The cremation of the Holy Body of His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche took place on a rare day in the Kathmandu Valley - when not the slightest cloud marred the perfect clarity of the sky.

The rituals for the cremation of our great master began early in the morning, from around 4:30am.  Hundreds of monks performed the various rites in preparation for the main ritual - a Fire Puja containing simultaneous ritual offerings to Four deities, in each of the Four directions.  

The ceremonies of Hevajra, Vajrasattva, Mahavairocana and Vajrayogini were presided over by His Holiness Sakya Trizin Rinpoche, His Eminence Ratna Vajra Rinpoche, His Eminence Ludhing Khenchen Rinpoche and His Eminence Ludhing Khen Rinpoche.

As the main rite of the cremation began, the "Kudung" or Holy Body, was carried from the Lamdre Lhakhang, where it had been enshrined, to the special cremation stupa which had been constructed in the grounds of Jamchen Monastery. 

When the holy body had reached the stupa, the outer garments were removed and the body wrapped in a long white cloth.  The body was then carefully placed into the stupa. His Holiness Sakya Trizin then led the Vajra Masters in circumambulating the Kudung before beginning the elaborate fire offering ritual during which many symbolic offerings were made.  In this way the cremation ceremony was completed over the course of several hours.

Many thousands had come to receive the last blessings from the Kudung, and pay their final respects to one of the greatest masters of Tibetan Buddhism.  The experience was a mixture of emotions, sadness and also joy. Rinpoche himself had said that he was always very sad when a great master passes away, and certainly we all feel a great great loss.  However, there was also a feeling of joyous amazement and wonder, since it is a precious opportunity to witness the passing of a realised being, and many disciples have expressed this confusion of emotions.

Soon after the rituals were complete, the stupa was sealed according to the tradition. In this way, the fire is left to cool so that any relics and so on are undisturbed. During that time, many auspicious signs were seen such as rainbows encircling the sun.    During the ceremony itself, various people had reported seeing five coloured flames, while the perfect clarity of the sky remained until after the stupa was sealed.

The bone relics and ashes of His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche were carefully collected after the cremation stupa was opened on the 7th day.  These have then been prepared in accordance with tradition, performing rituals and reciting many mantras.  100,000 small clay stupas called Dung Tsa-Tsa are being made, and the relics of His Eminence Chogye Trichen Rinpoche will be enshrined in three stupas, one small silver and gold precious relic stupa, to house the most precious relics in Rinpoche's room in Jamchen Lhakhang, and the other two,  larger outdoor stupas, in the grounds of Jamchen Monastery and at another location in Nepal.