On December 6, 2014, 84000 and Sakya Monlam Foundation jointly organized a sūtra resounding event at the holy site of Lumbini, Nepal.The auspicious morning began with an opening speech by HH Sakya Trizin, followed by a resounding of the sūtra The Play in Full. Watch HH Sakya Trizin's full speech in Tibetan and English (The English speech begins around 25:18), and read the full transcript of his speech In English below.
Download the Tibetan speech [pdf]
Opening Speech by His Holiness Sakya Trizin
So now I would say a few words in English to all Dharma brothers and sisters. First of all I’d like to take this opportunity to extend my very warm greetings and warm welcome to everyone. This 23rd monlam of ours, it has been for 23 years since from the beginning until now. Except for a few years, most of the monlams have been held here in the Lumbini, the holy birthplace of Lord Buddha.
This time I thank Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche. The first Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo was a real Buddha in person, he was like a Buddha who appeared again in this world. He collected all the teachings of the Buddha in general, and particularly Tibetan Buddhism, from all different traditions and schools, their pith instructions, teachings, empowerments and commentaries together. Not only did he collect them, but he also studied, contemplated, meditated; and through these steps he gained very high realization. With that, we have been able to manage to preserve all the traditions. Without which, I’m sure many of the teachings and traditions have been lost. Due to his great efforts and great blessings, we have been able to preserve them till today. We now have such a wonderful collection of sadhana and the collections of tantra and collections of pitch instructions that everyone can now read and study and contemplate, meditate and get great blessings and great experience and realization.
It was due to the great blessings of the Indian masters, also the Nepali masters, whom at ancient times, when the Tibetan translators came from Tibet… Of course, at that time it was very difficult to travel from Tibet to India. Most of them travelled through Nepal. Nepal was like a transit then, where they learnt the language…and because Tibet is a very cold country while India is a hot country, they were used to the weather in Nepal, and then also learnt the language. With the Nepali masters’ directions and advice, they travelled to Tibet. I have read many of the translators’ biographies that mentioned how they travelled.
Then they went to India, to the great monasteries such as Nalanda and Vikramashila, and studied for many years; and then returned to Tibet. With the help of Indian masters and the Tibetan translators together, they translated enormous amount of teachings, the Kangyur—the collections of all the Buddha’s teachings, and the Tengyur—which is the collections of all the commentaries of the Buddha’s sutras and tantras. These translators have done so much translations, and due to these, they have been able to preserve, and managed to maintain the Buddha’s teachings, and benefitted enormous beings throughout Tibet, Mongolia and all the Himalayan regions.
Now the world is changing. People say the world is becoming smaller. Of course, in actual geography-wise or area-wise, it does not become smaller. But through technology, we can travel everywhere, and you can hear [teachings] in very easily. Therefore now is a great opportunity.
Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche is a truly great master. Although he is young, he is one of the most brilliant scholars, as well as practitioners and realized masters. He took the courage to translate all the works, all the teachings of the Buddha and the commentaries, which is actually an enormous project. Through this work, I’m sure millions of people will have the opportunity to study, contemplate and meditate on the Buddha’s teachings. And through that, they will get higher rebirth, higher liberation, and ultimately enlightenment. So such a project is a great and noble project. We must all support wholeheartedly and rejoice in the great work. We must pray and extend whatever one can do to make this worthy project a great success!
And we are very happy that during this monlam, we are reading the sutras in Tibetan, Chinese, as well as in English, so that the whole area of the holy birthplace of the Buddha is again filled with the sound of the sutras, and the sound of Buddha’s biography I have seen the first edition of this sutra, the first book that has been translated and published. So this is a great location. We are all very deeply happy, it is a great joy to have such an opportunity. Everyone must remember the infinite wisdom, infinite compassion, and infinite powers of the Buddha and then read, and pray that Dzongsar Khentyse Rinpoche will have long life, good health, and that all his noble projects will be able to complete in great success! Thank you very much!
