Winter prayers in Ladakh went very well. The weather was unusually warmer than the past. It used to be minus 28 degree and just now it was only minus 18 degree. Nevertheless, despite the snow, people were pouring into Shey to join in the one hundred million Vajra Guru mantra recitation. Initially I thought we need at least 4 to 5 days to finish the mantra because in winter there should not be so many people and the weather was not so warm and pleasant that people could sit in the open and practise. Anyway, the end result was very good. We finished 300 million of Mani Mantra and 300 million of Vajra Guru mantra. Of course credit must go to everyone, without 45,000 people reciting together, how was it possible to complete? Therefore I was quite happy that we accomplished these two practices at one go.
I was also very moved to see Drukpa Hong Kong Sangha and a few European Sangha joining us in the prayers. Especially the girls from Hong Kong, they did not mind staying in a room at Hemis with very basic facilities and they were always there practicing in the crowd. I was not only moved, I was also surprised, because most of the city people who are used to physical comfort and attached to it cannot cope.
I took the opportunity to have a look at the monks' school. It was still under construction, but coming up very nicely. In Ladakh there is only 6 months available for construction and the rest of the years are frozen, impossible to do anything. Of course, financial constraints are there. These are the same stories, same problems, like samsaric existence, over and over again, I hope you are not bored with me saying these things, like construction not ready, insufficient funds for this and that, etc. We hope we will complete the school by 2010, so that the monks will have modern and traditional education and this will be better for the monastery's future.
I must also say that the monks at Hemis have also been very sweet and loving. Out of their own initiatives, they rebuilt a one-thousand year old retreat hut into my new residence, they did not even ask me for money, they did it all by themselves. I was very surprised and very moved when they asked me to "inaugurate" my new home. I wish I will have the chance to spend many years in retreat, to attain enlightenment for all beings. I want to thank the monks for their love and their care for me.
I have nothing much to say this time because I am so busy with the Zangchod Bum in Swayambhunath, that we started a couple of days ago with all my 200 over nuns here. We are trying to finish 100 thousand Zangchod practice in the next two days. Some of my friends and students are arriving one by one, to celebrate birthday with me. I was not really thinking of having a celebration, just a spiritual celebration at a holy place like Swayambhunath, with my nuns and monks, who are like my daughters and sons, practicing Zangchod Bum to dedicate for the entire universe, the entire world, that's all. Since all these friends and students are now here, I think it's also good that we can all join together to do something good and dedicate this merit to all corners of the world, which is badly needed.
Thanks to Cindy, these are some of the photos I have taken from her to show you.
By the way, Happy Losar and I am always late for this kind of things. But better late than never!
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