BUMCHU: THE HOLY VASE WATER

                            

Among the many festivals in “Bayul-dre-mo-Dzong” the hidden valley or Sikkim, which is compared to the celestial abode of Buddha Akshobeya, Bhumchu is perhaps the most holy ceremony that held on the 15^th day of first month of Tibetan calendar, falling in February or March every year at Drakar Tashiding. This time festival falls on 19^th march where Tashiding would once again witness the thousands of people from all across the globe gathering to receive the holy water. Drakar Tashiding or Tashiding is perched on the top of the hill, guarded by mighty mountains at the top between the Rangit and Rathong River at two sides, decorated by thousands of prayer flags fluttering a way to glory amidst number of holy chortens or stupas around.

             History of Tashiding goes back to 8th century A.D. when great Guru Padmasambhava or Guru Rimpoche, the lotus born Buddha or who is also regarded as an embodiment of all Buddha, brought Buddhism to Sikkim through Tibet and Bhutan. Guru Rimpoche, a great guru of mysticism, well versed in Tantricism, an amalgam of Buddhism, while propagating the doctrines of Sutras and Tantras in Tibet visioned through his divine power that in the future the noble teachings of Buddha would be a subject of conflict and reach the edge of disappearance due to growing human hatred and attachment, which could eventually lead to forget the precious past and be devoid of respect for Gurus and elders. Therefore, in order to protect Dharma from vanishing, Guru Rimpoche blessed several lands including Tashiding, so that when the barbaric times comes those blessed lands do not get disrupted and fortunate human beings could live peacefully and preserve and practice the noble teachings. For that he concealed many treasures under the mighty protection of guardian deities with an instruction for a different Terten (treasure revealers) that would come in different stages and reveal those hidden treasure for the benefit of all sentient beings.

    Guided by his divine vision and holy motive of safeguarding the Dharma, Guru Rimpoche with his escort Yeshi Tshogyal, Berotsana and Twenty-Five disciples descended on the hill top of Tashiding. He blessed and sanctified this place as a holiest of holy place and thereby concealed many treasures which are to be concealed later on from all the four directions and eight cardinal points of Sikkim. Furthermore, he brought local Gods, Nagas, Mara and Demons under his command and designated them to safeguard the doctrines of Buddha Sakyamuni according to their capabilities. Similarly, he appointed Mt Khang-Chen-Dzo-Nga as the guardian deity of upper valley, Pawo-Hungri as a guardian deity of medieval part and Madue-Chamdral as the guardian deity of lower part of this hidden valley of rice. Eventually, in the medieval period of Buddhism the emanation of guru and king of all the treasure discoverers, Rid-zing-goe-dem-chen came to Sikkim and opened the sacred entrance of the various holy places. He is also said to have founded several Gonpas, Chortens and Hermitages at the place called Pawo-Hungri near Drakar Tashiding.  He was later followed by second Rig-zing-leg-den-ze and propagated the sacred dharma in Sikkim. Ruins and remains of these two great masters still exist till today at Pawo-Hungri.

   However, it was in Seventeen century A.D when three pioneer lamas came from Tibet and met at Yuksam, in West Sikkim. They are not only credited for the coronation of first Chogyal, but also for spreading Buddhism all over Sikkim and establishing Buddhist monastery and places everywhere under the royal patronage of Chogyal Phuntsok Namgyal. They hunted down all the concealed treasures and sanctified holy place of Guru Rimpoche and built temple there.  Among the lamas, Nga-dag-sempa-chenpo or Nga-dag-sempa-phuntsok-rig-zing first built Lhakhang Marpu in Yuksam and later Tashiding Monastery in the year 1641. Besides building the Tashiding monastery, he also introduced Bhumchu festival in Sikkim, which he had brought from Tibet.        

