Drikung Kagyu Monlam Retreat at Borobudur, Indonesia

July 12 – July 19, 2026

Akhamani was allowed to invite its members to participate in the 2nd Drikung Kagyu Monlam held at the Great Mandala of Borobudur in Indonesia from July 12 to July 19, 2026.

Six of us—Crizalia, Gérard, Jonas, Leobardo, Tamara, and Felix— participated in this journey through the AKHAMANI association.

In gratitude to Leobardo, for being an ambassador, he was invited and sponsored by Akhamani to assist his practice as a participant during Monlam.

We thank Venerable Khenpo Tsultrim Tenzin Rinpoche—Akhamani’s ambassador and the root lama of most of Akhamani’s members—for his warm welcome and the time that he shared with us during Monlam.

Akhamani is also grateful to Elen and the team at the Drikung Atisha Center of Indonesia for welcoming us and for organizing this experience.

From July 13th – July 18th, Akhamani provided daily tea and snack offerings to all monastics and participants. The journey culminated on July 18th. On this day, Akhamani sponsored several rice mandalas, cake, and gave dana to all monastics. The participating Akhamani members were made part of the mandala offering on this day thanks to the profound relationship and long-term collaboration that exists between Akhamani and Venerable Khenpo Tsultrim Tenzin Rinpoche, and the Dana that Akhamani made on this day. We thank Akhamani for inviting us to be part of this mandala offering.

Before the start of the event, Akhamani organized an exclusive arrival for its members to visit the sites of Sewu, Mendut, and Pawon temples. These visits followed the sacred order of the ancestral path leading to Borobudur, where the main days of the ceremony and Dharma teachings were held. We thank Elen for assisting our transport on site and for helping us with the Borobudur sunsire meditation.

Borobudur is situated in the geographical heart of Java, fifteen miles from Yogyakarta, on a plateau formed by the caldera of an ancient volcano, encircled by the Menoreh mountains. It is the largest Buddhist temple in the world and one of the most significant sites for Buddhist pilgrimages. Borobudur is an architectural marvel, deeply intertwined with the spiritual beliefs, cultural identity, and ancestral reverence of the Javanese people. For centuries, it has served as a bridge between the living and the ancestors, embodying the Buddhist and indigenous Javanese understanding of lineage, memory, and transcendence.

Following the first official day, dedicated to visiting important sites in the region where specific prayers and offerings were made, we embarked on a week of meditation and Dharma practices. These included collective recitations of prayers, chanting of mantras, while receiving the blessings of Drikung Kagyu dedications and empowerments. These practices were led by the Venerable Khenpo Tsultrim Tenzin Rinpoche, along with three other venerable Rinpoches, 15 monks, and 2 nuns.

In the Drikung Kagyu lineage, the Monlam practice holds deep ancestral significance as a pivotal event for collective aspiration, purification, and the flourishing of the Dharma. Rooted in the Mahayana Buddhist tradition, Monlam—particularly the Great Prayer Festival (Monlam Chenmo)—was historically established by Jetsun Dampa, the 4th Karmapa (1340–1383) and later formalized by Tsongkhapa in the Gelug tradition. However, the Drikung Kagyu lineage, with its own unique heritage, integrates Monlam as a vital practice tied to the lineage’s founding vision and the teachings of Kyobpa Jikten Sumgön (1143–1217), the Drikungpa.

During the retreat, the Monlam officially began with the gathering of monastics and lay practitioners to recite the great aspiration prayers together. Through these prayers vast merit generated during the preceding two days of Kunrik puja was directed toward the enlightenment of all beings, the flourishing of the Buddha Dharma, and harmony in the world.

We then continued with extended aspiration prayers, offerings and dedications. Special prayers were made for world peace, natural harmony, the long life of great masters and the well-being of sponsors and participants. Practicing Monlam at Borobudur, a sacred site of great spiritual power, enhances strength and fruition of these aspirations.

This marked the end of an unforgettable experience.

In dedication to the balanced collaboration and unifying interaction of our shared humanity—may this benefit all sentient beings.

Dons

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