A sacred space for everyone
Prince of power this is the hour
This is the time when you must shine
I see it on your face, in your mind
You awaken right on time
To honor our Guru, our Lord Sublime.
You alone are well prepared
This time would come, you were aware
He gave you his essence with such care
I would have known Him anywhere.
You mixed your minds like water and wine
I hear His song in your mind.
Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo. All rights reserved
The following is from a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:
How comes this one?
He speaks no truth to me.
Nor to the visions I do see, he has nothing.
And if only he could see it so-
Maybe time will let him go.
I do grieve, not for hurtful misdeeds,
But, for flowers and hours of beauty, relentless bliss at the fiery tent.
I can’t resent
I’ll always follow…
OM AH HUNG BENZAR GURU PEDMA SIDDHI HUNG
Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo. All rights reserved
The following is an excerpt from a teaching by Khenchen Tsewang Gyatso on Ngondro given at Kunzang Palyul Choling:
Today, from The Great Perfection, Buddha in the Palm of the Hand, we are going through the Four Thoughts Which Turn the Mind, Refuge and Bodhicitta. There are many practitioners in Tibet who only accumulate prostrations and chant taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha who achieve purification and have some kind of experience. There are not just one or two, but thousands. Really! Tibetan lay people who could not enter monastic life or those who could not study like you guys. Here lamas come and give teachings and you all are very smart and want to understand everything step by step and you want to make everything clear. In Tibet, they have very strong devotion. When a lama is giving teachings, they all rush up there and listen. They are not so attentive, but they have so much devotion. Whenever a ngöndro teaching is given on prostrations, they have no doubt. They will do that accumulation. They will not consider whether it makes sense or not. They just practice it, thinking, “This must be something of benefit, so I have to do it.” They do it continuously. Even when they are working in the kitchen or tending the cows, they continue chanting “Lama la kyab su chi-o, Sangye la kyab su chi-o, Chö la kyab su chi-o, Gendun la kyab su chi-o,” like this. They are constantly chanting, and they don’t think, “Lama la kyab su chi-o, why do I have to say this?” They really don’t have that kind of thought. “Why do I have to take refuge in Buddha? Who is Buddha? What is Dharma? What is Sangha? Why do I have to do that?” They really don’t have that kind of thought. They just go on constantly chanting. And they really do have some kind of purification, and they could have many different kinds of experiences, dreams, clear understanding. I think it is due to the culture that they have that kind of belief and constantly do that. Nobody knows what kind of practice a very ordinary appearing human is doing, just that every time people see him he is chanting, “Lama la kyab su chio, Sangye la kyab su chio…” “I take refuge in the Lama, I take refuge in the Buddha…” People think he is just ignorant. But when death comes, he sits calmly with a smile and rainbows appear. Then people realize that this was a great practitioner. We didn’t know that.
The following is from a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:
Precious Guru beyond measure, Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, please return to us swiftly! Without you there is no sun. Our hearts fill with tears each day your precious face is hidden from the world. May your Dharma heir Palyul His Holiness Karma Kuchen stand up with strength, power and glory to carry on all you have built, your great accomplishment in the world. I vow to uphold as well your blessings, especially those bestowed on me, your bumbling servant. Forgive me for this wretched sadness since your Parinirvana. Please remain enthroned in my heart, grant me the power of our ancient Lineage and all the Throneholders, from the mighty Kunzang Sherab and the extraordinary Terton child Migure Dorje, the very foundation on which Palyul was built! Kyabje Rinpoche, when you enthroned me you bestowed all the blessings of Palyul on me and I pray in gratitude for the strength to uphold. I confess every lack or weakness and vow at your very lotus feet to attend to the gift of loving kindness you have granted. Your compassion, your Bodhicitta, your purity, are needed like a desert needs rain. Therefore if I have any merit in the three times I beg you, Tsawei Lama to return in glory and without obstacle! You, Guru above the crown of my head, my bliss, my treasure, my “king,” my love, our Father, all of us, do not abandon us! I beg you with precious jeweled Mandala, return to us all!
Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo. All rights reserved
The following is an excerpt from a teaching by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo called “Your Treasure is Heart”
For Americans, the activity of the lamas can be confusing because sometimes the lamas will engage in wrathful compassion. This has happened to me and I know it has happened to my students as well. Sometimes because of the karma and the love and concern between the student and the teacher, the lama will see in their meditation that some terrible obstacle has arisen in the mind of the student, or in the path of the student, or in the life of the student in some way. Maybe it’s an obstacle to the student’s life. Maybe it’s an obstacle to the student’s path. Maybe it’s simply something like a brick wall where the student will meet up with their habitual tendency and not be able to make much progress. If there is the right kind of karmic relationship, if the causes have been given rise to and the devotion is there and all of the different catalytic necessities are in place, then the lama will often engage in wrathful activity in order to cut this obstacle.
