Brief History of Singye Dzong - The mystical Lion Fortress.

There are five main sacred place of Guru Rinpoche called sacred place of body, speech, mind, qualities and activity (Ku sung thug yonten and Thinley). Singye Dzong is the most sacred place associated with activity (Thinley) and it is only one of the five main sacred place located in Bhutan while others are all in Tibet. There are eight Dzongs which are believed to be the eight manifestation of Guru Rinpoche namely Singye Dzong, Gawa Dzong, Pema Dzong, Rinchen Dzong, Tsemo Dzong, Dulwa Dzong, Namkha Dzong and Dorji Dzong. All Dongs were associated eight Duetroe (Cremation Ground) which is considered as eight great duetroe of India (Duetroe Chenpo Gay).

According to the description of the sacred places, a visit to Singye Dzong shall liberate oneself from being born in lower realms and fulfill whatever one wishes and prays for his life. The sacred place is founded by Khandro Yeshey Tshogyal and concealed Lots of Treasures by guru Rinpoche in 8^th century. Guru Rinpoche attempted to suppress the demon King, Khikharathoed, who escaped from Tibet to Khempajong and established his demon kingdom there. Hence, Guru Rinpoche followed the demon king and finally suppressed at Khempajong. Guru Rinpoche then moved to Singye Dzong and undertook intense meditation. Lots of Body prints, foot prints and hands prints were left by Guru Rinpoche and khandro Yeshi tshogyal. Moreover, countless treasures were concealed and we can still see five Phubs (religious draggers) which is revealed by from the late of singye dzong. However, one is seen incomplete with missing wing and it is believing that same lake will once again reappear at the Singye Dzong in future and Guru Rinpoche will once again visit to this place and reveal the treasure in complete form (incomplete phup will be reveal in complete form). 

Eight Dzongs

སེང་གེ་རྫོང་ནི་སེང་གེ་འགྱིང་པ་འདྲ༔

དགའ་བ་རྗོང་ནི་གླང་ཆེན་ཉལ་བ་འདྲ༔

འདུལ་བ་རྫོང་ནི་རྟམཆོག་རྒྱུགས་པ་འདྲ༔

Dorje Dzong

ནམ་མཁའ་རྫོང་ནི་བྱ་རྒོད་ལྡིང་བ་འདྲ༔

པདྨ་རྫོང་ནི་ཟླ་གམ་དམར་པོ་འདྲ།

རིན་ཆེན་རྫོང་ནི་ཕུང་བྱུང་པ་འདྲ། 

རྩེ་མོ་རྫོང་ནི་པདྨའི་མེ་ཏོག་འདྲ། 

        - Location: Khoma, Gewong under Lhuntse Dzongkhag

Brief History Goenpa Kabab Choeling and its Associated Myths.

View of Goenpa Kabab Choeling

Gonpa Karpo is also known as Goenpa Kabab Choeling and it is located under Khoma Gewog of Lhuntse Dzongkhag. It was established by Lama Choeying Rangdrol as per the prophecy of his root teacher. Hence the Goenpa was named Kabab Goenpa / Goenpa Kabab choeling, which means Goenpa was established as per the command of his root teacher. The previous life of Lama Choeying Rangdrol is one of the main disciple of Zhabkar Tsodru Rangdrol and he was sent to south by his teacher Zhabkar Tshodru Rangdrol as per the prophecy to benefit sentient beings. Then he move towards south through Lhodrak kharchu and Bumthang towards Kurtoe and he was died at Takila. After few years, his incarnation called Choeying Rangdrol was born from descendent of Terton Guru Choewang at Nyalamdung. Then he studied under Drubtob Nangdze (grub thob snag mdzad) at Khenpajong (mkhan pa ljongs) and later became main disciple of Jigme Droden Dorje (the third Petseling truelku). While Lama was he mediating at Bariphug-the opposite side of present Lhakahang, he saw a bright light twinkling opposite to his meditation cave. This light went for the three nights continuously and hence he established this Goenpa at that place where light blinks. We can still see that cypress tree behind the Lhakhang from which the light was blink while he is meditating.

