Exodus

Those of you who have reading DODR for a while may have noticed that the Mongolian Buddhism Revival Project that is our purported bailiwick, and this blog, have both been kind of treading water of late. A few of you have sniffed out what’s doing, and for the rest of you I’ve been turning over and over in my mind how to relay the latest news. As an American, I guess I always feel direct is best – KPC, the temple that sent me here, has decided to withdraw me from Mongolia and suspend in-country operations. I’ll be heading home to the States in about 10 days, with no plans to return.

For a number of reasons, many of which I just can’t discuss in a public forum like this, I have deeply conflicted feelings about this and how it came about. This will need some serious sorting this summer. There is so much beneficial work that could be done here to cooperate with Mongolian Buddhists’ sincere and courageous efforts in bringing their spiritual culture into the 21^st century. But as we know, for anything to arise, there must be the proper causes and conditions. Should those arise again in the future, it would be my honor to return and be among these wonderful people. Should they not, what can one do? Something cannot arise from nothing.

This summer will be time for retreat and reflection. First I will attend a five-day retreat with my mother, led by our fave young lama Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche (my mother’s study group is reading his fantastic book The Joy of Living: Unlocking the Secret and Science of Happiness, which he has just followed up with Joyful Wisdom: Embracing Change and Finding Freedom), on “The Heart of Meditation”. Soon after I will go to Palyul Retreat Center for the annual 30-day summer course. Then some of my family is taking a vacation on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia (home to Ven. Pema Chodron’s Gampo Abbey) and after that is a big, fat, neon question mark.

I feel I have very little to show for living here in Mongolia for four years. Nonetheless, I’m really pleased about our last act – tomorrow or the next day, we will finally take to the printer the first-ever translation into the Mongolian language of Patrul Rinpoche’s indispensable teaching treasury, The Words of My Perfect Teacher. Due to the generosity of the Khyentse Foundation in underwriting the printing, about half of the first batch will be given away for free, with the rest available at a very affordable price.

And, given my somewhat tilted sense of humor, I will surely miss exchanges like the following, which I swear occurred verbatim two days ago:

Me: “There are hardly any dogs here in the city. They killed so many this winter. It’s such a shame, but if you go to the East Gobi capital, Sainshand, there are lots of dogs running around. I don’t think they kill them, and they don’t seem to bother anyone.”

Sara: “They kill the street dogs where I’m from.”

Me: “Yeah? Where’s that?”

Sara: “Sukhbaatar province. It was the same, they’d do it every winter.”

Me: “Poor babies. I wonder what they do with them.”

Sara: “Well, when I was a child, during the socialist time, they would take their fat and make soap.”

Me: “They made soup? You had dog fat soup?”

Sara: “No no. Soap. The soap we used, they made it from that.”

Me: “Oh. Dog fat soap. Well, honestly, that’s not much better, is it?”

Mongolia’s been an education, man.

My only real dilemma now is that I have not found a suitable home for Moojie and Nita and my anxiety level is rising each day about that. It’s just impossible to bring them home, especially since, you know, I have no home. The Lord will provide, I suppose, but I sure will miss their furry little faces.

OK, well, that’s it. Once again, impermanence is the permanent rule.

Comments

[Sangye]

Are you sure it's impossible to bring the kitties? I rescued my last dog Laika off the streets of Spain and brought her all the way to Arizona without a problem (other than me sobbing for 21 hrs straight). No quarantine. All we needed was current shots and a certificate of health from the vet.

She was 50 lbs-- big hairy beast. The customs agent at La Guardia waved her by without even looking in the cage.

[Margaret in Ontario]

"Very little to show"?? Konchog, I would not call Dulaan, for instance, very little. I would call it very good. A good start, if you wish, but not "very little." The best part of all was the inspiration -- so many knitters discovering that the creativity of the needles is nothing compared to the creativity involved in helping other folks with those needles. Thanks for everything you blogged -- all the learned Buddhist bits, of course, but also the weather reports, updates on animal rescues, bird sightings, and care package contents. I wish you fair winds, wherever you may go.

[Shannon]

I will certainly miss your reports from Mongolia. Be well.

[Mel]

Your fam is in New England, right? Let me know if you really want to try to find a situation over here and I can see if I can come up with something. We can't do any more cats in my house, but I can ask around to some of my colleagues.

[Sarah]

You done plenty, Uncle Konchog. Plus, a retreat with yer Ma? Awesome. Oh, and as for the big question mark, Portland could really use some churchin' up you know.

[Linda "K"]

Not much to show? Of course not, you're a monk! But much to tell and a privileged life and time in Mongolia that few could do or have access too. That's the prob with being a monk - you don't get to be totally independent and decide your next move, but you know the possibilities to do good are endless. I'm sure the kitties will make it. Just have all their shots and documentation and crates and you'll be able to take them. Plus I'm sure you can use your Mom's address as your home address and deal with the rest when you get there. Buck up Dude! Look forward to the next chapter!

[Irina]

Hi there Cuzzin Tom – you don’t know me and I don’t really know you, but I do know Ryan and I was one of the Dulaan knitters…. Jeez, don’t you say you haven’t done anything in 4 years…. Sheesh, you’ve opened so many people’s eyes to a country in great evolution – me for example! If it wasn’t for you I wouldn’t have participated in Dulaan, and I wouldn’t be going to Mongolia this year with FIRE….. and my partner David wouldn’t be going either to give medical training….. see? You have planted so many seeds, and many of them are already sprouting. But, for strictly personal reasons I am sorry, because just yesterday David and I were talking about contacting you and Ryan to see if there was anything we could bring over to be able to meet you! Oh well…. If you are ever planning a trip to the PNW tell Ryan that Irina in Olympia wants to meet you! As for the kitties – get them their shots and bring them over – someone will surely step up to take care of them temporarily until you settle in. We need some blue blooded Mongolian kitties in this country!

[Kirt Undercoffer]

I'm quite upset that you will be leaving Mongolia. You have accomplished a great deal during your stay. However it appears that Buddhism in Mongolia still needs support.

As for Mooj and Nita, please bring them back and we should be able to find homes for them.

[Robert]

I am sorry to hear of your imminent departure from Mongolia. Will the blog go too? I wish you well and I certainly hope that our paths cross again.

[Ariel Wyckoff]

Konchog,

I just read the last three posts... what a shame that you are being recalled.

But it seems to me that you've got a great deal done! The translations, the prayer teachings, the support and publicity for temple reconstruction, the sending of young men and women for Buddhist training and ordination in India -- even the one-offs like raising funds for the young lady to go to school when her parents were ill!

And I think the benefits of your personal presence in the lives of the Mongolians you interacted with is most likely incalculable.

I'm very sorry to hear about your being recalled, because your work is so precious and so needed, especially as the X-ian missionary craze is only gearing up... not that this sort of "us or them" dynamic has anything to do with your work or approach.

We took little Danzan to KPC about a week ago with some friends and made the rounds of the stupa park. Unfortunately we'd arrived too late for the dharma talk. Maybe we'll see you there one day soon.