23/04/2024
Former Yangbi Lopen Baso Karp, Motithang
“My name is Karpo but my friends in the Dzong call me Boso Karbo. I'm 95 years old as of this year (2022) and I hail from Nubgang, Samar Gewog, Haa Dzongkhag. I was born in 1928, into a family of 6 brothers and 1 sister, to Ngedrup Tshering and Kelzang Dolma.
At 5 years years old, my uncle Sonam Rinchen enrolled me in the Zhung Dratshang as a Tozay (monk apprentice). When I turned 7, the 59th Je Khenpo Choeki Wangchuk officially enrolled me as a monk in the Dzong and gave me my Dharma name - Choeki Loday. Then, I started learning the basics of monastic knowledge – Gar-Thig-Yang-Sum – in a step by step manner. My teachers were my uncle Lopen Sonam Rinchen, the one who enrolled me into monastic life, and Lampoen Lopen Mindu who later became the Yang-Lob of the Central Monastic Body. At the age of 13, I had the honor of making it into the ranks of the Zhung Budrep. I used to be Budrep contemporaries with the late 69th Je khenpo Geshe Gedun Rinchen. The mandala rituals in the Dzongs usually end with the Tshok offering ceremony of the 2nd chapter of the Hevajra Mula Ta**ra. The late Je and I would recite that in the august assembly of monks (Tshog-ju Phulwa). I, along with my contemporaries, got exceptional teachings and explanations on Zhung Rigney (philosophical texts) from the then Drabi Lopen, Thubten Namgyel.
When I was 29, I got the privilege to undertake 4 months of meditative retreat at Chari monastery, the glorious seat of Zhabdrung Rinpoche. While in retreat, I practiced Ngondro and also did practices of Lam Rin (the practice of Guru Sadhana, seeing the lama as the triple gem). Those four months were very very intensive. It was to such an extent that even if I woke up at 10 p.m every night and did the practices and prayers throughout the night, I would find myself short of time. I wasn’t even able to cook myself hot meals; I would often eat Zaw (toasted rice) in cold water for my daily nourishments. The sores that I had gotten on my forehead, hands and feet at that time from doing prostrations were painful too but I didn't have the luxury to stop. Some days, I would miss home but I would console myself with the thought that a tough path to liberation is more preferable than a cozy stay in Samsara's ways. After that, I also did a 4 month retreat on Dechog Khorlodompa (Chakrasamvara) at Chari.
At the age of 30, I took the full monk ordination vows with blessings from the then Dorji Lopen, Thinley Lhendrup. After becoming a fully ordained monk, I returned to the Dzong and became the store in charge. From the age of 35, I was the ceremonial destroyer and purger of malevolent spirits and preventer of conditions that could harm the Buddha dharma during ceremonial mask dances for 3 years. When I was 37, the 65th Je Khenpo Yeshe Singye established a new Zhung Budrep school. I had the privilege of serving there as a teacher and as the overseer of the cleanliness of the school surroundings. At the time, the current Dechenphodrang Lobdra wasn't established. After my tenure there, I was the Tsempoen (overseer of the dresses of the Champoens [mask dancers]) of the Dzong for 2 years. For the years after that tenure, I was the Umze (ritual master) at Chari. When I was the ritual master at Chari, the current Je Khenpo was serving as the headmaster of Tago. Since the two monasteries are basically neighbors, I had the opportunity to interact with him on many precious occasions where we would discuss either the Dharma or the ways and methodologies of the rituals of the Zhung Dratshang. I also had the privilege to receive empowerments and transmissions of some lineages Chabje had.
I consider myself very fortunate to have had the opportunity to receive many teachings and blessings from all sects of Vajrayana Buddhism. First, at the Thimphu Dechencholing Goenpa, I, along with many other fortunate highly realized masters of the Nyingma tradition, had the honor of receiving the complete empowerment of the Gong Dhue (Treasure Teachings on the Quintessential Assemblage of realization) from His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. Shortly after, I accompanied Kyābje Nyizer Tulku Thinley Lhendrup when he was the Drapi Lopen to Punakha Mendrelgang and once again received the oral transmissions of Gong Dhue from His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.
