Dharamsala, July 12th 1996

In 1996 falls the millenary of the year of the monkey which marked a turning point in the ancient culture of Tibet. The year of the monkey a thousand years ago was when the great temple of Tholing was founded in the arid and fantastically eroded canyons of West Tibet, where the ancient and almost forgotten kingdom of Guge had been established to pursue the ideals of an enlightened approach to esistence. Its foundation sealed the definitive introduction of Buddhism in the Land of Snows. Buddhism in the formulation enacted by the founders of Tholing, the great king-monk Yeshe od and the great religious master, the translator Rinchen Sangpo (958-1055), has remained the eternal principle pervading the Tibetan way of life until today. The king-monk and his master were therefore responsible for the peculiar formulation of this religion that has ever since characterized the Tibetan world. It is clear then that the establishment of Tholing represents one of the great contributions of all times to Asian culture.

After its foundation in 996, when there were already eighty incumbent monks. Tholing served as the main base for the spread of the "West Tibetan diffusion of the Vinaya discipline". The monastery was continuously renovated and expanded. Rinchen Sangpo introduced the practice of Yogatantra and medical doctrines that have continued until this day.

Tholing was where the great Bengali master Atisha (982-1054) explained the basics of practice in a short text (Jangchub lamgron), that has reached almost legendary status in the view of Tibetans, during a sojourn of three years in the kingdom begun in 1042.

Soon after, Tholing was the site of the greatest religious council of Tibetan history after that of Samye, when in 1076 another king of Guge, Tsede, and his uncle, the royal monk Shiwa od, organized a gathering of the most important masters of India, Kashmir, Nepal and Tibet of that time.

The kingdom of Guge was often prey to invasion from its northern border, with Turkestan, where Muslim iconoclasts led expeditions against the Buddhist unbelievers.

The temple remained Kadampa, the sect founded to follow the teachings of Atisha, until the 13th century, when it probably became Kagyudpa.

During the 15th century, with the return to West Tibet of Ngawang Dragpa, a native of Guge who was a direct disciple of the supreme Tsongkhapa (1357-1419), the territory enjoyed a religious resurgence and Tholing became Gelugpa. The temple was renovated and greatly expanded. In the footsteps of Ngawang Dragpa, monks were sent to study in Central Tibet. Among these one of the most distinguished was Panchen Shantipa, who established important religious buildings on his return. The monasteries of Central Tibet benefited from munificence of the Guge kings, who were leading supporters of the Dalai Lamas and other Gelugpa masters, from the end of the 15th century until the mid 18th. Tholing was the object of pilgrimage of great personages such as the first Panchen Lama, Choekyi Gyaltsen in 1616.

In 1682, the territories of West Tibet including Guge were brought under the control of the Central Tibetan government (Ganden Podrang) after a short interregnum of the kings of Ladakh. Guge and Tholing came under the administration of Tsaparang, and in a document by Desi Sangye Gyatso, the regent of the Vth Dalai Lama, the abbot of Tholing is mentioned to be of equal rank to the abbot of Ganden (Ganden tripa).

Tholing was the "mother monastery" of twenty-five temples in West Tibet (including Tabo, a branch of Tholing also founded in 996), and was under the administration of Sera, the grand Gelugpa monastery near Lhasa, in the 18th century. In the various edicts issued by the successive Dalai Lamas and Regents, Tholing is referred to in the highest terms such as "heaven of the world" and "focal point of the land towards the borders".

The extremely high position of Tholing and its office holder is testified in this period by the fact that the heads (choje) of the Jangtse and Shartse, alternatively chosen to become the next Ganden tripa, were sent to sit on the Tholing throne. This state of affairs continued at least until the second decade of the 1800s. In the early 1840s, during the Dogra war, Tholing again suffered the destruction of its literary treasures and records.

After the Chinese military seizure of Tibet in 1959, sixteen monks of Tholing reached India as refugees, and only seven years later were seven of them able to join the Tibetan settlement in Mundgod, Karnataka, arriving there on November 25th 1996. In 1970, they were able to build a small now Tholing temple in this locality after the destruction of ancient Tholing in West Tibet during the Cultural Revolution.

In recognition of the great historical importance of Tholing, the Ngari Asssociation in Dharamsala has organized the commemoration of 1000 years of Tholing.

To mark this event, a series of extremely significant ancient Tibetan documents which shed new and crucial light on the culture of West Tibet, will be published (few of them with English introduction or translation and a study). The release of these publications will coincide with the Tholing 1000 celebration, which will be held in Mundgod, on September 20th-21st, 1996 at the new Tholing Gompa.

