Carrying the Vajrakilaya Statue into place

During retreat at Rigzdin Ling, Tulku Sang-Ngag Rinpoche bestowed the Vajrakilaya empowerment and also consecrated the Varakilaya statue that has been in the Shrine Room for many years.

The statue was repaired, and Sangngag Rinpoche, with the assistance of Khenpo Ugyen Wangchuk and several Chagdud Gonpa lamas, reinstalled the mantras and sacred substances blessed by H.E. Chagdud Rinpoche

Months and months of intense work went into repairing, finishing and polishing the statue, before the consecration, and now Vajrakilaya once again  sits next to Red Tara on the shrine.

Click  for a slide show of the consecration.

Lama Padma Yontan Gyatso (Richard Baldwin) was the Vajra Master, and Chagdud Khadro and Lama Thubten also attended.

Members of the sanghas of Amrita in Seattle, Ati Ling in California, and Vajra North in the Yukon,  as well as others,  gathered together for inspiring practice, hard work and friendship.

Click here for the album, and to download pictures, or enjoy the slide show below with sound.

Akhyuk Rinpoche, one of the senior-most teachers of the Nyingma school residing in Tibet, has just passed away.
A student of Tromge Arik,  serving him for thirty-three years, he endured great hardship to be with his teacher during the Cultural Revolution.    Later, he taught widely and together with the late Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok (1933-2004), Akhyuk Rinpoche revitalized the study and practice of Tibetan Buddhism in Eastern Tibet, eventually drawing tens of thousands of students from across Tibet and China to his Buddhist encampment of Yachen Gar, which is just around the corner from  Tromge Gonpa.

This dance, Zheng Shik,  was performed by Sangye Tendar on the final day of the Rinchen Terzod, in the presence of  Yanthang Rinpoche and Gyaltrul Rinpoche.  Orgyen Dorje Den, Alameda, Californa.  2011

Here is a complete list of the photos from that event:

Photo galleries & slide shows

Empowerments, gallery:  .       http://dharmaphotos.zenfolio.com/rinchenterzod

Click on the picture for a slide show.

The Rinchen Terzod, “The Precious Treasury of Termas”, is a collection of over 700 empowerments from the 100 great tertons, assembled by Jamgon Kongtrul with the help of Jamyong Khyentse Wangpo, in the 19th Century.    Through the efforts of Venerable Gyatrul Rinpoche and his students, the Rinchen Terzod was given for the first time in the West, by Venerable Yangthang Rinpoche. They took place through December, January and February at Orgyen Dorje Den in Alameda, California.

Click here, or on the picture above, to view a slide show of the empowerments.    To go to the gallery, click here.

To view the gallery and download and/or copy photos,  visit the Dharmaphotos site.

You can view and download pictures from at the dharmaphotos site.

Red Tara

This statue of Red Tara, one of the first sculptures made in the West by Chagdud Rinpoche, sits in the shrine room of Dechen Ling, in Cottage Grove, Oregon, the first Chagdud Gonpa center outside of Tibet, and Rinpoche’s home for many years.

For more pictures of the Red Tara statue, as well as a Guru Rinpoche statue also sculpted by Chagdud Rinpoche, click on the picture above. You will be taken to a site where you can view, download and/or order good quality prints.