MARCH 2004 A NEWSLETTER OF SIDDHARTHA’S INTENT

IN THIS ISSUE • VIEW, MEDITATION, ACTION • INTERVIEW WITH BERU KHYENTSE • NORTHERN TREASURES • WHITE LOTUS - REACHING OUT FURTHER • THE NUNS OF KHACHOE GHAKYIL LING View, Meditation, Action

DZONGSAR KHYENTSE RINPOCHE

In the previous issue of the newsletter we featured Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche’s straightforward approach to the Buddhist view from his recent public talk “View, Meditation, Action”. In this excerpt Rinpoche outlines how meditation and action help to enhance this Buddhist view.

We’ll talk about meditation now. I don’t know whether ‘meditation’ is the correct translation of the Tibetan word gom or the word yoga. Yoga is translated as naljor in Tibetan and naljor is such a very big word. Nal means normality. Jor means wealth. So when you are meditating, what you are ideally supposed to do is cultivate the wealth of normality. Now the very words yoga and gom imply that it has to do with getting accustomed to the view we were talking about earlier.

Most meditation techniques are a bit like a placebo or a fake medicine. I’m not making this up - this was taught by the Buddha himself. He said the absolute and final challenge as a meditator is the very path that we are practising. That’s (Photo Bridget Gebbie) a very, very big statement. He even gave was one of the greatest Buddhist kings and he a good example: taking a boat to the other shore. If you lived about four hundred years after Buddha passed are going to the other shore, you have to take a boat. away. In pre-Ashoka there were no Buddhist Once you reach the other shore, you have to abandon the statues or symbols because, I guess, they were all busy boat. If you are still standing in the boat, you are not on thinking about the view. But time gets degenerated and the other shore. You will find many Buddhists are very somehow we developed the notion that the path has to be attached to the boat, Buddhism. They don’t even know complicated. We asked for these complications, so now that Buddha, for instance, was never a Buddhist. This we have many, many complicated paths – visualisations, Buddhism falls into the second category that I mentioned and so on. But one should never forget that this earlier - the whole, not the component bit. whole path is like a boat, just to help you reach the other shore. And in this case the other shore happens to be But having said that, it’s the only way to go because we understanding that my hand is going to decay sooner or are like a patient and the Buddha is like a doctor. The later, that there is no such thing as a hand and that my disease we have is this confusion, such as looking at a hand is a dependent reality. mirage and believing the mirage is water. And we are so thirsty that we really need some water. Only a few of us Anyway, meditation is a technique that makes you get get relief and feel no more disappointment when our accustomed to this view again and again and again. It is a teacher tells us, ‘Hey, look, that’s a mirage, not water.’ technique, not the goal. The path is not the goal. Even though our teacher is telling us it’s just a mirage, Meditation is a technique; it is a skin that you have to most of us don’t want to believe it. We want to believe it’s peel off. The whole Buddhist path is a bit like an onion. water. Therefore, out of compassion and skilful means, You see a layer of skin and as you peel off the first layer the Buddha and our teachers have had to cope with our you think, ‘Oh, this is it. This is my moksha, this is my expectations. For this reason you will find seemingly enlightenment.’ Then, after a while, you realise it’s just theistic prayers in Buddhism. Especially if you go to another of your own made-up fantasies and you peel that , it gets even more colourful and more chaotic - off. As you peel off layer after layer, you end up finding candles, butter lamps, prayer wheels, prayer flags, shrines nothing inside. Once Buddhists find there’s nothing, they and all of that. are happy. It’s very important to release ourselves from

