The pilgrimage destinations of Yeshe Tsogyal's life story are
intimately connected with the renowned spiritual hermitages of the
Tibetan heartlands — from her birthplace at Drakda Latso, to the
sanctuaries of Yamalung, Chimphu, and Zhoto Tidro where she
perfected her practices; to the Crystal Cave of Yarlung Sheldrak,
one of her foremost repositories of hidden teachings (terma), and
finally to the remote hermitage of Zabbulung in Western Tibet where
she attained the supreme transformation of the rainbow body.
Along the way, the pilgrimage also visits places and temples
associated with the Nyingma lineage and the life of His Holiness
Dudjom Rinpoche such as Mindroling, Dorje Drak, Longchenpa's
hermitage of Gangri Tokar, Draksum Tsodzong, and Lamaling.
The concept for this pilgrimage was developed by Lama Dechen
Yeshe Wangmo. After careful research and planning with Dr. Gyurme
Dorje of Trans Himalaya, the first pilgrimage took place in May,
2009. Free of major obstacles and filled with blessings, we
discovered that pilgrimage begins the moment you decide to go and
after that, it never ends--your experiences and the blessings of
those sacred places remain with you forever, inspiring and guiding
you to the culmination of the Vajrayana path. During the
pilgrimage, there is time for touring and hiking as well as
teachings, meditation, and other Dharma activities.
http://yeshetsogyal.squarespace.com/20-day-description/
Sunday, Oct 10:
Chengdu,
China (1,640 feet) This city of 11 million, is the capital
of Sichuan in Western China and an important economic center. On
arrival at the international airport, each person will be met by a
Trans Himalaya staff member.Our hotel is the Zen Buddha Hotel adjacent to
the famous thousands-year old Wenshuyuan Buddhist Temple. Zen
Buddha offers vegetarian cuisine and affordable spa services. There
will be a Welcome Dinner.
Monday, Oct 11:
Fly
to Gongkar, Southern Tibet: (11,000 feet) This is
a truly memorable flight, crossing the great snow ranges of Eastern
Tibet and the mighty river gorges of the Yangtze, Mekong and
Salween. 1 hour 45 minutes; tickets arranged by Trans
Himalaya.
Dorje Drak
Monastery, the seat of the Northern Treasures founded in the
14th century. Revered copper-colored Mountain int he
background.
Drakda Tsogyal
Latso: In the Seu valley of Drak adjoining the
Tsangpo-Brahmaputra river, near the small village of Drakda, Yeshe
Tsogyal was born amid several miraculous signs. Amid a grove of
tall silver oaks, we will find the Tsogyal Latso, spring-fed pond
which manifested at the time of Tsogyal’s birth. It is regarded as
her talismanic or life-energy lake and considered to be prophetic,
revealing the secrets of past and future events. During the
Cultural Revolution, much was destroyed here and the Latso itself
was used as a cess pool. The Latso has been cleaned several times
and the whole area is being restoration. Nearby, is the birthplace
of Nubchen Sangye Yeshe, one of the foremost disciples of Guru
Rinpoche and custodian of the Anuyoga teachings in
Tibet.
Next to the Latso, the Life-Energy lake of Yeshe
Tsogyal, is Kazhima Lhakhang, a small temple containing images
of Guru Rinpoche, Vajrayogini, and Yeshe Tsogyal, as well as
several Yeshe Tsogyal stone imprints of her hands. The temple
serves as the focal point for a small group of twelve nuns. Nearby,
a newly restored stupa commemorates Yeshe Tsogyal’s birth, and next
to the stupa, there is tree believed to be Tsogyal’s energy
life-force tree offered to her at the time of her birth by the
nagas. There is also a large uterine shaped spring bubbling
with the secret breast milk of Yeshe Tsogyal.Camping in a
scenic and beautiful valley.
Tuesday, Oct 12:
Tsogyal
Latso: We remain at the Latso. Same campsite.
Wednesday, Oct 13:
Zurkhardo: After we have spent
the morning and lunched at the Latso, we will drive to Samye,
stopping along the way at the Zurkhardo stupas built by
Shantaraksita to commemorate the place where King Drison Detsen
first met Guru Rinpoche. There are five resplendent stupas
representing the Five Lineages of Enlightenment.
New Samye Monastery
Hotel
Our hotel is the new Samye Monastery Hotel.
