Life on the Road with Lama Zopa Rinpoche

Kopan Monastery, Kathmandu, Nepal — January 1, 2011

From Ven. Roger Kunsang:

Rinpoche arrived back in Nepal on the fifth of December after a six hour drive to the Seattle airport followed by three flights and 35 hours of travel.  From the airport in Kathmandu Rinpoche first visited the Kopan Nunnery. All 400 nuns lined up with khatags. Following the reception, Rinpoche heads to the gompa and as usual spends time doing prostrations, maybe 20 minutes. He then offered khatags to His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s throne and to the altars. Then upstairs and a short talk and tea. Following this we’re back in the car and drive up to Kopan Monastery. Around 350 monks are lined up. The smallest was first (no more than three feet tall and cute, like the little nuns). As Rinpoche moves  along the line they gradually increase in height. Then there are the people doing the course, more than 200 individuals (interesting faces from all over the world) crowding around offering khatags etc. with the Sherpa gaylings leading the way. The nunnery and monastery, and of course the people, take a few hours. Then we arrive in Rinpoche’s rooms where there is some longer talk and tea. Meanwhile a lot of unpacking starts, setting up Rinpoche’s altar, etc.. This is done wherever we go. So that is how the arrival finished following the long flight.

Rinpoche taught for one week of the November course. Around 260 people were in attendance. It is always a very nice and peaceful atmosphere. Then we had to pack again and fly to the borders of Nepal and India, then drive six hours to Kalimpong on a long winding narrow road where people drive like there is no oncoming traffic. On the way we met the Abbot of Sera Je Monastery and had a very late lunch together. We arrived in the evening at the monastery of Domo Geshe Rinpoche (who you may remember the previous incarnation from the book, The Way of the White Clouds), Tharpa Choling. Rinpoche has, with students, sponsored the building of a new Labrang at Tharpa Choling.

His Holiness arrived the next day and there were two days of teachings and then we headed back to Kathmandu where Rinpoche offered teachings to the monks and  nuns of Kopan as well as 80 Westerners who were doing the seven-day lam-rim retreat following the one month November course. Rinpoche also accepted to give the lung of the Sutra of Golden Light which was requested by a young African student who received the Sutra of Golden Light as one of his preliminaries from Rinpoche. Teachings happened every night. Somewhere in all of this there are a few all-day intensive pilgrimages… really interesting ones!

Now it is after midnight and we have to catch a plane tomorrow after lunch. Rinpoche decides it is very important to give a long life initiation to Lama Lhundrup first thing the next morning, then visit the nunnery to see what artwork is needed for the new temple. All this is to be done before we leave at midday. Next we catch a little sleep and then later lots of activity as we need to pack (and that is no small job). Also Rinpoche needs to do preparation for the initiation. I can see we are already way behind schedule and there are always so many last minute things to do! Now it is mid-morning and we have to decide: do we get the flight or cancel? Too many things going on  and not enough time. It is Saturday and the travel agency is closed, no way to see if we can delay or not, so I race into town to the airlines. Internet is down, they can’t help! Cell phones are not working, the signals are overloaded and it is difficult to call out. In the end I manage to cancel the flight but no seats for another week…a bit of a disaster. I get back to Kopan and Rinpoche has finished the initiation and is heading for the nunnery. Back from the nunnery around 7 pm and…Rinpoche’s altar is on fire!

Rinpoche inspects the fire damage.

The rooms are filled with thick heavy smoke, you can’t see anything, it very difficult to breathe, like choking, in the heavy smoke! Try to get to the source of where the fire is. Okay, main altar, three of us start throwing water and wet towels. Get it under control. It is quite a mess and there is damage to holy objects. Rinpoche discovered the fire first and yelled “fire!” The next thing Rinpoche said was…he was the cause as he left candles burning.

Tharpa Choling Monastery, Kalimpong, West-Bengal, India — December 12, 2010

From Ven. Roger Kunsang:

Right now I’m at Tharpa Choling Monastery, the oldest Tibetan Monastery in India, on a rooftop high above where His Holiness the Dalai Lama is talking to the local Buddhist community. There are thousands of Nepali and Tibetan families, hundreds of school kids in their uniforms, and others arrived very early, before 6 a.m. Every possibly place is packed. Especially rooftops!

The rooftop scene at Tharpa Choling Monastery.

