Alyce Zeoli

Longing For His Holiness Penor Rinpoche

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Everyone knows Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche was a living Buddha; the signs at his Parinirvana, his huge body of accomplishment, His great Kindness in establishing Palyul in India and the west. His determination to nurture Palyul, the extensive adornment of all capacity! He was a father to so many, ordained so many… Still stunned by His life… Still reeling from his passing. One never gets over that. Like the sun leaving the sky with only fireflies to guide our way.
I remember being told stories by the monks of how when Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche went to Tibet his people would follow behind Him, eat the dirt His footprints were on, for the blessing. These simple folk would do anything. Their faith in Him was powerful! And He gave every last drop every time.
When I would go for advice He was always ready to give the most profound. When I asked about our activities (KPC) He always said do what you think is best. You know. These students are yours and you know. The confidence He showed me was over the top!
I’ve been contemplating Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche’s teachings from New York. I have all, I believe. He was so profound. Deep like an ocean! Lama Kyen no!
I miss Him like the desert longs for rain… Like flowers long for sun… Like a mother longs for her child, like a child seeks her Father’s embrace. Kyabje Rinpoche was and is my North Star guiding me! Precious nectar that nourishes me! He lives, sitting a diamond throne within my heart!
He is every face, flower, all that is wholesome. He is the trees, the beauty of nature – my world! He is pure Dharmakaya, as I meditate, pray, if only I am still, silent, unperturbed, He is there. All phenomena, every display is Him! As uncontrived luminosity He is my prayer, my mind, my heart; Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, while keeping all vows purely, was and is my love, my purpose, my Tsawei Lama. HE is the great and only love of my life.
Stumbling in sorrow I patiently await His return. Guru, grant me the blessing of looking in your eyes before long! I wait like a butter lamp in the window of a chapel. Calling and weeping for the sound of His steps, ready to wash your feet, Beloved! Return to me, for their sake, for my children.
OM AH HUNG BENZAR GUR PEDMA SIDDHI HUNG!

©Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo

A video of the Compassionate Activities of His Holiness Pema Norbu Rinpoche with permission from Pathgate Institute of Buddhist Studies, and special thanks to Lama Dondrup Dorje

Lineage and Transmission

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I truly feel it is arrogant to change the Dharma to make up your own, or to say “this is what he meant.” The worst is “the Buddha never taught”.

So where does Buddhism come from? Ask those arhats that held his teachings perfectly in their minds. Shariputra, Ananda, etc then wrote the Buddhas teaching for all. Ananda had a particularly clear mind for perfect recall. His mind was pure, undefiled by ordinary existence.

As with Guru Padmasambava, also called the second emanation of Buddha, the teachings were preserved perfectly. Guru Padmasambava brought a host of peerless translators also realized and with excellent training to do the job. Tantras from India, Pali Cannon, and what was useful from Bon, Tibetan Shaman, was considered as well.

Then at the times Guru Padmasambava was with Yeshe Tsogyel and Mandarava both, Tantric Treasures were hidden for future times. They were hidden in a mystical way so that it was certain that the right Terton (revealer) would appear at the exact right time. Guru Padmasambava was able to predict the rebirth of every Terton, where they would be found. Some revelations were hidden in the sky, some hidden in water, some in rock, others in mountains, and some were passed to the Terton of the future directly in a vision!

Terton Migure Dorje was one such Terton. He died very young. Yet as a child he saw Guru Rinpoche dancing in the sky while giving the entire Nam Cho Terma Cycle which we now practice in Palyul. Among the heart students of Terton Migure Dorje were my predecessor, Genyenma Ahkon Lhamo and Palyul’s first Throneholder the great Vidyadhara Kunzang Sherab. All revelations from Nam Cho have been strictly passed down in Palyul from Guru to disciple in a Stainless unbroken chain, so no blessings were lost.

It is from the Nam Cho Cycle from Terton Migure Dorje that I will train to confer. If my predecessor was heart student of Terton Rinpoche, and my earlier predecessor was the Consort of Guru Padmasambava, then with training I feel it would be a gift if I could make that circle of blessing complete. I intend to do so, for the sake of sentient beings!