Trans-Himalaya will cook in the courtyard where our dinning tents
will be pitched.
Thursday, Oct
14:
Yamalung, 13,400
feet: This is an important place for Guru Rinpoche,
Bairotsana and Yeshe Tsogyal that we did not visit last year.
It is here, when Tsogyal was 16 years old, that Guru Rinpoche
taught her the Tripitaka, the basics of Buddhism, and bestowed the
first tantric empowerments along with the sacred commitments.
Afterwards, Tsogyal meditated here, assimilated the teachings, and
achieved a high degree of understanding. The goddess Saraswasti
appeared to her in a vision and graced her with complete retention
of what ever she was taught. Guru Rinpoche concealed many treasures
(terma).
Reflecting on her experiences at Yamalung, Yeshe Tsogyal
said, "I received all the teachings as if the contents of one
vessel were being transferred into another". At the end of
this period, Tsogyal returned to Samye and then journeyed to Zhoto
Tidro which was to become her principal place of practice. She
returned to Yamalung several times and hides secret treasures.We
spend our second night at the New Samye Monastery
Hotel.
Friday, Oct 15:
Samye
Mandala: This was the first Buddhist monastery built in
Tibet during the reign of King Trisong Detsen (8th century). The
complex is a representation of the Buddhist universe with the main
temple and its surrounding branch temples representing Mt. Meru and
the continents that surround it. The original buildings have been
re-constructed throughout the centuries. Today there are four
gates, four stupas, the central temple and several secondary
temples.
We have the entire day to visit the temples,
circumambulate, and visit Hepori Hill, revered throughout
Tibet as an important geomantic power-place, from which Guru
Rinpoche brought the inimical forces under allegiance to
Buddhism at the time of the monastery’s original construction.
Climbing to the summit of Hepori offers a bird’s eye view of the
entire Samye complex. Hepori is where a Bon queen attempted to
poison Tsogyal.
When King Trisong Detsen, an emanation of Manjushri,
rescued Yeshe Tsogyal from her suitors, he brought her to his court
at Samye. Then he invited Guru Rinpoche who had appeared in the
hills above Samye to come to his court. On this occasion, both he
King and Yeshe Tsogyal became disciples of Guru Rinpoche. Yeshe
Tsogyal returned to Samye many times to play an active role in the
politics of her day and as such contributed significantly
to transforming Tibet into a Buddhist country. One of her most
outstanding feats occured at the Great Debate, during which
she performed miracles surpassing those of her the non-Buddhists.
The temple of the Great Debate can be visited.We will
spend our third night at the new Samye Monastery
Hotel.
Saturday, Oct 16:
Chimphu
Hermitage: This mountain retreat above Samye is revered as
the sacred place of Guru Rinpoche’s speech. This is where he taught
the Twenty-Five Disciples and where numerous disciples had profound
realizations. Today, there are a hundred or more yogis, men and
women, living there in retreat. As we hike through Chimphu, there
are many occasions to meet with them and make personal
offerings.
Chimphu view from Tsogyal's
hermitageThe topography of Chimphu has a profound
outer, inner, and secret meaning in Vajrayana. It boasts many
significant sites, such as a 15 meter-high Copper-Coloured Mountain
rock, rock-impressions of Guru Rinpoche's hat and Yeshe Tsogyal's
foot. The cave of Drakmar Keutsang is where Guru Rinpoche bestowed
the first Vajrayana empowerment to his eight disciples including
Yeshe Tsogyal. It is also here that Jigme Lingpa, through a series
of visions, received the Longchen Nying-thik transmission in the
18th century.
In the upper reaches of Chimphu, one finds Longchenpa’s
cave and Tsogyal Zimpuk where Tsogyal practiced with her consort,
Atsara Sale. On the descent, we pass the funerary stupa
marking the place where Longchen Rabjampa passed away in
1365.
Yeshe Tsogyal took her first Buddhist vows at Chimphu in
the presence of Guru Rinpoche and returned there many times
throughout her life. We will visit her southern cave where she
spent twelve years in retreat. Later in her life, after concealing
countless treasures all over the Himalayan region, she
returned to Chimphu, teaching and bestowing empowerments.
While she was there, she invoked Guru Rinpoche who appeared from
the southwest in the midst of a brilliant light and predicted
Tibet's future as well as Tsogyal's passing from the
world.
