 It
has been a personal wish of Zasep Rinpoche to visit Outer
Mongolia for some time. Rinpoche has a personal connection
to this country and culture through friends and teachers.
Since the 1960s, he has been very close to a Lama friend
of his, the incomparable Jetsun Pakshe Losang Tenzin Rinpoche.
Jetsun Rinpoche, originally from Inner Mongolia, came to
Tibet in the early part of the 20th century and became a
student of the greatest Lamas in the Gelugpa, New Translation
School of Tibetan Buddhism. With the Chinese military crackdown
in 1959 and subsequent exile of thousands of Tibetans in
India, through great personal effort, uncanny resourcefulness
and selfless service, Jetsun Rinpoche was instrumental in
the preservation of Dharma and reestablishment of numerous
Gelugpa institutions. In the early 1990s, when his former
homeland of Mongolia began its transition from Soviet satellite
to modern democracy, Jetsun Rinpoche decided to return home
and aid with the country's resurrection of its Tibetan Buddhist
past. Though Rinpoche is now quite elderly, he is 96 years
old; this fact has not slowed his dedication to supporting
and spreading the Dharma. Ven. Zasep Rinpoche felt that
this past fall was a good time to once more visit his dear
friend.
In the mid 1990s, Zasep Rinpoche also became very close
to renowned Buddhist master, H.H. the 9th Khalka Jetsun
Dampa Rinpoche. The Jetsun Dampas or Bogd Khaans are the
equivalent of the Dalai Lamas for the Mongolian people.
Though their incarnations are usually found in their spiritual
homeland of Tibet, they assumed the temporal power of their
institution in Mongolia. The Jetsun Dampas were considered
"Living Buddhas" by the Mongolian people and were all unsurpassed
yogis, scholars and leaders. The 8th Bogd Khaan died in
1924 and swiftly afterward, Mongolia's Buddhist society
was overthrown by a military coup staged by the country's
Communists. His Holiness The 9th Jetsun Dampa was only officially
recognized by H.H. Dalai Lama after the Soviet regime had
collapsed in Mongolia for fear that an earlier such announcement
his life would have placed his life in danger from this
Junta. His Holiness was able to make several visits to Canada,
teaching and giving empowerments at several of Zasep Rinpoche's
dharma centers, coast to coast. Through this connection
to H. Jetsun Dampa, many of Rinpoche's students developed
a bond with Mongolia and felt a responsibility to revive
Mongolia's newly awakened Buddhist faith in whatever way
possible.
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Gers or yurts visited
on a day trip to a resort in the National
Park, Terelj. Terelj is one hour north
of Ulaan Baator and is a popular tourist
destination. A Mongolian friend took
Ven. Zasep Rinpoche and his student
there for a visit. In this park, there
are steep hills, sparse forests, grassy
plains and unique "spirit" rock formations.
There are many places to hike with spectacular
vistas and open spaces with only wildlife
for company. At several resort areas
here, you can rent horses and Bactrian
camels for a day's trek.
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In the Fall 2003, causes and conditions came together and
Zasep Rinpoche was finally able to make this trip. His student,
Matthew Richards was asked to accompany him. Ven. Zasep
Rinpoche visited Mongolia for quick 10 days at the end of
September, flying from Vancouver to Beijing and then on
to the capital, Ulaan Baatar or "UB".
While in Ulaan Baatar, Rinpoche and Matthew stayed in the
hospitable Nassan Guest House with a very sweet Mongolian
family. Rinpoche was able to spend a lot of time visiting
with his dear friend, Jetsun Rinpoche and his household.
This Lama's condo was like old Tibetan Temple with life-sized
statues of Lama Tsongkhapa and his two heart students. The
travelers also visited the families of members of Vancouver's
Mongolian community, who greeted them with uncommon warmth
and kindness.
Ven. Zasep Rinpoche spent a couple of days visiting Ulaan
Baatar's famed Gadantegchinlen Khiid or Ganden Monastery.
