His Eminence Choden Rinpoche

Offerings are arranged in front of the holy body of Kyabje Choden Rinpoche as it remains in Choden Labrang while countless monks and devotees offer prayers.

Kyabje Choden Rinpoche's holy body is processed from Choden Labrang to Lhopa Khangtsen, where it will be offered to the fire. Hundreds of monks line the road to make a final offering to the holy body before the ceremony.

Disciples carry the holy body on a palanquin as hundreds of lamas, geshes and other monks gather to participate in the fire puja offering Choden Rinpoche's holy body to the flame.

Disciples carry the holy body on a palanquin as hundreds of lamas, geshes and other monks gather to participate in the fire puja offering Choden Rinpoche's holy body to the flame.

Kyabje Choden Rinpoche's holy body is lowered into the stupa that will serve as a cremation pyre.

After the holy body is lowered into the stupa, the top of the stupa is quickly built using a wire frame, mud, bricks, and cement. A state of Shakyamuni Buddha sits atop a pure water container just next to the holy cremation stupa. Seed relics, or pearl-like relics, will magically form within this water, completely independent from the holy body and sealed from any outside interference. However as the environment was not pure the four seed relics that did form later disappeared.

Jangtse Choeje Rinpoche leads the monks in the fire puja during which Choden Rinpoche's holy body is offered to the fire.

As the flames are introduced to the wood which is the primary fuel, all of the various offerings are made during the puja. As the puja comes to a close the four doors where fuel was fed to the flames are sealed closed.

A ritual attendant is enrobed in the smoke that emerges from the cremation stupa after offerings have been made.

The fuel, coarse offerings, and the holy offering of Choden Rinpoche's holy body continue to feed the flames as the puja ritual concludes.

A table of butter lamps are continually offered at Choden Labrang during the days after Choden Rinpoche showed the aspect of passing away.

Hundreds of monks from all of the great monasteries gather at Choden Labrang to recite prayers and other sacred texts every night, all night, the week after Choden Rinpoche showed the aspect of passing away.

Four days after the conclusion of the fire puja offering Choden Rinpoche's holy body to the flames the cremation stupa is opened so the devotees can check for relics or other remains.

The cremation stupa is only used one time, and it is literally taken apart as disciples prepare to search the remains.

This bowl was placed, empty, under the throne of Choden Rinpoche's holy body when it was lowered into the cremation stupa. The lower photo clearly shows what appears to be an image of a Vajra and also a footstep appearing in the ashes under the bowl.

Some of the remains of Choden Rinpoche's holy body which take the coarse form of bones and ash are collected into a vase.

The vase containing the coarse remains of Choden Rinpoche's holy body sits on his throne in Choden Labrang.