At this point in my life, each of these letters to you becomes a marker. Many of you know that since the Essence of Siddhi drubchen at Khadro Ling last July, I have gone through a turbulent period with my health that culminated in an angioplasty to open two blocks in my arteries. I am much more comfortable now, the beneficiary of excellent medical care, tireless assistance by my attendants, and generous support and powerful prayers by the sangha.
Naturally there is a lesson in this for me, as there would be for anyone who goes through a life-threatening crisis. The truth of the Buddha’s teachings is presented to me with stunning impact. Whatever comes together is impermanent and will surely fall apart; whoever is born will surely die. I myself have taught this fundamental insight into how things are again and again, and it has illuminated many situations in my life, but this time it flashed like brilliant lightning.
Students sometimes express surprise that their teachers and others they revere as having extraordinary realization should ever be sick. Yet whoever takes rebirth in the human realm— either by choice as a bodhisattva or by karmic destiny— is subject to the relative phenomena of this realm, which include birth, old age, sickness, and death. We hold the seeds of all phenomena in our mindstream. Depending upon whether or not we recognize their true nature, we experience them either as the pure display of awareness or as the impure display of our own confusion and delusion.
Illness has stimulated my compassion for all who share the human condition and has increased my desire to serve them. Limitations on my physical activities and oral transmissions have caused me to rely more heavily on the capabilities of my mind. I can tell you unequivocally that of the three— body, speech, and mind— mind has by far the greatest power and benefit. My faith and my devotion to my precious lamas, who have blessed me continuously with their mind transmissions, have deepened beyond what I ever would have imagined at my age. My greatest wishes are to repay their kindness and to convey it to you, my cherished students.
I really don’t know if I have entered the moment-of-death bardo and this heart condition will be the cause of my death, or if this is just the deterioration of old age and the real cause of death has yet to introduce itself. At times, dreams seem to indicate that the transition is near, but then auspicious dreams and visions follow. Maybe your prayers and practice are staving off the inevitable; maybe I am held by my unfinished projects.
Dharma activities have always served as a means of both training my students and creating sacred mandalas where pure dharma will be practiced for generations. The lamas I have ordained are now upholding my projects and adding their own. The activity of some of them already has great scope. I think particularly of Tulku Jigme’s projects in Tibet, Lama Drimed’s at Rigdzin Ling, Lama Gyatso’s with the Shi-tro Mandala, and the work of lamas Chökyi Nyima, Zangpo, Dorje, and Tsultrim to publish Longchenpa’s Seven Treasuries. Others are nurturing the seeds of activity that will ripen into wonderful fruit in the future. All are supporting the teachings by their examples of dharma activity, and I am very content with this.
I presently have three priorities in terms of dharma activity: the creation of a large Akshobhya statue at Khadro Ling, the building of a retreat center on a very inspiring piece of land recently offered in Uruguay, and the construction of another retreat center, Katok Ritröd, near Parping, Nepal.
For those who contribute to the creation of the Akshobhya statue and participate in or sponsor 100,000 recitations of Akshobhya’s long dharani mantra, dedicating the merit thus generated is an important means of alleviating the suffering of death and unfortunate rebirth, even if the person to whom the merit is dedicated died long ago or has not yet died.
The Uruguayan center should increase the momentum of the teachings in Uruguay and Argentina and also provide a fine place for practitioners to do long-term retreat in isolated surroundings. Likewise, Katok Ritröd in Nepal will be a place where strong practitioners can meditate under an excellent retreat master. As Katok is the mother monastery of Chagdud Gonpa in Tibet and the source of many great lamas, this project is very close to my heart. Originally I thought that I, with the help of several of my students, could fund the entire construction. But the plans have become somewhat more elaborate and costs may exceed our present funds, so I may need additional support. In any case, I hope that some of you will consider sponsoring retreatants there for a year or more.
Great masters advise us to make only short-range plans. I recognize the wisdom of this and I recognize that even dharma activities are an illusory display. But such an excellent display! Seeds worth planting and nurturing! May they flourish and benefit now and in the future.
