Inauguration of the Siliguri Gompa

Einweihung / Inauguration / Consécration

25.12.2002

Since January 15th the butterlamp retreat is over. 31 of Rinpoche's disciples had come from Eupope and together with Urgyen, Sashi, Anne, Sebastian, six Tashiding monks and some of the indian employees we offered more than 111000 butterlamps.

On the evening of December 24th Kathok Rinpoche arrived with four monks from Chorten Gompa, Gangtok in order to lead the inauguration ceremonies on the 25th.
„While the sun was sheding it's morning warmth and light over our new born gompa we all joined Kathok Rinpoche ,Orgyen and the Lamas for a blessing and prayers of the wealht deities so that the teachings and spiritual activities may blossom and increase and the material needs for that be fullfilled. Then we all did kora and turned the prayerwheels reciting OM MANI PEME HUNG RHI silently invoking Chen Rezig deity of compassion and may the the wheel of Dharma be turned again and again transmitting the precious teachings of the lotus born Pema Jungne in our Gompa.

When we came back in front of the Gompa and just before we went inside, we where all surprised Amala was there blessing each and every one of us with a katah and hugging some of us in her own kind and warm way . She was truly so radiant and simlpy beautiful.Then we entered the temple and discovered for the first time the beautiful new statues and toke our seats for the rituals." (by Marie Christine)

Kathok Rinpoche and the monks from Gangtok and Tashiding did Byangter Thug Drub, in the middle of which he performed the Rab Ney Ceremony, followed by the Tshog offering. Then he did Chod Khandro Gaekhyang and all did Big Rigdzin together. The ceromies ended with the concluding prayers of the Thug Drub. One could feel the blessings strongly after the ceremonies.

On 26th after a puja invoking the blessing of the eight auspicious symbols Kathok Rinpoche planted a bodhi tree in front of the Gompa and blessed the house, in which Anne and Sebastian are living, after which he left. (by Hilke)

Thondup Rinpoche writes about the Gompa:
"This Temple has been the center of Rinpoche's focus for so many years. In a way, it represents his presence. With this opening ceremony, one of his main aspirations has been realized. In the future, this should be the center of the spiritual source and goal of pilgrimage for his disciples. Since the construction aspect of the Temple has been mostly completed, the focus now should be on seeing and using it as the source of Rinpoche's blessings."

"Ancient buddhist countries were filled with monuments, stupas, temples
built by great masters at carefully selected sites.
There were many reasons for doing this, some easy for us to understand
and some based on profound wisdom.
Now as the Dharma spreads out from Tibet high Lamas give great importance to
the building of chortens, gompas and Dharma centers all over the world, and
to rebuilding the old ones.
The Buddha taught that this is a tremendously powerful way for generate
merrit (in two cycles of teaching, including the "Stainless Light Rays",
which teaches about the building of stupas and the gret benefit of
constructing them) and Tulku Thondup Rinpoche has described how one of his
teachers built a Gompa in central Tibet. Though the completed building
remained unoccupied, he states that it it was and is enormously beneficial
for the world and for its area.
So we can really feel proud that through our support, Rinpoche was able to
fulfill his dream, and complete the buyilding of his Gompa in West begal.
Not only will it have the general benefit decribed above, but we all hope
and pray it will serve as a beacon to attract his Tulku. We also this was
Rinpoche's intention, and it will be here that Urgyen will oversee the
education of our new Rinpoche." (by David Cowey)

Pictures by Belsai Huart and Olivier Roger, 2002

***ar 02/03