How T’hroma Practitioners Die

Today we received a phone call from Nepal informing us of the unexpected death of Shiva Lodro Rinpoche. Shiva Rinpoche is the reincarnation of Golok Serta Rinpoche, a great T’hroma Chod practitioner and lineage holder of the T’ho-Luk, or Northern school of Dudjom Lingpa’ s T’hroma Chod – which comes from Degyal Rinpoche. Lama Dawa’s father was a student of Golok Serta Rinpoche and when Lama Dawa was a child, he and his family used to travel around like gypsies with Serta Rinpoche’s group. Lama Dawa tells many fantastic stories of Serta Rinpoche and the amazing Chod practices they used to do in the wilds of the Himalayas.

Golok Serta Rinpoche

Shiva Rinpoche was recognized as the reincarnation of Golok Serta Rinpoche by HH Dudjom Rinpoche. He maintained a monastery and residence in Humla, a remote region of Nepal, where he had many students. He also lived in the Kathmandu valley and traveld a few times to the west, most recently to Russia, to teach.

He had been sick in the hospital in Kathmandu with liver disease. Apparently he knew he was going to die, and he told his attendants that he wanted to return to Yang Rig, in Humla, where his father (the second Degyal Rinpoche) passed away.

Yesterday, Sept. 4, on Guru Rinpoche day, he called his students to perform the Guru Tsog, then gave them extensive teachings and advice about their practice. Then he told them that this would be his last teaching to them as he was going to die. He told them that if they do good practice, they will die like this – with no pain or suffering, or any single belongings. He instructed them to leave his body for five days, then after that they could do whatever they like.

With that, he took off all his clothes. sat in meditation, then after two or three minutes, rainbow lights and spheres of light began to fill the room, and he entered into t’hug-dam. He remains there now, and we are told the whole valley is now filled with rainbows. Many people are starting to come from all over to witness this amazing event. His brothers, Tulku Pema Rigsal, and Gyepa Rinpoche and Sangye Rinpoche are arriving to begin the ceremonies. Now there is talk to leave his body for longer than the five days, and Lama Dawa fully expects his body to start shrinking. “This is how the T’hroma practitioners die,” he said when he heard the news.

Although it is so sad that he has left us at such a young age (49), it is also a great inspiration to the power of the blessings of the Dudjom lineage and for those who follow it’s path.

We look forward to hearing more news over the next week…….

Khandro Kunzang

Update: Sept. 7th

Today is the 4th day of Siva Rinpoche’s t’hug-dam. Our latest news from Nepal is that when Shiva Rinpoche first arrived in the Mosu village (where his father, Degyal Rinpoche was cremated) before he and his students did Guru Tsog, he he pointed to the spot where he wanted his body to be burned, and where they should build the cremation stupa. He gave very explicit instructions on how to build it.

Now they are in the process of building the cremation stupa and from that very spot, a rainbow is manifesting from the ground – even while Rinpoche remains in T’hugdam on his throne.

Meanwhile, his brother, Gyepa Rinpoche has begun 49 days of the long T’hroma tsog at his monsatery, Namkha Khyungdzong, in Naranthal, Nepal. In addition, four of his sponsors from Taiwan have arrived by helicopter.

We hope that someone will be posting some photographs at some point in the future.

Shiva Rinpoche and students performing Chod at his monastery, Namkha KhyungDzong, in Humla, Nepal.

Shiva Rinpoche in Humla, Nepal

Receiving blessings from Shiva Rinpoche

Rinpoche leading the T’hroma Chod