THAME MONASTERY - Thamichhowa Youth Group

THAME MONASTERY

Thame Dechen Chokhorling Monastery

Thame Dechen Chokhorling Monastery

located at 4000m(13,123ft)

“THE DHARMA WHEELS OF GREAT BLISS”

Thame monastery is one of the oldest monastery in Khumbu Region of Nepal . The monastery is located in 200 meters above the Thame Village which itself is at the elevation of 3800 meters(12,500ft). The monastery sits on the southern sloping area of Sumdur peak(5377meters(17,641ft)). The monastery is believed to have been founded around in 16th century’s by The Great Master LAMA ROLPA DORJEE. Lama Rolpa Dorjee was the middle brother of lama Sangwa Dorji and lama Khempa Dorji. LAMA ROLPA DORJEE was a practitioner endowed with the great powers and as a sign of accomplishment was able to twist an Iron Rod with his bare hand. The particular Iron is preserved in the main shrine of the monastery and the Rod is displayed during the annual Dumjee festival .

The Lineage of the Thangme Lamas

  1. Rolpa Dorje (16th c.)
  2. Rigzin Tenpa Sangye (17th c.)
  3. Rigzin Pema Longyang (late18th c.)
  4. Tulku Ngawang Dorje (early 19th c.)
  5. Chatang Chöying Rangdrol (mid 19th c.)
  6. Ngawang Trinle Lhundrub (d.1895). Head lama: 1865-1895
  7. Kunzang Dechen Gyalpo (d.1915). Head lama: 1895-1915
  8. Ngawang Yonten Norbu (d. 1936).Head Lama: 1915-1923.(Tulku) Reincarnation : Ngawang Lozang Yeshe Gyatso b.1937).
  9. Ngawang Tsering Dondrub (1898-1958). Head lama: 1923-58
  10. Ngodrub Dorje (d.1967). (Tulku)Reincarnation:Ngawang Labsum
  11. Ngawang Shedrub Tenpe Gyaltsen(1958-2009), (tulku)Reincarnation of Ngawang Tsering Dondrub
  12. Ngawang Thrinley Palbar (present) (Tulku) Reincarnation of Ngawang Shedrub Tenpi Gyaltshen.
Ngawang Thrinley Palbar (Present)

GEOGRAPHY:

Thame Monastery is located on the southern sloping area of sumdur peak and up to Thame Village . It lies in solukhumbhu district to the Northeast of Kathamandu on the Nepal and Tibet Border. Thame monastery approached by a himalayas trail from Namche and one of the Airport Lukla for connecting to Kathamandu .Its approach is by a easy three days of trekking from lukla however considering acclimatization needs for the high altitude climbing. A four day trek is generally preferred. This trail crosses initially the bhote kosi  River and reached to Thame Village and from Thamevillage  we reached at Thame Monastery in 30 min . From thame monastery up hills way lead to sumdur peak and right way lead to Thengbo Village and Tashi Lapcha pass. In front of the monastery the views of shining snow with the panoramic views of Mt. Khangteka, Mt.Thamserku,Mt.kusumkhangkaru and several other peaks. Thame is mid way station of the trail to Tashi lapcha pass and Renjo pass one of the passes in three passes. All these areas from part of the entire khumbu region up to tibet border with an area of 1148 square kilometres (445sq m) encompassing the sagarmatha National Park. During the spring season the hills slopes in front of the thame are covered with flowering RHODODENDRONS and JUNIPER FOREST .

STRUCTURE

The monastery is constructed with stone masonry and Red clay. The lourtyard and store room are large to facilitate for the monks religious rites and Annual Activities.

The main Building has the Mandatory Dongkhang the prayers hall where a statue of Compassion buddha (Chenreyzig) Shakyamuni Buddha (Hoetpakme) and Guru Padmasambawa (Lotus Buddha) is deified. The slatue extends to two floors of the monastery and encompasses the Sersang lhakhang (golden place) the first floor shrine room. Scriptures of kengyur and tengyur the original teaching of the Buddha translated into tibetain alphabet are part of the sanctum.

The way of monastery ancient mani stone (flat stone inscribed with the many mantra) “ OM MANI PEDME HUM” , “OM AHH HUNG” , “HA AHH SHA SHA MA HA” AND “OM AHH HUNG BAJRA GURU PADMA SIDI HUNG” . Prayers flag flying a top the high hill backward of the monastery. Flags are flown in colour denoting the five buddhist elements ( earth,wind,fire,water and consciousness).

All though the original paintings and the wall painting are made in …….

Stupa on the way to Thame monastery.

In the near by village there are many chortens (stupa) on the ways ,monastery  and heritages  including those at Tengboche , Pangboche ,khumjung and Remejung ..

FESTIVAL AND CEREMONY OF MONASTERY:

1. Yarngu /Tse-Chu

2. Manirildup (manirimdu) mask dancing

3. Nyungney (vipasana of Buddhism)

4. Yarney (retreat of summer )

• Cherip duwa(long life bless)

• Kangsu duwa(mahakala chant)

• Kyengur (reading praying books of buddhas spech)

• Gaye ( ending day of retreat of summer)

5.Dorsem (The Grand Puja of Buddha Bajrasattva)

Yarngo/ Tse-chu:

It is a ceremony takes place every month on the 10th day of the Lunar Calendar. It celebrates the magical powers of Guru Padhmasambhava appears on the day of the Yarngu or Tse-chu to bless his followers.