The monastery is a complex of several old temples with newer
buildings being presently built. There are many new monks
studying Buddhist theory and practice at several colleges
there. The highlight of any visit to Ganden, is certainly
the incredible 25m, 27 tonne statue of standing "Janraisig"
or "Chenrezig", the Buddha of Compassion; tucked into a
beautiful Tibetan style cathedral on the grounds. Pilgrims
from all over the country come to spin Ganden's large prayer
wheels, circle the stupas and consult with Lamas. Many lay
people would consult with the local monks about personal
matters, in an almost business fashion, in a small temple:
being received at large conference tables by monks who accepted
donations for advice, therapy or prayers. Seeing this direct,
helpful contact between the lay and ordained community made
Rinpoche happy.
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| Ven. Zasep Rinpoche's
student, Matthew Richards, enjoying Mongolian
"buuz" or mutton dumplings in the ger
of the abbot of Amarbayasgalant monastery,
the young Ven. Zava Damdin Rinpoche. |
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Ven. Zasep Rinpoche, Matthew and friends also did a day-trip
South West of UB to visit Mongolia's first monastery, Erdene
Zuu, near the country's ancient capital, Kharkhorin or "Karakorum".
The trip down was a veritable odyssey: both dreamlike and
jarring due to the poor condition of the highway and reckless
local drivers. Kharkhorin is bordering the Gobi desert and
the landscape does indeed differ from that seen in parts
of Central Mongolia. It is sparse, dry and framed with the
kind of rocky hills you'd see in a place like New Mexico.
Initially built in 1586 and blessed by visiting high Tibetan
Lamas, Erdene Zuu is a masterpiece of Buddhist architecture.
It took an unbelievable 300 years to complete the construction
of the temple complex. It was once home to 1000 monks living
in up to 100 temple buildings. Now, after the Stalinist
Red Terror of the 1930s, only a handful remain. There is
now an ongoing state effort to rebuild Erdene Zuu and this
itself is an inspiration. New temples are going up, tourists
and locals are visiting and helping out and a small Sangha
of monks has taken up residence in the grounds. The highlight
of any visit to Erdene Zuu is to walk along and experience
the incredible temple courtyard. A well-preserved wall of
108 stupas, ring the monastery. In the afternoon sun, the
play of light and shadow on these chortens is otherworldly.
Erdene Zuu also has a collection of Buddhist statues, tanghkas,
paintings and altar implements whose nature and craft are
breathtaking even sublime. Zasep Rinpoche said he had never
seen anything like it! A short walk away from the monastery
puts you in an open plain. There you'll find a "turtle rock"
statue used in old fertility rites. A true lesson in impermanence,
this rock is all that remains of Ogedei Khan's mighty imperial
of Kharkhorin after falling prey to sacking Manchurian soldiery.
In Ulaan Baatar proper, Ven. Zasep Rinpoche and Matthew
spent time in several museums experiencing Mongolia's rich
Buddhist cultural heritage. Zanabazar's Museum of Fine Art
in UB holds a collection of some of the greatest Buddhist
religious art in Asia. Zanabazar or "Jnana (Wisdom) Vajra",
1635-1723, was the First Jetsun Dampa of Mongolia. An outstanding
Lama, yogi, scholar, statesman, artist and creator of Mongolia's
national emblem, the "Soyombo" and reformer of its script,
his bronze statues of various Buddhas are literally without
equal. The oracle monastery of Choijin Lama, built in 1904,
while run by faithful staff, is now more of a museum. Stepping
foot on its grounds is akin to stepping into Mongolia's
past. Most of the temple's finery is well preserved. Rinpoche
also visited the 8th Jetsun Dampa, Bogd Khan's Winter Palace.
Communist troops destroyed the larger Summer Palace in the
1930s. His Holiness' palace had many beautiful temples and
includes Zanabazar's famous statues of the 21 Taras. His
residential building had many of his personal effects and
also included items from his many eccentric hobbies: for
instance, he bought dozens of stuffed European songbirds
on a trip to Germany at the turn of the 20th century. Also
included was the full ornamental costume of an elephant
bought in India and made to walk all the way to Mongolia
to lead the annual parade of Ulaan Baatar's famous Tsam
Dance Festival. The elephant died from a cold soon after
arriving in Mongolia.
Ven. Zasep Rinpoche and Matthew also spent some time in
Mongolia's breathtaking countryside. A friend took them
one hour north of UB to the famous national park, Terelj.
A favorite destination for both locals and tourists, it
is a hilly nature-preserve whose landscape is similar to
that found in Canada's province of Alberta. It possesses
many interesting rock formations, no doubt seen as special
by traditional shamans and is home to moose, bear and many
different species of birds. Several hotels and campsites
there offer horse and camel rides.