Oddly, my personal practice happens to be the Chime Tsok Dik which is the Tantra from the glorious accomplishment of Immortality, the rainbow body. That was Mandarava and Guru Padmasambava’s intimate practice. It was later revealed by His Holiness Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche, who Himself practiced With his Consort (SangYum.) But it connects directly to the venerable practice of Guru Padmasambava and Lacham Mandarava! EMAHO! Oddly, decades ago I dreamed that I flew through the eyes of a baby Dudjom Rinpoche, and through His eyes I saw the cosmos, and space. It was there I knew I’d find freedom!

Lastly, my great gift was to receive the Empowerment for the practice two times from Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche who got it from His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche five times and from His Eminence Venerable Gyaltrul Rinpoche two times. See how it works, this karma, this cause and result? It all comes back home. Perfectly!

© Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

Warrior of Compassion

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To hate is irresponsible. Not only does it taint one’s own mind, but harms all others who touch it. It is unethical, as it poisons our world. I resent hate on twitter, not just the idiotic stuff thrown at me, but in general too. I have great hopes for twitter to exchange info and bring the world closer together, like a world community. Tweeters often offer love and support to each other, care.

Other types only want to rabble-rouse and stir up the war consciousness in everyone. Mostly failures in life, they feel better when they make their victims hurt. My sense is that they do not understand people who build their lives with skill and care. Their hatred of other’s success is due to feelings of inadequacy driving them. Not understanding the mechanics of a wholesome life, peaceful life, they hate those that do. And blame others for their difficulties. Actually, it is their own attitude and reaction that harms them. I say it over and over. Your Karma and mind are yours alone!

Therefore it must be oneself that manages and minds one’s own non virtue. Oddly enough, these are just the people who project their hate onto others. Example: a person commits a crime and goes to jail. Then commits more crime while on parole and blames the person who caught him red-handed. A narcissistic criminal with sociopath mindset will blame the person who caught them. Never seeing that the problem was the crime itself, and therefore their own chosen lifestyle. The bible tells us that to live by the sword is to die by the sword. True.

Buddhists call it karma, cause and effect. The same principle, I think in that we must take responsibility for the harm we cause others. If the criminal ends up being punished (say-like-Prison) that isn’t harming. If the criminal does the crime, that is the result. And they have created the cause. Though a deluded person may think they are right they still have committed a crime. And beings are harmed.

The amazing thing about Buddha Dharma is that there is always a way to confess, purify, and “go right” according to the methods of the eight-fold path. Correcting course and following what the Buddha taught, similar to 10 commandments, there is a body of material in ethics according to the Buddhist traditions. And since it is the bones of the body of Dharma it prevails through all its forms. In truth it is the ethical, warm-hearted and generous heart that provides the happiness, joy and stability on the path. Through meditation as well, we find peace and sweet relief!

Conversely when the me me – me mantra is in the driver seat, and the ego is immensely puffed up there is never any satisfaction or lasting happiness. The body then reflects the qualities of mind, and all is lost.

If you want to fight a war, the only one worth fighting is the insightful one against one’s own poisons. In the way the Buddhas see, it is not even truly possible to fight an external enemy. The enemy is war, our own soldiers are our own root poisons. And the true enemy is within, our own egos, and habitual tendencies. Therefore fight your own war, pacify hatred greed and ignorance, enjoy the happiness it brings, and live to bring benefit to the world!

© Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

Prayer to Be Reborn in Dewachen

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The following is a musical offering by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

Click on the link below to download the prayer

Prayer to Be Reborn in Dewachen

OM  AH  MI  DHE  WA  HRI

CHOM DEN DE DE ZHIN SHEG PA DRA CHOM PA YANG DAG PAR

DZOG PA’I SANGYE GÖN PO ÖD PAG TU MED PA

LA CHAG TSHAL LO     CHÖD DO KYAB SU CHI-O (Repeated)

To the Bhagavan, Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly Completed Buddha, Protector of Infinite Light, I prostrate, offer, and go for refuge.

OM  AH  MI  DHE  WA  HRI (Repeated)

Turning Away from Samsara

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From a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:

Whoever believes that one’s actions do not create specific cause and result, has an atheistic, nihilistic view.  At death rebirth will be taken in the lowest hell realm.