In the dharma,
Chagdud Tulku
At this point in my life, each of these letters to you becomes a marker. Many of you know that since the Essence of Siddhi drubchen at Khadro Ling last July, I have gone through a turbulent period with my health that culminated in an angioplasty to open two blocks in my arteries. I am much more comfortable now, the beneficiary of excellent medical care, tireless assistance by my attendants, and generous support and powerful prayers by the sangha.
Naturally there is a lesson in this for me, as there would be for anyone who goes through a life-threatening crisis. The truth of the Buddha’s teachings is presented to me with stunning impact. Whatever comes together is impermanent and will surely fall apart; whoever is born will surely die. I myself have taught this fundamental insight into how things are again and again, and it has illuminated many situations in my life, but this time it flashed like brilliant lightning.
Students sometimes express surprise that their teachers and others they revere as having extraordinary realization should ever be sick. Yet whoever takes rebirth in the human realm— either by choice as a bodhisattva or by karmic destiny— is subject to the relative phenomena of this realm, which include birth, old age, sickness, and death. We hold the seeds of all phenomena in our mindstream. Depending upon whether or not we recognize their true nature, we experience them either as the pure display of awareness or as the impure display of our own confusion and delusion.
Illness has stimulated my compassion for all who share the human condition and has increased my desire to serve them. Limitations on my physical activities and oral transmissions have caused me to rely more heavily on the capabilities of my mind. I can tell you unequivocally that of the three— body, speech, and mind— mind has by far the greatest power and benefit. My faith and my devotion to my precious lamas, who have blessed me continuously with their mind transmissions, have deepened beyond what I ever would have imagined at my age. My greatest wishes are to repay their kindness and to convey it to you, my cherished students.
I really don’t know if I have entered the moment-of-death bardo and this heart condition will be the cause of my death, or if this is just the deterioration of old age and the real cause of death has yet to introduce itself. At times, dreams seem to indicate that the transition is near, but then auspicious dreams and visions follow. Maybe your prayers and practice are staving off the inevitable; maybe I am held by my unfinished projects.
Dharma activities have always served as a means of both training my students and creating sacred mandalas where pure dharma will be practiced for generations. The lamas I have ordained are now upholding my projects and adding their own. The activity of some of them already has great scope. I think particularly of Tulku Jigme’s projects in Tibet, Lama Drimed’s at Rigdzin Ling, Lama Gyatso’s with the Shi-tro Mandala, and the work of lamas Chökyi Nyima, Zangpo, Dorje, and Tsultrim to publish Longchenpa’s Seven Treasuries. Others are nurturing the seeds of activity that will ripen into wonderful fruit in the future. All are supporting the teachings by their examples of dharma activity, and I am very content with this.
I presently have three priorities in terms of dharma activity: the creation of a large Akshobhya statue at Khadro Ling, the building of a retreat center on a very inspiring piece of land recently offered in Uruguay, and the construction of another retreat center, Katok Ritröd, near Parping, Nepal.
For those who contribute to the creation of the Akshobhya statue and participate in or sponsor 100,000 recitations of Akshobhya’s long dharani mantra, dedicating the merit thus generated is an important means of alleviating the suffering of death and unfortunate rebirth, even if the person to whom the merit is dedicated died long ago or has not yet died.
The Uruguayan center should increase the momentum of the teachings in Uruguay and Argentina and also provide a fine place for practitioners to do long-term retreat in isolated surroundings. Likewise, Katok Ritröd in Nepal will be a place where strong practitioners can meditate under an excellent retreat master. As Katok is the mother monastery of Chagdud Gonpa in Tibet and the source of many great lamas, this project is very close to my heart. Originally I thought that I, with the help of several of my students, could fund the entire construction. But the plans have become somewhat more elaborate and costs may exceed our present funds, so I may need additional support. In any case, I hope that some of you will consider sponsoring retreatants there for a year or more.
Great masters advise us to make only short-range plans. I recognize the wisdom of this and I recognize that even dharma activities are an illusory display. But such an excellent display! Seeds worth planting and nurturing! May they flourish and benefit now and in the future.
