Medicine Buddha Festival, Serpom Monastery

Our annual retreat at Bylakuppe coincided with the monthlong Medicine Buddha Festival held at Serpom Thoesam Norling Monastery, and we had the rare fortune of attending the special prayers performed by hundreds of monks for the healing and well-being of all.

Geshe Lama Sonam and Geshe Lobsang Thupten took us around the main gompa of the monastery — resplendent with golden statues of Buddha Shakyamuni, Je Tsongkhapa and Medicine Buddha — as the monks made preparations for the festival.

We also visited the Serpom Thoesam Norling School, run by the monastery, which offers free boarding and schooling to around 250 children under the age of 15.