Rinpoche finished the Kopan course a little early with an all night Vajrasattva initiation. Prior to that he gave a talk and Refuge to the attendees. As soon as the Vajrasattva initiation finished, 6 a.m., Rinpoche did a short preparation and then gave Red Tara initiation. This finished at 9 a.m. and at 9.30 a.m. we rushed to the airport to fly then drive to Kalimpong.

Tharpa Choling is the monastery of the young incarnation of Domo Geshe
Rinpoche. Lama Zopa Rinpoche recently sponsored the new additions to the monastery with the kind help of students in Singapore.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama is teaching here for a few days and then goes on to
Gangtok, Sikkim.

It was interesting to see the Shamarpa at the Long Life Puja of His Holiness
the Dalai Lama this morning. It seems there have been some successful
negotiations. Also present is one of the incarnations of Jamgon Kontrol Rinpoche.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche will return to Kopan in a few days to continue teaching,
there are about 80 students still at Kopan doing a lam-rim retreat.

Amitabha Pure Land, Washington, USA — November 21, 2010

From Ven. Roger Kunsang:

Plastic flowers planted in Washington.

Over the past couple of years Rinpoche has been “planting” plastic flowers (many kindly offered by Ven.Pemba, Esther Ngai and Cham Tse Ling) in the garden of his retreat house in Washington state.

Why would  Rinpoche plant beautiful plastic flowers in the garden? The answer is very simple. The deer won’t eat them and during the winter when it is very cold and  the area gets a lot of  snow, there can still be offerings of beautiful flowers to the holy objects.

Plastic flowers surround Medicine Buddha statue

The large stone Medicine Buddha statue in the garden was made and offered in Indonesia (thank you, Teddy Leo). After receiving the  statue, Rinpoche spent some time carving a smile on the face and reworking the art of the  hair with stone carving equipment. Not an easy job because this stone is very hard.

Currently Rinpoche is doing a short, strict retreat and then we leave for Nepal.   Starting retreat isn’t a simple  process for Rinpoche. Apart from the  normal things such as making tormas etc., there is the “organization work.” Rinpoche always makes an effort to clear up some of that first, this time it  took about  two weeks: letters from students and then FPMT work which can be all sorts of things.

The letters never end, there are always so many, which makes it quite difficult to manage. Sometimes Rinpoche dictates letters to Ven. Holly nonstop for up to 13 hours then move on to other things. Then there is 13 hrs of dictation to rewrite and  put in reasonable order, with additional details such as organizing pujas with the monasteries in India in Nepal, sending protections, blessed pills,  cards, gifts, etc. This can take literally weeks. The  action prior  to retreat is nonstop around the clock. And the range of activities is very interesting and a little overwhelming sometimes. But great if you  are keen to practice patience!

One of the last activities Rinpoche did before starting retreat was making food for ants. Rinpoche had come across two ant hills and wanted to offer them some food. This entailed making tsampa with butter, blessed water and blessed pills and then Rinpoche proceeded to translate a small text on the benefits of offering charity to ants.

Then this early morning, although in strict retreat and not talking,  Rinpoche made “jam” for the neighbors. There was butter with erma (a “zinging” very unusual  tasting herb from the Himalayas),  and also mashed avocados with herbs. Also with the jam came handwritten cards from Rinpoche and many postcards with images of holy objects (such as Boudhanath Stupa) and cute animal cards. The neighbors aren’t Buddhist but kind people.

From my point of view, Rinpoche’s retreats only seem to have one session: the start of the retreat and then days later the session/retreat ends; something I haven’t been able to figure out yet.  Time  is an interesting concept when you are around Rinpoche.

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia — October 20, 2010

From Ven. Roger:

President of Mongolia presents the "Order of the Polar Star" Mongolia's highest award for foreigners for distinguished service to Mongolia.

Several months earlier, Khatanbaatar Choidogsuren, the director of our center here in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on behalf of many of Rinpoche’s Mongolian students, requested the Mongolian Government to consider Rinpoche for this prestigious award (the highest that can be bestowed on a foreigner.) Yesterday, we suddenly received word that the President of Mongolia would bestow this honor on Rinpoche at 3 pm in the President’s office.

Rinpoche met the President and first offered a large thangka of the 35 Buddhas to the President as well as special blessed pills. They had a discussion together and one of the things Rinpoche mentioned to the President was the importance of the Golden Light Sutra (Rinpoche offered a copy of our translation in Mongolian). Rinpoche also mentioned his promise to

Rinpoche was congratulated outside Parliament House after the ceremony, Mongolian students were very excited!