In the dharma,
Chagdud Tulku
At this point in my life, each of these letters to you becomes a marker. Many of you know that since the Essence of Siddhi drubchen at Khadro Ling last July, I have gone through a turbulent period with my health that culminated in an angioplasty to open two blocks in my arteries. I am much more comfortable now, the beneficiary of excellent medical care, tireless assistance by my attendants, and generous support and powerful prayers by the sangha.
Naturally there is a lesson in this for me, as there would be for anyone who goes through a life-threatening crisis. The truth of the Buddha’s teachings is presented to me with stunning impact. Whatever comes together is impermanent and will surely fall apart; whoever is born will surely die. I myself have taught this fundamental insight into how things are again and again, and it has illuminated many situations in my life, but this time it flashed like brilliant lightning.
Students sometimes express surprise that their teachers and others they revere as having extraordinary realization should ever be sick. Yet whoever takes rebirth in the human realm— either by choice as a bodhisattva or by karmic destiny— is subject to the relative phenomena of this realm, which include birth, old age, sickness, and death. We hold the seeds of all phenomena in our mindstream. Depending upon whether or not we recognize their true nature, we experience them either as the pure display of awareness or as the impure display of our own confusion and delusion.
Illness has stimulated my compassion for all who share the human condition and has increased my desire to serve them. Limitations on my physical activities and oral transmissions have caused me to rely more heavily on the capabilities of my mind. I can tell you unequivocally that of the three— body, speech, and mind— mind has by far the greatest power and benefit. My faith and my devotion to my precious lamas, who have blessed me continuously with their mind transmissions, have deepened beyond what I ever would have imagined at my age. My greatest wishes are to repay their kindness and to convey it to you, my cherished students.
I really don’t know if I have entered the moment-of-death bardo and this heart condition will be the cause of my death, or if this is just the deterioration of old age and the real cause of death has yet to introduce itself. At times, dreams seem to indicate that the transition is near, but then auspicious dreams and visions follow. Maybe your prayers and practice are staving off the inevitable; maybe I am held by my unfinished projects.
Dharma activities have always served as a means of both training my students and creating sacred mandalas where pure dharma will be practiced for generations. The lamas I have ordained are now upholding my projects and adding their own. The activity of some of them already has great scope. I think particularly of Tulku Jigme’s projects in Tibet, Lama Drimed’s at Rigdzin Ling, Lama Gyatso’s with the Shi-tro Mandala, and the work of lamas Chökyi Nyima, Zangpo, Dorje, and Tsultrim to publish Longchenpa’s Seven Treasuries. Others are nurturing the seeds of activity that will ripen into wonderful fruit in the future. All are supporting the teachings by their examples of dharma activity, and I am very content with this.
I presently have three priorities in terms of dharma activity: the creation of a large Akshobhya statue at Khadro Ling, the building of a retreat center on a very inspiring piece of land recently offered in Uruguay, and the construction of another retreat center, Katok Ritröd, near Parping, Nepal.
For those who contribute to the creation of the Akshobhya statue and participate in or sponsor 100,000 recitations of Akshobhya’s long dharani mantra, dedicating the merit thus generated is an important means of alleviating the suffering of death and unfortunate rebirth, even if the person to whom the merit is dedicated died long ago or has not yet died.
The Uruguayan center should increase the momentum of the teachings in Uruguay and Argentina and also provide a fine place for practitioners to do long-term retreat in isolated surroundings. Likewise, Katok Ritröd in Nepal will be a place where strong practitioners can meditate under an excellent retreat master. As Katok is the mother monastery of Chagdud Gonpa in Tibet and the source of many great lamas, this project is very close to my heart. Originally I thought that I, with the help of several of my students, could fund the entire construction. But the plans have become somewhat more elaborate and costs may exceed our present funds, so I may need additional support. In any case, I hope that some of you will consider sponsoring retreatants there for a year or more.
Great masters advise us to make only short-range plans. I recognize the wisdom of this and I recognize that even dharma activities are an illusory display. But such an excellent display! Seeds worth planting and nurturing! May they flourish and benefit now and in the future.
