My Message to Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Below is the same video but with Chinese subtitle
My Dearest and Holiest Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche,
I have heard you have decided to manifest a stroke. I was very shocked, concerned and scared all at once. Such a great teacher like you takes many years to manifest and you should not think of leaving all of us. Your compassionate work is far from done and far from over. So many need you and your light.
I have taped a messsage for you and I offer it from my heart. Please excuse my presumptuous self thinking you will even have the time to watch/listen to my message…. but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE heal yourself. I know you have the attainments to do so. Please manifest your attainments to heal yourself as I know you are definitely highly attained. In this age of unruly beings, we create all types of negative karma to impair your work. To impair the growth of great masters.. Please do not let the unruly karma of all of us win and manifest healing. I know you are no other than an attained master as I have always believed this from the first time I met You in 1987. With folded hands I request you to hear my video message.
With trembling heart and faith, your worthless admirer, student and follower,
Tsem Rinpoche (Kuala Lumpur April 27, 2011)
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Thank you Rinpoche for this profound teachings and explanations . Now I could understand much more as there is a reason behind it, when our guru or high lamas is sick . To convey an important message for us to practice. It’s a wake up call for us to create the merits to do dharma practice ,have strong guru devotion, clear our samaya and to hold our vows and commitments. Its an opportunity as a student to collect merits by offering medicines, taking care of our guru, expenditure , offerings flowers, and so forth, while our guru is alive. Its more beneficial while our guru is alive, to do as much offerings to our guru as we could . May Lama Zopa Rinpoche live long to continue the dharma wheel for the benefit of all sentient beings.
Thank you again with folded hands.
I am a old student of Lama Yeshe and I wish to remain anonymous. I am older now. Lama Yeshe would do Dorje Shugden puja often. If he was alive, he would not have been browbeaten into giving up Dorje Shugden’s practice. After Lama Zopa and FPMT was forced to ‘give’ up this precious practice, I stopped going to FPMT. I never received any teachings from H.H. the Dalai Lama and he is not my guru. Lama Yeshe was my guru. We received this Dorje Shugden practice from Trijang Rinpoche at the urging of Lama Yeshe. FPMT should not have abandoned Dorje Shugden’s practice. How can they abandon the practice of Lama Yeshe who founded FPMT. Lama Yeshe relied on Dorje Shugden fully. It is rumored that Lama Yeshe’s incarnation (Lama Osel) cannot manifest being a successful teacher in this life as FPMT broke their commitment practice to Dorje Shugden as promised to Trijang Rinpoche. This heavy karma of breaking commitment becomes FPMT’s obstacle that Lama Yeshe’s incarnation cannot manifest as a teacher. Too bad. Dorje Shugden cannot punish anyone, but students promised Trijang Rinpoche and Lama Yeshe to do this practice, and the karma of breaking a promise of the guru is what counts and returns as obstacles. In all teachings we consider Trijang Rinpoche and Lama Yeshe as living Buddhas. When getting tantric practice/initiation from them, they are the living Buddhas of the mandala we are being initiated into so they cannot be seen as mistaken in giving Dorje Shugden’s practice. How can we view them as mistaken. If they can be mistaken in giving Dorje Shugden practice to students, then Dalai Lama can be mistaken in banning the practice. If one guru can make mistakes then all gurus including Dalai Lama can make mistakes. Just because Dalai Lama is high ranking does not mean he cannot make mistakes. Dalai Lama listens to Nechung via the oracle to ban the practice. Nechung told Dalai Lama to stop the practice. Nechung is a spirit. Dalai Lama should listen to his guru Trijang Rinpoche to practice Dorje Dorje Shugden and not to a spirit to give up the practice. How can a spirit override the instructions of one’s guru? Nechung never teaches dharma and Trijang Rinpoche taught dharma his whole life to Dalai Lama. Dalai Lama should listen to his teacher and not the spirit Nechung.