Let’s say, for instance (and this often occurs), that the lama sees that within the student’s mind some negative, nonvirtuous karma has been catalyzed or drawn to the surface, or has begun to ripen. Then the lama will see that this could be dangerous and the lama will be very wrathful. How does that work? Well, first of all, the lama, knowing what the student’s capacity is, will do that skillfully in such a way that eventually, even if not at first, the student will fully understand the lama’s gracious activity; and even though wrathful activity has occurred, the student will remain fully devoted, fully respectful, fully loving and confident in the lama’s kindness.
That pure inner posture is a posture of true devotion, purity, spirituality in every sense of the word. When the lama takes all of your habitual tendencies and all of your issues and smacks you in the head with them, it takes a tremendous amount of vajra courage to continue with love and confidence. If the student is lacking in a certain kind of virtuous karma, or virtuous ripening at that particular time and is also, perhaps, having the ripening of some nonvirtuous karma, that interaction between the lama and student may turn it around, and can turn it around just like that, because of the student’s capacity, even in the face of such a difficult situation, to remain fully devoted, fully confident and fully vulnerable. Vulnerable means opened up and not protected. In order to continue on this path of compassion and wisdom, that determination, that vajra courage, is such a tremendously virtuous inner posture in which to remain, that often this negative tendency or negative event will be cut.
This has definitely happened to me as I described once or twice before, where my own teacher, out of the clear blue sky with no seeming cause, began to be very angry at me and accused me of something that I would never do. It would be the equivalent of my accusing you of murdering babies with chain saws. It was just so far from reality it could never be true. So my teacher began to be really angry at me and scolded me and raged at me to the point where I was shaking in my shoes. I was unbelievably terrified. Then when he felt the obstacle had been cut he just stopped and he said, “O.K., we’re done now. Try not to get mad. See you later.” Sort of like that. Try not to get mad! I was trying not to make my own gravy if you’ll excuse the expression. I was terrified. I’ve never been so terrified in my life. I barely shuffled myself out of the room. And then I realized that physically I felt completely different and that something had changed radically. I went to my other teacher who was also here (two of my main teachers were here) and he said “Oh yeah. His Holiness saw an obstacle to your health and he cut it.” Interestingly, from that time forward I felt about 10 years younger, the ultimate face lift. My love and respect and regard for my teacher, and also the courage to really make myself spiritually vulnerable to his care, grew by that situation because I knew in my heart that he had brought me great benefit. That’s the kind of thing that one sees on the path of Vajrayana.
Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo. All rights reserved
How long does it take to practice and attain the fruit of the path of Dharma? It takes as long as it takes. You cannot measure in time. Some say “oh, I’ve practiced 10 years” great! Keep going. 20 years? Great! Go on wit cha bad self!!! Keep going! 30 years? Super-dooper. A large chunk of life! Keep going!!! It is so easy to delude oneself into thinking that a number is the goal. Actually one should consider their own inner qualities as the watermark. To do this one must have self-honesty. Without honesty there is no way to judge progress. So we must learn to ob serve our own minds and stop relying on the approval of one’s peers. The need for approval is a sickness, not compatible with awakening. It is a deluded and neurotic display depending on separating, dualistic concepts. The desire to give and receive love is different.
Some find a lot of thrill from displaying many words and concepts to insure how well informed they are. This is not what I want. Not for me. I would rather display my efforts on the path as actual accomplishment that is of benefit; like Stupas. They’ll be there after I’m dead. So this result is of great benefit, as many healings and miracles happen, particularly at the great Migure Dorje Stupa in Maryland and the Amitabha Stupa in Arizona.
And here we have as well a monastery founded by me but solely offered to Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche. It will last until the day his Yangse Rinpoche is educated. Then it goes to him, Tsawei Lama. The property in Arizona and Maryland both will be his to put to use. It is for him. Only him! My Guru!
Since He is a Palyul Throneholder, that will keep it in our lineage after I’m gone, but under his command and none other. This is one of the greatest goals in my life. I want to be sure Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche is the beneficiary of it all. Lama Khyenno! Only he knows best.
He is my Guru, and his blessing gave rise to all of this by his wish. Once He told me I would find a big white house with columns in front. He said we should buy it, and that the money would come. We did and it did, exactly as he said. What a Lama he was! There was/is no space between us.
Since I first met him he has been the main guide of my life. Even now, as I meditate he is there, Pure Dharmakaya. No one moves me as does he. So I am waiting, hoping, praying for His Holiness Kyabje Penor Rinpoche to return. When he is able to take what I offer his Yangsi Rinpoche will be wealthy and set up to Teach and Empower here in America. This is my dream. When His Holiness returns and is ready, my life goal will be finished.
In my view this is the best way to keep Palyul safe and ongoing. Every blessing came from Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche. And all should return to him.
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