Thousands Gather in China's Qinghai For Tibetan Buddhist Ceremony

[DharmaSpace]

Massive crowds converged this week on a Tibetan monastery in northwestern China's Qinghai province for the start of a four-day period of advanced Buddhist rituals and teachings, sources said.
The ancient Kalachakra ceremony is scheduled to be held from Sept. 18 to Sept. 21 at Kumbum monastery in Qinghai's Tsoshar (Haidong) prefecture, a local source told RFA's Tibetan Service on Friday.
Kalachakra, which means "Wheel of Time," is a ritual that prepares those attending to be reborn in Shambhala--a celestial kingdom which, many Buddhists believe, will vanquish the forces of evil in a future cosmic battle.
It is frequently conducted outside Tibet by exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.
This week's ceremony, conducted by senior Tibetan religious leader Geja Rinpoche, has drawn "thousands of devotees from all sectors of Tibetan society for the four-day ceremony," RFA's source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Other sources meanwhile placed the number of those attending--including Tibetans, Mongolians, and Han Chinese--at about 200,000.
'A safe environment'
Preparations are now under way to set up 10 large video screens and at least a hundred loudspeakers to allow participants to see and hear the blessing rituals and teachings, according to a public notice issued by the monastery and obtained by RFA.
The monastery is also managing traffic flow and has designated special spaces for parking vehicles and pitching tents, the notice said.
"Every effort has been made to ensure a safe and comfortable environment," the notice said.
Though Chinese security forces, fearful of sudden protests by Tibetans opposed to Beijing's rule, frequently monitor and sometimes close down events involving large crowds, the event is proceeding with official approval, one source said.
Last year, government employees in neighboring Gansu province were barred from taking part in a similarly large Kalachakra ceremony, with warnings given of administrative punishment if they ignored the ban, sources said in earlier reports.
Sporadic demonstrations challenging Chinese rule have continued in Tibetan-populated areas of China since widespread protests swept the region in 2008, with 143 Tibetans to date setting themselves on fire to oppose Beijing's rule and call for the Dalai Lama's return.
Copyright 1998-2014, RFA. Published with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036

http://www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/236864031/thousands-gather-in-china-qinghai-for-tibetan-buddhist-ceremony

Kumbum monastery is the birthplace of Je Tsongkhapa, I wonder  Anyways this means there is some religious freedom in Tibet. I also wonder if they are practicing Dorje Shudgen also . Anyways nice to see religious events to bring people into more spiritual practices. 

[fruven]

I rejoice for the people living there gaining blessings from this practice. The Chinese government is allowing spirituality to flourish by allowing Kalachakra ritual and teachings to be conducted to the public. In the west Kalachakra empowerment is famous due to Dalai Lama giving it to the public.

[eyesoftara]

I rejoice too that Buddhism is spreading in China and especially Tibetan Buddhism. The times favors the Chinese I sorry and at the same time glad to say. All mother beings deserve the Dharma, not only Tibetans. After all, the Dharma, was deposited by great Indian Gurus like Padmasambhava and Atisha for future beings. Perhaps that future is now and the beings are all the humans in the current world. Tibetans, Westerners, Indians, Nepalese, and now the Chinese.

I rejoice.

[grandmapele]

This is heartening to see and hear. The Tibetans were not the only ones suffering during the cultural revolution days as many even the Chinese themselves were suffering. Till today, the various tribes are unhappy. But, they are all sentient beings and the Buddha taught equanimity and all are in Samsara. They need the Dharma too and I rejoice that it is available to them.

[kris]

Rejoice! It is always happy to see many people attend Buddhist ceremonies!! Especially in China, where it is many people are chasing after material and the lack of spiritual. I know Qinghai is not as developed, but it is still important to instill Dharma knowledge when they leave for bigger cities in China.

May Buddhism achieve new heights again in China, and may many relief from the suffering of Samsara.

[angelica]

According to the Dalai Lama, the Kalachakra ceremony “. . . is a way of planting a seed, and the seed will have karmic effect. One doesn’t need to be present  . . . in order to receive its benefit.” (Wikipedia)

Rejoice to see so many people attended the ceremony and received the blessing and its benefit. May the little seed grow for the individual and may Buddhism flourish in China.