With
the ripening of past imbibing faith and benediction sowed towards upholding and disseminating
the Drukpa tradition, and to nurture all beings, have contribute to the enhancement
of human existence, His Eminence Kinley Gyeltshen Alias Lekshed Jamtsho, was
born to late Yap Dasho Dophu and Yum late Phurpa Dolma at Toeb Menchuna on the
male boar year in 1947. At his premature age, his late mother enrolled him at
Pungthim Central Monastic body under the lexicographical section. With fervent
diligence and renunciation from the mundane world, he excelled in all monastic
studies and enabled him to win the entire expectation and being reputed by all.
His pursuit for
further studies started from Wangduetse, Sangzab (present Semtokha), Tango,
Bumthang and Denjong. His Holiness Dilgo Khentse Rinpoche, Lama Gyalwang Nyima,
Khen Tsuendu, Khenpo Dazer, Khen Lode Zangpo, Khenchen Kinga Wangchuk, Khewang
Gyeden Rinchen were those highly revered masters from whom he received the
general literature, extra - ordinary doctrines of sacred literature and widely
covering all the branches of the Great Thirteen Buddhist Textual Arts.
In the meantime, he
received an honorific title of master. Later on he went to Tango where under
the tutelage of His Holiness late Jamyang Yeshi Singye and from His Benevolence
Holiness Tenzin Dendup, he received the general literature and particularly the
glorious Drukpa tradition; the blessing of ripening, an empowerment of
deliverance and oral transmission of support and reference. After completing
the preliminary retreat with various propitiations, and the series of basis and
mystic perfection, he gradually took over to nurture the devoted disciples at
Chari, the peak of meditation, Dechen Phodrang and Phajoding Jamkhang Shedra.
Establishment of Tango Buddhist
College and his Legacies.
It was in 1988,
when the 68th Je Khenpo His Holiness Tenzin Dendup Rinpoche and His Majesty the
Fourth King issued a Royal Command on the first ever elegant source of Glorious
Drukpa’s Doctrinal teachings and practices should be established at Tango. It
was formally instituted as the central institution for the higher Buddhist
studies.
It was by then His
Eminence who was summoned on the Royal Command to take over as the founding
abbot and presided over all the moral duties. It was that time; his considerate
thoughts arose to follow the footsteps of those successive lines of awakened
and great sages who had put forward the diverse advancement of doctrinal
teaching of Buddha and bestowed benefits and legacies to the vulnerable beings.
In order to accomplish the goal of inspiration, he worked tirelessly day and
night putting without restriction to his health, bringing the spiritual and
temporal section of life together where necessary.
More exceedingly,
he was subjected to thought of a greater accomplishment to be achieved none
other than in the state of being holistic towards spiritual. By then, His
Eminence had instilled the aspiration of not doing for the individual benefits
and indulged in indolence, either. As an oath of devotion towards achieving all
the spiritual goals, he prayed with unwavering and undefiled faith and made a
solemn promise in front of the precious sanctum of Buddha Shakyamuni, which is
the main sanctuary status of Sacred Tango at present. In the abode of Mahakala,
the main protective deity and its retinues, the Guardian deity of Tango,
Bagyed, His Eminence offered sacrificial offerings as an oblation and invoked
the deities to aid in achieving all the goals spontaneously.
As like a summer
clouds hovering over the sky-collecting vapor, a buzzing bees looking and
collecting fragrance from the flowers with detachment, His Eminence nurtured
all the disciples more particularly with reference to his boundless compassion,
affection and sympathy. He put all possible methods mitigating the four kinds
of religious service; and the four essential of partnership or co-operation for
other’s care and protection.
By that time, His
Eminence was like a great merchant of a ship sailing towards the land of a
precious gem, without any faintheartedness, he administered the preaching and
initiations on the three classes of the sacred textual writings and promoted
their resilience.
Like a swan waver to
the pond, his benevolence and affections was always rolled to those assemblage
of disciples and retinues with imparting the basic of all the teachings like
orthographies, grammar and literature. In particularly, to make the orthodox of
sacred literatures indispensable, he administered more than a times depending
on the time and intellect of the disciples. With the consecutive passing out
after exclusive training and studies under his prestigious tutorial ship, all
the disciples were enriched with the sublime wisdoms.
The high profiles
with spiritualistic knowledge possessed individuals are scattered all over the
Institutional and meditational centres, organizations like monastic centres,
schools, and university. By generating and nurturing all those elegant pupils,
the light of wisdom cleared all the darkness of ignorance and it is credited to
His Eminence’s benevolence and legacies.
As a connective
means, he followed the great legend of those superior forgone predecessor,
narrated their biographies and their sacrifices for the benefit of sentient
beings. In following their path, he stressed on the importance of generating a
cherishing mind for others and unusual attitude towards the spiritual
community.
