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Life on the Road with Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Portland, OR — July 25, 2010
From Ven. Roger Kunsang:
Rinpoche’s retreat is going well. It is a group retreat with eight other lamas, two Khadro- las, and 40 senior monks. The schedule is good. The first session starts at 6 a.m., going through to lunch. The second session begins at 1:30 p.m., going until about 6 p.m. That’s it! Rinpoche has a quick lunch with Pari Rinpoche, nicely prepared by Sangpo and Tenzin. When the second session finishes Rinpoche goes to Khadro-la’s place. Khadro-la has Rinpoche do some exercises, similar to those found in the Six Yogas. They then they have dinner together and after dinner Khadro-la kindly brings out her prostration board for Rinpoche to do prostrations. This finishes around 10 p.m.
Rinpoche’s sugar levels seem to be slowly coming down, but they are not yet sweet! It is going to take time but hopefully with a little rest, medication, exercise and Rinpoche’s new determination (fueled by the advice from His Holiness!), it will be OK.
Portland, Oregon — July 23, 2010
From Ven. Roger Kunsang:
Rinpoche with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Photo by Ven. Thubten Kunsang
Rinpoche is in retreat which started about 10 days ago. Prior to the retreat, Rinpoche met with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. It was a relaxed meeting (meetings with His Holiness in recent times are quite brief and to the point because of the very demanding schedule that His Holiness has, but, the occasional more-relaxed appointments do occur) and His Holiness expressed his happiness with Rinpoche and the activities of FPMT.
His Holiness also expressed concern about Rinpoche’s health and said that Rinpoche should now start to take Tibetan medicine for diabetes and blood pressure. His Holiness asked his own doctor (a Tibetan nun) to see Rinpoche. Later, Rinpoche also went to see His Holiness’ Western-trained Tibetan doctor. Both prescribed medicines Rinpoche is now taking (with special diligence because His Holiness said he should take care of his health).
I think Rinpoche is taking his health more seriously now and putting in more effort into exercising, taking medication and resting … I hope.
Hong Kong — July 9, 2010
From Ven. Roger Kunsang:
Rinpoche had the flu the whole time we were in Hong Kong. I think it started in Malaysia. It got heavy as the days went by, but Rinpoche kept to the schedule, refusing to lighten the load.
Rinpoche insisted on going shopping to buy gifts, even though the flu was quite heavy. So off we went to one of those big glittery name-brand Hong Kong shopping malls (this one was called Times Square). Rinpoche shops by doing observations in front of potential gifts, seeing which comes out best for a particular person. Immediately, Rinpoche was shopping for gifts for His Holiness, very nice and unusual things. Of course, I’m carefully reminding Rinpoche of how much extra luggage this means (which is way more than we can manage). This isn’t making the slightest impression on Rinpoche.
We have been all over the shopping mall and I can see that Rinpoche is quite exhausted with the flu. So it is tea (and coffee) break at Starbucks. There are quite a few students following behind, being quite helpful by carrying the gifts. Tea, coffee and snacks for everyone! Opposite Starbucks is a specialty shop with really nice stationary and supplies. Rinpoche goes in and buys many different kinds of nice fancy notebooks. He then sits down again in Starbucks and gives each helpful student a nice notebook for writing Dharma quotes in. Rinpoche signs each book for them and writes a mantra in it as an extra blessing. By this time Rinpoche looks really tired but insists he wants to shop more! He wants to buy very nice shoes for an especially kind female student. I try to explain that getting the right style and size is very difficult. Of course this doesn’t dissuade Rinpoche. So before you know it, we are in Lane Crawfords (!), an expensive shop that doesn’t even allow you to take pictures inside. Rinpoche and several Sangha and lay students moving about this place does cause a bit of a stir! After a lot of checking we buy the shoes (I’m not going to mention the price) and we are off, back to the center with our gifts.
Hong Kong — June 28, 2010
From Ven. Roger Kunsang:
Rinpoche has mentioned several times over the last few months:
“Within the FPMT organization we are doing well studying the words. Now we need the students to experience the Lam-Rim.”
Hong Kong — June 26, 2010
From Ven. Roger Kunsgang:
#9 was found and delivered!
