Dreaming Of Danzan Ravjaa

Through the Lens of Faith

One interesting phenomenon I noticed at Namdroling Monastery in India had to do with the issue of stupas and faith. Lining the monastery’s western flank is a line of 16 substantial, brilliantly white stupas, eight built in 1993, and eight in 2000. Prior to this, however, the first stupa erected at Namdroling was a modest , unadorned, poured-pebble-and-concrete structure, which was there even when I first visited in 1991. And in the morning? When the circumambulators emerge to accumulate meritorious laps around these sacred reliquaries? The 16 stupas stand virtually bereft of the faithful...

...and the small stupa, tucked away in a corner, looks like Indy after the green flag drops:

Why? The answer is simple. The small stupa enshrines a relic of Terton Migyur Dorje, and as with such stupas in Tibet, has acquired the reputation as a site for remarkable physical and mental healing. I joined the throng at the Migyur Dorje Stupa each morning, but took three turns around the 16, too, not wanting them to feel too forlorn.

Some local residents, though, just couldn't be bothered. I actually felt this way, too, after about 9am in the sun:

What’s so special about Terton Migyur Dorje? Well, I see that the Tibetan Buddhism Resource Center, bless ‘em, has made excerpts of the English translation of his liberation story available online, so check it for yourself.

And if you live in the States, or travel to the Washington, DC area? A glorious stupa containing a Migyur Dorje relic adorns the Peace Park at Kunzang Palyul Choling in Poolesville, MD.

Mongolian Nuns For Real

There were many gifts I felt I received by making the journey to HH Penor Rinpoche’s Namdroling Monastery in India last week. One of the greatest was to see the young Mongolian men and women whose travel to Namdroling our project sponsored. I can happily report that they are all doing very well, quickly learning the Tibetan language, as well as various aspects of Buddhist philosophy, conduct, ritual, and meditation.

But there was one serendipitous treat that stood out above all – witnessing five of the nine young women take the lifetime getsul vows of a Buddhist nun.

You see, often when people first join the monastery, they are given provisional precepts called rabjung – the five precepts of a lay person except amplified by abiding by stricter rules of celibacy, refraining from all intoxicants, and shaving one’s head and wearing the robes of ordination. Getsul ordination increases the precepts to 10 (expandable to 33, but that’s another story) and they’re a lifetime commitment.

When I first visited the nine women – who had admirably organized all nine of themselves to live in one room until construction on a new dorm building is complete – I was told that five of them had decided to receive getsul ordination and it would happen soon. I expressed my joy at this, but it was to get even better.

One day late in the week, I had arranged to see them at 5pm. When I got there, only two were in the room. Asking what was up, I was told that two were at the clinic, and five were receiving their vows right then! The day before, I had been circumambulating the Zangdog Palri temple that enshrines Penor Rinpoche’s kudung and had seen a line of newly-minted monks emerging for the traditional walk around the monastery. On a strong hunch I hurried to the same place, and walked around the temple in a strangely elevated state, chanting Shakyamuni Buddha’s mantra, Om Muni Muni Mahamuni Ye Soha. Sure enough, very soon the line of freshly ordained nuns, having just received their vows from Khenchen Pema Sherab, emerged for their circumambulation. Fortunately, I had my camera, because it was really so special to see them like this. I should mention before I introduce them that at ordination you receive a new name.

Now how awesome is this? Here is Thubten Tsultrim Tsomo helping lead the way carrying the traditional staff of ordination...

...that you often see held by the Buddha’s two foremost disciples, Shariputra and Maudgalyayana, in iconic depictions:

And here is Thubten Sherab Tsomo behind her, carrying the traditional begging bowl:

Then, reverentially, Thubten Zundui Baldun (maybe Palden?), with Thubten Tsultrim Baldun right behind her:

And, finally, saying it all, Thubten Tsutrim Zangmo flashing a marvelous smile:

Please join me in wishing for their health and happiness, as well as their swift, auspicious spiritual maturation!

Special thanks go to Ani Damchoe Wongmo, author of Reflections of Reflections, for facilitating meetings, translating, introducing me to Top of Town Restaurant!