In the dharma,
Chagdud Tulku
At this point in my life, each of these letters to you becomes a marker. Many of you know that since the Essence of Siddhi drubchen at Khadro Ling last July, I have gone through a turbulent period with my health that culminated in an angioplasty to open two blocks in my arteries. I am much more comfortable now, the beneficiary of excellent medical care, tireless assistance by my attendants, and generous support and powerful prayers by the sangha.
Naturally there is a lesson in this for me, as there would be for anyone who goes through a life-threatening crisis. The truth of the Buddha’s teachings is presented to me with stunning impact. Whatever comes together is impermanent and will surely fall apart; whoever is born will surely die. I myself have taught this fundamental insight into how things are again and again, and it has illuminated many situations in my life, but this time it flashed like brilliant lightning.
Students sometimes express surprise that their teachers and others they revere as having extraordinary realization should ever be sick. Yet whoever takes rebirth in the human realm— either by choice as a bodhisattva or by karmic destiny— is subject to the relative phenomena of this realm, which include birth, old age, sickness, and death. We hold the seeds of all phenomena in our mindstream. Depending upon whether or not we recognize their true nature, we experience them either as the pure display of awareness or as the impure display of our own confusion and delusion.
Illness has stimulated my compassion for all who share the human condition and has increased my desire to serve them. Limitations on my physical activities and oral transmissions have caused me to rely more heavily on the capabilities of my mind. I can tell you unequivocally that of the three— body, speech, and mind— mind has by far the greatest power and benefit. My faith and my devotion to my precious lamas, who have blessed me continuously with their mind transmissions, have deepened beyond what I ever would have imagined at my age. My greatest wishes are to repay their kindness and to convey it to you, my cherished students.
I really don’t know if I have entered the moment-of-death bardo and this heart condition will be the cause of my death, or if this is just the deterioration of old age and the real cause of death has yet to introduce itself. At times, dreams seem to indicate that the transition is near, but then auspicious dreams and visions follow. Maybe your prayers and practice are staving off the inevitable; maybe I am held by my unfinished projects.
Dharma activities have always served as a means of both training my students and creating sacred mandalas where pure dharma will be practiced for generations. The lamas I have ordained are now upholding my projects and adding their own. The activity of some of them already has great scope. I think particularly of Tulku Jigme’s projects in Tibet, Lama Drimed’s at Rigdzin Ling, Lama Gyatso’s with the Shi-tro Mandala, and the work of lamas Chökyi Nyima, Zangpo, Dorje, and Tsultrim to publish Longchenpa’s Seven Treasuries. Others are nurturing the seeds of activity that will ripen into wonderful fruit in the future. All are supporting the teachings by their examples of dharma activity, and I am very content with this.
I presently have three priorities in terms of dharma activity: the creation of a large Akshobhya statue at Khadro Ling, the building of a retreat center on a very inspiring piece of land recently offered in Uruguay, and the construction of another retreat center, Katok Ritröd, near Parping, Nepal.
For those who contribute to the creation of the Akshobhya statue and participate in or sponsor 100,000 recitations of Akshobhya’s long dharani mantra, dedicating the merit thus generated is an important means of alleviating the suffering of death and unfortunate rebirth, even if the person to whom the merit is dedicated died long ago or has not yet died.
The Uruguayan center should increase the momentum of the teachings in Uruguay and Argentina and also provide a fine place for practitioners to do long-term retreat in isolated surroundings. Likewise, Katok Ritröd in Nepal will be a place where strong practitioners can meditate under an excellent retreat master. As Katok is the mother monastery of Chagdud Gonpa in Tibet and the source of many great lamas, this project is very close to my heart. Originally I thought that I, with the help of several of my students, could fund the entire construction. But the plans have become somewhat more elaborate and costs may exceed our present funds, so I may need additional support. In any case, I hope that some of you will consider sponsoring retreatants there for a year or more.
Great masters advise us to make only short-range plans. I recognize the wisdom of this and I recognize that even dharma activities are an illusory display. But such an excellent display! Seeds worth planting and nurturing! May they flourish and benefit now and in the future.
