hierarchs after Buddha; Six Ornaments and the Two Supreme ones; Eighty Mahasiddhas; King Bimbisara; King Ashoka and so forth had also timely renovated, safeguarded, recognised and praised it as the supreme field for the accumulation of merits.

Even today every Buddhist considers it as the source of all the Buddha and the supreme field of accumulation and continues to do prostrations and offerings with pure devotion and faith. It is mentioned in many Sutra and Tantra texts time and again that, just by dreaming and wishing to visit that holy site will accumulate immeasurable merits and cleanse the defilements. So, it is needless to talk about the accumulations of great merits through actual offerings and prostration in front of it.

It was at that glorious holy site embellished with many stupas containing sacred relics of Buddha, which had been the heart of Buddha-dharma for more than two thousand years, that Ngagyur Dorden Monlam Chenmo for International peace had taken its initial form in early 1980s. In 1982, H.H. Dodrub Rinpoche led an assembly of Sangha in reciting the Arya Bhadracarya Pranidhanaraja one hundred thousand times at Bodh Gaya. Subsequently, H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche led hundreds of monks in recitations of one hundred thousand times Arya Bhadracarya Pranidhanaraja and Confession of Misdeeds prayers. This is how the Ngagyur Dorden Monlam Chenmo for International Peace had begun with an auspicious coincidence through interdependent connection.

After that, through the altruistic intention of H.E. Darthang Chogtrul Kunga Geleg Yeshe Dorje Rinpoche the actual Monlam Chenmo gradually commenced. The initial motivation came into his mind sometimes during the 1970s. Rinpoche said:

“Nyingma Monlam Chenmo is a very important event for upholding and propagating Buddha-dharma. The great compassionate master of our time, the second Jamyang Khyentse Chokyi Lodro had made profound and vast aspirations at Bodh Gaya to shine forth the sun of dharma once more from there and pervade the whole world through its rays. So, I got the courage and inspiration to sponsor the Monlam continuously. In 1989, I have invited many friends and Lamas to Bodh Gaya to conduct Monlam for the world peace, longevity of the dharma and long lives of our lamas and parents. As the result was outstanding we have decided to conduct it annually. From then I have attended Monlam as far as possible. In 1993, I have promised to render support for the future Monlam Chenmo and the Monlam Chenmo Committee had also promised to manage the Monlam and look for other sponsors. Due to the blessings and kindness of the Rinpoches I could accomplish my promises. Although my abilities and potencies have been exhausted completely, still I will continue to do my best for the Monlam to continue forever. Annually, many realized masters are attending Monlam Chenmo and I wish and pray for its further improvements in the future.”

As said thus, in 1989 H.E. Darthang Rinpoche personally came to India to conduct Monlam. With his noble motivations and unsurpassable generosity the first Ngagyur Dorden Monlam Chenmo for world peace was conducted under the great Bodhi tree with a great inaugural ceremony. It was attended by a huge gathering of two sections of the Sangha from Nyingma monasteries of India, Nepal and Bhutan. It was graced by many great Lamas like: H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, H.H. Drubwang Padma Norbu Rinpoche, H.H. Minling Thrichen Rinpoche, H.H. Jadral Rinpoche, H.H. Tag-Lung Tsetrul Rinpoche, and H.H. Thrulzhig Rinpoche.

For three successive years, recitation of hundred thousand times Manjushri Nama Sangirti (the king of all the Tantras) and Arya Bhadracarya Pranidhanaraja (the supreme aspirational prayer) and extensive clouds of offering were made successfully. Overwhelmed by the immense joys with the success of the great meritorious deeds of chanting the profound prayers and clouds of offerings all the Rinpoches held a conference on the continuity of the great Monlam Chenmo. They advised the assembly of Sangha to put collective effort in continuation of such a great meriorious event. regarding the provision and financial support H.E. Darthang Rinpoche kindly accepted to provide generous financial supports as requested unanimously by the Ngagyur Nyingma family and other Rinpoches also promised to lend their assistance for the provisions of the great event. Thus, as it was resolved to continue, H.H. Jadral Sangye Dorje formally bestowed it the name - Ngagyur Dorden Monlam Chenmo.