MANIRILDUP CEREMONY (MASK DANCING FESTIVAL)

Monks performing mask dance

Manirimdu  is the one of the most important festival of the monastery and Sherpa people. In Thame monastery the festival is held during the fourth lunar month of the Tibetan calendar corresponding to May and June of the Gregorian calendar. It falls on the end of spring season of Everest expedition . The festival which last for nineteenth days the religious festival involve ceremonies and meditation (DRUPCHEN) . The meaning attribute to “manirimdu and manirildup” is that Mani means part of the chant (mantra) of Chenreyzig (Compassion buddha). Rimdu and rildup means also know as rilbu a small Red pills that are the blessed during the festival. The Red pills are blessed repeatedly and then distributed to all those who attend at Ong ( Blessing day).

The festival is a tradition passed on from The Mother Monastery from TIBET RONGBUK MONASTERY . It begain with an elaborate depiction of the kilkhor (Mandala ) Diagram  made with coloured sand. This sand extracted from a specified place amd from Holly places. Tha mandala takes to mostly four days to draw. Then it is covered and takes to central to chanting room. The festival that the next 10 days the program Includes sisteen dance and they show the Interldes for comical effect.

This ceremony is the first biggest ceremony of the Monastery.The monks prepare for the ceremony . They make torma from rice and they make gyanthak from color of butter .

The monks continue making it for 2 days untill they finish it . From the 2th day evening they start the main chanting ceromany in the monastery.

From 3rd to 8th days ,they keep chanting or offering to god ceremony in the monasteries and 9th days they have Chamguyk(pre test dance dance practice )

Pre test for mask dance . The chamguyk start in the afternoon to  evening time.

The 10th day is a special day and blessing day for all villagers which we call it Ong. Ong is the blessing that lama and monks give it to the villagers from the puja.

And 11th of the day is a main day of MASK DANCE Day .

Firstly the monks do Sunthang for the head lamas taking seat for the stage as welcome .

 The mask dance starts from monks by hand skills that the local name called RwolChham and after that the monks pray Rewosangcho for good luck and then they start the mask dance for whole day.

The mask dance serial starting from here÷

1.Rolcham

2.Serkem

3.Khing

4.Dorji Thrilbu

5.Ngacham

6.MeTseRing

7.ThurTak

8.GonCham

9.Menak

10.Shalungnga

11.Khangdroma

12.Tokden

13.Lhakma

14.Thikcham

15.Sur chaam

16. Lokchaam

Tokden

Lokchaam is the closing dance and the monks do the welcome for lamas sunthang again for closing the ceremony.

And after closing ceremony the villagers start dancing on Sherpa song as saving Sherpa’s culture and also making themselves enjoyable in the night.

12th  of the day the monks prepare for the fire place for Zinsek (fire ceromany)

13th of the day the monks erase the main mandala of the ceremony that they made by sand inside the monastery and they took that Mandala sand inside the lota form the holy water place and they take water from the holy water place form inside that lota and they ablation from that water for whole manstery and they take that water inside the monastery.

After that the Lama and monks they do Tashi monlam for ending and closing for the ceremony they take a chomin (butter lamp) and porang (incense) and they pray for 15 to 20 min Tashi monlam and after that they end their main ceremony.

Nyungney (vipasana of Buddhism)

From the second to the sixth day of the sixth Tibetan months the Lama along with the villagers and monks assemble at the monastery for the two set of fasting and silence practice known as Nyungne. The laymen or villagers are guided by the Lamas. Participants observe the fasting, silence and repeat prayers during this retreat. Nyungne is sponsored by individual families.

Yarney (Summer Retret)

The annual summer retreat also known by Vassa, the annual “rainy retreat,” is an annual one and half month monastic retreat practiced in Buddhist monasteries. The one and half months are determined by the lunar calendar and, usually it begins in the fifteenth day of the sixth month till the end of seventh month.
During the retreat, monks remain in residence within the monastery and leave its grounds only when necessary. Monks devote their times in studying sutras and meditations. people practice meritorious activities by supporting the monks with food and other necessities.
The summer retreat is timed to coincide with the monsoon seasons.

In Thame Dechen Chhokhorling monastery , the Yarney retreat will be organized from a period of 45 days. It will be led by MAIN MASTER OF MONASTERY and participated by 40 monks of the monastery.

Origin of the Summer Retreat
Before the traditional monastery system, Monks and nuns take shelters in the forest. They walk to villages to receive food offerings from the devotees.
But during the monsoon seasons, the incessant downpour didn’t just make travel difficult for the buddha and his sangha’s, small animals that come out in the rain could be crushed underfoot. It could also damage the newly planted crops. And to spare animals and crops, the Buddha established a rule that sangha’s will remain in the retreat.
In the beginning, they spend the summer retreat wherever they were offered shelter, sometimes at the estates of wealthy patrons until one of the buddhas lay devotee Anathapindika offered Jetavana monastery in Savatthi Kosala. It became the first monastery of Buddhist tradition.

Dorsem (The Grand Puja of Buddha Vajrasattva)

Lord Buddha Shakyamuni taught innumerable methods of purification, but meditation and recitation on Vajrasattva, is said to be the most profound among all.

THE BUDDHA OF PURIFICATION

The practice of Vajrasattva, or Dorje Sempa in Tibetan, cleanses all obscurations, particularly those related to transgressed vows and broken samayas. Buddha Vajrasattva made this great aspiration of achieving enlightenment, “When I attained perfect Buddhahood, may all beings be purified of their obscurations, their negative deeds, and their dense darkness of ignorance, simply by hearing my name, seeing my form, thinking of me, or reciting the mantra that contains my name.” In Thame Dechen Chhokhorling monastery , the Dorsem (the great puja of Buddha vajrasattva)will be organized from nine of lunar month a period of 10days . It will be led by MAIN MASTER OF MONASTERY and participated by 40 monks of the monastery.

Article prepared by Ngima Gyalzen Sherpa, Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality 05, Thame.