I have been following Tsem Rinpoche’s blog for a few years now. I have not read or heard (videos) anything Tsem Rinpoche says that criticizes the Dalai Lama or says anything negative against the Dalai Lama. This is amazing practice. He does his guru proud. Tsem Rinpoche is steadfast in his practice of Shugden because he is keeping his commitment to his guru just as we are taught. Just for this he is criticized and ostracized. That is too bad. Tsem Rinpoche is simply following the rules of Tantric Buddhist practice which is to keep his commitment to his guru and that is why I understand he is doing the Dorje Shugden practice. I commend Tsem Rinpoche for keeping his guru devotion so strong. Tsem Rinpoche is brave in the face of segregation, hatred and ostracizing against him to keep his commitment to his guru so steadfast. I admire this and respect Tsem Rinpoche very much for this. It’s rare to find a Buddhist practitioner who practices not for political correctness but for gaining enlightenment.
Tsem Rinpoche was very close to Lama Zopa Rinpoche. But he was not allowed to see Lama Zopa anymore simply because he did not give up his commitment to his guru Zong Rinpoche to practice Shugden. Tsem Rinpoche has been very respectful of Lama Zopa always and yet he is not allowed to see Lama Zopa only for this reason I was told by other ex-FPMT members. That is wrong. Lama Zopa would in the past call by telephone when he was in the Asia region to Tsem Rinpoche or email Tsem Rinpoche to contact him to meet up whenever Lama Zopa was in Singapore or Malaysia. Now Lama Zopa stopped seeing Tsem Rinpoche only because Tsem Rinpoche chooses to follow his guru’s instruction to practice Dorje Shugden. What is the world coming to? Lama Zopa should embrace Tsem Rinpoche and respect him very much. Tsem Rinpoche did nothing wrong.
The good thing is Tsem Rinpoche is peaceful, calm and patient. He never criticizes Dalai Lama or anyone else that attacks him for his practice. He continues his practice and he is brave to continue and openly. Very honest and admirable.
The many wonderful articles in this blogsite inspired me to speak up about FPMT and their unfair discrimination against Dorje Shugden. Many Dorje Shugden lamas and people made pujas, donations (molney/materials/time) and teachings in FPMT to get it to where it is today. All these things should be returned. Don’t reject Dorje Shugden people but keep their gifts and donations.
I hope Tsem Rinpoche lives very long,
Ex-member of FPMT
(Photos Lama Yeshe and Zong Rinpoche. Tsem Rinpoche with Lama Zopa in happier times prior to the ban against Dorje Shugden. I like these photos)
1984 Los Angeles-Left to right: Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen, His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, monk assistant to Zong Rinpoche and the 18-year-old Tsem Rinpoche prior to ordination. Read more- https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/category/me
I was walking past a second hand shop on Western Ave selling old things. They had a Japanese-style clay Buddha which was beige in colour on the floor, holding the door open. I thought the shopkeeper would collect a lot of negative karma without knowing if he kept such a holy item on the floor as a doorstop. So I went in to talk to him, but he didn’t look like he wanted to talk or that he even cared. So I asked him the price and he said US$5. I purchased it so he did not collect more negative karma. I was 17 years old and that was in 1982.
I escorted my new Buddha home and washed it lightly and wiped it. I placed it on my altar and was happy with the Buddha. I would do my meditations, prayers, sadhanas, mantras and prostrations in front of this shrine daily. When I left for India in 1987, I could not bring this Buddha along and gave it to a friend. It was a nice size and I made offerings to this Buddha for many years in Los Angeles. In front of the Buddha I placed His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s photo. I remember I was so relieved that the price was affordable. But US$5 that time was still expensive for me but worth it I thought. But I was happy to have brought the Buddha home. Tsem Rinpoche
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com
Tsem Rinpoche at Kechara Forest Retreat, Bentong, Malaysia
Rinpoche please keep praying for me and I will too!