During the next Monlam Chenmo, it was decided that the arrangements for the annual Monlam Chenmo would be initiated by the respective Major Nyingma monasteries that were given the responsibility for that particular year, and the first group of staffs were also appointed for Ngagyur Dorden Monlam Chenmo organization.

His Holiness Jadrel Sangye Dorje presided the first three years of Monlam Chenmo and advised its participants to take only vegetarian food during ten days of Monlam session. His noble advice is being followed accordingly by serving only vegetarian food during Monlam Chenmo.

During the initial four or five years, Monlam Chenmo was organized by the Darthang Shedra in Nepal under the guidance of Palyul Chogtrul Rinpoche and Khen Rinpoche Rigzin. After that it has been organized successively by - Thegchog Namdrol Shedrub Dargyeling, Ogmin Ugyen Mindroling, Zhechen Tennyi Dargyeling, Dzogchen Ugyen Samten Choling, Thubten Dorje Darg at Simla, Palyul Chokhorling, Chogling Gon, all the Nyingma Monasteries of Drejong(Sikkim), and all the Nyingma Monasteries in Bhutan.

More than 700 Sangha members took part in the first Monlam Chenmo. The first three initial years of Monlam Chenmos were primarily managed and financed by H.e. Darthang rinpoche and he is still a prime benefactor and protector of the Monlam Chenmo.

 

Gradual Increase in the Number of participants

​

Since all the objectives and activities of the Monlam Chenmo are solely related with dharma, its fame had pervaded far and wide and the number of monasteries taking part in the Monlam has increase amazingly. Till now there are more than 1100 monasteries which have officially registered in the Nyingma Monlam Chenmo International foundation. There are around 528 monasteries which are yet to be registered officially as they lack the necessary documents. It is open for every Nyingma monastery in the world to register with the proper documents. from the 7th Monlam Chenmo, the number of Sangha of two sections participating in Monlam had increased year by year. According to the records more than six thousand participants joined the Monlam Chenmo officially and more than thousand came without proper registrations. In particular since 2009, the number of participants of Monlam Chenmo had crossed 10,000.

 

Actual Session of the Monlam

​

As decided by the great Rinpoches, annual Monlam Chenmo is held from 1st day to the 10th day of the 12th Tibetan month. During the ten days, in the morning, the assembly performs - the Ritual of taking Vows of Bodhicitta, liturgical method for invoking the blessings of Shakyamuni Buddha, paying homage and making offerings to Sthavira, Tara Ritual, and The Seven-chaptered prayer to Guru Rinpoche. In the afternoon they mainly recite Manjushri Nama Sangirti and Arya Bhadracarya Pranidhanaraja and they conclude the day with recitation of Kunzang Monlam, Aspiration of Maitreya (Jampai Monlam), prayer to be reborn in the Sukhavati paradise of Amitabha Bud- dha (De-Mon), and Aspirational prayers for the continuity and prosperity of the Nyingmapa sect of Tibetan Buddhism. It is concluded with extensive feast offerings, prayers of auspiciousness and dedications on the 10th day of the month. The concluding ritual is performed specifically on the 10th day of the month, since it is an auspicious day related to guru Padmasambhava, the ultimate Lord of Ngagyur Nyingma teachings and his followers.

Monlam Chenmo is conducted on the four directions of the great Stupa of Bodh Gaya and the seating arrangements are: Nuns on the East, Ordained monks on the South and West and the Tantric practitioners (Ngagpas) on the North. To have an organised and disciplined Monlam, many disciplinarians are also appointed yearly.

Anniversary of Mahaparinivana of Kunkhyen Longchen Rabjam is also conducted yearly at Bodh Gaya for three days. It is sponsored by H.E. Darthang Rinpoche. The main day of the anniversary is on the 18th day of 12th Tibetan month.

The reason for conducting the Ngagyur Dorden Monlam Chenmo, particularly in the 12th Tibetan month is that all monastic colleges within India, Bhutan and Nepal usually conclude their examinations by this period of the year. Moreover the weather condition of the place at that particular time of the year also suits with the people residing within Himalaya ranges.