The Great Sakya Monlam or prayers for world peace is yet another unprecedented exhibition of His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche's commitment and dedication to the Buddha and Dharma and compassion to all sentient beings.

In 1993, the first Sakya Monlam Festival for world peace began in Lumbini. For the first time in history, a large congregation of thousands of Sakya monks, Khenpos and Rinpoches assembled together headed by His Holiness Sakya Trizin and under the auspices of His Eminence Choyge Trichen Rinpoche. Since the first sakya monlam was a great success and it has continued to be held every winter of the year, starting from the Parinirvana day of the Great Dharma Lord Choegyal Phagpa. During the ten day festival the chanting of one hundred thousand Samantabadhra prayers along with Manjushirinamasangita prayers is accomplished.

The noble aims of the Sakya Monlam Prayers Festival include peace and stability in the region, timely and suitable rainfall for excellent harvest, spontaneous emergence of inspiration in the mind of general public to embark on the path of Dharma and international world peace.

Every year, despite the distance and traveling time, the heads, khepos, tulkus and other lamas of each Sakya sub-sect attend this annual auspices affair. This year, the Great Sakya Monlam Festival was held on 24 February 2003 in Tashi Rabten Ling Monastery in Lumbini and lasted for ten days. His Holiness Sakya Trizin, His Eminence Chogye Trichen, His Eminence Luding Khen Rinpoche along with Sakyapa Khenpos, Tulks and over 2500 monks will be participating in this festival. Lay devotees from all over the world will also be attending this festival.

The ongoing construction of the new monastery in Lumbini is one of the numerous secular activities undertaken by His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche at present. This is another inspiring and admirable undertaking taken by His Eminence.

The new construction comprises of the main shrine and hall, special accommodations for His Holiness Sakya Trizin and His Eminences, accommodations for monks and guests and classrooms. Main Shrine will have a fifteen feet tall Sakyamuni Buddha statue and the main hall is designed to host a large congregation of the Sakya monks during the Great Sakya Monlam Festival. The classrooms are built for the growing number of monks and for their study of higher ecclesiastical education. The guesthouse is equipped with modern facility to serve lay practitioners who visit the monastery. The construction of the guesthouse is now in its completion stage. The inauguration of the monastery is likely to be held in early 2004.

This year, His Eminence Choyge Trichen Rinpoche and his entourage will be in Lumbini in January to attend the Great Sakya Monlam festival as well as for the installation of the magnificent Buddha statue in the main Shrine of the new monastery. His Eminence will be performing the consecration ritual of the Buddha statue according to appropriate tradition of mantra installation Sutra. It is likely that His Eminence will remain in Lumbini for a while and return to Kathmandu to celebrate the Tibetan New Year.