2 - Gentle Voice this burden of needing to find something inside such as you are not free within your own inhibitions. That’s the soul or something precious, which if we are lucky will difficult. These are two difficult things. travel to heaven and if we are not lucky will go to hell, because according to Buddhism that’s not the right view. Student: Is the reason why people are so afraid of being According to Buddhism, we have to peel off these free that they have to face their real self with whatever inhibitions or hang-ups that we have. And I stress that evil or goodness it may have? Buddhism is, for many Buddhists, a very sophisticated and carefully designed inhibition, but it is an inhibition Rinpoche: First of all, Buddhists do not really believe in that we have to use now. somebody giving you freedom. Secondly, we do not use freedom because we have an ego. For example, I know Of course, you know what meditation is – sitting straight, breathing normally and so on. Anyway, when somebody Happiness is a very fickle, impermanent thing. is meditating, there’s a sense of somebody doing nothing. Today's happiness is not tomorrow's happiness. That’s quite good, actually. Meditation is basically doing Tomorrow's happiness is something else nothing, absolutely nothing. That’s difficult! Thousands and millions of people want to do nothing. They haven’t the day after tomorrow. achieved that yet because we need to do things, if not watching television, then reading a novel, throwing a some people who spend so much money, buying different party, chanting mantras, piercing our skin or dyeing our kinds of ties. Each tie would feed at least five hundred hair. We have to do something! The reason is that when Ethiopian people. I don’t know why they wear ties we don’t do anything, we get left alone, don’t we? And because of all the garments we have it’s the most useless, that is something we don’t like because there’s a basic isn’t it? You can’t keep money in it – it doesn’t have insecurity within us and that basic insecurity is actually pockets. It doesn’t keep you warm. It looks like a fish not knowing whether we exist or not. And in order to hanging from your neck. We are completely free to not convince ourselves that we exist, we need to have sex, wear one, but because we want to look good, we need to shop or do something. Meditation is the opposite. fit into a certain society or we need to be invited to a Meditation is always facing the truth. So how do we face certain party that requires us to wear a tie, we wear one. the truth? By doing nothing. That’s difficult! And this is how we end up doing everything that binds us. Another thing, why do we meditate? If you want to follow the path of the Buddha, your aim is not to be S: You were talking about not wearing ties and I happy. Happiness is not our goal. The Buddhist goal is completely agree with you. But I’ve read somewhere that not happiness. It’s very important to know that. So this is the colour of the robes that monks wear means why Buddhism should never be understood as therapy. something. Why is it that you must wear a specific kind Buddhism is the opposite. Buddhism really, really of dress code? deconstructs you! It’s so depressing. If you really want to practise Buddhism, it can really make you disoriented. R: As Buddhism has travelled to different parts of the But after a while you reach a certain level where you world, all these cultural aspects have contributed a lot realise there’s nothing to be disoriented about and then and that very contribution can also mislead people. It’s you reach a certain confidence. Then, I guess, you will very interesting. First of all, there’s no such thing as have a lot of joy, but I haven’t reached that stage. That’s hierarchy. Secondly, if you really need to have a hierarchy, just what I was told. But one thing I definitely know is the highest entity in Buddhism is the truth or the , that Buddhism has got nothing to do with happiness. then Buddha, the one who taught, then the or the Why? Because happiness is a very fickle, impermanent community. So there’s that institutional arrangement. thing. Today’s happiness is not tomorrow’s happiness. That’s one of the few institutions or symbols that Tomorrow’s happiness is something else the day after theoretical Buddhism has. tomorrow. But on top of that, there are robes. When Buddha was When Buddhists say, ‘May all sentient beings be happy’, alive, he told his monks to wear one of three colours. what are they saying? When we talk about happiness, we They could choose blue, red or yellow. And ideally the are talking about understanding the truth. It’s got nothing material should be material discarded by people. You to do with a feeling. And you know that our happiness then have to dye it with one of these three colours, just to has changed a lot. There are people about whom we get remind yourself that you have taken such and such a vow so excited, to the point where we become kind of frisky and to help you maintain your discipline. Other than that when we first meet. After about a year or two even the there’s no other significance in it. When you meditate, sight of them bothers you. These things happen! normally you are advised to sit straight. There is no reason why you cannot lie down and meditate. But you So now back to meditation. Doing nothing, that’s a very are encouraged to sit straight and meditate. Why? It helps difficult job. There are two things that are difficult. Doing to discipline yourself. There’s more chance that if you are nothing and thinking that you can do whatever you like, lying down and meditating, you will fall asleep, basically. living in a free society. That’s very difficult, very difficult! Most of the classic or theoretical Buddhist symbols or Even though there is somebody who’s giving you traditions have to do with discipline. absolute freedom, you will not use it. We don’t have the guts. We don’t have the confidence to do whatever we continued page 10 like. You may think you’re a member of a free society. No, Gentle Voice - 3 INTERVIEW BERU KHYENTSE RINPOCHE (Photo Ross Smith) Beru Khyentse Rinpoche

Rinpoche, you were recognised by His Holiness the corals and turquoises. This is an example of what is called sixteenth , were enthroned by him and received rangjung or self-arising manifestation. The Karmapa was many teachings from him. Could you say something a real Buddha. about his qualities? After you were enthroned, the Chinese invaded Tibet and you The Karmapa is like Buddha, not an ordinary human led your monks and lay disciples out of Tibet. Could you say a being. He is very great; he knows everything, the future little about that? and past lives. When he meditates, he can see everything. He recognised many, many , not in an ordinary way Yes. We left in early 1958. In 1959 the Chinese destroyed but in a very special way. He could see the exact place and many monasteries. The fighting had started in where the was born, his parents, the distance and parts of eastern Tibet, around 1958, but it had not yet direction of how to locate that place, everything. become so bad. However, both the Karmapa and myself Sometimes he would just tell his secretary to write down had done (divinations) and those indicated that it these directions; sometimes, without being requested to would be better if we left Tibet. So, officially, we got do so, he would relate all the details of where a lama was permission from the local government to go on reborn. pilgrimage and then we were to come back. After two or three months, while we were travelling, the fighting Many people were profoundly and suddenly changed started in many different places and many were through meeting him and have great devotion to him as imprisoned. Many things happened. he was so powerful. Sometimes they would be moved to tears, some would actually see him as Vajradhara, some We kept going and reached a place near Lhasa called would see him as Karma Pakshi, the second Karmapa Nyenchen ThangLha’s mountain where we stopped for a (1203 - 1283), in the form of an old man with long hair. few months. Then the Karmapa said that we should leave Karmapa’s sister saw him in the form of Vajradhara. quickly and go in a northerly direction, to the Nepali Some people saw the Karmapa with special ornaments, border. His Holiness the travelled to the

Cover photo: Beru Khyentse Rinpoche at Vajradhara Gonpa (Photo Bridget Gebbie) 4 - Gentle Voice danger of dying out. He would receive that and then write it down in book form and teach it again. All lineages of the , Kagyü, and as well as the Shangpa, Drigung, Jodruk (Kalachakra) and Chö he searched out, received and also practised and then transmitted to his disciples. So he was a very great master.

