HIS HOLINESS COMPOSES PRAYER FOR RINPOCHE'S QUICK RETURN

A prayer for a Swift Return
composed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama

1)
Exalted wisdom of all victors gathered in a drop,
Sole refuge manifest in the form of the one wearing saffron robes,
Guru Lobsang Thubwang Dorje Chang,
Please bear witness here today that our prayers may be fulfilled.

2)
We beseech the great torch of doctrine,
Accomplishing from long ago the vast waves of aspirational prayers,
Lord of Speech of the Victor Lobsang’s teachings,
Spreading them to the ends of the earth by means of explanation and practice.

3)
Though holding the commitment:
‘I will invite all beings to be my guests in unsurpassed, great awakening’,
Yet you have withdrawn the activities of the Form Body that serves the welfare of others.
Is that worthy of the supreme among beings, the bodhisattvas?

4)
Though impossible for you ‘til cyclic existence’s end,
To abandon your commitment to liberate all beings,
We beseech the new sun of Nirmanakaya to swiftly return from the realm of Dharmakaya,
Brought forth by bodhicitta drawn by seven steeds.

5)
Having reached the far limits of scholarship, religious life and goodness,
Please come swiftly as an unrivaled supreme emanation—full holder of the Sage’s teachings,
And wish-fulfilling jewel—
Return as the glory of Lobsang Tenpai.

6)
Magnificent truth of the Three Precious Jewels,
Mahākāla, Karmayama, and Śrīmatidevī, and the ocean of Dharma Protectors,
May you spontaneously fulfill our wish:
The swift blossoming of the reincarnation’s fresh moon-like face.

 


On the passing into peace of Rato Khyongla Rinpoche, Ngawang Lobsang Shedrub Tenpai Dronme, I have been entreated by the abbot of Rato Monastery, Tenzin Chodrak (Nicholas Vreeland) who lived with Rinpoche, by Rato Monastery, by Nyare Khangtsen, and by the American Dharma Center Kunkhyab Thardo Ling (The Tibet Center), imploring: “We need a prayer for the swift return of the incarnation of our Guru.” Furthermore, I myself summoned Rinpoche to accompany me when I was invited to celebrate the (two thousand five hundredth) anniversary of the Parinirvana of Lord Buddha in India. Also, when I sat for my debate examination on completing my monastic education, he was among those called on to debate with me. Later, when we came to India, as he was the heart son of Yongdzin Rinpoche Ling Dorje Chang, I asked him in the nineteen-sixties to go to teach in Western countries such as America, and during the time he was living there I had him carry out in various ways my vision. For those and other reasons, he became a trusted person with whom I could discuss inner matters. Now, since the one who passed away was rich in empowerments and transmissions and possessed vast knowledge of both Sutra and Tantra, not only do I mourn the loss of the senior student of my teacher Yongzin Rinpoche Ling Dorje Chang, but it is a great tragedy for the Geluk tradition in general, a cause for consternation. However, due to his pure motivation towards the Dharma, and his love for sentient beings, it is definite that Rinpoche will return. On this 28th day of the third month of the water tiger year of the sixteenth Tibetan cycle, which is the 27th day of May, 2022 of the western calendar, I—his Dharma friend, the Shakya Bhikshu and Propounder of Dharma, the Dalai Lama—have composed this prayer for Rinpoche’s swift return.

A video made by Guyto https://youtu.be/KpomJllsmB0


KHYONGLA RATO RINPOCHE PASSES IN DHARAMSALA, MAY 24, 2022

THE TIBET CENTER AND RATO DRATSANG FOUNDATION SADLY ANNOUNCE THE PASSING OF RATO KHYONGLA RINPOCHE IN DHARAMSALA TODAY MAY 24, 2022

Rinpoche had been in Dharamsala since 2019, passed away peacefully in the early morning hours Tuesday. Venerable Khenpo Rinpoche Nicholas Vreeland and attendant Norbu are performing prayers along with Rato monks in Rinpoche’s presence. His Holiness’ office has been informed and Venerable Ling Rinpoche is advising Venerable Vreeland.