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| This ger is where
Ven. Zasep Rinpoche stayed while visiting
Sangha at Amarbayasgalant. The ger is
inside the wall of the temple complex
and dawn is breaking with the sun rising
just over the rolling hills of the secluded
valley. |
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Another beautiful destination, close to the capital as well,
is the ruins of the famous monastery, Manzshir Khiid, named
after the Buddha of Wisdom, "Manjushri". Founded in 1773,
the ruins and partially reconstructed main temple are located
in the cul-de-sac of secluded valley in a national park
originally created by the 8th Bogd Khaan. There was once
a thriving community of 350 monks living in a complex of
20 buildings all reduced to rubble by the Communist crackdown.
The grounds Manzshir Khiid are dotted with cliff faces,
caves, large granite boulders, small streams and forests
of pine, birch and cedar trees. Rinpoche and Matthew enjoyed
this visit very much. The monastery grounds were so beautiful
and still. One bizarre fact about this place is that, like
out of a scene from a 1930s French Surrealist piece, you
can buy ice cream here in these abandoned ruins. On the
steps to the main temple, there is a small fridge with a
very long extension cord plugged into a generator in a small
nearby ger. You can sit down, open the door and with only
the wind, leaves and birds for company, help yourself to
some Russian-made ice cream bars.
A definitive highlight of Ven. Zasep Rinpoche's and Matthew's
trip was the visit to the famed Amarbayasgalant monastery
in the northern Mongolian province of Selenge: 120 km from
the border with the Siberian republic of Buryatia. Perhaps
the second most important monastery in Mongolia, Amarbayasgalant
is a five-hour drive North West of Ulaan Baatar. The road
is in particularly good condition and the landscape viewed
from your car is that which is most familiar to those who
have seen travel logs on this country: steppes, rolling
hills and an infinite expanse of blue sky. The last hour
or so of the drive is along a dirt road through the valley
leading up to the monastery. Along this patch of road, one
sees many nomadic families leading a more traditional lifestyle
of living in gers and tending their livestock such as herds
of sheep or their beloved horses.
Amarbayasgalant was founded in 1727 and completed roughly
10 years later. The Manchurian emperor, Enkh- Amgalan Khaan,
built it as an offering to the recently deceased, unequalled
Zanabazar, the First Bogd Khaan. Because of its remote location
in a quiet secluded valley, it became a retreat place for
the subsequent Jetsun Dampas. What is unique about Amarbayasgalant
is its stunning architecture. Rather than the familiar,
indeed traditional, Tibetan style of temple building, this
monastery is fashioned in Manchurian motif with the pagodas,
curved roofs, mystical gargoyles, Manchurian/Mandarin inscriptions,
imperial colours one is used to seeing in China not some
deserted valley in far away Mongolia. In 1936, 2000 monks
studying at this institution and it appears that the temple
grounds were extensive, with living quarters, halls, shrines
and debating courtyards. The mummies of many of the previous
Jetsun Dampas were entombed here over the centuries. With
the advent of the Communist takeover of Mongolia in the
mid 1920s and culminating with the Stalinist Red-Terror
purges of the 1930s under junta-leader, Choibalsan, Mongolia's
traditional Buddhist culture was systematically extinguished.
Thousands of Lamas, monks and nuns were murdered, often
being forced to dig their own graves before being shot,
and Mongolia's rich religious heritage was looted, ransacked
and destroyed. Amarbayasgalant was partially destroyed by
the Red Army in the 1930s. A walk in its valley can easily
turn up masonry and pillaged items from this sad time. Some
historians believe that "sympathetic" Communist officials
who conducted a mere half-hearted sacking saved the monastery
from total oblivion. Indeed, unlike their Maoist compatriots
in China, the Mongolian Soviets did not enact a "Cultural
Revolution" and a significant amount of religious-cultural
material was preserved for display in museums. So it is
with Amarbayasgalant. Unesco began working on this world-heritage
site in the mid 1970s and Jetsun Rinpoche accomplished the
lion's share of restoration and re-consecration when he
returned to Mongolia in the early 1990s.
