His Holiness Karma Kuchen Rinpoche, the 12th and present throne holder of the Palyul Lineage, presided over the Third Anniversary Ceremony of HH Penor Rinpoche’s Parinirvana with great success. Over two hundred overseas students and devotees attended, in addition to many monks and lay devotees from various places around Bhutan, Nepal and India. Together, they joined our resident sangha community in practice. A vast offering was made during the ceremony, with the Hong Kong Palyul Center as the main sponsor. Many other organizations and individuals followed them in making offerings to the sangha, including Denma Khangtsen of Sera Monastery, one of the main monasteries in the Gelugpa tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.
The blessings of the anniversary continue with His Holiness Karma Kuchen Rinpoche bestowing important Empowerments at Namdroling Monastery. In order to maintain the Dharma legacy of the Palyul throne holders, His Holiness Karma Kuchen Rinpoche serving in his role as 12th and present throne-holder of the Lineage, has agreed to grant these Empowerments upon request from both Dratsang (the general sangha), and Shedra (the nine-year college), including their faculty members. Because senior classes of Shedra must learn the text of the Guhyagarbha Tantra, the empowerment of Gyuthrul Shithro (“The Illusory Net of Peaceful and Wrathful Deities”) is essential. Therefore, His Holiness Karma Kuchen Rinpoche will grant this series of important Empowerments – for the first time at Namdroling since the Parinirvana of His Holiness Penor Rinpoche.

GYUTHRUL SHITHRO Wang in Monastery
The Gyuthrul Shithro empowerment was given today, 2 April, 2012, starting around 7 AM. His Holiness Karma Kuchen Rinpoche conducted the preparation ceremony during the morning. Meanwhile, the entire sangha of monks and nuns gathered in the main temple to perform a special Puja for clearing obstacles to finding the true re-incarnation of our Guru, His Holiness Penor Rinpoche. This puja, Shithro Ngagso, is a prayer according to the Dudjom Tersar treasures, and was prescribed by Kyabje Chatral Sangye Dorje Rinpoche. Its focus is on the restoration and purification of any broken samaya vows. In accordance with the instructions of Kyabje Chatral Sangye Dorje Rinpoche, we will need to perform this ceremony many times. So our sangha will carry out this practice at every morning session during the current Empowerment series, and will continue to conduct this practice on a daily basis thereafter. The actual Empowerment began at 1 PM and concluded at 6:15 PM. The number of aspirants in attendance was so great that even the front and side porches of the temple overflowed with participants.
From 3 April onwards, the ceremony will start with the same schedule. Empowerments will first be mainly directed towards a new batch of Three-Year Retreatants. Then another set will be conferred for new monks from the Dratsang, who are learning, practicing, and hold responsibility for carrying out all accomplishment ceremonies within the Monastery and holding various ceremonies outside of the Monastery. The Empowerments scheduled for 3 April are the Three Roots according to the Longchen Nyingthig: Rigzin Düpa , Palchen Düpa and Yumka Dechn Gyalo. In addition to these, Empowerments for Ladrup Thigle Gyachen and Dragpo Tachung Barwa will also be granted.
On 4 April, Empowerments for Thugdrup, Phurpa and Tsechog from the Ratna Lingpa Treasures will be granted. On the same day, Kagyed, Sengdongma, and the outer, inner and secret Empowerment of Guru Dragpo from the Nam Chö Treasures will be granted.
May the blessings generated from these ceremonies benefit all sentient beings!
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