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On April 29, 2026, coinciding with the celebration of the three wondrous events in the life of our compassionate Teacher, the Buddha—his birth, his enlightenment, and his parinirvana — the first graduation ceremony of the traditional Buddhist studies curriculum at the Palpung Yeshe Rabgye Ling Nunnery was held at the Palpung Sherabling Monastic Seat in India.
In the morning, the monastic seat's tulkus, khenpos, lamas, monks, and nuns gathered in the great assembly courtyard to offer extensive prayers in commemoration of the Buddha's kindness, through the ritual of the Seven Successive Buddhas of the Present Kalpa.
In the afternoon, Guru Vajradhara His Holiness Chamgon Kenting Tai Situpa, escorted by monks carrying incense, ascended his throne. Representatives of the nunnery then offered him a mandala along with the three sacred representations, followed by the serving of traditional ceremonial tea and sweet rice to all those gathered. The Head Khenpo presented an introduction to the nunnery, after which the graduating nuns delivered a discourse on the Five Auspicious Circumstances, a discussion on "The Sublime Continuum," a teaching on "The Ornament of Realization," and a debate on the tenets of the Svatantrika and Prasangika schools of Madhyamaka philosophy.
Guru Vajradhara then bestowed graduation certificates to those who had completed their studies and formally assumed their responsibilities as newly appointed scripture teachers. He also offered guidance and advice beneficial for both this life and future lives, emphasizing the importance of cultivating devotion and pure perception toward all traditions of the Buddha's teachings; the necessity of upholding one's vows and samayas through uninterrupted study, contemplation, and meditation in the fields of sutra, tantra, and Buddhist sciences; and his own earnest efforts to restore the Gelongma (Bhikshuni) ordination, in order to preserve the complete and authentic teachings of the Buddha, for which the fourfold assembly is indispensable.
Finally, the first graduation ceremony of the nunnery's academic program was brought to an auspicious conclusion, as all the graduates offered a long-life prayer ceremony to Guru Vajradhara, expressing their aspiration for his longevity.
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