The Living Tradition of the Tibetan Book of the Dead:
A Buddhist Pilgrimage through Eastern and Southern Tibet

With Dr Gyurme Dorje of Trans Himalaya (translator of The Tibetan Book of the Dead) and Connee Louise Pike (www.themandorlaproject.org)

On this pilgrimage, we will visit sacred sites associated with the discovery, teachings, ritual, and practice of The Tibetan Book of the Dead (Bar do thos grol chen mo). We will immerse ourselves in the culture, people, and land of Tibet, exploring the historical and contemporary resonances of this remarkable text through the landscape. We will meet teachers representing the unbroken lineages of transmission, and plan to visit an important elder hostel for nomads built in the Golok region of Amdo, observing at first hand how elders are treated there, and identifying areas in which the Mandorla Project may potentially offer support. Then, at Dzongsar in Kham, we will visit a traditional Tibetan hospital, where herbal medicines are compounded and dispensed. Throughout the journey, we will encounter Buddhist temples replete with sacred icons, libraries, reliquary stupas, colleges, hermitages, grottoes, charnel grounds, and blessed sacraments; and there will be opportunities to make offerings and engage in meditation practice. We will discuss the insights and compassionate applications that The Tibetan Book of the Dead can offer us in life and in service of the dying.

TWO OPTIONS:

We are offering two tour options. Participants can visit both Eastern and Southern Tibet, or only Eastern Tibet.

Part One: Eastern Tibet

The journey through Eastern Tibet focuses on several monasteries of the Nyingma tradition, where orally transmitted teachings and spiritual revelations, such as The Tibetan Book of the Dead, are maintained through the practices of Mahayoga, Anuyoga and Atiyoga, the last of which is also known as Dzogchen-- the Great Perfection. Other destinations are associated with Gesar, the heroic warrior king of Tibetan epic poetry, and also with the Jonang, Sakya, and Geluk traditions.

• 24 June Arrive Chengdu (Buddha Zen Hotel)
• 25 June Chengdu- Barkham (Barkham Hotel)
• 26 June Barkham-Dzamtang (Camping)
• 27 June Dzamtang-Tarthang Monastery-Padma Dzong (Padma Xian Hotel)
• 28 June Padma Dzong- Traling Monastery- Gesar Lhakhang-Elder Hostel (Camping)
• 29 June Revisit Traling-Elder Hostel -Darlag (Gesar Hotel)
• 30 June Darlag-Padma Dzong-Dodrubchen Monastery (Camping)
• 01 July Dodrubchen- Nyenlung Monastery-Yarlung Pemako-Gogentang (Serta Hotel)
• 02 July Gogentang (Visit Stupa and Singsing Dungkar Gon)-Tongkor Neri-Kandze (Khampa Hotel)
• 03 July Kandze (Visit Den Gonkhang)- Manigango-Dzogchen Monastery (Camping)
• 04 July Dzogchen (visit cave hermitages)-Khorlomdo-Derge (Trola Hotel)
• 05 July Derge (Visit Gonchen, Tangyel Lhakhang and Parkhang)
• 06 July Derge-Dzongsar (Camping, Traditional Tibetan Hospital)
• 07 July Dzongsar-Derge-Yilhun Lhatso (Camping)
• 08 July Yilhun Lhatso- Kandze- Drango (Kharsar Hotel)
• 09 July Drango-Tawu- Ba-me (Golden Sun Hotel)
• 10 July Ba-me- Minyak Airport-fly Chengdu (Buddha Zen Hotel)

Ground arrangements only: US$ 4,450 per person

NB: This includes all land transportation (4WD in Tibet), the domestic flight (Minyak-Chengdu), all accommodation (twinshare), all meals, full camping support, the guiding services of Gyurme Dorje and our local staff, the teaching services of Connee Louise Pike, admission fees and Trans Himalaya's customized detailed itinerary. It excludes the airfare to and from China, the Chinese visa fee, personal travel insurance, optional gratuities, personal incidentals, and optional single accommodation.

Part Two: Southern Tibet

The journey through Southern Tibet focuses on the Nyingma monasteries of Lamaling and Mindroling, along with Daklha Gampo—the seat of the successive incarnations of Gampopa, in the vicinity of which The Tibetan Book of the Dead was discovered by Terton Karma Lingpa (14th century).

• 11 July Chengdu-fly Nyangtri Airport (visit Lamaling, Buchu)-Lhopa Village-Gyatsa (Gyatsa Hotel)
• 12 July Gyatsa-Daklha Gampo (Camping or Guesthouse)
• 13 July Daklha Gampo (Camping or Guesthouse)
• 14 July Daklha Gampo-Gyatsa-Tsetang (Yarlung Tsangpo Hotel)
• 15 July Tsetang-Mindroling Monastery-Gongkar-fly Chengdu-EXIT

The cost for option 2: US$ 2,150 per person

NB: This includes all land transportation (4WD in Tibet), the domestic flights (Chengdu-Nyangtri; Gongkar-Chengdu), all accommodation (twinshare), all meals, full camping support, the guiding services of Gyurme Dorje and our local staff, the teaching services of Connee Louise Pike, admission fees and Trans Himalaya's customized detailed itinerary. It excludes the airfare to and from China, the Chinese visa fee, personal travel insurance, optional gratuities, personal incidentals, and optional single accommodation. NB This option can also be extended to include Lhasa.

Total Cost:

The total cost of the combined options one and two, including both Eastern and Southern Tibet, works out at:

US$ 6,600

 

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