Origin

Bodh Gaya in India is the holy place where Sakyamuni Buddha attained enlightenment. Over two thousand years, this holy place has been visited by numerous monks, nuns and lay people from all over the world for pilgrimage, many mahasiddhas treat Bodh Gaya as a must visit holy place for prayer and Dharma practice in lifetime that further enhance incredible blessings of Bodh Gaya. The Nyingmapa tradition of Tibetan Buddhism hold the World Peace Prayers Ceremony in Bodh Gaya every year, although the journey takes five days and nights when departing from Ngagyur Palyul Thupten Shedrup Choekhor Dargyeling to Bodh Gaya due to extreme inconvenience of transportation in India even today, however, His Holiness Penor Rinpoche sent thousands of monks to participate in the grand ceremony each year in the past,, and hoped to dedicate the supreme blessings through Dharma practices at the holy place to sentient beings in the six realms. His Holiness deemed that people irrespective of riches or poverty, nobleness or lowness, as long as one would pray and vow sincerely and earnestly, one’s wishes will be fulfilled spontaneously and timely.

Although there are various inauspicious events of natural and man-made disasters etc., often occur around the world today, however, the Buddhist sutra says that one could obstruct unfavorable circumstances, keep out disasters and sufferings and attain tranquility and happiness if the one regularly supplicates for the blessings of the Three Gem and extensively make offerings and almsgivings to amass vast merit and virtue.

Furthermore, one shall cultivate the motivation and karma of caring for sentient beings and prayer of vowing to realize world peace besides to satisfy one’s own needs if the one wants to attain ultimate peace and bliss for good; particularly, to support a monastery which carrying on the tradition of Dharma propagation and altruistic activities thus enable the Buddha Dharma be handed down from generations to generations, and spread the seeds of tranquility and happiness to all over the world to benefit innumerable, immeasurable sentient beings, it is thus clear that arousing Bodhicitta to construct stupa, temple and Buddha statue that would bring peace and bliss to the world

Just like the past in Buddha era, there were many great practitioners been attracted to Bodh Gaya to practice Dharma and bestow blessing because of the Vajra tower and Ching Temple built there, where thus also provided the opportunity for people to make obeisance and offerings at this holy place, all of which make Buddha Dharma remain flourish till today and continue spreading to every corner of the globe.

Fulfilling wishes of the Guru
Ever since memory began, I lived in Namdroling Monastery in India, His Holiness Penor Rinpoche played many roles during my growing up, he personally had carefully looked after my daily life, diet, and education, who can be said is the closest to my life and had deepest impact on me; recall my childhood, His Holiness told us that he often said to people in Tibet, even though we couldn’t see the Land of Utmost Bliss with our own eyes in this life, however, the Vajra tower in Bodh Gaya India, which, in fact, was tantamount to the Land of Utmost Bliss in this world, one could attain the supreme blessings as long as circumambulating the Vajra tower and arousing bodhicitta for one day in one’s life. For this reason, His Holiness personally led sangha to Bodh Gaya from a great distance each year for practices of Dharma, prayers and dedication of merit to all sentient beings.

Although His Holiness was under such hardship and rush about, but I was unable to comprehend he had done so much at such young age, especially, I did not participate in the puja at Bodh Gaya each year because of environmental conditions were very poor, and transportation was so inconvenient; Until growing up that I finally realize the supremacy of Buddhist holy place, in where to practice Dharma will benefit innumerable sentient beings because its supreme blessing power. Since then, I certainly take the initiative to go for pilgrimage and actively participate in the World Peace Prayer Ceremony every year and never been interrupted ...

His Holiness devoted his whole life to Dharma propagation and altruistic activities, who was not only built Ngagyur Palyul Thupten Shedrup Choekhor Dargyeling in southern India, which became the largest monastery of the Nyingmapa in India, but also rebuilt the Main Palyul Monastery in Tibet, other than the above, His Holiness also established Buddhist Centers in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Nepal, mainland China, Singapore, Malaysia and Philippines, and even travelled across the United States, Canada, Greece, Germany and France etc.

