Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Lord Guru's Legacy: Our Fate


August 14, 2012.

A seed of unshakeable faith and honed sense of gratitude sown in this strained heart after reading Guru’s Kadhu, the concise life-story related with his sublime past, present and future projected reincarnations for the wellbeing of Buddha Dharma and, here, as supplicated by Mutri Tsenpo, the son of Trisong Dhetsen, related with the fate of Tibet’s future and Tibetan Buddhism. Lord Mutri’s dire concern for the same that motivated him into convening such gathering for the heavy responsibility incumbent upon him after his late father, Lord Trisong Dhetsen, the great-grandson of Lord Songtsen Gampo (two of Tibet’s three religious kings). And his supplication for Guru Rinpoche, the spiritual mentor of Lord Trisong Dhetsen who invited Lord Guru to sow the seed of Buddha Dharma in Tibet, to teach or preach the same for the upcoming Tibet’s fresh generations.

After relating his great roles for safeguarding Buddha Dharma through many manifestations like Yopak Me (Buddha of eternal light), Chenresig (Buddha of compassion) and Pema Jungne himself (Lotus-born Buddha) are not of different dispositions but the same one, those ups and downs of his teachings, the concluding part relating down of his teachings in Tibet drew the young Lord Mutri into tears. But he prophesied the dawn of Buddha Dharma and his teachings by his reincarnation Sapen Kunga Gyaltsen and later Jowoje Atisha’s reincarnation Je Tsongkhapa Lobsang Dakpa.

When the young king supplicated for the fate of his dynasty, Lord Guru prophesied the dynasty was to disappear from Toe, the upper parts of U-Tsang, like a breathed vapor on a mirror and Tibet’s kings would be turn-wise later on. Then the coming of Chinese invasion and later dawning of slight sunlight of harmony and happiness in Tibet. In essence, the lord specified the fate of Tibetans who later would blame for ill-fated time by ignoring their own ill-deeds from which such unpleasant consequences stemmed. He added it isn’t change of time but of individuals. How poor and ill-fated we are for the Lord precisely prophesied how we Tibetans would be that ungrateful for all the sublime goodness he had done over times in history. Yet he guaranteed his continued blessings ever and even during the most ill-fated time of 10 years life-span of human being. He compassionately recommended to pray wholeheartedly for him for the same. So, how can one, especially a Tibetan, with human-heart ignore such calling words of the ever graceful Lord Pedmasambava, the lotus-born Buddha.

And it draws me into tears by realizing my own sense of oblivion or apathy.

I happen to enter my next door home, sit at the end of his bed, take the religious booklet (printed in Tibet by Xining Public Press, ISBN: 7-5420-0633-9) on the cluttered table and find the Kadhu at the end of the table of contents. I spot it that draws me to read it but rather skimming first. As I go through and deeper, I can’t put it down until to the end when I can feel how absorbed I have been with eyes full of tears.

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Beware of your paper: For leisure


A team of house leaders of the monastic residential units were inspecting the monks’ quarters to fine any monks not attending the monastic day long special debate session held for the outgoing graduates of the year. When they entered the hostel, second hostel, housing students form Russia and Mongolia, an elderly leader of the team happened to witness or have a reading sense a monk hiding in a room with the door bolted inside. He pushed it and knocked hard on it. No response.

He walked all around the hostel to reach the back opened windows of the room. He peeped inside through the narrow gap left by not fully veiled curtain and shouted at the figure on the bed, “Open the door. Why didn’t you attend the session? Have you got a permission slip?” No response but in a meditative posture holding a rosary in his right hand and moving his lips as saying or reciting mantra in mute mode. He was sitting cross-legged on the bed with eyes closed like in a deep concentration and his head raised straight forward.

“Well, we will go and call the monastic disciplinarian here”, he threatened.

The figure moved when hearing it that jolted him to unbolt the door reluctantly. As the leader asked his name, admission number and house section, he just prowled about the room in circling movement and mumbling in a low thick voice, “My name, my name….is…..is…..ummmm…”

“If you don’t tell the truth, we are going to call the disciplinarian here”.

“My name is….is…….Sopa…”

The leader noted it down on a piece of paper and left the spot.

When they were leaving the hostel after inspecting the first floor, the monk hastily approached the leader with a permission slip written with pencil but with the disciplinarian’s stamp on it. “I have got permission slip here”, he handed it with a deep sleepy look in his eyes.

The leader peered at the old worn piece of paper for a bit while and looked up to the monk’s face with a suspicious look. “It seems to be not of today as it is worn one. Any how, we will take it to the disciplinarian”.

The monk immediately pleaded with him after hearing it. “No, no, please don’t take it to the disciplinarian”.

The monk was revealed and they all had a hearty laugh.