Greetings. Lama D and Srijana are in Bali, Indonesia. A few months ago, when the world was under lockdown, Lama D started a Buddhism study group. He invited some of his friends and neighbors using WeChat Social Networking. Within one day, the group had reached the maximum of 500. He began his classes by listening to spiritual instructions by the Je Khempo, the Highest Lama, which were given for monks in the sacred Chokey language. Lama D re-interpreted them for his groups in Dzongkha, the everyday language of Bhutan.
For many people it was the first time they had heard lectures about spirituality in their own language. It was a revelation for many, and his groups grew every day. When the lockdowns ended, the groups continued to grow without skipping a beat. Now Lama D has 11,000 students, still on WeChat. The students are all Bhutanese, in many countries of the world, all in the Dzongkha language.
The name of the group is Tharpi Sabuen, which means “Seeds for Paradise”. Lama D tells them prayers, actions, and thoughts to purify the mind, body, and spirit for enlightenment. Enlightenment in Buddhism means you finish your earthly tasks and move beyond the physical world, free from the cycle of death and rebirth. He teaches many different topics.
The ceremonies at Buddha Point and Thimphu Children’s Park celebrate the installation of Lama D’s special project. He is building a series of sacred shrines to honor the five great saints of Buddhism in Bhutan. The first shrine was completed last month and honored at a ceremony at the Buddha Point monastery. This stupa was permanently installed Wednesday, September 28, 2022.
This stupa is to benefit all living beings, to remove negatives via blessings from the five great masters and their five mantras. Thimphu Children’s Park is the first installation, in order to bestow the highest powers of goodness to the children, to support positive virtue in their lives. The Tharpi Sabuen study group plans to sponsor 205 stupas like this all over Bhutan.
Lama D receives no money for his teachings. All financial contributions are voluntary and are used toward special projects like ceremonies and building these beautiful shrines. He couldn’t attend the ceremonies, however his family came and participated. You can see his mother doing prostrations and making offerings in the video.