Chenrezig to spread this sutra all over Mongolia and the world. Rinpoche explained that he was presently giving the lung at Idgaa Choizinling College (the monastery that FPMT built) where a 1,000 people were attending. Rinpoche said he wanted to give the lung in different cities and towns all over Mongolia.

The President is a strong supporter of Buddhism and also mentioned to Rinpoche that his family had adopted 24 orphans! Then the President thanked Rinpoche for all his efforts for spreading and preserving Mahayana Buddhism in Mongolia.

Rinpoche thanked the President for all his support.

The President recently offered Mongolian citizenship to the 9th Bogd Lama (Jetsün Kalka Dampa). He has just arrived to live in Mongolia and has promised to be reborn as the 10th Bogd Lama of Mongolia.

THE CERTIFICATE READS:

The certificate and medal presented to Lama Zopa Rinpoche

“To Award Tuvden Zopa Rinpoche with Order ‘Altan Gadas’ (the Order of the Polar Star)

According to the Law on President of Mongolia, Article 15, point 1, THIS DECREE IS ISSUED TO AWARD:

Lama Tuvden Zopa Rinpoche, citizen of the United States of America, with Order ‘Altan Gadas’ (the Order of the Polar Star) in recognition of his contribution to preserving great cultural heritage of Buddhism in Mongolia, and spreading religious tradition of the Mahayana denomination in forms of preaching and meditation through establishing the Preservation Center of the Mahayana Tradition of Buddhism in Mongolia.

Tsakhia Elbegdorj, President of Mongolia”

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia — October 18, 2010

From Ven. Roger:

How did we get here … well, it wasn’t easy.

Initially, we came for an important conference in Mongolia, which meant Rinpoche left the retreat in North Carolina two days earlier than planned. The day we had to go, Ven. Kunsang (the French monk) had to drive one hour south to pick up a rent-a-car. We planned to drive 500 miles to the Washington D.C. airport, arrive around 2 or 3 am, and then get a flight the next day to Mongolia. Of course, this would mean Rinpoche finishing the last session on time at 6 pm!

So Kunsang with Cherie (the excellent Sangha supporter) drove south. Two or three hours later, I get a call from them saying they are in the state of Tennessee (which is west!). After some discussion with them, they tried again to get back on course using a top of the line navigator! Another hour or so goes by and another call … they were really lost! About 250 miles inside the state of Tennessee (Elvis Presley country!). It was 5 pm and the rent-a -car place closes at 6 pm. It was impossible for them to make it! If we did’t get the van, we wouldn’t make it to the airport tomorrow and would miss our flight to Mongolia. So I rushed off and found someone to drive me to the rent-a-car place. We drove off at high speed and got lost twice on the way. I kept the rent-a-car lady on the phone, negotiating with her to stay open till we arrived … she was reluctant! When I offered her $50 (I was willing to go to $100) … she was happy.

We arrived late, but the lady was there and happy to help us out (she refused the $50, but I insisted she accept $20 for a nice dinner). On the way back, we got lost twice (it was night) and we kept crossing back over the border into South Carolina! It was getting late and we were supposed to leave at 6 pm. At 9 pm we were still trying to find our way back (anyway, after calling, I hear that Rinpoche is still teaching!). We made it back around 10 pm and Rinpoche has just finished teaching but looks very relaxed and not interested in rushing (never is!). Instead, Rinpoche has engaged a number of the organizers in a game, giving away a lot of gifts to everyone. We left about midnight and by this time of course we have to forget about a hotel and just drive the 500 miles through the night, straight to the airport.

There was definitely some karmic obstacle to leaving on time/getting to Mongolia: first, Cherie and Kunsang with a navigator end up in another state, then Herb and I get lost a number of times.

A little tired, we arrived at the airport followed by a long flight to Seoul, a few hours transit. We bumped into the Ganden Tripa and a few other high lama’s going to the same conference. Then a three-hour flight to Ulaanbaatar, arriving at midnight. Through the airport and into the below freezing night air and off to the center. Next morning, at 9 am, the conference started.

So that is how we got here if anyone is still interested (that was three weeks ago!).

So initially we came for a three-day conference. But Rinpoche extended his stay to four week

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia — October 12, 2010

From Ven. Roger:

Yesterday we drove to Erden Zuu, an old 16th century monastery, located a day’s drive away from Ulaanbaatar. The great 5th Dalai Lama, Lobsang Gyatso (1617 – 1682), visited it in his lifetime and it is near  the ancient religious capital.

