All the Sakya followers and faithful devotees of His Holiness the Sakya Trizin, the Vajradhara Ngawang Kunga Tegchen Palbar Thrinley Samphel Wangi Gyalpo, gathered with pure aspiration and unshakeable faith and devotion in order to supplicate Him to continue to be the Refuge and Guide of the doctrine and all sentient beings, the Supreme Lord Protector of the Buddhadharma in general and the Sakya tradition in particular, and for that purpose to live an immortal life in the nature of Buddha Amitayus (Buddha of Limitless Life) and prayed that all his noble wishes be swiftly fulfilled without any obstacles. In order to bring about this rain of auspiciousness the Sakya Centre took the responsibility on the propitious day of 30th December 2004 of hosting an elaborate three day event including the Long Life Ceremony, empowerments, dharma teachings and cultural performances. The ceremony was held at The Rajpur Sakya Centre Tsechen Tenpai Gatsal Shedup Choekhor Ling.

From the 26th to the 29th of December High Lamas, Khenpos, Tulkus, and monks did two sessions of full Long Life Puja every day for the four days and then on the 30th there was a Long Life Puja early in the morning. As there were more than 150 participants in the pujas this means about 1,500 Long Life pujas of the combination of Amitayu and Hiyagriva were offered including recitation of about 2 million Long Life Mantra dedicated to His Holiness. The monks taking part in the puja were from various monasteries, selected mainly on the basis of their retreat experience.

Thereafter there was a welcoming procession inviting His Holiness. This included all the young High Lamas, Sakya Centre Khenpo and Sakya Centre Tulkus, the representative of the Sakyapa at the Assembly who is also the Speaker of the Assembly and Lama Jamyang Lekshe Director of Sakya Centre and main organiser of this event, all came to the Sakya Dolma Phodrang (His Holiness’s residence) and escorted His Holiness to the Sakya Centre. It was a very beautiful traditional welcome with music and incense and precious umbrella. Lay people offered auspicious dances and offerings of substances as part of the welcome. As His Holiness walked to the Sakya Centre many hundreds of monks and lay people formed lines of welcome holding khata on either side of his path along the main road, they stretched almost all the way to the Sakya Dolma Phodrang from the Sakya Centre.

Among the high Sakya Lamas attending was His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche who is one of His Holiness Dalai Lama and His Holiness Sakya Trizin’s guru, while also having both of them as his Gurus. Despite his advanced age of 86 years he nevertheless undertook all the hardships involved in travelling all the way from Nepal by road and air, to attend this great event. He has achieved a great deal for the Buddhadharma in general and the Sakya community in particular: teaching to members of all the schools of Tibetan Buddhism, giving empowerments and vows, creating centres and generally most excellently furthering the Dharma in this world.

His Eminence Luding Khenchen Rinpoche (Senior) attended all pujas from the 26th December on. He has bestowed the three vows in Tibet, India, Nepal and Western Countries to many fortunate beings. Particularly he has bestowed the fully ordained bikshu vows to thousands of monks. He has taught Sutrayana and Mantrayana teachings and given empowerments in many parts of the world.

Dungsay Mati Rinpoche, Dungsay Zaya Rinpoche, Dungsay Ratna Vajra Rinpoche, Dungsay Gyana Vajra Rinpoche, Dungsay Avikheta Rinpoche, Dungsay Abaya Rinpoche, Luding Khen Rinpoche, Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche, Tulku Dorje Denpa Rinpoche, and many other Rinpoches also attended the ceremony. Jetsun Kusho’la, Gyal Yum Kusho’la and the Dagmo Kusho’las were also in attendance. Also present at the ceremony were the representative of His Holiness Dalai Lama, of the Tibetan Government, of the Tibetan Assembly, and thousands of steadfast devotees.

These devotees came from many countries with a great deal of effort and expense involved. There were people from – America, Australia, Bhutan, Canada, China, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Sikim, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Tibet and others. Many of the Sakya centres around the world were represented. There were also participants from the other schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Many local people also attended. Altogether over 10,000 people attended. It was very moving to see the faith, respect and great love for His Holiness expressed by so many people joyfully making the effort to attend the ceremony. It was a highly significant event so that people naturally felt tremendous joy in their minds.

When His Holiness reached the centre the actual main long life puja was begun.
Formal and Traditional offerings were made to His Holiness in the set order of the traditional Long Life ritual, by all the key figures of the Sakya tradition.

The offering of the Long Life Symbols was made by His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche; the Mandala explanation and offering of the Universal Mandala by Dungsay Ratna Vajra Rinpoche; the Offering of Body, Speech, Mind, Qualities and Virtuous Activities by His Eminence Ludhing Khen Chen Rinpoche (senior); Offering of Mandala by the Rinpoches, Tulkus, Representatives of the Tibetan Government in Exile, Representatives of Monasteries and Centres, Organisations and Associations, followed by scarf offering by monks and nuns and the general public. Then there was an explanation of the Five Excellences and a request for acceptance of Long Life Offering by Luding Khen Rinpoche, the Throne holder of Ngor; a thanksgiving Mandala Offering by Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche; offering of the Seven Royal Symbols by Dungsay Avikheta Rinpoche, offering of Eight Auspicious symbols by Tulku Dorje Denpa and Offering of Eight Auspicious Articles by Dungsay Gyana Vajra Rinpoche. The general assembly also recited long life prayers.