Yarlung River HotelTsetang
11,650 feet: Leaving Chimphu, we drive to Tsetang on
the south bank of the Yarlung Tsangpo River. Tsetang was the
fourteenth and fifteenth century capital of Tibet. Today it
is the fourth largest city in Tibet and the springboard for
visiting the sacred sites of the Yarlung Valley.Our hotel is the
Yarlung River
Hotel.
Sunday, Oct 17(Guru Rinpoche
Day)
Sheldrak Crystal
Cave 14,750 feet: Leaving Tsetang on the way to Sheldrak, we
will circumambulate the stupa called Tsechu Bumpa, Vessel of
Longevity Water, one of the three sacred stupas of Yarlung. It is
said to have at its core, a rock-crystal Buddha image from India,
which was presented to King Trisong Detsen. Some believe it
contains the armour of King Songtsen Gampo. On full moon days the
stupa is said to exude the water of life. Circumambulation of this
stupa has long marked the beginning or end of a pilgrimage to
Sheldrak
Sheldrak
Sheldrak is the sacred place of Guru Rinpoche’s attributes,
nestled high in the craggy summits. Founded in the 14th century by
the treasure-finder Sangye Lingpa, it contains images of Guru
Rinpoche with his two foremost consorts, the Eight Manifestations,
and Karmapa Rangjung Dorje. The crystal of this
site is a highly polished blackish green rock onthe cave
floor. Above the temple, there are three important cave
hermitages: the main one is Sheldrak Drubpuk, the first of Guru
Rinpoche’s meditation caves in Tibet, from where the indigenous
hostile forces and demons were bound under an oath of allegiance to
Buddhism.
Some beings
are born lucky! Sheldrak the hermitage here offers a
panoramic view of the entire Yarlung valley, with the sacred snow
peak of Mount Yarlha Shampo in the distance. Nearby is Pema
Shelpuk, the celebrated site where Orgyen Lingpa revealed Yeshe
Tsogyal’s biography of Guru Rinpoche, Pema Katang, and the
spring containing water of accomplishment reputedly brought forth
by Nyak Jnanakumara, one of the Twenty-Five disciples. Tsogyel
Sangpuk, a secret meditation cave of Yeshe Tsogyal, is identified
by a distant prayer flag to the south. Tsogyal hid five sky
treasures at Sheldrak and meditated here for thirteen months.
Tradruk: Tibet’s oldest geomantic temple, dating from the
reign of King Songtsen Gampo built in order to press down the limbs
of the supine body of an ogress on which Tibet is believed to be
situated.Return to the Yarlung River Hotel for the second
night.
Monday, Oct 18:
Mindroling
Mindroling
Temple: Leaving Tsetang, we
will visit Mindroling, one of the six main Nyingma temples in
Tibet, founded in 1670 by Terdak Lingpa who authored the well known
verse of Pure Vision. His Holiness Dudjom
Rinpoche spent much time at Mindroling. He practiced the
ritual tradition of Mindroling, famed for its sacred art and
quality incense. Dungse Thinley Norbu Rinpoche also studied there
for nine years. The ritual tradition of Lama Tharchin Rinpoche is
also Mindroling.
Zabbulung: Guru Rinpoche
is said to have consecrated five entire valleys for Buddhist
practice in each of the four cardinal directions and one at their
centre. Zabbulung valley (15, 000 ft.) lies in the middle of this
grand design, and as such is the most revered power place of
Western Tibet. The topography of Zabbulung is said to have
twelve special features which represent the Master, the King and so
forth. Jnanasukha is now translating the Pilgrimage Guide to
Zabbulung, so we will know even more about this wonderful place
this year that we did last year.
ZabbulungTsogyal came here
after Guru Rinpoche left this world, initially for a twelve-month
period to hide treasures. Later, she returned with her disciples,
meditated here for another ten years to complete her Ati Great
Perfection training, and then left this world for Guru
Rinpoche's Copper-Coloured Mountain from the peak of Zabbu.
The main temple provides easy access to the extraordinary
hands-in-prayer-mudra cave in which both Yeshe Tsogyal and Atsara
Sale attained the rainbow body.