At the same time, Jamgön Kongtrül Lodrö Thaye (1813 – 1899) was his dharma brother and they were each other’s disciples and gurus. The first Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo lived for seventy-three years from 1820 to 1892. Before he died, he practised Vimalamitra’s guru yoga and said he knew that it was his time to go and that he would dissolve into Vimalamitra’s heart and go to Vimalamitra’s sacred place, the five peaks of Wu Tai Shan in China. Then he would again radiate five emanations. So there are five Khyentses. His main seat was at Dzongsar Tashi Kartsey. The holder of this seat, the second Dzongsar Khyentse, died at the age of thirteen, after which the invited the Kathog Khyentse to Dzongsar to become the throne-holder there. This was Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö. He was also very great and had many teachers from different lineages as had Jamyang

(Photo courtesy of Sonam and Tenzin) Khyentse Wangpo before him. His activities greatly His Holiness the Sixteenth Karmapa flourished and he had many, many disciples, both tulkus and khenpos. Assamese border. The Karmapa escaped south through Bhutan. We however went through northern Tibet. We The first Beru Khyentse, my previous incarnation, was travelled for one and a half years, living in tents and born in 1896. He was recognised by the first Jamgön travelling on horseback. In 1959 we reached . Then Kongtrül Lodrö Thaye as the speech incarnation of at the time of the New Year, , I met the Karmapa Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo. The boy was taken to again in Nepal. We were all safe and didn’t have any Palpüng monastery and was given the name Pema problems with the Chinese, but many other monasteries’ Wangchüg. He studied all the different traditions and lamas and many lay people died. When we were near became a great rimé master. He was considered the heart Nyenchen ThangLha’s mountain, reconnaissance son of his main guru, the fifteenth Karmapa, Khakyab aeroplanes flew overhead. We heard them coming and Dorje. were able to cover our belongings with cloth so they couldn’t see us and they didn’t drop bombs on us. We Later, the fifteenth Karmapa invited the first Beru were very lucky. The next day we left. At that time, at Khyentse, who was a monk, to come to his seat, Tsurphu, Chegu Gonpa in Kongpo, there were many people killed. near Lhasa, and look after the monks and his sons and daughters as his regent. Before passing away, the fifteenth Rinpoche, you are the speech emanation of Jamyang Khyentse Karmapa had a vision about the incarnation of the Wangpo. Could you say something about the rimé or non- sixteenth Karmapa, which was recorded but was difficult sectarian lineage, as it seems very important at this time? to decipher. Eventually Beru Khyentse Rinpoche received a piece of paper containing the exact explanation of the Yes. The background to the Khyentse lineage is that at the reincarnation document. After he had read it, he time of the Buddha he was . Then through understood the meaning and was very happy as he had many different lifetimes he was Manjushrimitra, been searching for this key to open the code of the Vimalamitra, Dril Bupa, (or Vajra Ghantipa), Bana Ratna reincarnation letter left by the fifteenth Karmapa about (or Pal Yang) and many, many great yogis. In Tibet, the the sixteenth Karmapa. This is regarding the first Beru first time, he reincarnated as King Trisong Deutsen. From Khyentse, the fifteenth Karmapa’s main heart son and the king emanated five forms of his body, speech, mind, also the guru of the sixteenth Karmapa. qualities and activities. Then, there are the 108 major tertöns (treasure revealers) and the 1,022 minor tertöns. Of Rinpoche, is there something you would like to say in the major tertöns in the past lives of Jamyang Khyentse conclusion? Wangpo, the first was Sangye Lama, who was the first tertön in Tibet (Tsa Sum Dril Drub was one of his termas), Yes. As the teachings of the buddha dharma spread then Nyang Ral Nyima Öser and Guru Chöwang. throughout the West and the East, in Australia and New Zealand we really need to put into practice these Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo was a very great master and teachings of the Buddha. This is a really momentous time. had over 150 different lineage gurus. He travelled all over There are many great masters giving teachings here. Tibet to receive and thereby preserve all of the lineage These teachings are very precious and now you have the transmissions, some of which were almost broken and in continued page 10

Gentle Voice - 5 NORTHERN TREASURES

The Northern Treasures is an important Tibetan specifically the tradition of the Northern Treasures was Buddhist tradition that is based on scriptures concealed weakened, with many texts being lost. In the early 1980s by Guru . Here Changling Rinpoche things settled down again for a little while, but not all the describes the origin of this tradition, its role in Tibet Northern Treasures texts could be found. Nowadays the and how it may be preserved. only person who upholds this tradition in a great way is . He is the life force of the After having spread the Buddhist teaching in Tibet Northern Treasures tradition, holding all the lineages of during the ninth century, Padmasambhava concealed empowerments, reading transmissions and instructions. many different treasure teachings or termas for individuals in the future. These treasure teachings came There are many people in Tibet, Nepal and in the West, from Guru Padmasambhava himself, known among who want to practise this tradition, but they cannot do so Tibetans as Guru Rinpoche, and the Northern Treasures is without the texts. I think the most important thing is that said to contain the heart teaching of Guru the surviving texts should be printed – this will help Padmasambhava. It was hidden in the location of Zang many people who wish to practise and it will also help to Zang Lhadrak by Padmasambhava just before he left for preserve these teachings. I am now trying to collect them the Copper-Coloured Mountain. and have them entered in computer format to print them. There is a large number of books—more than fifty At that time King Trisong Deutsen’s grandson, Gyalse volumes. Lhase, supplicated Padmasambhava with great yearning, asking, ‘If you leave for the Copper-Coloured Mountain, We also need to support the Northern Treasures who shall we turn to? What shall we do?’ Guru Rinpoche monasteries that are left, for example, Taklung Tsetrul answered, ‘Do not grieve. In the future there will come a Rinpoche’s monastery in Simla, Namkhai Nyingpo heart emanation of me who will extract a treasure Rinpoche’s monastery in Bhutan, and several monasteries teaching, which will provide for the happiness of all in Ladakh, South , Nepal, around the Himalayas in beings in this world.’ Having extracted this teaching, this India, and even Monastery in Tibet, too. Of emanation will proceed to spread it to all beings.’ course, arranging for Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche to give Eventually this individual came. His name was Ridzin the transmissions is also important. In Tibet there are Godem, or Ridzin Ngödrup Gyaltsen. According to the some Northern Treasures tulkus, who are not getting prophecies of Guru Padmasambhava, Ridzin Godem educated at the moment. Perhaps if they can come to extracted and spread this teaching, which became known study under Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche, then later they as the Northern Treasures. can hold the lineage and benefit others.