During the time for the offering by centres, associations and individuals the queue of offering people was enormously long and it was not possible for everyone to offer in the lengthy time allotted and the offerings were completed on the day of the Long Life empowerment. There were one hundred and twenty five offerings of the mandala and three symbols of body, voice and mind made to His Holiness by high lamas, various government and organisational representatives, centres and associations. As the number of people wishing to offer was so great we were not able to allow individuals to make offerings of mandala and three symbols. Among the individuals there were old and young people including small children, all of whom waited with devotion for their chance to supplicate His Holiness to remain long on this earth in this life. Offerings included a large precious dharma wheel to request long life and the turning of the dharma.

His Holiness Dalai Lama composed a long life prayer for His Holiness for this Long Life offering. During the ceremony a book with many long life prayers and praises for His Holiness was distributed.

In the afternoon Dungsay Mati Rinpoche together with representatives from different nationalities, who held a specially made seventy five foot long khata which was tied to the golden globe souvenir that was offered to His Holiness. Also the inaugural issue of Palden Sakya the Annual Magazine of His Holiness’s Sakya Centre in Rajpur was launched by His Holiness.

There were a number of speeches culminating in His Holiness address in reply. During this he stated that although He had not been keen to have an elaborate event, Lama Jamyang Lekshe-la, who took the main responsibility for it, pleaded that it would be very auspicious and due to the interdependence of arisings a great event would be beneficial in creating the possibility of His Holiness having a long life which would be of great benefit to the Buddhadharma and sentient beings. Many other people were also very insistent as Thus this elaborate event came about.

His Holiness went on to say that, while he does not have the power to live long or not, as all things do arise out of the interdependence of causes and conditions, efforts made in supplicating for his long life do have an effect.

There were a number of compelling causes and conditions: the great kindness and care His Holiness Dalai Lama afforded in sending his message and also composing a long life prayer; the great determination of His Eminence Chögye Trichen Rinpoche, from whom His Holiness has received the collection of Tantra and many profound and vast teachings, who in total disregard of his advanced age and without thinking of the hardships involved came in order to preside over this ceremony; the presence of His Eminence Luding Khenchen Rinpoche who has done so much for Sakyapa, and for the preservation and advance of the Buddhadharma making a tremendous contribution; the beneficial intent of those who in their previous incarnation were His Holiness’s teachers, such as Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche; and lastly the activities of the Sakya Khenpos, Tulkus, ordained sangha and followers in general who made lengthy preparations and presented many elaborate offerings.

Despite His Holiness not having the confidence to live long from his own side, on the basis of interdependent origination, and the blessing and the forceful power of the truth, any obstacles to his life would have been completely pacified. As a result His Holiness stated that he would live with a mind of stable confidence in his long life. His Holiness expressed his gratitude from the depth of his heart for such an excellent Long Life Puja.

On the 31st January His Holiness launched two books – Rendawa’s commentary on Ayadeva’s Madhyamaka Catushataka Shastra Karika translated by Loppon Tashi Tsering and Mr. Jürgen Stöter Tillman, and Journey Towards Mukti (Liberation) by Nyima Tsering (Mama) who was educated in the Sakya Centre. His Holiness also launched Cho Trin a Dharma magazine published by Tsechen Kunchab Ling in New York. Then His Holiness presented the awards for the three top students of each class of the Sakya Institute at Puruwala and Gifts given by the Sakya Centre to the main sponsors of the event.

In the afternoon and evening of both days there were cultural performances from the Sakya Tibetan settlement and other local Tibetan settlements, Indian and Nepali areas. There were many performances of dancing, singing and recital in a variety of traditional performances. It was heartening to see the elaborate very vibrant and very varied cultures displayed.

On January 1st His Holiness gave the Nine Deity Amitayu Long Life empowerment. His Holiness’s preparations for this began around 6a.m. At 8 a.m. there was rain and lightning and the sky was very heavy and black and ominous and looked as if it would set in for very heavy weather that would last for a long time. This is considered an auspicious sign for major events. However due to His Holiness’s blessing there was only slight rain for a very brief time, so the many devotees were able to remain for the ceremony without ill effect. On the following two days His Holiness gave a teaching for foreign visitors in the Library at the Phodrang, on Chogyal Phagpa’s letter to emperor Kublai Khan known as ‘Gift of Dharma’.

The whole occasion was a great success. Everything went very smoothly and attendees enormously enjoyed meeting each other, connecting to their valued Teachers and above all meeting with His Holiness with the opportunity to supplicate His Holiness to remain long among them. Everybody was very inspired by His Holiness’s kind words and feel great joy that their supplications did inspire His Holiness to grant their deepest wishes for His very Long Life!