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this profound teachings the importance of Guru Devotion so as to keep our Gurus with us. A beautiful message for Lama Zopa Rinpoche and for us . Whatever we do ,act ,talk we must represent our teacher well. Very touching ,Rinpoche words of kindness ,compassion will encouraged more people to learn, practice Dharma . May Lama Zopa Rinpoche continue with his great work to benefit all beings
Thank you so much Rinpoche for everything you say.
Precious advices on how to treat our gurus, our teacher and teachers, our guides!
lama la chab sum choe
I am graduated from Central University of Tibetan Studies, varansi.
I have 3 years experience of teaching tibetan to foreigner and also qualified teacher.
Can i have privilege to teach tibetan at your centre
thank you and hoping to hear soon from you
With this teaching I know about the truth of high lama getting sick. High lama get sick to benefit his students and others. How compassion a high being can be. Without knowledge and guidance, we will only see things and view people with wrong views.
Without Holiest Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s help and compassion, Rinpoche would face with more difficulties to go to Gaden.
I love the part when Rinpoche talks about moon as the Guru/qualities of Guru and lake as we/our mind. How much good qualities of a Guru could have will not able to be learned or gained by a student if he/she refuse to calm their mind down, or to have a clear mind to reflect the qualities of the moon on the lake.
To have a moon on top of a lake is an opportunity, to have it reflects perfectly on the lake is an effort or sincerity as a student should make.
Thank you Rinpoche for the teaching and Lama Zopa for his kindness.
I like what your comments and your understanding Wah Ying! Yes it is true, everything the Guru does is a manifestation which comes from the students samaya with their Guru. Through Lama Zopa’s manifested illness, students are given a chance to make more merits in caring for their Lama and also in amending their broken samaya if any.
The Guru mirror the student, this I have noticed through many years of being close to Rinpoche, which I really am fortunate and sometimes feel undeserving, for Rinpoche is like the big huge sun or moon and to near the Lama, one needs to have tremendous merit and the right mindset, otherwise it can be a dangerous path for both student and Lama. Without strong faith, clear motivation and priorities, student could end up collecting more negative karma for being so close to an attained being. Dangerous for the Lama because He absorbs the students negative karma which could manifest in illness such as Lama Zopa’s case above. Hence it is very important to be firm in our motivation and clear what is the reasons we are in Dharma. Of course without saying the benefits of doing Dharma and being close to one’s Lama allows one to collect enormous amount of merits and purification. There has been many Buddhist stories that if your Guru Devotion is strong, you can gain attainments in one life time or even Enlightenment.
rinposhce tsem tulku im blessed because i get to see a huge bunch of human beings touched by lama Zopa Rinpoche actually i dont have time to understand all of everything all i know is the people delivered by Zopa Rinpoche in Queensland on the sunshine coast is doing an unbeleivable job beyond the imagination of western standard thought
Dear Tsem Tulku
thank you for your video, which I’ve just happened to watch. It is very touching and your words and kindness have encouraged me to do much more for my Teacher Lama Zopa, who has actually saved both my mind and body. If I’m still alive and happy, I owe it to His great kindness and compassion. Never ever in my life I’ve felt Loved and Cared. As I’m writing to you, tears are pouring down… My greatest wish is to pay Him a visit, personally thank Him, show all my gratitude and have His blessing. I wish I can bow down to His feet and show Him all my gratitude, and all my regret for all my wrongdoings in this and all past lives.
Thank you again for sharing your story and your pain about the news. I was very distraught too, and fell sick with high fever on the very same day he had the stroke.
My devotion to you too, who certainly are His precious loving child.
Rosella Sarno from Italy
Great Lamas has great ability to heal themselves as RInpoche told the story of Zong Rinpoche who was requested by the 14th Dalai Lama to stay longer. Zong Rinpoche did as he was advised did the retreat and vitality came back to his body and his back straightened out too. The only thing that stops a lama form healing is the karma of the students.
Dear Rinpoche, thank you for Rinpoche’s guidance on how to practice Guru Devotion so as to keep our Gurus with us to turn the wheel of Dharma. As an Enlightened Master, Rinpoche is so compassionate to “cope” with our level of ignorance and give such a detailed message on what students can do to create the causes for their Gurus to remain healthy and live long to teach the Dharma. I fold my hands to Rinpoche and bow my head to Rinpoche’s feet in deep gratitude!
