Tergar Monastery Shrine Hall
16 February 2025
After the nuns returned from the Mahabodhi Stupa they gathered in the Tergar Monastery shrine hall, where Kyabgön Drung Goshir Gyaltsab Rinpoche inaugurated the 9th Arya Kshema.
Nuns playing gyalin and others bearing incense processed into the shrine hall ahead of a portrait of the Gyalwang Karmapa which they placed on the throne, and then a body, speech and mind long-life mandala was offered to the portrait of the Gyalwang Karmapa and to Gyaltsab Rinpoche.
Gyaltsab Rinpoche presided over the Ritual for the Flourishing of the Nuns’ Dharma. This is the first puja offered each year at the Arya Kshema; it was specially composed by the Gyalwang Karmapa and makes aspirations in support of all female practitioners and particularly for the flourishing of the nuns’ dharma. Its full name is ‘A Ritual for Women’s and Especially Nuns’ Dharma to Flourish, Based on the Inseparability of Noble Chenrezig and Noble Ananda’, and central to the ritual each year is a huge thangka in Indian style of Avalokiteshvara with the Bhikshu Ananda emanating from his open right-hand palm.
Ananda was instrumental in persuading Shakyamuni Buddha to allow the ordination of women and how it was foretold that he would become the guardian for all those women who have faith in the Buddhadharma.
Gyaltsab Rinpoche gave some words of advice to the nuns, and the opening ceremony was celebrated with tea and sweet rice.