New Temple of Gonpa Karp

He was root teacher of Khema Ashi Tsuendru Lhamo the queen of 1^st Druk Gyelpo and then once he was called to Bumthang by 1^st Druk Gyelpo and during which he showed lots of supernatural powers including ridding on lion and growth of statue while he do consecration. Hence, the king and the queen donated lots of land, finance and labour support to construct the Lhakahang. The main relics of this Goenpa is Chagtong Chentong in middle, Jampelyang and Tsepagmed at right, Chagna Dorje and Guru at left. People believes that those statue has grown up during his consecration and we can observe those growth while it was in old Lhakhang but due to huge maintenance done recently, now it is not possible to observe those growth. Moreover first Druk Gyelpo has also installed two small Chagtong chentong, Kanjur and Jangchub Choeten as Ku Ten, Sung Ten and Thug Ten.

Location: Under Goenpakarp, Khoma Geog under Lhuentse Dzongkhag.

Founder: Lama Choeying Rangdrol

Main Relics: Statue of Chenrigzhig (chag tong Chen tong)

Brief History of Baptong village and importance of Yuelkang Lhakhang.

Baptong Village.

Baptong village is located under Khoma Gewong and its original name is Ba’i Tong (meaning seen by cow). People of that village believes that, once the cow from Tashi Yangtse was lost and people came searching for their cow. Finally they reach to Yuelkang where present Lhakhang was located and saw their cow at that place. After that they felt that it could be better if they settle at this place and hence they came with their family and settled at this place. Since the place saw first seen by cow, they named village as Ba’s Tong (Ba means cow, Tong meaning seen and Ba’I refers to by cow in Dzalakha). Furthermore, we can still observe that the people of Yangtse and Baptong speaks same language called Dzalakha.

Yuelkang Lhakhang is located middle of the Village and it contains sacred relics called Nyongka (stupa) which is left by Tibetan Terton Lama Zhangpa. Initially Lama Zhangpa has installed this treasure inside the Stupa but latter people built small temple in place of Stupa and Nyongka was placed inside the wooden Stupa and keptkept in Lhakhang. Recently the Lhakhang was fully renovated and Nyongka was installed inside the statue of Amitabha for Security reason. In olden days when people need rain at their village, they use to pour water on Stupa and ultimately rain falls but now it is not happening as the relics was placed inside the statue.

Nyongka (Main Relics of Yuelkang Lhakhang)

Brief History of Rinchen Bumpa (the Vase of Jewel).

Rinchen Bumpa.

The sacred place Rinchen Bumpa (the Vase of Jewel) is a charming place located under Kurtoe Gewog of Lhuntse Dzongkhag. This sacred place is first blessed by Guru Rinpoche and lived for three months in eighth century. Later, it was also blessed by many Buddhist masters such as Omniscient Longchenpa, Pedma Lingpa and so on. It is very pleasing and mind-elevating place that makes ones hair stand on end when we reaches to this site. It is a place where the beings with karmic connection had attained accomplishment and is a place where every beings pay homage and make offerings cleanse the sinful deeds.

There is a white cliff bearing the shape of stupa with many facial image of wrathful and peaceful buddhas. Moreover, there is foot print of Yehsey Tshogyel, Moen Mo Tashi Khe-Doen, cave of Samten (meditation or concentration), foot prints of Guru Rinpoche, meditation cave of Khandro Yeshey Tshogyel called “point of a knife”, Chagtshel Gang “a hill of prostration”, Lu len gang “a chanting hill” and many other concealed treasures. Guru Rinpoche also said that those who reaches this place shall reborn at Ngayab Ling, the abode of Padma Sambhava and attained Buddha hood in one lifetime. If one dwells in this place, one will attain rainbow body. For those with faith, it is a place to seek a blessing of long life, wealth, fame, offspring, cattle, food and also a blessing of supreme and the common accomplishment.

