News from Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery, Boudhanath, Nepal

On Tuesday 31st March, 1998, our cherished Umdze (Chant Leader), Lama Putse, died suddenly of a chronic respiratory ailment. Despite poor health, Lama Putse remained active and was an extremely valuable member of our monastery. Apart from his formal distinction as senior chant-leader during pujas, Lama Putse was expert in all aspects of ritual and was uniquely qualified to proofread and correct the most profound Buddhist scriptural texts and treatises.
To our amazement, Lama Putse remained for 11 days in the after-death meditative state of ‘tuk-dam’. During that time, there were none of the usual signs of the decay after death. His body remained fresh and completely odor-free, the flesh soft and supple with no sign of rigor mortis. His face was composed and life-like.
On the evening of 8th April, at our request, Dr. David R. Shlim, respected chief physician of CIWEC Clinic, came to the monastery to view Lama Putse. Dr. Shlim was astonished at the extraordinary condition of the body and remarked that he could think of no explanation, from either a medical or scientific standpoint, for such an occurrence. On 9th April, Dr. Prativa Pandey, also a senior physician of CIWEC Clinic, examined the body declaring that, after death, Lama Putse appeared to be demonstrating very rare supramundane qualities that defied scientific explanation.
During the 11 days of ‘tuk-dam’, several monks remained in Lama Putse’s room to perform puja 24-hours a day. The room had a very mild pleasant fragrance and a noticeable freshness. Two times the monastery officials had to cancel tentative plans for cremation because Lama Putse was still in meditation and, thus, connected with the body.
Lama Putse concluded his ‘tuk-dam’ meditation on Saturday, 11th April. When ‘tuk-dam’ is finished, the person’s mind deliberately separates from the physical body and the body begins to decompose rapidly. Cremation took place on Wednesday morning, 15th April, 1998, and was presided over by Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche, Chokling Rinpoche, and Tsangsar Tulku.

Kathy