Monlam Pavillion and Grounds
1 January 2026
At 6:00 AM in the great Monlam prayer hall, Kyabgön Zurmang Gharwang Rinpoche gave the Mahayana sojong vows, followed by the Sanskrit, refuge and bodhichitta prayers.
Meanwhile, in Tergar Shrine Hall, monks were preparing for the procession with prayers and meditation, and putting on special costumes based on the Chinese representation of the sixteen arhats.
At 7:00 AM, the recitation for making offerings to the Arhats began.
The great arhats are the protectors of the teachings. According to the tradition, when the Buddha was passing into parinirvana, he commanded great arhats such as Angaja and others: "Until my teachings have not disappeared from Jambudvīpa, you must not pass into parinirvana but must protect my teachings." In accordance with this command, they dwell in various places such as the four continents, Vulture Peak Mountain in Jambudvīpa, the cave of Seven-Leaf Mountain, the island in the Yamunā River, Mount Kailash, and other locations, spreading and continuing to spread the teachings.
The sixteen arhats, holding their specific ornaments and symbolic implements and making mudras, along with their individual attendants, were escorted from Tergar Monastery to the Monlam Pavillion in a golden procession. The procession culminated with a special palanquin-cart carrying a golden statue of Shakyamuni Buddha. To the sound of cymbals and Tibetan horns, the arhats took their places on the front row of the stage either side of a special wooden pagoda in which the golden Buddha image was placed. On the ascending tiers of the stage behind them the gelongs sat in stillness.
The umdzes recited the second part of the Twenty Branch Monlam—which includes the section of offerings to the Buddha— whilst, high up on the stage, the Kagyu Monlam ritual master, Ösel Nyima, made the offerings.
Finally, as the umdzes chanted the Prostrations and Praise to the Sixteen Elders offerings were made to the sixteen arhats and to the gelongs. First, representatives from the labrangs, monasteries and nunneries, in order of seniority, made offerings, beginning with Tsurphu Labrang, the Gyalwang Karmapa’s administration. They included Sikkim's Religious Affairs Minister Sonam Lama and several Sikkimese government officials.
The gelongs portraying the arhats left the stage to take off their heavy costumes, and when they returned to resume their seats, laypeople and non-affiliated monks and nuns also had the opportunity to make alms offerings.
The benefits of praying to these arhats who dwell in the merit field of gods and humans—whose blessings come swiftly with great benefit—are:
First, Arhat Angaja with the Incense Burner: Whoever sees, touches, smells, or experiences the noble incense burner will be pervaded in all directions with the fragrance of ethical discipline, will be pleasing to all, diseases and suffering will be pacified, and from striking the drum, various offering clouds will emerge to make offerings to the Buddhas and their sons. The afflictions of whatever sentient being it is struck for, along with their seeds, will be pacified, and they will be liberated from all diseases and suffering—possessing such qualities.
Second, Ajita (Invincible): When his meditation mudra is seen, touched, or remembered by disciples, their aggregate of ethical discipline will be purified and increased, they will obtain great glory, their fame will spread throughout the ten directions, and they will attain hundreds of thousands of countless samādhis.
Third, Vanavasin (Forest Dweller): Wherever his right hand's peaceful index finger points, the harm of the four elements is pacified, the malevolence of demons, spirits, gods, and fierce nāgas is pacified and they become obedient. When struck with the drum for any disciple, coolness is received, by merely remembering him sins are purified, and one will realize the two selflessnesses and the two truths.
Fourth, Arhat Kālika (Timely One): He holds a blessed golden earring. Whoever touches, sees, or remembers it will complete the abandonment and realization of the Victorious Ones and their sons, attain the ten bhūmis, become irreversible, possess the wisdom of śamatha and vipaśyanā combined, and will have many followers.
Fifth, Arhat Vajrīputra (Son of Vajra): Wherever his right index finger points, by seeing, touching, or remembering, their lack of faith and opposition will be reversed, they will be definitely be established in unsurpassed enlightenment. Having gone to the land of gandharvas for alms, he established immeasurable beings on the path of liberation. They offered a drum blessed with many fragrant medicines which he accepted and holds in his left hand. Whichever disciple sees, touches, or remembers it will obtain wisdom, power, and perfect marks and signs. Light rays will radiate from the body without limit, and through touching them, all will be established in enlightenment—possessing such qualities.