Such a view is destructive towards oneself and is harmful to others.  It is never the case that the result of karma is less than exacting.  Karma will produce the exact result of whatever was causal.  This is interdependent origination.  Cause and result are created at the same time.

There are ten activities that create a great storehouse of merit; composition, offering, generosity, attentiveness; recitation of Dharma, memorization and teaching Dharma, as well as praying, contemplation and meditation.  These are virtuous and produce an auspicious rebirth.

When deeply committed and accomplished in Dharma, one is like a traveler who has their storehouse stocked and fully prepared for anything.  If for the three jewels one offers a flower, incense, or a simple butter lamp/candle consistently rebirth is taken in perfect Samadhi.

When I see the suffering, the faults of cyclic existence, I feel deep sorrow.  I have long ago abandoned the jail of the realms of samsara.  I abandon non- virtue, and persist always in the effort to teach and help to liberate beings!  This is the promise, life after life!

© Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

My CrackBerry & Suffering!

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An excerpt from a teaching called the Eightfold Path by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

In the Four Noble truths, the Lord Buddha taught that all sentient beings are suffering.  Even if there is temporary happiness, there is suffering in samsara and that the origin of suffering is attachment or desire.

I thought I would tell you about my Blackberry as an example of this.  There is nothing inherent in this box that means suffering. There are wires and buttons, and a SIM chip in it.   It even lights up and does funny things.  The things I can do with this are just amazing.  So there’s really no unhappiness with this, right?  Wrong.  I have become a Crackberry addict.  Hi.  My name is Jetsunma, and I’m an addict.  From the first moment I got it; it’s been a joy and a horror at the same time. The joyful part is you could practically control the world from it or at least try to.  The less than joyful part about it is that it will try to control you.  And you cannot get a minute’s peace if you are carrying around your little computer, because emails are constantly coming.  So it’s a mixed blessing, and I knew that desire had struck me.

It’s such a great Buddhist lesson because like I said, this gizmo’s great.  There’s nothing wrong with it.  It should not cause suffering.  But I have these nightmares.  I’ve actually had nightmares that I lost my Blackberry.  And because of that I couldn’t call anybody, and I was somewhere where I didn’t know where I was, and I couldn’t call anybody to come get me, because once you have a Blackberry, you don’t remember any phone numbers.  Everything’s on speed dial.  That was my first dream.

My second dream was in a terrible situation. I couldn’t find my two dogs – my two heart children – Jada and Ewok.  I couldn’t find them, and there was nobody around to help me look for them.  And I’m thinking, “I’ve got to call for some help.  I’ve got to call for some help.” Guess what?  It was busted.  So, there I was grieving about my dogs, and dying about my CrackBerry!

This is a perfect display of what the Buddha taught.  The Buddha taught that it is attachment and desire that bring us suffering. Now, before I had this thing, I didn’t desire it.  But once I got it, I’m all over it.  I tell you, I’m an addict, and I’m going to do the steps.  Because of attachment, I have fear that I’ll lose this thing. And I’m watching my mind do this.  It is so absolutely essential to watch your mind when it plays those games and does those trips to you.  It is so educational and so awe inspiring, because although obviously the Buddha wouldn’t have known about a BlackBerry, he knows the condition of my mind due to attachment and desire.  I love the stuff this thing does.  I can get weather from three different sources.  I’m a real weather wonk. I can read news on my BlackBerry.  But here I am with this very cool thing that is now causing me suffering.

Now it’s a silly example because most of us suffer from things a whole lot worse than losing a CrackBerry.  I call it CrackBerry because that’s what it is.  People suffer from more horrible things but it is a good example to show you that even something that’s a gift becomes a terrible burden when there’s too much attachment and too much desire. This is a silly example because I can put this thing down.  In fact, I can throw it in a lake, and then it’s over.  The suffering is ended.  I can control that, but so many people have things that are happening in their lives that they have no control over, or at least they feel that they don’t.  It seems as though things are happening from the outside.  And because of what happens to us and because of what we are given and what we are programmed with, we develop these very strong attachments.  If it’s to a person, it’s obvious.  If it’s to a car, it’s obvious.  If it’s to a BlackBerry, it’s obvious.  If it’s to a house, it’s obvious.  You know what the deal is there.  But most of the time our desire is so mixed and so churning, that we can hardly see or hardly track our mind well enough to know what exactly is going on.  And so as the Buddha taught, we tend to think that we are suffering because of circumstance when in fact we are suffering because of desire.

