01

His Eminence Khöndung Asanga Vajra Rinpoche and entourage touched down on Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam on December 31st, 2018 arriving to a warm reception led by his father H.E. Khöndung Ani Vajra Rinpoche, his two sisters and mother along with Vietnamese Buddhist sangha and Tibetan Buddhist sangha.

That same evening, H.E. Asanga Vajra Rinpoche and all the invited guests rang in the New Year 2019 at a lavish dinner graciously hosted by Madame Hong Dang and her family at her restaurant Hum Vegetarian Restaurant and Garden.

02

January 1st was a day reserved for sightseeing. H.E. Khöndung Asanga Vajra Rinpoche and entourage visited the famous sights of Ho Chi Minh City including the Notre Dame Cathedral, Central Post Office, the History Museum and the War Remnants Museum. These famous sights of Ho Chi Minh City filled everyone with awe at the country’s resilience, the bravery of the people, the sufferings they endured and their eventual rise from the ashes like the mythical phoenix. Despite all the challenges they faced, the people of Vietnam have ready smiles on their faces and welcome everyone with gracious hospitality. There is much to be learned from and admired about the Vietnamese people.

03

On January 2nd, H.E. Asanga Vajra Rinpoche and his entourage of family and attendants drove for an hour and half away from the bustle of the city to the quietness and tranquility of Long Tho Cremation Park, the site of the newly constructed Sakya Vietnam temple and the Parinirvana stupa of His Holiness Dagchen Dorjechang Rinpoche. At the gates of the temple, Rinpoche was warmly greeted in traditional style by Venerable Khenpo Jampa Rinpoche of Sakya Monastery, Seattle, Venerable Khenpo Ngawang Gyatso Rinpoche of Rimbick College, India and Venerable Geshe Kalsang Damdul, the former Director of the Buddhist Dialectics School in India along with Master Tho Luu and the monks from Guru Sakya Monastery, Darjeeling.

Following the ribbon cutting ceremony, the elaborate Instatement Ceremony of installing H.E. Khöndung Asanga Vajra Rinpoche as the Head Lama of Sakya Vietnam commenced with auspicious and traditional offerings of long life mandala by Venerable Khenpo Jampa Rinpoche, Seven Auspicious Elements offering by Venerable Geshe Kalsang Damdul and the Eight Auspicious Symbols offering by Venerable Khenpo Ngawang Gyatso Rinpoche. In the afternoon, H.E Khöndung Asanga Vajra Rinpoche bestowed the combined Chenrezig (Avalokiteshwara) and Mahamudra initiation to the congregation.