A Message from His Holiness the Sakya Trizin
“May the Glorious qualities of the four magnificences
(Dharma, wealth, aspiration and liberation) be
directly illuminated;
The flowers of virtue's signs of auspiciousness
develop in the ten directions,
Enriched by a glorious ocean of happiness and joy
That covers the entire earth with every excellence.”

On the advent of Earth Male mouse year, I wish all of you good health, long life, prosperity, and hope that all your wishes be fulfilled. All the good wishes come from practicing virtuous deeds and not just by prayers. Therefore, we must make resolution in this new year that we will emphasize and devote ourselves fully in practicing the virtuous deeds, which arise from loving kindness, compassion, tolerance and forgiveness. In following these qualities in our lives we would not only bring delight to others but also ensure unceasing happiness for ourselves. Keeping this in mind we should enter the new year and pray that it brings auspiciousness and joy for all sentient beings.

With blessings, The Sakya Trizin, Losar 2008 >click here to view original letter and to print
Current News & Major Activities Highlights:
HIS HOLINESS PERFORMS ANNUAL MAHAVAIROCHANA RITUAL, JUNE 12-19
Each year during the month of Vesak, His Holiness performs a Mahavairochana ritual for the deceased. This year, he performed an extended ritual for all deceased sentient beings in general and especially for those who died in Tibet during recent unrest, those who died in China during the recent earthquake, and those to died in Myanmar during the recent cyclone.





click on the 3 images above for larger views
HIS HOLINESS ACCOMPLISHES BESTOWING OF THE PRECIOUS LAM DRE TEACHING

On the auspicious day of June 4th, His Holiness Sakya Trizin completed bestowing of the Lam Dre teaching at Dzongsar Khyentse Chokyi Lodro Institute, in Cauntra, Himal Pradesh, India.

Also known as the Path Including the Result, the Lam Dre is the highest and most profound oral instructions of the Sakya Order. This precious three-month cycle of teachings was bestowed at the request of the Rinpoches, abbot, and office holders of the Institute.

The main disciples at the teachings were His Eminence Ratna Vajra Rinpoche, His Eminence Gyana Vajra Rinpoche, Her Eminence Gyalyum Kusho, Her Eminence Jetsun Kusho and Her Eminence Dagmo Kalden Kusho, Ngor Luding Khen Chen Rinpoche, Ngor Thartse Khen Rinpoche, Khenpo Kunga Wangchuk and many other senior lineage holders. The teachings were also attended by approximately 3,000 senior lamas, abbots, monks, nuns, and disciples from around the world.  
>click here for more on the Lam Dre tradition

>click here for official letter announcing His Holiness Sakya Trizin's 2009 Australian tour, including bestowal of the precious Lam Dre. For latest details on the 2009 Lam Dre, visit: http://www.drogmi.org
FEBRUARY 7, 2008 ~ HAPPY LOSAR!
His Holiness presided over a Special Puja for the auspicious beginning of the Tibetan New Year at Sakya Centre, Dehradun, India. Please see His Losar Letter to Students (above).
2007 SAKYA MONLAM: LUMBINI, NOVEMBER 30-DECEMBER 9
His Holiness presided over the 2007 Great Sakya Aspiration Prayer Festival (Monlam) in Lumbini, from November 30 to December 9. The Monlam is held each year to prolong the lives of the upholders of the Buddha’s doctrine, to pray that their intentions for the benefit of beings may be accomplished; that the Buddhist sangha may increase their practice of the Dharma; and that epidemics, famine and warfare be dispelled, and happiness and peace spread to every region and country of the world.
>more on the history of the Sakya Monlam
>view photo gallery of past Monlams
HIS HOLINESS THE SAKYA TRIZIN LEADS A GRAND LONG-LIFE (TENSHUG) OFFERING CEREMONY FOR HIS HOLINESS THE DALAI LAMA
In March 2007, His Holiness the Sakya Trizin led a grand long-life (Tenshug) offering ceremony for His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala , India. His Holiness the Dalai Lama reached the age of 73 this year, which is an obstable year according to the Tibetan lunar calendar. As part of the Tenshug ceremony, His Holiness the Sakya Trizin presided over long life prayers and rituals for seven days. >continue
>view video clips of the ceremony

Guidance To Dharma Students from His Holiness the Sakya Trizin
His Holiness gave the following advice to students appearing in the Palden Sakya News Magazine.

Your Holiness, why should we practice Buddhist teachings? Generally speaking, from the smallest insect on up to the most intelligent human being, there is agreement that all sentient beings want happiness and all of them also wish to avoid suffering. The majority of human beings do not understand what the cause of suffering is, or what the cause of happiness is, but in the teachings of the Buddha and in their practice you will find answers to these questions. >continue
An Interview
with His Holiness

Q. Your Holiness, would you give us an account of your life?

A. Perhaps I should begin by telling you what happened before my birth. The title 'Sakya Trizin' means 'Holder of the Throne of Sakya' and my grandfather had been the last Trizin in our family.

For the sake of having a son, my parents went on a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash , Nepal , to Lhasa and to South Tibet but there was never any sign that a son might be born.

They had given up all hope when they reached Nalanda Monastery, an important Sakya Monastery north of Lhasa and told the monasteries’ abbots of this. The leaders were shocked and very worried, as our family lineage, the Dolma Palace line, held the tradition of the most esoteric Sakya teachings and moreover, most of the heads of the monastery had received these teachings from my grandfather, so to them, the continuation of our family was most important. They urged my parents not to give up hope, and moreover they gave up one of their best teachers, Lama Ngawang Lodro Rinchen, so that he could travel with my parents. This was something of a loss to the monastery, but he was a powerful Lama who could perform all the different rituals, and in particular, his prayers had caused children to be born to women who had been unable to have children before. After this he always traveled with my father, and together they performed many rituals and prayed for a son to be born. At last it became clear that the prayers had been answered and my parents halted at Tsedong, a small, pleasant town near Shigatse. It had been decided that it was a good place for a child to be born, partly perhaps for its reputation as the birthplace of many great Sakya teachers such as Ngachang Chenpo and Ngawang Kunga Rinchen. In fact, I was born in the same room as Ngachang Chenpo.

>read this interview online

>print this interview (pdf format, 27 pages)
©2008 Office of His Holiness the Sakya Trizin ~ all rights reserved