A Sacred Mission – Lama Tenzin in the Congo

A Sacred Mission – Lama Tenzin in the Congo

I am delighted to announce that I have sent Lama Tenzin to the Dharma centre in Lubumbashi, DRCongo, Drolung Fondation Bouddhiste Internationale.

Lama Tenzin has an abundance of knowledge and talents that make him an ideal candidate for the role of teaching and guiding the young Sangha and Dharma community in the Congo. He has studied Buddhist philosophy for many years, spent a long time practising in strict retreat, and is a skilled craftsman able to make statues and other sacred representations. Moreover, he happily embraces simple living and does not shy away from hardship.

In fact, before the plan arose for him to go the Congo, Lama Tenzin had made plans, bought a tent, etc., ready to embark upon a period of mountain retreat. He was going to wander and meditate in the Himalayas with no fixed abode.

I wish to extend my thanks to Lama Tenzin for willingly undertaking this opportunity in the Congo. Personally, I feel it is a tremendous opportunity. Many lamas visit and establish Dharma centres and organisations in wealthy countries like Taiwan, Hong Kong, the US and Europe. But so far, Africa has been ignored. Because many African countries are quite poor, one will not expect to gain anything from going there. On the contrary, one must go to great expense to operate there. It, therefore, presents a real opportunity to offer the Dharma and other assistance with the purest of motivations.

The community in the Congo are fortunate to have him. I urge them to welcome Lama Tenzin and treat him with the necessary respect and devotion.

I would also like to remind the community there to treasure and honour all of their monks and the nuns who will soon join them in going forth from home life into homelessness. There is no way for the Dharma to take root in a land if the people do not respect the Sangha. Your Sangha are young and still new to the Dharma, but you should have reverence for the vows and the commitments they hold within their beings and recognise what they will become – Arhats, Bodhisattvas and Buddhas. They are individuals who have taken the pursuit of such exalted states as their main objective for their current and future lives. That is certainly worthy of veneration.

Lama Tenzin and Tensung Genyen Francis, landed in the Congo at 1am, in the middle of the night. Nonetheless, the monks and several of the lay practitioners were awake and excited to welcome them. The images show a short farewell ceremony held for Lama Tenzin at Thrangu Sekhar Retreat Centre, where he was resident for many years; first practising in retreat and later teaching. The next images show his reception in Drolung Fondation Bouddhiste Internationale, where the monks and lay practitioners chanted and sang a refuge liturgy in Swahili.

I pray to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to bless Lama Tenzin so that he can fully impart all that he knows and more to the Sangha and community in the Congo, such that the region becomes a sacred hub of Dharma from where its healing and liberating light can shine throughout the continent of Africa. May it be so!

Drupon Khen Rinpoche

15.01.2025