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Bhutan's
Festivals Tshechu |
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Bhutan's
Festivals Tshechu |
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Religious
Ceremonies
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The
15-day ceremony "Thrin Chel" in Gelephu January
2003 |
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| Je Khenpo in Gelephu
Led
by His Holiness the Je Khenpo, Trulku Jigme Choedra with 500 monks of Zhemgang,
Tsirang, Gelephu, Tali and Nimalung dratshangs, performed a Thrin Chel
ceremony for the devotees in Sarpang, Tsirang, Zhemgang and Trongsa.
The
Thrin Chel ceremony is a special rites, seeking refuge to the protecting
deity Mahakala. |
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The
sacred 15-day Thri (admonition) ceremony,
which many Bhutanese aspire to receive once in a lifetime, is organized
on the request of the rabdeys of Gelephu, Tsirang and Zhemgang by the three
dratshangs of Zhemgang, Tsirang and Gelephu and the Gyeltshen Furniture
House for the spiritual well being of the people, the country, and all
sentient beings.
The
calm environment of Gelephu town breaks into a sound of spiritual rhythm
at about 4.00 am every morning as 2,500 practitioners from all walks of
life start their prayers.
The
monks and devotees perform the Ngendro (preliminary performance) and Ngag
(mantra recitation) from dawn until their Tsowai lam (root guru) arrives at 7.30 am to the religious stadium. His Holiness the Je Khenpo
is escorted in a traditional chipdrel ceremony to the Thrikhang (religious
podium) where he is offered Kusung Thukten Mendrel by members
of the three rabdeys, dzongkhag officials, and representatives of the people.
His
Holiness elucidated the moral precepts and the teaching of the Buddha for
the benefit of all devotees. After receiving the Thri the devotees are
expected to abide by the fundamental ethical injunctions taught to them
to enable them to lead pure lives and to carry out the preliminary practices
for higher spiritual attainments.
On
the end of the seventh day of the Thri ceremony His Holiness unites devotees
from all walks of life into one family as the seven Dorji Puen (spiritual
brothers and sisters). The Thri was an effective strengthening of the
dharma by His Holiness not only in the Sarpang dzongkhag but all the 20
dzongkhags.
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Meaning
of Thri
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According
to His Holiness the Je Khenpo, the meaning of Thri was to lead all sentient
beings on the path of enlightenment or ultimate liberation from the cyclic
existence and suffering in the samsara (khorwa) through spiritual
means. "The empowerment of the Thri is of paramount importance to those
who wish to enter into the sacred path of Tantra. The transmission of the
Thri can be traced back to His Holiness Choejay Dagpo Rinpoche, who is
also known as gampopa, from whom originated several Kagyue lineages. Choejay
Dagpo Rinpoche had upheld the two aspects of Mahamudra (Chagja Chhenpo): Mahamudra
of Sutra (Do) and the Mahamudra of Mantra (Ngag). This lineage was
transmitted in the Drukpa Kagyue tradition. The main text of the Thri was
Dagpa Thargen, a text containing the essence of all Drukpa Kague teachings,"
His Holiness said.
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| Contributed
by KUENSEL, Bhutan's National Newspaper |
| Information on Bhutan |
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