Ayang Rinpoche in Lumbini 2004

Tenshug (Long Life) Ceremony for H. E. Chöje Ayang Rinpoche

At Thupten Shedrub Jangchub Ling Monastery in Bylakuppe, April 30 to May 3 2015

A Tenshug is a special ritual offered to high lamas to create the necessary merits and conditions for them to extend their lives. When a Master is manifesting illness or uncertainty in living, students should arrange a tenshug offering done in all its completeness. When the Master lives long, the Buddha Dharma will grow and benefit beings. The Buddha Dharma’s growth is dependent on Masters.

H.E Choeje Ayang Rinpoche is the Founder and Director of all Amitabha Foundation organizations around the world, the Drikung Charitable Society, Thupten Shedrub Jangchub Ling Monastery in Bylakuppe, Dechen Choeku Ling Monastery in Mundgod, Serlung Monastery in Kollegal, Amitabha Meditation Center in Kalimpong and Bodhgaya in India and the Amitabha Foundation Retreat Center in Nepal. Following the advice and instruction of HH the XVI th Gyalwang Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, Ayang Rinpoche travelled abroad in the early seventies to teach and is one of the foremost Tibetan Buddhist masters who introduced Buddha Dharma to the West.  He is also the first Drikung Master instrumental in introducing the Drikung Lineage to the West.

Many high lamas had recommended a Tenshug (long life offering) for H.E Choje Ayang Rinpoche last year in 2014, when it was the obstacle year for Rinpoche according to Tibetan calendar, the horse year in which Rinpoche was born. At that time we did extensive White Tara and Amitayus tsok offering prayers. Following the advice of the masters, Rinpoche has now accepted the Tenshug offering. H.E Choeje Togden Rinpoche, the spiritual Dharma Master and leader of Drikung Kagyu Lineage in Ladakh will be the Vajra Master of the ceremony and offer the Tenshug to Ayang Rinpoche.

The Tenshug (long Life offering) will commence with an elaborate Tsedrup (long life puja/ritual prayer) dedicated to the long life of H.E Ayang Rinpoche that will last for 4 consecutive days from April 30 to  May 3’2015. The extensive prayers, with chanting lasting from morning until night, will be conducted at the Thupten Shedrub Janchubling Monastery of Ayang Rinpoche in Bylakuppe, by Tulkus, Khenpos and monks, including others attending the ceremony from outside.  It will culminate in a grand long life Tenshug offering to HE Ayang Rinpoche on the auspicious full moon day of 3 May 2015, the day of Buddha Amitabha, with meditation, recitation of Sutras and taking Eight Mahayana Precepts. It is considered an auspicious day in the Tibetan Calendar with positive deeds performed at this time being especially potent for Buddha Dharma in general and for the flourishing of the enlightened activities of Rinpoche.

For those students who wish to attend the ceremony, kindly confirm by sending an email to amitabhafoundation@yahoo.co.in and a copy to drikungcharitablesociety@yahoo.com. Alternately, you may call the monastery at +91 8223 254220.  For those who are not able to attend this special occasion, we suggest you dedicate your practice and prayers for Rinpoche’s long life.

Kindly send any donations towards the Tenshug expenses to the bank details mentioned below, or for those desiring to make small donations by PayPal or credit card, or to receive a US tax-deduction for their donation, please send your check made out to Amitabha Foundation and mail it to Post Office Box 2572, Aptos, California 95001, or click below to donate online.

Beneficiary Name: Drikung Charitable Society, P.O Bylakuppe-571104, Mysore District, Karnataka State, India.

Beneficiary Account No:17082200011214

Bank Name and address:  Syndicate Bank, B M Road, P.O.Bylakuppe- 571104, Mysore District, Karnataka State, India

IFS Code: SYNB0001708

Swift Code: SYNBINBB118

Every year at Ayang Rinpoche’s Dechen Choeku Ling Monastery in Mundgod, South India, they perform a Drupchen (Great Accomplishment ceremony), focusing on the Dharmakaya Amitabha, Sambhogakaya Avaloketeshvara or Nirmanakaya Guru Padmasambhava, alternating each year. This year they will do Amitabha puja.

Rinpoche welcomes everyone to participate by reciting the Amitabha mantra while visualizing the Amitabha Pure Land.  Send your accumulations made between April 4-17 daily to NY@amitabhafoundation.

OM AMI DEWA HRI

Support the Drupchen with a contribution toward butterlamps, tsok, meals and tea for the monks, nuns, khenpos and tulkus, or for a money offering to monks and other participants. You may include the names of loved ones you would like added to the prayer list. 

Young Monks at Ayang Rinpoche’s Monastery in Bylakuppe, India

A volunteer medical professional is needed as soon as possible at Ayang Rinpoche’s monastery in South India.

The monastery prefers an experienced, retired male; but will consider an experienced retired/of retirement age female without family obligations. The minimum commitment is one year. A Protected Area Permit (PAP) is required, and the monastery will help with that. There is no fee, just form-filling and waiting. It takes 3-4 months for the PAP to be approved. There is a small, basic dispensary with desk, patient bed, and shelves and cupboard for medicine storage. There is running water but no electricity. A general job description includes:

• Available as needed by the monks and monastery; no fixed number of hours each day/week
• Works as a team member with teachers and with teaching and working monksDevelops rapport with all 150 monks (especially teaching and working monks)
  1. Has leadership abilities (organizing meetings, motivating teaching and working monks, etc.)
  2. Takes direction well
  3. Gives and receives feedback easily
• Daily teaching and supervising of personal health and hygiene (hair washing, hand washing before meals, showers) for 100 school monks ages 5-19
• Multiple times daily dispensing/applying of medicines
• Quarterly (every three months) ordering and shopping for medicines
• Anything else the monastery requests Desirable traits that are beneficial (not necessarily in this order):
  1. Respectful of cultural differences (Indian, Tibetan, monastic)
  2. Compassionate and works from the heart
  3. Flexible
  4. Patient
  5. Sense of humour
  6. Perseverant
  7. Humble

In exchange for services, the monastery provides a room in the guesthouse and three meals/day plus afternoon tea. The personal and professional experiences are countless and invaluable. If you or someone you know are interested, please email your resume to Ani Samten. You are also welcome to email her with questions or concerns.

For photos of life at the monastery, see the archive of Ani Samten’s “Month in Pictures at the Monastery”. For information and more photos of the monastery see this website and facebook.

Thank you in advance for helping us fill this position quickly!