This teaching contains all the different paths from the (If you are interested in helping to preserve this tradition, transcendent teaching of the Great Perfection down to the please contact Ani Pema at [email protected] for mundane vehicles of gods and humans. His Holiness further information.) Dudjom Rinpoche said this teaching compares to a minister. A minister is someone who is able to relate to (The Gentle Voice would like to thank Jakob Leschly for his people at all levels, and like a minister this teaching translation of this text.) provides all the higher transcendent teachings as well as all the teachings that provide for the temporal benefit and happiness of this world.

From Ridzin Ngödrup Gyaltsen on, this Northern Treasures teaching spread widely all over central Tibet. The seat of this tradition is the monastery of Thubten Dorje Drak, located not far from the Monastery. There is not a single Nyingma monastery in which the Northern Treasures is not practised. For example, within the Nyingma tradition there’s nobody who doesn’t practise the Prayer in Seven Chapters, and this comes from the Northern Treasures. Also the Namgyal Tratsang—the monastic body of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government—practises the Northern Treasures, specifically the practice known as Ridzin Dungdrup. Many people are also familiar with the Prayer of , which comes from the one of the of this terma.

Following 1959, and the Cultural Revolution, the Ridzin Ngödrup Gyaltsen Buddhist teachings in Tibet were seriously damaged, and (Line drawing by Gomchen Oleshe, 6 - Gentle Voice The Nyingma Icons, Kailash, , 1974) WWHHIITTEE LLOOTTUUSS -- RREEAACCHHIINNGG OOUUTT FFUURRTTHHEERR (Photos Jessica Klein) Indian children in an informal education centre

White Lotus International has undergone another name who would otherwise have been forced by circumstances change to reflect its growing outreach in the world. to work instead of attending school. We are also working Founded by Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche in 1993, the with the Bhutan Health Trust Fund to provide critical White Lotus Children’s Programme as it was then vaccines and immunisations for these rural communities. known committed itself to serving disadvantaged children, their families and communities, initially in Now Lotus Outreach is gearing up to reach out further. northern India, by ensuring their basic health care and For a long time Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche has felt education needs. Now called Lotus Outreach, the non- great concern for the plight of children forced into the profit, social action organisation continues to spread the voracious sex-trade in South-East Asia. In 2004 we will be seeds of positive change to homeless boys and girls in launching programmes targeting child prostitutes and Delhi slums, Tibetan refugee children and low-income children of sex workers in Thailand and Cambodia. We rural families in Bhutan. aim to identify and support partner organisations that are bringing hope and practical rehabilitation to these Tens of thousands of children live and work on the streets vulnerable children. of India’s sprawling urban chaos. These children are extremely vulnerable to sickness, abuse and illiteracy. In LOTUS OUTREACH response to their urgent needs, Lotus Outreach and Child NEEDS YOU! Watch India conceived the Street Kids Programme (or As with all Lotus Outreach work, we rely entirely on your SKiP), a mobile health clinic for youth in Delhi. The SKiP generous support! To ensure that your sponsor money initiative is designed to help children by providing easy, goes directly to those who need it most, we work with reliable access to health vans at fourteen different small, local, non-governmental organisations, leveraging locations. SKiP social workers provide basic health needs, community resources and employing a large volunteer tutoring and protection to approximately 500 children a day. In 2003 the SKiP initiative opened a twenty-four base. So your entire contribution directly supports the hour shelter in Delhi which provides a safe haven for fifty children and communities we serve. Whether your gift is children each night. in the form of a monthly, quarterly or bi-annual pledge to sponsor a child ($Aus320 a year) or a single cash, cheque In Delhi’s Yamuna slum – known as the largest slum in or credit card contribution, it helps make a lasting Asia – Lotus Outreach opened a free computer literacy difference. We greatly appreciate in-kind gifts, centre in 2000. For the first time, Indian youth here was professional services in accounting, design, printing or given the opportunity to learn and apply new skills to database management. We welcome introductions to improve their lives. The computer centre trains forty-five potential donors and grant-makers. Lotus Outreach is people a day and is an example of how such projects can also developing a range of cards and stationery, as well as touch lives and help communities. making available the beautiful photographic book of Rinpoche’s last trip to Dzongsar Monastery in Tibet, On Another instance of Lotus Outreach’s work is in Bhutan. Although the health and educational systems in that the Path - Tibet (for a donation of $Aus25 plus postage). country have experienced unprecedented growth in For inquiries, suggestions or donations, please contact recent years, there are still many low-income rural Meg Hart on 02 9955 9967 ([email protected]), Yin- families lacking health services and education. In wah Ma ([email protected]) or Glenn Fawcett response, Lotus Outreach partnered the Tarayana ([email protected]). Foundation to provide education assistance to children Gentle Voice - 7 DZONGSAR KHYENTSE RINPOCHE’S RETREAT HOUSE NEARS COMPLETION