I pray for Lama Zopa to heal swiftly and continue His great work to benefit beings during these periods of great distractions. May all Dharma student practice sincerely and reveal signs of progress to create the merit and attainment for Lama Zopa and all attained Masters to stay with us and spread the Dharma in all 10 directions.
Tayatha Om bekanze bekanze maha bekanze bekanze rantsa samugathe soha. May Lama Zopa’s manifestation of a stroke serve its purpose and Lama Zopa can recover swiftly to continue His Eminence’s great works.
To Ven. Tsem Tulku,
As a student of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, I am verry touched by your video-message to him and all of us. I had the great opportunity to meet him again last fall, at Kopan, and recieved his blessings. As I gave hime a letter asking some verry precise questions on the topic of Guru Devotion, the next day, someone I did just meet and told about my letter, gave me his copy of Lama Zopa’s book: The heart of the path (About Guru devotion); last winter, waiting for My guru’s reply to my letter, I recieved an e-mail from LYWA or FPMT and the first text of Lama Zopa was his answers on questions of another student about Guru-Dévotion; still thinking about him and strongly wishing (praying) for recievingan answer from Him, I heard the news of his stroke from Australian friends and saw his laughing filmed at the hospital few days after his stroke; today, after watching this vidéo of him laughing and talking with difficulty, I find your message! What you tell us is a great teachind, a great reminder to continu to work on our (well… on mine for sure) Guru -Devotion by applying the teachings and advices that we have recieved from our guru’s love.
I bow to you Tsem Tulku for that gift I recieve through your message!
I bow to my guru’s lotus feet, Kabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche for his kindness in taking this form for our benefit and I pray that he will recover 120 % !!
With great respect,
Raymond Philippe Thubten Thundup
I take refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha with my body speech and mind. Please grant blessings on my mind. Big thanks for very kind and inspiring words. Yes, Kybje Zopa is a very powerful and realised being and has touched soooooooo many lives. I was very fortunate to be in the first 2 weeks of retreat before Rinpoche manifested stroke. Teachings were amaaaazing and Rinpoche was so kind and generous to us all. I hope you can one day come to Bendigo to see the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion. The sutra teachings given by Rinpoche were in the shell of the Great Stupa. So much good energy. Thank you so much for your prayers for Kybje Zopa Rinpoche, I hope he sees your message. BIGLOVE
Lama Zopa Rinpoche seems to be doing well, here are photos Kurukulla center just posted on Facebook (I hope people are able to see them):
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/226449_10150257218371241_186747361240_9278655_3166942_n.jpg
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/222180_10150285969569251_163253104250_9656132_7453690_n.jpg
(or these albums if those links don’t work: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?set=a.434593519250.225104.163253104250 http://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?set=a.432033691240.211100.186747361240 )
Zopa Rinpoche seems to be very aware and also eating vegetarian still, it seems like.
SORRY do not mean to be posting so many links but they come by the minute, so here is Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s new video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baixwZYmpRw
And (so I don’t clutter space) the rest of the updates should be at: http://www.facebook.com/KurukullaCenter
Thankyou Thankyou Rimpoche for this beautiful video and teaching us the importance of Guru. I have experienced similar miracles with him.
And thankyou for strengthening the belief that he has manifested our negetivity on himself. Long live Lama Zopa Rimpoche. may he have a very healthy and happy life ahead.
Tsem Rinpoche, again you are showing an unexpected and uncommon behaviour of maitri and karuna towards all …
I thank you for your words. But I would like to ask you something. When a high Lama, like Lama Zopa himself, you, and so forth, take birth, the body comes from sperm and ovulum from father and mother. Therefore there is common link between the karma of them and the human body of the Lama. Even though this Lama can be a arya bodhisattva or a Buddha, then comes the question.
