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Assembly Hall at Surmang Dudsi-til

The Surmang valley is 120 km, and 9 hours on an unspeakably bad road, south of Yushu. It is the traditional home of the Trungpa lineage. The twelfth Trungpa Rinpoche, Chokyi Sangye, is the young incarnation of the well known Tibetan meditation master Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche who was based in Halifax until his death in 1987. The monastery was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution and rebuilt poorly in the 1980's. It is essential for the proper functioning of a monastery that in addition to a building, there is monastic lineage holder or his representative present.

Trungpa Rinpoche is now 14 years old. Chokyi Sengay Trungpa was born in Pawo villlage, in Derge County on Losar, February 6, 1989. His father's name is Chalu and mother's name is Tsaru. Tai Situ Rinpoche had been requested by the monks of Surmang to help in the discovery of the new incarnation of Trungpa Rinpoche. Although monks had been sent out in search of a candidate of the right age, he was recognized by Tai Situ Rinpoche as the twelfth Trungpa Tulku while visiting Palpung monastery. Trungpa Rinpoche has lived at Surmang occasionally in the past but has moved there for this winter. He will be studying Tibetan grammar and writing as well as ritual practice this winter.

Surmang actually refers to two monasteries. The first at Dudsi-til is the traditional home of the Trungpa Tulkus while the monastery at Namgyal-tse, about a days drive away is the home of Garwang Rinpoche. The living situation at Surmang Dudsi-til monastery is still very bad. The entrance to Trungpa Rinpoche's monastic home looks more like a barn than the home of a Buddhist prince. The entrance is two planks over a deep ditch. There have been no changes since a previous visit five years ago. Until this year Trungpa Rinpoche has received almost no funding from western sources for his personal expenses and none for improving the monastery buildings. There are plans and materials however for the rebuilding of a shedra, a monastic college initiated by the Khenpo of Surmang, Khenpo Tsering Gyurme.

Interior of the main assembly hall at Surmang Dudsi-til

Interior of the main assembly hall at Surmang Dudsi-til

Donors for rebuilding the monastery and for the upkeep of Trungpa Rinpoche will make a difference to the Tibetans in the Surmang valley and to the continuation of the Trungpa lineage. Because of the lack of money of the semi-nomadic residents of the Surmang valley, these projects will not be able to go ahead without your help. Specify that donations are for rebuilding the monastery or his support.

October 2003