The last day of the 27th
Kagyu Monlam dawned with a heavy mist and the chance of rain.
The outer kora of the Mahabodhi Stupa was crowded with pilgrims
murmuring their own prayers and mantras as they passed around
the precious Place. At six o’clock His Holiness Karmapa arrived
to give the Eight Mahayana Precepts to the gathering. During the
Sanskrit recitations that followed, a few drops of blessing rain
fell, but as the sun rose, white fluffy clouds cleared to reveal
a primordial blue sky.
Morning prayers
continued until ten o’clock, and the assembly chanted the
Prostrations and Offerings to the Sixteen Arhats:
“All you arhats, elders,
you who open
The precious vessel of
the Buddha’s words:
I invite you in order to
spread the genuine dharma.
I pray that you come,
since my offerings are for beings’ benefit.” …
… “You protect the
Dharma, particularly the Sugata’s words.
Sixteen Elders, you have
cast aside your own welfare,
And remain in the jungle
of samsara for the benefit of others.
Come here through your
commitment and compassion.”
Day Eight is the day
when the Lama Choepa Offering to the Guru is recited, and the
assembly began this text, pausing at a suitable place in the
recitation when time came to break for the Alms Procession to
the Deer Park.
The fully ordained monks
and nuns of Tibetan, Korean, Chinese and Vietnamese Buddhist
traditions, rose and prepared for the Alms Procession to the
Deer Park.
His Holiness Karmapa
stood and watched under the Bodhi Tree as His Eminence Gyaltsab
Rinpoche, Surmang Garwang Rinpoche and Khenpo Donyo Rinpoche led
the Procession up the first steps out of the Stupa, receiving
their silver coloured begging bowls on the way. Following them
came the other senior rinpoches, lamas and gelongs. After them a
small group of Korean and Chinese monks walked.
Then the gelongma line
set out, led by gelongmas of the Tibetan tradition, and followed
by a long line of Korean, Chinese and Vietnamese fully ordained
nuns.
His Holiness Karmapa,
His Eminence Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche and Khenchen Thrangu
Rinpoche had already gone to the gate of the Stupa from where
they watched the Procession pass.
Surging crowds of
devotees, all standing along the string line erected to keep a
space for the procession, stretched out their hands to place
sweets, nuts and fruits, biscuits, chocolates and cakes into the
begging bowls as the column of Sangha passed by. The Kagyu
Monlam ‘Dharmapalas’ linked hands to keep order, and on the
other side of the procession, volunteers held enormous bags into
which to pour the overflow of offerings from begging bowls that
filled to the brim every few minutes.
Slowly the Procession
made its way towards the Park, threading among the chaos of the
Bodh Gaya traffic. Once through the gates, the peaceful
atmosphere of the Park enveloped the Sangha, as they proceeded
to the lawn where long lines of mats lay. His Holiness Karmapa
was there to watch the monks and nuns as they arrived,
overseeing seating arrangements meticulously. Then He took his
place with the high lamas beneath a white canopy. Offering
prayers were chanted and the vegetarian noon meal began.
Volunteers moved up and
down the long lines of yellow robed Sangha members, serving more
food to those who needed it. The meal was eaten in Noble
Silence and at the conclusion, dedication prayers and the Heart
Sutra were sonorously chanted.
His Holiness and His entourage then departed to Tergar
Monastery, and the monks and nuns slowly made their way back to
the Stupa for the last afternoon closing sessions of the 27th
Kagyu Monlam.
