H.E. Chöje Ayang Rinpoche’s Cremation Stupa

 

Dear Sangha, We invite all of H.E Chöje Ayang Rinpoche's students to participate in the Cremation Ceremony of at Thupten Shedrub Jangchubling Monastery in Bylakuppe, South India on July 18, 2026, in person or by live streaming. Following is a schedule for the day. Updates will be posted here. 7.00 AM (India) or 6:30 PM July 17 in California *Here is a time zone converter. His Eminence Gyangkhang Rinpoche, the head of Namdroling Monastery, and Lama Sonam Gyatso Rinpoche, along with the other Namdroling lamas performing the cremation ritual, will arrive at Thupten Shedrub Jangchub Ling Monastery with a traditional welcome by all the sangha members and lay people. 8.00 AM (India) or 7:30 PM July 17 in California H.E Choeje Ayang Rinpoche’s Kudung (an honorific term for the mortal remains of a realized master) will be carried out from the shrine hall, led by a ceremonial procession of golden parasols and accompanied by skeletal dakas and dakinis. While circumambulating the old and the new temple with the sacred kudung, the monks will chant the prayer melody from “Drangchar Zimbu Mei Gur Yang (sbrang mchar zim bu mei mgur dbyang) from the songs of Kyobpa Jigten Sumgon’s prayer to the Lineage masters. Upon the holy kudung reaching the cremation stupa, notable Rinpoches, Khenpos, and other dignitaries will offer scarves. On placing the kudung inside the Purkhang (cremation stupa), the Jinsek (fire offering rituals) will begin simultaneously, each of them led by an eminent Buddhist master in the four directions: East- H.E Kyabje Gyangkhang Rinpoche presides over the Jinsek of Dorsem (Buddha Vajrasattva), North- Venerable Lapchi Dorzin Thundup Palden presides over the Jinsek of Dorje Phagmo ( Buddha Vajravarahi), West – His Eminence Palchen Galo Rinpoche presides over the Jinsek of Oepakme (Buddha Amitabha), and South – Venerable Lama Sonam Gyatso Rinpoche presides over the jinsek of Shitro (100 peaceful and wrathful deities)   Download the full schedule, July 16 – July 20, 2026. For those of you unable to attend in person, the ceremony will be live streamed on Facebook. This is the Facebook page where you can access the live stream and find photos of the preparations.

We invite you to make an auspicious connection to the ceremony with a tax-deductible offering to help complete Rinpoche’s stupa and to support the cremation ceremonies. Please click below or send your check in USD to: Amitabha Foundation, P. O. Box 2572, Aptos, CA 95001.

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Rinpoche's Cremation Ceremony July 18, 2026

Ayang Rinpoche’s Ku-Dung (holy body)

at Thupten Shedrub Jangchub Ling Monastery in India

 

 

H.H. Palchen Galo Rinpoche, True Lhamo and the staff at Ayang Rinpoche's monastery are planning the activities surrounding the cremation of Chöje Ayang Rinpoche's ku-dung (holy body) on July 18, 2026. Visitors are welcome. If you are planning to attend, and have not already let someone in your own country know, please send us an email so that we can notify the monastery. Please see this guide to travel to Bylakuppe and accommodations in the area. For updates visit our website. To be able to stay within the Tibetan Settlement of Bylakuppe, attendees will need to have a PAP, Protected Area Permit. Please enter "Dickyi Larsoe Tibetan Settlement, P.O. Bylakuppe-571104, Mysore, Karnataka" as the place proposed to visit. Note that it can take a month or longer to get the PAP approved. After the cremation, Rinpoche's holy relics will be placed into a new stupa being constructed at his monastery. We invite you to make a tax-deductible offering to help complete Rinpoche's stupa and to support the cremation ceremonies. Please click below or send your check in USD to: Amitabha Foundation P. O. Box 2572 Aptos, CA 95001

With sincere thanks, Your Dharma friends at Amitabha Foundation

 

 

