In a two separate ceremonial gathering, prayer services were offered for the late Mindrolling Trichen and late US Congressman Tom Lantos.
The Tibetan community of Chicago gathered in the community hall on 21 February 2008, coinciding with Chonga Choepa, (Butter Lamp prayer festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month), to pray for the late US Representative Tom Lantos.
After the prayer, video recording of Congressman Tom Lantos’ tribute to His Holiness the Dalai Lama during the Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony in the Capital Rotunda was shown to the community members.
“He is, in life as in death, an enduring beacon of hope for the voiceless people everywhere in the world. ‘We will miss a very stead fast supporter of Tibet; he minced no words when it was the issue of human rights abuses in Tibet” Chephel Tsering Baro from Tibetan Alliance of Chicago told Phayul.
On February 23, the Tibetan Community of New York and New Jersey organized a prayer ceremony in memory and honor of Kyabche Minling Trizin Rinpoche and Congressman Tom Lantos at Queens Palace, where on the same evening, Tibetan Heritage, Inc., has scheduled Choenga Choepa ceremony. Over 400 Tibetans attended the prayer and offered khada (Tibetan Ceremonial scarf) to the portraits of Kyabje Minling Rinpoche and Tom Lantos.
Dr Norgay Tsering, president of the Tibetan Community of New York and New Jersey briefed the gathering with an introduction of the event, and Kasur Tashi Wangdi, Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the Americas, presented a brief account of life story and contributions of Kyabje Minling Rinpoche and Congressman Lantos.
Kyabje Minling Trichen Rinpoche
(1930- 2008)
Kyabje Minling Trichen Rinpoche, head of Nyigma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, has been revered and respected throughout the Buddhist world as a great Mahasiddha and one of the great accomplished masters of this century. Trichen Dorje Chang, as he is known to many, lived with his family and the Mindrolling Sangha in Dehra Dun until his passing on February 9, 2008. The greatest accomplishment of Kyabje Minling Trichen Rinpoche has been his efforts in the propagation of Ngingma tradition – at the seat of its learning – Mindrolling monastery, which has become the centre of faith for all beings of the world.
Congressman Tom Lantos
(1928-2008)
Congressman Tom Lantos, the first Congressman to invite the Dalai Lama to speak in Washington, DC and one of the main architects of the United States government’s policy on Tibet, passed away on the morning of February 11, 2008. Congressman Lantos was deeply committed to forwarding dialog between the government of the People’s Republic of China and the Dalai Lama, and used his address to the Rotunda at the presentation ceremony for the Congressional Gold Medal to once again urge Beijing to enter into negotiations on the future status of Tibet. Speaking as ever without notes and in his distinctively eloquent style, he said: “There is nothing that will guarantee the right atmosphere for the Beijing Olympics more certainly and more forcefully than you inviting this man of peace to Beijing for serious discussions and, once and for all, resolving the dispute between you and His Holiness.”
Based on reports filed by Tibetan Community of New York and New Jersey, Inc. and Choephel Tsering Baro for Tibetan Alliance of Chicago