Ceremonies for the Mahaparinirvana of HH Penor Rinpoche: A Firsthand Account

I was unable to attend the ceremonies attending the installation of HH Penor Rinpoche’s precious body, known in Tibetan as a kudung, into the Zangdog Palri temple at Namdroling Monastery in India. Therefore, I’m deeply indebted to Judith Amtzis – one of the translators of the recent edition of Terton Migyur Dorje’s biography – for sending me her firsthand account of being in attendance, with photographs taken by those in attendance. The following is reproduced here, with permission, for your benefit. I’ve done some light editing, and added a couple other images and an astounding video, to illuminate Judy’s lovely text:

*

“Kathmandu to Namdroling monastery takes a day ­­­and a half – two flights to Bangalore, an overnight stay and a 6 hour car ride to the monastery.  Even so, after only a shower and short rest, my friend and I went out to see Holiness.  Following the kora path halfway around the wide monastery grounds, we went inside.  Passing the back of the Golden Temple, where sit three huge statues of Guru Rinpoche, Sakyamuni Buddha, and Amitayus, we went up a rise to the Zandog Palri temple.  Suddenly there was Holiness larger than life gazing down compassionately upon those below, chanting in his deep voice a series of mantras: OM MANI PEME HUNG, OM AH HUNG BENZA GURU PEME SIDDHI HUNG, VAJRASATTVA and others, including the most poignant of all - OM AMARANI JIVENTAYE SOHA.

*

“Holiness wasn’t physically there, of course. He beamed down on the crowd from a gigantic photo on the second floor of the building, and his voice came through loudspeakers, but everyone felt his presence.  It was unbearably moving.  You couldn’t be there without weeping.  The entire temple was bathed in light; flowers surrounded Holiness’ portrait and offerings were set up before it: large bowls full of bottled water and soft drinks, incense, rice, more flowers – everything arranged impeccably, as things are always done at Namdroling.

*

“I woke up at 5 the next morning, and went out on the balcony.  I heard the horns of the morning puja and was drawn back to the Golden Temple.  The lhakang was full of monks and nuns, with many foreign guests, mostly from Taiwan it seemed, around the sides.  Puja had started at 3 am, so it could be finished in time for the ceremony of moving Holiness from his residence into Zandog Palri, Guru Rinpoche’s Copper Colored Mountain, where he is to remain for at least a year.

*

“The ceremony was to start at 8:30 and Khen Rinpoche sent a message that we should be in our places at the area reserved for foreign guests by no later than 7.  He wanted to be sure we had comfortable seats where we could take lots of pictures.

“We did arrive at 7 and were happy we had followed Rinpoche’s advice; we had our choice of seats and I found two just near where the procession would come by.  An amazing thing happened while we watched the preparations.  The day was clear, with no wind.  Two large ovens were burning sang, and as usual the smoke was rising right up into the sky.  Just when all the groups participating in the procession to bring Holiness body were in place, and the body was being brought from the entrance of his residence, the smoke began pouring in our direction, as though to greet Holiness.

“There was no change in the wind, but the smoke became so thick it obscured the groups of monks in tall yellow hats, the monks carrying flowers, the ‘dakini’ monks and so on.  You can see this in the photographs. From a perfectly clear shot, the pictures become hazy with smoke.  What you can’t see in the pictures is that the wind did not change.  But I know it didn’t because I turned and looked at the trees and they weren’t moving.  I don’t know if this counts as a miracle, but I do know that it happened and was strange and inexplicable to me.

“There were two other events that I heard of surrounding Holiness death that people do consider miracles.  I didn’t witness these directly, but did see video and photographic evidence.  You’ve probably read about this already since I think it’s been reported on blogs and so on, but I’ll retell the stories here anyhow.

“The first is the rainbow that appeared just after the ceremony of tenshuk the monks and nuns offered Holiness on March 25^th, two days before his death.  As the ceremony was finishing a rainbow appeared in the sky above the Golden Temple.  Unlike most rainbows this one went up instead of curving back down to the ground, and it remained floating in the sky for a long time, long enough for someone to capture nearly two minutes of it on a cell phone camera.  People consider this a sign of the dakinis inviting Holiness to the pure realms, and in fact, shortly thereafter, Holiness fell into an apparent coma that led to his being taken to the ICU in Bangalore. (Thank you to Many Flakes, One Bowl)