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche’s retreat house at Vajradhara Gonpa is nearly complete thanks to the good work of Clyve, Jerry and all the volunteers. The house is on an elevated site with expansive views - it looks magnificent! Sincere thanks to all those who have offered donations and loans to get the house to this stage. Financial assistance is needed to repay the loans. The opportunity still exists to make your donation or to sponsor items for Rinpoche’s house, such as the solar power system, light fittings, kitchen fit- out, landscaping, painting, curtains, blinds, furniture, etc.

(Photo Ross Smith) Contact Ross Smith at Vajradhara Gonpa on 02 6633 1382 or email [email protected]

LAMDRE LOBSHEY His Eminence Luding Khenchen Rinpoche, one of the known as Lamdre Lobshey. On this occasion at Vajradhara highest and most realised masters in the Sakya Gonpa the rarely offered Lamdre Lobshey will be tradition of , will kindly bestow the bestowed. precious Lamdre Lobshey teaching at Vajradhara Gonpa near Kyogle from 3 May to 27 June 2004. The teaching Luding Khenchen Rinpoche is the seventy-fifth head of will be hosted by Kyegu the sub- of the Sakya tradition and was Buddhist Institute (Tsechen enthroned in 1954. He has contributed greatly to the Samdrup Ling), a Sydney- dharma by giving teachings, empowerments and oral based Sakya centre affiliated transmissions and re-establishing summer retreats in with the Kyegu Monastery in Sakya monasteries world-wide. His Eminence has India and eastern Tibet and bestowed the Lamdre teaching fifteen times, given under the spiritual direction of initiations and instructions on the Thirteen Golden Aenpo Kyabgon Rinpoche. of the Sakya tradition, the Seven of the Ngor tradition and other deities and has ordained The Lamdre teaching is known more than 10,000 monks. as the Jewel Essence of the Sakya tradition. It is both a Before the Lamdre begins and after it concludes, Luding theoretical and practical Khenchen Rinpoche will bestow a range of precious explanation of the entire teachings and initiations in Whyalla, Melbourne, Buddhist path, both and , from the beginning Canberra, Sydney, Cairns and Brisbane. The programme stages to the fruit of perfect enlightenment. It is an includes empowerments for Chenrezig, Green , extremely precious teaching – profound, vast and Hevajra, Medicine Buddha, Vajrapani, White Mahakala, elaborate. The Lamdre Lobshey consists of two parts: first White Tara, a blessing and a number of the Triple Vision is taught and then the Triple Tantra. public talks.

The Lamdre originated with the mahasiddha Virupa, after This could be the last teaching His Eminence bestows he received the Hevajra empowerment directly from before entering life retreat. For more information or to Vajra Nairatmya. The teaching has continued down register for the Lamdre, please contact Christine at through Indian mahasiddhas and Tibetan translators to Kyegu Buddhist Institute via email: [email protected] or the great masters of the Sakya tradition. There are two phone 02 9699 0087. For more details visit forms of the teaching: the more common form known as www.kbi.org.au. Lamdre Tsogshey and the esoteric or uncommon form 8 - Gentle Voice THE NUNS OF KHACHOE GHAKYIL LING

Nuns carry water from a local spring

The nunnery of Khachoe Ghakyil Ling sits on a small masters and prepare to teach the newer nuns themselves. ridge above the great of near Kathmandu, Nepal. Established in 1986, under the Had they stayed in Tibet, they would only have been auspices of Kopan Monastery on the hill above, it was allowed to become nuns after the age of twenty and originally planned for around 100 nuns, but now houses would have had no schooling at all. In Tibet nunneries are over 300 and they still stream in. in name only; one cannot even display the photo of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Of course, at present they suffer There are a few nuns from India and Nepal, but a large financial difficulties and their families are far away, but proportion has come directly from Tibet - from around they explain that the benefits of becoming a nun include Lhasa and the central area of Tibet, from and the chance to study, increase their knowledge and regions closer to Nepal. Their travel stories are also develop their minds. varied. Some travelled with family members when they were very young; others went first to India then, with In 1999, having been fully trained in sacred ritual refugee status, reached Nepal years later. Several hid from practices, the nuns started travelling the world on fund- police while escaping Tibet and paying bribes to border raising performance tours. In the initial tour they guards to enter Nepal or lived in gonpas in the mountains performed their dances, drew sand mandalas and for extended periods of time en route to an unknown demonstrated debate in more than 100 cities in the United destination. States and Canada. Since then they have visited Europe and Australia. Although Western audiences may have One of the nuns travelled from her home in Tibet alone, become a little accustomed to seeing Tibetan monks sometimes by bus, paying money to police along the way. performing such activities, it is unusual to see nuns in the She spent months at the border, without a passport or role. money, but was helped by the sherpas who gave her work so she could continue. For most, the greatest fear was to One of the results of the increasing flow of arrivals to the be caught by the Chinese, as this would mean not only nunnery has been a constant need for more buildings and questioning, torture and punishment for themselves, but also a serious water shortage. In 1986 a well was dug to repercussions for their families – imprisonment, forced supply them for the future. This well has recently run dry labour and so on. and they must now carry water of very dubious quality from a local spring and buy poor-quality polluted water The fame of Khachoe Ghakyil Ling nunnery, with its high for their daily needs. Connection to the city water supply standard of instruction in Tibetan is about eight years away. It is therefore urgent to find and practice, has grown greatly and their resources are more water for the nunnery now. Measures such as always stretched to the limit. In the past nuns were not drilling a deep bore, installing water tanks and increasing given access to the same standard of education as monks, the size of the present pipes are all planned. These steps but at Khachoe Ghakyil Ling the education, both secular will help the nuns greatly to live in a clean, healthy and spiritual, is of the highest calibre possible. Many of environment. If you would like to assist with this project, the nuns, having completed a certain level of their please contact Kathy Vichta of the Foundation for the studies, are now engaged in the extensive three-year Preservation of the Tradition at retreat, while others continue to study with renowned [email protected].