It is the day after our arrival in Hong Kong. There is no program so Rinpoche is free. It is morning and Rinpoche is meditating and doing prayers. Rinpoche keeps silent every morning until prayers finished. Breakfast is usually taken into his room and he has it at some stage when he wants, never while it is hot. Hours go by and Rinpoche has lunch at about 5:30 p.m. Offering the food takes time and so the meal is never hot. Rinpoche continues through the evening in his room meditating and reading texts.
We have a guest from overseas over for dinner. Rinpoche comes out of his room at about 11 p.m. for dinner, very warmly meeting our guest.
The offering prayer for dinner starts shortly after our guest arrives. Rinpoche goes through an elaborate prayer and meditation on emptiness, in fact, he covers the whole path to enlightenment! It is now midnight and the prayer/meditation is still going on. There are seven of us at the table. One is on the verge of snoring, the guest is occasionally answering emails on his Blackberry (holding it under the table, being very discreet). Meditation continues. It is now 1 a.m. Around 1:15 a.m. Rinpoche finishes and bursts into laughter announcing the puja has finished! (The food is never hot.) We eat and watch the BBC news. The night goes on. Then protector prayers, a little discussion here and there, and we finish around 7 a.m. Not everyone made it through to the morning as there is the schedule for the next day starting early.
A meal with this yogi is never hot … but always blessed!
Petaling Jaya and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — June 19 – 21, 2010
From Ven. Roger Kunsang:
On the third day of the Yamantaka initiation, Rinpoche starts at 8 p.m. We go through the night with two pee-pee breaks and finish at 8 a.m. Nice! Before getting off the throne for breakfast, Rinpoche says we can start the long life puja in one hour at 9 a.m. I have a quick word with Rinpoche, mentioning that it might be a bit tiring after all night. Rinpoche gives me a sharp reply, “No, we do! We do!”
Then, as we are walking away to breakfast, Rinpoche says to me, “I want to offer lunch to the Sangha and then we can take a boat ride on the lake and bless the water and fish, and offer them food.” (The owner of the hotel has a very large lake created on the grounds and uses it for releasing fish, etc. He is a very kind and generous Buddhist.) I remind Rinpoche that the whole day is filled and that we have a big fundraising dinner starting at 7 p.m. with 500 people, so there is no time for rest. This time, the look I get is, well, it has a nice touch of wrath, more like a fierce smile.
The day goes on and we are at the dinner in the evening — an excellent evening with the teenagers of Losang Dragpa Centre’s 16 Guidelines group offering great entertainment. The evening is to raise funds for the Sera Je Food Fund that Rinpoche initiated 20 years earlier. The evening finishes a little after midnight and we go back to the hotel where we need to pack nine large suitcases, four trolley bags and four backpacks, as well as find people who are going to the USA to take things back, and people going to Hong Kong (the next stop) as we always have too much! Most of the luggage are texts and gifts. The packing is an art. It’s complex and highly technical, and requires a great deal of patience as there are so many things. It really takes a lot to figure out how to get all of it from one place to another. I always end up debating with Rinpoche that we are going to be way overweight … and we always are! Maybe I’m exaggerating … no, not really.
At the airport, while checking out, we find we are missing a bag! Where did it go? We try to stay out of an argument with the airline people, as they say we only have eight bags checked in.
“We gave you nine!” We search everywhere and can’t find #9, so the airline must have it.
They even search down where all the bags are getting loaded onto the flight: “No, not there.”
“Where is #9?”
“Did you have nine bags?”
We go over it again: “Yes, we had nine, so where could it have gone!”
It goes back and forth for 90 minutes!
We negotiate with the airline and I think we get them convinced that they have it and somehow they didn’t register or tag it. I start to think, “We have to go … let’s hope it turns up in Hong Kong. I’ve never lost a bag in the last 25 years of doing this … I’m always on the road … I’m a real roady, how can it be? My reputation! I don’t want to think of which bag it is … what if it’s one of the bags that is full of texts!”
Rinpoche always spends time thinking about what gifts to buy and for whom — we absolutely have to have gifts. At the airport in Kuala Lumpur, we go shopping and Rinpoche buys a few hundred dollars worth of gifts for the next stop. Rinpoche puts a lot of thought into it. We have to have nice gifts for people, the right things for the right people. This time, Rinpoche bought lots of pure silk scarfs and two hand-beaded purse. It takes time.
We then spend over an hour reading/browsing different books in the bookshop. Then, we suddenly have to rush for the flight. We are the last on the flight to Hong Kong! We get three and a half hours to relax before we are greeted by many students at the Hong Kong airport and the Hong Kong schedule begins.
