First Kagyu Monlam in Indonesia

March 27-29, 2009, report by Lama Karma Chodrak, helped by Karma Rinchen Zongpo

The first Indonesian Kagyu Monlam for global peace, led by His Eminence Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche, was completed very successfully on March 30th.

Some 180 members of the Southeast Asian Buddhist community took part in the ceremony at Borobudur, the Indonesia’s 8-9th century UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Buddhist monument at Borobudur is one of the world’s most revered places for Buddhist pilgrimage. It was built at the foot of the mountains in Central Java when Buddhism was the majority religion in Indonesia. The great Vajrayana master Atisha came from India to Indonesia to gain the Bodhisatva vow from Dharmakiti in around the 8th century, making the country of importance to world Buddhism.

The Monlam ceremony was deemed successful and joyful by all participants, who included members of Buddhist groups from not only Indonesia but also Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand.

Four Rinpoches and 30 monks and nuns from Bhutan, India, China, Hong Kong, Sikkim, Nepal and Taiwan gathered at Borobudur for the three-day ceremony to chant a series of prayers for a peaceful world compiled from classic Tibetan Buddhist texts.

The Monlam movement was begun by His Eminence Kalu Rinpoche based on his perception that the world is approaching a period of danger. The first ceremony was held at Bodhgaya, India in 1983.

Since then, Monlam ceremonies have been held in Nepal, East Tibet, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan and now Indonesia. A Monlam is held annually at Bodhgaya.

His Holiness Karmapa XVII has now taken a strong personal interest in the movement and encourages Buddhist communities across the world to invite leading members of the Sangha to hold a Monlams in their respective countries.

Leading participants in the Borobudur Monlam said that the global economic crisis has demonstrated that humanity is the major threat to its own survival and spiritual well-being. The greed of humanity derives from ignorance and has currently plunged millions into poverty and hardship.

Many other factors ranging from environmental destruction, the careless creation of materials which are poisonous to the environment and unbridled commercialism continue to threaten the world and create the need for stronger awareness of humankind’s place in it.

His Holiness the Karmapa has specifically mentioned that he is greatly concerned about the environmental decay which is currently destroying the globe and the threat from climate change.

The Indonesian Monlam at Borobudur was organized by Triyana Dharma Center in Surabaya with assistance from volunteers from the Dharma community in Jakarta.

 

Link to Photo Slide Show