For the occasion a new temple dedicated to Rinchen Sangpo will be inaugurated and a thangka portraying him will be consecrated. The scions of the Guge kingdom will gather with the head of the Gelugpa school, H.H. the 100th Ganden tripa, Jetsun Lobsang Nyima Rinpoche, as chief guest and other lamas and the descendants of the royal families of West Tibet. The celebrations will include performances of dances, music and song in ancient costumes, portraying unique and age old traditions from the areas that composed the kingdom. This is possibly the last chance to attend these dying popular expressions, which have disappeared in other territories of Tibet centuries ago.

THE PLAN TO CELEBRATE THE MILLENARY OF THOLING IS AS FOLLOWS

I. The construction of the Rinchen Sangpo temple (named the Temple of the Translator) with a gilt pagoda roof in Mundgod.

II. The painting of a thangka depicting Rinchen Sangpo and other supreme personages of Guge to be placed in the premises of the Temple of the Translator.

III. Publications:

1. The basic text of Atisha's "Lamp of the Path to Enlightment", written by Atisha at Tholing in the years 1042-1043.

2. The most detailed so far known biography of Rinchen Sangpo written in the 11th century by his personal disciple Kyithangpa Yeshe Pel.

3. The extremely rare and hitherto unknown Tibetan text of the "History of the Royal Genealogies of West Tibet" by Guge khenchen Ngawang Dragpa, a personal disciple of Tsongkhapa, written in 1497.

4. The translation and extensive English commentary of the "History of the Royal Genealogies of West Tibet" by Guge khenchen Ngawang Dragpa.

5. The extremely rare and hitherto unknown Guide to the Jobo of Khochar (one of the most ancient holy images and temples of West Tibet), written by Ngawang Trinle Namgyal.

6. The previously unpublished Guide to Pilgrimage to the holy mountain Kailash and lake Manasarovar written by Gangriwa Dongyud Tenzin.

7. A commemorative Volume celebrating the event, which includes a number of significant Tibetan documents:

a) The religious edicts of the royal monks Yeshe od and Shiwa od.

b) A detailed table of contents of the Kadam legbam (the biographical material and the preaching of Atisha and his disciples).

c) A detailed table of contents of Atisha's Choejung gyatsa, the essentials of Buddhist practice.

d) A document recording the duties and rituals to be performed during the year at Tholing.

f) An edict issued by Sera Je monastery to Tholing in the mid 19th century.

g) A document recording the offerings made by Tholing and its branch monasteries on the occasion of the enthronement of the present Dalai Lama in 1939 and various others.

8. A brochure containing messages by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and other dignitaries, and the schedules of the event.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF THE TWO-DAYS CELEBRATION OF 1000 YEARS OF THOLING TEMPLE

1st day September 20th, 9 a.m.

a) The opening and consecration of the Temple of the Translator and the unveiling of the Rinchen Sangpo thangka by H.H. the 100th Ganden tripa.

b) The release of the above mentioned eight volumes by H.H. the 100th Ganden tripa.

c) A short introductory speech by H.H. the 100th Ganden tripa.

d) Word of thanks by the Organizing Committee for the Commemoration of 1000 Years of Tholing Temple.

September 20th, 2 p.m.

People from Tholing, Mangnang, Daba, Dongbo, Kyunglung, Churti, Rongchung, Purang, Shangtse, Gergye, Gertse, Jangtod, Jangmed and Tingtse will perform their age old dances, music and songs.

2nd day September 21st, 9 a.m.

Free distribution of the Tibetan text of Atisha's "Lamp of the Path to Enlightment".

H.H. the 100th Ganden tripa's exposition of the teachings of Atisha's "Lamp of the Path to Enlightment".

September 21st, 2 p.m.

People from Tholing, Mangnang, Daba, Dongbo, Kyunglung, Churti, Rongchung, Purang, Shangtse, Gergye, Gertse, Jangtod, Jangmed and Tingtse will perform their age old dances, music and songs.

APPEAL

The financial burden for the construction of the temple, the publication of the books, the making of the thangka and the organization of the celebration has been borne by individuals belonging to the West Tibetan community in exile. No money was initially asked of institutions and governments whatsoever, the people of West Tibet believing that it was their duty and desire to celebrate their most revered temple, despite theirs being the most destitute of all Tibetan communities in exile. The total cost of the commemoration is around Indian rupees 10 lakhs (US $ 30,000). Seven lakhs (US $ 21,000) have been raised at this stage. The Organizing Committee for the Commemoration of 1000 Years of Tholing Temple is short of about 3 lakhs of rupees (US $ 9,000) to complete the task. Contributions from anyone (individuals or institutions) wishing to make a donation will be extremely appreciated even at the last minute, which will allow us to realise the planned celebration program.

Tashi Tsering (President) and Lobsang Shastri (Secretary)

The Organizing Committee for the Commemoration of 1000 Years of Tholing Temple

Donations to be kindly sent to:

Tholing 1000

c/o Central Executive of Ngari Association

Thardoling, McLeod Ganj -176219

Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh

(India)