I invite you as we study the Four Noble truths and the Eightfold Path to begin to research your own mind.  Begin to see, and watch yourself.  Watch the way you perceive.  Watch the way you think.  Begin to learn from your own mind.  You may be surprised.   We don’t realize how attached and filled with desire we are even when we are trying to practice renunciation.  And it takes examining the mind.

For instance, I could have said, “Well, this is a necessary evil.  I have to have it because of my job, which I do. And I could blame it on outward circumstances, and say, “Oh poor me.  I have to have this because of my job.”  I could go round and round about it, but the truth of the matter is that it’s my own attachment.  I was fine without it and I’ll be fine after it.  It’s the attachment, it’s our reaction that sucks us in and makes us habituate.

I just wanted to mention that as part of the Four Noble Truths, to give an example of how the arising of suffering is the same as the arising of desire and attachment.  That’s really what causes our suffering.  Our own reaction.  The good news about that is that we have some power.  We have some control.

It’s hard to control your desire when knives are coming at you.  But for the most part, that is not what people are suffering from.  They are not suffering from knives coming at them.  They are not suffering from something that’s so profound and so reactive and so immediate that they have no time even to even things out.

We have a marvelous capacity to watch our own minds, and this is unique to humanity.  In none of the other six realms of cyclic existence, except for the human realm and only under certain karmic conditions, is there the capacity to watch one’s own mind and to practice and awaken, and to accumulate merit most of all.  There is simply no way in any of the other realms.  And that’s why being a human is a precious rebirth, and worth more than you could ever assemble in a hundred lifetimes in terms of material goods, because of what is capable, what is possible here by following the Eightfold Path and using our minds to sever the sickness and narcotic of desire and attachment.

© Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

Thanksgiving Message

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From a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo (@jalpalyul) on November 25, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all! Whatever your life is like, let’s take this time together in gratitude for all the blessings we have.  Even if this year has been difficult, still let’s leave trouble at the front door and celebrate the good with family and friends!

Thanksgiving really isn’t about food. It is about learning to live together in community and kindness, to respect one another, and share bounty.  I pray we all feel connected in unity and love, and come to realize we are one essence, non-dual, always.

© Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

Thanksgiving Memories

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From a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:

Tomorrow is a day for gratitude and Thanksgiving. And people eat. We used to stuff pumpkins with chestnut and fresh bread (homemade) spinach etc instead of turkey as young vegetarians. All grown or bought locally. I had a hand turned flower mill, ground cornmeal, wheat flour soy, etc from flour to grits. Even pastry flour!

I once LOVED cooking. But making the kitchen functional, shopping, saving vegetable stock for healthy soup, the profound connected part was my favorite. I always looked for ways to put a little wheat germ or soy flour a la Adelle Davis in everything. Picked wild greens, gardened, we ate healthy for nothing!

Mmmmm – we made wild huckleberry pie and cobbler. I made my own jams and jellies. In particular, our own Cherries with one or two pits put back. They give a complimentary almond flavor.

We had a dairy cow, made yogurt, butter, cheese, soft and wheels of hard. Like parmesan I learned so much! We cut felled wood for heat.

Those were such beautiful days. I could go on…. Those were the happiest days.

Goodnight, that was your bedtime story, Beloveds! Sweet dreams!

© Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

Feeling Down? Advice for the Path

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From a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:

Feeling depression is a sign to stop, look, and listen, evaluate, also a sign that one has become too self-absorbed. Give to others!

No matter how one rationalizes, rage and anger are another way to say hate. Begin change by loving!

My main focus on twitter is to teach Dharma, to connect with friends, and enjoy the many different cultures. I don’t care for argument and fighting. I do care to discuss in a calm way with the intention that all parties walk away with a gift.

Put on your boots and gloves and weed your Spiritual garden. You may not like what you see there! Pull it up by the root.

© Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

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