An Interview with H.E. Dagmo Kusho Sakya

By Lori Coupez

I had the great blessing to interview H.E. Dagmo Kusho Sakya one typical rainy Seattle afternoon. She was ill that day but nonetheless she did not cancel the interview. This is a very important matter to her and her enthusiasm overcame her illness.

This mission to establish an authentic, pure Sakya Monastery is very precious to her. She says that her wish to see this come to fruition is fueled and motivated by her wish to help her husband, H. H. Jigdal Dagchen Sakya’s vision for this project.

One of the first points she made was that she was grateful to all the volunteers, patrons and supporters that are helping to make this happen because they are so willing to help and seem to also understand why this is so important. Any connection with this project will bring much merit. For as long as the center is cultivating and sharing dharma, the merit for both volunteers and supporters will shower, even into future lifetimes, for as long as the center is in existence. It is to be a center of spiritual practice as well as cultural preservation.

In its expanded vision it will be a place for healing with a medical center, a home for the elderly, a learning center as well as a place where the precious authentic traditions are preserved.

Dagmola, as she is affectionately referred to by her students, talked about the visions and dreams of H. H. Jigdal Dagchen Sakya for a center that is for the preservation of the Sakya Lineage. There are many centers in the U.S. and elsewhere, but the countries that they reside in influence these teachings and practices, and none keep the pure Sakya teachings and traditions of a monastery alive. These other centers are excellent resources for learning and practicing in the respective countries and also very, very beneficial, just not pure in the traditional sense. She stressed that this is not an adventure for promoting his name or for fame, but to preserve. Both she and His Holiness are older now, in their 80’s, well established in the U.S.A., and so this is for the future generations of the Sakya Lineage as well as for those for whom it will benefit.

The Sakya Lineage is a pure line from father to son for many, many generations, over 1,000 years, and the lineage is not of just pure human being but is of a divine lineage that blended with human, Dagmola explained. There is at least one grandchild receiving the teachings and shows great skill already. He is H.E. Dhungsey Avikrita Vajra Rinpoche.

The vision for the monastery would be to be pure at its core. Preservation for future generations the authentic Sakya Lineage and all of its teachings and practices is the goal and vision. However, His Holiness is also a firm believer in the Rime tradition and would also like to promote having other Rime lamas come to teach, like His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

There are no such pure Sakya Monasterys outside of Tibet. Inside Tibet the Sakya lineage seems to be doing well, seemingly protected, as Dagmola says. There are many auspicious signs that the land selected is also going to be protected. When they escaped from Tibet, they traveled through Bhutan to escape and traveled on the road and even stayed in a house in the city where the center is currently located. Bhutan is especially significant for many reasons and is relatively close by. There are many supporters and devoted people in Bhutan and Dagmola shares an especially significant connection with the Great Grand Queen Mother, as well as other Queens. HHJD, Dagmola and the Queen all share a common guru, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. The Queen Mother is a great and compassionate practitioner and says that this project is good to do. When the final selection of the land was in process, His Holiness did a divination and was quite favorable also. During the final selection of the land, two famous Feng Shui masters also looked at the land, the surrounding mountains, streams, etc. and declared this a very, very favorable land indeed, according to Dagmola, who was present at the time, along with HH Jigdal Dagchen Sakya Rinpoche.

Dagmola says that currently the area has no Sakya centers or monastery. The surrounding area does have some Kagyu centers and they have expressed extreme support in having more Buddhist centers in the area and have offered support and encouragement.

There are currently 43 monks and 7 teachers in residence. The young monks are mostly orphans, abandoned children, from poor families or devout families who want their sons to become monks. Some came from Jaigon. They live in the center, and the center needs improvements in even the basics like upgrading the plumbing, etc.

Dagmola herself has met with lawyers, local people, etc. to help keep the center evolving. This is not an easy undertaking, as she and the volunteers are finding. So much red tape and required permissions, legalities, etc.