During that same period, Drubwang Sonam Zangpo (Meymey Lama) arrived at Chari. I had to go see him no matter what. I consider it one of my life's biggest fortunes that I was able to receive oral instructions on Chagchen (Mahamudra) from him. I was soon appointed as the Lam of the Paro Dongkola temple by the Dratshang. While I was still serving my tenure as the Lam at Dongkola, I had heard that Drubwang Lama Sonam Zangpo was residing at Dorangthag (Lobesa, Punakha). So, while still in the midst of juggling responsibilities as the Lam of Dongkola, I went to where Drubwang resided and received the teachings on the Six Yogas of Naropa and the Six equal tastes. Drubwang Lama would switch residences all in accordance with what the seasons brought. During the summer months, Lama and his students would stay at a Hontsho Tashigang Goenpa and during the winter, Lama would move to Dorangthag. I am happy to say that during my time with Meymey Lama, me and my fellow friends had the opportunity to build a Chorten and his residence at Hongtsho Goenpa. We also had the blessings to build the big Chorten right in front of the 108 chortens at Dochula. We also managed to build another Chorten and residence at Dorangthag.
During those years, Drubwang Lama advised us that it would be for the best if we were to go to Phajoding, which was the sacred residence of Phajo Drugom Zhipo and Gyalwa Shacha (the 9th Je Khenpo). Since it was one of the places that had the most karmic links with those two transcendic existences, Drubwang Lama told us that if we were to undergo retreats at that place, it would benefit us greatly. So, Meymey Lama and his students, which I had the privilege of being a part of, went to Phajoding and built some retreat centres and a temple. Under his guidance, we had the privilege to do numerous 3 year retreats. I myself had the opportunity to do a sum of Losum retreats at Phajoding while Drubwang was present. On top of that, I had the privilege to receive the full reading of the Sutras (Kagyur Jaklung) from the Dorji Lopen of the time, Lopen Kado. I also had the immense Soednam to receive empowerments of the Gong Dhue and Phurpa Namcha Pudi (empowerments on Vajrakilaya) from His Holiness Kyābje Dudjom Rinpoche.
Upon Drubwang Lama’s advice, when I was doing my second 3 year meditative retreat at Phajoding, halfway into the retreat, at the age of 57, I was commanded that His Majesty the 4th Druk Gyalpo wanted me to come serve as the Yangbi Lopen of the Zhung Dratshang. Since even a pointer or piece of advice from our wise 4th Druk Gyalpo should be taken to the depths of our hearts, I took His command as one of the biggest compliments in my life and started to serve the Zhung Dratshang to my fullest capabilities. At the time, Chabje Nyizer Tulku was in retreat at his main seat, Nyizergang. So, it was me who acted as his Kutshab (representative) during Kuchoe-Bumdeys at the Dukhang (main assembly hall of the Dzong). I also had the opportunity to act as the Je Khenpo's Kutshab while giving Dhar (ceremonial silk scarves) to newly appointed Lams, Dzongpoens, and Lopens.
One of my proudest moments as the Yangbi Lopen was during the Royal Wedding of our beloved 4th Druk Gyalpo to his 4 Dakini wives, our Queen Mothers. During the Royal Wedding, due to the accumulation of past virtuous deeds, I had the honor of placing the Rig-Nga crown on the heads of the 4 Queens. Also, me managing to convince my Lopen Lhengye contemporaries to agree to request the Druk Gyalpo to appoint Kyābje Thizur Tenzin Dhendup, who was a peerless master of Kargyu, as the Dorji Lopen is still one of my crowning achievements.
When my friend Geshe Gedun Rinchen had come back from Tibet as a learned and highly realized master, the practice of Zhabdrung Dagnangma and Nyungney had fallen into irrelevance. Since all of us are only here thanks to the selfless deeds of Zhabdrung Rinpoche, it was only right that we reinstated those practices. I am proud to have been a part of that wave of revitalizing those lost practices under the wise leadership of His Holiness the 69th Je Khenpo Geshe Gedun Rinchen.
