Initiations in Serpom Monastery by Venerable Achok Rinpoche

On 17 January 2015, Serpom Monastery was expected to hold several important initiations that would be attended by a multitude of monks and lay devotees. The abbot of the monastery, His Holiness Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche was scheduled to preside over these initiations. He would be traveling to the monastery from the USA via Taiwan.

H.E. Achok Rinpoche receives a grand welcome in Serpom Monastery

Just two days before the scheduled initiations, Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche’s entry into India was denied although he had a valid 10-year visa. The administrators of Serpom Monastery, who had worked very hard on the event preparations were perplexed at this development, and the hundreds of disciples who had flown to India just to receive the initiations and teachings were dismayed at this unfortunate turn of events.

However, Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche’s great wisdom and compassion in proliferating the Dharma over the years allowed the initiations to continue as planned via his closest and most trusted student and assistant, Venerable Achok Rinpoche. Although relatively young, Achok Rinpoche is a very competent lama who has received many teachings, initiations and empowerments from many accomplished masters.

Achok Rinpoche gives initiations in Serpom Monastery’s main prayer hall

Hundreds of ordained and lay people gathered to receive initiations from Achok Rinpoche

With the approval of his Lama and the blessings of the lineage lamas, Achok Rinpoche took his place on the throne and confidently conferred the Yamantaka initiation and commentary on 17 – 18 January, which he had received from Kyabje Yongyal Rinpoche and Geshe Yeshe Wangchuk. Following this, Achok Rinpoche bestowed the White Manjushri and Medicine Buddha initiations on 19 January. After the initiations were over, Achok Rinpoche paid a visit to Serpom Monastery’s school and library, two very important departments of the monastery.

Achok Rinpoche consecrating the mandala

It is significant that the current generation of young Dorje Shugden lamas are able to proliferate the lineage so that future generations of tulkus, geshes and monks can practise and continue to perpetuate the lineage for hundreds of years.

H.E. Achok Rinpoche (shaded by the yellow umbrella) takes a short walk to visit Serpom Monastery’s school