23/01/2026
གཙུག་ལག་ཁང་དབུ་འབྱེད་མཛད་སྒོའི་ལས་རིམ།
Inauguration Ceremony of the
Padmasambhava Grand Temple
Nyingma Center, Bodh Gaya
Date: 5th Day of the 12th Month of the Wood-Snake Tibetan Year / January 23, 2026
Program Schedule
1. 10:00 AM: Monastics will enter the temple from the left side and take their seats:
• Monks: Ground floor main hall (Buddhas of the Three Times Shrine).
• Ngagpas (Ta***ic Practitioners): Middle floor (Khen-Lop-Cho-Sum Shrine).
• Nuns: Top floor (Avalokiteshvara and Amitabha Shrines). Once seated, the Chanting Master (U-ze) will lead the Seven-Line Prayer, followed by the recitation of the Le'u Dunma (Sampa Lhundrup) and the Guru Rinpoche mantra.
2. 11:00 AM: General guests will enter the main hall through the right entrance and take their designated seats.
3. 11:30 AM: A formal procession (Ser-dreng) will welcome the Chief Guest, Honorable Govenor of Bihar, Arif Mohammad Khan. He will be received at the temple courtyard by:
• H.E. Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche (Chairman, Nyingma Monlam Chenmo).
• H.E. Minling Khenchen Rinpoche (Vice-Chairman).
• H.E. Khentrul Gyangkhang Rinpoche (Vice-Chairman).
4. 11:40 AM: As the Chief Guest and Special Guests arrive at the main entrance, the Chanting Master will signal the assembly to stand. Following the recitation of the Noble Eight Auspicious Verses (Tashi Gyepa), the ceremonial ribbon will be cut, and the temple doors will be officially opened. Musicians (Gyaling players) will lead the guests and High Lamas to their seats.
5. 11:43 AM: The Chief Guest and Special Guests will participate in the ceremonial lighting of the butter lamps.
6. 11:45 AM: Welcome Address by H.E. Minling Khenchen Rinpoche (3 minutes).
7. 11:49 AM: During the recitation of the Pryaer to Budha and the Prayer to the Sixteen Arhats, Tibetan tea and ceremonial sweet rice (Desi) will be served to all guests and the monastic assembly (15 minutes).
8. 12:00 PM: During the tea service:
• Mrs. Deepa Thakur will recite the Heart Sutra in Sanskrit.
• Singer Ms. Karma Tseten and Mr. Raman Maharajan will perform a melodic rendition of the Seven-Line Prayer (10 minutes).
9. 12:10 PM: Keynote Address by H.E. Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche regarding the ceremony (3 minutes).
10. 12:13 PM onwards: Speeches by Dignitaries
• 12:13 PM: Mr. Zipa Tshering, former member of the Nepal Parliament (3 minutes).
• 12:16 PM: Hon. Sonam Lama, Minister of the Ecclesiastical Department, and Public Health Engineering Department, Government of Sikkim (3 minutes).
• 12:19 PM: Hon. Lonpo Tshering, Minister of Home Affairs, Royal Government of Bhutan (3 minutes).
• 12:22 PM: Khenpo Sonam Tenphel, Speaker of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, will read a message from H.H. the Dalai Lama (3 minutes).
• Address by the Chief Guest, Honorable Governor of Bihar, Arif Mohammad Khan.
11. Presentation of Awards:
The Honorable Governor of Bihar will present awards of appreciation to the following individuals for their dedicated service to the Nyingma Monlam Chenmo (3 minutes):
• H.E. Khochhen Rinpoche (Former Chairman)
• H.E. Ringu Tulku Rinpoche (Former Chairman)
• Acharya Drakpa Lama (Former Treasurer)
• Khenpo Sonam Phurbu Negi (Former Treasurer)
• The Ngagyur Rigzod Editorial Committee
• Mr. Rao (Auditor)
• L.S. Vinayaka (Chartered Accountant)
12. Presentation of Souvenirs:
H.E. Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche will present souvenirs to the Chief Guest and dignitaries, as well as tokens of appreciation to the temple construction team (3 minutes):
1. Dorjee Wangdi (Contractor),
2. 2. Tenzin (Statue Maker),
3. Rigzin (Artist/Painter),
4. Sonam Sherpa (Carver),
5. Norbu Tashi (Center Manager),
6. Tenzin (Staff),
7. Pasang Dolma (Accountant),
8. Shankar Yadav (Worker).
13. Vote of Thanks: Conducted by H.E. Khentrul Gyangkhang Rinpoche (3 minutes).
14. Conclusion: The monastic assembly will recite the Prayer for the Flourishing of the Nyingma Teachings, marking the official conclusion of the inauguration.
15. Luncheon: A celebratory lunch will be served for all guests at the Monastic Center.
Sarva Mangalam (May all be auspicious). Tashi Delek.
