After almost a week with us, His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche resumed his travels, being driven to Vajra Dakini Nunnery in Vermont. His stay here was an amazingly great blessing to all of us. I not only had the opportunity to learn from him in the formal teachings, but I also learned from him and his attendants as we visited Tibetan families in the area. For those families it was a very great blessing to offer him as well as us the hospitality of their homes. It is a good thing that I enjoy butter tea, because I drank a lot of it! More importantly, I saw the great devotion that so many people have for His Holiness and the great loving-kindness and compassion that he has for all sentient beings.
In From the Heart of Tibet, the biography of His Holiness by Elmar Gruber, the author talks about the way in which every action of a bodhisattva is for the specific purpose of fulfilling the goal of bringing about the enlightenment of all sentient beings. Furthermore, taken together such actions essentially create a mandala for that purpose. I have seen the clear non-randomness of the actions of both my Lama and His Holiness. In his teachings he explained that loving-kindness is the feeling that one has upon seeing an adorable baby and that compassion is the feeling that arises when we see the severely disadvantaged or seriously ill or disabled. He said that we need to meditate on these feelings to extend them to all sentient beings. It is evident that he has just such feelings for all of us.
I believe that a most profound change has come about in my perspectives as well as a major development in my monastic life. As part of His Holiness' mandala, I am a vehicle for the expression of loving-kindness and compassion. Furthermore, the phowa practice that is fundamental to my evening practice has a new depth.
I was fortunate enough to be able to have an interview with him, although I did not really have any questions. He asked whether I live in Boston. I told him that I live in Florida, but want to spend my summers up here to be of service and to be close to my Lama. He said that is a good thing. Furthermore, I told him that although I am old, I am one of his newer monks. Finally, I told him that I look forward to seeing him in Florida.
In all the visits to Tibetan families as well as sitting at the dining table with His Holiness' attendants, I found my self immersed in Tibetan conversations. Additionally, after his last teaching, His Holiness addressed the local Tibetan community followed by the chanting of special prayers. In all of this I only understood a word here and there and only comprehended the general meaning a couple of times. Nevertheless, it all felt so familiar. At one point in my stay here, a discussion arose on how best to learn Tibetan. Of course, the conclusion was that immersion is best and several ways of accomplishing that were suggested.
A Gelugpa gelong with whom I correspond on the computer told me, when I informed him of my ordination, to be “prepared of an exciting ride.” This week has definitely been an clearcut example of that. Of course, there were so many opportunities to share the Dharma. Furthermore, I had the chance repeatedly to recall interdependent origination and karmic causality. I am nothing special, merely the result of certain causes under certain conditions, basic cause and effect. From the beginning of this lifetime with its causes and conditions I am growing and changing due to the present conditions which include my friends and my teachers. If there is anything meritorious that I have done or will yet do for the benefit of all sentient beings, it is the result of those causes and conditions which means parents, grandparents, family, friends, teachers, and my Lama. They are truly deserving of the credit!
After this time with His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche, he is also one of those who have shaped who and what I am!
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