The following video is a true story as presented by Ben Zeoli expressing his personal experience with the power of prayer:
Miracle Stories
Miraculous Blessings: Ven. Yangthang Tulku Rinpoche
The following is a story submitted by a student of Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo, John Pelletier expressing his experience with Ven. Yangthang Tulku Rinpoche on Thursday April 25th:
I want to share with you something very special that happened this past Thursday morning. As Rinpoche was getting ready to leave for New York, he spontaneously asked to visit our stupas, both the Enlightenment Stupa in the parking lot and the various stupas in the peace park.
As many of you already know, we have had numerous obstacles keeping full access to the stupas on the land across the street due to various seemingly external causes, such as floods and storms taking out bridges and making roads impassable.
We have had difficulty maintaining the stupas, and, as a matter of fact, we all know that we had allowed many to just fall into disrepair. Even after a great effort this past summer, some of the repairs have come to a standstill, again, because of seemingly external causes like the weather or lack of personnel.
Needless to say, this is distressing not only to Jetsunma, but to any being with the clarity to see reality as it is – anyone who can see the true internal reflection of what the external obstacle really is.
I didn’t witness the visit to the Enlightenment Stupa, but something very magical happened at the Migyur Dorje Stupa that is worth sharing. It’s hard to explain in words the profundity of what happened there Thursday morning, so I’ll just say what happened so you can contemplate this remarkable blessing that Rinpoche’s visit brought to us.
Rinpoche performed a blessing ceremony at the Migyur Dorje Stupa that included many prayers and mandala offerings, represented by the throwing of blessed rice in the traditional manner we have seen many times before, and circumabulations. Jetsunma later told us that he was praying to purify and apologize for the negativity caused by allowing the stupas, and the land in general, to have arrived at such a state.
The whole ceremony was very impromptu yet incredibly graceful and beautiful. At the end, to seal the blessing, a khatag was thrown into the air. I have never seen anything quite like this before in my life and this is the part, truly, that I wanted to share with everyone.
I would imagine that if you or I threw a khatag into the air at the Stupa, it may just kind of look like it was being thrown and ultimately land somewhere pretty low, maybe where the level where offerings are generally made. This wasn’t the case here at all.
What we saw was the khatag literally unfurling and taking flight through the air, waving as if it had wings, approaching and landing perfectly on the harmika, the square structure that rests under the spire. It was as if the Stupa itself had bent over to receive the khatag from Rinpoche.
As it landed, the air was still and everyone, including Rinpoche and his entourage, audibly gasped and rejoiced. This was indeed an uncommon event even for those who have seen this type of thing many times, again and again. My heart is filled with joy and my eyes filled with tears to relate the rarity of this type of purity in the world.
May we never forget the Buddhafield this land truly is and the inconceivably rare blessings it holds. May we do nothing but share and uphold this gift from our precious Guru, Jetsunma, and may we achieve the result of understanding the nature of the precious jewels we have in our midst. May we never let this blessing be forgotten. May none of these efforts be wasted.
Child’s Prayer for Temple Renovations YouTube Video
The following video was prepared by a 3rd generation student of Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo, Asia Claus, upon hearing of the closure of Kunzang Palyul Choling to public assembly. The story Asia tells is true, a miraculous story of the power of prayer:
If you would like to help KPC re-open to the public you can donate here.
Miraculous Displays
The following are all stories of events which occurred on February 14, 2013. Jetsunma receives regular prayer requests from her students. Each student who requested prayer had a positive outcome. Some situations remain unresolved, so continued prayers are needed:
1. Several days ago, Jetsunma’s son’s dog Carter was rushed to an emergency vet in the middle of the night. Carter was unable to pass urine, and in the initial sonogram and report from that night they were told it was likely prostate cancer. The following morning Jetsunma was made aware of the situation, and began praying for his welfare in earnest.
In a follow up visit to their regular veterinarian, a biopsy was taken. The initial biopsy results indicated it was not prostate cancer, but instead a “well differentiated transitional cell carcinoma” – a form of cancer, but less aggressive than the prostate cancer originally suspected. Today the results were reviewed by a veterinary oncologist, who at this point, has said they are not prepared to call it “cancer.” The tests performed today showed the bladder and urethra were clear. They found a small amount of calcium which could indicate a stone, and are not yet sure why the prostate is inflamed, but for the time being the results are very encouraging.
Another student wrote recently about her husband’s prolonged unexplained illness, which initially looked dangerous. Tests were inconclusive, and the student kept Jetsunma appraised of the situation as it progressed, making offerings and requesting blessings. Today the results of the final rounds of tests indicated the condition was the result of a viral infection which would slowly resolve on its own. The student reported her husband had also begun to regain some of his lost weight.