Being patriotic and
taking care of one’s identity, and to value the doctrinal teachings in an
appropriate conduct; were his core precepts among many. In order to make into a
real person of inspiration, he was deemed to have taught even the basis of
moving about with a good behaviour, good conduct and duties in daily practices
of offering and ritual performance.
In doing so, we
should not have the intention of fruition or gaining fame, rather he said, it
is a good cause to accumulate merit if we appeased others and have good moral
conductivities. To bring the modern and ancient section of life together, he
envisioned - there is no way without a method by promoting the strength and
manifestation of modern education, being mindful in health and religion,
importance of natural environment and its vulnerabilities. By imparting all
those valuable lessons and instalments impartially to the entire lineage of
disciples, they were enabled to be won his entire expectation and appraised
their diligence vice versa.
While presiding
over the Tango College of Buddhist Studies, it was during the construction of
great courtyard where he personally supervised the work, in order not to miss
used the funds and laborers provided by the government. Today, the Tango Dzong
is magnificently stood on its glorious sight for the outsiders with all sets of
gold and silver artifacts placed in each chamber of temples inside. But,
without the farsighted guidance of His Eminence, it won’t have withstood at
this time.
Reincarnate of
Gyalse Truelku.
More inspiringly,
on the commemoration of the death anniversary of Gyalse Tenzin Rabgay, which
falls on the 25th day of every fourth month, he presided over with his fervent
prayers, had an ocean full of varieties of offerings and profoundly
commemorated. In quest for a continuous doctrinal teachings and liberation of
sentient beings, he made an immortal prayers and wishes with weeping faith to
the embodiment of his Late Gyalse’s remains for the swift reincarnate born.
His fervent prayers
and wishes were paid off spontaneously, where without much prolong, the
blissful voice was sounded in the sky proclaiming Gyalse Truelku being
reincarnated in the east. It brought him an immense joy and was anticipated for
whence the Truelku be able to visit his previous resident. That too didn’t
prolong much, as the concerned authority cleared its recognition, and finally
made his visit on the auspicious day of the second month. He received the
Truelku in a grand ceremony with joyful celebration and offered the glorious
standing Tango Dzong and all the artefacts without any decrement.
Ascending to the seat of Drabi
Lopen (Master of Lexicography)
After valuable
service of benefits and legacies for twelve years at Tango, one auspicious day
in 1999, upon the recommendation from the high profile, His Holiness the Je
Khenpo appointed him as Drabi Lopen at Pungthim Central Monastic Body, a post
equivalent to the ministerial level. He impartially served and brought
tremendous changes to all the monastic centres. He toured all the twenty Rabdey
Dratshangs accompanied by other senior officials and learnt the conditions of
various monastic centres and their lacking. It was during that time, where he
incepted the establishment of an Institute to bring all along together from
various monastic centres to train and learn the elegant lessons for better
services. He also contributed in drafting the Constitution as a member of the
drafting committee.
Overseas Visits
His contribution in
the religious education wasn’t only in the Bhutan, but has reached as far as
Vietnam. Upon the command of His Holiness the 68th Je Khenpo Tenzin Dendup
Rinpoche and Dratshang Lhentshog, His Late Eminence visited Vietnam in 1990s
and gave preaching and empowerments on the Drukpa Teachings. It was learnt that
the Vietnamese monks, nuns and lay people had transformed their intellect
capacity and nurtured by his wisdom. It was later in 2006 and 2008, upon the
invitation from the Religious community in Vietnam; His Eminence Late Geshey
again visited consecutively and toured some parts of Vietnam. It was during
that time, where His Late Lopen attracted huge crowd of devotees and
administered mass teachings and blessings. Many practitioners (Clergy and Lay)
Vietnamese could realized the profundity of Drukpa Teachings that have
enshrined in its culture which have passed down many years. Even the exchange
of culture started when the Vietnamese clergy and lay people come to Bhutan and
received teachings and empowerments from His Late Eminence.
Establishment of Lekshed
Jungney Shedra
It was then in
2002, where his inception was paid off, with the issue of royal command of His
Majesty the fourth King and His Holiness, Lekshed Jungney Shedra was
established under his farsighted vision. He over looked in all matters of the
Shedra irrespective of his greater role and responsibility in the Pungthim
Dratshang, as he was still in the post of Drabi Lopen till the end of 2004.
Many well-disciplined monks and qualified with monastic education were
recruited from various monastic centres to learn under his prestigious tutelage
ship. A numberless of learned monks were nurtured from him and they are now in
the high profile like chief abbot, professional principal, meditation master
and lecturer in various monastic centres and Institute. His footsteps of great
legacies are withstood to this time by his prominent disciples, upholding and
disseminating the teachings lively at all times to come.