One day many years ago, His Holiness told me that to build a Ngagyur Palyul Thupten Shedrup Choekhor Dargyeling in the holy place – Bodh Gaya was a wish always on his mind that provide opportunities for people to participate in various activities of Dharma practicing and learning at the Center as well as annual pilgrimage, therefore, His Holiness purchased a piece of land nearby the Vajra Tower from Government of India for the construction of Ngagyur Palyul Thupten Shedrup Choekhor Dargyeling, thereafter the Government indicated that there was no longer be able to obtain any land for construction in the area of Bodh Gaya.......

Two years before His Holiness passed into parinirvana, as usual he led the monks to Bodh Gaya for World Peace Prayer Ceremony, one afternoon, His Holiness and myself were sitting in the room, staring out the window on the blooming flower then he said to me with sincere words and earnest wishes “he hoped one day his wish of constructing Ngagyur Palyul Thupten Shedrup Choekhor Dargyeling at this holy place can be completed.”

Ever since I listened to the teachings of His Holiness, I immediately prepared for the construction of the Ngagyur Palyul Thupten Shedrup Choekhor Dargyeling and progressively completed its plan and preparation works of construction site in two years, afterward a Groundbreaking Ceremony held on August 5, 2008.

In March 2009, prior to His Holiness passed into parinirvana, he still went to Bodh Gaya while sick, and dedicated prayers to all sentient beings in the World Peace Prayers Ceremony. At that time, he was very pleased after I reported about groundbreaking ceremony and construction progress of the Ngagyur Palyul Thupten Shedrup Choekhor Dargyeling, in spite of ill health, he insisted on visiting the construction site in a wheelchair and gave a blessing prayer on site. Few days later, when His Holiness returned Ngagyur Palyul Thupten Shedrup Choekhor Dargyeling, he then passed away to Parinirvana; As I recall the last journey and wish of His Holiness had that he would be very pleased indeed to see a Center of Ngagyur Palyul Thupten Shedrup Choekhor Dargyeling to be built at the Land of Utmost Bliss in this world - Bodh Gaya, because he had complete faith in constructing a stupa, temple or Buddha statue at such place that enabled all wishes of sentient beings be fulfilled. Thus I’m obligated to complete the construction of Ngagyur Palyul Thupten Shedrup Choekhor Dargyeling at the holy place as this is the last wish of His Holiness.
Gyang Khang Chotrul Rinpoche, Namaste

The significance of constructing temple etc. at Buddhist holy place
Dating back about 2500 years ago, although Sakyamuni at that time was a honorable prince, but he already profound understood that no matter how much wealth and status people own even the monarch of a nation, no one can utilize financial resources or power to get rid of impermanence and the sufferings derived from rebirth, aging, illness and death in life, for all of these, the Buddha felt samvega to the world, thus gave up his throne and worldly pleasures and began to seek the true meaning of life at his age of twenty-nine years, the Buddha left the palace and carried out his ascetic practices in the Uruvela forest at the riverside of Indus River for six years, then realized that only the austerity of the body which cannot lead to true liberation.

Hence the Buddha decided to give up the ascetic practice and went to Bodh Gaya for ongoing meditation under the Bodhi tree, finally attained enlightenment becoming the Buddha on the Vajrasana under the Bodhi tree. The world we live also known as Jambudvipa, there will be thousand Buddhas of Bhadra Kalpa become the Buddha in Bodh Gaya, India too, the Sakyamuni among them is the fourth Buddha, so there will still be nine hundred ninety-six Buddhas enlightened become a Buddha at this holy place; thus, over thousands of years, many of the Mahasiddhas and Gurus visited Bodh Gaya to circumambulate the Vajra tower and make prayers, therefore, the place Buddha attained enlightenment can be described as "The Holy Place of Achievements in Cultivation of Merit and Wisdom", where not only preserve power of blessings from the Mahasiddhas but also hold more supreme energy to bless sentient beings.