Brief History of Sangye Lodru aka Sangwa Dhadru - the secrete cave of Guru Rinpoche

Sangwa Dhadrug

Padmasmabhava's Secret Cliff in Eastern Bhutan above the khoma village called Sangye Lodru is also known as Sangwa Dhadrug and people believes that it is end point of Singye Dzong where the pilgrimage is incomplete if they don’t visit Sangye Lodru during their return journey from Singye Dzong. The place was called as Sangye lodru as well as Sangye Dhadru which carries two different meaning as follows. The name Sangye meaning Buddha refers to Guru Rinpoche, Lodru means six years of retreat at that place. However from other side it was known as Sangwa Dhadru meaning Sangwa is Secrete, Dhadru means Six month where Guru meditated in this café secretly for six month.

While Guru Rinpoche was meditating at Singye Dzong, the deity of the Tshokar and Tshonag promised to remain as protective deity. However, the deity of the Tshonag, Drakpa Gyeltsen, breaking his promise and came down along the Khomachu and almost reached present day Sumpa area. Guru Rinpoche knew about it and arrived at Sumpa with supernatural power before the deity reached. The unfaithful deity, knew that Guru had arrived before him and he hide himself in the cave below Khoma village. Then Guru knew that the deity would harm the people of this village if it was left unsubdued. So he meditated in the cave above the present day Khoma village for six months without known by anyone. Thus the name of the cave came to be known as Sangwa Dhadrug. Guru Rinpoche also meditated in the cave below the village and hide many treasures that were later discovered by Tertön Ratna Lingpa. While Guru was meditating at Sangwa Dhadrug, one girl saw him and offered three bottles of fresh milk in next morning. Hence, Guru Rinpoche said NGA LA KHO WAI MO CHE DUG “there is a girl that I need”. From that incident the village below the cliff is said to be named as Khomo.

Foot Print f 100 thousand Dhakini

Guru Rinpoche and Dakinis has bleesed this place and left with many foot prints, meditation cave, Dorje of Guru Rinpoche & Tacho Bhalaha, Dakini’s Secrete BHAGA, Sung Yigi Druma and so on. People believes that if they need their baby to be boy or a girl, then they gets blessings from Dorje of Guru Rinpoche and Dakini’s secrete BHAGA accordingly.

Location: Above Khoma /Khomo village under Lhuntse Dzongkhag (15-20 minute walk from Khoma).

picture of Dorje of Guru Rinpoche & Tacho Bhalaha, Dakini’s Secrete BHAGA, Sung Yigi Druma and so on. 

Brief History of Zham Goenpa.

Zham Goenpa

Zham Goenpa is first established by Zham Gyaltsen Marpa aka Trulzhig Lama Gyaltsen (1857-1950). It was located above the Zham village under Minjey Gewog of Eastern Bhutan. Gyaltsen Marpa Rinpoche (rgyal mtshan dmar pa rin po che) also known as Trulzhig Lama Gyaltsen (khrul zhig bla ma rgyal mtshan) returned from Tibet after the dreath of his root teacher Drubwang Togden Shakya Shri (grub dbang rtogs ldan shAkya shrI, 1853-1919) and established Zham Goenpa. He has taught numerous students at this Goenpa and benefited a lot to the sentient beings while his stay at Zham Goenpa. The necessary renovation were also done and currently the riclics of Zham Goenpa includes Chagtong Chentong, Guru Padma Sambhava and so on. He has also left his throne at above the Current Zham Goenpa (people believes that it is an old Goenpa of Zham Gyaltsen Marpa and Latter shift to current Goenpa).

Brief biography of Gyaltsen Marpa (1857-1950) - the founder of Zham Goenpa.

Gyaltsen Marpa.

