The Gyalwang Drukpa

I am here with all my old and new friends from different corners of this world. However, strangely I am missing where I came from. I guess it is my home. I do not normally have that much of so-called HOMESICKNESS and I do not actually know where is my home. I usually have a great deal of difficulties to answer those questions like "Where is your home?" "Where are you from?"

Normally I always feel at home where there is quality life for me and others. Well, i guess I must be getting old and I am feeling slightly different from the way I used to be feeling.

The day before yesterday, I started giving teachings and as usual people are quite nice and dedicated about receiving teachings. Yesterday, Drubpon Ngawang took me around for a short tour in the different rooms and offices. I was very happy to see all the good staff around and everything we have over here is of very good quality which means a lot to me. That tells me that somebody in this world at least cares about the well-being of the lineage for the benefit of others.

I normally do not feel that comfortable with those people who do not care about the quality of the things around them. I certainly have great deal of respect if this is coming from their own realisation. But even the realised beings have the mind of having all the good quality stuff for the sake of beings around the world and especially for the benefit of the lineage that we are relying on.

As long as these quality things are not dragging ourselves into hot soup, I don't think there is anything wrong to have quality life, quality time, quality material and quality friends, for the sake of living in this world with a great sense of Love. Live to Love.

Love is something that we all admire about. But one thing we must not forget is the fact that the quality living will provide the love, and only then love will be a support in maintaining the quality living.

Well, this short message is just for those students of mine who are drifting away from their quality life in the name of Buddhadharma and even in the name of being my students. In fact, that kind of students or friends are becoming very negative towards everthing instead of developing Bodhicitta. They end up complaining about everything and not respecting anything nor anyone. So the quality of life goes down, with it their happiness disappear, miseries take over. I don't believe that by being negative and emotional on everything and everyone will make you a more super or a better person, in fact it will boomerang. You will become the most unpopular among those genuine beings and all the good and merit that you have accumulated go to waste just because of one negative emotion, and you have to start all over again. What a waste of time and effort. So don't you think it's always better to be mindful, positive, creative and open.

Bodhicitta needs to be developed along with the clear view of the relative part of your life as well as the ultimate part of your life. One definitely needs a great sense of respect to both of these realities and find a way to go about it without creating any difficulties for others as well as for oneself.

That's why I feel the theme for the 2nd ADC is very much appropriate and a great practice: Respect and Appreciate with Love and Understanding. Isn't this something that we all need to remind ourselves all the time?