Gentle Voice - 9 continued from page 3

S: I’m wondering how important the view really is. view. There are many Buddhist actions, such as Cannot someone be a perfectly normal person, without meditation, visualisation, compassion, generosity and so having such and such beliefs, without following such and on. But all these Buddhist actions can be abbreviated into such a view? Or is it really important and one has to try two things based on the view: outrageousness and and structurise one’s view to actually attain a certain elegance. Why outrageousness? It’s very necessary normality? because if you are not outrageous, you will become a slave of this wrong view. You will want to wear a tie and R: When we are talking about the view, there are many then you will spend the whole evening not knowing different levels of view. Of course, everybody has a view. which tie to wear. You are losing it again here! Not being A view is basically an idea and based on that idea we outrageous enough! function. For instance, BMW is a great car. That’s a view. Then for days and nights you work hard to buy one. If you are outrageous and you are maybe meeting the That’s meditation. And finally you get one; then you’re prime minister for dinner, you could wear a live fish always worried about how it will or won’t get scratched. because, based on the view, a live fish would be much That’s action. View, meditation and action. Everything has more valuable than this useless piece of fabric. But, then that. But, of course, Buddhists would dispute all the other again, action has to be accompanied by elegance. Why? views. They would say an ordinary view has a lot of Because as a Buddhist, as someone who knows what the faults. That’s why they call it the relative view. Why? view is, you have a responsibility. Compassion has to be Because maybe a year later you will not like your BMW; there. You should not go to dinner with a dead fish you will like Ferrari instead. Now that proves that BMW hanging around your neck. As a Buddhist you should not! is not the ultimate happiness or the ultimate truth. So You should wear a very elegant tie that will match your what defines the ultimate view is something that will not shoes and your belt. You should put it on properly and all change, something that is not dependent on any other along you should know, ‘I’m doing the most pathetic, cause and condition. useless thing that exists.’ These two things are the Buddhist action. The Buddhist view of looking at phenomena is that everything is impermanent, interdependent and So now just to summarise. The Buddhist view of looking there's no such thing as a whole. at our hand and at phenomena: everything is impermanent, interdependent and there’s no such thing as a whole. That’s the view. Meditation is to enhance this So this is what I mean. Our view about our hand is totally view. To get accustomed to this view you try to cut all wrong. We think this is the same hand as yesterday’s these inhibitions. But how? By doing nothing. Action is to hand. If I ask you, ‘Were you there yesterday?’ you enhance even more that view. You try to practise answer, ‘Yes’, as if yesterday’s you and today’s you are outrageousness and elegance together. You can’t practise the same. But they are not. There you go. You have a them one after the other. You have to practise them wrong view there! It’s a habit. And then when I ask, together. ‘Who’s this you?’ you point everywhere – to your toes, your nose, your chest. You have a whole abstract idea of Of course, I didn’t do justice to the vast and deep wisdom you. That’s a wrong view again because there’s not a of Shakyamuni. But I hope some of you can use this solid, tangible entity that you can refer to as you. approach as the door to the infinite path of Buddhism. Thank you. Anyway, let’s talk about action now. Again, the action has to be based on the view. The view is the most important (This teaching is also available as an audio tape from thing, okay? Meditation is to get accustomed to this view Siddhartha’s Intent Southern Door, P.O. Box 1114, Strawberry that we have established. Action is also to enhance this Hills, NSW, 2012, Australia.) continued from page 5 opportunity to practise, so I wish that all of you disciples four foundation practices, the view according to the make efforts to wake up your minds and not be lazy. You Kagyü tradition, how to meditate on and see, you have all the conditions here, even more than in how to apply this in one’s actions. At the end of the Tibet, so with these good opportunities the time has now cassette he stated that in the future many people here come to practise. The whole world is full of suffering and would practise the dharma and through this gain problems, so we need to produce discipline in our minds enlightenment. He dedicated his message in the following through the practice. All you Western dharma disciples manner: should not squander your precious human , but instead act appropriately and practise. In the way heroic Manjushri knows all, And Samantabhadra too, In his message that the sixteenth Karmapa gave to me to I emulate their way bring in 1979, he said the following. ‘I am sending this And fully dedicate this virtue. incarnation, Khyentse Chökyi Wangpo, (the present Beru Khyentse), to Australia and New Zealand. I hope you can (The Gentle Voice would like to thank Douglas Mills for his receive teachings from him.’ He then explained about the transcription of this interview.)

