Festivals in Bhutan

Bhutan Festivals Thri in Paro 2002 Bhutan Festivals Thrin Chel in Gelephu 2003

Ugyen Pelri palace in Paro His Holiness the Je Khenpo, Trulku Jigme Chhoeda, is conducting a two-week sacred Thri (admonition) ceremony at Ugyen Pelri palace in Paro. The programme included a wang-lung (blessing and oral transmission) ceremony and grouping of devotees into "families". The Thri, which many Bhutanese aspires to receive once in a lifetime, has two literal meanings: "to elucidate, elaborate, intsruct, or to explain", and the other is "to lead or to bring along with".

The transmission of the Thri can be traced back to His Holiness Gampopa from whom originated several Kagyu lineages. His Holiness Gampopa had upheld the two aspects of Mahamudra (Chhagja Chhenpo): Mahamudra of Sutra (Do) and the Mahamudra of Mantra (Ngag). This lineage was transmitted in the Drukpa Kagyue tradition through an unbroken line of masters down to the present Je Khenpo who is transmitting it to more than 6,000 devotees in this ceremony.

The devotees are guided in oral benediction or instructions on the preliminary training. They perform prostrations, recitation of mantras, make offerings and sing hymns in praise of the spiritual preceptor.

After receiving the Thri the devotees are expected to abide by the fundamental ethical injunctions taught to them to enable them to lead pure moral lives and to carry out the preliminary practices for higher spiritual attainments. The sole aim of such lives is to gain the ultimate liberation from the cycle of existence and suffering in the Samsara (Khorwa). Eighty-year old Sonam, who travelled all the way from Ngatshang in Mongar receiving Thri from Je Khenpo was like Buddha's blessing and listening to the teachings of Ugyen Guru Rinpoche. "I was fortunate to attend the sacred ceremony," said a devotee Aum Tshering Pem, 71, who walked three days from Gasa to attend Thri. "Now I have no regrets even if I die".

Dance of Guru Rinpoche His Holiness the Je Khenpo united devotees from all walks of life into one family as the seven Dorji Puens (spiritual brothers and sisters) who develop close relations and introduce them to their own families and relatives. The devotees were grouped into Dorji Puens of seven with one or two monks in each "family". The Dorji Puen is not just seven individuals but they symbolise seven Buddhas. It is believed that the founder of the Drukpa School, Dro Goen Tsangpa Jarey was meditating at the foot of a tree when the seven Buddhas (Sangay Rabduen) revealed to him the sacred teachings known as Tendrel Gi Choe (auspicious teachings of cause and effect).

It is after the seven Buddhas revealed to Tsangpa Jarey these sacred teachings that the system of Dorji Puens developed.

The empowerment of the Thri ceremony is of paramount importance to those devotees who wish to enter into the sacred path of Tantra. The lay devotees believe that the empowerment helps to purify them from adventitious defilements, alleviate their sicknesses, increase their life span, endow them with faith, wisdom, and compassion, and set them on the path of higher spiritual attainments.

The ceremony was organised on the request of the Rinpung rabdey, dzongkhag administration, and the people of Paro, for the spiritual well being of the people, the country, and all sentient beings.

Je Khenpo His Holiness the Je Khenpo, Trulku Jigme Chhoeda, is conducting a two-week sacred Thri (admonition) ceremony at Ugyen Pelri palace in Paro. The programme included a wang-lung (blessing and oral transmission) ceremony and grouping of devotees into "families". The Thri, which many Bhutanese aspires to receive once in a lifetime, has two literal meanings: "to elucidate, elaborate, intsruct, or to explain", and the other is "to lead or to bring along with".

During the ceremony, the moral precepts and the teachings of the Buddha are elucidated for the benefit of all devotees to set them on the path to enlightenment or ultimate liberation. The transmission of the Thri can be traced back to His Holiness Gampopa from whom originated several Kagyu lineages.

His Holiness Gampopa had upheld the two aspects of Mahamudra (Chhagja Chhenpo): Mahamudra of Sutra (Do) and the Mahamudra of Mantra (Ngag). This lineage was transmitted in the Drukpa Kagyue tradition through an unbroken line of masters down to the present Je Khenpo who is transmitting it to more than 6,000 devotees in this ceremony. The devotees are guided in oral benediction or instructions on the preliminary training. They perform prostrations, recitation of mantras, make offerings and sing hymns in praise of the spiritual preceptor. After receiving the Thri the devotees are expected to abide by the fundamental ethical injunctions taught to them to enable them to lead pure moral lives and to carry out the preliminary practices for higher spiritual attainments. The sole aim of such lives is to gain the ultimate liberation from the cycle of existence and suffering in the Samsara (Khorwa).