A Brief Background of Karma Chholing Goenpa, Chali, Monggar Bhutan

When asked, my parents told me of the birth of our special village, in fact, I already confirmed this study through conversations with local officials and other senior people. During Guru Rinpoche’s second visit to Bhutan with Khandro Yeshey Tshogyel in 822 AD on his way back from Tibet, it was said that he visited 10 sacred places in Tashiyangtse, Mongar, and Lhuentse.

Source: Buddha Weekly

It was during that period; that the lives of people were shattered by two demons residing there (present Karma Chholing Goenpa). Thus, Guru Rinpoche subdued the local demons and their negative forces and he prophesized the Karmapa Lama to build a monastery to keep the people safe from the evil forces of those demons. 

When you visit Karmacholing Goenpa, you will notice two deep forests separated by a single elfin footpath. People used to travel day and night from that path, where the rovers were faced with many horrible scenes and thuds, causing them to become a sick time and time again, claiming lives, and many more unpleasant moments that the locals had to bear. People in the area, however, had no choice.

 

My father once told me that he was late from office work and had to cross that deep forest to get home (our ancestral home), where he noticed a tall lady without a nose coming out from the enormous hollow tree, wearing Bhutanese traditional Kira in the opposite direction. There were numerous instances of such presence during the night.

I still get goose-flesh thinking about my father's late-night discussions, and I'm still baffled as to how he managed to avoid such horrific events, but now I realize that he wasn't an ordinary man. He was a notable man, a true trustee of His Eminence Gangtey Tulku Rinpoche, and he completed his three years of strict mediation somewhere among the mountains and ridges, far from any civilization. I am blessed to have him as my father among many others.

 

Let us not forget Guru Rinpoche's tales...

Later in the middle of 1798 to 1868, 14^th Gyalwa Karmapa Thekchok Dorje along with his disciple Ngang-Shing Lama arrived at the village (present Karma Chholing) and was said to have conversed the matters with the local deity known as Dhe-Yen- Zangpo to which he has given his full support.

14^th Gyalwa Karmapa Thekchok Dorje

As prophesized by Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava), Gyalwa Karmapa built the monastery strengthening peace and prosperity. “Succeeding Karmapa’s visit, the village was named Karma Chholing Goenpa”. 

To these days, the people of Karmacholing Goenpa celebrate and pay homage to Guru Rinpoche, Gyalwa Karmapa, and Dhe-Yen-Zangpo, many religious rituals involving worship and prayers are conducted thrice a month on the special Bhutanese calendar on a household basis. The people are blessed with good health, wealth, long life, safety, quick rebirth, success, and essentially in all affairs of life.

 

 

Disclaimer: To err is human, any blunder in the story is solely my responsibility and anyone is free to use the content of my study conscientiously. 

¢ Love,

Sherab lhoyang (Lhoyang the Young Wolf).