Thubten Nima
King Trisong Detsen Re-Enactment -Tibet, 1994
Every year at Gargon Monastery (located in eastern Tibet) there is a summer retreat. When the retreat is completed there is traditionally a big celebration that lasts one week. In 1994, during one of the celebrations, Lama Gape re-enacted King Trisong Detsen's invitation of Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) to Tibet. Pictured below are some of the scenes from this performance.
A Brief History of King Trisong Detsen
When King Trisong Detsen was a young king he was quite powerful and engaged in many wars (with India, China, other neighboring countries). At that time Tibet was quite a strong nation. As King Trisong Detsen began studying Tibet's history, he noted that some of Tibet's prior kings were inclined to practicing Buddhism and also tried to establish Buddhism in Tibet.
Through his further studying, King Trisong Detsen saw the meaning of the Dharma and realized his warring with other nations was wrong. He thus made resolve to incorporate Buddha Dharma into Tibet's culture. King Trisong Detsen had an idea to build what would become the first monastery in Tibet: Samye Monastery.
The King decided to meet with his Lama, Ngawen Tenzin Dzangpo, who was a very well known teacher, living as a hermit. King Trisong Detsen asked his Lama about building a [Buddhist] monastery. Ngawen Tenzin Dzangpo said the King should invite an abbot from India named Shantarakshitra and said that if King Trisong Detsen really wanted to propagate Buddhism in Tibet then this abbot's visit would be very fruitful.
King Trisong Detsen then invited Shantarakshitra to Tibet. Upon his acceptance of the invitation, Shantarakshitra visited and gave a few teachings around Tibet, mostly around Lhasa. Upon his further travels, Shantarakshitra found the neighboring region of Lhokar (meaning south) to be an appropriate place for the placement of Samye Monastery. Shantarakshitra blessed the specific place where the ground would be broken and King Trisong Detsen, along with the local Tibetan people, began construction.
The local Lhokar demons, however, were opposed to Buddhism and had no sense of Boddhichitta. These harmful spirits began to impede the new construction project and ultimately created many obstacles. King Trisong Detsen became quite discouraged and expressed his dismay, confusion at how his good intentions met with such difficulty and hardship.
King Trisong Detsen discussed this with Shantarakshitra expressing his concern that Shantarakshitra's initial blessing was not sufficent for the monastery's site. The King was also concerned that his own merit was insufficient for such a construction.
Shantarakshitra said that he gave a peaceful blessing for the monastery site but the Tibetan spirits were all too maleficent. Shantarakshitra also pointed out that the King's sincere wish and inclination to spread Buddhism in Tibet and to thus build this monastery was a clear indicatation that the King had considerable merit.
Shantarakshitra further emboldened the King to invite the Mahasiddha Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) to Tibet who would have the strength and power to further assist the King's plans, wishes. Shantarakshitra spoke of Guru Rinpoche's qualities further and noted that Guru Rinpoche was not born from parents, but from a lotus flower (Padmasambhava means "Lotus-Born").
Shantarakshitra made it clear to the King that if the king invited Guru Rinpoche, the obstacles preventing completion of the monastery would be cleared, and Buddhism would spread and become established in Tibet.
King Trisong Detsen had doubts with this plan and asked Shantarakshitra about the likelihood of Guru Rinpoche accepting such an invitation. Shantarakshitra said there would be no difficulty and that many lifetimes ago, Shantarakshitra, Guru Rinpoche and King Trisong Detsen were siblings of the same mother.
Shantarakshitra continued and told the story of how the three of them were born in Boddha, Nepal. Their mother wanted them to build a stupa in Boddha so they all set out as such. When they completed the stupa, they made the aspiration prayer for Buddhism to flourish in the future, and the wish that they could help be a part of the flourishment, establishment.
After meeting with Shantarakshitra, King Trisong Detsen had much more confidence and invited Guru Rinpoche to Tibet. King Trisong Detsen collected Silver and Gold (currency in Tibet at that time) and gave it to two of his messengers with the formal invitation for Guru Rinpoche.
With his clairvoyance, Guru Rinpoche knew the messengers were on their way so he left to go meet them half-way in Nepal. Guru Rinpoche met with the two messengers in Nepal who assumed that Guru Rinpoche would come back with them. Instead Guru Rinpoche told the messengers to go ahead and that he would catch up to them later. So the two messengers left.
Even though the two messengers went on ahead, leaving Guru Rinpoche in Nepal, they all three arrived into Tibet at the same time. Through his magical powers, Guru Rinpoche traveled like the wind and on his way met many spirits and gods. Guru Rinpoche benefited many beings on this trip by teaching and spreading Dharma.
Though King Trisong Detsen was busy preparing his palace and offerings for Guru Rinpoche, he wanted to travel and greet Guru Rinpoche in person at a very remote location.
Above: Reenactment of King Trisong Detsen greeting Guru Rinpoche and making a Katag offering to him. H.E. Garchen Rinpoche (left) as Guru Rinpoche, and Lama Gape (center) as King Trisong Detsen. Summer festival, Gargon, (1994)Once Guru Rinpoche came to the monastery site, he subdued all obstructers and gave many teachings -- at King Trisong Detsen's palace and all over Tibet. Additionally, after Guru Rinpoche's arrival in Tibet, King Trisong Detsen invited many scholars, great panditas and translators from India. Thus began the big promotion of Buddha Dharma in Tibet.
After the completion of Samye Monastery, there were many celebrations and ceremonies held by many of the local folk people.
King Trisong Detsen became one of Guru Rinpoche's 25 disciples.
King Trisong Detsen (center, Lama Gape) with his Ministers.