Happy New Year! Start it off right with some mental rejuvenation and a healthy dose of equanimity, and join us for our ongoing group meditation series. As announced in our recent newsletter, John Halpern will be guiding us in the first Shiné—Calm Abiding—meditation session of 2026 this Saturday, 01/10 at 2pm. The next date this month will be on Sunday, January 18th. See below for registration info and more details: We are pleased to announce that the popular Calm Abiding Meditation series with John Halpern continues at the Big Indian Sanctuary, Thinley Khachod Ling, this Saturday, January 10th at 2pm Eastern time. It will now be hybrid: accessible both in person (weather permitting)* and online. Calm Abiding is a method based on Tibetan Buddhist Tradition.  Beginner & all meditation levels are invited. Also known as Shiné in Tibetan and Shamatha in Sanskrit, this is the foundation of all meditation. It develops the capacity to rest the mind on a singular point of focus and sustain a state of tremendous relaxation and evenness.  The ongoing workshops Include: Three Aspects of Calm Abiding or Shiné Practice 1. Gazing at a stable object (External) 2. Focusing upon a luminous sphere within (Inner) 3. Formless Immersion (Secret ) These three aspects will be broken up into several discrete sessions, and elaborated upon as the series continues over time. The 3rd aspect also opens the doorway to vivid flashes of insight(lhatong or vipassana): liberating glimpses of emptiness and openness.  Explanation and practice of breathwork, mindful relaxation, and tonglen healing will also be explored. *If the weather forecast the morning of a scheduled session indicates it may be dangerous to travel, we will conduct the session soley via Zoom, so stay tuned once you register.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

John Halpern embarked on the profound path of Tibetan Buddhist training and study in 1982 with His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, the first Supreme Head of the Nyingma lineage, who was a living terton or treasure revealer. He continued his studies with H.H. Shenphen Dawa Rinpoche until Rinpoche’s parinirvana in 2017.  At H.H. Shenphen Dawa Rinpoche’s request, in 2009, John began leading meditation instruction at Yeshe Nyingpo, the Dudjom Tersar lineage Temple in New York. Since then, John has led retreats and Naked Mind - a weekly meditation class, in Union Square, New York.    John is an international, award winning artist and independent filmmaker of over 50 years, known for large-scale, interactive, public art, cultural activism – socially engaged practice, and theatrically released art films. John established the Institute for Cultural Activism International, a 501(c)3 art organization based in Delhi, NY, with his wife Emily Harris in 2022.

Vajrayogini Mandala

 

The annual Vajrayogini (Dorje Phagmo) Drupchö (extensive prayer ceremony) began today, September 5, and runs through September 9th at Thupten Shedrub Jangchub Ling Monastic Institute, Ayang Rinpoche's monastery in Bylakuppe.

 

Ayang Rinpoche said about Vajrayogini: "Among all the wisdom dakinis, Vajrayogini is the highest. She represents the True Nature of Mind, Prajnaparamita, the mother of all the Buddhas of the three times and ten directions." (Sydney, March 2018)

 

You may send offerings to support the cost of the Vajrayogini Drupchö and make dedications in the name of a loved one. You are welcome to send donations to the Amitabha Foundation in your own country. For a tax deductible donation in the U.S., please send your check to the Amitabha Foundation, P.O. Box 2572, Aptos, California 95001, or donate online below. Dedications submitted by September 8th at 5 pm Pacific time will be included on the prayer list at the monastery. Create merit while supporting the monastery's activities!

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Enjoy new pictures of the Teachers' Day ceremonies at the monastery.

Achi Chökyi Drölma Drupchö

 

The annual Achi Chökyi Drölma Drupchö is being held July 17 – 23 at Ayang Rinpoche’s monastery in Bylakuppe, Thupten Shedrup Jangchub Ling. Achi is the main Dharma Protector in the Drikung Kagyu lineage.

H.E. Palchen Galo Rinpoche and all the Khenpos and Rinpoches of the monastery invite sangha members to join by reciting Achi Chökyi Drölma mantras during this time:

OM SARVA BUDDHA DAKINI HRI MAMA TSAK TRA SOHA

You are also welcome to make offerings in your own name, for your business, or for a loved one, including pets, whether they are living or deceased. Send donations to the Drikung Charitable Society account. For a tax deductible donation in the U.S., please send your check to the Amitabha Foundation, P.O. Box 2572, Aptos, California 95001, or donate online below. Dedications submitted by July 21st at 5 pm Pacific time will be posted in the temple for the conclusion of the pujas.

