July 9, marks the sixth week after the parinirvana of Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche on the fifteenth day of Saga Dawa of the Tibetan lunar calendar. Following the instructions of His Holiness the Gyalwang Karmapa, the Venerable Lodro Nyima Rinpoche led the monastics of Thrangu Tashi Yangtse Monastery to commence the weeklong practice of “Pema Vajra” at Namo Buddha.

Last night, under the guidance of Dorje Lopon Lama Dawa Phurba, more than 20 monks set up the mandala for the “Pema Vajra” puja. “Pema Vajra” is a Terma discovered by the first Yongey Mingyur Dorjee; it belongs to the Three Canons of Yongey, with the other two being “Tsedrub Thabshey Khajor (Long Life Sadhana of the Union and Method)” and “Guru Drolod (the wrathful practice of Guru Rinpoche)”.

In the main shrine hall of Thrangu Monastery, a 4 tiered mandala was built. At the middle of the top tier is a red torma representing the yidam deity; tormas in four directions representing the activities of peace, increase, power, wrath; five protector tormas; two vases. The tier below it has 108 tormas and 108 sets of menrak. On the third tier are offerings including 108 shalze tormas, flowers and incense, and there are 108 tsok offerings on the lowest tier. There is also a set of eight offerings placed before the mandala.

From 3.30pm to 6pm, the Venerable Choje Lama and the Venerable Tulku Damcho led a group of monastics to conduct the Vajrasattva of the Secret Essence (Sangtik Dorsem) practice before Rinpoche’s Kudung.

In addition, Geshe Dorje and Drolma Tsomo from Nechung Monastery, Dharmashala; Javindra Sir with teachers and staff from the Shechen School; Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche’s niece Dechen and her family from the U.S.; 15 students from Thrangu Vajrayana Buddhist Centre in Hong Kong, including the Director and Secretary; many devotees also came to pay respects to the Kudung of Kyabje Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche at Thrangu Tashi Yangtse Monastery, Namo Buddha.