November 6, 2026
The Gyalwang Karmapa presided over the Sa Lang Tendrel ceremony for the Jampal Gyepai Dangden monastery, which is among twenty-two spiritual projects in Gelephu Mindfulness City that have received royal approval for commencement. The Sa Lang Tendrel, a ceremony for seeking the consent and blessings of the local land gods, goddesses, and nagas, was graced by the presence of Her Majesty Jetsun Pema, Queen of Bhutan, who along with His Holiness, was one of the main officiants in the ritual. It was also attended by the Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay and other members of the royal family. Later in the evening, His Holiness remarked that though it was hot when the ceremony began, a fresh wind sprung up bringing in clouds as an auspicious sign of how the ceremony was successful.
His Holiness said that in building Jampel Gyepai Dangden, he intends to serve His Majesty The King’s vision of Gelephu Mindfulness City as a center for Vajrayana Buddhism and a Buddhist City. The site will be the future home to a Karma Kagyu monastery and education and outreach center at Kuengaling in Serzhong Gewog. It will represent Mount Wutai, the sacred abode of Manjushri in China, honoring a spiritual connection between the Karma Kagyu tradition and Mount Wutai that dates back to 1408 when the 5th Karmapa, Deshin Shekpa, undertook a pilgrimage to Mount Wutai.
Planning for the project is underway. His Holiness brought two famed Japanese architects with him to survey the land and brainstorm on how to best design the site, which will include stupas and a large pavilion. The site will host prayer festivals and other dharma events, inviting pilgrims and visitors from around the world to visit Gelephu.
In the afternoon, the Gyalwang Karmapa bestowed the Amitayus long life empowerment from the tradition of Machik Druppay Gyalmo to a large crowd, estimated to be 200,000 people, at the 108 stupas in Gelephu. During the empowerment, he gave a talk that began with his prayers for the long lives of Their Majesties, the fourth and the fifth Kings, the Je Khenpo, and all the people of Bhutan. He then mentioned how everyone who attended the raising of the 108 stupas now has the merit to reach awakening during this fortunate aeon of 1002 buddhas. He then spoke about the altruistic attitude we should cultivate when we request a long life empowerment. Although everyone wants a long life and good health, he said, it is most important that our lives be meaningful. If we have a mission or purpose in life and act to benefit others, then receiving a long life empowerment is meaningful and valuable.
After completing the ceremony, His Holiness himself walked through the crowd to give blessings to all of the people gathered there. He had already blessed tens of thousands of people when the sun set and it became too dark for him to continue. As he had said, he now has unfinished karma so that he will have to return to Bhutan many times in the future to make dharma connections with everyone who had made the effort to come to the empowerment.