When Kyābje Thizur Tenzin Dhendup ascended to the post of the 68th Je Khenpo, he brought in a wave of modernization and various improvements to the way the Dratshang worked. He also worked on establishing more Rabdeys and Dratshangs, Shedras, Drubdeys and Choedeys all across the country. This meant that he had to travel extensively. So, when he was absent in the Dzong, I used to act as his Kutshab during the Kuchoe-Bumdey events.
I am also thankful that from the 5 Kings that ushered in an unprecedented age of peace for us Drukpas in turbulent times, I had the Soednam to see through the reigns of 4 of them. I was there when the Dratshang performed funeral rites for His Majesty the 2nd King. It is amazing and a thing of great marvel, a source of joy for me that I also get to see the future 6th Druk Gyalpo grow up into the heroic prince he is going to become.
Upon retirement from the post of Yangbi Lopen, I gave back the retirement benefits that the Zhung Dratshang graciously awarded me with hopes that it would benefit the Zhung Dratshang more than it could ever benefit me. After that, I decided to return to Phajoding and stay at the Jampa lhakhang, where my old friend Geshe Gedun Rinchen had once stayed.
Jampa lhakhang was where Geshe Gedun Rinchen had once overseen a Shedra. That Shedra was later moved to Tago and after that, with not enough manpower to maintain that lhakhang, it fell into a sorry state. After I moved there, I requested His Majesty the 4th Druk Gyalpo to assist in the renovations of the Lhakhang. From then on I helped preside over the main Kuchoe Bumdeys at Phajoding such as the Kuchoe of the Gyalwa Yabsey and Pelden Zhingjong Wangmoi Tendé and so on. I also tried to take care of the thriving culture of Driglam Choesum (etiquette) up there. I also tried my best to repair the Phading Sonam Choling Drubdey that my Tsawai Lama Drubwang Sonam Zangpo had established. It had become dilapidated. I also gave the few empowerments I had and taught the things I had learned to the Tshampas in retreat at that Drubdéy. During downtimes from teaching and leading prayer rituals, I would do Nyendrup, visualization meditations, and Thrikha practices.Phajoding’s core heritage treasure is the entire collection of the Kangyur but it seemed like it was just collecting dust in the cabinet. So, in 2016, I started a Tshogpa (group) that would organize readings and hire monks to read the Kangyur every year. Being able to read the Kangyur and seeing people actually read the Kangyur every 4th month of the lunar calendar (Saga Dawa) is a source of great happiness to me.
Although I may not have been of much help to the bigger picture when it comes to the Dratshang in particular and the nation as a whole, I did every task that was given to me wholeheartedly and in accordance with the Driglam Choesum (which is one of the backbones of our culture) with hopes that my work, no matter how small, may benefit sentient beings. I guess it was because of that, in 2015, during the 108th National Day celebration in Paro, I was awarded the Druk Thuksey Medal by His Majesty the 5th Druk Gyalpo. I am about to die and never expected that but it made me feel young and rejuvenated. I am eternally grateful to the Royal Family, my teachers, the people of Bhutan, and the Drukpa Lineage for allowing a simple Tozay like me to work my way to liberation.
“Please tell us more about being able to swiftly walk up to Phajodhing even at this age.”
(Laughs!) Me being able to go up and down a mountain doesn't really seem all too important when compared to topics like how to benefit the Nation and the Dharma. But, since you asked me about it, I'm 95 years old as of now and the fact that I'm still able to walk between Thimphu and Phajoding might be because of the faith I have in the glorious teachings of the Drukpa Kagyu and the love I have for the place makes me energetic. It might also be a result of the fruition of the hard work I put into practicing Dharma since a very young age. It is through the grace and love of my teachers and the kindness of the Wangchuck Dynasty that I still have a healthy body and mind at this age. I believe it could as much be whether your body is in a good condition or not as it is whether you have the ability to tame your mind well enough. I believe that taming the mind to make the mind overcome matter is the most important factor for my athletic feats.
Finally, if I were to talk about all the ups and downs in this life I led, I might not finish talking. So, I simply talked about the important events that I could remember. In conclusion, I take this opportunity to pray that the Buddha Dharma flourishes for all times to come.”