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| The main temple of
Gandantegchinlen Khiid, "Ganden monastery"
in Ulaan Baatar. This monastery has a
number of Tibetan style temples, now filled
with new monks studying Buddhist thought
and practice. This particular showpiece
temple houses a 25 m, 27 tonne gold gilded
statue of standing Avalokiteshvara or
"Migjid Janraisig" (Chenrezig in Tibetan),
the Buddha of Compassion in the pose of
"The Lord Who Looks In Every Direction".
The previous statue was looted by Soviet
troops and purportedly melted down to
make bullets. The new statue was erected
in Oct.1997 and consecrated by H.H. Dalai
Lama. It is covered by 500 m of silk,
is filled with 27 tonnes of Tibetan medicine
and in its base, houses an entire ger! |
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Driven up to Amarbayasgalant by a
friend of Jetsun Rinpoche, Ven. Zasep Rinpoche and his
student were welcomed warmly and graciously. Given a grand
tour, they were invited to stay in a ger on temple grounds.
Cozy with the stove on, the night cold eventually seeped
through and gave them a taste of what it is really like
to live near Siberia! In the morning, the dawn's soft
light enveloping the valley and casting shadows on Amarbayasgalant's
many Manchurian pagodas, filled with crying blackbirds,
was a sight to behold.
The abbot, Zava Damdin Rinpoche, runs the monastery, under
the spiritual direction of Jetsun Rinpoche. A young man
in his twenties, Rinpoche is the newest tulku or reincarnated
Lama, in Mongolia. Rinpoche and his family made their
way to the monastery in the early 1990s, by walking and
camping by the road a trek that took them a week. There
are now 60 young monks living there and many more wish
to join. One of Ven. Zasep Rinpoche's old Geshe friends
from India, comes to teach Buddhist thought and practice
to the monks every Summer. It is the wish of Jetsun Rinpoche
and Zava Damdin Rinpoche to bring Amarbayasgalant back
to its former glory to re-establish it in Mongolia, as
a traditional center of monastic life and culture. For
instance, with great expectation, expense and preparation,
the community was recently able to put on the traditional
"Tsam" Lama dances or "mystery plays" that were a pride
of Amarbayasgalant and not performed since the Stalinist
purges. Amarbayasgalant is slowly and joyously coming
back to life but under very simple and trying conditions.
Due to his close connection with Jetsun Rinpoche and a
new love for this very special monastery, Ven. Zasep Rinpoche
launched Gaden relief's "Mongolia Project" as a way of
educating people about this Sangha and raising money for
the temple's needs. Rinpoche wishes to work hand in hand
with Amarbayasgalant's charity-outreach organization in
Ulaan Baatar, "Amar Mur". Head by D. Gerelbayasgalan,
Amar Mur has a number of functions: from educating people
about Amarbayasgalant, to helping poor families in need
in UB, to teaching Buddhist meditation. Ven. Zasep Rinpoche's
aim in working with Amar Mur is to set up projects that
would help the community in practical ways. Gaden Relief's
Mongolia Project has already attracted a number of Rinpoche's
students who are eager to help. Future projects possibly
include sending aid to poor families, helping restore
Mongolia's ancient art of religious painting and the rebuilding
of Ven. Zava Damdin Rinpoche's small monastic temple, Delgeruun Choira, in
Delgertsogt, north of Mandalgovi, in the Gobi desert,
which was destroyed in the 1930s.
At present, the Mongolia Project hopes to help Amarbayasgalant
by trying to raise the funds necessary to build a potable
water system for the monks. They currently have to walk
over 2km to a field stream to get drinking water. Many
are sick because of this practice, which is particularly
difficult in the wintertime. Planning and organization
are ongoing at this very moment (Feb. 2004) but a good
estimate is that around $10,000.00 U.S. will be needed
to complete this project. It is the Mongolia Project's
hope to have these funds available for the middle of the
2004 summer, such as the month of July, that the work
is accomplished in favorable weather.
Please help us. Be a part of the Mongolia Project and
help restore Amarbayasgalant monastery that the bright,
healing light of Buddha's teachings, shine once again
in Mongolia. For more information about Gaden Relief's
Mongolia Project, please feel free to contact project
coordinator Matthew Richards.
–Matthew Richards, Mongolia Project
Coordinator
For more photos
of Amarbayasgalant Monastery and area, click here.
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