The following is a message from Gyaltrul Rinpoche to Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo and her sangha given on November 11, 2011:
VGR to JAL 11.11.11
In November 2011 Venerable Gyaltrul Rinpoche offered the following spontaneous teaching about Jetsunma at a sangha gathering at Tashi Choling in Oregon.
Gyaltrul Rinpoche began by asking Jetsunma’s student who was in attendance at the gathering to stand and to convey this message to Jetsunma.
“You opened your center. Then you bought a house, and then you invited Holiness Penor Rinpoche. Then you sponsored the whole Rinchen Terzod, and invited so many high lamas.
You got really sick, but still you are upholding that center. Right now you miss Holiness, but it doesn’t matter. I heard that you offered your center to two tulkus who are His Holiness’ successors. You are the servant. You have merit. In that way you succeeded in growing your center. Now you have the merit to offer it to Holiness’ successors – two tulkus and the whole lineage. You gave everything to them purely, cleanly, and without attachment. You don’t make claims. You dedicated that merit to sentient beings to cleanse obscurations. Thank you so much. This is the way of dharma, not just the way of “mine.” The way of “mine” is, “We need to practice.” Mine is “We need to generate merit and cleanse obscurations.” That’s mine. You took a big step that is opposite of the American brain. You didn’t say “mine.” You said that according to Buddha it belongs to sentient beings. It is the Buddha’s offering for sentient beings. You dedicated it. Thank you so much.
Speaking to the student, Gyaltrul Rinpoche continued.
Students at the center need to maintain it for sentient beings. Note what your teacher His Holiness did. At the same time follow what Jetsunma did. She offered the center and everything back to the lineage for your benefit. Now you have to maintain it. Don’t crack. Don’t damage it. How do you crack it? How do you damage it? By the breaking of samaya. By fighting. This is “my” way, your way, this way, that way. Whose way? His Holiness’ way. Your way as a human being is Holiness’ way. Penor Rinpoche is Holiness. As non human beings it is Shakyamuni Buddha’s Way, Guru Rinpoche’s Way.
Through the whole Rinchen Terzod you got the whole lineage. You guys need to maintain that benefit for all the sentient beings that are connected with you. You have to open up for them, as much as you can for sentient beings. Not only for him that you like or her that you like or not, but for all sentient beings, even bugs. Do according to Shakyamuni, according to Guru Rinpoche and according to your root lama, Penor. We don’t have anything to be ashamed of with the wonderful way of our root lama, the Dalai Lama. Follow that example. I pray for you guys.
Right now we have the amazing fortune in this life and next life to offer some benefit for others. Almost nobody has that kind of merit. Therefore don’t forget how fortunate, how lucky we are. This is our luck, all of our fortune. Therefore don’t throw away your luck. Don’t throw away your merit. Continue. There are lots of obstacles up and down, but try. Be patient. Be more compassionate for sentient beings. We have this opportunity only one time – this time. If we lose this one, we won’t get another. Recognize this. Try that. Tell all the centers that this is my request. Thank you. Tashi Deleg.
I’m so happy she [Jetsunma] offered it, you know? It is amazing that way. She has freedom. So you have heard this example. You guys are working for the sentient beings. Don’t be proud working for yourself. Everybody is working hard.
Some of you guys came here today. Some didn’t come. One way – snow. One way -laziness. One way – excuse. One way is saving next life’s merit, and cleansing obscurations. We need to keep that savings. We don’t want to clear it out. We don’t want to save the merit too much. Therefore we need to save space.
Everybody is working so hard but I’m not embarrassed. I don’t have any regrets about it. I’m happy. The reason is not that I am happy using you guys in ten directions. I’m not satisfied that you guys are tortured. Look at Philip, how old his body is. And Ani here is an old lady. Everyone says these guys torture themselves from working so hard. The reason is to generate merit – purification. Anytime you have an opportunity, don’t ignore that opportunity. We don’t know how short our life is. You may think, “I’m not like that ugly old man. I’m quite handsome.” Anyway one day you are going to be cranky like me, ugly like me, a bozo like me. You will look like that. It’s not only me. I’m not the only one being punished from old age.
The nature of samsara is like that. We trust. You think samsara is trustable, even more than your boyfriend, more than your husband, more than your wife or girlfriend. You guys trust so much. I love you. This is the real reason for our shorter life that we have that idea. The bottom line is reaching another life. Everybody try. Help each other practice. Dedicate. Nothing is more useful or better. It all is temporary, but we have a chance, an opportunity.
You need to go. You guys need to go because there is snow, but try in the future. You have an opportunity. You have amazing good fortune. I’m not saying you are pretty or handsome or smarter. I’m not saying you’re richer. Being rich means nothing. Look at how rich Qadaffi was. All sentient beings are going to die, even Shakyamuni’s father and mother. When we read the history of Shakyamuni, do we think of Shakyamuni as a poor guy? No. Did he get drunk or crazy? No. Read that history carefully. I’m not asking you guys to become a nun or monk. Nun means nothing. Monk means nothing. If you follow Shakyamuni’s footsteps then yes, but lots of monks are about ritual. Lots of monks are samsara leaders. This is more cheating of Shakyamuni. Actually we are cheating ourselves.
It’s the same thing with Guru Rinpoche. Guru Rinpoche is not a poor guy. G. Rinpoche is not a poor guy. I’m not asking you to give up your position, or money or anything. But recognize first what is of benefit and what that means. What is good or bad? Check everything. Don’t jump over this.
Look at how many countries are fighting and for what? Power, money, and that kind of thing. You guys are smart. Look carefully. Don’t think its all Funky Rinpoche. “He’s dying. He’s losing his life.” Yeah. You are right. But it’s not only me. You too. I don’t have preparation so don’t follow me. Wake up. Stand up. You have an opportunity and you have the blessing of Holiness Dalai Lama, Dudjom Rinpoche, Penor Rinpoche, and the Karmapa. Sunshine shows your hand or behind or friend or whatever. You are not in the darkness. All dharmas – Hinayana, Mahayana, Vajrayana – everything is there blazing on you. At that time don’t go Qadaffi style. Don’t go down dark tunnels. Still your “bad” is showing. Therefore, everybody try. Don’t be smart. You want to be smart? Understand cause and effect. You need someone smart who can benefit you? Know who can help or harm you. That’s smart. You don’t need the scholar going blah, blah, blah. A hundred thousand pages you do for one second, but everything is blah blah blah. You don’t follow that meaning or result, or you don’t care. It’s just blah blah blah. Therefore everybody try.
Goodnight. We have snow, so I’m not going to blah no meaning. I don’t want to make obstacles for you.”
Wow. Many thanks to Jetsunma for stimulating this teaching with her alway impeccable actions and to Gyaltrul Rinpoche for being so clear, so direct, so kind. Thanks, too, to whoever transcribed this. I had heard the video but being able to read it is very helpful. And of course am grateful it was posted again. Gratefully,
Thank you for tweeting about this post as I had not seen it. Thank you Jetsunma.
Wonderful! Especially these parts – We have this opportunity only one time – this time. If we lose this one, we won’t get another. Recognize this. Try that. Tell all the centers that this is my request.
Now (The students) have to maintain it. Don’t crack. Don’t damage it. How do you crack it? How do you damage it? By the breaking of samaya. By fighting. This is “my” way, your way, this way, that way. Whose way? His Holiness’ way.