Today, as is done each year, His Holiness tested the monks
and nuns on how to put down their dingwa and put on their
chogus, and so forth, so that it will be done in a uniform
way by all Sangha. Unlike previous years, this year His
Holiness tested the monks and nuns separately.
A group of nuns from each of the Karma Kagyu nunneries in
the Himalaya region usually comes to the Monlam to represent
their nunnery. A small group of western getsulmas and
gelongmas from different countries around the world were
also present.
The nuns entered the main Shrine Room at Tergar Monastery
and sat on either side of a wide central aisle, facing
towards each other. The central aisle is where the nuns
would demonstrate putting on and removing their outer robes,
etc. in the presence of His Holiness.
His Holiness came in at 4:30 pm and sat on a beautiful
carved wooden chair which comes together with a foot stool.,
both of which had been offered to His Holiness during a
previous Monlam.
First, His Holiness gave a teaching on the importance of
proper conduct, saying that it was important to not just do
things in anyway but to exercise care. If we do things
haphazardly rather than doing things carefully as taught it
is because we are under the influence of the conflicting
emotions. His Holiness explained the meaning of
prostrations, and demonstrated how to take a kneeling
posture, kneeling himself, facing the Shrine.
Then sitting on his chair he vigorously shook a bowl with
the names of the different nunneries being represented,
until one, two, three fell out. As each fell out His
Holiness opened the paper and read out the name of a nunnery
from which a group of nuns should come forward to
demonstrate for everyone. Some of the young nuns seemed a
little anxious as there was a nervous shriek or two after a
nunnery name was called out. Nonetheless, they all looked
beautiful in their maroon and gold robes and did
wonderfully.
When the first group came forward, His Holiness told them to
put down their dingwas and put on their chogus , while he
watched. His Holiness held up a wooden fish (of the Chinese
tradition) and hit it. Each beat was accompanied by a
movement by the nuns. With the first beat the nuns put their
hands to their heads, with the second beat they put their
hands to their throat, with the third beat, they put their
hands to their heart , with the fourth beat they opened up
their outer robes, and then with the succeeding beats, with
hands in prayer, they knelt down and bowed.
Then His Holiness demonstrated the proper sitting posture
for drinking tea. He recited the Namo Bhagavati mantra in
Sanskrit and then the nuns were told to sit down and take up
their bowls and hold them up as an offering while reciting
another Tibetan prayer.
The third group of nuns were from the Kullu area, from a
nunnery associated with Sherab Ling Monastery. Again they
went through the same demonstrations as the first two
groups. But when it came to the tea part, they were given
actual bowls. There was a real demonstration of how to pour
tea. Another nun was handed a tea pitcher with tea in it
which she poured into the bowls. As there wasn't much tea in
the bowls, His Holiness said, “ Just a little, just a
little..”
After the third group of nuns finished their demonstration,
His Holiness had us all leave through a side door as the
next group, getsul [novice monks], came in to be tested by
His Holiness.