Gyaltsen Marpa Rinpoche was born in 1857 and until the age eighteen he worked as a local farmer before he entered Karpo Chöling Monastery (dkar po chos gling dgon), where he received his basic education and learning. In 1892, age thirty-five he went to Kham, Eastern Tibet and studied the Six Yogas of Naropa (nA ro chos drug), Mahamudra (phyag rgya chen po), and Dzogchen (rdzogs chen) with Drubwang Togden Shakya Shri (grub dbang rtogs ldan shAkya shrI, 1853-1919). After the passing away of his master he returned to Bhutan and established a retreat place at Zham. Later he established the Darchen Pang Monastery in the Minjey Gewog which is also known as Minjey Darchen Gönpa. He lived until age ninety-three and passed away in 1950 and later in 1953 his incarnation famously known as Gyaltsen Trulku Kunzang Tenpai Gyaltsen was born near Choeten kora at Tashi Yangtse.

Throne of Gyaltsen Marpa Located at old Goenpa.

Brief History of Sacred site Serpang aka Phogteng.

Serpang/Phogteng

It was first blessed by Lam Choying Rangdrol (the founder of Goenpakarpo) as meditation cave and after attending realization at this place, he has left with foot print and hat as relics in this meditation cave. There are three rocks pilling on top of the each other which indicates Zangdogpelri (the copper colored Heaven). It is located about 15 minutes’ walk from Khoma Village near Khoma School and now it has been left with ruins without much visitors as well as no meditator in this cave. After the blessing of Lam Choeying Randrol, many masters has meditated at this place including Yangma Meme Lama (one of the famous Longchen Nyingthig Master of Kuetoe valley).

Lam Choying Rangdrol (chos dbyings rang drol) was known as treasure revealer of Nyalamdung (nya lam gdung) and the descendant of guru choewang. Choying Rangdrol is incarnation of one of the main deciple of Zhabkar tsodru Rangdrol and he studied under Drubtob Nangdze (grub thob snag mdzad) at Khenpajong (mkhan pa ljongs) before becoming a disciple of Jigme Droden Dorje (the third Petseling truelku). After completing his education, Choying Rangdrol established Gonpa Karpo (dgon pa dkar po) at Lhuntse by following the prophecy of his past life’s root lama. Hence, the monastery was also known as Kabab Gonpa (bka''bab dgon pa) since it was built by the command of his root lama. More details of his biography will be explain in next post.

Hat of Lama Choeying Rangdrol

Brief History of Nyamkhar Lhakhang.

Nyamkhar Lhakhang.

Nyamkhar Lhakhang was established by Terton Ratnaling during his visit to Bhutan and left with numerous treasures, hand prints, foot prints and so on. Nyamkhar Lhakhang is one of the most sacred sites of Terton Ratnalingpa but it was remained idle and unknown to most of the people. Lhakhang was located at 6 to 7 hours walk from Kemtsong village and does not have road and electricity connectivity till date. People believes that during the time of Terton Ratnalingpa, there is countless households but latter all of them migrated and left with only on Lhakhang. The ruins of houses and idle paddy field were still seen at Nyamkhar and Jala Village near Nyamkhar Lhakhang.

We can still see heart of demon in the form of large snake which is subdued by Ratnalingpa near Lhakhang and other intestine on the way to Nyamkhar Lhakhang. People believes that during the time of Ranalingpa’s visit, there is a demon in the form of Large snake and use to eat people of Nyamkhar but one night, Ratna Linpa saw burning fire near current Lhakhang and he came to Nyamkhar with super natural power to subdue that demon. Hence, he has cut that snake into pieces which can be still seen near lhakhang. During that time, the Childs of that demon called their mom and says “NANG”- meaning give us food to eat.