The inner sanctum of the temple houses a “speaking” image
of Guru Rinpoche (Guru Sungjonma), which in the 18thcentury is said
to have advised the hermits to flee and escape death at the hands
of the zealous Mongols. Throughout history, important
Nyingmapa masters have undergone profound spiritual experiences
here: Dorje Lingpa (1346-1405) and Lhatsun Namka Jigme (b 1597)
among them. Currently there are about sixty yogis in residence
at Zabbulung.Camping in view of the temple and the Copper-Colored
Rock.
Tuesday, Oct 19:
We will remain at Zabbulung. Same
campsite.
Wednesday, Oct. 20:
Zhigatse:
Spending our last morning at Zabbulung, we will drive to Zhigatse,
12, 664 feet. The second largest city in Tibet, Zhigatse is simple
a stop-over to our next destination.Arrivng in the afternoon, we
will be staying at the Manasarovar Hotel with
Tibetan, Chinese, and Western cuisine!
Thursday, Oct 21:
Shugseb:
This important Nyingma nunnery was originally constructed by
Machik Labron in the eleventh century. The female incarnations of
Shugseb are considered emanations of Yeshe Tsogyal. There
are currently 250 nuns living there.
Gangri Tokar
Gangri
Tokar: A one-hour hike from Shugseb Nunnery, this area
is said to represent the contours of Vajravarahi. The great Nyingma
master, Longchenpa, meditated here, edited his termas, and composed
The Seven Treasuries and the Three Trilogies here. There is a
temple and further uphill various hermitages favorable for the
practice of Thogal.
Lhasa. PotalaIn the evening, we
arrive at Lhasa, 12,000 feet. Along
the way we will stop at the famous hot springs at the entry
of Zabbulung which were inaccessible last year. Lhasa is the
capital of Tibet in ancient, medieval, and modern times. It
dates back to the 7th century when King Songtsen Gampo moved his
capital from the Yarlung valley to Lhasa after unifying
Tibet. Located on the north bank of Kyichu river, it is the
cultural centre of Tibet.Our hotel in Lhasa will be the
Heritage or Himalaya Hotel.
Friday, Oct 22: (full
moon)
Jokhang
Temple: Tibet’s most sacred Buddhist shrine and geomantic
temple containing a renowned image of Jowo Shakyamuni.Barkhor is Tibet’s largest
traditional marketplace, through which throngs of pilgrims continue
to circumambulate the Jokhang. Provides an opportunity to mingle
with devout Tibetan pilgrims who converge here from all remote
areas of the plateau.Our second night at the Heritage or Himalaya
Hotel.
Saturday, Oct 23:
Potala
Palace: The enormous
thirteen-storied winter residence of the Dalai Lamas was
reconstructed in its present form during the seventeenth
century. It is considered one of the great wonders of the
world.Lukhang
Temple: Located on an island behind the Potala Palace, which
contains a unique series of murals illustrating themes from Tibetan
operas and esoteric yoga practices.Our third night at the Heritage
or Himalaya Hotel.
Sunday, Oct 24:
Zhoto Tidro,
14,750 feet: From Lhasa, we drive to the upper reaches
of the Kyi-chu valley to the sanctuary of Zhoto Tidro, also
known as Terdrom, among the most favored of YesheTsogyal’s
hermitages—the place where she secretly hid with Guru Rinpoche in
order to escape banishment from the kingdom, the place where she
received most of her empowerments and instructions and then
practised the yoga of the inner heart and naked austerities for
many years. She also practiced here with Atsara Sale.
Terdrom
Zhoto
TidroToday there is a large nunnery with their
abbess, the elderly Khandroma, an emanation of Yeshe Tsogyal.
Nearby there are medicinal hot-springs created by Guru Rinpoche.
The average temperature of the water is 40°C.
An arduous hike which takes about 10-12 hours for a
round trip, takes one to Kiri Yangdzong, an immense cavern with
active hermitages and important meditation caves, the most
significant being the Tsogyal Sangpuk, where Yeshe Tsogyel
practiced and spent many years in retreat. This hike will be
optional.
Dramatically located in the cliff of two mountains with
hot springs, this sacred site is known as a gathering place of
dakinis. "Opened" by Guru Rinpoche, it is the chief place where
Yeshe Tsogyal meditated and emerged a great siddha. She also
concealed important treasures here. This is the most significant of
all the sites associated with Yeshe Tsogyal whether in Tibet,
Bhutan, or Nepal.
