Sakya Trizin meets CM, discusses holding of Jensek prayers

GANGTOK, 11 Oct: The Supreme Head of the Sakyapa order of Tibetan Buddhism, Sakya Trizin, made a courtesy call on Chief Minister Pawan Chamling at his official residence, Mintokgang, here yesterday. Sakya Trizin was accompanied by Gyalyum Chenmo and Thartse Khen Rinpoche, the current throne holder of the Ngorpa sect of the Sakyapa tradition, informs a press communiqué received from the Sa-Ngor Chotshog Centre.
During the visit, the Sakya Trizin, who had already donated Rs. 1 lakh towards the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, expressed deep shock and concern over the loss of several lives and damages caused to the lives and properties by the recent earthquake.
The Chief Minister and Sakya Trizin discussed the holding of a special Fire Puja (Tib: Jensek, Skt: Yajna) to be conducted for earthquake victims and to prevent the recurrence of such devastating natural calamities in the future, the release informs.
The Chief Minister assured all help to the Sa-Ngor Chotshog Centre in view of the damages caused to the Ngor Gompa in the recent earthquake.
Earlier in the day, Speaker of the Sikkim Legislative Assembly, KT Gyaltsen and PHE and Transport Minister, TT Bhutia called on the Sakya Trizin and Luding Khenchen Dorje Chang.
The Sakya Trizin and his entourage were scheduled to leave for South District today to visit Samdruptse, Buddha Park and Tibetan Settlement in Ravangla after which he will be leaving for Palchen Chokhorling Monastery in Ralang, the release mentions.
Sakya Trizin will be bestowing Drimed Nam Nyi empowerment at Palchen Chokhorling Monastery on the request of Goshir Gyaltshab Rinpoche.
Sikkim’s historical and religious ties with the Sakya dates back to the time when Khye-Bumsa, the eldest son of a scion of the Mynak House in Kham region of Eastern Tibet, helped to raise the pillars of the huge monastery in Sakya in mid-13th century, which was built by the Sakya Hierarch.
The herculean feat of erecting the pillars not only earned him the title of ‘Khye-Bumsa’, meaning the one who possesses the ‘strength of a hundred thousand’, but he also married the Sakya hierarch’s daughter.
Khye-Bumsa later moved southwards and settled in Chumbi Valley, once the administrative centre of Sikkim. He then came in contact with the Lepchas which led to the swearing of the blood brotherhood between the Bhutias and Lepchas which led to the Bhutia leader, Khye-Bumsa and the Lepcha Chief, The-Kong-Tek at Kabi Longtsok in North Sikkim.