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More than 7,000 devotees, religious masters, monks and nuns have gathered at Gangteng Shedra in Wangdue Phodrang for a rare month-long Pedling Choekhor Empowerments and Oral Transmission ceremony, offering followers an opportunity to receive the sacred teachings of Terton Pema Lingpa nearly two decades after a ceremony of this scale was last held at Gangteng.
Gangteng in Wangdue Phodrang has drawn thousands of devotees from across Bhutan and beyond as a month-long religious ceremony dedicated to the teachings of Terton Pema Lingpa began today.
More than 7,000 people, including Truelkus, Lams, Khenpos, monks, nuns and lay devotees, have gathered at Gangteng Shedra to attend the Pedling Choekhor Empowerments and Oral Transmission. The ceremony is being presided over by the 9th Gangteng Truelku.
The gathering is considered particularly significant because an empowerment and oral transmission ceremony of this scale has not been held at Gangteng for nearly two decades.
The month-long event is centred on the Dharma Cycle of Terton Pema Lingpa, one of Bhutan’s most revered treasure revealers. Organisers say the ceremony is intended to preserve the teachings associated with the Pedling tradition and ensure that the sacred lineage continues to be transmitted to future generations.
Devotees and disciples from outside Bhutan have also travelled to Gangteng to participate in the ceremony, adding to the large gathering at the religious site.
Khenchhen Jigme Wangchuk, Chairperson of the Pedling Choekhor Empowerments at Gangteng, said the ceremony was organised following repeated requests from disciples and sponsors.
He said the primary purpose was to preserve and promote Buddhism, particularly the sacred treasure teachings of Terton Pema Lingpa.
The ceremony is also being conducted with prayers for the successful development of Gelephu Mindfulness City, a national vision led by His Majesty The King, as well as for peace and harmony across the country.
For many devotees attending the ceremony, however, the gathering represents more than a religious event. Some have travelled long distances and made arrangements well in advance because they believe the opportunity to receive the teachings and blessings may not come again for many years.
Adhap Chhador, one of the devotees, said the opportunity was especially meaningful because even his parents had not been able to attend a Pedling Choekhor empowerment.
He said he had been looking forward to the ceremony since learning about it and felt fortunate to finally be able to attend and receive the empowerments.
The large gathering has also brought devotees from distant parts of the country to Gangteng.
Sangay Lhadon travelled from Samtse and spent two days making her way to Gangteng. She said the presence of many respected religious masters was one of the reasons she decided to attend the entire ceremony.
She said she had learned about the religious significance of the event and the blessings associated with the empowerments, which encouraged her to make the journey to Wangdue Phodrang.
For another devotee, Tandin Wangmo, attending the ceremony meant setting aside other commitments to take part in an opportunity she had been anticipating.
She described the Pedling lineage as precious and sacred and said she did not want to miss the opportunity to receive the teachings and blessings.
The scale of the gathering reflects the continuing importance of Terton Pema Lingpa’s teachings within Bhutan’s Buddhist tradition. The transmission of religious teachings through empowerments and oral instruction is an important part of maintaining established Buddhist lineages and ensuring that teachings are passed from one generation to another.
The ceremony also provides an opportunity for practitioners and devotees from different parts of Bhutan to come together at Gangteng, a site closely associated with the Pema Lingpa tradition.
With thousands attending, preparations have been made to accommodate devotees and religious participants throughout the extended ceremony. The gathering is expected to continue attracting participants over the coming weeks as the religious programme progresses.
The Pedling Choekhor Empowerments and Oral Transmission will continue for almost a month, with the ceremony scheduled to conclude on the 26th of this month.
For those attending, the long journey and time spent at Gangteng are part of an opportunity they consider rare. With the ceremony bringing together senior religious figures, practitioners and devotees from across Bhutan and abroad, organisers hope the transmission will contribute to the continued preservation of the Pedling tradition.
