The Gyalwang Drukpa

This is to continue from where I was talking last time. From Manali, we went to Manikaran hot spring and then to Bhuntar. Initially I thought I could arrive in Delhi on the same day, but the schedule became a little complicated, then I reached Delhi one day later.

The people who managed the new Drukpa temple in Manikaran hot spring requested me to visit them, I accepted their invitation, thinking that it would only take half an hour, and I also thought that visiting His Eminence Choegon Rinpoche Chokyi Sengye's Druk Dechen Choekhor Ling in Bhuntar would also take another half hour, so it was not such a big deal to do two visits at one go. But then the visit to Drukpa temple in Manikaran took almost 3 hours. In such a small place, there were more than 700 people waiting for me and expecting me to give teachings and transmissions of different mantras. On top of everything, I could not refuse their request to give individual blessing. The temple committee also organised such a huge lunch for me and my entourage which was really moving for me, I couldn't refuse this offering as well. So it took me more than 3 hours to finish everything in Manikaran.

When we went to Bhuntar, it was a little late already. We tried to visit the temple which is under construction, thinking that no one would know that I was coming and hoping that I could walk around to see the progress and meet some of the monks to say hello to them, and then I could rush to Delhi. Well, because of high-tech gadgets like mobile phones, my schedule was tracked, when I arrived at Choegon Rinpoche's monastery, they already painted the 8 auspicious symbols on the road and all the monks had put on traditional costumes and welcome procession to greet me. I didn't dare to hurry up and I couldn't tell them that I had to rush to Delhi. So I sat on the throne and accepted mandala offering, I had tea and traditional sweet rice. I tried to request them to perform the traditional rituals faster, but still it took more than 2 hours. Then among the monks, there was a nun who came to meet me. I felt very good connection with her and spontaneously said to her, "Nice to meet you. How are you?" She said she was well and went off smiling. I didn't pay much attention because there were many people who came up to see me. After that, we all rushed to our jeeps. Sey Rinpoche was told that she was Karmapa Ogyen Trinlay's sister, he didn't know who she was before that. I thought that this was one of those little unexpected things, especially I was told that their family belongs to our Drukpa Lineage, therefore I am supposed to have a very good connection with them as well. Anyway, we went down to Delhi, and today, we all came back to Druk Amitabha Mountain, preparing the teaching to be given to the nuns, monks and the other crowds from tomorrow onwards.

When I arrived, I received news about stock market crash. Some of my friends and students wrote to me and said that the world financial market is in big trouble, because some old banks are unable to pay their loans, one by one these banks are collapsing and now even prices of oil, steel, etc. are falling. I remember telling many of my friends and students that this is a year of big changes and turmoil, so a lot of prayers need to be done and people should be constantly keeping their mind focused on spiritual practice. The more difficult the external situation is, the more strength you need to develop within yourself to keep a balance so that you will not go crazy, so that you will not float up and down with the waves of samsara. This is very important. The stock market can be the direct reflection of greed, and followed by the other poisons, if you do not know how to handle, you become affected. When it goes up, you are so happy, when it comes down, you are so sad. Your emotions also become like a stock market, if this is happening, then I can tell you straight away that your spiritual practice is not strong enough, and this is a very good opportunity for you to gain understanding and to transform all the negative emotions into spiritual strength. It's better you do that now, rather than keeping yourself emotionally unstable and killing your spirit slowly.

Despite all the negative external circumstances, I am very happy that my students are able to keep themselves contented, this is what I need to see. For some people that I know, even when the stock market was going up to the sky, they were very down and having long face all the time; that is very sad and unlucky sign. Now they must be even in a worse shape.

Even though this is a very unfortunate financial crisis, I am quite contented to see that my students manage to keep their smiles and their positive attitude, even if they have a lot of shares in the stock market. This is the result or outcome of spiritual practice. One day for sure, their will experience very high stock market, at that time, they still have to remain in this balance of emotions, this is what I will be expecting from them, if it is not too much of an expectation.