Passing into Parinirvana - Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup Rigsel, 8 Sept 2011, 1am Singapore time

Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup, March 2011

At 6am this morning, I woke up to a piece of news that left me stunned for a moment. 

At 11.10 pm on 7 Sept 2011 Nepal time (8 Sept 2011, about 1am Singapore time this morning), Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup Rigsel, the ex-abbot of Kopan Monastery, has entered into Parinirvana. At the time, all the monks and Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche were doing Heruka Lama Chopa puja for Lama Lhundrup. He is currently in thugdam (clear light meditation), meditating peacefully in his room. Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche is requesting all the FPMT centers and students to do Medicine Buddha puja for the next 49 days.

Just 2 nights ago in ABC, we finished our class earlier to do a Medicine Buddha puja for Lama Lhundrup whom we heard that his condition has worsened. Although his passing away is not unexpected at this time, it is still heart-breaking that he did.  

Aug 2011, Lama Lhundrup offered 3 Long Life Deities to his guru, Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup with his 2 attendants, Ven Kunkhen and Ven Thardoe, 
and Jo Hathaway, his palliative care nurse and student. 24 Aug 2011, Kopan Monastery

Lama Lhundrup is one of my gurus. He used to visit Singapore on a regular basis every year especially during Vesak Day.  From my experience, he was a highly realised teacher who was immensely kind and compassionate. Just last September 2010, when Lama Lhundrup was here in ABC Singapore for a special teaching, he decided on impromptu, to give an oral transmission of "Om Mani Padme Hum" to reinforce and speed up the realisations of all participants' compassion (we were so lucky). I also remember he personally conducted the Vajravidaran Puja, a powerful prayer ritual in cleansing the body, speech and mind from all kinds of possible spiritual and material contaminants.


I recall when Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup was leaving and walking towards the car, a man approached him and whispered to him something. Apparently the man's legs were swollen and he was limping. Lama Lhundrup immediately asked him to sit down, and for the next few minutes, this kind guru bent down and chanted many prayers and mantras and blew on the man's thighs and knees. I was very fortunate to witness a very compassionate highly realised lama praying for and healing a suffering man. Again I was very touched. And from my few other experiences, I am truly convinced of Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup's great kindness, compassion and his ability to heal.

Lama Lhundrup giving blessings at the airport during his final trip to Singapore, Jan 2011

Lama Lhundrup was last here in Singapore in January this year to receive medical treatment when news of his cancer spread. I had a brief dream of Lama Lhundrup in February after he left Singapore to return to Kopan Monastery.  In the dream I saw my precious guru, Lama Zopa Rinpoche first.  There were a few of us running around doing something inside Rinpoche's house. I only remember a carpeted floor and a table, and I  could not recall the rest. In the very last part of the dream, I saw Lama Lhundrup appearing suddenly before my eyes, standing right in front of me.  He was very close to me, barely a few centimetres away, and he seemed bigger than normal. He was smiling brightly, and looked very well and strong. I think I was kneeling down in the dream, for Rinpoche's head was right above me when I looked up. He was holding a vajra vase which was unusually bigger than normal. Then he gently tapped my head with it, blessing me.  Why I said the vajra vase was bigger is because when Lama Lhundrup placed the vajra vase on the crown of my head, the base of the round vajra vase was able to cover the entire top of my head completely. Right after he tapped on my head gently with the vajra vase, he disappeared into thin air. Then I woke up. That was the one and only dream I had of Lama Lhundrup.

Mandala Publications has just done a special feature story on Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup.  Also, here is the link of Mandala’s exclusive online of articles and reflections on this extraordinary teacher.

Below is a clip of Lama Lhundrup while he was in Singapore for medical treatment this year January.  It was a message to all his students.  I will post more news when Lama Lhundrup is out of clear light meditation.   May Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup have a swiftest return to benefit all sentient beings. Thank you, Rinpoche, for your teachings and blessings. May we meet you again and again in our all lifetimes. Om mani padme hum. _/|\_  

My other blog posts on Lama Lhundrup:

29 Sept 2011 - Project Swift Return

25 Sept 2011 -  A closer look at the growing relics of Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup, an amazing blessing!

20 Sept 2011 - Discovering Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup's Holy Relics 

18 Sept 2011 - Devoting to a guru

13 Sept 2011 - My dream of Lama Lhundrup just after his cremation  

12 Sept 2011 - Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup's last days and cremation  

9 Sept 2011 - Beautiful memories of Lama Lhundrup  

8 Sept 2011 - Passing into Parinirvana - Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup Rigsel  

22 Feb 2011 - Dream of Khen Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup  

28 Jan 2011 -  Khen Rinpoche back in Kopan Monastery

19 Jan 2011 - Update on Khen Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup's health

14 Jan 2011 - Prayers for Khen Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup

20 Sept 2010 -  Healing in a matter of time, but it sometimes also a matter of opportunity