The Gyalwang Drukpa

As we get ready to remind ourselves of the anniversary of Buddha's Enlightenment and Parinirvana tomorrow, I think we should pause for a moment to think about our life and its meaning.

For the time being, let me share some news with you. I just came from Ladakh, after visiting the Druk White Lotus School and Hemis Monastery. As usual, the children made me very happy. This time for some reasons, not only the children made me happy, the teachers and the house mothers who are looking after the nursery children really delighted me through the way they live their life and the way they take care of each other. I am especially moved by the school project in Ladakh, that makes me feel that we are really putting what we teach and what we have been trained for in action.

I am also very happy with the development at Hemis Monastery, although the walls would be falling into pieces soon, I guess. This gives us a great teaching on impermanence. My short and sudden visit to Ladakh was requested by the local people who had asked me to do some prayers so that these walls would not be falling for a long time and even if they finally fall, they will not damage any human being or any precious thing. So I went to have a discussion with the "guardians" of the walls and to do some funny things, which you guys won’t believe and won’t be able to understand what’s happening and what I’m talking about right now. So I don’t want to tell you these funny things, only to tell you that  I am filled with joy and satisfaction.

Due to some technical problems with the facilities here, I am unable to upload the photos of my trip in Ladakh, even though Ngawang Sopa has taken some very nice photos. But maybe when the facilities are more stable in one or two days, I will definitely be able to share some of my experiences through these wonderful photos. For now, I have used a few photos from the school's web to decorate this page of news.

I also visited the Hemis Museum that was inaugurated last year in July. This was my second visit. I am very proud to be able to display all the precious things for display to all sentient beings, especially for those people who are devoted to genuine spirituality. I even feel that this museum would also be benefiting those who are not devoted, but are wandering and looking for something in life. It's still good for them to look at the history. Even though the arrangement in the museum is still not up to the international standard, but we are gradually improving it. Many people told us that in their life, they had never seen this sort of museum in a monastery before.

I have also decided to put up a monks' school in Hemis, that will eventually have around 800-1000 boys, who will hopefully be trained over time to take the role of the Drukpa Lineage holders, especially the part of the Drukpa Lineage which is still very much alive and active in Ladakh. Therefore, I am keen to work hard to provide this sort of facilities for Hemis, for Ladakh and for our lineage. Foundations have been laid and the project is progressing quite nicely, with some help from Indian government and the local devotees. But of course, I know when it is fully usable, there will be a lot of overhead expenses for me. Well, as usual, I think I will be able to raise funds for this important purpose from different parts of the world. Obviously, there won't be any problem, because all of my friends, as usual, will one way or the other come with some solutions or with some help. So I am very optimistic about it and I am very happy with this feeling of optimism when I saw the construction work for Hemis Monks' School. I think I will be able to show you some photos later on.