Sixth, Arhat Bhadra (Excellent One): His right hand makes the teaching Dharma mudra—whoever sees, touches, or remembers it will comprehend the words and meanings of all vehicles great and small, aspirations will be spontaneously fulfilled, emptiness and compassion inseparably will arise in the mindstream. His left meditation mudra establishes disciples in many samādhi gateways. They will possess clairvoyance and miraculous powers, turn away from all wrong paths, be able to traverse infinite buddha fields, conquer the enemies of afflictions, overcome opponents and heretics to become teachers—possessing immeasurable qualities.
Seventh, Arhat Kanakavatsa (Golden Calf): He holds a blessed jewelled lasso that produces all wishes. Whoever sees, touches, or remembers it will obtain the dhāraṇī of non-forgetting, attain all teachings taught by the Victorious Ones and their sons, obtain dhāraṇīs, fearlessness, and perfect powers—possessing limitless qualities.
Eighth, Arhat Kanaka-Bharadvāja (Golden Bharadvāja): Whoever sits before his meditation mudra will immediately be liberated from lower realms, and will have joy, bliss, wisdom consciousness, and their white virtuous qualities will increase.
Ninth, Arhat Bakula: He holds a mongoose in his hand—whoever sees and touches it will have the five perfect sense pleasures arise, complete the six pāramitās, see the truth of dharmatā, and develop loving-kindness and compassion—possessing many qualities.
Tenth, Arhat Rāhula the Excellent: The gods each removed their precious jewelled diadems from their heads and offered them, which he blessed together and holds. Whichever disciple sees, touches or contemplates it will conquer all enemies, understand the words and meanings of all Buddha's teachings, and be blessed by the Victorious Ones and their sons—possessing inconceivable qualities.
Eleventh, Arhat Cūḍa-Panthaka (Great Path Holder): Whoever sees, touches, or contemplates the text he holds will obtain fearlessness and great wisdom, dispel the darkness of ignorance, purify karmic obscurations, always obtain the support of leisure and fortune, meet with Mahāyāna Dharma. Whoever sees, touches, or contemplates his Dharma-teaching mudra will obtain illumination of intelligence, hear the sound of the Three Jewels, possess correct view, overcome all wrong views, and not be separated from seeing buddhas—obtaining such qualities in all lifetimes.
Twelfth, Arhat Pindola-Bharadvāja (Small Path Holder): His meditation mudra, when seen, touched, or contemplated, will pacify the three poisons, suffering, mental agitation, and all harmful thoughts, tame the senses, pacify negative conditions nearby, and possess many other qualities.
Thirteenth, Arhat Pāṇṭhaka the Alms-Taker: Through his aspiration power, he displays the scriptural texts to all sentient beings in unfortunate states and those who have fallen into wrong paths. All who see, touch, or contemplate it will have all sufferings of blindness, muteness, and loss of memory pacified, have complete senses, possess the seven noble riches, increase profound, swift, clear, and sharp wisdom. Blessing the alms bowl and vase with good qualities like a treasure vase—whoever sees, touches, or remembers it will have all wishes arise and will possess the seven noble riches and divine happiness.
Fourteenth, Arhat Nāgasena (Nāga Clan): The sons of the Four Great Kings requested teachings and offered many jewelled treasure vases, which he blessed together and holds. Whoever contemplates it will have all inexhaustible desires arise, all obscurations will be washed away by divine nectar—possessing many qualities. When the sound of the bell is proclaimed, whoever hears it will have all diseases pacified, be liberated from all suffering, have all afflictive pain pacified, and obtain faith in the Three Jewels—possessing immeasurable qualities.
Fifteenth, Arhat Gopaka: Whoever sees, touches, or remembers his text will become skilled in the five sciences, completely pacify all afflictions in their mindstream, obtain sovereignty as a Dharma king, increase correct wisdom, and become the eldest of the Buddha's sons—possessing many such qualities.
Sixteenth, Arhat Abheda (Unshakeable): He holds in his hand a stupa of the Supreme Conqueror given by the Teacher. Whoever touches, sees, or contemplates it will possess the three trainings, have happiness and goodness arise, and all sins will not arise and will be purified.
