Working within the limitations of what is allowable to preserve Tibetan culture and telling the story of Tibetan history is no easy task. If there is one symbol that signifies national unity to all Tibetans it is Geysar of Ling. Looked upon as a national hero, Geysar’s battles against enemies of Tibet and Mongolia have become synonymous with the defending and spreading of the Dharma itself. He is a protector of Tibet’s Buddhist culture and is a well-know symbol of victory over ignorance through wisdom. The Blue Valley Foundation is dedicated to preserving the collected art, history and traditional stories of Geysar of Ling.
Each year thousands of ordained and lay people of all lineages come come from all over the Tibetan Regions of China and other countries celebrating
The 2008 Shambala Prayer
Festival, Golok, Tibet
The annual Shambala Ecumenical Prayer Festival for World Peace was established by Hung Kar Dorje Rinpoche in 2004. Every year, renowned Lamas from all the dharma traditions of Tibet, along with thousands of others, are invited to participate in this five-day event dedicated to the welfare of all living creatures in Tibet and on the planet. The Festival has been attended by visitors from all over China, the U.S., Vietnam, France, Australia, Japan and many other countries.
One of the important functions of the Prayer Festival, along with other, periodic gatherings during the year, is to bring together thousands or tens of thousands of people from all walks of life and all over the Golog region. Everyone participates. After the prayers are concluded, the gathering effectively becomes a town hall meeting, where Hung Kar Dorje and others can address and educate the people as a group on important matters.
After the 2008 Festival, for example, those gathered learned in great detail about the Vocational High School soon to open, and how to apply to and register for the school. They learned, too, about the importance of environmental conservation and hygiene. And they learned, as well, about how to cultivate compassion towards all living creatures, and the benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle.
In this way, the annual prayer festival becomes a hub, a meeting place and a forum for education and the implementation of the charitable programs and activities of the Qinghai Geysar Foundation of Golog.
These recent masters, and their writings, are virtually unknown to the outside world, as they were never brought out into The Tibetan Diaspora. In the first stage of this project, 18 volumes of the collected "Mind Treasures" and a biography of the recently passed Master, HH Orgyen Kusum Lingpa, have been archived electronically, and a bibliographical index has been prepared.
Under the direction of Tulku Sherab Dorje, many other writings of Orgyen Kusum Lingpa are being gathered to add to this collection. Next, the writings of other Regional "Treasure Revealer's" like Urag Terton and others will be similarly collected and preserved.
The texts to be collected include personal handwritten annotated copies of meditation instruction manuals that are extremely precious, and other rare finds which will be of great benefit to all who find value in Tibetan Culture.