Rato Khyongla Rinpoche praying at alter to His Holiness, Dharamsala May 2020

PHOTO: Khen Rinpoche Nicholas Vreeland

 

Khyongla Rato Rinpohce prays in his room in Dharamsala, May 2022.

PHOTO: Khen Rinpoche Nicholas Vreeland

Venerable Vreeland asks us to kindly say prayers on Rinpoche’s behalf and we will have a further statement in the near future.

Enthronement ceremony at Rato Monastery

Early morning being led to the Abbot's quarters

Symbolic offerings being made by the senior Chanzo

Rato monastery officials lead the new Khen Rinpoche to the temple

Having made prostrations at the door of the temple, Khen Rinpoche walks down the center row of Rato monks

Khen Rinpoche making offerings to His Holiness the Dalai Lama

then upon making three prostrations before the image of the Buddha, he prays...

The new Khen Rinpoche approaches throne

Offers a Khata to the Abbot of Ganden Jangtse Monastery

Monks offer white scarves, even the little ones...

Representative of His Holiness makes symbolic offerings

Upon the throne

Lunch is served !!

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Press Release

Rato Dratsang is proud to announce that His Holiness the Dalai Lama has appointed one of its monks, Geshe Thupten Lhundup, as the new Abbot of Rato Monastery. This is a historic moment; this is the first time that a Westerner has been appointed as abbot of an important Tibetan Buddhist monastery. On making the appointment, in Long Beach California on April 20, 2012, The Dalai Lama stated, “Your special duty (is) to bridge Tibetan tradition and Western world.” 

Geshe Thupten Lhundup will split his time between The Tibet Center in New York and the monastery in India. The original Rato Monastery, located on the outskirts of Lhasa, Tibet, was established in the 14th Century to preserve the teachings on Buddhist logic. By 1959, Rato had grown to 500 monks, with scholars from all the great monastic universities of Tibet converging there every year for a month of intense philosophical and logical study and debate. In 1983, the monastery was reestablished in a Tibetan refugee settlement in the south Indian state of Karnataka, where two years later Geshe Lhundup la became a monk and began his monastic studies. He sat for his Geshe degree (Doctorate of Philosophy) in 1998, after which he returned to New York to assume duties as the Director of The Tibet Center —Kunkhyab Thardo Ling — where he had first begun his studies of Buddhism with the Center’s founder, the Reverend Khyongla Rato Rinpoche in 1977. 

The Tibet Center has been a co-host, with the Gere Foundation, of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s visits to New York a number of times, including two public talks in Central Park and teachings at Radio City Music Hall. Vreeland has edited the New York Times bestseller, An Open Heart, and the recently released, A Profound Mind, both authored by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. 

Though there are over 1,000 Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, Rato Monastery is one of only a dozen important Tibetan Government monasteries under the Dalai Lama’s patronage. Today there are approximately 130 monks at Rato ranging from the age of 6 to 90. 

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Inagural Ceremony

Rato Monastery, relocated in exile in South India, had the rare privilege of having His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama, spiritual and temporal leader of Tibet, graciously preside over the inauguration ceremony of its new Temple on January 31st, 2011.

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KHYONGLA RATO RINPOCHE BESTOWS FIRST ORAL TRANSMISSION IN NEW TEMPLE

Khyongla Rinpoche has begun his teachings at Rato Dratsang. This morning he completed the bestowal of the oral transmission of Tsong Khapa's collected works and began the works of Gyaltsab Je.

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Rinpoche being led to the temple by the abbot of Rato Dratsang, followed by Ling Rinpoche who requested these teachings

Khyongla Rato Rinpoche sits at the teaching throne in the new temple for the first time

Rinpoche begins the oral transmission

Rato monks running from the mess hall to serve tea after the transmission

Tea is served !!

