The Gyalwang Drukpa

Jamyang Khyentse Chokyi Lodro recognized my father as the reincarnation of Vairotsana, at the age of eight. My father lived and educated in his main seat educated in Zhichen Kharmar Sangag Tengye Ling Monastery in Gulok, eastern Tibet. I think he had a very hard upbringing in his childhood, which is what I gather from some of his conversations, as well as from some other sources. His parents or any family members did not accompany him throughout his childhood from the time he was sent to Gulok as a tiny reincarnation. Actually, I never heard him say a single negative word in criticism of others' behavior or their treatment of him. He does not say many good things about others as well; I guess he is not bothered as much as we are. However, we should remember that these things do not really bother his type of being easily, because they are well prepared long before they decide to take rebirth in this world for the welfare of others. However, I, as his son still feel pity for him even though I can do nothing for him now. Besides that, although he never commented about his hardship in younger days, and happy times of later days, I have actually gathered that, later on, with the moral support of my mother and the genuine love that they have for each other, his life has been very much filled with joy and peace. I always thank my mother from the depth of my heart for being so genuinely loving and understanding for the sake of our family. I should also share part of the credit with my father for appreciating this and valuing it. What a great combination they are! Especially, I appreciate my father's deep knowledge about how to discriminate between the happy life and the miserable life. Not like many of us who run after different attractions and get ourselves caught in a soup. He knows where to place the boundary to avoid all the unnecessary traps of attraction in this world. I think that it is one of the many great methods that he uses to keep our family, as well as everybody around us, in super happiness and peace. Despite being known as the head of an important lineage with over 20 monasteries comprising thousands of families and monks, my father prefers a simple and humble life with none of the strings that are normally attached to those associations and organizations belonging to different races, schools and lineages. He says getting caught by these movements would eventually cause one's own life and the lives of others to be miserable. "It is just a cause of negative accumulation. Why bother? Better to mind one's own business." he says.

My father never cares about his fame. The first priority for him is to create a comfortable environment for all of us and try to have it not be corrupted by unnecessary circumstances. Therefore, we never find him talking about his own knowledge. In fact, he will indicate to you that he knows nothing! For example, in his younger days in Tibet, after he finished his thorough education, my father left several palm and footprints in rocks as signs of his achievement, which are still visible to this day and remain as objects of homage for devout pilgrims. However, I, as his own son, never heard a word from him until today about these things. I am very tempted to hear something from him about his divine knowledge and how he did those marvelous drawings and handprints on the rock but my mother warned me numbers of times not to ask him directly because he could have got annoyed as he wants this to be secret. I understand why, because unlike many of us, he does not want to show himself off and get caught by fame. Not only that, it may be that it is not meant to be mentioned at this point of time in this age, and to people like me he is seen instead as merely a beautiful, loving father. I, myself, would also not feel so at ease to ask him of these things, as he is so warm and human to me. Therefore, I have had no perseverance to question him directly.