Review Of Notable Events In 2022

On the last day of the year 2022, the Palyul sangha from around the world celebrated the 11th birthday of His Holiness Drubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche’s Yangsi Mingyur Dechen Garwang Zilnon Dorji Rinpoche.

One month earlier in November 2022, the reincarnation of Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche, the four years old Nawang Tashi Rapten, was enthroned at the Dorji Drak Monastery in Shimla by the chief abbot Namkhai Nyingpo Rinpoche.

Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche, the spiritual head of the Nyingmapa (2012-2015), passed into parinirvana on the 23rd December 2015 in Bodh Gaya at the age of 89 years.

His holy body was preserved at Dorji Drak Monastery, which he founded in 1984, for 10 months before he was cremated.

The master of ocean-like Dharma treasures of Ngagyur Nyingma, Kyabje Dodrubchen Jigme Thupten Thrinle Palzangpo (1927-2022), the fourth Dodrubchen Rinpoche displayed the attainment of Mahaparinirvana and dissolved his mind into the sphere of ultimate reality on the evening of January 25, 2022 at the age of 95 in Sikkim, northern India. As the fourth incarnation of Dodrupchen Jigme Trinle Ozer, the heart-son of Jigme Lingpa who revealed the Longchen Nyingtik cycle, Dodrupchen Rinpoche was the principal holder of the Longchen Nyingtik lineage.

Twenty days later, Dudjom Sangye Pema Shepa Rinpoche (1990-2022), the reincarnation of Kyabje Dudjom Jikdral Yeshe Dorje Rinpoche passed into parinirvana at the age of 32 on the 15th February 2022. He was the principal holder of the Dudjom Tersar lineage.

Jìngkong Fashi (1927–2022), known for his teaching of Pure Land Buddhism and his work in promoting inter-faith harmony around the world passed into parinirvana at the age of 95 in Taiwan. Many crystallised sarira flowers were found after his cremation which is a clear indication of his extraordinary lifetime accomplishment. Jìngkong Fashi was the founder of the Corporate Body of the Buddha Educational Foundation which was established in 1982 for the publishing and free distributing of Dharma books in various languages of which many Tibetan Texts have been offered to Namdroling Monastery over the years.

During the course of 2022, 14 new Dharma teachings by Lama Dondrup Dorje Rinpoche were published online to honour the continuous presence of Buddhadharma in the degenerate age when delusion and conceit are abound. The source material of these teachings covered both the oral transmission (kama) of the Sutrayana (dö tekpa) tradition and the hidden treasure transmission (terma) of the Vajrayana (dorje tekpa) tradition, that have been preserved and passed down by vajra masters (dorje lopön) such as Padmasambhava, Longchenpa, and Jigme Lingpa, in an unbroken lineage from the primordial Buddha Samantabhadra (Kuntuzangpo) to the present time.

Audio teachings from the archive collection of Lama Dondrup Dorje Rinpoche’s Dharma teachings were made available daily to Pathgate students from around the world. These include a wide range of Dharma discourses which cover both Mahayana and Dzogchen classics such as Gyalsé Ngulchu Tokmé’s Thirty Seven Practices of the Bodhisattvas, Shantideva’s Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life, and Kunzang Sherab’s Middle-Length Commentary to the Preliminary Practice of ‘Buddha in the Palm of Your Hand’.

On the morning of the 3th March 2022, the first day of the Tibetan New Year, Namdroling Monastery in India reopened its gate once again to all devotees and visitors, after having been closed to the public since the 15th March 2020 due to the covid pandemic.

The annual one-month retreat of the Namcho tradition called ‘Liberation in the Palm of your Hand’ for both the ordained and lay people commenced at Namdroling Monastery on the 18th day of the lunar month (21st March 2022) with Ngondro (Preliminary Practice) given by Chogtrul Gyangkhang Rinpoche, and Tsalung (Channels and Winds Practice) & Dzogchen (Great Perfection), given by Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso Rinpoche.

