User:Kyimuling

Kyimolung: A Buddhist Pilgrimage Kyimolung is the sacred and secret Buddhist pilgrimage circuit in the mountains around Tsum Valley in a 30 km radius of the Nepal-China border. It is bounded by Lajyang Bhanjyang in the west, Thapla in the east, and goes through places such as Chhekam, Philim, Sirdibas, Dyang, Byi, Namrung, Prog, Lho, Rö and Samdo in Nepal, and Rü, Nying, Sala Himal and Nyang in Tibet. Buddhist circumbualate the region clockwise. It takes about 30 days to complete the circuit. Circumbulation can be done by anybody at any time provided that there is not too much snow or cold weather. However, only the elderly people in the region have done it. Snellgrove (1961) reports that he met pilgrims from Kyirong doing Kyimolung at Prog in the early sixties. Kyimolung takes its name from Kyimo, meaning “happiness” and Lung, meaning “valley”. That is why the area is called Kyimolung, or the “valley of happiness”. Kyimolung was identified by Guru Rinpoche, who foresaw several sacred places in the Himalayan region, especially along the Tibetan border (Kyimolung at the Tibet-Nepal border, Dremojong at the Tibet-Sikkim border, and Khampalung at the Tibet-Bhutan Border). These sacred places would be places where followers of Buddhism could meditate and worship peacefully in future times of conflict and war. Due to the cold climates and high altitudes of these places, only true devotees would be able to continue their practices. Guru Rinpoche said that Kyimolung would be the safest place for Buddhism at the time of conflict. Guru Rinpoche wrote that detailed information about Kyimolung in the Tibetan language, which would enable any sincere pilgrim to complete the circuit successfully. The information included the exact locations along the route, the types of places one would pass, the availability of food and the languages spoken in the area. This document remained hidden for some time until a reincarnate lama found it and read it thoroughly. However, the document remained unnoticed until another followers of Guru Rinpoche, Guru Chorten, discovered it and brought forth instructions to the followers and discioples of Padmasambhava. He told them about the pilgrimage and the religious texts and the scriptures hidden there. Guru Rinpoche visited Kyimolung and performed a meditation. During his meditation, he is said to have subjugated all of the witches, ghosts and spirits of the forests. They became his disciples and pledged to support his other disciples and pilgrims to the area by helping them with food and shelter. Kyimolung is the most sacred and secret pilgrimage in Buddhist Lamaism. Circumbulating the area means paying the highest homage to Guru Rinpoche. Meditating at Kyimolung means becoming close to Guru Rinpoche and obtaining bliss and complete salvation.