Druk Thuksey Award.
“Lopen Kinley
Gyeltshen is an extraordinary Lama. Today most Lam Netens in various Rabdey Dratshangs
(Head of District Clergy) and Shedra Khenpos across the country are those who
studied under Lopen Kinley Gyeltshen”. His Majesty the King addressed to the
nation. In recognition for his exemplary contribution towards religious
education, His Eminent Professor (Geshey) Kinley Gyeltshen received the Druk
Thuksey Medal which His Majesty the King awarded him on 17th December 2013,
during the 106th National Day celebrations at Changlimithang, Thimphu.
It was an immense
joy to be blessed by his charisma of receiving a high honor. “It is because of
you all that I am rewarded today”. The radiance of joyful words brought all the
disciples in tears, who have gathered to felicitate and offered the Life Long
Prayers and footstools. Moment later, he was ushered into his chamber to have
regular check up by Colonel (Dr) Rai, who had served him till his last breath.
The Grate Demise
The following days
after the award were a profound grief when his chronic diseases deteriorated
His Late Lopen’s health. The retinue of disciples requested to remain steadfast
for the well fare of Dharma and sentient beings, but the anchoress with full
enjoyment adorned had arrived to receive His Late Lopen.
Nevertheless, His
Late Lopen said to offer the Dakini inspiration footstool. The assemblage of
disciples offered the Dakini footstool and his life prolonged for five days.
Nonetheless, Late Lopen realized that the illusory body had become incapable
and decided to enter Nirvana with confessing all the errors in the three Vows.
Upon the repeated request by the disciples, Late Lopen graciously accepted to
be swiftly reincarnated in the Druk Yul for the sake of sentient beings, and
followed by his passing words.
“Accumulate merit
and abundance of demerits is essence. More profoundly, training and
familiarization on the luminosity of acquaintance is crucial and should be
realized. Serve the Doctrinal Teachings and one’s country; make no mistake to
the paths on the three stages of intermediate states”. With these last words,
His Eminent Geshey Kinley Gyeltshen, the former Drabi Lopen (Master of
Lexicography) and a Spiritual Mentor, peacefully demised at his meditation home
in Semtokha, Thimphu, around 8pm on the 30th day of the 10th month on January
1, 2014. He was 67.
He remained in a state
of meditation or Thugdam for five days and once the late master completed his
Thugdam, his sacred remains or Kudung was taken to Lekshed Jungney Shedra in
Punakha and kept for 23 days. The Lam Netens of various Rabdey Dratshangs,
Shedra Khenpos and hundreds of his disciples had gathered at Lekjung Shedra to
perform Gonzog Sungchog for 49 days (Religious ceremony dedicated to the late
Lopen Kinley Gyeltshen to fulfil and realize his spiritual wishes).
On the 23rd of the
eleven month of Bhutanese calendar and 24th of January 2014, presided by His
Holiness the 70th Je khenpo along with more than two hundred monks, His Eminent
Geshey Kinley Gyeltshen’s sacred remains were offered to the retinue of white
robbed goddess by opening the disk of the face and performing the
Avaloketeshvara and Akshobaya Ceremony.
His profound
legacies are to be realized and emphasized by those who purport to try to
practice the supreme morality in their own lives should devote themselves to
the cultivation of human minds, and this is the fundamental method of attaining
the perfection of our own moral character.
Lamai Zhabten (Foot Stool for
the Master)
OM SWASTI
A depository of Doctrinal teachings of all knowing Buddha, and
A spiritual teacher that guides to the ultimate liberation;
Peerlessness in the victory of supreme Doctrine,
I offer footstool to you, Ngawang Lekshed Jamtsho.
A spiritual teacher that guides to the ultimate liberation;
Peerlessness in the victory of supreme Doctrine,
I offer footstool to you, Ngawang Lekshed Jamtsho.
Apprehending all the absolute qualities, well known.
Your radiance of elegant teachings unravels the oceanic learning;
And becomes the kinsman of those fortunate disciples.
We pray for your life longevity and prosperity; Great Lama.
Your radiance of elegant teachings unravels the oceanic learning;
And becomes the kinsman of those fortunate disciples.
We pray for your life longevity and prosperity; Great Lama.
Your lord, by the truth of our longing request and prayers,
May you remain as a crown head to all the subjects without
reverberating your life and agitating from the lion throne, and
Spontaneously achieved your essential wishes and thoughts.
May you remain as a crown head to all the subjects without
reverberating your life and agitating from the lion throne, and
Spontaneously achieved your essential wishes and thoughts.
SARWA MANG GA LAM
Reference: http://lekshedjungney.org.bt