“Secondly, just after Holiness passed away, the statues in the Zangdog Palri temple began to weep.  Many people witnessed this, and while I did not, again I saw photographs.  One in particular caught my attention.  It is a photograph of Guru Rinpoche, and the position of the lower half of his face, around the mouth and chin, clearly is of someone crying.  There are other before and after photos that I have seen, with “before” being when the statues were weeping, and “after” when they regained their composure, but none was as convincing to me as the Guru Rinpoche photo, which you can see here. (Thank you to Rigpa's Ramblings)

“The procession itself was quite inspiring, consisting as it did of monks wearing tall yellow hats carrying banners, musical instruments, flowers and other offerings, and monks dressed as dakinis and helpful spirits.  Following these came the flower-decked truck bearing Holiness’ kudung, in a box with a huge photo of Holiness smiling and waving on its front.  You could sense his presence strongly.  He really was waving farewell to us, in this particular human form.

 

“Gyangthang Tulku and Mugsang Tulku rode on the truck with Holiness, making certain the box remained in place.  Karma Kuchen Rinpoche, now the 12^th throneholder of the Palyul Lineage, walked in front with Khenchen Pema Sherab, Khenchen Namdrol and Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso.  Khenpo Tenzin Norgay and other khenpos followed behind, and Lama Lobsang Choepel walked alongside.

“The procession circled the Zandog Palri temple and then went down the path in front of the Golden Temple and into the large monastery courtyard where a huge crowd of local people were gathered.  Holiness meant everything to the population of Fourth Camp.  He had helped settle the older ones during the difficult early time when the camp and the monastery were being built, and he had fostered the development of a cohesive community where the children of the first refugees could grow up and become educated.  The relative prosperity that is now seen in this small community owes a great deal to Holiness’ vast wisdom and his energy.  It is hard for me to imagine the sense of loss that must fill these people’s hearts. 

“The relationship between the community and the monastery that Holiness sustained will help people overcome their sense of bereavement.  A friend told me that in a few months, she and about 400 others, mostly from Fourth Camp, will be participating in a ngondro retreat. People will be doing all the practices together, all day long for six months.  She told me how much time would be spent on each section, but I can’t remember exactly, and my Tibetan was too minimal to find out much about it, whether this happens all the time, or is a special event, whether people will come from outside to participate and so on,  But it isn’t limited to the young.  My friend is 61.

“The procession continued around the monastery and finally ended near where it had begun, by the entrance to the Zandog Palri temple.  Holiness’ body was installed inside, and puja began, with many different prayers being recited.  At one point in the ceremony, Khenchen Namdrol read aloud a biography of Holiness, recounting his many accomplishments.  Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso then read a translation.  At several places he, like the rest of us, broke down, and couldn’t continue for a few moments.

“The prayers ended, and slowly everyone was allowed to enter the temple, make offerings and receive blessings.  Like all else during the day, this went smoothly despite the crowd – we didn’t feel rushed, but clearly with so many people wanting to come through, no one could spend a lot of time.  By midday everything was finished.  My friend and I came back in the late afternoon, and were able to enter the temple once more and remain a bit longer.  The atmosphere was hushed and peaceful, Holiness resting as always in the dharmakaya of relaxed mind.”

* = My own photos

Namaste, Y'all

Well, it wasn't exactly a big secret, but Brother Konchog just made a quick trip to south India to honor my recently passed teacher, HH Penor Rinpoche, at his Namdroling Monastery. Lots of stories and pix to share with all of you soon, but my trip back to the US was so long and I'm a bit exhausted. So in the meantime, here's one shot I took of the astounding, specially decorated Zangdog Palri (Copper-colored Mountain) Temple in which His Holiness' body will rest within an elaborate mandala for a full year, to accommodate all the faithful who wish to make the pilgrimage, as well as a closeup of His Holiness' image and the offerings. You should see it when it's professionally lit up at night!

Fast and Furious

Suddenly life has punched into the fast lane, so there will be a temporary interruption to your DODR service. Nothing serious, so don't fret.

I can say that Mocha Joe's Coffee Roasters in Brattleboro, VT gets my unreserved recommendation if you ever find yourself in that lovely town. The same can't necessarily be said for Amtrak trains.

Toodles!

Great Fruit and Profit

I love the nitty-gritty details of the Dharma, but I also love skillful, pithy summaries of the teachings. I love them even more when they were spoken by Shakyamuni Buddha himself.

