INTRODUCTION Mahaguru Padmasambhava, also called Guru Rinpoche, who was the restorer of Buddhism in Tibet, and the main exponent of Tantric form of Buddhism, had prophesied during his visit to Tibet in the 8th Century A.D. that amongst the holy hidden lands or sBESgNES, which was personally consecrated by him, BES-YUL Dremojong (Sikkim), was the holiest. Here he had hidden a vast religious treasure, including holy books to be discovered and interpreted, in future, by great saints. It was the fulfillment of this prophecy when Lhatsun Namkha Jigme or Lhatsun Chempo, Kathok Rikzin Chempo and Nagadak Sampa Chempo (the Yuksam) came to Sikkim to propagate Buddhism and set the history of the rNal-jor Ched-Shi. Lhatsun Namkha Jigme (meaning The Reverend Lord Who Fears Not The Sky-with reference to his powers to fly) or Kunzang Namgyal (The Entirely Victorious Essence of Goodness) which is his common name, was born in Tibet in the Fire-Bird year of the 10th of the sixty year cycles corresponding to 1597 A.D. He came to Sikkim from the north direction via Dzongri to Norbugang. In Sikkim, he was received by the Lepcha Chief Thekung Mensalong, the consecrated host. Kathok Rikzin Kuntu Zangpo came from the west direction and Ngakak Sempa Rikzin Phuntsog came from the south direction. All the three of them met at Norbugang which was then called by the Lepchas as YUKSAM, meaning the three superior ones or literally meaning ''the three lamas'. These three lamas invited Phuntsog Namgyal from the east direction, and consecrated him as the first Chogyal of Sikkim in 1642 A.D, at Yuksam, where the stone throne of these four brothers, known as rNal-Jor Ched-Shi, can be seen even today. Lhatsun Chempo was largely
responsible for consolidating Buddhism in Sikkim. He first built Dubdi Monastery
near Yuksam. Later, he build shrines at Sa-nga-choe-ling and Pemayangtse. He
spent his years in Sikkim mostly exploring caves, mountain recesses and holy
places, composing, Buddhist legends and selecting sites for shrines, chortens (stupas)
and monasteries. After his death, his personal effects were carefully treasured
and worshipped by the Sikkimese as religious objects. By the time of his death,
Buddhism had steadily progressed in Sikkim and the monasteries then belonged to
Nyingma order and its sub sects. It was during and subsequent to the reign of
the fourth Chogyal Gyurmed Namgyal that the first Kagyu monastery came into
existence. Since then many large and small monasteries belonging to the two
sects have been build influencing the cultural heritage and lifestyle of the
people. |
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