Yesterday, a student contacted Jetsunma to let her know her elderly father was being rushed to the hospital. Once again, she requested blessings and prayers. Late in the evening, the student’s father was not responding to treatments, and the hospital staff was having difficulty stabilizing him. They were concerned they might need to intubate him, and were unable to successfully catheterize him. An email was sent to Jetsunma, and the student reported back that within 30 minutes of Jetsunma being informed of the situation the obstacles began to resolve. The patient did not need to be intubated, the catheter was placed and the bladder was drained, and though this person remains in a challenging situation, the obstacles to treatment turned and he is able to rest comfortably today.
Another student had requested prayers for her mother, who had been diagnosed with breast cancer and decided to have a mastectomy. Today was the day of the surgery. The student requested prayers and kept Jetsunma informed of the whole process of events, and the surgeon reported the surgery went well, the lymph nodes were clear, meaning the cancer is likely to be completely removed.
One more student wrote to let Jetsunma know she had been having pain in her right abdominal area, and was scheduled for a sonogram. Earlier tests had indicated the ovary was enlarged. She asked Jetsunma for her prayers and blessings before the sonogram. Today she was told the sonogram showed all was clear, no problems or abnormalities with her ovary. She tweeted her experience in order to share with the world the tremendous blessings Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo is able to give rise to.
Her attendants requested of Jetsunma that these stories be shared, so that beings faith and confidence in the Dharma may increase. In her kindness, Jetsunma agreed, and asked that prayers for the welfare of these beings continue.
The Bug That Will Be a Buddha
The following is an account as told by an eye witness to the event:
Offering prostrations and praise to the Wisdom Dakini, may your life be long, and may all your aspirations for the benefit of beings be fulfilled!
This simple, but miraculous event occurred this very evening in the home of Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo.
While Jetsunma was sitting in her kitchen, a stink bug began flying around the room. The weather was warmer today, so the stink bugs, once again, became active.
Jetsunma and her attendants watched the bug fly, waiting for it to land so it could be relocated outside. The bug kept flying in circles over the kitchen table where Jetsunma was sitting, and would not land.
Jetsunma looked up, also watching it fly, saying, “OM MANI PEDME HUNG!”. As Jetsunma spoke the mantra, the bug suddenly dropped out of the air, landing on her glasses. Jetsunma noted it was on her glasses, and said “OM MANI PEDME HUNG” again, at which time the bug dropped from her glasses to the floor under her foot. Jetsunma had lifted her foot and the bug was not harmed.
An attendant picked up the stink bug, and before taking it outside Jetsunma offered it one more blessing, “OM MANI PEDMA HUNG” and blew a blessing over it.
Filled with faith, this witness offered to share the story so others may know miracles happen every day around Jetsunma. This tiny creature fell at the feet of a Wisdom Dakini, as if to receive the blessing she offered. There is no doubt that in some future life, when this blessing ripens, this little being will become a Buddha
The Power of Prayer
The following is from a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:
Today I had the joy of hearing of a miracle.
A student woke up a few days ago unable to move left side of her body. Scan said she had a bran tumor the size of an orange. She prayed and did mantra constantly since, and sang the Seven Line Prayer during the biopsy. Today she woke up with 75 percent function returned. The tumor had shrunk to size of an acorn.
She gives credit to Chenrezic and Guru Rinpoche. She carries my photo and recites Seven Line Prayer and Mani Mantra loud and proud.
I say these are the Miracles of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. She will come here to make offerings and prayers and therefore I have great confidence in her life. She must, now, live a noble life.
No doctor has seen this before and they were still diagnosing. But an orange is as big as it is and an acorn is little and shrinking. #Miracle
PS: This is @HJGWoods on twitter
Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Norbu Lhamo All rights reserved
The Power of Prayer: A Modern Miracle
The following post was submitted by Ani Pema Mallu, a veterinarian and student of Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:
About one week ago Kennedy was scooting on her rear so I checked her anal glands to see if they were full. I found a hard nodule mass at the left anal gland opening inside the rectum. I advised Jetsunma this would need excision and biopsy and could be a malignant tumor.
I had my associate, Dr. Kitty Raichura examine Kennedy for possible surgery. Dr. Raichura performed a rectal exam and confirmed the presence of a single rectal nodule near the left anal gland opening. She said this was beyond her expertise to perform the surgery and would need referral.
Yesterday, Dr. Peter Eeg anesthetized Kennedy in preparation for the surgery but when he did the rectal exam preop he found now three masses in a line near the left anal gland opening inside the rectum. He said this was beyond his level of surgical expertise and we need to wake her up and send her to a specialist for surgical excision.
I informed Jetsunma these masses may be malignant since they have spread from one to three so fast. I scheduled an appointment with Dr. David Salor, the chief of surgery at VCA Veterinary Referral Associates for the next day.
