On the morning of October 20, the day of cremation, Vajrasattva practice was performed at 6 am for about half an hour, so that the deities residing in his body could be sent away and not be burned in the cremation stupa. Usually, at this time, one does the practice of the lama’s yidam, however Vajrasattva was done in the previous days, as this deity is also embodiment of all yidams, who are one in the expanse of wisdom.

After the Vajrasattva practice, the main lamas and older disciples with a long-term connection to Rinpoche were divided into four different practice groups, who first met inside for the initial part of the pujas. These participants came from Germany, Nepal, Canada, India, England, and all over the US. Among them were some fifty disciples who had finished one or more three-year retreats. The four yidam deity practices they performed were chosen mostly for what the students knew well, and they also represented four aspects of the fully awakened mind. The practice of Amitabha, who represents the dharmakaya, was led by Tulku Damcho Rinpoche, and this group met in the columbarium, whose gently curving shape held the outdoor space for the cremation stupa. The practice of Gyalwa Gyatso, who represents the sambhogakaya, was led by Drupon Lama Tsering in Khenpo Rinpoche’s room. The practice of Akshobhya, who represents the nirmanakaya, was led by Dilyak Drupon Rinpoche in the Lama House shrine room. Finally, the practice of Kunrik (a form of Vairochana), who represents the svabhavikakaya, was led by Lama Tashi Dondrup in HH the Gyalwang Karmapa’s quarters.

After this, everyone shared a breakfast together and then began preparing the golden procession from the Lama House to the columbarium. In a fresh addition to the tradition, lay disciples led the procession, carrying flowers and white scarves. Ten-foot tall banners and pendants of colorful brocade along with traditional musical instruments of the long horns, oboe- like gyalings, conch shells, and drums followed them. Incense perfumed the air as eight students, including Khenpo Rinpoche’s nephew Lama Karma, carried the kudung to the purkhang (cremation stupa). By this time, hundreds of Rinpoche’s students and friends had come from near and far to line the road as they held katas, incense, and flowers to honor him as the procession passed by. Following along, they gathered around the purkhang for the ceremonies.

The kudung was brought to the east side of the purkhang and placed inside the part known as the vase, whose top was open to the sky. Below, the square base had four doors, one on each side, to receive a variety of offerings, including incense, wood, food, and oil. The flames would rise through the inner stupa to the top and create a hot fire to burn the kudung. The four groups of practitioners now reassembled in the four directions around the stupa: the Akshobhya group was in the east, the Gyalwa Gyatso in the south, the Amitabha in the west, and the Kunrik in the north.

As the sounds of the pujas resounded, people came forward to circumambulate the purkhang and offer their last flowers and katas to Rinpoche, whose presence was strongly felt. The pujas ended at different times, and guests were given box lunches while the practitioners returned to the Lama House for lunch. Afterward they went back to their original four rooms to perform the concluding part of their liturgies.

The day ended in the main shrine hall with Jamgon Kongtrul’s Calling the Lama from Afar that profoundly opened people’s hearts and the Third Karmapa’s Mahamudra Prayer that reminded everyone of the ultimate basis of mind that is spacious, open, and joyous. Khenpo Rinpoche also embodied these qualities—his kindness opened people’s hearts and his mind rested in mahamudra.

After the cremation, the purkhang was sealed for a week. During this time, Tulku Damcho Rinpoche led the disciples in a practice of the peaceful and wrathful deities (Shitro) in the Karme Ling shrine hall. This extensive puja envisions the 42 peaceful and 58 fierce deities that appear in the bardo; images depicting four pairs of a peaceful and fierce deity were placed in the four directions around the top of the mandala in the shrine room. It was suggested that disciples imagine its central figure of Kuntuzangpo as inseparable from Khenpo Rinpoche. Actually, it is taught that there is no buddha separate from the lama; and when the sun of our devotion shines on the snow mountain of the lama, the snow melts into a stream of their blessings.

The Dorje Lopon remarked that this is a special and profound time to accumulate merit and wisdom. When we are visualizing Kuntuzangpo sitting on a 100 petaled lotus and surrounded by all the 100 deities, as well as the buddhas, and bodhisattvas, extensive offerings and praise are given to them. We also request that they assist beings in the bardo. When the Dorje Lopon was asked why the practice was being done for Khenpo Karthar, who had realization, the Lopon replied that the practice was to augment Rinpoche’s compassionate activity of liberating beings in the bardo and in all six realms. This is why when reciting his long life prayer, instead of saying, “May he live long,” we now say, “May his wishes be fulfilled.” Of the three types of generosity, this offering of practice is the best.

