The Great Sakya Mon Lam Aspirational Prayer Festival, held annually in Lumbini, Nepal, near the site of Shakyamuni Buddha's birthplace, was the setting this year for a truly magnificent Golden Jubilee Celebration of His Holiness the Sakya Trizin's enthronement.
Devotees of His Holiness came from North, South and Central America, Eastern and Western Europe, Northern and Southern Asia,
Australia
, and
New Zealand
as well as
India
and
Nepal
to revitalize their Bodhisattva aspirations and to celebrate this historic milestone - the longest reign of any Sakya Throneholder. His Holiness, the 41st Throneholder's 50 years of dedicated and inspiring service to the Dharma elicited the enthusiastic and joyful recognition of the multitudes who came to share in the blessings of this once-in-a-lifetime occasion.
During the two days preceding the official celebration of his 50 years as Sakya Throneholder, His Holiness offered teachings to a large group of Sangha members and lay disciples, seated on the grass of the lovely peaceful garden surrounding the Mayadevi temple, at the place of the Buddha's birth and a few steps from the Ashoka pillar which commemorates this important historical event. The topic of the first day's teaching was our interdependence with our environment, and the necessity of our creating the causes for a healthful and sustaining world for all. The second day's teaching concerned World Peace, and its foundation in the transforming power of our gradually developed individual spiritual practices of loving kindness and compassion.
On the morning of November 25th, the road to Tashi Rabten Ling Temple, the ceremonial centre of the Mon Lam and Golden Jubilee activities, was thronged with joyful crowds, lined up between the long row of decorated gates. They assembled early in the morning of His Holiness' Golden Jubilee Celebration Day, waving flags and jostling for the best viewing positions. The procession exceeded all expectations of grandeur, with a variety of exotically dressed groups of indigenous people bearing offerings, monks bearing banners and umbrellas, musicians, masked dancers, singers, and after the cars carrying His Holiness' party, a group of beautifully saddled horses and two elephants. The crowd was so close that it was possible for them to touch the elephants as they passed, before everyone rushed to enter the gates of the temple in a joyful human torrent.
All morning at Tashi Rabten Ling the mandala offerings and processions of respectful lay and Sangha groups and individuals representing His Holiness' temples, monasteries, colleges, and Dharma Centres all over the world continued, while everyone present offered homage and prayers for the long life of His Holiness. The afternoon and evening events took place in an enormous specially constructed pavilion near the Buddha's birthplace, featuring speeches by distinguished lay and
Sangha leaders, delightful entertainment by dancers, singers and musicians and flower offerings by representatives of twenty-two different countries present for the festivities, all in a mood of joyfully relaxed celebration.
On the following day, November 26th, disciples from all over the world gratefully received a long-life blessing from His Holiness, a day-long event which His Holiness performed tirelessly, generously and graciously.
By special arrangement of His Holiness the Sakya Trizin, a mandala offering day and processions to honour His Holiness Dagchen Rinpoche were conducted on November 27th, with enthusiasm and devotion, in tribute to the revered leader of the Phuntsok Phodrang.
For everyone who was able to attend this magnificent and auspicious series of events, there were many more Sakya devotees who were there in spirit, rejoicing in the merits of their representatives there, and adding their prayers to those that were offered in Lumbini.
December 2009