10 - Gentle Voice DHARMA DATES

RESIDENT TEACHER FOR STUDY PROGRAMMES retreatants on strict retreat. Two more retreat huts will be built by the end of 2004. We hope that the expansion of our SSRC Vajradhara Gonpa and Byron Bay Buddhists have exciting facility will meet the needs of practitioners and will provide a plans for meditation, teaching and study programmes this year support for their practice. For further information and details to be co-ordinated by resident teacher Steve Cline, newly of upcoming activities in 2004 please email [email protected]. arrived from Vancouver. Steve is a senior student of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche who has been working as a Tibetan BUDDHA DOWN UNDER translator and meditation teacher for a number of years and is well remembered for his integral part in the three-month Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche blessed New Zealand with his Longchen Nyingthik ngöndro retreat at the gonpa early last year. presence for the first time in April 2003. Though organised at the very last moment with only three days notice over Easter, Would you like to help sponsor the costs associated with more than 250 people joyfully attended a rapidly arranged having a resident teacher at Vajradhara Gonpa and in northern public talk in Auckland. The following morning Rinpoche New South Wales? Please contact Kathie Chodron on 02 6633 asked to establish a trust in New Zealand to support his 1382 if you would like to be involved with bringing the teachings. Each month on the tenth day of the lunar calendar a opportunity of regular study and practice to our community. Shower of Blessings tsog is held in Auckland. Please telephone either Brooke Rabten on 09 828 7149 or Ani Dianne on 09 424 KHYENTSE FOUNDATION 3334 or email [email protected] for details.

Khyentse Foundation celebrated PRACTICE IN KYOGLE its second anniversary by surpassing its 2003 financial Shamatha meditation and an introduction to Buddhism will be goals through the generous held once a week, from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday evenings, at support of the world-wide Kyogle Primary School from 26 February to 1 April 2004. community of friends and Those people who just wish to come and meditate can leave at students of Dzongsar Khyentse the tea break at 7 p.m. The cost is $50 for the six-week course Rinpoche. With nearly $US2,000,000 in donations, the or $25 for shamatha only. Bookings can be made through foundation was able to build up the Endowment Fund for Kyogle ACE - phone Sue on 02 6632 1833 or 02 6633 3281. Monastic Education. It was also able to start funding several of its prioritised projects, including support for various A fortnightly Madhyamika study group, commencing on publication projects and scholarships. Once the target of Monday 29 March 2004, will meet from 1 to 3 p.m. at Ani $2,800,000 for the Endowment Fund is reached, the interest Gosha’s house, 5 Warrazambil Street, Kyogle. Under Steve earned will support up to 700 monks and nuns at the Cline’s guidance, the group will listen to and discuss Dzongsar Dzongsar Institutes in Tibet, India and Bhutan, relieving Khyentse Rinpoche’s Madhyamika teachings from San Rinpoche of a great financial responsibility and allowing him Francisco, 2003, as well as utilising The Open Door to Emptiness to spread the dharma in his own unique way. Please visit our by Khenchen and Dzongsar Khyentse website www.khyentsefoundation.org to read our latest Rinpoche’s Madhyamika teachings from France as study communiqué with news and a word from Rinpoche. material. The cost will be $5 per session.

SSRC NEWS VAJRADHARA GONPA

In September 2003 Sea to Sky Retreat Centre had the honour of A practice day takes place on the fourth Wednesday of each hosting Matthieu Ricard for a four-day seminar on month at the gonpa, starting on 25 February 2004 and “Renunciation of the Causes of Suffering, Compassion and alternating between the Longchen Nyingthik ngöndro and Pure Vision: The Three Vehicles of Tibetan Buddhism”. Forty shamatha. A Tsasum Drildrup tsog is held each month on Guru participants joined the programme and were deeply moved by Rinpoche day and a Tsasum Drildrup retreat, together with the profundity and directness of Matthieu’s teaching. We look instructions on the practice, is planned for the Easter long forward to his return in the near future. SSRC is also planning weekend from 9 to 12 April 2004, or from 9 to 18 April 2004 for a weekend with Dr Pema and an introductory weekend on those wishing to do a ten-day retreat. Please contact 02 6633 Madhyamika with Alex Trisoglio in 2004. 1382 or email [email protected] for details.

Continuing the new developments at SSRC, a four-bedroom TAPES AVAILABLE retreat house was completed in August 2003 and is now A set of ten tapes of Jigme Khyentse Rinpoche’s teaching on available to accommodate long- and short-term retreatants. Up Chapter 8, Meditation, of Shantideva’s Way of the the mountainside are two spacious, self-contained retreat are now available for $Aus110. Please phone or fax Carol cabins with decks that will be finished by late spring for Weaver on 02 9810 4591 to order.