October 27,which marked the beginning of the third week after Rinpoche’s passing, coincided with the 29th day in the Tibetan calendar, especially dedicated to the protectors and one of the days when

extensive pujas are done in the monasteries. After completing a part of this morning’s practice of the Shitro, the lamas and disciples walked up to the purkhang. Its four sides had been enclosed with curtains so that the space around it was private. Making prayers and reciting mantras in the rain, disciples circumambulated it while Tulku Damcho Rinpoche, the Dorje Lopon, the retreat masters, and a select group of lamas entered the secluded area. Visualizing themselves as Akshobhya, they began to open the portals on the four sides of the stupa and remove the ashes left from the cremation fire.

Previously the Dorje Lopon had remarked that people had a lot of hopes that there would be relics and fears that there would be none. But actually relics are not so important, he said. High lamas can pass away without leaving relics and average lamas can leave relics. What is important is that Khenpo Rinpoche was extremely kind and humble; he maintained perfect discipline and fully carried out the wishes of the 16th Karmapa.

In the afternoon, the Dorje Lopon addressed the practitioners in the shrine hall, saying, “Since those of you who were circumambulating the purkhang and making prayers this morning are probably wondering what was happening inside, I’ll talk about it briefly.” He explained that there are different types of relics (ring sel, sacred substances that are found in the ashes of Dharma masters who have reached a certain level of realization), including dharmakaya relics, relics from the kudung of a master, and so forth. Today, he said, we are talking about kudung ringsel, which can take different forms, such as shining seeds or sharil (bones and flesh that have been burnt together). The remaining bones are also considered relics. When they were looking through the ashes, the group did not find the seed shapes. Sometimes, afflictions obscure our minds, the Dorje Lopon explained, and then we are not able to see them. There are various ways that relics appear or not depending on our faith, devotion, and samaya. For example, we all have wisdom deities within, but cannot see them due to our obscurations. This is also true for what are known as subtle wisdom relics.

The Lopon then related the famous story of Asanga, who had spent twelve years in retreat, engaged in the practice of Maitreya but had no results. In disappointment, Asanga left retreat, and as he walked along, he came upon a female dog with infected wounds and covered by maggots. Overwhelmed by compassion, he was moved to help her but he realized that if he took off the maggots with his hand, he could kill them, so he closed his eyes and reached out with his tongue. Suddenly it was touching the ground. Then Asanga looked up and saw Maitreya in front of him. “Where have you been all these years?” Asanga lamented. Maitreya replied that they had never been separate but due to his obscurations, Asanga could not see him.

Explaining that it was not possible to fit everyone in the small area around the purkhang, which was cramped already, the Dorje Lopon apologized to all those who were outside. He felt that the ones circumambulating the purkhang actually accumulated more merit than those inside because without complaining, they endured all the hardship of the wind and rain. This eliminated a lot of negative karma, so that now we can see these special relics.

The Dorje Lopon described the three relics that had been placed on the shrine in glass globes. The first is a triangle of bone from Rinpoche’s skull. The other day when they removed his skull, the Lopon explained, they could not find this part. In general, a triangle symbolizes awakened activity, and it is said that Khenpo Rinpoche is one who carried out the activity of the Karmapa. What is especially wondrous about this bone is that it carries part of Rinpoche’s hair that did not burn completely.

Next to the triangular bone is a sharil, flesh and bone that did not burn in the searing heat of the fire. And finally there is a black, self-arisen image of Machik Tröma Nakmo, a fierce female deity associated with Chö practice. These three relics were brought out to benefit and inspire Rinpoche’s students and others. The Lopon dedicated the virtuous action of this teaching to all living beings and to Rinpoche students so that they might accomplish auspiciousness, and he counseled the students to dedicate their merit to accomplishing their wishes and Dharma activities.

Concluding his talk, the Lopon mentioned that they did not collect all the ashes and bones but had left some fine ashes in the purkhang for students to take home. “These are special relics of the kudung,” he said, “and it’s important to put them in a clear, crystal glass container and mix them with tsampaka flowers and dried saffron. Place the relics on your shrine and make offerings. It’s possible that your devotion will create special relics.” Then he invited each person to come forward, and taking their time, to make a connection and pay their respects to Rinpoche’s relics.

It is also taught that relics are the result of the master’s kindness, as it states in the praises to the Buddha: after his passing, they provided a way for living beings to accumulate merit. In his great compassion, Rinpoche left us these supports for our practice as well as his blessings and decades of teachings for us to practice and move along the path to full awakening.

Photo essay of the Cremation by Stephanie Colvey