How the Lama have to deal with this karmic link with mother and father genetics diseases? Even though he has the power to heal himself, the trilaksana – anatman, lack of inherent existence of a self, anytia, impermanence, and dukkha, suffering, tha happens in a chain of consequences of effects in all phenomena, is still in his body, and since he received it from father and mother, them there is the karmic link of genetics diseases, so therefore is there a point to him show self-healing, or it is much more important to remind us all of death, impermanence and karmic law?
By being a Buddha or an Arya Bodhisattva, Lama Zopa Rinpoche does not have a common being sufferings, or not sufferings at all, and is it not a skillfull mean, like displayed by the Buddha Shakyamuni himself in his paranirvana, to show us, to remind us of the truth of all compositional phenomena decay?
Sorry to bother you with this sillies questions. The fact is that this questions keep poping up my mind and you seems to have being putted yourself with a high level of energy and intensity of thinking about that in order to understand and realize the emptiness of this question.
I thank you very much for your explanation. Please be patient with all of us and always turn the Wheel of Dharma.
Chanted 10 malas of Green Tara mantra and dedicate the merits collected to speed recovery of Lama Zopa Rinpoche. May Lama Zopa Rinpoche has long life, no obstacles to his dharma works and be surrounded by sound and enthusiastic students.
Lama Zopa’s kindness is a very clear sign of his attainments. I really love to hear about how High Lamas benefit others without agenda as it is a very clear reminder that there are individuals who dont operate on the basis of selfishness in this world.
It is amazing how Lama Zopa helped Rinpoche when he barely knew Rinpoche…may i one day attain that kind of compassion and drive…
Thank you Rinpoche for this heartfelt request for Lama Zopa to clear his stroke and be healed quickly as Lama Zopa has the attainments to heal himself.
This is indeed a wake up call for us to keep our samaya clean and have strong guru devotion and to hold our vows and commitments well before our own Guru Tsem Tulku Rinpoche also manifests sickness and poor health.
May I join in Rinpoche’s request to Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche, out of your compassion,please heal yourself and regain your health to turn the wheel of dharma for the benefit of all sentient beings.
Dear Rinpoche
About seven years ago, before I met you, I came across several books written by Lama Zopa’s students on Buddhism. It attracted me to the Dharma and that was how I first learn about Buddha’s teaching and the existence of such a great being. The books were dedicated to all sentient beings’ well being. I think at the time the dedication was very powerful that I became very attracted to Dharma since then. I even contemplated on visiting Kopan monastery to meet Lama Zopa during one of his famous November teaching, being a skeptic that I am, I had never found something that attracted me so before then. I made some prayers to meet a perfect teacher who can guide me, and who is not too old so that I can benefit from his/ her guidance for a long time. Then, I found you!!!
I am very sad to hear the news about Lama Zopa to the point of crying myself. How his students must feel right now. What and where I would be if not for the force of his blessing and strong dedications compassions made by his students.
I feel very fortunate to have a lama that is very much alive and healthy. I regretted the fact that I sometimes waste my time due to the force of laziness and procrastination.
My humble respect for you
Valentina
amitofo.may lama zopa rinpoche recover and heal quickly so does other enlightened masters.
Thank you Rinpoche for the this video, and the explanation. It is such a surprise how a High Attain Lama like Lama Zopa Rinpoche would manifest a stroke to himself, when i heard the news that Lama Zopa Rinpoche has suffer a stroke, i was in awe on how is it possible when a Lama who is highly attain would be in such situation, i was thinking is it due to Lama Zopa karma or something else. but with the explanation from this video, now i am more cleared and understand why the Lama Zopa Rinpoche suffer stroke, its due to his compassion to want us to keep to our vows, and practice what we’ve promise to our guru, and devote ourself into Dharma to benefit all sentients being.
May Lama Zopa Rinpoche clear the stroke and be heal swiftly, and regain his strength as before to continue to turn the wheel of dharma, and benefit all sentients being through His work and teachings, and liberate the suffering from the samsaric world.
