The 12th Zurmang Gharwang Rinpoche @ Gangtok

GANGTOK: The 12th Zurmang Gharwang Rinpoche gave an audience to the people of Gangtok and the others who had come from other places to seek his blessings on 20th May at Hotel Tashi Delek. He also preached on how to practice dharma in our daily life. Teaching on the right attitude and right conduct and how to use it in the daily life, the sermon was also attended by the Speaker, Sikkim Legislative Assembly, Shri KT Gyaltsen.

Speaker in his address mentioned that the people learn different religions and also Buddhism but if they do not practice it in their life then they would not able to take any benefit from it. He said Buddhism is not a religion but it is a way of life and it teaches to be a good human being and to be happy and to make other happy.

The Rinpoche during his address mentioned that the people are moving here and there for the answers to the many questions they carry with them but never look into them for true happiness.

He added that 56% of the happiness is within the person himself, 23% can be achieved by love, care and affection and just some percent can be achieved by power and other means.

An interaction between the Rinpoche and the participants was also seen during the programme.

The 12th Zurmang Gharwang Rinpoche, the supreme holder of the Zurmang Whispering Lineage was born a prince of the Sikkimese Royal Court on 30th June 1965. The reigning King of Sikkim then, Palden Thondup Namgyal, was his mother’s elder brother. Even before he was born, he had been identified by the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa, the head of the Kagyud Lineage, as the 12th Zurmang Gharwang.

When Rinpoche’s mother was about six months pregnant with him, she attended an important religious ceremony that was presided by His Holiness, the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa, at Rumtek Monastery. During the traditional Tibetan Folk Dance at the ceremony, a jewel offering was made to the Karmapa. Breaking with tradition, he declined and pointed to Rinpoche’s surprised mother, requesting instead that the offering be made to her. Karmapa then announced that she was carrying the 12th Gharwang Rinpoche.

Rinpoche was born in the early morning. His parents dispatched a messenger to inform the Karmapa of Rinpoche’s imminent arrival. And before the messenger could leave the house, Saljay Rinpoche, the Karmapa’s emissary, with a party of monks, were already at the door with an offering scarf from the Karmapa to ceremonially welcome the child at the time of birth and a letter containing H.H.’s blessings for Rinpoche’s well-being.

Rinpoche was formally enthroned at the age of eleven in Rumtek to begin his Buddhist studies.

Rinpoche has received many personal empowerments, textual transmissions as well as oral transmissions from H.H. 16th Karmapa. He also received teachings from the late H.E. Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, Shamarpa, Tai Situpa, H.H. Sakya Trizin, Gyaltsapa, Khenchen Petse Rinpoche and Kyabjee Sonam Chopel Rinpoche. In addition, he has studied under the guidance of renowned Buddhist scholars such as Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso, Khenpo Chodak Tenpel, Khenpo Tenzin Phuntsok and Khenpo Karma Choden.

In 1987, while still an undergraduate, he began his teaching career at the famous Nalanda Buddhist Institute. Since then, he has taught extensively in Asia, America and Europe. In order to reach international audiences directly, Rinpoche preaches in English. Rinpoche’s great humility and unpretentiousness have endeared and awed many who have been fortunate to meet him. In 1990, the Mayor of Los Angeles, California, USA honoured him with the Keys of the City, making Rinpoche an honorary citizen of the city, with the aim of promoting a better understanding and practice of the Buddha Dharma. Given his understanding of the Western culture and fluency in English, Rinpoche is able to expound the Dharma clearly and effectively, showing how an ancient philosophy is still surprisingly relevant in this modern world.

On completing his formal Tibetan Buddhist studies and English language at twenty-six, he left Rumtek to begin the task of establishing his seat in Sikkim as well as re-establishing his main seat in Qinghai, Tibet, and the setting up of outreach centres in Singapore, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Medan, Surabaya, Pekan Baru, Taipei and Kuala Lumpur.