Latest on the Rebuilding of Rato Dratsang

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We are making a new enclosed altar. Thrones are for the abbot and ex abbot

Monks’ rooms as seen from in front of the temple

Administration building and side of temple

Administration and debating court

Dining and kitchen building with the debating court before it

The Temple where we are constructing an enclosed altar

View from atop southern monks’ rooms. Monks are reciting their memorization

The new monks’ rooms

Back of monks’ rooms with reed be water purification system

REBUILDING OF RATO MONASTERY

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Tibet (1 photo)Rato Dratsang, the 14th century Tibetan monastery devoted to the study of Buddhist logic, is being reestablished in a Tibetan refugee settlement in the south Indian state of Karnataka. $500,000.00 are needed to accomplish this.

 

Rato Dratsang is a Tibetan Government monastery, with His Holiness the Dalai Lama at its head.

"It is by means of wise scrutiny that one establishes truth from which one cannot be swayed." Tsong Khapa

Each year the foremost scholar-monks from throughout Tibet spent a month as guests of Rato, developing their mastery of the logic by which spiritual practice may evolve from faith to the true inner development that leads to the ultimate state of enlightenment: Buddhahood.

Today in exile the new young monks of Rato continue to memorize and debate the works of Indian and Tibetan Buddhist logicians of the past in order to prepare themselves to meditate on reality and thereby counter the ignorance that inhibits enlightenment.

In 1983 Rato Dratsang was given a quarter acre of land upon which the few surviving Rato monks constructed a two story building with five monks’ rooms and a temple, as well as accommodations for each of Rato’s two incarnate lamas able to escape the Chinese communist invasion of Tibet.

Since then, monks have escaped Tibet in order to pursue a traditional Buddhist monastic vocation and training in Buddhist philosophy and practice. Others have come from northern India, Bhutan, Nepal, Taiwan, and the United States, growing Rato's community of monks to over 120.

The curriculum of study and practice that had developed in Tibet over six centuries is being maintained by these monks in India, however living conditions are difficult. Monks are now cramped four to a room…

…and Rato's temple is temporarily under an asbestos roof.

The kitchen is also an open sided area with asbestos sheet roofing.

Rato has bought land from local farmers, and as funds have been raised new buildings have been constructed. 


A 24 room structure was completed 8 years ago, and a few years later the foundation was laid for a new temple, though there hasn't been the money to complete it.

Last year $350,000 was raised to construct the temple; work on its design had begun 15 years ago.

With the assurance of funds, the monks of Rato expanded plans to include construction of a complete monastic complex to house over 150 monks, comprising 66 new monks’ rooms, an administration block, and a kitchen/dining building.

Feb 2007

Rato Dratsang's architects, Pradeep Sachdeva and Associates, set to work on the design of the many new structures. The senior monks then decided where to place the buildings, and construction of the temple, administration building, and kitchen/dining building began in May, with the monks’ rooms following one month later, just as the monsoon began.

January 2008

March 2008

June 2008

July 2008

Today the main part of the temple is finished, it’s flooring is being laid. The requisite rooms for His Holiness the Dalai Lama on the second floor are presently being constructed.

December 2008

The first two floors of the three stories of monks rooms are up. Finishing work is beginning, as is brickwork on the third floor.

Work on the kitchen/dining room structure is now finishing.

The administration building, which includes the Abbot’s apartment, is up; finishing work will begin soon.

Please consider making as large a donation as possible. A gift of $8,000 would allow you to fund a monk's room in your name. Rooms can be sponsored individually or as a group. We hope we can rely on your support at this critical time.

As we are a nonprofit organization the entirety of your donation will be used for the construction of our new monastery.

Your tax-deductible contribution may be made out to the Rato Dratsang Foundation. As the construction continues we will update our website with photographs of our progress.