Guru Rinpoche and Yeshe Tsogyal first came to Zhoto Tidro
to escape the hostile political forces around Samye. In this
protected safe-haven, Guru Rinpoche bestowed empowerments and
teachings in what is called Tsogyal's secret cave, Kiri
Yangdzong.
Here, Tsogyal received the Khandro Nying Thig and was
instructed in the outer and inner practices (Mahayoga and Anuyoga).
During the empowerments, she underwent a series of exceptional
experiential transformations and was given special names, such as
Tsogyal of Great Bliss, to mark her purifications and
transitions.
Many years later, Tsogyal returned to Tidro for six more
years just to practice the path of Atiyoga's Thogal. As predicted,
at Tidro, she attained three of the four manifest appearances of
this consummate path. Tsogyal's final training, taking on the
suffering of others, also began at Tidro. According to her
biography, this period was marked withmany examples of outstanding
compassion, such as giving her knee caps to three beggars and
making love with a lonely leper.
Guru Rinpoche gave many prophecies at Tidro including that
Tsogyal would have five incarnations and thirty times would prolong
the existence of the Dharma in the world.We will be camping a short
drive from the site.
Monday, Oct 25:
We remain at Zhoto Tidro. Same
campsite.
Tuesday, Oct 26:
TsodzongDraksum
Tsodzong: Driving to the south and coming down in elevation,
we arrive at this sacred site of the Nyingma, an island
in the midst of Draksum, an emerald alpine lake surrounded by
19,000 ft. mountains. Tsodzong (Lake Dharma Fortress) is the
birthplace of the 14th century treasure revealer, Sangye Lingpa.
There are many earlier associations with Padmasambhava, King
Trisong Detsen, and Gesar of Ling. Many sacred artefacts still
remain including images, self-manifest syllables, stone prints, and
manuscripts. His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche taught at Tsodzong and
his personal hermitage remains. Rinpoche restored the Tsodzong
temple statues that were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution
and his family continued to care for Tsodzong after he left
Tibet.We overnight at the Tsodzong Hotel.
Wednesday, Oct. 27:
Bayi: In
the morning, we will visit Tsodzong and in the afternoon drive
further south to Bayi, 9,827 feet.Our hotel is the Shambhala.
Thursday, Oct. 28:
Buchu Sergyi
Lhakhang: Buchu is one of the four border-taming
temples built in the 7th century according to geomantic theory.
This temple was restored by His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche. Yeshe
Tsogyal hid one hundred fifty treasures in the area of
Buchu.
Lamaling
Temple
Lamaling, 10,000 feet, is the seat of His Holiness Dudjom
Rinpoche Jigdral Yeshe Dorje, the former head of the Nyingma school
of Tibetan Buddhism, now under the guidance of his son-in-law
Chonyi Rinpoche. The main temple is Zangdok Palri, a Copper-Colored
Mountain style temple with exquisite statues and beautiful wooden
floors. The gardens of Lamaling are paradisiacal compared to
central Tibet. There are several areas to visit here besides the
temple, including Dechenteng, a site donated to Dudjom Rinpoche by
Midnroling. This is also where Lama Tharchin Rinpoche studied with
His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche in the course of a
three-year group retreat and a five-year solitary retreat
nearby.Return to the Shambhala Hotel. Farewell dinner.
Friday, Oct 29:
Chengdu Drive to Nyangtri Airport and
fly to Chengdu,
arriving by noon to catch connecting flights home or optionally,
stay over at the Zen Buddha Hotel (extra $59). Since there can be
delays on the Gongkar-Chengdu flight, leave lots of time for your
connection or plan to stay over until the next day.
The upcoming Jnanasukha pilgrimage in October is a rare and
unique opportunity to create a personal connection with our larger
Sangha in Tibet, to whom we are eternally grateful. Like all
Buddhist practices, the power of pilgrimage depends on faith. If we
have faith, then certainly, participating in a pilgrimage in any
way, shape, or form brings great benefit to oneself and others. Our
itinerary brings us into close contact with lamas, hermit-yogins,
and monastics at Chimphu, Tsogyal Latso, Yarlung Sheldrak,
Zabbulung, and Terdrom Zhoto Tidro. These are isolated places where
offerings are especially important and where individuals can
greatly benefit from an offering of $15. In addition, we will be
making offerings at Samye and other significant Nyingma temples
such as Mindroling, Dorje Drak, and Lamaling, residence of His
Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche.
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