Since
I had travelled a great deal through North and South India recently, I got a
fever, so I was relaxing yesterday staying with my niece, Chöying Wangmo, at the Potala
Samye Ling Guest House at the Tibetan Camp in New Delhi. Listening to the
Tibetan Radio Voice of America and watching Tibetan films that I hadn’t seen in a long time I heard
about the enlightening activities of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s sacred Body, Speech, and
Mind. He had just completed giving the great initiation of Sri Kalachakra to
over 150,000 people in Ladakh. As I listened I had mixed feelings of joy and
sorrow.
There
were two things worthy of joy and two things that I had to feel sad about. The
first thing I was glad about was that, although the Chinese Communist
government had seized my country in 1959, and His Holiness, other Tibetan
Lamas, and many Tibetans had to escape, and although Tibet was still under
occupation, thinking about it from one perspective, that of taking negative
circumstances onto the path, thanks to the planning and organizing of His
Holiness and other Lamas and the Tibetan Government in Exile, Tibetan Dharma
and culture continues to spread throughout the world more and more every day.
With
regard to the second thing, we have long and peacefully protested for our
primary goal, the return to a free Tibet. Having exhausted other means, and out
of desperation, about a hundred and fifty Tibetans both inside and outside
Tibet have even immolated themselves; but our wishes have not been realized,
and the Chinese government’s oppressive policies have not changed. I was glad,
however, that in spite of this, since 2008, Tibetans inside and outside Tibet
have been able to consolidate their efforts. Furthermore, many young Tibetans have
woken up and quite a number of them have been able to meet with knowledgable
people all around the world. In particular, regions of India that were
historically of Tibetan ancestry are daily transforming. Thanks to Tibetan
Government Refugee Schools and monasteries of the various lineages, these
people can be protected from this situation.
The
first thing I was sad about was that when His Holiness the Dalai Lama was
sixteen his country was invaded by the Chinese government and he had to go
unwillingly into exile as a refugee. He brought the news of the plight of
Tibetans to the public all over the world, pleading with palms folded, striving
by every means throughout the day and night to stir people out of their apathy.
Yet, because of the Chinese government’s wealth, power, lies, seduction and deception, the
powerful nations of the world are solely interested in their own business and
profits. It is a sign that there is no real interest in this world in human
rights, freedom, or the honest truth.
The
second thing I was sad about was, although I was able to come to India, because
I had previously committed to a Dharma teaching schedule during this time, I
was unable to go to the Kalachakra initiation. For me, from a Dharma
perspective, there is no greater loss than to not be able to see my Lama and
receive his teachings.
Tomorrow
I have to go to America, my second country. For me, as a Dharma practitioner,
being separated from my root Lama probably causes even greater suffering than
when friends normally have to part. I went to sleep wondering when in the
future I would be able to see His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s golden, smiling face again
and receive his profound teachings.
Early
in the morning I had this incredible dream. Maybe it was an imprint from when I
recently visited Bhutan and had the opportunity to see some Bhutanese temples.
In any case, I was inside a Bhutanese style temple and I saw His Holiness
arriving and entering it with a small retinue. I was doing a daily practice of
Vajrakilaya. With no reticence, even though there were many people around, I
was reciting the Chogling Tersar Sangtig Vajrakilaya practice in a very loud
voice. I was very surprised that His Holiness recited it from memory right
along with me. At the mantra recitation we recited,
View the nature of your mind
As Vajrakilaya himself.
And at the completion stage we
recited,
With
your mind free of all elaboration, you are perfect in the nature of
Vajrakilaya. Settle in clear light emptiness with a nature of luminosity, free from
thought, in which the rising and liberation of unreal, illusory appearances
happens simultaneously.
As
we slowly recited these words His Holiness stared into me with his special eyes
and recited this verse from the Wisdom Chapter of Shantideva’s Guide to the Bodhisattva
Conduct:
When material and non-material
things
No longer remain before your mind,
Then, with no other aspects
appearing,
All is fully pacified in
emptiness.
Then he touched his head to mine
and, laughing very loudly, disappeared.
It
is possible that this dream occurred because of my having watched the films
of His Holiness giving Kalachakra
initiation in Ladakh the day before. In any case, in the morning I wept with
tears of devotion, so much so that my pillow became soaked! And when I got up
my mind was filled with unprecedented feelings of joy.
Having ceased ordinary
appearances,
If you know your own awareness as
the Lama,
You need not cry out in suffering,
Thinking you cannot meet your
Lama.
Followers of the incomparable Gampopa
were instructed
That pure reverence and aspiration
accomplishes all,
And is the main method to realize
emptiness,
And to clear away obstructions and
enhance realization.
Although the Lama who benefits
beings
Does not accompany me like my
shadow in a Body of Form,
The actual Lama of unified
awareness and emptiness
Is forever with me, so I am
completely content.
I
wrote my blog, July 19, 2014, about this amazing dream from last night as I was
drinking lemon tea with my dear niece, Chöying Wangmo, at
the Tibetan Camp Potala Samye Ling Guest House, in order to remember it in the
future..
Translation by Jampa Tharchin,
March 4, 2020 at Manjushri Dharma Center, Pacific Grove, California.
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