The passing of HH Penor Rinpoche has not been a mystical experience for me – my mind doesn’t tend to work that way – but there was one odd occurrence. The morning after His Holiness had ended his final meditation and released his wisdom mind from his apparent body, I didn’t know this had occurred but I had the strongest urge to don my patched, yellow robe and read aloud the full Mahaparinirvana Sutra, which I did. This sutra, included in the Digha Nikaya (“The Long Discourses of the Buddha”) of the Pali Canon, chronicles the final days of Shakyamuni Buddha’s life.

As was the Buddha’s habit, he wandered from place to place before arriving at Kushinagar, the site he selected for entering into final nirvana. He was accompanied by his long-time attendant Ananda, who recorded this summary of the teaching offered again and again by the Buddha:

“This is morality, this is concentration, this is wisdom. Concentration, when imbued with morality, brings great fruit and profit. Wisdom, when imbued with concentration, brings great fruit and profit. The mind imbued with wisdom becomes completely free from the corruptions, that is, from the corruption of sensuality, of becoming, of false views, and of ignorance.”

And, well, there it is. But the Buddha gives such varied and amazing teachings throughout this sutra, it really is well worth reading the whole thing.

Oh, and Brother Rigpa has posted the first photo I've yet seen of the "mourning" Padmasambhava statue at Namdroling's Zangdok Palri Temple.

Unspeakable -- Updated x2

Your prayers are urgently needed.

In 2007, one of the retreatants at Palyul Retreat Center in New York, a wonderful man named David, was introduced to a sweet Chinese woman named Hongxiu Mao. They fell in love, so happy together. To seal their vows to one another, they decided to get married in a ceremony at the gazebo on the lawn at the end of last year’s retreat. I was there, and it was a joyful occasion.

As horrifying as it is to do so, I need to report that Hongxiu Mao was among those murdered today in the mass shooting at the American Civic Center in Binghamton, NY.

For those of you who know the practices, prayers to Amitabha and Chenresig would directly help Hongxiu Mao right now. But, as always, any positive energy generated her way in whatever way is yours will also help, for sure.

We also mustn’t forget David, the other victims and their loved ones, and the killer himself and the loved ones he must have had.

Update: I was suddenly reminded of a story that a Western student of Kyabje Chatral Rinpoche, 'Hermit Yeshe Dorje,' told over at E-sangha here:

"Chatral Rinpoche's first root Guru was Khenpo Ngakchung, who was the foremost disciple of Patrul Rinpoche's heart son and primary heir, Nyoshul Lungtok Tenpa'i Nyima. Sometimes he is referred to as Khenpo Ngaga but in his writing he often signed works as Pema Laydrel Tsel since he is renowned as the incarnation of Kunkhyen Longchen Rabjampa. Prior to meeting him, Rinpoche's name was 'Trogyal Dorje', Vajra King of Wrath. It was Khenpo Ngakchung who gave him the name 'Sangye Dorje,' Vajra Buddha.

"Once some students of his came to visit Khenpo Ngakchung. They made lavish offerings and then pleaded with Khen Rinpoche to give them instruction on Rigdzin Jigme Lingpa's pinnacle of teachings, Tri Yeshe Lama (khrid yig ye shes bla ma). Khenpo Ngaga didn't reply to their request but simply said that he had a riddle which he wanted them to answer:

" 'A hunter was out in the woods all day trying to find some game. Finally he spotted a deer, drew his bow and shot it. The arrow hit the deer and quickly killed it. What is your immediate reaction?'

"All of the students were saying things like, 'Ah ka ka! Nyingje for the deer!' 'Poor helpless deer.' 'Pity for the deer!'

"Khenpo Ngakchung waved his hand dismissively to send them away. 'Go back and study "blo ldog rnam bzhi" (the four mind changings or four reflections—Most precious human body with freedoms and endowments; Death and impermanence; Karma, cause and effect; and The viciousness of samsara). None of you are ready for the Dzogchen teachings. You all should have instantly felt compassion for the hunter!' "

Update II: Hongxiu's husband, David, left a comment to this post of such exquisite sentiment that I felt moved to reproduce it here so no one misses it:

"In this difficult and unfortunately very public moment, I would like to offer this thought:

"If this very confused person thought he could use hate and destruction to send a message, his purpose is easily defeated.

