His Holiness Sakya Trizin honour's Lama Choedak Rinpoche's 25 years of Dharma work in Australia

TO WHOM MAY CONCERN

It brings me great pleasure to hear of the celebration of the 25 Years of Lama Choedak-la's Dharma activities in Australia.
Lama Choedak-la has been a bona-fide Sakyapa Tibetan Buddhist monk, ordained and raised by Kyabje Chogye Trichen Rinpoche. After nine years of monastic education in Tashi Rabten Ling monastery in Lumbini, he completed a three and a half year Lamdre Lobshe Drub-dra in 1980, which was sponsored by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Subsequently, he has worked as a translator for many teachers from all four traditions of Tibetan Buddhism.

Later, in 1989, after he disrobed and became a lay teacher, he undertook academic pursuits and graduated from the Australian National University in 1990. He has been mainly active in promoting Buddhism, and has founded many centres including Sakya Losal Choe Dzong, Rongton Buddhist College, Virupa Retreat Centre, and SIBA Retreat Centre in East Gippsland. He invited Kyabje Chogye Trichen Rinpoche to visit Australia three times in 1996, 2001 and 2006 respectively, and had all the centres consecrated and inaugurated. Delighted by his work in Australia and in recognition of his valid contribution to the spread of Dharma in Australia, Kyabje Chogye Trichen Rinpoche bestowed upon him the title of "Tsarpa Lochen Lama Choedak". Kyabje Rinpoche fondly called him my `heart son" and even composed a one-verse long-life prayer for him, at the repeated request of Australian students.

Since the passing away of Kyabje Chogye Trichen Rinpoche, he has travelled to Tibet and has initiated the rebuilding of Phenpo Nalendra monastery and of five other Sakya monasteries and nunneries in Phenpo Valley. In the past three years, the Nalendra Rebuilding Project has met Its annual pledge to contribute to the education of 25 Shedra monks and to support the maintenance of five traditional drubcho. He has also assisted Zimwock Tulku, now resident teacher at the Jamchen Buddhist Centre in Melbourne, to resume his traditional role as the previous Zimwock Rinpoche's incarnation.

I rejoice in all the work achieved by Lama Choedak-la over the past 25 years, and would like to urge all sister centres, committee members, members, students and supporters to continue to assist him in his Dharma activities. As an endorsement of Lama Choedak-la's Dharma activities in Australia during the past 25 years, I send my warm greetings, and my prayers that he may continue for many more years fulfilling the wishes of our Gurus, and especially Kyabje Chogye Trichen Rinpoche.

Yours in the Dharma,

Sakya Trizin

27th November 2010