                   The origin of Holy Vase goes back to the time of Guru Rimpoche who was at the time in Tibet propagating the doctrines of Sakyamuni Buddha. Before his departure to the south-west demonic realm (Lho-nub-simpai-yul) Chogyal Tri-sung-deo-tsen had made a special request to Guru Rimpoche for the short but effective practice that could enable the king to gain supreme empowerment from the cyclic suffering and attain omniscient in that very life. King’s request had come after his lack of time for the devout full time religious practice due to his responsibility to lead his Kingdom as a head. Guru Rimpoche accepted king’s request and agreed to bestow a special initiation called Thuzi Chenpo Khorwa Ledrol (Teaching on compassion liberating from worldly existence). With his divine power he collected precious gems, special earth and water from all the holy places blessed by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and instructed Thamchen Garalegpa to prepare a vase. He then performed twenty one days of special rituals after the completion of Vase, wherein he invoked blessing and empowerment of Chenrezig, a lord of Compassion. While performing the Sadhna of Yidham Choe-Zig-Chal, the entire retinue deities are said to have appeared in the sky and subsequently immersed in the vase. The water contained inside the vase overflowed and spread in all four direction in the form of rays. The holy water was thus distributed to all those gathered including the King Tri-sung-deo-tsen. It was found that holy water in the vase never decreased and all those received became spiritually benefitted. The vase was then concealed into the sublime hidden treasure with the remains of holy water under the special protection of guardian deities with an instruction to be revealed in later period for the sake of all sentient beings. It was in the year, 1524, the great Terten Choki Gyalpo Garwang Zingpulingpa unearthed the Holy Bhumchu and conducted a grand prayers and rituals and kept at Thulnang Monastery in Tibet. Then in the year 1556, Terten Choki Gyalpo Zingpulingpa passed the Holy Vase to Terten Choki Gyalpo Takshyamchen. During the later part of his life Terten Takshyamchen entrusted the Bhumchu to Nga-dag-Sempa-Chenpo with special guidance that holy Bhumchu to be sited at Drakar Tashiding, the most holiest and sanctified land of Guru Rimpoche.

                It was in Lhakhang Marpu (which Nga-dag-sempa-chenpo had first built this temple after his arrival at Yuksam) where he performed his first billions recitation of mantra OM-MANI-PED-ME-HUNG for the holy Bhumchu (Vase Water). Second and third billion recitations are believed to have performed at Rinchenphong monastery in West and Bharphung in South Sikkim before the final recitations at Tashiding Monastery to enhance the power of Holy Bhumchu. Many unusual signs were observed after the completions of five billion mantra, such as Bhumchu never decreases, nor spoils and healed freshmen. The jubilant people gathered at the time, was benefitted with spiritual fervour and their mind dwelt on spirituality and happiness spread all over. Ever since the installation of Bhumchu at Tashiding monastery, especial prayers are held every year following the lineage of great masters. During the erstwhile kingdom, the representatives of king used to come and check the seal, and open the lock as the key was then kept at the royal palace. However, after the merger, the ecclesiastical department is enterprising that responsibility.  The holy vase is therefore opens amidst prayers and incantation in the mid night of 14^th day of first month of Tibetan lunar calendar. Three cups of holy water are taken out for all the devotees, monks and public gathered. Earlier, three cups are taken out categorically for the royals, the monks and the public. However, those categorical practices have stopped now. After the distribution of holy water next whole day, the holy vase is again filled with three cups of clean water brought from Rathong Chu as replica are locked and sealed by the representatives of ecclesiastical department and keeps secretly in the monastery.

            In Conclusion, the holy text of Guru Rimpoche has said that whoever receives the holy water will cease from the birth in the lower world of realms, such as hell, beasts and hungry ghosts and will be born either in Gods, Semi-goddess and Human life of upper world of realms. The power of Bhumchu is such that if one born in human life, person will be adorned with seven virtuous qualities and where one could always have an opportunity to associate oneself with the noble teachings of Dharma, which could eventually give them a birth in the Zang-To-Palri, Abode of Guru Padmasambhava.

Thuchela.  

           This paper was prepared with the help of Dr (late) Rigzing Nguedup Research Officer, NIT’s works on different publications, Mr S. Gyatso Dokhampa, Joint Director Eccl Department, personal query with the senior monks of Tashiding and Denzong Charab by Chogyal Thutob Namgyal.