Thank you, dear Rinpoche, for this lovely message to Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
May Lama Zopa Rinpoche heal your speech and your body quickly so that your great compassion can continue to manifest in your wonderful work of spreading the Dharma.
May all of us, who have precious compassionate Gurus, heed the teaching contained in this message and grow our Guru Devotion sincerely and earnestly and keep our samaya with our Gurus clean to ensure that he is with us to continue turning the wheel of dharma to benefit countless beings.
Dear Lama Zopa, I join in my request with Tsem Tulku Rinpoche. Please remain with us and heal quickly and keep turning the Wheel of Dharma. So many beings need YOU. There is still so much work to do here. Please, Please, Please remain healthy and be the light to all. You have the power to do this, please stay healthy, please heal quickly and trod the globe like you used to do. With much love, Irene
Hello! Watching this video has brought tears to my eyes. I hope Lama Zopa has a quick recovery. I studied food prep where they work with curing diabetes. Maybe someone there could check out the books by Dr.Gabriel Cousins and the Rainbow Green Live Food Cuisine to help his recovery. Thank you for being a part of this world. _()_
I do hope we have seeds to see lama Zopa getting healed. WE know He being sick is also our projection, so we should love and care much more each other in order that this could be projected and manifested as Lama Zopa health recover.
You my dear Lama Zopa has been a great inspiration for me, may my virtue somehow makes me to see You well very soon.
What a profound and beautiful message my dear Tsem Tulku!
I prostate to you two with love and trust.
May all be auspicious!
much love
ashudechen ivy francis
Very incredible message and interesting story, thank you.
I had the privilege of seeing Lama Zopa Rinpoche in Sept of last year, at Kurukulla center in Boston, for the blessing of the Kalachakra stupa they had finished. I dragged my girlfriend at the time there (to sneak in a blessing without her knowing haha). That center is very kind, yet shortly after that event their teacher Geshe Tsulga passed away and entered clear light, and now Lama Zopa Rinpoche (who founded the center) has had a stroke. I feel very bad for them.
It must be true that Lama Zopa Rinpoche manifested the stroke, because I remember hearing years ago that Lama Zopa Rinpoche does NOT SLEEP at all, but would enter a deep (tantric) meditation for 30 minutes at night, then spend the rest of the night making offerings to benefit other beings.
In case anyone happens to be interested, Kurukulla emailed me this site which has all the updates on Lama Zopa Rinpoche, along with mantras one can recite for his health: http://www.kurukulla.org/LZR-Update.php
Thanks
Thank you, Rinpoche, for a beautiful explanation and touching message. As always, your explanations are personally meaningful.
TADYATHA OM BEKHANDZYE BEKHANDZYE MAHA
BEKHANDZYE RADZA SAMUDGATE SVAHA
,,,relax,,,!!! He knows beyond our limitedless comprention,,,,he is in charge,,,!!!! The sickness is within Us,,,WE are the ones who URGENT needs the pujas and Medicine Buddhas mantras,,,,!!!!, ,,,while we pray for him,,,WE are healing owrselfs!!!! Is SIMPLE,,,,,!!!! Now we are UNITE in pyaying troght him,,,!!! HOW WISE AND COMPATION!!!!!!!!!! TKS SOOOO MUCH Lama ZOPA OUR FRIEND,,,,!!!!
Thank you Rinpoche for explaining why high lamas get sick. I join my prayers to Rinpoche’s and request Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche to live long and continue to turn the wheel of Dharma.
Speedy Recovery!
Kunga Chodrin
If one indeeds decides to endure a stroke out of compassion for others, I find this truly remarkable!
This would then be a clear example of putting other’s interest before oneself.
I believe that to take care of someone that is ill is already a generous practice, but to take care of someone that is giving his life and health to others and that falls ill, is helping more than just the ill person, it is creating conditions for helping more than just one person.
If the doctor falls ill, he cannot treat patients anymore, by assisting the doctor to regain his health, he can help many others again.
Thus also, when we don’t help, many more than just one person suffers the consequences.