One of the most important holidays of the year for our ear-whispered lineage is Ganden Ngamchoe, also known as Lama Tsongkhapa Day, which celebrates the 14th-century master's parinirvana anniversary. Ganden Ngamchoe means "Ganden Offering of the Twenty-Fifth Day" and is celebrated across the Tibetan and Mongol lands. The holiday falls on the 25th day of the 10th Tibetan month and this year it happened to line up on the 25th day of the 12th solar month, which is celebrated across the world by many as Christmas. Ganden Ngamchoe is also an excellent time for Dharma practice as it is a merit-multiplying day.
Traditionally, numerous light offerings would be made on the holiday in the form of butter lamps and the day would be filled with pujas centered on Je Tsongkhapa. In fact, so many light offerings are made on this day that it is also called the Butter Lamp Festival. Throughout the day the chant of Lama Tsongkhapa's mantra, the famed Migtsema, echoes throughout:
Mig-Me Tse-Wey Ter-Chen Chen-Re-Zik
Avalokiteshvara, great treasure of non-objectifying compassion;
Dri-Me Kyen-Pey Wang-Po Jam-Pey-Yang
Manjushri, master of stainless wisdom;
Du-Pung Ma-Lu Jom-Ze Sang-Wey-Dak
Vajrapani, Lord of Secrets, destroyer of all maras;
Gang-Chen Ke-Pe Tsuk-Gyen Tsong-Ka-Pa
Tsongkhapa, crown jewel of the sages of the Land of Snows;
Lob-Sang-Drak-Pe Shab-La Sol-Wa-Deb
Lobsang Drakpa, at your feet I pray!
Our organization encourages all to take part in Ganden Ngamchoe by reciting the texts of Je Tsongkhapa as well as participating in celebrations at Dharma organizations, such as Dakini's Whisper. Dakini's Whisper will have multiple days of celebration (Dec. 26-31) in commemoration of Je Rinpoche and will include the initiation of Kinkara Protector and numerous oral transmissions from Tsongkhapa's collected works, from Choying Khandro.
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