Gangteng
Monastery Restoration Project
Land
of the
Thunder Dragon
Hidden
deep in the Himalayan mountains of Southeast Asia rests a small
Buddhist kingdom referred to for centuries by the various names
of "Hidden Holy Land", "Lotus
Garden of the Gods", and "the Southern Valleys of Medicinal
Herbs". The inhabitants of this unique land have always called
it Druk Yul, "Land of the Thunder Dragon". Today, to the outside
world, it is known as Bhutan.
The
Thunder Dragon embodies the essence of Bhutan, its fierce snarl
symbolizing the wrathful deities which protect the kingdom,
its thunderous roar proclaiming the living truth of the Lord
Buddha's teachings throughout the land. In this spiritually-enriched
Himalayan region, which was, earlier in this century, a veritable
garden of Vajrayana Buddhist kingdoms and principalities, Bhutan
alone has survived: a solitary, exquisite bloom of united Vajrayana
Buddhist government and religious culture.
Guru
Rinpoche Statue |
Spiritual
Heritage
The Second Buddha, known both as Padmasambhava and Guru
Rinpoche, blessed Bhutan with his presence and left many hidden
treasure teachings (terma) there, making it one of the holiest
Buddhist sites in the world. Guru Rinpoche's primary regent and
emanation in Bhutan was the 15th century treasure-revealer (terton)
Pema Lingpa, who is revered there as a patron saint.
Pema Lingpa was the fourth of the five King Tertons (spiritual
treasure-revealers) predicted by Guru Rinpoche, and was as well
the immediate incarnation of the supreme master, Longchenpa, "the
All-Knowing". In addition, Pema Lingpa was the final pure incarnation
of the royal princess Pemasel, whom Guru Rinpoche awakened from
death centuries before to impart the esoteric instructions of
the Innermost Spirituality of the Dakini treasure, which he empowered
her to reveal in a future life.
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Pema Lingpa |
The
fully intact treasure teachings revealed by Pema Lingpa have
until the present day formed the basis for most of the Buddhist
practice in Bhutan.
Pema Lingpa continues his blessings through an unbroken series
of Body, Speech and Mind Incarnations. The Speech and Mind incarnations
(Seungtreul Rinpoche and Thuksey Rinpoche) have usually been born
in Tibet, but in this lifetime are living in Bhutan. The Body
Incarnation has always incarnated in Bhutan in the station of
the Gangteng Tulku.
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Gangteng
Tulku |
The current Gangteng Tulku formally assumed his seat as the head
of Gangteng Monastery at age 21, after twelve years of intensive
study, training and meditation retreat under the guidance of several
of the most revered masters of both the Nyingma and Drupka Kagyu
lineages. Now in his forties, the ninth Gangteng Tulku has dedicated
his adult life not only to maintaining his legacy, but to enriching
it and assuring its survival in the centuries to come.
Gangteng
Monastery
A Jewel of Bhutan
Within the panoramic Black Mountain Range of central Bhutan lies
the Phobjikha Valley, which, until the mid-1980's, was reachable
only by horseback or on foot. High on a hill in the center of
this "secret" valley is Gangteng Gonpa, the largest private Buddhist
monastery in Bhutan.
The
site was recognized by Pema Lingpa, who predicted that one day
a great temple would rise on the spot where then was a cave used
by cow herders. Initially constructed by the first Gangteng Tulku,
Pema Lingpa's first incarnation, Gangteng Gonpa was enlarged
to its present size during the late 16th century. One of many
miraculous stories which surround the Gonpa relates that the huge,
flat stones covering the entrance to the central temple—exquisitely
fitted and matched, an engineering marvel even by today's standards—were
placed by the dakinis as their offering to the Gonpa.
Gangteng
Gonpa |
For
nearly four centuries Gangteng Gonpa has remained an isolated,
secret repository of the innermost teachings and traditions of
Pema Lingpa. Even today its ancient spiritual rhythms remain
uninterrupted. Among its traditional activities is the oldest
annual tsechu in Bhutan. In this religious festival the entrancing
sacred dances of Pema Lingpa's terma revelations are performed
by costumed and masked monks, who leap, whirl and beat drums as
they depict the inner dramas of our spiritual nature.