Here Lama Zopa Rinpoche plans to build a 108 foot (33 meter) statue of Guru Rinpoche, Padmasambhava. We met with the governor who gave the OK on the land allocation. We have visited two other sites in Mongolia looking for land appropriate for similar size statues of Maitreya Buddha and Lama Tsongkhapa.

While driving in the country in Mongolia we passed many herds of horses, camels, sheep, yaks, goats and cows; all in the middle of nowhere in wide, wide open spaces. For a couple of hours we tried to find the monastery we were meant to visit. It was all dirt roads and even on these roads our Mongolian driver was getting up to 90 miles per hour. They drive cars like they ride horses!

When night came, none of us had any idea where we were. It was dark, no lights and then…no roads at all! We had to cross rivers and go up steep banks! I don’t know how any driver could find their way.  Then suddenly there appeared another car coming straight at us. The car stopped and out jumped monks with tea to offer Rinpoche ! In the middle of nowhere! It was very cold! They then guided us to the monastery.

Black Mountain, North Carolina, USA — September 14, 2010

From Ven. Roger:

How long can you spend in Whole Foods (the health food/organic supermarket)? If you’re with Rinpoche it can be a long time.

We are on the second day of the Light of the Path retreat in North Carolina. A little over 200 people are attending and the venue in the Black Mountains is great and very comfortable. There are even more bears than last year.

Rinpoche  started teaching last night and our video tech team is doing  a great job. You can watch from anywhere out there in the world on HD video. Rinpoche gave an introduction of the whole path last night and started the lung on the text. I think the commentary on the actual text will start today.

Rinpoche blessing Kurukulla Centers' new Kalachakra Stupa. Photo courtesy of Nick Ribush.

Last week Rinpoche led a three day retreat on Milarepa at Milarepa Center in Vermont, then we drove down to Boston. Rinpoche blessed the new amazing Kalachakra Stupa at Kurukulla Center and stayed at the new house of the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive. It  was just a one day visit and then we drove to  Washington, D.C. to apply for visas for China.

On the way we stopped at a hospital to visit the  elderly mother of a student. We got there around midnight and left the hospital around 2:30 am. We drove the rest of the way to D.C. and arrived at the hotel just after 4 am. We caught a few hours rest and then visited the Chinese Embassy (for the third time that day) but were declined visas.

That afternoon we had to drive to Raleigh, North Carolina for a one day visit to Kadampa Center. Then we drove on to Asheville in the Black Mountains for the retreat. This  road trip: Madison, Wisconsin; Barnet,Vermont; Boston, Massachusetts; Washington, D.C., Raleigh and Asheville, North Carolina;  has been a relaxed 2,000 miles (3,200 km). Every gas station we stop at Rinpoche does a little shopping for gifts. You would be surprised at what  gifts you can find on the road.

Rinpoche selecting his Whole Foods lunch items.

At the beginning of this entry I mentioned Whole Foods. Well, in D.C. we had a late lunch at Whole Foods. Rinpoche thought it was the greatest display of ready to eat wholesome food he had ever seen in one place! He took many photos of the food displayed, from close up and far back. Rinpoche often takes time to compose shots and uses strange angles. You can imagine the attention he was getting from the local shoppers.  A Tibetan Lama taking photos in an American supermarket…and of the food no less!

Then we sat down to eat in the supermarket. A number shoppers came up,  asking questions.

Ven. Roger and Rinpoche with their Whole Foods' lunches.

One woman said  to Rinpoche,  “I have eight children. What advice can you give me?” In essence Rinpoche said, “Ordinary education is important but more important is the education for a good heart.” She seemed to understand and continued her shopping.

While driving, at times Rinpoche will start chanting Lama Chöpa out loud. Sometimes  there are telephone calls being made and received from all over  the world, so it is still active…but relaxed.

The gas station in Troy, New York

Troy, NY, USA — September 1, 2010

From Ven. Roger:

There is a little town called Troy somewhere in upstate New York. We found it by accident as we were off the freeway getting gas. The guy running the gas station got a huge shock when Rinpoche got out of the car. He couldn’t believe his eyes; he thought he was dreaming! He was an ex-monk from Kopan! Thubten Tsundu couldn’t believe his eyes and just stood there quite shocked after seeing Rinpoche suddenly appear. He got a chair and table and served Rinpoche tea and nuts in the gas station.