Gentle Voice - 11

12 - Gentle Voice Gentle - 12

it, please burn it, rather than throwing it away. it throwing than rather it, burn please it,

this newsletter with respect. Should you need to dispose of dispose to need you Should respect. with newsletter this

Because of its sacred content, please treat please content, sacred its of Because PLEASE NOTE: NOTE: PLEASE

7553 for details about the venues. the about details for 7553

starting at 2 p.m. Please phone Tineke Adolphus on 08 8362 08 on Adolphus Tineke phone Please p.m. 2 at starting

practice takes place on the third Sunday of every month, also month, every of Sunday third the on place takes practice

sasum Drildrup sasum T A p.m. 2 at starting month, every of Sunday

ngöndro practice is held on the first the on held is practice ngöndro Nyingthik Longchen A

PRACTICE IN ADELAIDE IN PRACTICE

contact Shanti Steiner on 0416 103 314 for details. for 314 103 0416 on Steiner Shanti contact

tsog is held on the tenth day of the lunar calendar. Please calendar. lunar the of day tenth the on held is tsog details of this practice on 02 6688 2055. 6688 02 on practice this of details

sasum Drildrup sasum T A details. further for 871 894 0402 on Croci Sunday of the month. Please contact Christina Peebles for Peebles Christina contact Please month. the of Sunday

Darlinghurst. Phone Chris Conlon on 02 9360 1304 or Hugo or 1304 9360 02 on Conlon Chris Phone Darlinghurst. ngöndro practice is held on the third the on held is practice ngöndro Nyingthik Longchen A

the corner of Liverpool Street and Barcom Avenue, Barcom and Street Liverpool of corner the

7:30 p.m. at the dance studio of Darlinghurst Public School at School Public Darlinghurst of studio dance the at p.m. 7:30 02 6685 1646. BBB is at 1/22 Fawcett Street, Brunswick Heads. Heads. Brunswick Street, Fawcett 1/22 at is BBB 1646. 6685 02

Shamatha meditation is held once a fortnight on Wednesday at Wednesday on fortnight a once held is meditation Shamatha Raymond-Yacoub at [email protected] or phone/fax us on us phone/fax or [email protected] at Raymond-Yacoub

programme or news of visiting teachers, please email Paula email please teachers, visiting of news or programme

PRACTICE FOR SYDNEY-SIDERS FOR PRACTICE Gonpa from early 2004. For details regarding this study this regarding details For 2004. early from Gonpa

ordinated by Steve Cline, who will be residing at Vajradhara at residing be will who Cline, Steve by ordinated

Bookings are essential and can be made with Eva. Eva. with made be can and essential are Bookings the group. BBB also has a study programme that will be co- be will that programme study a has also BBB group. the

Ari Summa on 02 6621 2193 or [email protected]. or 2193 6621 02 on Summa Ari course, we welcome donations to support the functioning of functioning the support to donations welcome we course,

v hmso 263 27o vsmnde.uzcmor [email protected] or 1257 6633 02 on Thomas Eva as well as established meditators. There is no charge but, of but, charge no is There meditators. established as well as

information, or to be added to our mailing list, please contact please list, mailing our to added be to or information, and finishing at 7 p.m. The sessions are suitable for beginners for suitable are sessions The p.m. 7 at finishing and

music, meditation, visual arts and games. For more For games. and arts visual meditation, music, meditation on Wednesday evenings starting at 6 p.m sharp p.m 6 at starting evenings Wednesday on meditation

activities including the martial arts, story-telling, drama, story-telling, arts, martial the including activities Byron Bay Buddhists holds a regular weekly shamatha weekly regular a holds Buddhists Bay Byron

month for primary-school aged children, a variety of variety a offering children, aged primary-school for month

connection to the world. The programme runs one day each day one runs programme The world. the to connection BYRON BAY BUDDHISTS BAY BYRON

nurtured, allowing them to discover their own strengths and strengths own their discover to them allowing nurtured,

inquisitive atmosphere, children’s individual growth is growth individual children’s atmosphere, inquisitive 2193 for details. for 2193

the nature of every human being. In a respectful and respectful a In being. human every of nature the commence in April 2004. Please contact Ari Summa on 02 6621 02 on Summa Ari contact Please 2004. April in commence

awareness, recognising that these qualities are fundamental to fundamental are qualities these that recognising awareness, four-week meditation and teaching course is planned to planned is course teaching and meditation four-week A

principles such as wisdom, compassion, courage and courage compassion, wisdom, as such principles

Siddhartha’s School provides a programme based on Buddhist on based programme a provides School Siddhartha’s LISMORE COURSE LISMORE

SIDDHARTHA’S SCHOOL CHILDREN’S DAY CHILDREN’S SCHOOL SIDDHARTHA’S ngöndro practice in the Blue Mountains. Blue the in practice ngöndro

Longchen Nyingthik Longchen the about and these about information

called Noa Taylor. We apologise to Noa Jones for this error! error! this for Jones Noa to apologise We Taylor. Noa called p.m. Please ring Pamela Croci on 02 4757 2339 for further for 2339 4757 02 on Croci Pamela ring Please p.m.

“Vision Within the Four Corners of Film” was incorrectly was Film” of Corners Four the Within “Vision day. Shamatha meditation is held on Monday evening at 7.30 at evening Monday on held is meditation Shamatha day.

In the last issue of the newsletter the interviewer of the article the of interviewer the newsletter the of issue last the In tsog is held each month on Guru Rinpoche Guru on month each held is tsog Drildrup sasum T A

CORRECTION IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS BLUE THE IN

A NEWSLETTER OF SIDDHARTHA’S INTENT

PO Box 1114 • Strawberry Hills NSW 2012 • Australia