Buddhist Wedding
Ngala Rig’dzin Dorje and Tsal’gyür Wangmo
Ngak’chang Rinpoche and Khandro Déchen give a wedding blessing to their disciples Ngala Rig’dzin Dorje and Tsal’gyür Wangmo in the rooftop pavilion gompa of ‘Hotel Vajra’ – near the Rangjung Chörten Kathmandu Valley, Nepal – October 1995.
The occasion was the Confederate Sanghas of Aro pilgrimage. During this pilgrimage which included visits to Maratika, Godarvari, and Yang-lé-shöd, Ngak’chang Rinpoche was reunited with Kyabjé Künzang Dorje Rinpoche and Jomo Sam’phel after fourteen years. Ngak’chang Rinpoche introduced all the Aro sangha members to his Heart Masters who bestowed long life rilbus and lineage blessings. At that time Kyabjé Künzang Dorje Rinpoche and Jomo Sam’phel lived at Tsogyel Gé’phel Jong in Yang-lé-shöd.
In Himalayan society marriage was regarded as a civic act, so there is no Buddhist wedding ceremony as such. But it is so frequently requested from Lamas in the West that some, most notably Düd’jom Rinpoche, have devised their own ceremonies for empowering this rite of passage. Ngak’chang Rinpoche & Khandro Déchen use symbolic procedures from the Aro gTér and Düd’jom gTér. A poetic oration—forming part of the ceremony—is taken from ‘Entering the Heart of the Sun and Moon’ Ngak’chang Rinpoche and Khandro Déchen’s commentary of the Khandro Pawo Nyi-da Mélong Gyüd (mKha’ ’gro dPa bo nyi zLa me long rGyud) of Khyungchen Aro Lingma.
The couple—working together—make a three yard cord plaited in the five colours. The ends of the cord are tied to the dorje and drilbu of the male and female Lamas respectively. The cord surrounds the couple as they sit in front of the Lamas – looping three times around their outside arms, and ‘fastening’ them to each other (lan bu ’ching ba). The Lamas then chant (’don cha) the lineage invocations (rGyud phrin bCol), mantra (sNgags ’debs), and yogic song (dByangs), to authenticate the couple’s practice (sGrub ngag yang dag) of conjoining their elemental karmas (’byung po las).
The following year, Tsal’gyür Wangmo gave birth to their son Henry. The Aro Tradition wedding blessing has a well-evidenced history of facilitating conception. Ngala Rig’dzin Dorje has found this when he has given it in his own sangha ’ and says, somewhat humorously: I feel obliged to make sure the couple are aware of this in advance.