Jetsunma prayed for Kennedy throughout the night before surgery.
Kennedy went to VCA/VRA at 10 AM and Dr. Saylor anesthetized her in the afternoon for surgery. When he examined her rectally he at first didn’t find the what were obvious three masses and called Dr Eeg to confer with what he had observed. Further exam revealed three small nodules at the left anal gland opening but they were no longer mass like. Dr. Saylor filled the anal gland with a viscous antibiotic liquid and flushed the inner material out and one very hard concretion popped out and the nodule at the opening was gone the other two were still there. He flushed some more and two more hard concretions popped out and the other two nodules disappeared. No surgery was necessary. Kennedy was taken off anesthesia, recovered sent home.
This is truly a miracle story where Jetsunma’s prayers dissolved three possibly malignant tumors into three concretions overnight.
Losar
The Tibetan Buddhist New Year celebration called LOSAR is a day of joyfully welcoming in the New Year.
The celebration begins two days prior with GUTOR, a day where one reflects back on the past year and any mistakes that have been made. Practice is done to avert the negativity of the past year.
On the eve of the New Year, time is spent cleaning the home and Temple. This represents joyfully sweeping away the past negative karma and preparing for the many blessings that the New Year will bring.
LOSAR is a time of happiness, joyful effort and celebration. The first month of the New Year is regarded as very auspicious and is referred to as “the month of display of Enlightened Activities” or miracles of the Buddha. In particular, on the first 15 days Lord Buddha Shakyamuni performed a miracle each day to increase the merit and devotion of future disciples. Below is an account of one such miracle as described by the Venerable Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche:
At one time the Buddha was invited to share in a festival. It was then traditional (as it still is in India) for people to brush their teeth with a piece of twig. This was considered very healthy for your gums and teeth. So the Buddha was brushing his teeth with a twig. It was the custom to keep it in your mouth a long time and then to brush with it. When the Buddha took the twig out of his mouth, he put it into the ground like planting a tree, and with that action, some 500 miles were covered by fruit trees in an instant. Those who had no food could partake of some. The Buddha was making connections through this act. A number of people who were overwhelmed by the power of ego fixation, pride and arrogance could not appreciate the teachings. They were very critical, so when the teachings were being presented (just as they are being presented now), all they could offer were a lot criticisms. They said that the Buddha could not stand being a king, so he went wandering, and that as a meditator he could not keep up with that, so he came back into the world. They said he knew how to say all of these things because he was prince, a king. And on and on they criticized. These people could not hear or appreciate the teachings; therefore, the Buddha had another style in which the teachings could manifest: the planting of this twig and the miracle that resulted. This got their attention.
On each of the fifteen days the virtue or non-virtuous activity is multiplied by 100,000 times with the exception of the 15th day, Chotrul Duchen, on which it multiplies by 10 Million times.
This year Losar took place on March 5th.
An American Miracle
In Honor of Ani Thupten Palchen on the one year anniversary of her death
Ani Thupten Palchen died on Friday, January 8, 2010, at the age of 80. As Tibetan Buddhist practitioners, we have heard stories of seemingly ordinary and devoted practitioners in Tibet who showed miraculous signs at the time of their deaths. And now we have in our own sangha a display of these miraculous signs from a student of Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo.
What are the miraculous signs of accomplishment at the time of death? The signs are described in the following excerpt from the introduction of the new biography for His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche called an Introduction to Light of Fearless Indestructible Wisdom
The Dzogchen tantra Blazing Relics of Buddha-Body describes signs of realization observable to others when a great master leaves the body, as well as the meaning of those signs. When a circle of light surrounded by rings appears after death, that individual has reached the ultimate state. When a light goes straight up, it indicates that the individual has instantly reached enlightenment without having to experience the bardo.
When beams of light appear, it means the individual is reaching enlightenment at the end of the bardo. That same tantra teaches that when a sound comes from the eastern direction, the practitioner has achieved enlightenment in the vajra family; from the south, in the ratna family; from the west, in the padma family; from the north, in the karma family; and from above, in the buddha family. Furthermore, the complexion of one who has merged the child and mother clear-light luminosity states remains bright; even if the body is left for as long as twenty-five days, it will remain fresh. And fragrances are emitted, more pleasant than camphor, saffron, and sandalwood.
Ani Thupten Palchen’s body was kept in the hospital for six days before it was transferred to the crematorium. Since her body was to be cremated, it was not embalmed. On the seventh day after her death, three Buddhist Anis (nuns) went to dress her body for cremation. According to Beverly Heckrotte, the President and Mortician of Going Home Cremation Service in Clarksville, Maryland, nothing had been done to the body other than refrigeration. No embalming process was used and no make up was applied. Juanita Thomas, Mortician, confirmed that the only thing she had done was wipe Ani Palchen’s face to make it nice and clean. She also indicated that the refreshing scent in the room was unusual, especially considering the length of time since her death and the fact that Ani Palchen had open wounds from a skin graft on her leg and open heart surgery. As evidenced by the photo of Ani Palchen’s body, Ani Palchen’s face and skin continued to have a natural tone seven days after her death. These are unusual signs.
