Chiwong was founded in 1923 by Sangye Lama, a wealthy Sherpa from Solu, who endowed the monastery with a large portion of his family's land. Government land reforms reduced this considerably, but Chiwong remains one of the few monasteries in Nepal able to provide its monks with a grain allowance which is a great benefit to those from poorer families.
Ang Babu, the present patron of Chiwong, is the grandson of Sangye Lama and has his own private house and temple in the grounds of Chiwong as well as his house in Paphlu. He and his family occupy the seats of honor at the Mani Rimdu festival.
The inspiration for the founding of the monasteries in Solu Khumbu came from NgawangTenzing, the abbot of Dza-Rong-Pbu Gompa at the foot of Chomolungma (Mount Everest) in Tibet. Ngawang Tenzing’s successor, Trulzbig Rinpoche, now presides over Mani Rimdu at Chiwong. His name means ‘Precious Destroyer of Illusion’.
TRULZHIG RINPOCHE
Trulzhig Rinpoche was born Tibet, in Lo Talung, a place sacred to the goddess Tara. When be was 4 years old, be was recognized by the abbot Ngawang Tenzing as the reincarnation of his own heart lama, Trulzhig Tendru Dorje.
Thirty of Trulzhig Rinpoche’s previous incarnations had been in India, one of whom was Ananda, the disciple of the Buddha who persuaded him to allow women to take ordination and join the Sangba. (This was a very radical step in the society of ancient India!) Seventeen of Trulzhig Rinpoche’s previous incarnations were in Tibet, including Rechungpa, one of the main disciples of the great poet and mystic Milarepa. He also appeared as Lalung Pelgi Dorje who ended the reign of terror of the evil king Langdarma who was systematically killing all religious practitioners in Tibet. Lalung Pelgi Dorje performed the Black Hat dance for the king, concealing an arrow in the wide sleeves of his robe. Out of compassion both for the victims and for the king who would in future incarnations suffer all the pain be now inflicted on others, the monk drew the bidden arrow from his sleeve, and killed the king.
Trulzhig Rinpoche studied at Dza-Rong-Phu with Ngawang Tenzing, and took novice vows at the age of 10. When be was 19, his much-loved teacher died, and following his wishes, Trulzhig Rinpoche took his place as Ehenpo (abbot) of Dza-Rong-Phu. Shortly after this he went to the Mindroling College for further teachings.
He took Gelung vows with Chung Ngawang Chotar Rinpoche and Kyentzin Kyentse Norbu Rinpoche who were his two main teachers at Mindroling. He also studied with 34 different lamas including Mindroling Dechen Choenzing, and learned many aspects of Buddhist scripture and practice.
Later, he went to study in Lhasa, and took teachings from Chusep Jetsun
Rinpoche, a famous lady lama, and also Dudjom Rinpoche, the late head of
the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. He also studied with Dzongsar
Kyentse Rinpoebe, Dilgo Kyentse Rinpoche, and the Dalai Lama.
In 1959 when the Dalai Lama fled from the Chinese occupation of Tibet,
Trulzhig Rinpoche also fled south across the Himalaya. He stayed
at the monastery in Thame for one year, then he moved to Chiwong.
Later he established a gompa at Sengye Pubk (the ‘Lion Cave’, above Thubten
Choeling on the lower slopes of Sborung Yul Lba.) Later still, be and his
followers established the monastery of Thubten Choeling, now the largest
monastery in Nepal, with 130 monks and nuns studying and meditating there.
MANI RIMDU
Mani Rimdu is a 19-day sequence of secret ceremonies and empowerment culminating in the public festival which lasts 3 days. It is an opportunity for Sherpas and Tibetans to gather and celebrate together with the monastic community.
Mani Rimdu is a re-creation of legendary events; the establishment of
Buddhism in Tibet by the great saint Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambbava).
Throughout the dances, symbolic demons are conquered, dispelled, or converted
to Dharma Protectors as positive forces clash with those of chaos.
The dances convey Buddhist teachings on many levels from the simplest to
the most profound, for those who do not have the opportunity to study and
meditate extensively.
