LONGEVITY BLESSINGS AT TSELUNG NYE

Tselung Nye – the place of Longevity Blessings – is considered a sacred place of longevity blessed by Padmasambhava and other highly regarded masters. The site is serenely nestled between mountains and surrounded by mixed coniferous forest, with a small stream following nearby.

The picturesque valleys along the hike trail

While the site is connected with motorable road, we had to hike from Gidakom hospital since the road was undergoing some major maintenance. We can either hike along the road or choose to hike the ancient trail. The nearby villagers often use the trail and it follows a small stream. Various stupas, village houses designed in ancient Bhutanese architecture, the pleasing austerity of the surroundings make the hike exceptionally pleasant.

Just a few meters from the parking lot, you will come across a spring water – believed to be blessed to give long life by the thousand dakinis. Further up, an imprint of the skull of the celestial beings is located on a rock below the main temple.

The main temple at Tselung Nye

The main temple is located on a small flat ground, draped beautifully by colorful prayer flags and prayer wheels. Although the main temple was built around 1802 by the 32nd Chief Abbot of Bhutan, Tsheltrim Gyaltshen, various masters and noble families had contributed relics in later years.

The statue of Padmasambhava – considered the main statue and relic – was built by the first Haphu Trulku. It is said that he have an imprint of the letter “Om” on his thumb, thus making every statue he built precious. Paro Penlop Tshering Penjor offered the statue of Avalokitesvara in his eleven-headed form (Ekadasamukha). The temple houses various statues of both peaceful and wrathful deities.

There is also a small stone seat believed to be the resting place of His Holiness Tsheltrim Gyaltshen outside the temple. Few meters below the temple, the actual hermitage site of Padmasambhava is located. A small house that can accommodate two people at a time has been built to house the relic. You can sit and say your prayers inside it.

The holy spring believed to give blessings of longevity

The imprints of resting place, bathtubs, riding horse, crown and footprints of Padmasambhava and his consorts were located in the nearby surroundings of the temple. The skull of Lhacham Pemasal, daughter of King Trisong Duetsen, filled with holy water of longevity blessing stands adjacent to a holy lake. The meditation cave and the holy spring water of Khandro Namkha Dolma, consort of the Divine Madman, are located few meters from the temple.

The site has been visited and blessed by various masters like Terton Drukdra Dorji, Je Kuenga Peljor, Ngawang Choegyel, Peling Thuksay Dawa Gyaltshen, and others.