About Us
Our Mission
Deeply engrained in the history of Sikkim, Buddhism has been instrumental in shaping the cultures, customs, and traditions of the people. The Tsuklakhang Trust is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation, scholarship, and support of the Nyingma teachings in Sikkim, in particular those of its patron saint, Lhatsun Namkha Jigme. Its primary aim is to encourage Buddhism—in its most authentic form—to flourish once again in Sikkim for the benefit of all the people of Sikkim.
Why?
The mission to preserve and revive this special lineage takes on a certain urgency as knowledge of these tradtions in our monasteries diminish, and the attraction of our heritage is being lost. Lhatsun Namkha Jigme's writings make up some of the most beautiful, profound, and powerful teachings in the canon of Tibetan Buddhism, and it is largely due to his activities in Sikkim - almost 400 years ago - that Sikkim has come to be known as Guru Rinpoche's sacred 'hidden land' to which other Buddhist lamas, schools, traditions, and pilgrims are drawn.
It is because of these past blessings that when in the 1950s the terrible purge of Tibetan Buddhism took place, many great masters of the different schools of Tibetan Buddhism including: HH Dalai Lama, HH Karmapa, HH Sakya Trizin, Jamyang Khyentse Chokyi Lodro (who himself was a previous incarnate of Lhatsun Chenpo), and many more all found refuge and succor in Sikkim. In providing such refuge to these great teachers, the Chogyals of Sikkim have undoubtedly contributed to the preservation of all schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Now it is time to focus on ensuring our own Buddhist lineage also flourishes.
How?
The Trust's activities will focus on the revitalization of Buddhism in Sikkim by ensuring the monkbody is educated to the highest academic standards, establishing a core of teachers who are able to disseminate Lhatsun Namkha Jigme’s teachings into the future; and by initiatives that will help to reestablish the important tradition of Buddhist patronage and practice, ensuring the flourishing of dharma in contemporary Sikkim.
Its four core activities are the construction and maintenance of a 1) Lapta; 2) Dratsang; 3) Sheda; and 4) Dubda
The Trust ensures that its core activities are adequately staffed by learned khenpos and teachers; that they are materially equipped to provide accommodation and food for the monks-in-residence; and continually strives to improve both the standard of learning and the environment for the monks who will carry this lineage into the future.
The Tsuklakhang Trust, established by the 13th Denjong Chogyal Wangchuk Namgyal, remains a grassroots organization, operated by an all-volunteer staff and supported by kind donations from readers like yourself.
Who We Are
Tsuklakhang Trust Team
The Trust is a collaborative effort of students, friends, volunteers and sponsors around the world. We are engaged in a campaign to source and provide the necessary resources, capital, manpower and knowledge to bring its projects, as envisioned by the Chogyal of Sikkim, to life and to support the community of dharma students and practitioners in Sikkim.
In order to achieve its goals, The Tsuklakhang Trust relies on the dedication and advice of a Board of Trustees, comprised of committed Sikkimese of good character and high moral standing.
All Tsuklakhang Trust team members serve as volunteers.
If you are interested in becoming involved, please check our 'How to Help' page.
Who We Help
Our Beneficiaries
The Tsuklakhang Trust’s mission is to act as a system of patronage for institutions and individuals engaged in the practice and study of Lhatsun Namkha Jigme’s wisdom and teachings.
We emphasize the study and practice of Buddhism, and our funding goes to support the monastic body, lay practitioners, scholars, translators, and researchers that are working towards the practice, scholarship, and translation, and preservation of Lhatsun’s teachings.
Our activities are carried out with the motivation that a healthy respect for and a continuation of Lhatsun's teachings will be of immense benefit for Sikkim, the land as well as its people.
Lineage
Lhatsun Namkha Jigme
Lhatsun Namkha Jigme was born in 1597 (in the Tibetan Female Fire Bird year). Under his gurus—namely, Sonam Wangpo, Ringzing Jatson-Nyingpo, and the learned Pema Legs-grub—Lhatsun Namkha Jigme became highly proficient in hearing, thinking, and meditating. He was endowed with mastery over inconveivable miraculous powers. For example, by the power of his command, he was able to enlist gods and demos to assist him in restoring the great Samye Monastery... apparently six times over.
Encouraged by the injunctions of the awareness holder Jatson Nyingpo, the great treasure finder Dudul Dorje and others, and as a means to secure the happiness of all Tibet and Kham, Lhatsun proceeded on foot to Lhari Osel Nyingpo in Sikkim in 1646 (year of the fire dog) in his fiftieth year.
Hidden as a 'treasure' (terma) by Guru Rinpoche, Lhatsun Namkha Jigme 'revealed' the Hidden Land introducing Buddhism and founding Sikkim's first monasteries, as prophesiesed almost 800 years earlier. While residing, in accord with a prophetic declaration of the dakinis, in the Dakini-nying cavern at Trakar Tashiding, the Doctrinal Cycles of the Vital Attainment of the Awareness-holder (rigdzin sogdrup kyi chokor nam) emerged in a pure vision as a mind treasure. The teachings of Rigdzin Sogdrup are teachings of the Atiyoga (dzogchen) level, revered by all dzogchen practitioners and of which the great 5th Dalai Lama was a recipient. These are the only teachings that originated from outside, and spread into, Tibet.
The spiritual power of Trakar Tasiding is so great that the Chorten Thongwa Randol, built by Lhatsun Namkha Jigme, offers self-liberation to all sentient beings through the mere viewing of it.