“Where on earth did bag #9 go? Will it be in Hong Kong?”
Petaling Jaya, Malaysia — June 18, 2010
From Ven. Roger Kunsang:
Teachings in Malaysia are going very well. There is quite a full schedule. The program is mostly being held in a nice hotel. We met the owner, one of Malaysia’s wealthiest citizens and a very devoted Buddhist, several years ago. We had lunch with him yesterday at another of his hotels. The hotel has a few exhibition halls. The Chenrezig nyung nä program was originally to be held in the biggest hall for 10,000 people. But at the last minute, the hall was not available.
We visited Losang Dragpa Centre for an afternoon and evening program. It went like this (often when with Rinpoche, things don’t go to the conventional plan):
Lama Zopa Rinpoche has come to Losang Dragpa Centre to bless stautes of the 17 Nalanda Pandits.
We arrived and were greeted by many students. Gradually, Rinpoche made it into the gompa. Rinpoche was supposed to consecrate the new statues of the 17 Nalanda Pandits in the garden as well as a large Dzambala statue, etc.
Instead, Rinpoche lead all the gathered students in prostrations. That became a teaching for a few hours. Then there was a tea break. Some confusion arose as the statues had not been blessed and now it was time for the evening talk.
Rinpoche came up to his room for tea and some people came in a little later. In the process of talking with them, Rinpoche started to give refuge … Meanwhile, people in the gompa are not sure what is going to happen next!
Then, the altar in Rinpoche’s room catches on fire! I scramble to put it out. There is lots of smoke because plastic is burning, and out of the corner of my eye I see Rinpoche — he hasn’t missed a beat and is still giving refuge. It takes some time to put out the fire and there is lots of smoke. We put a fan on near Rinpoche trying to blow out the smoke — and Rinpoche is still giving refuge!
Lama Zopa Rinpoche offers khatas to one of the statues that adorn Losang Dragpa Centre's garden.
Rinpoche finishes giving refuge and says he will give the talk. Suddenly, the power goes out. Darkness! No mics, no fans or air conditioning. After an hour, and getting the electrician to fix the problem, we start again. The talk starts and finishes near midnight. People come up for blessing, which takes a while. Rinpoche wants two lines coming up to him, one from the front and the other from the back! It is awkward, but what to do? Malaysians are coming from the front and Singaporeans from the back — it is nice, quite cool. We are getting through the crowd a little quicker!
Lama Zopa Rinpoche offers a flower to a statue of one of the 17 Nalanda Pandits.
Now, it’s after midnight and people are speculating what’s going to happen next! Because the consecration hasn’t happened yet, there is some pretty wild speculation. Rinpoche says to me that the blessing can be done another time. Geshe-la also agrees. Rinpoche gets off the throne and starts blessing the statues one at a time, offering prayers, khatas and flowers. Each of the pandits takes time. Then there are the prayer wheels and stupas. The crowd is thinning out as it gets late, we finish with dedication around 2:30 a.m. — not too bad! Then we drive half an hour back to the hotel and have dinner … and relax!
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — June 13, 2010
From Ven. Roger Kunsang:
Rinpoche giving the Great Chenrezig Initiation
The day after arriving in Kuala Lumpur, Rinpoche started the first day of the Great Chenrezig Initiation. The initiation was held at the exhibition hall of the Wellness Hotel, where we stayed. About 2,000 people attended; on the second day, possibly more. Rinpoche’s motivation and explanation for the initiation on both days lasted about five hours with a break in the middle. The actual preparation on the first day only took 30 minutes and on the second day, the actual initiation took about 45 minutes to an hour at the most.
The Great Chenrezig Initiation attendees
Finishing at 8:30 p.m. both days surprises many old students (including myself!). What is Rinpoche going to with all that time left in the evening!? He sees people, does some prayers and mediation, and then a few more prayers while watching BBC news. Breakfast at 5-5:30 a.m., more meditation as the morning drifts on, and sometimes the appearance of sleep while still sitting up.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – June 10, 2010
From Ven. Roger Kunsang:
We left Kathmandu Wednesday afternoon and stayed overnight in Bangkok. The next morning, around 7 a.m., Rinpoche was sitting waiting for the flight and let his head lean back, accidentally touching the head of a Vietnamese lady sitting behind him. Rinpoche immediately began apologizing to the lady, when she suddenly screamed, “Ahhh! It’s Lama Zopa Rinpoche. I have read your books!” She started jumping up and down in excitement and calling to her friends (there were about seven or eight of them). She finally settled down, took many photos and they all got involved with asking Rinpoche about Dharma. When we had to go to catch the flight, they invited Rinpoche to Vietnam.