How fortunate to be able to participate in such great event of joint supporting the construction of stupa, temple and Buddha statue at the holy place of Buddha's Enlightenment, because there is a substantial difference in accumulation of merit and virtue if the said construction located in Bodh Gaya than elsewhere, therefore, one for sure will be able to cultivate more virtue and merit not only for oneself butalso for one’s future generations and dependents if one has causes and conditions in one’s life to participate and support the above mentioned in Bodh Gaya. The Lotus Sutra states "When people aroused pious intent to construct stupa, temple and Buddha statue, such people are like behold countless Buddha, self-achieve the highest enlightenment, rescue vast number of sentient beings.", which is thus evident that whoever involves in such activities will attain inconceivable and immeasurable merit and virtue.

The merit and virtue of building a monastery and dedication.
It has been three years since Venerable HH Penor Rinpoche passed into parinirvana, in this period of time, I myself and all sangha in the Monastery included Khenpo, Rinpoche and Lama dared not forgot even a single moment about the teachings and instructions of His Holiness. All sangha of the Monastery practiced in accordance with the rituals each day and dedicated all hindrances be obstructed and free from the sufferings which caused by natural and man-made disasters to living beings; moreover, the last wish of His Holiness that I was entrusted to construct the Ngagyur Palyul Thupten Shedrup Choekhor Dargyeling in Bodh Gaya, which I have to go all out to achieve this goal in order to perfect the prayers of Guru that protecting and blessing sentient beings as well as world peace.

These days, the plan mapped out for Ngagyur Palyul Thupten Shedrup Choekhor Dargyeling in Bodh Gaya had been completed, and the ceremony of ground-breaking was held, the foundations were laid, the main shrine has been built also the statues of Buddha (Three statues in the main shrine, which the main statue Sakyamuni Buddha in the Center, Padmasambhava on the right and Bodhisattva at left hand side); moreover, there will be one thousand small Buddhas (open to general public for participation and support) to be caved along both sides of the main shrine, in addition, total nine stupas will be built inside the Center (peripheral eight smaller stupas and His Holiness Penor Rinpoche in the central stupa). For this Center to benefit all sentient beings from generation to generation that must rely on long-term support of each and every one of benefactor from all over the world thus enabling us to build together the Land of Utmost Bliss in this secular world at the holy place - Bodh Gaya.

In the past, the Buddha abdicated the throne and left home to practice Buddhism, he went out to establish affinity with living beings by the way of mendicancy, and hoped people regardless of being rich or poor, noble or lowly who had opportunity to accumulate immeasurable merit and virtue for oneself as long as whose almsgiving had a pure intention behind it; and during the lifetime of His Holiness, who compassionately concerned about all living beings in this period of Dharma Ending Age, whose aspect of living, career, body and life-span etc. were not all auspicious and wish-fulfilling due to lack of merit and wisdom, therefore, he decided to purchase a piece of land for the construction of stupa, temple and Buddha statue at the holy place where the Buddha attained enlightenment; and I, as a monk, although unable to provide people with direct help on materials, medicals or careers, but do sincerely pray for all living beings with affinity have conditions to participate and support the construction activities of Ngagyur Palyul Thupten Shedrup Choekhor Dargyeling, and share the most direct and rapid method of accumulating merit and virtue. May all your wishes come true and the virtue and wisdom completed!

Construction progress of the monastery

Foreword - Bodh Gaya in India is the sacred place where Buddha attained enlightenment. For the convenience of the fourfold assembly of monks and laity, etc., from all over the world who makes pilgrimage to Bodh Gaya can also attend the various group and individual practice activities conducted by the Monastery, thus Gyang Khang Khentrul Rinpoche planned to build the“Ngagyur Palyul Thupten Shedrup Choekhor Dargyeling”, the Ground Breaking Ceremony of which had taken place on August 5th, 2008, and the Inauguration Ceremony on January 19th 2016!