The Gyalwang Drukpa

For some reasons, I have not received any photos yet. So maybe I will put up the photos after returning from Ladakh. As you know, I have a two-week programs in Ladakh from tomorrow onwards, and it is almost impossible to write anything because of busy schedules and to update my web due to connection problems. So you have to wait for me to come back from Ladakh 2 weeks later. (No pain, no gain)

Helga Jigme Sangye Choedron and Jigme Zango, one from the West and one from the East, were two of the few lucky friends and students from foreign countries who managed to join us in the walking pilgrimage to Maratika. So I am happy to share with you what they have sent me. Instead of reading what I have to say all the time, at least you can have a choice of reading what others have to say.

I have received many Valentine Day greetings from many people. I think it's a celebration of LOVE, maybe for mundane level, it's just a love between a couple, but we can also see it as the LOVE for everyone, LOVE for every being, LOVE for nature, etc. So since the whole world is saying Happy Valentine and the collective energy is positive as it is about LOVE, so I wish you all, my beloved friends and students, a very HAPPY VALENTINE!

So these are the accounts of Sangye Choedron and Jigme Zangmo. I have not much time to read through them myself, but I am sure they have written from their hearts.

“Maratika” Pilgrimage (From Helga Jigme Sangye Choedron)

When entering His Holiness’ small retreat cave, tears came into my eyes; I could still feel the impact of his intensive practice – thus allowing me to experience yet another power place in the Himalayas. The small yellow tent that I had pitched just a few meters away appeared in my mind – the sound of his voice reciting Mantras and prayers day and night came back to my ears – all mixed with a strong feeling of impermanence; nineteen whole years had passed since then; but weren’t they anything more than a deep in breath, a onetime inhaling and exhaling, a mere snatch of my fingers? How fruitful have these hundreds of days, these thousands of hours and minutes really been, continued my wondering and shaken mind.

A fruitful life, benefiting others, developing a compassionate mind were the main points, His Holiness stressed again and again during this pilgrimage to Maratika. Apart from that, what other purpose could longevity have?

Guru Rinpoche had blessed this place by attaining longevity and immortality. All of us were so eager to touch his self-arisen vase of immortality, his hat, trumpet and stove that had turned into a rock, or to catch a drop of “dutsi”, the blessed water, the rock still produces. All this with the strong wish in mind that our Heart master and his respected parents may live long, may never enter the realm of impermanence.

The presence of His Holiness, H.E. Bairo Rimpoche and Venerable MayumLa turned Maratika yet again into a pure realm. Assisted by his devoted nuns, the days were filled with hoisting hundreds of prayer flags, while purifying fires lit in the four directions, eliminated all obstacles; long life deities were constantly invoked, followed by hundreds of lamp offerings: our spiritual father had taken some 200 of his children to yet another amazing pilgrimage.

Humans and animals alike received His Holiness’ blessings. Hardly had the helicopter with Bairo Rinpoche and MayumLa taken off towards Kathmandu, when we started walking back. Among us, all of a sudden, a black ugly looking dog, quite old, losing his hair, his bare skin full of bites, a typical example of a Nepalese street dog. Yet fully determined to give up his life in the Himalayan foothills and to follow us wherever the journey would take him. Totally unimpressed that we tried to make him walk back to Maratika even when menacing him with sticks or by pretending to throw stones at him. He would wait till we continued walking and seconds later he would be back near His Holiness. Once we had to cross a very long hanging bridge and when His Holiness stopped for a moment, he saw the dog sitting near the river, looking up to our Guru, as if pleading him to take him along; a monk then carried the dog across the bridge and ever since he had been with us: crossing the villages, protecting him from other fierce dogs, in the night camps and during the bus journey back to Kathmandu, where we got held up in the middle of a Nepalese highway for mere 30 hours due to a strike and protest of the local inhabitants. Now this dog by the name of “Maratika” has joined the family of other countless dogs living in Druk Amithaba Mountain.

During the pilgrimage, we always walked in a line, one behind the other. A few times my Karma allowed me to walk behind our Heart master, and among all the prayers we continuously recited, one fervent wish and prayer repeatedly came up in my mind “may I and all sentient beings always follow your footsteps, may we always be near your enlightened energy till reaching the realm of Dewachen”. Thank you from the depth of my heart, your Holiness, for this wonderful pilgrimage.

From Jigme Zangmo

I have just arrived in time from Kathmandu airport to join everyone on this auspicious pilgrimage to pray for His Holiness and Bairo Rinpoche’s Long Life. As this was my first pilgrimage, I didn’t have any idea on what to bring. I left many of my samsaric belongings in Druk Amitabha Mountain. On reflection, from my point of view, I thought it was a good practice as we are so attached to our material belongings and comforts and I thought it was a good chance to check ourselves on what is important. Although I was bitten by many bugs and my face felt like sandpaper, I was extremely happy to be part of this wonderful spiritual family. At one point, it was really funny as I must have looked like I was totally “damaged”, and His Holiness said, “Zangmo la, I think you should go for a good wash!”. Little did Holiness know, that I didn’t bring any soap, creams, shampoo or even a face towel!

Although this was my first walking pilgrimage, I felt very privileged and fortunate to be part of this wonderful spiritual family. I really felt like we were all united together facing all obstacles, enjoying and connecting with nature, encouraging each other and connecting with the many villagers along the way.

We were all very concerned as we were walking uphill to Maratika, that His Holiness was very breathless and still insisted to carry his own backpack. I was extremely moved by his determination, selflessness and the practice of spirituality as he truly shows us not just through his teachings but also through his actions, we are indeed very fortunate that we have such a great master as His Holiness.

Our group leader was Jigme Osel Tara, she is 19 years old and I was very moved how His Holiness personally empowers each of the nuns as leaders. I was very amazed of the level of organization of the different groups that each of us was assigned to. It all worked like clock work and everyone was giving their utmost best and savoring every moment of it as this is such a rare opportunity for all 300 of us to connect with our guru.

It was also very touching to see His Holiness’s love and devotion to his parents, Bairo Rinpoche and Mayumla as he flew them in a helicopter to Maratika. This really showed me how one can achieve the balance between spirituality and the reality of life.

Along the way, many people and animals was also very moved by His Holiness’s act of universal love and compassion as we had an old stray dog, Jigme Maratika that refused to leave His Holiness’s side even though he wasn’t well and followed us all the way back to Druk Amitabha Mountain.

We were all very excited to have this rare opportunity to visit His Holiness’s cave and we were acting like eager children patiently waiting for our turn.

From the depth of my heart, I would like to Thank His Holiness and all the Sangha to share this precious experience of spirituality and May His Holiness Have a Long Life and May the Drukpa Lineage Flourish and grow from strength to strength!