Here is a first hand report from Ani Aileen who was present at the crematorium.
Today Ani Drolkar, Ani Rinchen and I went to the crematorium to dress Ani Palchen’s body for the cremation. We took her daily robes, her yellow robes, and the rest of her Dharma clothes and put her together as best we could. Then we covered her with flowers and incense. She looked beautiful!
Juanita from the crematorium was with us and we commented on the fact that Ani Palchen had no odor, although she’d been dead a few days. And, at the hospital, they had taken skin to use in grafting for burn victims, so she had open wounds. In fact, the whole room smelled quite pleasant. Juanita replied that it was quite unusual for someone to be completely without odor–and almost unheard of when there were those kinds of open wounds. We were all delighted and astonished. Ani Palchen looked so peaceful when we left her after prayers of dedication and we were so happy at her auspicious transition!!!
Ani Ariana’s report:
I had the great good fortune to be present when the call came to the home of Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo, our Guru and Spiritual Guide that Ani Thupten Palchen had died. As has been described previously, Jetsunma immediately went into her prayer room and performed the practice of Phowa for Ani-la at the very moment of her death. Palchen was successfully awakened from her death slumber, and guided by Jetsunma to Amitaba’s Pure Realm, known as Dewachen. She was liberated! This is what all practitioners aspire to; this is our goal.
Now we have a most remarkable second part to Ani Palchen’s story. Her body had remained for almost a week at the hospital where she died, an unusually long time. Finally, her body was released for cremation. In preparation for this final step, three of our Anis went to the crematorium to dress Ani Palchen in her ordination robes, and to prepare her body with due respect for the cremation. They surrounded her with flowers, laid incense on her body, and arranged her as though for a funeral pyre. To everyone’s astonishment, they discovered that there was no odor whatsoever from Ani Palchen’s body. Even after so many days, even after having been subjected to surgery and skin grafting prior to her death, there was no scent of deterioration. This was incredible to everyone there.
Jetsunma confirmed that this phenomenon occurred because Ani Palchen had been truly liberated. It was a sign, a true confirmation of her successfully following the Path of Vajrayana, with complete devotion and faith, and achieving freedom from the suffering of cyclic existence. It was a modern day miracle. There could be no ordinary explanation for the phenomenon that was witnessed at the crematorium.
Here is Ani Sonam’s report:
I was at Jetsunma’s house when Ani Ariana got a call from Ani Rinchen who was at the crematorium where they were dressing and preparing Ani Palchen’s body for cremation, and they reported that it was very unusual because the body had no odor. When Jetsunma was told she said, “That’s a sign that Ani Palchen is no longer ordinary. She has been liberated.” And Jetsunma said, “This is wonderful news for people who don’t believe that miracles can happen anymore.” I commented that, even more extraordinary, it was a Westerner who had accomplished her practice. And Jetsunma said, “A woman accomplished her practice with a woman teacher.”
This is historic. These are signs of Ani Palchen’s spiritual accomplishment through her devotion to her root Guru, Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo. In Jetsunma’s words, this is “Proof that liberation in one body is possible! Lineage and devotion are the real deal.”
His Holiness Karma Kuchen Rinpoche, Head of the Palyul Lineage was informed about Ani Palchen’s miraculous signs. His Holiness Karma Kuchen upon seeing this post on Ani Palchen, looked closely at her picture and said, “I know her from retreat! This is good! This is VERY VERY good!” Nawang Paljor who was with His Holiness, expanded by saying, “Especially in Nyingma, faith & devotion are emphasized, and even lay people show these accomplished signs from their practice. Now for westerners, it’s very good that they can see with their own eyes this proof of their faith, and perhaps more westerners will be drawn to Dharma.”
Miracle of the Butter Lamps
MiraclesThere are accounts of many miracles that took place around the event of His Holiness Penor Rinpoche’s parinirvana (final release from suffering of someone who has achieved complete awakening). Here is an account of one of those miracles.
Flower Butter Lamps
The monks at Byalakuppe Monastery prepared butter lamps for the 49th day ceremonies after His Holiness Penor Rinpoche’s parinirvana. The monks poured about 1000 butter lamps. Of those, 50 were set aside to be placed inside the Zangdokpelri. All of the butter lamps were left overnight to set. Once set, a butterlamp has a flat surface, but when the monks returned the following morning, they foundseven that looked like lotus flowers. Here are some images taken by Paljor, an eyewitness, with his cellphone:
