Bhum-Chu at Tashiding Monastery

Tashiding Monastery in West Sikkim

Acharya HISSEY WANGCHUK
Bhum-Chu is an auspicious event observed at Tashiding monastery every year with great faith and glory by devotees from all over the country, with this day eagerly anticipated by every Buddhist. From the 8th day, until the morning of the 15th of the first month of the Tibetan calendar, the Thugjaychenpo khorwaledol text is recited in the lead up to the distribution of the sacred water [this year, the occasion falls on the intervening night of 18 and 19 March, and the Puja, or sadhana, started 6 days ahead). During earlier times, these prayers generally started from the 1st day of the 1st month and continued till the 15th. On the morning of the 15th, the most auspicious event takes place when the sacred Bhum-pa [vase] is removed from its casket. This is witnessed only by aristocrats, officials and high lamas. As per tradition, only three cups of sacred water are taken out: one cup is for the royal family, one for the monks, and the third cup for the general masses gathered for the ceremony.

These three cups of water are replaced with fresh water drawn from the rivers Rathong chu and Riney chu, which are believed to be blessed rivers of Sikkim. In olden times, the water fetchers had to bring some kind of evidence from the Rathong and the Riney chu to prove that the water had been brought from those rivers. These could be the leaf of a particular tree, which was found only at that place, or a peculiar river stone to convince the lamas of the monastery.
It is considered that the water in the sacred vase makes some very important prediction for humanity. The vase can hold a total of twenty-one cups, its contents however do not stay stable. On some years, the water level increases by more than twenty-one cups; sometimes it stays at the same level; sometimes it decreases and sometimes it becomes cloudy. When the water level increases and is crystal clear, then it means that the year will be peaceful and prosperous, thus promising a good harvest and general good health.
If the water level remains the same, then it predicts that the year will be satisfactory and peaceful. On the other hand, when the water level decreases and is cloudy, then it means that year will be filled with conflict and unrest.
It is quite amazing that the predictions of the sacred vase have always come true. People from all over the world come to participate in this auspicious occasion, especially from Nepal, Bhutan, and even Western countries. All the monks, nuns and devotees from different parts of India and neighboring countries jointly participate to make the Bhum-chu ceremony a success. Some groups of lamas and nuns recite the mani mantra in a humming tone, some groups offer butter lamps, and some lamas and most of the devotees circumambulate the monastery and stupas.

A brief introduction to Bum-chu
According to tradition, it is believed that in 8th century, the Tibetan Dharma Raja Trisong Deutsen, although a great devotee of Buddhism, but being a king could not unfortunately make much time for meditation. He therefore requested Guru Padmasambhawa to teach him the shortest means to attain enlightenment in this very life. Eventually, Guru Padmasambhawa agreed to initiate King Trisong Deutsen in a practice that would help him gain liberation from the cycle of mundane existence, known as Thugjaychenpo khorwaledol. The Guru instructed the king to produce a vase made of special earth, water and five kinds of precious gems. The king tried to collect these from all over the world so the Guru could perform the initiation, but he could not satisfy the Guru’s instructions, thus he later instructed the wrathful Dharmapala Damchen Dorjee Lekpa to design and produce the vase. When the wrathful Dharmapala presented the finished vase to the Guru, he invoked Chenrezig’s blessings and empowerment to bestow the initiation. Then, the Guru consecrated the specially made “Bhum pa” or vase. During the initiation ceremony, all the kings, officials and the audience were stunned by the spectacularly brilliant rays of light radiating from the vase. Wherever the light fell, people were healed mentally and physically: the deaf could hear, the blind could see, excruciating pain was relieved and the emotional swirls of samsara were shed, giving each individual a feeling of divinely bestowed long-life, health and happiness. After that, the rays returned to the vase and became water, which everyone drank with great faith after seeing such a miraculous event.
Everyone requested Guru Padmasambhawa to initiate such a beneficial ceremony for the future generations as well. So Guru Padsambhawa decided to hide the Bhum pa in a sacred place with the prediction that Zhigpo lingpa, considered an incarnation of prince Murup Tsenpo, the son of king Trisong Deutsen himself, would discover and carry on the tradition in the future for the benefit of all sentient beings. He thus entrusted the responsibility to protect the sacred vase to the protective deities, Mahakala Chamdral, Palgon Dunchu Tsanga and others until the prophecy was realized.
People believe that in 1563 (Female Water Pig Year), the prophecy came true. The treasure revealer Zhigpo lingpa unearthed the sacred vase and the text for its ritual from a hidden place at Rasa Trulnang (More commonly known as Jo Khang) temple in Lhasa, Tibet. He conducted the Bhum-chu ceremony with utmost faith and love for sentient beings. During the latter part of his life, he entrusted this responsibility to Ngadak Takshamchen (This name is a description of the individual and literally means “The one with a tiger’s skin” which relates to the tradition of certain tantric practitioners who wear the skin of snow leopards and tiger skins) with special instructions. Takshamchen then entrusted the Bhum pa to his grandson, Ngadak Sempachenpo who brought the Bhum pa to Sikkim in 1642 AD.
It was installed at Tashiding, which is believed to be the very heart of this most blessed hidden land of Guru Padmasambhawa. Ngadak Sempachenpo placed the Bhum pa in the main temple there, Tashi Gelek Gon.
In 1646, Ngadak Sempa Chenpo conducted the first mani dungchur at Yuksum. His initial thought was to conduct it at Tashiding since he had been residing there, and the navel point of sacred place, but as his first monastic seat (gdan sa dang po) was at Yuksum Lha khang marpo (Lha-khang marpo was build in 1643 by among the Nal-jor-ched-zhi Lama Nga-dak sempa chenpo. Again in 2005 H.E Yangthang Rinpoche built a monastery on the same site), he performed the first mani dungchur there. Later it was performed at Rinchenpong, Karmagrolzom, then the fourth and fifth mani dunchur were conducted at Tashiding. Since then, it has been conducted there to this day.

Contribution of the Denjong Chogyals:
During the reign of Chogyal Tashi Namgyal (1893-1963), the king noticed that the condition of the casket was poor. Hence the king himself and Tarling Rinpoche introduced the ticket system in order to improve the decor of the casket, which means that whoever came to pay homage to the sacred vase had to contribute one rupee. In this way, they made a handsome amount and went to Tibet to commission a silver casket decorated with gold from a master casket maker. This casket is still at Tashiding today, containing the sacred Bhum pa. Queen Kunzang Dechen, wife of Chogyal Tashi Namgyal, and their princes offered four large gold butter lamp stands to Tashiding monastery; they are still being used for the special occasion of the Bhum-chu ceremony. These butter lamps were specially designed in Lhasa.
The contribution of the eleventh Chogyal Tashi Namgyal was immense in the history of the Bhum pa because he was the only king who participated every year without fail and even accepted the responsibility of keeping the key to the sacred Bhum pa. The king himself would come to open and lock the casket, no matter what. The same was done by his son, Chogyal Palden Thendup Namgyal (1923-1982), the twelfth Chogyal, but during his era his throne was taken away. Even though the kingship came to an end, he demonstrated the same dedication towards the Bhum pa, and without fail he came to Tashiding monastery to witness the opening of the sacred casket.
After the death of Chogyal Palden Thendup Namgyal, his son Prince Wangchuk Namgyal carried on the tradition for several years. After that, however, on the 30th day of the 5th month of the year 1989, he entrusted the responsibility to the abbot of the monastery and its high Lamas.  
From that day, the Bhum pa key is held by high Lamas of the monastery and some officials from the Ecclesiastical department Govt of Sikkim.
[The writer is a Ph.D student with Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan.]