We arrived at Kuala Lumpur airport, there were many people waiting. People had lots and lots of flowers. They managed to get Rinpoche a seat and then people came up for blessings and to say hello. Then Indian staff from a coffee shop came across for a blessing also, then staff from the airlines … all joined in!
Rinpoche was blessing one man and as Rinpoche was reciting the mantras, kept touching the man on the head. Gradually, I noticed (I was standing very close) the man’s hairpiece was slipping off his head as Rinpoche kept tapping it. When he walked away, it was just hanging on the side of his head. It looked pretty cool, sort of sticking out like a punk!
Maratika, Nepal — June 6, 2010
From Ven. Roger Kunsang:
It’s 9 a.m. and we are hoping that the weather is OK so we can pick up Rinpoche in the helicopter. Rinpoche is meditating in the cave still. Usually, Rinpoche meditates with a few Westerners in the early morning and then leaves them with what they have to do for the day. Then Rinpoche is in the cave for the rest of the day. Khadro-la and Dagri Rinpoche are also there. Last year, when Khadro-la did retreat here, we heard that she hardly slept, ate or drank anything.
The helicopter pilot says we’re on to go in at 2 p.m. to get Rinpoche – weather looks OK. He is Swiss and eager to meet Rinpoche. When he arrives, he says, he wants to visit the cave and look around for an hour and talk to Rinpoche. He is interested in meditation and has heard of Rinpoche and so is quite excited.
We’re supposed to send up food with the helicopter but no news what to buy and time is running out. Also, Maratika Lama wants to hitch a ride in the helicopter on the way up, but he hasn’t appeared. There is no planning here, it all seems to happen last minute. Weather quickly changes, so need to be careful. If they don’t get out today, tomorrow is the last chance as they have to fly to Malaysia and the program starts immediately.
When Rinpoche gets back, there are lots of things to do last minute!
Lawudo/Maratika, Nepal — June 5, 2010
From Ven. Roger Kunsang:
This morning Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Dagri Rinpoche and Khadro-la did a short pilgrimage to the different caves of Guru Rinpoche in Maratika. After lunch they will start retreat in the small cave (the bigger one has many pilgrims coming and going so not easy to do retreat).
The road to the caves from the airport is very basic and rough and sometimes quite dangerous so several times everyone had to get out of the vehicle and walk while the jeep makes its own way on the dangerous rough slippery sections.
Just prior to the visit there was a lot of chopping and changing. First going to Lawudo and preparing … figuring out transport etc., then suddenly changing plans. Getting to Maratika is even more complicated, mainly because of its remoteness.
On the 7th we pick Rinpoche up in a helicopter due to shortness of time, difficulty getting out and uncertainty of planes being able to get in.
Kathmandu/Maratika, Nepal – June 3-4 2010
From Ven. Roger Kunsang:
This morning, at 7 a.m., Rinpoche went to the Kathmandu airport to fly to Maratika, to the cave where Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) achieved enlightenment. Rinpoche was busy most of the night and we attendants went to bed (escaped) at about 1 a.m. and got up at 5 a.m. to get things on the road. It is time to go and as usual Rinpoche seems not to be aware of the time! It’s a rush and we’re running late (as usual). Arrive at the airport. Flight delayed.
Khadro-la and Dagri Rinpoche , along with several others have joined Rinpoche. The flight is delayed from bad weather. And delayed. 11 a.m. lunch at a nearby hotel. Finally at 2 p.m. the flight takes off. The plane arrives at a very small remote airport. A few lamas came from Maratika to greet Rinpoche. It is about a 7-8 hour walk to Maratika Cave, very rough and primitive. The main disciple of the Lawudo Lama built a small gompa at the cave site. He passed away and now there is the young incarnation there. Western students of Rinpoche’s were on the next flight out of Kathmandu, but it got canceled. Maybe tomorrow.
We will send a helicopter up for Rinpoche on the 7th of June and fly to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on the 9th.