ABSTRACT
On his return journey in 1955, after a year's visit to China, the Dalai Lama wanted to travel by way of East Tibet in order to be able to meet his people there; but unfortunately he was delayed by earthquakes that had caused damage to some of the northern roads, and he was forced to change his plans for it was only possible to visit those places that could be reached by car: so he delegated three high ranking lamas to represent him elsewhere. These were his junior tutor Trijang Rinpoche, Chung Rinpoche and Gyalwa Karmapa; the latter was to take his place at Pepung Monastery. I received a letter from Gyalwa Karmapa just before the end of the Sechen term, informing me of these plans and telling me to come to Pepung where a council was to be held to decide on the arrangements to be made to receive the Dalai Lama's message: all the abbots of the Ka-gyü school were expected to attend it. After notifying Surmang I started off with Akong Tulku, my two Surmang monks and a monk from Sechen who fortunately had a mule. Both Akong and I had already sent our horses back to our monasteries and though the abbots at Sechen offered to lend us theirs as well as some tents, I thought that we should do the journey on foot, while our baggage could be carried on the mule. Travelling proved difficult, for the spring snow was very soft and heavy; there was no wind and we suffered a good deal from snow-blindness.