As
the 21st century begins, outwardly the Phobjikha Valley has
changed very little: electricity is still unknown; the narrow
mountain road leading to it remains impassable several months
of the year; and the elegant Black-Necked Cranes still grace
the valley floor for several months each year, performing, in
exquisite privacy, the leaps, whirls, and whoops of their own
magical natures.
With
the presence of the current incarnation of the Gangteng Tulku—which
incarnation had been absent from the monastery for over 75 years—new
shoots of dharma activity abound at Gangteng Gonpa. During the
past ten years the Gangteng Tulku has constructed a three-year
retreat facility adjacent to the Gonpa (the three-year retreat
is a rigorous traditional meditation and study program which
is vital to the preservation of the inner and secret levels
of Vajrayana Buddhism), and has established a shedra there as
well, a university-level Buddhist studies program for advanced
monks. Several other major undertakings have been realized,
and new projects are being planned, both at the main Gonpa and
at more than 20 satellite monasteries and hermitages throughout
Bhutan, all of which together comprise the extended spiritual
household of the Gangteng Tulku.
While it does provide basic support to Gangteng Gonpa, the Royal
Government is unable to subsidize this burgeoning of spiritual
activities. During the past twelve years the Gangteng Tulku
has had to rely on the generosity and financial participation
of his expanding base of foreign students and friends to fund
his spiritual vision for Gangteng Gonpa.
Gangteng
Gonpa: A Threatened Treasure
Prayer
Wheels |
At
the dawn of the 21st century, in the midst of the current flowering
of spiritual growth and activity, Gangteng Monastery—a
magnificent physical focus of Guru Rinpoche's legacy and the
Pema Lingpa Lineage, which houses not only a dozen spiritually
significant, actively attended shrines, but a vast collection
of sacred art, statues and thangkas—is threatened by imminent
physical collapse.
wall
damage |
In
August, 1995, a team of four government representatives and
engineers conducted a cursory, one-day inspection of the Gonpa,
at Rinpoche's request. They re-ported, "Despite the short time
available, the team could find that there are some serious problems
which have to be investigated further... to allow the drawing
up of a list of actions to be taken." Since then, a complete
engineering inspection of the Gonpa has been undertaken and
completed
Construction
costs in Bhutan, in general shockingly high, are even more so
in the Phobjikha Valley. Many materials must be trucked in, laboriously,
from India. The engineers estimated that renovation costs will
run approximately US $3 million, but until a detailed engineering
study is conducted, a precise figure will not be known.
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damaged
corner |
wall
buttress |
How
can we participate?
wall
mural damage |
Although
shouldered with important responsibilities and projects throughout
Bhutan, the Gangteng Tulku has set as his priority the return
of Gangteng Gonpa to its original condition, without changes
or modernization. Again, he must look to the international community
for help.
Responsibility and merit for the original construction of Gangteng
Monastery rests with a relatively small number of devoted Bhutanese.
Auspiciously, the Gangteng Gonpa's contact with the outside
world after nearly 400 years coincides with its desperate need
for renovation. If the physical structure of Gangteng Gonpa
is to continue to house and proclaim Buddha activity in the
dark centuries to come, selfless participation is required of
not a few, but of many devoted, culturally and religiously aware,
and very generous individuals from around the globe.
Gangteng
Tulku |
The
preservation of Gangteng Monastery depends solely on each one
of us: friends and students of the Gangteng Tulku, and admirers
of the exquisite Kingdom of Bhutan.
Please contribute generously to the Gangteng Monastery Rescue
and Renovation Project. Contact Yeshe Khorlo through your local
representative or email
us. All donations to the Restoration Project made through
Yeshe Khorlo are tax deductible and 100%
of your donation goes directly to fund this vital project.
Produced by Yeshe KHORLO
Ven. Gangteng Tulku, Rinpoche
Founder and Spiritual Director
Nyingma Buddhist Meditation Centers
Canada, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia, Singapore,
Taiwan, USA
Graphic
design: Michael Motely & Dakini Design
Text,
graphic and photo coordination: Anna Christine Hansen &
Rober Ott
Santa Fe, New Mexico USA
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