Monks Bless Mon

8 Tibetans pray for the river

Morgantown Dominion Post
10 July 2013
By Tom Terrarosa

Eight Tibetan Buddhist monks blessed the Monongahela River at Twin Spruce Marina on Tuesday.

Peggy Pings, owner of Twin Spruce Marina, off Smithtown Road, said she is learning about the Tibetan Buddhist culture, and she is honored to receive the monks’ blessing.

The monks are from the Drepung Gomang Monastic University in southern India. They are in Morgantown for three days to teach the Tibetan Buddhist philosophy and raise money for their monestary.

Tonya Madia, of Bliss-Bliss-Bliss Yoga Studio, helped coordinate their trip to Morgantown. She said they will be at the yoga studio today for a one-hour children’s coloring workshop and other teachings.

Geshe Lharampa Lobsang leads the group and spoke to the people gathered at the marina about what the “puja,” or offering, means.

He explained the monks would pray to their Buddhas and deities, as well as all other deities, to protect the river and marina from negative obstacles such as natural disasters, and promote peace, happiness and compassion for everyone.

The monks chanted in unison for about 30 minutes and used drums and horns in their prayer ceremony for the river.

“A lot of people have bad feelings about this river. They’re afraid of it,” Pings said. “It’s our life blood. We get our drinking water out of this river. This river needs to be blessed.”