In the large field
near Tergar monastery, now surrounded by a wall of royal blue
cloth with yellow and white bunting, the stage for tonight’s
drama of Milarepa’s life has been transformed into an open air
dining hall for His Holiness, the rinpoches attending Kagyu
Monlam, and hundreds of monks and nuns. In front of huge lotus
petals, (the tallest is over forty feet), spread like a fan to
form the backdrop of the stage, is placed a vast mural of the
Buddha, standing in the forest to teach his first disciples.
Right below the Buddha is the Karmapa’s chair with a curved back
covered in soft golden velvet. On one side of him with sit
Gyaltsap Rinpoche and Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche while on the
other Garwang Rinpoche and Khenpo Lodro Dongyu will have their
lunch.
The nine levels of
stairs descending from this top level are filled with bright
green plants, while fulsome bouquets of yellow, peach, and white
flowers descend on either side of the stage from below the last
lotus leaves. The two curving wings of the stage are filled with
maroon robed monks, some of whom have placed their folded yellow
chugu (shawls) over their heads to protect them from the bright
rays of the midday sun. The begging bowls placed in front of
them have the same shape as those in the large mural, reminding
us of the ancient roots of this tradition. In the hazy blue
sky, the pale lotus leaves seem to emerge from its vast space
and hover, their scant presence echoing the white halo
encircling the Buddha’s head in the mural below.
Directly in front
of the stage are the nuns, and behind them are rows and rows of
mats that have been laid out in the vast audience area for the
rest of the sangha. Set out in regular intervals in front them
are prepared lunches of rice, dahl, cabbage, a slice of
vegetarian steak, potatoes with cauliflower, and on top of the
cover is placed a bright napkin and an apple. Special for the
meal today is a soup made of nettles, sometimes called “tummo
soup” (the generation of inner heat that Milarepa practiced) to
remind us of Milarepa’s sincere practice.
Just behind the
nuns and in a direct line with His Holiness, the traditional
Tibetan New Year’s offerings have been arranged on a raised
platform. In the middle is a wide, rectangular container of red
and gold painted wood, holding on one side grains of wheat and
on the other, tsampa, the roasted barley flour that is a staple
of the Tibetan diet. When Tibetans visit each other during the
New Year holidays, the first thing they are offered when
entering a house is this container. Tradition has it that you
take a pinch of it, and tossing it into the air three times, you
say, “May everything be auspicious and perfect! May everyone be
delighted and in good health! May they find unchanging
happiness!” Next to this container are a pot of spouted wheat
grass and heaps of apples and oranges. At the end of this row
are large fried biscuits known as “donkey’s ears” for their
oblong shape. They are stacked like a log cabin and decorated
with oranges, apples, and lucent green grapes.
For about half an
hour before he arrived, His Holiness has been watching the field
from the roof of Tergar monastery where he resides. His way of
moving clearly identifies the figure in the distance, and also
his sun hat, which is wide-brimmed. After the rinpoches have
arrived, a monk steps forward to ring the ten foot gong set up
one side of the stage in a large wooden frame. First he taps in
a descending rhythm on the outer black circle, and then with a
big swing hits the hub in the middle, sending out waves of
regenerating sound. With his yellow chugu folded over his
shoulder, His Holiness walks in long strides up the ramp to the
platform and gesturing to the rinpoches to sit, takes his seat
in the grand chair. After begging bowls are offered to His
Holiness and to the rinpoches, he gestures with an upraised hand
to all the monks to begin their meal.
During the meal,
His Holiness said to the monks, Please eat until you are
satisfied, but you do not have to eat it all now. You can take
your apple with you. You should, however, have some of this
nettle soup.” At the end of the meal, His Holiness addressed the
monks, saying that this evening, there should be 250 monks on
either side of the stage as this would total 1000 eyes and 1000
hands, the same number as the thousand-armed Chenrezik. He also
commented that the weather has cooperated and been very nice and
that all the work has gone smoothly thanks to the blessings of
the Three Jewels and the pure motivation of the benefactors.
Finally, he asked the monks and nuns to be careful not to liter,
to remember to protect the environment, and to carry themselves
with dignity. Rising to leave, he gestured to everyone not to
stand, (which is a usual sign of respect for a high lama), and
then walked down a vermillion carpet, through the rows of the
nuns, and out the side door.