On the 10th May 2022, the Chief of Namdroling Monastery Chogtrul Gyang Khang Rinpoche visited the Palyul Retreat Centre, Samten Osel Ling in Pharping, Nepal, which was established by Khenchen Namdrol Tsering Rinpoche, and offered blessing to the precious Relic-Stupa of His Holiness Drubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche.

The following day, Gyang Khang Rinpoche and Khenchen Namdrol Tsering Rinpoche accompanied by Khenpos, Lopons, monks and nuns of Namdroling Monastery inaugurated a new Dharma Centre, located near the Boudhanath stupa in Kathmandu, founded by the Nepal Buddhist Lotus Nun Association. The programme was organised by the nuns graduated from Namdroling Nunnery.

The Palyul Retreat Center in the USA which was established by His Holiness Drubwang Pema Norbu Rinpoche, at McDonough, upstate New York, has turned 25 this year. The silver jubilee celebration was conducted during the one-month summer retreat on the 7th August 2022 with His Holiness’s crown and holy body sariras (kudung ringsel) - crystallised relics - placed upon his throne, for students and devotees to pay their homage.

To commemorate this auspicious occasion, treasure vases (yang bhum) which are blessed with the power to magnetize good fortune, promote vitality and restore elemental balance were specially prepared and made available for devotees to take home.

The Ngagyur Rigzod Editorial Committee of the Ngagyur Nyingma Institute has published the history of Namdroling Monastery entitled The Comprehensive History of Namdroling Monastery. The three-volume set present an overview of the monastery, describing the outer structure as well as the inner relics. In addition, two volumes of The Oral History of Namdroling Monastery, compiled from narration given by Khenchen Pema Sherab, Khenchen Namdrol Tshering, Khechen Tsewang Gyatso and other senior teachers associated with the monastery were launched at the same time by Khenchen Pema Sherab, on the 18th September 2022.

The construction of an outdoor Mani Dungkhor - a large prayer wheel that has been consecrated with Mani mantra of Chenrezig, for the villagers of Tsak Gaun, Nepal, was finally completed in 2022.

A second prayer wheel for a neighbouring village is being planned and will commence construction in 2023. Both prayer wheels are fully funded by the Pathgate Partnership Programme.

The building of a new two-story Dharma centre at Thrimshing, Bhutan, funded by the Pathgate Partnership Programme, is scheduled to be completed in 2023.

With the flat stone-tile floor for mask dance performance already laid by late 2022, what there remain are some minor structural work and interior finishing such as power induction, plumbing, and whitewashing. Once the building is ready, it will be registered as a temple with the Religious Organization of Bhutan.

Since war broke out in Ukraine on 24th February 2022, nearly 8 million Ukrainian refugees had fled to other countries across Europe. Pathgate students have been active in helping Ukrainian refugees in Poland, Romania and Greece through the offering of material support, accommodation and volunteering of labour.

Pathgate Partnership Programme have become the principal sponsor of food and clothing to over 500 Ukrainian families struggling to survive in Athens. We have been making three food deliveries and other essential supply every week since April 2022. Thanks to the support of Pathgate students worldwide, we will continue our best endeavour for the Ukrainian refugees in need of our assistance in 2023.

Pathgate Partnership Programme have been sponsoring weekly food delivery to the West End Foodbank and the People's Kitchen in the city of Newcastle upon Tyne for many years.

In 2022, West End Foodbank handed out more than 2,000 food parcels each month, while the People's Kitchen continue to provide daily hot meals to both homeless people and to families struggling to provide for themselves due to financial hardship.

During the course of 2022, Pathgate Partnership Programme have sponsored a wide range of projects that included building Dharma Centre in Bhutan, construction of statue and prayer wheel in Nepal, medical aid for Africa, assistance to Ukrainian refugees in Europe, education for children in Nepal, India and Mongolia, and weekly support for soup kitchen and food bank in Newcastle. All this is made possible by the generous support of students and friends of Pathgate Institute worldwide. The effort of everyone who have been sustaining the Pathgate Partnership Programme are greatly appreciated.

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