AKHAM of Ratnalingpa

Therefore, Ratnalingpa threw intestine of snake and said eat this, which can be still seen on the way to Nyamkhanr Lhakhang and people used to call them as NANG. Moreover, Ratnalingpa has left treasures like Nampar Nangzey, Toenpa, horn of snake which can be used to treat diseases related poison but latter it was lost while lhakhang was caught by fire. Furthermore, we can still see foot prints of Ratnaligpa's cow, Zaru, Letter Ahh Rangjon and Window of Dakini's on the way to Lhakhang.

Heart of Demon.

Since there is no water source near lhakhang and they use to bring water from place called WAMO. Once Ratnalingpa went Wamo to make water source and one tiger jump towards him, so he pick one stone and ran towards Nyamkhar. When reaches to Nyamkhar, that stone turns to AKHAM which can be still seen at Nyamkhar Lhakhang. Latter, one of the emanation of Ratnalingpa named Lama Nyima extract/drawn one holly water near Lhakhang but it was died up recently and the Kudung Choeten of Lama Nyima was placed at Nyamkhar Lhakhang.

View of treasures discovered by Ratnalingpa and left at Nyamkhar.

Letter Ahh Rangjon (Lentsa)

Brief History of Karphu Goenpa and its Historical Background.

Karphu Lhakhang.

Karphu Goenpa is one of the main residence of Terton Ratnalingpa and carries rich historical significance with numerous treasures. Karpu Goenpa is located about 30 minutes drive from Khomo/Khoma Gewog Centre on the top of the hill between Baptong and Berpa Village. It was founded by Terton Ratna lingpa (1403-1478) and left with numerous treasures which includes the Phurpa named Karma Heru (the ritual dagger) is one of the main relics of Karphu Goenpa. 

Historical Reason for naming as Karphu Goenpa.

During the time of Terton Ratnalingpa’s visit to Bhutan, he went to the hill between Baptong and Berpa village and found that there is small lake (where present Lhakhang located) and he discovered pair of Dungkar (the ritual Conch). Hence the lake was vanished after his discovery of treasure from that lake and he found his main residence at this hill and named as Karphu, meaning kar is derived from Dungkar (Retual Conch) and phu is meaning of hill. Hence, the name of that place was called as Karphu Goenpa. One of the Dungkar was lost in latter part and one can be found on the floor of the Lhakhang sometimes in early 2000’s but due to security reason now placed inside the treasure box. 

Brief History of Terton Ratna lingpa the founder of Karphu Goenpa. 

Statue of Ratna Linpa.

Terton Ratnalingpa was born in 1403 from wealty family of father Dode Dar and mother Sithar Men in a Drushul of Lhodrak. He was incarnation of Langdro Konchok Jungne, one of the 25 disciple of Guru Padma Sambhava. He started to learn how to read and write from small age and had numerous pure visions. When he was 27, he experienced a vision of Padmasambhava who showed him three scrolls, a white, red and a blue to choose by Ratnalingpa but he ask for all three scrolls and due to that auspicious connection created by his answer, he was able to reveal treasures of three successive life time in a single life. Thereafter, he was also known as Zhigpo Lingpa and Drodul Lingpa. Starting from age of 30, he started to revealed treasures across the southern Tibet at Khyungchen Drak, Dritang Koro Drak, Kharchu Pelgi Puk and so on. Later reach to Karphu and Namkhar of Khoma Gewog and founded residence and also left with numerous treasures and started Noble Family of Ratnalingpa (Choejue Dungjue) at Karphu Goenpa.

About the treasures of Karphu Goenpa.

Hole of Karma Heru on Rock.