"My wife Hongxiu Mao was a beautiful, happy and loving person. She loved people and the outpouring of love and response from those who knew her demonstrate the awesome power of this love.

"For Hongxiu to survive, all that needs to happen is for all of us to respond as my teacher Penor Rinpoche always taught me, display loving kindness and compassion to all. In this way one loving heart can be transformed into a million loving hearts, and the killer's purpose is undone.

"Many of us feel that His Holiness went to be with all who died that day, especially this confused man, who I hope will now see my perfect teacher's fact and hear his voice.

"Many, many thanks to the sangha as I know that thousands and thousands of people are doing pujas and practice."

HH Penor Rinpoche: The Real Miracle

As HH Penor Rinpoche remains in thukdam meditation, reports are beginning to come out of his Namdroling Monastery in India of remarkable phenomena. It’s said that His Holiness’ body has taken on a special radiance and a sweet fragrance pervades his room. More publicly, witnesses have said that the Guru Rinpoche statue in Namdroling’s Zangdok Palri (Copper-colored Mountain) Temple changed expressions and seemed to be weeping; the Vajrasattva statue’s torso also seemed to twist to the left. I’m sure there will be hours of video and thousands of digital images that we can evaluate later.

But are these the real miracle?

It’s said that what appears miraculous for us ordinary beings is normal for those who have realized the empty nature of phenomena. I recall being present at an interview with Ngagpa Yeshe Dorje where the reporter asked about his well-known ability to make it rain or not through his meditation. He replied, “When you recognize that the inner environment and the outer environment are no different, it’s not that difficult.”

In the amazing and thorough Mahaparinirvana Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha’s final utterance to his disciples was: “All compounded things are subject to vanish. Strive with earnestness!” In his teaching on the Four Reliances, Mipham Rinpoche urges us to “Rely on the message of the teacher, not on his personality.”

The reason should be fairly obvious. Even teachers who have control over the length of their lifespans demonstrate birth and death. They do this to impress upon us the truth that everything is impermanent and unreliable, not least of which our own bodies and ordinary minds. Guru Rinpoche, in his wonderfully blunt way, said:

“Having obtained a human body and perceived the pleasant or painful results of good or evil actions, people who do not try to attain enlightenment in this lifetime and who do not practice even one session of taking refuge, but instead chase the pursuits, ambitions, distractions, and enjoyments of this life and accumulate evil karmic deeds have no heart. Their hearts have rotted. The demon of Mara has crept into their hearts. They are deceived by demonic friends...In general, when practicing the Dharma you will have no success unless you keep death in mind.” – Dakini Teachings, p. 151 –

When the body of the teacher is gone, it’s the teaching, the Dharma, that persists. The teacher teaches (or has taught); we followers apply the teachings in our lives, and have the freedom to do so whether the teacher is present or not.

And so, is not the real miracle the effect that practicing such teaching has on the poisons of our minds? Experiencing anger and hatred transform into patience and loving-kindness; grasping desire transform into non-attachment and impartial generosity; pride transform into humility; jealousy and envy transform into equanimity and sympathetic joy; and, finally, ignorance transform into wisdom in all its aspects.

The essence and details of HH Penor Rinpoche’s teaching live on in so many, but none so much as his three heart sons: HH Karma Kuchen Rinpoche (the designated 12^th Throneholder of the Palyul Lineage), Mugsang Kuchen Rinpoche, and Khentrul Gyangkhang Rinpoche. I just read with joy an announcement that the 30-day summer retreat at Palyul Retreat Center will be conducted as usual this year, and will be guided by all three of these extraordinary lamas. Keeping the inevitability and unpredictability of death in mind, I will be there, and I hope as many others as possibly can, will be too. It will be a tremendous blessing.

At last year's retreat, after the morning practice of Guru Yoga, Penor Rinpoche would offer pith teachings. Again and again, he enjoined us to stop following the conceptual thoughts that arose, but just let them appear and disappear in their natural state. In addition, he exhorted us to continually mingle our mindstreams with those of Guru Rinpoche and the pure lineage masters whose realization is condensed in the mind of our very own root lama of this lifetime.

Now I'm off to practice what my teachers taught me, the real miracle.