Dharamsala, January 22 – His Holiness the Dalai Lama has urged the followers of the late Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok that the important thing for them at this sad period is to practice the oral teachings and transmissions given by the Khenpo.
His Holiness conveyed this message during an audience to one of the disciples of Khenpo in Sarnath on January 19, 2004, according to the Voice of America’s Tibetan service.
VOA, in its broadcast on January 20, 2004, carried a recording of His Holiness’ message in which he said he was saddened to hear about the passing away of Khen Rinpoche (an honorific reference to Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok). His Holiness said the Khenpo faced many obstacles.
His Holiness said it is now important for the Khenpo’s followers to commit themselves to practicing the religious initiations and transmissions as well as the oral teachings given by the Khenpo. Although it is over 2500 years since the Buddha passed away, his doctrine continues to survive, His Holiness said, adding that similarly, the followers of the Khenpo should see that his teachings continue.
In his message to the Chinese followers and benefactors of the Khenpo, His Holiness said that they should work to fulfill the wishes of their late master and that they should not loose any determination on this.
In the same broadcast, VOA quoted a disciple of the Khenpo as saying that the funeral of the late Khenpo will take place on the third of the Twelfth Tibetan month, which falls on January 24, 2004.
The late Khenpo is reported to have said that he did not want his mortal remains to be preserved nor for his followers to search for his reincarnation.
Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok, the Chief Abbot of the Serthar Buddhist Institute, breathed his last in a hospital in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province on 7 January 2004.
In 1990 Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok traveled to India, where he met His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He also traveled to many countries, including Nepal, Bhutan, the United States, Canada, England, France, Germany, Taiwan and Hong Kong and taught extensively on Tibetan Buddhism and culture.