The monks who perform the dances first take vows at an empowerment
ceremony with Trulzhig Rinpoche, and during the dances they become deities
rather than ordinary people. Because the dances are regarded as sacred
they can only be performed in the context of Mani Rimdu,and not for ordinary
entertainment. Trulzhig Rinpoche explains, ‘To see Mani Rimdu is like receiving
a blessing.’
THE SAND MANDALA
The mandala is carefully constructed, grain by grain, from coloured sand; an intricate and symbolic design that takes many days to complete. Protective dagger deities are placed around the mandala, and the bowl of rilbu pills (spiritual medicine) is placed above the centre.
The mandala becomes the palace of Garwang Thoje Cbenpo, the Lord of the Dance; he is an emanation of the Buddha of Compassion and is the central deity of mani Rimdu. His mantra; OM AH HUNG HRI OM MANI PADME HUNG is repeated thousands of times by the monks during the weeks of ceremonies which precede the public festival.
During their meditation, the monks visualise all their compassion flowing in the form of the mantra into the mandala and the rilbu pills. From the mandala the compassion radiates out, blessing all those who come to Chiwong.
THE RILBU
Rinpoche calls this ‘Liberation by Eatinle. He gives a long life empowerment to the people who come, and afterwards the rilbu are distributed amongst them.
THETORMA
This is made from barley flour and decorated with coloured butter. It begins by symbolising the body of the deity, and by the end of the ceremonies symbolises enlightenment itself. It stands in front of the mandala on its own shrine at the very heart of the temple.
THE DANCES
These take place the day after the wang (empowerment).
1. SER-KYEM
This offering of spiritual nectar is made in many ceremonies.
The six dancers represent Ngag-pa, Tantric magicians, who make offerings
from silver cbalices of alcohol and small tormas to Lama, Yidam, and ]Kbandro;
also to the the Shi-dak, the earth deities.
A Buddhist practitioner takes’refuge’in the Lama, Yidam, and Ehandro;
that is, his spiritual guide, his personal deity, and the Wisdom Dakinis.
A central theme of Buddhist practice is to make offerings to these so they
will help with the virtuous actions which lead to Buddhahood.
2. GHING-PA
The four dancers, the Gbing, are servants of Guru Rinpoche connected with his emanation as Doije Trollo. They have come from his Pure Land of Sangdok Pelri where they live within his mandala. They herald the imminent arrival of Guru Rinpoche at the Mani Rimdu.
Two of the Ghing are male, and carry cymbals, while the two females carry drums. The males represent skilful means and the females represent wisdom; these two aspects of the path to enlightenment are at the heart of Vairayana (Tantric) practice. The union and harmony of Skilful Means (compassion) and Wisdom is often depicted (and often misunderstood) in Tantric iconography.
3. GURU RINPOCHE
Preceded by a reverent monk holding burning incense, Guru Rinpoche makes his dramatic appearance in the form of Dorje Trollo (the ‘Adamantine Sagging-Belly’). Guru Rinpoche has seven other emanations, six of which are peaceful, while Dorje Trollo is one of the Wrathful forms he assumed to defeat the demons in Tibet. He comes from his home on the Copper Mountain riding a flying tiger, together with the Ghing.
Having paced out his symbolic mandala, Guru Rinpocbe is invited to a throne and offerings are made to him, as befits the ‘Second Buddha’.
In his right hand be carries a dorje, a symbolic diamond or thunderbolt, representing indestructibility, while in his left hand be brandishes a phurba, a symbolic dagger for slaying demons.Havingovercomethedemons,GuruRinpocbeconverted them to Buddhism and made them take solemn vows to protect the teachings and all practitioners.
The symbolism can be interpreted on many levels; the inner ‘demons’ of hatred, greed, and ignorance can be overcome by meditation on Compassion and Wisdom and transformed into Enlightenment.
4. NGA-CHAM
The’Drum Dance’is performed by six Ngag-Pa, to celebrate the attainment of Samadhi (meditative concentration).
