Rinpoche Through My Eyes – The Assignment
Joy has been a student of His Eminence the 25th Tsem Rinpoche for over 15 years. Through the years, Joy has witnessed Rinpoche’s compassion and the unconventional methods he uses to benefit others. Some of the short stories she shares will tell interesting miraculous events that Rinpoche will not mention due to his humility. She hopes these stories will serve as an inspiration in your own spiritual journey.
Rinpoche Through My Eyes – The Assignment
Assignments from Tsem Rinpoche were never just tasks to be done. Sometimes the little assignments actually changed our karmic situation. We never took any assignment from Rinpoche as purely just another task to be achieved or to get done. It was always more than just a task.
Assignments given by Rinpoche to a student were always well thought out, to help the student ‘win’. We may not necessarily have known what exactly Rinpoche wanted us to realise from a particular assignment. Sometimes not even after completing the task, but later on, when the time was right, we realised the reasons why Rinpoche gave us or our team the particular assignment.
What is crucial is that when the Guru gives you an assignment, there must be complete faith and trust that the Guru knows best and only wants the best for you. Tsem Rinpoche’s concern was always about how to help us grow, improve and be a better version of ourselves.
Each assignment given was ‘customised’ especially for the student. An assignment given could help the student overcome a certain attitude, emotion or thought pattern. This was usually to help break a certain bad habit. It was psychology in a way and Rinpoche always said, “Buddha is the best psychologist of all time” because the Buddha thought 84,000 teachings to suit 84,000 different mindsets.
Some assignments given by Rinpoche helped us to purify certain karmas; helped us open up certain karmas or our potential. For instance, we may have been given the assignment to clean the toilets at Wisdom Hall (our main prayer hall). While cleaning, if we chanted purification mantras, such as “Du pung, drima pung” or the long Vajrasattva mantra, this would actually purify our own negative karma.
There were some students in the past who were asked to promote themselves because they had the karma to become famous and to use that fame to spread the Dharma. However, a particular student did not go all the way and did not truly trust Rinpoche. She only did what Rinpoche advised her to do half-heartedly. So, when the karma to become famous was over, which Rinpoche told her, she unfortunately became unhappy and angry which led to other negative karmas to open up. Eventually, this created the causes for her to one day quit doing Dharma altogether.
In this picture, Rinpoche is seen drawing the layout of how our farm beds for our team to start a new assignment given by Rinpoche – Kechara Farm Project
If only she had trusted Rinpoche, followed his advice and went all the way in promoting herself, she would be famous by now and would probably be still around doing Dharma work too. Hence, this is an example of how the assignments given by Rinpoche, no matter how big or small could help change our karma which changes our life.
Therefore, we should never underestimate an assignment given by Rinpoche because it has an effect on us, mentally, emotionally and most of all spiritually. What is most important is that we trust the teacher whom we have chosen to take Refuge in and to call our Guru, otherwise why bother having a Guru at all?
When a student actually listens to the advice that the Guru gives and fulfils whatever assignments given, which in turns fulfils the promises we made to the Guru, then it is easier for us to gain more teachings from the Guru. This allows the Guru to guide us to the next step of our spiritual growth. It makes the Guru’s job in guiding us a lot easier when we co-operate as it only benefits us in the end.
Hence, when the Guru is no longer around, it is just as important to fulfil all assignments and instructions that were given by the Guru because each assignment is an experiential teaching for us to learn and to gain some form of realisation. These realisations are what helps us progress spiritually. Plus, Rinpoche never forgot the assignments he gave to each and every one of his students. So, if we truly love Rinpoche, then we would show it by doing and completing our assignments.
For more interesting information:
- Rinpoche Through My Eyes – Change Karma
- Rinpoche Thorough My Eyes – Spreading Dharma in Jonker Street
- Rinpoche Through My Eyes – What’s the New News?
- Rinpoche Through My Eyes – Mission Impossible
- Rinpoche Through My Eyes – Invoking the Buddhas to Come Forth
- Rinpoche Through My Eyes – Food and Dharma
- Meeting Rinpoche 20 Years Ago
- Stories from a Chela – Spiritual Nourishment for All
- Stories from a Chela – Supernatural Protection
- How Dharma Changed My Life
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I realized that doing dharma work or assignment is really good for us because we are able to learn new things and transform our minds, and also at the same time purify our karma. I’m truly fortunate and blessed to be able to do dharma work online for Rinpoche to spread dharma, and also connect with Rinpoche from time to time when he was around. I can still feel him very close when I pray to him for answers. Thank you Rinpoche and Joy for this nice write up👍🙏😍
Heard stories from senior students of Rinpoche about assignment that had changed their lives. Reading this post tells us more through the eyes of Joy Kam. Some understandings learned from it. The little assignments which many have taken it for granted actually helps to change our karmic situation. Rinpoche wanted us to realize later on but not now from a particular assignment. What Rinpoche did there is always a reason behind it which many might not understand till later on. Rinpoche knows best, always cares for everyone and help us to improve, grow in our spiritual path. And also helped us to purify certain karma . Interesting read
Thank you Rinpoche and Joy Kam for this sharing.