On the road in upstate New York

Two other Kopan monks share the 24-hour shift with him running the gas station. He wanted to take Rinpoche to dinner after his shift. Unfortunately, we couldn’t as it was 9:30 pm and we still had another three hours to drive to Milarepa Center in Vermont. Even as we drove away, he kept saying that he thought he was dreaming ….

Madison, WI, USA — August 30, 2010

From Ven. Roger:

Lama Zopa Rinpoche having dinner with Geshe Sopa-la

Rinpoche decided to accept to give an initiation to someone who requested it. The initiation was scheduled to happen Sunday. We were scheduled to leave Madison early Monday (from Deer Park, Geshe Sopa-la’s center) after an 8 am appointment with the doctor (Rinpoche’s sugar levels and blood pressure are better) and to start driving to Milarepa Center in Vermont. The initiation was changed to 4 am Monday in the “busy-ness” of things! Now it is Monday afternoon and Rinpoche is somewhere in the middle of preparing … and we haven’t left. Still not finished with the preparation, Rinpoche decides to make dessert while we are running around packing and trying to figure out what is going on!

Rinpoche's mash potato dessert

The dessert: mash potato, more butter than one would want to even dream about, non-fat half and half, honey, and Greek yogurt poured on the top. Rinpoche passes it around to the attendants who are running around … not bad actually – Rinpoche doesn’t eat any.

When will we leave Madison, we are six hours late and the initiation hasn’t started.

UPDATE:

Its Tuesday, August 31, 10:30 am – I think we are going soon? Only 26 hours late. The initiation finished at 3:30 am this morning. There have been some pujas here and there for people seriously sick and some deaths. Sometimes these things are complicated and take time. All sorts of things have to be managed!

Madison, WI, USA — August 23, 2010

From Ven. Roger:

Geshe Sopa Rinpoche’s monastery, Deer Park, is located outside of Madison, Wisconsin in a rural area.

Rinpoche teaching at Deer Park

While at Deer Park, Rinpoche has been exercising daily by walking  in the  early evening as the sun is going down. We walk for an hour along a narrow country road, corn fields on either side. Rinpoche walks in front and recites a text out loud,  each day a different one. I walk behind closely watching for  cars, sometimes doing emails on the Blackberry and trying to keep the speed at a good pace. Every time a car goes by Rinpoche  waves. Most of the time people look surprised but wave back happily. Warm country folk.

Rinpoche walking amongst the corn

One day Rinpoche had a hand puppet so when he waved a funny looking dog with big ears was actually waving!  Then Rinpoche would  go back to reciting the text loudly.  The area attracts lots of mosquitoes and other kinds of sharp biting insects! Rinpoche isn’t interested in any protection and thinks it is just a small offering to these little guys.

Portland, OR — August 14, 2010

From Ven. Roger;

Recently, during retreat, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said to Rinpoche (on more than one occasion) to be very careful with his health. So of course,  Rinpoche had no choice. Just before leaving Dharamsala His Holiness said again to Rinpoche, “Look after your health….Stay on Tibetan medicine now long term.”

Rinpoche is taking Tibetan and Western medicine, he’s been circumambulating His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s temple every day for at least 40 minutes and watching the food he’s eating, particularly the amount of carbohydrates. He’s even making an effort  to rest a little  more from time to time. The result is that his sugar levels are down quite a bit! They are still not normal but a lot better. This is very good news! Let’s see if this can continue when in the USA and when traveling. Rinpoche’s blood pressure still needs to come down…but it is little better.

Portland, OR — August 13, 2010

From Ven. Roger:

Rinpoche has scheduled a 6 am departure from Tushita (Rinpoche’s retreat finished), then a departure to Delhi 13 hours by car, then a flight to LA via Hong Kong, and then another flight to Wisconsin to be with Geshe Sopa Rinpoche. It’s now 10 am and Rinpoche is still doing prayers and not ready to go … just waiting … It is 12 noon and still no sign of Rinpoche wanting to go … It is 2 pm – Rinpoche suddenly moves and they are off!

They stop for dinner halfway to Delhi, its very hot. Rinpoche takes time out to check mos for a student who has cancer. There are many mo’s at the dinner table in the restaurant.

On the road again, and while they’re driving, Rinpoche is checking some other things for people who need help.

It looks like they are arriving early, early morning and then a little rest, a couple of appointments and then to the airport to catch the flight. This time the flight is complicated as they are combining two different air tickets due to a number of changes, and then they have some visa complications due to changes and then they have too much luggage and one less person flying … not sure how this is all going to work … but managing.

On the road again …