From Yout' to Old Age

Whatever you might say about the career of Chinggis Khan, it’s a fact that there was a place in his capital at Kharkhorin for religions of many stripes: Buddhist, Christian, Taoist, Muslim, Zoroastrian, Shaman, you name it. In this year when Mongolia is celebrating its 800th anniversary of statehood, this week in particular seems to reflect this ecumenical spirit. At the same time as the Dalai Lama’s visit, large crowds are also gathering for satsang with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (pictured here on a banner in front of Ulaanbaatar’s Wrestling Palace)…

…and the possibility that The blind will see! The deaf will hear! The lame will walk! (it says it on the poster so it must be true) or in the case of a credulous Buddhist friend of mine a nasty toothache might disappear, when evangelical faith healer Peter Youngren mounts his Rilly Big Shew:

It says something about Mongolians’ spiritual hunger that the events organized for these three are packing out all of Ulaanbaatar’s largest venues. It would have been something to see if all three could have been brought together for a debate like the days of old – whoever wins, that’s the spiritual path for the land. The others have to pack up and split or join the party. But those days are long behind us, I suppose.

This morning, several thousand gathered at the Wrestling Palace for the Dalai Lama’s address to the youth (or, as we use to say in New Jersey, da yout’s) of Mongolia. I didn’t make it (at 40, I ain’t exactly a yout’ no more), but Luke, who is a yout’, tells me that the energy was very high. His Holiness stayed well past the allotted time, fielding questions from the crowd for 90 minutes after his initial talk. Luke told me that at one point His Holiness was very direct in expressing his dislike for aggressive evangelical or proselytizing activity of any kind, especially when it disrupts well-established cultures. Further, he said he felt Mongolia was in essence a Buddhist nation, and had such a long history as such because the Buddhist path best suited the Mongolian people. What can I say to that except amen? This sentiment apparently drew enthusiastic applause. I hope someone writes more about it, or points me to a transcript.

Me, I met Don Croner for a leisurely lunch and walked down to the national stadium for part two of His Holiness’ teachings on Je Tsongkhapa’s In Praise of Dependent Origination. This time I hung with the crowd in the infield. His Holiness began with having everyone chant the Tara mantra (Om Tare Tutare Ture Soha) slowly with him for maybe 10-15 minutes, settling everyone into a wonderfully peaceful frame of mind.

Don had brought a little radio he saved from His Holiness’ 2002 Kalachakra initiation in Graz, Austria. With a little fiddling, we were able to tune in the English translation once the teaching began. Here I kinda had to go to work. His Holiness was whipping through the text, elucidating Middle Way philosophy in a manner that presupposed quite a bit of knowledge. I’ve had a fair amount of teaching on this subject so my job was to filter the exalted language into more digestible fare, while retaining the meaning, in real time. Not so simple, but I think I did OK.

Glenn Mullin told me that whether the full meaning is grasped or not, this poetic text is very popular in Mongolia and is often used in daily chanting, which His Holiness encouraged.

After the teaching was complete, His Holiness offered a White Tara empowerment for the strengthening of everyone’s life force. He stressed that a long life was most important if one is striving for enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings. He carefully led everyone into the thought of universal compassion and explained the series of visualizations which would harmonize and strengthen the five elements of one’s being. The crowd was so tuned in with him, and for me there’s little I enjoy more than being surrounded by Mongolians when they’re in a devotional mood. Here are a few of my neighbors from today:

And for no better reason than it’ll brighten your Thursday, get a load of this precious little munchkin:

The community in my home temple in Maryland has all pistons pumping in preparation for the arrival today of our most sublime lama, His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, in for a long-anticipated four-day teaching and empowerment visit. Penor Rinpoche is especially on my mind tonight as I prepare for what may be a truly extraordinary day tomorrow. A little more than 11 years ago, Penor Rinpoche conducted the ceremony in which I took the full monastic vows, called gelong in Tibetan. Tomorrow, the Dalai Lama will bestow these vows on about 100 Mongolian monks and I think I have it worked out so that I may attend as part of the quorum of gelongs (five is the minimum, at least ten is best) necessary to perform the ritual. It’s going to be a long day, 8am to at least 5pm, because you only ordain a maximum of three monks at a time. If I can be present, it will be the highest honor of my life, and I’ll share the experience with all of you tomorrow evening.

My fondest hope, and fervent prayer, is that through all the blessings of all these exquisite lamas I do live a long life as the purest monk I can be, and some day look as cool as this:

Comments

[Yeshe]

Ohh, what a blessing indeed, I hope you can be at the ordinations!

And, by the way, you already kind of look like that old fellow, except he has more hair!

[rho1640]

I will be waiting for you next installment with baited breath -- Sending out a few Presbyterian prayers that you are part of the quorum of gelongs - what an honor and what a blessing that would be.

[Carol]

Ooh, nice smackdown by Yeshe there! Interesting that RaviShankar gets to meet the Prez and get awarded a medal for his service to mankind... but we all have to pretend that HHDL isn't really there.

I had a funny mongolia karma moment at the airport yesterday, I lent a young couple my cell to make a call, only to find out that they're ethnic Chinese from Inner Mongolia. When I told them I'd been to UB they said 'you should see the other side of the border' in all seriousness, as if I'd missed the 'real' Mongolia. I resisted the temptation to ask them to stop hating on the Dalai Lama!
I'm doing a lap around the beads in hope that you get to ordinate the next generation of monks!

[Ryan]

What Yeshe said. ;-)

Really enjoying reading about the Dalai Lama's visit, Cuzzin. Looking forward to Friday's entry!

[Chris S]

I hope you look as cool as that too Konchog!

BTW- i admit, I don't know a lot about Ravi, But I have always thought he was cool because he was such a good friend to George Harrison and he always seem genuine. I don't think we should chastise him becuase he is more "PC" that HHDL :)

[Chris S]

Konchog,

I am very excited for you! I hope you get to attend the ordination tomorrow. I have been glued, as always -but especially this week, to your site!

HHDL rocks! :o)