Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s previous incarnation was a humble Sherpa trader born in a small hamlet called Mende in the Thame Valley.
In his early twenties he married and moved to a small house just below Thame Gompa to raise his family. In his forties, when his children were grown and his family had sufficient resources to care for themselves, he moved to a simple cave above his birthplace in Mende, called Lawudo, and spent the rest of his life there in focused retreat.
It is now 80 years since he passed into parinirvana. Here is the story below…
The First Lawudo Lama
The first Lawudo Lama Kunzang Yeshe passed away at midnight of the full moon day of the first month of the fire dog year of Sonam Losar (Sherpa Losar is one month earlier than Tibetan Losar). He was cognizant that it was the anniversary of Jetsun Milarepa’s passing.
According to the Western calendar this was Friday, 15th February 1946–roughly 80 years ago to this day.
The life story of the first Lawudo Lama records that Kunzang Yeshe remained in meditation until the early morning of the fourth day when “his mind entered into the space-like primordial group, indivisible from the mind of the Primordial Kuntu Zangpo.” In other words, the completion of the final stage of the Dzogchen Atiyoga path, and “as a sign of his enlightenment, the sound of emptiness was heard.”
On the early morning of the fifth day, the Lama’s holy body was cremated on an outcrop to the west of the cave, and miraculous signs were seen and heard around the valley and across the mountain slopes. Then, for seven days the rituals of the Peaceful And Wrathful Deities were performed inside the cave, and on the eighth day, the cremation house was opened and various precious relics were found. The principal relic was the brain, tongue and heart (symbols of the lama’s holy body, speech and mind) fused together in the form of a wonderful jewel—this was enshrined along with the skull in a precious copper and silver stupa which is still kept in Lawudo cave.
Other relics, including a bone with the syllable AH, another with the syllable HUNG and small relic pills, were distributed as objects of devotion. The remaining bones and ash were crushed into a powder and mixed with a special clay from Mende below Lawudo where the Lawudo Lama was born, then molded into small Buddha statues which were put inside the purkhang (relic house) built next to the site of the cremation. The purkhang has fallen into disrepair and been renovated and repaired several times but can still be seen at its original site.
A statue of the lama was also made using the blessed relic-clay showing the Lawudo Lama holding a vajra and wearing the Lotus hat. This statue is kept in the Lawudo cave alongside the reliquary.
The original stupa with the heart-jewel relics, the statue of the lama made with clay mixed with ash and bone from the first Lawudo Lama and the purkhang that marks the spot where the Lawudo Lama’s holy body was cremated can all be seen by visitors to Lawudo. Most importantly, the cave where the Lawudo lama meditated and eventually passed away, along with the earth-holes outside where he sat day and night in focused practice, are also still there.
Before passing, the Lawudo Lama told his heart disciple Ngawang Chopel: “Although in this life I was able to take the essence of this precious human body and live a meaningful life, I have not been able to benefit others in an extensive way. However, I made many prayers to be able to do vast work for others in the future.”
Indeed, the new emanation of the Lawudo Lama—our precious teacher Lama Zopa Rinpoche—took birth two months BEFORE the passing of the previous Lawudo Lama in Thame village (as predicted by his predecessor) and became one of the greatest trailblazers of the twentieth century, preserving and spreading the Buddhadharma not just amongst the Thamichowa sherpas and in Nepal, but throughout the whole Himalayan community and around the whole world.
Remembering the greatness of the Lawudo Lama’s first and most recent manifestation we make sincere prayers for a future emanation to swiftly return and continue to guide us and work for the benefit of all sentient beings.
For more information please read, The Lawudo Lama, by Jamyang Wangmo.
