Trinley Thaye Dorje inaugurates Kagyu Monlam in Bodhgaya, shares stories of Sikkim’s connection with Kagyu tradition

GANGTOK, 18 Dec: Trinley Thaye Dorje, revered by many as the XVIIth Karmapa, inaugurated the annual “aspiration prayers” at the Kagyu Monlam in Bodhgaya on 14 Dec. The Monlam is scheduled to conclude on 20 Dec and is being attended by thousands of monks and devotees, informs a press release.
Trinley Thaye Dorje, the release informs, is leading many prayers at the event, in particular the Samantabhadra Wishing Prayer, known as 'King of Aspiration Prayers.' Monlam is the Tibetan word for 'aspiration' or 'good wishes'.

“This special event is indeed very beneficial for all of humanity, and a contribution to world peace,” the release quotes Trinley Thaye Dorje as saying.
Today, amid the chanting of Jang-Choe Monlam and other prayers, Trinley Thaye Dorje and the Gyalwang Shamarpa granted audience to hundreds of monks, nuns, lay devotees, teachers and students from Sikkim at 8 AM in the morning.
After offering of khadas by the devotees, the monks also performed ‘Shelen’, invocations to the deities, wishing for the long life and early arrival of the Gyalwang Sha Mar-Nag Nyi ( Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje and the 14th Shamarpa) to Sikkim.
Later, during his brief “Kalop”, he appealed to the Sikkimese people to work on the terms and teachings dictated by Padmasambhava and Lhatsun Namkha Jigme, the release mentions. He also shared stories on the founding of the sacred Chorten, Thongwa Rangdol, of Tashiding and the efforts of the Lhatsun Namkha Jigme and the VIIth Shamarpa Yeshi Nyingpo.
In fact, it was due to the participation of the 7th Shamarpa that this sacred Chorten in Tashiding houses some of the rarest and sacred Kagyu relics including his own ones, said Thaye Dorje. Gyalwang Shamarpa also mentioned about the age-old ties between the Kagyu tradition and Sikkim as Bay-Yul Dremo-Djong. Shamarpa went on to add that the “incomparable grace and contributions” of the late Denjong Chogyals, Sir Tashi Namgyal and Palden Thondub Namgyal on the re-settlement and preservation of Karma Kamtsang tradition from Sikkim after the taking over of Tibet by China, the release further mentions.