In the dharma,
Chagdud Tulku
At this point in my life, each of these letters to you becomes a marker. Many of you know that since the Essence of Siddhi drubchen at Khadro Ling last July, I have gone through a turbulent period with my health that culminated in an angioplasty to open two blocks in my arteries. I am much more comfortable now, the beneficiary of excellent medical care, tireless assistance by my attendants, and generous support and powerful prayers by the sangha.
Naturally there is a lesson in this for me, as there would be for anyone who goes through a life-threatening crisis. The truth of the Buddha’s teachings is presented to me with stunning impact. Whatever comes together is impermanent and will surely fall apart; whoever is born will surely die. I myself have taught this fundamental insight into how things are again and again, and it has illuminated many situations in my life, but this time it flashed like brilliant lightning.
Students sometimes express surprise that their teachers and others they revere as having extraordinary realization should ever be sick. Yet whoever takes rebirth in the human realm— either by choice as a bodhisattva or by karmic destiny— is subject to the relative phenomena of this realm, which include birth, old age, sickness, and death. We hold the seeds of all phenomena in our mindstream. Depending upon whether or not we recognize their true nature, we experience them either as the pure display of awareness or as the impure display of our own confusion and delusion.
Illness has stimulated my compassion for all who share the human condition and has increased my desire to serve them. Limitations on my physical activities and oral transmissions have caused me to rely more heavily on the capabilities of my mind. I can tell you unequivocally that of the three— body, speech, and mind— mind has by far the greatest power and benefit. My faith and my devotion to my precious lamas, who have blessed me continuously with their mind transmissions, have deepened beyond what I ever would have imagined at my age. My greatest wishes are to repay their kindness and to convey it to you, my cherished students.
I really don’t know if I have entered the moment-of-death bardo and this heart condition will be the cause of my death, or if this is just the deterioration of old age and the real cause of death has yet to introduce itself. At times, dreams seem to indicate that the transition is near, but then auspicious dreams and visions follow. Maybe your prayers and practice are staving off the inevitable; maybe I am held by my unfinished projects.
Dharma activities have always served as a means of both training my students and creating sacred mandalas where pure dharma will be practiced for generations. The lamas I have ordained are now upholding my projects and adding their own. The activity of some of them already has great scope. I think particularly of Tulku Jigme’s projects in Tibet, Lama Drimed’s at Rigdzin Ling, Lama Gyatso’s with the Shi-tro Mandala, and the work of lamas Chökyi Nyima, Zangpo, Dorje, and Tsultrim to publish Longchenpa’s Seven Treasuries. Others are nurturing the seeds of activity that will ripen into wonderful fruit in the future. All are supporting the teachings by their examples of dharma activity, and I am very content with this.
I presently have three priorities in terms of dharma activity: the creation of a large Akshobhya statue at Khadro Ling, the building of a retreat center on a very inspiring piece of land recently offered in Uruguay, and the construction of another retreat center, Katok Ritröd, near Parping, Nepal.
For those who contribute to the creation of the Akshobhya statue and participate in or sponsor 100,000 recitations of Akshobhya’s long dharani mantra, dedicating the merit thus generated is an important means of alleviating the suffering of death and unfortunate rebirth, even if the person to whom the merit is dedicated died long ago or has not yet died.
The Uruguayan center should increase the momentum of the teachings in Uruguay and Argentina and also provide a fine place for practitioners to do long-term retreat in isolated surroundings. Likewise, Katok Ritröd in Nepal will be a place where strong practitioners can meditate under an excellent retreat master. As Katok is the mother monastery of Chagdud Gonpa in Tibet and the source of many great lamas, this project is very close to my heart. Originally I thought that I, with the help of several of my students, could fund the entire construction. But the plans have become somewhat more elaborate and costs may exceed our present funds, so I may need additional support. In any case, I hope that some of you will consider sponsoring retreatants there for a year or more.
Great masters advise us to make only short-range plans. I recognize the wisdom of this and I recognize that even dharma activities are an illusory display. But such an excellent display! Seeds worth planting and nurturing! May they flourish and benefit now and in the future.
In the dharma,
Chagdud Tulku
