Avaloketeshvara Statue (Nepal)
Claimed Object #12
The first time I went to Bhutan, I knew nothing about the Buddhist deities.I went with David, 2 American friends and Dr. Tenzin, a Buddhist monk and physician, to celebrate his completing his Geshe degree. He was originally from Bhutan and he had invited us to go to his Geshe degree conferral in India and then to Bhutan to celebrate with his family. David and I did not attend the India ceremony but did meet everyone in Bhutan. It was the end of January and while we were at the start of our trip, the first snow of the year occurred and shut down the country. We were unable to get out of Thimphu because the first snow is considered a holiday and good omen, and the roads needed to be cleared by (not very many) people using 4 inch hoes.
I wandered into a small temple by myself that I can’t find on a map anymore. It was cold, smoky and dark with very strong incense that sticks to your hair and clothes. It was filled with women, children and babies. There was one male attendant who appeared to be rearranging offerings and taking money from visitors. After watching the women get what appeared to be blessings and a piece of paper from the attendant, I approached him and asked what was going on. He told me that the women bring their babies here to receive their name from the deity. He said the name but it didn’t mean anything to me. I felt a great warmth towards that deity and was tearful in its presence. It appeared to be female to me. I thought, “I want to learn more about that deity.” It turns out it was Chenrezig. Since then I have had empowerments for Chenrezig from multiple teachers including His Holiness, and it is one of my main practices. I have a 1000-armed Chenrezig statue that Rinpoche ZaChoeje helped me pick out in Nepal. I would love to have it be accompanied by the one you have so I can think of you and be grateful for having friends who also are interested in the dharma.
Teresa B., Flagstaff, AZ