A function was organized to celebrate the fifth foundation day of Sed Gyued Institute of Buddhist Studies at Salugara in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal on 2nd November 2006.
The day also marks the enthronement of His Eminence Thutob Gonpo Rinpoche, a former abbot of Gyued Med College as the throne holder of Sed Gyued Monastery.
It was on this day five years ago in the year 2001, Nobel Peace laureate & leader of the Buddhist world His Holiness the Dalai Lama inaugurated the Sed- Gyued Institute of Buddhist Studies at Salugara. This institute belongs to Gelukpa or the Yellow Hat sect of Tibetan Buddhism and Sed Gyued lineage was founded by His Holiness Sherab Singhey in the year 1450 in Tibet.
Sherab Singhey established this tantric sect of Gelukpa tradition at the behest of his spiritual guru Je Tsongkha Lobsang Dhakpa, the founder of Gelukpa sect, to which the Dalai Lama belongs. Sherab Singhey handed over the holy lineage to Palden Sangpo and thereafter a series of lineage holders assumed the charge of Sed- Gyued tradition. Today, on this twin auspicious occasion, His Eminence Thutob Gonpo Rinpoche took charge as the 38th throne holder of the Sed Gyued monastery. His Eminence was appointed the abbot of Sed Gyued Monastery by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
The ceremony began at nine in the morning with offering of traditional Khada (scarf) at the portrait of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, handing over of the seal of approval of His Holiness on appointment of Thutob Gonpo Rinpoche as the throne holder of the Sed Gyued Monastery.
This was followed by a speech on the significance of the day’s ceremony, speeches by head of the Sed Gyued Institute of Buddhist Studies, Khen Chen Dor chang Jampa Wangyal, Tibetan Welfare Officer, Kalimpong and General Secretary of the Himalayan Buddhist Cultural Association.
The function concluded with a colorful cultural program presented by Thonmi Sambhota Tibetan School, Gangtok and Himalayan Buddhist School. Approximately 800 devotees gathered to celebrate the event which ended around 1.45 in the afternoon.