5. MI-TSERING
A one-actor comic interlude, Mi-Tsering (Long Life Man) is the cbildren’s favourite. He is a kindly, humbling old gentleman who means well and does his best, but inevitably gets everything wrong. He is, of course, convinced that he is an expert and tries to instruct others in some of the temple rituals such as offering khataks (silk scarves) or making prostrations. His is a lighthearted comic act yet it brings a poignant message of encouragment to ordinary people that sincerity and good intentions count for as much as expertise. It is Mi Tsering who heads the procession of monks who welcomed Trulzbig Rinpoche’s arrival at Cbiwong, and who heralds him into the courtyard to preside over the dances; an acknowledgement of Everyman’s good intentions, however humble.
6. ROL-CHAM
Entrance of the monks (and Mi Tsering) heralding Trulzbig Rinpoche’s arrival with banners.and ceremonial instruments.
7. THUR-DHAG
Thur-Dhag, the Dance of Liberation, is the central act of the sacred
dance. The two skeleton figures are the Lords of the Universal Cemetery,
reminders of the transient nature of human existence. Two Ngag-pa
enter and perform a mystical invocation which lures all demons and negative
energies,and traps them in a small dough figure. At the same time
as the enactment in the courtyard, Trulzhig Rinpoche performs a wrathful
fire-puja, calling in the demons with long strokes of a nine-pronged dotje
with ablack pennant. They are trapped and ceremonially burned on
a small pyre as an offering to the gods, who are asked to liberate the
world. With symbolic strokes of his phurba, Rinpoche, out of compassion
even for demons, sends them to the realm of wisdom.
The demons of hatred, greed, and ignorance are dead. The Lords
of the Cemetery carry the corpse to the gods of the Mandala.
The ashes from the pyre are buried under a flagstone in the courtyard.
8. KANG-WA
Rinpocbe invokes the Great Protectors and asks them to perform the activities of a Buddha. (Mahakala is blue, Ekajati has one eye, Mahadeva (Shiva) is red, and Trudo Lhamo (the Cemetery Deity) is brown.)
It is usually during this dance that Ang Babu and his family make offerings to Rinpoche and the Sangba.
9. MI-NAK
The two Black Men are servants of the deity Shalung Genyen Cbenpo, the protector deity of Dza-Rong-Phu monastery -who appears next. This deity was originally fierce and killed people but later reformed and became a Protector of the Dharma.
10. KHANDRO
Five Wisdom Dakinis enter and make offerings of tsog, song, anddance
toTrulzbigRinpoche. TheseWisdom Dakinis are the active part of Lama,
Yidam, and Ehandro.
There is a further ceremony and procession by the monks as Trulzhig
Rinpoche leaves the courtyard.
11. TOK-DEN
This second comic interlude is a kind of spiritual soap opera, where a Tantric yogi and his two hopeless disciples attempt to cope with life, death, love, lust, alcohol, and an assortment of other samsaric problems. At the end of the scene, Tokden demonstrates his spiritual prowess by bending a metal sword against his unprotected skin.
12. NGAG-PA
A monk takes out a torma as a compassionate offering to the beings who like leftovers.
13. TI-CHAM
The’Knife Dance’is to cut up any remaining demons.
14. LOK-CHAM
This is the ‘Finishing Dance’ which concludes Mani Rimdu.
JINSAIK
The Fire Puja is performed in the courtyard the day after the dances.
Most of the village people have gone home, and Cbiwong has a quiet, almost
family atmosphere.
The Fire Puja is an offering to Agni the god of fire, and to the Gods
of the Mandala, to allay all the harm in the world. The harm is visualised
as dissolving into the grain and butter and burned.
Afterwards, the sand Mandala in the temple is dismantled, and the sand
is given as an offering to the serpent gods (Nagas) at the spring below
Chiwong.
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Please maintain Politeness and respect when in the temple area;
* take off your shoes before entering the main temple or smaller shrine
rooms.
* when sitting down, do not point the soles of your feet or shoes towards
holy objects or the Lamas.
*do not point at anything with your finger; use your whole hand.
* do not talk or laugh loudly inside the the temple.
* it is traditional to make offerings of money when visiting the temple;
when visiting a Lama it is customary to offer this wrapped in a white scarf
(khatak)
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Sorry, if any mis-spelling, due to language conflict!!! - Dnes
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