The Establishment of the Sakyapa Order in India

The first Tibetan Buddhist conference was held in Dharamsala in 1963, under the auspices of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The conference was attended by the head Lamas of the four schools of Tibetan Buddhism, along with many other prominent lamas. His Holiness Sakya Trizin's rich knowledge of Dharma and his compassionate attitude towards all the different traditions won him the admiration and reverence of all participants.

In that year, His Holiness received the kind permission of the Dalai Lama to establish a Sakya monastery for Sakya monks and a settlement for Sakya lay population in India. On the 16th of March 1964, the re-establishment of Sakya Monastery was celebrated in a large rented hall in Rajpur. Many auspicious omens were seen.

Later on there was discussion between His Holiness and Most Venerable Khenpo Appey Rinpoche about the importance of maintaining a constant and continuous effort to revive the Dharma. This gave birth to an idea to establish an institute of Buddhist philosophy. As a result, a curriculum was prepared and Sakya College was established. On December 19th 1972, the 14th day of the eleventh lunar month (Sakya Pandita's Parinirvana day), the opening ceremony for Sakya College was held in a rented house. Most Venerable Khenpo Appey Rinpoche became its first Abbot and Principal. In the first lunar month of 1979, he presided over the foundation stone laying ceremony performed on the site of the future Sakya College. Later he established Sakya Institute in Puruwala. The first Abbot and Principal was Most Venerable Khenpo Rinchen Rinpoche. Both of these institutes provide education in higher Buddhist Sutric and Tantric studies. Among the scholars who graduate from both of these Institutes are many Khenpos, monastery directors, resident Lamas, teachers and translators who all contribute to the development and propagation of Lord Buddha's teachings.

The Sakya settlement of Puruwala was founded in the Northern Indian State of Himachal Pradesh in 1968. Later, in 1977, he contributed all the funds Dolma Phodrang had available to the construction of a new Monastery, Sakya Thupten Namgyal Ling, in Puruwala, Himachal Pradesh. After three years of arduous work, the construction was completed and the inauguration ceremony held on 12th December 1980. A very beautiful image of the Buddha was completed for the Monastery. It was filled with many holy and rare relics. Vajradhara Sakya Trizin, Vajradhara Chogye Trichen Rinpoche and Vajradhara Luding Khenchen Rinpoche jointly sanctified the statue of Buddha.

In 1968 His Holiness recognized the son of Thrinley Norbu, now widely known as Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, as the reincarnation of Jamyang Khyentse Choekyi Lodroe, a great non-sectarian master of the twentieth century. The enthronement was held in Rajpur. Since then, His Holiness has recognized many reincarnations within the Sakya Order as well as in other traditions.

In 1974, in order to maintain the unbroken lineage of the Khön family, His Holiness consented, at the request of many lamas and of his own aunt, to accept Tashi Lhakee as his Dagmo (Consort). She was the daughter of Dege Hochotsang, head of a high noble family in the kingdom of Dege, Kham, an Eastern Province of Tibet. Dagmo Tashi Lhakee's arrival at the Dolma Phodrang was followed by numerous auspicious signs, including the successful births of two Dungsays.

In the same year His Holiness travelled abroad for the first time. He visited Switzerland, England, Canada, USA, Japan and Thailand. During that trip he made his first public addresses in English in England, birth-place of the English language. This was an auspicious coincidence. Since then he has visited many other countries.

On 19th November 1974, Dagmo Kusho Tashi Lhakee gave birth to Dungsay Ratna Vajra. Next year, his Aunt Trinley Paljor Sangmo passed away. Performance of Phowa (transference of consciousness) and elaborate funeral ceremonies were conducted. Describing his deceased aunt's supernatural qualities, His Holiness said:

'Starting from learning the alphabet to receiving the ocean of profound and extensive Dharma teachings from masters who are Buddhas in human form and acquiring the ability to be a part of the group of those noble people, was all the result of the great kindness of my late Aunt.'

Besides having great devotion and pure insight, she was extremely compassionate toward living beings. She was a great practitioner who had accomplished many great spiritual practices such as: 600,000 prostrations along with recitation of the Refuge Verses; 10 million Guru Yoga verses; about 5 million Mandala offerings; 20 million mantras of a Tara deity and many other similar practices. Her meditative attainment exceeded that of many who spend their lives in solitary retreat. During the cremation many auspicious signs appeared, such as one might expect when a realized being passes into parinirvana.

On 5th July Dungsay Gyana Vajra Rinpoche (the younger son of His Holiness) was born. Many remarkable signs appeared.

He visited the H.H. Gyalwang Karmapa who was then having treatment in a hospital in New Delhi and requested him to retain his holy life for the sake of all sentient beings. To strengthen their relations further and to create an auspicious connection for the future, Gyalwang Karmapa requested an empowerment according to the Khön tradition. He offered his own wristwatch as a gesture of gratitude. In 1985 Vajradhara Chögye Trichen Rinpoche invited His Holiness, together with his entourage, to perform the consecration of a large and exquisitely crafted statue of the future Buddha, Maitreya, in the main shrine hall of the Jamchen Lhakhang Monastery in Boudha, Kathmandu. His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche built this statue to enable beings to make an auspicious connection with Maitreya Buddha, so that they may be fortunate enough to meet him when he appears in this world. His Holiness has over the years consecrated many monasteries, statues and stupas at the request of high lamas and others of all four traditions of Tibetan Buddhism.

It is vitally important to all his students and devotees and in fact to all beings that His Holiness remain for a long time. On 9th September 1986, Kyabje Luding Khen Rinpoche led an elaborate and profound long life ceremony for His Holiness at Ngor Magon, Manduwala, the main seat of Ngorpa sub-sect of the Sakya tradition in India. Describing this occasion, he said: 'This brought me victory in my battle with mortality and was an excellent and auspicious indication of my long life.' In addition to this, his disciples have carried out many long life pujas and practices.

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