 

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Brief Biography of Achi Chökyi Drölma

Chöje Ayang Rinpoche, Sydney, Australia in 2004

Achi Chökyi Drölma is an emanation of Vajra Yogini and Tara. She was born in the central area of Tibet. Beginning at a young age she was very special. She had great compassion and always practiced Tara, and she taught the Tara prayer for everyone in the village. When she grew older she prophesied that in the future there would be a new Buddhadharma lineage, and that she would be that lineage’s Dharma protector, whereupon she wrote protector offering prayers. Several generations later, her great grandson Jigten Sumgon started the Drikung lineage and she did become the main lineage Dharma protector.

She moved to Eastern Tibet, married and had 4 sons. Her most holy practice place is in East Tibet. At her death she attained the Great Rainbow Body. Her entire body become rainbows and light, leaving only her hair and nails. Like this, with no need to change this physical body, she went to the Pure Land.

On the relative level, Achi was like the Dharma protector. But on the ultimate level, Achi had already attained the tenth Bhumi of a Bodhisattva. In this way, Achi was already enlightened. Achi’s activity in Tibet is very famous. All the Tibetan people, especially the older generation people, know very well about her great activity, how it is so helpful because it is very fast. In Tibet, some great masters say that Achi is exactly the same as the Buddha, and if we pray to Achi, then by our Achi practice we will achieve enlightenment, or we will attain the Pure Land at our death moment.

Create merit while supporting the monastery's activities.

With thanks from your friends at the Amitabha Foundation

 

 

We have completed holding the weekly group practices of the Concise Namchö Buddha Amitabha sadhana and the Long Prayer to be Reborn in Dewachen commemorating the 49 days since H.E. Choeje Ayang Rinpoche's parinirvana.

We made a video recording of the practice, which includes Rinpoche's chanting along with the visualization notes. If you have received the Buddha Amitabha empowerment and oral transmission (lung) from Ayang Rinpoche, you are welcome to request the digital recording for your personal practice. Please contact us to request a digital link, and include confirmation that you are qualified.

We also want to remind you that we hold a Zoom Phowa practice every New Moon (Nyingma) and Full Moon (Drikung) at 7 pm (USA Eastern time). If you have taken Rinpoche's Phowa Course and would like to practice with the group, please contact us for the link and confirm that you are qualified.

We invite you to make a donation (tax-deductible in the US) to support the monastery and 49-day parinirvana ceremonies. Make out your check in USD to Amitabha Foundation, and mail it to PO Box 2572, Aptos, CA 95001, or donate online here.

Thank you for your participation and support,

Your sangha at Amitabha Foundation US

 

According to directions from Ayang Rinpoche's monastery, we will be holding a group practice of the Concise Namchö Buddha Amitabha sadhana and the Long Prayer to be Reborn in Dewachen on the remaining seven-day anniversaries since Rinpoche's parinirvana.

Those who have received the Buddha Amitabha empowerment and oral transmission are welcome to join our online practice on the following days:

January 15 and January 22 (dates are in the USA)

at 7:00 pm (Eastern timezone in the US):.

Join the practice by Zoom at this link*: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81572930999?pwd=9t5W8LzvstaE2zmcKSwW3nZKwnneo5.1 

We will be following a recording of Rinpoche, and will be posting the text (Tibetan and English) on the Zoom sessions. For more detailed information, visit our website or email us to receive a copy of the visualization notes, if you are qualified.

View the live streamed pujas being done daily at the monastery on Facebook.

We invite you to make a donation (tax-deductible in the US) to support the monastery and 49-day parinirvana ceremonies; make out your check in USD to Amitabha Foundation, and mail it to PO Box 2572, Aptos, CA 95001, or donate online here.

Thank you for your participation and support,

Your sangha at Amitabha Foundation US

 

Today (Jan 15) marks the 42nd day and 6th week since the parinirvana of H.E. Choeje Ayang Rinpoche. Khenpos and senior monks of Lamayuru, Phyang and Sharchukhul monasteries in Ladakh and Khenpos and monks of Thupten Shedrub Jangchub Ling monastery are performing the Chakrasamsara offering prayer in the Yidam (Tutelary deity) temple.

https://www.facebook.com/share/1XRZUDcHZj/

On Jan 15, the 42nd day and 6th week since the parinirvana of H.E. Choeje Ayang Rinpoche, in the Amitabha Temple, Khenpos, Retreat masters and senior monks from Thupten Shedrub Jangchub Ling Monastery are performing the Buddha Amitabha offering prayers.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15hR3hm3WV/