One of the most important treasure of Karphu Goenpa is Karma Heru (Phurpa – The ritual Dagger). It is considered as one of the most important treasure of Karphu Goenpa as we can still be heard the voice of Karma Heru if we have luck and also during Tsezang Duezang (the auspicious days). Sometime the voice of Karma Heru can be heard from its head and sometimes from middle or a tails of the dagger. This treasure is discovered from the rock near Khomo Chagzam where we can still see the hole of ritual dagger. Some of the other treasures of Karphu Gonpa are Thug Namcha Doje (Discovered from Wangla), Jetsuen Drolma (Discovered from Pillar of Lhasa), Toenpa (discovered from Dorje Dhen), Small tenpa (Discovered from Khomdangma by one of the Dungjue of Ratnalingpa), Wangdre of an elephant (discovered on the way to Dungsam, current Samdrup jongkhar by Ratnalingpa from the head of an elephant), Tse bum of Ratnalingpa, Auzha (the hat) of Ratnalingpa, Phurpa 108 (Discovered along with Karma Heru), Dunkar (Discovered from Lake of Karphu) and so on. The pictures and details of Treasures will be posted in upcoming posts.

Brief history of Khomo village and its historical background.

Khomo Village.

Khomo aka Khoma Gewog is located at about 11.6 km away from Lhuentse Dzongkhag Administration and the Gewog is popularly known for producing Kishuthara. Gewog consists of Five Chiwogs with 15 villages and it covers an area of 71sq km of Lhuentse Dzongkhag. People speaks Dzalakha as local dialect which is very unique language as compare to other Gewogs. Paddy is the main cereal crop for the people of Khomo/ Khoma Gewog. Maize and barley are also grown but in limited scale. People do agriculture farming too. However, weaving Kishuthara is the main source of income for the people of Khomo/Khoma gewog.

Historical Meaning of Khomo.

While Guru Rinpoche was meditating at the cave of Sangwa Dhadru aka Sangye Lodru, there is a girl called Moenmo Tashi Khewdren (Tashi Chedren) as a cow girl at Place called Thembrang (near Sangye Lodru). She is a daughter of King Hamra the local leader of Khomo Valley. One day she saw Guru Rinpoche meditating in the cave of current Sangye Lodru and she offered a bottle of Milk to guru Rinpoche. Hence, Guru Rinpoche said “Ngala Khowai mo che du” meaning “There is a girl that I need”. Thereafter the village was known as Khomo and believes to have of Khandom (Dakinis) from this village but it was unknown to the public. People of that gewog still called as Khomo but it was famously known as Khama in other region and even it was started to write as khoma in latter part.

History of Sangye Lodru aka Sangwa Dhadru.

Sangwa Dhadru.

Sangye Lodru aka Sangwa Dhadru is believed to be one of the sacred place visited by Guru Rinpoche and people believes that it is end point of Singye Dzong where the pilgrimage is incomplete if they don’t visit Sangye Lodru from their return journey from Singye Dzong. The place was called as Sangye lodru as well as Sangye Dhadru which carries two different meaning as follows. The name sangye meaning Buddha refers to Guru Rinpoche, Lodru means six years of retreat at that place. However from other side it was known as Sangwa Dhadru meaning Sangwa means Secrete, Dhadru means Six month where Guru Rinpoche stayed there for six month to subdue Tsho dag and appointed as local Deity of Khoma.

 

Bumthang Choekhor Choeten

Choekhor Choeten.

Choekhor choeten is located beside the road from Chamkhar to Jampa Lhakhang above Wangduechholing Hospital in Bhumthang. While Guru Rinpoche was meditating at Ugyen Drak, Khandro Bum (Hundred thousand Dakinis) has made offerings from that plain and latter Guru Rinpoche went down and rested at this particular place where he was welcomed by thousands Dakinis.  Here he saw the destiny of religion evolving in this place and accordingly he preached his first sermon to the people of Bhutan.Hence, the valley was named as choekhor thereafter. The Stupa is also known as Chokaling choeten or Saachag choeten and there is a Zhugtri of Guru Rinpoche (Guru Rinpoche’s Throne) inside the Choeten. The choeten was constructed mainly to keep the Guru Rinpoche’s Zhugtri secure and preserved.

Location: Beside the Road from Chamkhar to Jampa Lhakhang above Wangduechholing Hospital.